Chapter 488 - My CO Stash #88 - Emiya-sensei? by xolef225 (Fate/staynightXMHA) (2/2)
”Not much,” admitted the principal. ”Aizawa already settled everything for homeroom, so you just have to follow his course plans. As for Hero Ideologies, well… it's experimental, to say the least. You have free reign on what you wish to cover as long as you stay within the boundaries of the class outline and you follow the school's course policies.”
”And those are?”
”Simple things, minimum summative and formative evaluations, and the like. I'll forward them to you along with a written copy of the class outline.”
The wrought iron hero nodded.
It sounded like it could be fun, actually.
”I kindly accept your offer, then.”
”Excellent!”
Shirou jumped, almost forgetting the man was there.
”Indeed.” Nezu nodded to himself. ”Don't worry, we'll make sure that you're caught up to speed as soon as possible. Beyond that, I know that such a big change can be time-consuming at first, but I promise you here and now that it won't take too much away from your professional career in the long-term.”
The newly-minted teacher nodded appreciatively. It was nice that the principal was mindful of his own priorities and aspirations.
X
When Shirou went to bed that evening he found himself staring at his pillow when it hit him.
He's going to be a teacher.
He heard a buzz.
Looking at his night table, he saw a blinking light at the top of his work phone –a cell phone– indicating that he received a text message.
He didn't get many of those.
Picking it up, he found that it was from a number he recognized.
”Strange. What could she want?”
The message read, ”Meet me at Shizen. 11 tomorrow.”
He sighed, not bothering to reply. It wasn't as if she would take no for an answer.
X
Shizen café was a popular hang spot for teenagers– or at least it used to be about a decade ago when he came here with friends from school.
Somehow, saying it like that made him feel old.
A wave of nostalgia passed over him the moment he took a seat at the very same table they used to reserve. By some stroke of luck, it was unoccupied. Whether teens still came here or not, the place did not lack in business.
”Hello, sir. Can I take your order?”
He faced the waitress with a sheepish grin. ”Sorry, I forgot to look through the menu. You have iced coffee, right?”
It's what he used to order back then. It was good, and he could never quite get it to taste this way at home.
”We do! Anything else?”
”No, that's fine.”
”Right away, sir.”
When she left, he had to suppress a sigh of relief. It was good that no one could recognize him in his disguise.
It wasn't anything special, nothing more than a pair of sunglasses and a newsboy hat. He usually dressed quite plainly compared to his hero costume anyway, so it wasn't too strange of a getup for him.
”No way... is that…?”
”It is!”
”Why here?”
”Quick, go ask for an autograph.”
Shirou took note of the whispers with great alarm. Had someone seen through it? Darn. And he was looking forward to a nice, quiet coffee break.
Someone took the open seat facing him, and he realized a few things at once.
First, his disguise was fine. No one saw through the hat and glasses.
Second, his disguise didn't really matter anymore.
Third, Usagiyama needed to work on her disguises.
”Everyone can tell who you are, you know,” he chided.
”And? Should I care?” shot back his rabbit-eared friend as she adjusted her seat. Judging by her attire composed solely of skinny jeans, a tank top, and a pair of high-heeled boots, he could conclude that no, Rumi was not wearing a disguise.
Well, there went his quiet, low-key afternoon. Even now, the subtle joys of anonymity were lost on her.
”So what is it?” he asked. She called him out here, after all.
”I heard a rumour. That you're retiring.”
He blinked.
He blinked again.
”I'm sorry, what?”
”I heard that you're retiring to become a teacher,” she reiterated.
”That simply isn't… well…” he trailed off. He was technically going to become a teacher. Where did she hear that from, anyway? Didn't it just happen yesterday?
She quirked a brow. ”So you are?”
Why does everything have to be ”yes” or ”no” with you, woman?
Shirou shook his head. ”I'm taking over a homeroom at UA until the full-time teacher can come back. It'll be a few months at most. After that, I'll be teaching a class part-time, but at no point do I plan on announcing my retirement.”
Rumi tilted her head. ”UA? What class?”
Her tone became less demanding and more curious.
”Hero Ideologies.”
She put a finger to her chin.
Her nose wrinkled.
Her brow scrunched.
”No, we didn't have that class.”
”Ah,” she eased up. ”That explains it.”
”Actually…” he took a moment to think. ”I… have to figure out what I'm going to do in it for the most part. Would you mind if I used you as a guest lecturer sometime?”
The rabbit hero pointed at herself as if to ask, ”Me?”
”I think you'd be a great example. There's a reason you're a top ten hero.”
She scratched the back of her head with a tinge of pink on her cheek. ”Think so? I never really thought about the whole 'inspiring others' thing.”
”Here's your coffee sir– eeeek!”
His iced coffee nearly met a tragic end on the café floor when the waitress jumped from shock, but thankfully she gathered her wits.
”Mi…Miru…”
”She'll have the same,” he told the waitress in an attempt to snap her out of her daydream.
”Oi,” Rumi growled. ”Don't go ordering things for me.”
”Sorry,” he gave in easily.
Rumi took a glance at Shirou's beverage, then addressed the waitress, ”I'll have what he's having.”
While still a little starstruck, the irony of the exchange wasn't lost on the waitress. ”…Yes, right away.”
”Shirou.”
The tone of her voice demanded his full attention.
”Hm?”
”You're not allowed to retire. Not until I beat you.”
”Mhm.”
X
Today was the day.
Despite himself, Shirou was feeling a myriad of emotions he didn't normally feel. Namely anxiety, nervousness, and doubt.
Was this really a good idea? Was he really cut out for this? Would he do these kids justice? Would he fail them?
He felt the need to shake his head in order to get rid of some of those dangerous thoughts. It was too late to back out now, so his best would have to be enough.
He walked through UA's halls at a measured pace, thankful that the halls were empty due to the students already being in their classrooms.
Waiting for him.
He took a deep breath.
Another one.
”Alright,” he whispered softly.
The hero-turned-instructor opened the door that would lead him to his students–
”I'LL F_U_C_K_I_N_G KILL YOU, DEKU!”
”Hey, don't be a meanie!”
”E-eh… Kacchan…”
”Ribbit.”
”So many cute girls!”
”Stop this ruckus! Be mindful of those around you!”
”Oui.”
”Eheheh…”
Shirou wasn't able to make it past the doorway before the feeling of dread returned. This would be difficult, wouldn't it?
He tried to get their attention. That's what he was supposed to do, right?
”Ah…”
It was only after he spoke that his presence was noticed. Once he was noticed, however… well…
He was noticed.
A silence swallowed the room whole and the first years seemed to freeze in place. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that they knew exactly who he was.
Unlike his regular clothes, his hero costume made a statement. Crimson red cloth was dr_a_p_ed over pitch-black body-armour, all which brought out the oddity of his greying red hair.
It was the angry-looking boy who spoke first.
”You…”
Unfortunately, he was unable to finish his sentence.
”You're Archer!”
Ah. The timid green-haired one finished it for him.
Having so many eyes focused on him outside of combat conditions had him feeling a little self-conscious. His hand came up to scratch the back of his head out of habit.
”It's nice to meet all of you. Your homeroom teacher is actually Aizawa-sensei, but he's in recovery from a medical operation right now. Until then, I'm his stand-in.”
With only the slightest hesitation, he wrote his name on the chalkboard. He was supposed to do that, right?
”I'm Emiya Shirou, and I'll also be your teacher in the Hero Ideologies class… ah.”
He froze, as if remembering something, then smiled.
”Some of you might also know me as Archer, Japan's number two hero. Let's learn well together.”