Chapter Seven-A Trip into the Past

In the future

"I can't find her anywhere, Shiryu..." Shun shrugged helplessly. "I saw her running down the street with her cloth, but then...nothing. I couldn't catch up."

"She couldn't have just disappeared..." Shiryu frowned in worry. "Hey...I saw four knights that looked a little bit like us, when we were younger. They were fighting Ikki's Iron Knight. Cyla probably got caught in their crossfire..."

"If she did, then why wasn't she on the ground?" Seiya asked now. "You don't think those knights took her, do you?"

"Maybe...." Shun had a thoughtful look on his face now. "One of them looked exactly like Hyoga."

"That's silly." Shiryu told him now. "Hyoga's been dead for five years now."

"I'm telling you. He sounded like him too." Shun argued, walking towards the door to Sienna's room. "Princess? Can I come in?"

"Sure." Sienna opened the door. "What is it?"

"I think I might know where Cyla is." Shun began slowly to explain what he had seen.

"So you think these knights might have come from a different time?" Sienna seemed to think nothing of it. "It's more than possible, of course....but if Cyla got into their portal...it might prove difficult to bring her back.."

"Why?" Shun asked. "We're her guardians. Don't you think she misses us?"

"Of course she does. Or she should. But if you're past self is anything like you are now....she probably doesn't know the difference. Also, there's her father to consider."

"Hey, that's right. Hyoga's there." Shun sighed. "Are you saying we shouldn't bother trying?"

"No, we most definitely need her to return to this time. If we don't, history could be altered forever."

"Right...." Shun looked into the princ ess' eyes now. "I don't want to hurt her. I can imagine how much she's enjoying getting to know her father..."

"But you know you must do what is right. Even if that means taking her away from him." Sienna replied. "I didn't say it would be easy."

There was a long silence before Shun spoke again. "I'm doing this alone."

"Are you sure? The others would be happy to join you, I'm sure."

"Yes. Cyla is my responsibility. I must do this alone. I doubt my past self will be in agreement with what I'm about to do."

"I understand how you feel, but it's really for the best." Sienna replied. "You can leave whenever you're ready."

"Might as well go now." The knight of Andromeda replied. "Should get it over with as quickly as possible."

"That's the best way, yes." Sienna looked sad. "I hope she will forgiv e you someday, Shun."

"So do I, Princess. So do I." As he finished speaking, Sienna sent Shun through the portal that would take him into the past.

In the Past

"Cyla, come here, baby." Shun held out his arms to the little girl. "It's bedtime, okay?"

"No beds!" Cyla scurried off, hiding behind Seiya. "No beds, tay ,Teiya?"

The fourteen year old Seiya laughed, scooping her up. "Okay,but if you don't sleep, how are you going to be strong enough to be a baby swan?"

"I takes Vimens!" She grinned up at him,toothless.

"Well....maybe you can stay up a little longer. "Hey, Hyoga, what the heck are you doing in there?"He peered downstairs into the training dojo .

"Heh. I'm working on a little something for Cyla Cygnet. Got a problem with that?" The swan knight looked up from his tinkering.

"No...but we're about to put Cyla to bed. Do you want to do it?"

"Be right there, dude." Hyoga was upstairs before anyone could move. "Alright, Cygnet. Time for bed." He plucked Cyla from Seiya, and snuggled her close to him lovingly. "To bed, I said."

Cyla giggled. "Bed I taid ! Tan you makes it 'now morrows?"

"Sure thing." Hyoga smiled gently. "Only if you go right to sleep though."

"I pwomise , Daddy 'wan."

Aww....damn it! I can't believe Ikki makes me miss out on this in the future! It doesn't seem fair!! Hyoga held in angry curses and wiped mistiness from his eyes as he laid Cyla down in her makeshift bed, which was now nestled between his and Shiryu's bed. "To sleep, without out a peep!" He ordered playfully.

"To seep, wifout a peep!" Cyla echoed, as she curled up into her blankets. "Night night, Daddy 'wan."

"Night night, Cyla Cygnet." Hyouga gave her gentle kiss on the cheek, before walking out. When he was in the living room again, he looked at Shun. "I'm going to kill your brother. You know that, right?"

"Yeah......I know." Shun was about to add more, when there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it!" He wanted to be as far away from Hyoga as he could get, seeing the mood he was in suddenly. When he opened the door, he was not prepared for what he saw. For staring at him, with a scrutinizing eye, was himself. "Can I help you?"

"I've come to get Cyla." The two Shuns eyed each other suspiciously. This was about to get really interesting.