The S-Files - Interlude II

Never Give Up! Of Ice Saints and Scorpions

(c) by Stayka and Shavana

Makoto sighed. She really did hate these stairs. Fortunately it wasn't so far back to Scorpio Temple.

Himiko was so absorbed in her thoughts that she went on in the direction of Aquarius Temple, and Makoto managed only barely to grab her at the hem of her shirt.

"Himiko, this is the way!"

"But we aren't at Aquarius Temple yet," the blonde protested while she admired the poster of Camus that she didn't want to put out of her hands.

"We don't want to go to Aquarius Temple. It's time for dinner, and dinner is at Scorpio Temple."

"Ah yes, sure..." Yearningly, Himiko looked up to the eleventh temple. "I hope Milo has a phone."

"I fear he hasn't. Or have you seen a telephone line?"

"Hm. I guess we have to give him the money so that he can fetch the gyros."

"He's certainly fast enough," Makoto nodded. "But where is Milo? I'm starving, and I don't want to fetch the gyros myself!"

"Neither do I."

Suddenly Milo stomped into the temple. "He did it again!" he grumbled.

"What? And who?" Makoto wanted to know.

"Camus, of course." Milo held up an iced scorpion. "Poor Aiolia-chan!"

"Oh, a scorpion ice-lolly!" Makoto exclaimed. "The poor little thing!"

"Indeed," Milo nodded. "Unfortunately, Camus is a very private person and he usually reacts very badly to disturbances of any kind."

"Thanks for telling us," Makoto said.

"Well, I tried to warn my pets over and over again not to run away, especially not to Aquarius Temple, but sometimes they just don't listen. And whenever Camus sees a scorpion, it's iced. You see, he has this damned phobia..."

"I see," Makoto sympathized. "By the way, what about food?"

"Well, actually, I don't have so much of an appetite right now." Milo looked sadly at the murdered Aiolia-chan. "Ah well, but I have to eat, haven't I? What did you have in mind?"

"We wanted to order some Greek stuff. What about this little bugger?" Makoto pointed at the dead scorpion.

"I will have to bury him behind my temple among the others."

"You mean there's a veritable scorpion graveyard behind your temple?"

"Well, as I said - Camus has this phobia, but nonetheless many of my pets love him and run into Aquarius Temple."

"How sad! The poor scorpions."

"I will bury him next to Hyoga-chan. You see, Camus even killed the scorpion I named after his favourite student."

Milo went outside the temple in the backyard and the two women followed him. In a small, fenced square there were about a dozen little gravestones with Greek script on them. Milo fetched a little shovel and dug a tiny hole in which he lay the frozen animal. Then he looked for a fitting piece of rock and scratched the name on it with his fingernail.

Makoto was amazed. This fingernail was harder than rock?! Fascinating!

"Rest in peace, Aiolia-chan," Milo finally said with a sad mien. This was the 14th scorpion Camus had killed. He really had to talk to his friend. Why couldn't he simply catch them and put them outdoors again?

"Well, Milo now that you have buried it, you have to organize a funeral meal. The best would be that you go and fetch the food. Makoto, you certainly have some money so that he can buy something fitting."

"Sure." Makoto dug a considerable amount of Greek drachmas out of her purse and gave it to Milo.

"Yes, you're right. Thanks." Milo flashed her a quick smile, took the money and disappeared at light speed.

"Fine," Himiko grinned. "So we don't have to run for our food."

"Indeed. What's next?"

"Well, I think we should figure out which Saint to examine next. I vote for my Aquarius Saint."

"As usual," Makoto sighed.

"Sure." Himiko started once more to list all the advantages of her personal victim, and Makoto grimaced.

"I think we should make a list..."

"No problem," Himiko giggled. "Let's start with his beautiful, indigo coloured mane that shimmers deep blue like the sky seen from a high mountain when the sun pours its light on him..."

"I meant a list of the Saints that still have to be examined," Makoto sighed exasperatedly.

"Oh, that. Well, do you have a piece of paper? Then start to write it down."

Makoto dug for a notebook. "Let's start with a."

"Aquarius Camus!"

"Sigh! - Ah, well, but I have to admit that you're right. He does start with an a."

"Exactly. And as we have already examined Andromeda Shun, he has to be next."

"I won't hold you back."

"He's all mine, after all."

"You can keep him. - So who's next on the list? Aquila Marin?"

"Nope, that's a girl!"

"Then Aries Mu."

"Doesn't he live somewhere around Tibet?"

"I think so. Okay, let's keep it in mind to examine him when we're through here."

"What do we have for b? Oh, only one - Bear Geki. Do you really think we should examine him?"

"Better not." Makoto scribbled down some notes. "The next one would be Cancer DeathMask."

"You mean the spiky guy with the storm-hairdo?"

"Yeah, that's him. There are many more Saints starting with c, but I think they aren't of interest except for Cancer, Cepheus and Cygnus."

"Oh yes, I still want my cute rubberduck!"

"Last reports said that he's still somewhere in Eastern Siberia."

"Which of the cuties are here in Sanctuary? Except for my Camus-sama, I mean."

"Cuties? Let's see... That'd be Cancer DeathMask, Lacerta Misty, Leo Aiolia, Perseus Algol, Pisces Aphrodite and the two Triangulum Saints."

"Then let's start with Cancer DeathMask. He's alphabetically first when we don't count Aquarius Camus. I like these extravagant spikes of his Cloth. I wonder why he's called 'DeathMask', by the way. He doesn't look ugly. Actually, he has a beautiful smile and a cute nose."

"Yeah, he's cute but spiky."

"He'll sure need tons of hairspray every morning!"

"I don't want to see his bills ..."

"I'm ba-ack!!" Milo shouted. He carried two large bags in his hands.

"Fine. I'm very hungry." Makoto finished scribbling down her notes.

"I brought gyros and suzukakia and souvlaki and biftecki and rice and salad with sheep's milk cheese."

"Don't tell me - I want to eat."

"Okay, okay! I think it will be a worthy funeral meal for my poor Aiolia-chan."

Himiko laid the table and Milo distributed the food while Makoto poured the wine, a sweet white Samos. The Scorpio Gold Saint drank not only one glass of the wine to mourn his poor deceased scorpion.

"Gosh, I'm completely full," Makoto finally said.

"So am I. This souvlaki was simply divine." Himiko put the fork down and drank some water which she had fetched at the wine alone was far too strong. Milo, who stuck to the wine alone, was slightly drunk by now and began to sing some bawdy songs.

"I think you had enough," Makoto said and wondered what she could do to silence him. His voice was nice, okay, but somehow he managed to hit all the wrong tones.

"I merely started," Milo protested.

"You sing horribly wrong," Makoto groaned.

"If you'd drink two or three more glasses of wine, then you would join me."

"Never," Makoto shook her head. "I'd never sing songs like this."

"Don't you like them?" Milo began another one, this one even bawdier than the first.

Makoto blushed deeply. "Hold it! This is far worse than only R-rated!"

Milo stopped and seemed to thnk for a moment. "Indeed, it is," he admitted. "But isn't that what such songs should be?"

"Humph."

"One doesn't sing stuff like this in polite company," Himiko pointed out and flashed him a smile. She was sure that Camus would never sing something like this.

"If you were truly well-bred, you wouldn't do something like this."

"Well, as I'm an orphan I never got the chance to get well-bred."

"It seems I have to start now with your education," Makoto threatened.

"Pardon?! I don't need to be educated. I don't want to be educated. I'm a Saint of Athena."

"So what?"

"Athena's Saints are bred to be fierce fighters. We don't have time for small talk and courtesy."

"You've got time enough. So we'll start your education right now."

"Right now I'm mourning poor Aiolia-chan."

"Right now you're drinking too much."

"Not true. I need it to get over the pitiful death of my late favourite pet."

"Awwwwww," Makoto said.

Milo sniffed. "You see, most people think I'm simply cold and unfeeling and cruel, only because my Scarlet Needle attack is a bit painful until it finishes off my victims, but in truth I have a very large and sensitive heart, especially for my beloved little pets. It's all so unfair."

"I see, you're a really mean guy..."

"Well, that too, actually. But I'm still not so unfeeling and cruel as the other people claim. - And if you ever tell that to someone else, I have to kill you!"

"Really?" Makoto grinned. "You're absolutely, perfectly cute."

"I'm not cute! I'm dangerous and mean!"

"Sure, but I like it."

"You really do?" Milo looked at her with large, bright blue eyes.

"If I say so. You're really cute," Makoto repeated.

"I only hope that no one else notices this. If they think I'm cute they won't fear me anymore."

"And they won't stay away from you?"

"Exactly! I want my privacy, too. Not as badly as Camus does, but still."

Makoto examined the Scorpio Gold Saint thoughtfully and Milo sighed deeply.

"But I still think that's no excuse for Camus to kill my darling little scorpions!" He stood up and went into one of the adjoining rooms. When he came back, he carried two large scorpions with him. "Meet Hyoga-II-chan and Shaina-chan!"

"Nice," Makoto said tersely.

"Aren't they?" Milo looked proudly at his pets.

"You sure they won't bite?"

"Well, if you don't startle them..."

When Himiko saw the scorpions, she tried to get as far away from them as possible without giving her panic away.

"Such little pets and so dangerous," Makoto pondered aloud.

"Just like me. I'm not Scorpio Gold Saint for nothing."

"Right, you have a dangerous sting, too."

Milo smiled smugly. "Indeed I have."

"But Camus doesn't have any weird pets, has he?"

"Camus? Are you kidding? The only animals that could live with him would be polar bears or penguins. He is the Ice Saint, after all. Only Crystal Saint and Cygnus Hyoga are really comfortable around him."

"I think these ice guys are weird," Makoto stated.

"And I think he's perfect," Himiko sighed.

"That's only because you haven't spent any time near him yet," Milo told her.

"I suggest you dress in warm clothes when you want to meet him."

"So he's really cool - but actually that's what fascinates me about him. I think I shall pay him a surprise visit one day or the other."

"I'd rather stay here in the warm and cozy Scorpio Temple."

"Only because Camus is a little icy?"

"I don't think he's only a little icy..."

"Well, Camus' powers enable him to reach absolute zero," Milo said. "But other than that he's okay. You see - he is my best friend after all. If he just wouldn't kill my cutey scorpions as soon as he finds them in his temple..." Milo stroked Hyoga-II-chan.

"Absolute zero? That's really cold," Makoto shuddered.

"Indeed. Whenever I train with him I get a bad cold afterwards."

"Then I will certainly stay as far away from him as possible."

"I don't mind a little cold if I can stay with him for a while," Himiko sighed with the usual hearts in her eyes.

"Well, good luck to you," Milo grinned. "Camus doesn't wait long before he deep-freezes people who annoy him."

"Well, I'll take the risk. Tonight when it's dark I'll try to surprise him and take some cute pics when he's asleep."

"I don't think that will help - Gold Saints have very sharp senses, no matter whether it's day or night."

"I'll go and buy some cold medicine for her," Makoto said after she had rummaged through her bags and discovered there were no tablets against the flu left.

"You'd better fetch an electric blanket to thaw her," Milo suggested.

"I've got a good hair-dryer."

"That might suffice, too," Milo nodded.

"But Camus wouldn't freeze me! He's far too cute to do something mean like this."

"Famous last words," sighed Makoto.

"Pah, I'll show you!"

"I'll wait here and tend to your remains..."

"Humph. - By the way, have you finished your 'Saints to do' list?"

"Sure." Makoto gave her the piece of paper with the scribbled notes.

Currently Known Saints of Athena

Albatross Arythar (Bronze) - known to be very elusive; guess we need a butterfly net
Andromeda Shun (Bronze) - done; cute little fellow
Aquarius Camus (Gold) - struggles fiercely, but Himiko insists that we get him
Aquila Marin (Silver) - girl, not of interest
Aries Mu (Gold) - lives pretty far away, but is still worth an examination
Bear Geki (Bronze) - better not
Cancer DeathMask (Gold) - spiky, but cute
Canes Venatici Asterion (Silver) - only as last resort
Canis Major Sirius (Silver) - not exactly a worthy specimen
Capricorn Shura (Gold) - uncute
Centaurus Babel (Silver) - also uncute
Cepheus Albior (Silver) - lives pretty far away, but worth an examination
Cetus Moses (Silver) - no thanks
Chameleon June (Bronze) - again a girl
Corvus Jamian (Silver) - don't think that I touch this!
Cygnus Hyoga (Bronze) - Himiko's rubberduck, she'll sulk if we don't examine him soon
Dragon Shiryu (Bronze) - done; nice hair
Gemini Saga (Gold) - no one ever saw him in the last time
Hercules Algethi (Silver) - there are lots of other Saints more worth an examination
Hydra Ichi (Bronze) - dangerous, poisonous and ugly
Lacerta Misty (Silver) - kawaii
Leo Aiolia (Gold) - cute, one of the next to be tamed
Libra Dohko (Gold) - the mushroom, best as dart target
Lionet Ban (Bronze) - not interesting
Lotus Argora (Silver) - no thanks
Musca Dio (Silver) - even worse
Ophiuchus Shaina (Silver) - another girl
Pavo Shiva (Silver) - ridiculous Cloth, only if there is no one else around
Pegasus Seiya (Bronze) - pretty cute
Perseus Algol (Silver) - nice hair
Phoenix Ikki (Bronze) - hasn't been seen for a while
Pisces Aphrodite (Gold) - still have to find out whether that's a guy or a girl
Sagitta Tremy (Silver) - not really interesting for our examination
Sagittarius Aiolos (Gold) - unfortunately dead
Scorpio Milo (Gold) - done; currently my personal pet
Taurus Aldebaran (Gold) - too large and too heavy for our examination table
Unicorn Jabu (Bronze) - done; pretty tame for a unicorn
Virgo Shaka (Gold) - blond and dull
Wolf Nachi (Bronze) - far too ugly

"So this means we will examine the Cancer Saint tomorrow when I came back from Aquarius Temple. Any hints, Milo-kun?"

"DeathMask is cruel and dangerous," he warned them.

"Aren't they all?" Makoto replied. "After all, you always stress that you are mean, too."

"Well, there are different classes of mean, and DeathMask is mean-mean."

"We'll see." Makoto began to clear the table.

"Well, if your friend really wants to visit Camus, she has to survive that first, of course..."

"I guess I prefer someone who's a bit hotter..."

"I heard the Phoenix Saint is supposed to be hot," Himiko pointed out.

"Well, I didn't say I want to burn my fingers!"

"I'm still surprised that someone won the Phoenix Cloth at all," Milo pondered. "Rumours say that the Phoenix Cloth drives people insane. Or was it that one could only get it if one was insane? Something like that..."

"Hm, nothing for me, then. Tonight I'm trying to get some private shots of my Camus-sama."

"It seems there's no way to change her mind," Makoto sighed.

"Obviously," Milo agreed. "I suggest you prepare this hair-dryer of yours plus the electric blanket."

Himiko blew them a raspberry and went into the room Milo had given them to style herself properly. If she looked really hot she would be able to thaw the Ice Saint, she vowed.

Makoto looked after her colleague. "I think she really wants him."

"So it would seem. What I doubt, though, is that he will want her."

"That's the point. I'm sure he thinks she's a bit silly."

"Very likely. Unfortunately for her he hates silly girls who run after him..." Milo grinned. "When we went to Athens some time ago he was chased by at least a dozen crazy girlies who obviously thought he was just their type. And that happened every time we went somewhere public. That's why he decided he'd better stay alone in his temple from then on."

"I assumed something like this."

"Well, he doesn't look like it, but he's a bit shy around others."

"He's very cute," Makoto admitted.

Milo frowned. "The girls seem to like him, that's true. It's a bit unfair - he's got far more admirers than me, and I really wouldn't mind dozens of girls chasing me..."

Makoto grinned at the image. "Awwwww... But I think, you are pretty cute, too."

"Indeed?" Milo smiled at her winningly.

"You have a cute smile," Makoto said and examined him more closely through her thick glasses.

"Thanks." His smile broadened. If he thought about it, he had to admit that Makoto was pretty cute, too. Maybe she wouldn't run away after only one or two days as it seemed to happen to him all the time. Absently, he tickled Shaina-chan, and the scorpion run up his arm and settled down on his shoulder.

"I think I'll take another glass of wine," Makoto said and eyed the scorpion still sitting on the table with distrust.

"Here you are." Milo poured her another glass of the Samos wine.

"Thanks." She hummed a little melody. The wine was stronger than it tasted and she was glad that she wouldn't have to accompany Himiko to the 11th temple.

Milo fetched some morsels of left-over food from the kitchen and began to feed the two scorpions. This was nice, he thought, sitting together with both a cute girl and his pets, while drinking tasty wine.

Makoto hoped the little beasts stayed where they were.

"Okay, now I can go on the hunt!" Himiko chimed when she returned from their room. She was clad in a skin-tight deep red mini-dress, high-heeled shoes and had her long, gold blonde hair made up in a very elaborate style.

Makoto cleaned her glasses and put them back one. Yes, that was indeed Himiko! "How do you expect to climb the stairs with these shoes?"

"I will manage somehow - I hope..."

"I hope you'll survive."

"You're lucky that you have your cutie right here! Hm, but maybe you're right about the shoes." Himiko changed into a pair of sports shoes. "I guess it ruins my outfit a bit, but this way Camus won't be able to run away from me!"

Milo decided not to point out that Gold Saints were able to move at light speed.

"Okay, see you later - or maybe tomorrow," Himiko chirped and stormed away.

"Or never again," Milo commented dryly.

"Don't be so mean to her," Makoto chided him.

"For once I wasn't mean - I was only honest."

"I think you are only ill-bred."

"Pah!" Milo sulked and played with Hyoga-II-chan.

"Now you look absolutely cute."

"I'm not cute!" Milo sulked even more visibly which only added to his cuteness.

Makoto took out her camera and shot a couple of photos featuring Milo sulking plus his scorpions.

"Didn't you have more than enough photos of me?"

"Never. And by the way, this time I take pics of your pets."

"Oh, my scorpions! Of course!" He positioned Shaina-chan and Hyoga-II-chan on the table. "And now sit up and beg!" he demanded.

Makoto closely watched the animals. "And they really obey you?"

"Sure." The scorpions did something that one might interpret as sitting up and begging.

"Fascinating!"

"These two are already pretty tame. The dozen young scorpions in the terrarium in my bedroom aren't as well-bred yet."

"There are scorpions even in your bedroom?" Makoto squeaked.

"Of course. They are still young and I have to look after them all the time." He looked around. "I only wonder where Camus-chan is hiding. I haven't seen him for the last two days."

"You mean one of them runs around somewhere?" Makoto asked in horror.

"Actually, two, but Pope-chan uses to return in the late evening, so I don't have to worry about him yet."

Makoto looked carefully around. Where the hell were the missing beasts? She hoped sincerely that there was none of them in her room.

"Just tell me when you find one of them or both," Milo said.

"You won't be able to overhear it."

"Fine."

Makoto poured herself another glass. She definitely needed some more booze. Milo smiled at her again, and she sighed. He was so cute - if there weren't those horrible pets of his...

- End of Interlude II -

Continued in
File GS01-Aqr-T003 - Sneak Attack! Trying to Thaw Mr.Freeze

Disclaimer: Saint Seiya is the property of Masami Kurumada, Shueisha and Toei Animation.

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Last modified: 06.11.2002