Preface:

Interlude this chapter, about Saber's past. A lot of dialogue/monologue (as expected of a backstory), but pretty interesting, in my opinion.

Next chapter is Saber's Servant Profile, then the battle with Berserker, which is also pretty good, in my opinion. Or at least pretty okay, not to get your hopes up too high lol.

Then, without further ado, please enjoy:

Chapter 3 - "Saber's Peaceful Melody (Part 1)"

Shirou had guided Rin to the living room, with the hopes of trying to make sense of his situation and settling things peacefully with Rin.

Saber and Archer, meanwhile, had wandered off into the yard to talk.

Archer was still glaring daggers at Saber.

"Well?" Archer asked, "Are you going to explain yourself?"

Saber had an amused grin on his face, "Well, what do you want to know?"

Archer pondered for a little while. There were many things he wanted to ask, but the first thing that came to mind was...

"Your wife?"

Saber nodded, "Yeah, she's who you think she is. The one saved us, all the way back then."

"I see." Archer said, "So you were able to save her heart, huh?"

"Yeah." Saber replied, "And she was able to save mine, too."

Saber looked Archer in the eye. "You too, weren't able to forget her, were you? Even after all you've been through?"

Archer wanted to deny him out of spite, but even he couldn't deny the truth.

"...Yeah. I may no longer have any affection for her, but that image of hers is something I could never forget."

Through his countless years of service as a Counter-Guardian, Archer had forgotten many things. He had forgotten his old classmates and friends. Issei, Fuji-nee, Sakura, and Rin - even they became like a very far and hazy memory to him, to the point where he had even forgotten all their names until he had been summoned back to this era. He had even almost completely forgotten the precious time he spent with Ilya, the time he spent as a human being.

- But, there would always be two things, just two things, he would never be able to forget.

The first, the smile on Kiritsugu's face as he saved him that day.

The second, the image of that Regal Knight-King, saving him that night.

No, with enough time, maybe even the image of Kiritsugu would fade away eventually.

But, that image of Artoria, at least, was something he would never be able to forget, even if he wanted to. Even if he fell into the deepest pits of hell.

It was an image that had been burned on to the very core of his soul. It was one of the few things, one of the only things, in fact, that still defined him as "Emiya Shirou", even when all else had faded away.

"...But, nevermind about that." Archer didn't like to waste time reminiscing on futile subjects, "What I really want to know is, how did you end up like that? How did you end up on a completely different path?"

"...I'm guessing you didn't save Saber's heart?" It was a reasonable assumption, based off of Archer's own words.

"...No. I didn't." Archer admitted, "...But, would that really have led to such a large change?"

Archer sounded skeptical. After all, even if Shirou and Saber (Artoria) had fallen in love, Artoria would most certainly have to fade away after the war, and even then, Emiya Shirou still had the ideals he had inherited from Kiritsugu. It seemed almost impossible to Archer that Emiya Shirou could've been led off the path to becoming a Counter-Guardian just from that.

"Well, I don't know when exactly our paths diverged," Saber admitted, "...But, to me, that was undoubtable the largest influence in my life, even after the Holy Grail War ended."

Archer stay silent, letting Saber continue.

"During the course of my own Holy Grail War, I fell in love with Saber, and Saber also gradually come around to returning my feelings. And in that process, she shared with me her true dream - and the contract she had made with the world. I couldn't stand that. I didn't want her to be forgotten, to go unthanked, for her to erase everything she'd done, only to become a slave to the world in the process. It bothered me, too much to put into words."

That much, at least, sounded familiar to Archer - though he hadn't loved Saber enough to dissuade Saber (Artoria) from her path. In fact, if he recalled correctly, this might've even been where he first got the idea to contract with the world in the first place.

"So I told her as much. And though we had some arguments after that, in the end, I did change her mind, and I convinced her to value herself, who she was and what she had. And in the end, we had destroyed the Holy Grail together. We bid farewell, and she faded away, while telling me she loved me...And after that I thought I'd never see her again."

"...And then?"

"For a while, I was rather depressed, though I didn't show it. Everything returned to normal, normal routines, normal school life, normal day-to-day activities. But, it was like there was a big hole in my heart. And though I was putting on a brave face and trying to move on with my life, I think everyone could see that there was still something a little off with me. Ilya, Sakura, and Fuji-nee were all a bit concerned about me, but I brushed off their concerns. To be honest, I just didn't want to talk about it or share it. I wanted to keep it as something close to my chest, as if that hole and that pain was a treasure that only I could understand."

...Yeah, that sounded like something stupid that Emiya Shirou would do, Archer though to himself. It was exactly the stupid kind of romanticism and idealism that Emiya Shirou would no doubt indulge in.

"But Tohsaka had had enough of my moping, and she was the one that smacked some sense into me and finally snapped me out of it, about 2 to 3 months after the war had ended. She asked if that was really the way I wanted to keep on living, if Saber would be happy to see me living that way, if I didn't have any other goals to aspire to, or if I was okay continuing to live that way - as a sad pathetic mess. Haha, looking back her words were rather harsh, weren't they?"

Archer nodded. That certainly sounded like Rin, alright.

"But that was exactly what I needed to hear. It made me realize that I still wanted to be a hero, and that I should aspire to live in way that would've made Saber proud."

Here, Archer had to ask, "But if you continued to aspire towards heroism, then why didn't you foolishly contract with the World, as I did?"

"Well, I'm getting to that."

Archer let him continue.

"After that, I still did aspire to be a hero. I went around the world, travelling to as many countries and saving as many peoples' lives as I could, from threats both natural and supernatural. I started in Japan, then China, and then continued westward, to Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt, Greece, Italy, France, Germany, England, North America, and South America. But towards the end of my life, I ended up settling in England. Europe was probably the most interconnected set of nations in the world, and it was easiest to save the most number of people from there. It was also a fairly comfortable place to live in, and an Island-Nation with good seafood, not unlike Japan. And, more than anything, it was Saber's homeland. It was where she came from. And I wanted to be close to her as I died."

"..."

"I did consider contracting with the World at some point, as you did. Though neither I nor Tohsaka realized who you were or what you did until long after our war was over. But I decided against it. Certainly, if I wanted to take the option that would allow me to save as many people as possible, that would've been the best option. But, as I was saving people, reuniting lost children and victims of war with their families, and giving war orphans new homes, I realized something."

"..."

"...I admired Kiritsugu. I admired his ideals, and I though they were beautiful. And I still do, to some degree. But, the reason I held them in such high regard wasn't for that reason."

"...Oh?"

"...The true reason...was because I saw how happy he was, as he rescued me. It was because, as someone who was empty and hollow and who had lost everything, I wanted to feel that same happiness. And when I was saving people, I realized it. The people I saved weren't happiest when I saved them, but when they reunited with their family, with the people they loved. And that I, even as I was saving people, more than anything, just wanted to see Saber's smile again."

"..." Archer scratched the back of his head awkwardly. It was touching and it gave Archer something to contemplate, but it was a bit embarrassing to hear something so sentimental from someone who looked and sounded so much like himself.

"Luckily, on my first trip to England, Merlin had appeared before me and told me that if I continued to long for and chase after Saber, I would eventually be able to see her sometime after I died. Of course, that alone wouldn't be enough to convince me against making a contract with the world. After all, what is one person's happiness, compared to the happiness of the multitudes, right?"

"..." It was line of reasoning that was technically correct, from a utilitarian viewpoint. But Archer knew firsthand just how humanistically wrong it was. And Saber (Shirou) seems to have eventually realized it too, based on how his story was progressing.

"But when I shared my thoughts with Tohsaka, and asked for her advice on if I should do so if the opportunity to do so ever did come, Tohsaka immediately called me an idiot and told me to wait where I was. And before I knew it, she had literally booked a flight from Japan to England just to smack me and call me an idiot in person. "Are you an idiot?!" She asked, "What's wrong with wanting to be happy, even it means being selfish?! So you're fine with never seeing Saber again?! With keeping her waiting forever, and never seeing her again?!""

Saber laughed fondly at the memory, and Archer, despite himself, let a strained chuckle. Yeah, that also sounded like Rin, alright.

"Well, after that I still went on to save many people, but I never again considered contracting with the World. Tohsaka was right, it really wouldn't do, for me to keep Saber waiting."

Saber glanced at Archer, "Plus, it would be kind of hypocritical, right? Not wanting Saber to sacrifice herself in exchange for contracting with the world, but then turning around and doing the same thing myself?" Saber had asked it jokingly, but Archer nodded. In his own grail war, he hadn't grown close enough to his own Saber (Artoria) to deny her wish, especially if it meant denying the foundation of his own ideals. But in this Saber (Shirou)'s version of events, after having fallen in Love with Artoria, and stopping her from doing the same thing, turning around and doing something like that afterwards really would be the epitome of hypocrisy.

"Anyways," Saber said, turning back to look at the yard, he continued, "After that, in my last years, I somehow eventually came to be revered by the 21st century people of England as a messenger of the soon-to-return King Arthur. Even though I was a Japanese person, and was even documented as such officially, and on the internet as such."

Saber laughed.

"I think it was because I chose to use Caliburn and Excalibur frequently in England. Well, the Excalibur I used in life was just very degraded version, though. But within the lands of England itself, it gained a lot of power and special properties as a "sword that defends the English people" and as a sword that "promises prosperity for the people of the Isles", even as a heavily degraded copy."

Saber grew silent for a few seconds, then, as if in fond contemplation, but spoke up again shortly after.

"Well, eventually I came to be revered as a hero and miracle-worker somehow. There were skeptics, too, of course. But not many, since a lot of what I did was recorded on video and spread around the internet pretty quickly. That was actually what caused more trouble for me than anything. As soon as the Clock Tower started looking into the rumors, they were chasing after me without mercy or rest. But luckily, Tohsaka and the Edelfelts pitched in to help, and I think El-Melloi II did too. Even Zelritch came in to help, when Tohsaka called for him. Or was it Merlin that called for him...? Well, in any case, thanks to them, I was able to live out my last years in England in relative peace. I really owe a lot to Tohsaka..."

"..."

"I died, or at least - I think I died near the outskirts of a rural British town after stopping a terrorist attack. The townspeople were trying to help me, and even called an ambulance to rush over, but before I knew it, they had all faded out of view. And I heard a soft and nostalgic voice calling out my name. So, I followed the source of that voice, chasing after it..."

Saber paused, as if reflecting on what had happened. "And then, I was in Avalon. And Artoria was there."

He smiled, "...I had reached it, the Everdistant Utopia. And from there on... Well, it was a happy ending, I guess you could say. I married Artoria in Avalon, with Merlin as our priest, and we spent the rest of our days in peace, enjoying each others' company, training, eating, relaxing..."

"...Until you were called into this Holy Grail War." Archer stated.

"...Yeah." Saber confirmed, "Honestly, I'm a bit confused, too, since I don't think I was ever made into a proper Heroic Spirit. If I remember Merlin's explanation properly, I qualified as one, because of the reverence of the people of England, and it was thanks to that that he was able to create a hole from the Throne of Heroes to Avalon, and essentially funnel me, "kidnapping" me before I could be properly recorded on to it."

Archer nodded. Well, that made sense enough. It was an interesting explanation, but that didn't explain something fundamental to Saber's presnce here and now.

"If you aren't a proper Heroic Spirit, then how did you get summoned here?"

"...I don't know." Saber admitted,, "I think I was summoned directly from Avalon? Ah, but the version of me here is still just a copy, though. Though I'm probably a lot closer to my full power right now than you would be, if you were fully empowered by the World."

"I see."

"Yeah."

"Then, the most important question still remains." Archer voice suddenly turned serious, as he looked upon Saber to gauge his intentions, "Do you still intend to seek the grail and win the war?"

Archer's voice had a hint of dangerous hostility to it, Kanshou and Byakuya already subtly being summoned into his hands.

"...No. Not at all." Saber answered in all earnestness, ignoring Archer's subtle sword-summoning, "I've already reached my Utopia (Avalon), so I don't have any need for it."

"I see." Archer could see and feel the genuineness in Saber's answer and dismissed his blades.

"But," Saber interjected, posing a counter-question, "Do you really intend to win the war and get the grail for Tohsaka? You should also know that it's been corrupted, don't you?"

"..."

That's right. It had been so long ago from his perspective that Archer had honestly forgotten until Saber (Shirou) had mentioned destroying it with Saber (Artoria) that he had finally remembered that fact.

But, even so,

"That doesn't matter. I've been summoned as a Servant, and I intend for my master to win. I intended for Tohsaka Rin, and for Tohsaka Rin alone, to survive the Holy Grail War. What she decides to do with the corrupted grail after that, whether to destroy it or to make a wish with it, I will abide by her will."

"Even if she makes a wish that will end up destroying the world?"

"That's fine, too." Archer said, "...I'm used to cleaning up other's people's messes. That's my role as the World's janitor (killing machine), after all."

Well, though he said as much, Archer didn't actually expect for Rin to end up making a wish at all. Knowing her stubborn and hardheaded (but ultimately kindhearted) nature, she'd almost certainly end up destroying the corrupted grail, no matter what.

"I see."

"..."

"..."

There was an awkward silence between them, as if there was nothing more to say.

At this rate, they would probably end up as enemies eventually, but for the first part of this war at least, it was inevitable that they'd end up as allies. Rin was too kindhearted to leave the floundering idiot that was Emiya Shirou alone.

So, for the moment, at least, they'd have to make peace with each other.

Chapter 3 - "Saber's Peaceful Melody (Part 1)" END

Author's Notes:

Tohsaka Best Girl (Besides Saber, of course). Nothing against Sakura, though.

Just fyi, this is the only time Zelritch will be mentioned in this story. He's not the cause of the abnormal circumstances of this grail war, either.

This is part 1 of the Saber interlude. Part 2 next chapter. Originally meant to be posted all in one chapter, but it was getting a bit long, so I decided to split it in two.

Then the Servant Profile. The Berserker chapter after that.

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Excalibur Impression (Fake, Degraded Copy) D+ (B- in England)

"The Mimicked Sword of Chasing Victory"

(Type: Anti-Unit, Anti-Platoon)

A heavily degraded version of Excalibur, forged from Emiya Shirou's memories and impressions of that Sacred Holy Sword, wielded by the Regal Knight-King who had once saved him.

Because he could not create or project a true version of Excalibur in the course of his lifetime (as even projecting a proper image of Excalibur would likely kill him), he had to alter the blade creation process to create a degraded copy of his impression of Excalibur.

1. Cheapening the concept of creation.

2. Outlining the basic structure.

3. Degrading the composition material.

4. Reducing the skill of its making (to human levels).

5. Understanding the experience of its growth.

6. Falsifying the accumulated years.

7. Accepting mediocre manufacturing processes.

Because it is only a cheapened copy of an already vague impression, it can no longer be classified as anything close to a "divine weapon". Instead, it is more asking to a cheap, human-made imitation of a Divine Weapon.

Within England proper, however, even this cheapened copy of the holy sword grows in power, as it is drawn closer to its true nature by the recognition of the people and by the land itself.

[]

El-Melloi II's comment on Zelritch (his impressions):

"Well, he reminds me of a certain other foolish and boisterous and eccentric old man I used to know..."

(Gray's Commentary) It seemed like he had intended to say that harshly and sternly, but it came out with a strangely fond tone to it.

[]

Original Version of the Scene (changed because Saber had to explain his past to Archer via Dialogue):

Shirou was on the verge of death, on the outskirts of a certain rural British town after foiling an attempted terrorist attack.

The people he had saved were rushing to get him first aid, and had called an ambulance over. But before they could reach him, his body had mysteriously disappeared when nobody was looking, with not even a hint of blood left behind.

It was as if he had been fairy'd away by the very forces of nature itself. (Or perhaps even by one certain mischievous half-incubus court magus.)

Emiya Shirou himself had simply heard a certain soft, nostalgic voice calling out to him, "Shirou..."

And he simply answered, tracing his connection to her.

...

This was the Emiya Shirou that had reached Avalon, and managed to reunite with that certain special someone he always held in his heart.

The Emiya Shirou who managed to reach Avalon within his lifetime, on the verge of his death.

The Artoria-obsessed hero-fanatic that chased after Artoria ceaselessly, without end and without pause, even in his dreams. An Emiya Shirou that actually managed to become a hero.

The most ideal version of Emiya Shirou.

...

...

...

In other words, the ultimate Artoria and "Seigi no Mikata" obsessed otaku (lol).

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