AN: Hey guys. I'm sorry it took so long to post this. I drove full speed into a writer's block wall. I think I've got my momentum back though. As always I look forward to your feedback and I hope you enjoy!

Morning came and Endymion sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. What was he going to do today? He felt groggy and out of sorts for some reason. Frowning, he got up from the bed and went to get ready for the day. He showered and dressed then went to their study. He was still looking over the selection of books when a knock came on the door. The sound almost startled him. 'What on Earth?' He didn't move. It was most likely his imagination so he looked back down at the book that rested in his hands. When the knock sounded again his gaze snapped back to the entrance of their wing. A little bewildered he set the book down and walked down the hallway to the door. The knock came a third time. "Yes?"

"Master Endymion? It's Sailor Pluto. May I enter?"

"Yes, of course." The lock clicked and the door opened. Sailor Pluto stood before him, her garnet rod in her hands. "Hello, Pluto."

"Hello, Master Endymion. I've come to install a portal door for you to the garden."

"Ah, yes." He moved aside and Sailor Pluto walked past him. Once the door closed again and the lock clicked Pluto spun around and looked at Endymion intently. He stopped, taken aback.

"Master Endymion, my King, I-"

"Don't."

"But sire I-"

"Really, Pluto, don't." He frowned at her. "Out of all the sailor guardians, you were the last I would have pegged for being so immature. Your price was paid, Pluto. I am paying mine."

"It's not fair." She said under her breath.

"Do you feel that my Queen's ruling is unfair?"

"I didn't mean…". He held up his hand and she fell silent.

"I want to make this very clear to you. I agree with the ruling that was passed down. I accept the punishment that has been deemed fitting to the crime. You knew what would happen if you broke the one rule that should never be broken but you did so anyway. You accepted the consequences. I knew I was breaking a law that is in place for a reason. Circumstances do not absolve us of guilt for transgressing these mandates. Your actions saved all the universe and yet you still lost your life." Pluto was silent. He felt almost angry with her. Of all people SHE should know this. "Her Royal Highness, Neo Queen Serenity gifted you rebirth. She has gifted me a stay of execution. Now you let all of the other sailor guardians know that I don't want any more of this unnecessary, childish, and misplaced pity, as if you all don't agree with Her Majesty's ruling." Pluto looked back at him shocked. They stood in silence for a minute or two and then Pluto gave him a large adoring smile.

"Of course. I apologize for being so foolish." She cleared her throat a little. "The portal door mechanism will be attached to a door that already exists here in your quarters. Do you have one you would prefer I use?" He looked around and shrugged.

"I have no preference."

"Very well. I will use the door that attaches the study to this hallway." She approached the door at the far end of the hall. Taking her garnet rod in her hand she held it almost like a pool cue aimed at the door knob. He watched curiously as she thrust the rod through the knob of the door causing what appeared to be a holographic image of the study appear briefly where the door was. She then turned the rod and the image spun around and reflected the garden. Finally, she pulled the rod back and stood it back up in her hand. The whole thing was actually pretty interesting to watch. She looked at him and smiled. "All done."

"That's all?"

"Yes." He went to the door and opened it. It was the study. He closed the door and opened it again. It was still the study. That's weird, he thought it was supposed to just switch automatically. When he closed and opened the door a third time he heard Pluto chuckle behind him.

"Okay, okay. You've had your fun. How is this supposed to work?"

"Go ahead and close the door." He did so and looked back at Pluto. "It is our nature to turn doorknobs a certain way every time we use them. If you use your right hand to open a door you turn the knob to the right. Likewise, if you open a door with your left hand you will turn the knob to the left. It's less psychology and more mechanics, it's how our wrists are built." He thought back on opening doors all of his life and he never noticed it. It was true though.

"Fascinating…". He said, staring at his left hand.

"It's one of those funny quirks that nobody notices. So to make it work all you have to do is turn the knob the other way."

"So you mean… turn it to the left with my right hand?"

"Yes, or turn it right with your left." What a curious thing. He reached out with his right hand and turned the knob to the left. Sure enough, when the door swung open the garden appeared. The portal opened up where he and Serenity had accessed it from the palace proper.

"Incredible."

"I must bid you farewell, Master Endymion."

"Yes, of course." He closed the door and watched as she left. Alone once again he turned back to the study door. Again he opened the door as Pluto instructed and walked into the garden. The door closed quietly behind him. When he tried to open it the knob wouldn't turn to the right. "Locked… Oh, right…". When he turned the knob left it opened again to the hallway. Even though he was still pretty enthralled with the door he needed to use his time wisely. He walked over to the bank of the pond and knelt next to the water. It was clear as glass and sparkled in the light filtering through the crystal ceiling. He touched the water, sending out ripples in all directions. It should be cold enough. He stood and removed his clothes. This time he folded them neatly and left them well beyond the reach of the water. He waded out to the middle of the pond and towards the waterfall. The water never rose above his waist and it most definitely was cold enough. When he reached the waterfall there was actually a flat stone just under the flow of the water. It was suspiciously convenient. He climbed under the flow of water and sat cross legged on the stone.

'Breath in.' He stretched tall, 'breath out.' He relaxed into the water. He sat in the waterfall for about 10 or 15 minutes before he got to where his body was about it quit on him. 'My stamina has been reduced by quite a lot.' He thought. That wasn't good. He had made it through last month's event only passing out after that last stroke, but he had been able to stay in the water for almost 45 minutes at a time. He was better healed this time, true, but it seemed like so much played into his ability to remain conscious that it felt like little compensation. Frowning he waded back to the banks of the pond. He put his pants back on but left everything else folded neatly on the grass. He decided to transition to his yoga routine. Even his pliability had suffered. He felt stiff and restricted as he went through his poses. Worry welled up in his chest. 'I don't know if I can manage this time…".

"Endymion?" He turned his head and looked at Serenity. "It looks like Pluto was able to set up the portal door."

"Yes."

"Are you alright? You seem upset." He looked away from her. He was most definitely upset. The possibility of him not getting through this month was slowly morphing into a probability. How was he supposed to tell her that? She would have an even harder time following through on her end. He wouldn't do that. He wasn't going to tell her. Besides, maybe he wouldn't pass out and it would work out fine.

"I'm um, still dealing with our maiden voyage the other day…". She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Okay… sure…". She answered. She didn't believe him, he knew that. "Well, since we're both here I can send for lunch and we can eat here together."

"I would like that." He smiled at her. Soon they both sat at the table under the willow tree with their lunch. His heart was seriously disturbed, almost to the point of a panic attack. He could feel Serenity's eyes on him as he pushed his food around the plate.

"Endymion."

"Hm?"

"You are clearly upset and I'm sure I know why. Will you talk to me? Please?" He frowned and slumped into his chair.

"I'm worried. I don't have the stamina built up that I had last month. And then I only just made it through." She looked at him sadly.

"I figured. We were both lazy this month. All we can do now is see how things turn out." He nodded. He went back to his food. Five days left. Only five days left.


Endymion sat beneath the waterfall every morning for the next four days. He practiced his yoga, meditated, and even went back to his piano which had been neglected for a couple of weeks. It was all an attempt to get back into the routine that had saved him the month before. He knew it was most likely too little too late. Whatever happened on the first of September would be what it was. He'd spent so much time moping through the month that he lost sight of his objective. Every month needed to be spent preparing for the following until this whole ordeal was done and behind them. 'I need to refocus. Depressed or not I need to stick to my routine.'

He had returned to their room after a session in the garden on the 30th of August. When he did, Mars and Jupiter were waiting for him. He said nothing and neither did they as he followed them from the North Wing down the corridor, around corners, down sets of stairs and finally coming to the "ready room". The door closed softly but his stomach turned with the click of the lock.

"Endymion, you will make it through this and I will support you. I will lift you up and give you my strength to go on. I will not allow you to break under this pressure."

Her words seemed to echo in his head and then reverberated down to his heart. He felt his chest overflow with warmth and he hugged himself. All he could do was accept and move forward. It was early but he was extremely tired. He skipped dinner and went straight to bed. He'd just get tomorrow over with.

He'd gone to bed so early that he woke earlier than normal. It would be an hour or two before Uranus came to fetch him. He used the time to meditate. Maybe he could make up some of the physical prep with some last minute meditation… maybe… It was too late at this point and regrets never did anybody any good. Mind over matter. Even so, he wasn't optimistic.


He still sat on the bed meditating when the inevitable knock came on the door. He looked at the door without saying a word. Uranus opened the door. They held eye contact for a moment before he looked away and at the floor. He didn't make eye contact with her again and followed her in silence to the courtyard in front of the palace. He still felt exhausted, like he hadn't slept at all. Serenity stood next to the pillar all in black and her hair done up in the fierce bun that she had worn the first time. As he was led to the pillar he took a moment to glance around the square. There were more people this time but the eerie silence was still present. He thought back to each of these events. Everyone was always silent, not even speaking whispers under their breath. 'I wonder why that is? Is it voluntary? Is it in agreeance or protest?' He knelt next to the pillar and his hands were affixed to the stone. 'I wonder what kind of stone this is? It looks like granite but it could also be something else. The patterns are close enough to be marble too.' Serenity's voice, clear as silver bells, brought him back into focus.

"In accordance with the ruling passed down on May 28th against the Queens consort, Endymion, for high treason, the fourth of 12 public lashings will take place today." She then turned to Endymion. "You will count out loud for these witnesses, 20 lashes." He glanced at her over his shoulder and saw her face reflected the exhaustion she was feeling. This time he watched the first strike come. Her face went blank, like the stone before him. When the whip cracked it forced the air from his lungs.

"One." He looked back at her again and watched the second blow fall. "Two." He looked back at her with every strike. "Seven." He was growing lightheaded. He wasn't sure what he was looking for or what he wanted to see but he was searching for something with each strike. "Twelve." It dawned on him, he was looking for the strength to finish. His vision was already fading out and he was only up to twelve. He forced his eyes open and used every ounce of his mental fortitude to count out "thirteen". He felt the sweat on his face. It was unusually humid and hot outside for September 1st. He heard his heart thundering in his ears. He wasn't going to make it. When the realization hit him he stopped fighting. If he wasn't going to get through all twenty lashes he might as well just pass out now instead of wasting energy and subsequent healing time trying to remain conscious. He heard more than felt the fourteenth crack of the whip. He didn't even try to utter the number, he just slipped quietly into unconsciousness.

Everything sounded very distant. Was he coming around already? He could still make out the feel of the breeze against his skin but he seemed to be lying down now, his hands freed from his restraints. Someone was speaking but it felt like he was trying to hear them through a swimming pool's worth of water. "...an… ble…. omp… ext…". What was the point? He could figure things out later. "Dis… noun… at…". And then there was nothing.


Serenity saw when he'd slumped against the stone pillar. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. He had passed out. She looked to Mercury and gave a quick nod. Mercury and one of her aids went to Endymion's side. She would have to address the assembly. She took a deep breath and stood tall before turning to face the crowd. "My consort is unable to complete this month's punishment. As this is a failure to meet one of the conditions of his ruling, he will have one month added to the end of his sentence. May this stand as an example to all that no one is exempt from the law. My mercy brought great agony to this planet. Endymion is to serve as proof that my mistake will not be repeated. His sentence will be completed in full for all of you to witness. He will be brought here again on October 1st."

As badly as she wished to rush to his side she resisted. She could not show any hint of weakness, not in front of a crowd. Mercury was busy taking vitals and supervising her aides as they positioned him on the stretcher. She wanted so badly to cry, seeing him like that. It was almost as bad as the first time she had to do this. "I'm such a fool." She whispered to herself. Soon, Endymion had been taken back into the palace and she stood at the center of the square alone. The breeze wove in and out of the leaves, rustling them playfully. The day was spitefully beautiful and bright.

The crowd had finally all filed out and the square was empty except for Serenity. She just stood staring at the stone pillar blankly. Was this really going to be enough? Twelve of these barbaric shows of punishment to stave off war? She somehow doubted it. Violence to prevent violence? It was counterintuitive and naive. "Your Majesty?" She looked to her right. Mars stood there, concern on her face.

"Is Endymion…"

"Mercury says that he simply passed out, nothing else was found physically wrong with him."

"Hm". She turned her attention back to the pillar. They stood silent for some time. Without shifting her gaze Serenity spoke again. "Tell me, Mars, do you still sense the atmosphere of war? Has it subsided at all?"

"In some ways it has, yes. However, war is a fickle thing and it can switch in an instant. I admonish caution in this matter."

"Yes, of course. You will tell me if something were to change for the worse even in the slightest, insignificant way. I pray we can still prevent this."

"Yes, my queen." Serenity looked at her guardian finally. So very many years and lifetimes together.

"Do you remember, Rei, how much you used to tease me when we were kids?" Mars' face turned bright red when Serenity used her given name.

"I have not heard you say that name in many centuries…". Mars said quietly.

"Well, once Crystal Tokyo was established we basically began living our lives the way they should have been lived millennia ago." Serenity approached the pillar and rested a hand against it. "I hated conflict so much serving as a Sailor Guardian. I hated fighting endless battles, the endless enemies. All of our companions were always in danger. Now, though… there is part of me that deeply wishes she was Usagi again, fighting against those evils as Sailor Moon. It was always so clear who the enemy was. Now though… I do not know anymore." Mars looked at her friend sadly. Slowly, she approached Serenity and then rested a hand on her arm. Serenity looked at Mars.

"Things will become more clear with time. Patience and faith are what you need and have confidence in those of us closest to you. We are all working hard to discover what we can on the matter."

"I know you are. I feel very limited with what I can do for you all."

"Likewise, Odango." Serenity looked at Mars for a moment, completely surprised. Finally she snorted and then started laughing. Mars chuckled too. "Please your Majesty, let the other guardians and myself do what we can from our end. We will work to let you handle things on yours. Together we succeed."

"Divided we fail…" it was a variation on an old proverb from centuries past. "I will excuse myself and retire to my chambers. I need to see Endymion…"

"Yes, your highness. Please call should you need any of us."

"Of course." Serenity smiled at her friend sadly and then disappeared into the palace.