Picking up where Chapter 14: The Sailor Guardian of Protection left off, Kun has gone missing, and Minako and Artemis went to go find them. When Minako finds him, will they be able to get back on even ground? Will he be able to accept what he did to her in their past life?
(Sunday Afternoon)
Minako and Artemis had walked for a bit while they looked for Kun. She remembered the spot where Kunzite had struck and killed Sailor Venus with his sword, but she wasn't entirely sure how to get there. As the memory played in a loop in her mind, she wrapped her arms around herself trying to comfort herself.
Unlike Sailor Jupiter and Nephrite and contrary to popular beliefs amongst their friends, the Sailor Guardians and Shitennou Knights, Sailor Venus and Kunzite never actually had a rendezvous place in mind. They both had taken their jobs seriously as head Sailor Guardian and Shitennou Knight, respectively. Though, if truth be told, it helped them that Kunzite had ears like a cat and would know if or when Princess Serenity or Prince Endymion had different ideas of where they were going; he had insisted he was never going to have Prince Endymion slip past him ever again, especially after being slipped past for months on end.
Though Minako, and Sailor Venus from the past, did have to give props to both Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion for the fact they did listen to Sailor Venus and Kunzite. She had known it was the threat of being pulled apart that had made them listen. She also had known Prince Endymion had done it more for Princess Serenity than for himself, as it had scared her more than it did him. He would have done absolutely anything to give her that peace of mind, so he didn't challenge it like he wanted to.
"Do you have any idea where Kunzite had struck Venus down?" Artemis asked, cutting through her thoughts about the past. As they came to a hallway that had two different directions they could take, he looked straight and then left wondering which direction to go.
Minako shook her head. "I know the spot," she told him, "but I'm hazy on how to get there."
Artemis flicked a look up at her. "I thought you said you remembered how to get there," he argued.
"No," Minako said, disagreeing. "The question was do I remember where Kunzite killed Venus." She gave him a look stating 'don't argue with me'.
Artemis was about to argue and then remembered how the question was phrased. He relented and didn't argue any further. "I guess you have a point," he told her.
"And unlike Jupiter and Nephrite, we did not actually have a rendezvous place," Minako continued. "So I really have no idea where he is." She was really worried about Kun. She wondered why the presence went after Kun instead of her. "Artemis, where is he?"
Artemis could hear the fear in his partner's voice. "We'll find him, Minako," he assured her. "He would never leave you willingly ever again. You got that?" He turned and looked at her. "You both have told each other how you felt, so there's no way Beryl could stick her claws back into him again."
Minako inhaled trying desperately to hold on to that exact thought, to that exact belief. In her heart, she knew that, but sometimes her mind liked to think otherwise. "Yes," she said.
"Can you explain to me where the fight happened?" Artemis asked. It was funny to him as he remembered the layout of the castle rather well. He wondered if it was because he and Luna hadn't died the way the Princess Serenity, Prince Endymion, the Sailor Guardians, and the Shitennou Knights had. Technically, they didn't die; they were placed in tubes and were sent to Earth and would awaken when the time was right.
Minako completely stopped and thought about the surroundings of where Kunzite had murdered Sailor Venus. She took a breath and described to Artemis what the surroundings were and not to think about the event itself.
xXx
In another part of the castle, Kun had made his way into the gardens. The flowers that had grown here had once been taken care of so meticulously were now filled with weeds and everything was dead. He remembered thinking how attractive the garden looked at the Moon Kingdom during the Silver Millennium. He did remember it was one of the areas Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion would be able to have privacy.
Kun had no idea why he was compelled to go this way. Nor did he understand why he was drawn over to this particular direction. As he kept surveying the castle garden, he knew it was his trying as a Shitennou Knight coming back to him which was a relief to him.
Kun smiled. Even though the memory was from his previous life, it still had the ability to make him smile. After he had been sure Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion had been tucked into a corner of the castle where they would be happy for a while, it was here, in these gardens, the first time he had made love with Sailor Venus. It had been then he had realized he had taken the long hard fall into love with her, and he knew, in his heart, he wouldn't trade her for anything or anyone. She was precious to him, and he would protect her with everything that he is.
Kun closed his eyes to hold to the memory in his heart just for a moment longer. He knew nothing could spoil that memory. When he opened them, he was facing a sad eyed Sailor Venus.
"Why are you doing this, Kunzite?" Sailor Venus asked him. "This isn't like you. I know this isn't you at all."
"How do you know?" Kunzite asked harshly. He was getting incessantly angry. "You don't know me at all."
"Oh, Kunzite," Sailor Venus said. She wasn't getting through to him, and she was so sure she would. She was afraid to say what was in her heart, afraid he would just mock her and throw her heart back in her face. "I know more about you than you think." She kept saying it hoping maybe he will eventually believe it.
"You don't know what you're talking about," Kunzite said.
"Come on, Kunzite," Sailor Venus said, begging, becoming increasingly desperate. "Trust in yourself. Trust in me. You're a good man. You wouldn't do this. You wouldn't work for evil; I know it because I know you." There were tears falling down from her eyes, now, giving up on her pride, and she made a last ditch effort to try to get him to remember her. "Don't you remember the first time we made love? It was here in this very garden. You were so gentle with me as it was my first time."
Kunzite just glared at her, incredulously. He had no such recollection about lying with her in these gardens.
"Kunzite, I…" Before she could finish her sentence, Kunzite took his sword and jammed his sword into Sailor Venus's abdomen.
"That'll teach you to doubt me and my intentions," Kunzite said with a smirk as he started to walk away from the dying Sailor Guardian to find his next victim.
In the very next instance, Kun was back in the present, in the garden where the flowers were dead. He immediately collapsed to his knees and started hyperventilating. "What did I do?" he asked himself. "What did I do? What did I do? What did I do?" He kept repeating the question, and he couldn't stop.
When he looked down, Kun could see the blood on his hands. "Why?" he asked himself. "Whhhhhhhy?"
xXx
"Whhhhhhhhhhy?"
While Minako and Artemis were discussing where Kun could be, they heard the anguished yell. Minako knew in her heart, at the very bottom of it, it was Kun, and he desperately needed her reassurance. Without an explanation to Artemis, she ran toward where she had heard it had come from continuing straight down the hallway.
This time it was Artemis's turn to stare after her. "I was just about to say the castle gardens were that way," he said to himself with a sigh. "But you can just follow the sound of his voice, in this instance." He ran after his partner to make sure neither one of them needed him.
"I'm coming, Kun," Minako said. "I will always run to you, always back to you. I will always stand with you, be with you."
When she ran outside of the castle, Minako remembered, at that time, the first time they had made love was in these gardens, and she knew she would find them there. On instinct, she ran toward that direction.
When she found him, Minako let out a sigh of relief when she found him. He was alive and that mattered to her. She knew how she could soothe his wounds.
Kun was still on his hands and knees hyperventilating. He was still asking "Why?" repeatedly.
"Kun," Minako said as she walked over to him. "It's okay." She kneeled next to him and scooted toward him to wrap her arms around his neck, knowing eventually he would wrap his arms around her waist. "I'm here, and I remember too. I'm with you. I'm alive too."
"But your blood is on my hands," Kun told her, between the panting.
"No," Minako said, being very firm. "Kunzite doesn't have Sailor Venus's blood on his hands. That was all Beryl, Kun." All she could do was hold on to him and she rode the wave with him as the panic attack continued. "It's all Beryl."
"Sailor Venus was going to tell Kunzite she loved him, wasn't she?" Kun asked, now remembering they were distinguishing that their past selves were different people. The panic started to subside. "She never got the chance to express her feelings." He looked up at her and saw the confirmation in her eyes.
That particular part of the memory hadn't unlocked for her until he said it. "Oh, Kun," Minako said. "It wasn't your fault."
"He was supposed to be strong willed," Kun argued. "I know she had to have been counting on that fact." He wasn't quite prepared to hold on to her.
"Kun, they all failed," Minako said. "Failed each other and failed Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. They failed each other, and they failed their Sailor Guardians and Shitennou Knight." She brushed his hair away from his face that she felt had fallen on her shoulder. "This time, my love, we have an advantage. We know love and connections are the answer."
Kun finally wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her closer to him, and held her so tight against him. "I love you, Minako," he said. "I'm so in love with you that I won't be able to survive if something ever happens to you."
Minako knew she couldn't promise Kun nothing would ever happen to her because she was a Sailor Guardian, and she is duty bound to protect her princess. "I will try to make sure nothing ever will," she promised him, knowing that was the best promise she could make him in regards to this.
Moved by the simple promise, Kun moved his hands to frame her face as Minako laid her hands on his shoulders. "Try harder," he said before he kissed her so sweetly on the lips.
When Kun laid his lip on hers, Minako thought she would melt in his arms.
A few feet away, right around a corner, Artemis had peaked at them watching the scene unfold, giving them a semblance of privacy. It had given him hope that Ami and Rei would be able to come through for Zoisite and Jadeite when it would be their turn, and he had every faith they would succeed. He wished for the future Ryo had promised them.
xXx
The presence Luna and Neph had sensed was nearby, also watching the scene unfold with Kun and Minako. It was very pleased with the two scenes that had played out with both couples, with Makoto and Neph and Minako and Kun.
The presence thought it was very telling that both couples had figured out the answer was love and connections. It had hope for them, and it knew, once they resurrected and healed the other Shitennou Knights, they would succeed. At least, it hoped for success in any case.
The presence knew what needed to happen next, and it had every intention of fulfilling the next role needing to be played.
xXx
Ami, Makoto, Neph, and Luna finally made it to the library. When they walked in, the library was still very much intact, and Ami had realized she must have been the one to put the protocol in place before the Moon Kingdom was attacked.
As Ami looked at the counter, another memory unlocked for her. The unlocked memory confused her. Though she didn't say anything, her reaction was noticed.
"What is it, Ami?" Luna asked, noticing the look on her face.
"Mr. Tsukino in archivist robes," Ami said. "He looks a little different, so I'm sure it was his past life version of him."
"It probably is," Luna confirmed. "He was an archivist that worked in the library and worked really closely with Sailor Mercury, so it's possible."
"What was the memory about?" Makoto asked, curiously.
"He was asking about the Tale of Two Crystals," Ami said. "I only just remembered this." She furrowed her eyes as most of the memory was escaping her and tried to reach for it. "The whole memory isn't coming to me like it usually does. That's odd."
"I wonder if you need to talk to him about it," Neph said, putting it out there.
All three females stopped and stared at him. They all had given the expression stating 'Are you crazy?'
"It's just a thought," Neph said when he got the picture they did not like that suggestion. He lifted his hands up in defense. "Just a suggestion, girls." He never wished for Mamoru and Kun more because he felt so outnumbered. "I was just putting it out there." He stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Princess Serenity, Prince Endymion, the Sailor Guardians, and the Shitennou Knights aren't the only ones who were reincarnated," Luna said. "Everyone was." Luna walked over to the window where the Earth peaked in and hopped up. "It would have been Queen Serenity's dearest wish that her best friend and her husband take care of and raise Princess Serenity." Luna knew in her heart it would've been Queen Serenity's wish.
"Mrs. Tsukino," Ami said as other memories unlocked. "She was also one of Queen Serenity's ladies in waiting, wasn't she? And they had a son that would have been Shingo, wasn't he?" Ami looked over at Luna.
As Ami spoke, Luna's memory filled in as well. "Yes, that's all correct," Luna confirmed. She then mused at the reveal Ami gave them. "I wonder why he was asking about The Tale of Two Crystals."
"Because I asked him to," a new female voice said.
The group whirled around to the voice behind them. It was an ethereal form of Queen Serenity, Usagi's mother from the past. She still wore her long white dress with the bow on her chest wearing the same hairstyle Usagi sported.
"Queen Serenity," Luna said with shock, who sat and bowed her head instantly.
The whole group kneeled without a second thought.
"Luna," Queen Serenity said. "You and Artemis have done what I've asked, and I couldn't be more proud of what you have accomplished."
"Thank you, Queen Serenity," Luna said.
At just that moment, Minako, Kun, and Artemis entered the library. The ethereal form of Queen Serenity made them all gasp, and both Minako and Kun kneeled while Artemis bowed.
"I should apologize to the four people in this room, but I won't," Queen Serenity said.
"It was your presence Neph and I felt," Luna said.
"It was," Queen Serenity admitted. "I was testing your bonds of love of which by the way you all passed." She smiled now. "Venus, Jupiter, you two don't have an obstacle that Mercury and Mars do." She had decided to use the names she was comfortable using, and she was aware this group would understand her decision.
The group wanted to question her, but out of deference because of their positions, they did not or rather could not. She knew the questions would eventually come to them.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions because teenagers normally do," Queen Serenity said. "I know you had come here to get information about Metalia, but there's more to the Tale of Two Crystals than what you remember, Mercury." She walked over toward the counter. "Mercury, could pull this lever for me?"
"Yes, Queen Serenity," Ami said, feeling a little odd Queen Serenity was using her transformation name even though she hadn't transformed. However, she walked over and pulled the lever which opened a set of bookcases. When she looked from the lever to the open bookcases, she realized she didn't have any knowledge of this lever even in her past self.
"No," Queen Serenity said, acknowledging Ami's confusion. "You didn't know about this. Sophus is the one who has done the protocols for the library, not you. He's the one who connected your compact computer to the library."
"The compact computer was always meant to be Sailor Mercury's then?" Luna asked her.
"Yes, and on some level you knew that the same way Mercury remembered her visor," Queen Serenity answered. "Sophus is Serenity's father, and Ismene is her mother in your current life." Queen Serenity stopped for a moment and felt the memories of her best friend and her husband. She missed them so much, but she pushed it aside as she turned to Ami. "It wasn't because I didn't trust you with this knowledge, Mercury; it was because you are one of my daughter's Sailor Guardians and your main duty is to protect her."
"Yes, Queen Serenity, I understand," Ami said. "It still is. It would have been Sophus's responsibility to take care of the library, but he gave me my thirst for knowledge and indulged me."
Queen Serenity smiled, remembering how both Sophus and Islene talked of her thirst for knowledge. "But you will always be the smart one," she said. "Your opinion matters, Mercury. Always remember that."
"Yes, Queen Serenity," Ami said.
Queen Serenity walked through the hidden opening, knowing the others will follow. Without a second thought, Luna and Artemis trusted their queen and followed. However, the teenagers looked at each other, shrugged, and followed.
As they all walked through the bookcases, they noticed there were so many books. Ami couldn't help it; she had walked away from the group to see exactly how many rows of books there were. She had lost count, and she wondered why she hadn't realized there was a section she didn't know about.
"Mercury," Queen Serenity said when Ami came walking back. She stood in front of a console with Luna and Artemis at her feet. It was as if nothing had changed.
Ami walked over to the console. "Yes, Queen Serenity?" she asked.
"Push this button," Queen Serenity said. "And then type in these numbers in this sequence: one nine one three one three five one three two two one zero one nine two one one four one six."
Kun furrowed his eyes when he realized what it might be. After all, he wanted to be a police officer just like his parents, so he's really good at puzzles. "Queen Serenity, is that the first letter of all the letters of our solar system including the sun and Earth's Moon?" he asked.
Queen Serenity smirked. "Clever, aren't you?" she asked as a way of answering his question. "I can see why Prince Endymion values you and your opinions."
"Thank you," Kun said, bashful about the compliment.
"At least if we have to come back, then we don't have to remember the password," Neph said.
"That won't be necessary," Queen Serenity told them as Ami finished putting in the combination.
A little compartment was released. It was small enough that Ami could fit her compact computer in. "Queen Serenity?" she asked and looked up at her quizzically.
"Go ahead, Mercury," Queen Serenity said. "Place your compact computer inside there."
"What will this do, Queen Serenity?" Kun asked.
"Kun," Minako said.
Queen Serenity smiled when she looked over at the others. "Venus, it's alright," she said. She looked over at Ami. "This will give you access to all of the books in this library, including the restricted section." She looked at all of the row books in the restricted area of the library, the books Mercury was denied access to. It was the whole reason why Mercury couldn't find any research on a way around the legend, the story of The Tale of Two Crystals.
Ami placed her compact computer into the compartment trusting in the translucent figure of the benevolent queen who had once ruled the Moon Kingdom.
"Now put in this sequence of numbers," Queen Serenity said. "Eight, five, three, two, zero, one, five, one, eight."
"Hector," Kun said as the console made sounds.
"That's Shingo," Makoto said as the young boy flashed in her thoughts from their past lives, without a thought.
Queen Serenity looked over at her and smiled. "Correct," she confirmed. "As far as I can tell, everyone from the past has gotten a second chance." She looked at the others. "It's your job to protect them."
"Yes, Queen Serenity," Minako said. "We will protect the princess as well."
"I never doubted that, Venus," Queen Serenity said. She looked back over at Ami. "It's going to take another moment." She walked over to the bright, shy girl.
"Can you come back with us?" Makoto asked.
"Mako," Neph said.
"That's a fair question," Queen Serenity said as she walked to a window that showed the brightness of the Earth. "I cannot. As I am a spirit as well as a ghost, I am bound forever to this castle." She wished it wasn't the case. She wanted to see Usagi, to see Ikuko, to see the people she had loved nearly millenia ago. "But the Tale of Two Crystals is what I need to talk about."
"Yes, Queen Serenity," Artemis said, remembering what she actually wanted to talk to them about.
Queen Serenity turned to the group once again. "Mercury has told you what she knows," Queen Serenity said. "I was aware of my daughter's feelings for Prince Endymion long before you realized she was going down to Earth, Venus." She smiled at remembering all the times she saw through the facade and had the pleasure of seeing Minako's reaction. "It was all for naught, Venus." She smiled then. "Even then, I already had Sophus looking into it." She sighed. "I knew what you knew, but I had this deep, nagging feeling there was more to it than what we know."
Queen Serenity looked back to look up at Earth. "Hours before the Dark Kingdom attacked," she said. "Sophus was finally able to dig through all the information, and he had informed me love and connections is the answer." She took a moment before she continued. "The Tale of Two Crystals is actually a prophecy."
"A prophecy, Queen Serenity?" Luna asked. "Not a warning?" She took a step toward the queen.
"Yes, Luna," Queen Serenity confirmed. "It had prophesied the rise and the fall of the Moon Kingdom by the Dark Kingdom. It is true the Moon Kingdom protected the Silver Crystal, and the Golden Kingdom protected the Golden Crystal; there's more to it than that. The two monarchs were also given a tool to wield their respective Crystal."
"The Moon Stick and the Terrain Cane," Kun said.
"Correct," Queen Serenity said. "It was said eventually there would be a heir and an heiress who would fall deeply in love that nobody could tear them apart as long as they knew the other's feelings for them, and eventually, she would lay with him and become pregnant with his child." She flicked a glance at the group. "Sound familiar?"
"A little too familiar," Minako answered. "What else did the prophecy say?"
"The prophecy had stated the heiress's mother will have to make the greatest sacrifice after her greatest loss," Queen Serenity said, knowing the group would have realized her greatest loss would be the loss of Princess Serenity, not just her kingdom. "In order for that sacrifice not to be in vain, the heiress's mother must use her Crystal and take everyone into her Crystal and send them to a distant future." Queen Serenity kneeled to look at Luna and Artemis. "While I hoped the Dark Kingdom wouldn't reassemble, I knew it would be impossible for it not to happen. There were mentions of trials of love and connections. When the heiress believed she would lose the love of her life, it would trigger the trials. If she was able to save her true love, the heir of the Golden Crystal before her Guardians die, then time wouldn't reset and everyone will remember, but the heiress and her Guardians will have to go through trials of love and connections." Queen Serenity stood. "Three couples have already passed. Only two remain." She looked over at Ami. "Mercury, for you and for Mars, this will be difficult for both of you, because neither of you want to hurt the ones you are already starting to feel something for."
"But do I love him?" Ami asked her before she could think better of it.
Queen Serenity gave her a solemn smile. "I can't answer that," she said. "Only you know what is in your heart, Mercury. It's also the same for Mars. Once you know what to do, what you want, it'll trigger the conditions met for Zoisite and for Jadeite." She looked over at Kun. "There's still time yet before Beryl gets restless and goes looking for you, Kunzite, and for Prince Endymion herself." She smiled at him. "King Minos would expect you and Nephrite to look after his son until you have gathered the others, just like my daughter's Sailor Guardians."
Kun had to swallow a lump. "Yes, Queen Serenity," he said.
"He had faith in you," Queen Serenity said, "in all of you Shitennou Knights. He had a good feeling about you four. He knew all of you would hate to be plucked from your families to be vassal for the Crown Prince of Earth. Why do you think he had you five practice sword fighting?"
Kun furrowed his eyes as those memories flew into his head. "How did you…" he asked.
Queen Serenity smirked. "You think my daughter was the first Moon Princess to find her way down to Earth to meet the Prince of Earth?" she asked. "I had loved him at one point, but I wasn't in love with him. We were only meant to be friends and wrote constantly to each other. Now, my daughter is in love with Prince Endymion and vice versa. That too is part of the prophecy."
"Sophus must have been frantic when he found the prophecy," Ami said. She had gotten to know Kenji pretty well in the months following her growing friendship with Usagi, and she believed it would be an accurate description even now.
Queen Serenity smiled. "He was," she said. "I had to seal his memory, part of Islene's memory, and part of yours, Mercury, about any mention of this prophecy. I didn't want anything to influence you until you were meant to know."
"We're meant to know now?" Neph asked.
"Yes," Queen Serenity said without any hesitation. "It was also prophesied that a small group would come to visit to get answers."
"Us," Minako said.
"Is there anything else you can tell us?" Kun asked. "Anything that may help us to win against the Dark Kingdom?"
Queen Serenity gave him a small smile very pleased with his questions. "I have given you all of the tools to win this fight," she told them. "Use them wisely."
"Queen Serenity, can we come back?" Minako asked. She was thinking about Usagi and Ikuko, knowing they would very much want to see you.
"I wish that could be the case," Queen Serenity said. "Once when you go back through the door to Earth, the door will no longer and nobody can pass either way."
"And what about the pull we feel to the Moon Kingdom?" Ami asked.
"It'll be gone," she said. "You'll no longer feel it." She knew the Sailor Guardians would feel a bit of melancholy, but it couldn't be helped. "Please, protect my daughter with everything you have, Sailor Guardians." Then she looked at Kun and Neph. "Protect Prince Endymion."
"We know our duties," Kun said. "Unlike last our lives, we know who and what we are fighting against. She won't get us again; she won't get another chance." Kun looked over at Ami. "There's still two more Shitennou Knights to heal, but we will win this fight with what we have."
Queen Serenity smiled as the console beeped, and it opened up. She looked over at it. "Mercury, all the information you need is in here," she promised her. "Tell Princess Serenity how much I loved her and she is always in my thoughts and in my heart."
Ami took the compact out of the console. "I appreciate everything you have done for us today," she said. "And we'll take care of our princess just as the Shitennou Knights will take care of the prince, her true love."
"Thank you," she said and then evaporated.
"So she was a ghost, then?" Makoto asked.
"Unfinished business?" Artemis asked, pondering the events that had just transpired. "Isn't that why a ghost lingers? And now her unfinished business is completed, she is free?"
"That's Rei's department," Minako said, but she pondered over it anyway. "And I have never wanted to go home more."
"Yeah, let's get out of here," Kun said.
xXx
As they made their way back to the door to the Earth, neither Neph nor Luna felt the presence again, and they both wondered if Queen Serenity was finally free. She gave them the tools to find out more information about Queen Metalia and Queen Beryl, and she had also informed them The Tale of the Two Crystals was actually a prophecy and not a warning.
One by one, each one had walked through the door back to Earth, but Minako lingered. She felt the nostalgia, and she wanted to come to the Moon Kingdom. She wanted to explore a bit more, but she knew Queen Serenity had stated this would be the last time. It was also so they could look to the future which would have been one of the reasons the door was going to be sealed.
While everyone was walking through the door, Kun kept his eye on the love of his life. She had righted him, and with that whole act, it made him fall a little bit more in love with her. "Minako, are you alright?" he asked.
Minako gave him a small smile when she looked back at him. "Eventually, Kun," she said. She looked back at the decaying castle. "I understand Queen Serenity's reasons, but at one point, this was Sailor Venus's home. Both parts of me are feeling a bit nostalgic."
Kun smiled at her. "I know," he said, "but we still have each other."
To Minako, she felt that was the best answer he could have given her. "Yes, we do," she said. "I want to go home and call a meeting to let everyone know what we found out."
Kun offered his hand to her. "Then let's go," he told her. "I'm with her."
Minako took his hand and together they walked through the ethereal door to their home planet