the devil within 2

by max333

As the girls and the guys get used to relationships and living normally as senshi & former dark generals can, Evil Endymion struggles to keep his secret of being evil still, while Usagi becomes suspicious of what's really going on all the while all of them deal with the new threat of cardians, & the 'siblings' who each have crushes on our favorite couple and don't like to share.

10. showdown at the crown & truce

sabina21: yes there is more to come on all of that and soon. Luna was not truly meant to be an antagonist but to be shown as how someone who is as headstrong as she is can go off the deep end and make a mistake. Luna isn't invulnerable to making mistakes and this was hers here.

1 review, nice, lets see where this next chapter gets us, sorry for the delay in updates, but this will be completed mark my words. Anyways let me know what you all think!

The Devil within 2 ch.10

Usagi POV

The next week goes by uneventfully, which is a shocker for everyone involved. The attacks seem to stop for a little bit to which we are not sure if it is a good thing or a bad thing. It makes us extra vigilant and warry for a while. Artemis has even been camped out near several pre-schools during different days of the week just to be safe and I made the executive decision, something that was made clear by Malachite of his disapproval, to give Luna more leeway when it came to her punishment.

I know he takes issue and I get WHY but he fails to realize that things have been changing and were looking to take on the threat of a new enemy. What he's not seeing right now is how we've taken on threats before. We take it from every angle and we don't know WHO these two are taking orders from. Only that they are and are more powerful than our last enemies. Not to mention there's been two different cardians attacks.

One with the babies and now the one that attacked our field trip. Only one has been taken care of, the other is still out there. So by giving Luna more freedom she's been helping Artemis by joining him and doing some scouting as she used to do. Malachite didn't hesitate to make his disapproval known though. Minako did tell me that he can be very stubborn and hard headed at times which makes things difficult.

Malachite only relented when Minako threatened to couch him the next time she spent the night at his place. It was a bit comical to say the least but still, he didn't completely relent till Mamoru told him that he had spoken to Luna recently and that the two are coming to terms with the past of what happened. Malachite seemed to take it in as 'fine' and walked off to presumably go blow off some steam.

So Luna was now joining Artemis this week and honestly…it felt good again. Yes she was still doing her job to build BUT doing this was seeing how things have changed. It was feeling a bit more normal again. like it used to before things went sideways. Before issues rose up and changed the way we did things. Like most recently we decided to do group dates together in small clusters.

Not everyone all at once all the time but at least in groups of two couples at a time so that we could change off different nights. Be able to do something normal and still be technically patrolling as we did. Remaining vigilant so that even if we were having fun we were still keeping an eye on things. We decided to have one night every other weekend where we'd go out as a foursome group to enjoy ourselves.

When I first threw this out there, it was met with a resounding consensus of yes's. The first week that went by for this agreement went well and the only negative was we somehow ran into Ali and Ann who made it their mission to antagonize me in a multitude of different ways. So on this particular day, the Saturday where we should be able to relax more than usual, I was to meet up with Ami and Zoisite.

I arrived shockingly first for once and this is where my lovely meeting with Ann happened. I stood outside the parlor and took a selfie titled 'first one here' as a joke to the rest.

"If only Rei or Mamoru could see me now," I muttered in a chuckle to myself as I hit send. That's when I looked up and saw Ann coming in. Oh crap…and she's spotted me. I took off inside the parlor and sat by a booth, hoping she wouldn't be able to find me further.

I was trying to avoid any confrontation and was hoping she would relent and NOT try anything in a crowded area. Not that I was afraid of her, far from it, I was trying to avoid the drama she ALWAYS managed to bring with her. It was like a 'brown thunderstorm' around her. Just as I was able to see if Ami and her companion were going to be arriving I saw Ann lock eyes with me as she zeroed in on me.

She went towards me in a demanding near huff as I muttered out the word, "Balls…" having failed at avoiding the irritating sibling. Between her and her persistent brother I was getting no breaks from this weird side show crap.

"We need to talk," she demanded. There wasn't a hint of worry or anything other than demand in her voice which just had me sighing with annoyance already at her tone and body language.

For a moment I felt I could relate to the 'funny man' character from friends who had the 'Eddie' roommate that just wouldn't leave. I had my own 'Eddie' in the form of Ann and her brother and they just wouldn't leave! If I could just get her, preferably both of them to see reason, then maybe I could be rid of this pestering problem. Maybe if I'm blunt with her she'll finally get her head out of her ass. Even though doing similar has gotten me NOWHERE so far.

"Okay…," I tell her though I'm already not liking the sound of this. "You need to stop being around my brother Ali. He's not available." Before I can tell her that he's the one interested in me and NOT the other way around she continues on her rant. "And honestly, I don't know what that gorgeous hunk of a man Mamoru sees in you since you're definitely not his type…"

To this I look around to see if anyone else is in range to hear her rant. Nope. No one is listening in on this apparent narcissistic rant. Lovely.

"…but you should drop him so I can date him. I'll make him happier than what you are."

She puts her arms across her chest as if she's made a good deal for me to agree to. I'm beginning to wonder if she was given everything in life to give her the impression that I was going to agree with this or if she was just giving it a shot because 'seriously?' on her demands?

I'm suddenly wishing I hadn't been early. Or that Mamoru could have attended this event with our group as he had a class assignment that attendance was mandatory on, but I wasn't about to disrupt his studies. His dreams were important to both of us and I wanted to respect that.

"Do you hear yourself?" I ask her, hoping to use Ami's fortunate logic here to show Ann that her demands were ridiculous at best. "Like do you seriously take the time to listen to the words that come out of your mouth?"

She smiles as if what comes out of her is gold, "Oh I hear it all, in fact I think my voice is quite melodious, but what I don't hear is you agreeing to back off my brother and to drop Mamoru so I can have him."

I can't help but drop my head down as I laugh a tinge at her audacity. If I don't laugh, if I don't get that little outlet out and express it in this manner, I'll start yelling at her at how absurd she's being with her demands.

That's when she continues with, "If you don't do as I want, I will make sure your life becomes a living hell. Leave Ali alone and dump Mamoru."

The threat made the smile on my face that was developing drop. I look up to her having had enough of her threats as I see the proud 'do as I say' look on her face and realize she means it and frankly I'm done with this.

"Answer this then…," I begin as I face her directly, trying to remain the logical one here since logic seems to be failing the ranting Ann. She looks a tad startled by the expression on my face. "You say you're going to make my life a living hell…correct?"

She nods at me, almost smiling. I seriously can't help the sarcasm, the dead pan roll that comes off me as I ask her point blank. "Out of curiosity how the hell is that any different than how you've been treating me?"

She balks as if not having prepared that I would say something back to her. Did she really think that I would give in and say 'please take my boyfriend', I want to seriously ask her this.

"You already badger me whenever you see me or whenever your brother tries to flirt with ME, despite the fact that I've told him I'm in a relationship and am NOT interested in him AND then you come at me like I'm to blame for attracting him."

She sits back a bit but only seemingly in anger that I'm not easily backing down from her. Fine let her be angry, I'm not doing anything wrong here, if anything she's the one completely in the wrong for constantly trying to harass me and snap at me for things I'm not even doing. I've had it with this 'brat' acting like she's queen B when she's nothing more than what I am, an everyday teenage girl. With the exception of the fact that I live also as a suited sailor soldier for justice…that exception.

Getting my head refocused here I tell her in the end, "Not to mention he's your BROTHER and you act oddly clingy to him at times. Honestly if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were a jealous girlfriend or something."

It's as if my words have the magic effect on her cause if sucking on a lemon while being red in the face with anger was a facial expression, she nailed it to utter perfection.

Ann boils over but instead of yelling at me she tries to hit me. She swings her hand out to slap me in the face and in a move that I can only describe as pure instinct, I catch her offending wrist and stop her hand from connecting. I hide my shock at the catch, but she looks positively infuriated that I caught her attempting to hurt me. Her hand goes slack but it's just so that she can try to swing out with her other hand.

Again, I catch it but this time I twist her arm and pin her wrist, palm up to the table. Her whole arm is twisted around, and I hate to admit it but damn did THAT feel good. Especially seeing the red-hot viper stare she's giving me. It's when she kicks out at me that I spread my legs to avoid the hit before using one of my legs to push the one that kicked out into the center. It forces her leg to be pinned against the metal table stand.

Her other leg is in a bad position to try to hit me so I just see her furious glare at me as I've managed to utilize the techniques that both Makoto and Mamoru taught me over time to subdue this perhaps deranged sibling. She attempts to hit me again so having had enough of her crap I unpin her and get up as she swipes at the table and slaps the napkin holder clean off. It's not till it hits the hip of a waitress that attention is now on us fully.

She stands up and tries to slap me again this time there's more anger in her and therefore more power but also less focus. She's relying solely on her anger to power her through and right now that's not helping her out. It's hindering her. I duck the first attempt but the second one using another technique I grab the offending arm, twist her around back behind her and pin her shoulder downwards to the table. Thus pinning her to the table.

Her red hair is all over the place as she screams out like a banshee garnering more attention. "You act like an ass, I'm going to treat you like an ass. I'm not going to cower to the ground, I'm not going to give you what you want."

She furiously wiggles out of my grasp so I let go of her to avoid truly hurting her. She looks up at me, too shocked to move for a moment as I stand still.

"Do yourself a favor Ann, for us both. Lay off me cause I don't need this crap, and stop pestering me for Mamoru. He is NOT interested in you, nor am I interested in your brother, Ali, please get that through your thick meaty ass head," I try to convey this to her, but it looks like her anger might be winning out as she stands fully back up. Logic is not a winner for her today that much is for sure.

I sigh a bit as I raise my voice just enough, "Mamoru is MY boyfriend and I'm getting really sick of you trying to break us up when he's made it clear to you he's NOT interested in you."

She speaks up, "Mamoru just hasn't had good taste yet. Once he's with me he'll never look back at a scrawny little bitch like you."

If I didn't know Mamoru as well as I do I'd actually wonder if her words held merit. HOWEVER, I do know Mamoru and I know that even IF he wasn't with me he'd be shying away from a girl like her.

"Let me ask you something…," I want to drive home the point I'm making here today, "Do you seriously not know how to accept it when someone says no?" I ask her to see what she spouts this time if anything. She's hot with anger, like enough to rival Rei when she's pissed.

She remarks, "No one has ever denied me anything before, and I'll be damned to hell to be denied what I want now so give Mamoru up NOW."

Her words end on a screech. I huff at her response. Having had enough I tell her, "Well you better get used to it cause in this thing called 'life' we get denied things left and right ESPECIALLY when it or that person is committed to someone else. Go find your own boyfriend and leave mine and myself alone."

I decide it's best to leave at that point. Not wanting to attract any more unnecessary attention nor do I want to get banned from the parlor, I decide to leave off. I even text those who are set to arrive soon to meet me elsewhere and that I'll explain later. I'm rounding the corner towards the park figuring it's better than the market where I'll get tempted to buy stuff I don't need especially to make myself feel better about that interaction.

However that ends up being a bad choice as I run into Ali next and I'm unable to help the cringe that hits me at seeing his smile at seeing me. Son of a bitch I can't catch a damn break! I give a halfhearted smile back wondering what is up with my luck right now. First the jealous sibling, now the over-zealous sibling. Neither of whom can take a hint.

"Usagi, such a beautiful lady to run into. My heart beats with more and more - "

I stop him mid-sentence so he can stop trying to hit on me. I've had enough of this sibling crap. If one sibling isn't hitting on me the next sibling is trying to make my life hell for unintentionally attracting the other sibling AND for having a good-looking boyfriend that she wants for herself. I'm drawing a line in the sand and saying 'enough!' cause this is just getting nuts these days. He might be more tolerable, but I don't want to deal with any more of his sister's crap.

"Look I don't mean to be rude or anything but I have someplace to be and I already dealt with your sisters - "

This time he cuts me off. "Oh yes Ann can be a bit protective of me. Silly but noble of her really. She's still a great person though, however, allow me to make things better."

I arch a brow as I ask, "Are you going to stop hitting on me?"

He looks aghast, as if that would be the LAST thing he'd do. My hope falls flat…can't catch a break… "Oh no, I was going to invite you out for a romantic dinner this evening."

Apparently, he didn't get the hopeful tone of NOT getting hit on in my voice.

"Allow me to make up for her rudeness with the dinner," he tries again. I can't help myself on this note as my irritation is at an all time high thanks to dealing with his sister and wishing I could just evade the duo for a bit.

"You're like a dog with a bone, you never give up," I tell him, feeling the need to let out some sarcasm. Maybe he'll get the hint then. However this comment doesn't have the desired effect I was hoping for.

"I'll gladly lick and nibble on you like a dog licks and nibbles at his bone."

I look at him with a serious 'are you nuts?' expression as he appears very genuine and looks at me like I'm his tasty treat to taste.

I shake my head no and respond, "I gotta go."

I run to the park by that point as I've got nothing else I can say to him at this point that I think will get through his thick skull. Just when I think I'm in the clear I turn around to see if he's still there or if he left and there he is still there, still staring at me like I'm this magical treat that he wants to eat. I'll be honest, if I didn't have Mamoru and if his sister wasn't a touch crazy with her 'protectiveness' over him I'd entertain his advances a bit.

This however…forget it. I don't need the crazy in my life nor do I want to deal with Ann. Not unless the girl lets it up about 10 notches and expresses some understanding of boundaries, learning to accept it when someone says 'no', personal space. I manage to get to the new meeting spot in little to no time once I evade the sibling duo. My frazzled appearance is explained to the little group as they each comment on how bizarre it is.

That leaves me pondering if it was a coincidence that I ran into them as I did or if it was something with them being in the area at the same time. Especially considering Ann's 'protective' stance on her brother and her newly found obsession with my Mamoru nor his overzealous need to go out with me despite my many attempts to shut him down. I've never met anyone like either of them before.

Evil Endymion POV

I watch in on the feline as Luna continues to do as she's told to do. Everything is magically taking shape but even I have been letting things go with what happened with her. The more time that goes by the more I see her intentions. Good and bad alike. I can see how being separated from her charge, from Usagi has not only affected her but Usagi herself. Usagi may not want to admit to it often, but she misses the feline.

Luna misses her too and both are beginning to show signs of missing the other. At first this was all necessary, and Usagi even needed the breathing space. We all did, but now that things have shifted I'm feeling a tinge of regret for putting Luna on such a long punishment. I know I shouldn't. Perhaps it's Usagi rubbing off on me and me wanting to be more 'forgiving'. We all did make that decision when tensions were high.

Yes, Luna tried to kill me but she was very fearful and not listening to anyone but herself. Now that she's been forced to take in EVERYTHING she's changed. Her therapy is going well and frankly after the most recent monster attack, we came to a strange conclusion. One that gives us room to start anew and accept what's happened but move on from it. Oddly enough I want to do that too.

Not to mention as I watch Luna on certain days I can see that my generals are warming up to her little by little. I didn't notice it at first considering Malachite's extreme dislike of her BUT…I see how everyone is reacting to her. Not just the girls or Artemis whenever they visit but how the guys are around her. She gets along the most with Zoisite and Jadeite. Probably out of both the need for a good laugh and an intelligent conversation.

While Malachite and Nephrite and both of those too, it's their girlfriends that bring it out of them whereas Jadeite is more of a natural jokester, though a mastermind at magics much like Nephrite, he brings out a side of Luna that gets to be humorous. With Zoisite she has long conversations that make them both think about the other's perspective.

Nephrite, like Malachite is still on the fence but stops by to listen in on the conversations. He's nodded a few times, even joined in on occasion, but is still hesitant to talk in depth as Zoisite has just yet.

It's Malachite that while he holds the biggest issue with her still, also has some of the more intense conversations with her. I think he still feels a great deal of anger towards her still but also towards himself as he is the leader of my guard. It's technically his responsibility if something happens to me.

We trained together, became brothers. I know he's wrestling with his own guilt over what happened not just within the last year but back when the Terrian kingdom once stood. I sometimes wonder if that's what partially drove his need to punish Luna. Transference. He is dealing with his own guilt in his own way and part of it is to push part of it onto someone else who also has their own guilt.

It's when I'm deep in thought that I feel her presence behind me.

"What is it?" I ask Rei as she comes up to me. Not really looking at me and not even within a five-foot radius of me. I can see her own guilt is still eating away at her slowly. She only lets those who know the truth of our still being with Metallia's power see it. To let us know that what we're doing, in her eyes, is wrong, especially to Usagi and the rest of the girls.

She speaks low as if this is a clandestine operation between two opposing operatives that need to keep secrets in the dark, "Luna wants to see you. To talk to you in person."

There's nothing light about her approach. She stopped being subtle a while ago. I guess being a Miko, temple priestess, a student, granddaughter and a Senshi takes its toll on her. Before I can respond, Malachite comes in, "I thought I smelled burning leaves and dust."

Rei sighs, "I was clearing out the gutters on the roof of the temple. Handy people are hard to find at reasonable rates."

Malachite smirks, "You mean FREE rates."

She rolls her eyes, "The temple isn't run off of hopes and dreams. I do a lot of work to keep it going."

Malachite nods his acceptance on that. "Sorry Endymion, the little sneak slipped past me."

I look at him, "Rei can come over, that's not an issue."

He stares at us both more firmly, "It's not the visit that's an issue, I could care less about that as long as it's platonic."

Rei looks away on that but remarks, "That was a while ago and I have Jadeite. Must you throw past shit back in my face?"

Malachite smirks, "I know…just testing."

She rolls her eyes again.

"Anyways…" I roll my eyes this time at their odd banter. It's become their thing now when it's either them or the three of us. Malachite likes to talk shit sometimes but Rei's not that type and he sometimes enjoys making her feel a certain way especially considering she's playing therapist to Luna. Not to say that Malachite likes her like that, but he holds her at a certain length considering her involvement with Luna, her relationship with the girls with all that she's keeping secret, her previous thing for me and her love for Jadeite.

"Why is it such a big deal?" I ask him.

That's when Rei interjects, "He doesn't want you to be in the same room ALONE with Luna. Thinks she's going to pull some crap again."

Malachite crosses his arms over his chest, "I think it's better to keep your distance from her for the moment is all."

I sigh, "I get your hesitation, but things are dramatically different. For starters Luna is NOT in human form."

I count off the reasons why I can be by myself with the now definitely staying a feline, feline. "I'm not depleted of energy NOR am I injured. Nor is my back going to be turned to her and even IF it were, Malachite I can take care of myself against her."

He sighs as he listens to my reasons why but puts his hands up, physically and metaphorically, "I don't like it, but it's your call."

"Yes it is my call and you know what…I'll see her. I'll take the meeting with Luna. We could use it frankly and honestly…maybe this can be the start of renewal and regrow."

Malachite purses his lips, "I still don't like it but again your call."

He dismisses himself and leaves as Rei speaks up, "He never did change."

I look over to her and really notice how she looks. She looks a bit worn down but nothing that we all haven't been a bit of recently.

"Malachite sees you as his younger brother and I get that…but Luna is different now and I wouldn't be trying to set this meeting up if I wasn't sure that things have changed and that she's different and thinking more clearly now."

I nod. "I've been hearing that…Set it up, but tell her not to come with high hopes. I won't. Less chances of expectations getting crushed. You and I know far too much about that."

She nods completely understanding my stance on the matter. "Good oh and the reason why Malachite was so agitated is because Luna is waiting to talk to you…I'll get her."

Now as I see her walk away, getting Luna to come inside to where I am. Standing on this abandoned parking lot on the third floor, I have great access to see her progress and to see her talking to people but not great on people hearing back and forth without screaming it. As I hear her pat her paws inside I'm reminded of why Malachite is irritated about this. This is more of a set up than an agreed to meeting. However, I suppose I'll be dealing with this in the future as king so I may as well get over it.

"You wanted to see me?" I conduct myself professionally and business wise. I only briefly look in her direction as she walks up close enough to me so we can hear each other clearly.

"Look I…," she clears her throat. "I know that what I did was seen as unacceptable and that at the time I was defending it to my last breath however...I've been reminded of a few things lately and I've come to realize that perhaps I was letting my own personal feelings on matters overrule my logical thinking."

I'm glad my head turned away as I can't help but mouth the words 'you think?!' Yet I remain silent and merely nod for her to continue, letting her know I heard her fine.

"I'm not someone who likes to admit to wrongdoing, especially since I'm rarely wrong on these matters but it doesn't mean that I can't when I'm wrong, it's just harder," she admits and I can tell this is hard for her to do.

Luna's an advisor she's used to being right, but this time she was wrong…and yet correct. Yes I was…still am evil, but…I'm not a threat to her or the others nor have I been since Beryl was alive. I do know though that with Luna wanting to talk directly with me in person this is huge for her. One of Luna's biggest faults is her pride and right now she's swallowing it for this conversation to happen.

"There's something to be said for when your former Queen is disappointed in you and gives you a solemn riot act. No yelling, no shouting, just sheer disappointment. That's when you know you've made a massive error and need to rethink the things you've done in life to get to where you're at."

I look at her and see a chance for something more than just an apology from her, I see an opportunity for growth.

What kind of growth? The evil asks me. I turn slightly as I let out a small smirk. As if I'm winning something. The evil is now curious.

What are you talking about? It asks me as I respond with…if Luna becomes a trusted associate again, with her on our side, we will then have the Mau's side with us. Their advice and knowledge on what they know is legendary. It's why the former Moon Queen Serenity utilized them.

I know he's pondering my words and my reasoning.

It's a risk…once she finds out that you've been evil this whole time she'll go 'I told you so' to Usagi and you'll lose them all.

I concede to this point, but I know I'm right. I nearly roll my eyes…yes but she's a Mau and that's more territorial control we'll have.

It takes the evil a moment to see the fruitfulness of this, but it finally agrees with me.

You won't get it past her, Mamoru tells me inside. I actually rolled my eyes this time but for different reasons. Luna's not stupid. She's far smarter than half the people you associate yourself with. No she doesn't have Usagi's street smarts nor the extreme book smarts of Ami but she's a highly intelligent creature.

I notice that the area where Mamoru is talking to me from is darkening a bit.

Listen to me…I sense Mamoru trying to talk to me more privately so that the evil doesn't sense it and it makes me wonder how Mamoru got strong enough to pull this off inside of my head. His head…our head. Listen, the evil is playing small doubts against you, it wants you to get Luna on your side. If it acts like it doesn't want her then you will find ways to use her for your or its gain in this.

It's a psychological trick…he continues as I ponder how accurate his suggestion is. I know how this sounds but I actually paid attention to my classes at university when we were looking to get into the mind of a patient and to understand how to talk to them so we can get an accurate diagnosis. I believe this is a similar case.

I look back to Luna who has been silently waiting for the last few moments for me.

"Thank you…I know that couldn't have been easy for you," I acknowledged.

She takes in a few deep breaths as she prepares for what she has to say next, but Mamoru's next words throw me off a bit…Listen I think the evil is getting stronger inside of us. Of you. It's pushing me down more and more lately and trying to take over. As if it might be becoming its own entity. It's taking more control the more you do for it.

I'm thrown off by this possibility. Is the evil getting so strong inside of me it's going to one day take over and I Endymion will no longer be or is this a trick by Mamoru to regain control and go back to being the simp I would near call him out to be? I'm conflicted and torn and right now I can't deal with this. Not right now at least. I have a Mau in my midst and if she gets wind of what's going on this is for nothing anyways.

"I do know the feeling," I admit to her. Recalling some memories myself. I have to get back to focus here if I'm to have an intellectual conversation with her as I do want that to be done. "I do recall the expression of my own parents, my advisors before Malachite, that gave me warnings about allowing Beryl on the palace grounds when she'd made her intentions towards me clear."

I turn fully towards her, letting her see how I feel about how that whole situation affected me and those around me, "I didn't take her as a serious threat. When I had to admit to the fault my parents didn't yell at me, they didn't shout, they were simply disappointed that I let my feelings of dismissal get in the way."

I stare at her and can see how she feels about it. I can sense she wants to hate me further. Or more so than before. I don't even blame her for that. I hate myself too. I hated myself then and now.

"I failed a lot of people by NOT taking things more seriously. I didn't see a threat in her and it cost me more than I could have imagined."

Which was entirely true. I was too much of a cocky prick to see that Beryl's lust for power and myself was greater than anyone anticipated. Yes she loved me but she let herself get played and manipulated.

When I still rejected her, time and time again, she couldn't handle it. She couldn't see why I didn't pick her. Didn't want to accept it. I let Luna see this so that she knows that I do get where she's coming from, but that it doesn't excuse what happened. It's when she puts a paw to my foot that I see her much closer than before. This time instead of hate I see sympathy for me. It's something that I didn't see coming. Especially not from her.

"You couldn't have known what she would have done. What she had behind her."

She's right but it doesn't make the feeling any easier.

"I know, but it doesn't matter now does it. She's dead, all those that we loved and cared for died and were all reborn. We lost our kingdoms, our families…innocent people died because of one person's selfish desire, and her stupid willingness to free a demon to get it."

It's not untrue. Luna sits down in her place and when I see Malachite coming in, presumably to check on me, he sees the very banal situation and I give him a nod that things are okay. He nods and eases himself back only to have Luna call out to him, "It's okay Malachite."

He stops, "I didn't mean to disturb a meeting." Though he definitely did, his need for properness never ceases to amaze me.

Luna gets herself up. Stretching out as she does she remarks, "I recall your parents in some detail Mamoru…they were good people. King Damien especially was a well respected king. His Queen, your mother, she was a good kind heart woman. It's why she and Queen Serenity got along so well." I nod along but she's not done as she looks me in the eyes and tells me, "I say what I say about Beryl because having known them…having the memory of them…"

She places her paw against my leg this time. The simple contact took me a moment to figure out why it means more, that is till she informs me, "She was powerful Mamoru…that demon Metallia, she empowered Beryl enough to make a lot of respectable nobles turn traitors. The poison was over a period of time and you, even as a prince were limited in what you could do."

I don't know where this is heading but I'm guessing she has a point.

"My point is, with such devoted parents, it takes a LOT and I mean a LOT of nega power for people who love, respect and care for them to turn on them. They called it the dark arts for a reason, Mamoru. They are very powerful."

It takes me to Mamoru's reasoning earlier. Luna also brings up very valid points in this. Points I hadn't really thought about till now. Even Malachite whom I would have figured would have kicked her out by now has remained silent to this and even has an agreeable expression on his face. For the first time it would seem Malachite and Luna are on the same page.

"I think it's why I feared you at first," she continues. "I couldn't see anyone…not even a member of the royal family beating the mental brainwashing and even if it was, I felt for sure that it wouldn't last, that eventually they would succumb to the evil within."

She looks up to me with eyes that hold her regret but also hold hope in them too.

"I was wrong, and I'm sorry for that…I guess I should have known that a man in love can beat any odds."

I gulp at her words and feel the compounding guilt hit me hard. She leaves out as I wait till she's out of even cat hearing range before I speak to Malachite, "Okay I get it." He looks relieved to hear my words.

"Does this mean we can work on getting Moon to heal us?" he asks, the hope in him is apparent.

It was my own selfish drive to be as powerful as I am that kept it going. Well that but more importantly, my fear of losing Usagi to the truth. However, with more and more of my decisions lately being towards the side of evil rather than good, and my only 'good' decisions being the aid against our new enemies I know now that perhaps there's more validity to Mamoru's words. I heard all of what Luna had to say about my parents.

I knew them for sure yeah, but I didn't know that side of them. Not entirely and Luna had some major points to take in. Perhaps the evil is trying to take over me. Yes initially I kept it to avoid being less powerful, however, without the golden crystal, I'm already less powerful. My hold on it weakens each time I choose to use my dark powers. Yet I keep working to strengthen it. I need to do better…to be better.

"Luna has some very valid points." I admit.

Malachite nods, "For once I'm inclined to agree with the feline. Your parents were very well loved, this evil is too great, even for yourself. The guys and I have come to the conclusion that we don't want to take the risk that she's talking about. I fear it, they fear it. We can't let it win over us. Not again. I've already lost one lifetime with Minako, I refuse to lose another."

I accept this. "I refuse to lose Usagi either."

He puts a hand to my shoulder, "Then let's get Usagi in on this, get her to free us of the evil, and train you to use your golden crystal. You need to strengthen its usage so that when the time comes to use it you can be the most powerful king that earth has ever known. You won't be that IF this evil remains inside of you."

I purse my lips together and I know deep down he's right. They all are right.

"Endymion…Mamoru…,"

This is the first time he's used that name when NOT out in public. I look up to him, "I hate to say it but, to have this evil in you, in all of us, in any of us, is a betrayal of the Terrain kingdom and all it represents."

I breathe hard and deep and know he's right. I may have accepted the evil to protect the innocents but if this evil takes over me, over Mamoru, it will destroy everything.

Usagi will be forced to kill me and have to suffer through that death unlike any other. She'll hate to do it, but she will to protect the world, the universe as we know it.

"I have a fucking nuclear world ending bomb inside of me, don't I?" I ask him.

He looks at me hard and for a moment I see his eyes turn a bit glassy, "We all do…but you most of all. Yours is the most powerful, the strongest."

I can once more feel the evil rise up as if it was alerted just now to a presence that could undo it. I then feel Mamoru being pushed back down and wonder if he pushed the evil away just a bit so that Malachite and I can converse in private. Knowing what I know now, know that my trusted generals, Mamoru, and Luna…Luna of all people and Malachite agrees with her, that's TELLING as all hell.

"I'll tell her at the festival. All of it. After Rei sings of course." I see the hesitation in Malachite.

"Do we want to take that from her?" I ask him.

"Right afterwards…no exceptions Endymion."

I know I have to be honest now and it's going to make or break things. I just wish we didn't have to do it at the festival that Rei's school is hosting. It seems like I'm stealing her thunder…so to speak but I also know that she wants the truth to be out too. Everyone will be there so Usagi will have all the support that's needed.

"Please let this go well…," I mutter as the evil asks…please let what go well?

I speak to it as I feel its suspicion growing. Rei's festival this evening...she's singing…everyone will be there…I tell it.

I'm not sure I want to hear that miko sing…it debates on whether it wants me to find a way out of it or not.

That's when I hear Malachite calling me and in need of a distraction from this and from it I respond back, "Duty calls…" as I leave off still in silent hope of how it all goes.