Jadeite looked away as Mercury and Mars returned to their civilian forms. Sailor Moon was lying on the floor, still in her Sailor Fuko.
"Are you going to change back to your civilian form, Jadeite?" Mars asked, adjusting her miko uniform.
"...Yes, I should. Only, it's been three years since I was last in it. I'll do my best."
He focused and willed his powers to sleep, causing him to change back to a normal human. As time flowed, more of his time in the Dark Kingdom was fading. So, he had no idea when he had changed the clothing of his civilian form, but he must have as he did not recognize what he was currently wearing.
"What is your name as a civilian?" Mercury asked. "My name is Mizuno Ami."
"My name is Hino Rei," Mars added.
"Rei." He said, tasting the name of his lover on his lips. "A fine name. And your surname is 'of fire'? That seems very convenient. My name is Takari Hiroshi, a pleasure to meet you both. What about Sailor Moon?"
"Tsukino Usagi," Luna replied as she nudged the Princess with her paw. "Wow, she's really out of it."
"Well, that hold the Dark Kingdom had on me wasn't weak. If it was, the Earth would have freed me right away. Even with the help and the full moon, that was a lot of power for a novice to channel."
"You seem very defensive of Usagi," Luna remarked. "I don't recall much about the relationships in the past. Were you close to Usagi?"
Ami and Rei looked sharply at Hiroshi. "Well, we were acquainted and I had great respect for Sailor Moon. But if you're asking if she was my partner, she was not."
Did Rei look relieved at the news? He certainly hoped so. He would need to tell his spitfire the truth eventually anyway.
"All four of us Kings of Heaven were coupled with a Sailor Guardian. I want to make sure you are not blindsided by this news. While if you don't want to be yoked with a relatiosnhip from a previous life, I can understand that. But we are each the soul mate of our partner. It was the same for the Princess and our Prince."
Ami and Rei exchanged a look. "You can tell us which King of Heaven was our partner?" Ami asked.
"I can, and I see why you would want to know. I'll be glad to tell you, Mizuno for your peace of mind. Rei, do you want to know?"
Rei narrowed her eyes at him. "I think I already know. We can talk about it afterward in private."
Hiroshi gulped, not sure if that look on her face was angry or not. "I understand. Mizuno, you're partner was Zoisite the Knight of Purity and Healing. I'll do everything I can to help you get him back. He will be key to saving the others and making sure they do not fall to the darkness again."
"Who was Usagi's partner?" Luna asked.
"I will not reveal it unless she asks me to." Hiroshi said, glad to temporarily put off this problem.
"Fair enough." Luna nodded. The alien cat looked at Rei and Hiroshi and he released she must have also guessed the truth. "Hurt her, and I'll scratch your eyes out while you sleep."
He bowed. "I swear, I would never do that while I am in control of my senses. I am the Knight of Harmony. It is my dearest wish for the Earth and Moon to co-exist as one kingdom. As Queen Serenity once said, Earth is the greatest hope…" He trailed off and saw the light in Luna's blue eyes.
"... for the Milky Way." She finished. "You did know our Queen for sure."
At that moment, the Princess opened her bright blue eyes. Hiroshi barely resisted the urge to kneel before the ruler of the galaxy.
"Welcome back, Usagi." Luna rubbed against her mistress. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm cold, Luna." She said as she shivered.
"I got an extra blanket." Rei declared, getting up. "I'll go get it." She rushed off to get the blanket.
"You'll be alright soon, Usagi." Luna curled up on Sailor Moon's chest. "Using too much planetary power can drain you. But the Moon is full tonight so you should be restored quickly."
"You, you're Jadeite?" She asked looking at Hiroshi.
"That is correct, Tsukino. My name as a human is Takari Hiroshi. Please, feel free to call me Hiroshi."
"Then you can call me Usagi." Sailor Moon released her transformation and became a normal girl.
Rei came in and wrapped Usagi in the blanket as Ami filled her in on all they learned.
"I don't want to know who my Soulmate is," Usagi said after a long moment. "After all, if that means I cannot be with Tuxedo Mask, it would make me very sad."
"Tuxedo Mask?" Hiroshi stifled a groan. "He named himself Tuxedo Mask?"
They all looked at him in confusion. "Tuxedo Mask, such an awful name, is very likely another ally of the Earth Kingdom. For his safety, I cannot say more, but he is likely a friend."
The girls nodded, seeming to accept this. He hated keeping secrets from them. He longed to kneel and confess all to Usagi, swearing his fealty to the Monarch of the galaxy and his future Queen.
"For now, we should go home. Hiroshi, what about you?" Usagi asks.
"Well, I disappeared three years ago. I had a mother and sister before the Dark Kingdom abducted me. I'm not sure if I would be welcome home after being gone for three years."
"I'm sure you're family must miss you," Usagi said. "Come to think of it, how much younger is your sister? We have a Takari in our class."
He flinched. "Takari Asahi?"
"Yes! That's her name."
Hiroshi slid down, putting his head in his hands. "Wow, I guess she would be in middle school these days."
"I think they will be happy to see you, but if you like, we can try and help. I'm not too good at making up excuses but if we put our heads together, maybe we can think of something."
"Or Beryl actually covered your tracks before she grabbed you." Rei offered. "It would be hard to use you as her Eastern commander if the police were looking for someone with your face."
He searched his memory. "Now you mention it, I recall Beryl saying for Zoisite and me, the ones still under-aged, she said we won a scholarship and staged us leaving home to make our folks not worry. Still, they would not have heard from me in three years."
Rei put a hand on his shoulder. "If the worst happens and you are refused, you can always stay here. Grandpa has been thinking of hiring someone to help maintain the place. It would come with room and board included."
He smiled up at her. "Thank you, Rei. If I need that, I would appreciate it."
He noticed the Princess looking between them with a smug look on her face. So she had guessed the nature of their relationship as well. "If you would escort me to see my sister tomorrow, I would be grateful, Usagi. We can say I asked for directions when you ran into me at the bus stop and when I told you my name, you brought up Asahi."
"Works for me!" Usagi declared. "Shall we go to bed now? I'm exhausted."
Rei nodded and rose. "Come on, Hiroshi. I'll show you to a room you can use for tonight."
He nodded and followed after her. They crossed the temple as Usagi, Luna, and Ami left. Once they were outside the room she had chosen for him, she stopped.
"I'm not ready." She declared. "For whatever it is we had in our previous lives. But, I do want it. I want it more than I've ever wanted anything and it scares me."
"Trust me, it scares me too. Hiroshi never wanted anyone as bad as Jadeite wants Mars." He confessed. "I didn't get to ease into my memories, they were forced upon me."
"Will you tell me everything, Jadeite?" She asked.
"If you desire, I will. I could never keep anything for you. Not that you would ever have let me." He laughed.
"I bet I'm the worst to handle." She mused. "Being the Guardian of Fire."
"And war." He reminded her. "Our fights were hot and passionate. Making up after, doubling so."
Rei blushed very prettily in Hiroshi's eye, but then again he was biased.
"Well, I better be going for now. Once you sort out your family situation, I expect you to ask me out on a proper date. Then, we can see about that tell-all."
He bowed. "It would be my honor, to court you properly again, Lady Mars. I like to think I did a good job the first time." He took her hand and planted a chaste kiss on the back of it.
She smiled warmly at him. "You must have. I never would have been your lover otherwise. I can be sure of that much of my past self."
He grinned and went into the room. They locked eyes right before she closed the sliding door and he sighed, sad not to have her at his side any longer. He hoped that soon, things would be perfect between them. He started to plan what petty fight he would pick with his Spitfire first.