AN: Well, hi guys. Has it been a long time? Yep. Do I feel bad? No, actually, since I finally made it through Death of Stars. This was always more of a side project. As such, welcome back, and I hope you enjoy our newest installment.

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.

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Jadeite snorted. "You considered that a normal childhood?"

"Compared to yours?"

"Touché."

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None of them had anticipated the sudden surge of power that accompanied Nephrite's first time joining them in their magical training. Jadeite's previously controlled fire juggling nearly destroyed both the ceiling and his hair before he managed to wrestle it into submission with a little help from Zoisite's similarly amplified water magic. Kunzite and Endymion, fortunately, had not been actively casting a spell at the moment.

Nephrite looked from one boy to another for a long beat, shocked past the point of words, then burst out laughing. "Your… face…" he gasped.

Jadeite scowled a little as he grabbed a towel and started drying his hair and face. "Did you do that on purpose?"

"No, he did not," Kunzite said instead. "It would seem that completing our circle had more of an impact than we anticipated. When the five of us are together our powers seem to be correspondingly stronger."

The drenched blond gave his leader a considering look before nodding, discarding both the towel and his irritated expression. "This could be interesting. Can I start with him?"

"You know very well you may not," Hyperion said as he entered the room. "He is at a significant disadvantage due to the lack of training, and you need more yourself if you did as much damage as the char marks in here suggest. I suggest you return to your exercises, laddie."

The sudden addition was a bit of a shock to Nephrite. He'd heard mention of a master during his convalescence, and his suddenly improved condition suggested that he'd been healed, but until that point this magic master had been more of an idea than an actual person. He turned to Kunzite, not sure what to do.

The older teen smiled. "Master Hyperion, may I formally introduce your newest pupil, Lord Nephrite? I am given reason to believe he may be a Seer of some sort."

"Oh really?" Hyperion said, impressed. "I was wondering if one of you would have the gift. That makes you valuable, boy, maybe more than you know."

Nephrite shifted, unused to the attention. "Thank you, I think."

"Normally I would start with discussions of history and theory, but those are easier than making up for years' difference in practice. Kunzite said he taught you to make a small fire, but have you ever done anything else?"

"Just the voices, sir."

The white-haired teacher nodded. "We'll have to start by determining your element. I expect you'll be air, but it could be something else. None of the Guardian Senshi use that."

"The guardian who?"

"Senshi, boy, warriors of great magic who carry the might of their planets. Someday you may be lucky enough to meet them. For now, my point was that elemental affinities aren't always as you might expect." Hyperion gestured to Kunzite, who joined then. "Face him, laddie, and no matter what happens remember he won't hurt you. All you have to do is stand firm."

That made Nephrite unaccountably nervous, but he nodded in agreement and did as directed. Kunzite, sensing his discomfort, sought to ease it. "This will only be a test to see what your inclinations are. Just let your magic react however it sees fit."

"Yes, sir."

A faint golden nimbus formed around the older teen's hands, and Nephrite found himself in the center of what seemed like a wall of flying stones. Chunks of rock launched themselves at his face, but they were thrown away by a contrary wind. Almost immediately the storm became a circle of smothering water instead, but when the younger boy almost lost hope he was in a sort of bubble. The water turned to fire next, but the wind suddenly became oppressive and forced the flames down until they died out, revealing the rest of the room to him again. Kunzite nodded, clearly impressed, as they both turned back to their tutor.

"Just as I thought," he said slowly. "Air, and even in situations when another element might have been more effective. You have strong bonds to the sky, laddie. When do you hear these voices of yours most?" He dismissed Kunzite with the wave of a hand.

"At night, sir, especially when I'm outside."

"What about when it's storming?"

"Less, then. They sound muffled if it's cloudy."

"And when it's not?"

"It's like a song on clear nights, telling me secrets I never could have imagined on my own." He sighed, nerves forgotten as he remembered the amazing sounds that filled his nights. "It's hard to explain, sir."

Hyperion shook his head. "That's enough. A Seer indeed, though that may not be the best word for it. Your gift is rare even in the greater realms, boy. You sing the starsong."

"The what?"

The Lunarian led him to a row of chairs against the wall and sat, nodding his head to the next seat as an indication that he should do the same. "The starsong is the voices of the great spirits that live in everything out there – planets, asteroids, moons, all of them. Only a handful of people can hear it, and even fewer can understand. As the earliest pieces of creation, they're rumored to be unbelievably wise and can even reveal what has yet to come. Since you've been able to predict the future from these voices, you're a Seer."

"But what does that mean? Sir?"

"It means you will be an invaluable asset if we can get you trained up," Hyperion said gruffly. "I don't know if we can; most children receive instruction as soon as their powers manifest, and you're almost grown."

Nephrite frowned, dismayed. "Do you mean I came all this way for nothing?"

"No," he replied without hesitation. "Kunzite was only a year younger than you when he came to me, and he did fine. At the bare minimum, having you here increases the skills of your comrades immensely, and magic is hardly the only thing your prince will need. But the Sight… it would make you irreplaceable, do you understand?"

"I think so." It was a lot to take in. First he was told he was the one they had spent years searching for, and now he was concerned that if he couldn't manage this one ability they seemed so focused on, he wouldn't be worth it. He didn't want to be as useless in Elysion as he had been at home. "What can we do to make up for the lack of training?"

"You begin immediately and work as hard as possible. Your swordplay and everything else will have to wait; this is now your highest priority. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir."

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He had been a thin and weedy boy before, but the extensive training he endured over the next few years quickly put an end to that. His physical strength was incredible, and he was the closest to matching Kunzite in combat, attaining the rank of general in Elysion's army only a few months older than his leader had been when he did the same. While he had no hopes of reaching Jadeite's level of sheer magical potential, he learned to focus what he had with laser precision. Zoisite, similarly limited, had specialized skills that rivalled his in terms of usefulness. Indeed, the youngest boy had developed a fine knack for the healing arts. His greatest gift, however, was his incredible intellect, which made him a master strategist. Jadeite's power of illusion, and his ability to speak truth and lies with equal conviction, had turned him into the kingdom's most untouchable spy despite his youth. Kunzite was their leader and the fiercest warrior. Nephrite spent most of his training fearing he would never be able to compare.

That changed abruptly when the starsong went from nagging little voices to a roar when he turned sixteen. He had to stop straining for the voices and tried to block them out instead; they were more than he could handle. It took Endymion using his bonded control over his sworn protectors to lead him back when they nearly dragged him under.

"Maps," he gasped as he woke up. "I need maps, and your newest battle plans, Zoi."

The blond started but vanished, returning in seconds with the requested documents. "Here. What did you see?"

"Hear," Nephrite corrected absently as he skimmed over the neatly laid out formations. He stabbed at one with his finger. "They know you'll use this. Find another way or the battle will go very badly. We'd still win, but the cost would be terrible." The second general shifted to the maps, and he flipped through them until he found the one he sought. "A militia from a kingdom near yours is going to sweep the southern territories, Kunzite. They're going to be easy enough to stop if you can get the army to them in time but if they dig in here… and here… it will take months to get them out."

Kunzite nodded. "I appreciate the warning," he said before teleporting away to confront the problem. Zoisite barely noticed, already studying his plans and looking for something that would avoid the dangerous confrontation.

"Where's Jade?"

Zoisite looked up. "I can get him if necessary, but he's preparing to leave on a mission."

"Do it now. I have something he needs to know first."

The younger Shitennou dipped his head in acknowledgement and disappeared again. It took longer for him to return, but when he did he brought Jadeite with him.

"What is it, Neph?!" Jadeite asked, frustrated. "I need to go now if I'm going to reach the rendezvous point in time."

"They're expecting you to infiltrate the meeting," Nephrite said quickly. "They managed to find a few witches to set up magic detection wards. Your illusions will be noticed if you go that route, so you'll need a different way to get in."

"I can just disguise myself the old fashioned way. Thank you for telling me." Jadeite hurried out, muttering under his breath.

Endymion kindly helped Nephrite sit up as their comrades rushed to their tasks, passing him a glass of water. "That was impressive."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

The prince opened his mouth to repeat his countless reminders that he didn't want them to stand on formality but shut it a second later, knowing it wasn't the time. "The information you just gave them could save countless lives, especially Jadeite's. I'm extremely grateful."

The brunette shrugged, embarrassed. "I don't really know how I did it, though. I was having strange dreams, and when I woke up I just knew."

"Isn't that what it's like? Being a Seer?"

"Maybe. It could just be a fluke."

"I doubt Master Hyperion would share your opinion."

"Indeed he wouldn't." The boys looked up to find their tutor leaning against the door. "I ran into Zoisite as he rushed to the war council. He told me what just happened. Congratulations, Nephrite. It seems you've discovered how to read the song."

"Why did it change so abruptly?" Nephrite asked. "I've been trying to understand it for three years with little more than scraps. What happened?"

"There's any number of possible explanations, but the most likely is that you found a star that wants you to hear for whatever reason. Someone or something out there cares about you."

"But why would a star care?" Endymion questioned. "I can't see how Nephrite would be connected to a star that strongly."

"The truth will make itself known in time, lad, as it always does. For now, we should be glad of these skills, though it may be time to seek outside help. His Sight won't be as much help as it could be if it drives him to unconsciousness whenever it has a message."

Nephrite frowned. "Who could help with that?"

Hyperion sighed. "I will have to return to the Moon and start looking for a trained Seer, but the greatest of our age have duties elsewhere. We can only hope the Temple of Mars can spare a priest or priestess with at least some skill."

"Why Mars?" Endymion asked, curious. "Wouldn't the Temple of Apollo be better? Legends always talk about His Oracle."

"The legends are stories based on truth, Endymion, not an accurate depiction of history. Apollo's Oracle, Cassandra, died over a thousand years ago, and He hasn't chosen a replacement since then. The Temple of Mars, however, maintains a long line of Seers, even weaker ones, to ensure the skills aren't lost if a great master of the art is unavailable. Their emphasis is on fire-reading, but they know the principles of the Sight and how to control its messages."

"When will you leave, Master?" Nephrite asked.

"Not today. Maybe not for a while. It depends on the king's wishes, and I'll have to send word to my queen so she can alert the temple. Until then we'll have to do the best we can." He turned to leave, but glanced over his shoulder at the teens. "Both of you should be in the training room in an hour. We have work to do."

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He wasn't sure why, but Nephrite was extraordinarily startled to discover that his newest teacher was a woman.

Hyperion had returned after a week's absence with a young man to help them practice magical combat, but he'd also been accompanied by a girl swathed in simple red and white robes that all but swallowed her, a veil hiding her face. He could feel her eyes on him as Hyperion introduced the man to the group.

"Everyone, this is Adonis, a soldier from Venus. He usually belongs to Princess Venus' guard, but she was generous enough to allow him to join us so you begin to learn how to face a magical enemy whose every ability you don't already know. Thus far you've only been able to practice with each other; now you need to learn how to fight others." He turned to Adonis. "Lad, this is Prince Endymion and his guardians, Kunzite, Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoisite."

The newcomer dipped into a perfect courtly bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lords, and I look forward to working with you."

Kunzite returned the gesture, though with less depth as befitted his higher rank. "We appreciate your help and hope this endeavor proves fruitful."

Hyperion looked between the two before nodding. "I'll let you start discussing how you want to proceed. Jadeite, Zoisite, you have enough time for a practice bout. Zoisite, remember to keep your guard up. Jadeite, no cheap shots. You're a knight. Act like it."

Jadeite grimaced in distaste but agreed, then realized he meant that the older members of the team would all be otherwise occupied, giving him a chance to try some new moves that might not be honorable, but could probably be excused if none of them noticed. That led to Zoisite's sigh as he reluctantly followed his comrade to the ring, but not without a pleading look at Kunzite, who just shook his head.

"Nephrite, come here." The old tutor stood at the strange woman's side, waiting for him to join them. "As I'm sure you've already realized, this young lady will be your new instructor. She is a trained Seer and will guide you through the process of controlling your gift."

After an uncertain moment, Nephrite inclined his head. "I am grateful for your assistance, and I hope I prove a satisfactory pupil."

"If descriptions of your gift are true, I do not doubt you will surpass me in short order, Lord Nephrite. That is, if you are willing to dedicate yourself to the process. The Sight is not a power to be treated likely, and your devotion will be required if you wish to master it."

"I am at your disposal, Miss…?"

A wave of her displeasure was clear even though her veil concealed her features. "It is not my way to share my name with Earth-kind. If you must address me, you may call me Cassandra, as in your tales."

Taken aback by her attitude, all he could do was nod in agreement before excusing himself to join Jadeite and Zoisite, whose match had devolved to a wrestling match wherein Jadeite was sitting on Zoisite's back as the slighter man struggled to right himself.

"Kunzite will have your head if he sees this," Nephrite warned.

Jadeite just tossed him a devilish grin. "Only if he can catch me," he replied.

The brunette rolled his eyes before shaping a breeze into a pressure front and using it to shove the laughing blond off their friend, who promptly encased him in ice up to his neck.

"Thank you, Nephrite," Zoisite said in a low voice. "But what has you so troubled?"

"That woman with Hyperion is supposed to be teaching me how to use my gift, but she was… well, rude. She wouldn't even tell me her name."

"Why?" Zoisite asked, startled. "Did you offend her somehow?"

"I don't see where I could have. Hyperion would've said something."

Kunzite's deep voice joined in abruptly, startling both. "You did nothing more than exist, Nephrite. Neither of you would know it yet, having not reached that point in your studies, but the people of Earth are regarded as inherently less than the peoples of the other planets. Mistress Cassandra believes you are inferior to her, and reacted as such."

Nephrite frowned. "But why would they think that?"

"I am told part of it is because Earth has been so long bereft of magic. Others say it is because we have never been able to stand in unity, while the other planets have an accord between them. I have found it to be far simpler than that: our power does not compare to theirs, and so we are not even worth their notice."

"That sounds horrible," Zoisite said with traces of sadness in his voice. "Should they not attempt to know us before they make such judgments?"

"Indeed, and that has long been the hopes of the king and queen. When the five of us are ready, we are to be presented to Queen Serenity. Ideally, Terra will then be allowed to enter into the Silver Alliance with the other worlds."

"That's what this is about?!" Jadeite sounded disgusted. "We're being raised like dogs doing tricks so some stuck-up other worlds will let us into their precious club?"

"It is nothing so simple," Kunzite countered, "nor have any of you ever been something as base as trained dogs. The king and queen want the sort of power and prestige the other worlds have, yes, but they also want the technology that would allow us to more efficiently feed our people, or the medicines developed on Mercury that could eradicate some of our worst illnesses."

"It still sounds awful," Jadeite said.

"And it is," Hyperion said as he joined them. "The Earth has been apart for so long that its standing is very low. Your jobs will be to change that. Show them that Earth has something to offer. It'll be hard. It'll be thankless. In the end, you might fail. Despite all that, you have to try." He let that sink in before turning to Nephrite. "Mistress Cassandra is waiting for you, lad. Best get to it."

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AN: As mentioned before, we're going to move through the years to actually see the meetings of the Senshi and Shitennou and explore the end of the Silver Millennium. I'm not really sure where this will go to do that, but I'm as curious to find out as I hope you are. As always, I really want to hear what everyone thinks, so please review and let me know. Till next time!