The Crystal Palace
the abandoned chambers
midnight
Kunzite looked up from the map he was studying to see Zoisite stumble through the doorway. He flew across the room to catch the injured general as he fell.
"What happened!"
Zoisite just moaned as he was carried to a table. Kunzite set him down gently and surveyed the burns on his legs.
"This is Endymion's work."
"Congratulations," Zoisite gritted his teeth and leaned on an elbow.
Kunzite raised a silver eyebrow, "You fought him?"
"And won."
The crazed smile on Zoisite's face alarmed Kunzite, but he ignored it and set to work peeling back the pant leg that covered burns. He cringed at the damage, seeing bloody skin and twisted tissue. It was bad, but it could be healed.
Zoisite leaned his head back as Kunzite pulled away a shred of cloth.
"Did you feel him die?"
"What?"
Kunzite paused, looking to his partner. He tucked white hair behind an ear.
"We have an unbreakable bond to him, Zoisite. You would have felt it."
"I...!" Zoisite burst into a string of oaths.
"Calm down!"
"— bastard should be dead by now, Goddamnit!"
"Zoisite, he could be dying. How badly did you hurt him?"
The blond general's eyes gleamed, "I put three crystals in his chest."
Kunzite nodded and went back to work on Zoisite's legs, "Then he doesn't have much of a chance. If he isn't dead now, he will be."
There was a ripping sound as fabric separated from skin.
"AH! Kunzite!"
"Sorry."
There was a degree of silence after this, broken only by an occasional groan or curse. Kunzite continued steadily on, pulling off Zoisite's boots as gently as he could.
"My feet are fine, damnit."
He was answered with a chuckle, "They are."
The work continued silently once more.
Then...
"Kunzite?"
"Mmm?"
"I'm sorry."
Kunzite looked at Zoisite, completely surprised, "What are you talking about?"
Zoisite stared at his sleeve uncomfortably, "I know you were angry that I... visited... A— Mercury."
The elder general withdrew his hands and stood back, "I was."
"So, I'm sorry."
Kunzite blinked at the floor, then decided it was better to see Zoisite's face. He smiled reassuringly.
"I was only upset because she still loves you."
"I don't care about her, though."
"Of course not," Kunzite couldn't keep adoration from his eyes. He stepped forward and held Zoisite's shoulder.
Zoisite's hand found Kunzite's wrist.
"Never again, I promise."
"So do I."
The Crystal Palace
the guard hall
early morning
Serenity screamed when she saw him.
She lunged for him, falling to her knees just before she reached his side. She gripped his arm and pulled his face to hers.
"Endymion..." she wailed.
She gasped when his eyes opened slightly. He moved his lips, but only made small sounds. She felt tears fall.
"...'renity..."
"Oh, God..."
"...n...leave..."
"I won't, I promise I won't."
"...'ying..."
"No, you aren't."
She pulled in a breath, holding a hand to her neck. Her fingers closed around the Imperium Silver Crystal.
Endymion moaned something of a protest, but she ignored it. She refused to lose him again. Especially to them.
She yanked the chain and it broke. She held the crystal to his chest and whispered the words that would set free the power.
A flash blinded her, and the energy of the Moon spread through the crystal walls. Serenity felt her own strength pour from her body and into Endymion's, glistening over his wounds and shattering the dark crystals with a crash.
Hino Raye's memory
I gasped when I recognized the light of the Imperium Silver Crystal. My heart raced; I was so afraid that this was it, that Beryl had confronted her... and that I would be standing by. I morphed and ran for the Guard Hall.
Kino Lita's memory
I was panicking the moment I saw the flash. I sprinted down the halls to find the king and queen. I didn't know what was happening but I knew it couldn't be good.
Aino Minako's memory
The flash scared me so much, I jumped to my feet. Then I realized what it was, and I was even more scared. I transformed and headed for Serenity, wherever she was. I knew I could find her.
Crystal Tokyo
Janus Street
early morning
The workers who were setting up the booths for the summer festival saw the white light from the palace. It only lasted a moment, but they knew what it was.
A fair young woman turned to her father with a swish of brown hair, "Wasn't that the queen's power?"
Her father nodded, grey eyes worried, "There should be no reason for that."
"But..." she looked at the great crystal spire again, "She said she wouldn't use the crystal unless is was important."
"Then we have to believe it is. It's no business of ours to go wandering over there. Help me move this table, it's in the way."
She went to his aid.
The other man helping them continued to watch the palace. He had believed the queen as well, but he knew the reason would have to be urgent... or deadly... It made no sense. And the king... the king would have told them if war or evil was eminent.
The man shrugged to himself and tried to overcome the feeling of foreboding. He lifted the box at his feet and walked to his friends.
The Crystal Palace
the infirmary
morning
Setsuna was unnerved by how calm Endymion's face was. He was lying in bed, unconscious, wounds reduced to tender scars. His hair was covering one of his eyes.
The rest of the scouts sat at a nearby table, leaving the separate chairs to Setsuna and Serenity. Setsuna could feel the worry emanating from the queen's being. It had been three hours and Serenity still refused to rest.
Endymion had stirred only once.
Setsuna turned around in her seat and indiscreetly watched the people around her. Haruka and Michiru stood together in a corner. Michiru leaned on her lover's shoulder.
Mina had fallen asleep on the table. Amy was staring into space, chewing a fingernail. Raye was watching the king, but her eyes had since unfocused. Lita leaned on forward with her elbows on her knees, head on her fists.
That was that.
Setsuna stood, taking another glance at Endymion, and stepped out the door. She shut it softly. On the other side of the hard stone wall, she held a hand to her mouth and began crying.
Part of her said she had nothing better to do...
But she knew.
No matter how many times she had been there, he had never needed her. The one time he did, and she had been on the other side of the palace. It was unfair that Serenity had found him...
Because Setsuna loved him.
Tears became sobs, and soon she was sitting on the ground, hunched against the walls and feeling useless. The Guardian of Time was unraveling.
She had been fine in her solitary prison, but placed beside the people she cared about and put in a position to help... she had become nothing.
She wiped at her face and forced herself to calm into some semblance of normalcy. The others were counting on her for something, even though she didn't know what.