Chapter 7 : Audience

Title : Onnagata
Author : dark kingdom
Email : kataki2001-at-yahoo.fr
Fandom : Sailor Moon (anime) Dark Kingdom
Pairing : Kunzite / Zoisite (they're only just meeting here...)
Rating : a bit of violence and hints of sex
Copyright : Zoisite, Kunzite, Sailor Moon and the rest are the property of Naoko Takeuchi.

Author's comments : this chapter is back to Kunzite narrating. Sorry for the fade to black effect. I'm sure you can fill in the blanks all by yourself.

He looks deceivingly peaceful in his sleep. And even prettier than when he's awake. But more vulnerable also, too vulnerable for the Dark Kingdom.

He's unpredictable, really. Until today, I could have sworn than any move from me would only have alienated him more. And then while we talked, it suddenly occurred to me that he was in fact angry at me for not doing anything.

It's rather ironic that he would be jealous of the youma, when he is the very reason of my recent raise of activity with them. But he doesn't have to know that. Nothing was more surprising than his concern about the poison, though. I wonder what made him change his mind.

I shouldn't keep him here. Now that he has completed his mission, I have no excuse to keep him around. There's nothing else he can do that my youma couldn't do better. Except maybe in bed. I suspected he had quite a training in that area, too, considering his job, but I didn't think a human his age could be that good. Maybe Tanzanite had a few reasons to his lust, after all.

And it's probably a tribute to his acting talents that he seems more committed to it than my youma. It shouldn't make a difference to me, but it does. I know them too well, and any change is welcome after so long.

It's too bad that I have to get rid of him now that I finally envision a way to keep a hold on his temper. Nephrite is only interested in women, as far as he is, and certainly not enough to drop his guards out of lust.

And Jadeite… I'm not sure that Jadeite has an interest for anything. Right after his turning, I thought it was the after effect of being infused with Queen Metallia's energy, and that he would adjust to it. But he never completely recovered. He remained even more detached than any of the born Tennou.

I suspect that his spirit has been broken by the tortures we submitted him to, when we captured him as the guardian of the Sun Temple and tried to obtain information from him. Actually, it may be the very reason why Queen Metallia chose him to experiment her empowering spell.

He had lost enough empathy and memories that we could trust him to do what would be asked of him as a Tennou, without being troubled by his old loyalties.

My fingers stop running over Shiro's soft skin. He sighs in his sleep and turns to snuggle against me.

I look at him through the ethereal plane. Mystical energy threads pass through him as through any living creature. Humans do have a potential for magic, that we use to turn them into youma. And the energy net is significantly tighter around Shiro, as I noticed whenever I used a spell on him.

This is not surprising. It goes along with mental focus and willpower. And the boy has plenty of both.

I whisper in his hear, rather for myself.

"Will you swear allegiance to me, Shiro?"

He stirs, slowly awakening up, opens sleepy eyes on me. And smiles.

It's not the fake shy smile he gave on command at the theater. He's in my power. I have no idea how it happened.

"What, Kunzite-sama?"

I take a decision. I have nothing to lose.

I kiss him to put him in a good disposition, then I get off the bed.

"Get up and get ready. We have to see Queen Metallia."

The name startles him and he stares at me in fear, totally awakened.

"Why?"

"Don't worry. It will all go fine. I'll come and get you here when I've talked to her."

I conjure up his training suit in the room and make sure that he'll be ready when I'm back. I don't want to keep Queen Metallia waiting if she makes up her mind fast.

Then I mentally send a request for an audience, and soon enough Queen Metallia calls both Queen Beryl and I.

In the main hall, Queen Beryl is rather grumpy. She doesn't appreciate the early wake-up call. She should get used to it. Nighttime is the Dark Kingdom most active time, when we don't have to compose with our human armies rhythm.

Queen Metallia is just curious. She knows I wouldn't ask for an audience in vain.

"Your majesty. The loss of Tanzanite came at an unfortunate time, when our forces scattered all over the Earth Kingdom require the Shitennou's undivided attention."

Queen Beryl grimaces. She suspects I'm not innocent in this 'unfortunate loss', but Queen Metallia doesn't care about responsibilities now that it's done, so she's hands tied on this topic.

Queen Metallia, on the other hand, just curves her black lips in an ironic smirk when I mention his name. Dark hours suit her. She's beautiful as always, her dark malachite-toned skin softly gleaming with shadows. A wave of pride and dedication runs through me. My queen.

I smile to her in return.

"Based on your majesty's previous success, and since I was asked to devise how to split Tanzanite's duties among the three Tennou in charge, I thought of a fast solution to remedy to this situation."

They both listen to my idea. Queen Metallia accepts to test my candidate.

I find Shiro in my apartments, obediently waiting, nervous but tidy to a T.

"Queen Metallia wants to see what you're capable of. Don't talk unless she asks you to, stay quiet, do everything she will tell you."

He blemishes.

"Does she know?…"

We don't have time for explanations. The Queens are not very patient.

"That's not what will matter to her. Just be strong and confident."

I teleport us into the throne room. Queen Beryl frowns as she gives a disdainful look at Shiro from his head to his toes.

"Is that a joke, Kunzite? This is not a soldier."

Shiro, who had bowed to them, looks up and glares at her. I have to admire his guts, but it is a stupid thing to do. Fortunately for us both, Queen Beryl chose to show her disdain by ignoring him, and is looking for a reaction from Queen Metallia.

She's disappointed. Queen Metallia watches him attentively in silence for a few seconds, sniffs a little, then giggles softly and whispers.

"Oh, don't be fooled by his look. He can hold a sword…"

She holds her hand to him and asks in her most seductive voice.

"Come closer, pretty one."

He climbs the steps, stops on top, then reluctantly approaches closer upon her request. She shows her fangs in a smirk as she skims his face.

"Such a fire in so pretty eyes, little one… You're quite something, aren't you?"

She extends her power and a cloud of shadow covers them both. Queen Beryl walks back and gives me a defiant look. I remain stone-faced, even when the cloud fades to reveal Queen Metallia standing alone in its shreds.

I am disappointed. Surely I couldn't keep him by my side anyway, but I was hoping…

"Your judgment is as good as it always was, Kunzite. When his transformation is complete, you will take charge of his training."

I bow, relieved, and ignore Queen Beryl's frown.

"It is my pleasure to serve you, your majesty."

Her dark eyes sparkle as she answers.

"Among other things… You're dismissed."

As I leave, Queen Beryl still doesn't seem to have understood that comment. I hope she won't. I expected Queen Metallia to figure exactly what Shiro had done at my service, if anything when she would examine him. And as I guessed, she didn't mind. If Shiro didn't have the required qualities to be a Tennou, neither I nor she would name him so.

Somehow I doubt Queen Beryl would be as confident in my judgment or would take it as lightly. As a born human being, she doesn't have a strong grip on her feelings and tends to assume that everyone has the same weakness.

To be continued...