FIVE

Endymion did not know what he expected when he set out on this mission or what Jadeite would lead him into when he asked for his help. He however did not expect the man to be so peppy when he finally showed up, almost ten minutes later than the three Endymion had graciously given him or to clop him in a hug that threatened to close his esophagus when he explained his interest. Endymion figured that was part of the peppiness that Rei had given him and some of that was rubbing off onto him. Either way, Endymion's guard was now up, prepared to ward hi m off if he were to try it again.

What Endymion truly never thought of in a million years however, was where Jadeite decided to take him.

He followed his general for a long time, until at last they ended up where he had least expected to go. Not because he never would have thought of it in a million years, which was true. Not because it was hidden in an area he would never have stumbled across, in fact, it was a surprise he hadn't many times before this, that everyone didn't know about it already.

No, where his blond general lead him was someplace entirely too familiar. It was his bedroom. How Jadeite had found this, maybe constituted as a somewhat mystery, but he didn't put it pass his friend to do something like this. But where they stopped in his room was in front of a mirror that had recently been moved there from the entrance. Just because he thought it was interesting. Endymion had seen the ornate mirror many times and he'd always stopped and stared at its reflection. Not because of what he saw reflected back, but because it was hard to look away. Inevitably he always would. Then he would forget he'd done it, unless someone pointed it out to him, and then he'd forget again.

What prompted him to move the mirror to his room now after all the years he stumbled passed it, was actually the mirror frame itself. The unique ornateness had finally caught his attention. He was able to do something with the mirror other than stare into it.

Something Jadeite was doing right now. "Jadeite."

The blond whipped his attention away from his reflection and smiled sheepishly at Endymion. "Sorry, but it sings too sweetly to ignore."

"It sings?" Endymion lifted a black brow.

"You don't hear it? It's sweetly sung, but its haunting and melancholy." Jadeite looked at Endymion for a long time, and glanced towards the mirror again. Endymion's gaze did not follow. "I am surprised that you are not drawn to it like the others. Especially if you cannot hear it, and are in such close quarters with it all the time." Jadeite frowned deeper. "I was always waiting for you to be the one to change the tune... Perhaps I was wrong to wait."

"Like you said, I am different, I am not drawn to the reflection, nor to this song you speak of. It is safest with me."

"No, it was best where it was, someplace where everyone could see it and reflect and acknowledge its existence. Even if they did forget again." Jadeite reached out a hand towards the frame and Endymion visibly reacted and Jadeite froze. "I wasn't going to harm it."

"I know, it's just so... delicate looking."

"That's the curse of it all, delicacy."

"Would you stop speaking in riddles? My grandfather does that enough as it is."

Jadeite looked abashed. "Of course, I was speaking with him earlier today as well and it's contagious. I will stop now." He hesitated only a fraction of a second before he took a deep breath, perhaps only rearranging the way he spoke, but his words denied that assessment. "As you know, I am partly telepathic."

Endymion had a small nod, he knew it and wanted Jadeite to continue on. "I suppose that is what allows me to hear the song. Rei mentioned it once to me, and it unlocked what I had been blocking. I don't know who unlocked her block, if she ever had one. I hoped when I told you that, you would be able to hear it too, I guess now."

"I'm not telepathic, and Rei is completely able to control that function of her ability."

Jadeite licked his lips, not realizing Endymion knew so much about everyone around him, including his wife. It gave him a moment's pause. He could entrust almost anything to Endymion, but he already knew that. "I don't know the words it sings, just the feel. Rei said there were no words really, at least nothing that she could translate. It is in a tongue she does not speak and cannot repeat the words she has heard for anyone else to translate. It just slips out of her fingers the moment she walks away, but with the two of us, we at least remember the sounds."

"Why haven't you mentioned this before? How did you even get passed the guards to talk to the grandfather? Only family is allowed down there."

"I am Jadeite, I get anywhere I want, remember? As for the mirror, I don't know. It's not like I couldn't tell you, Rei told me, but it was more I shouldn't tell you. It would be better if you never knew of it, rather than being drawn in and always remembering like we do, and there's nothing we can do to change it."

"I don't hear the music, but I don't get drawn into the mirror's reflection either, anymore."

"I don't know what to tell you, this is the only thing that I can think of that could possibly fit what you have described. Perhaps your grandfather has pointed out the wrong thing, or is wrong."

"I have a feeling, he's the only one that would know the truth. If he hasn't forgotten it."

"I think there are a few things he will never forget, be unable to forget." Jadeite mentioned casually, not knowing the grandfather as well as Endymion. But no one really knew the grandfather that well, except perhaps Endymion's father, but he would not be one to ask for advice again on this matter.

Endymion slowly tilted his head in agreement. "So what do you think I should do to get this thing to do what it does?"

"I don't know. I have tried poking around on it before, but I had no results. But I have a feeling, that if you are going to be the one to go, you'll have to be the one to figure it out." Jadeite smiled cryptically. "You have to do some work, Prince, not everything is handed to you on a silver platter out of convenience. Besides, who knows, perhaps you aren't the one that gets to go. It would definitely make that head of yours a more decent size."

"Just get out of here." Endymion growled playfully. "Before I throw you in jail for keeping this from the crown and bedding your wife out of spite."

"You wouldn't!" Jadeite gasped in mock horror. "Not jail!"

"Oh, get out of here!"

Jadeite did as his liege commanded, but not before one more quip and a haughty bow and quick retreat and Endymion turned to contemplate the mirror that might just be the answer he needed to go to the moon.

It would be too much to ask for this to be the portal, the gateway for him to do so. He reached out a hand to touch the fine details in the frame, and he could feel something happening as it got closer.

EAN: OH! Cliff-hanger! Hehe... as for the delay to this and every other story I have out there, sorry! I was busy and unmotivated to type or think really recently, but I finally made myself do it.