Chapter 7: Questions

*Kunzite*

He laid in bed beside his beloved Minako. The leader of the Inner Senshi had been given duties later in the day, and so Minako had convinced him to linger in bed with her. Of course, then she had fallen back to sleep. How had he allowed his goddess of love and beauty to entice him out of training? Kunzite was adamant that he and the others should be honing their skills with their new powers and weapons as much as anyone else. Kunzite believed that the four of them could be true defenders now. Nonetheless, Kunzite lay there stroking the golden mane of his beloved as she slept.

Kunzite's mind was taken back to when Minako had come to bed last night. She had curled into his arms and asked him the same questions he had posed to her earlier. What would he have done if it were Endymion instead of Kiyoko? What would he do to protect their child? His answers had been simple though. For Kunzite this was the same as if it were Endymion because he'd made the same pledge to serve and support Kiyoko. As far as protecting their child, he would do whatever it took to the very last breath in his body. Then he had asked her to marry him without realizing the words were spilling from his mouth. Kunzite was not entirely certain what had come over him. Minako had cried wordlessly and they had spent until the sun came up making love. However, thinking about it made Kunzite realize that Minako had not answered him. Yet, he found that he could not disturb her. She was sleeping so peacefully at the moment. So he slipped out of the bed, wrapping his robe around him, and went to the window in their room. He looked out at the bright sun and wondered what the future would hold. Would Minako marry him? Would his mistress recover from this depression? Would the Senshi be able to stand united again? He wished that he knew the answers.

After he had stood there for a time, Kunzite felt a pair of delicate arms wrap around him and hug him tightly. He spoke in his typical tone, "I did not wake you, did I?" He placed his hand on hers.

Minako breathed him in and then replied, "Not at all. I thought about what you said." She paused and Kunzite waited patiently. She went on, her voice very quiet, "You were right. I would stand by Usagi or Serenity no matter what. And I would protect our child the same way you would. Perhaps we should be looking at things differently. It just hurts so much."

He twisted within Minako's arms so that he was facing her and stroked her cheek, speaking in a tender voice that only she heard, "I know Minako, I know."

*Helios*

He sat across from Serenity. She was obviously deep in thought. Unable to resist, he queried, "What are you thinking about my love?" Helios smiled at her with his ever kind eyes.

Looking at her husband, blinking out of her mental fog, Serenity replied, "I don't know what to do Helios. Things cannot continue this way. The Senshi are torn asunder and my sister is so depressed she refuses to eat. And now Ami informed me that some of our citizens are missing. I have a bad feeling about everything. Something is coming and we are not prepared." She sighed.

Helios stood and came over, sitting on the table and placing his hand on Serenity's cheek, "You will think of something my love." He paused and mused aloud, "This reminds me of that year that your parents actually fought, really fought." There was a hint of laughter in his voice when he spoke.

That actually made Serenity laugh! She had forgotten all about that. It happened so long ago, even before Kiyoko had been born. The Senshi had all been in an uproar then as well, unsure of what to do and how to feel. She and Helios had actually engineered the event that set everything right. She arched an eyebrow at her king, "Do you think it would work again?"

Helios smiled down at her and took her hand, "At this point, I believe it is worth the risk." Serenity nodded up at him and he leaned down to kiss her. This would either help their family begin to heal or it would destroy it.

*Kiyoko*

She was running through the streets of Crystal Tokyo, the moon shining above her, faint wisps of clouds strung through the sky. Wait, it was supposed to be daytime. This did not make sense. Was this another nightmare? Kiyoko reasoned that it must be! She remembered going back to bed after her bath after all. Regardless, Kiyoko felt deep inside that she had to find something, or someone…. Everything depended on her success. What was she looking for? The more she ran, the more she realized that it was not a what, but a who. That is when she saw her…. No…. Kiyoko was too late…. She was dead…. A being with long magenta hair blocked her full view, facing away from her. When Kiyoko tried to get closer she was shot backward by some unknown force and the last thing she saw was that blade again and a pair of haunting green eyes…. In her mind echoed, "You cannot stop this golden queen…. You cannot save her…." With that the dream dissolved and she woke in a cold sweat, crying uncontrollably…. How could she stop what she had seen? Perhaps more importantly, how could she tell the others when no one trusted her anymore?

*Endo*

He sat in the communication room staring at the blank screen, thinking about what Ruka and Taiki had both said to him. His heart still ached over what his mother had done. Endo knew deep down that she had been trying to protect everyone. His mother was not a heartless woman. As a matter of fact, some said that her heart was too big. Endo also knew deep down that she hadn't meant to hurt anyone even though she ended up hurting everyone, including herself.

The young prince stood and walked out of the communication room. He was headed back to his studies with Usa-chan. Endo loved his cousin much like a sister and considered her his best friend in the universe. He didn't know how he'd be getting through all of this without her.

Endo was just down the hall from the sitting room he knew Usa-chan was waiting for him in when he felt it. His heart began racing and fear coursed through his veins. It was not his own fear he was experiencing. It was his mother's fear, her feelings once again.

He and Usa-chan had discussed the possibilities of why this was happening now. They had agreed that it was most likely a side effect of her depression and his psychic powers. Usa-chan also thought it was that he was her son and had a connection as heir to the golden crystal.

The fear continued streaming through him and then the panic and pain set in. This was worse than before. Again the advice of Ruka and Taiki came back to Endo's mind.

…Ruka had told him, "Endo. I know you're still angry at her. So am I. Still, I know neither of us want her to die. You have to do something…"

Taiki had spoken with a similar sentiment, "Young prince, she made horrible choices and she is paying dearly for them. However, I think that she needs you. You are there… Her own son… She needs to feel as though there is some sort of hope or she may never recover…. Also… To be frank, I do not believe that she will merely withdraw and sleep Endymion…"

Some may have thought Taiki's words were too much to put on Endo, regardless Endo knew that she was correct. Moreover, these feelings that were surging through Endo were beginning to spiral from fear and panic into despair and exactly what Taiki had described, hopelessness. Knowing what he had to do, Endo turned on his heels and ran to his mother's room.

The sight he found when he burst through the doors was utterly horrifying. There his mother sat in her bed. Her knees were curled up to her chest and head buried in her long raven locks. All around her were violent tendrils of golden energy. In addition, everywhere he looked, the room was littered with wilted rose petals. The bed posts were cracked as well. By all appearances, one would think a battle had just been fought in this room.

Slowly and carefully Endo moved closer to where his mother sat. Kiyoko seemed completely unaware of him. He soft softly and cautiously, "Mother? Mother, are you alright?"

The sound of the young prince's voice seemed to draw his mother out and the tendrils began receding. She lifted her head and Endo gasped. The look on her face left him feeling traumatized, both because of the clear terror and because he could see signs of her refusal to eat starting to show. Kiyoko blinked in disbelief and said, "Is that really you Endymion or is this still a dream?"

He closed the remaining distance and put his hand on hers, "No mother, this is not a dream. The dream has ended. Whatever plagued you is not here now." He took a deep breath and continued, "Mother, I love you and I do not want you to die. I know your heart is broken, but you have to eat!" Endo hadn't noticed that his voice had raised above its normal octave and he was nearly shouting. Nevertheless, he went on, "Mother…. Please! If you will not eat for yourself then do it for me... for Ruka… and for… Michiko…" He stumbled slightly on his newest sister's name. Endo still did not know how he felt about her. Kiyoko did not say anything, but she nodded and began pulling herself from the bed. Endo helped her to her reading table and she began nibbling at an apple that sat among some fruit that had been brought and left this morning. Serenity had ordered it be left, hoping her sister would be unable to resist.

*Seiya*

She flung open the doors to the communication room, drawing both Taiki and Ruka's attention. Seiya practically sprinted across the room and looked at the darkened monitor. Then her eyes darted between Ruka and Taiki. Her heart was beating so fast; she could not think clearly. Seiya asked no one in particular, "Where's Endo?"

Taiki took in Seiya's appearance and decided she should respond, "We ended contact a short while ago. What is it? What's wrong?" She peered at Seiya with concerned eyes.

Seiya stopped and attempted to calm herself. After a moment her eyes fell on Taiki, "Something is seriously wrong with Kiyoko. I don't know how I know, but I do." She feared Taiki would look at her like she was crazy. However, instead Taiki looked at Ruka and Seiya saw the sorrow on both of them, "What? What am I missing?"

Taiki motioned toward an empty chair and addressed Seiya somberly, "You should sit down Seiya."

5 Page