In the Stars

Nephrite

A/N: I should stop getting sick. And I should stop being dizzy when I'm sick. And I should learn to write well when I'm sick. First day back at school! Last semester of my senior year! :O But other than that-please enjoy!

. . .

The stars never lie.

They may hide things and create mischief but they don't lied. I don't think they're capable of it, to be honest. All the truths in the cosmos can be determined by studying the stars. It's why I cannot fight Endymion's relationship with the crown heir to the Moon Kingdom's throne, our one apparent enemy, Princess Serenity. They're two people so tightly bound by the red string of fate that death can have little effect on their bond.

I envy them. Both are heirs to competing thrones and at least on our side war seems to be brimming at every moment. One wrong move on the Moon Kingdom's side and the soldiers will be called out without hesitation. But neither of them remember the threat when they are together. They say ignorance is bliss-yet I think it's more. Two years ago I would have never considered going to war with the Moon Kingdom.

But a traveling seer got it into the mind of our priestess-in-training that there was a sort of impending doom if the Moon Kingdom continued its reign. The secret was in the power of a mysterious gem. There was a shadow cast over their royalty, she said. And a shadow is the universal sign of evil. Even I know that.

Yet the only shadow I detect is the shadow cast over our own kingdom.

"See anything interesting, Nephrite?"

Hiding my surprise as Endymion waltzes into the observatory I turn to the sound of his voice. "Only you."

He arches a single dark eyebrow, his blue eyes glittering with amusement as he crosses the room and throws an arm over my shoulder. "I didn't know you thought of me in that way. I'm afraid I'm already taken."

His laugh is contagious and I allow my court face to falter and a smile to cross across my lips. For him to be able to joke at such a time must be a valuable gift. "Only your kingdom. Is that better?"

"I hope you're not going to say what I think you are going to say." My prince's voice drops dangerously low-the same tone when Kunzite or Jadeite try to talk him out of his relationship. A voice I have gotten far too used to for my taste. "You four need a new source of entertainment. Perhaps you may also find women to love?"

I flinch at the coldness of his words. If only he knew. The night where I met the girl with shocking green eyes. But they would much rather die for her princess than look in my direction. She's the guardian of lightening and thunder but there will never be a chance for me to get close to her. I don't have the luxury of falling in love. Trying to redirect the conversation, I shake my head slowly. "It's not that. I have a new insight."

"Insight?"

Endymion watches me with close eyes. And it takes everything in my being not to choke out everything about what I've been seeing in the stars. But I know enough about working since I was thirteen on the court never to reveal all of my eggs at once.

Besides. This only has the possibility of working. If it doesn't there will be blood spilled and I don't quite have a concept on whose it would be. If it does though... there would be no reason not to believe in love. My prince may be able to live at peace with his princess and kingdoms will unite in a ceremony of pure, dazzling white. And maybe then may I have a chance at love. Maybe then would everybody have the chance at love.

"The evil we're trying to fight resides in our own court."

"You say believe in love and ruin yourself? Okay- Bring it on!"

Her challenge rings numbly in my ears and I can't help but think of the prince of my past. Almost every word was a lecture about why we should believe it love. I think he learned it from the innocent being of his princess. Yet this challenge makes me cringe. Obviously my past ended up in failure. Love did not win.

Before I can realize what's happening the girl with the green eyes is surrounded with light, and a blinding one at that. As it settles a pit grows at the bottom of my stomach. Another senshi? Do they just befriend each other by accident or something?

I pull energy to my fingertips and wait for the perfect opportunity. Looking to the stars, I count down, ignoring the sound of her intro speech. It's all the same to me. Four girls who waste their time trying to protect love. But anxiety flares in my gut.

The stars are being shrouded by clouds, one by one. It's almost as if I was blind. I can't see the outcome of this battle.

"Flower hurricane!"

And in an instant I look back to the girl in time to see flowers surrounding me in every which direction. Not the dark ones of my evil bride-but bright pink ones of poetic romance. A lasting romance that defies the boundaries of the gods.

That's when it all clicks into place. Sailor Moon, the princess with the world in her eyes as she fell harder and harder in love with Endymion. Mercury and Mars, two of her guardians. The girl in front of me...

The girl with the shocking green eyes.

Is this supposed to be the second chance?

Have the stars hid this from me?

Most importantly-

Is this what Beryl has been hiding from us?

. . .

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Until Next Time!