Sailormoon, its characters, struggles and story, are the copyright 
and children of Naoko Takeuchi. No recognition to this tale can be 
given without properly paying honour to her first. They are 
rightfully hers and I respect how she has raised them all. May what 
I have written here, the dark and the light, be considered worthy 
as a token of my appreciation for the world she has created.


His lordship Chaos / Angel Electric 
10 - The Name of the Beast

Rated PG13.


*****

Does it run in your blood to betray the ones you love?

	--Papa Roach, "Blood (Empty Promises)"

*****


	The borealis had painted the heavens in shimmering hues of 
blue, white, red and violet. They rippled like waves across the 
blackened skies, and were almost visible through the non-stop 
fireworks.
	"They have to be running out of fireworks by now," Zoicite 
said as he stared up at the glass ceiling of their common room. 
"Those things have been going strong for almost an hour."
	"Hey, keep your eyes on your cards," Nephrite stated. "This 
is poker here."
	They lounged around the sitting table, most of them leisurely 
sprawled across their own chairs. Kunzite and Minako shared a sofa, 
and practically the same cushion. Atop the surface of the table sat 
part of a deck of cards, and a growing pot consisting mostly of 
Lunarian chocolates and delicacies.
	Rei stared blankly at the five cards held in her hands. "I 
have no idea what to make of this," she sighed.
	"Hang on, let me see," Jadeite said, leaning over in his 
chair. He surveyed her cards for one moment, counting out the five 
different-coloured roses on their faces. A few seconds later he sat 
back up, tossed his cards onto the table and stated, "I'm out!"
	The other three Generals immediately protested.
	"What the hell, Jadeite?" Kunzite snapped.
 	"Well, she's got the full Suit of Roses, plus the Wild Rose," 
Jadeite said.
	Upon hearing that, the other Generals rolled their eyes and 
tossed their cards onto the table. Nephrite hissed through his 
teeth.
	"What was that?" Rei said crossly.
	"Something about beginner's luck," Nephrite muttered.
	Zoicite thumbed over at Nephrite and said to Ami, "He doesn't 
take well to losing card games." 
	"Oh, and like you're known for your gracious losing," 
Nephrite retorted.
	"Unlike some people in this room," Zoicite said evenly, "I 
don't need to look into my opponents' minds and see whether or not 
they're bluffing."
	Nephrite jumped to his feet. "You got something you want to 
say, Zoicite?"
	Kunzite's hand clamped down on Nephrite's wrist. "Children!" 
Kunzite stated coldly. "Am I going to have to separate the both of 
you?"
	Nephrite and Zoicite stared each other down for a few more 
moments before breaking into laughter. 
	"You deal," Nephrite said, sitting back down.
	Zoicite laughed as he s hook his head. "Naturally."
	Minako leaned closer to Kunzite's ear and quietly asked, "Are 
they always like this?"
	"Unfortunately," Kunzite replied.
	"Hey, this is toned down compared to some of our other 
nights," Zoicite said. He glanced over at Jadeite. "Remember the 
battle in the Higo province?"
	Jadeite groaned and rolled his eyes. "Yes. You remind me of 
it whenever possible."
	"What happened?" Minako asked.
	Nephrite, Kunzite and Zoicite all smirked as they exchanged 
knowing glances with each other. 
	Jadeite pointed down at the card deck. "Zoicite: shuffle. I 
might as well be the one to tell it, since these rogues are prone 
to over-exaggerating. About a year ago, this one warlord got it in 
his silly head to try and claim the entire island of Kyushu for 
himself. Endymion's father rallied all of us together to fight a 
sizeable army, which had situated itself in the middle of this 
large valley. Since Kyushu was my homeland, I led the scouting 
party."
	"The initial plan," Kunzite said, cutting in, "was that 
Jadeite's contingent would attack right before dawn. With the enemy 
camp in confusion, our armies would box them in and mop up the 
mess. Bear in mind, that was the initial plan...before Jadeite and 
his commanders got into a drinking contest."
	Zoicite began dealing out the cards on the sitting table.
	"As I was saying," Jadeite said, and he flashed an annoyed 
look at Kunzite. "My fellow commanders and I were quietly sharing a 
drink of Sake, and afterwards things got a little blurry. During 
this time, it was decided that we should use some scare tactics to 
shake up the warlord's army. Put them on edge so much that when we 
actually came hours later to fight, their nerves would be strained 
and they'd barely be able to think straight."
	"Oho, so that's what you're calling it?" Zoicite remarked. He 
glanced over at Rei. "That's his fancy way of saying he grabbed a 
torch, went out to the edge of the valley--without any armour--and 
began shouting insults at the enemy."
	Jadeite closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose. 
Even with his eyes shut, he could feel the boggled looks of the 
Inner Soldiers staring right at him.
	"Not only does he give away his position," Kunzite said. "but 
he also turns around and moons the entire enemy camp. And that was 
only the beginning."
	"I merely expressed my opinion regarding their abilities," 
Jadeite said.
	Nephrite let out a bark of laughter. "Ha! Since when does 
shouting at the top of your lungs, 'I am Jadeite, and you must 
worship my magnificence, you simpering dogs!' count as merely 
expressing your opinion?"
	The three Inner Soldiers gaped at Jadeite.
	"And then what happened?" Ami asked, sounding almost hesitant 
to learn the answer.
	"What else?" Kunzite sighed. "The enemy charged the hill."
	"And," Jadeite added smugly as he took a drink, "I destroyed 
their front line almost single-handedly."
	Nephrite let out a derisive snort. "Please! It wasn't just 
you. All your commanders got so drunkenly inspired, the whole lot 
of them decided to join the fun." 
	"Without any pants, might I add," Zoicite said. "I think 
losing an entire battalion to a gang of mostly-naked, drunken guys 
severely demoralized that army. They barely had any fight left in 
them when we showed up soon after."
	Rei and Ami's faces went a bright pink.
	"Suddenly this explains a few days ago," Minako remarked, 
nudging Kunzite with her elbow.
	"Hey, I'm not the only one here with incriminating tales," 
Jadeite said as he leaned over and scooped up his cards from the 
table. "What about Kusanagi?"
	Everyone retrieved their cards and began examining what they 
had been dealt. Minako frowned as she studied hers, and asked 
Kunzite for help.
	"Ah yes, good old General Kusanagi," Nephrite sighed 
wistfully. "Now that was fun! Two cards."
	"Dare we ask about this one?" Rei inquired dryly, setting 
down one card herself.
	Zoicite dealt them replacement cards. "What you have to 
understand first," he explained, "is that General Kusanagi is twice 
as old as Kunzite. He's larger, greyer and louder than any of us."
	"He is a very good leader," Kunzite spoke up, and pointed at 
two cards for Minako to discard. "There's a good reason he's head 
of our largest mobile army."  
	"Be that as it may," Zoicite said, "Kusanagi is also a very 
proud man, but he could drink all four of us under the table. Age 
and experience, and all that. He was also known for this incredibly 
large ponytail he was always combing."
	Ami glanced at Zoicite's hair. "As long as yours?"
	"It was longer than mine," Kunzite said. "Are we playing?"
	Zoicite gestured for patience with his free hand. "Just let 
me finish this. One night, Nephrite and I are with Kusanagi's army, 
and a bunch of the commanding officers are playing this big poker 
game. By the end of the night, almost everyone is so drunk, they've 
fallen asleep at the table."
	"Everyone except us," Nephrite added.
	"Yep," Zoicite agreed. He grinned at Nephrite. "I still swear 
you were planning that from the minute we stepped into Kusanagi's 
camp. So while everyone is sleeping, Nephrite casually strolls over 
to General Kusanagi, the man known for boasting about his hair, and 
lobs half the ponytail right off!"
	Minako let out a shout of surprise and disbelief. 
	Kunzite, in spite of himself, was starting to snicker.
	"Wait, it gets even better!" Zoicite said, trying not to 
laugh. "The next morning Kusanagi wakes up and finds out of half of 
his hair is gone. And you can imagine he is pissed that half his 
pride and joy is sheared off. So he organises this major 
inspection. Every troop out on display so he can personally grill 
them to see who cut off his ponytail. And right there in the front 
line, Nephrite's standing there, grinning from ear to ear, with 
Kusanagi's hair glued to his face like it's a moustache!"
	Minako and Rei broke out into gales of laughter. Ami shook 
her head at the Generals as she hid her laughter behind her hand. 
"And just what happened after that?" she asked.
	"That's the best part," Zoicite said, laughing so much he 
nearly choked on his drink. "Kusanagi was so hung over, he thought 
that actually was Nephrite's moustache!" 
	Minako almost fell out of her chair from laughter, tears 
almost running down her face. Through gasps for air she managed to 
ask, "What happened to his hair?"
	"I disposed of the evidence, of course," Nephrite said 
casually. "And the day after, General Kusanagi asked me why I had 
shaved off such a great-looking moustache!"
	Once more, the common room was filled with laughter.
	"All I have to say," Kunzite stated, "is if you try cutting 
my hair off, I'll shave your head bald like a monk's."
	Their laughter continued even as a loud knock sounded at the 
front doors.
	"Come in!" Kunzite called out.
	The doors were pushed open, and Serenity stepped inside. She 
smiled and waved to her Inner Soldiers, and then stepped aside to 
allow Makoto to enter. Makoto lacked any of Serenity's enthusiasm, 
but did her best to smile for the others in the room. She took a 
tentative step inside, her movements hampered by a slight limp. The 
bandages wrapped around her arms and shoulders were still quite 
visible despite her dress.
	The tension in the air rose; almost everyone could sense it.
	Nephrite looked away, scowling to himself.
	Makoto straightened, the timid smile on her face falling 
fast. She lowered her head and said quietly, "I told you it was a 
mistake, Princess. I'll wait outside."
	Serenity looked crestfallen. "But--"
	"Take as much time as you want."
	Makoto turned to leave, and winced in pain as her weight came 
down wrong on her foot. She reached for the doors. Suddenly one of 
the chairs came sliding across the common room, slamming into the 
doors. Makoto jerked her arm back and turned as best she could. 
	Nephrite continued to casually lounge in his chair, his one 
leg stretched out and his eyes no longer on his cards. "Your 
princess has asked you to take a place of honour amongst your 
equals," he stated evenly. "Were I you, I would not turn down so 
gracious a request."
	Hope flickered in Makoto's eyes, and she managed another 
smile.
	A few of the Inner Soldiers let out visible sighs of relief 
as Serenity and Makoto claimed some of the last vacant seats in the 
common room.
	"Almost everyone is here," Ami said.
	Jadeite glanced around the common room. "Where is Endymion 
anyways?"
	Nephrite shrugged. "Garnet wanted to check a few things out 
with him. Said it'd be quick, so he should be back soon." He looked 
up from his cards and studied the worried expression on Serenity's 
face. "Hey, don't worry. Endymion can take care of himself. It's 
not like he's in mortal peril or anything. Zoicite, deal these two 
in. We'll explain the rules as we go." 
 



			Are you dancing?


			 ANGEL ELECTRIC



	In his heart, Endymion truly believed in demons. They were 
more than folktale creatures designed to frighten little boys and 
girls into behaving for their parents. As a child, he had listened 
to their cruel and twisted voices, been cut by their cruel and 
twisted fingers. Those demons had whispered madness, wormed their 
blasphemies into every last happy memory he had. Eleven years ago, 
his imagination had painted terrifying faces to go with the voices 
that still lingered in his dreams: chimera beasts, adorned with 
tendrils and great, grasping claws; leering tengu and sadistic 
corpses come back to life. The more monstrous he envisioned them to 
be, the easier it was to believe that his time as their prisoner 
had never been real.
	In that one moment where Garnet became Beryl, he understood. 
	The most terrifying demon of all wore a human facade.
	Beryl's fingers laced together as she wrapped her arms around 
the back of Endymion's neck. "Hello again," she purred. "We have so 
many new things to talk about, my little prince. So many wonderful, 
terrifying things."
	Endymion was frozen in place, his eyes wide in recognition 
and horror. His fingers curled and clenched, desperate to reach the 
Soul Constellation as it hung at his side. His arms, however, 
remained perfectly rigid. An invisible palm clamped around his 
throat, squeezing away whatever words he wanted to say. He barely 
managed a slight sputter.
	Beryl's tongue slithered out from between her lips. "Oh, 
you're wondering how such a thing is possible, aren't you?" She 
smiled and slowly, tortuously pulled herself away from him. "It's a 
long and tragic story, I'm afraid. And we have not the time to tell 
it right now. Lapis! Lazuli!" 
	A chorus of giggles echoed across the walls and shelves of 
books, and the Archives cringed at this defilement. Lapis emerged 
from a shadow and a pile of dusty books, and her sister glided out 
from between one of the aisles. They converged on Garnet's offices, 
leaning against either side of the doorway. Their hazel eyes roved 
up and down Endymion's form, and devoured him with their gazes.
	"You do remember my twins, don't you?" Beryl said.
	Endymion's gaze darted to each of them in turn.
	Lapis stuck out her lower lip. "He looks as if he's forgotten 
all about us."
	"He was wearing a blindfold," Lazuli said. "All he ever knew 
were our voices. We may have to jog his memory."
	"I could tear out his heart," Lapis offered. "Maybe that 
would do the trick." 
	"Girls," Beryl said, an air of caution in her voice. "I did 
not bring Endymion here simply so you could break him like all of 
your other playmates. He's been kept alive these past eleven years 
for one specific reason."
	The twins began to giggle again.
	It made Endymion's skin crawl. 
	"The seal upon our Queen Mother is weakening," Lapis stated. 
"It's finally reached a point where the power of the Ginzuisho 
should be able to shatter it."
	Lazuli licked her lips. "And we want him to get that for us."
	"Yes," Beryl drawled. She smiled and let her fingertips 
caress Endymion's cheek. "That was the plan. A very time-consuming 
and ambitious plan, and one that still would have worked...had not 
a much better plan come along." 
	Beryl's arm snaked out, her palm pressing against Endymion's 
chest. Endymion showed no reaction as her fingernails dug through 
his robes and into his skin. Beryl moved slowly, carefully, probing 
with more than a mere physical touch. After a moment, she flashed 
Endymion a vicious smile.
	"Ah, here you are, you tricky little thing."
	A flicker of golden light erupted at her fingertips, brief 
and furious. It quickly burrowed back into hiding, and refused to 
show itself to Beryl. Beryl didn't mind. After all, Endymion was 
the one who controlled that power, and she controlled Endymion. 
	"All of my players have at last assembled together."
	Lapis wrapped her arms around her sister's neck, draping 
herself across Lazuli's chest. "His Generals still pose significant 
threats."
	"No more than the Sailor Soldiers," Lazuli said.
	Lapis looked up at her sister. "They will defend him to the 
death, and unlike the others, they will not hesitate to kill 
whomever stands in their way."
	"I have my own plans for his Shittenou," Beryl said. "You 
need not concern yourselves with them yet, but rest assured you'll 
get to play with them soon."
	"And the Seraphim?" Lapis asked.
	Beryl smiled. "You'll be playing with them sooner than they 
think." 
	The twins giggled.
	Beryl laughed with them. The cruelty in her voice echoed 
across the office, and the Archives shuddered at the sound. Beryl 
directed her attention back to Endymion. She saw the disbelief in 
his eyes.
 	"This must be so hard for you to take in," Beryl sighed, 
running her fingers through his hair. "All this time, your enemy 
has been right in front of you, yet none of you had eyes enough to 
see me lurking behind Garnet's gentle gaze. And you wondered how I 
always seemed to be one step ahead of you, no matter what you 
plotted."
	"Almost," the twins chorused.
	Beryl's smile went sour. "Yes, almost," she dryly agreed, her 
hand reaching up to touch her forehead. "I will most certainly pay 
those two back for what they did to me. Not only did they violate 
my mind, but they tried to break this vessel as well."
	That jagged cut had been very apparent even when she'd 
relinquished control of Garnet's body back to an unwitting Garnet. 
Fortunately, she'd been able to use the attacking Snow Dancers as 
an excuse for Garnet's injuries. Everyone had believed it, even 
Garnet herself. For the moment, General Nephrite and Sailor 
Mars...no, Super Sailor Mars, the little bitch...had not made the 
connection between their similar injuries.
 	She wasn't about to forgive either of them.
	"The Queen Mother's thoroughly displeased as well," Lazuli 
said, and her eyes briefly flickered crimson. "She wanted to twist 
that little soldier girl until she ripped in half."
	"I myself would have torn her tongue out with a kiss," Lapis 
said.
 	"Don't go poking your minds into places they don't belong," 
Beryl snapped, levelling a glare especially at Lazuli. "There are 
reasons I don't have either of you commune too closely with 
Metalia." 
	She turned her attention back to Endymion.
	Endymion had not moved, not run. He could do little more than 
breathe.
	"I can't deny it's been amusing to watch all of you skitter 
about in a valiantly misguided attempt to find me," Beryl told him. 
"And here I've stood the entire time: watching, waiting. The sad 
thing is Garnet will never know about her delicious act of 
betrayal. She doesn't even know about me."
	Beryl glanced back at the twins.
	"About us. About what she is helping to bring about, despite 
her best efforts to the contrary. Which brings us now to you, my 
lord Endymion."
	Beryl slid herself around Endymion's body, pressing herself 
against his back. Her palms caressed his arms, glided up over his 
shoulders and down his chest. Beryl nibbled on his earlobe and 
whispered a single word: "Submit."
	Endymion's pupils abruptly dilated, and then returned to 
normal.
	"I've seen the way you and Serenity look at each other when 
you believe no one else to be watching," Beryl said. "I've seen 
those stolen moments in the gardens. I've seen the way you covet 
the touch of her lips against yours. Kneel."
	Endymion went down on bended knee before her, and bowed his 
head in quiet subservience. 
	"Go to her, Endymion," Beryl told him. "Make love to her if 
you wish, if that is what she wishes. If not tonight, then tomorrow 
night--it does not matter. And once you are finished, take up your 
father's sword, cut out her pretty little eyes, and give them to 
me. Show your loyalty to me once more, and bring me my reward."
	Endymion bowed again, and a thin, vicious smile spread across 
his face. For his mistress, he would do anything. The words 
whispered to him years ago by Lapis and Lazuli followed him out of 
the Archives. They paraded and played around his every step, and 
Endymion felt comforted by this entourage. He strolled through the 
palace, smiling warmly at the revellers as he passed them by. 
Countless offers to join them in drink and dance, in celebrating 
outdoors and inside their bedchambers, were turned down. He slipped 
through the cheering masses, a ghost in their halls.
	His hands wrapped around the handles of the main doors of the 
guest quarters. Endymion could hear them laughing together inside. 
He could envision them all, smiling and sharing stories, truly 
united for perhaps the first time since his arrival. And they all 
were destined to bow before his new Queen, or else die at his own 
hands.
	A strange smile was on his face as Endymion pushed open the 
double doors and stepped into the common room. The laughter in the 
chamber faded only slightly. The grins on everyone's faces did not 
fade at all.
	"Welcome back, Endymion, my lord!" proclaimed Nephrite, 
raising his cup of Sake into the air. The other three Generals 
toasted to his return with equal enthusiasm, and gulped down their 
drinks. Endymion glided between the various chairs and joined them 
at the table. When he reached Serenity, he leaned over, pulled her 
lips against his and kissed her passionately. For her part, 
Serenity made no effort to pull away. All the noise in the common 
room came an abrupt end, everyone staring in surprise.
	Zoicite whistled. "Well, that's one way to say 'hello'."
	Jadeite rose from where he sat next to Serenity and gestured 
to Endymion. "Something tells me you'll want this seat, milord." 
	"What brought that on?" Minako remarked, before quickly 
adding, "Not that I'm objecting or anything."
	Endymion grinned, his face a little flushed. "I'm just really 
thrilled to be alive, that's all," he said sheepishly.
	Kunzite's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Endymion glide 
around Serenity and take the last vacant seat. "What did Garnet 
want?"
	There were so many things Endymion could have said.
	A lie had already been created for him.
	"Garnet wanted me to double-check with her on some Earth-
based cults," Endymion answered evenly. He gently slid his arm over 
Serenity's shoulder. "I think you and Ami were looking at them, 
weren't you, Zoicite?"
	Zoicite nodded. "It's possible this Beryl woman is associated 
with or leading some sort of doomsday cult. We were actually 
compiling a list of potential threats when those Snow Dancers first 
attacked."
	"Was there anything of note?" Ami asked.
	Endymion shook his head, and glanced down at the cards in 
Serenity's hand. "Nope. The two on her list aren't even based in 
our country. You don't want those, incidentally."
	Serenity smiled and set the two cards down on the table.
	Zoicite dealt her replacements. "Still," he said, "Why is 
Garnet working on a night like this?" 
	"First the incident with Spinel, then all the work on finding 
Beryl, and now the comet." Ami sighed, "Poor Garnet really needs a 
vacation."
	"Hey, I asked if she wanted to join," Jadeite said. He began 
to pour more Sake into the Generals' cups, and filled an extra one 
for Endymion. "Almost all of Lunaria is out celebrating. Even us."
	"Not everyone," Serenity spoke up. "The Outer Soldiers are 
still on guard. I tried to invite Hotaru along, but she declined."
	"Someone has to be," Nephrite said. "Even still, I say we 
earned at least tonight off for ourselves." 
	He raised his cup into the air. Endymion, Kunzite, Jadeite 
and Zoicite all raised their drinks with him. "To the night off," 
they chorused before downing the Sake.
	Minako stared down at Kunzite's cup and then at the now half-
empty pitcher of steaming rice-wine. "Aw hell, why not?" she 
remarked. She snatched Kunzite's cup away from him and poured 
herself a shot's worth.
	The Inners regarded her with a mix of surprise and interest 
as she held aloft the cup and stated, "Here's to trying new 
things." She swallowed the Sake with one gulp, let out a breath of 
air, and promptly began to cough. "Terrible!" she sputtered. "How 
can you guys even drink this?"
	The others laughed.
	Kunzite gave Minako a few consoling pats on the back as she 
recovered. 
	They spent the remainder of the day together--as allies 
rallied to a common cause; as ambassadors of two different worlds; 
as friends laughing and enjoying the time they had. Games were 
played. Food and drink were consumed, and stories both Terran and 
Lunarian were shared, often to the embarrassment of one or more of 
the people there. Endymion rarely strayed from Serenity's side. He 
was more than content to let her rest against him, to feel her 
warmth against his skin, and then wonder if he would prefer 
slashing open her throat or strangling her with his bare hands.
	At one point, Rei said there was something different about 
him.
	He simply smiled.
  	The evening came swiftly and silently, marked only by the 
eventual waning of the fireworks that exploded outside over their 
heads. When the decision came to part ways, it was made as 
Serenity's eyes fought to stay open, and her head began to slowly 
fall against Endymion's shoulder. One by one, they rose from their 
chairs and stretched their bodies out.
	Nephrite pinched the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling the 
fatigue in most of his body. He still hadn't unwound from their 
encounter with that cloudstorm. Hell, he'd barely gotten any sleep 
in the last two days, and all the Sake in his system sure wasn't 
helping keep him awake. 
	He looked up as he felt a shadow fall over him. Makoto stood 
before him, her stance awkward, her eyes averted. She looked ready 
to say something, but then turned away and limped towards the 
doors. Nephrite couldn't tell if her words would have been kind or 
cruel. He was too tired to care.
	Rei took a step towards him, glancing over her shoulder at 
Makoto. "So what happens tomorrow?" she asked.
	"We deal with it when it arrives," Nephrite sighed. "Get some 
rest, Rei."
	At the front of the common room, Zoicite was opening the 
double doors for the departing Soldiers. He nodded politely to 
Makoto, and then frowned slightly as Minako cheerfully strolled up 
arm in arm with Kunzite.
	"How is it that you don't even look tired?" Zoicite asked 
her.
	Minako smirked. "Anticipation."
	One of Zoicite's eyebrows went up, and he glanced over at 
Kunzite. Kunzite shrugged and said, "Who am I to argue with a 
lady?" 
	"Just don't disappoint her," Zoicite said. "You are 
representing the rest of our country, you know. She'll judge the 
rest of us based on your performance." 
	Kunzite growled a few choice, incriminating words under his 
breath as he let Minako pull him out into the corridor. Zoicite 
laughed and shook his head. "And what about you, Ami?" he asked as 
she and Serenity approached.
	Ami shook her head. "Someone must stand guard over Serenity, 
and tonight it must be me."
	Zoicite winced. "Ouch. My sympathies."
	He caught sight of Serenity's face and saw the momentary 
panic. 
	"Not that I'm saying no one wants to do it!" he hastily 
added. "It's just...long shifts, you know. They wear anyone down."
	The panic in Serenity's expression grew. And the panic on 
Zoicite's face was pretty evident too. "It's not your fault, of 
course!" he said. "It's just...these things happen and...anyone care to 
cause a diversion or intervene before I dig myself deeper?"
	"I'm out of ideas myself," Endymion said with a shrug.
	Ami took Serenity's hands in hers, closed her eyes and leaned 
in until their foreheads touched. Quiet, foreign words were spoken 
from Ami's lips, and the tension surrounding Serenity melted away. 
	Jadeite peered over Endymion's shoulder. "Must be a Mercury 
thing," he muttered before stepping around the group.
	"Where are you going?" Zoicite asked.
	Jadeite paused momentarily at the doorway. "Out."
	"Suit yourself," Zoicite remarked. He turned away from the 
doors and headed back towards his private chamber, leaving Serenity 
and Endymion together.
	The Lunarian princess was reluctant to leave. Her cheeks were 
going from pale white to bright red. She lingered in the doorway, 
smiling up at Endymion, her eyes almost inviting him to walk with 
her. Endymion waited for her to take the initiative, watching with 
fond amusement. 
	She looked so cute.
	Perhaps he would cut off her smile first.
	"I should...we have to go," Serenity said.
	"I'll go with you," he told her.
	"Perhaps," came Kunzite's voice, closer and sharper than 
expected, "it would be best if Serenity were allowed to rest. It's 
been a very long few days, and tomorrow we will be neck-deep in 
strategies and research once more."
	Endymion scowled in annoyance. 
	He slowly turned his head and saw Kunzite standing out in the 
corridor. Endymion's scowl vanished beneath a pleasant smile. "Very 
true." He looked back at Serenity. She seemed a little 
disappointed.
	Endymion gently clasped her hand in his, and brought it up to 
his lips. "Until the morning, then," he whispered, and kissed her 
palm.
	Serenity blushed.
	"Good night," she said fondly, and whispered, "Endymion."
	Endymion watched her and Ami depart, continued to stare at 
their fleeting shadows even after they'd rounded a corner. He still 
felt a glare upon his back, and glanced over at Kunzite. "Good 
party," he said pleasantly. Endymion slowly pushed himself away 
from the doorframe. He smirked over his shoulder at Kunzite and 
headed back into the common room. 
	"Going to bed?" Kunzite asked.
	Endymion paused and nodded his head. "You should get some 
sleep too, General. Like you said, tomorrow's going to be a long 
day." 
	"I will soon enough," Kunzite said. "Rest well, milord." 
	Endymion raised his arm over his head and made some sort of 
good-bye gesture. The main doors swung closed behind him. Kunzite 
still glared into the common room.
	Minako drew up alongside him. "That was odd."
	Kunzite nodded. "I know."
	"Not him," Minako countered. "You. I've never seen you hound 
him like that before, Kunzite. And after the day we've had, I say 
we could all do with a little unwinding--alone or with someone we 
love." 
	She grinned and leaned forward on her tiptoes, nibbling at 
the base of Kunzite's neck. He barely reacted, and that became 
cause enough for her concern. Minako drew away from him. "Kunzite, 
what is it?"
	"Maybe nothing," he answered. Kunzite turned his back to the 
guest chambers. His hand sought out Minako's. "I hope it's 
nothing."


			*	*	*
	An empty common room greeted Zoicite when he emerged from his 
bedchambers early the next morning. The doors to everyone else's 
rooms were closed, but that gave no indication of who was awake, or 
even who was still around. The odds were Nephrite was sleeping 
soundly in his bed, and would sleep in well past anyone else. And 
Zoicite doubted that Jadeite was sleeping or in his room. He even 
doubted whether or not Jadeite had slept at all, given the very 
peculiar hours Jadeite already spent inside the dust-ridden vaults 
of the Archives. 
	Zoicite's gaze lingered on Kunzite's door. 
	If Kunzite was sleeping, it probably wasn't anywhere near 
here.
	A small, white scroll sat patiently upon the common room 
table. It hadn't been there when he had retired the night before. 
Zoicite picked the scroll up. His name was written across the edge 
in a very elegant, Lunarian design, and the scroll had been sealed 
with some sort of cerulean-coloured wax. With a smirk Zoicite put a 
foot up on the edge of the table and slid a shuriken knife out from 
its hidden place on his boot. 
	The scroll consisted solely of a single piece of parchment. 
Zoicite unfolded the scanned the contents. There was a brief sketch 
of one quadrant of the palace, with a specific route traced through 
it in blue. At the top corner was written the name of a garden. 
Zoicite didn't recognize the name, which wasn't surprising 
considering how many damn gardens were scattered across the palace. 
On the other hand he recognized the route and where it ended.
	Zoicite rolled the parchment back up before tossing it onto 
his bed. His katana at his side, Zoicite marched across the common 
room and left the guest suites behind. The air within the palace 
was oddly cool; it helped him to wake up faster. He threaded a path 
through corridors and grand halls, over bridges and around 
waterways. The usual noise that filled the palace was absent; while 
he hadn't glanced at any of the chronometers before leaving his 
room, it had to be rather early in the morning. Soon enough, 
officials and visitors and members of the Lunarian senate would be 
criss-crossing each other's paths, accompanied by sycophants, 
social butterflies and garrulous laughter.
	Well, the one's who weren't still passed out from all the 
celebrations.
	A wave of ill ease abruptly washed over him. 
	Whispers and giggles brushed past his back, eventually fading 
down the far ends of the corridors. Zoicite slowly turned as his 
ears followed their echoes, and his sword hand came to rest upon 
the hilt of his katana. His eyes found nothing out of the ordinary.
	Was this just another part of the mystique of the Lunarians, 
or was it something more malicious? He doubted it to be the former. 
If anything the mystique that would have otherwise blinded him to 
it was melting away, revealing some dark entity coursing through 
the veins of the palace, just out of sight and out of reach of 
everyone. Perhaps this was how Spinel and the other rogue Seraphim 
had been able to infiltrate the palace.
	As the voices faded so did the chill worming its way through 
his body. Zoicite's hand moved away from his weapon. Even when he 
resumed his walk, Zoicite could not act as if nothing had happened. 
Numerous glances were cast over his shoulder. 
	He saw nothing.
	The route Zoicite followed came to its end beneath an archway 
supported by two pillars carved in the likenesses of two women who 
bore a sword in one hand and an orchid of some kind in the other. 
Zoicite was swallowed up momentarily beneath their shadows, and 
soon passed over the threshold where stone became earth, and the 
ceiling became replaced with stars. Proud trees and blossoming 
flowers enveloped any patch of ground that wasn't a cobblestone 
pathway. Zoicite took his time walking through the garden.
	He reached a patch of grass where the flowers kept their 
respectful distance, allowing passers-by to seek the shade beneath 
a tree at the edge of a canal. Endymion and Serenity had fallen 
asleep there, her head laid upon his lap, his back propped up 
against a tree. Her golden hair spilled out over her form like a 
silken blanket. Endymion's hand rested upon the Soul Constellation. 
	Zoicite turned away and left them to their sleep.
	The shadows were sought out, and not so far away from the 
sleeping lovers he found a silhouette hidden beneath one of the 
neighbouring trees. She stood attentive but idly distracted, a 
well-worn and probably well-loved text clasped in her hands. 
Reading her book, she looked more Ami and less Sailor Mercury, 
despite the uniform. She turned her blue eyes towards him, and 
Zoicite knew she had been aware of his presence since he'd entered 
the gardens.
	Zoicite joined her beneath the shade of the tree and leaned 
back against the trunk. "Long night?" he asked.
	Mercury nodded. "These shifts are always the hardest. There's 
not a lot for us to do while she's sleeping. The highlight came 
when Endymion showed up a few hours ago. She barely woke up when he 
sat down next to her; she just cuddled up next to him."
	"What happened to her bedroom?"
	"She wanted to come here." Mercury shrugged. "She spent a 
little time trying to make the flowers dance for her they way they 
do for Endymion, and just nodded off."
	Zoicite rolled his eyes; Lunaria was certainly different if 
the heir to the throne could casually wander wherever and whenever 
she pleased. He glanced at the book held in her hands. "What's it 
about?"
	"Hm?"
	"The book."
	Mercury tipped the text over so he could see the cover. 
"Verses from an old poet."
	"Lunarian?"
 	She shook her head. "She was one of my people, actually."
	"What did she write about?"
	"Love, mostly."
	Zoicite arched one of his eyebrows. "You don't strike me as a 
romantic."
	"There's a lot more to an ocean than its surface." Mercury 
told him. There was an odd smile almost obscured by the shade of 
the tree. "Beneath placid water lies a world thrown into beauty and 
chaos." 
 	"So Cioran's been showing me," Zoicite agreed. "How much 
longer do you have to be here?" 
	"Minako should be here shortly." Sailor Mercury continued to 
watch the prince and princess amidst the casual conversation. "They 
look like angels, don't they? When they dance it's like the world 
melts away and is stripped of all its splendour. And all I can see 
is how much they belong together: two souls bridging one eternity. 
If ever there was such a thing as true love, I would believe in it 
if I saw them for the first time today."
	Zoicite was rather taken aback by her words. He'd never heard 
her talk like that before. He'd never even heard her make 
intimations like that before.  "That's beautiful," he said. "Sad, 
somehow, but beautiful."
	Mercury looked away from Serenity and Endymion.  "I'm sorry. 
It must be the book."
	Zoicite knew better than to press the matter. "Out of 
curiosity," he remarked, "what sort of love did your poet write 
about?"
	"Sacrifice," she told him, and stepped out from beneath the 
shadow of the tree. "It's all about sacrifice."
	Zoicite followed her as she sat down at the edge of the canal 
and let her fingertips glide overtop the surface of the water. It 
was a meditation, a calming ritual. Zoicite had seen the Seraphim 
use similar techniques. He joined her at the water's edge, and 
watched as her fingers slid beneath the pool's surface. Mercury 
cupped her hand and drew out what Zoicite had expected to be a palm 
filled with water. Instead she drew out a perfect sphere forged 
entirely of water. Sailor Mercury studied the sphere as it 
shimmered and rippled in her hand, and with seeming ease the water 
unwound itself like a rind being peeled off an orange.
	Zoicite's jaw hung open as Mercury brought her other hand 
forward and caressed the rind of water. The rind shivered at her 
touch and coiled itself around her arm like a bracelet, clinging 
lovingly to her pale skin.
	"You're a natural," Zoicite said, impressed.
	"Ours was a waterworld," Sailor Mercury replied, her gaze 
transfixed on the water. "Neptune used to be one as well. Even now, 
four hundred years after my planet's destruction, we still retain 
some mystic link to this element, though this ability is more 
prevalent in the royal bloodlines."
	A smile returned to her face again. "I remember my father 
playing with me when I was younger. He would forge dolphin shapes 
and have them leap out of the bathwater. Every time he did that I 
tried to catch one in my hands, but they were always too quick."
	Her bracelet of water rippled and churned. It peeled itself 
off her arm and gathered itself in coils in the air above her palm. 
It flipped itself inside out and changed from a series of curves 
into a Mobius loop.
	"I can see you inherited his abilities," Zoicite said. He let 
out a sigh. "You make it look so easy. Every single time I try to 
control the water, it thrashes about like some wounded animal."
	Mercury's eyes moved away from her water Mobius, and she 
stared at Zoicite with a clouded expression that made him somehow 
uncomfortable. "It doesn't like you very much," she stated. 
	"Hey, it's not an easy task," Zoicite said defensively. "I 
wouldn't have to be so rough if it actually behaved. If it would 
hold still for me in my palm, I wouldn't have to crush it in my 
fist."
	For one insane moment, Zoicite could have sworn the water 
skein bristled at him, hissing like some feral cat. Mercury shot a 
stern, silent look down at the water.  "And this is how you call 
the water to you?" she asked him.
	"It's what the Seraphim taught me," Zoicite said. 
	Sailor Mercury shook her head. "Such absolute control is 
repulsive and unnecessary. Water is not some raging beast that must 
be subdued, General. Your mistake is in seeking to control it, to 
have it call you 'master'."
	"If I'm not its master when I'm using it," Zoicite said, 
crossing his arms over his chest, "then what am I?"
	The water moved in a singular, aggravated ripple. Mercury's 
face grew saddened, and she let the water coil itself back into the 
pool. With very little of any sound the liquid Mobius returned to 
its source and was calm once again. "You cannot tame what has 
forever been beyond your control, General. It is a mistake to think 
you can rule it. You must show gentleness and understanding. This 
is not an enemy you are subduing."
	"The water can still kill you," Zoicite stated. 
	"Yes," she acknowledged. "But I respect it, and when I bow 
before its power, it in turn answers my summons." 
	Mercury leaned closer to him. Her gaze had become so sharp it 
made Zoicite instinctively slide a hand closer to one of his 
shuriken. "You deny it the freedom it craves," she told him. "You 
crush it in your hands as if it's a mere tool, something to be used 
and then discarded. Like any living force, the water will seek 
vengeance against you. It will know only anger when it hears your 
voice and senses your will. That is why it rages so much against 
the Seraphim. That is why it hates you." 
	She was almost cheek to cheek with him, despite the 
difference in their heights.
	 "I know no other way," Zoicite stated with a degree of 
simple finality. 
	Sailor Mercury lifted one of her hands and brought her palm 
against Zoicite's cheek. "I can teach you if you wish." 
	They turned their heads as Endymion abruptly sat up and let a 
groggy string of Terran-Nihongo words. Serenity continued to sleep 
peacefully on his lap. For a few moments, Endymion looked around, 
squinting his eyes at the light, utterly bewildered as to where he 
was. There seemed to be some sort of recollection or recognition 
before he settled back down and closed his eyes.
	Zoicite and Sailor Mercury looked back at each other. 
	"He does that sometimes," Zoicite remarked.
	"I didn't catch what he said."
	Zoicite shook his head as he went over the words. "Something 
about children in the shadows...playing with horses? Doesn't make 
much sense. He was probably dreaming."
	Melancholy wormed its way into Sailor Mercury's expression. 
"Was it hard for him? To grow up without a childhood?"
	"He made it somehow," Zoicite replied simply. "We all do, no 
matter what we've along the way."
	Mercury looked down at the water. "I don't know what I'd do 
without my family," she said quietly.
	"From what I hear, you rarely see them," Zoicite said, a 
little surprised. She didn't strike him as the type to let her 
emotions be so visible.
	"I still miss my parents terribly," she confided. "I can't 
begin to fathom the emptiness that would consume me if they died 
and I was left alone. Garnet is the one I pity the most. I only 
talk about fears of losing my family. She's had to struggle through 
it. The strength she's had to draw from herself is incredible, 
though she doesn't talk much about it."
	"She mentioned it briefly to me once," Zoicite said. "Some 
sort of archaeological dig at some ruins. There was an accident, 
probably a landslide, and Garnet was the only survivor."
	"They were trying to find Elysian," said Mercury.
	Zoicite shrugged off the idea. "Myths and legends; they get 
the better of us all," he stated. He glanced over at Sailor Mercury 
and cracked a smile. "But hey, who knows? Maybe when this is all 
over, I'll pay the excavation site a visit and poke around."
	Sailor Mercury regarded him with renewed interest. "Care for 
some company when you do?"
	"Why not?" 


			*	*	*
	Kunzite's eyes were open the instant he heard the first 
chime. It was a summons, that much he knew. Someone was contacting 
the room. He rolled over, and nudged the blonde sprawled out on the 
bed next to him. "It's for you." 
	Minako made a face, rolled over and tried to wrap herself up 
in the sheets. "Oh, not now! Pretend I'm out fighting evil or 
something."
	"You want me to answer it?"
	"Please?" 
	Kunzite gave her an incredulous look. "Minako, this is your 
room."
	With an exasperated sigh, Minako mumbled something to herself 
in Venusian and pushed herself on top of Kunzite. She reached out 
an arm and tapped on a small, metallic orb sitting on a table next 
to his side of the bed. 
	"Yes?" she said in a less than enthusiastic tone.
	Sailor Mercury's voice filtered into the darkened bedroom. "I 
hope I'm not disturbing you, Minako, but you do realize you're 
already half an hour late."
	At that, Kunzite lifted his head off the pillow. 
	Still groggy, Minako rubbed at her eyes and absently nodded 
her head. "I am? Sorry, Ami, I'll be there as soon as I can."
	Mercury paused for a moment. "I had thought an entire night 
alone would have allowed for adequate time," she remarked, 
obviously amused, "but it appears I underestimated the General's 
stamina."
	Suddenly Kunzite was very much awake.
	"That is none of your business, and I'll thank you not to 
bring that up in front of anyone else." Minako snapped, amidst the 
distinct sound of Mercury chuckling. (And was that Zoicite he heard 
too?) 
	"Serenity is currently having breakfast in her usual garden," 
Mercury said. "You don't have to race here, but don't take too long 
saying good-bye either."
	Rolling her eyes, Minako lifted her hand from the orb. Its 
surface stopped glowing. "I guess I'm expected elsewhere," she 
said, resting her head on Kunzite's chest. "And here I was looking 
forward to you bringing me breakfast in bed." 
	"I guess we should get dressed," Kunzite said. 
	Minako giggled. "Oh, I don't think we should be that eager to 
leave."
	She sat up and pushed her blonde hair back over her 
shoulders, bringing her naked breasts into full view. "I know Ami," 
she stated as she straddled Kunzite's waist. "She'll wait for 
another half an hour before calling back again."
	Kunzite smiled, his fingers gliding over Minako's hips. "I 
like the way you think."


			*	*	*
	Chaos lurked within all humanity, and thusly all 
civilizations were filled with chaos. The sceptics argued that 
Lunaria was beyond such words, that it was a pinnacle, the way a 
world should be. There were no more dark hearts, no more evil 
minds; they had been purged and lost long ago. The sceptics were 
loud and swift to proclaim that Lunaria had cleansed itself of such 
atrocities.
	The sceptics were not present as Cioran sat within a large 
chamber alive with the light of hundreds of candles. His Seraphim 
sword rested upon the ground before him, drowsy and sheathed in its 
scabbard. Ancient murals depicting the heroics of the Seraphim 
Order decorated the circular walls, and the dancing light and 
shadows made it seem as if the pictures still breathed. The smell 
of incense filled the air.
	In the vaulted ceiling high above his head, a small square 
partition allowed the light from the Earth to fall into the 
chamber. The solitary shaft of light reached all the way down to 
the ground, where it caressed a black obelisk no taller than 
Cioran. Upon the obelisk was a Lunarian inscription: To the 
glorious dead.
	Cioran was a familiar sight to the obelisk and murals. Every 
day he visited this chamber, sat before the monument and meditated. 
This shrine was almost the only proof that any of them had ever 
existed. For every Seraphim who had fallen, to wars or to the 
onslaught of time, a new candle was lit and placed among the 
others. 
	The people of the Seraphim Order came and went and died. The 
Order itself did not die simply because it was disbanded by the 
palace. Even the Queen had been unable to stop them from carrying 
out their duties. If one searched the Archives, they would find 
scattered accounts of a few questionable officials finding 
themselves perished in a seemingly natural though curious way--
before and after the Order had been dissolved. The Seraphim had 
ways of keeping a man alive for days no matter how much he 
suffered. 
	Cioran still toyed with taking Zoicite along should the Order 
encounter such a person before it was time for the delegation to 
return to Earth. He would show Zoicite how elegant and deadly the 
Seraphim truly were. A warrior like him deserved to learn the truth 
behind Lunaria's dark legacy.
	But for now, Cioran asked for the moon's blessings, and the 
Queen's forgiveness. There were things even the Seraphim did not 
tell her. She remained unaware, for her safety and Lunaria's. There 
was no such thing as an untainted heart, no matter how many 
sceptics told Cioran otherwise.
	He never listened to the sceptics. He listened to those gone 
before him. Here, in this forgotten sanctum, the spirits of the 
Seraphim continued to dwell. Most the apprentices shied away from 
this chamber; they could feel a lingering presence all around them, 
and were frightened by it. Cioran had learned long ago not to fear 
the spirits of the Seraphim, but to listen and learn from what they 
had to offer. They had been the ones to insist he go along with 
Halcyon's request and stake out the Seraphim Archives, where he 
ultimately encountered Zoicite.
	Cioran closed his eyes and sought to commune with his 
brethren. 
	The guiding whispers almost immediately hissed a warning.
	Cioran's eyes slowly opened up as the sound of giggling began 
to echo throughout the chamber. He scowled and grasped hold of his 
sword, staring at the obelisk before him. "You have some nerve 
showing up here," he stated coldly as he rose to his feet. "Even in 
a place as sacred as this, you openly defile it."
	Cioran turned around and glared at Lapis and Lazuli.
	The twins were dressed like Lunarian courtesans, elegant and 
exotic, tempting him to drop his guard and follow after them. 
Cioran could see the madness blatantly dancing in their eyes, and 
stayed where he was.
	"Ooh, he looks scary," Lapis said.
	"Indeed he does," Lazuli agreed. She placed a hand over her 
belly and smiled. "It makes my stomach wriggle with butterflies 
just looking at his eyes."
	"Such righteous anger," Lapis said.
	Lazuli licked her lips. "Such delicious flesh." 
	Cioran drew his sword and tossed its scabbard down onto the 
floor. "Somehow," he dryly remarked, "I doubt neither of you are 
Beryl."
	The twins giggled and clasped their hands together. Cioran 
stared on in disbelief as they turned away from him and pressed 
their lips together. Lapis shuddered and let out a sigh of ecstasy. 
"Such an exquisite calm before the storm," she purred. "I always 
did savour the scent of blood before it struck the floor."
	For the first time in any fight he'd been in, Cioran slowly 
took a step back. His fingers wrapped tighter around the grip of 
his sword. "What are you?" he hissed.
	Lazuli curtseyed before him. "We are but humble messengers. 
Our Queen has taken notice of you; you should be flattered."
	Cioran raised the edge of his blade a little higher in front 
of him, his gaze darting back and forth between the twins, letting 
neither of them leave his sight. "And what does your Queen have to 
say?"
	Lapis' smile turned vicious. "'Good-bye.'"
	A distant buzz sounded in his ears, causing Cioran to flinch.
	Seconds later, his entire vision flashed white.
	Cioran almost collapsed, reeling as he suddenly heard the 
twins' laughter inside his own head. Inside his memories. Inside 
his very soul. Cioran's stomach twisted in on itself as his saw the 
two girls standing in every corner of every room he could ever 
recall. They sat on the edge of the bed alongside his mother as she 
sang him a Lunarian lullaby. They lurked in the crowd of elder 
Seraphim, watching him ascend the steps and accept the mantle of a 
Seraphim apprentice. Watching, always watching. Always giggling. 
Always coming to take him away, and cut him with blades and kill 
his mommy right in front of him and slaughter all his Seraphim 
teachers and elders and whisper how it was no use fighting, they'd 
find a way in.
	They always found a way in.
	Cioran roared as he dropped to his knees, his fingertips 
clawing at his eyes. With unbridled rage he cast them from his 
mind. The twins blinked and stumbled backwards, visibly surprised. 
Gasping for air, Cioran got back to his feet and once more raised 
his weapon between them. Only now his entire arm trembled.
	Lapis dabbed at the corner of her mouth, and found a trickle 
of blood there. "Oho," she remarked sourly. "Well isn't this a fine 
'how'd you do'."
	"Exiled so forcefully," Lazuli said, twirling a strand of 
hair around her finger. "He's playing hard to get."
	Lapis' tongue snaked out and wiped the remainder of the blood 
from her lips. "I call dibs on his childhood. They cry so much 
prettier when you break their childhood."
	They started to advance. With each step they took, the candle 
flames around them were snuffed out. 
	"Damned farseers," Cioran hissed.
	Standing here put him at a severe disadvantage. Another 
attack like that might cripple him, or worse cause him to drop his 
weapon and his guard. He needed distance. He had to run. Cioran 
glanced down at his free hand.
	With one rapid motion he placed his index and middle fingers 
over his lips and muttered an incantation. The exhaling breath from 
his mouth struck the candles surrounding him, and ignited the air. 
An enormous burst of fire engulfed Cioran, causing the twins to 
flinch and look away.
	The fire burst fizzled out within seconds, but already Cioran 
had vanished, leaving the twins alone inside the sanctum. Lapis 
glanced around the darkened chamber. 
"It's gotten very quiet all of a sudden."
	"He left and took all his old friends with him," Lazuli 
stated. "It seems he wishes to make a game of his demise. Should we 
accept, dear sister?"
	Lapis nodded her head. "Tag, sister. We're 'It'."
	The shadows engulfed them, and in the darkness Lazuli's voice 
whispered, "And we're coming for you, little Seraphim."
	For his part, Cioran fled as fast as he could, his movements 
almost becoming blurs of motion and colour. He ran across the 
floors and sprang off the walls, using whatever momentum he could 
to put as much distance as possible between him and the twins. He 
knew they were giving chase, and he couldn't even hear where they 
might be coming from.
	For that matter, he couldn't hear anyone else. Even here 
inside the Order's world, it was silent and empty. Most of the 
Seraphim were out or sleeping. Cioran knew he'd be lucky if the 
first Seraphim he found was guarding the main entrance near the 
painting. He also knew the layout of this maze of passageways 
better than anyone; no matter how fast those girls were, it would 
be impossible for them to corner him.
	Cioran rounded a bend--and collided headlong with something. 
Books and parchment scattered in the air and rained down around 
him. Cioran grunted as he tumbled to the floor, his sword lost from 
his grip. The spine of a book landed unpleasantly against his ribs. 
He looked up, ready to growl at whomever he'd hit. The growl 
disappeared when he saw Garnet groaning and picking herself up off 
the floor.
	"What are you doing here?" he exclaimed.
	"I was looking for you," Garnet huffed, blowing a strand of 
strawberry-blonde hair away from her face. "You have got to warn 
people when you're coming around corners like that, Cioran!"
	She looked down at the disarray of papers and groaned a 
second time. "This is going to take an hour to reorganize! All I 
wanted was to ask you some questions about that cult list you gave 
me. One of your friends was nice enough to show me in, and give me 
directions, and could that have been the end of it? No! Now I'm 
lost and--ow!--sporting another bump on my head!"
	The giggles of the twins abruptly sounded across the 
corridor.
	Garnet slowly tipped her head sideways and looked over 
Cioran's shoulder. "Okay," she said, panic creeping into her voice. 
"Care to tell me what that is?"
	Somewhere in the darkness of the corridor, two pairs of azure 
eyes opened up, and Lapis & Lazuli glided out from the shadows. 
Their maniacal smiles had grown, their appetite whetted by the 
chase. 
	"Now you've gone and done it," Lazuli said.
	Lapis nodded in agreement. "A brave little Seraphim with 
nowhere to run. Let's pull out his feathers one by one." 
	Cioran glanced down at the mess of books and papers. 
Somewhere underneath was his sword. Bad enough he doubted whether 
he could reach his weapon before those two went after his mind 
again, but now with Garnet in danger, he had to stand his ground 
and at least give her a fighting chance to escape.
	"Friends of yours?" Garnet asked, trying not to sound as 
nervous as she looked.
 	"We'll see once they're dead," Cioran stated, hastily 
searching for his sword somewhere amidst the disarray. He caught 
sight of the hilt and grabbed at it. With one fluid motion Cioran 
grasped his weapon and rose up, standing in between Garnet and the 
twins.
	"Garnet, get out of here and warn Halcyon," he stated. "Raise 
the alarm to any Seraphim you can--"
	The slender blade of a dagger sliced through his side, 
piercing flesh and organs. Cioran choked on his next word. His 
entire vision exploded in a blinding, agonizing white. The world 
floated around him, and he felt weightless in it. Cioran dropped to 
his knees, then pitched over sideways and struck the floor. His 
breaths were shallow, his eyes wide and vacant. Blood trickled out 
from the corner of his mouth. He could barely see Garnet staring 
down at him, laughing cruelly as she licked his blood from her 
dagger.
	Her eyes...
	Those weren't her eyes.
	And when the woman spoke, it was not Garnet's voice.
	"I trust," Beryl told her twins, "that you can finish this 
without my supervision."


			*	*	*
	Nephrite wasn't surprised to find the common room dark and 
empty. A few sparse lights were left on, and some stray glimmers of 
light trickled down from the skylight. It was better this way; he 
still wasn't ready to face the light of day just yet. Nephrite 
strolled across the common room, and abruptly realized that someone 
was sitting on one of the sofas. His hand instinctively reached for 
a katana that wasn't there.
	"Morning," said the silhouette on the sofa.
	Nephrite recognized that voice. "Damn it, Jadeite," he 
grumbled. "Don't you ever sleep?"
	"I do when I find it convenient," came Jadeite's casual 
reply.
	Rolling his eyes, Nephrite sauntered over to the nearest 
chair and sat down, his legs sprawling out onto the coffee table. 
"You nearly gave me a heart attack. Do you enjoy being that quiet?"
	"It's better than the alternative."
	Nephrite could barely see anything of Jadeite other than 
vague outlines. Jadeite's eyes, however, were disturbingly blue and 
bright. They shimmered in the darkness like a cat's.
	"They're still celebrating outside, though it's not as 
impressive as last night," Jadeite said. "If you open the main 
doors, you'll be able to hear them applauding their victory and 
Lunaria's immortality." He shook his head in disgust. "The fools. 
It's not over."
	"Not yet," Nephrite agreed, casting a glance at the main 
doors. Or at least where he was pretty sure the main doors stood 
amidst the darkness. "One of the greatest mistakes a soldier can 
ever make is in assuming the battle is over before it has reached 
its end. Another is to underestimate your enemy. Right now, I plan 
on not falling victim to either."
	"I agree," Jadeite said.
	Nephrite glanced back at Jadeite. "What is it you want?"
	Jadeite leaned forward, and part of his face came into the 
light. "Amidst yesterday's tension and euphoria, I didn't even 
think to ask it. None of us did. When you and Rei attacked Beryl's 
mind, what did you see?" 
	Nephrite didn't answer right away. Despite all the Sake he'd 
deliberately consumed, sleep had not come easily for him. Like the 
night before last, every time he'd closed his eyes, he saw Rei 
being punished beneath the wrath of the demon storm, and some part 
of his body seized up as it recalled the unforgiving pain he'd also 
suffered.
	"We saw her plans," he said finally. "She's going to crush 
and burn every last piece of Lunaria until nothing remains."
	With a scowl, Jadeite sat back in his chair, his face 
retreating into the shadows. "Pleasant thought."
	"Unfortunately, that's the good news."
	Jadeite lifted his head, his eyes fixed on Nephrite.
	"There was something else we found," Nephrite continued. 
"Something far beyond any of our powers. I can't even begin to 
guess what it is. This thing attacked us inside our own minds even 
after we fled from its presence. It made a point of going after 
Rei...almost tore her apart. I may be frightened by Beryl's power, 
but this thing terrifies me, Jadeite. All her power is because of 
this beast. It is her master and her destroyer all at once. It's 
coming for us, and it's almost here."
	"What was it?"
	Nephrite grimaced. "I don't know if I can describe it. It...it 
was like a storm." 
	He barely even noticed Jadeite suddenly sitting up.
	"Black, raging clouds," he continued, sifting through the 
horrific memories. "And it had a demoniac face, leering and roaring 
the entire time."
	"And black lightning rained down from its infernal body, and 
its two crimson eyes savoured the carnage and bloodshed," Jadeite 
finished. With a grim expression, he looked at Nephrite. "I've seen 
this storm too."
	Jadeite slowly rose from his chair. "Follow me."
	Nephrite glanced down at his bare chest. "I'm not even fully 
dressed."
	"I don't really care."
	"Let me at least get a jacket or something."
	As he hastily jogged back to his room, Nephrite could hear 
Jadeite throwing open the main doors to the common room. Nephrite 
grabbed the nearest jacket he could find, and then snatched his 
katana from its resting place. Jadeite was already halfway down the 
corridor. Nephrite had to run to catch up, trying to keep hold of 
his sword and slide his arms into the sleeves of his jacket at the 
same time.
	"Are you even going to tell me where we're going, or is it a 
surprise?" he said.
	Jadeite cast a wayward glance over at him, but said nothing. 
	They cut through empty corridors and halls, the carousing and 
cheers of Lunarians echoing from some nearby outdoor garden or 
grand ballroom. Tired or drunk revellers were beginning to trickle 
into the palace, everyone smiling pleasantly as they attempted to 
return to their beds. A few waved at the two Generals and slapped 
them across the shoulders and back as they passed by. 
	At one point Nephrite almost stopped and turned around, his 
eyes and his tongue ready to rebuke them. Jadeite caught him by the 
arm and held him back.
	"Ignore them," Jadeite said in Terran-Nihongo. "We're almost 
there."
	Jadeite brought them to the Hall of Antiquity, and they came 
to stand before the Darkstorm's portrait. As it always had, the 
Darkstorm rained down its fury and blasphemy upon Neptune.
	"I have to be certain," Jadeite said, turning to Nephrite. 
"Is this what you saw?"
	As he stared at the painting, Nephrite's entire body went 
rigid against its will. He forced himself to breathe, to fight back 
the cold sweat soaking into his clothes. "That's what attacked 
Rei," he said quietly. 
	Jadeite let out a small hiss of air. "Then it's as I've 
feared," he stated. "The Darkstorm is returning."
	Nephrite whirled, staring at Jadeite in disbelief. "But 
that's impossible. Jadeite, that thing was destroyed!"
	As much as he loathed doing it, Jadeite shook his head. "We 
don't know what happened. It would seem that long ago, the 
Darkstorm was merely sealed away, and everyone just assumed it had 
been destroyed. And now it looks like someone's itching to bring it 
back."
	"What kind of a monster would want to bring this hell back 
upon us?" Nephrite hissed.
	Jadeite glanced over at him. "I think you just answered your 
own question. We should go. This cannot wait; the others must know 
of this right now."
	They turned and put their backs to the painting. It continued 
to leer at them as they left the Hall of Antiquity.
	"Do you feel better," Nephrite asked, "knowing finally what 
it is?"
	Jadeite shook his head. "No. I feel worse. Four hundred years 
ago, they could barely stop the Darkstorm. It wiped out more than a 
few planets before it was locked away. This time around, we don't 
have as many buffers between us." 


			*	*	*
	An hour later, they assembled at a banqueting table without a 
banquet. There were no servants, no music, no gentle segueway. 
Everything was laid out: Beryl; the Darkstorm; the apocalypse. It's 
not every day you get to learn that your world's about to end 
(again). Everyone reacted in their own unique ways, already having 
practiced after learning about the Snow Queen's comet. As Rei 
recounted the attack within her mind, Zoicite looked as if he'd 
swallowed some bitter brew. Sailor Uranus openly swore and angrily 
slapped her palm against the table when Jadeite brought his 
knowledge forward. 
	"So there it is, ladies and gentlemen," Nephrite said to them 
all. "It's not pretty, and it's certainly not going to be easy. We 
may have days, maybe even hours, before Beryl locates the resting 
place of the Darkstorm and finds a way to break the seal upon it. 
Now is not the time to spout any of that 'It's hopeless' crap. We 
finally know what we're up against. It's time to figure out how we 
stop it." 
	Halcyon closed her eyes and rested her forehead rest against 
her clasped hands. Everyone at the table fell silent, lost in their 
own dread and déjà vu. In the end, Minako was the one who broke the 
strained silence.
	"Do...do we tell everyone what's about to happen?" she asked.
	Neptune shook her head. "I would advise against it. Coming so 
close upon the heels of the comet, such news would either be 
ignored as mere rumour, or it would incite a hysteria greater than 
when the Snow Dancers were attacking. For now we should limit this 
knowledge to the people within this chamber."
	"What about Cioran?" Kunzite asked, looking around. "I don't 
see him here."
	"I sent word to him," Halcyon said. "The Seraphim are elusive 
creatures. It's possible he's away on their Order's business. I 
left a summons for him the moment he returns."
	Halcyon turned her attention to Sailor Neptune. "I agree with 
Neptune, however. This meeting goes no further than the people 
here, Cioran being the exception. If our hand is forced, then we 
will issue a formal warning to all of Lunaria and Earth."
	"Does Beryl know where the Darkstorm's been sealed?" Endymion 
asked.
	Nephrite could only shrug. "We didn't get that far into her 
mind."
	"I'll alert Kusanagi," Kunzite said, looking over at 
Endymion. "See what his informants can dig up for us."
	"Good idea," Endymion agreed.
	"There's no guarantee the Darkstorm was sealed in your 
country, let alone your planet," Sailor Pluto said.
	"I'd rather rule us out right away than discover otherwise, 
should the Darkstorm make an appearance," retorted Endymion evenly. 
"As it is, the last time anyone ever saw the Darkstorm was on 
Earth."
	"Let's just back up for a moment here," Ami said. "What 
specifically do we know about the Darkstorm?"
	Zoicite looked down the table. "Garnet, you mentioned the 
Darkstorm before," he said. "You've researched it."
	All eyes turned to Garnet, who immediately became flustered 
from the sudden attention. "Well, yes," she stammered, her face 
growing flushed. "But it's only ever been a hobby."
	"It's a place to start," Sailor Saturn said.
	Halcyon nodded. "If you could bring out anything you have on 
the Darkstorm, Garnet, I would be in your debt. No matter how 
trivial the information may be, we must examine it thoroughly." She 
looked first to Jadeite, and then to Rei. "Seemingly 
inconsequential events brought this revelation to light. Similar 
events may yet bring us to victory." 
	As she looked at her Queen, Garnet nodded her head. "Give me 
two hours, and I'll get you everything I can possibly dig up."
	Halcyon turned to Jadeite. "Whatever information you have 
acquired over the course of your search must also be added. New 
eyes might be able to discover things you might have missed."
	"We'll need researchers proficient in the old languages of 
Uranus, Saturn and Mars," Jadeite told her. "Most of what I was 
able to find came from those three sources, and my translations are 
spotty at best."
	"I'm pretty good with the ancient Saturn tongue," Garnet 
said, "but my Uranian's rather rusty."
	"I'll contact my kingdom," Uranus said. "There are some 
scholars of the old language still around. It may take most of the 
day before they can get here, but I should be able to find them."
	Rei added, "I'll see what I can do from my end." 
	"What about us?" Makoto spoke up.
	All heads turned to her.
	"Four hundred years ago, we were the first line of defence 
against the Darkstorm," Makoto said. "Our predecessors appeared 
when the Darkstorm first came to this system. I don't think it's a 
coincidence that on the eve of the Darkstorm's return, the Sailor 
Soldiers are reborn once more."
	Uranus scowled and stared down at the table. "It's a 
rematch."
	"Yeah," Nephrite said, casting a glance over at Rei. "And I 
think it's safe to say the Darkstorm certainly remembers the Sailor 
Soldiers. You girls are going to have one hell of a fight on your 
hands."
	"We are not mere children," Neptune said curtly.
	Nephrite rolled his eyes. "I was speaking figuratively," he 
replied, and leaned back in his chair. "Fact is, with your powers, 
you all stand a better chance of surviving than the five Terrans 
sitting here with you."
	Halcyon turned to Sailor Pluto. "How ready are we for this?"
	Sailor Pluto's reaction and response were evasive and stoic. 
"I do not know," she answered, her face betraying nothing of what 
she felt. "The Hundred Gate has shown me strange things, but 
nothing that would have indicated this."
	"If Beryl's proven one thing," Jadeite stated, "it's that 
she's good at hiding things from us."
	"I will continue to search the Hundred Gate," Pluto told 
Halcyon. "Whatever the mirrors show me--past, present or future--I 
will report to you immediately."
	"So where will the Darkstorm strike first?" Zoicite spoke up. 
"Personally, I think that's one of the questions we have to answer 
before anything else. It does us no good to debate strategies when 
we don't even know where to begin fortifying our defences."
	"The Darkstorm was last seen on Earth," Kunzite said. "That 
implies it will rise up from there. However, it may not care much 
for Earth, knowing that its greatest enemies are based here on the 
moon. I hate to say this, but it could go either way. This thing 
defies everything we've ever known or imagined. It might be able to 
separate itself and attack both places at once."
	Halcyon turned in her chair, her gaze focused on Kunzite. 
"And in saying this, what would you recommend, General?" 
	"We fortify both fronts," Kunzite stated. "Earth and Lunaria. 
And we start right now. Our soldiers do not have to know why 
they're being assembled and given orders, not at first. But after 
all the accounts we've heard about the Darkstorm, we would be 
arrogant fools to believe we'll be able to repel it entirely from 
one border. I would rather be ready and wrong, than be wrong and 
dead."
	"Do what you feel is necessary," Halcyon told the Terran 
delegation. "I leave the decisions affecting Earth to you and your 
Generals, Endymion--and know that I will support you however I can 
from here. If you feel you must return to Earth, then do so with my 
blessing. If you wish to stay here and coordinate your efforts, 
then please do so. If there is anything you require, ask and it 
shall be given. I will not abandon the Earth, not now, in 
everyone's greatest hour of need."
	Endymion bowed his head in thanks and appreciation.
	Halcyon then turned her attention to the eight Sailor 
Soldiers seated at the table. "We also have matters to discuss. 
Sailor Jupiter is right: we cannot overlook the return of the 
Sailor Soldiers. Destiny chose all of you for a reason, and that 
reason may now be upon us." Her eyes flickered briefly over to 
Serenity. "I know you are all prepared to fight for your homes, for 
your people, and for Lunaria. But there must be strength as well as 
will, otherwise we may yet fail."
	Halcyon's gaze came to rest upon Rei, who stiffened beneath 
her Queen's eyes.
	"From what I understand," Halcyon said to her, "as a Sailor 
Soldier you have evolved considerably since your last series of 
testing."
	"It wasn't on my own," Rei admitted, and glanced at Nephrite. 
"I had help."
	"Even still," Halcyon said, "in recorded history there has 
never been a Super Sailor Soldier. You are the first, Sailor Mars. 
And if one Sailor Soldier can evolve, then so can the others. I 
want you to lead their training."
	Silence abruptly filled the room.
	Almost everyone wore different expressions of surprise, none 
more apparent than Rei herself. Nephrite smirked as he watched Rei 
squirm uncomfortably in her chair.
	"My...my Queen?" Rei stammered.
	"I thought it was obvious enough," Nephrite remarked, looking 
directly at Rei. "You've achieved what even her Outer Soldiers have 
not."
	Neptune visibly bristled at the jab. 
	Halcyon was considerably more discreet. "You know what was 
needed to occur for this evolution," she told Rei. "You know what 
went on in your mind and the world around you. I believe you are 
aware of the catalyst needed to trigger this change. I can think of 
no better teacher than one who has experienced it herself."
	She looked at each of the other soldiers in turn. "I remain 
hopeful, though I am not expecting everyone here to evolve. But if 
even one other Sailor Soldier can find their hidden powers, that 
may be what tips the balance in our favour. Even one person 
fighting in this war can make the difference."
	For the next hour, the air became saturated with endless 
debates and speculation. Garnet excused herself to gather what 
resources she could from the Archives, and in time Endymion and his 
Generals found the need to confer with themselves regarding Earth. 
As it was, they barely required excusing themselves; Halcyon was 
trying to set up a training schedule that would still allow Rei 
both periods of rest and the fulfilling of her watch duties over 
Serenity.
	One by one, the Generals rose from their chairs and filed out 
towards the main doors. As Jadeite walked past Sailor Neptune, she 
remarked, "Well?"
	Jadeite paused alongside her. 
	Neptune glanced up at him. "This is one of those moments 
where you stop and say 'I told you so'."
	"History is about to try and repeat itself," Jadeite replied. 
"I don't have time to gloat." 
	The air was cooler out in the colonnades, a definite and 
refreshing change from the empty banquet hall. Endymion paused just 
outside the doorway and inhaled as deep a lungful of the air as he 
could, his eyes momentarily closing. As Kunzite brushed past him, 
he discreetly pulled Kunzite aside 
	"Halcyon can tell her people what she will," Endymion said 
quietly, speaking Terran-Nihongo, and placed a hand on Kunzite's 
shoulder. "When you talk with General Kusanagi later, have him tell 
our men the truth about what's coming. Tell anyone who's willing to 
listen. I don't want any part of Earth caught unaware." Endymion 
paused and then said in but a whisper, "We're going to be first."
	There was a glint in Kunzite's eyes.  "What makes you so 
certain, my prince?"
	Endymion almost smiled. "Call it intuition."
	"I hope you're wrong," Kunzite said.
	"Me too."


			*	*	*
	The evening hours grew late.
	Somewhere else in the palace, they were celebrating. Still 
celebrating. Always celebrating. At least most of the people had 
exhausted themselves and had the decency to drag themselves off to 
sleep. Nephrite held little pity towards them. His own body felt 
weary and his muscles ached. His entire core felt as if it would 
need an entire day soaking in a heated pool or having every last 
muscle massaged into oblivion before he'd feel at ease. And yet as 
he sat before the fire in meditation, Nephrite had never felt quite 
so awake and alert before.
	It wasn't necessarily a good thing. 
 	The stars rarely offered certainties. More often than not, he 
was given glimpses or riddles. Sometimes they were willing give him 
straight answers; sometimes he'd been able to coax answers out from 
them in the past. This time, however, they had nothing new to show, 
nothing more to give other than an image of himself standing over 
the corpse of Sailor Jupiter. They had grown frightened of him, 
even more now than they'd been a day or two ago. 
	He was becoming something they feared.
	The adrenaline and anxiety from that alone drove away the 
fatigue. He had to know why, to know how or when. The urgency of 
the stars grew, and the more he pushed the more they recoiled away 
from him until the chamber of stars within his mind became filled 
with only darkness.
	Nephrite swore under his breath and retreated from his inner 
sanctuary. His eyes opened to behold the burning Fire, as immense 
and enigmatic as ever. If there was some sentient being lurking 
within the perpetual flames, he wished it would just manifest 
itself and give him something to work with. Nephrite wasn't much 
for believing in luck, but just when they could use a little of it, 
nothing was to be found. 
	For what felt like hours he sat unmoving, staring at the 
Fire. He silently asked it questions and found there were no 
answers to give back. A welcomed rush of cool air flooded the room 
when Rei opened the far doors and stepped inside.
	In spite of his mood, Nephrite had to smirk as he saw her 
approaching shadow in his peripherals. "I guess I will have to call 
you 'Sensei' now," he remarked.
	"Please don't," Rei sighed, and sat down beside him. She kept 
her position relaxed and open. The uniform she wore was still that 
of a Super Sailor Soldier. "It's been a hell of a day already, and 
it's not even close to being over yet."
	"How so?"
	"Training." She absently blew at a few stray bangs of black 
hair dandling over her eyes. "Lots of training. Lots of sparring 
matches and melees. Lots of me having not the slightest idea what 
I'm supposed to do."
	Closing his eyes, Nephrite was taken back to his own 
adolescence. He knew those feelings all too well. "Sounds busy."
	Rei nodded, content to stare at the Fire. "Happily, each 
night one of us will be guarding Serenity. Whomever's guarding her 
that night gets a reprieve, and can sleep for the rest of the day." 
She glanced over at Nephrite and grinned. "It'll be a long night, 
but oh, to be able to sleep in again. I've almost forgotten what 
that feels like." 
	Nephrite's eyes opened up. He leaned his head to one side and 
looked at Rei. "What will the others do in your absence?"
	"Uranus seems determined to put everyone through the rigors," 
she said with a slight shrug. "Combat training and the like. I 
don't even know how I can possibly stack up against a warrior like 
her. It's still really daunting to go from student to teacher."
	"You deserve the recognition."
	Rei did not seem as convinced as he was. "Maybe," she said. 
"But do you have any idea how unnerving it is to have the four 
Outer Soldiers standing in front of you, waiting to hear you talk? 
I don't know if they even believed in a word I said."
	"They did."
	"They're older than me, Nephrite." 
	"I'm not much older than Jadeite," Nephrite said, "and we're 
both among the highest-ranking Generals in Endymion's armies. I 
have men twice my age following after me. Show your authority, and 
they will give you respect."
	Rei glanced down at the floor. "What is my authority?"
	Nephrite did not hesitate to respond: "Experience. You 
possess knowledge they do not."
	She shifted awkwardly beneath his gaze and his praise. The 
Fire proved an easy means of changing the subject. "You're still 
meditating," she said to him. "I'd have thought you'd be with the 
others. While Halcyon's had the Sailor Soldiers together training, 
everyone else has been pouring over Garnet's books in the Archives. 
Even Serenity's reading whatever she can to help out." 
	"What about the Seraphim?" Nephrite asked.
	Rei shook her head. "No word from Cioran. Or any of them." 
She paused and quietly added, "I don't know much about them, but 
shouldn't one of them have shown up by now?"
	Though he didn't openly say it, Cioran's sudden absence 
worried Nephrite as well. However, it looked as if Rei had enough 
things to worry about already. Nephrite tried to shrug her concerns 
off as casually as he could. "I'm not the one to talk to about 
that," he said. "Zoicite's the closest contact we have with them."
	"I didn't come here looking for Zoicite," Rei stated, rather 
pointedly. "I came here looking for you."
	Nephrite blinked at her in mild surprise. "Why?"
	"I checked with the other Generals," Rei said. Her tone had 
become almost accusing. "You disappeared soon after the meeting 
this morning."
	And here he'd for some reason thought it might have been 
something more urgent or poignant. Nephrite rolled his eyes at her. 
"Oh. That."
	"Look, avoiding everyone is something I'd expect from 
Jadeite," Rei said, "but not you. What is it, Nephrite?"
	Nephrite looked in the Fire, and saw only the burning flames. 
He couldn't hide the truth from her; she already suspected too 
much, and so far had mercifully kept her doubts to herself. He 
would tell her only what was necessary.
	"The stars have shown me something," he said. "I must know 
more."
	"What was it?" Rei asked.
	But Nephrite shook his head. "I will not speak of it."
	Rei straightened up, on the verge of glaring at him. "Why 
not?" she exclaimed indignantly. "I thought we trusted each other."
	"And it is exactly because of that trust that I will not 
speak of it," Nephrite stated, adding as much finality to the 
matter as he could. "Not to you, not to anyone else." 
	He expected her to get angry. He expected her to glare and 
storm off and complain about him to the others. It caught Nephrite 
completely off guard when Rei let out an exasperated sigh, and took 
up a formal, kneeling position before the Fire.
	"I don't know what to look for," she said, "but I'll help 
however I can."
	Nephrite almost laughed, but was still glad for the company. 
"You may not like what you see," he warned her.
	"I've seen worse," Rei said.
	"Point taken."	


			*	*	*
	Deep within the ancient chambers of the ancient Sailor 
Senshi, Halcyon's gaze could not see inside. Those walls gave no 
secrets away even to the Queen, and the Queen herself had almost 
entirely forgotten of this great and secret place. It seemed 
perfect and rather poetic to Beryl that she should hide from these 
Sailor Soldiers in the very rooms where their predecessors, the 
ones who had sealed away her mistress, had once slept.
	Seated inside a large, circular chamber, Beryl sat upon a 
large, polished rock surrounded entirely by flowing water. At one 
time this had been the place where the Soldier of Neptune would 
scry the waters for answers and visions--not unlike how the Solider 
of Mars now scryed that curious Fire.
	With so much fervour over the discovery of the Darkstorm, it 
was hard to sneak away and return here. As odd as it seemed, Beryl 
found herself missing the unnatural silence. So far, all was going 
well. She'd planned for this contingency long ago; sooner or later 
she expected someone to finally link the Darkstorm to the growing 
danger surrounding them.
	What had taken years and months of slow, constant care was 
about to suddenly explode into a few hours that would consummate 
her victory and seal Lunaria's fate. But she had to be careful. She 
had to be cautious. Rushing headlong into an unsecured victory was 
why the Snow Queen had been vanquished, pithy little ice princess 
that she was. What mattered now was timing: precise, exact and 
merciless.
	 A silhouette stirred in the open doorway.
	Lazuli glided into the chamber: blood-spattered and grinning. 
The blood was so thick in some places it was hard to tell where her 
skin began and her gown ended. She idly brushed scarlet fingers 
against the side of her scarlet face. Three steps into the room, 
and she reached the edge of the watery pool.
	"Is it done?" Beryl asked.
	Lazuli sucked the blood off a fingertip. "It is. We cut off 
all their wings, and tore out all the tongues of the little boys 
and girls who cried."
	"Did any of them escape?"
	"They tried."
	Beryl had to smile. "And how was he?"
	Lazuli licked her lips and shivered, her arms wrapping 
sensually around her sides. "Vigorous."
	That caused Beryl to take notice. It wasn't often someone 
other than her twin caught Lazuli's attention like that. "And he 
did not show any resistance to your," she paused and chose the 
word, "persuading?"
	"I should think he rather enjoyed being the submissive one." 
Lazuli stretched out her arms and look up to the ceiling, and began 
to slowly, fancifully twirl in a circle. Her toes skirted over the 
edge of the water, but she never stumbled or lost her balance. 
"Whatever commands I gave, he attacked with such energy. I danced 
and danced in the blood, and sang the chorus of sweet death."
	Her euphoria was usually a source of amusement and pride all 
at once. Usually. On this day, however, it made Beryl wary. "Is it 
possible that a few stragglers were absent from your bloodbath?" 
she inquired.
	"It's possible," Lazuli said. She didn't stop twirling. "But 
he volunteered to stay behind and wait for them. He knows all their 
names, all their faces. He knows who will be coming to meet their 
end. He said he'll visit you when the last one stops breathing. He 
won't be gone long."
	A second silhouette appeared behind Lazuli.
	Lapis glanced down at the crimson footprints behind her 
sister, and made a face. "She gets all the fun."
	"It would have given me no greater pleasure than to unleash 
the both of you upon the Seraphim," Beryl told her, "but right now 
there is much that must be done. And I no longer have the luxury of 
hiding away in such secret places." 
	"Why persist at being Garnet then?" Lapis asked, and kicked 
at the water with her toes. "She's a sad, silly woman. She's of no 
use to us."
	"I cannot simply discard her like I would a tattered coat," 
Beryl said. "Garnet is bound to me, and I am to her. Remember, she 
was here first."
	"You could still swallow her whole," said Lazuli.
	Beryl shook her head and slowly rose to her feet. "Not yet. 
Not until Metalia's power is fully restored. Until then, there is 
still the risk of Garnet overthrowing my control over her. Garnet 
still has her uses, and so long as I let her parade around, Halcyon 
does not suspect the truth."
	Beryl held out her arm and showed her palm to the waters. The 
surface of the pool churned and thrashed, rebelling against her 
silent command. However, Beryl had more power than the water alone, 
and grudgingly the pool became solid. Beryl glided across the 
smooth surface. Just beneath, the water plotted its vengeance 
against her.
	She left the chamber, the twins following on either side of 
her as she made her way through the forgotten gardens.
	"What do you think she would say?" Lapis asked. "If Garnet 
ever found out, what would she say to you?"
	"I doubt she'd say anything," Beryl stated sourly. "She'd 
find the nearest sword and impale herself on it, destroying us 
both. She's disturbingly selfless that way. What did you come here 
to tell me, Lapis?"
	Lapis smiled as she glanced at an ancient and faded painting 
of the first incarnation of Outer Soldiers. "The preparations you 
asked for have been made," she said. "Everything should be ready at 
the site for your arrival."
	"And what do they know?"
	"They suspect nothing," Lapis turned her gaze towards Beryl. 
"Some of them have gathered for power; some out of curiosity; 
others out of fear. Not a single one can even conceive the cruel 
glory you are going to bestow on them."
	That made Beryl smile. "Good."
	To attack Lunaria, she would need an army.
	How nice for them to willingly provide her with one.
	"We'll have to move swiftly," Beryl told her twins, "while 
the opportunity remains ours to take."
	"What about the Archives?" Lapis asked.
	Beryl smiled. "My dear, I've spent years puzzling over how to 
free Metalia from that infernal tomb. Whatever Garnet can offer 
them about the Darkstorm, I've already destroyed the documents 
offering hope instead of vague theories. They can rummage through 
her collection as much as they want. They'll find nothing of 
consequence."
	When they rounded the corner, they found Endymion waiting 
patiently for them in the main piazza. The instant he saw Beryl, 
Endymion went down on bended knee before her. Beryl slowed her 
pace. Lapis and Lazuli shared an intrigued glance.
	"My Queen," Endymion said. "I thought you should know: the 
Sailor Soldiers have finished their training for the day, and the 
Generals have adjourned from the Archives. And both myself and 
Garnet are expected at dinner in an hour." 
	"I thought you'd still be with her," Beryl remarked. "She sat 
beside you the entire time in the Archives. Or didn't you notice?"
	Endymion stood back up. "I had."
	"Then why not press your advantage?"
	"Not now," he answered, shaking his head. "Not just yet. One 
of my Generals is taking an unhealthy interest in our relationship. 
The more time I spend with her, the more agitated he becomes. For 
now, I felt it best to return here and seek your counsel."
	That piqued Beryl's interest, and not in a pleasant way. "I 
didn't know you had a rival," she remarked.
	"Kunzite's not a rival," Endymion said, scowling. "He 
suspects something."
	Beryl's eyes abruptly narrowed. "So quickly too."
	"He's unusually perceptive, that one," Lapis remarked to her 
sister.
	"He smells like a Lunarian," Lazuli stated.
	Lapis' brow furrowed. "I didn't smell anything like that."
	"He hides his scent beneath all the blood he's spilled," 
Lazuli explained.
	Enlightenment came to Lapis' eyes. "Ooh, clever little 
General, isn't he?"
 	As they giggled together, Beryl turned her attention back to 
Endymion. "Where are you supposed to be right now?"
	"Getting some fresh air before dinner." He shrugged. "Looking 
for Rei and Nephrite to tell them where the meal will be held. 
Upstanding princely things, of course."
	"Of course," the twins chorused.
	Beryl smiled as she surveyed her three trusted conspirators. 
"It ends tonight," she told them all. "Continue as you have before, 
Endymion. You don't need to show any restraint."
	"And if there is interference?" he asked.
	Beryl looked directly at the twins. "It shall be taken care 
of.  Bring me her eyes, Endymion, like you did your father's."
	With a respectful bow, Endymion turned and moved towards the 
nearest hidden exit. He moved with such purpose, with such loyal 
savagery, it made Beryl proud to watch him. He would do anything 
for her now, without qualm or question.
	Anything...
	"Wait," she called out after him.
	Endymion stopped and looked back at her over his shoulder.
	"I have a much better idea," Beryl said. "Bring me her pretty 
little head."
	Once more, Endymion bowed and resumed his pace. Beryl glanced 
back at Lapis and Lazuli. "I want you both to become his escorts 
for the next few hours," she told them in a hushed voice. "We 
cannot afford to have Endymion discovered so quickly." 
	"And if he is discovered?" Lazuli asked.
	"I've already given you the names of those to be spared," 
Beryl said. She turned in a different direction and began down one 
of the other corridors. "Kill anyone else, but those ones must be 
brought here. The sooner, the better."
	A savage smile preyed upon Beryl's face. "If I am to have an 
army, I must have Generals to lead it into battle." 


			*	*	*
	When Endymion returned to the guest suites, he found Kunzite 
pouring over a map in the common room. The map, along with a number 
of other papers and texts, took up the entirety of the sitting 
table.  
	"Good walk?" Kunzite asked. He didn't even look up from the 
map.
	"Decent enough," Endymion said, then gestured at the doors 
behind him. "Did you know there are still celebrations going on? 
This one courtyard I passed had to be filled with a hundred people. 
I don't know where they find the time to sleep. Didn't find 
Nephrite, though."
	"He's probably in that fire temple with Rei," Kunzite said. 
"Setsuna knows where that is. I'll ask her to let them know about 
dinner."
	"Have you spoken with General Kusanagi?" Endymion asked.
	Kunzite nodded.
	"And?"
	"We've got problems," Kunzite stated. He gestured down at the 
map. "Remember how he's been reporting that our usual myriad of 
raiders and warlords have been unusually quiet?"
	Endymion strolled over to the table and glanced down at the 
map. It was a Lunarian replica--that much was obvious. The 
geography was of their country, but the writing and legends on the 
map were in Lunarian script. An assortment of extra notes in 
Kunzite's own handwriting were scrawled along the edges, and in 
some cases right on specific areas.
	"Well, that's a good thing, isn't it?" Endymion said.
	At that, Kunzite scowled and shook his head. "Just because 
they're not making any noise doesn't mean they aren't up to 
something. Kusanagi's been capturing migrant thieves for the past 
week now, with might I add alarming regularity. While they're not 
forming any raiding parties, they're starting to gather into large 
processions, all of them heading south. Anyone he's interrogated 
has yet to say why."
	"Tough crowd?"
	"You could say that," Kunzite said. "Over half of the people 
Kusanagi's captured bit off their tongues before the first question 
was asked." 
	Endymion made a face. "Pleasant thought."
	Kunzite pointed down at Kyushu, the southern island. "Yes, 
and that's not all: our shinobi scouts are reporting a large number 
of marauders massing here. More specifically, down here in the 
south-eastern province of Hyuga."
	Endymion leaned down, placing his hands upon the table. His 
eyes scrutinized the area upon the map, as well as the notations 
Kunzite had added.
	"You've written here that there may be as many as five to 
seven thousand," he said. "That's an impressive army forming in a 
very remote area. What's there?"
	"That's what I don't understand," Kunzite said. "It's a 
desolate valley or gorge of some kind. But it holds no strategic 
value that I can see. If anyone wanted to plot a coup, they'd 
attack our capital first. And if they wanted to lay siege to 
Kyushu, like last year's incident, they'd fortify the coastlines so 
none of our armies could easily attack from the neighbouring 
islands."
	"I remember," Endymion agreed. "We had a hell of a time 
getting onto Kyushu.  Luckily they were pushovers once we broke 
through their defences."
	Kunzite scowled once more and puzzled over his notes. "There 
must be something else of value here, something we're missing."
 	"Really?" Endymion remarked, a strange smile forming on his 
face. He turned towards Kunzite. "And who else have you told about 
this?"
	 "No one yet; I only finished talking with Kusanagi less than 
an hour ago." Kunzite's attention was still on the map. "The fact 
that these guys haven't so much as lifted a finger against any of 
the neighbouring villages is also very strange. They're waiting for 
something." 
	Kunzite's hand glided off the map and grasped the scabbard of 
his katana. 	
	"But you already knew that, didn't you?" he said to Endymion.
	Endymion slowly brought himself back up to his full height as 
Kunzite turned towards him. Kunzite's other hand wrapped around the 
hilt of his sword and drew out the blade a few inches.
	Endymion's gaze darted down to the exposed metal. The strange 
smile was still on his face, more amused than afraid. "What sort of 
twisted little game is this, General?"
	"There is someone here I do not trust," Kunzite stated. He 
drew his sword and cast aside the scabbard, and levelled the tip of 
the blade with Endymion's head. "And I am not he."
	Endymion's smile faded away. "Put your weapon down, Kunzite."
	"I cannot do that," Kunzite said.
	The air around them thickened with tension as Endymion's eyes 
narrowed.
	"I am your prince," he stated. "Put the sword down."
	"You are my prince, yes," Kunzite said, and abruptly his 
voice hardened. "But you are not Endymion. Your words and gestures
are his, but that smile you wear belongs to someone else. Your eyes 
are not his, and I fear I have found our traitor." 
	Endymion let out a snort of incredulous laughter. 
	"Tell me I'm wrong," Kunzite said, almost pleading with him. 
"Prove to me I'm wrong!"
	Endymion looked down at the floor and shook his head, as if 
he thought Kunzite was merely a child acting rash. When he lifted 
his gaze back up, an insane glimmer danced in his eyes. "Would you 
like to meet her, Kunzite?" he asked. "She has so many wonderful 
things to show you, to show us all. It won't cost much to stand in 
her presence, only your soul."
	Kunzite hissed.
	Endymion drew the Soul Constellation, and it growled at being 
touched by unclean hands. He idly twirled the sword around in his 
hand. The air around Endymion began to thicken and crackle, as if 
some monstrous dark cloud was radiating from his body. Kunzite 
slowly, carefully backed away, not daring to lower his katana.
	"She's poisoned your entire being," he said quietly.
	"She opened my eyes, General," Endymion said. "There is a 
greater glory out there, and it deserves our worship and our 
subservience." He gestured at Kunzite with the Soul Constellation. 
"Well, what are you waiting for, Kunzite? Make your choice: come 
willingly now on bended knee, or be dragged in and thrown before 
her feet."
	Endymion spun the Soul Constellation around until the blade 
pointed downwards, and then he jammed it into the floor. Endymion 
raised his hands, deliberately leaving his weapon aside. "See?" he 
said to Kunzite. "Our friendship is the only reason why this 
decision hasn't already been made for you. Where will you stand?"
	Kunzite spat on the floor between them, and stared at 
Endymion as if they were utter strangers. "You would turn your back 
on everything you and your father worked so hard to create," he 
snarled. "The Darkstorm is not glory, Endymion. It is blood and 
carnage and death. It is everything we have fought against since 
the very beginning!"
	For a few, tense seconds Endymion stared at Kunzite with 
saddened eyes. "Then," he sighed, and pulled at the ends of his 
coat, "I guess I'll just have to kill you instead."
	A harsh click from the door locks echoed across the room, and 
Kunzite barely had time to dodge as Endymion lunged for him. His 
katana went flying from his grip, the blade sinking into one of the 
columns. Endymion smiled pleasantly as he crushed Kunzite's wrist 
in his hand.
	"You're slower than I remember," Endymion said. "Don't tell 
me you're holding back now, General."
	"Don't get so cocky, Endymion," Kunzite growled. He ignored 
the pain and blood from his wrist. "You're not the only one with 
more than a few tricks to play."
	He lifted his leg and kicked Endymion hard in the stomach. 
Endymion stumbled backwards, coughing in surprise, and tumbled into 
one of the chairs. Kunzite raced past him, heading towards his 
sword. 
	With an angered shout, Endymion was back on his feet. He made 
a grand, sweeping gesture with one hand, and the sitting table shot 
into the air. Kunzite saw the blur of motion and colour out of the 
corner of his eyes, and immediately dropped to the ground. He slid 
past the column, stained wood raining down around him as the table 
smashed into his katana.
	Kunzite rolled back onto his feet, and didn't stop moving. He 
could hear Endymion closing the distance between them, running like 
a demon. In this place, in this company, Kunzite knew he didn't 
have to hold back. Endymion wouldn't. Sucking in a quick breath, 
Kunzite forced one final burst of speed that sent him against the 
wall of the common room. Instead of hitting the wall and coming to 
a dead stop, Kunzite ran up along the wall, taking as many steps as 
he could before kicking away and spinning around. As Endymion came 
into view just beneath him, Kunzite summoned his boomerangs and 
lobbed both at Endymion.
	Endymion lurched to an abrupt stop and twisted his body to 
avoid getting hit in the leg. The first boomerang spun harmlessly 
past him. The second one Endymion caught in his hand. He looked up 
at Kunzite and grinned.
	Kunzite's feet hardly touched the floor before the edge of 
the boomerang sank into his shoulder. Kunzite let out a shout as he 
lost his footing and tumbled across the floor, colliding with the 
back of one of the chairs. Blood dripped freely onto the marble 
tiles beneath him. Kunzite's jaw clenched as he reached up and 
wrapped his fingers around the crackling energy that composed the 
boomerang's form. Against his better wishes, Kunzite tightened his 
grip. With a stifled grunt, he pulled the weapon out from his 
shoulder. The boomerang fizzled into oblivion, leaving Kunzite 
bleeding and gasping for air.
	"I can't believe you tried that," Endymion remarked. He was 
strolling across the common room, heading for the Soul 
Constellation. "You, who taught me how to hide my powers from 
prying eyes; you, who used them when we sparred together as you 
tested my abilities. Now do you have any more tricks, or was that 
it?" 
	There was nothing but a horrid metallic taste in Kunzite's 
mouth. He spat out scarlet and propped himself up using the chair. 
Endymion had nearly reached the Soul Constellation.
	Kunzite made a quick glance around the common room. His gaze 
came to rest upon the chair next to him. Kunzite stepped back, 
hooked his foot beneath the corner of an armrest and kicked his leg 
into the air, heaving the chair across the common room. Endymion's 
insane grin did not even flicker as the chair neared his face. 
Suddenly the chair was ripped in half by an unseen force, the two 
pieces spinning wildly into the walls. 
	For its part, the gambit worked. No longer was Endymion 
moving towards his sword.	
	Now he came for Kunzite. 
	"Shit," Kunzite hissed. He kicked at another chair, sending 
it spinning across the floor. Endymion's pace didn't even slow
down; he leapt into the air and stepped over the chair as it slid 
past him. Kunzite hastily backed away, almost tripping over his own 
feet as he threaded between the scattered chairs.
	"There's only so many places you can run, Kunzite," Endymion 
remarked. "And you're running out of furniture."
	Kunzite grinned through the searing pain in his shoulder. 
"Does this mean you get to explain this mess to the next person who 
walks in here?" he retorted.
	Endymion did not stop moving, coming closer and closer still. 
	"Do you really think I care at this point, Kunzite?" he said. 
"Things disappear. Excuses can satisfy any question made. Halcyon 
and her soldiers will never wonder why your blood is staining their 
shiny floor." 
	The number of chairs separating them dwindled, and Kunzite 
was fast becoming aware of the corner he was being boxed into. With 
the doors sealed, the nearest exit was through one of the bedroom 
windows, provided he survived the drop. Out of the corner of his 
eyes, Kunzite saw his katana still stuck into one of the pillars. 
	He was closer to the pillar than the nearest bedroom door.
	"They trust me," Endymion said, and he gestured to the 
Lunarian architecture surrounding them. "They believe in me. I can 
do them no harm. I am the death they welcome into their home with 
open arms." 
	Very carefully, Kunzite shifted his weight and got ready to 
run. "Tell me," he remarked. "When did you start making such 
flowery speeches? Was it before or after they turned you traitor?"
	Endymion stopped cold and glared at Kunzite.
	Kunzite ran, his legs pumping as he pushed past one of the 
last surviving chairs and raced towards his sword. With his 
remaining good arm, he reached out and pulled the blade from the 
column as he passed. Kunzite whirled, swinging his blade in a 
downward arc at what he hoped was Endymion.
	His katana met only with air.
	And suddenly Endymion was right in front of him, all smiles 
and civil pretences dropped. Endymion's hand clamped across 
Kunzite's throat. He pushed Kunzite into the wall, forcing the air 
from Kunzite's lungs. Endymion hoisted Kunzite off the ground, his 
fingers slowly crushing the General's throat. Kunzite fought to 
keep his katana in his grasp.
	"Why couldn't you have just bowed down before her?" Endymion 
sighed as he slowly choked the life out of his most trusted 
advisor. His eyes were vacant and without remorse. "It would have 
made this so much easier."
	The sword slipped out from Kunzite's fingers and clattered 
onto the floor.
	Spots of black crept into the corners of Kunzite's vision. 
Everything began to grow distorted and blurry. His eyes fluttered, 
fighting to stay open. The last thing he remembered seeing were two 
young courtesans suddenly standing behind Endymion.
	How had....
	And then nothing.
	"I do think he means to strangle the man," Lapis remarked as 
she watched the enfolding spectacle.
	Lazuli drew up behind Endymion and tapped him on the 
shoulder. "Beryl wants him to join her little tea party, though," 
she said. "Our little black horse needs to put the nice soldier 
down. We'll look after him from here."
	Endymion stopped crushing Kunzite's windpipe, and he threw 
Kunzite across the common room. Kunzite's back smashed into one of 
the columns; he fell to the floor with all the life of a discarded 
rag doll. 
	Lapis skipped over to Kunzite's fallen form, and nudged his 
side with her foot. Kunzite stirred and moaned. His eyes did not 
open. "You like to play rough with your toys, don't you?" Lapis 
said, glancing over her shoulder at Endymion.
	"He's still breathing, isn't he?" Endymion replied evenly. 
"And yes, I'm well aware our Queen wants him alive."
 	"She also wants her trophy," Lapis stated.
	"She wants it tonight," Lazuli said.
	"And if at all possible," Lapis began.
	"We'd like the princess' tongue for ourselves," Lazuli 
finished.
	Endymion smirked as he slid the blade of the Soul 
Constellation back into its scabbard. "Beryl will get her eyes." He 
paused for a moment. "We'll see about the tongue."
  	Lazuli watched him with renewed interest as Endymion left the 
guest quarters. The doors locked behind him, leaving the twins 
alone with Kunzite. "I think he actually means to give us our 
present," she said, a little surprised.
	"I didn't think he was serious," Lapis said. "We should have 
asked for more."
	"Like what?" Lazuli asked. "Her heart?"
	Lapis grinned as she caressed Kunzite's cheek. "Her 
innocence."





	The dance continues soon with the blood of the betrayers...




Sailormoon, its characters, struggles and story, are copyright and 
the children of Naoko Takeuchi. No recognition of my story can be 
made without giving her proper recognition first. There are 
original characters in my story (Halcyon, Spinel, Garnet, Cioran 
and the twins at this moment), and if you wish to make use of them 
I'd rather you asked first than after the fact.


Close, personal thanks goes out to: Mel & Meara, for all their 
valued input; to the Fic Bitch, who had to reread the entire fic 
over again in order to find where all the errors & stupidities in 
this chapter were lurking; and to Yumeko (again), whose really 
great Helios website needs more visitors. Check it out at: 
www.freewebs.com/yume_no_kagami/index.html



My sincerest appreciations to Andrea & George for creating, 
updating, maintaining and revising 'A Sailormoon Romance.' 
(www.moonromance.net) It is good to know that so many wonderful 
stories will always have a home at ASMR, and it is a good home I 
will always enjoy coming back to.


Email Chaos at: hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com