Here Without You
Here Without You
Chapter Seven: Anthem of Our Dying Day
By: Jecir
The predawn bathed the courtyard in a bronze glow that highlighted Jadeite's hair, making it look like the fire that burned inside his heart. A warm smile spread across his face as he placed a hand on Tanzanite's head and ruffled his hair. "I will be fine, little brother."
Tanzanite hated when he did that; ruffling his hair and saying something so self assured. But, on this one day, he wished with all of his heart that he was right, that he would be fine.
Tamaki gripped the wall, unable to believe his eyes. It was just like Yumeno's painting! Jadeite was right there! In front of him! Trapped in a crystal coffin, but that wasn't an obstacle. A bit of magical manipulation, and the crystal would dissolve, and then Jadeite would be free! Finally, his brother would be back with them! Where he belonged.
Sailor Mars placed her hands on the coffin.
Tamaki cocked his head to the side. What was she doing?
Fire burst from her fingertips and surrounded the coffin.
"No!" Tamaki cried. His body moved into action before he could think. Magic surged through his system. He didn't know how he could douse the flames, but he would try! He would not let him die!
Someone grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the shadows before he could make it two steps into the cave. A hand covered his mouth, muffling his protests. He struggled against his captor only to be forcefully slammed into the wall. From the corner of his eye, he saw the coffin collapse. Tears welled in his eyes as the cavern was filled with the screams of his dying brother.
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"Come back."
A blazing golden light burst through the darkness. It wrapped around his soul like a protective embrace, stopping his sinking and pulling him up into the warmth of life. Cye breathed in the strange magic, allowing it to fill him, to drive away the cold that had seeped into his bones.
Suddenly, reality returned.
He sat up and vomited water and blood and bile. It burned his throat and sinuses, causing him to gag, choke, cough, and vomit again.
His body shook with the strain and the cold. He was soaking wet and freezing.
"Take it slow," came a distant voice. He felt hands holding him up, steadying him, protecting him.
When he was certain his body was drained of all liquids, he slumped against the first warm body he could find, his mind lost in a haze on confusion and fatigue. "What," he gasped, "happened?"
"Tanzanite dropped us in a lake," hissed a bitter voice to his left.
"Hey!" protested a higher-pitched voice he assumed must be Tanzanite, "I saved our lives!"
"Learn to aim," replied the first voice.
"Kunzite," chided the third, the one he was leaning against. "We got out. That is all that matters."
Out? Cye took a deep breath. Yes, they were no longer in the palace, nor were they in the city. The air was too clear. His fingers squished into wet sand, and the smell of stale water filled his nostrils. Wind brushed his wet body, causing him to shiver again.
The third boy wrapped a wet cape around his shoulders. "Hold on. Kunzite, make a fire. We cannot go anywhere tonight. We will camp here and search for Helios in the morning."
Kunzite's footsteps faded to the right. Cye heard the young boy crunch a twig. They must be near a forest of some sort if there was brush around them.
"Is it safe to linger?" Tanzanite asked.
"I do not know, but I do not want to risk it. The important thing right now is to get warm. Cye almost died. I will not lose him again."
The stranger's words filled him with a feeling he had not had since the last few moments he had spent with his mother. Who was this stranger? He had been rescued from his Uncle's clutches by these three at great risk to their own lives. Why would they do that? He reached a tentative hand out and made contact with a wet arm. "Excuse me?"
The boy shifted. "Yes?"
"Who are you?"
"I am Prince Endymion," he replied.
Cye's grey eyes widened at the revelation. The heir to the Golden Throne, son of the leader of their planet, had nearly died saving him? Cye tried to bow, but dizziness hit him, causing him to sway dangerously to the left. Endymion steadied him. "Easy. You are badly hurt."
"I am not…worthy…" he breathed.
"Yes you are," Endymion replied. "You have been chosen by the Golden Crystal to by my Shittenou. Even if you were not, I would not allow you to die."
A Shittenou? He could not believe those words. "But, I am blind," he said. "I cannot be your Shittenou. There has been a mistake."
Endymion gripped his shoulder. "The Crystal does not make mistakes. I feel it in my heart. You are meant to be my Shittenou. Do you not feel it too?" The question was asked in a shy, almost frightened voice.
He could not put it into words, but he did feel like his soul would die if he were not allowed to stay by the Prince's side. Cye shakily gripped the Prince's hand on his shoulder and whispered, "I do." A warm power broke over his forehead and slowly spread through his body. Green light filled his vision as he said, "I will stay by your side and serve your will for eternity. I swear it."
A golden light like the one from before melded with the green as Endymion said, "I accept your vows. You are now Nephrite, Shittenou of the West."
The green and golden lights cleared, leaving in their place a miracle. Nephrite's eyes widened as he looked out over the world for the first time. There was color everywhere! He saw color! Gold around Endymion, blue around Tanzanite, and in the distance, coming closer, was white from Kunzite. He looked down and saw the green light around him. He could feel the hot trail of tears on his cheeks. "I can see," he whispered. Looking up into the golden aura, he said again, "I can see!"
Master?
Seiya blinked out of the memory. Looking up into the sky, he asked, Yes?
Can you not sleep?
No.Seiya stood and stretched. I will be fine. Do not worry. Lord Sun is rising soon, anyway.
Not fair! protested the many stars in childish whines that, though annoying, caused Seiya to smile.
I will see you tonight. I promise.
Hai…
Seiya still could not help but laugh at the thought. He comes to Japan, and suddenly, the stars try to attempt a new language. They were so cute.
Oh! Master, one more thing!
Yes?
Go here! An image of an apartment building appeared in his mind's eye. Go quickly, or you will miss it.
Miss what? There was no answer. Shaking his head, Seiya walked back into his hotel room. Might as well do as told. The stars were never wrong when they insisted he go somewhere mysterious. This just might make his day more interesting.
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Tamaki was not released until the fire died down. He immediately attacked his captor, rage blinding him to anything else. Those same hands grabbed his swinging fist and twisted it behind his back. He found himself against the wall once again. "Let. Go!" he snapped.
"Calm down," was the reply.
Tamaki stilled. He knew that voice. He craned his neck, trying to see his face. "Kunzite?" he exclaimed in disbelief.
Kyouya released his hold on the younger man and stepped back.
Tamaki spun around, his fists clenched at his sides, and snapped, "Why'd you do that? She killed him! I could have stopped her!" Kyouya simply walked away. Anger burned in Tamaki's chest. He chased after the stoic man, saying heatedly, "You just let Jadeite die! How could you?!"
"Would you keep it down?" Kyouya asked in a calm voice. "Our presence is no longer welcome here."
"Not welcome? What?"
Kyouya pressed a finger to his lips in a "hush" gesture and then waved Tamaki forward. Tamaki followed his leader begrudgingly through the shadow portal hidden in the darkness. Kyouya waited a moment, looking back into the cave. Sailor Mars was slumped on the floor, her sobs echoing throughout the cavern. It broke his heart to see it. Tearing his eyes away, he followed Tamaki through the portal and closed it behind him.
"Now do you mind telling me why you let Jadeite die?" Tamaki accused in a tone laced with fury.
Kyouya did not meet Tamaki's eyes. How could he explain this? Tamaki had not been there when Jadeite helped lead Beryl's army against Terra. He had never learned of their brother's fate. "It had to be done," he said firmly. "That is all you need to know."
"Bull shit!" Tamaki snapped. "Don't act all high command on me! You just let her kill Jadeite!"
"Jadeite fell to Beryl's darkness!" Kyouya snapped.
That statement hit Tamaki like a knife through his already broken heart. The anger drained in the wake of the shock and increasingly familiar sensation of pain. And, following the sorrow was an overwhelming guilt. "What?" he whispered, his voice shaky with tears.
Kyouya took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his own anger flowing out with it. He had not appreciated being accused, but he had not wanted him to find out this way, either. Stepping closer, he placed a strong hand on Tamaki's shoulder and said, "Jadeite succumbed to Beryl's darkness. He helped her attack Terra. If you had stopped Mars from killing him, you would not have been saving your brother. You would have been saving an enemy who would not have hesitated to attack you."
Tamaki shook his head. He didn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it!
Kyouya squeezed his shoulder. "Come on."
Tamaki numbly followed him through the dank cave, vaguely sensing the surge of magic that accompanied another shadow jump. They were back on the streets of Juuban now. The sun was rising, driving out the last remnants of the night, but its rays brought no warmth to his soul.
Jadeite had fallen…and it was his fault.
"I had wondered why the stars told me to come here," said another familiar voice.
Tamaki stopped and looked up.
Seiya turned from the apartment complex he had been looking up at for the last few minutes to smile at the familiar auras standing before him. "They are never wrong."
"Nephrite?" Tamaki whispered.
"It is good to see you again, Tanzanite."
Before he could think, Tamaki ran to his brother and hugged him, the tears breaking free from his eyes and flowing down his face. "Nephrite! Mars killed Jadeite! I saw her do it!" he sobbed.
Seiya stroked the crying teen's head. "I know. I felt him go." Looking up at Kyouya, he said, "I suggest we go inside."
Kyouya nodded. He opened the door and ushered them in. A few moments later, he was fishing his keys out of his jacket pocket to open his apartment door. "I'll make some breakfast," he said.
Seiya left Tamaki slumped over the kitchen table, his face buried in his arms, to join Kyouya in the kitchen. "He has not changed," he commented from the doorway. "Still as emotional as ever."
"I know," Kyouya said as he scrambled some eggs. "He nearly took my head off when I tried to stop him from saving Jadeite."
"Does he know?" Seiya asked in a serious tone.
Kyouya sighed. "Yes. He does."
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Tamaki wanted to die. The void in his heart where Jadeite's presence had once been—so silent, unnoticed until it was gone—ached, adding to his pain. Memories of the last time he saw his brother tormented him. "Jadeite," he sobbed. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry!"
"I have pinpointed the exact location of our enemy's territory," Tanzanite said as C.D.T. projected a map over the table. A red circle marked out the territory he was discussing. "Reports state that an unknown force has been massing in this region. Information is unclear on the exact number and strength of this army. The local villagers did not wish to linger. There are also reports of multiple disappearances and monster sightings."
Endymion stared gravely at the map. "Foul magic?" he asked.
Tanzanite nodded. "Nephrite has confirmed that there is a heightened amount of negative energy surrounding this area. There can be no doubt that Beryl has come in contact with some sort of dark magic."
Endymion looked to his left. "How dark?"
Nephrite straightened in his seat. "The stars inform me that they are no longer able to look within the area. Lord Sun is also having difficulty getting a clear look. And the threat grows darker, still. Soon, they will be incapable of seeing at all."
This news did not bode well for any of them. "Why are they doing this?" Endymion wondered.
"It is evident, my Lord," Kunzite said. All looked to him with dread in their hearts. Steeling himself, he continued, "My soldiers have informed me that the talk in the local taverns is that we have all committed a crime by fraternizing with the Silver Alliance. Though we, ourselves, see the potential in these relationships, our enemies feel we have betrayed Terra. Centuries of prejudice do not so easily die in the eyes of the masses. Beryl is preying on the fears of the people, turning them against the Silver Alliance and you, their future king."
"That is foolishness!" Endymion said. "I love Serenity. It has nothing to do with Terra!"
"Forgive me, sire, but it has everything to do with Terra. The people do not trust the Moon."
"But they should trust me!"
"Fear has a way of dissolving trust," Jadeite, who had been silent thus far, finally said. "The human heart, when given the proper incentive, can bend to any lie. The people are afraid. Beryl uses that fear to her advantage. It does not matter if they trust you."
Endymion slumped back in his seat.
"If I may?" Tanzanite broke in once more.
Endymion waved him on.
"I have a plan that could help us gain the advantage. Send in a recognizance team to scout the location. They can come in from the south, through the mountains, and gather a final number and a definite location. Then, we can use that information to plan a preemptive strike against the enemy before they are ready." The map disappeared as Tanzanite sat back down. "Admittedly, it would be dangerous. The men chosen must be completely loyal to you and have absolutely no doubt in their hearts about your plans for Terra."
"Men like that may be hard to find," Endymion grumbled. "Jadeite?"
"My men are willing to live and die for you, majesty."
Endymion stared at the table as he through over their options. "Very well. Choose a team and send them at dawn."
"I would prefer to lead the team myself," Jadeite said suddenly. The room fell silent. No one wanted him to go. They knew the risk if he did. Before Endymion could say anything, though, Jadeite continued. "Do not look at me like that. I am fully aware of the risks. But I do not feel comfortable simply sending my men into this danger. The information is vital, thus, I should be the one to go and retrieve it. I am, after all, the leader of the Special Forces. It is my duty."
None of them could argue with that, as badly as they had wanted to. Tamaki did not want to remember what happened the following morning.
"Here," he said, handing Jadeite two crystals. "This is a mapping crystal. It will record your every move and report it back to C.D.T."
Jadeite turned the octagon over in his hands. "Interesting," he said as he pocketed it. "We could have used this that time we got lost in the rose maze. Do you remember that?"
Tanzanite repressed a grin. "Now is not the time for reminiscing. Focus."
Jadeite pretended to look contrite.
Tanzanite pinned a smaller crystal to the interior of his collar. "Tracking crystal. If anything happens to you, I will be able to find you and send help."
Jadeite cocked an eyebrow. "Do you think something is going to happen?"
Tanzanite did not look up. "I do not know. We have never faced an enemy like this before."
Jadeite smiled warmly at his little brother. Ruffling his hair, he said, "I will be fine, little brother."
But he wasn't fine. He disappeared. Tamaki wished he could have remained ignorant of the truth. It would have made mourning a bit easier. But, knowing that his brother had fallen to Beryl's sway made it unbearable. He wanted to die.
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"What do I call you now?" Seiya asked as he finished the green tea Kyouya had made for him.
"Kyouya. Hatake Kyouya."
"Nice to meet you. Again." Seiya left the cup on the counter and picked up two plates of steaming eggs. "I am Seiya Unami from America."
Picking up his own plate, Kyouya said, "Your name does not sound American."
"My father was from Japan."
"Hn." Kyouya pushed open the kitchen door and let Seiya through first.
"Have you wondered where the Sailor Senshi are?" Seiya asked as he placed one of the plates in front of the sulking Tamaki. "Because, I have sensed three of their auras in the city."
"Why don't you care?" Tamaki grumbled suddenly, cutting them off. He looked up at them through bloodshot eyes. "Jadeite's dead. Don't you care?" Seiya tried to place a comforting hand on Tamaki's shoulder, but he shrugged it off. "Forget it," he hissed as he stood up and left the room.
Kyouya and Seiya shared a look. They knew what needed to be done. Kyouya went back into the kitchen while Seiya followed Tamaki into the living room.
"What's bothering you?" he asked. He had been the only one who could reach Tanzanite when he got in these moods in the past. Tamaki did not answer him. "I will find out one way or another, you know that."
Tamaki dropped onto the couch, shot him a pleading look, and turned away. The look was permission for him to do what needed to be done. Seiya sat next to the brooding teen and touched his temple. Images flooded into his mind, followed by a wave of sorrow and pain and guilt. When it was over, Seiya wrapped a protective arm around the youngest Shittenou and waited.
After a few tense moments, Tamaki choked out, "It's my fault. I sent Jadeite out there. I'm the reason he got caught."
Kyouya walked in with a bottle of warm sake and three cups. He sat them on the coffee table and poured everyone a drink. Unagi would kill him if he knew he had sake, but for the moment, Kyouya was glad he had bought it.
"No one blames you for this," Seiya reassured him. "Jadeite made his own choice."
"But I couldn't find him!" Tamaki lamented. "I promised him I would find him, and I failed!"
Kyouya pressed a cup into Tamaki's hands. "We all tried," he said, remembering the morning he found out. He had pooled his powers into a desperate search; running at the speed of light to the last known location of his missing brother. He searched the area for three days straight.
Seiya swirled the sake in his cup, recalling the many nights he spent searching the stars for any clue as to Jadeite's whereabouts. But the darkness had become too thick.
Squeezing Tamaki's shoulder, Seiya raised his glass. "To Jadeite, the bravest of us all. He will be missed."
"Kampai," Kyouya whispered before he took a sip.
Tamaki let the tears slide down his face as he took a sip.
For the rest of the day and well into the night, the three friends toasted the memory of their fallen comrade.
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Kyouya stood on his balcony, watching the sun start to rise. He ignored the dull throbbing behind his eyes. He would have to get ready soon. Today was the day he took his final exams at the Academy.
The door slid open. Seiya slipped through and closed the door.
"How is he?" Kyouya asked.
"Sleeping," Seiya said as he joined his brother at the railing. "Admittedly, I was afraid for him. I have never seen someone throw up that much."
"Tamaki is still a bit too young to be drinking."
"But he's from England. I assumed that would count for something."
Kyouya couldn't help but grin at the comment. "Even so, he drank far too much."
Seiya turned around and leaned against the railing, his arms crossed as he watched Tamaki, who was sprawled out on the couch. "I can understand why. He was not just mourning Jadeite. He was mourning his sister's death as well."
Oh yeah. He actually loved his sister, didn't he? Kyouya thought as he watched the sun climb higher into the sky. "He never liked death."
"No. He didn't. That's why we made him a spy. It kept him off the battlefield, away from the fighting and the killing." Seiya shot a look at Kyouya. "And if he ever finds out about that, he'll be furious. He'll accuse us of thinking him too delicate and then run off and do something foolish to prove us otherwise."
Kyouya smirked. "Like the time he tried to wrestle that wild boar?"
They both laughed at the memory. Tanzanite had been bedridden for a week after that stunt.
"So, what is our next step?" Seiya asked, suddenly serious.
"Why ask me?"
"You are the leader."
Kyouya smiled. True, he was. It was time he acted like it. "Today I have a prior engagement. I do not know how long I will be gone. Look after Tamaki until I get back. Then, if it isn't too late, we'll look for Endymion. If not, we'll start first thing in the morning."
"Roger that."
Kyouya walked back inside, Seiya on his heals. As he passed the sleeping Tamaki, he could not help but think how good it was to have them back. And soon, they would be with their liege. Today was definitely shaping up to be the start of a good day.
AN: Oh, I am so mean! I am making you wait one more chapter. Now I shall laugh maniacally. MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
