Frozen Rain
Notes: My deepest and sincerest apologies go out to Sailor Lune, and to my
other readers of course, for the terrible mistakes in the last chapter. I
promise to correct those errors once I finish this fic but for now please
bear with me. Please forgive me and please don't let my errors diminish the
story. P.S. I might, might, be getting my own website in the near future,
all of my works will remain on Fan Fiction. Net and Fiction Press. Net but
the website will have the advantage of having the fic completed faster and
of course edited better. I'll place the address of the website, once it is
up and running, on my bio.
Chapter Ten
The Sacrifice
Mina
It was difficult to watch the various emotions playing on the faces of her friends and fellow senshi as they left the "battlefield" where they had confronted both Kunzite and in a surprising turn Ami. As soon as Mina saw Ami throw the twin daggers at Rei she felt angry and very stupid, angry at herself for not realizing that something was not right with the water senshi, and stupid well because she didn't fit all the pieces together. Rei had though, and that is what almost got her killed or at least seriously injured. If she wasn't already shaken Mina would have at least teasingly scold the fiery miko for wanting to go solo but right now the ever perky and bubbly blonde was too tired and confused to even think about teasing Rei. Everyone quietly went their separate ways to go homes, each one left with their own thoughts. As she walked down the streets bathed in the orange/golden light of the streetlamps Mina was struck by the odd transformation that Usagi had taken on.
One minute she was dressed in her senshi uniform then the next second she was dressed in a long white dress. She had approached Kunzite whom was carrying an unconscious Ami-chan in his arms. For the longest moment they just stared at each other, neither one saying anything verbally but they were apparently saying quiet a lot to one another. From what she could tell Usagi wasn't too pleased with Kunzite just taking off with Ami in tote, and he really wasn't inclined to give her up.
Strange to say the least, by all right the blue haired girl should have been dead. Mina shuttered that had been her worst fear that had steadily became a harsh aspect of reality after the first month of searching for Ami had turned up empty.
When she reached a literal crossroads between her school and her house Mina turned her head to glance at the locked gates of the school grounds. She had joined the team only a month ago but she already knew the others like the back of her hand, like a good leader should. There was Usagi the adorable klutz, Rei the sarcastic hot and hard head, Lita, the powerful warrior and yet the mother hen figure, and Ami. Mina shook her head, she thought that she had the little blue one figured out; she loved learning and was so intelligent it was frightening at times yet modest, small and quiet. Apparently they had underestimated her and for that she felt disappointed.
She had reasoned that Ami had agreed to be apart of Kunzite's madness to save herself and that would have been understandable but when they found her surely she would have turned her back on him and return to them...unless she was planning to betray him at the most opportune moment.
"That still didn't explain the reason why she threw daggers at Rei-chan." Mina mused as she climbed the staircase leading up to her apartment floor. As soon as Mina opened the door she slipped her shoes off onto the mat, the only object in the house that official greeted her. Her parents were out...again. The blonde rolled her eyes; honestly, you would think that they were teenagers or something with all of their romantic outings. Mina padded through the apartment to her bedroom, her mind still replaying the...could it even be called a battle? No one fought one another unless you counted Ami throwing daggers at Rei. With a soft sigh Mina collapsed on her bed, her head bothering her with a light ache, not enough to reach for an aspirin or something, just enough to annoy.
Sitting on the sill of her open window was a medium sized white cat with blue eyes and a large crescent moon mark on its' forehead. For a moment the blonde chose to ignore the white cat, her eyes closing as her mind sorted through reality and fantasy.
She knew what had happened to Usagi, the meatball head was recalling her past, if just for a brief instant. Mina already knew about her own past, which was why she had been chosen to "take" the place of the Moon Princess until she could be "found"; when in reality no one had to actually go looking for the princess especially since she was right in front of their noses.
But there was more to the past than the Moon Princess and her Prince of Earth...so much more. Mina squeezed her eyes tightly as she tried to shield away scotching tears. She wanted to laugh at the horrid irony that was her love life. Even in the past she was loved and left.
'It was your own fault. You could have told on them, you could have made him stay with you. But you couldn't do that your lover and your friend, you wanted them to be happy,' the blonde mentally berated herself as she slipped into her own memory of the Silver Millennium.
There had been rumors flying about the affair; but for once Mina wasn't willing to believe the rumors unless she either saw it with her own eyes or if Kunzite willingly confessed of being unfaithful. But unlike most rumors these stayed in Court, they didn't fade or were replaced by newer juicer gossip. It got so bad that despite her resolve Mina was really beginning to question the loyalty of her husband. It started to make sense, he hardly ever came into their rooms, always working late on documents or reports for the Golden Kingdom he had excused. And even when they were together it was almost as if he felt like she was a burden.
At times she would berate herself for being so silly, of course he couldn't be in love with her, their marriage was arranged for crying out loud. And yet she found herself attracted and captivated by him even if he ignored her most of the time. But if he had chosen to cheat on her...why would he chose Ami, a fellow guardian of the princess and one of her friends? The two seemed to have so little in common, unless you took into account the fact that the blue haired girl and the general were loners by nature.
Late one night Mina debated on whether or not to confront her husband on the accusations. On one hand he was kind to her, he took care of her and on the surface was a dutiful husband, the only thing to really worry about was the fact that, with the exception of their honeymoon, they never shared a bed. On the other hand the rumors were growing rather than demising, as was Kunzite's absence from her life, not just in their rooms or her bed but she literally never saw him. Every ball and party thrown in celebration for the upcoming union of the Serenity and Endymion she attended alone and even when she arrived she never saw Kunzite...or Ami either for that matter.
Mina shook her head. This was crazy. She trusted Kunzite; she shouldn't be looking for excuses to find him unfaithful. Kunzite hated parties. Ami too, she hardly ever attended a ball and even if she graced a party with her presence she would leave soon after, retreating to her rooms or the library. Besides Ami must be very happy with Zoicite since she was already pregnant, that was more than could be said for Rei or even Lita, so why in the world would Ami feel the need to betray her husband with another man. There should be no reason for her to distrust either of them. But still unable to sleep Mina pulled a woolen dressing gown over her nightgown and exited her rooms.
'I am not going to confront him about anything,' Mina reminded herself, 'I just want to make sure that he is still alive.' She giggled nervously, it would be just her luck for her to have a deceased husband and not even know about the funeral.
Her soft footsteps resonated throughout the empty marble halls; she breezed by several halls lined with numerous doors, finally she paused in front of the tall redwood doors that lead to the offices and private quarters of the Earth generals, normally the private rooms went unused since all four of the generals and the four guardian senshi have been married for well over a year now.
Mina and Kunzite were married first, followed closely by Ami and Zoicite, then Lita and Nephrite and lastly Jadeite and Rei, whom literally fought her husband- to- be all the way to the alter. Mina smiled, even though Rei was very much opposed to her arranged marriage her sources, Jadeite, told her that Rei couldn't be happier, she just had a hard time adjusting. Everyone seemed a bit reluctant to get married with the exception of Lita and Nephrite, both whom had fallen in love with each other almost over night. And again Ami was already carrying Zoicite's child so they must be content, if not happy, with one another. A small frown marred the blonde's lips, she and Kunzite seemed to be the only ones having...problems it seemed. She effortlessly entered the main hall, climbed up the steps.
She found Kunzite's office only it was empty, strange. She turned to leave but stopped herself when she saw the door to his private rooms ajar. Her hand reached to open the large door, at that moment the other door opened and Mina blinked as she came face to face with the man of the hour.
"Mina?" Kunzite asked in a slightly confused tone, "It's late, what are you doing here?" She glanced around his room in disbelief; this room had obviously been in use for the past few months.
At this point the blonde was feeling very stupid, how could she be so dumb? He was sleeping in his own rooms because he couldn't stand to be near her. A sob worked its' way up to her throat, her shoulders began to shake as she slowly backed away to turn back but then she heard a sharp cry of pain coming from inside Kunzite's room. Looking past Kunzite's broad shoulders Mina could see Ami, lying on Kunzite's bed. Her face was drenched in sweat and her hands were clutching her swollen stomach.
Female instinct kicked in, allowing Mina to realize immediately that Ami was in labor. But it was too soon, the girl was supposed to only be five months along. That could only mean that Ami was losing the baby.
Pushing past her husband the girl arrived at the other woman's side. Her left hand felt the girl's burning forehead. Ami's hand blindly reached up to clasp her own, dark blue eyes gazed up at her feverishly.
"Mina-chan?" the girl asked in a horse tone.
"Shhh it's alright Ami I am here." After she said this she turned to face Kunzite, "You, make yourself useful and get a healer up here!"
"No!" Ami cried as she gave Mina's right hand a painful squeeze, "Please Mina, no healer. They'll tell."
Mina glanced back at the woman, she gulped, "Ami, you might be losing the baby but I don't want to lose my friend too. We need to have a healer here so that they can at least make sure that you are going to be alright."
Ami shook her head, "No Mina, you don't understand. I am not losing the baby. I am in labor."
"What? But that's impossible, you told us that you were only five months..."
"I lied!" the girl screamed as a painful contraction ripped through her.
"But...that doesn't make sense." Mina confessed.
Zoicite had been gone for eleven months before he came back five months ago to visit Ami; after his short visit he then went back. So the baby was either several months late or four months early. Unless...unless the baby wasn't his to begin with.
It all made sense.
Kunzite joined them; taking Ami's other side he gently wiped away sweat from her face with a damp cloth and muttered soft reassurances to her.
Mina felt her blood freeze, if ever she needed proof to the rumors here it was. She felt angry, hurt, and guilty all at once. She was of course angry at Kunzite and Ami for betraying not only her but Zoicite as well. And guilty because she had known that they were on some level fond of each other; how could she, a direct descendant of Venus, not see that they were in love was beyond her. Now that she bothered to look she could see a deep bond had formed between them. This bond had not been formed out of spite for their spouses and Serenity for arranging their marriage; this deep soul- binding bond formed because they loved each other. It was also as limited and unbreakable, as it was sweet and blinding; meaning there was no possible way for her to break through it.
She could demand that Kunzite return to her and be hers alone and since he was...normally a man of honor he would more than likely be loyal to her but he wouldn't be happy about it. And neither would Ami.
Ami took in a sharp breath as another contraction rippled through her body. Her hand still holding on to Mina's constricted tightly; a sharp squeeze caused Mina to glance down at Ami. She wanted to be angry at the senshi of water, she wanted to scream at the unfairness of it, she wanted so badly to curse their child to Hades...but she couldn't find it in her heart to do so. So she stayed, for the whole nine hours of Ami's labor. Kunzite, like most men at births, was practically useless so it was Mina that had to help Ami deliver the baby. A healthy baby boy, whom once cleaned up wailed for his mother, waving tiny fists in the air.
Mina gently handed the child over to his mother, the child still fussed and fidgeted even as Ami held him. Ami didn't seem to mind though; she just smiled down on the baby. Her eyes and face lit up with an expression often described and yet hardly understood, the instantaneous and loving bond between mother and child. Dark blue-black fuzz lightly covered the soft dome shaped head and dark baby blue eyes met even darker blue eyes. Ami laughed softly as her son blinked at her. She looked up at Kunzite. For a moment he didn't seem to notice that she was looking at him because his child had captivated his attention.
"See, I told you he was a boy." Ami replied smugly.
The man spared Ami a brief frown, "This coming from the woman whom had at least two dozen girl names listed."
"That was just to throw you off," Ami replied jokingly enough though her voice sounded tired. Mina couldn't blame her, heck she was exhausted and all she did was "help" Ami deliver the baby.
Mina looked up at the couple already offering up all of their available attention to the baby that would eventually run their life for the next twenty or so years. She suddenly felt very alone and unwanted. This was their moment together; this time she was the one intruding. Slowly Mina backed away, heading to the door. Once she was outside of the door she sighed and leaned up against it.
'What now?' Mina wondered. It was obvious that she couldn't tell on them, she cared about both of them too much to ruin the happiness that they had found in each other and of course if anyone ever found out that the baby was...technically a bastard the child would be shunned before he could even walk. But she couldn't find it in herself to help them in their deceit either, Zoicite apparently didn't know and would be very "surprised" when he finds out that his and Ami's baby was delivered five months early. How they planned on hiding the fact that the baby that was still suppose to be in the "oven" was a mystery to her and she for one preferred it to remain that way. She moved herself away from the door when she heard the knob turn. The door opened to reveal the tired but relieved face of Kunzite.
He had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep; Ami had probably gone into labor earlier yesterday afternoon plus the nine hours that stretched into the early hours of this morning. He moved to speak; knowing what he wanted to say to her Mina tried to stall.
"How's Ami and the baby doing?" she asked softly.
Kunzite paused, his expression turning unreadable, "The baby fell asleep a few minutes ago, so did Ami."
"So have you decided what to name the little squirt yet?" Mina asked trying hard to sound lighthearted.
Kunzite shook his head, "No, not yet." For as long as Mina knew Kunzite she had never seen him so nervous. He refused to look at her and his hands trembled lightly.
"Mina..." he sighed before finishing his sentence, "I...would sincerely apologize for what we did...if I was sincerely sorry.
A small bittersweet smile tugged on her lips, "I understand. But Kunzite, this really isn't the time to talk about such things. You're lover has just had her baby, both of you are exhausted and you are obviously too distracted for us to get anywhere with this conversation so for now we will part here."
"But Mina, we need to...I can't let you leave without out at least knowing that I...we never meant to hurt anyone. I know that doesn't really help but we never meant for it to go this far."
"And yet you don't want to walk away from it." Mina replied sagely, even though her throat was beginning to constrict with withheld sobs.
He sighed again this time running a hand through his long white-silver hair; "Mina, we can't walk away and forget about each other. We have tried, many times, but it didn't matter whether we were separated by a few days, a week, or a month. We are miserable without each other."
Mina managed a watery smile, "I understand. You two love each other a lot. No, more than a lot, I have a feeling that you two might have been made for each other but...no one but Fate could see that."
"You can tell the Queen," Kunzite confessed.
"No, I can't do that to you or Ami..." Mina began but Kunzite grasped her hands.
"Tell her so that we can dissolve our marriage. I don't want you to be unhappy because of me and Ami."
"What about Zoicite?" Mina asked.
Kunzite growled low in his throat, "The man is a fool! Both Ami and me tried to drop hints to him the entire time he was here a few months ago but he is so stupid, so oblivious so..."
"In love with Ami-chan." Mina said sharply unable to hold back her anger and bitterness any longer.
"He trusts her because he loves her just like I trusted you because I LOVED YOU!" Mina cried, tears streaming down her face.
Kunzite moved to comfort her but she bolted away.
"No," she whispered.
"You've already made your choice Kunzite. It must be hard for you to choose between duty and what your heart tells you but please for god sake please stay as far away from me as possible. Whatever you decide our marriage will stay because it will disgrace not only me but also your lover and her child will be shunned. So we will pretend that none of this ever happened to draw suspicion away you will at the very least try to act more like a husband, maybe we can have our own child so that there won't be so much gossip flying other than that I really don't care if I ever see you again."
With those last words Mina turned and left Kunzite standing on in front of his rooms. When she arrived at into her chambers she cried herself to sleep.
"Amazing how some things never change," Mina said softly as tears fell down her face.
Hearing the soft cry of his ward Artemis gracefully leapt from the windowsill to the floor then jumped up to her bed.
"I am sorry Mina," the cat murmured, "It isn't fair that you should have your memories back so soon."
"No, I am alright Art."
The cat snarled, "I swear if I could just my claws on that jerk I would gorge his eyes out. He put you through so much pain back then and now he is trying to draw Ami in like a fly to honey."
Mina gasped, she hadn't thought of Ami's betrayal that way. What if she had regained her memories as well? If the water senshi remember their past then she probably fell into the same trap. Now all that was left was for Kunzite to use her to serve his and Beryl's purpose.
Quickly Mina arose to her feet, threw open the door to her room.
"Mina?" the bemused cat questioned before he too leaped off the bed and followed his owner.
When he exited the room the blonde was already half slipping on her shoes half running out of the door, "Can't talk right now Art, I have got to find Kunzite before..."
The blonde's sentence was cut off by the slam of the front door.
Mina ran down the flight of stairs, almost tripping over a few that she missed; in her hand she was franticly punching buttons on the communicator trying to get a hold of the other senshi.
Ami
I tried to stifle a yawn as I sleepily followed Kunzite around...what else...a serene peaceful parks. What is with bad guys and attacking parks at night I'll never understand, maybe it has something to do with the fact that they are invading a haven normally reserved for children's playgrounds and semi- romantic retreats for young lovers. And even though I have been able not only to understand but also obtain the mind of a villain I still don't get it. Oh whom am I kidding, there is a lot of things that I don't understand.
To some standards I am perceived as a genius, a golden child of intellect, but when it comes to people I am clueless. Before I met Usagi and the others I was lonely without even realizing it. I never really had friends as a child because I was too busy reading and later studying not to mention shy to attract the attention of people. Almost as soon as I was "introduced" into the living world I was trusted into the surreal realm of fighting supernatural evils and now I am technically apart of the supernatural evil. Not bad for a fourteen year old girl. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not proud of what I have done but I can't go back. They wouldn't want be back, not after all I have done. Too much venom runs through my veins for me to ever be innocent again.
That and there's Kunzite. I keep telling myself that I am a fool for staying for any reason especially if one reason is the former bane of my existence. Those brief touches that we shared before I fell asleep again were as wonderful as they were forbidden; I want more but at the same time that I am craving affection I want answers. He pushes me away, for good reasons that I can understand but I could tell that he was hesitating.
'You're so dumb. He can't be in love with you, your ten years his junior. He's evil not sick Ami so why don't you do yourself the favor and wake up before you can get yourself hurt.'
I nodded my head, a combination of conformation to something Kunzite said and towards the cynical thoughts running through my head. Just let the past be just that. Don't let it interfere the present. I turn my eyes towards the odd spiral shaped black tower. The dark crystalline surface gleaming in the light of a half moon; believe it or not ladies and gentlemen this is our plan, the one Blonde-san has been working on for oh the last sixty or so years and the one we have been painstakingly placing into motion for the last three months. Sure it is just a chunk of dark crystal but this little...okay large hunk of rock is going to literally send this world to hell and back. Even though I loathe myself for admitting this I am actually kind of excited to see if it will actually work.
Kunzite circled the perimeter of the rock; his cold eyes giving the crystal a cynical gaze, what he is looking for could be anyone's guess. I hold back another yawn, wishing that he had allowed me at least another hour of sleep before dragging me back out into a world that I had disappeared from less than a few hours ago. It was still the pitch of night, but the sun would be rising in a two hours so we had to work quickly.
My part in this is relatively easy. All I have to do is conduct the dark energy like a human lightning rod, morbid as it sounds that is my job. More than once the thought... 'This might kill me' has crossed my mind more than once but I can't back down, besides what does it matter if I die this way. You see I already know that Kunzite plans to kill once he has destroyed the other senshi and Beryl because he also forgets at times that our thoughts are linked. He is one slick bastard, and I mean that with the utmost...affection. I wince at the thought, I hate playing the martyr but this seems to be the role that Fate has typecast me to be.
"I think we're good to go," Kunzite said as he briefly tore his gaze away from the crystal to me.
Instead of replying I turned my head towards the source of intruder.
Standing in front of us was not the dark haired priestess but we were graced with the presence of the golden child, Minakto, Mina, Sailor V, and Sailor Venus.
I rolled my eyes. Here we go again. Meddling senshi verses Kunzite and Ami- chan round two. Ding.
Kunzite
I glared at the blonde senshi whom just had to show up when we were about ready to set the plan into motion. The others had yet to arrive but if there is one thing that I have learned from being annoyed by these little female pests is that where there is one the four others are bound to show up eventually. This one seemed to be the leader of the group, not a very competent one it appeared but she at least tried. Like her blue haired friend her determined expression and her tense stance brought to mind various images of the past. We were lovers for a short while but whatever romantic intentions we had towards one another fizzled around that time I met Ami.
It would only make sense that my wife from the past would be reborn at the same time as my lover but what does it matter. Both will have to die so they should mean nothing to me. Yet a twinge of guilt tugs on me as I watch the blonde haired girl allow her gaze to drift between Ami and then me. Her blue eyes lingered at me for a moment before her hand reached for a long golden chain. As soon as her fingers brush the chain a golden light enveloped the weapon, quickly the light faded and the once whip-like chain had become a large silver broadsword. My eyes widen as I felt the flow of her powers, she was stronger than Ami; her source of power literally radiating off of her; I glanced at Ami feeling a wave of fear envelope me. I have been so busy perfecting my plan and getting Ami use to handling weapons and using various spells that I had neglected the nursing of her inner powers.
Now this girl was ten times stronger than Ami was at this point.
'Ami, get out of here.' I warned.
She looked up at me with a confused glance, 'Why? Kunzite she won't hurt me, she's my friend.'
I wanted to laugh at the horrible irony, 'This coming from the girl whom tried to kill one of her friends?' I commented dryly.
A small blush of embarrassment, 'What I meant to say is that she is more than likely after you, so unless you plan on forcing me to leave I am not going anywhere.'
'Fine, just stay out of the way and work on the crystal. I can take care of her.' I replied sharply.
' All right, but Kunzite do me a favor, don't underestimate her. Mina is a lot stronger than she looks.' Ami replied before turning towards the crystal.
Before I could reply the blonde senshi began charging at us. We scattered by teleporting above the blonde girl. Ami withdrew her daggers and began throwing several of them at the girl's feet. The girl gracefully dodged the daggers. Ami draws several more daggers and throw at the girl to distract the girl while I teleport behind the girl.
Quickly I grab her free arm and pen it to her back. She turned her head to find me but it was too late, she wasn't going anywhere unless I decide to let her go.
I leaned over and whispered to her, "You remember, don't you?"
She stiffened but nodded in reply, "Yes, that's why I came to stop you. You killed Ami once and I refuse to allow you do it again.
"It won't do you any good. She is mine. Besides she betrayed you and your friends, why should you care if she lives or dies."
The girl growled, "No matter what Ami does, she is still my friend. This may be a little more than your dark mind can handle but we care for one another like sisters. We would do anything for each other."
I smirked as I titled her head around to see me, "Really? Well apparently your loyalty didn't extend to Ami. She was only with me a week before she broke down crying because she was so afraid that all of you had abandoned her. It makes me wonder as well, why didn't you come find her; instead you searched the city even though you knew that you wouldn't find her in this world. The cats must have known were the Dark Kingdom is located, I know because I wanted them to find us." I finished with a snarl as I increased my grip on the girl's arm, hearing it audibly crack.
She gave out a horse cry, the girl gasped for breath, tears of pain pricking the corner of her eyes.
"You're sick," she hissed under her breathe, "It's not enough for you to turn one of our own against us you have to warp her mind with promises and lies just to have her bend under your will; your own mindless slave without being completely mindless."
Suddenly she snapped away from my grip, cracking her wrist from the force but now she was free. With her other hand she raised she drove the sword into my right shoulder. White-hot pain exploded as the sharp blade ripped through tendons and muscle. Blood blossomed like a dark flower, slowly dripping its' nectar across the torn sleeve of my shirt falling towards the ground. For a moment I could stare at the young woman with shock and disbelief.
"Mars Fireball..." A scream ripped through the air.
Staggering backwards I just barely managed to miss the flying ball of fire.
Glancing forward I could see the rest of the gruesome foursome lined up in their ridiculous battle gear of short skits and high-heeled shoes.
I heard a gasp behind me. While I was holding the blonde girl at bay Ami had been placing the final codes into the crystal. Two small hands grasped my injured shoulder and tried to pull me away. I shrugged off Ami's hands in time to dodge a lighting bolt.
'Kunzite stop! You're going to get yourself killed!' Ami wailed inside my head.
'Don't worry about me, just protect that crystal.' I replied.
She gasped just as I saw sliver of gleaming silver through the corner of my eye.
I jumped out of the reach of the broadsword but I lost my balance due to my wounded shoulder and had to lean up against a tree to keep from falling. Normally I am not an activist for retreating but if I am going to fight them off I need to heal my shoulder first. I move deeper into the small patch of trees, once I find a suitable distance I raise my other hand to rest on the torn shoulder. A surge of dark energy courses through me, healing the wound instantly but as with any gift from the darkness this comes with a price. This is not the time to worry about that now.
Emerging from the forest I see that Ami is valiantly defending the crystal, which is now glowing a dark violet, meaning that the last code has been activated.
Her daggers have been exchanged for a long slender rapier, which she uses to pierce the side of the tall Amazon brunette that strongly reminds me of Nephrite's wife. The taller girl stumbles back for a moment before she boldly charges forward and punches Ami in the face before she can dodge.
Behind them the girl Ami called Usagi and the dark haired girl named Rei were viciously attacking the crystal as it slowly gained power. At this rate they will break it before it can fully activate, that won't do. But what concerns me is that the blonde with the broadsword is nowhere to be seen. I didn't have to look far to find her because she found me first.
I teleported before she could embed the blade into my skull as she leapt down from her hiding place in a tree.
I summoned my own weapon before I returned to the ground. This girl will be the first to die.
A loud metallic clash resounds as our weapons cleave against one another. We convey heated words through cold gazes as we move agilely and quickly to catch the other off guard. A battle that ended thousands of years of go begins its' climax here, once again we are fighting over the position of a person only this time instead of fighting over the fate of the young blonde with meatball like hairstyle we are fighting for the life of the child of water.
I move to strike her across her chest but she effortlessly raises her blade to block my attack, her baby blue eyes fuming at me, her voice dripping with toxic words, "You are not going to win, not this time Kunzite."
"Look around Mina, I have already won." I snarled as I pushed her back causing her to lose her balance for a moment, giving me time to charge at her only to meet the resistance of her sword.
"What is that crystal for?" she growled in reply.
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you...oh wait I'll have to kill you anyway." I said with dry humor.
She rolled her eyes but still kept up with my pace, "Empty threats as usual. You would think that a thousand years would allow you enough time to come up with better comebacks "dear"," she replied sarcastically as she trusted the sword at such an angle that it caught my right side causing another wound.
I gasped out of surprise and pain, backing away from the girl, very bad move on my part. Unlike more heroes, or heroines, Mina didn't mind fighting dirty. She raced at me, with the blunt of her sword she shoved me back causing me to lose what little bit of air I had recovered. I coughed out blood, just as the wound began to pour out its' own amount of black-red blood, but I refused to give up; so she caught me not once but twice, sheer luck was all that she had on her side.
But apparently luck was all that she needed because her next move, even though it missed, caught me off guard so I stumbled backwards awkwardly, almost losing my footing again.
I gritted my teeth, angry with myself for not being more aware of her movements. I tried to regain my ground by blindly slashing at her, this time I managed to give her a blow to her chest, straight through her heart. Her blue eyes widen as she fell back gravity painfully drawing out the sword, blood fell to the ground like crimson rain. Her face paled with visible suffering and quick blood loss. Slowly she slides off of the sword and fell to the ground with a loud thud.
For a moment her eyes gaze up at me but then they flutter close, at last the blonde leader was out of my way. I turned my head to check on Ami's progress just as she unleashed a deadly ice storm attack of her own design; apparently while I have been neglecting the training of her natural powers she had been working on improving them at least. I move to help her but before I can move forward I am knocked off balance by a strong force. Lying on my back I tried to arise only to be pinned down by the now infamous broadsword. A drop of blood splattered across my face, I looked up to see the blonde haired senshi, her face pale and contorted with pain but still very much alive.
"You son of a bitch," she hissed between labor breaths as she raised the sword to decapitate me. I kicked her away with my feet and then rolled away from the blade, which still managed to nick a small portion of my back.
I got to my feet just as the girl heaved herself up to her unsteady legs. Her chest was covered in blood but her trembling hand still kept a strong and still capable grip on the sword. Gods, and here I was thinking that these girls were human! No one can survive being stabbed in the heart.
Without warning Mina summoned another golden whip chain, "Venus Love Chain Encircle!" she yelled. Before I could even think of escaping the chain wrapped tightly around me. While I struggled with the confining chain Mina began rushing at me with her broadsword raised above her head. I tried to run but the chain coiled around my legs making sure that I would remain in place, the perfect target for its' cold mistress.
I watched without fear or hesitation as she raced towards me drawing closer and closer, I am not afraid of death, heck I would almost welcome it since my plan seems to be crumbling beneath me just when I was so close.
She is less than a five feet away from me. I bite my tongue to prevent a scream of pain/panic but before she can close in on me a blur of blue blocks the path.
There is a sicking sound of metal clashing and shattering bone but to my amazement it isn't my chest that had received the blow. Mina stares in blank horror as the human shield slumped against my restrained form.
A head covered in dark blue hair slumped against my chest where the blade should have landed. Pale hands fisted weakly into the remains of my tattered and blood soaked shirt. Her blood mingles with mine as she leans against me out of necessity; the sword still embedded into her chest, between her breasts, right at the heart.
Somewhere, possibly behind me I hear a horrified shriek from one of the senshi but I am too numb to register what has happened. So far I have realized that I am not dead or even bleeding in another from another wound.
Suddenly the numbness wears away and what remains of the world crumbles. The small body leaning against me had not only taken the blow for me but is slowly dying because of it. I jerked the body so hard that the sword was wrenched free causing the small girl to scream in pain. More blood colored the ground, more blood than should be allowed. She won't be able to live without all of that blood.
No.
She can't die.
Piteously forgetting that I was planning on killing her anyway I spun her around to assist the horrible reality.
I don't want her to die.
Her sickly and pale face glanced up at me with a glazed expression covering her normally intelligent blue eyes. Without thinking I try to heal her wound with the same dark energy that I had used to cure my shoulder but before I can summon the energy I stop; when I said that healing the body with dark energy came with a terrible price I meant that the dark energy while it heals the wound it also drains the person of their life energy. I can handle this since I have lived off of dark energy for over a thousand years but Ami at this very venerable condition.
Rattled with shock I hold her closer. I try to probe her mind but even while she is dying she is blocking her thoughts out of my reach.
After several times of wishing that she would shut up I would give anything for her to say something anything. Mina dropped her blade and came closer towards us. I gave her a warning glare and a snarl as I backed away a few feet still holding Ami's body close to mine.
I turn around to escape only to find myself surrounded by the other senshi. They look at Ami's wounded form with mortified expressions but I can already see anger settle into their faces. They plan on taking her away from me, whether they decide on wrenching her dying body away from my corpse or try to persuade me to give her up I don't know. But I do know that I can't allow them to take her away from me.
For three months I told myself that she meant nothing, that I would kill her once this was all over but now that she is dying I would give almost anything to keep her alive. Before the senshi could close in on me I teleported back to the Dark Kingdom and into our chambers. Carrying Ami's limp body I was able to ignore my own injury for a few minutes, but as soon as I set her down on her bed pain arose from my wound. I pushed the pain aside turning my attention back to the girl. Her breathing was very shallow, her face growing another shade of impossible paleness.
'Hang in there,' I try to reassure her even though I can feel her slipping away.
Unable to watch her die I glance around the room. This has been her room since I brought her "home", but for the first month she refused to leave my rooms until I would force her to sleep here, she would beg for me to stay for just a few minutes. Normally I would stay for just a few minutes, until she fell asleep.
'Please don't go.' Her left hand loosely coils around my right hand, her fingers already growing cold and clammy.
For a moment I was grateful that she was still speaking to me somewhat. I replied her gesture with a gentle squeeze.
'I am not going anywhere. It's you that needs to stay.'
'Why do you care?' she replied in a haughty tone.
'I care...because...I just don't want to lose you. I have wasted too much effort into your training to have you die on me...'
'Lair. You were planning on killing me once our plan was set into motion. Now that we have failed you shouldn't care how or why I expire.'
I guess the saying; "the truth hurts" is literally true.
'I want you stay, what more do you want?'
Then it came to me.
'I love you.'
She mentally cackled at me, 'That was a good one Kunzite,' she replied bitterly.
'I am serious. I want you to stay because I love you.'
She turned her head away, 'Even if I believed you, it is not my place to say whether or not I live. But if would honestly say that if given your poison you call love and a sharp dagger, I would take the dagger any day.'
I growled at her, grasping her shoulders I brought her to face me, "I am dead serious Ami! Believe me." I added in a softer tone.
She shook her head, her small hand reaching up to gently touch my face, 'If you would have told me the same thing yesterday I might have believed you, but now I know that I can't trust a single word you say.'
Ami closed her eyes to shut me out. Instead of grabbing her and demanding her to look at me I curled beside her. I tried to apologize to her even though I knew that it was falling on deaf ears.
I gently held her against me, as her breathing grew shallower. The sheets were already drenched red with her blood. I had tried to give her small dosages of dark energy but whether it helped or hindered the situation was yet to be seen; for even if the wound were to close up the amount of blood loss was too great for her to survive.
She shuttered, her body growing steadily colder I tightened my grip around her body all the will trying to get her to talk to me at least telepathically. Her breathing hitched several times, warning me that she would soon leave.
'Why?' I asked, really not expecting a reply, 'If you don't trust me, if you hate me so much why did you try to save me?'
Her reply was unexpected and broken sounding, 'I did it because I wanted...you to see...how much it hurts to know that what you're living for dies right before your eyes.'
Slowly her hand slide down my arm, leaving a cold and bloodstained trail in its' wake.
A very small smile stretched across her face, 'I am sorry; I was lying when I said that I didn't care. I love you too, that's really why I did it.'
With that she left.
No dramatic withdraw of a last breath.
Just a strong silent oppression that was more accusing than her words. For what seemed like hours I could do nothing but remain sitting on the bed covered in blood, holding the lifeless body of a child that had unknowingly became an irreplaceable fixture in my existence.
The room felt so large yet silent that it seemed to be steadily enclosing on me. I had to get out of here.
'What does it matter?' I asked myself.
Our plan had failed; Ami was gone so there was really nothing left.
There must be something, anything to hang on to though.
I suddenly recalled Princess Serenity and the power that she and her mother held. Since the queen was dead her reincarnated daughter would have to do.
If I couldn't have one thing I would have to settle for the other.
I teleported out of the Dark Kingdom this time instead of standing within the confines of the park that held a, by now, broken crystal but a small suburb. Standing in front of the house that Ami often pictured as Usagi's house I waited patiently for the blonde to return.
Notes: I am sorry if Kunzite is kind of out of character, not to mention Mina, but I needed to do that to get through this chapter so please bear with me. I don't know about you guys but this chapter was kind of sad...pathetic I know but I was all but crying towards the end...yes I know I am very weird and I have no life so sue me...wait don't sue me I have no money.
Thanks go out to:
Mercury Destiny: Glad to hear from you again and thank you!
Sailor Lune: Winces, ouch sorry about those. I hope to correct those mistakes along with several others after I have finished this fic, but if I tried to correct all of that stuff now I would get so distracted with correcting my mistakes that I would become discouraged from writing more so for now please bear with me. I also hope to repost this fic on my website once I have it up and running which will be...mid summer at best, the site version will be edited better. I am still very sorry about those errors. I'll try to do better.
Yui4: Thank you, sorry this is a little bit later than I had planned but at least its' finally here.
Kaiya: I was actually kind of shocked the way it turned out, believe or not I am a very conservative person and I am strongly opposed to extra martial affairs; but when I wrote it is just seemed to fit so it stayed. Besides as a writer I should be able to expand my views and to give a greater depth to my stories and again after reading the chapter it just fit so well that I had to add Mina's point of view. Anyway that's enough of my rambling. Thank you for reviewing!
Chapter Ten
The Sacrifice
Mina
It was difficult to watch the various emotions playing on the faces of her friends and fellow senshi as they left the "battlefield" where they had confronted both Kunzite and in a surprising turn Ami. As soon as Mina saw Ami throw the twin daggers at Rei she felt angry and very stupid, angry at herself for not realizing that something was not right with the water senshi, and stupid well because she didn't fit all the pieces together. Rei had though, and that is what almost got her killed or at least seriously injured. If she wasn't already shaken Mina would have at least teasingly scold the fiery miko for wanting to go solo but right now the ever perky and bubbly blonde was too tired and confused to even think about teasing Rei. Everyone quietly went their separate ways to go homes, each one left with their own thoughts. As she walked down the streets bathed in the orange/golden light of the streetlamps Mina was struck by the odd transformation that Usagi had taken on.
One minute she was dressed in her senshi uniform then the next second she was dressed in a long white dress. She had approached Kunzite whom was carrying an unconscious Ami-chan in his arms. For the longest moment they just stared at each other, neither one saying anything verbally but they were apparently saying quiet a lot to one another. From what she could tell Usagi wasn't too pleased with Kunzite just taking off with Ami in tote, and he really wasn't inclined to give her up.
Strange to say the least, by all right the blue haired girl should have been dead. Mina shuttered that had been her worst fear that had steadily became a harsh aspect of reality after the first month of searching for Ami had turned up empty.
When she reached a literal crossroads between her school and her house Mina turned her head to glance at the locked gates of the school grounds. She had joined the team only a month ago but she already knew the others like the back of her hand, like a good leader should. There was Usagi the adorable klutz, Rei the sarcastic hot and hard head, Lita, the powerful warrior and yet the mother hen figure, and Ami. Mina shook her head, she thought that she had the little blue one figured out; she loved learning and was so intelligent it was frightening at times yet modest, small and quiet. Apparently they had underestimated her and for that she felt disappointed.
She had reasoned that Ami had agreed to be apart of Kunzite's madness to save herself and that would have been understandable but when they found her surely she would have turned her back on him and return to them...unless she was planning to betray him at the most opportune moment.
"That still didn't explain the reason why she threw daggers at Rei-chan." Mina mused as she climbed the staircase leading up to her apartment floor. As soon as Mina opened the door she slipped her shoes off onto the mat, the only object in the house that official greeted her. Her parents were out...again. The blonde rolled her eyes; honestly, you would think that they were teenagers or something with all of their romantic outings. Mina padded through the apartment to her bedroom, her mind still replaying the...could it even be called a battle? No one fought one another unless you counted Ami throwing daggers at Rei. With a soft sigh Mina collapsed on her bed, her head bothering her with a light ache, not enough to reach for an aspirin or something, just enough to annoy.
Sitting on the sill of her open window was a medium sized white cat with blue eyes and a large crescent moon mark on its' forehead. For a moment the blonde chose to ignore the white cat, her eyes closing as her mind sorted through reality and fantasy.
She knew what had happened to Usagi, the meatball head was recalling her past, if just for a brief instant. Mina already knew about her own past, which was why she had been chosen to "take" the place of the Moon Princess until she could be "found"; when in reality no one had to actually go looking for the princess especially since she was right in front of their noses.
But there was more to the past than the Moon Princess and her Prince of Earth...so much more. Mina squeezed her eyes tightly as she tried to shield away scotching tears. She wanted to laugh at the horrid irony that was her love life. Even in the past she was loved and left.
'It was your own fault. You could have told on them, you could have made him stay with you. But you couldn't do that your lover and your friend, you wanted them to be happy,' the blonde mentally berated herself as she slipped into her own memory of the Silver Millennium.
There had been rumors flying about the affair; but for once Mina wasn't willing to believe the rumors unless she either saw it with her own eyes or if Kunzite willingly confessed of being unfaithful. But unlike most rumors these stayed in Court, they didn't fade or were replaced by newer juicer gossip. It got so bad that despite her resolve Mina was really beginning to question the loyalty of her husband. It started to make sense, he hardly ever came into their rooms, always working late on documents or reports for the Golden Kingdom he had excused. And even when they were together it was almost as if he felt like she was a burden.
At times she would berate herself for being so silly, of course he couldn't be in love with her, their marriage was arranged for crying out loud. And yet she found herself attracted and captivated by him even if he ignored her most of the time. But if he had chosen to cheat on her...why would he chose Ami, a fellow guardian of the princess and one of her friends? The two seemed to have so little in common, unless you took into account the fact that the blue haired girl and the general were loners by nature.
Late one night Mina debated on whether or not to confront her husband on the accusations. On one hand he was kind to her, he took care of her and on the surface was a dutiful husband, the only thing to really worry about was the fact that, with the exception of their honeymoon, they never shared a bed. On the other hand the rumors were growing rather than demising, as was Kunzite's absence from her life, not just in their rooms or her bed but she literally never saw him. Every ball and party thrown in celebration for the upcoming union of the Serenity and Endymion she attended alone and even when she arrived she never saw Kunzite...or Ami either for that matter.
Mina shook her head. This was crazy. She trusted Kunzite; she shouldn't be looking for excuses to find him unfaithful. Kunzite hated parties. Ami too, she hardly ever attended a ball and even if she graced a party with her presence she would leave soon after, retreating to her rooms or the library. Besides Ami must be very happy with Zoicite since she was already pregnant, that was more than could be said for Rei or even Lita, so why in the world would Ami feel the need to betray her husband with another man. There should be no reason for her to distrust either of them. But still unable to sleep Mina pulled a woolen dressing gown over her nightgown and exited her rooms.
'I am not going to confront him about anything,' Mina reminded herself, 'I just want to make sure that he is still alive.' She giggled nervously, it would be just her luck for her to have a deceased husband and not even know about the funeral.
Her soft footsteps resonated throughout the empty marble halls; she breezed by several halls lined with numerous doors, finally she paused in front of the tall redwood doors that lead to the offices and private quarters of the Earth generals, normally the private rooms went unused since all four of the generals and the four guardian senshi have been married for well over a year now.
Mina and Kunzite were married first, followed closely by Ami and Zoicite, then Lita and Nephrite and lastly Jadeite and Rei, whom literally fought her husband- to- be all the way to the alter. Mina smiled, even though Rei was very much opposed to her arranged marriage her sources, Jadeite, told her that Rei couldn't be happier, she just had a hard time adjusting. Everyone seemed a bit reluctant to get married with the exception of Lita and Nephrite, both whom had fallen in love with each other almost over night. And again Ami was already carrying Zoicite's child so they must be content, if not happy, with one another. A small frown marred the blonde's lips, she and Kunzite seemed to be the only ones having...problems it seemed. She effortlessly entered the main hall, climbed up the steps.
She found Kunzite's office only it was empty, strange. She turned to leave but stopped herself when she saw the door to his private rooms ajar. Her hand reached to open the large door, at that moment the other door opened and Mina blinked as she came face to face with the man of the hour.
"Mina?" Kunzite asked in a slightly confused tone, "It's late, what are you doing here?" She glanced around his room in disbelief; this room had obviously been in use for the past few months.
At this point the blonde was feeling very stupid, how could she be so dumb? He was sleeping in his own rooms because he couldn't stand to be near her. A sob worked its' way up to her throat, her shoulders began to shake as she slowly backed away to turn back but then she heard a sharp cry of pain coming from inside Kunzite's room. Looking past Kunzite's broad shoulders Mina could see Ami, lying on Kunzite's bed. Her face was drenched in sweat and her hands were clutching her swollen stomach.
Female instinct kicked in, allowing Mina to realize immediately that Ami was in labor. But it was too soon, the girl was supposed to only be five months along. That could only mean that Ami was losing the baby.
Pushing past her husband the girl arrived at the other woman's side. Her left hand felt the girl's burning forehead. Ami's hand blindly reached up to clasp her own, dark blue eyes gazed up at her feverishly.
"Mina-chan?" the girl asked in a horse tone.
"Shhh it's alright Ami I am here." After she said this she turned to face Kunzite, "You, make yourself useful and get a healer up here!"
"No!" Ami cried as she gave Mina's right hand a painful squeeze, "Please Mina, no healer. They'll tell."
Mina glanced back at the woman, she gulped, "Ami, you might be losing the baby but I don't want to lose my friend too. We need to have a healer here so that they can at least make sure that you are going to be alright."
Ami shook her head, "No Mina, you don't understand. I am not losing the baby. I am in labor."
"What? But that's impossible, you told us that you were only five months..."
"I lied!" the girl screamed as a painful contraction ripped through her.
"But...that doesn't make sense." Mina confessed.
Zoicite had been gone for eleven months before he came back five months ago to visit Ami; after his short visit he then went back. So the baby was either several months late or four months early. Unless...unless the baby wasn't his to begin with.
It all made sense.
Kunzite joined them; taking Ami's other side he gently wiped away sweat from her face with a damp cloth and muttered soft reassurances to her.
Mina felt her blood freeze, if ever she needed proof to the rumors here it was. She felt angry, hurt, and guilty all at once. She was of course angry at Kunzite and Ami for betraying not only her but Zoicite as well. And guilty because she had known that they were on some level fond of each other; how could she, a direct descendant of Venus, not see that they were in love was beyond her. Now that she bothered to look she could see a deep bond had formed between them. This bond had not been formed out of spite for their spouses and Serenity for arranging their marriage; this deep soul- binding bond formed because they loved each other. It was also as limited and unbreakable, as it was sweet and blinding; meaning there was no possible way for her to break through it.
She could demand that Kunzite return to her and be hers alone and since he was...normally a man of honor he would more than likely be loyal to her but he wouldn't be happy about it. And neither would Ami.
Ami took in a sharp breath as another contraction rippled through her body. Her hand still holding on to Mina's constricted tightly; a sharp squeeze caused Mina to glance down at Ami. She wanted to be angry at the senshi of water, she wanted to scream at the unfairness of it, she wanted so badly to curse their child to Hades...but she couldn't find it in her heart to do so. So she stayed, for the whole nine hours of Ami's labor. Kunzite, like most men at births, was practically useless so it was Mina that had to help Ami deliver the baby. A healthy baby boy, whom once cleaned up wailed for his mother, waving tiny fists in the air.
Mina gently handed the child over to his mother, the child still fussed and fidgeted even as Ami held him. Ami didn't seem to mind though; she just smiled down on the baby. Her eyes and face lit up with an expression often described and yet hardly understood, the instantaneous and loving bond between mother and child. Dark blue-black fuzz lightly covered the soft dome shaped head and dark baby blue eyes met even darker blue eyes. Ami laughed softly as her son blinked at her. She looked up at Kunzite. For a moment he didn't seem to notice that she was looking at him because his child had captivated his attention.
"See, I told you he was a boy." Ami replied smugly.
The man spared Ami a brief frown, "This coming from the woman whom had at least two dozen girl names listed."
"That was just to throw you off," Ami replied jokingly enough though her voice sounded tired. Mina couldn't blame her, heck she was exhausted and all she did was "help" Ami deliver the baby.
Mina looked up at the couple already offering up all of their available attention to the baby that would eventually run their life for the next twenty or so years. She suddenly felt very alone and unwanted. This was their moment together; this time she was the one intruding. Slowly Mina backed away, heading to the door. Once she was outside of the door she sighed and leaned up against it.
'What now?' Mina wondered. It was obvious that she couldn't tell on them, she cared about both of them too much to ruin the happiness that they had found in each other and of course if anyone ever found out that the baby was...technically a bastard the child would be shunned before he could even walk. But she couldn't find it in herself to help them in their deceit either, Zoicite apparently didn't know and would be very "surprised" when he finds out that his and Ami's baby was delivered five months early. How they planned on hiding the fact that the baby that was still suppose to be in the "oven" was a mystery to her and she for one preferred it to remain that way. She moved herself away from the door when she heard the knob turn. The door opened to reveal the tired but relieved face of Kunzite.
He had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep; Ami had probably gone into labor earlier yesterday afternoon plus the nine hours that stretched into the early hours of this morning. He moved to speak; knowing what he wanted to say to her Mina tried to stall.
"How's Ami and the baby doing?" she asked softly.
Kunzite paused, his expression turning unreadable, "The baby fell asleep a few minutes ago, so did Ami."
"So have you decided what to name the little squirt yet?" Mina asked trying hard to sound lighthearted.
Kunzite shook his head, "No, not yet." For as long as Mina knew Kunzite she had never seen him so nervous. He refused to look at her and his hands trembled lightly.
"Mina..." he sighed before finishing his sentence, "I...would sincerely apologize for what we did...if I was sincerely sorry.
A small bittersweet smile tugged on her lips, "I understand. But Kunzite, this really isn't the time to talk about such things. You're lover has just had her baby, both of you are exhausted and you are obviously too distracted for us to get anywhere with this conversation so for now we will part here."
"But Mina, we need to...I can't let you leave without out at least knowing that I...we never meant to hurt anyone. I know that doesn't really help but we never meant for it to go this far."
"And yet you don't want to walk away from it." Mina replied sagely, even though her throat was beginning to constrict with withheld sobs.
He sighed again this time running a hand through his long white-silver hair; "Mina, we can't walk away and forget about each other. We have tried, many times, but it didn't matter whether we were separated by a few days, a week, or a month. We are miserable without each other."
Mina managed a watery smile, "I understand. You two love each other a lot. No, more than a lot, I have a feeling that you two might have been made for each other but...no one but Fate could see that."
"You can tell the Queen," Kunzite confessed.
"No, I can't do that to you or Ami..." Mina began but Kunzite grasped her hands.
"Tell her so that we can dissolve our marriage. I don't want you to be unhappy because of me and Ami."
"What about Zoicite?" Mina asked.
Kunzite growled low in his throat, "The man is a fool! Both Ami and me tried to drop hints to him the entire time he was here a few months ago but he is so stupid, so oblivious so..."
"In love with Ami-chan." Mina said sharply unable to hold back her anger and bitterness any longer.
"He trusts her because he loves her just like I trusted you because I LOVED YOU!" Mina cried, tears streaming down her face.
Kunzite moved to comfort her but she bolted away.
"No," she whispered.
"You've already made your choice Kunzite. It must be hard for you to choose between duty and what your heart tells you but please for god sake please stay as far away from me as possible. Whatever you decide our marriage will stay because it will disgrace not only me but also your lover and her child will be shunned. So we will pretend that none of this ever happened to draw suspicion away you will at the very least try to act more like a husband, maybe we can have our own child so that there won't be so much gossip flying other than that I really don't care if I ever see you again."
With those last words Mina turned and left Kunzite standing on in front of his rooms. When she arrived at into her chambers she cried herself to sleep.
"Amazing how some things never change," Mina said softly as tears fell down her face.
Hearing the soft cry of his ward Artemis gracefully leapt from the windowsill to the floor then jumped up to her bed.
"I am sorry Mina," the cat murmured, "It isn't fair that you should have your memories back so soon."
"No, I am alright Art."
The cat snarled, "I swear if I could just my claws on that jerk I would gorge his eyes out. He put you through so much pain back then and now he is trying to draw Ami in like a fly to honey."
Mina gasped, she hadn't thought of Ami's betrayal that way. What if she had regained her memories as well? If the water senshi remember their past then she probably fell into the same trap. Now all that was left was for Kunzite to use her to serve his and Beryl's purpose.
Quickly Mina arose to her feet, threw open the door to her room.
"Mina?" the bemused cat questioned before he too leaped off the bed and followed his owner.
When he exited the room the blonde was already half slipping on her shoes half running out of the door, "Can't talk right now Art, I have got to find Kunzite before..."
The blonde's sentence was cut off by the slam of the front door.
Mina ran down the flight of stairs, almost tripping over a few that she missed; in her hand she was franticly punching buttons on the communicator trying to get a hold of the other senshi.
Ami
I tried to stifle a yawn as I sleepily followed Kunzite around...what else...a serene peaceful parks. What is with bad guys and attacking parks at night I'll never understand, maybe it has something to do with the fact that they are invading a haven normally reserved for children's playgrounds and semi- romantic retreats for young lovers. And even though I have been able not only to understand but also obtain the mind of a villain I still don't get it. Oh whom am I kidding, there is a lot of things that I don't understand.
To some standards I am perceived as a genius, a golden child of intellect, but when it comes to people I am clueless. Before I met Usagi and the others I was lonely without even realizing it. I never really had friends as a child because I was too busy reading and later studying not to mention shy to attract the attention of people. Almost as soon as I was "introduced" into the living world I was trusted into the surreal realm of fighting supernatural evils and now I am technically apart of the supernatural evil. Not bad for a fourteen year old girl. Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not proud of what I have done but I can't go back. They wouldn't want be back, not after all I have done. Too much venom runs through my veins for me to ever be innocent again.
That and there's Kunzite. I keep telling myself that I am a fool for staying for any reason especially if one reason is the former bane of my existence. Those brief touches that we shared before I fell asleep again were as wonderful as they were forbidden; I want more but at the same time that I am craving affection I want answers. He pushes me away, for good reasons that I can understand but I could tell that he was hesitating.
'You're so dumb. He can't be in love with you, your ten years his junior. He's evil not sick Ami so why don't you do yourself the favor and wake up before you can get yourself hurt.'
I nodded my head, a combination of conformation to something Kunzite said and towards the cynical thoughts running through my head. Just let the past be just that. Don't let it interfere the present. I turn my eyes towards the odd spiral shaped black tower. The dark crystalline surface gleaming in the light of a half moon; believe it or not ladies and gentlemen this is our plan, the one Blonde-san has been working on for oh the last sixty or so years and the one we have been painstakingly placing into motion for the last three months. Sure it is just a chunk of dark crystal but this little...okay large hunk of rock is going to literally send this world to hell and back. Even though I loathe myself for admitting this I am actually kind of excited to see if it will actually work.
Kunzite circled the perimeter of the rock; his cold eyes giving the crystal a cynical gaze, what he is looking for could be anyone's guess. I hold back another yawn, wishing that he had allowed me at least another hour of sleep before dragging me back out into a world that I had disappeared from less than a few hours ago. It was still the pitch of night, but the sun would be rising in a two hours so we had to work quickly.
My part in this is relatively easy. All I have to do is conduct the dark energy like a human lightning rod, morbid as it sounds that is my job. More than once the thought... 'This might kill me' has crossed my mind more than once but I can't back down, besides what does it matter if I die this way. You see I already know that Kunzite plans to kill once he has destroyed the other senshi and Beryl because he also forgets at times that our thoughts are linked. He is one slick bastard, and I mean that with the utmost...affection. I wince at the thought, I hate playing the martyr but this seems to be the role that Fate has typecast me to be.
"I think we're good to go," Kunzite said as he briefly tore his gaze away from the crystal to me.
Instead of replying I turned my head towards the source of intruder.
Standing in front of us was not the dark haired priestess but we were graced with the presence of the golden child, Minakto, Mina, Sailor V, and Sailor Venus.
I rolled my eyes. Here we go again. Meddling senshi verses Kunzite and Ami- chan round two. Ding.
Kunzite
I glared at the blonde senshi whom just had to show up when we were about ready to set the plan into motion. The others had yet to arrive but if there is one thing that I have learned from being annoyed by these little female pests is that where there is one the four others are bound to show up eventually. This one seemed to be the leader of the group, not a very competent one it appeared but she at least tried. Like her blue haired friend her determined expression and her tense stance brought to mind various images of the past. We were lovers for a short while but whatever romantic intentions we had towards one another fizzled around that time I met Ami.
It would only make sense that my wife from the past would be reborn at the same time as my lover but what does it matter. Both will have to die so they should mean nothing to me. Yet a twinge of guilt tugs on me as I watch the blonde haired girl allow her gaze to drift between Ami and then me. Her blue eyes lingered at me for a moment before her hand reached for a long golden chain. As soon as her fingers brush the chain a golden light enveloped the weapon, quickly the light faded and the once whip-like chain had become a large silver broadsword. My eyes widen as I felt the flow of her powers, she was stronger than Ami; her source of power literally radiating off of her; I glanced at Ami feeling a wave of fear envelope me. I have been so busy perfecting my plan and getting Ami use to handling weapons and using various spells that I had neglected the nursing of her inner powers.
Now this girl was ten times stronger than Ami was at this point.
'Ami, get out of here.' I warned.
She looked up at me with a confused glance, 'Why? Kunzite she won't hurt me, she's my friend.'
I wanted to laugh at the horrible irony, 'This coming from the girl whom tried to kill one of her friends?' I commented dryly.
A small blush of embarrassment, 'What I meant to say is that she is more than likely after you, so unless you plan on forcing me to leave I am not going anywhere.'
'Fine, just stay out of the way and work on the crystal. I can take care of her.' I replied sharply.
' All right, but Kunzite do me a favor, don't underestimate her. Mina is a lot stronger than she looks.' Ami replied before turning towards the crystal.
Before I could reply the blonde senshi began charging at us. We scattered by teleporting above the blonde girl. Ami withdrew her daggers and began throwing several of them at the girl's feet. The girl gracefully dodged the daggers. Ami draws several more daggers and throw at the girl to distract the girl while I teleport behind the girl.
Quickly I grab her free arm and pen it to her back. She turned her head to find me but it was too late, she wasn't going anywhere unless I decide to let her go.
I leaned over and whispered to her, "You remember, don't you?"
She stiffened but nodded in reply, "Yes, that's why I came to stop you. You killed Ami once and I refuse to allow you do it again.
"It won't do you any good. She is mine. Besides she betrayed you and your friends, why should you care if she lives or dies."
The girl growled, "No matter what Ami does, she is still my friend. This may be a little more than your dark mind can handle but we care for one another like sisters. We would do anything for each other."
I smirked as I titled her head around to see me, "Really? Well apparently your loyalty didn't extend to Ami. She was only with me a week before she broke down crying because she was so afraid that all of you had abandoned her. It makes me wonder as well, why didn't you come find her; instead you searched the city even though you knew that you wouldn't find her in this world. The cats must have known were the Dark Kingdom is located, I know because I wanted them to find us." I finished with a snarl as I increased my grip on the girl's arm, hearing it audibly crack.
She gave out a horse cry, the girl gasped for breath, tears of pain pricking the corner of her eyes.
"You're sick," she hissed under her breathe, "It's not enough for you to turn one of our own against us you have to warp her mind with promises and lies just to have her bend under your will; your own mindless slave without being completely mindless."
Suddenly she snapped away from my grip, cracking her wrist from the force but now she was free. With her other hand she raised she drove the sword into my right shoulder. White-hot pain exploded as the sharp blade ripped through tendons and muscle. Blood blossomed like a dark flower, slowly dripping its' nectar across the torn sleeve of my shirt falling towards the ground. For a moment I could stare at the young woman with shock and disbelief.
"Mars Fireball..." A scream ripped through the air.
Staggering backwards I just barely managed to miss the flying ball of fire.
Glancing forward I could see the rest of the gruesome foursome lined up in their ridiculous battle gear of short skits and high-heeled shoes.
I heard a gasp behind me. While I was holding the blonde girl at bay Ami had been placing the final codes into the crystal. Two small hands grasped my injured shoulder and tried to pull me away. I shrugged off Ami's hands in time to dodge a lighting bolt.
'Kunzite stop! You're going to get yourself killed!' Ami wailed inside my head.
'Don't worry about me, just protect that crystal.' I replied.
She gasped just as I saw sliver of gleaming silver through the corner of my eye.
I jumped out of the reach of the broadsword but I lost my balance due to my wounded shoulder and had to lean up against a tree to keep from falling. Normally I am not an activist for retreating but if I am going to fight them off I need to heal my shoulder first. I move deeper into the small patch of trees, once I find a suitable distance I raise my other hand to rest on the torn shoulder. A surge of dark energy courses through me, healing the wound instantly but as with any gift from the darkness this comes with a price. This is not the time to worry about that now.
Emerging from the forest I see that Ami is valiantly defending the crystal, which is now glowing a dark violet, meaning that the last code has been activated.
Her daggers have been exchanged for a long slender rapier, which she uses to pierce the side of the tall Amazon brunette that strongly reminds me of Nephrite's wife. The taller girl stumbles back for a moment before she boldly charges forward and punches Ami in the face before she can dodge.
Behind them the girl Ami called Usagi and the dark haired girl named Rei were viciously attacking the crystal as it slowly gained power. At this rate they will break it before it can fully activate, that won't do. But what concerns me is that the blonde with the broadsword is nowhere to be seen. I didn't have to look far to find her because she found me first.
I teleported before she could embed the blade into my skull as she leapt down from her hiding place in a tree.
I summoned my own weapon before I returned to the ground. This girl will be the first to die.
A loud metallic clash resounds as our weapons cleave against one another. We convey heated words through cold gazes as we move agilely and quickly to catch the other off guard. A battle that ended thousands of years of go begins its' climax here, once again we are fighting over the position of a person only this time instead of fighting over the fate of the young blonde with meatball like hairstyle we are fighting for the life of the child of water.
I move to strike her across her chest but she effortlessly raises her blade to block my attack, her baby blue eyes fuming at me, her voice dripping with toxic words, "You are not going to win, not this time Kunzite."
"Look around Mina, I have already won." I snarled as I pushed her back causing her to lose her balance for a moment, giving me time to charge at her only to meet the resistance of her sword.
"What is that crystal for?" she growled in reply.
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you...oh wait I'll have to kill you anyway." I said with dry humor.
She rolled her eyes but still kept up with my pace, "Empty threats as usual. You would think that a thousand years would allow you enough time to come up with better comebacks "dear"," she replied sarcastically as she trusted the sword at such an angle that it caught my right side causing another wound.
I gasped out of surprise and pain, backing away from the girl, very bad move on my part. Unlike more heroes, or heroines, Mina didn't mind fighting dirty. She raced at me, with the blunt of her sword she shoved me back causing me to lose what little bit of air I had recovered. I coughed out blood, just as the wound began to pour out its' own amount of black-red blood, but I refused to give up; so she caught me not once but twice, sheer luck was all that she had on her side.
But apparently luck was all that she needed because her next move, even though it missed, caught me off guard so I stumbled backwards awkwardly, almost losing my footing again.
I gritted my teeth, angry with myself for not being more aware of her movements. I tried to regain my ground by blindly slashing at her, this time I managed to give her a blow to her chest, straight through her heart. Her blue eyes widen as she fell back gravity painfully drawing out the sword, blood fell to the ground like crimson rain. Her face paled with visible suffering and quick blood loss. Slowly she slides off of the sword and fell to the ground with a loud thud.
For a moment her eyes gaze up at me but then they flutter close, at last the blonde leader was out of my way. I turned my head to check on Ami's progress just as she unleashed a deadly ice storm attack of her own design; apparently while I have been neglecting the training of her natural powers she had been working on improving them at least. I move to help her but before I can move forward I am knocked off balance by a strong force. Lying on my back I tried to arise only to be pinned down by the now infamous broadsword. A drop of blood splattered across my face, I looked up to see the blonde haired senshi, her face pale and contorted with pain but still very much alive.
"You son of a bitch," she hissed between labor breaths as she raised the sword to decapitate me. I kicked her away with my feet and then rolled away from the blade, which still managed to nick a small portion of my back.
I got to my feet just as the girl heaved herself up to her unsteady legs. Her chest was covered in blood but her trembling hand still kept a strong and still capable grip on the sword. Gods, and here I was thinking that these girls were human! No one can survive being stabbed in the heart.
Without warning Mina summoned another golden whip chain, "Venus Love Chain Encircle!" she yelled. Before I could even think of escaping the chain wrapped tightly around me. While I struggled with the confining chain Mina began rushing at me with her broadsword raised above her head. I tried to run but the chain coiled around my legs making sure that I would remain in place, the perfect target for its' cold mistress.
I watched without fear or hesitation as she raced towards me drawing closer and closer, I am not afraid of death, heck I would almost welcome it since my plan seems to be crumbling beneath me just when I was so close.
She is less than a five feet away from me. I bite my tongue to prevent a scream of pain/panic but before she can close in on me a blur of blue blocks the path.
There is a sicking sound of metal clashing and shattering bone but to my amazement it isn't my chest that had received the blow. Mina stares in blank horror as the human shield slumped against my restrained form.
A head covered in dark blue hair slumped against my chest where the blade should have landed. Pale hands fisted weakly into the remains of my tattered and blood soaked shirt. Her blood mingles with mine as she leans against me out of necessity; the sword still embedded into her chest, between her breasts, right at the heart.
Somewhere, possibly behind me I hear a horrified shriek from one of the senshi but I am too numb to register what has happened. So far I have realized that I am not dead or even bleeding in another from another wound.
Suddenly the numbness wears away and what remains of the world crumbles. The small body leaning against me had not only taken the blow for me but is slowly dying because of it. I jerked the body so hard that the sword was wrenched free causing the small girl to scream in pain. More blood colored the ground, more blood than should be allowed. She won't be able to live without all of that blood.
No.
She can't die.
Piteously forgetting that I was planning on killing her anyway I spun her around to assist the horrible reality.
I don't want her to die.
Her sickly and pale face glanced up at me with a glazed expression covering her normally intelligent blue eyes. Without thinking I try to heal her wound with the same dark energy that I had used to cure my shoulder but before I can summon the energy I stop; when I said that healing the body with dark energy came with a terrible price I meant that the dark energy while it heals the wound it also drains the person of their life energy. I can handle this since I have lived off of dark energy for over a thousand years but Ami at this very venerable condition.
Rattled with shock I hold her closer. I try to probe her mind but even while she is dying she is blocking her thoughts out of my reach.
After several times of wishing that she would shut up I would give anything for her to say something anything. Mina dropped her blade and came closer towards us. I gave her a warning glare and a snarl as I backed away a few feet still holding Ami's body close to mine.
I turn around to escape only to find myself surrounded by the other senshi. They look at Ami's wounded form with mortified expressions but I can already see anger settle into their faces. They plan on taking her away from me, whether they decide on wrenching her dying body away from my corpse or try to persuade me to give her up I don't know. But I do know that I can't allow them to take her away from me.
For three months I told myself that she meant nothing, that I would kill her once this was all over but now that she is dying I would give almost anything to keep her alive. Before the senshi could close in on me I teleported back to the Dark Kingdom and into our chambers. Carrying Ami's limp body I was able to ignore my own injury for a few minutes, but as soon as I set her down on her bed pain arose from my wound. I pushed the pain aside turning my attention back to the girl. Her breathing was very shallow, her face growing another shade of impossible paleness.
'Hang in there,' I try to reassure her even though I can feel her slipping away.
Unable to watch her die I glance around the room. This has been her room since I brought her "home", but for the first month she refused to leave my rooms until I would force her to sleep here, she would beg for me to stay for just a few minutes. Normally I would stay for just a few minutes, until she fell asleep.
'Please don't go.' Her left hand loosely coils around my right hand, her fingers already growing cold and clammy.
For a moment I was grateful that she was still speaking to me somewhat. I replied her gesture with a gentle squeeze.
'I am not going anywhere. It's you that needs to stay.'
'Why do you care?' she replied in a haughty tone.
'I care...because...I just don't want to lose you. I have wasted too much effort into your training to have you die on me...'
'Lair. You were planning on killing me once our plan was set into motion. Now that we have failed you shouldn't care how or why I expire.'
I guess the saying; "the truth hurts" is literally true.
'I want you stay, what more do you want?'
Then it came to me.
'I love you.'
She mentally cackled at me, 'That was a good one Kunzite,' she replied bitterly.
'I am serious. I want you to stay because I love you.'
She turned her head away, 'Even if I believed you, it is not my place to say whether or not I live. But if would honestly say that if given your poison you call love and a sharp dagger, I would take the dagger any day.'
I growled at her, grasping her shoulders I brought her to face me, "I am dead serious Ami! Believe me." I added in a softer tone.
She shook her head, her small hand reaching up to gently touch my face, 'If you would have told me the same thing yesterday I might have believed you, but now I know that I can't trust a single word you say.'
Ami closed her eyes to shut me out. Instead of grabbing her and demanding her to look at me I curled beside her. I tried to apologize to her even though I knew that it was falling on deaf ears.
I gently held her against me, as her breathing grew shallower. The sheets were already drenched red with her blood. I had tried to give her small dosages of dark energy but whether it helped or hindered the situation was yet to be seen; for even if the wound were to close up the amount of blood loss was too great for her to survive.
She shuttered, her body growing steadily colder I tightened my grip around her body all the will trying to get her to talk to me at least telepathically. Her breathing hitched several times, warning me that she would soon leave.
'Why?' I asked, really not expecting a reply, 'If you don't trust me, if you hate me so much why did you try to save me?'
Her reply was unexpected and broken sounding, 'I did it because I wanted...you to see...how much it hurts to know that what you're living for dies right before your eyes.'
Slowly her hand slide down my arm, leaving a cold and bloodstained trail in its' wake.
A very small smile stretched across her face, 'I am sorry; I was lying when I said that I didn't care. I love you too, that's really why I did it.'
With that she left.
No dramatic withdraw of a last breath.
Just a strong silent oppression that was more accusing than her words. For what seemed like hours I could do nothing but remain sitting on the bed covered in blood, holding the lifeless body of a child that had unknowingly became an irreplaceable fixture in my existence.
The room felt so large yet silent that it seemed to be steadily enclosing on me. I had to get out of here.
'What does it matter?' I asked myself.
Our plan had failed; Ami was gone so there was really nothing left.
There must be something, anything to hang on to though.
I suddenly recalled Princess Serenity and the power that she and her mother held. Since the queen was dead her reincarnated daughter would have to do.
If I couldn't have one thing I would have to settle for the other.
I teleported out of the Dark Kingdom this time instead of standing within the confines of the park that held a, by now, broken crystal but a small suburb. Standing in front of the house that Ami often pictured as Usagi's house I waited patiently for the blonde to return.
Notes: I am sorry if Kunzite is kind of out of character, not to mention Mina, but I needed to do that to get through this chapter so please bear with me. I don't know about you guys but this chapter was kind of sad...pathetic I know but I was all but crying towards the end...yes I know I am very weird and I have no life so sue me...wait don't sue me I have no money.
Thanks go out to:
Mercury Destiny: Glad to hear from you again and thank you!
Sailor Lune: Winces, ouch sorry about those. I hope to correct those mistakes along with several others after I have finished this fic, but if I tried to correct all of that stuff now I would get so distracted with correcting my mistakes that I would become discouraged from writing more so for now please bear with me. I also hope to repost this fic on my website once I have it up and running which will be...mid summer at best, the site version will be edited better. I am still very sorry about those errors. I'll try to do better.
Yui4: Thank you, sorry this is a little bit later than I had planned but at least its' finally here.
Kaiya: I was actually kind of shocked the way it turned out, believe or not I am a very conservative person and I am strongly opposed to extra martial affairs; but when I wrote it is just seemed to fit so it stayed. Besides as a writer I should be able to expand my views and to give a greater depth to my stories and again after reading the chapter it just fit so well that I had to add Mina's point of view. Anyway that's enough of my rambling. Thank you for reviewing!