Chapter Three
Setsuna wasn't the easiest person to get a hold of; despite her status as the Guardian of Time, her schedule was one that did not seem to adhere to any known system. But when one could travel through time, of course, then they made the rules.
Even Haruka and Michiru would at times have difficulty in keeping tabs on their housemate, though theirs was a relationship that thrived on a kind of synergy that circumvented the need for it. In short, she was there when she needed to be.
In the down time since Chaos, that usually meant it was something for Hotaru. But say the word, and apparently, she would appear.
Rei turned at the sound of footsteps behind her, and who else would be there, but Setsuna?
"I suppose this is what you meant by 'soon'?" she said in lieu of greetings.
At her sudden appearance, there was a mixture of reactions.
Shun's was subtle, but there in the way his shoulders tightened, as if bracing.
Hyoga looked like a cat with its hackles up, teeth bared.
Shiryu noticeably jerked, but readied himself.
And Seiya simply moved in front of Saori, who stood, impassive.
It would make for a great character study at any other time, Rei was sure, but she didn't need them to go full on fight or flight with her friend.
"You could say that, Setsuna."
"Is this...?" Saori started.
Rei made an affirmative noise.
"Huh, well that's convenient," Seiya said, relaxing. The rest did the same, although Hyoga still eyed her warily.
Not one to trust easily Rei assessed... at least he wasn't overly aggressive. That she did not want to deal with. She just did not have the patience for aggressive men.
"Thank you for coming on... such short notice," she said, as if there was any notice at all. It earned a snort from one of the boys. Hyoga, strangely.
Good to see he has some sense of humour...
Setsuna raised an eyebrow, but made no comment.
"So, how much are you already aware of?" Rei asked.
"Enough. We can save the formal introductions for later, I have a good idea of who you are..." she said, with a glance to Rei's new acquaintances. "Though I must insist you be forthcoming with the specifics sooner rather than later."
"Wha-?" was all Seiya could say.
"How-" Shiryu began to ask, but some realization seemed to dawn on him, cutting him off part way through.
"Oh, we all have our secrets, now, don't we?" she said with a wink.
He gave an awkward cough, and didn't say anything else.
"So, you are the friend that Rei spoke of? The one that's been having the visions?" Shun asked, studying Setsuna.
What he could glean from her, Rei didn't know. She appeared for all purposes to be an average woman, if a very beautiful one. Tall, slender, with that oh so alluring, mysterious air, and such long, silky, dark hair. Impeccably dressed, too, in a long, black coat, over a matching turtleneck, and red velvet pants. Finished with simple heels, and a statement necklace of pearls –
Glamorous. That was the only way to describe her.
To Shun's question, Setsuna nodded.
"Can you tell us, in your own words, what you saw?" Saori said.
"I can do better," Setsuna said, holding her hand out to the side, as if grasping something in the empty space. In her grip, air gave way to light, and then, to form, materializing a tall, silver staff in her hand.
"...I'll show you."
With her Garnet Rod now in hand, she raised it up to catch the light, and what refracted was a scene Rei had only heard descriptions of.
"Whoa," Seiya exclaimed.
"I've been able to piece more together since I saw you last," she said to Rei's confused expression. "Hotaru is surprisingly wonderful when it comes to guided meditation," she added with a soft smile. Proud.
"That's..." Shun began.
"Hades," Hyoga said, definitively.
The Underworld of Greek myth.
Saori had a pained expression at the sight.
All of them were transfixed as the memory played out, as seen through Setsuna's eyes. It was almost dizzying, that kind of first person perspective, even in limited colour. It was like a found footage mockumentary – that disconnect between vision and body was enough to give her a headache. Still, Rei watched on.
A light manifested, enveloping all in its sight.
"Mnemosyne..." Rei said, as it died. Revealing in its place a figure she recalled a brief meeting with after she had been revived. She'd been with her sister then.
"You know her?" Saori furrowed her brow.
"Who is she?" Seiya asked.
"The goddess of memory," Setsuna answered.
"No..." Saori trailed off as the scene kept playing, just as Setsuna had described it.
A silvery spectre of a man stared through the projection. Took water to his lips as Setsuna did. Was rendered anew, full colour to his skin where pallor once was, and his hair, now a soft grey, almost lilac in that lighting.
"Hey, it's Mu," Seiya said.
"No," Saori whispered.
The colour that filled him kept burning through, light bleeding out through his pores. He became this light, overcome by this light, parts of him disintegrating into the aether as it shone.
Seiya gave her a questioning look. "Saori?"
"No, that's wrong. That's wrong!" Saori cried.
"Hey, hey," he said, grabbing her shoulders. "What's wrong?"
"If they had reincarnated, it wouldn't feel like this..." She clutched at her chest. "I wouldn't feel so empty..."
She shuddered, coiling in on herself. Her hand, still pressed to her chest.
"Saori, what's wrong?"
"It hurts," she said, her voice but a whimper.
She collapsed.
Seiya caught her, but she looked weak. So weak.
And then his hand brushed her stomach. Wet. He pulled his hand back, and felt his skin prickle.
Blood.
"Saori!"
"Seiya, what's wrong?" Shun said, rushing to his side.
"She's bleeding, sh-she's bleeding," he stuttered. "I don't know- I don't-"
Without hesitation, Rei said: "Get her inside. Now."
He didn't argue. Sweeping an arm under her legs, the other still at her shoulders, he carried her to the house.
Hyoga slid the door open for him, and Rei and the others followed after.
"Lie her down on the futon," Rei said.
Seiya brought her down, lying her flat on her back. From the amount on her clothes, she was bleeding heavily. Her breathing, shallow. He grit his teeth.
Rei knelt down beside her, pulling away her jacket and pushing up her shirt. She stopped.
"Should we call someone?" Shun asked, hovering.
"Setsuna," Rei said, face grim.
The sight when she approached was explanation enough.
She'd been impaled, but that wasn't all...
A couple of the boys were whispering off to the side, glancing back in between words. More than worry, there was confusion on their faces, and while a spontaneous goring wasn't what she'd call usual, the hushed cries of "why isn't she healing?" said there was more to it.
"Rei," she said, her attention back to Saori. The wound was trying to close, the blood clotting, but then reopening again. "This isn't a normal wound..."
"It's not hers."
"What?"
"You saw her, Setsuna. Nothing hurt her. This isn't her wound, but she will die if I don't do something. I- I'm not sure if this will work, so-" She trembled. "I'll need you to go get the others."
Setsuna nodded.
From her sleeves Rei pulled a talisman, and grasping it between her fingers, she began to chant.
Seiya went to interfere, but Shun blocked him. "No, Seiya."
Seiya cried out, raw with frustration and the sick feeling of worry.
Finally, she yelled: "Akuryo Taisan!", placing the talisman over her wound.
Saori convulsed and started crying out in pain as fire engulfed the wound, searing it shut.
Seiya pushed past Shun, and was about to pull Rei from the floor by her collar, demanding to know what she'd done. Shun and Shiryu moved to stop him, but neither action was necessary.
Saori relaxed into the futon, her breathing evening, and where he expected burns to be, her skin was pristine.
"I-" He released his grip on Rei's clothing. "She's okay." He staggered backwards as a shuddering breath wracked his body. "She's okay."
"Thank God it worked," Rei exhaled. "But what the hell was that?"
"We... don't know," Shun said softly.
"My guess is it's something to do with these dreams she's been having," Shiryu said.
"Maybe," Rei said. "But that was close, that was really close. If we can't figure out what's going on, and soon, I'm really not sure what will happen to her."
Seiya's fist met the wall.
"Seiya!" Shun cried.
Hyoga, who had been silent as the scene unfolded then gripped Seiya by the shoulder.
"You need to calm down," he said coolly. "This is not how you help her."
Seiya looked away.
"It's okay, I get it," Rei said, her voice gentle, soothing. "She's precious to you."
It was a tense minute before he replied, with a muttered "More than you could ever know." He then slipped out the door.
Hyoga went to follow, but Shun caught his hand. "Let him cool off."
Shun let his grip fall loose when Hyoga acceded with a nod.
They all needed a moment to collect their thoughts.