Ⅰ The King has entered the building

[lyres]

[ It was early in the morning when Nero opened her eyes. She was in bed with someone else. She didn't know who, and in her still fuzzy mind, she honestly didn't care. All she cared about was that she wasn't too far from her own room, considering it was always a pain to slip back to her quarters without having half the Roman empire notice. Maybe they were in her room already? No, this bed wasn't even as half as royal as her bed, she knew that. This thing on the mattress wasn't silk. She really should open her eyes, yes, but it was warm and she was at ease.

But then again, last thing she remembered had nothing to do with Rome, or being alive for that matter. What it was? There was an increasingly nagging pressure at the back of her head. It was important, and it didn't have to do with the man she was sleeping with. It had to do...with her Master.

Right, her Master. Her beloved Hakuno. Or had that been a dream? Maybe she had drank too much wine and dreamt not only of her death, but also of her rise to Glory as a Servant -what a weird choice of words-, and maybe she had dreamt of that oddly dressed, meek girl she had grown to cherish every minute they had spent together. And now...now...

Nero, no, Saber opened her eyes, and was amazed, then surprised, and all the while naked. Morning in 505 Ricardo Street suddenly took a turn for the noisy, with things being flung around and a very confused droned husband being left unconscious and locked in a closet. Good morning. ]

Ａ．　Ｍｏｒｎｉｎｇ，　ｌｏｃｋｅｄ　ｔｏ　５０５　Ｒｉｃａｒｄｏ　Ｓｔｒｅｅｔ．

[ Saber is cooking, your argument is invalid.

She's also carefully avoiding everything in the house that shows her being all wifey to the dude she was sleeping with. And is that Hakuno? Saber is too scared to check the other rooms, not that she would accept she is scared, shut up. For now, she's fixing herself from breakfast, and doing extra for whoever might need to be fed as an apology. If she feels like untying her fake hubby. Maybe.

She's humming. ]

Ｂ．　Ａｒｏｕｎｄ　ｔｏｗｎ，　ｍｏｓｔ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｄａｙ．　Ｏｐｅｎ　ｔｏ　ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ．

[ Being the amazing person she is, Saber has taken to explore the city, but not before modifying the ridiculous clothes she had been given into something a lot easier to deal with. Shorter skirts and less restraining shirts, boys and girls. She can found either staring at pets, buildings, or other people. Perhaps you? You don't even need to look weird, just...be around. Her walking is taking her all over Mayfield, but she's not entering any place just yet. ]

Ｃ．　Ｐｈｏｎｅ．　Ｅｖｅｎｉｎｇ．　Ｏｐｅｎ　ｔｏ　ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ．

Greetings, Mayfield. You will call me Saber.

I'm not impressed.

Comments

[lyres]

Won't you even adknowledge me, Praetor? Have I wronged you somehow?

[ Saber is staring from the kitchen, giving Hakuno some killer puppy eyes. ]

Or are you just a fake like the man in the room?

[doesnotgetit]

[Hakuno skids to a complete halt at that. Oh, sure, the drone had called out to her as she left, more often than not. She'd addressed her with a variety names; really cheesy stuff, things that the real Saber probably would've been embarrassed to hear in her voice. But.

Praetor.

Slowly she turns, and the disbelief is clear on her face.]

... Saber? It's... really you?

[lyres]

Who else? I have just woken up here. How have you been? You look well.

[ Have a little smile. ]

[doesnotgetit]

[She certainly looks fi-- wait, is she crying? She certainly is. And now she's running over, and she practically slams into Saber as she hugs her, trying very hard not to outright sob.]

I'm so glad! I thought... I thought you weren't going to come back...

[lyres]

[ All the hugs for her pretty lady. ]

I'm here. I really am. I can't say I remember being away though. What is going on?

And you should eat something before going out. I'm afraid I can't take spirit form in this place.

[doesnotgetit]

[Just. Give her a second. She's doing a good job of not sobbing all over Saber, but that still takes a lot of self-control.]

You... you were here before. For a while, even before I got here... but something happened. They sent you away. [Nope not going to think about it.] Do you really not remember anything...?

[lyres]

[ She can sob over her all she wants, really. ]

Hmm, if you say it, I have to believe it. But I remember nothing of my time here. This is troublesome, I obviously have people here that will want to know I'm back, and yet I can't remember what it was like.

[doesnotgetit]

[Deep breath.] It's not much, and there are people here that have been stuck in this town much longer than me, but I can tell you what I know.

I guess most importantly... there are a few other Servants here, and a few people who seem to know about the Grail War. It looks like there's a truce or something going on, because there hasn't been any fighting between Servants and Masters as far as I can tell.

... Rin is here. [It's still weird, knowing that Saber's memories of home are slightly different from her own; she remembered saving Rani, but Saber had remembered saving Rin... It doesn't bother her much anymore, but still.] So is her Lancer.

[lyres]

And they will do well to stay away from you then. If there is no Grail, and judging by the fact I'm flesh and bones once more, there is not, a War would be senseless.

...So that little girl is here. Is she up to no good, as usual? [ There is a grin on her face, but her embrace remains on Hakuno. ]

[doesnotgetit]

She's been a huge help, actually. I'd probably still be pretty lost without her. [Which fits with how she was back home! Even if, towards the end of the War, she got more help from Rani, Rin was still there when she needed her.]

... Hey. [Her voice turns a little more serious now.] This may sound strange, but... what was the last thing that happened before you woke up here?

[lyres]

She's like that, I suppose.

Hm? Well...I was fading. [ A small smile traces her lips. ] All was said and done, and I was ready to go. I was quite confused when I woke up.

[doesnotgetit]

[Hakuno grits her teeth a little at that. She knew it would have to happen, that there was no way to stop it... but it didn't make the thought of one of the three people most precious to her disappearing any easier.]

What about... during the War. Around the middle. [She knows this sounds crazy, like she's doubting her own memories... but it'll be easier if they can get the confusion out sooner rather than later.] When we saw Rani and Rin fighting. Do you remember which one we saved?