His first mistake, Mamoru realized on hindsight, was his desire to surprise the senshi. He realized a little too late that while he took active steps to ensure that his wife's enthusiasm didn't manage to infect him, there were still instances when it managed to get to him, which was why he was in this mess to begin with.
His second mistake was that he had somehow forgotten to consider what the senshis' actual reaction was. For sure, he wanted to see a flash of emotion from his wife's guardians. He got emotion, alright, but not the type that he actually anticipated.
Of course, their reaction was justified, considering that he managed to walk in the room with four guys that the women thought were long dead, and evil to boot.
The day had started innocuously enough. Mamoru had gotten up as usual, kissed his wife good morning, and headed to the shower. After he had dressed up, he went to the guest room where his guardians were bunking to let them know that it was time for them to meet the girls.
The Shitennou had appeared three days ago. Mamoru had initially been suspicious about them, but the first few minutes of meeting them had changed his mind. These four men were his guardians from the Golden Kingdom, not the villains that they had been forced to fight years ago. Stoic Kunzite. Bold Nephrite. Wise Zoicite. Wily Jadeite. These four men had humbly asked to be taken back into his service, begging for forgiveness for their past sins and crimes. Mamoru, with the encouragement of Usagi, had agreed, and the four kings re-took the vows that they had sworn over a millennium ago.
No sooner had they pledged their swords and their lives to their king and their new queen that they inquired about the senshi. Mamoru had to admire the restraint the four kings had put on themselves, as they were somehow able to keep themselves from asking him and his wife about Usagi's own guardians. Usagi had then told them a long and touching (and not altogether truthful tale, in Mamoru's estimation) about how the senshi had long awaited the return of the four heavenly kings, and how they would eagerly welcome them with their arms open. However, she had cautioned for the men to take it slow, especially since she was not sure just how well the senshi remembered their past in the Silver Millennium. Usagi then plotted to have the senshi and Shitennou reunited. Setting a meeting date at the Hikawa Shrine but not letting the girls know the reason why, the pigtailed girl coerced Mamoru into remaining mum to the senshi about the whole thing.
Mamoru had to admit that the whole thing sounded really well when they were planning it, especially when he saw the look on his guardians' faces when they realized that they would finally become reunited with their beloved senshi. Mamoru could relate with them. After all, he also had been separated from his beloved Serenity for millennia, and he was still surprised with each passing day that he was somehow able to become reunited with her. As such, he was quick to agree to the scheme they had planned, and even graciously accepted his role in the plan.
"Guess who!" he had shouted jovially, throwing the doors of the shrine open with a flourish and holding his arms to frame the arrival of his guardians.
It was then that he realized he had made Mistake #2. He knew that his guardians eagerly awaited the day when they would be meeting their lovers again. What he didn't take into consideration was how the senshi would be reacting.
"Akuryo taisan!" Rei Hino had immediately shouted. The dark-haired priestess had always been fast, but Mamoru found himself surprised at just how speedy the young woman was, morphing into Sailor Mars and throwing four ofuda scrolls in four different directions in the space of a few seconds. It was only Usagi's screaming for her guardians to desist that prevented the other three senshi from attacking the four men on sight, although they too had changed into their superpowered personas, Makoto Kino's (now Sailor Jupiter's) tiara already bearing that telltale antenna that showed that she was a hair trigger away from releasing one of her lightning attacks.
Three pots of tea and five broken cups later, Mamoru realized that he didn't count on Mistake #3. He, Usagi, and the Shitennou had somehow assumed that the senshi had recovered about as much of the memories that they had, more or less, so they were surprised to find out that the young women couldn't really remember what had happened in the Silver Millennium. Sure, they remembered the roles they played as the court and guardians of Princess Serenity, as well as their background as both royalty and protectors of their own planets, but they were completely clueless when it came the relationships they had with the Shitennou. In fact, the only memories they had of Endymion's guardians were their deaths at the hands of these men, and having to battle them once again in this lifetime.
Fate 1, Shitennou 0.
The sardonic side of Mamoru couldn't help but find the situation humorous, especially since Rei had insisted that the Shitennou refrain from removing the ofuda scrolls from their foreheads as proof that they weren't evil. Just the thought of having Kunzite, the silver-haired king who would be able to beat a boulder in a stoicism contest, attempting to talk while having that little piece of paper fluttering on his face sent Mamoru in danger of grinning. Still, he couldn't keep himself from finding too much humor in the situation, especially after seeing the crestfallen look on the four men's faces when they realized that the only emotions they could make the senshi feel for them were distrust and anger. He glanced at his wife and saw Usagi's eyes filled with compassion for the Shitennou. It's not right, Mamoru thought to himself. As though reading his thoughts, Usagi looked at him and then nodded.
They will do their best to reconcile the four couples together.
xxx
This was going to be a one-shot, but then the story somehow made itself open-ended, so I'm leaving this open right now and think of chapters to continue this.
Oh, and shameless plug: if you have time, please read "Blood and Ice". It's the third in the series I'm writing (first was "Ashes and Secrets" and second was "Woods and Whispers"), and it features the remaining three couples (Ami/Zoicite, Minako/Kunzite, and Usagi/Mamoru). Feedback's always welcome.:D Thanks for reading! Please read and review!