Saint Seiya Fan Fiction ❯ Walking the Other Way ❯ The Museum ( Chapter 4 )

Standard disclaimers: I don't own Saint Seiya, and I'm not making money out of this. Neither do I own the song “One night in Bangkok” either. That's Head Murray's, Falco's or Mike Oldfield's or still someone else's. With all those covers one can't know for sure, but I'm not making any money out of it.

 

Walking the Other Way

A Saint Seiya Gift fic

 

DragonRuler

 

Chapter 4: The Museum

 

`This is gonna cost you!'

 

The annoying little voice in Hyoga's head wouldn't stop whining and distracted him while walking through the empty streets. Four more shadows, in dark clothes and their needed gear, walked nearby. The surroundings were calm, the bright moon throwing her thin light over the pavement with a small breeze chilling their bones, despite the fact that it was summer.

 

`One night in Bangkok and the tough guys stumble. Can't be too careful with your company… I can feel the devil walking next to me.'

 

The song played through Seiya's mind. Squinting to see something through the darkness he thought he saw other forms than his and his friends in the dark alleys and a sudden image of a devil, dressed up as a whole regiment of cops, formed before his mind's eye. Shuddering he looked over his shoulders at Ikki's face that reflected the pale moonlight. He wasn't sure why he did. Maybe he thought to find something like fear or some form of worry on the cop's face, but even if Ikki felt something similar he was determined not to show it.

 

Shiryu was his usual calm self, close behind Seiya, walking next to Ikki. His mind was all practicality, running over the steps of their plan again and again until it was part of him, so he wouldn't make any mistakes. A silent rush of adrenaline flew through his veins, keeping his body in a constant state of steady awareness. In front of him he felt a stir from Seiya and as the long-haired man looked up he saw the younger brunette's slightly contorted face, clearly sunken in his own thoughts. They weren't pleasant ones.

 

Playing with the little machine in his hand Shun kept his eyes fixed on the museum, the dark building they were heading for. As they moved it grew larger and bigger, its windows dark and seemingly moving in the wind. The green-eyed young man couldn't help but glance at his brother, who still seemed tense from his run-in with Ron earlier that day. Actually the American could count his blessings at this very moment that Ikki hadn't booked him on the spot but the balance had been outweighed by their own problems. Ron wasn't one of those problems. Yet.

 

They stopped at the lawn surrounding the building, staring up at it. Seiya had to move first, together with Ikki, they had the best performance to climb the tree and get all the links settled for the others to get to the roof. With this task before them all their anxious thoughts evaporated. The old oak had been there for as long as they could remember, Seiya knew every branch of it. As a kid he had been climbing it every free moment he had… It was strange to find himself on this spot now, still climbing but other ideas in mind.

 

With a soft click he buckled the iron wire around the large stem and positioned himself with the arm-gun, pointing at the edge of the roof. There was only one spot where the hook could get a good hold, near the energy cabinet where safety balustrades were built. A click and a wheezing sound was the only indication that Seiya had fired the gun. The claw flew through the air and with a thud it clicked around the iron on the roof edge. A few tugs made sure it wouldn't loosen when they were hanging halfway, sending them crashing down so Seiya swung his legs around the wire.

 

“Careful,” Shiryu said in a low voice.

 

Seiya grinned, not able to hold it back and looked down his body to where his friends stood. The look in the architect's eyes betrayed some kind of worry and Shiryu noted that the brunette was having the time of his life, but this was no game like in the old days. A light frown playing across his brow as Shiryu eyed the young man climbing up the rope, dangling a few meters above the ground, visible to anyone who would pass by. The way up didn't take too long, but nevertheless Seiya was sweating immensely when he set foot on the roof.

 

Quickly he glanced about to check if anyone was there then waved over the edge for the others. The wire shook slightly as one by one a weight hung upon it swinging through the night air, finding its way up. The moonlight played both in their advantage as against them, giving them enough light to see but making them easy to spot as well. Seiya stared hard at the shadows as they approached, feeling his energy rising with each minute. The last time he had been sneaking somewhere like this, with actions in mind that weren't allowed, was at the age of fifteen when he decided to slip out of the house, to meet his girl back then. In some strange way the feeling he now had resembled that, though what he and the others were about to do differed slightly from getting together with your girlfriend.

 

Ikki climbed over the edge like a cat, the last one in line as always, landing on his feet and hands. His face stood hard, while he pushed away any useless thought that crossed his mind even though they were few. All his life the cop had been able to focus his mind and body to his set goal, regardless of ethical or personal matters that were bothering him at the same time. The same scenario now, he thought grimly, no use in fretting over a decision you made by yourself.

 

Before they had left Ikki's house Shiryu had run through the plan one more time, making sure there were no more questions so that now, on the roof in the moonlight, they did not need words but only actions. Silent footsteps carried through the chirping night when Seiya unlocked the roof entrance that gave way to the second floor's hallway. Tumbling through the black hole he entered the museum's darkness and pressed himself against the walls, searching for the set camera points. The luck they had with two friends who were familiar with such situations crossed the youth's mind, on edge with the adrenaline pulsing through him.

 

A warm body pressed next to his and leaned a bit closer, pointing at some far point down the hallway. Smelling Shiryu's scent Seiya nodded unconsciously and moved away from the camera's point of view to the next safe area underneath it. His hands didn't tremble as they slid over the smooth surface of the painted walls, parted by a thin layer of cloth from the gloves he wore. Three more shadows soon joined them.

 

The scent behind him changed, it was no longer Shiryu and Seiya started for split seconds before walking further up to the first door lock. Shun moved passed him to lock a tiny wire onto the lock, as Ikki had taught him and watched the little light flicker until he got the right combination. A soft click preceded all the other ones as the whole hallway was unlocked. Immediately all of them slipped inside the room where they could find the camera controls. The discussion about this part had been whether or not to shut them down or to block their view. Eventually, because they felt more at ease with it, they had decided to shut them down, willing to take the risk that another alarm would be triggered that way.

 

As Hyoga set himself behind the computer and hacked his way into the security system, he felt an immense relief to discover that there was no other alarm and gratefully shut down the cameras all over the building. A quick grin escaped him as he whirled round on the chair to find Shun right behind him, pride glittering in his green eyes before he left to unlock the first floor as well. Despite his worries the blonde felt something inside soar as he too got to his feet again to find what he was set out to do. The room seemed a bit lighter to him.

 

Ikki and Seiya had already gone down the stairs with Shun while Shiryu and Hyoga stayed on the second floor, going from room to room. There were a mere four rooms on each floor and they were rather big, full of old age, Egyptian and Medieval remnants, twentieth century paintings and statues. The second floor held the oldest works. Small statues and written parchments vanished into their backpacks. A pang of regret shot through Shiryu as he saw a copy of one of his favorite sculptors and quickly turned away before his mind took the better of him. The sound of his steps suddenly sounded very loud and mean in this defenseless place and the long-haired man wondered if he'd ever be able to understand how life would take turns. Egyptian jewelry tinkled in his bag.

 

Silence and footsteps accompanied the three others on their descent to the first floor. Now the cameras' red lights were all dim, indicating they were not active so Shun went straight for the door lock. The same noise dragged through the hall as each door unlocked, the sign for the three to start moving again. The first floor was overflowing with the recent works and thus held more paintings and larger statues. The latter were impossible to take along, but small paintings were a decent bounty. Ikki felt a breeze as he walked between the statues and touched the velvet ropes around them, although he could not feel the soft fabric.

 

Gently he picked up a small statue, feeling the smooth stone under his gloves and let it slide into his bag. Turning his head for more small and easy to carry works his thoughts wandered calmly, what with the cameras gone and his usual sense of being at ease with a situation. The Lion possessed the ability to manage an estrangement that got him in the right state of mind to deal with whatever came for him and save the worries for later. Keeping his eye on Shun and Seiya, the Lion stalked through the last room to find only large objects and returned to the hall.

 

It took them a mere half hour to fill all the bags to the top and appear at the roof again. Sliding down was easier than climbing and a lot faster too. So fast that Seiya bumped into the tree rather loudly, and tumbled down with his backpack spilling its entire content. Scrambling back to his feet, he groped for the objects scattered on the grass with the help of the others. A push on the button of the arm-gun made the claw open and loose its grip on the roof so that it fell down, erasing the last proof of their presence in the museum.

 

Hyoga jerked his head over his shoulder, searching the streets but the night had grown even darker than before and there certainly was no life awake at this hour. A bubble of laughter almost escaped him but the blonde managed to hold it back and sped up instead.

 

Not yet.

 

He wasn't safe yet.

 

`This is gonna cost you!'

 

The last few meters they ran. All of them, despite Ikki's coolness, despite Shiryu's practicality, they ran. The door of the safe shelter slammed shut behind Ikki's back as he was the last to enter the house. Panting Seiya slumped to the floor, his head at the same level of Shiryu's knees. The latter was leaning against the wall. Watching them Ikki tried not to think too much and keep eye of what was needed, not what was playing in his head.

 

He closed the curtains.

 

Pulled out some drinks.

 

Fed the bottomless pit that was Moy.

 

Seiya was the first to react, seeing the drinks poured into the glasses on the table. The table where they'd been sitting a few days earlier, discussing the blueprints. Gratefully he gulped down the whole glass and looked at the others still in the entrance hall. Shun looked a bit pale, leaning into Hyoga, not really for comfort but for the quiet consent that this was real. That they had managed to pull this off without running into anything or anyone. Ron had not set them up by tipping the police. They had not been caught.

 

It was almost too easy.

 

Even Shiryu looked impressed or at least a bit off balance by it all. He trailed his long fingered hand through his black hair, sighing softly with his eyes closed. The slow movement of his lips tore Seiya's attention, making him forget where they had been and what they had been doing. It took the younger man a short while before he realized Shiryu was meditating, humming soothing words that now reached Seiya's ears as well. Closing his eyes he let himself get carried along.

 

Shun moved eventually as well, tearing himself away from Hyoga's arms and stuffed the backpacks near the couch, unwilling to check their content just yet. Following his lover Hyoga poured the golden liquid and felt it warm his cold throat.

 

“Anyone hungry?”

 

“Yeh,” Seiya nodded, coming back to reality.

 

“I think I'll just turn in,” Hyoga mumbled softly.

 

The blonde felt very tired all of a sudden and wished for nothing more than a bed and Shun's warm body close by, the whole night forgotten. Thinking about what came after sleeping wasn't even in the picture when he walked up the stairs. There were three rooms here, one belonging to Ikki, one to Shun and a third for a possible stay-over. Dropping his clothes to the floor, Hyoga rolled into sheets that carried Shun's scent and closed his eyes. He stayed awake until Shun was lying next to him then draped one arm over the brunette's tummy and fell asleep.

 

Lacking one bed, Seiya got to sleep in Ikki's room and Shiryu got the extra room. Ikki stayed downstairs and watched the night fade away, with the cat napping on his lap while he thought of everything and nothing at the same time. His duty in this large city, the fall of the government and its consequences for the people. Not only good-for-nothings but the hard-working people as well.

 

Staring at the backpacks without noticing they were really there, the black-haired man wondered whether crossing this line had merely been the first step. He was determined not to let this escalate but seeing how many people he had questioned, hearing them say that they never planned to become professionals, made him doubt the possible success of their intentions. How they tried one time and got torn into it despite their good will to return to the so-called straight path.

 

Of course, he could start a philosophical debate about what exactly was the straight path and what wasn't. When that thin red line was crossed… but that didn't matter at this moment. What did matter was that the way he and his friends had chosen was different from before and it felt… wrong. It felt as if his whole being wanted to stop right now and stand still to overlook the situation, but he didn't have the time for it. Also the possibility was there that if he indeed did, he wouldn't be able to move again.

 

Rubbing his eyes Ikki shook his head a bit, disturbing Moy in her sleep. Purring the cat stretched, baring her tummy so he patted her soft fur until she purred louder. A soft smile tugged at his lips at her carelessness and her lovely life. Eating-sleeping-being petted-more sleeping-stroll through the gardens-eating and that was it. How easy life could be for one being, how complicated it could get for another.

 

Then again, he hated boredom. Peace was something the Lion could live with, but not boredom. Why would he feel ill at ease with this? It was just a new situation on his path, nothing more, nothing less and as always he'd just walk that way if he felt like it or walk the other if he didn't. At this moment Ikki felt good, tired but relieved and that was all he needed to know whether he was on the right path or not. What the outside world would think did not matter much to him. As long as his life led its steady pace and those he cared for weren't hurt.

 

Content with this his pondering ceased and he watched the sun rise slowly, Moy still purring on his lap.