Nightmares of the King
Author's Notes: Thank you guys for the reviews, it really helps mold the story in the way it should go. And to one reviewer - don't worry,I haven't forgotten her yet. I wouldn't want to spoil anything for you. ;-)
Chapter 3
"Thanks for helping me." Roiyaru told Kunzite. Kunzite had somehow fixed Roiyaru's wrist.
"I did it for one reason; for you to return the favor."
"I don't do favors." Roiyaru sassed from a corner of the cave. "After killing a man, I wouldn't ask him for favors."
Kunzite chuckled and stood in front of Roiyaru in the corner that did not make eye contact. "You fear me, don't you?"
Roiyaru blushed. "Right now you're the least of my fears."
"Your fear is what intrigues me about you." Kunzite smiled looking down at him. "You cannot hide the fear in your eyes yet you fight as if there was still hope."
"There's always hope." Roiyaru uttered. "As long as one is alive, there is always hope."
"Was there hope when Beryl killed King Arcturus, Endymion's father; better yet, was there hope when we took you down one by one?"
Roiyaru was angered. His blood was boiling and his rage was building. He stood up and faced Kunzite. "You know, you don't act like a man who needs a favor."
"I'm sorry, Roiyaru, but you are quite adorable when angry." Kunzite admitted stepping closer to him. Roiyaru didn't respond to the man's comment. What did he care anyway, if Kunzite wasn't there to kill him, he had no interest in him, his favors, or whatever he was doing. "May I ask you something Roiyaru; is there hope here?"
Roiyaru searched Kunzite's eyes to find an answer. How long had Kunzite been there? How long would Roiyaru be there? He didn't know so he gave the man this answer. "If it isn't hell, then yes there is hope."
Kunzite looked annoyed with the response. "And if you've been here for five years, would there be hope?"
"Hellfire is endless... wherever we are cannot be as bad."
"And if there is no way for escape?" Kunzite added. Roiyaru shrugged. "I've lost hope for many, many years. Ever since I descended into this place I had lost hope. My only hope I thought I had was finding my Zoicite."
"Now there is somebody who deserves this place." Roiyaru responded nonchalantly.
Fighting the thirst to beat the man senseless, Kunzite forced a smile upon his face and said, "Touché."
"And how did you get here?"
"I asked Beryl to send me." Kunzite said smiling as Roiyaru looked at him stupidly. "She is not as heartless as some might think."Kunzite saw a side smirk from Roiyaru. Roiyaru did not believe Kunzite's statement for a second for he thoughtBeryl did not possess a heart. "I told Beryl that if I was to lose, I wanted to be sent to the same place as Zoicite. So when Sailor Moondefeated me Beryl sent me here so I could be with him without knowing intention to save him. I've been here for five years and I have not even seen Zoicite except in tortured nightmares."
"You've lived on for so long," Roiyaru said silently. "I respect that of you but why use me?"
"You're the only other man that has ever made me second-guess my life while in battle." Kunzite confessed. "Besides, I bet your friends are in the same place Zoicite is in."
"My friends; Zachary, Kasai and Tomoshibi, they are here?"
"I don't know how you were separated from them but yes, they are here and in the same place as Zoicite. This also is the reason why the Shadows can take their image; they are being weakened." Kunzite explained. "I need your help to get my Zoicite back and I will give you your friends."
"How do I know this is not a trick; for all I know you could be leading me to the place where they are just to be tormented. You are more than capable of double-crossing me."
"Believe me, Roiyaru-san, if I wanted to, I'd have my way with you right now." Kunzite boasted. Roiyaru blushed in anger.
"Today is a new day, Kunzite... and you don't have your Zoicite to help you beat me again." Roiyaru said confidently.
"I'm not here to fight you. But look inside yourself; wouldn't you endure the torture, if you knew you were closer to your friends?" Kunzite asked. Roiyaru knew the answer; of course he would. "That is exactly how I have felt for the last five years. Last time the Shadows took form of Zoicite, they almost made an exact copy, and I don't have much time to save him. The same will become of your friends, Roiyaru and that's why I need your help! Please!" He begged.
Roiyaru thought he'd enjoy Kunzite begging him for help, but it only sickened him. "I will help you... as long as you help me; if not then the deal is off. I'd rather spend an eternity here than be double-crossed by you."
"You're beautiful when you make your decisions." Kunzite admitted standing up. "Now, we'll leave at the sight of the sun. The Darkness must already know that two of us have escaped their grasp. We should sleep."
"And if they find us?"
"Then I will stay awake." Kunzite suggested.
"You've been awake for a long time. I will."
"This is a partnership, not a friendship, Roiyaru don't tell me what to do." Kunzite hissed putting the fire out. Roiyaru did not argue anymore, if Kunzite wished to stay up once more than why would he stop him? Roiyaru curled up into a fetal position to protect himself from the cold. As sleep was eager to take him over he felt another cold body press against his back.
"What are you doing?" Roiyaru asked about to break away.
"You can either catch pneumonia or we can keep each other warm." Kunzite said putting his arm around Roiyaru. It was weird, Roiyaru admitted, but it was in his best interest.
---
King Endymion woke up. It was the best sleep he had since the day he became king. One full night had gone by without seeing Roiyaru's torment. Endymion cleaned his face and as a celebration, went outside for a jog. He smelled the clean air of Crystal Tokyo and was happy to run in it. An hour later he returned to see Kirou setting the table. Endymion smiled and went to his bathroom for a shower. Seeing his wife already putting on her make up, he joined her and kissed her on the cheek. Serenity smiled happily.
"What's gotten into you?" she giggled as Endymion nibbled on her ear.
"Sleep." He stated continuing to nibble.
"Then you should get it more often." She squealed.
"You think you are so funny don't you?" He said continuously kissing her neck.
Serenity blushed. What had she gotten herself into and since when had her Love become a loving yet sagacious man? She intended to be angry with him this morning and pout every time he would look at her, but there she was melting in his arms. "Ew, you stink," she said playfully.
Endymion laughed. "Would you like to clean me up?" he asked.
Serenity giggled back to him. "I am having lunch with Mako-chan then we will go to a meeting with top meteorologists so we can be better prepared when natural disasters strike; how about you?"
"I'm spending time at home; I'm supposed to be picking the King's Court soon. Kirou thinks I should."
"I agree," Serenity said putting on her left earring. "The more you don't think about it, the better it will be."
"Think about what, Usako?"
"About Roiyaru, Tomoshibi, Kasai, and Zachary. If you stop thinking and remembering them then you're nightmares will go for good." Then she hesitated. "I mean remember them, but reverently not anxiously. If there's one or two things I've learned about death is, it has got to be accepted."
"And if they aren't dead?" Endymion asked.
Usako put her hands on her husbands face and gazed in his eyes. "Perhaps Rei could help you locate the best people for you. You should see her."
"I'll go see her today, then." Endymion agreed even though he knew Serenity had avoided his question. "Now I don't want you to be late, let's go eat and I'll let you go even though it will be really hard for me to do so."
---
Roiyaru awoke and felt his head upon Kunzite's chest and his hair being stroked. "Are you ready to move?" Kunzite asked him. Roiyaru nodded and the two stood up. "Did you sleep well?" Again Roiyaru nodded. He felt awkward. Roiyaru was killed by Kunzite, and then taunted by him, and now he actually felt cared for by him. On any other occasion Roiyaru would have tried sleeping on the ceiling than letting Kunzite be his pillow, yet this was a new occasion and these men had to help each other reach their goal.
Kunzite took Roiyaru by the hand and led him to the pool. As they stood submerged to their necks, Kunzite gave Roiyaru instructions. He told Roiyaru that below them there was a hole; a passage to another part of the realm. It was big enough for one man at a time and they had to be quick in order not to lose breath.
---
"What do you see Mamoru?" Rei asked in priestess attire. Only those truly close could use King Endymion's earthly name, but it'd have to be in secret.
"A pool; the two of them standing in a pool," Endymion replied with his eyes closed. "Kunzite is leading him deeper and deeper into the water. They are about to go under. They're taking a deep breath and now... they're gone." Endymion opened his eyes. He was finally happy to have an outlet about this dream. "What do you think Rei?"
Other than being totally insane, she thought. "You're just having clashed memories; memories of Kunzite and memories of Roiyaru joined together in one dream. During your brainwash during the Negaverse, how did Kunzite treat you?" Endymion didn't remember. "Well, that's probably all it is. It's reoccurring and running on because you don't want to stop it. You're too heavily intrigued by this dream and now you want it to continue."
Endymion thought of the possibility. Maybe he was reflecting on the dream too much. Maybe it was the loss of someone close to the gang or the loss of someone who knew and could easily recall his real father. Maybe it was because he finally had a group of men to hang out with and help him protect the Senshi. He didn't know what to say as he was heavily in thought. Couldn't it have easily been a dream about anyone else that had died? But why, he thought, would this appear so vividly to him? Why did they not find the bodies of the Tuxedoes... they did say they would disappear, did they mean it literally? As he continued to contemplate the reasons it did not hold fast within him. There was a deeper reason than the ordinary reoccurring dreams; Roiyaru or someone else was trying to incite action within him; to get Endymion to do something. He was surely not at peace with what Rei had suggested to him.
Rei instructed Endymion to take a few minutes in the herbal hot tub to calm his nerves, to release the negative energy within him. She promised him while he did so, she would be meditating on his nightmares. Endymion took a dip into the soothing tub. It feels just like the pool, he thought to himself.
---
Emerging in the same pool Roiyaru inhaled deeply. He wondered if that was enough time to make it to the other side of the wall. "You'll just make it." Kunzite said to him a he emerged. "That is to say if nothing goes wrong."
"Nothing will go wrong." Roiyaru said confidently.
"There you go again, biting fear in the ass." Kunzite smiled coolly. "Just make sure you're correct."
With that, Kunzite went first into the water. Before Roiyaru could think any negative thoughts he sunk himself and followed the wavy platinum blonde hair. Part one was easy – Roiyaru remembered where the hole was. Now getting through the hole was another thing. Once in, it would be hard to turn around and it would be hard to speed up since Kunzite was in front of him. That wouldn't be a problem. Kunzite was a speedy swimmer.
Inside the hole, Kunzite was arm length in front of Roiyaru, being very precautious just in case any of the shadows were up there just waiting for them. So far so good, Roiyaru thought, as long as he did not tire himself quickly. Part two was almost complete. Beyond Kunzite's body, Roiyaru could see the other side. He was almost out of breath but he told himself he could make it.
Kunzite pulled himself out of the hole and began swimming up towards the top of the bigger pool they had reached. It was Roiyaru's turn to pull himself out but he couldn't. He turned around to see a Shadow creature holding on to his leg. Struggling, Roiyaru tried to shake the Shadow off. When he felt his breath trying to escape him, he tried hard not to panic. Kicking and struggling was not getting the creature off. It turned into an image of an eyeless Tuxedo Sun (Tomoshibi) that had beaten Roiyaru before. Too busy to realize that the Shadow was trying to awaken his fears of having his friends turn against him, Roiyaru looked up to Kunzite who was slowly moving away from him. Small bubbles escaped his nose and the creature was succeeding in pulling him back into the hole.
It would be a dangerous thing to do, but Roiyaru decided to let go of his breath. Creating bubble among bubble to rise and pop in the pool. He depended on his old opponent's keen senses to pick up either the sound or the fact that there was no one behind him. "Kunzite," he bubbled. "Help!!!" he said trying to pull away only getting pulled back into the hole.
---
King Endymion opened his eyes to find himself in water. Panicking, he shot up like a bolt of lighting, wiped his face, and began whimpering. As he opened his eyes there was Rei turned from his body. "Mamoru," she exclaimed blushing. "I had no intent of this happening again."
Endymion didn't respond; he was at a loss. What could he do for his friend? Roiyaru was on the verge of drowning and all he could do was stand there. He couldn't help, but he wanted to, he wished he could. "Rei," he called out. "It's real, it's real, and I know it's real!" As Endymion tried stepping out of the hot tub, he slipped, hit his head on the side, and fell back into the water.
"Endymion?" Rei asked without turning around. Trying to see if her king was alright, she turned around slowly. "Endymion!"
Author's Notes: Did you guys notice the allusion to Episode 136 where Rei mistakenly sees Mamoru naked? Ha, well that was one of the funniest episodes! Well until next time... Merry Christmas!!!