A Certain Magical Fate. Book 1: Saber.

Beginning Strike.

"Well, are you finished yet?"

23 hung upside down smiling deviously at Saber Railgun as she passed through one of the lab hallways. .. her legs clinging to low hanging tubular wires.

Ever since her completion, 23's eyes had grown darker, and her skin more clammy, and almost slime-like..  like a disturbing mutant version of MIkoto..

Mikoto never really thought much on 23's resemblance to her, as her master didn't seem bothered by it, but she couldn't help but feel revulsion sometimes when the creature was close.

"What do you want?" Mikoto asked.

"Hmmm.. you're more serious than your original self.." said 23. "How boring is that?"

"I am merely here to complete my duty as a Servant nothing more.. I do not make small talk." said Mikoto simply. 

"Do your duty hmm? Even if that means you have to kill Arturia..?" said 23 craftily. 

Mikoto froze for a minute.

"I hit a nerve there.." said 23 with a grin. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." said Mikoto.

"Oh... but you DO.. " said 23. "I can see the confusion in your brain.. electrokinetic telepathy remember?  You know her, you think you know her, but you don't know why, and it's confusing you something fierce.. the mental conflict is just EATING you! HAHAHAHA! Love it.."

"Who is she?" asked Mikoto. "Why is it.. that I have a feeling of longing when I think of her.."

"Want the specific or general answer?" asked 23 craftily.

"General.. I have no time for long explanations with the security I must oversee for the lab."

23 chuckled, as if she was hoping she could say the short and sweet version.  "Well.. She's your mother."

Mikoto went pale at these words, her armored dress fluttering for a little before she stared at 23.

"Hey.. you wanted to know." said 23. "See, from what I know.. Arturia Pendragon made a bargain with a mage who promised that by altering the Archetype of time, he could make it so a girl would come along who would function as her daughter..  and considering her blood runs through your veins now that you're a servant.. well.. you can take a guess..  you're literally kinda her kid now.. and she kind of sees you that way what with how frantically she's trying to get you to go with her."

"She is an enemy.. n-nothing more.." Mikoto stammered. "I am loyal to lady Iselia."

"Oh yeah.. she's your aunt technically, Iselia's Arturia's sister.. but don't let that bother you." said 23 with a chuckle. "Honestly, she'd kill me if she found out I told you all this.. but I just LOVE messing with you humans.. your strange emotions are so marvelously entertaining."

Mikoto gritted her teeth and strode off.

"Now now.. not causing trouble are we?" Iselia walked over from out of another lab room, scribbling down on a tablet computer with her finger.  

"I'm curious.." said 23. "What's with her change in personality after the transformation.. surely she still is the same person.."

"Oh.. well, she has Arturia's blood, so like Arturia, she feels a dutiful obligation to act coldly in the name of duty.. she is a representation of Arturia's femininity, something that Arturia has been forced to hide all her life.. like a secret self.  Notice how her armor has a more feminine appearance than Arturia's?"

"Yes I do.." said 23.

"You might just find her acting far more girly than Arturia... it's fun you see.. both Misaka and my sister possess similar personality traits where they have a girly side which they prefer to stay hidden.. " said Iselia. "Perhaps if Mikoto regained her memories, she'd act more like herself instead of the base persona that form has given her.. how curious indeed."