Nightmares of the King!
Author's Notes: Hey kiddies, there's some shounen ai in this chapter but nothing too visual! If it is too visual include it in your review or e-mail me! Enjoy and review!
Chapter 4
Endymion opened his eyes and found himself in the same pool that Roiyaru and Kunzite were in. He did not know how but finally he could help. Thinking fast, he decided to get Kunzite to help him release Roiyaru. Endymion swam up to Kunzite and touched his back. Kunzite turned around to see no one there even though Endymion was right before his eyes. The king was invisible and instead of waiting there to see Kunzite's reaction, he raced towards Roiyaru.
Endymion tried grabbing his hand and pulling but it was not working; the Shadow behind Roiyaru was strong. Without any indication, Endymion punched the Shadow and Roiyaru was let go. Not having any breath left, the blonde was ready to succumb to the temptation to breath.
Luckily, Kunzite had gotten a new breath of air and swam back to help Roiyaru. Roiyaru was finally free but instead of trying to swim, he gave up trying not to inhale. Luckily Kunzite reached him in time, brought him through the hole, put his lips upon his, and blew in. Roiyaru, on the edge of unconsciousness, looked at Kunzite before him. Taking in Kunzite's air and breathing it back to him, Roiyaru broke the lock and with Kunzite right below him, the two swam to the top and surfaced.
The Shadow that looked like Tomoshibi looked at the invisible Endymion and was confused. "Arcturus," it muttered. The Tuxedo Sun poser turned back into a Shadow and swam the way it came.
---
"Endymion, wake up!" Rei slapped his face and that was when he coughed up water. After seeing the response, Rei sincerely apologized as Serenity came running into the room with Sailor Jupiter.
"What happened?" Serenity asked shocked? She saw her husband on the floor coming to, a towel covering his manhood from the other two women. "Rei, haven't we talked about this before?"
"I swear, Serenity, I saw nothing!" Rei said. "He fell trying to get out of the hot tub and since then he's been totally out of control."
"Are they safe?" he calmly asked finally opening his eyes to see the three women before him.
"Who," Sailor Jupiter asked.
"Roiyaru and Kunzite?" he answered.
"It's worse than I thought, Usagi-chan." Sailor Jupiter responded still not grasping the fact that the girl she grew up with in high school had become Neo-Queen Serenity.
"Priestess Mars," a man coming in asked. "Do you want me to do anything for the king?"
"Yes, carry him to the guest quarters." She answered.
"No, I'm fine." Endymion smiled finally sitting up, holding the towel to cover his manhood. He tried to stand up and the man helped him. "I could use some pants." The man smiled, bowed and was on his way.
"Mamo-chan, you have some explaining to do." Serenity shouted worriedly. "You're telling me not to worry, but you're drowning and getting concussions."
"I don't have a concussion, Usako." Endymion smiled.
"Stop smiling, Mamo-chan; you are upsetting me! I don't understand what you're going through anymore! First you're troubled by these nightmares and now you're happy to have them?"
"Because I was there, and I helped him, Usako." Endymion replied.
"Now you've completely lost it!" Serenity yelled. "In the name of our marriage, tell me exactly what is going on!"
"Usako, it's not that..."
"It is that serious! You tell me right now, I want to know everything, everything I demand it." After her statement she put her hand to herstomach. "I think I'm going to be sick.
Endymion walked up to his wife smiling, one hand on his towel and the other on his head. He kissed her and looked lovingly into her eyes. "Where do you want me to start?"
"From the very beginning." She said again melting in front of her husband.
"Anything for a beautiful woman and wife, but can I ask you something first?" Endymion waited for his wife to nod. "May I put on some clothes; they already think I'm crazy."
---
Roiyaru and Kunzite crawled on to the coast of the pool and coughed loudly. They were alive and thankful for it. Finally falling on his side in exhaustion, Roiyaru uttered his thanks to Kunzite who fell right behind him.
"I thought I was finished." Roiyaru told him and then he chuckled.
"I thought I had lost you." Kunzite admitted kissing Roiyaru's neck.
That was it for Roiyaru. Pulling his head away from the man, he asked, "What the hell was that?" Kunzite stopped touching Roiyaru, rolled on his back and laughed a loud and haughty laugh. "What's so funny?"
"You are, Roiyaru," Kunzite said getting back into the position on his side, now stroking Roiyaru's hair. "I told you before; you are a very beautiful man and kissing your lips supported that fact."
"That wasn't a kiss it was CPR!" Roiyaru shouted only to get the same laugh. "What about Zoicite?" Roiyaru asked.
"It's been five years since I've felt the touch of anybody unless it was torture. You're here now, so I can dream can't I?"
"Don't be offended if I don't take that as a compliment." Roiyaru said standing up looking at the pool of water.
Kunzite came behind him and kissed his neck. Roiyaru could not lie; he was soothed by the feeling. Sex hadn't crossed his mind since the Silver Millennium. He remembered the many women he had laid with during his life on the North Star and the times he had spent with himself. Yet those times were cut short by the war on earth, his death, and then having to help the Sailor Senshi awaken the New Era. He was still alive and here he was being kissed on the neck... but by a male. Kunzite was a harsh, strong man and it didn't really register in Roiyaru's mind about his sexuality. Again Kunzite tried to come on to Roiyaru, putting his arms around the golden-blonde man's waist and again trying to kiss him.
"Get off of me." Roiyaru told him softly putting his hands on Kunzites.
"Guide me there, Roiyaru-san." He whispered.
Kunzite's determination to pursue him further made Roiyaru uncomfortable. Declining the invitation he pushed Kunzite away.
Roiyaru could not fight the fact that Kunzite awakened Roiyaru's sleeping hormones but not in the way one might have thought. Not to say that he wasn't sexually aroused by the man, but Roiyaru had long forgotten what it meant to be sexually aroused. Kunzite began massaging Roiyaru's shoulders and it was calm and soothing. Hey, what was a massage between accomplices? What would be the harm if it led to something more?
"Kunzite, stop!" Roiyaru said pushing Kunzite forcefully away from him and taking a fighting stance.
Kunzite smiled as he put up his own fighting stance. "You'd rather have someone else, don't you? A woman... or perhaps someone you're closer to." Kunzite looked at Roiyaru as he said this, hoping to strike a nerve. "Perhaps you'd rather do it with your friend Tomoshibi?" Now this had opened Roiyaru's eyes to stare at Kunzite. "I remember how you used to look at him and how ready you were to avenge his death."
"I was ready to avenge everyone's death, not just his!" Roiyaru protested.
"I bet you were, but when you saw that sword pierce his flesh a part of you suffered didn't it?"
Roiyaru became angry. "Shut up or I swear to you,"
"You'll do what? Kill me?" Kunzite shot back. Roiyaru was enraged by this. He jumped on Kunzite and they were caught in a grapple on the ground. Kunzite was surprised by the sudden attack but it aroused him even more. "That's what I like, play before pleasure." Picking his neck up, Kunzite forcefully kissed Roiyaru on the lips. Roiyaru shot up spitting all over the ground.
"It's not that hard to kiss another man, Roiyaru." Kunzite smiled content at the disgust on Roiyaru's face. "At least now you'll know how to get your friend, Tomoshibi."
Was Kunzite correct; did what Roiyaru had for Tomoshibi flow deeper than just a friendship put together because of a cause? What would it be like if this was Tomoshibi that came on to him other than Kunzite?
"I know you are thinking about him," Kunzite told him and Roiyaru knew it was true.
Roiyaru blushed trying to fight his thoughts, telling them to calm themselves. Maybe he did love Tomoshibi like lovers did, maybe he didn't. It wouldn't matter if he didn't save him, Zachary, and Kasai.
"Let's go." Roiyaru said emotionless, almost ashamed at what Kunzite had just put him through.
---
Endymion sat with the two cats, four Senshi and Serenity and told them everything they wanted to know. He started with when the nightmares began and finished with the last thing he saw. "And that's it," he ended. "That's everything."
Sailor Mars sat praying at the fire as the others responded to Endymion's story. "That's deep," Jupiter admitted. "Nothing I've ever heard before."
"That's weird too," Venus added. "From what you're saying it's real, but where are they?"
"It must be related to the darkness," Mercury suggested. "That's why we did not see their bodies afterwards."
"Where are they, though?" Serenity asked. "And why couldn't you help them before?"
Endymion shrugged. "I guess I was in a deeper unconsciousness than in sleep. But what gets me is that the evil creature didn't even try to hurt me. It called me King Arcturus... It sounds familiar but..."
"It was your father." Luna told him. "King Arcturus was the King of Earth before the battle with Beryl."
"What does he have to do with anything Luna?" Serenity asked.
"I'm sorry to always bring up legend," Luna giggled. "But legend has it, that the king of earth has access to some sort of Shadow Realm. It was somewhat a purgatory, but that wouldn't explain why and how Roiyaru, Kasai, Zachary, and Tomoshibi ended up there."
"From talking to Rei," Endymion started. "The only other person I remember being sent there is Zoicite; how did Beryl get a hold of it?"
"I think it was through you," Artemis told Endymion. "If only the king had access, then it would only be right if Arcturus's son would attain his power."
"Artemis, as sad as it is to say, you must be correct!" Luna exclaimed. "But why the four Tuxedoes?"
"For some reason when Serenity and I were in the dark cloud I did feel some power leave me." Endymion said referring to the battle that led to the awakening of Crystal Tokyo. "When The Darkness possessed the Tuxedoes something within me wanted them gone so Serenity wouldn't listen to the negativity."
"Mamo-chan, you sent them there?" Serenity asked.
"I don't think I meant to," he explained. "But even if I did, how do I save them?" Endymion asked.
"There might be a way to find out." Sailor Mars answered.
---
Although it could have been dangerous, Kunzite and Roiyaru laid beside the pool once more to rest. This time Roiyaru insisted on staying up this time. Again, curled upon each other Roiyaru was the one to stroke Kunzite's hair. Kunzite moved and struggled murmuring Zoicite's name, hugging Roiyaru, trying to kiss him wherever he pleased. At some times, Roiyaru thought he was awake and taunting him. Yet, he knew that it was because Kunzite loved Zoicite that he now was having his own nightmares.
Roiyaru looked up to the ceiling of the cave they were in. He had a sense of purpose again and he liked it. When he was being tortured, he thought that life was over. What else was there to do but be tortured or killed? Even if it was with Kunzite, Roiyaru was grateful that he had one more purpose to live and die for. He did not care how long it would take but to know that he was closer and closer each day to his friends he was happy.
His mind wandered again onto what Kunzite had done. Roiyaru was somewhat ashamed but he did not want to dwell on it. It wasn't that bad, Roiyaru thought, but he didn't see himself doing it again in the future.
His thoughts then wandered to another past action; how Kunzite had saved him in the water. When he was being saved, Roiyaru felt a brief sensation of warmth. It was the same warmth Endymion gave to him. He felt that if he could have such a feeling of hope from a spirit like Endymion's then he wasn't totally cut off from the real world. Suddenly a bright orange light appeared on a wall in the cave. Roiyaru, captivated by its beauty and warmth, was drawn to it. Lightly laying Kunzite's head down, he entered the light.
---
Sailor Mars told Endymion to focus, to believe that the fire held the answer to his purpose. Then when he found his center, a bright orange light engulfed him. There Endymion was in front of a palace.
"I'm home," Endymion whispered to himself. After slowly opening the doors into a grand room, a man sat in a chair ways in front of him.
"Come here my son." The man said.
"Father?" Endymion asked himself standing in front of his father.
"Endymion? My, is this the image of what you have become? You've lived to taste the crown, and I am proud of you son!" Endymion was speechless. Meeting at least one of the parents he never thought he'd know was too much for him. "I know why you have come, and may I say for a king I am glad your heart is as strong as your fight." He laughed. "You have come to ask me about the Four Mercenaries and where they have been sent."
"Yes, father," Endymion responded. "They are in your Shadow Realm, what and where is it?"
"To understand that my son, you must understand that there was so much more that happened before the war with Beryl. There was a dark side of the earth and we as a people overthrew it and sent it into the shadows. I alone held the key and we'd only imprison the worst of men in the place as punishment. A few hours alone would turn any crooked man straight." Arcturus chuckled.
"But father, what happened to it then?" Endymion asked.
"I died and the key was rightfully given to you. But then you died and the key itself was engulfed by the darkness that was The Shadow Realm. Now the Shadow Realm wants to return to its place on earth and with The Four Mercenaries within it, it will become strong enough to disturb your peace as king my son."
"Father, Roiyaru-san is in so much pain and I am forced to see it night after night." Endymion explained.
"As was I, my son, with many others during my reign." King Arcturus replied. "But it all comes with being King of the Earth."
"Explain Kunzite then, how did he get there?" Endymion asked.
"You did son." Arcturus explained. "Beryl, channeling your control during your brainwash, sent Zoicite there and knowing that Kunzite would want to be there, she sent him too. But if you really want to help the Mercenaries out then you must get in and help steal that key that it has taken for itself before the Mercenaries become nothing."
"Where is the key, father?" Endymion asked.
"Roiyaru is following the light into where the key is held you must get there and help them. They cannot defeat the Shadows alone."
That was when Endymion realized why the shadow-creature could change into Tomoshibi and the rest. "They want to take over the bodies of their prisoners to one day find a way back to earth!" Endymion exclaimed.
"You are correct Endymion. If you can get in and destroy the key, then no one else can enter the Shadow Realm."
"And how do I return?" Endymion asked.
Arcturus frowned. "There's always a catch, Endymion. Other than retaining youth forever, once that key is broken, you will be put in an endless sleep until death where you will dream forever." Arcturus looked at the sad face on his son's face. "Some sacrifices a king must make for his people." At that moment Endymion began disappearing. "It seems your time here is short, my son; your present calls you from this past."
"Father, I can't leave now... now that I know that you have existed!" Endymion said passionately.
"I know my son, but I have always been with you and I always will be. I love you son and take care of the princess... I knew I couldn't keep you away from her." King Arcturus smiled. "Be prosperous my son, goodbye."
"Goodbye father," Endymion said sadly.
Endymion woke up in his body in front of all the Senshi. "Well what do we do?" Serenity asked.
"You knock me out again." He smiled.
Author's Notes: There have been questions about Chibi-Usa, hehehe. After reading this chapter, I'd like to think I answered your questions ;-) HAPPY NEW YEAR