Author's Note:

Yes, another fanfiction. As before, the disclaimers go as follows:

My email address is Guardian4@atlantic.net. If you want to email me about my story, please put fanfiction in the subject line. Sailor Moon was made by Naoko Tacheuchi, I don't own it.

Also, Rei and Mamoru never went out, k? And Kunzite and Zoisite are not lovers. I also used the relationship between the Shitennou from the manga, not the anime, which means they don't hate each other. I also use only the manga attacks for the Senshi. (Since in the Manga, Mars doesn't have Fire Soul and only talismans in the first season, I'm going to borrow a second season one, even though she doesn't have her Star Power transformation.)

Hidden Truths

Chapter 7

Kunzite waved Jadeite forward after checking the room where Endymion lay sleeping. There didn't seem to be anyone there, but looks could be deceiving. Which was why he had been standing there for fifteen minutes, waiting for something, anything, to move so that he would know that he wouldn't be able rescue his prince.

Jadeite immediately entered the room and began to tap out a code on the side of the 'coffin'. As soon as he finished, the black force field fizzled with a half-hearted energy burst and disappeared. Kunzite, always watching the hallway behind him, approached Jadeite and grabbed his Prince's shoulders.

However, that was when the shit hit the fan. Kunzite had had no idea that Beryl had planned to visit Endymion that day. Consequently, her screech caught him off-guard so badly he almost dropped his friend onto the stone slab again.

"Kunzite, we've got to get out here!" Jadeite screamed. He grabbed the comatose man's legs and heaved him into his arms.

Kunzite tossed a white boomerang at Beryl, who ducked in time for the youma behind her to be decapitated. He grabbed the Prince's shoulders again and, combining their powers, the two Shitennou teleported out of the Dark Kingdom and into Juuban Park.

They had barely materialized when hoards of youma swarmed out of a portal Beryl must have opened. But relief swept over them when they saw the Senshi and Nephrite and Zoisite ready and waiting.

"Duck!" cried Mars. "Burning Mandala!"

The fire rings swept over Jadeite's head and flamed at least four youma behind him. Kunzite and Jadeite made a dash with Endymion in their arms toward the relative safety of the Senshi.

Jadeite stumbled as a youma caught his leg. It was promptly engulfed in flames from Mars' attack.

To Kunzite's eternal relief, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Sailor Moon were waiting to help the Shitennou take him to a safe place.

That was when things started to go wrong.

A blast of black energy slammed into each youma, making them twice as tall and twice as strong. One clipped Mars' shoulder, another cut Mercury's side. The four of them were hard pressed to keep the youma from coming through their assault and hitting the six behind.

"Go!" Venus screamed. "We'll keep them at bay for as long as we can!"

Kunzite's inner instincts told him not to leave; that to leave would be signing their death warrants. That was the last thing he wanted at this moment, but his duty was to the Prince, first and foremost.

"If you don't leave right now, I'll come back and make you!" Mars said harshly.

Venus decapitated a youma with her 'Rolling Heart Vibration' and turned to Kunzite. "Take care of the princess for us if we don't make it through this. Now, go!"

Though something was screaming at him not to do this, Kunzite nodded and turned and ran with his prince. The Shitennou followed, Zoisite dragging a screaming Sailor Moon with him.

They had reached the edge of the park when the leader of the Four Heavenly Kings could go no farther.

"Put him down on the bench," he commanded. They looked at him in surprise and Sailor Moon with hope. "I'm going back. I can't leave them to that. But someone needs to stay here with him."

"I'll stay," Sailor Moon offered quietly. "I'll stay, just so long as you bring back my Senshi in one piece."

"We shall try our best, Highness," Kunzite told her and bowed over her hand.

She waved him away, a blush staining her cheeks. Kunzite and his comrades turned and ran back to the battle.

It was obvious that if they hadn't come back, the Senshi would have been reduced to one member. Jupiter was still standing, as was Venus, but Mercury was down and out. Mars was attempting to draw the attention from her, but youma were not easily distracted from such easy prey that couldn't defend itself anymore.

"Zoi!" A spear surrounded by ice petals flew from Zoisite's hand and toward the youma heading for Mercury. The lance went straight through its chest and the petals added many more cuts. It fell to the ground and dissolved.

Jadeite landed next to Mars and supported her as she fell. She sported a gash on her temple and blood dripped into her eyes. Despite this, she still treated Jadeite with wariness, especially when his arms went around her waist.

"Star Comet!" Nephrite called out. His comet, smelling sharply of the ozone, hurtled past Jupiter, ruffling her hair, and connected with a youma. It screeched like a piano's strings being pulled sharply. Jupiter managed a surprised glance at him before he was fighting beside her, his double-sided axe swinging dangerously.

"I thought you had a sword," he heard her call.

"I do, but I like this better."

She laughed. Kunzite left them to it and joined Venus. The leader of the Senshi turned to him sharply. "Where is Sailor Moon?"

"With Endymion."

They stared at each other with hard eyes until she said, "If something happens to her, I will kill you."

He nodded, accepting the statement that had more feeling in it than Beryl had in her entire body, and pulled out his sword.

The next hour was a blur to Kunzite. All he could feel was the burning in his sword arm and the pain in his lungs as he fought for oxygen and life. And beside him all the time was Venus, showing the same capability she had back in the Silver Millennium. He smiled at her from time to time and sometimes she would smile back.

Before long, it was over, the youma dead and dust. When Kunzite took stock, he realized that though Mars was out and Mercury still that way, they had fairly few casualties since the Shitennou had joined in the fight.

All he really wanted to do was sleep, but Kunzite knew his duty and he couldn't do that. "We must be getting back to the Prince and Princess."

Zoisite and Jadeite picked up Mercury and Mars and, with Nephrite supporting Jupiter, they made their way back to their monarchs.

End Chapter 7