Mina sneezed. It was the tenth time today. "You sure you're okay?" Rei asked.
"Yup. Maybe it's allergies." Mina reassured her.
"But what'd you be allergic to?"
"Hmmm…"
"Hey, Rei!" Jadeite called from the other side of the palace gardens. He was walking with his first-in-command, Kunzite.
"Shit…he brought that bastard with him." Mina hissed.
"Maybe it's the 'bastard' that's got your allergies going." Rei remarked.
"I'm going."
"Mina…" Mina had already begun to walk away.
"Did I…?" Jadeite asked when he walked over to Rei.
"No…she just had some business to take care of." Rei said.
Jadeite looked over from Mina to Kunzite, who was oddly walking after her….and it hit him. "Oh god…." He smacked a hand to his forehead. "I am the biggest idiot the world has ever seen…"
"It's not your fault…they don't get along." Rei tried to calm him down.
"Ugh….I still feel bad."
"They need to work out their differences anyway."
"How?"
"Uh oh…."
Rei and Jadeite ran after the two figures ahead of them that were slowly becoming less visible by the seconds. Little did they know that they'd become fairly audible in a few moments. Rei and Jadeite managed to catch up to the two. They hid behind a wall to eavesdrop.
"Don't touch me." Mina smacked his hand away from her.
"I was trying to help you get up." Kunzite coldly replied.
"I don't need your help." She said bitterly.
"Whatever." He rolled his eyes.
Mina brushed herself off as she began to walk away. The next thing she knew, she was backed up against a wall with Kunzite glaring at her maliciously. He gripped her shoulders tightly. "I told you NOT to touch me."
"Oh come on Mina…I'm sick of you ordering me around. I'm in charge of my own actions."
"Let go of me."
"No."
"Do you think we should help her now?" Jadeite asked Rei.
"Shhh….it's getting good." Rei watched, clearly absorbed with Mina and Kunzite's conversation.
"Kunzite, just go." Mina looked away.
"You okay?" Kunzite asked.
"Let me go and I'll be rid of my allergies." She said softly, bitterly.
He released her and backed away. Mina quickly grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket and sneezed into it. "Mina…what are you allergic to?"
"Maybe you." She hissed in a barely audible voice.
"Pardon?" he said as he saw two servants walk by.
"There's no need to be so formalwith me General."
He rolled his eyes. "Always so childish, Venus?" he whispered once the servants were out of earshot.
"Unlike you Terrans, I actually like to be myself with others. I don't become completely emotionless like some people."
"Immature." He coughed.
"Go to hell."
"After you, love." His eyes glinted. She winced as she remembered her last words from another life.
"You killed me."
"I was possessed."
"Just forget it." She sighed as she turned to walk away.
"Forget what?"
She turned to face him one last time before she left. "Forget…us….the fact that we even met." And with that, she walked away.
He sighed as he leaned against the cold stone walls of the corridor. Once she was out of earshot, he whispered to himself two words of truth that he'd thought he'd never utter. "I can't."
Rei and Jadeite silently walked away in the direction that they came from. They held hands and silently pondered what they'd overheard. Mina had never gone that far when she verbally sparred with Kunzite….maybe it was because they were always in a crowded place and kept their real feelings hidden.
Mina was sharing a room with Rei. She felt guilty. Serena was sharing a room with Darien, Ami with Zoisite, and Lita with Nephrite…after all, the three couples were married, as were Rei and Jadeite. But Rei and Jadeite knew the conflict between their leaders and decided to split up when they realized that there were only five rooms available in the palace for them. They were temporarily visiting a palace of a Duke. Why he had a palace, nobody knew.
But the reason why Mina was felling guilty was because the four couples' anniversaries were on the week they were spending at the palace. She sighed. She was going to offer that she sleep outside so Rei could be with Jadeite at least one night, but they refused politely.
The next morning, Rei woke wearily to discover that Mina wasn't there. Jadeite had woken up, discovering that Kunzite wasn't there either. This was a bad sign… When they heard battle cries, they realized that Mina and Kunzite were fighting in the training arena. Rei and Jadeite quickly got dressed and rushed to the arena where they chaperoned the battle from the sidelines…hiding where Mina and Kunzite wouldn't see them.
"Venus Love Me Chain!" Mina attacked feverishly. It wrapped around Kunzite's torso. She tightened her grip and pulled. She heard Kunzite grunt.
"You should fight like this more often…maybe you'd win more often." He taunted as he dodged one of her attacks. He'd broken free from the chain. It wrapped itself around Mina's waist automatically and repaired itself. She took a fighting stance and blasted Kunzite, square in the chest. He was thrown back at least twenty feet. She smiled as she dodged an attack from him.
"Becoming a little lax, are we general?" She aura blasted him further towards the walls of the arena.
"You wish." He sent boomerangs hurling towards her heart. She dodged them easily.
"Should we be letting them fight like this? They could die!" Rei asked alarmed.
"No. Let them take their anger out on each other…they're the only ones who can take this beating and come out with a few scratches." Jadeite said.
"A few???"
"They're pretty tough."
"Have you seen Mina in battle? She's still clumsy.'
"Look at her."
"What?"
"She's more powerful…"
"But she's prone to getting hurt."
"Look at her uniform."
Rei squinted and gasped. "Sailor V!"
"Sailor V is her original form…that's why she's fighting in that guise. She's got more experience as her old self…she wants to kill Kunzite."
"Kunzite never wears his grey uniform unless he's protecting the Prince….that means…"
"They both want to kill each other."
"Or come close to it."
Kunzite had taken quite a beating from Mina. She was pummeling him with aura blasts. Her aura blasts weren't as intense as they were on the battle field because they were prone to making her faint….and killing thousands of Terrans. He wasn't going to let her win…he wouldn't let her win…it wasn't about males being stronger than females or any other conflict of that sort…it was about admitting fault.
Mina pounced on Kunzite, causing him to falter back and fall. She kept on punching him until he rolled her over and took out his dagger. He pulled the dagger high above his head….and began the drop to stab Mina in the heart.
Jadeite realized Kunzite's action, but he quickly covered Rei's mouth so she wouldn't scream and give away their position.
"Jade! He killed her!" she was sobbing.
"No Red, Mina's fine. You see?" he turned Rei's head to face the battle arena once more. Mina had blasted Kunzite while he was facing backwards.
"How?"
"Kunzite forgot about teleportation."
"But he meant to kill her?"
"Who knows?"
"We can't let this go on!"
"Let them be."
Kunzite's weapons were blasted to bits. Mina was running low on energy…but she had enough to kill Kunzite. "Tired Mina?" he smirked.
"Today's the day you die!" she growled. Kunzite noticed that her taunting mood had passed…was she really intending on killing him….oh shit.
Mina summoned her sword and charged against Kunzite. He dodged it not so easily.
"Mina!" he barked angrily.
"Can't take the heat General? I thought we agreed to fight till the death."
"We did."
"Backing out? Oh General…that'll be a shame…losing to a woman…nonetheless a woman who hasn't harnessed her true powers in years."
"How are you combining attacks from both of your identities?"
"That's for me to know and for you to find out."
"Fine…I promised you to the death…so we fight until someone dies." He said smirking.
"Then be prepared to die." She raised her sword. He held his last sword tightly…ready to plunge it through her gut as he'd done before…
"Now we intervene." Jadeite teleported to grasp Mina around her waist, restraining her from attacking Kunzite. Rei teleported and temporarily blinded Kunzite so he couldn't attack Mina. The four somehow made it to the infirmary. Mina refused to stay in the infirmary because Kunzite was there. Jadeite was going to force her to stay in the wing but Mina healed herself before his eyes and was declared healthy enough to leave.
"I suppose we all know who the weak one is now general." Mina hissed at Kunzite.
He helplessly looked at her as several nurses attended to his wounds. "Heal me." He said as what appeared to be a plea.
Mina whirled around to face him. "Why should I?"
"You inflicted my wounds."
"So?"
"Heal me."
"I won't be commanded like a dog."
"Please heal me."
"Scared you'll die if I don't help you? Ha! I win!"
"You healed yourself."
"I healed myself so I wouldn't have to be in the same room as you general." She said sharply.
He grunted. The nurses left the room. Rei and Jadeite stood in the corner silently. "A draw…we were interrupted. The battle could've gone anywhere from there."
"Fine." Mina stood beside his bed. He sat up. She kissed his forehead as she chanted a spell to heal him. "You'll need to rest here for an hour for the spell to take full effect. The nurses will check up on you." She turned to leave but he grasped her wrist.
"Thank you."
"Sleep. You'll feel better." And with a swish of her skirts, she was out the door.
Hours later…
Mina and Kunzite were outside, sitting on a bench…not talking to each other. They'd insisted on Rei and Jadeite spending one night together…so they took Jadeite's room. Kunzite would sleep on the couch, and Mina would sleep on the bed. Kunzite was to "weak" to try anything…so people thought.
They walked into the room. Mina grabbed a pillow and a blanket and headed for the couch. She plopped herself on the couch and was going to pull the covers on her when Kunzite spoke. "I thought you were going to take the bed."
"Nah..I'm fine. You take it." She yawned.
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
2:00 AM
Mina sneezed softly. She was hoping that Kunzite wouldn't hear her. She sneezed again. She wished that she could cure illnesses like the flu or the cold.
"Mina?" Crap.
"Yeah?" she replied.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah sure…I'm fine."
She heard the rustle of the covers and saw Kunzite move to her side. He touched her forehead. "Mina! You're burning up!"
"I'm fine…I'm going to sleep."
"No you're not…oh jeez..why didn't you tell anyone you had the flu?"
"I was…busy."
"Mina…you have to take care of yourself." He rushed into the bathroom, got a wet towel, and started dabbing it on her forehead. "Feel better?"
"I'm freezing."
"Get in bed."
"Not with you!"
"Mina…now's not the time to be picky. Get in bed…now."
Mina sighed as she walked over to the bed and slipped under the covers. "What now?"
Kunzite grabbed her blankets and tossed them to her on the bed. He bundled her up. "Better?"
"A little."
"Here." He took his cape and wrapped it around her.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome…now go to sleep." He slid under the covers and left a protective hand around her waist.
When Mina woke, she was in death grip. Kunzite was holding her tightly. He was still sleeping, but she was wide awake. She attempted to turn to face him, but it was difficult to do so. By the time she was facing him, a good ten minutes had passed. She flicked his forehead. He groaned.
"Kunzy…wake up." Mina said.
He expressed his disapproval of the nickname by rolling over so he was on top of Mina. He opened his eyes. "Mina? What are you- oh sorry…" he rolled off her.
"Man you have a tight death grip."
"Sorry."
"I guess I'll head out to train."
"This early?"
"Why not?"
"You have a point…let me go with you."
"Verse you again? I might kill you."
"Could you ?"
"Kunzite, you've seen me in battle…I was holding back yesterday."
"What a coincidence…so was I…"
"I guess we just can't hurt each other fatally…"
"Do you still want to?"
"Sometimes. Do you?"
"Never…" he sighed as he replied inaudibly.
Mina took that as a sigh. "I guess I'll head out after a shower."
"Kay." He groaned as he attempted to go back to sleep.
In the Battle Arena………
"Ok....we're going to recreate a part of our battle yesterday…starting from that point, we'll fight until someone falls down." Kunzite said.
"Where do we start?" Mina asked.
"From the dagger part."
"Oh…um…" she walked over to the spot they were in yesterday, but tripped. Kunzite managed to catch her and laid her down on her back. He raised his dagger. They were fighting for real…this time they wouldn't hold back, but this time, they wouldn't kill.
Mina smirked. Kunzite was hoping she'd teleport behind him. She teleported…in front of him and attacked him with her chain. He broke the chain….again. Mina sighed. Both were prepared for each attack. After an hour, nobody had gotten hurt. She could anticipate his moves just as well as he could, hers.
Two more hours passed by….
"Kunzite….this isn't working." She told him. "You're too good."
"Give yourself some credit. You keep blocking me!" He scowled.
"A draw then?" she stepped closer.
"It's always a draw between us." He moved closer to her.
"That's how we are." She whispered.
"And I wouldn't change it even if I could…" he stroked her face.
"Really…"
"Really." He bent down to kiss her lips. She squeaked.
"Kunzite!" she brought a hand to her lips.
"Sorry about that." He said nonchalantly. He had no idea why he'd done that.
The two were walking hand in hand through the gardens. Once they were in visibility of the others, they released each other's hands. Mina walked over to Rei, Lita, Ami, and Serena.
"We were wondering when you'd be done with training." Lita scowled.
"I swear…you're the only one who trains on vacations." Ami sighed.
"Just…be careful." Rei said.
"I heard you were in the infirmary yesterday…what was that about?" Serena asked.
"Oh nothing…I had a few scratches after training" Mina replied.
"Oh…there's Kunzite! Mina….were you training with…him?" Serena asked.
"No…he was mocking me during target practice."
"Oh good…he'd kill you if you two battled."
"Hehe…maybe."
"He would."
"I'd like to see him try."
"But why can't you relax on a vacation?"
"Well…we're in a palace…there's not much to do. Might as well train." She shrugged off Serena's comment.
"Is it because we're….married?"
Lita, Ami, and Rei held their breaths. Marriage was a subject that made Mina touchy. Mina sighed. "No…I'm just…I dunno, bored."
"Oh…how about we go to the beach?"
"Nah…I'm gonna be fine. I like training."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Enjoy your picnic!"
"You sure you're not coming?"
"Yup. Have fun."
"Kay…bye!" Serena, Lita, Rei, and Ami left with their husbands.
"It's good we didn't go." Kunzite whispered in her ear.
"I know…I didn't want to be the seventh wheel." Mina sighed.
"Let's go upstairs."
"Sure."
Upstairs….
"Mina…you have a fever again." Kunzite said.
"Not again…"Mina burrowed herself under the covers.
"Mina…get back up here so I can dab the towel on you."
"Can't I just sleep?"
"No." he moved the covers off her.
"I'm cold."
"Here take my cape."
"Can I sleep now?"
"Fine." Kunzite slid under the covers and wrapped his shirt around her slim form. He held her close to him. "Better?"
"Mmm." She buried her face in his chest. "I'm tired…"
"Sleep…."
Mina nodded as she curled towards him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He gripped her waist tighter.
6:00 PM
Mina groaned. Her neck was on Kunzite's shoulder and his hands were at the small of her back. He shifted so she was on top of him.
"Kunzy…again?" Mina scowled.
"At least I'm not crushing you this time." He reasoned.
"I guess we're taking the night shift?"
"For what?"
"Night guard."
"You…night guard?"
"I could've killed you."
"But you didn't."
"Because Jadeite grabbed me."
"I wish I could've seen that…Rei blinded me."
"I'm getting ready for the night shift."
"Uhh can I have my shirt back?"
"Oh...sorry." her cheeks were pink. She took off his shirt and tossed it back to him.
"Thanks."
Mina changed quickly into her fuku. "Let's go General."
Kunzite buttoned his shirt. "After you Senshi."
Both of them exited the room casually while bantering about something or the other.
Rei and Jadeite were whispering. "I opened the door, and both of them were sleeping in the same bed!!!" Rei hissed.
"Seriously? I thought one of them would be dead by now." Jadeite replied.
"And Mina was wearing Kunzite's shirt!"
"No way…"
"He was shirtless!"
"Do you think they…"
"Nah…Mina wouldn't go that far…would she?"
"Hmmm…but they have chemistry between them."
Mina leaned against the balcony bars. She and Kunzite were given duty until midnight. The laughed over some memories, but became quiet when they remembered her death. "Mina…I'm sorry." Kunzite said, breaking the silence.
"For what?" Mina asked, looking away.
"Everything…for your death, for leaving you, and for betraying you. It was my fault. Darien was possessed but was able to live without killing Serena. And if I tried, I could've been able to prevent your death. I'm so very sorry-" he jammed his palm to his eye, clearly fixated on how to explain.
Mina walked up to him and placed a finger over his lips. "Thank you." She whispered. They stood like that for a while until her communicator started beeping. She looked up at Kunzite apologetically and walked over to her side of the balcony.
"Sere, I told you not to use the communicator unless you're in real danger." she hissed.
"I know…but where are you? We can't find you!" Serena sounded concerned.
"Like hell…did you think I wouldn't see Rei and Jadeite spying on me? They've been doing that this whole week! I bet if you ask them, they'll know where I am." She said in a bored tone.
"I just want to know if you're ok."
"I'm fine…don't worry about me."
"Ok…"
"You sounded upset." Kunzite said. It wasn't a complaint or an insult...merely a comment.
"I was." Mina admitted.
"Now why would someone like you be upset with Serena?"
"Haven't you ever gotten upset with Darien?"
"Yeah, but that's different. I don't get angry at him for no reason."
"If you understood me, you'd understand why I felt the way I did."
"I do understand you…better than anyone else."
"What makes you say that?"
"Mina…I would know."
"Rei knows me better than anyone."
"Or does she? I knew you were sick, not her! I took care of you! I…loved you."
Mina sighed as she looked away. "Have you ever felt that you worked really hard for something to do for someone and they spoil it?"
"Happens to me all the time."
"I worked so hard…just to let them have the perfect anniversary…and they're ruining it because they're worried about me."
"They know you're not happy."
"I am happy."
"Mina, if I supposedly don't know you as well as Rei, then all of them would know that you're upset before I got the hint."
"I'm fine…just a little bored and frustrated."
"Why?"
"I didn't want to come."
"Why?"
"Because you were coming." She looked into his eyes meaningfully.
"Oh…" he looked away. "You hate me that much?"
Mina clamped her jaw shut. She'd hurt his feelings. "No."
"Then….?"
"I don't hate you…it just hurts…whenever I see you."
"I know." He sighed. "Why can't we be happy like them?"
"Because…it's our duty to protect them."
"So it's duty before love?"
"Yes." She hoarsely whispered. "It always has been."
"And so that's how it'll be."
She cradled her head in her hands. "Darien and Serena are so lucky."
"Yeah…they are."
"They'll be soul mates in every life…I can see it in their auras."
"What about the others?"
"Them too."
"What about…us?"
"I-I don't know…"
"Do you see anything?"
"I can't see my own aura."
"Funny…I've seen yours in battle so many times."
"Yeah…"
"Why didn't you send a full blown aura blast at me?"
"I faint when I do it…I leave it as a last resort."
"Clever."
Mina sighed. "It's a beautiful night."
"Yes it is."
"I just wish…" a small tear fell from her eye.
"Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah," she choked, "fine."
"What's wrong?"
"Just a sad memory I thought of."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No." she definitely didn't want to talk about the night Ace had come back.
"You sure?"
"I am." She needed to think about the present.
He crossed over to her and felt her forehead. "You're warm."
"I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"Yeah I-" Mina lost her balance and fell into his arms. "Sorry."
"Maybe you should go inside."
"No. I'll be fine. I'll just sit down."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
11:00 PM
"Mina?"
"Yeah?"
"Why didn't we….why didn't we get married?"
She exhaled. "It's complicated."
"Did you want to?" he asked softly.
Mina crawled over to him and slid under his arm. "Of course I did. Why wouldn't I have?"
"I thought you hated me."
"I did….now I don't."
"You mean…."
"Yeah, I turned you down…but only because I needed to protect Serenity."
"So if we defeat Metallia, would you marry me?"
"Wait…are you asking…"
"Yes…I'm asking you to marry me…not now, but when this war is over."
Mina kissed him. "And I say yes."
He claimed her mouth once more; it was a kiss of passion and promise. "I love you…so much."
"I love you too….I always have…" She hugged him.
The room…
"It's two in the morning…you might want to go to sleep." Kunzite whispered.
"Now?" she pouted.
"You know that I can't resist your pouts."
"Then don't try." She whispered huskily.
"Mina…don't play with my lust…I can be a monster ya know."
"Show me."
He flipped her over so that he was on top of her.
"That's the best you got?"
"Mina…" he growled.
"Sorry for teasing you like that." She sighed.
"And now I want you even more." He whispered.
"Then come here and get me." She reached for his neck, diamond studded ring glowing in the moonlight.
"You love that ring, don't you…"
"What can I say? It's gorgeous."
"Now sleep."
"Now?"
"Mina…please…or none of us will get any sleep."
"What do you mean by that?" she smiled innocently.
"I mean that tonight, either I get you, or sleep does."
"We have to train tomorrow."
"Aww…can't we make an exception?"
"We'll be alone…where nobody can see us."
"But we'll be fighting."
"Who said we had to fight?"
He seductively grinned. "Go to sleep Mina…before I change my mind."
"About what?"
"That picnic we're going on tomorrow."
She giggled. "Is this turning into our anniversary? We haven't even honeymooned yet!"
"And you know I'm looking forward to the honeymoon."
She threw back her head and laughed melodiously. "Good night." She kissed him softly, sleepily
"Night." He pulled her closer to him.
"Jeez, I'm not going anywhere…"
"I like having you next to me."
"I guess letting Rei and Jadeite be together that night was the cause of well, us."
"That was the day I liked sleeping next to you."
"That was the day I remembered that you weren't so cold hearted."
"I love you."
"Love you too." She sighed as she dozed off. This vacation was definitely one that she'd remember…and let's just say…Mina was far from bored the day after…
Please Review!