Holding Out For a Miracle

[Seikou Arigatami]

Day 1, Morning.

There had been a number of miracles that took place in between his time reaching the street and getting back to his dorm. One, no one stopped him on the street despite the fact that he'd been racing down it with absolute desperation.

The second was that as fast as he was going and the absolute clumsy luck that always followed him, the fact that Seikou had remained on his feet without tripping once in the dash back into Case Stabbiano was also quite amazing.

Third was the biggie though, despite how alert Kenchi and Daisuke were, he'd managed to make it back into their 2 bedroom apartment without being spotted. Or if he had, they weren't coming in to punish him yet. It was his own fault, the Japanese boy knew he wasn't supposed to go out alone. How long would it take before everything stopped being so stressful, it was a mistake to come here... why were they here?!

Right... the mission, it was his job to win the Grail War for Clock Tower and obtain the knowledge into negative space. But how? People treated him like a magus but he didn't know magic at all, there wasn't a single prana based action he could use! This was all a big mistake, they really over estimated him! Why, why would someone put their faith in someone like Seikou? No, the boy didn't want this at all. All he needed was Sayaka, if the two of them could be together then nothing else mattered.

"Sayaka..." She wasn't there right now, was she asleep? Where was she?! It turned out that Seikou's thoughts right now couldn't be eased, if Sayaka couldn't fix the problem then she didn't bother showing up. It was Seikou's mind understanding that even the icon was fallible and if she was going to fail and be imperfect, then it wasn't going to let her out at all. This only made the host of that personality far more desperate to have her near though. "Wh-...Where are you? Don't leave me alone... Sayaka? SAYAKA?!"

The boy kinda curled up into a fetal position while sitting on his bed, the air wasn't all that cold but that didn't stop him from shivering. Tonight, it just wasn't a very good night. She wasn't here, those 2 women said that he murdered someone. I'm not like that, I can't do that. I can't kill people, i'm too weak. Stop accusing me of impossible things, IT'S NOT TRUE! At this point his hands were pressed tightly to his face, only his eyes could peek out and despite the rooms contents being clear... he couldn't see anything but the bridge scene. His mind already abandon the idea of killing anyone, so the two girls calling him a murderer was confusing.

Flat earth, 2 women, one was a hero... if she was against him, he must have been the villain. But that was wrong, he didn't do anything! No one was dead, they were crazy! Vampires, those weren't real either. IT WAS A DREAM! That's why he was on his bed right now! It just meant Seikou had just woken up! That was it! Now it all made sense again!

Getting off the bed with a forced grin on his lips, the eyes refused to match his expression remaining wide as if his whole body didn't accept the premise yet. Still he found himself flicking on the bathroom light and standing before a mirror that was familiar to him. With strong breaths and a racing heart, he brought his eyes up to a steady climb taking himself in view.

It was him, he looked so pathetic right now... even Seikou thought so. Leaning down his hands rested against the sink feeling like he was ready to puke. Sniffing in once, his shoulders would quiver sending a chill down his body all the way to the lower calves... With a closer look, he'd notice a red mark on his throat of dried blood. "How'd... how'd that get there?" Raising his hand up, he'd lightly touch at the almost fresh wound. It hadn't even had half a day yet to heal. "Where'd it come from... Sayaka... Sayaka why aren't you talking to me?..."

No, he needed her right now! Like some kind of deranged crossdressing cereal killer, he'd begin aggressively grabbing at the cosmetics laid out on the sink, using more pressure then was needed to start to transform his face. Also it was a very bad order, while most artist would start with moisturizer, foundation and then some concealer, he jumped straight to the things that made Sayaka beautiful using plumb lipstick and crimson eye shadow. It was sloppier then he normally did it because of the rush to see her. In the end it wasn't good enough for his mind to seem it worthy of Sayaka's personality so nothing changed except for now Seikou looked rather ridiculous.

Clenching his teeth in frustration, he'd pushed away from the sink heading straight over to the closet practically ripping his shirt off while trying to get the buttons undone. It took him a while to wrestle himself down to near nudity and it didn't last long before the kid was redressing with a white sundress with red polka dots, a small blue jean shoulder coat and some ivory leggings.

Standing in front of mirror once more, he'd cling both arms to himself using the attire as a form of safety blanket. Still nothing, Sayaka still found the form imperfect. In his rush to see her, he'd created something that had too many flaws. It was a space that someone so divine couldn't occupy. Even after getting the wig on and securing it in place with the white band, it wasn't enough. "Are you punishing me Sayaka... why won't you save me from the pain like you always do? I don't know how to get you here..." Wait... the summoning spell the Clock Tower told him to do!

Kenchi and Daisuke both told him not to perform the spell until they were there to help Seikou govern it. But... they didn't understand that he couldn't last much longer without her.

Taking out his mothers Incantation book, he'd peel the rug up off the ground where they'd hidden the summoning circle. Standing in the middle of it, with Sayaka in mind he'd begin the chant trying to draw her into this world, causing his left hand to start to burn with a glowing ember branding.

[Merlin Ambrosius]

The summoning circle slowly drew to life, Blue light tracing itself along the lines that composed the pentagram etched upon the room’s wooden floors. It started at the rim, two lights shining at opposite sides of one another. They moved along the circle in a clock work manner, the lights splitting themselves as they came across forks and sending tinnier versions of themselves inward. Each split of the lights took on a new color: Red, Green, Orange, Yellow, Purple, Silver, Black, White. All of them twisting and twirling through the complex symbols of the circle. As they neared the end of their spirals and routes the lights had lost their speed, their former haste exchanged for a pitiful crawl.

The air picked up, at first content with forming into a mild breeze before shifting to that of spiraling hurricane. Everything thing not nailed down in the room was flung in all directions, books tossed, clothes ripped, beds shifted; an unholy twister of magic signaling the return of one of the greatest magicians to walk the earth. And as the winds danced upon the floor, as the hurricane tore apart the ceiling, as the room was ripped asunder by the power of this mans awakening!...There was Seikou, standing safely in the eye of the storm.

The lights had finally reached the end of their journey, the completion of their goal. Squirming, struggling to connect to the end of their line, they completed the circle in sync. As one their colors shifted to that of an azure flame, engulfing the vortex of magic and exploding into an unbearably bright light that reached to all corners of the room. For a regular human, seeing such a ferocious expel of light and prana would drive them blind. For magus, if strong enough, they could weather the shinning blaze. And from that light he materialized, slowly regaining the form that had long since been lost to him. Soul, Bones, Organs, Muscles, Skin; his flesh had been granted to him once more. He breathed.

"Hmmmmmm~ Conciousness~” He was slow to take notice of the world around him, only concerned with the regaining of his fleshy form. He yawned and stretched out his arms as if he had just woken from an afternoon nap “I'm feeling positively fabulous today~....Wait, consciousness? Personality~ Beliefs~ Likes~ Dislikes~ A fleshy form~….Hmm, this can’t be right. There shouldn’t be something powerful enough to summon me from the throne in a form like this….” Well, not unless he made it. And he could remember everything he ever crafted. Even his greatest master piece Stone Henge would have trouble forming such a familiar. So he could only wonder as to what could…information. The device making this all happen was providing him with the knowledge he needed. He was to be a servant in a war spanning the greatest warriors across time itself. And should he win, he would be blessed with a gift. A single wish granted whatever it may be. Huh. What a stupid thing to fight over. Merlin had better things to do with his time.

"Well, no use crying over spilled prana. I’m here now and that’s all that matters~” Might as well make the best out of the situation. And by that he meant stir up as much trouble as he possibly could. Because that’s how Merl rolled. Giving the room a passing glance, he looked down at the child sitting to the side of him. "Err, yes, well...you wouldn’t happen to be my master would you?”

[Seikou Arigatami]

Was it... was it working?! Was he really about to have Sayaka right here in the flesh? The tsunami that followed was way too intense showing at a early stage how easy it was to over whelm this "magus" if the term even applied. As much as he wanted to see Sayaka, the rough winds and flying about debris forced him to close his eyes off using both arms to try and keep the rough winds from throwing the trap backward.

It seemed this spot was actually taking the least amount of punishment, case and point of that was the fact that the hair barrette held in place firm keeping the illusion of Seikou having much longer tresses then he actually possessed. Not that he had to have that wig to pass, however with the shotty ass make-up job he'd just done, it was pretty required at the moment. There was other parts of this false female deception that didn't have nearly as much in terms of dealing with pressure. The dress he'd chosen... well chosen may have been a looser term; more like grabbed the first dress he'd seen out of desperation. But aside from that it was blowing wildly from the pressure lifting a bit at the hems. There was fortune for the lack of stomach Seikou had in refusing to wear women's under attire... however it also meant he could be seen through easier by ecchi types.

Slowly he'd raise his eyes upward over the rim of his wrist, watching as brown hair rise into view... short brown hair just like Sayaka! It was her, he was going to have Sayaka in his arms in only a few moments. Once these winds died down the two of them could live out the rest of their lives together. He could forget everything else in this world and just belong to the only person he really needed.

When the colors started to settle and he was finally let back down on the heels of the mary-janes... Seikou was ready to start running toward her the moment he was down. However the reality of the situation struck not too long after, this wasn't Sayaka... in fact it wasn't even a girl. Who was it?... Oh wait! It was one of those servant thingies! He'd studied them but because of his low ability... near non-existent ability as a magus he assumed that it'd never work. But here he was, who was this? Brown hair, white suit... Actually Arigatami wasn't very good with history despite being a master now. He didn't know who this was, but he could tell at the very least it was a Caster type. What was he supposed to do now?

This guy seemed kind of full of himself, there was this whole air of " you're lucky to be in my grand presence." That wasn't all that true, he was hoping for a girl with short brown hair... not a guy. Frowned a bit already looking unimpressed, like Seikou expected this man to just start going off and being a total pervert.. this was the way he was gauging him anyway.

"I guess i'm your master... but I was trying for someone else." Really he should be counting his blessings, there weren't many that could compete with Merlin's popularity; then again Seikou didn't know it was Merlin. Even if he did, he still wanted Sayaka not this dude. Wait didn't servants require a conduit to this world? Someone that represents their spirit? But the only thing he'd been using was his moms old spell book... though the book itself was really old. "I'm Arigatami Seikou." Remembering his manors, he'd slip one leg behind his foot going down to execute a flawless curtsy while holding opposite ends of the loose dress. After coming back up from it, he'd adjust his glasses more on his face so that they rested better.

[Merlin Ambrosius]

"I guess i'm your master... but I was trying for someone else."

This was the first thing that piped out of the child’s mouth….and Merlin just stood there, staring at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world. D-did this lad just say…ah..how..gah. Merlin could not mentally comprehend what the kid had just said. There was someone that didn’t want him? HIM. Of all people. He was the wizard of lore! The advisor to the king herself! The arch mage that helped shaped the western world! THE MASTER OF MAGIC!! And this boy had the nerve to say that he wanted someone else.

“So sorry to disappoint you, master.”He hissed. “I guess you’ll just have to settle for the greatest wizard to have ever walked Britain’s soil. Truly, one must pity your poor fortune.” Merlin wouldn’t hurt the kid over a comment. He was able to at least keep that much control over his actions. It just made him so furious that someone could be so ignorant of whom he was.

And yes, Merlin was referring to his master as a male. At least until Merlin could prove otherwise. A life time of skirt chasing had taught him a few tricks of the trade. It also helped that he worked with a gender ambiguous knight. Rule number 1! There are guys who look like women! Do not assume gender. Rule number 2! Confirm gender before you pursue her! Rule number 3! If she’s not in bed with you by the end of the week then something is seriously wrong! Or she’s married….and not willing to have a fling with you. God bless those girls. Such loyalty was admirable…and Merlin hated when they showed such strong morals. So much wasted time he could have been using for other things, like seducing their friends. Back on topic, and in short, unless it was obvious about their gender he assumed male. A policy that had saved on more then on occasion, he’ll assure you.

With the acknowledgement of their contract, Merlin could feel the prana flowing into his ghostly body. He shifted his attention to his hands and flexed his fingers. Ah, that tingling sensation was coming back. It was sure sign that his magic was strengthening. He lightly clicked his heels against the floor, feeling his body suddenly become much lighter then before. It was also confirmation. The lad standing before him truly was his master. Honestly, Merlin could have hoped for better. A buxom female, a "flat" quiet girl loved making them scream , a fiery red head but what was done was done. He would just have to deal with….whatever this was that was standing before him. Merlin heard the assumed boy announce his name, followed by a curtsy. Hey, that was pretty good. He’d seen better, sure but that must have taken some practice. A positive sign pointing in the direction Merlin was hoping for.

“Yes, yes. Merlin Ambrosius. Pleasure.” Merlin had lost all interest in his master at the moment. After skimming through the information provided by…god damn it not the grail again. Didn’t Galahad smash that thing or something? Ugh, if he had known something like this would happen he would have tracked it down and destroyed the thing himself. Regardless, Merlin was curious as to what they could possibly posses that would allow the boy to bring him back to the world of the living. A single glance around the room and Merlin had labeled the place as a pigsty. Couldn’t they have at least cleaned up for him? Was that so much to ask? Merlin grumbled to himself about slobs before turning his attention back to the kid standing beside him. “If I may ask, what did you use to summon me with? I’m curious as to how one of my possessions came to be in your hands.”

[Seikou Arigatami]

Merlin's issue was that Seikou only really cared about one person in the world and she wasn't even real. Even the god that gave him life or his dead mother just didn't compare with the level of love that his heart had for this non-existent fabrication that his mind conjured in order to deal with relentless loneliness. The servant was going to be hard pressed to really figure out much about his new master and worst yet, despite the level of potential he had being the greater Merlin and all; the simple truth of the matter is that Seikou himself wasn't going to be much of a useful partner.

It wasn't all bad though, though the trap had little to offer in terms of magic, the prana that was inside of him was never really used so Merlin would almost always be able to use Arigatami's full tank all to himself. Really he had no idea how to be a master, his entire goal was to be Sayaka and instead got the strongest caster to ever live... gee poor kid. You'd think he'd just gotten 3rd place in a race, there was mild accomplishment displayed on his features but he certainly wasn't ecstatic.

Wait Merlin was a powerful magician right? Maybe he could do it for him!... but he needed to remember his manors and not ask for things like that so early or else Merlin would think the trap was just using him. Things in life needed a fair balance or exchange or else it created a void and something sinister could fill that void. If worse came to worse Seikou could always use a command seal... but that would only cause Merlin to hate him and he might screw up the spell on purpose. Nope, this had to be done the right way...

Uh oh, from the look on his face Seikou had started them off on a bad foot. Swallowing a bit back, he'd fiddle with the end of the skirt while lightly nibbling on his lower lip out of a nervous habit. Adjusting the glasses to better rest on his face, he'd find a spot on the right side of the floor to stare at that seemed more comfortable than actually looking at Merlin himself. It was honestly like some little kid who was being mentally scolded by a parent, despite having the title of master; Merlin seemed to be the one with the actual control of the conversation. That was because he had a unknown card that Seikou needed to get him to play.

Drawing his hands back while stilling holding the skirt made it tighten against his legs until his fingers let go of the slack letting it fall back in place. Then Seikou had no idea what to do with his hands, so sharing the punishment of Merlin's glare he'd just throw those behind his back, clasping the hands together. " Hey hey, I know what you're doing. Your using angers second cousin twice removed niece on me, sarcasm!" Seikou announced it like Merlin was trying to keep it a secret, the truth was he remembered something talking about the family line of anger and sarcasm and since he couldn't remember the line right... he just threw in an extra generation. It didn't make sense to him either...

Seikou didn't really consider himself a girl in the first place, he ignore no matter what gender people called him because it was a fruitless title to someone with ignorance about sexual organs. The only difference he even knew was that women got chest cancer in their teens, not Sayaka though cause she was perfect the way she was. Cancer couldn't touch her! Sayaka was an invincible creature in his own mind, without flaw or fault. Though Daisuke was constantly reminding him to only respond to the female reference while in school... unless he grew some balls, which kind of seemed like an insult but it didn't feel like one so... eh.

The servant really didn't seem interested in anything and Seikou didn't know what to do with him either. It was like he'd just inherited a bear in a cage and had nothing really to feed it or keep it company... except letting it eat him... not good. What should he do? Maybe they would enjoy the same stuff? Then again, he didn't look like he could pull off a dress. Merlin huh, OO OO! He could help him with his home work or something like that! Yeah! Summoned the strongest mage ever so that his algebra would get done... wonderful use of the guys talents.

"Wait wait, I know the answer to that one. Gimmie a second kk? I have to put on my thinking cap." Holding hands out like there was an invisible helmet inside. he'd pull it over his head and then proceed to take a thinking pose with one hand on his chin while looking about the room. How... what'd he use to get Merlin here? Well maybe it was something he was wearing?... No all this stuff was kinda modern, actually he forgot a catalyst altogether the only thing left involved in the ceremony was the carpet and his mothers book... " My mom was a top level magus, when she died I kinda inherited this book. It's the book that told me the spell on how to summon you. There a lot of magic in there, but I don't know how to perform anything inside." Picked the book off the floor, handing it toward Merlin.

[Merlin Ambrosius]

Merlin watched as the young…..boy squirmed under his vision. How he played with his clothing, how he diverted his eyes from Merlin’s form. Really, this is what had summoned him to the world? His master was this child that couldn’t even muster enough courage to look him in the eye. Now Merlin was no brave man himself, often the coward that would flee a battlefield in hopes of quieter pastures. But this wasn’t about him. This was about the master he served. This was about all the kings he pledged his loyalty too. All their strength, all their courage, all their ability to lead nations and here he was, now under the thumb of nothing but a small child that liked to play dress up. Out of all the emotions Merlin was feeling: The joy of being born again, the confusion of being born again, the anger of being born again to work under such a master….he felt frustration the most. This boy was his anchor to the world and he commanded Merlin to do his bidding. Regardless, Merlin refused to swear loyalty to such an individual; not with them being like this.

But maybe Merlin was being too hasty? He had only known the lad for a few minutes. What proof of his capabilities could he have possibly shown in that time? There were those whose abilities were apparent. The way they walked, the way they spoke, their sharp eyes, their confident stance; so much could be told through body language. And then there were those who couldn’t look you in the eye. Those who slouched as they walked, those with quiet voices, those who would be treated as the lowest of the pack and held power beyond their wildest dreams. On more then one occasion Merlin had trained such apprentices. He would dare say some of those boys and girls had gained a fifth of his power. For a teacher as old and magically adept as him, to someone who knew just how powerful he was, this was a great joy for the elder wizard. And on the day that he ended their apprenticeship, he would give them a single bow as a sign of acknowledgement from the greatest wizard to have ever traversed Britain. They had earned it, after all.

And was this boy such a person? Only time would tell. With the realization that he needed to let the boy have a chance, Merlin quietly let his rage phase out of existence. It was part of being a teacher, after all, testing ones students and evaluating their performance. And a good teacher never lost his patience with a student. Mainly because this was counter productive if anything but there were also things about bad morals and what not and blah blah blah whatever. Merlin wanted to move on.

Merlin sighed, relaxing himself and releasing the boy from his vicious glare. The child wouldn’t be able to work with such pressure on him. And it was bad manners to stare down the one who could end your life with a single command. He’d need to work on his attitude if he wanted to last the day, let alone the week. And when his master spoke, Merlin listened " Hey hey, I know what you're doing. Your using angers second cousin twice removed niece on me, sarcasm!" ………

Merlin couldn’t help himself. He face palmed.

Whipping the hand down his face, Merlin just stared at his master in a blank fashion. Mumbling incoherent things about inner monologue and why he even bothered. The kid seemed just as confused as he as to boot. Such a wonderful master he had.

"Wait wait, I know the answer to that one. Gimmie a second kk? I have to put on my thinking cap." Finally geez…wait what? Merlin watched the boy put on an invisible hat. He assumed what Merlin figured as a thinking position. Kid was a ditz but at least it wasn’t the strangest thing he had ever seen. Oh the stories he could tell...but that was for another place and another time. Merlin’s master piped up after a given minute. “My mom was a top level magus, when she died I kinda inherited this book. It's the book that told me the spell on how to summon you. There a lot of magic in there, but I don't know how to perform anything inside." The boy stated, handing him the magical tome. Now, Merlin had written quiet a few books in his time. It was something he did out of boredom, really. To him, book writing was a way to pass a lazy day’s afternoon. But that did not change the fact that he could remember every book he had ever written. And this was not one of them.

Flipping the book open he skimmed through the pages. Every seemingly few seconds he flipped a page, having already memorized the contents of the one before. Fascinating as it was to read this woman’s thoughts and theories…this was all child’s play. What little hope there could had been for this book to be his catalyst was crushed and Merlin’s question left unanswered. He scowled, feeling his frustration rise once more. What could have possibly let this child summon him?

And then he found it. Merlin picked it up with a trembling hand.

It was a small thing, buried between the slit of pages; a tiny cloth hidden amongst the sea of spells and sheets. It was something Merlin would always recognize. If not by sight then by the sound of it dropping, if not by sound then by its familiar smell, if not by smell then by touch! Merlin would always remember this, something he had repeatedly enchanted and worked on for over a hundred years. It was a piece of his original cape that he had turned into his bookmark. So that every time he opened a book or turned a page he’d be reminded of his mother.

“What. The. Christ.” You have got to be shitting him. This was...he.....how...UGH. Merlin's temper was starting to turn foul once more. His bookmark of all things! And it was even one of his most valued treasures! A book. Fine. He could understand that. But this....this just wasn't fair. So Merlin proceeded to do what he usually did when something horrible happened in his life. He blammed his father. Merls would not be surprised if the bastard was still haunting him to this day. Even death wouldn't let him escape from that creature's wrath, it seemed.

"Confiscating this." Merlin stated, wagging the cloth a bit to draw his masters attention before cramming it into his pocket. He was just taking back what was his, after all. There shouldn't be a problem. Closing the book and tossing it back to his master without concern for the tomes condition, Britain's finest wizard looked at the boy standing before him.

"So now that my question's been answered, let me ask you another: Where do we go from here?"

[Seikou Arigatami]

It felt like he was being scolded by those eyes, there was another unsure gulp that lead to Seikou putting his eyes on the floor again. This guy was pretty scary, Sayaka could of gave him strength to deal with it if she was there... but for some reason she was making her presence really scarce right now. Frowning from his obvious display of weakness, he wondered if there was a way to face this guy with equal eyes? Well he looked pretty tough which was odd because he said his name was Merlin who was that Wizard in the Disney movie with the long beard... Was this really Merlin then? Maybe it was a disguise? The person standing before him seemed more likely to clock an enemy with their fist rather than cast spells. But shoot, he appeared out of a circle on the floor so he had to be the real thing. It would only harm his chances at victory to lie about his identity like that. He was just soooo intimidating though, was the magician going to turn him into some kinda premortal soup? This wasn't the type of person to just make frustrated... which he'd already seemed to have done.

What to do, what to do. Act strong, do something that tough people would do. RIGHT! Stomping one of the elevated heels on the ground, he'd turns his head up planting both hands on his waist line while glaring up at Merlin with a short rush of adrenaline to pull the action off. It looked beyond forced and fake... for one thing his legs were shaking and their was sweat developing at the side of his head. Then his hands started slipping from the firm stance he'd just taken. Added it all up and it was just a kid trying to play off a very weak bravado.

When Merlin dropped his angry expression, Seikou had a mental cheer that was grand enough to have a small display in the real world. So thrusting one fist up while jumping, he'd celebrate the very small win that he interrupted just happened. "Yata! Victory!" That would have come off as pretty random unless someone could just guess the expressions on Seikou's face. It seemed like a bad idea to proclaim a win to someone that could think and then the Asian boy would become nothing more than a splat on the wall. Burying lips in his mouth, he'd quickly retreat his hands behind his back as if he hadn't just perform that small rejoice. Merlin was pretty accurate in his assumption that he was dealing with a child, one that wasn't even high school level yet.

One thing was certain, Seikou really did underestimate his position right now. The boy was completely terrified of Merlin and yet the Caster needed him just as much right? Well Seikou didn't know the rules that well, he knew most of the basics though. Still they shouldn't think about their ability to kill other people, their goal should have been getting Sayaka into the world! That's what his mind wanted more than anything, Merlin could make it happen too.

Then he face palmed, uh oh... "Um you got a head ache Mr. Magic?" Oh joy, legendary wizard of history had himself a nick name now. How well would it stick, well would the wizard even let it stick or do everything in his power to make sure that the title never hit him again?

"Oh no no no! I must of screwed up the summoning. You came equipped with brain cancer!... Baka baka baka!" Thumped one fist on his head repeatedly with each time the Japanese word was used. This was really bad, brain cancer! There had to be something a master could do about that! But he couldn't do anything that the book said that a master should be able to do for their servant. Shouldn't let Merlin know that though, if he knew that his master was essentially just some crossdressing worthless human... well then he wouldn't help get Sayaka back that was for sure. How did he summon this guy anyway? No prana but he gets the most elite wizard to ever exist? That really explained why he had the brain cancer though...

Wait wait! "No no Brain Cancer-Sama, that's a gift from my mom. It's the only thing I have left to remember her by!" Seikou expression wasn't one of fear, more like a monster was eating his parent and there was nothing he could do about it. Seikou was too scared to try and actually get it back physically. But he really really wanted it back, his mom was dead and as nice as the memories were... something physical to hold onto and remember her by really helped. Feeling depression over take him, the kid lost a lot of color in his skin. Why the bookmark? He'd taken perfect care of it, ironically that thing was practically indestructible anyway. Time didn't seem to take much of a toll on it at all... it was special... the single most precious physical item he had left in his life.

"... I dunno, I don't know how to fight wars. All I wanted to do was bring Sayaka here and you showed up instead and scared me, stole my only connection to my mother and got brain cancer..." Put hands under his eyes as tears started to fall from under his glasses.

[Merlin Ambrosius]

Merlin’s new name was Mr. Magic. He couldn’t help himself; he suddenly felt amusement in this. Why he didn’t take this disregard for his name he contributed to his slowly dwindling sanity. Get summoned to fight in a war involving some of the strongest mythological heroes and villains from across time? Kid wanted someone else. Tell him he’s commanding one of the strongest wizards in the known world? He tosses aside Merlin’s name in favor of calling him Mr. Magic . For what it was worth, Merlin had utterly snapped yet. He was still –desperately- hanging on to the thought that this child held some kind of strong magic in him. Some form of potential that could make up for the kids ditzy behavior. Because, lets face it, this kid was as dizzy as a top.

Then the kid declared he had, what was it, brain cancer? And then proceeded to hit himself in the head. Okay, Merls, you could work with this. You’ve trained worse. Only one was worse then him, sure. And that kid was literally retarded but that didn’t stop you from teaching him fireballs and unleashing him onto a village. Lucky he was able to put out the flames and flee before Urther had showed up. ‘It was a good idea at the time’, ‘you’d have to be there to get the joke’, etc etc. Honestly. He thought the people could take a little collateral damage. It wasn’t like anyone died; he made sure that much didn’t happen. He didn’t need to be tossed in prison for it after Urther got his hands on Merlin. Damn kings and their need to keep order. Merlin knew he thought it was funny too!

Merlin stepped off his path down memory lane and returned to his master still hitting himself upside the head. Well, at least Merlin could explain why his master acted like he did; too much self-inflicted head trauma.

And now he was throwing a fit over Merlin taking back his bookmark. Brain Cancer-Sama. Right. Merlin wasn’t even going to touch that. And he said something along the lines of it being the only memento of his mothers. Merlin waved the kid off “You still have her book. You’ll live.” Merlin wasn’t going to cough up this item. Oh no. It was his and his alone. They’d have to take it from his cold, dead spiritual form if they wanted it back. It was a thought that made Merlin snicker when considering who was trying to get it.

And his response to Merlin’s question was.. "... I dunno, I don't know how to fight wars. All I wanted to do was bring Sayaka here and you showed up instead and scared me, stole my only connection to my mother and got brain cancer..." And then the kid started tearing up. Mission accomplished Merls.

“Right, well” Merlin was not effected by tears. Not this kids anyway. “When you’re done with your sob fest you can show me around the place. Until then, I’ll be taking my leave.” Merlin turned around and headed for the door. Might as well see what the new world was like. He might just find something fun to do.

Maybe.

[] Alright, close it whenever your ready seikou. :V []

[Seikou Arigatami]

Why was this man being so complicated, didn't he understand that he wasn't a teenage girl that only existed in Seikou's imagination? Huffing a bit in frustration, his hands came to rest on his hips while studying the Caster type as if they'd been together a long time and this was his reassessment. The expression would seem to suggest that Merlin was failing it, stealing that book mark was beyond mean. The tears had dried to his face making him look like a rather immature child... then again maybe that was the truth depending on what age someone considered childhood to be over. Was thievery a good habit for ones servant to have... NO! What if they were delivering snackie yum yum's and took some for themselves giving their master less than they expected. Merlin would like serve 4 pancakes instead of 5 and if he asked where the last one on the pile is; he'd be like chewing at it right then and there! Merlin was evil! How could he eat the flapjacks like that!...

Seikou glared at the servant as if he'd actually done what his mind just conjured him doing. Jerk jerk jerk! It's not that Seikou wasn't above sharing, it was that he'd done it without permission? Imaginary Merlin was a very mean person. Seikou's first notion was to kick him in the shin, but that seemed like a bad idea when his mind played out the result. One he'd hurt his foot, two he'd alienate his servant... and 3... Merlin didn't actually eat the pancake... but now he wanted pancakes. Could a caster type just snap their fingers and make it appear?... Even if they could, if their magic disappeared that would mean the food would too and it would make him still hungry. Magic was was no good, still... Merlin in the cartoon movie made inanimate objects clean for him... so maybe they could cook too!

Why did Merlin look like the upset one, that was some nerve to steal and then act grumpy like Seikou did something wrong. Boy he wanted to scold him now, that's what he was going to do too. Stomping one foot down, he'd open his mouth to start in... and then found that he couldn't really get any words going. It was like a dead engine, the starter clicked and turned over, but it wasn't feeding anything but a metal chunk of useless iron at that point. Closing his mouth and putting his hand back down, the trap kinda took a step back as if the reality of the situation finally dawned on him. Those eyes of Merlin were really judging him, he felt exposed and out in the open... Could he read minds, yeah he was a magic man of course he could... So Seikou was going to yell at him mentally... HEY GET OUT OF MY HEAD! BAD BAD THIEF! Thieves weren't bad until they did mind reading...

"Not Sayaka, not Sayaka, not Sayaka..." It was a whiny tone to be sure, but Merlin was finally getting the name of the person that Seikou was actually after. There was a certain poetry to the concept of knowing ones origins... though it could be insulting finding out what someone expected you to be. Still he'd grown up with her, she'd given him everything and more... Seikou could never repay her, getting her a flesh and blood body wasn't nearly enough to make them even in anyway. Short of the world, nothing was going to be good enough. "Why do you keep looking at me all funny? I can do that too ya know... ehhh." Goes up on tippie toes while trying to get in Merlin's face... only to fall back from the lack of balance he'd just inflicted on himself.

"Itai..." Sits their on his butt while looking up at Caster type... What?! That look on his face wasn't going anywhere, what would it take for him to start changing his expression. This one just made him feel dumb, inferior and incompetent! Which... of course couldn't be true at all... oh wait, he was gone... " GAH! I lost a 2000 year old spirit!... Does the guide cover what i'm supposed to do in this situation?" Grabs out the ritual book he'd gotten from Clock Tower trying to find the answer.

[] Close.[]