a/n: Some of you maybe consider Hades's pendants are similar to Voldemort's horcrux. I'm indeed inspired by it, yet the details are actually quite different. ^^

Disclaimer: I don't own SS charaters.

CHAPTER 12

Saori's Secret

An hour later.

"As you have requested, Milo…I will tell you everything right now…"

"Since my duty in the Earth is over, I was asked to return to my abode in Olympus mountain. I come back not because of nothing; I have to fulfill my next duty, that is, making up the relationships between the Olympians. You know well…since the era of mythology the Olympians can't get along very well with each other…they try to defeat their own friends and siblings, they kill their own parents, and other awful things. My father, Zeus, suggested that Hades and his most faithful specters should be revived and Poseidon's seal should be broken in order our long unfriendliness can be mended. I disagreed at first, but Zeus promised he wouldn't let either Hades or Poseidon own the power of deities. Poseidon, however, was permitted to keep his trident, yet he was forbidden to use it—he can only use it in exceptional purpose.

"After Hades was revitalized, Zeus asked him whether he needs to be guarded by Hypnos, Thanatos, and Pandora as well. Hades refused since he thought the specters were enough. Instead, he asked for a trident like the one Poseidon has, but still Zeus disagreed. Hades was very upset that he decided to make equipment all by himself. Furthermore, he feels far weaker than before after becoming a human, that's why he needs something to keep himself healthy and strong. He re-created two pentacle pendants from the components he gets from Tartarus. I have to tell you: the two pendants are connected with each other. The first pendant is worn by Hades himself, while he calls the second pendant as "the locket of anguish". When somebody wears it, he can suffer pains or anything that is related with their weaknesses. The second pendant is allied with the first one, in a way that after the second pendant absorbs the agony of its victim, it'll make the first one becomes stronger and stronger. The stronger the first pendant is, the stronger Hades is. You see…Hades lives from the people's agony: sadness, shock, uselessness, fears, disease….

"For the beginning, Hades asked Rhadamanthys to wear the second pendant."

Milo widened his eyes in surprise. "And Rhadamanthys was stupid enough to obey him?" he asked.

"Rhadamanthys is his most loyal servant," answered Saori, "I'm sure he will do any of his master's order.

"Back then, the pendants made the Olympians got panic. They immediately forced Hades to leave the mountain, for they can't keep anyone who has anything which contains evil symbol or power. Yes, Hades was forced to leave our abode, but it didn't affect him. Instead he was so happy he could leave the place he really loathes.

"Realizing that he didn't have any place to dwell in, Hades called me and told me he wanted to purchase my mansion and the twelve temples. He definitely is able to afford for a bigger and more luxurious mansion, yet he chose mine. You have acknowledged his reason…

"I was thinking about it for two or three days…and finally I agreed. This is related to my duty to gather up the Olympians's relationship. I let Shion knows about this. He was reluctant at first, but I told him I still had a faith in Hades.… If Hades lived in my home and watched my Saints' wonderful relationship…maybe his heart will be moved and he would change…"

Saori lowered her head in misery. "But in fact…"

"He doesn't," Hyoga continued.

"Yes…he doesn't…"

"Didn't you think your mission can kill all of your saints, Saori-san?" Hyoga asked with fire filled his eyes. He never felt that wrathful to his goddess before…

"I…I have thought about it…but I believe in my saints' toughness…. I also keep Hades's word, that he won't do anything which leads my saints to death…"

"And you believe him?!" cut Hyoga.

"I…"

"What about Milo's heart disease?!"

"I swear…it was all out of my consideration…"

"The pendant almost killed him, who can guarantee it won't—"

"Hyoga," said Milo.

"—do the same with the other Gold Saints?! My teacher?!"

"Hyoga," Milo warned again.

Hyoga panted. He was totally out of control.

Saori lowered her head so low. Her tears fell again.

"It's alright, Milo…," she whispered. "This is all my fault…" she took Milo's hand and her other tears fell on it.

Milo gazed at both Hyoga and Saori solemnly. His blue eyes faded a bit as he began to speak.

"You know…if I didn't have heart disease, the pendants' torture indeed wouldn't result in fatal incident like this," he said softly. "And this heart disease isn't anybody's fault…not even Kardia's. I've had it since long time ago. I didn't tell anybody about this, though. Only the scientists in Graud Foundation who know it—I told them long before I turned coma because of the powerless state (*see Powerless). I also asked them not to tell anyone…," he bowed his head a little. "…especially him."

He turned silent, and he raised his head again when saying, "What we have to do now is struggling to get the mansion back. Shion thinks of Poseidon's assistance, he will borrow large numbers of money to buy the mansion back."

"Yes, it's one thing to do…," said Saori, wiping out her tears. "We'll let him to do that, since we mustn't tell them about our presences right now…as you've said, Milo…if we want to trick our enemy we must trick our fellows as well. Yet I'm sure buying the house back isn't enough. It probably can force Hades to leave the house, but it won't stop him to haunt anybody's life.

"In order Hades won't haunt this world again, he must come back to Olympus mountain so that the other deities can keep an eye on him. The problem is, the Olympians won't accept him if the pendants still exist.

"What I planned to do is stealing the pendants and destroy them without anybody's assistance, because I don't want to risk anybody's life again. But Milo's heart disease has made all difference…"

"Yeah," Milo smiled.

"Can't we just destroy the second pendant?" Kiki finally asked with small voice,

"No, we can't…," said Saori softly. "We must destroy both of them. It makes no use if we only destroy one pendant."

"I have bad feeling about this…," sighed Hyoga as he sank himself on the couch. He was right: destroying the second pendant was so easy; the Gold saints would do it with all of their might. But stealing and the destroying the pendant Hades always wore…that was as easy as destroying Olympus mountain…

"That's why we need special equipment to do it…," said Saori. "We can't use Kiki's teleportation again to enter the mansion. Hades will discover soon that I've ever entered his room, he can recognize every traces his siblings left, and I'm sure he will create special protection so that every form of teleportation cannot penetrate the house.

"Our only chance now is Helm of Darkness," Saori stated.

"Helm of Darkness?"

"It's the attribute given to Hades when he, Zeus, and Poseidon defeated the Titans. Zeus is given thunderbolt, Poseidon is given a trident, and Hades is given Helm of Darkness, or The Cap of Invisibility. Hades is hardly used it, though, for his thinks he doesn't need to be invisible to conquer the world.

"I once used it in The Trojan War. Perseus used it in the battle against Medusa. The last deity who used it was Hermes. The cap is still kept by him right now.

"The Cap of Invisibility is our only way to enter the house. When we already get it we can act without anybody's awareness, even Hades's. One of us will enter Hades's room, stole the pendant, then unify it with the second pendant and finally destroy them. As the pendants are made by the tools taken from Tartarus, it can't be destroyed by ordinary tools. It needs at least two deities' attributes to destroy them."

"Your Nike," said Milo.

Saori nodded. "And Poseidon's trident."

"So if the pendants are destroyed, Hades will die?" asked Kiki.

Saori shook her head. "He won't die. He will soon vanish and return to his abode in Olympus mountain and he won't have any chance to step over the Earth again."

Silence covered the room again.

"So, that Hermes," Milo said after he took a deep breath. "The cap is kept by him, isn't it? Where can we find him?"

"In Olympus mountain," answered Saori, replied by Milo's nod. "Alright, Princess Saori, I'll accompany you."

"So will I," said Hyoga.

"Me too," said Kiki.

Saori smiled slightly. "Indeed a deity can bring a mortal to the mountain, but the Olympians will only welcome one mortal. If I bring more than one human, I'm afraid they'll punish you very harshly…"

"I'll accompany you," said Milo, Hyoga, and Kiki at once. Three of them then looked at each other.

"You're ill, Milo," said Hyoga.

"Hyoga, your friends will wonder where're you going," cheeped Kiki.

"And so will your master, Kiki," said Milo. "Come on, this is too dangerous for both of you—"

"We can look into our own selves, and we can tell whether we're in danger or not, so stop preventing us to do whatever we wants to do, Milo," glared Hyoga and Kiki at once.

Milo and Saori looked at each other, then chuckled. That was the first chuckle emerging in the room…

"What are you laughing at?" snarled Hyoga.

"Hyoga," said Milo as he gazed at Hyoga. "What I'm asking you to do now is please watch over your master," he said softly. "And so are you, Kiki. Your masters really need you now. Beside I'm pretending to be dead not because I want to enjoy vacation or something…"

"But Milo—"

"What else?"

"You're ill," stressed Hyoga. "You still need more surgeries, what if you really…die…in the middle of the mission? You want my master to get mental disorder?"

"He won't, Hyoga…"

"He will!" Hyoga stamped his foot on the floor in distress, "I've phoned the Goldies and ask about Camus's condition…he…he…doesn't even cry…he cannot cry…"

Milo's eyes turned softer than before. He tried to prevent the urge to jump from his bed and ran to Camus and hug him tight…he really yearned to see his best friend more than anything right now…

"I'll be alright, Hyoga," he finally said. "And Camus…," his heart was moved when mentioning his name. "He will be alright. I have to assist Athena. I've had this commitment since I asked you to report the others about my death. I'll come back safely…I've told you I still have a lot of promises to fulfill—"

"Alright, alright!" Hyoga snapped. "As you wish!" he soon left the room and banged the door. "Hyoga!" Kiki called as he ran after him.

"They will understand," murmured Saori after silence for a while.

Milo only nodded slightly. "Yes, they will…"

Xxx

Next in Home Sweet Home:

Meet Julian.

"May I repeat once again?" asked Julian with his eyes staring unfriendly at the Gold Saints. "You attacked me with Sagittarius arrows," he added. "You launched those freak assaults at me, you mocked me, you didn't show any graces at me, you tried to kill me, you've broken my precious pillars, one of you tried to trick me, you struggled to lock me in an antique vase, and now you want to ask for my help??"

And the god of thieves.

"Before I give the helm I need to tell you, Scorpius," said Hermes mischievously. "You lost something."

"That's not funny, Hermes!" snarled Saori, completely blushed when she discovered Hermes has stolen the T-shirt Milo formerly wore.

Meanwhile the lament hasn't ended.

"Camus…?" Mu whispered in anxiety.

Also the disease Kardia's inherited…

Milo clutched his heart so tight. When he felt sudden pain in his chest he realized he got heart failure again…

His knees fell on the floor…but he still had a chance to grab the phone and pressed its numbers with extremely shaking hands…

"Princess…Saori…"

Home Sweet Home: Poseidon's Assistance

Home Sweet Home: Even If It's Only for a Day…