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Milo was kneeling in the front of the Pope, looking at him with disbelief on his young face.

"But… It is really necessary to kill them all?" he asked with the trembling voice. "There are many innocent people there!"

"Are you doubting the rightness of the decision of Athena?" said the Pope with a cold voice. "Do you intend to disobey our Goddess, Scorpio Milo?"

The young man gulped quietly.

"No, I don't want to disobey that order, but…"

"Then go and do your work."

"Yes."

Milo left the Pope's Chamber with the heavy heart. He couldn't believe what was happening in the Sanctuary, and on the whole word. A few stupid brats, under the leadership of fake Athena just rebelled against the Sanctuary, thinking that they could replace their fake girl with the real Goddes. And now he was dismissed from his Temple to kill all the people from the Andromeda Island, just because one of the island's Saints was one of the traitors. And it had to be a punishment for inhabitants for raising that stupid kid.

But there were so many innocent people there. The children, the women, and the old men. Why he had to take their life because of that stupid Andromeda brat? Why just don't fight only with the Saints living there? And why did Athena ordered such a thing? He was taught that Athena is merciful, loving people Goddess, not a cruel woman, who want to destroy the whole Island in the revenge for rebellion!

He sighed with the sadness. The Sanctuary wasn't the same as the other days. It changed so much recently. The Saints was different, the Temples was different and even the bright, blue sky above them seemed to be different.

"What is wrong, Milo?" he heard calm voice.

Milo didn't even notice, that he pass through the Pisces Temple and now he was in the Temple of the Aquarius Saint. The Temple of Camus. His guardian was standing nearby, watching Milo with trace of worry on his face. In his hand he was holding a book.

"Why it has to be something wrong, Camus?"

"Because you are quiet."

"So?"

"Always when you are entering my Temple you are loud. And smiling. And talking a lot. Now you seem to don't even notice, that you are here. What is wrong, Milo?"

The Scorpio looked at his friend carefully. Camus seemed to be different too but not like all the Sanctuary. He seemed to be just really sad. Like something was bothering him really hard. Milo knew what that was. One of the rebel was his disciple, Hyoga. Milo was wandering why the Pope didn't try to punish Camus for being the master of one of the rebbel, when at the same time the head of the Sanctuary ordered to destroy the whole island just because one of the traitors was raised there. It was the same dituation, right?

"Actually nothing wrong happened, Camus. I just was thinking too hard. Now I had some work to do. Later, Camus!"

And he left quickly.

Camus was staring at the place, when his friend was standing while ago. It was the first time, when Milo acted just like him… He just hid his worries for himself. It was not like the Scorpio he knew for so many years.

The Aquarius sighed with resignation. He could ask Milo again about that, when he returned to the Sanctuary.

Milo had many doubts, when he arrived to the Andromeda Island in purpose to kill all the inhabitants. He was looking for a while at the village and at the place where all the Saints was usually training. So many lives in his own hands. So many people, that didn't even know, what fate was waiting for them. They were doing their daily activities, the children were playing with their friends, the trainees had a rough training, and a few Saints were taking care of them. No one seemed to feel dangerous, that was standing on the stony hill nearby their home. Death in the Golden Armor arrived to take their fragile lives.

The warm, bright sunlight got reflected by something metallic, coming from the direction of the training area. A few minutes later he saw one of the Saints living on the Andromeda Island.

"What business brings the Gold Saint to that small corner of the world?" asked the Bronze Saint, looking at his guest.

Milo eyes slipped from the kind of red helmet on the Saint's head to the foot, covered with the armor.

"You know, why I'm here, "said Milo quietly, the other Saint nodded quietly. "One of the traitors was training on that island. I'm here to punish you for that." The Bronze Saint took a few steps away, with defensive position. "Then…" Milo could feel it. It started. Something inside him started to change, as always when the battle was coming. Like he was turning into another person. Any doubts he had while ago just disappeared. "Why they sent the mere Bronze Saint to face me?!" Milo almost screamed in some kind of excitement. His voice was full of contempt. "Although it doesn't matter, since I'm gonna reap apart all of you!"

His duty, his loyalty took control over his body and mind. He forgot that a few minutes ago he wasn't so sure if Athena's order was right. He forgot about his thoughts, and about the lives he was gonna take away soon. He just killed that Bronze Saint without thinking about his actions, and left dead body behind him.

It was always like that. When Milo was facing the upcoming fights, he was changing into another person. Person who wanted to fight right now, and right here; his Needle became so impatient, ranging in excitement, desiring to strike. It was almost painful to holding himself, to holding his Scarlet Needle and walking so slowly in the village's direction.

Why he was walking so slowly? Why he just didn't jump into the air and appeared around all these unarmed people, protected by a few weaklings in the armors? Oh, of course, he had to give them some time. That they could gather all the island's Saints and trainees capable of fighting. And then he would have fun with fighting. Ranging around the village, destroying all the houses, killing all the rebels and traitors.

Just like Athena-sama wanted… Just like the Pope ordered him…

How he could be so stupid to doubting that order? These people deserved this fate, firstly raising one of the five traitors, and now trying to fight with him. With the Gold Saint of Athena. They committed unforgivable sin against their Goddess, so they had to be punished. Oh, how much it amused him to looking at many so scared people, with the tears on their faces, screaming their butt to the heaven, running around, and trying to survive. But there wasn't any way of escape from fate; Milo will find all of them. Find and kill. As his Goddess ordered.

All of them had to die…

And then he was standing on that hill again, looking at the burning village and the burning barracks, where the trainees were sleeping night by night. There was almost no one who survived his Scarlet Needle. Only a few young Saints managed to escape. Oh, "managed to escape" was an exaggerated term. He just let them escape, according to a few small orders of the Pope. And now he just felt… empty. He turned back to his usual self, excitement disappeared, his Needle calmed down.

He was empty inside…

All doubts that left him before this execution returned. Returned with a doubled power. Oh, of course, Milo didn't intended to lament about that for too long. It was his duty, after all. He could feel empty, he could feel sad or even be scared of his own actions, but not for long. What was done is done. No one can change it, especially him. And… even if he doubted righteous of Athena's decision… He was the mere human; the Gold Saint but still a human. Nothing more. And that nothing couldn't just walking around, and disobey Goddess. Athena was good. Athena was law. And he couldn't change Her decisions.

He turned around and left the dying Island of Andromeda.

'Loud, smiling and talking, huh?' thought Milo in the front of the Aquarius Temple. 'Am I really like that?'

The Scorpio sighed and entered his friend's Temple, hoping that Camus wouldn't sense him, that he could pass peacefully. He wasn't in the mood for smiling, laughing, joking, screaming, and talking. Especially talking. He had to report to the Pope his work on the Andromeda Island, he had to tell about all these screaming people, and the crying children and for now he wasn't sure if he wanted to talk with Camus. Maybe later, but not now.

He passed through the building as fast as possible, almost running, and begging for a luck. And it seemed that he really had it today; Camus didn't show himself, maybe the cold Saint didn't sense him yet. Good. Perfect, Milo could say. Just as he wanted.

But it wasn't mere luck. Camus sensed his trembling, anxious cosmo long before Milo stopped in the front of his Temple. He was just observing his friend out of hiding, letting him pass freely. Oh, why he just hid himself from his own friend, from Milo? Because Camus saw the Scorpio's face. Empty as never before… It wasn't face he remembered. It wasn't the face of the Scorpio Milo, cheerful, always talking and smiling kid. His eyes were like eyes of the dead human. Without light, without feelings.

It was not his Milo!

Camus returned to his room, and sat on the bed with worry on his own face.

What made Milo to look like that? What happened? What Milo had to do on his mission? Camus wanted to know it now. The Scorpio was his friend, so it was natural for him to trying to help him. That is why they were friends, right?

The Aquarius sighed. Milo went to the Pope, so now he couldn't do anything for his friend. He had to wait for him. Of course he could wait and at the same time read precious his book.

"Caaaamuuus!" he heard a cheerful voice after a long while. He was so interested in reading that he even didn't notice anyone's presence. "Camus, friend, where are you?"

Camus left his bedroom, and at the same moment when he appeared in the hallway, someone hit him with the impact and the noisy crack. It was Milo and he was hugging him really tightly, like they didn't see each other for the long time.

"There you are," he said with the smile. "What's up?"

The Aquarius looked at him with astonishment.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Camus?"

Why Milo was so cheerful now?

"I.. I thing you are imagining something, Milo. So, you are back already. How was your mission?"

"It's ok. I just returned from it, and now I was to report it…" the Scorpio saw that strange look inside Camus' eyes. "What?"

"You seem to be different, Milo. Why? What happened?"

Milo laughed. That laugh was… unnatural.

"Now it is you who just imagine something. It is nothing wrong. Oh, I'm so tired. I think I'm gonna take a nap…" he stretched himself with an animal moan. "Bye!"

And he left without looking at his cold friend.

Camus didn't say a word. But he knew. Behavior of his friend was artificial.

Milo never felt like that. It was like even the walls of his Temple tried to yell at him with disappointment.. 'Why did you do that, Scorpio Milo' they seemed to say that all the time. 'They were unarmed. And you killed them all.'

"Oh, just shut up!" Milo murmured under his nose, trying to sleep. He was in his bed, really tired, somehow sad, with the heavy heart in his chest. It was like trying to sleep in the Cancer's Temple, with all these faces on the walls - distorted and screaming without sound faces.

Why he was feeling like that? He told himself, that it is stupid to lament about his mission as long as it was Athena's order. So why? Why he couldn't sleep? He wasn't that kind of man who is always regretting his every action. And after all, as the Gold Saint he was prepared to face many things. For that too.

He turned his side, and covered his head by the blanket. Even that didn't help him. He still could hear the talking walls.

"That's it!"

He jumped out from the bed, and left his Temple with angry. But with every step he was calming down; the fresh air just cleared his mind. Soon he entered the Aquarius Temple without any trace of the angry and the restlessness.

He found Camus in one of the chambers, reading his book on the big, dark sofa. When he entered that room, the Aquarius looked at him calmly but questioningly.

"Camus…?" murmured Milo hesitantly.

"What, Milo?"

"May I… May I stay here for a while? I can't rest in my Temple. It is noisy there."

"Sure." Camus was watching like Milo took a sit beside him on the dark sofa. He didn't even ask who was so noisy in the Scorpio Temple.

His blue-haired friend put his hands behind his head, and started glaring at the ceiling. That empty expression returned to his young face.

"Don't mind me. I won't disturb your reading."

Camus sighed. He grabbed friend's shoulder, and pushed him down. Milo's head, covered with many blue curls rested on his lap.

"Now tell me. What happened to you, Milo? What kind of mission it was?"

Milo kept silence.

"Milo. I know, that I'm who I am, but also remember, we are friends. Even if sometimes it could seem different for you." He put his hand on the blue hair, and stroked them gently. "Tonight I want to be friend who is supporting you. Tell me."

Then Scorpio grabbed his hand strongly, tightly. Was it a sob that came from his mouth?

"Your hand is really warm today, Camus, you knew that?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I never though it could be that warm…"

Camus smiled lightly, putting his book aside, and focusing his whole attention on the depressed friend.

"Pope ordered me to go to the Andromeda Island, where one of the rebels gained his Cloth," started Milo, still holding tightly Aquarius' hand. "I had to kill all the Saints… And the people from the village. It is not like I'm regretting it now. After all it was Athena's decision to put their lives to the end. But I'm feeling horrible now. There were so many children, so many unarmed beings. It was… the execution."

Camus sighed. It was order from Athena? Yes, but what if their Athena wasn't the real one? After all their Goddess never would agree to destroying the whole islands, that didn't commit any sin. It was Andromeda Saint's decision to rebel the Sanctuary… If it was rebellion in the first place…

"As you said, it was Athena's order. You can't do anything."

"I know. That's not the real problem. Just… Just… When I came to that islan I was full of the doubds, but soon I just turned into the killing mashine. I was laughing at them, at their deaths at their scream, and scary eyes..."

"Milo… Don't bother yourself with that. You will feel much more pain, if you will think about that all the time. That is the fate of the Gold Saint," said Camus, holding his friend' hand, at the same time stroking gently the blue curls by his ther hand.

"Heh, right. Just put that mission aside. I can do that," murmured the Scorpio Saint, felling calmed a little be the touch of Camus.

"Good. Now sleep. You should rest. I will be here with you. And tomorrow will be better day."

Milo nodded, and didn't say anything more. Soon Camus heard a calm, peaceful breathe of his sleeping friend. He took his book and continued to read.

But it wasn't long after when Milo shuddered and jumped up from his position, breathing hardly.

"What is wrong, Milo?" asked Camus with the worried voice.

"The face. It was the face."

"What face?"

"The face of that little girl from the Andromeda Island. She wasn't screaming, she wasn't running from me. She just looked at me with her big blue eyes and asked 'Why?' moment before I killed her."

His whole body was trembling; eyes were full of fear, sadness, and tears.

Camus took friend's face into his hands, and forced him to look inside his dark eyes.

"Milo, listen to me. You did nothing wrong. You…" the Scorpio just placed his hand on his mouth to shut him up.

"I know, I'm just hopeless, right?" he whispered with the pale smile, and moved his hand to Camus' hair, pressing his forehead against friend's one.

"No, you aren't. I was about to say, that if you want to cry, then do it. On my shoulder, right now."

Milo smiled again, but even one tear didn't fall from his azure eyes.

"Crying is pointless. It couldn't change anything. Thanks, Camus."

Camus was about to answer when he felt the warm and soft lips, pressing against his own. It surprised him a little, but he didn't withdraw. What's wrong with friendly kiss?

And then Milo's lips started to press more, and Camus felt that the hot tongue was touching him, and trying to break inside his mouth. The Aquarius looked inside the blue eyes of the Scorpio and saw something almost terrifying. Under the cover of sadness he saw desperate craving. It was too much for him.

Camus broke free from Milo's hands, took a few steps backwards, still looking at his friend, then turned around and left. The Scorpio saw only his aquamarine hair disappearing in the hallway's shadows.

"Shit! What have I done?"

What if it was the end of their long friendship?

He waited for a while in this room, and then followed him desperately.

Milo found Camus in the front of the Aquarius Temple, sitting on the top stair, and touching his lips with unreadable expression on his face.

"Camus…?"

No respond.

"Camus, I'm sorry," said Milo with the panic in his voice. "I know I did inexcusable thing, but… Could you forgive me, please? Don't hate me…"

Silence.

"I'm aware that this is such a pathetic excuse… I just though I have to do something really stupid to feel better and it just…"

Camus stood up, and took a few steps in his direction without looking at him.

"You probably want to punch me," whispered Milo with emotionless voice. "I deserved it."

He was waiting for strong hit in silence, didn't even look at his friend. And he felt it… the warm, muscular arms around him and the strong, slim hand in his blue curls.

"I am sorry, Milo. My reaction was too sudden."

"But Camus, I kissed you. I shouldn't do that without your permission!"

The Aquarius sighed into his blue hair. He took friend's face into his hands and touched Milo's lips with his own. Then he hugged him again.

"I kissed you to. And so what?" Camus said with the slight smile on his face. "Tell me... Do you feel better after these kisses? Be honest."

"Yes…"

"Then nothing else has matter. I'm here for you, Milo. If something is able to make you feel better, I will do that without hesitation."

Then their lips meet each other again for a short moment.