On a solitary bridge in the middle of a small coastal town, far away from anyone or anything important, two cloaked figures walked toward each other. Meeting in the middle, both stopped. One turned toward the side and leaned forward.
"The ship sinks under the midday sun," the first spoke with a woman's voice.
"The bird calls at morning's first light," the other replied, also in a woman's voice, turning the opposite direction and leaning their back against the side.
"What do you got for me?" the first asked.
"Feelings against Endymion," the second said. "Ambiguous distrust and unexplained resentment. Some, not many."
"Scattered embers quickly grow into an unmanageable conflagration if left unchecked," the first replied, changing their position to face the same direction as the first. "Have plans been made to act?"
"No plans, just thoughts."
"That complicates things," The first figure said, looking down. "How does anyone offset vague apprehensions?"
"No idea," the second said turning to leave. "Other people make plans. I just find them out."
# # #
In Queen Serenity's nearly empty throne room, Princess Serenity knelt in front of her mother's throne as the Earth loomed in the windows behind the chair. Her eyes closed and her breathing shallow, she reached out and touched one of its arms.
"I… I just can't…," she said to herself so softly it came out in both as a whisper and a whimper.
"Feeling the weight of your impending rule?" came a gentle voice behind her.
Hearing the voice, Serenity immediately opened her eyes, stood, and turned around to see Kazu slowly walking toward her, arms encumbered with folders full of papers. He bowed.
"It's… It's just… she makes it seem so… I don't know… straightforward and uncomplicated," Serenity said. "She always seems to know the right answer." She paused. "I envy her elegance. I… I'm…"
Kazu ascended the four steps up to the throne.
"You're afraid to let her down," he said, sitting on the topmost step. "Worried you're not going live up to her expectations."
"Yeah," she said softly.
"How long have you felt like this?" he asked.
"A while," Serenity said. "When I realized that it was my duty to reign after her, I felt nervous but as time went on and I understood that mother wasn't going to be around forever, I've become apprehensive and anxious."
"Well, no one can say you don't understand the gravity of the role," Kazu said quietly, looking down. After a few moments of silence, he raised his head and spoke again.
"Surround yourself with people you trust. You'll have Luna and Artemis by your side but make sure your Inner Council is filled with those you know will tell you the hard truths, the things you don't want to hear but need to. And don't ever forget your true friends. The girls specifically. If all else fails, they'll be the ones to catch you when you fall, pick you back up, and set you straight."
"Can… Can I have you on my council?"
"Of course," Kazu said, standing and smiling. "Your grandmother made me captain of the guards and your mother put me on her council as spymaster. I would be honored to continue my service and advise you in any way I can." He started making his way for the Inner Council Chamber. "I wish I could keep this conversation going but…"
"I understand," Serenity said. "Thank you so much."
"You're very welcome," he said, bowing again and making his way into the connecting hallway.
"Oh, Kazu," she called after him.
"Yes?" he said, poking his head back through the doorway.
"Don't tell mom."
"Not a word," he said as he disappeared down the hall.
# # #
A thin man with long, dark brown hair and a blue-grey uniform strutted through the halls of Prince Endymion's palace, only stopping after noticing Kunzite staring out one of the windows.
"What are you doing?"
"Thinking," Kunzite responded, keeping his position. "What are you doing, Nephrite?"
"Trying to find Jadeite so I can brief him on security for Endymion and Princess Serenity's next outing."
"Is he not in the main hall with Endymion?"
"He evidently switched shifts with Zoisite," Nephrite said. "Didn't even know we could do that."
"I see."
"Care to share what's on your mind?"
"Not particularly, but your insight could be of use," Kunzite said. "Duke's been sniffing around again."
"So? That's never been a problem before."
"He's gotten irritating and bothersome as of late," Kunzite said. "Butted into an afternoon with Venus and made crass comments about Serenity."
"The princess or the queen?"
"Does it matter?"
"Kill him and make it look like an accident?"
"A fun idea but no," Kunzite said. "It wouldn't bring the full weight of the Moon down on us, but with Duke in the position he's been inserted, Kazu would want to investigate just as much as replace him."
"What about letting it slip to Endymion that lunar spies are poking around, attempting to subvert us?"
"We could do that, or maybe just Duke specifically," Kunzite said. "Endymion's smart and definitely knows of Kazu's network, but informing him that one of those minions is being troublesome and vulgar could solve the problem."
"Glad I could help," Nephrite said.
"Thank you. Now go find Jadeite."
# # #
"So how do we counter thoughts and feelings, especially when the people having them don't even know why they think and feel that way?" Misaki asked, leaning forward in her seat.
"Recommend to Endymion a show of military power?" Valen suggested. "Or maybe we put on a display of our might. The Moon and Earth are on course to join each other with Endymion and Princess Serenity's oncoming marriage. Perhaps the people with those thoughts and feelings will see how formidable either or both of our forces are and will reconsider?"
"Sure," said Kazu, leaning against a pillar. "Let's actually give them an explanation that fits their emotions. What could go wrong?"
"You're the one with a network of spies at your disposal and all you've been able to come up with after waiting and seeing are vague nothings," Tagmar said. "I say we tell Endymion about it and advocate he find out everyone who's having these feelings and that he does something about it."
"Have you completely lost your mind?" Kazu asked, straightening. "Round up the people who have done nothing to you yet and then what? Jail them? Kill them? Make them do hard labor? What do you think happens after that?"
"You think you have all the answers don't you?" Tagmar asked, standing and getting in Kazu's face.
"Not all of them, no," Kazu replied, unflinchingly staring Tagmar in the eyes. "But what I do know is that you need fewer onions in your diet. Also, if you even touch me, I suspect you'll have to contend with at least two other people in this room. And Princess Jupiter. It's possible I may not be all that quick to give a stand down order to the guards who go after you either. So think real hard about what you do next."
After a few moments, Tagmar sat back down grumbling and murmuring.
"Smartest thing you've done all meeting," Kazu said, pushing off the pillar and sauntering over to where his siblings sat and leaned against the wall behind them.
"If we could get back to the matter at hand," Queen Serenity said.
"Your Highness, it's impossible to act against something so abstract as this, except to maintain a watchful eye," Kazu responded. "Like I said, any show of force or demonstration of power and might is only going to blow up in our faces. I can strengthen our defenses in a way that doesn't make it look like we're preparing for or expecting something, and I can suggest to Endymion that he do the same. My Mice will keep their ears and eyes open for where these thoughts are coming from and if they escalate. In the meantime, my advice is to maintain our current course."
Queen Serenity lowered her head in thought for a few moments. "You make a lot of sense, Kazu. I'm inclined to agree with you," she said. "Who agrees with him?" she asked, looking around the table.
Hayate, Misaki, Luna, and Artemis quickly raised their hands and paws. Valen raised his hand after a few seconds.
"Really?" asked Serenity.
"Eh," he responded. "He makes valid points."
"Then we'll stay in our holding pattern," she said. "That's our agenda, unless anyone has anything else?" No one responded. "Meeting adjourned then."
The Inner Council Members moved to leave and Kazu reached to gather the papers and folders he had brought. As he did so, Serenity moved over to him.
"Do you have a minute?"
"Sure," he said, stuffing papers. "Let's let the room clear first."
One by one, everyone filed out, leaving Serenity and Kazu alone. He walked over to a chair opposite Serenity and sat down, putting his feet on the table.
"What?" he asked, waving his hands.
"Countless Inner Council meetings over the years," she said. "You've never been late. Or even missed one," she said, sitting down opposite of him. "Until now."
"Serenity, I only put us behind by five or ten minutes."
"I'm just asking why now, of all times? What was it that made you late for once in your life?"
"Can't tell you," he said.
"Do better than that," she said, leaning back and crossing her arms.
"Rennie," Kazu said chuckling. "I really can't," he continued, shrugging. "I made a promise."
"You… you haven't called me Rennie for a long time," she said.
"Not since the night before you became queen, no," he said, taking his feet off the table and leaning forward, giving her a suggestive look.
"Ohhhh," she said, looking down.
"Yeah," he replied, standing.
"Does she really feel like that?"
"I'm not saying nothing," he said, waving his arms, walking toward her.
"I wonder if I should," she said, standing up.
"Maybe subtly and not anytime soon," he said, coming to a stop in front of her. "She'd never trust me again."
"True," she said.
"Hey, remember this?" He asked. "D-don't… don't… tell… m-m-mommy," he said, fake sobbing.
"Hey!"
Kazu cackled and tussled Queen Serenity's hair.
"I could have you executed," she laughed while she straightened her hair.
"But who would you find to do it?" he asked, grabbing his folders. He made to leave but stopped and looked at the queen. "She idolizes you; you know."
"And I thought the world of my mother," she said.
"You've been a fantastic queen," Kazu said. "If your daughter ends up being only half the queen you are, the kingdom will be in good hands."