Wow, I didn't exactly expect to have so much inspiration all of a sudden. I'm writing faster than I can post.

Disclaimer: I do not own Saint Seiya or any of the included characters. They all belong to Masami Kurumada.


"Esmeralda, stop using your wings! Don't let your greatest advantage become a crutch." Talus called out as he shot another arrow at the Columba Saint.

Shiryu watched Esmeralda dodge, barely avoiding the arrow.

'Not a great shot' indeed. Shiryu thought to himself.

Shiryu himself was hiding in the branches of a tree directly above Talus, using the man's focus on Esmeralda and Seiya as a chance to catch his breath. Talus was not going easy on them, and he had what Shiryu could only think was several hundred arrows. Either that, or he was somehow retrieving the arrows in between bouts of shooting.

A whistling sound had Shiryu moving, throwing himself out of his safe spot just in time to avoid another arrow.

"No hiding, Shiryu." Talus yelled, staring straight at the startled Dragon Saint's new perch. "Most Silver and Gold Saints will pinpoint you based on Cosmo alone."

Shiryu cursed his luck at being Talus's new target, but made for another jump, only for an arrow to bounce off his shin guard.

"And now you can't walk!" Talus added.

Shiryu darted off into the trees, circling around in the hopes of running into someone who could take over being chased, all the while dodging and blocking more arrows.

He landed in a tree, and quickly slid around the trunk as Talus shot an arrow past him. The arrow was followed by the Fox Saint, and, judging by the horrified yell, he had found new prey.

Shiryu sighed in relief at the brief respite.

"You'd better move your tail, Dragon. This is my spot." Ikki's voice sounded from above Shiryu. The green-haired man looked up to see the Phoenix Saint perched precariously on a branch about ten feet up.

"Keep talking and you'll give away both of us." Shiryu retorted.

Ikki didn't get a chance to reply as a voice called out from the clearing directly below them.

"That's enough, all of you! I'm out of arrows!" Talus yelled, his voice echoing around the trees.

Shiryu peaked around the trunk of his tree in time to see Seiya's head pop out of a patch of leaves, accompanied by an excited "Really?"

The Pegasus Saint let out a yelp as an arrow shot past him, just barely ruffling his hair, and quickly ducked back into the foliage.

Talus laughed. "Alright. I'm serious this time. You're done."

"Really?" Hyoga's voice echoed from Shiryu's left.

"Yes, really." Talus assured them.

Slowly, Hyoga dropped down into the clearing, followed by Shiryu, Seiya, and Ikki. Esmeralda joined them moment later, looking disgruntled.

Today was the second day of dodge training. Or hell training, as Seiya had named it.

Talus would use his bow and arrows to shoot at the Bronze Saints, who had to dodge. Being hit didn't result in penalties of any kind, but Shiryu was fairly sure that Talus was using Cosmo to power the arrows, judging by the bruises that had formed after the first day of training.

"Alright." Talus said once they were all gathered, and the many arrows had been retrieved. "Let's take a break, then we can head back for the day."

"Shouldn't we go straight back?" Esmeralda asked in concern.

"We can wait for you all to catch your breath. Besides, I want to test your speed. We'll all be racing back."

"Great." Seiya grumbled. "More training."

"No complaining. You signed up for a life of training when you became a Saint. Even Gold Saints still train on a regular basis." Talus said.

Seiya just grumbled unintelligibly.

"I've got a question." Ikki said suddenly. "It's about Shun."

"What about him?" Talus asked warily.

"What happened to him? Shun was never so cold as a kid. He was always smiling or crying or... something. But never this." Ikki said.

Talus's expression darkened. "To be honest, I'm not really sure I have the right information to be answering that question. Or if I even should. What's going on in Shun's head is his own business."

"I'm his brother!" Ikki burst out angrily. "It's my business too. You didn't have a problem telling Aiolos about his brother, what's so different about mine?"

Talus glanced away, then sighed. "Alright. I'll tell you what I do know. Just promise me one thing. Don't force Shun to talk. This is harder for him than it seems."

"Okay." Ikki said slowly. The other four Bronzes nodded slowly in agreement.

"I found Shun back when he was still training with the rest of the Bronze-level trainees. He wasn't particularly skilled in any area of training, and he refused to fight back against his opponents in the sparring ring. But he stood out to because he was kind. He was always offering his food to the other trainees, or helping them dress their wounds in fights. No one quite knew what to do with him, but I saw the traits of a particular Saint, Andromeda."

"Andromeda?" Seiya asked.

"Yes. I trust you're all familiar with the concept of reincarnated Saints?" Talus waited for all of the younger Saints to nod. "Good. You see, in my past life, I had the honor of fighting alongside the Andromeda Saint. He stood out among all of Athena's Saints for being the most kind, and the most selfless. Every time I saw Shun, I saw those same traits. So, I talked to the Pope. I asked him to send Shun to Andromeda Island for his training. Unfortunately, I was ignored. The Pope claimed that the true Andromeda Saint had already been found, and said that if I felt Shun was so special, I could train him myself. So I did.

"Shun was a difficult student. He cried when he didn't want to do something, and he absolutely refused to learn to fight. The only way to get through to him was to offer a compromise. He would train as long as I didn't teach him to hurt people. Shun excelled in both speed and defensive fighting in a way I'd never seen before. Then, the Pope caught on to what I was doing. He saw Shun beat another trainee without ever hitting him. That's when I was told to train Shun for the Canis Minor Cloth. Perhaps, my biggest mistake was agreeing to that instead of fighting for Shun to get a different Cloth."

"What makes you so sure that was a mistake?" Esmeralda asked.

"I'm sure because Shun wasn't born to wear the Canis Minor Cloth. I realized it as soon as he put it on the first time. Since he wasn't born to wear it, Shun can't control the Canis Minor Cloth's power properly, and it's going to get him killed if he fights the wrong opponent."

"Does Shun know this?" Ikki growled quietly.

"Yes." Talus admitted softly. "I didn't get a chance to be the one to tell him though. The same day he earned his Cloth, Shun was called to meet the Pope alone. I don't know what he was told there, but it changed him. When he came back, he was cold and... angry. He hasn't been the same since. But I don't know why. He never told me what happened in the Pope's chambers that day."

"So Shun's wearing a Cloth that's going to kill him, and he's seriously upset about something that the Pope told him. But we've already established that the Pope is Gemini Saga and that he's a lying bastard." Hyoga summed up. "Brilliant."

"We also know that Saga was the one who paid off the driver who was supposed to take Shun back to the orphanage though, right?" Shiryu quickly spoke up. "Maybe that means something."

"It probably does." Esmeralda said.

Talus frowned suddenly, tilting his head to the side as thought listening to something.

"Shit." He swore.

"What's wrong?" Shiryu asked, instantly on alert.

"There's someone attacking the villa." Talus said.

The five Bronze Saints started, but a laugh interrupted them.

"That's right!" A voice said. "There's someone headed towards your precious 'Athena' right now. She's as good as dead."

All six Saints whipped around to stare at the man perched on a branch above them.

"Hound Asterion!" Talus hissed. "You're not getting to Athena."

"You're right. I won't get the pleasure of killing that traitor. I'm here for you." The man-Asterion-said.

Talus snarled in anger. "Seiya, Hyoga, with me. Ikki, Esmeralda, Shiryu, head back. You have to get to Athena."

"Right!" Ikki said, and took off into the trees. Shiryu was quick to follow as Esmeralda unfurled her wings and shot for the sky.


I think this is a good place to end this chapter. We got Talus's insight into Shun's past, but the full reveal will be in a few chapters.

See you next time!