Ficlets: from the 100 prompts (093)
Title: (093) Thanksgiving
Word count: ~ 950
who: Deathmask and Aldebaran
Disclaimer: New year, old owners: Saint Seiya still belongs to Kurumada, Toei and Shueisha. My new year's resolution is to learn the spelling of the latter, but we'll see how that goes.
(093) Thanksgiving
-There isn’t time, Deathmask. Not for this, and not now.
-There is no other time, Aldebaran. Now is all we’ve got, and once this moment is gone there will be no second chance. We must do what we must do.
Aldebaran shrugged and walked to the door, his eyes fixed on the houses below. The bronze saints were barely getting to the gates of Aries, and surely they could not go through Mu. So his presence in the second House wouldn’t be needed. Unless… unless Aries let them pass. It was unthinkable, but Mu had done the unthinkable before, and he had been so convinced when he came to visit…did he really think that girl was Athena? Yes, he had to hurry back to his own Temple.
-Gold Cancer Saint Deathmask, I shall leave now, I have duties to attend to. This is something I need to sort out myself
Few things stopped the owner of the fourth house, and a simple formal addressing was not in the short list.
-Go, then, Taurus. Go and live up to your reputation as the weakest gold saint.
Deathmask heard the sharp intake of breath. He had known Aldebaran for a very long time, and knew of the reasons why he hid the true measure of his power.
The other child had been a trainee and it was a well-known fact that trainees die, so nobody bothered making inquiries on the details of that particular death. And as the only witness Deathmask knew the knowledge was power.
He had worked hard over the years, straining the guilty conscience of Taurus as long as it would go without breaking, a little at a time. Steering the other man’s feelings and principles just so, making his own judgment precious to Taurus.
His plans had nearly collapsed when remorse made Aldebaran falter in his Test for the Cloth. But luckily destiny was not steered out of its course for reasons as feeble as personal grief, and so Aldebaran became a Gold Saint and a precious tool in his hands.
It was amazing how guilt could trample a man’s fighting. Never to repeat his unintentional kill, Aldebaran always held back and listened -and it wasn’t out of mere coincidence that Deathmask was always there to whisper in his ear, messages mixed with guilt and conscience in measures only he could manage.
Patience, prudence, and a friend’s good counsel. Deathmask planted it all very cautiously over the years, waiting for the time when his leeway over the other man would come in handy. Aldebaran refrained from killing when others would have, and didn’t mind the reputation as weak that earned him. And when the Kyoko started acting weirdly, Deathmask’s remarks kept Aldebaran's suspicions at bay. After all, it had been Deathmask’s advice that had kept the mad bull inside of him from hurting anyone else since that cursed day, long ago. Would everything crumble now, when Deathmask needed his puppet more than ever?
Aldebaran turned and, for the first time in many years, didn’t look down at the sight of the familiar eyes fixed on his own. Deathmask had been his friend over the years, hadn’t he? He had kept his dark secret, when telling on him would have been so easy. He had lent his shoulder and his ear when he had needed it. Deathmask always had an explanation and a hug ready for him.
The Cancer Saint grinned, his white teeth a blur in the tanned faced, but the smile didn’t travel as far as his eyes. And Aldebaran doubted.
-These kids…they are brave. Who would dare something like this without thinking themselves on the right? And Mu said…
- Mu knows nothing, my friend. He’s been away for over a decade, for goodness sake! He’s probably a traitor himself, and you own your loyalty to the Kyoko. Wait for them here, with me. If Mu is really a traitor, let the Gemini House deal with the scum. And if one of them somehow manages to get through he’ll meet two gold saints ready to end his foolishness. There will be no danger whatsoever and we will be the recipients of great acts of thanksgiving from our lord. Just imagine, Aldebaran, ALDEBARAN!
Aldebaran ignored the calls as he descended the stairs. He would not ambush anyone, like a thief in a dark corner. He would give them a proper fight and defend the Goddess, the proper way. Deathmask was right, they were traitors and the Kyoko was the carrier of the Goddess’ word. Yes. Deathmask was right, but he would fight in his own way.
He got to his temple and waited, full of conviction. But when the Pegasus saint first spoke to him, there was a smile on his face. A blur of white on his tanned face, and the smile radiated all through his body. Somehow, Aldebaran understood it was all in there; all the years, all the doubts, the dead child and his strong hands -covered in blood. And then it was over.
Aldebaran stood, with the golden horn in his hands, and listened to the steps hurrying up the stairs. These bronze saints were just children, as he had been once. But they were full of convictions and faith; they really loved and trusted each other and the girl who agonized at the feet of the sacred stairs.
And for the first time, he looked back to his past without shame or fear. The bronze saints would die if they were in the wrong, but he would always be grateful for the gift he had received from Pegasus. The Taurus saint was again, after so many years, free.
Word count: ~ 950
who: Deathmask and Aldebaran
Disclaimer: New year, old owners: Saint Seiya still belongs to Kurumada, Toei and Shueisha. My new year's resolution is to learn the spelling of the latter, but we'll see how that goes.
(093) Thanksgiving
-There isn’t time, Deathmask. Not for this, and not now.
-There is no other time, Aldebaran. Now is all we’ve got, and once this moment is gone there will be no second chance. We must do what we must do.
Aldebaran shrugged and walked to the door, his eyes fixed on the houses below. The bronze saints were barely getting to the gates of Aries, and surely they could not go through Mu. So his presence in the second House wouldn’t be needed. Unless… unless Aries let them pass. It was unthinkable, but Mu had done the unthinkable before, and he had been so convinced when he came to visit…did he really think that girl was Athena? Yes, he had to hurry back to his own Temple.
-Gold Cancer Saint Deathmask, I shall leave now, I have duties to attend to. This is something I need to sort out myself
Few things stopped the owner of the fourth house, and a simple formal addressing was not in the short list.
-Go, then, Taurus. Go and live up to your reputation as the weakest gold saint.
Deathmask heard the sharp intake of breath. He had known Aldebaran for a very long time, and knew of the reasons why he hid the true measure of his power.
The other child had been a trainee and it was a well-known fact that trainees die, so nobody bothered making inquiries on the details of that particular death. And as the only witness Deathmask knew the knowledge was power.
He had worked hard over the years, straining the guilty conscience of Taurus as long as it would go without breaking, a little at a time. Steering the other man’s feelings and principles just so, making his own judgment precious to Taurus.
His plans had nearly collapsed when remorse made Aldebaran falter in his Test for the Cloth. But luckily destiny was not steered out of its course for reasons as feeble as personal grief, and so Aldebaran became a Gold Saint and a precious tool in his hands.
It was amazing how guilt could trample a man’s fighting. Never to repeat his unintentional kill, Aldebaran always held back and listened -and it wasn’t out of mere coincidence that Deathmask was always there to whisper in his ear, messages mixed with guilt and conscience in measures only he could manage.
Patience, prudence, and a friend’s good counsel. Deathmask planted it all very cautiously over the years, waiting for the time when his leeway over the other man would come in handy. Aldebaran refrained from killing when others would have, and didn’t mind the reputation as weak that earned him. And when the Kyoko started acting weirdly, Deathmask’s remarks kept Aldebaran's suspicions at bay. After all, it had been Deathmask’s advice that had kept the mad bull inside of him from hurting anyone else since that cursed day, long ago. Would everything crumble now, when Deathmask needed his puppet more than ever?
Aldebaran turned and, for the first time in many years, didn’t look down at the sight of the familiar eyes fixed on his own. Deathmask had been his friend over the years, hadn’t he? He had kept his dark secret, when telling on him would have been so easy. He had lent his shoulder and his ear when he had needed it. Deathmask always had an explanation and a hug ready for him.
The Cancer Saint grinned, his white teeth a blur in the tanned faced, but the smile didn’t travel as far as his eyes. And Aldebaran doubted.
-These kids…they are brave. Who would dare something like this without thinking themselves on the right? And Mu said…
- Mu knows nothing, my friend. He’s been away for over a decade, for goodness sake! He’s probably a traitor himself, and you own your loyalty to the Kyoko. Wait for them here, with me. If Mu is really a traitor, let the Gemini House deal with the scum. And if one of them somehow manages to get through he’ll meet two gold saints ready to end his foolishness. There will be no danger whatsoever and we will be the recipients of great acts of thanksgiving from our lord. Just imagine, Aldebaran, ALDEBARAN!
Aldebaran ignored the calls as he descended the stairs. He would not ambush anyone, like a thief in a dark corner. He would give them a proper fight and defend the Goddess, the proper way. Deathmask was right, they were traitors and the Kyoko was the carrier of the Goddess’ word. Yes. Deathmask was right, but he would fight in his own way.
He got to his temple and waited, full of conviction. But when the Pegasus saint first spoke to him, there was a smile on his face. A blur of white on his tanned face, and the smile radiated all through his body. Somehow, Aldebaran understood it was all in there; all the years, all the doubts, the dead child and his strong hands -covered in blood. And then it was over.
Aldebaran stood, with the golden horn in his hands, and listened to the steps hurrying up the stairs. These bronze saints were just children, as he had been once. But they were full of convictions and faith; they really loved and trusted each other and the girl who agonized at the feet of the sacred stairs.
And for the first time, he looked back to his past without shame or fear. The bronze saints would die if they were in the wrong, but he would always be grateful for the gift he had received from Pegasus. The Taurus saint was again, after so many years, free.