Tengoko: I liked this chapter before I edited it. Now, I like it even more. Does that sound conceited? Anyway, this chapter was fun to write and I hope it's fun for you guys to read. Please review and enjoy. EDIT UPDATE JUNE 27, 2009: I edited the description of Sailor Sagittarius to comply with the artwork I had for her. If you are interested in seeing it, you can find a link to my deviant art profile on my profile page. I also have made a few updates to some of the paragraphs, but nothing detrimental to the plot.

Rated M for language and romance

Chapter 3: Foundations of Trust
------------

They weren't quite sure how the evening turned out like this. Dinner had ended hours ago. And what an interesting dinner it was. By the end of it, Minako had thrown a dinner roll across the table at Kenji and stormed out with a very concerned Makoto chasing after her. Kenji wasn't exactly innocent though. Maybe if he hadn't made the comment about not being able to stand air-headed, blonde women, she wouldn't have had such an outburst. In his defense, it was possible that maybe he wasn't talking about Minako. But even Zen didn't believe that. After that fiasco, Zen asked Ami if she wanted to go for a walk with him. And now the pair was walking along the campus, just talking and enjoying each other's company. They'd hit it off well and neither was ready for the night to end, which in itself was weird considering that Ami usually liked to go to bed well before midnight. Taking a heavy sigh, Ami sat down on a nearby bench.

"Zen-san," she began, looking up at the handsome, blonde man. God, could a man really be that handsome? Sure, he wasn't the stunning Adonis type that Minako and Makoto always gossiped about and hoped for, but in many ways, he was better. He was short, but even so, he was over half a head taller than her. And even though he was slender, she could tell that he was also fit and athletic. There was something charming about that smile of his. Perhaps it was the dimple. Ami didn't know. And his hair was marvelous. Usually, Ami didn't like men with long hair, but she couldn't help but love the way his unruly curls complemented his features. And those eyes… God, she'd never seen such electric eyes; so green and intense.

"Yes, Ami-chan?" His voice was soft and sophisticated. She smiled, amazed at how quickly they'd become comfortable enough to use that title of familiarity with her.

"How is it that I have never seen you around before? Are you new here?"

He nodded and took a seat next to her. "I've lived in Tokyo all of my life, but I wanted to go somewhere else to study. I spent the first four years of college in America, studying English and literature." She stared at him oddly, causing him to smile that devastatingly charming smile. "I know, it's a weird thing to focus on, but it really is a growing language. And, it's quite fascinating, in my opinion." He paused. "I digress."

She chuckled, and for some reason, he stared at her. If she could read his mind she would know why; because he thought that her diminutive laugh was the most adorable thing he'd ever heard. But, Ami couldn't read minds, so she didn't know. "But now you're back."

"Yes. I decided, about a year ago, that I wanted to keep studying and maybe one day teach at a college like this. I saw no reason to stay in America to do this. So, I came back home. And, I'm glad I did."

He said that last part knowingly, and Ami blushed when he winked at her. "Do you always flirt with your students, Suzuki-san?" she asked.

"Only the ones I find to be extremely intriguing, Mizuno-san." She giggled and blushed even more furiously, and he smiled at how incredibly endearing she looked. "In all seriousness, I don't think I've ever met anybody quite like you. I'd really like to get to know you better…that is…if you'd let me."

"I'm never one to shirk off making new friends," she said, smiling sweetly at him and patting his shoulder. She could tell he looked crestfallen. After going out on a limb like that, all she gave him was a part on the shoulder. Well, Ami wasn't known for her ability to interact with the men she found attractive. "For the record, Zen-san…I'm glad you decided to come back home to study, too. I look forward to being in your class."

He grinned and draped his arm on the back of the bench, looking up at the stars. "I have a question for you, Ami-chan," he began, a smirk coming to his face. "Minako-san…why does she hate my friend, Kenji-san, so much? I mean, I'm not complaining, as the two of them did provide much of the entertainment tonight…but she seems to really dislike him."

"Minako-chan gets frustrated easily," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. It seemed she did it without realizing it, but he certainly did, and she missed the smile he made. "Especially when it comes to school. Physics has always been a subject that she's struggled with, and with Yamamoto-sama being so unwilling to help her, she's starting to give into desperation."

Zen thought about that for a moment before looking down at her. "Odd. Usually Kenji-san is very nice about helping anybody who's having trouble. I wonder what's going on?"

"Who knows?" Amy started, a wicked grin forming. "Maybe they secretly like each other, and they are both trying to hide their overpowering lust with feelings of hatred." Even she couldn't keep a straight face while saying it, but she was pleased to see that Zen was laughing. "Well…it was an idea. I wouldn't put it passed Minako-chan, though. Kenji-san is a very attractive man, after all, and Minako-chan was never one to not notice something like that."

"You think Kenji-san's an attractive man?" Zen asked, his eyebrows raised.

"I'd be stupid not to," she admitted. "Though…I didn't really get a good look at him when you were at the table." She blushed almost immediately after saying that, not believing it had left the safety of her quiet thoughts.

Zen smiled and leaned closer to her, planting a soft kiss on the tip of her nose. Before he pulled away, however, Ami took hold of his cheeks and lifted her own head, pressing her lips against his. It was a quick kiss, and they were both surprised she had done it. Actually, it shouldn't have surprised her at all. Gone were the days on inhibition. She'd become more forward since becoming a member of the Sailor Senshi, and now that she was at the University, her new perspective could be best described as polite agressiveness: She was going to do what she had to in order to get what she wanted, but she would try not to make too much of a mess of things.

Zen recovered first. "So… Mizuno-san…do you always kiss your teachers, or have I intrigued you as well?"

She was about to answer, but a peculiar scream pierced the air, causing both of them to jump up. They seemed to hesitate for a moment, looking at each other, wondering what they other would do, and then at the same time, they started to run towards the source. They ran at about the same speed, Zen a little quicker, but not by much, and suddenly, he slid to a halt. Before Ami could think to do the same, she was blasted by some unseen force and fell to the pavement, pain instantly seizing her lower back.

She looked up quickly to see what had knocked her over, and she caught a quick glimpse of a woman before another surge of energy was blasted at her. She closed her eyes to brace for the blow, but suddenly she felt a pair of strong arms around her, and she heard a husky grunt. Her eyes shot open, and she gasped when she saw that Zen had shielded her body with his, taking the full impact.

"Run," he whispered, releasing her.

"I can't do that," she told him, putting a hand to his cheek. He grunted again as yet another blast was shot at them. He growled angrily as he turned to look at the woman "Zen-san, I will always appreciate that you tried to protect me. Now…let me protect you."

"What?" he asked, his voice strained.

She slid out of his grip and pulled out her transformation pen. Considering the circumstances, she couldn't be bothered by the fact that she was about to reveal her life's biggest secret. "Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!"

Zen's eyes grew in shock as Ami, innocent little Ami, transformed before his eyes into a Sailor Senshi. He slowly got to his feet and stared at her in surprise. She smiled slightly before motioning for him to get out of the way. He didn't.

"Zen-san…this is what I do. I'll explain more to you later, but you have to move so you don't get hurt."

"Yes, let her fight me…" the woman said, flipping her long brown hair behind her shoulder and smiling cruelly. Ami's smile vanished as she finally looked at the person whom attacked them. She was taller than Ami, and indescribably beautiful. Her appearance from head to toe was quite stunning; Her long boots were black with green near the top just above her knees. A gold, intricate design separated the two colors. Her uniform was a one piece fuku that looked like it may have been modeled to look like a kimono with black, orange, green, and white as the colors. She wore a brown belt around her waist with a gold buckle that had the sign of Sagittarius on it. In her belt she had a mallet or hammer that was black, green, and gold. Her gloves were mostly orange, but they had green and gold trim. The glove extended down to a gold plate of the top of her hand and three black coverings for her fingers. Her thumb and her pink were exposed. In her left hand, she held a long bow that matched her boots. Mercury took all of this in, and still didn't know what to make of her. She supposed she could pass for a senshi given the circlet on the top of her head, but the obvious differences in uniform made her doubt that.

"Who are you?" Mercury demanded, assuming a fighting stance.

"I'm so glad you asked," the woman said, aiming her bow directly at Mercury. "I am the master of lightning, a child of the Sun. The great Archer, guarded by the Constellation Sagittarius, favored by the God, Zeus. The eighth of the legendary Constellation Warriors, the Zodiac Senshi, Sailor Sagittarius."

"Zodiac Senshi?"

Sagittarius sighed, disappointed, and lowered her bow impatiently. "You haven't heard of us? That's surprising. We are the strongest clan of Senshi in this galaxy, and you have never heard of us? Well, I like that."

"Listen, I don't care who you are or what you are doing here. All I know is that you aren't welcome here. I won't forgive a person who attacks two people who are forming a strong friendship. In the name of Mercury, I won't forgive you."

Her declaration made Sagittarius laugh. "You think you can punish me all alone, Sailor Mercury?"

"She's not alone," Zen shouted, stepping between them.

"Zen-san…stay out of this," Mercury ordered. "You cannot fight her like that. She'll kill you."

"I don't intend to fight her like this, honey," he smiled. Reaching into his jacket he pulled out a small crystal. "You aren't the only one with secrets, Mercury." Without another word, Zen threw the crystal to the ground, and it seemed to explode in a flash of bright light. The two women shielded their eyes and looked away.

Mercury was the first to turn back, and when she did, she gasped at what she saw. "Zoisite!" she exclaimed, backing up a little. She remembered him from the Dark Kingdom, one of the four who had opposed the Senshi in search of the silver crystal. What was he doing back now?

"I am not your foe," he said right away, seeing apprehension in her stance. "I'll explain more to you after the fight, Mercury. Now, we haven't the time to question loyalties."

"I like these odds," Sagittarius laughed. "Unfortunately, I do not have time to contend with you two. My mission was strictly to make our presence known but not actually spill any of the blood personally. So, I'll leave my youma. Desha!" she called out. In an instant, a pale, woman-like being materialized beside her. "Take care of these two for me."

"Desha!" she responded, her way of saying that she would. And then, Sagittarius was gone.

"Let me go first," Mercury shouted, stepping forward. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody."

The wave of water rushed towards the youma, but the creature was quick to dodge. She charged at Mercury, but Zen jumped at it, grabbing it around the waist and pinning it to the ground. It was hardly a struggle for the man who was surprisingly stronger than it. Mercury didn't think he had it in him to wrestle a youma. "Try it again, Mercury. Aim above us!"

"Right!" she nodded, not sure why she listened to him so quickly. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

As the attack passed over them, Zoisite rolled under the youma and then, planting his foot on its stomach, kicked it up straight into the stream. Desha screamed in pain and collapsed on the ground next to him. Sitting up, Zoisite reached for his sword, quickly unsheathed it, and lunged at Desha. He drove it through the creature until it screamed no more and then disappeared.

Zoisite shook his head and planted the sword into the ground, using it as a tool to help him stand up. Pointless though. Mercury had him back on the ground the second he had gotten to his feet. He let out a groan when his back slammed painfully against the grass, and when he tried to get back up, her foot came to his chest, pinning him "What the hell was that for?" he yelled, grabbing her ankle. He was prepared to flip her, but he decided against it. He didn't want to make an enemy out of her, though it seemed she already thought he was one.

"Tell me why you are back!" She demanded, her Sailor Senshi instinct taking precedence over her desire to help him up and quickly apologize.

"Back?" he asked, confused as ever. "Ami-chan…no, Mercury…I don't know what you are talking about. What do you mean... 'back?'"

"Why did you just help me? You once worked for the Dark Kingdom. You tried to kill me and my friends!"

Zoisite laughed at that and then closed his eyes with a groan. She'd pressed her foot harder against him. "Look, Mercury, I don't know exactly what happened then, but I can assure you, that wasn't me. All I want to do is find the prince. I'm not here to hurt you."

"Prince?" she asked. She, however, let her guard down. Zoisite flipped her, even though he'd told himself he wouldn't, and quite suddnely, Mercury was on the ground and Zoisite rolled over to pin her, keeping her down by getting on top of her and holding her wrists to the ground. "Zoisite, what are you doing?"

"Sorry, Mercury, but I'm just looking out for myself right now. Don't worry. I wont' take advantage of you, honey."

"Stop calling me that!" she demanded. Not because it infuriated her. But because she knew it brought color to her cheeks.

"On second thought, you are pretty cute when you are mad," he grinned, pressing his lips against hers. She fought against him only for a few seconds. There wasn't much she could do anyway. He was so much stronger than she was. And it's not like the kiss was bad. In fact, she got so lost in how his lips made her feel, that she began to participate in it before even realizing that she wanted nothing more than to prolong this. She'd admonish herself for it later, but for now, there was nothing more important than kissing him back. She moaned when she felt his tongue run along her bottom lip before it entered her mouth. This definitely wasn't her first kiss, but it blew all the others out of the water. The very few guys she'd kissed before were new at this intimacy thing, too. None of them were as bold as Zoisite. And it seemed, from what she could tell, that he was well practiced in this art.

"See," he said, pulling away. "You don't hate me after all."

"Would you like a second opinion?" she sneered, though she knew he wasn't convinced that she was angry.

"Spoken like a true doctor," he laughed, kissing her again. When he broke away from her this time, his face looked a bit more serious. "Look, I don't know what I did back then, Ami-chan. All I know is that, for some reason, I've been given a second chance. I have to find the prince and protect him just as we did in the past. That is our duty, the reason we are alive."

"Zoisite," she said softly, looking up into his bright, green eyes.

"Believe me, Ami-chan. Know that I'm not here to hurt you…or your friends. I didn't even know that you were Sailor Mercury until now." After brushing a strand of hair from her eyes, Zoisite got to his feet and held his hand out to help her stand up. She took it and brushed off her back side before looking at him again.

"I don't know if I should trust you," she admitted. She really couldn't be blamed for that. After everything that had happened... well... she would be stupid to just walk into an alliance with him blindly.

"What would I have to do to prove that I am on your side, Ami?"

"Nothing," came a deeper, harsher voice. Zoisite spun around and gasped when he saw them. Mercury gasped as well, but for a different reason. The other three Shitennou were gathering in the clearing in front of them, their eyes staring hard at the two of them. Kunzite closed his eyes and shook his head. "We are not working with the Sailor Senshi, so there is no need to earn their trust, Zoisite-san."

"They might know where our prince is," Zoisite protested, standing in front of Mercury as if to protect her.

"Making alliances will just get too complicated," Nephrite said. "Besides, if she doesn't trust us, who's to say the others won't feel the same way? There's too much at stake to compromise it by focusing on another mission. We're here to find our prince. Not make new friends."

"I'm so confused," Mercury sighed, causing Zoisite to smile. She noticed and blushed when he winked at her. "I wish you'd stop doing that," she whispered, making him chuckle.

"I see it now," Jadeite said, all too familiar with that particular expression. "Always one to be distracted by a pretty face, aren't you, Zoi-san?"

"I think you are confusing me with somebody else," he shot back pointedly at Jadeite. "At least I appreciate women rather than seek them out for one purpose."

"Funny you should say that," Mercury began, rolling her eyes.

Zoisite paused and looked at her. "I don't understand what you mean."

She laughed nervously and waved her hand. "Oh, it's not important. It's ancient history now…right?" She continued to laugh, but that thought got the cogs in her head turning. If Zoisite didn't know what she was talking about, then he really didn't remember, and that meant that he was honest with her. This was a different person that the Dark Kingdom's Zoisite. Not the flamboyant pretender. "Why don't we call it a night, Zen-san? We'll…"

"What did she say?" Nephrite suddenly shouted, his face contorted with anger and shock.

Mercury quickly realized her mistake, and Zoisite's face turned pallid. "Shouldn't have said that, honey," he admonished, reaching for his sword. "Now they're really mad."

"How does she know?" Jadeite demanded, his fist clenched, though most of his anger was derived from the fact that Zoisite had subtly called him a man whore.

"I had no choice but to transform in front of her," he explained. "She would have been hurt if I hadn't."

Kunzite stepped forward. "Our mission isn't to protect the Senshi, Zoisite. It's to find our prince. Whether she was in trouble or not should have been no concern of yours. Now, she knows your identity. And…we must ensure that it remains a secret." Unsheathing his own sword, he started towards her. He had no intention of killing her, but they didn't know that. He just wanted to scare her into keeping quiet.

Mercury jumped back as Kunzite raised the sword above his head. But suddenly, Zoisite was between them, parrying the blow. "Have you completely lost your mind?" he yelled. "Mercury, get out of here! Now!"

She was torn. She could run and save her own life, but that would leave Zoisite to the wolves. It really wasn't his fault that he had transformed in front of her. After all, she'd done the same. "I swear," she screamed at Kunzite. "His secret is safe with me. I won't tell a soul."

"Your word is all well and good, Mercury, but if you don't trust him, why the hell should I trust you?" At that, he pushed Zoisite back and grabbed her arm. He was stuck on what to do next. He didn't want to hurt the girl, but he had to impress upon her the seriousness of this issue. He lowered his sword and glared, but his expression softened when he saw the terrified look in her eyes. There was more though. He could sense her positive energy, could tell that she was virtuous. He didn't let her go, but his grip softened. The terror in her eyes seemed to vanish. "Well... I can see why he's drawn to you... I guess as long as you keep our secret... there shouldn't be a problem."

Ami was surprised. She looked up into his eyes with fear. Out of all them, Kunzite was the one that she had nightmares about. He was the most terrifying, the strongest. He could probably kill all of the senshi if he set his mind to it. He'd come close more than once. But looking up at him, she began to realize that he was not the stuff of her nightmares. Despite the hardness in her eyes, she saw something she had never seen in him before: compassion. Had she made him feel guilty for charging at her like that. When his grip softened, she realized she wasn't in any real danger. And to feel that around a man like him... she knew that they had really changed. "I... I don't know how to respond to that," she admitted. "But as for your secret... I would never betray him. He's my friend," she said in earnest.

Kunzite looked up at Zoisite. Zoisite was just looking at the hand that was still on Mercury's arm. Was he jealous? Probably... Kunzite rolled his eyes and was about to let her go. Then, in the next moment, a flash of golden light jetted between them, hitting his hand, and he pulled it back with a hiss, holding it against his body. He looked down at the burn mark that marred his skin now and then back up to see who had done it. Funnily enough, something about this seemed familiar.

"Sailor Venus!" Mercury shouted, a little horrified by what had just happened. Her first reaction was to grab Kunzite's hand to examine the damage, but she didn't think he'd appreciate that very much. The blonde Senshi jumped down from a tree branch that she'd been standing on and landed between Kunzite and Mercury.

"Mercury, are you all right?" she asked. "The others are on their way."