comparison old/stories/toujour6.txt @ 2:fc00894c1d4a moonlitnights

[svn r3] moved all the bad stuff to 'old'
author rlm
date Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:53:12 -0500
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1:dbe144217c71 2:fc00894c1d4a
1 "….and that's brings us to now." Seisen said, looking over his creator with a
2 shrug of his shoulders, "She saved my life…and I want to help make things right with her
3 and her…friend." The black irises of the youth looked to his maker with a knowing
4 glance. He didn't need to speak the words. They were already known.
5 "And what would you have me do, Seisen?" the booming voice asked the
6 kneeling man, who had removed his mask out of respect. "I would like to help you, but
7 my power is limited when I deal with mortals…I understand this girl has saved you, her
8 power is astounding…dangerous, yes, but impressive none the less."
9 "I was created to destroy her…you made me to be able to strike that child down
10 without a second thought. I was trained to be the angel of death, created out of nothing to
11 be her demise….stripped of a childhood, stripped of a life, only to take hers. A job that,
12 thankfully, didn't need to be done. Now my intended victim saved my life, her glaive
13 gave me the power to heal myself when I would be dead." Seisen's speech was answered
14 with silence, allowing his powerful words to continue, "I am here asking for a way to
15 return the favor; I understand that you cannot simply grant the wish with a motion of your
16 hand, but I think I have a way to make things right. If you'll allow me to do
17 this….father."
18 " 'Father…' so long since you've called me that. You hated me, when you
19 realized that your life wasn't meant to be normal…" the pain and regret in the voice was
20 evident, though it was masked by a cracking shield, "Very well, tell me your plan my
21 son…"
22 "Thank you father…I need to speak to your daughter…. Her, and your other
23 son… I know they do not know who I am, you have hidden me well, but the time has
24 come now that I have to reveal myself, risking my own existence…please." Seisen's eyes
25 looked to the floor a moment, then back up to his maker.
26 "….." a sigh was heard, the troubled soul of one who has seen one too many
27 tragedies. "As you wish, my son…I only hope Juno would listen to you. She hasn't the
28 mind to respect mortals, she does tend to like violence and mayhem… Jupiter may be
29 more understanding. I'll take you to them now, close your eyes my son.." and as Saturn
30 laid his hands on Seisen's head, the two of them vanished in a flash of purple colored
31 light, heading to the temple at Capitol.
32
33 "And you expect me to do something about that, mortal?" Juno wasn't all too
34 keen on the idea of wanting to help mortals, especially after Seisen was hidden from them
35 all these years. The queen of the gods sat on her throne next to her husband Jupiter who
36 was a little more interested in the goings on than the woman. "What does the happiness
37 of mortals have to do with me?"
38 "I expect nothing…but I do request your, and your husband's, assistance in
39 making things…" Seisen paused, looking for the right word, both his eyes turned to the
40 floor in consideration before moving back to Juno's. "Better for both of them. I wouldn't
41 come to you, unless I knew that you could do something. After all, lady queen, you are
42 the goddess of women and marriage…who better than to help two women, than the
43 patron of them?" Juno fell silent, glancing away. "The king, and the queen of the gods
44 certainly have some type of power that could be of help."
45 "What will you do for us in return, Seisen?" Jupiter began, looking the youth over
46 as he stroked his beard. He was greatly pleased that the man wasn't begging, or
47 demanding that they give their power to help his cause, "You know that we cannot bring
48 the dead to life again, even if you do have their spirits, their bodies are completely ruined.
49 New bodies might be possible, but they wouldn't remember each other and that seems to
50 be half the point, if I'm correct."
51 "That is more or less the idea…reanimation isn't a necessity. Death is eternal. I
52 don't think either of them would have a problem with staying the way they are, so long as
53 they could be together. Mortals fear death because they are afraid of what comes
54 after…they both now know. The mystery is gone, so the will to live should be as well...
55 though I'm sure they will be missed, they will miss their friends." The youth's eyes
56 turned to the king, though he has yet to get up from his kneel on the marble floor before
57 the royalty of the gods.
58 "What about you, are you afraid of death?" Juno asked him, her brow raising as
59 she gave him a smile that struck Seisen as slightly too smug, "You are mortal after all."
60 "Yes, of course." Seisen said without a moments hesitation, "I do know what
61 comes after it…for other mortals, but I was not born in the way of man, and I don't know
62 if I even have a soul to offer after my body loses it's will." That left Juno, who had been
63 expecting him to say he was fearless quiet. Jupiter was greatly impressed with the man's
64 honesty, his integrity, and his genuine caring for someone he had only recently met. "And
65 I do not have much to offer in way of repayment, or gifts, but anything I have, or
66 anything I can do I will." The truth in the youth's words killed whatever doubt the king of
67 the gods had in his mind.
68 "Very well, Seisen…I will grant your plea, and the soul of the girl who was
69 destined for Hades will now be sent to the Elysian Fields... Though, I do have something
70 I need to ask of you." The king smiled broadly, before giving a noticeably nervous
71 chuckle, "You are strong in both the body, the mind, and the spirit…are you any good
72 with children?"
73 "I'm sure I can be, if given enough time…" Seisen's reply came, looking to Juno
74 who began to seethe with fury, glaring at both men before storming out of the throne
75 room.
76 "Good…" Jupiter seemed concerned very little with his wife's outburst, "I have a
77 child, from a woman named Leto…her name is Diana, and she needs someone to watch
78 her, teach her how to do things…can you look after her for a while?"
79
80 Standing in the tower of the castle in the city of Capitol, Seisen stared at the stars
81 in the sky, his mask hiding his face in the darkness. The bright, full moon shone down
82 over the forest, and the lake surrounding the castle, it's pale, but somehow comforting,
83 light cast over the landscape.
84 "Mission accomplished…" Seisen said to himself, his voice sounded hollow as it
85 echoed off the stone walls of Jupiter's home. "I know you're there father…" the youth
86 called over his shoulder, though no one was in the room, "And I know you can hear
87 me…you created me to ensure that the spirit of Hotaru Tomoe was ushered into the after
88 life. She will be there very shortly, both her and her friend." Stillness only answered
89 Seisen, though the youth smirked, "I'm not angry…I'm sad, that she had to die so young,
90 but at least they'll be young, and beautiful forever, right?" Again, silence was the
91 response. "Yeah…that's what I thought." A soft rapping at the door brought Seisen back
92 to reality, he knew who it was already.
93 Both of the girl's spirits had been brought here, and they would all meet a final
94 time before they were sent to the afterlife, to eternity. It was time to say goodbye to them;
95 the girl he had met only days before, the child he was created to kill, and her friend.
96 "Come in." The youth turned his back to the doorway again, once more peering out over
97 the moonlit darkness.
98 "Seisen…" Hotaru said aloud as she opened the door and stepped inside. Her
99 voice no longer thick, and pained, but soft and gentle as he knew it should be.
100 "We…we're leaving now. I…we, wanted to come to thank you for everything you did to
101 help us. I know that you must have risked a lot to do this for us, and you don't know how
102 grateful we are." He didn't say anything, though he knew he should. The words wouldn't
103 find their way from his lips; his mind going blank when he should have been telling her
104 goodbye. Hotaru stepped forward, leaving the silent Chibi by the door, and placing her
105 hand on his shoulder, "Please look at me, Seisen…"
106 Seisen sighed and turned to face them. Each of the girls was dressed well; pure,
107 white gowns that looked befitting for queens, or princesses in this case, the long, lace
108 sleeves fit over their slender arms, leading down over the back of their hand and hooking
109 onto their middle finger. "You both look beautiful.." he said to Hotaru, before glancing to
110 Chibi who quickly averted her eyes; she felt guilty for being here, for making Seisen have
111 to strike a deal with the gods. "And you…" he began, regarding the pink haired girl,
112 "Smile. You're going to spend forever with your frie-" the youth paused, deciding to stop
113 using that word, and replacing it with the truth, "Your girlfriend." He finished, getting a
114 furious blush out of both of the girls, but not a word of protest.
115 "Thank you…" Chibi said, approaching him and giving him a quick hug before
116 Seisen knew what was coming. As her arms wrapped him, he stood in stunned silence for
117 a moment, before returning the embrace, then letting her slip away from him and back to
118 the doorway, "I'll be outside, 'Taru…" The girl thought it would be better to let them say
119 goodbye in private.
120 "You know you'll have to go soon," Seisen stated first, crossing his arms over his
121 chest, and arching a brow at her. "I don't want you to miss your appointment with
122 forever." He forced a smile, though it was hidden behind his cloth mask.
123 "Seisen…please." Hotaru sighed, reaching her hand out to pull the mask from
124 covering him, "Don't hide yourself from me…we both owe you a lot, and we can never
125 repay you for what you've done for us…if there's anyth-" she was cut off as Seisen put
126 his finger over her lips, shaking his head.
127 "You are my sister…your blood courses through my veins, just as mine in yours. I
128 only did what anyone else would do for their blood." He smiled again, reaching his hand
129 out to brush a few raven strands from her face, "You are welcome." Hotaru stepped to
130 him and let her arms encircle him, resting her head on his chest. The youth smiled, his
131 arms then finding their way around her, pulling her close for a moment, but a knock at
132 the door soon drew their attention.
133 "Hotaru…it's time to go, Dis says we have to leave really soon." Chibi's voice
134 was heard, though the door wasn't opened.
135 "Thank you, Seisen…I won't forget you, and what you've done." Hotaru said as
136 she stepped back from him and smoothed her dress, looking over her shoulder to the
137 door, "Just a second…"
138 "Go on," the man smiled, cocking his head in the direction of the door, "Don't
139 want her to leave without you." Seisen stepped away from her. Somehow, increasing the
140 distance made it seem like it would be easier to part. Hotaru sighed, looking back to the
141 youth before turning and stepping to the door. She was about to say something, but was
142 again silenced as Seisen held up his hand, "I'll see you again sometime…"
143 "Yes….until then, brother." Hotaru smiled, a tear streaking down her face as she
144 opened the door and stepped out.
145 "Until then, sister…" the youth whispered back as the door closed, then turned his
146 attention back to the sky. Reaching into the strap that crossed his chest, Seisen pulled his
147 flute from the padded compartment and brought it to his lips. A deep sigh was heard
148 before he began to play; the soft, whisper of a melody floated down into the valley below
149 as a tear fell from his eye to follow the music.
150
151 "Seisen…?" a child's voice sounded in the darkness, causing the still conscious
152 man to turn his gaze to the sound of the voice. Diana…
153 "Yes?" he answered her, it was late…the girl should have been sound asleep by
154 now. The youth didn't move, only let his eyes remain on her, as he could see the faint
155 silhouette of her body against the backdrop of the moonlight.
156 "I can't sleep…" Diana whispered to him, crawling up onto his bed and sitting on
157 her ankles. "Tell me a story?"
158 "A story…" Seisen repeated, "Ok…" he waited for the child to lie down and get
159 settled in.
160
161 "I have a story….a love story. It all starts in the dark of night…with a young girl
162 lost outside in the snow…"
163