A/N: This is based off a role play I did a while back with AuroraExecution and NiteSkye. I found it in my email and decided to re-write it into a story. I had the original up a while back, but I took it down when we lost time to play and the events were rather crazy and didn't roll together. This re-write, while loosely based on the RP, will be much different. Enjoy the madness! (Yes, I was taking the crazy pills. My name IS Naotoki after all)
Aiolia of Leo looked at the heavy chains that bound his wrists to his chair. He experimentally pulled at them, but whatever chains Milo had used to tie him down held firm. He groaned, the sound lost in the gag the deranged Scorpio had stuffed in his mouth to cut off his complaints. The chair was facing a wall, so he couldn't see anything going on around him...
They were driving him to near madness. He could hear the voices behind him-Aphrodite's girlish giggles, Milo and Kanon's excited chatter, and Camus's reluctant utterances, mostly telling Milo to let him go-and the scent in the air was making him physically ill. The entire temple smelled of at least a dozen different colognes and perfumes and the stench was making his eyes water and it was becoming a struggle for him to keep his lunch down.
His skin felt clammy as he broke into a cold sweat. He was not feeling well at all, the combination of physical illness and nerves gnawing at him. How long would they keep him here? Wasn't the whole plan for him to go on a date with Marin? People didn't go on dates wrapped in chains...
"What's going on in here?" a stern voice demanded. "I can smell this crap all the way in Capricorn Temple! Why are you stinking up Lady Athena's sacred palaces?"
Aiolia's heart leapt in elation. Shura. Shura wouldn't let them do this to him.
"Oh. Hello, Shura", Milo greeted, sounding as though holding a fellow Gold saint hostage in a temple-turned-gas-chamber was a common occurrence. Especially when the temple you were holding your comrade hostage in was said hostage's own temple. "How are you this fine day?"
Shura ignored the pleasantries.
"Why is Aiolia tied up? And why are you holding Camus by his hair?"
"Oh, Kanon and I are setting him up on a date with Marin. Camus here keeps trying to escape. He doesn't want to help us."
"You can't kidnap people, Milo. What you're doing is wrong"
Yes! He was free! Shura was going to stop the madness!
"But as this is Aiolia, I think I can turn a blind eye just this once. This insanity with Aiolia and Marin has gone on long enough. Someone's got to do something."
Aiolia's heart deflated. Was everyone against him?
"Gee, thanks, Shura", Camus muttered sarcastically.
"Oh, I have to go get Marin. See you guys in a little bit", Aphrodite's dreamy voice rang through the air.
"Remember to bring her to your temple first. You'll need to measure her before you can take her dress shopping."
"Yes, Kanon. I am quite aware of the plan."
The smell of flowers suddenly overpowered all the other scents in the air as the Pisces Saint left the temple.
Aiolia wretched behind his gag. Shura was at his side in a flash, and he was out of the chains in nanoseconds . Aiolia pulled the gag out of his mouth and ran to the bathroom.
"Well, that's something you don't see every day", Milo commented. "Who knew Aiolia had such a weak stomach?"
"Not everyone can stomach the smell of all the stuff you and Aphrodite sprayed in the air.", Camus mumbled. " It's disgusting. How you could distinguish one from the other after the sixth one, I don't know...Plus it's possible to be allergic to perfume...can you let me go now?"
"We already covered this", Milo explained. "If I let go of your hair, you will run away, and I need you."
Camus muttered something under his breath in French.
"I heard that", Kanon said, a wicked smile on his face.
"You understand French? What'd he say?" Milo asked.
"I'll tell you when you're mature enough to understand it", Kanon replied, flicking Milo on the nose. "Though if you're going to do that, Camus, you might want to invest in an ax. More painful."
Camus chuckled.
Milo opened his mouth to retaliate, but stopped at the sound of moaning behind him.
All eyes turned to the pale-faced Leo Saint who had just staggered from the restroom.
"I told you tying him up was a bad idea. He looks absolutely sick. We can't have him looking that bad on his date!", Kanon snapped at Milo. "Marin will run away."
"He was trying to run away! You saw him!"
"Can we please get out of here?", Aiolia groaned before an argument could break out. "I need fresh air."
"Alright, everyone. Let's regroup in my temple", Milo said cheerfully.
Camus rolled his eyes.
"You're just loving this, aren't you?"
Milo ignored him. He grabbed Aiolia's wrist with his free hand and began dragging the Leo and Aquarius saints towards Scorpio Temple.
"Hey, where's Shura?", Kanon asked.
Four sets of eyes turned towards the Capricorn saint, who was attempting to tiptoe his way out before they realized he was still there.
"Shura! Run!", Camus called.
Before the Capricorn saint could get to the back entrance, Kanon was on him and pulling him back.
"Come now, no trying to escape."
And so the group headed, some more willingly than others, to the Scorpio Temple.
The trouble with friends, Aiolia mussed as Milo dragged him by the wrist, was that they always knew when there was something distracting you.
It had started so innocently, too...
"You are so in denile"
Milo's telepathic phrase had reached Aiolia's thoughts shortly after lunch.
"Shut it, Milo!"
If there was a ever a time Aiolia thought of the good-natured Scorpio saint as evil, it was when Milo was trying to pry into his love life.
"You know, that's actually a good idea. Let's do something about it."
"Wait, Milo! Don't do anything creepy."
"Don't you worry your little head. You'll thank me for this later."
"Can't you just Scarlet Needle the heck out of me if you want to torture me?"
"Trust me, Kid", Kanon joined their mental conversation. "That's one attack you don't want on your body. Hurts like Hell."
"Yes, but withstanding fourteen strikes without losing your sanity is quite impressive."
"You seem way too happy about that"
While Aiolia knew vaguely of Milo's attack on Kanon, he was content not knowing all the details.
"Oh, I am. And I will be even happier once we get this taken care of. Kanon, meet me in Leo temple in fifteen minutes. I am going to go round up Camus."
"You got it"
The mental connection broke and Aiolia's thoughts had become his own once more. He contemplated barricading the front and back entrances of Leo Temple, but lacked anything big enough to do that with.
Maybe he could go hide with Aldebarran and Mu until the insanity died down...
I don't think that's going to work, Bro.
Aiolia turned towards his brother's ghostly outline.
"Well, I don't exactly see you helping me."
Aiolos chuckled.
What do you want me to do? I'm a ghost, remember?
"Why do you stay in the Sanctuary, anyway?"
The ghost feigned a hurt look.
Well, if you don't want me here, I'll just be on my way.
"Aiolos, wait..."
Too late, his brother was gone.
His fifteen minutes to plan his escape was also over. Kanon was coming into the front entrance carrying an assortment of whips, chains, gags, and blindfolds-a gift from Deathmask, he said-as Milo walked through the back entrance with a very disgruntled Camus. Though Aiolia supposed he would be disgruntled, too, if he had long hair and was being dragged around by it.
Aiolia had the sudden urge to bolt, and started to take off towards Cancer when Milo nearly took out his left knee cap with Scarlet Needle.
That was when he'd been pushed into a chair and strapped down, Kanon arguing that it wasn't a good idea to treat him so roughly before his date, and the whole mess had started. Aphrodite had arrived ten minutes after Milo, Kanon, and Camus, bringing with him his own set of torture devices.
Flash forward three hours, and they were where they were now, about to walk into Virgo Temple.
Shaka, who was seated on a cushion, enjoying a cup of tea, greeted them with a pleasant smile.
"What brings such a group into my home?"
Even though his eyes were closed, Aiolia had the feeling he could see exactly how they were walking through-Milo dragging Camus by his hair and Aiolia by his wrist, Kanon holding Shura's hands securely behind his back.
"We're setting Aiolia and Marin on a date", Milo replied.
"I see...I do not know much about dating...", Shaka spoke benignly, as he always did, though there was a rare edge of humor to his voice. "...but are the people doing the dating not supposed to be doing so by their own free will?"
"This is Aiolia and Marin we're talking about", Kanon reminded him. To Shura he added "Kick me again and I will break both your arms"
Milo was staring at Shaka like a hungry wolf staring down a lamb.
"You know, Shaka...we could use another guy to dress up like a girl tonight..."
"Absolutely not, Milo"
Shaka's pleasant demeanor slipped away and the iciness in the room made even Camus proud.
"Please, Shaka. There aren't many options on guys who can pull off girls. Can you imagine Deathmask in a dress?"
"What are you doing?", Kanon demanded, letting go of Shura in his shock. "Have you grown tired of living?"
Shura stood beside Kanon, too stunned to move.
Camus motioned to Milo's hands, silently pleading for Shura to cut them, not wanting to be caught in the middle of an attack.
Just as quickly as the tension in the room reached a suffocating level, it dissipated. Shaka slumped to the floor, unconscious, a rather serious-faced Aphrodite behind him. Next to Aphrodite stood Marin, looking every bit as confused as Aiolia felt.
"A-Aphrodite", Kanon gasped. "What did you do that for?"
Aphrodite rolled his eyes.
"He would have killed you. You are lucky Marin and I arrived when we did...now, no more wasting time."
The Pisces saint grabbed Shaka and tossed the unconscious Virgo over his shoulder before leading Marin towards his temple.
Aiolia couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear for the safety of the woman he loved and wondered if he would have been better off just confessing his feelings for her.