AN: Actually, a note from a few chapters ago- my sister, faecallie, helped write the interview scene and frequently chips in when I'm stuck at various scenes. So points to her.

Disclaimer: There is no change in the status of ownership.

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"Zoisite?" Mars repeated with a snarl, whipping around to look at the young man. "I hope you're sure, because I'll be glad to get rid of him."

"No!" Sailor Moon shouted, grabbing Mars' arm. "Leave him be. He's already hurting."

Venus studied him. "He looks like Zoisite, certainly, but that's no guarantee. Are you sure, Ami-chan?"

"Saw him change," she hissed as Tuxedo Kamen carefully began to draw the fragments of her shattered hip together. "Changed back after the attack. Too wounded."

Zane slowly opened his eyes. "I would rather you did not kill me."

Jupiter kindly helped him to his feet after checking for injuries. Other than the upset to his stomach, he didn't appear to suffer more than bruises. "Are you okay?"

"Well enough."

"Who are you?" Tuxedo Kamen asked. He could see Zoisite in the other man, but as Venus said, that didn't make it true. "Are you Zoisite?"

Bottle green eyes slid over him. "…Yes. I suppose I am."

Mars growled, flames collecting at her fingertips. "Traitor!"

Again, Sailor Moon pulled her back. "That… is… enough. Stand down, Mars. That's an order."

The fiery Senshi subsided, but her gaze remained fixed on Zane. He returned it without rancor.

"I'm sorry for her behavior," she began. "She doesn't trust easily."

"No apologies are necessary. Her distrust is easily understood."

"I called Kunzite," Venus murmured to Sailor Moon. "He should be here soon."

"Help me up," Ami demanded.

Tuxedo Kamen carefully eased her to her feet. "Be gentle. The bones are still delicate."

"He tried to protect me. He tried to stop the Daimon even before he changed to Zoisite. He didn't know."

"Didn't know?" Sailor Moon repeated.

Ami shook her head. "He told me. He has no memory at all for a year, ending just a few months ago."

"A few months ago," Jupiter realized, "Sailor Moon wished us normal lives."

"So her wish encompassed all of us," Venus nodded. "Senshi and Shitennou alike. The others are alive too."

Kunzite appeared without a sound. "Zoisite. Where- Zoisite."

"My name is Yukimura Zane," he said uncertainly. "Zane, not Zoisite. Zane. My name is Zane."

Sailor Moon's eyes widened in the face of his brewing panic. "We should give him space. Ami-chan, please talk to him?"

She all but shoved the others away, even Kunzite, though the leader of the Shitennou watched closely until he was out of view. Zane sank to the ground, head in his hands.

"Zane," he whispered to himself. "My name is Zane. Zoisite is dead."

Ami knelt next to him, taking care with her injured side. "Yukimura-san."

"Mercury- Mizuno-san. I am not Zoisite. I am Zane. You called me Zane."

"You're Zane. You're just Zoisite too."

"No! I do not want that. I want to be Zane. I want to be a- a college student. An intern. I am human. I have human parents, a human life. I am Zane!"

"And I am Ami," she murmured. "It doesn't mean that I am not also Mercury. Zoisite is part of you."

"And Kunzite… no, no. It did not happen. I was in the hospital. I was very ill. None of it happened."

"Zane." He looked up at her. "It did happen. The Dark Kingdom happened. They hurt you so badly. You're free now. They won't touch you again."

"You do not understand." Zane leapt to his feet, back to her. "That is what I know of that year. Pain. So much constant pain. Now this? These memories that are not mine? I am not that person. If that is Zoisite, I am not him."

Memories broke over them like waves. Pluto's binding on Ami's mind dissolved, freeing her recollections of her life in the Silver Millennium, and of the Zoisite that had been her friend.

"Zoisite was not only a villain," she began. "First, he was just a young man. Almost a boy. A bright, exuberant, brilliant man with a smile that could light a room. He was my partner, both my teacher and my student. Later he was the man I loved. The Zoisite you are remembering is a broken Zoisite. You are remembering a Zoisite that was destroyed by a witch."

Zane inhaled sharply. "I do not want to be Zoisite."

"You're frightened."

For a moment, pride tempted him to deny it, but good sense shoved it aside. "Yes," he admitted.

"Can't you be both?"

The young man shook his head, and his laugh was derisive. "How can I be one knowing of the other? I do not know how to reconcile these people in my mind. I do not know how to be a soldier. Surely you can understand."

"You have to try, or it will drive you mad."

Zane froze. "You knew. How could you not? You realized that- that Zoisite was in me. There is no way you might not have known."

"I knew," Ami admitted. "At least, I suspected. There is so much the same."

Now his laughter was desperate. "The same? I cannot be the same as that monster!"

"Zoisite is no monster. You are no monster. You are Zoisite, just as much as you are Yukimura Zane."

He fell silent. She could see him withdrawing into an icy mantle none too dissimilar from her own. "We should leave. It will not be long before the police arrive."

"Where will you go?"

"I will return home."

She grasped his arm. "You shouldn't be alone."

"I am alone."

"Not any more," Ami said fiercely. "Zane or Zoisite, you're my friend. I wouldn't leave a friend alone in this situation."

"Friend?" he repeated distantly.

"Zane." She heard hurried footsteps approaching. "They're already here. We have to leave now. Is there another way out of this section of the park?"

He shook his head. "Just the path."

"Then you'll have to teleport. Can you do that?"

"No. Yes," he admitted on a sigh.

"You'll have to become Zoisite," she urged.

His appearance changed in a ripple, though once it was done he shuddered in revulsion. "I do not- I cannot-"

"Zane. Trust me."

Zoisite's eyes slammed shut as his arms went around her waist. They vanished moments before the first police officer came into view.

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"Then you don't know how he must feel," Mamoru growled, incensed.

Rei stood, hands fisted at her hips. "How he feels? What about how we feel? He's a rotten traitor that would have killed all of us! Have you forgotten what he did?"

"I don't forget," he snapped. "I doubt he does either. You don't know what it did to him."

Her laugh was more a shriek. "If he is so good and righteous, why join them?"

"Join them?" Usagi repeated.

"Rei, calm down," Makoto chided.

"Zoisite did not 'join them', as you say, of his own accord, Lady Mars." Kunzite's voice was ice. "Nor did I, or the others. You might do well not to forget that we are not the only ones that Beryl took."

"Oh, I remember." Her glare would have set Mamoru on fire. "The men in this group do seem to run to treachery, don't they?"

"Rei!" Usagi gasped. "That's enough!"

"Enough? Enough, when someone that would have killed you is now alone with one of our friends? Enough, knowing that they're out there, perfectly capable of betraying us again?"

Minako frowned. "They wouldn't. Beryl destroyed them. It wasn't any failing of theirs that made it possible."

"If it happened once- twice, really- why couldn't it happen again?"

"Would you cry me a traitor?" Kunzite questioned. "I have stood at your side in battle. I have guarded your princess when you could not. I have helped in whatever way was within my power. I am your ally, and I had begun to believe you had accepted me. Was I wrong?"

The severity of his tone momentarily threw her off balance. "I-"

"I said enough. Rei, sit down and listen to me."

Reluctantly, the miko sank onto a cushion.

The team had relocated to Kunzite's house. The general stood near the door, face revealing nothing even moments after his sharp words. The girls were seated around the table while Mamoru paced the opposite wall. Every few moments, he glanced at the communicator on his wrist, wishing Ami might call with news.

"Zoisite is already frightened. You don't need to add to it." Rei hissed, but Usagi held up her hands. "I told you to listen. He's a boy, Rei. A boy that just learned of a past he can scarcely comprehend. Your accusations will only hurt him worse."

Makoto spoke up before Rei could spit more venom. "What does Zoisite's being alive mean? Will he be joining us?"

Mamoru finally rejoined the conversation. "It's his decision to make. I won't ask him to. Knowing he's alive is enough. I think Kunzite will agree with me."

The Shitennou nodded. "I believe the strain of memories will make it unlikely for at least the time being. After that, it is difficult to say. I do not know how Zoisite's human mind will react to these revelations."

"Ami-chan trusted him and knew he was Zoisite," Minako commented.

"Yes. It occurs to me that she has known since the day of the interview. She spoke to me of Zoisite, saying that an employee at the television station reminded her of him, but she did not indicate a belief that they were the same."

"Then why trust him?" Makoto asked.

"It's not in Ami-chan's nature to hold a grudge," Usagi said. "If he didn't seem dangerous, she would see no reason to consider him an enemy."

"Her ability to reason has put you to shame," Mamoru told Rei.

The priestess flushed. "She's too trusting! He could fool her into thinking he was a friend. Now that he's alone with her, how do we know he hasn't hurt her?"

Usagi got to her feet. "Come with me, Rei-chan."

The girls walked to the same patio that Usagi had visited with Kunzite previously.

"What's wrong? Really?"

Rei knew to lie would be pointless. "I've had visions of destruction. The world comes apart around me, and I see all of you die. I don't want that to happen because I wasn't paying attention. The timing of his return is suspicious, don't you see? After all, the last time our world was destroyed was because of them. It is suspicious."

"Do you really think so? If the danger ahead is so real, additional allies would be a blessing. The Shitennou can be our allies." Usagi studied her best friend's face. "I've never expected you to follow me blindly or to accept my decisions without argument, but I don't want you to harass him. If you have to suspect him, at least keep it quiet until you have a real reason. He's suffering enough."

"I didn't mean to upset you or Mamoru-san."

"I know. I'm glad you're trying to look out for us. Just… give him a chance."

The miko sighed. "I can try, but I don't know that I can forgive him so easily."

"Who said it would be easy?"

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Zoisite stumbled as they arrived in his apartment. "I do not- how do I-?"

"How do you undo the change?" Ami asked. He nodded. "Concentrate. Picture yourself in your human form. Make an image of precisely how you looked today, how you were dressed. Hold it together in your mind as you release your magic."

The youngest Shitennou closed his eyes and carefully regulated his breathing. On the third exhalation, a delicate shimmer swept across him and left plain Yukimura Zane.

"Thank you."

"Are you all right?"

"I need some time to consider everything. Will you… stay here? I may… have questions… about this." The pauses in his words were heavy, but it was clear he was speaking sincerely. "I am not sure how to handle this alone."

Ami managed a reassuring smile, shocked though she was by the day's events, and still in some pain from the attack. "That's fine. I'll just work on some homework. Would you mind if I called the others and let them know we're all right?"

"I- I do not know how to be part of your team."

"Yukimura-san, we would never ask you to fight unless you were sure you could handle it. None of us wants to hurt you."

"Sailor Mars might disagree with you." Zane shook his head. "I am sorry; I do not mean to speak ill of your friends. Contact them if you wish. There is a phone in the kitchen. Feel free to explore as well. I will be in my room."

He turned to leave the room, but she called after him. "Yukimura-san?"

"Yes?"

"Just remember… you're not alone."

He inclined his head slightly, a motion that abruptly reminded her of Kunzite, and his assertion that the two men had been very close. "I appreciate it."

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The phone rang, and Kunzite answered it automatically. "Takeda residence."

"It's Ami. Is Usagi-chan still there?"

He extended the phone to their princess. "It is Ami-sama."

The blonde grabbed it at once. "Ami-chan? How are you? How is he? Are your injuries hurting you?"

On the other end of the line, the Senshi of Knowledge laughed slightly. "My injuries are fine. I'm fine. Zane- Zoisite- is in his room attempting to understand everything that happened today."

Usagi covered the mouthpiece of the phone and glanced at Kunzite. "His name is Zane." She turned her attention back to the call. "Anything else?"

Ami sighed. "He isn't accepting this well. Before we left the park, he was having a minor panic attack. I managed to talk him through it, and we returned to his apartment. He asked me to stay until he was ready to talk."

"Kunzite says you knew."

"Well…" she hesitated. "Yes. I had suspected, at least. Shortly before the attack he told me enough that I thought I could be certain. The Daimon was after both of us. The notebook, the one it was made from? It was his. He writes music."

"He writes music?" Usagi repeated.

"His name is Yukimura Zane. He is, at a guess, 16 or 17 years old. He graduated high school two years ago. He intends to enroll at Tokyo University next fall." A thought occurred to her, and she giggled. "He idolizes Takeda Keiji for the work he's accomplished since he returned."

"Does he?" Her blue eyes sparkled. "Some things never change. Do you like him?"

The question shocked Ami. "…I trust him," she offered finally. "I consider him a friend."

Usagi shrugged. "Good enough for me. Be careful of those injuries, and keep us posted, okay?"

"I will."

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Ami broke the connection and set the receiver back on its base. She glanced around.

Zane's apartment, like Mamoru's, or Kunzite's house, was far neater than most bachelors' homes. Everything was perfectly cleaned and organized. There was an appointment calendar hung on his fridge, meticulously labeled with names, times, and locations. Rather than the standard fare of junk, his fridge was stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, and in the place of sugary drinks there was fruit juice and water.

She almost thought she was in her own kitchen..

Idly, she trailed through the other rooms. In one, an unusually large and open room set at the corner of the building and ringed with windows, a baby grand piano was the dominant piece. Music was shelved along one wall. There was one small desk as well, and it was here that Ami chose to set to her homework.

The first order of business was clearly mathematics- a test was scheduled in three days and she was behind schedule. Selecting the appropriate book and her notes, she set to work at once. She needed to spend at least three hours today to catch up.

So she carefully read the sections and worked through each problem, taking the time to be sure of the steps and to avoid any potential mistakes. Once she was certain each question had been done flawlessly, she opened her notebook and began to read the pages, taking note of the teacher's suggestions to simplify the process. She nodded, mentally applying them to her work; they were certainly effective, but she thought it best to use the most thorough method first. Satisfied, she set it aside. And realized someone else was in the room.

Zane was standing in front of the bank of windows, staring out across the city. The sun had long since set, leaving any area of the room not illuminated by the table lamp in darkness. He was little more than a silhouette.

"I did not mean to disturb you."

She shook her head, even though he had his back to her. "You didn't. I had just finished, truthfully."

His head turned just enough to see her. "Was it anything difficult?"

"No," Ami answered. "I only take my time to be sure of my work. After all, if I do not have a complete understanding of the assignment, I would be very little help to my friends, and the high school entrance exams are approaching."

"That is very studious of you."

"Yukimura-san…"

"Zane. Please. You have called me such already, so it seems pointless that you address me as a stranger."

"Zane-san, then. Are you all right?"

His lips curved to a weary smile as he turned on the overhead lights. "A difficult question. I suppose so, and yet the answer would be no at the same time. I am torn, Mizuno-san. I do not know what is 'right' now."

"Right and wrong hasn't changed."

"No? The boundaries seem blurred to me. Of course, as Zoisite, I lost sight of what was right for a very long time. Once an upholder of peace and a trusted member of the courts, next a traitor and murderer."

Ami stood up and joined him near the windows. "It's hardly worth blaming yourself for what happened. Beryl destroyed a lot of people. You were just useful to her."

"Yes, I was an excellent weapon against you and my prince."

"There was more to you than that," she rejoined. "You know that."

Zane sighed. "I do. It is merely difficult to remember the better times above the worst. There is a saying that what we are under the worst of circumstances is the true measure of us."

"The saying never accounted for brainwashing."

He stared out at the city's lights. "I forced myself to examine the extent of my time in the Dark Kingdom. All of it. Did you know that Beryl herself executed me?"

"Kunzite told us as much. It didn't seem to make sense when you were the most successful."

"I ignored her commands. Wounded vanity prompted me to kill Endymion-sama against her orders. Never mind that I failed. It was of no concern to her that I had proven the most capable thus far. Endymion-sama was all that mattered to her."

Ami laughed lightly. "Well, I don't see any such vanity in you now."

"No, perhaps not. I wonder though how much of that darkness might have always existed in me. How much of what I became was my own fault? Surely Beryl's power could not alter everything."

"It did change everything," she said, shaking her head. "I asked Kunzite about Zoisite after I met you. He told me that you were the best of them; that you were brilliant and bright and kind. He would hardly be fooled, would he?"

"Kunzite-sama had much of the rearing of me, though in our youth we had tutors. He was older than we, so it was natural that he took charge, and I was very young when I was brought to the palace. He might suffer the blindness love brings."

"He loves you, but after what happened I doubt even that love would blind him to a fault within himself or the rest of you. He is too much the leader for that. Kunzite blamed himself for what happened."

"I broke so easily," Zane said after a long pause. "Far more easily than the others. They were much stronger than I. I wonder now if I had been stronger, perhaps we might together have had power enough to stop her."

She frowned. "You sound just like Kunzite. He constantly says that if he had been more aware of the situation, if he had trusted Adonis less…"

"He tells you these things?"

"He tells Mina these things. Or Usagi. Or Mamoru. Still, it's my job to know. I've been afraid lately that the strain of not knowing what had happened to you and the others might wear him down."

"So Kunzite-sama has found his place in this new world. I do not know that I can do the same."

She wrapped her arms around him, ignoring the heated blush searing her cheeks. "You'll be okay."

Zane was startled, but reluctantly returned the embrace. "I can try."

"That's all you need," she said against his chest. "You just need to try."

"I will try," he promised.

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"I've already told you everything," Ami sighed as she toggled the game controls.

For the time being, the Crown Arcade was all but empty. It was an unusual occurrence, but everyone was willing to enjoy it. Motoki was behind the counter making milkshakes for the girls as they tried their hand at the various games. Minako was there chatting with him. Ami was competing with Usagi on Sailor V as Rei hung over her shoulder.

"Are you sure?" Rei pressed. "You're sure he's trustworthy."

"Rei-chan," Usagi chided as she mashed the buttons viciously.

"What?"

"Back off. You're blocking the light."

The miko sighed and drifted over to Makoto, joining her in the driving game.

"Thank you, Usagi-chan."

"No problem. I talked to her, but she's still uneasy about the possibility of their return."

"Does she think they'll turn on us?"

The blonde shook her head. "I don't think so. I think she's just really worked up over this new enemy and taking it out on a familiar target." She sighed. "Maybe you should spend some time with Rei-chan. You don't have to talk about him, but just let her know nothing's changed?"

Ami nodded. "That's a good idea. Maybe we'll go up to the café and talk for a while. Will you be here with the others?"

"Probably. Just… I don't want Zoisite's return to make things difficult between you. I know you care about him."

"It's Zane," she corrected. "His name is Zane."

A smile flitted across her features even as Ami soundly defeated her. "Yeah. Zane."

The blue-haired girl sighed as she walked over to Rei to suggest the trip. To her surprise, the fiery priestess easily agreed, and Usagi hurried over to take Rei's spot against Makoto. It didn't surprise her when Makoto beat her as well.

The brunette turned to look at the doors. "Is Ami-chan trying to talk Rei-chan down?"

"They're trying to remember that they're friends even when they disagree," Minako corrected as she joined them.

"Hm," Makoto murmured. "If she's taking one so badly, how will she react with Nephrite or Jadeite?"

Usagi winced as she imagined her friend's reaction to her once-betrothed. "I'd rather not think about it."

"Race me again?" she suggested.

The blonde shook her head. "You'll only win again."

"Come on, it's fun!"

They hadn't noticed the doors open until the newcomer was right there. "I'll race you."

The trio looked over. Jaws dropped all around.

This boy was beautiful. Even in a school uniform, one they didn't recognize, he could have just stepped out of a magazine. Sharp blue green eyes were a brilliant counterpart to the short-cropped messy blond hair.

Makoto pushed Usagi out of the way, stunned. "Go ahead."

"Would you hold my bag?" he asked the girl now sprawled at his feet.

She just nodded, clutching it to her like a lifeline as he took the second chair at the game.

Makoto kicked off the game well, speeding down the course neatly. Sneaking a peek under her lashes, she was shocked to realize that the other player hadn't even moved.

"Um, the game started already," Usagi prodded.

"It wouldn't be fair if I didn't give your friend a handicap."

Handicap? Makoto fumed, competitive nature riled. She began to drive even faster.

"I guess it's about time to start." The boy opened his eyes and reached for the wheel. No one could believe it when the car began to move, shooting down the track at an impossible pace. He managed to pass Makoto, who had been going for some time now, in moments, and lapped her not too much later. The speeds were approaching four hundred kilometers per hour, and Usagi and Minako were stunned.

Makoto grimaced as the race ended. "Total defeat."

"Not at all. You did very well."

Another newcomer walked in, another beauty. This one was a gorgeous girl with amazing teal hair and eyes of a slightly darker shade. She obviously went to the same school.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Haruka."

The boy straightened from where he was leaning. "No problem. I got a race in."

The girl's laugh made them think of bells. "How pleasant."

Haruka smiled at the girls. "Maybe next time I'll be able to race your friends."

Makoto nodded. "Sure…"

Minako and Usagi nodded together.

"Bye, then!"

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AN: I never did get how they mistook Haruka for a boy, but whatever. For those that don't know, that last bit isn't too different from the third episode of S, so if it seems familiar that's why. The obvious difference is that Minako has no excuse for guy-hunting, so Makoto will. Last order of business: reviews are good and I appreciate them. Till next time!