Thanks for you help and support!
-Celyia.
Chapter 3
Jadeite rubbed his eyes as he stepped onto the wasteland that once was the Dark Kingdom. Kicking a small piece of rubble out of his path, he continued along, digesting the enormous quantity of information he had learned this night.
"I can't believe he had the balls to actually marry her," Jadeite chuckled, the sound coarse and vulgar. He had been watching the girl for several years, and it amazed him to see how much trouble she got into even though the Sailor Senshi had disbanded a couple of years before.
"How many times have I helped that brat," he muttered as he entered the remnants of the Dark Palace, "how many times have I saved her life because her friends were just not fast enough, or Mamoru-darling was too busy lecturing everyone to step in."
With a grunt of frustration, he surveyed the progress the workers had made in his absence.
"King Jadeite!" the steward called as she briskly caught up with him.
"What is it, Saeri?" Jadeite barked at the youma, frustration making his already short temper explosive.
Saeri winced, her attractive white face turning green with the equivalent of a blush. "Welcome home, your highness." Her face did nothing to hide the worship in her eyes although her face was solemn.
I don't have time for this bullshit, he thought as he glared at the hapless female.
"Report."
"Um, yes, your majesty," she stumbled as she recognized that dangerous tone of voice. "Crew One and Three have finished reconstructing the Throne Room..."
"As they damn well should have. They've only had five years to do it," Jadeite grumbled as he began to walk in the direction of the heart of his palace. As angry as he felt now, a part of his heart felt as though it would burst into song as he passed the meticulously repaired walls and furniture of the mainstay. One day soon, he promised himself as he traced a finger along a studded tapestry, the Kingdom would be as powerful and magnificent as it had been when I was growing up.
"Uh, yes, sire. Crew Two ran out of quite a few of the materials necessary to finish your chambers," Saeri spoke quickly, her tone filtered but still tinged with fear.
"And...?"
Saeri, heartened by the fact that she still possessed her head on her narrow shoulders, continued on. "And I approved their request for new materials."
Jadeite nodded, his face impassive save for the blond eyebrow raised inquiringly.
"What materials were these?" he queried almost indifferently, pausing from time to time to check the quality of the repairs.
"Marble, silver," Saeri hesitated as she unknowingly took a step back, "and kunzite..."
"What?" Jadeite demanded as he cornered the catlike steward, a fierce frown taking hostage of his lips.
Saeri took a deep breath as she faced Jadeite completely, her crimson eyes trying to hide the fear she obviously felt.
"Kunzite," she whispered, the fear nearly overwhelming her as she witnessed the fleeting look of madness in his eyes.
"Where are these workers?" Jadeite turned to his throne and sat, wrinkling the fabric of the olive coat he still wore, ignoring the bright glow of the dull green stone hanging around his neck.
"Attempting to locate..." she started, only to grimace as she noticed the supreme displeasure in those startling blue eyes, "Retrieving the materials, Sire."
Jadeite gave a short nod as he scrutinized the rebuilt Throne Room. "You had better hope they are successful, Saeri," he said almost conversationally.
"Yes, sire," Saeri bowed low, her deep pink hair brushing the green marble floor. "I will oversee it myself," she promised as she began her backward retreat from the sole ruler's presence.
Damn, he cursed silently, hardly noticing his steward's departure. Damn, damn, damn! He knew the Royal quarries were low on the Dark Kingdom's most powerful stone, but to run out of it? Things had to be in an even worse condition than he expected. Maybe if he stopped stalking that girl, a part of him admonished with no small amount of disappointed honesty, he would have known about this before and wouldn't have been thrown off guard like that..
The Dark Kingdom was an incredible place, Jadeite reflected as he watched the myriad of subjects working steadily to reclaim the grandeur of this world. It was almost unbearable to consider the destruction wrought upon this paradise, and that pain was compounded by the knowledge that the Dark Kingdom was brought down by the efforts of five, scantily-clad children.
I'll get them, Jadeite grumbled as he remembered all the chaos those girls had caused him and his beloved world. He grimaced as he remembered that main brat, Moon, consistently thwarting his efforts to regain the energy that was rightfully the Dark Kingdom's.
The other two senshi he remembered, the firebrand and the bubble-blower, were natural warriors although their techniques varied greatly from one another. Moon, on the other hand, really had no talents, other than being able to throw her nearly worthless tiara. And yet, this tike brought down a tyrannical queen with only the strength and persistence of her heart. A part of him, Jadeite acknowledged hesitantly, a part of him admired how much Moon had accomplished especially considering how little she had to offer as a warrior. After all, had it not been for the personal injuries he had suffered at her hands, Jadeite may have been inclined to let the young woman live her life, for in retrospect, the Dark Kingdom only gained from the loss of her previous queen. But this girl, Jadeite gritted his teeth, had caused his incarceration in a crystal for several years as he attempted to entertain his active mind while he watched the crystal disintegrate slowly. It had been several years of hell- of not being able to move or speak, but only think. Loosening his collar, Jadeite fidgeted nervously in the throne, trying to forget the torture. He couldn't ever forgive it, he told himself firmly. Moon had to pay.
Jadeite, nearly letting a sigh escape, pushed the obtrusive memories out of his head. It just wouldn't due to let his subjects witness any weakness, for a people who had doubts about their ruler's ability to lead would eventually replace him with one they did have faith in.
Silently, he departed from the room, ignoring all the surprised looks his subjects directed his way. I know it's been several months since I've been here, he apologized silently to his people. I am aware that my place should be here during reconstruction, I know I have much to do, but this I must sate my vengeance before I return.
* * *
Rei thrust her bottom lip out in a pout as she looked at her friend. "Usako! Jadeite is dead, remember? There was no way he could have been in your room last night. And even if he was, Mamoru would have heard him, right?"
Mamo-chan was just so out of it, he wouldn't have noticed if she had broke out singing "Sukiyaki" in his ear, Usagi whimpered, deciding to convince them with her physical proof she had been holding nervously. She handed the small, white card to Mako. "Look! He sent me this!"
Mako looked carefully at the card for a few moments. "It looks harmless enough...What about the candy that came with it?"
"Oh, dingbat," Rei snorted as she regarded Usagi's guilty expression, "you *didn't* eat it..."
"No, of course not... it's in my bag," Usagi nodded as she went to fetch the red, foil box. Triumphantly, she held it out for Rei, Mako, and Luna to see.
"Oh, shit!" Usagi cursed as the brown contents smeared all over her hands. "It melted!"
Giggling, Mako took the box away. "It's ok, Odango," she winked comfortingly, "it's still enough for us to send Ami so she analyze it."
Usagi frowned as she thought about her old friend who was currently studying so hard at University that she had met with her former Senshi maybe four times in the last year. She didn't even have the time to come to my wedding, Usagi thought sadly, feeling incredibly hurt although she told herself that she understood.
"You don't think it was poisoned, do you?" Rei asked, her violet eyes openly doubtful. "It was probably just a really cheap wedding present."
Mako shrugged. "Never hurts to show a little caution," she smiled sweetly as she set the box down. Her eyes seemed to glitter as she turned her full attention towards the petite blonde. "So…?"
"So?" Usagi answered.
Grinning, Mako put her arm around her princess. "Come on..."
"Come on what?" Usagi asked, her innocent eyes wide, a part of her incredibly amused at Makoto's ability to flit from subject to subject with the agility of a bee in spring.
"You goof! Tell us what it was like!" Mako grinned, her eyes full of romantic dreams.
Usagi blanched as she debated what to say. "Uh. I gotta go," she made a run from the door, her soft, blonde hair whirling with the movement.
"Escape is not going to be that easy, bwahaha!" Mako cackled as she tackled Usagi to the ground. "Ya think you are going to avoid telling us, your best friends, what the most important night of your life was like?" she giggled as she began to tickle the blushing, young wife.
Rei, her eyes sparkling with amusement, jumped down and began to assist Mako in torturing the poor bunny-girl into 'fessing up.
Rolling around the floor, sending assorted expensive vases and glass figurines crashing to the floor, the three girls wrestled playfully.
"Hey, hey, hey," Mako grinned as she grabbed a throw-pillow from her couch, "we'll let you up, Usagi, once you just recount the sordid details..."
"On behalf of the Moon," Usagi shouted, tears of laughter flowing down her cheeks as she made a grab for a pillow, "I'm gonna tickle you nosey jerks!"
Grinning as well as a cat can, Luna watched the chaos currently unfolding in Mako's living room. It had been way too long since she had seen her girls this relaxed, this friendly with one another. True enough, some uneasiness between Usa-chan and Rei-chan still existed, but with the disbandment of the Senshi two years before had erased a lot of the open hostility. No one was more loyal to Usagi than Rei, although Rei did have the unfortunate tendency to really be too harsh on the rather sensitive young woman. Of course, Luna huffed as she watched Usagi belt both Mako and Rei with the pillow, Usa-chan could be very annoying. Give credit where it's due, Luna chastised herself, Usagi has really matured a lot since we first met.
Collapsing on the floor, Usagi was pinned down by Rei. "So, Odango, what happened?" Rei giggled as she signaled for Mako to help. "Come on, come on. I have to get back to the Temple soon," she lamented.
"Yeah, Usagi, you know you want to tell us," Mako grinned as she folded her arms across her rather developed chest.
Nodding, Usagi sat up slowly, her face still bright red from laughter. "Ok, just don't tell..."
* * *
Jadeite rolled his eyes as he watched the young 'ladies' romp around the floor of the apartment. Not very dignified of a new bride, he thought in amusement as the energy ball focused on Usagi's lovely face.
Exhaling slowly, he forced himself to look away from her breathtaking features. Cursing the talent she had for arousing him, Jadeite winced as the fire raged through his veins.
"Of all the immature, untimely, idiotic..." he started, berating his rebelling body. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened with regard to the brat, but this definitely was the strongest instance. He grunted as he fought to get his hormones under control, and just as he thought he was going to succeed, the chit had to lean conspiringly over to her friends, innocently baring much of her cleavage.
"Jesus," Jadeite growled as he watched the shy, but incredibly erotic grin creep up on her face. That putz, he thought of her handsome husband who was currently boring Motoki's ears off with another of his 'I don't know why I married Odango, but I guess she's ok' speeches, had no idea what an incredibly sexy little thing he had.
"It's such a shame, Usagi," Jadeite murmured as he watched her flush with embarrassment, "that your husband messed up your first experience so badly...Of course, since I will destroy you anyway, " he continued, knowing full well that there was no way she could hear him, but feeling compelled to explain. "So it really doesn't matter to me..."
Deciding there was nothing more to learn, he let the ball of energy dissipate. Staring off into space, Jadeite attempted to banish the memories of the girl from his mind.
For three years he had followed the girl, watching her every movement, listening to her every word. For god's sake, he grunted as he brushed idly at the sleeves of his wool jacket, he had even saved that girl's life several times.
"No one," his lips curled in distaste, "no one but me will get to harm you, Moon. And that time will come when I'm ready," Jadeite promised as he let himself fall into the worn armchair. It had taken three years to for his strength to return and the opportunity to present itself, but now that it had, he found that it was more than worth it. It just wasn't enough for Moon to be killed, she had to be destroyed, Jadeite nodded as he clutched tightly at the pendent of nephrite around his neck. *She* had done this to him. Moon had made him the wreck he now was. And therefore, she would pay.
Closing his eyes, he forced himself to relax. Sometimes he found himself to be too damn scary, Jadeite admitted as he ran a gloved hand through his blond hair. Just too damn scary.
When Beryl had imprisoned him in the crystal after that incident at the airport, she had purposely tortured him the worst way imaginable: letting him remain totally conscious and alert, although unable to do anything about it. Standing there, watching as the world went by was unbearable, but one thing was worse: standing there, absolutely alone in the darkness.
At first, the daydreams had kept his intelligent mind occupied, be it dreams of ambition, of revenge, of sex, it had been enough. But so soon, he lost his interest in that. So empty...Jadeite shivered as he curled up in a fetal ball, so incredibly empty. After the novelty of daydreaming wore off, Jadeite was left to stand alone in the darkness. It was enough to make one go mad, he chuckled unpleasantly to himself as a chill crawled up his back.
To keep from losing his mind, Jadeite spent countless hours thinking about that girl. It wasn't enough to kill her, any fool could do that, he huffed. True vengeance would only be achieved when he destroyed her, but it couldn't be just a measly knife in the back, or a blast to her pretty head. That was only murder. What Jadeite had in mind was far worse: annihilation of the girl's spirit. But it had to be fair. If the imprisonment Beryl imposed on him taught him anything, it was that. Anything else would be beneath him now.
Closing his eyes, Jadeite clutched his knees close to his body. With all the memories rushing his mind, this was doomed to be a long night.