towerofanimus | "I saved you"

Characters: Archer and anyone who wants to greet him--so OPEN.
Setting: Tonight, room 3-16 and the hallway outside it.
Format: Starting with prose, but feel free go to action brackets if you'd rather!
Summary: Someone new shows up in the Tower and has some unusual reactions.
Warnings: Probable violence and likely angst.

There's a strange sound echoing out of room 3-16 tonight. What makes it even stranger is that the voice behind it is someone new. Here's what makes it so strange: it's laughter. There's a new person in the Tower, and he is laughing.

The laughter goes on for almost a minute, at times bubbling near to hysteria. Finally, though, it cuts off, and a much smaller sound can be heard: the *CRUMP* of paper being balled up and flung away. And Archer stalks out of the room.

(He just read the letter, you see. It said, I saved you. That's why he was laughing.)

He stands in the middle of the hallway with a disinterested look for a minute; apparently all the mirth has been drained out of him. Then he shrugs and throws his hands up in front of him. "It isn't very much of a new home. Well, why don't I test it out?" And without him appearing to draw them from anywhere, twin swords, black and white, flash into his hands.

He swings them at the wall, hard. And the blades shatter, and the shards vanish into thin air.

The man in the red coat is left blinking down at his hands, then at the wall he struck. He doesn't look too surprised, though--and what little surprise he does have on his face is rapidly fading to resignation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He's wrapped up enough in his frustration that it takes him a moment to realize who's addressing him. Illyasviel von Einzbern. Master of Berserker. A girl he cared about a long time ago and only sees as an enemy now.

But why is she addressing him so familiarly?]

Does it matter to you?

Only in that it is strange to see someone who should be dead walking around.

I'm a Servant, so it happens.

I imagine it does, being I've seen Saber and Lancer here as well.

But may I ask what version of the Holy Grail was your from?

What version? That's a weird way to put it. I'm the Servant of Rin, in the Fifth Holy Grail War. She's a Tohsaka. Well, what else would you have me tell you?

Well, I've met servants from the same war who experienced far different events then I did.

For example, a certain person told me there was a war in which Sakura Matou didn't become the Grail's Vessel.

...hah. Your version of the Grail War is a weird one.

This isn't something to be made light of. I for one will likely die as a result of the way things turned out.

Well?

[His gaze is flat. He won't let himself care anymore.]

You'd have probably died anyway. Einzberns don't take the best care of their homunculi once their purpose is served.

Even if I do die I'm sure Shirou will do everything in his power to save me anyway.

If that happened I could at least die happy.

[Well, that gets some emotion out of him--in the form of a vicious sneer.]

There's nothing in his power to save anyone that matters.

[Just in case it wasn't perfectly clear the first time:]

He cannot save you, Illyasviel. He never could.

I know that, Archer. I'm not dumb.

[She sighs.]

I would just be happy that someone I loved tried for my sake.

[He can't quite hide the startled look on his face at those works--but only for a split-second. Then he can, and it's gone.]

Trying isn't enough. If you want to save everyone in your sight, it's something you have to do.

...that's what he knows. So it won't matter if you're happy. He won't be.

I don't know anything about the Shirou your talking about, but the one I know gave up the idea that he could save everyone for Sakura and my sake...

Hah. Little girls shouldn't lie.

I'm not lying! He could have killed Sakura and saved many, many, people. But he didn't!

Then he couldn't have. There isn't any situation where that kid would put down his ideals and save one girl. It's impossible.

What makes you think you know my Onii-chan better then I do, you stubborn servant?

Can you make me answer that?

[Because like hell he's going to of his own free will--insofar as it exists.]

I'm not your master, so I can't force you to answer anything. But you not answering and a few things that happened where I'm from makes your silence a bit suspicious.