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x-emeraldsky-x · 4 months

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~ Naruto Headcanons ~

Naruto Uzumaki

• Naruto makes all of the groupchats in his friendgroups and is the most active in all of them. "Super Seven Squad" has himself, Sakura, Sasuke, Sai, Yamato and Kakashi. "Naru-Squad" has Sakura, Kiba, Rock Lee and Shikamaru. Sasuke and Gaara were added but Sasuke left and Gaara can't figure out groupchats. "Next Gen Parents" has himself, Hinata, Sakura, Sasuke, Temari, Shikamaru, Rock Lee, Gaara, ect.

• After training with Jiraiya, he picks up writing as a hobby. He's good at writing narratives, but his handwriting takes a while to become legible.

• Considers Sakura his older sister, he acts on this quite a lot and calls her "Nee-San" sometimes

• If Just Dance were a thing in the ninja world, he'd be the master. Sakura would be his less enthusiastic partner

Sakura Haruno/Uchiha

• Sakura's love language is gift giving. Often she will spoil Sasuke with flowers, treats and very fancy, well thought out dates. This carries onto her friendships and family bonds as well.

• She takes note of things her "nieces and nephews" enjoy and makes sure to buy something for them every time she visits. Boruto and Shikadai often get Ninja Trading Cards, Metal and his sister get new ninja equipment, ect.

• Sakura goes all out for birthday celebrations, and Sarada has never had a boring birthday

• Naruto gave her a shirt that says "Honorary Uzumaki" some time after he came back from training with Jiraiya, she still wears it even when she's an Uchiha. Naruto got her multiple new ones when the first finally tore

• Sakura's a very sloppy sleeper. Snoring, drooling and always sprawled out. The only time she's not taking up the whole bed is when she's spooning Sasuke. She has drooled in his hair and she will again

Sasuke Uchiha

• He's the leanest and lightest out of Team 7. This works well in his favour because it helps with his agility, but it's impossible for him to get out from under Sakura or Naruto without the use of Ninjutsu

• He associates certain hobbies or items with the people he's near. Anything hospital related reminds him of his wife as well as pink flowers, ramen reminds him of Naruto, ink reminds him of Sai, ect.

• Sasuke is very touch-affectionate with Sakura, craving her hugs and kisses whenever they're apart. He gets embarrassed when he asks, however, so he's very subtle and indirect

• Always ends up on top of or hugging Sakura in his sleep. Over the years he too has become a sloppy sleeper, but as long as Sakura is holding him, he doesn't mind

Hinata Hyūga

• All of the Hyūga clan have very prominent veins, especially around their eyes. Each Hyūga member has a unique pattern or colour. Hinata's children inherit this trait, but it's harder to see

• Hinata's veins are mostly purple, and her veins form a heart shape on her left eyelid, but it's usually hidden by her multiple eyelid creases. Neji's veins were green and formed a look similar to lightning

• Hinata has very soft, pale skin. In the cold and heat, she's always the first to go red, so she always packs a hat and a jacket.

• She has indented knuckles and is quite plump. This used to be an insecurity for her, but her friends and partners helped her embrace it

Kiba Inuzuka

• Kiba loves to sing. He typically makes up random songs about what he's doing, like washing dishes or sweeping the floor, but he also likes to sing music from his playlists. He enjoys calmer music, but he'll sing almost anything

• Team 8, Mirai and Himawari are the only people who know Kiba sings. Kiba loves his hobby but he's too embarrassed to sing in public

• On bad days, Kiba will sit with Shino on their bed in the dark brushing his hair with his fingers, singing softly to him to help them both relax

• After finding out about Shino's sensitive eyes, he went and bought blackout curtains and dim lights for his house so Shino could walk through comfortably without his glasses

Shino Aburame

• Shino is a very jealous person, and he sucks at hiding it. Many people have had to hold him back to prevent him from saying nasty things

• During Shippuden, he formed a bond with Akamaru. Since then, people called him Akamaru's second owner or second dad. He embraced this fully when he and Kiba got together

• He loves working with the dogs that the Inuzuka clan raise, but he does get very attached emotionally. If he had his way, he and Kiba would have about 30 dogs running around the house

• His eyes are a very deep brown colour, in the light they would shimmer with a orange-gold like colour. Due to his sensitivity to light though, only Kiba and the odd doctor have seen this.

• He gets cold very easily, so he's constantly layering his clothes. He and Hinata both would huddle in next to Akamaru on missions in the winter

• He has small scars on his body where his bugs come out, but they go unnoticed by the human eye at a distance. Hinata and Kiba always panic when they see Shino bleeding from his bugs breaking through his skin

Shikamaru Nara

• Shikamaru loves puzzle books, like Sudoku. He often buys magazines to complete these puzzles, sometimes looking into the latest gossip

• Once he and Temari are in a relationship, he carries a small summoning scroll that holds a giant folding fan, just in case of emergencies

• Shikamaru loves the food from Sunagakure, the rich tastes and flavours are to die for, but he can't stand the heat of the desert. Fortunately, Temari often brings Suna ingredients home so they don't miss out when they're in Konoha

• He unironocally loves some One Direction songs, although he'd never openly admit it. It's a secret he'll take to the grave

• Sakura caught him singing What Makes You Beautiful once and she has never let him live it down

Rock Lee

• After Neji's death, Lee starts to grow his hair out in remembrance. It takes him a long time for him to grieve but he soon finds peace with the loss

• For a short time after the war, Lee joins the Anbu under Kakashi's guide. After the birth of his first child however, he quits and becomes a Chūnin exam proctor for Konoha

• He and Shikamaru form a bond due to their relationships within the Suna trio. They become each others biggest defender when it comes to Kankuro, who still doesn't want to share his siblings with them even as an adult

• In The Next Generation period, he doesn't talk with Gai that often, focusing more on his family, friends and career. He has little time for other things

• He lived in Suna for a couple of years when Aiko and Metal were born. When his duties were needed back at Konoha, he took Metal with him because of Gaara's busy schedule. They visit each other as much as the can during holidays

• Scared of Temari

Temari no Sabaku/Nara

• Temari has very rough and dry skin. Her lips are usually chapped and peeling, and her hair is very coarse. She doesn't know what skin and hair care is, and even if she did, she'd ignore it

• She has a scar on her back near her right shoulder from protecting Gaara from a Suna villager, no one knows about this scar except Shikamaru who saw it on accident

• Very protective and loving of her little brothers, she'll always throw herself between them and an enemy if it means they'll be safe. Kankuro and Gaara worry that they'll lose her because of this

• Surprisingly very affectionate, and she loves to spoil all of her loved ones to the point they need extra storage to keep their gifts

• Sakura was her first close friend from Konoha, they relate quite a lot with their love for their family (even though Sakura's is not by blood). In their later years, Sakura introduced Hinata to Temari, and after a bit of a rocky start, they have girls nights every couple of weeks. Just the three of them

• Has fought with Kankuro over getting a puppy many times. In their early life, they couldn't afford or take care of one, but as adults, Temari finally gave in. She bought Kankuro a puppy for his birthday before she left for Konoha

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votestaynight · 1 year

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8th day "Sword and Magic II"/9th day "NEO" (scene 1)

"Fuji-Nee. It's fine that you eat apples, but eat your requirements. Those oranges you bought… there's still a boxful of them."

"Aw, I remember that now…. Uhh, I'm tired of eating oranges." Fuji-Nee says this, digging her fangs… I mean, her teeth into the apples.

"What do you mean, you're tired of eating them? Remember I was against it? Even though there's only me, Sakura, and you, you bought nearly 10 mochi and 3 boxes of oranges. You buy too much just because it's New Years. There's still a box left even though it's February. If you let it rot, I'll make you pay for all of it.

"Ugh. …I'm just asking, but, how long does it take for oranges to rot?" "Oh, about 2 weeks to a month in normal temperatures. They're almost out." Well, I kept them in the ice room, so they should be good for a bit longer.

"Gah, so now's the time to eat and time to rot?" "…Fuji-Nee. Never live by yourself. Food poisoning is scary nowadays. Check the expiration date on your food and watch out for fish in the summer."

"It's fine, I'll just come to your place when that happens. You can just give me the leftovers." "…I won't give you leftovers, you idiot. You eat a lot. If you're going to come and eat, I'll prepare some for you too." I avert my gaze and start preparing dinner again.

"Hm. Then I'll make lots of money and give you money for food. You're good-for-nothing like Kiritsugu-san, so I expect you'll be always in trouble for money."

"Keep talking. …Anyways, why did you get so many oranges? You should know Sakura doesn't like those kinds of fruit, and I don't eat much either." It's a good opportunity, so I ask her a question I've been wondering since the New Year.

"Hmm, I don't know. Oh, but Orange-peko sounds good, right?" "―――――" …Well. I guess it was stupid of me to hope for a logical answer from Fuji-Nee.

Preparation for dinner ends, and the time is past seven. Fuji-Nee and Saber are in the living room, and only Tohsaka is absent.

"…I wonder if something happened to her outside." I don't think Tohsaka is the type to make that kind of mistake, but I think she does make big mistakes sometimes. "――I guess I'll go take a look." I should be fine by myself if I'm just going to go search around the house.

I exit into the hallway. The instant I try to leave, the door opens and Tohsaka in her coat arrives home.

"Tohsaka." "I'm home. What, are you greeting me in an apron? You look pretty good in it."

Tohsaka makes that humorous comment without even twitching her brow. …She's scary. People who can put on a serious face while joking are the scariest.

"Tohsaka, what were you――" As I try to ask her what happened, I notice the blood on her hand. …A small stain of blood and a swollen index finger. Could that be…?

"Tohsaka. I'm going to guess about something bad." "What? I won't listen if it's anything stupid." "It's not. Have you punched someone?"

"Correct. I gave that annoying Shinji some knuckles." Tohsaka snorts and passes by me.

"……" I see, some knuckles for Shinji. Now I understand the blood on her hand and the swelling on her finger――hang on!!!

"Hold on, hold on, hold on! What do you mean, you punched Shinji!?" "You're being loud. He was being annoying, so I beat him up."

"Beat him up… you mean, with bare knuckles?" "Bare as it can be. A grizzly bear, too." Tohsaka snorts again.

"……" "……" A brief silence. I don't know what to say, so I just shut my mouth and cause an awkward silence.

"…Let's get back to the main subject. You said you punched Shinji, but why?"

"It's only natural I punched him. He was talking about things like me joining him, and you being useless so I should give up on you. He said stupid things after calling for me, so I punched him to make him shut up."

"……" No, isn't that a little too short-tempered, Tohsaka? …Or could it be? Did Shinji say something stupid enough to even piss off the ever-calm Tohsaka?

"…Why are you looking at me like that? I'll say this, but I'm the victim here." "No, both sides are equally responsible, right? …But still, why would Shinji say something like that to you? He said he wanted me to cooperate with him."

"Who knows? Maybe he thinks of you as a rival or something. He was acting weird ever since I told him I was living with you."

"What!? Tohsaka, you told him about us!?"

"Yeah, I did. I think it was yesterday morning. Shinji called me and said proudly that he became a Master like me now. He pissed me off, so I told him that you were the same too. I thought he learned his lesson, but he was waiting outside my house for me a while ago."

"So, I told him I'm living at your house now and I didn't have any intention of cooperating with a half-assed Master like him… what, was that bad?"

"――――" That's generally bad. Shinji is very conscious of Tohsaka under normal circumstances, so this is like pouring oil onto a fire.

…Well, but still… I see, I get it now. I understand why Shinji only saw Tohsaka as the enemy, and why he kept asking her to cooperate with him. In a word, he――

"But it's strange, isn't it? I wonder why he's so fussed up about me. Judging from his personality, I wouldn't expect him to want to cooperate with anyone." ――No. It's because Tohsaka Rin is important to Matou Shinji.

"It's not strange at all. I think you're a special person for Shinji. His was a family of magi originally, right? Then――I think he admired you since you were of the lineage of a magus family like him, and you still retain the blood of it."

That's why he's persistent about Tohsaka. I think Tohsaka Rin has been a target of his affections from even before this Holy Grail War started.

"WHAT!? …Well, I am a bit happy about being liked, but still――" It must have been a real surprise, as Tohsaka stands pondering.

"…Oh, I remember. Come to think of it, Shinji asked me out when I was a first year." She makes a terrible "gah, I forgot about it" reaction. …I'll sympathize with Shinji, just for now.

"Whoa, no wonder he never gets enough of talking to me. I understand now." "…That's fine. So, how did you reply?"

"Oh, I think I rejected him. I can't stand it if I'm not the first to make a move in a contest. It's like I can't get in the mood unless I'm setting the mood, or like I don't feel like it if someone else starts a match."

Tohsaka ponders, as if she really doesn't remember. ――I'm shocked. She must really live following only her feelings.

"Tohsaka. You suck at rock, paper, scissors, right?" "Huh!? Wait, how do you know that!?" …As I thought. Of course, if she likes to make the first move, she would be weak against a later move.

"Use the soy sauce for that, Saber. Don't put mayonnaise on it, even by mistake." "――I see. Well, I saw Taiga do so, so I thought I should as well."

"……"

"Fuji-Nee is just playing around. She's not much of a reference, so be careful from now on."

"…I see. I was referencing Sakura before, so you never warned me, but…" "No, I'm not angry. I worked hard to make it, so I just want you to have it at its best. So, getting back to the original conversation…"

"……"

"Shirou, I'll take seconds. Give me lots of stuff in my miso soup." "All right. How about you, Saber? I bet you're hungry since we worked harder today."

"Not really. But I will take another just in case." "Yeah, go ahead. If you also started recklessly raiding the fridge at night because you were too hungry to sleep, I'd die of shock."

"……"

"Hey, that's terrible. I told you that wasn't me. It was some burglar that raided the fridge."

"Then could you tell that robber that she shouldn't just eat meat, but that she should eat vegetables as well? And tell her not to finish off all the desserts in the fridge as if that's what she was after. Geez, she's like a hungry animal or something." "What!? Don't call me a tiger!" "Whoa, I didn't call you that! Ow, hot! Don't throw the hot white radish, you idiot!"

"……"

"Shirou. It seems the pot in the kitchen is boiling." "Huh? Oh, hold on Fuji-Nee, I need to turn the fire off." "All right. Bring me some chicken and boiled egg in soy sauce quickly." "Roger. Then keep Fuji-nee company, Saber." "Yes. Please do not rush your cooking, Shirou."

"……"

I get up. …Oh yeah. Why has Tohsaka been quiet all this time?

"Tohsaka? Does dinner taste bad?" "No. It's nothing, so don't talk to me." She looks away sullenly. …Hmm. She's not the kind to drag that thing about Shinji out this long, so maybe something has irritated her.

Dinner ends as usual and Fuji-Nee goes home satisfied. Saber and Tohsaka are in the living room. It was an awkward mood before, but since I've trained with Saber for the past two days, it doesn't feel awkward anymore.

"Saber, you can go to bed. I'll do the rest." "No, I will stay awake until you go to sleep. I would also like to learn from Rin how skilled you are in magic."

"I see. Then let's go to Tohsaka's room a bit earlier than usual. You don't mind, Tohsaka?"

"No, I don't mind. But you are getting along much better with Saber." …? For some reason, Tohsaka says this with the same displeasure she had when we were eating dinner.

"I'll be waiting in my room, so come when you're done cleaning up. …And I'll also be skipping school from tomorrow on. So come to my place in the afternoon." Tohsaka leaves the living room, still in a bad mood.

"Shirou, did you do something to Rin? She seems angry." "Did it seem that way to you too? …I don't know. I didn't do anything to anger her."

We both look at each other and tilt our heads. We have no idea why Tohsaka's angry.

"Then to start with, go ahead and 'strengthen' this lamp. You just have to strengthen the glass on the outside." She hands me an antique lamp.

"―――――" I sit down. I take a deep breath, holding the lamp in both hands. Tohsaka speaks so easily, but I'm rigid all over with tension.

Even though I do it every night, the reality is that the success rate is below 0.1 percent. Tohsaka says she'll study the extent of my strengthening to determine the level I'm at, but she won't be able to do even that if I fail at the strengthening.

"―――――" That's no good. I shake off my idle thoughts. I concentrate my mind on the lamp.

The blueprint of the lamp emerges. I could draw a diagram of the glass's material, shape, and even the flow of strength that would correspond to blood vessels in humans. So all I have to do now is to put my magical energy into those blood vessels.

…I just have to do as I always do. The feeling of driving a burning metal rod into my backbone. All I have to do is stick that incompatible burning nerve into my body and familiarize myself with it. Once that succeeds, all I have to do is pour in the correct amount of magical energy for the glass and―――

"――Oh" I broke it. I must not have been able to control it, as I put more than the proper quantity of magical energy into it, and as a result, the glass breaks easily.

"……" I look up at Tohsaka timidly. "…As I thought. I thought this might be the case, but it really was." Tohsaka's shoulders slump.

"Hm? What do you mean you thought so?" "Isn't it obvious? I'm just dumbfounded by your lack of talent…! First of all, you don't have the basics down. Geez, I'm impressed you can produce magical energy with such a ridiculous method!"

"…Tohsaka. Are you angry?"

"Of course! I'm amazed you've kept training with such basic problems, and I even want to kill your teacher for not correcting you. Why are you taking such a long route…!?".

"…Hm. I don't get what you're saying, but don't insult my father. It's my fault that I don't have any talent, so my father has nothing to do with it."

"Of course he has something to do with this. If you take an apprentice, it's the role of the teacher to correct the student. …Well, you're right that it does no good to take it out on someone who's already gone, but still, your teacher got the first step wrong."

Still angry, Tohsaka takes out some kind of a can from her bag. It looks like a can filled with candy drops, something foreign children treasure. I've seen a lot of imitations in Japan as well. That thing that has several varieties of candy, and the white one being the mint.

"Hold out your hand, Shirou." "…?" I put out my hand. Tohsaka shakes the can and takes out a reddish candy drop.

"All right, swallow that." "…?" I put it in my mouth as instructed.

"…It's not sweet. No, it has no taste actually. And this feeling… it feels more like rock than candy.

"…Hmmm…" I forcibly swallow it down. "Oh, ouch. My throat hurts. What was that, Tohsaka?"

"It's a jewel, of course. Couldn't you tell by looking at it?" Straightforwardly. Tohsaka says something outrageous.

"A jewel, why…!?" "I can't help it. I prepared some medicine too, but that sort of thing won't work if I want to fix you. So I decided I'd just have to open the switch with the strongest one I have."

"No, that's not the point…! Why are you making me swallow a jewel!? I can't digest something like that!"

"…Hey, now. If you're going to worry about things, you should be worrying about something else. It's not a normal jewel, you know? What I gave you just now is an enforcement tool that will let you find out about what you didn't know up until now. It should start melting right about now, so be prepared, or you'll faint."

"Why are you telling me I'm gonna faint with――" Just as I say that… The abnormality hits me.

"―――――!?" My body is burning. The feeling in my limbs goes numb. A lump of heat that can only be described as pain enters my back. I have to concentrate my mind at my forehead and squeeze it, or I won't be able to stay standing.

"――What… is… this?" I know it. I know this feeling. This is a failure. This is the reaction that happens in my body when I fail to construct a Magic Circuit inside me――!

"It's all right. It must be painful, but it should gradually get better if you can maintain that condition. Well, the burning feeling will continue for about two or three weeks though." …I want to answer her back, but I don't have the energy to do so. All I can to is try with all my might to stay standing.

"Okay. The difference between a magus and a human is whether they have a switch or not. You should know that this switch is the toggle for the Magic Circuit. See, there's an electrical pot that can boil water. A magus is just like that. And a normal person is a pot that can keep the water warm, but can't boil it.

"We are similar, but different. The question of whether one has the switch or not is beyond the grasp of an individual. When we are born――no, when we are made, we are separated into insulators and kettles. A person without the switch will never be able to experience magic.

"All right? You're an amateur, but you definitely have a Magic Circuit. So that means you have the talent. So if you make the Magic Circuit within your body even once, all you have to do after that is to toggle the switch. You just have to press the switch and switch between on and off to produce magical energy."

…I calm my breathing. As Tohsaka says, it seems the situation won't get any worse if I calm myself down.

"You only have to make the Magic Circuit once. But you're trying to make the Magic Circuit from scratch and build it into you every time.

"That's just a waste. If you establish it in your body even once, all you have to do is to switch to it. …Usually, a magus who establishes a Magic Circuit next receives training to switch to it. But your teacher didn't do that. That's why you're building a Magic Circuit and risking death every time. …No, maybe your father made the same mistake as well."

I breathe out. The feelings in my limbs slowly return.

"As you've trained the wrong way for a long time, your switch is closed. If that's the case, all we can do is to open it by force and let your body know that there is a switch."

"See, the jewel just now is something that forces the switch to turn on. So you'll be like that forever. If you want to return to your original state, you'll have to turn it off with your own power. If you can do that, you won't need the jewel's help anymore. After that, you should be able to handle the Magic Circuit with a simple mental operation."

"…I get… that… but…" Can't I do anything about the heat in my body? And she talks about this switch, but what am I supposed to do?

"What, you can speak already!? …Hmm, you're good at controlling yourself. Then maybe you can return to your normal state rather quickly. The switch will automatically turn off as your body tries to calm down and tries to get comfortable again. All you have to do is hasten that process with your will. See, it's easy, right?"

"…No… like I said, I don't understand at all. You say a switch, but I don't feel anything like that."

"It'll be like that now, but you should be able to get a clear image eventually. It'll be like a button in your head. So all you have to do is switch it on, and you'll be able to open the Magic Circuit easily."

"…I hope so. I just feel really sick right now…"

"I assume so. You always shut your Magic Circuit after you used your strengthening magic, right? It's the opposite right now and your Magic Circuit is open the whole time. It's like running full speed all the time, so it's naturally painful. But that's an essential requirement to be able to call yourself a magus. If you're going to fight as a Master, toggling the switch will surely help you out."

"…I know. It was a surprise, but I'm thanking you. You're right. If I can feel this switch thing, it will certainly be a bonus."

"…You understand pretty well. But there's no need to thank me. I'm just helping you because I'm in trouble if the person I'm cooperating with is weak." Tohsaka looks away. It must be because my body is burning. Blankly, I think that the embarrassed Tohsaka is cute.

"…What? What are you staring at my face for?" "Nothing. I just thought you're not honest."

"…I see. You must have excess energy if you're able to say such things. I can continue teaching if you have that much energy, right?" Tohsaka approaches me, smiling.

"…Uh." Hold… on. Hey, I can barely move my body right now.

"So, try your 'strengthening' again. You shouldn't be able to control your magical energy right now, but you'll be of no use if you don't get used to that condition. "It's all right. I brought lots of lamps. I don't know how many times you'll screw up, but I won't let you rest until you succeed in strengthening."

Smiling, she hands the lamp to me, still barely able to move. "…Uh." Whoa… this is like telling someone with a 40 degree fever to walk on a long tightrope…

"…Geez. I didn't think I'd give up before you did." Tohsaka blames me with her glare.

"…I'm sorry." "My predictions were too optimistic. I never thought you would break all thirty. …Sorry, but that's it for today's training. There's nothing to use to measure your strengthening any more."

"…Ugh." But I did try. I tried hard with a body that's burning like I'm in a boiling kettle. I tried hard, but it's just that the "strengthening" failed in spite of that.

"…Um. If it's just the glass breaking, you can fix it, right? You fixed the broken glass window before." "It's impossible. That was something that broke normally. This broke because it couldn't endure your magical energy. Remember that it's hard to affect something that carries the magical energy of another."

"――Hm, I see." "Yeah. …Don't worry and go rest. I'll call it enough to have turned your switch on today. I'll teach you the rest when you're able to control it."

"…Phew. I'm glad I can rest, but what will you teach me after this?"

"You can only use strengthening, right? You said that's all you can use, so then, you might be able to take it up to the next level and use 'transformation'. Have you ever been taught about strengthening, transformation, and projection magic?"

"―――――Hm." …A little. Strengthening is used to strengthen something, as the word suggests. People tend to think of strengthening as hardening something, but it actually strengthens the object's effect. For example, swords will become sharper and lamps will become brighter.

I don't think I need to explain too much for transformation, either. For example, you can't create a fire with an edged weapon. That which attaches abilities beyond the normal effects is called transformation. And projection I think was―――

"…? What was projection, Tohsaka? I remember my father talking about it often."

"You know about strengthening and transformation, right? Then I would think you'd naturally know what projection is. Well, in short, it's magic that reproduces something. It's not magic that elaborates on something that's already there. Basically, it's magic that constructs something from nothing, so it's the hardest."

"Oh… but magical energy is used only once, right? So something made with 'projection' disappears quickly. Comparing a 'projected' sword made with ten magical energy and a 'strengthened' sword with one magical energy, the 'strengthened' one is stronger. You only need to work on something that's already there, so strengthening is more efficient. In that light, projection uses too much magical energy, so it's not a magic that's widely used."

"…Oh, I remember. I think my father was saying something like that. He said something about not doing it because it wasn't worth it."

"That's it. All right, let's finish up if you're done asking questions. …You seem rather unsteady, so I'll at least take you to your room."

I let her accompany me back to my room. And Saber is waiting for me at the doorway.

"Well done, both of you." "……" I don't even have the energy to respond. I answer with just a nod and enter my room.

"How is Shirou, Rin?" "Bad. He's really bad. He doesn't have the talent." It's a merciless statement, just like Tohsaka.

…And then, when I notice, I'm looking up at the night sky. Tonight, I didn't run away because I felt uneasy about Saber. I'm just feeling the night wind, finding my burning body and the things Tohsaka taught me impossible to manage.

"…But once I'm really able to use this switch thing, then the problem is only the procedure. I'm worried about the future if I'm failing so much at the easiest magic of strengthening…"

I murmur and start to put my magical energy into the plank I brought out from the shed. ――A cracking sound. The strengthening failed as I expected, and the wood has a crack in it.

"…I can even see the structure inside of it, so why can't I control my magical energy?" Tohsaka said I'm straining too much. She also said it's fine with just a small amount of magical energy, so I should just think about enforcing the weak spots in the object. …In short, does she mean I should ease up a bit?

"…I already know that without having to have her tell me." The problem is, I don't have any way to ease up. It would be great if there was some good way to relax and―― "……" Footsteps that seem to seep into the night. This presence rudely approaches me for the second time.

"…What? I don't have any business with you." "I feel the same way. But it seems Rin is worried about you, so I could not overlook it."

"……" I throw the plank away, glaring at Archer. And then, Archer picks up the plank as if he's interested in it.

"Strengthening magic, huh? But it sure is badly done." "…! Huh, I know I'm just an amateur. I feel bad for putting extra work on your Master." "No, that is not it. Even Rin is mistaken on this matter." "Huh…? What do you mean by――"

"Huh, work on something that is already there? That's aiming too high. You are not skilled enough to do such a thing." "Wha…!"

He's saying what he likes when I'm letting him…! …But he is so correct, I can't answer. It's true that I'm unskilled, and it's my fault that I cannot succeed at the magic. It's no good taking it out on this guy.

"――What? You don't have the energy you did last night?" "Shut up. I just stopped talking because you were right. It's all my fault for not being skilled enough."

I look away. I don't know how he took it. "…Hm. Maybe you are unlucky with your teachers in a way." Archer says so as if he's amazed.

"Huh…? That can't be true. My father and Tohsaka are good at teaching, so it must be me that's a bad student."

"――That is why. For you, a magus that doesn't know anything would suit you better. A genius cannot understand the agony of an ordinary person. Rin is too good a student to realize the mistake of a dropout."

"…?" I don't get what Archer wants to say. I don't get it, but to guess from his words…

"I don't get it, but I think you're looking for a fight." I'll take it right now, free of charge. "That is a mistake as well. Emiya Shirou is not fit for fighting. Because your fight is supposed to be a mental fight, a fight with your own self."

"Hm… you're saying that a fight between magi is a mental fight, right? I already know that. But still, a fight has to be exchange of blows."

"Geez. Saber will be in trouble if you are like that." Archer looks down at me seriously. In his eyes are things I haven't seen before… real dejection and anger.

"Listen carefully because I will only say this once. Look. Emiya Shirou has no chance of winning if it comes down to fighting. None of your skills will be any use against a Servant."

"…!" That's something Saber said to me. She said that no matter what kind of clever scheme I use, Emiya Shirou has no chance of victory in battle.

"In that case, at least imagine it. If it is an opponent you cannot match in real life, beat it in your imagination. If you cannot beat it yourself, imagine something that you could beat it with. ――After all, that is the only thing you can do."

"Wha―――" I don't know why. But it feels like Archer's words naturally pass into me.

I should not forget those words. I think that what this man is saying is something that should never be forgotten――

"…There is something wrong with me advising someone I need to kill. I guess the kindness of Rin has transferred to me." Archer disappears suddenly. Archer was just supposed to keep watch. I bet he jumped back onto the roof where it's fit for keeping watch.

"…What's with him?" I complain at the guy that disappeared. There's no reply. Ruminating on the words that linger horribly in my head, I feel the cold winter air on my burning body.

…I'm dreaming. It must be because my blood is hot and my body is pulsing. I am reliving the scene I don't need to remember.

It's my oldest memory. At the same time, it is a memory that can't be separated from me. A scene from ten years ago that never goes away, even though I usually never recall it. It's not that I forgot it. It's not that I want to forget it. For me, it is just something that has already happened.

So it's not something I feel pain over. It's not something I feel particularly angry about.

What's past is past. I cannot redo it, nor go back to it. I have escaped from that scene and still continue to live. All I can do is look forward.

…No one told me to. I just vaguely thought like this ever since I was a child. Not forgetting or denying the past. The only way to make use of what has gone away is to acknowledge it―――

"Ah――uh." I wake up because of the burning heat in my body. …How long was I asleep? I guess I fell asleep while feeling the night wind, without returning to my room.

In the dim shed, there's me and―――

"…! Saber…!?" "You have awakened, Shirou. I do not mind you escaping out of your room, but it is slovenly for you to sleep here." ――There is Saber's figure, looking like she wants to complain to me.

"Oh, morning. Well, I was hot last night and went outside, so I guess I fell asleep then."

"I can tell. Please do not worry about excuses, but take more care next time. My position will be in question if my Master sleeps in a place like this."

"Ugh… sorry, I'll try to sleep in my room as much as possible from now on." "If you understand, I am glad. By the way, Shirou. Taiga has been calling for you."

"Fuji-Nee is? What would she want me for?" "It must be about breakfast. It is already past time for breakfast." "Eh――whoa, it's already past seven…!? Damn, I overslept…!"

"It seems so. It is unusual for you to wake up last. Rin's training last night must have tired you quite a lot." Saber analyzes the situation calmly. But I don't have that much composure.

"Sorry for making you wake me up, but could you go back first? I'll change and head to the kitchen too." "Yes. Then I shall try to calm Taiga down as much as possible."

Saber leaves with calm footsteps. But, calm down Fuji-Nee…? Saber has already adapted quite well to the mornings at our house.

I run into the kitchen. Ignoring Fuji-Nee's vilification, I prepare breakfast in about five minutes.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. There isn't much time till school starts, so eat quickly." I put the breakfast onto the table. "Wha――" And then.

"What is this!!?" Fuji-Nee explodes.

"What is this!? There's only toast! Shirou, why is this the only thing for breakfast…!?"

"…Hey now, I slept in, so it can't be helped. There's no time to make anything else. Anyways, a meal with bread is basically just this. We're just missing salad and egg, so there's not much difference."

"Of course there's a difference! Don't the rest of you think so too!?" Fuji-Nee asks Tohsaka and Saber, who are eating silently. But she shouldn't be so optimistic. Those two aren't as greedy as Fuji-Nee is. They won't agree with her.

"…You're right. I'm not Fujimura-Sensei, but I cannot forgive such laziness. I can only consider this an insult to the bread." …Hey, hold on. I thought you don't usually eat breakfast!

"………Sigh." Whoa, what was that sigh that sounded like obvious disappointment!? Did your character change, Saber!?

"See, everyone agrees Shirou is the one at fault. It's decided by majority rule, so go and make a proper breakfast when you've repented your actions." "I can't follow such an unfair match! First of all, you'll be late if I make something now. It's already seven thirty. You won't make it in time unless you run while eating, so I suggest you give up on that idea!"

"It's fine. If I have to choose between being late and being hungry, I'll choose breakfast." "Don't do that! What teacher in the world would do that…!? It's fine, so eat and go to school quickly. I'll tell you this, but I won't be cooking any breakfast other than this."

"Hmmm. Geez, you're diligent in the weirdest places. If you keep talking like an old man, you'll become really old quickly."

"You don't need to tell me. I already have the tastes of an old man because of you, Fuji-Nee." So saying, I start eating my toast. …Well, it's true. There is something desolate about having only toast for breakfast when there's this many people.

The sounds of the shinais echo. The substance of the fight is the same as always.

I attack desperately, while Saber blocks my blows easily and counters with an attack twice as sharp as mine. I manage to block it, attack even stronger, and lose――we are repeating the same match over and over.

"Ha――Haa, haa, hah." I stand still and breathe deeply. Wiping the sweat off my forehead with my arm, I calm my breathing.

"What are you resting for? You would not have given up at this point yesterday. Here, come attack me."

"No――hold on. I need to catch my breath. Let's rest a bit."

"What are you saying? If you will not attack, I will just attack. You do not mind that?" Saber stares at her bad student. But I cannot move my body to my satisfaction, even if she looks at me that way.

"…Sigh. What has gotten into you, Shirou? You are like a different person from yesterday. Your blows that came straight for me were the only thing that amazed me, but I do not feel any power from you this morning."

"…I know that myself, but… I just can't do too well." Well, uh, the situation is too different from yesterday.

"Is the heat in your body still present? But it is no good if your performance decreases just because of that. Please cool down a bit and calm your mind."

"――No. Before that, do something about that thing." I point to the observer by the wall.

"What? Don't mind me and just continue your training."

"……" Tohsaka doesn't understand at all. When she's staring at me like that, I can't concentrate on fighting with Saber.

"You are worried about Rin? That proves even more of your lack of training. "…I understand. In that case, I will make it so that you will not worry about observers." Saber grips her shinai hard.

"Whoa, hold on Saber, my breath isn't――" "There is no problem. You should fix such a problem during battle." Saber disappears from my view.

"――!" The instant I realize this is bad and block my face, Saber's shinai hits me right on my head.

…And so, the training this morning was severe. I wasn't worried about Tohsaka watching after I got knocked out once. As I devoted myself to blocking Saber's blows, it was lunchtime before I knew it.

"But man, Saber really is calm. You didn't even twitch your brow during the whole three hours you fought with Shirou. You don't talk much normally, but it's even more true when you're in a battle. It feels like you're a machine or something."

Tohsaka is in a good mood, I think because she saw me getting beat around a lot. The two are in the living room, resting. As for me, I'm preparing lunch by myself as a punishment for not being serious this morning. …Geez. I want to cut corners and finish quickly by making something like white noodles.

"Machine-like…? I see, I have never been conscious of it, but I may be turning off my emotions while I wield the sword. It must be the same even in training."

"Hmm. Could that be in preparation for holding a sword even though you're a girl? Like, not losing in spirit because you're inferior in physique?"

"That is incorrect, Rin. Being calm is part of readiness for battle, but that should be no different for a man or a woman. Even you should shut down your emotions during battle. You are the kind who is able to."

"Hm… you're pretty direct. Well, it's true, though. But yours is definitely different from mine. I only shut out my generosity. I can't be as objective as you are."

"It seems so. That must be why you are so gorgeous. You keep the elegance of a woman even during battle."

"What, is that sarcasm? I can't beat you in gorgeousness. …I'll admit it since Shirou is way over there, but I was fascinated by your beauty when I first saw you." …No, I can hear you, Tohsaka.

"――You must have been misunderstanding. If my figure looked gorgeous, it must be that my class of Saber looked gorgeous."

"That's not it. I just felt like I've lost as a woman. …I wouldn't have been so shocked otherwise."

"…I am saying that you are mistaken. I have never thought of myself as a woman, and I have never been treated as one. It cannot be true that I am gorgeous."

Saber's comment stops the conversation. "―――――" As I use the kitchen knife, I feel irritated by Saber's comment.

"…I've been wondering for a while, but just what does she think she is?" I take a big swing at the chicken meat. For some reason, I'm getting annoyed.

――I have never thought of myself as a woman

"――Heh. It's none of my business…!" I strike hard at the cutting board with my knife. But doing so doesn't make me feel even one bit better.

"These are today's task. We've got more than yesterday and you seem calmer today, so you should succeed."

I don't know how she brought them here, but Tohsaka brings out about forty lamps.

"I'm going outside. I'll be back in a while, so finish up by then." Saying goodbye, Tohsaka leaves the room.

"――Sigh." Well. Yesterday night was bad, so I should at least succeed at one or two tonight.

"…Phew. Half done, for now." It took me one hour to try "strengthening" on about twenty lamps. Half of them broke, and the other half showed no change. But out of the ones that didn't break, five of them had magical energy successfully channeled into them. All I have to do now is to challenge the twenty that are left, but――

"…… Hold on. Maybe five is enough as a test?" It seems like all the lamps are antiques. I feel bad about breaking any more of them.

"…Hmm." Yeah, I should――

#votestaynight #fate #fate stay/night #fate route

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