"Toujours"
By Saturn Knight

"….and that's brings us to now." Seisen said, looking over his creator with a
shrug of his shoulders, "She saved my life…and I want to help make things right with her
and her…friend." The black irises of the youth looked to his maker with a knowing
glance. He didn't need to speak the words. They were already known.
"And what would you have me do, Seisen?" the booming voice asked the
kneeling man, who had removed his mask out of respect. "I would like to help you, but
my power is limited when I deal with mortals…I understand this girl has saved you, her
power is astounding…dangerous, yes, but impressive none the less."
"I was created to destroy her…you made me to be able to strike that child down
without a second thought. I was trained to be the angel of death, created out of nothing to
be her demise….stripped of a childhood, stripped of a life, only to take hers. A job that,
thankfully, didn't need to be done. Now my intended victim saved my life, her glaive
gave me the power to heal myself when I would be dead." Seisen's speech was answered
with silence, allowing his powerful words to continue, "I am here asking for a way to
return the favor; I understand that you cannot simply grant the wish with a motion of your
hand, but I think I have a way to make things right. If you'll allow me to do
this….father."
" 'Father…' so long since you've called me that. You hated me, when you
realized that your life wasn't meant to be normal…" the pain and regret in the voice was
evident, though it was masked by a cracking shield, "Very well, tell me your plan my
son…"
"Thank you father…I need to speak to your daughter…. Her, and your other
son… I know they do not know who I am, you have hidden me well, but the time has
come now that I have to reveal myself, risking my own existence…please." Seisen's eyes
looked to the floor a moment, then back up to his maker.
"….." a sigh was heard, the troubled soul of one who has seen one too many
tragedies. "As you wish, my son…I only hope Juno would listen to you. She hasn't the
mind to respect mortals, she does tend to like violence and mayhem… Jupiter may be
more understanding. I'll take you to them now, close your eyes my son.." and as Saturn
laid his hands on Seisen's head, the two of them vanished in a flash of purple colored
light, heading to the temple at Capitol.

"And you expect me to do something about that, mortal?" Juno wasn't all too
keen on the idea of wanting to help mortals, especially after Seisen was hidden from them
all these years. The queen of the gods sat on her throne next to her husband Jupiter who
was a little more interested in the goings on than the woman. "What does the happiness
of mortals have to do with me?"
"I expect nothing…but I do request your, and your husband's, assistance in
making things…" Seisen paused, looking for the right word, both his eyes turned to the
floor in consideration before moving back to Juno's. "Better for both of them. I wouldn't
come to you, unless I knew that you could do something. After all, lady queen, you are
the goddess of women and marriage…who better than to help two women, than the
patron of them?" Juno fell silent, glancing away. "The king, and the queen of the gods
certainly have some type of power that could be of help."
"What will you do for us in return, Seisen?" Jupiter began, looking the youth over
as he stroked his beard. He was greatly pleased that the man wasn't begging, or
demanding that they give their power to help his cause, "You know that we cannot bring
the dead to life again, even if you do have their spirits, their bodies are completely ruined.
New bodies might be possible, but they wouldn't remember each other and that seems to
be half the point, if I'm correct."
"That is more or less the idea…reanimation isn't a necessity. Death is eternal. I
don't think either of them would have a problem with staying the way they are, so long as
they could be together. Mortals fear death because they are afraid of what comes
after…they both now know. The mystery is gone, so the will to live should be as well...
though I'm sure they will be missed, they will miss their friends." The youth's eyes
turned to the king, though he has yet to get up from his kneel on the marble floor before
the royalty of the gods.
"What about you, are you afraid of death?" Juno asked him, her brow raising as
she gave him a smile that struck Seisen as slightly too smug, "You are mortal after all."
"Yes, of course." Seisen said without a moments hesitation, "I do know what
comes after it…for other mortals, but I was not born in the way of man, and I don't know
if I even have a soul to offer after my body loses it's will." That left Juno, who had been
expecting him to say he was fearless quiet. Jupiter was greatly impressed with the man's
honesty, his integrity, and his genuine caring for someone he had only recently met. "And
I do not have much to offer in way of repayment, or gifts, but anything I have, or
anything I can do I will." The truth in the youth's words killed whatever doubt the king of
the gods had in his mind.
"Very well, Seisen…I will grant your plea, and the soul of the girl who was
destined for Hades will now be sent to the Elysian Fields... Though, I do have something
I need to ask of you." The king smiled broadly, before giving a noticeably nervous
chuckle, "You are strong in both the body, the mind, and the spirit…are you any good
with children?"
"I'm sure I can be, if given enough time…" Seisen's reply came, looking to Juno
who began to seethe with fury, glaring at both men before storming out of the throne
room.
"Good…" Jupiter seemed concerned very little with his wife's outburst, "I have a
child, from a woman named Leto…her name is Diana, and she needs someone to watch
her, teach her how to do things…can you look after her for a while?"

Standing in the tower of the castle in the city of Capitol, Seisen stared at the stars
in the sky, his mask hiding his face in the darkness. The bright, full moon shone down
over the forest, and the lake surrounding the castle, it's pale, but somehow comforting,
light cast over the landscape.
"Mission accomplished…" Seisen said to himself, his voice sounded hollow as it
echoed off the stone walls of Jupiter's home. "I know you're there father…" the youth
called over his shoulder, though no one was in the room, "And I know you can hear
me…you created me to ensure that the spirit of Hotaru Tomoe was ushered into the after
life. She will be there very shortly, both her and her friend." Stillness only answered
Seisen, though the youth smirked, "I'm not angry…I'm sad, that she had to die so young,
but at least they'll be young, and beautiful forever, right?" Again, silence was the
response. "Yeah…that's what I thought." A soft rapping at the door brought Seisen back
to reality, he knew who it was already.
Both of the girl's spirits had been brought here, and they would all meet a final
time before they were sent to the afterlife, to eternity. It was time to say goodbye to them;
the girl he had met only days before, the child he was created to kill, and her friend.
"Come in." The youth turned his back to the doorway again, once more peering out over
the moonlit darkness.
"Seisen…" Hotaru said aloud as she opened the door and stepped inside. Her
voice no longer thick, and pained, but soft and gentle as he knew it should be.
"We…we're leaving now. I…we, wanted to come to thank you for everything you did to
help us. I know that you must have risked a lot to do this for us, and you don't know how
grateful we are." He didn't say anything, though he knew he should. The words wouldn't
find their way from his lips; his mind going blank when he should have been telling her
goodbye. Hotaru stepped forward, leaving the silent Chibi by the door, and placing her
hand on his shoulder, "Please look at me, Seisen…"
Seisen sighed and turned to face them. Each of the girls was dressed well; pure,
white gowns that looked befitting for queens, or princesses in this case, the long, lace
sleeves fit over their slender arms, leading down over the back of their hand and hooking
onto their middle finger. "You both look beautiful.." he said to Hotaru, before glancing to
Chibi who quickly averted her eyes; she felt guilty for being here, for making Seisen have
to strike a deal with the gods. "And you…" he began, regarding the pink haired girl,
"Smile. You're going to spend forever with your frie-" the youth paused, deciding to stop
using that word, and replacing it with the truth, "Your girlfriend." He finished, getting a
furious blush out of both of the girls, but not a word of protest.
"Thank you…" Chibi said, approaching him and giving him a quick hug before
Seisen knew what was coming. As her arms wrapped him, he stood in stunned silence for
a moment, before returning the embrace, then letting her slip away from him and back to
the doorway, "I'll be outside, 'Taru…" The girl thought it would be better to let them say
goodbye in private.
"You know you'll have to go soon," Seisen stated first, crossing his arms over his
chest, and arching a brow at her. "I don't want you to miss your appointment with
forever." He forced a smile, though it was hidden behind his cloth mask.
"Seisen…please." Hotaru sighed, reaching her hand out to pull the mask from
covering him, "Don't hide yourself from me…we both owe you a lot, and we can never
repay you for what you've done for us…if there's anyth-" she was cut off as Seisen put
his finger over her lips, shaking his head.
"You are my sister…your blood courses through my veins, just as mine in yours. I
only did what anyone else would do for their blood." He smiled again, reaching his hand
out to brush a few raven strands from her face, "You are welcome." Hotaru stepped to
him and let her arms encircle him, resting her head on his chest. The youth smiled, his
arms then finding their way around her, pulling her close for a moment, but a knock at
the door soon drew their attention.
"Hotaru…it's time to go, Dis says we have to leave really soon." Chibi's voice
was heard, though the door wasn't opened.
"Thank you, Seisen…I won't forget you, and what you've done." Hotaru said as
she stepped back from him and smoothed her dress, looking over her shoulder to the
door, "Just a second…"
"Go on," the man smiled, cocking his head in the direction of the door, "Don't
want her to leave without you." Seisen stepped away from her. Somehow, increasing the
distance made it seem like it would be easier to part. Hotaru sighed, looking back to the
youth before turning and stepping to the door. She was about to say something, but was
again silenced as Seisen held up his hand, "I'll see you again sometime…"
"Yes….until then, brother." Hotaru smiled, a tear streaking down her face as she
opened the door and stepped out.
"Until then, sister…" the youth whispered back as the door closed, then turned his
attention back to the sky. Reaching into the strap that crossed his chest, Seisen pulled his
flute from the padded compartment and brought it to his lips. A deep sigh was heard
before he began to play; the soft, whisper of a melody floated down into the valley below
as a tear fell from his eye to follow the music.

"Seisen…?" a child's voice sounded in the darkness, causing the still conscious
man to turn his gaze to the sound of the voice. Diana…
"Yes?" he answered her, it was late…the girl should have been sound asleep by
now. The youth didn't move, only let his eyes remain on her, as he could see the faint
silhouette of her body against the backdrop of the moonlight.
"I can't sleep…" Diana whispered to him, crawling up onto his bed and sitting on
her ankles. "Tell me a story?"
"A story…" Seisen repeated, "Ok…" he waited for the child to lie down and get
settled in.

"I have a story….a love story. It all starts in the dark of night…with a young girl
lost outside in the snow…"

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