In the Darkest Hours

Chapter 4- Unwinding.

By Minako-chan4

Hi guys and welcome to another exciting episode of my story. Although I've though up all the plot and no one can take credit for it but me ;P, I wanna make it clear I do not own Sailor Moon and do not profit from my story in any way.

Remember:

Character inner monologues or thoughts will be incased in **

Events occurring in Crystal Tokyo will be in Italics

Last chapter:

His name came out as no more than a whisper and she was sure no one had heard her. But he turned his blue eyes towards her and smiled "Kaitou Ace…"

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It felt so unreal to have him here, and although she wished in part that he was in fact an illusion, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was destiny and there was a purpose for his appearance.

Artemis stared on at the man he knew well, the man that tormented Venus in her dreams. The man who'd made her who she was now. *How dare he come here?*

The Queen and Princess of Crystal Tokyo were too absorbed in looking at the boxes the man bore, to notice that all eyes were on Venus herself. Her friends wondered where she knew this man from, why he caused such great effect on her. And the man felt himself give a warm smile for he remembered everything, who she was and what had happened in another life.

"This is my son Adonis Brakein, a great and gifted designer your Majesties." The Council-member bowed and made his son bow with him, the short-white-haired man turned his attention finally to his rulers.

"It is an honor and pleasure to meet the rulers of our country. Please accept these gifts as my tribute to you fine ladies and I hope that in the future I might have the opportunity to serve you." He gave the Queen and Princess the boxes and they both marveled at the beautiful gowns that were in them. Embroidered with silver threads and precious stones, they were really marvelous creations.

"Oh dear me! This is gorgeous Adonis-san! You must definitely come again and help us enlarge our wardrobe!" Serenity stood and placed the dress in front of her. "Endymion isn't it beautiful!?"

"Yes my love, it is." The King however turned his gaze again to Venus who had not moved and remained as pale as a sheet. It was truly odd…

"Venus you must meet with this man and arrange it so that he may come again!"

It was when her Queen spoke to her that all reason came back. Venus turned and nodded her head in agreement.

Artemis who was fuming behind his charge spoke up with boldness "I shall take care of it your highness, there is no need to bother Lady Venus with this, after all there is much more she needs to do."

Said golden woman turned to Artemis with the coldest stare anyone had seen and the Mauan shrunk underneath her blue eyes. She then turned to the man in front of her and with an impassive face responded. "It will be a pleasure Brakien-san. Shall we arrange a meeting tomorrow?"

The man kneeled in front of her and kissed her hand. "It will be a pleasure your highness, and may I say that the Avatar of Venus has only grown more beautiful since the last time we met?"

Everyone remained quiet, except the Council member who embarrassed by his son's actions pulled him up, made a quick apology for his antics and took him away. They could all hear him chastise his son and ask him about his rude and strange comment. He had never introduced him in court.

Venus did not stare after his departing figure, but rather at the small golden box that lay in the hand he had kissed. Chibi-Usa being as curious as she was, neared the Senshi.

"What is that Minako-sama? Do you know Brakien-san? What did he give you? Oh how romantic!"

Venus looked at the young woman void of any feelings, it was as if a cold bucket of water had been poured on her. She turned the box to examine it; she stopped when she saw it had words engraved in the bottom. Small-lady who was close enough to see it, read it out loud. "To match the gift from long ago".

Venus slowly turned the box and opened it, inside lay a golden necklace with pendant (a small golden cage in the shape of her planet's sign, with a white pearl inside of it)…*The ring…He remembers the ring…*

The love goddess held her breath as she reached for her pocket and took out the ring she kept hidden inside a small velvet box … she carried it with her to remind her of his fortune… why was he here?

She could not feel and didn't notice the others now watching her every move. She did not see Artemis pained face or Kunzite's pensive frown. To everyone who did not know him, this man was a mystery.

Then they were startled when Venus finally shock from her daze and turned a hard gaze on her guardian. "Study. NOW." And she took off quickly with him in tow.

The rest of the Senshi and Shitennou remained silent and speechless. What was wrong with Venus? Where did she know this man from? Mars vaguely remembered that ring from before Crystal Tokyo, Venus had worn it on occasions.

So it was he that had given it to her… but how could he be alive from back then? No earthling lived that long, not even with the benefits of living under the rule of Serenity. Then, was he a reincarnation that remembered? Just like they were?

Mars felt somehow that this man was important to her friend, to her future... Her guts told her he was someone she had to find out more about, so without a word she chased after them.

"Rei wait! Where are you going?" So Jadeite followed.

The two other senshi just turned to each other, then their Queen and then the direction in which the others had departed. The taller brunette maiden looked to her Mercurian friend "What's up with them?"

"I think I know his face from somewhere…" Thought Zoicite out loud.

"What? From where love?" Mercury looked at Zoi expectantly with some hope, perhaps he could explain what was going on.

"I feel the same way as well …But I'm quite sure I've never met him in this life." Nephrite neared the Senshi.

"You think he might be from the Silver Millennium?" Endymion was just as curious as the others, he too thought the face looked familiar and if they all sort of remembered him, then he had to have been alive during the Silver Millennium as his guards had only lived as "regular people" with him during that time.

"He looks so much like Kaitou Ace… How dreamy… "

All heads turned to the Queen when they heard her. She looked at them as a deer caught by headlights. "What?"

"What did you call him?" Kunzite approached her with wide eyes and a determined face.

The Queen looked at him inquiringly. "I said he looks like Kaitou Ace, he was an idol when we were young. From before this, from before we awoke as senshi."

"Your highness, Kaitou Ace worked for the Dark Agency. His name back then was Danburite and from what we know… he died at the hands of Sailor V." Zoicite turned to the two other Shitennou with a serious face. "Is it possible he reincarnated? What could he possibly want with Lady Venus?"

Kunzite now turned in the direction Venus had gone and hurried down the hallways. He had to know what this man's intentions were… if he really was Kaitou Ace.. what he wanted of her. If she had killed him, and he remembered, perhaps he wanted vengeance on her… He couldn't have an enemy running around, much less an enemy who would harm her.

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Behind him the door slammed shut; no one else was in the room and he hadn't closed the door… it could only be his charge that had used telekinesis…she only did that when she was furious.

She gave a loud sigh to gain some control and then turned to look at Crystal Tokyo through large French-style windows "Well?"

Silence remained for a couple of minutes until Artemis had gathered up his thoughts on how to approach this. "I don't want him near you. I don't trust him. He remembers his past life and he shouldn't! People who reincarnate usually don't remember!"

Venus tensed and then seemingly calmed down. She looked to the city lights thoughtful and then turned to look at her friend. "So you've meet him before this then."

Her guard remained still and quiet.

"I will investigate this on my own, he's here for a reason and I must find it out by myself. He's part of MY past and I don't want you interfering Artemis. Understood?"

Artemis nodded his head and turned to leave. Her soft voice calling to him stopped him briefly, "Thank you for worrying though."

He couldn't answer back… so he proceeded to leave the room. How could she be so calm? Why did she want to speak to him again? He opened the door and bumped into the face of Mars and her lover. The Senshi and Shitennou looked at him seriously. How much had they heard?

Kunzite appeared from the end hallway walking quickly and had his face marred by a frown. The other two noticed him, but Mars only grabbed his arm and pulled him into another room.

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In her study Venus looked out the windows again and then at the box that held the necklace. "Why are you back? Is it to remind me of my duty?"

She gave a long sigh and turned to her computer, for starters she had to know more about him. Artemis was right, regular people didn't remember their past life. They were the exception, and probably because they were tied to the Silver Crystal… Then again, when they'd first met he also remembered the Silver Millennium…Said that they were promised to each other in some way… was that why? Was he the one meant for her?

She tapped away on her computer and quickly found information about Adonis Brakien. Venus read it all and made mental notes on when he'd been born, where, how long ago he'd been in business, and things of such. Then she took down his store's telephone number and direction. Tomorrow as soon as she was done with her important meetings, she would meet him.

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Venus smiled, from her vintage point she could observe the escort walk through the city. They had just now departed and were starting the tour. It was amazing the amount of people that could be found on the streets after night fall. Did this city live during the night only?

She jumped from roof-top to roof-top with the stealth of a cat. No one on the streets noticed the shadow following the royal escort. And everyone was so absorbed in showing Artemis the market and the architecture, they didn't think to watch what was around them. *Pathetic, one should always be aware of one's surroundings*. Well it worked to her advantage, of course it helped that she knew how to mask her aura so that it resembled that of the people of Earth. And as it gave of no negative feelings, people wouldn't think twice to turn her way.

Even though people couldn't read auras as she did, everyone had the latent ability. It was like when people waited for a friend and suddenly turned around just as they were arriving. Or when you walked at night and felt uneasy, then just as you turn the corner you find a strange looking man a few feet away (obviously an assailant).

However advanced aura reading was an ability only practiced by Venusians and it was probably because they placed high importance in knowing how to control emotions and being sensitive towards other people.

What she was doing now though -modifying her aura, or extending her senses so she could feel beings in the furthest corners of the universe-, was a skill only passed on to direct blood relatives of the Venusian Royal family.

This same ability had made her the perfect choice for Leader of the Senshi and Ambassador to the Silver Millennium. She could unmask traitors, advice and soothe the auras of her rulers so they could make judgments with objective minds (no anxiety, no worries and no hatred).

Now she had to use it to allow these meetings to go smoothly and to ensure a peaceful relationship between Earth and the Silver Alliance.

She jumped into a dark, closed and empty alleyway, and proceeded to walk closer to the party then she had before. She had to get closer now, time was nearing to set her plan motion.

She kept hearing what they told Artemis through their connection. Now would come the tricky part, they would begin to enter buildings. She of course couldn't follow them inside the smaller buildings, and would have to wait outside if she wanted to rouse no suspicion.

But by the time she had entered the third or fourth building, she noticed General Kunzite and the three men under his command begin to fall behind the escort and to take positions on strategic sides around the group.

The four began to discretely and inadvertently look around them for traces of the intruder. It was so amusing to Venus, they still did not know where exactly she was. How interesting, that they had sensed her before she'd expected them too, she thought she might need to linger around for another day or two before they began sensing her.

Perhaps one of them had powers she was unaware of? Well, soon it would be her chance to make her appearance, they were approaching one of those large domes she had seen when she had entered the city that day. This would be fun, the place was big enough, and she was curious as to what was in there.

The escort went in but one of the generals lingered at the entrance, the tall-brown-haired general stayed at the door… what was his name…? "Nephrite…" He seemed strong, agile, carried a long sword with him… well it might be interesting to toy with him first…

Venus leapt onto the top of the dome in one quick stride and watched through the few panels that were transparent as the escort proceeded. She looked around her and found that a few of these panels could open up, the purpose ventilation surely.

Her senses were at their height; she not only paid attention to what the scientist was telling Artemis she also kept her aura sensing abilities amplified so she could feel everyone around her.

She opened one of the panels carefully and used the solid thin tubing that was suspended on the ceiling of the roof to balance herself across to the highest tree. The escort was already in the next room so it would be no problem to climb down without them hearing.

She now knew that this was definitely where they grew their crops, and chuckled triumphantly when the scientist uttered the word "greenery". Was she good at figuring out stuff or what? She reached the nearest tree, *Oh a mango tree! My favorite Terran fruit!* and just before she climbed down she turned towards the entrance to see if she was at an appropriate distance from General Jadeite.

The golden goddess's smile widened just before she let herself go *Perfect.* The tree made a minimum amount of noise as she fell through the thinner branches and onto one of the thicker branches.

Venus saw as the General turned his sight indoors; now he knew she was here.

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"What the?" Nephrite stepped indoors and could have sworn she heard noises inside the greenery. Nah… it was impossible, there were no entrances any regular human could get through, without passing through the front door… Alright so maybe they weren't dealing with a normal human being…

He quickly unsheathed his sword and walked towards the noise. The dark-haired general though he'd seen a shadow jump from a top branch of one of the mango trees and onto the floor. Was it an animal of some sort? *No one can fall like that on the ground after letting themselves drop from that height… Has to be a stray animal… maybe a cat…?*

As slyly as he was able to, he creped to where he'd last seen the figure, he could handle this on his own. There were no better trained men than he and the four that guarded Endymion. No burglar, no thief, and no assassin stood a chance against them. And he'd get this one.

He swung his sword in a wide arc horizontally to where he was sure the figure stood and saw it side step with ease. He quickly began to attack head on, but the figure kept side stepping much to his chagrin. Who the hell was this man!?

"Stop! Who are you!? What are you doing here!? You have no authorization to be here!" But the harder he tried to hit the character the faster it moved, he saw a sheath peak from underneath the clothing and worried even more. If he knew how to use the sword as fast as he moved he was in trouble. But why wasn't he attacking?

He had no choice but to call reinforcements, this man had to be caught, if the ambassador found out there had been a spy of sorts, negotiations could go sour. So with his mental link to his comrades he called them out, warning them that he had discovered the intruder.

Just as they entered the main huge room of the greenery, the figure crouched low and with a swift move knocked his legs out from under him . Nephrite lay on the floor still, HE was one of Endymion's most skilled swordsmen and HE'D been thrown to the floor??

From the corner of his eye he saw Kunzite approach them, sword in hand and in a split second they clashed . The others stood to the side as both figures continued fighting with force. It was obvious that Kunzite was the strongest, but this guy had incredible speed. How would this end?

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Kunzite frowned and swore against his breath, who in the world had the capability to parry his blows? He was controlling his strength and skill so as to capture this intruder unharmed, but it seemed that said individual was also holding back.

Even when he couldn't see the sword clearly because of the quick swings, he could tell that this man held no ordinary sword. It seemed almost made out of crystal and each time their swords clashed he could feel his own vibrate unhappily at the assault.

At a moment of pure luck apparently, the figure somehow tripped and Kunzite's sword went straight for the knot that tied the hood his adversary.

"General stop!!"

Kunzite knew who spoke, it was Lord Artemis. But he could not sway his eyesight from the figure that was on the ground. *A woman?*

"A woman???" Jadeite said disbelievingly as he stared at the golden-haired skimpy-clad beauty that stood before them. Her face was a true match for Kunzite's ice-mask, but she held the trace of a confident smirk.

"A Sailor Senshi… but I thought they were myth…" Zoicite broke the silence, and neared the woman that was now standing up. It was then that Endymion arrived and beheld the sight of the golden haired senshi putting her sword away.

"We are no myth General Zoicite. We are just as real as you are."

Artemis marched up to the golden girl until he was right behind her and with a furious scowl on his face, he growled low. "What do you think you are doing?"

The woman turned and gave Lord Artemis a smile and then turned to appraise all the others. "Your highness, generals, I am Sailor Venus. Lord Artemis's guardian."

Artemis tensed, the angry frown still on his face. He couldn't for the life of him understand what she was up to.

"You are quite skilled with the sword General Kunzite." She made a small gesture with her head as to congratulate him and smiled.

"You as well milady." He was about to approach her when Lord Artemis interrupted.

"If you will excuse me gentlemen. I need to have a talk with my PROTECTOR." The white-haired ambassador grabbed the woman by the arm and pulled her away and out of sight.

Jadeite approached Nephrite who was still on the floor to help him up. "Took quite a beating there. And by a woman no less; maybe you need training."

The other two generals and his prince turned to look at Nephrite who was frowning and wasn't looking at all pleased. "It was just pure luck! I didn't want to hurt her." The brown-haired general got up and walked away still angry at his humiliation. He would have to fight her some other time and prove that he could beat her.

For the moment they remained to the side, whatever Lord Artemis had told the other Council members they hadn't come looking for them. But Endymion was wondering if he would reveal Sailor Venus's presence or if he would continue to keep it a secret…

******** ** * ************** End of Chapter 4 ************************************

Hope you guys like this, sorry it took so long to update ^^u my life has just been one mess after the other. Things are going back to normal again so things are bettter and I'll have the time and energy to keep writting. But well I hope to put up the next chapter soon. I have a pretty good idea of what I want to happen. Well till next chapter! Kisses Minako-chan.