…"existing or resulting in essence or effect though not in actual fact, form, or name"…
Theme: Virtual Reality (#88) - theme taken from 101_Kisses
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13
"Welcome, Jadeite, to Elysian."
He said it with grandeur, but the meaning was lost on Jadeite. Realizing this, the white-haired boy who reminded Jadeite of Kunzite and caused Jadeite to wonder how Kunzite was faring, said with obvious childish dissatisfaction, "You have no idea what that means, do you?"
Jadeite shook his head, neither embarrassed or arrogant.
The boy frowned. Clearly, Jadeite had a _lot_ more remembering to do than the boy had been made to understand.
"Oh. Well." And at this point, the boy stopped. How does one explain the Elysian Fields to someone who thinks he's in purgatory?
"Typically people think it's a kind of heaven," he said slowly. "Only, for certain people."
"And I'm one of the 'chosen' ones?" Jadeite asked dryly. How was he ever going to understand where he was if the kid was the only one around to talk to him?
The 'kid' frowned. "I didn't say it was heaven. I said people _think_ it's a heaven."
"Well," said Jadeite, impatience lacing his words, "how about you tell me what it _is_."
"No need to be rude. I was just trying to give you background information."
They stood in silence for a moment. "What do you remember, Jadeite?"
"What's your name, kid?"
The altar-boy-nutritionist-unicorn-child bristled. "This body is older than yours!" Jadeite was unmoved. "Helios," he answered, slightly sulking and wishing Jadeite could at least remember who Helios was.
"Okay, Helios. I remember being fried by Sailor Mars down on Earth."
"Up," Helios said distantly.
Jadeite chose to ignore the unexplained interruption. "I remember getting crispy because Queen Beryl sent me to take care of the senshi and it didn't work, so now I'm here."
Helios waited for more, and when none came, asked with disbelief, "That's it?"
"What else am I supposed to know?"
"Do you remember Endymion?"
"Queen Beryl wanted Endymion. The moon princess and her senshi have Endymion brainwashed and we were supposed to get him and heal him."
Helios held back the glaringly obvious discrepancies. "What do you remember about Endymion?"
"King of Earth, right? Or Prince? I forget which, but we worked for him before the moon captured him and then we worked with Queen Beryl to get him back."
"And before Beryl?"
Jadeite stood stupidly for a moment. "Before Beryl?"
Helios raised an already pointed eyebrow. "Yes. Your life before Beryl."
Jadeite thought hard but all he could think was, 'There was no life before Beryl.' But that this boy was asking meant that… there was.
As Jadeite's silence stretched on, Helios gently took a hold of his arm and guided him towards the temple.
The first chink in Jadeite's world had been made.
Helios hoped Jadeite would remain intact for the remainder.
end