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Intro ooo
The music on the main room was hard to ignore and quite loudly, meanwhile a second voice going with it, something weird to listen on Athena's chambers. Many servants didn't want to ask, and just the ones who were there helping to Athena herself, on changing her clothes to some elegant blue dress and beautiful white high heels, knew what was happening.
Two servants of the Goddess, and the other two trying to somehow do their work as the other woman was dancing and singing. It didn't take much time later when this woman moved and began to fix her own clothes when Saori smiled seeing so much energy. Her favourite song was on the speakers, a least the song that has being so obsessed with lately.
"Shake, shake, crazy! Freak in the night!" Peacock Shiva, the best friend of Saori Kido, quickly moved to be at her side and wink. "DJs playing all the songs that we like!"
"Shiva?" but Saori's voice was being interrupted, and not just her.
Shiva didn't care about the servants and moved Saori's body a bit.
"You gotta shake, shake, crazy, shake it all night."
The goddess, laughing a bit, needed to move and take some serious face. It was funny and, truly, infectious the energy of the Silver saint. But she was Athena and needed to profit all that time.
"Shiva, please. We need to be ready soon."
"Oh, don't worry, girl." Shiva smiled as she was fixing the dark green dress she was wearing. "The party don't start without you!"
"It is not a party, Shiva." Saori explained as she sat down and let the servants fix her clothes once again. "It is just a ceremony that Shion told me was a good idea to have. Six years had passed since the last Holy war, he thinks we need to remember it."
"Darling, for you may be a ceremony." Shiva was a bit serious now as she comes close to fix a bit Saori's hair, as she liked it: simple and framing her face. "But for people like me and my brother, Master Shaka and Mu. And even the other Gold and Silver saints, we have a party. We are alive, again. Thanks to you." She quickly kissed Saori's cheek and smiled to keep dancing. "So, let's shake, shake, baby! Let's get pretty and enjoy the party and ceremony!"
As the Silver Saint said, after some more minutes for them to get ready, the very serious ceremony began. The speech was on the open fields on the Sanctuary; big enough to keep many saints, trainees and some people from Rodorio. The beautiful goddess was giving some meaningful and deep message about living and keep surviving every year, some words that honestly Shiva didn't pay much attention so maybe she said all those things. Of course, she wasn't the only one, as some other saints were talking with each other or even some weren't there. Like Misty who, even if didn't like much Shiva, was accepting all the pretty words she was saying to him just curious about that flawless makeup. Or Deathmask who was for sure sleeping on his temple forgetting about the whole ceremony.
After the speech of their leader, the Saints decided to stay there a bit longer talking with each other and even some people from Rodorio who wanted to thank them once again for what they did. While all of this was happening, Lotus Aghora, who was talking with Lyra Orphée, one of his oldest friends, realised that someone was pulling his clothes to take his attention.
Since the beginning of the ceremony, even days before, the Bronze Saints were there. The so-called legends decided to go to the ceremony, obviously now one of them was entering, the one who loved to arrive late. But new days he had a good excuse.
"Hey! Brother Aghora!" a small child, son of Phoenix Ikki, smiled to the Silver Saint.
"Here it is the strongest saint in the Sanctuary." Aghora couldn't hide his happiness while he held the kids on his arms to salute. "Where is your dad?"
"Which one?" Ario answered almost immediately.
"Well, of course, your dad Ikki."
He wasn't getting used to remembering that his proper master was officially the father of this kid, even if it was only to help Ikki to be able to adopt.
Aghora, anyway, liked the idea that this kid saw them as a family. Before Ario could answer, a young girl ran saying his name to hug the Silver Saint. She was Helena, daughter of Ikki and sister of Ario. Obviously, behind her, there was the Bronze Saint.
"Ok, kids, looks like you found one Virgo," Ikki said coming close to hold Ario back. "But it is not the one I was looking for."
"Dad?" Helena quickly took a serious stand at the side of Aghora. "That's not how you say hello."
"It is fine, Helena. Don't worry." Aghora chuckled. "I already know your father, I wasn't expecting at all some kind of hello or anything like that. I was expecting he being late."
"Or, as he says, late on time."
Virgo Shaka, wearing civilian clothes, came close smiling and with the eyes close. But before he could come close to Ikki and greet the kids, his other student moved quickly, with high heels. Shaka was impressed, but then, again, he used high heels as well on his armour.
"Why are you so adorable?!" Shiva yelled almost scaring Ario, to then hold his cheeks and pinch them, without hurt but enough to make Ikki angry to move him away. "C'mon! Let me touch those adorable buns!"
"Peacock Shiva! You are going to scare him again." Shaka quickly held Shiva's shoulder to move her back some steps. "I'm sorry, Ikki. I told her not to do so."
The student just crossed her arms, showing a small pout, that didn't stay longer when feeling the other kid patting softly her arm.
"Hello, sister Shiva."
"Helena! I didn't see you! I'm sorry, my girl." The Silver Saint quickly held her face to kiss both cheeks and hold her close. "See? She is fine."
The girl giggled and smiled at his father, who wasn't so happy still about the small attack on his young son. But anyway, Helena looked in better ways with Shiva and that made him proud.
"I was just looking for Shaka to tell you I left the things in the temple. I hope isn't a bother."
"Not at all." Answered the Gold Saint. "You can stay any time in my house."
"Dad… I don't like it…" Ario said softly, still touching his cheeks. "Can't I stay with uncle Hyoga? His tomple is colder and nice."
Ikki didn't know what to answer, he didn't want to seems rude in front of the Golden Saint, but Shaka smiled and pat the head of the young Asgardian kid.
"I understand. When Shiva was a kid she didn't like either. I really don't mind if he wants to stay with his uncle. I think even the Dragon Saint will stay tonight in the Libra temple." The Virgo Saint nodded. "I think I saw him talking with Athena and with his wife Shunrei. If I'm not wrong, Hyoga must be around tasting the wine."
"Great, let's go and ask them." Ikki nodded to look how his kid smiled now. He turned but saw that Helena didn't move much. "Darling?"
"Ah… dad?" she said a bit worried. "I'm tired and hungry… the food is on the other side"
Before the father of those two could say something, Shiva quickly smiled and hugged her even harder than before.
"I don't mind go with her for something to eat, really. I can go with her and go back to you as soon her belly is full."
"Thanks, Shiva." The worried father greeted her.
"Does the small cutie Ario wants to go too?" Shiva said with glitter in her eyes. But an answer wasn't necessary when the kid hide himself on the shoulder of his father. "Oh, well, I will bring you chocolate when I'm back. Let's go, Helena!"
And as he said, the young girl and the Silver Saint left to one way, the Bronze and Gold to the other, and finally, Lotus Aghora could keep talking with his friend about the premier of the next movie they wanted to go since months ago.
Shiva was walking holding the hand of Helena and waving to some of the Saints, the girl doing the same as she knew some or just to be polite to other. There was no one in the Sanctuary, apart from Shaka, Ikki and his brothers, that knew about their sad and terrible past in how they met. But one thing was for sure, it was now in the past and her father was proud and happy to know Helena wasn't bearing with the terrible feeling of revenge and, of course, she knew how to forgive. Even Shiva was still sometimes amazed at the fact that now this young girl was sitting at her side on one of the columns, talking and eating, as if they were friends since long time ago.
The Greek girl was indeed hungry as her plate had many of those mini sandwiches, cheese, meat and some cookies. All that food surely cooked from the people of Rodorio who, as Shiva explained to Helena, wanted to pay to their heroes.
"I really hope the woman from the bakery bring the strawberry cake I asked." The Saint explained. "It is the most delicious one. Of course, all this food was optional for them to bring, but I asked her personally to at least have one ready for me."
"May I taste it then?"
"Yes, better for aunt Saori. She can't win weight. What if that armour doesn't close anymore?"
She laughed a bit for her joke as Helena just chuckled to then perceive something with her nose.
"Shiva? Do you smell that?"
Immediately, the Silver saint opened her eyes and look a bit nervous.
"What?" she asked as if she was looking around. "I don't smell anything."
"It is like… sulphur? Like gasses from a volcano. It even smells like ashes. But that's weird." Helena began to have her serious face that meant she was thinking deeply. "There is no way a volcano could be that close."
"Maybe is nothing. Or Deathmask fart! Yes, that must be. He always smells like gasses from a volcano." The kid and Shiva laughed as she stood up and left her dish in his place. "Helena? Could I leave you here for a second? I saw a friend over there and I want to say hello. She came from a mission, so I had missed her."
"Yes, of course."
"Just don't go, ok? Stay here."
The Peacock Saint moved quickly to be on the other side of the field, at least not to be seen by the girl. With an ashamed face and some worrisome, he went there just for one simple task: spray some perfume over her neck and wrist to then go back with the girl. She was worried because wasn't the first person on a week that realised she had such a horrible smell. But why? Wasn't like she had something on her clothes or hair, he had been training but taking showers didn't help in hide that smell. And the worse was that he began to feel sick with headaches and sore throat for two days ago. Her mind began to try to have those facts together, even if couldn't be. Some sickness gives you bad smell so maybe she had it. Or not?
She was worried walking back when realising the girl was talking already with no one else but the goddess of the Sanctuary itself. Saori Kido, better called as Athena from everyone around but some few, was smiling having a conversation with the girl and her eyes quickly found out that the supposed babysitter was coming back.
"Did you finished saying hello?" she asked Shiva, but using her cosmos… "leaving a girl alone just for a handsome boy, don't you?"
"It was a friend, an Amazon who came back from a mission." Shiva smiled to then take her dish again and keep eating as if nothing happened.
"Really? Which mission?" Asked Saori, mostly because she could remember very well where the female saints were going to so she could see if this Silver Saint was telling the truth.
Shiva's silence and his way to look at her made Saori understand that topic couldn't be touch any more. Something weird on her normally would tell everything to her best friend or, at least, many of the information of the reason why she left alone one of the kids of the most violent saint.
"Anyway, Helena, do you know why this ceremony is now and not last year?" Shiva smiled as she cleaned the corner of her lips.
"I was going to ask. Normally the anniversaries and such things are each five years, but you did it on six. Does it mean something?"
"It means aunt Saori didn't want a party. She is such a party pooper. But the old Patriarch decided that would help to the energy and soul of us, the warriors. But as well something important!"
"Shiva, we decided to keep it in secret till later." The Goddess crossed her arms looking at the saint.
"Oh, please, her own father brought it." she answered to wink at Helena. "Your father found something important that thought would be a good trophy. I already saw it last weekend when arrived but looks like you didn't."
"No, I didn't. So, can I see it?" Helena's eyes were now full of curiosity and those shiny sparkles of knowledge always touched Saori's heart. "What it is?"
The Indian girl and boy smiled to look at Saori. She knew very well her friend wouldn't say no. Saori just sighed and smiled to nod. The only problem was to somehow escape from everyone looking at her, their beloved goddess, but honestly wasn't hard as those two friends already got experience on that. If Shion didn't know! All those nights and important meetings he being worried just to find them later taking the sun or eating cake on the kitchen of either her temple or Virgo's.
The chamber was not secret but wasn't easy to find. It was filled mostly with books and paper from old times with different secrets on old Greek and other languages that, for sure, had to evolve with the time. There, on one of the corners close to a window, over a pedestal was something that indeed Helena didn't saw before but saw something similar.
It was the helmet that she could identify from photos from his father, on the times when she still lived on the Kanon Island waiting every week for a letter from Ikki. She came close but not enough to touch it, just see it.
"It looks like uncle Seiya's old helmet." She said with a smile but a bit curious. "Why it is black?"
Saori and Shiva didn't know how much she knew. Looks like Ikki didn't want to talk about that past of him. Which father would like to do so? Saori decided to explain as much as she could. The fact that there were other Saints who wasn't that good and those were the first enemies of them, without mentioning Ikki around. That helmet meant the beginning of a sad fight that finished in their victory and, thanks to the Gods and Athena advocating for her warriors, they could celebrate now.
Helena was interested, looking at the piece of the black armour as if it was an object to admire and in the same time to fear. Especially being the one of the Pegasus, the big hero, part of her new family.
But as the young girl was acting as a student in a museum, Shiva didn't mind at all and her curiosity won over her body. The Silver Saint moved quickly, so not even her friend could stop her, to take the helmet from their sight and quickly put it over her head.
"I'm Black Pegasus and I'm as ugly as Seiya!" she said changing her voice.
"Shiva! What are you doing?" Saori said a bit angry but Helena giggled a bit. "Don't you dare to use it! Think about… your hair!"
"Bah, I can fix it and I'm curious how may I look with a close helmet." She didn't say anything more as she put down the helmet to wear it and took her phone to use it as a mirror. "Oh, my, they ran all those stairs with the hair like this? It is a miracle they didn't fall… maybe Seiya did."
"Ok, Helena saw the helmet, you saw yourself on it. Now let's go." Saori said to come close to her and try to remove it. But Shiva did for herself. "C'mon, before Shion or someone else, knows about it. And, by the way, I will present it soon, so be sure it doesn't have to makeup."
The Peacock Saint did as his goddess asked and was going to left the helmet back to its place but looked at it some more seconds. It wasn't shining at all as the other armours but somehow has some sparkle on it and its energy was different from other energies in the armours. She just left it there, feeling uneasy about leaving it. Shiva sighed and followed the other girls outside.
As the ceremony continued, everyone was with happiness around. If wasn't only because of the good food and wine but wasn't every day when they could relax and have some normal way to enjoy life with friends and all together. After Saori showed the 'trophy' they had and talked about how it was a reminder of the past that they should remember to don't repeat it again, the real party begin. Yes, it was a small ceremony to lift up their energies, but little know Saori that some Silver Saints, being Algol, Misty and Shiva, and few Gold Saints, as Aphrodite, Aldebaran and Mu, decided to make indeed a party.
More music, more food, more drink. Of course, juice for the young trainees. From modern music that the radio didn't stop playing, not just only from Greece or American but as well looked like many of the Saints had already a favourite song from their own language or country, to even making Orphée play time to time when many of them were resting from all the dance.
Saori couldn't believe it, either Shion, but with the time and seeing how they were enjoying, they decided to join as well. Giving the freedom to other to leave any time now that was an 'unofficial' party from the Silver Saints.
It was so great to see them dance, singing, some drinking as friends, others just talking. Some left early as they weren't made for those parties, some others left without wanting to.
"But, C'mon, another beer?" Hyoga smiled already freezing one on his hand to give it to Ikki. "I don't have the all mighty Phoenix all the time, so let me enjoy you, my brother!"
"No, I need to go, really, duck." He chuckled as he was patting softly Ario's back who was already sleeping on his lap in a very uncomfortable way but very comfortable for him. "Helena already went with Shaka but Ario doesn't like to sleep alone so…"
"Great, the Phoenix can't drink as before," Hyoga said, showing a bit his too many drinks he had. "Who will take this cold beer from my hand, o Athena!"
"Me, thanks." Said Algol without stops his running.
After all, who could say no to such perfect cold beer?
And he indeed needed to keep running as Hyoga didn't wait any longer, just to say 'hold my beer' to the next saint alongside him. Ikki laughed because this and yelled a goodbye as he held Ario with both hands and did a small bed with them for him. As he rose up he just needed to turn and there was Shun, without drinking, but eating some cake and talking with Aghora, Orphée and some sleepy Nachi who wanted to show he could be awake longer time.
"Hey, brother. Hyoga went to do some gym with Algol, besties, so I need to go now."
"It is fine." Shun smiled looking at Ario. "That happens when you dance with every Amazon around the fire because they think you are cute?"
"Lucky boy!" Nachi said with a smile.
"By the way, Shun and Nachi, I asked permission to Shaka to use his kitchen so, if you want…"
"Yes, I want!" yelled the Wolf Saint. "Food? Yours? Yes! Do I invite the others? Perfect!"
Ikki just frowned a bit but nodded with a smile.
"Tell the others as well, Shun. Even bring June, I don't mind. Eight a.m."
"Am I invited as well?" asked Aghora, more like a joke obviously, he lived in the same temple.
"Yes, yes. You and Orphée, and your sister. And talking about her." Ikki said 'pointing' with a movement of his head. "She doesn't look so well, I didn't think she likes alcohol."
Aghora stood up as well to look where she was. With some Amazons and silver Saints, Shiva was sitting between Shaina and another female warrior, using her best friend as a pillow. She looked tired, something weird on her, but they all were very calm.
"She doesn't. But she has felt sick lately so maybe she needs rest. Go ahead, Ikki, maybe I will see you as soon as I leave my sister."
"We are not going to watch the stars?" asked Orphée.
It wasn't something normal to ask another Saint in that tone but Shun could understand; with so much loneliness after what happened, having some of this fun was weird for the Lyre saint, especially with the friendship he built with Aghora.
"Oh, yes, indeed. But I will just leave my sister on her bed and I will come back."
They did as they said, Ikki leaving directly to the temples, saying goodbye to some saints and some amazons, even some guys, finding adorable the fact that he had a small 'puppy', as Ikki called his son, on his arms.
Meanwhile, Aghora came close to the Amazons to say hello to them and be in front of her sister. She wasn't smiling, she looked tired and Aghora could see that something bothered her. But she was so tired and into her own sleepiness that didn't realise when his brother was that close.
"Shiva?" that's how took her attention and received a smile. "Are you ok?"
"I told her, she is too hot and doesn't look well," Shaina explained holding her friend's shoulders. "And by hot, I mean she has a fever. But she insists it is ok."
"You know, you are right," Shiva said to then sigh. "I think I can't keep with the party."
"Wow, the first time my sister will go from a party before me." Aghora chuckled to then give his hand. "Let's go, I will go with you to the temple."
"I think she was expecting another guy to take her from here." Shaina laughed helping her. "In some other way, of course."
"I bet so."
Aghora didn't like much talk about Shiva's private life but looks like between Shaina was a normal joke to have around.
After saying goodbye to her friends and jump, mostly being picked up, from his brother, Peacock Shiva was resting a bit more and fell sleep some moment as they were arriving at Virgo's temple. There, Shaka, who was awake because the arriving of Ikki minutes before and feeling their cosmos, received them as a father would do for their children.
Didn't spend much time between leaving Shiva on their bedroom and Aghora was just there finding her pyjamas while Shaka was giving her some of that medicine.
"You should come early if you didn't feel that well, Shiva." Said Shaka checking her fever.
"I was with my friends. I didn't feel that bad, I swear."
Her voice was low and a bit cut as if her throat hurt.
Lotus Aghora gave her the pyjama, the one she began to wear without a care about those two being there. Yes, they were men, but they knew very well that normally Shiva wouldn't get undress in front of them. Indeed, she was too sick and tired to think about it. They turned to keep talking and give her more privacy.
"Well, if you want me to stay, I can do it," Aghora said waiting patiently. "I bet Orphée may understand, he always does."
"No, no, he was waiting for tonight." Shiva laughed. "The nerd even brought his notebook." She turned to look at the back of both of them. "Sorry, you can turn now."
But as they did, they just looked something amazing. Impressive.
"Your bra." Said Shaka pointing at it, now outside of her clothes after her way to remove it.
"What?" Shiva looked at it. "What?!"
"You removed while using the pyjama…" Shaka kept looking at it as if was something that not even with a high cosmos or the seventh sense could be possible.
"Master, I think it's time to leave Shiva to rest." Aghora tried to don't laugh, after all, he remembered still the first time he saw that as well. "But, are you sure you don't want me to stay? What if you need something?"
"Listen, Aghora, really, go now." Shiva smiled. "You are a beautiful brother but you need your fun and I will be sleeping anyway. I'm sure that with the medicine that master gave me, I will be totally fine. If something happens I will call him."
Not so happy about it, Aghora smiled. Indeed, he knew it wasn't that much but was weird to find out his sister was sick and he wasn't there to take care of her.
"Fine, fine then. If master Shaka doesn't wake up and…"
"I will wake up, really. Ikki began to snore just touching the bed and Ario moves a lot."
"See? Everything is…" Shiva looked at Shaka a bit serious. "Ikki sleeps on your room?"
"The important point is, Aghora, we will be fine," Shaka said moving his hands, without losing his composure as he walked to the door making Aghora follow him. "Your sister needs to sleep, you need to have some fun. I will take care of her."
"And Ikki." Aghora said with a smile to, by surprise of them both, make a joke of that kind. "Anyway, I don't think I will stay much time watching the stars. Good night then, sister."
Shiva came close to hug him and kiss his cheek.
"Have fun, Aghora." She said to then do the same with Shaka. "Thanks for the medicine. Sleep well."
Both male Virgos left the room as the younger almost left herself fall on the thin bed close to the floor, falling asleep almost immediately hoping for the medicine to take action.
As they were walking, Shaka didn't wait much.
"What was that joke? Really?"
"Oh, sorry." Aghora chuckled. "But, master, I have a little problem. You see, Shiva doesn't get sick."
"She has a body and just wasn't a good time for her. We must never forget that we are humans, with a body that has its weakness."
"Did you say that to yourself before or after…"
"If you finish that joke, you will sleep with Orphée tonight, Lotus Aghora."
He chuckled once again and smiled.
"Shiva does it all the time, and when I do it I'm a sinner."
"Are you drunk?"
"No, no, sorry. Just…" he sighed. "I'm a bit nervous. This is making me feel uneasy like there is something wrong." Aghora explained. "If anything happens with my sister, please let me know."
"Of course, I will, Aghora. And you, better enjoy the stars and clean your mind. It isn't good to be thinking in worrisome in times of enjoyment."
The master was right, as almost most of the time. The Silver Saint did a small reverence to say goodnight and walked back to the small party that he could hear. But every step away from the temple, close to the music and the noise, he could feel the cosmos of the Peacock Saint going weaker or fading away from him. Aghora hated that feeling.