AN: Just a few notes on some stuff:

Bellona was an Ancient Roman goddess of war, similar to the Ancient Greek Enyo. [Enyo was an ancient goddess of war, acting as a counterpart and companion to the war god, Aries. She is also identified as his sister, and daughter of Zeus and Hera.]

Shitennou stones

Zoisite: Zoisite occurs as prismatic, orthorhombic crystals or in massive form, being found in metamorphic and pegmatitic rock. Zoisite may be blue to violet, green, brown, pink, yellow, gray, or colorless...

Nephrite: It is one of two different mineral species called jade. The other mineral species known as jade is jadeite, which is a variety of pyroxene. While nephrite jade possess mainly grays and greens (and occasionally yellows, browns, or whites), Jadeite jade, which is rarer, can also contain blacks, reds, pinks, and violets.

Kunzite (aka Spodumene): Kunzite is a pink to lilac colored gemstone, a variety of spodumene with the color coming from minor to trace amounts of manganese. Some (but not all) kunzite used for gemstones has been heated to enhance its color.

Jadeite: Jadeite's color commonly ranges from white through pale apple green to deep jade green but can also be blue-green (like the famous and recently rediscovered "Olmec-Blue" jade), pink, lavender, and a multitude of other rare colors.

All references are from Wikipedia.

I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. You might want to get the box of tissues.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Her eyes closed, she chanted in front of the fire. Kasei felt at peace when she was in her room, when she was alone; and after the couple of months she had, peace was what her body needed. It was nice to be back, to be back on Mare Serenitatis and off that god-awful planet. However, it was for her princess, and she would do anything for her princess.

She had watched as her princess ran to her mother, had hugged her and cried. Kasei had to hold back the sob that had threatened to escape at the scene, her dark eyes misty. Suisei and Mokusei cried openly, but that was them, their personalities; and it made them who they were. Kinsei had stood silently beside her, her topaz eyes on the scene before them and dry as the desert. It was like she'd closed her heart off toward her princess.

Kasei was starting to worry over her golden friend. She disappeared every Friday night, only to return on Sunday morning. Everyone knew where Kinsei was on the nights she'd be gone, it wasn't like the other girls weren't doing the same, but it was the fact that she'd deny it when asked if she'd been with Kunzite. She wore the golden chain around her hip at all times, and had even included it in one of her attacks; but when asked where the chain had come from, she wouldn't respond. It was as if…as if Kinsei was ashamed of being with him. However, more so than that, it was as if she couldn't wait for Friday to come, just so she could be away from Serenity.

Kasei knew that Kinsei still didn't approve of Serenity's relationship with Endymion. She feared that it was going to ruin them all and destroy their world, but she also knew that their love was pure and true, and who would she be if she voiced her disapproval over true love? Not a very good love goddess, that's for sure. Also, Kinsei had voiced her concern to Kasei, that if Serenity stopped seeing Endymion; then would they have to stop seeing his generals as well? Kinsei couldn't bear the thought of not being with Kunzite, she loved him too much.

Just thinking about Kunzite, made Kasei think of Jadeite, which in turn made her blush. After the night they had last Friday, Kasei was amazed she could even walk. Jadeite was turning out to be quite the lover, always making her laugh, blush, and even sigh happily. She briefly wondered if this was how it had been with her mother and father. Had Bellona, her mother, blushed when Aries, her father said something romantic? Kasei highly doubted it, seeing how she had never known a kind word from her father, how could her mother? Kasei knew that their union had been one of an arranged marriage, so she highly doubted her father had ever wooed her mother. They had met only one week before being married, and it wasn't more than five years before she had come along.

Then just as quickly as they'd been married, and she'd been born; Bellona had died. Kasei was only two, a few months shy of being three, when her mother had passed away, her memories of her mother dim and limited. However, they were memories of love and laughter. Bellona had loved her daughter beyond everything, showed her every kindness that she could before dying of an illness that even Zeus, himself, could not cure. They had buried her on Mars, the rain pouring down from the sky, and masking the scent of tears. Kasei didn't remember much of the funeral, not even the color of her dress; but she remembered her father wasn't there. He hadn't been there the day Bellona had died either. No, instead Kasei had to endure that by herself, her two year old mind not understanding why her mother wasn't waking up.

Opening her eyes, Kasei stared at the fire before her, its red flames edged with gold and orange. The fire always had the power to calm her, its heat and flame making the edge she felt throughout her whole body, disappear. Sighing, she shook her long scarlet hair and stood. Feet bare of shoes and cloth, she walked to the water basin by the window, her hands cupping the water before she splashed it on her face. The coolness of the liquid took some of the hotness away, but not enough to discourage her. Patting her face dry with a small piece of cloth, her eyes went to the one photo in her room.

She lowered the towel, putting it back in its place before walking over to the framed photograph. It was the same one Jadeite had seen, had looked upon and wondered about. Bellona's long raven hair lay on the ground, covering her feet and hem. She smiled back out at Kasei as she held a smaller version of herself in the photo. Kasei remembered when the picture had been taken, had remembered the one family outing Aries had attended before Bellona had died.

She was ill in this picture, her frame small and weak, as she could only hold her daughter's hand, instead of Kasei sitting in her lap, like she had wanted. Bellona had smiled as if her whole life had depended on it, which it did, for she knew her time was up and it wouldn't be long before she was to pass on to the Underworld.

Blinking back the tears that threatened to overflow, Kasei put the picture down and walked back to her seat by the fire. Inhaling, she closed her eyes once again and began to chant, her voice steady in the darkness of the room. It was the fire that alerted her to the presence in her room.

"If you wish to speak, do so quickly then leave," she said to the darkness, her eyes never opening. "Otherwise, I suggest you leave…Aries."

He stepped out of the darkness, the fire lighting up his face. "You always did know when I came into the room, didn't you?" he said, his scarlet eyebrow going up in curiosity. Kasei opened her eyes then, and looked at him. He still looked the way she'd last seen him, sixteen years ago.

Hair, the same color as hers, lay upon his head in spiky waves, the tips colored black for effect. Eyes, the color of blood, were looking out at her, taking in how much she looked like her mother. He wore the clothing of war, armor bright and gold upon his chest. In one of his hands was a spear, the tip bright with blood. "My, how much you have grown, Kasei. You look just like your mother," Aries said, his voice booming throughout the room.

"Aye," Kasei said as she eyed him, curious as to what he wanted. "However, I do not think you came just to comment on how much I look like Mother, Aries. What is it that you want?"

"Still refusing to call me father, I see."

"When you act like one, then I shall call you that name. However, 'tis the first time I've seen you in sixteen years. So, I ask again and for the last time, what is it that you want?"

Aries stared at her, before he sighed. It was then that Kasei knew something was wrong. Her father never showed weakness, not to anyone; let alone her. "You have been with someone." It was a statement, rather than a question.

One red eyebrow went up. "Aye, that I have," she replied to him. "I am no longer a virgin."

"I see.." Aries paced the floor, the fire following him as if on command. "It doesn't concern me that you've been…sexual with someone, Kasei. What concerns me is how you so openly gave your heart to him."

Kasei was getting just a little fed up with her father. "Have you been watching me, Aries?" she asked before giving a bitter laugh. "I hadn't thought you cared enough."

Aries's head whipped around, eyes narrowing at her comment. "Of course, I care. You are my daughter, my only one. Your well being is my utmost concern," he said in a harsh voice. Staring at her for a few more minutes, he turned his head. "There is trouble brewing. "

"Aye," Kasei said. She stood from her spot, watching as Aries continued to pace the floor upon which he stood. She watched his steps, watched as even in the small room where her ritual fire was held, he seemed to over-power the space. "However, you needn't concern yourself with it. We senshi have it under control."

It was then that Aries stopped pacing, bright eyes wide. His spear dropped to the floor as his hand let go of it and he went to his daughter. Standing before her, he stared into the same eyes that were her mother's, the same amethyst that had belonged to Bellona, before he pulled her into a hug. "You, daughter, have nothing under control. Control is only given when you can understand your enemy," he said into her ear. "You have nothing under control."

Kasei was so surprised, she could do nothing but stand there, her arms down at her sides as for the first time in her life, her father embraced her. "Aries?"

With a wave of his hand, the fire moved, becoming more brighter as the flames licked the tin roof. And inside the fire was a picture, moving. It was of Zoisite.

Zoisite moved from shelf to shelf, books in hand. He seemed to be stacking the library, but it didn't look like he was doing a very good job. For every book he stacked, another came down in its place. "Suisei would like this one," he said as he stacked in it his arms, the already heaping pile growing.

"Of course, I would," a small voice answered from the doorway. Zoisite turned his head, the blond of his ponytail whipping around to land on his shoulder. He couldn't believe his eyes. "Sui-"

"-sei?" Kasei's voice sounded dull in the dimly lit room as her father released her and she stared into the bright flames. "But… this can't be real! She is in her room, playing her harp that he made for her, as we speak! She cannot be on Earth." Her head whipped around to stare at her father, scarlet dancing in the wind. In the same wind that moved her hair, you could hear the soft lullaby of the harp playing.

"Shhh…" her father suggested, one finger up to his lips. "Watch and see."

"Suisei, what… " Zoisite could only stare at the ice princess as she made her way into the room, her movements graceful and elegant. Seeming to gain some kind of control of himself, he tried once more to speak. "Suisei, how nice to see you," he said as he watched her. There was something different about her. "I hadn't thought to see you until Friday."

"Aye, I know," she said, her fingertips brushing against the wall as she made her way into the room. "However, I missed you and since things on the Moon were dull, I decided to come here to visit."

It was then that Zoisite knew something was off. The Suisei he knew and loved never called her home the Moon, but Mare Serenitatis. And to her, it was never dull. "I see," he replied. "And where is your charge?"

Suisei moved her head, her blue eyes staring at him. He felt the coldness coming off of her in waves. "She is here on Earth, with his highness," she said, the words like acid on her tongue. Walking over to where he stood, she smiled sweetly at him.

Zoisite could only smile back at her, but he knew then that this person before him wasn't his beloved. This Suisei had just lied to him. Endymion was with his father, coming up with war strategies, not with Princess Serenity. He had just seen him no more than an hour ago, in the large throne room, overlooking maps. He put the books in his arms down. "Well, would you like to visit the gardens, then? I hear the lilies are blooming early."

"Oh, aye, that sounds lovely," she said as she stepped up to him, one hand behind her back. "However, before we go, I would like to show you something."

As Zoisite stared into eyes that we deprived of life, he just continued to smile. "And what may that be, my hyozan?" he asked, using the nickname he'd given her.

"This." She pulled out the knife from behind her back, the blade glittering in the bright sunlight.

Zoisite had but one thought as she plunged the blade into his chest, red spilling out as she repeated the process over and over. I love you, Suisei, entered his mind before he dropped to the ground, his life spilling from him.

Suisei smiled as she continued to stab him, the laughter building up. Once she was sure he was dead, she pulled forth the small blue stone from the folds of her long gown and laid it upon his scarlet chest.

Kasei was beyond shocked as she watched the scene unfold before her very eyes. One hand covered her mouth as she just stared. "But.. Suisei would never do something like that!"

"There is more," Aries said, his hand moving once more.

The fire moved and another picture came into view. This time it was of Nephrite.

He tended to the camellias in his greenhouse, their pink and yellow petals blooming beautifully. Cutting the stem at an angle, he smiled as he moved the plant to a container. "Now you grow big and strong, little guy," Nephrite said as he placed the small plant inside the black container, pushing and pulling the soil around it. When he was done, he grabbed his watering can, and gave the small bud some liquids.

He didn't hear the door open behind him, his mind preoccupied with the task before him. Nor did he see the gleam of scissors as they were raised above his head before being bought down into his back.

Shock registered on his face, as he moved to pull the cutting tool from his back, but he was too late. Turning around to see who had stabbed him in the back, Nephrite was surprised to see Mokusei standing behind him, her emerald eyes mad.

"Mokusei?" he managed to say before he dropped to his knees, his hands grabbing the fabric of her pine green gown, blood smearing on it. "Wha…"

"What lovely flowers," came her soft reply. She danced around him, her feet bare on the hard floor. She fingered a single petal, the flower dying before her hand even moved away. "Aw, I so wanted to take one back to Jupiter with me."

If her stabbing him wasn't proof enough that it wasn't his beloved, her not knowing the name of the flower he had growing in his greenhouse was. "Witch…" was all he could say.

Emerald eyes narrowed. "Oh not that again," she said as she watched the light leave his eyes and his body fall forward.

He was dead, and she, for one, was glad of it. Placing the green stone upon his back, she watched as it began to glow.

Kasei turned to her father, anger across her face. "If this is some sort of joke, Aries, so help me I'll kill you."

Aries stared at the flames, his eyes sad. He hated bringing bad news to his only child, but it had to be done. She needed to know what was coming, and unless she asked the flame the right questions, she wouldn't have known. "Do you believe that I would joke about something like this? Even I, daughter, am not that cruel."

"Aye, perhaps not; but you are cruel."

"Something I do not deny, however there is more," he said waving his hand for a third time. It pained his heart to break his daughter's.

Bending down, Kunzite picked up a spear from the floor, putting it back in the closet where their weapons were kept. He continued to pick up and clean around the training room, trying to control his anger. They had just trained only yesterday, and hadn't he ordered that they pick up their gear before leaving the room? "Could've swore I did," he mumbled to himself as he bent over to pick up yet another spear.

Placing that one in yet another closet, he turned around to see Kinsei standing in the doorway, golden gown hanging from her body. She smiled sweetly at him, her topaz eyes shinning with something… Something he wasn't sure of.

"Why, Kinsei, koi," he said. He moved towards her. "What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting," came her reply as she embraced him in a small hug. Pulling back to look up at him, she continued to smile. She moved out of his arms, to walk over to the closet he had just closed. Opening the door, she looked at him before she pulled a spear from the inside.

"Are you alone? Or are the others here as well?" he asked. His grey eyes watched her. Something didn't feel right. On guard, he watched as she twisted the spear around in her hand, as if it were just a tree branch.

"The other's are here as well, visiting," she replied, her golden hair swaying with her movements. "Yes, that's what we shall call it…Visiting." She threw the spear straight at his chest.

Kunzite saw it coming, moved just in time and with eyes wide, watched as it hit the wall next to his head. He'd fallen to his butt when he'd moved out of the way, and now he sat on the floor, just staring at her. "Kinsei?" he whispered as his eyes went wide again, before he ducked once more out of the way.

The spear hit the wall above his head. "What the hell, woman! Why are you throwing spears at me?"

"Well, if you stayed still, I wouldn't have to be throwing them at you. You'd be dead already," she said, her voice crackling with laughter. Staring at him, one hand on her hip, her yellow gown flowing around her, she frowned. "Perhaps this would be easier," and with that, she walked over to him and thrust the spear into his chest.

Eyes wide, Kunzite could stare at her as he gasped for air. Kinsei pulled the spear back out, and he groaned with pain. However that groan turned into a yell as she thrust the spear back into his chest. She continued to do this until he stared up at her with lifeless eyes. When Kunzite's body fell over onto its side, she kicked him with her heel so that he laid on his back. She placed the lilac colored stone upon his chest, grinning as it began to glow.

"Aries, who is doing this?" Kasei asked as the picture faded back to red, the flames licking the tin roof. "Are Zoisite, Nephrite, and Kunzite truly dead? And what of Jadeite?" Tears fell from her amethyst eyes, unchecked by her, as she stared at her father. A hand went up to her mouth as his eyes lowered. "No.. not him… Not Jadeite, no…Father…"

Aries's hand moved, and as the fire played the last scene of the evening, Kasei's cried her grief out in her father's arms.

He was comfortable outside. The air was cool, the sun setting in the distance, and as he watched, it reminded him of her. The way the reds and oranges played with each other, just like her scarlet hair, before they turned to the purples and blues that beckoned the night sky, the same color as her eyes.

Jadeite listened to the sound of the waves as they crashed upon the shore a few feet away from where he sat. He'd come there to think, to make sure his heart was ready. He didn't dare ask the others for their opinions, too afraid of being made fun of or worse, them bring proud that the youngest of the group had fallen in love with the fire princess. And she him, something no other man had ever been able to do.

It was the crunch of the sand under feet that alerted him to her presence. Jadeite turned his head, the blond of his hair falling into blue eyes as he stared at the glowing goddess behind him. Standing, he smiled as he wiped the sand from his pants.

"Kasei, what a pleasant surprise," his voice was light and tender. Surprise written across his face, for he knew he was going to see her soon, but hadn't expected to see her that very day. Was he ready for this?

She nodded her head as she walked towards him, her dark eyes shining. She didn't speak, not a word as she came closer to him. Nor did she smile.

It was the lack of the smile that told him something was off. "Kasei, I have something I wish to discuss with you," he said, one hand coming up to rub behind his neck. Blushing, unsure as to how to begin, he shifted from foot to foot. "You see…. How should I say this? I love you, which you happen to know. And you love me, which I happen to know as well. And well… "

Jadeite dropped to one knee, his hands fisting in his pockets as he pulled out the little black box. Kasei stopped moving, her eyes no longer shinning.

Holding the box out towards her, he gave a small smile. "Will you be mine for all eternity?" The question was simple, the answer as well.

However, Jadeite never got his answer; not from the real Kasei anyways. For the one who was before him, as he asked his question, pulled a knife out from behind her back and thrusting the blade into his shoulder, continued to stab him until he lay motionless in front of her.

She placed the white stone that bore his name on top of his chest, and as it began to glow, whispered into the wind, "Not in this lifetime, nor in the next."