The Passion of Love; Part One
Jadeite came out from Zoisite's bedroom and leaned against the door, the others had waited out in the living room with Endymion who had been close to hysteria and was now calm; after four glasses of really strong wine.
"Have good news and bad news," he said, "the good news is that he has stopped crying blood, the bad news is that on top of everything else he is now suffering from blood loss, too."
Endymion took another sip and Nephrite poured himself a glass and took a swig. Jadeite leaned his head back and began banging it against the door and Kunzite rose and led him away from the door and forced him down on the sofa.
"I think we all know that we have a little problem," Kunzite said, "who is going to inform Princess Mercury about this?"
Jadeite and Nephrite groaned, the prince said nothing and he had a strange vacant look in his eyes, suddenly the glass fell from lax fingers and shattered on the floor, his eyes rolled back into his head and he fainted.
"I'll take him to his room," Kunzite said and rose to pick up the unconscious Prince and walked out of the room.
"I have a feeling that we are going to see the Princess soon," Jadeite said and looked out of the window, all windows were cowered except one, so the pale autumn sun shone in and reflected itself in some prisms that cast tiny rainbows in the whole room.
"How come?" Nephrite asked him.
"I asked Princess Jupiter to tell Princess Mars that I wanted to see her," he said, "I have no doubt that all of them will come."
"I guess girls in that age are all alike no matter what planet they come from," Nephrite said and Jadeite nodded. He rose from his chair and headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Nephrite asked him.
"To my room to get some sleep then I will probably kill myself," he said.
"Let me know if you need some help with the later," Nephrite said too tired to put any feeling into the banter.
"You'll be the last I call," he said as the door closed behind him.
"Are you sure?" Akai asked for the hundredth time and Midori nodded for the hundredth time.
"Yes, he said he wanted to see you as soon as possible," she said, "he didn't say why, but he looked pretty serious and said it was important."
"Well, I have to do a reading for Princess Serenity and I believe you have something to deliver," Akai said and Midori nodded.
As they both stepped into the Princess room they saw that Mizuiro and Kiiro were also there, sitting at the low table on the floor and Artemis and Luna were asleep on the bed.
"Princess Serenity," Midori said and knelt in front of Serenity, "I have a gift from your betrothed."
Midori took out the necklace from her clothes and held it up so they could all see it, the moon shaped stone caught the sunlight and glittered.
"It's beautiful," Serenity said in awe.
"He said it was called a Moonstone, supposedly it's a female stone" she informed her.
"How fitting," Akai said and looked amused at the stone.
"You're just jealous Akai because I have someone and you don't," Serenity said and Akai gave her an angry glare.
"I happen to have someone that loves me and he has proven it," she said still glaring at the princess that had backed a step.
"Is that the palace guard who was flirting with you?" Kiiro asked and Akai's anger disappeared in a flash and was replaced with indignity.
"How dare you even word such a thought," she almost screamed at her, "I have never been so insulted in my entire life."
"So it is Jadeite-san then?" Midori said and Akai's turned red and began to stammer something incomprehensible.
"Remember to breathe Akai," Mizuiro said and Akai took a beep breath.
"So I was right then?" Midori stated teasingly and she nodded.
"Then there are three of us that have found love on Earth then," Serenity said, "now Akai can't you do that reading now, that is after all what we are here for, ne?"
"You're right," Akai said and sat down on the opposite side of the table so she was facing Serenity, and took out her cards.
Silence fell over them as she laid out the cards and regarded them with a concentrated frown on her face.
"Although love seem far from you right now it will soon come and you'll be very happy, marriage is to expect in the eminent future," she said, "the future looks very bright."
"Sounds pretty good," Serenity said and fingered the moonstone, "even though they are not always one hundred percent accurate they are still good indicators for what is to come."
"Can you do me to?" Kiiro asked sprightly and Akai nodded.
"Sure," she said and Kiiro and Serenity traded places.
Once again Akai laid out the cards and looked at them. Suddenly she flushed and looked up at Kiiro with a smile.
"What?" she asked.
"You have someone that loves you very much, but he is afraid of showing it," Akai continued thoughtfully, "sad things are happening in his life and that may get him to turn from you, but if you live up to your name 'Ai no Megami' you may be able to help him."
"Well, that shouldn't be too hard," Kiiro said and rubbed her hands together with a determined look on her face. "I just use my feminine qualities and he'll be so dazzled that he won't know what hit him."
"Well, she is nothing if not self-confident," Midori said and they all laughed.
"How about you Mizuiro?" Akai asked and looked at her. "Would you like me to make a reading for you?"
"I don't know..." she began but Serenity pushed her down at the table. "I guess one wouldn't hurt."
"That's the spirit," Kiiro said and Akai smiled and started with the cards.
Halfway she gathered the cards and muttered something that sounded like;
"I made a mistake better start over."
Zoisite slowly opened his eyes and noted that he was all alone in the room. It was dark since the windows were draped but a small crack allowed enough daylight in to let him make that assessment.
His body ached all over, not even during the war had he felt such a pain as he was feeling right now. Suddenly he started to cough and he sat up so that he wouldn't choke. After what seemed like half an eternity he coughed up a lump of dried blood and he was able to breathe again but not for long as he started to cough again and this time it was fresh blood.
As he finally stopped he got up from bed and staggered over to the door and opened it. He saw Kunzite sleeping on the sofa and there was a bottle of wine standing on the table, either his friend was drunk or he had just fallen asleep out of exhaustion.
Opening the door he sneaked out of the room. It was a slow process walking down the corridor he had to stop every tenth step to cough and of course he coughed up more blood and as soon as he had left the room with the crystals he began to get weaker but he had to get to the shrine, no matter the costs.
"Gomen nasai minna, gomen nasai hime," he whispered as he got to the stairs leading down to the main hall.
"Zoisite, what do you think you are doing?" he heard Jadeite's voice behind him and looked up and saw him standing by the railing two floors up.
"Stretching my legs," he said and continued on his way down, faster - or rather as fast as he could.
A faint whisper in the back of his mind told him that Jadeite had called on the others.
'They are not going to stop me,' he thought as he reached the ground floor, 'this battle of mine has to end.'
"How could you be so stupid as to fall asleep?" Nephrite almost screamed at Kunzite when they met up.
"Well excuse me for being human," he said and Nephrite glared at him.
"You've certainly never acted like one before!" he scolded.
"Kono..." he never got any further since Jadeite stepped in between them.
"Will you two shut the hell up and concentrate on the task at hand," he said, "let's catch Zoisite and take him back to his room then you can kill each other."
"Did you see which way he went?" Nephrite asked.
"He was heading downstairs," Jadeite said, "the only place I can think of is the shrine, otherwise we just have to follow the blood trail."
"Then let's go," Kunzite said and they ran down the stairs.
They spotted Zoisite at the stairs leading down to the shrine; he seemed to be resting where he was leaning against the railing. He must have sensed them approaching since he looked up directly at them and raised his hand and fired an energy ball toward them, it dissolved as it hit their combined protective field.
"Zoisite, what the hell are you doing?" Jadeite said and Zoisite looked at him with thin eyes.
"Ending a battle," he said and started to descend the stairs.
"Zoisite stop it," Kunzite screamed and they rushed forward to the stairs and they had to dive for cover on the floor as another energy ball was fired.
"Didn't know he had strength enough for that," Jadeite mumbled as he helped Nephrite up from the floor, seemed like he had dislocated his left shoulder as they hit the deck.
"I don't think he has much energy left, what ever it is he is doing it sure seems important enough for him to go this far," he turned to Nephrite and nodded to Jadeite who took a firm grip of the brown haired man. "Let's see if we can pop that shoulder back in place!"
Nephrite turned white as the meaning of his word sank in and he started to stammer as he tried to break free from Jadeite's grip.
"You don't have to, it doesn't hurt that much," he said but Kunzite ignored him and pulled the shoulder back into place.
Not a sound escaped Nephrite except a harsh breath.
"There you go," he said and Jadeite released him, "you are more useful to us in this condition."
"One day I'm going to get you for this," he hissed at him.
"It's the pain talking," Kunzite said and turned toward the stairs and started down.
"Kunzite look down there!" Jadeite cried out, he did so and saw Zoisite lying at the foot of the stairs in an odd angle on the floor.
"He most have fallen down," Nephrite said, "he isn't dead but I would be lying if I said he was okay."
To their surprise they saw Zoisite get up from the floor and continued walking toward the entrance to the shrine of water, his right arm was hanging useless by his side and they saw blood dripping from his arm and creating a red trail after him.
They hurried down the stairs but as they approached the entrance to the shrine they saw that a protective shield was erected before it.
"This can take awhile," Jadeite said with a critical look on his face as he searched for weaknesses in the shield, "Zoisite is as thorough in magic as in swordmanship."
"You will have even more trouble since it is a water based shield," Kunzite said and looked through the barrier at Zoisite that was sitting at the edge of the fountain looking into the water, it could be an illusion created by the shield but it seemed as the waterfall and fountain sprouts was getting thinner.
Serenity was watching Akai putting out the cards on the table for the seventh time and she could see that Mizuiro was getting nervous and as a frown passed on Akai's face and she moved her hand to gather the card she grabbed her wrists and Akai looked up at her.
"Tell us what the card says," she said, "no one, not even an amateur would lay out the card wrong seven times."
Akai looked away and bit her lip, it was clear that whatever it was it wasn't good news.
"Tell us Akai," Serenity said and let go of her wrist.
Akai looked down on the card and a sweet drop trickled down her forehead to her chin and she wiped it away with her hand.
"Great sorrow is imminent since the lonely battle will take away everything and replace it with beautiful memories," she said and her voice shook, "however as the truth becomes clear an offer will be made and if you are strong enough the happiness that would not be can be yours."
Mizuiro looked at the cards and then at Akai then back to the cards, suddenly a petal from the flower on the necklace fell off and landed on the table were it wilted to dust. Mizuiro stared at it for awhile and then with a startled gasp got up and hurried out of the room. Shocked they first looked at each other and then they followed her.
As they got outside the palace it was quiet clear as to where she was headed, the transport area, even though Kiiro was the most athletic of them and Mizuiro wasn't it was impossible to catch up with her and it was not just because she had a head start.
Since no one had used the transport area since Midori had returned from Earth the crystal for Earth was still in place and as they approached they saw Mizuiro being engulfed in a bright light and when it faded she was gone.
As they reached the top of the stairs, they saw the necklace laying inside the circle, it was broken down into what it was made of, the flower had completely wilted away and was lying in a pool of mouldy water, the lock of hair that had belonged to both Mizuiro and Zoisite-san was still entwined to each other but the blond curl was pallid and torn.
"Something must have happened to Zoisite-san!" Midori said.
"Masaka!" Akai said and they turned to look at her and saw that she was paler than a sheet.
"What is it?" Serenity asked her and Akai looked up at them.
"Then, the one who was sick," she said and they all knew what she meant, "that must have been Zoisite-san, no it is he, Jadeite-san told me that the reason why I couldn't see him was because he had a cold, but it must have been worse."
"That must have been why they were so reluctant to tell us who was sick," Kiiro said and the other nodded and Serenity went up to the Earth crystal and saw that it glowed has somewhat faded do to the constant use of it today.
"Everybody transform," she said and they looked at her with surprise written all over their faces, "Mizuiro is not only a fellow senshi she is also our friend and were she goes we follow."
The others nodded and brought out their transformation crest and held them high in the air.
"MARS POWER!"
"VENUS POWER!"
"JUPITER POWER!"
Serenity walked over and held her hand over the Earth crystal ready to transport them the minute they transformed, their combined power would give the crystal the power it needed to transport them all to Earth and what ever waited there.
"Serenity, minna," she heard her hahaoya call out and she looked up and saw her coming running towards them and after her came Luna and Artemis, "stop!"
"Gomen hahaoya," she whispered.
"MAKE UP!"
She put her hand on the stone and the wind blew up around them and as it subsided they found themselves standing on a platform with a cold icy wind greeted them under a grey and rain heavy sky.
"Must be autumn now," Kiiro said obviously remembering Zoisite's lecture they got at the banquet the last time they two had been here.
"Let's get to the palace before we turn into ice statues," Akai said, her teeth's clattering violently.
"Just a minute," Serenity said and ripped apart her dress at knee high, "now lets go."
As they broke into a run a rainstorm erupted and as they reached the palace entrance they were soaked, despite that they now looked more like drowned cats then princesses the guards recognised them and opened the door, they also noticed that one of them had five long scratch mark on his cheek.
As they entered the palace Akai started to run toward what looked like a spiral staircase that led down, she must have sensed someone's life-force.
As they reached the stair they heard voices coming from down there and they listened intently to the conversation;
"There must be some way to break down that barrier?" they heard Endymion's voice say.
"Please, be my guest, Your Majesty," Jadeite's voice said dripping with sarcasm.
"Wipe that smug grin off your face Kunzite," Endymion said.
"Seems like we have to wait until he is dead," Nephrite said and the sound of a hand impacting with skin in high speed was heard followed by a stream of foul words in a well known female voice.
"She must be really mad," Akai said and the other nodded, "seems like we might just as well join the party downstairs."
"We have company," Nephrite said and Jadeite looked up and saw that the rest of the Princess of the inner solar system had arrived together with the Moon Princess. They were all flushed and in battle gear, just as Mercury had been upon arriving, Serenity's otherwise white pristine dress was ripped knee high and she was as flushed as the others were.
"Hime-sama," Endymion said surprised as she ran up to him and threw herself into his waiting arms.
"We were so worried when Mercury ran away like that," she said and looked up at the blue haired girl. "You're alright?"
Mercury nodded, her normal calm expression replaced with anger and resolution.
A terrible scream was heard from the shrine of water and a tremendous burst of energy followed and knocked them all to the floor.
"For heavens sake," Jadeite said and got to his feet it was hard to see in the dust that had yet to settle after the blast.
"Not quite right," he heard Zoisite's voice say but at the same time it wasn't his voice.
"A youma," Mars said that had also got up from the floor and was standing beside him.
"The little girl is right," they could now see the monster - rather Zoisite's body - coming toward them in the dust filled room.
"Were is Zoisite?" Endymion asked.
"He is finally dead," the youma answered with an evil sneer, "hadn't you interfered for so long this would have been over much quicker."
"Like we would let a friend die," Kunzite said.
The demon looked around and the evil sneer broadened.
"So you are all here," it said, "and I remember you all well, the princesses are unexpected. But having you all here is so much better for me. Now I can kill you all!"
"We'll see about that," Jadeite said and held out his hand and a sword of fire appeared and he launched himself against the monster that easily dodged his attack.
"Still reckless and eager," it said as it dodged a second blow, "some things never change. Since you were the first to attack you will be the first to die, just like the last time, you go first."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Jadeite looked at it with his sword raised. "We've never met you before?"
"Naruhodo. So you don't remember, well it doesn't matter," it said with a smile, "with or without memories you will die just the same."
Bolts of pure energy flowed from the demon's hand and hit him squarely in the chest and threw him into the wall and with a thud he landed on the floor.
"Jadeite!" Mars cried out and ran up to him.
"I'm fine," he said and felt a sharp pain in his chest as he moved and he felt the taste of fresh blood as he started to cough.
"Nasakenai," the demon said and shook its head.
Nephrite had sneaked up from behind with sword in hand and had the prefect opportunity to decapitate the demon, but the monster seemed to sense the imminent danger and ducked the blow, the only thing being severed was Zoisite's long ponytail, that fell to the floor and lay there like a pile of threaded gold.
"Clever," the demon turned toward him, "but still too slow."
An energy bolt passed him as he ducked and it hit the wall.
The demon was knocked of its feet as Kunzite managed to sneak up behind it and with a well aimed kick into the backside of the knees the demon fell.
"Not everyone is slow," he said and laughter came from the demon.
"Perhaps not slow, but some never learns."
Unarmed and unprepared the blast sent him into a wall, however he seemed unaffected by the blow. The demon looked at Kunzite with glee in his eyes and fired another blast that was absorbed by the shield, which was now in place around him. In his hand he held a sword and his eyes were blazing with anger. He charged forward but the demon blocked him with its right arm, the same arm that Zoisite had broken in the fall down the stairs, and the sickening sound of bones being crushed was heard.
"We fought a whole war filled with your kind one more doesn't matter," Kunzite said and laughter was the demon's only answer.
"Alone you are weak and helpless," Jadeite said and the demon looked at him.
"That is what you think, little boy!" it said and with a push it sent Kunzite staggering backward trying to regain his balance, "those weaklings you fought in the war can only put up a fight against humans with no magic abilities, you however could have won the war alone without realising your full potential."
"And destroyed much of the Earth in the process," Nephrite said.
"One can't have everything," the demon said and shrugged its shoulders, "where were we, oh yes now I remember."
It turned to Kunzite who had regained his balance, but before the demon had a chance to attack Kunzite a powerful blast came from the water shrine and knocked the demon into a wall.
"Learn this," a familiar voice said, "for someone to die the body has to die too."
"You barely had enough power to get down here how can you still be on this plane?" the demon shouted.
"My body failed but my soul still has enough power for this one last battle," came the cold reply, "Sailor Mars if you would please take care of the demon so that it calms down a bit."
Mars got up and threw a strip of paper at the demon shouting;
"Akuryo Taisan."
The demon was hit in the face and became completely immobile.
"Minna go to your shrine and attack the demon with all your power only then will you be able to destroy it," Zoisite's voice rang out in the whole room.
"If we do that you're body will also be destroyed and will surely kill you too?" Jadeite said.
"Your point being?"
Nobody said anything.
"This is no time to be selfish, this is Earth's safety we are talking about and we as the Shitennou are born in times of danger to use our power and help it, so do as you are told!"
"Our combined powers will most likely destroy Earth along with the demon," Nephrite said.
"Not if I can help it," Endymion said and they looked at him and saw the mark of Earth blazing on his forehead.
The stairs leading top level disappeared and Endymion got over to the place since it was in the centre and a green pillar of light shot up around him.
Watching the world through a green light he could see the auras of everyone it the room and their power that flowed around and through them.
"Now everyone, get ready," Zoisite's voice said and they walked over to their respective shrine, standing in the portal the power needed started to build inside of them as they called upon their respective element.
He saw that the Sailor Senshi together with their princess had taken refuge by a wall and erected a force field around them for protection.
"NOW!"
They released their powers as one and they hit the demon that had now got loose from Mars's anti-evil spell however it didn't stand a chance against their combined powers, at the impact of their target the hole building shook violently. Before the strain of protecting the Earth against the tremendous power of the elements became too much he swore he saw the faint outlines of Zoisite in the portal to the shrine of water. The forces raged outside as well as inside and it was hard to protect the Earth but he had to and before he could take any more it ended and the green light disappeared and he fell to his knees in sheer exhaustion.
As the light and dust cleared they were able to get a clear picture of the effect of their attack on the target and saw that Sailor Mercury was already sitting there gently cradling a badly wounded Zoisite's head in her lap.
"The youma is gone," she said without looking up and they all gathered around them.
With his last remaining power Zoisite managed to open his eyes, they were astonished that this was still possible considering the amount of injures their powers had caused. That he was still alive was also inconceivable; but his soul most have reclaimed his body after the demon died.
Jadeite was horrified by the big, ugly gashes from which fresh, darkred blood oozed that covered his upper body and legs and was visible through what remained of his charred clothes. At some places whites of bone was visible. Only his face, though covered in blood, seemed somewhat untouched even though the now short hair was half replaced by horrible burn marks.
Kunzite bent down and covered their fallen friends body with his cloak and clear green eyes turned toward him.
"Does the marks of victory appal you?" he asked nobody answered. "I guess they do."
"Get a healer quickly," Endymion said.
"And my dear prince what will they do?" Zoisite asked him. "Just prolong the inevitable, just let me die with the little dignity I have left."
"The healers might help you," Mercury said and he looked up at her and with his unbroken arm reached out and touched her cheek.
"They might, but it's too late," he said with tears in his eyes, "I'm just glad I got to see you one more time, my love."
"Zoisite," Kunzite said and once again Zoisite looked at him.
"I'm sorry I can't stay," he said and his eyes slid shut, "please, forgive me."
The hand that had touched Mercury's cheek fell to rest on a motionless chest, a single tear made a clean path down his cheek and he was gone.
Jadeite buried his face in his hands and cried, as did Endymion; Nephrite turned around and only his shaking shoulders betrayed that he was crying too, Kunzite however showed no other emotion except indifference.
"No Zoisite, please don't leave me," Mercury cried out, tears streaming down her face, "I love you."
The Sailor Senshi also wept, they knew Zoisite since the war but what moved them the most was Mercury's sorrow.
Suddenly the room was filled with mist and lights of blue, green-blue and black-violet coloured the fog and the surroundings turned dark as space.
"The lonely battle has ended and peace is once again given at a high price," a smooth feminine voice said.
"Makkuro-hime," Serenity said with a small voice and as the fog cleared three tall females materialised.
"Uranus-hime, Neptune-hime," Endymion said.
"Forgive our intrusion in this hour of sadness," Uranus said, "but we are here to insure that it can still end in happiness for all parties involved."
"Jadeite-sama," Neptune said and pointed at him and in front of him a book appeared, "this book is from your own library, since you are next after Zoisite the most academic person in this court, read the book and retell the content to your comrades."
Jadeite opened the book and looked through the pages with a frown.
"You are familiar with the language in question, are you not?" Uranus asked him and he nodded.
"I am, but it's going to take some time," he said, "it's not directly an everyday language."
"Take your time," Pluto said and turned her gaze to Sailor Mercury, "Mizuiro-hime, Princess Mercury right now your sorrow is great and may lead you to places your rational mind wouldn't go, but I make you an offer and if you are strong enough you will prevail."
Mizuiro looked up at the woman know as Princess Pluto with tear streaked face.
"The spirit being freed from a body is the start of death but the road to afterlife is long and hard," she said and as she spoke a dark and gloomy looking portal opened, "if you walk swiftly and with purpose you may find the soul of the man you love, but now you must hurry, though time is non-existent in the realms of death it's not a place you want to linger in. Do you understand and accept this difficulty?"
Mizuiro rose from the floor and stepped up to the portal, Venus tried to grab hold of her as she passed but Kunzite stopped her.
"I accept," Mizuiro said and lifted her hand and removed her tiara and she de-transformed, she stood in front of the gate clad in a little blue dress that reached half down her thighs and left her arms naked.
"Then enter Mizuiro-hime and find what you are looking for," Princess Pluto said and Mercury stepped closer to the portal that reeked of death and darkness.
Jadeite knew there was something he should remember about this but as usual he had forgotten and it isn't easy trying to recall something long forgotten, as Mercury stepped one foot inside the portal her body slumped to the floor.
"Mizuiro," Serenity called out and Endymion had to hold onto her so she couldn't follow her friend.
To their amazement they saw that Mercury continued inside the portal despite the fact that her body lay on the floor. As it dawned on them that it was her soul they saw walking further into the shadows Jadeite remembered what he had read and forgotten - no living creature could set foot upon the domains of the afterlife, however living creatures were able to enter it, if leaving their psychical form behind whether they ever emerged again was not told. As she disappeared from view the portal closed and Pluto turned toward them and while hers remained incoherent the others bodies seemed to solidify.
"While we await disaster or miracle we will remain with you and when the blond scholar here have finished reading the book we will fill in what is not revealed in there," Aiiro said as Princess Pluto disappeared.
"Well, the Princess' of the outer solar system is of course always welcome here," Endymion said politely though uselessly.
Akai flopped down on the cushions in the sofa with a dark look on her face, the others looked at her wanting to know what had made her angry but afraid of approaching her.
"Ne, Akai?" Midori said sitting down on the sofa with enough space between them to be out of harms way, just in case, "what's troubling you?"
"That blond baka is what troubles me," she said wheezing the sentence between her clenched teeth's.
"Is he still locked inside the library?" Serenity asked.
"He has been there for three days now," Kiiro said, "are you sure he is still alive?"
"He is alive alright," Akai said, "I knocked and Aiiro-sama answered she practically threw me out off the library wing, saying not to disturb them again."
"Well, face it Akai you aren't that good in ancient languages," Serenity said.
"Like you are so much better," Akai said and Serenity blushed as she chewed on her lower lip.
"This is an ancient Earth language," a voice said and the looked up and saw Hukamidori standing in the doorway.
"Hukamidori-hime," Kiiro said, "please join us."
She smiled and sat down in one of the armchairs.
"Aren't you upset?" Akai asked her.
"Upset! Why would I be upset?" she asked.
"Because Jadeite-san is hogging Aiiro-sama," Kiiro said.
Hukamidori laughed and looked at them with mirth in her eyes.
"Glad to see that someone is finding this amusing," Akai said, "because I don't find the idea of a handsome man being locked up in the library with a gorgeous female that funny."
Neptune laughed again and rose from the chair.
"I wouldn't worry Mars-hime," she said with a smile, "Aiiro wouldn't try anything and if I were you I would have more faith in the one I love."
No one said anything until she had left the room.
"See Akai you should have more trust in him," Serenity said and Akai gave her a venomous look.
"Would you if it were Endymion in there?" she asked and Serenity said nothing.
"Well you can sit here and dawdle all you want I'm going to try and melt some ice," Kiiro said.
"So it really is Kunzite-san you are after," Midori said and Kiiro blushed fiercely.
"Yes, something wrong with that?" she said.
"No," Midori said, "its just not your style tilting windmills, that's all."
"Maybe that's because there are no windmills on the inner or outer planets to tilt," Kiiro said and left the room.
"Mou!" he exclaimed getting up from the chair in frustration knocking over a stack of books in the process.
"What is it now?" Uranus asked and looked at him as she moved to put out another spontaneous fire that was dangerously close too some valuable ancient books.
"I've been starring so long at those infuriating words that the letters are starting to waltz around the pages," he said.
"The last time we met you were pretty good at waltzing," she said and he looked at her in surprise, "join them, find the rhythm and learn what it stands."
He chuckled and rubbed his eyes.
"I will," he said, "just need to rest my eyes for a moment."
"Then I can stop chasing fires for awhile, ne?" she said.
"Sorry about that," he said with a sheepish grin.
"You are stressed and worried and on top of that you have lost a friend," she said, "you have nothing to apologise for."
"Still I feel helpless and a little lonely," he said.
"Maybe I shouldn't have thrown Akai out of here had I known you felt lonely," she said and he looked at her.
"I thought I heard her voice," he said with a smile, "but that wouldn't have mattered she could hardly do anything against this loneliness."
"You miss your friend," she said and he nodded.
"After fourteen years of friendship that would be expected," he answered, "and I do miss him, maybe it had been less painful losing him had I known he hadn't suffered."
"Bodily he may suffered to the very end," she said, "but you being there may have eased some of the pains from his soul."
"Well, we'll never forget him, that's for sure," he whispered.
"I know what you mean," she said, "I've only met him once but he sure made an impression, it's not every day you meet such intelligent young men, or so good looking, and especially not in one and same person."
"We all look good so we tend not to notice," he said attempting to smile a little and then he got over to the desk and continued unlocking the mysteries of the book.
Kunzite was standing by the window in his quarter, looking out on a beautiful, sunny autumn day whiteout really seeing it. His childhood friend was gone, his 'otouto' was dead.
He sighed, nothing mattered anymore, everything had died in that room together with Zoisite, he hadn't planned to live a life involving only his friend and fellow Shitennou but they had been in the picture. He hadn't planned that any of them would die after the war, had he died in the war he could have accepted it and moved on, but like this and by their own power.
Nothing made sense anymore, nothing at all and nothing mattered.
Taking a sip from the glass he held in his hand he never noticed the door opening and closing.
"Kunzite-sama," a voice said and surprised, though not letting it show on his face, he turned around and saw Venus standing there.
"Venus-hime," he said, "it's rude to enter a persons room without knocking."
"I know, gomen nasai," she said looking down, "I hope I'm not disturbing you."
"Not really," he said looking at her. Her hair looked different it was pulled back into a loose ponytail, her hairstyle combined with the blond colour reminded him painfully about Zoisite and it was the last thing he wanted for her to remind him of his friend, when everything else in the palace and his own room reminded him about what was lost.
"Would you mind letting loose your hair?" he asked and she looked questioningly at him.
"Doushite?" she said.
"Your style looks similar to the way Zoisite used to wear his hair," he said and realisation dawned on her face and she tugged at the ribbon holding the hair in place and as the restraint disappeared the hair cascaded down around her and she seemed to stand underneath a waterfall of gold.
"I'm sorry I didn't know that it would effect you like that," she said and bowed apologetically.
"It really doesn't matter," he said, "everything in this palace will in some way remind me of him."
"Seems like he meant a lot to you," she said carefully.
"He was my first friend at the court," he stated, "from the very first day."
"Friends like that are hard to find," she said with a nod, "but you still have the other two, they are your friends too, you shouldn't cut them off because one is dead. Talk with them and you might just find a way out of this grief together."
"It's not that easy," he said.
"It is that easy," she declared, "you grieve, get over it and move on, you don't stop living just because a person you care for dies."
They just looked at each other for a moment and then a smug smile spread over her face.
"Unless you are afraid of showing any sign of emotion that is?" she said.
"What is that suppose to mean?" he asked her, slightly insulted that she would be so brazen.
"Just that some men think that showing emotions is a weakness," she said matter-of-factly, "seems you do, since you didn't cry for any of the men that fell under your command in the war."
"Had I cried for everyone of them I wouldn't have done anything else," he said.
"You could have at least mourned them in some way, not just stand there like an ice statue when the casualty report came in," she said and he saw a light flush of anger on her cheeks.
"You cried enough for two, I saw no need in doing it," he said without changing expression but inside he was beginning to smile; she was so impulsive and he had almost forgot how amusing he found it to tease her - as long as it didn't go overboard.
"Well, somebody had to," she said and he noted that she had caught on to the fact that he was just teasing.
"I may not have cried for them, but I prayed for the lives that was lost every night," he said, "I can't cry, because if I lose control for just one minute I will lose control forever."
"Is that so bad?" she asked him. "If you lost that coldness?"
"I've thought about it and come to the conclusion that it would be very bad," he said.
"You could at least cry for Zoisite-san," she argued.
"When I know he is truly dead I will cry," he replied gravely.
"Tilting windmills, indeed," she breathed and sighed.