Too many shadows, whispering voices
Faces on posters, too many choices
-Pet Shop Boys, "West End Girls"

It would be later, always later, that she realized there was something of importance going on. Once again she would fall victim to hindsight, wishing beyond most anything that she was omnipresent, or at least had a better knowledge of how to read the flames that hinted and were vague regarding events. In the now she could rant and rail against the notion of had she only known. But she hadn't. The emotions were conflicting, taking what were just bare notions and blowing them completely out of proportion.

The blonde, for instance. In an annoying way she was attractive, she had that ability to get under her skin and cause her nerves to sing. There might have been more there but she never let her thoughts move beyond that, much less beyond what she was. It was easier to adopt the fact she was her bodyguard; it was a clear cut and definitive line that had established boundaries. Boundaries she had no interest in pushing, much less crossing. The blonde did that enough for both of them that she didn't need to help out there.

However it was something that left her blindsided that took the thoughts she had and made them worse. They went off in directions she had never considered, that had she the opportunity would have blushed over the nature of her thoughts. She couldn't deny it however, much less fault it. She was attracted to her, she knew that much… she just never thought it would be this intense or warranted.

For now though thoughts of the blonde were ignored. There was the present now, and the present was far more demanding than anyone else could ever be, at least to this very moment.

Her gaze opened to a room of marble. A grand room that, large and intimidating. In blacks and reds it was decorated, mostly things of a war motif though flames were also present. Dark flames, blood red and darker, inlaid to the marble floor and walls, as well as the torches that sent up countless plumes of dark, arid smoke that gave the ceiling a murky uncertainty to it. Just how far up it went was impossible to tell, yet for all the smoke it was not choking; she could breathe just fine.

This was not what she remembered last time. The last she had recalled was … was a horse. Then there were thoughts. Then visions, imagery more worse than the last until the ending of seeing people laying dead in their pointless defense. The first two bodies didn't trigger anything in her, and certainly what they protected hadn't registered either as something critical and crucial… but seeing the blonde did. Impaled, looking straight on at her, despite how she was shredded. It was the only word she had for it, that or ripped asunder.

The world had gone black then, mercifully black. There were no sounds, no sights. No visions of blonde hair or red blood. There was nothing and in the emptiness she found a moment of peace. Of serenity, despite its nature of conflicting desires. She did not want to be cut off from the world around her, did not want to be unconscious. Did not want to be sleeping the dreamless sleep, unsure if she was even still alive or if she had since died and hung in a purgatory limbo until there was a need or reason for her to be reborn once anew.

But she was obviously alive. Lost, but alive. The room was lavish in its own special way. The war motif was found with weapons; axes and swords and halberds. Things that could slash and chop away, removing limbs cleanly. Maces and mauls; things that would crush and be far more painful than a simple removal, but how someone would beg for the limb to be removed than to live with it being mangled. Her gaze widened as it slowly passed along the display of sheer killing might, since that was what she took the items to represent. It could have been military might save she saw no standards, no banners. Just fire and the means to cause bloodshed.

The tortured spirits of your ancestors cling to you, screaming in silence. Apparently they are quite numerous.

The voice resounded in her mind, her eyes instantly closing to press her hands to her temples. Not this again… please anything but this. A proud woman she was still willing to beg all the same if it meant relief from the voices. When another voice did not follow through, when a vision did not take over her senses, she cautiously opened her eyes anew.

That was when she saw them.

Sprawled out in front of her were the forms of Phobos and Deimos, stripped of arms and armor. Not dead, but they had put up a fight all the same too. That much was obvious from the scraps and freshly given bruises that decorated their faces and limbs. It prompted her to act, rushing forward from how she had awoken laying on the floor. To them she instantly went, fingertips pressing to find a pulse point that was weak and sporadic in its delivery. Her frantic eyes didn't find any singular wound that would outright kill them, but the multitude of them had her more than worried.

The sound of boot heels against marble drew her attention, looking up to see a man approach. Reddish hair and a goatee, golden eyes bore down at her with a sadistic smirk. In his hand he carried a spear, his clothing some sort of uniform cut that instantly caused her mind to flash back to the blonde. She wore something sort of similar, in a way, recalling seeing her out of armor.

Eyes are the windows to the soul, shatter them forever.

The voice once more resonated in her mind, causing her to wince and look away from him. With an almost pained expression she forced herself to look back, watching as he stood before Phobos and Deimos' prone forms. He seemed rather pleased that they weren't moving or doing much of anything save for the occasional rise and fall of their chests. For that matter, he didn't seem at all phased that she was armed; the realization hit her suddenly as she felt either short sword at her waist.

To the point her hands even went to them, but all he did was laugh. He did not think her a threat at all, made obvious by his actions alone. In the crook of his arm he let the spear rest, maniacal laughter dying down to chuckles before he spoke. "My my. What I wouldn't give for the Lunarian emissary to be with you, but still such a catch you make, Priestess." However he managed to put so much scorn into the words she had no idea, just that he managed to do such.

Her eyes flew about, realizing once again that the blonde wasn't here. Her bodyguard, for all purposes and intentions, had left her. "Oh yes, I know she's your bodyguard." He seemed to pick up on her thoughts, continuing on. "Not a very effective one, is she? How can someone that honestly believes in this … this … 'Operation Bang the Priestess' truly be effective in saving your life? She is far too concerned with fucking you."

What… what? Operation … bang … her? Her brow drew to a constricting furrow, looking up at him sharply. "How do you know that?!" She demanded answers, inquiring of him as though she was in a position to get answers.

"Please Priestess. It is only far too obvious that she does. Its simply all she thinks about. How to get you undressed. The nature of your body. How you would look, withering under her in pleasure."

The words were hitting far too close to her thoughts of before. The thoughts she had of the blonde. Her wariness factor, if it could so be measured on a scale, instantly tipped. His voice, the more she listened and heard it, sounded far too much like the voices in her head. Was he behind them? Was he the cause of her nightmares, her visions? He spoke with a laced voice, whispers intertwining and adding an undercurrent to each word.

He took her silence with a grin, knowing he was right. The gloating continued on, hefting the spear so he could lazily pace about, completely at ease despite the fact she was armed. She wasn't a challenge. She wasn't anything of importance, and how effective could such be told to her just by such simplistic gestures. "That hardly makes her a worthwhile bodyguard, wouldn't you agree? At least those two there had your well-being their first priority. They at least were there with you, willing to lay down their lives to defend you. Wherever is your bodyguard, Priestess? Why isn't she here, defending you? Protecting you? Did she abandon you once she realized you just wouldn't … put out?"

The way he spoke of it made her nauseous. That it was wrong. It was damnably effective, if she thought on it any more she'd be completely turned off of the notion. But previous mention of Phobos and Deimos had her rushing up to her feet. "What did you do to them! Who are you!" In true Martian spirit she ignored that they were questions, demanding the answers instead as fire laced her words.

He merely laughed at her, pausing in his pacings to look at her again then laugh once more. "Such a demanding little thing you are." He paused, watching either man stir back towards consciousness. He hadn't killed them, though he wanted to. By waiting however for her to be here and awake meant he could instill just the right amount of fear into her to complete his manipulation of her.

His fingers snapped, drawing her attention to a figure she otherwise had missed in the room. Against the wall they had silently stood, still as a statue that it was easy enough to miss their presence. In robes of red and yellow and orange the figure swept over, a hobbled and slow step yet the sheer power that the figure commanded required at the very least respect. From a belt about its waist hung countless pouches and bound scrolls, its fingers of one hand grasping a staff that was far taller than the figure, given how much it was hunched over.

"You like my pet wizard? He's rather a dying breed, yet his apprentices are numerous. Sadly, none are as skilled as him." The man with the spear spoke of the robed man as though he was a pet. Stopping a short distance from her his eyes peered out, buried under bushy white eyebrows. He bore a sad face, what she could tell given that he had a hood up over his head. "Deal with them." Was all he said, turning away to take a few steps before he spun about again to watch.

The wizard nodded, a frail hand reaching into one of the numerous pouches hanging from its belt. A handful of powder was thrown at either Phobos and Deimos, followed by another handful from yet another pouch. Low mumbling followed in the wake, hand retreating up a sleeve before two feathers, black as sin, were brought to light. The mumbling continued, the inhabitants of the room paying close attention, one with smug confidence, the other with apprehensive fear.

With a flourish that should beguile the age of the man the feathers were thrown up suddenly in the air, the staff that had been used to lean on shot forward. From the end came a burst of fire, lancing through either feather then to the prone figures on the floor. The powder ignited, forcing her back with a cry, raising her hands above her head. The sound of a scream, two screams melted into the cry of a raven. She looked up, beyond her arms…

Phobos and Deimos were gone. In their place lingered two ravens, black as sin, injured and unmoving. Their eyes rapidly moved back and forth, as though they understood what had happened to them. Caws and cries followed, the flutter of wings and a short hop before either just laid still, unmoving.

He laughed.

Your allies will leave you behind.

In abject horror, all she could do was stare as the wizard lowered his arms, returning to lean against his staff. The other man laughed, a thick laughter that shook his shoulders and sent his head tilting back. Her eyes were wide, staring without seeing, looking without comprehension.

Missing that there was movement behind the two before her.

A/N: All these reviews and follows and favorites outta nowhere… wow. Seriously very cool. To the reviews then 'cause I'd feel really bad about calling out a follower 'cause maybe they don't want to be mentioned. I dunno.

In chapter/posted order for the most part…

[Ch 21]
BooBooKittyFuck - The shit Minako has to go through is fucking unreal you know? I switch between the two because otherwise you'd never know that Rei is secretly really fucking horny lol

[Ch 16 - 23]
yellow dot one - My favvvvvvvvvvv person lol. There I just wanted to mention you but I've already talked about most everything and you're caught up and I answered your questions so yeahhhhhh

[Ch 22]
Poop - I never thought I'd write to you. I feel kinda honored but in the good way. No worries, this won't get left behind. Might be a few days between postings thanks to stress of work, but I have way too many things I wanna write about to just all of a sudden stop.

BooBooKittyFuck - See above commentary. The question though is… are they her thoughts or outside influences? O_o mystery yeahh!

Thunderfall - Yes. Yes Rei is.

[Ch 23]
Thunderfall - I know I'm a mean writer. That's what Scorpios do after all.

BooBooKittyFuck - lol here it is so I don't have to say soon (Blizzard Trademark)

Sky King Haruka Tenou - ...I ruined a night of sleep? Fuck that is awesome! Well not that you lost sleep; see I love sleep but … well hey you said it was all worth it so yeah.

I like details for some stuff but a lot of things I either a) don't know enough about (see: clothes), b) it's ultimately not important (it might be but I figure someone can ask if they have a question) or c) I spent too much time reading someone post their entrance during text based roleplaying for the past 45 minutes and I'm tired and I don't really care which way their shirt is held closed or how the silk falls just that *special* way or that their eyes are every color of the fucking rainbow… Descriptions have their place yes. Some people just can go overboard too. If I was really descriptive, this would be more than 58k words after all. I want it to be as big as it needs to be and if someone has a question… I'm happy to answer.

And yes… neither fell in love right away. Maybe they did though. Maybe someone did! But I'm a mean writer (see above) and that means I put characters through hell first before they get their happiness. Just so they appreciate it more and I have something to work with (like more angst!).