A/N: Finally I make a tribute to my zodiac sign… =) For those who're waiting for Lost in a Dream, I'll submit it when it has finished…
Disclaimer: The Lost Canvas is Shiroi Teshirogi's and Masami Kurumada's
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Flower and Rain
by Yukitarina
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Could it be he was only a dreamer…?
For years, even in the middle of those excruciating roses, he hopelessly devoted to an impossible wish.
And what wish could a Pisces Gold Saint have…?
Not fame…not wealth, not glory…since glory was only an illusion. A trap.
No, no…he didn't need it all.
All he needed was…
All…he needed was…
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The droplets of water began to fall from Odorio Village's clouds. An extremely beautiful man with Pisces Gold Cloth and ocean blue hair was wandering slowly to reach Royal Demon Rose Garden located at the gate of the parish. He calmly walked through the curtain of raindrops which got thicker and thicker, his beautiful eyes wholly focused on his destination. He didn't even tilt his head when dropping his cape on the girl he passed so that she wouldn't be showered by rainfalls.
"Thank you!" the young girl told him gratefully.
He didn't react, as if he heard nothing. When the girl tried to run after him, he stopped only to say, "Don't come near."
The young girl stopped running. She gazed at him without any knowledge why he could be that cold. She only wanted to thank him anyway…
The beautiful man's fringe totally covered his eyes. He continued walking through the mists and rains. Several minutes later he would arrive at his roses garden, the stage he had loathed for so long. He felt his hatred continued spreading to every part of his veins when remembering something happening in Athena's temple half an hour ago…
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"Albafica!" Sasha's green eyes sparkled when seeing the Pisces saint kneeling in front of her. Dohko and Shion who were in the same room were smiling, delighted at the Pisces saint's presence.
"Good morning, Lady Athena," said Albafica. His feature gradually filled with warmth as he looked at Sasha. "I'm here only to report that Odorio Village is under control."
"Please, stand up," said Sasha brightly as she walked to Albafica. Albafica obeyed, though he instinctively stepped backward when Sasha got nearer.
"It's alright," Sasha encouraged him. She kept marched at Albafica, then pulled his hands softly.
Albafica was startled.
It was the first time he felt someone's touch after those agonizing years… He never let anyone touching him, because he was too afraid the poison infiltrating his blood would infect them as well…
Yet now he felt her touch…the touch of someone he had avoided for years, not because he hated her, but because she was the one he loved most.
Tranquil silence began to fill the room. Sasha and Albafica stood facing each other in peacefulness, hands grasping each other. Coldness has totally gone from Albafica's beautiful feature. He smiled at his beloved goddess, a smile which also radiated by his eyes.
Albafica should had known…this beautiful moment only lasted faster than the blink of an eye…
Suddenly Sasha was falling down, her face went totally pale. She seemed lack of breaths, and her whole body was trembling.
Albafica looked at him in shock…he could guess what on earth was going on with his goddess…
Athena must be unable to stand the poison spread out of his body…
"Athena!" Dohko dan Shion immediately marched at her.
"For…forgive me, Athena…," said Albafica as he bowed his head so low. "Forgive me…I didn't mean to…"
"No…no, Albafica, this is not your fault…," Athena tried to sooth him, but Albafica couldn't be encouraged anymore… He soon turned around and existed the temple with his fringe totally covered his eyes.
"Albafica! Albafica…!" Sasha kept calling out his name, but she was too weak to catch him.
Albafica never stopped walking through the droplets of the rain. His hand shaped a fist…even the showers' fragrance was failed to comfort him…he felt numb…his sight, his hearing, his feelings…all seemed couldn't be functioned again. He felt so exhausted, he always dreamt, and he was tired of being a dreamer! He felt so sick of his dreams… Pity…"dreamer" is one of Pisces star sign's characteristics… Still… Fantasies! Wishes! Dreams! All are nothing but delusions with no ends!
For years…even in the middle of those excruciating roses, he hopelessly devoted to an impossible wish…
And what wish could a Pisces Gold Saint have…?
Not fame…not wealth, not glory…since glory was only an illusion, a trap.
No, no…he didn't need it all.
All he needed was…
All…he needed was…
…spending some time with Sasha…having some great tea time with her…shaking her hands with warmth…
He envied all his fellows who've got all of the chance…
All he needed was…the compassion from his beloved goddess, the one whom he considered as his mother, or sister.
But he couldn't. For every living creature that stood next to him would immediately meet death. What a poison…those horrible poisons which emitted by his body… Athena was so lucky for she was a goddess that she could still be saved…
And for ten thousand times he gave his roses multiple curses…he desperately hated them…he truly loathed, extremely loathed the poisonous roses that he felt he could destroy all of them
But he couldn't.
Because…
…because…
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Times and spaces kept running.
The battle with Minos has met its ending. Cosmic Marionette has broken Albafica's bones, spilling his blood, and stealing his hopes.
Yet…
…though you have cracked the whole of my bones, Minos………………
…and dripping the floods of my blood……………
…and slashing the lines of beauty on my look…
…………I will never ever give up!
In his lasts minutes, Shion and the young girl were there with him…
Shion was amazed by the petals of roses which were blown by the wind… They were flying around them without any poisonous fragrance. When they touched the sky they gave beautiful hues to its wide bright blue…and when they touched the ground they gave it unforgettable dots.
The Pisces saint gazed at the shower of the petals.
Maybe he was indeed a dreamer…maybe he could never feel the touch and compassion from those he loved…
Yet smile finally appeared on his beautiful feature…as he found another dream has come true… That was the time he comprehended dreams weren't merely fake delusions.
He had used to hate his roses. He hated them that he felt he could destroy all of them. But he just couldn't…
Because…
…because…
…he still hoped he could love them someday…
And it came true.
When the Pisces knight was about to wither and travel to eternal slumber…for the first time he realized…
…these roses are beautiful…
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-- End --