The Second Meeting

By Bashfulglowfly

Chapter One

Kunzite strode through the back halls of the castle. He was hunting. He was hunting for three pains in his ass and Endymion. He paused for a moment, Now that I think about it; Endymion is a pain in my ass too!

He was hunting for FOUR pains in his ass.

Endymion had become distant from him recently. Confiding only in the other three. Having whispered conversations with Zoicite, Nephrite and Jadeite that stopped when he approached. The problem couldn't be their training sessions. Endymion acted as if they were a relief from whatever was bothering him. It couldn't be a woman. He didn't think that Endymion was attracted to any one woman. He remembered watching as the four returned from the tavern just outside the castle walls, staggering slightly in the moonlight.

Kunzite stopped dead in his tracks. It's been thirteen years! He couldn't possibly remember! But this was Endymion. Kunzite knew he had a phenomenal memory.

Kunzite spun on his heel like a cat and began to run for a distant part of the castle. As he ran, his memories recalled a conversation from thirteen years before.

It was the day after the Moon Child had been returned to her people and went back to the Moon Kingdom. King Terran called Kunzite into his office. "Sit down, my boy." Kunzite remained standing until the King had seated himself.

The King looked at Kunzite over steepled fingers. "Has Endymion mentioned the Moon Child?"

"Princess Serenity? Yes, Sire, he has."

"What has he said?"

"He wanted to know if he could see her again. He wants to make sure that she is happy and has someone to play with."

The King took a deep breath. "Kunzite, Endymion must forget about the Moon Child. He must not be allowed to think or ask about her."

"Sire?"

The King stood. He waved Kunzite to sit back down as he began to pace back and forth. "There is a Prophecy. A rather straightforward one considering seers and oracles like to mutter mumbo-jumbo to confuse people and obtain more funds from them. The Prophecy is this: When the Rose Child of Earth and the Golden Child of the Moon fall in love, their love will destroy all."

Kunzite felt his eyes go wide. The Moon Child had golden hair and Endymion had magically produced a rose to give to her!

King Terran nodded at his reaction. "You are thirteen now. More and more responsibilities are going to be piled on your shoulders as you approach manhood. And this will be one of the most important. Endymion must never think or ask about the Moon Child. They must be kept apart."

Kunzite stood and bowed deeply to the King. "It shall be as you command, Sire."

Old memories released him as he came to a hallway. In the dust, he saw four sets of boot prints. The boot patterns were of the four he had been looking for. As he followed them, he came to a room that he had only seen once before…thirteen years ago. It was empty and there were no boot prints leading out.

"Oh. Shit."