Chapter 2: Recollection

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She moaned. She realized she was in what looked to be a closet full of clothes. How did she get inside a closet in the middle of the night? What happened? Flashes of last night pulsed through her weary mind.

A girl giggling, falling into a dark-haired man's arms.

A dance in the moonlight, surrounded by crimson roses.

A white flowing dress and a crisp black tuxedo and top hat.

Who was he? Who was she?

Again, she fought off another splitting ache in her head. "Who am I?" She asked aloud. She couldn't say her name, because it felt wrong. Everything felt wrong. The only time you felt right was in his arms, wasn't it? What happened last night?

At that question, she seemed to have found her footing on solid ground. Her mind rewound to what had happened after she had helped the girls get ready for the ball she had adamantly refused to go to. The girls had first yelled at each yelled at her individually for daring to risk her life and for trying to kill the king, but had eventually forgiven her. She had to promise not to do it again, but it was a small price to pay for their forgiveness and for the ability to hear.

She had begun wandering the halls, wearily, as if willing herself to disappear and turn into a ghost to haunt the silent halls, while during her mindless pacing, she bumped into something hard. She felt two arms on her own, steadying her. "Who are you?" Usagi asked in wonder. "I mean, if I'd seen you before, I think I would have noticed."

The man before her made her heart skip an extra beat. He was tall, dashing, with beautiful black hair, mysterious. He was dressed to the nines, in a tuxedo that did well to accent his form. A white mask framed his eyes, those beautiful black eyes.

Instantly, she stepped away. This man that could turn her to jelly, was dangerous. "Who do you think you are, bumping into me? You should really watch where you're going, and if you really have trouble seeing, take off that silly mask," she demanded. A tiny voice inside her head was screaming and shouting at her reflexive outrage. She pulled away from him, but the man held tightly to one of her arms. "Don't leave," he said.

She was captivated and did not look back.

They ended up on one of the upper balconies overlooking the ballroom. He led her out to a balcony that led down to the rose garden, a place regarded as the most beautiful garden in the world. It was usually held under lock and key by the prince, but the gates were open that beautifully moonlit light.

He bowed to her graciously, while she took his hand in acceptance. With the faint music from inside, they danced to their heart's content, finding a partner in each other. They twirled around and around, bathed in the soft glow of a lover's night. When the music stopped playing, they were still dancing to their own tune. When they stopped, they sat on a bench, looking up at the stars.

"I can't help being drawn to you," Usagi blurted out. She turned red at her admission. None of it was a lie. She couldn't help any of it, even if she wanted to. What made her curious, was why he wanted to be with her. She had thin brown hair, was a little too chubby and wore the oldest hand-me downs from Minako (as a statement, saying clearly that she did not accept support from their monarch).

He just replied, "Being with you makes me feel complete."

She looked down, suddenly shy, and then noticed her hair was a strange shade. Her eyes widened, with fear. Her hair looked blonde. She grasped at her hair. It was long, flowing down her body in two pigtails. She looked down at her dress and realized with surprise that it was white, the soft material flowing down her slender body. Her dark skin had suddenly turned pale white. Had she just inhabited some beautiful girl's body, in her desperation, or was this all a dream?

She pulled away from the man who sat across from her, feeling her heart pull at the same time. Maybe she was feeling the love from whoever's body she had. Maybe they knew each other. "I have to leave now." She couldn't bear to look at the hurt look on his face and turned away. "I don't know who you are; you don't know who I am. Let's keep it that way."

Before she left, she heard him say, "You're wrong. I know who you are, Usagi Tsukino. Wait!" She heard him yell out.

She sprinted off into the castle. Hearing the sound of running footsteps behind her, she knew he was behind her. It was futile to start up a chase. She pulled open the nearest door and ran into a closet. Her breathing slowed as she did not hear him enter the room and the footsteps slowed to a normal walking pace.

She'd treat it as a dream, because it was a dream. Before she knew it, it would be forgotten…

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Unbidden emotions released themselves as she twirled in the large forest that surrounded the palace. Trees, plants and animals became distorted, giving her a giddy sensation. The moment was hers, feeling free for the first time, she raced across the clearing to explore more of the beautiful forest, peaceful, and happy. Noticing a brook that traveled through the forest, she stopped at the water's edge, trying to look through the water, to what was beyond the surface, but somehow, she could not focus enough. All she could see was her face. Angrily, she splashed the image away.

She couldn't understand why she felt like this. It was as if she were wearing a mask she could not take off, and she was itching to pull it off.

She turned her attention elsewhere. Spotting a squirrel, she gently coaxed it to her, and it scampered over to her lap, and snuggled into the material of her thin yellow dress. Soon, a deer, a flock of birds, and a few frogs were drawn to her, and she was smiling again. She looked at the deer, and ran through the forest once more, skipping past the trees. She stopped when she reached a clearing, and was glad that the deer had followed her through the forest. She hugged the deer close, while it nuzzled her.

"Usagi?" A voice, distinctly male came from the edge of the clearing, hidden in the shadows.

Scared, she pushed the deer of to safety, and answered. "Who are you?" Not to her surprise, she saw a man with hunting weapons, step from out of the shadows.

"Oh," she said, hiding her relief as she realized it was just the king.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked her, scrutinizing her.

"I was just getting some fresh air," she said, turning her head away.

"What were you doing with that deer? Is it tame?" Curiosity grew in his voice.

"I was saving it from people like you, and no, it is not tame. Humans can't always control everything. Animals should be wild." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him wince slightly, and put his hunting weapons behind him.

'Where were you yesterday? I thought I ordered you to go to the feast." An imperious tone hung over his words.

This time, she could not keep her anger in check. "I am sorry if I could not stand to attend a glorified day in which my people were defeated." She turned her head over to him. "You are King after all. What is my punishment?"

From the challenge or for not attending the feast?

"Both."

"Training, from now on, will be" he paused, "with me. Prince Diamond will be there, so be prepared."

"What do you mean?"

"You will have to wake up a few hours earlier than normal, at dawn, we meet at the main training arena, and because Prince Diamond is staying at the castle for a while, he will be training with us. It will be a great honour."

Usagi nodded reverently. It was much too lenient a punishment, because it was not a punishment at all. It was a promotion in rank, and if she was able to defeat the king in practice, she would really be ready for anything.

The king drew breath again, and said, "You should go back into the palace. It is getting late, and there will be other hunters who will start hunting. It is dangerous to go out at this time."

Usagi bowed her head down, and whispered "Hai," softly, before leaving.

Endymion drew his hunting weapons before him, remembering how just a few moments ago, he had been hiding them and wondered why he was conforming to her rules when he was the king, and was it his imagination or was her hair a different colour?

After she was dismissed, Usagi ran back to the castle, hoping that the speed she was running at would mask the fact that her heart that would not stop pounding in the king's presence.

Raye yelled after Usagi. "I can't believe you missed the ball. It was so much fun, even though we had to endure a moping Mina, waiting for the King to ask her to dance." She received a glare from her blonde best friend and continued. "The King didn't even stay for the whole ball. He was there for a while, and then the next moment, he was gone, so we had to settle with Prince Diamond."

"Hmph…hypocrite," Usagi muttered about the King. …And he was angry at her for not attending the ball. "Mina, you like Endymion? I thought you liked General Kunzite."

Mina twirled around her blonde hair. "Endymion started courting me first. We were about to get engaged. I wanted to keep it a secret, but I want you guys to know."

Everyone hugged her and congratulated her, although Usagi hung back, for what reason, she didn't know. Was it because she did not want her best friend to marry a tyrant, or was she disappointed in his choice? Either way, her friends understood her reluctance and didn't push her.

Usagi was grateful for her friends. How could she have thought that her life would be worthless? She had risked her life foolishly the other day. Tears slid down her face, and Minako and the other girls brought her into the big group hug.

"Hey, everything is okay," Lita crooned, and lifted up her chin with a finger. Her eyes opened, and the group stood shocked at the colour of her eyes. Instead of the pair of dull brown eyes that usually went undetectable, her eyes were a clear sparkling azure.

Rei, hating the silence, broke it, saying, "Usagi, what is happening to you?" Her voice held so much disdain, that the rest of the group glared at Rei.

Usagi was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Here," Minako shoved a mirror in her face, and Usagi could not believe her eyes. Literally.

"Aww," Ami said, "your brown hair. It's turning blond. I think I'll miss it."

Usagi stood there speechless, feeling as if she were in her own skin, but replied, "I'll miss it too," having the feeling that these were only a few of the changes that she was about to go through. Her life was running away from her, fast.

Kunzite knocked on the thick oak door, and patiently waited for a response. When a voice from the inside, said, "Come in," he entered quietly, and shut the door behind him.

"King Endymion," he bowed and then helped himself to a seat on the other side of the desk. "Any developments in the prophecy?"

Endymion stood up, and pulled a scroll from its holder, and displayed it along the length of the table. Kunzite recited it as he always did when he saw it.

"At a time the empire stirs with distrust,

A woman has to do what she must,

Melodious voice, void of ill will,

With golden hair, courageous and strong,

Will show her people how to belong,

From a distant (enemy land),

The prince will fall in love,

And she will love him and his kingdom,

So that when danger emerges,

They will remain victorious,

If false appearances are what the prince wants to see,

He will get what he receives

And the kingdom will fall…to the true enemy."

"What's wrong, Endymion?,"asked the general concerned.

Endymion had both of his hands behind his head in deep pain. "It's not right. It doesn't feel right, not anymore. I know the woman I'm supposed to fall in love with is Mina- she's from an enemy land, with golden hair, is courageous and kind, but in my heart, I don't want her to be the one."

Kunzite saw his indecision and question him, "You never seemed to be in much doubt before. What is changing your mind?"

Endymion's face hardened, and he squared his shoulders as Kunzite saw a fierce look emerge from the depths of his soul. "I am doing this for my kingdom."

His friend shook him out of it. "Stop it, Endymion. Tell me your thoughts."

He sighed, and knew he had to tell him. "I don't feel anything for Mina. She's a good friend, but nothing else. She's beautiful, and once I thought I could love her, but that was part of my foolishness."

"Someone has changed your mind, right?"

The king smiled, and thought of a certain someone. "Yes, but she does not have golden hair," his voice became louder, "it is certainly not soft as silk, she has no melodious voice, and I will not fall to her- a commoner, a rebel who wants to kill me."

And with those words, General Kunzite knew it was his cue to disappear, and as he stepped outside, it occurred to him that maybe the king was in denial.

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"I see you take many long walks." Endymion caught up to Usagi, who had started speeding up her walking as soon as she saw him.

She slowed down, realizing it was useless. "Yes."

"Why did you want to kill me?"

"I was always angry at the people from Earth, their leader, your father, siding with the most hateful enemy in the entire universe. Queen Beryl is like poison. You and your father enabled the massacre of the century. I don't think I could ever forgive you for that," she admitted.

"My father made a bad decision. I can attest to that, but I was only a boy. I was a boy that was brought into this. My father and Beryl have left a mess and I don't think it's over. I've tried to undo every wrong that has been done. I've freed the Lunarians, gave them jobs, gave them a home-"

Usagi interrupted, angrily. "-but you've already taken away our real homes. You don't understand the beauty of the planet. It was unyielding, cold, and beautiful. Everything about the planet…the people…my parents," she ended her thoughts, open-ended.

"I'm sorry for the loss of your parents." And he did sound sorry to her.

"I can't remember anything about them. I'm stubborn. That's all I can say. This anger, this revenge, it's infected me." She looked up into his eyes and said, sincerely, "I'm sorry." She felt as if she were giving up something precious by admitting she couldn't let go, but it was too hard, so she changed the subject. "Aren't the flowers beautiful? I can't remember any flowers that looked so beautiful. This planet teems with beauty," surreptitiously, she caught a glance of his shocked face, and smiled to herself. "Look at that sunrise," she said excitedly.

"Would you like to go to the training area, and warm up before Diamond comes?"

She nodded her head, and they went.

He pulled a huge chain with a giant jewel at the end of it, and pushed it into the door, and the door became liquid, absorbing the jewel, and then pushed the jewel out, and the doors flung open. "Let's see how handy you are with a sword." This time she returned his smirk with one of her own.

He bowed down slightly, his head still up, handing her the hilt of a beautifully crafted sword, but there was no time to marvel at the tool. Somehow between her far away anger and her feelings toward the King, she had taken up a teasing manner that surprised even herself.

"May I have the honour of this fight?" She asked, brushing her hair back out of her way.

"You may," he said with the utmost seriousness.

They circled around each other, possibly delaying the inevitable, and then Usagi struck, bringing the sword high, and pushing it onto her opponent, who blocked it easily, while she twirled away.

"You can do better than that, can't you?" He taunted her.

"So you're marrying Mina?" She asked. What a dumb question to ask, while fighting. What was she thinking?

He stood straight up and stopped. "I've been courting her, but we haven't decided anything yet."

Usagi raised an eyebrow. Was the groom getting cold feet? She had to tell Mina of this new development.

She lunged at him again, like a wildcat, striking his sword hard, and then, sensing an opportunity, kicked the sword out of his hands. It worked, she thought happily as it sailed in the air, and then hit the ground. She knew she had kicked him hard, as he made his hands into fists, preparing for a battle without weapons, but she was still holding her sword. Everything seemed to freeze for a few seconds, as she thought about what she could do, and what she had always wanted to do. You could end this, she told herself, but …he was defenseless. It would be bloody and evident, that you had killed him, but there was something else that bothered her, that made her want to throw her sword away, and it was stronger than her desire to kill him.

Endymion had sensed her hesitation, and knew in that instant that his life was in her hands unless a miracle occurred. This friendly fight had been turned into a decision for her, and he should have thought about it before doing something like this. He'd just hope she'd make the right decision.

She threw the sword behind her, unaware that someone had caught it, and collapsed onto the ground. She was breathing hard, her body facing the high ceiling when a face blocked her entire view, and she scrambled up to greet the welcome intruder. "Prince Diamond," she said, cordially, much opposite to how she greeted the king, and curtseyed under his surveying eye.

"You are Usagi I presume?" He said in that royal manner that can't be learnt.

Usagi blushed lightly, at the thought that he actually knew who she was, and nodded her head in the affirmative.

The king was evidently angry that she treated his arch nemesis with the respect she wouldn't even think of giving him. The Prince was far from being a great ruler, but he supposed that because he was allied with the Lunarians, she and her people were properly enamored by him.

"That was a nice trick you did back there. I did not think Endymion would be so susceptible to it, but apparently he has a weak grip on his sword" he chuckled.

The king kept his outward appearance in check, and forced a smile.

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"Hey, Luna," Usagi called to the cat that hung around the castle, and strangely did not chase mice. Instead it prowled the palace, as if it was always on duty. She fed it whenever she had a chance, liking its company. She'd always thought the cat's eyes showed intelligence. It was a strange feeling that irked her, but she didn't mind.

The cat plodded over to her, and sat right in front of her outstretched hand. Instead of eating out of her hand as she usually did, the cat opened its mouth, and to Usagi's surprise, talked.

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"Look, here," Endymion quickly moved, startled by the magnitude of fear his friend was showing, and saw what had alarmed him.

"Over here, the scroll is ripped, and has been repaired so carefully that it could only have been done by magic. Someone has tampered with it. The facts are incomplete and missing, which could only mean that someone does not want us to have the entire prophecy," Kunzite said.

He pushed his nausea away at the thought of what could have happened as a result of this overlooked fault, and quickly resumed his role of order. "First things first. Pinpoint a time frame in which this could have happened, and find out what exactly is missing, or where we can find it. We have to move quickly."

The other man gave a quick nod, and left the room, leaving the king to think to himself. He could feel it in his bones that he was missing something, an important piece of the puzzle.

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A/N: I hope no one mocked my poem-writing skills too badly. I can't get anything to rhyme or have the proper meter or syllables, so that will have to do…hah…