As she thrust her hand up into the air, Minako felt the familiar warm energy of her transformation wrap around her. She breathed a sigh of relief. As much as I wish there was no need to transform into Sailor Venus, it just doesn't feel right to not be able to.

Rei followed suit and transformed into Sailor Mars. "So you're able to transform again. What was different this time?"

"I don't know…" Minako responded honestly. I still don't know how she stole my powers to begin with. "It must have something to do with Kagami, though."

"Over there!" Rei pointed to a small jewelry shop across the street. "There's a big commotion going on, we should check it out."

Minako noticed that people were running out of the shop, and could hear that glass was being broken and smashed inside. As they got closer she could see Kagami's blonde hair flowing wildly, tears streaming down her face.

"He's gone!" she screamed while knocking down displays and breaking the glass cases. A energy seemed to be flowing from her body, letting out a golden light and smashing any glass that Kagami hadn't already broken herself.

"Everyone get out of here!" Rei spoke authoritatively from the doorway. "Don't worry, we'll handle this. Just head somewhere safe."

Rei stayed at the front, helping out the last few customers and employees who had remained inside, too frightened to move. Meanwhile, Minako headed directly to where Kagami stood, just staring at all the destruction that surrounded her, with nothing left to break.

"What's going on here?" Minako asked, trying to sound strong but also kind. I don't know what side of her to expect right now… Are we still enemies? Will my being here only make things worse?

"You killed him… I'm sure of it…" Kagami spoke between breaths, practically hyperventilating. "He told me that he was going to confront you. He left his ring with the letter… just in case he didn't come back. And he didn't…"

"Kagami, I didn't kill Cupid," Minako said calmly. "I promise you that."

"You think I'm just going to believe you?" Her eyes flickered from side to side, unable to focus. She fell to the ground, rocking her knees. "But then… I thought I saw him today. No, no. That can't be…"

"Is that what started this today? You saw Cupid, and then..." Minako glanced at the floor around her. Rings. All of the jewelry here are rings. She said that Cupid left her a ring. Could she have been trying to find it here? Or destroy every memory she has?

With everyone else out of the store, Rei cautiously made her way over to Minako and Kagami. "It seems that of all times, now your true powers are awakening," she said, looking at Kagami. "But you're so distraught, and you don't know how to control them… so you're causing all this destruction."

"Rei," Minako whispered. "Can you do something for her?"

She nodded. "Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen." Rei chanted, placing an ofuda on Kagami's arm. "That should hold in your power for a little while."

"But it still hurts," Kagami spoke hoarsely, cradling her head in her hands. "Why are you helping me anyway? Why do you care?"

….

Adonis paced back and forth, feeling uncomfortable being in Shinzo's apartment, his charge resting on the sofa near the door. "Where were you before you came here?" he asked suddenly, deciding that if he were not going to be with Minako he could at least help her by gaining information.

Shinzo rubbed his temples, clearly in pain. "I don't usually stay in one place for long. I've been moving around different areas of Tokyo. I don't really have any family, my father left me and my mother a long time ago, and then she got sick… I guess you could say I've been looking for a place where I belonged."

"And what drew you to this area?" Adonis asked, handing Shinzo a glass of cold water.

"Thank you," he said, taking the water. "I can't say. I just had this feeling that I was getting closer to where I belonged. And then I met you and Minako, and things started to click."

Adonis nodded. "I understand how you feel. I've been through similar experiences myself."

Shinzo started to laugh. "You're kidding, right? Don't think I don't remember you, because I do. You were an idol a few years back. Real popular with the ladies. Especially Sailor V…" His voice trailed off as he started to make the connections. He looked down at the glass of water he held in his hands, not sure how to react.

"That's right. I'm not proud of those days," Adonis sighed. "I did many things that I wish I hadn't. Made some terrible choices, and hurt the people closest to me. Including her…"

"She's Sailor V, isn't she?" Shinzo said, breaking the silence. "Yes, she must be. She looks like her—the Princess of Venus."

"So you do remember the past?"

"Fragments keep coming to me. But I'm scared. I can tell there is something that I don't want to remember," he shook his head. "I think I did something horrible."

"Many of us did bad things, we were under the control of a dark force. But that doesn't have to define who you are now," Adonis responded. "Still, it is a part of you, and worth remembering."

"All that keeps going through my head is the image of this girl. Oh, but I can't!" he suddenly seemed very pale. "I just know I did something awful to her."

…

Minako looked up at Rei, and then over at Kagami. "We don't want to be your enemies. We want to be your friends."

"No. The things you did back then…" Kagami cried, thrusting her fists at Minako so weakly that they didn't even hurt.

Minako let Kagami punch her until she couldn't go on anymore. She's tired, I can tell. She wants to let out her frustration, but she's lost. Her punches have no force behind them, no purpose. "What's past is past. We've all done things we aren't proud of. But we need to move forward."

"I've been angry for so long…" Kagami said softly, tears welling up in her eyes. "I thought I was sure about things, but now I just don't know. I look at you, and I think I can trust you. Do you promise to tell me the truth?"

"Anything you ask, I'll answer as honestly as I can," Minako smiled warmly.

"What happened back then? What was I so blind that I couldn't see? Who deceived me—you, or him?" Her eyes burned.

If I tell her, I worry that she'll only direct her revenge at him. What can I say that will make her understand that those who are at fault were defeated long ago?