The scenes from this chapter are taken from Episodes 44-46 of the PGSM Live Action.
Chapter 22 SACRIFICE
As soon as I got back to the Dark Kingdom, I collapsed from the sheer agony of the sensation rippling through my chest. At least Zoisite had been there to help me to the bed.
"Master... why don't you at least pretend to obey Beryl? At this rate, your life..." he could not go on. I knew he was frustrated with me, perhaps even disappointed in me, and I felt that I had let him down in a way. But there were some things I could not give in to. It had not taken long for me to black out from the extreme pain.
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When I next woke, the pain was not totally gone but it had lessened and I was able to concentrate on things other than the pain. That had been when I felt Kunzite's disappearance from the Dark Kingdom.
Ever since I went to the Dark Kingdom, combined with the return of some of my memories from our previous lives, my bond with the Shitennou had strengthened. That bond was tainted with Beryl's corrupting influence over the Shitennou, but I could feel their life force and mostly knew where they were. It was similar to the link I shared with Usagi. Nephrite's presence had disappeared since the day Beryl had forced him to commit suicide. And at that moment, Kunzite's presence had felt very far away, certainly not in the vicinity of the Dark Kingdom.
Zoisite confirmed that fact when he entered my room.
"Kunzite has decided to break away from Beryl's control," he explained to me.
I hazarded a reason. "To take revenge on me?"
"Kunzite had borne too much in these two lives that we had led. He had suffered terribly. This time, let me follow Master instead."
There had been a strange inflection to his tone, as if he were hiding something from me, but I was not about to make him tell me if he didn't want to. Instead, there were things I wanted to let him know.
"Zoisite, I did not honour Beryl's bargain with me and returned late. You must be disappointed in me."
"No. My only wish is that Master treasures his own life." I had only felt guiltier. He was only thinking about my safety but I could not even assure him of that. I would still make the same choice even if I had another chance. I owed him a rationale for my actions.
"Zoisite. I know you only want the best for me, but certain things are just too important. If there's something that's worth sacrificing your life for, then perhaps your life may not be your priority after all." I had hoped that he could understand. "Of course, I don't want to die. But there is nothing else that I care for as much as certain people. That's why I'm here in the first place." Because Zoisite, you're one of them.
"You also have some things that you're willing to sacrifice for, don't you? I appealed to him, "So, you shouldn't give up too, Zoisite!"
I had gotten through to him, more than I knew at that time. He left my room, looking thoughtful. I did not realized then that he had made a bargain with Beryl, to kill Usagi in exchange for my life and had sent youmas after Usagi. After listening to me though, he realized what was most important to me, and left to protect Usagi.
He never made it back.
The instant he died, I felt it. It had been as if a blunt dagger was sawing its way through my heart.
Master. No matter what happens, I will always stand on your side. Kunzite. Nephrite. Jadeite... Please return to Master's side once again.
I had heard his parting words before his presence disappeared and I could not feel him anymore. My throat constricted as I fought a losing battle to contain my grief. Zoisite. One of my Shitennou. My guard. My protector. My friend.
He was the only one of the Shitennou who had been loyal from start to the end. He had tried to protect me as much as he could, even when his own life had been at stake. And he had given up his life to protect my love, despite his antagonism towards Usagi, because he knew it was what I would have wanted. I owed him too much in both lives and it seemed that I would never have the chance to repay him.
Zoisite. My head dropped into my hands and I mourned for him.
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A few days later, I had gotten used to the more or less constant pain in my chest and began to plan my next line of action. Spotting the painting on the wall, I noted that the white smudge had expanded and had taken on the shape of a silhouette. I had a grim hunch that the silhouette would be me in a few days' time, at the rate that I had been feeling worse steadily. But I was not about to lose my life for nothing. I had felt Metallia's power growing exponentially the time I had been in the Dark Kingdom. If I had only days left, I wanted to bring Metallia down with me. I was not going to let her bring harm to Usagi or the Earth. And the painting had given me an idea.
If it works, I will have Metallia right where I want her.
It was then Mio had appeared in my room without warning again. But that time, she had brought someone else with her. She had kidnapped Hino Rei. Sailor Mars.
It was out of fun or perhaps sheer boredom. But it had let me know how Usagi was doing.
"She's doing what you told her to. She's smiling... forcing herself to smile all the time," Rei had informed me in a grave tone.
My heart twisted into painful shapes.
"For Usagi's sake, let's both get out of here!" Rei was always the decisive one.
Mio had laughed as she made fun of Rei, no doubt having much entertainment at our expense, but I had learned to ignore her snipes by then.
"No," I replied her calmly, "I will stay here." I had my own reasons to stay in the first place and with my life ending in days, I had even more of a reason not to leave.
Rei had been furious. "There's no need for you to stay in this house made up of past life's ghosts!"
Mio had retorted immediately, "House made up of past life's ghosts? Then you're a ghost too!"
"I'm not!" Rei had cried vehemently, "I've decided to not bother with my past life any longer!"
I detected an undercurrent of animosity in her tone when she talked about our past lives. It had seemed an all-consuming topic for her. I knew that feeling. I went through a similar stage when I had decided to abandon my link with the past life. It was something I could share with her at least, and perhaps she would be much less bitter if she realized sooner than I did what our past lives meant to us.
"The past life is not something that will disappear when you ignore it. We all bear the burden of our past lives," I had advised her softly.
"Even you are held back by the past life!" Rei accused in a harsh tone.
"No. I will cut my ties with the past life. But that's not because I'm ignoring it or that I'm bound by it. It's for the present lives that we're leading now!"
Her eyes had widened as she took in my meaning.
Jadeite chose that moment to turn up. My room was fast turning crowded.
"What's this? Why is there a Sailor Senshi here?"
"Oops... we've been found out..." Mio had said in a sing-song manner before teleporting out. Jadeite had immediately started to attack. I defended Rei as much as I could before a break in the attack had let me use the last of my remaining strength to teleport her back to Japan.
An unbearable pain pierced my chest right after that. I had known instinctively that instead of days, I had perhaps only hours left.
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A/N:
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