Third Time's the Charm

By Bashfulglowfly

Chapter Two

Juuban Second General Hospital wasn't that far from the arcade, so the group decided to walk there. Actually, it was Zoicite's suggestion since they "need to wrap their heads around the situation."

"By the way, my name in this time is Sakurazuka Soichiro." He said as they walked out of the arcade, quietly tucking Ami's hand into the crook of his elbow. She blushed but didn't try to remove her hand.

"Isn't that the name of the guy in Tokyo Babylon and X?" asked manga junkie Minako.

Zoicite laughed. "Last name, yes. First name, no. He's Seishiro. Most everyone calls me 'Soi' or 'Zoi' depending on who it is."

They continued to walk as Zoicite told them the names that the other Shitennou were known as. "Kazuya is an architect. Neph just started working for the Space Program. Jade just started his first year of Law School. And I'm in my final year at Keio."

The girls gave murmurs of appreciation at the name of the prestigious university. Mamoru raised an eyebrow at Zoicite. "How do you like it there?"

"It's great! It's been really challenging." Zoicite looked over his shoulder at his prince. "I take it you're interested in going?" At Mamoru's nod, he smiled. "Good. You'll like it there. I'll help you study for the entrance exams when you're ready. Actually, we all will, since we've all gone there."

"You seem so different."

Zoicite looked down at Ami, startled by the non sequitur. "What do you mean?"

Ami swallowed. "I mean, you aren't like what you were…before. When you tried to attack us and kill us."

Zoicite bit his lip but placed his hand over Ami's. "You don't have any reason to believe me. After all, I've just shown up out of the blue…but that wasn't me. I swear on my honor to you. Those…things…that attacked you; the things that were under Beryl's command, were not us. Those were…" He sighed. "Those were our bodies…from the Silver Millennium. But what was…inside…the 'soul' as it were…that was Beryl's youma. She stuck them in there after she killed us."

"I don't believe you!" snarled Rei.

Zoicite shrugged. "I know." Rei was shocked at his calm demeanor. "You don't have any reason to believe me. But it is true. I can't show you. Neither can any of the others. But, when we awaken Usagi, she can show you. When she's better, though. There's no way that Kazuya will allow her to do something that will require that much energy when she's in the shape she's in now."

They had arrived at the hospital. Zoicite stopped several feet away from the doors and turned to face everyone. "She's on the seventh floor. She's not allowed to have so many people in her room, so we're going to have to use magic to hide our presence. So, when we get close to the seventh floor, I'll cast a spell that will make us invisible. So stay close and stay quiet!"

The group managed to get into an elevator without anyone in it. Zoicite cast a spell to make sure that they'd remain the only ones in it. He watched carefully as the floor numbers rose. "Get ready!" and he cast the spell to make them invisible. As a group, they quickly and quietly made their way to a room that was at the end of hall. The door opened just before they reached it. They moved quickly and once they were all inside, it shut behind them.

As Zoicite released the spell, they looked around. At the door was Jadeite who looked at Rei and winked. He just laughed when she glared back. Sitting in a chair was Nephrite who stared at Makoto like she was a goddess and he was her most ardent worshipper. Standing between two hospital beds was Kunzite, his cool gray eyes revealing nothing as he looked Minako straight in the eye. In the bed on the left was a boy about 11 years old, his sandy blond hair limp from the hospital stay. But his eyes were bright as he also looked at the girls.

But what made the girls and Mamoru gasp was the person in the bed on the right. Her long blond hair was neatly braided and reached to her knees. But her face was sunken and gray. Each of her arms had an IV in them. Amy walked to the end of the bed and picked up the chart resting there and Mamoru looked over her shoulder as they read it. Mamoru cursed under his breath as he read the notes. Ami wiped a tear from her eye.

"It's bad, isn't it." Stated Minako.

"Yes. If something doesn't happen soon, her organs will start to shut down." Whispered Ami.

"NO!" Makoto stepped forward, fists clenched. "NO! I won't allow that to happen!" She looked straight at Kunzite. "What do we need to do?"

Nephrite stood up. "First, we have to make sure that no one comes in while we're doing this. Or hears us for that matter." He carefully wove the two spells together, one of silence and one to keep people away. He released them and they settled across the four walls as if they had always been there.

"That's cool!" said the boy in the other bed.

Nephrite turned to the boy in surprise. "Shingo, you saw that?"

"Yeah." Shingo looked up at Kunzite. "Wasn't I supposed to?"

Kunzite reached out and ruffled Shingo's hair. "It's okay, sport. We just didn't think that you could see magic. You aren't going to be able to help us on this part, though. You'll just have to watch."

"What if you get into trouble?" Shingo smiled at the surprised looks. "I've read stories about magic users. Sometimes when they're doing things like you're planning, they need someone there to make sure they don't get into trouble. You know, like shaking them or something."

Jadeite nodded. "He's got a point. Serenity's pretty powerful. Perhaps more powerful than all of us. She might not like it that we are trying to bring her back."

Zoicite looked at Shingo. "Then you're the back-up! Do your best." He looked at the girls and Mamoru. "You aren't going to be able to this in those forms. You'll have to transform."

The girls looked at each other. They knew that their transformations left them nude for a period of time and were more than a bit uncomfortable with the idea of the six males seeing them like that.

Jadeite was the first to catch on. He bopped Shingo lightly on the head. "Close your eyes, brat. If you open them before I tell you to, I'll make you sorry." He pointed at one of the walls. "We'll stand facing that wall while you transform." And he put action to words with the other men following suit.

"VENUS POWER MAKE UP!"

"MERCURY POWER MAKE UP!"

"JUPITER POWER MAKE UP!"

"MARS POWER MAKE UP!"

As the power from their transformations faded, the girls turned and saw that the men had transformed as well. The four Shitennou were wearing navy blue tunics with black pants and boots. Mamoru had not transformed into his usual guise of Tuxedo Mask but was Prince Endymion. He shrugged at their shocked looks. "It just ended up this way. I don't have a clue as to why."

Kunzite cleared his throat to get their attention. "We're going to have to be connected to Serenity. So to do that we'll have to hold hands with each other and with her."

"She doesn't have that many hands." Said Jupiter.

Nephrite laughed. "It'll have to be boy, girl, etc." He gestured to Endymion. "You take her right hand, Dymion. Mercury, you take his free hand." And so it went: Serenity on the bed, Endymion, Mercury, Zoicite, Jupiter, Nephrite, Mars, Jadeite, Venus, and Kunzite holding Serenity's other hand. Nephrite looked at the group. "We'll be met by a guide when we get there. Ready?" At everyone's affirmative, he cast a spell and a white light surrounded the Senshi and Shitennou.