Before the Dawn
Book 1
I Remember When I Sleep
It started to rain. She didn't stop to hide under a tree or under the small canopy of a store. She didn't stop when her feet became so soaked from puddles that they started to prune. She ignored the sensitive flesh of her feet and didn't care about the callouses that would develop. She didn't care that her pajamas were sticking to her body like a second skin. She ignored the chill in the air and snapped her head to move unwanted wet strands of hair from her misty eyes. As she ran her surrounding started to change. In and out of a memory, like a dream. A single drop of rain hit a deep puddle.
"Stay away from her! You'll never understand!" Another drop.
"Mother!" Again.
"It won't work." Drop.
"You don't care REMEMBER!" Drop.
"I'm sorry Mommy..." Drop.
"Don't talk to me Kunzite." Drop.
"You can't be trusted!" Drop.
"What the Hell are you doing here?"
"I can learn to love you... Maybe..." Drop.
"Fight it! Fight it Kunzite!" Drop.
"No... God no!" Drop
"KUNZITE!" Drop.
"Don't... leave me... alone..." Drop.
"I don't want to go...." Drop. Every drop was a second of a lifetime long forgotten. Buried deep in her memory. She started to remember and she wanted to forget. But she couldn't. It hurt too much. She finally realized why she had such an empty void in her life, in her mind, and in her heart. She had made life anew, but the one man she ever truly loved was still paying for his sins. Sins that she helped create. Sins that shouldn't be faced alone. If the queen truly wanted them to be happy, then it was reason enough.
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The banging on the door was deafening and Mamoru all but fell out of bed. In only a pair of black pants he moved sluggishly to the door, glancing at the wall clock that glowed a steady red 3:00 am sign. She grumbled as the banging grew louder and faster. He muttered and yelled at the late night visitor that he was coming. Without looking through the peephole he unlatched the door and opened it wide.
His mouth dropped and her had the good grace to blush as he looked at the soaked Minako. She resembled a drowned rat with her light orange pajamas clinging to the curves of her body and her hair plastered around her face. She dripped water and was slightly hunched over, gasping for breath. Her eyes were red and puffy, a sure sign that she had been crying but the water still streamed down her face, hiding her tears.
"What that-" Mamoru started, but was immediately cut off by Minako's harsh yet haunting voice.
"I need to see him."
"What?"
"I need to see him." Her voiced rose with each word. "I want my Kunzite!" Mamoru panicked as her herd the clicking of the locks of his neighbors and frantically rushed her inside, shutting the door soundly and locking it.
"What the heck are you talking about?"
"I know you can take me to him. His stone, where is the stone?" Minako's voice had dropped again. He looked at her sideways. She was so unlike herself. Her cheery nature was gone and her brightness had dimmed. She looked tortured and out of place, as though she were only an animated shell. She broke his thoughts when she grabbed him by his shoulders and shook him with an inhuman strength. "Now Mamoru!"
"Ok, ok. Don't freak out. Don't you think you should change? Take a shower or something?"
"Mamoru..." She hissed and he took a step back. He sighed and lead her to his room where the crystals lay dormant. He touched the stone of Kunzite and a right rose from it, casting an image in the room of the head of Endymion's Protectors. Kunzite, normally level headed and in control took one look at the soaked beauty that haunted his dreams and recoiled in rage.
"I'm sorry my Lord, but I refuse to take her back to the Plane with me."
"Don't say that! I know why you were in so much pain before."
"Because of you!"
"Yes, but It's only because your punishment is keeping you from remembering." Minako had become meek.
"What are you talking about?" His composure had returned and he hovered over her, part of him still receding into the stone.
"Kunzite I..." Something in the room glittered in the corner of Mamoru's eye. He turned his head in time to see a beam of soft orange light run towards
Kunzite. Before he could let out a warning it hit his transparent form and the room was enveloped in a bright light, none like he had ever seen.
When the light faded Kunzite stood there, as solid as a rock. Confused her looked at his hands and touched his own face, then the table on which the stones had sat.
"What the..." He stood in awe of himself and Minako smiled. Both seemed oblivious to Mamoru and took no notice when he slipped out of the room. He rushed to the phone and called the only person who wouldn't have a parent answer. Makoto.
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The girls arrived at Mamoru's door tired and confused. Soon they were inside huddled in the living room just out side his bedroom door. Ami, with her mini computer in hand, frantically tried to read the energy waves that played on her screen.
"I don't understand. Everything... It's unreadable. I can't figure out the source."
"What I don't understand is how could Kunzite be in a solid form," Artemis said and pawed at the door absently. Luna cast a forlorn look at him. "He was transparent, and the only one who could give him a solid body was Beryl and Mettalia."
"Minako..." Rei said quietly. "Minako visited me before she came here..." Everyone's attention snapped to her. Ami gave a hopeful look.
"What did she say?" Usagi asked, coming out of a sleepy stupor.
"She said... That Kunzite... That she knew him, and there was something she had to do... But I don't know what that something is. I just know... from my readings that... something is threatening to take her away from us."
"WHAT!" Usagi screamed and jumped up. "No! I won't let that happen!"
"Usagi..." Makoto said quietly. Usagi balled up her fists and stalked into Mamoru's room and the other followed. Once inside they froze at the sight of Minako and Kunzite, standing there, oblivious to all. The real shocker was that, while Kunzite was still his normal uniform of grey and white, Minako has transformed into a flowing peach gown with an extricate embroidery down the front. A pristine crown laced with tiny diamond shaped opals sat majestically atop her shimmering head. Her red bow was gone and her locks ran loose out of a twisted bun to curl around her face and her body.
"Princes... Venus..." Artemis murmured.
_____________--------------------________________------------------___________________
"What does my memory have to do with anything?"
"It's your punishment..."
"My Punishment?"
"It's all my fault!" Kunzite gave her the oddest look as the golden haired princess fell to her knees in tears before him. It pained to have her look in his
eyes, but it hurt him even more when she tried with such misery and sorrow.
"I don't understand..." He had lost his sharpness and seemed confused. Minako gave him the sweetest smile then and hi heart almost broke. Those pristine blue eyes filled with an unidentifiable emotion. His heart felt like it was going to explode and he too fell over with pain. Minako, ignorant of the flowing dress that had appeared on her crawled across the floor over to him, reaching for him, her eyes welling up with tears. Kunzite fell back on his backside and slapped her hand away and the pain increased from their contact. She looked like a child who had just been slapped by her mother, but a small spark told him that she would not back away.
"You sold your soul to Baryl and you are being punished for opposing your prince... Part of your punishment was being confined to the astral plane and being unable to have a physical body in this world. But there is more..."
"More?" he said through gritted teeth. His head was pounding and he flinched at the sound of her voice. She was blinding him laterally with her beauty, like she was the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden.
"I remember... when I sleep. I see your past... my past. A time when you fought me... to love me... Don't you see? I loved you, with all my heart, and you loved me as well. You're punishment won't let you be happy. It won't let you... remember."
"Then why are you causing me pain!?" He snapped. Minako flinched. She sat back on her knees and folded her hands delicately in her lap. Nothing she did made the pain disperse. He wanted her gone, and yet at the same time he wanted to collect her in his arms and believe what she was saying. If that was true that would been that the faceless angle that he so often dreamed of was her. She was here and everything would be alright. He wouldn't have to hld back so much. He could love her like he did in his long forgotten dreams.
"Let me take it from you."
"What?"
"Let me take your pain away."
"M... Minako..." That was the first time he said her name without contempt, anger of fear. He wanted her help, and yet he feared for her. His mind was still spinning as she reached out again, taking hold of his shoulders. No man want to admit to blacking out from immense pain, but pride was the last thing on his mind as he drifted into a restless slumber.
_____________--------------------________________------------------___________________
"Minako!" Artimists voice was the first one that reached her ears. She looked up him, the picture of angelic mothering, cradeling Kunzite's silver head in her golden lap, strocking the strands from his sleeping face. She smiled, but her guardian cat could see the pain in her eyes.
"Come Artimist..." Her voice was soft and dripped with control. She held out her hand and Artimist walked over to her. He began to glow yellow and he changed forms the moment she touched his furry head. Human again she held him close to her. Minako, with the two people most important to her, sat in a ring of golden glory.
"What's going on!" Usagi yelled. She tried to run to Minako, but one look from her friend froze her in place.
"Minako..." Rei whispered. Sh couldn't stop the tears falling down her cheeks. "Don't go Minako..."
"Habelti Kani. Someta kana evol. Es cama hasse jho lamia..."
"That's..." Luna whispered. Makoto's head whipped down to the misty eyed black cat then back to Minako.
"She's fading!" Ami yelled, but she too was frozen by Minako's eyes.
"Habelti Kani." She smiled and soon the transparent image of Minako, Kunzite, and Kunzite faded into the air. Kunzite's stone shimmered and then fell dull as tarnished silver, into the basket. All that remained was Minako and Artemis's body incased in a opal casket.
"The opal..." Mamoru walked carefully over to it and touched it. It was warm to the touch and there was no way to open it.
"It's like the crystal coffin that encased Serenity in the future..." Ami said.
"Minako..." Usagi couldn't keep on her feet and fell to her knees crying and pounding the ground, holding herself. "What's going on!"
"She's sleeping." Rei took a step forward, her face unreadable. "She's gone... Somewhere we can't reach her."
"But why? Who did this?" Makoto asked. No one could answer.
"Luna?" AMi asked, turning after wiping her face. "What did Minako say before this happened? What was that language?"
"It was the old Venusian language form thousands of years ago." Luna padded over to the opal coffin to when Minako and Artemis slept peacefully. "She said 'Thank you my friends. I love you all and I'll never forget you. We will see you someday, so never forget. Thank you my friends.' She was saying goodbye."
_____________--------------------________________------------------___________________
The hall was silent as Artemis carried Kunzite into the room. Minako, like a silent angel followed her guardian. Artemis laid Kunzite down on the cool sheets and turned to his beloved mistress. Minako smiled at him, her eyes told him that she needed nothing more at this moment. He bowed and went to stand guard in the hall way. As the door closed she sat on the bed beside Kunzite and touched his face. His eyes slowly opened and he beheld the vision of beauty before him.
"My angel..." He whispered.
"Yes... Yes... My Kunzite."
"Minako..." He reached for her and she let him pull her down on his body, his lips sealing a forbidden promise that he held. She lay beside him in bliss as fingers roamed. The shared the pain of his punishment in each caress and every kiss. Silver mixed with the shimmering gold and limbs became tangled. A soft rustling surrounded them and a soft desperate breathing occupied the silent air. Uncertainly was put to ease by expect hands.
"Minako... Don't let me... I'll hurt you..."
"It's ok... I said I'd take that pain. I want you to remember. I want you to smile for me my Kunzite." A soft animal sound came from his throat and she shivered. The shattering of glass the pain tore through her, but like falling shards it was brilliant and beautiful. Like stars in the sky on a peaceful night of perfection. She held his head to her heart and stroked his hair. There was no more pain, the spell was complete and they finally had a vessel where they could harbor and cherish their love. Finally a wold of no restrictions
"I love you Minako... I never want to forget that."
"I love you too Kunzite... And I never want to forget either.
Author's note -- AHHHH It's finally over! I have been so busy! I hope you all like they way this ended. Book 2 will be out in about a week of so. That
story is already done. Heh heh. Anywho, feedback is welcome. Keep Reading. Keep Writing.
Book 1
I Remember When I Sleep
It started to rain. She didn't stop to hide under a tree or under the small canopy of a store. She didn't stop when her feet became so soaked from puddles that they started to prune. She ignored the sensitive flesh of her feet and didn't care about the callouses that would develop. She didn't care that her pajamas were sticking to her body like a second skin. She ignored the chill in the air and snapped her head to move unwanted wet strands of hair from her misty eyes. As she ran her surrounding started to change. In and out of a memory, like a dream. A single drop of rain hit a deep puddle.
"Stay away from her! You'll never understand!" Another drop.
"Mother!" Again.
"It won't work." Drop.
"You don't care REMEMBER!" Drop.
"I'm sorry Mommy..." Drop.
"Don't talk to me Kunzite." Drop.
"You can't be trusted!" Drop.
"What the Hell are you doing here?"
"I can learn to love you... Maybe..." Drop.
"Fight it! Fight it Kunzite!" Drop.
"No... God no!" Drop
"KUNZITE!" Drop.
"Don't... leave me... alone..." Drop.
"I don't want to go...." Drop. Every drop was a second of a lifetime long forgotten. Buried deep in her memory. She started to remember and she wanted to forget. But she couldn't. It hurt too much. She finally realized why she had such an empty void in her life, in her mind, and in her heart. She had made life anew, but the one man she ever truly loved was still paying for his sins. Sins that she helped create. Sins that shouldn't be faced alone. If the queen truly wanted them to be happy, then it was reason enough.
_____________--------------------________________------------------___________________
The banging on the door was deafening and Mamoru all but fell out of bed. In only a pair of black pants he moved sluggishly to the door, glancing at the wall clock that glowed a steady red 3:00 am sign. She grumbled as the banging grew louder and faster. He muttered and yelled at the late night visitor that he was coming. Without looking through the peephole he unlatched the door and opened it wide.
His mouth dropped and her had the good grace to blush as he looked at the soaked Minako. She resembled a drowned rat with her light orange pajamas clinging to the curves of her body and her hair plastered around her face. She dripped water and was slightly hunched over, gasping for breath. Her eyes were red and puffy, a sure sign that she had been crying but the water still streamed down her face, hiding her tears.
"What that-" Mamoru started, but was immediately cut off by Minako's harsh yet haunting voice.
"I need to see him."
"What?"
"I need to see him." Her voiced rose with each word. "I want my Kunzite!" Mamoru panicked as her herd the clicking of the locks of his neighbors and frantically rushed her inside, shutting the door soundly and locking it.
"What the heck are you talking about?"
"I know you can take me to him. His stone, where is the stone?" Minako's voice had dropped again. He looked at her sideways. She was so unlike herself. Her cheery nature was gone and her brightness had dimmed. She looked tortured and out of place, as though she were only an animated shell. She broke his thoughts when she grabbed him by his shoulders and shook him with an inhuman strength. "Now Mamoru!"
"Ok, ok. Don't freak out. Don't you think you should change? Take a shower or something?"
"Mamoru..." She hissed and he took a step back. He sighed and lead her to his room where the crystals lay dormant. He touched the stone of Kunzite and a right rose from it, casting an image in the room of the head of Endymion's Protectors. Kunzite, normally level headed and in control took one look at the soaked beauty that haunted his dreams and recoiled in rage.
"I'm sorry my Lord, but I refuse to take her back to the Plane with me."
"Don't say that! I know why you were in so much pain before."
"Because of you!"
"Yes, but It's only because your punishment is keeping you from remembering." Minako had become meek.
"What are you talking about?" His composure had returned and he hovered over her, part of him still receding into the stone.
"Kunzite I..." Something in the room glittered in the corner of Mamoru's eye. He turned his head in time to see a beam of soft orange light run towards
Kunzite. Before he could let out a warning it hit his transparent form and the room was enveloped in a bright light, none like he had ever seen.
When the light faded Kunzite stood there, as solid as a rock. Confused her looked at his hands and touched his own face, then the table on which the stones had sat.
"What the..." He stood in awe of himself and Minako smiled. Both seemed oblivious to Mamoru and took no notice when he slipped out of the room. He rushed to the phone and called the only person who wouldn't have a parent answer. Makoto.
_____________--------------------________________------------------___________________
The girls arrived at Mamoru's door tired and confused. Soon they were inside huddled in the living room just out side his bedroom door. Ami, with her mini computer in hand, frantically tried to read the energy waves that played on her screen.
"I don't understand. Everything... It's unreadable. I can't figure out the source."
"What I don't understand is how could Kunzite be in a solid form," Artemis said and pawed at the door absently. Luna cast a forlorn look at him. "He was transparent, and the only one who could give him a solid body was Beryl and Mettalia."
"Minako..." Rei said quietly. "Minako visited me before she came here..." Everyone's attention snapped to her. Ami gave a hopeful look.
"What did she say?" Usagi asked, coming out of a sleepy stupor.
"She said... That Kunzite... That she knew him, and there was something she had to do... But I don't know what that something is. I just know... from my readings that... something is threatening to take her away from us."
"WHAT!" Usagi screamed and jumped up. "No! I won't let that happen!"
"Usagi..." Makoto said quietly. Usagi balled up her fists and stalked into Mamoru's room and the other followed. Once inside they froze at the sight of Minako and Kunzite, standing there, oblivious to all. The real shocker was that, while Kunzite was still his normal uniform of grey and white, Minako has transformed into a flowing peach gown with an extricate embroidery down the front. A pristine crown laced with tiny diamond shaped opals sat majestically atop her shimmering head. Her red bow was gone and her locks ran loose out of a twisted bun to curl around her face and her body.
"Princes... Venus..." Artemis murmured.
_____________--------------------________________------------------___________________
"What does my memory have to do with anything?"
"It's your punishment..."
"My Punishment?"
"It's all my fault!" Kunzite gave her the oddest look as the golden haired princess fell to her knees in tears before him. It pained to have her look in his
eyes, but it hurt him even more when she tried with such misery and sorrow.
"I don't understand..." He had lost his sharpness and seemed confused. Minako gave him the sweetest smile then and hi heart almost broke. Those pristine blue eyes filled with an unidentifiable emotion. His heart felt like it was going to explode and he too fell over with pain. Minako, ignorant of the flowing dress that had appeared on her crawled across the floor over to him, reaching for him, her eyes welling up with tears. Kunzite fell back on his backside and slapped her hand away and the pain increased from their contact. She looked like a child who had just been slapped by her mother, but a small spark told him that she would not back away.
"You sold your soul to Baryl and you are being punished for opposing your prince... Part of your punishment was being confined to the astral plane and being unable to have a physical body in this world. But there is more..."
"More?" he said through gritted teeth. His head was pounding and he flinched at the sound of her voice. She was blinding him laterally with her beauty, like she was the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden.
"I remember... when I sleep. I see your past... my past. A time when you fought me... to love me... Don't you see? I loved you, with all my heart, and you loved me as well. You're punishment won't let you be happy. It won't let you... remember."
"Then why are you causing me pain!?" He snapped. Minako flinched. She sat back on her knees and folded her hands delicately in her lap. Nothing she did made the pain disperse. He wanted her gone, and yet at the same time he wanted to collect her in his arms and believe what she was saying. If that was true that would been that the faceless angle that he so often dreamed of was her. She was here and everything would be alright. He wouldn't have to hld back so much. He could love her like he did in his long forgotten dreams.
"Let me take it from you."
"What?"
"Let me take your pain away."
"M... Minako..." That was the first time he said her name without contempt, anger of fear. He wanted her help, and yet he feared for her. His mind was still spinning as she reached out again, taking hold of his shoulders. No man want to admit to blacking out from immense pain, but pride was the last thing on his mind as he drifted into a restless slumber.
_____________--------------------________________------------------___________________
"Minako!" Artimists voice was the first one that reached her ears. She looked up him, the picture of angelic mothering, cradeling Kunzite's silver head in her golden lap, strocking the strands from his sleeping face. She smiled, but her guardian cat could see the pain in her eyes.
"Come Artimist..." Her voice was soft and dripped with control. She held out her hand and Artimist walked over to her. He began to glow yellow and he changed forms the moment she touched his furry head. Human again she held him close to her. Minako, with the two people most important to her, sat in a ring of golden glory.
"What's going on!" Usagi yelled. She tried to run to Minako, but one look from her friend froze her in place.
"Minako..." Rei whispered. Sh couldn't stop the tears falling down her cheeks. "Don't go Minako..."
"Habelti Kani. Someta kana evol. Es cama hasse jho lamia..."
"That's..." Luna whispered. Makoto's head whipped down to the misty eyed black cat then back to Minako.
"She's fading!" Ami yelled, but she too was frozen by Minako's eyes.
"Habelti Kani." She smiled and soon the transparent image of Minako, Kunzite, and Kunzite faded into the air. Kunzite's stone shimmered and then fell dull as tarnished silver, into the basket. All that remained was Minako and Artemis's body incased in a opal casket.
"The opal..." Mamoru walked carefully over to it and touched it. It was warm to the touch and there was no way to open it.
"It's like the crystal coffin that encased Serenity in the future..." Ami said.
"Minako..." Usagi couldn't keep on her feet and fell to her knees crying and pounding the ground, holding herself. "What's going on!"
"She's sleeping." Rei took a step forward, her face unreadable. "She's gone... Somewhere we can't reach her."
"But why? Who did this?" Makoto asked. No one could answer.
"Luna?" AMi asked, turning after wiping her face. "What did Minako say before this happened? What was that language?"
"It was the old Venusian language form thousands of years ago." Luna padded over to the opal coffin to when Minako and Artemis slept peacefully. "She said 'Thank you my friends. I love you all and I'll never forget you. We will see you someday, so never forget. Thank you my friends.' She was saying goodbye."
_____________--------------------________________------------------___________________
The hall was silent as Artemis carried Kunzite into the room. Minako, like a silent angel followed her guardian. Artemis laid Kunzite down on the cool sheets and turned to his beloved mistress. Minako smiled at him, her eyes told him that she needed nothing more at this moment. He bowed and went to stand guard in the hall way. As the door closed she sat on the bed beside Kunzite and touched his face. His eyes slowly opened and he beheld the vision of beauty before him.
"My angel..." He whispered.
"Yes... Yes... My Kunzite."
"Minako..." He reached for her and she let him pull her down on his body, his lips sealing a forbidden promise that he held. She lay beside him in bliss as fingers roamed. The shared the pain of his punishment in each caress and every kiss. Silver mixed with the shimmering gold and limbs became tangled. A soft rustling surrounded them and a soft desperate breathing occupied the silent air. Uncertainly was put to ease by expect hands.
"Minako... Don't let me... I'll hurt you..."
"It's ok... I said I'd take that pain. I want you to remember. I want you to smile for me my Kunzite." A soft animal sound came from his throat and she shivered. The shattering of glass the pain tore through her, but like falling shards it was brilliant and beautiful. Like stars in the sky on a peaceful night of perfection. She held his head to her heart and stroked his hair. There was no more pain, the spell was complete and they finally had a vessel where they could harbor and cherish their love. Finally a wold of no restrictions
"I love you Minako... I never want to forget that."
"I love you too Kunzite... And I never want to forget either.
Author's note -- AHHHH It's finally over! I have been so busy! I hope you all like they way this ended. Book 2 will be out in about a week of so. That
story is already done. Heh heh. Anywho, feedback is welcome. Keep Reading. Keep Writing.