The scenes from this chapter are taken from Episodes 37-38 of the PGSM Live Action.
Chapter 18 – DARK KINGDOM
Life in the Dark Kingdom was strange, to say the least. The food was... weird and there was no sun. It had been cold and dark all the time.
But there had been one advantage, at least. I was able to see the Shitennou without fighting at first sight. I did not need their gratitude for saving their lives, not that they were grateful (with perhaps the exception of Zoisite). I had wanted to find out what had happened in our previous lives and apparently, they knew everything, or at least Kunzite and Zoisite seemed to know some things.
I wanted to know what I did that brought on such opposite attitudes from the two of them towards me. If there was anything I needed to feel guilty about. How the planet had been destroyed. If there was anything I did that might have justified Kunzite trying to kill me. If there was any way I could prevent it from happening again in this lifetime, so that I would not endanger Usagi. So we could all break free – Usagi and I, the senshi, the Shitennou.
However the encounter had not enlightened me as to what had happened and only served to enhance Kunzite's hostility towards me. The memories he retained had embittered him. All he had on his mind was to destroy all, especially me.
"You are different from your past. But that doesn't change anything. So why don't you let me kill you, Master," he had sneered before unsheathing his sword.
A memory.
Kunzite teaching me sword fighting skills. Laughing together. Bantering with easy camaraderie.
"Master's sword should be one of survival. Our swords are the ones used to protect Master."
Comrades.
I had shaken off the memory as I prepared to defend myself against Kunzite once again. It had brought on an ache in my heart though. We had been friends. He had been my mentor, my protector. What had happened?
"The past... had been destroyed together with the planet," Kunzite had stated dispassionately, "I will kill everyone involved with this, including myself."
I looked into his eyes and had seen the barely concealed pain there, along with his determination.
Then he had struck, and everything else was forgotten as I moved to evade the slashes.
It was over before it barely began however, with the intervention of Mio.
Beryl had sent for me.
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One of the most momentous events that happened during my time in the Dark Kingdom was when Beryl brought me to Queen Metallia.
"At last, you are here! Do you know how long I've been waiting?"
Her tone was that of a possessive lover. I nearly snorted. I certainly hoped to gods that I had nothing to do with her in my past life.
"You won't understand. In our past lives, I had wished so much that you would be mine. At that time, you had everything – power, wealth, happiness, looks, everything I had wanted."
At least that had answered one of my questions. I certainly had not been hers in our past lives and that was why she wanted me in this lifetime.
It reminded me of a phrase I once heard: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
I must really remember not to cross women in the future.
I definitely had to try to dissuade her from this fixation on me, however, and so I had retorted, "That was the past. I'm just an ordinary human now."
She had ignored me though. Instead, she showed me Queen Metallia, a nebulous, glowing ball of energy positioned on the dais.
It was the most ominous-looking thing I had ever seen. I could feel the immense power. Icy prickles of dread crept along the back of my neck as I sensed the innate soulless evil.
"Look, Endymion! This is what has been giving me power since my past life - Queen Metallia! When she finally awakes, I will be able to control this planet!"
I was determined to stop her.
Her next words broke my resolve.
"I've been puzzled, Endymion. Why has Queen Metallia been getting stronger when we have not been feeding her energy? So strong that there has been demons being created spontaneously from this planet itself. Now I've realized. It's the princess! The one who has been affecting Queen Metallia... is the princess!"
I had stared at her uncomprehendingly.
It made no sense... until I remembered that day on the meadow. Princess Sailor Moon, wielding an enormous amount of power. Shock reverberated through my body.
It couldn't be... could it?
"Endymion! You must kill the princess! She will be the cause of destruction of this planet!"
It had been nightmarish. I shuddered, my head shaking violently in denial. No. No. No!
I could not believe it, but yet I had known it was true. Perhaps not in this lifetime. All of a sudden, I had known in my gut that the princess had something to do with the destruction of the planet in our past lives. I had experienced it with her, I felt sure of that.
It was as if a dam had been broken through. A gush of memories poured out and a particular memory resurfaced.
Myself, as Endymion, protecting Serenity from a fatal blow. Serenity crying as I died. Energy blasting forth from her. The planet destroyed. Both of us, dead.
Was that what truly had happened? I had been disbelieving, my mind in chaos.
Oblivious to or uncaring of my state of mind, Beryl had continued. "The princess has the same power as Queen Metallia, and so, if the princess continued to live, this planet will be annihilated once again! Before that, you will have to kill her! To this planet, the people of the Moon are harbingers of destruction!"
I felt like I had been punched in the gut. I could not breathe.
It had not been feasible for me to picture Usagi as the destroyer of the world though. Usagi, the loving girl, who cared for everyone, destroying the planet. Usagi, a threat. It is just not possible... is it?
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I had needed some time after that to recover from the blow that revelation had inflicted. My mind was reeling - a whirlpool of denial, desperation, and jumbled memories. I had wanted to flee the room, to get away from all I had learnt there, but my legs had been like lead. I could only stare at the burning ball of energy, yet my eyes did not see it. I did not even know when Beryl left.
All that we had believed in, all that I had believed in, had been turned upside down. I clenched my fists so tightly that the knuckles whitened with the strain. Thoughts raced through my mind and I tried to make sense of it all. It had been an impossible task. My mind could not quiet and kept going back to Usagi and the inevitable dilemma.
Is this our destiny? Would our love end up in the destruction of the planet once again?
My heart twisted painfully. A sense of hopelessness had descended upon me. I was unable to harm Usagi in the slightest, yet I could not let the planet be destroyed either. Desperation and despair clouded my thoughts.
I won't believe it. That's what I decided. That's why I returned. I swear... the planet will not be destroyed.
I had jerked involuntarily from my frozen stance.
That was what I had told Usagi when I first returned from London. It was what I had believed. Why should that be different now?
The agonizing fog clouding my brain dissipated and my mind cleared. There had been no dilemma after all. From the very beginning, I had resolved to protect Usagi and that included shielding her from her destiny. We would make our own destiny, I had been determined of that. I just had to find a way to make sure that the princess would not obliterate the planet again. A way that ensured Usagi's safety at the same time. Our past should not control our present lives. Usagi should not have to bear the burden of her past life's doings.
Turning on my heel, I had walked purposefully to the opening of the cave I was in, determined to find a way, when Kunzite strode in. There was a look of fierce determination on his face and in a fluid movement, he had drawn his sword.
In that split second, I realized what I could do to help Usagi.
And Kunzite was going to help me accomplish that.
Straightening, I prepared to meet his challenge.
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