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 13

Usagi touched Mamoru's hair lightly as he slept, in peace at last. She couldn't believe it; he was back and he was the same. Nothing would ever come between them again. There was no way she would let it.

Everyone that should be in Mamoru's apartment were gone, doing other things. She knew she should leave, but she couldn't tear herself from his side. She knew her family must be worried about her, but her only thoughts seemed to be of him.

"Oh, Selene," she whispered, kissing his forehead, "thank you for bringing him back."

Usagi knew, as surely as the goddess must have known, she had been on the brink of losing everything, her emotions, her love, her sanity, without him. Had he not come back, Usagi would have just drawn into herself and let the outside world play around her.

But now that he was back…everything was right again. And because of all this, they had gotten four new allies that had once been enemies. She cocked her head to one side. Her Senshi were coming around to them, but slowly. Rei and Minako had made the most progress in that area.

Makoto, she had been strong to allow the Shitennou to stay with her when they had been unsure about them. Usagi couldn't imagine anyone's courage surpassing her Jovian Senshi's.

"You should go home; you're family will be worried about you."

Usagi started and looked down into Mamoru's loving blue eyes. She smiled softly. "I know, but I can't leave you."

"I love you, Usako."

Those words were all that Usagi had ever wanted to hear come from his lips. She cried and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you too, Mamo-chan."

Ami found herself walking aimlessly in the park, something she had never indulged in before. She didn't want to study, for once in her life. But then, what was her studying worth if she wasn't alive to do it?

Beryl, she knew, was not sitting back and biting her nails. She was pulling all her power together for one awesome strike. Ami wasn't entirely sure if she would survive, if any of them would.

Oh, she wasn't in the least worried that Usagi would survive. The other Inners, including herself, would lay down their lives to make her that way, as would Mamoru. But Ami was hoping Mamoru and Usagi would make it out alive together.

It wasn't so much death that bothered Ami, but what would happen after that? Would peace truly come or would Beryl find a way to survive and torment them again? And would the entire Inner Senshi die, or just certain ones, or would everyone survive? Even the Kings?

The Shitennou had been on her mind lately. Was there any conflict between loyalties in their minds or were they clear? Had they once been human? The way they had taken to their civilian names and in particular the ones they chosen suggested so. But why could they remember the past and not the life they might have once had then? Because they had spent so much time as Shitennou for Beryl?

A hand touched her shoulder and she jumped. "What are you thinking about?"

"Zale," she whispered, breathing a tad heavily, "you startled me. I was just thinking about what Beryl is going to do."

He looked away. "I know. I worry about it."

"So do I."

They meandered in silence until something caught Ami's eye. "Is that…who I think it is?"

Zale followed her pointing finger and his jaw dropped. "I believe so."

Minako, with her arm linked through Keagan's, was taking a stroll. From the look of her, they had been on a date. Then she noticed the looks from the other people: jealous at the happy and beautiful couple and disapproval.

"Why would they disapprove?" Zale asked, uncannily reading her mind.

Ami blushed. "How old is Keagan?"

"22."

"Minako-chan's 16," she stated quietly.

His eyebrows drew together. "I understand the age difference, but what does that matter when someone is in love?"

"I don't think age affects anything either, but older people were not raised to believe so. I think they believe that there must be an ulterior motive to all of it. Or perhaps they think it is purely intimacy; sometimes older men take a fancy to girls."

She watched as Zale's hand tightened into a fist and his clouds of anger formed in his eyes. "Keagan's intentions towards Minako are purely honorable," he hissed. "He would never do that to her, to anyone."

"I don't believe that because I know him; I know everything going on and about the groups. But other people do not. They simply see the surface and judge on that. It is like this analogy: I look like a weak Senshi so they attack me, but just because I look weak doesn't mean I can't fight at all. They judge the surface and appearance."

Zale forced himself to remain calm. "I'm happy for them, I truly am," he whispered.

"So am I."

He didn't say anything and she touched his arm. He looked at her and she was caught by his green eyes. They were so deep, those bottle-green eyes. They weren't emerald, like Makoto's; more pale than that.

"Let's go. I think the library beckons us."

Zale smiled and nodded. "Lead the way, milady."

She giggled and the two walked off.

Makoto thrust her hand toward her opponent. He easily caught her fist, but didn't have such an easy time of turning it to his advantage. "I'm not so easily fought," she gasped.

Nate grunted. "No, I concede that you are not, though I never once suspected you would be. If you were easy to fight, the Dark Kingdom would have had this world by now."

She smiled. "Thanks."

A few more minutes passed until they both called it quits. "Have you seen Rei-chan today?" she asked, puzzled.

"No, I haven't. Why?"

"I don't know, but she's usually out and about today, with one of us. Where would she be? Do you think she's fighting and can't call us?"

"No."

Makoto looked at him in surprise. "Why?"

He looked up toward the sun, squinting and shading his eyes. "The stars say…" He nearly gasped and a look of unequalled shock covered his features.

"What?" she demanded, her henshin wand in her hand.

Nate looked at her in surprise. "Jason and Rei…"

One look at his face and hers went beet red. So that's where she was. Sheepishly she put her wand away and shoved her hands in her pockets.

"When do you think Mamoru-san will recover?" she asked, trying vainly to change the subject.

He gave her an amused and sympathetic glance, but silently agreed with the change in topic. "I suppose, with Usagi caring for him, not all that long at that. Possibly by next week."

Her expression turned worrisome. "You don't suppose Beryl will make one final attempt at this planet and destroy us, do you?"

"Attack again? Yes. Destroy us? No, not with the Sailor Senshi here."

"But, we are not as powerful as we used to be in the Silver Millennium and she destroyed it easily."

"Makoto," She looked at him, "Beryl was that powerful in the Silver Millennium, but she isn't as powerful now either. That makes you equal in this time."

"Nate? What did it feel like, working for Beryl and Metallia?" she asked hesitantly.

He looked away and assumed more of the role of Nephrite. "You mean after I was released from her control and could think about it without retching?" he said dryly. "It was the most horrible thing I've ever felt in my entire life. The feeling of betrayal is something you can't even begin to describe. You wouldn't know what it would feel like; you would never betray the princess."

And you did, she translated from the potent air. "Nate…"

"Don't say anything, Makoto," he told her gruffly. "Just let this be. Let me figure this one out on my own."

She nodded and they meandered down the sidewalk in silence.

Mamoru woke up to weak sunlight coming through his apartment window into his bedroom. The sound of heavy breathing drew his attention to a chair placed next to the door. He had known from the beginning that it wasn't Usagi, she didn't sleep that heavily, but he honestly didn't expect to see Keagan sleeping in the chair.

He managed to pull himself to a sitting position and holding in his hiss of pain. He was barely remembering Kunzite and the others as his Shitennou, but it was slowly coming back.

"Are you all right?"

The black-haired man nearly jumped and stared into his friend's silver gray eyes. "I thought you were sleeping," he protested.

Keagan shook his head and it was when Mamoru was looking into his eyes that he saw the trained reflexes that not even Time could wipe away, ones that would awaken him the second his prince moved.

Mamoru smiled a little at him. "I'm fine," he responded to his earlier question. "You didn't have to sleep in that chair."

"Yes I did."

He was not expecting that sort of answer. 'No, I didn't, but I did anyway' was the sort of answer that he could have dealt with, but not this blunt, 'Yes I did'.

"Why?"

"Because you are our prince and we must guard you." Before he could be let down on this answer, Keagan continued. "But because, first and foremost, you are our brother-in-arms, like the Senshi are sisters-in-arms. You're our friend and that is why I had to."

"Oh."

Mamoru stumbled from the bed and immediately found Keagan's arm around his shoulders, helping him and supporting him. He had a flash of déjà vu, like this had happened before a long time ago, but no memory attached.

"Zale is making us breakfast, or so it was said last night," was the dry statement from somewhere around his ear. After all, Keagan was about an inch or two taller than he.

"I didn't know Zale could cook," Mamoru commented as Keagan helped him into the bathroom to take care of the necessaries.

"Apparently he can."

His voice became muffled as the door blocked it, but Mamoru didn't have much trouble making out the words.

"Keagan! Where are you?" demanded Jason's irate voice.

"In Mamoru's bedroom."

"Is he coming?"

"In a minute."

"Tell him to hurry it up, whatever he's doing!"

"Did you get that?"

Mamoru chuckled and opened the door. Keagan's wry smile was all he needed to see. Now he really felt what Usagi felt with her friends. The roles weren't exactly counterparts, such as with Keagan and Minako, but they all more or less fulfilled each one. The only one that might be the same would be Zale and Ami.

Slowly he allowed Keagan to support him and lead him to his kitchen, which now looked pitifully small with the five men crowded in it.

"We're going to have to get another apartment," Keagan murmured, looking around. Mamoru had to agree with him.

End Chapter 13