PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

1. Quest

"I'm leaving Sanctuary tomorrow morning."

Aiolia twisted a little to peer at Marin.  Her marble-white mask did not 
reveal anything.  "Leaving?  Where?"

They were sitting on the steps leading to the Leo Temple.  The late afternoon 
sun was touching the far horizon, and Sanctuary was bathed in mellow orange.  
All was quiet in the Twelve Gold Temples.

Marin had come a while ago and asked Aiolia if he would have a talk with her.  
He had agreed.  But so far all they did was sit side by side on the steps, 
saying little.  Aiolia felt like a teenager on a first date.  And now Marin 
told him she was going to leave.

"Japan," she said.  "To look for my brother."

That reminded Aiolia she had discovered Seika for Seiya.  Up until then, 
everybody had thought Marin was Seiya's real sister.  "Your brother?"  he 
echoed.  "I thought you went to Sanctuary in the first place because you were 
looking for him here?"

She drew up her knees and linked her arms across them, her face tilted up a 
bit.  To Aiolia she seemed very young, doing that.  "No, it's not how it 
was.  It's the story I requested the Pope to tell everyone.  I didn't 
forget anything from my past.  I chose to ignore it.  That way I could be 
a Saint with no memories to slow me down.  I simply wanted to turn over a 
new leaf.  But this past couple of days I've been thinking.  I'm planning 
to see my family, to assure myself they're all right.  After that, I'll 
return here.  My place is in Sanctuary - I took my vow and I would never go 
back on it.  I'm sorry, am I talking too much?"

Aiolia smiled.  She was never a talker, and listening to her open up was a 
rare occasion.  "No, you're not.  Go ahead."

"As I was saying, I'll leave first thing tomorrow.  I just have to tell you 
first."

"In case I wonder where you might have gone to?"

"I do that all the time, don't I?  Missing for days without telling anybody 
where I am?"

"You usually have good reason to be missing.  Anyway how long are you going 
to be in Japan?"

"Not very long, I hope."

"Are you going to see Seiya?"  When she shook her head, he frowned.  "Why 
not?  He'd want to meet you, I reckon.  He still owes you thanks for finding 
his sister."

"I don't need thanks.  He would have done the same for me.  All his life he's 
been searching for her, only he didn't have the time.  So I did the searching 
for him."  Marin rose gracefully to her feet, brushing dust off her leggings.  
"So, see you again.  And say hello to Aiolos."

"I will."

He watched as she descended the steps, her brisk gait a reflection of her 
no-nonsense self.  Then he got up and entered his Temple.



The sky over Athens was blue and crisp this morning, which Marin took as a 
good omen.  A pleasant start, at any rate.  She slung her bag over her 
shoulder and began to walk.  

What will I find in Japan?  she thought.  For that matter, will I find 
anything at all?  Everybody I used to know could be dead right now, or they 
may forget me.  It's a wild goose chase - but I've got to do it.  I have to 
at least know.

"Leaving already?"

"Good morning, Aiolia," she replied, not bothering to look.  "What are you 
doing here?"

He fell into step beside her.  He was clad in a simple earth-brown tunic 
whose color matched that of his hair.  They weaved their way through a market 
amidst stalls, shouting vendors and buyers laden with shopping baskets.  No 
one paid them much attention.

"I'm walking you to the dock, if you don't mind."

"I don't.  Thank you."

They were silent, busy with their own private musings.  Somewhere a housewife 
and a grocer were haggling back and forth, and a butcher advertised his 
merchandise at the top of his lungs.

"Do you still remember where your folks used to live?"

Marin glanced at him, surprised.  "You're worried I'll get lost or something?"

A little boy ran from the opposite direction and into her.  He mumbled an 
apology then shot away, giggling.  Aiolia's eyes followed the boy idly.  "I 
just don't want you to be disappointed."

"If I know anything at all about my folks, I won't call it too disappointing."

"What if you don't find them?  I'm sorry, I don't mean to be nosy but there 
is that risk.  Isn't it better to leave things well enough alone?"

"I'm grateful for your concern, Aiolia, but I need to know.  It doesn't 
really matter what I find or don't find, as long as I have tried."

"You're not going to go around wearing that mask, are you?"

That brought a small smile which he could not see.  "Of course not.  I'll 
draw a crowd.  I'll take it off and maybe put on a wig.  Flaming red hair 
tends to attract people as much as a mask."

"I wish I could see you."

"Why?  For all you know I may be ugly enough to stop a clock, as the saying 
goes."

Aiolia laughed.  "I don't believe that.  It appears to me that one of the 
conditions a female Saint has to fulfill is being beautiful.  Look at Shaina, 
for instance."

"Do you like her?" she said levelly.

"If you ask if I have strong feelings for her, no.  She's got a strong spirit 
and all that but she's not for me.  Besides, she's set her eyes on Seiya.  I 
wonder what she sees in him?"

"Don't be gossipy, Aiolia.  It doesn't suit you."

"You're right."  They had gone past the market and the dock was now visible 
in the distance.  "Is there any ship heading for Japan at this hour?"

"There is.  I checked yesterday."  She came to a halt.  "Thanks for walking 
me this far."

"You're welcome."  An awkward pause fell.  "What, er, what will you do once 
you have discovered your family?"

"I don't know.  But I won't be staying long in Japan.  I'm a Saint now, and 
I belong here in Sanctuary.  This is my home now."

Aiolia cleared his throat.  "I wish you luck.  Take care, Marin."

"You too, Aiolia."

He watched as she approached the harbor master and talked to him.  At length 
he waved at a nearby ship.  He yelled something at the crews and they yelled 
back.  Marin nodded at the harbor master and ran for the ship.

Will she ever meet her folks? Aiolia thought.  I hope she will.  I hope I 
could be there with her.  But I'm needed here, and Marin wouldn't like to 
have me along anyhow.  She's an extraordinary woman.  Do many people know 
it?  

He folded his arms across his chest, his eyes trained on the ship, which was 
leaving.  There was a person leaning on the railing and gazing out to sea.  
He wondered if it was Marin, and what she had on her mind.  He wondered if 
her family was out there, if they still remembered her.



2. Family

The train was almost empty, which was how she liked it.  Marin took a seat 
near the window.  A young man was reading across the aisle.  He threw her a 
glance as she sat down.

Outside it was still broad daylight.  The journey would take five hours, 
since this was a regular train and not the superfast Shinkansen.  She would 
reach her village come dark.  She wondered if she could still find her way 
around.  It had been many years since she last saw the village.

Looking out of the window, Marin immediately saw her own vague image on the 
glass.  It was like staring into a stranger's face.  The Aquila Saint that 
ordinarily returned her stare from the mirror was a redhead with a white 
mask.  The woman on the train window had long black hair - she had purchased 
the wig yesterday - and large blue eyes that had nothing Japanese in them.  
Her mouth was small and rosebudlike.  

I'm not supposed to take off my mask, she thought.  But I'm not here as a 
Saint.  So I suppose it's all right.  Even if I ran across Seiya on the 
street he wouldn't recognize me.  Seiya...what is he doing now?  Sharing 
recollections with his sister, or probably facing yet another enemy?

She leaned back, one hand around her handbag, deciding to take a short nap 
for an hour or two.  

"Excuse me, Miss, where are you going?"

Eyebrow twitching, Marin turned her head.  It was the man across the aisle 
who had addressed her.  What does he want? she asked herself.  I hope he 
doesn't want to chat, because I definitely don't feel like it right now.  
She mentioned the name of her village in a curt tone to indicate that she 
was in no mood to talk.

"Oh, what a coincidence!  That's where I'm heading too.  You speak Japanese 
quite well, though you look like a foreigner.  Are you visiting relatives 
there or friends?"  The man wore simple but neat clothes, and he had a frank, 
amiable face.

She sighed inwardly.  Obviously the man would not leave her alone.  The best 
she could do was not encourage him to longer conversations.  "I don't even 
know if they are still there," she replied flatly.  "I left a long time ago."

"What's their name?  I can tell you if they've moved."

"You're very nice," she said, "but I have been warned against talking much 
to strangers.  Besides, I'm tired.  Please don't take offense."

The man blinked, then smiled.  "How rude of me.  If you need help, don't 
hesitate to say so.  I'll be glad to assist you."

"Thank you."  Marin closed her eyes, ready to sleep.  She could sense the 
man's still curious eyes on her, but could not care less.  Let him stare.  
As long as he was not about to rape or murder her, he could do as he liked.
   
   
   
"Are you sure you have no luggage I can carry for you?"  the man asked as 
they got off on the silent train station.  It was so small that it could be 
described as a depot.  Night had fallen, and stars dotted the sky.  The man 
carried a regular-sized trunk himself.

Great, now he wanted to play porter.  "No, thanks.  I only have this small 
handbag with me."  Which should give him second thoughts, if he was bent on 
robbing her.  But then, she was not being fair.  The man might only be glad 
to have company and he was naturally a helpful person.  She had spent too 
much time with people who had things up their sleeves, it appeared.

The man was looking to the right and left.  "There should be a bus at this 
time of night.  It's an hour's walk to the village."

"If there's no bus, I can walk."

He gazed at her, and his open shock amused her.  "A lady walking alone for
an hour at night?"

You might be astounded, my friend, if I told you I've gone through the most
unladylike things, a walk in the night being the least of them.  "What do we 
do, then?"  She included him because she knew he was not going to abandon 
her here in the station.  The man was nothing if not a gentleman.

As is Aiolia, her heart amended.  Funny I should be thinking of Aiolia.  But 
maybe it isn't so weird.  After all we're good friends.

Abruptly the man's face cleared and he pointed.  "Look!  I think it's my 
uncle's car!  He's coming to pick me up.  I'll give you a ride, then."  He 
seemed so relieved that she would not have to walk to the village or spend 
the night at the station.  Marin had to admit it was sort of nice to have a 
kind stranger nearby.

A car was materializing out of the darkness.  Marin's heart skipped a beat.  
She knew that car - or used to.  It was the car that had taken her to this 
very station more than a decade ago, so that she could board a train to Tokyo 
and to the airport, thence to leave Japan for good.  The car was almost the 
same as she remembered it: moss green with a dent in the front bumper, a 
souvenir from a collision course with a bakery truck.  She watched as the car 
lumbered near.

Her eyes shifted to the young man, who was looking at the car eagerly.  He 
says that it's his uncle's car, she thought, her heart missing another beat.  
Could it be that he is - ?

The car slowed down to a halt.  An elderly man exited from the driver's side.  
He saw her and his face froze.  Marin clutched tighter at her handbag.  His 
face did not change much except for the additional wrinkles.  

"Hello, Uncle," she said in an even voice.

The young man stared, and, had it not been impolite, Marin was certain he 
would have goggled at her.  "Uncle...?"

"Hello, Misaki," the elderly man said dryly.  His eyes probed into her, and 
she returned his stare unblinkingly.  She was a grown woman now and she had 
no reason to fear him as she had all those years ago.

"It's been a long time."  Marin had not heard her real name spoken for many 
years, and hearing it again gave this meeting a surreal touch.  

"Can somebody please tell me what's going on here?" the young man demanded, 
looking from Marin to his uncle.

The elderly man finally deigned to notice his nephew.  "Kyoji, say hello to 
your elder sister."



The journey home was fraught with uncomfortable silence.  Kyoji sat in the 
front next to his uncle, refusing to meet anyone's eye.  Marin spent her time 
staring at the darkness outside.  Their uncle drove on, his expression stony.  

Eventually he said, "Kyoji, your mother will be very happy to see you."

Which indicates she won't be happy to see me, Marin guessed.

"I miss her," Kyoji said quietly, Marin supposed due to her presence.

"How many days off do you have?  Are you staying for long?"

"Only for three days.  The company's got a heap of orders and they need all 
the help they can get.  Since I'm hoping to get a promotion, I want to get 
back there as soon as possible.  Uncle Takafumi, is she well?"

"Oh, yes.  She is.  Now."

"Are you implying, Uncle, that she'll get a heart attack if I show up at the 
door?" Marin spoke up.

Takafumi threw a caustic glance over his shoulder before returning his 
concentration on the road before them.  "What are you doing here, Misaki?  
We thought you and your father would be happy wherever it was you ran off to."

Despite herself, Marin felt her blood rise.  "Father didn't run off," she 
stated.  "He couldn't stand you and Grandfather, so he went away."

"Was I supposed to put up with him, then?  By the way, did you dye your hair 
or something?"

Marin peeled the wig off her head.  Kyoji's eyes went wide as though she had 
begun undressing.  "I still keep my hair," said Marin, shaking her fiery curls, 
"which is more than I can say of you, Uncle."

Takafumi snorted.  "You'll lose yours too one day.  So, would you care to tell 
us where you have been all these years?  Why isn't your father coming back 
with you?"

"He died.  Lung cancer."  Ignoring Takafumi's surprised look, Marin continued, 
"We were in Greece then.  There's this place called Sanctuary there.  I went 
there and got my training as a Saint of Athena.  Athena's Saints are - "

"I know what they are," Takafumi interrupted.  "We're not so buried here that 
we don't know what's happening out there."  He swerved around a treacherous 
bend.  "So you are a Saint now?  From what I heard these people do nothing 
but kill others in the name of some dead goddess."

Marin wanted to refute, then thought better of it.  "Have it your way, Uncle."  
She stole a glimpse at Kyoji, who stoutly refused to join the conversation.

"What's your name now?  Some Saints have such odd names.  Those couldn't be 
the names they were born with."

"You can still call me Misaki."

Kyoji, who had been hitherto keeping his peace, blurted out, "You still 
haven't answered Uncle yet - what are you doing here?"  There was dislike and 
something else in his tone which Marin could not identify.

"I want to visit you one last time.  After that I'll be out of your life for 
good.  Aren't you happy to know it, Uncle?"

"You're getting more and more like your father."

The car's lights fell brightly on a house several meters away.  There was a 
heaviness in Marin's chest that made it ache.  Her eyes were riveted on the 
house as it grew bigger and nearer.  A silhouetted figure stood on the 
doorway.

Mother, Marin thought, heart hammering against her ribcage.  I'm going to see 
Mother again.  And I'm scared, very scared.  Why should I be?  Am I scared 
she'll turn away from me?  That's no big deal. I'll leave early tomorrow in 
any case.  It's as simple as that.

Takafumi killed the engine and got out, followed by Kyoji.  The silhouette 
became a woman in green, who cried out, "Kyoji-chan!" and hurried over to 
him.  He hugged her, having to stoop in the process.

Marin climbed out of the back seat.  "Hello, Mother."

The woman released Kyoji and stared at her.  "Misaki?"  Her voice was full of 
doubts.

"It's me, Mother."  More words were not necessary.  Marin made her message 
clear; her mother could either welcome her or give her the cold shoulder.  
Either way she would accept it.

Her mother looked at her for what seemed like minutes.  At length she said, 
"Come on in."  She swung around and entered the house, her steps a little too 
fast, thought Marin.  Takafumi and Kyoji went after her and Marin gripped her 
handbag's strings.  Whatever would be, would be.

Inside it was warm and well-lit.  Marin saw that a few pieces of furniture 
were still where they had been when she left, and some had been replaced by 
newer ones.  Takafumi took off his parka jacket and Kyoji put his trunk on the 
floor.  
 
"Chiharu, is dinner ready yet?  I'm starving," said Takafumi to his sister, 
who was watching them wordlessly.

"It is.  This way."

At least they're not letting me starve, Marin said to herself.  

The food was excellently cooked, but the atmosphere was uneasy.  Takafumi ate 
with his back rigid, addressing no one.  Kyoji appeared to find it hard to 
swallow.  Marin, having little if any qualms, was determined to enjoy the 
meal.  These people acted as if she were a criminal.  Well, she was not, so 
she would not put up with their disregard and hostility.  Besides, she had 
not had such a luxurious dinner since she became a Saint.  This might be her 
finest one so far.

"Misaki."

She raised her face from her plate.  Her mother was staring at her intensely 
and Marin put down her chopsticks.  "Yes?"

"Where is your father?"

"He's dead," said Takafumi before Marin could answer.  "And she's now one of 
those Saints.  You know those, Chiharu.  Some of them fought in a competition 
in Tokyo a few years ago."

"That's true," Marin said, secretly annoyed at the careless manner with which 
Takafumi delivered the news.  "I live in Sanctuary, Greece, now.  I've been 
pretty busy, so I could only visit you today.  Are you doing fine, Mother?"

"As fine as a husbandless woman could be."  Takafumi helped himself to more 
fried spiced noodles.

Kyoji went a shade of white.  Marin swiftly said, "I apologize for my father 
- is that what you all want to hear?  Okay then, I'm sorry.  Mother, Father 
didn't walk out on you as some would have you believe.  He just felt he had 
to go, to be somewhere else.  And he couldn't have abandoned me.  I'm sorry.  
I apologize to you in his behalf."  She took a deep bow.

WWhen she straightened up, she saw tears course down Chiharu's cheeks.  She 
saw Marin's look and wiped her eyes.  "Misaki-chan, you are here," she said 
in a whisper.  "And I couldn't ask more than that.  I understand why your 
father did what he did.  I have forgiven him for leaving...but not for 
taking you along with him."

Takafumi was about to retort, changed his mind, and resumed eating.  Marin 
dropped her eyes to her food, a trifle confused.  She had expected anything 
but this.  Never mind, she would be gone soon.  Fighting off enemies suddenly 
appeared as a more interesting option.



Living in Athens, a city near the sea, had accustomed her to degrees of heat, 
from mild warmth to sweltering hot weather.  But here it was very different.  
The village was located at the foot of a mountain, and not acquainted with 
high temperature.  It was perpetually, soothingly cool, more so at night.

The mountain loomed in the darkness before her as Marin sauntered out the 
front door, hands in her pocket.  The sight of it brought back many memories 
from childhood.  She remembered spending the day there with Kyoji, playing 
hide and seek until dark, and their parents had to go look for them.  Once at 
home they got a scolding and admonissions not to do it ever again, did they 
want to get lost?  Kyoji had been repentant but Marin had not.  She simply 
laughed her parents' anxiety away.

"Aren't you cold out there?"

It was Kyoji's voice, speaking from the doorway.  Marin did not turn around.  
She kept gazing at the mountain.  "Do you remember the time we went to the 
mountain and didn't even realize when the sun set?  I scraped my knee and you 
almost sprained your ankle, falling down a boulder."

There was a heavy pause.  "Yes, Misaki was never frightened of anything.  She 
was a brave girl, Misaki was.  Too bad she's gone and never returned."

His quiet vehemence made her look over her shoulder.  His face was devoid of 
emotion.  "Hate me that much, do you?"

"Why do you come back at all?  Why don't you just leave us be?"

"What do you know, Kyoji?  What's the reason of Father's leaving?"

"He hates Uncle.  So he left.  But he had to take you along."

Marin had not forgotten the day: Takafumi had driven her and her father to the 
station, she full of bewilderment and grief, her uncle tense, her father pale.  
She had not forgotten either how her little brother had cried when they left.  
"Kyoji, Uncle never did accept Father as his brother-in-law.  He didn't like 
it that Mother married a penniless foreigner.  There were a lot of quarrels 
between them, didn't you know?  So Father decided to go.  With me.  Because I 
looked so much like him and he didn't want Uncle to make things difficult for 
me just because of my hair and eyes."

She could feel Kyoji's glance flitting over her red hair.  "Father was only 
thinking about himself," he stated.  "Mother wept almost every night after he 
took you away.  Obviously he didn't know or didn't care that you were her 
daughter as much as his."

"That is unfair.  What could he have done, bring you and Mother along?  She 
wouldn't have been able to stand that.  You have to learn to live with it."

"Easy for you to say."

"You think Father wanted to dump Mother and you, is that it?"  Marin was 
exasperated with her brother's stubbornness.  Why could he not at least try 
to see both sides of the story?  "Well, he didn't.  Leaving you two behind 
was the hardest thing he had to do.  The hardest thing for me to do, as a 
matter of fact.  And when he died, I wanted to die myself.  Yes, I did, I am 
not being melodramatic here.  I was very young, stranded in a country where I 
knew not a single soul, and I had nobody.  So when I became a Saint, I put all 
that behind.  From then on I would live as Saint Aquila Marin, period.  Misaki 
is dead along with her father."

A corner of Kyoji's mouth twisted.  "How convenient to have her resurrected 
and come visiting."

"Kyoji, if you are going to be sarcastic I'm going in.  I see we're getting 
nowhere in this discussion."  She made to brush past him into the house.

His taut voice arrested her progress.  "What about me, didn't you have any 
objection leaving me behind?"

Astonished, she stared at him.  "Is that what this is all about?"

But of course, murmured something at the back of her brain.  He loved you a 
lot, you were the whole world to him.  Have years of Sainthood made it slip 
your mind?  He followed you everywhere.  He played whatever games you wanted 
to.  He waited for you to get well when you fell ill.  He said when he grew 
up he would see to it that you and Mother would always be safe, maybe even 
rich.  How you giggled at that one.

The image of herself at five giggling with her little brother jarred on her.  
She had never fully known the impact of her leaving for Kyoji.  Now she did.  
He had seen her leaving as a betrayal.  Childhood scars never entirely healed, 
only hidden.  Especially for her tender-hearted young brother.

"Kyoji-chan..." she began, awkwardly.

"It's late.  I'm going to bed."  Without another word he ascended the stairs.  
She stared after him.  The night was suddenly, unpleasantly cold.



Just like he had years ago, Takafumi drove her to the train station after they 
had breakfast.  Chiharu had been tearful but showed no intention of detaining 
Marin.  Of Kyoji there was no sign.  Marin felt a pang of sadness; she would 
have liked to say proper goodbye to him.  But since he clearly did not want to 
see her, she did not comment on his absence.

"Uncle," she said on the car, "how did my parents meet exactly?"

He shot her a curious glance.  "Didn't your father ever tell you?"

"Not in details.  He just mentioned once that he fell in love with her at first 
sight, and that you and Grandfather were against the match, simply because he 
was a foreigner."

"Misaki, marrying your father did nothing but complicate your mother's life.  
You had to understand that.  She is a woman who wants only the simplest things 
in life.  Being your father's wife won't give her that.  I had no personal 
reason to hate your father, he was a fine man.  I just wished he had been a 
Japanese.  Sure, he could have brought your mother away from this village, but 
it would make her very unhappy.  She was born here - this was and always will 
be her true home.  But having a foreign husband has made her an object of 
much attention - and envy - of many people."  Takafumi sighed.  "It's all so 
complex.  If only I could explain it better."

Marin fingered strands of black hair spread on her shoulder; she had donned 
her wig again to avoid being conspicuous.  "He told me he couldn't stand the 
way you and Grandfather treated him."

"Oh, so I'm the scapegoat.  It's all right."  Takafumi kept his eyes on the 
road as he spoke.  "Your father was one of those people who felt they could 
belong anywhere their hearts tell them to.  He was on a trip to Japan when he 
met your mother.  After that, they were inseparable.  But your grandfather 
and I weren't very keen on having him as an in-law.  So he went away.  Too 
bad he died and you had to become a Saint.  Not a very fruitful life, if you 
ask me."

She thought of Seiya, the best pupil a Saint could have, and Athena, whom she 
had sworn to defend unto death.  And Aiolia.  

The small train station was as deserted as it had been the night before.  A 
light drizzle was falling.  Takafumi glanced at his watch.  "We still have ten 
minutes.  If the train is on time."

"Is it famous for being not on time?"  Marin patted her modest handbag.  She 
had bought it before she boarded the train yesterday, for appearance's sake, 
and she meant to discard it when she reached Tokyo.

Takafumi snorted.  "No, I was just making small talk.  Misaki, are you sure 
this is to be your last visit?"

"Why, Uncle, will you miss me?"  

"Your mother will."

Marin was silent for a while.  From the tail of her eye she caught a bus 
approaching.  "I think it will benefit us more if we go our separate ways.  So 
much has changed.  I'll try to write sometime if that'll make Mother happy."  
The bus pulled to a stop outside the station.

Her uncle shook his head.  "I see you're your father's daughter in every way."

"Neesan!"

Heart leaping to her throat, Marin whirled around.  Kyoji was alighting from 
the bus and hurrying toward her.  "Kyoji?" was all she could come up with.

"I thought you'd left."  Suddenly she found herself in the circle of his arms.  
"Neesan, farewell.  I didn't say it before, so I'm saying it now.  May you be 
happy with the choice you've made."

Marin was completely taken aback, but her astonishment was almost overwhelmed 
by a strong flood of emotion very much like tenderness.  "Why the change of 
attitude?  Last night you weren't half as friendly."

"Let's just say Mother talked me out of my mood.  You are my sister, we are 
supposed to love each other no matter what happened and so forth.  I wouldn't 
have listened to her were it not for the fact that I knew she was absolutely 
right.  I do love you still.  And I want to ask you to stay but I know it's 
useless so I won't."

Tears threatened to spill, and Marin restrained them with an effort.  Her 
hands went instinctively across Kyoji's back.  "I am so glad you're seeing 
me off," she muttered.

"Don't forget to write or call us sometimes.  Promise?"

"Would you accept collect calls?"

He gave a short laugh.  Marin pressed him against her tightly, then let him 
go.  

"Take off that silly wig, you look really weird wearing it," he said.  The 
affection with which he spoke made her smile tremble.  She had won her little 
brother's forgiveness and understanding, and her feelings were indescribable.  
I wish I could share this with someone, she thought.

"Take care of Mother, Kyoji."

"Count on it, Neesan."



3. Homecoming

"Hi, Aiolia."

He looked around and his face was transformed with joy.  "Marin!  When did you 
come back?" he exclaimed.  "Have you found your family?"

"Uncle, mother, brother, all safe and delighted to see me."

He could not see her face, concealed as it was by her mask, but her happiness 
was almost tangible in her tone.  "Good to hear it!"  Then, carefully, "And 
you still prefer Sanctuary?"

"I told you I'm a Saint and nothing can alter that, not even my folks."  She 
shrugged.  "Besides, I'll always have them in my heart.  Sorry, do I sound 
like a bad actress reciting lines?"

"Not at all.  I'm happy for you, Marin."

"I'm happy you're happy."  She considered clapping him on the arm and did not.  
The unusual display of comradeship might alarm him.  "So, how was Sanctuary 
while I was gone?"