Act 46

Minako watched in shock as Makoto grabbed hold of Metallia's Youma.

No, she thought, why, why, why can't I transform?

Because you're out of inner balance, a voice inside her said.

Inner balance? Minako asked herself.

You've lost yourself, the voice said now.

No, Minako answered, I know who I am. I'm Venus, the senshi of beauty and love.

It's too much to stand: Venus, Minako, the past life, the mission, the disease… Zoisite's death. You're out of balance.

Minako clenched her fists and she saw how it suddenly darkened and hundreds of lightning bolts started to accumulate around Makoto, who was still holding Metallia's Youma.

"Makoto, what are you doing?" Minako whispered.

The lightning bolts multiplied and a big ball of energy rose up around them. The light inside the circle grew. Makoto screamed and the ball of energy exploded.

"Makoto!" Minako called out in desperation.

Makoto was catapulted out of the explosion at the same moment the Youma was. But while she remained unconscious on the ground, the Youma was still moving, though he was badly hurt. He stood up, and when he saw Minako, he started to walk towards her slowly.

"Venus Power… Make up!" Minako screamed, but still nothing happened.

The Youma continued to walk towards her with his arm stretched out.

Suddenly, from behind, a young man dressed in black came running. He stopped immediately, watching the events in shock. He somehow looked familiar to Minako…

"Why are you standing around like that?!" he shouted. "Transform!"

"I can't!" she screamed back, close to tears.

The Youma inched closer and closer and for the first time in her life Minako felt mortal terror. This wasn't the way she had expected to die. Slowly she started to withdraw step by step.

It's over, she thought, I've failed.

And then she heard a scream and she saw how the young man ran towards the Youma and with all his might rammed into the creature, pushing him away several meters. The Youma fell to the ground, and there he remained, trying to stand up again. Still he did not move his eyes away from Minako.

The young man stepped before her now and stretched his arms out in a protective way.

Why? Minako thought in deep surprise, Who is he? How does he know…? And why is he protecting me?

When the Youma realized that he was too weak to stand up again he disappeared with a deep roar.

Minako sighed in relief just at the exact same time the young man did, who now turned around to face her.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Minako nodded, but before she was able to ask something, his eyes widened in shock.

"Ami!" he screamed and ran quickly to Mercury, who was still lying on the ground.

"Nephrite?" she whispered as he took her into his arms carefully.

Nephrite? Minako thought, That's Nephrite? He's alive?

"I'm here," Nephrite said softly, lifting her up. "Hold on, I'll take care of you."

"Mako-chan," was all Ami was able to say before she lost consciousness.

"Makoto!" Minako called out and ran to her. She was still lying there unconscious, but to Minako's relief she was alive.

"You have to take her to a hospital," Nephrite said.

"You don't have to tell me that!" Minako shot back.

"No need to be rude, Venus."

Minako bit her lip. He was right. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to… I'm sorry."

She put her arms around Makoto and tried to lift her up.

"Let me help you," Nephrite offered.

"It's okay. I can do it," she answered and indeed she managed to pull Makoto onto her back.

"Can you really do it?"

Minako nodded. "But the hospital is overcrowded. I'll take her to my hotel. It isn't far away from here."

"And what about the little girl?" Nephrite asked now, looking at Luna who rose slowly to her feet.

"I must stay," Luna answered weakly. "I'm sure Usagi felt that strong explosion of energy. The Ginzuishou must have reacted to it for sure. I think she's on her way here now. Somebody has to tell her what happened."

"What if the Youma comes back? It's too dangerous here, Luna," Minako said.

Luna shook her head. "He's hurt very badly. He won't move for the moment."

"Whatever you say," Nephrite said and turned around, walking away with Mercury in his arms.

"Nephrite!" Minako called. He paused and looked at her in surprise.

"You know who I am?"

She nodded. "I just wanted to say… thank you for… your help."

He smiled slightly. "You're very welcome."

"Don't misunderstand me," Minako said now, "but… why…?"

Nephrite sighed before he answered: "I sort of gave a promise… to a good friend of mine."

Zoisite, Minako thought immediately, and though she hadn't spoken his name out loud, Nephrite nodded once and then he left.

Minako watched him walk away and suddenly she had to smile. So, at least there seemed to be one couple that had found a way to be together without any hurdles.

Then finally she started to walk towards her hotel.

xxxx

Nephrite watched how Ami regained consciousness slowly. Her eyes twitched and she moaned.

"Nephrite?" she asked then in a weak voice. He took her hand quickly and squeezed it.

"I'm here," he answered and caressed her cheek. "Rest, everything is going to be fine."

"Hm," was all she was able to say, before she lost consciousness again.

Nephrite sat down beside the sofa Ami was lying on without letting go of her hand. He bit his lip. The way she was lying there before him, her right arm bandaged and covered with all those scratches and wounds; she looked so weak and breakable.

Today, he knew, he had been close to losing her. Maybe if he had arrived an instant later and the Youma hadn't been so weak...

Nephrite closed his eyes, unwilling to imagine that. Carefully he lifted Ami's hand to his mouth, placing a soft kiss on her fingers. Then he kneeled beside her and caressed her cheek.

He could have lost her today! If anything happened to her… He knew that he wouldn't have the strength to handle it.

No, Nephrite thought, determined, I don't want to lose her again. I won't allow it.

xxxx

Ami blinked several times until she finally was able to open her eyes. Where was she? All she remembered was how she fell to the ground, transforming back, when Metallia's Youma had attacked her. And then Makoto who…

"Mako-chan!" she called out and sat up quickly.

"She's all right," she heard Nephrite say. He was sitting beside her and reached for her shoulders now to take her into his arms.

"Thank God, you're finally awake," he whispered. Ami sighed and put her arms around his shoulders. Slowly he pushed her back, so she was lying down again. Only then he sat up to look at her.

"You look tired," Ami said and stroked her thumb over the black marks under his eyes.

"I didn't sleep for very long last night," he answered.

"Did you… stay by my side the whole night?" she asked.

"Of course I did," Nephrite answered.

Ami took his hand in hers. "Nephrite…" and then she remembered. "And how is Mako-chan now?"

"She's with Venus. She called me." He held up Ami's mobile. "Well, actually she'd called you, but since you were unconscious… I hope you don't mind. She told me that Jupiter… Makoto, is all right."

"Thank God," Ami sighed in relief and finally she asked: "Where am I anyway?"

Nephrite suddenly smiled at her. "Always worrying about the others first, before you look after yourself, right?"

Ami blushed and turned her head. Nephrite put one finger under her chin, forcing her softly to look at him again. Then he smiled again and caressed her cheek once before he continued: "You're with me. We're in the break-room at the Crown Center. I know the sofa certainly isn't as comfortable as your own bed. I'm sorry about that, but I didn't know what your mother would have said if I brought you home in that state."

"My mother!" Ami cried out again. "Did somebody…?"

"I called her," he calmed her down. "I said that I'm your boyfriend and that you're spending the night with me."

"What?!" Ami shouted in shock. Nephrite suddenly began to laugh out loud.

"That was a joke," he said, still chuckling. "Venus was very nice and took care of your mother."

"Don't you ever do that again!" Ami said, unable to suppress a little smile.

Nephrite kneeled beside her now to take her face in his hands. He was now serious when he placed his forehead against hers.

"I thought… I'd lost you," he whispered.

Ami lifted her good arm and put it around his neck. "I'm fine. Fortunately everything's turned out okay."

"Yes, this time," Nephrite answered and sat upright to look at her intensely. "But what about the next time? And the next time, and the next time? How many times do you expect me to go through this again?"

"What do you mean?" Ami said, suddenly feeling very worried. "I'm a Sailor senshi. I must fight. What do you expect from me?"

"Stop fighting."

"What?"

"You heard me very well, Ami. Stop it. It will kill you, sooner or later, and I don't feel… strong enough to lose you. Not again."

Ami smiled and placed her hand on his. She knew that it was unfair to feel happiness at hearing his words, but did he fully realize what he had just said? What he had just… confessed?

"I won't… die," she said. "And by the way, you shouldn't forget that I'm not fighting alone. I still have my comrades."

"Yeah, one of them almost got killed, one is a little girl, and the one who's supposed to be your leader can't transform anymore."

Ami bit her lip and lowered her gaze.

He's just upset because he's worried about me, she thought.

"Ami," Nephrite said now and grabbed her shoulders. "I'm serious. Stop it. Stop fighting."

"I can't," she answered. "I can't leave the others behind."

"And what about me? So you can leave me behind?"

She looked at him in shock. "Please," she whispered, "don't do this. Don't ask me to decide between you and… the others."

"I don't have to," Nephrite answered with a cold voice now. "You already did."

Ami felt as if somebody had dealt an incredible blow. "Nephrite… please."

"I'm sorry," he said sadly, "but I'm not willing to watch you get yourself killed."

Ami was just about to reply when her mobile rang. She quickly took it out of her pocket. "Yes?"

"Ami," Rei said, "Metallia's Youma has appeared again."

"I'll be right there," Ami answered and jumped up from the sofa, ignoring the pain in her right arm. But then she hesitated, looking at Nephrite.

"Nephrite…" she said with a pleading voice.

He only shrugged. "Your decision, Ami. But consider one thing. If you decide… to leave now, I will too."

"And where do you intend to go?" Ami asked with a toneless voice.

"Back to the Dark Kingdom."

Though Nephrite had said it in a normal tone, to Ami it sounded as if several speakers had blasted it out.

"What?" she gasped. "But how… you're no Shitennou… you don't belong there anymore."

"It's all that's left for me."

"That's not true, Nephrite, there's so much more!" Ami called out now in desperation.

"Like what?"

"You still have…" she stopped herself. What if she didn't mean as much to him as she thought, as she hoped?

They looked at each other for a long moment, but then Ami forced herself to turn around and leave the room. She quickly rushed through the entrance hall and climbed up the stairs, finally running out to the street. And she was completely unable to suppress the tears that were running down her cheeks.

Only when she saw Rei from far away did she finally wipe them away, and kept on running.

xxxx

Makoto looked again at the sweet little turtle with the luck sign on its shell, holding Motoki's hand tightly.

"It shall protect you."

Yes, she thought, I'm not alone. There are people who care about me.

She looked at Motoki in her lap.

And I care for them too.

Slowly she put the charm into her pocket and started to caress Motoki's cheek.

It was my own fear that made me think that I'm alone. The fear from having been left behind and also the fear of leaving behind the people I care for.

Suddenly Makoto was forced to think of Ami. The brief but intense love she had shared with Nephrite, the Shitennou, until… Ami certainly had never thought about the outcome, nor had Nephrite. And now destiny had been kind to them. Ami was reunited with her true love again. Nephrite had come back as a human! No Dark Kingdom, no curse prohibited them from being together now. So, why couldn't she too?

Carefully she put Motoki's head on the ground, then she leaned over and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Hold on," she whispered in his ear. "Everything's gonna be alright."

Then she stood up and started to run, the little bell of the turtle-charm resounding softly with every step she took.

xxxx

Minako smiled as she watched the two children who were singing her most popular song. C'est la vie. The song with which she had broke into the music business.

Artemis then turned around to her. "Aino Minako is not the weakling that you think she is," he said now.

Minako looked at him in surprise. How did he know…?

"I love… Aino Minako," Artemis confessed with bright eyes.

"Artemis," Minako replied, deeply moved.

"You kept singing because of this, right?" he went on. Minako looked at the little girl and the little boy again who, despite of the loss of their mothers, were sitting there, singing her song with strong voices.

"Live," Artemis said with tears in his eyes. "I want you to live."

"Live, my love. Do it… for you." Zoisite's words suddenly resounded in her head now. "You are you; You are Venus, the strong warrior, you are Aino Minako, the talented singer, and you are the one and only woman I've ever loved in all my lives. That's because I want you to live. Not for the mission, not for me, but for you, the adorable person you are."

Tears started to run down Minako's cheeks when she finally understood the true meaning of Zoisite's words.

"What is it that you want?"

Zoisite, she thought, so you were right, after all.

For a long time she looked at the children, then she quickly turned around and started to run.

I… want to live, she thought, I want to live this life as Aino Minako. And I will do everything that's in my power to overcome this disease.

"Live; I want you to live."

"Live, my love. Do it… for you."

I will, Minako thought, Artemis, Zoisite. I promise I'll do everything in my power to do so.

xxxx

Queen Beryl looked at the fountain of Queen Metallia's power.

This wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want the destruction of the earth.

In the beginning, yes, as vengeance for… But now all she actually longed for was to rule over it… with Endymion at her side. This was what she had wished for since long ago. What should have been…

I must stop Metallia, she thought, there must be a way to stop her. Any way.

And she knew that there was only one chance to prevent the overall destruction of the Earth.

xxxx

"See you soon!" Minako said, smiling before she and the others went their separate ways.

"See you soon," Rei replied, but while she and Makoto started to walk in the opposite direction, Ami hesitated.

"Ami-chan?" Makoto asked. "Are you coming?"

"Go ahead," Ami finally said. "There's something I have to do."

She took a deep breath and ran after Minako quickly.

"Minako-chan!" she called.

Minako stood still and looked at her in surprise.

"Yes?"

Ami stepped beside her. "May I have a word?"

"Sure," Minako answered cheerfully. "What is it?"

"I… there's something I have to give to you… on behalf of someone."

"On behalf of someone…?"

Ami nodded. "A friend… yes… I think I can call him that."

"A friend, "Minako repeated. "And what is it he wanted you to give to me?"

"He asked me to give you… this."

Ami reached into her bag and took out the white music box Zoisite had given to her that night, before his death.

Minako's eyes widened and she gasped when she saw the object. Carefully she took it in her hands, caressing its lid.

"How…?" she started to ask.

"I had an… encounter with Zoisite," Ami explained. "He… there were things he needed to tell me. And afterwards he asked me to give you this. He said… that he hadn't much time anymore and he wanted this to be placed in the right hands."

Ami saw how Minako's fingers clenched around the box as she pressed it lovingly against her chest.

"Zoisite," she whispered, and tears started to run down her cheeks.

Ami quickly took out a handkerchief from her bag and handed it to Minako. "I'm so sorry."

Minako shook her head and took the handkerchief to dry her tears. "It's okay. I'll be fine," she sighed and gave Ami a friendly look. "But I'm very glad to see that at least one of us senshis has been allowed to find… happiness."

"Eh?" was all Ami was able to say, too surprised by Minako's words.

"Nephrite," Minako said. "He came back to you, didn't he? And… the way he is now there are no barriers keeping you two from being together."

"I'm not willing to watch you get yourself killed."

Ami clenched her fists as Nephrite's words echoed in her head.

"We… aren't a couple," she finally said.

"What? But last night… he came for you! What happened?"

"We had a… difference of opinion," Ami answered, forcing a smile. Minako smiled back compassionately and put one hand on Ami's shoulder.

"Let me guess," she said. "He doesn't want you to fight anymore."

Ami looked at her in surprise and Minako shrugged, still smiling. "Call it … instinct. I can't count how many times I argued with Zoisite about similar topics." She squeezed Ami's shoulder. "Give him some time. I'm sure that he'll…come around. It's not easy for him either. He's lost all his powers, so it's more than understandable that he's worried about you. Maybe even more than before."

Ami nodded. Somehow she felt cheered up by Minako's words. "Thank you."

Minako shook her head and pressed the music box against her chest again. "No, thank you, Ami."

"I promised to keep this a secret. And I will," Ami assured her.

"I know," Minako answered. "Otherwise Zoisite would never have entrusted you with this."

"Will you really be alright?" Ami asked.

Minako nodded. "Yes. Zoisite… He wanted me to live… too. And I've decided to do everything I can to do so."

She tapped the box. "Thank you again for taking care of this."

"You're very welcome, Minako-chan."

"Don't lose hope," Minako said. "Nephrite will come back to you. Just as he already did. I'm more than sure of it."

Ami smiled and nodded, then she turned around and ran back to catch up with the others.

"Nephrite will come back to you. Just as he already did. I'm more than sure of it."

Thank you, Minako-chan, Ami thought, but I'm… not.

xxxx

It was getting dark, and the deep setting sun made the trees throw long black shadows on the ground.

Rei started to go up the stairs to her temple, and somehow she wasn't surprised at all to see Jadeite standing up there, waiting for her.

"Now what?" she asked as she walked slowly towards him. "Have you changed your mind, or something?"

Jadeite didn't answer for a long time until he said: " No. But I hoped… you did."

Rei stood still now, only a few steps before him. "What makes you hope for that?"

"You came to the Dark Kingdom today and I thought that… maybe…" He looked at her quizzically.

"I came to talk to Chiba Mamoru. That's all."

Jadeite bit his lip and nodded.

"Jadeite?" Rei asked, "why are you so… obsessed with me? Is it only because you remembered something from the past life?"

"No!" he answered quickly. "I… I love you."

Rei couldn't suppress a smile at Jadeite's naïve words. "No, Jadeite, you don't love me. You love Mars, the sailor senshi from the past." She paused and then continued: "And though Mars is a part of me too, I'm Rei Hino. I'm sorry but I… can't reciprocate your feelings."

"I know," Jadeite said. "I realized that today when I noticed the way you looked at that boy. But when I saw you in the Dark Kingdom… I hoped…"

"I'm sorry," Rei said honestly.

"I guess that's the way it should be," he sighed. "I've always been a loser… since the past life."

"Jadeite…"

"Don't!" he hissed now. "Don't you dare try to… console me now or something. I don't need your compassion." And after a short pause he said: "At least there is still one place I can go. One person that appreciates my effort."

"You don't have to do this," Rei said now.

"Do what?"

"Be part of the Dark Kingdom."

"What else can I do?" he asked.

"Fight… with us."

"Fight?" Jadeite laughed out now. "Against the only person who accepts me at her side?"

Rei didn't know what to say. And then it was as if she was seeing two sides of Jadeite. One that was hurt and sad about her rejection, but, nevertheless, considering the offer of friendship she had given to him. And then the other that was consumed by rage and hate.

And then Rei saw in his eyes that it was the second one who won the battle.

"My loyalty solely belongs to Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom now," he said with a cold voice. "Be sure that the dark power that comes from Metallia is much stronger than you can imagine. And there's nothing that can stop it. Not even your princess' Ginzuishou."

And before Rei was able to reply, he had teleported away, and this time she knew that she wouldn't see him again.

She sighed and sat down on the temple's stairs. Suddenly she felt completely unable to go to her empty and dark room. So much had happened today. The encounters with Jadeite, Metallia's Youma, her trip to the Dark Kingdom, and Minako's decision.

"The past will not disappear if you ignore it."

"I'm not ruled by the past. I'm living for the present!"

"You're criticizing your friends for being completely ruled by their past life. But aren't you doing the same thing? Maybe not because of the past life, but past is past. Think about it."

Rei sighed again. Yes, today she, too, had realized something. The past couldn't be ignored. It was time to face it.

But nobody knew that there were actually two pasts she had to face. Her past life and…

The evil laughs started to resound in her head again and she pressed her fingers against her temples until they finally faded once more.

No, she wasn't strong enough to face… that, not yet. She stood up and walked towards her room.

One by one, she thought, one… by one.