Chapter Twenty

A few days passed, and Kunzite left back to his home. He had kept having the night terrors, but would not reveal what happened during them. He only thanked her for helping him calm. Venus wasn't sure what they were, but he had become to act slightly distant and quiet. He wanted to sleep all day, and for the most part, she let him. She could not imagine what he had faced in the battlefield, nor had she been wounded as he had. So, she let him rest.
She returned to the Moon that day, and picked up where she had left off. Representatives from the other planets, who had been there just weeks before, were back to speak with the Queen. News of the battles on Earth had spread like fire, and they demanded to know what was next.

Mars still was not speaking to her. In fact, she was avoiding her. Venus hoped that after some time had passed, the fire princess, her best friend, would find it in her heart to accept and forgive. But right now, she would not try to mend things. There were other things to attend to.

"We already have forces in place."

The representative from Uranus looked to Venus disapprovingly. "It is apparent that they can not handle the task, then."

Venus shifted in her chair, ready to counter, but was interrupted by Selene. "It is true that we have had some set backs. This may not be something we can simply go in and eradicate. At least not in the way we are trying now."

There was a brief moment of silence.

"It may be time we cut our loses entirely."

Venus looked to the speaker in horror. "And what will become of Earth?! The citizens? Metalia means to attack the Moon. To destroy it. To destroy us. We can't just allow her to reach full power."

"Seal the whole planet away."

"Can't we purify it from afar?"

"Let the heathens destroy themselves."

The chatter continued. Venus rested her forehead in her hands. What were they thinking? Genocide? How could that possibly be an option? Selene wouldn't allow it. Would she? Venus looked over to her Queen. She was seeking reassurance. She could not let this happen.

"The council shall vote."

Venus stared at Selene, horrified. What!?

Venus walked swiftly to the library after the meeting, the shock now replaced with determination. The council would vote in a few short weeks. There were not enough people who were willing to spare the Earth. She knew this. The only thing that could save it, was a victory. She needed to prove that all was not lost. But she wasn't going to be able to do that alone. So, she was going to the library, to meet with someone who could help.

Her eyes scanned for blue when she entered. She found blue, and red. What was Mars doing here? She often spent her afternoons in meditation or taking care of some other business. She was never in the library. Ever. Venus took in a deep breath, and made her way to the two senshi, pushing down the fear that she might be about to face the wrath of the senshi of fire. The two still hadn't patched things up. And by the look that Mars gave her, today wasn't going to be the day either.

"Mars." She politely nodded to the girl, avoiding eye contact, and turned her attention to the blue haired girl sitting in front of a large stack of books. "Mercury, I need your help."

"Oh?" She placed a page marker into the book she had been looking through and closed it quietly. "Something to do with the meeting this afternoon?"

Venus smiled a bit at her intuitive friend. "Yes, actually." She ignored the glare coming at her from the other side of the table, and the harsh noise of the chair against the floor as Mars pulled it out to take a seat.

Mercury cleared her throat, trying to break up the tension that had surfaced. "What happened? And what can I do?"

"While it has not been decided precisely what they are going to do, the council is going to vote shortly on the fate of the Earth. There won't be enough voting to save them. They are going to be left alone, and they won't win. If we can get a victory, just one, just something to show that it's possible, I think we might be able to sway the members-" A curt laugh interrupted her. Venus shot a cross look. "Something wrong?"

Mars smirked, and shook her head. "No."

"Good-"

"I just have this feeling, that you are more interested in saving a select person from that planet, not so much the whole planet itself."

Mercury quietly opened her book back up and tried to hide behind it. She was not one for these squabbles.

"So, you think they should be left to die."

"I think you're not thinking clearly." She leaned back into her chair, a smug look across her face, her voice calm.

"My relationship," she could see Mercury sink further into her chair, a small, surprised noise escaped her lips—Venus felt bad that she was witnessing this and tried to keep as calm as possible, "Has nothing to do with my desire to help them! How could you think it was okay to just let all those people die? Huh? What's wrong with you? Is it because he's from Earth?" Another small squeak at the information purged. "I just want to help them. Sailor Guardians protect the solar system."

"We protect the Princess."

Venus huffed. "I am. What do you think will happen to her if her precious Prince dies? Maybe you can sit here and not try to prevent it, but I'm going to do my best. I'm sorry that you think I'm only thinking of my own selfishness"

Venus didn't give her a chance to say anything else before she stormed out of the room.

A/N: Sorry. I'm not in love with this, but I felt like I had set up a confrontation with Rei, and needed to get it in here. I am not, by nature, an argumentative person, and haven't been in many personally, so, I'm not sure how well that went. Up for a re-write later, I suppose. *shrug*