A/N: Happy Sunday! :)

Love Me Chain

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The castle was abuzz with activity. Servants scurried about, pages ran between, over and under the loads they carried, royals drifted by as they chattered amongst themselves, fine robes glistening, and commoners walked reservedly among them, eyes wide as they took in the general splendor of the occasion.

It was the day of the official naming of the Shitennou, the Four Heavenly Kings.

Kunzite frowned at his reflection in the mirror as he adjusted his armor. He had been preparing for this moment his entire life. The great goddess Gaia would bestow mighty power upon him at this ceremony now that he had proven himself to the King and Prince. Lesser men would faint at the magnitude of that honor.

So why did he feel so…strange?

The King of the Middle East was not prone to deep introspection, as quiet as he was. Rather, he spent his quietude observing others, making out their motives and reviewing swordplay strategies. And yet, in this silent moment in his chambers, amidst the flurry of the Earth Kingdom Court, Kunzite found himself searching deep within for the answers to his present condition.

It could be sorrow. His father, the previous Middle Eastern king before Kunzite was forced to take on the title, had passed away months after his son's arrival to Court to train alongside the Prince and the other prospective Shitennou. His father had taken immense pride that Kunzite had shown promise to be a magnificent warrior some day, and had always proclaimed to anyone who would hear that he looked forward to the day when he could speak of his son as the Shitennou, second only to the Prince. His father had been old, and had died naturally in his sleep. On this day, he would have been proud.

Perhaps that was the strangeness Kunzite felt.

He turned to retrieve his sword and stared at it thoughtfully. The other men, fine soldiers as they were with unmatched devotion to the Prince, were likely to be also preparing for the grand occasion. It was as important to them as it was for him. Yet they each had their shortcomings, and Kunzite had reason to fear the worst. Zoicite, perhaps, was sleeping in and bound to show up late to his own ceremony. Jadeite, on the other hand, had probably shown up early and, charming as he was, unwittingly offended some royal of a distant land. And Nephrite…Kunzite sighed. Nephrite's head was probably lost in dreamland.

His men may not be as single-mindedly focused as he was on this particular day. Such a notion was anxiety-inducing. That must be the cause of this bizarre mood.

Yes, he nodded to himself. That must be it.

A crash from the door interrupted his thoughts. Kunzite turned to see an elderly woman dressed in maids' robes comically reaching for a vase before it could fall to the floor. He should have heard the door open, he admonished himself. Was he so deep in his thoughts? He watched as she glanced around sheepishly before catching his eye. Immediately, she straightened.

"May I help you?" he asked calmly. His station demanded that her very presence in his chambers be explained. And so she did.

"Excuse me, m'lord," she said, sweeping into a deep courtesy that was surprisingly graceful and agile for an old woman. "I was told to come to your rooms to change your…bed sheets."

Kunzite raised an eyebrow, his face betraying nothing else. "At this hour? When the castle is in the midst of preparations for the ceremony?"

The old woman seemed to blush and that caused Kunzite to step forward, peering closely at her. She was short and rather stocky, with straight grey hair that was swept up into a bun. Her face was aged and wrinkly. She seemed about seventy years old.

"I have not seen you before," he stated tonelessly with a slight frown.

"My daughter is a maid here at Court," the woman said. There was a touch of defensiveness in her tone, but she otherwise appeared at ease. "There was a notice calling for extra hands to do the usual castle chores as well as assisting with the preparations of the grand event." She bowed her head humbly. "I was merely carrying out what I was told to do."

Kunzite nodded. He had seen the notice.

"Proceed," he said, dismissing her as he returned to face the mirror. His sword required fastening and his appearance needed to be suitable. He paid no more attention to the old maid as he readied himself. No attention as her startling blue eyes, as clear and youthful as summer, watched him surreptitiously while she carried out her chore. No attention as he exited his chambers and the rooms literally lit up at the woman's soft smile.

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"Close call", Venus murmured to herself as the soon-to-be General stepped out the door. She had taken great care with her disguise. Dressing as an old woman was fun. Men hardly gave her a second glance as she had scurried down the halls in search of Kunzite's chambers. As was custom to an immortal, she could disguise all but her eyes. But Kunzite had barely noticed it, which was good. His mind was too occupied with other things to concern himself too much with a wayward old maid. But the man was perceptive, and she did not think she would withstand his scrutiny. Not without jumping his bones, revealing herself and ruining the whole plan. Oh, how attractive he was! Long silver hair, steady grey eyes, and a muscular build that would make any woman swoon…

She had taken such great care of her appearance that she had neglected to think of what she would say if she were caught red handed in his rooms. Suffice to say, there was a reason Lady Mars was the goddess that dealt with stratagem. Venus' only use for tactics was for affairs of the heart.

And this was a grand affair indeed.

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The festivities were over, the dances were danced, the speeches were given and the applause still thrummed in Kunzites ears. It was hours after the last vestiges of the ceremony had trudged back home, or wherever the party was set to continue. The castle was quiet.

Kunzite stood at the castle steps, staring at the clear night sky as he felt the pulse of power in hands. He balled them into fists and flexed them intermittently, trying to get used to the tingling sensation coursing through his veins. Gaia had indeed appeared before them all, as promised, and while none could make out her face, all could feel her power.

"This gift I impart to you, to guard your Prince and the keeper of your heart with all your might," she had said. Her voice, sweet as honey yet firm as that of a military commander, had chilled his bones. He felt the weight of her charge, though he was rather confused by it.

The keeper of his heart? Whatever could she mean by that? All his heart knew was duty and honor. His every waking thought was devoted to strengthening and safeguarding the Earth Kingdom. In that respect, perhaps it was the Prince who held his heart.

Years ago he had sworn an oath to the King and Prince when he first arrived to Court, and yet again today he had sworn his body, mind and soul before the Earth goddess and all the kingdom. But Kunzite held himself to a stronger, deeper vow, one he made to himself on the playground of his kingdom when he was five years old, teased for his small stature and weak body.

A rustle to his left caught his notice, interrupting his thoughts. Turning to attention, he found the same old woman from before standing off to his side.

"Here to check my bed sheets again," he queried dryly with a raised eyebrow. To his surprise, the woman smirked.

"There are no beds that I can see, m'lord," she said, merriment deep in her voice. "Might I ask what is the occasion, that you stare so forlornly at this fine night sky?"

Kunzite frowned. "I might first ask, who are you?" He surveyed the area of the castle steps and found them as empty as they were when he had arrived. "No one should be out here, and I know for certain that all the extra help have been sent home for hours now."

The woman bobbed her head. "Aware of the comings and goings of visitors to the palace," she intoned jauntily. "A good start at your first night being a Shitennou."

His frown deepened, raising his hand to his hilt. "Who are you?"

The woman tilted her head, almost childishly if he did not know better. "How about we play a game?" she said teasingly. Her wizened voice crackled in its age. "Who are you?"

"I have no time for games!"

"Ah," she shook her head knowingly. "But you will play this one if you wish to keep that new power you hold at bay."

Kunzite froze, his eyes widened just a fraction.

"Yes," the woman said almost haughtily. "I know about that."

"How…?" Kunzite trailed off, caught off guard as he stared down at his hands. They were glowing white.

The old woman nodded solemnly. "You are a Shitennou now, but in reality your training has just begun. I'm surprised Gaia doesn't just give you lessons herself. But you know what they say about experience and teaching and…something of that sort," she waved a hand dismissively. In her babble, she missed the look of incredulity that crossed his normally impassive face.

"Are you a—" he began.

"Goddess?" she finished for him, smiling at him mischievously. "Well, I'm afraid I cannot say," she said in a dramatically offhanded manner. "But as you have guessed, I am certainly not what I seem."

At this point, Kunzite did well not to roll his eyes. He had read the stories of the gods as a child growing up. They liked to frolic with mortals and play with them as if they were toys. This present interaction certainly fit the bill.

"So you are a goddess," he concluded with finality. The hand on his hilt loosened but he did not remove his grip. Kunzite regarded her seriously. "What is it that you seek, or wish to warn me of, my Lady?"

Finally, the woman regarded him with the seriousness that matched her elderly appearance. She was silent for several moments as she stared at him. Fortunately, Kunzite was used to silence as much as he was used to stares.

"That aching that you felt deep inside yourself," she began. Her voice was raspy and took on an otherworldliness that captivated him. "Have you yet discerned its cause?"

Kunzite should have been surprised, but now that he was resolutely certain that he was indeed speaking to an immortal, he could only nod.

"The weight of this new position," he replied matter-of-factly. The woman was about to snort but his next words, much quieter and unsure, stopped her. "And the lack of anyone to really share it with, I suppose."

Venus wanted to beam, but tried her best not to. Her true smile would break her disguise, which she could already barely hold on to on account of her immeasurable excitement at finally, finally speaking to the true love of her avatar.

Venus had waited the longest of her planetary sisters to meet with her avatar's fated belovéd. Mercury was surprisingly the first, though the ice goddess firmly argued that it was purely for curiosity's sake. But Venus knew. No one, mortal or immortal, could hide their deepest desires from her. She was the goddess of love and desire. And she knew that Mercury held a deep hope that her avatar would find happiness with her destined mortal. And with the plans that Selene was making, Mercury held on to the hope that she herself could take part in that love.

It was not an easy thing to be the goddess of her dominion. Venus felt the burden of each living creature's deepest desires, and though she was an immortal it was oftentimes overwhelming.

Mortal men prayed to the goddess Venus and spun tales of how she descended to their villages and towns, disguised, in order to ensnare them. The stories of Venus were countless. They told of her unparalleled beauty, of her wanton behavior, and of her raging jealousy when a man's eyes strayed from her. Women revered her as much as they feared her. Some of them purposely disfigured themselves, destroying their physical beauty in fear that the goddess would descend upon them to scratch away their faces.

Mortals did not know that none of these stories were true. They were lies whispered into the ears of men by other gods and creatures in-between who raged in jealousy of her beauty and power. The real truth, Venus reflected, was that she preferred to spend her time in a corner of the universe among the stars in the company of her planetary sisters. The prayers, wishes and hopes of those who uttered her name still reached her ears, but her empathic abilities were severely dampened when she was in that domain. Like Mars, who actually spent more time between the Sacred Fire and the company of the sisters than planning any strategy for war as her title implied, Venus was a goddess who preferred isolation. Though, it was more for her sanity than anything else. Like the other gods, she adored mortals and was fascinated by them. But rarely did she descend to spend any real time among them.

And so, as she conversed with Lord Kunzite, whom her darling Minako would meet in mere weeks when the Moon princess made her first jaunt to Earth, Venus felt an excitement that she could hardly contain.

"They say that the Heavenly Kings," she said, stirring herself from her thoughts. "While surrounded by the beautiful women of Court and blessed with extensive lands, rarely ever take wives of their own." She looked at him compassionately. The same was true for the Senshi, who never once in any generation since their inception, had taken any serious partners. "The weight of your station is too mighty."

Kunzite inclined his head in acknowledgement of her spoken truth. "Indeed it is."

The General processed his situation. He was standing on the castle steps in the dead of night, conversing with an immortal disguised as a haggard old woman, and conversing about matter of the heart no less, and he felt perfectly at ease. Briefly, he wondered if the goddess was bewitching him. Stories told of that as well. But somehow, he felt he was safe.

Perhaps it was the demeanor of the goddess before him, who looked at him with such understanding and compassion that he felt the urge to weep in her arms and bury himself there forever. Or perhaps, more plausibly, it was his encounter with Gaia earlier that day which gave him confidence that he could hold his own against even an immortal if it came to it.

"I do wish the best for you, my Lord," the goddess said, though Kunzite could honestly hardly think of the woman as a goddess. The disguise was thorough. All except her eyes, which were such an astonishing summer's blue that he was surprised that he had not noticed them before.

"Your duty is a great one, one that surely requires all of your thought and devotion," she continued. "But I pray, my Lord, that if you are indeed blessed with a partner who may share your burden," she paused, and gave him a dazzling smile that knocked the wind out of him. "That you may open your heart to such an opportunity. Despite the improbability of such an event."

She winked and Kunzite was speechless. Both at the words she offered him, but mostly at the sheer beauty that was pouring from the old woman in waves.

The woman seemed to notice his stupefaction and frowned, looking down at herself. She raised her arms and flailed at her maids' robes.

"Ah, shoot!" she yelped. "My disguise is slipping."

Seemingly out of nowhere, she produced a cloak that she hastily threw on as she turned away. She took two steps away from him and paused, as if waiting.

"Who are you?" he managed to ask yet again. In the silence of the night, a bird cawed as it passed overhead. Kunzite was used to silence. He was used to waiting.

She turned slightly, enough for her to show him a smirk. Her face appeared considerably younger, but he could not make out her features. "Will you miss me, my Lord?" she asked teasingly. "If I do not tell you who I am?"

Kunzite stepped forward, unsure of what to do next. He had never fathomed that he would ever encounter an immortal. It seemed something for the stories, and something that was more in line Nephrite's obsession with mythology than anything else. Kunzite respected his friend but could never understand his fascination with what lay beyond the clouds. To Kunzite, paying attention to real life had seen him grow into a fine warrior that made his father proud. Keeping his head away from the clouds in singular focus had awarded him the title of First General. Staying away from dreams of the gods was what made him second only to the Prince.

And yet, here he found himself, recently gifted by Gaia herself with immense power, and visited by an unnamed goddess, all in the same day. Surely he was dreaming, as the past twelve hours alone were out of his realm of possibilities.

"Who are you?" he asked again with nothing short of desperation. Venus turned away and allowed herself to smile. A soft light of orange yellow emanated from her visage, bouncing against the castle steps in a quiet dance. She wondered if Kunzite noticed.

"I shall leave you, General," she said, pitching her voice low now that her disguise had completely broken. "But I have already given you a clue as to my identity." She paused, considering. "Several, in fact," she acceded. "But do not focus now on the messenger. Think on my words to you. Open your heart to possibilities. The fate of the universe may just depend on it."

And with that, Kunzite was suddenly alone. The goddess was gone, dissolved in a passing wind and firefly light.

Turning back to the sky, as he was before his thoughts were interrupted, Kunzite considered her words, and that of the goddess Gaia. The earth deity had also mentioned something to the effect of matters of the heart when she had given him his charge.

He frowned as he spun toward the castle, heading toward the rose gardens. He had dallied long enough. He needed to ensure that his liege was safe. If an immortal had broken into the castle to speak to him, what other havoc could have been wrought?

He steeled himself in a manner long familiar, since the day he was five years old on that dusty playground, older children surrounding him in cruel laughter. He would be the greatest, finest warrior that ever lived. Nothing would stand in his way. Nothing would bring him down. His duty was his very breath, and he would be damned if anything tarnished that reputation.

Thoughts on love could wait for now, though, he knew, they would not wait forever.

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"Do you think he received the message?" Selene inquired of her sister goddess. They were snuggled against each other as they watched over the Earth from their perch on the Moon. Venus had been remarkably quiet since her return from the blue planet. Earth seemed to have this effect on all the goddesses.

"I hope so," Venus said quietly. She could not hide the sadness in her voice as she felt her vulnerability claw at her insides. "I at least sowed a seed. My dear Mina can water it. She has my blessing, after all. A fine warrior she is, with a big heart too."

They were quiet for a moment as they beheld the blue orb that held the future for them all.

"Will you be okay?" Selene asked timidly, taking her hand hesitantly. The Moon goddess was in a rare moment of doubt since hatching her plan with her planetary sisters. It was they who would be giving up the most. Risking the most.

"I will be," Venus replied softly with a halfhearted shrug, still staring at Earth. "I think he's worth protecting. This man…Kunzite," his name was unfamiliar on her tongue. She had been careful not to speak his name aloud until now. "And I don't want to see this world—and all the realms—consumed by Chaos. I can't let that happen."

Venus was silent for a moment, then turned to face Selene. "And I think she's worth it. The one you're truly doing all this for."

Selene should not have been startled, and yet still she was. Venus knew the hearts of all.

"I do not judge you for it," she said gently, squeezing the hand that Selene was still holding. Her summer blue eyes filled with compassion. "Sometimes love is like a chain. We are bound to serve the ones we love, no matter the cost."

Selene hesitated. "Is that how you feel?"

Venus was silent for a long time. Selene had almost forgotten her query when the other woman eventually responded.

"I don't know what I feel," she admitted finally. "As the goddess of love and desire, one would think that I have a better handle on my own desires. But I never have."

She pulled herself from the comfort of Selene's embrace. Clenching her fists, the Love Me Chain appeared in her hands, glowing a warm orange-yellow. It was her gift to Mina, but the avatar would not notice its absence for a few moments. Staring at the chain, Venus whispered her secret.

"With this Rebirth, I pray that I can find out for myself what it is to truly desire. It's a chance to have a passion that isn't directly influenced by someone else's."

Selene's eyes softened at Venus' admission. "A new life will suit you."

At that, Venus truly smiled, radiant and blinding. "I hope so."

She brought Selene back into an embrace as they continued to gaze at the Earth. "With this plan of yours, Selene, hope is all we have."

Selene stroked her sister goddess's hair.

"Then let's make it count."

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The planetary goddesses watched grimly as their Senshi fought their hardest for the sake of the Moon Kingdom. None could take their eyes away as each warrior fell one by one at the hand of their lover. The pain of betrayal thickened the air and the Moon ran red with the blood of each Senshi's sacrifice.

Selene wept silently as she watched Serenity take her own life. Queen Selenity's cries echoed across the space of the universe in grief for her daughter. Chaos cackled.

Up high in the vastness of the universe, the goddesses stood at attention. Their moment was approaching. They would only have one opening when the Queen wielded the Crystal against Metalia, and they had to make it count.

"I love you girls," Selene whispered, staring at each of them with desperation. "I promise to watch over all of you in your new lives. I won't let you down."

Her sisters gazed at her with varying expressions. Jove was trusting and hopeful. Mercury seemed anxious yet resolute. Mars was set in pure determination. And Venus…

"No matter what happens to us down there," the goddess of love commanded resolutely. "Do not give up hope Selene."

Mars joined her, her eyes a burning fire. "If we ever need you as Sailor Cosmos, we need you to be ready."

Mercury nodded, her demeanor calmed like the stillness of the lake her thoughts often wondered to. "That means you must remember why we're doing this," she said quietly, firmly. "Remember why."

Jove looked at them all, her eyes shining, and focused on Selene as down below them Queen Selenity made her attack and her final wish.

"For love," she proclaimed, and there was a flash of light.

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Way down below, in the heart of the Elysian, an ailing Gaia cradled four stones with utmost care. She sat in the gazebo of her gardens, now a dry and barren place at the hand of Metalia's rise to power, and waited. She stared at the Golden Mirror, cracked by the twisted dreams of all her children who were subverted to Metalia's control, and gazed at her reflection. Her mahogany hair was matted and stringy, sticking to her sickly skin that sheened with sweat and toxin. Her eyes had taken on a grey hue, a far cry from its once vibrant green, and her body had withered as if youth had been forcibly sucked out of her.

Chaos had poisoned her when it swept the Earth, but it would not be long before she felt the healing of the Silver Crystal. She had heard the cries of Queen Selenity, she suspected the whole universe had, and new that time was approaching.

In the midst of the battle, Gaia had managed to safeguard the stones of her four Heavenly Kings. In all that had fallen on Earth at the hand of Metalia, the stones still remained untouched. As long as this was so, the Shitennou would always have their humanity, unharmed and untainted, to return to. Melalia had only their bodies and a fraction of their spirits, but Gaia kept their souls. In this way, they would not fail their Prince or the Senshi after the Rebirth. Once Endymion remembered who he was and all that had transpired, the stones would appear to him. The Golden Crystal would tell him what to do, though she suspected that he would need no prodding. The Prince was a merciful one, and it was not the fault of the Shitennou that they had been captured by Metalia and turned against him.

"For love," she echoed, drifting to sleep as she felt the first rays of the Silver Crystal. Queen Selenity had bought them victory, for now.

The earth deity slumped, her head falling against Selene's shoulders. In a sparkle of silver and blue, the Moon goddess had appeared beside her in just that moment. Carefully, she took the four stones from Gaia's open palm and cradled them as she knew their mistress would. Selene closed her eyes as she smiled at her old adage: the earth goddess took care of her children, but it was Selene who took care of Gaia.

The Moon deity stroked her mahogany tresses as she hummed a quiet song.

"For love," she repeated. She felt the rays of the Silver Crystal bring life back into Elysian. She watched Gaia's garden transform slowly into the lively array of colors that she admired so, and in the distance she could hear the animals of the Earth breathe again. The humans would soon follow suit and, in time, her sisters would awaken. Their planets and civilizations were lost, but life would continue on Earth. For Earth.

"For love," she hummed.

Perhaps this was the plan of the Fates all along. Perhaps Chance was working in their favor. Whatever it was, Selene would not believe that love was to be the universe's undoing. Rather, Love would save it.

Love.

End

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A/N: I'll be honest. This was not how this chapter originally ended. But after reading the reviews (and realizing that most of the reviewers were hardcore Venus fans), I went back and did what I could to bring justice to both the character and the story. Thus, firstly, I must say a huge THANK YOU to my reviewers! Valkyrie Celes, gabicg93, KageNoNeko and Vchanny, your reviews pushed me to rework this chapter and I'm so amazed at the result. I hope you all enjoyed reading this.

The end of this particular tale. It's so bittersweet for me, as I've never finished something like this before. I'm not used to toying with any of these characters, albeit they are technically OCs (though Gaia is the only real OC), but the plot as well as my age-old fascination with mythology yielded some incredible results.

I had originally intended separate chapters dealing with the goddesses and Shitennou exclusively, but it turned into a study of the goddesses and their thoughts on the Senshi and the death of the Silver Millennium, which I find a far richer story than merely a pre-love, love story. I imagine this to be sort of a precursor to the original series.

I've been presented with the idea of a prologue/epilogue that focuses on Gaia's love story. Maybe. We'll see. Wikipedia tells me that she had many lovers in mythology so picking one and weaving that into the SM universe would be interesting if not challenging. It would also deal with the circumstances in which she incarnated the first time (prompted by Vchanny, thank you). As I said, we'll see.

I have all the jitters of a first-time fanfic writer, so do leave a review! What did you like? What did you not like? Did you smile? Did you go "aww?" Did you weep? Let me know!

~Blessings