18.) Stonewielder

I am a soldier, I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight.

- George Patton

MINAKO

The door to my room was shut when I got there. I looked to Ami and the others, wondering how to tell them I thought I should talk to her alone.

"We'll meet you in the common room when you're done here." Makoto said, surprising me with her understanding. Especially considering her past interactions with Rei after witnessing the... harsher side of her abilities. I got the impression that after everything that had happened with Rei in recent months she had learned to see past it. We all had but I couldn't help but attribute Makoto's change in demeanour to her relationship with Ami.

I nodded at them, Makoto laid a hand against my shoulder briefly then turned and walked back the way they had come. The others followed her and I waited for them to vanish from sight before pushing upon the door.

Rei was standing in front of the windows glaring out at the courtyard below. As I entered, she glanced over her shoulder at me before looking away again.

"Do you want to talk? It looked liked you had something you wanted to say earlier but I understand if you don't want to now..." I told her as I leaned against the door frame. She looked over at me, her hesitancy showing clearly. She sat down on the lounge, I could feel the apprehension in her. This time I could tell it wasn't directed at me or my reactions, it was about something else. Something deeper.

"Earlier..." She started then broke off, looking at a loss for words. She seemed confused, almost scared. I couldn't tell if I should push her to talk or not. She frowned, looking out towards the window as she searched for words.

"Back on Mars there was a power in me I had never felt before, I was stronger than ever. Whatever it was that I harnessed felt like fire running through my veins. I was alive." She continued, flicking her eyes to me cautiously. I could feel the fear seeping through her again, stronger now that she was voicing it aloud. "Alive for what felt like the first time in my life."

"So what are you afraid of?" I asked her, not quite understanding what was scaring her. The fear ran through her in deep currents, winding its way through her. Power. Being alive. What she was saying sounded like a good thing.

"It feels easy now." Rei told me with a sigh, letting her head fall back against the couch. There was a defeated look in her eyes.

"Killing the boy?" I asked softly, sitting next to her as I tried to understand what she was talking about. Her words didn't make any kind of sense to me, I needed context. What had been easy?

"No. That will always be hard. I meant wiping out the shadows on Mars. It is still a life, possibly even more so than a human, but I didn't feel anything. There were hordes of them and I just..." She shook her head, looking out the window as her jaw clenched. There was regret oozing out of her. After a moment she looked back at me. The emotion swirling in her eyes made my breath catch in my throat.

"I don't know if that should scare me this much but it does. They were human once, they technically still are even if their souls have been torn from their bodies and shaped into something else." Rei completed with a sigh, looking troubled. I reached out threading my arm through hers as I rested my head on her shoulder. I was content to just listen for as long as she needed to talk.

"It's not like killing people, we're breakable so it's simple. This is gods and monsters and nothing we were ever trained for. They're monstrous in appearance and ability... and yet they're the part of us that makes us human. I destroyed their souls, their very essence. And it was easy."

I could feel a sick feeling rising up inside of her, I turned my head, pressing a kiss to her shoulder before resting my head against her again. I didn't know what to say. I just knew she needed someone to listen and try to understand.

"We are ill equipped for this war. Killing that child just made it all the clearer." Rei murmured. I didn't quite understand what she was getting at but I nodded, bringing my body flush against hers, trying to offer her comfort nonetheless. The ache she felt was filling the room. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to figure out how to console her without fully understanding what she was going for.

"Rei..." I started. "I don't know if this is what you want or need to hear but I think the fact that you're thinking about this as much as you are says a lot. You are better than you give yourself credit for. I think the reason why killing those creatures was so easy for you was because you couldn't bring yourself to address the issue at the time. You're addressing it now, you're feeling it now that you're in a place where you can explore the morality of your actions without consequence. I don't see anything wrong with that."

Rei looked over at me again, seeming to take solace in my words. I brought her arm closer to my own body, so our clasped hands rested on my lap instead of on the lounge between us.

"You react to things when it's safe for you to do so. I don't... I can't see anything wrong with that. Not when it brings you back safe." I continued.

'To me.' I added in my head, hoping I what I had already said didn't breach any of her boundaries unintentionally and make her uncomfortable. It was hard to keep track of where we stood with one another, even with the added level of intimacy in our relationship. Sharing a bed and a few kisses didn't mean we understood each other... but we were working at it.

Rei, for the first time in this conversation, relaxed back into her seat. I smiled at the tension that was leaving her. I looked out at the courtyard, letting myself just sink into the seat next to her. The moment stretched on in silence, just leaving us seated on the couch together.

"We should go join the others. Ami seemed to have some information regarding whatever this whole war is about." I told her, not moving from my spot next to her. I was comfortable like this, I didn't want to move. I didn't want this to change. I gave Rei's hand a gentle squeeze.

Rei was looking down at the floor, not really paying attention to anything in particular. Her thumb stroked once against the back of my hand before she released it, unwinding our arms and getting to her feet.

"Let's go then." She told me, offering me a hand up from my seat. I smiled at her, letting her pull me to my feet. I didn't let her let go of my hand after that.

AMI

Minako shot us a look as she entered the room, it was clearly an order to leave Rei alone and get down to business. I caught myself glancing at Michiru when I noticed Minako and Rei were holding hands. There was a satisfied smile on her face.

"Ami, in the throne room you looked seemed like you knew something about this 'Source' they were talking about." Minako stated, sitting down on one of the sofa. Rei released her hand and leaned over the back of seat, subtly putting a barrier between herself and the rest of us. I focused back on Minako, bringing my attention to the question she asked.

"I stumbled across the term when reading up on Terran culture and history before our... diplomatic mission." I told them, sighing as I looked towards the doors of the library. The look felt almost wistful to me.

"It's only now that I notice a certain similarity between it and the mythos of the Lunar Kingdom. According to the ancient sources, the Lunar Kingdom was built on the power of the Baetylus or, as it is called in the origin story, the Omphalos. Put simply, the success and prosperity of the Kingdom depends upon it." I continued, trying to place what I had read in context for them.

"But what is it?" Minako asked me. Setsuna was seated quietly off in one corner of the room, listening but not really seeming to pay attention. For some reason I found this slightly unnerving... almost ominous. I returned my attention to our leader and attempted to summarize what I had found out as accurately as possible.

"Supposedly this artifact is a stone or a crystal but any references to it were obscure... like all explicit information about it has been censored." I replied, I almost wanted to go back and check over the sources again. When last I read them I hadn't been looking for specifics, I had merely been fulfilling my need for knowledge... and trying to acclimatized to life on the Moon. I was only just now putting the pieces together.

"And what did this Terran source say?" Minako questioned, her eyes narrowing like she already knew the answer.

"The word for this stone in ancient Terran means 'the source of light'. It's only a rough translation but..." I replied, letting my voice trail off.

"But it gives us some idea as to what they're looking for." Makoto completed.

"Before I just thought it was one of those things, those similarities, that span across cultures and worlds with no particular rhyme or reason but after all we've seen... I can't just ignore it. The High Queen's defensiveness over the matter is only reinforcing that."

"So the Terran's want this... this Source? What for? What good could it possibly do them?" Makoto asked. I frowned, looking to Rei.

"I imagine it has something to do with the Elder God that's working with them. I can't guess much more than that. It seems as though they have a more immediate goal in mind though." I hypothesized, my eyes flicked to Rei involuntarily. "The presence of the messenger hinted at that. Like he said, he was the message... I just can't decipher what it was about."

I paused, hating myself for bringing it up when it was clearly something Minako had decreed off limits.

"Rei... do you think you could try and find out what they're planning?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the events of earlier today as quickly as possible.

"With the visions?" Rei asked, sounding sceptical. "They don't work like that, I'm..."

"Rei..." Minako said softly, reassurance in her tone for a reason I didn't quite understand. Rei's gaze flicked to her, then she gave a sigh.

"I can try."

REI

I stood back, away from the others, closing my eyes and drawing my focus inwards; trying to direct my consciousness to the place of sight. Trying to find an answer to the question my team mates had asked. I gritted my teeth, imagining a flame, a gate way into the twisted path of time.

The silver grass of the Lunar Plains flickered before my eyes, waving in the soft breeze, peaceful compared to the sound of battle that attempted to deafen me. I turned, looking towards the war that raged onwards. A flash of blond hair caught my gaze through the mass of shadow.

Slowly the first wave of opponents were exterminated by the commander. In the lull of battle Minako gathered the forces, attempting to steer the battle towards victory. The second wave of attack came not from the shadows... but from Terran citizens. Soldiers. Children.

Then came the hesitation, Minako's shocked realization of her opponent. An army of children.

There was complete agony as she killed a child. Fragments of her soul drifted through the air around me. She was breaking.

I watched as she hesitated yet again and a sword plunged through Minako's chest. Something in me crumpled at seeing her stumble. Her fall to the ground took an eternity as I watched on. The last flicker of life in her eyes lasted even longer... but it wasn't her who died.

It was me.

Suddenly the world reeled out of my control. Everything jerked to a stop with nauseating finality. I felt more than saw the flash of light that appeared, a tidal wave of wind washing towards us

I hardly had time to register what was happening as I felt someone's arm wrap around my waist, tackling me to the floor.

Minako's hair brushed against my cheek, hanging down around my face like a curtain. I fought against pressing my lips to hers and just revelling in the fact she was alive. Her face lingered above mine for a mere moment before she rolled off of me. I pushed myself to my feet, still feeling sickened by my transition from the vision to reality.

"Who in the nine hells are you?" Minako demanded of a girl who had appeared suddenly in our midst. I was on guard, studying this new threat with all the caution I would afford enemies three times her size. Something about her told me she was much more dangerous than anything else in the room.

"Hm." The girl intoned as she studied her hands and looked up at us, her expression was dire and her voice grave. "I have a bit of growing up to do. I seem to have misjudged your relative age – you all just seem so young to me."

"You were trying to be our age?" Ami asked, seeming somewhat puzzled.

"I noticed that you all seem to be of the same age group, I desired to become part of this little group to learn more about you... being one of your contemporaries seemed like the best option." The girl told us, a matter of fact tone in her voice.

"I'm surprised you didn't end up older than us, seeing how you included her ancientness over there." Haruka quipped, jerking a thumb in Setsuna's direction.

"But even she falls into the same category, relatively speaking of course. She is young for a god."

"Demi-god." Setsuna corrected gently. The Elder God paused, as if considering what Setsuna had said. Then she nodded.

"Ah yes, of course. I was caught up in viewing you the way the mortals do. So many memories and sensations to make sense of... there's just so much going on in this world." The girl sounded delighted at this prospect.

"Do you mean to say that you're looking at our memories?" I asked. Again the Elder God paused. Setsuna cleared her throat.

"Not exactly, its more like she's... communicating with the experience or the shared consciousness of this dimension. It's hard to put it into the right terms."

"So if you're not the right age then why not just snap your fingers and assume the form you need. Or want?" Makoto asked of the Elder God.

"It may take time for me to... grow. Parts of me are still sleeping and it will take time for me and my power to awaken fully."

"You mean to say you are still sleeping? That you're only partially here?" I questioned, my thoughts racing through my mind.

"As best I can explain it, yes. And I imagine the same basic principle holds true for the other as well. After being at rest for so long it will take time for full awareness to be realized." The Elder God replied. I felt a faint ray of hope filter through me. If the Elder God we faced was still asleep, or partially asleep, we might have a chance at beating it.

"The other?" Makoto asked.

"The one you all seem to be opposing... though I can't understand why. I would call it by its actual name but it doesn't quite translate. The closest I can come is..." She paused making a small gesture with her hand and a feeling of darkness rose in me, it was a swirling mass of chaos; elegant in its simplicity and purpose. It was never-ending and all consuming. Words couldn't fully capture the sensation. It was breath taking. "You see? Even just thinking about it is difficult for you. It's a sense you can't adequately understand. The range of experience just isn't there in your consciousness. Perhaps in time we can communicate more effectively."

"If that's... whatever it is we've come up against then what are you? If you don't mind my asking that is..." Michiru asked, seeming as shaken as I'd ever seen her.

Instead of attempting a verbal explanation the girl made the motion again. And then there was the feeling. It was like peering into the void and seeing both the end and beginning. It was everything and nothing at once. I found myself reeling at the sensation. It disappeared just as the previous 'experience' the girl had shown us.

"And suddenly you're not the oddest one in the room any more." Haruka quipped, nudging Setsuna. She seemed pale though.

"I apologize for her, sometimes she makes jokes when she's uncomfortable." Michiru told the Elder God. The girl looked over at Michiru.

"Is this a common response?" She asked. I raised an eyebrow, watching Michiru trying to come up with an answer.

"Listen, this curiosity about us is great and everything but we are going to need to call you something. Any ideas?" Minako asked, seemingly attempting to move this conversation in a more productive direction.

It was then that the Elder God turned its full and undivided attention on Minako.

MINAKO

"As a demi-god surely you are capable of... The Elder God began to reply.

"A demi god?" I interrupted in confusion. "No, I'm not..."

"Your mother is Aphrodite, is she not?" The Elder God asked me, cutting me off in turn. I opened my mouth, trying to formulate a reply. My brain was running through the distinctions between Aphrodite XXVIII and Aphrodite. I didn't know how to begin, it would require summing up generations of history and...

"Ah, I see." She murmured, glancing over at Setsuna. "She is a demi-god but without full knowledge."

"Close enough, even if that's not quite how I would explain it." I agreed with a shrug, drawing her attention back to me. I was beginning to feel like that was the closest we were going to get to an understanding at the moment.

"That's because you don't know the full story yet." The Elder God told me with a knowing expression. I opened my mouth to question her but thought better of it. I didn't want to get distracted from more important matters that her and Setsuna's cryptic statements. I brushed it aside.

"Listen, that's great and all but we need something to call you. We can't keep referring to you as the Elder God." I continued, glancing at the rest of the group. My gaze was then drawn towards Rei, she was watching me carefully again with that odd, post-vision expression she always seemed to wear. "We have other things that need discussing."

There was a long silence, where the Elder God mulled it over. I got the feeling it, she, was reviewing thousands of years of experiences, searching for something that made sense.

AMI

I found myself raising an eyebrow at the Elder God's choice of a name. Hotaru. It just seemed so... ordinary. Minako nodded like it was a perfectly ordinary, every day, occurrence then proceeded on with her own agenda.

"Rei." Minako prompted. "It looked like you were having a vision. Anything you care to share?"

Rei gave a sigh, leaning back against the wall. She seemed guarded again, her arms were folded across her chest and there was a frown beginning to tug at her mouth.

"I ended up getting the answer to your question. I don't know why or how but I know what's coming." Rei answered, she looked carefully disinterested in what she was saying. It made me think that she was trying to distance herself as much as possible from what she was about to tell us.

"The child was right when he said he was the message. Though more accurately he was a warning." She pause again. "He said there were legions coming and there are but they won't be legions of monsters. They will be children."

Rei rubbed a hand over her temples.

"It looked like they will be gathering on the highland plains to the north east of the city towards Mare Nubium. There will be a forward guard of shadows but aside from that..."

Her voice trailed off, her gaze travelling over to Minako. Something I couldn't describe passed between them. A silent communication.

"We're ill equipped." Rei finished. Minako nodded.

"I suppose we should come up with a strategy or a plan of action." Minako told her, seeming to accept the concept of a fight against children so easily. I found myself at a loss for words. I knew that if an army was coming to extinguish the Lunar Kingdom I had an obligation to fight but this just seemed...

"Barbaric." Makoto muttered, voicing what we were all thinking. "How could Beryl do this?"

"I don't know how or why she did this but it's our job to be ready for it." Minako replied firmly. Makoto nodded giving an uneasy swallow.

"Minako. I don't think us coming up with a strategy will do much good. This isn't a simple matter such as guarding the princess. We're soldiers. We take orders." Rei stated, keeping her stance by the door. "How we address this threat is the Queen's call."

"We both know that my position as commander is going to lead us back around to this conversation anyways." Minako replied. "It started off as a more ceremonial position but this war we've found ourselves in has changed that. The High Queen is not going to send her armies off to fight this war alone. We're going to end up a part of it one way or the other. I think we should start planning for it now."

Rei's eyes narrowed, there was an aggressiveness about her. She looked ready to argue the point but then the look faded, she shrugged. What ever she had been struggling with internally seemed to have resolved itself.

"Fine. Let's start sorting this out then." Rei agreed.

There was a knock on the door of the common room before it was pushed open, Artemis poked his head in.

"Minako, Rei, the High Queen wishes to speak with you."

"Is this about the child army that approaches? Minako asked, an apprehensive look on her face. Artemis looked baffled.

"How did you know...?" He asked. "We only just received word from the scouts five minutes ago."

Minako's eyes flicked to Rei.

"Ah. Right." Artemis muttered then continued on drily. "How nice of you to inform us of the impending attack."

"We only just found out about it ourselves." Minako replied smoothly then turned to Rei.

"Let's get going."

MINAKO

"What will happen if I decline?" Rei asked stiffly. I hated that they asked her to lead this battle. Hadn't she been through enough?

"The command shall go to Minako, we thought that since..." The Queen said, her voice tapering off as Rei spoke over her.

"Fine." Rei agreed sharply the moment my name came up. There was a moment where doubt filled me as I watched her, she hadn't even considered the alternative. She just... volunteered for it.

"I beg your pardon?" Luna asked in confusion.

"I'll do it. Excuse me, I must go inform the troops." Rei told them, rising from her seat.

"Wait a moment, Mars. Are you sure you are prepared for this? Mentally?" The Queen asked, managing to look both concerned and wary. Rei eyed them evenly with one hand still resting on the table between us.

"This battle will be no different than the others I've fought in." Rei replied stiffly.

"But they are children! It is not a battle to damage our bodies, but our convictions and heart." Luna exclaimed, sounding aghast.

"Martians do not fight with our hearts or convictions, we fight with the strength of our bodies. We fight to win." Rei replied in a heartless tone with a wry smile on her lips. No, wry wasn't the right word... the smile was bitter. The Queen's almost unbreakable veneer slipped as she stared at Rei in shock. "Now I believe I will take my leave."

I rose angrily and followed her out into the hall, she seemed to be trying to avoid the confrontation she knew was coming. I caught her arm, jerking her around to face me. How could she just do this and walk away from me? Why did she refuse to give me answers straight away?

"Why did you volunteer? Do you not think I'm able to handle it?" I demanded, hating that she still thought me weak.

"This is not something you want on your conscience, Minako. Just leave it alone." Rei gritted out, her posture and emotions were guarded.

"No, I get that war has consequences. I want to know why you're volunteering!" I exclaimed, wanting to understand what was going through her mind. I wanted to understand why it felt like she was running away.

"Because the rest of you still have a chance." Rei finally whispered after a solid minute of silence, where we did nothing but stare at one another. Anger had entered my gaze while hers had misted in conflict.

"A chance at what, Rei?" I asked, frustration seeping into my tone.

"Of coming out of this war with your souls intact. Of being human."

REI

"Rei..." Her voice lost it's angry edge and her blue eyes softened.

"No, just listen for a minute. I've done things that I can never forgive myself for, things that I'll never atone for, no matter how many lives I live." I continued, knowing that now that I started talking I needed to keep going. She needed to know, it wasn't fair to keep this from her.

"What are you talking about?" Minako asked, reaching towards me. I pulled away from her slightly, letting her hand fall back to her side. I kept my gaze on hers as I steadied myself for this confession.

"This isn't the first time I've been ordered to go out and butcher children." I admitted, letting my eyes drop away from hers. "And it's not my first time to follow those orders."

I let out a long sigh, brushing a hand back through my hair as I sought the words to explain myself.

"Most of the wars on Mars are over resources; mainly water and food. My last campaign on Mars was quelling an uprising in Tharsis. The war started as a food riot near the Olympic Mons, an area called the Noctis Labyrinthus. Nearly four thousand starving youth slaughtered and I was the commanding officer." My voice broke and I needed a moment to compose myself. "They were barely more than children. Hell, some of them were still children, and I was only given a token force to subdue them with..."

I took another moment, gathering my thoughts and words. I didn't dare look at Minako, not for fear of her judgement but more for the fact that I wouldn't be able to bring myself to continue. This needed to be said aloud, I couldn't let it linger between us. She needed to understand me, I owed her that much.

"Then of the survivors of that massacre, every tenth child had to be culled, just to ensure there would be enough food rations to be distributed amongst the rest of them. They were executed by my hand. The responsibility for the death of thousands of children and youth can be laid squarely at my feet."

There was a soft intake of breath on Minako's behalf, she reached out to lay a hand on my arm. I stepped back again.

"No, don't. There's no comfort for this. I just don't want you or the others to go through this, so please just stay here. For me." Even to my own ears my voice sounded pleading. I swallowed. "I promise I will never ask you to let me fight alone again, but... just let me take care of this one. The Martian army can handle this by themselves. There no need for you to dirty your souls as well."

I then turned on heel and walked the rest of the way to the Martian war room.

MINAKO

It wasn't that I was just trying to console her, I was also trying to apologize. We had made so many cruel comments to Rei about her peoples' tendency towards bloodshed and war, even going as far as to taunt her about murdering children, we had never realized or considered the possibility she was struggling with her own grief over doing exactly that. I couldn't even bring myself to call it murder. Not anymore. She had just been place in unfortunate circumstances.

My face must have revealed some of my inner turmoil as I entered the common room for Makoto looked at me questioningly from where she was lounging on the sofa with Ami.

"What's up?" She asked, changing her position so she was sitting upright.

I sat down at the table, fighting the urge to slam my head against it.

"You and I are complete and utter idiots." I muttered, swallowing hard against the tears threatening to leak from my eyes. They were tears I never thought I would shed, they were tears on Rei's behalf.

"While I do not agree with your assessment of either Makoto or yourself, I would like to hear your reasoning behind such a statement." Ami said after a moment of her and Makoto sharing confused looks.

"Well, Makoto you know how we used to provoke Rei? What we insinuated?" I asked, trying to summon what little eloquence I had at the moment. I could feel Rei's resolve along with a sick sense of dread over what was to come. She was preparing for a battle and it was all I could do to respect her wishes.

Makoto nodded, leaning back in her seat like we were settling in for a casual conversation. It seemed she was trying to put me at ease.

"Yeah, before we learned that she was struggling to cope with actually killing people, that it was killing her." She commented, prompting me onwards. I could already sense her own remorse over what we had done. Our regard for Rei had changed since we had first come together.

"She volunteered tonight for the command position." I revealed, trying to keep the heaviness out of my tone. My statement was met with stunned silence, I continued on before either of them could draw a false conclusion from it.

"She did it to save us from having it on our conscience. She's already had to put down a youth rebellion once before and she doesn't want any of us to have to deal with that. She's doing it for us, so we won't have to."

There was more silence.

"Shit." Makoto swore, just about summing up my feelings at the moment. "We fucked up."

"And she's still willing to destroy whatever she has to, including herself, just to prevent us from going through what she did." Ami murmured, a stunned expression on her face. "Gods above Rei."

REI

Minako was already in bed when I returned to her room that night. Part of me was annoyed that my own rooms were destroyed almost beyond repair... the other part was grateful. As much as I wanted to spend my time alone I was thankful for Minako's presence. She had a calming effect on me now that we were beginning to relax around one another.

The balcony doors were wide open, letting the cool night air flow through the room. The room was peaceful and welcoming. I carefully and quietly shed my outer layers of clothing before lighting a fire in the hearth at one end of the room.

Thoughts of tomorrow swirled through my head as I stared into the flames, flickers of the future I'd witnessed earlier today appeared in the embers. I rested my hand on the mantle, glaring at them... then looking away before I saw her die again. Eventually my mind cleared enough for me to focus on the plan I had created for tomorrow.

The vision I had didn't reveal much information about the movements of the enemy, nor did it give an accurate view of their numbers. I had nothing concrete to go on apart from the location and a great grassy plain wouldn't give us a tactical advantage like the one we had on Mars.

I continued to run through scenarios in my head, trying to predict the movements of Beryl's armies. I didn't know which of her generals she would send to his battle... or perhaps she would come direct the troops herself.

"Rei..." Minako murmured from the bed after an hour or so of me standing in front of the fire. I glanced over my shoulder at her, wondering if I should apologize for waking her.

"Are you coming to bed or not?" Minako asked, once my eyes found hers. I couldn't seem to find the words to reply so instead I just nodded and walked towards her.

I laid down on the very edge of the bed, folding my hands behind my head and stretching out, keeping as much distance between Minako and I as possible. It seemed Minako was having none of that as she instantly rolled over and brought herself closer to my body.

Her eyes studied mine carefully, waiting for me to pull away. When I didn't she adjusted herself again, letting her head come to rest on my shoulder. Eventually I moved my arm from behind my head and let it rest around her shoulders instead. Minako let out a sigh.

"What is it you aren't telling me?" She asked, searching my face for any hint of what I was thinking. For a moment I wasn't sure how to answer... she was reading me so easily now. I let out a careful breath, keeping my gaze on the ceiling.

"I watched you die." I told her, running my fingers through her hair softly. My voice was barely more than a whisper. Minako's fingers came to rest on my clavicle, the palm of her hand settling over my sternum... and the place where the shadow's arm had phased through my chest.

"I've watched you die too." She told me, I could hear the emotion in her voice. I could feel her memory of past pain and tears. "So I know how it feels."

I turned my head on the pillow, looking over at her.

"I'm sorry."

Minako let out a choked kind of laugh.

"You're apologizing for dying?" She asked in disbelief.

I frowned.

"Am I not supposed to?" I questioned then looked back up at the ceiling when I saw she didn't have an answer. "And its not just for that. I hated it when you asked that I remain behind while you went to Terra and now I'm asking you to do the same thing."

Silence fell between us as we were each wrapped up in our own thoughts.

"Can I ask you a question?" Minako prompted after a few minutes, her hand still resting against my chest. I had thought she had fallen asleep but apparently not.

"Yes." I replied softly.

"The things we said, what we did... Why didn't you ever try to defend yourself?"

"I was already enough of a monster. I didn't need..."

"Rei. You aren't... you were never..." Minako started to try and contradict my statement. I cut her off with the simplest explanation I could come up with.

"Your indifference was nothing I wasn't already expecting." I told her, hoping that would answer the question she had asked... in the way she was looking for.

"We weren't indifferent. We were cruel." Minako corrected me. I found myself shrugging and my next words slipped out before I could stop them.

"I was used to it."

The sharp intake of breath from Minako sounded pained. I lowered my other arm from behind my head, bringing my hand down to cover hers. I didn't know what to say after that. The words were out there... and there was nothing I could do about it.

MINAKO

Some time before dawn I felt Rei stir next to me, drawing me out of my slumber. Sleepily I watched as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, sitting and staring out the window across the courtyard. After a heavy sigh she got to her feet, carefully and quietly beginning to gather her armour. After assembling it, she laid it out across the lounge on the opposite side of the room. I watched her slip on a thick wool shirt before pulling her chain mail over her head.

"Do you need help?" I asked, watching her as she dressed. She didn't even turn to look at me, pulling a reinforced shirt on over the chain-mail before yanking on the worn leather jacket.

"Go back to sleep Minako, I'm sorry I woke you." She told me softly, picking up her weapon belt from where it lay on one of the chairs. I eased myself into a sitting position to continue watching her. The methodical nature of her preparation was fascinating to watch. I looked from Rei, who was adjusting the weapons on her belt, to the remaining armour she had yet to put on.

"Rei please... just be careful." I stated lowly. She looked over, her hands stilling as she started to fasten on her greaves and vambraces.

"Promise me you won't die today." I requested, keeping her gaze locked with mine. She deftly finished fastening on her armour before picking up her bow and approaching me. She leaned over, pressing her lips to my forehead.

"I promise." She told me.

AN: Okay. Well I cut out about 2000+ words of this chapter so I could get it to you all earlier. That being said, some of you will notice that a fair bit of exposition still happened in this and the previous chapter. Hopefully I've succeeded in doing it in a manner that gives you the info dump without being painfully boring. On that note, Ami's little bit about The Source was supposed to be worked into one of the earliest chapters... as hinted at in her bit about acclimatizing to the Moon. I never found a spot that seemed to flow properly though... you know, without 'depriving' you all of the Minako/Rei stuff you can't get enough of. I get that you all love them... but I'm trying to tell a story here. Love the others a little bit more. Please. Lol.