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

Different Fates

Chapter 32

"I'm surprised."

"I beg your pardon?"

Saber looked at Shirou curiously as they made their way back to the latter's living room after showing Rider and his Master out. "I didn't think you'd accept Rider's invitation." Shirou answered, heading into the kitchen as Saber took a seat at the table. Given that the kitchen was right next to the living room, it took only a slight raise of volume to continue the conversation.

"Rider is the King of Conquerors." Saber replied. "He gave his word that this would be a peaceful gathering with no ulterior motives. Without just cause a King should not doubt a fellow King's word."

"I see." Shirou said while preparing tea for them both

"It's true that I've always advised prudence and caution on your part Shirou." Saber continued. "But all the same there is no need for needless paranoia. To the overly-cautious, nothing is possible, just as much as reckless boldness is nothing less than a self-destructive wish on one's part."

"Yes, yes…" Shirou said as he returned with tea and some biscuits. "…here you go."

Saber nodded her thanks before taking her cup and raising it to her lips. "Though there is one thing to be cautious about." She said.

"Tohsaka…?"

"Yes." Saber said with a nod, and Shirou crossed his arms with a sound of thought. "Rider did say that she agreed to keep to the truce of parley, but still…we must be careful."

"I saved Tohsaka-san's life. And that of her friend's too." Shirou said softly. "I'd like to think that counts for something with her. She didn't seem like someone evil to me, just…a girl lashing out because of her lost family. Hopefully…it will count for something. Maybe even…"

Shirou sighed, trailing off and shaking his head. "You hope that by saving her life…" Saber said. "…she'll give up her grudge on you? As much as I hate to say it, that seems like wishful thinking on your part, Shirou."

"Maybe it is." He agreed. "But I don't think it's wrong. Even if my dad killed hers, what's the point in revenge? It won't bring anyone back. It won't bring her family back. She'll probably just lose more in the long run."

"Haunted by the blood on her hands…" Saber murmured. "…and with nothing to show for it…for the rest of her life…? I sympathize, Shirou, but sometimes…people can be stupid too, and in a bad way."

Shirou laughed grimly. "Is that praise?" he asked. "I'm stupid in a good way, is that what you're saying?"

Saber smiled. "Perhaps…" she said evasively, and Shirou laughed again. And then his expression turned grim.

"I'll believe in the best from Tohsaka-san tonight." He said. "But…if Rin comes…and they start fighting again…I'll step between them. Sisters…family shouldn't fight each other. In fact people shouldn't fight at all. Nothing is ever born from fighting, you only lose more. Isn't that right King Arthur?"

Saber was silent, staring in the green of her tea. "A world without war…" she softly answered. "…it's nothing more than a dream. And like all dreams…when people wake up…"

"Maybe it is…" Shirou agreed sadly. "…because when people fight with weapons…you also need to pick up weapons to stop them."

"Is that your wish Shirou?" Saber asked. "A world with lasting peace…? The strength to end all the fighting once and for all…? A hero…a King's strength…?"

"I don't know." He replied. "I still don't know my wish even now. But right now…I'll keep people who can't be trusted from reaching the Grail. Right now…I don't trust Tohsaka or Rin to get it. And I especially don't trust that King of Conquerors with it."

Shirou chuckled and turned to Saber. "He's nice enough…" he said with a small smile. "…but he'd probably wish to conquer the world again. That's not exactly a good wish for the Grail is it?"

"Maybe…" Saber said, returning the smile. "…but do you really think that mine is?"

Shirou faltered at that, even more so as Saber looked back down into her tea, her eyes far away. "I'll trust you, Saber." He said lamely. "But I don't think you're the type to throw the world into chaos for your own sake."

"That's very gratifying Shirou." Saber said with a sad smile. "True…you can trust in me that much. Still…you should withhold judgment for now, or at least until we hear from the other Masters and Servants tonight. And who knows? Maybe you can save those two sisters from each other."

"Yes…hopefully…" Shirou agreed.

"Everything will turn out fine." Saber said. "Tonight at least…your sister seems decent, and with so many Servants and Masters present even that Berserker wouldn't think of turning her sword on truce."

"Yeah, I guess that's true."

"No…you can't…"

Illya looked up from her cake and looked opposite the table, at her Servant who lay asleep on a couch. The two of them had spent most of the day – as usual – wandering around the city, the Servant having developed a fascination for the 'unsettling yet exotic wonders' of the modern era. Illya didn't really mind, she had a lot of money, so eating out and buying toys and anything else that caught her and Berserker's fancy (within reason she wouldn't buy a car for instance) wasn't really an issue.

Today they'd come home after an early dinner out, Berserker quickly getting absorbed in a garish magazine called 'Weekly Shounen Jump' or something. It wasn't long before she fell asleep though, from boredom or something else Illya didn't know or care, the little girl minding her own readings until she got an urge for something sweet.

"…no…don't let him get up…get him while he's down…gut him like a pig…" Berserker murmured, and Illya sighed. No doubt the Servant was imagining something from her magazine, and was dreaming about it. A silver fork cut into the slice of strawberry shortcake, and then stabbed into the serving. Illya raised it to her open mouth…

…as thunder boomed and shook the castle around her. The fork, the serving, the saucer, and of course the rest of the cake fell to the ground with a splatter, crash, and tinkle of breaking china and falling silver. "Ah! My cake…!" Illya exclaimed as Berserker woke up.

"Huh? What?" she said softly and blearily rubbing at an eye. "Wait…a Servant…? Here…?"

Illy however didn't care much for that. No, her concern was the spilled cream and confectionary that was now smeared on the ground. "UNFORGIVABLE…!" she shouted, getting to her feet and storming in the direction of the newly-arrived presence.

There was a flash of light as Berserker donned her armour, and as she followed she took a glance at the sweet spilled on the ground. She shared a glance at Sella as they passed each other, the homunculus giving the Servant a shrug as she headed off to clean the spilled sweet. Sighing at her Master's childish nature – getting angry over a spilled sweet over the fact that an enemy had come to attack them at their home – Berserker sped up her pace.

Illya didn't slow down even as Berserker caught up, slamming doors open before she arrived at the landing above the grand staircase leading up from the entrance hall. "What fool dares?" she shouted over the railing.

"Hello there!" Rider shouted back, illuminated by the light of the Moon shining down from what used to be the ceiling…which now lay in pieces on the entrance floor.

"My ceiling…!" Illya gaped in horror, while Berserker stifled a laugh.

"You…" she gasped out at the Servant below. "…you…you…you really know how to make an entrance, don't you?"

"The chariot couldn't fit through the door…" Rider responded in a shout. Berserker absently noted the other Servant's Master looking around her at the ruins of the ceiling with detached (or veiled) worry, as well as the two big barrels in the chariot with them.

What could that be?

"…and I figured, magi being magi, they could probably fix a roof with less trouble than ordinary people would."

Berserker burst out laughing, absent-mindedly grabbing her Master and planting an armoured hand over her mouth. "Yeah, I'm sure they can do that." She said. "Then…looking like that I'm guessing that you're not here to fight? And what's in those barrels?"

"No, I'm here to have a drink. Care to join in?"

"A drink…?" Berserker echoed, stumped for the first time. "Really…?"

"Really…!" Rider replied, grabbing one barrel and lifting it up over a shoulder. "I even invited some of the others along. The more the merrier, and since we're all Heroic Spirits, I daresay we should get together as equals at least before one of us dies. Well…most of us…"

Berserker laughed again before waving Leysritt off, who stood nearby with her halberd relaxed but ready. She then let her Master go, but before Illya could say something placed the same gauntleted hand on her head. "Think of it as a party." She said with a wink, and Illya puffed up angrily.

"Don't treat me like a child!" she snapped, and then turned to Rider over the railing. "Hey you big oaf…! You said that you invited the others didn't you? Will onii-chan be coming?"

"Who…?"

"She means Saber and that Emiya boy." Berserker added helpfully, and Rider made a sound of comprehension.

"Oh them…!" he said. "Yeah, I invited them. They'll be along soon enough I saw them on the way. Archer and his Master and her friend were also on the way, and probably Lancer and his Master too."

"Humph…" Illya scoffed before walking away. "…fine…follow me…"

"Big oaf…?" Reines echoed as the little girl walked away. "Are you really going to take that in stride?"

Berserker shrugged from her place on the landing above, while Rider laughed before placing a hand on Reines' back and urging her along. "Well…" he said. "…I've been called worse, and I did tear part of her house down. Let it be, let it be."

"Humph…fine…"

The two parties froze as they encountered each other at the junction between the mountain road and the private road leading into the forested Einzbern property. Archer immediately positioned himself in front of Anika and Sakura, while Saber did likewise for Shirou. After a few moments though Sakura pushed past Archer while Saber tensed herself as the other magus took a few steps closer.

The silence stretched, and then Shirou did as Sakura did stepping past his Servant and coming closer. "Why?" Sakura asked simply, her voice neutral.

"Why?" Shirou echoed.

"Why did you save Anika and me?" Sakura asked. "I was trying to kill you just minutes before that, and from the look of things you're at least an acquaintance of my…my sister. So why…?"

"Hmm…" Shirou began. "…true you were trying to kill me, but I've got nothing against you. Also…I don't believe in revenge myself."

"Really…?"

"I believe in justice." Shirou replied, and Sakura looked taken aback. "Eye for an eye…you kill me for your father, but will he come back? No, he won't. Sorry if that make you angry but…well that's my reasoning why even though you tried to kill me, I won't go after you for it. Maybe for other reasons – like being an enemy Master – but not for trying to kill me, even if only because it won't change anything if I do."

"Is that so?" Sakura said softly, and Shirou smiled weakly.

"And also…" he began. "…well…I want to save people. So I saved you from your sister, but…I think that's only on the surface. Because deep down…I know that your sister doesn't really want to kill you, so I think…I might have…no I wanted to save her from doing something she'd regret later on."

"Really…?" Sakura said softly, her blue eyes fixed on Shirou's golden ones. "Do you know her so well that you can say that?"

Shirou's smile fell, and his expression turned grim. "No…" he said. "…I guess not. But even so…"

"Humph…" Sakura scoffed. "…that's what I thought. Wanting to save people…? How childish…"

Stepping forward, Sakura reached behind her and Saber tensed. "Shirou…!" she said, only to be forestalled by a raised hand of Shirou's.

"Sakura…!" Archer and Anika said at the same time, but Sakura ignored them.

Instead she slowly drew a dirk from behind her, and then taking Shirou's hand, closed the surprised boy's hand over it. "Still…" she said. "…you saved mine and Anika's lives. I owe you for that. If you ever need help, just bring that with you and ask. But don't think it's because of that that I've stopped looking for revenge against you."

"Huh? Why then…?"

Sakura smiled cryptically, and walked towards the Einzbern road. "I have my reasons." She said. "Come on everyone, Rider's waiting. A King shouldn't be kept waiting, isn't that right?"

Everyone else looked at each other and then entered the Einzbern road. "You took one hell of a risk there." Anika said to Sakura in German, and she laughed.

"So I did." She replied in Japanese. "But…! Consider it a last act of recklessness before I change for the better."

"Is it really?" Anika asked sceptically. "Oh I don't doubt you're changing for the better, that was very…mature back there…but recklessness?"

"I prefer to think of myself as being bold from here on out." Sakura replied primly. "There's a difference."

"I was afraid you'd say something like that."

"You people are late!" Rider shouted jovially as Leysritt showed Shirou and Sakura's party in, the Humans staring warily at the big halberd the homunculus was carrying.

"Can you see how big that thing is?" Shirou thought to himself. "And she's carrying it like it's nothing at all!"

"Maybe I should upgrade Flora's programming just in case." Sakura thought.

"That thing will snap our swords like twigs." Anika thought. "Scheiss…Einzbern's not fucking about with security."

The Servants though, didn't even give it a second glance.

"We had a little talk." Sakura said, sitting down on the ground.

"What? Hey, hey, you talking among yourselves like that, doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of getting together like this?"

"It was a private matter." Sakura said simply, and Rider made a sound of disappointment.

"How disappointing…" he lamented. "…still now that we're all here…"

"Caster and Assassin aren't coming?" Lancer asked. "Well I'm not surprised about Assassin the little shit's probably skulking in a hole somewhere, but what about Caster?"

"Now, now Lancer…" Rider admonished as he filled the new arrivals' cups. "…truly Assassin's not the most honourable and distinguished among us, but he is still a Heroic Spirit. A modicum of respect is due at the least, no?"

Lancer shrugged. "Whatever you say, King of Conquerors." He said before draining his cup and letting Rider refill it. "What about Caster though?"

"Stay around long enough, and you can smell hints of ozone around the area around the Matou property." Reines said with a smile. "The whole place is charged full of magical energy. From the look of things, Caster's Master might have pissed someone off real badly, why else would they be holing up like so?"

Reines' eyes flickered ever so briefly towards Sakura, whose eyes flickered just as briefly towards Reines. The two magi briefly made eye contact and then looked away. "Well shall we get started?" the blonde magus said with a look at her Servant, and he nodded before refilling his cup.

"Indeed…" he agreed solemnly, and raised his cup in a toast. "…the Holy Grail is fated for the one most worthy to hold it, and the battles of this war are meant to decide that. However war is not the only means of deciding worth, and between heroes such as ourselves I believe that we can find a way without further bloodshed. So tonight let us converse, and in peaceful dialogue decide who amongst us is the greatest and therefore should hold the Holy Grail."

"In other words…" Bazett said, tapping a finger against her cup. "…who among us has the worthiest wish for the Grail?"

"Nothing so narrow…" Rider replied. "…just because one's wish is worthy, it does not follow that it should be granted. The wisher must also be worthy. Indeed, as we Heroic Spirits gathered here tonight are more or less equal to one another, such a simplistic determination of to whom we should surrender our claims would be an insult to all."

"Well said, King of Conquerors." Saber said. "Wishes however, make for a good starter for the dialogue that you seek."

"Fair enough Saber…" Rider said with a mysterious smile, and one that made Saber uncomfortable.

"Well then…" Archer said. "…as the one who got us all together here, why don't you start King of Conquerors?"

Rider nodded, draining his cup and refilling it. "Let me guess…" Berserker said eagerly. "…world conquest…? I wouldn't be surprised if it were so."

"That is indeed an end…" Rider agreed solemnly. "…but that's just it: it's an end."

"Huh?"

Everyone turned surprised eyes to the King of Conquerors. "Why would I wish for an end?" he said. "What point would there be in trumpeting a triumph that you never earned? Would that not make a mockery of your own self?"

Silence fell at this pronouncement, no one save for Saber expecting such depth beyond the obvious from the King of Conquerors. She'd heard it before ten years ago, and while the form was different the essence of his wish would stay the same.

"Rider…" Reines began, breaking the silence. "…what is your wish?"

Rider looked at her curiously. "Waver never told you…?" he asked with veiled surprise. The widening of her eyes was answer enough for both of them, albeit for two different questions.

No way…but how…

He didn't tell her.

"My wish…" Rider said with a smile, setting down his cup and then staring into an open hand. He clenched it into a fist. "…my wish is reincarnation."

"What?" Archer said. The other Servants and Masters gaped at Rider, save for Saber who focused on her drink.

"Right now…" Rider continued. "…as a Servant…as a Heroic Spirit I possess power greater than most mortals could hope to and currently possess. But this existence is false! Hollow…! For in the end it is an existence sustained by prana, an unreal existence even more transient than mortal life! Any triumph gained with it would be just as meaningless as asking a cup to grant an end to me! The only triumph worth anything would be one that allows one to carry on, to achieve and gain with meaning!"

Rider raked his audience with a flaming gaze, Archer and Saber narrowing eyes as they met his. Berserker and Lancer grinned, while the Masters stayed silent or looked away. "Even if I should lose all my power as a Heroic Spirit…" he said, turning his eyes on Reines who couldn't look away. "…even if I must start over from the very beginning, then so be it. It is a worthy sacrifice, to build a new legend, a new kingdom, to chase after a dream once more."

Rider smiled. "And what a dream it is…" he said, looking up at the stars above. Even with all the light and pollution from the nearby city, here in the outskirts the skies were clear enough to see countless stars dotting the dark of night. "…to achieve the dream is exhilarating, but to chase after it even more so. Along the way, you meet people, you make friends, you challenge worthy opponents, you see wonderful places and you experience things to be remembered for good or ill…once the world was so small, bounded by Oceanus. But now…it is so much bigger and still it's just another end."

Rider raised a hand to the stars, and closing it as though catching them in his hand he brought it down, slowly meeting the eyes of all present. "Once the world was my conquest…" he said with a smile. "…it will be again, as part of a greater conquest. No, this time…if the Grail truly is what it claims to be…my conquest is the sea of the stars."

Silence met his words, and Rider turned to his Master. Reines blinked and then turned away, a troubled but thoughtful expression on his face. Rider's smile turned paternal, like an old lion indulging a young cub trying to walk on its own. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him. There was still doubt there, and even fear, but at the same time there was no closeness. Her mind was open to the possibility, and that was enough for now.

"The sea of the stars…?" Sakura echoed wistfully, the first of the Masters to speak.

"In ancient times he sought to explore Oceanus at the end of his campaign." Anika said. "And now he would wish for a chance to do it all over again, to be concluded with an exploration of the even greater ocean of space. Why are we surprised?"

"It's not a bad wish." Sakura said with a wistful smile.

"No, it isn't." Anika agreed. "I wonder…"

Bazett looked at them disapprovingly, but was pre-empted from speaking by Shirou. "But…" the boy said. "…it sounds all well and good, but to rebuild your old kingdom…how many people…how many lives will have to be lost for it?"

"War is not the only means of bringing people together." Rider replied. "My kingdom was built on peaceful dialogue as much as it was on bloodshed."

"That's the whole problem!" Shirou insisted. "What's the point in achieving something if you have to step on people to get it?"

"Oh?" Archer remarked with an air of amusement. "Do you really think you can get ahead at all in this world without stepping on at least a few people?"

"What?"

"The world isn't fair boy." Archer said with a bitter smile. "Whenever someone pulls ahead, there are always others left behind. Whenever someone wins, others lose. And whenever someone is saved, there is always someone who isn't saved."

Shirou looked as though he'd been struck, and Archer's smile grew as the boy glared at him. "He's right Shirou." Saber said softly. "There are always sacrifices."

"I know that!" Shirou said. "I know…that's why…those sacrifices…they have to mean something…even if it's only so that other people can live in peace…for something like chasing a dream…it's not worth killing so many!"

Rider stayed silent, but Berserker did not. "Let me guess…" she said. "…you think a hero's job is to save people, don't you? And that if it's not for their sake then sacrificing them isn't worth it?"

"You have a problem with that?"

Berserker laughed. "Boy…" she said. "…if a hero is someone who saves people, then there would be no heroes."

"She's got a point there." Anika murmured. "That definition contradicts the reality. A hero saves people. But sacrifices are unavoidable. Therefore there are always people who can't be saved. What then is a hero?"

Shirou looked thunderstruck, and Saber briefly closed her eyes. "There is nothing to gain for those who want to save others." Archer said, and most of the gathering nodded their agreement.

"Then…" Shirou ground out. "…if you don't save others…if you don't help others…what makes you 'heroes' heroes at all?"

"A worthy question, faker boy…" a new voice cut in, golden light delicately playing through the air as shocked eyes turned in its direction. Golden sparkles flowed through the air, materializing the form of a man with golden hair and red irises encased in armour of gold and blue. "…a hero is someone who carries the weight of the entire world on his shoulders. A hero is someone who stands when others cannot. A hero is someone who fights that which cannot be fought, defeat that which cannot be defeated, and challenge that which cannot be challenged. There is no other answer."

"What?" Archer said in shock, not so much at his eternal nemesis' appearance but at his early appearance on the stage.

"Archer…!" Saber snarled, leaping to her feet and grabbing at her sword's hilt.

"An eighth Servant….?" Bazett gasped incredulously.

"Oh…!" Rider said with mixed surprise and delight. "It's been a long time golden boy! I'm surprised to see you here though. I don't see you being Caster or Assassin…so? I'm guessing you won the last war?"

'Golden boy' laughed as he approached. "You're as impudent as ever, you insane conqueror king." He sneered good-naturedly. "Is there any other reason why I would be here? Impressive though…you remember…"

"Of course I do! Who do you think I am?" Rider shot back. "I'm the King of Conquerors. And I told you before that a King does not stand alone! And I never forget any of my own, remember that!"

"He survived…how…the Holy Grail was destroyed in a malfunction…" Sakura stammered out, and 'Archer' zeroed in on her. His eyes narrowed.

"Oh? So Tokiomi's child remembers…?"

"Yes…" Sakura said, bowing. "...I remember. The burden of atonement…the King's grief…and…I remember who you are."

"Humph…" he scoffed. "…then as a reward I grant you the honour of speaking the King's name to those present here. The King has no need to hide his name."

"Yes…" Sakura said. "…you are the first and greatest of heroes, the King of Heroes of Ancient Uruk: Gilgamesh!"

A/N

Gilgamesh is here! Kirei will not be pleased.