ITP: Fallout

[no_longer_a_king]

Characters: Saber Lily and you!
Setting: Floors 101, the cafeteria, and various.
Format: Prose to start. Will match the replies.
Summary: Arturia practices on Floor 101, tries to get lunch while avoiding bumping into "Shirou", and checks in with people she promised to check in with once her memory returned.
Warnings: None
Notes: Backdated to the 17th-20th, as I'd originally planned on adding event prompts, but they're turning out to be unnecessary.

[A: Floor 101; Hanging Gardens; Just chilling]
Arturia never really spent much time here before, but she figured now was as good a time to look through it as any other. While it was very beautiful, it never held much interest to her before. It was actually quite beautiful and if she stayed away from the edge she could almost imagine this was a normal floor.

For whatever amounted to normal in the Tower of Animus, at least.

Caliburn in hand, she swung it in a wide arc, going through the motions of old drills as she had done for hundreds of years. Now that her memory of her life was much clearer, that she'd had a period of time where she hadn't been on the verge of breaking, she felt almost invigorated. Being forced to remember as she had, while painful, had given her a new perspective on things. It still hurt, it still stung, and she still felt uncertain about the future, but there was a peace there she hadn't had before. A certainty that all she could do was move forward.

There were too many people who would be angry with her if she didn't at least try to use this period of freedom to her advantage. Now was the time to do so.

[B: Floor 1; Cafeteria; Lost]
It's strange how lost one can feel without their normal routine. For months, Arturia had gone downstairs to meet Shirou for lunch, then practiced for hours on end with him to help him improve with a sword. For months, she had enjoyed his cooking, spending time with him, getting to know him.

And now? Well, she avoids the kitchen lest it turn out that Avenger wearing Shirou's guise is there. Avoids their usual spots. She might have accepted the fact Shirou was no longer here and had never been here, but that made it no less painful, made her miss it no less. She avoided the usual places she and Shirou practiced in, avoided anywhere she could bump into Avenger disguised as Shirou for now. Part of her wondered if she should tell 'Shirou' the reason why or if it even mattered because it was not truly Shirou. That was a philosophical question she couldn't quite wrap her head around.

But avoiding the kitchen did not mean Arturia didn't need to eat. Not during a month when Riki gave them good food to eat and fine wine. The restaurant was out of the question as she did not want to risk what could be asked of her there, but she could wait until people usually were not eating and take her meal.

On this day she hadn't expected someone else to be in the kitchen and, to her embarrassment, she wound up nearly walking straight into them as they were exiting it.

"Ah, excuse me. I didn't mean to get into your way."

[C: Various; Meetings]
And then there were the people she promised to explain things to. People she sought out now that she knew the truth of Shirou and Avenger in order to tell them.

In a few cases, she would have to ask them why they kept certain things from her.

Comments

Cafeteria

[pure_as_snow]

[Coming to the cafeteria had played a large role in helping Irisviel to establish a semblance of routine in the tower. Without the guiding light of her husband's dream to push her ever forward, Irisviel had stumbled and grasped for answers as she attempted to find a purpose to motivate herself to leave her bed every morning.

It was in the small details of every day life and the promise of once more helping others to achieve their dreams that she found a reason to keep moving forward, but for now it mostly meant finding lunch for the day.

Wandering out the kitchen in a food fueled daze, the Einzbern homunculus only snapped back to reality upon finding that she had bumped into someone. Readying an apology almost immediately, her mind stumbled upon seeing just who she had run into.]

Oh no, it is quite all right...wait, Saber? Is that you?

NOW THAT I AM DONE MOVING; Sorry about how horribly late this is

[no_longer_a_king]

[Arturia visibly freezes upon seeing Irisviel, her eyes going wide. It is not the first time her former Master has been in the Tower, oh no, but the last time she had seen Irisviel had been after drowning in her sleep some months before. The last thing she'd expected was to see the woman again like this.

But the moment the shock is over, she stands up straighter despite how her pride is wounded. If Irisviel is here, regardless of the world she is from, then Arturia would need to protect her.]

Yes, Irisviel. It is me.

[There's so many things she wants to say, especially now that her memories are so fresh in her mind: The Fourth War, the time in the Tower, the feelings her other self had had for the woman before her. All of it almost feels like it just happened: for good or ill.]

It's totally fine!

[pure_as_snow]

[Thoughts of Saber were still fairly fresh in Irisviel's head, just a month or so before she had gone to bed under the servant's careful watch and awoken in another place entirely. But even if this was a different girl then the one she left behind, there was still lent a degree of reassuring calm to Irisviel's mind to see the servant again.]

Then it's good to see you again, Saber.

[She smiles gently]

Have you been well?

[no_longer_a_king]

Yes.

[She just spent the last two weeks having erased her memory, throwing away any responsibilities she had over discovering the boy she had thought was the one she loved was someone else entirely.

And then she finds Irisviel had arrived recently, most likely while she had been unable to remember.

If she didn't believe herself a failure as even a knight before, she does now. Even if she understands the why of it now, she is still ashamed by her behavior.

Despite this, she forces herself to stand straighter still, forces her voice to be even despite the conflict within her. Irisviel is here. That takes precedence above all else.]

How long have you been here? How have you fared?

[pure_as_snow]

That's good to hear, I was worried that the ills of this place may have befallen you.

[Irisviel worried about others more then herself, it was simply who she was, and Saber was among those she worried for most in times of crisis.]

I've been here a few weeks or so. I've been fine myself, many of the people here have been very kind and have helped me to adjust to life in the towrr.

[no_longer_a_king]

You had been told of my presence here?

[She shouldn't be surprised. Even if Arturia kept to herself, that did not mean people did not know of Arturia. Not with how hard she's been working to save the people of this place.

This just gives her more drive to save them. Even if this is not her Irisviel or Saber's, it's still Irisviel. She would not let her die in this place once the countdown spirals down to zero.]

I apologize for not coming to find you in that case. I had been unaware of yours.

[pure_as_snow]

Yes, both Waver and Lancer mentioned in brief that you were here when I first arrived. After reading the letter I had been given, I'd thought I had lost everyone dearest to me, so it was very reassuring to know that you had been spared that fate.

[Such news had made it much easier to focus on the bigger picture.]

That's all right, Saber. You've done nothing wrong.

[no_longer_a_king]

[Oh, if only Iri knew. Arturia barely manages to keep from wincing at the mention of being 'spared'. Waver and Lancer spoke to her, yes? How much did they explain to Iri?]

Did they told you about alternate worlds as well?

[pure_as_snow]

Yes, I recall talking to Waver about Second Magic and the fact that the people here were drawn from many different worlds and realities.

It was certainly a bit shocking to hear at first, but the fact that Waver was much older then I remember him being and that that he claimed that Lancer, rather then Rider, was his servant swayed me towards believing him.

[no_longer_a_king]

....was it explained to you that Zo can only bring one person from each world here? That he can save no other beyond that?

[pure_as_snow]

No...nothing like that was ever mentioned to me.

[That was worrying to hear, terribly so. Enough to cause Irisviel to wonder what awful things such a notion could possibly yield.]

[no_longer_a_king]

[Of course not. Arturia looked to the side, thinking. She hated the idea of having to be the bearer of bad news--especially to Irisviel--but it would be a disservice not to tell her what Lancer and Waver might have left out, intentional or otherwise.

Arturia looks back to Irisviel, resignation clear in her expression. It would be better for her to hear these things from a familiar face, would it not.]

Give me a moment to get something to drink. We can sit and talk and I can see what you have not yet learned about this place.

[pure_as_snow]

Oh, of course. I imagine there is much I still do not know about this place.

[no_longer_a_king]

I will be just a moment.

[And she is. Long enough to get a milkshake. Arturia imagines she'll be rather sick of pumpkin by the end of the month, but she doubts she'll be sick of milkshakes.]

Come, let's find a place to sit.

[pure_as_snow]

Very well. You lead the way.

[Irisviel did her best to smile, but something in her mind seemed to echo that she would soon hear things she may have been happier not knowing.]

[no_longer_a_king]

[Arturia didn't blame her. There was very little good she could tell her.

She spotted a cleared table by the wall. There's a few people sitting near it, but for the most part their conversation would not be interrupted.

Arturia leads her over to it and pulls out a seat for Iri.]

[pure_as_snow]

Thank you.

[Following Saber's kind gesture, Irisviel takes a seat and waits for Saber to do the same.]

[no_longer_a_king]

[Arturia takes her seat across from Iri. She's silent for a moment before she speaks.]

What do you know so far of this Tower?

[pure_as_snow]

Well...

[Irisviel thinks intently for a moment, tapping one of her fingers against her chin as she does.]

I've been told of the destruction that has befallen our homes, a bit about the people who have brought us here, and the danger of staying in certain places around the tower for to long. Oh and a some about the workings of Second Magic and alternate worlds.

[no_longer_a_king]

All right. Then I'll start from the beginning....

[And she explains everything to Irisviel. Everything from the Glamour System in place to the state of their worlds to the Administrators. It takes upwards of an hour and Arturia manages to keep her composure during it. She even pulls her sketchbook out of her bag and shows Irisviel the maps she's made of the various floors of the Tower, explaining the dangers on each and every single one.]

[pure_as_snow]

[Irisviel listens intently to Saber's every word. At times, upon hearing the horrible state of things, she comes close to crying at the idea of what has befallen her family, friends, and even herself.

The rest, that which was far less distressing to here, she attempted to soak in every word for the sake of her own safety. She had promised that she would devote herself to fulfilling the dreams of others, a role she could not take up if wounded or worse.]

[no_longer_a_king]

[Arturia feels awful saying this, knowing how it likely hurts Irisviel to hear this.

But as awful as it is to tell her horrible things, this next bit might be the hardest of all:]

....do you know what the countdown on the Network terminals mean?

[pure_as_snow]

[Pulling herself back from the edge of despair and bracing herself for what may come, Irisviel nods in the negative.]

[no_longer_a_king]

[For the first time, Arturia wants to sugar coat it, to make it sound better somehow. Things are not as bad as they seem! Ohohoho! We can make it out of here! Ohohoho!

Except what would she do if things come crashing down again? They live in illusions within illusions. Not telling Irisviel the truth would only have disastrous consequences down the line. No, even if she is responsible for this, Arturia has to tell Irisviel the truth.]

In May, a group of us made a concerted effort to change things. We were given microchips by one of the former Administrators named Dax. We placed these chips throughout the Tower and, when a security scan was done at the beginning of the month it.... broke things.

It broke things very badly.

That countdown is how long we have until the Tower loses power entirely. When that happens, if we have not found a way to fix it by then, we will.... [She falters, then forces herself to carry on.] Everyone in this Tower will die as we cannot be sustained as we are now. Everyone who Zo has lost back to their homeworld will then be in grave danger.

[pure_as_snow]

[Irisviel had done her best to hold back the torrent of negative emotions that had been welling in her heart since Arturia had begun her lecture, but now, with the news that there was a very real possibility that they all may die, that wall could no longer hold.

She began crying. She was a strong and been through a hell worse then most humans would ever see in their lifetime. But this was simply to much.]