Fandom: Saint Seiya

Characters: Saga, Kanon, Afrodita

Disclaimer: Saint Seiya and all known prominent figures who appear here are property of Masami Kurumada.

Thanks so much to Solar Knight Marie for being my beta reader in this chapter, you are the best!

Warning: Post Hades Saga. All the recollections of Saga and Kanon that were not explained during the original series are my inventions, if something does not match the canon it's because I am making worth my right of free will, or that I happened to find it more suitable for my fic.

I updated this fic almost one year ago, in May 2016. My excuse is that I suffered an awful writer's block. I hope that this chapter isn't a disappointment for you. I lost the thread of the fanfic, but I trust the next update will be faster. Or else, I'll finish this fic in 2026 XP.

Dedicated to everyone who marked this story as favorite, or that sent a review, I hope you enjoy the chapter. Recently I received a review of the same fic, on the English translation, and I had a few days of my writing restarted, this review encouraged me moreover to continue. For me it is true that the reviews are nourishment for the imagination and too are desires to continue writing.

Some chapters will be a vignette, that is to say, shorter than the others. Though I think this chapter is slightly longer (3338 words).

The parts written in italics are memories.


"There is no friend as a brother, nor any enemy as a brother ", - Persian proverb


At first, when they were young boys, Saga and Kanon were everything what they had in their lives. Since they were twin brothers, they were united from the day they were born. There was not a day when they were away from each other. They became orphans after a few months they were born and without close relatives who could take care of them; the circumstances united them even more.

In the orphanage where they lived their first years of life back in Greece, their caregivers recognized almost immediately the intelligence and creativity that the little brothers were demonstrating. Before they could speak, they created a "language" and communicated with each other in that semantic. When they grew up and learned words in Greek, they were able to converse with the others, but for them it was a delight to have their particular fraternal dialect that no one else understood.

Since both were blond, blue-eyed, and similar in complexion, they could only be distinguished by being side by side and watching them closely. They also had a great deal of fun whenever they confused the other children when they exchanged identities. They were experts in the art of deception.

One day, someone came to the orphanage to adopt the brothers, the procedures were fast and without any problem, since that person was the Patriarch of the Sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Athena, Shion of Jamir, the old Aries Knight. The head of the Athenian order had been feeling a powerful cosmo for months, long before he found the orphanage. The man was surprised to learn that the owner of such power was a small child and that he also had a twin brother. He reasoned that he could not leave behind the only family that the aspiring saint of the goddess Athena had.

Saga trained to become the next Gemini's Temple Saint. Kanon was not surprised that his brother was the chosen one, since he had always admired him. But that was also the time when the dark side of the younger child was manifested. That was the decisive time that marked the difference in their lives and that led to their terrible separation.

No one could predict that anything related to twins would be split in two. They were two minds living in the same person, two paths, two destinies marked by the inner struggle of good and evil.


Kanon realized quite early that the only thing that was permanent in the world was his brother. He had no parents, no home, and no lasting friendships.

After his adoption and when Saga got the Gemini's cloth, the younger brother began to notice an affectation in his ability to think clearly, to control his emotions, sometimes he felt a great anger and he was scared of the consequences that could have if he let loose it on someone else. Saga sporadically witnessed these changes in his brother when he saw him act without congruence between what he said and what he did or in his strange indecisions. One day, Kanon confessed to him with a shaken expression that his mind seemed to him like a huge labyrinth, which he feared to be lost in it one day and never come out. The Athena Saint felt so helpless, so sad that he was absorbed in seeking any solution to his brother's problem by consulting books in the patriarch's library. He believed his duty and responsibility as the elder brother was to help him. There was a part that feared he could suffer the same condition.

Kanon's fight with his evil side, his mental illness, was intense and in the end he didn't win that battle. His twin witnessed the change in his personality, his outbursts of anger and laughter with no reason or at times inappropriate, all that overwhelmed him but he endured it in solitude.

When he went on missions around the world he had a permanent concern, the patriarch never heard of his problems, because Saga never trusted anyone in his anguish. He knew Aioros, the Sagittarius Knight, who considered him his friend, but he had the responsibility of rising and training his younger brother, Aioria, who was aspiring to Leo's cloth. He understood Sagittarius perfectly, since they shared the duties of being an older brother. Later, different saints from all corners of the planet came to the Sanctuary, but none of them approached for friendship or companionship. He was seen as one of the first golden saints of the current era, someone whom they considered a model to imitate.

The Gemini's saint was respected and admired by the Athenian order and by the people close to the Greek Sanctuary. He was a candidate, along with Aioros, to replace the high priest because of his kind and fair character, but in the end Shion inclined towards Aioros and proclaimed him as new high priest when the Arian realized the wickedness hidden within the Saga's heart. The Saint of the temple of the twins accepted the patriarchal election and promised to help the Sagittarian with the functions of the Sanctuary.

Before that decision was made public, Kanon had a crucial and long-term crisis. At that moment he proposed his brother to join him against the sanctuary, but the golden knight refused. Saga could not bear to see Kanon so different, watching how his brother perceived reality in a distorted way frightened him, so he resolved to lock his brother in the prison at Sunion Cape. It was a cell that was embedded in the very rock of the promontory; it was an inhuman punishment, since it could be flooded by the waters of the Aegean Sea at high tide.

Although Saga's reasoning and judgment prevented him from noticing that same desire within himself and expressing it openly, he did not reach a decision to help him in any way because he would find himself guilty of the same crime. But after a while the saint of the third house recognized himself in his younger brother's immoral behavior and came to feel the same his brother once confessed to him in despair.

Sending his brother to his death deeply disrupted Saga and this was aggravated until the day he seized power in the Sanctuary by assassinating the supreme leader. His mind believed that having absolute power over all mortals in this world it would fill the void that had left Kanon's separation in his heart.

His life was transformed into an alien world, and anger arose against it, which originated from feeling hurt. He spent a lot of time in his temple searching culprits. This emotion was accompanied by aggressive behavior with the environment and he eventually fell in a terrible desperation. It was the period where he sent his personal assassins to execute saints of bronze and silver faithful to Athena who were scattered all over the planet. He blackmailed the golden saints and seduced them with the promise of power, luxuries and richness, or by using the technique of Imperial Satan when someone doubted his orders. Thus was the author of the greatest infidelity to the goddess who swore to protect, from within the sacred Sanctuary.

Although people at the foot of the Sanctuary continued to praise and thank him in a thousand ways for their protection, Saga never felt worthy of such recognition. It was all part of his master plan. To achieve his goals it was necessary to have a perfect facade.

But all he really wanted was to go back to the long-gone days where they were only Saga and Kanon, back to his little family. He spent sleepless nights wondering what could have been done to change their situation, and thus avoid the pain that consumed him. He still could not accept what Kanon had done.

Depression was another phase in his life after Kanon's betrayal. Finally aware of his loss, this awareness was followed by intense crying, lack of appetite and insomnia and then his body and mind weakened. Feelings of sadness, emptiness, loneliness and emotional pain arose. He saw no meaning in living without his twin by his side. Without knowing it, Kanon went through the same thing at the dungeon.

In his thoughts a fear appeared: to never to get over his brother's departure, to never experience filial love again, preventing him from reaching happiness.

But sadly Saga never accepted the loss of his brother, leading his mind to follow the same perverse goals by which he condemned his younger brother in Sunion Cape. Living a vicious cycle that altered him painfully.

Nonetheless, at the end of his life, his goodness defeated the evil side of his heart and he demonstrated the great love that he professed to Athena. It was the love for his goddess that helped him to continue in the fight against Hades, when the same god of the Infernos resurrected him along with other gold and silver saints that died during the Battle of the Twelve Temples.


Sometime after his death, his soul was incarnated in his former body and Saga had to show strength and motivation to take him to the right direction, although later that same soul was condemned for acts against Athena. His life made sense again and was adopting a positive attitude.

It is was this one-night period when he confronted his twin brother again, and by defeating Kanon in the Gemini's temple he was very proud that his younger brother protected the goddess Athena in an extraordinary way as the proud golden saint of the third Temple. He then realized that his brother had no evil in his heart.

When they revived again, but now thanks to their beloved goddess, they accepted the end of their lives, one temporary and the other recent, and thus there was no harmful emotional bond, so that a new stage can begin. Just the way it was at first, just the two of them. Like a family.


The twins woke up early, with Saga being the first to do so. When he opened his eyes, he found a mop of blond hair on his chest, feeling a weight on it. His younger brother used his torso as a pillow. Saga smiled and spent five minutes as he decided whether or not to wake his twin up.

Saga remembered the previous night, after the golden meeting in the last temple, which was like an ocean of emotions. However, this was nothing compared to the session that followed in the third house where Kanon and him spoke for hours of their different memories during the battles in the Sanctuary and in Hades' territory. Also, they talked about Kanon's life as Poseidon's general, and finally they were so exhausted that they were overcome by drowsiness in the lounger where they sat down to confess, to laugh, to weep and to pardon, accompanying their talk with glasses of wine and water.

Their minds still worked the same as when they were children, they were connected, and it was something very familiar, like coming home after a long trip.

The last thing Saga remembered was that they were united in a hug, in the large armchair of the temple's main hall feeling a great relief and peace. Although he woke up with some irritation in his throat and eyes, he was happy.

While he was thinking of this, a golden knight came calling the Gemini door with his cosmo; it was the guardian of the twelfth house, the Swedish Aphrodite of Pisces.

Saga hurried to meet the visitor and got up from his place in the sofa, the former Marina was startled, confused and a little dizzy, but when he felt the presence on the front of the temple he calmed down.

"What does Aphrodite want so early?" asked the young man as he rubbed his eyes with his hand.

"I don't know," Saga replied, smiling as he watched his brother make a gesture that reminded him of other times, and looking at the clock on the wall added, "But it's not as early as you think."

Kanon checked his brother's assurance and was surprised at the certainty of his words, made a grimace of disgust, then in an instant remembered last night and when he looked at his twin again he smiled and with a less discreet gesture, with some complicity in his eyes confirmed: "You are completely right."

Saga nodded, then remembered that someone was at their door and came out to meet him; Kanon stretched as he rose from his seat and followed his older brother. He was curious to see the reason for the visit of the Pisces Saint.

Aphrodite looked radiant, his two arms busy with bouquets of roses, each with a combination of white roses and rainbow sorbet roses as the foundation.

The morning was somewhat cloudy and the cold atmosphere announcing a downpour.

"Hello, Saga," said the guardian of the golden fish's house, and after some hesitation he continued, "Or are you Kanon?"

"I am Saga," said the older man with a small smile.

Aphrodite's eyes grew wide and said: "I've never seen you smile like that."

At that moment Kanon appeared in front of the Swede and looked curiously at his brother. Then, Kanon laughed loudly and giving him a pat on the shoulder, says to Aphrodite:

"I can tell that you don't know him well enough" said the former Marina with a wink.

The older Gemini slightly blushed. That was true, Saga always walked away from his peers, for the wrong reasons, and that prevented him from forming any healthy emotional connection. The only bonds he established were harmful to both parties, with Aphrodite, Deathmask and Shura, who were the only ones to know that the Saint's Patriarch was usurped by an unfaithful knight and they supported him for different reasons. Though, all of them were seduced by his extraordinary eloquence, for his mastery in convincing people.

Kanon never made friends with any saint of the Sanctuary; he just hid as Saga's shadow. When someone saw him they always thought he was the older brother, at first this irritated him, and later he did not even bother to get them out of his mistake.

The Swede recovers quickly and begins: "Well, I am here to greet you and give you some small presents" while saying this, he offered them the flowers.

The brothers took the beautiful gifts in their arms and appreciate the exquisite scent of roses, thankful for the great kindness of Aphrodite.

"Do you want to come in for a drink?" Saga asked.

"Thank you, but I have to go now," the Swede said with a surprised smile.

"Just a cup of tea or coffee," Kanon insisted, "I won't take long"

The golden fish guardian refuses again: "It will be another day, I'm late for a meeting" then added, "But if the invitation is still standing, I'll visit you early tomorrow," he says as he walks away.

"Of course, Aphrodite, you will always be welcomed in this house." He declared, but before he closed the door of Gemini he heard: "You should smile more often, Saga," which made Kanon laugh.

Saga was surprised to feel a bit of sadness when Aphrodite did not accept his invitation. The older Geminian longed to fill the gap that his soul had by separating from his brother, pretending to complete his spirit with power and richness. But what he really needed was to have a close friend.

The older twin was afraid that one day he would fall back into his evil character, that it would present it any day, and that no one would notice it. Although his brother was now with him and the two had finally demonstrated their loyalty to the goddess of wisdom.

"What are you thinking about?" asked the former Marina with curiosity, while they look for vases to put the roses.

He was willing to approach the other Knights, he knew that it would be difficult to gain their confidence, but that would make it sure that any of them noticed any change in his personality. He will follow the example of Aphrodite, who showed great courage in delivering his presents.

He didn't want to make the same mistake again, moving away from everyone when he needed help. Saga was willing to envision more his positive side, starting with his comrades in arms to the humblest servant of the Sanctuary, and to make an echo to find in his being something similar. Make an examination of those behaviors, feelings or actions that values all of these people and find them within him.

"I think we should prepare to welcome Aphrodite tomorrow as he deserves, don't you think, Kanon?"

Thus he would never again feel the cold and overwhelming solitude of the supreme power, provoked by him in disdain and distrust of everyone.

"Yes, we have to plan a good breakfast," he agrees as he finds a huge white vase in a large closet.

"Look, Saga, it's perfect, we'll accommodate the two bouquets here," the older brother nodded.

While Kanon filled the beautiful vase with water, his brother warned him to be very careful.

"I'm not going to break it," complains the younger of the twins as they begin to place the flowers in the container.

"I didn't mean that, I mean I don't want you to get hurt," says Saga.

"Oh"

Witnessing the moment of leaving a Kanon without words is a memorable occasion. Saga treasured this feat. However, the younger of them recovers from his fleeting silence almost immediately.

"But look. How splendid! Aphrodite has good taste," he says admiringly.

On a coffee table in the room, the big bunch of flowers was displayed in its entire splendor. It was perfect, as Kanon had stated before. The way the two bouquets were integrated into an exquisite piece was to marvel.

Studying the unity with care, Saga had never appreciated the saint of Pisces before this day, and he swore to perceive in his fellow companions the qualities which during his first life he minimized or completely ignored. He decided to learn from them and integrate it into his character. He was sure to feel liberated, for it would no longer be a solitary battle to avoid negative feelings.

He didn't know if everyone would be as friendly and open as Aphrodite, but he would try, he would give his best.

With this in mind, wanting to start the new day, and a new life, he assures his brother:

"That's right, even his name suggests it. Aesthetic of Aphrodite is enviable." Saga smiles.

Kanon merely lifted his eyebrows, and without saying anything, went to the kitchen, releasing a loud yawn.

"We're going to have breakfast, or lunch. Then we go to the village to buy what is necessary for breakfast tomorrow, what do you think?" The youngest asks.

"Well said," Saga replies, his mental state reflected tranquility.

"I had not seen you so happy since before..." ex-Marina hesitated as he took food from the cupboard "well, you know"

"Yes, I know, I feel as if I had returned to the time when we were children, but with the experience of an old man," sighs Saga with a small smile still drawn on his face.

"Yes, I understand. Well, you're the oldest, so you're the old man" Kanon says slyly, feigning anger.

"For five minutes, Kanon, I'm only five minutes older than you," he replies patronizingly.

He missed Kanon, he was the only one who knew him well, and he was the only person Saga knew well. He knew his faults and virtues as his own. They were family.

He thanked the goddess for giving them the opportunity to recover their family, and requested her with all his heart to have the courage and be worth to do the same with the other members of the Athenian order.

To be continued...


(1) I think I wrote too much about the past, or the "new" was not as extensive as I would have liked.

(2) When I was writing the fic I was left with doubts about the permission of the goldies so that someone else could pass by his house. If the owner is not there, it can be crossed with no problem, but if for example, they arrive from a trip at dawn and the owner of the house is asleep, do they wake him up? Do they have permission from the Patriarch as a safe-conduct? Or imagine if DM comes drunk late at night, assuming he does not have permission, then how would he cross the first three houses? I can imagine him hanging from four drones flying above the houses.