Somewhere in the great gardens of Elysion stands a tree.
It's mighty, with strong branches stretching out towards heaven. Like all trees in Elysion, it is always in bloom for it's always spring (never summer, winter, fall) and always green. The leaves are strong, almost leathery. Their colour is the lush green of hope and promise, but none of that makes the tree special. The tree has no beginning and no end, it just exists, but that's true for everything that grows and lives and breathes in this most magical of places. It wasn't planted by anyone, it appeared out of nothing, growing towards the blue sky with glee.
It's not a special tree: it isn't any more or any less magical than the other trees around it. The fruit doesn't taste any sweeter, the leaves aren't greener and the trunk isn't stronger. The tree cannot heal, cannot destroy, cannot create. Its fruit cannot save a dying man, and neither can its leaves. Wood chopped from the trunk doesn't burn forever, but then which fool would dare to cut down a tree in a place like this?
Really, it's just a tree in a magical garden.
The high priest doesn't like it any better than any other living thing, the prince has probably never paid it a second's worth of attention and the leader of the guard has never stopped to appraise its beauty. Occasionally, the fairies like to dance on its branches when the moon appears in the sky, but when a breeze picks up, the magical creatures will allow the wind to carry them to another tree to dance another dance. They don't play favourites, never have. For the fae, all trees are good just as all humans are evil. There is no distinction, no better tree just as there is no better man.
Located right behind the large pond and close to the small white cathedral that houses the Book of Lives (but that's another story for another day), our tree watches the fairies passing by, sees the prince hurry to the priest, the guard always on his heels. The tree sees all, and knows nothing, for it is a tree, happy in the here and now.
Hiding a big yawn behind gloved hands, Zoisite sneaks a look to the side. His comrade is quiet for once, and that doesn't happen very often. Actually, the last time it did happen, Nephrite and his mighty fist had been involved. Barring physical violence in the shape of a knockout, Zoisite can't remember Jadeite ever sitting still and shutting up. It's a bit odd, to the say the truth.
"Really early morning," he yawns, green eyes sly and tired at the same time. It's a well known fact that despite years of getting up with the sun, Zoisite would prefer to sleep the day away.
Jadeite barely shrugs and continues to gaze at the pond, long lazy looks that seem so foreign on the sharp face.
"Big banquet yesterday," Zoisite tries again and takes off his gloves, carefully depositing them on his trousers. Grass stains on gloves really wouldn't do. Plus, this is his favourite pair. The doe skin suede gloves were a little tricky to obtain, but they are so very soft, and the fit is perfect. Cost a fortune, too.
Jadeite - who knows nothing about fine gloves and probably doesn't care to either - closes his eyes, back pressed against the bark of the tree. Still no word.
"Did you notice Jupiter and Nephrite sneaking off together?" There is no reaction, not even a huff, and Jadeite loves gossip. Him and the milkmaids are always in cahoots with each other, chatting behind the barn, exchanging secrets and rumours until they're blue in the face and the milk has turned sour and now there is no reaction to the biggest scandal of the last year? Maybe Jadeite is sick. Zoisite leans closer and speaks a little lower.
Perhaps this will make his friend peak up:
"Kunzite did. Uh uh, there'll be trouble ahead, that's for sure."
Finally, there's a reaction. Jadeite opens his eyes, and Zoisite is once again struck by the fact that this moron has the prettiest blue eyes on the whole planet. Not that he would call them pretty to Jadeite's face, that wouldn't go very well.
Pushing himself up with a groan, the man in question stands, stares at the water, stretches himself, and then with one swift movement, bends down, reaches for the coveted gloves and throws them in the pond.
There is a moment when the gloves swim gracefully on the duckweed, the birds chirp in the trees and wind softly swooshes around them. A perfect morning in Elysion, most magical of all places on earth -
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS," Zoisite hollers while Jadeite rocks on his heels and grins.
The two run down the meadow, slipping on the wet grass, falling, picking themselves up again only to resume their frenzied race to the tree by the pond. The fact that they're laughing so hard that their sides ache doesn't help exactly, either. The flowers turn their heads to watch them go, but soon, they've raced past roses and daffodils, and down towards the water. The water lilies are already asleep, as always missing out on the fun.
Finally, the men reach the tree, panting. Both lean against it, steadying themselves agains the rough, unchangeable bark. Jadeite is holding his side, face redder than a poppy. Zoisite sort of slides to the ground, his back on the grass, staining his uniform and for once, he doesn't care. He just laughs and laughs, feeling as if he were still fifteen years old and without a care in the world.
"Did you see Endymion's face?" he snorts before dissolving in another fit of giggles. Jadeite nods, and promptly burst into laughter again, choking out words every time his lungs get enough air. "Priceless!- Best prank ever, gotta give you that- and Kunzite, did you see Kunzite?"
Both men have the mental image of their panicked commander and the screeching prince in mind and it sends them over the edge again. It's a memory to keep: Kunzite is hilariously funny, especially when he's not.
After a while, they calm down and peace returns to Elysion. It's Jadeite who speaks. "Reckon we should spend the night here." Zoisite nods. "Let's give them some time to calm down." The corner of Jadeite's mouth begins to twitch again. "I think you mean let's give Kunzite some time to get the horse droppings out of Endymion's boots."
There is a look, blue eyes on green, and their laughter explodes all over Elysion, carried to even the farthest corners by the amused wind. On the pond, one of the ducks soars out of the water. With these two here, there won't be any sleep tonight.
The sun is setting in the west, dancing over the green hills to once more illuminate the beauty of the gardens. The unicorns have already disappeared (nobody knows where they spend their nights) and the birds are singing the day's last song. Elysion is preparing for the night, for the fairies. The two humans by the tree have also gone silent, the younger one even more so than his older friend.
"What are you moping about?" The question is followed by a swift kick. Jadeite rarely misses his mark, and now the dirt that clung to his boots is neatly plastered onto the side of Zoisite's uniform jacket. Somewhere, a fairy giggles.
"You idiot! What did you do that for? The ceremony is in an hour and now I look like-," Zoisite hesitates, ringing for words and the perfect comparison. It arrives within seconds. "Now I look like Nephrite!" he declares with wild gestures. Jadeite is non-plussed. "You looked sad. Now you look angry. That's better, isn't it?"
They share a pipe under the tree. The smoke curls and uncurls and then they start to challenge each other. Who can make the best smoke rings? It's a serious question and their wholly dedicated to it until a shadow falls on them. The shadow has broad shoulders, long legs and belongs to Kunzite, who is standing in front of them, back to the pond.
Zoisite's eyes widen. "You're really good at sneaking up on people." Kunzite frowns and looks unhappy. Jadeite grins: the stupid bugger has his back to the pond, and angry beats sad on any given day, doesn't it?
One day, Jadeite walks around in the gardens, deep in thought, and as always, winds up by the tree near the pond. But today everything is different because the tree doesn't look like it always does.
There is a swing attached to the largest branch, the one stretching out to the point where soil and grass are replaced by water and duckweed. Grinning, Jadeite accepts the challenge and soon, there is a flying man in Elysion, soaring over grass and water on his swing. His cackling scares away the unicorns, but Jadeite doesn't care. He's flying and even in a magical garden, that's something special.
Zoisite knows where to find him. It's not that hard, not after having been friends for over ten years. Nephrite said he already checked the Elysionic gardens, even enlisting Helios (whom Zoisite secretly thinks of as useless anyway). Endymion searched the palace, Kunzite the non-magical land around the castle and yet, Jadeite remains hidden. It's during times like these that Zoisite wonders why Kunzite and Nephrite have a higher rank in the guard than Jadeite and himself. How can they not know where to look?
The sun is bright, but not too warm. Elysion never gets too warm, just as it never gets too cold. Magic keeps it perfect. Whistling to himself (always better to announce oneself when bothering Jadeite), he wanders down the path they have beaten in the high grass and finally off of it: It was a trick of theirs, walking around the large pond instead of directly casting a straight path to their tree. And their trick worked: Nephrite wasn't able to find Jadeite, even though he looked for an hour. Silly man, Zoisite thinks with fondness and continues to whistle his little song. Once he reaches the waterside, he stands there, quite still with a grin on his face. Beautiful place, hilarious memories. His steps lead him around the mighty tree not once, but twice before he tugs at the swing dangling from the big branch. It's then that he sighs dramatically. "Oh woe is me, if I only knew where my most beloved friend is hiding." The leaves rustle, and Zoisite continues, pressing the back of his hand against his forehead for good measure. "Alas, I fear that he is lost forevermore. The Venusian must have devoured him whole!"
The leaves rustle again, and Zoisite looks upwards. As expected, his friend is sitting on a thick branch, eating an apple. Jadeite's eyes sparkle and Zoisite grins.
"They're all looking for you."
"I know."
"So you and Venus, huh? I have to say, that surprised even me."
Jadeite grins. "Not what you think."
Zoisite mulls the words over for a moment. "It's not Venus then, is it? It's someone else? Mars?"
The grin disappears and the man in the tree looks as somber as a grown man in a tree possibly can. "I don't know what you mean."
Reaching for a branch and pulling himself up like monkey, Zoisite begins to climb. "Bet you I can go higher than you!"
The apple core drops to the ground as two friends race to the top.
In the magical gardens of Elysion, there is a tree. It's not more special than any other tree, it doesn't have magic that can cure all suffering, it doesn't have wood that burns forever, it's not prettier or uglier than any other tree in the gardens and neither prince nor priest hold it in particular esteem.
But there are two friends who meet here, who climb the tree, fall asleep under the shadow of its leafy branches, rest against its trunk and plan mayhem in the safety of its crown. Here, there is forgetting that the weight of the world rests on their shoulders, forgetting that sometimes love isn't for everyone, but never forgetting that they are the best of friends.
The End