Echoes of Humanity

A/N: I apologize for the break in what was supposed to be the form of the fic (one part POV Mu, next Shaka) for this part. I tried really hard to keep it consistant, but I\'m lazy and couldn\'t figure out how to make it work w/o changing between the two of them. Sorry. Also, I apologize for the length on these parts. Some things I\'m just not *good* at.

Part XI

Shaka was slightly ashamed to see that he was one of the last to arrive at the gathering. Although, he thought after a moment’s reflection, he supposed someone would have to be. The other Saints were milling about slightly aimlessly, all of them seemingly at a loss for what to do.

They also seemed to be at a loss for how they were supposed to dress. It was a strange mix of traditional garments and contemporary clothing. About half of those present wore tunics or robes, while others wore everything from jeans to clothes more suited to a club than anything else. A handful of the female Saints and students presented the most interesting picture, clad in beautiful dresses that seemed to both clash and mesh with the masks they wore above them. Most of the women had gathered at the end of the hall furthest from the food, for obvious reasons. Shaka wondered if they hated it, being unable to eat in the presence of others. But then, it was so much a part of their personas, maybe they had just gotten used to it.

Scanning the room, Shaka noted faces both familiar and unknown, from all three classifications of Saints, as well as students and apprentices. For a moment, he was surprised at the lack of Silver Saints, and it struck him suddenly just how many had been lost during the battle against Ares. He hoped that they had found peace.

Looking around, Shaka realized that most of the Saints were holding cups of some drink, and decided the best thing to do would be to get one himself. Walking over to the spread of food on the table, he examined the drinks with a critical eye. Honestly, he didn’t think any of them looked particularly appetizing. Finally, he picked up a glass filled with a semi-transparent red fluid, taking a small, careful sip.

“Is it any good?” Came the question from beside Shaka, and he turned to see the Andromeda Saint, looking at the table with a great deal more enthusiasm than Shaka had.

“It’s very sweet.” Shaka replied after careful consideration, looking carefully at the Andromeda Saint. “You look well.” He added after a moment.

Shun glanced up at him. “We’re doing better. Shiryu and Seiya still aren’t doing that great, but they’re walking and getting around.”

“And the Phoenix Saint?” Shaka asked, surprised at the amount of emotion and concern backed his voice.

“My brother is doing well, as far as I know.” Shun said quietly, sadly. “I was sort of hoping that he would attend, but since he’s obviously not here…” The green-haired boy gestured vaguely at the assembled Saints. Shaka sighed. He was completely unsurprised that the Phoenix Saint had chosen to ignore Athena’s order, but he felt some sympathy for Shun, who was obviously very attached to his brother. Hardly surprising. Blood aside, the Phoenix Saint had chosen to face the demons of hell to protect his brother. And yet, Shaka could not completely ignore the fate so obviously present behind Ikki’s choice. Andromeda Island, and the Andromeda Cloth itself, was a perfect compliment to Shun’s personality, and Shaka found it impossible to see Ikki in anything but the Phoenix Cloth. There was a chance that it was how they had been raised, but Shaka found it hard to put that much faith in simple training.

He stood for a moment, trying to think of something else to say, but Shun dismissed himself by letting out a quiet and happy cry, darting away towards a young female Saint who was heading towards him. The two youngsters embraced, obvious friendship between them, and engaged themselves in an energetic conversation. Smiling to himself, Shaka took another sip of the sickly sweet liquid in the glass he had chosen, and wove his way around the tables to on of the few relatively empty corners of the room.

Across the room from Shaka, Mu was looking curiously into the cup that had been shoved inelegantly into his hand a few minutes ago as he tried to discern what the oddly-colored liquid actually was. He was guessing it had started as some sort of fruit-flavored power, but the green color could have been just about anything.

Along with the frightening beverage and food, the situation itself was relatively disconcerting. Desperate to find something familiar in the overpowering flood of emotion and people, Mu searched the room for an ally in his discomfort. Across the room, he was able to catch sight of Shaka, shoved into the corner and fidgeting just the slightest bit. The Virgo Saint looked distracted and a little nervous. Mu smiled a bit in sympathy, understanding just how Shaka felt.

“Enjoying this much, are you?”

Mu looked up at the Taurus Saint, who seemed remarkably calm. “I understand what Athena is trying to do, but I’m not sure many here would agree with her methods.” He said, waving a hand around the room. More than half of those present were pressed against walls or in corners, and a few looked like they were about to flatten the entire place.

The others, however, were chatting happily amongst each other, bouncing animatedly and gesturing wildly with their hands. They could have been discussing movies, the local wildlife, or the best way to eviscerate someone, but they were happy. “Perhaps.” Aldebaran mused. “But I think that she is doing a service to some.”

Mu looked at him for a moment, than looked back at the crowd, seeing the dichotomy for himself. “The young ones seem at peace.”

“They deserve their childhoods.” Aldebaran replied. “Just because we were denied them doesn’t mean that they are meant to follow the same fate.”

A commotion from across the room caught both their attention, as a glass, obviously thrown, shattered on the floor. Andromeda Shun was standing, stunned, looking hurt as he bent to pick up the mess, placing his own drink on the floor next to him. Chameleon June knelt to help, as one of the two students that Mu had noticed earlier turned on his heel and walked away, head held high in a manner that was used only when one was doing their best not to cry. A few feet away, Mu noticed Athena herself, who looked shaken, but not out of control. Carefully, she dismissed herself from the group of Saints she had been speaking with, and followed the boy as he walked away, catching up to him before he reached the door.

“You don’t have any basis for such an accusation,” She said, then paused, apparently searching for a name, “Leda. My orders were followed, and tragedy followed. It is a very regretful, but what’s done is done.”

The boy answered, but Mu was already moving away, leaving the two in as close to private as they could come. The other Saints were doing the same. It was one thing that could be said for the Saints. They knew what was their business.

His movement found himself next to Aiolia, who was watching the action from a distance. “Old grudges die hard, I guess.”

Mu shrugged. “I’m not sure that one is so old.” He said. Aiolia looked at him curiously for a moment.

“Perhaps not.” The Leo Saint said. He looked across the room to where Shaka stood, still stiff and still looking scared. “Huh.” He remarked, saying nothing else.

“What?” Mu asked, both concerned and curious.

Aiolia smiled. “Nothing. It’s just that I was watching you earlier, and you looked just like him. Perhaps you should go work on your wallfloweryness together.” He replied. Suddenly, he perked up.

“There’s Milo! Good, I was going to go ask him if he wanted to help me spike the punch.”

Mu’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding, right?”

Aiolia gave him a sly look. “What do you think?” He asked, walking away before Mu could say what it was that he thought. Slightly cautious, he looked up at Aldebaran, where the Taurus Saint was still standing behind him.

“Aldebaran?” He questioned lowly. The Taurus Saint laughed.

“He’s kidding. I think.” He said, then shrugged. “Perhaps I should go keep an eye on them, just to be sure.”

“I think that you should.” Mu said, not sure if he was kidding or not, and watched curiously as the Taurus Saint joined Milo and Aiolia, who seemed remarkably pleased with the entire situation, and were staring into one of the bowls of punch as though they actually were considering adding something to it.

Slowly, Mu came to realization that he was alone again. He considered seeking out Shiryu but, after a moment of scanning the crowd, noticed that the Dragon Saint was already surrounded by a comfortable group of people, including Kiki. He sighed, suddenly timid. He would find out how the Dragon Saint was from his student, later.

A minute later Mu realized that he was actually one of the few Saints who was alone. Most, despite their slow speed at breaking the ice, had formed small groups of two or three, making their claim on a small square of ground in the grand hall, sharing whatever it was that they were sharing. Looking across the room, Mu realized that even Shaka had seemingly found a niche, as he was no longer in the corner. Then, scanning the room, he realized that Shaka had disappeared altogether. Mu blinked. There was no way that the Virgo Saint could have left the temple, but he was certainly no longer in this part of it. A pit hit the center of his stomach. What if the pressure had become too much? The border of Shaka’s strength had been shown to him quite clearly in the past weeks, and the Virgo Saint had been visibly stressed, earlier. He stepped forward, stopped for a moment, and then moved again. No matter his weaknesses and the situation between Shaka and him, this was not something Mu could allow.