Chapter 2:Seeing Red

As the girl's soft voice entered my ears I quickly rose up from her lap. I turned and shot a glare at her thinking she was an intruder. "H-Have you come to kill me too?! If so then I won't let you!" I declared already preparing myself in a fighting stance. The girl herself quickly rose as well shock written on her face seeing how rapidly I had recovered from my near-death. She then held up her hands and said. "Calm down! We are here to help you!" I wasn't buying it, I had always lived in fear that, Holy Grail War or no, some crazed mage would attempt to pillage the main house for all the information and artifacts it contained inside. Until recently not that any had ever really tried mind you since both the Mages Association and the Vatican have both desperately tried to absorb us (mainly me and Kai since we are generally the only members of the Misako family left) into each of their high class articulate folds. My family had always been ghosts to them and I was determined to keep it that way. "Who sent you?! The Mages Association?! The Vatican?! Some rich psycho who has targeted me specifically?! Answer me damnit!"

Maria Francesca stood there frantically trying to figure out how to get the latest and final Master needed for the Red Faction of the Holy Grail War. If subduing her was needed to get her to cooperate she was ready to call on Lancer to do so but she had wanted to avoid unnecessary violence. "Listen! If we wanted you dead Lancer would have killed you already!" She said with an irritated growl. The girl before her seemed to wince as if she was forgetting something very important and then relax her face turning red from embarrassment as she repeatedly apologized bowing over and over.

Arrrggghh! I had never felt so stupid! If this foreigner Master had come with murderous intentions she'd have had her Servant finish me off when I was losing consciousness! "Please forgive me for doubting you in coming to save me!" I said as I bowed. The girl only nervously smiled as if she were expecting me to snap on her again. "Its perfectly fine, I can understand the distrust but we are the good guys here, my name is Maria Francesca I am a Master of the Red Faction of this Holy Grail War." She said as her brown eyes pierced into mine. I was confused. Factions? How could there be factions in a Holy Grail War? In both the wars Mom, Dad and Seina fought in there was only one set of Masters. Seeing the confusion on my face Maria sighed. "Never mind that can be explained when we get to the hotel right now we must address the issue on your Servant." She said as her Servant returned, she was a tall, slender yet beautiful woman with long raven black hair tied up in a ponytail. I found myself staring at her outfit as she wore a thick leather top that sat above her exposed midriff where at the bottom she wore an armored fauld and leggings as well as her own boots as she held a spear with a deep crimson hue. That must be Lancer… I thought as Maria snapped me back into focus.

"Focus Saiya! Where's your Servant?!" I suddenly realized my current situation as a Master and looked up at her. "I don't have one…I didn't have time for a summoning…" I said in a calm matter-of-fact tone that even surprised me. If Maria was frustrated with me she didn't show it, she sighed as she looked around the ruins of my home. "Well we will need to get it done fast before anyone else arrives..!" I nodded as I began walking towards the house when a sudden pain began ringing in my chest. It felt as if the Command Seal itself was putting my insides to the torch as light from it raged like a wildfire. As I fell to my knees I heard Maria running to my side in a dull roar. I could feel my senses fading as the glow turned blue. I could hear my heart pounding slowly against my chest as I silently plead to some unseen force.

*Thump….* Please….someone….

*Thump….* Someone….stop this suffering that haunts me….

*Thump….* Please….I'm surrounded by never ending darkness….

*Thump….*Please….I'm so scared…..

And just as I expected no one to answer suddenly a voice did.

Fear no more…I shall stand at your side…I shall be your guide in that darkness…I shall be your sword to cut your way to the heavens…I shall be your samurai…and you my Empress…But now I must ask you…

As those words were said the darkness before me was obliterated and I now stood in a tall grassy meadow as the sun set on the horizon and the permeating scent of rice tickled my nostrils. I would have been stunned wondering where I was had my eyes not caught sight of a girl about my age in a long flowing pink kimono from which the sleeves themselves looked as if they were shedding cherry blossom leaves. It took me a moment to realize it was a male kimono as she stood there her pale grey eyes gazing into mine as my eyes caught the thick black bow that held her pale almost white blonde hair as she held a katana sword in one hand and the other was extended towards me. "Are you my Master….?" She asked with a stern but soft look in her eyes. I knew then that this was my Servant. This is the girl who helped give me the urge to not die… to not give up when I was at death's door. "Yes…!" I answered with confidence in my voice as I gladly took her hand in mine.

Maria was shocked when Saiya first collapsed, first there was that light from her chest, and then blue light began glittering all over her body, and the next thing she knew Saiya was standing in front of her grasping the hand of her new Servant Saber. No magus in history has EVER exhibited that much power during a summoning! Just who the hell is this girl?! She thought as she saw Saiya realizing where she was. "We're back here…?" She mumbled in an exhausted confusion.

The trip to the hotel was a quiet one as they all sat in the back seat of the limo. I could feel Maria's eyes on me as if I were a puzzle she had yet to solve. Lancer was busy cleaning her spear and Saber gazed out the window examining each of the lights, shops, and other people as we passed by. I felt a warmth flooding my cheeks as I stared at her. She's so beautiful…yet her eyes tell she has seen many things in her life…

"We're here." Maria said as the limousine stopped in front of the hotel and we all got out stepping inside as our Servants vanished into their spiritual forms away from any wondering human eyes. We were both still dead silent until we arrived in the large VIP lounge area where other Masters and Servants of Red were meeting. As our own Servants rematerialized into their physical forms I couldn't help but be in awe as I gazed at everyone of the Masters and their Servants. As they in turn noticed Maria and I walk in some of them looked towards us, or more specifically at me and Saber with curiosity and interest. Maria tapped my shoulder and began introducing people. As she spoke she noticed my eyes drifting towards a very handsome tall boy with long red hair tapping a pack of pocky as if they were cigarettes as he nibbled one of the delicious sticks in his mouth while standing with another boy who was much shorter but dressed in armor and thick garments befitting nobility with long pink hair braided in a princess style down his cloak. "That's Kyou Sakuyoi along with Rider of Red. I'd be careful around them Rider's kind of a blabbermouth while Kyou likes to be a smartass."

My eyes glittered as I gazed at them and a smile came to my face. "No…Kyou may act bad….but he is a good man…pure of heart…Rider as well…he is like a loving tidal wave of energy…" They all looked at me as I said that. "How are you so sure of that…?" Maria asked confused at how I could make such a conclusion on others just by looking at them. I smiled innocently as I looked at her. "Its in their mana of course…!" Maria's eyes went wide as some of the other Masters smirked with even more interest. I winced blushing with embarrassment at my own abilities as I sighed. Its going to be a long night….

However, deep across the city another set of eyes was on Saiya and Saber as Caster of Black gazed at them from her mirror. "So this is one of my Master's dear friends hmm…?" She said as she caressed the glass with her palm and a small delighted purr escaped her lips. "Such beauty….such hidden power…including her Servant…so delicious…" She whispered as she licked her lips as if in anticipation for a meal. "I must inform her of this….then maybe I can keep watching these two myself…" She said giggling as she turned and began walking away into a thick darkness as a seductively beautiful yet demonic song could be heard.

I am sooooo sorry that I haven't written in so long guys! Its been one thing after another for me and so I've been unable to get shit on this done anyway I am considering beginning volume 2 of Wasteland Ghost alongside working on this at the same time what do you guys think?