Fate-profaned offering

by VitaVitaAR

The Holy Grail War. A free-for-all battle to the death between seven pairs of Masters and Servants. Matsushita Ai, at the behest of the organization that has cared for her for ten years, has been sent back to her birthplace to participate in such a clash. Together with her Saber-class Servant, Okita Souji, she will descend into a violent conflict in which there can be one victor.

13. Chapter 13

When they had arrived at the Matsushita mansion, Alysvial was still being quiet. Ai had done her best to quickly explain to her maids what was occurring, and why she had suddenly brought a little girl home. Thankfully, they were quick to understand, as usual, and swiftly went about preparing a guest room for Alysvial. Marianne had tried to offer the white-haired child food, but she had refused. It wasn't exactly surprising, given what she had just gone through. But if she wasn't going to eat, was it for the best to try and get her ready for bed? For that matter, Ai had to get into contact with Alysvial's maids as well… especially after what had happened, they had to be worried…

But that could wait until tomorrow. For now, they just had to make sure that Alysvial got some rest. After the emotional exhaustion she'd gone through, it would do no good for her to be physically exhausted as well from failing to get any sleep. Normally, Ai would be somewhat dismayed that her pajamas fit the little girl pretty much perfectly, but right now it was more important to make sure she got to sleep rather than worrying about anything like that.

Eventually, even Alysvial's emotional state couldn't keep her awake much longer, and she nodded off. By that point, it was already quite late. Even if they hadn't had to keep an eye on the little girl, Ai would have been in no position to go out and search for more clues. Staying up to make sure Alysvial got to sleep had ended up leaving Ai quite exhausted as well. For that matter, there was still the preparations for Rider to be considered… Once Saber had gone to keep watch, the short brunette went to go to bed as well.

So much had happened, so quickly… both Assassin and Berserker were dead. That meant that there were only four remaining Servants in the Holy Grail War. Or… was it five? Had the eighth been summoned at all? They still didn't know… But going off of what Ai knew for certain, that left Archer, Rider, and Lancer. Lancer… was an ally, for now. Ai knew that this would change, it was simply how the Holy Grail War worked. But it didn't have to change until the very end, when Saber and Lancer could have a duel on their terms. That was what they wanted, it was what Ai hoped for, and she knew that Tsubaki wanted it as well.

It was difficult to feel any kind of satisfaction at the death of Assassin and Berserker, though… Assassin had killed herself in order to allow Archer to kill Berserker, and Berserker's death had completely broken Alysvial down and left her a sobbing wreck. There was no way of knowing how the other Masters would take it, but she had a feeling that it would be hard for anyone to celebrate after seeing something like that. For that matter, Shimada had been sobbing, too… When Ai had first seen her, it was difficult to imagine the refined, kimono-clad woman even showing her tears, but now…

Ai ended up lying there, awake, for quite some time, thinking about what had occurred that day.

Eventually, Ai did fall asleep, but it was quite a bit later then she had intended.

As a result, she woke up rather late, blearily going about her morning routine as she did. But today… today was when they planned to meet Rider and lay out the terms of their battle. She had to be ready as soon as she could be, but she also had to make sure that Alysvial was doing well. The little girl had woken up, and while she hadn't said much, at least she'd eaten breakfast.

"… Alys-chan, we need to get into contact with your servants," Ai said, after breakfast, sitting near the red-eyed child, "Can you allow one of my maids to enter your mansion and speak with them?"

After a few moments, Alysvial nodded slowly. She seemed a little brighter after having something to eat, but it was far too much to expect her to be fully recovered from Berserker's death so quickly. It was enough that Alysvial seemed to understand the importance of letting Ai's maids enter mansion, at least. After some consideration, Ai decided to send Charlotte, rather than Marianne, and the maid quietly departed. She would likely be able to explain the situation well enough and put the Einzbern maids at ease.

But now… now Ai had to talk to Saber. The silvery-haired Servant was standing nearby, keeping an eye on Alysvial to make sure she was doing well for the moment. Saber was even good with children… but as she recalled, the girl samurai was known for being just the same in life, wasn't she? When Marianne came back to ask if Alysvial wanted a snack, both Ai and her Servant left the room. It probably wasn't a good idea to talk about the Holy Grail War around the Einzbern girl, after all. They didn't need to go reminding her about what happened yesterday.

"So… so today is when we're going to make the proposal to Rider, then?" asked Ai, after taking a deep breath. Rather then dwelling on yesterday, she had decided it was best to try and focus on the upcoming meeting, and fight. After all, Saber had said it was better to try and focus on the path

Saber nodded.

"I think I'm going to ask to fight in that clearing in the forest, where we fought the Quilled Boar," Saber asked, "There's plenty of room there, so I'll be able to keep maneuvering around her!"

It made perfect sense. The plan they'd had in place was best suited to an area where Saber could evade for a long period of time and keep Rider from noticing she was doing anything strange. A large clearing would allow her to keep moving even considering Rider's ability to stay in pursuit. On top of that, it would be easier for Saber to disrupt the battlefield in a clear area.

"That sounds like it would be for the best," replied Ai, with a nod, at least feeling confident that the selection Saber had made for the battlefield was the right one, "I can't think of anywhere else that would be both out of the way and have enough room to stay away from her chariot."

Indeed, not only was it a location that allowed for a great deal of maneuverability, but it would also make for a relatively secretive battlefield that would not have a risk of collateral damage when Lancer utilized her Noble Phantasm. Doing something like that in the middle of town, even in the dead of night, would be far too noticeable and dangerous to the residents of Minami. No matter how scared Ai was of the prospect of fighting Rider again, she could see, in theory, how something like this could work. It was not the plan itself she felt could fail, nor was it her Servant's capabilities. Rather, it was the possibility that anything could go wrong at any time that frightened the short brunette.

But… she had to support her Servant however she could, so she couldn't allow herself to become too distracted! She had to focus, for Saber's sake! And yet… there was just one thing she had to talk about, when it came to what had happened yesterday…

"… But… um…" Ai trailed off for a moment, hesitantly, "… Saber, do you think… do you think that Shimada-san and Alys-chan are going to be okay?"

For a few moments, the platinum blonde girl was silent.

"… It's hard to say," she responded, finally, "I don't know Shimada-san, I don't know how she'll try to cope with it… It's not as if I don't know how it is to lose a comrade, even if this is a war where you have to be prepared for it. But I don't think she was ready for it…"

She trailed off for a moment, with a sigh.

"I think we might be helping Alys-chan, though!" declared the Servant, brightly. She was always being as positive as she possibly could, really. It was, honestly, something that Ai admired about her Servant. The ability to keep an upbeat attitude like that… "She seemed a little bit brighter after she ate. It's going to take time, but I think she'll be okay!"

Ai hoped that would be the case.

"Sometimes I wonder if you have some kind of positivity skill, Saber," Ai commented, with a somewhat weak laugh, "No matter what happens, you always seem to bounce back! It's like a superpower, eh-heheh…"

"Really, Master?" asked Saber, looking somewhat surprised, "I… don't think I was summoned with a skill like that… it's just that… the best path to victory is always to look forward. Even if I'm just a manslayer, I know that letting myself fall into despair doesn't help anyone. So I have to keep my head up and keep fighting, no matter who my enemies are or where the battlefield is. If I didn't, I'd be letting you down."

To think that she could so easily remain positive just keeping that in mind… Maybe it really was one of the reasons that she qualified to be a heroic spirit.

"It's really amazing, Saber…"

But that was enough time spent dwelling on Saber's capability to keep herself optimistic. Ai nodded to herself, firmly, reminding herself of what needed to be done today. After all, they had to make sure they arranged the battle before Rider decided to come after them again. There wouldn't be much point to the arrangement if the enemy in question just attacked them out of the blue. And given the reduced number of opponents…

Even if Rider hadn't had any sort of special interest in Saber, the reduced number of opponents made them a far more likely target. As a result, they had to act quickly. No matter how concerned Ai was about the outcome, the small brunette was keeping herself focused on what needed to be done.

"But, um…" Ai began, attempting to get herself back on track, "Is there anything else we need to do before we go after Rider?"
Saber looked thoughtful, for a moment.

"Well, I still don't know how to get into contact with her, before anything else," she responded, "We need to make sure that she's actually going to meet up with us. If we don't do that, we can't even get started on executing our plan."

For a moment, Ai wasn't completely sure how to resolve this. They had no way of knowing where Queen Medb was currently located. She could be anywhere, after all. And that didn't even account for the fact that she could be using spirit form. However… knowing how Rider behaved, Ai doubted she would be using spirit form very much, at least. She hardly seemed like the type that would ever choose to hide away. It simply didn't fall in line with her legend, or the behavior she had exhibited so far. So that more than likely meant she would be walking around openly, neither using spirit form nor hiding away in some hidden location.

If that were the case…

"Saber, couldn't I use my familiars to find her?" asked Ai, "Um, I don't think someone like Rider would ever be hiding away, so that means it shouldn't take too long. Rider is hard to miss."

In fact, at this point, Ai believed Rider would most likely be offended if someone somehow failed to notice her. She'd opened the war by introducing herself by name, after all.

"That's right!" exclaimed Saber, "Master, your familiars are so useful! And cute!"

"Eh-heheh…"

Ai scratched the back of her head. She couldn't exactly deny the fact that part of her motivation behind the way she had decided on basing her familiars on cats was because they would be unintimidating and cute, as well as rather easily-hidden. No-one really paid any attention to a stray cat or two.

Even a single one of her familiars was capable of covering the city much more quickly then Ai herself was. Rather then utilize all of them at once, as a sudden huge mob of cats zeroing in on Rider's location would be far too noticeable for anyone, let alone a Servant. But one or two tailing her for a little while and then disappearing… well, even a Servant wouldn't think anything of that, would they? That's what Ai hoped, at least. Now all that was left was for her to summon her familiars to her side and send them on their way.

"So um, Saber, can you open the door?" Ai asked, "My familiars might be able to do a lot of things, but they can't just pass through walls."

Saber nodded, and quickly made her way to the door. Almost immediately, several cats rushed inside, immediately stopping and sitting at Ai's feet. Glancing towards her Servant, Ai could see the way the girl samurai's eyes shown at the sight of her cats again… Saber could go from being completely serious to being like this so quickly, it was almost difficult to comprehend for the short brunette. But it was just another thing she liked about Saber…

Taking a deep breath, focusing on the task ahead, Ai knelt in front of her familiars. She did her best to give a detailed description of Queen Medb's appearance. That was another thing about Rider that made this plan somewhat easier: Her features were very distinctive. Her gold eyes(though Ai's were a somewhat similar shade), pink hair, beautiful looks… Certainly, Ai didn't have trouble understanding why Medb was such a successful seductress in her legend given her looks. That being said, she was also completely terrifying as an enemy. But all the familiars needed to know was how Rider looked.

Once they'd been given that information, the cats swiftly set out from the mansion once more, with Saber watching them as they left. The rest of Ai's familiars would still be searching for any clues about the Atlas base and Yumimura Saori, but this set of three would be focused wholly on locating Rider as quickly as possible. If there was one thing that Ai felt some confidence in, it was her familiars' ability to locate things. They'd proven themselves when it came to Caster's sigils, and obviously a person was easier to find then something like that.

Now all they could do, however, was wait.

That prospect hardly helped Ai's nerves. She was already feeling incredibly apprehensive, but the idea of simply sitting there and waiting for news on Rider's location was making it even worse. Not to mention the fact that her mind was drifting back to the events of the previous day once more, in spite of Saber's advice to try and look ahead towards the next fight rather than dwell on the past. It was so difficult not to. The look on Shimada's face, Alys's tears… How could she keep those out of her mind? She knew she had to. Not because it was good idea to simply forget. Ai had no intention of forgetting them. But because, just as Saber said, focusing on the fight and thinking in about how to win was the best way to claim victory.

It was much more difficult to do that then it sounded.

"… Saber, how do you do it?" she asked, finally.

"Eh? What do you mean?" asked the platinum blonde swordswoman, tilting her head to one side.

"I can't keep the images of what happened yesterday out of my head…" replied Ai, her head drooping. Even now, the visage of Shimada's rage and sorrow was playing in her mind. Then Alys's tears again… "I just… I… I don't want to see something l-like that happen again, I…"

"… Neither do I, Master," replied Saber, "But in a battle, it doesn't matter who's fighting. I don't think about things like that. This is the Holy Grail War, a fight where only one Servant and one Master can stand at the end. Assassin… her death was one she conducted with honor, knowing she would save her Master. Berserker died fighting too. It doesn't make these things happy occurrences. The best way for a Servant's second life to end is to know that they fought their hardest and did everything they could for their Master."

The pale girl took a deep breath.

"We all know this is a second, borrowed life, a chance at achieving something we couldn't when we were alive," she continued, "It's not like you can be happy about being defeated, but even to have that chance is something that seems impossible. So we have to take every single opportunity we have to use it. To fight as hard as we can. To strive for victory. It's borrowed time, with a transient body, so we need to use it as best as we can."

Ai nodded, slowly. All of that made sense… and struck to her heart. Borrowed time, a transient body… What would happen, even if they won? A Servant was summoned to fight for the Holy Grail, nothing more or less… did that mean…

"… B-but… why… why does that make it easy for you to stay so positive?" the small brunette asked, stammering slightly.

"Well… this is a second chance, and there's a goal I want to obtain, too. There's a wonderful Master I'm proud to serve," Saber responded, with a smile, "I'd like it if any Servants who conducted themselves honorably come to an honorable end, and… it's not like I can feel happy about what happened to Assassin and Berserker. But if I don't look ahead, how can I serve you well and obtain my wish, Master?"

So that was what it came down to? Just remembering that it was the only way to win, to keep pushing forward? Saber really was an incredible person… no wonder she had obtained such a reputation in life, if she was able to focus so perfectly no matter how deadly a conflict it was that she was involved in.

"I still don't know if I feel like I'm worthy of being called a wonderful Master, or anything like that," replied Ai, scratching the back of her head as she averted her eyes. She had a hard time, admittedly, understanding what was so wonderful about her as a Master, but it seemed like Saber thought it was the case, and she'd explained before what she meant… so if Saber believed it was the case, even if Ai didn't, she had to do her best to live up to that belief, didn't she? It only made sense… "But… if that's what you think, even after all this time… that's what I have to try and be."

"You're too hard on yourself, Master," replied Saber, "You don't have to try to be a wonderful Master, you just have to keep being what you've been the whole time…"

Ah…

When Saber said things like that, it just… It was just… She felt so…

"… S-Saber, I…"

It was at that moment that the door to the dining hall suddenly opened. Feeling like a hot knife suddenly sliced through her train of thought, Ai nearly jumped and turned on her heel towards the now-open doorway. There, eyes still somewhat downcast, was Alysvial.

Saber reacted before Ai could, approaching the little girl and kneeling down in front of her.

"Hey, Alys-chan, how are you feeling?" she asked. It might have seemed obviously, but it was probably for the best to ask her, anyway… Ai really hoped that the little girl's mood had improved at least a little. She didn't expect her to just bounce back immediately after what she had experienced, but at least she could hope Alys had recovered a little.

The little girl didn't say anything for a few moments, fidgeting a little and looking down towards her feet.

"… Thank you…" Alysvial mumbled, still looking down towards the floor, "I don't… I don't know what to do, Berserker was… you…"
She trailed off again. As Ai approached, Saber gave Alysvial a warm smile and petted the top of her head, doing her best to be reassuring.

"There's no need to thank us, Alys-chan," the girl samurai replied, stroking the little girl's silky white hair with her hand as she spoke, "There's no way we could have left you alone."

Alysvial wiped one of her eyes with her sleeve, sniffling slightly as she did. It was obvious to Ai that the memory of Berserker's death was still fresh in her mind. Given the fact that the small brunette had a hard time keeping it out of her head, it was no surprise that the little girl couldn't stop thinking about it. Frankly, Ai was still struggling to think of ways to help the Einzbern girl recover. It wasn't something that a good meal and a warm bed could help her with, she would have to recover naturally. Certainly good treatment would help, but it wasn't enough on its own.

After all, Ai knew herself how hard it could be to deal with the loss of someone close to her. Berserker must have felt like a guardian… Given she was a homunculus, it was most likely she never had anyone who she could call a proper parent. Even the wordless, hulking figure of Berserker was someone she was able to look up to as a sort of father figure. After all, the old man she had mentioned previously hardly seemed to be the fatherly sort, when he was responsible for her involvement in the war in the first place.

So it was as if she had lost a parent. Ai wanted to say she knew how something like that could feel, but… she didn't know how well Alysvial would take it. The day she learned her parents had died had been… strange, it felt like she was looking at someone else's life from an outside perspective. Like she hadn't really been there. It had been a while since she last saw them, and looking back on it now it had become obvious that it was because of the Holy Grail War. They had died unable to say goodbye to her, in a fight she hadn't known anything about. Ai remembered a strange numbness overcoming her when she learned of the news.

Afterwards, she had just gone to sit in her room, silently. It had been a long time before the fact that her parents died really sank in for her, before she was truly able to understand that she was alone now, that she would never see her parents' faces again. When it finally reached her, when Ai finally understood, she couldn't contain herself and broke down sobbing. She had cried for hours, alone in her room, with no-one to comfort her. And indeed, for quite some time, she had remained isolated and alone.

It was only quite recently that the small brunette's situation had changed at all.

And so, Ai couldn't allow this to happen to anyone else. The memory of being alone with her sadness was too painful, she couldn't allow Alysvial to suffer like that. She approached the little girl with a smile on her face. She had to comfort her, and do whatever she could.

"Alys-chan, we're going to have to go later," she began, "But until then, Saber and I are going to spend the whole day with you. You won't have to be alone, okay? Charlotte-san is going to talk to your maids, and I'm sure some of them will be willing to come here and stay with you, too. But right now, the both of us are going to make sure that everything is alright."

For once, there wasn't a hint of hesitation in the short magus's voice. She was sure this was something that she had to do, no matter what. Alysvial deserved to have someone to comfort her, after she had been thrown into the fire like this. Ai wouldn't let another little girl suffer loss alone.

It was the only right thing that could be done.

"A-ah…?" Alysvial stammered, trembling as she did, "But… but I was supposed to… to end the war… with Berserker…"

She trailed off again, after mentioning her Servant.

"He probably didn't say much, but do you think Berserker would have wanted you to be alone?" asked Saber, petting the little girl's hair again, "If he cared about your wellbeing, there's no way that's the case. My Master is right, we won't leave you alone with nothing but sadness for company."

The way that Saber spoke about it, it was if she knew exactly what Ai had been talking about, even though she was such an upbeat person. Ah… but that was right, wasn't it? If the small brunette remembered the story of Okita Souji correctly…

Without even considering the way in which her life had ended, there was plenty of reason for her to understand dealing with such loss alone.

But right now, in the time they had before her familiar returned, Ai wanted to stay by Alysvial's side and try and help her recover a little. That was one of the most important things they could do today, aside from arranging the fight with Rider.

"… I… u-um… I… I d-didn't think…" Alysvial trembled for a few moments, then fell silent again. "… Thank you…"

If nothing else, it was a start.

From that point on, the day could have been called relatively uneventful. Alysvial was still hardly in an emotional state where she was ready to do much of anything, so it was mostly a matter of making sure she was doing well enough, and getting her to tell Marianne what she wanted to lunch. Eventually, Charlotte returned, explaining that Alysvial's maids acknowledged what had occurred and several of them had begun to prepare for making the move to the Matsushita estate for the time being. Ai was hopeful that having some of her servants around, whom she certainly seemed to care about, would help Alysvial recover somewhat more quickly.

If nothing else, the small brunette was glad everything had gone well. It was undeniable that Alysvial von Einzbern and herself had met as enemies in the Holy Grail War, but now the homunculus was simply a scared, sad little girl, and there was no way Ai could see her as anything else. Spending more time around her simply reaffirmed this to be the case. It had already become something she felt no doubt about when she went to Alysvial's mansion and had tea with her. Thankfully, the news that some of her maids would be coming here seemed to make Alysvial a little happier, too.

She didn't say anything much about it, but at the same time she simply seemed to brighten up and become somewhat more active and talkative. It was hardly enough to greatly improve the white-haired little girl's mood, but it was more progress.

Just as before, Saber was proving how good she was with children, as well. She was so very gentle and kind towards Alysvial, that it made the fact that the girl samurai claimed she was nothing but a manslayer even more outrageous. How could someone like that ever call herself a manslayer and nothing else? How could someone so beautiful and kind say that about themselves? It just seemed so wrong to Ai.

Indeed, Saber was far, far too lovely and good-natured to think of herself in such a way.

Alysvial, too, seemed to be taking to Saber's treatment of her. Even if she was, of course, still in a state of mourning, the Einzbern girl seemed to like being around the swordswoman. Anything that looked like it was helping with Alysvial's recovery was good news.

No matter how important it was to ensure that the little girl wasn't alone, however, as the day went on Ai found herself glancing out the window again and again. The apprehension was growing, no matter how she tried to focus on consoling Alysvial. She was wondering when she'd get news on Rider's location, wondering if the talk about setting up a battle between Saber and Rider would go well… But she had to try and focus on one thing at a time, and she had to try and focus on success.

It was quite late in the day, now, the sun sinking over the horizon and casting longer and longer shadows by the moment.

"Is there anything you'd like for dinner, Alys-chan?" Ai asked. The little girl was sitting on one of the large, fluffy couches that adorned the main sitting room of the Matsushita mansion, beside Saber and across from Ai herself.

"… Anything is fine…" mumbled Alysvial. It was a bit too much to expect from her to be too engaged so soon, "As long as it tastes good…"

"Marianne-san has never cooked anything that doesn't taste good," responded Saber, with a smile towards the little girl, "So that's not a problem! I'm sure that she can cook anything, too, so if you do have anything in mind you can tell me, and I'll let her know."

"… U-um…" Alysvial hesitated for a moment, "Then… maybe…"

Before she could hear what Alysvial had to say, Ai could suddenly feel it. Through the connection via her mana to her familiars, she could feel the presence of one of the cats she had sent to find Rider! Shooting to her feet, to the surprise of both her Servant and Alys, Ai swiftly turned on her heel and made her way to the door. Without another moment of hesitation, she pulled it open, and Saber shot to her feet, too.

"… I'm sorry, Alys-chan," Saber said, behind her, "Let Marianne-san know what you'd like for dinner, and your maids should be here soon too."

"Ah…"

But it wasn't as if Alys was completely unaware of the Holy Grail War. She had been a participant, after all. It was easy for her to understand just what matter had suddenly interrupted them.

The moment that Ai had opened the door, one of her familiars swiftly came bounding in.

There wasn't any further delay. While Ai had not designed her familiars with the capability of speech, that wasn't required for them to be able to convey the necessary information. Just as a Servant could speak with their Master even though they were currently in spirit from via a mental connection formed by their contract, Ai's familiars were capable of conveying words and images to her via a similar link. There was no need for words, all they had to do was make even a brief moment of eye contact. In moments they would know exactly where Rider was hanging around! The short brunette was both excited, and afraid. They had to take on Medb, after all, but at the same time what if something went wrong when it came to arranging the battle?

But… she had to…

The moment she looked into the cat familiar's eyes, the information was given to her. The clear image of the pink-haired Rider, present near… the shopping district? That was it! She was near the shopping district! Near that café they'd gone to with Tsubaki! It had already closed, but that was no reason why Rider wouldn't be in the area.

"Master?" asked Saber, as she approached Ai and her familiar. The small magus rose to her feet once more.

"Saber, she's at the shopping district, by that café!" declared Ai, "Are… are we going now?"

Saber nodded, swiftly.

Now was the time to arrange the fight. If they missed this chance, it was quite possible that Rider would attack them again and it would be much more difficult to take her on. Ai understood that Tsubaki's plan was the best possible way to take Rider down, but that didn't make her any less nervous. Still…

"Alys-chan… we'll be back later," she called to the Einzbern girl. She saw Alysvial slowly nod.

With that, Ai and her Servant swiftly made their way out the doorway. They couldn't delay any longer.

With this, they could arrange the final conflict with Rider and have Lancer destroy her chariot, allowing them to take her on when she couldn't use the advantage of one of her Noble Phantasms! The walk to the shopping district wasn't too long, which meant that if Rider was simply spending her time leisurely, as appeared to be the case, she likely would still be in the area.

It wasn't as if she was hard to spot. Queen Medb would stand out completely of her own volition.

By now, Ai didn't even need to take the lead, Saber knew her way to the shopping district all on her own, just as well. By the time they arrived, Ai was worrying that Rider had already left again, even though the both of them made their way there as fast as they possibly could. By this point of the day, the streets were growing more and more empty as the sun sank lower and lower, a sliver of light over the horizon. But they had to catch up to Rider as quickly as they possibly could.

As it turned out, all the rushing wasn't necessary. When they finally spotted Queen Medb, she was seated with her legs crossed on the edge of a fountain. It was almost surreal how casual and relaxed she looked, right in the middle of the Holy Grail War. She was even dressed in casual wear, a short-sleeved white dress shirt and a short black skirt, some kind of orange-red drink in one hand. Ai couldn't help but notice she didn't see anyone else in the immediate area, as well, and was suddenly struck with worry. Had Rider noticed her familiar…?

"… Oh, I knew I sensed another presence," Rider commented, casually, leaning back to support herself on one hand. Her long pink hair was tied back in a lengthy ponytail. "Hello there, Saber~"

Medb smiled, sticking her tongue out playfully.

"… We're here to talk, Rider," Saber said, taking a step forward.

"Oh~? I guessed as much," responded Rider, with a giggle, "There's plenty I'd much rather do with you then talk, but sadly I haven't made you mine yet."

It was basically what the both of them had come to expect of the enemy Servant. Her shamelessly flirtatious attitude was on display now just as much as it was during any other encounter.

"… This…" Ai hesitated for a moment, "This is the Holy Grail War, Rider. Sooner or later, we'll have to fight, so… so…"

Rider cocked her head to one side, still smiling playfully, as Ai trailed off. She wasn't sure what to say, and just looking at Rider made her even more nervous than she had already been. Something about her mannerisms, seeing her in this situation rather than in battle, it just… it wasn't just because she was beautiful. Rider seemed to have this aura of sorts surrounding her… It was as if there was something ethereal about her… was it a Servant skill?

Saber didn't seem effected by it, at least…

"So…? My my, you seemed so bold when you confronted the other Masters after Caster was defeated, too, Matsushita Ai," commented Rider, smiling brightly, "But don't worry, it's not as if I'm surprised to see someone get tongue-tied in my presence, fufu…"
Embarrassed, Ai found herself averting her eyes. It hadn't been like this when there was a fight, but now…

"Rider," Saber said again, stepping forward once more, "There are only a few Servants left in the war, and we all know of one another. I don't think there's any reason to remain waiting for the next ambush."

"Oh? So what is it that you're proposing, Saber?" asked Rider, smiling with amusement, her attention taken off of Ai for the moment.

"That we arrange a battle. We're both figures of legend from human history, so I think it's only fair to allow us to have a final battle on fair terms," responded Saber. For how silly she could sometimes be, such as misunderstanding some of the things Ai said and when she thought that that getting a chance to kill ghosts was cool, Saber could be quite serious and composed at times like this…

"Oh, so Saber wants some alone time with me? Fufufufu~" the pink-haired queen stuck her tongue out again, playfully, "But I haven't heard anything particularly enticing yet."

Ai glanced towards Saber. The platinum blonde swordswoman was hesitant for a moment, her cheeks flushing. After all… the proposal she was about to make was quite embarrassing. Naturally, Rider was hardly about to miss something like that, and her expression only became even more amused as she watched Saber blush. It certainly looked like the enemy Servant was enjoying this conversation, and it was impossible to ignore the way those gold eyes looked up and down Saber's figure.

The fact that Medb was quite blatantly checking Saber out certainly didn't seem to help the girl samurai at all.

"… Well… the conditions for this battle…" Saber trailed off, for a moment, before taking a deep breath. "To begin with, I think the clearing we fought the Quilled Boar in is probably the best battlefield… And I believe it would be best for the fight to take place tomorrow evening."

Rider smiled pleasantly and tapped her finger on the side of the fountain lightly. It was clear she wasn't considering this offer of arranging the fight to be anything worth considering as opposed to simply attacking whenever she pleased.

"Is that all? Did you particularly think I wanted a fair battlefield?" asked Rider, "It's not something I ever cared about, but it's cute that you think that would appeal to me~"

Saber paused for another few moments.

"… And… if you claim victory, I won't resist whatever you choose to do to me afterwards."

The offer hung in the air for a few moments. Ai looked nervously at Rider. Was that enough to make the pink-haired Servant consider the arrangement? It was their only real hope, and given how much interest Rider had expressed in Saber so far…

"… Oh? Is that so…?" Rider leaned forward, smiling, "So you'll willingly submit yourself to me when I inevitably claim victory? You'll bow down to your Queen, is that it~?"

It was clear that Saber was hesitant to respond to Queen Medb, initially. Discussing the plan to ensure Rider's compliance was one thing, actually speaking with her about it out loud was another. But it seemed like it was working. Rider suddenly seemed to be a lot more interested in the conversation, as opposed to simply being amused as she was before. It looked as if she was suddenly taking the proposal seriously.

"I wouldn't be so certain of your victory," Saber answered, her cheeks still somewhat red with embarrassment, "But… yes. If you win, I'm… I'm yours to do whatever you wish with."

"… Mmm, now that's a proposal that I can get behind," responded Medb, licking her lips as she did, "Such a skilled warrior, willingly offering herself to me after a crushing defeat… aah, just imagining it is so exciting~ You'll become a wonderful plaything, Saber, submitting yourself to me completely and utterly… your body will grow into quite a perverted thing under my guidance~"

Just because it was the expected response didn't mean it was any less embarrassing to hear it, and Ai's heartrate quickened. What if Medb really did win…?

"Oh, but that's not all," Rider continued, to both girls' surprise, "Since you'll do whatever I ask… I'll ask you to give your Master over to me as well!"

Queen Medb grinned, and Ai's eyes widened in shock.

"M-me!?" she stammered, unable to help herself.

"E-eh?! My Master?!" Saber was just a stunned as Ai herself was, "I-what… I… what does she have to do with this?!"

"It's simple," Rider replied, still smiling playfully with an idle flourish of her hand, "She showed a hidden strength when she confronted the other Masters. Even if I'm usually more drawn to warriors, that's certainly intriguing as well~"

Ai had no idea how to feel about this. Rider was expressing interest in her, too, but she wasn't a fighter or anything like that… this was already getting out of hand! But… but it was their only chance, in order to lure Queen Medb into a battlefield where they could finally defeat her. But if they lost, the both of them would become… hers. If this fight failed somehow, that meant…

Her cheeks flushed, Ai buried her face in her hands for a moment. She had never expected to find herself in a situation like this when she became a Master in the Holy Grail war. But she'd never expected anything to occur in the manner that it had, so why would this be any different? The small brunette had never expected to summon such a beautiful and kind girl as a Servant…

… And it… it was wrong. Wrong for her to try and avoid becoming involved in this. The lovely girl that was Saber was putting her freedom on the line in order to convince Rider to agree to the fight, so why shouldn't she do just the same? And no matter how worried Ai was, she felt Saber could win. If the plan went well, then maybe… maybe…

She took a deep breath. Saber was looking towards her, concerned, even as Ai raised her head from her hands.

"… F-fine," the magus began, simply, "If Saber is putting her freedom on the line, then it's only right that I should do the same thing. W-we'll both be your prize for victory, Rider."

"… Are you really sure, Master?" Saber asked, apprehensively. But Ai nodded. Not only was this their best chance, but she couldn't let Saber do this alone.

"Excellent!" declared Rider, brightly, clapping her hands together, "Then I accept your proposal for a battle!"

In spite of what had just occurred, Ai felt a strange sense of relief wash over her. They'd managed to secure the first step of the plan! That meant that tomorrow they could meet with Tsubaki and Lancer and figure out just how to execute the next step and destroy Rider's chariot!

Saber let out a sigh.

"So it's settled. We'll meet tomorrow at the clearing, and that will be our final battle in this Holy Grail War!" she declared, turning away from Rider. She seemed relieved as well. After all, Saber always seemed confident in her abilities, so Ai was certain she felt as if she could win. Ai turned to follow her.

"Now… when did I ever say anything about tomorrow?" came Rider's voice, suddenly. Immediately, Saber turned on her heel, and Ai swiftly looked back over her shoulder as well. Rider's casual outfit was gone, replaced by her silvery-crown, white fur cape, and armor. Her chariot had materialized beside her, as well, the bulls pawing at the concrete and bellowing.

"Rider?! But you agreed when-" Saber began, but Medb quickly cut her off.

"I agreed to fight you, yes," responded the Rider-class Servant, as she sprang onto her chariot. As she sat down, she sported a smug grin, "And I agreed to the prize. But I never agreed to any of the conditions you set, did I? After you gave me such an enticing offer, how could I be patient~?"

Rider intended to fight right now?! But they weren't ready! The entire point of this had been to organize a battle in which they could surprise her, but now Rider was ready to attack immediately!

"B-but… then the deal is off if-!" the glasses-clad magus tried to insist, but Rider didn't allow her to finish.

"Very well! My prize will still be the same. A Queen takes what she wants," she replied, her smile spreading into a grin as she raised her whip.

With a crack, the bulls were sent charging right for them!

In that instant, Ai found herself careening through the air as Saber shoved her aside. She caught the briefest glimpse of her Servant summoning her kimono and katana, her casual outfit vanishing as she did, but then she hit the ground and rolled twice, pain spiking through her shoulder due to the angle she had landed at. When she was able to rise, the chariot had torn its way across the plaza, but Saber seemed unharmed, her sword gleaming in the moonlight once again.

"Then I'll strike you down here, Rider!" Saber declared, sliding her feet into a ready stance as she raised her katana parallel to her head.

"I'd be disappointed if you didn't try your hardest before you failed, Saber~" said Rider.

Her whip cracked again. The chariot charged, tearing up the plaza as it did. They were already moving away as they fought…

This was the worst possible outcome.

Rather then having a battle they could prepare for, with a plan to use support from their allies, Saber was now plunged into a ferocious fight that was completely unpredictable. No matter how confident her Servant was, Ai had no idea how the chariot could be dealt with without some method of destroying it.

If she lost here… if they lost, then…

Then…

… Wait, if she could get some kind of message to Tsubaki, then maybe… She sent out a call to her familiars. She still had them searching Minami for any sign of the Atlas base or Yumimura Saori, so if there were any close by…!

Indeed, to her relief, one of her cats swiftly appeared from her alleyway.

"F-find Inoue-san!" ordered Ai, frantically, "G-give her this message: W-we need Lancer, Rider is attacking at the shopping district!"
With that, the cat swiftly sprinted off.

Trembling, Ai rose. She could see the battle growing more distant… was Saber trying to lure Rider towards the forest? Then…

Desperately, Ai clung on to one small hope.

That maybe their plan could still work.

~

The chariot tore through everything in an instant. The great hooves of the two bulls shredded the concrete, the chariot's wheels ground a path through the street as they went. And atop it, Medb grinned widely as she cracked her riding crop. The Queen of Connacht's pursuit was completely unshakeable, the speed of her bulls allowing her to cover distance in a flash.

If Saber had actually been trying to escape, her endeavor would have been doomed from the start. It was clear there was no losing the pursuit of Queen Medb, when she had her eyes fixed on what she desired.

But in the end, escape was the furthest thing from the girl samurai's mind.

The chariot tore down the street, and Medb had the bulls turn in a bid to slam right into her! Saber stepped back and her entire form seemed to blur as she darted out of the path of the thundering beasts. A direct hit would undeniably incapacitate her, there was no way she could withstand a blow from those beasts. Saber had to do everything she could to keep moving, to get Rider where she needed her to be. If there was to be any chance of destroying her chariot, this was it!

"That speed… your agility is what caught my attention in the first place, Saber!" declared Rider, her great beasts coming to a halt as she rose to her feet, standing in her chariot, "Your ability to evade the charge of my chariot can only be that of a Servant whose training allowed them to move like lightning."

She gestured to one of her bulls, the one with the missing horn.

"And when you severed one of Donn Cuailnge's horns… I can remember how my heart raced, and the heat in my loins~" she continued, smiling as she pointed the tip of her whip towards Saber, "Everything you have done since that moment has only made it clearer to me: You are just the kind of warrior I crave!"

Saber narrowed her silver-gold eyes, drawing her gleaming blade up.

"I don't know what you expect me to do," the platinum blonde swordswoman replied, eyes traveling over the bulls, watching for the moment their muscles tensed and they prepared to charge. She had to take in every little detail in order to keep up her evasion. She had to draw Rider to a location in which her chariot could be destroyed… she was counting on her Master to get in contact with Inoue Tsubaki before she did. "If you expected me to be distracted by that, you're mistaken!"

"Fufu, is that so? I'm glad," replied Rider, licking her lips, her golden eyes seeming to gleam intensely even in the darkness of the night, "An intense warrior who doesn't allow anything to shake her focus… that will make it all the more fun when I turn you into a willing, eager slut~!"

Those words… was that fixation really what the Queen of Connacht was all about? Saber knew, in legend, that Queen Medb's appetites were absurd. So was that really all she was motivated by? If not for being locked in battle, Saber wouldn't have been able to help being embarrassed by the Rider-class Servant's words. But in combat, nothing else mattered. She had to remain focused on her opponent, and how to defeat her!

"I won't let you win, Rider!" cried Saber, squaring her feet as she prepared to dart in! Even if she couldn't strike Medb…!

"Keep struggling until the very end," replied Rider, gleefully, "Until you're mine!"

There was a sound like the crack of thunder as Saber erupted forward, the foliage in planters nearby rustling from the backdraft of her movement. And yet, she could see the chariot turning, pulling Medb out of the direct path of her attack. It was just as she expected. Rider's foresight allowed her to respond to attacks before they even began. But even with that capability, she came so, so close…! As Saber leapt into the air, her blade flashed forward, and she felt it strike the wooden chariot, slicing into the wood! She could see Rider's golden eyes widen slightly at just how close Saber's katana came to her head!

There was a sharp, stinging sensation across Saber's back, and she let out a gasp of surprise as she careened past the chariot. The pale girl stumbled as she landed, and when she reached towards her lower back she could feel something had split the fabric of her kimono, her back now marked with sore, red spot. Had Rider struck her with her riding crop!?

Spinning on her heel, Saber swiftly took note of the fact that Rider had already recovered from her charge. The side of the chariot had shattered the windows of a small storefront, but otherwise both Servants had avoided doing much damage to the street. The Harazuki forest was still some distance away… Saber had to keep her opponent moving onwards.

"Aaah…" Medb was hugging herself with one arm, the other drifting down between her thighs, "You came so close… such a speed and skill, combined with such beautiful looks~ Mmmm, I so deeply want you as my plaything, Saber!"

Before going any further, Rider let out a giggle as she fiddled cheerfully with her whip. Saber said nothing. Once again, her eyes were fixed on the bulls, for any single sign of movement.

"Or… perhaps I should refer to you by your true name~?" said the pink-haired Servant, playfully. Saber froze, for a moment. But she had used one of her Noble Phantasms in front of Rider, in order to slay the Quilled Boar. Truly, it was no surprise that Medb knew her identity.

"The tragic samurai of the Shinsengumi that died unable to fight to the end with her comrades," continued Rider, cocking her head to one side, "It makes your capabilities all the more impressive when you possess such little mystery~"
Saber's grip tightened on the hilt of her katana. The memory of suffering in her room, slowly dying, while those she called her friends and allies fought their last stand… no matter how deeply it pierced her heart, however, she couldn't let it distract her from the battle with Rider.

"… Yes, that's who I am," she replied, "I died unable to stand alongside those that I called my friends. But that's why I have to defeat you here, Queen Medb!"

Rider's bright smile grew into a wide grin.

"Excellent!" she cried, raising her whip, "Here I come, Okita Souji!"

With a crack, and the bellows of her bulls, Rider's chariot came tearing across the street. Once again, Saber's frame blurred as the wind tore past her, and she darted to the side to avoid the charge. There was a crucial balance, here. If she played too defensively, Medb could realize that the direction of her fleeing was deliberate and calculated, and that she was being intentionally lured to a specific location too quickly. But if she gave too strong of an offense, it would be difficult to make any progress towards their destination as well as incredibly risky. Rider had now shown she was capable of responding to Saber's attacks, not simply avoiding them, which left the girl samurai open whenever she made a strike at the enemy Servant.

Rider's foresight made her even more dangerous then she already was!

"Keep evading all you like, I'll catch you eventually!" declared the pink-haired Servant, the brilliant rainbow beam flashing from the center of her crown, like the corona of a star! It blazed forth, illuminating the dark street with its light as it tore towards Saber! Even as she sprang away, it tore into the concrete and ripped its way towards her! Even as she sprinted away, glancing back over her shoulder, she could see the beam from Rider's crown shredding its way through the street, following her movements. How long could Medb sustain it?! For the moment it seemed almost infinite, even as she dodged from side to side. The beam seemed to zigzag behind her, following far too close for comfort! But even if it was fast…

Saber was faster!

Taking a deep breath, the swordswoman suddenly put on another burst of speed! Storefronts were blurring together around her, and she could feel it. She remembered this location, they were getting closer and closer to the Harazuki forest! It wouldn't be much longer!
Behind her, she could hear the sound of the rainbow beam suddenly cutting off, and of the chariot gaining. Even at her top speed, Medb's chariot was fast enough to keep up… of course, she couldn't expect anything less from a Rider-class Servant. Even with her own high rank in Agility, further bolstered by being summoned in her homeland, it was foolish to think she could completely outpace a Rider's mount. But that wasn't her goal.

In the blink of an eye, Saber sliced through a lamppost, spinning to kick it back directly towards Rider! She had to keep balancing offense and defense, it was vital to her plan!

Just as she expected, Rider swatted the lamppost away with her whip, sending it spinning right into a shopfront, shattering windows and crushing its way through the counter. The grin on Queen Medb's face made it clear just how much she was enjoying this.

And that was exactly what Saber needed. To keep Rider's mind on the pursuit, and their brief clashes! To keep her from thinking that there might be any sort of goal to Saber's escape until they got there. Once they arrived, the platinum blonde girl would need to continue her charade, to make her think the battlefield itself was the goal rather than anything else. As long as she could pull it off…!

"Are you trying to escape until you can think of a plan, Okita Souji~?" she heard Medb's voice from behind her, "It's a great idea, of course, but you'll fail! Don't let my words discourage you, though, keep struggling until you have no choice but to lie beneath me~"

Telling her she'd fail, then asking her not to give up? Saber wasn't going to pretend to understand. Queen Medb's words had always possessed that kind of tone, since they first met in this Holy Grail War. No, she had to keep moving, evading, attacking to keep Rider from growing suspicious… it was her best chance! If she missed this shot, Saber knew it was possible she'd never get another one. So she couldn't allow herself to become worried, to doubt herself. She couldn't allow herself to feel anything like that, not when it came to battle!

Steadily, the chariot was gaining on her. But as it did, the Harazuki forest was growing closer as well… she had to make it! She was so close! But, suddenly, she didn't hear Medb's chariot any longer…

Glancing back over her shoulder, Saber's silver-gold eyes widened when she saw it was gone. Swiftly realizing just where her opponent may have gone, her gaze moved skywards… and there was Medb's chariot! She'd taken to the air again! It wasn't as if Saber didn't recognize this possibility, but as long as she kept out of reach-

Before she could complete her train of thought, Medb's chariot came hurtling downwards! Rider was trying to land on top of her!?
Saber tried to use her ability to flash step, but it was too late. The bulls, and the rest of the chariot, came slamming down just behind her, the force of the impact cratering the street beneath them. Even though she hadn't been directly struck, air pressure slammed into the girl samurai's back like she'd been hit by a train. With a gasp, the swordswoman was sent hurtling into the air, the wind knocked out of her as she was sent tumbling forward!

When Saber hit the ground, she rolled once, and then twice, landing on her back momentarily. It took only a brief moment for her to realize where she had landed, however…

There was grass against her back. The impact of Medb's landing had knocked her towards the Harazuki forest! She was so close…

But there was no time to relax. Even though she was just outside of the treeline, Rider could still easily catch her before she reached the clearing! Springing to her feet, to only minor protest from her body, Saber caught sight of Rider's chariot charging ever closer as she turned and darted into the forest. The samurai paused for only a moment to slice cleanly through the trunk of a tree, sending it toppling down towards her opponent. She had to keep Rider thinking she was attempting to escape, after all, but Saber knew that the falling tree would hardly delay Medb's charge.

Seconds later, there was the enormous crash of splintering wood, and Saber could only assume that Medb's chariot had smashed its way through the makeshift barricade without pause. That kind of power was exactly why they had to destroy the chariot! The swordswoman leapt over a boulder, darting past trees and weaving through obstacles, while Rider's chariot simply crushed its way through anything in her path. The hole in the earth that Saber would carve would have to be of a good depth, and angle or else Rider would not simply be able to brute force her chariot out of it, rather then become stuck! But before any of that, she had to know that her Master managed to make contact with Tsubaki and Lancer!

At this point, Saber was mostly forced to improvise. If things had gone according to plan, she would have known from the start that the allied Master and Servant pair were lying in wait until she found the perfect moment to trap the chariot's wheels. As it stood now, she simply had to hope that Master managed to make contact with them and they reached a good location to attack from. It was a desperate situation, but never one that she could call unwinnable!

There!

The clearing was still filled with broken trees, and great craters where the boar's hooves and fallen. Saber had recalled the route she had taken to the clearing initially, even in spite of the battle against Caster's undead minions. Not only that, but it hadn't been difficult to spot the trail of destruction even after a few days. There had still been damaged trees and craters in the earth, so there was a path that the girl samurai had been capable of following even if she hadn't remembered how she got there in the first place.

Saber erupted from the treeline, sprinting across the clearing until she reached the opposite side. Just her movement alone caused the grass to be blown about in waves, as if a strong breeze had passed over it. But at this point, the air had become quite still. Whatever breeze there was had vanished, and the air had become almost stagnant.

Immediately after Saber reached the other side of the clearing, and immediately turned to face the side from which she had entered, Queen Medb's chariot exploded from the treeline! As she realized where she was, the thundering hooves slowed, and she came to a halt.

"Hmm… this is the same clearing you wanted to fight in, isn't it?" questioned the pink-haired Queen, casting her golden gaze over her surroundings. Narrowing her eyes, watching Rider carefully, Saber tightened her grip on her sword's hilt and slid her feet into a ready stance once more. Even now, she didn't think it would be possible for Medb to guess exactly why the girl samurai had drawn her here. After all, it made for an excellent battlefield…

"Let me guess, Souji~" continued Rider, playfully, speaking in an all-too-familiar fashion, "Your plan was to use this open area as a method to evade my chariot, and slowly wear me down until you could deliver a finishing blow? It's not a terrible idea, at all."

In both her hands, Medb fiddled with her riding crop, bending it back and fourth as she cocked her head to one side with a grin.

"But it's doomed from the start," she added, eagerly, gesturing to her bulls, both of which were impatiently pawing at the earth, "Donn Cuailnge and Finnbhenach are both bulls without measure. Their strength and stamina is unrivaled, and not even a Servant could outlast them in a contest of endurance!"

Saber didn't doubt that this was true. A Rider-class Servant's Noble Phantasms were always their most powerful asset, and both of those bulls were legendary phantasmal beasts. Outlasting them when it came to a test of stamina in battle was likely impossible for most Servants. Certainly, she was not among the number of Servants who could. But such a thing was never her goal in the first place.

But if Medb believed that to be the case, it suited Saber's needs perfectly.

"That may be so, Rider," the girl samurai responded, silver-gold eyes fixed on the bulls as they pawed the earth. She'd be ready to move at the first sign of another charge. "But all I need is a single strike to disable them!"

While it wasn't the goal of her plan, it was certainly the truth. It was a stretch for her to try, but if she truly was unable to get Lancer's assistance… if she could get a single, solid strike to one of the bulls' legs, she could cause the chariot to crash. But that was a last resort. She had to try and delay until Lancer was able to get into position…!

"A single strike you won't get," replied Rider, with a confident smile, "With the foresight I pilfered from that bastard, Conchobar, I'll be able to foresee every single attack you make. Unfortunately, I can't look ahead far enough to see you begging for more pleasure~"

Saber didn't respond. Instead, this time, she decided not to let Rider make the first move. In a sudden burst of speed, she sprinted along the outer edge of the clearing, her form blurring as she turned sharply and suddenly vanished in a flash, appearing directly on top of the enemy Servant! But it was just as she'd expected. Rider immediately charged before she could bring her blade down, her katana instead striking the wooden chariot.

"Eager, aren't you~? Fufufu," Queen Medb placed one hand to her mouth as she giggled, eyeing Saber. The platinum blonde girl took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the other girl perched on the chariot, now. Regardless of if she knew if Lancer was coming or not, Saber knew that she had to start cutting her trap into the earth as soon as she could.

"Accept the Queen's reward for your enthusiasm!" declared Rider, a brilliant flash of light blazing from her crown once more. But this time, the flare of mana was even larger, ripping through the air and tearing across the clearing!

Even darting aside, Saber could see the way the beam of light tore into the treeline, practically slicing through tree trunks in an instant! In a flash, the girl samurai darted across the clearing, sure to cut into the earth during her charge, as Rider followed her with the beam. She had to pick a spot in the clearing, somewhere that would be ideal for catching her enemy off-guard. As long as she could do that, she could start preparing her trap. It would be worthless without Lancer's assistance, but she couldn't wait until she knew the knight was there to begin setting her trap. She had to begin as soon as possible, whenever Rider's attention wasn't entirely on the movement of her blade!

The brilliant beam of rainbow light flickered and shrank to a pinpoint, a needle-thin shaft of magical energy, before fading out entirely. Instead, Rider followed up her ranged attack with an immediate charge! Thankfully for Saber, she was able to change course swiftly, the chariot hurtling past her. But even then, Medb's whip lashed out once more! Unprepared, Saber yelped in surprise as she felt it crack across her back, leaving a stinging red mark in its wake, having sliced right through her kimono! She stumbled for a moment, but caught herself, swiftly turning. The blow from Medb's riding crop wasn't particularly dangerous, but it made it clear that Rider was still capable of attacking, even if her initial charge or blasts of mana were evaded. And enough blows could split Saber's skin and begin to cause serious harm. She couldn't let any more of them connect.

It was far too much of a risk. Even if she knew her opponent was Queen Medb, there was no guarantee that the whip wasn't capable of doing anything else, either.

"I'm sorry if it stings right now," commented Rider, playfully, turning her chariot about to face Saber once more, fiddling with the tip of her riding crop, "You'll learn to love the lash eventually~"

It wasn't as if it was no longer embarrassing, hearing Rider's words. It was less shocking then it had been the first time, knowing what Queen Medb was like, but that didn't mean it wasn't something that was awkward and distracting. But that was just why Saber couldn't let it take her focus. If she allowed herself to become distracted, then it would be impossible for her to complete their plan. Every single ounce of her focus counted.

"No matter what you say, I won't allow myself to be distracted, Rider," she replied, readying herself for another attack as she did. She had to find any opening she could to lay her trap…! "And I won't be defeated!"

Both Servants exploded towards each other once more! Medb's bulls bellowing, her chariot rattling as she charged! Saber's frame blurring as she darted across the clearing, diverting her path at the last possible second in order to lash out at Rider from the side! … And miss, her blade biting into the dirt as Rider turned her chariot sharply to avoid the blow.

But that was exactly what Saber wanted. As long as she could make it look like near misses, she could lay her trap. She couldn't make it too obvious, of course, that she was focusing on a specific spot in the clearing. That would make it clear what she was planning., or at the very least that she was planning something. If should could make every single cut into the earth look like a failed attack, however, she could completely obscure the process of setting up her trap!

It was what she had to do, no matter what!

This time, Rider came careening at her once again. Saber took a deep breath, and charged. But this time, as she was about to reach the chariot…!

Saber sprang into the air! Even Rider wasn't prepared for such a move, looking up in shock as Saber hurtled over her. The pale girl could feel the air rushing past her, even though it had become almost deathly still. If she could land on top of the chariot's body, she could potentially shake off Rider's focus even more!

Of course, that was too much to hope for. Rider cracked her whip, and the bulls bellowed as they picked up their pace once more, the chariot rushing away to the other side of the clearing. The platinum blonde swordswoman's feet hit the grassy ground, and she spun on her heel, her blade glinting in the moonlight as she raised it parallel to her head once more. The fact that she'd missed shouldn't have been so disappointing, she reflected, for a brief moment, but she had been hopeful she could have at least given her opponent a shock… But the important part was that she'd cut another gash into the earth.

"… Were you trying to hitch a ride, Souji?" Rider asked, cocking her head with a smile, even as her eyes betrayed her surprise, "You're a bit early~ Besides, I'd prefer to be the one on top, fufu~"

Both Servants charged across the clearing, again and again. Both failed to strike one another.

But Saber couldn't relent.

She had to hope.

~

They hadn't found a single thing.

Since Lancer and Tsubaki had begun their search for some kind of sign of the Atlas base, of Saori, they hadn't uncovered anything. The tanned magus had to remind herself, once more, that this wasn't going to be easy. There was no way discovering the operations of an organization like Atlas could ever be a simple thing. That didn't make the failure of their current search any more demoralizing, but the fact remained that she couldn't allow herself to give up.

No, if she gave up, it would mean giving up on Saori. And that was something that Tsubaki could never, ever accept.

"Lancer, do you think they could be underground?" the black-haired girl asked, turning to look at Servant. The blonde knight looked thoughtful for a moment, folding her arms under her chest as she did.

"… It is not impossible," she responded, "However, that would mean they must have established their base long before the town was constructed, in order to maintain secrecy. Alternatively, it would mean they used underground structures already in place."

That would mean either the sewers or drainage, either of which seemed unlikely for anything as complex as a workshop constructed by Atlas. She knew enough of the organization to know that there was quite simply no chance of simplicity when it came to anything they would create. Besides, what self-respecting magi would create their base of operations in a sewer? It was a terrible location. No, rather than that, she was beginning to suspect that Atlas's choice location was instead one that used a more conceptual method of concealing itself, a bounded field of some description or perhaps something else. Whatever the case was, it made locating them difficult. But that was just the reason they had done so, wasn't it?

Regardless of anything else, the search had to continue. Nodding to herself, she looked ahead. Tsubaki was taking this chance, the day before the final conflict with Rider, to search for Saori again. It was hardly the last time she intended to do so, but Rider's death would mean there were only three Servants left in the war. Their plan had to succeed, after all, so it could only end with Rider's defeat.

Most of the next day would be spent in preparation for the upcoming battle. Certainly, Lancer's position could be defined as one that was primarily that of support. She wouldn't directly join the fight, rather waiting until it was time for her intervention in order to attack Rider from a long distance. But the fact that she would be using such a powerful Noble Phantasm to do it meant that preparations had to be made, regardless. Tsubaki wasn't sure how much mana Lancer would take from her in the act of attacking in such a manner, after all.

It was hard to avoid feeling some level of self-satisfaction at the mental image of finally destroying Rider's chariot. The enemy Servant's capabilities, her ability to see the future and to move so incredibly fast, had rendered her an almost unstoppable opponent. But take away one of those… Her future sight wouldn't be able to help her if she could no longer move at such an absurd speed!

But at the moment, the search for any sign of the Atlas base continued. At the moment, that was the most important thing in Tsubaki's mind. Not fighting Rider, nothing else. Lancer was so reliable, as well… Tsubaki felt confident that everything in those regards would work out, which meant that her attention could be completely focused on locating any clues about Saori.

"Master," came Lancer's voice, suddenly, "Is that not one of Matsushita's familiars?"

The black-haired girl paused. Turning towards the direction Lancer was indicated, her eyes fell upon the creature in question. It was a cat, but that didn't necessarily mean anything… except for the fact that Lancer had specifically indicated its nature. While it looked like an ordinary cat, there was a sense of recognition there. The sense that it was indeed one of Ai's familiars…

After a moment's pause, Tsubaki swiftly approached the fluffy creature and knelt down in front of it.

"Is something going on?" she asked. There wasn't really any time to waste. It would otherwise have felt silly, asking a cat something so seriously, but at the moment it was crucial to discern what was happening.

The response she received was not in words, but in images. A feeling was conveyed to her. The cat could not speak, and yet it could still convey the message it had been given.

Rider had attacked Saber?! At the shopping district…!

They weren't prepared at all! Had something gone wrong? Had it been an ambush, or had it happened when Matsushita and Saber had gone to talk to her.

"Damn it!" cursed Tsubaki, straightening quickly, "Lancer, it's Rider! She attacked Saber in the shopping district, we have to go immediately!"

The knight girl didn't hesitate. Light flashed across her body, drifting into the still air as her clothing was replaced with her resplendent white armor, her flowing cape fluttering as it appeared. Instead of materializing her weapon, however, Lancer reached down and scooped up her Master, to Tsubaki's surprise.

"We need to move as quickly as possible, then!" asserted the knight, and Tsubaki found herself nodding. Even with the use of reinforcement, she couldn't move at the full speed of a Servant, and certainly not for long enough to reach the shopping district. That, and being held like this admittedly felt fairly secure and safe… Lancer really was a knight in shining armor, huh? But that didn't alleviate her concerns about Rider's attack. Not only was it a fight they weren't prepared for, but it was in one of the worst possible locations for such a battle. The shopping district was far too dense with buildings, there was too much potential collateral damage that could occur if Lancer used her second Noble Phantasm.

While there wasn't even a slight breeze, Tsubaki could feel the air whipping past her as Lancer broke into a sprint, clearing distance incredibly swiftly. It was hardly the first time, but it still felt like she'd been stuck in a wind tunnel. And Lancer was hardly about to stop for anything… if nothing else, at least they'd get there as quickly as possible!

And indeed, they had soon arrived at the shopping district! But… there were no sounds of battle, no furious clashes of steel or the bellowing of Medb's bulls. No, instead, it was just as still as the air. In fact, were those dark clouds rolling in…?

"Master! Look!"

Immediately, Tsubaki refocused, and it was hard to miss what Lancer was talking about. Around the plaza in which a fountain and the café where she had first spoken with Ai were located was the signs of a struggle. Concrete gouged out of the street, thin slashes through the side of the fountain… and further down the street, to the north, the signs of battle continued.

"… I… hope Saber has not fallen," commented Lancer, with concern as she set her Master down. This was a great deal of destruction. Concealing it was going to be a lot of work, but that wasn't Tsubaki's concern. It was Ai's safety, and Saber's as well. Even if they were destined to be opponents… there was no way she'd be able to live with seeing her hurt, and Saber was an enemy Servant, but still an ally for now. She didn't hate Saber, the samurai girl was cute, even… And she wanted to give both her Servant and Matsushita's the chance at an honorable duel to end the war.

That wasn't all, but…

For now, Tsubaki had to focus. There was no letting her mind wander to other matters, no matter how important they could be.

"I'm sure she's still fighting," asserted Tsubaki, quickly hurrying ahead as Lancer followed her, "She's your rival in this war, there's no way she'd fall before you had one last duel!"

At least, that's what the tanned magus hoped.

"Certainly, Saber is a skilled samurai, but Rider's capabilities…" Lancer took a deep breath, "No, no matter what, I shall have to believe she is still fighting."

The signs of battle seemed to become more chaotic as they proceeded. A smashed storefront, a lamppost severed completely through, broken windows and a street torn up by thundering hooves and wheels… this was a completely unrestrained battle waged all the way down the road. That was what it would have had to be, though, wasn't it? Rider's relentless charge would have to be defended against by something equally relentless… Tsubaki's hands curled into fists. Damn that Queen Medb! They had a perfect plan for dealing with her, but now…

"Master! I can hear the sounds of battle, there is no mistaking it!" declared Lancer, suddenly. Eyes widening, Tsubaki realized she could hear it too! The sudden, somewhat distant bellows of Rider's bulls, the clashes of steel… they were still fighting!

"Let's go, Lancer!" cried Tsubaki, and without a moment's hesitation the knight picked up her Master once more sprinted down the street. They had to make it, they had to! This was their best chance to defeat Rider, and it was likely it would be their only chance!

With Lancer's agility, it wasn't long before they reached the outskirts of the Harazuki forest. Saber and Rider's battle had torn a hole into the treeline that penetrated deeply into the woods, so clearly that it was even possible to see the distant shape of Medb's chariot, blazing beams of rainbow mana and the occasional flash of Saber's katana…

Tsubaki was beginning to piece together what had happened in her mind.

Saber had lured Rider into a location where there would be as little collateral damage as possible. Lancer's Noble Phantasm would certainly carve its path through the forest, but there was no chance of another human being caught in the blast. So even when locked in battle, Saber had planned out her every move.

They could still win!

"Lancer, we need to find a vantage point!" Tsubaki ordered, swiftly.

"I understand, Master!"

Darting around the outside of the forest, the knight swiftly found a hillside and sprinted up it without delay. As long as it was high enough for them to properly view the battlefield, to allow Lancer to take proper aim…

As soon as they came to the top of the hill, Lancer set Tsubaki down and both girls took stock of their vantage point. The way the trees had grown here left a clear view down the hillside… Tsubaki couldn't help but feel satisfied. This was as well as they could have hoped for this to have gone since learning of Rider's attack!

But they still had to hope Saber would be able to immobilize the pink-haired Queen's chariot long enough… they couldn't simply wait.

"Lancer, are you ready?" Tsubaki asked, glancing back towards her Servant. The blonde knight nodded, and took a step forward.

In her right hand, the Trap of Argalia materialized with a golden glow.

Suddenly, there was a rush of wind, in spite of the night's stillness, as a brilliant golden light swirled around the length of the cavalry lance. This was the activation of Lancer's strongest attack…

"By the grace of God, I call upon the power to destroy the enemies of all that is good!" cried Lancer, thrusting her weapon into the air. The brilliant light grew larger, explosively, swirling brilliantly around the lance… Tsubaki could feel her heartbeat growing faster. This was completely different from the beams of mana that Lancer had unleashed before… this was her most powerful, her most destructive ability. Even before it had been released, it was easy enough for her to tell.

"I can restrain it for some time, Master," Lancer explained, her voice somewhat strained as she held her weapon pointed towards the heavens, which had darkened further since their arrival. "But if Saber is unable to bring that chariot to a halt, I will have to release it!"

Tsubaki took a deep breath. She understood.

The light gathered more and more. Soon enough, the Trap of Argalia had been rendered a shining beacon of mana, a shimmering light crackling overhead. It was impossible to see the weapon itself, it had been consumed it this blazing, swirling vortex of magical energy.

It built… and built… and built…!

~

Panting, Saber skidded to a halt. Turning her body about, her black scarf fluttering in the air with her motions, she narrowly darted to the side. This time, the proximity of the chariot was nearly enough to knock her off her feet from the air pressure, the girl samurai stumbled back and forced to catch herself. This kind of battle was grueling. As a Servant, her endurance was far above what a human was capable of, even at its relatively low rank, but that didn't mean she was capable of outlasting a pair of bulls known for their stamina. Rider hadn't been forced to exert herself at all. It was decidedly one-sided in that regard. Her combatant could sit back and relax, comparatively, while she was forced to keep moving.

As Saber turned to face her enemy, narrowing her silver-gold eyes as she raised her blade, she caught sight of a thin pinpoint of rainbow light…! Given no time to dodge as the beam ripped through the air towards her, Saber was instead forced to bring the flat of her blade into the path of Rider's attack! The impact of the beam reverberated through her arms and then erupted in a blast of heat and light, sending Saber rocketing backwards across the clearing, her gloves shredded and pain shooting up from her hands to her shoulders, searing through her arms!

"Guh…!"

She hit the ground on her back and rolled once, ending up on her front, but before she could even begin to recover Rider was charging for her again! She could see Medb's face, a grin plastered on her expression, but even after taking a hit like that Saber wasn't beaten! She rolled to the side, forcing her feet back under her as she drew her katana parallel to her head, stepping back as quickly as she could to get out of range of those thundering hooves and crushing wheels!

When Rider's charge concluded, she swung her chariot about and brought it to a halt. Saber fully straightened, taking a deep breath as she kept herself at the ready. She'd been doing her best to damage the battlefield in whatever ways she could, to carve out more of her trap with every pass both Rider and herself made across the clearing, but it was a difficult process. She had to make sure Rider never guessed what she was doing. By this point, if she could make one last cut…

"I can tell… you're running out of energy, aren't you?" commented Rider, cocking her head to one side as she spoke, her bulls pawing at the earth, digging ruts into it with those massive hooves. "Haaah, well, I think the foreplay has gone on long enough, don't you? It's difficult, being patient…"

Saber could feel it. There was magical energy building in the chariot itself… was this yet another Noble Phantasm? She recalled, back when they had first met in battle, that Rider had nearly shown off some sort of special function of her chariot… was that what she was intending to do now?

It didn't matter. No matter what Saber was faced with in this battle…

On the edge of the clearing, Saber noticed her Master. Ai had managed to make her way here as well, panting heavily from presumably having sprinted her way to the fight. Perched on her shoulder was one of her familiars, which swiftly leapt off as Ai leaned forward, gasping for air.

"Oh? Your Master is here as well, then," said Medb, with a chuckle, "Good, she'll bear witness to your transformation into my plaything!"

The mana within Rider's chariot built up, power radiating from her. It wasn't the bulls, nor was in the chariot itself. Rather, it was Rider impressing her will upon it. This was something wholly and utterly considered to be Queen Medb's power, an ultimate expression of her legend. Undeniably, it was, among her Noble Phantasms, the one that symbolized her as a heroic spirit even more than the any of the others.

"S-Saber!" called Ai, "I… I…"

Her Master hesitated… before giving Saber a thumbs up? For a moment, the swordswoman didn't understand, beyond it being an attempt to encourage her. But then…

On a nearby hillside, there was a faint glimmer of light…

It was her final hope. Saber no longer had any choice. She had to win, and that meant acting now.

All she could do was hope that beacon was what she thought it was.

The platinum blonde girl took a deep breath, squaring her feet up as she stepped forward.

"Okita Souji!" declared Medb, "Don't despair at your defeat! I'll invite you to a world of endless pleasure, so simply surrender yourself to your future as Queen Medb's toy!"

The pink-haired Rider thrust her whip into the air.

"Chariot My Love!"

All at once, Medb's chariot shattered the stillness of the air. Mana almost seemed to erupt from it as it rocketed into a blinding charge, tossing up dirt and debris as it tore a rut into the earth with its movement. The power of the Queen of Connacht, the Lady of Many Affairs who lead an army for her own desires, who forged a warpath to satisfy herself, was on display in this instant. But Saber had to act, she had to bring this blinding charge to a screeching halt!

The girl samurai planted one foot firmly forward and then thrust her katana downwards, into the dirt. The sharp blade bit deep into the earth, penetrating the side of another one of the gashes she had carved during the fight. She had to hope this would work…!

The edge of her sword cut through stone and soil like butter.

"Now you'll-" Rider's words died in her throat. Suddenly, beneath the wheels of her chariot, the earth gave way, the front wheels slamming into the side of the pit as her bulls skidded backwards, unable to move further. They bellowed in protest.

Saber's eyes widened. It had worked!

"You…!" Medb's fingers clutched tighter on her riding crop, "Do you think this will let you escape?! It's not as if this can stop me for long!"

Indeed, Saber could see the way that the bulls were pulling the rest of the chariot from the earth, the wheels grinding their way through the side of the pit she had dug. But her trap didn't need to last very long, did it?

"I don't think you understand, Queen of Connacht," Saber replied, a confident smile coming to her lips, "If you really think I'm trying to escape!"

Medb's golden eyes narrowed, as she spurred her bulls on, but then she froze. Had has she used her foresight? No matter what she had done, it no longer mattered!

"… Damn you…!" Rider snapped, her gaze immediately jerking towards the hillside.

Atop it stood Lancer, holding her cavalry lance high about her head. It blazed with magical energy, a beacon of incredible power spiraling into the air.

"This blow is struck in the name of God, for everything I stand for!" cried the blonde knight, "Divinte des Plumes Blanches!"

She swung the Trap of Argalia down.

Immediately, the spiraling light erupted forward. It tore its way downwards through the forest, mana ripping through everything as it made its path towards the clearing, trees vaporized in its path. The golden light was unstoppable, and it had reached the clearing in an instant.

Just as Medb freed her chariot from the pit.

But it was too late.

Saber watched as the light of Lancer's Noble Phantasm engulfed Medb's chariot. For the briefest moment, the girl samurai could see the outline of the bulls and the chariot itself before it seemed to fade away just as quickly. The brilliant golden light roared, before contracting to a pinpoint just as quickly as it had appeared, with a sound like a ringing bell.

In the blast's wake, a great cloud of dust had been kicked up.

Saber took a deep breath, and lowered her katana to her side. While it was difficult to see just what was left behind, at the moment, it was clear enough that the chariot had been destroyed!

"S-Saber! You did it! Y-You and Lancer…!" Ai exclaimed, beginning to approach.

But then, the air was suddenly heavier. Saber thought she could see a silhouette in the cloud of dust…

"Master, stay back!" she cried, looking back over her shoulder. "It's not over!"

There was a burst of mana, the dust cloud cleared in an instant. There, in a still-hot rut dug into the earth by Lancer's Noble Phantasm, was Queen Medb. Her pink hair was somewhat disheveled, her fur cloak torn and burnt, but in her hand…

"Fergus My Love!"

It was the Rainbow Sword, Caladbolg.

"If you believed that would let you claim victory, then it seems you need a reminder of the Queen's power!" she declared, mana beginning to spiral around the strange blade. It condensed and tightened around the weapon, creating a swelling aura of rainbow light around Caladbolg. Silvery-gold eyes wide, Saber took a step forward. She had to stop Rider from releasing that power! If she did, it was possible Lancer could-

"CALADBOLG!"

The Rainbow Sword sliced through the air. With a roar, the mana that had gathered on its blade was released, a wave of magical energy searing the air as was unleashed. Even standing where she was, Saber was buffeted by the air pressure that had exploded from Caladbolg as it was released, sent stumbling back, unable to approach Queen Medb. The sheer power that had once again been displayed by Rider was even greater then Lancer's spear, vaporizing trees and carving a path through the very earth, searing the rock…!

When it struck the hill, it obliterated it. Saber could see it, the way the entire hill was eroded in an instant, blasted away by the power of Caladbolg! Of course… legend said that it had destroyed no less they three hilltops like this in the hands of Fergus Mac Roich. Even as its power faded, the blast vanishing just as quickly as it had been unleashed, the destruction was on display. It was like a massive hand had just come and scooped away at the earth, ripping the hill away.

"… Lancer…"

Saber had no way of knowing if Lancer had survived. Caladbolg's attack had been enormous, and incredibly powerful, but if Lancer had begun moving the instant she noticed Medb's counterattack then maybe it was possible that the knight and her Master had escaped…

But regardless…!

Bringing her blade parallel to her head, Saber erupted across the battlefield, her flash-stepping technique allowing her to vanish almost completely for an instant, as if she had teleported right to Rider's side! Her thrust was met by Caladbolg, Rider stepping back from the impact of Saber's strike as the sound of steel meeting steel rang through the clearing!

"You've taken away one of my strongest weapons…" Medb said, her hand, and voice, shaking with the effort of holding back Saber's blow. It was clear who was the one better equipped for close combat, and yet Rider was still managing to hold her back. "But I'm a warrior queen of legend, Okita Souji! I won't be defeated so easily!"

With a burst of strength, Medb managed to deflect Saber's katana, pushing it to the side! A rainbow light chased up the shape of Caladbolg, mana building across it once more! Saber darted back, and a thin wave of magical energy ripped through the spot she had occupied an instant later! Even if she was the more powerful fighter when it came to melee, there was no doubt that Rider was not helpless! Sprinting to the side, her scarf fluttering in the air behind her as she strafed to her opponent's flank, Saber path hooked back inwards as she struck at Rider again! This time, the pink-haired queen was still able to deflect the blow, and block the followup as well, the rainbow mana swirling around Caladbolg forcing the platinum blonde samurai to back off for a moment once more. She couldn't risk being seriously injured now, not when she was so close…!

"Even so, Rider!" cried Saber, "If I can't defeat you here, it will not only be a failure for the legacy of the Shinsengumi, it will be a failure for my Master! I won't let her down!"

With one hand, Queen Medb raised Caladbolg once more, the blade gleaming rainbow in the moonlight. As opposed to her heavy offense when she had still possessed her chariot, being summoned as Rider meant that the Queen of Connacht's personal capabilities were lowered, instead her power being concentrated in her Noble Phantasms. That meant that her entire strategy had been shifted to a defensive one.
But even so, there was no way Saber could take her opponent lightly. She was a warrior queen of legend, after all, and she was wielding one of those powerful Noble Phantasms. Caladbolg was a legendary sword with destructive power that had now been displayed twice, sufficient to shatter Caster's barrier and annihilate an entire hill. Saber couldn't allow it to be unleashed again!

"It's a shame that Lancer destroyed my chariot. How dare you invite another Servant to our little party without telling me!" responded Medb, "But I still wish to make you into my plaything, Souji~"

In spite of those words, it wasn't difficult to tell that Rider was shaken. But the pink-haired Servant was refusing to show it. If there was one thing Saber could absolutely compliment Medb on, it was the fact that she was someone who was clearly in control of her own fears.

As thunder, the sound of an approaching storm, rang across the battlefield, the samurai and the warrior queen met once again. Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks, and Saber attempted to use leverage to force Caladbolg up and out of the way, to make an opening for her next strike.

But even without the use of her foresight, Medb was still capable of understanding her opponent. With a blast of brilliant rainbow light that sounded just like the thunder had moments before, she forced Saber back! The pale swordswoman was quick to catch herself, but her opportunity to land a finishing blow had been taken from her again.

That brilliant rainbow light was crackling, swirling along Caladbolg's strange blade. Before it could be unleashed, Saber had to try and strike again…!

"Did you know, Souji?" asked Medb, cocking her head to one side as she spoke, with a smile, even as Saber began to dart towards her, "Caladbolg can also be used… like this!"

Suddenly, the tip of the Rainbow Sword bit into the earth! The ground ahead of her, beneath Saber's feat, suddenly fractured, brilliant light shining through the cracks! There was another attack Caladbolg could utilize!? Even with her speed, it was nearly impossible to react to the ground beneath her suddenly exploding upwards, in roar of light and sound! Saber's body was suddenly bathed in rainbow light, heat searing through her frame! She couldn't even see anything, there was nothing…!

In the wake of the blast, a cloud of dust rose.

"S-Saber!" cried Ai, stepping forward. Had Saber just lost, even if they'd managed to destroy Medb's chariot!? The small brunette clutched at the air, her entire body shaking as she did.

"Don't worry," responded Rider, idling flipping Caladbolg about in the air, "That shouldn't have killed her. But there's no way she could continue to fight after taking a direct hit."

It was true. It hadn't killed her. And if Saber had taken a direct hit, she doubted she would have even been able to stand. But the legendary lightning fast swordplay of Okita Souji, her agility… it wasn't to be underestimated!

"I've wo-"

Saber erupted from the cloud of dust, her blade flashing in a sliver of moonlight! Her kimono was burnt and torn, pale skin showing through holes in the fabric, her right side bruised and bloodied, but she had survived! At the last possible second, she had managed to avoid the very center of the blast! It was painful, but that wouldn't stop her!

"What?!" cried Medb, as Saber stepped to her side in a flash, silvery-gold eyes narrowing. Even as her enemy raised that legendary sword…! This time, Saber wouldn't allow it! She had to end it here!

Her katana flashed forward, just as Rider brought Caladbolg down, and…!

The Queen of Connacht's grip slackened, her golden eyes wide.

"… Ah…"

Saber's sword had buried itself up to the hilt in Rider's chest, the blade protruding from her back.

All at once, the tension in the girl samurai's body was released, her breathing coming out in quick, ragged pants.

This was the end.

"I've won, Rider."

For a few moments, all there was, was the stillness of the air. For a battlefield that had been furious and unceasing seconds ago, the earth rent apart by the vicious combat that had been waged in the clearing, it was suddenly almost totally silent. All there was in that instant was the ragged breathing of both Servants, and then another distant roll of thunder. Then, Saber stepped back, drawing her sword from Medb's chest, smoothly, blood staining the blade. The Rider-class Servant almost seemed to be in a state of disbelief, raising one hand weakly to the wound, looking down to see crimson staining her palm.

She stumbled back, shaking.

"Th-that's… that's not fair! You… you should have… I wanted to…!" Rider's words were disjointed as she stumbled back, clutching at her chest as she did, "Why?! Why did this happen!? I'm the Queen, aren't I?!"

Her voice was becoming weaker, as her legs trembled.

"You're one legend against many others, Queen of Connacht," responded Saber, lowering her katana as she spoke. It had taken almost everything she had to defeat Rider, even after she had lost her chariot. It felt as if she truly had participated in some clash of heroes. "And this really was a battle right out of the most epic of legends."

"… Heh…" Medb fell to her knees. Saber could see that her eyes were growing heavy. By this point, Caladbolg had vanished, leaving only the Queen clutching at her bleeding chest. A trickle of red was now flowing from the corner of her mouth. "… If that's so… then…"

Her frame trembled for a few moments, and crimson flowed from her mouth, dripping onto the ground. Rider raised her hand away from her chest once more, staring down at the blood marring her palm. Her breaths were short and uneven, now.

After a few moments, she was no longer able to even stay on her knees, falling onto her side. Her pink hair fell loosely around her head, her crown tumbling off and laying a short distance away. Saber was certain she had pierced Medb's heart in that final blow, run her completely through. There was no denying the lethality of her strike. She had killed many times before, enough to be certain this was the case.

"Then… if I had to die a second time…" Rider continued, one of her trembling hands clutching weakly at the grass, her golden eyes half-closed. No matter how much Rider had promised to take her as a toy, no matter what an egotistical and selfish opponent she had been, Saber, in this moment, was going to show her enemy respect as she died.

Placing the dip of her katana in the earth, the girl samurai knelt beside the dying queen.

"… Then at least it was something like this…" Rider finished. Her breathing, her voice, it was barely a whisper now. All the strength had left the Queen of Connacht's body. She would only be in this world for a few more moments. And yet, a strange smile came to her lips, her golden eyes glancing towards Saber.

"… Hey, Souji…" she began, "… Do you think I'm beautiful…?"

For a moment, Saber was taken aback by the question. Out of all the things she had expected, she'd never expected her dying enemy to ask her something like that. But Rider had precious few moments left in this world, and there was no way Saber would leave such a question unanswered.

And if she was to answer with any honesty… Rider's fair skin, her silken, pink hair, her golden eyes, her smooth features… no matter what kind of a person Queen Medb was, one thing was certain.

"… Yes, Queen Medb," replied the silvery-haired girl, giving Rider a small smile as she spoke. Even if they were enemies, and hardly friendly ones, the Queen of Connacht deserved this much. "There's no way anyone could deny it. You are beautiful."

Medb's smile grew.

"… I'm glad…"

Her breathing ceased. Golden light began to drift away from Rider's body, and soon it had faded away entirely. Even the blood on Saber's katana had vanished. Taking a deep breath, the platinum blonde girl rose to her feet.

Feelings of victory were swelling in her heart. Rider had been one of their most dangerous opponents, and now she was gone. This was something she could truly consider to be a well-claimed triumph.

And yet… had Lancer and her Master…

"Oiii, Saber! Ai-san!" came Tsubaki's voice, calling from the other side of the clearing. Glancing up, Saber could see the tanned magus and the blonde knight, looking no worse for wear. They'd escaped before Caladbolg destroyed the hillside!

Before Saber could respond, however, her Master suddenly rushed towards her, arms wrapping around her midsection in a tight embrace.
Her eyes were shining with tears.

"… Hey, Master," Saber said, giving the short brunette a smile, "There's no need for tears. This was a great victory!"

Even though her Master was crying, she was returning her Servant's smile. Wordlessly, she set about mending the swordswoman's injuries, a pleasant warmth spreading up Saber's side as her bruises began to fade, burnmarks and cuts slowly disappearing into smooth, pale flesh.

"That was an excellent performance, Saber," said Lancer, as both the knight and Tsubaki drew closer, "Rider was undeniably one of the most dangerous Servants in the war."

"It was because of you, that I was able to defeat her, Lancer," replied Saber, still smiling. This was a battle that she could be proud of! "It wasn't as if I couldn't have fought her off, but you were the reason she lost her chariot! And it was my Master's quick thinking, and Inoue-san's plan, that gave us this chance in the first place."

Lancer nodded.

"Of course."

"So there's only three Servants remaining, then," Tsubaki commented, looking from Lancer, to Saber, and back. It wasn't as if the meaning was lost on Saber. Soon enough, allies would become enemies. But that was to be a final, honorable duel.

But then, suddenly, the foliage on the nearest edge of the clearing rustled. Without a moment's pause, most of the damage to her body healed, Saber pulled her katana from the earth and placed both hands on it, raising it immediately as her attention focused entirely on that spot.

"Wh-who…" Ai stammered, but Saber swiftly stepped in front of her. Lancer, too, raised her cavalry lance.

The figure that emerged from the treeline was completely unarmed.

Hirata Genjiro.

"… And so, my role in the war ends," said the man, with a sigh, "I suppose I should have summoned someone more cooperative…"

His words did nothing to diffuse the situation, though the fact that he hadn't armed himself gave Saber pause. Then again, it wasn't impossible he was concealing a weapon… but only a madman would face two Servants alone.

"… So what are you doing here, then?" asked Tsubaki, narrowing her eyes as she spoke, "Shouldn't you be on your way to the church?"

"I intend to," replied Genjiro. For someone who had just lost his opportunity to obtain the Holy Grail, he hardly seemed particularly upset. "But first, there's something I wish to discuss with Matsushita-san."

With her Master…? Saber looked back over her shoulder, watching Ai's look of confusion as she stepped forward.

"With me…?" asked the glasses-clad girl.

Genjiro nodded.

"Have you ever wondered just how it was," he began, "That your parents died?"