PRELIMINARIES: None of this belongs to me. Fate/stay night, and all characters, settings, etc. associated with it, are the property of Type-Moon. Type-Moon is not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the creation of this story (a fact for which, I suspect, they would be profoundly grateful). I have made liberal usage of their characters and settings in this story; this was done without their knowledge or permission, and is technically an infringement of Type-Moon's copyright. As this story is, at the most pragmatic level, free promotion of the Fate franchise, it is hoped that they will regard this story (if at all) with a benign ignorance.

If you paid a wooden nickel for this story, not only have you been drastically overcharged, but whoever charged you has done so illegally, and I disavow any association with said individual(s).

It should be noted once again that as far as terminology goes, I am relying primarily on mirror moon's translation of the game (e.g., majutsu/mahou as magic/sorcery) with the official release of the anime as a secondary source.

Please do not copy this story onto your own archive. It's an "in-progress" work, and one where I would like to keep a very, very tight leash on its distribution.

All feedback is welcome, up to and including line-by-line critiques (provided they fit in my mailbox).

Much gratitude, as always, goes to my pre-readers, Shack and Kami, who will probably save enough people to qualify for Heroic Spirit status themselves by the time this fic is finished.

Now, sit back and either enjoy the ride, or (more likely) enjoy thinking of what you'll do to me at the end of it...

The Author

"He's what?"

The Servant Archer stared at his Master in disbelief.

She had stumbled into the house around four in the morning, as out of sorts as he had ever seen her (and he'd seen her trying to get up in the morning, so that was saying something). She didn't say anything to him, didn't give any sign that she even realized he was there--just shambled into the living room, made a beeline for the nearest chair, and from there proceeded to stare intently at the coffee table in front of her.

For the next seven hours.

When he made her some tea, she drained the cup in one gulp, but made no other comment. She didn't remark on his brewing--which was masterful, if he did say so himself--nor did she complain about his once again using her best tea leaves without permission. She just went back to staring at the table, as if it held the secrets to the universe.

Archer had guessed that whatever happened was significant--it had to be, if it could rattle Tohsaka Rin so badly.

But this was...

"Emiya Shirou is dead? Are you certain?"

"There was an arm. At the scene." Rin spoke with a flat, detached tone that was painful to listen to. "The jacket sleeve--it was our school's uniform." She shook her head. "No doubt about it. It was Emiya-kun."

Well. Archer looked down at the table, mind racing. Shirou dropping out of the Holy Grail War was shocking enough--but this... This changes everything.

Rin finally looked up. "Archer?"

"It's a bit surprising, is all." Rin gave him a measuring look, and he had to stop himself from flinching.

On the bright side, it looked like she was back up to thinking. Unfortunately, she was now thinking about him.

Need to divert her, somehow... "You do realize that it couldn't have been Saber."

She nodded. "Too far for him to have fled, and Saber wasn't the type who would toy with him," she said, and Archer felt himself relax a little.

Rin, on the other hand, had grown more tense. "But that means..."

That meant Shirou had been killed by someone else. Someone crazy enough to slaughter a person who had renounced every sign and benefit of being a Master--and leave a mess behind. Someone like...

Archer frowned. "If there's a Master like that prowling around, this could get very, very bad."

"Unpredictable...and worse, prone to exposure." Rin groaned. "Fuyuki is my responsibility. I can't overlook this, even if it isn't a Master."

"If it is, though, doesn't that fall under the purview of the War's supervisor?"

"That fraud?" Rin snorted. "Even if it is, technically, Kirei's job, there isn't much he can do. Temporarily changing the rules and siccing everyone on a rogue Master would be within his powers...but he doesn't even know who most of the Masters are, let alone how to get in touch with them. Just me and one other, he said."

It would be worse than useless, in that case--even if that one other Master agreed to cooperate with Rin in taking down the rogue, the Masters who didn't know any better would seize the opportunity to strike at those participating in the manhunt.

What a mess.

He shook his head. "At least we don't have to worry about Saber anymore."

"Oh?" Rin raised one eyebrow. "And how did you reach that conclusion?"

"You said yourself that Saber did not kill Emiya Shirou. Had she done so, she might--might--have lasted long enough to find another Master and persuade him to take her on.

"She didn't, though. And that left her with mere hours, at best. In the middle of the night. With the last Servant having just been summoned. If she didn't ask you--she didn't, right?"

Rin gave him a flat look, and he chuckled. "I had to ask. But that leaves her searching for a needle in a haystack, while the tightrope is burning at both ends. I... What?"

"I'd ask where you came up with a metaphor as jumbled as that...but I have a feeling you'd just say you forgot." She sighed. "Still, that's pretty much what I was thinking, as well. I agree--we're down to five other Servants, now."

"With one at school."

"With one at school." She nodded. "I have an idea or two about that one, but that can wait until tomorrow."

"And tonight?"

"Tonight, there's something else I want to check out."

"I see." He nodded in approval. She was still shaken, but she was starting to look forward, to try to plan for action. She wasn't quite there yet, but... "In that case, I have a suggestion."

She nodded for him to go ahead.

"Rin. You are not a Gorgon." Her eyes narrowed, and he smirked. One more push... "No matter how frightening your face becomes, it will not petrify your enemies--"

And the flames of hell erupted.

"IF YOU THINK I NEED SLEEP, JUST SAY SO!!!"

Rin shot to her feet, knocking the chair over. She paid it no mind. "I was going to do that anyway, you--YOU--" She let out an incoherent scream, and stormed upstairs.

Archer watched her go with a satisfied grin.

That was more like it.

Saber woke around noon.

She opened her eyes to dim, murky sunlight, filtered in through tightly-drawn drapes. The mid-day light bathed the entire room in gray, and for a moment, she found herself badly disoriented.

"Ugh..."

Her head hurt. Saber shut her eyes, and gently massaged her temples to relieve the pain. It was a futile effort...but it did serve to jog her memory.

"That's right. This is Sakura's..."

After the contract was completed, Zouken had suggested that Saber rest for a while to recover. He'd faltered only a moment when she was forced to admit that she could not shed her physical form, before suggesting that she rest in Sakura's room.

Her new Master had led her out of that hellish cellar, back up to the second floor, and across the hallway to her room. Sakura opened the door, let Saber in, gestured to the bed, then fled without saying a word.

Saber looked down at the bed. It was big enough for two, if they slept close together, and she had restricted herself to the far side of the bed with that thought in mind.

It seemed to have been a wasted consideration. The sheets were cool and unrumpled; Sakura had not returned that night, nor had she said anything about where she would be instead.

Saber frowned. In fact, now that she thought of it, outside of the words of the contract, Sakura hadn't said anything to her at all. That was an ominous sign--her first Master had not spoken to her either, unless he was using a Command Spell, and that had ended in disaster.

There were differences; Kiritsugu had gone out of his way to ignore her, whereas Sakura didn't seem to speak to anyone. Still, it set Saber ill at ease. She resolved to try to engage her Master in conversation, just to be on the safe side.

Shinji, too; he is the one most likely to fight alongside me, if Rider is defeated and I see battle.

And speaking of battle--Saber put her hand to her chest, and smiled. She was receiving energy properly from her new Master, and the deep wound Lancer had inflicted the night before was almost healed. She would be completely recovered by that evening.

And with that ascertained, there was nothing more to be gained by staying in bed. Saber stood, and left the room in search of her Master.

"Oh. You."

Saber looked down at the boy lounging on a couch in the dark living room. Shinji was the first person she'd seen today; the other rooms on the second floor were empty, and she had no intention of going anywhere near that basement again, if she could possibly help it.

She had an unpleasant premonition that it would come to that, though, and her eye twitched at the thought.

"Hmph...some Servant. You slept in pretty late for a charity case."

With an effort, Saber wrenched her mind back to the present. Shinji did not look happy, and she couldn't entirely blame him--it was rude of her to simply stand there and stare at him like that. "It could not be helped. I was near my limits."

"Yes, yes, I heard all that." He leaned forward, and Saber felt a chill run down her spine. "Hmm...now that I see you, though, you're not that bad-looking, are you?"

Saber frowned. "Whether I am good-looking or not has no bearing on my role as a Servant."

"What? No bearing? Of course it has a bearing!" Shinji gestured with his right hand, and Rider took form beside him.

She was even taller than Saber had thought when they clashed in the darkness below; here in this halfling light, Saber could see that her arms and legs were swathed in black sleeves that had distorted her perception before.

She might be even taller than Shirou.

...Why in the world did she think that?

Saber's eyes widened in shock as Shinji reached around and ran his hand up the inside of Rider's thigh. The Servant in black stood rigid, her face carefully neutral. "I'm the Master, and you're the Servant. It's your job to do whatever I want!"

Whatever he--?! Just what does he think a Servant is? Saber took a deep breath, and reined in her temper. "Be that as it may--you are not my Master. Nor will you ever be, if all goes well."

Shinji scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Rider and I were summoned to fight in the Holy Grail War." Shinji was still caressing Rider's...thigh...and Saber had to restrain herself from stalking over and pulling his hand away from the other Servant. "That is our purpose. If she wins out, you will have no need for me."

"Oh, that." Shinji sat back with a frown, and she saw Rider relax ever so slightly. "Yes, the Grail War. Don't worry about that--with me as her Master, Rider will win handily." He made a careless gesture, and the Servant returned to spirit form.

"You should not be so overconfident." Saber's eyes narrowed. "No matter how powerful a mage you might be, the Holy Grail War is--"

"Shut up."

Saber blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said shut up." Shinji slowly rose to his feet, eyes blazing. "Mages...the Grail War...power...WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW?!"

Saber took a step back in surprise. Why was he so--

'Magic in our family has all but died out. Sakura is adopted; she was given to us to revive our line and strengthen our magic.'

She felt like hitting herself. "I apologize, Shinji." If Sakura was adopted because of how weak the Matou bloodline was, what did that say about the son born of it? "I should not have brought that up--"

Shinji ignored her. "Oh, you think you know better. You heard them--they all think I'm going to die. Grandfather thinks I'm going to die. You think I'm going to die. That worthless slut of a sister thinks I'm going to die!"

Saber breathed in sharply. "Shinji! That's your sister--my Master--!"

"I can almost hear that pathetic whine now. 'Nii-san, I'm sorry! Nii-san, I'm sorry!' Please--like the little whore actually feels bad about this!" He began to pace back and forth in front of the couch. "Well, I'll show her. I'll show them all! I'm the Master! I'm the one who's special! ME!"

Saber stared, aghast, as he continued to rant.

"So I don't have Magic Circuits. So what? I'll still win!" he spat. "If I don't have the power for a Servant myself, I'll just get it from somewhere else! You need souls to eat? Then I'll give you souls! I'll feed you all the souls you could want! What does any of that have to do with being powerful? It's so easy--"

"That is not possible."

Shinji stopped mid-stride. "Hah?"

"It is best that we clarify this matter now, while there is still time to rectify it." Even though she was the one speaking, Saber couldn't help but marvel at how even her voice was. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to tear the boy before her limb from limb. "Rider may or may not abide by your plans. That is her prerogative. However, I am a knight. It is a most grievous violation of my oaths to hurt those who are unarmed."

She glared at him, and he stumbled back, sitting heavily back down on the couch.

"If you were to order me to betray my beliefs in such a fashion, you would be forced to use a Command Spell to compensate for treading inside me." She glanced down at the book in his hand. "But that tome is the only Command Spell you possess. You do not have one to spare for such a purpose."

She looked up again, directly into his eyes, and he pressed against the back of the couch with a frightened squeak. "Shinji. I strongly suggest that you reconsider your strategy."

Shinji glared at her from the couch. Saber met his gaze without blinking; after a long moment, he stood up, and stormed out without another word.

Saber watched him head upstairs, then glanced over. "Shouldn't you be following him, Rider?"

The Servant reappeared by the couch. "He cannot sense my presence. As long as he does not leave the house, I will have no trouble catching up to him at a second's notice."

Saber frowned. "You have business with me, then."

Rider nodded, then hesitated.

"What is it?"

"There is...something I wish to ask of you."

"Go on."

"What do you seek from the Holy Grail?"

Saber blinked. It was a legitimate question...at least, it was a legitimate question if it came from her Master. It was necessary for Master and Servant to clarify what each sought from the Grail, lest they reach the end and then find their wishes at odds with one another.

Had Sakura sent Rider to ask this, rather than do so herself? Saber felt a small flash of anger at the thought--it was far too much like Kiritsugu for her peace of mind. "Isn't that something our Master should be asking?"

"She will not." Rider frowned. "She does not wish to be a Master, nor will she act as one."

"I see." She already knew that. If Sakura had a wish--if she was going to act as Master--she would never have given up Rider. "There is no need for her to ask about my wish, in that case. But then..."

"I ask this as a fellow Servant."

Saber flinched. Another Rider had asked her that same question...and the debacle that ensued was among her most profound traumas. She could not think about the question--or the disgust her answer had elicited in him--without also thinking about his Noble Phantasm, which had rocked her very self-concept.

King Arthur does not understand human feelings.

She shook herself. She doubted this Rider was a king, so why was she asking? "You do not approve of me?"

"It is not my place to approve or disapprove. Nonetheless, I ask."

Perhaps it was some leftover adrenaline from her confrontation with Shinji. Perhaps it was the headache-inducing half-light of the room. Perhaps it was simply the stress from so much happening in so short a stretch of time. Whatever the case, when she finally answered, Saber was perhaps less cautious than she might otherwise have been. "I seek to save my kingdom."

"Your kingdom?" Rider cocked her head. "You are a king, then?" Saber stiffened, but before she could say anything, Rider went on. "No, that is not important. Saber. You say that you seek to save your kingdom. Do you wish this salvation in the present day?"

Saber shook her head.

"I see." Rider looked away for a moment. "That is unfortunate, then."

"What do you mean?"

"You are aware that the Holy Grail grows to greater completion as more Servants fall."

"I am. What of it?"

"Not all wishes are equal. Even an incomplete Grail would be an object of immense power; it should be capable of granting most wishes. For my own, I believe that slaying five Servants would be enough." Rider frowned. "But your wish crosses time, crosses reality--it invites paradox. For such a wish, nothing less than a wholly completed Grail will suffice."

Saber's eyes widened, then narrowed. "We are still enemies, then." How could she have forgotten? The Holy Grail War was a deathmatch, not between Masters, but between Servants. Even if only one Master remained--if that Master had more than one Servant...

"No, we are allies." Rider smiled. "Having you guard Sakura is advantageous for me, as well; it was for this reason that I did not object to the old man's proposal.

"But Saber. This is only a temporary alliance. When no other Masters remain, you and I will fight once more--your wish requires it. And I will pit my own wish against you, in turn."

Saber grinned sharply. "If it's anything like last night, it won't be much of a battle."

To her surprise, Rider nodded. "Yes. In hindsight, that was a fortuitous reprieve."

Saber raised an eyebrow. "You saw that, then?"

"As I said...in hindsight." Rider grimaced. "Next time, I shall have to be sure to gag Shinji beforehand."

Saber couldn't help but chuckle at that, and Rider smiled again. Then she turned to face Saber squarely, and braced at attention. "Until that day, though, I will entrust Sakura to you."

Sakura... "Rider, do you know where Sakura is right now? She never came back to her room last night--"

"That is not her room."

"Not her room? What do you mean? She and her grandfather both..." Saber trailed off involuntarily. The room had suddenly grown very cold. It wasn't her imagination; Rider's face had stiffened, and Saber understood instinctively that the Servant was glaring at her behind her mask. More than glaring...she wanted to do something to her--was restraining the impulse to do something to her, and having great difficulty in doing so.

It didn't make sense. Rider hadn't moved, and as far as Saber could tell, she wasn't gathering any magical energy--but the Servant in black was on the verge of unleashing a fatal attack, all the same. Saber didn't know how that was possible, but her instincts were vehemently certain...and just as certain that under no circumstances should she want to know.

Finally, Rider spoke. "I believe she has been in training." She turned away with a violent twist, sending her long hair billowing out behind her, and Saber released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Take care of her, Saber. You will have a difficult time, but I wish you luck, all the same." She dematerialized without another word.

A difficult time...? Saber frowned. "I don't understand."

Rider didn't bother to take form again to give her response.

"You will."

There was no visible sign of Shinji when Saber returned to the second floor. The door to his room was shut, and Rider's presence hovered menacingly nearby; it didn't look like either of them wanted to see her at the moment.

That suited Saber just fine. She would need to completely rethink her approach with Shinji...and she had a feeling Rider really would attack her, if they encountered each other again so soon.

A soft thump drew Saber's attention, and her eyes widened. "Sakura."

Her Master slumped against the wall by the stairs to the basement, nearly doubled over, and clutched one arm. Her face was flushed, and she was gasping for breath.

"Sakura!"

"Huh?" Sakura slowly looked up with a dazed expression. "Sa...ber...?"

"Sakura, are you all ri--" Sakura cocked her head, and Saber stiffened. "I apologize, Master. It was rude of me to presume to address you by your..."

"No...it's all right..." She paused for breath. "'Sakura' is fine."

"I see. Thank you for your gracious--no, that's not it! Sakura, are you all right?"

"I'm...fine."

Saber eyed her skeptically. "Please stand upright before you tell me that."

Sakura looked down. "This is just...training."

"And do you always train all night?"

Sakura opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out; she teetered, then began to tip sideways. Saber grabbed her arm to steady her, but Sakura flinched back from the contact.

"Sakura!"

"I'm not...a Matou...not by blood." Sakura was breathing heavily by this point. "It can't be...helped..."

It can't be helped? Saber frowned. She knew a mage's training was harsh--she couldn't have put up with Merlin for as long as she had without learning at least that much just by osmosis--but Sakura was on the verge of collapse. And she was implying that it was always like this?

No, that wasn't important now. "You should rest." Sakura's training could wait; her immediate well-being was a far greater consideration. "Come, I'll help you to your room."

"My room?" Sakura looked blankly at Saber for a moment; then her eyes widened in comprehension, and she tried to pull away. "No...I shouldn't. I'm..."

"Master. Please."

Sakura's face dropped. She stiffened when Saber took her arm again, but she didn't try to pull away, and she didn't resist as Saber led her to her room.

It didn't get any easier once they were safely inside and Saber shut the door behind them. Sakura made no move towards the bed or the closet or anywhere else; she just stood there, lost, in the middle of the room.

Saber had to prod Sakura towards the bed...then had to stop to undress her, when Sakura made to lie down in her clothes. She stripped Sakura down to her underwear, then ran into the next problem--there were no pajamas.

None in the dresser. None in the closet. None in the hamper in the corner. None lying on the floor. No pajamas, anywhere. "Sakura, where..." Sakura just stood there in her bra and panties--head bowed and shame radiating off her in waves--and Saber couldn't finish the question. She ended up tucking Sakura into bed in her underwear.

Saber picked up Sakura's clothes, and frowned. White blouse, tan vest, red ribbon and a dark skirt. It was very similar to what Rin had been wearing under her long coat, and there were two or three identical outfits hanging in the closet. A uniform of some kind?

Probably a school uniform, given her Master's age. Sakura wearing the same uniform as Rin was alarming; it suggested frequent proximity, and that would offer many opportunities for Archer's Master to do mischief. But Saber had noticed something else, as well: While there were other outfits hanging in the closet, they were stiff and unrumpled, and almost all of them still had price tags attached.

It was almost as if the other clothes were just for show--the only thing Sakura seemed to wear was the uniform. That implied a few things about Sakura's routine; still, Saber would have to ask to make sure.

Not now, though. Saber put the dirty clothes in the hamper, then took a seat opposite the bed.

"Saber?"

Saber blinked. She'd thought Sakura was already asleep. "Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

"I will keep watch over you here." Saber smiled. "Rest easy; no harm shall come to you while you slumber."

Saber could almost hear Sakura blink, and that bothered her for some reason. "Why?"

"Have you forgotten? You are my Master, now. Your well-being is first and foremost."

"Because you're my Servant."

"That is correct."

"Even though I don't...?"

"I understood that when I agreed to contract with you." Saber got up and walked over to the bed. She took Sakura's hand in her own, and her Master's eyes widened. "My objective is to obtain the Holy Grail. Under this arrangement, that does not necessarily entail you entering the field of battle. If you do not wish to fight, then I will be your shield, and advance toward my goal by protecting you."

She squeezed Sakura's hand. "And if you do choose to fight, then I will be your sword, and put all your enemies under your feet."

Sakura's face went pale. "But I don't want--"

"It is your choice, Sakura. I shall abide by whatever decision you make." Saber frowned. "But...you are a mage. Is there truly nothing you desire? No wish that the Holy Grail might grant for you?"

"I...no." Sakura looked away. "I already have...everything I should want."

"Very well." It hadn't escaped Saber's notice what, exactly, Sakura had said--but she was a Servant. It wasn't her place to interfere. "You should rest now."

Two stomachs chose that moment to growl in harmony. Saber felt her face turning red, and she could see Sakura blushing, as well. "...Or food might be an option. I'm not much of a cook, but should I see if your brother or grandfather--"

She cut herself off at Sakura's look of open alarm.

"Well. Let us rest first, then."

"See you later!"