the devil within

by max333

When Tuxedo Mask's past identity is revealed, he's ripped from his beloved arm's while injured, and kidnapped to the negaverse where Prince Endymion is born. Yet things are not as they seem to the majority on either. Wanting his beloved Moon by his side he makes his own agenda, but is he truly playing both sides of the field or is he really one over the other? Find out more inside.

21. a healing notion & breakfast aftermath

bitbit2084: lol yeah I go by each week but I totally get not wanting to wait.

Princesakarlita411: yeah there's a funny thing to Luna here, I hadn't intended to make her this way, she sort of evolved into this position. I was actually getting ideas as I was going and realized how it was getting out for her character but it worked, surprisingly.

ShadowQueenGalactica: yeah Luna's issues are becoming larger than life right now. When Mars declined having seen first hand for herself that Moon was right she did what her gut and heart told her was right, Luna is reacting off of her own gut yes but also off her paranoia.

sabina21: you'll find out soon enough, though I will admit I had to find something suitable for Luna to work with.

kera69love: at this rate the girls and even the guys are in a state of confliction due to everything that's happened. That will be the forefront for a moment since no one saw this coming. Honestly even I didn't it got inspired by my own creative 'what if?' imagination and I ran with it and it actually worked.

Yin - Yang M: lol on the cat nip. To be honest I do to on the chapter but it's because it's such a 'WTF?!' moment that your trying to figure out your own feelings on it and what SHOULD be done and if what SHOULD be done will be done or if it's to strong or not enough.

smoon4409: yes Beryl got what she deserved and then some. Hey I love that you were on the edge of your seat, I know I was when writing it out. Lol It even prompted me to make alterations to the last chapter which will be coming next week. My wonderful beta and I are working on two possible endings right now, I'm leaning towards one already but I'm getting my beta's opinion to conclude it before posting. And yes there will be a sequel…either ending would give way for it.

Reviews, very nice, glad you all are enjoying this interesting ride were on, there is one more chapter to this story but be assured there will be a sequel and thank you again to my beta 'masterray5' for all the beta work done, thanks! So please let me know what you all think, read, review and enjoy!

The devil within ch.21

Mars POV

That's when Endymion grips her. She goes back down to him, caressing his face.

"Don't kill Luna," He tells her gently.

She whimpers lowly, "Let me heal you." She looks around, "All of you."

I can see the desperation in her face to save everyone here and not let Luna do any more damage.

"Mercury is right," Luna tells her. "You don't have the power anyone, not after so much was expelled, to save them now."

Luna's not wrong.

Moon cries, "Why are you doing this? Just give me some time."

However, as they argue I notice two dark shapes coming into view. I have a feeling as I look over at a hunched-over Endymion that his wounds aren't what is really making his suffering as bad as it is. Especially since Mercury did a decently good job and using Jadeites' cap to staunch off the bleeding and give Endymion a fighting chance.

"Nephrite…Zoisite," I mutter not quite believing my own eyes. Their forms are completely being remade with the nega-energy and I now realize something powerful. I look over at the nearly exhausted expression of Endymion and see what he's doing. He's not healing himself, he's using the last of his powers right now to bring back the last of his brothers. He does have Metallia's powers after all.

She has the power to resurrect them, why NOT him? I look over to see that it is the last of the generals making their way toward us.

"Fine then Sailor Moon!" Luna snaps bringing me back to her. No one else has my immediate view to see the two now reformed generals making their way to us. I go to try to tell the girls but their all focused on the situation at hand here so getting their attention is difficult.

What I do know right now is that besides the dying generals right here to be able to reform such powerful generals at ALL takes not only a toll on the body itself but takes a LOT of power to be able to do so at all making me wonder how powerful Endymion really is in his 'evil' state, really in his injured 'evil' state. "Use your powers to heal them cause unless the nega-energy is gone so are they."

I can see Moon pulling out her moon wand once more and focusing her powers, sweat beading on her forehead from the focus alone. She's the most tapped out, out of all of us. Endymion sees this and knows as I do that she just doesn't have enough power left to heal three powerful people from the nega-energy. Maybe that's why he brought the other two generals back, cause he knew that she would be too out of energy.

She's going to push it too far and we all see it. Before Venus can tell her to stop and before I can suggest we pool our powers to give her the right flow to TRY it, Endymion tells her, "Stop!" shocking her into losing focus as he sends a glare to Luna for obvious reasons.

"Luna when I'm ready to be healed I'll ask for it."

The words however are taken out of context as even I would be too piss off from what just happened to speak the words correctly.

Luna seems to have made up her mind though and says, "That's what I thought."

Just then Jupiter sees Nephrite and questions, "Is that…?"

It makes Malachite loosen up on Luna and look back to see his former fallen brothers. It's a wrong move to make. She uses the lapse and wrenches herself free from him, forms the sword once more, gaining a protesting, "Hey!" from Venus who rushes her to.

This time we jump into action. As Malachite and Venus exchange looks she goes to take over his position as he stumbles away to go see his brothers. He stops stumbling however when we notice that Luna stops her mental death grip. For a moment we think we're good till we realize it's cause she's once more magically taken the sword again. Jupiter jumps ahead and blocks her usage of the sword. She looks to both of us now like we're the ones that have gone made.

"Seriously Luna? What the hell?" Jupiter demands as comes up to us Mercury asks, "Better yet, How are you human?"

Before Venus then asks, "And why use my sword? It's not at its fullest powers or strength when NOT in my possession."

That's when Luna sends her a look. "Long story on the human part, just know I have a few tricks up my sleeves. And cause Venus…" She actually glared at Venus on this. "I knew, in the end, you were taking Usagi's side in believing that he was still good. Evil is evil. On that matter alone you faltered as your duty in being a Senshi and in being the leader of this group."

This is shocking for everyone to hear, and I can't even tell you how hurtful that was for Venus to hear. Yet I can still see traces of Venus's solid notion that she made the right decision in her eyes.

"It was the correct call to make," she tells her and shocking me on our level of thinking.

It's Moon's angry demand that captures our attention, "So you transformed yourself into a human just so you could stab him? Just so you'd be within range?!" Her rage was palpable. "Do you know what that makes you?" she snapped at her.

Endymion was on the ground, barely keeping coherent at this rate. He needed medical attention stat.

Moon was doing what she could to staunch the bleed in his stomach, Mercury's bit could only do so much, but with the stunt, he had just pulled it was barely helping him now.

Luna looks to Moon, "He's evil my dear princess, and he even refused to be healed by you not once but twice."

Moon looked at her like she was crazy as we were especially in knowing WHY the healing was refused.

"I refuse to let any more people get hurt or to let that evil exist in this world for any longer than it has. By sun up the last of the evil will be gone. He was after all the strongest of them all as Beryl's personal toy."

It's obvious that Moon is deeply upset by this, it's a betrayal that has hit more than what we thought it was going to. It makes me wonder what she'd say to know that Luna had been secretly training me all along.

Even if I couldn't do it at one point, I was to do it. I take a look at my friend and see the amount of mental and emotional turmoil she's in. That's when we see Moon focusing once more on trying to heal Endymion's wounds at least. That's when I ask Luna, "And what of them?" As I look to both Malachite and Jadeite who are returning with their friends. "If they can be purged of the evil then good if not…"

The silence is deafening.

"Even if she could heal two people at the same time, her energy has been maxed out," Jupiter points out. They must have overheard just enough to debate on what to do next. They look ready to take off with Endymion, yet are also debating on having Moon go with them as she's the only one of us that trusted in them, first and foremost. I wouldn't have doubted it. Yet we were the ones being left with the seemingly crazy feline turned human.

That's when Moon screams, "ENOUGH!" Her anger is directed at Luna and Luna alone and suddenly I'M Terrified of having her anger directed at me. I definitely don't WANT to have to tell her about my involvement...at least not yet. Not until this whole THING has blown completely over and the pieces have been settled. It's the one time I've been afraid of Moon against one of us.

"I know you had your fears, but this is too much. The plan we had worked on everything was going according to the plan we enacted. I could have easily have healed them all in a few hours when I had replenished my energy but with this now…"

She cradles his head in her arms as he begins to break out in a sweat. She snaps at Luna, "What were you thinking?"

Before Luna can respond Mercury steps up. "Listen while Luna may have made a mistake…" Though Luna looks perturbed at her actions being in any way a mistake. "She did it out of love and I'm sure that if you pull your reserves in you'll be able to heal them all."

I nod as I add on, "We can help."

Mercury stops me, "No this has to be her, and them to help her but we have to conserve our strength to get everyone back home. We have two extra passengers and were already tapped out."

I nod knowing she's right on that.

Jadeite volunteers. "She's right, we can help the wound healing, she can do the nega-energy healing. Let us help with him and when were healed since we were previously his guardian generals we can aid in the ability to get home."

Now I can see Moon trying to heal his mind of the darkness within it. I can tell it's causing her great strain too. I think Endymion can tell this as well but doesn't have the energy to stop her this time. Instead, he uses his own powers to try to help her.

I don't see how that could work though. Just as Malachite, Jadeite and the now two returned generals come in and lend their powers for support, giving Moon a nice boost. Yet just as I suspected she begins to heal all five of them. Putting her best efforts into it. Those affected light up and suddenly the lights dim away as they all fall to the ground...Moon included as she's passed completely out.

Her energy was too far low to use up the rest of it. She shouldn't have tried.

"Did it work?" Jupiter asks as the guys struggle to get up. Luna looks to me for assurance as I use my Miko powers to sense the evil in them all. It takes a moment to focus but eventually I sense it. I sigh as what I thought was going to happen came to pass. All of them still have evil in them. It's less of it but it's still very much inside of them.

If Luna were to know this, however, she'll just go crazy on us again with trying to kill them and right now we couldn't afford any more crap happening.

"Mars?!" Luna asks of me as I see the desperation in her eyes for the evil to be gone. She pauses but is ready to try to outmaneuver us if need be to strike out again. Moon is passed out and now Endymion is the one holding her in his arms for safety and reassurance of her own health.

I can see the love and care in his eyes and I wish that Luna could as well, yet she's so far gone down her own rabbit hole of 'I see only evil' rather than anything else that she can't see it. It's then that as I look at each of the generals. I see the 'we understand but please still' in the eyes of the guys as I look at all of them, and I mean all of them as they prepare themselves to make their own move if I rat them out.

Endymion is holding Moon close to him, and I see the expression in his eyes. He's NOT letting her go. If I tell the truth, he'll take her with them, there's no doubt about it. She'll be safe, I know that much but she'll be with him, and it'll be known that she's in the company of evil. Even though she won't turn it wouldn't help the latter with Luna and Luna will have that much more of a shit fit than she has already had.

She'll wage war on him. I don't know if she can, but she'll give it her all. I see Venus and somehow, I just know that SHE knows too. I don't know how but she does too and gives me an expression of 'not yet...let her heal them properly later on...without Luna around' and I take that all in. I make what I know in my gut is the right call to make as I tell Luna with confidence and in a manner that I can even smile at, "The evil is gone."

The guy's breath a sigh of relief as I add on, "Now let's go home, it's cold as hell out here."

Luna drops the sword right as Venus picks it up, a bit of discord between the two is obvious as we all gather around in a circle with Endymion and Moon in the center as the generals decide to take a step back. I noticed this first as I go to Jadeite and ask, "What's wrong?"

He looks to the group than to the guys. "Trust me we're grateful for what you did but if we help get you home Luna will know you' just lied your ass off to protect us."

I look back to a more calmed down Luna. She's still got crap coming to her for what she did, but we do need her home too. Damn it why did she have to make things so difficult.

"And?" I ask as Malachite comes up and adds, "She'll sense the nega-energy in our powers the second we use them."

I turn back towards them. I hadn't even thought about that. I turn back. "Go…we'll meet you guys at the temple. Avoid using your powers as much as you can, just get stronger so when the time is right Usagi can heal you properly."

They both nod as Nephrite comes up and asks, "Whose Usagi?" Malachite rolls his eyes turns around, grabs his shoulders, and spins him around, presumably explaining it to him while I stand with Jadeite.

'You were really right there with me," He muttered.

"Yeah…I ah…I didn't like seeing you in pain…maybe our 'friendship' is growing a bit stronger after all," I try to joke as he looks at me seriously. I get tongue-tied right as he leans in and gives me a kiss that I can't help but fall into and kiss back wholeheartedly. For a few moments, I relish the fact that he's no longer dying and is okay.

All of this feels like a complete change from what was happening before we all left. I was definitely NOT aiming to kiss Jadeite nor seeing him as a good guy yet things were so different now and I just knew that WE all were different people now. That battle today just changed us all in ways we didn't even think it would or could. When the kiss ends seconds later he says, "Get home safe. I'll see you soon."

I go to the girls and finish the link in the circle. Before Luna can ask anything I start the chant up for sailor teleport, using the last of our reserves to get not only us but Moon AND Endymion back home. It's a massive struggle to do it BUT it's achievable. All those long hard months of extra training we did really paid off cause we landed…about ten feet above the ground and fell on our butts, but we made it.

That was the important part. We literally dragged ourselves inside my room, making sure there was no one there or within the vicinity and, de-transformed. No one cared in those moments about debriefing. Despite our ability to tell what Luna wanted, she was already ready to get into it when the magic around her faded, and she was back in feline form. Artemis I could tell was shooting her daggers the whole time.

However, despite all of us wanting to say something to her, we were all way beyond tired and everyone promptly found something soft to pass out on. Endymion for his part without asking, though probably already knowing, took a now de-transformed Usagi to my bed for sleeping and shut the door for their own privacy. I had half a mind to tell them 'no sex' in my room but at this rate, no one had the energy to speak let alone have sex.

I myself took to leaning my head against the wall of my room as I vaguely saw Luna looking like a dignified, 'I did the right thing' head held up high as Artemis glared at her. I gave one yawn as my eyes shut, the exhaustion hitting us all as the last thing that went through my mind was what the possible fresh out of crap hell did Luna's bold, stupid ass, move just do. Didn't she know that there would be repercussions to doing that?

I looked towards my bedroom where Usagi was with Endymion. Yes, he was still with nega-energy, all the guys were and while all of us girls slept in here, the guys I'm sure found their own way back here too. I knew, I just knew Usagi was going to let her have it for what she's done. So at this point, it wasn't a matter of if there would be a punishment that Usagi would dish out to the feline but a matter of what it was and when.

This day wasn't over, not yet, not by a long shot. I could still feel the vestiges of nega-energy around us, however now, it was more subdued, and honestly, knowing WHO the ones that were affected were I wasn't fearful of it. That was my only source of comfort as I passed out and slumped like a log against the wall as I passed out from sheer exhaustion. Please let my decision have been right.

Usagi POV

My head was beyond groggy when I woke up. I felt like I hadn't slept for days but knew a new day had approached us. I sat up slowly as the events of the last few days hit me hard. I saw Endymion laying there next to me. My hand in his as he held me in his arms, my leg even between his as I was snuggled up beside him. It felt good to be like this with him, even though I felt still drained it still felt good.

That's when the rest of the days hit me as I went to check for his wound. He grunted, "Don't worry about it. It'll heal naturally in the next week or so. Your moon wand helped out a lot."

I look to him at his words till it occurred to me, that my moon want was meant to heal those from the evil within them, not of a sword wound inflicted upon them, which then struck me once more as to why he had been struck.

Luna. I stopped feeling his wound as I knew if he said he was okay then he was okay. Endymion wasn't one to sugarcoat the truth. Mamoru might try to 'spare my feelings' and 'deal with it on his own' despite the fact that when two people are in a trusting relationship, they talk to each other so they can work through it together, but Endymion was more straight forward. He was more of a go-getter whereas Mamoru was a bit more reserved. I loved them both but sometimes the personalities of both could really show through in their differences too. I digress though.

Luna was now occupying my thoughts. I couldn't help but let a tear slip by as I was thinking of what happened and WHAT went down. I thought I lost Endymion there for a moment. I really legitimately thought he was gone on me and Luna was to blame for it.

I put both hands over my eyes as I tried to cry in silence. It was coming out whether I wanted it to or not so I might as well try to make it silent. Soon enough though I couldn't make that happen and Endymion rolled over to pull me in closer.

"Usa…," he cajoled me, as I rolled into his embrace. More tears came through as my emotions were hitting me even harder than before now, "How could she?" I asked him.

I expected a lot from Luna, I expected her to be a little bit upset maybe even lecture me…again, but this...attacking him as she did. She KNEW I was too weak to heal him and the rest and her solution was to kill him right out of the gate. Despite ALL the help, he's contributed to us she STILL did this. I pull him in closer, needing to feel his comfort and warmth as he helps me let go of the emotional outpour. He keeps me close as I cry, his arms like soft yet strong steel bands around me.

"I wish I could explain it," he tells me. "I think she reacted out of fear and let it consume her, but the only way to truly find out is to ask her."

I nod knowing he's right about that. I see that were in Rei's room right now so I sit up in her bed and see that the door is closed for us.

"I wanted us to have some privacy after the day's events," he tells me as I see that I have my regular clothes on from school. "Rest. It hasn't been long enough, you need more sleep than what you've gotten."

Ignoring his words I take a closer inspection of his wounds and see them bandaged up. There are no traces of blood but that doesn't mean there's not an open wound still present. I go to unwrap them to see for myself how bad it is, but he stops me, "Trust me, while it's not great it's good enough and I will heal."

I frown.

"It's not good enough for me, I want you healed. We could go to a doctor."

Ami's great and all but this is a sword wound.

He kisses my fingertips. "You're amazing you know that. Even when you're the one who's bent over backward and nearly died over energy loss you still worried about me."

I kiss him, "Stop distracting me, I know a good doctor - "

"And what are we going to tell them?" he asks, stopping me. "That I was attacked and stabbed, and I'm partially healed magically from it, but I still have a week's worth of healing to go?"

I sigh, "I know you worry but trust, I will be fine. I'm out of the woods medically speaking and going to a doctor is only going to raise more questions. I mean how would we even explain a sword wound." I shut my mouth knowing he has a point there.

"I'm getting rest to here so that we can be ready for whatever happens next."

I nod and despite my anger at Luna that's still simmering beneath the surface I let sleep hit me once more while I think of what I want to do with Luna after all of this. Eventually, I do drift off to wonderland while my desired confrontation with the fur ball is still at the forefront of my mind with a swift intent.

It's nearly eight hours later when I wake up again, this time to the smell of food. One by one my senses are awakened as I smell the delicious scent of bacon, chocolate chip pancakes, french toast, and fruits as I got up. My stomach grumbles as I can even smell the fresh orange juice being made. "Rei's going all out this morning...either that or she let Makoto have free reign in the kitchen..."

I look over at Endymion.

"Free reign," we say at the same time as we both get up for the food. We make sure we look appropriate and not straight out of bed. I adjust my clothes and hair a bit as he does the same for himself. We walk on out after taking care of bathroom amenities and find the kitchenette area that Rei and her grandfather share. It's a nice nitch that has just enough space for us girls and a few extra.

When we walk in Grandpa Hino has already taken to having a cup of coffee to which Endymion takes some as well. A nice mug full as I take a proffered glass of orange juice from Minako as the girls greet me warmly. Grandpa Hino gives me a warm smile and heads outside so he can enjoy it near the edge of the porch. I step near the exit of the kitchenette as he takes a seat about fifteen feet away and enjoys the scenery of the temple.

I walk back towards the stove top where Makoto is working her magic. Most of everyone is eating the food that Makoto is flipping out from the griddle as we begin to share a food-filled silence together. I sit down at the part of the separated counter that's got three tall bar stools for guests to sit on. A plate is placed before me by a smiling Rei as I start to dig in. He does so as Rei gives him one too.

No words are spoken but it feels like we've reached a new norm, a new level to our friendship that I know we needed. I get halfway through some French toast, a full glass of orange juice, and half a glass of water before Rei breaks the silence with, "How are you feeling?"

I look up to her as I swallow my food. I see the genuine expression of concern on her face as I smile at her glad that we've come so feels like she and I reached an impasse of mutual respect with this last battle and it's brought us closer together.

"If anything, I was going to ask that to…," I look over at Endymion. He smiles at me as I realize I don't even know if he still has nega-energy in him or not. He could still be 'evil Endymion' and I'd have no idea. I know it should matter but lately, it feels like it doesn't. He's still himself…right?

I mean I know it matters, I think I've just gotten used to him being this way during all of the fightings between us, and the Negaverse I got accustomed to his being this way. Mamoru is still in there and is still a part of him just like the evil inside of him too. Yet it's not all of him. I know that Mamoru is still very much a prominent figure inside of himself or else NONE of this here today with all of us sharing breakfast after such an arduous ordeal with such a massive fight would be possible.

Before I can ask him how HE feels and if I managed to free him of the nega-power he had...or rather possibly has in him a thicker silence envelope's the area. The sounds of the girls eating evaporate as we look over to see the generals coming in through the door that exits outside where I just was. Dressed down from their uniforms all four are standing by the door waiting patiently to be invited in.

Half the girls tense up out of gut reaction alone. Jadeite squeezes past Malachite, his arm wrapped up from the battle and comes in. "Yeah, I'm just gonna grab some food…stomach needs replenishment," He remarks as we hear his stomach grumble, and I can't help but smile at his need for food. I know the feeling. He's unabashed in getting some food as he goes towards where Rei is and grabs a piece of bacon and starts to eat.

She gives him a look before eating herself as she shares a look with Makoto giving her the okay to let the others in since she's got a mouthful too.

"Come on in," Makoto says after a beat. "Lucky timing I was finishing the last of the pancakes off."

Nephrite goes up to her and despite the palpable tension in the area, he keeps a respectable distance from her as he pours himself a glass of orange juice.

"Always did love your cooking and baking," He tells her.

She blushes at the compliment, "Go to the table I'll get plates fixed up." She shoos him away as he obliges.

Malachite plants himself next to Minako at the wooden table where she's sitting and pulls her fork in hand over to steal a bite of French toast while Zoisite takes a seat and a look at the book that Ami has at the table that she was probably reading before anyone came in.

He provides a welcome distraction of course as she's a little tongue-tied on what to say. We did only get the chance to see them yesterday. We fought alongside Malachite and Jadeite but the other two not so much. Even the last time I saw them was when Zoisite was injured by me and Nephrite died to protect Naru. To see them acting so normal is odd, to say the least, and the girls sense it too yet they let them be and just observe.

I look over and sense Rei has something on her mind that she wants to share with me. Like she's holding back something important but why I don't know and after the new level of friendship established I'm not sure if I should push on what it is that she's hiding. I only even have my suspicions cause she keeps looking toward me but looks away when she realizes I've caught her looking in my general direction.

Then my focus shifts from that to the scent of something furry approaching. I hear paws on the floor as I look over and see Artemis jumping up to Minako's shoulder and nuzzling her neck as if to say 'hi' and 'thank kami you are alive and well'.

I smile knowing he's glad she's back as he nods towards me glad for it too. She smiles at the loving attention as do I and Malachite merely smiles in response.

We've all gone back to eating once more as I'm hopeful that this is the most tension that will be happening. All you can hear are the sounds of people enjoying a meal as now even Makoto enjoys her breakfast. Grabbing a piece of fruit she eats the strawberries and grapes as Nephrite enjoys a few himself. It's a quiet yet positive atmosphere that gives us the small amount of peace we need.

As much as I know I need to deal with Luna, and her betrayal which is what it is, no question about it, I'm still beyond pissed with her on this that if I were to speak with her on the matter it would be more out of anger than having processed it fully yet. I haven't had time yet to discuss it with the girls as we just began eating and frankly as much as I need to get things out and in the open, I want us to be able to enjoy this bit of solitude.

I think we've earned it after the battle that happened. I nod back at Artemis hoping that things can remain somewhat peaceful till he nudges his head towards the entrance where they all came from.

That's when I see Luna coming in. Her presence alone makes everyone stop what their doing as even the guys tense up at the sight of the feline. Suddenly the noises that came back from the girls disappears again in her presence.

She stops at the doorway and looks at half the room in distrust, mostly towards the guys for her own paranoia reasons despite everything that's happened, and the other half in near disgust. That is what hurts the most. I can see the disapproval on her face that the guys have managed to settle themselves near the girls while simply eating some breakfast. No one moves or says anything about her arrival.

She herself either doesn't care about the mounting tension that started once she came in or is ignorant to it. I drop my fork and lose what appetite I had left at the sight of her reaction. I'm suddenly full despite knowing I had been hungry as hell when I came in here. It's amazing what anger will do to one's appetite once the person responsible for the pain of another enters a room and is either ignorant of the pain or doesn't care.

It's like she finds the very scene before her, the guys and the girls eating a homemade breakfast and being civil with each other to be nearly revolting. My stomach turns to knots at her disapproval. She peruses all of us in the room. Makoto officially turns off the coffee maker. The little button sound is all there is in the empty quiet. Luna sits on the floor for a moment as she looks around at everyone.

"It seems it didn't take you girls long to accept these men into your lives did it? Especially since several of them openly tried to kill you all multiple times,"

Her words spark anger among those in the room. Yet I can see the guilt in all of the guys in here. Each of the generals looks guilty and remorseful of the actions they committed while under Beryl's control.

"Those are actions that we all hold the fullest amount of regret to," Malachite states first, looking to the feline as he humbles himself before her.

"I hold no doubt that you feel that way but the fact still remains that it happened and yet you've been accepted into the fold without much push back. All of you have. This is troubling considering the number of times we've fought you."

To that Nephrite points out, "To be fair, the girls fought us, you didn't do much at all other than order them about. No offense." His add-on is true but not what she wanted to hear.

"Which only further concludes my point. You girls are accepting them here, into the temple no less, and while you eat. Do you not see how twisted this is?" Luna's words spark Rei to speak up, "One of the things I've learned from living at the temple since I was five is that forgiveness is something earned. Without forgiveness, we have no way of moving forward, not for them but for ourselves as people."

I nod to her wisdom.

"So you've forgiven these men for their treachery? For working with Beryl?" Luna asks as if challenging the girls.

"Being that they were brainwashed throughout their time with Beryl and Metallia AND once they were freed of the brainwashing fought alongside us in the end, I'd say they've earned their forgiveness. At least to a degree," Minako jumps in as she polishes off her pancake before throwing back the rest of her orange juice.

Luna frowns, "You know I expected more from the leader of the Senshi…" Minako looks back at her as does Artemis. "But I guess being the Senshi of 'love' you have allowed that part of your powers to overrule some of your common sense."

The words are harsh and unnecessary as even Artemis is offended for Minako, but before Minako, herself can defend her powers and position Ami of all people speaks up as she turns towards Luna.

"That's uncalled for Luna. Half of these men helped save our lives and you want us to be dismissive of that? Of their efforts?" I hide my smile behind the glass of water I had in my hands so that I don't react just yet, hoping that I can contain my own anger just a little bit longer. I'm still on edge as the loop of what Luna did is seared into my brain like an infinite loop of misery as I watch it on repeat.

The anger in her eyes, the look of desperation as she wanted to stab Endymion again. She had every intention of killing him and I highly doubted she was here today to give any type of apology and frankly I don't think I'd accept it if she did give one. I know Rei did just mention forgiveness but where is the line to be drawn on that? When is something done so wrong that it's deemed unforgivable?

I'm not ready yet to forgive Luna for what she's done. I certainly can't say 'hey I get why you did what you did, we're good now', cause it's not even close to how I feel. The sad part was things were just getting heated up and I had a feeling about WHERE this was going. I was just hoping that it didn't go too far. It already felt like our friendship took a leaping nosedive into the deep end where the sharks were there and ready to tear it up further.

Luna had been there for me from the start. She'd been my mentor, my guide, my friend, helped me when I was at a loss for something…she was always there for me. Yet when the tides turned and shifted, and I started to take more control, started to take action she changed. It was like she suddenly saw my taking control of the situations as an act of defiance whereas I was just learning to cope, deal and work with what I had.

She began to become more controlling and wouldn't see my reasoning despite the overwhelming evidence around her. So to have her do what she did and STILL not only show up here and do it with no visual remorse or guilt within her was somehow more hurtful than the act itself. It was like she held no care for how her actions affected everyone here. Most of all how it affected Mamoru and myself.

He could have died if things went down differently, and I would be not only alone but forced to work with someone that I cared for deeply and who killed someone else that I cared for deeply. How did she possibly think that what happened out there was acceptable? Maybe it was because I relied on her so much that I would think she understood things by now, or maybe she had a point and I was naïve, but it was when it came to her.

She nearly killed someone I love, stabbed him in the back, and she was acting as though she did no wrong yesterday, and that in and of itself was becoming a growing wound that was ready to tear open if she didn't show some kind of acknowledgment to what she did wrong. The sad part is I don't think she even sees what she did as being wrong. She really does feel justified in what she did to him.

I look back at him and see the level of animosity he's holding towards her. I see how he's restraining himself from acting against the feline despite knowing what she did to him no more than 24 hours ago. I can practically feel the surge of anger he's emitting and it tears me up inside knowing that someone I love and care about was attacked and nearly killed by someone else that I love and care about…how am I supposed to decide on what to do with Luna when she's my advisor to most things?

I look over to Artemis who's even looking at her with newfound eyes. Like he's seeing a new side to her he's disappointed with. I know Artemis has really been there for me lately even though he's Minako's advisor but perhaps he can be of assistance in helping me figure out what to do regarding Luna's treachery. I can't believe that this is happening right now. I feel the tears ready to burst right as Mamoru touches my shoulder.

I look back as I see a comforting gaze on his face. I breath in deeply as I see his wounds and know that he's going through a similar dilemma. While he may not be as close with Luna as I am, he's directly in this and he knows how close she and I are. He knows how sensitive this all is and that helps me in knowing that she does need to be punished for what she's done. We can't attack each other…it's not who we are…Luna needs to know this and if she can't accept it, well she's going to have a much harder time dealing with her punishment.