Day 3: False Saber — Kendo Hell

Kiyomasa "Crow" Senji aimless strolled across the Emiya estate.

The group meeting in Shirou's bedroom had broken up after Red Archer's ominous statement that their alliance would eventually be forced to turn against itself to determine who would gain possession of the Holy Grail. The proclamation of doom had apparently soured the mood too much for the boy and the female Master to continue discussing tactics. Personally, Crow didn't see what the big deal was. Just because you were locked in a winner-take-all struggle to the death was no reason to get all awkward and uptight. Heck, he'd met some of his best friends in vicious, no-holds-barred fights. It was how he'd lost his eye, as a matter of fact, but you didn't see him getting all hung up over it. What was a little bodily mutilation between friends? Everyone knew and accepted the stakes going into the fight. If your opponent bested you, you respected them for it; and if you were fortunate enough to survive, that respect could form the basis of a beautiful friendship.

He was sure the others would come around eventually. The advantages of even a short-term alliance were too great to ignore for long, especially with titanic threats like that great big Berserker running around. Rin Tohsaka had left with her Servants to go pick up some magecraft supplies from her house, but she'd said she would come back soon to check up on Shirou. From what Crow could tell, despite her criticism of the boy, she actually had a secret admiration for him. The Black Archer was largely indifferent to the War, apparently having no desire for the Grail; and his counterpart Saber, while distrustful of her Master being so trusting of a potential enemy, saw the tactical advantage of an alliance — probably even more so now, after seeing the boneheaded stunt the kid had pulled in the battle. No, the only one who seemed really opposed to teaming up was the Red Archer. Crow suspected that Tohsaka's departure was half so that she could have some words in private with her insubordinate Servant. In any event, if everyone else agreed on an alliance, Red Archer would have to go along with it. If he really had such a problem with the boy, well, he'd have his chance to do something about it once the other opponents were eliminated and the alliance dissolved.

Crow's walk brought him past the estate's training dojo. He could sense that the other Saber was within. After pondering the matter for a moment, Crow decided to go on in and have a chat with her. Ever since the two of them had been summoned, it had been one crazy thing happening after another, with no time for them to actually get to know each other. Since he was going to be fighting alongside this female knight for the rest of the War, it would be useful to know more about her capabilities — for instance, the Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm that she'd apparently been holding back. Not that Crow blamed her for that; to the contrary, he took it as a sign that she was intelligent as well as strong. He was also holding back his best technique, since it was more effective when it took the opponent by surprise. But for them to work together effectively as a team, they'd need to understand and trust one another.

Crow entered the dojo to see that the female Saber was standing in the center, holding a shinai and practicing her stance. She was still wearing the modern clothes she'd used to introduce herself to Shirou's friends; and she had apparently been exercising quite heavily, as her garments were soaked with sweat and had become slightly translucent. The curvature of her breasts was clearly visible through the thin fabric. Crow couldn't suppress a twinge of discomfort that ran down the length of his spine, and felt his face flush red with embarrassment. He had certain... issues... with the fairer sex — triggered, mostly, by displays of immodesty. Crow took a deep breath and steadied his breathing. Saber was a heroic spirit of the sword, just as he was, and he had to show her proper respect.

Saber had by now seen Crow. She lowered her shinai and walked over to him.

"Do you have need of me?" she asked.

"Nothing urgent." Crow said. "I was just hoping to talk. Since we're both going to be serving the kid, I figured it might be good to get to know you better."

"Ah." Saber said. "I too have been hoping to better acquaint myself with you. However, I would prefer to do so by a means other than conversation."

She flipped the shinai in her hands and extended the handle towards Crow.

"You want to... have a sword fight with me?" Crow asked.

"Leave words to the flatterers and sophists." Saber said. "True warriors can comprehend each others' hearts solely through the clash of their blades. On the field of battle, locked in combat, is when the true measure of one's will and honor become apparent."

"...Alright, if you think that's best." Crow said. "But you can keep that stick. The only blades I know how to wield are my Crow Claws."

With an exertion of prana, he commanded the blood in his arms to surge and crystallize. Two blades erupted from beneath his skin: a curved, wing-like blade from his whole left arm, and a straight, sword-like blade from the stump of his right arm.

"Very well, then." Saber said. "I will match my Noble Phantasm against yours. ...Though, this does mean that it may be a bit painful if you fail to match me."

Saber tossed aside her shinai and raised her hands in front of her. With a gust of wind, her invisible blade appeared in her grasp. The two took their positions, then the combat commenced. Immediately, Crow began encountered difficulty. Saber's Invisible Air gave her a potent advantage: since he could not tell the exact length or breadth of the sword concealed within it, he had difficulty gauging how much movement was necessary to dodge or block her strikes. Defending against such a style required intense concentration and an uninterrupted focus on Saber's movements.

Uninterrupted focus, however, was difficult to manage against an attractive female opponent wearing thin fabric made nearly translucent by sweat. Each time Saber moved in an attack, Crow's gaze was torn between the blur of her sword and the press of her breasts against her shirt. And each time he tried to press an opening, he pictured the way his blades would slice through her flimsy clothing, and faltered at the thought of further exposing her body. As a result, Crow found himself in one of the most one-sided fights of his life. Again and again, Saber broke through his defenses, while he failed to land a single solid blow. Even with her moderating her attacks so as not to accidentally inflict a seriously injury, it didn't took long for Crow to become severely battered and bloodied. Saber eventually took notice of his condition and stopped the fight.

"This is a surprisingly poor performance." Saber said. "I expected more of you, given the ability you demonstrated in the fight against Berserker. Is there some problem that is hindering your ability? Were you injured more severely than you appeared?"

"I'm not injured." Crow said. "I'm just having difficulty concentrating, that's all."

"I see." Saber said. "What is troubling you?"

"It's your outfit." Crow said. "Fighting in a flimsy thing like that... well, it's too risque! I can't face a woman in combat if she's not decent!"

To Crow's surprise, Saber seemed to seethe with anger at his response.

"So you find my appearance more problematic than my technique?" Saber said acidly. "Perhaps you would have an easier time fighting me if I were in full armor."

"Yeah, that would probably help." Crow said. "I don't mind fighting women, it's just indecency that makes me..."

His words died on his lips as he saw the wrathful look in Saber's eyes. With a burst of magical energy, her full knightly suit of armor materialized over the clothes she had been wearing.

"And, since my femininity will no longer be holding you back, it is only fair that I no longer hold back either!" Saber said.

Without waiting for his reaction, she unleashed a savage flurry of blows. Apparently, something he'd said had hit a sore spot for her. Despite his mind now being completely focused on the battle without the slightest distraction, Crow found himself being beaten even more severely than before. Though he was able to keep up with her movements, the strength of her Noble Phantasm outmatched his. Each time Crow Claw slammed against Invisible Air, his crystal blades would shatter. Though he could quickly repair them with fresh blood, he couldn't keep Saber's blows from getting through. And while she was not going so far as to genuinely trying to kill him, the result was a beatdown even more severe than the first.

Finally, battered almost beyond sensibility, Crow returned his blades to blood and pulled them back inside his arms, then raised his hand in acknowledgement of Saber's victory. However, despite the painful thoroughness with which she'd already vented her emotions on him, she still did not appear mollified.

"I am disappointed in you." Saber said. "I had assumed that the Saber class was exclusive to noble knights, stalwart heroes who hold justice dear to their hearts. That some... misogynist thug such as you could be summoned as Saber shames the chivalry of all the other heroes of your class."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Crow shouted. "Insult me if you wish, but do not insult my honor or devotion to justice. Sticking to my principles has cost me more than you could possibly know."

Though Saber's gaze remained hostile, a hint of curiosity showed in her expression.

"Then you claim you did indeed uphold the principle of justice during your mortal life, as befitting a heroic spirit of the Saber class?" she asked.

"Hell yes!" Crow said. "I was a cop!"

Saber seemed to struggle with the word for a moment; judging from the medieval appearance of her armor, she was probably from an era that predated modern justice systems. While the Grail gave Servants knowledge of the present time into which they'd been summoned, Crow wasn't sure how extensive it was; it might not have covered slang terms.

"A police officer." he clarified. "An enforcer of the law."

"So perhaps you were not unlike a knight... in profession, at least." Saber said. "But many have held the office of knight who were not worthy of it — Gilles de Rais comes foremost to my mind."

From the way she practically spat the name, Crow guessed that man was someone she'd personally encountered.

"Did you stay true to the principles of your office, or did you allow yourself to be corrupted by bribery, or extortion, or... personal perversion?" Saber asked.

"My principles never wavered." Crow said. "Damn near everyone else's did, after the earthquake. Crime ruled the streets, and a lot of officers dirtied themselves with complicity. But I did not falter. I did not compromise my beliefs. And because I was unwilling to sell out to, collaborate with, or ignore the criminals, they decided to send me a message in the form of killing my friends and fellow good officers: Domon, Shindo, Momoi, and Kan."

He indicated the tattoo above his eyepatch. DSMK — his memorial to the officers who had lost their lives because of him.

"I ended up going to prison." Crow said. "Isn't that a laugh? The last honest cop in the city, and they put me in jail. That's when I realized I couldn't always work within the bounds of the law to do what needed to be done. But while I have on many occasions since then acted unlawfully, I have never acted unjustly. And as for any issues I might happen to have with women, those are personal and have nothing to do with my honor as a warrior who fought for justice."

Saber considered what he'd told her for a time, then slightly bowed her head in a gesture of apology.

"...I see." Saber said. "Perhaps I was slightly rash in my judgement. If you indeed fight to uphold the cause of righteousness, I suppose I can tolerate your assistance as an ally. But let me make this clear: I expect you to withhold any further criticism of me based on my gender."

"Kind of a sore spot for you?" Crow asked.

"I confess that it vexes me." Saber said. "In my own time, I was forced to disguise myself as a man, because no one would respect or honor the strength or combat prowess of a woman. When I was summoned into this era, the Grail imparted me with information indicating that times had changed: that there were now female soldiers, and even female leaders! And yet from my Master, what do I hear but the same centuries-old diatribe that women are but fair flowers, fit only for the purpose of being admired by the men who fight to shield them from battle. And then for even you, another Servant of the Saber class, to criticize the manner of my fighting because of my womanhood... I admit I lost my temper, and apologize for that failure of mine."

"The kid is, well..." Crow scratched his head. "He has some pretty fine qualities, but he's a bit too old fashioned in his thinking about gender equality. Look, if you promise me you'll dress decently from now on, I'll see about talking to the kid on your behalf. Maybe convince him that you're not only fully capable of protecting yourself, you're far better at it than he could ever be. I can't make any promises, 'cause that kid has the look of a slow learner, but I'll do what I can."

"I would appreciate such action, Crow." Saber said. "But with regards to dressing decently, I can't say I understand whatever standards of decency you subscribe to. I always wear my full armor for combat, but such attire would be difficult to explain to the other humans living with my Master. I must therefore wear casual clothing from this era when at the house. Also, my inability to turn into spirit form means I will need to bathe. Perhaps, rather than criticize my decency at such times, you could simply turn away or walk somewhere else. I know what levels of modesty and immodesty I am comfortable with, and I have no need for someone else to get embarrassed on my behalf."

"Fair enough." Crow said. "I'll keep that in mind. It's easy to see why a Heroic Spirit wouldn't want me criticizing her style decisions or reacting in horror when she decides to dress in a risque fashion — you just caught me by surprise this time, is all. Glad to hear that Team Saber is still solid. Oh, and speaking of which, that reminds me of one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you in the first place, before you decided it should be a battle. Since we're going to be fighting together, why don't you tell me your true name, Saber?"

"A fair request, considering you freely gave yours to me." Saber said. "However, please do not inform Shirou. As an amateur magus, his mental defenses are weak, and it would be easy for an enemy to extract the information from his mind."

"Don't worry." Crow said with a wave of his hand. "This is just between us."

"Very well." she said. "I am Arturia Pendragon, King of Knights."

"Well, this is rather embarrassing, but... never heard of you." Crow said.

"That is... surprising." Saber said. "Aside from the fact that I am a considerably famous figure, the Holy Grail is supposed to grant each participating Servant knowledge of the souls within the Throne of Heroes. Thus, even if you never heard of me while you were alive, the Grail should have given you the necessary information to identify me."

"Sorry, but I'm drawing a blank." Crow said. "The Grail stuffed details into my head about some guys named Uther Pendragon, Arthur Pendragon, and Medraut Pendragon, but they're all very much male."

"That is... at odds with what I myself experienced." Arturia said. "Further, I must confess that I have no knowledge of any Kiyomasa Senji — or indeed of the other swordsman hero you compared yourself to when introducing yourself, Tenge Sazen. I suppose the gaps and inconsistencies in our knowledge could be a result of our flawed summoning..."

"Aw, give the kid a break." Crow said. "He didn't do all that bad, considering it was his first attempt and all. Plus, it's not like the weirdness is limited to just us: the fact that the Tohsaka girl has two Servants as well suggests that something bigger than one sloppy summoning is going on."

"I concur." Arturia said. "Our path to the Holy Grail will likely be a difficult one indeed. It is in our interest to put aside any personal conflict in order to work together and achieve victory."

"The kid's inexperienced, but my gut is telling me that he's got what it takes." Crow said. "If we both serve him together, to the best of ability, he has a real shot at going all the way to the finish."

"If so, then there is one more matter we should discuss now." Arturia said. "Just as the Grail can grant the wish of only one Master, so too will it grant to the wish of only one Servant. Normally, this would not be an issue because each Master usually contracts with only a single Servant; however, if both of us continue to serve Master Emiya to the end..."

"Oh, that's not a problem at all." Crow said. "You can use the wish for yourself. I mean, I'm pretty satisfied with the way my life turned out in the end, so there's no real need for me to have it."

"Why, then, did you answer the call of the Grail and allow it to summon you?" Arturia asked.

"I'm a 'because it's there' kind of guy." Crow explained. "If I see a mountain, I want to climb it. If I hear about a fight to the death, I want to win it. Just achieving victory in this War is enough for me, even if you're the one who actually gets the prize."

"Then consider our dispute to be settled." Arturia said. "Would you like to try another sparring match? Now that my misunderstanding about your character has been resolved, I will take greater care to restrain myself and prevent my emotions from overcoming me as unfortunately occurred the last time."

"Uh... tempting as that sounds, I'm going to have to turn you down." Crow said. "I think I just felt Tohsaka cross the bounded field around the property, so I should go welcome her back."

Crow reverted to his spiritual form and departed the dojo with only slightly unseemly haste.