Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife
Chapter Forty-Nine
Usagi opened her eyes slowly when she felt a soft tap on her shoulders, looking up she saw Megumi smiling softly back at her, "Your Highness..." she whispered in a caring tone. Usagi stirred on the bed next to Mamoru and looked at him but there was no improvement or change in his face that could lead her to think he had come back from his deep sleep. "W-What time is it?" she was still under the effects of the sedative and still felt groggy and disoriented. "A little past noon... Your Highness, you need to eat something." Megumi tried to help the princess sit on the bed. Usagi rubbed her mascara smudged eyes and shook her head, "I'm not hungry Megumi..."
"Please, what would my Prince say about you not eating?" the young maid combed her long silver fringe with her fingers and gave her a warm and comforting smile, "Do it for him,"
"I don't want to leave his side Megumi..." Usagi turned to look at Mamoru and combed his hair back, "I have never seen him like this... he is so cold, I can barely hear his heartbeat. I'm scared he might just leave..."
"He is not going to leave," Megumi looked at the white-haired princess with certainty, "The Shitennou agree he might be exhausted and recovering his energy for having used the crystal." The maid looked down at him with a longing expression on her face, Usagi noticed. It's true, back then, she remembered Endymion treated her more like a little sister than a maid and he had said countless of times she was part of his family, like the generals so it was only natural she would feel the same need to be close to him, just like she did, and now she was trying her best to be strong and give her, his wife, the hope she needed to stay sane and for that, she was grateful. Usagi looked down and smiled at her husband, "He likes it when I comb his hair like this... it soothes him," tilting her head, she looked at his handsome face, "I miss his eyes..." she took a deep breath, slowly breaking into sobs, "I miss his voice and his silly jokes... he says the most random things..." her voice began to quiver as she continued combing his hair back, "I miss his voice... the way he says my name..."
"Princess..." Megumi felt her heart breaking into tiny pieces to see her crying with such sentiment for her prince. Usagi sniffled and wiped her tears with her hand, "I know he would be saying—Usa don't cry. Usa you are stronger than this—Usako I'm fine, this is nothing! —But the truth is Megumi... I am strong because he is by my side. All we dealt back then, I could handle it because I knew that at the end of the day I would be able to escape and see him, even if it was just for a little while. He was always there waiting for me with a smile that could vanish all of my worries and pain for being apart from him for too long." she shook her head and closed her eyes, her fresh batch of tears were caught by the bandages on his chest, "To see him like this is torture to me, I don't know if he can listen to me, I don't know if he can feel I am touching him, I don't know if he is aware that I am here next to him... this is pure torture," she looked up to meet Megumi's eyes, "It's torture..."
Megumi walked to the other side of the bed and pulled Usagi into a tight hug; she looked as weak and vulnerable as Mamoru, the only difference was that one was conscious and the other wasn't which made it even worse because they both were vanishing right before their eyes and there was nothing that could stop them until one of them brought the other to the light. Usagi wrapped her arms around Megumi and responded to the much-needed hug and broke into desperate sobs so full of angst. Her loud cries soon caught the attention of the shitennou who quickly walked into the room to find the princess crying her heart out; Kunzite took a deep breath and walked over to her, "Princess Serenity," he put his hand on her shoulder in support, "Please, you need to eat something. If Endymion finds out we failed to his command of looking after you, we will never hear the end of it."
Usagi slowly looked at the white-haired man, giving Kunzite the perfect opportunity to continue, "Zoisite cooked with Megumi's help—something about vegetables and noodles?" he gave her a puzzled face, "We should give his dish a try before he gets all depressed, if it helps, he is the best cook of all us four—five, if we count the Prince." The gesture made Usagi feel better, it was the first time she had to spend time with them without restrictions, laws, or being told she needed to stay away from the prince for their safety. She knew deep down they were good men and she was grateful they were there at times like these; in this short period of time, they had earned their rightful place in the group and were now part of the family, like it should have been since the very beginning. A soft nod made the general smile and slowly helped her get off the bed, "Venus and the girls went to freshen up and run some errands, they will be here later today—if you prefer them to be here instead of us, you are most certainly welcome to—"
Usagi turned to Kunzite and wrapped her arms around him, startling him completely, "Princess?" Usagi looked up and shook her head, "You are Endymion's brothers... you have all the right to be here and I am glad to finally be able to be with you without any stupid rules forcing us to go against each other. I am grateful for all of your support."
Jadeite, Zoisite, and Nephrite looked at the scene played before them with wide eyes, Kunzite smiled and returned the gesture by wrapping his arms around her in a brotherly hug and turned to Zoisite, "Well, you heard our Princess, she is willing to eat that dish of yours."
The blonde blinked then looked at Megumi coming back from the bedroom and straight into the kitchen to serve the princess some much-needed food. Usagi sat on the table and looked down at the bowl of udon noodles with extra vegetables, "Please do not judge my culinary skills, Your Highness, I just learned how to prepare this—it was actually Mercury who introduced me to this dish."
"Wait," Usagi softly frowned when she saw them standing by the back wall, "Are you not going to eat with me?" she shook her head, "Oh no, no... if you want me to eat, please note, I will not do it alone. Mamo-chan knows this and he always waits for me to eat together—it's tradition. Please, sit with me—" she turned to look at the maid and nodded, "You too, Megumi."
All four shitennou pulled out a chair and sat with Usagi at the dining table and waited for Megumi to serve them a bowl of noodles and began eating in silence. Usagi widened her eyes and turned to Zoisite with surprise, "Zoisite, did you really make this?"
Jadeite gave a playful look to his blonde comrade and cracked a laugh, Zoisite nodded, completely ignoring his brother's mocking grin, "Yes, Princess."
Usagi took more of the thick noodles with her chopsticks and slurped them softly, feeling the warmth of the broth soothing her like a warm blanket, "You cook better than I do, this is delicious," she pouted her lips, "You will have to teach me... Mamo-chan likes to eat a lot of vegetables and I never get them done right." the quick lightness in her voice was soon shadowed by the mention of the prince's name. Megumi bit her lower lip and turned to the shitennou hoping they will come up with something that would help her snap out of her gloomy state.
"I will be more than glad to teach you, Your Highness, it is actually not that complicated to make, you start by doing the broth—" Zoisite said softly and blinked when he saw Usagi raised her hand, stopping him mid-conversation, "—See, you just lost me at broth," she smiled softly, "I am terrible in the kitchen, terrible—Mamo-chan is the official cook in this apartment."
"Endymion can cook?" Jadeite quirked a brow with genuine surprise, Usagi slurped another noodle with delicacy and nodded, Jadeite blinked, "Really? Huh, who would have thought... that is new information."
"Is he good?" Kunzite asked still doubtful of the prince's secret ability in the kitchen. He never imagined him handling a pan. Usagi smiled and nodded, "He is very good actually, he knows a lot." the memories of him making breakfast while she sat on her usual spot by the counter while making herself what he would describe as the sweetest, most cloying coffee in the world while placing another fluffy pancake on her syrup drenched plate. The smile slowly faded and looked down at her half-eaten bowl and tried to fight her tears pooling in her crystal blue eyes again, "Do you think he can hear me?"
"Yes,"
Usagi looked at Nephrite wide-eyed, the brown-haired general nodded with reassurance, "Deep down in his subconsciousness, I know he can listen to your voice. You two share a special bond and I know he reacts to your presence even if he does not show it." Usagi smiled in gratitude and turned to Jadeite who was slurping the last noodle in his bowl, and put it aside while turning to Zoisite, "Well I am impressed,"
"Thank you." Zoisite said softly, "But?"
"Eh?" Jadeite frowned, "What makes you think there is a but?"
"Because of all people, it is you the one giving me the compliment, if it was Kunzite or Nephrite that would have been the end of it, but you are a whole different story," Zoisite narrowed his eyes at Jadeite, who started chuckling, "There is really no but, I really enjoyed the meal." He turned to Usagi, "And I am really glad to see Princess Serenity enjoy something tasty too." he tilted his head, "Your Highness... I would like to ask for your permission to change the sheets on the bed and also Endymion's clothes..."
Usagi blinked, taken by surprise by the blonde's formal request, "W-Why are you asking me for my permission?"
"Because you are Endymion's spouse, and while he is unconscious you have to make those decisions for him—you are the only one that can," Jadeite said softly, "We do not want to do anything that would make you feel uncomfortable but we know he is quite heavy, so it is not something you would not be able to do it by yourself." Usagi tilted her head low and nodded, looking down "Thank you," she took a minute to regain her strength to look up at the shitennou, "I would very much appreciate it if you helped me... I can't stand seeing all that blood, it makes me feel dizzy."
"Say no more," Jadeite bowed his head in respect and turned to his fellow comrades who silently followed him back to the bedroom. Usagi let out a soft breath and stood up but before she could start cleaning the table, Megumi put a hand on hers and stopped her, "I will take care of this Your Highness—go with the Prince." Usagi smiled and caressed her cheek with the back of her hand, "I don't know what I would do without any of you, you are my guarding angels, thank you so much for everything."
Megumi blushed and watched the princess walking back to the bedroom before heading to the kitchen to clean all the pots and plates used to make dinner.
O—o—o—o—O
The soft clicking of heels caught the attention of the lord of the underworld as he could hear them coming closer to his throne. Hades did not need much to know the deity asking for an audience was no other than Asteria; he turned and saw her flushed face and deep cuts on her lip and quirked a brow, "By the look on your face I can already tell what you have come to inform me."
"Milord," Asteria went on one knee and hung her head low in respect for the god of the dead, "I have not come to justify what happened."
"Then why are you here?" Hades frowned, "You opened the Gates of the Underworld, used many of my arsenal of shadows and you still did not accomplish the one task I entrusted to you."
"The hybrid is strong," Asteria said with her head low, Hades tightened his jaw with anger "Of course he is strong, what did you expect? Why do you think I want his soul with such urgency?" he growled and turned to look away, "Time is slipping from our hands Asteria and the more time that creature stays alive, the bigger the sin and the bigger the danger."
"I will get the task done, Milord."
"And the Andromedian?"
"He is part of the second part of my plan... he has made an appearance; their attention is focused on him." Asteria said with more confidence in her words and looked up, "I just found the hybrid's weak point—"
"Which is?"
"The Moon Princess."
"I see," Hades licked his lower lip with marvel, "And what does the Andromedian have to do with any of this? He has been wandering the Underworld like if it was his realm and he is nothing else but a pawn—a weakling."
"The Andromedian has unfinished business with the Moon Princess and of course, holds a deep grudge for the hybrid which gives us the advantage to weaken and break the mortal's spirit. If we move the Princess out of the way it will be easier to tackle the problem."
"I will not tolerate any more of this nonsense, Asteria. I could care less if you are of Titan descendance or not." he sighed with anger, "Get the task done,"
"I will take care of this matter, Milord, I will get it done." She bowed her head and turned to leave. Once the gates of the throne room were closed, her eyes turned red and she felt her chains coil around her body like snakes eager to devour anyone's soul just to take out on her frustrations. She traveled back to her nest, far secluded from Hades' palace. She sat on her dark throne and looked at her chains hiss and rattle like snakes around her as she thought about what happened on Earth; her dark eyes gleamed red with anger as she watched the andromedian suspended in an unconscious state again. "I will get the task done—I will not yield." she narrowed her eyes, "I never fail... the hybrid is mine."
O—o—o—o—O
Kunzite walked back from the bedroom and saw Usagi sitting on the sofa looking down at something in her hands, "Princess?" Usagi looked up and gave the general a weak smile, "Did you find everything you need?"
"Yes, Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite are changing Endymion's clothes, we just changed the sheets—I suppose the best thing to do is to dispose of them," the white-haired general and sat next to her on the sofa, his eyes looked down at a black book in Usagi's hands and narrowed his eyes, "Everything alright, Princess?"
Usagi looked down and nodded, "Yes..." she opened the large hardcover book in her hands and showed Kunzite its contents, "It's our wedding photo album... the building's manager probably signed for it when it was delivered and one of the girls must have picked it up and left it in the foyer," her fingers traced Mamoru's face on the picture, "I'm scared, Kunzite..." she muttered as she turned the large page to look at another picture of them looking at each other with a wide smile on their faces; she remembered that picture happened right after they were pronounced husband and wife, right before their first official kiss as a married couple, "I am scared this is the only way I am ever going to look into his eyes or to see him smile this way again,"
"Princess..."
"Why is this happening Kunzite? Why is he in that state?" Usagi turned the page but her pain was too strong and her sobs too constant she preferred to cover her face with her hands, "This has never happened before, why is he leaving me?"
"I wish I could give you a straight answer Princess..." Kunzite closed his eyes for a minute, "But what I am sure is that he would never leave you." he sighed, "Prince Endymion's past is much more complex than what we all know and not even us, his guardians, can understand it. But I know him, and I know how important you are to him. I share Nephrite's thoughts and say you two share a very special bond that has transcended time."
"Like the one you share with Venus," Usagi moved her hands away from her face and turned to see a blushing Kunzite, "Y-Yes,"
"I'm glad," Usagi gave the general a soft smile, "You belong to each other... and it was about time," she leaned forward and patted his hand softly before standing up and putting the heavy album on the coffee table. Kunzite knew she was going back to the bedroom; the more he spent time with her, the more he silently admired her devotion for the prince, "Princess—" a soft knock caught them off guard, both turning to the door with a quizzical frown, "Who could that be?" Usagi mumbled with curiosity, "The girls know they can just walk in,"
"I will go get that, Your Highness, please wait here." Kunzite stood up and walked towards the door, "Kunzite, you really don't have—" she bit her lip when she saw him look back at her with a serious face, one that was not open for negotiation, "Endymion was very serious when he asked me to look after you—I cannot fail his petition. We may treat ourselves like brothers but I know my place, he is my Prince, and I must obey when given a task."
Usagi smiled, knowing that is something Mamoru would ask his right hand and closest friend to do and with a soft sigh, agreed. Kunzite turned to open the door and found a very nervous Akira standing at the other side looking back at the white-haired man with wide eyes. "Yes?" Kunzite said in his usual monotone deep voice. For those that did not know the man, he would easily fall under the label of rude and emotionless, even cold. He was not the kind of man that would put a face for everything; just like Endymion, he mastered the art of a poker face and he barely ever raised his voice, allowing his commands fall deeper into consideration before attempting going against his wishes. Akira immediately felt intimidated by the man at the door and hesitated to speak; Kunzite quirked his brow and leaned on the frame, "Can I help you?"
"I-I'm looking for Chiba Mamoru," Akira said softly, "No—better said, Endymion... this is where he lives, right?"
Usagi widened her eyes at the mention of both names and walked quickly towards the door to meet the girl on the other side, standing next to Kunzite she frowned but before she could say anything Akira continued, "My name is Casanova Akira—I am the archaeologist that found the ruins of the ancient palace."
O—o—o—o—O
At the other side of the city, Ami scanned her card on the slot to check in her arrival and walked to the nurse's front desk in silence to sign a sheet and check her schedule for the day. After making sure where she had to go, she immediately made her way to the elevator and pressed the button to take her to the fifth floor as she waited for the doors to open for her again. She noticed there was more security around the halls and the usual tranquil aisle was more packed with doctors and nurses going in and out of different rooms and offices clearly proving the worry in everyone's mind. Ami walked to the reception and was immediately greeted by Maki, the charge nurse, always friendly and always ready to help, but despite her calm greeting, her face showed signs of concern and her usual singsong voice was quivered with worry, "Ohayo, Mizuno-san."
"Good day Maki-san—sorry I'm late."
Maki turned on her chair and handed the bluenette a binder with several sheets and her daily schedule, "After what happened with the blackout, it's normal. Everybody is shaken up by it." Ami nodded, "It sure rattled us all alike."
"Security is still analyzing the security cameras—" Maki said softly as she typed something on the computer; "Why?" Ami frowned, Maki turned to look to both sides and leaned forward, "I heard from one of the guards that they caught something strange in one of the tapes... it's not clear, but, it is said to be something very unsettling."
"Something strange?" Ami played ignorant, "Like what?"
"Strange shadowy figures, people, or something that looked like it..." Maki sighed and leaned back in her chair, "The emergency power plants went out for a while too—many patients in intensive care are in danger. Many of the nurses that were working their shift when the events happened can't really remember much; it's all a big blur." she widened her eyes, "Weren't you here last night covering a shift?"
"Y-Yes," Ami nodded, "Yes, but, just like everyone else, I hardly recall what happened. I was so scared I fainted."
Maki looked down at the schedule sheet and bit her lower lip, "Hm... you know, not that I think about it... I haven't seen Dr. Chiba lately; do you know what happened to him?" Ami froze and clenched her teeth nervously, "Oh, he is on vacation leave but he had a little accident that hasn't allow him to come back to work,"
"What?" Maki widened her eyes with shock, "An accident?! Is he okay?"
"Y-Yes, he's fine," Ami nodded, "It happened while he was on his honeymoon; he tripped and fell over a curve and ended up breaking his ankle,"
"Oh, well that—" the word finally fell into place in the nurse's mind and widened her eyes, "Wait, what?! Honeymoon!? He got married?!" Ami found the gesture adorable and chuckled while nodding again, "Yes, he got married almost three weeks ago but then the accident happened and well—he can't move around much."
"So, he broke his ankle, eh?" Another person joined their conversation, Ami turned to see Motoki walking over to them and smiled softly, "Good afternoon, Dr. Furuhata,"
"Good day, Dr. Mizuno," Motoki left his current binder on the desk for Maki to archive and took another one and started to give it a quick read. Ami felt something wasn't right with the always so cheerful and playful Motoki. His facial features showed tension and his green eyes mirrored nothing else than worry. Maki turned on her chair and sighed heavily, "Aww, what a lucky lady to marry such jewel of a man..."
Both Ami and Motoki turned to a flushing red Maki, who now realized she actually said the words out loud, "Oh... shoot..."
"Excuse me?" Motoki quirked his brow "What about me?"
"What about you?" Maki turned with a quirked brow; their work relation was similar to the one Ami, Mamoru and Motoki had since they shared a long time knowing each other and working together, giving them enough confidence to treat each other as friends more than just doctor and chief nurse. "You are very handsome too, Dr. Furuhata, but we all know you are married. Dr. Chiba has this mysterious vibe around him that always made us wonder more about his life and we all kind of figured he was single because he never mentioned anything about having a girlfriend or going out on a date or something." She sighed softly, "Now that Dr. Mizuno burst the bubble, we will hear a lot of hearts breaking as many nurses are surely going to freak out when they learn he's taken off the list of available bachelors."
Motoki shook his head, "Mysterious vibe? Well, that's new." he closed the binder and crossed his arms, "Sorry to break the news, but, Dr. Chiba has never really been on that list, Maki-chan. That man has been taken for a very long time by a very beautiful woman, I must add."
"It should not come as a surprise," Maki pouted her lips, "I always had the feeling he was hiding something." The comment made Motoki chuckle, "He wasn't, Maki-chan, he's just very private with his life." he sighed, "Well, I have to make another round, it's hectic around here—Dr. Mizuno, care to assist me today? I don't think following an assignment protocol is needed under such urgent circumstances."
Ami nodded, "Of course," she turned to Maki who waved her hand as they walked away from the nurse's station. Once they turned to a more secluded area, Motoki turned to Ami and frowned, "Did he really break his ankle?" Ami sighed and shook her head, "I was not lying to Maki-san when I said he had an accident but it is much more serious than just a broken ankle—he's unconscious. I would even dare to say he's in a coma."
"What?!" Motoki's green eyes widened, "Ami, what the hell happened?!" he looked both sides to make sure they were alone, "What did really happen?" Ami leaned on the wall and looked down for a minute, "It wasn't just a simple blackout, Motoki. Something did happen, something you know only we can fight." She took a deep breath and exhaled, "He stepped in to protect Usa-chan and got attacked, leaving him unconscious. He got hurt really bad, he does have a sprained ankle with multiple deep cuts that needed almost thirty stiches—to give you a rough number; he lost a considerable amount of blood from the injury too. Fortunately, there are no signs of internal trauma or other life-threatening injuries but he is in a vegetative state, he doesn't respond to any stimulation. His blood pressure is low, his heartbeats even when they are steady they're slow. He's out—completely out." she looked at him shyly, "I wanted to call you for help but that would have put you in great danger."
"Ami..." Motoki sighed, "I should have gone anyways, he's my friend. All of you are my friends."
"I know, but—" Ami paused when she saw a nurse past by them and sighed softly to continue, "The situation was too complicated and too dangerous to put you on the line and well, fortunately, he had everything I needed to treat his wounds at his apartment." Motoki clenched his jaw in deep worry and crossed his arms, "And how is he doing today?"
"His wounds don't look infected, he is slowly healing but he is still out."
"And Usagi-chan?"
Ami exhaled heavily and shook her head, "She's broken, desperate. She has never seen him like this and well—there was blood everywhere. I had to give Rei-chan a natural sedative to put on her tea so she could rest a little."
"I want to see him and Usa-chan too." Motoki said softly, Ami nodded, "Of course, although, she is not alone right now, I don't know if any of the girls have gone back to the apartment by now but—" she looked at her friend and pursed her lips, "Well, there is no point in hiding you this when you already know the truth about us," she sighed, "Mamoru, just like Usagi-chan, has us as her guardians, he has four guardians too—he's an ancient Monarch and so is Usa-chan."
"What?" Motoki's eyes widened twice in size, "You mean there is more to know about you?!"
"They are royalty, Motoki," Ami nodded, "I am telling you this because if you do go see him, you will hear a lot of Your Highness, Prince, or Endymion—his royal and real name." Ami looked at Motoki shaking his head in total astonishment, "That is a whole lot of new information, although, I am not surprised, he has always had that mysterious vibe and he's quite charming—when he wants to be, so Endymion eh? Fancy," he let out a soft chuckle, trying his best to lift the gloomy mood with a little comedy, "And Usagi-chan, does she have a royal name too?" Ami smiled softly and nodded, "Serenity,"
"Ah..." Motoki smiled, "Beautiful name for a beautiful lady, makes perfect sense." he sighed softly, "So, the guardians you mentioned before, are they the guys that were with him at the wedding?"
Ami nodded, "The Shitennou, yes—Kunzite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Jadeite." she took a step closer, "Motoki, this is far from being over and with Mamoru in his current state it's going to be hard for me to come to the hospital, I need to stay by Usa-chan's side but, I don't know what to do..."
"Don't worry about that, I will fill a report justifying yours and Mamoru's absence, we will use the honeymoon accident excuse to our advantage. They have been asking for him, the board, doctors, and nurses—he should have come back to work by now, his leave was supposed to last only two weeks but I will take care of it." he put a hand on her shoulder "We are losing a lot of patients, last night's blackout and this strange disease taking their energy and lives is complicating everything—I can't do what you guys can but staying here is my way to help and support you." Ami smiled and wrapped her arms around her blonde friend, "I know Motoki, and we all thank you—trust me."
"I will go see them after I am done here," Motoki smiled at her, Ami nodded "We can go together,"
"That would be great, thank you, Ami-chan." Motoki patted her shoulder, "Well, let's go tackle these urgencies so we can go soon."
O—o—o—o—O
Akira looked around at the neatly arranged apartment and looked at the photo album on the coffee table sitting next to the cup of tea Megumi had brought her just minutes ago. She looked at the endearing and beautiful picture then at the woman with silver hair sitting across from her on another sofa with Kunzite standing behind her, "May I ask, why are you looking for him, Casanova-san?" Usagi asked softly but with an authoritative tone, Kunzite noted.
"I was there last night," Akira glanced up, "She saved my life," she turned to Megumi who was standing next to Kunzite, "I was there... I saw what happened—what happened to him."
"If you were there, then you probably know it is not possible for you to speak to him." Kunzite crossed his arms, surprising Akira "W-Why?"
"Mamoru is recovering from his injuries, Casanova-san," Usagi said in the same soft yet authoritative tone. It was strange even for her to be calling him by his name with no honorifics, Kunzite was even surprised by her serious stance on the matter since she was always so sweet and considerate. "I know he went to see you before all this happened. His visit may have been the reason that triggered the blackout and the attacks but it was something that only concerned to him, he had his reasons to reach out to you. I cannot say much about it, but, even if he decided not to meet with you, I believe at this point the attacks would have happened anyway and on a much greater scale."
Akira widened her eyes when she recognized the pendant hanging from the silver-haired woman and remembered the item she had in her purse and turned to grab it, "I understand how you feel—" she turned with a shy face when she realized she didn't ask for the blonde's name, "Chiba Usagi," Usagi filled in the blank. Akira nodded, "I understand how you feel Chiba-san," she put the solid gold medal on the coffee table between her and Usagi who immediately widened her eyes, recognizing the piece of jewelry, "That's..."
"At first, I didn't want to believe he was telling me the truth... it was all too surreal, but then I thought I have dedicated all my work to follow my father's quest to unveil the myth of those with divine powers that once protected this planet and the universe. When he showed me that medallion, it matched perfectly with my father's work and stories." Akira shook her head softly, "My reputation is most likely destroyed by now and believe me, that is the last thing I in my mind, I too have someone special, and he too is in danger—I wanted to see Chiba-san and thank him for saving my life that day and I also wanted him to know that he has my support in anything else I could be useful... I wished Mikael could have been saved from their grasp and witness all this with me,"
"Who's grasp?" Kunzite narrowed his grey eyes, "And who is Mikael?"
Akira looked down, "Mikael is my life partner and he has gone with me in almost all of my expeditions. He was there with me when we discovered these ruins—but he was possessed by these entities and now, I don't know what happened to him."
Usagi felt the agony in Akira's voice and slowly her stoic newfound character began to crumble, revealing a much rawer emotion in her eyes. At this point, they both shared the same feeling the only difference was that while Mamoru was unconscious, she could still see him and be by his side while Akira felt the agony of not knowing where he was or if he was still alive and the mere thought of it consumed her. She leaned forward and grabbed the medal she knew by heart, "He wears this around his neck," Usagi traced the intricate lines of the circle and the cross, "Thank you, Akira-san for bringing it back to me... it means more than you can imagine." she looked up at her and let out a soft sigh, "I know it may not sound promising due to our current situation but I will do everything in my power to find Mikael and save him from them." Akira's eyes widened and began gleaming with unshed tears, "Chiba-san..."
Usagi looked down at the medal in her hands again and pressed her lips together, "Endymion and I have endured many trials together over the years, I know this is just another test we must overcome." she looked up at her with teary eyes, "I know he will come back to me and once he does, we will save this planet from those deadly shadows. That is a promise from one woman in love to another,"
Zoisite walked back from the bedroom unaware of their unexpected visitor, "Your Highness—" his green eyes widened when he recognized Akira but decided to remain silent. Akira turned and then looked back at the silver-haired woman, "Y-Your Highness... so you are a Monarch too... that means... that you truly are..." Usagi nodded and gave Akira a comforting smile, "My real name is Serenity, Crowned Princess of the Moon."
The archaeologist shook her head with amazement, "I have heard that story... my father told me when I was little," she tilted her head, "Never in a million years I would have thought that legend could actually be true."
"What story?" Usagi frowned with curiosity, Akira smiled, "He used to say the Moon and the Earth were so in love they functioned as a whole. Earth's tides and waves, the breeze, the stations, the starry nights... it was all a result of that cosmic love. I can see that now... my father was right." she smiled softly and stood up, "I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to talk to you, Your Highness." Akira bowed her head in deep respect, "Even if that promise you just made to me cannot be fulfilled," she looked up at Usagi, "I am deeply grateful for you to consider this heart of mine."
"I highly suggest to take refugee someplace else, if you return to your previous home it won't be long before they find you again, I do not think they will go after you anymore but, it is better to be prepared." Kunzite said softly, Usagi nodded and wrote her number on a piece of paper and handed it to her, "If anything happens, please let me know." Akira blinked surprised and nodded, taking the small piece of paper she looked down at the photo album and gave Usagi a soft genuine smile, "You make a very beautiful couple," she bowed her head again "Thank you for your time under such difficult circumstances," she turned to leave with Kunzite walking behind her.
Akira's words made a special impact on Usagi's heart as she looked down at the picture of them smiling at each other. She turned to Zoisite and with the faintest of smiles walked back to the bedroom and felt her heart sink in her chest at the image of her husband almost lifeless on the bed. Jadeite walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder in support, "We changed the sheets too, it was not easy, he is heavier than he looks..." Usagi turned to Jadeite and patted his hand softly, "Thank you for everything, Jadeite, I don't know what I would do without you,"
"We are here to help you, Princess," Nephrite said, Usagi smiled softly, "And I appreciate it very much but you know what else would make me feel better?"
"What is that Your Highness?" Zoisite blinked, eager to be of service.
"You going to have some rest,"
All four shitennou widened their eyes, "We cannot leave you alone, Princess." Jadeite shook his head, Usagi turned to look at them, "The girls will be here any minute now, Megumi is staying here with me and..." she turned to look at Mamoru on the bed, "I want to have a moment with him," she turned to her friends and smiled, "I will take care of him and I will be fine, I promise. If anything, anything happens... I will reach for you."
"If Endymion—"
"—Nobody will tell him," Usagi tilted her head and looked at Jadeite, "It will be our secret,"
All four shitennou bowed their head in respect, Kunzite surprisingly being the most reasonable of the four, "Anything," he reassured his Princess, a gesture, Usagi felt very much appreciated. "I promise."
With nothing much left to argue with the princess, they all understood her position and how much she wanted and needed time alone with the prince. To their surprise, Usagi has been more mature and strong than they imagined making them feel tranquil enough to trust her when she said she would call for them if anything happened during their short absence. All four nodded and left the room, Kunzite turned and saw her sitting on the bed and with a heavy sigh, he closed the door behind him.
Usagi carefully placed the gold medal next to his phone, wallet, and wrist-watch on his nightstand and cuddled next to him, "Mamo-chan..." she whispered and combed his hair back in slow motion, "Did you know there is a story about the love between the Earth and the Moon?" she leaned closer until her nose rubbed his eskimo style, smiling softly at the soft feeling, "It says that the ocean's waves and tides, the breeze, the stations and starry nights are a reflection of their cosmic love." Her voice started to quiver with emotion, "Now, I know you would say something like, 'Oh Usa, you are such a romantic bunny' while flashing me with that precious sensual smile of yours and we would stay up late talking about the silliest of things while listening to music or watching the weird game-show with the chicken-dressed people," she sniffled as she slowly traced the line of his jaw, "I am being strong like you asked me to be but..." she shook her head and snuggled closer to him and intertwined her fingers with his, "I don't know how much longer I will be able to take it, I miss you so much..." she broke into tears, "I know you are here... but you are cold and you are never cold," she sniffled and shook her head again, "Endymion please come back to me... please... wherever you are, please find your way back to me..." she took a couple of hasty breaths and closed her eyes as she clung to his arm with desperation, "There is something you need to know..."
O—o—o—o—O
Mamoru felt like it had been forever since he was trapped in a dimension he did not even know it existed. If this was what was left of Elsyion it was now far from what it once was, leaving only a shell that would only bring the gloomiest of memories. Obelix had left him feeling a deep void inside, he had crushed what was left of his pride and all of his beliefs; he looked up at the infinite sky and exhaled still feeling angry and deceived. The silence was overpowering, there was no breeze, no air, no scent—everything was suspended, like him, like his life, like his past, his future, and like the power he was supposed to have. Everything was suspended.
The word purgatorio made him feel like he had lost the battle like if he was paying for his sins ahead of time, wasn't that supposed to be in hell? —he thought bitterly. Despite the priest's warning, he tried to summon his energy to flee the void of solitude where he was stuck in but nothing came out, not even a spark between his fingers. He remembered then when the shitennou told him how they managed to survive all these years without actually going to a resting place in the underworld and how they have managed to survive all these years in a suspended state, he now understood this is what they meant.
"Purgatorio," he mumbled, feeling more familiar with the name. He turned to look around and frowned; there was nothing to see, nothing to do—it was all quiet, still, and gloomy. He turned to look behind him and noticed the fountain that just a while ago trickling with fresh water and waterlilies was now dry, empty and cracked. The gardens that were in front of him so full of life and filled with fresh blooming roses and lilies were now dry branches with thorns. He looked up again but there was no moon and no stars, nothing that could make him feel alive.
He slowly allowed his feelings to flourish from him again: rage, frustration, deception, sadness, fright. Everything that has been pulling and molding the man he was now, one that was far away from the one he apparently once was. He hated to admit Obelix was right, he thought he could handle it well on his own without expressing any emotion, without asking for help, without admitting that he was a train wreck and that despite acting cool and collected, he felt like if his chest was being ripped apart. The impotence of his present-self was devouring him inside, the sense of failure was too overpowering to even let him think straight. He barely could recognize himself, making him feel disgusted for being so stupid and weak.
It did not take long for purgatorio to start messing with Mamoru's head, slowly ticking the last of his patience and self-control. In a fit of uncommon rage, he turned to run away from the ruins of the temple without knowing which path to follow and soon he was standing in the middle of a long hallway that led him somewhere else in time and just when he was about to walk inside, his blue eyes widened when he saw a child all covered in mud running inside and leaving footprints behind.
The child's joyful laughter echoed inside the tall walls and dome stained glass ceilings as he went from one room to another obviously enjoying the mischief of his actions while a woman was desperately looking for the child. She was wearing a very simple pastel blue gown with long sleeves but he could not see her face; the urgency of her movements soon caught Mamoru's attention forcing him to go into one of the rooms once he lost sight of her. As soon as he stepped inside he immediately had this welcoming feeling, like if he had been there before. He turned to the side and widened his eyes when he saw the child inside the room stopped running when he noticed he was no longer alone. He looked at Mamoru with curious eyes and tilted his head, "If you do not move, she will find you."
Mamoru turned to look over his shoulder and then at the boy again and frowned, "What?"
"Come, hide with me!" The boy ran past the large foyer to a very fancy room with crystal vases filled with fresh cut flowers everywhere and turned to Mamoru again, "Come on! Hurry!"
"I—I can't," Mamoru said dryly, startling the child "Why?"
"I'm too old to hide under there."
The young boy frowned and turned when he heard a noise coming from another room and turned to grab Mamoru's hand, "We have to hide before she gets here!" Unwillingly, Mamoru agreed to follow the kid's game and crawled under the fancy oak table and pulled the long cloths to cover them like a protective mantle. The child smiled widely when he heard the footsteps had left the room and turned to Mamoru who had a quizzical look on his face, "Why are you hiding?"
The boy chuckled, "Because, it is fun—I am playing a game."
Mamoru looked at the kid and frowned; he was all covered in mud making it impossible to define the delicate features on his small face—he was around six years old and was wearing a blue tunic and dark pants, he was barefoot and since his hair was covered in mud too, it was hard for him to tell what color it was. The boy sighed and sat buddha style next to Mamoru while enjoying being at the top of his hiding game; he turned and frowned in puzzlement, "I have never seen you before."
"I'm new," Mamoru muttered dryly and looked from under the cloth to see if he had a clear path to get out from under the table but he felt the kid's hand tugging his shirt, stopping him from going away. Mamoru turned with the worst glare proving his annoyance, his mood was not in its best shape and while he was a man who knew how to be around children, sadly, this innocent boy caught him in the worst moment possible. "What are you doing?"
"Stay,"
"You don't even know me."
The kid sat with his back straight and pouted his lips playfully, "You one of the new people that work with Papa, no?"
Mamoru sighed with exasperation and shrugged his shoulders with disinterest, "Uh, yeah... sure..." trying his best to end the conversation right then and there but to his misfortune, the kid was not having it. He burst with joyful energy that even Mamoru, who was extremely patient, found too much to look at, "What is your name?" he asked and looked at him with curious eyes, Mamoru turned with a frown but before he could answer, the sound of footsteps caught them off guard interrupting their weak conversation. The boy lifted the cloth and smiled widely, "I think I am winning,"
"This person knows you are hiding under this table." Mamoru's dry voice made the boy turn and frowned, "What? No... why do you say that?"
"The most logical thing to do when looking for somebody playing hide and seek is to look under a table," Mamoru pointed his finger at the footprints, "Also, you are leaving mud trails everywhere."
"I have run inside this room so many times, my trails are confusing—I know the basics of a hide and seek game, I know she already looked for me under this table."
"How long have you been doing this?" Mamoru frowned, the kid giggled with excitement, "I do not know. I do this every day,"
"Every day? Isn't that boring?"
"You are boring," the kid turned to Mamoru, who in response shrugged his shoulders "So I've been told."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Are you so boring?"
Mamoru widened his eyes and turned to the child, "Why do you think that?"
"Because you ask too many questions about everything, you are taking the fun from this game." The kid arched his brow, "You are boring and—" his eyes widened when he saw Mamoru was covering his mouth to make him stop talking once the sound of footsteps inside the room again. Once gone, he moved his hand away and sighed, "I have to leave this place, I don't have time for this," he mumbled.
"Why?" The young kid asked; Mamoru sighed with annoyance, "You ask too many questions,"
"But I am not as boring as you are, I am having fun. You do not look happy."
"I'm not happy."
"Why?"
"This isn't going to stop, I suppose..." Mamoru muttered with defeat and turned to the kid with a frown, "I can't do this..."
"You could stay and play some more." The kid said in a chirpy tone, "We could always play together! I have toys in my room—"
"—Don't you have any friends? Why would you play with a stranger?" Mamoru snapped angrily and arched his brow, expecting a valid response from the child, "Well?" The kid lowered his gaze and shook his head, looking completely demotivated. Mamoru mentally kicked himself for being such an ass to the poor kid and pursed his lips, realizing what he had done. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"You are grumpy too."
"I have been told that as well."
"By whom?"
Mamoru turned to the kid and the ghost of a smile crossed his face as he remembered Usagi, "My wife."
"What is that?"
"What is what?"
"That you just said—a wife?"
"A wife is a life companion—someone with whom you bond your soul, making it one."
"Ah..." The kid turned his full attention at Mamoru and pursed his lips, "And why would you need to do that? Why do you need a wife? You can just have friends," the comment made Mamoru chuckle and shake his head, "I could, yes, but she is also my best friend." he turned to look at the kid and arched his brow, "Aren't you a little too young to be asking me these questions?"
"I am not little, Mama says I am big and strong."
"Alright,"
"When I grow up, I want to be a warrior."
Mamoru narrowed his eyes with slight disdain at the word, "Bravo... sounds like you have your life all figured out." The boy nodded effusively contrasting Mamoru's darker mood, "Warriors are big and strong,"
"So they say," Mamoru rolled his eyes and turned to look away; the kid smiled widely completely ignoring Mamoru's bitter response, "They fight with big swords and move very fast—they wear armors and punish bad people." the kid curled his hand into a fist and lifted it up, "I want to kick bad people's butts."
"You are a little young to be wishing such things when you should be studying and planning your next mischief." Mamoru arched his brow, the boy shook his head, "I do not want anybody to hurt my family, and I already told you, I am not little—" his curious eyes softened, showing emotion as he spoke, "I want to keep Papa and Mama safe," he looked down at his chubby hands, "Mama is always telling me stories of great warriors that fight against the monsters of the night—there are even warriors that fight up in the heavens. I want to be one too." the boy turned to Mamoru and tilted his head, "Are you a warrior? Is that why you are here?"
"I don't know," Mamoru looked at the young boy, "I wanted to protect my loved ones too—"
"So, you are one then."
"I don't know—maybe."
"Why?" The boy looked at Mamoru with curious eyes, "If you wished for it—"
"I supposed I did."
"And did you protect them?"
Mamoru looked away, feeling the sting of another blow at his ego, "No, not really."
"Why?"
"Because—" Mamoru sighed tiredly, "I guess I wasn't that good. That is why I tell you that I don't know if I am one anymore." The kid pouted his lips and mimicked Mamoru's gestures by sighing and looking away, "Your wife, is she not family?"
Mamoru's eyes widened and turned to the kid who still had his eyes looking at the long tablecloth covering them from whoever was playing hide and seek with him. His eyes despite being curious and simple, were honest and intense. How a kid so young in age could go so deep into something that mostly concerned adults; being a warrior was not an easy task, he knew that he has been there and done that but there was something about the child's conviction that ignited that curiosity in him, that same flame with a strong desire to protect. "Yes, she is my family." he finally stated.
"Then, if she is family—do you not want to try and be stronger to protect her?" The child tilted his head, still trying to understand the problem, "If Papa chose you to be with him, then it means you are strong. If you are here, it means you are strong—I want to be strong like you and work with Papa too."
"I am flattered," Mamoru reached out and ruffled the boy's muddy hair making him giggle with delight, "But you should be your own kind of strong—and you need to take a bath."
"Ha, ha," The boy pouted his lips, "So what kind of strong are you?" he asked curiously; Mamoru half smiled, "I don't know..."
"You do not know much about a lot of things," the youngster frowned slightly annoyed, making Mamoru shrug a shoulder "You are right, I don't."
"Do you want to know what I think?"
Mamoru quirked his brow at the kid's question and let out a much more relaxed breath, feeling more comfortable around the boy "Sure," The boy turned on his seat and faced Mamoru, "I think you are strong but maybe you just do not know you are strong or maybe, you do not want to be strong."
"You think I don't want to be strong?" Mamoru frowned incredulously at the boy who nodded in response, "Maybe you are just afraid." The comment made Mamoru chuckle with defiance; he did not want to admit that his ego was being trampled on by a six-year-old, "Afraid of what? Why would I be afraid?"
"I do not know," The kid simply shrugged his shoulders and made a frown, "Maybe you are just afraid of doing things wrong and get scolded for that."
Mamoru looked at the mud-covered child with wide eyes as he thought about the possibility of him being actually right. "When I cannot do something the way it has to be, I get grumpy and want to quit but mama says I never have to give up so I keep trying and I do things right in the end." The child looked down and peeled the crumbly pieces of mud from his small, chubby hands "I think that is what makes you grumpy too because you are afraid of making more mistakes and get scolded."
"It's true, I am one grumpy man and I don't want to make mistakes." Mamoru looked down, for a moment ignoring the fact that he was exposing his feelings to a child. It was amazing how a boy could decipher the meaning of courage and life with such simplicity and embrace the mistakes made in the process. This child had more valiance and determination in his words than any long, encouragement speech Mamoru could give to anyone, even to himself.
"When you are grumpy you cannot smile and be happy," the boy pouted his lips in thought, "Where is the fun in that?"
"True," Mamoru smiled softly; the boy's eyes gleamed with joy and giggled, "You are not that boring looking once you stop making that gloomy face." he turned and moved the cloth to get a clear view of the room and smiled widely, "I won," he turned to Mamoru, "See? It was fun."
"It was," Mamoru said softly, "But if you do not go, the lady looking for you will get worried."
The young boy nodded and lifted the cloth and crawled from under the table and turned to look at Mamoru with an infectious smile, "You are welcome to play with me anytime—whenever you feel gloomy, come and look for me."
"Thank you," Mamoru smiled at the boy who was finally found by the woman in the blue dress; his sapphire eyes widened when he saw her wrapping her arms around him in a motherly embrace and started wiping a damp cloth to remove all the mud finally revealing his face, "Did you fall asleep under the table again, Endymion?" the woman asked softly, "Oh, look at you all covered in mud, come, we must get you cleaned up before dinner time."
Mamoru crawled from under the table and looked wide-eyed at the woman who had spent a countless amount of time looking for the child and could not hold the tears pooling in his eyes. Aurea was crouching in front of the young prince and smiled softly, "I know you are upset because you know what you did with that vase was wrong and your mama scolded you—every time you do something you know you should not have done you tend to go into hiding," she pinched young Endymion's button nose, "But remember, when you are grumpy you cannot smile and be happy and where is the fun in that, my dear?" her hands cupped his cheeks in a motherly fashion and leaned her forehead on his, "Just be careful next time, do not do things so recklessly—take your time. Mistakes happen all the time and we must learn from them so we can be better in the future. Sometimes, my dear, those things that take longer time are the ones that come out better in the end."
Six-year-old Endymion hung his head low and nodded, "I did not mean to break mama's favorite vase, Aurea Mama... I did not mean to make her mad,"
"I know dear, and she is not mad because you broke it—she was worried that you would get hurt with those shards of glass—there is a difference. Mama just wants you to be alright." Aurea stood and offered her hand to the boy, "Come, let us get you ready for dinner." Endymion nodded and took his godmother's hand and walked with her in silence down the hall until they vanished into the distance. Mamoru's lips parted in amazement at what just happened; the child was no other than himself giving himself a life lesson and remembering the meaning of his long dream to become a warrior.
Someway along his life journey, the essence of his enormous desire to serve and protect got lost in the hazy webs of confusion and anxiety to do everything right and the way it was supposed to be. He got fixed in following every rule and every norm and when he was old enough to realize the weight of his title it became an obsessive obligation rather than just a desire to be someone that would fight to bring peace and happiness to those he cherished and loved. He was angry at himself for feeling like he was not doing what he was supposed to be doing and the way it was supposed to be done; the power in his hands wielding a deadly weapon suddenly became more important than keeping a centered mind and a calm spirit like Obelix insisted so much with his lessons. He reached a point where praying was not giving him what killing did, meditating was not satisfying him the way fighting did; being spiritual was not solving the problems in his kingdom like commanding an army did. The moment he stepped foot on the palace after his training, he returned being a man with predisposed missions and tasks already programmed in his mind and never gave himself time to remember that before all that, there was a child with an enormous desire to bring peace and to protect. It had become a war against war, and if that fed his ego for motivation, so be it. The moment he felt attracted and fell into that self-sufficient hole of pride, self-achievement, and control, was the moment he lost the last remains of humbleness in his heart, carving his name into the endless list of common warriors.
He turned to his side and saw the fog slowly clearing into a large garden full of greenery and rose bushes. A creek flowed peacefully until it met its end at a large pond, next to a cherry tree where what appeared to be a couple was sitting underneath watching a young boy running around and playing in the water. The sound of cheering soon caught Mamoru's attention, distracting him from the peaceful scenario and made him walk randomly to the opposite direction, following the sound of clapping and laughter.
A heavy wave of anxiety and hope motivated him to continue his search until he reached for a large door and looked at the other side. His blue eyes widened when he saw himself in his mother's loving arms and surrounded by his family. "Well, it is time to cut this delicious cake!" Queen Narella said happily while clapping her hands with joy and excitement. Aurea walked in with a medium sized chocolate cake with a small red candle lit in its center and put it on the table in front of one-year-old Endymion. Gaia and Eros leaned closer to the cake with a wide smile on their faces and turned to their son, "Happy birthday my little sun, may your life be granted with endless amounts of joy, laughter, strength, health and most importantly—love." Gaia said softly in her child's ear.
Mamoru leaned on the door frame and saw the scenario play like a movie in front of him, his tear-glossed eyes were full of wonder as he looked into the face of those he thought were lost with his amnesia.
Eros kissed the top of his son's head and smiled with excitement, "Endy, let's blow your first birthday candle together!" the terran king encouraged his son but the prince shook his head, "Li!" Endymion answered. Eros and Gaia widened their eyes in surprise and turned to look at each other, "Did he just say something?" Eros asked Gaia softly, "Li!" Endymion called again with more insistence, Gaia blinked and looked at her son "I believe he is trying to tell us something."
"What does Li mean?" Aurea frowned and turned to Leonidas who was shaking his head with no clue of what the young prince was trying to say. Gaia pouted her lips, "Li? What are you trying to say, Endy?" Gaia asked her son. "Li!" baby Endymion said louder, Eros arched his brow, "I believe he is looking for someone," not long after everyone's attempt to decipher the code, Endymion pointed his small, chubby finger at that particular someone, "Li!"
Gaia and the rest of the royal family followed the clue and widened their eyes at whom he was calling "Obelix," the queen breathed in with surprise. "Li!" Endymion smiled and clapped his hands with excitement. Gaia turned to the high priest and blinked, still astonished, "He is calling for you," Obelix's honey-colored eyes widened, "Me?"
"You are Endymion's first word," Eros said with pride in his voice, "By all heavens—my son just said his first word!" Gaia chuckled, "I believe some things never change," she turned to see a teary Obelix standing next to the young prince, "Are you ready to blow your birthday candle, young Prince?" he said with a quivery voice so full of emotion. Endymion clapped his hands again in response, "Alright! At the count of three everybody!" Aurea said cheerfully.
"One!" Gaia said first, "Two!" Eros followed suit, "Three!" Everybody said in unison. Encouraged by the rush of excitement, Endymion blew his first candle with all his might, until the small flame died out.
"Hooray!" Gaia nudged her son making him giggle with joy as they watched Aurea starting to cut the cake she especially made for the occasion. The mother queen, Narella, clapped her hands next to her husband Odell and wiped the tears of joy with the delicacy that always characterized her, "Alright, how about we open some presents!" she said happily.
Mamoru hung his head low when the image in front of him slowly vanished the same way it appeared, leaving him feeling lost in the immense hole of remorse he was now trapped in. He turned to look back but it looked the same as if he turned to look forward, there was no start and no end—no south, no west. The temple was no longer within his reach and either a light that would guide him to another stream of remembrance. He began feeling like he had been wandering for such a long time despite being trapped in a place where time did not reign his existence; his legs suddenly gave in and without much strength left in him, Mamoru succumbed and kneeled on the ground, feeling dismantled and alone, he sighed and ran a shaky hand through his dark hair with shame, "Perdidi via mea non obstante habens omnia,"
(I lost my way despite having it all,)
"Ita, te tandem intellexit quod mortuus vero post tergum tuum ingenium contumax et non admisit opinationis errorum, qui duxit vos, quid facti sunt,"
(So, you have finally realized the truth behind your defiant character and have admitted the flaws that brought you to what you have become,)
Mamoru's eyes widened and turned to meet the high priest standing behind him and let out a shameful sigh, "Et facti sit magis quaestio est de honore de persequendo hoste pacem et felicitatem in amoris illorum servo prope secundum cor meum, Iam enim intelligo. Ad tuendam familiam habui passio tuerentur pacata cupidine legatum, nec passim per viam mea, oblitus sum quod restituo is per conscientiam, et furorem; morbo matris meae est et quid mihi ultra-imperium."
(I let it become a question of honor rather than a pursuit for peace and happiness based in the love of those I keep close to my heart, I understand now. I had a passion and a desire to protect my family and preserve their peaceful legacy and somewhere along my way, I forgot about it and replaced it with anger and remorse for my mother's illness and for what was beyond my control.)
Obelix crossed his arms and let a small smile with delight crossing his mature features, "Quasi minus sanam tincidunt Principem velut parvulus nescit quid faciendo vitam tantrum de eo quod male relevium—quod vobis salus."
(You start to sound more like a Prince and less like a child making a tantrum because he does not know why life treats him badly; what a relief—you have salvation.)
Mamoru looked at the priest with wide eyes, Obelix quirked his brow and tilted his head low, "Tantum posse docere vos, quae te docet, non esset in potentia ad intellegis. Memento quod et tu meminisse, tibi proderit Endymion esse hominem et te ab initio destinatum est sine ira et vetera cumulare delicta—neptunia solvere vincla, convertere ad exolvuntur. Agitur ibi multo tempore, et in bello vincere non potest, si tu non plene paratus, obumbratio et creavit te et circa ortum esse in fatis ut Polemarchos te," Obelix's smile softened, "Vos iam have plus quam unum ratione pugnare,"
(Only you could teach yourself that lesson—it was not in my power to make you understand. You had to remember—remember who you are Endymion and be the person you were meant to be from the start without anger and guilt—break the chains, change the cycle. There is much at stake and you cannot win a war if you are not fully prepared, step away from the shadows you created around yourself and rise as the Polemarchos you were fated to be.)
(You now have more than just one reason to fight,)
The priest turned on his heel and began walking back, "Per veni, ibi tantum temporis habens in Purgatorio, fieri non obstante quod populus sunt expectantes vos revertetur." he looked over his shoulder, "Sed potissimum tuus Reginae manet."
(Come along, there is much to be done and despite not having time in Purgatorio—there are people waiting for you to return. But most importantly, your Queen awaits).
Mamoru smiled at the mention of his wife and soul mate. With renewed faith and determination, the prince walked behind the high priest in silence ready to embrace his past and make of it a better future.
The Divinity Series is an M rated series, violence and intimacy may happen.
I do not own Sailor Moon, just this plot and some of the characters.
A/N: This chapter comes in place for Friday's chapter because I will be out for a few days. One year and we are still on it. Thank you for reading and supporting.