fate/first order derivative

Part II.9

> restart: iteration 28, day 1, early night

"No way." Emiya crosses his arms. "That couldn't have been Sakura. There's no chance."

"Well, yeah, no shit," I retort. I'm in a pretty foul mood. Guess finding out someone I've been trying to save has been killing me with magic for the last several loops has that effect on me. Or at least someone who looks like her, anyway. And seems to have access to her memories.

> you sure about that

Not completely, but it stands to reason. Last time was the first loop I didn't see that shadow beam scour our side of town. And guess who shows up looking for me? Besides -- shadow beam, shadow monster, shadow dress. Doesn't take a genius to see the thematic link there.

"Question is, what the hell is borrowing her body? And how? Unless --" I glance at Rin. "You don't have any other sisters you've neglected to mention, right?"

"No." Rin glowers at me. I've held back on some of the details this time to keep them from running off to the rescue without me. Including the contract loophole. Maybe she can tell.

I shake my head. "But anyway, we're getting ahead of ourselves here. We need to take this one problem at a time."

Shirou raises an eyebrow. "Meaning... ?"

"Meaning it's time for someone to come clean with the rest of us. Not to name any names, Saber." I glare at her across the table.

"What?!" Saber looks up, startled. "What do I have to do with any of this?"

"Don't give me that," I snap. "I saw the way you looked at Tracksuit Bro. That wasn't garden-variety hate there. I mean, yeah, granted, he'd just slaughtered all our friends and turned you into a living Phineas Gage reenactment --"

"I was going to say." Saber narrows her eyes.

"But still! There was history there. I could tell." I tilt my head. "So spill. Who is Blondie? What is his deal?"

"Believe it or not, my list of enemies is not so limited that merely describing him as blonde is any sort of assistance." Saber pauses. "Although... did he at any point use the word mongrel?"

I blink. "Yeah, actually..." Weird choice of insult, come to think of it. I mean, I get it if he doesn't want to work blue, but still...

"Oh, God." Saber pinches the bridge of her nose. "I can't believe this..."

***

> skip forward

"So..." I take a deep breath. "The Gilgamesh. From Sumerian mythology. That guy."

"The King of Heroes, yes," Saber says irritably.

"Who you fought in the Fourth Grail War ten years ago. Which you were also summoned to be a part of. Is that even possible?" I glance at Rin, who just shrugs. "And you didn't think to mention this before because... ?"

"I was summoned hours ago. There is no before for me." Saber harrumphs. "Besides... if it wasn't for this new information, I would otherwise not see how my past is relevant to our present circumstances."

"Okay..." Not sure if I buy that. All the same, that at least explains how she knew stuff about the last war. And why Zouken kept saying she looked familiar. Guess he must've been in town for all of that. "So, wait... who did you serve back then?"

"... the von Einzberns." Saber glares at me, then turns to Shirou. "Rest assured, though, Master -- I retain no loyalty towards them. I will not hesitate to act against them in your service. This I swear."