While Tuxedo Mask, the Sailor Guardians, and the Shitennou Knights are walking trying to find the frozen tundra, they come across someone they weren't expecting to see who has a warning for them. Who is it? And what is this warning?
(Early Tuesday Morning)
One by one, Tuxedo Mask, the Sailor Guardians, and the Shitennou came through the invisible walk through. "Zoisite, Mercury, when we're finished, can we go back through the same way?" Tuxedo Mask asked.
"I have another way," Sailor Mercury told him. "One that Luna knows that will work even with a few extra passengers."
Sailor Venus understood what she was talking about as Artemis had been keeping her updated. "Do you think it'll work?" she asked.
"Yes," Sailor Mercury said. "And it's freezing." Her eyes moved over the frozen tundra as she tried to push the thought of how cold she was. She looked over at Zoisite. "Are we at the Arctic Circle?"
"I'm laying odds on it," Zoisite said as he scanned his own eyes over the frozen tundra. "Where? I have no idea."
"We don't need to know where exactly we are," Kunzite informed them. "We just have to follow Tuxedo Mask to where Princess Serenity is at." He looked over at him. "Which way?"
Tuxedo Mask realized since he was closer to his true love he didn't need to concentrate on it as much. "That way," he said and started walking the way he indicated.
Sailor Mercury trusted Tuxedo Mask, but she clicked on her earring so her visor could appear and kept her mini computer out. She didn't know who or what could be lurking in the frozen tundra. She would rather be prepared than risk her, her friends, or her true love's lives who were precious to her.
"If it's the same cave I believe it is, the cave isn't going to look like a cave," Zoisite said, informing his friends and remembering what it had looked like in his past life.
"Alright," Sailor Mercury said. She promised herself she wasn't going to miss anything.
"Everyone keep your eyes peeled," Kunzite said, scanning the miles and miles of the frozen tundra.
"Other than the natural wildlife, God only knows what Beryl has lurking or has prepared for us," Sailor Venus continued.
"Right," the Sailor Guardians said automatically.
Kunzite lifted his eye at the rest of the Shitennou Knights.
"Right," the Shitennou Knights mumbled, recognizing the look of death in Kunzite's eyes.
Sailor Venus turned away from the group to hide her smile and to swallow a chuckle. There was no doubt she loved Kunzite in her heart, but the way he commanded the Shitennou Knights amused her to no end.
"And you, Venus," Kunzite said, knowing her well.
When Sailor Venus looked over at Kunzite, she had already gotten her expression under control. "Yes?" she asked.
"You know what," Kunzite said, knowing very well she was trying to get around him, get past him.
Sailor Venus shrugged, refusing to confirm his comment. "We have to find Princess Serenity," she told him and started to follow Tuxedo Mask. She needed to quash the smile that had wanted to come.
"You're not getting away with it this time," Kunzite had called after her and then followed after her.
Jadeite watched Kunzite and Sailor Venus. "Getting away with what?" Jadeite pondered out loud.
Sailor Mars looked over at her counterpart. "Do you not remember how often Sailor Venus had gotten away with something under Kunzite's nose?" she asked.
"Uh…" Jadeite said as a few memories started to fill in his head. "Oh." He started to smile and then gave in to the chuckle because the person who would have chastised him was too busy dealing with his counterpart.
Sailor Mars didn't say anything about his reaction. She just shook her head as she followed her friends, knowing Jadeite would follow her. She knew he would always follow her to the ends of the world.
Sailor Jupiter watched Sailor Mars and Jadeite. "I suppose some things will never change," she replied as she looked up at Nephrite.
"The more things change, the more things remain the same," Nephrite said with agreement. He wrapped an arm around her middle and started walking after them.
xXx
In the Game Center Crown, Kenji, Yoshi, Ryo, Motoki, Unazuki, Luna and Artemis had watched as their loved ones went through an invisible portal to God knows where. "So we just wait?" Unazuki asked. She already hated the idea of worrying about the people she had come to care about and thought of as her friends.
"We have to," Artemis told her. He was already worried, but he couldn't let that show because he knew that would make everyone anxious. He knew that was why Luna wanted them to stay behind. She knew she was worried about Usagi the way he was worried about Minako. He knew they would be better served here calming their fathers and friends.
"And pray that they come back," Luna said. "They have the tools to succeed." She had kept her eyes glued on the invisible portal toward the Sailor V game. She prayed for everyone's, Princess Serenity, Prince Endymion, the Sailor Guardians, and even the Shitennou Knights, swift return.
There was a knock on the door. When they looked over, they saw Yoshi's wife, the rest of the Shitennou Knights' parents, Rei's grandpa, and Yuuichirou at the door.
"Do we even know those people?" Motoki asked, looking around the crowd inside. It was such a crowd outside that he didn't see anyone he had recognized.
Unazuki too had moved her eyes along the crowd to see if she recognized anyone. "Motoki, one of those people out there is Reina," she informed her brother. "You know that's Neph's mom." She got up and walked over.
Motoki's mouth dropped as realization hit him with a ton of bricks. "Are you telling me Reina's son is the one who beat me at dagger throwing?" he asked. He wasn't quite ready to believe that and didn't know why he didn't put it together until now.
"Hey," Unazuki said to the group when she opened the door to let them in. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm Detective Nobuko Shin; I'm Kun's mom," Nobuko said, introducing herself to the teenage girl. She knew the only reason why she opened the door was because she had recognized Neph's mom, Reina. "We're here to keep you company, and to worry and to pray together." She took out one of the boxes of tea from the bag she had carried to show her. "And to make tons of tea so we don't pilfer from the arcade's supply."
"Heh… Heh… My parents would appreciate it," Unazuki said with a nervous smile, thinking about her parents and how they would feel about a whole bunch of people who weren't employees hanging out at Game Center Crown after business hours. "How did you know that we were even here?"
"Ikuko called me to let me know what was going on," Nobuko said. "Between the two of us, we called the other parents." Her eyes connected that of her husband's and watched the strain on his face from the day wash away and relief washed in. With that reaction, she knew she and Ikuko had made the right decision to come. It was a very good idea that they called the other parents, so they could be together. "So we can wait and worry together." She walked over to her husband and hugged him. "We'll do this as a team, like our children."
Yoshi wrapped his arms around Nobuko and felt the burden shift, knowing he's sharing the burden of worrying. "Yes, ma'am," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't think to call you to let you know myself."
Nobuko flicked him a look, but she didn't say anything on that subject. "Ikuko is coming too with Shingo," she said as she turned to Kenji to give him that piece of advice. "After speaking with Shingo, they both had decided they were coming."
After hearing that news, Kenji felt the burden shift a bit. "Alright," he said for the lack of a better response. Though, if truth be told, he couldn't say anything else because his heart had gone to his throat.
Nobuko shifted and looked over at Motoki. She remembered interviewing him after Kun's disappearance, and she thought the connections her son had were interesting. She quite liked the fact Motoki had a connection with each of the male counterparts just as Unazuki had made friends with the girls. "Do you mind where to show me where I can make the tea?" she asked him.
"Of course, Detective Shin," Motoki said, forgetting what she wanted to do for the people here because he was more worried about the people who had gone through the invisible portal. "Do you remember you had interviewed me after Kun's disappearance?" He started a conversation with her as he took her into the back room where she could make the tea.
"So they already left?" Kenta asked. He had hoped he could see Zoi just once before they had left to go find and save Usagi and fight Queen Beryl.
"Yes," Kenji answered, feeling guilty because he now knows how Kenta feels. He didn't know how Usagi was doing or what her state of mind was. "It was about ten minutes ago." He closed his eyes. "I would know if Usagi is dead, right?" He opened them before he looked back at Kenta. "Wouldn't you feel that was the case with Zoi?"
Kenta thought it was interesting he posed that exact question to him. "I have had that feeling before," he confessed. "And then I felt the light of hope grow tonight." He looked over at Kenji and told him what the other parents had also confessed to him. "So did Reina, Genko, and Keiyuu. I felt the light grow tonight while Reina felt it Saturday afternoon and Genko and Keiyuu felt that light grow yesterday afternoon." He sighed and added, "We also felt when our children had died as that light had died."
Kenta had also remembered he felt that dredging sensation. He had finished up with a patient and was walking them out when he had felt it. He had concerned his patient enough to ask if he could take him to the emergency room. Luckily, he was able to wave enough stating he ate something at lunch that he shouldn't have, and his patient had believed that statement. Kenta was just glad his patient didn't cancel his next session. He knew something horrible had happened to Zoi
"It's a horrible feeling," Reina told him. "I didn't know what it meant." She remembered when she had felt it. It had been so many months ago, but she remembered it with perfect clarity. She had been designing a birthday cake for a client of Fruits Parlor Crown, and she had felt the dredging sensation in the pit of her stomach. Like Kenta, she knew on some level something horrible had happened to Neph.
"Now we do," Keiyuu said. "We'll know if something happens to our children." He too remembered when he had felt that light died. It was just after a successful board meeting. He was happy that he was able to make everyone happy. His receptionist was adding some extra notes when she saw the expression on his face, and she thought he wasn't happy about an aspect of the board meeting they just had. He told her whatever was served during the board meeting had made him a little ill and promised her he'll take something for it. Like Kenta and Reina, he knew something horrible had happened to Jae.
Kenji let out a sigh as he took in what Kenta, Rei, and Keiyuu had said. "Alright," he said. "Let's hope we don't feel it." He watched as Unazuki let his wife and son into the arcade, and none of the parents said a word as they watched Kenji walk away to greet his family. Though, the three he left behind shared a look behind his back.
Ikuko was speaking with Shingo who was not only worried about his sister, but also wanted some sleep. "Shingo, I know you're probably not going to be able to sleep, but I do want you to at least relax," she said. "Can you do that for me?"
"I'll try, Mom," Shingo promised. "I'll find a spot to relax." He was worried about Usagi. He wanted his sister, and he hoped, prayed everyone will make it through. As he had been to this arcade before with Usagi as well as his friends, he knew there was a chair on a game he could use.
"Alright," Ikuko told him. She wondered if it was okay she let him stay in his pajamas while everyone else was wearing casual wear. Though, he was the only kid here, so she figured it probably was alright.
Kenji walked up to her as Shingo walked away to find the perfect spot to relax if not nap. He didn't say a word; he just took Ikuko into his arms as he felt some of the burden shift. "Thank you," he said.
"Nobuko and I figured we would all worry," Ikuko told him when Kenji slacked his hold on her and was able to look up at him. "So we thought, why not worry together?"
"Safety in numbers?" Kenji asked, teasing her.
"Something like that," Ikuko confessed with a smile. Honestly, she didn't want to be by herself worrying. "That's why I called Nobuko, and she agreed."
"So we're going to drink a whole bunch of tea, wait, and worry," Kenji said. He paused as he looked over each of the parents, and he realized the parents, not the only grandparent, were the Shitennou Knights' parents. "We still haven't even said anything to the girls' parents."
"Saburo knows," Ikuko pointed out.
"Rei's father doesn't," Kenji said. "And I said parents."
"And don't you think it's funny how the girls mirror the boys?" Ikuko asked him. When he looked at her confused, she continued, "Mamoru and Mako are orphans." She put up two fingers. "Rei and Zoi have their fathers living." She put up to two more fingers. "Both Ami and Neph live with their mothers, despite Ami's father being alive." She put her thumb and started her other hand. "Then the parents of Minako, Kun, and Jae are still married, including us." She put up all ten fingers. "Do you think it's another connection?"
Kenji pondered her thought process, and he wondered why he hadn't thought of that, despite the one difference. "Possibly," Kenji said. "Usagi has said the answer has been love and connections."
"She has," Ikuko said. She thought about what she had learned in the last two days. She really had come to realize how much she loves her family and how much Usagi loved them. She hoped and prayed for the best for their children. She prayed for the best outcome.
xXx
Tuxedo Mask, the Sailor Guardians, and the Shitennou Knights walked across the frozen tundra. They could only go in the direction Tuxedo Mask was going. Everyone hoped that they would get there quickly, and it wasn't just because they were cold. They wanted to get to Usagi quickly.
At that moment, a translucent man appeared out of nowhere in front of them. It was of a man who had black wavy, shoulder-length hair. He wore a purple cloak, and underneath it, he wore a blue and black tunic and pants. Over the bottom of his pants, he wore knee length black boots. He wore a red jeweled crown on his head and held the Terran Cane in his right hand. His scabbard hung on the right side of his waist. "Hello, everyone," the man said. "I hoped all of you would make it this far."
"Father," Tuxedo Mask gasped, not believing his eyes.
At that one simple word, both the Sailor Guardians and the Shitennou Knights kneeled at the sight of King Minos while Tuxedo Mask transformed into Prince Endymion.
"My son," King Minos said. "I'm so proud of you." He looked past Prince Endymion toward the Sailor Guardians and the Shitennou Knight. "Like Queen Serenity, I'm proud of all of you for coming so far, this far. For forgiving and loving each other anyway, for realizing the answer will forever always be love and connections."
"Yes, sire," Kunzite said.
King Minos gave a small smile. "Queen Serenity and I had realized that you and Princess Serenity had fallen in love, Endymion. We knew we couldn't show you the prophecy because like Zoisite's brother had figured out you weren't meant to know until you were ready." He sighed. "We had found out separately what we needed to do. It was both of our sacrifices, but you're not finished."
"We still have to save Princess Serenity," Sailor Venus said.
"Yes," King Minos said, acknowledging what she said. "That is not only it."
"Then what is it?" Prince Endymion asked.
King Minos smiled at Prince Endymion. "Always so impatient with questions," he said. "But you are so fair and kind. You are a good leader, and you can lead them to victory." He looked at his son and ached for him. He remembered how much he loved him. "These are the qualities that you possess that is the reason why Princess Serenity had fallen in love with you."
"Father…" Prince Endymion said, impatiently. He didn't give a damn at that moment why Princess Serenity had fallen for him, only that she did and he needed to get to her. He needed to know she was safe.
King Minos chuckled, knowing his son well. "I love you, my son," he said and walked past them toward Kunzite. "Now that you are all resurrected and on the side you were always meant to be on, Beryl is beyond desperate." He looked at the Shitennou Knight of Purity and Affection, knowing he knew all of the youma under Queen Beryl's command. "Kunzite, I believe you know what I am talking about."
Kunzite gasped, realizing what King Minos was trying to inform him of. "The DD Girls," he said. He realized they were going to deal with a nightmare of an enemy as they were Queen Beryl's last line of defense.
"You can be as quick as Zoisite when you have a mind for it," King Minos complimented him with a smile.
"I… Thank you, sire," Kunzite said, surprised by the compliment. Though he continued to try to think of ways to dismantle them.
"But yes, it is the DD Girls. This is another trial," King Minos said. "Trust each other." He looked at everyone, including the Sailor Guardians. "All of you, trust each other."
"Then we need to all work together," Prince Endymion said, believing he was understanding what his father was saying.
"Yes," King Minos said, not surprised Prince Endymion wanted the confirmation. "The DD Girls are a formidable force and won't care if one of their comrades falls. That will be their weakness and your strength." He didn't want to give them too much because they still needed to overcome this trial, but he looked over at Prince Endymion. "In the other timeline, the one Zoisite's brother spoke of originally?"
"The acceptable one?" Sailor Mercury asked, remembering what Ryo had mentioned Saturday afternoon, before Princess Serenity, Prince Endymion, and the Sailor Guardians started to resurrect the Shitennou Knights.
"Yes, exactly that one," King Minos said, confirming Sailor Mercury's theory. "All of the Sailor Guardians died while protecting Sailor Moon, protecting Princess Serenity."
"How do you know this, Father?" Prince Endymion said. It didn't make sense why his father would know.
King Minos turned to look at his son and lifted the Terrain Cane he held. "The Terrain Cane had given me this prophecy the day I died," he said. "You're all almost there. You can do this as long as you all work together and trust each other." He looked back toward his son's friends. "You have found the answer. Use it."
"Love and connections," Sailor Venus said.
"Exactly," he said. He looked at Prince Endymion. "I wish we could have done this in your past lives because I would have loved to be a grandfather to that granddaughter Princess Serenity carried, but we can't always have what we wish." He walked over to him. "If you are successful, that child will have a future in this life. I have foreseen how much you love the family you will create with Princess Serenity."
"That is my wish, too," Prince Endymion said. He realized his father had watched over all of them as they grew, before they had gained their powers to protect the world from Queen Beryl.
"Good," King Minos said and then turned to walk over to Prince Endymion. He laid his translucent hand on his son's check. "I love you, my son, and remember what I said." He then disappeared as quickly as he appeared.
"Mercury," Prince Endymion said, turning to look at her. He knew without a doubt she did what he expected.
While King Minos was talking, Sailor Mercury had already been scanning because she was curious and wanted to know the answer. She knew what Prince Endymion wanted to know. "He was a spirit," she told him.
"Just like Queen Serenity in the Moon Kingdom," Kunzite said with wonder. He furrowed his eyes in confusion. "If he was a spirit, then what was he doing all the way out here? Why would he be here?" He looked over at Sailor Mars. "Don't spirits normally linger where there was something of importance to him?"
Sailor Mars understood why he was asking her, and luckily enough for him, she had the answer Kunzite seeked. "Unless there's a possibility he had died out here," Sailor Mars told him. She looked over at Prince Endymion. "Is there a possibility?"
"Yes," Prince Endymion said. He sighed and started rubbing his fingers against his temple as he only just now remembered and memories unlocked. "You four were taking too long, so he went himself to see why the Shitennou Knights weren't reporting back."
Kunzite stared at Prince Endymion. "Wait," Kunzite said as a memory started to unlock. He turned to the other Shitennou Knights. "Am I remembering this right?" He looked over at Zoisite. "Am I remembering it right? Remembering this right?"
Zoisite brushed his hand through his hair and sighed in frustration as the memory Kunzite was speaking of was also unlocking within him. "Yes," he told Kunzite. He looked over at Jadeite and Nephrite. "We are all remembering this right."
"Remembering what?" Sailor Mars asked.
The Sailor Guardians looked at their significant other. It occurred to Sailor Mercury first. "King Minos's sacrifice?" she asked Zoisite.
"Yes," Zoisite answered. "He must have known on some level it would be." He was starting to feel guilty.
"What are you remembering?" Sailor Jupiter asked Nephrite. She saw the grief in his eyes which worried her.
"Kunzite," Sailor Venus said. She walked over to him and looked into his smokey eyes. She saw the worry and the anguish. "Remembering what?" She moved a strand of hair out his eyes. "What was King Minos' sacrifice? And what did you have to do with it?"
Kunzite could bear to look at Sailor Venus as he knew she, Prince Endymion, and the rest of the Sailor Guardians would want an explanation, so he turned away from her. "It was us," he told them. "We killed our king, killed our prince's father."
"He had put up a fight," Nephrite continued. "I didn't think we were slouches, including poor
Jadeite, when it came to the sword, but if we hadn't been under a spell, we would have been impressed with his skills."
"Hey!" Jadeite said. He may have been swimming in heartache and grief, but he knew an insult when he heard one. "But he nearly had us."
"Kunzite had the killing blow," Zoisite said, remembering the sword fight in their past lives. "Then we all sunk our swords into him, one by one, for good measure."
"If you think I'm going to condemn all of you for killing my father, you're wrong," Prince Endymion said, incredulously. "You forget I had been under Beryl's spell in this life as well, so I know how it feels." He closed his eyes as he fought to keep his voice steady, to keep his voice level, to give his Shitennou Knights what they needed from him. "To be ordered to kill someone you love."
Sailor Venus wrapped her around Kunzite from behind and held him. "You were brainwashed, Kunzite," she reminded him. "It wasn't your fault."
Kunzite felt the guilt ease and shift a bit as Sailor Venus's words pierced his heart. "Venus," he said.
Sailor Jupiter laid her hands on Nephrite's face. "Being outnumbered four to one and was still almost to take you," she said. "It must have been a hell of a fight."
Nephrite laid his hands against hers, and not for the first time, he was humbled by her. "Jupiter," he said.
Sailor Mars took Jadeite's hands as she looked into her true love's eyes. She still saw the worry and love in his eyes. "We're with Prince Endymion on this," she told him.
Jadeite took their joined hand and lifted it to kiss her knuckles. Since that wasn't enough for him, he brought her hard against him for a hug. "Mars," he said softly. He felt everything steady inside of him because she was just being who she was.
"You feel this guilt the most, don't you, Zoisite?" Sailor Mercury asked him as she walked over to him. She was starting to remember who and what he was like in their past lives. She was remembering why she had fallen in love with him in the first place. Even before he could answer her, she continued, "Don't feel guilty. If it had been me, I probably wouldn't have done the same thing, Zoisite." She his stunned expression, and she smiled. "Nobody messes with me and mine and gets away with it."
Zoisite smiled then and leaned to kiss her. It was a slow and sweet kiss. "Mercury," he said. "No more guilt." He drew her in for a hug. He looked around at the frozen tundra. There was something about this frozen landscape that looked very familiar to him. That's when he saw them come out of the cave he couldn't find. "Kunzite!"
Kunzite saw them. "That's them!" he shouted. "That's the DD Girls!"