Kunzite, one week later
The princess of Venus was staring at him. Kunzite still found it difficult for him to think of her that way, when he had gotten so used to thinking of her as the Moon Princess. Her blue eyes glared furiously at him as she held a hand protectively in front of the true princess. At the same time however, she was awfully alluring.
"Where is Endymion?" Sailor Moon's voice drew him away from Sailor Venus, and Kunzite resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Was the Prince all she cared about?
"I'd gladly give him back in exchange for the crystal." He sneered, "His dead body, anyway." Sailor Moon gasped in horror, and Kunzite flicked his hand almost lazily, sending another spear of ice to the city below them. He really didn't have time to listen to the lovesick girl demand for her lover. He watched as Sailor Moon raised her wand, brilliant light shining out from it to heal the city. As she rose into the air, a glint of light by her neck caught Kunzite's eye.
The Silver Crystal!
He chased after Sailor Moon, but heard the other guardians following closely after as they ascended into space.
"Fools." He smirked, "Do you think you can defeat me?" They had failed to quite spectacularly last time.
"Unfortunately for you, this is our second time in space together!" Again, it was the princess of Venus who addressed him.
What a feisty girl. Though he really did prefer the dazed look she had given him last time on the street. Power began to gather in the guardians' hands in preparation to attack him, and Kunzite chuckled.
Foolish girls. You don't even know your own limits. I'll destroy all of you! I don't need anyone alive but the Moon Princess!
Kunzite held out his hand, ready to attack before the guardians attacked him first. Energy gathered in his palm, and then…
No!
A voice seemed to scream from inside him, pulling him back from his attack.
I can't hurt her!
The thought suddenly appeared in his head, unbidden and unexpected. Kunzite found himself hesitating, and in that moment the guardians attacked.
"Sailor Planet Attack!"
Kunzite screamed as the planetary energy surrounded him, ripping into him from all sides.
Am I going to die like this?
He could feel himself breaking apart, dissipating into nothing. As he fell backwards, his eyes met the brilliant blue orbs that were Sailor Venus's eyes. Like lightning, he felt shock tremble through his body, and an image flashed before his eyes. Sailor Venus's face changed before his eyes, into a younger, more innocent face that was stained with tears. Her eyes were damp with tears, a bloodied sword held tightly in her shaking hands. Her lips moved, and Kunzite barely made out what she was saying.
I'm sorry.
What was she sorry for? Kunzite's thoughts were growing hazy, and the query flew out of his mind before he could focus on it. As his eyes closed, he thought he saw shock in Sailor Venus's eyes, and two words suddenly appeared in his mind as darkness closed in.
My princess.
Venus
"No! Don't! I don't know where Tuxedo Mask is yet!" Sailor Moon's protests came too late, and the guardians watched as the silver haired general crumbled into dust before them and became a stone that then disappeared. Sailor Moon collapsed in tears, and Mercury rushed forward to comfort their princess. Venus started to move forward too, but found herself unable to keep going. Her eyes were drawn to the pile of dust where Kunzite had been, and she thought of the look she had seen on his face before he had been destroyed. Shock had been there; that was expected. But there was something else that came after the initial shock of their attack. What was it?
Confusion...and then recognition. Venus furrowed her brow in confusion. That was certainly not what she expected to see on a dying enemy's face. Why did he look like that? Something tugged at the back of her mind, as if struggling to remember something long buried.
"Venus?" Mars's voice drew her attention, and the tugging feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come. Venus hesitated for a moment longer, and then hurried to her princess's side, brushing away the lingering feeling in her chest.
Minako, after defeat of the Dark Kingdom
She was being watched. A shiver ran down Minako's back as she sat in the shade of the trees surrounding the soccer field during her lunch break. Carefully, she turned her head to look behind her, but once again, there was no one in sight.
"Minako-chan?" Usagi queried curiously, "Is something wrong?" Minako shook her head, not wanting to worry the other girl. Still, she couldn't ignore the fact that someone was watching her. Who was it? An enemy? It was too soon for that, wasn't it? They had just defeated the Dark Kingdom!
"Quit spacing out!" Usagi whined as Makoto handed her a sandwich, "I have to tell you about my date with Mamo-chan!" Minako pressed her lips into a smile as she turned her focus to Usagi.
Who is watching me?
Kunzite
"She's going to catch on if you keep doing that." Kunzite looked over his shoulder to see Nephrite walking up behind him on the school roof. He scoffed.
"What, and you're not here to do the same?" He teased. Nephrite chuckled and looked down at the group of girls below them.
"I'm just making sure no one bullies her." He replied, his gaze settling on the brown haired guardian obliviously eating a homemade sandwich. Kunzite rolled his eyes.
"Like she needs protecting." He replied. The princess of Jupiter wasn't exactly known for being weak. Nephrite laughed as he nodded in agreement.
"I just want to hold her in my arms again." He said with a sigh. Kunzite sighed too and returned to watching the girls below.
"You don't know how much I want to do the same." He said softly, "I intend to approach her soon." Nephrite shot him a look.
"I thought the Master told us to wait until their memories return. Rei is already showing signs of remembering." He reminded the silver haired general. Kunzite shook his head.
"If there's one thing that I can't obey our Master on, it's this." A soft smile curled up his lips as he watched Minako turn her head around again.
"Besides, she'll likely find me before she remembers anyway."
Minako
The setting sun glared against Minako's eyes as she made her way home after yet another make up study session after falling asleep in class. She sighed softly, rubbing her head.
"It's not like I want to fall asleep." She grumbled, "English is just so boring!" She reached up and shaded her eyes as she continued walking.
"What a beautiful sunset." Minako murmured softly, admiring how the golden rays shone against the clouds in a soft halo. She closed her eyes briefly to breathe in the gentle autumn air, and suddenly an image flashed before her eyes. A man's large, but gentle hand touched her hair, a soft smile on his face that was hidden by the setting sun behind him.
"I like the way the setting sun reflects in your hair." He murmured softly. Minako's eyes flew open with a gasp as a pounding ache flashed through her head.
Who was that?
She swallowed hard, shook her head, and continued walking, not noticing the silver grey eyes watching her in the distance.
