Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Different Fates

Chapter 19

The first thing that registered on the scattered combatants as they pulled themselves together was the war chariot in the middle of their battlefield. And not just any chariot: a Noble Phantasm no less. Any further thought on why Rider had interrupted their battle – and without any intention of fighting himself given his initial words – came to an abrupt halt given his next words.

"I am Iskander the King of Conquerors!" the red-haired giant loudly and proudly proclaimed from his chariot, arms raised in triumph over his head for emphasis. "I am the Rider of this Holy Grail War!"

"W-w-what are you doing you big oaf?" a blonde girl who could only be his Master shouted in exasperated outrage, tugging vainly on her Servant's arm while trying to fix her hat. "Shouting your name and class like that…have you gone mad?"

Rider just laughed, and ignoring her spluttered protests planted a hand on her head and gently pushed her down. "Fate has brought us all together to fight for the Grail." He continued. "But first I would ask you: what say you to forfeiting your claims to the Grail to me, and join my army instead? Should you choose to do so, then I shall treat as friends, and share with you the blessings of the Grail!"

"Rider…!"

For a moment there was stunned silence, and then a voice piped up. "That voice…" Sakura began with deceptive calm. "…Reines Archisorte El-Melloi…?"

"It certainly seems that way." Anika replied. "She's certainly summoned an interesting Servant."

"I would think so!" Sakura suddenly exploded. "What kind of Servant bellows out his true identity out of nowhere, and so soon into the contest?"

Rider burst out laughing at her outburst. "Lively aren't you?" he said with a grin. "My, my, girls these days are lively ones." He emphasized the statement with a few pats on Reines' head. "So how about it young lady…? Won't you avoid hostilities and stand by my side instead? Great victories are won on the battlefield, but even greater are those won without any bloodshed?"

"Don't joke around!" Sakura exploded while pointing her sword in his direction. "Are you really Alexander the Great? I for one cannot believe that the man who conquered the Ancient World would make such a critical mistake like revealing his true name so!"

"That assumes it's a mistake." Anika put in, running a hand through her hair to straighten it. Sakura glanced at her with a quizzical air. "Tell me Sakura, how would you feel if you were commanded here and now, with all the historical reputation and knowledge at your fingertips, to engage Frederick the Great on the battlefield? General Clausewitz…? Or more to the point, Alexander the Great…?"

Sakura's eyes widened, and then narrowed in realization. "No way…" she gasped, and Anika nodded.

"That's it…" she said. "…no matter how you look at it, just the sheer knowledge that one is up against a man who defied the gods and conquered his way to the ends of the Earth would be enough to give any Servant or Master with a working brain pause. And he is a Rider. Not as versatile as an Archer, but not for naught are they considered the Terror of the Battlefield."

Sakura closed her eyes, and nodded once before sheathing her sword and giving an apologetic bow to Rider. The giant nodded magnanimously before turning to the baroness. "Sharp aren't you?" he said, and Anika smiled.

"I have the honour to be named Anika Baroness of Derfflinger." She said with a crisp salute. "My ancestor was one Field Marshal George von Derfflinger, who served with distinction His Highness Prince Frederick William of Brandenburg-Prussia. We're not soldiers anymore, but military tradition and mentality is as much a part of my family's upbringing as is being a magus."

"Oh…that's very impressive…" Rider said with a nod. "…so how about it…? I'm assuming your friend is Archer's Master, but I'm sure I can find room for the both of you."

Anika turned to Sakura who crossed her arms in thought with her eyes closed. At length she finally opened them. "It's tempting isn't it?" she asked, and Anika shrugged.

"It really is." She agreed. "But…"

"Yeah I know." Sakura said. "My apologies King of Conquerors, for both my earlier behaviour and the fact that I have to turn you down. This Sakura Tohsaka is already sworn to another, and loyalty obliges that I surrender the Grail only to His Highness, Prince George Frederick von Preussen the Prince of Prussia."

Rider looked disappointed. "I'm willing to negotiate you know." He pointed out, and Sakura laughed softly.

"I'm sure you are." She admitted with a sad smile. "However…I can't really presume to speak for the House of Hohenzollern. I was empowered to be their champion in this contest, but negotiations aren't really…"

Rider sighed and shook his head as Sakura trailed off. "Disappointing…" he lamented. "…still I can't really fault you for being loyal to your master. If anything it's to be commended. Very well, I shall look forward to meeting your Servant in battle, and as a courtesy to your prince I shall treat you with honour regardless of victory or defeat!"

Sakura and Anika alike bowed, lessons in court etiquette kicking in automatically. Rider now turned his attention to Lancer and his crippled Master. "And what about you Lancer's Master?" he asked. "Though this probably isn't the best of times…Archer's Master did a number on you, didn't she?"

"I'm not surprised." Reines muttered. "It would be a disgrace for a royal retainer like Tohsaka to lose to a mere Enforcer."

"Now, now…" Rider chided, patting Reines on the head (again). "…there's no need to be insulting. As enemies on the field injury and death are to be expected, but discourtesy is unbecoming."

Reines shrugged. "Fair enough…" she conceded. "…and I suppose sinking to insults is below the dignity of nobility."

Rider shrugged indulgently at that, while Bazett's eye twitched but she didn't react to the provocation. "Well Bazett…" Lancer asked. "…what do you think?"

"As Tohsaka said…" the Enforcer began, sitting up with makeshift tourniquets on her thighs to stem the bleeding of her cut hamstrings. "…it's tempting, but I can't. I've…personal reasons in this contest and as for a short-term alliance…"

Bazett briefly paused and narrowed her eyes at Reines. "I know the King of Conquerors is beyond treachery…" she said. "…but can I really say the same for his allies?"

Reines snarled but stayed quiet as Rider placed a hand on her shoulder. "Well that's disappointing…" he said neutrally. "…but I suppose I can be satisfied with that for now."

He smiled suddenly. "War changes people." He said. "And we're still in the early days of this one. Who knows? Perhaps in time any of you might reconsider your positions. Lancer and Archer…well I can't ask you to betray your Masters, so I'll take your Masters' responses as yours. But I won't give up. Until the day a battle to the death is inevitable, I'll keep trying to win you over peacefully. Victory without ruin, domination without disgrace: that is true conquest!"

"Interesting man, isn't he?" Anika asked, and Sakura laughed.

"He really is, isn't he?" she agreed.

"And he lost it all with his death." Archer murmured, and Anika shrugged.

"He knows that but I doubt he regrets it." She said. "Don't ask me how I know, but I do."

"Clever girl…" Rider said with an impressed nod much to the baroness' surprise, and Sakura elbowed her and gave her a wink. "…with that said: Caster…! Saber…! Assassin…! Berserker…!"

The Masters and Servants present jumped at the King of Conqueror's shouts into the night sky. "Have you not observed long enough?" he demanded but with the same jovial tone from before. "Come forth, and give your answers in person! Those too cowardly to do so know cowardice before the King of Conquerors!"

For several moments there was silence, and then Rider's eyes narrowed and he glanced to the side. "Only one…?" he said softly.

"Humph…" the little girl who walked out of the night accompanied by a knight in red and silver scoffed. "…a boorish oaf who talks too loud…how the mighty have fallen, Reines Archisorte El-Melloi."

"Says the little girl…" Sakura muttered, and she shared a laugh with Anika. Archer looked uneasy at that. He knew who the 'little girl' was of course, and she would undoubtedly not enjoy being made sport of.

So she summoned Saber this time round? Sakura, stop laughing.

"Little girl, eh Tohsaka…?" Illyasviel 'Illya' von Einzbern remarked. "Go Berserker…!"

With blinding speed Berserker pounced, sword held low, heading straight for the surprised trio of Archer, Sakura, and Anika. "Berserker…?" Archer thought in surprise. "He's not Hercules, so that's a plus…but minus since I don't know what to expect! For now…"

Prana flared as Archer traced his favourite weapons and threw them boomerang-like at Berserker. The insane Servant swatted them aside, barely losing speed before resuming his charge. Something about the horned helmet seemed familiar, and without thinking Archer traced a sword and raised it to meet Berserker's own weapon.

Wind blasted out as Berserker's sword was blocked, Archer falling back a step from the force of the blow before engaging the enemy in a contest of strength. "That sword…" Berserker asked with a faint tone of surprise in her voice, echoing from inside her helmet. "…its appearance…where did you get it?"

Archer too was surprised by the sword in his hands. Now why did he trace this sword out of instinct…?

Caliburn…? The Sword in the Stone Which Chooses the King…? But that sword is a copy of the Sword in the Tree Which Grants Sovereignty, which in turn was a copy of this sword. So you're using a copy of a copy of a copy…and originals are always better.

Archer smiled a smile that grew wider as he 'read' the history of his enemy's sword. As he did, a memory of a dream, or rather a dream of another's memory came to mind, of two knights fighting atop a bloody hill. One knight in blue and silver, the other in red and silver, one fighting with golden hair and a fair face uncovered while the other masked herself with a horned helmet.

Why? Why didn't you abdicate the throne in my favour?

I've told you before. You do not have what it takes to be King.

"Humph…" Archer scoffed in his turn, Merodach beginning to glow with power. "…I don't have to answer that question, traitor!"

Berserker's resolved wavered ever so briefly in shock and surprise, which Archer took advantage of. With an explosion of golden light he hurled Berserker back, though at close range and given his copy's weakened power compared to the original it didn't really do much but scratch and blacken parts of Berserker's armour.

But the taunt did nothing to help Berserker's temper.

With a roar of rage she charged forward, landing hammer-like blows against Archer. Archer held his own but was steadily forced back step-by-step. Illya laughed at the sight. "That's it Berserker!" she cheered. "Take Archer's head, and then Tohsaka and her friend's!"

"Not if I take yours' first, little girl!" Sakura snapped, drawing her sword. She wasn't serious of course, given that she would never sink so low as to hurt much less kill a child unless she absolutely had to. Even if the impossible happened and Princess Louise Francoise or even Prince George Frederick ordered her to…well even loyalty had limits.

She'd eat her sword first.

Illya didn't know that though. And she most certainly did not enjoy being called a little girl. "My name…" she began while pointing a finger at Sakura with a visibly-throbbing vein on her forehead. "…is Illyasviel von Einzbern. And don't call me a little girl!"

Mouths fell open as energy visibly charged at Illya's fingertip, and then with a thunderous roar a beam of light easily as thick as a tree trunk blasted outwards. It shot molten holes through several buildings before petering out a block away. "I really don't think we should call her a child." Anika shouted at Sakura, the two of them having jumped in opposite directions to avoid the enraged homunculus' attack. "She doesn't seem to appreciate it."

"You think…!"

"Too late…" Illya cheerfully said, and fired another beam at Sakura. And another…and another…and another, Illya's laughing echoing into the night as she indulged in destruction.

"She packs a lot of power." Rider mused.

"She's a homunculus." Reines remarked. "Homunculi are…well it's said that they're less 'Humans with magic circuits' and more like 'magic circuits with a Human body'. In many ways they're closer to the Phantasmal Species than to Humans. To them, Thaumaturgy is as natural as breathing."

Rider made to reply but was distracted as Lancer jumped away with Bazett in his arms. "Running away…?" he shouted as the blue-clad man landed on the roof of a nearby building.

"Shut up." Lancer shouted back. "Bazett's not really good to fight right now, so we're just being smart and backing out for now."

Rider laughed and nodded. "Sounds good to me…" he said. "…well take of yourself and your Master, I haven't given up on you both after all."

Lancer laughed himself, a harsh, barking sound that brought a dog to mind. "Don't hold your breath." He said before leaving. Rider blinked.

"Now why would I want to hold my breath?" he asked in confusion, and Reines sighed in exasperation.

Meanwhile the battle between Servants continued, Archer getting punched in the face after Berserker surprisingly forced his guard open with a one-handed blow. As the Servant staggered back Berserker made to follow through, only to be caught by surprise as Archer traced and fired a golden spear at her head.

Berserker managed to avoid getting skewered, but a part of her helmet was shattered, exposing one corner of her face. Cracks spread quickly and then the rest of the helmet fell away, exposing the face of a beautiful girl in the full flower of adolescence, golden hair tied back in a bun and with deep, expressive eyes of bright green.

She would even be more beautiful if those same eyes weren't filled with rage, or her beautiful features weren't twisted with fury.

And it wasn't the mad fury of a Berserker. There was intellect and control over her anger, even stoked as it was with her face's exposure. And regardless of whether she was lost in anger, she wouldn't have missed the opportunity as Archer froze ever so briefly at the sight of her face.

She didn't know the reason, nor did she care to know.

"Die…!" she shouted, swinging down her sword, swirling with crimson energies, down in a two-handed blow.

Merodach broke, Archer avoiding death or serious injury by the smallest fraction. Fragments of black metal flew through the air as he jumped back, chest and torso armour breaking to pieces. Berserker charged in pursuit, Durandal rising to meet Clarent.

There was a flash of light and Berserker was thrown back, landing on both feet with surprising grace. Rider and Reines' eyes turned back to Archer who now looked unharmed. "Interesting…" Rider murmured with a smile. "…I don't know how he does it, but I think our friend in red over there would do fine as a Caster."

"Berserker…!" Illya shouted. "Stop playing with your food and just finish him!"

"You want me to go all out?"

Illya couldn't answer as Sakura and Anika charged from two directions. Illya sneered at the sight. "Time Alter…" she said. "…double accel…!"

Swords cut through empty air, blue eyes turning with a swish of black and golden hair as Sakura and Anika turned to see Illya, breathing heavily, standing on the opposite side of the battlefield. Several swords of the same, blue-white energy of her earlier laser blasts hung around her. With a laugh and a dramatic wave of an arm, the swords flashed through the air with blinding speed, the baroness and the knight forced onto the defensive to parry the blades flying their way.

Still laughing, Illya charged and fired another blast.

"Enough…!" Sakura shouted angrily as she dodged. "Time is hollow!"

Illya's eyes flared wide as Sakura appeared behind her. Steel swung down at her only to clash vainly against a barrier. Illya smirked. "Nice trick…" she said. "…did you copy papa's Time Alter…?"

"If you want to think that…" Sakura spat as she swung again, to no effect. "…then do so, Emiya witch!"

"Humph…" Illya scoffed. "…Time Alter: double accel…!"

Again she flickered away, Sakura moving just as fast in pursuit. Rider and Reines tried to keep up with the afterimages, Rider whistling with approval before turning in concern to his Master who suddenly clutched at her head.

Take care of my sister for me, I ask of you my King.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"My head hurts." Reines answered. "They're moving too fast. I'm not sure how Emiya, no Einzbern does it, but it probably involves time from what little I remember of Uncle Kayneth's notes."

"And Tohsaka…?" Rider asked as Sakura flew across the battlefield, unceremoniously bouncing on the ground a couple of times before coming to a rest. The knight struggled up to all fours before spitting out a good amount of blood. The King of Conquerors turned his eyes to the other side of the battlefield, to a little girl struggling to stand while breathing very heavily and with blood pouring from her nostrils.

The little girl then narrowed her eyes before creating more of the energy swords from before. She grabbed hold of one before sending the others flying at Anika – helping Sakura – and at Sakura.

"I'm not sure about this…" Reines answered. "…but I think she's using space folding to travel at relativistic speeds. It would explain why she's not affected by relativity like Einzbern is."

Rider just stared. Reines looked at him in the eyes. "You have absolutely no idea what I just said, don't you?" she asked, and he smiled a very big smile.

"Not really…"

"I thought as much." Reines said as she turned back to Illya, who by now was holding what looked like a javelin in her hand. With form and essence that belied her tiny body, Illya threw the javelin…

…and briefly lit up the night sky before sending up a huge column of smoke into the air. Rider shielded Reines with his huge form, debris bouncing off of him without effect and at one point, forcing him to break up a piece of masonry half the size of a car with a single punch. The Divine Bulls harnessed to his chariot were less stoic, necessitating Rider grabbing hold of his reins to rein them in.

A stoic expression appeared on his face as Berserker jumped clear of the cloud, and landed with enough force to crack the ground beside her Master. "You don't do things by half, do you?" the blonde Servant asked.

"And you do…?" Illya asked, wiping at the blood from her nose.

Berserker grunted in annoyance but said nothing more on the subject. "They got away." She said instead.

"They ran away with their tails between their legs." Illya replied. "That's fine I didn't expect anything less from Tohsaka anyway. Still, she's stronger than I expected. That's also fine though. Hunting rabbits isn't my idea of fun, any more than stepping on worms. This way is better, no?"

Berserker grinned. "When you put it that way…" she said with an eager tone. "…that red Archer…he's strong. He's got a big mouth, but I like him. I'm going to enjoy putting him down."

"I'm glad to see that you enjoyed yourselves." Rider commented. "Still, that was a bit much towards the end, wouldn't you think?"

"Is there a problem, King of Conquerors?" Illya asked. "I don't want to hear about 'too much' from a man who cut the Gordian knot because he couldn't untie it, and who then went on to say that the world's the limit."

"Well…I didn't exactly say that…at least not word for word…I think…"

Illya and Berserker laughed, and Rider relaxed at the sound. "So how about it?" he began. "Would you…"

"I don't think so." Berserker interrupted, planting her sword point-down before her. "I am by right the true King of Britain. And a King bows to no one, nor are there any above him be they gods or men. Do you understand, King of Conquerors?"

"King of Britain…?" Rider echoed with a knowing gleam in his eye. "Are you really?"

There was something implied in his voice, and Berserker snarled before tightening her hold on her sword's hilt. Reines narrowed her eyes before reaching into a pocket. And then a small hand took hold of Berserker by the wrist.

"Berserker…" Illya said in a small voice. "…that's enough for tonight. I'm tired."

Berserker glared at her, but the fire died in her eyes as she took in her Master's haggard appearance. The little girl was clearly struggling to stay on her feet, and there were traces of blood under her nose, and her hand was shaking from exhaustion or worse.

Papa promised to come back. He promised to never leave me alone. But in the end, he never came back.

Rider raised an eyebrow as Berserker sheathed her sword behind her, and took her Master and hoisted her behind her back. "I won't forget you, King of Conquerors." Berserker said. "And I doubt you'll forget me either."

Rider smiled and looked on as Berserker and her Master departed. He continued to watch until the two of them vanished over the city's skyline. "What do you think?" he asked.

"Is she really the King of Knights?" Reines answered with a question. "Well she fits some of the profile from the previous war but…a different incarnation from a different incarnation of the Kaleidoscope? Possible but…"

"No, I don't think that's it." Rider said. "More importantly…Archer…do you think he's a Knight of the Round? He did seem to recognize her."

"It's possible." Reines said as lightning erupted around them and Rider ascended back into the sky. "But it doesn't fit."

"Hmm…" Rider mused. "…then how'd he know who she was?"

"Well you did say he could do well as a Caster." Reines said. "I don't know how you came up with that, but I trust your judgment. If he's not a Knight of the Round, then is there any other explanation?"

"Hmm…that's probably it."

Master and Servant stayed quiet for the next several moments, flying in the light of the Moon above the clouds. "Hey Rider…" Reines began. "…what Baroness Derfflinger said about your identity earlier, is it true?"

"What?"

"You know, about your using your identity to give our enemies pause?"

"Is that so?" Rider replied with a hint of confusion. "Well if she wants to think like that I suppose I can't stop her, but I wasn't thinking anything like that at all."

There was silence.

"What?"

"What do you mean what?"

Reines' eye twitched. "You…you revealed your true identity on purpose?" she asked.

Rider looked at her in confusion. "There really isn't any reason for heroes or kings to hide behind fake names like the Servant classes." He said. "Even with this war, well heroes and kings shouldn't hide, and instead should proudly stand in all their glory and declare their names and deeds which earned them the right to participate in this contest."

Reines' eye twitched some more but ultimately she just took a deep breath and looked away. "You know what I'm too tired to discuss this." She finally said. "Let's just go home so I can get some sleep. I'll think about this some more tomorrow morning."

Rider laughed. "I still think that the night's too young for either of us to retire…" he began. "…on the other hand the young need their rest."

"Don't treat me like a child." She retorted, and Rider laughed.

"Yes, yes…"

A/N

Zidd: Shirou is the main character in canon. Rin, Shirou, and Sakura are the main characters here. None of them are getting shafted, but I won't reveal more than that. Well, I can give a hint for the end: who is the true winner, the one who won the most, or the one who won the least?

In-line with the above, to say nothing of the first battle of the war, well it won't be as traumatic as Fate/Zero or Heaven's Feel, but this fic is going to be darker than either Fate or Unlimited Blade Works.

DarkJackel: clever aren't you?

AnimeA55Kicker: it's not True Magic. She's nowhere near that level, even if this Sakura has had more training than canon Rin.