Few. Here's another one. I like this idea a lot.

Concept: Hades and Poseidon visit Sanctuary to speak with Athena, Hyoga is the only one there to find them.

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


"Sir Hyoga! Sir Ikki!" A child's voice draws Hyoga's attention from where he'd been perusing a fruit stall.

Hyoga and Ikki are in Rodario picking up some supplies. Hyoga due to orders from Master Camus, Ikki for... reasons Hyoga doesn't know. They're in the main square of the village where most of the merchants sell their wares. Ikki is next to Hyoga paying for some pears.

(Hyoga doubts that pears are actually on Ikki's shopping list, but he's not going to bring that up to the Phoenix Saint.)

The village square isn't huge, but it's busy this time of day, with people picking up supplies and shop keepers yelling about their deals.

In the middle of the square is a big fountain with a wide ledge around the outside that is perfect for sitting on. This is where the kids from the Rodario orphanage hang out most days, watching the townspeople go about their business and sometimes snitching pieces of food.

(Hyoga has heard more than one of the village's occupants complain, but no one ever does anything to stop it. The kids, especially the older ones, often run errands or do little odd jobs for the townspeople to make up for it.)

It is here that the call came from, and Hyoga glances over to see the usual assortment of children, some older, some younger, all perched around the fountain.

He grins a bit and waves briefly to Ikki before going to join them. The Phoenix Saint will join them when he's ready and not a moment before.

Hyoga has barely set down his bags of food when the little ones are all over him, and he nearly falls in the fountain trying to maintain his balance.

"Alright, alright. Careful kiddos. You don't want to hurt Sir Hyoga, do you?" Torren asks, plucking little Mira off Hyoga's left arm and setting the girl on her hip.

At sixteen, Torren is the oldest of the Rodario orphans. Technically, she should have left the orphanage and found somewhere else to live by now, but she's shown no interest in doing so, and she's so good with the kids that at this point most people assume that she'll be taking over from the aging orphanage caretaker in a few years.

Mira pouts her little girl pout-the one that gets her treats from the candy vendor on a regular basis-but doesn't argue with the older girl.

Hyoga smiles as he ruffles Damon's fluffy brown hair.

"How are you all doing?" He asks Torren.

The girl grins at him as she sits down on his left side, setting Mira in her lap. "We're doing okay. Just like always."

"Right. Silly me for asking, right?" Hyoga answers her grin with one of his own.

Torren just chuckles at that. "Yeah," She says, "Silly you. I don't suppose you've seen Sinon?" She adds with a frown.

Hyoga feels his face twist to mirror the older girl's expression.

Sinon, or Shun, as he is actually named, is another one of the Rodario orphans. Dumped on the steps of the Rodario orphanage by a pair of Japanese tourists when he was just a baby, Shun has never said a word in his life, and is constantly troubled by physical pains that the village doctor has never found the source of. To make matters worse, the thirteen-year-old has never been to Sanctuary to be looked at by a proper healer. Not that Athena's Saints would refuse to help the boy, but he throws a fit every time someone tries to persuade him.

(Hyoga looks at Shun, with his green hair and terrifyingly expressive blue-green eyes, and feels memories well up. He knows Shun, or he did, a long time ago, but the memories-Magnus's, he thinks-are all twisted up with pain and grief and a rotten feeling that might be anger.)

"No. I haven't seen him today. Why?" He answers.

Torren sighs. "It's his day to help me look after these little hellions," She bounces Mira on her lap, "But he left early this morning and no one can find him."

"Weird." Ikki comments as he joins them, removing Phoebe from Hyoga's right arm and sitting down, permitting the little four-year-old to use him as her personal climbing wall.

(For all he pretends to be the big bad Phoenix, Ikki has a massive soft spot for the Rodario orphans. Hyoga blames Esmeralda.)

"Have you checked outside town?" Ikki adds, extracting Phoebe's hands from his hair.

"No one's available to look." Torren answers. "I'm looking after these little hellions, and the others all have chores or shopping to do."

Hyoga and Ikki nod in understanding. It's a full-time job, taking care of the kids.

Torren sighs. "I know you're busy, but if you see him, tell Sinon to get over here. This is more than I can-"

Footsteps interrupt her words, and all three teens turn in time to see the person in question approach them. There's something about his expression, something almost panicked. Shun gestures wildly at Torren and the children, then back towards the orphanage.

"What? What do you mean we need to go home. Sinon, it's barely noon!" Torren protests.

The preteen's expression turns frustrated, and he stomps his foot like a child, pointing again towards the orphanage, making a gesture that Hyoga knows means this is important.

"Okay, okay, I get it. Help me out here?" Torren huffs, scooping Mira up and beckoning Damon and Phoebe to follow her. The others all get up-somewhat reluctantly-and start to make their way back to their home.

Shun shakes head, makes a gesture that Hyoga doesn't recognize, even as Phoebe starts to sulk.

"It's not time to go yet!" She complains.

Torren glares warningly at the child. "Sinon said it's important that we go home, so we're going now!" She says firmly.

Phoebe starts to tear up.

With a sigh, Ikki shares a glance with Shun. It's fascinating, the way the Phoenix Saint and the younger boy seem to just understand each other. It's been like that ever since they met.

"Come on, Phoebe. How about I tell you a story when we get to the orphanage?" Ikki suggests, standing and scooping her up so she sits on his shoulders.

Phoebe nods, and the tears stop almost immediately. Shun smiles gratefully as Ikki.

Hyoga huffs. "I'll get your stuff back to the House of Leo for you." He offers. Ikki nods at him.

With that, Ikki, Torren, and the little ones are off towards the orphanage. Hyoga waits until they've disappeared around a corner to turn to Shun.

"Alright, what's wrong?" He asks the younger boy. "Why did you make Torren take the kids back early?"

Shun frowns, then tenses.

Before Hyoga has a chance to react, Shun is slamming into him, throwing them both to the ground. Hyoga lets out a startled yelp as they collide with the hard stone of the square.

The ensuing explosion catches him by surprise, and Hyoga wastes no time in throwing himself over Shun to protect the younger boy.

(It's a familiar feeling, this protectiveness, but Hyoga doesn't have time to reflect on it.)

Small rocks bounce off his back. It stings, but it's nothing he hasn't experienced in training. He pushes himself up slowly, looking down to see Shun's unconscious form. Hyoga grits his teeth.

"When I said take us to Earth, I mean the Sanctuary, not this... village." A voice sneers.

"Forgive me, Lord Hades. I am no Lemurian, so my teleportation is not very refined." A second voice apologizes.

Hyoga freezes. Hades. He thinks.

Slowly, the Cygnus Saint turns, only to freeze at what he sees behind him.

The fountain is completely destroyed, reduced to nothing but rubble and debris that lays in a near perfect circle around them. The force of the impact has thrown all the people in the square to the ground, knocked over stalls, and sent various wares flying.

Behind Hyoga, four figures stand in the center of the village square.

As the dust clears, fear curls in Hyoga's gut. He knows these people, has fought them numerous times.

He's beaten them, too. Not on his own, never on his own, but he has. The thought is... less comforting than one might think.

Standing before Hyoga, flanked on each side by two of their most loyal servants, are Hades and Poseidon.


Crouching before the two gods, Shun's unconscious form slumped on the ground next to him, destruction rampant around him, faced down by the gods of the sea and the underworld, Hyoga wishes that for once he had brought his Cloth with him.

Not that he could do anything against two gods and their respective bodyguards on his own, but at least he wouldn't feel so defenseless.

As though in slow motion, the four figures all turn towards Hyoga, likely sensing his Cosmo amidst the mess that is the square.

Hyoga turns fully to face them, staying crouched over Shun protectively.

Hades and Poseidon are easy enough to recognize. Their bodyguards-one each, it seems-are harder to identify.

Hades's bodyguard is a man in the purple Surplice typical of the Spectres, his hair is long, a shade of grey just short of white. His mouth curls into a sharp smile, his violet eyes filled with vicious cruelty.

The other unfamiliar man is clearly one of Poseidon's Mariner generals. His pink eyes watch Hyoga impassively from behind pale purple bangs. In his left hand is a golden flute.

It's several moments before Hyoga's memories kick in and allow him to identify the two men.

Celestial Noble Star Griffon Minos of the Three Judges of Hades.

The Siren, Mariner general of Poseidon and guardian of the Pillar of the South Atlantic Ocean.

This is bad. Hyoga thinks. Two gods, each with one of their most powerful servants, and me without my Cloth.

Even as he thinks this, a familiar Cosmo prods at Hyoga's.

Hyoga! Aries Mu's voice echoes in Hyoga's mind. I felt a flare of Cosmo in Rodario! What's going on?

Staring up at four men, all of whom are capable of killing him in an instant, Hyoga has just enough presence of mind to know that responding to the Aries Saint could save his life.

Hades and Poseidon are in the village square. He reports quickly. I'm alone and I don't have my Cloth.

Mu's Cosmo flares in alarm. I'll send you your Cloth. He tells Hyoga, and then, Milo is closest to the village, I'll send him to join you and raise then alarm. Just hold on until we get there.

Hyoga doesn't get a chance to respond as the four men fix their attention on him.

Before any of them can attack, there's a flash of light and Hyoga's Pandora's Box is next to him. He doesn't hesitate to reach out and summon the Cygnus Cloth. The armor falls into place on his body, and Hyoga feels himself settle.

He stands up, stepping in front of Shun, and stands his ground.

He is Cygnus Hyoga of the Vanguard of Athena. His duty is to protect the people of Earth and he will not fail.

"How sweet," Minos practically purrs as he stares down at Hyoga, "The little Saint wants to fight us."

Hades speaks up before Hyoga can muster up a retort. "Stand down, Minos." The king of the dead orders. "We aren't here to fight."

Hyoga can't help but scoff at that. "If you're not here to fight," He growls, "Then why did you destroy the village square? What do you want?"

"We're here to speak to Athena." Poseidon says in a remarkable calm voice. "The destruction of this village was... an accident."

Hyoga eyes the group of four warily.

"Of course," Minos adds, "If you want to fight, I won't complain." He starts to lift a hand, only to freeze as there's another flash of light from the sky.

An arrow buries itself into the ground between Hyoga and Minos, startling both of them.

Hyoga whips around and sees the figure crouched on top of a nearby building.

The sharp golden wings and bow are a dead give away.

Sagittarius Aiolos stares down at the assembled gods and their warriors, another arrow already notched and ready to fire at a moments notice.

A moment later, a figure drops to the ground in front of Hyoga.

"Get back, Spectre." Scorpio Milo snarls warningly, his hand extended, read-painted nail pointing straight at the grey-haired man's chest.

"My my. What a development." Minos says, his smile widening even as he steps back to stand beside his master.

Milo glances back at the Cygnus Saint, a brows furrowed. "Are you okay, Hyoga?" He asks.

"Fine." Hyoga answers, keeping his eyes on the four men in front of him.

A few soft thumps signal the arrival of more Saints. Hyoga glances around, quickly identifying the assembled Golds.

Aiolos's younger brother, Leo Aiolia, stand in front of the building his brother is perched on.

Next to Aiolia is Mu, his normally soft expression grim as he takes in the situation.

Gemini Saga is approaching from Hyoga's left, his eyes cold as he looks over the two gods.

Last is Pisces Aphrodite, standing on a building several over from Aiolos's perch, his eyes fixed intensely on Minos.

(His history lessons with Master Camus tell Hyoga that there's a very good reason for the Pisces Saint's wariness of the Griffon Spectre, but he doesn't dwell on that for long.)

Saga is the first to break the silence as he reaches the assembled warriors. His gaze finds Hyoga, takes in the unconscious orphan on the ground, and turns back to the two gods.

"What is going on here?" He demands coolly.

"Saint of Athena." Poseidon says formally. "We wish to speak to your goddess."

Saga's eyes narrow warily. "Why?"

Poseidon's mouth quirks up.

"We wish to discuss a cease-fire."


Leaving this here for now. Tell me what you think?

See you soon!