He wasn't pulling this idea out of thin air, as Arthur had been the number one newborn boy's name for a long time. Arturia had even once shown Shirou and Miyu some yearbooks when she attended Camelot International in her home country. One of the pictures she had was with another classmate who was also named after the Once and Future King. Arturia had been in a black suit, while the male Arthur was a crossdresser, for a bit of ironic fun.
Maybe that Arthur was actually Artoria, reincarnated as a male in the same way Gilgamesh had become Gila. Maybe Arturia didn't have the weight of kingship on her soul.
The golden diva gave a droll stare, "Why do you even ask that? You knew that I was Gilgamesh before I even used my Quirk, didn't you? Without evidence, without proof, you could have called me out the second I walked into class. Just like how I could feel yours and Miss Corgi's presence."
...Of course. "I see, so that feeling isn't just paranoia," Shirou thought back to when Gila first appeared, as well as when he first encountered Mitsuzuri and Arturia, "It's recognition. Yet... I know Mitsuzuri is Rider, ever since the entrance exam. However, you aren't convinced."
Angelica, interestingly enough, was the one to answer the implied question, "You and I fought in the Holy Grail War within our current lifetimes, which means their presences are more familiar to us. You especially are even more sensitive than I am," she rolled her eyes, "Since you hold the Spirit Origin of your future self. For all of Gila's knowledge, she still ended up being reborn, which has had the aforementioned complications."
The golden diva scoffed, "Don't remind me, Angelica. Regardless, at least I kept my memories. Miss Pendragon, and Miss Mitsuzuri should you be right, don't even have that kind of awareness at this point. At least, we should hope they don't."
"...And why shouldn't they know?" Shirou narrowed his eyes, "When you offered this alliance, you said you wanted Arturia's wellbeing as well as Miyu's. Why should we keep her in the dark about her past life?"
...Even if it means revealing everything I've done, and the true depths of my sins... Doesn't Arturia have the right ?
Toyotomi took a deep breath, before turning to Angelica. A silent conversation took place, before the twin-tailed blonde finally stopped being unnaturally still. She stood up from the wall, glaring at Shirou, as she spoke, "When we... When the Ainsworths made the Class Cards, we used a process to crush the egos of the Heroic Spirits we placed within the cards. This way, they wouldn't take over their hosts with their own personalities and desires."
The redhead glanced over at the red-eyed blonde with a raised eyebrow, who flicked her hair back, "Please, you really think any magecraft would be sufficient to crush my ego?" Toyotomi leaned forward, gesturing with a hand, "The only reason Angelica was able to handle using my Class Card was because she used to be a doll, and only felt about twenty percent of my impulses and emotions."
Used to be a doll. Shirou could make a guess that the Translation process changed Angelica back to being a full human being. This would explain her increased emotional capacity. Setting that aside, Shirou turned back to Angelica for the rest of her explanation.
"Yes, besides Gilgamesh, every Heroic Spirit we called forth had their egos crushed," Angelica turned her head to the side, "But we left behind specific critical parts of the Heroic Spirit's psyche."
She made eye contact with the Faker, speaking each word deliberately so that no miscommunication would occur, "In order for the users of the Class Cards to be able to use those powers and abilities... The shadows of the Heroic Spirits remain, containing their base instincts. It was that shadow that was reborn here. At least for everyone besides you and Gila."
...The image of the weary but proud King of Knights vanished from Shirou's mind. Replaced instead by a black knight, dressed in tainted steel and holding a dark sword etched with a blood-red glow. Her skin was deathly pale, and her hair had lost its luster. But it was the eyes that frightened Shirou the most. Golden eyes that burned with imperial disdain for daring to rise against her.
My sword is the breath of a dragon that has smashed down countless castle walls. It knows nothing but victory.
Before he knew it, Shirou was grabbing his head, his head throbbing in pain of that memory, "Saber... Alter," he breathed out, gasping. Toyotomi and Angelica jerked their heads in surprise towards him, but their eyes were wide in recognition. Somehow, they knew exactly what Shirou was talking about.
The young man took a deep breath, focusing on the clean air of the cafe's dock. It was better than the bitter ash of EMIYA's memories, "My future self has seen her before. She's... terrifying."
The golden diva slowly nodded, "That's right. Currently, Artoria Pendragon sleeps within our classmate Arturia Pendragon's soul, but that will soon change." Toyotomi pursed her lips, her tone soft with concern, "When it does, her new personality has to be strong enough to bear the weight of her past life. If it isn't..."
Toyotomi grimaced, "Her shadow will take over as the dominant personality. It may be possible to bring her back... but it will leave damage to her soul."
Just like how using EMIYA's Noble Phantasms put me at risk for his invasion. Just like how my scars and burns expand as I overuse my Noble Phantasms. Shirou gritted his teeth. He couldn't care less the damage that came to him. However, he refused to let anything happen to Arturia.
She actually deserved to be a hero, regardless of her past life. No, especially since the King of Knights followed her ideal to the end. She had every right to continue being a hero, unlike Shirou, "Alright, then, how does this all work? Is her awakening really inevitable?"
"Yes, and we do eventually want to rouse the King of Knights awake, along with the other reincarnations. We just need to be careful and deliberate about the process," Toyotomi waved a hand dismissively, her tone becoming more relaxed, "That's another reason why I need you on my side for this. Your cheap imitations have something that my treasures don't."
Shirou caught on immediately, since there was only one thing of value his copies had over Gila's originals, "History. I can replicate their weapons imbued with their past history. So if I give Arturia Caliburn, then she'll..."
The golden diva ripped a sword from one of her golden portals and pointed it right at Shirou's face. He only barely managed to parry it with Bakuya.
"Do. Not. Give. Miss Pendragon. The Sword of Selection," Toyotomi's words were measured, punctuated by the sword she wielded, "At least... not yet. Right now, that will only cause her shadow to awaken faster, if we reenact the legend too closely."
The redhead slowly nodded, eyes wide at the King of Heroes' statement. Toyotomi returned the nod, and dismissed the sword, as Shirou did with Bakuya. Angelica snorted, but stayed back, amused at the exchange.
The Faker glanced to the side, as a memory popped into his head, "Uh... what about Dyrnwyn?" Toyotomi raised an eyebrow, so Shirou continued, "I made the sword of White-Hilt the night before the entrance exam. Arturia... stumbled across it, and she ended up swinging it around. Is that going to be a problem, since it does have a connection to her legend?"
"Far from it, actually," Toyotomi replied, pulling out her own version of the Celtic sword, "It's actually an incredibly ideal blade for her. It's close enough to her own legend but does not directly invoke it" she glanced at the Faker, tilting her head, "That balance will help to familiarize her to her legend and strengthen her psyche. However, it won't run the risk of startling her shadow awake."
After staring at the blade some more, the golden diva mused, "That incident must be why I was able to sense her in class. Yes, Dyrnwyn is perfect for her to play around with at this stage." she mused, swinging the flaming sword about before putting it away.
"I see. Then the same thing goes for everyone else then, right?" Shirou asked, though his question was more rhetorical than genuine, "We identify the other five, then we get them using my Projections to strengthen their psyche so they can handle their past life's shadows. I can't give them anything that is too connected to their legends, however. If I do, the shadows might manifest, taking over their newest selves. Do I have everything down?"
The golden diva nodded, pulling out a flash drive out of another portal, "Up to this point, yes. However, we are short on time, so allow me to just give this to you," she tossed to the redhead, who caught it, glancing at it, "It's encrypted via Spiritron Hacking, are you familiar with that field?"
Shirou nodded, pocketing the drive, so Toyotomi continued, "That has the files for who might be Assassin, alongside some other candidates that we need to vet," the golden diva twirled some hair as she continued, "You don't need to go hunt them down immediately now, just keep your ears and eyes on the look out. If we do need your help to subdue Assassin or any of the other reincarnations, I want you up to speed."
Putting aside the memories of the last time he 'subdued' the Assassin Class Card user, Shirou just nodded, "Understood. I'll give it a look over later tonight." He'd use a projected copy of the Pendragons' family laptop, just to be safe. Speaking of family and safety, "Going back to my sister... Are these reincarnations a threat to her?"
"Not at all. We refer to them as their original classes for convenience, but they aren't tied to the Holy Grail War anymore. They shouldn't be hunting her or be any more of a threat than usual," Toyotomi tilted her head forward, "As far as we know, no one is hunting Miss Sakatsuki. That doesn't mean she is simply safe, however..."
Immediately, Shirou was already glaring at Angelica, who glared back with disdain. The King of Heroes released an exasperated sigh, rubbing her forehead, "Faker, I'm not talking about Angelica. Remember, I owe you a favor for returning my treasury to me, and my pride will see that favor repaid. Besides, Angelica also wants to see Miss Sakatsuki happy in this life."
"I'll believe that when I see it," the redhead scoffed, "But if you are convinced that Angelica isn't the biggest threat to Miyu here, then by all means..." he spread his arms, his voice low with disdain, "Elaborate for me."
The red-eyed blonde tilted her head back, speaking in a low tone, one fit for telling ghost stories at a campfire, "Haven't you wondered why in this worldline, Fuyuki suffered Mount Enzo erupting?"
Goosebumps raced up Shirou's arms, but he told himself it's just because Toyotomi was good at setting the stage, "I might as well ask why there are Quirks in this world. It just happened, didn't it?"
Toyotomi shrugged, "To an extent, you are right. Fuyuki was just the unlucky location of the event. It could have happened anywhere... Tokyo, Beijing, Novosibirsk... There are many places where All-Might could have found his greatest foe."
Shirou blinked, not expecting to hear that name out of Toyotomi's mouth, "All-Might's... greatest foe?" His mind raced back over what he knew of the Symbol of Peace, but he couldn't remember anything about a greatest foe. Not from Midoriya, Mister Gawain, or even the Holy Grail so much as hinted that All-Might had a rival.
"Indeed, though you wouldn't know of him. He has kept his existence well hidden, acting from the shadows to manipulate the world for over a century," Toyotomi scoffed, biting her lip in frustration, "He is an infestation in my garden. I am glad for the efforts All-Might made to root him out..."
Gila Toyotomi glared into Shirou's eyes, but he could tell her ire was elsewhere, "Unfortunately, he didn't finish the job. This Villain still lives, biding his time to strike again."
"...Does this Villain have a name?" Shirou asked, narrowing his eyes, "And what threat does he pose to Miyu?"
"His name and the threat he poses are one and the same. For he is a thief, pretending to be some grand Demon Lord of the underworld," Gila Toyotomi spat out, "He believes that all Quirks belong to him, and he happens to have the means to take them. Thus the name of his Quirk, and the moniker he goes by... All for One."
Geten Himura winced as the bag was ripped from his head, but he made sure to bare his teeth. He didn't know who the hell kidnapped him, but there would be hell to pay in a matter of minutes. No one got away with kidnapping a member of the Meta-Liberation Front! "Alright, you bastards, who the hell do you think you are?"
The young man who ripped off his mask, a taller figure with long gray hair and a matching suit, simply scoffed in the face of Geten's bravado, "For you? The end of the line." The young man in the gray suit stood up, tossing the bag aside as he headed for the door, "He's all yours, Master."
Beside the door, another young man leaned against the frame, dressed in ashen hands that gripped nearly every part of the black jeans and long-sleeved shirt that he wore. The guy with hands even had one covering his face, highlighting his light blue hair and intense gaze. Geten glared back at his two kidnappers, trying to figure out if Handsy really was this 'Master' the Gray Suit spoke of.
That assumption was quickly dispelled, as five fingertips touched the top of Geten's head, sending a searing sensation through his body. The Meta Liberation Army officer stopped breathing, as the fingers slowly spread over his scalp. Only when the palm of the mysterious hand touched his head, did this 'Master' speak, "Thank you, Arashi. You did well bringing Iceman here."
He knows my alias? What the hell, who is this guy? Geten turned his head to look over his shoulder. His captor didn't fight him, rather moved into view. The tall, imposing foe wore black robes, etched with odd silver writing, along the collar and down the front. An obsidian mask covered his face, which was clearly a breathing apparatus for this... being.
Thankfully, Geten could sense some fluid inside of the mask. Ever since his Quirk Awakening, he could freeze liquids with water in them, then manipulate the ice. It was harder to do with the human body, but the saline solution would work in a pinch. Geten had a vector to fight back.
"Hmmm... you certainly are a defiant one, aren't you, Mister Himura?" the dark figure chuckled, clearly expecting Geten to flinch at this. However, the ice manipulator just held his tongue, keeping his glare focused and his ears opened for an opportunity, "I should have expected nothing less from one of Destro's darling disciples."
"Get that name out of your mouth!" Geten spat onto the dark figure's mask. The saliva would be a useful point to crack open that mask... but Geten really was pissed, "Destro was a great leader! His ideals will see to the liberation of society!"
"Destro was a fool who could only bang his drums and cause havoc across the nation," the dark figure chuckled, still grasping Geten's head, "I am honestly surprised that he is still relevant to this day. I was positive someone would have figured out how to rebrand that ideology by now."
No, no way... That's not possible... "You... You knew Destro?" the words tumbled out of Geten's mouth like icicles falling from a rooftop. A sudden fear gripped at his heart. Those were just stories, told to us by the elders to spook us. They aren't real. They can't be!
"Know him? I funded him, guided him, helped him beat his little drum," the dark figure moved his hand to the back of Geten's head, softly caressing his white hair. This thingwas smirking, even without a facial expression, "...Before I set up the first Meta Liberation Army to fall into the hands of the government, that is."
"You... BASTARD!" Geten snarled, straining against his restraints. Trying to work up a sweat, and maybe even bleed, so he could fight back against this monster, "Who in the hell do you think you are!?"
Tendrils shot out from the dark figure's robes, but not to strike Geten down. Rather, they freed the MLA officer from his restraints. He was caught off guard from this action, that he couldn't react in time. The dark figure moved his hand once again, grasping Geten's face. Then this monster lifted him straight into the air.
The prisoner howled, as nails dug into his face. But it did cause him to bleed, so he would be able to fight back shortly. The dark figure seemed to sense this, "Good... Good... You are bringing your full attention to me. Let me see you fully, Iceman."
Geten clawed at the hand on his face, activating his Quirk to freeze his blood, sweat, and saliva so he could strike back, "You first, asshole! Can you even see through that mask of yours?"
"Not in the way that you see me now, no. I see things from a far, far grander scale than your viewpoint," the dark figure proclaimed, "For instance, you weren't just flailing around, were you, Iceman of the Meta Liberation Army? You were trying to get enough liquid for your Quirk, Ice Ply, to be somewhat effective in fighting me, correct?"
Geten froze. No one, no one, besides Re-Destro knew what he called his Quirk. Everyone thought he could generate ice, thanks to his support items. For this monster to know this much, it was completely clear who this was.
"Ah, you figured me out. Don't lose that fighting spirit now! You see my mask, you must have heard the rumors about me, right?" the dark figure chuckled. No, that description was too simple for the Demon Lord of the Underworld. "Come on... Say my name. Say my name, and bring everything you have against me."
Each word out of Geten's mouth was in awe and in horror, "You... You are All for One. How... how did All-Might not killyou?"
"The Symbol of Peace may have bested me in combat, I can not really deny that..." All for One used his other hand to pull back the sleeve on his robes. His arm was covered in scars and burns, the results of that secret yet epic clash, "But Humanity's Defender failed to realize that killing a Demon Lord in Hell is but an inconvenience for him."
Geten's eyes were wide, watering as waves of dread and panic washed over him. The Demon Lord sighed, "Now, now, I must admit I've been laying it on thick... but show some fighting spirit! Are you really going to give up your dear leader's dreams just because you met someone stronger than yourself? Does his convictions mean nothing to you?"
All for One tilted his head forward, speaking his next words slowly, "I guess that would be fitting. You will just suffer the same whimpering fate he did. Crying for mercy... to keep his pathetic 'power.'"
Despite his fear, despite the overwhelming storm that All for One possessed, despite the very odds, Geten's mind became crystal clear. Fuck the odds. Fuck this storm. Fuck his fear. Iceman would send All for One back to Cocytus himself!
Every drop of sweat, blood, tear, and spit within three meters of Geten froze into solid ice bullets, denser than steel, and fired into the body and face of the Demon Lord. Geten roared, biting into All for One's hand to draw more blood. The Demon Lord grunted, each strike striking true.
When the obsidian mask cracked, Geten grinned, as the saline solution spilled forth, then frozen into the shape of a dagger, launching for All for One's skull. He had him, he'll kill the Demon Lord himself! For the Meta Liberation Army! FOR RE-DES...
The frozen dagger shattered, as did the other ice bullets, as a pulse shot forth from the Demon Lord's body. With the mask gone, Geten had thought the most ancient villain alive would be weakened. He hadn't expected to see such a twisted, horrifying grin, ready to partake of his meal.
"There's the fighting spirit I wanted... Now then... All for One..." the Demon Lord intoned the three words that were both his own name, and the name of his Quirk. The air became heavy, hot, and humid. At the same time, Geten's throat became dry and his head throbbed. Did the Demon Lord truly possess some manner of arcane art? Was this thing even human?
All for One flexed his hand, and wired filament burst from his fingertips into Geten's body, tracing out every vein, artery, and nerve ending in his body. He could feel the nanometer-sized wires in every part of his being. From his toes to his brain, nothing was spared. They remained inert, however, until the Demon Lord proclaimed his final sentence to the mere whelp he held.
"Forced Quirk Requisition."
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Heat seared throughout Geten's body, as every wire expanded in his body, stretching the veins and arteries beyond their thresholds. He screamed, howling as the scent of burned flesh filled his nostrils. Breathing became impossible, as Geten's arms flailed out in concert with the muscle spasming happening across his body. Every muscle contracted and expanded at once, regardless if that was safe to do.
No, no no no no no... I am Geten Himura, the Iceman of the Meta Libration Army! I am the right hand of Rikiya Yotsubashi, the heir to Destro! I refuse to let this ancient freak take my Meta-Abilities away! I will freeze his blood solid and shatter him into sand!
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The pain intensified, blanking out Geten's mind for a few seconds. When he came to, he could feel the filament throughout his body... sucking away at him. It wasn't his blood or his marrow, or his flesh. The filament was... drinking his very essence. How, how was this possible?
No matter! I refuse to stop fighting! I swear that I will have my vengeance for this violation. I am G*t*n H*m*r, the Ic*m*n of the M*t* L*br*t*n A*my! I am the r*ght h*nd of R*k*y* Y*ts*b*sh, th* h*r t* D*str*!
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...Something was wrong. G*t*n's stomach heaved up its contents of bile and blood out of h*s mouth, but h* failed to process it, let alone freeze it to strike h*s tormentor. Something was incredibly wrong. All for One was described as taking Quirks, but this... this was far worse. He wasn't just taking G*t*n's M*t*-*b*l*t, but everything attached to it.
G*t*n wasn't fighting for h*s powers, but h*s very...
I am * , * of the * * *. I am the * * of * *... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am... I am...
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...Who... am I?
With that simple question, the mind and soul were shattered like glass onto tile...
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The body collapsed onto the floor. Every muscle was relaxed and limp, with the sole exception of what was required to keep the body's homeostasis in check. The body could not focus on anything. Its senses could still feel the surroundings. The cold concrete floor, the sounds of the others communicating then departing. Various wavelengths were observed, yet ignored. Nothing meant anything anymore.
All that the body felt was drops of electrolyte fluid pouring out from the ocular organs, and the rattling gasps of the lungs, heaving out in some forgotten response...
"All for One..." Shirou mused, putting a hand to his chin as he pondered, "...I may be fairly new to this world, but I feel like the ability to take Quirks sounds akin to magecraft."
He thought for a moment longer, before shrugging, "Then again, apparently our teacher can shut off our Quirks with a simple gaze," he released a frustrated sigh, "The lines between Quirks and magecraft is a fuzzy mess."
The feminine Gilgamesh just closed her eyes with a smirk, "Quite, though that does have some benefits alongside the drawbacks," she re-opened her eyes, her ruby red eyes gazing forward, "As for All for One, I can confirm that, yes, he is a magus. An old one with ties to both the Old and Neo-Mage's Associations."
"Wonderful. We have a Demon Lord wannabe with access to magecraft and any Quirks he can get ahold... of..." Shirou cut off his snarky reply as horror struck him, "That's why you two are worried about Miyu. If she does have some sort of wish granting Quirk..." His fingers flexed, wanting to bring forth Kanshou and Bakuya against a threat that wasn't here.
Angelica had another question, "...If her Quirk was wish granting?" she tilted her head, "You make it sound like it's a mystery what Miss Sakatsuki's Quirk is."
Shirou mentally winced at giving away such crucial information, but he kept his face in a sneer at the ex-Ainsworth, "If it was wish granting, would I be telling you?" he shrugged, feigning nonchalance, "Her Quirk is Memory Projection."
"Bullshit. The Child of God's Quirk wouldn't be as mundane as temporary illusions," Angelica spat out her retort, "Even after her initial power faded, we were able to tune the Unsealing Ritual with the Dress of Hollows because she still had the wish granting attribute from her family lineage."
Unsealing Ritual? Dress of Hollows? What were Ainsworths really going to do with Miyu? Whatever, it didn't matter anyways. Miyu was safe now, and she would stay that way.
"Well, unfortunately for you, it looks like the Translation process finished what her wish started," Shirou snarled, his tone hot and his voice as sharp as steel, "She is my sister, on every level now. Her Quirk Factor even matches mine to an extent." His glare focused only on the twin tailed blonde, who clenched her own jaw.
The King of Heroes rolled her eyes, "But you don't know what her Quirk actually does, do you?" Shirou snapped his gaze to Toyotomi, who continued, "As Angelica said, Miyu's wish granting attribute should be the core to her Quirk. I am certain of this, it's one of the details that my past self left to me."
Gila Toyotomi's face became serious, once again reminding the ex-Ally of Justice of her original life, "The Child of God must be kept from the Demon Lord. He must not place his hands on the Vessel of the Holy Grail War."
"If he tries, I'll kill him," Shirou replied, finally calling out Kanshou and Bakuya, "I have plenty of swords fit for the job of slaying him." Surprisingly, both Toyotomi and her adopted sister nodded.
"If the time comes, I'll give you full permission to copy my treasures. We will purge him from existence," Toyotomi decreed, waving her hand imperiously, "I want that scourge gone from my garden." Shirou slowly nodded, dismissing his twin falchions.
Then, Angelica placed her right hand to her chest, surprising him with her next actions, "Until then, no harm will come to Miyu Sakatsuki. She will have the warm share of happiness she deserves. This I swear with my life."
Shirou's eyes went wide, as he stepped back from his enemy, "...Huh?" His mind raced back over their conversation, trying to figure out what caused this pivot... Only to realize that Angelica's rage had been exclusive to himself. When she talked about his sister... "Angelica... who is my sister to you?"
The former doll paused, then took a deep breath. She then glanced at Toyotomi, who shrugged, and walked over to the wall. This left Angelica and Shirou alone facing each other once again. Shirou tensed up, ready for if their fight began anew.
Instead, his enemy gave a full bow, "...I owe Miss Sakatsuki an apology. In our past world, I could rationalize and justify my actions," each word uttered was careful and measured, having been practiced for a long time, "Our mission as the Ainsworths was to save the world. I was willing to crush anyone who stood in our way, and sacrifice anyone necessary."
A full body shudder ran down Angelica's body as she stood back up, but then she continued, "But... after you defeated me, and we ended up here... the weight of everything we had done, and everything we were going to do...just to open that..." she stopped, closing her eyes for a moment, "I have been sitting on that weight for four years now. I will carry it the rest of my life."
The redhead stopped breathing, just processing the words out of the former doll. Her eyes were open, and far, far kinder than Shirou had ever seen them, "I know this apology may mean nothing to Miss Sakatsuki. She has every right to discard this apology. Indeed, you may even not pass it on to her, I recognize that. But I truly mean it if there is anything I can do for her to atone for my sins... I will."
"...I see... I'll... pass your apology on to Miyu," Shirou paused, trying to collect his thoughts from the whirlwind of emotions he felt at this very moment. Surprise, confusion, weariness, relief... and guilt.
He didn't believe that Angelica was lying. It was not in her nature too, not in their old world, nor in this world. She hates him, for good reason, but she was honest. Honest in a way he wasn't truly.
"For... what it's worth... I'm sorry too..." Shirou replied, his voice slow, trying to choose each word as carefully as she had, "I... don't regret saving Miyu. I never will. But... I am sorry for what the cost had to be."
Angelica's kind eyes faded away, returning to the disdain she had for the Faker, "I do not accept your apology, Emiya. Just as the weight of my sins have worn on me, so too has the grief and anguish of what you have stolen from me."
She stalked forward, each step sounding like the gravel of a judge, "My brother. My sister. My friend. My world. You let them all die in your selfish pursuit to keep one girl safe."
She stopped right in front of him, peering down at him, "What we were going to do was horrific, I won't lie or deny that. But that's what it means to be an Ally of Justice, right? To sacrifice one for the sake of all."
Shirou and Angelica glared at each other, even though he knew she was right. He could even feel how Kiritsugu would be tearing into him right now, for the exact same reasons.
The former Ainsworth continued her tirade, her words flowing fast like boiling steam, scalding in heat and fury "So to see you here, at U.A., trying to be a hero..."
Angelica growled out her next words, twisting them like a knife into his chest, "Every time you rescue someone, I hope you see the lives you abandoned in the old world. Every time you eat a warm meal, I hope you taste the ash that you left behind. And every time you try to," her voice cracked, the wet grief seeping through, "And every time you try to sleep, I hope that you find no relief, like what you left my brother and sister with in our past world."
Angelica held her glare for a long while. However, when she realized Shirou wasn't going to turn away, that he accepted every word she spoke... she just scoffed, "If that means you changed your mind on passing on my apology to Miyu, that's fine with me. I meant every word I have said today. Both to her, and to you, Emiya."
Pivoting on her heel, she stalked away again, before vanishing into thin air. It was only then that Shirou released his breath. He glanced at Gila Toyotomi, who was still leaning against the wall, her face unreadable. She held a glass with some red beverage, but it hadn't been sipped yet.
Shirou paused for a moment, before he decided to ask, "...If she hates me so much, why doesn't she try to kidnap Miyu and..."
"...And what?" Toyotomi replied, swirling her drink for a moment, "Not even you, the one closest to her, know how Miss Sakatsuki's Quirk works. Besides..." the golden diva paused, before finally drinking her beverage.
He remained silent, as the King of Heroes finished her sip and spoke again, "It's not like there aren't other ways to grant wishes here."
Shirou jerked his head in surprise, but the red-eyed blonde shot down any hope for a path to fix his old world, "It doesn't matter. It's been over a hundred years between the worldlines. Either her past siblings figured it out and saved everyone..." Toyotomi shrugged, strangely melancholic, "Or that old worldline was pruned. She would only be wasting a wish trying to go back to a world that she couldn't help either way. Wasting a new life here that I'm sure her old family wouldn't want her to give up."
There was silence for a few minutes, before he broke it, "...Then you must especially hate me, King of Heroes, since I destroyed one of your gardens," Shirou let out a bitter chuckle, "I really am so selfish, aren't I, wanting to keep moving forward despite what I've done."
"You did destroy one of my gardens, and you had the audacity to do it as a counterfeit of a Faker," Toyotomi chuckled, saluting him with her goblet, "I really should hate you for that. In no small way, I actually do. Your existence is an irritant by default, but then you failed to save my garden from destruction," she took another sip to punctuate her point.
Shirou nodded, but the golden diva wasn't done, as she lowered her beverage, "And yet, you did it for your own will, your own purpose. You weren't just a machine acting out on some ideals your father put into you."
A golden portal opened beside Shirou, setting a simple paper cup filled with green tea before him. This time, he took the cup, as Toyotomi continued, "You did choose to save your sister. It was your choice, and yours alone. I have to give you some credit there."
Toyotomi straightened up from the wall, putting her own goblet away, "I also mean it when I say I owe you for returning my treasury. If it wasn't for you, my current existence wouldn't be here, enjoying this world of Quirks and heroes..."
The golden diva smirked, puffing her chest out, "...This era will be fun, I can tell. So... Thank you for helping me enjoy it."
As she spoke, her golden portals moved along, putting the discarded tools into a new box, and shifting it so that the dishwasher was back in place, not a spec of damage from the fight on its surface. It was still broken, but it was also salvageable. Shirou scoffed internally at the metaphor.
Toyotomi didn't say another word. She just turned around, flicked her hair back, and walked back through another portal, her hips swaying as she left. Most likely returning back to their classmates. Gilgamesh was such a socialite in this new life of hers.
Shirou took a deep breath, filling his lungs like the billows of a forge. He released the breath, then took a sip of the green tea. He knelt down in front of the dishwasher and grabbed the toolbox. He used the screwdriver to reopen the back cover, and pulled out the damaged hose. He could Project a copy, sure... But there was an easier way to deal with this.
Shirou grabbed some tape from the tool box, and wrapped it around the hose as tightly as he could. He even used Reinforcement to ensure the seal would hold for a while. Then he started to put everything back together, getting the dishwasher ready to serve the staff once again.
Speaking of the staff, the side door opened once again, and Miss Higashiyama popped in, "Oh, um, your friends think that you would have finished the repair by now... and I don't want to rush you, but we could really use it. Is it done now?"
Shirou stood up beside the dishwasher, giving it a once over. After a moment, he gave a nod, and Miss Higashiyama ran off to get a dolly so they could move the dishwasher back into place. That way, the machine could continue to serve the people it was meant to.
It wasn't fully fixed yet. This hadn't been a real repair, far from it. The actual technician will do a better job tomorrow. But... it would do for now. It had to.
Arturia was getting really sick of these dishes when she heard the creaky wheels of a dolly. She turned, and saw Miss Higashiyama helping a certain redhead wheel in the dishwasher. "Shirou! You're finally back," she called out, rushing over to his side, "What took you so long?"
The redhead flinched back in surprise, taking a second to look at her, "...It was... a bit more complicated than I thought it would be." He glanced around the room, looking at both Midoriya and Tokoyami, who just set what they were working on down, "...What are all of you doing here?"
It was here where Midoriya chimed in, "We've been washing dishes while we waited for your return," the plain green boy tilted his head, "Arturia wasn't the only one worried about where you were."
Shirou blinked, "...Oh. Well, then, I'm sorry I took so long. Let me finish the job, then we can leave." Arturia nodded, and she stepped aside with Midoriya and Tokoyami as their friend worked with Miss Higashiyama to put the patched up dishwasher back into its spot, then hook up the water and power.
Once the machine was loaded and running, the waitress turned back to the U.A. students, "Um, thank you all so much for your help. Please, if there's anything you want, it's on the house."
Despite her offer, Tokoyami and Midoriya waved her off. Arturia and Shirou only took her up since they had planned to get dessert to share with everyone. So they picked out a dozen cinnamon rolls, but they made sure to give the waitress a generous tip. She seemed to need it after that day.
After that, Shirou wanted to leave for Somei. "We won't always get out of school early enough to pick up Miyu, so we might as well today," was the argument the redhead made. Arturia agreed, so they headed off to her old school.
They got there a few minutes before school let out, so they found a spot to wait. Arturia's amusement about wearing the U.A. uniform to her old school was tempered by the expression on Shirou's face. He was holding the box of cinnamon rolls at his hip, staring at the ground. She could tell that he was subconsciously paying attention to the outside world, but his mental focus was completely elsewhere.
Arturia frowned, resisting the urge to distract herself with Capsule Servant. Her friend's mood was completely different compared to when he left to fix the dishwasher. Then, he was an alert guard dog, sniffing out some sort of danger only he could sense. But afterwards... It was like he had suffered a tongue lashing by a drill sergeant. One that he had taken incredibly personally.
She bit her lip, but remembered what Midoriya and Tokoyami had said. Just focus on helping him vent, don't worry about if he actually says anything. He'll say what's bothering him when the time is right. Arturia felt like she could be confident in that, he had gotten somethings off of his chest the night before the entrance exam.
...That night with the flaming sword Dyrnwyn.
Before she could think on that sword any more, Somei released its students, and both Arturia and Shirou kept their eyes peeled for Miyu. Before long, the younger Emiya sister made her way in the crowd. She had her eyes closed tightly, rubbing her forehead. Arturia frowned. Was Miyu feeling ill? Did she need some acetaminophen or aspirin?
"Miyu! Miyu!" Shirou called out, and somehow that got to his sister. Miyu snapped her head to the U.A. pair, then took off running, stopping just shy in front of the two. Arturia could tell Miyu really wanted to slam into each of them for a hug, but she was too nervous to do that in public. Maybe at Takoba, but certainly not here.
"What are you two doing here? Don't you have another hour of school?" the younger girl asked, her eyes going back and forth between the two. Arturia decided to be the one to answer the question.
"We got Mister Aizawa for our teacher, and he decided to test us to see who he was kicking out," Arturia couldn't help her lips twisting into a smirk as Miyu gasped, "But don't worry, no one was actually kicked out. Not that either of us were at risk for that. Anyways, Mister Aizawa let leave school early, so we went to hang out with some friends before we came to pick you up."
Miyu nodded at that, taking in the information. Shirou decided to then straighten his back, as he asked, "How about you, Miyu? How was your first day of school?" He spoke in a bright, cheerful tone, one that was uncharacteristic of him on a normal day. Let alone a day like today, where he had cycled between competitive, reflective, and on high alert. He was even smiling at her, though it seemed painfully fake.
As though she was trying to go for the exact opposite energy, Miyu frowned, glancing to the side. It took a moment, before she finally replied in a small, defeated tone, "...It was okay."
His smile wavered, but Shirou pressed again, "Well, that's... a good starting point. Any subjects you are excited for?" Again, Miyu took a moment to respond, still in that low tone.
"...Social Civics, and maybe Quirk Expressions, I guess." Arturia blinked at how poorly this conversation was going, especially with Miyu's next added comment, "I already know everything else."
Still, Shirou tried once more, even though Arturia knew it was in vain, "Oh, well, at least you will be able to help your friends, right?" the blonde lioness winced at that question, since she knew the answer that the older brother was about to ask, "Did... did you make any friends?"
The trio was quiet as the crowds of students poured out of the school gates. Shirou was eagerly waiting for an answer that Arturia could tell he wasn't going to get. Indeed, Miyu seemed to try to find a way to cushion the answer, only to settle for a more direct answer, "...No, not really."
At this point, Shirou's fake smile completely faded away. He bowed his head, his red hair casting a dark shadow over his eyes. From the angle where Arturia was standing, her eyes focused more on the tan patch of skin around his eye, as Shirou worked his mouth to finally respond, "Oh... I, uh... see..."
Before she let this continue, Arturia stepped in, "Hey, don't fret Miyu. It took me a while to make friends here when I first moved to Japan. I didn't properly meet Tenya or anyone else for the first few weeks," she took a pause, trying to ensure her words came off as genuine, "I'm sure you will find some friends soon, too."
Miyu's eyes ended up locked onto something in the distance, even as she muttered back the noncommittal response of "I guess." Arturia glanced over in that direction, only to realize she had missed whatever Miyu had been staring at. Huh.
Arturia shook her head, then looked at both of the Emiyas, "Well now, let's be off. I may have eaten already at the cafe, but I don't think you did, Shirou, and I'm sure you are hungry too, Miyu."
The talk of food did the trick, as the Emiyas caught onto what Arturia was talking about. She smiled as she punctuated her statement with, "How about we go home and make some good food for everyone, alright? Shirou and I got those good cinnamon rolls, so we should find something that will taste good with it."
The Emiyas weren't exactly jumping for joy at Arturia's declaration, but it did ultimately work, as their faces picked up. Even so, as they started the walk back to the house, Arturia couldn't help but think about how both Emiyas seemed... despondent after this first day of school.
Not in the way an academic slacker would be despondent. No, this was more emotional, more personal really, than something as trivial as that. But even though Arturia could tell something was directly bothering both of them, she couldn't tell what the root causes were for either of them.
Miyu's bad day at school wasn't helping with Shirou's disposition, but it wasn't the cause of it either. Arturia felt that her redheaded friend had been counting on Miyu having a good day at school to help balance himself out. Yet the sweet girl's poor day hadn't done anyone any favors. Which returned Arturia back to the original question, what had caused them to fall into this funk? Was there any way she could help either of them?
{The King does not understand the hearts of the people.}
Arturia stopped in her tracks for a moment, shaking her head. Where did that thought come from? Sure, she favored her name and the connection it brought to King Arthur, and she adored the lion as the king of the wild. But she was not a king, far from it.
Arturia Pendragon may be the daughter of two amazing Pro Heroes, and was attending the most prestigious hero academy in Japan to follow in their footsteps, but a king she was not. She was just a hero course student, seeking to serve justice and to help those in need.
...Even though she had no idea how to reach these two, Arturia wasn't going to give up on Miyu or Shirou. Even if they wouldn't, or couldn't, share their burdens, Arturia vowed to herself that she would do whatever she could to ease their burdens.
Just like how her mother, Lance Lioness, always did. Just like how her father, Saber Shine, strives to do to this day. That was the kind of hero she wanted to become. The kind of hero she would become.