Saber (FSN) 2

Saber, Rin and Shirou all sat in the dining room. Saber had dispelled her armor, finding it uncomfortable if she attempted to do a seiza. Archer was up on the roof, making sure no other Servants attacked the place, while Rin and Shirou had gone out to the yard, Shirou wanting to explain what happened when he got home. The two entered the room, Rin taking a seat at the chabudai as Shirou prepared tea. After a minute, he joined them, sitting opposite of Rin.

Rin took a sip of her tea. "Alright, why don't we get down to business. You have absolutely no idea what you're caught up in, do you?"

Shirou nodded, so Rin continued.

"To be completely blunt, you've been chosen by the Grail to be a Master. You have the holy sign on your hand."

"Holy sign?"

"She means Command Seals, Shirou." Saber answered, diverting his attention. The first time, he was able to get a full look at her clothing underneath the armor. Sleak, unlike the jagged armor itself. It looked like a military uniform, and had a half cape on her right shoulder, the outer side black with the inner side blood red.

Saber herself tilted her head slightly. Shirou was very much different from her previous master, ironically his father. However, it has been less than an hour since she has been summoned, so she isn't entirely sure how genuine his personality is.

"Oh," Shirou inspects his hand, "You mean this. Saber said that I should use them sparingly."

"Yes. They are proof that you are a Master. They are also spells that can control your Servant. As long as you still have at least one of them, you can keep your Servant under control."

"What do you mean as long as I still have them?"

"Command Seals are unbreakable orders. Spells that can force your Servant to obey, even if it means bending them to your will."

Shirou noticed similar markings on Rin's right hand. "Why is part of yours faded?"

Rin looked to the side briefly. "I've already had to use one."

'For a stupid reason.' Archer commented.

'Shut it.' "However," Rin turned back to Shirou, "Each Master only gets three Command Seals for the whole war. So try not to waste them. You'll likely be killed if you use them all too quickly. So I suggest you be cautious."

"Wait, I'll be killed!"

"Yes. This ritual is based around Masters defeating other Masters. The one who defeats the other six gets the Holy Grail, an omnipotent wish granting cup."

"Wait a second. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you've gotten dragged into the Holy Grail War, the name of the ritual. A fight to the death between mages."

Shirou looked appalled at such a concept. "Do you really expect me to believe that?!"

"I'm simply laying out the facts as they are. Besides, deep down, you know already, don't you. After all, you've nearly been killed by a Servant, not once, but twice," Shirou looked down, clearly distraught, "Are you convinced? I'm another mage chosen to be a Master. Think of your Servant as a familiar, granted to you by the Holy Grail, to survive this war."

Shirou looked at Saber, "She doesn't look like much of a familiar to me."

Saber raised an eyebrow marginally, too small for either to notice. 'I can summon a couple familiars, but I highly doubt they'd be useful against other Servants.'

"Of course she doesn't," Rin retorted, "Servants are technically familiars, but they are more akin to super-human beings. Heroic Spirits from the past."

"From the past?"

"That's right. From the past or present, Heroic Spirits are legendary warriors, pulled into our time, given form and substance. A Master's job is to summon them and, once summoned, the Grail gives them their form. They are almost always in spirit form, and will materialize to fight on your behalf."

"So, the guy in red…?"

"Archer. He's keeping the place safe while we talk. Do you understand so far?" Shirou nodded. "For a more detailed explanation, you should speak to the man overseeing the Grail War. Also, there's something important that you should keep in mind: You have no choice but to fight once you've been chosen, and Servants are powerful familiars, so make sure you use yours well."

Shirou slumped his shoulders, trying to take it all in. Rin took another drink and, once she put it down, turned to Saber.

"Now for you. From what I understand from Emiya, I gather you're in an incomplete state, Saber?"

"Yes. As you've accurately stated, I'm not a full strength," Saber continued as Rin got up to get the tea kettle, "The facts remain that Shirou is not a trained Master, and his summoning was not intentional."

"Wait," Rin stopped, "I didn't know you could summon Servants accidentally."

"If the catalyst is strong enough, it could happen, but not without consequences."

"Wait," Shirou joined in, "What's a catalyst?"

"Simply put, it's the relic used to summon Heroic Spirits. Using a specific relic could result in a specific Heroic Spirit."

"Correct," Saber answered, "As an example, say you had a piece of Jeanne d'Arc's flag as a catalyst. You're likely to summon the Maiden of Orleans as a Servant."

"What happens if you don't have a catalyst?"

"Without a catalyst," Rin replied, "It's impossible. If you don't have one, then you yourself become the catalyst, and whichever Servant you summon is most similar to the mage that summons them."

"We're getting off track," Saber added, "SImply put, even if it was a proper summoning, Shirou's lack of training will make replenishing mana from him difficult."

Rin looked appalled, "That's shocking."

Shirou looked offended, "Hey, what are you talking about?"

"Servants maintain their physical forms by being supplied with mana, usually from their Master. But Saber can't get an adequate amount from you because you can't focus, not to mention that you're a novice to begin with. It'll become a problem before too long. Oh! Would you like a cup of tea?"

Shirou didn't understand how Rin was taking this all in stride. "No, I'm good." He deadpanned.

Rin turned her attention back to Saber. "I must say, I didn't expect you to be so open with me about all this."

"I saw no point in lying," Saber replied, "You had already realized that something was indeed wrong. Therefore," she looked to the two, "I decided to let you know the truth about my condition, so that Shirou can get a clear view of his current circumstances. However, there is something I'd like to correct. I am still getting adequate mana. I only stated that getting mana from Shirou would be more difficult."

"Wait," Rin stated, "What do you mean?"

"I have several items that allow me to replenish my mana on my own. While having Shirou supply me with mana would be beneficial, it is not critical to me performing my role."

Shirou then noticed the rings on Saber's fingers. They weren't there while she was wearing the armor. 'Does the armor go over them?'

"Incredible," Rin muttered, "To be able to self sustain herself?" Rin took a drink, giving Saber an intuitive look. Her eyes glowed briefly before she suddenly sputtered her drink, coughing loudly.

"Rin?!" Shirou cried out in panic.

"Oh, you've got to be KIDDING me!"

"What, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?! The problem is that you've botched your summoning, and your Servant is still this powerful!"

"Uh, I'm not sure what you mean."

"Ugh," Rin pinched the bridge of her nose, "Archer, come down here."

Archer materialized next to Rin, standing. "You called?"

"Yes. Shirou, I want you to look at Archer Servant skills."

"Huh?" Shirou replied, and Archer twitched an eye, "How do you expect me to do that?"

"When a Master is chosen, they are temporarily given a unique form of Clairvoyance called 'Master's Perspective'. It's different for each mage, but it allows them to see how strong the Servant is."

"Wait, so I could learn everything about your Servant?"

"No, idiot," Archer scowled viciously, "Only if you know the true name of the Servant. Otherwise you can only see the basics of them, such as how strong they are. You won't know their individual skills."

"Correct," Rin added, "So, I'm waiting."

"Ummm…"

"Shirou," Saber stated, "The process is similar to opening a book. However, instead of opening a cover to pages, you're opening the cover of a person."

"Okay," Shirou nodded, "Like opening a book." Shirou took a deep breath, looking at Archer. His eyes glowed, his mind began forming a picture. It was strange. Like looking at a sports card for a player. He could see her height, weight, class, and more. He looked slightly down, seeing her Parameters.

"Okay, I think I found it. Strength: D. Endurance: C. Agility: C. Mana: B. Luck: E. NP: Question?"

"Interesting," Rin commented, "You see yours like an actual stat sheet. Mine is more like seeing waves of different currents. And, for Archer's stats, this makes sense why his strength and endurance are low."

Archer merely rolled his eyes.

"Now, Shirou, look at Saber's."

Shirou did just that. "Okay, activating. Alright, got it. Strength: A+?" Shirou noticed that all of Saber's stats were far better compared to Archer's. The lowest was Agility, being B+++. "Um, sorry if I've offended you, Tohsaka."

Rin slammed her hands down, "It's the fact that you don't know how offended I am that offends me."

"Huh?"

"Shirou, a Servant's strength derives from multiple things, but two big ones are the Servants themselves and the mage that summons them. If an expert mage were to command a Servant, their stats would be stronger than if a novice commanded them. Not only that, but your contract is improper, meaning her stats are lowered because of it. Even with all of that, she still has that much power."

Shirou's jaw dropped slightly as he looked at Saber, who only blinked stoically. Rin fell back and started rolling around in a temper tantrum.

"It's not faaaaiirr!" She whined, "If I had Saber, this war would be in the bag!"

"Hmph," Archer scoffed, "I'm insulted you would so easily discard me, Master."

"Oh, shut it, Archer. I'm only stating the truth. The dunce made an unfinished summoning of a top tier Servant, what do you want me to say? Damnit, what a stupid waste! Why does she get paired with a nobody like him!?"

"Wait," Shirou exclaimed, "Are you saying I'm not worthy of her?"

"Of course I am, you hack!"

Shirou himself looked confused. They aren't enemies, so why was she throwing such a tantrum? Archer merely scoffed.

"May I go back to my actual job?" He said.

"Fine!"

Archer disappeared in blue dust, returning to the roof. After a moment, Rin stopped rolling and got up.

"Alright then. Shall we go?"

"Go? Go where?"

"To see the Overseer of the Grail War. He'll be able to tell you everything you need to know. You do want to know the reason behind it, right?"

"Of course I do, but," Shirou looked to the clock, nearly 2 in the morning, "It's getting really late."

"That's to be expected," Saber retorted, "There is a rule in the Grail War to only fight during the night, as the chances of being discovered by civilians is diminished. However, if you do not wish to go, then I will go in your stead."

"Huh," Rin commented, "Unusual, but, given the circumstances, it would be better."

"What?" Shirou stood up, "You can't just go!"

Saber looked at him in confusion. Rin however, gave fake shock.

"Oh," Rin exclaimed, "I guess you do think like a Master," she then smirked, "You don't want me talking to Saber, do you?"

"What the~No, why would I care if she talks to you?" Shirou then felt a headache coming on, placing a hand on his forehead. He then muttered, "Jeez, I'm starting to think there's something messed up with this girl." He turned back to Rin, "Saber is a hero from the past, right? So, if she goes out, she'll just be confused. She won't be able to make sense of the modern world."

Saber merely raised an eyebrow. "That isn't true, Shirou," both Shirou and Rin turned to her, "Servants adapt themselves to whatever time period they find themselves in."

"You're…familiar with it? How?"

"Servants, when summoned, are given knowledge from the Grail about the time period they are summoned in, so as to avoid the very thing you've proposed. Even if we weren't, I was the Saber Servant for the Fourth Holy Grail war."

Rin herself looked completely shocked. "Wait, the FOURTH one?! The one that happened ten years ago?!"

It was now Saber's turn to look shocked. "Ten years?" She muttered. 'Just as long as I've been in Tamriel.'

"Wait," Shirou interrupted, "There was a Grail War ten years ago?"

"Yes," Rin answered, "Which makes it surprising that a new Grail War happened so soon. Usually they take around sixty years for a new one to happen. Honestly, the only thing crazier than an early Grail War is the fact that you have been summoned to both. I mean, the odds are just insane!"

'Is it because I destroyed the Grail the last time that a new one happened so soon?'

'This Servant was the Saber of the Fourth War,' Rin thought, 'The same one that killed my father. Did she know him? Wait, I remember my father saying the Einzberns had the Saber.'

Saber stood up. "So, where are we going?"

Rin was drawn from her train of thought. "The church in the neighboring town."

Saber nodded, while Shirou sighed, resigned to going with them.

'Archer, dematerialize and keep an overwatch.' Rin thought.

'If you command, Master.'

Shirou went to his room to put on a white and black jersey jacket, while Rin got her red jacket. When they returned, they saw Saber waiting at the doorway.

"Um, Saber," Shirou commented, "Not to be insulting, but, is that all you're going to wear?"

"A uniform like this isn't uncommon."

"Yeah," Rin countered, "But suits aren't as fancy as yours and they don't have a half cape."

Saber looked at it. "I see your point." She detached it, the half cloak disappeared, and she called forth the Nightingale cloak. She put it on, having the cloak covering her whole body, with the exception of her feet and face. "I take it this would be better?"

"Much better. Now, let's get going."

The three left the house, walking through Fuyuki's streets. Saber herself was still trying to come to her own conclusions regarding Shirou. They eventually came across the river, and were heading for the bridge.

"Saber," Rin commented, "Will you be alright having your armor dematerialized?"

"Yes. Even without my armor, my reaction speed should be more than adequate."

"And add to the more bullshit that Shirou has." Rin muttered.

"Hey," Shirou exclaimed as Rin walked down stairs, heading to the railing against the river, "Are you planning on walking all the way to Shinto?"

"Yep."

"You know it's been dangerous out lately, right? If~"

"Actually," Rin interrupted, "There was something I wanted to ask. Before I came to your house, I heard a roar. Saber, was that you?"

Shirou looked slightly annoyed that Rin ignored him, but was curious as well when he turned to Saber.

"Actually, come to think of it, when Lancer did that energy attack, you yelled it out, and that shield appeared out of nowhere."

"I see no need to conceal it. What you heard was a Dragon Shout."

"Dragon Shout?" Rin questioned.

"Yes. Dragon Shouts are powerful bursts of magic that are conjured from the vocal cords. It's usually reserved only for dragons, but can be done by humans under the right conditions."

"So, you yelled at Lancer?"

"Blunt, but not untrue. What I cried out was Tiid, the dragon word for Time, and the first word in the Slow Time shout. With it, I slowed time long enough for me to summon my shield."

"How~How many 'shouts' do you have?"

"Technically, eighty one, but all of them are composed into sets of three."

"So twenty seven?"

Rin was starting to doubt that anything she did could beat Saber in a fair fight.

"Correct."

"You know, I said it earlier, but I'm surprised you've been so open with me about this."

"My skills are quite varied, Rin. Even if I were to reveal a minor thing, it wouldn't affect the outcome all that much."

"That is minor?"

"I did not reveal the other Dragon Shouts, or their intended purposes, did I?"

"Uh, no, but~Gah, whatever."

Shirou finally got involved again. "Look, you know it's been dangerous out lately, right. Saber may be able to handle herself, but I don't think I can protect you if something happens."

"Ignoring the fact that you think I can't handle myself, I'm sure Saber here can easily protect the both of us. Isn't that right?"

"If that is what Shirou wishes for me, then that is what I'll do."

"Agh, but~" Shirou began to protest.

"Shirou," Saber interjected, "Is there some sort of problem?"

"No, but~" Shirou began to stammer. With how powerful Saber was, saying she couldn't do it would be insulting, but he felt he needed to say something. Rin herself just giggled.

"Oh, let him be, Saber. It's just how he is."

Saber raised an eyebrow, but nodded, the three continuing onward. They crossed the bridge, entering Shinto, and were walking on the path adjacent to the river.

"Master of Archer." Saber exclaimed.

"Rin would be just fine."

"Very well. Rin, what did you mean with your comment regarding Shirou."

"You could call it a major misunderstanding, or extreme foolishness. What he's implying is that, even with all your power, if we were attacked along the way, Shirou would step in to save us like a hero."

'I'm standing right here.' Shirou thought annoyingly.

'Another oddity between Shirou and his father.' "That's simply wrong. Because Shirou is my Master, I should be the one protecting him, not the other way around."

Rin turned to the two. "He's likely not thinking that way at all. When it comes to Servants and Masters, Shirou really doesn't get it."

"What's that mean?" Shirou said softly, though no one answered him.

After an hour, the two came to the outskirts of Shinto, approaching Fuyuki Church. The three were going to enter the main gate surrounding the building, but Saber stopped just before it.

"Is something wrong?" Shirou questioned.

"No. I've decided that I'll let you go in. I'll maintain a watch."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Shirou."

"Alright."

Rin and Shirou went through the gate, heading for the church. Saber kept a vigil, and decided to make a mental list of what she had. She had plenty of crafting materials, so she'll be able to forge some gear to protect Shirou. The potions she could make with the alchemy materials will also help. Now, what armor and weapons did she have.

Excalibur.

Her personal armor, made of Daedric materials.

The Nightingale Armor. It will be extremely helpful if Shirou asks her to spy on any of the other Masters.

Her Daedric Bow.

Aurial's Bow. Though, with battles only taking place at night, it wouldn't be as useful.

Spellbreaker. Though it's unlikely the ward will be able to function, it is still a viable shield.

Volendrung. While certainly slower, if she can hit the target, it won't stay standing.

Trueflame and Hopesfire. While not as powerful as Excalibur, if her sword is knocked away, those two will be quick substitutes.

For some time, Saber simply strategized how to use the resources in her ethereal storage. Almost none of the materials in there could be found on Earth, so she had to use them sparingly. However, her senses soon detected something…familiar. She was tempted to investigate, but that would leave Shirou without her protection.

Before she could think more on it, she heard footsteps coming from behind her, as Shirou and Rin approached the gate. Exiting, Saber walked up to Shirou, taking her hood off.

"Shirou," she said, Shirou walking past her, "Is your business has concluded."

Shirou stopped, "It is."

"And?"

Shirou turned to her. "I've decided I'm going to fight as a Master. I need to know if you'll consent to serving a novice like me."

Saber smiled resignedly. "My consent is irrelevant. Shirou, from the moment you summoned me, you have been my Master. I swore a solemn oath, to be your blade."

Shirou nodded, tightening his hand. "Right. Saber, I want us to fight to the end." He then extended a hand. "I'll be counting on you."

Saber stared at the hand, shocked by the gesture. 'He really is nothing like Kiritsugu. Perhaps this might work out.'

"What's wrong?" Shirou asked, concerned, "You don't want to shake hands?"

Saber shook her head. "Forgive me, Shirou. I was simply not prepared for that," she shook the hand, "I will fight by your side, Master. So long as you have Command Seals, I shall be your trusted blade."

The three walked away from the church, walking alongside the wall surrounding it. As they walked, Saber looked past the graveyard between her and the church, observing the building.

'Something feels…off about that place.' Saber's eyes briefly shifted, becoming slitted pupils.

"Everything okay?" Shirou asked, startling her. Her eyes changed back to normal, and Saber stopped. Looking ahead, she saw that Shirou was actually asking Rin, both having stopped.

"No offense," Rin stated, "But you should go home by yourself."

"Huh?"

Rin turned to him, "I brought you here to see the priest because you weren't officially my enemy yet. But, now you're a fellow Master in this war."

"Yeah, but I have no intention of fighting you."

Rin groaned, "I should've known," she put a hand to her face, "What was I thinking? Why did I even bring him here?"

"Shirou," Saber exclaimed, "You are technically correct. Rin, I'd like to make a correction of something you said. The Holy Grail War doesn't end when all but one of the Masters are killed. It ends when there is only one Servant left, and the Master of that Servant at that time is declared the winner alongside them."

"Yes," Archer replied, materializing behind Rin, "But killing the Masters is by far the easiest way to defeat the Servant. Without a Master, the Servant will eventually die."

Saber narrowed her eyes. 'Yes, this man reminds me far too much of Kiritsugu.' "Nevertheless, Shirou, if you truly do not wish to harm the other Masters, then we should prepare you."

"Prepare?"

"Yes. If a Master loses their Servant, but another Servant loses their Master, they can form a contract, allowing both to continue the fight. It's likely that, once Servants start to be defeated, their Masters will come for you."

"Wait a minute!" Rin exclaimed, "Why would I bother helping him?"

"Oh, forgive me, Rin. I simply assumed you had no wish to kill Shirou."

"Um, well, I don't like the idea, but~"

"Ugh," Archer groaned, "You are so difficult. Call me when you intend to actually use me." With that, Archer dematerialized.

"Well, that was…weird." Shirou stated. Rin's look of anger made him step back.

"You~Ugh. I don't like the idea of fighting someone who clearly is in over their heads."

Shirou's look of concern turned into a smile. "You know, you really are a good person."

"Flattery won't help you here. I'm still your enemy."

"I get it, but I don't want us to be enemies if I can help it. After all, if we both survive this, I'd like us to remain friends."

Rin blushed, clearly not expecting the last statement.

"Well," Shirou added, "See you around, Tohsaka."

Shirou and Saber began to move, intending to pass Rin. However, Saber soon felt a presence. Giving a quick gasp, she spun around. She saw a little girl, dressed in a purple fur-trimmed coat, and a purple fur cap. She had crimson eyes and long white hair. More concerning, however, was the person next to her. A titan of a man, easily over eight feet tall, skin black as ebony ingots, and the giant sword he held in his right hand. Well, 'sword' would be a bit inaccurate. More like a slab of metal with a bladed edge.

"So," the girl stated, "Are you all done chatting?"

This got Shirou and Rin's attention, making Shirou turn around and froze at the sight of the giant next to the little girl.

"Th~That's Berserker." Rin called out. Shirou's eyes widened, looking upon the titan's face. One of his eyes was simply red, glowing with deadly intentions. Saber tossed her cloak to the side as it disappeared. She conjured her armor, minus the helmet, and summoned Excalibur.

"Good evening, big brother," the girl said sweetly, "This makes it two times that we've met."

'Big brother?' Saber thought. 'She…looks like~'

The girl did a curtsy. "It's nice to meet you, Rin. My name is Illya. Short for Illyasviel Von Einzbern. Von Einzbern is a name I hope you're familiar with."

"Von Einzbern." Rin stated, making Shirou look at her. Saber herself stared at the girl.

'That doesn't make sense. It's been ten years. How is Irisviel's daughter not aged a day? More importantly,' Saber looked to Shirou, but kept her eye on Berserker, 'Shirou didn't seem to recognize her. Did Kiritsugu never talk about her? Or Iris? What has Kiritsugu not told his son?'

"Shirou," Saber stated, "I need to know what I'm up against."

Her words knocked Shirou out of his stupor. "Right." His eyes glowed as he looked at Berserker. "Okay, his lowest stat is Luck, which is at B, and his highest is his Strength, at A+. The rest are As. Lower than yours, but not by much."

"Understood."

"Archer," Rin said, "I think you should stick to your Class's primary methods."

'Very well.' Archer replied. A brief shimmer in the form of Archer appeared behind them, then vanished. Several dozen meters away, it reappeared, then disappeared again.

"Emiya, it's up to you whether to run away, or stay and fight. But, if you can, try to run far away."

Shirou looked conflicted. He didn't want to abandon Rin, but seeing Berserker…He looked to Saber, her face showing no fear. Seeing her face seemed to steel his nerves.

"I'm in. All the way."

Rin sighed, "I was afraid you'll say that."

"Are you two done talking?" Illya asked, "So then, can I get started?"

An eerie silence fell upon them all, not helped by Illya's innocent smile.

"Time to kill you," Illya stated just as innocently, "Okay, go get them, Berserker."

Berserker's body seemed to emanate some red energy throughout his body as he gave a primal roar before leaping into the air. Saber, without a second's hesitation, leaped up to meet him, the two clashing blades, sending a shockwave throughout the area.

Shirou was now starting to understand how dangerous this war may become.

Author's Notes: There isn't really much change to the timeline, apart from Shirou now having an OP Servant instead of a handicapped one. Next chapter will have the battle against Berserker.

For reference to Saber's Casual outfit, look up Lancer Artoria Formal Attire. Replace the blue with black.

Note for anyone reading this on the mobile app, the app doesn't like the plus sign, for some reason, so the stats may not accurately show.

Overall, I hope you enjoy, leave a review, fav/follow, and I'll see you all next time.