A Certain Magical Fate, Book 4: Cherry Blossoms

An Archer.

"So.. right now.. you're both our Mikoto.. and the other one.." Saber said. "That's.. a bit confusing."

"I know.. I'm still a little confused myself." said Mikoto. "But essentially our personalities are both so exact, it's really changed nothing except now we've got a little more skills under our belt.. "

Mikoto was sitting in bed at Chaldea Headquarters, bandages wrapped around her feet and ankles, an ice pack on her bruised arm.. 

Mordred, who refused to leave Mikoto's side, snoozed silently in a nearby armchair, a book open on her knees. Caster had gone out for some air, leaving Mikoto and Saber alone together. 

Saber ruffled Mikoto's hair, smiling with relief. "Regardless of how you're now.. erm.. two yous.. I'm glad you're safe. 

Mikoto nodded, but she could still feel the fear and revulsion in her that had been the aftermath of meeting Billy Vilch. 

"Saber.. h.. he took pictures of me... very.. very embarrassing pictures... r.. references for still lifes he called them.. Please find those pictures and burn them for me.. burn them all.." Mikoto whispered.

Saber hugged Mikoto. "I'll do that , don't you worry.. I'll make him pay."

"I believe that.." said Mikoto with a small smile. 

"And I'll make Stacy pay as well.."

"No.." Mikoto said hastily, shaking her head. "Please Saber, let's leave her alone. "

Saber gave Mikoto a look of shock. "You can't honestly still defend somebody like her.. not after everything she's done to you!!"

"What she did is wrong, and I agree she needs to pay for it at some point, but your idea of justice is Camelot style execution by beheading." said Mikoto. "Saber.. she didn't used to be like this, trust me. Why she's like this.. it's my fault."

"She's tried to kill you since you were kids!!" stammered Saber.

"Because of something I did, that changed her." said Mikoto. "Because I was once a selfish bastard!"

Mikoto took out her Gekota themed money purse, and opened it, pulling out a small stack of photographs.

"You keep around hard copy photos?" said Saber with surprise, as this was an era where everyone kept photos digitally. 

"I was born in the early 2000s Saber, I think we still used regular cameras back then." said Mikoto. "Sometimes a good hard copy has something that means more to it then looking on a screen."

Saber took the photographs. Some of them were of Mikoto, Kuroko, Uiharu, and Saten, the original four friends who always hung out.. more recent photos included Mordred and herself in those pictures, as well as Draco in some of them, eyeing Uiharu worriedly like she always did. 

But there were also old photographs from Mikoto's childhood. Pictures of her with her parents. Tabigake was a handsome man with some major sideburns, and Misuzu, well Misuzu looked nearly identical to Mikoto except with a rather more mature looking chest.  Saber always took that as one of the reasons why Mikoto herself was so radiant, though she herself would never admit how pretty she was. 

But it was the last three photos that Saber found to be strange. They were of a very young Mikoto, probably around 4, with a 4 year old Stacy.

Saber could tell it was Stacy cause she definitely dressed girlier than Mikoto, and she had her usual twin tails, but her hair was chestnut brown like MIkoto's.. did she dye her hair nowadays?

The strangest part about the picture was that Stacy and Mikoto were hugging each other, smiling at the camera like they were genuinely thrilled to be with each other.