Now the last one in the Illuminated family! Virgo Shaka!
Anyway, here is his little drabble. I just wanted him to be happy with his family and showing off some tears. Yeah.
As well, and as I did the last year with Birthday Party and The Birth Day, it is the continuation of Agora and Shiva's birthday. (All those stories are here in my account).
That's why some little details are connected. Like the necessaries:
*Why Agora is there? Because he was with his family in India.
*Where did Shiva's gift came from? He found it in Capricorn temple.
*Why Shaka is so beautiful? Kurumada wanted him like that
So, enjoy!
Remember English isn't my first language but I try my best and I hope you can understand it :D
All characters belongs to Masami Kurumada and/or TOEI Animation.
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The house was clean, mostly because the servants that were always around living close and there, and he had some more minutes to rest before the arriving of his master and sister. Lotus Agora was lying on one of the benches outside the porch, the one that was an entrance and as well a place to train. He could remember all those hours fighting and running around the house, as well spend day under the rain meditating.
It was just his second night there; after spending his birthday with his biological family, the other family decided to go to India for the last birthday. Agora took a bus to arrive there, in the big Shaka's property he once used to train his students before earn their armours, so now was just waiting patiently to the Virgo and Peacock Saint.
His reading was interrupted in the moment he could heard the big doors from the street being open. Agora didn't wait any longer to stand up and throw the book to the bench, he just waited there in the middle of the land seeing how two figures were coming close.
"Ah! Agora!" Shiva yelled in the moment she threw her suitcase to a servant. "Bhaee"
"Priy bahan" Agora quickly opened his arms seeing how Shiva was running.
She was wearing a normal blue t-shirt with some short jeans, so was comfortable enough to jump and hold Agora close in a strong hug, even her legs around her brother.
"I missed you so much, my dear brother." Shiva said holding his face to kiss his cheeks.
"Me too, sister." Agora smiled and held her close to then let her jump down again.
"Dad must be in the taxi, we decided to bring your gift from Athena."
"You shouldn't. I mean, I will go back."
"Yes, but the gift can't go back."
The Lotus Saint couldn't guess the reason, but decided to wait seeing how a servant was helping to Virgo Shaka with the suitcase. Because the Golden Saint had a box in his arms. Shiva was showing again that childish energy she had around when something excited her, so Agora couldn't hide his smile seeing her so happy.
"Let me give it to him!"
"You need to wait." Shaka said moving the box so Shiva couldn't touch it. "Shiva, please, calm down, we will show him inside the house."
"Dad! Let me have the box!"
"Peacock Saint!" in that moment Shiva stopped jumping and just cross her arms still seeing the box. "That's better." He then smiled to have his peaceful face once again.
And Agora tried not to laugh about this. He always found so funny the fact that his master would react like that, like a simple normal human being just because Shiva was, to be honest, a bit too annoying believing she could do anything she wanted.
"Master, I'm so happy to see you as well." Agora opened his arms to give a hug. "And happy birthday!"
Shaka smiled but then realized something. There was once again Shiva with the arms open to receive the box so Shaka could hug to Agora. But he just moved to one of the servants and gave the box.
"Don't give it to Shiva, even if she says will break your arms."
Of course, the servant wasn't so happy about it. Anyway, he moved while Shaka decided to give a hug to Agora because his birthday. He hated those days, even some of his friends wouldn't know his birthday if it wasn't because Mu and Shiva decided to tell to everyone gradually. But since he came back from life, he didn't mind to receive hugs. Even so, that's why he was there in India; nobody in this country knew him close enough to go and make a party.
"Thanks, my son." He smiled to then hold Shiva's shoulder with one arm. "Let's go inside, I would like a cup of tea and maybe you can open your gift."
"I need to do something first." Shiva said with a smile. "But don't show him the gift till I'm with you, please! I want to see his face."
Shaka and Agora accepter to then see her run to the room that belonged to her. They were just expecting that no servant was there because sometimes she could be too mean with them. Both Saints moved to the kitchen to prepare some tea and Agora could notice the tiny box and how it moved a bit. But before he could ask something, Shiva arrived with another box in her hands.
"What's that?" Shaka asked as he poured some tea for his daughter.
"Well, dad, do you really think your friends will forget your birthday?" she smiled to open the box and show lot of wrapped gifts inside. "But first, let's open Agora's one!"
Before she could move, Shaka moved faster. Agora didn't know why Shiva couldn't hold the box but later he would know.
"The last time you held it, it did something disgusting and we are in the kitchen." Shaka said to came close to Agora and give the box. "Happy birthday, son. I hope you enjoyed it."
The Lotus Saint smiled to open the box and find the reason why Shiva wasn't allowed to touch it. Inside the white box, tiny and fluff, was a little cat.
Meow.
Agora smiled widely to take the kitty in his hand and, as always, the little feline began to purr feeling the warm cosmos of the big man.
"Shiva found it without home around the Sanctuary." The Peacock Saint smiled sipping the cup of tea as she remembered where exactly. "You can keep it here, and only here."
"Fine. I will think in a name for him." Agora rose up to pour some water in a dish and give it to the kitty. "Now is your turn, Shiva."
"My turn?"
The Lotus Saint leaved the kitty in the floor with the water and opened a cabinet to pull out a box. It was wrapped in a purple paper and a big green ribbon on it. Shiva didn't wait to hold it and see it some seconds before give a hug to his brother.
While Shaka was observing the kitty that wanted to play with his hair, Shiva pulled out some beautiful pair of earrings, a pair of green socks. She was happy but couldn't hide her excitement seeing the beautiful white dress.
"Oh! Thank you brother!"
"I'm glad you like them; the earrings are from my sister. She wishes you a happy birthday."
"Thank you." Shiva didn't wait to use them and then take the other box. "Dad? It is your turn."
"I'm happy they thought on me but…"
"Don't begin with the fact you don't like material things and all that." The girl answered to take a box. "Do you want me to go and tell them you don't want their gifts?"
The oldest just sighed before drink more of his tea. He didn't know what to answer to Shiva, who was giving him some of the boxes. Shaka decided to open them, anyway his daughter was right and wouldn't be so nice to tell them that.
The first one had the name of Saga and a pretty and formal message about how happy he was with their friendship and forgiveness. Shaka never thought too much about it since he always knew it wasn't in control of Saga, all those terrible things were part of their story now. He opened just to find a beautiful Buddha statue.
"One more?" he asked to himself.
"Master." Agora was a bit impressed for that answer.
"I'm sorry, my temple is full of them."
"Oh, but we don't have one here." Shiva quickly stood up to hold it and place it in a corner in the kitchen. "Later I can fix it; it would look beautiful." She moved then to be at side of Shaka. "Open that one, it is from Aiolos!"
Shaka didn't wait to do it as well. The message was short but Shaka smiled seeing how Aiolos still remembered when they were kids and Shaka was always following him and Saga. After all, all the others were too young to understand him.
At the moment he opened he could find a handmade scarf with some yellow and blue patrons.
"I bet he did it himself." Shiva said.
"But here is hot, only if I have a mission in a cold place I will use it."
"Well, but still beautiful." Agora smiled to hold it. "I even like it."
"You can keep it then."
"Oh no, you can step on Saga's heart but not in Aiolos', master." The only girl said a bit angry. "You should use his scarf this winter. Yes, good idea." She then put it again inside the box and took another two gifts. "This is from uncle Mu and this is from… well… I can't read Japanese."
"Let me see."
But before Agora could hold the box, Shaka hold it close. Quickly enough to look normal but as well to make his students be curious.
"I will open it later, thanks." Shaka held the one of Mu and found it wasn't heavy as the other ones. He then opened it just to find a bracelet and a letter inside. "I see…"
Virgo Shaka smiled to see the blue and green bracelet and use it in that instant. The students saw each other while Shaka opened the envelop and began to read the letter:
My dear brother Shaka:
I know you hate material things, useless gifts and even the only fact that someone will remind your birthday. But still, I decided to give you a useless material thing to remind your birthday. Maybe for you is just another day, full of annoyance, but for me is a happy day because I can see you had live another year and, with big honour, at my side as your brother and comrade. I will never fight in the same way without you but I can totally stop fighting and just be with you.
This little gift was made by me and Kiki, he wishes you a happy birthday as well. Maybe isn't blessed by any Buddha or Buddhist monk, I don't think Athena would need to put her cosmos on it. But I can assure you, this bracelet has all my love and good energies to you, brother.
I hope you enjoy your peaceful day. Remember I will receive you with a hug. Even Kiki.
Your brother, Mu.
He didn't do anything else but chuckle to then close the letter, to then realize Shiva was almost over him to can read it.
"What did the letter said? Why you write in Greek? I can't read Greek that fast!"
"Hey, sister, sometimes you should let our master have some privacy."
"I just know that they thought on you…" the Peacock Saint smiled seeing the bracelet. "And it is so beautiful, master."
"If you want, you can use it any time."
"Master, I think you are lacking some respect." Agora said.
The Golden Saint turned to see him with the eyes opened. His student was serious, almost as if he was now the master in the table.
"Excuse me?"
"Listen, master, you are taking those things and just that." Shiva said serious as well with that feminine tone of voice he always tried to do. "Those are gifts."
"But I don't see how they help. I have a lot of Buddha's sculptures, I don't need winter clothes because my training and this… well, it looks beautiful but I'm not like you, Shiva. I don't really use accessories around."
"What about the other gift?" Shiva took it once again to then, once again, Shaka held it. "Fine, but I bet you will say something about it as well when you open it." She sighed and crossed her arms as he wanted to look as serious as Agora.
The Virgo Saint saw them, they were too serious indeed, something weird at least in Shiva.
"I don't need them."
"It doesn't matter." Agora explained again with that serious face. "Master, Saga took a lot of his time to come to India and found that statue. He even asked me help about it, to go to a real Buddhist temple and ask for the monks to do it just for you."
"And I saw when Aiolos finished the scarf." Shiva said with a smile and remembering how excited he was with the cupcakes. "You should see him, master! He is so happy and proud when finish something, he is almost as cute as my brother." She nodded. "Aiolos put a lot of time on it. And I bet that Mu said the meaning of the bracelet in that letter."
"See, master? Those aren't just material useless things, those have meanings."
"Yeah, you are not seeing more than this world."
"You should be happy to have those friends, master."
"You know what, dad?" Shiva smiled again. "We should invite them and make a party here."
"Yes, a little one, with food and music."
"No, wait." Shaka tried to interrupted them.
"Maybe if we invite Ikki will come, he cooks very nice."
"Yes, he is a friend too." Agora nodded. "I think if we tell them now, they will come right away!"
"Yes! Excellent idea!"
"Kids! Shut up for a second!" Shaka levelled up a bit his voice, but was still calm as always. "Boys, I don't want a party and I don't want anyone here. I don't want that; I just want calm. That's why I came here to India, to my house. Do you understand?"
Both students were in silence and suddenly Shaka could feel and see a bit of heavy feelings in their eyes. Those pair of blue eyes saw each other to then see their master.
"Do you want us to go back to the Sanctuary, master?" Agora asked serious but controlling his feelings to don't look hurt.
"What?"
"Well, I mean… you want peace and be alone." Shiva said a bit serious but smiled anyway. "I know I'm too noisy; I'm always with my high heels and my music, and I know when I get excited I can yell and be annoying. If you want, I can go back."
"Not just you." Agora explained when the kitty decided to lay on his lap. "I'm always yelling in the morning saying hello to the flowers and to the sun, and when new animals arrive I play with them and talk with them."
"Especially with the bunnies." The girl added.
"Please don't touch the bunnies, Shiva." He turned to their master and smiled. "I can ask to some of the servants to go, they will understand and you don't need a lot. We can go back to Greece as soon as you ask us."
Virgo Shaka was as in shock. Big eyes and seeing his students as if something terrible happened. But then he relaxed and chuckled a bit. The students were now a bit confused.
"You are still my young kids, don't you? Always following my instructions." Shaka said to then drink some of his tea. "No, I don't want you to go, Shiva and Agora."
"But you ask us to shut up." Agora interrupted.
"And you want peace." Shiva added.
"I ask you to shup up some seconds and yes, I want peace." The Virgo Saint smiled to come close where they were. "Since we felt the bond to call us a family, wherever you are it is my peaceful place." He explained to turn and see his daughter. "Shiva, you can't imagine how happy I feel when I hear your high heels in the halls of the temple, or your jewellery being noisy. I must admit I adore when you yell of excitement and my happiness sounds exactly as your laughs. I can remember when you were a boring robot, out of yourself, trying to be what I wanted you to be. But now look at you, you are my beautiful pretty daughter. That's my peace, you stop the suffering in yourself." Shiva couldn't hide a bit of tears while cuddle in his left arm while Shaka placed his right hand in Agora's shoulder. "And you, Agora. You are the most positive person I had met and the only one who I had never seeing hurt anything with life. I'm sure you had reach a kind of wisdom I don't have because all animals, and even plants, answer you. I'm so honoured that you had call us family even if you have one bonded with blood. And I need to say, you scared me some seconds ago, I totally thought I was walking with another level of Saint." He smiled seeing Agora with as well a peaceful smile. "You both are here, and I want you here, do you understand? I don't need anyone but you… maybe with Mu would be enough but he is busy."
"And the last time he came he got sick" Shiva said cleaning her tears.
"Because you cooked, sister."
"Agora!" Shiva said a bit angry to the laugh. "Well, I admit was my fault."
"So, now, kids… thanks for being here. I do understand what you mean by the gifts and now I will accept them totally. And as well I want see yours."
"We don't have anything, you don't like." Agora said.
But when he and Shiva laughed, Shaka understood was a joke. The Peacock Saint quickly moved to hold the box and took a large tube from inside that was as well wrapped as the other little box. Shaka held them close and noticed the box was from Agora.
"I forgot it in the room in the Sanctuary." The Lotus Saints explained a bit ashamed. "You know I'm terrible packing."
"It is fine, don't worry." The master smiled to then open it and find a set of three music CDs. "Traditional Tibetan music, meditation music and sitar music." Shaka smiled widely to open them. "This is perfect for my meditation room, Agora. Thank you so much, son."
"You are welcome, father."
"Now open mine!" Shiva said when she opened a bit the wrapped paper before Shaka could open it totally. "Now open the tube!"
Shiva was again all excited, except when the cat decided to stretch and touched her leg. She just moved a bit far from it and saw how Shaka pulled out a big paper with a drawing on it.
"It is a mandala." Shaka smiled seeing the vibrant colours.
"Yes! I did it all by myself. Fine, Agora helped me to trace with ink." Shiva came close to point the different details. "In the middle is the Om symbol, and then you can see peacock feathers and lotus flowers here, and I decided to add some pretty flowers you have in your garden. The other things you need to find them while you meditate on it."
"It is beautiful. I will place it in my room. Thanks, my darling."
"Welcome, dad. I'm happy you like it."
Shaka rolled the paper to place it in the tube again and held Shiva close to hug her, Agora didn't even think twice when he was hugging them as well. Shaka felt in between them and didn't mind for a second, not even when the cat began to walk around his lap. Thanks to this, Shiva began to sneeze a bit and pushed the cat away.
"I hate those disgusting things."
"That should be his name." Agora smiled.
"Disgusting? I do totally agree."
"No, I will call him 'achoo' of course."
"What?" Shaka asked seeing how Agora moved to hold the kitty.
"I will know when he is close because sister will begin to make those noises." He then kissed the cat. "You are a beautiful fluffy kitty, aren't you?"
The Virgo Saint smiled seeing Agora talking with the cat till he heard how Shiva was holding the last gift. Shaka was fast but Shiva quickly land over the gift.
"I want to know what it is!"
The curiosity was always the thing that followed Shiva everywhere in everything. She wanted to know about the gift, and she would do anything to know what it was.
"Shiva! Peacock Saint!" Shaka said trying to hold her and take the gift.
"Hey, Shiva, maybe you don't know this but…" Agora smiled holding the box close to the cat after remove it from her hands. "There are gifts that people gives you and you can't open in public. I know, you hadn't had that situation."
The youngest Saint kept in silence seeing his master and then smiled a bit.
"Yes, of course. I mean, it isn't like pyjamas or something." She laughed a bit nervous. "Fine, if you don't want to open it in front of us, we will let you open it somewhere else."
"You know, it is fine." Shaka stood up to hold the gift. "I will open it. I don't think is anything bad." He chuckled hopping it wasn't indeed something that could give him problems.
"Who sent it?"
"Phoenix Ikki." Agora said holding the kitty as a baby. "You should learn to read Japanese more quickly, sister."
Virgo Shaka sighed and opened it slowly to see at least what was before showing it to his students. When the wrap wasn't a lot he could see a little Japanese symbol in a piece of paper, Agora saw it but he just turned to see other side. He didn't want to know why it say "love" there, it wasn't his life or matters after all. But then Shaka opened his eyes widely and smiled.
"What it is?" Shiva asked standing up.
"Don't you know?" Shaka asked a bit impressed. "Well, then he is great."
Removing all the wrap around, he then showed a wood frame with four pictures on it. In one was Shiva resting in the stairs of the temple, in other Agora was taking care of the animals that were always around when Shaka meditated. And the other two pictures where the three of them together; one drinking tea in the stairs as well and other meditating over the grass. The pictures were perfectly taken and in black and white.
"Well, was he stalking us?" Shiva asked.
"You removed all the romanticism of the pictures." Agora sighed. "He just wanted to make it a surprise even to us. I bet he doesn't have time or even will to stalk us."
"You are right." Shaka smiled to place the frame at one side of the Buddha's statue. "See? I make the place look even more beautiful."
Shiva and Agora smiled to each other to then hug their master once last time. For Shaka, seeing those pictures bring him more peace than anything else in the world.