End of the Millennium A Xian Shade Production Author's Notes: Now we face Thanatos' recovery. How well can one cope with being an amputee, even if they're immortal? Will he force himself to confess to the king who and what he is under such strain, or will he hold his tongue? Disclaimer: I do not own any aspects of Sailor Moon or Phantasy Star. If I did, this would be an anime, or manga, or both. Thanatos, Ares, Chronos, Aljus, King Marcus, and the worthless one are © Xian Shade and may not be used without my permission. People failing to follow this rule have broken Xian's Law #849, paragraph 3, line 2: Don't fuck with my shit. The Path of Finding Destiny, Chapter 21: "...aht? Lord Sotanaht? Are you back with us?" Samuru groaned and raised his hand to his head, which was pounding heavily. The hand that held his temples felt cold... '...cold?' He pulled his hand away and forced heavy eyelids open. It was the same arm that shouldn't have been there, since memories flooded back of the icy slice that removed the appendage. He realized that it was NOT his arm. The fingers flexed intricately, but they clicked when they hit his hand. His arm was no longer normal... what happened? "M-medical area...? M-my hand..." "Yes, sir." came the female voice that called his name a few moments ago. "When your arm was removed, we weren't sure what we could do, but the princess has had some innovations recently that she wanted to try. She decided on a metal prosthesis controlled by electrical nerve impulses. It seems to be working quite well." He only looked at the hand he could no longer feel. He flexed and unflexed it, and a soft mechanical sound came from each movement. "P-Princess Amilia. Is she... ?" "She's still in a great deal of shock from the whole ordeal. She's been somewhat depressed since you became unconscious, and you've been laying here for a few days now. She's waiting outside, would you like to talk to her?" He only nodded, but after the sound of her footsteps moved away, he mumbled his thanks. Amilia tore into the room at the mention of his consciousness, and she crushed her cheek against his chest, sobbing at the sight of him awake and playing with his new limb. He stroked her hair and mumbled inaudible words of reassurance to her, not fully awake due to whatever drug was currently in his system. Who knew having a mortal body would be so trying? "...hate... seeing pretty girls... cry... " She only continued to sob at his chest, the mix of giggles invading the crying fit becoming painful for her. He wanted to comfort her, to hold her, but whatever was in his system was keeping him from even sitting up. It took most of his efforts to move his hand through her hair. She dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, and though her face showed the lack of sleep she'd had from worrying, her eyes still sparkled with intelligence and, what he now realized, love. "I'm... I'm glad you're okay. So you like it?" she sniffled, trying to compose herself as best she could. "It works... I can be glad of that." "I designed it for you. I knew you needed something that would last, so I had it crafted from our strongest material, Laconia. I even put one of our computers in there, but I guess I'll have to teach you how to use it properly. I'm not sure if I tuned your hand correctly, since measuring physical strength through electrical impulses is still a little new to us." He looked to his side, where a nighttable held a small device. He wasn't quite sure what it was for, so he reached for it. Closing his hand around it to pick it up, he crushed it instead, the tiny machine crackling and sparking in his metal hand. Oops. "Looks like it needs a little bit of adjustment still... but perhaps this sort of strength can come in handy. I'll just have to be careful." He set the object back down and turned his head back to her, only to have his lips caught in her own. The familiar soft warmth was enough to calm him a great deal, and he could smell the wonderful ocean-like scent of her short aqua hair. His normal hand raised and fingers trailed over her cheek moments before she drew apart from the kiss, his fingers brushing the area of her face that was still a little damp from her tears. "I thought you'd want to have that with no interruptions this time." she whispered with a shy smile and color in her cheeks. "I need to tell my father that you're awake and all right. He still wanted to talk with you." Samuru looked beyond her smiling face and smiled himself. "Seems someone already told him. Forgive me, your majesty, for not bowing to greet you... I think I'm still woozy, and unable to even sit up." The king stood in the doorway, not looking particularly happy. Was he ever happy? He'd swear the man held a permanent scowl if he hadn't seen his features change on their first meeting. "Leave us, my daughter. I must speak with him in private." Amilia looked back to her father, and saw the same look. She nodded, and wandered past him to the door, stopping to give a worried glance to Samuru on her way out. When the king was sure the door was closed, he began. "I've spoken with Queen Serenity about your condition, and she let me in on a little information that a few of you have been keeping secret from me." 'Damn... He'd have learned eventually, no doubt.' he thought. "Of course. It was necessary, for all parties involved." "What are your intentions for my daughter?" "I love her, my lord. I intend to remain with her and protect her, if she will have me." The creased wrinkles on his forehead vanished, and the frown on his face gave way to a smile, and soon a hearty chuckle. "I doubted that Queen Laya of Venus would be wrong on such a matter. It was my own fault for not contacting them sooner. I sincerely apologize for attacking you before you had gotten to prove your innocence." Perhaps the king DIDN'T know? He wasn't sure either Queen Laya or Queen Serenity would tell his secret so readily. But he SHOULD tell King Marcus himself. He'd promised Amilia. "Yes, Venus' queen played a similar trick on me, by telling Queen Serenity before I'd even made my first move." he settled his tone to a more flat one after stating such, steadying himself for what he had to tell the King. "My lord, I should inform you of something else, if you were not already told. I can tell by your mood that you were not. It is important, if you and your daughter are going to accept me as family." "It doesn't sound pleasant, but I gathered that you were not entirely... shall I use the word 'normal', when you screamed in pain. You also seem to have some rather impressive battle skills for someone who is from a planet of healers." "I'm afraid it's not pleasant at all. This body you see is a shell... a construct. There is no Lord Samuru Sotanaht of Saturn." The king's eyes darkened, and the very same face and mood from before returned. "Then you'd better have a very good explanation." "There is no need to be threatening, your majesty. In my true form, I am ghostly and dark, something people fear. I needed a normal, mortal body in order to interact with others properly, or I'm met with fear and hatred. I am Thanatos, the very being that caused Saturn's prejudice." The king gaped at the description. "You... You're the one that interrupted the meeting of the planetary leaders so many years ago!" "Yes. I chose this form because it's mortal, much like Chronos'. I would rather die beside Amilia than live eternally without her. The words I spoke earlier are genuine, I would remain and protect her if you will both have me. I love her, and I have loved her since the day I met her, when her mother passed away." Mercury's King paced the room, unsure of how to proceed. "You took my wife from me... and now you wish to take my daughter from me as well? Why were you so intent on removing the prejudice of Saturn's people when you are the very one that caused it?" "I take only the special cases. The queen's life ended prematurely, before she was supposed to die, so I needed to hold her spirit until it was ready. Once she is, she will be due for reincarnation in less than one-thousand years. It's a little odd to be held over for such a long time, but extenuating circumstances DO arise, sometimes. I have no such plans for your daughter, sire... after all, I protected her from your attack against me. As to my reasoning behind helping the people of Saturn, I feel responsible. It was a mistake I could never take back or repair." he sighed at the bitter memory, then looked to the king hopefully. Perhaps he had an ace up his sleeve yet. "She is still with me... would you like to see her?" King Marcus blinked, not comprehending what he meant. Samuru reached into his cloak with a bit more of his strength returning and pulled forth a pouch which he opened, and removed its contents. The thin gauze floated and flapped from Sam's outstretched hand, sparkled, and unravelled into the ghostly form of the queen. 'Marcus, I'm sorry I had to leave you so suddenly.' her ghostly form spoke, yet her lips didn't move. The king stared at her in wonder, at a loss for words. 'If my health weren't already bad, I might have survived the loss of our eldest daughter Kyra. I have been aware of Thanatos' feelings for young Amilia ever since he decided to ask my permission as well as yours. It was my idea to trick you with a physical form, and I know our dear Amilia wouldn't be happy with a ghostly person for a husband. I've gotten to know him for a much longer time than you have, and his intentions are pure. He is a good man, Marcus... please don't judge him for his past mistakes. You are a man of reason and logic; that is the man I married. Never change that, Marcus. I love you...' "I love you too..." King Marcus reached out to touch her face, but only managed to pass his fingers through before her ethereal form dissipated back into the thin cloth that struggled back to Samuru's grasp. "...how long will you keep her, Thanatos?" "I can only hold her until her time is up. From what I can tell, that time will be approximately one month from now." he explained, his hand claiming the queen's spirit once more, which he placed back into the pouch. "I'm afraid she can't be out from her holding for long, for even spirits can become tired." The king continued to pace, feeling very tired also, possibly from the emotional onslaught he'd been facing. "From the moment you came here, you've wanted to correct me of the ills against your planet, and since then you've wanted to prove to me that you're a man of moral character and intelligence. I can only assume the one speaking, and the one I saw years ago are one and the same? There is no difference between the two?" "Aside from the physical, none." "Can you tell me... what caused such a bias?" Samuru sighed and tried to ease himself upward, with little success. He was still far too weak. "Many years ago, I encouraged a stereotype I did not wish to make. I'd gotten in an argument with Saturn's Lord, because he believed what everyone now believes of me... that I am a thief, a collector of souls, a stealer of life. To get my point across, I pulled at his soul to show it would not come free until it was his time... instead I got a planet full of gawkers watching me be a brute and a thief. My actions had only reinforced the belief that was already present. His daughter absorbed my abilities when trying to make me release him, so I let him go and went on my way. Once word had spread about me, and what my people saw of me, they were shunned, simply because everyone fears death... especially those in power. It's why I said such a hateful remark to you when you spoke down upon me and my people. Queen Serenity's thoughts were fearful and angry the whole time I was present at the meeting of the planetary leaders, despite her false question towards what Saturn offers." The king sat on the bed beside him, looking down at the weakened god in mortal form. "I'll ask you one last time. You truly love my daughter?" "With all I have to love with, yes." "Am I the only one in the dark about your true nature? Does my daughter know?" "Yes sire, she does. As does Queen Serenity and Queen Laya. I have been princess Amilia's friend for some time, but I knew it would not work for more unless I were mortal." he chose his words carefully. Mentioning Mercury's Queen again would probably be a bad idea. "And you did that for her. I see... but you're doing this for more than yourself and my daughter though, aren't you?" the king quickly changed the subject. "You're doing this to end the hatred and bias of Saturn." "I'm only hoping for that. I've stated my real reason already. What you suggest will only come with time, effort, and hope." "You have shown me a great deal, Samuru." the king said, and he noticed the use of not only his mortal name, but his first name. King Marcus placed a hand on his shoulder. "I would be honored to give you my blessing if my daughter indeed chooses you. In your own way, you gave me the incentive I needed to be rid of Zoicite. A snake of a man, if ever I met one. To think he would try something so underhanded..." he trailed off, then focused on Samuru, as though trying to divert from the subject. "Do you know anything about being leader of a world?" "Yes, I merely hit the obvious snag back then. After all, my other two brothers are now in control of their respective worlds, and I'm willing to bet my third brother is out there somewhere ruling as well. It must be in our nature or something. But my reason is love, my lord. If I just wanted to rule a planet, I would have taken Saturn. Thank you for your trust and belief in me." The king nodded and raised from the bed. "In a month's time, there will be a ball at the moon kingdom. Unfortunately, despite Zoicite's actions, Earth will be allowed into the alliance. That ball will be in celebration." If he could have sat up and shouted, he would have. Instead, he still laid there, feeling very tired. "How did they manage that?" "It seems Earth's prince has gained the favor of Princess Serenity. I've already spoken with the Queen about what's happened, and Earth's generals will not be permitted to attend, so that conflict between you and Zoicite will be avoided." "It isn't really necessary to block them all from coming, is it?" "It's merely in the best interest of security. They may harrass the other princesses since they were turned away from their courtship." "Hnnhh... That's four times now..." Samuru mumbled, and when the king looked at him quizzically, he explained. "Earth's royalty has to be planning something. Each of the generals sought the inner planets' royalty, save Jupiter, and the prince himself sought the keystone of the alliance. Obviously they are trying to become part of the alliance through the same means as myself with Saturn, but what could they be up to?" "It may be true. Jupiter also was approached by one of Earth's generals in response to Zoicite's actions. They were under the impression that Saturn would wage war with Earth for what he'd done. The outbreaks of violence on Earth were becoming more and more frequent and intense for months, until they began attempting these courtships. Any Earthlings on other planets are kept under constant watch. Perhaps the royalty of Earth believes that they're fighting because we won't allow them in the alliance, and by joining, they can stop the squabbling." "Once I'm well, I will consult with Ares. He knows the basis behind the most meaningless petty arguments, to the wars of the past. The only one he hasn't been able to explain was the one instigated by our creators." "Very well. In the meantime, try to recover your strength. You're going to have to keep up with my daughter." he smiled, taking Samuru's real hand in a firm grip. "Who knows? Another suitor may come along that gains her attention." Samuru could only smile at those words. He knew that nobody else could gain her affection the way he had. "Thank you, my leige... thank you." ---------------------------------------------------------------- My, that ended well! The truth shall set you free, even if you're persecuted for it. What does Thanatos have in mind for his brother Ares? What can be done about the warring of Earth, and will they act upon it? And what of Zoicite? Let's find out next time. See you!