Part II: Chapter 9

Brothers

Mina glanced around her cell as she felt the guard, who had dragged her from Barrick's ship, thrust her inside. There was a cot in the corner with one folded blanket and pillow perched on top. The walls were made of solid gray stone. The door that abruptly shut behind her was made of heavy iron with no handle on the inside. A small rectangular hole was at eye level, covered with thick iron bars, allowing her to peer into the dark and deserted hallway. She rubbed her arms as she felt a heavy chill in the air. Only one lit torch in the hallway provided light for her cell. It was quiet as the guard's heavy footsteps faded away to nothing.

"Mina?" A voice said from the darkness.

Mina froze as her eyes scanned the cell she was in. It was too dark to see past the cot that was on the opposite wall.

"Who is that?" Mina whispered.

A man stepped out of the shadows. He wore a dirty gray uniform. His auburn hair hung around his shoulders in waves, spilling down his back. His dark eyes, a deep amber, settled on hers as he approached.

"Nephrite!" Mina gasped as a hand went to her chest. Her heart was pounding wildly as fear had snaked along her back. She felt a wave of calm wash over her as he smiled.

"Yes…" Nephrite gave her a small bow. "Despite the circumstances, it's nice to see a familiar face."

"How long have you been here? Are you okay?" Mina asked as she looked him over. His dirty clothes alarmed her but no visible injuries were present. She hoped that he hadn't been mistreated.

"As long as I've been awake…however long that has been." Nephrite remarked as he sat down on the edge of the cot. "I haven't seen or heard anyone else since I've been here."

"Oh my goodness." Mina whispered as she caught his gaze. "You've been here this entire time?"

Grimly, Nephrite nodded as he thrust his hands into his pockets. "Tell me, what have I missed? How is… how is Lita?"

Mina bit her lip. Where could she even start? If Nephrite had been in here as long as he said he was, the news would be devastating. "Nephrite… first know that she is safe." Mina said as she sat next to him on the cot. She stared at her hands, caked with the yellow, sandy colored dirt from Venus. She brushed them off on the skirt of her dress, struggling to find her next words. "But… she… she has no memory of Earth, of us… of you…"

Nephrite's face remained stoic, devoid of emotion as Mina spoke. He grimaced at her last words, turning his face away from her to look at the dark end of the cell. His elbows went to his knees as his fingers ran through his hair, stopping at the back of his head. "She doesn't remember me…" He scoffed. "After everything…"

"The memories could come back." Mina insisted as she reached over and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Don't lose hope Nephrite. We'll get out of here. You'll get back to her."

"How Mina?" Nephrite asked as his fingers pulled the ends of his hair and he rested against the back of the wall. "I've been here for weeks and not a peep from anyone. Unless you have powers then we're stuck."

"No one knew where you were." Mina spoke as she watched him. "Raven claimed to have had you and Lita. Obviously that's not true." She stood and walked over to the cell door. She peered into the dimly lit hallway. Not a soul was in sight. "I don't have my powers, not yet but Fabian knows I've been taken. He will find us."

"Fabian?" Nephrite asked as his dark eyes followed her. "You trust the word of a Shadow Warrior who tried to kill us all in his last life?"

"He never harmed us." Mina said as she rubbed her arms. "And he has been at my side since we have been sent here. We're… well, kind of dating now."

"Seriously?" Nephrite asked as both eyebrows raised. "We have an evil queen after us, another due to wake up soon and you two decided this was the time to start dating? What about Kunzite? You two were together when I last saw you. What has become of him?"

"I haven't forgotten Kunzite." Mina replied quickly as she felt Nephrite's gaze grow cold. She knew Kunzite was like a brother to him. Her relationship with Fabian would only be viewed as betrayal to Kunzite, at least in Nephrite's eyes. "Lita has forgotten you… and Kunzite has forgotten me. My relationship with Fabian does not replace the feelings I still have for Kunzite." Mina whispered as she felt tears clogging her throat. She hadn't spoken Kunzite's name in weeks. The memories of their time together hit her hard. Tears filled her eyes. "But I cannot focus on bringing back Kunzite's memories. I am a princess in this life and Fabian is a prince and with our courtship I can travel freely. That freedom is what I need to get back to fighting form earlier than originally planned and to pull our team back together."

"Looks like that's working out well for you." Nephrite replied bitterly as he tore his gaze from her to look back at the dark end of the cell. "Be sure to send Kunzite a wedding invite."

"That's not fair." Mina insisted as she stood, staring directly at Nephrite.

"Nothing about our lives has ever been fair." Nephrite shot back as he too got to his feet. "But even so I went to Lita and had my time with her. I poured out my heart and for a few days I had her as my wife. Now I am stuck here with you while the woman I love doesn't even know I exist. That's fair isn't it? I'm stuck and you are off chasing after some prince while the man I grew up with, who is practically a brother to me, who loves you more than he could ever express, sits and rots blissfully ignorant of how you are crushing his heart."

Mina felt her shoulders begin to shake as Nephrite spoke. She could feel the pain and frustration in his voice. She had betrayed Kunzite. She had seen Nephrite fight for Lita's affection in their last life. Lita had almost no memories of him yet their bond had triumphed. Now Mina was in a similar situation and she had done quite the opposite. Had she given up on Kunzite? Tears rolled down her cheeks, splashing onto her shoulders as she felt Nephrite's words cut through her. "Nephrite… I will always love Kunzite. I… I do love Kunzite."

"Just not enough to fight for him." Nephrite replied coldly. "I thought you were a warrior Mina. Just because someone puts a crown on you and calls you a princess doesn't change that fact. Fighting is in your blood now. You fought for the princess. You fought for your friends. You even fought for your city. And yet… yet you won't fight for the man you love?" He scoffed as he sat back onto the cot. "You know what. I hope your prince does come for you. I hope he carries you away and the two of you marry just in time to watch this world collapse like it did last time. And I hope Kunzite doesn't have to see any of it. He doesn't deserve that."

Mina stood silently for several moments as tear after tear rolled down her cheek. She didn't know what to say. There was truth to Nephrite's words that she couldn't face. Not yet. She had created a mess for herself between two men. Why had she entertained Fabian's advances? Was it truly to make things easier or was it just a way to run away from facing Kunzite's blank stares? Perhaps she was running from Kunzite. Seeing him on Earth had been crushing. His coldness had hurt her more than he knew. Was that why being with Fabian was so much easier? "Nephrite… you're right. I ran from Kunzite. I couldn't handle facing him and seeing those blank stares as if I were a stranger."

"Well now you can't do anything because you're stuck with me. You've wasted your time with Fabian when you could've been with Kunzite." Nephrite said bitterly as he crossed his arms watching her. "Wrestle with those thoughts while we rot in here."

"Fabian will come." Mina insisted though she winced at Nephrite's last words. "Then we'll both be free."

"Good then." Nephrite said. "I know where I'll be going, the question is where will you be?"

"What do you want from me Nephrite?" Mina cried as she felt a fit of rage overcome her. "You want me to sit and cry over Kunzite? You want me to weep and cry and moan like some poor helpless girl?"

"I want you to feel something Mina. You know what happens when you grow cold and discard someone?" Nephrite asked as he stood. His dark eyes caught hers in a chilling glare. "You become dark. That's how the Negaverse formed. Good people went to the darkness and harmed those they loved without feeling anything. I remember that feeling. I remember inflicting harm on Lita without even flinching. You're better than that Mina."

Mina stared at Nephrite for a long beat. She saw his dark eyes flecked with pain. This wasn't about Kunzite as much as it was about Lita. He was scared. She could see it clearly now. "We'll get out of here Nephrite. You'll see Lita again and I promise you that I will go to Kunzite and bring his memories back."

Nephrite nodded grimly. "You said that Raven had Lita."

"She did, but she escaped and came to Venus. It was a trap Nephrite. Raven thought she had you too but she didn't, she had someone else." Mina explained as she glanced through the bars at the dark, empty hallway.

"Who was it?" Nephrite asked almost in a whisper.

"Blake… Serena's old boyfriend… well… he says his name is Barrick. I prefer Blake..." Mina replied as she turned to face him. "At least the name isn't so foreign."

"Damn." Nephrite commented as he crossed his arms. "Even Beryl wasn't that messed up."

"Blake spent over two years with Serena, Nephrite. Can you imagine what he uncovered? What did he do during that time? What was his purpose? They lived together for a year and he followed her to Tokyo yet while the city fell into disarray…he never attacked. There was dozens of times he could've. He had plenty of opportunities to subdue all of us but he didn't." Mina said as her brow furrowed. This topic definitely needed more consideration. Why did Blake spend so long with Serena? What was his goal? What did he want?

"Sounds like he was after something bigger than the Silver Crystal." Nephrite remarked as he crossed his arms. "Why else would he stay with Serena for so many years?"

"But what? What is more valuable than the Silver Crystal?" Mina asked as she thought back over their last days of the twenty-first century. Queen Raven, Beryl… even Nikko all wanted the Silver Crystal and each had gone to extreme lengths to get it. What else could Blake be after?

"Information." Nephrite answered for her as he shut his eyes and rubbed his temples again. "It's the only thing worth more than that hunk of space rock."

"Information about what?" Mina inquired as she sat up.

"That's the question." Nephrite whispered back as the loud creaking of door hinges cut through the air.

Silence fell between them as the sound of footsteps approached.

Idra appeared just before the bars. Her features curved into a smug smile as she held up a ring of keys. "I hope you're ready, Princess Mina. Time to go see the boss."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"Take him and clean him up." Serenity ordered her guards.

Fabian had collapsed onto the ground, his energy spent. She watched as two guards lifted him and carried him out of the great hall.

"What now?" Amara said, cutting through the uncomfortable silence that had fallen.

Luna and Artemis shared a glance while Raye stepped forward. "We need to get Mina back. We have our transformation pens again which means we have our powers. We can do this."

"It's a trap." Amy said, shaking her head. "It's all been a trap. Every move this guy has made has been to deceive us. He's been two steps ahead the entire time."

"She's right." Michelle replied as she crossed her arms and gripped her elbows. "We can't rush to find her, that's what he wants."

"Plus we aren't ready for battle. We haven't trained together, our powers will feel foreign until we have trained more." Amara added as she shook her head.

"We just can't stand here and do nothing!" Raye protested. Her dark eyes went from Amy to Amara and Michelle. They all held the same defeated look on their faces. She felt her heart sink. Would they truly do nothing?

"No one is saying that." Amy replied as she laid a hand on her arm. "We have to get back to fighting form and come up with plan."

"We have many unanswered questions." Luna said as she looked over at her queen. "Who is this new enemy? What does he want? Where is he hiding? What is his plan? What does he want with Mina?"

Queen Serenity opened her mouth to speak but at that moment the doors of the hall opened again. Serena entered on Darien's arm, grinning from ear to ear. His lip was cut and his normally combed and styled hair was tousled but was in good spirits. He bowed to Serenity. "Queen Serenity."

"Endymion, I see you found the princess." Serenity stated as she nodded to him.

"Please, call me Darien. Endymion still sounds… foreign." He said with a sheepish smile.

"Darien?" Serenity repeated with a slight smile.

"They've come back… our memories..." Serena said as she took Darien's hand in hers. The two of them shared one glance before their lips met in a sweet kiss.

Queen Serenity visibly sighed with relief at her words. "Thank goodness. We are quickly running out of time."

"What happened to you two?" Raye asked as she noticed the blood on the back of Serena's dress.

"Nikko didn't take the news well." Darien replied as he ran a hand through his hair. "We may have destroyed all the vases in the hallway and possibly some curtains."

Serenity nodded, as if she expected the two would have gone at each other sooner or later. She sighed as she took a seat back on her throne. "Nikko is the least of our worries. Fabian just arrived at the palace with some troubling news. Mina has been taken by your ex-boyfriend, Serena."

"Ex-boyfriend?" Serena repeated, casting a quizzical look at her friends and then at Darien who looked just as stunned as she did. "Who?"

"Blake." Artemis said. "Though apparently he claims his real name is Barrick."

"Blake?" Serena said as she shook her head. "He was a lawyer! Normal. There was nothing extraordinary about him. How could he be here?"

"Apparently he wasn't too ordinary, you dated him for over two years." Raye said as she crossed her arms. "You tell us."

"He was with us in Tokyo. If he was evil he could've taken all of us out then!" Serena protested, still struggling to believe that her boyfriend, actually ex-fiancé had taken Mina.

"Um… I hate to interrupt—" Lita spoke as she stepped forward, glancing at everyone in the room. "But what is going on?"

Everyone turned to look at Lita who was standing quietly by the door. She had entered the room after Fabian, but in the hysteria had gone unnoticed. Her green eyes were wide, watching everyone's expressions in the room change from concern to surprise.

"Lita… you're safe." Queen Serenity said as she left her throne and walked towards her.

"What happened to Fabian? What are all of you talking about?" She asked, taking a cautious step back from Serenity.

"It's okay." Amy assured her as she too approached. "It's a lot to explain, but we are not your enemies Lita. We are your friends."

"Friends? I don't know any of you!" Lita protested as she took another step back, hitting the wall. "How do you expect me to trust you? Mina was my friend! She was my only friend and I watched her get dragged away by some pyscho that apparently you—" she pointed at Serena, "know very well!"

"Lita." Amara said, holding her hands out defensively as she took a cautious step forward. "No one is going to hurt you. If you want to leave, leave… but I think you should stay. We are all your friends. You may not remember that but those memories are in there somewhere. You heard Serena say she just got hers back… and Amy… she had lost hers too but she remembers now. You lost your memories because of an evil that threatens us all but like Serena and Amy, you too will get those memories back."

"How can I trust you?" Lita asked as she took a step to the side, inching towards the hall door.

"No one has harmed you here nor will they. Like Amara said, if you want to leave no one will stop you, but you won't find answers on Jupiter." Queen Serenity explained as she watched Lita carefully. "Stay and you will see."

"Please." Raye added as her dark eyes settled on Lita's.

Lita took a moment, her eyes flickering back and forth from Raye to Serenity and Amara. "I'll give you three days." She spoke as she gathered her skirts in her hands. "Then I will go home."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"What … tell me exactly what… possessed the two of you to do that! I nearly had him! A few more moments and the princess would've been free from his desires!" Nikko roared as he thrust his sword into a nearby carved wooden statue. Nikko had returned to his chambers with Rhea and Femi silently following. His rage, silent at first, had suddenly erupted.

Femi watched as his face, red and bruising from his scuffle with the Earth prince, turned sour. She had never known Nikko to show as much rage as he had the past few days, actually, since they had been revived, if she was being honest.

"Nikko, you were out of line." Rhea said simply as she shrugged her shoulders. She plopped down onto a nearby chair, pulling her feet up to rest on an adjacent stool. "Your temper has always been your weakness."

Nikko, if possible, turned even redder as his rage continued to build. He opened his mouth to reply but Femi quickly stepped before him, blocking Rhea from his sight.

"Prince Nikko… we saved you. Endymion belongs with the princess. You know this as well as we do. Spending your time fighting that losing battle will do us no good. You're better than this and smarter. We have been given an unprecedented third chance at making good and happy lives for ourselves. We would not be very good friends if we let you waste your time with someone who does not love you." Femi said as her gaze settled on Nikko's rich lavender eyes.

For the first time all morning, Nikko took a moment, breathing in sharply as his temper seemed to quell. "Well Femi… that was unnaturally harsh… even for you."

Femi shrugged as she felt Nikko's fierce gaze settle on her. "Nikko, you're our leader and prince, but you're also our friend."

"We've been by your side through the good and the bad." Rhea affirmed as she rose and crossed her arms, watching Nikko. "Forgive us if we want to skip repeating the bad."

Nikko turned from both of them and faced the window that faced the gardens. He took several moments, carefully evaluating their words. His hands were clasped behind his back as he paced back and forth, considering his next words carefully. "You don't understand… neither of you do—"

"Don't understand?" Femi scoffed as she took a step towards him. "I have lived three lives now Nikko. In each of those lives, you had your princess, at least for some time. Do you know how many times I have had Kunzite at my side?" She whispered as her voice shook, quivering as tears filled her eyes. "None…"

For the first time Nikko's harsh gaze softened as he regarded her. The hard exterior he typically upheld had cracked at her display of emotion. Could he truly be swayed to stop his ridiculous pursuit? Femi didn't dare to hope. Nikko never relented once he set his mind to something.

"Femi's right." Rhea remarked. "You're better than this Nikko. Endymion has won. Let him have this victory. There are other women out there and plenty that wouldn't mind a prince. We already have one member of our team off pursuing the impossible, we don't need a second."

"Fabian." Nikko whispered as his hands clenched into two tight fists. "I never believed he would leave until it happened… my brother has always followed me."

"Until Mina." Femi replied as she hastily wiped away her tears and plopped down on the seat Rhea had just vacated. "He's in over his head with Venus. He could use his brother's help."

Nikko's brow perked questionably as Femi cast a long look at Rhea. "What's happened?" He asked.

Rhea suddenly looked uncomfortable as she leaned back against the adjacent wall. "Word is Mina's been taken… and before you ask no, it wasn't by Raven."

"How could you know that?" Nikko asked as his expression suddenly changed. A familiar darkness crossed his features.

Femi knew that look well, it was often reserved for those that threatened him. She could see the familiar vein that snaked across his forehead bulge. His rich lavender eyes turned cold as his gaze only intensified.

Rhea, visibly more uncomfortable now, sighed in defeat. "I saw Raven … recently." She put her hands on her hips as she continued, carefully avoiding Femi and Nikko's gaze. "She wants me to keep working for her. The only reason I even considered it because of Idra. She's here somewhere and Raven promised to help me find her. She has more resources as a queen than I do as a Shadow Warrior."

"You are a fool." Nikko commented. "Raven would no sooner help you than she would Princess Serena. She's using you. She doesn't know where Idra is."

"Wait…" Femi whispered as she jumped up. "I… I saw Idra…."

"Where?" Nikko and Rhea asked simultaneously.

"On Mars." Femi said as she remembered. She had seen a woman with Idra's blond tresses, speaking to someone in the woods. No. Not someone. Fabian. Even from behind, Femi knew the prince. His broad shoulders and long dark hair were unmistakable. "I never saw her face but I know it was her. I don't know why I didn't think of it before. I mean, I had no reason to think it was her… why would she be there? How could she have been resurrected again?"

"What was she doing there?" Nikko asked as he cast Rhea an intensive glare.

Rhea's features paled as her mouth gaped, searching for words that she could not speak. Before she even got a chance to talk the door of Nikko's chamber flew open.

Fabian, his clothes tattered and filthy, ran into the room. He went straight to his brother who took a cautious step back. Fabian was almost unrecognizable. His features were gaunt and pale. His eyes were bloodshot and rimmed with red. His long hair was a mess of tangles, partially falling from the tie that held it back.

"Brother—" Fabian said as he fell to his knees. His strong shoulders shook with silent sobs as he looked up at his brother. "They took her…. They took her right in front of me."

"Mina?" Nikko asked as he stared at his brother.

Femi and Rhea gasped as Fabian nodded.

Nikko went to his knees, grabbing his brother's shoulders as Fabian's eyes settled on his.

"Nikko… I need your help. I have to get her back." Fabian pleaded. His voice quivered as he spoke. He was desperate. Whatever enemy took Mina was certainly strong enough that Fabian couldn't defeat them on his own. Why else would be here but to ask for his brother's help?

"Where is she Fabian?" Nikko asked as Rhea and Femi drew closer.

"You were always the strong one." Fabian continued as if he didn't hear him. "I thought I was strong too … but I wasn't… I… I wasn't fast enough. I watched that bastard pull her through the portal and I couldn't—" his voice cracked again as silence fell over the room.

"Fabian, focus." Nikko said as he shook his brother's shoulders. His voice had become gentle, soothing even. "Who took her?"

"Barrick." Fabian answered as his emerald eyes lifted to meet his brother's. "Our brother."