Chapter 15 - Preparing For The Future

  Saori POV - Japan - 1985

  Today, I received some w news, It seems that a Saint is ing to Japan, and is going to nd in Tokyo in a few hours, so I quickly order my most trusted retaiatsumi to meet with him in disguise and gather some info, while at the same time thinking 'It's too soon... We still aren't ready to fight... All of my grandfather's childreill training to bee Saints... Moreover, most of them still resent me and my grandfather for what we have doo them, and how I treated them in my youth... How could I be so childish and selfish back then, treating them so bad just because I was wealthy when they are sacrifig so much to protect the world with me... I'm so ashamed only remembering it'.

  Then looking at the painting of the man that took care of me being my grandfather Mitsumasa Kido, 'I still remember the day that everything came crashing down, it was soon after grandfather send his kids away to the various Saint Training Grounds around the world, his heart couldn't stand it anymore, and before he died he told me everything, that he wasn't my real grandfather, that I was the reination of the Goddess Athena, how he found about me and the evil ihe Sanctuary and my duty to the world, and what he did to help me protect it...'

  'And that also expined many strahings about me that I didn't uand before, like this immense energy I feel inside me at every moment, how this energy seems to somewhat guide my as and decision, like an instinct that tells me what to do at certain moments, and how sometimes I feel this energy move on its own ag somewhere around the world, as it touches, guide and protects certain individuals'.

  Soon after revealing that Grandfather died and I decided that it was time to stop being a spoiled little girl, and finally act like the Goddess I should be, and oook that decision, the energy inside me, gave me even more insight on what to do, so I took trol of the pany grandfather founded, and made it the biggest and most powerful corporation in the world in only four years, while at the same time pnning for the eventual frontation with the Sanctuary.

  After waiting a few hours, one of my servants came and told me that Tatsumi brought some guests here, that want to meet me, and so I prepare to greet my guest 'If Tatsumi brought them here, it means that there isn't a threat to my life, if not given his character, he would rather die trying to protect me than put me in danger'.

  I move to the hall, and ohe servants outside open the door, I finally see my guests, there are two of them, and they are quite young, one is a woman with a slim build, her face has a slender demeanor and pale tohe style of her hair is short reag above the shoulders and semi wavy, whose color is light brown and has dark browhe other is a man with an athletic muscur build, with messy dark blue hair and lively green eyes, what immediately catches my attention is the Silver Pandora Box on his back, that tells me that the one in front of me is a powerful Silver Saint.

  I see him looking at me with appreciation, and a hint of lust but he quickly suppressed it, and it is soon repced with shame and also a little anger over this momentary and natural loss of trol, not like the many others that I have met before that seem to ignore my young age and shamelessly lust over me evehey are my grandfather age, I gather my thoughts and say "Wele to my home, I'm Saori Kido, CEO and owner of the Graad Foundation, to what I own the pleasure of having a Saint ing here?", and shog me and Tatsumi, the young Saint kneels and does the knightly salute as he says "I, Crateris Jayr, greet the current ination of Athena, Saori Kido, I'm here to inform you of the current and future threat that we are about to face!".

  'He knows!? Is just him or there are others? Are we in danger!?' I think in panic, but quickly the energy helps me calm down, and after telling him to rise, I ask him how did he know about my real identity, and he expins to me that is thanks to the power of his Cloth that allows him to see instances of the future, that is how he found out about me and the evil hidden in the Sanctuary whose name appears to be Saga.

  Then I ask about the woman, from who I feel a certain amount of hostility and she presents herself as Seika, Seiya's sister, thearts shing out at me, for what happeo her brother and the other kids, and once again I'm reminded of my behavior back then, and as Tatsumi yells at her, she yells bad tells us about the fact that she saw how much the various children suffered to bee a Saint and that they didn't even uand why they did, and that hit me the hardest, the fact that many are suffering because I wasn't strong enough to protect them, and instead heir help and prote, and many tears fall down my face.

  But all of the sudden, Jayr came and calmly stops her, defend me, and expins my grandfather's situation and motive, showing incredible insight, but while Seika seems to uand my situation as I clearly see it in the way she looks at me, it seems that Jayr taking my side in this flict made her insecure about her retionship with him, and on the spur of the moment choose to end it, then she asks for a pce to rest her weary mind, and I order Tatsumi to lead her.

  As I look at her reg bad at the stunned Jayr I think 'She is clearly still in love with him, I feel it... Aoo deeply cares for her and feels bad for this situation, and through this energy, I feel his pain very clearly...' then I apologize for what happened as I think it is in part my fault that this happened, but he shakes his head and says that it's not my fault, but his that he didn't notice the distress in Seika, then he adds that it's better that he is hurt than the loss of life that will happen if he didn't act.

  Touched by his spirit, I feel his energy briefly touch mine, and in that instant, I felt everything about him, his passions, his desires, his fws, his love, his sense of justisciously inside me I thought, 'This is it... The beauty of humanity that I fell in love with and chose to protect...' then I recover from that straate, and remind him of the information that he has, and told him to follow me as I lead him to the most secure location of the mansion, the Parium.

  After a few minutes, we reach the parium that my grandfather built for me because he thought that gazing at the stars would guide me and give me strength, and since he died, I use it when I need a pce to think about in solitude, and onside, I activate the dome and sooarlit sky is projected on the dome.

  Then I turn to Jayr and ask "So what is this important information that you have to tell me...", Jayr closes his eyes for a moment as out a sigh then opening his eyes, he locks his gaze on me, puts down his Pandora Box, and say "What I'm going to tell you, is all I know about the ing threats, but just the fact that I saw it, and what I did, for sure ged some things, and I'm afraid not all of them are for the better, but the fual truth about what is to e shouldn't ge much...".

  With that introdu, he starts talking about, the current Pope of the Sanctuary, Saga, who got corrupted by an evil spirit, that is slowly taking trol and leag on his darkest desires but who is deep down still loyal to Athena, about my pn for the Gaxian Wars, the tour I'll be hosting to gather my Saints and pull out of the shadows my enemies, Ikki betrayal and redemption, but he also added that he ged that freeing Ikki's master from the Pope's trol, and turning this event in a farce to train and uhe new Bronze Saint.

  About my fight for the Sanctuary trol, that ends with Saga freed from the evil influence, but still choosing to suicide to atone for his sins, in this event we'll also lose a lot of Gold Saint, about Kanon that was the spark that triggered the evil influehin his brother and that ter instigated the war with Poseidon, but that he alsret his a aake his pce as the Gemini Gold Saint, the possibility of Asgard, thealked about my main enemy, Hades, who already choose its host and bind to him since he was young, moreover, the host turns out to be Shun, the one who is destio bee the Andromeda Saint, he also tells me the results of the war, and that while we won, for Jayr the cost was too great, that is why he chooses to act, he also told me what he did until now to ge that oute.

  After he fielling his story, Jayr wait for me to digest everything 'After hearing his story, I'm sure that he is telling the truth, sure not the whole truth, he obviously didn't tell some details, but this energy, that now I know is called o, tells me that I trust him, moreover, the way he described my as and choices, cides with what I'd have done in those situations with what I k the moment... And I have to admit that I'm impressed by what he did until this moment... And now that I know what to expect, I won't let my Saints die in vain, I'll stop Poisedon and Hades and protect this world!'.

  Jayr POV - Japan - 1985

  I'm standing in silence, ihe Parium, waiting for Saori to digest everything I told her, I told her a lot, even about Shun, I do not knoill she aow that she knows, but at least this way she won't be taken by surprise.

  She is now ihought looking at the various steltion in the sky. I see her gaze move from Gemini to Sagittarius, to Andromeda, Pegasus, Dragon, Phoenix, us, and stop on Crateris for a few moments.

  She lowers her gaze and looks at me with her clear greenish blue eyes, and she says "Thanks, Jayr for telling me all this... Until now, I thought that my main oppo was the Pope of the Sanctuary, instead, he is one of my greatest allies that is now going through the most hellish trial, to think that my enemies will make a move so early, and their pn would have succeeded if it wasn't for you warning me about this...".

  Then I ask "So what are we gonna do now, Saori-san?" and with a serious expression on her face, she says "Now, we must be careful of our moves... Time and Fate are really powerful forces, and you pyed a dangerous game with them... Now, we have to prepare for the right time to act... And wheime es I want you to e with me to meet with Poisedon's host maybe we stop the fight before its starts, in the meantime you stay at the mansion".

  I nod and say "No problem, but I don't like to freeload... So let's do it like this, in exge for letting me live in your mansion, you will hire me as a doctor for the Graad Hospital... Feel free to use me to gain more advantages from ill business partners... Only be ruthless with them if they are a piece of shit, while I'll heal them as it is my duty as a doctor, it doesn't mean that they don't have to suffer a bit for it".

  Hearing that, Saori chuckles and says "No problem, in fact, there are already a few people on my list... In fact they are on my bcklist, so don't worry about it, they will be healthy but they'll regret and pay for their as..." and with a mischievous grin I say "Deal!" after that we both got out of the Pary a back to the mansion, where Tatsumi lead my to my guest room, onside the smile on my face fades, and I once again start to think on how to fix the situation with Seika.

  Laying on the bed, I look at the ceiling and curse out loud "Shit what to do now!? I was never good in this kind of situation! My st breakup was in my previous life, and I didn't do anything to fix it... because she was right to break up with me... It's my fault that I got drunk and did it with her sister... And I felt like shit for it so I quickly fessed everything and took the bme for it, and for the months after the events, I focused only on my work... But now, I'm clueless about how to act... I also don't want to impose my presen her... Should I leave her some space to sort it out? Or ask her to talk about it? Or should I give up on her as my Blessing's influence could make me hurt her even more...".

  In the end, I chose to sleep, and leave this problem for tomorrow, but when I woke up the day, Tatsumi gave me a letter from Seika in which she says that she still likes me, but she needs some time away from me to think about our retionship as she says that we moved too far and too fast, that she will be at the Star Children Academy, helping her friend take care of the children but asked me to not follow her, as she will tact me herself when she feels ready, and in the end, I chose to follow her wishes, but I also sent a letter, tellio not hesitate to call me if she needs help, even if she decides to definitely break up with me.

  Jayr POV - Japan - 1985

  Right now, I'm in the operation room of the Graad Foundation Hospital, in front of me there is an obese old man ying on the operation table, and he just finished receiving the ahesia and is now in deep sleep, so after following the necessaries procedures, I finally start my operation, a septal myey, an ope surgery to treat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, in uandable human words a thied heart muscle, that makes it more difficult for your heart to circute blood through your body, ending with a bad case of death in the worst situations.

  I quickly take the scalpel from the operating room nurse and make a rge incision down the middle of his chest and separates his breastboo reach his heart telling the physi assistant to hold it open, while at the same time expining the procedure to the residents, then I carefully ect him to a heart-lung mae that takes over the work of his heart and lungs during surgery, and wait for the heart to stop.

  is the hardest part, I remove the thied portion of his septum, quickly disect him from the mae, put his breastbone back together, and close the incision with absorbable sutures, finishing the operation in a record time of 50min, when it usually takes from the 3 to 4 hours, at the same time I stealthily use my o to remove any ces of further problems, as he is on of the really rare good businessman, I checked, he doesn't cheat moake care of his family, is good on his employees, and makes many charity donations, really are men like this that do not make me lose my faith in humanity, and so as ara, I made it so that if he isn't killed, the only way he die is that his natural lifespan ends.

  Doh the surgery, I ahe residents' questions, while the P.A., the ahesiologist, and the nurse, check over the patients' vitals while they send him to the intensive care unit, then I wash up and put on normal clothes as my job for today is done, get out of the hospital, and look at the starry sky and the full moon high in the sky, and as I walk back to the Kido Mansion, I let out a sigh and think.

  'A year passed since I came here, and it's almost time for the chaos to start, only a few months of peace are left, and ll have to deal with two Gods, Poseidon and Hades, one of the three stro deities of the Greek Phanteons, meanwhile, nothing ged on the Seika front, we still keep in tact, but she says that she doesn't feel ready to restart our retionship yet... And soon I won't even have the time to piss let alone a retionship, maybe it's for the best'.

  As I reach a park he hospital, a bck limousine, a Toyota tury, stops near me, and from it, Tatsumi es out and lightly bowing he says "Jayr-sama, it seems that we are returning at the same time, please e inside..." shugging my shoulder I say "Ok, Tatsumi-san, but I told you that you simply call me Jayr..." but Tatsumi, opens the back door and says "That, won't do Jayr-sama... Please...".

  I ehe car and see Saori sitting oher side, so I greet her "Good evening Saori, how was your day?", and with a small smile she replies "It was good, today we finally pleted the Colosseum, we now only have to wait for the right time, and the Gaxian Wars finally start, and so we finally save Saga from that evil influence, from my sources, the Sanctuary's as are getting more and more drastic... I really 't imagine how hard it must be fa" she finishes in a sad tone.

  And I try to cheer her up "Don't worry we will save him, and he will have the ce to redeem himself by saving tless lives fighting for hope, peace, and justice like he is meant to be!" at the same time I look outside the window, I admire the sight of the fast-moving sery of the city, while thinking about my time here 'In this one year, living in her mansion and spending time with her, me and Saori became friends, maybe it's because while I respect her status as a Goddess, I don't revere her but treat her as normally as possible, simply because I know that there are many beings even more powerful than her outside of this Universe, hell I'm the Champion of one of the cepts that made this Omniverse, I'm a Man of Culture!'.

  I'm broken by my thoughts by the sound of Saori, who aowledged what I just said with "Umu" and I robotically turn my head and look at her that act like nothing happened 'Dafaq!! Did Culture do something just for lol because I thought about him!!?', and after thinking this, I'm sure I heard the sound of loud ughter in my head, then I once again look outside, try to ignore what just happened, and think 'I must be too tired...' that day I rested without doing my usual nighttime training.

  Ikki POV - Death Queen Isnd - 1986

  I'm now standing tall in front of the figure of Master Guilty ying on the ground with many wounds on his body, since Jayr-san came, he bee a totally different persoill almost beat me to death every day during our training, but after he bees a sort of father-like figure for me and Esmeralda who he brought for her owner and adopted, the differen his attitude is almost discerting, during this year, he didn't only teach me how to use hate to burn, and enhance my o, but also my other emotions.

  After a few moments, Master Guilty slowly moves and sat on the ground saying "Good job, Ikki! You are finally ready to take trol of the Phoenix Cloth... To do so you have to defeat the Bck Saints hidden on this isnd, and take the Cloth from their leader Jango... It shouldn't be a problem at your level to deal with them, after all, most Bck Saints are trainees who failed to bee Bronze Saints or Saints that itted grave crimes and lost Athena's favor, and their Cloths are mere imitations, while they are made of the same materials, those Cloths do not have Athena's Blessing, making them very frail if pared to a Bronze Cloth".

  Theands up and says "Now go! And remember the pn, make sure that your o is full of hatred, vince yourself, and do not tact us until you have fixed your brothers' attitude!" then his strict attitude ges all of the sudden and he says "...Oh and talk to Esmeralda before you go, cheeky kid, she won't five me if I fot to remind you of this...".

  And so after talking with Esmeralda and spending some time with her, I slowly move toward the active volo at the ter of the isnd, the Fire Mountain, the pce where the Bck Sants hide and the cause of the fire rains that happens on this isnd all year around.

  As I'm walking, I focus t all the hate I felt into my o, to ge my demeanor and aura to one o py my role, and after a few minutes, I find myself surrounded by hundreds of Bck Saints, and one among them yells "Hold on boy! Where are you going!? This part of the Death Queen Isnd is the territory of Jango, leader of the Bck Saints! Any who enter will be killed!!".

  Hearing that I say "I've e to take Jango's head!" and the Bck Saints say "What?", "Boy, do you knoe are?", and with a fident smile I reply "I do you're the loser who failed to bee Bronze Saint, you Bck Saints are a bunch of trash who couldn't keep up with training!".

  Enraged and successfully provoked, the Bck Saints around me all jump toward me ready to attack, and at that moment I attack "Ho Yoku Ten Sho(Fming Wings of the Phoenix)", I create a vortex of fire in which I and all the Bck Saints are immersed and then project a Phoenix of fire from my hands that flies high in the sky through the Vortex until impag with the victims making them receive the damage from the Phoenix and the vortex, and soon all of them fall on the ground with their Cloths broken, unknown if alive or dead.

  I look at all the bodies around me and say "Fools! A hundred of you couldn't take me! One Ho Yoku Ten Sho is enough to finish you!" then I hear a voice behihat says "Heh... Not bad, Ikki", and turning around I see a young man with long dark hair down to his shoulders, with two bangs of hair ing out of the sides of the headband of his Bck Cloth, he has a stocky fad an average physique.

  He like the others is already donning his Cloth, the headpiece has in its ter prote formed by the ned the head of the swan, on its sides it has two wings, and the chest piece has simple prote that extends almost to the waist, which also has a simple design, the right arm is simple while the left arm is formed by a shield, has two simple knee pads as well as the feet which have two wing-shaped ors at the ankles and the shoulder pieces have a semicircur design, of course, the color is all bck.

  (Image Here - Bck Swan)

  Spoiler

  [colpse]Looking at him in an arrogant tone I say "Hmm... You seem to have a little more o of those small fries", aroduces himself "I'm Bck Swan of the Bck Four!! Why are you after lord Jango's head!?" and I calmly reply "He has my Phoenix Cloth, Jango of the Bck saints has nht to it, I'm the one who met the requirements and earhat steltion!", hearing that Bck Swan replies "Hmm... So you say you became a Bronze Saint and came for your Cloth... Very well, I'll tell you where Lord Jango is... Provided that... You mao survive this attack!".

  Odyin