Japan, Tokyo - Roppongi - 6 Mars 2004, 11:30 PM (March 6, 2:30 PM +9:00)

"Okay, let’s gather here around four. It‘s the rising sun. If you haven’t caught anybody within 4 o’clock, just let’s give up!" ordered Shina, peremptorirly.

"Yes, boss!" answered Ambre joyfully.

Thetis sighed.

"I can’t believe I got up like that!”

She looked at her reflection in the closest window. She was wearing a black leather trousers and a skin-tight red top, with a more than provocative low-cut. Useless to mention the make-up! Shina was not spoiled neither, and was all dressed in white: white tiny trousers and white top covering just her chest, but leaving naked her navel, trimed with a false diamond. The « worst » was without any doubt Ambre : she was wearing a black trousers, torn in several places, some of them strategic, and hid her « advantages » under a black top, which let foresee her bra, rather minimalist. Thetis wondered how Ambre would manage to escape from aggressions during the next hours, especially where she was supposed to go...

"Yes! Three real chiks of Roppongi!" Ambre exclaimed.

Thetis pushed a new sigh.

"I am too old for this!”

First club, twenty minutes later...

"Wahou!" howled Ambre, drawn up on the red teak-made bar.

A young man, obviously gone on a spree to the hot district of Tokyo, approached her, looking at the show of the beautiful red-haired girl with widely opened-eyes.

"Hey! Guys! Come on! It’s the first time that I see crocos shoes on a bar!" he called his friends.

Three other young men answered to his call, and came. Ambre sighed, looking at the red faces of the four men, who devoured her with their eyes, and were almost mouth watered. She knelled in front of them.

"Listen guys, I’m waiting a friend... So, move along!" she said with a great smile.

Then suiting the action to the word, she enjoined them to move away. The four young men came back to their table, grumbling and disappointed to have been sent packing that quickly.

Ambre sighed. Obviously, when a girl comes equipped like she was at this very moment, in the most famous busy bar of Roppongi, it’s normal that she becomes the target of the men around! Stopping to ask herself if she was happy to be there or not, she went back to the middle of the narrow bar.

«When I was very young

Nothing really mattered to me

But making myself happy...»1

At her side, a young Japanese woman, as little dressed as her, threw her an agressive glance. Ambre came to her and whispered in Japanese:

"Listen to me, dear. I am going to stay here until 3 o’clock. After, this place is yours and all the men also... Try to play dirty tricks on me, or to make me fall from this bar, and I swear you gonna fly through this club! Ryokai ?(2) "

Ambre made a great smile to the girl, who agreed silently and went down promptly, without asking anything more.

"Nothing really matters... Love is all we need..." sang Ambre, sawying hips even more widely on her pedestal.

Second Club...

It had taken few minutes to locate him: a vampire... He was a few meters from her, pawing softly a young Japanese girl. Instinctively, Shina knew that this vampire was not the one she was looking for: his usual targets were foreign women, not Japanese women. Nevertheless, she knew the girl was in danger.

She started to split the crowd, drawing aside a couple of young Japanese, who were dancing frantically on the track, when a purple spot light dazzled her.

"I just can`t get U out of my head

boy your loving is all I think about(3)"

The beam of the spot light deviated of its trajectory, making it possible to Shina to recover her field of vision. The vampire and his prey were still sat on a couch, some steps from her.

"I just can`t get U out of my head boy it`s more than I dare

think about"

Shina turned around, feeling a hand on her shoulder: a charming blond boy was standing in front of her, two glasses in his hand. She beckoned him to go away from a gesture.

A new spot, blue this time, dazzled her a second time.

"La la la
La la la la la!!!"

Shina felt the crowd moving more and more quickly around her. Everybody was singing in chorus and raising his hand in the same direction.

"La la la
La la la la la!!!"

The light went in another direction. Shina saw that the vampire had changed, and was holding captive in his arms the girl, who howled of terror. But not enough to alert people around, of course.

"Every nite Every day Just 2 B there in your arms"

Shina drew aside two young people, of whom she hardly saw the face.

"Won`t U stay"

She arrived finally close to the couch, where her target was. Seeing Shina moving right towards him, and leaving a pile from her jacket, the vampire emerged from the neck of his victim, which he was ready to bite,

"Stay 4ever and ever and ever and ever"

The vampire rose and jumped without hesitation on her... Shina dodged the blow, caught the vampire by a wrist and twisted his arm on his back bluntly. She finally stabbed him between the two scapulas, straight on the heart. The vampire shivered with spasms, then his body burned to dust, and only his clothes felt down on the ground, projecting a black smoke around.

"I just can`t get U out of my head"

" Boy your loving is all I think butt".

Shina threw a severe glance to the couple which was sat not far away, and who was staring at her: they left without further ado. Shina turned around to the girl who was trembling all over on the couch, face hidden in her hands. She approached her and tried to comfort her.

"Easy! Everything gonna be Okay　now!”

But the sobs of the girl became even more heart-rending. Shina, yielding suddenly to an almost maternal instinct, sat down beside her and took her in her arms.

"Easy! I am here now."

It is hardly if she paid attention to the noise surrounding her.

Third Club...

Thetis was hidden behind one of the palm trees decorating the tropical bar, and was observing the dance track, the scene, and the balconies. She thought that she could go on the track, and play the bait, but she found frankly repugnant the idea to show herself in this get up!

Pfuuu! A sheaf of light, followed by an explosion drew her attention. The scene was illuminated with sheaves of fire, oranges and white, then blue and violet. Silhouettes emerged slowly from the scene, cutting out on this luminous background.

"What I get? What you get? 4"

The screen behind the scene ignited on the face of Ayumi Hamasaki. Fevered cries rose from the assistance. The light converged on the dancers, dressed with the same sticking and plasticized clothes as those on the video clip showed behind.

"Te nor shiteru mono wa

shinjitai da kedo... "

"What I say? What you say?"

Thetis didn’t pay attention neither to the attraction, nor to what was happening on the track. She had just located a couple with rather strange manners, a few meters above her, in one of the lounge of the interior balconies. The man was undoubtfully Japanese, and the woman, a westerner. She seemed to sleep against the chest of her companion.

"woman never runs away has has woman never hides away"

   Thetis didn’t hesitate any second, and sprang in the staircases leading to the balconies. In a few seconds, she

was in the lounge, moving towards the sofa where the couple was sat.

"woman never shows her tears has"

The man had changed, and was staring at her with his yellow eyes: in his arms, laid inconscious the woman, a net of blood running out in her neck.

"woman never shows her fears

In order to survive"

Thetis drew a pile from her belt, seeing that the vampire was rejecting his victim on the sofa. Before she could move toward him, he jumped over the balustrade, landing against the opposite balcony.

"A woman could Be dangerous "

He climbed the balustrade slowly, and threw a glance of challenge to Thetis, smiling to her of all his canines. Thetis cut through the path between the customers who walked in the corridor, and arrived at the balustrade where the couple sat previously. She checked the pulse of the woman at her neck: it was almost non-existent.

"Call an ambulance!" She shouted to the people around.

She raised her eyes. On the opposite balcony, the vampire had disappeared.

"woman could Be generous in order to survive"

Japan, Tokyo - Kichijoji - 8 Mars 2004, 0:30 PM (March 6, 3:30 PM+9:00)

 "Here, please stop here!" ordered Shina, slightly pissed off. The taxi had been wandering in the streets of Kichijoji for more than twenty minutes, unable to locate the school. Shina had counted that they had already made twice the turn of the Inokashira Park. A typical misadventure of Tokyo taxis.

"Hai, arigatou gozaimashita!"6 thanked the old taxi driver, collecting the cash.

Shina and the girl left the taxi. A last polite bow and the door closed itself. The taxi left like a whirlwind, leaving the two women alone in the dark and desert street.

Shina buttoned her coat to the top: it was only the beginning of March, and the nights were still fresh, even cold.

"It’s that direction!" she said to the girl, who answered just by nodding the head.

Shina would have liked to know her name, but didn’t insist. The girl was probably still under the shock, and needed more a good night of sleep than a questioning. She looked at her attentively, once again: fifteen years, she was certainly not older than fifteen...

Shina didn’t lose too much the way: they had to enter the Park, on Mitaka side, then to move towards the small red temple, at the edge of the Lake Inokashira. Then take on the right, climb out the wooden stares, in the middle of a cedar and bamboos forrest. Besides, there was a cedar tree planted at the top of the steps: a new paradox of this country, thought Shina. She had come there only one time, 5 years before, for the inauguration of the new school Hoshi-No-Ko. The old school, in the central district of Shinagawa, had become too small, and had been transferred there, in the town of Musashino. Already at that time, Seiya had joined this school, to take care of abandoned children.

Shina was lost in her thoughts when she saw that they were already at the top of the steps, and had left the cedar to walk in a quiet street of a residential district. She saw the entry of the school, a few meters away, marked by a red brick pillar, decorated of a plate where was written: Shin-Hoshi-No-Ko-GAKKO(7).

"New School Hoshi-No-KB..." She repeated with the feeling she was to sink in her memories.

But she drove them away, seeing that the girl was nodding, ready to fall asleep upright.

"Okay! Let’s go inside!" said Shina, taking her arm.

She saw a light lit in one of the parts of the immense building: there was somebody still awaken overthere. Good! She wouldn’t have to break a window to make her protegée get in. She walked quicker, almost trailing the poor girl behind her. She finally found herself in front of the door, and lengthened the hand to knock the panes, but withdrew it. And if it was him who opened? Never mind! thought Shina, finally knocking at the door

"Yes! Who is there?" answered a male voice, familiar to Shina.

She moved back, her heart beating widely in her chest.

"Who is there?" the voice insisted.

"Shi... Shina!"

Shina had the feeling that another person had pronounced her name, and felt she was to slip into another world. A world where HE existed again. She made up a shade behind the pane, then the door opened slowly on a quite tall man. Shina felt her legs were to give up and she would fall on the ground: these brown eyes, this mischevious expression...

"Shina!" the young man stammered.

"Seiya... " Shina managed to say.

"She is safe now. We will take care of her, and try to find her family as soon as she will be able to speak... If however she still has a family..." calmly said Seiya, sitting down on the swing, close to Shina.

"Good news!"

"You do not want to come in? It’s cold her, you would be better inside..."

Shina shook the head.

"No. I have to come back to central Tokyo..."

Seiya nodded:

"I see... Where is it ? Roppongi ?"

Shina couldn’t believe it: did he has the capacity to read in her thoughts?

"How do you know?"

"There is only one place in Tokyo where foreign woman can go out made up like you, at this moment and at this late hour..."

He threw a glance to the legs of Shina, and smiled before adding:

"And with flared trousers, split to the knees like the one you’re wearing..."

Shina felt she was reddening. Fortunately, her coat was hidding her body and the false diamond. What would he have thought otherwise?!

"I repeat..., I am on mission... It is only a disguise!" she tried to explain, definitely reddening with shame.

"But I have no doubt about that, Shina! Everybody is free to live his or her live like he or she wants!”

"Seiya, Listen! I said that..."

Shina threw a furious glance to him, to which Seiya answered by a smile.

"Easy, Shina, I’m just teasing you... I feel you a little nervous."

Shina sighed:

"Nervous? Yes, I am nervous! Do you know that the gold saints have come back to life?!

The smile of Seiya froze.

"Yes."

"How…?"

"James".

Shina raised the eyes heavenwards.

"I would have bet it!"

"What?"

Shina stared at him right in the eyes.

"Why did you refuse to join Ermengardis? Why don't you gain our rows? It’s obvious you still feel concerned with everything that is linked to the Sanctuary!”

This question seemed to affect Seiya. He rose from the swing and walked aside. Shina heard a sigh.

"My life is here, from now on..." he finally said.

"Don't you want to become again a knight of Hope?"

Seiya turned around towards Shina. She saw that he’s face has become extremely solenel.

"I am still a knight of Hope! But in another way... You know Shina, after all those battels, I understood a very

important thing: I do not need armour to fight for justice and hope. All depends on my will... And in this moment of my life, all my strenghth, my will, and my mind tend only to one goal: to help these children who are sheltered under my roof...!"

Seiya pointed the building of the dormitories, set in the darkness.

"You saw how much the girl that you brought back was traumatised? And each month, I see ten of these kids, who are brought to me by people who have saved them from demons or criminals. And my new fight from now on, is to revive a smile on their faces..."

Seiya walked to Shina. He knelt in front of her, and took her hands.

"Look at me, Shina!"

Shina couldn’t prevent herself to raise her eyes towrad the one for which her heart would never stop beating.

"This is my contribution to Ermengardis..."

"I understand. But is this your only reason to stay aside from the Order?"

Seiya outlined a smile, and then turned his glance towards the garden, set also in the darkness. Shina lowered her eyes, being aware she had asked an indiscreet question. She raised them again when she saw Seiya looking at her.

"I do not want to have to fight against her..."

"Her?"

"Saori... Athena...!"

Shina hid her surprise behind a smile.

"Holy wars will not happen any more... Battles against or between the Gods of Olympia are over!"

"No, not yet. There will be some battles before Peace finds its place in this world... And I do not want to have to fight against Saori... She’s a divinity of Olympia, now... "

Shina sighed:

"You still love her that much?"

Seiya lowered the head. A long minute passed before he turned his glance to Shina.

" It’s cold... I will come back to the dormitory... You want to come in?"

Shina shook the head.

"No. I am going to take a taxi, and come back to Roppongi... I need to catch up with my team..."

"I understand."

Seiya smiled to her, then raising slightly, kissed her cheek.

"Seiya?" Shina stammered, overflown by surprise and confusion.

"Yes, I understand you’re mission and the Order are both important for you... Take care, Shina... And don’t wait

five years to come and see me!"

Greece - Terrestrial Sanctuary - 7 Mars 2004, 10:30 PM (March 7, 8:30 PM +2:00)

Temple of Apollo

Apollo sat down on one of the marble benches of the garden, surrounded by rose trees, colored with a delicate azure. This splendid garden of multicoloured roses was waiting anything else than to receive the visit of the most beautiful flower than Apollo had never seen... Since this evening when this oriental beauty had showed up in this garden, he had come every day and sit down there, with the hope that the perfect silhouette of the Babylon Princess would cut at the edge of the garden. And this evening, also, he was waiting for her...

He heard a silk rustle not far from him, and turned his glance, his heart beating widely with hope, so often disappointed. But this time, he saw two beautiful green eyes that were tenderly staring at him.

“Ishara?!” Apollo exclaimed, trying to hide his emotion.

"Ô God Apollo, do you grant me the right to enter in this garden?"

"Please... Come!"

The answer of Apollo surprised Ishara. Until now, he had been ceremonious, distant and haughty, even hurtful.

"Thank you, Ô God Apollo!" she answered in a whisper.

Ishara walked slowly in his direction, still hiding in her back her mandoline. In front of her, the God of Music seemed to seek his own words.

"And what is the reason of your visit, beautiful Ishara?" finally asked Apollo.

The woman smiled, almost timidly.

"I thought that some music might brighten your mood..."

"Do I need to be to « brighten »?" asked Apollo, wrinkling the eyebrows, and taking a wrongfully annoyed expression.

"You seem in worry, indeed, My Lord...”.

"Am I...?" Apollo looked at Ishara, wondering if he should say anything more. Ishara lowered her eyes, and finally dared to unveil to the God of Music her instrument.

"Yes, concerned, because you can't listen to anything else than the melodies played on lyres, the only instrument that your Muses can play. "

"You are right, Ishara... "

"Then allow me to play a few pieces on this modest mandoline..."

"Please..."

Apollo came back to the marble bench, his glance set on the silhouette of Ishara. She raised her eyes, and threw a smile to him, then adjusting her instrument against her, she started to play.

Apollo was transported by the melodious sounds escaping from this instrument. He closed the eyes, and left free rein to his imagination. He imagined himself, floating in the clouds, in a pink twilight, closer and closer to the Star of which he was the living incarnation. But the soft melody stopped abruptly. When Apollo reopened the eyes, Ishara was standing in front of him, shevering, and staring at the darkness with anxiety.

"Why did you stop playing?"

Ishara looked at him and bowed with respect.

"I am sorry, but I must come back to Persephone's Palace, now..." she apologized of a trembling voice.

"What are you afraid of?”

"Of nothing... "

Ishara bowed once again, and was going to leave the place when Apollo called her:

"Wait!"

Ishara turned around to him, surprised and obeying.

"Yes, My Lord?”

Apollo made a sign in the direction of the rose tree. One of the most beautiful flowers was cut clear on its stem as by miracle. The same miracle as a few days ago... The flower flew in the airs until it landed delicately in the hand of the God of music. He came to Ishara, which was looking at him, her large green eyes comparable to two lagoons in which Apollo felt ready to drown. He laid out the rose in the hairs of Ishara, arranging carefully the wicks around it. Ishara was still looking at him, not daring to say a word, too happy of what was happening. When he finished, Apollo let run his fingers along the hairs then the cheek of Ishara.

"Beautiful Ishara, I would be happy that you come back to play tomorrow."

The hand of Apollo gave up the cheek of Ishara, drawing her from her daydream. She raised the eyes towards him, her glance meeting the two red irises, irradiating like two suns.

"I make you the promess, Ô Apollo... My God."

1. From "Nothing Really Matters", song from "Ray of lights", Madonna, 1998 Warner Bros Music.                                        

2 "Understood?", "you got it" in Japanese.

3. From"Can't get you out of My head", song from "Fever", Kylie Minogue, 2001 Emi records.

4. From "Real Me", album "Rainbow", Ayumi Hamasaki, 2002 Avex Track.

5. Ayumi Hamasaki: one of the most popular J-pop singer.

7. New school hoshi-ni-ko ("children of the stars").

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