Sailor Venus was tired.
It was an exhaustion that settled into her bones and weighed her down. She hadn't been sleeping well, but it was much more than that. The burden of her emotions added to her fatigue. The Delars, Kunzite, her brother's pain…she couldn't shake such concerns from her shoulders.
She was perched high above the streets of Desidé, watching the crowds below. Everyone was wearing their Savéol best, bright and happy colors to celebrate their most sacred holiday. The Sailor Senshi had another purpose besides shopping or revelry; she was looking for signs of the Delars. She couldn't dislodge their warning of not bringing Kunzite to the festivities, even if her parents could. She couldn't forget about a lot of things.
"Enjoying the view?"
She could feel him before she saw him. It was the leader of the Delars, crouched a few yards away. He was as still as a statue, like the angels and beasts that often graced the rooftops of many homes and buildings. She couldn't even bring herself to be chagrined anymore; if she knew it would be this easy to draw him out, she would've sat on rooftops all day long.
"I've been looking for you," was all Venus could say.
"I know."
For a moment neither spoke, the sounds of the city filling the silence between them. Venus felt oddly at peace with her supposed nemesis beside her. At least she knew where she stood with him.
"Look at them down there. It's only been seven years since our world almost ended and they have all but forgotten. I saw them interacting with you yesterday; they treat you as almost an equal when we should be prostrate before you, offering our lives. You alone saved our world."
"You know it wasn't just me. I would rather be nothing but a shadow to them," Venus admitted. "I no longer belong to this world."
"You belong here if you heart wills it. You will always be welcomed and for some us, you are needed."
"Do you need me then? You seem to be doing fine on your own."
"We want you, Princess, but we will fight on our own if need be. I was actually thinking of your siblings."
Venus bristled. "Why?"
"Your brother is now heir and he is indeed strong enough to be a good king, but it will break his heart. Your brother's soul match will never be able to give him an heir and what is a king without a legacy?"
"How did you…if you ever breathe a word-"
"I will never reveal your brother's fortune, or yours, I swear it on my life and love. But it is unfortunate, is it not? It will bring up troubles when he must name an heir not of his noble blood, or he will have to take a queen he does not love. He could pass the crown to Ashani, but we all know she will wilt under such pressure. None of us wish to see her unhappy. All we want is this planet to flourish and thrive as it once did."
"Venus is dying. I gave it more time than the other planets, but it perhaps has two, three generations left. There is nothing anyone can do but adapt, move on. There is no way to save this planet."
"There is a way...we will do what we can regardless of
consequences."
"Your path is one of hate. It will only bring destruction faster."
"Then give us what we want."
Venus sighed. He wanted a power she did not have, a power not all the Sailor Senshi together could give him. She wished she could help, she even considered giving her life for her planet, but it would not matter. "I cannot."
"Then it shall begin. May the gods protect us and forgive us all."
"Wait-" There was a flash, blinding her momentarily. When the stars faded he was gone, like she knew he would be. She should have captured him, but the chance to learn more about them on their own terms could not be passed up. She could only hope she knew enough and it would not be too late. The golden Senshi could not shake her doubts, however.
"Yes…let it begin, and let it be done with."
=
The everlasting day seemed cooler with a brusque wind flowing through the vast royal courtyard. To Kunzite, it was refreshing from the usual simmering heat. He wore a sleeveless red tunic with dark brown trim while others pulled shrugs close around themselves or covered up beneath long sleeves and skirts.
Lelaine had chosen his attire and herself was adorned in a long jade dress. She walked beside him, her eyes drinking in the sights hungrily. Ahead of them glided the royal family. The silent guards seemed to have multiplied around them and Kunzite instinctively watched the corners and shadowy places, alert to dangers unknown. Tonight there would be a concert of some sort and all the noble families of Venus would be there. The day of the New Year was fast approaching and Lelaine had promised the events would only get more elaborate.
They were moving toward a circular stage erected in the middle of the vast space. A large crowd had formed around it and Kunzite could feel the excitement thrumming through the ground. The monarchy made their way to plush seats in the back high above the throng of Venusians. From the platform Kunzite could see beyond the courtyard's high walls. In the distance dark clouds loomed, strange pink lightning streaking through the sky like agitated dragons.
"It is the reason for the cool wind," Lelaine explained, following his eyes. "It will be a few hours before it reaches us, hopefully it will not ruin the concert. We do not want to be outside during a Venusian storm."
As they sat down, Kunzite looked for the planet's protector. There was an empty seat next to the king and no Sailor Venus in sight. He found himself disappointed, but thought it was perhaps for the best.
"What type of concert is this?" he asked.
"A little bit of everything." Lelaine smiled secretively, sweeping her gaze across the courtyard.
Lights flashed on the stage and the crowd let out an excited roar in response. What looked like fog or steam rose up into the air and spread out like a growing cloud. It hovered in a sphere above them. Kunzite watched amazed as images began to dash across the smoke. Some were stills of people, places and animals; he saw a golden eagle soar from one end to the other. When swaying trees emerged he could smell the sweet buds and almost jumped from his seats as roots began to grow downward towards them. Kunzite knew there must be projectors hidden somewhere, but it was an amazing spectacle.
Music began to play and the flowers on the trees began to change color with the rhythm. Four people rose out of the stage with their instruments at hand. Their clothes were a stage as well; lights dashed across them, sometimes forming one long image that stretched across them all. The crowd erupted once more.
"They are called Mesna Orlain, the ghost trees. They are the most popular musicians in the Silver Millennium right now," Lelaine explained. "They're Jovian, actually."
The melody sounded strange, digital, like a voice over a communicator. Even though artificial to Kunzite's ears, it held a great power that pounded in his chest and beneath his feet. The singer, a tall dark haired man, had a voice that seemed seeped with deep, raw emotion. The Shitennou did not understand the words, but he could feel the anger and hurt in the strain of vocal cords. As the song picked up intensity, the leaves of the virtual trees burst into flame, dropping just a few feet above bobbing heads before disappearing. Kunzite could still see the bright fire when he closed his eyes.
"See?" Lelaine shouted above the deluge of sound. "If I tried to explain this, you'd thought me crazy. This type of music is all the rage now."
"If you can call it such," muttered Kunzite.
After awhile smoke began to flood the area beneath the ever changing cloud, milling about under people's feet at first. Kunzite thought nothing of it. Another artificial treat, he told himself.
"I smell smoke," Lelaine announced.
"There is a smoke all around us from this show."
"No. That smoke is fake, made from ice. Something is burning-"
The first cry went up behind them. Kunzite turned and found Queen Jocelyn's tent ablaze. A hooded figure stood next to the adolescent flame with a torch in hand. Kunzite recognized the crimson uniform immediately; it was the leader of the Delars. In the background, the ivory warrior could see other members creating more fires and chaos. The music screeched to a halt and the cloud of images disappeared to reveal the growing inferno around them. People began to scream and jostle for escape.
"Get the royal family out of here!" a guard nearby shouted.
As they rushed from the platform, the queen's tent exploded in
a great expulsion of heat and energy.
Kunzite did not know how he was unconscious, but next he opened his eyes his vision was edged in white, as if ice crystals had grown during his slumber. He was lying on his side, facing what remained of the tent. There was motion all around, black shadows of ghosts running through flames, but he could hear nothing. There was only a deep thudding that he finally understood was his rapid heartbeat.
He stood up slowly and tried to make sense of his surroundings. Pieces of flaming debris littered the ground, dozens of people rushed by like frightening animals. He saw the king and queen being helped up by their guards and the prince. The heir had a gash in his uniform that was tainted red. Kunzite could see the queen's mouth opening to shout something, a desperate look in her eyes.
"Ashani!" Sound rushed back to him at Jocelyn's anguished proclamation.
The young princess rested closer to the podium, her father's cushioned chair burnt and aflame nearby. Scaffolding had been dislodged and looked dangerously close to falling on Ashani. With effort, Kunzite hobbled over to her before an unburdened guard could react.
"Ashani…" A weeping wound traced a line above her right eye and dirt and ash smudged her clothes and skin. Gently, he touched her face. "Ashani, can you hear me?"
The royal Venusian awoke at his touch, her eyes clouded with
confusion. "Kunzite?"
"We must get you to sa-"
A horrible groan and crack roared above their heads and the Shitennou knew the scaffolding had broken loose. There would be no time for escape. He covered Ashani's body with his own and awaited their fate.
"Love Me Chain!"
Instead, he heard and felt Sailor Venus' chain aloft. The Senshi stood on what remained of the podium and struggled to hold on to her taunt chain and perilous load. Kunzite wasted no time. He picked up the princess and rushed from the scene as quickly as he could. He felt like he was walking through sand, but he did not stop until he heard the stage crash and Ashani was reunited with her parents.
"Thank you," Jocelyn repeated to Kunzite as she kissed her daughter.
"We must move Your Majesties!" a guard yelled, motioning for his companions to encircle their royal charges. Kunzite tried to follow but he stumbled, his vision blurring. It was as if his legs weighed a ton or were rooted to the ground.
"Kunzite, you're injured!" he heard Ashani shout through the fog of his mind. He looked down to find his left side soaked in dark blood. He did not feel the pain. The Earthling sunk to the ground, suddenly too tired to stand.
"Kunzite!"
Even now her voice still made his heart beat faster. She was
somehow above him and he realized he must have fallen backwards. He found he didn't care with her there. Venus' hair seemed to be glowing softly and the tears in her eyes made them shine even brighter. She was truly the most beautiful person he had ever known and he would not mind dying in her arms. She was saying something, but he was fading away. Even as darkness crept in, her eyes stayed with him until the end.
=
Sailor Venus kept replaying the night in her mind. She had watched the show from a distance on one of the courtyard walls. A fight between two drunken revelers had distracted her long enough. She was now convinced it was a planned diversion and cursed her stupidity. She reached the ground just as her mother's tent exploded across the way. Never had she been more thankful than whem she made it in time to protect Kunzite and Ashani, but when she saw his wound…
She looked down into Kunzite's face. Light came through the curtains to create a line across the bed between them. It was a line she hadn't crossed yet. She wanted to lay with him, to kiss his closed eyelids, but even in private she made herself refrain. His wound had not been fatal, yet he had lost much blood because of it. Once again she was thankful Mercurian medicine had been saved from the destruction that rocked their solar system not long ago. Kunzite would be healthy in a few days, her sister in a few hours. Only the lingering ghosts of pain and memory would remain.
She would never forget the way he had looked up at her. Caught between waking and darkness, like she was a beacon long awaited and hoped for. She would never forget how she had felt, either. Sailor Venus didn't care who saw; she had screamed his name, holding him close even as his blood soaked her uniform. In that moment of almost losing him she knew she could never let him go now. Should he reach out for her she could not hold back.
She shouldn't be here. She should be out looking for the people responsible for this outrage. The young warrior went to move but in that instant Kunzite's eyes opened. The Shitennou seemed slow to start, like a frozen machine. She watched his eyes focus and finally he saw her. They stared at one another, neither moving but held together like a tightened cable.
Venus smiled softly while the joy at seeing him awake wanted to boil up and out of her. "Welcome back to the world of the living."
He began to sit up in response, testing his injuries. Kunzite seemed surprised by the lack of resistance. "I should be in more pain, or…"
"Dead? You're a fast healer."
"And Ashani?"
"She won't even have a scar, thanks to you." She owed him his sister's life; she wanted to thank him even more, but the words were getting stuck in her throat with him so close. "You…you saved her life, Kunzite."
"And you saved us both, if I remember correctly."
"I would never let you be harmed," she swore, a little too fiercely.
It was Kunzite's turn to smile at her expense. "I'm glad I have such a dedicated tour guide then."
Venus laughed quietly and turned towards the door. Now that she knew Kunzite was awake she should go, and well before any more smiles and quiet words could be spoken. However, the bold Shitennou was not finished with her.
"I don't want you to be harmed either, Sailor Venus," he said and she stilled, but refused to face him. "Yet since I've been here all I seem to have done is be a burden to you. I can't always understand your words, but I can understand the emotions around me. Your argument with Prince Marceneau, the Delars…the sadness in your eyes. It's all because of me. "
She was silent for some time, looking at the sunlit line between them from the corner of her eye. "Not in the way you might think. The Delars were just waiting for an excuse. My brother and I…it's complicated."
"I lied to you." Those words made her turn back to him. His eyes were a different shade of blue it seemed, but perhaps it was a Kunzite she was unfamiliar with instead. He seemed yielding and open and even though the thought filled her with some dread, she could not escape the thrill he brought her either.
"I did not kiss you because I was experimenting," he admitted. She couldn't believe this was happening. She tried whispering his name, wanting him to stop, but nothing came out. "I did it because since I have arrived I can't get you out of my head. I want to be near you, I want to see you laugh and learn everything about you. I want to protect you, even though I know very well you can defend yourself. You carry a great weight and you hide it from everyone."
She watched as he was the one to disregard the bright barrier between them. His hand was briefly illuminated in sunlight before it reached up and brushed her hair behind her ear. His touch sent a jolt of warmth across her face and down to her heart. He left his hand at the crook of her neck, his touch like a promise of something she never thought could be hers.
"Let me in, Sailor Venus."
Tears were stinging her eyes at that, the pain of so many unshed drops wearing her down. "You don't even know my name!" she shouted, suddenly enraged. Her soul mate didn't even know her because of her duty, her fate. How could this ever work?
"Valonisabaetha."
Her breath caught in her throat and she could only stare at him, amazed.
"Your family often calls you Loni. I found it everywhere in a Venusian book and asked Lelaine what it might mean. She recruited a friend who told us it meant ‘beloved'. When I asked her to tell me your full name she was refused at first, like it was something forbidden. We eventually convinced her. Valonisabaetha means ‘beloved of the morning.'"
It was a long time before Sailor Venus found her voice. "My full name is Valonisabaetha Prabati Selonge, and no one has called me such for years. I told you my father gave me a grand name. I was his hope for a better future, for life. The old me died when I gave up my crown and no one but the other Senshi understand. I…I'm their leader though, and I cannot let them see me lose face."
"I understand."
And she knew he did. They were much alike after all. Two souls with the same cosmic duty: to lead and protect a treasure destined to shape their world. They both wore golden chains.
"Kunzite…"
"Let me in, Loni."
She tumbled across the forgotten line, falling into his chest as an old tree surrenders to gravity. Instantly he wrapped his arms around her. Sailor Venus closed her eyes, capturing the moment in memory as much as she could.
"I've tried to let you go and just complete my mission. But after the attack…I can't," Kunzite confessed. She wondered if he had ever been this open before, even with his prince. At that instant she didn't care to think too much upon the idea, or the Delars, her brother, her duty, her bitterness. Or about anything. She was in her match's arms; nothing else needs matter.
“Endymion sent me because I was the strongest. I had training with emotional control." He gave a short laugh. "Little good it did me when I first met you. If he could see me now…"
Venus lifted her head up and looked into his crystal clear eyes.
"If he is half the man I suspect from your praises and devotion you show when you speak of him, I think he would be happy for you."
"I want your happiness."
"If only I could explain…This might be the end of us, Kunzite. Of everything."
He paused, gently touching her face. "I know."
She leaned forward, catching his lips.
