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rlm@0
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1 "….and that's brings us to now." Seisen said, looking over his creator with a
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2 shrug of his shoulders, "She saved my life…and I want to help make things right with her
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3 and her…friend." The black irises of the youth looked to his maker with a knowing
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4 glance. He didn't need to speak the words. They were already known.
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rlm@0
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5 "And what would you have me do, Seisen?" the booming voice asked the
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rlm@0
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6 kneeling man, who had removed his mask out of respect. "I would like to help you, but
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7 my power is limited when I deal with mortals…I understand this girl has saved you, her
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rlm@0
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8 power is astounding…dangerous, yes, but impressive none the less."
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rlm@0
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9 "I was created to destroy her…you made me to be able to strike that child down
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10 without a second thought. I was trained to be the angel of death, created out of nothing to
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rlm@0
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11 be her demise….stripped of a childhood, stripped of a life, only to take hers. A job that,
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12 thankfully, didn't need to be done. Now my intended victim saved my life, her glaive
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13 gave me the power to heal myself when I would be dead." Seisen's speech was answered
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rlm@0
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14 with silence, allowing his powerful words to continue, "I am here asking for a way to
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rlm@0
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15 return the favor; I understand that you cannot simply grant the wish with a motion of your
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16 hand, but I think I have a way to make things right. If you'll allow me to do
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17 this….father."
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rlm@0
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18 " 'Father…' so long since you've called me that. You hated me, when you
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rlm@0
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19 realized that your life wasn't meant to be normal…" the pain and regret in the voice was
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20 evident, though it was masked by a cracking shield, "Very well, tell me your plan my
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21 son…"
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rlm@0
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22 "Thank you father…I need to speak to your daughter…. Her, and your other
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23 son… I know they do not know who I am, you have hidden me well, but the time has
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24 come now that I have to reveal myself, risking my own existence…please." Seisen's eyes
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rlm@0
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25 looked to the floor a moment, then back up to his maker.
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rlm@0
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26 "….." a sigh was heard, the troubled soul of one who has seen one too many
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rlm@0
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27 tragedies. "As you wish, my son…I only hope Juno would listen to you. She hasn't the
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28 mind to respect mortals, she does tend to like violence and mayhem… Jupiter may be
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29 more understanding. I'll take you to them now, close your eyes my son.." and as Saturn
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rlm@0
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30 laid his hands on Seisen's head, the two of them vanished in a flash of purple colored
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31 light, heading to the temple at Capitol.
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32
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rlm@0
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33 "And you expect me to do something about that, mortal?" Juno wasn't all too
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34 keen on the idea of wanting to help mortals, especially after Seisen was hidden from them
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35 all these years. The queen of the gods sat on her throne next to her husband Jupiter who
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36 was a little more interested in the goings on than the woman. "What does the happiness
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37 of mortals have to do with me?"
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38 "I expect nothing…but I do request your, and your husband's, assistance in
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39 making things…" Seisen paused, looking for the right word, both his eyes turned to the
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40 floor in consideration before moving back to Juno's. "Better for both of them. I wouldn't
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41 come to you, unless I knew that you could do something. After all, lady queen, you are
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42 the goddess of women and marriage…who better than to help two women, than the
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43 patron of them?" Juno fell silent, glancing away. "The king, and the queen of the gods
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44 certainly have some type of power that could be of help."
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rlm@0
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45 "What will you do for us in return, Seisen?" Jupiter began, looking the youth over
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46 as he stroked his beard. He was greatly pleased that the man wasn't begging, or
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47 demanding that they give their power to help his cause, "You know that we cannot bring
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48 the dead to life again, even if you do have their spirits, their bodies are completely ruined.
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49 New bodies might be possible, but they wouldn't remember each other and that seems to
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50 be half the point, if I'm correct."
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51 "That is more or less the idea…reanimation isn't a necessity. Death is eternal. I
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rlm@0
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52 don't think either of them would have a problem with staying the way they are, so long as
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53 they could be together. Mortals fear death because they are afraid of what comes
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54 after…they both now know. The mystery is gone, so the will to live should be as well...
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55 though I'm sure they will be missed, they will miss their friends." The youth's eyes
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56 turned to the king, though he has yet to get up from his kneel on the marble floor before
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57 the royalty of the gods.
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rlm@0
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58 "What about you, are you afraid of death?" Juno asked him, her brow raising as
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59 she gave him a smile that struck Seisen as slightly too smug, "You are mortal after all."
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rlm@0
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60 "Yes, of course." Seisen said without a moments hesitation, "I do know what
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61 comes after it…for other mortals, but I was not born in the way of man, and I don't know
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62 if I even have a soul to offer after my body loses it's will." That left Juno, who had been
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63 expecting him to say he was fearless quiet. Jupiter was greatly impressed with the man's
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64 honesty, his integrity, and his genuine caring for someone he had only recently met. "And
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65 I do not have much to offer in way of repayment, or gifts, but anything I have, or
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66 anything I can do I will." The truth in the youth's words killed whatever doubt the king of
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67 the gods had in his mind.
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rlm@0
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68 "Very well, Seisen…I will grant your plea, and the soul of the girl who was
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69 destined for Hades will now be sent to the Elysian Fields... Though, I do have something
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70 I need to ask of you." The king smiled broadly, before giving a noticeably nervous
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71 chuckle, "You are strong in both the body, the mind, and the spirit…are you any good
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72 with children?"
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73 "I'm sure I can be, if given enough time…" Seisen's reply came, looking to Juno
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74 who began to seethe with fury, glaring at both men before storming out of the throne
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75 room.
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rlm@0
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76 "Good…" Jupiter seemed concerned very little with his wife's outburst, "I have a
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77 child, from a woman named Leto…her name is Diana, and she needs someone to watch
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78 her, teach her how to do things…can you look after her for a while?"
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79
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rlm@0
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80 Standing in the tower of the castle in the city of Capitol, Seisen stared at the stars
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rlm@0
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81 in the sky, his mask hiding his face in the darkness. The bright, full moon shone down
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rlm@0
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82 over the forest, and the lake surrounding the castle, it's pale, but somehow comforting,
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rlm@0
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83 light cast over the landscape.
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rlm@0
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84 "Mission accomplished…" Seisen said to himself, his voice sounded hollow as it
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rlm@0
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85 echoed off the stone walls of Jupiter's home. "I know you're there father…" the youth
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rlm@0
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86 called over his shoulder, though no one was in the room, "And I know you can hear
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87 me…you created me to ensure that the spirit of Hotaru Tomoe was ushered into the after
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88 life. She will be there very shortly, both her and her friend." Stillness only answered
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rlm@0
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89 Seisen, though the youth smirked, "I'm not angry…I'm sad, that she had to die so young,
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rlm@0
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90 but at least they'll be young, and beautiful forever, right?" Again, silence was the
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rlm@0
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91 response. "Yeah…that's what I thought." A soft rapping at the door brought Seisen back
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92 to reality, he knew who it was already.
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rlm@0
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93 Both of the girl's spirits had been brought here, and they would all meet a final
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rlm@0
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94 time before they were sent to the afterlife, to eternity. It was time to say goodbye to them;
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rlm@0
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95 the girl he had met only days before, the child he was created to kill, and her friend.
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rlm@0
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96 "Come in." The youth turned his back to the doorway again, once more peering out over
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97 the moonlit darkness.
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rlm@0
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98 "Seisen…" Hotaru said aloud as she opened the door and stepped inside. Her
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rlm@0
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99 voice no longer thick, and pained, but soft and gentle as he knew it should be.
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rlm@0
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100 "We…we're leaving now. I…we, wanted to come to thank you for everything you did to
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rlm@0
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101 help us. I know that you must have risked a lot to do this for us, and you don't know how
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rlm@0
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102 grateful we are." He didn't say anything, though he knew he should. The words wouldn't
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rlm@0
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103 find their way from his lips; his mind going blank when he should have been telling her
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rlm@0
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104 goodbye. Hotaru stepped forward, leaving the silent Chibi by the door, and placing her
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rlm@0
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105 hand on his shoulder, "Please look at me, Seisen…"
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rlm@0
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106 Seisen sighed and turned to face them. Each of the girls was dressed well; pure,
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rlm@0
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107 white gowns that looked befitting for queens, or princesses in this case, the long, lace
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rlm@0
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108 sleeves fit over their slender arms, leading down over the back of their hand and hooking
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109 onto their middle finger. "You both look beautiful.." he said to Hotaru, before glancing to
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rlm@0
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110 Chibi who quickly averted her eyes; she felt guilty for being here, for making Seisen have
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rlm@0
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111 to strike a deal with the gods. "And you…" he began, regarding the pink haired girl,
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rlm@0
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112 "Smile. You're going to spend forever with your frie-" the youth paused, deciding to stop
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rlm@0
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113 using that word, and replacing it with the truth, "Your girlfriend." He finished, getting a
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rlm@0
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114 furious blush out of both of the girls, but not a word of protest.
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rlm@0
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115 "Thank you…" Chibi said, approaching him and giving him a quick hug before
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116 Seisen knew what was coming. As her arms wrapped him, he stood in stunned silence for
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rlm@0
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117 a moment, before returning the embrace, then letting her slip away from him and back to
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118 the doorway, "I'll be outside, 'Taru…" The girl thought it would be better to let them say
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119 goodbye in private.
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rlm@0
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120 "You know you'll have to go soon," Seisen stated first, crossing his arms over his
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rlm@0
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121 chest, and arching a brow at her. "I don't want you to miss your appointment with
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122 forever." He forced a smile, though it was hidden behind his cloth mask.
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rlm@0
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123 "Seisen…please." Hotaru sighed, reaching her hand out to pull the mask from
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124 covering him, "Don't hide yourself from me…we both owe you a lot, and we can never
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rlm@0
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125 repay you for what you've done for us…if there's anyth-" she was cut off as Seisen put
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126 his finger over her lips, shaking his head.
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rlm@0
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127 "You are my sister…your blood courses through my veins, just as mine in yours. I
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rlm@0
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128 only did what anyone else would do for their blood." He smiled again, reaching his hand
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rlm@0
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129 out to brush a few raven strands from her face, "You are welcome." Hotaru stepped to
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130 him and let her arms encircle him, resting her head on his chest. The youth smiled, his
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rlm@0
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131 arms then finding their way around her, pulling her close for a moment, but a knock at
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132 the door soon drew their attention.
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rlm@0
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133 "Hotaru…it's time to go, Dis says we have to leave really soon." Chibi's voice
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134 was heard, though the door wasn't opened.
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rlm@0
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135 "Thank you, Seisen…I won't forget you, and what you've done." Hotaru said as
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rlm@0
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136 she stepped back from him and smoothed her dress, looking over her shoulder to the
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137 door, "Just a second…"
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rlm@0
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138 "Go on," the man smiled, cocking his head in the direction of the door, "Don't
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rlm@0
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139 want her to leave without you." Seisen stepped away from her. Somehow, increasing the
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rlm@0
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140 distance made it seem like it would be easier to part. Hotaru sighed, looking back to the
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rlm@0
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141 youth before turning and stepping to the door. She was about to say something, but was
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rlm@0
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142 again silenced as Seisen held up his hand, "I'll see you again sometime…"
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rlm@0
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143 "Yes….until then, brother." Hotaru smiled, a tear streaking down her face as she
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rlm@0
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144 opened the door and stepped out.
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rlm@0
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145 "Until then, sister…" the youth whispered back as the door closed, then turned his
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rlm@0
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146 attention back to the sky. Reaching into the strap that crossed his chest, Seisen pulled his
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rlm@0
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147 flute from the padded compartment and brought it to his lips. A deep sigh was heard
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rlm@0
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148 before he began to play; the soft, whisper of a melody floated down into the valley below
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rlm@0
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149 as a tear fell from his eye to follow the music.
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rlm@0
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150
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rlm@0
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151 "Seisen…?" a child's voice sounded in the darkness, causing the still conscious
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rlm@0
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152 man to turn his gaze to the sound of the voice. Diana…
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rlm@0
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153 "Yes?" he answered her, it was late…the girl should have been sound asleep by
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rlm@0
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154 now. The youth didn't move, only let his eyes remain on her, as he could see the faint
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155 silhouette of her body against the backdrop of the moonlight.
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rlm@0
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156 "I can't sleep…" Diana whispered to him, crawling up onto his bed and sitting on
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157 her ankles. "Tell me a story?"
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rlm@0
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158 "A story…" Seisen repeated, "Ok…" he waited for the child to lie down and get
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rlm@0
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159 settled in.
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rlm@0
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160
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rlm@0
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161 "I have a story….a love story. It all starts in the dark of night…with a young girl
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162 lost outside in the snow…"
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163
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