AN: Finnaly! Sorry for the long wait, I'm still alive and yeah, I'm here
with yet another chapter of this strange story. Thanks for everyone who
reviewed, I love all of the people who bother to read my stories and
especially those who take the care to show me that my efforts are
appreciated and review!
Raye, Mina, Lita and even Serena were having another meeting at the Cherry Hill temple. It has been a week since Amy's disappearance, and they didn't have any clue as to what really happened to her. Luna and Artemis tried to scan for her, but it was no use, they couldn't find her energy signature anywhere.
What they did find was five energy signatures that stood out from the rest of the negaverce creatures because they were much higher then the common monsters. Luna assumed that those were the generals, and that there was some general that they haven't met yet. They knew of four of them and how dangerous those four were, Jaedite, Nephrite, Malachite and Zoicite were very powerful, the fifth one that they discovered was of lesser power then the other four, but whoever it was, that one was more powerful then any scout alone, and that was all that mattered really.
Little did the scouts know of the identity of this fifth negaverce 'general'.
Lita looked up at the sky for the hundredth time in one hour, she has been doing that a lot for the past week, a sign that she was constantly worried and troubled, and who wouldn't be when for all she knew one of her best friends could be very well dead?
"Luna, did you try scanning for her transformation tool instead of her energy, you know, in case she is not transformed?" that was not what Lita really meant, she was implying what all of them feared for a while, they couldn't find Amy's energy, they all played with the thought that Amy might not be around any more and if she wasn't then the only way they could find her, or at least something of her was by looking for a signal from her transformation wand.
"Good idea Lita, wait a few minutes, I shall try that." Luna's voice was less exited then she hoped it was, she didn't think that it was such a good idea, she has thought of looking for the signal from the tool instead, but that would mean that she was giving up on finding Amy's energy, and she just couldn't bring herself to do it, she was glad that Lita suggested it so she didn't have to suggest it herself.
After a few minutes Luna came back with the results.
"I found it, but I'm afraid it is not very good news. Her transformation wand is in the negaverce as we have expected, but it was not used once during the past week." Luna had a miserable expression on her face. "I know that it is hard, but we have not heard from the negaverce about this for a long time, there was no reason for them to just keep her there so long if they were not going to do anything with her, and she has not transformed once, I'm afraid to say this, but I think that, well, maybe, ummm, perhaps. . ." Luna didn't know what she should say, there was not much to say there, she was only saying what all of them thought at one point of the other during past week of unsuccessful searching, she just didn't know how to fraise it right. She was about to try again when she was interrupted by an angry cry from Serena.
"Shut up!!!" yelled the girl angrily, it was uncharacteristically of her to get this angry, but she has been growing more and more irritable in the past week, the loss of her friend and the lack of any knowledge was killing her. "Shut up Luna!!! Just Shut up! I know Amy is alive, I can feel it, my heart tells me that she is alive, don't you dare even suggest that she might be gone!!! I don't believe this, she is alive, I just know it, she couldn't be gone!!!" Serena yelled bursting into tears.
Darien pulled his arms around her comforting her. On such a special occasion and to discuss a matter of such importance he decided to join the meeting of the scouts against his own nature and customs. This was too important for him to worry about his 'lone fighter' image.
Serena cried into Darien's chest heartbroken, she refused to believe that Amy could be gone for good. The rest of the scouts looked on with sad eyes, pity was in them for Serena, sadness for Amy and desperation at their own helplessness.
To say the truth, the scouts had little hope of finding Mercury alive after all this time, a week was a long time when they were speaking about creatures that killed without thinking twice about it. It never occurred to the scouts that they too killed without thinking twice about it, mainly because they truly didn't think twice when they killed and why would it occur to them all of a sudden when they didn't think about it.
"Serena." whispered Luna sadly. None of them wanted to admit what they secretly came to believe was true, none of them wanted to believe such a thing.
It seemed that all of them were in denial and didn't want to admit that after one week of being missing, when they knew why she was missing and with her signal completely gone, her transformation wand unused and in the negaverce, the chances that Amy was still alive were low, if there was even a chance that she was. In most probability, she has been destroyed the very night she had encountered the two generals, they knew full well that she would not be able to fight one of them, let alone both of them all alone, especially if she, as the bartender had said, was reasonably drunk. Although why Amy was in a club getting drunk was still a mystery to all scouts, a mystery that they doubted they would ever find a solution too.
"Either way," continued Luna getting them back on track, or at least trying, Serena could not be gotten back on track because she was too deep in her grief, "we must still go to the negaverce, even if there is no chance of saving Amy, we have no choice but go."
The scouts looked at Luna confused, it was no secret to all of them that Amy was either dead, or if not dead yet, impossible to be rescued, a raid on the heart of the negaverce was a suicide mission for all of them, and as much as they all loved Amy they would not sacrifice all of their lives on a mission they could not even accomplish.
"I know you are all thinking that I am crazy, but we have no choice, we must go in there."
At this even Serena looked up hopefully but that hope was gone soon when Luna shook her head sadly.
"There is very little chance Serena, as much as we love her, there is very little chance now. We must go there to retrieve the Mercury wand. If Amy is gone, then the new star of Mercury will manifest, and when that happens, we will need that wand. We must put our hearts aside for this, we have a mission to complete, when we started this mission we all knew that we might not survive. And although we never thought about loosing someone under such, ahem, strange consequences, we must carry on no matter what." Luna has finished her sad and somewhat even morbid speech. It was true, they had to carry on no matter what, yet, it was just so hard.
The scouts looked paler then usual, they were all about to be sick, this was their friend they were talking about! They would all risk their lives to attempt a rescue mission for her, even if she might be dead, but risking their lives to attempt a rescue mission of her transformation stick, it was not a pleasant and a very sickening thought.
"Luna!!! How can you!!!" yelled Serena through tears of disbelief "We don't even know if she is dead yet and you are already speaking about getting the wand for another Mercury, how can you do this?!!!" Serena was in shock and disbelief. It was as if Luna was willing enough to accept that Amy was dead when they didn't even know if she was, for all they knew, the negaverce just go her transformation wand, she could have even escaped and trying to get back to them right now, and there was Luna, their guardian and teacher already thinking Amy dead and planning for a new star of mercury, it was sickening.
"That is not what I mean Serena! But we can not go on hoping forever, we have to be real here, and for now, we have to act upon what is more likely then hope for some miracle to happen. We have to be prepared for the worst and be able to do something about it, now, pull yourself together, you have to lead the scouts on this mission, this is important Serena! We don't know if Amy is alive, if she is and you find her, then this is your chance to save her, but if she is not, then the transformation tool has to be gotten back, our mission depends on it!!!" Luna was getting impatient with the girl, she did not want to pass for insensitive, but the girl was just too sentimental right now, they could not afford to be sentimental, this was a war and they had to fight in it.
"All right, stop arguing you two. We are not going anywhere yet, we can't teleport without Amy, remember?" Mina interrupted yet another argument. There seemed to be many of those lately. Serena's kind heart would not allow her to just move on and leave her friend behind, yet Luna had a mission that she had to take care of, saving the world for the guardian cat was ultimately more important then one scout. It was almost as if Amy was replaceable, only the power of Mercury mattered. It made Mina wonder if they themselves were any better then the negaverce in their own struggle to survive in this harsh world.
"While you have been arguing, I have been working on that. Luna is right, we do have to go on and we need the power of Mercury here, even if Amy is alive, we have to go and get it in case she can't get it herself. If not so much because we need it, then to keep the negaverce from using it against us." That made just a little sense for the scouts, they could not afford letting the negaverce use Amy's transformation wand to develop some kind of weapon against them.
"So, what do you have in mind Artemis, how are we getting there anyways?" asked Raye in a tired voice, she has been so exhausted by everything that has been happening lately.
"Well, I found a few warp holes that we could use for portals." Artemis looked a little unsure and with good reason too.
"Aren't those dangerous?" asked Mina worried.
"Technically yes, but there is nothing else that can get us there, and if we do it right, then we can shape the random warps to take us where we need to go."
"And if we make a mistake?" asked Mina even more sure that this was not a good idea then before.
"Well, then you might be transported somewhere else, you might be separated, or you might pass through unharmed." Artemis looked quite nervous, this was not such a safe plan, but this was all they had.
Raye frowned, she didn't like this, she didn't like this from the very beginning.
It was Mina who spoke up again.
"Didn't you forget to mention something Artemis?" her tone was dry and almost harshly cold "Other then being separated or transported somewhere else, you forgot to mention that the warps could destroy us too." She sounded angrier now and very serious, it was their lives on the line; she did not like not having a concrete plan and leaving so much to chance.
"Well," Artemis looked uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. "Yes, you can die, but that is not likely. Besides, if you do it right, then you will not have a problem, it's not that heard, you just have to fire your attacks in precise time and order aiming them in a way so they will collide at particular angles creating a clear passage for you."
"And how do we know?" Ray had a deeper frown on her face now. It seems that they may die even before they ever get to the negaverce and if they were going to risk their lives, she wanted it to be something more worthy then a peace of equipment. Raye didn't like this and she was starting to wonder just how much is the value of their lives, were they only the vessels for the planetary powers, were it only their powers that mattered and not them themselves. She did not doubt the other scouts, but she was starting to doubt Luna and Artemis, the guardians had a mission and it seemed that they would do anything to accomplish their mission.
"I'll tell you how and when to fire, I have it pretty much worked out." Artemis noticed the look that Ray was giving him and he didn't like it, that was the look of rebellion, they could not afford Mars to rebel at this point, they already lost the power of Mercury, they will NOT loose Mars too! "Don't even think about it Mars, you are going, you are going because if you don't, you will be lessening the chances of others to survive, do I make myself clear?!" asked Artemis in a tone never used with the scouts before.
Ray's eyes widened, did he? Did he just speak to her like that?! He did, it was as if he was not giving her a choice, as if he was obliging her to put her life on the line for this. She always thought that she had a choice, and right now she was wondering, just how much of a choice she had, it seemed that she only had a choice while she was cooperating; the moment she was not, and all of a sudden, her free will didn't matter any more, she was all of a sudden obliged to go. And Artemis's voice, it was so threatening, it was not like the voice she was used to, this was all so new and disturbing to her.
Mina too was shocked, she had thought that she knew Artemis well, and now she was wondering, just how much did she know about the guardian cat? Just how much did she know about any of this at all, the silver millennium, the moon kingdom? Even the negaverce, all of a sudden she was wishing that she had known more, all of a sudden she was realizing just how little did the guardians have told them about their mission and she was not liking it.
"Now that that is settled, we are going today, at midnight, the portal that I found is at the top of Tokyo tower, we will meet you there at quarter to midnight. Everyone clear?" everyone nodded except for Darian, he had a distant look on his face, like he was remembering something.
'They haven't changed at all, just like they have always been.sending children of to fight for their peace.' he thought and then the thought left him as if snatched out of his head. 'Where did that come from?' wondered Darian not even knowing why he thought what he thought, who was like before? Who was sending children of to fight? Did he remember something? No, he couldn't recall now, so why did he think that? This was all so strange.
Amy was sitting in the cafeteria drinking an energy shake and reading a tome from the negaverce library. She was surprised that there even were such things in the negaverce. It was the negaverce history that she was reading, and the more she learned, the more interested she became. She has already finished a number of tomes and was now approaching the era of Beryl's rule. So far, she has found out quite a few interesting facts about the negaverce. Their history was actually quite tragic. In their home universe, they were a slave race used by the races that inhabited the surrounding planets. They were not considered real creatures because of the way they were born, not by mating, but by the means of colliding energy. So that was how it was, apparently Beryl never had parents, Amy thought that that was a pity, the woman could have used a pair of those in the past.
The race has existed in the lands longer then any other, and for the longest time it was not a free race, that is, until Beryl came along. She was the one who discovered and unlocked the power that was hidden in those creatures, she led them into war and freed them, only to enslave them again under her own rule and use her people in her own conquest for power. It said that Beryl was a princess from a distant land, of the same race but from so far away that she was not touched by slavery until the expansion of the inner universe included her home into the area of slave control. She was twelve at the time, and at one time having had freedom, was not willing to loose it. Her will unleashed her power, or maybe it was her hatred that grew too great to be contained, either way, she became the ruler of the race and led them into a war, destroying everything that stood in her way and gaining more power then anyone ever did before. That is, until she reached the universe of the moon kingdom where she was finally stopped.
Now, that was a development, it explained a thing or two, at least it explained why Beryl was so bitter, she never forgave, she was still seeking her revenge. Something occurred to Amy, Beryl was not naturally an evil creature like they originally thought, she has chosen to be evil, she could have stopped when they were all free, but she never did, that only made Amy more determined to defeat the evil queen, it was just that she herself could not do anything, she could not break her promise. Ami clenched her eyes bitterly, why, why was it always so, that when knowledge has granted her power, she was never free to use it?!
Slamming the tome shut and startling the lesser soldiers around her who were already very, very edgy around her sensing her greater power and not knowing anything about her save for the fact that her energy was just like Zoicite's which was a very uncomforting thought. She got up and shot them an angry glare which made them shiver. She knew that they were afraid of her, not that she ever hurt anyone here, it was just that she was strong, that she hung out with Nephrite and Jaedite and that her energy was nearly identical to the crazy maniac Zoicite's energy.
Rolling her eyes in her mind Amy stormed out of the cafeteria, her helplessness made her angry, it made her angry at herself all over again, and angry at Nephrite for making her promise. Not that she really blamed him, she was angry that he was giving her so much freedom, if he treated her like a prisoner that she was, then she would have not known so much and would not regret that she could not use her knowledge to help her friends.
Just thinking about it made Amy's blood boil, not that it showed, she looked as calm as ever. Well, not that completely calm, she normally would take better care to pretend that she was calm just so the scouts would not suspect that she was not as goodie to shoes as they deemed her to be.
Amy really was not such a completely nice and innocent girl as she has led the scouts to believe, she just didn't want them to know how angry they made her sometimes, or of her darker thoughts, after all, she was only a person, and persons all had their personal devils inside. It was just that here in the negaverce, she did not feel obliged to hide it so much, in some sense, she had more freedom here then she had when she was back on Earth, at least she could express her true emotions here more freely, not like anyone cared here or would ask her any unwanted questions such as what was wrong with her and what was bothering her.
Amy teleported herself back to the library to put the tome back where it belonged. The icy mist was about to swirl around her once again prepared to take her elsewhere when she sensed someone else appear behind her. With a start she spun around to face the intruder, now that she could sense how powerful creatures around her were, his appearance right behind her was somewhat like a little shock to her unprepared system. How could Zoicite be always so close to him and not feel shivers, but then again, that explained why Zoicite would actually listen to him, Malachite. Amy wondered what he was doing here, but then again, what did she know about Malachite, nothing, for all she knew, this might be a normal place for him to visit.
Despite the fact that it was more then likely that this particular general was more likely to spend his pastime with a book then any other, it still surprised Amy when she realized that Malachite was really here to just bring back a book that he finished reading.
"You haven't changed. Still a book warm." his voice was so deep and calm, it was almost soothing. But a different type of soothing from the voice that Nephrite spoke to her in, his voice was not warm, it was cold, it brought with it the kind of peace that one might find when they are freezing and falling into that blissful sleep unaware that they are dying. Yet, the ice still made Amy feel a connection to him, how strange, it was as if Malachite and Zoicite switched roles, Malachite, a venutian, should be the one who is prone to be somewhat hotheaded, and Zoicite, a mercurian should be the one icy cold, yet, it was just the opposite.
Amy wanted to find a comeback, she wanted to snap at him for appearing before her like that and assuming that he knew her well enough to talk about her habits and what she was usually like, but instead she just found herself nodding quietly. There was something about him that demanded respect, if not obedience, then at least respect. Maybe it was that he was the oldest and the most powerful of the generals, or maybe it was just what he was like, but there was something that made Amy feel almost . . . obedient.
"You are making your suffering greater, you think too much." Malachite spoke to her as he looked through the shelves of books not once glancing at her, it was just his voice that even showed that he knew that she was here, it was almost caring, but why?
"Why do you care Malachite-sama?" Amy never even noticed that she added sama to the end of his name, it was something that came almost naturally, what in hell was going on? Amy never had much contact with Malachite, she has only seen him a couple of times before and never spoken to him, she always saw him as sort of an observer, he would watch Zoicite blow up and loose his temper so calmly, as if it was nothing that concerned him. Malachite was always the figure in the shadows, and sometimes the scouts wondered if he really had any power at all, but just the fact that Zoicite, out of people obeyed him made it clear, yes he did, he was just not concerned about most situations enough to actually bother to get involved. It was only through the icy aura of power and authority that the other scouts ever knew that he could very much be the most powerful of the four, never through first hand experience, Amy was more then glad that, that was the case now, she didn't think that if Malachite ever bothered to get himself involved in one of their fights they would ever make it out alive.
Amy could not understand why she was all of a sudden so meek with Malachite, even less did she understand why he was civil with her. From what she has heard so far, the rumors around this place and some of the records, he was very powerful, very uncaring, very patient, and even more so deadly when his immense patience was exhausted.
Malachite was actually surprised when Amy did not snap at him, he could feel that she was angry, and unlike others, he knew that mercurians, despite their element of ice, were not the calmest of nations.
"I don't care."
Amy was not sure how to place what he was saying, it seemed like he cared, and at the same time it seemed like he didn't.
"Malachite-sama, do you hate me?" she asked the question despite herself, she had thought that he would, she knew that he despised mercury because he cared deeply about Zoicite and was there to see what was done to him, she knew that he was never going to forgive the long dead ghosts that did that to them, but she wanted to know, did he really hate her.
Malachite stopped and for the first time looked at Amy. He was in the middle of the action of reaching for a book when she asked, but now the book was forgotten and he let the half raised hand fall away as he looked at her hard and careful his face betraying nothing of what he might be thinking or feeling.
Amy found that she could not meet his gaze, she was never this close to him before. Amy found that she could talk to him without it feeling awkward that they were being civil to each other because she never really fought him before, she just now realized that she never really considered him her enemy because of that, he was there, but she never faced him in battle before, she never thought of him as enemy before and that made talking to him on such terms easier. But as he looked at her, she also found that it was not only respect that she was involuntarily giving him, something she would not have done if she really considered him her opponent in the past, she found that there was something else, she felt small and defenseless before him and she felt that if he ordered her to do something right now, she didn't think that she would be able to refuse.
This was confusing Amy, where did this power that he had over her came from, he didn't even know her, she didn't know him, they were almost complete strangers to each other, and yet, she felt like he was so much in control of her it was frightening. She only now realized why he was so feared if he supposedly never really done anything, it was his aura, it demanded obedience and respect, and at the same time, it gave her a sense of peace, he was frighteningly intimidating, but not in the way that made her fear for herself, but in the way that was almost like awe at something.
Malachite walked up in front of her and watched as her eyes fell even lower her head lowering a little as he approached her, he realized that she did not do it intentionally, it was her reaction to him and not something conscious.
He stood there for a moment contemplating her question, did he hate her?
Amy became nervous as he stalled, for some reason it was important to her, for some reason she cared if he hated her or not, she didn't care about anyone else in the negaverce and what they thought of her, save for Nephrite, she cared about Nephrite, but still, she hadn't really cared about what Nephrite thought of her, so why was she so concerned about what Nephrite of all people thought of her? She didn't want him to hate her, for some unexplainable reason, she was preying that he would say no, that he would say that he didn't hate her, she didn't know why it was so important to her, it just was.
Nephrite noticed Amy getting nervous, why did she care? Why did he care? Her question stirred something in him, he hated mercury, but his hate lay in the past, she was innocent of the crime that her homeland committed, and while Zoicite was too blinded by hurt and was more then ready to overlook the fact that she was not even born at the time they were betrayed, Malachite was not. Despite the fact that he actually cared less about people then any other general and the fact that he could be much more cruel then Ziocite himself if he only chose to, he had a fair nature, he was fair to his friends as well as his enemies and would not give neither his friends what they did not deserve, nor deny his enemies what they did deserve. Amy deserved her justice, she had not wronged them, she had not even known, therefore, being fair, Malachite did not hate her. Did he care about her then? Of course not! Was he fair to her in giving her a chance to make him care? Yes has was.
Malachite raised his hand and tilted Amy's chin up making her eyes meet him, he could see how much she wanted to avoid his gaze, but he would not let her as he looked deep into her eyes, he saw guilt, even though she has not done anything, her heart was pure, not like the hearts of the ones that came before her, not that she was completely clueless and without her own flaws, but she was innocent of that crime at least.
He let his hand drop seeing as Amy was getting more and more nervous by the moment. Immediately she lowered her head. Ami was feeling like such a little girl right now, she didn't even know what to say or do, what was wrong with her?!
"No." said Malachite simply but honestly, he did not hate her, nor did he care for her either, but there was always room to change both opinions. She could make him care, and she could still make him hate her too.
Amy nearly sighed, she did not know why she was so relieved that he did not hate her, she did not even know how it was that she believed him, but then again, what reason did he have to lie? She watched him go back to looking at books, she could tell that he was thinking about something and she for some reason didn't want to disturb his thoughts. She watched him for a while, she was noticing the recognition pass over his features as he went through the books, it appeared that he had already read a lot of them. Finally, Amy dared to speak again breaking the strange silence, it wasn't uncomfortable, just strange.
"Malachite-sama, what is Zoicite really like?" she didn't think that he would really answer her and she was more then surprised when he did.
"Childish."
That was definitely not what she had expected, she knew Zoiicite to be a dangerous, violent hothead. What in the world was childlike in a sadistic maniac? She was confused, but she reminded herself, she did not know Zoicite, Malachite on the other hand knew him better then anyone else did, he must know something about Zoicite that no one else does. She sighed, Malachite was not going to explain this to her, he didn't seem like the type to talk much at all, no wonder so little was known, but he seemed willing enough to answer if she dared to ask. Amy decided not to pursue it further, she didn't think that Zoicite out of all people was someone to be discussed, but there was someone else that interested her, she did not know why she was asking Malachite, like many other things she didn't seem to know why she was doing, but she found herself asking him nonetheless.
It was about Nephrite that she wanted to ask him, she wanted to know more about the general that took her in. She could feel something about him, she was just not sure what. She did not know what he felt about her either, he seemed to care and like her, but what did she know about that. Even more so, she seemed to start caring about him beyond the point of gratitude and the simple feeling good when someone was nice to you. She found that she was starting to care about him more. Like when he went out and she knew what he was doing, she couldn't help but wish that he would come back soon and that he would not run into problems. She knew that she should be wishing that the scouts found out and stop him, but she just couldn't help it. Or like the fact that she missed him when he was not around, or that she felt happy when he was. She felt lost and she needed advice, for once, she had no idea about something and needed someone else's help. She just didn't know why in the nine hells she was going to ask Malachite out of all the people.
"Malachite-sama, can I ask you something?"
Malachite glanced at her sensing her nervousness and finding it strange that she was all of a sudden wanting to talk to him but as he looked at her he found something familiar in her eyes. She herself looked like a lost child right now, looking for guidance. But from him?! He was more then surprised, he didn't think that Amy would be this helpless. Yet there was something that he could not deny, he was so used to counseling Zoicite when the younger was troubled which was so often that listening to someone's problems and advising someone became natural to him. He just wondered why was it Amy that wanted to talk to him, something like this required trust, and he did not believe that she trusted him.
"Ask then." he said finally finding a book that he hasn't read yet.
Amy swallowed, now, how in hell was she supposed to fraise this. All of a sudden the dark and empty except for them library seemed more menacing to her, now, why was her thought wondering, this never happened before. She noticed that Malachite was patiently waiting for her to speak, apparently he really was as patient as she has heard, something told her that he had an idea that she was seeking his guidance, she just had no clue why he was prepared to listen to her.
"Well, ummm, I was wondering, you know Nephrite well, right, and I was just, I don't know, I guess I was just wondering if you could tell me something about him. I mean, I practically live with him, and I don't know a thing about him, now isn't that awkward." Amy stumbled over the words getting more and more nervous as she went.
Malachite didn't answer at first, instead he walked to what looked like a couch put against a dark wall of the dark library and sat down on it putting his new picked book into his lap and looked at Amy again.
'he looks so light in the surrounding darkness.' thought Amy about Malachite's strange appearance, he looked like he was bathed in moonlight even though there were no light here, just the very faint light that came from the stars somewhere in the distance.
Amy swallowed again, well, at least he was not going anywhere, or at least it didn't seem like he was, but he still didn't say anything.
"Wrong question, you are not interested in Nephrite's life history, try again." Stated Malachite perfectly aware about what it was that Amy wanted to ask him about really.
He still found it strange that she would turn to him, not that she came to him, they just met in the library, but he knew that if they didn't meet now, she would have came, the only reason she didn't before was because she was afraid of Zoicite.
Amy gasped, was she that transparent?! It seemed like she was, the negaverce general seemed to be able to see right through her with his eerie silver/blue eyes. She forced herself to calm down and sighed moving closer. She wanted to sit down too because she didn't think that she could keep standing through this, but she could not bring herself to sit beside him even thought the couch thing was big enough for five people. Instead she slid down to the floor and leaned against the couch pulling her knees to her chest. She was facing away from Malachite and sitting at his feet, but she didn't seem to realize that she was.
"I don't know what to ask, I just know that I want to know more, I just don't know what it is that I want to know." Whispered Amy, she found it easier to talk to Malachite when they were both sitting down, there didn't seem to be that strange tension that was present when they were standing.
She felt like he was going to listen to her, she was at least thankful for that, if he wasn't going to tell her anything, at least she would feel better if she told someone. Amy almost laughed at herself. This was so uncharacteristically of her, she was here, in the negaverce about to open her heart to a negaverce general and ask him what it was that she was feeling for yet another negaverce general, this was even more ridiculous then being drunk and throwing herself into Jaedite's arms, thought Amy bitterly.
"What do you think of him so far?" asked Malachite surprising Amy. She looked up at him questioningly wondering if this was some kind of trick question, but as she looked in his eyes, she found no trace of deceit, he was just trying to get her talking.
"I'm not so sure, he is nice and caring. He spared me and he was kind to me, but I don't understand. I just wonder, does he genuinely like me like he makes it seem, or am I just something to keep his mind of, of things. I'm just so confused, I don't know what I think of anything any more. The more I learn about this place, about the people here, the harder it is for me to stop wondering. Is it wrong, is it wrong for me to like someone here?" her voice almost broke and by the end she stopped speaking it was barely above whisper. Amy was finding it harder and harder to speak about it, it was hard to just say it to someone, especially Malachite, but she had a sense that in this place, Malachite was the only person she could speak with and she thought that if she didn't talk to someone, if she didn't tell someone she would loose it. She needed so desperately from someone to tell her that she was not loosing her mind.
Amy looked at Malachite desperately hoping against all odds that he held an answer for her. What she saw in his eyes shocked her, it was pity. He was actually pitying her. Did he actually care about what she said at all? A minute before she knew that he didn't, but then again, emotions are such strange things, they seem to work in ways that are a mystery to all creatures.
"Do you like him Amy?"
"I-I don't know, it's just, I don't know, I truly don't know. I know that I'm not indifferent, I can't be, not after the way he held me, the way he talked to me." She paused for a moment her voice dropping to barely audible "not after the way he kissed me." Her face turned red and she lowered it ashamed although not sure why, this was wrong, somehow it was wrong. She should not be caring about anyone here, she should not even be telling anyone here anything, let alone things like this, things that she would not even tell her best friends, and yet she was, it seemed like lately her entire being was somehow completely rebelling from all reason and acting upon impulse and emotions alone.
Malachite was actually shocked, he hadn't known how far Nephrite has gone. The girl was confused, that he could tell, but he was just startled, more then he would like to admit. He knew Nephrite long enough to know that Nephrite would never fool around with anyone, Nephrite was always serious about what he did. And if he went as far as to show Amy so much favor, Malachite knew that Nephrite meant it, he was not playing with Amy, he really wanted her for himself.
This was strange as well as dangerous. Sure enough the girl was technically one of them now, he could clearly feel the negaverce energy inside her, the energy that painfully reminded him of Zoicite in it's almost identical similarity to his. As he looked at her sitting at his feet her head down, knees draw to her chest, sheltered by darkness and wearing the grey typical negaverce uniform, he knew that she was here to stay, this was her new home, but one fact could not be overlooked, she was still a sailor senshi, she was still Sailor Mercury.
Malachite was worried about this new developed situation, this could not be good. If Nephrite loved her, and if she did too, then chaos was ensured. It was so because their loyalties would be divided. Malachite knew that Amy was not going to betray her friends and go against them, neither was she going to do the same to Nephrite if she felt for him what Malachite thought she felt. Nephrite was no different, he was not going to abandon the negaverce, but he was not going to abandon her either. The unfortunate thing was that both of them had duties of sorts, they were soldiers from two different armies. When the scouts came for her, or when Beryl found out about her, she would be forced to choose, or Nephrite was going to be forced to choose, and that was a choice neither were willing to make.
Malachite had to know just how much this meant for the girl.
"Amy, do you love Nephrite?" he asked leaning forward a little to look at her more carefully.
She looked up at him with surprise and shock written over her fair face.
"No." she answered confidently "no I don't. But I do feel something, and I can't ignore that. I barely know him, I can't love someone I don't even know, but I can care. I think I care too much." She whispered looking up at Malachite sadly before she looked down again embarrassed once again. She hid her face by turning it away from him and ducking it even lower, why was he asking her anyways, it wasn't like Nephrite could feel so seriously for her, she didn't even know, for all she knew, she was just his pretty little pet to keep around for his own amusement.
"Do you think you could ever love him?"
Amy thought for a few moments, could she? She didn't know, but she thought that she could, he was nice, fair, caring, handsome. If this stupid war to be over, yes, she could love him, it was just the war and the fact that she didn't really know him. After all, she didn't even know how he felt about her.
"I think so, but I don't know. I don't know him, I don't know if I can feel for someone so seriously, someone I barely know. I like him, but I'm so confused. What should I do?" her voice was quiet and very confused, why was he asking her.
"For your own sake, I hope you can love him because Nephrite doesn't fool around. If he said that he wanted you to stay with him and if he treats you like he cares about you more then what is necessary to just keep you here, then he feels for you. Nephrite is kind and caring, but he is also ambitious, if he loves you, he is serious about it, he won't let you go. And I think that he does love you, he is not the type of person to settle for 'like' or just friendship, it would be tragic if you couldn't love him back."
Amy's eyes widened, for once, that was probably the biggest speech that Nephrite has ever said in his life, she wasn't aware that he sometimes would spend hours talking to Zoicite just like this.
"But how do I know? He never said anything, what if he is just trying to be civil? What if he doesn't even like me? I don't want to make a fool out of myself, I don't even know what in hell I'm feeling, it's new, I've never felt it before." Amy looked at Malachite and her eyes showed confusion and a certain innocence that Malachite found that he could not stand by looking in them and not care any more. She has put her trust in him, a man she didn't even know and by all means should consider an enemy, he knew that if she had someone else to turn to she would never talk to him in a million years, but there was no one else so she came to him. She looked so lost, and she reminded him so much about Zoicite, just an intelligent lost little child looking up to her elder for support when she wondered away from the set out path that she was used to walking. Something told Malachite that she was not completely saying the truth when she said that she didn't love Nephrite, if she didn't she would not be here, he just thought that she didn't know that she did herself. That was fine, he was not going to force her into this, her feelings needed time to grow, she was right about one thing, she barely knew Nephrite, one week is barely enough time to fall in love especially with someone who used to be your enemy.
What Malachite did next shocked Amy because she has never seen him do something like that before, he smiled. Not a smirk or a grin, but a genuine smile and it looked so beautiful on his usually cold face. Amy found herself melting in that smile, why in hell was he making her feel like everything was all right. Hell, nothing was all right, she was stuck in the negaverce, turned into something she was not, having strange feelings for someone that she should never have cared for and looking for comfort and advice from someone who she should have never opened her heart to. But his smile nevertheless made it seem like it was all right. She wondered, did he help Ziocite pull through his own life, she didn't think that Zoicite could do it alone, Malachite must've been there for him. Amy felt jealousy and was shocked, she just now realized that she had never had anyone to turn to like this, it was always her that was helping others, there was never really anyone to help her, it was sad realizing so many things that she didn't know about herself here out of all places.
Amy felt miserable now, not because she was confused, but because she was finding things that she has always wanted to have in a place they should not be. She should be with her friends now studying or doing homework, she should not be in the negaverce pouring her soul out to someone she considered to be evil and heartless just one week ago.
Malachite watched the emotions in Amy's eyes shift, there was a momentary happiness there and then there was just misery and confusion. He saw the tears swell up in her eyes, why was she crying? A tear made it's way down her pale cheek and he went against his better judgment and outstretching his hand whipped the tear away.
Amy gasped at his gesture of concern, she hadn't expected him to care, it was already too much that he was listening to her, now he was offering her comfort? It was just too much. More tears made their way down her face and she ducked it averting her eyes from his. Even Malachite was kind to her, the only person who in fact wasn't so far was Zoicite, but she couldn't blame him, everyone else, it was just wrong, they should not be nice to her, they should be the heartless monsters like she has always thought them to be, they should not be like this.
Amy tried to hold back her tears, but they wouldn't stop. She was a little less shocked now when Malachite tilted her chin up gently to look at her face and she saw worry in his eyes, why in hell would he be worried about her? She was no one to him, and yet, she could see that he was worried. It wasn't that he felt any personal concern about her, this, she realized, was simple compassion, it was that natural feeling that appeared when you saw someone hurting, no matter if you didn't even know them.
Malachite stroked the silky blue hair gently, she was like a little girl, so much like Zoicite that it was almost painful. Her resemblance to the boy that he nearly raised was making Malachite act like he usually didn't, it was making him feel more compassion that is normally expected to feel for a stranger, especially from someone like him, normally he wouldn't care, but this was stirring emotions in him that he barely ever showed most people. He was so used to talking care and comforting Zoicite that he couldn't look on indifferently when someone came to him for comfort. Drawing her closer he let her lean against his legs and wrapped his arm and cloak around her as if hiding her away from the cruel world. He had an idea that this was not about Nephrite any more, this was just her general confusion and pain finally coming out, she has been here for a whole week and it was a little too strange that she could just settle in so easily, no, it was just building up inside of her until her emotions once again would break free.
Amy crossed her arms on Malachite's knees and put her head on them letting Malachite put his hand over hear head as she cried, it felt good to be able to cry and not be judged about it, not be expected to do something else. She had never thought that Malachite would ever just let her feel, no one else did before, but she thought that she knew why, not just why Malachite was nice to her, but why mostly everyone here was and why mostly everyone was so conscious about her feelings, feelings were something precious here, love was so rare here that it was treasured like no other. How ironic, it seemed that people here cared more then people on Earth just because they had less of the normal emotions, they paid attention to feelings where on Earth feelings would get ignored. How fucking ironic was that?
As she cried, she involuntarily found herself talking, just random things, random feelings, whatever came to her mind, she was just talking and she was glad that there was someone who could just listen, she has never had a chance to just talk before.
After a while Amy's crying ceased and her sobs stopped, she still couldn't believe that Malachite would just sit there and wait patiently letting her cry, Goddess, out of all the people to offer her a shoulder to cry on, or rather, a knee to cry on, she never thought that it would be someone like him. This was so strange, so wrong, so fucked up. Amy wondered if she was loosing her mind or something. But even as screwed as this situation was, Amy didn't want to let it go, she felt warm and protected, she felt comforted and not so alone, it was like having an older brother that she never had. She smiled a little opening her tear stained eyes but not moving just yet, it was comfortable just sitting there like that for a while. She had her arms crossed over Malachite's knees leaning against his legs with her head on one knee. He was leaning over her his cloak falling over both of them and his hand buried in the locks of her blue hair, he was just watching her and he didn't even seem to mind her presence.
"Amy, you think too much. Just let whatever happens happen, you are making yourself miserable and I don't think that it's because you feel alone or because you are not sure about your feelings for Nephrite, those will clear out as time passes, it's to early for you to worry about that. I think that it's guilt that is making you miserable. Don't feel like you are betraying anyone, you are not, you have no control over this situation, and there is no one who has true control of their heart, so don't make yourself guilty because you have always thought that things should be a certain way and not the other. Things happen for a reason, no one truly knows what the reasons are, but if it's fate, then you can't fight it, if it's not, then it is bound to work out on it's own. You have your own free will, and if you are not free to choose where you are, you are free to choose who your heart belongs to, you are not obliged to hate someone just because up until now you had no choice but to fight them. Luna and Artemis never told you what you are fighting for and who it is you are fighting, you never chose which side to be on, you just fought, you are not obliged to feel a certain way for someone because your friends expect you to feel that way. You try to hard, try to please everyone else, meet everyone's expectations and you don't bother to worry about yourself, your own feelings and objectives. The fighting that you have done up until now, those were not your objectives you were fighting for, those were the objectives your guardians have handed you, they never bothered to tell you much about what it is you are fighting for except for 'it is your destiny to save the world', or for that matter who it is you are fighting. You don't seem to know one bit about us or our objectives, do you even know what it is that you are saving the world from?"
Amy looked up as she listened, Malachite was right, Luna and Artemis have kept her in the dark and she was pretty sure that it was indeed guilt that she was feeling, she just wasn't sure if he was right about her not having to feel guilty, was it true? It was, who were Luna and Artemis to tell her who to feel for and not, who to love and to hate? No one had that right save herself, only she was the holder of her heart and only she could give it, they had no right to tell her how to feel, she just hoped that the others would understand, she didn't care f Luna and Artemis would understand, she just hoped that she could explain this to the other scouts, that is, if it ever even came to this.
Amy nodded a little as Malachite spoke in acknowledgement and even agreement, she could not deny it, her heart was hers only. Then he asked her the question that the answer to has tortured her for a while now, and the answer was no, up until now she had no idea what she was fighting for, who she was fighting and what it was that she was saving the world from. It wasn't like finding out changed her mind that greatly, if she still had a chance she would still fight on the same side that she fought on before, but it was just the fact how little Luna and Artemis thought of them, they didn't even tell them what it was that they risked their lives for, it was as if they had just been tools and more over, they expected them to follow them unquestioningly, if ever given a chance, Amy would still follow them, it just dawned on her that she was never given an opportunity to choose, that was not right.
"No Malachite-sama, they never told us. I would have not changed my mind that greatly if they did, but I would think of it differently, if I were to fight on their side now, at least I would know what it was I was doing. If I were to fight now, I would feel guilt, they were afraid that guilt would cause us to change our minds so they never told us, but guilt sometimes is a good thing, it lets us feel and see the consequence of our actions, it's not right to fight and not be able to see. It's not fair, not fair for you and it's not fair for us."
Malachite looked at Amy satisfied, he was not aiming to change her mind, he was just aiming to remind her that she had a mind of her own and whatever her choice be, it should not depend on anyone but herself. Amy might not have the choice of whether to stay here or not, but she had a choice of how to feel about it.
"Malachite-sama, why help me, even though you said you don't hate me, you still are not obliged to help me, I don't understand, you told me you didn't care?" her eyes showed that innocent curiosity that reminded Malachite just why he wanted to listen to her.
"I was curious about what you had to say, and once I heard, you reminded me of someone and I could no longer turn you away." His hard cold eyes looked into her wide blue ones and it seemed like he could see right through them, right into her soul. And then the sad and lost eyes lit up and she seemed happy.
"Thank you Malachite-sama, no one has ever listened to me before. I truly would have never thought that this situation could ever occur, and it is still very strange to me, but maybe I'll just go with my heart for once. My head still tells me that I've lost my mind, but my heart doesn't want to care, it was nice to be able to just talk and have someone to just listen." She smiled again taking his advice and not worrying for once about weather it was wrong to feel the way she was or not, she just let her heart feel what it wanted to feel and her heart did not agree with her mind that told her that it was wrong to feel gratitude and trust towards someone who was supposed to be your enemy and one of your captors. But as they say, heart has no reason and there is no reasoning with it either, it will feel what it wants to feel regardless what your head tells you. Right or wrong don't exist for the heart.
Amy stood up and stood in front of Malachite.
"It is late now and I must go, Nephrite must be back now and that probably means that I should to. I'm really glad I could talk to you Malachite-sama, Zoicite is lucky to have someone like you by his side. Malachite-sama, can I ever talk to you again?"
Malachite looked at the girl, somehow, she seemed cheered up, like her problems have gone away, they haven't of course, it was probably just that she decided not to think about it all at the same time and let what needs to happen, happen.
Malachite nodded as Amy bowed politely and in a swirl of blue icy mist was gone. She reminded him so much of Zoicite, just as lost, just as naïve and he could tell, just as alone. Her friends have done nothing to change that, never paid attention to her heart, not just her mind. That was the problem with humans, they had too much, too much emotions. So much that they neglected them and forgot that even though they have them they need to nurture them.
"Amy, you are not the only one who's head says that they have lost their mind. I think I've lost mine too when I looked into your eyes." He sighed and picking up his book was gone from the dark library.
Malachite looked at the sleeping form of Zoicite curled up in the black blankets like a cat would be. He looked so innocent and so much like a child when he slept. Zoicite's eyes opened and he gazed up at Malachite and for a few moments his eyes were those soft innocent eyes of a child that he once was before pain tainted his heart, but then he was fully awake and his eyes turned cold and hateful.
"Where in hell were you?!!!" he growled angrily.
"Relax, I was just reading in the library, go back to sleep." Malachite sighed, he has missed the child that Zoicite once was, like a younger brother to Malachite, it hurt to see Zoicite like that. Malachite himself made a small revelation, when Amy came to him, he couldn't turn her down because she helped ease his own pain of loss, she reminded her of Zoicite when he was still a child and Malachite now realized that he wanted that child back, he missed him and he was looking for him wherever he could.
The scouts gathered at the top of the Tokyo tower and waited for Luna and Artemis to tell them what to do.
"Ok team, listen up! Lita, go stand there, Raye, you go there, Mina, you stand between them. Serena, stand in front of Mina." commanded Artemis making them form a triangle. "Now, Lita, Raye and Mina, aim for the center of the warp hole, all at the same time. Serena, as soon as their attacks collide, fire your tiara right in the middle of the energy sphere that is going to form just for a moment, that'll create you a portal."
The scouts nodded and transformed. They got ready, they have gone over the plan a million times now, there was no backing out now, they had to go through with it. Mars, Venus and Jupiter fired their attacks simultaneously at the portal. Just like Artemis said their attacks collided in the very middle and at that time for a split second it took Moon's tiara to reach it, a perfect orb of energy formed. The tiara flew right into it and for a moment nothing happened , but then there was an internal explosion and the dimension ripple became a warp hole sucking everything inside. This was not something that Luna and Artemis mentioned, the scouts had imagined a tunnel that they could walk through, they did not think that they would be sucked in, but apparently the cats were not unaware of what was going to happen because they made sure to hide before it did.
Serena standing at the middle front of the triangle was the first one to be sucked in, she lost her footing and with a scream was engulfed by the swirling darkness soon followed by Mina and then Raye and Lita, if Lita was not a little stronger then Raye and not be able to keep her footing for a few moments longer, they would have collided and taking in account the speed and force with which they were sucked in, they would be pancakes if they collided.
The scouts spun round and round in the tunnel of swirling energy going at such unbearable speed that it alone felt like it was going to crush them. It hurt so much and they could only prey that they did not collide into each other, a collision here would result in an internal warp and ultimately in the end of all of them. An internal warp would be like a black hole, they would all be sucked in and squished till they were nothing.
When the scouts thought that they couldn't take any more pain the warp burst open throwing them hard onto the harsh rocky ground of the negaverce. The shouts didn't move. They just lay there motionless as if dead. The moment they were out of the warp hole they all detransformed, they hadn't even noticed that their energy was completely drained. After what seemed like forever Lita was able to pull herself up just a few inches and crack her green pain filled eyes a little open, everything was spinning, every millimeter of her body hurt like it was on fire, she felt like she wanted to cry, but she couldn't even do that she was so weak. A moment later she was sick and then fell back on the harsh rocks unable to move at all, a moment later she passed out. None of the rest of the scouts showed any sign that they were even still alive.
Amy appeared in the room she shared with Nephrite to find the general and his partner, Jaedite looking at something with very serious expressions. What they were looking at was an orb of dark energy, the kind that is used to see what is happening somewhere else. By the expressions on Jaedite's and Nephrite's faces Amy could tell that whatever they were looking at was not something very good.
"Nephrite, Jaedite, what's going on?" she asked looking at them warily.
"Why don't you come and take a look yourself, we are kind of confused here." Said Jaedite with an edge of sarcasm, that Amy was used to by now, in his voice.
She walked up to the orb and the moment she took a look inside, her face drained of all color, she gasped unable to control her reaction. The good mood that Malachite put her in vanished as if it was never there and she looked like she was either going to faint now, or get sick, or maybe both.
"Oh gods, what have they done." she whispered totally terrified.
AN: this is it, this chapter is out and if you want me to continue, please tell me what you think. Suggestions are greatly appreciated, I like people giving me ideas on how to go about it. Please people, review, your reviews is what motivates me so the more I have the faster the next chapter is going to be out. I know this chapter is a little strange, the whole interaction between Amy and Malachite, but there is a reason for it, but tell me if it seems if she is trusting too fast, I don't want to rush anything so if I am, I'd like you to tell me. In the next chapter, the scouts finally meet the generals, and possibly Amy. I haven't decided if I'll make Amy appear before them, so you are free to tell me if you want Amy to reveal herself to the scouts or not, your wished greatly affect the plot of this story. Oh yeah, and in the next chapter there is going to be more Amy/Nephrite, this chapter focused more on revealing what Luna, Artemis and Malachite are like, but the next chapter will be more Amy/Nephrite. Well, that's it for now, Ja ne!
Raye, Mina, Lita and even Serena were having another meeting at the Cherry Hill temple. It has been a week since Amy's disappearance, and they didn't have any clue as to what really happened to her. Luna and Artemis tried to scan for her, but it was no use, they couldn't find her energy signature anywhere.
What they did find was five energy signatures that stood out from the rest of the negaverce creatures because they were much higher then the common monsters. Luna assumed that those were the generals, and that there was some general that they haven't met yet. They knew of four of them and how dangerous those four were, Jaedite, Nephrite, Malachite and Zoicite were very powerful, the fifth one that they discovered was of lesser power then the other four, but whoever it was, that one was more powerful then any scout alone, and that was all that mattered really.
Little did the scouts know of the identity of this fifth negaverce 'general'.
Lita looked up at the sky for the hundredth time in one hour, she has been doing that a lot for the past week, a sign that she was constantly worried and troubled, and who wouldn't be when for all she knew one of her best friends could be very well dead?
"Luna, did you try scanning for her transformation tool instead of her energy, you know, in case she is not transformed?" that was not what Lita really meant, she was implying what all of them feared for a while, they couldn't find Amy's energy, they all played with the thought that Amy might not be around any more and if she wasn't then the only way they could find her, or at least something of her was by looking for a signal from her transformation wand.
"Good idea Lita, wait a few minutes, I shall try that." Luna's voice was less exited then she hoped it was, she didn't think that it was such a good idea, she has thought of looking for the signal from the tool instead, but that would mean that she was giving up on finding Amy's energy, and she just couldn't bring herself to do it, she was glad that Lita suggested it so she didn't have to suggest it herself.
After a few minutes Luna came back with the results.
"I found it, but I'm afraid it is not very good news. Her transformation wand is in the negaverce as we have expected, but it was not used once during the past week." Luna had a miserable expression on her face. "I know that it is hard, but we have not heard from the negaverce about this for a long time, there was no reason for them to just keep her there so long if they were not going to do anything with her, and she has not transformed once, I'm afraid to say this, but I think that, well, maybe, ummm, perhaps. . ." Luna didn't know what she should say, there was not much to say there, she was only saying what all of them thought at one point of the other during past week of unsuccessful searching, she just didn't know how to fraise it right. She was about to try again when she was interrupted by an angry cry from Serena.
"Shut up!!!" yelled the girl angrily, it was uncharacteristically of her to get this angry, but she has been growing more and more irritable in the past week, the loss of her friend and the lack of any knowledge was killing her. "Shut up Luna!!! Just Shut up! I know Amy is alive, I can feel it, my heart tells me that she is alive, don't you dare even suggest that she might be gone!!! I don't believe this, she is alive, I just know it, she couldn't be gone!!!" Serena yelled bursting into tears.
Darien pulled his arms around her comforting her. On such a special occasion and to discuss a matter of such importance he decided to join the meeting of the scouts against his own nature and customs. This was too important for him to worry about his 'lone fighter' image.
Serena cried into Darien's chest heartbroken, she refused to believe that Amy could be gone for good. The rest of the scouts looked on with sad eyes, pity was in them for Serena, sadness for Amy and desperation at their own helplessness.
To say the truth, the scouts had little hope of finding Mercury alive after all this time, a week was a long time when they were speaking about creatures that killed without thinking twice about it. It never occurred to the scouts that they too killed without thinking twice about it, mainly because they truly didn't think twice when they killed and why would it occur to them all of a sudden when they didn't think about it.
"Serena." whispered Luna sadly. None of them wanted to admit what they secretly came to believe was true, none of them wanted to believe such a thing.
It seemed that all of them were in denial and didn't want to admit that after one week of being missing, when they knew why she was missing and with her signal completely gone, her transformation wand unused and in the negaverce, the chances that Amy was still alive were low, if there was even a chance that she was. In most probability, she has been destroyed the very night she had encountered the two generals, they knew full well that she would not be able to fight one of them, let alone both of them all alone, especially if she, as the bartender had said, was reasonably drunk. Although why Amy was in a club getting drunk was still a mystery to all scouts, a mystery that they doubted they would ever find a solution too.
"Either way," continued Luna getting them back on track, or at least trying, Serena could not be gotten back on track because she was too deep in her grief, "we must still go to the negaverce, even if there is no chance of saving Amy, we have no choice but go."
The scouts looked at Luna confused, it was no secret to all of them that Amy was either dead, or if not dead yet, impossible to be rescued, a raid on the heart of the negaverce was a suicide mission for all of them, and as much as they all loved Amy they would not sacrifice all of their lives on a mission they could not even accomplish.
"I know you are all thinking that I am crazy, but we have no choice, we must go in there."
At this even Serena looked up hopefully but that hope was gone soon when Luna shook her head sadly.
"There is very little chance Serena, as much as we love her, there is very little chance now. We must go there to retrieve the Mercury wand. If Amy is gone, then the new star of Mercury will manifest, and when that happens, we will need that wand. We must put our hearts aside for this, we have a mission to complete, when we started this mission we all knew that we might not survive. And although we never thought about loosing someone under such, ahem, strange consequences, we must carry on no matter what." Luna has finished her sad and somewhat even morbid speech. It was true, they had to carry on no matter what, yet, it was just so hard.
The scouts looked paler then usual, they were all about to be sick, this was their friend they were talking about! They would all risk their lives to attempt a rescue mission for her, even if she might be dead, but risking their lives to attempt a rescue mission of her transformation stick, it was not a pleasant and a very sickening thought.
"Luna!!! How can you!!!" yelled Serena through tears of disbelief "We don't even know if she is dead yet and you are already speaking about getting the wand for another Mercury, how can you do this?!!!" Serena was in shock and disbelief. It was as if Luna was willing enough to accept that Amy was dead when they didn't even know if she was, for all they knew, the negaverce just go her transformation wand, she could have even escaped and trying to get back to them right now, and there was Luna, their guardian and teacher already thinking Amy dead and planning for a new star of mercury, it was sickening.
"That is not what I mean Serena! But we can not go on hoping forever, we have to be real here, and for now, we have to act upon what is more likely then hope for some miracle to happen. We have to be prepared for the worst and be able to do something about it, now, pull yourself together, you have to lead the scouts on this mission, this is important Serena! We don't know if Amy is alive, if she is and you find her, then this is your chance to save her, but if she is not, then the transformation tool has to be gotten back, our mission depends on it!!!" Luna was getting impatient with the girl, she did not want to pass for insensitive, but the girl was just too sentimental right now, they could not afford to be sentimental, this was a war and they had to fight in it.
"All right, stop arguing you two. We are not going anywhere yet, we can't teleport without Amy, remember?" Mina interrupted yet another argument. There seemed to be many of those lately. Serena's kind heart would not allow her to just move on and leave her friend behind, yet Luna had a mission that she had to take care of, saving the world for the guardian cat was ultimately more important then one scout. It was almost as if Amy was replaceable, only the power of Mercury mattered. It made Mina wonder if they themselves were any better then the negaverce in their own struggle to survive in this harsh world.
"While you have been arguing, I have been working on that. Luna is right, we do have to go on and we need the power of Mercury here, even if Amy is alive, we have to go and get it in case she can't get it herself. If not so much because we need it, then to keep the negaverce from using it against us." That made just a little sense for the scouts, they could not afford letting the negaverce use Amy's transformation wand to develop some kind of weapon against them.
"So, what do you have in mind Artemis, how are we getting there anyways?" asked Raye in a tired voice, she has been so exhausted by everything that has been happening lately.
"Well, I found a few warp holes that we could use for portals." Artemis looked a little unsure and with good reason too.
"Aren't those dangerous?" asked Mina worried.
"Technically yes, but there is nothing else that can get us there, and if we do it right, then we can shape the random warps to take us where we need to go."
"And if we make a mistake?" asked Mina even more sure that this was not a good idea then before.
"Well, then you might be transported somewhere else, you might be separated, or you might pass through unharmed." Artemis looked quite nervous, this was not such a safe plan, but this was all they had.
Raye frowned, she didn't like this, she didn't like this from the very beginning.
It was Mina who spoke up again.
"Didn't you forget to mention something Artemis?" her tone was dry and almost harshly cold "Other then being separated or transported somewhere else, you forgot to mention that the warps could destroy us too." She sounded angrier now and very serious, it was their lives on the line; she did not like not having a concrete plan and leaving so much to chance.
"Well," Artemis looked uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. "Yes, you can die, but that is not likely. Besides, if you do it right, then you will not have a problem, it's not that heard, you just have to fire your attacks in precise time and order aiming them in a way so they will collide at particular angles creating a clear passage for you."
"And how do we know?" Ray had a deeper frown on her face now. It seems that they may die even before they ever get to the negaverce and if they were going to risk their lives, she wanted it to be something more worthy then a peace of equipment. Raye didn't like this and she was starting to wonder just how much is the value of their lives, were they only the vessels for the planetary powers, were it only their powers that mattered and not them themselves. She did not doubt the other scouts, but she was starting to doubt Luna and Artemis, the guardians had a mission and it seemed that they would do anything to accomplish their mission.
"I'll tell you how and when to fire, I have it pretty much worked out." Artemis noticed the look that Ray was giving him and he didn't like it, that was the look of rebellion, they could not afford Mars to rebel at this point, they already lost the power of Mercury, they will NOT loose Mars too! "Don't even think about it Mars, you are going, you are going because if you don't, you will be lessening the chances of others to survive, do I make myself clear?!" asked Artemis in a tone never used with the scouts before.
Ray's eyes widened, did he? Did he just speak to her like that?! He did, it was as if he was not giving her a choice, as if he was obliging her to put her life on the line for this. She always thought that she had a choice, and right now she was wondering, just how much of a choice she had, it seemed that she only had a choice while she was cooperating; the moment she was not, and all of a sudden, her free will didn't matter any more, she was all of a sudden obliged to go. And Artemis's voice, it was so threatening, it was not like the voice she was used to, this was all so new and disturbing to her.
Mina too was shocked, she had thought that she knew Artemis well, and now she was wondering, just how much did she know about the guardian cat? Just how much did she know about any of this at all, the silver millennium, the moon kingdom? Even the negaverce, all of a sudden she was wishing that she had known more, all of a sudden she was realizing just how little did the guardians have told them about their mission and she was not liking it.
"Now that that is settled, we are going today, at midnight, the portal that I found is at the top of Tokyo tower, we will meet you there at quarter to midnight. Everyone clear?" everyone nodded except for Darian, he had a distant look on his face, like he was remembering something.
'They haven't changed at all, just like they have always been.sending children of to fight for their peace.' he thought and then the thought left him as if snatched out of his head. 'Where did that come from?' wondered Darian not even knowing why he thought what he thought, who was like before? Who was sending children of to fight? Did he remember something? No, he couldn't recall now, so why did he think that? This was all so strange.
Amy was sitting in the cafeteria drinking an energy shake and reading a tome from the negaverce library. She was surprised that there even were such things in the negaverce. It was the negaverce history that she was reading, and the more she learned, the more interested she became. She has already finished a number of tomes and was now approaching the era of Beryl's rule. So far, she has found out quite a few interesting facts about the negaverce. Their history was actually quite tragic. In their home universe, they were a slave race used by the races that inhabited the surrounding planets. They were not considered real creatures because of the way they were born, not by mating, but by the means of colliding energy. So that was how it was, apparently Beryl never had parents, Amy thought that that was a pity, the woman could have used a pair of those in the past.
The race has existed in the lands longer then any other, and for the longest time it was not a free race, that is, until Beryl came along. She was the one who discovered and unlocked the power that was hidden in those creatures, she led them into war and freed them, only to enslave them again under her own rule and use her people in her own conquest for power. It said that Beryl was a princess from a distant land, of the same race but from so far away that she was not touched by slavery until the expansion of the inner universe included her home into the area of slave control. She was twelve at the time, and at one time having had freedom, was not willing to loose it. Her will unleashed her power, or maybe it was her hatred that grew too great to be contained, either way, she became the ruler of the race and led them into a war, destroying everything that stood in her way and gaining more power then anyone ever did before. That is, until she reached the universe of the moon kingdom where she was finally stopped.
Now, that was a development, it explained a thing or two, at least it explained why Beryl was so bitter, she never forgave, she was still seeking her revenge. Something occurred to Amy, Beryl was not naturally an evil creature like they originally thought, she has chosen to be evil, she could have stopped when they were all free, but she never did, that only made Amy more determined to defeat the evil queen, it was just that she herself could not do anything, she could not break her promise. Ami clenched her eyes bitterly, why, why was it always so, that when knowledge has granted her power, she was never free to use it?!
Slamming the tome shut and startling the lesser soldiers around her who were already very, very edgy around her sensing her greater power and not knowing anything about her save for the fact that her energy was just like Zoicite's which was a very uncomforting thought. She got up and shot them an angry glare which made them shiver. She knew that they were afraid of her, not that she ever hurt anyone here, it was just that she was strong, that she hung out with Nephrite and Jaedite and that her energy was nearly identical to the crazy maniac Zoicite's energy.
Rolling her eyes in her mind Amy stormed out of the cafeteria, her helplessness made her angry, it made her angry at herself all over again, and angry at Nephrite for making her promise. Not that she really blamed him, she was angry that he was giving her so much freedom, if he treated her like a prisoner that she was, then she would have not known so much and would not regret that she could not use her knowledge to help her friends.
Just thinking about it made Amy's blood boil, not that it showed, she looked as calm as ever. Well, not that completely calm, she normally would take better care to pretend that she was calm just so the scouts would not suspect that she was not as goodie to shoes as they deemed her to be.
Amy really was not such a completely nice and innocent girl as she has led the scouts to believe, she just didn't want them to know how angry they made her sometimes, or of her darker thoughts, after all, she was only a person, and persons all had their personal devils inside. It was just that here in the negaverce, she did not feel obliged to hide it so much, in some sense, she had more freedom here then she had when she was back on Earth, at least she could express her true emotions here more freely, not like anyone cared here or would ask her any unwanted questions such as what was wrong with her and what was bothering her.
Amy teleported herself back to the library to put the tome back where it belonged. The icy mist was about to swirl around her once again prepared to take her elsewhere when she sensed someone else appear behind her. With a start she spun around to face the intruder, now that she could sense how powerful creatures around her were, his appearance right behind her was somewhat like a little shock to her unprepared system. How could Zoicite be always so close to him and not feel shivers, but then again, that explained why Zoicite would actually listen to him, Malachite. Amy wondered what he was doing here, but then again, what did she know about Malachite, nothing, for all she knew, this might be a normal place for him to visit.
Despite the fact that it was more then likely that this particular general was more likely to spend his pastime with a book then any other, it still surprised Amy when she realized that Malachite was really here to just bring back a book that he finished reading.
"You haven't changed. Still a book warm." his voice was so deep and calm, it was almost soothing. But a different type of soothing from the voice that Nephrite spoke to her in, his voice was not warm, it was cold, it brought with it the kind of peace that one might find when they are freezing and falling into that blissful sleep unaware that they are dying. Yet, the ice still made Amy feel a connection to him, how strange, it was as if Malachite and Zoicite switched roles, Malachite, a venutian, should be the one who is prone to be somewhat hotheaded, and Zoicite, a mercurian should be the one icy cold, yet, it was just the opposite.
Amy wanted to find a comeback, she wanted to snap at him for appearing before her like that and assuming that he knew her well enough to talk about her habits and what she was usually like, but instead she just found herself nodding quietly. There was something about him that demanded respect, if not obedience, then at least respect. Maybe it was that he was the oldest and the most powerful of the generals, or maybe it was just what he was like, but there was something that made Amy feel almost . . . obedient.
"You are making your suffering greater, you think too much." Malachite spoke to her as he looked through the shelves of books not once glancing at her, it was just his voice that even showed that he knew that she was here, it was almost caring, but why?
"Why do you care Malachite-sama?" Amy never even noticed that she added sama to the end of his name, it was something that came almost naturally, what in hell was going on? Amy never had much contact with Malachite, she has only seen him a couple of times before and never spoken to him, she always saw him as sort of an observer, he would watch Zoicite blow up and loose his temper so calmly, as if it was nothing that concerned him. Malachite was always the figure in the shadows, and sometimes the scouts wondered if he really had any power at all, but just the fact that Zoicite, out of people obeyed him made it clear, yes he did, he was just not concerned about most situations enough to actually bother to get involved. It was only through the icy aura of power and authority that the other scouts ever knew that he could very much be the most powerful of the four, never through first hand experience, Amy was more then glad that, that was the case now, she didn't think that if Malachite ever bothered to get himself involved in one of their fights they would ever make it out alive.
Amy could not understand why she was all of a sudden so meek with Malachite, even less did she understand why he was civil with her. From what she has heard so far, the rumors around this place and some of the records, he was very powerful, very uncaring, very patient, and even more so deadly when his immense patience was exhausted.
Malachite was actually surprised when Amy did not snap at him, he could feel that she was angry, and unlike others, he knew that mercurians, despite their element of ice, were not the calmest of nations.
"I don't care."
Amy was not sure how to place what he was saying, it seemed like he cared, and at the same time it seemed like he didn't.
"Malachite-sama, do you hate me?" she asked the question despite herself, she had thought that he would, she knew that he despised mercury because he cared deeply about Zoicite and was there to see what was done to him, she knew that he was never going to forgive the long dead ghosts that did that to them, but she wanted to know, did he really hate her.
Malachite stopped and for the first time looked at Amy. He was in the middle of the action of reaching for a book when she asked, but now the book was forgotten and he let the half raised hand fall away as he looked at her hard and careful his face betraying nothing of what he might be thinking or feeling.
Amy found that she could not meet his gaze, she was never this close to him before. Amy found that she could talk to him without it feeling awkward that they were being civil to each other because she never really fought him before, she just now realized that she never really considered him her enemy because of that, he was there, but she never faced him in battle before, she never thought of him as enemy before and that made talking to him on such terms easier. But as he looked at her, she also found that it was not only respect that she was involuntarily giving him, something she would not have done if she really considered him her opponent in the past, she found that there was something else, she felt small and defenseless before him and she felt that if he ordered her to do something right now, she didn't think that she would be able to refuse.
This was confusing Amy, where did this power that he had over her came from, he didn't even know her, she didn't know him, they were almost complete strangers to each other, and yet, she felt like he was so much in control of her it was frightening. She only now realized why he was so feared if he supposedly never really done anything, it was his aura, it demanded obedience and respect, and at the same time, it gave her a sense of peace, he was frighteningly intimidating, but not in the way that made her fear for herself, but in the way that was almost like awe at something.
Malachite walked up in front of her and watched as her eyes fell even lower her head lowering a little as he approached her, he realized that she did not do it intentionally, it was her reaction to him and not something conscious.
He stood there for a moment contemplating her question, did he hate her?
Amy became nervous as he stalled, for some reason it was important to her, for some reason she cared if he hated her or not, she didn't care about anyone else in the negaverce and what they thought of her, save for Nephrite, she cared about Nephrite, but still, she hadn't really cared about what Nephrite thought of her, so why was she so concerned about what Nephrite of all people thought of her? She didn't want him to hate her, for some unexplainable reason, she was preying that he would say no, that he would say that he didn't hate her, she didn't know why it was so important to her, it just was.
Nephrite noticed Amy getting nervous, why did she care? Why did he care? Her question stirred something in him, he hated mercury, but his hate lay in the past, she was innocent of the crime that her homeland committed, and while Zoicite was too blinded by hurt and was more then ready to overlook the fact that she was not even born at the time they were betrayed, Malachite was not. Despite the fact that he actually cared less about people then any other general and the fact that he could be much more cruel then Ziocite himself if he only chose to, he had a fair nature, he was fair to his friends as well as his enemies and would not give neither his friends what they did not deserve, nor deny his enemies what they did deserve. Amy deserved her justice, she had not wronged them, she had not even known, therefore, being fair, Malachite did not hate her. Did he care about her then? Of course not! Was he fair to her in giving her a chance to make him care? Yes has was.
Malachite raised his hand and tilted Amy's chin up making her eyes meet him, he could see how much she wanted to avoid his gaze, but he would not let her as he looked deep into her eyes, he saw guilt, even though she has not done anything, her heart was pure, not like the hearts of the ones that came before her, not that she was completely clueless and without her own flaws, but she was innocent of that crime at least.
He let his hand drop seeing as Amy was getting more and more nervous by the moment. Immediately she lowered her head. Ami was feeling like such a little girl right now, she didn't even know what to say or do, what was wrong with her?!
"No." said Malachite simply but honestly, he did not hate her, nor did he care for her either, but there was always room to change both opinions. She could make him care, and she could still make him hate her too.
Amy nearly sighed, she did not know why she was so relieved that he did not hate her, she did not even know how it was that she believed him, but then again, what reason did he have to lie? She watched him go back to looking at books, she could tell that he was thinking about something and she for some reason didn't want to disturb his thoughts. She watched him for a while, she was noticing the recognition pass over his features as he went through the books, it appeared that he had already read a lot of them. Finally, Amy dared to speak again breaking the strange silence, it wasn't uncomfortable, just strange.
"Malachite-sama, what is Zoicite really like?" she didn't think that he would really answer her and she was more then surprised when he did.
"Childish."
That was definitely not what she had expected, she knew Zoiicite to be a dangerous, violent hothead. What in the world was childlike in a sadistic maniac? She was confused, but she reminded herself, she did not know Zoicite, Malachite on the other hand knew him better then anyone else did, he must know something about Zoicite that no one else does. She sighed, Malachite was not going to explain this to her, he didn't seem like the type to talk much at all, no wonder so little was known, but he seemed willing enough to answer if she dared to ask. Amy decided not to pursue it further, she didn't think that Zoicite out of all people was someone to be discussed, but there was someone else that interested her, she did not know why she was asking Malachite, like many other things she didn't seem to know why she was doing, but she found herself asking him nonetheless.
It was about Nephrite that she wanted to ask him, she wanted to know more about the general that took her in. She could feel something about him, she was just not sure what. She did not know what he felt about her either, he seemed to care and like her, but what did she know about that. Even more so, she seemed to start caring about him beyond the point of gratitude and the simple feeling good when someone was nice to you. She found that she was starting to care about him more. Like when he went out and she knew what he was doing, she couldn't help but wish that he would come back soon and that he would not run into problems. She knew that she should be wishing that the scouts found out and stop him, but she just couldn't help it. Or like the fact that she missed him when he was not around, or that she felt happy when he was. She felt lost and she needed advice, for once, she had no idea about something and needed someone else's help. She just didn't know why in the nine hells she was going to ask Malachite out of all the people.
"Malachite-sama, can I ask you something?"
Malachite glanced at her sensing her nervousness and finding it strange that she was all of a sudden wanting to talk to him but as he looked at her he found something familiar in her eyes. She herself looked like a lost child right now, looking for guidance. But from him?! He was more then surprised, he didn't think that Amy would be this helpless. Yet there was something that he could not deny, he was so used to counseling Zoicite when the younger was troubled which was so often that listening to someone's problems and advising someone became natural to him. He just wondered why was it Amy that wanted to talk to him, something like this required trust, and he did not believe that she trusted him.
"Ask then." he said finally finding a book that he hasn't read yet.
Amy swallowed, now, how in hell was she supposed to fraise this. All of a sudden the dark and empty except for them library seemed more menacing to her, now, why was her thought wondering, this never happened before. She noticed that Malachite was patiently waiting for her to speak, apparently he really was as patient as she has heard, something told her that he had an idea that she was seeking his guidance, she just had no clue why he was prepared to listen to her.
"Well, ummm, I was wondering, you know Nephrite well, right, and I was just, I don't know, I guess I was just wondering if you could tell me something about him. I mean, I practically live with him, and I don't know a thing about him, now isn't that awkward." Amy stumbled over the words getting more and more nervous as she went.
Malachite didn't answer at first, instead he walked to what looked like a couch put against a dark wall of the dark library and sat down on it putting his new picked book into his lap and looked at Amy again.
'he looks so light in the surrounding darkness.' thought Amy about Malachite's strange appearance, he looked like he was bathed in moonlight even though there were no light here, just the very faint light that came from the stars somewhere in the distance.
Amy swallowed again, well, at least he was not going anywhere, or at least it didn't seem like he was, but he still didn't say anything.
"Wrong question, you are not interested in Nephrite's life history, try again." Stated Malachite perfectly aware about what it was that Amy wanted to ask him about really.
He still found it strange that she would turn to him, not that she came to him, they just met in the library, but he knew that if they didn't meet now, she would have came, the only reason she didn't before was because she was afraid of Zoicite.
Amy gasped, was she that transparent?! It seemed like she was, the negaverce general seemed to be able to see right through her with his eerie silver/blue eyes. She forced herself to calm down and sighed moving closer. She wanted to sit down too because she didn't think that she could keep standing through this, but she could not bring herself to sit beside him even thought the couch thing was big enough for five people. Instead she slid down to the floor and leaned against the couch pulling her knees to her chest. She was facing away from Malachite and sitting at his feet, but she didn't seem to realize that she was.
"I don't know what to ask, I just know that I want to know more, I just don't know what it is that I want to know." Whispered Amy, she found it easier to talk to Malachite when they were both sitting down, there didn't seem to be that strange tension that was present when they were standing.
She felt like he was going to listen to her, she was at least thankful for that, if he wasn't going to tell her anything, at least she would feel better if she told someone. Amy almost laughed at herself. This was so uncharacteristically of her, she was here, in the negaverce about to open her heart to a negaverce general and ask him what it was that she was feeling for yet another negaverce general, this was even more ridiculous then being drunk and throwing herself into Jaedite's arms, thought Amy bitterly.
"What do you think of him so far?" asked Malachite surprising Amy. She looked up at him questioningly wondering if this was some kind of trick question, but as she looked in his eyes, she found no trace of deceit, he was just trying to get her talking.
"I'm not so sure, he is nice and caring. He spared me and he was kind to me, but I don't understand. I just wonder, does he genuinely like me like he makes it seem, or am I just something to keep his mind of, of things. I'm just so confused, I don't know what I think of anything any more. The more I learn about this place, about the people here, the harder it is for me to stop wondering. Is it wrong, is it wrong for me to like someone here?" her voice almost broke and by the end she stopped speaking it was barely above whisper. Amy was finding it harder and harder to speak about it, it was hard to just say it to someone, especially Malachite, but she had a sense that in this place, Malachite was the only person she could speak with and she thought that if she didn't talk to someone, if she didn't tell someone she would loose it. She needed so desperately from someone to tell her that she was not loosing her mind.
Amy looked at Malachite desperately hoping against all odds that he held an answer for her. What she saw in his eyes shocked her, it was pity. He was actually pitying her. Did he actually care about what she said at all? A minute before she knew that he didn't, but then again, emotions are such strange things, they seem to work in ways that are a mystery to all creatures.
"Do you like him Amy?"
"I-I don't know, it's just, I don't know, I truly don't know. I know that I'm not indifferent, I can't be, not after the way he held me, the way he talked to me." She paused for a moment her voice dropping to barely audible "not after the way he kissed me." Her face turned red and she lowered it ashamed although not sure why, this was wrong, somehow it was wrong. She should not be caring about anyone here, she should not even be telling anyone here anything, let alone things like this, things that she would not even tell her best friends, and yet she was, it seemed like lately her entire being was somehow completely rebelling from all reason and acting upon impulse and emotions alone.
Malachite was actually shocked, he hadn't known how far Nephrite has gone. The girl was confused, that he could tell, but he was just startled, more then he would like to admit. He knew Nephrite long enough to know that Nephrite would never fool around with anyone, Nephrite was always serious about what he did. And if he went as far as to show Amy so much favor, Malachite knew that Nephrite meant it, he was not playing with Amy, he really wanted her for himself.
This was strange as well as dangerous. Sure enough the girl was technically one of them now, he could clearly feel the negaverce energy inside her, the energy that painfully reminded him of Zoicite in it's almost identical similarity to his. As he looked at her sitting at his feet her head down, knees draw to her chest, sheltered by darkness and wearing the grey typical negaverce uniform, he knew that she was here to stay, this was her new home, but one fact could not be overlooked, she was still a sailor senshi, she was still Sailor Mercury.
Malachite was worried about this new developed situation, this could not be good. If Nephrite loved her, and if she did too, then chaos was ensured. It was so because their loyalties would be divided. Malachite knew that Amy was not going to betray her friends and go against them, neither was she going to do the same to Nephrite if she felt for him what Malachite thought she felt. Nephrite was no different, he was not going to abandon the negaverce, but he was not going to abandon her either. The unfortunate thing was that both of them had duties of sorts, they were soldiers from two different armies. When the scouts came for her, or when Beryl found out about her, she would be forced to choose, or Nephrite was going to be forced to choose, and that was a choice neither were willing to make.
Malachite had to know just how much this meant for the girl.
"Amy, do you love Nephrite?" he asked leaning forward a little to look at her more carefully.
She looked up at him with surprise and shock written over her fair face.
"No." she answered confidently "no I don't. But I do feel something, and I can't ignore that. I barely know him, I can't love someone I don't even know, but I can care. I think I care too much." She whispered looking up at Malachite sadly before she looked down again embarrassed once again. She hid her face by turning it away from him and ducking it even lower, why was he asking her anyways, it wasn't like Nephrite could feel so seriously for her, she didn't even know, for all she knew, she was just his pretty little pet to keep around for his own amusement.
"Do you think you could ever love him?"
Amy thought for a few moments, could she? She didn't know, but she thought that she could, he was nice, fair, caring, handsome. If this stupid war to be over, yes, she could love him, it was just the war and the fact that she didn't really know him. After all, she didn't even know how he felt about her.
"I think so, but I don't know. I don't know him, I don't know if I can feel for someone so seriously, someone I barely know. I like him, but I'm so confused. What should I do?" her voice was quiet and very confused, why was he asking her.
"For your own sake, I hope you can love him because Nephrite doesn't fool around. If he said that he wanted you to stay with him and if he treats you like he cares about you more then what is necessary to just keep you here, then he feels for you. Nephrite is kind and caring, but he is also ambitious, if he loves you, he is serious about it, he won't let you go. And I think that he does love you, he is not the type of person to settle for 'like' or just friendship, it would be tragic if you couldn't love him back."
Amy's eyes widened, for once, that was probably the biggest speech that Nephrite has ever said in his life, she wasn't aware that he sometimes would spend hours talking to Zoicite just like this.
"But how do I know? He never said anything, what if he is just trying to be civil? What if he doesn't even like me? I don't want to make a fool out of myself, I don't even know what in hell I'm feeling, it's new, I've never felt it before." Amy looked at Malachite and her eyes showed confusion and a certain innocence that Malachite found that he could not stand by looking in them and not care any more. She has put her trust in him, a man she didn't even know and by all means should consider an enemy, he knew that if she had someone else to turn to she would never talk to him in a million years, but there was no one else so she came to him. She looked so lost, and she reminded him so much about Zoicite, just an intelligent lost little child looking up to her elder for support when she wondered away from the set out path that she was used to walking. Something told Malachite that she was not completely saying the truth when she said that she didn't love Nephrite, if she didn't she would not be here, he just thought that she didn't know that she did herself. That was fine, he was not going to force her into this, her feelings needed time to grow, she was right about one thing, she barely knew Nephrite, one week is barely enough time to fall in love especially with someone who used to be your enemy.
What Malachite did next shocked Amy because she has never seen him do something like that before, he smiled. Not a smirk or a grin, but a genuine smile and it looked so beautiful on his usually cold face. Amy found herself melting in that smile, why in hell was he making her feel like everything was all right. Hell, nothing was all right, she was stuck in the negaverce, turned into something she was not, having strange feelings for someone that she should never have cared for and looking for comfort and advice from someone who she should have never opened her heart to. But his smile nevertheless made it seem like it was all right. She wondered, did he help Ziocite pull through his own life, she didn't think that Zoicite could do it alone, Malachite must've been there for him. Amy felt jealousy and was shocked, she just now realized that she had never had anyone to turn to like this, it was always her that was helping others, there was never really anyone to help her, it was sad realizing so many things that she didn't know about herself here out of all places.
Amy felt miserable now, not because she was confused, but because she was finding things that she has always wanted to have in a place they should not be. She should be with her friends now studying or doing homework, she should not be in the negaverce pouring her soul out to someone she considered to be evil and heartless just one week ago.
Malachite watched the emotions in Amy's eyes shift, there was a momentary happiness there and then there was just misery and confusion. He saw the tears swell up in her eyes, why was she crying? A tear made it's way down her pale cheek and he went against his better judgment and outstretching his hand whipped the tear away.
Amy gasped at his gesture of concern, she hadn't expected him to care, it was already too much that he was listening to her, now he was offering her comfort? It was just too much. More tears made their way down her face and she ducked it averting her eyes from his. Even Malachite was kind to her, the only person who in fact wasn't so far was Zoicite, but she couldn't blame him, everyone else, it was just wrong, they should not be nice to her, they should be the heartless monsters like she has always thought them to be, they should not be like this.
Amy tried to hold back her tears, but they wouldn't stop. She was a little less shocked now when Malachite tilted her chin up gently to look at her face and she saw worry in his eyes, why in hell would he be worried about her? She was no one to him, and yet, she could see that he was worried. It wasn't that he felt any personal concern about her, this, she realized, was simple compassion, it was that natural feeling that appeared when you saw someone hurting, no matter if you didn't even know them.
Malachite stroked the silky blue hair gently, she was like a little girl, so much like Zoicite that it was almost painful. Her resemblance to the boy that he nearly raised was making Malachite act like he usually didn't, it was making him feel more compassion that is normally expected to feel for a stranger, especially from someone like him, normally he wouldn't care, but this was stirring emotions in him that he barely ever showed most people. He was so used to talking care and comforting Zoicite that he couldn't look on indifferently when someone came to him for comfort. Drawing her closer he let her lean against his legs and wrapped his arm and cloak around her as if hiding her away from the cruel world. He had an idea that this was not about Nephrite any more, this was just her general confusion and pain finally coming out, she has been here for a whole week and it was a little too strange that she could just settle in so easily, no, it was just building up inside of her until her emotions once again would break free.
Amy crossed her arms on Malachite's knees and put her head on them letting Malachite put his hand over hear head as she cried, it felt good to be able to cry and not be judged about it, not be expected to do something else. She had never thought that Malachite would ever just let her feel, no one else did before, but she thought that she knew why, not just why Malachite was nice to her, but why mostly everyone here was and why mostly everyone was so conscious about her feelings, feelings were something precious here, love was so rare here that it was treasured like no other. How ironic, it seemed that people here cared more then people on Earth just because they had less of the normal emotions, they paid attention to feelings where on Earth feelings would get ignored. How fucking ironic was that?
As she cried, she involuntarily found herself talking, just random things, random feelings, whatever came to her mind, she was just talking and she was glad that there was someone who could just listen, she has never had a chance to just talk before.
After a while Amy's crying ceased and her sobs stopped, she still couldn't believe that Malachite would just sit there and wait patiently letting her cry, Goddess, out of all the people to offer her a shoulder to cry on, or rather, a knee to cry on, she never thought that it would be someone like him. This was so strange, so wrong, so fucked up. Amy wondered if she was loosing her mind or something. But even as screwed as this situation was, Amy didn't want to let it go, she felt warm and protected, she felt comforted and not so alone, it was like having an older brother that she never had. She smiled a little opening her tear stained eyes but not moving just yet, it was comfortable just sitting there like that for a while. She had her arms crossed over Malachite's knees leaning against his legs with her head on one knee. He was leaning over her his cloak falling over both of them and his hand buried in the locks of her blue hair, he was just watching her and he didn't even seem to mind her presence.
"Amy, you think too much. Just let whatever happens happen, you are making yourself miserable and I don't think that it's because you feel alone or because you are not sure about your feelings for Nephrite, those will clear out as time passes, it's to early for you to worry about that. I think that it's guilt that is making you miserable. Don't feel like you are betraying anyone, you are not, you have no control over this situation, and there is no one who has true control of their heart, so don't make yourself guilty because you have always thought that things should be a certain way and not the other. Things happen for a reason, no one truly knows what the reasons are, but if it's fate, then you can't fight it, if it's not, then it is bound to work out on it's own. You have your own free will, and if you are not free to choose where you are, you are free to choose who your heart belongs to, you are not obliged to hate someone just because up until now you had no choice but to fight them. Luna and Artemis never told you what you are fighting for and who it is you are fighting, you never chose which side to be on, you just fought, you are not obliged to feel a certain way for someone because your friends expect you to feel that way. You try to hard, try to please everyone else, meet everyone's expectations and you don't bother to worry about yourself, your own feelings and objectives. The fighting that you have done up until now, those were not your objectives you were fighting for, those were the objectives your guardians have handed you, they never bothered to tell you much about what it is you are fighting for except for 'it is your destiny to save the world', or for that matter who it is you are fighting. You don't seem to know one bit about us or our objectives, do you even know what it is that you are saving the world from?"
Amy looked up as she listened, Malachite was right, Luna and Artemis have kept her in the dark and she was pretty sure that it was indeed guilt that she was feeling, she just wasn't sure if he was right about her not having to feel guilty, was it true? It was, who were Luna and Artemis to tell her who to feel for and not, who to love and to hate? No one had that right save herself, only she was the holder of her heart and only she could give it, they had no right to tell her how to feel, she just hoped that the others would understand, she didn't care f Luna and Artemis would understand, she just hoped that she could explain this to the other scouts, that is, if it ever even came to this.
Amy nodded a little as Malachite spoke in acknowledgement and even agreement, she could not deny it, her heart was hers only. Then he asked her the question that the answer to has tortured her for a while now, and the answer was no, up until now she had no idea what she was fighting for, who she was fighting and what it was that she was saving the world from. It wasn't like finding out changed her mind that greatly, if she still had a chance she would still fight on the same side that she fought on before, but it was just the fact how little Luna and Artemis thought of them, they didn't even tell them what it was that they risked their lives for, it was as if they had just been tools and more over, they expected them to follow them unquestioningly, if ever given a chance, Amy would still follow them, it just dawned on her that she was never given an opportunity to choose, that was not right.
"No Malachite-sama, they never told us. I would have not changed my mind that greatly if they did, but I would think of it differently, if I were to fight on their side now, at least I would know what it was I was doing. If I were to fight now, I would feel guilt, they were afraid that guilt would cause us to change our minds so they never told us, but guilt sometimes is a good thing, it lets us feel and see the consequence of our actions, it's not right to fight and not be able to see. It's not fair, not fair for you and it's not fair for us."
Malachite looked at Amy satisfied, he was not aiming to change her mind, he was just aiming to remind her that she had a mind of her own and whatever her choice be, it should not depend on anyone but herself. Amy might not have the choice of whether to stay here or not, but she had a choice of how to feel about it.
"Malachite-sama, why help me, even though you said you don't hate me, you still are not obliged to help me, I don't understand, you told me you didn't care?" her eyes showed that innocent curiosity that reminded Malachite just why he wanted to listen to her.
"I was curious about what you had to say, and once I heard, you reminded me of someone and I could no longer turn you away." His hard cold eyes looked into her wide blue ones and it seemed like he could see right through them, right into her soul. And then the sad and lost eyes lit up and she seemed happy.
"Thank you Malachite-sama, no one has ever listened to me before. I truly would have never thought that this situation could ever occur, and it is still very strange to me, but maybe I'll just go with my heart for once. My head still tells me that I've lost my mind, but my heart doesn't want to care, it was nice to be able to just talk and have someone to just listen." She smiled again taking his advice and not worrying for once about weather it was wrong to feel the way she was or not, she just let her heart feel what it wanted to feel and her heart did not agree with her mind that told her that it was wrong to feel gratitude and trust towards someone who was supposed to be your enemy and one of your captors. But as they say, heart has no reason and there is no reasoning with it either, it will feel what it wants to feel regardless what your head tells you. Right or wrong don't exist for the heart.
Amy stood up and stood in front of Malachite.
"It is late now and I must go, Nephrite must be back now and that probably means that I should to. I'm really glad I could talk to you Malachite-sama, Zoicite is lucky to have someone like you by his side. Malachite-sama, can I ever talk to you again?"
Malachite looked at the girl, somehow, she seemed cheered up, like her problems have gone away, they haven't of course, it was probably just that she decided not to think about it all at the same time and let what needs to happen, happen.
Malachite nodded as Amy bowed politely and in a swirl of blue icy mist was gone. She reminded him so much of Zoicite, just as lost, just as naïve and he could tell, just as alone. Her friends have done nothing to change that, never paid attention to her heart, not just her mind. That was the problem with humans, they had too much, too much emotions. So much that they neglected them and forgot that even though they have them they need to nurture them.
"Amy, you are not the only one who's head says that they have lost their mind. I think I've lost mine too when I looked into your eyes." He sighed and picking up his book was gone from the dark library.
Malachite looked at the sleeping form of Zoicite curled up in the black blankets like a cat would be. He looked so innocent and so much like a child when he slept. Zoicite's eyes opened and he gazed up at Malachite and for a few moments his eyes were those soft innocent eyes of a child that he once was before pain tainted his heart, but then he was fully awake and his eyes turned cold and hateful.
"Where in hell were you?!!!" he growled angrily.
"Relax, I was just reading in the library, go back to sleep." Malachite sighed, he has missed the child that Zoicite once was, like a younger brother to Malachite, it hurt to see Zoicite like that. Malachite himself made a small revelation, when Amy came to him, he couldn't turn her down because she helped ease his own pain of loss, she reminded her of Zoicite when he was still a child and Malachite now realized that he wanted that child back, he missed him and he was looking for him wherever he could.
The scouts gathered at the top of the Tokyo tower and waited for Luna and Artemis to tell them what to do.
"Ok team, listen up! Lita, go stand there, Raye, you go there, Mina, you stand between them. Serena, stand in front of Mina." commanded Artemis making them form a triangle. "Now, Lita, Raye and Mina, aim for the center of the warp hole, all at the same time. Serena, as soon as their attacks collide, fire your tiara right in the middle of the energy sphere that is going to form just for a moment, that'll create you a portal."
The scouts nodded and transformed. They got ready, they have gone over the plan a million times now, there was no backing out now, they had to go through with it. Mars, Venus and Jupiter fired their attacks simultaneously at the portal. Just like Artemis said their attacks collided in the very middle and at that time for a split second it took Moon's tiara to reach it, a perfect orb of energy formed. The tiara flew right into it and for a moment nothing happened , but then there was an internal explosion and the dimension ripple became a warp hole sucking everything inside. This was not something that Luna and Artemis mentioned, the scouts had imagined a tunnel that they could walk through, they did not think that they would be sucked in, but apparently the cats were not unaware of what was going to happen because they made sure to hide before it did.
Serena standing at the middle front of the triangle was the first one to be sucked in, she lost her footing and with a scream was engulfed by the swirling darkness soon followed by Mina and then Raye and Lita, if Lita was not a little stronger then Raye and not be able to keep her footing for a few moments longer, they would have collided and taking in account the speed and force with which they were sucked in, they would be pancakes if they collided.
The scouts spun round and round in the tunnel of swirling energy going at such unbearable speed that it alone felt like it was going to crush them. It hurt so much and they could only prey that they did not collide into each other, a collision here would result in an internal warp and ultimately in the end of all of them. An internal warp would be like a black hole, they would all be sucked in and squished till they were nothing.
When the scouts thought that they couldn't take any more pain the warp burst open throwing them hard onto the harsh rocky ground of the negaverce. The shouts didn't move. They just lay there motionless as if dead. The moment they were out of the warp hole they all detransformed, they hadn't even noticed that their energy was completely drained. After what seemed like forever Lita was able to pull herself up just a few inches and crack her green pain filled eyes a little open, everything was spinning, every millimeter of her body hurt like it was on fire, she felt like she wanted to cry, but she couldn't even do that she was so weak. A moment later she was sick and then fell back on the harsh rocks unable to move at all, a moment later she passed out. None of the rest of the scouts showed any sign that they were even still alive.
Amy appeared in the room she shared with Nephrite to find the general and his partner, Jaedite looking at something with very serious expressions. What they were looking at was an orb of dark energy, the kind that is used to see what is happening somewhere else. By the expressions on Jaedite's and Nephrite's faces Amy could tell that whatever they were looking at was not something very good.
"Nephrite, Jaedite, what's going on?" she asked looking at them warily.
"Why don't you come and take a look yourself, we are kind of confused here." Said Jaedite with an edge of sarcasm, that Amy was used to by now, in his voice.
She walked up to the orb and the moment she took a look inside, her face drained of all color, she gasped unable to control her reaction. The good mood that Malachite put her in vanished as if it was never there and she looked like she was either going to faint now, or get sick, or maybe both.
"Oh gods, what have they done." she whispered totally terrified.
AN: this is it, this chapter is out and if you want me to continue, please tell me what you think. Suggestions are greatly appreciated, I like people giving me ideas on how to go about it. Please people, review, your reviews is what motivates me so the more I have the faster the next chapter is going to be out. I know this chapter is a little strange, the whole interaction between Amy and Malachite, but there is a reason for it, but tell me if it seems if she is trusting too fast, I don't want to rush anything so if I am, I'd like you to tell me. In the next chapter, the scouts finally meet the generals, and possibly Amy. I haven't decided if I'll make Amy appear before them, so you are free to tell me if you want Amy to reveal herself to the scouts or not, your wished greatly affect the plot of this story. Oh yeah, and in the next chapter there is going to be more Amy/Nephrite, this chapter focused more on revealing what Luna, Artemis and Malachite are like, but the next chapter will be more Amy/Nephrite. Well, that's it for now, Ja ne!
