"Circles - Part Ten : Sailing"
By : NaruMolly

"This is ridiculous, Nephlite. There is no way that I am going to--"

Cerulean and the others looked up from where they had gathered on the shoreline of the sea to see the four former generals and their strange allies approaching through the darkness. Malachite seemed to be having some sort of argument with Nephlite, the silver-haired generals hands slashed angrily and his eyes gleamed with power. Nephlite walked towards the back, more with the Sailor Scouts than with his former comrades. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his face showed annoyance.

"Malachite--if you have a better idea, then I do wish you would share it with us. There is more than YOUR neck on the line here."

Malachite snorted and stalked away. Nephlite smiled slightly, his dark blue eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Cerulean looked to the tall red-haired woman who seemed to be in charge, not wanting to choose sides in any conflict between the admittedly powerful former minions. "Lady--have you decided what we are to do?"

"Why aren't you out at the island?" she interrupted, ignoring his question.

"There were no boats, Lady, and there are no Gates that go out to the island. No one has ever been to the Cursed place."

Bridgette rolled her eyes. "Oh bloody hell." She stalked off towards the waterline, stooping to pick up a few pieces of black driftwood and other nameless seashore litter.

Cerulean looked back at the group, and blinked, looking closer. Hesitantly he moved to the nearest of the Scouts, not knowing who else to turn to. It was the tallest of them all with long brown hair drawn up into a pony tail that he finally chose to approach. "Excuse me, but--what happened to Lord Jedite?"

The girl turned to look at him with a slight jump, her eyes widening. "Huh? Oh. Jedite. Right. He--uh--had to go and get some things; part of the plan, I guess. Bridgette sent him." She looked at him closely, a thoughtful look coming into her eyes. There was a loud creaking noise from behind them and they both turned to look. "Cool!" said the girl.

Bridgette was backing away from the shoreline, her hands held above her head, the fingers splayed out. Before her, there was a large three-masted ship, all in a dark wood floating serenely above the shoreline waters. She gestured and the ship moved out and settled into the dark, churning waters when it would be deep enough. Cerulean looked at the Scout in wonder.

"She can do such things and she needs the help of US?"

Lita shrugged while Bridgette picked up another of the pieces of driftwood she had gathered and set it floating before her. "Hey--I'm sure she has her reasons, eh? Besides--why do everything yourself?" she said not taking her eyes off Bridgette.

Cerulean started to speak, but instead turned to watch in wonder as Bridgette wove her hands in a strange pattern, and the small piece of wood began growing and shaping itself into a large row-boat.

****

Jedite looked startled for a moment, but then recovered and narrowed his eyes at the Commander. "What do you want, Joerdan? I am rather busy."

"Traitor!" Joerdan sneered.

Jedite snorted. "Do you blame me?" Joerdan started to say something, then scowled and stayed silent. "I join with the Sailor Scouts because I MUST. I have no choice."

Joerdan paused. "How did you free yourself from the crystal?"

"_I_ didn't." Jedite crossed his arms over his chest. "Malachite may know the workings of that better than I do."

"And how can you all be back? The others were dead."

Jedite's eyes narrowed even further. "It is enough to know that we are no longer dead, is it not?" Jedite's hands twitched a moment. "Go, Joerdan."

Joerdan sneered. "No, my--LORD. I am--"

Melvin smacked him in the face with the mop.

Jared took over, snatching up his bag and Melvin's. "Quick thinking, kid. Run like hell."

****

"I hate sailing," muttered Nephlite, unhappily, scowling at the main mast.

"This boat is so NEAT!" said Sailor Moon, running up to the bows to peer into the dark waves.

Malachite snorted and leaned against the mast. "Now if Jar--Jedite would just get back, we can get underway."

"Worried, Malachite?" said Sailor Jupiter with a grin, leaning against the rail of the ship with a broad grin.

Malachite fixed her with a deadly glare and chose not to answer. Zoicite floated down with a snort. "Surely even Sailor MOON can figure out that if that fool Jedite is captured, we are in serious trouble."

Jupiter shrugged. "So--why lounge around the boat? Let's go look for him."

"You? Alone in the Negaverse?" Malachite stared. "You would get lost within minutes without the lights that we conjure. And how would you operate the Gates?"

"I could go with her, My Lord," said Cerulean. "If it is important, that is."

"I--"

"He is coming," Bridgette said. She pointed a slender arm towards the shoreline. "There he is."

"Who is that with him?" asked the peacock-feather haired youma.

"Looks like another young human, Gallia," said Cerulean.

"It's Melvin," said Jupiter with a shrug. "Ja--Jedite needed an extra set or arms to carry--"

"Lord Jedite is carrying two large sacks and looks tired. The boy carries only a long staff, and another strange staff with some sort of shredded cloth attached to the end," said Cerulean, squinting.

"What?" Lita turned and looked closer.

Bridgette moved up beside them and gestured at the pair on the shoreline. There was a soundless blast of sand-filled air from a space in the middle of the deck, and Jedite and the young human appeared there, both looking worn and out of breath.

"Cast off," Bridgette said to Cerulean, then turned to the yellow-haired general and the young boy. Malachite strolled closer, along with Nephlite and the red-haired Sailor Earth.

"What happened, Jedite?" Bridgette asked, crouching at his side.

"Ran into a bit of trouble," he said, pushing sweat-damp hair from his face.

"What sort of trouble?" asked Malachite, crossing his arms as the ship set off over the waves.

"Joerdan."

"Oh bloody hell," Nephlite muttered under his breath, rubbing his shoulder ruefully. "Did you kill him?"

Jedite drew in a breath. "He still lives, but--"

"I got him!" Melvin grinned broadly.

Everyone turned and looked at the boy incredulously.

****

Joerdan clawed at his eyes, rubbing them as they watered. In anguish, he called water and let it fall over his head. "I will KILL them both," he growled, his breath sobbing in his chest.

After what seemed an eternity, Joerdan could finally see again, though blurrily. His eyes still streamed tears and hurt, but he could function. Rubbing once more at his eyes, he snarled and set off to where he had told his adonni to meet him.

One of them was there as he had instructed. "Commander? What--"

"Where are they?" he snarled.

"They took the Blood River to the Sea. There the tall woman made a ship; they all boarded and waited for Jedite and a small human to arrive, then set sail. One of the Scouts mentioned an island."

Joerdan nodded. "Wait on the shore. I will return." He snarled and stalked off into the shadows, rubbing at his watering eyes with his sleeve.

****

"What in the WORLD is Lord Jedite doing?" asked Cerulean.

Lita turned to look at the yellow-haired general where he was directing a few youma in making various things with the large amount of household equipment. "Beats me."

Mina, Artemis, and a few of the youma were hanging over the rail nearby, in the grips of seasickness. Lita grinned at the pleasant-faced Commander. "So--what did you do around here?"

"I--commanded a group which gathered information for the Court," Cerulean said after a moment.

Malachite moved past them, going up into the bows and leaning on the rail with his arms crossed. Abruptly, he straightened, the dark look leaving his face to be replaced by one of complete surprise. He frowned and leaned over the rail, peering at the churning water below them.

Lita saw a flash of movement from the corner of her eye--the faintest impression of something HUGE and dark and wet. Then she was yelping and falling as the whole ship lurched with a creak of timbers and a loud crash as something huge screeched. A heavy weight fell on top of her, and arms went around her and she was rolled to one side as the fore-mast crashed to the deck, spilling a couple of unfortunate youma to the deck with it. Lita gasped, looking up to realize her rescuer was Cerulean. "What--"

"MALCOLM!"

They both turned in shock to see Nephlite sprinting across the deck, dodging lines and fallen sails, stripping of his jacket as he ran, heading for the bows. A few steps behind him was Sailor Earth, carrying one end of a length of rope. The other end was being carried by one of the youma, who was obviously frightened out of her wits. Lita blinked, then felt a cold pit in her stomach. Quickly, she looked to the bows--

--a length of broken rail and a shred of cloak where Malachite had been standing.

"SHIT!"

Lita scrambled to her feet--and fell again as the ship lurched once more, and a huge beast loomed over the ship. It was a mad cross between a sperm whale and an octopus, huge, with black rubbery flesh and several sucker-covered tentacles and a huge fluke-tail which it used to smash at the ship with. "Crap! Malcolm fell overboard with THAT!" Lita said, scrambling to her feet as Zoicite appeared at the rails, slinging ice-crystals at the thing.

"Who's Malcolm?" asked Cerulean, running after Lita as she sprinted to join the other scouts in helping in the battle.

"He's--never mind." Lita aimed a blast of lightning at the creature, trying to keep it way from the water.

Beside her, confused though he was, Cerulean raised his hands and flaring red-gold energy roiled about his slender fingers before becoming a roiling ball of fire that smashed into the creature's side. The thing roared and smashed the boat once more, sending a bruising wave of water to wash the decks. Lita found herself half-way across the decks before she could claw her way to a stop. To one side, she say Jedite aiming what looked like a make-shift catapult at the thing--and launching a ball of cloth at the thing's eyes.

Whatever was in the cloth, made the beast roar in pain, the tail knocking the boat around a full circle. Abruptly, Bridgette was on the deck, feet as steady as if she were on the ground. She raised her hands and pointed and a lance of green light hit the beast. The beast roared in agony, then crashed back into the waves, washing the deck once more. Then, it was completely silent.

Cerulean quickly went to check how many had been lost. Lita ran to where Molly clutched at the splintered rails, a rope wrapped around her waist. "Malcolm--and Nathan?" Lita asked as Jedite ran up, face pale and bruised.

Molly shook her head, peering into the churning waves. "I...I don't--"

Bridgette showed up. "Jared, Zoe; the farce is dropped. Go help Cerulean fish his people out of the water."

"But--Nathan--"

The rope hanging around Molly's waist went taught and a faint voice called up from below. "Hey up there! A little help here!"

Jared started to look, but Bridgette shook her head. "You can help the others. Go NOW. Malcolm was hurt; I'm needed HERE."

Without another word, Jared and Zoe sprinted to help Cerulean and the scouts round all the others up, teleporting people when they could. Bridgette looked to Lita. "Come--let's help get them up." Lita nodded and gathered the rope and began pulling on it. Molly pulled as well while Bridgette leaned over the rail, lines of light lancing from her fingers to wrap around the two bedraggled figures.

"Bridgette! It's back!" screamed Zoe from the rails.

"It's harmless, Zoe. It's a whale, nothing more. I had him fetch those he could find," Bridgette said, keeping her attention on the two figures.

"But--"

Nathan held Malcolm's limp form up as much as his shaking arms would allow, and Bridgette leaned over the rail to pull the elder man onto the deck while Lita and Molly grabbed Nathan and pulled him up as well. Nathan shivered. "Blo...bloody hell, but--that's cold." He grimaced, lips turning blue. "Malcolm--"

Bridgette had gathered the other musician up to her chest, hands hovering over a bloody gash on the side of his face. "Concussion, water in the lungs..." She shook her head. "Not pretty." She looked up at Nathan, then tossed out an arm, a heavy blanket appearing and then settling over him. "Before you catch pneumonia." Then her eyes were locked on Malcolm's still form, blue light flickering around her hands.

Cerulean came over, eyes wide. "Lord Nephlite, what--"

Nathan sneezed. "The name's Nathan, Cer" he said, shivering under the blanket. "Look--we'll explain later." He sneezed. "We lose anyone?"

"Two. Amazing, considering, Lord Ne--Nathan. And they fell from the rigging when the mast fell."

Zoe moved to the bow point, her face taught with worry, but determined. "The...whale, ah, said that he can pull us to the island. Can someone help me lower the anchor chain a little so he can get a hold of it? Jared's got his hands full with the wounded over there--and the sea sick."

Cerulean blinked at the tired sound of Zoe's voice and the strange accent, the gentle look about the eyes. "Ah--hai, Lady."

****

Malcolm came back to himself slowly, a heavy warmth flowing through his mind. He couldn't move--someone was apparently holding his shoulders still. Wincing, he opened his eyes.

He was sprawled on the deck of the rolling ship. His boots were gone, as was most of his cape. He was soaking wet, but a heavy length of something like velvet covered most of him. Nathan smiled in relief at him from one side, also dripping wet. The auburn-haired man sneezed, and leaned against Molly's shoulder. "Is he going to be all right, Bri? We already have to adjust the spell for two less people." Nathan's blue eyes crinkled in amusement, losing the worried tension.

Malcolm realized that the person who was holding his shoulders was his mentor. "He'll be all right, Nathan, but he's going to sit still for awhile," Bridgette said, her voice tired, but warm.

Malcolm turned his head. "What happened?"

Nathan sneezed again, pulling a dripping handkerchief from a pocket and staring at it a moment before tossing it away and rubbing at his nose. "You decided to take a swim fully clothed in the middle of a scene from Moby Dick."

Bridgette held out a square of linen and Nathan took it and blew his nose. "I--what? All I remember is seeing something in the water--then a flash of light--"

"That was you hitting your head on the rail, Mal'," said Jared, wryly coming over with a green-looking Melvin leaning on his broom. "Nate's the better swimmer, though, so I let HIM go get you. He took a bunch of courses in rescue and all--well, after the accident." Jared smiled apologetically at Nathan who smiled back a little bitterly.

"What WAS that thing, anyway," asked Zoe as she and the rest of the scouts came over, along with the any of their allies that were up to walking at the moment.

"It was a whale once, before Beryl's schemes warped the world into what it is now. I merely returned the whale to what it was. And now he's pulling our boat." Bridgette shoved a wave of her hair from her eyes, one arm still supporting Malcolm's shoulders. "What casualties?"

Jared sighed. "Well--most everyone's recovered from sea sickness--"

"Adrenaline will do that to you," said Zoe easily, sitting cross-legged by Nathan.

Jared grinned. "You'd know, eh, Zoe?" She stuck her tongue out at him and giggled. Jared smiled back, glancing up as Cerulean came up, his face openly wary and confused. "In any case--a few broken bones and a bunch of strained nerves along with numerous cuts, bruises, and scrapes." Jared blew a strand of wet hair from his eyes. "Not too bad, considering."

Bridgette nodded. "Let's take care of the injuries while we're reasonably safe."

"Safe? Here?" Nathan snorted and sneezed.

"Safe as we can be, Nathan. And don't forget Molly's mother. I've sent Aevon to find her and keep her as protect her as much as he can, but he's only one gryphon."

"Begging your pardons, of course," said Cerulean softly, "but would someone please explain what is going on? Who are you people?"

Zoe looked over at him. "We're who we look like we are, Cer'. Just--a bit more."

"What?"

Nathan spread his hands as Jupiter came over with the jacket he had discarded and handed it to him. "Well--let's just say we're all who we said we were--or rather, we WERE who we said we were." Cerulean blinked. "We died, didn't we?"

"Rather messily in SOME people's cases," Zoe said, looking at her hands.

Nathan looked at her wryly. "Oh--not MY choice, thank you."

Zoe grimaced. "Yes, well."

Malcolm grimaced, rubbing at his forehead again. "In any case, Cerulean, we're, in a roundabout sense, those you knew reincarnated. But--we got the memories back of our former lives because WE were alive while our former selves were."

"How is that possible?"

Bridgette shrugged easily. "It's rather complicated, Cerulean, and I don't care to explain how my protective spells or the human magics work to you at the moment."

"As a matter of fact," said Malcolm, "I seem to have gotten a few MORE memories." He frowned.

"The Moon Kingdom?" asked Jupiter, glancing uncertainly at the others.

"Well--that too," he said, raising a pale hand to run at the side of his head, staring when it came away bloody. "What I really meant was--short little spurts...none of them longer than a few years. And scattered all through the centuries, from what I can tell." Malcolm looked at Bridgette uncertainly.

The tall woman paused a moment, then nodded. "What the other bits of memories were, Malcolm, are the brief lives that you were reincarnated as before this. About one a century." She glanced up. "You others should be getting memories back like that as well, but I believe the trauma of the injuries brought Malcolm's back quicker."

Nathan rubbed his head ruefully, pulling the blanket tigher about himself as Molly cuddled closer. "I got mine back, too. When my life--er--LIVES flashed before my eyes when I almost got hit by the boat." He wrinkled his brow and reached out a hand to touch Molly's forehead. "Sorry, by the way. It was all I could think of to do. Both of us."

Molly blinked at him in confusion. "I--what?"

Bridgette smiled thinly. "Time correcting itself, Sailor Earth. Time is a flexible creature."

"What is THAT supposed to mean?" asked Ami, frowning in confusion.

"I mean that when I made her Sailor Earth, she had to be worked into the past. And she was. Nathan is recalling events from the Silver Millennium; or the end of it."

"Hey! Who gets the memories when they come back to me?" asked Jared.

Cerulean could take it no longer. "What is going ON?"

Jedite took over the yellow-haired man. "Jared and I have a slightly different situation. We are essentially two different people." Jedite shook his damp hair back with a haughty shake of his head. "Actually, that thought intrigues me as well."

Bridgette shrugged fluidly, shifting her hold on Malcolm's shoulders to let him sit up a little more, leaning against her shoulder. "I would think the other lives would go to Jared, Jedite, and the Silver Millennium to you. I could be wrong, of course. The human mind is tricky that way."

Cerulean put a hand to the side of his head, his fingers clutching at his dark hair. "This is--confusing, Lady. You are not human then?"

"Not in the slightest," said Bridgette. She shook her head, only wet where Malcolm rested against her, despite the waves which had washed the ship. "Now--let's get everyone dry and healed before we get to the Island. We still need to get all of you prepared for what has to be done."

Lita patted Cerulean's back gently. "Hey--don't worry; I'm just as lost as you are." She gave him a parting grin and went to join Serena and the other scouts.

****

Beryl squinted at Joerdan as he approached the throne, rubbing at his eyes. His uniform coat was open at the throat, and his shoulders were dusted with a red powder. His eyes were still streaming with tears and were red. "What happened to you?" she snarled.

Joerdan scowled, but bowed. "Jedite, my Queen. Or rather his human flunky and Jedite's usual trickery."

Beryl frowned. "So what are you doing back here?"

"They are headed to the Cursed area, my Queen. The Island."

Beryl paused, frowning. "What could she want THERE." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Take as many as you need, and go and wait on the shoreline for them to return."

****

"Lord Neph--I mean, Lord Nathan?"

Nathan looked up from redirecting a youma with four legs in the proper placement of its feet. "I don't have any titles, Cerulean, so you can just call me Nathan. And I don't bite friends, lad."

"I--yes, Lo--Nathan."

"You needing something?"

Cerulean blinked then grabbed fist full of his hair just at his temple. "I am confused. Very. I don't understand WHY you all are here--not to mention I can't even begin to think of HOW."

Nathan corrected the youma's footing one last time, then glanced around. "Look--we'll go have a chat, then, all right? Let's go have a sit in the bows, now Bri's fixed the rail." Cerulean bit back a comment, not wanting to seem weak in front of his former overlord. He followed Nathan to a bench which followed the rail. The auburn-haired general stretched his long legs out before him, leaning his head back against the rail and closing his eyes. "What can I help you with, Cerulean?"

"What--is it like?"

Nathan cracked open an eye. "What? Remembering living a bunch of lives?"

The Commander glanced over his shoulder to the stomping youma, minions, and scouts. "I don't know."

Nathan sighed. "For awhile--it was nice. Things were simple. Until Nephlite died. And Nephlite was like a separate person, but--not really. It's hard to explain." He frowned. "As for remembering the lives--it's strange. Try to imagine having around ten other attitudes and ideals floating around in your head. I mean--I have a lives scattered all over the centuries."

Cerulean stared at his hands a moment. "What about--love. I know Lord Malachite and Lady Zoicite were--well. Even if they don't act like it now. And they said that you betrayed Queen Beryl for the love of a human." Nathan paused, then nodded carefully. "What is that like? I've--never had a chance. This--business keeps me apart."

Nathan smiled faintly. "That's like trying to tell a blind man what color is, Cer'." Nathan smiled fondly, shaking his head. "Try to imagine having someone sharing your heart; someone you can trust."

Cerulean sighed and sat. "There has not been many chances for that, my lord."

Nathan ignored the slip. "I know. We're trying to change that a bit."

They sat in silence as the ship continued to pitch towards the mysterious Island.

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