The grand hallways of the Moon Palace laid sprawled out before the couple walking down the hall. Her blonde hair and orange fuku stood out brilliantly in contrast to the dim lighting and the white and silver colors embedded in the marble designs. These halls that they currently patrolled had long since been forgotten by the Palace inhabitants, but not to this couple. They strolledleisurely towards their destination, for a few moments unhurried by Palace life. “Are you sure it’s worth it, Minako?” the silver haired man asked her as they walked arm in arm. His voice was firm and held a fatherly tone that she had long since become accustomed to.
“Yes, he is.”The resolve in her voice was as short as her answer.
“You’ve been remiss in some of your duties around here. I felt that as your Guardian I should be the one to talk to you before anyone else starts to notice.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Is he more important than your Princess?” He could see the pensive look on her face as she prepared to answer his question. “I am here as your confidante.”
This was a test. Everything was always a test. “No one is more important. I will guard her with my life.” The answer to that question had been embedded into her mind long ago when she had accepted her responsibility as the head guardian to the future heir of the Moon Kingdom.
“Then maybe you should end things with the Earthling soldier – the leader of the Shitennou as they are called. He poses as a risk to all that you have worked for. It’s time to move on.”
“I can’t move on,” her hand came to rest in front of her chest, her palm resting softly against the bow of her fuku. “He’s in here now. We made a promise to each other.”
“Please tell me that you haven’t been so foolish as to invoke your Venusian bond?” She slowly nodded her head while looking down at the ground ahead of her. “Does he understand what you have done?”
“I think so. It’s not something that I meant to do, it just happened between us. He said that he wanted it this way.”
“You will never be able to part yourself from him now. So I pose the question again – is he worth it?”
She stopped walking and turned to face the man in front of her. “He is worth my life.”
“Then it is done,” the man shook his head and they continued down the hallway in silence.
Venus continued to stare at the tall man sitting crossed legged in front of her. His straight silver hair fell midway down his chest, several pieces falling back over his shoulders. The lines on his face showed a mixture of concern and overall relief almost making him seem older than what his actual age must be. She could not remember having met this man but somehow knew that he was someone that she once loved strongly. Cautiously her fingers reached out and gently touched his face. She pulled back quickly upon realizing how solid and how real he was.
He gently cleared his throat before finally speaking again. “Hello, Minako.” A smile crept over his lips as he said her name.
“Why are you here?” she asked.
“Because you summoned me. I have been waiting for this moment.”
“Who are you?” her eyes studied his crystalline blue ones.
“I am your Guardian, Artemis.”
“You’ve been with me from the start haven’t you? I know I’ve felt your presence before, I just didn’t recognize it for what it was.”
“Yes, I have been with you since you were the magnificent Sailor V and for every battle since then. Even when I lost you to the Dark Kingdom I still stood by and waited till you were able to return to this life. I have been doing my best to protect you from their influence all along. That night when you were attacked in your sleep I was there to chase away the Dark force in the room. Jadeite almost caught me but I was quick to change into my Mau form.”
“Mau?”
“My other form is to appear as a white cat.”
“How did I summon you when I didn’t even know that I was looking for you?”
“I am here to help you find the Princess.”
“You know where she is?” her relief was evident upon hearing this news.
“No, I don’t know where she is, Minako,” he replied sadly. “But I’m here to help you find her.” Before I can tell you anything more I need to know that you are completely dedicated to her. Are you prepared to sacrifice all else to protect her identity?”
“Of course. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“You will have to let him go.”
“Kunzite? I can’t abandon him - I am the part of him that remains human. Without me he will fall completely under Beryl’s control and I will be forced to fight him again.”
“He is lost to you already, don’t you see this? You must choose, Minako – your enemy, or your Princess?”
“How do you ask the Goddess of Love to stop loving?” she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, slowly exhaling, thinking over her next words. When her eyes opened they were full of resolve. “I will not let go of my bond with Kunzite. It is far too embedded in me even if I wanted to.”
“You do not have a choice in this matter -.”
“You will not take him from me!” she shouted. “Our love has lasted through millenniums and will continue to do so. Now please, help me find my Princess.”
Artemis shook his head in defeat knowing that any further argument would be futile effort. “There is more to this situation than any of you understand. You have already fought this battle and won.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The Senshi fought Beryl and she was defeated by Serenity and the Silver Crystal. You and the other Senshi gave your powers – your essences – to her and in the end ultimately gave your lives. Serenity wished for a normal life for everyone, she wanted all of you to be granted the chance for happiness and her crystal did just that.”
“So Beryl can be defeated.”
“That’s not all, Minako; the story only begins from there. There have been other battles since. But first you will need to learn more about your transformation and only I can teach you. Please close your eyes and I will help you to access this power. Then and only then will you be able to find and rescue the Princess.”
“Then I suppose that I got here just on time,” Mars said announcing herself to the couple sitting on the floor. Venus spun her head quickly to face this new presence. “Burning Mandala!” The attack flew out and hit them before they could move or respond. Artemis held tightly onto Venus’s hand despite the force trying to push them apart.
“How did you find me?” Venus asked bringing herself to rest on one knee and ready to move in case of a second attack.
“It doesn’t matter how I got here, it only matters that I’m here now and our Queen wishes to have a word with you.”
“I don’t care what she wants – she won’t have me. I’m going to find a way to fix all of this, Rei, I’ll make it better.”
“Everything will be better once you have been dealt with. So will you come peacefully or do I have to bring you in by force? I do hope you say force.”
Mina smiled. “Then I’m glad that I won’t be disappointing you. Venus-,“ her wand appeared in her hand and she thrust it outwards. As she called upon her transformation Artemis reached out with his free hand and wrapped it around hers and the wand.
She stared in shock as he finished saying her transformation phrase, “Crystal Power.”
A glow started to form around her and she understood what he had done. “Make-up!” Her final words completed the transformation and her usual fuku had been changed. The sleeves of her top were now a gossamer material that hung loosely off her shoulders while the bow on the back of her skirt had become slimmer with the ribbon trailing down to reach her knees. Her feet that were once adorned in a pair of orange heels were now covered in a pair of white boots that rose to her knees. She looked to Artemis acknowledging that it was his power that allowed her to reach this transformation. “It wouldn’t be fair for me to fight you, Rei.”
Sailor Mars pulled back her arm and her flame sniper appeared with the arrow pointing directly at Sailor Venus. “I will bring you back with me, Minako. It’s just a matter of in how many pieces. Beryl never said anything about you needing to be alive.”
“I won’t fight you, Rei.” Venus squeezed tightly on Artemis’s hand and focused on her newly acquired powers. In the Silver Millennium she had been able to transport herself from one destination to another. Her previous weaker form did not have this power without the additional abilities granted to her by the Dark Kingdom. “This time I will walk away.” A golden glow faintly intermingled with silver, encompassed Venus and Artemis and they vanished from where they previously stood. Mars stomped her foot and released her arrow with a scream of frustration allowing it to impact against the bookcases by the balcony door. Objects flew off the shelves in different directions leaving the room in disarray. Knowing that she could not return as a failure, Mars teleported herself from Kai’s apartment determined to search the city for the missing girl and her companion. As she moved about, she contemplated where Venus could have disappeared to. There was no real way to find her at this point, although Beryl and Kunzite seemed to have an easy enough time. Unfortunately she couldn’t ask Beryl and Kunzite would take her confession as a sign of weakness. She refused to acknowledge his rank or his presence anymore than she needed to. There was something about him that she instinctively resisted against and try as she might she couldn’t bring herself to understand exactly why. Some things, she debated herself, must be unconsciously deep rooted. She vowed to herself that he would not have the pleasure of watching her fail nor would she take the fall for Jadeite’s disappearance. His cold stare would not pierce through her leaving her to feel as unnerved as the others around her, she was stronger than that and she would prove it by capturing his “Princess” and offering her as a gift to their Queen.
He watched her from across the room, admiring how gracefully she moved as she walked alongside of her Princess. The man wanted nothing more than to fade into the background and continue to observe her, but his Shitennou uniform would never allow him that. He wore his uniform proudly as it was a badge of honor to him to have achieved his rank at such a young age. At times he would think to himself abouthow Kunzite, as strong and magnificent as he was, did not obtain his position until he was 19 – 2 years older than Zoicite’s current age. It was fate that delivered all of them to their current lives, but he hoped that somehow it was something even more that brought him to this present status at his age. Otherwise, he thought, he may have never met the beautiful Mercurian Princess. She was everything that he could have dreamed of, yet she seemed to be so unobtainable to him. Her soft melodious voice carried over to him as she spoke with her Princess and he continued to admire how her inky dark hair contrasted beautifully against her pale skin. She looked over her shoulder to notice him staring and smiled before returning her full attention back to Serenity. His cheeks became tinged with pink as he turned away trying to make himself look less obvious. Surely she knew how he felt even if he was too afraid to vocalize his feelings. She was his first love and his only love.
Zoicite entered the room to find Ami standing by the sliding doors of the bedrooms balcony watching as the rain fell in the city around her. She seemed serene standing there and he knew that she was absorbing the moisture of the air around her – this rain only serving to enhance her element and making her appear even lovelier in his eyes. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder as he moved to stand next her. Her eyes looked up at him with a mixture of emotions and he found himself even more entranced by her beauty. There was something in her features, a softness maybe that gave her a tranquil and innocent look that none of the other Senshi could compare to. Her inky dark hair fell to her shoulders in soft waves and he resisted the urge to touch it knowing that she might not approve of his intimate gesture. She wore a light blue sundress that only further enhanced her delicate appearance. He smiled at how short she seemed next to him. Having always been the shortest among the Shitennou (if one could call 5’9 short, although compared to Kunzite’s 6’2 one probably could) it was not very often that he had the opportunity to stand out. He started to wonder if maybe he had been staring at her for too long when she smiled reassuringly at him. She reached her hand up slowly and tangled her fingers within the ends of his long hair.
“I had almost forgotten how long your hair used to be. In this life you always kept it so short that it made you look so much like Jadeite.”
Her voice was melodious to his ears so he paused waiting for her to say more and felt disappointment when she did not. “Maybe something inside of me was rebelling against my past life.”
“I can understand that.”
“Do you hate me for the way I hurt you?” he blurted out quickly.
She tilted her head and studied his face. “I could never hate you. You did what you needed to do.”
“Why did you come to me in disguise? Did you choose me or were you assigned me?”
“I don’t really know,” she looked back outside, listening as the thunder slowly started rumbling in the distance. The dark clouds overhead glowed in spots as the lightning fought to break through to the surface. Again she turned back to him and several moments passed before she spoke. “Maybe both. Mars insisted that she wanted Jadeite and none of us had any reason to deny her request. For some reason we were never given the opportunity to engage Kunzite and I don’t know if it’s because Beryl had plans for him or because he was maybe too powerful.” She paused and listened to the thunder’s continued rumbling. The rain seemed to pick up slightly in intensity as if it were competing for his attention. “Venus always scared me. There was something about her that I – I can’t explain. She was fierce for sure and her powers were amazing to behold like she were somehow enhanced. Beryl kept her close, rarely letting her be involved in her plans and Venus didn’t mind pretending to be herself in the off time – at least that’s what I always thought.” A bolt of lightning danced across the sky and the wind gushed forward sending a blast of water against the glass obstructing their view. “At times I wondered if Beryl feared her.”
“And Jupiter?”
“She wanted to come after you; she thought that you would be an easy prey for her.”
“So what happened?”
“I don’t know. I wanted to protect the both of you, instinctively I think I reacted before any rational thoughts could be made and somehow I found myself with you.”
“You blended in perfectly.”
“I crossed the line.”
“How?”
“I was only supposed to watch you. You were too close to Endymion and Kunzite, I risked exposing myself.”
“But you did expose yourself that day at the University. I’m sure Mamoru knew who you were – even though I didn’t.”
“She was afraid. Endymion told my Princess that he would awaken you and she ordered me to stop the three of you from being together. I was thankful that he didn’t want to make a scene with all of those people around.”
“Were you or are you?”
“I don’t think I truly was at the time, no.” She shook her head and didn’t seem to acknowledge the increasing sound of the approaching storm. “So maybe I should be asking you if you hate me for deceiving you.”
“I’m willing to let you make it up to me,” he teased her.
“We’re not going to be alone for much longer,” her eyes continued to watch the weather battle in front of her.
“Jadeite is out cold, I don’t think he’d notice a parade coming through here,” he cast his eyes back to his fellow Shitennou who was sleeping deeply on the bed behind them.
“It’s the approaching storm I’m worried about.” She walked over to the bed and sat on the edge placing her hand on Jadeite’s forehead, then cheek, before returning it to her lap. “We need to get him somewhere safe. We’re about to be found.”
Zoicite watched her movements and felt a pang of jealousy as she touched the other man’s face. It should be him that she was standing by and it should have been him that she touched, but now everything changed and they would never share in that intimacy he craved from her.
Mamoru walked into the room and leaned against the doorway. “You’re right, we do need to leave.”
“What’s going on?” Zoicite asked.
“I felt a powerful disturbance just now and I’m sure it came from Venus. She’s disappeared and I have a feeling that we’re next. The Dark Kingdom must be making its move now that their numbers are dwindling.”
Ami rose from the bed and stood near Zoicite again. “Of that I have no doubt. Go where you are safe and I will hold them off.”
Zoicite whipped his head to look over at Ami. “I’m not leaving you here by yourself. I’ll stand and fight with you.”
“If they catch you, they will turn you.”
“They’re not going to do that.”
Mamoru cleared his throat. “She’s right, that’s exactly what they are hoping for. You have to come with me.”
“You would leave Ami here after she risked her life to help you?”
“She needs to do this for herself.”
“Please, Zoicite,” Ami interrupted, “he’s right, I have to do this. Mercury Power!” A blue light enveloped her body and when it dissipated she stood in her blue and white fuku. “I had forgotten how it felt to wear this uniform,” she looked down at herself carefully crossing her arms against her chest, then back up to the other men in the room. “I missed it. Now go before it’s too late.” With a weak smile she walked to the balcony and opened the door stepping out into the rain. She climbed onto the railing and Zoicite’s breath caught as he watched her stand there for a moment with the elements around her and the wind blowing fiercely, ruffling the skirt of her fuku. Then, in a blink she was gone.
Mamoru transformed into his Prince form and walked over to lift Jadeite over his shoulder, grunting under the extra weight. Zoicite stood transfixed staring at the window. “Are you ready?”
“I’m just saying my goodbyes,” he muttered to himself.
Endymion’s golden crystal started to glow and in a flash he and Jadeite disappeared. Zoicite tore his eyes away from the balcony and transported away from Mamoru’s apartment.
“You’re not as fierce as you would like me to believe,” the man with the long auburn hair taunted her.
“Are you challenging me to another round?” she responded pulling her long hair into her preferred ponytail.
“I’m always looking for a new opponent,” he answered back slowly circling her and finally coming to a stop on her right side, just slightly behind her.
“Do you feel the way that your leader does about women as soldiers?” her voice rose slightly in pitch.
“He has his own issues with women that the rest of us choose not to get involved in. I, on the other hand, am an admirer of women.” He stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, still standing behind her. “When I see you, I see all of you. You are a soldier, it’s written clearly in your eyes. But underneath that you are still a woman who wants to be appreciated for her beauty.”
“Is that what you see?” she laughed.
“I want to see more of you Makoto,” he whispered in her ear, gently placing a kiss by her earlobe. His words caused her to stop laughing and to turn her head to look back at him. Her emerald eyes were wide as she watched the smile spread over his face like a Cheshire cat“A lot more.”
She could feel her heart beating strongly in her chest and could do little more than nod her head dumbly as she was caught in the depths of his eyes.
Mercury stood on the roof of Mamoru’s building watching the sky. The lightning flashed in all directions with thunder claps constantly sounding off and echoing around her. She closed her eyes ignoring the rain pelting against her and then suddenly sprang from her perch to the next roof. Lightning struck the ground where she previously stood leaving a smoldering charred area in her wake. Quickly she bounded over to the next building and then onto the fire escape. Wasting no time she hopped to a lower level of the fire escape on the next building and then back again until she was able to land on the ground. She took off running down the alley and into the safety of the nearby park. The storm had chased away the crowds and she found herself alone in the clearing. All the better she thought as she crouched down falling back on one knee, her fingertips spread wide on the muddy ground beneath her. Several minutes passed without her moving yet she continued to wait until she was finally met with a familiar face.
“Mercury.” More thunder rumbled.
“Jupiter.” Lightning flashed as the rain continued to pick up in intensity.
“This is an impressive show that you put on,” she gestured to the weather around her.
“I could say the same for you.” A bright bolt of lightning flashed illuminating both opponents before fading again. “I suppose we should do this and get it over with now.”
“You’re not going to ask for forgiveness?” Jupiter taunted.
“No.” Mercury replied with little interest.
“I’m surprised. I would have thought something like that was above you. It’s a shame that it will be your final act.”
“Would you like to make the first move or should I?” Mercury asked.
“Coconut Cyclone!” The attack flew at Mercury and she braced herself, letting the attack hit her full on. “Fight back.”
“I am.”
“Where’s your little computer, Mercury?” Jupiter asked sarcastically. “Don’t you want to analyze my attack? See where the next one is coming from?”
“I’m not worried about that Jupiter.”
Jupiter squinted her eyes in annoyance at Mercury’s responses. She would not fight nor would she respond to words. “Then maybe you should be worried about Zoicite. He’s next on my list you know.”
“Is he now?” Ami smiled softly though her concentration still seemed to be elsewhere.
“Flower Hurricane!” The attack brutally hit Mercury and she grimaced at the barrage from the assault.
“Shabon Spray,” Mercury whispered softly and the air began to fill with a thick mist.
“You think that’s going to stop me?!” Jupiter shouted. “Sparkling Wide Pressure!” the lightning formed into a ball in her hand and she prepared to launch it at her opponent, unfortunately she would never have the chance to release it.
“No, Jupiter, but this will.” In Jupiter’s haste she failed to notice that the wet ground around her had become a field of ice. At Mercury’s command the ice quickly closed in on Jupiter and encased her body up to her chest, the moisture in the air only serving to thicken the coat of ice. Her outstretched arms still contained the lightning attack which finally exploded under the pressure and spread over her body, the dampness from the ice acting as a conductor for the electricity. Jupiter cried out in pain as the attack shocked her repeatedly until the ice finally shattered around her. A brilliant flash surrounded her as the lightning was allowed to release itself back into the atmosphere. The rumbling of thunder started to fade and with one last flicker of lightning the storm had dissipated leaving only the pouring rain to fall down on the rain soaked Senshi and the brilliant emerald stone across from her. Mercury finally stood from her kneeling position and crossed over to pick up the emerald, oblivious to her own injuries. The rain began to subside into nothing more than a slow drizzle and Mercury sobbed quietly while clutching the stone to her chest.
“This is your victory, Mercury, I can’t imagine why you would be crying instead of celebrating,” a masculine voice was heard behind her.
“A short lived victory I imagine,” she replied identifying the voice without turning to confirm his identity.
“I warned her about brazenly attacking you like this, but she never listens. Marvelous bravado, but not much else. Personally I thought the storm was a little much – it took away the element of surprise. I guess she thought you to be an easy enough target. How ingenious of you though risking the battle to form that ice field around her. It’s a shame that now you’re going to die on it as well.”
“Do as you must Nephrite, but I am a part of something so much bigger now. Would you like to see for yourself?”
“Are you stalling for time again? Do you think I will fall for your ice tricks? My dear,” he unsheathed his sword, “I have a much more effective way of dealing with you. Experience has taught me to take the direct approach – Kunzite would be so proud.”
“Then all I ask of you is to take this stone and return it to my Princess,” Mercury turned to face Nephrite with her hand outstretched, the emerald shining in her palm.
Nephrite smiled wantonly as he reached out and grabbed the stone from her hand. As his fingers closed around the Emerald she grabbed his hand and a green light began to emanate from the stone. Mercury’s eyes widened at in astonishment but then gasped as the glow began to fade and the precious gem became nothing more than a dull earthen tone. Nephrite’s hand closed around the emerald tightly and he raised the sword to Mercury ready to strike her down. She stood there with her eyes closed offering no defense to avoid his killing blow. “Pathetic,” he spat and swung the blade down. It stopped inches from her neck as he suddenly gasped and a trickle of blood began to flow from the corner of his mouth. Mercury opened her eyes to see several ice shards protruding through his chest. Most had been strategically thrown to hit his vital organs and she could hear the sound of the man in front of her drowning in his own blood as his lungs filled with the sticky fluid. He dropped to his knees, still grasping the sword tightly in his hand. With the smile of a mad man he fell face down at her feet, a small circle of blood drifting towards her blue boots. Zoicite stood behind the now fallen man with a mixed look of fury and disgust in his eyes, so much so that she hardly recognized his face as she was intently staring at him. A black glow (if it could be described as that) overtook Nephrite’s body and when it faded there was only a green jade stone to mark his existence along side of the emerald he had been clutching only seconds earlier. Zoicite approached Mercury and stopped to pick up both stones, carefully looking them over before placing them in his pocket.
“You’re here,” she said astonished.
“I couldn’t leave you to fight this on your own,” he reached for her hand and held it tightly between his own.
“What about Endymion?”
“He understands that I needed to do this.”
“I don’t know what to do now. I killed one of my own, how can I ever ask my Princess for her forgiveness?”
“The same way that one day I will ask my Prince for his.”
“I’m not sure where to go from here. Beryl will come after me. She knows what I did.”
“And I will forever be in your debt for doing so.” She stared at his hands remaining silent. “Ami, I never had the chance to tell you how I -.”
She shook her head effectively silencing him. “I know. Now that I am free of Beryl I’ve been able to restore some of my memories.”
“Good.” He smiled at her. “If we stay together we can protect each other.”
“And where do we go in the meantime?” she asked, her eyes meeting his.
“We keep moving.” He could see the battle raging in her eyes and he wished that he had the words to comfort her. Endymion never purged her of the Dark Kingdom’s influence with his Golden Crystal as he had Venus. Mercury had been altered by his healing powers and that had been enough to make her understand her past. How much she knew he wasn’t certain and probably never would be. She still harbored that dark side to her along with the powers she had been granted by Beryl. What he wondered was how Endymion knew that she would help him? Or was he lucky that she had been so willing? Zoicite found himself amazed at how Endymion seemed to be moving them around like pieces on a chess board and bluffing through his moves like he would in a game of poker. Did he really have this planned out or was he risking all of their lives for this Princess that he loved a lifetime ago? “I’m not going to fight this battle without you,” he murmured leaning in to kiss the corner of nose and resting their foreheads against each others. His arms enclosed her pressing her delicate body against his and he transported them away. Slowly the clouds overhead started to clear and the light drizzle faded as the sun began to shine through, triumphing as the battle between gods came to an end.
“I’m not apologizing,” Jadeite crossed his arms stubbornly as he sat in an opposing chair across from the Martian Princess.
“I wouldn’t expect you to,” she countered.
“Then why have you asked for this private meeting?” His hand gestured widely as if trying to show the importance of being asked to her room. Despite the light shining through the windows, the room still had a dark appearances – this was mostly accentuated by the dark maroon colors that decorated her bed and even covered the seats they were currently occupying. Under normal circumstances the room would have a very alluring appearance, but Jadeite’s frustration blocked out any other thoughts than those immediately at hand.
“Because you are leaving soon.”
“I thought there were rules against you Senshi having male visitors in your bedrooms.”
Rei hesitated before answering. “Not completely. The Moon Princess may not have anyone in her rooms save for her Guardians. Us Senshi on the other hand are permitted to do as we choose as long as we are not….flagrant in our actions.”
“And what about the ban on us?” he gestured to the both of them with his free hand.
“I still don’t care about what your Kunzite has to say. I don’t answer to him.”
“What do you want from me, Rei?” he asked standing from his seat. “You hold me at a distance but when I am ready to give up you pull me back in.”
“It’s not that simple Jadeite.”
“That’s not my name really.”
“It’s not?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.
“No. Much like the Senshi these are our official names.”
“Am I the only one to not know about this?”
“You are the only one to know about this. None of the others have shared this with the other Senshi.”
“Then why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I want to be with you Rei.” He walked over and kneeled in front of her, holding both of her hands in his. “From the moment I met you I’ve had these feelings, but I’m not sure if I should pursue them any further. It’s up to you Rei, what should I do?” His blue eyes had softened yet still held a sense of urgency and intensity as he watched her.
“I’m not ready to let you go, but I can’t accept us. I made a promise that my Princess would be the only one in my heart.”
“It seems like that promise has already been broken.” He leaned forward and gently kissed her. “We’re not doing anything wrong despite your sense of duty.”
She looked at him with her dark eyes and mentally fought with herself over her next action. How could she let him go? Although how could she break her promise to her Princess? The reasons in her head battled back and forth and she finally decided to silence the voices by leaning forward to capture his face in her hands and kiss him passionately. He pulled her towards him, sweeping her to her feet and then deftly back off of them and into his arms. She ignored the voice of reason in her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, not allowing either of them to break the kiss. He carried her over to her bed and gently laid her down, resting himself on top of her. “Jadeite….” Her voice trailed off.
“No, don’t call me that. Not while we’re here, not when we’re like this.” He whispered into her ear and her eyes widened.
“That’s your name?” she asked breathily.
He nodded his head in the affirmative and captured her lips in another searing kiss, allowing his fingers to become entangled in the dark strands of her hair.
Jadeite awoke hours later to find himself in a room he didn’t recognize and wearing only a pair of sweatpants. Although after the past couple of days he was starting to become accustomed to this constant change. He rubbed his eyes and sat up looking around trying to find anything familiar about his surroundings. The smell of the ocean drifted into his nostrils and he looked over to sliding glass door that had been left open, a light breeze carried in the scent of salt water. Cautiously he stepped out of bed, his legs still feeling weak but holding his weight all the same. He walked over to the door and out onto the balcony to notice that the sun had started to set. A lone figure sat on the sand and Jadeite recognized him to be Endymion. Slowly he walked out the door and down the beach to sit next to his Prince.
Mamoru looked over at him and then leaned back to rest his weight on his arms. “You snore like a wildebeest.”
“I think I earned it.”
“I’m sorry for what happened to you, Jadeite. I thought I’d be able to get to you sooner.”
“What happened to Rei?” Jadeite’s voice was soft and he sounded concerned.
“Rei?” Mamoru asked.
“Mars. She saved me, I wanted to thank her.”
Mamoru sighed and shook his head, continuing to look out over the ocean. The waves roared as they rolled inland and crashed against the sand, dissipating back into harmless swirls. The sky had been overcast earlier, but now the sun had begun to break through the clouds warming the beach. “She didn’t save you.”
“She came to me and teleported us out of the Dark Kingdom. When I came to she was sitting with me. I don’t believe that she would have abandoned me now.”
“That was Mercury that rescued you, not Mars.”
“I was sure that I saw her….” His voice trailed off.
“I’m sorry Jadeite, she is still under Beryl’s control. You must have been dreaming.”
“So where is Mercury now?”
“Gone. She had her own battle to fight.”
“And Zoicite?”
“He ran off to save her.”
“He always was trying to be a hero. So what have I missed?”
“Mina’s gone.”
“You lost her too?” He raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“Kunzite took her and that was the last that she was seen. I’m getting concerned about her, she’s been gone for a while now and I can’t locate her.”
“I hadn’t realized that she came equipped with a GPS.”
Mamoru couldn’t help but to laugh at Jadeite’s comment. “Something like that.”
“So then Kunzite is….?”
“Still under Beryl’s control.”
“So he and Mina are….?”
“Dancing a fine line between their loyalty to each other and the need to kill one another.”
“That leaves us with the dynamic duo of Jupiter and Nephrite.”
“Nephrite is gone. I don’t know what happened to him but I can sense the loss of him. If I had been quicker to find him than maybe I would have been able to help him.”
“That leaves you and me then. Where do we start?”
“We need the Silver Crystal. It’s the only way to save Serenity from Beryl.”
“Then we start looking.”
Mamoru scooped up a handful of sand and watched intently as the grains slipped though his fingers. “Maybe we need to work on rescuing Serenity first. She must have the Silver Crystal but doesn’t know it. I’m not sure what shape it would have taken, it could look like anything.”
“Between the two of us I’m sure we can figure something out. I just want my rematch against Kunzite.”
“You’re going to have to get in line behind Mina.”
“I thought she was gone.” Jadeite frowned.
“Where ever one of them is the other is never far behind.”
“So just to clarify, we need the Silver Crystal to save Serenity, but to get the silver crystal we have to capture Serenity, but before we can do that we need to fight Kunzite who can’t be found without Mina who just plain can’t be found.”
“It’s a vicious circle. My plan for now is to lay low and wait until you’re ready to fight again.”
“I’m fine.”
“You could barely walk the distance from the door to here. Trust me on this one Jadeite. I have a feeling about this that waiting is the best plan of action.”
“So where is here anyway?” Jadeite asked looking around.
“My beach house. I’ve been meaning to sell this property for some time now. I guess it’s fortunate that I held on to it.”
“Should we be concerned about your neighbors?”
“Not really. The house down there is vacant most of the year,” he pointed to his left where a pale blue house sat about a quarter of a mile down the beach. “And that house,” he pointed to his right where a tan stucco house with a pink tinge rested about an equal distance away, “is inhabited by some young girl. She mostly keeps to herself so I wouldn’t be concerned about her coming over here anytime soon.”
“Duly noted,” Jadeite chuckled. He sighed and laid down on the warm sand with his hands folded behind his head. “So how long are we going to work on this waiting thing?”
“For as long as it takes.” Endymion watched as another handful of sand slipped through his fingers. Once his palm was empty he clapped his hands together trying to get rid of the remaining grains embedded in his skin. “I’m going to make some lunch. Are you coming in?”
“I’m going to stay out here for a while longer. I missed the sun.” Jadeite allowed his eyes to close and reveled in the feeling of the warm sun against the bare skin of his chest. Endymion cast him one last glance before retreating back into the house.
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“Artemis?” Venus asked nervously. “What did I do?”
“What were you thinking of when you transported us?”
“I thought that I wanted to go someplace safe. That I wanted to find my Princess.”
Artemis squeezed her hand reassuringly and pulled her forward down the stone path. All around her buildings lay in ruin; most of the remaining marble fixtures were buried in dust. “You’re on the Moon, Minako. You brought us back here.”
“Is there we will find her?”
“It’s not that simple. The crystal was fragmented and you need to reassemble it. One of the pieces is in you.”
Venus’s hand flew over her chest as she frowned. “I don’t understand. How could I be in possession of the crystal? I thought it could only be used by the Queen or the direct descendant of.”
Artemis sighed and shook his head, his silver hair flowing over his shoulders with the motion. “I don’t know why you do Minako, but you do. It’s why you were able to be released from Beryl’s control. It’s the reason that you are so powerful now. Your powers as a Senshi are drawing off the Crystal.”
“Is that why I was Sailor V? Because of the Crystal?”
“No,” he answered shaking his head again. “That was a different lifetime for you. You have to understand that the time that passed since then was not spent in the Dark Kingdom. I know it’s hard to grasp after everything but you died fighting the Dark Kingdom. You were brought back by Serenity’s wish and the silver crystal. My best guess is that something went wrong when she tried to bring everyone back and she split the crystal trying to keep it safe.”
“Endymion has the other piece,” Venus answered clenching her fist.
“Why would you assume him? He doesn’t have the Senshi powers nor the Millennium blood to power the Crystal.”
“But he does, Artemis. His Golden Crystal is a match to her Silver Crystal. She left it in his trust and I’m willing to bet that he’s been drawing on the power of the Crystal too whether he realizes it or not. It all makes sense now. It’s how the Dark Kingdom is able to find me – every time I activate the Crystal I’m acting as a beacon for them.”
“It would serve to make sense I suppose.”
“So how do I extract the pieces of the Crystal from us?”
It was Artemis’s turn to frown as he released her hand and continued to walk. “I don’t know if you can. Somewhere out there the Princess must have a mortal body. Maybe if you could find her and bring her in contact with both you and Endymion the Crystal would activate itself.”
“Maybe….” Venus’s voice drifted off and she wandered off the stone path over to a pile of ruins. “Artemis?” She asked softly. “Why don’t I remember my life prior to all of this? I remember pieces from the Silver Millennium but nothing after that. Where did those 6 years go?”
Artemis followed after her and embraced her, bringing her body against his. “We shouldn’t be here, Mina. Let’s go.”
“You’re right. I need to speak with Endymion. How will I find him?”
“Focus on the crystal and it will help you to find him.”
Venus closed her eyes and the familiar golden glow surrounded them. As she focused on her destination silver threads began to intermingle with the gold weaving around their bodies. With a bright flash they vanished from the moon and its desolate landscape. Not far from where they once stood overlooked the field where Venus and Kunzite had fought back in the days of the Silver Millennium. There was nothing to mark this grave site, nor anything to indicate the battle that had been fought there save for the Senshi of Time whose sole responsibility was to remember as she stood guard at her gate.
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Kunzite hovered over the roof of the neighboring building so that he could continue to watch through the glass door of the balcony into his apartment. Mina stood frozen where he left her and somehow he felt remorse for having left her alone. It needed to be done though, she had to find the Princess and deliver the Silver Crystal. As he stood there alone he could feel a familiar set of eyes on him and he growled in response. This was not the time for him to deal with Danburite’s foolishness.
“Is there anywhere I can go that you will not? Or do you plan to follow me around like a lost puppy while I clean up your messes?” he asked out loud waiting for Danburite to make his appearance known.
Without fail Danburite appeared next to him. “I’m on a mission for Beryl. But I thought that I would drop in and see how my blonde acquaintance was doing. It seems that your fascination with her may be distracting you from fulfilling your duties.”
“Did I not make myself clear to stay away from her?” Kunzite asked with annoyance evident in his voice. “I have plans of my own that I do not need you to interfere with.” He turned to face Danburite, who hovered next to him, his arms crossed with an air of arrogance.
“Your plans seem to be causing distress to my Queen.”
“Your Queen’s plans have not been successful. Now it’s my turn to shape our destiny.”
“Are we to blindly trust you when you show no regard for anyone around you?”
“I have had success while all any of you have had is failure.”
“I see. Then I suppose I’m wrong to be suspicious of your actions. You come and go as you please while fraternizing with our enemy. Although I suspect it’s more than just fraternization that you have planned for her.” Danburite smiled smugly. “When we are done here you will need to kill her.”
“I will do as I please with her. You will stop making it a concern of yours.”
“Another order I suppose….” His voice trailed off as a flash of light caught his eye. As the glow faded he could see another aftershock of color and he wondered if Mars had been successful in her attack. “Was this part of your plan? To have her disappear under your nose?” he nodded his head towards the now empty apartment.
“Danburite, when she returns I will find her. And I can assure you that she will deliver to me the Silver Crystal when she does.” Kunzite teleported away and Danburite quickly followed eager to see where the other man was now headed. If Mina did return with Kunzite’s prize, Danburite wanted to be sure to intercept her. As quickly as they vanished from sight, Sailor Mars appeared on the opposing roof, anger evident in her pose.
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Kunzite returned to the Dark Kingdom and stood in the study. Several monitors lined the back wall with different images displayed on them. He walked over to a plush chair and swept his cape to the side before sitting down in one swift motion giving him a regal appearance. Despite knowing that what he was looking for would not be found on any of the monitors, he continued to watch anyway as different scenes played out before him. The people of the city were drab and boring in their daily lives. Their evolution had left them as simple beings with no more importance than that of a cockroach to him. His ears suddenly perked at the soft clicking of approaching footsteps. A set of cool hands rested on his shoulders behind him and he could feel the piercing of sharp nails as they dug into his skin through his uniform.
“Why have you been ignoring our Queen’s summons?” a cool voice asked.
“I’ve been busy.” His voice sounded disinterested and he only enforced that further by refusing to turn his eyes from the monitors in front of him.
“When I give you an order I expect you to obey,” the voice hissed into his ear and he could see the strands of blonde hair falling onto his lap from the corner of his eye.
“We’re alone now. Must we continue with this charade?”
“Charade?”
“I see you want avoid the question.”
“Where have you been, Kunzite?”
“Tying up some loose ends.”
“One of your brothers has been lost to us.”
“And which might that be?”
“Beryl sent Nephrite out to find you when you ignored her summons. It seems that something has happened to him that has caused him to be unable to return to us. I don’t suppose you know anything about this?” her hands unclenched from his shoulders and began to instead use her fingers to knead the muscles in his neck.
“Why would I know anything about this?”
Her hand brushed against his hair and pushed the strands behind his left ear. As she leaned over to speak into his ear, the remainder of the hair from her odango spilled into his lap. The golden color reminded him of his Minako and he resisted the urge to touch it by telling himself whose hands really rested on him now. “He thought that perhaps you had something to do with Jadeite’s escape.”
Kunzite laughed. “You had him trapped and yet you still managed to lose him? Is this what happens when I’m not around to supervise this kindergarten?”
“So then tell me what happened.”
“I’m not interested in what happened to Jadeite.”
“Then what about Nephrite?” she asked, walking around to sit on the edge of his chair with her legs seductively crossed, allowing him a generous glimpse of the length of her legs from her dark boots down to where the ends of her skirt rested.. “Maybe you are interested in what happened to him?”
“Not in the least.”
“He is your brother.”
“He is nothing to me.”
“Then what is it that you are interested in?”
“With finding the Silver Crystal as we’ve been ordered.”
“So then I can expect you to deliver it into my hands?” She crawled from her perch to sit on his lap. “I do enjoy receiving such delightful gifts.”
Kunzite smiled. “I will deliver it to our Queen myself.”
“But I would like it more.”
“I’m not interested in your wants,” he frowned at her.
“We could be so good together, Kunzite.”
“May we never find out,” he looked away from her and back up to the monitors.
“I could kill her,” her voice took on a harsh tone.
“And I could kill you.”
“I suppose it would make for an interesting game,” she laughed.
“You already have a loyal dog sniveling at your feet. Perhaps you should pursue his affections rather than mine. Now if you’re done….” he responded with annoyance hoping that she would understand his meaning.
“I’m not interested in Danburite, compared to you he is nothing,” she breathed into his ear. With a seductive smile she turned his cheek so that he faced her and kissed him.
Exasperated he pushed her off his lap and stood up from the seat, completely disinterested in the disheveled heap that she collapsed into. With one last look of disgust he peered down at her sitting on the stone floor and walked out of the room, his cape fluttering in his wake.
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A short while later Mamoru walked out onto the porch overlooking the ocean with a bowl of noodles and a pair of chopsticks in hand. His eyes skimmed the beach for Jadeite and he nearly dropped the bowl when he discovered him missing. Taking a deep breath he put the bowl and chopsticks on the glass patio table and walked out onto the sand where he last seen Jadeite. He knew that the other man couldn’t have gotten very far on his own and he doubted that anyone from the Dark Kingdom would have been able to find them so quickly. A feeling of dread started to wash over him despite his efforts to push it out of his mind. “Jad – er Joel!” Mamoru yelled, trying to correct himself from calling the wrong name. “Joel!” he yelled again. When there was still no sign of him Mamoru looked around in the sand for any sign of distress or a fight. What he found instead was a set of footprints leading away from his property and over towards tan stucco house next door. Mamoru groaned internally and wondered if Jadeite really would have wondered off to go and speak with this young girl. As he stood there debating whether or not it would be worth following the trail he noticed a lone figure emerging onto the beach from his neighbor’s house. Jadeite slowly crossed the distance back to Mamoru’s beach house. “What the hell were you thinking?!” Mamoru yelled louder than he intended.
“I wanted to make sure that your neighbor wasn’t going to be an issue.”
“And?”
“And she wasn’t home.”
“What were you thinking taking off like that?”
“I’m standing here now.” Jadeite spotted the bowl on the table and started walking up towards the balcony hoping that the contents were for him - Mamoru was quick to follow. He grabbed the bowl and the chopsticks and sat on one of the patio chairs practically inhaling the food. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” he mumbled with his mouth full. “Is there more?” Mamoru frowned and nodded his head. Jadeite continued to slurp his noodles as he got up and walked inside to get more.
Mamoru turned back towards the ocean and put his hands on the patio railing. He didn’t mean to be angry, but now that he was down to his last Shitennou he had to be more careful and taking unnecessary risks was no longer an option. In the center of his chest he could feel a tugging sensation and he perked up feeling Mina’s presence nearby. He quickly turned to find her and a tall silver haired man standing before him. For a moment he was taken aback by her appearance. “Mina,” he said softly, staring at her intently. “You’ve changed.”
“My uniform has changed to reflect my power.”
“No,” he couldn’t bring himself to stop looking at her. “It’s more than that. Your features are different.” He reached out and cupped her chin much to Artemis’s annoyance. However Mamoru didn’t seem to acknowledge his presence any longer. “You’re stunning. It’s almost like you reverted back into your old form, I’m not sure how else to describe it.” Mamoru let his hand drop and he stepped back trying to clear his head. He remembered Venus from the Silver Millennium along with the myriad of stories surrounding her. It was no surprise that men on Earth chose to worship her so whole heartedly. Her hair seemed to shimmer on its own and her blue eyes were a deeper shade of blue. Something in her facial features seemed to have changed as well giving her a more angelic appearance.
“We have some things to discuss, Endymion – alone if you don’t mind.”
“Of course,” he replied.
Venus looked over to Artemis and he nodded his head before turning and walking out onto the beach, leaving the couple alone. “As it turns out,” she started, “things are not as we originally thought.”
“How so?”
“I spoke with Kunzite. He told me some things about Serenity that we needed to know.”
“And you trust him?”
“It seems to make sense.”
“Who’s that that you’re with?”
“Artemis. He is my guardian from the Silver Millennium. I’ve learned a lot from him as well.” She paused trying to decide how best to tell her story. “The Serenity that you see now, that Sailor Moon, it’s not -. “ She stopped midsentence to consider what she would say next. “We are in possession of the Silver Crystal.”
“What do you mean?” his eyes narrowed skeptically.
“There is so much to say that I’m not sure where to start. We’ve fought this battle once before and we defeated Beryl. She’s no real threat to us. Artemis thinks that somehow in our last battle the Crystal split into several pieces for safe keeping. One piece is in me and I believe that the other is in you.”
“It would make sense. You and I have some connection to each other and I can’t understand any other reason for this to be so.”
“It’s because you can feel her in me, and I think my piece of the crystal in turn calls to you.”
“Where are the other pieces?”
“I’m not sure. My hope is that once we find Serenity she will be able to use the Crystal.”
“Find her?” Venus stared at Mamoru for a moment before turning away. She attempted to take several steps away but was restrained by him grabbing her arm. “What do you mean find her? Shouldn’t that have been ‘rescue’ her?”
“That’s what I meant.”
“What else do you know Mina?” he asked suspiciously.
“Nothing,” her voice was firm.
“I have trusted you throughout all of this; don’t hold back on me now.”
Venus could still hear Kunzite’s voice as he warned her not to share this secret with anyone else. If she told Endymion he would surely tell Jadeite and Zoicite, and if either of them were ever taken by Beryl then they may not have a chance to find the real Princess before their plans were revealed. Despite her instincts telling her to trust him she still held back. “I think we can deduce now that our powers are quite limitless. The more we use them the more powerful we will become. If we fight together we will defeat Beryl.”
“And Serenity?”
“We may be able to do this with or without her.”
Endymion frowned at her answer and pulled her in close to him so that they stood practically nose to nose. He spoke with his voice low to ensure that they would not be overheard. “I hope that your intentions here are meant for the better. If I find out that you have any thoughts of double crossing me then so help me I will deal with you in whichever way I see fit.”
“I can assure you that in a fight of me against you there would be one obvious victor whether you choose to accept that or not,” she replied with no less confidence that he had expressed.
They stared off against each other for several moments before Endymion finally broke the silence, his voice still low and calm. “I don’t know what happened to you or what Kunzite did to you, but I’m hoping that because you came here to share your information with me it means I can still trust you.”
“Kunzite didn’t hurt me; he wouldn’t ever do anything to harm me. He knows that Beryl is evil.”
“Just because he knows she’s evil doesn’t mean that he isn’t himself.”
“I trust him, Endymion.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Venus suddenly felt cool air swirl around her and she tensed sensing what would be coming. “I’m disappointed in you, Mina. I leave you alone for a few hours and now here you are in the arms of another man.”
She stepped back away from Endymion, although he still held her arm tightly within his grasp as though he were wary of Kunzite disappearing with her again. “How did you find us?” Mamoru asked Kunzite coolly.
“I can always find my Minako when I want her. She and I are bonded together – there is nowhere she can go that I can’t follow.” He turned his attention to Venus. “So have you figured it out yet?”
“Not yet,” she responded carefully.
“That’s a shame. I came here with a gift for you assuming that you would have put all the pieces together. ” He paused to sigh. “Although I suppose I could still share this with you anyway.” His hand reached under his cape and pulled out a small leather pouch, quickly tossing it to her. A slight smile appeared across his features as she caught it, eying up the item suspiciously. “You can open it.”
Endymion released her arm so that she could open the pouch. Four stones rolled out onto her palm and she gasped in recognition of what they were. “Did you do this?” her face paled as she spoke.
“It had to be done, Mina, I think you understand why. Mercury hardly put up a fight, I was rather disappointed. Zoicite on the other hand didn’t know when to back down or when to understand that the battle was lost.”
“And the other two?” Endymion asked angrily.
Kunzite laughed. “That was a surprising turn of events even for me. As it turns out your little Mercury was able to defeat Jupiter.”
“You killed two of your own, Kunzite,” Endymion spat.
“That’s where you are wrong. Zoicite killed Nephrite, I killed Zoicite. To me it seems like I was avenging one of my own. Now there is one more standing in your way. I think you understand,” he looked at Venus knowingly.
Her eyes remained fixated on the stones in her hands. An unnatural light seemed to radiate off of them keeping her mesmerized. Endymion’s hand fell on her shoulder bringing her attention back to her surroundings. She looked at Kunzite and back to the stones, sadness evident in her eyes. Movement from the beach caught her eye and she noticed Artemis in the distance with something in his arms. Realization dawned on her and she carefully put the stones back in the pouch before handing it to Endymion. “I can’t help you anymore, Endymion. Everything you need is here. Protect her.” Venus walked towards Kunzite and Mamoru’s hand dumbly fell off her shoulder, not understanding her words or this final sacrifice. She held Kunzite’s hand with both of her own and looked up at him. “Take me back with you. I want to be on the winning side.”
Kunzite chuckled at her admission of defeat and wrapped his arm around her, his cape draping itself over her shoulders. Mamoru finally found his voice to speak up before they could teleport away. “Minako.”
“The next time I see you, Endymion, you’re going to have to kill me.” She looked up to Kunzite and murmured, “Let’s go.” He happily obliged her by teleporting them away. Endymion continued to stare at where they once stood.
Jadeite opened the porch door and stepped out onto the patio, the same dazed look on his face from hearing the exchange. “I don’t understand what happened there. She shouldn’t have done that.”
Artemis approached them slowly but remained on the sandy portion of the beach rather than stepping onto the patio. “You don’t see it either do you?”
Endymion jerked his head to look over at Artemis. “She went back to him after she swore her loyalty to me.”
“You are blind then if you can’t see what is right in front of you.”
“Two of my loyal guards are now dead. I am certainly not blind to that.”
“Then perhaps I can explain. Although I think that there is someone you should meet first. This is my wife, Luna,” he held the cat in his arms forward. “I think she may be able to bring some clarity to our situation.”
Venus and Kunzite lay in his bed tangled in white sheets sans their clothing. Her arms were wrapped around his chest while her head rested on his shoulder. His arm rested against her back and he gently kissed the top of her head. “I want you to stay with me,” he mumbled into her hair.
“I want to stay with you, but I can’t,” she looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest. “You can return with me.”
“I can’t do that either,” he replied reaching out to run his fingers through her hair.
“You were right about us,” she said sadly. “We were better off as we were before. I don’t think I can be without you now that I’ve had you.”
“It wasn’t worth it?”
“No,” she answered quickly. “I would never do anything to take this moment back. It’s just hard to know that we can never be together. My responsibilities to Serenity are eternal. Even when my time as a Senshi has finally passed, you will have been long gone from this world.”
“I’ll never be gone, Minako.” His arms wrapped around her and he held her tightly. “I love you.”
Her eyes widened at his words and she quickly jumped up into a sitting position. “You do?”
He sat up leaning back on one arm and intertwining their fingers with his free hand. “I do. Should I not?” he chuckled.
“No! I just never thought that you would say those words.” She leaned forward wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him as they fell back against the bed. He rolled her so that he laid on top of her, tangling their bodies even more so in the linens. “I love you too,” she said breathily kissing him again.
His hands cupped her face, holding her close to him. Suddenly he felt a pang in his chest and for a moment felt dizzy as if the wind had been knocked out of him. He pulled back from her and looked into her eyes. “What just happened?”
“Now you will be eternal like I am.”
