The S-Files von abgemeldet (A Scientific Treatment on Structure and Workings of Athena's Saints (Well, sort of...)) ================================================================================ Kapitel 16: Interlude IV - Dangerous Delivery! A Rose for Camus ---------------------------------------------------------------- Interlude IV Dangerous Delivery! A Rose for Camus "Hi Milo! We're baaa-ack!" Himiko chimed. "I'm hungry," Makoto complained. "And I'm still dizzy from the fragrance of that rose." "I'm surprised that you survived your encounter with Aphrodite in the first place. Our 'beauty queen' can be really nasty..." Milo said with an amused grin. "Why? I think he's a really nice guy." "Indeed. Absolutely cute," Makoto added. "What?! You have to be kidding me!! Aphro is an arrogant, effeminate, dangerous egomaniac!" "I disagree. He's nice and helpful and was a real pleasure to examine. He's got absolutely gorgeous, soft hair," Makoto said dreamily. "Aphrodite is a pain in the a...backside! I really can't stand him!" "Well, he isn't as cute as my Camus-sama, but he's cute nonetheless," Himiko said. Milo grumbled something that sounded like "Why do so many women like this girlish, boy-loving son-of-a-bitch?!" "Tomorrow we will probably visit him once more," Makoto chimed. "We have to find a nice present for him..." "I don't get it. I really don't get it! You should better invest your interest in a manly man like me!" "Why?" Makoto asked in surprise. "Because I hate to be ignored! That's it!" "Since when have we ignored you?" "You constantly wound my male pride! You, Himiko, drool only about Camus and even hang his posters all over my temple, and you, Makoto, think that even Aphrodite is more preferable than me!" "I thought you are proud to be mean and don't want to be considered cute by us? You haven't even invited us to stay here, we had to find our own means to ...convince you..." "It's a matter of principle and a matter of pride! I may be mean, but I'm a man! And I think it's very frustrating that you always drool over other men right before my eyes - and one of them can't even exactly considered to be a man." Makoto grinned at him. "I examined Aphrodite, and I can assure you that he is indeed a man..." "Under all of this make-up is truly a male person?" "Yep. And by the way - his beauty spot is either genuine or a tattoo." "Pah. A real man wouldn't hide behind tons of make-up." "Indeed? I think men should have the same rights as women." "Pah. But Aphro looks decidedly unmanly. He ruins the reputation of us Saints as fierce protectors of Athena - He and his 'Misty-dear'!" "I think he can be pretty fierce," Makoto said thoughtfully. "His roses are really dangerous." "I don't mind. I just don't like him." "There has to be more than this," Makoto said curiously. "No, nothing," Milo hurried to say. "Now tell us!" "I don't say anything." "Hm." Makoto examined Milo thoughtfully. "Maybe I should ask Aphrodite." "You will not ask him!" "Why not? You can't hinder me." Milo growled something unintelligible. "You're so cute when you growl like this..." "I am not cute!" "You can't convince me of the contrary," Makoto said with a grin. "I think you're cute." Milo gave up to contradict her. He couldn't understand why she failed to recognize him as the real macho man he was. "That's nice." Makoto gave him a slap on the back. Fortunately he didn't wear his Cloth at the moment, but a pair of tight black jeans and a likewise black, long-sleeved shirt. "I'm not nice, I'm mean," Milo said wearily. "Awwwwwww..." Makoto gave him a bright smile. Milo sighed and hung his head. "That's a pitiful sight..." Makoto stroked the blue-violet hair of the Scorpio Saint. "Don't look so sad!" Milo mumbled something. But at least he had her full attention for once. "You Saints are all very complicated, it seems," Makoto observed. "Indeed!" Himiko sighed. It was sooo unfair. Makoto had Milo, and she, Himiko, had only a handful pics of her Camus-sama. She looked at Aphrodite's rose in the plastic bag. Makoto looked to Himiko. "Why did you take the rose along, by the way?" "To catch my Camus-sama." "Hm. Admittedly, it seems to be very effective, but do you think Camus will fall for it?" "I can at least try it... - I want my Camus-sama!" "Well, I can't hinder you..." "But it will be too obvious if I try to give it to him myself. But whom could I send?" Himiko wondered. "I'm slowly but surely getting really hungry," Makoto said when her stomach growled. "Milo, didn't you want to fetch some food from some fast food restaurant in Athens?" Himiko looked questioningly at Milo. "Did I?" "Sure! And while you're at it, couldn't you fetch some innocuous guy for me, too?" "Why should I do that?" "Because otherwise you would have to give this rose to Camus!" "I will not give roses to any guy!" Milo shouted angrily. "Or do I look like Aphrodite?" Makoto laughed out loud. "That's a picture I'd love to see!" "Well, then fetch a messenger for Himiko. And don't shout so loud, I'm getting deaf." "Ahm, sorry... Ah well, what the heck, I'll bring you someone." "And don't forget the food, please." Makoto gave him an adequate amount of the Greek currency. "Okay. I'm back in a sec!" Milo jogged down the stairs. "I hope he doesn't tarry too long. Or rather the food doesn't take too long. He can move at lightspeed, after all." "I'm not that hungry..." Himiko gazed at a photo of Camus. "Poor Himiko. We will try to catch your Camus for you." "I do not only want to catch him, I want to keep him!" "I don't think he wants to be kept as a pet..." "Well, keeping him as a pet isn't exactly what I had in mind," Himiko said dreamily. "And what do you have in mind?" "Something more pleasurable of course..." "I see..." Makoto looked at the pic as well. "I have to admit that he looks pretty cute. Especially when he doesn't look so serious." "Don't tell me you have seen him smile?" "Smile? Hm, I think it was more of a grin..." "That's soooo unfair," Himiko sighed. "I'm sure you will see him smile sooner or later. We only need to find a weak point of his." "Maybe I can tickle him?" "As soon as he wears his Cloth - fat chance!" "I would love to get him out of his Cloth!" "Why am I not in the least bit surprised? But you're right, it's very exciting to peel those Saints out of these Cloths of theirs..." "Hey, up to now they let their Cloths disappear themselves when you wanted to examine them," Himiko pointed out. "Suddenly these things stood next to them, neatly ordered in their presentational form, and you haven't done anything. To my chagrin, I haven't seen any zippers or other means to open the armours either." "Unfortunately. And each of the armours seems to work differently! - Yikes, I wonder what keeps Milo? I'm starving!" "Here I am," Milo called. He wore a large bag with food under one arm and a wildly struggling man under the other. "Please give me the food and Himiko the guy!" "Okay." Milo distributed his gifts evenly. "Let me go!" the young man protested. "Or I'll call the police!" "Shut up! You're elected to be my messenger in an important love affair! Take this rose and give it to the gorgeous guy in the eleventh temple. Then you can go home. - By the way, you will be duly paid for the delivery." Himiko gave the young man a considerable amount of money and the rose. As the price was right, the guy decided to comply and started up the stairs. "And now I'd like to get something to eat, too," Himiko chimed. Soon Camus would be hers alone! Milo munched some roast mutton and passed her another spit. "Help yourself!" They ate in silence. [SIZE=5]* * *[/SIZE] About half an hour later, the young man returned. "Okay, I delivered that rose and told the guy it's a gift from a silent admirer, as you told me. Then something strange happened - he took a sniff, and suddenly he fell down unconscious..." "Perfect! Thanks - you can go now. - And I will finally get my Camus-sama!" The young men virtually fled downstairs. He didn't trust these weird people here at all. "Now you only need to go and collect him," Makoto said. "Indeed!" Happily, Himiko jumped up the stairs. When she reached Capricorn Temple, though, she discovered Shura lying unconscious in front of the temple, the rose next to him. "Oh shit!" Himiko shouted and raced back to Scorpio Temple. "Well?" Makoto asked. "Never let others do the important work for you... The guy gave the rose to Shura!" Milo couldn't help but giggle hysterically. "Hm. So why don't we change plans, take the opportunity and examine Shura then?" "Indeed, why not... I only hope he doesn't think we want something else of him..." Makoto shrugged. "Who cares? But at least this means we get on with our job for once." "But what will my Camus-sama think of me? I don't want anyone else but him! - It's so embarrassing..." "But somehow the idea with the rose was pretty effective..." "Hm, if we want to examine him, you have to carry him to our lab here. Or we have to carry our stuff upstairs again." "Why do I always have to do the heavy work?" "Because you're the strong one. Hm... Which reminds me... This time we'll have to find a way to get him out of his Cloth." "When in doubt, use a can opener." Milo just shook his head when he listened to their conversation. - End of Interlude IV - Hosted by Animexx e.V. (http://www.animexx.de)