Chapter 8

'Where am I?! I was just with Minako, and now I'm…?' Katsuro looked around frantically, his body tensed up once he saw bodies. Three bodies laying on the ground in broken armor, puddles of blood underneath them.

"And then there was one…" A voice spoke from nearby, very smooth but sinister in tone.

"Zeo…why? Why do this?! We were allys! We were comrades! Teamates! FRIENDS!" Wait, that was…his voice? But how? Katsuro looked to see what appeared to be him, standing in his crimson armored form, pieces falling to the ground from battle damage. Was this a dream? No, this was a memory, from the past. It had to be. This was all too real to be just some dream.

He tried to call out, but it was no use. 'I can't speak. I can't talk or yell. Whats going on?! Zeo? I don't know that name.' He buried his face into his palms, gripping his head in pain trying to remember.

"Why you ask me? You already know the answer. I gave you all the chance to rule by my side as gods. We were given these powers to become deities! Rulers of this world." His voice was calm and suave, and even with a hint of amusement. He brushed back long black hair that revealed glowing crimson eyes.

"You're wrong! We were given these powers and abilities by the gods to protect this world! We are…we were this world's defenders!" The Katsuro in the armor clenched his fists, his teeth gritted in anger, in pain, both emotional and physical. "You turned on the one who entrusted you with that power! You killed the Yellow Dragon! Don't you realize you've brought imbalance to the world!?" He was unable to hold back the tears that began to flow, his once kind and caring sapphire blue eyes now pierced with hate and anger.

"Hm? I didn't just kill a god. I absorbed his essence, I have become a god and ascended beyond the limits you or the other knights could have ever imagined! The Yellow God of the Center represented Earth. So I suppose now, I am a god that represents the void that will consume everything! I've even taken in some of the powers of your guardian beasts!" His voice now became maniacal, laughing out with pure ecstasy of what he had done.

"You call yourself a god now just because you absorbed the power of one?!" Katsuro looked back to his fallen friends, tears continuing to fall. He was only one now. Zeo's power was immeasurable at this point. He had the power and abilities of a deity. He WAS a deity at this point.

'Katsuro, please, retreat now. I know what you're thinking and that is not the answer!' Suzaku's voice echoed in his mind. 'We lost our brother, and you, our chosen warriors, our children have been lost. You are all that's left. You must survive and live on.' Suzaku pleaded, but the please fell on deaf ears.

"To hell with that! If I run now, then he gets away with everything he's done. My friends…my family." Blood ran from his palms from clenching his fists so tightly. "No, I've decided." He stood tall and firm, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I know how to deal with him. Its all or nothing now."

'Katsuro! NO!'

It was too late; he began charging full on towards Zeo. A flash of gold energy formed Zeo's armor. A golden dragon head with blue eyes on the chest and shoulder pads. The armor was gold; however, it became slowly tainted. Darkness slowly creeped over his armor, becoming black with red eyes. Once Katsuro got to him, he put all his power into an uppercut. "Phoenix BATTLE FIST!" The head shape of a phoenix over his fist, flame energy covering him as he knocked the now god powered foe into the air.

"That tickled. You don't think you're going to accomplish anything with this little tangent, do you? Your attacks lack any strength behind them.

"I wasn't trying to do any damage with that attack!" He blasted his flame energy downward to throw himself up into the air, catching up with Zeo. He then grabbed him from behind.

"Wait! What are you doing?!"

"If we all die, then I'm taking you with us!"

"No! Stop! Its not to late, you could have the power of a god as well! We can rule this world side by side! You can have anything you desire!"

"What I DESIRE, is for you to shut the fuck up!" He was trying to get them off the ground a bit higher before enacting on his plan.

"You think a fall from here will destroy me? You're more foolish than you look then!"

"Oh don't worry. There won't be anything left of you to hit the ground when I'm done." His eyes began to glow, his body blazed up with a burning fire aura. He even began converting his life energy into his attack. "This. Is my ultimate mastery! FINAL IGNITION!"

'KATSURO!' Suzaku's voice rang in his mind at the final seconds of his life before being silenced by a large explosion in the sky. The shockwave blew tree's down, burning the ground below to ash. A crater formed below from the impact.

Katsuro shot up in bed, his body soaked in a sweat, panicked, his heart raced as he gripped his forehead into his hand. Minako had been awake for a while seeing him tossing and turning in his nightmare. "My…friends…" His voice trembled with memories flooding back to him like a deer being smashed by an eighteen-wheeler. And then…."Zeo…" His voice for the first time ever, was full of malice and anger.

"Katsuro! Are you alright?" Minako had been up for a while with him moving all over the bed. She sat back down quickly at his side, placing her arm around him to try and comfort him. She heard him say the name, and for the first time, seeing a different side of him. Her eyes gazed in concern for him. She knew that look though. When she and her friends learned of their pasts, they reacted the same way.

'Katsuro…you saw it didn't you? You saw our past?' The voice echoed in his mind.

"He…was one of us. We trusted him. Each other. He betrayed everyone…" His voice filled with confusion, with fear. Tears welled up in his eyes. It then hit him, that he had sacrificed everything in vain to stop him. An image showed in his mind after the explosion of a figure, floating in the sky with black armor, unphased by Katsuro's last attempt to stop him.

"You're scaring me, please, talk to me." Minako pleaded before Katsuro stood up quickly.

"Hey! Suzaku! Tell me, my last sacrifice was for nothing. He survived. If we all died, then how did he come to be sealed away?!" He held the jewel in his hand to talk, he wanted to know how Zeo came to be sealed away and how they were reborn. Minako and the others would need to know as well, so he wanted her to hear.

"With our remaining life force, we used the Seal of the Four Beasts to trap Zeo. We offered our physical vessels as tribute to put him away. We used what remaining life force we had after that so that you four may be reborn when the time came that he would be free again. That, and to offer you and your loved ones a second chance at life. To try and live happy. We as gods still exist, but only outside of this realm. We lack physical bodies or vessels to be able to roam this world freely anymore." Suzaku explained to the two, as the jewel lit up with every word spoken.

Minako quietly listened to the conversation between the two; it sounded exactly what they had gone through years ago with Beryl. She knew exactly what he was going through right now, learning that everyone he cared for died and being reborn, thrown into an age-old war and having to put an end to an unfinished war.Without thinking, she gently placed her hand on his shoulder, seeing the hurt and pain he was trying so hard to hide.

A part of him was filled with anger and hurt, he was almost furious hearing that he was just brought back to fight again, but it quickly went away, feeling the loving touch of Minako's soft hand on his shoulder. His rational thought began to return to him to see the bigger picture. He wasn't JUST brought back to fight some enemy. He was given another shot at life. Suzaku, no, the other gods as well didn't just want this for them. If anything, they had lost family as well when Zeo killed and absorbed one of them. He placed his hand on Minako's and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Suzaku…thank you." He quietly stated, his crimson hair covering his eyes. "Things will be different this go around. I swear it." When he looked back up, his sapphire eyes were full of determination. "Because of what you, and the other three did for us. I've had the chance to meet this amazing woman. And new friends, new allies. I promise, we will make him pay for his sins." Minako smiled gently seeing his change in demeanor.

"Katsuro…time and time again, you always show me that my choice of a guardian was correct. Your heart and spirit remain as just as ever. I have been sensing that soon, one of the others will be rejoining you. Be on the lookout…good luck my young warrior." The voice finally faded away.

"So that was, Suzaku?" Minako asked, sitting close to him.

"Yeah, that was the Vermillion Bird God of the South, and my mentor. I have, some of my memories back. At least enough now to know what we're up against. Though…seeing myself die is kind of a…"

"Bummer? Yeah, I get that." Minako interrupted, her gaze moving to the floor while she remembered when they found out about their pasts.

"Yeah, that's one way to put it." He tried to force a chuckle. "You talk like you have experience in that area?" He questioned her.

"Silver Millenium. It was something that existed a long time ago on the moon. It's a long story, but Sailor Moon, Usagi, is the reincarnation of a moon princess named Serenity. There was once a war over possession of something called the Silver Crystal that she has, an evil named Metalia once turned people on Earth against the Moon people. Mamoru is the reincarnated Prince Endymion. Serenity and Endyimion were in love and got caught up in the conflict. Us Sailor Guardians did as well. We all died…Queen Serenity, Usagi's mother in a past life, made it so we would all be reborn again." She quietly explained.

"I see. Well, it sounds like in past lives, we JUST missed being introduced to each other. So we definitely owe them for giving us this chance in our current lives." He tried to make light of the situation and smiled to her.

"Yeah, definitely." She smiled back at him then looked at the time. "We should probably start getting ready for our big double date with Usagi and Mamoru. And you look like you've been at the gym or something. You sir, need a shower." She glanced him over.

"Yeah, I guess after that nightmare and everything, my body has been in a good constant state of panic. Alright, lets start getting ready then." He stood up and went into the bathroom to grab a shower.

Minako sat for a bit, looking at the jewel then pulled her legs onto the bed, bringing her knees to her chest as she sat there waiting. She could hear the shower running in the next room, the door was cracked. She needed to get ready as well, and she needed to grab a shower before meeting up with them. The thought started to cross her mind. The shower was already running, why not just sneak in and join him? No, that wouldn't be right to do now. Or, would it be ok? She gently bit her lower lip while going over the thoughts.

'I died…' He couldn't shake that image of him exploding in the sky, giving his life to try and stop an evil, to avenge his fallen friends, his loved ones only to be shown it was for nothing. His hand went against the wall of the shower, holding himself up as he stared to the floor, seeing the bodies of his friends on the ground, bloodied, and broken. It was all starting to hit him now, the gravity of the situation. It went from him learning he was pretty much a superhero and being excited to the heavy reality of how bad things just might end up.

While he was getting lost in deep thought, beginning to spiral, he felt a strange warmth around him. Arms wrapping around his chest from behind and the feel of a body against his back. His eyes widened with slight shock before feeling someone's cheek against his. He felt lips kissing his cheek then a whisper in his ear. "That better be me you're so lost in thought about right there." She teased, seeing he was starting to feel worry and panic. She wanted to bring his mind away from all of that.

"Minako, what are you-?"

"Well, I needed to shower too. So I figured, itd save time to just…join you." Her body was close, pressed up against his from behind. His hand slowly moved up to her hands that were wrapped around him. He held her hands close, smiling gently, he turned, kissing her lips.

She slowly moved from the kiss and smiled, looking into his eyes. "Please, don't feel sad or worried. You'll find your friends again. You have us, and you have me. You won't have to face anything like that alone again." Her voice was so kind and gentle.

"Thank you…" He kissed deep into her lips again. He turned to her, her cheeks blushing red with him seeing her like this for the first time. He began turning red as well as her eyes shyly looked away.

"Hey, don't just…stare like that." Her voice was cute, shy, almost quiet. Her arms wrapped around her chest, almost embarrassed even though this was her idea.

"Sorry…you just…look so gorgeous. And you're so gentle and kind. I've never felt so happy and just full of, well hope." The warm water poured over them as he slowly moved towards her, gently moving her arms to wrap his around her, kissing her. Her arms slowly moved around him, returning the kiss.

She slowly broke it then teasingly booped him on the nose with her finger. "Come on now, we need to get cleaned up and ready to meet up with them." She chuckled, kissing him once more.

They finished showering, drying off and getting dressed for their date; Minako wore an orange sundress, her usual bow in her hair, orange high heel shoes with straps that came up around her shins.

Katsuro wore a red t-shirt with an unbuttoned long sleeve black dress shirt, black pants and black boots. He slightly tied up his long red hair. Minako snuck up from behind and jumped up on him, wrapping her arms around him.

"Ready to go?" She smiled, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah, lets go have some fun today!" His voice was now full of positivity and happiness. They gathered their things together then headed out the door and down the side walk together hand in hand. His fingers interlocked with hers; he pulled her hand up to his lips to gently kiss it then smiled at her. Sure, today started off terrible, but being with her, it could turn the worst possible day into the happiest he's ever been. He was really…falling hard for her. He took in a deep breath as they walked, gazing into the sky with a goofy smile on his lips.