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Golden

Shion had asked. That was enough. And it was not as if Mu distrusted the man walking alongside him - truthfully, Mu would trust his life to him.

However, there was a lingering awkwardness between them, and the silence as they walked was filled with a tension thick enough to cut.

"Mu?"

Mu didn't mean to tense, though he knew he momentarily had - looking into the one of the softest faces he'd ever seen didn't help. He wished for some way to shed the last lingering bits of anger and sadness that clung even though he knew that truly, this man was not the same wicked creature who had killed his beloved master.

"What is it?" Mu questioned. He wouldn't doubt Saga being well aware of his apprehension, but he dreaded admitting to it.

"This is awkward," Saga said softly.

Mu was stuck for words until he realized Saga was referring to his Cloth.

Mu frowned until he quickly realized that, of course, this would be the first time in well over fifteen years that Saga would have descended to the village as himself. And they were Gold Saints... The heroes of the town...

Perhaps, Mu wondered, this was why Shion had sent him along.

"No more awkward for you than I," Mu replied. Though he did think they were being a bit flamboyant, yes. There was no need for their Cloths. But he trusted Shion. Always.

Saga nodded and brushed his hair back with one hand.

"Mu?"

"Yes?" The breeze was more refreshing than anything, but Mu was momentarily grateful to have tied his hair back before they'd left.

"Nothing," Saga replied after a long moment. Mu didn't miss a little following sigh, but he saw no reason to push. Saga would speak when he was ready.

"We can either split up or..." Mu began, only to be met with that same soft, unsure look from Saga.

Mu couldn't help a little smile, just because there was a deep underlying irony to the situation.

"Or... we can stick together," Mu finished. "It's not a long list of things to take care of - correspondence from Master Shion to a couple of the village elders, and a bit of a shopping list."

All things Kiki could have done in half the time by himself, Mu noted silently. Oh, but he could now very clearly see the hidden agenda here. Saga hadn't left Sanctuary - really hadn't left his temple... And Shion was very aware of that.

Saga nodded. "It's just... I..." He sighed, again.

"You don't have to say it," Mu replied softly. "I won't say I can begin to understand, but... you don't have to say it."

"Thank you," Saga replied, quickly reaching to quickly rest a hand on Mu's shoulder. Mu knew Saga's smile was genuine and answered with one of his own.

No sooner had they stepped into town than they were swarmed by the village's residents. Gold Saints! What a fabulous day!

Mu managed to quickly deliver one sealed, wax-stamped letter due to the good fortune of spotting its recipient right away. And no sooner had he turned back to Saga than there was a wail through the crowd.

"You've returned!" A woman rushed along, a baby in her arms and tugging along a toddler. She very nearly threw herself at Saga's feet and though she looked familiar, it took Mu a long moment to remember her. He'd been quite young and he hadn't been there for the actual incident, but Aldebaran had told him about Saga rescuing a young girl from being trampled by a spooked horse and pointed her out a few days later. While not exactly the most impressive display of Saga's power, it was a moment that very clearly had stuck.

"Please, don't..." Saga reached to pull her up and ended up holding both her and her youngest while she wept against his chest.

Saga shot a look to Mu, but really, this was something that for Saga to handle on his own. Mu had plenty of curious villagers gathering around him and he was trying to inquire about where to purchase some of the more specific of the items on his list along with the whereabouts of the remaining recipients of Shion's letters.

"I'll visit more often," Saga managed, smoothing her hair with his fingers and handing the woman her baby back carefully before leaning to detach her eldest from his cape. Mu had missed the conversation in between, while trying to politely decline both an armful of flowers and a bag of carrots. He hadn't managed to dissuade either gift-giver, however -- and neither would go to waste.

"Thank you!" The woman's tears hadn't lessened, and Saga looked so... innocent while trying to comfort her. It was the same expression he'd seen so many years before... Mu almost froze. This was the same Saga. Pure. Innocent. Beloved.

There was little time for discussion between them until they'd left town. Already the sun was crossing the sky, though the cut flowers had not drooped an iota.

"Do you need a hand?" Mu questioned as they walked. Saga had insisted on carrying the bulk of their bounty and Mu felt a bit awkward about it.

"No," Saga replied. "I'm fine. That all was... more than I was expecting. That girl..."

"Mmm?" Mu honestly hadn't been sure if she'd come up or not.

"I saw her many times - as the Master. I wondered if she remembered me, but I couldn't ever say anything," Saga explained.

"Ah..."

"The last time I saw her, she was pregnant with her first," Saga said. "I'm... glad I saw her today. I'm glad I went."

Mu simply nodded. He was grateful for what he'd witnessed as well, and that Shion had known what they both needed.