This thing was originally posted in the Beast's Lair "What if Shirou were Raised by...?" thread, right here:
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Please enjoy.
__________________________________________
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Ten Years Ago:
---------------------------
The flames were hotà.so, so very hot.
But itÆs over now. Soon enough, it shall all be done.
But my time is nearly up, and I know IÆm not long for this world. It really is amazing and I still donÆt have a clue at all how I managed to survive this long. I still donÆt know why a young boy like me lives while everyone else around me had to die.
Those pleading wails asking for salvation that will not come, because I have none to giveà
Those screams imploring me to rescue them, to at least take their next-of-kin to safety with meà
Those cries begging me to at least be by their sides during their final momentsà
As I lie in the ash on the burnt ruins and I gaze wearily at the cloudy gray sky above, I can feel my drooping eyes water over with unshed tears.
I suppose thatÆs my way of saying sorry to everyone.
ItÆs pointless, though û they cannot come back, and I canÆt do anything about it.
I donÆt know why IÆm raising my hand towards the ashy sky. Am I trying to cling onto the nothingness that is around in, in some futile attempt to grasp what had been taken from this place? Am I asking heaven to take me away?
Whatever û my reasons will be forever unknown to me, as I drift away from living consciousnessà
"Damn it, two more corpses. A man and a kid - I've lost track of how many I've seen already."
"Wait Vita, one of them is not dead yet. See?"
What?
What is thisà?
Against all odds, now matter how impossible this should be, my outstretched arm has been grasped û by a soft, gentle, yet undeniably strong hand.
I blink in surprise. How can I not, considering what IÆm seeing before me?
ôHey! We have a survivor here. HeÆs a civilian, too.ö
IÆm surrounded by a group of four people. A red-headed girl garbed in a crimson dress, a gentle-seeming blonde beret-wearing lady, a woman with what can only be a sword hanging from her hip, and a man withàdog ears?...Each one of them is more unique than the other. But the one who has drawn my attention the most is the one (aside from the sword-bearer) who has taken my hand.
ôGood eye, Vita. And it looks like we made it here just in the nick of time, too.ö The young woman has short brown hair, is wearing an unusually designed white and black dress, and hasànumerous sable-colored wings protruding from her backà
IÆm much too weary to complain about any abnormalities at this point.
ôThis boy needs medical attention,ö the brown-haired girl with the calm face, who must be the leader of this band, concludes. ôLetÆs get him aboard the ship; our facilities should be more than enough to provide the long-term care he needs.ö She edges closer to me, so that she may get a better look at my soot encrusted, burned face. ôItÆs okay little one; youÆre going to be alright. I promise you that.ö With her free hand, she gently caresses my sore cheek and I feel a pleasant warmth flow to me. My eyelids grow heavy in response, and I am nearly experiencing a feeling of dÚjÓ vu û but I know deep down that this sleep that awaits me is a different fate than what I was going to go through initially.
SoàI accept it.
ôMy name is Hayate.. YouÆre tired now, and youÆll be going to sleep. When you wake up, would you please tell me yours?ö She asks and smiles sweetly at me as my eyes close.
ôS û s û sureàö The reply barely escapes my lips as I am whisked away to a dreamless sleep.
ôHayate. Scanners seem to be picking up strange signals from within his body - strange signals, take a look at this."
"Wait...could this be....another Lost Logia?"
"With readings like this, there can be no other doubt."
"Well now little one, aren't you interesting?" the young woman asks of me with an endearing look in her eyes, yet one that also bears hints of mischief.
ôGood work. LetÆs get to the ship now, WeÆve done all we can for now û ö
Darkness. But one that is only temporary. IÆm going to wake up soon, I just know ità
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Present Day:
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*Clang!*
*Clang!* *Clang!*
*Clang!*
*Clang clang clang!*
*Clang!! Clang!!*
*CLANG!*
The sound of metal scraping against metal echoes through the lush garden. Sparks scatter each time the blades cross. My opponentÆs sword cuts a graceful arc through the air as it sails towards me. The slicing motion is undeniably perfect for this moment, and IÆd expect nothing less. But no matter how much I admire the move, thereÆs only one thing truly on my mind at this moment: keeping up.
I swing out my sword arm to turn aside the opposing blade. The force of my motion drags the enemyÆs steel away from me, which allows the other aspect and twin of my blade an opportunity to snake into my opponentÆs opening and deliver a much needed strike.
As if she would give me the chance, that is.
She masterfully takes advantage of my action and allows the imparted momentum to spin herself around fast enough to intercept the incoming sword. A melodic ringing sounds off once more and serves as the signal that my attack has been waylaid.
And so, not for the first time (or even the fortieth time), I have yet to come even close to winning this.
A blur of pink flashing from the corner of my eye signifies that the KnightÆs Laevatein has once again outmaneuvered my own weapon. The Demon Sword of Flame has once again forced my Twin Blade to the defensive.
Device versus Device, skill versus skill û thatÆs how this ôbattleö is always played out.
SignumÆs just way too good, as usual.
ItÆs also because weÆre on completely different levels, so much so that we cannot be compared. SheÆs almost on the level of a master, and IÆm just a jack-of-all-trades.
It all started with me taking an interest in MomÆs work. Since I had a fondness for swords (with good reason), it was natural that Signum was to be the one who would train me. But as we eventually discovered, our naturally preferred styles were incompatible with each other. SignumÆs sword is an extension of her own body and can move with the grace and skill of any master swordsman that IÆve read about û my double-sword style canÆt even be considered a specialty of mine, since I am capable of taking on many roles should a situation call for it.
Because of these naturally irreconcilable differences, ôTrainingö took on a different meaning for us. It became less about my skills being honed, and more about the building of bonds, of time spent together. Our sparring matches look and feel serious and intense, but in reality this is just our quality time. There is a sort of à well, familiarity and intimacy in the flow of our movements that comes from more than just hours and hours and hours of repeated training, or even with us being legal family members.
Maybe thatÆs all I should say.
Razor-edged steel cuts a swath through the air. The ringing of swordsong carries on in the garden amidst the falling petals of the cherry trees û trees that IÆm told come from my home. In spite of the somewhat ôclichÚd-nessö of the setting, I find itÆs very fitting considering what this spar is a prelude too.
I know I wonÆt win this one û I canÆt ever seem to beat heràbut I wonÆt lose in the end, either. What I gain from this and all of our past training sessions is not about victory or defeat, but the precious memories that we gain is what really matters in the end.
Normally our sessions are just between the two of us, but since itÆs a special occasion, the gangÆs all here and watching with reserved enthusiasm. The audience to our spar is fairly large, but only consists of my immediate family: Hayate, my legal guardian and dear mother; little, little Rein, her friend and partner; Vita, my inexplicably younger-looking ôbig sisterö, because of this sheÆs often very fun to tease, although sheÆll barb back just as effectively; Shamal, who is a bit more standard for a ôbig sisterö type of role; Zafira, whoÆs perfectly fine with being part-bodyguard to us all, and part-family dog; and of course Signum, who you all know of now.
SignumÆs personal Unison Device, and good friend, Agito is also present, and acting rather typical of herself. In other words, a little pouty that her masterÆs attention is diverted away from her û to me.
Like I said, all part of my daily life.
I am Shirou Yagami, and this is my family û the Wolkenritter of the Tome of the Night Sky, and their Master.
*Clang!*
*Clang clang clang!*
And so, our last spar before my big operation begins continues.
.
- ] | [ -
.
After the debriefing, I trot down the hallway that leads from the office to where I need to go. As I walk to my destination, I decide to take it upon myself to materialize my equipment û just to get into the right frame of mind.
ôAre you ready, partner?ö I ask the longbow-shaped piece of jewelry hanging loosely around my neck?
ôAnytimeÆs a good time, Master!ö It proclaims with confidence in the ancient Belkan language, one that I can speak and understand as well as my native tongue.
A smile spreads across my face. My DeviceÆs self-assurance is pretty infectious sometimes. ThatÆs what I like to hear. In that case: ôZwilingsklingen û Trace On!ö I mutter under my breath.
The brown-suited TSAB uniform gets replaced in a flash of burning fire that smells of an iron-working forge (IÆve seen a few in the more rural worlds on the few missions IÆve gone on) with my red and black longcoat-esque barrier jacket. In my hands my Device manifestes, but its true form is belied by its dormant state û instead of appearing like a larger longbow like its inactive shape would imply, it instead bears the appearance of a sword. A curved shortsword, which looks vaguely like a falchion û a sword known for the wideness and durability of the blade, which makes it ideal for slashing and slicing through targets. I admit, itÆs a very unusual sword, but itÆs one that I find to be very beautiful, particularly the design which I chose myself. On one side of the sword it is entirely black, with a large golden highlight streaking across the ebony steel û and on the other flat of the blade, the metal is white as an elephant tusk with another highlight that is just as unsubtle, except the color is blue instead. To top it all off, the blade is also equipped with the CVK792-Cartridge System as well û to make up for my less-than average magical potential.
This is it, my Zwilingsklingen.
But Zwilingsklingen is more than a sword. Rather, it is TWO swords, similar to how Enforcer LansterÆs Cross Mirage can duplicate into a pair of high-magical-caliber-pistols.
At the speed of thought a second falchion-blade appears in my other free hand. But, because I now am now wielding two at the moment, the appearance of my Device has altered slightly. The two short-swords are now colored with black-and-white steel with their respective stripe on the side, as if the swordÆs single-form is compromised of two aspects that make it up, aspects with take the form of the two swords IÆm holding.
ôGreat. YouÆre working just fine arenÆt you, Zwilingsklingen?ö
ôRight, Master. 100% capacity is go.ö Zeke (my nickname for ôhimö) replies with that cool spunk it possesses. Heh, youÆd swear he was an Intelligence Device, and not just an Armed.
ôGood to hear. Trace Off.ö I respond, and then proceed to de-activate Zeke in preparation for later. The twin-swords become one once more, which transforms into the recognizable shape of an archerÆs bow in the familiar flash of flame and iron. My barrier jacket is likewise dispelled.
And yes, thereÆs a reason Zeke looks like a bow when heÆs not active. The reason being û when both of ZekeÆs halves are out, they can be connected together to form an excellent longbow, which I prefer to use when IÆm playing the long-distance point-man.
More of SignumÆs influence on my development, definitely.
But for all sheÆs done, it would be incredibly selfish of me to not give credit where itÆs due. The rest of my adopted family has done plenty for me as well.
Zafira taught me how to be shield, to protect the ones that matter the most to you and to keep them from harm; This is how I can be a forward lineman should the need arise. Vita showed me how to not let anything overcome my determination, that nearly anything is possible with enough force of will and confidence. Shamal, the big sister to us all, taught me kindness and understanding, that I need to be there to support the ones I care for. And Commander Hayate, my mother Hayate, what she has given me, done for me, I have no way of ever truly repaying back ever û I owe so much to her.
But most importantly, they all showed me what it means to be a family, and that people deserve to know happiness and peace like what we know. With people like them as my role models, how could I not strive to do what they do? I have them to thank for me deciding I wanted to work with the Time-Space Administration Bureau.
Thoughts of them all are present in my mind as I head to the hangar. This is going to be my first solo operation û considering the experience I received from the JS Incident a few years back, IÆm pretty prepared for almost any situation to come up. So as I approach the hangar, I remember the mission debriefing I had right before I accepted this life-changing mission:
ôThis is it, Ensign Shirou Yagami. Your first solo operation.ö The Colonel told me with an air of authority.
ôA solo operation? IsnÆt that dangerous?ö I didnÆt know whether I should be worried about my future, suspicious of my superiorsÆ intentions, or honored that they apparently trust me and have enough faith in my skill that I would be chosen to participate in a one-man mission.
ôWe apologize, Ensign,ö She went on, ôBut this assignment is meant to be as covert as possible. It has the potential to be a high-risk mission, so naturally it is imperative that we keep this as low-key as possible.ö
ôBut,ö her right-hand explained, ôThis doesnÆt mean that calling for back-up is forbidden. If youÆre faced with an emergency û and we mean æemergencyÆ û call us and weÆll send a strike team over to assist you.ö He raised his finger in a manner that resembled how a primary-school teacher reminds confused students of the homework they had forgotten about. ôBut only for emergencies, understand?ö
ôRight, emergencies.ö I confirmed. But something was nagging at meàôBut is there are reason how I became the one that was to be selected for this operation? Out of all our operatives, why me?ö With a few exceptions, thereÆs nothing really too special about me, so naturally I wondered what their reasoning was.
ôYou were chosen,ö The Colonel continued, ôBecause of youràshall we sayàconnections, with these events.öà? Okay, this is interesting. What does she mean by that? ôAllow us to explain the mission in full to you, Ensign Yagami. YouÆll be going to World 21376, otherwise known as æEarthÆ, to where the mission is taking place in Sector 3721897652. Your mission is to obtain a certain Lost Logiaàknown as the æHoly GrailÆ.ö
ANOTHER planet named "Earth"? Why can't people be more original when naming their homeworlds? Although "Earth" is a nice and simple name. But wait...
...HolyààGrail? As in, the cup that Christ drank out of and bled into as he died? THATÆS the Lost Logia?
ôWait. Are you serious?ö I ask, sounding more incredulous than I would have liked to have sounded. ôIs it really THE Holy Grail?ö
ôWeÆre not sure. But it read like one back then, and weÆre getting the same readings as before.ö
ôWait. This isnÆt the first time an incident with this Lost Logia happened?ö
ôThere was another incident involving this æHoly GrailÆ, yesö her aide said. ôTen years ago, on an expedition for rurally-located Lost Logia, we picked up on strong readings from that sector of Time-Space. The readings were getting dangerous for some time now, but the crew chose to ignore them for the time being û until they surged into the critical range, and in response we sent a team to contain the damage û since we knew for a fact that this was inhabited space.ö He pushes up the glasses from the bridge of his nose, but the motion is not the confidence one would expect from the action, but ratherà.full of regret? ôBut we arrived too late û disaster struck: the Logia went off, and hundreds of people died. Gone like that, wiped out in an instant, everyone within a ten-mile radius of the danger was.ö
Howàterrible. A horrific event like that claiming the lives of so many. And it could have been prevented too, were it not for the apathetic hindsight of the crew. Such things, made my blood boil.
ôAll but one, that is.ö
Why was he looking at me like that? I didnÆt underst û
Oh.
His gaze was drawn to me, and I found out why soon enough.
ôThis dimension, no, this very sector is where you originally came from, Shirou.ö He said, using my name for full emphasis.
The full weight of this truth hit me square on. I was shocked, naturally. But, how this affected me -
ôIf you wish to decline the mission,ö The Colonel began once more, ôThen you may ûö
I cut off the rest of what she was going to say. ôIÆm sorry for interrupting you, Colonel, but IÆm not declining. In fact, I accept this mission, 100%.ö My curiosity has been irrevocably piqued, and IÆm being given the chance to prevent a horrible disaster from befalling innocent lives once more û with a double-wham like this, how could I possibly refuse? Answer: I simply could not.
ôGlad to hear of your acceptance, Ensign. In that case, get your things ready û youÆre going in two days. That leaves you plenty of time to give proper farewells, right?ö
ôYes maÆam! IÆll start immediately!ö I saluted the Colonel and her supervisor in a sign of acceptance of my duties.
Her lips spread in a pleased smile. Even the man beside her cracked a smirk. ôVery well then Ensign Shirou Yagami, dismissed.ö
As I turn to leave, her voice compelled me to stop once more.
ôOh, and Shirou?ö
ôYes MaÆam?ö
ôNot only have we released two levels of limiters from your Device for this operation, you now have clearance to take Lost Logia AV-000 with you. Because the artifact is also a native to World 21376, perhaps it would be useful to take it along~ö
That wasàsurprising. ôThank you Colonel. IÆll put good use to it.ö
Kind of hard for me to forget it when it's been implanted in my body for as long as I can remember, though.
My home, huh?
Perhaps I can find out if it has anything to do with my ômagicö. My own particular, innate kind is fundamentally different from anything else the TSAB is aware of. Does this have anything to do with the fact that my home world isnÆt a part of the Alliance? Heck, IÆve heard that travel to other parallel worlds is still considered to be a ômiracleö unachievable with ômodernö magic. But, the remoteness of the place combined with how it is (usually) out of our jurisdiction (which probably explains all the secrecy regarding my mission in the first place), itÆs possible that there are many secrets there yet to be touched upon by the Bureau.
I can remember every weapon that IÆve ever seen before with nearly perfect detail, and can recall the ôpast lifeö of those weapons û although itÆs mostly swords and various blades that come to mind the most clearly. Like I said, it has something to do with my ôinternal magicö.
IÆm not entirely convinced of how useful an ability it really is. I mean, sure, I can recall just about any knife or sword IÆve seen and can call it forth into a physical form, but itÆs not as if I can project anything truly useful. Hunks of unadulterated metal can only go so far in a fight, you know. If only I could copy Devices, then thatÆd be another matter. Unfortunately, it seems as if the one Device I could ôTraceö, Laevtein û due to it being a sword û cannot be duplicated with my magic. I just canÆt comprehend it using my ability. ItÆs just too old û too alien for my mind. But at least it suits Signum perfectly. Or rather, Signum suits Laevetein perfectly, taking into account how sheÆs an excellent swordswoman wielding a powerful mystic blade.
ItÆs almost enough to make me flush with jealousy.
But anyway û because of its quirkiness, I usually just end up relying on Zwilingsklingen and my skills honed by training and missions to aid me on operations instead my innate ability.
Me, my magic, and that sheath-shaped Lost Logia found besides me that IÆm storing inside my body for safekeeping due to its benevolent nature û all of this has something to do with this world. This ôEarthö. My original home. Mid-Childa was, is and always will be my one home, but I cannot shake the feeling that I owe this to the people of my ôhometownö. That I can somehow make this up to them, and put their restless memories to rest as I atone for their sins.
IÆll be doing this the way mother would û complete the mission, prevent civilian casualitiesàand if any innocents get caught up in this mission like in the Jewel Seed, Book of Darkness and JS incidents, then IÆll do whatever is in my power to get them out and into safety. Who knows? Perhaps I can be like my mother and touch the lives that I might end up rescuingà
ôAll right, letÆs get ready for a homecoming weÆll never forget.ö I say with a confident certainty as the mission prepares to begin.
ôRoger!ö Zeke concurs the way he always does whenever he gets pumped for a mission.
I have a feeling that this operation will change my life forever. Butàthe future it foreshadows does not frighten me one bit, because the only thing I am feeling at the momentàis a determination that seeks the truth about what happened those ten years ago.
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What if Shirou was raised byààHayate Yagami and the Wolkenritter ?
So, according to the timeline Shota!Shirou would have fought in the JS Incident which occurs in StrikerS. Which approximately places this oneshot during the MGLN ViVid! manga. In true MGLN form, awesomness and good things will happen. Befriending and all that jazz û which leads to the conclusion that the TSAB will be getting some new members with high magical potential (Illya definitely, Sakura maybe). Maybe even a Servant or two will live on past the War due to the freakish magical power available in MGLN Mages. IÆm sure Nanoha or Fate could support a Servant by themselves, no problem.
Just in time for Mahou Senki Lyrical Nanoha FORCE to happen. B)
And NOW it occurs to me that Signum is a cradle-robber, since Shirou would have been pretty young at that original time around StrikerS. About ErioÆs age, IÆd reckon. Oh well, thatÆs what happens when youÆre kind of ageless like her û age means nothing in the end.
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Please enjoy.
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Ten Years Ago:
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The flames were hotà.so, so very hot.
But itÆs over now. Soon enough, it shall all be done.
But my time is nearly up, and I know IÆm not long for this world. It really is amazing and I still donÆt have a clue at all how I managed to survive this long. I still donÆt know why a young boy like me lives while everyone else around me had to die.
Those pleading wails asking for salvation that will not come, because I have none to giveà
Those screams imploring me to rescue them, to at least take their next-of-kin to safety with meà
Those cries begging me to at least be by their sides during their final momentsà
As I lie in the ash on the burnt ruins and I gaze wearily at the cloudy gray sky above, I can feel my drooping eyes water over with unshed tears.
I suppose thatÆs my way of saying sorry to everyone.
ItÆs pointless, though û they cannot come back, and I canÆt do anything about it.
I donÆt know why IÆm raising my hand towards the ashy sky. Am I trying to cling onto the nothingness that is around in, in some futile attempt to grasp what had been taken from this place? Am I asking heaven to take me away?
Whatever û my reasons will be forever unknown to me, as I drift away from living consciousnessà
"Damn it, two more corpses. A man and a kid - I've lost track of how many I've seen already."
"Wait Vita, one of them is not dead yet. See?"
What?
What is thisà?
Against all odds, now matter how impossible this should be, my outstretched arm has been grasped û by a soft, gentle, yet undeniably strong hand.
I blink in surprise. How can I not, considering what IÆm seeing before me?
ôHey! We have a survivor here. HeÆs a civilian, too.ö
IÆm surrounded by a group of four people. A red-headed girl garbed in a crimson dress, a gentle-seeming blonde beret-wearing lady, a woman with what can only be a sword hanging from her hip, and a man withàdog ears?...Each one of them is more unique than the other. But the one who has drawn my attention the most is the one (aside from the sword-bearer) who has taken my hand.
ôGood eye, Vita. And it looks like we made it here just in the nick of time, too.ö The young woman has short brown hair, is wearing an unusually designed white and black dress, and hasànumerous sable-colored wings protruding from her backà
IÆm much too weary to complain about any abnormalities at this point.
ôThis boy needs medical attention,ö the brown-haired girl with the calm face, who must be the leader of this band, concludes. ôLetÆs get him aboard the ship; our facilities should be more than enough to provide the long-term care he needs.ö She edges closer to me, so that she may get a better look at my soot encrusted, burned face. ôItÆs okay little one; youÆre going to be alright. I promise you that.ö With her free hand, she gently caresses my sore cheek and I feel a pleasant warmth flow to me. My eyelids grow heavy in response, and I am nearly experiencing a feeling of dÚjÓ vu û but I know deep down that this sleep that awaits me is a different fate than what I was going to go through initially.
SoàI accept it.
ôMy name is Hayate.. YouÆre tired now, and youÆll be going to sleep. When you wake up, would you please tell me yours?ö She asks and smiles sweetly at me as my eyes close.
ôS û s û sureàö The reply barely escapes my lips as I am whisked away to a dreamless sleep.
ôHayate. Scanners seem to be picking up strange signals from within his body - strange signals, take a look at this."
"Wait...could this be....another Lost Logia?"
"With readings like this, there can be no other doubt."
"Well now little one, aren't you interesting?" the young woman asks of me with an endearing look in her eyes, yet one that also bears hints of mischief.
ôGood work. LetÆs get to the ship now, WeÆve done all we can for now û ö
Darkness. But one that is only temporary. IÆm going to wake up soon, I just know ità
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Present Day:
-----------------------
*Clang!*
*Clang!* *Clang!*
*Clang!*
*Clang clang clang!*
*Clang!! Clang!!*
*CLANG!*
The sound of metal scraping against metal echoes through the lush garden. Sparks scatter each time the blades cross. My opponentÆs sword cuts a graceful arc through the air as it sails towards me. The slicing motion is undeniably perfect for this moment, and IÆd expect nothing less. But no matter how much I admire the move, thereÆs only one thing truly on my mind at this moment: keeping up.
I swing out my sword arm to turn aside the opposing blade. The force of my motion drags the enemyÆs steel away from me, which allows the other aspect and twin of my blade an opportunity to snake into my opponentÆs opening and deliver a much needed strike.
As if she would give me the chance, that is.
She masterfully takes advantage of my action and allows the imparted momentum to spin herself around fast enough to intercept the incoming sword. A melodic ringing sounds off once more and serves as the signal that my attack has been waylaid.
And so, not for the first time (or even the fortieth time), I have yet to come even close to winning this.
A blur of pink flashing from the corner of my eye signifies that the KnightÆs Laevatein has once again outmaneuvered my own weapon. The Demon Sword of Flame has once again forced my Twin Blade to the defensive.
Device versus Device, skill versus skill û thatÆs how this ôbattleö is always played out.
SignumÆs just way too good, as usual.
ItÆs also because weÆre on completely different levels, so much so that we cannot be compared. SheÆs almost on the level of a master, and IÆm just a jack-of-all-trades.
It all started with me taking an interest in MomÆs work. Since I had a fondness for swords (with good reason), it was natural that Signum was to be the one who would train me. But as we eventually discovered, our naturally preferred styles were incompatible with each other. SignumÆs sword is an extension of her own body and can move with the grace and skill of any master swordsman that IÆve read about û my double-sword style canÆt even be considered a specialty of mine, since I am capable of taking on many roles should a situation call for it.
Because of these naturally irreconcilable differences, ôTrainingö took on a different meaning for us. It became less about my skills being honed, and more about the building of bonds, of time spent together. Our sparring matches look and feel serious and intense, but in reality this is just our quality time. There is a sort of à well, familiarity and intimacy in the flow of our movements that comes from more than just hours and hours and hours of repeated training, or even with us being legal family members.
Maybe thatÆs all I should say.
Razor-edged steel cuts a swath through the air. The ringing of swordsong carries on in the garden amidst the falling petals of the cherry trees û trees that IÆm told come from my home. In spite of the somewhat ôclichÚd-nessö of the setting, I find itÆs very fitting considering what this spar is a prelude too.
I know I wonÆt win this one û I canÆt ever seem to beat heràbut I wonÆt lose in the end, either. What I gain from this and all of our past training sessions is not about victory or defeat, but the precious memories that we gain is what really matters in the end.
Normally our sessions are just between the two of us, but since itÆs a special occasion, the gangÆs all here and watching with reserved enthusiasm. The audience to our spar is fairly large, but only consists of my immediate family: Hayate, my legal guardian and dear mother; little, little Rein, her friend and partner; Vita, my inexplicably younger-looking ôbig sisterö, because of this sheÆs often very fun to tease, although sheÆll barb back just as effectively; Shamal, who is a bit more standard for a ôbig sisterö type of role; Zafira, whoÆs perfectly fine with being part-bodyguard to us all, and part-family dog; and of course Signum, who you all know of now.
SignumÆs personal Unison Device, and good friend, Agito is also present, and acting rather typical of herself. In other words, a little pouty that her masterÆs attention is diverted away from her û to me.
Like I said, all part of my daily life.
I am Shirou Yagami, and this is my family û the Wolkenritter of the Tome of the Night Sky, and their Master.
*Clang!*
*Clang clang clang!*
And so, our last spar before my big operation begins continues.
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After the debriefing, I trot down the hallway that leads from the office to where I need to go. As I walk to my destination, I decide to take it upon myself to materialize my equipment û just to get into the right frame of mind.
ôAre you ready, partner?ö I ask the longbow-shaped piece of jewelry hanging loosely around my neck?
ôAnytimeÆs a good time, Master!ö It proclaims with confidence in the ancient Belkan language, one that I can speak and understand as well as my native tongue.
A smile spreads across my face. My DeviceÆs self-assurance is pretty infectious sometimes. ThatÆs what I like to hear. In that case: ôZwilingsklingen û Trace On!ö I mutter under my breath.
The brown-suited TSAB uniform gets replaced in a flash of burning fire that smells of an iron-working forge (IÆve seen a few in the more rural worlds on the few missions IÆve gone on) with my red and black longcoat-esque barrier jacket. In my hands my Device manifestes, but its true form is belied by its dormant state û instead of appearing like a larger longbow like its inactive shape would imply, it instead bears the appearance of a sword. A curved shortsword, which looks vaguely like a falchion û a sword known for the wideness and durability of the blade, which makes it ideal for slashing and slicing through targets. I admit, itÆs a very unusual sword, but itÆs one that I find to be very beautiful, particularly the design which I chose myself. On one side of the sword it is entirely black, with a large golden highlight streaking across the ebony steel û and on the other flat of the blade, the metal is white as an elephant tusk with another highlight that is just as unsubtle, except the color is blue instead. To top it all off, the blade is also equipped with the CVK792-Cartridge System as well û to make up for my less-than average magical potential.
This is it, my Zwilingsklingen.
But Zwilingsklingen is more than a sword. Rather, it is TWO swords, similar to how Enforcer LansterÆs Cross Mirage can duplicate into a pair of high-magical-caliber-pistols.
At the speed of thought a second falchion-blade appears in my other free hand. But, because I now am now wielding two at the moment, the appearance of my Device has altered slightly. The two short-swords are now colored with black-and-white steel with their respective stripe on the side, as if the swordÆs single-form is compromised of two aspects that make it up, aspects with take the form of the two swords IÆm holding.
ôGreat. YouÆre working just fine arenÆt you, Zwilingsklingen?ö
ôRight, Master. 100% capacity is go.ö Zeke (my nickname for ôhimö) replies with that cool spunk it possesses. Heh, youÆd swear he was an Intelligence Device, and not just an Armed.
ôGood to hear. Trace Off.ö I respond, and then proceed to de-activate Zeke in preparation for later. The twin-swords become one once more, which transforms into the recognizable shape of an archerÆs bow in the familiar flash of flame and iron. My barrier jacket is likewise dispelled.
And yes, thereÆs a reason Zeke looks like a bow when heÆs not active. The reason being û when both of ZekeÆs halves are out, they can be connected together to form an excellent longbow, which I prefer to use when IÆm playing the long-distance point-man.
More of SignumÆs influence on my development, definitely.
But for all sheÆs done, it would be incredibly selfish of me to not give credit where itÆs due. The rest of my adopted family has done plenty for me as well.
Zafira taught me how to be shield, to protect the ones that matter the most to you and to keep them from harm; This is how I can be a forward lineman should the need arise. Vita showed me how to not let anything overcome my determination, that nearly anything is possible with enough force of will and confidence. Shamal, the big sister to us all, taught me kindness and understanding, that I need to be there to support the ones I care for. And Commander Hayate, my mother Hayate, what she has given me, done for me, I have no way of ever truly repaying back ever û I owe so much to her.
But most importantly, they all showed me what it means to be a family, and that people deserve to know happiness and peace like what we know. With people like them as my role models, how could I not strive to do what they do? I have them to thank for me deciding I wanted to work with the Time-Space Administration Bureau.
Thoughts of them all are present in my mind as I head to the hangar. This is going to be my first solo operation û considering the experience I received from the JS Incident a few years back, IÆm pretty prepared for almost any situation to come up. So as I approach the hangar, I remember the mission debriefing I had right before I accepted this life-changing mission:
ôThis is it, Ensign Shirou Yagami. Your first solo operation.ö The Colonel told me with an air of authority.
ôA solo operation? IsnÆt that dangerous?ö I didnÆt know whether I should be worried about my future, suspicious of my superiorsÆ intentions, or honored that they apparently trust me and have enough faith in my skill that I would be chosen to participate in a one-man mission.
ôWe apologize, Ensign,ö She went on, ôBut this assignment is meant to be as covert as possible. It has the potential to be a high-risk mission, so naturally it is imperative that we keep this as low-key as possible.ö
ôBut,ö her right-hand explained, ôThis doesnÆt mean that calling for back-up is forbidden. If youÆre faced with an emergency û and we mean æemergencyÆ û call us and weÆll send a strike team over to assist you.ö He raised his finger in a manner that resembled how a primary-school teacher reminds confused students of the homework they had forgotten about. ôBut only for emergencies, understand?ö
ôRight, emergencies.ö I confirmed. But something was nagging at meàôBut is there are reason how I became the one that was to be selected for this operation? Out of all our operatives, why me?ö With a few exceptions, thereÆs nothing really too special about me, so naturally I wondered what their reasoning was.
ôYou were chosen,ö The Colonel continued, ôBecause of youràshall we sayàconnections, with these events.öà? Okay, this is interesting. What does she mean by that? ôAllow us to explain the mission in full to you, Ensign Yagami. YouÆll be going to World 21376, otherwise known as æEarthÆ, to where the mission is taking place in Sector 3721897652. Your mission is to obtain a certain Lost Logiaàknown as the æHoly GrailÆ.ö
ANOTHER planet named "Earth"? Why can't people be more original when naming their homeworlds? Although "Earth" is a nice and simple name. But wait...
...HolyààGrail? As in, the cup that Christ drank out of and bled into as he died? THATÆS the Lost Logia?
ôWait. Are you serious?ö I ask, sounding more incredulous than I would have liked to have sounded. ôIs it really THE Holy Grail?ö
ôWeÆre not sure. But it read like one back then, and weÆre getting the same readings as before.ö
ôWait. This isnÆt the first time an incident with this Lost Logia happened?ö
ôThere was another incident involving this æHoly GrailÆ, yesö her aide said. ôTen years ago, on an expedition for rurally-located Lost Logia, we picked up on strong readings from that sector of Time-Space. The readings were getting dangerous for some time now, but the crew chose to ignore them for the time being û until they surged into the critical range, and in response we sent a team to contain the damage û since we knew for a fact that this was inhabited space.ö He pushes up the glasses from the bridge of his nose, but the motion is not the confidence one would expect from the action, but ratherà.full of regret? ôBut we arrived too late û disaster struck: the Logia went off, and hundreds of people died. Gone like that, wiped out in an instant, everyone within a ten-mile radius of the danger was.ö
Howàterrible. A horrific event like that claiming the lives of so many. And it could have been prevented too, were it not for the apathetic hindsight of the crew. Such things, made my blood boil.
ôAll but one, that is.ö
Why was he looking at me like that? I didnÆt underst û
Oh.
His gaze was drawn to me, and I found out why soon enough.
ôThis dimension, no, this very sector is where you originally came from, Shirou.ö He said, using my name for full emphasis.
The full weight of this truth hit me square on. I was shocked, naturally. But, how this affected me -
ôIf you wish to decline the mission,ö The Colonel began once more, ôThen you may ûö
I cut off the rest of what she was going to say. ôIÆm sorry for interrupting you, Colonel, but IÆm not declining. In fact, I accept this mission, 100%.ö My curiosity has been irrevocably piqued, and IÆm being given the chance to prevent a horrible disaster from befalling innocent lives once more û with a double-wham like this, how could I possibly refuse? Answer: I simply could not.
ôGlad to hear of your acceptance, Ensign. In that case, get your things ready û youÆre going in two days. That leaves you plenty of time to give proper farewells, right?ö
ôYes maÆam! IÆll start immediately!ö I saluted the Colonel and her supervisor in a sign of acceptance of my duties.
Her lips spread in a pleased smile. Even the man beside her cracked a smirk. ôVery well then Ensign Shirou Yagami, dismissed.ö
As I turn to leave, her voice compelled me to stop once more.
ôOh, and Shirou?ö
ôYes MaÆam?ö
ôNot only have we released two levels of limiters from your Device for this operation, you now have clearance to take Lost Logia AV-000 with you. Because the artifact is also a native to World 21376, perhaps it would be useful to take it along~ö
That wasàsurprising. ôThank you Colonel. IÆll put good use to it.ö
Kind of hard for me to forget it when it's been implanted in my body for as long as I can remember, though.
My home, huh?
Perhaps I can find out if it has anything to do with my ômagicö. My own particular, innate kind is fundamentally different from anything else the TSAB is aware of. Does this have anything to do with the fact that my home world isnÆt a part of the Alliance? Heck, IÆve heard that travel to other parallel worlds is still considered to be a ômiracleö unachievable with ômodernö magic. But, the remoteness of the place combined with how it is (usually) out of our jurisdiction (which probably explains all the secrecy regarding my mission in the first place), itÆs possible that there are many secrets there yet to be touched upon by the Bureau.
I can remember every weapon that IÆve ever seen before with nearly perfect detail, and can recall the ôpast lifeö of those weapons û although itÆs mostly swords and various blades that come to mind the most clearly. Like I said, it has something to do with my ôinternal magicö.
IÆm not entirely convinced of how useful an ability it really is. I mean, sure, I can recall just about any knife or sword IÆve seen and can call it forth into a physical form, but itÆs not as if I can project anything truly useful. Hunks of unadulterated metal can only go so far in a fight, you know. If only I could copy Devices, then thatÆd be another matter. Unfortunately, it seems as if the one Device I could ôTraceö, Laevtein û due to it being a sword û cannot be duplicated with my magic. I just canÆt comprehend it using my ability. ItÆs just too old û too alien for my mind. But at least it suits Signum perfectly. Or rather, Signum suits Laevetein perfectly, taking into account how sheÆs an excellent swordswoman wielding a powerful mystic blade.
ItÆs almost enough to make me flush with jealousy.
But anyway û because of its quirkiness, I usually just end up relying on Zwilingsklingen and my skills honed by training and missions to aid me on operations instead my innate ability.
Me, my magic, and that sheath-shaped Lost Logia found besides me that IÆm storing inside my body for safekeeping due to its benevolent nature û all of this has something to do with this world. This ôEarthö. My original home. Mid-Childa was, is and always will be my one home, but I cannot shake the feeling that I owe this to the people of my ôhometownö. That I can somehow make this up to them, and put their restless memories to rest as I atone for their sins.
IÆll be doing this the way mother would û complete the mission, prevent civilian casualitiesàand if any innocents get caught up in this mission like in the Jewel Seed, Book of Darkness and JS incidents, then IÆll do whatever is in my power to get them out and into safety. Who knows? Perhaps I can be like my mother and touch the lives that I might end up rescuingà
ôAll right, letÆs get ready for a homecoming weÆll never forget.ö I say with a confident certainty as the mission prepares to begin.
ôRoger!ö Zeke concurs the way he always does whenever he gets pumped for a mission.
I have a feeling that this operation will change my life forever. Butàthe future it foreshadows does not frighten me one bit, because the only thing I am feeling at the momentàis a determination that seeks the truth about what happened those ten years ago.
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What if Shirou was raised byààHayate Yagami and the Wolkenritter ?
So, according to the timeline Shota!Shirou would have fought in the JS Incident which occurs in StrikerS. Which approximately places this oneshot during the MGLN ViVid! manga. In true MGLN form, awesomness and good things will happen. Befriending and all that jazz û which leads to the conclusion that the TSAB will be getting some new members with high magical potential (Illya definitely, Sakura maybe). Maybe even a Servant or two will live on past the War due to the freakish magical power available in MGLN Mages. IÆm sure Nanoha or Fate could support a Servant by themselves, no problem.
Just in time for Mahou Senki Lyrical Nanoha FORCE to happen. B)
And NOW it occurs to me that Signum is a cradle-robber, since Shirou would have been pretty young at that original time around StrikerS. About ErioÆs age, IÆd reckon. Oh well, thatÆs what happens when youÆre kind of ageless like her û age means nothing in the end.
h43r:
