Act 41

Minako blinked and turned to the side of her bedside table to look at her watch. She opened her eyes in shock and sat up quickly when she saw that it was well past noon. She had slept more soundly and deeply than she had for a long, long time.

She sighed, letting herself fall back into bed and pull her bedcovers over her head. She burrowed her face in the pillow and took a deep breath.

Yes, she could still smell... him. An agreeable shiver went through her body when she remembered last night. Zoisite. He had been so... tender. In his arms she felt like – Minako smiled and took another deep breath – like she had been the most precious instrument he had ever played. There wasn't a part of her body he hadn't touched and caressed.

And the tender words he had whispered in her ear…

A loud knock awakened her from her daydream.

"Minako? Don't tell me you're still asleep!" the manager's voice was heard from the other side of the door.

Minako jumped out of the bed to open the door. Shacho stepped inside and lifted an eyebrow while he looked at her suspiciously.

"You look... better," he finally said.

Minako suppressed the heat that started to rise up in her face. "I slept very well," she answered.

"Obviously. But now, get ready. You have an autograph session in about an hour, and afterwards we have to get started on your new album."

Minako nodded. "I'll be right there."

Shacho looked at her in a very suspicious way again. "I'll wait in the entrance hall."

Minako closed the door behind him and for a moment she leaned against it. Then she stepped into her room again and stopped before her bed. Slowly she reached for the pillow, burying her face in it to smell Zoisite one last time.

"Let's pretend that there is no Master or princess, no mission, no… battle. Only you and me. Let's pretend that we are just normal, ordinary people who will see each other again tomorrow."

She suppressed the pain that was about to rise up inside her. Those had been her words. Because they both had known that, with this one night, their time together was over. Zoisite was back in the Dark Kingdom again – back with his Master.

And she? She belonged at the princess' side. She would do everything to protect her and find a way to prevent the events of the past – the world's destruction – from being repeated.

And though she wouldn't give up music, this was what she was living for. She was Venus, and she had been reborn in this time to prevent another disaster.

Minako put the pillow back in its place and stroked it once. Later the cleaning crew would change the covers, and with that, everything that reminded her of Zoisite would be gone.

She only noticed that she was crying when she felt the moisture of her tears on her cheeks. She quickly dried them away.

That's how it had to be. Because from now on, all that counted was the mission and to finally fulfill the duty of the past.

XXXX

"He means no harm. He's just lonely and often loses control."

Ami's eyes followed the new employee who disappeared through the last door of the hallway.

She clenched her fists, trying to suppress the trembling of her body. What was that? Why was her heart beating so strong? It felt as if it was about to jump out of her chest because of... that man. Had he really caused this? No, that was impossible. She didn't even know him. She had just seen him today for the first time. And after all, it had just been a few days ago that Nephrite...

"So, where in the world did you get this guy from?" Makoto asked now.

"That's a long story," Motoki answered, "But to tell you in a short version: I bumped into him in the truest sense of the word. And it turned out that he had been living on the street. No home, no job. So I employed him, letting him live in the break room."

"Wasn't that a bit hasty? What if he's a criminal?"

"I don't think so," Motoki said, "I have a good people sense, and this guy might seem aggressive and rude, but he isn't. I think he's pretty lonely and that's why he acts like this."

Makoto patted his arm. "You're a good person, Motoki-kun. But, never mind, be careful and if you're having any trouble... please, let me know."

Ami didn't hear what Motoki's answer was. Again, she felt her heart beat stronger when she remembered that young man and how he almost brushed her when he had just run past her.

What is going on with me? she asked herself.

"Ami-chan, are you all right" Usagi asked now.

Ami winced and smiled. "Everything is fine. Let's go. Rei-chan must be waiting."

Usagi nodded and called for Makoto.

As they approached the door to their hidden room, Ami couldn't help but glance at the door the new employee had disappeared through. Was she just imagining, or was it ajar? And again her heart leapt.

Stop it! she scolded herself and followed Makoto and Usagi into their room.

XXXX

"All right, they're gone. You can come out now."

Motoki opened the ajar door and collided with Nephukichi, who'd been standing just behind it.

"Man, what are you doing?" Motoki asked as he rubbed his nose.

Nephukichi only shrugged and stepped through the door. Motoki was more than surprised when he saw that he reached for the mop without being asked.

To avoid making him angry again, Motoki stepped to the little table in the corner.

"Come on, Kamekichi," he said, lifting the tank, "Let's get you back to your usual place. You know what? Maririn is on her way to you, you lucky devil."

He put the tank on the desk again when he suddenly noticed that Nephukichi was observing him. "What?" Motoki asked.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Talk to that animal."

"He's my friend," Motoki answered honestly.

Nephukichi frowned. "It's an animal."

"That doesn't mean that he can't be my friend. For the most part, animals can be trusted even more than humans, you know?"

Nephukichi didn't answer. Finally he continued with his work.

"By the way, room number five has to be tidied up," Motoki said.

"You said that you'd look for something different for me to do!"

"I will, once you stop breaking things. Now would you please be so kind to tidy up room number five? I'll finish cleaning up here, and when we're done I'll show you how to register a client."

He stepped over to Nephukichi and took the mob out of his hands. Nephukichi was looking at him in rage, but then, all of a sudden, he turned around and disappeared in the aforementioned room. Just at that moment Usagi, Ami, Makoto and Rei appeared in the entrance.

"Rei-chan, that's so cool," Usagi said, "I've always wanted to work with children. They're so cute."

"Yes, and you'll fit in there perfectly," Rei answered laughing.

"You're so mean," Usagi said and nudged her, "So, let's go. Are you coming with us, Rei-chan?"

Rei shook her head and Motoki noticed how she started to rub her fingers nervously.

"No, I can't... I... I have an appointment."

"Your father?" Makoto asked.

"Yes... yes, my father. You know how he is."

She laughed nervously and Motoki frowned. He didn't know Rei very well. Actually, he couldn't remember if he had ever talked to her other than saying "Hello" and "Good bye", but nevertheless it didn't seem like her to be... nervous.

"We're leaving, bye Motoki-kun," Makoto called.

"Bye," Motoki said, "and thanks again for your help."

She gave him a wide smile and waved. "Anytime." Then she had disappeared.

Motoki sighed. His feelings hadn't changed. He still had a crush on her. No, it was more. What he felt for Makoto was more than a simple crush. He had realized this on the day she had rejected him. Unlike the crushes he'd had on other girls, he felt that Makoto was awakening deep feelings inside him. Like the wish to protect her against everything bad.

Suddenly he realized that Rei was still standing on the opposite side of the entrance room.

"Umm... are you waiting for somebody?" he asked.

She bit her lip and nodded. The phone rang and Motoki picked it up. "Crown Karaoke center, Furuhata Motoki speaking."

"Motoki."

"Ah, Takai, where the hell are you? Kamekichi is getting impatient waiting for Maririn."

"I'm in a phone booth at the U-turn station. There's been some delay because of a technical fault, but it's cleared up now. I'll be there in about five minutes."

"Five minutes?" Motoki said, "Okay, I think that Kamekichi will make it."

"See you later."

Takai hung up and Motoki put the phone back in its place.

"Bye," Rei said and disappeared. Motoki watched her go a little confusedly. Hadn't she said that she was waiting for somebody?

Nephukichi stomped up to the desk and smashed a tray on it.

"Room number five looks as if an energy-ball exploded inside it," he shouted, "Why do these humans have to make such a mess?"

Motoki sighed. That young man really had a strange way of expressing himself sometimes.

"Umm, Nephukichi-kun, you know you are a human too. And we'd better not mention the mess you've been making these days, with all those things you've broken."

Nephukichi snorted and grabbed for the black garbage bag Motoki was holding out. Then he turned around to go back to the messed-up room.

The outer door opened and Takai stepped inside.

"Takai, finally," Motoki said and bowed to Kamekichi's tank. "See, buddy, Takai is bringing your girlfriend to you."

Takai hiccupped and took his little turtle out of its basket to put it beside Kamekichi in the tank.

"What happened, Takai," Motoki asked, "Did you bump into a girl?"

"Well, yes... sort of," Takai answered. "Okay, see you... later."

Motoki looked at his friend in surprise. "You're leaving already? I thought you wanted to take some pictures of Kamekichi and Maririn for the best-turtle-couple contest next month."

Takai opened his backpack and took out his camera. "Would you be... so kind?" he asked, handing the camera to Motoki. "I... have an... appointment."

"An appointment?" Motoki said slowly. Hadn't he just heard something similar?

"Bye Maririn, be a good girl. I'll pick you up later." Takai stroked his turtle once. Then he left the center before Motoki was able to ask any other questions. He looked after his friend, completely baffled.

If he hadn't heard him hiccupping, he would have sworn that this hadn't just been his friend. Since when did he prefer an "appointment" to a photoshoot of his turtle? That wasn't like him at all. No matter how important that appointment might be. To Takai, Maririn always had come first.

Unless...

"I... I have... an appointment." Rei's words echoed in his head.

No way, Motoki thought, laughing to himself, that's impossible.

XXXX

Rei watched in satisfaction how he was looking around for her in complete confusion. He had expected her to wait for him here for sure. Well, though luck. This time it would be different.

He made a few steps towards the street now, obviously hoping to see her around there.

Rei took advantage of his distraction and sneaked quickly behind the next pillar of the building. He turned around again and looked at the entrance to Crown

Now was her chance. Rei jumped out of her hideout, grabbing Takai by his shoulders. "Boo!" she shouted.

Takai cried out in alarm. "Rei, you scared me to death!" he exclaimed.

She laughed and gave him a friendly pat. "But it was worth it, wasn't it?"

He frowned, obviously not understanding.

"Don't worry about it," Rei said quickly. "Come on, I'm starving."

He nodded and they started to walk. "Where do you wanna go?" Takai asked.

Rei smiled. He still hadn't noticed that his hiccup was gone. So the scare-somebody-with-hiccups theory had worked.

Suddenly she paused. She sensed something. A strange energy, and it was nearby. She turned around, looking for the place where it came from; but just when she thought that she had figured it out, it was gone all of a sudden.

"Rei? Are you... all right?"

Darn, she thought, realizing that the scare-method hadn't lasted very long.

"Yes," she answered finally, "I just thought..." She looked once more at the point she was sure that strange energy had come from.

"What?" Takai asked curiously, looking in the same direction now, too.

"Nothing," Rei finally said, and pulled him with her. "Let's go to the little snack bar around the corner."

.

Jadeite clenched his fists, observing how Mars grabbed for that boy's arm, pulling him away with her.

She's mine, a voice resounded in his head. He clenched at his forehead, but the thought had already been formed.

What was going on with him? It was bad enough that he had come here for an inexplicable reason to observe that Sailor Senshi; now he was even starting to feel jealous about her.

"I belong to Beryl," he whispered to himself, "She's the only woman I long for."

But still he wasn't able to teleport away. Maybe if he just watched her one more time. Maybe then he would realize that there was nothing special about that girl and he could finally go on as he had always done.

XXXX

She hadn't recognized him. Thank god. But the way he looked now, this really wasn't a surprise anyway.

Nephrite slowly opened the door and peered through the little gap. She was still there, cleaning up the floor. That was his job! Not that he was very keen to do it, but it was absolutely wrong that she was doing the task that was his.

Ami, Nephrite thought, why do you always have to be so good?

He sighed and finally stepped out of the room where he had been hiding for some minutes. Slowly he walked down the hallway until he was standing behind Ami. She hadn't noticed him.

"I'll finish it," he finally said.

She jumped and turned around quickly, still holding the mop in her hands. Nephrite stretched out his hands for it.

"Come on, give me that."

He took the mop out of her hands, taking care not to touch her, and continued cleaning up. She was still standing there watching him.

"What?" he asked, harsher than had been his intention.

"I... I want to help," she said softly, and it took all of Nephrite's strength not to throw down the mop and take her into his arms.

How he had missed the sound of her voice...

"There's no need to," he answered instead.

But of course she didn't do as he said. That was Ami. She took the duster and started to clean the desk's surface.

"You don't have to do that," Nephrite said.

"I know," she answered and smiled at him lightly.

For a long moment there was silence while both were doing their work.

"So, where are you from?" Ami suddenly asked.

"Why do you wanna know that?" he asked back.

She bit her lip and shrugged, going on cleaning the desk.

"You really don't have to do that," Nephrite finally said again, this time a little friendlier.

"It's okay, I like helping."

"I know," he answered before he had really thought about it.

"What?" Ami asked.

"I mean, you obviously do," he said quickly.

She smiled shyly, and Nephrite wished that it didn't make his heart beat so hard.

"And... what's your real name now?"

Nephrite looked at her in surprise. "My real name?"

"I don't think it's... Nephelin. Otherwise you wouldn't have lunged at Motoki-kun that way."

"And why do you wanna know that now?"

"Just because. I'm sorry."

Nephrite looked at her for a very long time. No, she really hadn't recognized him. That was good, it was even better.

"Tell me," he said, "isn't there anybody you should be with, instead of helping a complete stranger to clean up?"

He saw how she recoiled, and tears started to accumulate in her eyes.

"There... was somebody," she finally answered, to Nephrite's surprise, in a shaky voice.

"Really? And where is he now?"

Stop it, he chided himself. He saw how Ami clenched her fists, lowering her eyes.

"He... he's dead," she whispered, and then he heard her sob once as she started to tremble. That wasn't possible! She couldn't really be grieving for him.

"Ami..." Nephrite said softly.

She looked at him in surprise, and now he saw how tears were running down her cheeks. He quickly put away the mop, all ready to walk towards her and take her in his arms, despite the decision he had made.

The door opened and a group of five girls walked in, giggling and babbling loudly.

"That's him," one of them whispered more than audibly, "Isn't he sweet?"

For a moment Nephrite didn't really know what to do. On the one hand there was Ami who, he realized now, was obviously grieving for him; on the other hand, he knew that the way he looked now, there was no way she'd recognize him.

Finally Ami turned around quickly and left the center. Nephrite forced back the desire to run after her.

Ami, its better like this, he thought, believe me. You'll forget me and find somebody who's better for you.

Because all that mattered to him now was finding a way back to the Dark Kingdom as soon as possible.

Now that he knew that Ami was all right... somehow...

"Hello?" one of the girls shook him out of his thoughts, "We would like to have a room."

Nephrite didn't answer, but stepped behind the desk slowly, trying to ignore the feeling of longing that was rising up again.

"How long?" he finally asked.

XXXX

Ami ran aimlessly through the streets, hot tears running down her cheeks. Only when she felt that her lungs were burning and she wasn't able to go on she stopped, letting herself fall down on her knees. The soft, gurgling sound of the water made her realize that she was at the river's shore again. The same place where she had... been once before. How long ago had it been?

"Isn't there anybody you should be with, instead of helping a complete stranger to clean up?"

He was so right. She couldn't understand it herself. Why did she feel so... attracted to him? She didn't know him at all, and it hadn't been long ago that Nephrite...

"So, where is he now?"

He's... dead."

She burrowed her face in her hands and sobbed loud.

Yes, Nephrite was dead, and though that fact almost broke her heart into pieces... to be with him, that man, somehow had made her feel... good.

Why? she asked herself, why did it feel so... familiar with him?

When he had appeared suddenly behind her to take the mop out of her hands, her heart had been beating so loud she was sure that he'd been able to hear it. And that feeling hadn't been new. She had already felt it before. It had felt like... the night she had caught Nephrite in her room.

No, Ami thought in shock, that can't be.

Nephrite was dead, and no power on earth would bring him back to her anymore.

She wrapped her arms around her knees and looked at the flowing water.

But why had those few minutes she had spent with him felt so familiar? And why hadn't she remembered Nephrite even for a second, while she'd been with him?

Ami started. That's right! Only now had she noticed. During that short time she'd spent with him, she hadn't thought even once of Nephrite. Only when he had asked her if there was anybody she should be with.

Who is he? Ami thought. Why is he awakening these feelings in me?

She sighed and looked at the sky.

Nephrite, what should I do?

XXXX

Rei clenched her fists around the broom and looked over her right shoulder. Nothing. But it just seemed that way. In reality, she could feel that there was something or somebody who was observing her. An unknown, although familiar, energy that had been following her since she met Takai at the Crown center.

Suddenly she had to smile as she remembered the afternoon she had spent with Takai. When she was with him she felt so at ease, and though he was hiccupping almost the whole time, he was a very agreeable person to pass the time with.

What a pity that the methods she'd been trying on him to stop his hiccup had been mostly unsuccessful.

She had the impression that she really had tried everything: Making him hold his breath, drink water speedily, a combination of drinking water and holding his breath afterwards; she even had allowed him to try it with his lemon slices again. He would even have agreed to make a headstand, if it had worked.

The most successful method had been the scare-method. At least for a few minutes he had stopped hiccupping, though he hadn't noticed it. And there was something else. Rei suddenly thought of some other moments Takai's hiccup had stopped. Until now it had always been when they had had... body contact. But this would mean...

The energy of the presence suddenly increased, and now Rei was able to figure out its hiding place.

"Mars Power... make up!" she called.

Once transformed, she threw a fireball towards that point. A shape jumped out and stayed behind a big tree.

"I know you're there," she said with a firm voice, and looked at the shadow behind the trunk, "And I also know that you've been following me the whole afternoon. Come on, show yourself!"

For a long time nothing happened; but finally, from the shadow of the tree, somebody stepped into the light.

A young man with short, blond curls, a black uniform and blue eyes.

"Jadeite?" Mars asked in surprise.

"Hello... Mars," he greeted her with a strange, wide smile.