Ryo: Here's the next chapter of 3942. Oh yeah, and I would like to dedicate this chapter to an author who just recently died from cancer. His name was Michael Crichton. He died a few days ago from cancer. I was saddened because Michael has been one of the greatest authors of all time. He has written great novels such as Prey, Jurassic Park and The Lost World. So Michael Crichton, rest in peace.

And now, on with the chapter…

Chapter 20: Tales of the SS Soul (The Ball and Saber's Past)

In Allen and Ben's room, Allen was sitting on his bed, polishing his boots when suddenly; he heard a knock on the door. He puts away his cloth and turns to the door. "Who is it?" He called.

"It's me, Ricky." Ricky said from outside of the room.

"Alright, come in."

Ricky enters the room and the two boys stared at each other for a moment. "Well, what is it?" Allen asked.

"Well…it's just…um…" Ricky scratches the back of his head nervously. "Do you have a tuxedo?"

Allen chuckled and said, "You're going to attend the ship's ball, aren't you?"

Ricky sighed. "Yeah. Saber insisted me."

"Well, you come to the right person." Allen stood up from his bed and puts his hands on his hips. "It's a good thing I had my tuxedo with me which I always wear for occasional undercover missions."

"Will it look good on me?"

"Well, let's find out. Also, your hair needs grooming. But fear not, I'll help you with that." Allen smirked.

Ricky smiled. "Thanks Allen. What will I ever do without you?"

Later, at the ship's ballroom, Saber sighed and folds her arms as she leans against the wall by the staircase. She's now dressed in a beautiful light blue dress. The top of the dress was a light blue corset, cutting off right at the hip. The rest of the dress flowed out; it was made of blue satin material and had a perfect amount of small white glittery jewels on it to make it stand out. She also wore white gloves and around her neck was a silver cross necklace with blue diamonds for accessories and her hair was flowing freely. She has been waiting for Ricky to come to the ballroom for nearly an hour now.

She looks at the grandfather clock and the clock chimed ten. 'Where is he?' She thought with a frown. After a few more minutes of waiting, she blew out another sigh and droops her arms. Guess Ricky won't be coming. She was about to walked up the stairs and leave when suddenly; she widens her eyes and drops her jaw when she sees a familiar figure walking down the stairs.

It was Ricky Blade and he wore a neat black tuxedo and his hair was awkwardly flattened down in what seemed to be an attempt to look mature and handsome but in reality looked rather silly. Saber stared at him for a moment, then grins. He looks so handsome in that suit.

"I know," Ricky breathed out. "I look stupid, don't I?" When Ricky stood in front of her, Saber ruffles his hair so that Ricky's hair is back to it's normal spiky state.

"Hey! What did you do that for?!" Ricky snapped. "It took Allen ten minutes to get it stay down like that!"

"Oh don't worry, you look better that way." Saber giggled. "Now come on! We're almost late!" Saber held out her hand, and Ricky blushes as he took it. They both walked down the stairs and walked over to a set of doors.

They walked through the doors and they now enter the ballroom itself. The ballroom was filled with dancing couples, dancing to the beautiful orchestral music.

"Shall we dance?" Saber asked politely.

Ricky smiled back and said, "Sure." He held Saber's other hand. 'Alright, remember what Allen thought you, Ricky.' He thought to himself.

Soon, they both started dancing to the orchestral music. They both looked at each other's eyes as they danced slowly.

After dancing for a moment, Saber asked, "How did you learn to dance?"

"Allen thought me." Ricky chuckled. "Can't you believe that guy? He told me that he learns more than in the Royal British Army than just fighting bad guys. They also have to learn to be upstanding citizens."

Saber sighed and smiled. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being here, with me, tonight."

Ricky smiled. "No problem. I just couldn't leave you all alone without somebody else in the ball." Ricky then widens his eyes in surprise as Saber rests her head on his shoulder and wraps her arms around him.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"For some reason, I felt that we could be more than just friends." Ricky stares at her puzzled. What is she talking about? "As we go through our journey together, I observed you. You were strong, determined, kind and friendly. I saw nothing but good in you. And…the truth is…I do find you charming…"

"Really?" Ricky arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Saber looked up at him. "Ricky…the thing is…"

"What?"

"I love you. I know it's crazy, but…I really feel like I'm in love with you." Saber smiled at Ricky, however Ricky frowns and turns his head away. Saber sees this and looks concern. "What's wrong?"

Ricky frowns angrily. Saber is in love with him. But he can't love her back. He can't. And he's now probably going to hate himself for asking the question he was about to ask to the girl who loves him.

"Saber…" He spoke up.

"What is it?" Saber asked in concern. Ricky turned to her and takes a deep breath. Here goes nothing…

"Have you ever murdered anyone?"

Saber gasps and widens her eyes as Ricky asked that question. How did he know?

"Back at the refugee sector, two girls told me you murdered someone. Is that true?" Ricky asked. Saber breathes heavily as tears start to form in her eyes. Ricky panicked as he could feel Saber's body trembling harshly. He tried to correct his mistake. "Saber, please I-"

"GO AWAY!" Saber shrieked and slaps him across his face hard; making everyone else in the ballroom gasps and stops dancing. Saber then rushes out of the ballroom as tears roll down her cheeks.

"Saber! I'm sorry!" Ricky yelled out to her as he watches her run out of the room. He lowered his head and sighed. "I'm sorry."

Saber collapsed on her bed and cried into her pillow. How could Ricky bring back her dark past into her mind like that?

Saber then heard someone opening the door behind her and walking into her room. "May I come in?" Ricky asked.

Saber slowly looked up and said, "Sure."

Ricky took a deep breath and sits next to her. Saber didn't turned to him as he said, "Saber, I'm sorry that I ask you that question. I'm just too curious. That's all. I'm really sorry." Ricky turned to Saber and waits for a response. After twenty seconds, Saber still didn't say anything. Ricky decided to leave Saber alone as he stood up from her bed and was about to make his leave.

"Ricky…"Saber spoke up. Ricky stops and turns to her. "When I was a child, I did murder my own brother, Gilgamesh."

Ricky gasped and asked, "Really?"

Saber sat up on her bed and continued, "It all started when my father was about to leave for the battle of DC."

Flashback:

(5 years ago)

"Dad! You can't go!" Saber's brother Gilgamesh, cried as he tightens his grip on his father's arm.

"No Gilgamesh!" Young Saber cried as she walks over to her brother. Gilgamesh turned to her as she said to him. "Gilgamesh, daddy needs to go so that he can save the world and protect us all." She smiled. "So it's best if daddy goes."

She and Gilgamesh turned to their father as their father laughed and pats Saber's head. "That's right. And don't worry. I promise. I will come back for you guys. After all, my superior, Yoruichi Shihouin, will be there. And with her on our side, I'm sure we'll be able to defeat the Faction and defend Washington."

Gilgamesh lets go of his father's arm as their father now turns around and opens the door. Their father turned to them one last time and smiled, "I will come back. I will."

End of Flashback

"Two days later, our father never came back." Saber explained to Ricky, who is now sitting next to her on bed. "We heard the news that all the Templars died in Washington. So we knew that our father died in the battle. Since then, my brother hated me. If I hadn't let my father go, he wouldn't have died. My brother and I then barely spoke for the next several days. Then eventually, one day, he did something that I would never expect he would do."

Flashback:

Young Saber and Gilgamesh entered through a filthy alley. All in the alley was a dumpster, some old boxes and other scattered pieces of trash. No sign of any other people.

"Brother, what are we doing here?" Saber asked Gilgamesh nervously as they both walked through the alley.

"Brother, please tell me why-OOF!" Suddenly, all of the sudden, her brother pushed her against the wall. She turned to her brother in shock and said, "Brother! What's going on?!" Saber widens her eyes in fear as Gilgamesh then pulls out a dagger from his pant pocket.

"You…" Gilgamesh said menacingly. "You let our father go and because of you, he's gone." He then lifts his dagger up in air as he walks closer to Saber who continue looking at him in fear. She didn't even attempt to run away or scream. All she could do was watch her brother approached her.

Gilgamesh then made a mischievous and malicious grin as he said, "Why so serious?! Let's put an end to your misery!" He now brings his dagger down at his sister, ready to end her life.

"NOOO!!!!" Saber screamed. Suddenly, she grabbed Gilgamesh's wrist before he could bring his dagger down at Saber's chest. Saber gasps while Gilgamesh tries to get out of her grip. She couldn't believe how strong she was.

"Let go!" Gilgamesh said.

"No!" Saber cried as she curls her other hand into a fist and punches Gilgamesh as hard as she could in the chest. Gilgamesh yelps as he staggers back before falling down face first. Saber widens her eyes in shock, quickly got up and went over to her brother.

"Brother? Brother? Are you alright?" Saber asked in concern as she puts her hand on Gilgamesh's shoulder. She then turns his body around and she gasps in shock. Upon closer inspection, Saber could see that Gilgamesh's rib cage had been completely smashed in by Saber's powerful punch. She have realized that she has killed her own brother.

Unaware to her, young Ami and Yumi saw the whole thing from outside the alley. They both gasp and ran away from the scene.

End of Flashback

"I didn't know I was so strong back. And I didn't mean to kill my brother. He was crazy enough to try to kill me so I had to defend myself." Saber choked, tears rolling down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands and cried, "I'm a murderer! I can't believe I already killed someone when I was just a young girl! I'm…I'm despicable!"

She cried hard in her hands for a moment. Then, she felt Ricky wrapping an arm around her body. She removed her hands from her face and turned to him. Ricky was smiling at her. "Saber, you're not a murderer. You were just trying to defend yourself when your brother tried to kill you. You're not a heartless monster and you're not evil. And I'm glad you confess your past. Saber…" He leans towards Saber's face.

"I love you." He whispered. All of the sudden, Ricky leaned forward and kissed Saber. Saber froze in shock as she felt their lips meet. His tongue slipped through her lips and began tracing her mouth.

After a minute of being kissed, Saber finally began to kiss back as tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. They both wrapped their arms around each other and their tongues met in an electric shock that coursed throughout their bodies. Saber had never felt so happy and blissful in her life. Ricky let out a tiny moan as he held tightly onto Saber and passionately kissed her. They were now lying down on Saber's bed, their bodies firmly pressed together. Ricky gently removed his lips from Saber and gazed into her beautiful blue eyes. He stroked his hand through her hair.

"Saber…" He moaned.

"Ricky…" Saber whispered. They both kissed again just as Will enters the room.

"Saber, have you seen my…" Will widens her eyes and drops her jaw as she sees what her roommate is doing with Ricky right now. She rolled her eyes dizzily and faint onto the floor.

Ricky and Saber didn't heard Will as they both just continue kissing each other's lips passionately.

END OF CHAPTER

Ryo: And Ricky and Saber finally kissed! And that's the end of the Tales of SS Soul story arc. In the next chapter, the group finally arrives at Beijing. What will happen next? Stay tune and read and review!