Lyrical Sword

Chapter 7: Familiar face

Once again thanks to Jose19 for helping out.

Beta read by Opal and Maglad

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As the sun began its descent over the tranquil world of Midchilda, a sprawling cityscape stretched out before them, painted in hues of orange and pink. Shirou Emiya and Hayate Yagami stood side by side on a serene balcony atop a towering building. The gentle breeze tousled their hair as they gazed out at the breathtaking view, lost in the beauty of the moment.

"Hayate-san," he began, his gaze earnest, "there's something I've been meaning to ask you. Would you be able to assist me with a small request? I'm considering changing the color of my device." A small matter that shouldn't have been a problem for him initially, but the striking resemblance it gave him to a certain bowman pushed the redhead to a level of uncomfortableness that he did not like at all.

Hayate turned her attention to him, a cup of coffee in her hand with her eyes dancing with curiosity and confusion. A small smile played on her lips as she tilted her head, a teasing note in her voice. "Oh? Don't tell me you're not a fan of the color red. I always thought it complemented your hair quite nicely."

'Rather I don't want to be reminded about that bastard every time I see my reflection.'

Shirou chuckled, scratching the back of his head. How could he even begin to explain the relation between his dislike of this design and color? "It's not that I dislike red," he explained, his gaze thoughtful. "I just think it would have been better if I had white like the others, red makes me stand out too much and makes it feel like I'm getting the special treatment."

"But you are," she answers quickly. "It's not every day that we get someone from another reality." Hayate mentioned while giving him a side glance. "It's not every day we get a mage from another reality helping us in our mission. Exceptions and differing treatments should be expected to some degree. Treating you the same way as Subaru-chan or Teana-chan is basically impossible when most of the higher-ups are aware of your existence."

Painting him in red colors within a group of white uniforms didn't really help his cause, he hoped she realized that.

Shirou sighed, "I... I understand that, it's not that big of a deal if you are wondering. Just wanted to ask first and see... I'm just not used to being singled out in a team. Speaking of teams, where are the others? I've been searching for them for the last hour but can't find anyone.*

"Oh don't worry about them, they went to check out another training field where you all will be training. You'll be brought there soon after our talk as well, I believe someone will be coming to pick you up." Hayate stretched her arms above her head, her movements fluid and relaxed. She let out a soft yawn, her actions casual and unhurried. Shirou's brows furrowed slightly as he watched her, a sense of concern for her well-being tugging at him.

"Are you feeling alright, Hayate-san?" he inquired, his tone laced with genuine concern.

Hayate lowered her arms, her smile returning, albeit with a touch of weariness. "Oh, I'm fine. Just dealing with a bit of bureaucratic hassle from the higher-ups," she admitted with a wry grin. "Endless paperwork seems to have become my new pastime. Putting that aside, have you been able to get familiar with your new device?" She asked while pointing at the crimson pendant around his neck.