“That was so fun!” Shun exclaimed in glee as they got inside the mansion. Hyoga nodded in agreement. He had never had so much fun in his life. He and Shun had just only learned how to skate in a matter of some minutes and no more. They both strutted into the living room where some of the Gold Saints sat wearily, probably after restraining Ikki for most of the afternoon. Saouri sat alone on a couch drinking hot tea as if she had come from the cold. “Saouri-san!” Shun said excitedly, taking a seat beside her. “You’d never guessed what happened.” He said, almost sounding like a 5-year-old who had just learned to spell his own name. Saouri smiled and asked him what had happened. Shun explained in detail about the ice skating class the children had and about their beautiful young teacher, Keitalina. He even told Saouri about their short skating lesson. “I can skate now, Miss Saouri. Hyoga, too.” Shun said with a grin on his face. Hyoga smiled sheepishly and sat down on a couch. Shun still only grinned as he continued his story. “Hyoga fell on his butt most of the time. I managed to get the hang of it right away.” This made Hyoga blush when Camus turned to look at him, not wanting his master to know that what Shun said was true. “But Shun, you had to have Snow White hold your hands in order for you to skate in the first place.” Hyoga managed to say. Shun’s cheeks went bright red, faltering a bit. “Yeah, well...only because she pulled me away from the railing, okay?” he replied. Hyoga grinned widely and shook his head. “Look at us…we’re acting like children.” He said. Shun laughed and nodded. “It is true…but don’t you find Snow White very beautiful?” Shun said, attracting the attention of some of the Saints. Hyoga smiled blissfully. “Yes…quite…” was his answer. They both laughed.
“Snow White…my it has been a long time since I have heard that story…” Aphrodite said as he played with one of his famous red roses. He smiled heavenly. He admired beauty. He was quite infatuated with it. And now there was someone that existed who could possibly foil him like in a fairy tale. But that was nonsense. He worshipped beauty, then he should enjoy it all around him…even if it maddened him sometimes. “Andromeda…” he called to the boy, using his title instead of his name.
Shun stopped joking around with Hyoga about Keitalina and looked at Aphrodite. “Hai?” he replied. “Would you please tell me…” Aphrodite began, getting up from his place and sitting next to Shun. “…about your teacher.” Shun looked at the older man, a little surprised. “Aphrodite-sama…I thought you knew Albhior?” he said, the pure look in his eyes where Hades had once looked through. Aphrodite gave Shun a small smile and shook his head. He felt guilty though, about Shun’s teacher. Cephus Albhior. So, here he was now, being Andromeda Shun’s friend, he quite liked it. “No…I mean…about your Snow Princess…your skating teacher.” Once, again, Shun looked very surprised. “You want to know about Snow White?” he questioned. Aphrodite smiled and nodded. “Of course.”
* * * * * * * *
What beautiful flowers these are…May I have them…?
……………………
……………………
……………………
Nothing at all…?
Alone for a while
I’ve been searching through the dark
For traces of the love you left inside my lonely heart
To weep by picking up the pieces that remain
Melodies of life
Love’s lost refrain
Our past they did close
Now I cannot say just why
We met, we left, we held on fast and then we said good-bye
And who’ll hear the echoes of stories never told
Let them read out loud till they unfold
In my dearest memories I see you reaching out to me
Then you’re gone I still believe that you can call out my love
A voice from the past joining yours and mine
Adding up the layers of harmony
And shall it go on and on
Melodies of life to the sky beyond the flying birds
Forever and beyond
So far and away
See the bird and as it flies by
Gliding through the shadows of the clouds up in the sky
I’ve laid my memories and reams upon those wings
Live them now and see what tomorrow brings
In your dearest memories do you remember loving me
Was it fate that brought us close and now leaves me behind
A voice from the past joining yours and mine
Adding up the layers of harmony
And shall it go on and on
Melodies of life to the sky beyond the flying birds
Forever and beyond
And if I should leave this lonely world behind your voice will still remember our melody
Now I know we’ll carry on
Melodies of life come softer and throaty in our heart
As long as we remember
It’s a pretty song Nicholas.
* * * * * * * *
Keitalina woke-up with a jolt, fresh sweat beading her forehead. She had dreamt of Nicholas. She covered her face before tears fell from her sapphire eyes. It had been a long time since she had last seen her friend from Greece. He had not called nor wrote ever since she had attained the position of the Reflection Silver Gemini Saint and as Popess of the Lunar Sanctuary. Nicholas had become the Poseidon Saviour and had other things to handle. Like protecting Poseidon. From what she had heard, Athena and her Saints had defeated the God of the Sea and his Shogun Generals. More tears flowed from her eyes, she sobbed and had to regain her breath a couple of times. Why did life have to be so cruel to her? She worried about Nicholas even more for the past year. Her heart seemed to have sunk into the deepest depths of Hades when she tried searching hopelessly around Japan with her Cosmo. She often swept upon a couple of people who has the element of water within them, but not the same quality as Nicholas. Sometimes her Cosmo even touched 12 separate individuals with high-ranking Cosmos, one seeming very familiar. Her Cosmo lingered near this person for a while, her curiosity getting the best of her. All of a sudden that person’s Cosmo flared and she withdrew her Cosmo. She sighed in utter disappointment. She couldn’t find Nicholas anywhere. She tried closing her eyes and going to sleep…only to have the haunting notes of the song that Nicholas had taught her.
* * * * * * * *
Shaka sat quietly in his own room in Kido Mansion, meditating like he usually did in his temple. Not that it mattered with the ruckus down stairs. His meditation was suddenly disturbed when he felt a familiar Cosmo of silver and gold mixed together. Oddly enough, he actually opened his sky blue eyes. Nothing happened when he opened them. He blinked and flared out his Cosmo to answer whoever had called him. The Cosmo suddenly disappeared, as if it had never been. Shaka immediately closed his eyes as he heard approaching foot steps.
* * * * * * * *
All the Saints gasped as they felt the strange Cosmo sweep over them. The Cosmo they felt was silvery and yet seemed like it ranked the owner as a Gold Saint. And it was, oddly enough, feminine. No one was female among the Gold Saints though. And Saouri had not used her Cosmo for a while. What was this feeling though? For the short while that they felt the Cosmo, they felt great pangs of sadness in their hearts. Like hot knives being driven into them. The pain suddenly subsided as they felt Shaka’s Cosmo flare up suddenly in his room. Saouri stood up from her seat, looking up, feeling one of her Saints. “Camus…Milo…go see what is happening up there.” She ordered. Camus and Milo nodded and got up from their seats to check up on Shaka.
“Shaka? Are you alright?” Camus asked, barging in on Shaka’s meditation. Shaka looked up, or just turned the direction of his head towards the newcomers. “Yes and what are you doing here?” he asked of them. Camus and Milo looked at each other, a little bewildered. “Didn’t you just flare your Cosmo?” Milo asked. Shaka’s brow creased. “You felt the strange Cosmo as well.” He stated. “We all did…strange as it seems…”