DISCLAIMER – rather long, too. It relates to the first part of my "epic"
(my mother’s word for it), ‘The Persistence of Memory.’ So…this is
non-profit, so don’t sue me. I’m a checkout chick and student by day,
novelist by night – I have no money to take!

Sailor Moon, the Sailor Senshi, their guardians and friends, the Dark
Kingdom and its inhabitants are all property of Naoko Takeuchi. 

Avalon, Oberon, Titania, Puck, the Weird Sisters, Owen Burnett, Goliath,
David, Fox and Alexander Xanatose and the Phoenix gate are property of
Buena Vista television. (as far as I know)

Kryten, David Lister, Arnold Rimmer, Cat, Holly and the theory of the
Omni-zone are all property of Doug Naylor and Rob Grant.

Yoda and Luke…think y’all know already…

The lyrics to "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" (part one) and "Farewell and
Goodnight" (part four) are property of the Smashing Pumpkins, written by
Billy Corgan and James Iha.

The lyrics to "I Shall Believe" (part two) were penned by Sheryl Crow and
Bill Botrell.

Roma Ryan wrote the lyrics to the verse at the beginning of part three,
part of an Enya song entitled "Evening Falls."

As for the characters of (this is a LONG list, unfortunately)
Morganite/Morgan Shepherd/Éowyn, Lucien Goodchild/Leucite, Phoebe
Loxeriam/Phenakite, Celestine/the Grand Inquisitor/Celeste Pendragon,
Nepheline Syenite/Lena Quinn, Andradite/Andrea Rutherford-Troubetzkoy,
Alexandrite/Alexander Rutherford, Zoya Troubetzkoy, Karl Rutherford and
Jonathan Troubetzkoy, and Breccia, the force of Angelikarma, and the realm
of Nemesis, are all of my own invention, though some are twisted
versions/personalities of characters created by other people. Thus, you
can’t have them without permission, ‘kay? Okay then…on with my ramblings…

-Claire, the unfortunate girl who got Celestine for a muse. (e-mail at
luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com)

P.S. This part is BEFORE the attacks on Tokyo by the Dark Kingdom. I am
screwing around with the emotions of the characters ‘cos it’s fun. 

__________________________________________________________________________

                             the persistence of memory

          "life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and 	unfair"

                               by Celeste Goodchild

__________________________________________________________________________

                                 Chapter One: 

    				the beginning is the end is the beginning

                	 "…from the ethers tragic i am born again…"

                             Part One : A Life So Changed

                          "the world is a vampire, sent to drain,

                       secret destroyers, hold you up to the flames,

                            and what do i get, for my pain

                        betrayed desires, and a piece of the game"

__________________________________________________________________________

Kunzite pondered over the photograph that had once taken place of pride in
his private chambers, a kaleidoscope of emotions playing in his
silvery-blue eyes. A million thoughts danced like autumn leaves through
his mind, but one single question took precedence over the others.

Why? Why did she have to be so stubborn, so damned impulsive, why couldn’t
she just have…

The tears returned before he could stop them, hot fat droplets trundling
down his cheeks in two rivers of simple pain. 

Blindly, he shoved the silver framed photograph into the drawer from which
he had taken it an hour previously. Then all he could do was sink onto the
edge of his opulent bed, face buried in his gloved hands.

It had been a year now – an entire year. Was this pain gnawing at his
insides going to be omnipresent in his life for all eternity? Hadn’t he
been punished enough?

Admittedly, the sharp pain he had first felt at her death had, gradually
over time, dimmed to a dull ache in his chest whenever he thought of her.
Which was often.

Except when he looked upon her frozen visage under the glass. Then the
pain became like sharp silver needles piercing his heart, like an
acupuncturist gone super nova – 

He started suddenly, as an annoying ringing burst into his mind. 

I really need a new doorbell, thought Kunzite to himself, sighing. That
goddamn ringing…well, it is slightly better than that bloody buzzer…

Although the visitor sounded pissed, if the intensity and duration of the
rings was anything to judge by, Kunzite took his own sweet time, until he
was satisfied he appeared his usual self. It was early morning, anyhow,
and he had just awakened an hour previously. After dreaming of her…

Finally satisfied his uniform and indeed his beloved hair, were in
pristine condition, he answered the door.

A tall blonde man, though not as tall or blonde as Kunzite, barrelled in,
and twisted to face the highest ranking of the three present Kings, worry
evident in his harassed-looking blue eyes. Kunzite looked upon Jadeite
coolly, unperturbed by the younger man’s somewhat dramatic entrance. It
was a characteristic move for the eldest king – he hadn’t gained the
nickname ‘Ice King’ just because of his frigid good looks. It had been the
greatest irony…he so glacial, she so fiery…

"Can I help you, Jadeite?"

Jadeite threw his lean body down, uninvited, into one of the chairs by the
table. They were in what most humans would have described as a dimly-lit
dining room.

"You’re in deep shit," declared the youngest of Beryl’s kings decisively,
before noticing the pitcher of wine on the table, beside which sat a lone
glass. "May I?" Shrugging, Kunzite pulled a crystalline glass from the
shelf behind him, handing it to Jadeite. Then he sat before the man on the
other side of the table, taking the other glass which Jadeite readily
filled.

"Nephrite’s collection, I assume?" Jadeite sipped the beverage with a
slight look of pleasure flickering in his eyes. 

"Only the best. The guy may have severe emotional problems – he has to,
all that starlight can’t be good for a person – but he has great taste in
wines."

Frowning, Jadeite inspected the low level of liquid of wine in the pitcher
suspiciously. "You haven’t been drinking this shit alone all night again,
have you?"

Kunzite shrugged again, knowing there wasn’t really much point in trying
to conceal the fact. Jadeite sighed heavily. "It’s been what…a year now?
Since she died…why can’t you just…"

"Forget her?" snarled Kunzite in reply, before quickly regaining his
composure. He hated losing his poise in front of anyone.

Mortified, Jadeite looked into his glass, mostly to escape Kunzite’s
wrathful gaze. Then he sighed, releasing his tension. "You’re in so much
smeg, Kunzite," he said, moving back to his safer, original topic.

"Why do you say that?" He downed the last of his wine easily, and reached
for the glass pitcher, Jadeite’s reproachful look notwithstanding.

"Beryl’s gonna want to see you soon – but I already know what it’s about,"
he replied, then added offhandedly, "I do have my sources, you know."

Kunzite chuckled knowingly, and Jadeite ducked his head in embarrassment.
"I didn’t get it from her like that! Kunzite-sama, you’re so…"

Coughing to cover laughter, Kunzite tried to stay aloof. "Do tell."

"She’s got a new assignment for you – and you’re not gonna like it."

"I’ll be the judge of that, shall I?" Kunzite looked at Jadeite darkly
over the rim of his glass. "Skip the melodrama already."

"She’s finally appointed a fourth king."

The glass slipped out of his suddenly slack hands, and Kunzite didn’t even
notice, not even when it shattered on the dark, organic floor at his feet.

Jadeite ducked his head, obviously embarrassed to be the bearer of tidings
that affected his superior to such an extent that he would lose control
like that. In front of him, too…

"How could she...?"

"It has been a year, Kunzaito-sama…but there’s something else, too."

"More?" he put a hand to his head, like he was beginning to get a
headache.

Tentatively, Jadeite added "She wants you to train him."

"Oh, fuck!" cursed the silver-haired king, burying his face in his hands.
"The bitch, the great bitch…" 

"Shoosh!" admonished Jadeite hurriedly. "If Beryl hears that…"

Shaking his head, Kunzite moaned, then looked up abruptly. "I take it you
don’t know who it is."

"Oh, shit yes, that’s part of the reason I know about it. It’s…it’s
otooto."

He appeared confused. "Brother? Since when do you have a brother?"

"Since always," snorted Jadeite, taking a long slug from the crystal
glass. "But I’m not surprised you’ve never met him – he wasn’t exactly
‘sociable,…" Jadeite seemed to remember something, and choked on a
mouthful of wine. "No, I wouldn’t call him that…"

Chuckling quietly, Kunzite said softly "One would almost think you were
afraid of your brother, Jadeite-kohai."

Jadeite snorted. "Believe me, Lord Kunzite-sempai, you won’t feel quite so
smug once you’ve met him."

"What’s his name?" Kunzite asked absently, wondering if he did actually
indeed know him, just not as ‘Jadeite’s brother.’ There were several
‘humans’ in the Dark Kingdom, though he didn’t know all of them. Beryl’s
four kings were the most important, though for the last year, there had
been only three. 

"His name’s Zoisite," said Jadeite, and unreadable emotion flickering into
his eyes. Kunzite sighed.

"You’re right – I don’t know him." Besides Jadeite and Nephrite, he didn’t
really know the others. There was Leucite, and then Phenakite…though the
weird shadow priestess had never been human. Just a former princess
of Nemesis…she had been the only one Beryl had tried to recruit as the new
king in the past year. Phenakite would have none of it, however. She had
point blank refused the offer, and in many ways, he was grateful. 

But this Zoisite…from the way Jadeite was speaking, it was obvious he
wouldn’t bail out.

"I know this will sound really stupid, Kunzite, but I warn you – watch it
around him, okay?"

"Where’s he been all this time?" asked Kunzite, ignoring the not-to-subtle
warning. "Is he around?"

"Iie, not yet," replied Jadeite, setting the pitcher down, after emptying
the contents into his glass. "He’s been on the other side – I received a
letter from him outlining Beryl’s proposal. Besides, though, even when he
is home, he’s extremely hard to find. He’s a sneaky, intelligent little
brat when he wants to be. He used to hang around with youma-"

Kunzite chortled. "Can’t be too bright if he enjoys that company."

"No, no, you’ve got it wrong – Zoisite used to study them, like he was an
anthropologist or something. He is actually something of a master of youma
theory…" He stood, brushing off his uniform. "I should really get going.
My little gang has something planned, apparently." As he turned to leave,
he paused, then spun around. "Oh, one last thing I should probably tell
you. It’s unlikely Beryl would say anything, and Zoisite definitely
wouldn’t, but…"

"Nanii?"

"Keep him away from Nephrite. You get those two in the same room…" He made
a face. "Let me put it this way, would you rather have two whole kings or
two million pieces scattered around the Dark Kingdom?"

"The latter wouldn’t be bad," remarked Kunzite musingly. "Two less rivals
for power…"

"Beryl would fry you for it, and you know it," objected Jadeite. Zoisite’s
going to be your responsibility, and any problem he causes is YOUR
problem, too."

"I’ll keep it in mind," said Kunzite dryly, turning away. Then curiosity
bit him. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do Zoisite and Nephrite want to kill each other?"

"Well…as you’ll soon find out, Zoisite is a complete smart ass, he doesn’t
know when to shut up. One day, that mouth of his is going to get him into
deep smeg." Or his temper, he added silently. "Surely you heard about
Nephrite’s little ‘wine cellar’ incident?"

"Of course…I was there, I saw that place go up like a Molotov cocktail.
Shit, Nephrite was so pissed about that, he ignored Beryl’s summons for a
week while he rebuilt his collection."

"It wasn’t some above-intelligent, irate youma that pulled that stunt…it
was a highly pissed Zoisite."

"But why did he do it in the first place?"

"Ask Zoisite," shrugged Jadeite. "After all, you’re going to be stuck with
him for a long time."

Jadeite then extracted himself from the chair, and walked to the door.
Without thinking, Kunzite lowered the security wards so the younger king
could leave. 

Suddenly, the blonde turned. "You know, Kunzite-sempai, I knew her too.
She was…a good warrior, but you can’t spend the rest of your life…"

Kunzite just stared at him with stony eyes, and Jadeite reluctantly left.

__________________________________________________________________________

Listening to his orders as his queen dished them out, Kunzite sighed.
Training a new king just got his hackles up – like he didn’t have enough
to do already. Phenakite, at least, might have been a pleasure to teach.
She certainly was pretty…but ‘Jadeite’s little brother’ sounded like a
little brat. How mundane…

__________________________________________________________________________

The following morning, Kunzite sat alone at his desk in his laboratory,
absenting looking over his notes as he sipped the glass of wine.
Apparently, at least according to Beryl and Jadeite, Zoisite would arrive
from the other side of the kingdom today.

A brief knock at his door caused his head to snap up. "Come in," he said,
hesitant only in his mind. This was it.

To his complete shock, a young girl dressed in the uniform of a king,
lined in green, slipped into the room. Her eyes were lowered, so he
couldn’t observe the colour, but her extraordinary, copper-gold curls were
caught back in a ponytail, two tendrils free to tickle her ears. She bowed
in respect, and then turned two not-inconspicuous emerald eyes on him.

"Lord Kunzite, I presume?" she almost purred, and he was slightly
confused. Her voice was very husky, for a woman. 

"Who did you expect, the tooth fairy?" he said, feeling disgusted. He
hated interruptions, especially when he was in a mood like this. "Can I
help you?"

"Actually, you’re supposed to be helping me," the girl said, looking over
the silver-haired king with admiration.

"Your name might help," snapped Kunzite, raising the glass to his lips.

"Watashi no namae wa Zoiseito desu," he said lightly, and smiled when
Kunzite spat the mouthful of wine out over the mess of scattered papers.
He giggled internally, somewhat surprised. Jadeite had described Kunzite
as being cool, aloof, detached. Especially since…but he, Zoisite, had
caused the king to lose his composure by simply speaking his name.

Kunzite partly understood Jadeite now. Swiftly, he regained his poise.
"Well, now…" he drawled slowly. "Since you’re the student, you can clean
up this mess. After all, it was your fault."

"I’d really like to – but I can’t."

His cerulean eyes narrowed. "And why not?"

"I don’t do manual labour," he sighed, taking off one of his gloves, and
examining his cuticles. "It’s hell on the hands, you know. Not to mention
it doesn’t do my hair any good."

Eyes widening, Kunzite was suddenly filled with a heat that spread through
his chest. "And what makes you think I care about the state of your hair,
little seito?"

Zoisite lowered his long-lashed eyes, looking suitably chastised. "I do
apologise, Lord Kunzaito-sama. I was out of line."

"Obviously," grunted Kunzite, and though the pretty young man’s words had
sounded genuine enough, somehow, they were lacking truth.

"You still have to clean it up," pointed out the eldest king, and like an
obedient dog, Zoisite set about the task. Kunzite was so preoccupied by
the papers before him, he didn’t notice the malicious glint in his eyes. 

"So," said Kunzite finally, reclining back in his chair. "You are to be
the new king."

"I’m taking Morganite’s place, yes," he replied, standing at attention now
he was done cleaning.

Ignoring the sharp pain in his chest, Kunzite continued. "I want you to
prove to me your worthiness. Justify your existence as the fourth king."

Appearing to fall into deep thought, Zoisite stood quietly before the
king’s desk. Kunzite used the opportunity to admire the new recruit – now,
thinking about it, he could see that Zoisite was a man, albeit a very
effeminate one. He moved with an almost regal, feline-like grace, and held
his head at an intelligent angle, an aura of startling innocence
surrounding him like a cloak.

"Justify myself?"

"Yes," snapped Kunzite sharply.

"I’m beautiful, intelligent, competitive, strong-willed, and…" a strange
smile played at his lips, lighting up his pretty verdant eyes as he gazed
at his new teacher rather provocatively. "An absolute wonder in bed."

"You’re also wonderfully modest," commented Kunzite dryly, successfully
managing to keep his amazement internal – why did his words make him feel
so…Zoisite was certainly pretty, but only a kodomo…and a male to boot. And
judging by the way the young king held himself, he knew his power. He was
certainly more intriguing than he had anticipated – one second, he was a
vain, egocentric, arrogant brat, the next, he was an obedient angel.
Kunzite couldn’t understand his motivation, but maybe this had been why
Jadeite had warned him.

Kunzite stood, eyeing the petite man as he did so. He was slight, and
delicately built, very fine boned if his aristocratic features were
anything to go by. He didn’t appear overly strong, though appearances
could be deceiving. Those slender limbs could hold an amazing amount of
strength, though Kunzite guessed in any direct physical confrontation, he
would rely more on his cunning than his strength.

"You don’t look very impressive," he snorted suddenly, not quite
truthfully. "Why Beryl wants you…"

Zoisite looked at him with eyes tinted with green fire. "Excuse me, Lord
Kunzite-sama?"

"A king relies more on power than looks, Zoisite – so I suggest you quit
worrying about your hair, and get training."

"You underestimate me, Lord Kunzite-sempai," said Zoisite softly, but
Kunzite could hear no rancour tingeing his low words. He wondered why this
worried him, more so than if he had said it maliciously.

"Then prove yourself, Zoisite."

"Didn’t Jadeite-oniisan you tell already?" A devilish grin spread like
wildfire across Zoisite’s angelic face, startling Kunzite greatly. He had
gone from celestial to evil in the time it took to blink.

"Nephrite," he said in sudden understanding. Zoisite gave a cackle like no
other, Kunzite wincing as he heard it. It was too high-pitched for
anyone’s standards. "Jadeite did warn me about that."

"Oh really?" Zoisite’s features calmed slightly, but a strange glint
remained in his eyes. "I wonder what else he warned you about."

Kunzite narrowed his platinum eyes. "What else is there? You’re only a
child."

"Humph," replied Zoisite, looking more than slightly put out. He sat down
and sulked in his chair, and Kunzite lowered his guard as he laughed
internally, almost fondly, at his strange new student.

To his horror, he suddenly found himself thrown back as Zoisite leapt onto
him from his chair. His eyes were blazing, and in his hand he clutched a
large ice crystal, directed straight at his heart. He straddled Kunzite
with amazing strength, and Kunzite had to admire his agility. But if he
didn’t react soon, he’d find out how good Zoisite’s aim was. And that was
one lesson he’d rather let some unfortunate youma learn.

He vanished as Zoisite brought the ice shard down, and reappeared behind
him as Zoisite cursed loudly. 

He didn’t say a word, nor scream when Kunzite grabbed his long ponytail
from behind, snapping his head back. His strong arm around his waist
stopped him from moving, and Kunzite let magic flow between them, a
barrier to prevent Zoisite from teleportation. 

"You’re a fool if you think you can kill me, Zoisite no baka," he
whispered in his ear, slightly unnerved by the lack of struggling from the
cornered king. 

"I’ll be a fool if it suits me, Lord Kunzite," replied Zoisite in a
conversational tone, sounding oblivious to the fact that Kunzite could
easily kill him if he so desired. 

"So be it – I think your training’s over, Zoisite. You just failed my
class."

"Tsk, tsk," came a voice from the suddenly open door, and Kunzite looked
up in surprise. He didn’t release Zoisite an inch however.

Phenakite appeared to be laughing at the pair, not the slightest bit
concerned that Kunzite might kill Zoisite."What is this, Student Murder
101?" she asked, smiling oddly. "You know I told you not to take your
anger out on real people – and I’m sorry, that means student kings, too."

The young princess was exceptionally pretty, with a soft face housing two
deep brown eyes, framed by honey-blonde hair a shade lighter than
Zoisite’s, and not as red. It was cut much shorter, and into a shaggy mane
around her visage. 

Her uniform was completely different to the drab grey of Kunzite and
Zoisite, it was a rich purple, lined in white. It consisted of a double
breasted blazer, a knee length skirt and white shirt. Two inch heels on
her small feet added to her slight height. Even with this platforms, she
was shorter than Zoisite, he stood a almost a full foot below Kunzite. "I
am your caseworker, and I just cannot stand her and let you kill Zoisite."

"Caseworker?" gagged Zoisite in laughter, somehow managing to laugh
uncontrollably without moving enough to provoke Kunzite into snapping his
neck. "YOU have a caseworker?!"

Kunzite sighed in disgust, letting the hysterical king slide to the floor.
A malicious look suddenly contorted his handsome features horribly.
Without warning, he suddenly kicked Zoisite in the stomach.

Phenakite looked shocked as she knelt beside the king, who was crouched
into a ball now, clutching his stomach. "Oh, now, that was truly
unnecessary," she said reproachfully, while Kunzite looked at them
emotionlessly.

"He deserved it."

"Maybe – but who are you to judge?" Phenakite helped Zoisite to his feet,
and Zoisite roughly pushed her away, obviously his pride had taken more
than a mere battering.

"Watch yourself," growled Kunzite low in his throat. "That’s Beryl’s
favourite flunky you’re pushing around."

Zoisite tossed his pretty little head apathetically, and then doubled over
in pain. Kunzite chuckled, but was silenced by a glare from Phenakite.
Although Phenakite was not a king on Queen Beryl’s court, she was still
exceptionally powerful. He suspected she was even more powerful than her
adoptive mother. It was her inherent sweetness that made her
underestimated often.

"Did I hurt you, my little seito?" he asked with apathy, though, for some
unknown reason, he felt almost…remorseful about whacking him one. Though
he had deserved it, the obnoxious little…

"Don’t bother me with your sympathy," sneered Zoisite, and he disappeared
in what Kunzite was to learn was his characteristic flurry of cherry
blossoms.

Phenakite sighed, and said "Stressed, Lord Kunzite-dono?"

"Lady Phenakite-hime," he replied, bowing his head. "To what do I owe this
pleasure?"

Half smiling, Phenakite waved off the formalities. "I wanted to talk to
you. About this whole new king thing, actually…"

__________________________________________________________________________

Zoisite screeched in anger, thrusting yet another of his deadly ice blades
into the organic walls of his chambers. Obviously, Kunzite was not going
to be as easy manipulated as his previous teachers – like Nephrite. Or
even…

A sly smile played at his lips. Beryl had believed that separating the two
under threat of eternal sleep, would keep them from trying to off each
other. Well, she wasn’t too bright about that…they had made a vow to meet
again.

He and Nephrite had a history, mostly violent, that was. Ever since that
starlight class.

There was the ‘fire in the sky’ incident…

Nephrite’s ‘let’s blow up Zoisite’ chemistry experiment…

Zoisite’s ‘caesium water bomb’ game…

And where would they be without a few direct physical confrontations?

It was time – promises should be kept, after all.

__________________________________________________________________________

Phenakite sat cross legged on Kunzite’s desk, the king sprawled in his
chair, eyes closed. 

It was true what Phenakite had said – she was Kunzite’s personal
‘psychiatrist,’ had been ever since Morganite’s death in the realm of that
cursed tree. At Beryl’s insistence. Phenakite had only been around for a
couple of months then, but as far as Beryl was concerned, she was worthy.
Beryl had an ulterior motive, too…she had hoped the pair would hit it off
on more than a professional level. Kunzite had been shattered by her
death, and even though Beryl detested this weakness, she couldn’t afford
to lose him. She had believed the fresh, ‘young’ flesh of the ten thousand
year old former princess would heal his wounds.

However, although she had helped him emotionally throughout the past year,
they had never touched one another. Kunzite would never have considered
it, and Phenakite knew it. So she buried her feelings deep within her
aching heart, and tried to conceal her pain.

"Do you believe you’re up to this, Kunzite?" asked Phenakite. "After all,
you tried to teach me The Way, and look what happened."

"That was you, Phenakite-hime. You’re powerful, too powerful for your own
good, in my opinion. But you’re also too pure of heart for this place.
Zoisite, however, is one malicious, scum sucking little smegger!"

Phenakite chuckled. "He has adorable spirit, however. Never before have I
seen someone attack someone of such superior strength so openly!"

"I should have killed him," Kunzite half moaned, half groaned. "He’s just
going to end up being a pain in the butt."

Phenakite simply shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. But I have the feeling he
and Nephrite are going to be the prob-" Her brow suddenly creased in
confusion.

"What is it, Phenakite?" asked Kunzite, though he thought he knew. He
could feel a niggling at the back of his mind, like a power surge…

"Can’t you feel it? There’s something building, something malicious, and -
OH, SHIT!"

__________________________________________________________________________

Beryl had summoned all her kings, and her ‘favourite flunky,’ (her
adoptive daughter) to her throne room.

Two were in serious smeg.

Jadeite stood to one side, with Phenakite and Kunzite. Kunzite stood
toward the back, with Phenakite in front of them both. 

Nephrite and Zoisite stood in front of the Queen.

Kunzite had to admit, the pair of them were amazing. The bitch-queen was
in super destructive mode, yet neither lowered their gaze. If either was
intimidated or frightened by her wrath, they concealed it exceptionally
well.

"I thought I had made my mind clear on this matter!" screeched Beryl, her
face contorted into a mask of hatred and anger. "You are two of my most
powerful warriors, and thus I cannot destroy you – there is too much to
lose."

"Queen Beryl-sama," spoke up Zoisite. "I only did what I was trained to
do."

"Insolence!" screamed Beryl, and Kunzite winced. Zoisite was new at this,
handling Beryl’s temper tantrums, and he didn’t seem to realise that he
was making it harder on himself by speaking out of turn.

Nephrite snickered – he knew Zoisite was toast. 

Beryl suddenly narrowed her scarlet eyes. "You were taught…you haven’t
been under Kunzite long enough. So it must have been Morganite’s training,
hmm?"

"Of course, your majesty," Zoisite replied in his silky, husky voice,
playing idly with a strand of his coppery golden hair. This fidgeting was
his only hint at nervousness.

"You admired Morganite then, didn’t you Zoisite?"

The others exchanged glances, wondering at the change. Nephrite had been
positive Beryl was going to fry the youngest king for his insolence, but
now…Kunzite didn’t like the mention of Morganite, his long-dead
ex-wife…Phenakite could sense the power building…and Jadeite knew his
brother was impulsive, and could, quite easily, get himself into a whole
heap of trouble. 

"She was my idol, majesty," he replied easily, not in the slightest way
bothered by the uneasy movements from the three kings and the princess
behind him, who were more experienced in Beryl’s bitching out sessions.

"Well, Zoisite, I warned you earlier about this behaviour regarding
Nephrite. Which is why you must be punished." Her lips curved into a cruel
smile.

Kunzite marveled at Zoisite’s audacity. "Eternal sleep then? Well, I do
need my beauty rest."

"Silly child," chuckled Beryl, without real mirth. "I have something
different in mind for you – something that might bring you a little closer
to living up to your idol."

All the watchers covered their faces against the bright light that
exploded from Beryl’s crystal ball, and they stared in shock at Zoisite’s
fallen form.

Beryl grinned maliciously. "Nephrite – I will allow you amnesty from this
– but rest assured, any more trouble like this regarding you and Zoisite
will be severely punished." She looked up so her gaze encompassed the
entire group. "That goes for the rest of you, too. You are dismissed. Oh,
and Kunzite?"

"Yes majesty?" he asked as Jadeite and Nephrite hurriedly vanished, though
Phenakite still remained.

"Take your student with you." 



                Part Two : Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave

  "Come to me now, Lay your hands over me Even if it’s a lie Say it
will be all right And I shall believe – Broken in two I know that
you’re   onto me That I only come home When I’m so all alone But I do
believe – That not everything is gonna be the way You think it oughta
be It seems like every time I try to make it right It all comes down
on me Please say honestly you won’t give up on me And I shall
believe."

_____________________________________________________________________

Jadeite stared at the still form of his "brother" in shock.

Kunzite, Phenakite and Jadeite all stood around Zoisite’s bed in
"his" chambers, watching the unconscious

"king."

"This is really going to make his social life interesting," mused
Phenakite. "Whoa, a sex change…he is going to be absolutely shocked!"

Kunzite looked at the new girl with a degree of sympathy. "You do
have to feel a little sorry for him."

"I doubt becoming a woman will improve his mood," agreed Jadeite,
with a long look at his new sister. "He never control his temper."

"So," said Phenakite. "Who wants to hang around and tell him the news
when he wakes up?" 

Kunzite, to his own amazement, said "I’ll do it. I know he’s your
brother and all, Jade, and I’m sure our resident psychiatrist knows
more about this than I, but…I want to talk to him. About Morganite."

"You mean her," corrected Phenakite absently, taking Jadeite’s
unprotesting hand. "Come on, Jade – let’s just let Kunzite settle all
this." She turned suddenly, and winked at Kunzite. "Just promise me,
K, that you won’t try to kill her again."

He arched a pale eyebrow. "Would I do that?"

_____________________________________________________________________

It was an hour before Zoisite awoke, and the whole time, Kunzite
wondered why he had volunteered to do this. The kings of the Dark
Kingdom were friendly-ish with one another for business purposes only
– he didn’t understand his concern for the new, feminine Zoisite.

He had to admit, though, she looked really different when she was
asleep. The vindictiveness of her character was absent, and she
seemed so innocent. The change hadn’t affected her looks much – just
a bit more shape on top, really…he smiled at himself, and wondered at
his sudden change of heart about his troublesome charge. He doubted
Beryl’s change would stop her from being himself – and he could guess
what she was going to be like, if Morganite had indeed been her idol.
Thinking about it, he did remember Morganite mentioning a promising
young student several years ago, one who had been sent to the
opposite side to complete his training with another teacher.

He thought only a little about Morgan. She had been like Zoisite – in
character, not appearance. The cruel lines to her face, the conceited
way she had held herself, the cold glimmer in otherwise emotionless
violet eyes, they all told one automatically that Morganite was no
pushover – and that she’d do anything to get to the top.

Kunzite couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t loved Morganite. They
had made their way up the ranks together, until he had become the
first of the kings, she the second. They were inseparable, always had
been. He had loved her beyond reason.

Suddenly, all thoughts fled from his mind as Zoisite stirred, then
sat up, rubbing her emerald eyes groggily. "Ohh…my head…kibun ga
suguremasen…"

"Sleep well?" Kunzite asked, a quirky smile touching his lips. She
looked at him with suspicion. 

"What are you doing in my quarters, Lord Kunzaito-sama?"

"Research," he said, his smile growing wider. "I want to gauge your
reaction to Queen Beryl’s punishment on the panic scale I devised."

"Ha!" snorted Zoisite, undoing her long hair. Picking up a brush, she
began to stroke it methodically. "Other than that pitiful blast,
Beryl didn’t punish me – sorry to disappoint you, Lord Kunzite."

"Taken a look at yourself lately?" he asked, and Zoisite’s verdant
eyes widened in horror. 

"Oh god – if she’s touched my face…" She leapt off her bed, and
peered at herself in the large mirror critically. "You lie! I look
the same, absolutely…the same?!" Her voice trailed off as her hands
halted on her chest. "Oh…my…god…" she whispered, and fainted dead
away.

Kunzite conjured up a small notebook, frowning as he scribbled in the
book. "Subject: Zoisite. Punishment: Sex change. Panic scale rating:
A full ten…"

_____________________________________________________________________

Zoisite sat on her bed, staring at her hands blindly, not knowing
quite what to say. Kunzite read one of her books, a human title, ‘The
Lord of the Rings,’ and found it surprisingly interesting, while
waiting for some of her shock to wear off. He wondered at his
patience – but for some strange reason, this unexpected turn of
events had changed his view of Zoisite. She really was a lot more
likeable, he observed, when she was thoroughly chastised. He wondered
how long it would last.

"Would you like a glass of wine, Zoisite?" he asked, sipping his own.
She shook her pretty head. "Iie, kekkoo desu, Lord Kunzaito-sensei…I
guess this makes me Lady Zoisite now, huh?"

He chuckled. "I guess so, chibi-seito."

"I could murder Beryl for this…but physically, she’s put me at a
disadvantage, I’ll have to get used to this body now." She looked so
miserable, that it touched Kunzite deeply. Not quite knowing what he
was doing, he stood, and stepped to sit beside her on the bed.

"Don’t let this stop you, Zoiseito-kohai – though if you are out for
Beryl’s blood, I should probably stop you. But I thought you said
that Morganite was your idol. Well, let me assure you, Morgan would
never have let something like this stop her from doing what she
wanted to do. Genki o deshite."

Zoisite sighed, then something struck her, an odd question.
"Sensei…if Morganite had been changed into a man by Beryl-sama, would
you still have loved her?"

Startled, Kunzite looked directly into Zoisite’s beautiful green
eyes. "Yes…I fell in love with Morganite for who she was, not for
what she was. Even if she had been a man, I would have gone on loving
her. Love’s special, you can’t give it up just because you may not
like the situation it puts you in."  Looking almost melancholy,
Zoisite looked towards the door of her rooms. "I wish I could find a
love like that," she said wistfully. "But this…it’s really going to
confuse me." 

"Why?" asked Kunzite, and he continued without answer. "I mean, look
at the kind of man you were…you were queer, weren’t you?"

Zoisite snickered. "I prefer the term ‘homosexual,’ Lord
Kunzaito-sempai," she said with a smile. "Yeah, I guess you
could say I was."

"So if you’re a woman now, doesn’t it make things easier on you?"

"I never had a problem with my sexual tendencies, even if you
obviously do," snapped Zoisite, then she calmed slightly. "I just
don’t know if I’m still homosexual in this body."

"What, you mean a lesbian? I doubt it, Zoisite-kohai. You still like
men, it’s only your body that has changed, not your mind, or its
desires."

Zoisite suddenly looked up at Kunzite oddly. "You know, Lord
Kunzite-dono…"

"Yes, Zoi-chan?"

"Nothing," she muttered, looking away. Though she did wonder at the
affectionate tab on her shortened name.  "I’d better go," he said,
standing up. "You need time alone."

"Uh – wait," she said, and he turned in surprise. "I…I want to show
you something."

_____________________________________________________________________

Kunzite couldn’t believe his eyes.

Somehow, deep within the infertile Dark Kingdom, Zoisite had created
an extraordinary garden like no other – filled with meandering paths,
climbing vines, rambling roses. It was truly spectacular.

"Do you like it?" asked Zoisite shyly, indicating a beautiful
fountain, in which goldfish swam freely.

"How…how did you do this?"

"A little magic, and a bit of time – I worked on it in between
training sessions with my previous teachers," she said, remembering
the countless journeys to earth, and all the energy she had expended.
"I saw an earth garden once, and I adored every each of its organic
beauty, so I made one I could enjoy whenever I wanted…" her voice
trailed off as she looked up, raising her eyes to his. "With whomever
I wanted."

He shifted uncomfortably, suddenly unnerved by the naked desire
apparent in his student’s eyes. Zoisite may have been a woman now,
but…

"I have other matters to attend to, seito," he said suddenly, and
teleported somewhat abruptly. Zoisite sighed, and gazed moodily into
the blue green waters of her fountain. She had fallen in love with
Kunzite the first time she had seen him, but it had taken this
transformation for her to realise that it wasn’t just lust – it was
really love. Though, she could see quite plainly, even though she was
very physically female, she was still a man in Kunzite’s wonderful
cerulean eyes…and it was also obvious Kunzite wasn’t into ‘that way
of doing things.’

_____________________________________________________________________

Kunzite tapped his foot impatiently – where was Zoisite this morning?
He had sent a youma to her last night, soon after he had abandoned
her in the gardens. The youma had told her the lessons would begin
come eight morning. Now it was past that hour, and still she had not
arrived at his laboratory.

A sudden flurry of cherry blossoms announced her late arrival –
Kunzite felt his heart leap into his throat, then quickly
quashed his feelings.

"You’re late," he said dryly, trying not to notice how fresh-faced
and lovely Zoisite looked this morning.

Zoisite scowled horribly, startling Kunzite, and she didn’t say one
word. She simply rose into the air, crossed her lean legs, then
spoke.

"Why don’t we just get to it, Lord Kunzite? Don’t waste my time by
patronising me!"

He felt anger rise in his blood – and for some reason, he couldn’t
control it like before. She had that effect on him. He lunged for
Zoisite, and grabbed her right out of the air, meaning to deliver a
stinging slap for her insolence.

She surprised him again, however. She threw all her weight against
him, and pushed him backwards. The pair rolled across the floor,
wrestling furiously. He was shocked at the girl’s strength, hidden
well by her small form.

Suddenly very tired of all the fighting, he flung Zoisite off
himself, sending her flying backward into a wall. She came
back quickly, a bright light forming at her fingertips.

‘Ice blade’ he thought emotionlessly. When they collided again, he
yanked it from her fingers, throwing it aside. And
they promptly smashed into a wall.

Kunzite blinked several times, leaning against the wall. He was
tangled with Zoisite, their limbs caught together like
string. Her head was in his lap, and her bright eyes were closed.

Almost tenderly, he brushed a hand over her forehead, saying as he
did so "My fiery, hot blooded little seito…daijobu desu ka?"

She stirred slowly, wrapping an arm around his neck so she could sit
up. He suddenly felt breathless, from the closeness of her. She
looked at him searchingly. "I’m fine…are you?"

"Daijobu desu," he replied, searching her emerald eyes in return. She
was so near, so desirable, so…different from everyone in the Dark
Kingdom. One second she was a homicidal psychopath, the next…

"Gomen nasai," she said simply. "I shouldn’t have done that…I just,
lost my temper, that’s all." She grimaced. "I had an…interesting
morning, and my temper is just too hard to control sometimes, when I
get mad…"

"That’s okay," he said, surprising them both. His lips were only
centimetres from hers, and her power was great. The scent of sakura
blossoms made him want her so…

Before he could stop, he leaned down, his silky hair brushing her
cheeks. His lips met and moulded with hers, and she automatically
responded. Too soon did he realise it, and drew back.

"What’s wrong?" asked Zoisite, suddenly afraid. "Am I not…pretty
enough for you? I’m not good enough…"

"Zoisite, please. I don’t think about my students like this, though I
wish to hell you weren’t so damn pretty, so near, and so available…"

"Then you do think about me? You do think I’m pretty?"

A smothered groan escaped his lips, and he gently stroked her cheek,
before averting his eyes and pushing Zoisite off his lap. "Get this
straight in your head, Zoiseito-chan – of course you are pretty, but
teachers do not think of their female students as women, nor do they
feel any emotion for them except for tolerance, and sometimes, hate."

"I hope Beryl strikes me dead this second if you hate me, Kunzite."

He suddenly laughed, breaking the build up of uncomfortable tension.
"You know, seito, this is NOT what I am supposed to be teaching you."

"Yet you teach it well," she smiled crookedly, not masking the pain
of rejection evident in her emerald eyes. Kunzite tried to ignore it.

"What I really need to teach you is some discipline…that temper of
yours HAS to go…"

_____________________________________________________________________

"So you’ve fallen in love with Zoisite?" asked Phenakite slowly, a
strange glint in her dark eyes.

Kunzite nodded miserably – he was having great trouble with the whole
scenario. Zoisite had been under his training and guidance now for
almost three months, and he was finding it increasingly difficult to
keep away from her beauty, and her desire. Many a time he had caught
her staring at him, just wanting him near to her. He had been
horrified, on occasions too numerous to count, to catch himself doing
it too – just watching her, desiring her, needing her, even. 

Their lessons were certainly never dull, though they had never
touched each other since their first morning class. He found his
pride in his young student growing with each passing day, though her
temper still left a lot to be desired. At least she had stopped
trying to kill Nephrite.

"Yes – though I wish to god I could stop it! I don’t need this
now…I’m not over Morganite…"

Phenakite grimaced at the mention of his ex-wife. It had been many
months since he had spoken her name with such sadness in his voice.
Her death had left him with guilt, hatred and an incredible sadness
burning in his veins.

"I miss her," he said suddenly, looking at his hands. "I never told
her everything…I was just so bitter over Nephrite, and I didn’t know
how to deal with it…there was so much we never said to each other."

"Your divorce was too bitter, too messy – it’s not surprising you had
unfinished business, Kunzite. I think…I think you should just leave
Zoisite alone." She took a deep breath, praying that the real reason
she said this wasn’t obvious. "You’re not ready."

"I’m not so sure about that, Phenakite-hime. I…I’m going to tell
her," he suddenly said, with characteristic finalness in his husky
voice. 

Phenakite watched him teleport away, and then burst into helpless
tears. She had waited too long, too long…she had her chance, and it
was gone…and while Phenakite cried, alone and to herself, Metallia
fell into deep thought.

_____________________________________________________________________

Zoisite knelt in her garden, ruthlessly yanking weeds out, cursing
loudly when she missed the roots, which was often – her anger and
hurt ruined her already delicate concentration.

"Cursing isn’t becoming for a lady of your status, Lady
Zoisite-sama," came a deep voice from behind her, and she
turned in shock to gaze up at the tall form of her teacher.

"Sensei Kunzaito-sama…what are you doing here?"

He extended a hand, and she reluctantly, almost fearfully, put hers
in his, and he pulled her to his feet. He didn’t seem to mind that
her fingers got his white gloves dirty – he seemed just as enthralled
by her as she was by him. "I wanted to have a parent-teacher
interview, but since you don’t have any, I guess I’ll have to talk to
you."

"What, you’re going to send me to the principal?" asked Zoisite
softly, pulling her hand back, and smoothing out her uniform.

"Even if I hated you, Zoiseito-chan, I wouldn’t make you face
Beryl-sama alone. And I don’t hate you, I…" 

His voice faded out, but Zoisite understood. She moved away from him,
and drifted over to a tall oak tree, from the branches of which
dangled a swing. She placed herself on it gently, then began to swing
madly, higher and higher, tears stinging her eyelids.

"What’s wrong?" he asked softly, and somehow, despite the wind
whistling in her ears, she heard him. She stopped her swinging
abruptly, and turned hurt orbs of pain on him.

"I am lost, so I am cruel…but I’d be love and sweetness, if I had
you…"

He gently took her from the swing, and held her tightly in his arms.
He stared down into her tear-streaked face with gentle eyes. 

"Stay with me I’ll set you free…"

He leant down and kissed her for only the second time, and this time,
he pushed all thoughts of Morganite from his mind, along with any
trepidation’s about Zoisite’s former self…but still…

"Zoisite, kodomo, you’re only a child," he murmured softly. "I can’t
do this to you…you don’t know what you’re doing…"

"I do…and you’ve given me too many long, desiring looks to tell me
you don’t want me now. If you say that, you’re lying. You think of me
as a child…but I grew up a long time ago. Don’t love me then, I don’t
care. For I love you, and to me, that will always be enough. But even
though you won’t admit it, you do love me, and want me."

"You’re a fool to think it will work," he said, but his words sounded
hollow, even to his ears.

Zoisite smiled oddly, still clasped in his embrace. "Don’t you
remember what I told you when we first met? That I would be a fool
when it suits me?"

He reached a conclusion in his own mind. "Then I’ll be a fool with
you," he whispered, leaning in towards her welcoming body as they
crumpled to the ground, each kissing the other ardently, with
abandon. He fell willingly into her emerald eyes…he couldn’t remember
ever feeling so peaceful, so alive…

_____________________________________________________________________

"How on earth did we end up like this?" purred Zoisite from beneath
the silky sheets of her lover’s bed, watching admiringly as he
preened before his mirror, preparing for a scheduled audience with
Queen Beryl.

Their short affair had become something of a point of discussion in
the Dark Kingdom – it wasn’t like they had tried to conceal it from
anyone, because they knew they would find out anyway. Beryl had never
directly said anything against it, and everyone talked about it. It
wasn’t everyday a king had a sex change, and then consequently fell
into the bed of another king – the eldest, as it were.

Zoisite wondered what Beryl wanted with Kunzite – alone, no less. She
knew of Beryl’s antics with her kings, though she had never
experienced it, because of her femininity. Beryl had more than one
king because of her insatiable thirst for young flesh. Zoisite knew
Kunzite still occasionally slept with Beryl, and though jealously
flared in her murderous heart every night that they were apart, she
accepted that Kunzite didn’t enjoy it. As he told her, sometimes it
was just better to keep the horny bitch-queen sated, and not make a
big deal out of it. 

Still, though, a jealous creature by nature, Zoisite held it against
Beryl – just another addition to her ever-growing list of grudges.
Though the whole ‘changing restrooms’ experience wasn’t a bad thing.
After all, Zoisite mused, if it weren’t for that, Phenakite probably
would have…

She frowned as the ‘princess’ entered her thoughts. It was painfully
obvious that Phenakite adored Kunzite, though he could have been in
another dimension, he was so unobservant.

Besides, he had been mourning Morganite all that time.

Then what was it about ME that was so special? Zoisite asked herself.
Everyone says I am pretty…but really…what was it?

"What’s that, little koibito?" asked Kunzite, turning from the
mirror. His vanity was forgotten when he saw the deep,
thoughtful look on his young lover’s kawaii face.

"I said…how did we end up like this?"

"We-ell…" drawled Kunzite, moving slowly, seductively over to the
huge bed, pulling back the covers so he could admire the contours of
her lean, taut form. "I seem to remember one young student of mine
getting rather hot under the collar…" He moved his hungry lips over
her throat, then down to her chest. "You’re so adorable when you’re
pissed…" He moved his roving lips and hands to her face, holding her
visage to his. He planted a feathery kiss on her flushed lips before
continuing. "And I remember a little fight that left us in a rather
compromising situation…and that’s where it all began, koibito. You
had me then…you were so beautiful, so innocent in your psychosis…my
little seito…"

"You are so sweet," she said softly, closing her eyes as he moved
against her. "But pleasures of the flesh must wait…you don’t want to
annoy our beloved queen."

"I’ll leave that to you, shall I?" he asked with a gentle laugh,
tracing a single gloved finger down her pretty little nose. "You are
very beautiful, you know that? If I didn’t know better, I’d think you
were an angel."

She smiled. "How do you know I’m not?"

He left one last lingering kiss on her upturned lips. "Ice crystals,"
he replied with a grin, and teleported away.  

Sighing, Zoisite got up and fished a fresh uniform out of Kunzite’s
immense closet. She disliked the drab greyness of the obligatory
uniform…but they had to wear the awful things. She envied Phenakite
her freedom in that area – the princess could wear what ever her
heart so desired, and she generally wore the purple velvet blazer and
skirt, only occasionally did she wear trousers. 

Zoisite mused on that – now that she was female, and comfortable in
her form, maybe she could start wearing skirts. Maybe even one like
Morganite had used to wear…

She quickly quashed THAT thought. It would be suicide to remind
Kunzite of his esteemed former wife. Kunzite never talked about her,
but Zoisite knew there must still be a lot to resolve in that area.

To her amazement, as she brushed her long hair half an hour later in
front of the mirror, Phenakite’s diminutive form wavered into
existence.

"How…how did YOU get in here?" she asked in amazement. Surely Kunzite
had put the wards up, to keep out any but himself and his lover.

"Oh, didn’t he tell you?" asked Phenakite, somewhat off-handedly. "I
have an in – always have." 

"But…but…"

"Forget it, Zoisite – I’ve been sent to get you. Beryl wants to see
you, and she is too busy to summon you telepathically, her mind is
occupied. But she wants to see you."

Her cat-like eyes suddenly gleamed. This could mean only one thing –
a mission to ‘earth,’ a more valuable power source to search for,
something that could make all her dreams with Kunzite come
true…something to set then both free.

"Maybe," said Phenakite, as if she was reading her mind. She raised
an eyebrow, looking surprisingly like Kunzite. "Or maybe you’re just
in trouble again." 

Chapter One: 

              the beginning is the end is the beginning

              "…from the ethers tragic i am born again…"

              Part Three : An Ocean of Memories

              "Forever searching; never right, I am lost

              in oceans of night. Forever                                 
                          
                          hoping I can find memories

              those memories I left behind."

_____________________________________________________________________

Primping before Kunzite’s mirror for an additional ten minutes had
been a mistake, she saw that now. 

Beryl appeared highly pissed this morning – she snidely wondered if
it had been Nephrite who had not ‘performed’ adequately the night
before. Kunzite was unusually silent during the bitching out Beryl
directed at the pair.

Basically, she believed that Kunzite and Zoisite, being too immersed
in other ‘amusing activities,’ were neglecting their greater mission.
Not that Kunzite actually had a specific mission at this point in
time, though Zoisite was supposed to be seeking out the so-called
‘ginzuishou.’ However, being her teacher/mentor, in theory Kunzite
should have been assisting her in her endeavour. Instead, they found
more interesting ways to pass their time.

Her cheeks flamed as she listened to Beryl’s descriptive, and
somewhat crude assumptions about their relationship. She was not
playing footsie this time.

"If either of you neglect your duties in favour of each other again,
rest assured, you will be severely punished!"

"Eternal sleep, majesty?" asked Nephrite smugly, from where he stood
behind the pair with Jadeite and Phenakite. He enjoyed seeing Zoisite
get chewed out by Queen Beryl, though he did think it a pity that
Kunzite had gotten dragged into this. The two highest ranking of the
kings had had their problems, but they respected each other too much
to give way to petty maliciousness.

"I’ll give YOU eternal sleep!" shrieked Beryl, rounding on Nephrite
suddenly. His eyes widened in shock, but he knew better than to whine
about it. Beryl couldn’t stand spineless, gutless creatures. It was
half the reason she had such an extensive crystal collection in her
‘cupboard of knick-knacks.’

"Is that really necessary, majesty?" asked Phenakite quietly – she
was the only one who would dare object openly. Anyone else would have
suffered the fate she threatened Nephrite with.

She smiled cruelly. "Are you questioning my judgement, dear
princess?"

"I am merely saying-"

"You are merely the former princess of a dead world, Phenakite. Don’t
ever forget it."

Though Beryl had cruelly jested at and rebutted Phenakite’s words for
mercy, she seemed to have lost any interest in adding to her
collection in her ever-growing mausoleum.

Kunzite cast an admiring glance over to Phenakite, but she purposely
looked away, ignoring him. Slightly hurt and very confused, Kunzite
dragged his eyes away from the beautiful former princess. She had
seemed so distant as of late, he couldn’t understand it. She had
never acted this way before. 

Although, now he had Zoisite, he rarely had to talk about Morganite,
to try and make sense of his feelings. He found that when he was with
Zoisite, Morganite faded from his mind.

"Are you all understanding my words?" Beryl blasted the sentence at
them, and everyone hastily bowed, including the assorted youma.

"I’m a hearing you on FM," piped up a chirpy voice from the crowd.
Nephrite flinched visibly, and Beryl smiled oddly before dismissing
them all.

_____________________________________________________________________

Zoisite sat in the living room of the west wing of Kunzite’s citadel,
flicking idly through a book on crystallography. Kunzite looked at
another  book – and saw another face.

He hadn’t realised that it would bring back so many memories – going
through Morganite’s things had been a personal demon revisited. But
she had the most extensive collection of crystal memorabilia in the
Dark Kingdom, and he would have done anything to help his koibito. He
was continually surprised to realise just how much she had come to
mean to him.

"Is something wrong, Kunzite?" she asked, worry in her verdant eyes.
She had been watching him intently for the past few minutes, noticing
with alarm the pale pallor and stillness of her sensei, her lover.

"No," he murmured with a sigh, gently closing the album, holding back
tears.

"Nanii?" Zoisite hadn’t heard him, and was really beginning to
wonder.

"I said NO!" he snarled suddenly, his delicate grip on his calm
snapping. He turned on what he loved most and shouted "Just leave me
alone you nosy little bitch!" He regretted the words the instant they
fell from his lips, the lips that had only moments ago caressed the
porcelain skin of his koibito.

Eyes very wide, and filling with horrified tears, Zoisite suddenly
began trembling uncontrollably, cowering in her chair. She teleported
in a flash of cherry blossoms, leaving Kunzite alone.

He stared blindly at the cover, and threw it against the nearest
wall. "Oh, little seito…" he murmured, and then he sighed heavily.
"Morganite, why can’t you just stay dead…"

_____________________________________________________________________

Zoisite lay on her back amongst the roses, staring at the bleak,
desolate sky of the Dark Kingdom, uncaring, unfeeling.

So, Kunzite didn’t love her after all. Hardly surprising, really. He
had never really gotten over Zoisite’s former self, anyway, so turn
of events was not highly unexpected. Still, though…it had been so
sweet, so beautiful…like the world lost so long before.

She tasted the tears before she felt them. It was only now that she
fully understood the extent of Beryl’s punishment, and what it was
doing to her.

Females were more intuitive than males, everyone knew that. And now,
as a female, Zoisite could sense things…or, more likely, remember
forgotten memories. Of the Silver Millennium. Their pasts. Shattered
futures.

"Oh god," she whispered, placing a shaking hand over her heart. This
was tearing her into jagged pieces – she felt so female, yet she knew
a strong part of her was male – and memories, the blue-haired
senshi…and the command of Prince Endymion…

She screamed, loud and clear, three simple words – "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

A ragged sob caught in her throat, and she stood shakily, before
racing wildly through the knee-high grasses, to somewhere, anywhere,
someplace where she could be REAL again…

"I WANT TO GO HOME!" she shouted, tears in her words. "THEY’LL KILL
ME – AND ANYWAY I GO, I’LL ALWAYS BE WRONG!" She fell to her knees
abruptly, her heart aching. "And Kunzite – I miss you. You made me
real. You made me feel. But…I can’t live like this. I want you…but he
doesn’t need you. He wants Athena and I…I can’t be two people at
once…or more. I’m too many people, and I can’t…I’m sorry."

The ice blade felt strong and safe in her trembling hands. The
reassurance of a familiar object helped her strengthen enough to
place the sharp end pointed towards her heart. 

"I only want to be me – and when I can, I will."

She had always wanted to die pretty…amongst blooming beauty, peaceful
and happy at last…

_____________________________________________________________________

Kunzite looked at his gloved hands, wondering if he should try and
find Zoisite. His younger lover was easily hurt, he had discovered
that early on in their relationship. For all her vindictiveness, and
driven ambition, she was highly insecure. Her temper was a good
indication of this – she smouldered with emotions that she couldn’t
control, and he wondered how anyone could live like that – so out of
touch with themselves.

"They can’t," whispered a voice, and he turned, stunned, to find
Phenakite, standing like a prophet with her hands out stretched,
regarding him with her deep eyes. She lowered her hands.

"She can’t live like that Kunzite. Therefore, she can’t live."

His eyes narrowed. "If you’re reading my mind, Phenakite, I would
politely ask you to get the fuck out of my head."

"I’m just telling you, Kunzite – Zoisite is temperamental. Impulsive.
And when she gets an idea in her head, she’ll follow it through
without regards to consequence."

"What are you talking about?"

"I think you already know," she whispered, then added in a low voice,
"Things don’t have to be this way – catch me on a better day."

_____________________________________________________________________

Her hand faltered.

The shadow that fell across her from behind was all too familiar. But
no one could halt her now.

"Fuck off," she said calmly, preparing to plunge the dagger into her
chest.

"I’d really like to, Zoisite," replied Kunzite in a conversational
tone. "But I need to ask you something."

"Two seconds, Kunzite."

"You did put me in your will, didn’t you?"

The ice crystal fell softly to the grass, and Zoisite buried her face
in her hands, beginning to sob horribly.

Kunzite was still to make a single move.

"I hate you! Damn you for making fun of me!" She suddenly began
tearing the roses from her garden, pulling them out bare-handed,
regardless of the thorns. "This is what I’ll do to you! You ruined
me, and I’ll ruin you!" She began to chant it rhythmically, in time
with the ruthless yanking of the blooms. "You ruined me, and I’ll
ruin you…you ruined me, and I’ll ruin you…you…"

"Revenge is fucked, and so are you," he said sadly, and knelt beside
her with a heavy heart. "And I sure fucked you up, didn’t I?"

Zoisite thrust an ice crystal into the ground, and raked a long rent
into the soil, exposing roots and worms. She began to randomly plunge
the
crystal where she pleased, her eyes blank with fearful anger.

"I hope that ground isn’t a metaphor for me, seito."

"You never loved me!" she accused him suddenly, eyes flaring with
emerald fire as she whipped around to face her lover. "It was lies,
all lies – but why did you do it? All I ever did was love you!"

"And try to kill me," he added mildly. "Though that was never the
problem – YOU were never the problem. I love you, and probably always
will. But really…"

"What?" she spat. "I’m being too emotional again, am I? Well, damn
you to hell, Kunzaito-sama. I DON’T need you…or anyone else. I have
enough people in my mind to populate a small galaxy!"

He smiled gently, and her eyes suddenly softened. She dropped the
second crystal, and flopped down into the grass. "Love – I put so
much faith in it."

"Faith can’t help you to escape, Zoiseito-kohai. I know that, better
than I know anything." Though he desired greatly to touch her, be
with her, he allowed her to lie alone. He realised now what had
screwed he and Morganite over, and damned if he was going to let it
happen to he and Zoisite.

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly, sounding melancholy, sad.

He looked at her path of destruction. "I have made many mistakes,
Zoisite...my koibito, my love. And I am sick of letting those whom I
love down. Which is why I won’t let it happen again."

"Who did you let down?"

"Morganite, Alexandrite…even Nephrite, in a way." 

"Nanii..?"

Sighing heavily, he leant to grasp her finally, pulling her to him.
"I’m going to tell you about Morgan."

"Nanii?"

"The truth behind our relationship…and Nephrite’s involvement in it.
He was the reason behind our divorce…this is the truth, as I know it.
Morganite’s truth was lost the day she died."

Zoisite knew when not to speak. She could feel his pain, and she
willed it to go, wrapping her own arms about him. But she was a small
force in an omnipotent tempest.

"I trusted her, I loved her, I adored her…I had known her from
childhood, and I adored her. And she adored me – never had anyone in
the Dark Kingdom realised that two of their own could love one
another like that…and when we could, we married.

She was so beautiful…dark hair, dark eyes…but it was her heart that
was the darkest. Of us all, she was the most evil. We all have our
reasons behind our madness, but Morganite…she killed without remorse,
without reason, without guilt. Death, to her, was a handy tool. She
had no respect for Beryl, no respect for Metallia, and little respect
for me. The only reason she never hurt me was because it hurt her to
do so – though she never completely understood why. She loved me, but
she didn’t know what love was. She stayed with me, though – I think a
dormant part of her just wanted me to set her free.

Morganite isn’t human, not like the rest of us. Except Phenakite of
course, and I would assume Leucite to be human, too. Morganite
was...what is known as a dark elf, a changeling. She was from the
earth realm in another dimension, one of Oberon’s children. Before
they left the eternal summer of Avalon to explore the mortal world,
Beryl came to Oberon’s court. She was, as you can guess, a lover to
the King for awhile, despite the fact he was married at the time. She
wanted to take some of his children back to the Dark Kingdom with
her, but Titania, Oberon’s wife, was highly opposed. Thus, when they
divorced, Beryl returned. Oberon would only grant her permission to
take one, though. His strange, evil little daughter, Éowyn. She had a
temper far worse than even yours, seito. She had a wicked grip over
it, she could control it like no other I have seen. She could direct
her wrath…and her power, the eternity, was no plaything. She could
yank a spirit out of its body and take on the body herself. Soul 
transferences are tricky, and require voluntary participation. Unless
you have the necklace of eternity.

So – Éowyn was killed by Beryl a thousand years ago, and reborn
recently into a new life with the rest of us. You may or may not
understand the significance of the ouroboros of which I speak, but I
think you do. You have memories now that you didn’t know existed. So
I think you know – we’ve all died once, and been reincarnated. Our
bloody rebirths as members of the Dark Kingdom." He fell into a deep,
brooding silence.

"Rebirth – how do you know all this? I’ve only just begun to remember
– and I don’t even remember anything that clearly…it’s all so screwed
up…"

He shook his head sadly. "I remember because I’m not allowed to
forget. It is an oath you do not understand, you never did. It is
unimportant now, though. All this illustrates is that, the second
time around, we grew up together. All of us, some more than others.
You and Jadeite were brothers, for instance. And Nephrite…well, I’m
not supposed to talk about that."

"Nanii?" asked Zoisite eagerly, always willing to hear the dirt on
Nephrite. Kunzite shook his head faintly.

"We always had an attachment to each other, I don’t think there was
ever a time when I didn’t know her. Even in my very earliest memories
of this life, I can still sense her presence. 

We knew we were different – while the others would argue, and back
stab one another, generally behaving like you, dear koibito, we would
share ideas, thoughts, and each other. Our teachers tried to tear us
apart, turn us on each other, but they never could. We were too
deeply involved for that kind of purile nonsense.

Then, some years later, we married. You were probably even there, I
suspect most of the Dark Kingdom was."

Zoisite nodded. "Jadeite forced me too – he told me that his teacher
was marrying another ‘king,’ and I had to be there, as per Beryl
protocol. I had to leave my studies with Variscite at the other end
of the Dark Kingdom, and return for your wedding. I never got
anywhere near you, I only watched the service then left."

"I’m so thankful for your support," said Kunzite dryly. "Though we
didn’t know each other then…at least, not in this particular
lifetime. 

But Morganite…she was a radiant angel that night. I loved her more
than life, more than my own life…"

Zoisite burst into laughter. "You loved her more than you loved
yourself? That’s incredible!"

He smiled sweetly at his younger lover, and kissed the top of her
head. "I have to say, for awhile there, she was the perfect bride.
Then her temper came out…after we married, her temper became more
apparent.

Some say it was I who brought out the worst in her after we married.
I don’t know if that’s true…or maybe I just can’t accept that my love
could twist her into something so malevolent.

"But we still loved each other – or at least, I know I still loved
her. We would still help one another, like we always had.

"I won’t…embarrass you with the details of our relationship. Suffice
it to say, there was never any problem in that department. That was
actually the reason I believed she still loved me – because even
though I knew love didn’t necessarily come into the equation, I still
felt more alive when we were one."

"So she was a good lay, then?" asked Zoisite bluntly. She smiled
angelically as Kunzite gave her one of his famous glares, though it
was a lot less intimidating than normal. "Sorry – I can’t keep my
mouth shut. You should know that."

He planted a soft kiss on her lips, and hugged her close to his
chest, in an unusual display of affection. She snuggled into the
crook of his arm, and fell willingly silent. A first if there ever
was one.

"Then…one day it was over. Morganite told me the truth…she was in
love with Nephrite, had been through most of our three year marriage.
That was why we divorced…though I would have taken her back if she
asked…I was smitten, though now I know it was futile."

Zoisite reached up a hand to brush away a single tear, and he smiled
at her, the sadness leaping from his eyes, to be replaced by his love
for her, stronger than what he had felt for Morganite. "You are so
beautiful, so fiery and bright – how did you ever end up here? With a
blade to your heart and your eyes in tears? What was so wrong? For
surely it wasn’t just me that forced you to do it."

"Distant memories," she whispered, moving a hand to his cheek,
stroking it gently. For some reason, this made him think of a
piano…where he had tried to teach him to play, a thousand years ago…

"I couldn’t cope with it – for some reason, when you yelled at me, my
mind’s dam burst, and I remembered much…most of it bad. Though it’s
all blurry and indistinct now, I did have one moment of astonishing
clarity. I knew I was wrong. Everything about me was wrong. I was
meant to die…"

"I’m sorry I made light of what you felt – that crack about your will
was unnecessary."

"But it worked," objected Zoisite, looking at him with wide green
eyes. Once again, Kunzite could hear the strange ivory and ebony
music, mixing harmony and melody.

"You’re an interesting combination, you know that?" whispered
Kunzite, winding his long fingers through hers, embracing her frail
body to his. "Part child, part seductress, part vindictive little
bitch…"

She smiled sweetly, almost sadly. "I’ll take that as a compliment,
shall I?"

"You do whatever you want – you always do. Morgan was like that
too…I’m used to it."

"That’s one of the reasons you like me, isn’t it? Because I remind
you of her…

She sounded so sad, yet so accepting of her fate, and it hurt Kunzite
to hear it. He held her even tighter, like he expected her to
teleport away from him, leaving him alone with his own fears, in her
garden of roses.

"I love you for who you are, koibito," he whispered softly, rocking
her like a child. "You’re different from Morgan – you feel. You have
genuine emotions behind those beautiful emerald eyes of yours. I…I
love you, and I probably always will." He shook his head, and kissed
her long, passionately, causing her body to rise to his, her longing
for him awakening. "Correct that," he murmured softly. "I’ll always
love you, dark angel of bright skies…"

Zoisite curled up in his arms, and they lay back against the ground,
her legs entwined in his, one of his arms around her slender waist,
two of their hands clutched in the middle, Zoisite’s other hand in
his long, silver tresses.

"It moves in circles…you still love me, don’t you?"

Kissing her fingers with soft lips, Kunzite pondered deeply before he
spoke – a characteristic move. Unlike his fiery little seito, he
tended to think before speaking, and Zoisite, knowing this, didn’t
speak a word.

"Love – it comes unbidden."

She shuddered at his words. "What does that mean?"

"I do love you, and always will, as I said. But…a part of my heart
still resides where ever Morgan is now, and I think you understand
that."

Zoisite tried to picture Morganite in her head, and remember her
former teacher. She had been so maliciously beautiful, like a violent
winter tempest. Horrifying beauty. Her angular face, made even more
pronounced by the sharp, sleek lines of the bob she wore her ebony
hair in, eyes a dark violet, and so cold.

She frowned as she thought – it was always so odd to her to think of
that time. Becoming a woman had changed her perspective greatly,
along with the memories it stirred. Things were strange in these
times.

"I can’t stop you from loving Morganite – and I won’t try," she said
sadly, but she didn’t feel any real jealousy, though it was in her
nature to do so. But really…dead was dead. Morganite’s body was gone,
and her memorial lay in the Necropolis, with Beryl’s other charms.

She wondered about the Temple of the Ancients, where Morganite’s
‘body’ was. She had never been inside…

Kunzite was playing with a rose, a beautiful pink bloom that was so
perfect, it had to have been magical in origin. He handed it to his
student as they sat up, and she smiled, tucking it behind one ear.
"Arigatoo gozaimasu, Kunzaito-sempai. How did you know I liked pink
roses?"

He gestured to the expanse of the wide garden, and she giggled. "I
wonder, koibito, I wonder…"

She looked at him, sensing something about him. An unresolved matter,
as it were. "Tell me, Kunzaito-sama…there’s still something gnawing
at you, ne?" She threw herself over him, scattering kisses over his
face, as if to take away his pain with her love.

He winced, and fought within himself. Tell her! a voice urged, while
another, Morgan-like voice said DON’T YOU DARE, IT’S NONE OF HER
CONCERN.

"I’ve…I’ve always wanted children," he said, settling for the middle.
Zoisite now only knew half, but that was enough. For now.

"Children?" Zoisite appeared aghast, eyes shocked as she pulled away
to look at him with wide eyes. "You want KIDS?!"

He pulled her back to him, kissing her forehead with a great deal of
affection. "Problems, seito?"

"No…I…it’s just – you want CHILDREN?! I never thought…"

Kunzite smiled, and moved closer to reassure his shell shocked lover.
"Oh, seito, don’t panic. I didn’t mean I wanted them now, I’m just
saying, that in the future, when things are calmer…"

"You want children – with me?" she squeaked, a wonderful warmth
spreading through her chest.

Smiling, he ruffled her coppery curls with a gentle hand. "Anata ga
daisuki desu…little seito, I love you. I want to marry you, and be
father to you children. If you will allow it, of course."

"How could I not?!" she cried out in happiness, kissing him with a
passion unmatched by any other, even his for her. He could sense the
power of her love through the bond of their kiss, and he allowed
himself to fall into her as she drowned in him, two people allowing
their minds to meet and meld.

She ended the kiss reluctantly. Their kisses were always intensely
emotional, passionate and incredible, a wonderful expression of love
gone right. 

"So you will marry me?"

"NOW!"

He chuckled, running a finger down her nose, touching her lips with
practised familiarity. "Always willing to jump in with two feet, ne?"

"You still haven’t broken me of my impulsiveness," she said with a
wicked grin. "And here you are, supposed to be my teacher and
everything…you incompetent."

"Shall I prove my worthiness to you in other ways, dear seito?"

"I’m waiting."

He picked up her slight form easily in his arms, looking at her with
a proud love. Pure adoration was in her eyes.

"I love you," she whispered huskily, slipping her slender hand into
his jacket, caressing his chest. He smiled back, kissing her lips
gently.

"Anata mo daisuki desu," he murmured, and he meant every word.

_____________________________________________________________________

Kunzite wondered why he had been unable to tell Zoisite of the truth
behind his desire for a child. But then again…

"Morganite," he whispered in a tired voice. "How could you let him…"
A name suddenly popped into his mind, as he sat alone in his citadel,
in the early hours of the evening, and Zoisite was working that
night. 

Leucite.

That was it! If anyone could help him with this, it would have to be
that weird ex-friend of Morganite’s. Leucite, however, was hard to
find at the best of times – and times were strange in the Dark
Kingdom. Beryl was gearing up for her attack on earth…and only
Kunzite, the only important one who remembered, understood what this
meant. If they were alive, the court would be alive once more…he
remembered the way they had been, and what they once had seen. Though
he felt no emotion about his former life whatsoever. It was like
watching a movie on a screen, he felt so little.

They had all been friends, lovers, comrades…until Beryl had come. To
take them home, she had said. 

The four generals of Endymion were now the four kings of the Dark
Kingdom, and their Queen. It hadn’t been until he had met Zoisite
that the face of the fourth general in his dreams and memories had
cleared. Until then it had been blurred, indistinct. He had always
recognised Jadeite and Nephrite, for he had grown up with them in
this life. It had taken Zoisite’s initiation for memories to clear.

Now he knew that she had memories, too – sentient memories, unlike
his emotionless movies. From what he could remember of the old
Zoisite, though, he always had been the soft and sensitive one.

Leucite, though. It came back to Leucite. He had always been their
token ‘innocent,’ different to Phenakite, yet innocent no less.
Kunzite had no idea as to his true origins, he had not been a part of
the Silver Millennium, though he must have been human once, like them
all. He was no youma. And he had always held a strange, brotherly
affection for Kunzite’s ex-wife.

Unique was perhaps a good word to use to describe him. He wore a
uniform not unlike that of the others, yet it was constantly hidden
by his long black cloak, held closed at the high collar by an unusual
pendant of a phoenix. The Phoenix Gate, he had jokingly called it,
though he refused to say where he had gotten it from or what it did.
"A gift to transverse centuries," he had said cryptically, and he
seemed to know a lot about Morganite’s former self. It was from him
that Kunzite had gleaned most of his own information.

He decided to ask Phenakite if she had seen him lately. She was
generally a good person to go to about these things, and Kunzite
found her easily. She was at the shore of a Dark Kingdom lake,
absently throwing stones into its glossy depths. Kunzite recognised
the almost human-like youma at her side – Chryscolla. He was a
handsome youth, with waist length green hair held in a neat tail, and
eyes like stormy grey skies. He was intelligent for a youma, and
fundamentally human in appearance. Kunzite knew him to be Phenakite’s
personal guard.

"Phenakite-hime!" he called, and the two heads snapped up. She smiled
weakly.

"Lord Kunzite-sama…to what do I owe this…pleasure?"

"I’m looking for Commander Leucite."

"Oh. Well, I truly don’t know where he is. I doubt he’s in the Dark
Kingdom, though. You know how he’s into parallel universes, the
Omni-zone, alternative realities, other dimensions? He told me he had
a problem with one, and he had to sort it out. The Gathering, he
called it. He sounded pissed, but still worried as hell."

"The Gathering?"

She shrugged fluidly. "Don’t ask me." Absently she stood, Chryscolla
leaping to attention at her side. She paid him no heed however,
simply looking long and hard at the eldest king with burning eyes.
Finally, she looked away.

"Queen Beryl doesn’t like your relationship with Zoisite, does she?"

Kunzite was flabbergasted. "What does THAT have to do with finding
Leucite?"

"I hear things…I hear voices." Her luminous eyes turned back on him,
the seriousness within tingeing Kunzite’s heart with a cold stab of
uncertainty.

"Our Queen grows restless. And things change. Always they change." 

Chapter One: 

              the beginning is the end is the beginning

              "…from the ethers tragic i am born again…"

              Part Four : Never an Absolution

              "goodnight, to every little hour that you sleep tite

              may it hold you through the winter of a long night

              and keep you from the loneliness of yourself

              heartstrung is your heart frayed and empty

              cause it’s hard luck when no one understands your love

              it’s unsung, and i say                           
                          
                          goodnight, my love, to every hour in every day

              goodnight, to all that’s pure that’s in your heart"

_____________________________________________________________________

Phenakite wept bitterly into her hands, alone in the dark tower of
shadows, the only place she could find the reviving power of
solitude. Peace was unreachable, but a dull apathy was a comfort to
the fallen princess. Beside her lay a book. A Bible. The story of
Lucifer’s descent into hell made her wounds fresh – for she felt she
had been wronged. Once a radiant angel, kicked out of heaven, and
into a hellish prison. The Dark Kingdom.

"But what did I do?" sobbed the once-regal figure, sprawled ungainly
on the cobblestone floor, columns of marble reaching dizzying heights
around her diminutive form. 

A surrealist work, that was what the tower of shadows was. Near the
entrance to the Omni-zone it stood, and from her pinnacle, Phenakite
could observe Beryl’s Palace, and to the north…the entrance to her
home. Nemesis. Her home’s empty region.

The darkness of the confused realm she now stood in, where space was
as pliable as putty, wrapped cold fingers around her heart, Nemesis
was kinjareta, forbidden. Tapu.

"Screw you," she whispered, but the would-be messiah held no
conviction in her sagging stance, fading voice. She still fought the
evil that desired to consume her soul, as it had done to the
others…Kunzite, Morganite, Nephrite, Jadeite, Zoisite…all Beryl’s
other world flunkies, now completely brainwashed, like the others.
Except her and Leucite. And even Nepheline…

"Where are you?" she whispered, fatigue slipping into her mind, then
weaving into every inch of her body. She grew tired, oh so tired, and
only Leucite had understood. He had never directly told her the truth
behind his heritage, his lineage, and she had never seen any physical
proof of what she believed, but she knew in her heart that she was
right.

She wanted to set her people free, overthrow Beryl and then Metallia,
she wanted to be the one who could release them, but she knew if…

"It would destroy me." She knew it to be true. "I would start out
good…everyone always begins with the best intentions…but I would be
corrupted by the blood on my hands. I can hardly hold evil off now…if
I let blood flow now, it wouldn’t stop."

"Yeah," agreed a soft voice, a youthful, mischievous tinge to the
words spoken by a tall young man regarding the princess.

She leapt to her feet, and without thinking, threw her arms around
the heavily cloaked figure. He reminded her so much of her dead
brother…it was like having him back again.

He made no move to embrace her in return, but neither did he try to
move away from her. He chuckled, and she regarded him sadly, with an
odd degree of sadness. "Where have you been?"

He looked at her with no small annoyance, but his tone was gentle.
"Phoebe, what are you doing in here? Not only does the Tower of
Shadows have a totally cliched name, it has a reputation to match.
You may think you’re safe from the darkness here, but in truth, it
lurks here more than anywhere else."

"Why do you insist on calling me Phoebe, Leucite? That…that name has
no meaning anymore."

He rolled his blue eyes, and said in a voice full of command and
resolve "Phoebe, Phenakite does not exist. Don’t EVER let yourself
become Phenakite in your own mind. For the name is a vessel for the
evil Beryl is trying to instil in you. If you reject the name, it
will help you reject the evil. And that’s another thing – watch your
emotions. Jealousy, resentment, vengefulness…all these lead to
darkness." 

"Thank you Yoda. Feel the force, Luke."

Leucite smiled uneasily. "Human movies again, huh? I didn’t realise
cinema had anything to do with biochemistry. ‘Cos that is what you’re
supposed to be studying, isn’t it?"

"You’re the one who introduced me to sci-fi!" accused Phenakite with
a laugh, tossing her hair over her shoulder. She wore a long green
robe, trimmed in gold, a delicately crocheted shawl of gold thread
worn loosely over her shoulders. Leucite smiled to see her like this,
it was so much better than her Dark Kingdom self. He thanked some
ungodly force that Phoebe hadn’t fallen any deeper during his
absence. He hadn’t wanted to leave, and he didn’t want to leave her
again, but The Gathering was reaching its opening phases. He had to
deal with the whole mortal/immortal child problem…and his own pardon.
He needed a free pass.

"Listen, Phoebe – I have to return to the other dimension, I
have…unfinished business there. But I will be back, soon, hopefully.
Depends on what mood big daddy is in."

"Excuse me?" Her eyes clouded over in confusion, and sudden panic
leapt into her eyes. "You’re leaving?"

He grimaced. "I have to. I’m just glad Beryl isn’t the possessive
type – then I’d really have a problem."

Her eyes narrowed, and she regarded Leucite oddly. "There’s a
question, Leucite…why does Beryl let you do what you want? If any of
her kings show the slightest individuality…"

Leucite’s eyes glowed brightly, a childish mischief entering their
cerulean depths. "For much the same reason she lets you do as you
desire, Phoebe. I have uses that require my unrestricted movement
through dimensions." Leucite ran a long fingered hand through his
tidy dark brown hair, and quirked a smile in her direction. "Besides,
I’m not one of her Kings. Just a hanger on." Moving toward the portal
he opened with a flick of his wrist, he looked like a reluctant
prince leaving his duties. "Phoebe, look. It will be okay – if you
obey the whole Yoda thing. The dark side will take you, but only if
you let it. You’re confused, you want him – but Kunzite loves
Zoisite. He always will."

"Not unless…"

His cerulean eyes darkened, and he shot out a hand from under the
cloak, grabbing hers, holding it so tightly it hurt. But he wasn’t
doing it to be forceful – he simply wanted to protect Phoebe from
Phenakite. "Promise me you won’t! If you work with Beryl and Metallia
to destroy Zoisite, you’ll end up as one of them – the queerest of
the queer. God, Phoebe, can’t you see? This is Beryl’s plan, you
idiot! She’s trying to destroy the good in you that you need to
keep." He looked about, almost fearfully, to see if anyone was
listening. The Tower of Shadows, however, was a darkly holy place. No
youma came here.

Phenakite wondered why he was worried, anyway. She knew he had the
power to dethrone Beryl, just as she had. If either chose to use it.

"Behave yourself," he said darkly, and stepped through the portal.

_____________________________________________________________________

Beryl tapped her fingers on the ball, thinking idly to herself.
Things were proceeding well, Phoebe was approaching blow out. Soon
she would be unable to stand it any longer, and she would destroy
Zoisite, therefore giving herself up to the dark side.

Though, it seemed Metallia was not happy about the way Beryl was
doing things. For some reason she did not divulge, she was insisting
that the four kings not be separated again. Beryl snorted at this –
it had been Metallia who had insisted Zoisite be kept out of the
hierarchy, even though he had been one of Endymion’s original
generals. Metallia had insisted he be sent to the Far Side of the
Dark Kingdom, and kept from his brother and the two other kings who
would later become his teachers, then his enemy and his lover.

Now, though, she still wanted Zoisite as the fourth king, and she
wanted Phoebe as the High Priestess of Galadriel, a strange spirit
warped by the negative space of the Dark Kingdom. Then, Phoebe’s
physical form could be heightened to such a level that she could take
Metallia into herself. Phoebe herself was too pure of heart to have
Metallia in her, but once corrupted by Galadriel, she would be ready.

Beryl had protested – if the ‘goodness’ in Phoebe’s heart was to be
destroyed, the best way to do it would be through her growing enmity
towards Zoisite – her rival for Kunzite’s affections. 

A nice little homicide should be enough to drive Phoebe to become
Phenakite in spirit as well as name.

But Metallia said she needed Zoisite alive. And what Metallia said…

Beryl warped to the chamber, and knelt before the strange, pulsing
purple mass in the red structure. "There is another way," she hissed
to Beryl. "If you cannot infect her through hatred, destroy her
through her love."

"How?" Beryl asked simply.

"Kunzite, you fool. That King of yours is her knight on a golden
pedestal. She loves him blindly…she will go to him, if he calls. And
he is cold, as cold as night. If they were to become lovers, he would
bleed his darkness into her. This process of changing is essentially
sexual – if these two join, she will yield to him. Not because his
power is stronger – for even Kunzite is still slightly human inside –
but because she will do whatever it takes to be by his side. If she
becomes his lover, his evil will become their evil. This bonding
could prove fatal in the end, for Kunzite anyway, but it will bring
Phenakite to the fore. Separating them once they are one will prove
difficult, but it can be done. A Priestess, after all, must remain
celibate. I think my only problem now is Leucite – but his parents
should keep him entertained while I do her."

"But…my queen, what of Zoisite?"

Metallia sounded both bored and annoyed. "What of Zoisite? I will not
allow her to be killed, she is needed. If you want Endymion in your
bed, I suggest you keep his honour guard intact – AND OBEY MY
ORDERS!"

"I am meaning…Kunzite and Zoisite. I believe their relationship
extends deeper than mere bedroom sport. I almost believe they…love
each other."

"Ha! I can fix that. Do you not recall Kunzite’s phobia? Of
homosexuals? He’s never been fond of the division."

"What are you implying?"

"You made Zoisite female so that she could act on her attraction to
Kunzite without fear of rejection, in order to awaken Phoebe’s
jealousy. It hasn’t worked – because of that meddling changeling –
but this will. This will separate Kunzite and Zoisite, and bring
together Kunzite and Phenakite, and then she shall be my implementor.
I will devise a way later to keep Kunzite alive during the
separation. 

"This change in plan wouldn’t have been necessary if Zoisite was as
expendable as I had first believed. But these four are a nexus more
powerful than I first thought. Leucite may or may not be a
problem…but I think daddy is quite irate with him. It should be
fine."

Beryl smiled, her eyes glinting with malicious enjoyment. She knew
what to do.

_____________________________________________________________________

Zoisite snuggled closer into his arms, letting one arm drift slowly
down her lover’s side, running gentle, long fingers down the smooth
skin, feeling the taut muscles beneath. His bed was a marvellous
construction, a beautiful shell-shaped bed that was eight feet in
diameter, soft as silk and more comfortable than a cloud. It was
surrounded by soft, gauzy silk curtains, and heavier velvet could
also be pulled around it. Needless to say, they spent a lot of time
there.

"I love you, Kunzaito-sama," she whispered into his ear, and he moved
beside her, awakening slowly. "Zoi..?"

"Who else, my love, my koibito?" she murmured, planting a kiss on his
forehead. "Where would I be without you? I can’t live without
you…you’re a part of me. Every part of me."

Sleepily, he pulled the younger woman into his strong arms, and she
laid her head against his chest, coppery hair falling about him like
a golden river at dawn. His heart felt near bursting point, with his
love so near, so tangible, such a part of him.

"I love you too," he whispered back, entwining his bare fingers in
her vast hair. "Forever."

They were both startled out of their comfortable reverie when Beryl
screamed in their minds ‘KUNZITE! ZOISITE! THRONE ROOM NOW!’

"Oi, that hurt," groaned Zoisite as the pair sat bolt up right in the
bed, the blankets falling from both their bare torsos. Kunzite smiled
wickedly.

"I do suggest, little seito, that you put on some clothes –
otherwise, I can’t be held responsible for my actions."

She waggled a playful finger at him. "Oh, but you are a naughty boy."
She batted his head as they got up, and he had to fight to keep from
taking her again right there. They quickly dressed, and teleported to
the throne room – separately.

_____________________________________________________________________

Zoisite appeared seconds after Kunzite – and found the throne room
empty, save for she, Beryl and Kunzite. No other King, no other
commander, no other youma was present. Unusual.

"I suppose you’re wondering why I have summoned you here," she hissed
in a low voice, unmistakable glee in her voice. It made Zoisite shift
uncomfortably. Beryl happy meant one of three things – anarchy,
bedlam or chaos. The third sounded highly likely.

"I have been thinking, and I have decided to make a few changes
around here."

Zoisite stiffened – she couldn’t mean…she was taking her out of the
four kings! She was giving someone else her place, because she and
Kunzite hadn’t heeded her warnings…oh god, who was it?

"Zoisite, my love," said Beryl cruelly, causing Zoisite’s emerald
eyes to widen in shocked alarm. What was Beryl talking about? "You
are very pretty…but not quite my type. Not now, anyway. But…things
change."

The hot energy flowed through her body without warning, and with a
cry, he sank to the floor in a heap, Kunzite leaping to his side with
an anguished cry of "Zoisite?!"

"Relax," snickered Beryl, impressed by her own handiwork. "Take him
away, if you please, Kunzite."

His platinum eyes had gone stark, bleak.

His koibito, his wonderful radiant angel of darkness was…a man.

_____________________________________________________________________

Zoisite first became aware of pain. Pain that filled the world. She
didn’t want to wake up, but she soon discovered that with each inch
of consciousness gained, a little bit of that pain went away. Just
enough to make her feel that waking up was a good thing to be doing.

Kunzite sat in a velvet armchair at the side of her bed – they were
in her chambers. Strange. Generally they preferred his more opulent
chambers in his citadel, to Zoisite’s grand suite of rooms in the
house of residence near Beryl’s palace. But…as long as her was here,
what else mattered?

But he sat so silently, eyes so emotionless, far away in both thought
and physical means.

"Kunzaito-sama…koibito," she murmured, and she wondered at his
grimace. She reached out delicate fingers to touch his muscular
thighs. A cold chill wrapped around her heart as he flinched away,
like the gentle touch would poison him.

A sliver of fear poked its way into her heart. "Kunzaito-dono…sensei,
what is it? What is wrong?" She struggled into a sitting position,
reaching out long arms to touch her mentor, her lover. He moved
backward ungainly, with an unusual lack of grace, almost as though
she repulsed him.

Zoisite felt…different, somehow. Like her body didn’t fit right. She
hadn’t felt this way since…

The loud howl that ripped from his throat woke Kunzite from his
trance, where he had stood five feet away from the bed, staring
blankly at the smaller man. His eyes darkened, sadness, confusion,
distaste moving through them like stones in a kaleidoscope. 

Huddled into a ball, Zoisite cowered against the pile of pillows
against the mahogany headband. His face was buried in his crossed
arms, sobs escaping from his constricted throat at irregular
intervals. Pure terror, great sorrow were the emotions emanating from
the fallen figure, as he tried to drown out the cruel world by
withdrawing into himself, denying reality. 

And as his lover fell deeper into his own distraught mind, Kunzite
also moved backward, removing himself from the emotional outpouring
of chaotic distress. He had never been one for such blatant displays
of emotion…

Choking on a sob, Zoisite’s head snapped up, pale cheeks splotched
with red, eyes salty with tears. Wounded, emerald eyes gazed upon him
reproachfully, like a child that has been wronged, terribly wronged.

"What is…HAPPENING TO ME?" The broken tone of his words tore
Kunzite’s heart into shreds. Their time together had given them a
bond, something that transcended physical laws, logic, and even
reason itself. Through the nexus, Kunzite could sense the loss of
Zoisite’s memories…the Silver Millennium was fading from his mind
like an overdeveloped photograph, and things changed.

"Hold me," he whimpered, tears spilling down his once again pale
cheeks, paler than even the stark whiteness of a hospital. Like a bat
out of hell, Zoisite launched himself from his foetal position on the
bed, lunging towards Kunzite. With his arms out stretched, he was
desperately searching for a friendly port in this horrifying typhoon. 

Kunzite involuntarily side-stepped, and Zoisite lost his already
delicate balance, falling at his feet. Looking down at Zoisite, he
felt…pity? Regret? Disappointment? …love?

Lower lip trembling, Zoisite looked up at the tall, stately figure,
so simple and distinguished in his glacial good looks. Never before
had Kunzite seen such betrayal, such utter pain in someone’s eyes.
Absolute agony was in his emerald gaze, as he looked at the man who
had just rejected him, thrown away everything that they had ever
shared.

"Koibito?" Such longing, such confusion. Zoisite was hurt beyond the
surface, now an ice crystal of fear was slowly, but surely, impaling
his already delicate heart.

Unable to speak, Kunzite could only gaze, detached, at his student.
Emotions flickered in his heart – he wanted to take the man into his
arms, feel his body against his, revel in the love that they could
bring about…but the same old revulsion had returned.

But you love him, said a low voice in his deadened mind. Love
transcends silly preferences…don’t let Beryl take it away from you!
You love him, and you can’t change who you love and who you don’t!

"Cry, cry, cry for me," wept Zoisite into his hands, staining his
gloves with salty tears. Kunzite only watched, listening to his near
hysterical student, who now seemed to believe he was trapped in a
dream and not the truth. He murmured softly to himself, talking to
himself, almost forgetting the presence of his sensei. For a moment.

He looked up at Kunzite with sightless eyes. "If you no longer…why
did you come here?" His voice was steady, but pained as he looked
desperately for the answer that could fuel his hope.

Why did you come? taunted an inner voice. I think you know. He pushed
it aside, and said emotionlessly, "I thought I owed you at least that
much."

He could have slapped Zoisite, ripped out his heart and stomped on it
– it would have had the same effect as his words. Zoisite let out a
strangled cry, face falling, eyes streaming tears as he threw himself
to the floor, and began weeping uncontrollably.

Roses – why did he think of roses? Why did the heaped form of his
former lover make him think of roses? 

_____________________________________________________________________

His lounge room in the east wing was dark, as he liked it. Darkness
would wrap welcome fingers around his mind, drag him away to
oblivion. It wouldn’t judge, it wouldn’t condone. It was his faith,
his escape. From the hurt he didn’t believe existed in himself. The
pain that separation from Zoisite had brought.

And the rose. One of his roses, from that goddamn garden, where they
had walked, talked, made love…a garden of shadows. He thought then
of a human song he had once heard…the last words. ‘Suffer my desire,
suffer my desire, suffer my desire…for you. For you. For you…’

He couldn’t want him now! It was impossible, he didn’t love Zoisite.
He had loved the female Zoisite…she was different, more alive
somehow. She had changed the famous "Ice King"…it was with her, and
only her, that he had been able to show pure, true emotion. Memories
could do so much…

"BAKA!" shrieked a voice from the darkness, and he felt strong hands
shake him from his stupor. Where he had sat alone in his chair.

Opening his eyes warily, he found himself staring into the fury of
Phenakite. Without warning, she drew back a slight hand, and
delivered a stinging slap to his cheek. Without thought, he
automatically retaliated by dragging her into a headlock.

She simply elbowed him in the groin – enough to make even the
strongest of men falter. Groaning, doubling over in agony, he
released Phenakite, who sounded as if she was choking. 

However, adrenaline had kicked in, and breathlessness wasn’t going to
slow her down any. She threw herself at him, propelling him towards
his couch, where he collapsed. She stood over him, eyes wide in fury. 

"What in the hell are you doing, Kunzite?!" she screamed, the red
marks from his fingers standing out against her pale throat. 

"Phenakite?" he gasped, still in pain. "What are YOU doing? Get a
grip!"

All the anger suddenly drained from her face, and she looked lost,
alone…innocent, like she hadn’t understood what had happened to her.
She threw herself down beside Kunzite, looking like she might begin
to weep at any second. Then the anger came back.

"Oh, Kunzite, how could you do that to him?" she asked, eyes
flashing. Kunzite groaned in pain as he stood, moving over to the
tall cupboard, pulling out a crystal decanter, filled with a red
liquid. He poured it into a shot glass, and downed it in one, pouring
another. Phenakite stood, and took the decanter from him. Without
warning, she smashed it on the floor. "Damn you, listen to me when
I’m talking to you!"

He stared at the glass, and put it down with a sigh. "Why are you
here?"

"I have been at the hall of residence, Yasborough."

He shuddered. "What were you doing there, Phenakite-hime? Your
chambers are in the palace."

"I visited Zoisite – and after a lot of searching, found him
crouching in a corner of his third walk-in wardrobe, almost comatose.
He was so distressed, it wouldn’t speak, wouldn’t listen to me…until
I asked where you were. The he started wailing, crying, and I had to
sit with him for the next hour, listening to his tales of betrayal,
before I could finally get him to go to sleep."

"And why do I care, Phenakite? Leave me be."

"You reject my help? Kunzite, what is wrong with you? Can’t you see?
He loves you! And no matter how far you try to run from it, you still
love Zoisite, and you always will."

"How do you know this, Phenakite? Remember what you told me? Things
change…always they change. You are the fool."

Her face became a mask of sorrow. "Turn me away if you must, Kunzite.
I can accept defeat. But Zoisite needs you, loves you. Now he may be
drowning in his sorrow, but soon, he will be filled with a lust for
vengeance…for absolution. He will kill you in his rage, then he will
kill himself in his grief."

"I hardly think Zoisite would ever get the better of me in battle."

"But I would," she said in a low voice. "Oh, maybe I am a fool. I
could destroy Beryl, but I never will, because…of…" he voice
faltered, then gathered strength. "You know in your heart you still
love him. Why can’t you put this pride aside, and take him back? You
told him you loved him…in this lifetime and the last! Kunzite, don’t
hide from him! You will never escape him! Morganite was different –
you could recover from that. But if you continue to push him away,
you both will perish! Do not persist in this foolish pride! It will
only destroy you."

He bowed his head. "I am already destroyed, Phenakite. I died a
thousand years ago. Don’t get involved in things you don’t
understand."

She laughed lightly. "The Dark Kingdom flunky is telling me I don’t
understand love? Don’t make me laugh."

Kunzite sighed heavily, and sat down on his couch. "Phenakite, I
can’t do it." He sounded so small, so vulnerable. Phenakite suddenly
wondered why she was doing this – this was her opportunity to take
him, make him her own.

Two faces stopped her - the heartbroken visage of Zoisite, and the
concerned face of Leucite. Somehow, she knew that if she took him,
she would fall, and not get up. 

She would cease to be. And then Nemesis really would be lost forever. 

"Yes you can. You love him, you know you do. And he will always love
you. He won’t reject you as you rejected him. He has already forgiven
you."

He stood, raising pained eyes to Phenakite. "Gomen nasai, princess. I
will try…for what we once had. For my precious little seito, my
koibito…"

He teleported abruptly, and Phenakite sighed. She knew what she had
just done was right…but she still couldn’t let him go. And she
wouldn’t continue her plans for destroying Beryl – she had wrongly
assumed that Kunzite’s loyalties lay only towards his queen. It was a
mistake that would cost her her sanity. 

_____________________________________________________________________

The wards were up in force, but he proceeded through them easily.
Zoisite had never been overly concerned about security in his
chambers, even with Nephrite loose. They both feared Beryl’s wrath on
that topic.

A single light burned in Zoisite’s bedroom, the tall, wide windows
looking out over the plains that lay before Beryl’s palace. The room
was populated by a vanity table, three full length mirrors, and two
closets, and several velvet chairs lined in gold. A large, four
poster bed was in the middle of the wall opposite the front door, the
curtains drawn back, the dim light casting long shadows.

A tiny, childlike form was sleeping alone there, curled up like he
was desperately alone. And he was. His cheeks glimmered as his t ears
caught the light, murmuring in his fitful sleep…about his loss. His
koibito.

"Oh, Zoisite," he said sadly kneeling beside the bed, reaching out
with a shaking hand to touch his hair with a feathery light finger.

This slight touch broke Zoisite out of his nightmare as if Kunzite
had hit him. His eyes flew open, and he sat up in amazement, the ice
crystal dissipating as he recognised his midnight visitor.
"Kunzaito-sama…"

"Only I, Zoiseito-chan, my little seito, my koibito…I love you," he
whispered, shaking like a leaf, his emotions so intense he felt as if
he might pass out. It was certainly a change from his usual calm. But
this was not a normal situation. 

He looked at him sadly, the blankets wrapped about his waist as he
regarded him with pained eyes. "How can I believe you, sensei? After
all you have done to me? You broke my heart." His eyes filled with
tears. "You left me alone with my pain, my hurt, and a part of me
died, Kunzaito-sama. But even though I know it will only destroy me,
I still love you…oh, gods how I love you…but I can’t stay with you if
all you are going to do is hurt me. I may be stupid, I may be blind,
but I am not going to be walked over by you. Even if I would throw
away my life for you."

"So – it is over. You love me, but push me away. Zoiseito-chan…why? I
still love you, and I’m sorry…"

"Sometimes, sorry isn’t good enough. Sometimes, I do make the right
decisions. I will not be hurt anymore."

"I don’t want to hurt you," he whispered, and he finally let the
tears he had in his own eyes spill down his cheeks. Zoisite looked at
him from his position on the bed, and against his better judgement,
moved over to his former lover. He ran a finger down his cheek, and
tasted the tear. "Why are you crying?"

"I don’t know," he said hoarsely, still kneeling at his beside,
admiring the younger man’s muscular chest in the dim golden light.
"Oh, but I have been a fool…"

"You told me crying was weak, was pointless," he said, confused. "How
could I hurt you? You are an ice king, you need no one. You feel no
pain."

"How can you say that?! Do you think I wanted to leave you? I just
did…I love you, but something made me leave!"

"Maybe it was right to make you, Kunzite." He turned away, and
snuggled down into his pillows, his own tears streaming down pale
cheeks. "Just go away. We were never meant to be. The Dark Kingdom is
no place for love – look at you and Morganite."

"This has nothing to do with her – this is between me and you."

"What you and I? We are finished, complete. It had to happen, there’s
no sense in dragging it all out. Go away, find some one else who
wants you – for I surely don’t." 

"That’s not true."

"It isn’t?" Zoisite looked up, and turned back to him. He was still
weeping silently, and Zoisite too, had tears on his cheeks. "You are
right, sensei, as you always are. I still love you, want you, need
you. But I am no good for you."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at me," he said simply. "I am a man, Kunzite. A man. Do you
seriously believe that I can give you children in this form? And I
can never be female again – only Beryl holds that power in her hands.
I am like this – forever."

"And I am yours – forever," he murmured, standing slowly. "I don’t
care about that – I want you, I’ve always wanted you! Zoisite,
please, don’t turn me away now."

He burst into fresh sobs. "Go away, Kunzite! What do you think I am,
a saint? I can’t resist you, it hurts me! I can’t keep on resisting
you for much longer, just go away…leave me be, just…"

"I will never leave you again, koibito," he murmured, and he took the
younger man back into his arms, and held him tightly.

"You are a fool to think it will work," he said, the words an echo
from what seemed like another time.

Kunzite laughed, choking back his own tears. "I told you that – and I
was wrong. Now it’s your turn to be wrong."

"Oh, sensei," he moaned, falling against his chest, continuing to
weep. "I…I thought I had lost you."

"Never." He kissed him long and deep, and their relieved tears
mingled as they lay back down. After the kiss ended, Zoisite slipped
back into the crook of the other man’s arm, and fell into a deep,
peaceful sleep.

Kunzite smiled sleepily, and pulled the other closer, murmuring as he
did so, "Oh koibito, I love you more than life itself…where would I
be without you?"

"Mmm?" stirred the king. "What is it, sempai?"

"I wanted to give you this," he said softly, and handed him a pretty
pink rose.

"Oh sensei, it’s so beautiful…" he said, barely audible in his half
sleep. Kunzite smiled, and let the man go back to sleep, his
childlike features finally peaceful once more. 

He had to admit, that sometimes, things did work out after all. And
maybe one day, they could find the absolution they had always desired
since that terrible day a thousand years ago. Then, and only then,
would they truly be together. Forever. 

Okay, I admit it – I did NOT create any of these characters 
from other sources, blah blah blah…you can’t sue me anyhow, 
I have no money. I AM POOR, ‘kay? But thanks go to many, 
many people for giving me the inspiration and the characters 
and settings, to brighten up my destitute life. You know who 
you are, and if any one is curious, read the disclaimer 
before my other chapter. Read on
 – if you’re crazy. If you’re not crazy – why not? Come, 
join us in the asylum! Email, criticisms, jewellery, 
marriage proposals, monetary donations, thermal detonators 
etc. can be directed to luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com
________________________________________________________________________
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
________________________________________________________________________
prologue
Who do you think you are?
In this episode, which takes place after Ail and Ann have 
left, but before Rubeus and ChibiUsa arrive, the Sailor 
Senshi receive a startling shock when they discover even 
their friends can have an unspeakable secret…and another 
life.

Walking in the sunlit paths of the park, she watched the 
autumn leaves drift to the ground before her feet, a half 
smile tinting her features. Usagi was alone, walking home 
after school later than most people, as she had spent most 
of the afternoon in detention, yet again. 

She sighed, wishing she could go to the arcade. Homework 
beckoned however – her mother was not impressed by Usagi’s 
sloth-like habits anymore."Hey girlfriend," called the 
voice of a friend, a very blonde chick running towards her. 
For some stupid reason, Minako was still dressed in her 
school uniform, and she carried her school bag in the hand 
she wasn’t using to wave at Usagi. With her hair flying up 
like a streamer, Minako reached Usagi in a few seconds, 
with a smile on her face as large as the ocean, as bright 
as a star."Have you seen Mamoru today, Usagi?" she asked, 
her tone light and conversational. "You guys are almost 
always never apart – so where is he? I want to ask him 
something."

"Like what?" she asked suspiciously, just a bit paranoid. 
Usagi had never been much of a jealous person, or 
particularly possessive of Mamoru (except when it came to 
Rei, of course) but she still didn’t want any of her friends 
becoming a close friend of Mamoru's. 

"About Tuxedo Kamen – because he remembers everything, right? 
I just want to know if he can still become Tuxedo Kamen, now 
that the Moonlight Knight is gone. If the Dark Kingdom ever 
shows up again, we’ll need his help."

"The Dark Kingdom? Give me a break, Minako – they’re never 
coming back, we totally dusted them! They got a taste of moon 
power, and they know better now."

"Maybe," replied Minako, unconvinced as she looked at the sky. 
"But I can’t help but wonder. Artemis hasn’t said anything, 
but…"

"He’s a cat, Minako. Okay, so, maybe he can talk, but y’know, 
he’s not so smart."

"Smarter than you Usagi," came a snide voice from behind the 
girl. She screamed and turned on Rei with blazing eyes.

"What are you doing, sneaking up on people like that!" she 
screeched. 

The dark haired girl smiled sarcastically, her eyes filled 
with an emotion Minako couldn’t quite read. "Mamoru’s 
looking for you, odango atama."

"Don’t call me that!" she whined, looking at Minako for 
support. But her blue eyes were elsewhere, and Usagi could 
see two figures in the distance, though she didn’t 
recognize them. "That’s Mamoru’s nickname for me – 
you’re not allowed to use it!"

Rei turned her head haughtily, and said, "You’re such a 
baby, Usagi. Come on, Minako, let’s go."

Looking at Rei, Usagi saw she was still in her school 
uniform, and she suddenly wondered why on earth Rei wasn’t 
at the temple, working as per usual. "Where are you going? 
And where’s Mamoru?"

Minako appeared somewhat embarrassed. "Well, the other 
Senshi and I have been taking skating lessons together…we 
would have asked you, but you don’t seem to be interested 
in anything but Mamoru these days."

"That’s not true!" exclaimed Usagi, looking at Rei for an 
affirmative back up. She needn’t have bothered – she and 
Rei may have had respect for each other, but that didn’t 
mean they had to like each other. 

The two distant figures were now in view – Usagi recognized 
one – it was Ami. The other girl was tiny, but slender, with 
shoulder length dark blonde hair cut in layers around her 
face, wearing the same school uniform as what Minako wore. Ami 
and Usagi went to the same school, while Minako and this new 
comer went to another. Rei’s school was even further away. 

"Hey, Rei – did you tell Usagi that Mamoru’s looking for her? 
And, oh, Makoto’s meeting us at the rink."

"She’s got something to do at home first," added the girl, 
brushing her hair from her brown eyes. She looked curiously 
at Usagi. "So this is Usagi?"

Rei smiled, and nodded. "Odango atama, yep, that’s Usagi."

"Rei!" whined Usagi. "Do you mind…"

"Of course not, Usagi – torturing you is my only fun these 
days since Ail and Ann left."

The girl, who looked somewhat embarrassed to be in the middle 
of a fight, said with a queer look on her face, "Who are Ail 
and Ann?"

"Just old friends," Ami said, looking at Usagi, as if to warn 
her. "They used to go to our school, but they left about a 
month ago. Anyway, Usagi, I’d like you to meet Phoebe Loxley, 
she’s one of Minako’s friends from her school. She’s been 
coming with us to the rink, since you couldn’t."

"But you never ever told me – how did you know that they told 
me, anyway?"

"It was a deal," spoke up Minako. "We said we’d tell you, 
before Ami and ‘Sena got here."

Still looking uncomfortable, Phoebe said in her low voice 
"Let’s just go – Makoto is probably waiting for us."

Rei shrugged, and nodded. "Yeah, come on. Usagi, Mamoru’s 
up the street, at the arcade. I think he’s talking to 
Andrew. We ran into him just as Minako left to find you. 
See ya."

Usagi watched her friends, and Phoebe, take off.
________________________________________________________________________
Rei laughed as she watched Minako fall on her butt for 
the thousandth time that session, and the teacher sighed. 
They were fortunate – their teacher was Miisha, an ice 
skating champion. He had reverted to teaching in the off 
season, but his students were driving him bananas. 
Especially Minako and Rei, who seemed more interested in 
seeing who could go the fastest around the rink. But even 
if he so much as mentioned a speed skating class instead 
of figure skating, they whined to be given another chance. 
Then they would calm down – for about ten seconds. 

It was Makoto and Phoebe who made it all worth it – both 
were extremely talented girls, in their own styles. Makoto 
was more flamboyant than Phoebe, but Phebes knew how to 
move with a controlled grace that could twist someone’s 
heart in knots, just watching her. She skated like a 
mournful princess, a broken royal. Miisha loved to watch 
her skate, almost as much as he adored watching Makoto. 
He just wished sometimes that he did need a new partner 
– but Janerin was perfect for him. 

Ami swung into a pirouette, then stopped to consult a book 
that told how it should be done. The screeches of Rei and 
Minako could still be heard in the background. 

"Okay, class is finished!" shouted Miisha, finally had 
enough. "Time to get off the ice, girls."

Rei chased Minako, who promptly crashed into the side of 
the rink, bringing Rei down with her. Ami skated to the 
side, and continued to read as she did so. Because of this, 
she didn’t see Makoto, and the pair splattered on the ice. 
Miisha had to sigh – this was the standard end to his class. 
But he had to admit, these five were never boring. 

The other four gone, only Phoebe was left on the ice. The 
music that had played during class was switched off, but as 
the others watched her dance across the surface, they swore 
they heard the music she felt so deeply in her heart.

"Phoebe!" called Miisha. "That’s enough – the rink’s 
closing in ten minutes."

"Sure…" she called, out of breath. Two leaps later, she 
skated to the edge and got off. Sitting down to pull off 
her boots, Phoebe seemed quiet. It wasn’t highly unusual, 
though. Phoebe had always been quiet, ever since Minako had 
known her. Both had transferred to the school at the same 
time, just weeks after Makoto had joined Usagi’s school. 
They had become fast friends, though Phoebe was always 
somewhat reserved. Minako didn’t actually know where she 
had come from, for Phoebe never spoke about it. It was 
obvious, though, that she had a tremendous talent for 
ice-skating. 

________________________________________________________________________
The sky was streaked with pink and orange as the five 
walked out of the building, Rei and Makoto bubbling with how 
cute they thought Miisha was. Minako was concerned about 
Phoebe, however. "Hey girl, what’s up? You look so serious…
and that skating today…it was really great, but it was so sad. 
Where did you get the inspiration for it?"

She smiled oddly, looking at the sky. "My life."

There was an almighty beep, scaring all the girls out of 
their wits. Mamoru’s dark head leaned out of his car window, 
his dark blue eyes shadowed by thick black sunglasses. "Do you 
guys want a ride?"

"Where’s Usagi?" asked Rei curiously, walking up the window. 
Looking inside, she saw no Usagi.

He took off his glasses, and smiled. "I’ve already dropped her 
off – and I saw you guys as I was driving home. So, do you 
want a ride?"

"Yeah," said Makoto, hopping into the car. The others followed 
suit, all except Phoebe, who remained on the side of the road.

"Phoebe, aren’t you coming?" asked Minako. "It’s okay – Mamoru 
will give you a ride to your place, won’t you Mamoru? Mamo-chan?"

All four watched open mouthed as the pair stared at each other, 
Phoebe pale and silent, eyes very wide. Mamoru’s face was similar 
– it was as if the pair were looking at each other and seeing 
ghosts.

"Are you guys…okay?" asked Ami tentatively. "Mamoru-sama?"

"I’m okay…" he mumbled, then spoke up. "Do you want a ride, 
Phoebe?"

"Yes…" she replied slowly, not taking her eyes from his face. 
He was the first to lower his gaze, and she got into the car 
quietly.

"Where do you live, Phoebe?" asked Mamoru, putting the car in 
gear. As they pulled away from the curb, he put his glasses 
back on. Ami, in the front seat, was unnerved to notice that 
his hands were shaking. 

"On Kamen Avenue," she answered quietly, looking out the window. 
"It’s hidden by trees, at the end of the street. It’s a large 
house – it was once owned by Masato Sanjouin."

There were two audible gasps, from Ami and Rei, and the car 
temporarily swerved before Mamoru got it back under control. 
"What – did you guys know Mr. Sanjouin or something? We were 
told he was a businessman who mysteriously vanished from the 
country. His affairs were left under the jurisdiction of my 
father’s friend, who let us buy the house." She looked out 
the window, and added, "I always wondered what happened to 
him."Ami and Rei simply looked at each other, while Mamoru 
fell silent, in uneasy thought.
________________________________________________________________________
Phoebe stepped out of the car, and waved to the others left 
in it, then walked into her huge, lonely house. It was 
filled with the contents that its previous owner had left, 
all except one room. A grand hall stood completely empty. It 
was into this room that Phoebe walked, and as she moved, her 
uniform elongated, grew darker in colour, until she wore a 
long, green dress, her feet encased in high heeled black 
boots. A lightweight gold circlet, worn like a sailor 
Senshi tiara, adorned her head. Her steps were heavy, her 
face grim. "Stars know everything," she murmured, and 
watched as the room grew darker, the stars that had spoken to 
Nephrite coming out to play. She looked at them with a 
heavy heart.

"Waterbearer Aquarius – I seek your wisdom, to lay peace to 
my heart. Please, as princess, I command you, come forth." 
She lowered her head, crossing her arms over her chest, as 
Nephrite once did. Her powers were different to his, but in 
this room, his power still existed, and she would use it to 
its full potential. The stars moved slowly, lethargically, 
to form the pattern of the stars that related to the 
constellation of Aquarius. 

"I ask of you – send me a messenger, one whom I can trust to 
bring me the necessary energy that I need – Aquarius, I 
command you, as the heiress to the power of Nephrite."

A figure stepped down from the star-crossed ceiling, a tall 
man with long blond hair, like an elf. He wore a long blue 
robe, and in his hand, he carried a long staff. "Phenakite – 
I haven’t heard from you in some time. I guess you know what 
become of the Dark Kingdom now, don’t you?"

Lowering her head, so he would not see the tears glistening 
in her eyes, she said hoarsely "That is not why I summoned 
you, Aquarius. Virgo has already told me the story, she sees 
much from her sector."

The pale faced star warrior shrugged, and tapped his staff on 
the floor three times. A plume of smoke rose from the ground, 
forming into a vaguely humanoid shape. "This is one of my 
greater servants – she should serve you well, Princess."

"Whatever, Aquarius – I don’t care. What I do care about is 
the question – can she get me enough energy? Without hurting 
too many humans in the process."

"Phenakite – look at you, you’re fading away into nothing. 
You need energy to live, and the way you’re going is just 
not going to work. You’ve spent all this time only taking 
snippets of energy from hundreds of people – and it’s not 
enough to keep you alive. You need more if you are going to 
survive."

The smoke became a tall, silent woman, with skin the colour 
of peaches. Her hair was short and auburn, curling around her 
ears. She wore a robe similar to that of Aquarius, but her 
hands were webbed.

"This is Siren," he said, a smile on his face. But he also 
looked concerned. "I have commanded her to get for you only 
the best energy. It’s time to stop fooling around, Phenakite."

"But I never wanted to hurt anybody," she protested weakly. 
Aquarius sighed impatiently.

"She’ll get that energy for you – you know you need it." He 
stepped back into the swirling universe, and said, "She’ll 
return to me only when you have recovered."With that, the 
room plunged into darkness.
________________________________________________________________________

Usagi laughed as Naru told her how Umino had leaped out of 
his seat at the movies, and told every person within a ten 
mile radius that he and Naru were in LOVE and they were 
getting married – over the Internet.

"Don’t laugh, Usagi," snapped Naru. "It wasn’t funny – 
I was so humiliated!"

Luna jumped on Usagi’s bed and curled up, to have a snooze, 
trying desperately to ignore Usagi’s high-pitched hyena 
giggling. She leapt up two seconds later, however – Usagi’s 
communicator had gone off. 
________________________________________________________________________
Mamoru had been in the process of taking the others home when 
the accident had happened. Rei was giggling in the back seat, 
Ami was reading up front, while Minako and Makoto discussed 
with Rei the cuteness of Miisha. Ami was uneasy as she read – 
she wondered why. Of course, there had been the whole thing 
about Masato Sanjouin, but it shouldn’t have been anything to 
worry about. After all, a house was just a house. It didn’t 
mean anything. 

"What was it about Phoebe, Mamoru?" asked Ami quietly, as 
so the giggling trio in back couldn’t hear.

"I’m not sure, Ami," he replied in a low voice, his words 
oddly strained. "It was just…I felt like I knew her. But I 
couldn’t think where…it’s just too weird for me."

"You can say that-" began Ami, but she never finished the 
sentence. Mamoru had swerved off the road, and into a tree 
that stood by the pavement. For there had been a figure in the 
middle of the road, and she had refused to move, even though 
Mamoru had been coming at her at 50kmph. 

"Oh, god!" screamed Rei from the backseat. "Is everybody okay? 
Mamoru? Ami?"

"We’re fine," said Makoto shakily, as Minako clutched her arm. 
"Since we were in the backseat…"

"Ami and Mamoru," moaned Minako. "Quick, we have to help them."

Rei tried desperately to open her door, but it wouldn’t budge. 
Makoto tried to lean over the tangle of the front seats, but 
couldn’t. They were sealed off from Mamoru and Ami. 

"My door is opening!" cried Minako, and she promptly fell out 
as it suddenly gave way under the pressure of her weight. As 
she lay sprawled on the pavement, the other two leapt out over 
her, and checked on the pair.Ami’s door opened without anyone 
getting near it, and she stood up shakily. 

"I heard you guys – I’m fine. But Mamoru…he needs a doctor, 
fast! He’s bleeding, and unconscious…and…what happened, you 
guys? Just what on earth happened?"

Before anything else came about, Minako let out a shriek. The 
others turned in shock to see her being held in a vice like 
grip by a tall woman in blue, her hand around Minako’s neck. 
The others could see the energy leaving her body.

"Youma," Rei whispered in shock. "You guys…it’s a youma!"
________________________________________________________________________

Usagi dropped the phone in shock when she heard what Rei 
was saying. 

"Usagi, you have to come, quick! There’s a youma, and it 
has Minako – there’s been an accident. Mamoru’s…hurt. Usagi, 
we need Sailor Moon now! I have to go – Jupiter and Mercury 
need me."

She looked, horrified, at Luna, and picked up the phone with 
shaking hands. 

"Naru – something just came up."

"What – what are you talking about, Usagi? What’s going on?"

"I’ll call you back, Mol," she said, with a choked sob. She 
hung up the phone, then looked at her communicator for the 
co-ordinates of where Rei had called from. 
________________________________________________________________________
Across town, at the deserted street where the accident 
had happened, Rei turned the communicator off with a shaking 
hand. Taking her powerstick, she shouted "Mars power, 
make up!"Her transformation was bold, and bright with 
flaming circles of fire lending to her the grace and 
authority of her planet. She was in no mood to admire the 
scenery, however. She joined in the attack on the monster, 
who had by now released Minako, who lay unconscious on the 
concrete road. As Mercury tired to help her, Jupiter, 
unafraid as her spirit taught, faced the monster. 

"That’s the last energy you’re ever going to steal," she 
shouted, face twisted in anger. She was very protective of 
her friends, and she had by now realized that this monster 
had probably had something to do with the accident in the 
first place.The girl looked at Jupiter, no visible emotion 
on her face. It her hand was a crystal ball, containing in 
it the energy she had taken from Minako by force.

"I’ll vouch for that," snapped Mars, swinging into battle 
mode. "FIRE SOUL!"

As the fire exploded from her hands, the youma-girl 
continued to watch calmly. Her right hand snapped up, and a 
wall of water caused a barrier through which the fire could 
not pass. 

"What gives?" cried Mars, looking at her hands helplessly.

"Water will always defeat fire," said Siren, looking at the 
energy crystal critically. "Who else wants to donate their 
energy?"

Looking at the trio, she obviously realized that these 
three would not be willing volunteers. She looked over to 
the ruined car, and before any girl could so much as flex a 
finger, was at Mamoru’s side.

"Hold it!" screamed a voice from beside the car, as Siren 
began to take the energy of the injured man. She turned 
curiously to see Sailor Moon looking at her with eyes of 
anger and pain.

"I am Sailor Moon, champion of justice – and I say, leave 
him alone! On behalf of the moon, I will-"

"Don’t bother," snapped Siren, taking her hands off Mamoru, 
looking disgusted. "His energy is too weak, anyway – I need 
powerful energy…like yours, my dear. Would you do me a 
favour?"

"Like what?" she asked cautiously, as both Jupiter and 
Mercury joined her side. Mars helped Minako to her feet, 
but she was still exceptionally weak.

"Kneel down, girl – submit to power, submit to the power of 
the stars. I have been sent on a mission for my mistress, 
and I shall fulfil it, no matter who you are, or what your 
mission is."

"I am Sailor Moon, sworn enemy of the Dark Kingdom…and I 
don’t know who you are, or what you think you’re doing, but 
this is it – you’re finished."

"Let them go," came a thick voice from the shadows, and the 
others were suddenly aware of a group of civilians standing 
around in shock. Most had heard the crash, but still more 
had been drawn by the sounds of the Senshi.

The person who had spoken was in darkness, clothes and face 
hidden by a long, deep maroon cloak with a thick hood. It was 
impossible to tell if it were male or female.

"What’s going on?" asked a young girl from the crowd, unnerved 
by the tall, inhuman female. "Isn’t that Sailor Moon?"

"And the Sailor Senshi…three of ‘em, anyway. I guess that 
blonde girl was in the car," added a male voice.

"I said, let them go," continued the cloaked figure, 
overriding the nervous conversation of the others. 

"Phenakite…" Siren said suddenly, eyes very wide. "What are 
you doing?"

"I command you," the figure said in a shaking, female voice. 
It sounded to everyone as if she were near tears. "Just drop 
it and go." It turned blindly and ran from the group, and 
too shocked to move, everyone simply let her go. 

Siren looked at the Senshi, then at the group. Without 
warning, it rose into the air, and the crystal loved above 
her, above the group of innocents. "I’ll seize your energy," 
Siren snarled, ignoring the Senshi, and concentrating her 
mind on their energy. "I’ll do it – for her, and my master!"
________________________________________________________________________

Sobbing as she ran, Phoebe stumbled further down the street, 
falling to herknees. Her energy was very weak, she needed 
what Siren could have given her. But it had almost made her 
sick to see who one of those Sailor Senshi had been 
supporting. The other three must have made it home 
already – but what about Mamoru? Where was he? Unless, of 
course, she was right about the four…if the energy she saw 
in their hearts was what she had always believed it to be.

Her humanoid form, of the schoolgirl Phoebe Loxley, was 
shimmering…her powers were growing weak, and she couldn’t 
hold it forever. But it was safer to be a schoolgirl, 
rather than a princess-like woman roaming the streets. But 
still…she needed energy. Or she would die. Within a few 
minutes.

________________________________________________________________________
As the bubbles of Mercury struck the creature, it 
backed off with a howl of pain – it had been taken by 
complete surprise. Jupiter looked at the shining crystal, 
for a second transfixed by its beauty. Then she leapt 
into action.

"Guardian Jupiter," she began, closing her eyes and 
crossing her arms. A conductor rose from her tiara, 
lightening sparking off its surface. "Help me release 
Minako’s energy…Supreme thunder!" It shattered the 
crystal as it penetrated the sparkling surface, and the 
immaterial energy wound its way back into Minako, who 
opened her eyes slowly. Mars let her stand on her own, 
and looked to the others. "Let’s super team her, guys."

"Wait for me," said Minako quietly. "You need me."

"You’re not strong enough – besides, we have company," 
argued Sailor Moon, but this gave Siren all the time she 
needed. Producing another crystal from the air, she 
absorbed the energy from the shocked audience. As they 
crumpled to the ground, Minako made her decision. "Venus 
Power, MAKE UP!" she cried, energy spurting forth from 
her upraised powerstick in the form of a star chain. 
She swung it around, absorbing the energy into her body, 
before a shower of sparks completed the process.

"Let’s go!" she shouted, and she was supported by the 
others."Crescent beam!"

"Supreme thunder!"

"Shabon spray!"

"Fire soul!"

"Moon princess halation!"

The five powers joined in a spectacular display, and 
the apparition howled in pain. "I’ve ruined her…I’ve 
ruined her…" She exploded in a horrifying array of red 
sparks, and Sailor Jupiter leapt forward  to grab the 
crystal that she dropped, before it could shatter on the 
concrete. 

Sailor Moon ran to the car, but she stopped by Makoto, 
who handed her the crystal. Sailor Moon was shocked to 
realize that all four had transformed back. A distant 
siren wailed in the distance.

"About time," murmured Ami, moving to the car.

Makoto looked at Sailor Moon. "You have to destroy this 
crystal – otherwise these people won’t recover. But first – 
did you hear what that…that thing said?"

"About what?" she asked, eyes wandering to the car where 
Mamoru lay. By now, all three of the others were with him, 
trying to help him in any way possible.

"That girl in the crowd…she called her Phenakite…and the 
cloaked girl said she commanded that creature."

Sailor Moon paled. "You mean – she’s like the others?
Jadeite…Nephrite…Zoisite…Kunzite?"

"Some one’s survived," she said quietly, eyes worried. 
"We have to find her – but we can’t come with you, Sailor 
Moon. We have to stay here, because we were in the accident 
with Mamoru."

"I can’t leave him," she cried, looking at the car. "How 
come he’s so badly hurt, and you’re not?"

"His airbag failed when Ami’s didn’t…and we three were in 
back. But Sailor Moon – the ambulance is almost here!"

"Come on," said Luna, and Artemis, who had just appeared 
with Luna on the scene, agreed. "They’ll take care of 
Mamoru, Usagi."Her mind made up for her, Sailor Moon threw 
the crystal hard at the concrete, taking out her frustrations 
on it. The energy returned to the people, but by the time 
the ambulance had arrived, very late by anyone’s standards, 
Sailor Moon had disappeared.
________________________________________________________________________
With only Luna and Artemis at her side, Sailor Moon had to 
wonder just how she was going to find this Phenakite…then 
she heard the sobbing from the park just over the fence. 
Leaping over it with a supernatural grace that her powers 
gave her, she landed in the park, to see a girl kneeling 
with her head in her hands, at her side a body, motionless. 
The girl wore a cloak…the colour and style of the Phenakite’s.

She looked up in shock, and with a cry, she ran from the 
stunned Senshi. She gave chase at Luna’s insistence, 
tripping on a rock in the path. By sheer luck, she 
managed to take Phenakite down with her. In anger, Sailor 
Moon ripped the cloak from the girl, screaming "Who do you 
think you are?"

Her gasp was heard everywhere…but her next word was barely 
above a whisper. "Phoebe..?"

"Leave me alone," she said, her eyes sad and angry at the 
same time. "Do you think I wanted to do that to him? I’m 
only trying to survive!" She looked at her suddenly, 
realizing what she had just said. "My name...how did you 
know my name?"

"It’s me…" whispered Sailor Moon. "I’m Tsukino Usagi."
Smiling sadly, Phoebe let her humanoid form fade, until 
she became Phenakite, dressed in the green velvet dress, 
and gold jewelry. Unafraid, Sailor Moon sat down across 
from the girl, her eyes soft. Phenakite laughed, almost 
like a child. 

"I guess I’m not the only one with a secret, after all."

"You’re from the Dark Kingdom, aren’t you? Oh, it’s a stupid 
question, I guess, but…well…"

"It’s okay, Usagi," she said with a choked sob. "Yes, I 
am from the Dark Kingdom…from the same place as the four 
generals you got entangled with," she added, and then fell 
into a moody silence. 

"So…why are you here? On earth, I mean. I thought we had 
destroyed the Dark Kingdom…besides, you’ve been here for 
ages, ever since Minako first came to town. That was when 
the Dark Kingdom had all seven crystals…"

"Yes," she agreed quietly, picking idly at the blades of 
grass. "I left then…it was when I realized he would never 
leave…him…"

"Who?" breathed Sailor Moon, instantly drawn into the 
story. Looking to the stars, she heaved a long, heavy 
sigh before beginning her tale.

"I am ten thousand years old…and I am a princess, or at 
least I was. I was the daughter of a race of noble people, 
but they were destroyed by the evil of Queen Beryl and her 
minions. I was the only known survivor of my race, though I 
am sure others must have lived…I live in constant hope. "I 
was Princess Phoebe Loxeriam, but they took my ancestral 
name, and twisted in into Phenakite, making me one of 
them. I think it was their plan, to make me into one of 
their generals, but they changed their minds…I became 
Beryl’s adoptive daughter, and I was to take the throne 
if anything happened to her before she could produce an 
heir naturally. "So, there I was, orphaned then adopted, 
living in a world I hated. My people, as do many species 
of the Dark Kingdom, cannot generate their own energy. 
Luckily, the people of Queen Beryl supplied me well…it was 
their belief that I would be their messiah, and overthrow 
Queen Beryl. And I liked the sound of that, for I despised 
her. I would have done anything to get rid of her. "But 
then I did a very stupid thing. I fell in love." Once 
again, an uneasy silence fell on the pair, but Sailor 
Moon pressed on, desperate to know.

"Love? What was so wrong about falling in love?"

"Because of who it was," she said quietly, looking at the 
stars again. Sailor Moon could see the tears shimmering in 
her eyes. "I fell in love with the worst person I ever could 
have."

"Who?" she asked, drawn deeply into Phenakite’s sad story. 
She had forgotten that she was from the Dark Kingdom, 
because Phenakite seemed so fundamentally human. There was 
nothing in her demeanour that had any similarity to any of 
the four generals that had served Queen Beryl. 

Looking wistful, with a sad smile on her features, she 
continued. "He crashed into my life like a runaway star…
they told me he was the one who would train me to be a 
Dark Kingdom warrior. This was before they realized that 
I wasn’t a warrior. But…I would have become one, for him. 
I…it was he who caused my mind to falter over dethroning 
Beryl. Because he was so loyal to her, he admired her so 
much. I couldn’t destroy the person whom he idolised…
because I loved him, and I couldn’t hurt him. Not like 
that."

"Who was it?" asked Sailor Moon again, now really 
interested. She knew that Phenakite was not lying – she 
was telling the complete truth. 

She had to take a deep breath before she would speak 
again, then she went on. "He was in love with someone 
else…and I found it out too late, too late… of course, 
I had always known that they were unusually kind to each 
other, they were hardly ever apart, and they were always 
together and helping each other out, but I just…I never 
suspected that he was…it was just…" 

Understanding penetrated her brain as the jumbled pieces 
suddenly fell into place. "It was Kunzite, wasn’t it? 
But he loved Zoisite, didn’t he?"

With a sob, she nodded, her heart breaking in her chest. 
"Yes…I never knew that he loved Zoisite that way, though 
I suspected it Zoisite loved him, for he was so effeminate. 
It wasn’t until the little ‘life so changed incident’ that 
I began to suspect a change…but when Beryl punished Zoisite 
again, I thought it was finished. I believed Kunzite would 
never go for that type, no matter what their history had 
been." She laughed bitterly. "Well, I sure was wrong." She 
added quietly, bitterly to herself, "And I don’t know why 
I did what I did. Oh Leucite, you fool…"

"So…you loved him…what did he say when you told him?"

"Told him?" asked Phenakite incredulously. "Sailor Moon, I 
never told him – he loved Zoisite, it was obvious. I 
tried to tell him one day, truly I did…I asked him about 
Zoisite, meaning to weave into the conversation somehow 
that I would take his place…but he was so happy, and so 
proud of Zoisite…he believed in all he did, and that’s 
love, real love…I couldn’t do that to either of them. Ruin 
what they had, I mean."

"So you never told him…and you never challenged Beryl."

"I just didn’t have the heart, not after what had happened 
to me. I couldn’t destroy Kunzite’s life by taking away 
Queen Beryl, because I knew that the others would insist on 
executing the remaining Kings. I couldn’t do that…for they 
knew I loved him. They would take Zoisite away, and kill him, 
leaving Kunzite to me. But I knew I would never do that to 
him…he loved Zoisite so much, and a part of me knew that he 
would never love me in that same way. I also knew that if I 
killed Zoisite, it would kill Kunzite."

"So you left the Dark Kingdom?"
"Yes…I still remember clearly my last moments there. I 
spoke with Zoisite, and I was stunned to learn that he knew. 
Yes, he knew how I felt about Kunzite, don’t ask me how. I 
went to his chambers to…well, actually, I don’t really know 
why. Something drew me to him, and I thought at the time that 
maybe I just wanted to see the one Kunzite loved, just one 
more time. To try and see myself why he was better than me.

"Now, I know the kind of opinion you guys held of Zoisite, 
but truly, he wasn’t as bad as you found him to be. Of all 
the people in the Dark Kingdom, Zoisite was probably one of 
the most respected, and not because people feared his temper. 
The only person he got along with infamously unwell was 
Nephrite – and I’m not entirely sure why. I don’t think 
anybody actually knew why, to tell you the truth. But, my 
point is, Zoisite was fairly easy to have a conversation 
with, as long as you didn’t get political. We talked about 
Kunzite, mostly…he was actually sympathetic to my situation, 
though I knew that if I tried to take Kunzite from him, 
Zoisite wouldn’t hesitate in harming me to keep me away.
 
"Zoisite wished me luck as I left – and I believe he meant 
it. Though I wasn’t to find out until much later, Zoisite 
would be dead less than a week after that conversation." 
Phenakite looked to the dewy grass, once again quiet. Sailor 
Moon was the first to speak again.

"I think I can guess the rest…you left the Dark Kingdom 
without saying goodbye to Kunzite, or telling him the truth. 
You took on the form of a Tokyo schoolgirl, and managed to 
avoid the Dark Kingdom for a long time."

"Except for the fact that I was living in Nephrite’s old 
house…but that was the only way I could get energy, or 
information about my home…and Kunzite. But I tried to live 
without him, and…" Her voice trailed off, then gathered 
strength again. 

"I still remember the day. I had been feeling odd for several 
days beforehand, like my heart had lost a part of itself 
somewhere along the way…it just felt so empty. Then, I felt 
it. A great disturbance in the power." Closing her eyes, she 
looked up again, and Sailor Moon could see the tears dripping 
in two rivers down her pale cheeks. "I got home, and asked 
Virgo, my contact with the Dark Kingdom, what had happened. 
"She told me Beryl was dead."

Shaking her head, she looked very pale as she recounted the 
feelings that had overwhelmed her. "I knew then, without him 
telling me, that Kunzite was dead, too…he would never let 
his Queen die, for he was a loyal general, right to the end. 
He was no coward."

"You must have been heartbroken," gasped Sailor Moon, 
remembering her own separations from Mamoru, temporarily 
forgetting that she had been the one who had killed Kunzite, 
but mainly out of self defense. Her heart twisted as she 
thought his name. Mamoru. She had to find Minako and the 
others, and see him. But she knew in her heart that he was 
alive. She would be able to feel it if he had died. 

"And in all that time, I had never known that Zoisite had 
died…I used to think that if only I’d stayed, I could have 
taken Zoisite’s place. Truly, though, I knew that never 
would have happened. Love like that is a once in a lifetime 
kind of thing. He never would have loved me the way he 
loved Zoisite. "Still, though, I did see have one last 
Dark Kingdom encounter, before Kunzite died." Sailor Moon 
wondered why Phoebe’s darted away from hers at this, but 
she kept listening. "I ran into Prince Endymion…I think it 
was during the whole crystal carrier redux thing. I was at 
my art teacher’s house, because Yumeno-san was helping me 
get a grip on perspective – I needed the help. And, well…
Prince Endymion showed up, and he recognized me, because 
I had been very well known, and most of the Dark Kingdom 
was still looking for me, even then. We had a…nasty 
encounter, and we didn’t say much, except I eventually 
figured out that they had been 100 percent successful in 
brainwashing him. I never saw him again, and I doubt he 
said anything about me, not even to Queen Beryl. 

"You know Usagi…you should go to him. Mamoru, I mean."

"But what about you?" protested Sailor Moon, looking at 
the princess, who smiled sadly.

"I’m through here, that’s for sure. I can’t hang around 
here anymore, not with you knowing who I am."

"That doesn’t mean anything!" she cried, very genuine. 
"Look, maybe you’re going to have to zap a few people, but 
that’s only to survive. You don’t have to go!"

"Yes I do," she said in quiet reply, and gazed at the stars. 
"Stars know everything…and they know it’s time for me to go. 
You saw what happened today – I could have killed someone, 
and that’s one of my own rules broken. I can’t risk it 
happening again. Besides, telling my story has just made 
me realise something. I’ve been hiding from myself…it’s about 
time I grew up, and started acting my age." She laughed 
suddenly, and Sailor Moon joined in. "Even if I do have ten 
thousand years to catch up on." 

"You know, Phenakite…you’re nothing like the others."

"I should hope not," she chuckled, with real mirth. "Don’t 
forget, I wasn’t actually  one of them – I was forced to 
join them."

"But, Phoebe, really – you don’t have to go. Please, stay 
with us."

"I can’t," she said, with real regret in her voice. "Please, 
Sailor Moon, could you do me one favour? One last favour? 
One more for the road, I guess you could say." As the pair 
stood, she shook her hand. "Sure."

"Don’t tell Minako, Rei, Ami and Makoto about me…they are 
the Sailor Senshi, aren’t they?"

Nodding, Sailor Moon agreed, with the words "How did you 
know that? They never told you…did they?" 

"I sense things…it’s a talent not unsimilar to the one 
that Luna used to find the four Senshi. But, Usagi…you 
have to promise me. Don’t tell the Senshi about me."
 
"But why?"

"I don’t want them to remember like that – for no matter 
what you say, they’ll only remember me as a creep from the 
Dark Kingdom. This way…they’ll remember me the why I want 
to be remembered."

"That’s not being true to yourself, though," objected 
Sailor Moon.

Shaking her head, she disagreed. "It’s being true to the 
girl I tried to be." Suddenly, the pair embraced, and both 
were crying.

"Where are you going to go, Phoebe?"

"I’m not sure, yet. But where ever I go, rest assured – 
I’ll be okay." She looked to the stars, and said in a thin 
whisper Sailor Moon barely heard, "Where were you when I 
needed you, Leucite?"

With those words, Phenakite walked away, vanishing into 
thin air, leaving Sailor Moon whispering her words to an 
empty space."Good luck…"

"TEEN DIES IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT
Early this morning, teenage student Phoebe Loxley, 
was killed in what appears to have been an accident 
on Knight Street, only two blocks from her Kamen 
Avenue home. A witness to the accident describes the 
victim, a 15-year old school girl, as walking down 
the street, when a car spun out of control near where 
she was walking. The driver was seriously injured, 
while his four passengers were relatively uninjured. 
She went back to her home at the insistence of other 
witnesses to the original accident without 
investigating the scene, for several other witnesses 
were already approaching the car. She had been told 
to call an ambulance. The cyclist who witnessed the 
accident recounted that as Loxley was running across 
a street, she failed to look both ways, and was hit 
by an oncoming car. She was killed instantly. 
In the other car accident, driver Chiba Mamoru. . ." 

Usagi sighed and put down the newspaper, and her father 
looked over. "Did you know that girl, Usagi?"

"No, not really," she sighed, looking again at the 
article. "But some of my friends did…they’re probably 
just going to hear about it just now."

"Rei Hino?" asked her mother, looking over her shoulder. 
"Ami Mizuno…and there’s Minako and Makoto…they were 
involved in the accident too. Do you know this Mamoru 
character?"

"Only vaguely, mom…he’s a friend of Rei’s." She looked 
away as the phone rang, knowing it would be one of the 
Senshi. She had yet to find out about Mamoru, but there 
would be time enough for that later. She nodded to her 
mom as she picked up the phone. She knew who it was.
"Hi Minako," she said. 

You know the score – I did not create half of these 
characters! I admit it! Please, no more torture! No more 
courtroom scenes! I’ve been at this too long…excuse me 
while I go and hit the prozac, ;)
________________________________________________________________________
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Two:
nemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Part One: Book Of Days
The death of Phoebe has left the Senshi shocked and 
saddened – except for Usagi, who  knows the truth behind 
Phenakite. This is a thirteen-part story, based on the 
prequel, "Who Do You Think You Are." It also forms the 
second chapter of "The Persistence of Memory."

Usagi stared blankly at the exam paper before her, the 
words blurring into an incomprehensible mess. Though, 
for once, her problems were not the direct result of her 
own incompetence, or more realistically, or lack of study. 
She had other things on her mind. Minako-chan, for one. 
The pretty blonde Senshi, usually so vibrant, so very 
alive, had become cocooned in a strange little world of 
her own grief and pain. 

For reasons Usagi didn’t understand, the "death" of Phoebe 
Loxley had hit the child of Venus the hardest. It was 
almost as if she had lost a piece of herself. Usagi ached 
within herself as she thought of what she knew, that which 
she had to keep a secret from her comrades. It was a 
promise she intended to honour, a promise made to Phenakite 
on the night of the accident.Something got in her eyes – 
Mamo-chan. She had to visit him after school, at his 
apartment. He had been discharged relatively quickly – 
his injuries were semi-serious, but not lethal. Minako, 
however, was another matter.
________________________________________________________________________

Ami was waiting for Usagi outside detention, and as per 
usual, she was making the most of her time. She leaned 
against the wall, a heavy textbook in her hands. She 
appeared enthralled by it, and Usagi made a face as she 
caught sight of the title. "The principles of advanced 
physics? Ami-chan, can’t you ever just stop studying?"

"I’m just making up for people like you, Usagi, who never 
study," replied Ami, slamming the text closed. But it was 
in a friendly tone that her words were spoken. Her eyes, 
however, belied another story. 

"Is there something wrong, Ami-chan?" she asked tentatively, 
though she knew it was a stupid question. Shoulders 
sagging, she agreed with a heavy nod of her head. 
"Yes…it’s about Minako…she’s still not going to school, or 
even leaving her house. I went over to see her, I skipped 
computer class to do it-"

"Whoa," interrupted Usagi, blue eyes even wider than usual. 
"You skipped class?"

"Usagi-chan, please," Ami spoke in a voice that betrayed her 
emotions tenfold. Usagi could see that this mystery was 
tearing her apart. "I don’t know how to help her, because 
I don’t know what’s wrong…I don’t understand what Phoebe was 
to her."

Usagi thought back to her final conversation with Phoebe, 
then Phenakite, and wondered, too. Why would the death of 
Phoebe hit Minako so hard, and with such a passionate impact? 
Emotions were apt to run wild with the death of any friend, 
but Minako and Phoebe hadn’t been that good friends. Or had 
they?

"She kinda caused a scene at the funeral, huh?" she said in 
a low voice, looking at the uncarpeted floor, instead of Ami. 
She could tell without looking that Ami was flicking through 
the pages of her book, out of nervousness. She was helpless, 
they all were. Only Usagi knew the truth behind Phoebe, and 
it crossed her mind that maybe, possibly Minako had known 
about her…but that was silly. She wished fervently she could 
tell Ami-chan about Phenakite, but a promise made should be a 
promise kept.

"I don’t understand it," said Ami thickly, obviously not far 
from tears. The Senshi were like blood kin – when one hurt, 
they all hurt. And Minako was in deep pain.

"Neither do I," added Usagi softly, without raising her eyes 
to meet Ami’s. They would have betrayed her delicate knowledge otherwise.
________________________________________________________________________

"I was never given a chance to live."

"I can’t stay here, both you and I know it."

"This isn’t my home."

"This isn’t me."

"Why do I have to stay here?"

"An angel trapped in a hellish prison?"

"What did I ever do to you?"

"Except live?"
________________________________________________________________________
Usagi screamed as she bolted out of her dream, and sat up, 
as stiff as a metal rod, in her messy bed. The covers 
were tangled around her waist, her pajamas askew, and damp 
with sweat.The nightmare had been so vivid…faces, faces 
she knew, a voice she knew, speaking with such helplessness, 
an incredible pain, and tears, a river of tears that couldn’t 
wash away the patterns of suffering wrapped into the fabric 
of the world from which she had spoken. Phoebe had spoken to 
her. From where ever she now was. 

"Usagi-chan, are you all right?" came her mother’s voice 
from her open bedroom door. Her father stood beside her, 
and they both looked concerned. 

"A nightmare?"

"Yeah, mama. Just a nightmare," Usagi breathed heavily, 
running her hand through the crazy tangle that was her hair. 
She knew she must look like a total witch.

"Just…a dream." She wished she could swallow the words that 
sounded so shallow and weak to her own ears, that her parents 
bought without question. She knew there was more to this than 
she would ever really know. But she intended to find out. 

Luna sat and watched her parents leave the room, and when 
she was convinced they were really out of earshot, she 
turned on Usagi rapidly, her eyes wide. "What the hell 
was that all about, Usagi-chan? And don’t even try to lie 
to me – I heard you screaming in your sleep. About Phenakite…"

"Yeah…" she murmured quietly, her mind in turmoil as she 
tried to fit together the confused fragments she had been 
given through the surreal link. Nothing came to her. At 
least, nothing she could use.

________________________________________________________________________
Pounding the pavement like a gazelle on steroids, Usagi 
whined in her most annoying, high pitched voice, "I’m 
SOOOOOOO late! Luna, why didn’t you wake me?"

"You ask me this every morning, and it’s always the 
same answer!" snapped back the little black cat, looking 
at Usagi with a degree of genuine annoyance.
 
"I told you to get up, and you ignored me!"

"Then why didn’t you try harder?!"

"It was too early in the morning for your decibel-breaking 
wailing!" A really smart retort was smothered when Usagi 
splattered herself on the pavement, having not noticed the 
upraised crack in the pavement. Sitting on her bruised knees, 
she instantly launched into her wailing mode, while Luna 
sat away, her expression dark.

"And this is my moon princess…for god’s sake, Usagi-chan, 
would you quit that racket? It’s enough to wake the dead!"

"Are you okay, odango atama?" came a concerned voice from 
behind the cat, and she was abruptly startled out of her 
sobbing, with a mighty hiccup. Mamoru shook his head, 
though his features were soft. "Why can’t you ever stay on 
two feet for more than a hundred metres?"

"Shove it, Mamo-chan!" snapped Usagi, but she, too, held no 
rancour in her voice. She smiled benignly at the dark haired 
young man, dressed in complete black, except for a white sling 
on his injured right arm. "How are you, anyway?"

Shrugging, Mamoru’s unspoken words were interrupted when he 
caught sight of something that obviously boggled his mind.

"What is it?"

"It’s that Sanjouin mansion…where Phoebe lived. It looks like 
her parents are selling it."

A tremble pulsed through her body as she heard the girl’s 
name spoken aloud, and she had to work furiously to keep the 
same from entering her voice.
 
"Really…" she gasped as she saw the sign before her, in front 
of the driveway. The house itself was darkly shadowed by tall 
trees, little illumination reached the mausoleum-like 
structure.

Mamoru uncharacteristically shuddered as he observed the 
building. "I can’t imagine how anyone could live in that, 
that…tomb. Even though…he’s long gone, there still must be 
dark energy infiltrating every inch of that place."Usagi 
looked concerned, and Mamoru caught the expression quite 
easily, though he didn’t understand it. "Is there something 
wrong, Usa-chan?"

"I’m not sure…I kind of miss Phoebe, that’s all. I didn’t 
know her, not like the other Senshi, but there was an aura 
about her – she was special, somehow."

Mamoru looked at the ground, and Usagi knew what emotion was 
tugging at the back of his mind. Guilt.

"See you, Usagi-chan," he said suddenly, and turned violently 
on one heel, practically running from her. Shocked, and 
baffled, Usagi wasted precious moments watching Mamoru leave. 
Then…"SHIT!" she cursed, completely out of character. Luna 
scowled, and looked at the sky.

"I asked it once, and I’ll ask again – this is my moon princess?!"
________________________________________________________________________
"I still don’t understand why you’re doing this, Usagi-chan," 
grumbled Luna, as the pair hid outside the gates to the 
Sanjouin mansion. "I promised Artemis I’d try to talk some 
sense into Minako-chan, or at least, get some out of her, but 
instead, I’m here, with you, wasting time!"

"Put a sock in it, Luna," hissed Usagi, but for once, she 
didn’t mind Luna’s criticism, for she knew she was right. 
Minako honestly needed her help right now, and she was 
wasting time outside the house of a dead king. "I have an 
idea."

"I’m afraid to ask," moaned Luna, burying her face in her 
paws.With a giggle, Usagi whipped out the Luna pen, and 
Luna groaned. 

"I’ve told you a million times, Usagi – the Luna Pen is for 
Senshi business only!"

"This is Senshi business!" Dressed still in her school uniform, 
though now the time was at least five in the afternoon, Usagi 
thrust the fat pink pen into the air, and shouted "Disguise 
power! Turn me into a totally babed-out business woman!"

Luna sighed and closed her eyes against the flashing lights 
of the transformation, and when she opened them, instead of 
Tsukino Usagi, klutzoid of the century, she saw a trim, 
well dressed blonde woman, wearing a smart violet business 
suit, her hair pulled neatly off her face in a tight French 
plait.

"How do I look?" she squealed as she jumped up and down in 
excitement, the action and words totally clashing with her 
new persona.

"And the point of this is?" asked Luna dryly, her mind 
still on Minako.

"I arranged an appointment with the real estate agent," 
Usagi confided quietly, kneeling beside Luna in the shadowy 
depths of the forest-like garden. "I’m going to have a snoop 
around this place – after all, Phenakite did live here for 
awhile before she left."

"She’s gone, Usagi – and I doubt she’d be dumb enough to 
leave her things just lying around where someone like you 
could find them. It’d be too easy."

"Hmph," snorted Usagi, and took off down the winding 
driveway. Presently, the silent house loomed ominously before 
her prone figure. She hadn’t realised it would be so 
intimidating once you got right up to it.

"Miss Tsukino, I presume?" came a voice, and she turned, 
startled, to face a young man in his early twenties, 
obviously the assigned agent. "Come, I have a lot to show 
you. This is truly a remarkable house, once owned by 
Masato Sanjouin. It was once a simple rectory, and there is 
a cathedral built onto the house, and Mr Sanjouin himself 
added to the house..."

As the young man droned on with his well-known speech, Usagi 
let her gaze wander. The house was even darker inside – what 
was wrong, had Nephrite been window-phobic? It certainly 
seemed that way. All the rooms contained antiques, dark 
mahogany furniture, and deep-woven tapestries of dark shades.
The one room that really caught her attention, however, was 
The Hall.

"This room has always stood empty since the cathedral was hut 
down and abandoned – or so I understand, at any rate. It was 
once the main chamber of the cathedral, though the furniture 
has been removed. It has a certain atmosphere to it, don’t 
you agree?" Trembling, Usagi nodded. The real estate agent 
appeared perplexed as to the nature of the feelings this 
place evoked, but Usagi knew them well. This room was reeking 
with negative energy.

"May I see the bedrooms now?" she asked sweetly, playing her 
part for all she was worth. It wouldn’t do to let the man 
see how badly this place was toying with her mind. It seemed 
she could hear voices in the musty air, see spectres 
in the shadowy corners, and feel emotions she wouldn’t have 
believed possible.

"This was Mr Sanjouin’s room," he said quietly, allowing 
her into the room. She had to gasp, despite her determination 
to retain a cool, elegant poise. The room was truly regal, 
with thick carpeting that cushioned her ankles as her feet 
sank into its deep wool, huge velvet curtains, matching the 
heavy duvet on the large, four poster bed. Mahogany 
furniture, obviously part of the scheme of the entire house, 
made up the majority of furniture throughout the spacious 
room.

"All his things have been taken away," said the real estate 
agent, and Usagi jumped. It was almost as if the man had 
read her mind.He let her explore for a few minutes on her 
own after that. Usagi peered into a get deal of rooms, most 
of them had an abandoned, unused feel. She doubted that 
either Nephrite or Phenakite had actually used any of rooms 
in the western wing. Or even the east wing.

Except one room.

Tiny, it housed but one slender bed, on which was draped a 
midnight blue coverlet, neatly made as if the sleeper would 
soon return. The desk was tidy, but on it, were pens, paper, 
and all those kind of office things. Phoebe’s room! screamed 
a voice in her head. This was Phoebe’s room! Moving quickly, 
she pulled open the drawers, sifting through the contents, 
To her immense disappointment, she found nothing. She felt 
in her heart somewhere that she was meant to find something, 
but goddamn if she knew what it was! "Usagi-chan!" hissed a 
voice from near the floor, and Usagi had to stifle a 
scream. She instead settled for falling flat on her butt. 
"Kso…you scared the crap out of me , Luna!" hissed Usagi 
once she had enough breath to gasp out her anger. "What the 
hell are you doing?"

Luna’s eyes were big and dark, and Usagi’s anger softened 
when she saw the sadness in her eyes. "Usagi-chan, I know 
that you want to find out the truth behind Phoebe, but 
really…it’s Minako-chan who needs you now. Where ever 
Phenakite is, she’s okay…I have a feeling that that girl 
knows what she’s doing."

"I know, Luna…but it was those dreams, like I had last night. 
I have to find out what they mean."

"Then I don’t know why you’re here, Usagi-chan. There is no 
possible way Phenakite would leave anything of any use to 
anyone just lying around her old house. And Nephrite…I’m 
sure one of his youma would have cleaned up after he died. 
Or maybe Zoisite or even Kunzite did it."

"I guess you’re right…I suppose we could go over to Minako’s 
now. Are the other Senshi there, do you know?"

"Ami-chan told me she was going over there, and Rei-chan 
won’t be, she has work as per usual. Mako-chan will 
probably be there, and Artemis hasn’t left her side since 
the funeral."

The agent came upon his potential buyer, kneeling on the 
floor of the room that had belonged to the dead daughter of 
the previous owners. A dark cat sat before her. If he 
hadn’t known better, he would have believed that Tsukino-san 
was talking to it.

"Oh, hello," Usagi said in surprise, looking up. "Is it time 
for me to go?"

"If you’re finished looking around," he said carefully, 
ignoring the cat. 

"There’s just one more thing," said Usagi firmly, not knowing 
where the words were coming from. She had the uneasy feeling 
that someone was speaking through her. "In the garden."
________________________________________________________________________

Minako was staring blankly out the window, while Artemis sat 
at her side, concern deeply etched into his feline features. 
Makoto and Ami sat cross legged on the floor, not really 
knowing what to say to Minako. Her silence was unnerving, 
her pain almost tangible.

"You guys…" she said quietly, finally turning to the group. 
They snapped to attention, eyes lighting up. Artemis had 
warned them not to upset her by making the first move, so 
it was a relief that Minako had decided to bring it up 
herself.

"I know you don’t understand what’s happening to me…and I 
don’t either. But there is one thing I do know," she tacked 
on the end, almost as if it were an afterthought.

"What?" asked Ami, her voice light as she tried not to 
sound too desperate for answers.

"The Dark Kingdom is not dead – it’s only sleeping. And I 
think it’s ready to wake up."
________________________________________________________________________
"We’re wasting time," hissed Luna as the man led them on a 
tour of the gardens. 

"Why are we out here?"

"I’m not sure," Usagi whispered back, not looking at her 
guardian. Instead, her big blue eyes were enthralled by the 
darkness of the tall trees, and the bright flowers poking 
out of the dirt, their colours almost garish against the 
darkness of the foliage. She hadn’t known it could be so dark 
this time of day. She was sure soon, though. The voice that 
had spoken through her earlier had surely been someone else’s 
– someone who knew the score.

"I hadn’t realised this was here!" gasped the man, as the 
three gazed, awestruck, into the huge clearing. It was 
dominated by a huge gazebo, painted in a startling white, 
with warm green vines dripping off it in all directions, 
lightly patterned with pink blossoms that both Usagi and 
Luna recognised.Letting them fall harmlessly through 
trembling fingers, Usagi could remember all too well when 
these blossoms had caused pain. Enchanted by this unexpected 
sight, the man wandered around the immense structure, 
absolutely struck dumb. Usagi used the opportunity to duck 
inside. It was almost empty, all but for a glass on the far 
side, on the chair against the wall. Sniffing it, Usagi 
realised it was wine – although it had been sitting here for 
quite some time. Putting it down gently, for the glass looked
horrendously expensive, and Usagi knew what a klutz she could 
be, she noticed for the first time the gold-bound book beside 
the chair, free of dust or grime. She knew instantly it must 
have belonged to Phoebe, for anything of Nephrite’s wouldn’t 
be here.Putting it into her handbag furtively, she hoped that 
the man hadn’t seen her do it. Luna’s sharp eyes, of course, 
missed nothing.
________________________________________________________________________
"It’s a diary!" gasped Usagi, sitting on the floor of her 
room, clothes and restored to normal. She wanted to get into 
it right away, but the restless pacing of Luna quelled her 
enthusiasm. "Oh, right. Minako-chan." Sighing, Luna shook 
her head.

"It’s not just that, Usagi-chan. It’s this whole Phenakite 
thing – you’re just going to dredge up a whole mess of old 
demons. Why can’t you just leave it? Phenakite may have 
been a nicer person than the four kings, but that doesn’t 
make her an angel who needs avenged. Just let her be."

"Damare!" snapped Usagi, opening the diary in defiance. 

"Would you just shut up already?"

"And least she didn’t wail," said Luna to herself, but 
Usagi caught it, and familiar tears pricked her eyelids.

"Why are you always so mean…" she started wailing, and 
Luna cringed. Now she’d done it. Leaping over to the 
window, Luna cast one long look back at the wailing Usagi. 

"I’ll be back later tonight – and I’ll tell the other Senshi 
that I had managed to convince you to do your homework for 
once, and I didn’t want to interrupt you."

Abruptly, Usagi stopped. "And you think they’ll believe 
you?"

"No," said Luna, almost apathetically. "But anything’s 
possible, I guess. But Usagi-chan, don’t say I didn’t warn 
you. The Dark Kingdom is much different to our universe, and 
you won’t understand them."

"I’ll make my own mistakes," Usagi said in a decidedly 
uncharacteristic manner, and looked away from Luna. She hated 
disobeying her, but some things had to be done.
________________________________________________________________________
The diary was written in Japanese, a complete surprise to 
Usagi. Then she decided it wasn’t, not really. The diary 
began on the day that Phenakite had obviously first arrived 
in Tokyo. She had only been trying to adapt to her new, 
alien surroundings, and it made sense. She spoke briefly 
about her first day at Minako’s school, and to Usagi’s 
surprise, she mentioned Minako numerous times. Mostly about 
how she seemed to have an unusual aura about her. And 
her constant shadow, the little white cat. Skipping down 
the page, she was a little disappointed not to see the names 
of any of the kings – actually, there was no mention of the 
kings at all. It was more than made up for on the next page. 
In what sounded like a hysterical raving mood, Phenakite had 
poured her heart out onto the page, mainly about how her 
heart was falling to pieces in her chest, and how much she 
despised Zoisite – then, contradicting herself, she went on 
to say how much she respected and admired Zoisite. 

As I stand beneath the emptiness of forgotten skies, I want 
for nothing - except tears. A river of tears, however, 
couldn’t heal these wounds. Maybe I should sleep, drown in a 
sea of unknowingness. Reality, surrealism...which side are 
the dreams really on? If I sleep, will I ever wake up? I can 
feel the cool breeze on my limbs, my skirts fan gently about 
my legs. My hair falls into my upturned eyes, watching the 
sky. Yes, I have been wronged in my angel life. In a desperate 
moment of loneliness, I wrap my arms about myself, holding 
my heart in my chest. If no one else will do it for me, I 
will. I will believe in me - and then, I will survive. 
Underneath a sky that was once blue.

I feel him approach, his usually confident steps faltering. 
Walking in paths that were once beautiful, he stands with 
me, looking out over the cliff’s edge, at the city of lost 
angels, crumbled in its foundations. Like the ancient, human 
city of Atlantis. 

Reading the passage that was obviously a memory, she knew 
who the ‘he’ was. Kunzite. This must have been just before 
she left the Dark Kingdom, and descended to earth. It seemed 
her love was much stronger than Usagi had first believed.

I speak now in riddles that even I do not understand, and 
if I try to make sense of it, I fear I would not even want 
to know. I am not human, I never was, and never will be. No 
one, except maybe him, understands anything about me. 
Though they pretend. Lies, the foundation of our so-called 
evil society. I’ll pretend, too. To know that there’s an 
end to this beginning - and that maybe I’ll be forgiven.
I have killed, but does that alone make me a murderer? Some 
say yes, the ones who have to point self-righteous fingers 
our way just to be real, to feel something. But that was 
our very inclination, what forced us to be less than what 
we should have been. We are more that we have become, but 
nobody cares. Now we are nobodies.

They call it the circle of life; they use it to justify all 
that they do. However, when we use it in our own defence, 
we are brushed off, belittled, told to stop our lying. We 
know what we are; we aren’t denying the truth. We are denying 
how it has been twisted to make us seem monsters.

Shuddering as she read the words, she realised that this 
had been written in the Dark Kingdom – Phenakite had 
returned. She hadn’t told Usagi that! Maybe it didn’t mean 
much…but she had seen Kunzite one more time than she had 
lead Usagi to believe. After that, the diaries fell out of 
their melancholy surrealism, and into a sarcastic parody of 
human life. Usagi found Phenakite’s snide comments about 
humans a tad irritating, seeing as Phoebe had been such a 
nice person, but she knew deep down somewhere, that 
Phenakite didn’t really mean most of it. She was just 
hurting, for what had she lost. Her old home, her new 
home, her love, and her heritage. She had every right to 
be pissed. 

Usagi’s jaw dropped when she saw the drawings on 
the next pages. A beautiful hourglass, made of delicate 
glass, and dark, shiny wood, was sketched into the page, 
and even though it was just a picture, it seemed to jump out 
of the page at her. Her brow furrowed when she tried to read 
the swirling, twisting hieroglyphics that made up the 
writings beside the pictures. She guessed, accurately, that 
this was part of her old home, the one Queen Beryl had 
destroyed. She had never seen the alphabet the Dark Kingdom 
denizens used, but instinctively, she knew it wasn’t their 
language. It was too bright, too proud and noble to be that of Metallia’s people. It
was also completely unreadable! To 
Usagi, at least. In vain, she searched the entries near 
the pages, yet not one even came close to mentioning them.
Reading the words, she quickly tired of the monotonous 
writings of Phenakite’s human life. Mentionings of the Dark 
Kingdom and its inhabitants were sparse and far-between and 
it seemed to Usagi that Phenakite really was trying to forget 
her love for Kunzite, and her homes.

Her eyes widened as she reached the pages were the words 
were beginning to run out of steam. The final meanderings 
of her handwriting were written on the night she had told 
Usagi the truth…after she had told Usagi the truth! 
Fascinated, Usagi was also afraid. She knew with a sudden 
rush of intuition that this was what that voice had wanted 
her to find.…

I am alone. And so afraid…I am known, I AM KNOWN! 
I guess I never had to tell her, but…something made me, 
something made me! Oh god…I have just been expelled once more, 
just when I was truly happy again. In a manner of speaking.
Though the time is right, I suppose. The stars have given 
me one last point in the direction. Who would have believed 
that they had the hourglass of eternal spirits, all this 
time…and they never told me! Well, I think I know why, ha 
ha. Bakayo! This was an even worse time to give it to 
me…because of what just happened. It’s given me strength, a 
reason to do what I always promised myself I wouldn’t. 
When he died. Kibun ga suguremasen…my heart is in shreds 
again, but I can’t let that stop me. And this time, he 
won’t stop me from getting to him. He stood in my way once, 
as my heart was still true, but not twice. Not again.
I’m going home…but first, the Dark Kingdom. Where he lies 
in wait for me. 

"Oh, shit," mumbled Usagi, some ancient part of her knowing 
that this was not a  good thing. "Luna was right…we’re in 
deep shit."

"You could say that," said a voice dryly, and Usagi turned. 
Somehow, she was not surprised to see Artemis sitting beside 
her. "I think you’d better come to the shrine."

Okay, welcome to part two – if you’ve made it this far, I 
almost pity you…ooh, I should stop saying that, huh? Oh 
well, excuse my inconsistencies regarding the Japanese names, 
I wrote this chapter before I wrote any of the others. This 
is also a slight revision of the original part I wrote – I 
changed the scene with Zoisite’s death from the DiC 
version to the Japanese version… Problems with my writing? 
Join the club! Email me at luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com If 
you want to hurt me, get in line. If you want to give me 
advice, it’d be appreciated!
________________________________________________________________________
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
________________________________________________________________________
Part Two: Anywhere Is
Usagi’s venturings into Phenakite’s strange world have 
given her precious information – but as it turns out, 
she’s not the only one who has found that some secrets are 
just not able to be concealed.

"I warned you about this," said an unfriendly voice, matched 
well by a pair of venomous eyes. "Just what in the hell do 
you think you’re doing, Phenakite?!"

"Would you shut up already, and pass me that bloody crystal!

"What am I, your slave?"

"Shove it, youma-boy!"

* * *
"It’s just not possible," said Usagi, looking at her hands, 
for she dared not meet the gaze of the other Senshi – in 
particular, Minako and Rei. For different reasons. And of 
course, Rei launched straight into bitch-mode, an easy task 
for the fiery red Senshi. "Why the bloody hell didn’t you 
tell us in the first place?! I mean, it’s not every day you 
run into a Dark Kingdom lackey! Especially not some general! 
Usagi-chan no baka!"

"Rei!" snapped Artemis, eyes blazing. "Would you shut up 
already! Usagi-chan wasn’t the only one who with held the 
facts, Luna and I knew just as much as she did!"

"But you didn’t just sit on it – you acted on it, tried to 
find out anything about her!"

"Bitch!" screeched Usagi suddenly. "I found Phenakite’s diary 
– I didn’t just forget about her! I tried to find out more 
stuff on her too!"

"Fat lot of good it did!" flared back Rei, itching for a 
really good blow out. Yuuichirou was just no good for that 
these days, he had gotten too adept at avoiding her and 
her broom.Ami cringed, and went back to tapping at a 
tremendous speed on her mini data computer. When Rei and 
Usagi got like this, sometimes it was just better to 
ignore them – or let Artemis and Luna deal with it.

"ENOUGH!" shrieked the small black cat, then she prayed 
that neither Rei’s grandpa nor Yuuichirou had heard the 
loud, irate voice of an unfamiliar female. The doubt didn’t 
last long – her anger was greater. 

"Would you two just deal with it? You’re both idiots!"

"Now it’s getting scary," said Minako ominously, and then 
shut her mouth, muted by the scathing glare her comment 
had earned from both cats. 

Mako-chan smiled, though. It sounded as if Minako was 
getting back to normal, even though things were definitely 
getting scary. Artemis and Luna had filled the other Senshi 
in with all the gory details relating to Phenakite’s story, 
and somehow, that had released Minako’s pent up emotion. 
What had poured from her mouth had been a bitter tirade 
none of them could place to Minako, but it was over now, 
whatever it was. Artemis appeared to have a far idea of 
what was going on, but he didn’t say anything about Minako’s 
words. All he said, in a low voice to himself, was ‘exorcism.’
 
None of them could recall Minako’s speech word for word, 
but they had gotten the gist of it. The underlying tone of 
her voice had been pure hatred, and her eyes had snapped 
with evil blue fire as she spoke. Generally, it had been 
about Phenakite, and something she called ‘Angelikarma.’ 
Then, of course, had come the ominous words about the 
hourglass of eternal spirits. From what had been said, the 
Senshi and the guardians had realised that it wasn’t anything 
good. And neither was Phenakite.

"She seemed so nice…" muttered Usagi helplessly, and Luna’s 
eyes softened to hear the tremble in her ward’s voice.

"It’s okay, Usagi-chan, I know this must be awful…it’s 
difficult to have your trust betrayed like that. But, 
really, you shouldn’t have believed her so easily! She is, 
after all, a member of the Dark Kingdom."

"Still, though…" as her voice trailed away, Ami’s dark 
head snapped up. "I’ve found something…" her hands were 
trembling violently, but there was only a slight quaver in 
her voice. "I’ve managed to find out what the hourglass 
of eternal spirits is…and Angelikarma."

"So they’re from earth?"

"Oh, hell no," Ami replied, and the others were shocked to 
see she was almost in tears. It was from shock.

"I was just…puttering around, looking for information, when 
this file popped up out of nowhere. I opened it…and this 
message came up. All it said was ‘I am who I am but I am 
not me. Because beyond my hopes there are no feelings.’ 
Then, all this stuff about Phenakite came up…out of nowhere. 
My computer can’t put a trace on the source…it says there 
was none! IT CAME FROM NOWHERE!" Her voice was steadily 
becoming more and more hysterical, and Mako-chan had to leap 
over Minako to hug Ami protectively. The blue-haired Senshi 
was obviously scared senseless by this anonymous help, and 
she didn’t blame her. Looking at the files on the tiny 
screen just plain gave her the willies.

It was Luna who finally read the writings, and her black 
face paled, if that was possible. Looking at it, she 
turned to the Senshi, even more worried.

"You know already what we found out," and she looked at 
Minako strangely. The blonde girl claimed to remember 
nothing about her mysterious, rancorous outburst earlier. 
"Phenakite was telling the truth. Central Control told 
us about-"

"Hey, I thought Artemis was Central Control," interrupted 
Usagi, picking at the sleeve of her school uniform. Luna gave 
her one of her evils, and Usagi swiftly shut up. ‘Nuff said.

"I’ve got to get my information from somewhere," supplied 
Artemis helpfully, though he didn’t indulge to them any 
additional info. Not that Luna would have let him. "We 
found that she was a Princess…in a deeper part of the 
Dark Kingdom, even further from Beryl and Metallia’s power 
than even Ail and Anne. But as you know, their influence 
reached them, and they took Phoebe, and made her into 
Phenakite. She was to have a great honour bestowed on her 
head, she was to become the second non-youma female to be 
a part of Beryl’s court. But she declined, none too politely 
either. But Beryl refused to get rid of her, instead giving 
her free rein throughout the Dark Kingdom."

"After that, Central Control doesn’t know much," put in 
Artemis. "All we do know from then on is that Phenakite 
loved Kunzite, but he had eyes only for Zoisite."

"This glass of eternal spirits is much more dangerous I had anticipated," Luna added
grimly. "Central Control warned 
us that Phenakite would have it at her fingertips, and 
that she could use it. They didn’t tell us much about its 
powers, except that it’s Angelikarma."
 
"And that spells SHIT with a big fat S," muttered Artemis, 
but everyone heard him fine. 

"Basically, based on what this article says, the hourglass 
of eternal spirits is some sort of unholy temple – it houses 
the dead who died without finishing what they set out to 
do." A shiver spun through Usagi’s heart, pulling it tight. 
"And that would be…"

"All the Kings," said Makoto with a flash of understanding. 
"And…oh, frigging hell, Beryl too…"

"I think I know what Phenakite’s up to," said Luna darkly. 
"But even though she is the princess, she doesn’t know what 
the fuck she’s doing."

"What is this…does it have something to do with Angelikarma?" 
asked Minako curiously.
 
"Oh yes," replied Luna, not letting Artemis speak. Besides, 
he seemed deeply engrossed in his own problems. "The royal 
family which Phoebe belonged to was the embodiment of this 
force, not unlike Usagi’s moon family. They had Angelikarma, 
which, as far as I know, is an exceptionally powerful force 
that is present throughout the universe of the Dark Kingdom. 
But most especially, it is concentrated at one point. The 
temple of Breccia, mistress of Angelikarma. But that’s the 
least of our worries – Angelikarma can only be used by a 
pure hearted member of the royal bloodline. I believe Phoebe 
has been tainted enough by Beryl and her Kings, so that she 
can’t have anything to do with it."

"But what about this hourglass crap?" asked Makoto, looking 
at Minako uneasily. She had fallen into brooding silence, 
and it was making her uncomfortable.

"It can resurrect the dead – and to Phenakite, that would 
have to be Kunzite. What she doesn’t understand though – at 
least, I don’t think she understands, otherwise she wouldn’t 
be doing it – is that it doesn’t bring one person back. It 
releases every spirit trapped inside. Basically, that would 
be Beryl’s court."

"How convenient," snorted Usagi, ignoring the glare she got 
from Luna. "Why only Beryl and co.? Surely there would be 
others."

"I don’t think so," said Luna slowly, with a sideways glance 
at Artemis. "The hourglass is…well, the Dark Kingdom’s 
afterlife, as such. Any one that dies is sent to the glass, 
to await return. To await vengeance."

"But what makes you think that Phenakite doesn’t want to wake 
up the entire Dark Kingdom?" argued Rei.

Luna smiled crookedly. "Well now, then she would be waking 
up Zoisite, wouldn’t she? Wouldn’t that just ruin everything 
she worked for?"

"She could just kill him and keep Kunzite for herself," said 
Rei, sounding pissed.
 
But Luna wasn’t finished. "And you think that Kunzite would 
let her touch his beloved Zoisite? You saw how protective 
they were of each other. I doubt Phenakite would get within 
a hundred feet of him before Kunzite killed her."

"Enough with the talking, time for action," snapped Minako 
suddenly, leaping to her feet. "If what you say is true, 
we should be trying to do something about it."

"Are you sure you want to come?" asked Artemis carefully, 
not wanting to upset her further.

She shook her head impatiently. "Look, I’m glad you’re 
worried about me, but I’m fine. I don’t even slightly 
remember what happened, but it’s over. For days after Phoebe 
died, I was torn between sadness for my friend, and some 
weird…hatred that I knew wasn’t mine. But it’s gone now…I’m 
fine!"

"What we really need is A Circle of the Planets," said 
Artemis, looking at Luna, who sighed heavily.

"Are you girls ready for this?"

"Ready for what?" asked Usagi suspiciously.

"We have to go to the Dark Kingdom, you odango atama!" 
snapped Rei, but all that earned her was a punch in the 
arm from Makoto. Luckily for everyone, Ami interceded before 
the two Senshi could get involved in an all out cat fight. 

"Let’s just go, huh?"

No one could argue with that. 
* * *

"I told you not to put that there, you baka! Now look what 
you’ve done…" 

"You’re not listening to me, princess. It’s about the spirits…"

"Damare! Enough! I know what I’m doing…"
* * *

"I hate this place," moaned Sailor Moon, looking at the 
cavern and not liking it. "I mean, look! The walls look as 
if they’re alive!"

"They probably are," said Mercury absently, and Sailor Moon 
turned huge eyes on her. But Mercury was engrossed in her 
computer. The three other Senshi were standing around 
nervously, Venus appearing to be the most jumpy of the three. 
She continuously looked around, as if expecting to be jumped 
at any second.

"As far as I can see," said Mercury, reading the screen, 
"The vicinity is deserted, we’re alone."

"So Phenakite’s here?"

"Probably," said Mercury, still tapping. "She could be 
anywhere, my computer’s range isn’t that great. And this 
place is huge."

"Then why don’t we have a look around?" suggested Venus, 
and she was instantly backed by Jupiter.

"Yeah! Who knows where those Dark Kingdom kisama are – 
besides, I feel like kicking ass!"

"I guess we should start looking," said Artemis, then turned 
in shock to see Venus vanish down a hall.

"Gotta book it!" she called over her shoulder, and was gone.

"Now where is she going?" asked Artemis, perplexed. Before 
anyone could stop him, he ran after Venus.

"I guess it’s decided – we’re going down that hall," sighed 
Luna.

"By the general consensus of the group," muttered Mars, but 
she grudgingly followed the group.

________________________________________________________________________
Venus stood alone in a dark room, her skin rippling as she 
felt the negative vibes penetrating the very fibre of the 
air itself. She had no idea what had brought her here – 
some force in the hallway had simply overtaken her, and it 
had been here that it had released her. Now, she stood 
alone, uncertainly waiting for it to return to her. Like a 
breath of dark wind, it did, wrapping itself around her 
heart, before moving into it. At first, Minako had found 
the whole experience horrifying, and highly awful, but 
slowly, she was beginning to accept it. It was like being 
two people at once – though one lay dormant, the other 
controlled the body. Minako sat back in her own mind, not 
exactly happy to let this entity control her, but she knew 
that it was something she had to do.

‘NO!’ snapped a voice inside her head, and she started. 
This was the first time it had directly spoken to her. 
‘You must stay at the forefront – otherwise, you will 
see nothing!’

‘Nothing?’ she queried back, using the same thought flash. 
The being sighed impatiently.

‘I am giving you a vision, human – shut up and watch it 
already!’ The voice echoing in her head sounded oddly 
familiar – a very pissed off male, with a slightly 
effeminate twinge to his words. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ he 
snapped, but there was a degree of…what was it? Melancholy? 
‘Names are unimportant now.’

Moving to the front, Minako found herself beside the voice 
– and it whispered in a language she didn’t understand, and 
suddenly, her world was filled with pain, it seemed to crush 
on her from all sides, but most especially, her chest…

"I’m sorry, Zoisite," came a husky, heavy voice from far away, 
and she heard it through her pain. "I tried to persuade 
Queen Beryl for a second chance…" The voice took on form as 
she opened her eyes – and a part of Minako screamed out in 
terror – it was Kunzite! But she was part of a show now, and 
to her surprise, love filled her heart as she opened her eyes 
to gaze on her love, no rancour in her heart.

"I am happy that I could die with you by my side," she said 
softly, as Kunzite’s cool eyes softened, wrapping her in a 
strange warmth. He helped her sit up, tenderly wrapping her 
in his arms. She noticed for the first time that she wasn’t 
wearing her fuku – or even her body, for that matter. She 
was… Taking a breath, the body carried on before Minako could 
sort out the jumbled words and feelings. She could feel his 
tears on her skin, and his guilt emanated from him like a 
painful aura. But her physical pain was much greater. She 
knew she was going to die. "But…can I ask you for one last 
favour?"

"What is it?" he asked calmly, though she could tell his 
heart was in his throat, breaking into a zillion pieces as 
he watched his lover pass on to the great beyond, go where 
he could not follow.

She turned heavily lidded eyes on the man who watched her 
without breaking their gaze, her eyes swimming in tears. 
"I want to die beautifully…" He understood this last request, 
knew what was most important to her – or rather, to the 
person who was the real spirit designed to be here. He threw 
up his arm, and pulled his cape around them both. Then, he 
allowed a shower of petals to fall about them both.
She smiled at the display, taking her hand from where Kunzite 
held it, and stretching it out to catch a single blossom. She 
smiled at the gentle feel of the petal…and she said softly, 
in a voice that resounded with pain, "It’s so pretty…thank 
you, Kunzite-sama…"

Her energy lost, she fell back against his chest, and Kunzite 
sighed as he wrapped his arms around her. The blossoms were 
falling through the heavy air…the time had come. She was not 
yet finished, though. She knew that if she didn’t say it now, 
she never would. "I loved you, Kunzite-sama," she murmured, 
her voice breaking with her quiet conviction. The tear 
finally slipped down her cheek, as she closed her eyes for 
what she realised was the final time in this world….

"Forgive me, Zoisite," he said softly as he still held her, 
and as he finished, a chill wind whipped his cloak around 
her dissolving form…and she was gone.

Minako closed her eyes and floated on the air, departing with 
Zoisite. 

Three words rang in her head… "I am dead…"
________________________________________________________________________
Jupiter sighed, looking down yet another corridor. "I don’t 
think she’s down there either, guys."

"She can’t have gotten far," panicked Artemis. "Oh shit, I 
knew this was a bad idea!"

"Excuse me, but I was the only one who said we shouldn’t 
come," complained Sailor Moon.

"Only because you’re the world’s biggest coward," said Mars 
snidely, but Jupiter surprised the hell out of them.

"Ummmm…I think I hear something. I’d better check it out. 
See ya!" She took off down the hallway, leaving three 
startled Senshi and two cats in her wake.

"Well, she’s cracking up," said Mars, almost 
conversationally. "I guess it had to happen sometime."
________________________________________________________________________
Jupiter paused outside a large door, made of the same, 
greenish organic material as the walls. Sailor Moon was 
right when she had said it seemed to be alive. One almost 
expected it to move squishily down the corridor.  It 
suddenly clicked to her that she didn’t know what in the 
hell she was doing here – she had just abandoned the 
Senshi, as Venus had done, and was standing alone in a 
world she knew nothing about.

"I wouldn’t worry overly about that," came a voice, and 
she had to shield her eyes against a celestial glow, as 
millions of light particles suddenly compressed to form 
the shape of a handsome young man. As the glow faded, 
his features become more apparent. It was a few moments 
before she could look at him without squinting, but even 
though he had stopped transforming, a dim glow outlined 
his body.He was dressed entirely in white, a radiant 
angel. Though his sapphire eyes were troubled, and his 
auburn mane of hair slightly mussed.

"Who are you?" she asked, confused. This couldn’t be some 
kind of youma – it had an aura that was too heavenly, and 
besides, he was far too cute to be a demon! "He’s got a 
great butt," she sighed wistfully to herself, then blushed 
a brilliant shade of red when she realised she had spoken 
aloud. 

The man didn’t appear embarrassed – he simply rolled his 
eyes in exasperation. "Of all the Senshi, I had to pick the 
boy-crazy one…"
________________________________________________________________________
"So you’re not getting any readings?"

"No, I – no, wait, hang on," Mercury paused mid-sentence in 
her reply to Mars’s question. "I’m getting something…from over 
there. I don’t think it’s Venus, Jupiter or Phenakite…but it’s 
worth checking out."

"Wait," hushed Luna. "I can hear…" she turned abruptly, and ran 
to a door. "In here!"

"What is it, Luna?" asked Mercury, but Mars simply kicked the 
door open. Now was not the time for thought – not when 
thoughtless action was the better deal.Lying sprawled on a bier 
at the centre of the room, was Sailor Venus.
________________________________________________________________________
‘Get real,’ snapped the obnoxious voice in Sailor Venus’s mind. 
‘I’m the one who died, you twat! That mind mesh was just to 
show you how I felt – so you could feel my pain!’

‘Really?’ she asked groggily. ‘I’m not dead then?’
‘No!’ he replied, still pissed off. It seemed to Venus that 
the dead owner of this voice was perpetually pissed off. 

‘Not getting enough of the good stuff, huh?’ she replied, in 
a very un-ladylike way.

‘Oh, fuck you too,’ the voice replied, but it sounded…lighter, 
somehow. As if Minako’s slight joke had somehow began to melt 
the ice between the girl and her deceased visitor.

It seemed on the verge of saying something more when a door 
slammed open.‘Chikso!’ he cursed, and fled Minako’s body with 
barely a second thought. Venus found she could sit up again 
without her friend in her mind, but she felt weakened by what 
she had just endured. After all, she had just lived, vicariously, someone else’s
death.
________________________________________________________________________
Jupiter continued to watch the man with a mixture of 
admiration and suspicion. 

"Who are you?"

"I am Nephrite…the second king."

"Really?" Jupiter took a second to wonder why this revelation 
didn’t bother her in the slightest, then brushed it off. 
"What happened to you?"

"It turns out I had enough pardon to beg Angelikarma’s 
absolution," he said cryptically. "When you die in the Dark 
Kingdom, you don’t really die. Somehow, you’re still very 
much a part of the world. Just not a very tangible part. 
Almost unreachable, in fact."

"Is your phone bill really high then?"

He smiled sarcastically, the expression at odds with his 
celestial body. The he shrugged. "The price is high, no doubt 
about that. But his only matters because it is what Phenakite 
is using to bring back Kunzite."

"You know about that?" she asked in surprise.
 
Nephrite looked annoyed. "Of course I do! What did you think 
I’d do? There isn’t exactly a lot for a dead Dark Kingdom 
warrior to do except watch people! I had places to go!"

"Showers to attend," added a snide voice, and a gathering 
of particles revealed another king, this time, one Sailor 
Jupiter recognised.She decided that Zoisite hadn’t really 
changed – same uniform, same hair, same cruel green eyes. 
But he was dead, and talking up a storm – something wasn’t 
right.

"How are you two here?" she asked suddenly, but she realised 
they couldn’t hear her. They were too busy arguing.

"What the hell did you mean by that, ‘showers I had to 
attend’!?"

"Naru-chan?" he replied sweetly, in that effeminate, sarcastic 
voice. "I seem to remember one certain sad and lonely dead King 
going for a little walk and…"

"I don’t care what you say, I did NOT spy on Naru-chan in the 
shower!"

"Really?" Zoisite moved closer to the King, and to Jupiter’s 
surprise, Nephrite didn’t move away, instead he allowed him 
to speak. "Then what were you doing in her mirror, my good 
friend…" He smiled wickedly. "Your stars aren’t the only ones 
who know everything."

Jupiter, fascinated, watched the dead pair, and their arguing 
continued unabated for several minutes before she interrupted.

"HOW THE SMEG ARE YOU TWO ALIVE?!" shrieked the green Senshi, 
and Zoisite turned in surprise, a weird smile on his features.

"Oh, but we’re not alive, my dear."

"This just gets weirder and weirder…" sighed Jupiter. "If 
you’re not alive, then how come…"

"The Hourglass," said Nephrite softly, looking at Zoisite 
oddly. He looked away, and Jupiter could sense an unusual 
undertone. From what she had been told, the pair couldn’t 
stand each other – Zoisite’s murder of Nephrite sort of 
being the main contributing factor. But then why was he…

"Phenakite’s already altering the time lines – and she holds 
him in an eternal balance. She believed that it would leave 
the rest of us trapped – but she underestimated the power 
of time."

"Just a tad," whispered Zoisite, and to the shock of both, 
he vanished.Nephrite turned to Jupiter. "Could I ask a small 
favour of you?"
________________________________________________________________________
Jupiter had been hesitant at first – it wasn’t exactly 
your everyday, ordinary type of question. When someone asks 
you for your body, you tend to consider it rather sharply.
She still didn’t understand why she had agreed – she had 
to believe that it was because of the weird feeling in 
her heart, the feeling that once, long ago, she had trusted 
this man with her life.

"Now," he warned, looking seriously at the former princess 
of Jupiter, "This is gonna be weird for you. I’m going to 
manipulate your body to mimic my old one – it just makes 
things easier for me, okay? Don’t worry, your body will 
return to normal. Well, it should."

Jupiter gasped as Nephrite stepped into her without warning, 
and she felt so weird, so different… She looked down in 
shock and surprise. "Oh, so this is what it’s like to have 
one of these!" Nephrite sighed. "Of all the Senshi…"

Okay, here I go again. Is this worth finishing? Oh boy, I 
need HELP. I’m off to my therapist! The rest of you so-
called NORMAL people have a nice day, won’t you? Insults? 
Comments? Idle or meaningful threats? I invite you to contact 
me at luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com 
PS Don’t sue me…I didn’t invent most of this! Please, I’m 
too poor as it is!
________________________________________________________________________
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
________________________________________________________________________
Part Three: Only If…
Phenakite has taken her dream one step too far – and she 
has underestimated the power of time. Zoisite is awake, 
highly pissed off and itching for battle. Nephrite and the 
Senshi, however, have their own problems…
________________________________________________________________________
"Venus!" cried out Luna, terrified by the young girl’s 
corpse like, grey pallor, her lips bloodless and blue, eyes 
wide and staring.Mercury, the eternal doctor, leapt onto 
the bier, checking her breathing, then her pulse. She looked 
relieved and perplexed at the same time.

"She’s breathing, and her pulse is regular, if not a little 
slow…but she seems to be some kind of weird trance. It’s 
like…there was something inside her."

Mars instantly whipped out one of her all-purpose ward 
papers, and held it in such a way that it was obvious she 
was going to use it.

"No wait!" cried Mercury, tapping away furiously. "It’s not 
in her now – but whatever it was, it sure took a lot out of 
her."

To the horror of the group, Venus suddenly sat bolt 
upright, and shot a beam of crescent gold light at the 
wall beside Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars. They shrieked 
and ducked, covering their heads from the fall out, while 
Venus looked at her hand with admiration. "My," she said in 
a deep, husky drawl, "This baby sure packs a wallop." She 
smiled in a way that chilled Luna’s heart, before suddenly 
fainting dead away.

"What the fuck do you call that then, Mercury?" asked Mars 
shakingly. 

"Temporary insanity? What did we do to her to deserve that, 
huh? Face it – she’s possessed by some Dark Kingdom flunky!"

"More than a mere flunky," said a snide voice from the 
corridor, and they turned in shock to see a very immaterial 
Zoisite leaning on the doorframe, an eyebrow raised at the 
lot of them.

"Sorry about that," he said off handedly, looking at Venus 
as though she were no more than a blade of grass in a field 
of roses. "I was running on battery back up – needed a boost, 
and that beam really did it for me."

"What – YOU were in Venus?!" cried out Sailor Moon in 
outrage.

"What, you have a problem with that?" asked Zoisite, that 
weird, twisted smile still tainting what would have 
otherwise been very pretty features. That always 
had been the thing about Zoisite, though – he looked so 
angelic, it was sometimes very hard to match the man to what 
he had done to them in the past.

Sailor Moon winced, fully expecting to hear one of Zoisite’s 
trademark, annoying high pitched giggles, but instead, his 
expression melted away, and he looked out the door. "Ah, 
shit. He’s going to the goddamn mausoleum again…that idiot! 
He can’t do anything there…"

Mercury stared, baffled, at Zoisite. He appeared very much 
a ghost…he was immaterial, you could see right through him, 
and occasionally, his form would corrupt, becoming a hazy 
mass before restoring itself.

"How are you…you can’t be, you’re…dead!" gasped the Senshi. 
Zoisite smiled sarcastically to hear it.

"Oh, don’t sweat it, Mercury – I died, and I still am dead, 
just…caught between realities, so to speak. Our dear, sweet 
Phenakite has just screwed up the laws of causality, and 
now…" He rolled his eyes, and pulled out a small mirror. 
He frowned, then looked up at the Senshi. "Damn, no 
reflection! Hey, do you guys think that my hair looks all 
right?" Flabbergasted, the three original Senshi could only 
stare, mouths around their ankles, at the vainest of the four 
Kings. It took Venus’s uproarious laughter from behind them 
for them to snap out of it.

"A few months of death is hell on the hair, huh Zoi-chan?" 
snickered Venus, in such a friendly way that it made Mars’s 
eyes narrow with suspicion. 

"What, having a King in your body brings you two closer 
together?" she asked cruelly, the ward still in her hands. 
It only made Venus laugh harder, though, while Zoisite 
began to giggle. Then really laugh – and much to everyone’s 
relief, the laughter didn’t manage to make the Richter 
scale. The pitch of it had been well known to send tremors 
through the earth.

"You think that is going to anything?" guffawed Venus, 
and Artemis winced. She seemed to be getting ever closer to 
the ‘loss of control’ state.

"I’m already dead," Zoisite choked out between bouts of 
laughter. "I’m beyond all that fire crap, Mars…try it and 
see!"

Disgusted, Mars put the paper note away. "I wouldn’t waste 
my time."

"So, where’s Cape-boy?" asked Zoisite, looking at Venus, who 
was just beginning to calm down. Without warning, the pair 
burst into laughter again.

"What is it with you two?" cried Sailor Moon, suddenly very 
frightened. It was just not normal to run into a dead enemy 
who was hyucking it up with one of your best friends. "And 
Mamo-chan…I wouldn’t let you near him in a million years!"

"But I’m dead, Sailor Moon," sniggered Zoisite. "The most I 
could do to him is appear at his window and say BOO."

"Ohhhh, scary," giggled Venus. "Whooooooo, the ghost of 
crazy old Zoi-chan is back…and he’s gonna go BOO and scare 
Mamoru out of his wits!"

"You’d better believe it, princess," laughed Zoisite, and the 
others stood, amazed by this weird rapport between Venus and 
the King.

"Hey," said Venus, looking at the girls like she was reading 
their minds. 

"It’s amazing what a little old mind mesh can do for you, 
huh?"

"Only twenty-nine ninety five for one, plus an additional 
$4.75 for postage and packaging," added Zoisite, casting a 
sidelong glance at Venus. "And we’ll even throw in, completely 
free, a valuable clue."

"Like what?" asked Sailor Moon, as they stood, regarding the 
fourth King with trained suspicion. He looked deadly serious 
all of a sudden.

"You have to get to the mausoleum before Nephrite does – he 
thinks he can fix things, especially with her help, but you 
need to be there, Sailor Moon. You and the ginzuishou."

"Whose help? And why are you giving us help, Zoisite?" He 
smiled crookedly. "I might call you on it later – hey, 
everything has a price, Sailor Moon. Hell, I know – I loved 
true, and look where I am now."

Venus looked at the King oddly, and then at the others for 
a second. Her mind was made up. "Zoisite, your energy…it’s 
fading. Enter me again."

"Are you NUTS?!" screamed Mars. "I am not hanging around 
with you if he’s in there!"

"I appreciate your faith in me," Zoisite said dryly, 
suddenly sounding remarkably like Kunzite. Then he shrugged. 
"I can’t Venus – I have to go back to the glass. Phenakite 
has released tremendous amounts of energy, and some spirits 
have managed to escape the pull of the power. But I have to 
go back – Kunzaito-sama is in her grasp – and I can’t let 
him alone." The Senshi watched as Zoisite faded clean away, 
without the cherry blossoms. He simply faded like a photo 
negative, the room feeling oddly empty. Venus looked around. 
"Uh, guys – what happened to Jupiter?"
________________________________________________________________________
"I don’t like this," muttered Nephrite, running his hands 
over the cool glass of a tremendous mirror. Jupiter regarded 
it with suspicion through Nephrite’s eyes. 

"Where are we?"

"My old quarters," he replied shortly. "This is my mirror – 
Titania’s mirror, actually. I found it amongst some old guy’s 
relics, when I was looking for knick-knacks to add to Masato 
Sanjouin’s collection. It is more powerful than you might 
think. And with your power to help me, I think I can release 
him. Kunzite could have done it himself, but…he’s being…" He 
grimaced. "She’s raising him. The wrong way."

"I don’t understand what’s going on here," objected Jupiter 
in his mind, though for some reason, she trusted the Dark 
King. He seemed to be…an old friend, a former comrade. She 
didn’t know what the smeg was happening to her, but she knew 
that she didn’t understand it. It seemed that once she had 
stepped into the Dark Kingdom, the lines between good and evil 
had blurred, faded. The place was haunted.

"Indeed," snorted Nephrite, and Jupiter was shocked to 
discover that he had been able to read her thoughts. Quite 
easily, too, if his speed of the reply was any indication.

"Leave my thoughts alone, buddy, or I’ll deck you one!"

He snickered, though it sounded oddly friendly. "If you 
want to hit yourself, go ahead."

"I’d do it if I knew it was going to hurt you as much as it 
hurt me."Sighing, Nephrite repeated the incantation with 
which Jupiter was becoming quite familiar. "Of all the 
Senshi…"
________________________________________________________________________
Venus looked at the huge door with awe, while the others 
stood back, not bothering to hide their fear. The place 
would have struck fear into the hearts of any, and it was 
the aura of death which had kept so many of the youma and 
assorted creatures from Beryl’s genetic meanderings away 
from the mausoleum.It was intricately carved, covered in 
star charts of the seven known universes, earth too small 
to be seen. Venus traced a finger over a galaxy, and to 
the shock of the others, a hand appeared over hers, white 
and pale, transparent. 

As they watched, they saw Zoisite’s tired form waver into 
existence. "I forgot I’d have to let you in," he 
whispered in a tired voice, a thin smile touching his lips. 
"What can I say, death alters your priorities. Here, this 
way."He guided Venus’s hand lethargically, across a pattern 
of stars and planets. At the conclusion of whatever he was 
doing, the doors creaked open inwards, revealing absolute 
darkness. 

"That’s all I can do," he said softly, and doubled over 
in pain. "Venus…" he gasped, eyes wide. "I told you…"

"Zoisite!" she cried as he vanished again, as she tried to 
touch him, falling through him. She was left sprawled on 
the ground, where Zoisite had once stood.

"Care to explain?" asked Mars coldly. "Since when do you 
try to help Dark Kingdom sleaze like him?"

She looked confused, and somewhat melancholy. "I…think it 
was a promise, or maybe just…I have to do it. As a favour 
to…" Her voice faded. "Look, whatever the reason, the 
guy’s right. We have to awaken the dreamer. It’s the only 
way we’ll get any truth out of them. Nephrite – he’s not 
as dead as Zoisite and Kunzite, because of his deliverance, 
he has power beyond theirs, but he can’t awaken him. So 
we have to – he knows the truth. And if any of us are to 
survive our pasts, we have to find the truth. And in my 
experience, the truth is always where you forget to look."

"I think you broke the lake – but I won’t tell," said Mars 
suddenly, and the others looked at her in astonished 
confusion. She shrugged. "What can I say – I think this 
place in contagious."
________________________________________________________________________
Naturally, Sailor Moon was afraid of the dark. Mars whined 
about having to keep her flame burning for so long, but 
Venus hushed her – and was backed by both the cats. They 
were more instinctive than the Senshi, and the dark 
hallway, though large and empty, was enough to give them 
the uneasy feeling that there was a lot of power waiting to 
be released.

"I wouldn’t worry about it," said Venus, almost 
conversationally, like it wasn’t anything extraordinary. 
"He told me that Phenakite’s power wouldn’t reach here, 
because no one was dead. And she’s little more than a 
necromancer."

"A whatsit?" asked Sailor Moon, and Mercury sighed. This 
meant ANOTHER long explanation. Sometimes she wished she 
could just force Usagi to memorise the dictionary. Given 
her study habits, it would probably have to be at gun point.
As Mercury explained the concept of the living undead to 
Sailor Moon, who was beginning to look a little green, 
Venus stumbled across the gateway to the actual necropolis 
– and several gravestones.

"Welcome to the Mausoleum," she muttered to herself, 
surveying the heavy wrought-iron gates. It was just as 
Zoisite had said it would be.

"I thought you said this place wasn’t full of dead 
people," whined Sailor Moon, Venus shook her head.

"You’ve seen members of the Dark Kingdom die – they 
vanished, entered the Realm of Angelikarma. This is just 
a memorial, like a place to mourn the dead. There are 
bodies here – frozen in eternal sleep, though."

She indicated a large crystal by the half-opened gate, and 
Mars leant the flame in for a closer look. She fell silent 
upon seeing the youma, encased like a bug in amber, inside 
the crystal.

"Standard punishment," said Venus in an odd voice, before 
stepping into the compound. "You guys coming?" 

"How do you know all this?" asked Luna, but Artemis understood. 

"Zoisite told her – he was meshed with her, for what purpose, 
none of us truly know. But really…Venus, why did you do it? 
Surely…"

She shrugged. "It never hurts to help."

Mars snorted, but didn’t make a more verbal comment. She 
was one of the most instinctive Senshi, and she could feel 
pain, suffering and so much sadness in the musty, feted 
air of the graveyard. Passing countless youma as she 
followed Venus’s lead made her feel slightly nauseous, but 
she kept her food down by sheer force of will. She wished 
Mamo-chan was here. Though, given all circumstances, Sailor 
Moon would be hanging onto Tuxedo Kamen-sama.

"I won’t pretend that I know why I did it," said Venus in a 
small voice, sounding…almost apathetic. "But I did it, okay? 
So, we’ve had problems with them in the past. Maybe I’m being 
blasé about this whole situation, but who are we to judge? We 
never understood them, and talking to Zoisite like I did, 
just…expanded my horizons, I guess."

Venus continued to lead the silent group through the 
graveyard, while Ami continually played her fingers over 
the keys of her computer. For what reason, no one really 
knew, but they didn’t bug her. 

It was the temple-like construction at the top of the 
hill that stopped all but Venus dead in their tracks.
Effortlessly, she moved to the wire gates, upon which 
was a brass plaque sat. The words engraved into the tarnished 
brass were in a language no one understood – least of all, 
Zoisite, who appeared beside Venus again, albeit temporarily.

"The Temple of the Ancients," he echoed in a dying whisper, 
giving Venus a strangely sweet smile. "We lie within these 
walls…no one knows why. We were just…put here. Those words 
were unknown to all, even that psycho, Metallia. But…maybe 
you could translate the old language. Tell me one day…what 
you find."

"You lie in there?" squeaked Sailor Moon, paling. "But I 
thought you said to Venus…that there’s no bodies around 
here…"

"The empty bodies stand as known, of the sights you have 
been shown, of the hurt you call your own…" murmured Zoisite 
warily to himself, like the words shouldn’t be spoken aloud. 
Then he shook his head. "Our memorials lie in there – as 
insignificant as we were."

Venus watched him fade away, then sighed, placing both hands 
onto the brass plaque. Mercury was the first to speak up. 
"What’s with the comings and goings? Why doesn’t he stay 
and help us?"

Venus closed her eyes, concentration rippling across her 
brow. "I don’t understand the reference…but it’s the hold 
of Angelikarma. It calls him back, and he hasn’t the life 
force to disobey."

To everyone’s astonishment, the word and symbols on the 
plaque began to rearrange themselves, forming:

The trust on life and love
Nexus between time and space
Apathy and absolution
Lie within the sarcophagi
Of Breccia’s wayward children

"What the fuck does that mean?" asked Mars, ignoring the 
disgusted look Luna gave her. Luna didn’t appreciate 
profanity – though given half the chance, she did it anyway. 
Just not as often as everyone else.

"I’m…I’m not sure," stuttered Venus, seemingly startled at 
what she had apparently done. "Zoisite has never said 
anything about anything like this…"

"Why don’t we just finish whatever we’re here for?" asked 
Artemis, and from his tone of voice, Venus guessed 
correctly he knew what Zoisite had asked her to do for 
him. "We have to find Jupiter."
________________________________________________________________________
The five sarcophagi sat in a rough approximation of a star, 
an altar at the centre. It was obvious which of the tombs 
belonged to the four kings, though the fifth was a mystery. 
The temple was large, the coffins in the centre of the 
building, the main hall, surrounded by immense columns, 
an eerie stillness in the air. The sarcophagi were raised 
concrete slabs, elaborately decorated with carvings, with 
statues of the "occupant" being the main feature. Nephrite looked…peaceful, yet
somehow worried in his bronze form, 
the coffin decorated with patterns of universes on his 
sarcophagi. Mercury confirmed what Venus had said – the 
coffin was empty.

To his right, was the unknown. The figure of a woman stood 
erect, at violent attention, her face sharply etched with 
lines of cruelty. She had an evil sense of grand beauty about 
her, and her hair was cut in a sleek, sharp bob, adding 
even more sharpness to her features. 

Beside her, was Kunzite. He looked as aloof as ever, a long 
sword held easily in one hand. None of the group realised 
its significance. Extraordinary was the only word they could 
think of to describe Zoisite’s sarcophagi. The figure looked 
as vain as he was naturally, a sly smile touching the 
familiar, bronze features. It was the scattered roses across 
the bier and the statue, some dead, some ever-blooming. The 
number of them must have been in the thousands – every bloom 
was, or once was, pink, and the note accompanying the 
roses, though unreadable, was obviously written by a 
distraught Kunzite.

"What does it say, Venus?" asked Mercury, and with a 
sigh, Venus translated it, using the fading knowledge 
obtained from Zoisite. The bond between them was dying with 
the growing of Phenakite’s power.

"I can’t use what I can’t abuse – and I couldn’t stop, 
even when it came to you. I brought you one of your garden’s 
roses…and made more of the same. I loved you, koibito…
loved you more than you will ever know. I am so sorry…you 
needed me and I failed you."

She stopped, tears stinging her eyelids. "There’s more – 
but I can’t read anymore! It’s too personal – and it hurts 
too much…I can feel his pain somehow…it’s like he’s still 
here, reading it for me."

Jadeite. His sarcophagi was NOT empty. They proceeded 
past the gate to the chamber inside the sarcophagi, which 
lead down the stairs beneath the coffin. Inside, he lay, 
not in the original sleep crystal he had been imprisoned 
in, but a simple crystal coffin that sparkled dimly in 
the glimmer of light.

"Crystallised…" whispered Venus in horror. "So this is 
the guy who tried to run you down with an aeroplane…"

Sailor Moon pulled a face, looking at the others. "Please, 
someone tell me we’re not about to do what I think we’re about to do."

"Oh, GODDAMN!" cried a familiar voice, and everyone turned 
in shock to face a much more material Nephrite – he was ALIVE…

"Nephrite, don’t get involved…leave Jupiter NOW," snapped a 
weary voice, and the ghostly Zoisite wavered back into 
existence. "It’s almost over, anyway. She’s having trouble 
keeping the rest of us in the crystal – she’s going to fail. 
It’s too late. Maybe he COULD have stopped her, but not 
now…the bloody youma have gone walkabout…she’s screwed up 
big time. And time is fucked when we are fucked – and she 
sure fucked us up."

"Which one?" asked Nephrite, and the Senshi practically 
fell over as a group when Nephrite stepped out of Jupiter, 
leaving her alone. "Beryl, Metallia, or our dear, sweet 
princess?"
Zoisite sighed – and the others wondered at this change. 
The pair no longer seemed to be at each other’s throats. 
They seemed to be…almost friends.They looked at the pair 
oddly – and Venus spoke up first.

"Where is Kunzite – and who the hell is THAT?!" She was 
pointing up the stairs, to the strange sarcophagi. 
Zoisite gagged, and Nephrite shook his head. "She’s not 
important now – besides, at this rate, you’re gonna run 
into her sooner than you think."

"Kunzaito-sama…" whispered Zoisite, eyes dead. "She has 
him in her eternal balance. She will release him – soon, 
I figure. But we’re coming...our life forces have been 
pillaged from the land of the dead, and thus our trapped 
spirits, once held captive within the justice of 
Angelikarma, will return. We’re almost back now…the 
tearing of inter-dimensional time fabric means we could 
leave our facets, and try to stop the downward spiral – 
but it’s too late."

The hopelessness in his voice touched all the Senshi 
deeply – but most of all, Venus. "I still don’t understand…
and why did you want me to awaken Jadeite?"

Nephrite gave Zoisite a look, and the young king sighed. 
"You couldn’t have done it, you know that, Nephrite. It 
would have killed you."

"And since when do you care?" asked Sailor Moon, blue 
eyes wide and confused. "Last time I saw Nephrite, he was 
dying because of you…"

Zoisite continued to watch Nephrite, and he did the same 
to him. Then Zoisite broke off their silent conversation 
and sighed. "There is much injustice in the realm of 
Angelikarma – at least, in our opinion. Angelikarma is a 
dimension above and beyond this one, ruled by the force 
of an immortal known as Breccia…"

"Breccia!" cried Venus in understanding. "That name was 
written on the plaque!" Nephrite continued Zoisite’s words, 
apparently not worried by Venus’s words, though it sent 
Zoisite into deep thought. "There are facets, levels to the 
world of the dead…and by justice, Zoisite and I were forced 
to stay together. For eternity. As for the others…well, 
generally the youma are in the same place, but Kunzite…
this is Phenakite’s problem. He’s stuck with her…and if 
there’s one person other than Zoisite that she doesn’t want 
awakened, it would be her."

"You mean that woman out there?"

"Oberon’s wayward daughter," sighed Nephrite, a curious 
emotion flickering into his eyes. He turned to Zoisite. 
"Let us go, supper is done, and we shall come too late."

"We are already too late."

He nodded sadly. "Time has lost its hold on us – and so 
has Angelikarma. She’s awakening."

"To be expected."

"And Kunzite’s ex…"

"I knew it would happen."

"Can you face him again? After…after all, you did say…"

"I’ll face ten thousand Queen Beryls and a million Metallias 
to see him again."

Sailor Mars turned to Sailor Jupiter. "Do you get the 
feeling that they know something we don’t?"

"And Jadeite?"

"I’ll let Kunzite deal with him. I can’t…not now. He’s still 
my…but I can’t…"

"Zoisite, you always were a coward."

"You could be right."

Sailor Moon looked flabbergasted. This was NOT the Zoisite she remembered. The real
Zoisite would have killed Nephrite for 
such a comment, but…

"You’ve changed, you know that?" said Venus, looking at the 
pair, and then briefly at the trapped King.

"Not changed," said Nephrite softly. "Just…"

"Regressed," added Zoisite, an enigmatic look in his emerald 
eyes. "It is time."

"I wonder…the others…Leucite and…"

"Innocents," replied Zoisite, a sly smile on his face. He 
cast a hand through his hair – and the others were startled 
to realise that he wasn’t immaterial…he was real, alive… 
Nephrite had lost the ethereal, angel-like glow, becoming 
the King once more, though the dark uniform was at odds 
with his light-hearted eyes. "Healing," he said quietly. 
"Laying old ghosts to rest."

Tears were dripping down Zoisite’s pale cheeks. "He’s…"

"Here."

The others turned in shock to face Kunzite, and he watched 
them emotionlessly, before his platinum eyes flickered to 
his lost student, pupil, lover.

They watched each other in silence, Zoisite weeping but 
standing tall, Kunzite with wide, wounded eyes.

"I’m so sorry," they whispered in perfect unison, and with 
a strangled cry, almost a sob, Zoisite flung himself across 
the room and into his arms.

Nephrite looked melancholy. "Where’s Morgan? And Phenakite, 
for that matter."

"Morgan is…near. As for the beloved royals…Phenakite knows 
she fucked up big time, and the die is cast and the bitch is back."

"Only one?"

"Two as one."

"Oh shit."

"Shit is right."

"They DO know something we don’t!" hissed Mars to Jupiter. 
The green Senshi shrugged, but she looked as worried as 
Mars felt. Luna’s eyes darkened with understanding as she 
listened to the two elder kings speak, Zoisite apparently 
comatose at his reunion with his lost love. Jadeite snorted.

"Oh FUCK!" cried Sailor Moon, darting behind Venus and 
Jupiter. "It’s that psycho…"

Jadeite regarded the empty crystal coffin thoughtfully – 
and everyone but Kunzite looked like they had no idea how 
he had gotten out without breaking it. "Nice job, Beryl. 
I must have made quite the centrepiece for your dining 
table." He turned to the three kings, a smile on his face. 
"Hey, Zoi-chan! I’ve missed you – it’s odd not having 
someone to tell me how stupid I am, how half-baked my ideas 
are. Death…it did you a lot of good, obviously. I hated 
having to watch, and never participate…but Beryl, she sure 
knew how to throw an execution, ne?"

Zoisite released his grip on Kunzite to throw his arms 
around the blonde king, and Jadeite laughed. Sailor Moon 
was flabbergasted – not only was Jadeite acting like he 
was glad to see everyone, he was a complete twinkle-toed 
happy boy – not the slightest bit like he used to be.
 
"Can I have Zoisite back now?" asked Kunzite, a strange 
smile on his face. "It’s good to see you, Jade. We missed 
your…amusing pranks."

"I bet you did," sniggered Jadeite, pushing Zoisite back 
into Kunzite’s open arms. "And I bet Nephrite missed my 
alcohol experiments, ne?"

"Konoyaro," laughed Nephrite. "Why did you go and get 
yourself frozen? I had to drink earth wine then…and it 
tasted foul!"

"Excuse me?" asked Sailor Moon. "Since when are you guys 
friends?"

"Since always," said Jadeite, and snorted as he looked at 
Zoisite and Nephrite. "Well, not all of us…but death really 
alters your perspective."

"I doubt it did much for Morgan." Nephrite looked at Kunzite 
for confirmation, and the silver-haired king sighed 
restlessly, arms tightening around Zoisite. "Or those two 
demented rulers."

"Morgan…she’s gotten…"

"TETCHY!" shrieked Jadeite, falling into hysterics at some 
unknown joke. Kunzite winced, and Zoisite moved restlessly 
against his chest.

"You say that to her, Jadeite, and I guarantee she’ll shoot 
you. Her temper is even worse than your brother’s," muttered 
Kunzite. Jadeite shut up.

"Where is she, anyway? If this is a little reunion…" Nephrite 
looked uneasy. 

Kunzite looked worse. "I’m not entirely sure. She wandered…"
As one, the four Kings stilled, and looked towards the altar. 

"She calls – and we dare not disobey," whispered Zoisite, 
and he choked back a sob. "We must go."

To the shock of the Senshi, the four vanished. Before them 
stood a lone figure, eyes dark, as dark as the crystal she 
held in one hand.

"Time for you to leave," hissed Phenakite, a malicious glint 
in her eyes. "Time for you to go home."

More you say? Well, I’m sorry, but I am having fun now, and 
I can’t stop. If you’re confused about anything, here’s 
something to make you feel better – I’m probably just as 
confused as you, if not more so! So, can everyone say CRAZY? 
Want to talk about normal things? If so, the last address 
in your book should be luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com PS No 
suing…I ain’t doing this profit, just out of admiration!
________________________________________________________________________
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
________________________________________________________________________
Part Four: The Senshi
And now the real games begin. The Senshi awaken as if from a dream, not knowing of
the cosmic unbalance in the Dark Kingdom…
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
"I’m SOOOOOOOOOO late!" screeched Usagi, leaping out of bed, 
turning Luna into a temporary identified flying object. She 
sighed, and watched Usagi flit about the sun-drenched room, 
wondering how it could be that she, Luna, could have slept in. 
Usually she never…Usagi finished dressing, and gave herself a 
quick look in the mirror, before leaping towards the door. 
Before she pounded down the staircase, she stopped dead. And 
she fingered the bow on the front of her school uniform. Her 
brooch was missing.

"Luna…" she said quietly, and looked up at the cat, startled. 
"Luna, my locket is gone."

"What do you mean, gone?" shrieked Luna. "You’ve lost…oh, wait. 
There it is." She pointed a paw at Usagi’s scattered bed sheets. 
The locket glinted from amongst the linen.

"How did it get there?" asked Usagi, snapping it onto her 
uniform. She stopped short again, as if struggling to 
remember something. "I had such weird dreams last night…"
Luna’s eyes perked up. Now THAT sounded familiar…she herself 
had had strange dreams. "I can’t remember…Breccia." The name 
echoed as Usagi’s voice died away. It seemed to have a life of 
its own.

Luna shrugged, but the name nagged at the back of her mind, somehow. "You’re still
late, Usa-chan."
________________________________________________________________________
"What do you mean you can’t? You said-"

"I know what I said, Mamoru-kun, and I’m sorry…but Reika-sama 
is coming back, and I…we want to move in together. Kind of a 
permanent thing…" Motoki looked embarrassed, as he ran a hand 
through his sandy hair, and took a sip from his coffee.

Mamoru sighed, but he knew it would be pointless to try and 
change Motoki’s mind…not with Reika involved, anyway. "It’s 
okay, Motoki-kun – it’s just I was really looking forward to 
that apartment, and well…it was a great deal. I can’t afford 
it on my own though…"

Motoki gagged on his coffee at this, and Mamoru gave him a 
dirty look. Then he smiled. Coughing as he settled the cup 
on the formica tabletop, Motoki looked thoughtful. "You can’t 
think of anyone else who could go halves with you?"

"No – and don’t you dare start in on Usagi-chan again. I know 
she’s young and all…"

"I wasn’t going to say anything!" protested Motoki, looking 
hurt and thoughtful at the same time. "Reika was telling me about 
a new girl in her classes, who just moved here from Kyoto. She 
was also telling me about this incredible new lecturer that just 
started here."

"Changing the topic, hmmm?"

"No – what I mean is, Reika was saying that this girl was 
looking for a flatmate, and I sort of said to her I was turning 
down a friend’s offer…and I said to her that I would ask you if 
she could share."

Mamoru looked into his cup thoughtfully, as if he was about to 
read the tea leaves. But he had never really been into reading 
esoteric things like that…it was more Rei-chan’s style. "I don’t 
know…a girl? Usagi-chan will probably have a fit."

"Do you at least want to meet her? She’s a real sweetheart, 
incredibly intelligent. Though not half as intelligent as her 
teacher."

"This new lecturer you mentioned?"

"Yeah…he’s like, 25, and a qualified, experienced heart surgeon. 
Not to mention his venturings into neuroscience. I couldn’t 
believe it when Reika-sama told me about him, but then I met 
him…he’s got a weird aura about him, I’ve never met anyone 
like him."

Mamoru sighed, and stretched as he stood, fishing his wallet out 
of his pocket. "Do you know where they are?"
________________________________________________________________________
The university campus was crowded with people bustling from 
place to place, the students laughing and carefree during their 
lunch hour. Motoki guided Mamoru easily through the sea of 
people, towards the science sector of the building and the 
school of biology. 

"They’re probably with Dr. Bennett," said Motoki, walking 
into the building with a wave at the doorman. He waved back, 
and let them pass without comment. "They’re his little 
favourites, really…and I have a feeling that-"

"That what, Motoki-sama?"

"Reika-sama!"

Mamoru winced as the pair embraced, feeling a little nauseous 
at their blatant display of affection. He had never been too
romantic…ironic how he had ended up being Tuxedo Kamen…

"D’you know where our esteemed Doctor Rutherford is this 
afternoon? And the lovely Troubetzkoy-san?"

"Sure – they’re with Dr Bennett, as per usual. Hey, 
Mamo-sama."

"Hey, Reika-sama. So where’s this student of Dr Bennett?"

She led then through a door with the name plaque "DOCTOR 
SAMUEL BENNETT" written on it, into an internal office, 
crowded with paper and various artefacts collected on the 
good doctor’s travels. Another door had "Dr. Bennett" 
carved in the brass.

"Through here," she said easily in her melodious voice, and 
knocked briefly.

"Enter if you dare," boomed a loud voice, and Reika chuckled, 
stepping through. Mamoru was greeted by the sight of a large, 
burly man seated behind a cluttered desk, enough paper to 
represent a forest scattered over every surface. The man’s 
hair was dark brown, his face dominated by a thick moustache 
and two twinkling, startlingly blue eyes. He stood, proffering 
a large, strong hand towards the young man, introducing himself 
as "Sam, call me Sam. Your handle?"

"Mamoru Chiba," he said, wincing at the man’s strength as 
he enthusiastically pumped Mamoru’s hand. Dr Bennett then 
turned his attention to the love struck pair, and Mamoru 
looked to the two people he had missed during the introduction. 
Leaning on the desk was a young man, dressed completely in 
black, staring at a piece of paper on the table. He had 
obviously been discussing something with the doctor before 
they had arrived. He had long silver hair, just like…The 
resemblance was startling, thought Mamoru in shock. This man 
looked exactly like Kunzite…same build, same calculating 
cerulean eyes, long platinum hair. He had to wonder why 
this didn’t disturb him…It was the slight figure in the corner 
that sent a shiver down his spine. The copper-toned hair, the 
green eyes regarding him through wire-rimmed glasses…she 
reminded him of Zoisite…albeit a very female Zoisite…
The girl looked briefly down at her book before snapping it 
closed. Dr Bennett turned from Motoki and smiled at Mamoru. 
"Oh, how could I forget to introduce you to these two?"

"And here you were, telling us we were unforgettable," 
chuckled the female Zoisite, shooting an uneasy glance 
towards Mamoru. It appeared he disturbed her as much as she 
disturbed him.

The Kunzite-clone snorted. "Nature moves towards chaos, you 
should know that. It’s natural he forget us."

"Always the cynic, ne? I guess we don’t call you 
Daikonran-sama for nothing." The girl looked at her book 
longingly one last time, then abandoned it on the desk as she 
left her chair. 

"Wakarimasen," said Mamoru, looking at the pair curiously. 
Dr Bennett laughed.

"Oh, them. As you can probably guess, my friend over there, the 
esteemed Doctor Karl Rutherford, is not Japanese…he’s actually 
from Australia…"

"New Zealand," corrected the Kunzite-like man with an odd 
twinkle in his eyes. "You watch that, Sam. You say something 
like that in New Zealand, and you’ll be crucified."

"Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was saying that 
my little English-Russian rose over there, the delightful 
Zoya Troubetzkoy, decided to give him a Japanese name. And 
since he’s so into the Chaos Theory…"

"He’s our version of Dr Ian Malcolm," snickered Zoya, and 
earned herself a glare from Karl. 

"Mirokteki, seito," he muttered, and his face brightened 
suddenly. "So this means she’s leaving, ne?"

"Anyone would think you were glad to get rid of me, Karl." She 
fluttered her eyelashes at him, and he sighed.

"Hey, I didn’t call you Kinjirarete-sama for nothing, Zoya 
dear. And it’ll be nice to get you out of my apartment – the 
place still hasn’t recovered from your cooking."

"And neither have I," grimaced Dr Bennett, clutching his 
stomach in mock nausea. Zoya whacked him on the arm, a smile 
on her features. "Now that wasn’t very nice," she said 
reprovingly, and Karl grabbed her by one of her plaited 
pigtails, yanking her playfully away from the burly man. 
She fell directly into his arms, and she looked at him through 
emerald eyes.

"Now this is putting you in a rather unprofessional situation, 
isn’t it, Dr Rutherford? Watashi no sensei?" He let her go, 
and she crashed to the floor in a giggling heap. He laughed, 
and extended a hand, helping her to her feet. 

"Aren’t you just adorable?" asked Karl, letting her hand go. 
She brushed off her dark blue pants suit, and adjusted her 
glasses. 

"Charming – and you know it, don’t you?"

"Could we quit it already?" asked Dr Bennett. "You two…all I 
ask for is a moment’s seriousness out of you, and you just 
can’t do it!"

"We’re sorry," the pair chorused, their contrasting accents 
each lending a weird grace to the other. They smiled, and 
suddenly their bond was shattered. Karl looked out the window, 
and Zoya retreated towards her chair, before turning to Mamoru.
"Zoya," she said brightly, obviously masking some emotion with 
her too light voice. Something unspoken had passed between 
teacher and student, and Mamoru was smart enough not to press 
things. "Mamoru Chiba, Motoki’s friend. So…you’re looking for 
a home?"

"If you’re offering," she smiled, and somehow, Mamoru eased. 
This girl, despite her resemblance to a certain male King, acted 
nothing like her male doppelganger. "So…can I?"

Mamoru wondered briefly if he was making some kind of mistake. 
"Hai."
________________________________________________________________________
Usagi looked at him in disbelief. "You’ve got a…FEMALE 
flatmate?" she squeaked, and Mamoru sighed. He should have 
realised that Usagi would get jealous…not that she didn’t have 
good reason, if his dreams were anything to go by. His 
regressions to his former life as Prince Endymion had gone on 
hiatus…it was now Zoya-season on planet Mamoru. He blushed.

"What’s with the guilty look, Mamo-chan?" asked Usagi 
suspiciously. He coughed, and cleared his throat, pushing 
Zoya from his mind. After all, the girl was involved. Motoki 
had explained the significance of Zoya’s Japanese nickname to 
him – for essentially, Zoya was forbidden to Karl, as they 
were teacher and student. Though their attraction was painfully 
obvious.

"Nothing. She’s really sweet – though…there is something I 
should probably tell you about her."

"Nanii?"

"She…she really looks like Zoisite."

"You mean…Beryl’s flunky? That psycho weirdo?"

"Do you know another? But it doesn’t matter. She acts nothing 
like that sneaky, effeminate little weasel."

Usagi’s brow furrowed in confusion, as they continued to walk 
alongside the lake, the sunlight scattering off the surface. 
"That’s strange…I think I had a dream about him the other night…"

"Who? Zoisite?" He had to wonder why that worried him so. After 
all, it would be natural that Usagi would have dreams about 
the King. He had tried to kill her beloved on several 
occasions. 

"I think so…but, anyway…when are you guys moving in?"

"Tomorrow, hopefully…hey, if you want to meet her, why don’t 
you come over tonight? Zoya’s turning up at about five, to 
help me out with the rest of my packing. She’s at the 
university right now – she told me she spends ninety percent 
of her Sundays there. You can come help out – why don’t you 
invite the Senshi over? They could help too."

"Not likely," snickered Usagi. "They were my honour guard, 
not yours. They wouldn’t help you…they do have lives, you 
know. As for your old guard…"

"Don’t start," said Mamoru. "If it isn’t enough that Zoya 
looks like Zoisite, I also met a doctor who looks like 
Kunzite."

Her eyes widened, but Mamoru hushed her. "Don’t go crazy, 
Usagi – it’s a coincidence. I haven’t met any Nephrite or 
Jadeite clones. They’re dead, okay? Don’t panic. My former 
honour guard, the united flunkies of Beryl, are gone. For 
eternity."

"It’s a pretty big coincidence," muttered Usagi unhappily, 
and silently, Mamoru agreed with her. He too had wondered 
over the appearance of two clones…and their relationship. 
So like their twins…teacher and student.

Usagi’s communicator went off with a loud beep, and she 
yanked it out, Mamoru leaning over her shoulder. It was Ami 
– and her face was as white as a sheet.

"Guys," she said shakily. "Could you get over here? Now? 
There’s something going on…"

Minako’s blonde head popped into view, her blue eyes wide 
with worried curiosity. From the background noise, it was 
obvious she was in a department store, trying to conceal 
her communicator from passers by. "Where’s ‘here’ exactly?"

"My house," replied Ami, bleeping back into existence. Makoto 
turned up. 

"What’s with all the drama? What’s going on?"

Ami’s colour had not improved. "You’ll see when you get here."
________________________________________________________________________
Mamoru glided his car easily into a spot before Ami’s home, 
and the group spilled out of the red vehicle. He had stopped 
to pick up each of the Senshi, and they had made it in record 
time.

A shaken Ami let them in, and showed them to her room, 
explaining as she went along. Luna looked concerned, and 
Artemis worried. Usagi got the feeling that Ami had already 
told them what was going on. 

"Well, you see, I was taping the news as a part of my biology 
project, because I knew there was going to be a piece on the 
recent developments in cancer research. And then I saw this…"

She choked back a sob, seemingly reluctant to push play. It was 
as if she was frightened out of her mind. 

The screen flickered into life, and she released the mute 
button.

"…and in further news, a strange reappearance." The picture 
flicked from a well dressed newsreader to a familiar building. 
The Sanjouin mansion. "Earlier today, this building and assets 
connected with its former owner were reclaimed by the original 
owner."

Usagi’s eyes widened, and her hand flew to her face in horror. 
Mamoru gasped, and Rei gripped his arm so tightly it was 
painful. Sanjouin Masato’s handsome visage filled the screen, 
cerulean eyes dark. 

"Mr Sanjouin," called a reporter over the cacophony of voices, 
one of many, holding a microphone to his face, as cameras 
flashed in random bursts. His face was almost masked by the 
barricade of mikes, but one could sense his distaste at the 
media circus surrounding him. "Mr Sanjouin, where have you been 
all this time? Is it true you were involved with the FBI and 
CIA? You were presumed dead…was it part of a government 
conspiracy?"

Masato Sanjouin snorted. "Yes and no. It was a personal matter 
that got a little out of hand, and that’s all I am permitted to 
say." He turned from the crowd, and slipped into a sleek black 
sedan, which then drove through the wrought iron gates into the 
compound of his mansion. 

Back at the studio, the woman continued. "The owner of a vast 
business empire, Sanjouin Masato was missing, presumed dead, 
after his disappearance a year ago. His reappearance and 
assumption of his former role has once again made him one 
of the wealthiest men in Tokyo, and indeed the world."

There was more, but Ami hit the mute button, and sighed 
heavily. Mamoru had paled, and Usagi looked close to 
fainting. Rei’s eyes flashed liquid fire, and only Makoto and 
Minako didn’t look overly worried. Though they too, through 
Phoebe Loxley, knew just who Sanjouin Masato was.

"I think…I should tell you something," croaked Mamoru, eyes 
very wide, bleak. Usagi held onto his arm tightly. "I…I’ve 
just met two other people whom we know as different people…"

"What do you mean?" asked Ami tightly, and Luna looked 
horrified. 

"You mean…he’s not the only one?"

"No…at least, I don’t think so. I met two people yesterday, 
through Reika and Motoki. A doctor and his student. Karl and 
Zoya."

"Kunzite and Zoisite?" gasped Rei, looking like she was 
going to be sick. "You mean, they’re not dead?"

"If they ever were dead," said Mamoru darkly. "I mean, you 
guys saw Nephrite die, you saw Kunzite die, and I heard 
explicitly what happened to Zoisite and Jadeite while I was 
Prince Endymion of the Dark Kingdom. Zoisite was definitely 
dead, and Jadeite was trapped in eternity…no, wait. They 
can’t be alive."

"And what about Jadeite?" asked Rei hopefully. "We haven’t 
met him yet."

"So who are these clones?" asked Artemis, looking at Mamoru 
with wide eyes. He could sense there was a lot more to this 
than Mamoru had first said.

He sighed, holding Usagi to him tightly. "Zoya…is my 
flatmate."

"NANII?!!!!" screeched the girls in horror, though the cats 
remained silent. Rei continued. "Are you NUTS?! What in the 
HELL made you let this girl become your flatmate? Mamoru no 
BAKA!"

Mamoru winced, and Usagi gave Rei a dirty look. "I didn’t 
realise…I mean, she looked like a female version of Zoisite, 
sure, and then there was Karl Rutherford, but really, Zoya 
Troubetzkoy was too pleasant, too bright, too ‘human’ to be 
Zoisite…"

Rei opened her mouth to protest sharply, but Minako stopped 
her. "Did you say…Troubetzkoy?"

"Uh huh," replied Mamoru, seemingly glad for the 
interruption. Rei steamed meant one hell of a grilling 
for him.

"I…I met someone Troubetzkoy this morning…a lawyer. He was about 
22, his name was Jonathan Troubetzkoy."

"Was he…tall, blonde, with deep blue eyes? Like Mamo-chan’s?" 
asked Usagi, her young, kawaii face worried. Minako seemed 
startled, she dragged her hand through her pale blonde hair, 
looking stunned, and very tired.

"Yes…how did you know?"

Luna shot a look at the other two original Senshi, and then 
at Makoto, who looked as blank as Minako. "She just described 
Jadeite. The first of our Dark Kingdom adversaries."

"I should ask Zoya about this, I guess…I mean, how many 
Troubetzkoys could there be in Tokyo?"

"He said he was from Greece," said Minako helpfully, stretching 
out her long legs, running her hands over her thighs. She wore 
a bright outfit, consisting of loose, baggy orange jeans, and 
a white T-shirt with a caractirature of Sailor Moon embroidered 
on the pocket. She looked like she had gotten over the initial 
shock of running into an old enemy, and although she looked 
relaxed, her eyes told another story.

Rei tossed her raven hair over her shoulder, tucking her legs 
beneath her. She had come straight from the temple, and was 
still in her typical robes. "I think we should ALL have a chat 
to these people – and then fry the lot in one fell swoop!"

"Hey hey hey!" cried Mamoru. "Look, I have to say, Masato 
certainly looked as ‘evil’ as ever, but Karl and Zoya 
don’t."

"Anyone would think you actually LIKED those jerks!" sneered 
Rei, completely out of character. It was in her nature to be 
nasty, but not to her beloved Mamo-chan. She stood angrily, 
dark hair swinging around her taut form. "Come on, would you 
wake up and smell the scum? They’re a bunch of murdering, 
psychotic jerks! Maybe once, they were your friends, but 
Beryl has corrupted them all beyond that. It’s over, Mamo-chan. 
Accept that." Rei sat down again, her eyes wounded. "And 
don’t forget…you’re not the only one who was betrayed by 
them…we were too."

"Hey!" cried Usagi, eyes wide. "Am I the only one…Zoya 
Troubetzkoy is a GIRL?!"

Mamoru shrugged. "Don’t ask me. Maybe this is a sign that…
well, that this isn’t happening. It’s all a horrible 
coincidence."

"Karl and Zoya, maybe. Sanjouin Masato– fat chance."

"Let’s…have a talk with Zoya. You said Karl and Zoya were 
teacher and student, didn’t you? Maybe once you guys are settled 
in, you could have a dinner party type thing. You know, 
friendly atmosphere…" said Luna helpfully, Artemis nodding 
his head.

"Settled in?" squawked Rei. "You can’t be serious…it’s Zoisite! 
He – she’ll try to kill you, Mamo-chan!"

"Hardly," muttered Mamoru dryly. "And I appreciate your faith 
in my abilities, Rei-chan."

She coloured, and looked down. Minako filled in the 
uncomfortable silence with her cheerful voice, her kawaii 
face bright and honest. "You know, maybe we can invite Jonathan 
over. I have his phone number, and…" she coloured slightly, 
looking embarrassed. Makoto hooted with laughter.

"There was more to this meeting than you were going to tell 
us, ne?" she laughed, and Minako pushed her with a friendly 
shove, still blushing furiously. "You have a one track mind, 
you know that?"

"With my hormones, it’s not hard," sniggered Makoto. "Is he 
cute, this Jonathan? You said he was a lawyer...he’s bit 
old for you, isn’t he?"

"22, yeah," said Minako, laughing a bit uncomfortably. "I 
won’t even begin to tell you how my parents would react to 
that."
________________________________________________________________________
Mamoru watched Zoya dump the last box on the floor of the new 
apartment, and brush the long hair hanging in her face back 
over her shoulders. She sighed, then smiled. "I think that’s 
the last one, Mamo-chan. You didn’t have a lot of stuff, 
ne?"

"Don’t start," he said good naturedly. "You had enough stuff 
to sink the Titanic."

A smile glinted in her eyes. "I think that ship was doomed, 
anyway. My stuff wouldn’t have any effect on that. It sunk 
because it was destiny."

"What, you’re into that kind of stuff? Destiny?"

Zoya pulled her hair into a long ponytail, securing it with a 
aqua band. The style was similar to that of Zoisite, it made 
him uncomfortable. But the relaxed way she held herself was 
completely different from the narcissistic creature who had 
tried to stab him with ice crystals on more than one occasion. 
Her clothes, too, helped him remain at ease in her presence – 
she wore a loose green shirt, the colour of her eyes, which 
were still hidden behind her glasses, and loose black jeans, 
with green suede boots. She acted nothing like her psychotic, 
male look alike, and Mamoru was finding it hard to dislike 
her.

"So – do you want to have this dinner thing I was telling you 
about? Some of my friends wanted to meet you, and maybe you 
could invite Karl over, too."

She shrugged, and looked at him with her expressive eyes. "What, 
is it a little obvious that I like him?"

"Just a tad," he said with a laugh. "That reminds me…do you 
know a Jonathan Troubetzkoy?"

Zoya looked up, startled. "Hai."

"A friend of mine met him a few days ago, and I kept forgetting 
to ask if you two were related."

"He’s my brother," she said, an odd smile on her face, opposite 
to the sweetness of her eyes. "He lived in Greece, with our 
mother, while I lived in Liverpool, with our father. My name 
may be Russian, but I can assure you, it’s from way back in my 
father’s heritage. It was a coincidence that we both ended up 
in Japan, he in Tokyo, me in Kyoto. Though I got a scholarship 
and transferred here. We haven’t seen each other in awhile…do 
you want me to invite him around?"

"Minako-chan would probably like that," said Mamoru absently, 
wondering briefly how any of them were going to get a hold of 
Sanjouin Masato. No one had volunteered for the job – to be 
expected. Usagi was particularly worried about Naru-chan. 
If she remembered Masato…

Makoto had been the one to craftily suggest that Mamoru, the 
heir to a vast fortune, might be the only one of the group who 
would be able to get an audience with the esteemed Sanjouin-san. 
That had earned her glares from both Mamoru and Usagi.

"Tomorrow night? Do you think that they’re all going to able to 
make it then?" 

"It’ll be okay – I’m sure they wouldn’t miss it."

Zoya snorted. "Why do they want to meet ME so desperately? I’m 
only a medical student, after all."

"Are you and Dr Rutherford actually…involved? Because he calls 
you forbidden, but that doesn’t seem to stop him much."

She dropped into an armchair, after placing the box on it 
carefully on the ground. "I wish we were, Mamo-chan…I think I 
love him, I really do. But he thinks of me as an amusing student, 
that’s all. I…I kissed him once, and although I felt like my 
heart was on fire, along with my soul, he didn’t seem to enjoy 
it as half as much as I did. He never mentioned it to me again."

"That’s really terrible," said Mamoru, wrinkling his brow. "If 
you really love him, Zoya-chan, you should just go ahead and 
tell him. That way at least you’ll know for sure if there’s a 
future for you two."

She sighed restlessly. "I don’t need to know. It’ll sort itself 
out, I guess."

She looked so vulnerable, sitting in the armchair, eyes downcast, 
hands wringing nervously in her lap. A glimmer of light was 
captured by her fingers, and his eyes looked curious. He had 
never noticed her ring before. 

"What kind of ring is that?" he asked, kneeling beside her 
chair. He took her unresisting left hand, and studied the ring 
on her middle finger. It was a delicate gold band, containing 
a small, purple crystal. "What is that?"

Zoya looked distracted, gazing out through the glass doors 
of the balcony at the sickle-shaped moon. "It’s only Tanzanite…
it’s a form of Zoisite found only in Tanzania."

Mamoru winced, but Zoya was too engrossed in the night sky to 
notice. Maybe the Senshi had been right. The Dark Kingdom 
had somehow returned.
Here we go again...sigh. Oh well, I can safely say I did NOT create most of these
 characters etc, so this insanity is not ENTIRELY my fault...
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Part Five: China Roses
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
As Mamoru's unease with Zoya Troubetzkoy diminishes, Minako finds that her 
relationship with Jonathan is  heightening. And then there is the reappeared 
millionaire, Masato Sanjouin...
________________________________________________________________________
Zoya sighed restlessly as she threw herself onto the park bench, allowing her handbag 
to fall from her slender wrist to sit beside her. She kept a firm hold on her black
folder 
however, and she leaned back, trying to relax somewhat. The day was warm, and she 
had to wonder how Karl could stand to wear so much black. She herself wore a loose 
blue dress that came to just below her knees, and her hair was pulled back in a
French 
plait, for her hair was unnecessarily heavy and cumbersome in the heat.

She sighed as her thoughts strolled to Karl - as they always tended to do. She still
had 
to ask him to dinner that night. If all truth be told, she was terrified of being
rejected. 
They may have temporarily shared an apartment, but it had never gone further than 
that. Except in her own mind. As she stood again unwillingly, for she was tired and 
just wanted to sleep, she caught sight of a familiar figure, who stood talking to
another 
blonde figure.

"Jonathan!" called Zoya in delight. She hadn't seen her brother since Friday, and
their 
phone conversation the previous night had been all too brief. 

The well-dressed man looked up in surprise, halting in his conversation with the
young 
girl, who was dressed in a school uniform. His face broke into a wide grin. "Well
well 
well, if it isn't the tooth fairy!"

"Jonathan you nut, what's with you today?" she cried, playfully messing up his hair. 
He swatted her hand away, looking comfortably irritated.

"Hey! Don't touch the hair!" He then shrugged, a playful glint in his eye. "Someone 
gave me coffee, that's all." Zoya laughed again, and tried to get to his hair again.
But he 
foresaw her purpose and ducked.

"So this is your sister Zoya, I guess," said Minako, looking startled. She had known 
Zoya would bear a resemblance to the dead king, but it was one thing to hear about
it,
 another thing to SEE it.

Zoya stopped trying to hit Jonathan with her handbag, and looked at her curiously. 
"What, does he talk about me or something?"

Jonathan slung an arm around Zoya, and gave her an affectionate peck on the cheek. 
"How could I ever stop talking about you, Zoya my dear sister?"

"Did YOU give him this coffee?" asked Zoya, a smile touching her lips as she 
regarded Minako, who was beginning to find the resemblance even more disturbing.
 "If so, I hope you've learned your lesson." She shrugged, and looked at Jonathan. 
All of a sudden, she had the desire to fly away from here, get away from the 
craziness of the resurrected dead. "I should really be going...I'll see you guys
tonight, 
ne?" She turned and ran from the park, her blonde hair trailing like a kite behind
her. 

"Strange girl," observed Zoya, pushing a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. She
looked towards her expensive watch, and let out a shriek that made Jonathan wince. 
"4:30?! I was supposed to meet Karl five minutes ago! GODDAMN!"

At least she didn't laugh, he thought cynically. "I guess I'll see you tonight, too? 
Eight? Oh, that's another thing - do you mind if I bring a friend over? He's 
someone I got to know in high school, and you do know him."

"Sure," she replied, looking too harassed to question further. "I'll catch you
later."

Jonathan watched his 'sister' leave, and smiled. Fun and games, that was what 
tonight would be. He couldn't believe that they didn't remember what it had been 
like, that they didn't remember themselves, but he had been warned they 
wouldn't. He sighed, over come by a wave of melancholy. He wished sometimes 
that he could be like that. Able to forget the past, and all the smeg that lay there.
He thought about Minako for a second. Beautiful, brilliant...it was too bad that 
he had to destroy her. He could see why Kunzite had loved the princess of Venus 
back in the Silver Millennium. Being a Dark Kingdom ruler sure as hell isn't all it's 
cracked up to be, thought Jadeite sullenly, and disappeared into the shadows with
 scarcely a second thought. 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Karl tapped his long fingers impatiently on the bench, eyeing the jars of 
formaldehyde as he did so. Where was Zoya? Lateness was not generally her forte; 
she could usually be trusted to turn up on time.Just then tropical disturbance Zoya 
Troubetzkoy slammed through the door into the laboratory/classroom, an 
apologetic look on her panicked features. "I'm so sorry!" she blurted out, her heart 
in her mouth. She did have to wonder why she feared disappointing Karl so badly. 
She liked the guy, sure, but this went much deeper...a downward spiral. It could
bring no good.

He looked at his student critically through his cool platinum eyes, and shrugged. 
"It's your loss being late, Zoya. It doesn't really effect me." He turned to the 
complicated mess of apparatus he had set up on the front bench, numerous 
organic chemicals surrounding him in their assorted bottles. "Shall we begin?" 
She nodded mutely, then  spoke up. "But first...there's something I have to ask 
you."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Minako straightened her dress one last time, looking expectantly to Makoto for 
compliment. The tall Senshi, however, was engrossed in her own appearance, as she 
checked over her outfit once more. Makoto wore a flared green skirt, with pale 
yellow tights and shirt. Over the silky shirt she wore a green jacket, the exact same 
shade of forest green as the short skirt. Her heels only added to her height. Minako 
dressed in an indigo slip dress, patterned with stars and moons, under which she 
wore a lacy short sleeved baby T. Her hair was unusually worn in a coil of plaits 
around her head, making her appear much older. She now bore scant resemblance 
to the child-like schoolgirl Jonathan had seen earlier in the day.

"Dressing to impress, hmm?" asked Makoto, a knowing smile on her face as she
rapped on the door of the new apartment. "I'm sure Jonathan will be impressed."

"Don't start," groaned Minako, a small smile touching her features. "But really, do 
I look okay?"

Makoto laughed out loud. "Trust me, Mina-chan, you look fine! Any one would 
think that you wanted to impress one certain guest here tonight..."

"Get over it!" hissed Minako, a red blush tinting her cheeks. She coughed as Zoya 
opened the door, trying to keep her words in her throat. She had almost blurted 
out to Makoto that she thought she loved Jonathan.

Zoya looked the picture of sophistication this evening, wearing a long, slinky black 
dress, with a high neckline and sleeves. It appeared quite severe, but the soft,
pretty 
features of the girl took the edge off the sharp blackness of the dress. Pearls
adorned 
her throat in the form of a choker, and the only hint of colour was from the sparkle 
of her emerald eyes, and the unusual ring she wore. "Hi," she said brightly, an odd 
smile on her face. She felt suddenly uncomfortable around the two girls, though she 
recognised Minako. She tried to speak over her unease, but Makoto's narrowed eyes 
weren't hard to read. "I'm Zoya Troubetzkoy...and you are Minako and..?"

"Kino Makoto," replied the Senshi of Jupiter with an arrogant toss of her head. She 
instantly took a severe dislike to the King-lookalike, and Zoya coughed. To her 
immense relief, Mamoru popped up, smile on his face. 

He looked at Makoto as if she were his saviour. "Mako-chan! I need your help! 
Kitchen - NOW!" Then he looked apologetic. "I don't mean to sound like I'm 
ordering you around...but..."

She laughed, not looking at Zoya purposely. "If I minded, I would have decked you 
one, but since you're still on your feet, I think you're safe." 

The pair disappeared in the direction of the kitchen, leaving Minako and Zoya alone, 
Zoya looking almost crestfallen. Minako, despite her mental protests, felt vaguely 
sorry for the "girl." She reached out a tentative hand, laying it on Zoya's shoulder. 
She jumped, and shrunk away from Minako, eyes wide. Then she sighed. "I guess 
I've been expelled from the kitchen, don't you think?"

"Why do you say that?" Minako slipped inside, closing the door softly behind her. 
She regarded the strange woman with curious eyes. 

"I get the distinct feeling Makoto-chan doesn't exactly feel thrilled by my 
illuminating presence." Glumly, the girl shuffled off down the hallway. "I'm going 
to my room to lie down - my head is killing me. The dining room is through there, 
and you'll probably have to let the others in."

There was a distinct, heavy thud, which quite obviously indicated the 
conversation was closed. Confused, and to her surprise, slightly hurt by Zoya's
brush off, Minako wandered further into the room. It was large, with an easy 
atmosphere, bright and airy. The sliding glass doors lead onto a large balcony, 
with an unusual view. The positioning and height of the balcony meant that the 
park shielded many of the buildings from view, but the sea was visible, sparkling 
as lights moved as fairies across the surface. It leant an air of enchantment to the 
room, which was heightened by the numerous artefacts scattered about, like the 
dragon statuettes, Greek figures, tapestries, Japanese fans, Chinese bamboo 
flutes, a Faberge egg, and surrealist paintings...Dali, probably. The famous 
melting clocks were positioned over the mantelpiece. The unique combination of 
styles and cultures actually worked with an odd harmony - somehow, every 
thing balanced out.She slumped in an armchair, looking at the canvases with 
interest. The clocks were so...strange, and yet so hauntingly beautiful. It 
reminded her strongly of her dreams, dreams of yesterday. Her past.

"I hope I didn't offend you." Minako whipped around in shock as the quiet voice 
broke the silence. Zoya leaned against the door, appearing a frail china doll. She 
smiled tiredly. "Migraines. They're a bitch."

"And so is Mako-chan," Minako chuckled quietly. "She's not, really, I don't mean 
that...she's just - uh, a little preoccupied."

"I'll survive...but I need to have a lie down. I've taken my medication, and if you 
need me, I'll be up the front. It's the second door on the right, you can't miss it. 
Mamo-chan stuck a huge picture of a frog on the door."

Minako burst into laughter, a little surprised at how genuine she was. Unwittingly, 
she was relaxing in Zoya's presence. "Why?!"

Rolling her eyes, Zoya disappeared through the door and into the hallway. "His 
idea of a joke, I guess. I happened to mention I was looking for my "prince," so 
he gave me a poster of a frog and told me to see if I could get a prince out of
that."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The doorbell rang through her head sharply, snapping Minako out of her regressions. 
Remembering that Zoya was up the front, lying down, and the duo in the kitchen 
probably had their hands full, Minako dragged herself upward. 

Usagi was at the door, beside her were Luna, Artemis and Naru. Usagi, subtle to 
a fold, leapt in, shrieking "Where is she?!"

"Damare!" cried Minako, grabbing her by the arm, as the cats rolled their eyes. 
"Zoya's having a lie down, up the front - she's got a migraine. So...don't, okay?"

"What's the big deal, anyway Usagi-chan?" Naru smoothed down her blue jeans, 
picking at a stray piece of lint on her white wool sweater. "She's only his flatmate, 
after all."

Luna and Artemis gave the two strikingly similar girls the evils. Enough said.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
"This place is too creepy for me," announced Usagi, wandering into the lounge 
from the kitchen. Makoto had banished her once Usagi had started in on the dessert 
before the main course was even ready. "And where are the others, already? I'm 
starving."

"There's something new," chuckled Mamoru, poking his dark head in. "So Zoya's 
lying down, Mina-chan?"

"Uh huh." The blonde girl tossed her hair, looking slightly worried. "She didn't 
look so good - do you want me to check on her?"

Mamoru seemed torn between doing it himself, and upsetting Usagi, or letting 
Minako do it, and leaving his own curiosity unsated. "Maybe we should just let 
her be for awhile. She'll come down when she's ready."

Withdrawing back into the kitchen, Mamoru felt...strange. The girl had some weird 
hold over him that couldn't be explained by mere words.

"How is it creepy?" asked Minako, skilfully drawing the conversation away from 
the stranger. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's all dark and horrible," complained Usagi. "And look at the weird décor - it's 
too weird."

"Night time tends to do that to the light," said an oddly familiar voice dryly from 
the front door. Usagi stifled a shriek when she saw who it was - an exact replica 
of Kunzite. He regarded her coldly from the door. "I let myself in - not a problem, 
I presume?"

Minako found she couldn't move, and it took Mamoru's arrival to break the odd 
tension that fell across the room. "Karl - it's great to see you again."

"Likewise, Mamoru-sama...but I'm afraid I cannot stay. I have other matters to 
attend to, so this is a polite declination of Zoya's earlier offer. Do give her my 
apologies." He turned to leave, long ebony coat swaying around his long legs. 
Mamoru frowned. "I can get her, if you want to tell her yourself."

"No need. We thank you." Then the strange man, dressed entirely in black, moved 
effortlessly through the door, and it closed softly behind him, seemingly of its own 
accord.

"He was a friendly one, hmm?" Minako said lightly, trying to rid herself of the cold 
that seemed to have penetrated her very soul. "What a conversationalist." 

Pensively, Mamoru looked in the direction of Zoya's bedroom. "Crap." He then 
vanished into the kitchen once more, leaving the others looking confused. 

"He was too strange for me, anyway," said Usagi decisively. "I'm glad he's not 
staying."

"I wonder where the others are," mused Minako, and Naru nodded agreement.
 
"I hope they don't mind my being here," she said, and Usagi patted her shoulder. 
Naru was staying temporarily with Usagi, while her mother was in London. 

"I wouldn't worry about it - Mamoru said earlier this afternoon it was okay," 
Minako answered, casting looks at Luna and Artemis. The cats had not been 
pleased at the prospect of Naru being around - it put them at a 
disadvantage, though Minako pointed out that they hadn't planned on revealing 
themselves to Karl, Jonathan or Zoya anyway.

A knock sent Minako barrelling to the door, where Rei's stormy features, and Ami's 
obvious displeasure at Rei, greeted her. From the looks of things, they had been 
arguing the entire way over here, which was unusual. Ami was usually so diplomatic, 
so reserved yet friendly, and Rei respected the girl greatly. Ami and Rei were
usually 
the last to get into an argument - of any kind. 

The red Senshi dumped herself into an armchair beside the couch where Minako 
had been sitting with Luna and Artemis. Her long, dark hair was loose as usual, and 
she wore a long, cream-coloured skirt, with a loose red linen shirt hanging off her 
slender frame. Her eyes were dark, and they roamed the room, obviously searching 
for one of the three kings supposed to be present tonight. She visibly relaxed when 
none were found.

Ami and Minako still remained at the door, Ami dressed in blues as per usual, 
looking dignified and smart, as was normal. But her expression was another matter. 
"Minako - look. I should warn you, Rei-chan is absolutely livid over this whole 
scenario. She despises the fact that Zoya is under Mamo-chan's roof, and that 
we're having a 'civilised' dinner with the three kings we can get a hold of. She's...
I'm afraid she's going to try something. On Zoya, in particular."

"Two," Minako corrected, and continued at Ami's blank look. "Only two are 
coming - Zoya's up the front, and Jonathan's still not here. Karl's been and gone 
already, apparently he had other things to do."

Ami seemed slightly relieved. "That's okay...sort of. What was he like?"

"Who, Karl?" Ami nodded. Minako shuddered at the memory. "He was so cold...
like an ice statue."

The two girls moved into the room, and drifted towards seats. There were two 
couches and three armchairs, one couch capable of supporting two, the other three. 
Minako, Rei and Ami converged on the larger couch, Naru and Usagi in armchairs 
opposite them. Luna and Artemis sat on the armrests of Usagi's chair. 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Mamoru looked at his watch, then at Makoto. The girl seemed quite happy at the 
stove, and he shot her a smile. She grinned back. "You need some cooking lessons, 
Mamo-chan. If it wasn't for me, this place would be a disaster."

"I didn't know baking powder was really necessary," he protested, and Makoto 
shrieked with laughter. 

Then Rei stepped in. "Hey, guys."

"Rei-chan," Mamoru greeted her warmly, looking toward the room. "Do you 
mind doing me a favour?"

"What?"

"Can you go ask everyone if they want something to drink? Anything you need 
should be in the fridge. Zoya should have been doing it, but she's not well. I'm 
going to go check on her." He tried to ignore the dark look in the girl's eyes, and 
slipped out into the hallway via the living room, waving at the assembly.

He knocked on Zoya's closed door, and was greeted by a moan. "What?"

"It's me, Zoya. Just checking on you - are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah...you can come in, if you want." He pushed the door open, and found Zoya 
lying on her bed, a chill wind entering the room via her ajar sliding door, that lead 
onto the balcony that wrapped around that side of their apartment. The apartment, 
located at the corner of the building, had six rooms, and a long balcony that went 
around two sides of the lounge, and one side of their bedrooms and bathroom. 

It was dim in her room, her things still not entirely put away from the shift. She 
looked exceptionally pale in the moonlight, and very pretty. Like an ice goddess...
he swept all such thoughts from his brain. After all, he had his moon princess...

He knelt by her bed, taking one of her cold hands. "Are you sure you're okay?" 
he asked, wondering at the compassion in his words. What did he care about her, 
anyway? This could quite easily be the megalomaniacal psychopath who had 
tried to kill him on numerous occasions. 

"I'll be fine," she said thinly, a small smile on her face. A thought entered his
head 
- and before he could stop himself, he reached into his shirt, and pulled out one of 
his roses, handing it to the girl. She gazed, shocked, at the blood red petals. 
"Wha...how did you do that, Mamoru-sama?"

He shrugged, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "A magician never reveals his tricks."

"You are a magician, aren't you?" She looked at him sadly through her large green 
eyes, and sighed. "Is Karl here yet?"

He felt a stab of pain - for what he had to tell her. She had been so hopeful...so 
ready to tell him. "He's already made his appearance. He came and said he couldn't
 stay. I think he was here for a grand total of one minute. Probably less." He ran a 
hand over her cheek without thinking, sadly. "I'm sorry."

The misery on her face was heartbreaking. "And he didn't even tell me himself...oh 
Mamoru-sama," she began to sob. "It's true, isn't it? He doesn't like me in the least
...I have no hope of..."

"Oh hey, it's okay," he said, sitting on the bed beside her, pulling her into his
arms, 
against his own better judgement. But he couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, 
no matter whom she resembled. Unrequited love was the most potent of 
heartbreakers. "You can always find someone else."

"No one like him," she wept, and Mamoru was stunned at the depth of her emotion. 
No one ever reacted like this unless they really, honestly felt like this inside. 

"I never realised he meant so much to you, Zoya...I didn't think that you've even 
known him for that long."

"I haven't," she replied, looking lost. "I mean...only since I met him in Kyoto, with 
Doctor Bennett...but...I don't know. It's like I've known him before."

Mamoru shivered, and tried to conceal it from the trembling girl. "Maybe it would 
be better if you just...tried to find someone new, get over him."

She wrapped her arms around him, and he felt vaguely uncomfortable, holding 
Zoya on her bed, in darkness, the moon watching them like the condemning eye of 
the dead queen...Serenity never had liked him, anyway...She buried her pale face 
in his shoulder, now weeping openly, and he held her even tighter, like her 
expected her to vanish at any second. But she wasn't Zoisite...was she? Some 
part of him felt repulsed at this intimate embrace, another part of him felt nothing 
but pure sympathy for this poor creature. Or was there something else, something 
he was trying desperately to deny...

"I should go back...the others will be getting bored," he said softly, though neither 
made any move to separate. "Do you think you'll be okay? I can tell the others that 
you're not well enough to come to dinner."

"No..." she sighed heavily, the weight of a thousand years echoing in her words. 
"I'll come."

Though their brief conversation appeared over, Mamoru didn't yet feel ready to 
release his friend. She seemed like a frail porcelain doll, and he had the irrational
fear 
that is he let go, she would fall to the floor and shatter into a million pieces. To
his 
absolute amazement, he turned her face up to his with gentle fingers, eyes soft. 
"Things will work out, Zoya. I promise you."

She sounded almost bitter. "How do you know that, Mamoru-sama?"

"I just do," he murmured, letting his fingers stroke her coppery-blonde hair. "Oh, 
but you are just beautiful, and perfect...just so damn gorgeous..."

"What?" she asked, sounding like she was waking from a dream. Her own long, 
gentle fingers had made their way, unbidden, to Mamoru's face, and raven hair. 
She ran a finger down his cheek, and he shivered at her touch. This was Zoisite...
no. It was Zoya, and Zoya was not Zoisite...Before he knew what he was doing, 
he moved closer to her, so that they couldn't look at anything but each other. His 
eyes were like two sapphires, hers two emeralds. In both, emotions ran riot, and 
their hearts couldn't be denied.

"Mamoru-sama..." she whispered, and he smiled gently.

"I'll be your one and only," he murmured, and pulled them together. Their lips 
immediately met, and both were stunned by the electricity that surged through 
them both, and the magic that danced across the surfaces where their two bodies 
met. He refused to let go, and she willingly surrendered in his arms, kissing him 
like she could do nothing else.

And beside them, on Zoya's bed, lay the rose. A single blood red rose, but one that 
had been a symbol of everything Mamoru had stood for, and all that was good. 
When finally oxygen became a necessity and not a want, the pair drew apart, both 
looking more than slightly shocked. "Uh...Mamoru..."

He shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed. "I guess I'd better go back, Zoya."

"I'll be out in a minute." She moved toward the balcony, casting him a long, 
meaningful look. He moved quickly toward the relative safety of the kitchen. 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
"How is she?" asked Minako, as Mamoru slipped into the kitchen. He looked up, 
and only Luna saw the look of guilt in his eyes before he masterfully concealed it. 
"Better - she should be out in a minute. Jonathan's not here, is he?"

"No - and it's almost half past eight. Let's eat." Everyone gave Usagi a look, and 
she sighed. "What'd I say?"

Before Rei could burst in with a stinging retort, the knock rang out, and everyone's 
eyes turned to the door. Mamoru was the only one standing, with the exception of 
Makoto, who came to look from inside the kitchen door. 

Everyone knew that it had to be Jonathan - who else could it be?

The blonde man looked over Mamoru, slight contempt flickering in his eyes. 
"Chiba Mamoru, hmm?" He was well dressed in a sharp blue suit, which matched 
the colour of his eyes to the exact shade. He had steeped through the door Mamoru 
had opened with easy grace, and he looked over the group like he recognised them 
all except Naru.

"I brought a friend," he added, indicating a figure who stood just out of sight. "I'm 
Jonathan Troubetzkoy, and I'm sure you must have heard of Sanjouin Masato."

Rei choked on her glass of coke, Ami's eyes widened, and Usagi used the 
opportunity to grab the last muffin. Naru just stared, and wondered in her own 
mind 'why is this man so...'

Then in true cliché fashion, Zoya walked in, and stopped dead. Unmistakable 
maliciousness glinted in her eyes. "What is HE doing here?!"

The group looked at the girl in astonishment, seeing her pale face flushed with 
sudden anger. "Jonathan, you stupid idiot! Konoyaro, you baka!"

"Sister dear, let's not go overboard, hmm?" He moved to put an arm around her, 
somewhat calming her. But hatred still unmistakable glinted in her emerald glare. 
Masato simply looked at her in confusion.

"Welcome to the circus," snickered Jonathan, and he picked up a glass. "Sherry,
anyone?"

Okay – someone’s still there? Wow…so, this isn’t as bad as I thought…ooh, I feel 
all warm and fuzzy…uh oh. I think someone needs to get a life…and that would 
be ME. Wanna help me out? E-mail me!
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Part Six: Shepherd Moons
The gang sat, uncomfortable ten, around the large table, Zoya and Mamoru at
opposite ends, four of the others on each side. Minako and Jonathan sat beside 
each other, Makoto and Rei on either side. Ami, Usagi, Naru and Masato were 
gathered on the other side, Usagi purposely seating herself between Masato and 
Naru. To the displeasure of the Senshi, Masato and Naru seemed uncomfortably 
fascinated by each other. It was obvious neither remembered each other or their 
pasts, though in Naru’s case, it was hardly surprising.

"So – why is your mother in London, anyway?" asked Minako, taking a forkful of 
the pasta Makoto had made with minimal input from Mamoru. She gazed sidelong 
at Jonathan, then went back to looking at Naru. She shrugged. "My cousin’s mother 
just died…and we’re her only remaining family. So mom went over there to y’know, 
comfort her, and I got a call last night, saying that Morgan’s going to come live
with 
us for awhile. I’ve never met her myself, but mom said she’s really sweet. She’s 
twenty-three, and is an artist. Mom said that she just doesn’t want to live on her 
own."

"When is she arriving?" asked Makoto, spearing a piece of chicken. She cast a black 
look at Zoya, then smiled winningly at Masato. "It’s so great to have you here, 
Sanjouin-san. Have you and Jonathan been friends for a long time?"

"Not really – we met some time again through a mutual colleague," Masato replied, 
trying to keep his intense gaze from Naru. "We hit it off, didn’t we, Jonathan?"

"I didn’t exactly get along with your sister, ne?" Zoya coughed on her mouthful, 
and took a glass of water from beside her. Mamoru looked up in alarm – too 
concerned, in Usagi’s mind. Her glare was unmistakable. 

"Daijobu desu ka, Zoya? Do you need a hand?" She coughed a little more, setting 
the glass down. She smiled waterly at Mamoru. "I’ll be okay."

"Why don’t you like Masato?" asked Usagi, looking at Mamoru with annoyance. 
He ducked his head to avoid her accusing eyes, which she then turned on Zoya. 
She chuckled without humour.

"No reason – we just had a clash of personalities when I visited Jonathan in 
Greece two summers ago. I over reacted earlier…I just hadn’t seen Massey-sama 
in a long time."

Masato pulled a face. "Zoya, really, do you mind? I hate being called that."

"Why do you think I called you it, bakayaro?

Jonathan looked up from his quiet conversation with Minako. "Stuff it, you two. 
You can throttle each other later, when we’re not in civilised company."

"Always the peacemaker, eh Jonny?"

"I’m just trying to make us appear at least a little normal in front of real live 
people."

Minako giggled, putting a hand on his arm, smiling with a friendly twinkle in her 
eyes. "Jonathan, that’s so sweet. But don’t bother, we’re used to arguments. Rei-
chan and Usagi-chan hardly ever stop."

"Shut up, Minako," snapped Rei, and Mamoru sighed. 

"Rei-chan, can’t you keep that temper of yours under control?"

"No," jumped in Usagi, casting a look at Rei. "She’s got no control – especially 
when it comes to other people’s boyfriends!"

"Get a life, Usagi-chan!"

"What about you? You stay in that damn shrine all day long and-"

Usagi shrieked as Luna bit her ankle, and turned on the black cat, eyes blazing. 
Then she started wailing. The group sighed, and Mamoru looked like he was 
getting a headache. "Guys, is all this really necessary?"

"Yes!" cried Usagi and Rei in unison, and Zoya stood abruptly. 

"I think I’m going to puke," she said, looking green about the girls. Certainly she 
had paled considerably in the past few minutes. "Excuse me."

As Zoya rushed from the room, trailed by Mamoru, Usagi sighed in disgust. 
"Excuse me, I’m going to get me some dessert."

Jonathan cast Minako a meaningful look. "I need some fresh air, I’m going out 
on the balcony."

"I’ll come, too – I need some fresh air. It’s getting too humid in here." The two 
blondes vanished through the kitchen into the lounge, and there was a visible click 
as they moved through the sliding door onto the balcony.Masato looked toward 
the lounge, and then looked at Naru, who was gazing at him, enchanted. "I think I 
might go into the lounge – it’s certainly more comfortable in there. Sorry, Makoto
-chan, for not finishing this wonderful meal you made for us. I’m just not very 
hungry."

He moved to the lounge, trailed by Naru. This left Luna, Artemis, and four of 
the five Sailor Senshi in the dining room, 

Usagi clutching a large slice of chocolate cake. "Mmm, this is delicious, Mako-
chan. Why don’t you make it more often?"

"Cut the food talk," said Artemis, looking highly concerned. "We have other things 
to worry about, Usa-chan. Like these four kings."

"Karl scared the crap out of me," announced Usagi, taking a hearty bite. The others 
couldn’t agree or disagree, for they hadn’t seen him. Only Minako had – and she 
was with Jonathan.

"I’m worried about her." Luna looked at Artemis as she spoke, but he didn’t seem 
overly concerned about his charge getting involved with Jonathan.

"Mina-chan has a good head on her shoulders, she’s not stupid. Besides, if we 
were going to worry about that, we would rather be worrying about Mina-chan 
getting involved with the esteemed Doctor Rutherford."

"Why is that?" asked Ami, but Luna went on.

"I’m also concerned about Naru-chan – she may not remember Masato, 
but I think that it’s really very dangerous for those two to be around each other. 
Given their past."

"So you think we should go into the lounge, too? Not leave them alone together?" 
Ami seemed ready to move into the room at command, but Artemis seemed 
hesitant. "I don’t know…those two, they’re not important now."

"NANII?!" gasped Usagi, choking on her cake. Artemis looked pained.

"The kings themselves are more dangerous than any relationship or bond they form 
with any of you. A bond can be broken…but a spirit, whether malevolent or good, 
is not so easily destroyed. And I believe this is rather accurately illustrated by
the 
fact that the four kings walk amongst us."

"So you’re saying…we should think about destroying them, not their relationships?"

"It’s a mere distraction. Luna?" Artemis cast her a look, as if asking for support.

Luna was deep in meditative thought, and it took a few seconds for her to come up 
with a simile. "Usagi-chan, it’s like…when Jadeite was at the airport, remember? 
He was trying to kill you with a jet?"

She shuddered. "How could I forget? I had nightmares about being plane fodder 
for the next three months!"

"The point is, Usagi-chan, that you all instinctively tried to destroy the jet. When 
it was clearly obvious that it was Jadeite you had to defeat in order to stay the 
power of the Dark Kingdom. It’s the same thing now – the bonds formed are not 
the enemy, they are merely a distraction. The four kings are the problem."

"But won’t it be more difficult…remember when Naru-chan stood between us 
and Nephrite? If she becomes that attached to him again…" She cringed at the 
memory.

Luna shrugged. "We will just have to keep Naru-chan out of this. It’s unfortunate 
she is here tonight, and I have no doubt that Masato will contact her again. So we 
must act quickly."

"What about Jonathan and Minako-chan?" Ami bit her lip, eyes pensive in her 
thought. "She’s…acting strangely around him. Like she…"

"She likes him, really likes him," spoke up Makoto, running a hand through her 
dark hair. "You see, well…I guess Mina-chan and I can’t really sympathise with 
you guys about either Jadeite or Nephrite, because we never met them in battle, 
did we?"

"That still doesn’t give her permission to fall in love with him," Rei said darkly. 
"That’s what’s going to happen, you know."

"What, your fire told you?"

"Shut up, odango atama!"

"Pyro!"

"Oooh, scary insults, is that your only defence, odango atama?" taunted 
Rei. 

"What about Mamo-chan and Zoya?" interrupted Makoto, instantly capturing 
Usagi’s attention at least. Rei was only a beat behind. 

"That bitch," declared Rei. "I reckon that queer is after Mamoru – she’s cast some 
kind of spell on him!"

Artemis snorted. "Doubtful, Rei-chan." He nodded toward the lounge. "Let’s all go 
be sociable, shall we?"
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
She half sat, half leaned against Mamoru, who had softly draped both a blanket and 
an arm around her frail shoulders. Together, they were once again on Zoya’s bed, 
looking out onto the balcony.

"Such a beautiful night," murmured Zoya, moving closer to Mamoru, as if she
could find some small comfort in his embrace. "Only if…"

"Don’t think of him," he said softly, once again dying to touch her silky hair, her 
porcelain skin. His unruly fingers moved over her, and before he could stop himself, 
once again, they fell into one another, on the softness of her bed, kissing like they 
believed there would be no end to a burning love burning inside them.

"I love you," gasped out Zoya between a kiss. "I love you, I love you, I-"

"I love you ten times more," he murmured back, sprinkling kisses over her face 
and throat, feeling an upsurge in his own desire for the pretty young girl. The 
pair stretched out on the bed as one, before Mamoru drew back. "I…I love 
you, Zoya…but…""There’s always a complication, never an absolution," she 
said sadly. "Lover, I’ll never be true, and neither will you. Our hearts lie 
elsewhere." She stood, and moved as soundlessly as a shadow toward the sliding 
glass door. "I need…to clear my mind."

On the balcony, she stood in silence, and Mamoru soundlessly joined her. As a 
silent pair, they watched Minako and Jonathan passionately kiss, caught in a fiery 
embrace that rendered them oblivious to the fact they had an audience.

"We should go," Zoya said softly, wrapping her icy fingers around his, as if 
seeking comfort. Squeezing her hand gently, he lead her back into her room, and 
into the hallway. There, he released her hand and moved back into the lounge, 
where Naru and Masato were engrossed in a conversation. He could hear raised 
voices in the kitchen, and though he couldn’t make out the words, it was obvious 
that Usagi and Rei were fighting – again.
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Only seconds after the pair nodded at the other two and sat on the smaller of the 
two couches, the four remaining Senshi appeared in the room, their two cat guardians 
a step behind. Rei and Usagi both scowled to see Zoya and Mamoru so close 
together. He coughed, and she shifted uncomfortably, but they silently refused 
to separate. Thus, 

Usagi planted herself on one arm of the couch, Rei on the other. The others spread 
out – Ami and Makoto slumped in two of the armchairs, and the cats sat by the 
fire place. An uneasy silence covered the room. 

"So…did you guys enjoy dinner?"

"Until someone said she was going to be sick after eating my meal," snapped 
Makoto, eyes snapping with green flame. Zoya looked down miserably, and 
Mamoru put a comforting hand on her knee that NO one missed.

"I’m sorry…it wasn’t your food, really it wasn’t. I just get these migraines, then 
I get nauseous and…"

"Greetings, earthlings!" boomed a deep voice, and Usagi fell from her perch in 
shock. Minako swatted Jonathan’s head and laughed, gently scolding him. "Now, 
now, there’s no need to alarm anyone, dear."

"MY HAIR!" he shrieked, leaping away from the girl. "NEVER TOUCH THE 
HAIR!"

Zoya smiled thinly. "I think we get the point, Jonny."

"Ah, so dear sister, once again you rise from the dead. What was with that ‘I’m 
going to puke,’ stuff?"

She moved closer to Mamoru, as if almost afraid as her brother knelt before her, 
taking her right hand in both of his. It was then that the two Senshi closet to the 
kings noticed the rings – Zoya’s gold band with the purple crystal, and Jonathan’s 
gold band with the square cut green stone. "Dooshimashita ka? Kaoiro ga warui 
desu."

Trying to pull her hand back was pointless – he refused to let go, and continued 
to stare at her with his intense sapphire-coloured gaze. "I’m, I’m okay…just my 
headaches…"

"It happens," he said, an innuendo no one understood playing in his words. 
"Human minds can only take so much, you know."

"That’s a cynical view," spoke up Ami, and Jonathan laughed. It was not nice 
laughter, and Zoya shrunk further into 

Mamoru as she heard it. Masato, however, was completely engrossed in Naru 
and didn’t seem to be paying much attention to anything else. He wrapped an 
arm about her shoulders, and Jonathan let her hand go. Mamoru instantly took 
it, like he was trying to warm her flesh with his own.

"It’s getting late," spoke up Usagi, looking to the others. "I think it’s time we 
went – hey Mamo-chan, can I take home the rest of that cake? No one else seems
to want it."

"Go ahead," he said absently, looking at Zoya with concern in his eyes. "Hey, 
I’ll give you guys a ride home, if you want. I can take about five at the most."

"Masato and I came in his car – besides, we’re staying a little longer. We need 
to talk to Zoya."

She shuddered, and Mamoru’s brow creased in confusion. He vowed to speak to 
Zoya about this the first opportunity that they were alone.

The Senshi moved to the door, and Naru followed. "Can I squeeze in?"

"Sure," replied Mamoru, but Makoto interrupted. 

"I’m going to walk, so don’t worry – I live around the corner, remember?"
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
As the gang moved down the stairs, Ami and Usagi held back, as the cats looked 
to them. "We’re going to stick around," confirmed Artemis, looking to 
the two girls in such a way that they knew arguing would be pointless. 

"We’d better get back inside before Mamoru shuts the door – he’s still talking to 
the bizarre trio." They nodded, and ran lightly to join the others, though their 
hearts were heavy. Leaving Luna and Artemis alone with the three ‘kings’ was 
not something they particularly enjoyed doing.
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Zoya looked at the floor purposely as Mamoru left, casting her another pensive 
glance. She stood alone by the door, while Masato remained in the couch he and 
Naru had been sitting on originally. He continued to sip wine from a crystalline 
glass, while Jonathan lounged against the mantelpiece, arms folded.

"What’s wrong with you, Jonathan?" asked Zoya softly, looking at her brother 
with wounded eyes. "You’ve been acting strangely lately – what’s wrong with 
you?" She repeated it with increasing demand.

"Relax, Zoya – I was just testing you, dear sister. Just seeing how much you 
knew."

"About what?" She moved hesitantly toward the glass of wine, then she decided. 
Taking a long slug directly from the bottle, she then sprawled on the couch she 
had sat on with Mamoru. "That’s good stuff – where did you get it from, 
Massey-sama?"

Scowling, Masato looked at the bottle in distaste. "Did you HAVE to do that?"

Jonathan cackled – and the others gave him uneasy glances. He accepted them 
without protest, smiling wickedly. 

"Do you two remember the Red Dwarf drinking game we played two summers 
ago?"

"That wasn’t fair!" cried Zoya, looking embarrassed. "You gave me the worst rules…
every time talkie said ‘do you want any toast’…shit I was…"

"Pissed into oblivion," snickered Masato, picking another bottle of wine up out 
of the double case he had brought. Jonathan tossed him the corkscrew.

"How’s Karl these days?" Zoya stopped dead at his words, eyes very wide. 
Masato continued to open the bottle, unperturbed.

"How do you know Karl? You’ve never met him…"

His eyes glinted with an unnatural light. "I have my ways."
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Mamoru drove like a demon, Usagi behind him in the front, the other four squished 
in the back. Racing through the brightly lit streets, Usagi felt dizzy when she
looked 
out the window. So she turned her attention to the more interesting view of Mamoru. 
"What is she to you?" she asked bluntly. 

Appearing loathe to answer the question, Mamoru remained silent. Usagi sighed 
helplessly, and turned her tear-filled eyes out the window again. There was no
 denying it – she was losing Mamoru, slowly but surely. It wasn’t the same as 
Rei-chan and Mamo-chan either. That wasn’t real…Zoya was somehow a much 
more sinister threat, more able to take Mamoru away from her than Rei.

They reached Usagi’s house first, and she had the uncomfortable feeling that he 
was trying to get rid of her. She stepped out of the car, to see several figures step 
out of her front door. She recognised her mother, and then Naru’s mother…with 
them was a tall, unfamiliar woman. 

Naru shrieked in delight, rushing to give her mother a hug. The other Senshi waved to 
Usagi as Mamoru pealed out of the space in front of her house.

The girls regarded the woman with curious eyes. Tall she was, even though she 
wore flat heeled boots. Also she wore a short blue skirt over black boot-leg pants,
 a tight black long-sleeved top, over which she had a crocheted white sweater. Her 
hair was as inky black as her pants, and cut in a straight, sleek bob that added
edges 
to her already sharp face. The eyes were intelligent, dark, as violet as stormy skies 
at midnight. Her smile conveyed no warmth. "Hello," she said in halting Japanese, 
a thick English accent causing her Japanese to sound even worse. 

"My name is Morgan Shepherd. I’m Naru’s cousin…"
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Mamoru slipped into the apartment haltingly, hit by the irrational fear that he 
would be entering the Dark Kingdom. Zoya, however, was alone on the balcony, 
the others obviously long since departed. "Zoya?"

Turning in shock, she smiled tiredly at him. "Hey, Mamo-chan. Nice night for a 
drive?"

"Not with Usagi-chan beside me. And it seems Naru’s relative from England has 
arrived. I saw her mother and some weird girl step out of Usagi-chan’s house…
I think…"

"What?"

"Oh, I don’t know…she had a weird aura. She seemed…familiar, yet I’ve never 
met her."

The pair looked together over the slumbering city, and he instinctively reached out 
to her, wrapping her in his embrace. "What did Jonathan want to talk to you 
about?"

She shrugged. "He’s just gotten really weird of late – and I have a feeling that 
maybe Masato knows something. And his involvement with Minako can’t be 
anything good."

"They’ve known each other for what – less than a week? It can’t be serious."

Sombrely, Zoya looked Mamoru directly in the eye. "What about us, then? We 
barely know each other, yet we’ve made confessions of the heart…you said you 
loved me, Mamoru-sama. And I gave you my love in exchange. This is too quick, 
too untaught, too fast…yet I know in my heart nothing this right could ever be 
wrong. And if it’s wrong…my heart won’t let me right."

Their lips met again while they stood alone on the balcony, and it seemed an 
eternity before they could pry themselves away for long enough to speak. "If you 
don’t want to, Zoya…"

She smiled at him, both enthralled and melancholy. "I want you, Mamoru. Live for 
the moment, and all that shit. But…don’t get me wrong, you’re not a replacement. 
I love you for you, even though I barely know you. Yet, I know you in and out, 
Endymion…"

He held her tighter to him, even though the name had terrifying undertones. "And 
I know you, Zoisite."

Even though the strange names were a regression into a world that meant hatred 
on both sides, neither reacted to it. All they did was fall deeper into one another, 
as they let time melt into oblivion…like the clocks over their mantelpiece. They 
had fallen hard. Even through The Persistence of Memory…
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
The girls wandered with Morgan through the park after school the next afternoon, 
just basically giving her the run down on life in Tokyo. Unfortunately for all, 
Morgan spoke very little Japanese, and she seemed to have no interest in learning 
it. It was her arrogant belief the others should worry about learning English.

"This rose garden is very famous," Usagi said loudly to Morgan, as if raising her 
voice would make the meaning of her words any clearer. Morgan scowled heavily, 
a look that Naru and Usagi were realising that rarely left her features. 
Usagi sighed, then her breath caught in her throat. "Naru-chan, isn’t that…"

"That weird guy at Mamo-chan’s last night!" concluded Naru, looking shocked. 
"He sure is cute when you get him in full light, though."

"He’s wearing black again – complete black. Mamo-chan said he did that a lot…
hey, Karl! Rutherford-oishasan!" she cried out the last words.

Swinging around, the young doctor looked startled to see a blonde girl waving at 
him, while a red head and a tall dark haired woman pretended not to know her.

He moved swiftly to the group, having eyes only for Usagi. "Have we met?"

"I’m Tsukino Usagi – a friend of Chiba Mamoru. I saw you last night…"

"Ah, yes. When I so very rudely appeared then vanished." He smiled faintly, 
taking her hand. "Do forgive my earlier rudeness – I’m not used to being called 
out to by strange women." He turned cool blue eyes upward, in an easy manner, 
then sharply drew in his breath. The action was mirrored by Morgan. "Forgive me, 
lady, but…have I made your acquaintance before?"

"Never," snapped the girl, giving him a dark look. He laughed – and spoke in 
English.

"Not from Japan, hmm? Don’t worry – I speak perfect English. I am from New 
Zealand. Originally, anyway."

"Aoteroa – land of the long white cloud. Kind of poetic, wouldn’t you agree?" 
Morgan tossed her head. "My name is Morgan Shepherd – I’m this girl’s cousin, 
I arrived here from London yesterday."

Karl shook her hand warmly, and the uptight girl seemed to relax somewhat,
 especially since she knew she could speak English around the man. "So you 
know these girls?"

"No – I only know of them through a friend of a friend, Mamoru Chiba. Otherwise, 
I only caught a fleeting glance of them last night."

Morgan slipped a long fingered hand into her bag, the two girls noticing for the
first 
time her unusual silver bracelet with the pretty crystal shards that sparkled in the 
light.

"I have to go," Karl said, looking towards the tall buildings of the business hub of 
Tokyo. "I have an appointment with that millionaire idiot, Sanjouin Masato."

"You know him?" asked Usagi in horror. Karl seemed amused.

"Through friends – Jonathan Troubetzkoy, to be precise. Zoya doesn’t know 
that I’ve known her brother for many, many years. I just never met Zoya until 
two months ago."

Morgan looked at him as if she were studying his very molecular structure, then 
she smiled darkly. "Will I be seeing you again, Karl?"

Glaring at her, he seemed to be disturbed by her self-sufficient beauty. "What 
makes you think you intrigue me, little star?" He sounded like he was taunting 
her, daring her to enter his games.

She accepted. "I intrigue all, Doctor. Don’t you wish to study me, know me, 
understand me?"

"I don’t think I’d like to understand you, child. Odaiji ne." He moved away, with 
a passing wave to the two girls.
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Minako sat at Jonathan’s side in the blue convertible as it raced down the 
motorway, delighting in the way the wind pulled long fingers through her blonde 
tresses. She woo-hooed loudly, and Jonathan looked over, chuckling. 

"Enjoying the ride?"

"I enjoy the company more," she said boldly, not completely in character. But…
she had felt this way ever since the nightmare. She had changed from the morning 
she awoke in tears, after she dreamed that Phoebe, her dead friend, had come to 
avenge her own death.
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Phenakite snorted, watching as the pair took a corner at a suicidal speed. Humans 
they always got distracted. Even when they DID remember what they were 
supposed to be doing.

But what of Karl, Masato…and Zoya? Damn Zoya…though…a smile touched 
her taut, bloodless lips. ‘She’ had certainly found something to amuse herself. 
Beryl would not be impressed…but then, when was she ever? She didn’t know 
about Zoya’s amusing pranks, though. The bitch-queen had her own problems, 
and Phenakite had pleaded innocence to any knowledge of how the ‘accident’ had 
come about.

These human lives, they were the real accident. She had lost Kunzite in Tokyo…
but even now, though she had found him through Jadeite, she couldn’t touch him, 
go near him. It was the point of disremembrance – to regain their fallen powers. 
The choice had been made. However…

The darkness of power would lead to the darkness of heart.

She laughed cruelly, and yet, she felt a deep aching in her soul, for what she had 
become. She shoved it aside, letting the darkness creep back in.

Only one shred of her sanity remained – a name, a desperate phrase.
Leucite…how could you have let this happen to me?

Hmm. Maybe I should tell you something. "ArchNemesis" is not the Nemesis, the 
tenth planet, blah blah blah. Phoebe's home in the Dark Kingdom is simply called 
that because it was the nearest word she could find in the English language. You 
see, Nemesis can mean "one's greatest enemy" or it can mean "one who gives 
retribution." The land of Phoebe's birth represents both of these things to the
Dark Kingdom, thus this is what is was called. When I created it, I didn't know 
about the tenth planet, and now that I do, I ain't gonna change it. I will say that 
Phoebe's home does have another name, but I'm not going to tell you what it is, 
at least, not out of the story!
-Celeste
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____
________________________
Part Seven: Storms in the Dark Kingdom
Karl stared sightlessly out the window, trying to make sense of what he was 
feeling. He had always liked his pretty young student from the second he had met 
her, but really...she was young, and forbidden to him.He loved her, though. That 
much was obvious, even to his denying mind. But how could he tell her...he knew 
that his numerous rebuttals had hurt her. Every time he saw her, he saw the 
desperate need in her verdant eyes. Only if he could find a way to say...
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Zoya moved softly over the silk sheets, to run her fingers over the face of Mamoru, 
as he slept as a peaceful child. "Good morning, my love..."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Minako watched the man pull away, leaving her to sneak back into her house in 
the early hours of Friday morning. A look of pure adoration adorned her fresh 
young features...
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Phenakite threw the crystal in fury, and sighed as it shattered on the concrete 
ground. Energy was so hard to find these days...like decent help, for that matter. 
She spat on the dismembered corpse of her latest youma victim, and 
glided off to find some more animated amusement...
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Masato replaced the phone in its cradle, wondering if he really should be calling 
fifteen year olds at four o'clock in the morning...and thinking why he had just 
become so interested in astronomy...
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The morning was bright and clear, and though someone who shall remain nameless 
was late, there were members of some strange grouping that had been up for hours 
already. The mysteries were continuing to haunt them, and Usagi felt a twinge 
of unease when she noticed Naru was absent this morning. It couldn't be right...
the Saturday meeting of Masato and Naru hadn't resulted in anything as per yet, 
though Minako had become uncomfortably fascinated with Jonathan. And Mamo-
chan had seemed so distant yesterday afternoon...things changed. Too fast for the 
kawaii little Senshi.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Zoya groaned as the doorbell rang, and reluctantly, Mamoru let his arm fall from 
its protective grip around her waist, and she pulled on a white robe. She 
stumbled to the door, and drew in a sharp breath.He chuckled in amusement at 
her dishevelled appearance. "Not planning on coming to class today, little seito?"

She scowled unexpectedly, and he was slightly taken aback. But he had come to
speak the truth, and no matter what transpired, he would leave her until he had 
said all he had meant to say when he had first laid eyes on her in Kyoto. Though 
it felt as if he had seen her somewhere before...

"Can I help you, Rutherford-sensei?" she asked, glancing inside temporarily. To 
her relief, Mamoru hadn't come investigating. Not yet, at any rate. He was 
startled at her use of his proper title, he being her teacher and all. Neither had
ever 
bothered with protocol, however. Something had changed in her eyes...they were 
no longer welcoming, friendly. In fact, they were downright hostile.

She snorted, bringing him out of his thoughts that he hadn't realised he was so deep 
in. "Obviously not. I'm not coming to class today, so maybe I'll see you tomorrow, 
Rutherford-sensei. Try to have a lovely day, won't you." She spun on one bare 
heel, making to close the door.

A strong hand shot out and grabbed the edge of the door, and Karl yanked it open
 again. "Wait."

She turned on him, eyes blazing. "What?"

He bit his lip, but not quite hard enough to draw blood. "I want to talk to you."

"I'm busy," she snapped maliciously, and tossed her hair in a manner that seemed 
fuzzily familiar to him. Karl ran a hand through his peroxide-blonde hair, as if the 
movement would push his thoughts into some kind of logical order. "As you're 
obviously busy now, seito, how...how about I meet you somewhere this 
afternoon?"

"Why should I?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Then talk."

Her blunt, dark tones made her husky voice slightly evil-sounding, a tone that Karl 
found he didn't appreciate. For some reason he didn't understand, he began to pray 
that Zoya wouldn't start laughing.He glanced around, half expecting to find some 
nightmarish creature observing their conversation from the relative safety of the 
shadows in the hallway. "I...I have noticed your brother's extreme interest in 
Minako," he said faintly, while mentally kicking himself.

She chuckled without mirth. "Cradle robber, that's my brother Jonathan. But why 
would you care, Karl? I doubt you care about anyone but yourself."

He took the insult like a blow to the stomach - indeed, he felt as if all the wind
had
been knocked from him. "Nan...nanii?"

Gracefully, she ran her eyes over the length of him, a faint, amused smile on her 
taunt features. He had never felt so small. "Not without some reason, I guess."

He felt a blush stain his cheeks, and to his surprise, hot tears stung his eyelids. 
"Zoya, I do care about these people. I do not understand why, but..."

"You don't understand the meaning of friendship," she said with surprising 
bitterness. "Or love. I wonder if you have ever been in love."

With that disturbing thought for Karl to mull over, Zoya slammed the door, 
and there was an audible click as she locked it behind her.

"Who was that?" asked Mamoru, stumbling out of the bedroom. She let the anger 
slip from her features, and put on her dreamy eyed romantic look as easy as a 
mask. Yet she was sincere.

"No one," she murmured, sliding her hands around his neck, planting a delicate 
kiss on his lips. "All you need to know is this...I love you, Mamoru-sama. From 
now, until forever..."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The building towered above him, yet it did not intimidate him. It felt some how 
relaxing, actually. Like a place he could call home. The receptionist at the large 
reception area in the grand foyer of the Sanjouin Memorial Building, the heart of 
Sanjouin Enterprises, looked at the tall man curiously through her thick glasses, 
admiring him. He had an unusual aura about his slender form, dressed entirely in 
black as he was. Regal he almost was, with his aristocratic features set in a mask 
of calm decorum. "I would like to see Masato Sanjouin."She almost choked. "Mr. 
Sanjouin has a heavy schedule, Mr..?"

"Doctor Rutherford," he corrected, absently feeling a gathering of energy at the 
back of his mind. 

She looked at the young man, perplexed. Either he was older than his youthful 
features implied, or he was that prodigy they sometimes mentioned on the news. 
The name sounded familiar...

"He is always busy, Doctor, I'm sorry. You'll need to make an appointment."

"I don't really need an appointment, do I?"

Her head snapped up, her eyes suddenly blank. "Need an appointment..."

"You will allow me to see the esteemed Sanjouin Masato."

"I let you go to him." He voice was monotonous, hypnotised by his words 
that seemed to wrap themselves around the very fabric of her being.

He glanced around, relieved to note no one was close enough to witness this 
transgression. "You will not remember how I bent your will to my own. You will
only know that I had an appointment..."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Masato looked amazed when Karl stepped into the room, and he stood to shake his 
hand warmly. "Karl! How on earth did you get in here, my friend? I thought I 
had improved my security systems!"

He winced at the memory. He had not understood how he had spoken, and done 
so much to the poor woman downstairs without thinking. She had then moved 
through the appropriate channels like a zombie, and half an hour later, he was at 
Masato's office on the forty-fourth floor, not aware of the magic burning at his 
mind.

"I have ways," he said, and Masato roared with laughter. 

"I'm sure you do, Karl. It doesn't matter anyway, I wasn't busy. I was talking to 
Owen, before he so rudely disappeared half an hour early. So, I decided to have 
myself a "coffee" break."

Karl observed the crystalline glass in the young man's hand and snorted. "Nice 
coffee, my friend."

"Hardly," he snorted, with a smile lighting up his sapphire eyes. "Do you want 
some?"

Sighing, he sat down in a chair in front of Masato's desk, admiring the décor of the 
spacious office. He particularly liked the floor to ceiling window that overlooked 
Tokyo, framed by ornate carvings. The office was filled with such knick-knacks 
as one might expect to find in a museum, and Karl found he felt entirely relaxed in 
the presence of the auburn-haired man. "No - I just came to talk. About Jonathan, 
actually. It's strange, this obsession he has with Minako."

Masato looked up, eyes dark. "Have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

He put the glass down on the edge of his oak desk, and moved to look over the 
city with lines of worry creasing his forehead. It was some time before he 
addressed the doctor again.

"He gave Minako a ring last night." He looked at his own hand reflectively for a 
moment, before a hand stole to his neck. On a delicate silver chain was a carving, a 
Maori carving made from greenstone...jade. Nephrite jade, to be precise. Karl had 
obtained it for him from his country of origin some years before. Masato and Karl 
had known each other for all their lives, their parents had been friends since before 
they were born. 

"So?" Karl looked to the vase of pink roses sitting on Masato's desk, wondering 
why on earth they sent such a spasm of pain through his heart. "What's a ring 
going to do?"

"It's not just any ring," he replied, eyes troubled as he met Karl's. "It was...an 
engagement ring."

"NANII?!" shrieked Karl in shock, neatly falling from his chair. He then scrambled 
to his feet, and grabbed Masato's shoulder. "You're serious?"

"I hope you don't mind me interrupting, Mr Sanjouin," came a monotonous voice 
from the door, with little feeling in its tone. The man stepped through the large 
doors stiffly, dressed in a navy suit, with neat blonde hair done neatly about his 
head. He wore wire-rimmed spectacles, that didn't mask the brightness of his 
cerulean blue eyes in the slightest. He wore a slightly bored expression.

"Oh, no, don't worry - I'm just glad you came back." Masato turned to Karl, and 
nodded at the tall, silent man. "Karl, this is Owen Burnett, an assistant to a 
colleague in New York. He's just helping me out temporarily. Owen, this is an 
old friend, Doctor Karl Rutherford."

"Delighted," said Owen briefly, shaking his hand. "Forgive the rudeness of my 
interruption, but Mr Sanjouin, there is a woman who wants to see you. A Miss 
Morgan Shepherd."

"Morgan?" Karl's brow furrowed deeply.

Masato looked shocked. "You're kidding, aren't you? Please tell me you're joking."

Karl's eyes clouded. "An engagement ring?!"

Owen sighed, looking at his watch. "Fox is going to be pissed...not to mention the
big guy..." He looked up. "My time is limited, gentlemen, I must go. I'll send 
Miss Shepherd in, shall I?"

He ran a hand through his auburn hair, like Karl had done in Zoya's presence, and 
glanced sidelong out the window. 

"Yeah...send her in. And tell David that I'll be in New York probably next week. 
Have a good trip, Owen."

"Of course, Mr Sanjouin." He moved from the room, and swiftly, Morgan strolled 
in. 

"Hey guys - how's it shaking?"
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Jonathan and Minako sat in the café, Minako having abandoned school for the day. 
She had switched her school uniform for a pair of black jeans and a green jacket. 
She wore her silky pale blonde hair loose from its usual red ribbon, but it wasn't 
the girl's beauty that caught anyone's attention.It was the sparkling of the diamond 
adorning her left wedding finger, as it refracted light at every slight movement. 
She smiled sweetly at her fiancé, gazing at him with a perfect pair of loving eyes. 
"I love you, Jonathan. You do know that, don't you?"

"How could I not, my sweet?" he murmured, taking one of her slender hands, 
and clasping it between his own. "And I love you...always. My love for you will 
never die...even if I do."

"How morbidly poetic," snickered Minako gently. She moved to switch sides, so 
she could snuggle closer to the man she had known for such a short time, and yet 
loved with every each of her soul.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Makoto leaned against the tree, regarding Luna, Usagi and Ami with worried eyes. 
Rei snorted from the screen of the communicator, still at her own school during 
the lunch break. "Yeah right, odango atama. When did this happen?"

"Last night," she said soberly, not reacting to the much-despised nickname. Luna 
nodded grimly. 

"Artemis told me that Minako hadn't been home all night, and then...she came 
early in the morning, like a runaway star. She wore his ring on her finger..."

"This is nuts!" cried Makoto, slamming a fist into the tree. "You guys are nuts! I 
knew something like this would happen! But you guys said not to worry!"

"Don't start," warned Luna quietly, looking at Ami, who had remained silent and 
pale throughout the conversation. She wondered at the Senshi's silence. What she 
didn't know was that Ami had gone to Mamoru and Zoya's apartment earlier that 
morning, before school. She had wanted to talk to Zoya for a moment, get some 
readings on her computer...and there was something deeper, that she couldn't 
quite place. Something that drew her to the female king look-alike, something she 
didn't understand. She had been walking down the street, towards the building, 
when she had seen them.Walking, hand in hand, they seemed immersed only in one 
another as they laughed at some hidden joke, and Zoya gazed meaningfully into his 
welcoming sapphire gaze. She had ducked behind a handy tree in the pavement, 
and  watched as the pair walked past - then halted. Mamoru had the wrapped his 
strong  arms around Zoya, and pulled her closer to him. "So, dearheart, how do 
you react when you are confronted by your greatest fear?"

"My fear?" she chuckled. "My fear is that you will not love me as I love you...to 
confront it, I shall take my heart and pour it into yours."

She had kissed him then, full of a passion that Ami had never encountered before, 
and she had only watched, filled with...jealousy?

"Ami-chan, are you all right?" asked Usagi, concerned. Ami shrugged, and went 
back to tapping away on her computer. How could she tell Usagi what she had 
seen...
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The halls were dark, as dark as the shrouds of night. The only light came from the 
slight figure striding purposely down the corridor, trailed by several expendable 
youma. Her uniform was now a drab grey, lined in white, consisting of a blazer and 
knee length skirt, a pair of high-heeled ankle boots on her tiny feet. Her brown eyes 
blazed in fury, she had to talk to the queen.

"My queen," she spat. "How dare they...I am not ruled over by anyone!" She 
stomped into the chambers of her "masters," and knelt sullenly before the red 
headed woman who sat slumped in a throne, head clasped in her hands. 

"Beryl!" snapped Phenakite, and looked up angrily. "Your servant has done it 
again!"

"What do you mean?" asked Beryl slowly, raising her aching head. "Phenakite, what 
have you done now?"

"It wasn't me, your majesties," she spat out sarcastically, as she stood, and began 
to pace the floor. "Your servant, Jadeite, has disobeyed your direct orders! All he 
was to do was to awaken the four lost kings. And he hasn't done it - in fact, all he 
has done is fall in love with Aphrodite, I mean, the reincarnated princess of
Venus...
Aino Minako!"

Beryl looked more perplexed than angry. "How is that? Wasn't Aphrodite involved 
with Adonis..."

"New lives, new loves," snarled Phenakite, apparently not likely the reference the 
former lovers. "But he is...falling out of our command, my queens. I think you 
should summon him back to the Dark Kingdom."

"Why haven't you already?" asked Beryl, playing idly with her crystal ball. 

Snorting, Phenakite tossed her insolent head. "And you seriously believe he would 
listen to me?"

Beryl sighed, and pulled her energies to the fore. "I shall summon him."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Karl had left, and the two wondered at his disappearance that had been so sudden. 
Masato had the feeling that he was going to try to find Jonathan. Masato was
beginning to worry about the strange young doctor. The young woman he hadn't 
seen in some years was reclining in a chair, eyeing him with those stunningly violet 
eyes, a smile playing at her lips.She had changed - the last time they had seen each 
other, she had been happy, free...this snake-like smile had been a pinball smile, one 
that lit up her whole face. Now, she looked cruel, bored. 

"Masa-kun, dear, how have you been? Have you been to England and not paid me a 
visit?"

"I tend to keep my business affairs in America and Japan these days," he said
stiffly, 
trying not to look at the woman with admiration. Despite the cruel overtones to her 
once demure, sweet beauty, she was still exceptionally attractive. 

She snickered, and looked at his notepad beside his phone. "Preying on young girls, 
are we?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"This," she smiled, pulling off a yellow sheet. "Osaka Naru, of Osa-p...my cousin, 
you dork. Have your tastes changed then? And I thought I was your one and only."

"That's all in the past," he growled, snatching the offending piece of pare from her 
unresisting hand. "You betrayed me, Morgan. I don't appreciate being lied to."

To his shock, she suddenly moved ver close to him, pressing her body against his 
as she draped her hands around his neck. "But you still love me, don't you Neffy? 
You never stopped loving me."

"Morgan, I...you..."

"I always loved you, you baka," she chuckled in her dulcet tones. 

He looked at her, shocked. "Why didn't you ever tell me? Before I left you?"

"You never asked," she shrugged, not turning away from him. It echoed in his 
words.

"Never again will I turn away from you," he murmured, and leant down to give the 
tall woman a kiss that he had desired to give her ever since that stormy night in 
Paris. Three years ago...a tempest of pain. Yet, he knew in his heart he did not 
love her. Not now. And why had she called him Neffy...
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Karl wandered in downtown Tokyo, no particular destination in mind. He needed 
to talk to Jonathan...about Minako. But most of all, he desired to speak with Zoya. 
The woman he thought he loved.

"Doctor Rutherford," said a familiar voice, and turned in surprise, to find Owen 
Burnett standing behind him, eyes bright. "I think you know what's going on."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, you can sense the feelings of a millennium past, and it's 
beginning to have an affect on you. Only Zoya doesn't understand - for she was 
the only one who truly desired absolution to its full extent. You just wanted to 
get away from the influence...but keep the power."

"What...who are you? How do you know Zoya?"

"Oh, I think you'd be surprised, Doctor Rutherford, you really would. But that is 
hardly the point. What I am saying in this...I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" He wrinkled his face in confusion. "For what?"

"What has happened in my absence," he said with a saddened look in his blue eyes. 
"This is my fault, you know. None of this would have happened if I hadn't been 
such an idiot...I thought it was all just a game."He looked at Karl intensely, guilt 
in his eyes. "Look, okay. Zoya, you love her. That is obvious. That love could be 
the only thing that saves you, or it could be your downfall. She is in her bliss now, 
but it will be shattered. My friend, my princess, is calling back her servant. You 
must find him first - maybe you can save him before she gets her hands on him. 
If you're lucky. In the meantime...I must go home." He grimaced, looking pale. "I 
don't want to leave...but the choice isn't mine to be made. I must obey...but I will 
talk to Morgan. She will recover."

And with that, the strange man climbed into his black Buick, and pulled out with a 
screech to hurt even the ears of the deaf. He hadn't understood the man's ramblings,
 but some part of him had insisted that he go and find Jonathan. Quickly.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Two hours had passed since the prophesies of Owen Burnett, and Minako stood 
alone in the airport, tears staining her pale young cheeks as she ran a lonely hand 
over the glass window. She had seen the plane leave, but she had yet to accept that 
Jonathan was gone.

He had received an unusual phone call, and told her he had to leave the country - 
he was to go home. To Greece. He had claimed business problems relating to the 
law firm he had worked with in Iraklion, in the nearby island of Crete. She played 
with the ring as if she could speak to Jonathan through it...and she felt alone. So 
horribly alone. Knowing there would be no comfort from her friends, who couldn't 
possibly understand her love for the strange man, she walked slowly towards her
 own home. To the solitude of her darkened room.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Jonathan glanced around, and then moved into the bathroom of the plane. He opened 
a gateway, and looked longingly at a single photograph of Minako, taken that very 
afternoon. She was laughing, holding a purple rose, and her ring had caught a beam 
of light, giving the ring an ethereal glow.He let a tear slip unnoticed down his
cheek, 
before abandoning the photograph on the sink. And he stepped into the darkness.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The girl, dressed in a long, cotton skirt and white cashmere sweater, stepped out of 
the huge glass doors leading into the foyer of the Sanjouin building, and looked at 
the darkening sky. "How cliché," she sighed, and glanced at the silver watch 
adorning her wrist. 

"Storms are, aren't they? Too overdone."

She spun to face the man who had guided her to Masato, the strange Owen 
Burnett. "I thought you were leaving the country, Mr Burnett."

"I never said I was leaving - Mr Sanjouin simply made an incorrect assumption. 
That is not why I am here, though. I didn't come to talk to Mr Sanjouin."

"Then who?"

"You, Miss Shepherd. Only you." His eyes were bright, searching as they found 
the violet of hers. "You are the only one I am allowed to help, though I can hardly 
help it if this means I get involved in Phenakite's affairs indirectly."

Morgan winced as a fat drop of rain hit her on the head, and Owen smiled. "What 
are you talking about?"

"Your past, your future...and of course, your present. I am going to show you 
the truth."

Morgan stepped quickly away, feeling weird...vibes emanating from the man. His 
face fell as she moved away, and panic entered his shouted words.

"Morgan, come back! Morgan...wait! I can't...I don't have any time to waste! 
Éowyn!"She stilled suddenly, and turned. Owen was gone. 

Hi-hi! Again! At least someone’s still hanging around…I’d give you a present for 
your persistence, but it’s kinda hard just to do it over the ‘net…so, all I can do is 
give you more of my twisted fan-fic! Ha, in the name of queer writing, I’ll punish 
rather than reward you!

Oh dear.

Anyway, if anyone doesn’t actually understand the whole business of how the 
generals were reincarnated, I don’t blame you. I get ambiguous and surreal in my 
writing, but hopefully, by the end of this thirteen-part chapter, you’ll 
understand. If you want me to condense it, just email me and I’ll try and 
explain it more clearly. If such a thing is possible….
Long live alchemy! Heeheehee…
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Part Eight: Watermark
As the dark clouds assembled over the city, Mamoru and Zoya laughed wildly as 
they pounded down the pavement. The rain had soaked both through in a matter 
of seconds, as they ran from Motoki and Reika’s apartment to their own. Neither 
had taken a jacket, for this storm had no warning attached to it.They were just 
happy to be together, though. They ran through the door, sopping wet, and waved 
at the doorman before hurrying up to their own home. He smiled and shook his head. 
The two young people had become quite a sight around the building, brightening 
faces where ever they wandered. Their love was so fresh, their devotion to each 
other so true, that no one could not see them and remain untouched. 

She pushed him away laughingly as he tried to catch her unawares in an embrace 
when she slid her key into the lock. 

"Come on Zoya, darling sweetheart honey of my bee…"

"What the smeg was that?" she giggled, pulling a wet strand of hair from her eyes. 
Then she turned and opened the door, laughing. "You can wait until we’re inside, 
rose-boy."

"Cape-boy," he corrected, and she looked intrigued, then forgot it, yanking him 
inside. And into her own arms. Willingly he wrapped his arms around her slender, 
saturated form, and kissed her passionately.

"Oh, gods!"

They jumped apart in startled surprise, to see Usagi, eyes wide and wounded, 
staring at them. Zoya let out a stifled shriek. "How…how did you get in here?"

"What does it matter?" she asked, her voice broken, suddenly more cultured. It was 
as if this great pain was awakening her former self, the trapped Selene. 
"Endymion…how could you?"
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Morgan sighed as she wandered into the building where her aunt lived, and winced 
when Naru yelled "Morgan! I want to talk to you!"

"Why?" screamed Morgan, throwing her bag at the wall. For some unknown 
reason, the vanishing of Owen had filled her very being with an apocalyptic rage,
 and somehow, a great longing. The others she had met…Karl and Masato, they 
had reminded her so much of a life she had forgotten, had abandoned. She would 
look at Masato, and feel love…then Karl. She would see him, feel sadness…
sometimes, she thought she could hear a baby cry.But Owen…he reminded her 
of brightness. Parents. Family.Home.

"There’s someone here to see you." Naru popped out of her room, and indicated 
she should go down to the store. 

"He’s talking with mom…excuse me, I have to go back to the phone. I don’t want 
to keep Maz waiting."

She wrinkled her nose. "Maz?"

"Sanjouin Masato …a friend."

"Tell him Morgan says hi," she said absently, delighting in the look that crossed 
Naru’s young face. 

"What – you know him?"

"Maybe."
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Morgan wandered into the store – and found Osaka-san speaking with a tall young 
man with dark brown hair. She frowned – he didn’t look familiar. At least, not from 
behind.He turned to greet her as Osaka-san did, a smile touching his saddened 
features. That’s what struck her the most – he looked so sad. "Morgan."

The way he spoke her name was like an echo – she had heard it before. "Leu…"

"Lucien," he corrected gently, his bright blue eyes sad. "Lucien Goodchild." 

She trembled, and Naru’s mother wisely saw it was time to leave. The store was 
closed, anyway, and she exited, saying she would be in her office when they were 
ready to go.She looked at him as if she was seeing a ghost, because she could see 
beyond the form he showed to everyone else.Lucien sighed, sensing she could see 
beyond the illusion. He dropped the façade of the well-dressed seventeen year old 
teenager, and instead, stood before Morgan in a long black cloak, the high collar 
held closed by an unusual pendant of a golden phoenix against an aquamarine 
background. "Morganite."

"Leucite," she said, startled. Her own memories fell back into place with a crash, 
and her own form wavered, and became different. She was dressed in a uniform 
not unlike the other kings, the jacket was the same but lined in purple. The skirt 
was long, and concealed her long lean legs, and her eyes were the same old cruel orbs 
they had been before she had made the choice to leave Beryl’s unholy command.

"You came back," she said, overlooking the man, whose clothes and body were 
completely concealed by the long cloak. "I never thought you would."

"You died, I failed," he said simply, and raised a hand to touch the pendant, 
revealing he wore a uniform like Jadeite’s, except his boots were black and it had 
orange piping. "And the phoenix gate couldn’t help.""Then why did you stay?" 
she went on, looking at him through suspicious eyes. "You knew that Phoebe’s 
problems were not your own. I don’t even know why I was of such concern to 
you. I never loved you, and you knew I never would – why did my death affect 
you so? Why did you always act so strangely around me? Like I should know 
something?" 

Leucite sighed unhappily. "I didn’t want to awaken you, Morganite. But I had to, 
if I am to succeed this time."

"I chose my own path – and I didn’t have to let Morganite back in unless I wanted," 
she said coldly. "And stop avoiding the question. What am I to you, Leucite?"

Leucite looked at the pendant again, then sighed. "I am many people, Morganite. 
But there is only one who you need to know. Though you’ve always known my 
true form. When you were in yours."

"This is my true form!" she argued, eyes blazing. "Morgan Shepherd, and all those 
made-up memories, they were the lie!"

"This is not you," he said, and stepped forward, putting a cold hand on her 
forehead. "Oh sister, how you have changed. What have you become…"

"Sister?" she whispered, understanding blossoming in her chest. "That’s why you 
care…I’m your sister?"

"Morganite is not Leucite’s sister," he corrected softly, and stood back. He pulled 
the cloak over his head, concealing his entire self. Then he let it crumple to the 
ground in front of him.In Leucite’s place stood a petite figure, with long white 
hair, sparkling blue eyes, wearing an unusual combination of purple, red and gold. 
He had a red short-sleeved shirt, lined in gold, and a purple tunic, with blue
tights. 
His boots were knee-length and red, and he floated a few inches above the ground, 
which brought him eye-level with Morganite.

"Here’s Puck," he chuckled quietly, without any of the former exhilaration and 
happiness that had been his characteristic personality. "Do you remember me?"

Morganite paled. "Oberon…"
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Minako stood in the stark bleakness of the hospital, her eyes unseeing, 
uncomprehending. Zoya sat on a chair, head in her hands, while Mamoru 
desperately tried to calm her with a minimum of physical contact, lest he upset 
Usagi even more. But the blonde girl was beyond caring. She had built a wall 
against the pain, and was trying to comfort Minako. But the girl had slipped 
beyond her grasp.

The call had come as a complete shock that evening.

The day had begun with the happiness of all – but in the course of this memorable 
period, things changed.Now, as the clock approached midnight, and a new day, 
Jonathan lay in an operating theatre, fighting for his life.The official story was as
 confusing as the circumstances surrounding the four mysterious reappeared kings. 
He had been found in the park – the same place where Nephrite had died in Naru’s 
arms. He too, had been badly injured, but had been alive when stumbled across by
a group of teenagers who had gone to the park for a few sneaky drinks.

Usagi had heard about it from Minako, who had been contacted directly by the 
authorities. It seemed that Jonathan had come to when discovered, despite the 
gory wounds to his head, chest and back, and asked for her. Usagi had 
immediately been notified, and had made it her mission to find Zoya and tell her. 
Telling Zoya had lead to the truth being revealed about her new relationship with 
Mamoru.

The other Senshi were also in the waiting room, and Luna was desperate to talk to 
them. Artemis was strangely silent, not even trying to communicate quietly with 
any of the Senshi. He simply sat at Minako’s feet and stared at the floor.

"Zoya," said Mamoru in a soft voice, and suddenly, he didn’t care what Usagi 
thought. He wrapped his arms around her as she began to sob, and the others 
looked over in shock. They had been told by Luna quietly of what had been 
witnessed, but this was the first real proof they had seen. Mamoru tenderly 
kissing Zoya was not something that Usagi needed to see right now, but he 
couldn’t stop himself. She needed him.

"He’s going to die, isn’t he?" she sobbed, crying into his chest, eyes bleeding 
tears like she would never stop. Salty blood.

"No, he isn’t, Zoisite, and you know it," said Minako suddenly, turning her grief 
stricken eyes to the king. She looked up in horrified surprise. "Nanii…what did 
you call me?"

"You are Zoisite," she said in a conclusive tone, dead of all emotion. "I remember. 
I remember everything, and I think you do too. Your awakening."

"Who is Zoisite?" asked the trembling girl, eyes wounded and confused. "My name
 is Zoya Irina Troubetzkoy…I am who I am…"

"You are who you want to be," Minako said softly, and she sat down beside the 
girl, Mamoru moving away. Minako took Zoya’s hand.

"You are Zoisite, but you don’t have to be under anyone’s influence, Zoya. You 
can be your own person, like you’ve always wanted, and still remember what 
happened to you in the past. I know the transforming power of love, real 
love," - she looked towards the theatre, eyes sad – "And the future is not written 
yet."
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Karl pondered over the papers for a moment, wondering at the strange language. He 
had, at the insistence of a small, persistent voice at the back of his head, opened
his 
mind. It was a form of clairvoyance, and it meant that all one had to do was clear 
the mind, and allow others to speak through them. In this case, the spirit had
written. 
In another language, rather inconveniently.

"That was you," whispered a voice, and he turned in shock, to face a pretty young
 woman, who stood at attention behind him. He stood rapidly, instantly seeing how 
tiny the woman’s statue was. But no matter what her height was, she still radiated 
an aura of amazing power. She wore a uniform of white and grey that seemed horribly 
familiar, and her hair was perhaps three or four shades lighter than Zoya’s, and not 
as coppery. It was cut in a short, shaggy series of layers around her lovely face,
her 
brown eyes dark.

"You wrote that," the girl continued, obviously enjoying his look of shock. "The 
other you."

"Who are you?" he asked, suddenly feeling very tired. 

She looked insulted. "Remember, Kunzite. How could you forget me?"

Understanding dawned bright and clear over his stunned features. "Phenakite…I 
thought you were dead!"

"I resurrected you, Kunzite. I would hardly think that would mean I was dead."

"I…oh. I hadn’t remembered my death…" His voice trailed off as memories of the 
facets returned to him. The imprisonment of the glass of eternal spirits…twisted 
justice. 

"Zoisite doesn’t love you any longer," she said, no feeling in her words. "The 
traitor has gone to Endymion…and Jadeite, our wonderful sleeper, has been 
punished for his insubordination. He should be dead within the hour."

"How?" he asked, face pale. No matter what had happened between them all, there 
was still a fair amount of affection between the kings. Except Nephrite and Zoisite, 
of course…

"I killed him." Emotionless, Phenakite took his hand in her own icy fingers, and 
pulled him to his feet. His ordinary black clothes faded, to be replaced by his
former 
uniform, as the form of Kunzite wrapped itself around the former doctor, warping 
back to the king. 

"Zoisite is…"

"Lost to us, Kunzite. He must be killed at once. Before he becomes a problem. You 
must return to the Dark Kingdom with me now, Kunzite. Please. The Senshi are 
going to use that fool changeling to discover the truth behind the resurrections, and 
return to destroy Beryl and Metallia, for real. Now that the glass is broken, 
Angelikarma has no way of holding the spirits. If they die, they will die forever…
they are your masters, Kunzite." She reached up with her  hand, and used one cold 
finger to trace a line down his cheek. He shuddered at her touch. "And Kunzaito-
sama…when Beryl and Metallia destroy the Senshi, and the traitors, only you 
and I will survive. Neither is strong enough to survive the battle…they will all die. 
We alone will survive. Then…we can change things. Make the universe our own, 
a place for our children…Kunzite, we were always meant to be together." She stood 
on tip toes, so that she could plant a kiss on his lips. "Come with me."

He closed his eyes in pain. "Zoisite…I love him, not you, Phenakite…"

"Lives change…loves change. You know that he loves Endymion now, and that’s 
the truth. He’ll never be yours again. But why worry, when I’ll be yours for 
eternity."

"Eternity…I pledged my heart to…"

She slapped him hard, but he was so immersed in his world of pain, he didn’t 
bother to react. As Karl, Zoya’s rejection had been a hurt that he might have 
recovered from. After all, they had never been involved in their invented 
memories. But as Kunzite…they had a past that extended throughout their dark 
existence under Beryl. After the Silver Millennium, which no one remembered 
anyway. At least, not in a good fashion. He loved Zoisite, and this woman’s 
blunt ruling over their relationship made his heart feel…"I am your lover now, 
Kunzite. Zoisite is a traitorous kisama, Jadeite is already dead, and Nephrite will 
never come. Not while that Naru girl is around to take. As for Morganite…" She 
gnashed her teeth. "Leucite, I swear to Breccia I’m going to kill you for this!"

"What…Leucite? What has he…"

"Morganite will no longer exist," she snapped, eyes dark. "She was an invented 
personality, as was Leucite, and he’s come to take her home. But first, he has a 
bone he wants to pick with Beryl. With the help of the damned Senshi, no less."

She pulled him to the portal she had opened, and took his hand. "It’s over…but 
you and I are just beginning, Kunzite."

He took her hand, a heavy weight descending on his heart. He rejected Karl, the 
new life, and moved back into the evil he had once exalted in. Not now, though.
But Zoisite was gone. What did he have to live for now? Who cared what 
happened to him now…and that was why he went with Phenakite. Apathy for 
life drove him to darkness. A future was bleak without his love, thus he lost any 
interest in his life.Phenakite clung to his arm, finally happy. She had her 
Kunzaito-sama at last…
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
The group gathered in the waiting room, as Zoya stood facing Minako. "I don’t 
understand…what is go-"

"Zoisite."

The group turned in surprise, to face a strange man in a long black cloak, eyes 
bright and blue. She gasped, and began shaking. "Oh god, no…" she whispered, 
and sobs racked her body as she began to sob heavily. "I don’t want this Leucite…
I don’t want to be him, not now, not ever. I just want…to be a normal human! 
I’m sick and tired of all this shit about the moon, the planets, and the goddamned 
Dark Kingdom! Why did you make me remember?!"

He looked at her soberly. "Just be grateful I didn’t do to you what I did to 
Morganite."

Her eyes were wide, angry. "If you’ve hurt her…"

Sighing, Leucite sat down, hanging his head. "Zoisite, think about it – would I ever 
hurt her?"

"Don’t call me that," she hissed, but she seemed to understand. The Senshi 
exchanged glances, and Leucite looked up.
 
"I need to ask a boon of you, Usagi-chan," he said quietly, and the girl appeared 
startled. "Huh?"

"Wake up, odango atama!" snapped Rei, and Ami hushed her quickly, by hitting 
her on the arm. 

"Could you contact Masato and Naru…bring them here. We need to bring Nephrite
into this if we can, before she can get to him."

"Who?" whispered Zoisite.

Ashamed, Leucite couldn’t meet Zoisite’s verdant gaze. "Phenakite…I failed, 
Zoisite. She’s changed. Become the darkness Metallia has always desired her to 
be…she has taken Kunzite back to the Dark Kingdom. I’m sorry…"

"It’s not your fault, Leucite. I…I don’t really love him now, anyway…I love…
Mamoru…"

Usagi choked back a cry, and led the room, towards the bank of pay phones. 
Luna trailed her, as did Ami and Rei.

"Morganite is…near. She has not kept her true form, it pains her to do so. She is 
not yet ready to take back her old self…Éowyn. My sister."

"Your sister?" asked Makoto, intrigued by the sadness in the man’s eyes. Besides, 
he was cute in a weird-messiah type way.
 
"Not Leucite’s sister," he said quietly, and sighed. "This is not my real form…
I’m only using it because it was the only one Zoisite would recognise. The others 
might know…Owen. But even he is not me…I am older than even Phenakite, who 
is almost ten thousand years old.I am a changeling, a child of Oberon…I am not 
really from this dimension. I came from another place…another time. And there, 
I am Puck, the child of Oberon’s wiles and Titania’s sweet smiles. As is Éowyn, 
my sister.

"The story goes back a thousand years, just months before the attack on the moon 
kingdom, in which Beryl used the transformed generals who had once served under 
Endymion." He looked piercingly at Zoisite, and decided against continuing with 
the story. It was one that was better off remembered slowly by the ones who had 
had to live it. "We were bored, the assorted children of Oberon. Avalon, the 
mystical isle that was our home, with its eternal summers, was really getting very 
boring. “

"Queen Titania was even more bored, though. I won’t go into details, but we’ll just
say that she and Oberon had a falling out over the King’s extra-marital dalliances, 
and they were divorced. As a part of the agreement, the two decided to send all of us 
to the mortal world.And that opened a very convenient door for the beloved Beryl.
You see, Beryl had become "involved" with Oberon about a century beforehand, and 
she was desperate for one of his children to become one of his allies. As you can 
probably guess, she had a more "natural" way of getting one of Oberon’s children…a 
well conceived idea, at least in theory. Oberon always loved a pretty face…but the 
real problem was that he never got her pregnant. He blocked any chance of conception.
They lost contact for awhile…but when the judging came through, she returned. And 
asked if she could ‘borrow’ one of his children…take them to the Dark Kingdom.
As it so happened, we had a rather nasty piece of work amongst us. Éowyn had an 
attitude problem like no other…When Beryl re-entered Oberon’s court, just 
before the division in which we all went to the mortal world, and asked to speak 
with him. He had already been worried, and this provided an excellent opportunity 
for him. You see, he didn’t want to let Éowyn go to the mortal world, for she was 
an insubordinate little bitch at the best of times. But she couldn’t remain on
Avalon, 
he didn’t trust her around the Weird Sisters, Phoebe, Selene and Mona. None are 
any relation to Phenakite or Selenity-hime though, don’t worry about that. Oberon 
also didn’t want to have to keep an eye on her – so he allowed Beryl to take Éowyn 
to the Dark Kingdom. Forever." He glanced at Zoisite, who was wrapped up in 
Mamoru’s arms once more. Usagi stood alone, flanked by two of her honour guard,
while Minako sat beside Zoisite. Makoto continued to watch Leucite, fascinated. 
"Zoisite…you don’t remember your past, do you? Well…it’s no surprise, really. 
That’s how Beryl had such control over you. But the thing is…you were a part of 
the Silver Millennium. As a part of Endymion’s honour guard, with your fellow 
kings."

"I remember," she whispered, and Mamoru nodded. 

Leucite filled in the blanks for the others. "The four generals were captured by 
Beryl, and temporarily brainwashed. This links back to Éowyn’s similar fate, for 
you see, Beryl’s corruption worked through the death of the soul, but not the 
spirit.To make the generals into her own Kings, she had to kill their souls, but 
keep their spirits alive. She did the same thing to Éowyn at round about the same 
time. Éowyn was executed before Metallia in an initiation ceremony that wove 
her darkened spirit into the fabric of the Dark Kingdom. Thus, she could be 
reincarnated as a minion of the Dark Kingdom.

The same fate happened to the generals. They were brainwashed into helping 
Beryl and Metallia destroy the Moon, and when they died at the hands of the 
ginzuishou, the spirits returned to the Dark Kingdom. Each was reborn as a 
potential King, with no recollection of their former selves. I myself entered 
the Dark Kingdom for a laugh, inventing Leucite so I could play amongst the 
weird people that my sister was now a part of. Several others came, too…from 
the Silver Millennium. Variscite, Ulexite and Nepheline Syenite were all former 
members of other courts, and Beryl brought them to her Kingdom as pawns. The 
first two are alive, and in the Dark Kingdom now. Like the others, they 
were brought back. But the Choice wasn’t granted to them, for reasons of 
transcendence. As for Nepheline Syenite…"

"What choice?" asked Usagi, looking confused.

"The Choice was what they made upon their releases from the glass of eternal 
spirits. Angelikarma, the force of "good" in the kingdom of ArchNemesis, allowed 
the three dead kings to choose life as a mortal, or a return to the darkness. All 
three chose mortality. As for Jadeite…he never died, he was never in the glass. 
So he was still under Beryl, though he created Jonathan Troubetzkoy, supposedly 
to spy on the others, but really because he had a deep desire to be like his
comrades. 
To be human again."

"So their identities are just inventions?"

"The Grand Inquisitor corrected the timelines to give them pasts they didn’t actually 
have," said Leucite, fingering his strange pendant. "I do believe Pluto helped with 
that."

"Who?" asked Usagi, looking intrigued, and Leucite smiled sadly.

"I can’t tell you anything about her or any of the outer Senshi, Princess. That would 
alter the laws of causality more than I am willing to interfere – I have played
around 
the omni-zone long enough. There is too much pain on my hands already."

"I don’t understand," spoke up Ami, who had been briefly filled in on details by 
Artemis. "Who are the kings back? Why is Zoya a woman? I remember going to 
the kingdom…the kings showing up…then Phoebe…but it wasn’t Phoebe, she 
was dark, so…"

"That wasn’t Phoebe, neither the princess or your school-girl friend," he said
soberly. 
"That was Phenakite, now the only functioning commander under the Queens. 
Though, as I see it, they are more under her control than she under theirs. As for
the 
awakening…" He sighed, looking towards the theatre. "When Phenakite brought 
them back, they stood before Breccia. Not Jadeite, though. He went to Metallia’s 
chamber. The three returned to earth as mortals, and as for Zoya’s gender…" He 
smiled wickedly as he looked at her. "Ask Zoya."

She blushed, and shook her head faintly. "Don’t ask me to explain it…it’s a long 
story."

"I must go," he said, leaping to his feet. To the shock of the group, he took off his 
cloak, revealing green theatre garb. "You lot – go, get ready. I’ll deal with this,
and 
meet you at the park, at the infamous ‘crater’ of Zoisite’s creation. Be ready – 
that means Senshi, guys." He looked at Mamoru with a giggle. "And please, Mamo-
chan, be Tuxedo Kamen! I can’t cope with Turban-boy!"

"Who?" asked Zoya, confused. The others sighed. "What have you been doing while 
I was gone?"
She returns...is it a good thing or a bad thing? Oh well, I never claimed to be 
GOOD at this...as long as SOMEONE'S enjoying themselves, what else matters?
Got a "constructive" comment to make? That's what the address is for...and 
please, behave yourselves. Or the Grand Inquisitor shall have you totemized on 
behalf of Frobozz Electrics.See you in part ten...if you make it that far... 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Part Nine: Paint the Sky with Stars
The group looked at each other in wonder, though Minako seemed perfectly at 
ease. She pulled Zoya to her unsteady feet, and said "Let's go."

"What about Nephrite and Naru-chan?" protested Usagi, and Minako smiled
enigmatically. 

"I think you'll find that Morganite will deal with that - Leucite must have told her 
through their mind meld as he told us to go to the park. Morganite will get them 
there."

Usagi sighed, looking worried. "Does Naru-chan really have to come with us? I'm 
afraid she's gonna get hurt..."

"Let's just go," sighed Luna, and Zoya nearly fell over in shock. Minako smiled, and 
patted her shoulder. "It's only Luna - I guess you never noticed her talking, ne?"

Zoya's brow creased in thought, and she grimaced. "Don't..." she murmured, clutching 
at her head like it hurt. "I...I think I remember. Yes..." She looked at Mamoru,
tears 
in her eyes. "I just remembered all I did to you...I was able to block the memories, 
not dwell on them...but I was wrong! I did so much-"

He took her into his arms, and held her tight. "That was Zoisite, not you."

No one heard her words as she mumbled "I wish I had your faith." 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Kunzite sat on the edge of his opulent bed, staring at his hands with blank eyes. 
Nothing had changed...except present company. His rooms were exactly as he had 
left them, though Phenakite had pointed out, Beryl and Metallia had "died" not long 
after he had passed into the realm of Angelikarma's judgement. Phenakite moved 
over to the bed, and seductively moved closer to him, looking up into him with her 
liquid eyes. "I thought I told you not to dwell on the past - you can't change it,
any 
more than you can change the traitor. I am your destiny now." She moved her small 
hands with practised ease over his chest as she pushed him back onto the bed, and 
he noticed how she had grown her fingernails into red talons. No wonder she didn't 
wear gloves.As she moved to kiss him, his gaze wandered to a certain, familiar 
alcove - and he threw the girl aside, and she shrieked in protest. "Kunzite!"

He turned on her, eyes blazing. "Where is my picture of Zoisite?!" 

The 'young' girl pouted, appearing youthful for all her ten thousand years of 
existence. "I put it away, Kunzite. I told you, you don't need him! You have me!"

"Damn you, Phenakite!" he cried, his heart disintegrating in his chest. "It's not 
true!"

"And you called me a fool!" she sneered suddenly, referring to an old argument. 
"HE LOVES ENDYMION!"

Kunzite let the girl kiss his lips, his throat, and stared at the ceiling with stony 
eyes as the girl desperately tried to make him desire her as much as she desired 
him. Kunzite, however, was hardly one to simply make do with what was 
available. He knew what he wanted, and he was going to get it.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Zoya smiled at the assorted Senshi, tucked comfortably under Tuxedo Kamen's 
arm, in Usagi's former place. She had changed at the apartment during their brief 
stop over, into a long linen dress that was a deep maroon, lined with gold. 
Her wide sash-like belt was of a warm green material, like her verdant eyes, and 
the dress was like a jacket at the top, revealing the white shirt she wore beneath 
it. Around her slender neck was a pretty gold necklace that consisted of a filigree 
gold pattern, interwoven with shards of the crystal zoisite. When asked why she 
wore it, she shrugged and smiled sadly. "I wasn't exactly going to dress like 
Zoisite, you know. I'm not him...besides, that drab grey THING was disgusting! 
It clashed with my hair!" The others looked at each other in amusement. That 
sounded like Zoisite, for sure.

"So?" asked Sailor Moon, walking into the park. "What are we actually doing?"

"Don't worry," replied Mars snidely. "If you shut up and do it, I'll buy you a 
donut at the end of it."

"That's not gonna work, Rei-chan," snapped Sailor Moon, then reconsidered. 
"What kind of donut?"

"Chocolate," put in Venus, looking like she was enjoying herself, despite Jadeite's 
condition.

"With sprinkles," giggled Jupiter, as Sailor Moon began drooling. Mercury smiled.

"Enough, you guys - this is serious." Without thinking, she moved to the other side 
of Zoya, and took her hand. Zoya looked startled, but she didn't pull away. "I think 
that Beryl must be alive again. And it's our duty to kick her ass!"

"Right on, Mercury!" cheered Jupiter. "So my influence is working, after all!"

Tuxedo Kamen smiled at the girls' vibrant energy, and felt a tug at his heartstrings 
as he looked at Sailor Moon. She was such...a beautiful child. And Zoya was 
something else, a stranger part of him. He didn't understand how he could love this 
unusual woman, and in so short in time, but then...Jadeite had fallen for Minako 
in as short a time period. Love worked in mysterious ways.

"Hey, losers! What took you so long?" cried Naru, running forward, Masato 
trailing her. A strange woman in a grey uniform followed, the long skirt making her
seem to float over the dewy grass. 

"Naru-chan?" asked Sailor Moon cautiously. "Do you know..."

"Of course, Usagi-chan!" she cried, and threw her arms around her friend, laughing 
out loud. "Explains a few things...oh, Usagi-chan! Nephrite's alive!"

"In a manner of speaking," Masato said quietly, obviously not as delighted to have 
his memories back. The unusual, unfamiliar woman took his hand, and looked at 
the others. "Morganite?" guessed Mars.

"Indeed," she sighed heavily, looking bored. "So where's Leucite?"

"Can't you talk to him through your mind?" asked Jupiter quickly.

The woman scowled, making her cruel face even darker. "He can talk to me, but I 
don't have those powers anymore. Not since Beryl killed Éowyn."
 
"Éowyn?" asked Mars, looking to Zoya. She shrugged.

"My former self," she snapped, and still looking around, added "Where is he?"

"I'm right here," said a friendly voice, and the gang turned to see a man in a long 
black cloak, and another man in a grey uniform...

"Jadeite!" cried Venus, and she threw herself into his arms, tears rocketing down 
her cheeks. "He was right! He could heal you!"

"Shush, angel, don't cry," soothed the gentle voice of the King, stroking her
beautiful, 
pale hair. "I would never leave you..."

"I find your faith in my abilities commendable," giggled Leucite, and he sobered as 
he took in the group. "Masato - are you ready? I understand it was you who 
wanted Naru-chan to come." He eyeballed Morganite, and sighed. "Is that really 
wise? Given your past?"

"Morganite...we're through." He said it decisively, and the others looked intrigued. 
Zoya filled in. "Kunzite used to be married to Morganite, long before Zoisite - I
mean, I got involved with him. And they divorced because those two were having 
an affair."

"Shut up," he said uncomfortably, pulling Naru closer. "It's over now. I'm ready to 
go back to the Dark Kingdom."

"Do you want to take on your old form?" asked Leucite, staring at him with 
burning blue eyes.

The man sighed, shaking his head. "No - maybe, maybe when we're there. Until 
then..." 

Leucite looked at his hands, then at the others. "We're not going to the Dark 
Kingdom. At least, not yet. As Morganite already knows, there is one place we 
must go first."

"I'll stay here!" piped up Sailor Moon instantly. She looked at Luna, a twinkle in 
her eyes. "SOMEONE has to look after the cats."

"Hey!" yowled Luna. "I'm going too! And so are you, Usa-chan!"

The assorted Senshi giggled at this exchange, and Zoya smiled wistfully. She 
wished she could have a friendship as powerful as theirs...her mind shifted as a 
fuzzy memory entered her mind. Of a time long forgotten, but somehow, always 
remembered by a mourning earth...when she had been different, light...his friends, 
the Prince's honour guard...

The tears were there before she knew they were coming, and she choked back a sob. 
Tuxedo Kamen simply pulled her closer, and didn't ask questions. He knew the
answers, in his heart.

Leucite shifted uncomfortably. "Gating would be a mistake," he said, looking at 
the others. "Besides, Jadeite is the only one with his old powers still intact, and 
he is too weak to transport all of us. And I'm not allowed to, because of...
circumstances. We'll have to transverse the Omni-zone."

"Now there's a question," put in Mercury, putting on her visor, and whipping out 
a little computer that was surprising powerful for all its unremarkable appearance. 
"How did you heal Jadeite? And not to mention you just waltzed out of the 
hospital, no questions asked...a cerebral haemorrhage like that isn't exactly a ten 
minute fix-it-and-done-all-better-now kind of medical job!"

"Human minds are easy to manipulate," said Leucite, looking kind of...ashamed? 
"It's not something I get any perverse pleasure out of, let me assure you, but it had 
to be done. As far as this dimension of earth is concerned, Jonathan Troubetzkoy 
is fine, and in Greece." He turned to the crater, and to every one's amazement, a 
huge black gateway opened, shaped like a circle, with silver and gold energy 
sparking across the surface as if it were made of glass.
 
"Hang on just one second, buddy," snapped Mars, looking at the portal with 
distaste. "What in the hell is the Omni-zone?"

"A point in space where all the realities converge," Mercury said, tapping furiously
at her computer. "It should be okay...according to this, nothing can happen to us 
as long as the calculations are correct."

"And if they're not?"

"We could end up in any one of a billion realities - whether they be other 
dimensions, parallel universes, or alternative realities. If we do miscalculate,
we'll 
probably die." She looked up, a twinkle in her eyes. "But that's the bad news. The
 good news is, we've got him to guide us. And he knows what he's up to."

She was pointing at Leucite, and Mars leant over, trying to read Mercury's 
computer screen. But she pulled it away and smiled. "Mars, just trust me on this 
one, okay?"

"Are we there yet?" whined Sailor Moon, and Tuxedo Kamen burst into laughter.

"Some things never change, ne? Odango atama!"

Luna looked like she was getting a headache, as Sailor Moon blew Tuxedo Kamen a 
raspberry. "Let's just go."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
"It's all dark and horrible in here," announced Sailor Moon, as she passed 
judgement over the dark nothingness. 

"Just don't look down," said Leucite, a tic of amusement flickering across his 
worried features. Obviously, there was something bothering him.
 
"Why not?" asked Jupiter, trying desperately to keep her gaze upward. Luna had 
to force Sailor Moon to keep her head up with her paws.

"We're walking on nothing...don't you ever watch cartoons? We won't fall unless 
we look down."

"Really?" asked Venus. "I don't believe - OH SHIT!"

Everyone swung in surprise to see Venus standing beside Jadeite, looking innocent. 
"Only joking."

"Enough," spoke Leucite wearily. Mars could sense the vibes of unease emanating 
from him as if they were in fact tangible. "I don't think we're going to have a 
problem, but still, you have to calm down."

"Problem?" asked Mars, wrinkling her nose. "There's a problem?"

"Not necessarily," Leucite sighed, and the gang gasped as they saw it - before them 
was a huge gateway, of wrought iron, that shimmered like mother of pearl, set into 
a huge stone wall. Stairs lead up from the nothing on which they walked, as it was 
here that Leucite lead them. Beyond the locked gates lay a swirling mass of white, 
silver, purple and gold, a portal like no other.

"Thank Oberon," breathed Leucite in relief. "She's not here."

"Oh really," spoke a disembodied voice, and to the shock of all, a light shot out of 
the portal, and formed into a human-like figure. A flash of light gave the figure 
features...mid-length dark red hair, strung with strands of molten gold, and eyes to 
match the sweetest of golds, dressed in a simple white dress. She looked like a nice 
woman, but she was pissed. "Puck, Puck, Puck, Puck, PUCK! I thought I told 
you not to interfere with Breccia's Trust. It is hers to decide, not yours. You try 
to do good, but it's too late to redeem yourself, child. Go back to your own 
dimension, heal the wounds there."

"What would be the point!" he shouted, blood staining his cheeks. "I've been 
banished! I can't go back! I don't want to go back! And David and Fox don't need 
me right now, either. I can stay!"

She sighed, and her angel-like aura faded, to be replaced by a purple dress, covered 
by a black, floor length jacket with a purple sailor collar, clasped with a strange
red 
pendant. In her left hand was a tall wooden staff with a purple orb at the pinnacle, 
with was carved with intricate patterns. Into these grooves, molten gold had been 
poured, and these were still set there. "In your heart, you've always wanted to go 
home."

"NO I HAVEN'T!" he shrieked, then he regained some control. "Celestine, let us 
past."

"You know I can't do that, Puck. It's against the rules."

"Whose rules? Breccia's?" 

"Mine. But surely you know, Puck - you cannot interfere anymore than you 
already have. Let go."

He bowed his head. "You know I can't, Celestine. Let me pass."

Celestine sighed heavily, eyes sad. "You've done this to me too many times Puck.
I am the Grand Inquisitor, I am not supposed to be swayed by emotions. I am 
above and beyond you, I feel nothing." A single tear slipped down her cheek. "Your 
pain is great, Child of Oberon, but I cannot let you past. You've got to go home." 
Her voice was husky, pained. "I have broken the rule too many times as it is."

Leucite lowered his head, and nodded. "I understand. But can I not...Breccia's 
Trust...it is one member short! Can I not take his place?"

A smile so sad. "You know I cannot change the will of Breccia, Puck. And neither 
can you. It is time you returned to your own dimension."

Celestine stepped backward, and looked at the others. She guarded the gateway 
with a power none could see, but could sense.

Leucite lead the group away from the strange guardian, and sighed. "Great," said 
Mars. "So where does this leave us?"

"In a rather compromising situation, I'm afraid," he said sombrely. "I'm so sorry." 

"Who was that?" asked Sailor Moon, looking back at the 'girl,' if she could be 
called that. She seemed very old, somehow. Older than even Puck. "At first, I 
thought it was Beryl..."

He laughed dryly. "Hardly. That is Celestine, the Grand Inquisitor, and Guardian 
of the Omni-zone. Generally, she never gives me trouble...but obviously, she can
sense the cosmic unbalance in Breccia's power, thus she is blocking me out."

"Can't you just...I don't know, toast her or something? You must have a great 
deal of power, even more than us combined, I would figure." Mercury appeared 
hopeful.

Leucite quashed that hope easily. "As Leucite, I have a degree of power, but hardly 
as much as even Kunzite. As Puck, I am much more powerful. Though there are 
two problems - one, I do not have unlimited access to those powers any longer, 
and two, Celestine could kick my ass any day. She has a power beyond 
measurement. She could take Beryl out with just a flick of her wrist - though she 
never would, unless Breccia ordered her too. Besides, her power is obsolete in the 
Dark Kingdom."

"Who is Breccia?" asked Mars, starting to get agitated. "You two keep mentioning 
her, but we don't..."

"It's okay," Leucite broke in. "Do you remember the plaque on the entrance to the 
Temple of the Ancients?"

"The one about Breccia's wayward children?" asked Venus, still clutching Jadeite's 
arm.

"Yes, that's the one. It means that those five are the five that Breccia has deemed 
worthy of her trust. To become the bearers of her fury that must be released on 
the darkness that has destroyed the Dark Kingdom. She chose them because of 
what Beryl had done to them in the past...and their leader would have been, should 
have been Phoebe, Princess of ArchNemesis. The avatar who could hold the power 
of Angelikarma."

"Did someone turn over two pages at once?" Jupiter looked lost. "I don't get it. 
Who's Breccia? Who's Angelikarma? And who the smeg is Princess Phoebe?"

"Yeah," agreed Sailor Moon, eyes wide. "Could you do the big writing version with 
pictures? One word per page?"Leucite smiled. "Angelikarma is not a who, it's a 
force. As is Breccia, in a manner of speaking. Breccia is actually similar to
Metallia, 
in a way. Both are formless creatures without mortal forms. The difference is, 
Metallia was never supposed to incarnated. Breccia was. Until Metallia trapped 
her in ArchNemesis. But Breccia's story is long, involved, tragic. All you need to 
know is that ArchNemesis, home to the Princess Phoebe, is the book end to the 
Dark Kingdom, home to Queen Beryl. Celestine is involved in this only because 
she is a servant to Breccia - if you could call her anyone's servant. She has the
title 
of the Grand Inquisitor, while Breccia doesn't have any honorific, though she is 
certainly the more powerful of the two. Basically, Breccia is the Metallia, or even 
the god of ArchNemesis, Phoebe's fallen Kingdom. Angelikarma is the force that 
these people lived on, like the denizens of the Dark Kingdom thrived on stolen 
human energy. 

"The priestess Celestine is the token guardian of ArchNemesis, and is the only one 
who can directly contact Breccia. But as she is not a being of ArchNemesis, she 
cannot take the power of Angelikarma into herself. Thus, Breccia needs to invoke 
her Trust, to enable the Princess to have a united force to join her power with. 
Angelikarma is too powerful for one alone, so she created the Trust on life and love. 
Breccia's Trust." He sighed. "Phoebe is dead, the circle is broken. This is the end
of 
any hope of Phoebe leading Breccia's Trust, which is already short one member 
as it is. Somehow, we must reawaken the power through some other means. I 
thought that I could help out...but Celestine is blocking my path. You will have to 
do this alone."

"Alone?" squawked Sailor Moon. "But we know nothing about this Breccia thing! 
And...how can we do anything? We're part of another group - we can't be that 
part of Breccia's Trust that is missing."

"Indeed you can't - but there is a way. You must go to the heart of ArchNemesis, 
to Breccia's temple. There, you will find the answer to the question. The one who 
can take the places of Princess Phoebe-hime and Lord Kunzite-sama. Those who 
will form the new trust."

"You mean - we'll ask Breccia?"

"Weren't you listening, Mercury? Only Celestine can directly communicate with 
Breccia. She will direct you to the temple, and speak on your behalf. She will, too 
she knows it is her duty. She will not deny you as she has denied me, have no 
fear of that. The Grand Inquisitor will lead the way."

"You say that there are two missing people from Breccia's Trust," spoke up Zoya, 
still holding on to Tuxedo Kamen. 

"I think there are more."

Leucite looked at her in horror. "Zoya, you can't! There is no choice! Don't make 
it a choice!"

"Why not?" The girl sounded pissed off. "I made a choice to turn my back on my 
dark half, and from the way you're talking, it was my dark half that was a part of 
Breccia's Trust. Therefore, when I rejected Zoisite, I rejected Breccia. I am no 
longer a part of this." Suddenly, twin rivers of tears spilled down her cheeks. "Why 
can't any of you understand? I want to go home..."

Sailor Moon felt her heart tug - she knew exactly how the girl felt. She had felt 
the same way when she had discovered her past, her duty. "Zoya, please. You must 
let Zoisite come to the surface."

Everyone gaped in amazement at the girl - she had let Princess Selene come to her 
surface, and there she stood, looking at the stunned girl with gentle understanding. 
"You are a part of this Trust, for good or bad. The Choice you made did not extend 
enough to break your bindings to Breccia and her vengeance."

"Vengeance?" Venus looked upset. "Hang on, I didn't realise this was a trip for 
revenge!"

Leucite smiled crookedly. "Think about it, Venus...I mean, Breccia is the 
embodiment of the land of ArchNemesis. And in Greek mythology, Nemesis was 
the goddess of retribution. And let me assure you, there is a lot to be paid 
back in the area regarding Metallia and Breccia. But that isn't the point..."

Princess Selene took the hand of Zoya, who resembled Zoisite remarkably in the 
way her hair was styled, but not in her dress sense. "You must join the forces of 
Breccia, to combat the power of Metallia and Beryl. Then, and only 
then, will you be free to your Prince." She smiled with melancholy as she looked 
at Tuxedo Kamen. "You were sweet, Endymion. I'll never forget..."

She collapsed, her Princess form fading as she returned to Sailor Moon, Jadeite 
moving to catch her, with the assistance of Sailor Jupiter. "Another one of those 
fainting spells, hmm?" asked Mars, but not snidely.

Mercury nodded as she checked her pulse. "She'll be fine."

The girl who had been Zoisite before she had chosen mortality appeared stunned. 
"I...I'll come with you. But only as myself...as Zoya. I rejected Zoisite, and I 
don't want to be him anymore, okay?"

Masato sighed. "Leucite, could you give me a hand here? I want...I want to be 
Nephrite."

"I can't help you - the desire has to come from your side, and your side alone. 
You probably won't regain your former self until your deepest part makes that 
choice."

Leucite indicated they should follow him, back to where Celestine stood. She 
didn't appear to be bored by her wait, but as Venus thought about it, it was hardly 
surprising. Her job must involve a lot of solitude.

"Are you ready to let them go, Leucite?" From the way she spoke, it was obvious 
she had heard every word that had passed between the members of the group. 

"Yes, my lady," he said quietly. "You are to take them to ArchNemesis, and I shall 
return to my own dimension."

"That's not completely necessary," she said quietly. "I can allow you to go to the 
Dark Kingdom - alone."

Leucite appeared stunned. "What for?"

"In case you are needed. You do have some legal influence there, regarding your 
sister, it is just that you have no business whatsoever in ArchNemesis - no matter 
what your feelings."

He nodded, and turned to the group. "I'll see you all later, I guess. Morganite..."

"Yes?"

"Behave yourself, won't you. If she wants in..."

"I know my own mind," she snapped, and added more gently "I'll be fine."

Celestine waved pointedly, and Leucite opened a gateway, warping to the Dark 
Kingdom. That left only the five Senshi, Tuxedo Mask, Zoya, Masato, Naru, 
Jadeite and the cats. The ageless gate keeper sighed, and motioned for 
them to follow. The gates opened slowly, and they stepped inside, and into...
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Leucite looked around warily. These were Nephrite's chambers, and there was 
only one thing he was interested in.Titania's mirror.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The group looked around, flabbergasted by the beauty of the temple. It was made 
of white stone that shimmered with many colours, and the centre was a circular 
clearing, looking up into a sky of many stars, coloured with all hues of the 
rainbow. If one was silent, one might think they could hear the stars speaking...

"Masato?" asked Naru quietly, looking at him in worry. He had halted, and was 
staring upward in a brooding silence.

"Shoosh," said Morganite softly, pulling Naru away. "He's listening to them speak."

To the united shock of every one, except Celestine, who probably never got 
overexcited, a light from inside engulfed the man, and when it faded, Nephrite stood 
alone.

"The power of the stars," he sighed sadly, taking Naru's outstretched hand. "It's 
brought me home." 

"Where did Celestine go?" asked Sailor Moon. Everyone was stunned - no one had 
seen her leave.

"I'm over here," she said, sounding bored. "Now THERE'S a surprise." She looked 
annoyed as she walked out of the centre circle, into which she had vanished only 
seconds before. "Come on, I know where we have to go now."

"What's the surprise?" asked Jadeite curiously, speaking up for the first time in a 
long while. He still slightly leant on Venus for support.

"Breccia's ruling," she said impatiently. "I know who the fifth member is now, 
and I have to go and get her. As for the leader...I KNEW I shouldn't have said 
anything."

"You're the leader?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes - and I have a very bad feeling about it, too. I'm not 
supposed to go anywhere near Angelikarma - and now, she wants me to take in 
into myself." She pulled the others towards the gate through which they had 
entered. "I've got a horrible feeling about all this."

Part ten - oh, I do go on, don't I? Bad news...I'm still churning out bits and pieces 
of this story like you wouldn't believe. Just too much spare time, I suppose...but 
not really. I'm sooo behind in school stuff...so I'd better push off...
Just a little reminder! This is non-profit, so to all the people that own the stuff 
I've used without permission - a million apologies! This is just my idea of a good 
time! What a sad life, huh? Well, there's a good reason not to sue me!
Want to make a comment on my writing, or just have a chat about life in general? 
Then drop me a line at luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com. Go on, I don't bite! At least, 
not unless you ask me real nice... 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Part Ten: Marble Halls

The gang looked around in shock. "Why did you bring us HERE?" screeched Sailor 
Moon. "Of all places!"

"It's only the Moon Kingdom," replied the Grand Inquisitor, looking around 
thoughtfully. "Jeez, you people...I thought you'd like coming back here."

"Given the memories that exist in every inch of this place, not particularly," said 
Tuxedo Kamen darkly.

Celestine tossed her long hair in exasperation, and motioned for them to follow her 
through the rubble of stone and marble. Presently, they stood in the ruined building 
that had once been a temple of exceptional beauty.A huge stained glass window 
caught the sunlight, reflecting it onto a single statue set into the one remaining
wall, 
giving the visage unnatural colour. It was to this stone figure that Celestine
walked, 
and laid her hands over. "Do you remember Leucite mentioning a Nepheline Syenite?"

"Yeah..." said Venus slowly. "Sort of..."

"Well, you're about to meet her. Our innocent immortal, frozen in time so that she 
could save her love when the Dark Kingdom collapsed. Metallia sent her here the 
second Sailor Moon healed Prince Endymion, for Metallia knew her greatness. She 
was as much of a threat as Leucite could have been, had he still been able to become 
Puck."

"Celestine?"

"Yes?" He face was creased in concentration as she gazed at the statue, but she 
seemed undisturbed by the interruption, thus Venus continued. 

"What is this about Puck? Who is he exactly...and why can't he use his powers?"

"Leucite is Puck, and Puck is a child of Oberon, and very powerful. Unfortunately 
for him, he was also a trickster, or to put it more inelegantly, a right pain in the
ass. 
Because he disobeyed his father in refusing to attend the thousand year 'Gathering,' 
Oberon punished him by stripping him of his powers - except when he was 
training the son of David Xanatose. There is an explanation behind all this, but I 
won't go into it."

"Then how come he can use his powers now? He's not training anyone...is he?"

"No, he's not. He only has his severely limited powers because I granted them to 
him. At Breccia's insistence, due to the family connection that he has here."

Before anyone could continue, there was a spark of light at Celestine's fingertips, 
one that sent a wave of golden light through the figure. As they watched, stunned, 
the figure regained natural colour, movement...life. The girl was alive.

"Are you all right, Nepheline?" asked Celestine gently, a smile on her face. The 
girl, exceptionally pretty with pale sapphire-coloured eyes and brown hair like 
Leucite's, cut in a short, bubbly style about her lovely face, threw herself into 
Celestine's arms. "You did come back!"

"I said I would, didn't I? I brought you here to save you, and now, even though it 
isn't really safe for you yet, Countess, we need your help."

She drew back, still smiling, wearing a long sea-blue dress that rippled like the 
ocean every time she moved. She gazed on the others with wonder. "They're 
alive...except..."

"Kunzite is alive,' said Celestine. "Come closer, child. Let me tell you." She pulled 
the girl into her arms, and without warning, planted her lips on hers, and kissed her 
long and deep.

"Uh - hello." Tuxedo Kamen looked surprised. "I thought that THAT was more 
Zoisite and Kunzite's way of doing things."

"Watch your mouth, Cape-boy," snapped Zoya. "I know what she's doing."

"Having herself a good time, I would say," said Artemis dryly. 

Luna's eyes scrolled back into her kitty head. "Typical male."

"She's using a method of knowledge transference that only people of her experience 
would ever use - she's informing Nepheline of all that has transpired by passing on
 information through a bond formed by that kiss." Zoya sounded rather 
knowledgeable all of a sudden - Zoisite was obviously breaking through now. 

"It's um...a little suggestive of other things though, isn't it?" Mars looked a
little 
disturbed.

Nepheline only laughed as she drew away from Celestine. "I wouldn't panic, Mars 
I won't try it on you. Not even if you ask really nice. I can't speak for Celestine, 
though..."

"Neffy," she chided gently, and both Nephrite and Nepheline Syenite looked up. 
I mean Countess Syenite - don't ruin my reputation, please."

"Those two..." said Tuxedo Kamen slowly. "Nephrite and Nepheline...they look 
kind of similar..."

"They're brother and sister," spoke up Jadeite, and Nephrite shook his head. 

"Only half - same mother." He smiled at the girl sadly. "It's good to see you again, 
Si."

"You too, Nef." She looked at the others, who seemed confused. "I am a countess 
through my father - that is why Nephrite doesn't have the two-pronged name or 
the title." Looking at them, one could see easily the same eyes in the same faces, 
it was the hair that separated them. His was thick, auburn, wavy. Hers was short, 
thin and wispy, and it went well with the carefree look in her eyes. 

"We don't have time to reminisce," said Celestine abruptly, and the two cats 
nodded. "We have to go to the Dark Kingdom. Morganite, shall we proceed? In the 
absence of Kunzite, you are the highest ranking member of Breccia's Trust. It is 
up to you alone to tell us if we can continue."

"What?" The girl looked stunned, and suddenly, very vulnerable. "Why me? Aren't 
you in charge?"

"In the absence of the Princess, I am the avatar of Angelikarma," she said gently. 
"Breccia's Trust is simply my guardian, and also my guide. You are here to help 
me bring Angelikarma into myself, and then I am here to help you destroy Beryl 
and Metallia for once and for all. Then, I will use the power of Angelikarma's
justice 
to rebuild ArchNemesis, and begin a life for the spirits who are trapped under 
Beryl's control."

"What spirits?" asked Sailor Moon, looking stunned. "And why are we involved? 
From the sounds of it, this isn't our fight."

"It's not, not really - it's old friendship, and old vengeance that brings the Senshi 
and their Princess into this. You still have a bone to pick with Beryl and Metallia 
and the Senshi and the Prince have old friendships to renew." She smiled as she 
looked at the others. "Times may have changed, loves may have changed, but 
friendship need not die."

"Are you talking about how we four Kings were once generals under Endymion?" 
asked Zoya softly. "And how we were the lovers of the inner Senshi?"

"WHAT THE BLUE FUCK?!" screamed Mars. "ARE YOU CRAZY?!"

Celestine chuckled. "Obviously, you don't remember Mars. But it doesn't matter 
now. All that matters now is that we heal this land, so that the four Kings, 
Morganite, Nepheline and all the others can be free, as they should be."

"What other spirits?" repeated Sailor Moon. "I don't get it."

"There's nothing new," muttered Mars, and sighed at the look from Artemis. "Okay, 
okay, I'm sorry."

"Remember how the spirits of the four kings were in the glass of eternal spirits? 
Well, all the spirits of the dead youma, Beryl, Metallia and the entire community 
of ArchNemesis, were also imprisoned inside it. And when Phenakite broke it, they 
were released. The denizens of the Dark Kingdom had the choice, and Kunzite, 
Nephrite, 

Zoisite and Morganite became Karl, Masato, Zoya and Morgan. Jadeite had no 
choice, because he never died. He was just released from the crystal. Metallia was 
simply released, for she is a spirit anyway. Beryl's spirit is essentially evil, thus 
she chose to stay the Queen of the Dark Kingdom. And her youma are programmed 
to follow the Queen."

"And what about the people of ArchNemesis?" asked Jupiter curiously, almost 
fearfully.

"They didn't have the Choice...they were held back by Breccia, and still are. Only 
the resurrection of the fallen kingdom, the land of shattered dreams, will bring back 
the people from their dreamless slumber."

"So what are we doing now?" asked Morganite, looking terrified. The others were 
stunned by the change in the girl. Usually, she was so...cruel. There was hardly 
another way to say it, but it was the truth. She had an aura of mature evil about
her, 
but now...she seemed a lost child. "I...I want to talk to Leucite!"

"When you reach the Dark Kingdom, you can talk to him. Until then, you will just 
have to learn to keep your emotions under control, okay? I know it's hard..."

"Yeah, right," she said bitterly. "You don't have a past that could kill you waiting 
for you in the Dark Kingdom. Your former husband isn't there, your former lover 
doesn't have a new love, your child..." She choked back a sob, and Nepheline 
reached out to her. 

"Morganite." One word, one look, yet it was all it took for Morganite to calm, to
 become submissive. "Listen to me, Morganite. I know you're hurting, I know your 
pain...but truly, it will be okay. Just believe in yourself - and you will always be 
free of your past. Come with me, and face your demons. Then, and only then, will 
you be free. To become your true self."

The girl smiled winningly, and pulled the unresisting woman into her embrace, 
holding her tightly. "Oh, but you have lost much...I feel your pain..."

Sailor Moon turned away from the crying woman, held so tightly by the young 
girl. "Am I missing something? Something in their pasts?"

"Not that I'm aware of," said Celestine with a tiny smile. "Nepheline was once 
Melpomene, a woman in the court of Odysseus. She was...well, this will sound 
bad, given you know of her present relation to Nephrite. But she was the 
lover of Nephrite when he was under Endymion...it was partly through 
Melpomene that he met and fell in love with the Princess of Jupiter. He forgot her 
in an instant...and then there was Perseus. But that is the past...as for this...
Nepheline Syenite is our 'innocent immortal.' Beryl yanked her from the Silver 
Millennium with the others, as a pawn, in case she was needed. Nepheline 
remembers everything, she was never brainwashed. Thus, she has none of the 
powers of the other Kings, and she could never tell the others of their pasts. To 
ease this pain, she befriended Leucite and Morganite, two people who had no direct 
connections to the Moon Kingdom, or any of the planets. That is where this 
riendship stems from - it was forged in this dark life, because they didn't know each 
other in their previous lives."

"Can I ask just one thing?" spoke up Venus, still holding the hand of Jadeite.

"Sure." Celestine sounded surprised to hear from the quiet Senshi. 

"What was that about her child?"

Zoya looked stunned, and Tuxedo Kamen held her tighter. The girl was practically 
in hysterics, and no one could understand why. Everyone turned to her, even 
Morganite and Nepheline. "Zoya?" he asked quietly.

"Morganite!" she cried out in anguish. "So that's why he was always so...obsessed 
with the hope that I should have children..."

She lowered her head, ashamed. "Zoisite, I'm sorry. I'm sorry most of all to Kunzite, 
though."

"What are you talking about?"

"I told him Alexandrite was dead."

"He is, isn't he?" asked Nephrite, looking up from gazing at Naru. "Alex is dead."

"I...I..." Morganite suddenly buried in face in Nepheline's chest and refused to 
speak further. Zoya just looked stunned, Nephrite sad.

"What's going on now?" asked Luna with a sigh. These Dark Kingdom wannabes 
were SO confusing...

Zoya was the first to speak, as Celestine, the calm voice of reason and explanation, 
seemed engrossed in a small circular carving on the surface of the temple floor. 
"There was a time in the Dark Kingdom, before Jadeite descended to earth, when 
Zoisite - I mean me - was female. It's a LONG story, so I won't go into it, just 
understand that Kunzite was particularly upset when I was changed back, because it 
meant I was unable to have children - with him, anyway. I have just realised that he 
must have been the father of HER child...and I just can't stand the thought of him 
having a child with another..."

"Why?" asked Sailor Moon, and one might have thought they could hear the 
bitterness in her words. "You have my 

Tuxedo Kamen now, what does Kunzite matter to you anymore?"

"He was still my friend," she said in a small voice. "He was my teacher, not just 
my lover. Without him, I would have been lost...but, oh god, I don't want to face 
him again! I just...want to be free of all this pain, all this death and power and 
corruption - I JUST WANT TO BE ME!"

"You said that already," muttered Mars, and Artemis sighed. 

"Mars, I know that you feel a little strange about all this, but really - even though 
this isn't directly our battle, I think we're more than a little involved. Come on,
you 
want to give Beryl another whack, don't you?"

"Oh yes," said Mars sarcastically. "Last time I did that, I wound up DEAD!"

"YOU'RE giving up?" asked Jupiter incredulously. "I thought you had more 
backbone than that!"

"And you expect us to reject Usa-chan in favour of you as our leader?" put in 
Venus, and ignored Jadeite's attempts to get her to stop. "You're just a coward, 
Mars. A damn COWARD!"

"She killed you too, don't forget," snapped Mars, colour staining her cheeks. 
"What is this, anyway? National 'Let's all gang up on Mars day?'"

"No, I believe it is 'Let's make the Grand Inquisitor doubt her sanity day,'" put in 
Celestine, looking up at then with her unusual golden eyes. She was now kneeling 
beside the strange carving.

"Nanii?" asked Mercury, surprised.

It was the mainly silent Jadeite who replied. "You guys are supposed to be the 
Sailor Senshi, ne? And look at you, fighting like a bunch of school girls!"

"Uh, hello," Mars snapped, eyes flashing violet fire. "We are a bunch of school
girls, 
bakayaro!"
"Screw you," replied Jadeite angrily, looking more than slightly humiliated.

Mars picked up on the source of his embarrassment easily. "Yeah, JED!," she 
snickered, gloating as he winced over the nickname. "You were beaten by a bunch 
of giggling, arguing SCHOOL GIRLS!"

"Shut the fuck up, Mars!" cried Venus, her hackles rising as she glared at the raven 
haired girl. "Don't diss my man - it really gets my feckles up!"

Mars smiled sarcastically. "It's hackles, you moron, it really gets your HACKLES 
up - there's no such word as feckles!"

"Feckles, fackles, smeckles - whatever the hell they are, they're up right now and 
pointed at you!"

"Yeah?"

"YEAH!"

"This is totally bizarre," sighed Celestine. "Children, would you stop fighting, or 
I'll make you go and talk to Pluto. Not a fun task, let me assure you."

"Who?" the gang immediately chorused. Celestine smiled. 

"Sorry, can't divulge details. Let's just say that me being the timeless 'Grand 
Inquisitor' and she being the guardian of time, we tend to run into each other a lot. 
She's the one who let Oberon have the Phoenix gate - that strange pendant 
Leucite wears as a brooch on his cloak collar."

"What do you do?" asked Mercury curiously, looking at the strange woman and her
unusual attire. "You call 
yourself the Grand Inquisitor, but dress a little like a Senshi, and Leucite said you 
were a priestess."

"In a manner of speaking," she said with a laugh. "I am High Priestess of the Order 
of Breccia, a religious kind of organisation in ArchNemesis, and advisor to the Royal 
Family that once resided there. But that's just my hobby - my real job is to guard 
the Omni-zone, and Inquire...make sure those who mess with the Omni-zone have 
a good reason for it."

"So you're not from this dimension either? Like Morganite and Leucite?"

"I am timeless, ageless, homeless...I have only one place where I am, and that is 
the mass of non-time, where the entrance to the Omni-zone is. I was never born, 
thus I can never die."

"Okay," said Sailor Moon, obviously a little unnerved at this revelation. "Right...
could we skip the meta-physics lesson already?"

"Let's go kick Beryl's ass!" cried Jupiter enthusiastically. "I feel completely lost 
now, but violence - now THERE'S something I could understand any day!"

"Hey, that's right!" Venus looked over Celestine's garb. "You do look a little like a 
Senshi, with that collar on your outfit."

Celestine laughed merrily. "Just a touch of amusement - something we immortals do."

"Especially her," Nepheline smiled angelically, looking up from Morganite. "Don't 
fry me, baby."

"I wouldn't do that - 'cause I love you so much," Celestine replied, rolling her 
extraordinary eyes. The others looked at each other and shrugged. 

"I don't want to ask, I'm sick of explanations - but is Nepheline an immortal?"

Celestine looked a little pained, and she hesitated before answering. "Because of 
what Metallia did to her, yes. She cannot die, and thus, is immortal."

"Damn, I wish I had stuck with you during the attack," said Nephrite, looking at 
Naru. "But Beryl was such a bitch - reincarnating me with those losers!"

Jadeite and Zoya simultaneously stuck their tongues out at Nephrite.

Celestine just sighed, and pocketed something that she had picked up from the 
rubble. "Let's just go."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The Dark Kingdom hadn't gotten its name by accident.
Kunzite had forgotten the dreariness of the place, with endless corridors, and then, 
huge caverns of clearings, an eternally cloudy sky, and ominous buildings that 
passed for homes.It had taken a while to escape Phenakite - she had become such 
a nymphomaniac - and he was glad for the solitude. She had seemed oblivious to t
he fact that the Senshi, and the three remaining kings, could come after them at any 
time. She seemed to think that with the loss of Jadeite, the other three would be 
severely weakened, as would Venus. He wasn't so sure. He had been married to 
Morganite for two years, and grown up with her, and if there was anything he 
knew, it was that Morganite never gave up. Her own death had been proof enough 
of her stubborn nature. And Zoisite...pain wrapped thorny manacles around his 
bleeding heart as his mind wandered to his former lover. That King had always been
an impulsive, emotional tornado. Despite all his comments about his brother after 
his imprisonment in the crystal, Zoisite had genuinely cared for Jadeite. As usual, 
Zoisite covered up 'soft' emotions with maliciousness. As he always had done.
Zoisite would not allow his brother to die unavenged.Kunzite looked around the 
garden, a heavy sadness on his heart. Zoisite had created the garden of roses, for 
himself at first, then the field of long grass, pink roses and sakura had become
their 
haven from the darkness.It was strange - when Beryl had made Zoisite female, they 
had come here often. But when it was reversed...they had stayed away. Only the 
roses had lived on in both their hearts. They never come here again - at least, not 
together. He had lost the love that he had never really appreciated. And it broke his 
heart as he looked over the garden of shadows. He was lost to him. Forever.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Leucite sighed impatiently. They were taking FOREVER to get here, and he could 
sense the build up of power at the centre of the Dark Kingdom. Beryl and Metallia...
he could sense a change in their powers. They were no longer distinguishable as two 
separate powers.

The mirror seemed to mock him from where it leaned against the strangely organic 
wall. Nephrite certainly had opulent chambers, decorated in red velvet, wine racks 
on every wall - and Leucite knew this was only a fraction of his vast collection. 
This was Nephrite's 'lounge,' as such, and it was cluttered with artefacts. But it 
was the mirror that concerned him now.

"So you finally decided to come back."

He turned, somehow not surprised to see the owner of the bitchy voice. Leaning 
against Nephrite's open front door, was a slight woman in a grey uniform, smiling 
crookedly at him. 

Leucite almost kicked himself for not raising the security wards - but, really, when 
he thought about it, it was obvious Phenakite could have gotten through them 
anyway.

"You know me. Just can't stop sticking my nose in other people's business."

"Your interfering will be the end of you, you know."

"The end of me in ArchNemesis and the Dark Kingdom, maybe. You can't kill me, 
Phenakite. Only send me home to big daddy Oberon."

"He can't be too impressed by your recent behaviour, my friend." Phenakite shifted, 
and looked out the door. "I really don't know why you came back."

A heavy weight on his heart told him why. "I must help my sister."

"Is that the only reason?"

For a split second, he thought that Phenakite had seen right through him - but she 
was just being a bitch.She seemed saddened greatly as she walked towards him, and 
the mirror. "Don't bother. Just go, Puck. Go back where you belong. Your sister 
is already dead - and so am I."

A blast of energy from her hand was all it took to shatter the mirror.

"Phoebe is dead, Puck. You will only die if you remain here. To the contrary, I can
kill you. I may not enjoy it, but I will kill you." The girl vanished, and Leucite
sighed heavily. He began to pick up the pieces of the mirror, a small, melancholy
smile on his face. "Seven years bad luck, my friend...I wouldn't be too sure if I
were you."

TOTEMIZE EVERYTHING! 
Okay, now that that's out of my system, let's all have a party and read part eleven. 
I mean, if you've gotten this far, you must be interested in what I'm doing! I'd like 
to hear from you, actually. Just to see what kind of audience I have...if I still
have 
one!
Sailor Moon belongs to a heap of people, but not me, along with a lot of other 
elements of this haphazard story. Therefore, this is non-profit...I'm already poor, 
okay? I had to put my cardboard box on a second mortgage!
Write me? Then go with luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com. You can't go wrong!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Part Eleven: On My Way Home
"This place is EXACTLY as I remember it," sighed Sailor Moon. "Can't you guys 
afford decorators?"

"Stuff it, moon brat," muttered Nephrite. "We didn't have any control over these 
corridors, no more than you have control over how the streets of Tokyo are built."

"Don't get tetchy, Nef," said Zoya, a peculiar smile on her face. He poked his t
ongue out at her, and they dissolved into laughter.

"Am I missing something?" asked Venus, from under Jadeite's arm. He just laughed.

"A Zoi-Neffy argument - Kunzite and I used to put up with these on a regular 
basis. I'm used to it - but it doesn't mean I like it." He raised his voice and
directed 
it at the sparring pair. "KNOCK IT OFF!"

Zoya turned, looking innocent. "Knock what off, Jadeite?"

"You guys," called Celestine. "We're going to have to be careful about this. Is the 
ginzuishou safe there, Sailor Moon?"

"Of course," she cried indignantly, and looked down. A cold chill entered her heart.
Her locket was empty.

"Ohhhh.....SHITFUCKDAMMITIAMSUCHANODANGOATAMA!" The girl 
was practically in tears, and everyone except Celestine stared at her in horror.

"Relax, don't blow a head gasket," said the Inquisitor mildly. "Beryl and Metallia 
can sense its presence in their realm, so I gave it to your mother to look after.
See?"

She pulled out a small locket, shaped like a moon. Popping it open, Sailor Moon 
saw a smile, a smile so familiar. Queen Serenity-hime.

"Mother?" she gasped. The apparition in the locket nodded, and said in reply "I 
hold the crystal for you, my daughter. When it is time, you shall take it upon 
yourself once more."

"Really? Do I have to? Last time I did that, it killed me!"

The Queen chuckled. "Oh, Usa-chan, really. Just believe in yourself, and it will 
protect you."

Celestine snapped it closed, and Mercury looked at her in admiration. "I never 
thought about that - that was really clever. Insidious, maybe, but still clever."

Celestine appeared bored - it seemed her small excitement over her prank had faded. 
"Breccia didn't make me leader just because I was the only person available, you 
know. I've done this kind of thing before."

"What?" asked Mars. "Destruction of worlds?"

"Cleansing of old wounds," she snapped, looking insulted. "I didn't ask for this job, 
it was forced on me."She pointed at the ceiling. "Anyway, there is an opening up 
there - it's part of a network of ducts that run the breadth of the Dark Kingdom. 
We're going to use it to get to the Temple of the Ancients, because we just might 
get noticed if we waltz down the main street. And warping would leave us vulnerable 
to an attack from the psychotic duo, Beryl and Metallia." Amazingly agile in her long 
dress, Celestine scaled the eight foot wall without effort, and extended a hand. "And 
I'll warn you all - don't expect any hocus-pocus from me." For the first time, 
everyone noticed she held no staff. "Because of circumstances, I have none of my 
old power here, and I will remain powerless until I become the avatar of Angelikarma. 
So don't expect me to pull any pranks like I did at the Moon Kingdom, or at 
ArchNemesis. You'll have to protect me."

Nepheline took her hand, and with the help of Tuxedo Kamen, Celestine pulled 
her into the passage. And so it continued, and finally, Tuxedo Kamen and Zoya 
handed up the two cats. 

He looked at her, smiling. "Need a hand?"

She surprised him. "I'll be fine, you go on up. I'll be there in a second."

Shrugging, Tuxedo Kamen disappeared into the alcove, leaving Zoya alone. She 
closed her eyes, wondering why she stood here...

"Zoisite."

She felt a hand on her waist, and she turned in shock, to face her former lover.
"Kunzite."

He seemed so happy, so disbelieving. "Zoisite, you came!"

"To destroy Metallia and Beryl for eternity," she said in a dead voice, eyes blank. 
"And I am no longer Zoisite - I rejected that part of me. The most honest part of 
me did. It's over between us."

"No." He reached out with a hand, and opened his palm to Zoya.

The rose was in perfect bloom, the pink so bright against the drabness of their 
surroundings. With a trembling hand, she took the rose.A great sorrowful weight 
crushed down on her heart, and she almost cried out in agony as the light engulfed
her. 
Around her fell the old blossoms, of another personality. She cried out in horror as 
she saw the uniform, tears spilling down her cheeks. She ripped the aqua band from 
her hair, and her scream caught in her throat. She turned from the perturbed Kunzite, 
and scrambled into the alcove.

"Wait."

She had no idea what made her turn back to the man she now loathed, but still 
loved in some deep part of herself. He was now standing at the entrance, two feet 
off the ground. She lay on her stomach in the alcove, looking into his 
eyes with confusion. She didn't see her hands move to meet his, her fingers 
entwining in his own. All she saw was the sadness in his silver blue eyes.

"Don't leave me now," he said sadly, and to her shock, she leant forward, and said 
softly "Why would I want to, dear heart?" Her breathing was quick, shallow as she 
began a kiss that could have resulted in who knew what had Tuxedo Kamen not 
returned.

"Zoya?"

She turned in the crawl space, to see Tuxedo Kamen slithering toward her. Kunzite 
had vanished. "What's - oh god, Zoya!"

"I've become her," she mumbled quietly. "I've become...that...again! Oh God, 
someone help me! I hate this, I don't want to be this person ANYMORE!" She 
burst into tears, and Tuxedo Kamen pushed past her, and leapt down from 
the alcove. He then pulled her down from the cramped space, and held her tightly 
in his embrace. He too, was almost in tears. "Stay with me, I'll set you free," he 
whispered huskily. "'Cause I can tell you once were pretty..."

"What's going on back here?" asked Artemis, returning with Luna at his die. He 
scowled. "Really, you two - would you stop rubbing it in Sailor Moon's face?"

Luna nudged him sharply. "Look at what she's wearing, nimbus!"

Artemis gasped, and sighed. "Bloody hell."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The group had managed to find an opening in the passageway, and they all sighed in 
relief to be out in the open - at least, a larger cave. The group huddled together as 
they all waited for everyone to catch up.Luna and Artemis finally arrived, Tuxedo 
Kamen and Zoisite in tow. The two actually seemed slightly uncomfortable around 
each other now. Venus reasoned it was because of their pasts as Zoisite and Tuxedo 
Kamen - as Chiba Mamoru and Zoya Troubetzkoy, none of that had ever happened. 
But now that the pasts were fully awakened...

"What the fuck happened to you?" asked Sailor Moon, her voice growing in pitch.

Luna winced. "Regressions, Sailor Moon. Just don't freak, okay? Zoisite did that 
for all of us."

"Are you okay?" asked Jadeite, moving over to where his sister huddled against 
the man she had once tried to kill. 

"You're still female, though."

"Yeah, and you know why. When I become Zoya during that damned Choice, I 
also chose to be a woman. And even though Zoisite is me again, I stay female 
because of the power involved in a gender change. Not even memory can change 
that. Only Beryl..."

"Let's just go," said Celestine softly, and one could see the worry evident in her 
golden eyes. It was déjà vu...Leucite had appeared very much the same way when 
they had gone to the gateway of the Omni-zone.

"Is something wrong, Celestine?" asked Nepheline softly, from where she sat at 
Morganite's side. The pair had one arm slung around the other, and seemed to be 
very comfortable operating together. 

"There could be," she said, cocking her head to one side, like she could hear 
something. Everyone immediately fell silent. She sighed, shaking her head. "I 
wouldn't worry about it, but...well, I think I felt a disturbance in the force..."

"Really?" said Jadeite, and to everyone's shock, he pulled out a small cylinder in 
his hand, and hit a button. A green shaft of energy erupted from the cylinder, and 
Jadeite proceeded to put on a breathy, rasping accent. "Ah, so you have come..."

"Put that down!" cried Celestine in exasperation, but she was still smiling. "Don't 
give Nephrite and Zoisite any ideas!"

It was a little late. Both had whipped out their light sabers, and were ready to
duel. 
It took glares from Tuxedo Kamen and Naru to get their respective partners to 
grumble in disappointment and put the sabers away. 

Sailor Moon giggled. "I think this is progress - at least they haven't killed each 
other yet."

"Blame Angelikarma for that," said Zoisite good-humouredly. "It stuck us together 
in eternity."

The Grand Inquisitor smiled, and proceeded to tell them of the plan.

"The Temple of the Ancients is just up ahead - once there, we will have to invoke 
Angelikarma, channel the power into me, then we can face Beryl once more. I will 
not directly interfere in that battle, I am afraid. Angelikarma is a pure force, and 
revenge is a darkness of spirit. I can only interfere in matters of retribution - and 
that would happen to be Metallia's demise. Breccia's Trust, the Sailor Senshi and 
their guardians will destroy Beryl. I must face Metallia alone, though if I need you, 
I'll just scream." She smiled, and shrugged. "Hey, even we immortals get scared 
sometimes."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The graveyard was as Venus remembered it to be - and once again, they stepped 
towards the gateway, Celestine leading, she and Jadeite behind her, the other Senshi 
behind them, then Naru, Masato, Luna and Artemis. Zoisite and Tuxedo Kamen 
brought up the rear, seemingly in a deep conversation. Nepheline and Morganite, 
holding hands, walked out to one side, sort of beside the Senshi.

"So what do we have to do, exactly?" asked Venus, and Celestine answered, not 
turning from looking at the temple. 

"I will invite the force into me, and it will take my mortal form - for I am mortal
without my powers - and twist it to suit 
the power. Don't panic about it - it sounds dangerous, as well as stupid, but I am 
well trained. There is little that could hurt me magical-wise, mortal or no. Then, I 
will be an angel of retribution, free to pursue Metallia. But first, I will let you
go 
to Beryl, so that Breccia's Trust may take their revenge."

"I don't understand," said Jadeite slowly. "What exactly is Breccia's Trust? And 
why, if we are not to fight Metallia, do we have to help you gain Angelikarma?"

"Because you are children of Breccia - she has endowed you with her power, her 
righteous justice, and this is her gift to you. You have the power to invoke 
Angelikarma, something I cannot do if I am to remain pure enough to take the 
spirit into myself. You see, Angelikarma is only awakened by the desire for
 vengeance - but can only be used in matters of retribution. There are two facets 
to the power - an eternal paradox."

"This is WAY beyond me," sighed Sailor Moon, tripping on an uneven piece of 
ground. "Oh, fudge!"

"What, no tears? No wailing? This is a historical-"

"Mars, DAMARE!"

"Quiet," snapped Celestine, and her anger softened as she looked at the pair. "Sorry, 
just tense."

"I think we all are," spoke up Zoisite from the rear.

"Are we there yet?" whined Sailor Moon.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The five Sarcophagi were still arranged in the star shape, and the group assembled 
sombrely in a circle around the circular stone altar in the middle. Celestine hopped 
onto it, and lay down, winking at the others. 

"Ready?"

"What are we supposed to do?" asked Zoisite, still clutching the hand of Tuxedo 
Kamen. Celestine giggled, and said 

"Oh, right. Sorry. Uh, well, you Senshi aren't going to be much help - besides, it'll 
get us all in trouble if you start expending energy, because Beryl and Metallia will 
sense it, and send armies of youma right here. This energy will not be sensed, for 
Breccia protects her own. So you can go over there, and try not to interfere. You 
may want to - but don't. Tux, Naru, Luna, Artemis - you join them. The rest of 
you, get over here..." her voice trailed off as she realised that the group numbered 
four. "Where's Morganite?"Nepheline was practically in tears. "She...she started
 babbling about seven years bad luck, and...and...she just disappeared!"

Celestine sat on the edge of the altar and buried her face in her hands. "Oh shit,
are 
we in for it now."

"Nanii...what can we do now?" asked Sailor Moon, suddenly very afraid. 

"Not a lot," she sighed heavily, looking at the sarcophagus of Morganite with 
shadowed eyes. She bit her lip, drawing blood. "Breccia's Trust must have five hand-
picked members...and as far as I know, Nepheline was the only substitute. Oh, shit."

"There are no others?"

"Not that I know of," she said in a low voice. "This is REALLY screwed up now."

"Could Leucite do it?" asked Nepheline, looking hopeful. Celestine shook her head, 
red hair flying.

"From what I can tell, Morganite is actually with him now, I have a feeling deep 
in my gut."

"Then - let's go find her!" cried Sailor Moon enthusiastically. 

Celestine shook her head even more finally than before. "No. Morganite is gone - 
that is why she went to Leucite. To become herself once more. That member of 
the Trust is lost to us." 

"And there are no others?"

"Only one - and, shit, I think that's not going to be easy." She fell into a brooding 
silence, and the others looked at one another. It was Jadeite alone who could speak 
the name.

"Kunzite?"

Zoisite choked back a cry, and shook her head. "He left us, he can't be a part of 
Breccia's Trust...can he?"

"If we can bring him back...yes."

"But he's turned on his Choice, on the past. He has no good in him." Celestine 
shook her head at Mars's objections. 

"Not necessarily...maybe, maybe we can bring him to us." She turned to look at 
Zoisite, and her searching eyes told the former king she knew what had happened 
to turn her into her former self, at least a little.

Zoisite shook her head faintly. "You don't want me to..."

"You are the one," she murmured, and stood closer to the girl, and then Celestine 
grabbed her hand, yanking her away from Tuxedo Kamen. She looked at her 
seriously for a moment, then sighed. "Tell me the truth, Zoisite - you 
still care for him, don't you? And you do realise that if we destroy Metallia 
while he is still under her control...he'll die. Can you stand by and watch him die? 
After all that-"

"Stop!" she cried out, anguished. "I don't want to know! Leave me alone!"

"Zoisite." Celestine was relentless, but the others could understand her motivation. 
"You're just scared, frightened of being hurt again. Endymion is yours, though. 
Kunzite will not come back into your life unless you let him."

She bowed her head, suddenly very, very tired. "I will summon him."

She stood apart from the group, and looked at the rose she formed effortlessly in 
her trembling hands. "Are you still there? Does your heart still cry for me, long for
me...
love me?" Tears streaked down her porcelain cheeks. "Because mine still sings for
you..."

The man stepped out of the shadows from where he had watched the conversation, 
eyes hollow and naked. "I never stopped loving you. I don't...I don't know why I 
made that Choice, to be away from you, not have a past with you. I think...it was 
guilt." He too, was crying, though he seemed unaware of her tears. "It was my fault 
you died...I loved you, and let you die!"

She moved closer, slowly, never once removing her verdant eyes from his cerulean-
silver, and she halted as she stood only a few centimetres from him. She reached up
with a tentative, shaking hand, and caressed his cheek. He closed his eyes in pain, 
as she murmured "It was never your fault, my dearest, dearest love. Oh koibito, 
sensei...my love. Kunzite..."

He longed to hold her close, to be a part of her once more, but the feelings from
her...
she wasn't his any longer, despite all her words to the contrary. "I wish everything 
could be like it was again..."

"I'm no genie," she chided softly, moving away from him. "Please, Kunzite, even 
if I am yours no longer, don't go back to Metallia, to Beryl...to Phenakite. Stay, 
take control of your own destiny. Friendship-"

"Is a gift I would not deny," he replied softly. "I will always love you, sweet
angel...
but if friendship is all you can give me, then that is all I will take."

He ached to hold her, but he managed to stay away. She nodded her thanks with 
a slight tilt of her golden head, a small smile. The rose she still held in her hand 
withered and died.

"It is time," said Celestine gently.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The group had gathered in a star formation around the altar where Celestine lay, in 
front of their corresponding sarcophagi, except for Nepheline, who stood before 
Morganite's bronze form. They closed their eyes, and let their minds drift aimlessly. 
A nervous giggle from Nepheline's direction annoyed Zoisite. "Shut up," she hissed, 
trying to concentrate.

"Relax, Zoi - cut the caffeine out of your diet, would ya?"

"Nephrite, Zoisite - please, don't start. Nepheline, don't be afraid. Just do as I
told 
you." Celestine looked worried as she stared at the ceiling, then closed her eyes
once 
more with a sigh.They emptied their minds of all thought - and both Zoisite and 
Kunzite felt immense relief as the pain slipped away. All felt...as if they had left 
trouble behind.One glorious whole...a peace descended on their hearts as their
spirits 
left their bodies.There would be no more pain. No more death...only light. And peace 
that filled the world.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
"Oh my god..." breathed Sailor Moon. "Stop them, someone stop them!"

Tuxedo Kamen gasped as the girl dug her fingernails into his arm, and tried to pry 
her off. "Celestine told us not to interfere, remember? Just..."

He had to admit that he was scared, too. Scared for Zoisite...the light that
surrounded 
them was beautiful, calming, cleansing...but terrifying in its awesome power.

"My god." That was Luna, and she sounded awed. The others stood, amazed. The 
figures stood at silent attention, and above them floated hazy masses...their
spirits. 
They had left their bodies. 

"Is this a good thing?" asked Venus, her knuckles white as she wrung her hands. 
She was the only one who could speak.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
And somewhere, deep in the heart of the Dark Kingdom, someone felt an anger that 
let the evil flow through her veins...and true evil filled her heart. She looked 
emotionlessly at the blood staining the ground around the throne, and bowed her 
head. She could sense the power building...she would return to destroy the second. 
Then, the Dark Kingdom would be her empty palace...to echo her empty life. 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The five people stood in a beautiful garden, looking at each other in bewilderment.
"Uh, where are we?" asked Zoisite, looking around in shock. 
Nephrite smiled, and looked at her with no rancour. "I forgot my map, sorry."
"You mookle, you never think ahead. But Kunzite...you always do. We are we?"
He smiled gently. "I forgot to leave a trail of breadcrumbs...I do think we're lost."
Nepheline laughed out loud. "Oh, you guys, always taking things so literally. We are 
in the realm of Angelikarma - it doesn't look at all familiar, does it?"

"We were in the glass of the eternal spirits," interjected Nephrite. "They got budget 
cuts - no decorators."

"Do you mean that we have to find Angelikarma and bring it back?" asked Jadeite.

The young immortal shook her head. "We already have. Just being on this plane 
endows us with the force...all we have to do is return."

"It's so peaceful here...do we have to?"

"Zoisite, you know the answer as well as I do."

She smiled sadly. "I can live without this peace, I guess. But Endymion..."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
The five spirits funnelled back into their bodies, the five opening their eyes and 
looking at each other. No one released another's hand. Kunzite smiled, and began.
The energy grew from within as he began chanting quietly in the ancient tongue 
of ArchNemesis, and each took on power as they joined in the mystical words, 
the five voices reuniting to become one ageless, emotionless, nameless voice, one 
that invoked a light above the altar in the ceiling.Celestine's motionless form 
suddenly began to rise from the altar as the group moved their joined hands upward, 
the light descending to meet her.

The altar exploded in a flash of light, and when the group opened their eyes, they 
were stunned but what they saw.The temple was a hazy mass, the only real, solid 
thing being the altar in the middle. The five were changed, each wore a solid white 
cloak, clasped at the throat by the crystal for which they were named. They smiled 
at the others wearily, and Tuxedo Kamen, Sailor Venus and Naru ran towards the 
member they loved. Now, they were truly Breccia's Trust. 

"Where is Celestine?" asked Sailor Moon, fearfully glancing around the hazy 
surroundings.

"Right here," she said softly, stepping down from the altar. They almost fainted to 
see her - she had changed as she took on the force, been purified. Her hair was loose 
about slender shoulders, her dress completely white and full, made of a material that 
seemed to float on air. One might have called her an angel, but she had no wings. It 
was her aura that gave her the mystical charisma.In one hand was a tall golden staff, 
on the top was a tiny angel, her hands clasped in prayer. "I have the power. I am 
the Avenger."

"ANOTHER title?" giggled Jupiter. "How do you keep track of them all?"

She smiled, and it was like dawn breaking on a smooth horizon. "This one's only 
temporary, thank Breccia." She waved the staff almost without thought, and the 
surroundings returned to normal. Except for the altar, which was a tall column of 
golden light, extending to the hole in the ceiling.

"Thank god," sighed Sailor Moon in relief. "I thought I needed glasses." Mars laughed
 at this, and the others joined in. It was nice to be able to relax at last, though 
Celestine didn't. Unlike before though, she was no longer tense, or nervous. She 
radiated calm like the eye of a storm, and her simple smiles were enough to 
brighten the lowest of spirits - like Kunzite's. Seeing his love in the arms of who 
had once been the deadliest rival was heartbreaking. But still...

"YOU BASTARDS!" screamed a voice suddenly, filled with anguish. "OH GODS 
HOW I HATE YOU!"

The assembled group turned in shock, only Celestine unperturbed by the dramatic 
entrance. "So, Phenakite, you DID sense the power of Angelikarma. You are not 
as lost as I believed."

"You bitch," she said quietly, voice razor-sharp with maliciousness. "That power 
belongs to me. I am the sole heir to the throne of ArchNemesis, and you know it."

"You aren't," she replied with the same even conviction. "Phoebe Loxeriam is dead. 
Phenakite has no claim here."She spun on Kunzite, eyes blazing. "You helped her, 
didn't you? How could you betray me like that? What made you..."

Her voice trailed off, understanding dawning in her eyes as her deadly gaze fell on 
Zoisite. "It was you, wasn't it? Our little hermaphrodite...well, I'll tell you what, 
little king, you'll never stand in my way again."She raised her hands, a dark energy 
crackling at her fingertips. "I HATE YOU, ZOISITE! MAY YOU BURN IN HELL!"
Phenakite rushed at her, and she managed to avoid her by pure luck. Screaming in 
insane fury, the girl rushed at her, her hands held like claws.

"No!" cried out Kunzite in pain, and shot a deadly beam at the girl.

Zoisite saw it coming, and said in a trembling voice to Kunzite "Forgive me."

She stepped into its path. 

Part twelve?! Whoa boy, guess what? One more part after this, then an epilogue...
then bye-bye chapter two! I really do believe I might actually get this finished this 
century! But there's still the next three chapters to go...oh darn...Standard
grovelling 
procedure...puh-LEASE don't sue me, big important people, for using your 
trademarks etc...this is NON-PROFIT, I swear! Hey, I've just discovered why 
totemization is so much better than torture. It's cheaper, neater, and more space 
efficient! And that was yet another, USELESS FACT.Mail me at
luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com
That is, if you think you can cope with the person who wrote this insanity...(!) 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Part Twelve: The Memory of Zoisite

Leucite turned, stunned. Behind him was Morganite, eyes yielding, her hand held out. 
"It's not too late, is it? I came...I came to go back to the past. Back to Avalon's 
eternal summers."

He looked at the broken mirror, which now appeared a nearly completed jigsaw 
puzzle. "I've been waiting centuries to hear you say that, sister." He placed the 
last piece in its assigned place with a delicate hand, and ran a hand glowing with 
green energy over the surface.The pieces melded themselves together, the mirror 
once more complete, whole. "It takes a lot more than a severely pissed off Dark 
Kingdom wannabe to destroy the power of Oberon," he smiled sadly. He pulled 
the mirror from the ground, standing it up straight. "Shall we?" he asked, extending 
a hand.

"Of course."

The pair gazed at the mirror, and Leucite spoke. "The power of Avalon doth mean 
much, and the pain of thee it will touch, from the heart of its hidden skies, it will 
heal the daughter of ancient lies."It glowed brightly, and the pair stepped together 
into the light. 
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
"No," mumured Kunzite, his voice harsh with pain as he fell to his knees.

Zoisite lay sprawled on her broken back, eyes blankly staring at the ceiling. 
Phenakite stood shakily, as stunned as the rest of them. Nephrite held Naru closer 
to him, horror building bile in his throat. They had had their problems over the 
years, but truly...he wouldn't wish this on his worst enemy.Celestine appeared 
at a complete loss, as Tuxedo Kamen cried out in horror, desperately calling her 
mortal name, falling at her side. "Zoya!"

Venus's hand flew to her mouth as she gagged, seeing the blood pouring from the
 fallen girl's chest. It was Mercury who ran to help her wounds, and Tuxedo Kamen 
desperately called to her, tried to lift her from the stupor of death.Phenakite, who 
had been motionless as she stood behind the girl who had, in theory anyway, 
saved her life, suddenly let out a cry of horror, and ran from the room.As if deaf 
to all other sounds, this made Kunzite's head snap up, his eyes flashing.
"Phenakite..." 
he hissed, and he stood. He shot after her, screaming for her blood.

"Oh, dammit to hell," said Celestine unhappily, her eyes troubled and dark. "This 
has really screwed this up." She knelt beside the girl, and placed a hand on her 
forehead. "Zoisite?"

The girl stirred, swallowing painfully, and as she tried to sit up, Celestine held
her 
down. "No, child, do not move. You are dying, Zoisite, and I cannot help you."

Her eyes filled with tears that spilled down her cheeks, as Tuxedo Kamen mirrored 
the action. He took off the white mask, and the hat, looking at her in pain. He was 
too heartbroken to speak.

Only the Avenger could voice the question in all their minds. "Why did you do
 it, Zoisite?"

"She couldn't die," she said painfully, and Celestine sighed heavily. "She is the
only 
living person who can rule ArchNemesis...you know as well as I that if she died, 
ArchNemesis was finished."

"It seems you know more than you were ever supposed to," she said quietly, 
with regret. "Oh, Zoisite you are but a child. You have so much to live for..."

"I had to do it," she whispered, as her eyes fell shut again. "Please understand...
Phenakite had to live, and I had to do it. If Phenakite had died, this would have 
all been for nothing..."

Celestine regarded her with pity as she fell into unconsciousness, eyes blank. 
"You knew more, but not enough, Zoisite. Oh, gods...why do you laugh at me?"

"What do you mean?" Sailor Moon asked quietly, looking down at Zoisite.

The immortal looked remorseful. "Zoisite was right - Phenakite must be alive for 
the rebuilding of ArchNemesis to be successful. So she stepped into the path of fire, 
to save the girl. But what she didn't know was this - Kunzite could never have 
killed her. Breccia would have protected her."

"So she's dying - for nothing?!" cried Tuxedo Kamen incredulously.

"I'm sorry," she said miserably, but she straightened, holding her head higher. 
"Come, we must stop Kunzite from continuing this charade. He cannot kill her, 
and she will never hurt him, but he may accidentally reveal our presence to the 
Queens."

"What about Zoisite?" asked Jadeite in shock. "Surely you're not going to just...
let her die?"

"There's nothing I can do," she said helplessly, looking at her staff. "Angelikarma 
is no healing force, at least, not like that."

"I could - with the ginzuishou," suggested the leader of the Senshi, but Celestine 
shook her head. 

"She is beyond all that, princess. She is inches from death, and there is nothing to 
pull her back, save..."

"Save what?" demanded Venus, her love for Jadeite causing her additional pain. 
It hurt her to see him suffer.

"Life force," she replied simply. "The force of life. It is too pure, too simple to
be 
a part of any magical implement. 

Thus, it is impossible. I...she's going to die, no matter what any of you say or do."

"How can you be so cold?" gasped Mercury, an old pain tearing at her heart as she 
watched Zoisite.

"It's a natural ability - it goes with the territory, Mercury. Besides, haven't any 
of you realised the truth? Life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair."

"That's a cynical view," laughed a voice, and every stared as two strange figures 
stepped out of a glowing mirror, and into the temple's main chamber. 

"Yeah - whatever could make you say a thing like that?"

The two figures walked arm in arm towards the group, one a small sprite dressed 
in purple, red and gold, the other a tall, stately woman dressed in a warm red dress, 
with loose sleeves and a yellow bodice, a golden belt circling her tiny waist. From 
her back sprouted a pair of wings, not feathered like an angels, but like those of a 
butterfly. They were unpatterned, and translucent, shimmering with a pearly green 
sheen. Her hair was long and black, in two ponytails that fell over her shoulders, 
held at breast-level by two purple orbs that served as barrettes. Their eyes glowed 
brightly, his a cheerful blue, hers violet.

"I think you've spent too much time - oh gods." The light flew out of his eyes as 
he saw the blood staining the ground around the fallen figure, who now lay cradled 
in the arms of Mamoru. For without his mask and hat, he seemed oh so mortal. 
"Zoisite?"

"Yeah," said Mercury huskily, clutching the dying girl's hand. "Who are you?"

"Oh - the form, right. Sorry guys. I'm Puck, and this is Éowyn."

"LEUCITE?!" cried Nephrite just as Nepheline simultaneously shouted 
"MORGANITE?!"

They looked at each other like two children who had been partners in some 
childhood prank, and smiled. Then seriousness overtook them as they looked 
down at the girl. Puck knelt before Zoisite, gently pushing the others aside. Now, 
only Mamoru and Mercury remained with the girl, whose form was already fading.

"Oh crap," he said, and his voice was thick with sorrow. "I'm sorry...I could heal 
Jadeite, but Zoisite...is too far gone. I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay, Puck," replied Venus huskily, as she held Jadeite to her, listening to
his 
silent weeping. "Celestine already told us about the life forces."

"Yes," he murmured, pressing his hands to her chest, and drawing them away, 
covered in blood. Naru quietly turned and emptied her stomach, Nephrite helping 
her stagger back to her feet. "When someone is this close to death, nothing can stop 
it. Only life itself can heal her - for her life force is gone. Her spirit is
desperately 
clinging to her mortal form, but soon...she will have to let go."

The haziness of her form was proof of his words, and Mamoru and Mercury began 
to sob openly, both of them feeling pain they didn't completely understand.

"Wait."

The soft voice of Éowyn broke through, as she knelt before the girl. She frowned 
as she took the girl's hand, seemingly in deep consideration. Then she sighed. She 
turned to the group, and beckoned to Nepheline Syenite and her half-brother, 
Nephrite. They both stepped forward, and she stood to greet them. She threw her 
arms around Nephrite, and then stood back. "Morganite never told you, Nephrite...
but..." The strange fairy-like woman leant forward, and whispered something in his 
ear, something that paled his face, and made her smile wistfully. "Promise me," she 
whispered, and he nodded in disbelief.

Then she turned to the girl, and embraced her warmly. She planted a brief kiss on 
her lips, and stepped away. 

"Forgive me, my friend," she murmured, and moved towards the fallen girl.

"Now THAT sounds suspicious," cried Sailor Moon, but Celestine held her back.

"Hush, child. She knows what she is doing. Éowyn has much to repay in her life, 
and this is her choice."Puck seemed bemused by his sister's actions, as she sat 
beside the girl. The others noticed her necklace only when she took it off - and 
it made Puck shout out. 

"ÉOWYN!"

But she was deaf to his cries. She pulled Zoisite away from the others, into her 
own arms. Taking a limp hand, she held one half of the necklace. It was
extraordinary, 
half gold, half silver. It was the symbol of eternity, an eight on its side...and
Puck
 knew what she was doing as she wrapped Zoisite's limp hand around it.

"What is it?" asked Sailor Moon, shocked at the hopeless features of the changeling. 
Yet somehow, in amongst all that sorrow, there was...pride?

"She is healing her." Celestine sounded quietly stunned.

"I thought you said that was impossible," said Mars, surprised. 

"Just watch," she said softly. "She will heal her, but at a dear cost."

As they watched in stunned silence, the form of the girl seemed to corrupt, 
become hazy...she smiled sweetly as she leaned forward, and without warning, 
she became one shapeless mass that slipped silently into the girl. There were no 
bright lights, no heavenly music, but everyone could feel the lightness of heart that 
suddenly echoed around the room.

The girl's gory wound to her chest suddenly closed over without warning, and 
Mercury leapt forward with a cry as the former king lay sprawled on the cold 
ground. Mamoru joined her, cradling Zoisite like a child.

"Careful, careful," chided Mercury gently. "I think her back is broken."

Puck stood silently, watching the pair fuss over the girl, who was now very much 
ALIVE, if not unconscious. It took a hand on his arm from Nepheline to awaken 
him from his musings.

"Don't hate her for what she did, Puck. She had to do it."

He turned to her, and though his eyes were bright with tears, he seemed to be happy, 
somehow. "I don't hate her. She was my sister..."

"I don't understand," Venus put in slowly, as she watched Jadeite walk blindly, 
with increasing disbelief, towards his sister. He collapsed in tears beside her form, 
clutching her hand to his chest. Venus desired to move to join him, but curiosity was 
rampant.

The necklace was still held in Zoisite's limp hand, and Puck stared at it, smiling. 
"We changelings, we have no particular mortal form, not like humans. We are 
changelings, shape shifters, beings of pure magic. Éowyn played on this fact when 
she sacrificed her own form to give her life force to Zoisite."

"So...Éowyn gave her sustenance to Zoisite?" asked Jupiter, shocked beyond belief. 
"She gave up her own life?"

"She's dead then," said Nepheline, her bubbly voice curiously flat. 

"Oh, you might be pleasantly surprised," said Puck with a crooked, though 
mischievous grin. "You never know what might happen when you mix magics."

"What do you mean?" Mars sounded her usual suspicious self, and Celestine laid 
a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. Mars was surprised at the warmth that 
lowed through the girl, and into her - her power was great, yet pure. Complex, 
yet simple.

"Magic is an unusual force present in all realities. It exists in different forms in 
different places, different times. When you mix them...well, things do happen."

"Bad things?" Sailor Moon looked worried, and Puck roared with laughter, a 
twinkle in his eyes.

"When the Puck's involved, it can't be anything bad," he snorted.

Celestine shook her head in mild amusement. "I beg to differ. But we digress. 
What of our mourning king?"

"Who - Kunzite?" Jupiter wrinkled her brow. "Why is he mourning?"

"Well," drawled Mars in her best kindergarten teacher voice, "He believes he 
just killed his former lover, and..."

"Stuff it, bitch," snarled Jupiter, and was chastised by two pairs of feline eyes.

"I'll go get him," offered Nephrite suddenly, and Naru looked at him in astonishment.

"Nanii?!"

"We'll all go, don't get all heroic on me now, Neffy," smiled the Avenger. "There 
may be only four in Breccia's Trust now, at least, once we get Kunzite back, but 
really, it will be okay."

"I'm not leaving Zoisite," stated Mamoru firmly, and Celestine nodded. "It will 
be better if you stay here, Naru, Mamoru. Because of who the Senshi and the 
remaining Kings must face."

He pulled a face. "If you're referring to my, ahem, 'previous relationship' with 
Beryl..."

Sailor Moon echoed his face exactly. "EWWWWWW!" they cried in unison, and 
smiled tentatively at each other. It was the first time since the infamous kiss 
that the pair had directly looked at one another, and not turned away. They 
found it difficult to do so.

"So, as it shall be, the trust is one member short - unless, of course, my friend,
you 
can find it in your heart to forgive me." Celestine sounded apologetic as she looked 
at Puck, and he brightened.

"Does this mean you're gonna let me play?"

She winced at the choice of words, and nodded. "Take on your old form, my friend."

Puck bowed to her, and without warning, spun into a whirlwind, emerging a few 
seconds later, hair short and dark, and much taller. He was dressed in his usual
black 
cloak, the strange pendant still at his throat. 

"I'll join you up in the 'club' once we get a hold of Kunzite," said Celestine, and 
she indicated everyone should gather around her. "Mercury, you too."

She looked up, concern shining in her blue eyes. "But Zoisite..."

"Is in no real danger - as long as she has Mamoru by her side, she will be fine. I 
doubt she'll regain consciousness for some time, any how. She's in no pain, despite 
her injuries. She has been healed of any mortal wounds, but..." she seemed 
thoughtful. "Never mind that now."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Kunzite looked around in blind fury, his heart burning. It felt so...unusual to be
like 
this. He had never been so out of control, so emotional in his entire life.Then
again, 
he thought sardonically, it's not every day you kill the person you love...
He threw back his head and screamed "Phenakite, you coward! Get out here you 
bloody WHORE!"

"No," came a tentative voice, and he laughed cruelly as his pained eyes roamed her 
chambers.

"So you want to play, hmm? Okay then, we'll play." He began to search the rooms 
systematically, calmly, beginning to feel a lot more like his old self.

"Why must you hate me?" she asked in a tearful voice. "All I ever did was love you!"

"And I hate you," he said in a voice thick with his pain. "I hate you for making me 
do what I did to Zoisite...I loved him, and you've destroyed that."

"I know." Her reply was barely above a whisper.

"And you must pay for your sins - does that not sound fair?"

"But I love you," she pleaded from her hidden alcove, crying evident in her words. 
"He was in the way..."Kunzite sighed, with...pity? He could remember the way 
the girl had been, when she had been the lost Princess who had become his friend 
and confidant. If it wasn't for her, he surely would have ruined his relationship 
with Zoisite when...He blinked back a lens of tears. "I'm not going to hurt you, 
Phenakite."

"Really?"

"Really. Why don't you come out and play?"

She should have heard the ominous undertones in his words, but love had blinded 
her to any danger, just as his love had blinded him to reason. He pulled out a huge 
dagger from thin air, from his extensive weapons collection, and pinned the
unresisting 
girl to the floor quite easily.She didn't struggle, just stared up at him with sad
eyes.

"I love you," she whispered, and she continued to whisper it repeatedly as he 
plunged the knife into her chest repeatedly, as tears fell down his own cheeks. "I 
love Zoisite..."

The pair chanted in oblivion, as her voice faded, grew hoarse. Finally, unable to 
take anymore, he slipped off her, and looked at the blade in distaste. He flicked it 
aside, and looked with heavy sadness at the blood soaked girl who stared at the 
ceiling with such love. 

"Zoisite," he whispered, and began to cry.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Celestine halted, eyes wide. Then, quite unexpectedly, she began running towards 
a dark building, the others trailing in shock. "What's going on?" screeched Sailor 
Moon, barely staying on two feet.

"Love, that's the goddamn problem," called back Celestine in anger. "It started this 
whole goddamn mess, and that's the goddamn fucking truth!"

"Blasphemy," sighed Luna. "Is it really necessary?"

"I'm fucking serious!" cried Celestine, now in panic. "I can't believe..."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
She burst into the room, the others not far behind.Kunzite sat slumped alone on a 
chair, his eyes blank as he stared at a photograph that Mamoru could have explained.
The girl was no longer on the ground, but had been carefully laid on her bed. The 
tacky stains on the floor, however, told the story better than the dagger at
Kunzite's
side on the table could have.

"Oh, gods," breathed Celestine, and she seemed at the verge of fainting. "I was told 
this was impossible!"

"Never believe all that beings like Breccia tell you," Leucite said in a knowing 
voice. "These powerful immortals are all the same - just like dear old dad."

"Shut the fuck up, Leucite!" cried Celestine, dashing to Phenakite's still form.
It was highly pointless, though. She had been dead awhile.

"I thought you said she couldn't die," said Mercury in a trembling voice. "And 
that if she did somehow die...""This was all for nothing."

Venus stared long and hard at Mars, but did not leap into anger. Instead, she looked 
at Jadeite, and shook her head. 

"Not entirely," she whispered.

Celestine had buried her head in her hands, and to Sailor Moon's shock, she could 
hear gentle sobbing coming from the girl. Leucite looked at his pendant. It broke e
very rule in the book, but still...He moved quietly into the hallway.
______________________________________________________________________________
________
The darkness of non-time penetrated every each of his being as the Phoenix gate 
threw him backwards, and he uttered a quiet prayer that Pluto was not paying 
attention. He materialised in the chamber, as he heard a huskily whispered "But I 
love Zoisite..."

"No!" screamed Leucite, and he threw himself at Kunzite.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
Sailor Moon shook her shoulders, and called out to the guardian. "Look, it's not 
all lost," she whispered softly, eyes comforting. "Maybe ArchNemesis is lost 
forever now, that its last member is dead, but we can still destroy Beryl and 
Metallia. And let all those spirits of ArchNemesis finally be at rest."

Her eyes were wounded, bitter. "You don't understand, it's not that simple,"
 she sobbed. "I can't get rid of this power just by saying 'I don't want it anymore.' 
It must be purged through retribution...and without someone to take 
up rulership of ArchNemesis, someone alive at the time of the rebirth, there can be 
no one to right the wrongs and bring the light back. Thus, I am stuck with this 
power - forever."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_
"No," said a quiet voice from the doorway, and everyone looked up in shock to see 
Phenakite standing at Leucite's side. She looked sad, and Leucite quirked a smile 
in Celestine's direction.

"You forgot I had the Phoenix gate, nimbus," he said with a small chuckle, and held 
up a hand when she tried to protest. "It had to be done."

Everyone looked around - to their combined amazement, Phenakite's body had 
vanished, and Kunzite stood at Nephrite's side, mournful but strong. He also 
looked more than a little apologetic.

"You jammy goit," said Celestine in amazement, and burst into laughter, throwing 
her arms around him. "I guess you can act like a responsible adult after all!"

"I didn't alter it so we'd forget it," he said, placing the pendant back on his
cloak. 
"I thought we'd be better off remembering it - lest some of us get tetchy again."

Kunzite sighed, but didn't object. It took a friendly hand on his arm to get him to 
speak - it was Mercury.

"Zoisite's alive," she said, and he nodded.

"So I've been told - I've been a right baka, haven't I?"

"It doesn't matter," replied Sailor Moon, stunning everyone. "I do it too...though 
I've never killed anymore because of it...well, accidents do happen."

He looked at her, bemused, then a smile spread across his face. "You're not so bad, 
moon brat."

"Stop calling me that," she whined, and then become suddenly very serious. "Does 
this mean..."

"It's party time!" cried Leucite, and he looked at Celestine, who nodded. 

He leapt into the centre of the room, and pulled Nepheline Syenite, Nephrite, 
Kunzite and Jadeite in with him. "We have to join hands, guys - to initiate me into 
Breccia's Trust, now that Zoisite and Morganite aren't able to."The gang shrugged. 
"Can't do any harm."
______________________________________________________________________________
________
Celestine handed Sailor Moon the golden locket, and said quietly, "Put this on, 
Usagi-chan...Princess Selenity-hime. It is your key to retrieving the ginzuishou."
She nodded mutely, and looked at the new trust. Now Leucite too, was in the 
white cloak, but the golden pendant never changed. She still didn't understand 
how he had used it to bring Phenakite back from the dead, and explain to both 
Kunzite and Phenakite the situation, but...she sensed now was not the time for 
questions.

Phenakite looked alone, lost. Celestine leant down and whispered in her ear, and 
she sighed heavily. And warped from the room.

"Where's she going?" asked Mars, a tad annoyed that someone was bailing on 
them.

"To the temple of Breccia - to await the rebirth," replied Celestine. She raised 
her staff, and it glowed brightly. "You guys, that way."

She looked up, and sighed. "I'll be with Metallia."And then, she too vanished like 
an autumn leaf on a chill winter breeze.

Whew! Made it to part thirteen…this is something of a relief for me! Well, I hope 
you’re having fun reading this story, ‘cos I’m having a ball writing it…my first real 
attempt at fanfic, and look what I did. I created a huge mess! Oh well, live and
learn…
but then again, some people never learn. And that would be me…Oh, yeah. Some 
more useless advice. If you find a lantern, be nice to it. With any luck, you might 
find a friendly dungeon master inside. This is a non-profit fanfic! No suing beyond 
this point! Have a lovely day everybody! And email me if you have a free moment…
don’t be a stranger now! 
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Part Thirteen: Breccia
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
The time was almost up. The grains had fallen, and now, the game had reached 
its final climatic point.

"I hate this," whispered Sailor Moon, and Kunzite chuckled quietly to himself. 
"Hey, bleach boy! What are you laughing at?!" demanded the leader of the Sailor 
Senshi.

"Myself," he replied, quite truthfully. "I just can’t believe I was killed by such a 
whiner…"

"Knock it off you two," broke in Nephrite, sounding quite good-natured for his 
separation from Naru. "Leave the petty bickering to me and Zoi, huh?"

Kunzite lowered his head, and Nephrite regretted ever mentioning him/her/it. 
"Sorry, Kunzite."

He just continued to look at the ground. "I…it’s okay. I should learn to accept…"

"Shoosh!" snapped Venus and Jadeite, who were at Leucite’s side. He seemed to 
have elected himself leader in the absence of Celestine, but no one was objecting. 
He was studying the end of the corridor intently, and he turned to the others, a 
horribly evil grin on his face, at odds with his beaming eyes.

"Those two are so pathetic," he chortled, looking like he was going to lose control. 
"The queens have been out of the glass for awhile now, yet they have never really 
tried to start things again, get the Dark Kingdom into any kind of order."

"So let’s kick ‘em when they’re down!" cried Jupiter, cracking her knuckles.

Leucite abruptly sobered. "If you want to commit suicide, be my guest. As 
confused and disoriented as Beryl is, Metallia is fine. Just…incarcerated, so to 
speak."

"In that chamber?" spoke up Kunzite, and the other two kings shuddered at the 
mental picture his words invoked. They, too, could remember Metallia’s chamber.

"I don’t think so," he said, acting like Mars, putting his hands on the wall and 
closing his eyes.

"What are you doing?" asked Mercury, looking at her computer, but not actually 
touching it.

"Don’t bug him," whispered Jadeite, pulling Venus closer to him, she wrapping an 
arm around his waist. "He’s asking the Dark Kingdom itself what is going on," put 
in Nephrite, looking lost. There was no Naru for him to cling to, draw small comfort 
from. It was Jupiter who put an arm around him, and smiled gently, squeezing his 
shoulder. He looked at her as if she were an apparition, then shook his head. "The 
stars are similar – you know how I talk to the stars? Well, the Dark Kingdom itself 
is alive, it listens to everything, and if you know what you’re doing, it might 
occasionally tell you things. Have you ever heard voices on the wind? Like it was 
trying to tell you something?"

Sailor Moon looked a little confused. "Yeah…"

"That was the earth trying to communicate with you – but you’re a child of the 
moon, it can’t have worked. All Leucite is doing right now is asking the Dark 
Kingdom what has happened within its perimeter. Leucite is not of this place, 
but is of such a spiritual level that he can speak to the essence of the Dark 
Kingdom."

"It doesn’t mean it’s going to give me a straight answer, though," replied Leucite, 
standing up. He suddenly appeared very lethargic, without energy. Without 
warning, his eyes scrolled backward into his head, and he collapsed. 
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Celestine smiled at the girl as she walked around slowly, as if in a daze. The temple 
was as she had last seen it, as her father had died at the hands of Queen Beryl. Her 
mother’s lifeless body had lain at his feet, and her blood had stained his kingly
robes…
and though his face had been wracked with lines of great sorrow, his eyes had been 
proud, unyielding in his faith in Breccia. And even as Beryl tore the man to pieces, 
his aura had been bright…as it moved to his eldest daughter, his eldest child. She
had 
stood alone amongst the youma warriors, not one of Beryl’s Kings at the time, 
namely Kunzite, Morganite, Nephrite and Jadeite, had been present. They were 
unnecessary at this battle.ArchNemesis had been a peaceful land – of mythology, 
legend, storytellers, dreamers. They were easily vanquished, though the power lived 
on in one child who was not killed. But the dreams were shattered…

"Poor little princess," murmured Celestine, touching the girl who knelt before the 
ground where her father had fallen. Phenakite jumped at the touch, and turned pained 
eyes to the woman who held the power of her heritage. 

"They’re dead…but I can feel them. It’s not like before…I used to come here, after 
I was a part of Beryl’s court…but it was empty. Not now…"

"When you broke the glass, child, you released them. Breccia has held them away 
from becoming mortal, for they have no leader to guide them. You must take up t
hat leadership, child."

"How can I?" she whispered, looking at her hands. "I am unclean, unworthy…my 
parents should be the ones to do it."

"Your parents’ spirits are beyond even the hold of Breccia, child. You know it." 
She smiled, and said, "Look up there." She extended her staff towards the silent 
sky, with the ethereal, peaceful stars.

"No way," said Phenakite, eyes suddenly full to the brim with laughter. "Please, 
no lions in the sky, declaring that I am the one true king!"

Celestine laughed out loud. "Do I look like a monkey to you? Asante sana, squash 
banana…"

Phenakite laughed, and looked up. The stars looked down on her, without 
judgement, without a condemning eye. She fell into a dreaming silence.

"The great kings of the past are up there – it’s true, and I ain’t talking about
lions, 
girl, don’t get me wrong. But your parents were of spirit that doesn’t stay on the 
mortal plane, doesn’t get reincarnated. Only once do spirits like this descend to t
his world, then they take their place in the sky. They go home." She took the girl’s 
hand, and smiled gently. "Just as you will, princess."

The light passed from Celestine to the girl, who began to glow with an ethereal 
light, her tiny form outlined in golden light. She pulled a hand up to her face, and
l
ooked at it in wonder as she twisted it around. "What…what’s happening to me?"

"You were supposed to be the bearer of Angelikarma. Remember, you almost killed 
Zoisite over it? You wanted it so badly, but you could not have it then. But now 
that you are willing to let the dark half vanish, I can give it to you."

She held the golden staff between her slender hands, and spoke two words gently, 
but it was all that was necessary."Breccia Quintessence," she murmured, and it 
exploded into light, and she passed the staff to the shaking girl. Instantly, she was 
transformed into a fiery mass, and Celestine blocked her eyes.When she reopened 
them, only a pile of ashes remained of the former princess of ArchNemesis.
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
"Leucite?" cried Nepheline, dropping to his side. Only Kunzite appeared 
unwavered by his collapse, and he explained quickly.

"Puck is a being of tremendous power, at least he was, and he has lost a great deal 
of this power because he was punished by being stripped of it. Celestine, through 
her connection with the Omni-zone, has been able to give him some back. Only a 
fraction – and he forgets this. He uses more power than he has, and dips into his 
life force to do it. It’s not going to hurt him, unless he goes overboard with it."

Indeed, the man was slowly sitting up once more, a sly smile on his face. "Kids – 
don’t try this, whether at home or in another dimension! Oi, that hurts! Would 
anyone object to me taking a quick nap?"

"I want one too!" cried Sailor Moon, and Leucite smiled.

"Well, now that our Moon princess has made the idea respectable with her agreement,
 let’s have a slumber party!"Kunzite rolled his eyes. "It didn’t take you long to get 
back to normal, Leucite, buddy."

"What can I say, I’m just brilliant."

"Are we going to do anything or not?" asked Nephrite, looking impatient. Jupiter 
was once again hanging off his arm. Jadeite and Venus added their agreements 
simultaneously.

"Okay, okay," grumbled Leucite, climbing to his feet, rearranging his white cloak. 
"Did anyone bring the Drive? I can’t go into battle with an off-white cloak!"

Kunzite rolled his eyes – again. "Leucite…"

A playful twinkle entered the young man’s eyes. "No, I know…could I borrow 
your bleach, dude?"

Nephrite burst into laughter at the venomous look the eldest king gave the child of 
Oberon, and he finally saw the funny side and started laughing, too.

"Quit the bickering, what about Beryl?" asked Luna, concerned. Venus looked at 
them in surprise, she hadn’t realised the cats had joined them.

"Luna, Artemis, this isn’t really your concern, is it? Well, it is, but you’re only 
two cats. What can you do to help us?"

"I appreciate your honesty," replied Artemis dryly, but he could see her point. 
Guardians of the Senshi they may have been, but in these forms, they were useless.

"We’ll go back to Mamoru, Naru and Zoisite." Luna’s voice was decisive, but her 
eyes were worried. She stepped lightly over to Sailor Moon, who knelt to face 
the cat. "Princess Selene, please…forgive my desertion in your hour of need…
but I cannot help you." The cat was almost in tears, if such a thing was possible 
for a feline. 

Sailor Moon pulled the cat into her arms, and held her tightly, before letting her
down. On her face were no tears, only a smile. "Luna, it’ll be okay. Miss H gave 
me a detention for Monday afternoon, remember? I’ll be there, like I always 
am. And I have to hear Mamo-chan call me odango atama again…I’ll get through 
this, I have to. Besides, Queen Serenity is watching over me. I’ll be fine, Luna, my 
heart. I have to be, don’t I? Things have to work out sometimes…don’t they?"

Luna nodded mutely, to heartsick to speak. Wordlessly, Luna and Artemis left the 
group, Venus pale and shocked.

"We’ll have to split up," said Leucite, looking up from his quiet conference with 
Jupiter, Kunzite, Nephrite and Jadeite. "The throne room is filled with youma – 
all reincarnated – and Beryl will be on her throne, as per usual. As for 
Metallia…" He shook his head in bewilderment. "I can sense her presence, but 
I can’t pinpoint it. And don’t even try to use your computer, Mercury. It won’t 
work."

"Why are we splitting up?" asked Venus, looking worried. "I can’t see why we 
should have to."

"Two groups are more of a surprise than one – one comes from the left, the other 
from the right. We’re going through the side, upper entrances. Not the front door, 
unless of course, you want to tangle with a few thousand youma."

"Count me out!" called Sailor Moon cheerfully, playing with her moon-shaped locket, 
her connection to the ginzuishou. When they needed it.

"Isn’t all this rather convenient?" asked Mars, suspicion rampant in her words. "A 
little too easy, if you ask me."

"Don’t hold your breath," said Kunzite dryly, looking at the other two kings. 
"Those entrances are not exactly easy to get through."

"How are we splitting up?" asked Mercury, intrigued. The kings, Leucite and 
Jupiter looked at one another uneasily.

"We thought of going as the two groups – the Sailor Senshi, and Breccia’s Trust."

"I’m not leaving Jadeite!" squawked Venus, and the others sighed.

"But there’s that, and one other thing – to get through the entrances, we need a 
member of the Dark Kingdom on each side. To guide you through, so to speak. 
So…"

"There are ten of us – five each side, but let’s keep Leucite and Sailor Moon
separate,
hmm?"

That was Mercury’s input, and Venus wrinkled her brow. "Why?"

"I would say that the both of them are the most powerful amongst us, even though 
Leucite has lost a good deal of his power. But it’ll be okay."

"Right," said Leucite, taking command. "Kunzite, you can go with Sailor Moon’s 
lot, because you know the most about the entrances. Jadeite and I will muddle
through, 
I guess. Nephrite should come with me, too. All together, we should be okay. And 
if Jadeite’s coming with me, I guess Venus is too. One more?"

"Me," said Jupiter, winking at Nephrite. He blushed oh so slightly.

That left Sailor Moon with Kunzite, Nepheline, Mars and Mercury. Kunzite 
immediately stepped toward the girl, and pulled them into a group. "We’re going 
to warp," he said quietly, and he looked at Leucite. "Do you really believe this 
stealth spell of yours will prevent us from being noticed?"

"What, don’t you trust me? I borrowed it from Odin when Éowyn and I popped 
back home for a visit. If it doesn’t work, please, direct your objections to a brick 
wall, because I have to go."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," muttered Kunzite, but he didn’t appear overly 
worried.The two groups warped – one left, one right.
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Celestine was frozen as she stared at the cremated ashes, but she wasn’t afraid, or 
worried. She knew what had happened. The cleansing flame of retribution had done 
 her what had been needed.

"The legend of the Phoenix," she said softly, and she watched as in the ashes, a
spark 
stirred into bright life.Like an angel out of time, the white form of a young woman 
exploded from the flames, and as they died, she stepped forward, a golden staff in 
her hand. She was dressed in white, but long, golden wings arched behind her, as she 
smiled at the Grand Inquisitor, now free of the power of Angelikarma."Like the 
legendary Phoenix, rising from its own ashes," whispered Celestine, and the
angel-like 
girl nodded. She had short, dark blonde hair cut in a shaggy style, and warm, deep 
chocolate eyes. 

"Angelikarma cleansed me, set me free," she said softly, looking at the woman who 
was now dressed in her usual purple dress and black coat, her own staff in hand. "I 
think it’s time you went back to your duties, Celestine. You have done all you can, 
it is out of you hands now."

"That’s the way it should be," she sighed, and stood back, opening the warp back 
to the Omni-zone. "Do you need a hand, getting back to the Dark Kingdom?"

Princess Phoebe Loxeriam of ArchNemesis shook her head faintly. "Do I look like t
he sort of entity that needs a hand with a simple gateway, Celestine?"

She laughed out loud. "Forgive me, majesty." She stepped through the warp, and 
turned before it closed, waving a hand. "Good luck – don’t let the Beryl-bugs bite."

"I have more to worry about than her," she replied softly, and turned her gaze to 
her staff. "A lot more."
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
"Uh – I hope YOU know where we are, Kunzite," said Sailor Moon, looking 
around the cavern in shock. It was completely white, and a silver gate sat up ahead. 
Beyond that, was darkness.

"I lived here, smart ass," snapped Kunzite, and Mars laughed.

"Right on, brother! You tell her where to stick it!"

"Since when am I your brother?" asked Kunzite, surprised. Mercury laughed.

"Since she decided she wanted to be a sista – but forget that. Is that the side
entrance?"

"Oh yes. It was created by the architect of this palace as decoration, really, but 
paranoia forced Beryl to make it a simple trap."
 
"What kind of trap?"

"A nightmare trap," he said simply. "It takes your heart in its own, and tries to 
bend your will to its own. It is a shadow…but no sun ever cast it. All you have to
 do is walk through the gateway without hatred, without any emotion but pure 
peace…and it will let you past. As you can guess, it was a trap no member of the 
Dark Kingdom could have any hope of traversing."

"So then…can you, Kunzite? Nepheline?"

"She’ll be fine – she was our token innocent, remember? She knows of our pasts 
completely because she never forgot. She is the only one of us who has a definite 
pass. I…I’ll try, I can’t guarantee a thing, but I doubt Leucite would have suggested
 it unless he honestly believed we could pass."

"Here we go," said Sailor Moon, taking a deep breath, and opening the gate.

"What, no tears, no whining?" Mars seemed impressed.

Sailor Moon just smiled. "I’ll make up for it ten thousand-fold when we get home."
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Leucite burst onto the scene first, a huge fiery sword lighting into existence as his 
eyes blazed with green fire. "Oh Beryl?"

The red headed woman looked up, as if at an apparition. Her scarlet eyes narrowed, 
as she looked upon someone she hadn’t ever expected to see again."You slipped the 
leash, did you, dear Puck? Daddy can’t be too pleased."

"Oberon can’t do a blessed thing to stop me now," he snapped back, moving in 
front of the Queen. Surprisingly, not one of her guards moved forward from the 
ranks of youma – they simply stood and watched. "He has no claim here, not 
even over me. He disowned me, and this power is not from Avalon – it is from 
the Gatekeeper, from Priestess Celestine Aurora Athene – Wise Angel of the 
Dawn."

"She can’t help you now, child," she sneered in return, as Nephrite staggered 
in from the gateway, quickly followed by Jupiter. Neither noticed – they were 
too immersed in one another. "She gave up Angelikarma, she gave it to that fool 
princess. And she is not strong enough to wield the fury of the true 
ArchNemesis. I can take her mind and twist it around my little finger. She will
pay – as I made Breccia pay."

Horrified understanding blossomed across Leucite’s face, his blade faltering. 
"…Metallia?"

"Who did you expect? Beryl? That weak little worm…Phenakite killed her long 
ago. For a moment there, I was only a spirit, in that damned chamber, but when 
Phenakite killed Beryl, out of anger over some idle words about Kunzite, I took 
the body, healed it, made it my own. I was allowed to do it because she was such a 
part of me. Beryl is gone, eternally, thank god. I couldn’t put up with her whining 
for much longer."

Leucite stared, stunned, unarmed. Metallia shifted comfortably in her throne. "I see 
you know the rules, and my power, Leucite. You cannot kill me, no matter how 
you try."

The remaining Senshi on Leucite’s side fell through the gate, pulling Jadeite with
her. 
At approximately the same moment, Sailor Moon tumbled through her side, followed 
closely by Nepheline Syenite. Mercury leapt through, then Mars. Finally, Kunzite 
pulled through, looking the worst out of all of them. He almost hadn’t survived the 
leap of faith the shadows had pulled his greatest pain and hatred from his mind, and 
he almost paid for it with his life.Metallia watched, unperturbed. "Ah, so you bring 
with you the little princess. Commendable, Leucite, but still  ultimately useless.
She 
can’t hurt me, none of you can."

"You want to bet on that?" cried Mars, fire burning at her fingertips. 

Leucite raised his hand, but still keep his steely gaze on the preening queen. "Mars, 
don’t. We can’t afford to anger her any more than necessary - and she is right, you 
know. We cannot hurt her. We were here for one purpose only, and that was to 
destroy Beryl. But she is dead already." His shoulders sagged suddenly, and he
appeared 
very remorseful. "I should have known, I should have been able to tell, but…the Dark 
Kingdom lied to me."
"Well of course it did," replied Metallia, inspecting the polish on her finger nails,
sounding bored. "I am its master, you didn’t honestly think it would lie to me, do 
you? Oh Puck, you’re such an innocent.""Metallia," breathed Nephrite, eyes dying
 in his waxy face. "Metallia is in Beryl…""And Beryl is gone," completed Metallia 
easily, tossing her massive hair over her shoulder. "Pity – she was an almost decent 
slave, until she fell in love with Endymion…lust, actually. Oh well." She stood, and 
looked at them with pity. "Oh, foolish children, coming to face big bad Metallia 
without any real power. Silly, really." She smiled as she looked at the youma, still 
staring blankly ahead without movement. "They aren’t going to be much help," 
she sighed, and they disappeared in a cloud of white smoke, the frozen forms 
shattering as they fell. "Phenakite did that – froze the youma, I mean. She’s a real 
bitch at heart, and awfully impulsive. When she got it into her head to kill 
Beryl, she also killed the youma by freezing their little life forces…they simply 
stopped existing. And now that the glass is broken, they are gone forever, just like 
Beryl. They are in whatever hell they deserve."

"And what about you?" asked Sailor Moon, wondering why she had spoken up. T
his woman was obviously very powerful, and very pissed off at the group in general, 
though she seemed very calm on the exterior. "When we kill you, where will you go?"

"I am already dead, little miss moon princess," said Metallia with a crooked smile. 
"I cannot leave this plane, and I certainly cannot be forced off it. Thus, you can
kill 
this body, but I will find another. I will rebuild the Dark Kingdom, make new youma 
by harvesting the human population, and I will have my power back. I don’t want to 
rule the universe, I’m no megalomaniac. All I want is my kingdom, and my people, 
and to be rid of him. And that bitchy little princess, Phoebe."

She was pointing at Leucite, and he lowered his head, so very tired of all the
fighting. 
"Where is Celestine, Metallia?"

"At the entrance to the Omni-zone. And Phenakite cannot wield the power she gave 
her. She is too unpure, too dark for it now. I am victorious." She smiled
triumphantly, 
then said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, "Sorry."

Leucite seemed to reach a snap decision in his mind. "If you only want me, I will 
stay, and you can do to me what you will. Just let these others go – and don’t ever 
ry to destroy them again. I will come to you if you let them be. They can drink of 
Lethe’s waters, and they will be no threat to you."

"Leucite? No!" Venus cried out, but Jadeite hushed her, eyes wide.

"Nice try," sighed Metallia, and she looked at him with false sympathy. "But you 
don’t suit the knight in shining armour model." She stood, and looked down on his 
from the dais. "I’m going to kill you now," she said, no emotion in  her words. "Say 
‘hi’ to Beryl for me."

"Take one step closer, and I’ll fry you, bitch," came a steady voice, the profanity 
at odds with the cultured tones. Metallia looked up, not really surprised to see 
Princess Selene, holding the ginzuishou in the moon wand that every one had 
believed was lost for eternity. "You have no right."

"And you have none either, little princess," snapped Metallia, but she ceased 
building the energy she was about to release on the man who was actually a 
changeling. She stepped down from the dais, and stood one foot away from 
the girl, who stood proud, looking her in the eyes. The others automatically 
stepped away, hating themselves for abandoning the princess, but they could do 
nothing else.

"Selene, Selene, Selene…it is over, you are nothing in the face of my power. Just 
go back to your little fallen kingdom, sob among the ruins, be a wandering wraith 
like your beloved mother. Just get the fuck out of my face, if you want to live."

"Do you want to challenge the ginzuishou? For that is what you are doing, when 
you challenge me. I am a part of it, and it is a part of me. Do you want to find out 

what oblivion is, demon?"

Kunzite stepped forward, eyes flashing fire. "We will not let you kill us, Metallia." 
He put a hand on Selene’s over the ginzuishou…and to the shock of the others, it 
did not burn him, or harm him. "You see?" he asked sadly. "My purity has returned…
I am free of all the evil you distilled in me. And I owe you for all that you and 
Beryl took from me. I feel kind of sorry for Beryl…she was once a real person, a 
good person, until you got bored. You made her truly evil, in and out, but we were 
stronger than her. We will not go quietly – you want to kill us, you’re going to have 
to sacrifice a lot more than the tidiness of your hair."

The group assembled with Kunzite and Sailor Moon, and each put a hand on the 
ginzuishou, their young and old faces serious. Leucite looked at her with pained 
eyes. 

"You tried to ruin me, Metallia, and you did succeed – you took her away from 
me. But these children are right. I will 
not sacrifice myself. We will unite, and united we shall stand."
"Then united you shall fall," said Metallia, and she pulled up her energy, looking 
almost regretful. "You would have made excellent members of my new kingdom, 
but…"

"There are no buts this time, Metallia. No excuses."

The voice made every one look up in shock. An apparition of gold and white strode 
angrily from a warp hole, the staff in her hand glowing with ethereal strength. 
Metallia faltered, and fell back, away from the group. She cowered against her
throne.

 "No, Phenakite…you’re dead."

"Yeah – it’s a bitch, huh." She looked similar to the way Celestine had, older, 
wiser, sweeter. But she was pissed. 

"Phenakite is dead, and that’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time. But Phoebe 
Loxeriam is back, and I do believe it’s time for a little payback." She raised her
staff, 
but she lowered it again, closing her eyes. "Anger clouds my judgement…I must…
set aside my own hatred. The whole…the people."

Metallia sighed, and looked at her hand, a mirror appearing in her hand. She stared 
at the reflection – Beryl’s face –and said, "This is all YOUR fault, you know." 
Then she smashed it on the arm of the chair, and stood up. "I’m not going to leave 
quietly, you little bitch."

Phoebe sighed, her power growing. "I don’t expect you to." 

She reached out a hand, ready to rip Jupiter’s head off with strong fingers. A blast 
from the ginzuishou caused her to draw back with a cry. The group was protected 
in the pure glow of the moon crystal.

"It’s over, Metallia. You know in your soul that you have wronged – and you must 
go back into the clock."She held out a tiny stopwatch, a gold timepiece on a chain 
of the same. She opened with a thought, and Metallia could see the time. It was 
almost midnight."Are you ready?" asked Phoebe, and without waiting for an answer, 
she erupted into a vision of light, only her staff remaining visible, as the voice of
a 
woman rang out.

"It’s over, Metallia – my daughter of my power, avatar of Angelikarma, has come
for you. Time is never time at all – and you were never meant to be, at least not 
in this dimension. Go back into your clock, Metallia."The clock struck one.
"Metallia, you have a choice."

Two.

"Stay here…"

Three.

"And be destroyed by the princess…"

Four.

"And her comrades…"

Five.

"Or return."

Six.

"Come home to yourself."

Seven.

"Back where you belong."

Eight.

"You have the choice Metallia."

Nine.

"Face what you have done…"

Ten.

"And be given absolution."

Eleven.

The voice faded, and only the princess remained. She smiled, and looked at the 
frozen queen in amusement, and the light engulfed her, wrapping around her easily, 
the power leaving Phoebe’s body, the staff vanishing. The white light trapped her, 
dissolving the body, leaving only her naked essence. With a sigh, the essence was 
drawn into the  timepiece Phoebe held in her hand.As the clock struck twelve, Phoebe 
snapped it closed, the light fading. She turned to the group, eyes bright.Still 
holding onto the ginzuishou, they stared at her, mouths wide.Phoebe swung the 
watch from her finger easily, dressed in a long green dress, wearing a gold circlet
around 
her head. "Time’s up." 

Now, I'm not going to dwell on it, but this.this was stupid. Oh, ignore me, she hits 
the paranoia stage of `what the HELL was the point of all this?!' That's probably a 
bad sign, but hey.I finished chapter two of this crazy fanfic! Who-hoo! So, BIG 
thank yous go out to the creators of the things I used in these NON-PROFIT 
ramblings, and to anyone who has supported me in this little endeavour of mine! 
Let's all wave goodbye to chapter two, and with any luck, I'll catch you all again in 
chapter three!
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
the persistence of memory
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchild
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Chapter Two:
ArchNemesis 
~land of shattered dreams~
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
We Only Come Out At Night
-epilogue to `ArchNemesis - Land of Shattered Dreams'-

"Do you mind?" snapped Rei, pushing Usagi out of her way, and she immediately 
shrieked in protest.

"Oh, Rei-chan, you're so mean!" cried Usagi, tears stinging her eyes. "WHAAAA!"

"Oh, Christ," muttered Masato under his breath. "Rei-chan, was that really 
necessary?"

"Oh course it - now wait just one smegging moment," said Rei, eyes flashing. 
"How in the hell do you know my earth name?"

"Why shouldn't I? You sure don't look like Sailor Mars, anyway."

"What are talking about?" she cried, and she suddenly, very abruptly, shut up. 
"Uh.what happened to my fuku? 

Uh, guys."

The others all looked at one another in astonishment. All were back to normal - at 
least, each was dressed like a civilian, everyone included. They looked around, 
confused.

"Uh, right. Where are we?" asked Jonathan, pulling Minako closer to him. The 
place they were in strongly resembled a hospital waiting room, and everyone was 
seated on a couch or chair. There were no windows, only paintings. Strange, 
surrealist paintings, of contorted faces, melting clocks and a dude with an apple in 
front of his face.There was only one door, and on it was printed in gold lettering 
`The Grand Inquisitor.'

"Now there's something that sounds familiar!" cried Lucien, looking around. The 
group was still only ten - Phoebe, Mamoru, Zoisite, Luna, Naru and Artemis were 
no where in sight. "Have you guys seen the others?"

"Does it look like we have?" snapped Rei, striding toward the door. "She'd better be 
in here, that's all I've got to say."

She yanked the door open, and the entire gang tumbled into the office behind her.

Celestine looked up from the papers she was pouring over, a smile of recognition 
crossing her features. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid, and she wore a 
double breasted blazer over a white shirt, the shade of gold matching her eyes. 
"Hey you guys!"They immediately rushed to her desk, a million questions in their 
words, namely "What the hell is this place?!"

"Jonathan, get a grip," she smiled, obviously delighted to see them all alive and 
well. "Phoebe must have directed you here, at Breccia's wish. This is where you 
get to choose."

"Choose what?" chorused the group, almost in perfect harmony. It was Usagi's high 
pitched whine that stood out. She pulled something out of a desk drawer, and stood 
the tall glass bottle on the desk. They looked at it, and Masato, the eternal wine 
taster, looked at it with a professional eye. "It can't be wine, unless they've
perfected 
someway of making the stuff colourless."

"It's not wine, silly," chuckled Celestine, and she held it up to the light. The
others 
gazed out the window at her back - it looked out over a beautiful kingdom, of 
sapphire skies and emerald fields, a tall palace rising out of the centre of a 
sprawling city. "This is water taken from the river of Lethe."

"The river of forgetfulness," said Lucien quietly. "We have the choice to forget or 
retain our memories, do we Celestine?"

She shrugged. "I cannot pass judgement over this, like I used to. This is your 
choice alone."

"Where are the others?" asked Usagi, looking out the window, amazed by the simple 
beauty. 

Celestine smiled. "Where you left them. The Dark Kingdom is empty now, a shell 
with nothing living left at all. Phoebe sent you to me, and she will direct them
here, 
when Zoisite is able to be moved."

"But I don't want to forget!" cried Minako, and the others agreed.

"To hell with that," put in Makoto. "I just had a bitching time, kicking 
that bitch's ass into oblivion!"

"I think that was mostly Phoebe's doing, but that doesn't matter. She couldn't have 
done it with you and the ginzuishou present." Celestine smiled as the vial shattered, 
the water running over the desk. The she shrieked as she realised it was getting all 
over her papers. "OH SHIT!"

"Where do we go now?" asked Ami, looking out at the strange land.
Celestine seemed surprised by the question, as she mopped up the sparkling water. 

"Home, of course."

"No," objected Usagi strongly, a little of her former persona slipping into her
words. 
"We are going to see the others."

She rolled her eyes. "You guys.oh, well. I have no right to stop you. Go back into 
the waiting room, and go through the Persistence of Memory. And send the next 
lot in, would you?" She rubbed her temples. "God, I can't wait until the holidays. 
I have so much work to do.."

They trooped out, closing the door behind them. Four kids looked up from the 
magazine they were pouring over. 

"See Cartman, she IS in Crack-"

"Shut up, Kyle!" cried the fat little kid, and Lucien smiled. 

"Through there, guys," he said, and the kids trotted through the door, slamming it 
behind them.

"What did she mean by `The Persistence of Memory?" asked Usagi. It was Ami, 
the intellectual, who answered for them.

"It's the title of a famous surrealist painting, by Salvador Dali. It consists of
melting 
clocks against a desolate background."

"Like that one?" asked Minako, pointing to the opposite wall.

Lucien nodded. "That would be it."

As Lena - formerly Nepheline Syenite - stepped toward the painting she began to 
speak, but she was interrupted by a loud crash from the office, like a window 
breaking. Then the kid who had been called Kyle screamed "Oh my god! They've 
killed Kenny! YOU BASTARD!"

Lucien was laughing again, but he moved to the picture. "Here," he said, and with 
scarcely a second thought, he opened a dimensional gateway. "This way."Leucite 
was stepping through as four men trooped in through the opposite wall, looking 
confused. The one with an embossed H on his forehead instantly began whining. 

"I told you, Listy, that that bubble head computer doesn't know what she's doing!"

"And she's creased my suit!" cried out a man dressed in a bright, sharp suit, his 
long hair swept up into a pompadour. He had two long canine teeth that gleamed
alarmingly. The man on his right sighed, and took another bite from his plate of
mutton 
vindaloo. "Kryters, where are we?" he asked an unusual looking man on his left, 
with a oddly shaped bald head. It was practically angular.

"Well, Mr Lister sir, give the psi-scan a little time to warm up.but I do think we're 
going to live through Holly's new Hop Drive malfunction."

The guy with the H rolled his eyes. "And we're all in favour of believing the 
automated toilet attendant, aren't we?"

"Come on," whispered Leucite, and they disappeared into the painting.
__________________________________________________________________________________
____

The group could see the gathered others up ahead, and it was Masato who cried 
out first. "Naru-chan!"

She looked up from Zoisite in disbelief, eyes wide. "Nephrite?"

They threw themselves at one another, and began kissing like they had been away 
for centuries. They both finally emerged with kiss smudged faces, breathless and 
bright eyed. Then much to the distress of their audience, they started again from 
the top. 

Usagi looked to Mamoru, and smiled shyly. "Hi."

He looked up from Zoisite, his own eyes brightening. "Hi, odango atama! So, you 
did make it after all!"

"Was there ever a doubt?" she asked softly. Mamoru looked down at Zoisite, and 
though he felt love, something made him leave her unconscious form, and walk 
toward the blonde school girl. He wrapped her in his strong arms, and simply held 
her. They didn't part for a long time.Karl began the long walk to his former lover, 
and knelt by her side. With trembling arms, he gathered her into his lap, and 
touched her face like he couldn't believe she was real.

"Careful," said Phenakite, helping him. "Her back has just been set.kind of. I'm 
no doctor. We'll have to take her to the hospital."

"I'm a doctor," he said quietly, holding her as he knew he should. He leant to kiss 
her lips gently. "Zoi.are you in there? Where are you, Zoi?"

"So she hasn't regained consciousness?" asked Lucien, kneeling beside her. Then he 
looked up at Phoebe. "It was a great rebuild - you were great," he said with feeling, 
and he stood to embrace her warmly. "You did it just the way it should have been 
done, princess. I'm sorry.you had to go through what you did alone. You never 
should have been left alone with Metallia, but I."

"You had to go back to New York, back to Oberon's mission, your responsibilities. 
And they're still there, Puck. It's time you went home."

"You got that right, Queen of ArchNemesis, bearer of Angelikarma, daughter to 
the power of Breccia."

Three voices spoke at once, each the same as the other, all echoing at once. Lucien's 
face fell, and he sighed, the well dressed young man becoming the child of Oberon 
once more.

"I should have known you three would be the ones," he said slowly.

The Weird Sisters smirked, and regarded Puck as if he were a parasite. Their faces 
were identical, they word the same gauzy blue and white robes, it was their hair 
that distinguished one from the other. One was blonde, one white-blonde like 
Kunzite and Puck, and the last raven haired. It was she who spoke to the Puck. 
They were all young, and all exceptionally pretty. But their light voices were 
tinged with dislike. "Our lord Oberon wants to talk to you, his servant."

Puck sighed. "I'll be there in a minute - I have to see this through. Surely you 
understand."

"We'll wait," said the blonde, still smirking. "Won't we, sisters?"

"Oberon's through trusting you," spoke up the silver haired woman.

The raven one completed it. "We're escorting you to New York, Puck."

He turned from the women, and looked at the girl on the ground, sighing. 

"She has a broken back?" asked Ami, looking at her. "Then why don't you heal her?"

"It's beyond our interference," spoke up Phoebe, and she shook her head as Usagi's 
hand slid to her transformation locket, the ginzuishou now firmly set in its former 
place. "Angelikarma can only do so much - and the key to Zoisite's healing lies in a 
much more `personal' force. 

"Angelikarma.the word means `karma of an angel.' It gives retribution, but does not 
heal. Something more powerful is needed for that."

"Like what?" asked Usagi, baffled.

"A power as great as Angelikarma, but not as biased as an entity like Metallia or 
Breccia. It is the omnipresent, omnipotent, unjudgemental presence."

"What? Godikarma?" asked Makoto with a laugh, not serious. She almost fell over 
when Puck nodded soberly, and continued for Phoebe. 

"Not quite the name, my friend. We prefer to call it Grace - the Grace of innocence."

"There is one problem with it, though," added Phoebe. "It is this Grace alone 
that can heal Zoisite, but only as much as her anger and bitterness will allow. It is 
easily tainted by such emotions, by the karma of the one who is using it. Zoisite can 
be healed, but she alone will choose the extent. Not consciously, but in her heart. 
Not until she completely forgives herself will she ever walk again."

She laid a hand on the girl's heart, and slowly, a light grew in the girl's opening 
emerald eyes, and she looked up at her former lover, eyes glazed with pain.
"Kunzite..?"

"Only I," he murmured, and pressed a rose into her limp palm. As he did so, a 
strange necklace fell from it, clattering on the floor.

The eyes of the Weird Sisters widened in unison. "The symbol of eternity!"

"So Eowyn IS dead!" hissed the white-blonde, in anger.

"Oh, not really," spoke up a voice from Zoisite's direction. "Eowyn may be dead, 
but as for Morganite."

"Oh, crap," said Puck, but he was laughing. "The damn necklace did work after all!"

"What's going on?" demanded Karl, looking at Zoisite in shock. She smiled. 

"Hey, Kunzite. I was in the neighbourhood, so I thought I'd drop you a line."
He nearly dropped her. "Morganite?"

"In the flesh," she snickered, then reconsidered. "At least, in someone's flesh."

"That's incredible!" cried Minako, and she turned to give Jonathan a huge kiss, 
just to celebrate. He quite liked the idea.

"How did that work?" asked Ami, more than a little lost. 

Puck giggled like a naughty child. "Oh, when Zoi was dying, Eowyn used her 
necklace of eternity to meld her brighter life force to Zoisite's dying one. It 
accidentally' left Eowyn in there, too - but for some reason, the backlash must 
have reverted her back to Morganite, heaven knows why. That's what you 
get for mixing magics, I suppose."

"So."

"Zoisite's head - space to rent," cried out Morganite, using Zoisite's vocal chords. 
Then she winced in pain. "Zoi, tell me when you've fixed this dump up, ne? It's 
too painful to be in right now."

The girl's face creased, and Zoisite smiled, back in control. "You'd be lucky."

"Can we do anything about this?" asked Karl, still holding the crippled girl. 

Phoebe shook her head, but Puck looked thoughtful. "If we take her to Avalon.
maybe, using the necklace, we can extract her soul and life force, and somehow 
keep Zoisite alive."

"No way, Puck." That was the woman with the black hair.

"Oh, fuck you, Mona, Selene, Phoebe!"

The two princesses looked up, and Puck looked apologetic. "Sorry, I was talking 
those harpies."

"It's time to go," snapped the blonde, snatching up the necklace. "You've kept him 
waiting long enough."

They hauled him up, and he sighed. "My three big sisters, beating up their adorable 
little bro - ain't families grand?"

"Domestic violence is a crime," chuckled Phoebe. "Take care of yourself, Puck."

"I'll be back, to see you," he replied seriously, as the floating quartet began to
glow 
with a green aura.

"Don't go getting into trouble on my account," smiled Phoebe, and waved.

"It would be worth it." That was the last thing he said before he vanished.Phoebe 
turned to the others. "So, who wants to go home?"
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
They laughed as they sat around Zoya's hospital bed, Zoya laughing the loudest. 
It was cramped, but somehow, Usagi, Mamoru, Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Naru, 
Jonathan, Karl, Masato and Lena managed to all crowd into the room, with Luna 
and Artemis skilfully avoiding the watchful eyes of the nurses.

Morgan made a brief cameo, commenting on how lovely Lena looked in that tight 
blue mini. Zoya instantly shrieked out in protest, and Karl squeezed her shoulders 
with a laugh. Without a word, they had returned to one another, as had Usagi and 
Mamoru. No one ever brought up the interlude.Naru, against her mother's wishes, 
still continued to see Masato, and Osaka-san was slowly accepting it. Minako had 
removed her ring, thus her parents didn't see any harm in her relationship with 
Jonathan. Zoya was a little weird about it still, but it was obvious Morgan and 
Lena had a close friendship. Karl had told her to get over it - and had actually
asked 
Zoya if she wanted to be a man again. She politely declined, pointing out the fact,
if 
he wanted children, she had to be female.

Minako messed up Jonathan's hair, Usagi ate her donuts, giving Rei the evils as 
the girl called her a pig. Mamoru laughed and told `Odango atama' to calm down. 
Naru and Masato tried to eat their take-out chocolate parfaits without Usagi
noticing, 
while Zoya exclaimed over the rose Karl conjured out of no where. Lena stroked 
Artemis, trying to coax Ami from reading and interpreting Zoya's medical chart, 
while Luna smiled. Zoya may have become a paraplegic, and Puck may have 
vanished indefinitely, but her ward and her friends were the same as always - just 
healed.
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
Phoebe smiled as she looked out of Celestine's window, over the Kingdom of 
ArchNemesis.

"It's time for your coronation," said the Grand Inquisitor quietly. "They're happy, 
your friends are alive, are well, and are healed."

"I know," she said, and looked at the sky, at the stars. "I may not be allowed to 
contact them, but I can always feel them."

"Oh, what the hell," said Celestine, with a smile. "I'll break the rules - but only
on 
holidays, you hear?"

Phoebe laughed, and threw her arms around Celestine. "What holidays?

"Well.how about something to do with that watch around your neck?"

Phoebe touched it gently, and sighed. "I do have to get rid of it, don't I?"

"Well, I have no jurisdiction over what you do with it, but let me put it this way - 
if you don't get rid of it, I won't let you see the others."

"Abusing your position of power, dear Inquisitor?" asked the Queen sweetly, with 
a laugh. "Come on, let's go. My coronation can wait, my mission won't take a 
minute, anyhow."

"I'll just go see if his parole officers will let him out," Celestine said with a
laugh. 
"He still has the Phoenix Gate, and it's key to the `neat and clean' disposal of 
unnecessary entities."
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
They all looked up in shock as the room grew hazy around them. "Hey, game over, 
Masato!" cried Lena, looking around. Indeed, stars were coming out to play in the 
black oblivion they now stood in - all except Zoya, who sat in a wheelchair, looking 
confused. She glared good-naturedly at the stunned business man. "If you're doing 
this, Massey-sama."
 
"I swear I'm not," he protested, and a familiar laugh confirmed it.

"Puck!"
"And Phoebe and Celestine," put in the young monarch, smiling as she walked 
towards them. "We'll just cleaning up a few loose ends, and we thought you 
might want to watch."

"What?" asked Mamoru, surprised. 

Puck held out the Phoenix gate. "I'm going to use this to get rid of Metallia, once 
and for all. Then I'll get rid of it, too. It's too much trouble, and Goliath was
right.
 It should be beyond the reach of all who desire it."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to send Metallia into the space of non-time. It's a lot safer than just 
chucking her in the Omni-zone and hoping she doesn't land anywhere bad and wake
 up. So I'm going to open a time gate, and chuck them both in. Without a mind to
 direct either, they will be forever lost in time. Goliath tried to do that to the
Phoenix 
gate ages ago, he didn't realise I managed to grab it before the warp hole closed."

"So what does the Phoenix gate actually do?" asked Ami, slightly confused. 

Puck smiled. "It's a time piece, it's how I stopped Kunzite from murdering 
Phenakite. I went back in time and stopped them. Pluto would kill me if she knew 
I was playing with it, but once it's in non-time, it will be beyond even her reach. 
Just as Metallia will be beyond ANYTHING."He held it in his hand, and as he 
chanted, it rose up from his hand. "Deflagrate, muri, tempi et intervallia!"
It exploded into light, and became a fiery gateway. Phoebe threw the watch into 
it, and Puck chucked in the gate. It then erupted into white light, and coloured 
sparkles rained down from the empty sky.

"Wicked cool," cried Usagi, and Puck sighed. 

"Sorry, can't stay - my jailers call." The three girls automatically appeared, as if 
they were listening. "Let's get you back to Alexander and his training, dearest 
brother."

He waved. "Stay spooky, guys!"

Phoebe and Celestine turned to the gang as Puck vanished, smiling. "So, enjoying 
mortality?"

"It'll do," said Karl, a smile on his glacier-like features. "We'll get by."

"You will," said Celestine, with feeling. She watched them vanish, go back to
reality.
 She looked at Phoebe, a smile locked on her face.

"You have a coronation to attend." The queen nodded, and went back to her own 
realm.

The office reformed around Celestine, and she sighed as she pulled out the next file 
from the ever-growing pile on her desk. That was ArchNemesis taken care of, at 
least for now. She had fixed that realm, and now, she had to go and fix another.
She sighed, but then smiled. She loved her job.so many new people, so many 
new ideas.admittedly, this case had been a little more taxing than her average case, 
because of her ties to Breccia, but.it was time to get started on the 
next thick file on her desk. The Dwarfers.
__________________________________________________________________________________
____
And as the Grand Inquisitor moved on with her business, already dismissing her last 
case, her `patients' went about life in Tokyo. Gathered at the caf‚, jammed into one 
booth, they laughed at the Zoya-Masato argument. Any one would have thought it 
unusual, for they had just attended a funeral. But they had just talked to the spirit 
whose `body' they had buried, and Morganite had complained about the music. She 
swore she did not tell ANYONE she wanted them to play `Candle in the Wind.'
And the girl in the wheelchair, with her doctor boyfriend, had to get back to
hospital -
 a broken back wasn't something healed in a day. It was not as bad as it could have 
been, for the Grace had healed her exponentially. But she was still paraplegic - her 
spinal cord was in shock, so to speak. She had Kunzite once more, however, and that 
was enough for her. Suddenly, Usagi looked up, and said "Man, things are good."
No one could argue with that.