Sailor Moon - The Order of Black

Chapter Fourteen: Grief (and Psychopathy)

Originally published 03/07/2015

Rinjirou stared down the Hunter before him and drew his daggers. He knew the odd, pointed mask reminded him of something else, and he'd finally worked out what. It resembled a shorter version of an old plague doctor's mask from seventeenth-century Europe…without the goggles. It was matte black but for a pair of white triangles that tapered from the the forehead and chin to almost join at the 'beak' or 'snout'.

I wonder what it's made of, he thought, as they studied one another. What purpose does it serve? Is it a form of armour, or purely ornamental? The notion of a decorative face mask made little sense to him as a warrior...but then, nothing about these Hunters did. To think they'd once been Paladins, but now killed their former comrades so easily? It was unthinkable.

"Be careful," Titus murmured.

He could still feel the last Hunter's bullet tearing into his flesh; it wasn't something easily forgotten and he'd be foolish to underestimate his opponent now.

"Nothing to say, traitor?" the masked man called. "No taunts? No threats? No pleas for mercy?" An alarm began to sound in the corridor outside. "Coming here was foolish, as was your choice of ally."

"Not good!" the cat cried, as he began typing furiously. "Stall him!"

The Hunter took a careful step forward, swinging his sword lazily in his hand. "Will you say nothing in your defence? There's still time. Confess your betrayal, and die with a clear conscience."

Rinjirou's eyes locked on his mask again; there was something on his mind after all. "Tell you what. It's not a confession, or a taunt...and certainly not a threat or a plea…but a question."

A low chuckle drifted across the room. "How bold."

"What is the Watchful Eye? What purpose does it serve?" The chuckle rolled into mocking laughter, which only infuriated him more. "Speak, Hunter!"

"Ah, that name..." The masked man's voice practically dripped with disdain. "How we despise it."

"It seems like an accurate description from where I'm standing," Rinjirou retorted.

"We are vigilant. We are devout. We give of ourselves so the Order may survive. We take the lives of our brothers to ensure the mission never falters." A pair of cold, blue eyes locked on him from beneath the mask. "We are the Watchful Eye, traitor...those who bring Order to the Black."

"Keep him talking," Titus called. "Just a little longer!"

"Vigilant? Devout?" Rinjirou let out a derisive snort. "You throw around a lot of pretty words but the truth is you and your Watchful Eye are nothing but simple murderers!"

The Hunter's sword snapped upright. "I'll not be lectured on morality by you, traitor. The Eye does as it must to ensure the survival of the Order."

"What it must? Is that what the bastards who murdered my mother and father told themselves?" He shook his head in disgust. "Explain to me how refusing to join you is an act of betrayal."

"Come now," the Hunter said, as he took another step forward. "You must see the answer to your own question. The Eye can never be revealed; the revelation of our purpose would tear the Order apart. Without Paladins and a steady supply of new recruits, the Order would crumble...and your friend's Princess would be left free to do as she pleases with Earth and its people." His mask shifted just slightly in a shake of his head. "No. Those who are not strong enough to serve must be silenced for the good of those left behind."

"What's the point of defending Earth if we lose sight of who we're defending?" Rinjirou asked. "In Tokyo, I watched one of you murder an innocent man because he had the misfortune of seeing her mask!"

"Regrettable, but sacrifices must be made for the greater good."

He'd heard enough. "There's nothing good about what you do. You've corrupted a once noble ideal into a mockery of itself...and I won't rest until I've exposed your Watchful Eye and its crimes!"

"You won't be exposing anything. You'll be dead!" The Hunter thrust his palm forward and hurled a blast of dark energy towards him. "Reaper's Grasp!"

Rinjirou ducked under the blast, unsure what effect it would have but it didn't sound good! He lunged forward and slashed at the Hunter's chest, meeting his sword instead as expected. They exchanged a brief flurry of blows as they circled one another, both men searching for an advantage. The alarm continued unabated outside, which meant only one thing; they weren't going to be alone for long.

He glanced back at Titus as he deflected another strike from the Hunter's sword. "Whatever you're going to do, hurry up and do it!"

"I'm working on it!"

"Don't worry about your little friend," the Hunter said, in a clear taunt. "I'll finish him as soon as I've killed you!"

A new sound came from the corridor – the stomp of boots. Lots of them! Paladins, Rinjirou thought anxiously. I don't want to fight them! "New plan, Titus. Stop typing and run! I'll handle this guy!" He grunted with the exertion as he blocked another swing – the Hunter hit almost as hard as Megumi.

"In a moment!" The cat's eyes moved rapidly behind his visor, darting back and forth over the screen as his paws flew across the keys.

"Titus!" He avoided the next strike entirely and was rewarded; the Hunter made a mistake and over-swung, throwing himself off balance. As he was pulled forward by the weight of his sword, Rinjirou landed a forearm strike to the side of his head, and slammed the hilt of his dagger into the mask. It cracked right down the middle – confirming it was purely ornamental – and the Hunter crashed to the floor.

"Done!" Titus called, as he leapt off the desk.

"Perfect timing." A second, different alarm sounded - somehow more panicked than the first - followed by the crash of breaking glass and several startled cries. He brought his boot down on the back of the Hunter's head and drove him face-first into the floor. It would be a simple matter to kill him, and he was tempted...but there was little point. It's a waste of time, he decided. Time we don't have.

Titus dashed past him and out the door, sprinting as fast as his four legs would carry him. "Quickly, while the Paladins are distracted!"

"Distracted?" He stepped into the corridor and froze; a Construct was battling with several of his former comrades. It had smashed through the large glass windows of the lab and was tearing away at them with those long, wicked claws. "You let those things out?!"

"No, I let one out, and they seem to be handling it just fine! Now, come on! While they're busy!" He dashed into the fray, skirting around the edge of the fight and running for the door. "Hurry!"

"Ah, hell..." Rinjirou stepped forward, searching for an opening. A veritable wall of bodies had him all but penned in…but it was always moving. There! He rushed forward as one of the Paladins hit the floor and dove through the gap. He felt something tear into his armour - the Construct's claws – but he was largely ignored by the other Paladins. In the heat of battle, with such an obvious opponent to face, he looked enough like them that they didn't realise he was the intruder. A third alarm sounded as he neared the first door, and the keypad turned red.

Titus glanced up at him, his eyes wide. "They're locking down the facility!"

"Get through the door before it closes!" The cat dashed ahead immediately, leaving him in a cloud of figurative dust. "I didn't mean without me!" Rinjirou broke into a sprint, increasing his speed to dive under the door just as it closed. He rolled back to his feet in one fluid motion and continued on towards the next.

Titus was waiting just on the other side. "Run!"

"I'm moving as fast as I can!" he snapped, narrowly avoiding the second door as it slammed down behind him with a metallic clang. They were now in the first tunnel, the one that led to the storm drain entrance. It was closed, but there was a simple switch on this side to allow their exit. He reached for it, and...

"Wait. Two Paladins ahead." The cat slowed, seemingly staring at nothing. "I can see them on the cameras. The surrounding area is dark enough that I can probably slip by unnoticed, but that won't help you. How do you want to proceed?"

"With all the alarms, they're probably alert enough to see through Shadow Walker." He checked his mask to ensure it was still in place, and nodded slowly. "The Paladins inside didn't notice I wasn't meant to be there, and maybe these two won't either. Stay out of sight. I'll try and bluff my way by them."

"Very well. If you think that's best."

Titus sounded dubious, but he hung back as Rinjirou approached the stairs and pressed the button to open the secret entrance. Sure enough, two of the base's Paladins were on guard outside.

They immediately turned, guns raised. "Halt!"

Rinjirou raised his hands and took a deep breath. "Easy. I'm on your side."

The Paladin on the left looked him over suspiciously. "What are you doing out here? The base is on lockdown, didn't you hear the alarms?"

"Hard to miss 'em," he grunted. "I was on my way out to recon that factory the Senshi hit when the lockdown triggered. Took a couple of minutes for the button to re-enable. I thought I was gonna be trapped in there until this whole mess is over!"

There was a moment of silence before the second Paladin nodded. "That happened to me once, the last time one of those things got loose. I spent an hour in an elevator; I wound up using the maintenance shaft to get out!"

His companion was still a little wary. "What do they expect you to find at that factory? We scrubbed it clean."

"No idea," Rinjirou said, with a casual shrug. He caught a blur of movement in the corner of his eye - probably Titus getting clear. "I'm a scout. I just go where I'm told."

"I hear you." The two Paladins stepped back, lowering their weapons. "Well, best of luck. They might even have this all cleaned up by the time you get back."

"I'll cross my fingers and toes," he agreed, before bringing his fist to his chest. "For the Black." He stepped out of the tunnel and into the light.

"For the-" The first man stopped mid-sentence and gripped his weapon tight. "Hold on. You said you were trapped in the access corridor when the lockdown was triggered."

Oh, hell, Rinjirou thought, resisting the urge to clamp his hand over his stomach. How the hell could I make such a rookie mistake?! "That's right."

The second stared down at the hole in his armour. "Then how'd that happen?" The barrel of his gun began to rise…which left Rinjirou little choice.

"Sorry about this." He willed Shadow Walker into being, knowing it wouldn't give him long. An alert mind could see through its effect, but there was still a brief delay as it caught up...and that was all he needed. He slammed his forearm into the first Paladin's temple and grabbed the second's arm, snapping it with ease. His gun fell right into Rinjirou's hands, and he drove the butt into its owners face twice for good measure. Both men hit the ground hard, unconscious. "Damn it."

"Nicely done," Titus noted, as he popped out of a nearby bush. "That certainly escalated quickly!"

"Because you escalated it!" he said, furious. "What the hell were you thinking, letting that thing out?! It could have killed someone!" Now that their escape was complete and the adrenaline was bleeding off, he was left seething at the cat's actions. I told him I want to help them, and he does something like that?!

"I was thinking about getting out of there alive," Titus retorted, any trace of nicety gone. "Maybe it's not what you would have done, but I did what I had to do to clear us a path!"

His fingers clenched into fists. "Those are the people I want to help-"

"And they would happily kill you, Rinjirou! They are the Order of Black whether you like it or not. The same Order of Black that murdered your mother and father!"

The mention of his parents sapped any remaining anger Rinjirou had left, replacing it with almost crippling grief. It felt like he was hearing about his mother's death all over again; that same sensation of cold that chilled him to the bone.

"Regardless of their ignorance, these Paladins don't know what you know, and they don't care to listen. We needed an escape plan, and I provided one. Perhaps you can think about that before you decide to judge my actions!" The fur on Titus' back bristled in an almost physical manifestation of his own anger. "Now, if you're quite finished with your simplistic black and white moral outrage, let's just get back to the factory so we can return to Tokyo. I've had more than enough of you for one day!"

"The feeling's mutual," he muttered, barely able to muster any venom at all. Despite his anger, despite his grief, he was left with one unavoidable and unpleasant fact; the cat was right.

"Ugh…" A weary sigh slipped from Minako's lips. "How can I not be done yet?!" She leaned back on the couch and rubbed her tired eyes, her laptop teetering precariously as it barely stayed balanced on her thighs.

"You're getting there," Artemis replied sleepily. It was hardly surprising, given he was curled up in a ball on the couch beside her. "I'm proud of you. You admitted you let yourself slip, and you've been working hard all afternoon to get caught up. Well, as soon as you got home from your audition."

"I wish my V pen still worked on homework," she muttered. "That'd get this finished in no time."

"But then you'd learn nothing."

"I know, I know." Minako reached out and began to scratch him gently behind his ear, smiling as he began to purr. "I'll finish it." It didn't take him long to start snoring, which she found adorable. Despite his occasional dry, sarcastic criticism, she knew Artemis loved her dearly, and she felt the same way. He really is like a furry little second father to me, she thought warmly. Just one I occasionally shut in the laundry hamper.

Her phone buzzed beside her, and she reluctantly stopped petting the cat to grab it. She was a little surprised by the caller ID. "Usagi?"

"I thought you two were fighting?" Artemis asked, stirring beside her.

"We are. At least…we were." Minako let it ring out. She was already preoccupied by their fight, and the last thing she needed was to get into it all over again on the phone.

He nudged her gently. "What if she was calling to apologise?"

"I'll speak to her tomorrow," Minako murmured, lost in thought. She wasn't entirely clueless; it was clear even to her that she could be a handful sometimes…and she had played a role in getting their fight started. Even her more recent arguments with Corey could be traced back to her. Sure, he was being moody and distant, but she sneak-moved in to his apartment! Who did that?

"Mina?" Artemis nudged her a second time. "Are you alright?"

A weary sigh was all she managed as her head fell back against the couch. "Oh, Artemis, what's wrong with me? Why do I always screw everything up?"

"There's nothing wrong with you," the cat replied, sitting up to look her in the eyes. "Where did you get a silly idea like that?"

"Something must be wrong with me. I'm not crazy, I know that…but how else do you explain all the stupid stuff I do? I constantly put my foot in my mouth, I make all sorts of unreasonable demands of the people I care about. Why? Why do I do that? Why can't I stop myself?"

Artemis appeared uncomfortable with her questions. "You just have a…an excitable personality! It's not a bad thing, you just need to work a little harder to contain your…exuberance."

"Excitable personality?" Her brow furrowed as she began typing on her laptop again. "Let's see…an excitable personality."

"Mina? What are you doing?"

"Research." The blonde clicked a second link, then a third. "Ooh…take our online personality test. In a matter of minutes, you'll know the sort of person you are."

Artemis made a rude noise. "Those things aren't worth your time, they're-"

"Shhh! I'm reading!" Minako hissed. "Let's see…I lie to make things go smoother. No, I'm not…well, I guess…yeah, I've done that. To my cutie, of all people!" A few more questions down… "I'm superior to most people."

Artemis groaned in frustration. "Minako-"

"Well, I am beautiful, skilled, and a Sailor Senshi. That's gotta count for something, right?" Her eyes continued scanning over the screen. "Cheating isn't right because it's unfair to others? Hmm…" She glanced down at him nervously. "Does using my V pen to do my homework back in the old days count as cheating?"

"I…" He just shook his head in disbelief. "Yes."

"Okay, damn. I get the feeling I'm not doing so well on this." Minako finished the test and clicked the big, blue submit button. "Huh? No, go away! I don't want to share the results on Facebook!" It was a genuinely scary moment for her as she waited for it to load. Finally… "You are a vibrant and excitable person with a passion for life and the drive to succeed at whatever you want to achieve. That doesn't sound so bad." She continued to read. "However, you may have…psychopathic tendencies? You've shown a willingness to get ahead through…dishonesty and manipulation?"

"Don't place too much faith in those results," Artemis assured her. "It was made by someone who I guarantee is not a qualified psychiatrist, or-"

"I'm taking the psychopath test," she declared. "It says it's based on real ones used for serial killers, so it must be accurate!"

His eyes just about doubled in size. "What?!"

"Shush!" The blonde moved through the test quickly, answering truthfully despite being tempted to lie a few times – not a good start if she thought about it! Finally… "Oh."

Artemis clambered onto her shoulder to study the screen. "What is it?"

"I scored high enough." She blinked slowly. "I…I'm a psychopath."

"Minako, don't-"

"I'm a psychopath!" she declared, strangely happy. "I finally know what's wrong with me!"

"You're not a psychopath!" Artemis cried, with an exasperated groan. "And why are you so happy about it, anyway? Even if you were, it's not a good thing!"

"It's great!" Minako cooed. "I finally know what's wrong with me!"

"I'm still not sure where you even got the idea there is something wrong with you!" He gestured to the screen. "Bring up the definition of a psychopath. You'll see why you can't possibly be one."

She did as she was told and began to read. "Ah-ha! Irresponsibility!"

Artemis rolled his eyes. "You're ignoring the two points above that. Shallow emotions? You're one of the most emotional people I've ever met. And uncaring? Can you honestly say you don't feel love?!"

"Oh." Minako was forced to concede his point, but she wasn't giving up that easily. "Well, um…there's still…uh…I've totally used manipulation to get what I want! And look, lack of forward thinking. I make stupid decisions all the time!"

"And you're smart enough to say now that you made them; a true psychopath wouldn't recognise that." The cat's fur rippled as he exhaled sharply. "Look, Mina…a psychopath doesn't form meaningful emotional attachments. You're in love! Don't you see? You can't be one!

"Huh." She scratched her head idly as she regrouped. "But I was sure…"

"Just relax," Artemis said soothingly. "You're not a psychopath, I promise you."

The blonde tapped a finger against her cheek as she thought…and abruptly stood, almost sending her laptop flying. "But I could totally have those psychopathic tendencies the first test was talking about!"

He just barely stayed on her shoulders through her exaggerated movements. "Oh, by Selene, I give up! Think whatever you want!"

A familiar burst of light signalled Corey's return, and Minako turned towards him with a beaming smile.

"Uh, hey." His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What, uh...what's going on?"

"Hey, cutie!" she cooed, as she wrapped her arms around him. "I've got some big news to share!"

Mamoru opened his door and smiled immediately. "Usako." He hadn't seen her for days, and just the sight of her was enough set his heart aflutter. Her relative distance of late didn't seem to matter in the moment. He was just glad to see her.

"Mamoru." She met him for a hug but it felt stiff, almost awkward, and she pulled her lips away as he leant in for a kiss. She called me Mamoru, he realised. Not Mamo-chan. Something is wrong.

He closed the door behind her and followed her over to the couch. She stood in front it hesitantly, as if unsure whether to sit or not, and finally perched herself right on the edge, clasping her hands tightly in her lap.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "You said we needed to talk."

"We do," Usagi agreed, clearly troubled. "I needed to explain my actions over the last few days...and ask you something important."

Mamoru sat carefully on the couch beside her, his brow furrowed in concern. "What is it?"

"First, I'd like to know something." Her bright blue eyes sparkled as they caught the light. "Mamoru, do you respect me?"

"Of course I do! You know that, Usagi."

"I see." There was no smile to accompany her words. "So why do you act like you don't?"

"What do you mean?" This was getting worrying; he hadn't seen Usagi this melancholy in years.

She met his gaze without hesitation. "You still treat me like I'm fourteen years old."

What? "No, I-"

"You make decisions…our decisions…on your own. You make my decisions too, or at least try to. You treat me like some immature child who needs to be protected from the world, and from myself, but that's not who I am anymore, Mamoru. I'm an adult, and I'm tired of you thinking otherwise."

She was painting a rather unflattering portrayal of his approach to their relationship, one he didn't quite agree with. I don't treat her like a child. I just want to keep her safe, and do what's best for her. He had delayed his proposal...but he had a good reason. "Usagi-"

"Please, let me finish," she said, holding up a hand for emphasis. "You told me when I was fourteen that we'd be married as soon as I was old enough. You told my parents the same thing...but here we are six years later and nothing's changed. I did understand, at first. You were still studying to become a doctor, and I was starting my first year of university. The timing for a proposal just wasn't right. But now? You've got a steady job, and I'm doing well in my studies. Why not now, Mamoru?"

A weary sigh slipped from his lips. This again? "Usagi, we talked about-"

"No!" she snapped, with a brief flare of anger. "You talked and expected me to listen. You told me how it was going to be...like I was a child. Well, I'm not, Mamoru, and I'm not willing to entrust my future to fate or destiny or whatever you want to call it. Going through the motions and doing the same thing we've been doing for six years over and over again? It's not enough anymore!"

Mamoru found her blunt assessment shaming; it was uncomfortable close to reality. I keep trying to stall her until I figure out my own feelings…but it looks like I've run out of time. What was he meant to do? How could he tell her the truth? How could he tell her he wasn't any more ready to rule than she was? How could he tell her that, knowing her own fears for the future? She was counting on him to be the strong one, and the truth was...he was terrified.

Usagi didn't take his silence well. "I don't know what's going on with you, Mamoru, or why you can't just be honest with me, but I'm sick of it! I tore Minako's head off this morning because I was so mad at you!" A sad little sigh followed. "I don't like what this relationship is doing to me. It isn't fair...and I can't keep going on like this. I can't!"

You have to tell her. You have to be honest. No matter how many times he told himself, though, the words just wouldn't come. He couldn't even bring himself to look at her. Everything she'd said since walking in was absolutely true...and he was ashamed. But there was no way he could tell her the real reason he'd delayed their engagement. Not with her fears over ruling. She was relying on him to be strong enough for the both of them, and he couldn't let her down. He just needed a little more time to sort out his own feelings. Then, when he was certain he was ready? Then they could get married, and move forward towards Crystal Tokyo together.

"Please, Mamo-chan. Please be honest with me! Tell me what's wrong. Tell me why you don't want to move our relationship forward!"

At long last, he managed to speak. "I can't. It's…too complicated. It's-"

"It's just another excuse." Usagi pulled away as he reached for her; the bitterness in her voice nearly broke his heart. "No more games, Mamoru, and no more immature little schemes on my part. I can't keep doing this. You make me so angry, and I just..." Whatever she'd planned to say seemed to stick in her throat, emerging as a strangled little croak.

"Usagi, I-"

She clenched her fists and swallowed visibly. "I need a break, Mamoru. From you."

"What?" He was shocked by her words; they weren't what he'd expected at all. "Usako, please-"

"Not a permanent one," she clarified, as a tear slid down her cheek. "At least, I hope not..."

A jumble of conflicting emotions fought for control within him. Of all the possible responses he considered, anger wasn't what he'd anticipated...but it was what he got. "After what you just said about no immature games, you're issuing an ultimatum? Either I propose, or we're through?"

"Oh, Mamo-chan..." Her tears began to fall in earnest now. "I can see how it might look like that, but I promise you that's not what this is. I can't keep going back and forth with you like this. I don't like the way it makes me feel. I don't like being angry...and I hate that it's you doing this to me!" She rose quickly and shook her head, her eyes welling up with a second round of tears. "No, this is me doing what's right...for me."

The fire in his heart wavered quickly. It felt and sounded like an ultimatum to him…but Usagi had never lied to him before and it wasn't in her nature to start now. As his anger faded away, a terrible cold began seeping in from all sides. She's breaking up with me. It was almost...just. Is this how she felt, when I broke up with her? "Then…"

"Think about us. Really think about us. You need to decide if you actually want to be with me...or if you just feel like you have to be."

"No, Usagi!" He was afraid now, more afraid than he'd ever been. He'd sought to spare her pain, but he was now realising just how much he'd caused her by doing so. "That's not it, I love-"

She pulled away and backed towards the door. "Think...and call me when you're ready to start being honest. Until then…I don't want to see you." She began to sob, and he found himself longing for her familiar old crybaby wail; this was much more gut-wrenching. The door closed behind her with a gentle click...and he was alone.

A wave of numbing, cold guilt and fear washed over him as he sank back against the couch behind him. "Usako…what have I done?"

Rei stood outside the shrine's guestroom, glaring at the door. Rinjirou had left the shrine earlier, for a couple of hours – the piece of Chaos within him made it easy enough to tell when he was around – but he'd recently returned, and something was wrong. He was distraught, radiating enough sorrow and grief to drown out the sensation of evil she usually got from him. It was enough to disturb her in her own room and bring work on her current assignment to a screeching halt. That's what had brought her here; at least, that's what she told herself.

The miko had a choice to make; return to her room and try to block him out, or get in there and attempt to…comfort him, somehow. She wasn't sure what had even compelled her to come this far. They weren't exactly friends, were they? In fact, he'd tried to kill her…despite not knowing it was her at the time. The truth was she didn't know what they were besides awkward acquaintances. So why did I decide to come over here in the first place?

Her hand rose slowly towards the door, almost of its own accord; it seemed the choice had been made. Rei sighed quietly and knocked, bracing herself for Rinjirou's irritable response.

He didn't disappoint. "Go away."

It's not that easy to get rid of me, she thought determinedly, as she knocked again. I've got an assignment to finish, and your mopey mood isn't helping!

"I said go away!"

"Oh, screw it," she muttered, well aware the door didn't have a lock on it. It slid open immediately, and she slipped inside. The sight that greeted her wasn't what she'd expected, though.

Rinjirou sat in the far corner, his knees pulled up into his chest and his arms wrapped around them. It was a strangely vulnerable look for him, one she hadn't seen before. "Do you not understand the concept of going away?" There was little anger behind his words; it was more a plea than anything.

"I can't, because I can feel you moping from my room and it's a major distraction." The miko tried to soften her tone, feeling guilty over her automatic retort. "What is it? What's wrong?" When she received no reply, she huffed irritably and sank to her knees in the centre of the room.

"What are you doing?"

"Sitting," she said, barely containing her frustration.

"I can see that," Rinjirou grumbled. "Why are you sitting?"

"Because you need someone to talk to, idiot, but you're too stupid - or stubborn - to admit it! So, I'm going to wait here until you wise up."

He stared back at her impassively, but she could see the resignation seeping past his defences. "You won't leave me alone until I talk to you, will you?"

Bingo, she thought. "I said nothing of the sort."

A long, exasperated sigh hissed out from his lips, but it was a hollow gesture; there was no real anger behind it. "My god, you really are the annoying miko."

"Careful," she growled. I hate that name, somehow!

Rinjirou lifted his head at last, letting it thump against the wall behind him. "I've been investigating the people I used to work for. The Order of Black. The ones who…who hurt you."

"I remember."

"They killed my parents," he murmured. "My mother, I knew...your grandfather told me...but I never knew the truth. She refused to become one of those Hunters...and they killed her for it. Then, my father...for looking into the circumstances of her death."

His blunt response caught Rei off-guard; she felt her heart sink to the bottom of her stomach. And I stormed in here all snappy and irritable…like an idiot. "I…Rinjirou, I'm so sorry-"

"I hated my father for a long time," he said, continuing like she hadn't spoken at all. "He withdrew after her death, and he never really came back. I thought he was selfish, losing himself in his own grief but...it turns out he was investigating her death, looking for the truth." His expression darkened. "And they murdered an innocent man to keep their damned secrets."

"I'm sure he knew you still cared about him," she said, well aware how hollow her words sounded. I don't know him well enough to do this. Should I get Grandpa?

"I hope so." A tinge of bitterness crept into his voice. "I still remember the day I joined the Order, as clear as yesterday. I thought I'd finally found a new family to replace the one I lost…but it was all a lie. The Order of Black took everything from me. They destroyed my life."

Rei was at a complete loss as to what to say or do. He looked so dejected, so vulnerable; pain rolled off him in waves. She hesitated awkwardly, unsure if she should proceed, then dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him gently.

He stiffened at her touch. "What are you-"

"Don't make a big deal about it," she said softly. "You just looked like you could use it. That's all." It didn't take long for her to grow uncomfortable with their proximity - she could really feel the presence of Chaos up close - and she pulled back quickly, unsure why she'd even hugged him in the first place. First Minako, now Rinjirou. What's wrong with me?

Rinjirou continued to stare at the far wall, his expression unreadable. "I was wrong about the Order, Rei. Even after they turned on me, I kept telling myself that there were still good people left, that it was just the leadership that was wrong, but..." His voice broke for a moment, another thing she'd never seen from him before. "Perhaps there is still some good left in the Order, somewhere…but I see it now. It's fundamentally broken. The Order I knew and loved doesn't really exist, and probably never did. They took my family away from me...and pretended to be another. I feel so dirty. So used! How many others have they hurt over the years? How many other families have they torn apart? How many other Paladins have been killed to keep their secrets?"

A familiar anger began to seep into the air around him, and his aura took on a distinctly dark hue. The Chaos Sliver, she realised. It's firing up again and overriding his grief.

"They claim the Sailor Senshi are the enemy, but I've never seen them murder an innocent man. No, they showed up to protect you, an innocent…from me." He seemed especially troubled by that realisation. "Perhaps they are a threat, but the Order of Black is just as great a threat, if not more. Elder Haim, the Council; they must be exposed as the liars and murderers they are!"

She swallowed nervously as a sudden wave of nausea struck. Definitely angry. But I can't say I blame him right now.

At long last, he seemed to calm down. "I'm sorry. This isn't your problem-"

"No, it's not," Rei agreed, "But I figured you could use someone to talk to…and I was right." She managed a smile despite her upset stomach. "You're welcome, by the way."

Rinjirou flashed her a weary smile of his own. "It's funny, you know, but you're the closest thing I have to a friend right now. You're still here, trying to help me after all the pain I caused you and your grandfather..."

"Hey, I've caused you some pain too," she retorted. "I hit you with that ward and got you shot! I'll be damned if I let you take all the blame!"

"You were attacked in your own home because of me! They beat your grandfather. They beat you! If anyone's been a-" He burst into sudden laughter, in a rather strange turn of events. "Are we seriously fighting over who's been more of an inconvenience?"

"Oh, gods!" The miko stifled a snicker of her own, resulting in a rather undignified snort. "You're right! What's wrong us us?"

"I don't know, but we both seem to be as bad as each other." A broader smile worked its way onto his lips, as he let his head loll back against the wall. "Thank you, Rei, for staying to talk with a stubborn idiot. You were right, I did need it."

She rose to her feet and nodded gently. "I'm a shrine maiden. Doling out guidance is all part of the job." Her tongue slid across her suddenly dry lips to wet them. "But you're welcome. Goodnight, Rinjirou."

He bowed his head slightly. "Goodnight, Rei."

She stepped out into the cool evening air, bringing her arms up around herself as a chill ran down her spine. It was strange, but it felt like they'd just had the most meaningful conversation of their short association. Despite initial appearances, he wasn't quite the same guy she'd thought he was.

AN: Well, that one took a lot longer to finish that I'd expected. Still, a little action, some drama and angst for Usagi and Mamoru, some friendship building for Rei and Rinjirou, and even a bit of old-school Minako silliness; I managed to get what I wanted into this chapter. All of Rei and Rinjirou's talks seem to involve some sort of argument, but it just seems to happen, even during the more meaningful ones. Maybe there is something there between them; they remind me of two little kids on a playground, using insults and hits to mask their like for each other.

Corey was meant to have a larger appearance in this one, but he's just not got a lot going on right now and any talk with Minako wouldn't balance the way I wanted it to, so he was cut. At the end of the day, this isn't really his story and he's been relegated to supporting cast like some of the others. I've got a few ideas in mind for him moving forward, though (thanks metalgear!) so he may reappear in a larger capacity later on.

Megumi's missed out on two chapters now, too, but in truth she's sort of treading water while she waits for Rinjirou to catch up with her arc. I've got something in mind for the next chapter to keep her interesting while she waits for her moment to shine.

Aside from that, I've got Ami's permanent return to handle. That should pop up next chapter as well, I think, and I hope you enjoy it. Thanks as always for reading Order of Black. Feel free to leave a review or shoot me a PM with any feedback - you know I love hearing from you guys. Until next time!

Lisseas