Saint Seiya: The Legend of Seiya

69 - Life Goes On

A press room is packed with reporters and cameras from the main media outlets around the world. All the chairs occupied, while many other employees huddled in front of an empty bench with a bouquet of microphones prepared in the center of the table. The cameras' strobe lights click furiously as the long-awaited entourage finally appears from a side door.

A tall man, without a hair on his head, wearing a beautifully cut suit sat at one end of the table, while Saori Kido sat in the center of it in front of all those microphones. Beside her, as always, Alice, also very elegant, sat at the other end. A careful observer would notice that the fourth member of the entourage simply stood with his arms crossed in the doorway, looking at each soul inside that room for a long time. It was Aioria.

"Good morning to everyone here." Saori began, looking very serious. "I would like to thank you all for your patience and understanding, but also would like to thank all the fans who are listening to us."

In effect, that broadcast was being spread live with translators and subtitles to all parts of the world.

"I would like to officially end the Galaxian Wars." she spoke immediately to a frenzy of clicking cameras. "The Coliseum will be rebuilt according to its original design; we will make changes to make it more secure and we promise all those who bought their tickets for the ten days of the event that we will make a refund."

A pause in her speech.

"But there is also a second option." she said, without breaking the seriousness of her speech, as if in fact faithfully following a script. "Whoever bought the tickets can also keep them for the Return of the Galaxian Wars."

A roar filled the room and she continued once it was silent again.

"As soon as the Coliseum is again in accordance with the security regulations of the city hall, we will organize a new event, much more exciting and anew. The details we'll save for when the time comes, but our fans can expect even more exciting battles and games."

Everyone looked at each other curiously in that room.

"The prize will still be the Golden Urn and the tournament will continue the events that ended the last Galaxian Wars."

"Are you going to stage the search against the Black Knights and Phoenix?" asked an unsuspecting reporter, stumbling over the lady's speech, to the immediate censure of his peers.

"Yes," Saori replied.

Again the buzz filled the hall, but Saori asked to speak again.

"There's something else I need to announce to everyone who's listening." she began, very serious. "I'm withdrawing from the presidency of the Graad Foundation, inherited by my grandfather, as I'm going to dedicate myself to my studies. Moving forward, my great-uncle Tatsume Kido, younger brother of the late Mitsumasa Kido, will be at the head of the Foundation and he will be the one who will coordinate the event, as well as everything related to the Graad Foundation from now on."

Then the room exploded with questions being hurled by all the reporters at once, already up from their seats. Under the table, Saori reached for Alice's hand to give her strength. She looked at Tatsume beside her and he nodded, got up and pulled out the chair for Saori and Alice to leave that room and he himself sat in the middle chair to answer the reporters' countless questions.

Outside the hall, in a hallway, Aioria followed closely while she exchanged words with Alice, her voice serious and barely moved by all the noise of the reporters.

"Now I just have to be the Goddess Athena." It sounded like a lament.

"Before that we have to go to that party. And you better hide it a little better, otherwise everyone will see in your face that you don't want to go." Alice warned.