blink

by aquafina rain

They were not the karate team. RWXSM

14. Chapter 13

thirteen

Touma closed the book and tossed it aside, quickly taking up the next volume out of the large stack he had gathered earlier. While everyone else was strategizing, he and Shin had decided to try to find anything they could on the Youjakai talismans. Across from him, Kayura moped. "Touma," she said, slumped over the table. "Shouldn't we be doing something more useful?"

Touma fixed her with a slight glance. "Something more useful?"

"Yes! Like going to Elysion and fighting Badamon!"

He turned back to his book immediately, not even bothering to answer. Kayura pouted, slinking back in her seat and crossing her arms. For as long as she had been Empress, she had been known to be reasonable—kind, but not beyond cruelty. The majority of the land thought she was mature for her age, fit to be a ruler. It was not odd for Touma to see such a childish expression on her face, but a palace hand would have gotten quite the shock if they had witnessed the scene.

From around the corner of a large bookshelf, Usagi and Minako peered at them. "You think he wants to date her?" Usagi asked, only to be hushed by her blonde guardian.

"Keep your voice down, Usa, we have to be stealthy." Minako lowered her eyebrows, apparently thinking that it added to her stealth factor. "And no, I don't think that, but apparently his buddies do."

Usagi, of course, was clueless as to where Minako had received that piece of information. She scratched her head, watching through a gap in the books as Kayura continued to pout at him. Touma paused in his reading to give her a slight smile as he mentioned something about her looking like a kid. "I dunno, Mina, they kinda look cute together."

"He is Einstein," Minako hissed, grabbing Usagi by the lacy pink collar. "He is Einstein and we cannot fail our Einstein."

Usagi would have said something along the lines of, "Who the heck is this Einstein you guys keep talking about, seriously?" if it hadn't been for the sudden appearance of Shin head's in-between them. Instead she clasped a hand over her mouth, trying not to shriek as Minako clutched at her heart. "Oh my gosh Shin don't do that," Usagi said from behind her fingers.

"You two look like you're meddling," Shin said good-naturedly, catching sight of Touma and Kayura from between the books. He raised his eyebrows, glancing at Minako. "But meddling in exactly what, I'm not so sure."

"Pfft," Usagi said unconvincingly.

Minako, recovering from the near heart-attack, batted her eyelashes at him. He continued to smile, absolutely unfazed. The past couple of days in her presence seemed to have immunized him. "Oh, Shin, we were just, you know."

"Oh really? I know?"

There was something in his tone of voice that Minako attributed to Michiru and Haruka. It was the 'I Know Exactly What You're Doing, but I'm Going to Play Along and Humor You Because You Are like a Cute Little Child to Me' voice. Normally Minako would have been thrown off and offended, but it was Shin. He had the bone structure of Matsuyama Kenichi, and there was no way she could be angry at a face like that.

"Of course you know," Minako said sweetly.

"Know what?" Touma's voice asked loudly. The two blondes squealed, destroying every effort to be stealthy.

"Quick, pretend to read!" Minako whispered, grabbing a book. Usagi had already opened one, burying her face in it. Shin didn't have the heart to tell her it was upside-down.

"Sailor Venus? Sailor Moon?" Kayura stood up from her seat, rounding the corner. She took one look at the sight and her hopeful look was dashed. "Don't tell me you want to help research as well."

"Of course we do," Minako said airily, sticking the book back. She bounded over to the empress, smiling broadly. "Why else would we be here?"

Kayura simply heaved a sigh, heading back to where Touma sat with his eyes in his book. She slumped back in her seat, crossing her arms again. Minako hesitated; then she plowed right forward, taking a seat next to Touma. She had to give the guy credit, she thought as he thoroughly ignored her.

"Touma," Minako sang, chin in hand as she peered at him. Usagi and Shin watched curiously as Touma's nose wrinkled.

"Yes?"

"Wouldn't you have much more progress if a cute genius girl were here to help you?"

If Minako had been paying attention to anything other than Touma's facial cues, she would have seen the slight grin Shin suddenly had at the mention of 'cute genius girl.' Instead she focused on the way Touma simply blinked. "What?"

"Oh, you know," Minako drawled, much to his confusion.

"Why does she assume everyone knows?" Shin asked Usagi playfully. Usagi shrugged; she herself was lost on Minako's methods, even if she had caught that 'cute genius girl' meant Ami.

"If you're offering help..." Touma said slowly, deciding if he should back away from Minako. She was far too close, and her eyes were far too shiny to really be that innocent. He momentarily wondered if she was a bit insane.

"Oh, no, I can't help," Minako said excitedly as he finally took the bait. "But Ami, she can definitely help you, you guys make such a great pair together, you know? I'm surprised you guys aren't dating!"

Usagi was somehow able to turn her nervous laugh into a cough. She herself was no guru at love, but was Minako really going for the obvious approach? Ami would kill her, Usagi thought as Touma rolled his eyes. "Is dating the only thing on your mind, Aino?"

"What, it's not on yours?" Minako leaned in even closer. Touma scooted away. "Come on, picture it. You and her, reading, theorizing, eating sandwiches. Great, isn't it?"

Touma was not quite sure what kind of date that was. "That sounds like my study sessions with Seiji."

"Or a date with Ami!"

"Minako," Usagi groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. Ami was absolutely going to kill her. Kayura, however, was looking from Touma to Minako with wonder.

"You are interested in Sailor Mercury?" Kayura asked innocently. Touma looked incredibly hassled.

"No, not like that! Why are we even—forget it," he grumbled, closing his book with a snap. He reached for another one before he seemed to realize Shin was there. "Oh, Shin, did you find anything?"

"Human World textbooks had nothing," Shin said, smiling. "How about we take a break?"

Touma looked like he very much wanted to shoot down the idea, but Kayura stood up before he could say anything. "Excellent idea, Suiko no Shin! I can show you the gardens! Hotaru loved it, and I'm sure you will as well."

Gardens, Minako thought. Romantic, her brain connected. "Great, let's find Ami and bring her along! Touma, would you like to get her?"

"I can find her," Shin said, already making his way to the exit. Minako and Usagi both stared at him. Touma looked grateful for the reprieve; he gave Shin a discreet thumbs-up, one that was returned with a wink. He sat up, stacking the books on the table before following after Kayura.

The gardens, he had to admit, was more beautiful than he had imagined. Then again, the Youjakai was a lot more scenic now that Arago was gone. As he admired a blooming sakura tree, he let his thoughts drift suddenly to Arago. He knew the others had dreams about the battles they had gone through. There was a time when Ryo confessed to everyone that he wasn't sure if he was going crazy; it was only when they all admitted to having the same dreams did they realize that they weren't quite alone.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, Touma had always thought. Of course it was. There were nights when he woke up breathless and shaking from a dream where Arago had been resurrected the Troopers couldn't defeat him. There was no going back to sleep after a dream like that; he spent the rest of his night staring blankly at the wall, trying to clear his mind.

"You could try another coping mechanism."

Touma looked down and left, where Minako stood idly by him. Though she had on a playful smile, he recognized the look in her eyes. It was pity. "Pardon?" he opted to say.

Minako was quiet for a moment, tipping her head up to study him. Then, "You look like you don't sleep enough. I know the feeling."

It wasn't pity. It was sympathy. Touma glanced over the gardens, trying not to sigh. "I appreciate your effort, but I don't need a pep talk."

"Not a pep talk," Minako said. "A warning. Seriously. I know we're practically strangers, but you need to get your head straight on your shoulders."

"If I recall correctly," Touma said almost coldly, "I was the one looking for information on the talismans while you were trying to goad me into a ridiculous idea."

"And obviously it's stressing you out more than giving you answers," Minako replied smoothly. "You need to step back and breathe. Trust me, it'll be good for you."

She didn't outright say it, but she knew he understood her message. If something goes wrong and someone gets hurt because your brain is too scattered, then I'm holding you entirely responsible. Which, Touma thought, wasn't fair at all. Several factors could go wrong in any battle; just because he was too caught up in trying to find an answer didn't mean it was his fault.

Briefly, Touma wondered how she knew. His mind filled in the gaps; Mizuno probably did the same thing, he realized. And Minako had probably said the same words to her.

"So then what's your coping mechanism?" Touma asked after the two fell into a quiet lull.

"Mine? Oh, you know, the whole 'life is too short' thing." Minako shrugged a shoulder, playing with a few strands of her golden hair. "Can't slow down for a second."

"Are you trying to tell me that's why you're so..." Touma racked his brain for the right word, trying not to be offensive. From his (lack of) experience, girls were sensitive. While he would have chosen 'obtuse' if he had been speaking to Shuu, he settled on, "Flimsy."

"Wow," Minako said, not missing a beat. She grinned. "You really are a brick."

Touma grimaced. "You sound like Seiji."

"Ah, there they are," Kayura said, clasping her hands together and interrupting their conversation.

Everyone turned to see Ami's petit form approaching. Shin walked beside her, grinning at something she was saying. As she neared, Minako cringed and hoped that Touma thought askew glasses and tousled hair was cute. Ami didn't seem to care as she smiled at them all. "This is a beautiful garden, Empress. It really calms the mind."

"I'm glad," Kayura said, beaming. "Feel free to look around more!"

"Shall we?" Shin asked Ami, who nodded eagerly. Minako, who had been intending on strongly suggesting that Touma show Ami around, snapped her fingers in defeat.

"Yes, I had wanted to take a closer look at the large tree over by the West side. I only saw it over the rose garden, and I can't put my finger on what species it is."

"Lead the way," Shin said charmingly.

Minako was too upset at the lost chance to notice that Shin was looking at Ami endearingly as she suddenly stooped to observe a flower she didn't recognize. He squatted beside her, tilting his head as she spoke. "I'm sure Mako-chan would know," she said, finger at her lip. "It looks like it could be a kind of lily, but I'm not sure what kind."

"Why not ask Kayura?" Shin suggested. Ami blinked a few times before she laughed.

"You're right," she said, shaking her head. "I can't believe that thought didn't even cross my mind."

"You have too much up in there," Shin said teasingly. Ami had the grace to look embarrassed. "Come on, let's find that tree."

Touma, however, realized exactly what the cute little looks were, and he hid a smirk.

"Pardon me for interrupting," Shuten said gravely, causing Usagi to jump at his sudden presence. Really, she thought, what was with people and sneaking up on others? The thought was quickly replaced with panic at his next words. "Rajura and Sailor Neptune have gone missing."

Silence. And then Kayura stood up, her chair falling behind her. She darted away, with Usagi at her heels. In minutes she was in front of the large mirror connected to Neptune's Deep Aqua Mirror. "Sailor Neptune," she spoke clearly.

The surface rippled. Rajura's face greeted her. "Kayura," he said, forgoing formalities. "We are in Elysion. We will return shortly. Prepare healers."

"Rajura—"

The surface rippled again and his image was gone. She stood staring at the mirror before she turned around. The Senshi and Troopers were gathered, as well as Anubis and Naaza. Now was not a time to worry, she thought as she straightened her posture. "Naaza, prepare for healing. The rest of you, dining room. We shall wait for our companions."

Naaza didn't argue. Anubis followed after him, motioning for the Senshi and Troopers to follow. Usagi was the only one left in the room, watching Kayura as the empress paced. She spoke after a moment. "Kayura," she called out.

"Hmm?" Kayura's feet paused. She blinked a few times. "I'm sorry, I must seem frantic."

"No, no, that's fine," Usagi said, waving her hands in front of her. She smiled faintly. "I'm freaking out myself."

Kayura closed her eyes briefly, tangling her fingers into her hair. She took a deep shuddering breath, shaking her head. "I'm worried sick," she said. "Why would they go there unless something happened? Unless someone was in trouble? He said to prepare healers."

"They're fine," Usagi said, reaching out to touch Kayura's shoulder. "Empress, they're strong. They'll be fine."

"Then why did they go?"

"Knowing Michiru-san, she just wanted to make sure Haruka-san isn't causing trouble. And you mentioned it earlier, Rajura likes Hotaru."

"Sailor Moon," Kayura said, opening her eyes. She found herself staring in eyes that were as blue as the endless summer sky. "What if we made a mistake?"

"We didn't," Usagi said gently.

"I'm useless," Kayura confessed, grabbing onto Usagi's shoulders tightly. She searched those blue eyes for an answer. "I should have gone."

"You're not useless," Usagi said firmly. She smiled again. "Someone told me once that sometimes all we can do is hope. That everyone else is too busy being worried that they don't have time to believe in themselves. We have to hope for them, okay?"

Kayura nodded slowly, feeling her worry ebb away slightly. Usagi grinned.

"Good. Now let's go and prepare for them, okay?"

x

There were crystals everywhere. That was the first thing Ryo noticed; they jutted out of the ground in each and every way, teetering up into the sky. It was very monochrome, Ryo decided, much too uniform for someone like him. It was quite opposite of the Youjakai, which was alive with stars and dirt and people like Kayura. Elysion was very still, very elegant, very—cold.

And then there was the water.

It was a different kind of water. There were no lotus flowers or stars in its reflection; it seemed like a completely blank slate, still until disturbed by the wind. They stood on the edge of the seemingly infinite lake, staring at the small temple that lurked in the middle of it. That, too, was made of crystal.

Apparently, however, the crystals were not supposed to be black.

"We shouldn't have left Ami back there," Jupiter said right away. "Jesus, what happened here?"

"More importantly, why couldn't Mamoru feel it?" Uranus frowned, squatting down and running her gloved fingers through the water. A small ripple momentarily crept through before the surface of the water stilled again. "Everything seems so..."

"Dead?" Shuu offered. He frowned as he glanced around. Even if it was his first time in Elysion, he knew that a place so lifeless shouldn't exist.

"This is far from what the stories say," Anubis commented plainly. He turned to Pluto, whose eyes were watching the temple. "Elysion is supposed to be golden, is it not?"

"Supposed to be," she murmured. She took a few steps forward until she was beside the crouched Uranus. "What do you think?"

"Too still," Uranus said. "This is probably the biggest trap we've walked into."

"A trap?" Ryo narrowed his eyes. "What makes you so sure?"

"It doesn't feel right here, Ryo," Seiji said calmly. His own eyes were looking at the sky. "I don't know what it's supposed to feel like, but it's as if something is suppressing the energy in the ground. It's different from a rampant evil. It's like something is controlling the very air we're breathing..."

"Trap or not," Jupiter said, licking her lips, "we need to do something about this."

"If there is anything we can do," Pluto said, straightening up. Everyone turned to her, surprised at the coldness of her words. She met each of their gazes wearily. "Seiji is right. There is something controlling every single particle of this land. This is not something we can take on ourselves."

"So, what?" Uranus asked, still running her gloved hands through the lake. "We go back, get everyone else?"

Pluto was quiet. She looked over the water, watching the black crystal of the temple gleam darkly under the sun. This was something they should have sensed. How was the Golden Crystal so unaffected? Nothing from the future showed the downfall of Elysion. Then again, she had committed taboo... Who was to say that the Space-Time Gates had only showed her snippets of the future? She was only a guardian. The Gates was an entity itself.

"Setsuna?"

Pluto glanced at Ryo. She nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"What do you think?"

This young man was putting his trust in her, and she didn't even have an answer for him. She looked into his eyes, a color so blue that she was sure the very heart of a fire rested in him. Pluto could remember watching from the Gates when they had first confronted Arago. It had pained her back then to see them so helpless, so conflicted—and yet they had been so strong.

"I think we should find the source of this," Pluto eventually said. "Mars?"

"No," Mars said quietly, her gaze on the ground. Her brow was furrowed as she tried to concentrate. "I can't feel anything except for—for this cloud of evil aura. Date's right, it's blocking everything."

Shuu sighed. "So we're at a dead end?"

"Seems like it," Seiji said. "I wonder why we haven't been attacked yet, though."

"Right," Uranus said, picking up on what he was saying. "For the nine of us to be smack dab in the middle of this darkness, don't you think our own aura would have been detected?"

"Sounds just like a trap," Jupiter said. She cracked her knuckles, glancing around warily. "We're gonna get attacked either way, so I say we just start looking."

"And where do you recommend we start?" Anubis asked, unable to keep the scorn out of his voice. He hadn't expected much from the Troopers, but he certainly was not pleased that none of these Senshi knew what they were doing.

"Honestly," Uranus said, "this wind is too still and that water is too restless."

It was as if she had spoken the magic words. The first thing that immediately followed was that Mars doubled over, crying out. Jupiter had her hands around the older girl automatically. "Hey, Rei—"

"Move!" Mars growled, grabbing those nearest to her—Jupiter and Uranus—and yanking them off to the side. The rest of them followed, only by instinct. A second later, the ground they were standing on exploded into the air, showering them with shards of black crystal.

"Move!" Uranus repeated, pulling Jupiter up and pulling out her Space Sword. Patches of ground continued to explode; she paused momentarily only to shield her face from a barrage of crystals. She felt the shards dig through her uniform, tearing through her gloves and scratching her bare legs. "Damn it—"

It was like stepping on landmines. The Troopers and Anubis fared only a little better in their armor; Seiji grabbed Pluto, attempting to shield her from the crystals as their unsteady ground rocked them forward. Ryo and Shuu had broken off from them, trying to keep as much distance as they could. Seiji realized it then; the exploding patches of ground were not random. It was targeting them.

"Someone's controlling this," Seiji said to Pluto, who had managed to avoid another shower of crystals aimed at her. "We need to cover ground—"

Pluto nodded, leaping out of the way as more crystals tried to attack her. She watched as Mars narrowly avoided stepping right on a patch that exploded. "We need a plan."

Her gaze strayed to Saturn, who blocked an attack from all sides with her Silent Wall; Anubis stood within her dome, a glower on his face. "What is causing this?"

"If we knew, Anubis, we wouldn't be running," she almost snapped, bringing her glaive down. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along. "Hurry."

Anubis, however, was not one to run. He planted his feet on the ground, standing firm, even as the ground shattered right under him. Saturn's hand slipped from his grasp; she gritted her teeth as she reacted too late. A few crystal shards tore at her, slicing through her uniform and cutting her skin. "Anubis!"

"And where do we go?" he openly challenged her. "To more ground, where more crystals will cut you? Our enemy is here and I plan to fight him."

"Then where is he?" Saturn held up another Silent Wall, just in time to prevent a barrage of larger crystals from impaling her. "How do you think you're going to fight your enemy if you can't even see him?"

"I shall make it so he cannot see us," Anubis said snidely. He unsheathed and raised his sword from behind him, ignoring the crystals that continued to pelt his armor. He was briefly aware of Saturn putting up her barrier again—but he was more aware of the all light slinking into his sword. Little by little, the world darkened. It was a rush, every time—no matter how many times he would pledge his allegiance to Kayura, he knew where his heart really belonged. The darkness.

"Great job, Anubis," Shuu spat out from afar. "Now we can't even see to dodge."

"Actually," Uranus's voice said hesitantly, "is it just me or did the attacks stop?"

"It's as if they can't sense us anymore," Seiji said. It was evident in his face that he did not approve nor appreciate the method. "Anubis's own darkness is covering us, blinding them just as they had blinded us."

"No." That was Mars. Her voice was sharp amongst the others. "Setsuna, it's the temple! The source of evil—I feel it now, it's coming straight from the temple!"

Pluto, however, had made eye contact with Saturn. The two of them were still, quiet, both with cold looks in their eyes. Unlike Jupiter, whose skin was crawling at the sheer dark energy coming from Anubis, or Uranus, who had taken to holding her Space Sword as a source of warmth—Saturn and Pluto reveled in the darkness. It was their birthplace, their element, their calling.

"The temple," Pluto said, breaking away. "Anything else?"

"There's..." Mars trailed off, a frown coming to her lips. She glanced at Seiji. "Do you feel that?"

Seiji seemed started that she was consulting him. Nevertheless, he managed a nod. "It's weak, but I think I understand what you're talking about."

"What is it?" Ryo asked, having regrouped with them.

"It's like a wave of darkness, trying to overcome Anubis," Seiji said after a moment. Anubis snorted.

"Let them try."

"Okay, so these crystals are stopped for now," Uranus said, trying to stop the argument Shuu looked like he wanted to have. "What next? We need to get to the temple—"

"Teleport?" Jupiter suggested with a shrug. "I mean it brought us here."

"Let's hurry," Mars said, grabbing Jupiter's hand. She reached out for Saturn. "That wave is getting closer."

Pluto ushered the Troopers and Anubis into the middle before she took Jupiter's and Uranus's hands. Within minutes, the whole party felt the world tugging at them. Shuu scrunched his eyes shut, and when he felt the ground under his feet again, he opened them.

"This is inside the temple?"

None of the Senshi answered. They were all staring at the walls of the temple, also carved from black crystal. Jupiter clenched her fist, taking a deep breath. "I know it looked like this on the outside," she muttered, "but I was hoping that on the inside..."

"I have another question," Shuu said, breaking into their thoughts loudly. "Why didn't we just use your teleport-thing to get to the Youjakai?"

"The human world and the Youjakai have different barriers, but Elysion welcomes us," Pluto said dismissively. She turned her eyes to Mars, who was staring at a particularly large crystal jutting out of the ground. Mars slowly reached out and touched the crystal; abruptly she pulled her hand back. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Mars said. She glanced around briefly. "There's a feeling in the air."

"What kind?" Ryo asked.

"I'm not sure," Mars admitted. Again she found herself looking to Seiji for confirmation. He nodded.

"There is an overwhelming evil aura, but underneath it there is something much akin to the power of your Ginzuishou."

"Well," Ryo said, turning to face them both. "Only one way to find out. Let's go."

Mars took the lead, holding a ball of fire in her hand. They moved quickly, darting through the long hallways. Seiji found the darkness tugging him, as if it had hooked him and was reeling him in. He tried to ignore the feeling, instead focusing on its presence. It was concentrated now; he could almost picture a small ball of darkness.

Mars threw open the large ornate doors to reveal Badamon hovering over an open tomb.

"So the sacrifices have finally arrived," Badamon said, only for Ryo to throw a well-aimed sou-en-zan at him. He didn't wait for the results; he and Shuu both charged right in, katana and tetsubo ready—only to collide with an unseen barrier that had also stopped his surekill. Ryo slashed at the barrier and Shuu slammed into repeatedly, trying to cut through to no avail.

"It's no good," Jupiter muttered, watching as Ryo and Shuu continued their assault. She had never seen this side of them before—this almost desperate, angry tirade. "How do we..."

"You're Badamon?" Uranus spoke up loudly, attracting Badamon's attention from the two Troopers. "Funny, thought you'd look a little less like bleep."

Badamon only smiled, floating away from the tomb. He stopped right before the barrier; Ryo pounded his fist against it.

"Stop hiding," Shuu snarled. "Get down here and fight us like a real man—"

"Oh, but I am spirit," Badamon said. "No one, not even a Samurai Troopers, can kill spirits."

"I did before, didn't I?"

Badamon ignored Ryo, looking instead to Anubis. "And you—"

"Shut up," Anubis spat, his lips set in a scowl. "You dare try to walk the Earth again after everything you have done?"

"Of course a blind underling like you wouldn't be able to understand." Badamon glanced at Jupiter, whose eyes were narrowed dangerously. "And I see the soldier of Jupiter is here as well. Perfect."

There was something, Seiji thought, that was different about Badamon. Perhaps it was that he was acting of his own free will. There was no Arago to command him; maybe that was what gave him a confidence boost. Either way, Seiji couldn't help the spike of anger run through his body.

"Date," Mars murmured, stepping closer to Seiji so he could hear. "That tomb..."

"Ah," Seiji said, barely nodding his head. Both of them had their eyes trained on the open tomb behind Badamon. While everyone else was carefully trying to assess how to deal with the sorcerer, the two of them had felt the dark energy concentrated into the tomb. "But just what is it exactly?"

"Get rid of the barrier," Mars said. "You can do it."

It was the simplicity in the way she said it that had him wondering how and why she suddenly trusted him so much. Was it the situation and the battle at hand? Seiji lifted up his sword, feeling his energy gather. It was as if the armor wanted to destroy that barrier.

"Rai ko zan!"

"Akuryo taisan!"

Their combined forces shattered the barrier; Ryo didn't hesitate to slash forward with his swords as Shuu slammed his tetsubo down onto Badamon. Badamon, however, disappeared in a wisp of air; he reappeared several feet above them, and not alone. Several ankoku priests suddenly appeared, their hands splayed out, chanting.

"Sou en zan!"

"Careful!" Seiji snapped, watching as Ryo's attack swallowed the entire room. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed that there was another barrier, around the tomb. So Badamon was trying to protect whatever—whoever—was in there... "Ryo, Shuu, don't destroy the place!"

"Damn it," Shuu growled, swinging the tetsubo out. "We can't do anything if we have to hold back!"

"Hold back?" Uranus's lips tightened as she surveyed the damage. "You're kidding, right?"

"Do whatever you want," Jupiter said, shifting her stance. "As far as I'm concerned, this place isn't the Holy Temple anymore."

"Jupiter—"

Jupiter ignored Pluto, crossing her arms. The air around her seemed to crackle. "My guardian, Jupiter—brew a storm, call the clouds, bring down the lightning!"

A large bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky, tearing a hole in the ceiling as it struck Jupiter's tiara. Badamon seemed to pause in fending off Ryo to watch her.

"Supreme thunder!"

The lightning that flew from Jupiter crashed right into an ankoku priest, disintegrating him. Badamon actually looked pleased. "It seems I was right," he said as he called another ankoku priest to take the now-empty spot. "The leader of the Sailor Senshi is indeed powerful."

The Senshi didn't even bother correcting him; Jupiter held out her hand gathering another attack as Uranus sent out a world shaking that was reflected off a barrier. Ryo grabbed Pluto's arm, catching his breath for a moment. "Should I be careful, or—"

"Do what you must," Pluto said almost regretfully. She watched with a grimace as Anubis suddenly sprung to life with a grin. Sorry, prince, she thought.

"Ankoku chohigiri!"

"Gan tessai!" Shuu roared, joining their attacks. Badamon held up another barrier around himself, but the ankoku priests were too slow. They all faded into wisps, their screams echoing through the room. Stray energy from their attacks struck the ceiling, sending shards of crystals down to shower over the heads. Saturn quickly threw up a Silent Wall.

"You're still holding back," Ryo said to Shuu, who scowled.

"I can't help it! After all those times Nasuti's yelled at me—"

"Dead scream." The two of them watched as Pluto's attack soared right at Badamon, only to be deflected. Instead of looking disappointed, she nodded grimly. "This battle will go nowhere. He intends for us to run out of power."

"So how do we get rid of that barrier?" Anubis said impatiently, glaring at Badamon's almost-smug smile. "He will keep calling spirits."

Pluto's eyes caught sight of Mars and Seiji, who had managed to sneak to the tomb unnoticed by Badamon. She realized what they were trying to do and gave the others a sharp look. "Keep attacking him. Chronos typhoon!"

Anubis threw another attack, well-timed with Pluto's tornado of darkness. He felt—he paused as their attacks joined together. No doubt she felt it too—the way that their energy seemed to thrive off each other. He gave her a slight glance; she kept her smile hidden well.

"You are wasting your time," Badamon dared to taunt.

"Really?" Shuu argued back, despite himself. "It seems to me that your buddies keep getting beat every time!"

As if to emphasize his point, Ryo attacked the nearest ankoku priest, who didn't even put up a fight. Badamon said nothing, did nothing except establish his barrier again to throw off an attack from Uranus. Jupiter sent another volley of lightning in his direction; this also was reflected.

And while they distracted Badamon, Mars finished placing ofuda around the barrier. She stepped back, her hands held up in front of her. "Whenever you're ready."

Seiji shifted his sword, bringing it before him. He glanced at Badamon, who still seemed oblivious. But the second they tore down the barrier (which was much stronger than the one from before), he would know. That meant they had to act quickly.

"Rai ko zan!"

"Akuryo taisan!"

The barrier fell, Badamon gave a howl, and Mars and Seiji sprang forward, narrowly avoiding the beam of energy that struck their heels. Mars's hand was ready with a ball of fire. Seiji was right beside her, the Kourin sword lifted above his head, charged with energy.

But then Seiji froze, staring at the body in the tomb. His mouth went dry. "Arago," he whispered. The light fading from his sword as Mars's flames enveloped the body alone. She gave him a sharp glance; this scathing stare he was more familiar with.

"What are you—"

She was cut off as Badamon threw a large beam of energy at her. The attack left a hole in the back of her uniform, still smoking as she gripped the edge of the tomb, trying to pick herself up. Seiji whirled around, aiming for Badamon. "Rai ko zan!"

Idiot, he thought as he used the moment to grab Mars around the waist and haul her to safety. Idiot, you are an idiot, why did you freeze—

"Seiji!" Ryo shouted, warning him. He barely managed to avoid Badamon's next attack, too preoccupied with the tomb. Arago's body had been there. Arago's body had—was Badamon trying to revive him? A coldness filled him as he leapt out of the way of another beam of energy. He swallowed, shifting Mars, but she shoved him away suddenly, barely giving him a harsh look.

"Ryo, the tomb!" Mars called out, drawing a large circle of fire around her. "Burning mandala!"

Ryo picked up her words, turning his aim from Badamon to the tomb. "Sou en zan!"

It was too late. Badamon had thrown up another barrier, this one stronger than the last. Both attacks bounced off uselessly. The ankoku priests were chanting; Shuu felt the air around them pick up. "What—"

His words were cut off as the temple faded from sight and suddenly they were back on land and across the lake once more. The only difference was that instead of tiny little crystal shards trying to stab them, there was a legion of youja soldiers before them—more than he had ever seen before. His mouth fell open. Beside him, Uranus gripped her Space Sword. "I hope that you were still holding back in the temple, kid."

"Don't worry about that," Ryo said to Uranus. The crowd was approaching. Time to test out the true power of the new armor, he thought as he swung his attached katana out. "Choudando sou en zan!"

Uranus and Jupiter both brought up their arms to shield themselves from the sheer mass of energy that exploded from Ryo. They squinted through the light, watching as the attack tore through a good chunk of the legion. It was only for a brief moment, but it felt like they stood an eternity in the presence of such overwhelming power. When the light finally cleared, the two of them couldn't help but gape at the destruction.

"What are you standing around for?" Shuu couldn't help but ask smugly. Jupiter shut her mouth and narrowed her eyes at him.

"So what, back in Tokyo you were letting us do all the dirty work for you?"

"Au contraire," Shuu said smoothly with a wink. "We just didn't want to pay for collateral damage."

"Collater—"

"Choudando rai ko zan!" Seiji yelled, interrupting their banter. Uranus and Jupiter took another moment to gaze at the destruction in awe; it was not as massive as Ryo's attack, but it was still much more effective than a 'world shaking' or 'supreme thunder.'

"These brats," Uranus grumbled. "I can't believe you guys were really holding back."

"How else would we save the world?" Shuu turned back to the enemy, focusing his energy. He felt it crackle at the tip of his tetsubo as he swung it around over his head. "Choudando gan tessai!"

The ground tore apart as his surekill blazed through youja soldiers. Mars let out a slow breath, watching as the Troopers continued to annihilate the crowd with what seemed like barely any effort. It was as if the Senshi didn't have to do anything but sit back and watch.

But then there was Badamon—or rather, a large image of him, taking up the sky. "I will be back for your bodies, Rekka no Ryo, Sailor Jupiter," he said, his voice echoing as it descended from the clouds.

"Coward!" Anubis shouted as the large image started to fade away. "You coward!"

"Focus!" Uranus snapped, bringing his attention back to the youja soldiers. "These guys aren't letting up; we need to find whatever is controlling them or spawning them or whatever it is that's making them tick. Badamon can come later!"

"Don't tell me what to do," Anubis growled, but he let his surekill fly over a mass of youja soldiers without argument. Saturn attacked with him, ignoring his annoyed glare as her ribbons of light cut through the soldiers in front of him. "Find your own crowd, girl!"

Beside them, Mars and Jupiter took to double-teaming the youja soldiers. Every razor-sharp leaf that flew at the youja soldiers was accompanied by a roaring flame. Pluto was busy attacking with Ryo and Shuu, unbothered by the fact that her 'dead scream' had a limited target range compared to their surekills.

Seiji, after a moment, felt it in the back of his mind as he destroyed another crowd of youja soldiers—the feeling that he had overlooked something. They were unrelenting. Where were they coming from? The instinctive feeling intensified. The path in front of him cleared up, but he couldn't help but look behind him.

"Anubis," Saturn was saying, her hand on the Yami Masho's arm. "Don't."

"Shut up," Anubis said, shrugging her off. He had his back to her as he slung his sword lazily across his shoulder. He was staring across the large expanse of the lake, nodding. "So all I have to do is destroy that crystal?"

"If you can," Uranus taunted as she wiped the blood trickling down the side of her head. "Don't underestimate this land."

"You are the one underestimating things," Anubis said. "How do I get back into the temple?"

"What's going on?" Seiji asked. Mars looked like she didn't want to answer him, but no one else offered an explanation. Barely moving her lips, she explained.

"There was a crystal back in the temple with an odd aura around it. The aura has intensified. It's the source controlling these soldiers. You don't feel it?"

Seiji was pretty sure that was disdain in her voice. "I don't," he admitted. So that was what it had been. The crystal he hadn't noticed, but Sailor Mars had.

"Of course you don't," he barely heard her mutter reproachfully under her breath. Before he could respond, however, Uranus and Pluto disappeared with Anubis in a flash of light. They returned moments later without the Yami Masho.

"He'll take care of it," Uranus said. "Meanwhile, we take care of these guys before they open any holes to Youjakai."

The look she gave him however meant, "Get back to destroying things with your large amount of power you've been holding back on us, pretty boy."

It seemed almost like an eternity, but in actuality it was only minutes before Seiji felt it again. The odd aura, he realized. That's what Mars had been talking about. He glanced at her, confirming his suspicions as she tensed. "What's—"

"It got stronger," Mars yelled, her voice cutting over the sound of battle. Uranus glanced at her, alarmed.

"What do you mean, stronger?"

Before Mars could answer, the temple exploded. They all whipped their heads in the direction of the temple, staring as the once-majestic temple of Elysion crumbled into dust. For a moment, it seemed as if it were being consumed by darkness. And then the darkness faded away abruptly, almost as if someone had turned on a light switch.

Ryo split his katana, breathing heavily as the youja soldiers suddenly collapsed. "What's going on?"

"He did it," Uranus said, but she sounded, for some reason, unsure. "He did it, right, Mars?"

Mars hesitated. Then her eyes widened. It was Seiji, however, who spoke as a sudden chill ran down his spine. "That aura is expanding! It's—heading our way!"

"Anubis," Saturn muttered as she rushed forward. Uranus grabbed her by the waist, pulling her back; the younger girl fought, digging her heels into the ground. "Let me go—"

"Listen to your parents for once!" Uranus snapped, adjusting her grip. With tremendous effort, she lifted Saturn off the ground, carrying her away from battle. Saturn continued to struggle; she managed to elbow Uranus, who dropped her.

Saturn took two steps forward before it seemed as if the world exploded. She froze as everyone took cover, shielding themselves from the burst of energy that spread across the vast lake and threatened to swallow them. It was only because of Mars's hindsight did she manage to pull the younger girl down as well. Mars held Saturn under her, ignoring the rush of cold energy that passed right over her head. After a moment, the cold energy passed.

"What the hell was that?" Shuu asked, sounding frantic as he scrambling to his feet. He held his tetsubo over his shoulder, his eyes scanning the area. Black crystals no longer jutted from the ground; instead, they scattered over the barren field, like tiny little flecks of light glimmering under the unseen sun. The youja soldiers were nowhere in sight. "What just happened?"

"Shuu!" Seiji roared, suddenly tacking the other Trooper to the ground. They rolled, Shuu trying to get a grasp on the situation. He glanced wildly around, staring at the spot he had been standing. The ground had been scorched black.

"What..."

"That energy," Mars said, getting to her knees with effort. "It's running rampant."

"Okay, really?" Shuu grumbled, rolling onto his front. "Energy running rampant? You're saying it's got a mind of its own."

"Unfortunately," Uranus said. She brushed off her skirt, getting to her feet; unlike Shuu, however, she kept her gaze trained on the surrounding area. "It's everywhere in the wind. I can't get a definite trace, but I feel it now."

"What do we do?" Jupiter accepted Ryo's help as he offered her his shoulder. She leaned against him, trying to even out her breathing. The battle was taking its definite toll; she didn't know how much longer she could last. Her eyes found Mars's, who seemed to be thinking exactly the same thing.

"We need to contain it," Seiji murmured, his eyes searching the sky. "It seems to be circling around without aim."

"The temple," Ryo said, swallowing. He found his throat to be dry. "Anubis..."

Seiji and Shuu momentarily looked startled before they turned their gazes to the destroyed temple. They were quiet for a moment, both wondering the same thing as Ryo.

"I'm sure he's fine," Uranus said, interrupting their thoughts. She ignored Ryo's frown, looking to Pluto. "How do we contain it?"

Contain it. It was as if they were magical words. Pluto felt her heart leap. It wasn't often she felt that sensation. "We can draw it back to the temple ruins," she said. "It will be drawn to where it came from. And from there I can lock it into a dimensional space."

Uranus looked too suspicious. The two Senshi stared at each other for a moment. And then Uranus nodded slowly. "Alright. Sounds like a plan. You guys good enough to teleport?"

Jupiter and Mars were already clasping hands.

The second they landed within the temple ruins, Saturn tore her hands from Uranus and Pluto. Her eyes spotted Anubis's still form and she darted over. Immediately she yanked the helmet from his head; there was a shard of black crystal sticking out of his throat, leaking blood.

Ryo and Seiji were right behind her, staring at Anubis's wound. Seiji gave a shout as Saturn wrapped her hand around the crystal and tugged it out; more blood poured out, but she pressed her glove to the wound and began to rapidly heal him.

"He's not dead," Ryo said, and then he repeated it. "He's not dead. Thank god."

He was interrupted as the cold energy suddenly came roaring at them. This was what Anubis had gone up again? While he didn't have a sixth sense, he could still feel evil—and this cold energy chilled him to the bone. Seiji grabbed Ryo and pulled him out of the way, but Saturn and Anubis were left wide open. Seiji again cursed himself for not thinking; why didn't he just create a barrier? He watched, in slow-motion, as the energy charged at them.

And then Jupiter jumped in the way. His breath caught in his throat as she threw an attach that pushed back most of the energy's force; it still collided into her, thought, and she was thrown aside. The energy rebounded, soaring back into the air. His eyes, however, followed Jupiter as she skidded to a stop. For a moment she seemed fine, if not a bit unsteady.

Then she collapsed, right into Uranus's arms. "Shit, Pluto—now—"

Pluto wordlessly strode into action. Guiding the powers of time and space to her whim was like breathing to her. It was natural and almost instinctual. But of course there was something she failed to mention. Sealing the energy into another dimension was useless; she was powerful, but energy in such a large and powerful mass would be able to knock down the doors and come soaring back. As Pluto held up the Time Staff, she locked gazes with Saturn.

And though they had never discussed it with each other—though Pluto hinted at it to Mars and Saturn confided only in Rajura—the two of them knew that this was what they had decided. Someone had to go with the energy into the other dimension in order to properly purify it—someone who knew darkness. It would have been impossible to Pluto to open and close the Time-Space Door while entering it. There was only one other person.

There was a gentle rip in the air. Seiji stared, awed, as a large, ornate door came into view. Its gates slowly creaked open; the energy crackled, intrigued by the sudden power. It slowly sidled in, curious. And then Saturn, holding her glaive in her hands, bolted forward.

"No!" Uranus suddenly roared, realizing what was happening. Saturn leapt into the air, right after the energy. "No, Hotaru—"

But before the mid-air door could close, there was a flash of light and Pluto felt someone shove her. Her eyes barely caught sight of Rajura leaping and grabbing Saturn by the ankle, pulling her back. For a second, the Garnet Orb flashed—then Pluto stopped herself. The energy followed Saturn right out, pulsing wildly, as if it were angry at a lost opportunity.

With her concentration broken, the door disappeared. Pluto stared wordlessly at Neptune, who had been the one to push her. "You—"

"Submarine reflection!" Neptune called out, ignoring her and holding out the Deep Aqua Mirror. The cold energy was instantly attracted, more so than it had been to the door; it scrunched in the air, manifesting itself in a twisted ball, before it soared at the Mirror. Neptune gritted her teeth as the energy continued to disappear in its reflective surface. After a moment, the Mirror gleamed. Then its surface dulled and Neptune lowered her arm.

"Is it—is it over?" Shuu asked hesitantly. "It's—your Mirror's not gonna blow, is it?"

"Of course not," Neptune said briskly. She turned a dark look over to Pluto. Pluto met her gaze evenly. "Gather yourselves, we're going back to the Youjakai."

"Jupiter's out," Mars said, motioning to where Rajura was currently taking the unconscious Senshi from Uranus. Uranus was too busy staring at where Saturn stood, as if she still had not comprehended what had just happened. "Will we be able to teleport everyone?"

"You want to sit around and find out?"

It took a few minutes to get everything situated, but it was seconds before they were back in the Youjakai, on the outskirts of the palace. Night had fallen; the stars, Shuu thought faintly as he nursed his arm, seemed to be brighter than he ever remembered. Mars, beside him, swayed on her feet before she steadied herself. He sighed. "Oh come here, crow lady, let me give you a shoulder to lean on."

She gave him a flat stare. He simply threw his good arm around her and pulled her close; despite her initial struggles, Mars gave in and slung her arm over shoulder.

"You're welcome," Shuu grinned. Mars just rolled her eyes before she glanced around. Rajura, who was carrying Jupiter, paused in his steps when he realized no one else had moved. Beside them, on the floor, Pluto held Anubis's unconscious form in her lap. Seiji's face was blank as he stared up at the palace. Ryo, however, was watching the scene unfold.

Neptune took quick steps to Saturn and slapped her.

"Neptune—"

"You will never," Neptune said, interrupting Uranus's startled shout, "do that again."

"Neptune," Saturn said coldly, unfazed by the stinging of her cheek. "You know my duty."

"That is not your only duty!" Neptune suddenly cried out, desperation edging onto her face as she grabbed Saturn by the shoulders. This was not something that Neptune did. Neptune was unfaltering confidence, smooth words and cool looks. Desperation was odd on her and just as uncomfortable for Saturn to see. "You are not destined to continually die, Hotaru! The second you woke up as Sailor Saturn, you swore an oath to the prince and princess—"

"And if I have to give up my life—"

"You don't have to!" There were tears in Neptune's eyes, tears that Saturn was so unaccustomed to seeing. "If there is the smallest chance that we can defeat them without your sacrifice, then you have to believe in it."

"I can't risk it," Saturn said, though she was carefully watching the ways Neptune was breaking down. "If the fate of the world is in balance, then I can't risk it."

"You are not responsible for that, we all are," Neptune said, her voice lowering. Her deep blue eyes searched Saturn's. "We all have to protect this world, protect the future. Your life is needed, not your death."

And she finally looked away, holding a fist to her lip as she tried not to keep yelling. Saturn let a low sigh escape her lips as she glance over Neptune's shoulder to make eye contact with Pluto. The crimson-eyed warrior was still on her knees with Anubis's still form in her lap. Her staff was on the floor, the Garnet Orb gleaming coldly under the reappearing sun. The corner of Pluto's lips tipped up, just the slightest—a sad apologetic smile, so characteristic of her.

And beside her was Ryo, staring at Saturn through unruly bangs, barely blinking, as if he were afraid that she would disappear any second.

"I understand," Saturn said quietly. Neptune's gaze shot back to her hopefully.

"Hotaru," Uranus said, finally deciding to speak. She looked unsure of what to do or say or feel. It seemed that speaking the younger Senshi's name was enough; Saturn bit her lip and glanced away, suddenly looking like the teenage girl she was.

"We can finish this later," Rajura interrupted, continuing to make his way into the palace. He shifted Jupiter in his arms. "Everyone has questions and you have answers."

Slowly, the group filed after him. Uranus helped Seiji lift Anubis onto his shoulders. She paused for a moment before touching Saturn's arm. Then she hurried after Neptune.

Saturn trailed behind before she let her transformation fade away. Ripped stockings and school uniform, she thought as she gripped her henshin pen. This was her, Hotaru—but at the same time she was still the cold soldier meant to end wars. She had thought that she had come to terms with who she was long ago, but Neptune's words, Uranus's speechless stare...

"I suppose I'll face Michiru's wrath later," Setsuna said. She clutched her own henshin pen in her hands.

"I'm surprised it wasn't Haruka-papa," Hotaru replied.

"Perhaps it would have been, three years ago." Setsuna sighed. "Peace is a strange thing."

"Strange?"

"It makes us reckless to protect what we want to keep safe."

"You were about to stop time," Hotaru said after a moment, watching her adoptive mother's gaze lower. "Before she used the Mirror. You were going to stop time and take my spot. That's the only way you would have been able to seal the doors yourself."

"I would have done it," Setsuna confessed. "I never wanted for you to follow me into death."

"Setsuna..."

"We had rings," Setsuna said. Hotaru looked surprised at the change of subject. Setsuna continued on. "A set of matching rings, a promise to look over you. Even then, we would have stepped aside and let you use your power. But I think now—we've been accustomed to living as a family."

"I know." Hotaru sighed. "I almost didn't want to do it."

"The two of us, we make quite a pair, don't we?" Setsuna mused. She sighed, shaking her head. "Perhaps we should let go of our duties to Selenity."

Setsuna was smiling, but Hotaru knew there was no joke.

"Let's go."

"You go. I need to catch my breath," Hotaru said quietly, looking up at the stars.

Setsuna nodded before she turned and left. On her way in, she passed by Ryo. He held her stare as she said to him, "Don't take long."

Ryo watched her go before he turned his gaze back to Hotaru. He wasn't even sure of what he wanted to say. From what he gathered, she and Setsuna had been planning to—what, sacrifice themselves? What could he say to that? He was beyond upset, but anything he said would probably be overshadowed by Sailor Neptune's words. He barely knew her. What right did he really have? In the midst of his thought, he found himself approaching her.

The two stood side-by-side, quiet. It was Hotaru who spoke first, and the words were not what he had expected. "We should go. They're waiting."

She turned to leave. Ryo grabbed her hand. "Don't."

"Ryo—"

"Don't pretend like you didn't almost just kill yourself."

"You don't understand."

"No, I don't," Ryo said, trying to keep his voice from rising. "But that still doesn't mean you can make decisions like that."

"Funny," Hotaru mumbled before she could stop herself, "when I made that decision a thousand years ago, no one really cared."

Silence. Ryo felt his anger halt for a moment. He barely knew her, he reminded himself. He knew nothing of what she had gone through. But did that really matter? Hotaru herself didn't even mean what she said; a thousand years ago, that had been the only choice. Michiru was right; why was she so ready to throw her life away for a beam of energy that could be sucked up by the Mirror?

"Hotaru, this is now. And you have people who care about you."

"Then I should be able to protect them," Hotaru said simply. "I should be able to protect you."

"You don't have to protect me."

"We had Anubis go after the energy source because of his affinity with darkness," Hotaru continued. "That kind of energy could have only been destroyed by its own kind—by Anubis's power, or Pluto's, or mine. Jupiter's only alive because she threw off a majority of its force before it tried to consume her. That's what darkness does, Ryo—it consumes."

"So does fire," Ryo said automatically before his could stop himself. He immediately regretted it as Hotaru rolled her eyes.

"You're not getting the point," she said with a pout. She was acting like a downright child, she knew, but in light of the preceding events, she didn't really care.

"I don't think you are either," Ryo said. "You saw how Michiru-san was so upset."

Hotaru stubbornly refused to look at him. He tried again.

"What if I tried to do what you did?"

"It's not the same. I have a thousand-year-old duty to—"

"It's the same!" Ryo burst out, startling her into meeting his gaze. It was as if he embodied the very power he had control over; his eyes were as blue as the base of a flame, blazing at her soul. "It's exactly the same, Hotaru. I've lost people I've cared about before, and I'm not about to lose you too. I'm sure this duty is important to you, but you need to realize that you are important to other people. So try and get where I'm coming from and promise me that you don't do it again!"

"I can't promise that!"

"Then try."

Hotaru let out an exasperated sigh as she glanced up at the sky. "Why are you so stubborn?"

"Why are you?" Ryo retorted. He watched as she closed her eyes for a moment, her face still turned upwards. Then she let out another sigh, her fingers curling back around his.

"I had a friend," she said quietly. "She stopped me from sacrificing my life before."

Ryo stayed quiet, but his grip on her hand tightened. Hotaru finally looked at him again, the corner of her lip quirking up.

"Sort of makes me think that friends are kind of troublesome."

"You don't mean that," Ryo said, holding her gaze. "You don't mean that at all."

Hotaru tilted her head, the ghost of a smile disappearing. Maybe it was time to let go of their duty to Selenity. She searched those fiery eyes for a moment; he wondered if she knew how tired her gaze was. When she spoke again, her voice was soft. "I can't promise, though."

And for some reason, this time, it was good enough for Ryo.

---

an just a fair warning, i haven't really given this a thorough read-through before posting -.- haha bad writer habit but i wanted to just update! and, wellllll this certainly took off in a direction i did not mean for it to. i had actually intended for plenty of fun and games and like zero percent melodrama but then this happened and i didn't think i wanted to put off updating. so! i apologize if it's choppy or sudden in some parts.

jeez as this fic progresses, it's getting harder for me to write the senshi -.-; especially usagi.

hm idk i think i'll comment on pairings at this point. i do have it figured out, but then the possibilities are just so endless that i can't not play around with them! like has anyone ever seen shuuxrei? or seijixami? bc if so, point me in that direction, please. that is all.

thank you for reading! i hope you enjoy! xo