Hiroshi came to the main room of the temple early the next morning. He wanted to get the meeting with his sister over with, good or ill. His memories of his civilian life were not as clear as his Jadeite one's, but they were clearing with each passing hour since his release. Still, he felt nervous. Would his mother and sister welcome him home.
He must have been fidgeting, because he heard a familiar laugh behind him. "Don't worry so much. Even if they reject you, you'll have a place here with me."
He turned, a gentle smile on his face at Rei's voice. And then his mouth went slack when he saw the gray school uniform and short skirt on the Guardian of Fire. The skirt was not much longer than the one she wore as a Guardian and his mind went back thousands of years to dances between the Guardians. She had worn some scandalizing outfits, he recalled.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Rei. I didn't mean to stare."
She blushed. "Don't apologize for being attracted to me. We're soul mates, after all. Besides, I'm sure you have memories of me in even less than this."
He blushed as well, as he had plenty of those memories he was currently blocking in his mind. "I swear, I would never try to push you into that…"
She put a finger to his lips. "You're sweet to say so, but if you did try, I would roast you alive anyways."
He smiled. "I missed the death threats. I missed dodging the fire balls too."
She laughed. "Did I really throw fire balls at you?"
"All the time," He placed a chaste kiss on her hand. "Until we meet again, Rei. I'll count the minutes."
She blushed as she turned away. "I really will start roasting you if you don't go now."
He chuckled and departed. Usagi stood waiting outside the gates of the temple. He sighed and prepared to meet his sister.
*Sailor-Moon*
Zoisite stood staring in crystal mirror as Jadeite, now as his civilian form Hiroshi, kissed a girl on the hand. He should have felt disgusted at the passionate act but somewhere inside him, he was satisfied. Since the light that cured Jadite had shown on the Dark Kingdom, Zoisite had not felt right. It was as if something hot was trying to enter his mind. Zoisite was likely the only one of the four aware they had a bond between them, tying them together. He had healed the others from battles on a few occasions and had seen it. It was a sickly yellow and tattered but just barely still attached. Jadeite's part of the bond had changed, though. It was not whole and brilliant gold, reaching out to touch the others. There was a knock on his door.
He turned to find Kunzite watching him. "Is everything alright, Zoisite?"
Zoisite frowned. Kunzite knew full well nothing was alright. Jadite's change had affected all three of them to some degree.
"I'll be fine, I think," Zoisite shook his head. "Something has been wrong with me since Jadeite left the Dark Kingdom is all."
"Did you find him in the crystal?" His leader asked.
Zoisite could not have explained what had prompted him to lie, but he found himself saying, "No, Kunzite. So far my scrying has failed."
"It's still early since the change happened. Still, make sure not to fail Queen Beryl. We cannot afford to allow anyone to be punished right now. Queen Beryl has ordered Nephrite to take over Jadeite's duties. You are to focus on securing Jadeite and returning him to the Dark Kingdom. Do not kill him, she was very clear on this." Kunzite swept from the room.
Kill him? One of his brothers? There was a lance of pain again in Zoisite's head. He had never thought of the others as brothers before, had he?
A sweet voice spoke in his mind. "Look, Zoisite! I found a new book I haven't read yet! I got two copies, want to read them together?"
Why did that sweet voice fill him with longing?
*Sailor-Moon*
Hiroshi and Usagi walked down the street. Hiroshi snuck a peek at the Moon Princess as they walked together.
"Are you feeling alright, Hiroshi?" Usagi asked. "You keep looking like your ready to bolt."
"No reason," Hiroshi shook his head. "Just getting use to being able to walk the streets without being in disguise again. Though perhaps Hiroshi is a disguise for Sir Jadeite."
Usagi shook her head. "Only you get to decide if Jadeite or Hiroshi or a combination of both is the real you. Don't let anyone else dictate who you are."
Hiroshi smiled. "I feel like both. I cannot ignore my duties or past as Jadeite but I want to live as Hiroshi too, while I can. One day, the Prince will marry his Princess and they will rule. I would give my live to see this happen."
Usagi smiled back at him. "Perhaps when I get my memories back, I'll feel the same way. I feel like there is a whole other side to me I cannot see. Like the dark side of the moon, maybe?"
Hiroshi regarded her. In his mind, he thought, 'never dark for you, Serenity. You are light and goodness personified.'
What he said out loud was, "Hey, watch where you're going," to a man that had stepped around the corner and right into Usagi.
Usagi gasped as she started to fall but the man caught her easily.
"Seems I can't go anywhere without running into you, Bun-Head." The man teased as he reached up and removed his shades.
Hiroshi was preparing to retort when he looked into the deep blue eyes of Master. He felt the urge to kneel again, to beg forgiveness for his late arrival to his liege.
"Mamoru Chiba," Usagi said, still in his arms. "Thank you for catching me."
He set her down and turned to regard Hiroshi coldly. Hiroshi wanted to laugh at the jealously in his Master's eyes.
"What is your relationship to the Bun-Head? Are you following her around? Are you perhaps her boyfriend?"
"Oh, no." Hiroshi shook his head. "I am interested in her new friend, Hino Rei. I am a sibling of one of her classmates that has been traveling for some time. Usagi met me at the temple and offered to help me reconnect with me sister. My family moved while I was away and I seemed to have lost the address."
Master seemed to soften, his eyes fondly going to the blonde who was blushing at him. "I see. Well, I need to be going. Until we meet again, Bun-Head." He put his shades back on and left.
Usagi slumped to her knees, her hand pressed to her chest. Hiroshi offered her a hand and helped her up.
"Umm, could you not mention this encounter to the others?" Usagi asked. "Mamoru really isn't Sailor Guardian business."
He absolutely was, Hiroshi knew, but he just grinned at her. "I understand. I will keep your secret, Usagi."
She smiled back at him. "Thank you. I figured you would understand, given your interested in Rei after all."
He blushed, having already forgotten he declared his intentions in front of Usagi as well as Mamoru. "Well, yes. She was my partner in my previous life. I can already feel myself falling for her again, just as I did the first time. I welcome it."
Usagi looked back in the direct Mamoru left. "There is no chance of me and Mamoru, is there? One day, I'll meet my soulmate too and prefer him?"
Hiroshi sighed. "Please, what ever you do, don't ask me that question again. I cannot lie to you, Usagi. You, Rei, the Princess, and my Master. Those are the people I will never lie to, for any reason."
"Why me, Jadeite? Or is that another question I shouldn't ask?"
He grinned. "You're learning. Come on, let's get this over with."
*Sailor-Moon*
A/N: Another chapter down. I hoped you liked the interactions in this chapter. Next chapter will include both the reunion of Hiroshi and his sister and the Gala where the Princess of D is. Zoisite is trying to recover Jadeite. How will that turn out? See you next chapter!