Author's Note: I don't own the Saint Seiya characters!


Brotherhood

A little blonde boy was running as fast as he could, passing through the dirty and small streets of the worst district of the Athens. Time to time he was looking behind to see if someone was following him. It seemed that after a long running, he lost his pursuit between the old buildings, so he could slow down a little. After a while he stopped completely, panting loudly, trying to catch the breath. Holding tightly in his small arms the big, fragrant bread he stole a while ago, he sat dawn on the dusty ground, looking at the clear, blue sky above his head.

It wasn't the first time he had to steal some food. He and his twin were homeless, living on the streets of the Athens, trying to survive in the hot and harsh climate of Greece. Day by day they were going to the street's shops, searching for the occasion to take some food from the stall, when the owner wasn't looking in their direction. Sometimes they managed to take even some money from the passerby, who wasn't paying enough attention to his pockets. Of course sometimes they were caught by people, when someone managed to see them stealing. But usually they were fast enough to escape; fast enough to have food.

But today it was different. The little boy had to steal food by himself, he had to go there alone, wait for the opportunity and without the cover of his younger twin, manage to steal the necessary things. For a while he was afraid; he was afraid as never before. They never were going for the robbery alone. They were always together, backing up themselves. It was good, because one of them was taking food, and the second one was observing the people around carefully and sometimes helping, if some person seemed to notice the little robber. But this day he had to go alone, and alone he had to steal not only some food but also the bandages.

The little boy sighed, thinking about the situation they fell into. They weren't homeless for a long time. Three years ago their father left them with their mother alone; he just disappeared and never came back to his family. And after a few months the lonely woman who tried to raise two boys, passed away because of the illness. So the twins were left alone, without other family and without any money. So for these over two years they had to accommodate to a new life they had to live right now. At the beginning it was hard, sometimes they had no food for many days, sometimes they were caught while stealing. But now it was easier, they learned how to run, how to steal invisible and where to hide. Actually they could live like that forever, it wasn't so bad. They were free, they could do what they want and no one was telling them how to live. They had their small house made form the wooden and paper boxes near the deserted building and for now no one even found them there. But nor the little boy neither his twin wanted to live like that forever. They were young and they had the vast future in the front of their eyes. They wanted to do something big, so the world could remember them, the two boys without family and without home. So when they heard accidentally about the Sanctuary, the place where young boys and girls were trained in fighting skills, where they could became the warriors in the name of Goddess Athena, where kids had home, and didn't have to worry about the food, any of them were hesitating. Maybe it was exactly what they needed right now?

When finally they knew where this Sanctuary was, they tried to get there right away. They had nothing to lose, but so much to gain! But unfortunately soon they saw that it wouldn't be so easy to be the part of the Holy Land. The area was rocky and dangerous, it was so easy to fell down and break the neck. They couldn't even find the straight path to their destination; many times they almost fell into the gulf. But of course, they didn't have any intention of stopping; they were moving forward and forward, only seeing the bright future they could have as the warriors. But then two adult men showed in the front of them, pointing some sharp swords at them and yelling loudly. It was a little scary, both of these men had many bruises over their bodies and faces, they were big and muscular, their eyes were sharp and full of angry. It was clear they wouldn't let pass these two little boys.

So the twins retreated, running quickly from the two guardians of the Sanctuary, hoping they wouldn't die in a place like this. For a while they forgot about the future they wanted to create, they just wanted to escape as far as it was possible. But fate wasn't too nice for them, his little twin almost died there. His leg slipped from the stone and he fell down with the scream. For a while the little boy froze in fear. What if his younger twin crushed his head against these rocks? What if he would be left completely alone?

He quickly followed his twin, carefully stepping down the wall, and hoping his brother was still alive. He didn't even pay attention on the two guardians, actually he didn't have to. When they saw one of these boys falling down they stopped chasing them, knowing that today the Underworld Kingdom would have a new inhabitant.

When the little boy finally got down to his twin for a while his blood turned into the ice. The small body was lying on the dusty ground without any life, the blonde hairs were covering the head and shoulders and it seemed his brother wasn't breathing. But when the little boy walked over him closer, he saw the slight movement of the chest. He sighed. They had some lucky today.

At the end his twin ended with a small wound on the head, twisted ankle and much bigger wound on his left leg. As fast as he could, the little boy escaped from the area with his younger twin on his small back. They hid in their "house" and for the whole night they didn't even show the tip of their noses, being afraid that these two muscular men could find them and kill.

They sworn they will try to return to the Sanctuary prepared much better than they were now. If there were many guardians, they should get more prepared, because there was no way they would give up to their dream. But everything got complicated; at the evening of the next day his twin collapsed from the fever; it seemed that he had the infection coming from that wound on the left leg. The little boy didn't know what to do, his twin had the fever, he was almost without consciousness, and with every hour it was getting worse. What if… What if his twin would die right now…?

But when the morning came and his twin seemed to be sleeping deeply, he covered the entrance to their hideout and went to the centre of the Athens where today the biggest marketplace of this month had place.

Of course he was scared of going there alone, but he had to get the food and the bandages for his brother. He was already good in stealing, but being aware that in their house was lying his dying brother wasn't helping him at all. It was mostly stressing him, than calming.

But now he was far away from the centre of the Athens, holding tightly the fresh bread, having in his pockets many bandages and hoping it would help his twin. After losing people who were pursuing him, now he was heading to the place where was hidden something more he stole this morning.

Few minutes later he was finally going to his hideout, holding bread, bandages and the bag with few apples and bottles of the milk. He had to take care of his brother as quickly as he could.

With the heavy heart he stopped in the front of their small hideout, hoping his twin was still alive.

The little boy took away the boxes, locking the entrance and let the bright light into dark space. His twin was still lying on the middle of the "bed", a few blankets put on the ground, moaning quietly with a sweat face.

The elder twin smiled, relieved that nothing worse happened and walked over the lying body. He opened the bottle of the milk, using the old knife he sliced the apple into small pieces and then shook the shoulder of his twin.

"Kanon, wake up."

The wounded boy moaned and opened slowly his blue eyes.

"What…?"

"I have food and milk and new bandages. I can take care of you wound!"

Kanon smiled, palely.

"You were in the town, Saga? Alone?"

Saga nodded, showing him the white bandages.

"I told you, you should never go there alone, Saga. No one of us should go there by himself," Kanon whispered weakly.

"I know, but I had to bring here the bandages, and the food. Kanon, you are sick. I have to take care of you!"

Saga heard the quiet sigh of his brother. He helped him to sit, looking carefully on the sweated face and awful blushes on his cheeks.

"Eat," he said, pointing at the bread, milk and apples. "I will get the fresh water, so I could take care of your wound."

And not waiting for the answer, he left his brother, running to the small water hose near the building.

But when he returned with huge amount of clear water, Kanon was still sitting where Saga left him, the food wasn't even touched.

"Huh? Kanon, don't want to eat?" asked Saga, putting the bottles with the water aside and sitting in the front of his twin.

Kanon shook his head.

"I'm hungry, but we were always eating together, Saga. I was waiting for you," answered the younger one, barely sitting in the vertical position. His body was slowly being consumed by the fever; Saga could still see the awful blushes, always bright eyes were shining sickly.

Saga sighed and smiled widely.

"As you wish."

And he took one, big piece of the bread, eat it and drank some milk. Actually he was hungry too, but he didn't notice it, worrying about his younger twin. Now it was nice to dig his teeth into the soft bread, drink the cool, tasty milk and smell the nice scent of the apples.

As soon as they finished – Kanon barely eat two pieces of the bread and some apple – Saga looked at the wound of his brother. He took earlier washed rag and started to clean the wound carefully. Meanwhile Kanon lay down, closed his eyes and it seemed he fell asleep.

"Saga…"

The elder twin looked at him, slowly bandaging the wounded leg.

"What's wrong?"

"I want to see our place…" murmured Kanon.

Saga blinked surprised.

"Our place? Right now?"

His twin nodded.

"But Kanon…" started Saga, thinking how far away was their place. The grassy hill with the sight on the vast sea, surrounded by the wild olive grove was beyond the east border of the city, maybe not as far as it could be, but still for the wounded person it could be really dangerous trip. And first of all, they would have to pass many streets to go there…

"I know it is far away… But I would like to see it right now… Maybe I won't…"

"Stop. Don't say anything more, Kanon."

Younger brother snorted weakly.

"Face the truth, Saga…"

This time it was Saga who snorted.

"What truth? You are sick, but you will get better. It is the whole truth," he said, gasping tightly his fists, and knowing that Kanon could die anyway. After a while he sighed. "Come, we will go there."

He helped him to stand up and slowly they left their hideout.


It wasn't too easy to walk on the small streets with his half-consciousness brother hanging from his shoulder. Every step they were taking was really slow, sometimes they had to stop, so Kanon could rest a little.

"Why I can't let you ride my back, Kanon? You are not in the shape for walking."

"Because it is humiliating, Saga. I'm still able to walk, even if I need your help to do that."

"But this way we will never make it there. Kanon, don't be so prideful!"

"But I hate to be so weak!"

Saga snorted.

"You weren't strong earlier too, Kanon…"

"Shut up, Saga…"

The younger twin sighed painfully. Saga quickly put him on the ground.

"See? We didn't even pass half of the way, Kanon. It is tiring for the both of us, especially for you!"

Kanon looked down at the ground. They were still in the Athens after almost two hours of walking. He knew it was him who was slowing down everything, but being carried by his brother wasn't nice. He still felt embarrassed of bringing himself to that state; if he was more careful that day, if he wouldn't fall form that cliff he wouldn't either bring his brother many worries. It was his fault that Saga had to take care of him…

"Don't look so sad, Kanon. I'm your brother; I'm here to help you."

Kanon looked at him a little surprised. Saga had the right. They were brothers, homeless kids that had only themselves. It was natural for them to take care of each other. Kanon forgot that.

After a long look inside his brother's eyes, Kanon smiled.

But before any of them managed to say something, they heard woman's voice spreading around the dirty street of the Athens.

"Look, darling. Aren't they these boys who last week stole our money?"

Saga and Kanon looked at the voice's direction. They froze, seeing a few people; all of them were the 'victims' of the small robbery that twins were doing day by day; they were people of the market place. Why they were here anyway?

The brown-haired man alongside with the others people took a look at the small boys on the street.

"I remember him, today he stole my bandages!"

Saga gulped. It was the time when the market place was being abandoned by the sellers. It was the cause why they were here right now? Were they returning to their houses? By the look at their faces, Saga understood, that everyone was remembering him and Kanon.

Shit.

He looked at his brother, who now had his eyes closed.

"Kanon. Kanon, wake up," he whispered.

The younger twin opened his eyes slowly, with the difficulties. It seemed his fever get worse.

"Kanon, we have to run."

He managed to place his brother on his back, ready to run for his life far away from there.

"Not so fast, kid," he heard above himself, and at the same time the strong hand caught his shoulder and lifted him brutally. Kanon fell to the ground, making the painful moan.

"Kanon!" he yelled angrily, trying to free himself from the man's gasp.

"Be careful," said one of the woman in the group, looking at Kanon with the slight worry on her face. "This one seems to be sick…"

"So what? They were stealing our money, food and the other things we were going to sell. They deserved!"

"Let me go!" Saga kicked him really hard, but the gasp didn't loosened. "Let me go, bastard!"

"You little…!"

The strong hit fell on Saga's head, almost knocking him out. It was really hard to remain consciousness, when his head was receiving so many painful hits of this man.

"Stop it…" they heard the weak voice. Everyone looked at the small kid, standing in the front of the man, and looking at him with the furious.

For a while Saga didn't recognize his brother. Kanon had the fury and hatred inside his eyes; it was like he turned into the demon. The elder twin could almost feel the energy spreading outside the sick body.

"Let him go!" Kanon yelled, approaching the man which was holding his brother. He kicked him strongly, almost broking the bone. The man screamed from the pain, letting Saga go. The little boy fell to the ground.

"You little shit!" the man looked angrily at Kanon and swung his hand. The fist hit the blonde-haired head so strongly, that the small body flied a few meters before it fell senseless.

Saga gasped, seeing his brother loosing the remains of the consciousness. He never was as angry as that time. Even if a while ago he couldn't even stand after receiving so many hits, now he had so much energy that he didn't even feel the pain anymore. He had to take the revenge for his brother before this amount of energy would disappear. He wanted to hurt them, to make them feel the pain. He wanted… He wanted to kill them.

"How dare you…" he growled with the low voice, trying to hold himself in one place. But he knew that soon he wouldn't be able to control his anger anymore and he really would kill that man…

The bronze-haired man took a few steps backward, looking surprised at the small boy. He never saw such hatred. It was like he was seeing the demon that came straight from the Hell.

Saga growled one more time, and jumped with clenched fists, ready to hit, to attack and to kill. He was so angry, that now he wasn't even thinking about taking someone's life. They had to pay for Kanon's pain, and he, his elder twin had to make them pay for that.

But before he managed to hit this hated man, his small fist was stopped by the other hand. Saga felt like the impact went through his body, making him to tremble form the slight pain. He looked surprised at the man standing in the front of him, knowing, that his hit should at least damaged this hand. But yet, he was stopped so easily.

"You shouldn't use your fists with hatred, little boy" said the man, smiling warmly.

Saga looked at him. It was man with the long, silver hair, with the friendly face. He was old, really old but yet his face remained the features of someone young. He was also wearing the long robe in the color of the evening sky and the strange, gold helmet on his head.

"Isn't it…" whispered the woman. "Isn't it the Pope Shion?"

Saga gulped. He heard that name. It was almost legend on the streets of Athens. The Pope Shion, man who was speaking the word of the Goddess, Athena, the strongest person in the whole Greece.

The Pope looked at the adults; all of them seemed to be a little shy in the presence of someone so great. Saga blinked a few times, still frozen from the surprise.

"May I ask, what is happening here?" asked the Pope with the smile, looking at the brown-haired man.

"Eeee… Actually… These two boys…"

Saga shook his head. For now these people were too focused on the Pope, so he and Kanon had the chance of escaping. He quickly jumped to his brother, in the matter of the seconds put him on his back and run away from this street, hoping that they wouldn't come after them again.

"Hey, wait!" Saga heard the voice of the man, who hurt his brother. But of course he didn't stop, running as fast as he could.

Not even looking back, he quickly left the unfortunate street behind him, heading to their small "house". He didn't care what happened there, who that old man really was, or if the people told him about the situation. Right now only Kanon had the matter, Saga had to take him to the safe place. He had to take care of him immediately; the hit Kanon received could be dangerous. He only hoped no one was following them right now.

Saga didn't knew how fast he was running but for him it was only a few minutes later, until he stopped in the small, dark, back street heading to their hideout. He checked the last time if no one was following them and with a few steps he was in the front of the entrance. Without waiting any longer he put his twin inside their "house" and checked if he was even still alive.

But it seemed that Kanon only lost his consciousness, thought his fever get much worse in that short time. Saga used the remained water, moistened the piece of the material and put it on Kanon's forehead. And… it was all he could do right now. It was too late to try to steal some medicine, but tomorrow he would do that – take some medicine for his brother. If it would be necessary, he was ready to rob the hospital for that.

With the long sigh he walked outside. Now he felt really tired. Since this morning he was still doing exhausting things. Firstly, bringing Kanon food, then walking with him through the Athens and now running the whole way back. He didn't even remember when the last time he was so tired like now.

Looking on the blue sky, he rested his back on the wall of the building and with one, slim move he slumped to the ground. He encircled his arms around his knees and hid the face in the warm arms.

This situation was helpless. His brother was probably dying from infection; they had no home and particularly no future. If today these people recognized them, then it would be more difficult to steal the food. In the state they were right now it wass even impossible to get to the Sanctuary like they planned. So what they should do now…? Move to the other city? But where find it? They didn't know about nearby cities, so how they would be able to find them? Is there any other way…?

"So… that's were you are hiding all the time?" Saga heard above his head. It was the voice of someone he heard already. He looked up, ready to run, and he almost did it – he almost jumped to his feet, passed the person above him and run away, but he quickly remembered that in the hideout was lying unconsciousness Kanon.

After a while he recognized this person, who was standing above him. It was the same old man, who not so long ago stopped his small fist. The man called the Pope.

Seeing the reaction of Saga, the Pope chuckled warmly, squatting slowly in the front of him.

"You don't have to be afraid, boy," the Pope said, looking inside the blue eyes of Saga. "I won't hurt you or your twin."

"Why should I believe you?"

The old man smiled.

"You don't have to believe me. I would be a little worried if you would believe me so quickly."

Saga snorted under his nose. What he should do now? What if that man would take him and his brother to these people? Should he try to lure him out of there? Run, hoping that he would follow him? Did he know that Kanon is lying there…?

"You don't have to run, boy. And I know that your brother is there," said Pope Shion. "Like I said, I'm not here to hurt you."

"How do you found us?" asked Saga. Well, his plan of luring him out of there was a failure since this man knew about Kanon lying in that construction of the boxes, so he could ask him a few things.

"Well, I can still feeling your determination and frustration, young man. Your cosmo is really turbulent right now."

Cosmo? What he was talking about?

"I heard you and your brother are causing some problems in this town…" started the Pope with the smile.

"So what? Not the only two of us…" snorted Saga, thinking about other way of escaping. "Besides we have to survive somehow."

"Homeless?"

Saga nodded quickly.

"I suppose it was two of you who two days ago tried to get to the Sanctuary, weren't you?"

"How do you know, old man?" Saga asked, afraid. How this man possessed this knowledge? Only these two guardians knew they tried to get there. The Pope Shion was the Head of the Sanctuary; Saga knew that very well. But was there any proof, that this man was really the Pope?

The Pope chuckled again.

"You see, one of my Saints reported, that two little, blonde man tried to lure to our place. I have to prize you two for being able to get so far. If you met the guardians it means you were really close, because they are guarding only the closest area."

Saga looked at him with the distrust. But then they heard the loud moan of the pain. The little boy froze, looking at the entrance of their hideout.

"I noticed that your brother is in awful state, young boy," said the old man sadly.

Saga looked at him again, trying to find any signs of lie inside these deep eyes.

"I can help you, little boy," added the Pope.

The little boy snorted.

"I don't need the help of someone like you!"

The Pope sighed deeply.

"Your brother is dying. You know that. If he won't receive the proper treatment he will die."

Saga gasped. He knew that it was bad with Kanon. The fever was getting worse and worse, even the fresh, clean bandages didn't help him. And he even received that strong punch in the head not so long ago. But was he really dying right now?

"I can heal him, young boy," added the Pope, looking carefully at Saga.

What should he do? Try to run away with Kanon, and take care of him by himself? Or believe this old man, who had so warm eyes and let him heal Kanon?

"You two have the power, the potential to change the world, young boy. I don't want to lose any of you. So come with me, to the Sanctuary, little boy," said Pope Shion, stretching his hand in Saga's direction. "Come you two and create your future, far away from these dirty streets, and these people who don't have any compassion for lost souls."

Saga blinked a few times. Come with him to the Sanctuary? Was it that simple? Yesterday Kanon almost broke his neck in the attempt of getting to that place. But now this old man was offering them the easy ticked there, to the place they dreamed to be. Could that man give them the new home just by stretching his arm?

Again he heard the slight moan of the pain, coming out of the hideout. But Saga didn't look there, didn't even move in that direction. He just took a long look inside these warm eyes, and touched the stretched hand of the old man.