Hypnotic Ways and Deamy Days
Onassio Cardiac Surgery Center was one of the few places in Athens that specilized in matters of afflictions concerning the heart. It was located near the southern tip of Athens, it also just happen to be the hospital nearest Sanctuary. The medical building was frequented more often then not by critically injured Saints when the doctors in the small village next to Sanctuary couldn't help or didn't have the right tools or enough supplies.
Within one of many rooms inside this place of mercy lay one Pegasus Saint who had taken a direct blow to the heart. The doctors were baffleled by this one patient. His injuries indicated a long, sharp, thin but wide object had pierced and sliced right through is heart. This being said, the boy should have died instantly or at least within the minute the injury occured. The ones who brought him in hadn't elaborated very much on how he got into such a dire condition except to only one or two doctors with close ties to the Graude Foundation and Kido Saori.
When Seiya had been brought in he was barely alive; his heart was still somehow beating, albiet weakly, blood pressure was dangerously low, he had a number of bruised, fractured, and broken bones, he was black and blue all over, and he had several cut and stab wounds. It had taken six doctors, nearly fourteen surgery hours in the ER, a massive blood transfusion, and another fourty-eight hours in the ICU recovery room before it was deemed he would survive.
The news made the day seem brighter and put a little hope and happiness into everyone.
Seiya's prone form had been visited daily since he was rolled into his own privated room. The room itself, which was boringly white, was one of the hospital's largest and was equipted for extended stays with things such as a wardrobe, a tv in the upper left corner of the room, a small wash room with a small stand in shower and toilet, and a small bedside sink. It had been decorated with all manners colorful and fragrent flora, dozens of Get Well cards, teddy bears, and ballons, and a few other knick-knacks and presents.
Most of the Bronze Saints and a few Silvers visited almost every day. None however were more diligent in overseeing Seiya's recovery than Shaina, outstripping even Saori by having the most bedside hours. Though her memories were still a little hazy, Seika was slowly regainning knowledge of her brother the more time she spent around him. Marin, though more withdrawn because of Aiolia's passing, had made it priority to visit at least two or three times a week. Even Miho and the orphans, once news got around to them, managed to fly out from Japan for a week to visit.
Soon the weeks of delicate recovery rolled by, the weeks turned into months, and the months turned into a year. By then Saori and the others were growing impatient and more than a little worried. The doctors had predicted full a recovery and Seiya's awakening within five to six weeks after surgery, but Seiya refused to open his eyes. The doctors had run several long tests and scans. Everything checked out fine, the scans had picked up no afflictions to his head that hadn't already healed that would cause him to stay unconscious. Nothing should have hampered his recovery.
Yet even now, three years later, Pegasus Seiya remained unresponsive in his coma. When the two year mark had come and gone, the doctors had ultimately been ready to pull the plug and remove him from life support. Saori had pleaded to give him more time, his body and everything else was completely healed, he just needed to wake up. The doctors gave in and let the boy be. It had raised many interested eyebrows to see him survive another year of being tied to a bed, this made Seiya the only recorded comatose victim to live in such a state for a full three years.
Be that as it may, the doctors could no longer keep him, even if he could manage to survive another year of unconsciousness. Their was simply too many waiting patients and not enough beds. All they could say was if the boy could not wake within the month, they will have to let him go. It was simply impossible for him to continue on with only a machine keeping him alive.
In hearing this, Saori worked hard to find out why Seiya hadn't woken up. She found what she was looking for. Not long into her search, Saori came across a seal of some kind right over Seiya's heart. It was small and could not be seen on the skin unless cosmos was applied. Athena knew Hades, in his death throws, had placed it there. It vaguely mirrored the pendent Shun used to wear but had the mark of the God of Sleep. She researched and cross referenced the seal for three days and nights in Sanctuary archives and found it to be the Seal of Hypnos or otherwise known as the Seal of Eternal Sleep. The same seal that was said Hypnos placed on a young man by the name Endymion eons ago. Although, this one was a modified version.
"... Athena tried, day after day to break the seal, but couldn't. Even though Hades was the one who placed it on Seiya, Hypnos is the one who empowers it. Unlike Hades, Hypnos wasn't truely killed. Heck, Hypnos didn't even have anything against us when we fought him." Ikki said as he finished telling the sorceress, the Guardian Beast, and the young costume designer about the curse set apon his fellow Saint. He leaned heavily against the wall as he explained it all. He didn't like talking about it, but he supposed it helped lift some of the burden the knowledge carried off his shoulders.
Tomoyo looked down on the prone Pegasus Saint, pity and sadness playing in her indago eyes. She and Kero had been informed by Sakura of her dream of Elysian and she immediately supported her plan to revive Seiya. "It's not fair he has to suffer because he was protecting Athena-sama and everyone else."
"But I don't get it," Sakura said fom her bedside seat. "Athena-sama is a goddess, how come she couldn't break Hades' curse?"
Kero sighed heavily from his perch on the the bed guard rail. "Gods have limits too, Sakura." Seeing his charge's confused look, he explained, "As omniscient as most gods seem, they aren't. Athena is a goddess associated with war, so war is her dominion. Hypnos is the God of Sleep, Athena can't undo a curse placed by him."
"But Hypnos didn't place the seal." Tomoyo reminded.
"But he did create it." Kero shot back. "Think about it, it's just like the Clow Cards, me and Yue before The Final Judgement." He then noticed Ikki giving him a questioning look. "Before Sakura became the Mistress of The Sakura Cards, the cards were once named Clow Cards. Yue and I held power over twenty-six cards each." Kero then looked back at Tomoyo. "Remember what happened when the Kid and Sakura tried to use The Time and The Wood on Yue? It backfired on them because those cards fell under Yue's jurisdiction. You get what I'm saying?"
"So Athena couldn't break Hypnos' seal because she's not affiliated with sleep." The Phoenix stated rather than asked.
Kero nodded. "Now you get the picture. Hades could cast the curse because he has close ties with Thanatos, the God of Death, and Thanatos and Hypnos are twin brothers. Sleep and death go hand in hand." the small cat explained. "Hades had connections to both death and sleep. He may not control death like Thanatos, but he rules over those who are dead."
"Then how do you propose Sakura-san would be able to break the curse?"
The four turned to see Saori, Seika, all the Bronze Saints from the Galaxian Tournament, and the Amazon Saints crowding the room's door. All of them were dressed down in normal, modern day clothes, though Shaina, Marin, and June were still wearing their masks.
"How long have you guys been there?" Ikki asked as everyone filed into the room, Nachi shutting the door firmly behind them. He had called Saori a while back and passed on what Sakura had told him and they opted to meet at the hospital. Originally only a few Saints and Seika were supossed to come, but apparently news got out quickly to some of the other Bronze Saints who knew Seiya. Jabu, Nachi, Ichi, and June, came along, leaving Sanctuary's defense to the remaining Bronze and Silver Saints.
Shun came to stand next his older brother saying, "Since the bit about 'The Final Judgement', ni-san."
Sakura and Tomoyo raised themselves from their seats to allow Saori and Seika to sit, Shaina had dragged a chair in the room from the hallway and planted herself next to Seiya's sister.
Kero fluttered in front of Saori and answered her earlier question, "The best idea we came up with was to have Sakura enter Seiya's mind and break the seal apart from the inside."
Saori blinked. "I never thought of trying that. Can she do it?"
Kero nodded. "It's possible. The Sakura Cards were made to have limitless potential so getting in should be doable."
"Mind control and reading someone's mind is one thing," Jabu started in obvious disapproval. "But actually diving into somebody's mind is another."
June agreed, asking, "Won't doing that kind of thing seriously drain her powers?"
Kero looked at the Unicorn and Cameleon. "Yes, it is strenuous and it will most likely sap a lot of energy. It's also extreamly dangerous, but this is what Sakura wants to do. As her friend and guardian I can only support and protect her." the flying cat then crossed his arms with a slight huff. "Besides, it's not like she'll listen to me if I tell her not to. She'll always risk her neck to save someone in trouble." he mumbled, Sakura nodding in total agreement.
The sorceress looked around at everyone present who stared uncertainly but expectently back. "I'm going to need a little room." That was all she needed to say for the observing Saints to back up and line themselves against the room walls. Saori, Shaina, and Seika didn't need to budge from where they sat as Sakura positioned herself at the foot of Seiya's bed while pulling out a small pink and gold key. Tomoyo whipped out her camcorder while Kero perched on the girl's shoulder.
"Sakura-chan, do your best." Tomoyo cheered.
"Hai..." was her cousin's quiet reply.
"... Kinomoto-san..." Sakura looked towards the only non-Saint besides Tomoyo and Saori, Seika. "Onegai, help my otouto. Bring him back to me. We've missed so much of each other's lives, I want to make up for it." The older girl looked with a pleading, almost desperately hopeful look.
In that moment Sakura's resolve to revive the cursed Pegasus strengthened. There was no way she was going to back out now after what Seika just said. "I'll try my hardest."
"Ki o tsukete, Sakura." Kero warned. "You must keep focused on your own individuality and your reason for being in his mind at all times. One slip up and both your minds could overwhelm and hurt each other. I don't need Yue breathing down my neck any more than he already will after he hears about this."
Sakura gave a quick nod and closed her eyes in consentration before invoking the incantation that would form her wand. "Key that hides the power of the stars," Visable energy that was magic swirled in the air, unnatural wind whirled around the room strongly, and light from the Seal of Sakura burned intensely. It all left those who didn't know enough of Sakura's power in awe. The sorceress continued as her tiny key lifted out of her open palm, glowing, "Show your true form before me! " The wild magic wrapped around and clung to the key, the gold star in the center spinning madly. "I Sakura comand you under our contract! RELEASE!!" The key then grew into a pink short staff. Sakura pulled in out of its mid-air float, twirling it like a cheerleader would a baton.
Everything died down then, except the sorceress' seal which spun in slow idleness under her feet, but it did lessen most of its brightness. A card from out of Sakura's bag that sat innocently on the nightstand near Saori left it's hiding place and floated just above and in front of Sakura. On the card's picture was a woman dressed in flowing white and navy robes with an elaborate headdress that had a large red jewel on its crown and covered her eyes. Across the bottom, above Sakura's printed name, the card read The Dream.
"DREAM! Take me into Saint Seiya's dreams!" Sakura called out and tapped the card. The effects of the card's power was immediate. For the briefest split second the image on the card appeared in mid-air between Seiya and Sakura before vanishing. Sakura then collapsed due to both sudden magic drainage and Dream's lesser ability to place people into sleep while her powers are in effect. Marin, who was not far away, caught Sakura as her body fell and laid her down next to Seiya's sleeping form as they all spied an unusual blue butterfly made of light settling on the said comatose Saint's head before fading from sight.
"Now we wait," Kero said to the now silent room as he sat at the foot of Seiya's bed. "And hope all ends well."
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Sakura didn't like the place she now found herself in. It was dark and nothing more. Sakura could hear no sounds or see any images from Seiya's memories, thoughts, or imagination. Everything all around was one blank void. The only thing she found interesting was that there was no ground to stand on and yet she could 'feel' herself standing on something solid
"Seiya-san!" the sorceress called into the endless darkness. "Seiya-san, if you can hear me, please answer!" Sakura frowned as she clutched her wand when no reply came. 'How can I help him if I don't know which way to go?'
Her unvoiced question was answered by a second voice, "Follow me, I will lead you to the one you seek." it said, the voice light, definently feminine, and misty. Sakura turned to see The Dream floating there, her hazy white body standing out sharply amongst the deep surrounding darkness.
"Dream,"
The spirit nodded before holding out her hand. "I can take you to this Seiya, Mistress Sakura, but you will have to free him yourself." Sakura took hold of The Dream's hand without a word, fully trusting her card's abilities to lead her to Seiya. The 'ground' under Sakura's feet suddenly left and she felt a vague scense of moving at a rushed speeds, it threw her completely off balance for a moment. The Dream gave a soft laugh as her master flailed about but said nothing as they made their way.
Not too far away and closing in was a wide pentagon shaped platform, The glowing Hades influeced Seal of Eternal Sleep taking up the entire grey slab of stone, each corner of the plateform had a tall red column with thick silver chains connecting them to the still, kneeling figure in the center of it all.
As Dream and Sakura touched down again just a few feet from the dais, a sudden surge of rightous anger swept through Sakura as she observed the pathetic state the Saint before her was forced into. Unbeknownst to Sakura, her body began to pulse a bright pink light. Sakura made a move towards the Saint only to be held back by Dream's hand on her shoulder.
"Please exercise caution before valor." she advised with a wave of her hand. For a second a dark redish-black cosmos covered the dais like a dome barrier, it shimmered, leaking deadly cosmos when a sliver of Dream's power touched it, before becoming invisable again. "A trap to help ensure non who reach here disturbes his confinement."
Sakura frowned deeply, trying to think of a way to get to Seiya without dying first.
Seiya, who had been unaware of his newfound company, twitched only slightly when he felt the pressure of cosmos. Dulled brown eyes that were once so full of life barely opened. Seiya wondered if the vast dark loneliness of his prison had finally made him crack, he could almost swear he felt another presence. Looking up, Seiya's eyes widened some when he saw a blurry splash of pink cosmos.
Hope. It was something he hadn't quite given up on since he woken up in this endlessly dark realm, bound and shackled with only the knowledge of this being Hades' doing and memories of his waiting friends keeping him sane. He didn't even know how long he'd been locked up here. This cosmos, now that he could see it just two yards in front of him, was reviving his slowly dying hope. He only know of one person with that much cosmos in that color.
"... Sh-Shun?..." Seiya rasped. ".. Tasukete... kudasai... these chains they- argh!" He hadn't meant to do it, but his small but sudden movements caused the chains to react. A bolt of electricity surged down the chains from the surrounding columns. Seiya gritted his teeth, determined not to scream after the inital shock. When the volts ceased, the battered brunette breathed long-suffered gasps and and violent coughing fits.
Sakura watched all this in horror. The light around her grew brighter with her strengthening desire to free the poor boy. He shouldn't suffer like this, there was no reason for him too. She'd seen and heard of him doing great, heroic things.
He deserved better.
He deserved his freedom.
Sakura brought her staff up to bear. She had to override this seal and free him from this unjust pain. Sakura knew she had no cards that could break seals like this one in front of her and even if she did Sakura doubted they would work, aside from The Dream, inside someone else's mindscape. Whether Sakura noticed it or not, the gold star of her staff began to change, growing five extra points, as the wings on either side grew larger. Her personal seal sprang to life under her. Sakura didn't know at she was doing nor was she trying to think about it. Her only desire at the moment was to help Seiya and everything was being driven by instinct.
"I call apon the power of my star," she began. "Purest magic of ten points burn bright!"
Seiya looked up, not recognizing who was speaking. 'Who is that?'
The light around Sakura was growing and stars both known and unknon to man began to flicker to life all around, but non was more brighter than the ten-point star hovering just above Sakura's head. "Ancient sanctum of the holy life, pierce the darkness of the night! I, Sakura, comand you... RELEASE THE LIGHT!"
A magic circle of gargantuan size suddenly appeared, replacing her Seal of Sakura. It had more rays that curved elegantly than strait ones. It had strange symbols that looked more ancient than any known writen language along two inner and one outer circles. It also had a six-point star where Yue's moon would have been and an eight-point star where Keroberos' sun would have been. The sun and moon were now sitting between the two inner circles along with the symbols of the nine planets, and Sakura's usual ten-point star taking up most of the center. Like the seals of Sakura and Clow, the only thing that remained the same was the four symbols for the North, South, East, and West and well as the twelve symbols for the Greek Zodiac.
The circle was large enough that it could lay over the entire dais. Bright colors flashed everywhere, the cosmos barrier around Seiya's form appeared again. The energies the seal was giving off whirled and struck out and lashed at the barrier like whips with ever growing strength until the sound of cracking echoed.
Seiya stared in wide eyed fascination, the cosmos around his would-be savior was too bright to see their face. He could feel his heart beat faster in anticipation. He could see the cracks grow longer and wider under the attack with each passing moment until finally the barrier came apart and shattered like glass. The pink cosoms then went after the five columns and chains with a snap; the erratic pink energy wrapped around them and began to squeeze. Sounds of twisting metal and snapping rock mingled with swirling wind and energy. Seiya hadn't moved an inch as he watched his confining shackles break and desolve away. The Pegasus Saint had to shut his eyes when the cosmos exploded, destoying only the offending prison and wipping it clean away from Seiya's mindscape.
Seiya's world descended into silence once more as the pink cosmos receded. The boy jumped when he felt a hand lightly land on his shoulder. The Saint looked up and brown met green.
Sakura smiled down on Seiya, and said, "Kon-nichi wa, Seiya-san, watashi wa Kinomoto Sakura. Daijoubu desu ka?"
Seiya nodded. "H-hai..."
The girl then held out her hand to the Saint. "C'mon, your friends are waiting for you. Your nee-san too."
The Pegasus' heart skipped a beat for a moment at the mention of Seika. Seiya gave a shaky laugh as he grabbed hold of Sakura's smaller hand firmly, eagerly. His world suddenly became blindingly brighter.
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Tomoyo, Kero, Saori, Seika, and the Saints waited anxiously for whatever might happen next. Not long into the wait, which was a scant few minutes from a full thirty minutes, all sorts of crazy things happened.
First Sakura's body began to glow and steadily grew brighter until the whole room was painted in the warmth of pink light. Then a pair of strange seals appeared; one on Seiya's body and the second under both the sleeping teen's forms. Next, an intense, almost violent wind threw pretty much everything that wasn't bolted or weighed down everywhere. After that the sound of a loud breaking echoed, both the previously mentioned seals vanashed, and the light Sakura's body was giving off died away. Finally, The Dream card reappeared and floated off back into Sakura's hand bag with the rest of her cards.
"It's done." Kero said as he hovered above the Pegasus Saint and the Card Mistress. "They should wake up any minute now."
At Kero's words, the group crowded around the bed, waiting with baited breath.
Sakura was the first to open her eyes. She sat up rubbing them and yawned. "I'm so beat." she slurred and yawned again. The sorceress then turned to Seiya and gently shook his shoulder. "Time to wake up, Sleepyhead-san."
Seiya twitched and mumbled before his eyes fluttered open. He sat up slowly, sharp, deep pops and cracks sounding with his body's renewed movement after three long years of disuse. He yawned and stretched his stiff body into loosening up. Seiya gave the room a blurry eyed once over, finding familiar and not so familiar happy, teary eyed faces. He gave a slow, tired smile and spoke for the first time in years.
"... Tadaima, minna..."
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And here is where chapter 12 ends. What'd ya think? Is it okay? Yes? No? Maybe so? I'll tell you guys this much, I'm tired. I've been up typing this for a while and I'm about to crash at my desktop. It's a little after one in the morning and I shouldn't be up, but I'm doing this for you guys. Anyway, Seiya's back! Yay! And more squishy goodness os on the way. Some of you have asked about Shouran and the others, don't worry, their going to be in my fic so look me up when I update again. TTFN, ta ta for now!
Japanese 101
Ni-san: Brother
Onegai: Favor; request
Otouto: Little brother
Ki O Tsukete: Be careful
Tasukete: Help/save me
Kudasai: Please
Watashi Wa: I'm ( called )
Nee-san: Sister
Tadaima, Minna: I'm home, everyone/body
