Recap: Seiya and Co, along with Saori, are in another dimension. **************** A SAINT SEIYA FANFICTION: ANOTHER REALITY Saint Seiya and all the characters in it are the legal possession of Masami Kurumada and the respective companies. Note: All character having their names in '...' are the characters from the dimension in which the saints and Saori landed in. Chapter 3: The art of 'gender-switching' ****************** Night has fallen and the Saints all come back at the Kido Mansion to have some rest. They each promised their 'mothers' to visit them again this week-end, or rather, their 'mothers' promised them to come by the end of the week to spend a day with them. TOGETHER. As a *family*, in a *family* reunion. 'Saori' looked crestfallen ever since she heard the news. She remembered the annual "family reunion" dinner that had taken place only a month ago. And the experience was *not* a reassuring one. she thought They were siting comfortably on the living room, either standing or sitting, and all looked very happy, except perhaps Shiryu who did not get to see his 'mother', but if not, all looked happy and were discussing of the day's events. "You should have seen my mamma," Hyoga was saying to everyone "She's so pretty and so kind and so gentle and so loving! Exactly like I remembered her!" "Saw you sister Hyoga-san?" enquired Shun. "Nope. It appears that "dad" took her out for a while, saying that he wanted us to have an intimate moment together." "That was a nice thought" "I...guess. Dunno what will happen tomorrow though. He's actually *coming* you know. How was your mother Shun?" "Mum is great. Just no words to describe her. You know she literally seems to *read* your thoughts? And she knew *exactly* what to say and how to say it. She seemed especially close to Niisan thought, and both of them were behaving as if they already *knew* each other somehow. Isn' that just so strange." "That's not possible Shun" "I know, but it's probably just a false impression" "Where's Ikki anyway?" "Niisan has been standing over by the window since dinner. He seems to be just *gazing* at whatever's outside. It's strange." "You're telling me" replied Hyoga laughing "A pensive Ikki? That'll be a new one!" "What did you say?" shouted Seiya who was next to him. "N-O-T-H-I-N-G S-E-I-Y-A!!" shouted Hyoga in his ear. "Damn you're deaf tonight." Surprisingly, Seiya appeared to have heard him as he replied seriously. "It's those kids" he said "they kept shouting in my ear the whole afternoon, and I think my ears are blocked from having dived too deep inside the sea. They do that sometimes, but it'll be over after a while." "Well good. Shouting is not the best way to communicate." "WHAT?!" "I SAID," shouted Hyoga "IT'S GOOD! BECAUSE SHOUTING IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO...TO... oh forget it." "WHAT?!" asked Seiya again. "N-O-T-H-I-N-G!!!" "You don't need to shout" said Seiy suddenly "I'm not deaf. Hey! I think my ears are o.k?" "Seiya?" asked Shiryu suddenly "How did you find your 'mother'?" "Interesting." replied Seiya sheepishly, remembering this afternoon "*VERY* determined. That's about all." Shiryu smiled and said to Saori. "I think we have found someone who *finally* manages to control Seiya...and his mouth." "Well it would be about time" replied Saori, laughing "She must be a very *special* lady." "Oh she is" said 'Saori' "She the 'discipline master' of the family. She's very nice, but she isn't the person you would like to cross. Rumor has it that she was very nice and very gentle before she had to raise two kids" "'Seiya' forced her to be strict then" remarked Saori "If she managed to tame him, she had to suffer a lot!" "Hey!" interrupted Seiya "That's my other me you're talking about!" "So?" pretended to ask 'Saori' "It's not *you* we're talking about anyway." "We Seiya counterparts have to defend ourselves!" declared Seiya magnificiently. "Oh puh-leaze" cut Saori "Don't make me believe that...." "OKAASAN!!!" cried a small little girlish voice "OKAASAN!! WHERE ARE YOU?!!!" "Who on Earth is that..." started to say Saori before a little ball of energy quickly encircled her waist with her two short arms. "Okaasan!" cried the little girl happily hugging her "Mi-chan is back! Did you miss her?" She was greeted with silence. Sensing that something was wrong, she looked at her mother. Something was not quite right here, but to her intense frustration, she could not put her finger on what. She suddenly started to gaze harder at her Okaasan, making Saori feel very uncomfortable in the process. she reflected The wheels of her little mind turned inside her brain. She opened her bright blue eyes wide, not knowing of what to make of the situation. Suddenly, 'Saori', who had been hiding behind the red curtains as her daughter arrived burst out laughing as she revealed her hiding place. "It's all right Mi-chan" she said "Okaasan is here. Come, come here." Mi-chan opened her big blue eyes even wider as her little red mouth strated opening wide. Was this magic? She was confused. And why did she have two Okaasan's? She stood there, not knowing what to do. "What are you waiting for Mi-chan?" said 'Julian Solo', who had just entered the living room and was on the verge of laughing at his daughter's dilemna "I thought you wanted to see okaasan?" "Papa!" Mio runned towards her father "Look! Okaasan became two!" 'Julian' burst out laughing "Come Mi-chan, papa will take you to your okaasan" With that, he carried her and brought her to 'Saori' who hugged her daughter lovingly. After the hug, 'Saori' took her daughter by the hand and brought her towards Saori. "Mi-chan" she said "this is auntie Saori, mama's friend, who will be staying with us. And those are not your uncles but their friends, who are also called Seiya, Shiryu, Ikki, Shun and Hyoga." "Mi-chan is confused" the little girl said "those are not Mi-chan's uncles?" "No Mi-chan. Those *look* like uncles but are not uncles. Do you understand?" The little girl thought intensily for a while. "K!" she said suddenly as she went of to get a closer look at her new 'uncles'. "Hey Saori-san!" Seiya exclaimed jokingly while looking at his goddess "Wanna carry your 'daughter' " Saori looked very uneasy. "No thank you Seiya, I think I'll pass." and then, hastily changing the subject said to Shiryu "By the way Shiryu, this afternoon, I discussed with my counterpart and agreed upon the fact that you *should* go back to Rozan Peeks to see your 'mother' here as well as your little 'brother'. Whay do you think?" "Very well Saori-san" said Shiryu "I will go back to China." Meanwhile, a discussion was going on between 'Saori' and her husband 'Julian'. "What!" he exclaimed "they are coming *together* tomorrow ?!!" "I'm afraid so, it was a last minute decision." "Remember what happened the *last* time?" "Maybe it won't be so bad this time" said 'Saori' hopefully "Mudan is not coming, so that's one person less, this and the fact that your mother won't be here this time makes things much easier." "That's just it. My mother *is* coming. Tomorrow's the 15th of the month remember?" 'Saori' winced. "Damn! I forgot! So what can we do?" "Very little I'm afraid apart from hiring more servants to clean up the mess. Remember to call that agency tomorrow o.k?" 'Saori' nodded reluctantly. "Guess that's all we *can* do." *************** The next day, Rozan Peeks, China. Shiryu walked on the road to this strange yet familiar place. He breathed in deeply. It was good to be home, even in this strange dimension. He looked at the paper he was holding, on it was the address of his mother. He continued walking and reached the small village. The first thing he saw were kids playing happily. "*Excuse-me*" he asked in chinese. The kids stopped playing their game and looked at him smiling widely. "*do you know where I could find a person named Xian An*" he asked showing the address on the paper. One of the children replied to him. "*She's just nearby sir, just turn right, go straight, and then turn left. You can't miss it." "*Thank you*" And with that, Shiryu, following the directions arrived at a humble, but comfortable looking house. He knocked on the door. "*Is anybody home?*" he asked. A young girl opened the door, smiling. She was about his age, slightly smaller in size than him, but with long black, raven hair that feel freely behind her back and reached approximately her back. She was very beautiful, and would have normally had a serious kind of look on her face were it not the fact that she was smiling. "*Yes?" she asked Shiryu politely. "*Would this be the house of Yuri Kido please?*" Shiryu asked, remembering the conversation he had had just yesterday with 'Saori'. Saori had said "*Why yes*" the young woman replied "*Are you looking for her?*" Shiryu nodded. "*Then please come in*" she said "*I'll call her immediately.*" "*Thank You*" Shiryu stepped into the simple house. "*Please, sit down while I get you a cup of tea*" "*Thank you*" The young girl went out and came back again. "*Excuse-me*" she asked "*Are you the person Saori mentionned about?*" "*Yes*" nodded Shiryu. "Then may we please talk Japanese?" she said switching to Japanese "I'd feel more comfortable talking with you in this language." "Of course" answered Shiryu. "Make yourself comfortable while I call upon my mother." "Thank you" replied Shiryu, then, thinking for a while he said in a puzzled sort of voice "Mother?!" But the young lady had already gone. A few moments later, she came back with an older woman, about in her mid-forties, dressed in simple chinese clothes. As she saw Shiryu, she suddenly stoppped in mid-air. "You are the person Saori mentionned about?!" she said, not being able to mask her surprise. "Yes Yuri-sama" replied Shiryu, not knwing own to address her "But what is the matter that causes you surprise?" The woman looked uncertain for a moment. "Well" she said after a while hesitatingly "Saori did mention that I would have had a surprise, but I never expected *this*. What was she thinking in not informing me before-hand?" "Is something wrong mother?" asked the young woman besides her "you look a bit pale." "I think I have to sit down for a while dearest. But first, come with me." she said, as she took her daughter's hand and approached Shiryu. She then breathe in calmly said: "Shiryu, my daughter, this is Shiryu...your counterpart from another dimension, my "son" you may say." Both Shiryus looked at each other, shocked. Finally, Shiryu, the male one, finally uttered. "I'm...a...GIRL?!!!" The other Shiryu looked equally shocked, beginning to fully understand the situation. "I'm...a...BOY?!!!!" Their mother nodded. "I'm afraid so my children." "Aaaaaaaaarrrrrggggggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!" they both cried together at the same time and started at each other, their mouth opened wide. "Now calm down children" their mother said smiling calmly. "I think I'm going to faint" they said together again "and stop saying the same things as me!!" their mother though peacefully "O.k, calm down Shiryu" they said together again "Focus, meditate, breath in, breath out, this is just a bad dream, this is just a bad dream..." They shut their eyes together, and then opened it again. But they were both still at the same place, and they still saw each other. Shiryu took one step left. Shiryu-chan took one step left at the same time to. Shiryu-chan waved her hand, Shiryu waved his hand at the same time too. And this little game went on for quite a while, with each replicating *exactly* the other's movement *exactly* at the same time, as if they were each mirrors of the other. After a certain lapse of time, both finally got fed up and did what they rarely did. They blew their top off at each other. "STOP COPYING ME!!!" they both screamed together. "ME COPYING YOU?!!! MORE LIKE YOU COPYING ME!!" they said again in unison. "STOP THAT IT'S IRRITATING!!!" they said in one accord. Their mother shook her head. she thought She stepped in between then and held her hands up. "Now calm down children. I'm sure we can talk peacefully on this matter. Nothing to get shocked about." "But mother I'm a BOY!" Shiryu-chan exclaimed pointing at Shiryu. "And what does that make me huh? Look at me, I'm a GIRL!!" "Why! Is that so bad?!!" "Hey! I didn't say anything! You're the one who doesn't like being a boy!" "Well you don't like being a girl either!" "Well I don't!" "And me neither so there!" "CHILDREN!!!" shouted their mother suddenly "STOP THIS AT ONCE!!!!!" Calm. Silence. "Ah." she said pleased "much better. Now sit down, and talk. NOW." Both Shiryu's sat. "Good. Now, don't you think both of you have been acting in a childish manner?" she said in a severe voice. They blushed and said nothing. "Now, both of you are my children, yes, even you Shiryu who has come from another dimension. But Shiryu-chan, you are *still* a girl and you Shiryu-kun, are still a *boy*. If it can make you both feel better, think of yourselves as two seperate entities." "Like twins mother?" asked Shiryu-chan. Both of them appeared to have clamed down and looked clearly embarassed at their previous behaviors. Yuri thought for a while. "Yes." she said finally, like twins. Now, I want you to introduce yourselves to each other again. Politely." Shiryu-chan gazed at Shiryu, embarrased, putting out her hand "Hello. My name is Shiryu." Shiryu looked back at her, equally embarrassed as he shook her hand "Hello. My name is also Shiryu." "And?" asked the mother, seeing that the two where oddly silent "don't you have any questions for each other?" "Yes." said Shiryu "As a matter of fact, I have one for you...?" "Mother." said Shiryu-chan's mum promptly. After all, she had always wanted a boy. "Mother." replied Shiryu "Why has my counterpart been given a boy's name?" "Because, Shiryu, when my husband greatly desired a son while I was expecting my daughter. So, at her birth, to compensate his disappointed, he decided to name her with a boy's name, thus signifying that in his eyes, he loved her as much as any of his sons and that to him, she was very precious." "I see." "Is there anything else you would like to ask son?" "Yes mother." Shiryu replied "Since my arrival, I have yet to adjust to all the changes and surprises that this dimension has brought. As a result of this, I have become quite curious to know what have become of the people in my dimension that I knew, and how they have turned up. As I have remarked, the same people in my dimension have turned up to have quite another character, the exemple of Saori being the first one that comes accross my mind. It is always interesting to note that it is not because one has a counterpart in this world that one's counterpart has exactly the same character and same features as you, my counterpart and I being the most striking exemple of this matter. So it would come accross my mind to enquire from you, not of course that it is a matter of highly importance, and of course in the understanding that you all might have some preoccupations of yoursleves and that I might be intruding on some of your precious time that you might not be able to spare, to enquire, oh, merely to satisfy my human curiosity..." "Shiryu" said Shiryu-chan smiling "Cut the crap." Shiryu shot her a dark glance. "I was trying to be polite." he said sternly. "No, you were being crappy." Shiryu-chan said, in a language that was not hers, after all, she learned that she was a *he*. Could anybody blame her? "I was not being crappy." replied Shiryu slightly offended "Merely polite. Of course, I suppose it would have been too much to have expected my counterpart to be able to communicate to me in the same degree of language ..." "Your 'counterpart' here present would not have have been forced to have used such a 'direct' approach were it not for the fact that your manner of beating around the bush exasperated her deeply, especially since today has not turned out to be such a particularly good day for her." Shiryu-chan retorted. "Now I forgot my question." replied Shiryu grimly. "Good" shot back 'Shiryu-chan' smiling. "by the way, where did mother go too?" "Your mother went at the back of the kitchen to get something I believe." "She's your mother too you know." "In a way, I suppose so." "Would you refuse to acknowledge her as such?" "Would *you* have allowed me to acknowledge her as so?" 'Shiryu-chan' broke out in a smile. "I would probably have been offended" she admitted sheepishly. Shiryu smiled. "I think she was trying to get away from us" he grinned frankly. They looked at each other and suddenly burt into a laughter. At that very moment, their 'mother' came in again. "You have made up" she said, smiling at the scene before her "Good. I would have hated to hurt anybody." Shiryu looked up, puzzled while his counterpart, 'Shiryu-chan' just looked into a small insignificant dot in front of her nervously. Shiryu looked at Shiryu-chan. "Whatever does she mean?" he asked her, noticing her nervous stares. "Better not know" 'Shiryu-chan' mumbled as a reply "will explain to you later." Shiryu wisely shut off his mouth. Their 'mother' smiled. "Today is going to be a good day" she thought to herself. *********************** End of part 3.