Minako laid on her stomach atop her bed in her orange pajamas, her long, blonde hair flowing down her back. She looked across the room at the young man who was dressed in all white, his long white hair trailing down his back. She knew he was concerned for her safety from the look upon his face.
"I don't like this Minako. It's too dangerous."
"Don't you trust my judgment Artemis?"
"Of course I do."
"Do you love me?"
"What kind of question is that? If I didn't love you, would I be this concerned?" He frowned as he answered her question.
"I'm sorry. I know you love me. It's just we can't let our feelings interfere with our duties." Minako smiled weakly as Artemis walked over and sat on the side of the bed. He lovingly stroked her hair.
"I'm sorry, Minako. It's just I have lost you once and never want to lose you again."
As she sat up, Minako ran her hand softly across his cheek.
"I know and I feel the same way. But not only am I the leader of the Senshi, I also have the blood of the Gods running through my veins, which makes me the logical choice for this mission."
He took her hand and looked her square in the eyes.
"I know, Minako, but it does not mean I have to like it."
"I understand, my love." She smiled at him as she spoke.
He leaned in softly kissing his young lover before pulling back.
"Artemis, my memories are still fractured when it comes to the Silver Millennium. I do recall that we were to be married, but what I do not remember is how Luna and yourself ended up stuck in the form of cats."
"Beryl, powered by Metalia, had just struck down Prince Endymion. In her grief Princess Serenity, rushed to her fallen lover.
"You will now join your lover for all eternity, Princess Serenity!" Beryl raised both hands, which crackled with dark energy that she threw at the Princess.
"Not so fast, witch!"
Artemis threw himself between Beryl and Serenity as he used his sword forged by Vulcan himself to deflect the spell. At this same moment, Luna threw herself over the Princess. A blinding white light consumed the area. As her eyes cleared, Serenity, paying no attention to the small furry figure atop her, rushed to her lover's side.
"Endymion! No! Endymion, please no! I can't live without you!" Serenity picked up her lover's sword. As tears streamed down her cheeks, she impaled herself with the blade.
As she bore witness to the apparent deaths of her friends and lover, an enraged Princess Venus charged Beryl, who lashed out with her dark energies. As she fought to resist the dark forces that tore into her body, Venus fatally stabbed Beryl with the Silver Crystal sword. Beryl fell at her feet and Venus withdrew the sword. The battle wary Princess Venus fell to one knee and silently mouthed, "Artemis, I'm sorry. I love you." This is the last sight seen by Artemis before darkness overtakes him.
"So you see, my sword was able to protect me from the killing blow of Beryl's spell. However, when her dark energy interacted with a weapon of the Gods, it had a negative effect upon me. Unfortunately, Luna was caught in the backlash of the attack and we were both stuck in our feline forms until Princess Serenity destroyed Beryl and Metalia."
"Your sword is a weapon of the Gods?" Minako raised an eyebrow as she spoke.
"Forged by Vulcan himself in the fires of Etna; it was a gift from Mars himself. It was he who instructed me in using the weapon. Here, see for yourself."
As the sword materialized in Artemis' hand, he turns the hilt over and handed it to Minako.
"Artemis, it's magnificent." She ran her hand along the smooth side of the blade as she admired it.
"I'm glad you approve, because in the morning, we begin your training. You are going to learn how to use that sword."
"WHAT?!" Minako's eyes go wide with shock upon hearing his declaration.
"There will be no argument, Minako. If you are going into the Underworld, I want you armed. Pluto managed to keep Ryoji imprisoned there during the war and, no offense, but Ryoji is the God War. If he can be contained in such a manner, well, I'm taking no chances."
"There something more isn't there, Artemis?" She placed the sword beside her and took Artemis' hand once more.
He closed his eyes as he lowered his head and spoke softly. "I just can't help but feel that if Ryoji had been there during the war with the Dark Kingdom, things would have turned out differently."
Lifting his chin she gave him a worried look. "Do you resent him for not being there?"
Shaking his head, he speaks in a soft tone. "Of course not. He is my best friend. I just can't help but wonder how things might have been."
"There is no changing the past. All we can do is look towards the future and as long as you are by my side, the future looks bright." Leaning in to one another, the two share a soft, yet passionate, kiss.
"I love you, Artemis." Minako spoke softly as she smiled brightly at him.
"I love you too, Min…" His words trailed off when there was a knock at her bedroom door. Artemis' sword vanished and he quickly morphed back into the form of a white cat just before Minako's mother entered the room.
"I thought I heard you talking to someone, dear."
"Just Artemis, Mom," she said as she looked down at the white furred cat lying on her bed.
"Well, you should be getting to bed, dear. It is getting late, after all."
"Yes, mom." Minako's mother leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before she petted Artemis.
"Good night, Minako." Artemis looked up at Minako's mother and purred. "Good night to you as well, Artemis."
As she exited the room, Minako's mother turned out the lights. Minako climbed under the blankets and pulled Artemis close to her body. "Good night, Artemis."
"Good night, Minako."