Part I: Special Delivery
Chapter 1
A rift in the perfectly-clear skies overhead opened suddenly, and a bright flash of light ensued from the gap. A slender man of medium height hurtled through the air, slowing down only when he was a few feet away from the ground. He landed, his eyes dazzled and confused, and got up slowly, as if he hadn't used his legs in an eternity. The fallen man ran his long-fingered, callused hands over his body reverently, checking and double-checking that he was really and truly wholly there. Yet as the lanky man's emerald green eyes turned towards the majestic palace several miles from the gates of Utopia, the jubilant, childlike expression on his face faded to the frightened look of a defeated, weary old man. The memories of the past and his betrayal resurfaced, and he sank to his knees in despair.
A quiet, timeless voice as smooth as silk and even darker and richer interrupted his reverie. "Zoisite."
The blond scrambled to his feet and looked up nervously, and in spite of his anxieties, he smiled a smile that was a shade reminiscent of its old roguish charm. "Setsuna," he acknowledged with a courteous bow.
The returning smile on her face was sad as she replied, "You have been reborn in Crystal Tokyo, several millennia after the time of the Silver Millennium, at the will of the gods. Neo-King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity, whom you knew as your liege and his Lunarian princess, brought the world into the Crystal Millennium, named for the roles of the Imperium Silver Crystal and the Golden Crystal, as well as the Deep Freeze, which is the term coined for the period of time during which the Earth crystallized completely. The people of Earth went into a slumber that supposedly cured them of their faults, but those not strong enough to withstand the long wait or who did not accept the cleansing either died or are currently living outside Crystal Tokyo."
"And...Endymion? Is he–is he still alive?" Zoisite asked anxiously, his unruly bangs falling in his eyes as he gazed at the woman as if she were a lifeline.
The Timekeeper smiled gently and replied, "Yes, he's fine and ruling over the Earth jointly with the Neo-Queen."
His heart in his throat, he inquired, "And the senshi?" Setsuna's eyes fell away from his, and he felt alone and abandoned suddenly.
"Yes, the senshi. Well, the Outers and the Inners are on good terms, getting to the same point in friendship as they had attained in the Silver Millennium. They've become immortal, an after-effect of being resurrected by the Crystal so many times. Um...they've lived quite a while." She looked distinctly nervous, and Zoisite could not gather the courage to prod her. Clearing her throat delicately, she continued, still not meeting his eyes, "But they're alive and well, and they're happy because Serenity is happy. They've reached their final power levels, and although the planets have not been re-colonized yet, the efforts towards that have begun. The Neo-King and -Queen have also conducted the coronation ceremonies. Ami is now the Queen of Mercury."
Zoisite's heart sank as he recalled that because of him, she had never been crowned in her past life. Her entire lifetime–well, the first one–had been spent training to be the perfect princess for her people, and he had ruined everything. "Exactly how many times have they been reborn?"
"Once after the Silver Millennium, then after they fought Beryl a second time...they battled Seijuurou (Ail) and Natsumi (Ann) but didn't die...the Ayakashi Sisters and the Dead Moon Family–that was the third time...not after the Deathbusters and Pharaoh 90–unless you count Hotaru...then Galaxia killed them by stealing their starseeds. That's four times," she calculated aloud, taking in his startled expression.
"They...fought Beryl...again?" he asked, feeling extremely confused.
The olive-haired woman's gaze transferred fixedly to a point in the distance again. "Yes. Actually, they spent the better half of their freshman year of high school contending with...you. Jadeite was the first Shittenou they faced, and he was thought to be killed by them in the airport after he tried to murder Tuxedo Kamen–that would be Endymion in a tuxedo and mask–but in reality, Beryl sentenced him to eternal sleep. Nephrite was next, and he fell in love with Usagi's–Serenity's Japanese name–friend, Naru. Then your minions killed _him_."
Zoisite was floored, astonishment plain in his eyes. "What??"
"I'm just telling you what happened, Zoisite. After Nephrite died, you and Kunzite took over the search for the crystal carriers."
He felt a mounting headache coming on and rubbed at his eyes. "Me and...Kunzite? Why? Jadeite and Nephrite worked alone."
A fit of coughing came over the green-haired one, and she declined to answer until she saw the look in his eyes. He needed to know; he just couldn't go marching into Crystal Tokyo without knowing what he had done while brainwashed. "You and Kunzite were lovers," she said finally.
"Excuse me?! I don't think I heard you correctly."
"No, you did," Setsuna said.
The poor man looked absolutely mortified, and his surprisingly tanned complexion had deepened to a tomato red. "I...Kunzite...lovers?!" He couldn't even begin to comprehend the notion; he felt repulsed at the very thought.
Looking at him sympathetically, she suggested, "Why don't we head over to the Crystal Palace now to see the Neo-King and -Queen?"
"What, so we can all sit down and have a nice cup of tea while reminiscing fondly of the old times? I know what kind of greeting I'll receive. I have to know first. Tell me why. Why did it have to happen? Why? Is it punishment for what happened in the Silver Millennium?"
"No, Zoisite." Her tone was kind as she reminded him, "The past was a mistake and no faults of yours. You cannot be held accountable."
Miserably, he interjected, "But it happened nonetheless, and Endymion and Serenity–and Ami, especially Ami–regard me as a traitor. Why did it have to happen? We would have been so happy, so complete. We were meant to be!"
"That's the way the wheel of destiny turns and the hand of fate decides. You were a servant of the Dark Kingdom, Zoisite, mindless and brainwashed against your own will. Your one purpose in life was to kill the one person, ordained by Metallia and Beryl, that you loved. But she lived, Zoisite, she lived!"
"She committed suicide," he corrected glumly.
Exasperated, Setsuna retorted, "She's alive now. I'm going to the Crystal Palace. Are you coming or not?"
"Have I a choice?"
"Not at all." A swirl of deep garnet intermixed with olive green encompassed them both as she teleported them to the home of Serenity, Endymion, and the legendary senshi...
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In the enormous throne room, Serenity was just adjusting her golden tiara when Setsuna, with Zoisite in tow, appeared amidst a burst of brilliant light. Bowing deeply, with the man beside her following suit after a second (in which he quickly composed himself and snapped his gaping mouth shut), the dark-haired woman murmured, "Your highness."
"Setsuna–why–how–? Zoisite?"
She sighed heavily and explained, "I know you weren't expecting this, but the gods decided it was time for him to be reborn, and I had no hand in affair this but to escort him here from the gates of the city."
The look of pity and distrust in her clear blue eyes made Zoisite want to return to his early grave, in which he had resided for a few millennia already. He wasn't even sure how many millennia had passed, he thought bitterly.
"Endymion should be here," the Neo-Queen declared after a few moments' thought. She had learned to make rapid decisions in her many years of ruling. ‘Endymion. Endymion! Wake up, Mamoru.'
‘Grmph...I told you I needed sleep, Usako!'
‘I know you did. This is important. Endymion, Setsuna brought one of them here...one of your generals. Zoisite.'
He woke up immediately and teleported in without straightening up, ruffled hair and all. Luckily, he hadn't bothered to change before he had collapsed in bed, and his lavender tuxedo was only slightly wrinkled. Looking at Zoisite, who had nearly prostrated himself again, he stood beside his wife. ‘I didn't need this, not now.'
Setsuna looked directly at him, despite the fact that he had directed his telepathic thought towards Serenity. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, your majesty, but the gods deigned that Zoisite had to be reborn and reborn _now_."
"Just Endymion, please, Setsuna." Regarding the keeling man thoughtfully, his darkening sapphire eyes hiding all of his emotions, Endymion stated calmly, "Zoisite."
"My liege."
"Get up and look us in the eye or not at all."
When he did, Setsuna cleared her throat delicately. "Endymion...he was one of your best friends, one of your Shittenou, a brother-in-arms and in faith."
The ebony-haired man remarked coldly, although he flinched inwardly, "I'm no longer sure whether he deserves that title or not. In the Silver Millennium, when I was a foolish prince that trusted those around me without question, I could never have challenged that. Now I must." It cut him deeply to hear the choked noise that came from one of his oldest friends, but the wound that Zoisite and the other generals left hurt too much to be covered up, even after a new millennium had begun. "Are the others coming back as well?"
"It depends on his success–you might say that he's the lab rat." Setsuna twirled her staff idly as she took in the room's silence. "It is your choice whether you choose to lock him up, restore him, or turn him loose in the world. There is, of course, the possibility of killing him, but it wouldn't sit well with the gods who have demanded him brought back with–ah–no little difficulty."
He blanched and shot her a resentful look. The way she was talking, as if he wasn't right there in front of them all, didn't sit well with him.
Serenity's clear voice broke across the hall after her astonishing pronouncement. "Very well then. We will neither kill him nor imprison him. Restoring him to his position as a Shittenou is, however, out of the question at the moment. But there is a way–eventually–if you are willing."
Pausing for her words to sink in, she began again when she realized that all eyes were upon her.
"In times of old, the new ranks of Shittenou were accepted after they had undergone a test of sorts. You passed that test once, Zoisite, but you broke your oath. Thus, this second test of loyalty must be harder. Beyond this Utopia that we have created, there is a dark world. We will set up a treasure hunt of sorts, where you will have to find clues in certain places. You will receive the first from us, and each consecutive one at the location the clues tell you to go to. If you recover the object in question, at the end of the search, all will be well, and you can return. If you survive there, outside Crystal Tokyo, without help from either Setsuna, Endymion, or myself, and if you have kept your faith with us, you will be accepted back into Crystal Tokyo and reestablished as a general. If, however, you fail on this quest...there will be no salvation for either you or the other Shittenou."
Before he could reply, Endymion sent another telepathic thought towards his queen. ‘Wait, Serenity. Ami should be here.'
‘Mamo-chan, please. Can't we spare her–and all of them–the sight of seeing him again?'
His inner voice was stiff and impersonal as he replied, ‘Serenity, I'm hearing the impossible wish of a wistful teenaged girl right now. You spoke as a queen a few moments before and have been ruling for over three decades. Will you leave behind all that experience now and jeopardize our position?' Again, it hurt Endymion to berate her so, but it needed to be done. Just like Zoisite had to undergo this nearly impossible task.
Her crystal blue eyes turned cloudy and thoughtful until clarity returned once more. ‘Very well.' To Setsuna, she asked, "Do you agree with said agreement, Setsuna?"
Looking away from Zoisite, she inclined her head slowly, letting the midnight tresses fall forward gracefully. "Yes, my queen."
"Very well. As much as we value your accession, Setsuna, we desire to have a third opinion of our ruling."
"And that would be...?"
"Your highness of Mercury, would you please step forward?"
During their conversation, Endymion had summoned the senshi, and all of them stood in a neat row of eight, all staring at Zoisite with one, two, or all of three emotions: dislike, distrust, and hatred.
Ami, who had stood as still as stone, moved forward almost mechanically. It broke and overwhelmed Zoisite's heart to see her once more. She was dressed like a queen, in a silken blue dress of shimmering fabric that made her look like a heavenly being. The cut of dress emphasized her figure, which had filled out to that of an adult's since the last time Zoisite had seen her, when she had barely reached eighteen. The spaghetti straps were thin and delicate, and the neckline was cut to show an appropriate but not scandalous amount of cleavage. Despite the fact that her curves and features had matures, she was as slender and slim-boned as ever. She had an air of cool pragmatism around her, and her deep blue eyes, the color of pure water, were icy as they regarded him. He was reminded of Setsuna's words...she was a queen in her own right and had always been, and she looked the part. "Yes, my queen?" she asked quietly.
The crystalline sound of her voice shook him as it refreshed and cleansed his soul. His eyes drank in her gently-waving hair, which was slightly longer than it had been before but not by much. Its color was much darker than he remembered, although a few of the lightest highlights were the pale, wispy blue he remembered from the Silver Millennium. He also noticed the unchanged pert little nose and rose petal-like lips he had dreamed of kissing even after he had died.
"It seems that we've been compelled by the gods to allow Zoisite another chance. Serenity has come up with the solution that while we will neither forgive him nor restore him to his former position, he will be given the opportunity to prove himself. There will be a quest of sorts, in which he will receive the first clue from us or Setsuna. That clue will direct him to x location, where another hint to the end of the quest will be. If no misfortune occurs and he returns to Crystal Tokyo with the desired article, he will be restored as one of the Shittenou once more, and the others will also be allowed to return." After his long summary of events, Endymion took in a huge gulp of air.
As he paused, the golden-haired woman beside him asked, "Do you agree with these terms, Ami?"
Her eyes traveled from the faces of Serenity, Endymion, and Setsuna, consciously avoiding Zoisite's imploring glance, until they rested on the giant tapestry behind the throne. It depicted the Moon and the Earth, bonds between them stitched in gleaming threads of the finest silver and gold. They were surrounding by an unbroken circle of the eight other planets, and in particular, her gaze was attracted to Mercury. While the planet did not look blue in the night sky, it had been woven in a deep, glittering sapphire in honor of her senshi color. It reminded her once again exactly what being a senshi meant and of the vows she had sworn during her joint-coronation with the Inners. "Yes. I agree."
"Very well. Setsuna, if you please, is there somewhere he can stay outside of the palace for the time being?" Serenity asked, eyes holding sympathy and pity as she looked upon her husband, Ami, and Zoisite.
The Gatekeeper nodded silently and withdrew with the green-eyed man, who threw one desperate look back at the woman he had sworn to love forever in his first lifetime and lost to four others in between.
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Chapter 2
The green-haired woman cast a surreptitious glance over her shoulder as they were escorted out by immaculately-uniformed guards, all bearing the symbols of their monarchs and showing echoing dislike and contempt in their faces for this traitor to the throne, branded since the so-called perfect times of the Silver Millennium (they would have described it as a golden age if the title of the millennium hadn't been so discriminatory). The Timekeeper's concerned look expressed more of her thoughts than she would have liked, but the object of her concerns was too deeply engrossed in the shocking afterthoughts that were running through his mind after seeing Endymion, Serenity, and the full ranks of senshi again after such a long time. Deciding it was best to get an early start on things, Setsuna halted their escort abruptly. "I'll just transport him to the Gates now. Thank you for your time."
Their leader shifted nervously, clearly uncomfortable with letting the ex-general go. "My apologies, your honored majesty of Pluto–and you're welcome–but I really must insist..."
She cut him off with an icy stare. As they stepped back and formed a neat row once more, she gripped Zoisite firmly by the shoulder and wrapped them in her power once more.
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Barely registering the change in scenery, Zoisite promptly took the nearest chair in what looked like an extremely cluttered warehouse of sorts. Crossing his legs in a deceptively casual manner, he leaned back easily and touched the tips of his fingertips together, studying them intently and seemingly blocking out his surroundings–and Setsuna.
Feeling more than slightly annoyed, she began conducting a thorough search of the room. It wasn't that she didn't trust her memory–it was tried, true, and had never been beaten–but she needed to look busy. Double-checking had never hurt anyone. Nonchalantly, she spoke in his general direction, but her tone indicated that she knew he was lost in thought and, in all probability, not listening. It was an infuriating habit of his, one that she wished Ami all the joy of putting up with. "You're very quiet, Zoisite. I would have expected more questions from a scholar like yourself."
His eyes lost their faraway look, and the blond-haired man sat up at attention. "If questions are what you want, I have tons. Enough to last a lifetime. What am I really doing here, Setsuna? I don't feel like I belong, and seeing her–them–again, it made me feel...odd. Misplaced, somehow. They've changed; I saw it in their eyes. They're older, and I'm still the same."
"You would change after the lives they've lived," she said gently.
"They feel like strangers...even Endymion is unfamiliar. He's learned more than he knew in the Silver Millennium, and it may have made him a better ruler, but he's been hurt because of it."
Carefully bringing down a dusty staff from one of the uppermost shelves, Setsuna pursed her lips and blew off the specks covering the crystal at the top. "A great many things have happened. You've missed a lot of their lives."
He buried his face in his hands. "I know I have, and I'm not sure if I can survive. I'm too old–or too young–for traipsing through unknown territory like this. I've been dead and dust for such a long time, and I'm not ready."
"I have faith in you, Zoisite." Her garnet eyes regarded him with an unearthly, sympathetic light. "This journey will, hopefully, restore the zest for life to your soul. You may not be ready now, but the task will give you time to clear your mind and see how things are nowadays. Everything will become clear," she finished, with full conviction.
"Will everything turn out all right at the end?" he asked hopefully.
Her beautiful, dark eyes became shadowed, and she turned away. After a few minutes of heavy silence, she replied, "I hope so, but you know I can't promise you anything, Zoisite. For once, it's not up to me, the gods, or destiny. It's all up to you. What happens to you on this quest, if you choose to return and try to gain the love of Ami as she is now, or if you decide never to come back to the confines of the city, or if you die once more...your actions are the determining factor. They are the only things that count."
The expression on Zoisite's face indicated that her cryptic words had brought up new issues in his mind, but before he could voice those doubts, a soft tinkling was heard in the air. Frowning, he changed what he had been about to say. "What's that noise?"
Setsuna smiled faintly. "Nothing's wrong. I think. It's signaling the teleportation of a senshi, and if my gut instincts are right, it'll be Minako."
"Hmph. No such thing as ‘gut instinct' for you, Sets. You just see things ahead of time," a cheerful voice challenged playfully as a blonde woman materialized in the room with little effort. Her cornflower blue eyes lit upon Zoisite curiously, and the senshi of Venus smiled comfortingly when she noticed that he was looking extremely nervous. "Hello, Zoisite. I'm supposed to play stuffy commander, and if I held with that nonsense, I would have to say that I shouldn't condone this type of thing, but I've got a feeling that this is right. For all of us." Minako beamed at him sunnily while his expression changed from anxious to surprised.
"But...I would have thought...I mean, this whole strange idea of Kunzite–" He instantly regretted saying the silver-haired man's name, but Minako's features stayed warm and friendly.
"Oh, Kunzite. That old stick in the mud. I'm hoping to have some words with him when he comes back, and then we'll see, but for now, you have to succeed for him to get back so I can yell at him. And I know you'll be just fine."
With a warning look, Setsuna interrupted quietly, "Minako..."
"I know, I know. I don't really know what happens, but I remember you–at least a little–from before, and everyone needs someone on their side when everything seems to be going against them. Sets here probably has about ten dozen things that can help you, but I thought I might contribute some well-wishing." In less time than it took for her to wink one of those gorgeous blue eyes, a thin gold chain appeared, hanging loosely from her outstretched fingertips.
Zoisite looked at her dubiously, but Minako seemed to have no qualms. "Now, I know a necklace may not be your choice of accessory, but it serves a dual purpose. When an enemy, someone untrustworthy, or a person who wishes you harm approaches–etc., etc.–it'll heat up. Well, not so much that it'll burn you, but you'll definitely feel it. If not, well, then there's no problem."
"Okay..." he said slowly, taking the offered object. "Thank you."
"Expressions of gratitude embarrass me," the golden-haired woman said, although her dancing eyes and upturned lips indicated that she didn't feel the least bit embarrassed. Adjusting the bracelet dangling from one slim wrist, her eyes widened as she realized where she was supposed to me. "Uh oh...I distinctly recall Serenity saying something about ‘needing my gracious presence' dealing with some ambassador or other."
Dryly, Setsuna said, "That might explain the formal clothing."
She looked down at the sweeping orange gown and wrinkled her dainty nose in distaste. "Ugh, orange. Planetary colors are becoming so boring, and Endymion appropriated the gold from me. As if Earth had much to do with gold besides the Golden Crystal." Turning her attention back to the nearly-forgotten general, who still looked a bit shell-shocked, Minako tilted her head to one side slightly. "Stop looking so forlorn, Zoisite. You have adventure, mystery, and the gods-know-what ahead of you. Any other man would be delighted."
"Any other man may not be leaving his former love behind. Please, Venus–Minako–do you know if she really does hate me?" He couldn't bring himself to say her name, and all three of them knew it. He was grateful when they didn't comment.
She blinked twice, taken aback. "Where did you get that idea from?"
"Well, she didn't exactly look at me, and...she's...different."
"So are you, you dolt," Minako retorted with a note of teasing affection in her voice. "Ami may not know how she feels about you after seeing you–and it was so sudden, and only for a few minutes–but she definitely doesn't hate you."
At a loss after her words, the only thing his stunned brain could come up with was, "Thank you. You've–you've aged well. Wisely."
Minako, who had been expecting different words, had to blink before she began to giggle. Curtseying gracefully (he bowed reflexively in response and turned pale with the horror when he realized what he had said a moment later), she replied, "Thank you, I think. One always hopes that aging will bring wisdom. Was that meant to be a compliment?"
Since he still seemed to be having trouble articulating, Setsuna gracefully saved him. "I believe so, Mina. Remember: pure and cleansing as water, refreshing as a stream, and honest as rainfall. He can't help being a blunt blockhead."
"Just so." The blonde woman smiled at his indignant stare. "I really should be going now, before Serenity has my head. She's aged, too, Zoisite–did you notice? Gracefully, wisely, and wonderfully. Good luck, and no matter what other people say, there are still those who will stand behind you. Don't forget to wear the chain. Don't take it off, no matter what, unless you want to defeat its purpose. Good bye." Waving cheerfully at them both, she winked one sparkling blue eye at them and disappeared in the time of one of Zoisite's increasingly-rapid heartbeats.
Laughing at him, Setsuna settled herself to wait for the next senshi. All of them were biding their time to either come and wish him luck or rage at him and tell him that he should be age-old dust by now. "You know, Zoisite," she began conversationally, "you're lucky that your verbal stumbling chose this opportune moment to embarrass you. Any other woman besides Minako might not have taken it so well. I hope you'll be over it by the time, say, Rei or Haruka come around. You remember Mars and Uranus, don't you?"
His response was short and to-the-point profanity.
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The blond-haired man looked after his protector of sorts apprehensively as she left to answer another silvery chime of unseen bells. Once she was out of sight, he sighed and buried his face in his hands–which, he noticed a little distractedly, were shaking. Tugging at his hair, as if he was trying to rip it out by the roots, he wondered when everything had gone so wrong. Ah, right, the minute he had suddenly awakened from his hellish nightmares of death and been dumped at the so-called mercy of Neo-Queen Serenity and Neo-King Endymion. After his latest run-in with them, Zoisite wondered if he would ever be able to think of them as "Endy" and "Sere" again.
His brain, dulled by death and shock, was slowly beginning to awaken to its old sarcasm and cynicism once more, but he still couldn't understand the events that had come to pass...and then he heard a voice that made his heart unsure whether it wanted to race or stop.
"Setsuna, no–please–I really can't..."
"Why not?"
Zoisite wracked his brain trying to remember when, or if, he heard Setsuna sound so sharp before. He was attempting to block out that first voice, the voice he could have identified in his sleep...
"I don't want to talk to him; I don't want to see him."
Well, it was certainly a change to hear the fearful anxiety and near panic in her voice. The last time Zoisite had seen her, she had been perfectly composed, and the only thing that had convinced him that she hadn't been a statuette of ice had been her movement and quick agreement to his sentence.
"Why? Why, Ami? Are you afraid to face him?"
He turned to face the wall with agony. Setsuna had just had to say her name, hadn't she? When he came face to face with a leering skull, however, his eyes widened, and he whirled around to catch a glimpse of wispy blue material wafting through the crack of a door. The sight nearly killed him. She, the great love of his life (or was it lives now?), was so close, yet so far, and if that damned door would just open a bit more, he would be able to see more than just that enticing scrap of her past floor-length gown.
"No! I'm not afraid of facing him."
He could envision the stubbornness of her dainty little chin as she faced the Timekeeper, her deep blue eyes shining defiantly. Fortunately for him, she had never been able to lie looking him straight in the eye, but he recalled a time when she had led the politicians in a wonderful little dance of words.
"Then say his name and look upon him," Setsuna challenged.
There was a long silence then, and Zoisite could see more trembling of the wafting silken skirt than the infrequent gusts of the Corridors of Time warranted; his breath caught in his throat as he anticipated the answer with both heartbreaking longing and nervous dread.
"Ami, think of how hard it must be for that poor boy to be sent out like that from people he once loved and served–and, most importantly, from a woman he loved. I know that he betrayed you, but there's a reason it happened. If you don't give him a chance, you'll never find out. He must survive and return here. If he doesn't, the rest of the Shittenou won't return, either, and Crystal Tokyo will fall without them. The senshi compose the pillars of strength that hold up our world and guard the monarchs, but you need to be complete, to be happy, to work with partners worthy of you."
What her reply was, the ex-general couldn't make out, but he could tell it was very much under her breath and distinctly unappreciated by her fellow senshi.
After a hushed but heated argument, which he couldn't hear (he suspected Pluto had purposely done some little trick or other to keep him from overhearing things he wasn't supposed to know yet–or at all), Setsuna stalked back in the room. Her deep garnet eyes threw sparks as she muttered under her breath. Finally, she threw something small and light at him unexpectedly, but his newly-awakened mind remembered the training of old times; it was a sort of reflex action that he caught it. Zoisite stared at what looked to be an opaque object made of crystal or glass, shaped like a water or tear drop, then glanced up at the green-haired woman questioningly.
In response to his look, Setsuna explained, "It's meant to be worn as a pendant, hence the reason for the hole at the top. You can put it on Venus's chain. I'm not exactly sure what it'll do, but it's probably concealing some powers or secrets. But I could be wrong. It might just be for remembrance...a reminder."
"Does she even want me to come back? Alive?" the blond-haired man asked. Despite his skeptical tone, he unclasped Venus's chain from his neck and put the sapphire-hued pendant on with reverence. The light it cast on his hands reminded him of a shallow pool, sunlit and sparkling as sunlight played upon it but still distinctly blue.
Looking tired, the Gatekeeper pressed her fingers to her temples and muttered, "Do I look like I have all the answers, Zoisite? Never mind, don't answer that. I know what you generals and the senshi think about me. But to answer your question, I think she'd prefer that you come back alive to answer her questions than in pieces or not at all."
As the chimes rang again, he glared after her retreating form balefully and mumbled, "How very reassuring." Suddenly, he heard what sounded suspiciously like a scuffle and crossed the room to the door in a few quick strides of his long limbs. Opening the door a crack wider, he peered out and groaned out loud at the sight that met his eyes: Haruka, esteemed senshi of Uranus, appeared to be putting up a marvelous fight to get to him. Luckily, Michiru and Setsuna were holding her back quite forcefully, but he didn't like the way her sky-blue eyes seemed to burn like the dangerous fires that Jadeite used to create. What he wouldn't give at the moment for his friend's cheerful optimism and never-ending supply of wide grins and jokes, he couldn't fathom.
"I say we just get rid of him now, forever. That would save us the trouble of killing him again. Then the other three won't have to come back–although I'd enjoy smashing Jadeite's sneering face. He's a danger, and he won't even be confined within Crystal Tokyo. Imagine the trouble he could get into! The winds bring news that dark forces are stirring again, and they have to be connected with his reappearance. I always knew the Shittenou were bad news; I suspected it from the start!"
"You knew nothing of the kind, Haruka. Now, you know I said I wouldn't let you come if you didn't behave," Michiru admonished her, hiding a smile. Her expression became more solemn when she met Zoicite's eyes, but she seemed to be more neutral and cautious than annoyed. That was good, at the very least. He didn't think he could withstand another extremity like Minako or Haruka. "Zoisite, if you wouldn't mind coming a little closer–"
When he moved to oblige, Setsuna said sharply, "Watch that crack!"
He looked down and saw that the pieces between the hallway and the room he had been in were separating. Between the rooms, he could see dark, lightless space, and gulped. He was in a rather precarious position, with one foot in the hall and one back in the storage room. Leaping over and managing not to fall flat on his face, he scowled at Setsuna and asked, "Is it always like this?"
"No. Time is becoming unsettled," she replied shortly.
"And it's all your fault."
No one contradicted Haruka's grouchy statement, and Zoisite found that it was possible for him to feel even worse than he already did. And he thought he'd reached rock bottom when Ami had visited.
"Well," the aqua-haired woman said, saving him again, "since a senshi's duty is to see that justice is carried out, especially for us Outers, we've decided to even the odds a little by giving you a little...help. We have to do it, whether we like it or not, which is why Haruka has decided that you'll need these two daggers." As she held them out, she cautioned, "Be very careful with them. They've recently been sharpened."
"By yours truly," the sandy-haired blonde smirked.
To his surprise, Setsuna smiled as well. "Are you trying to injure him ahead of time with his own weapons? Tsk, tsk, Haruka. That's not very nice."
She shrugged, seeming a bit calmer, and stepped back. "If I absolutely have to accept this, I'm going to have my fair say in it. And I've got plenty of things I want expressed."
Both Michiru and Setsuna shot her an annoyed look while he pondered over the meaning of her words.
"Anyway," Neptune said pointedly, "I have something a bit safer for you." Handing him a ring that seemed to be made of silver and gold twisted and twined together with an aquamarine set at the top of their junction, she continued, "As long as your wear it, you'll be safe from most of the dangers of the oceans–drowning, for one. But it has to be on your person to work."
"Ah. Like Venus's chain." Slipping it onto his finger, he bowed his thanks, and they disappeared in a brilliant sphere of blue-green light. Blinking in the glare, he sighed resignedly and spoke almost to himself, "I'd forgotten how bright a senshi's teleportation could be."
"Two at once makes it worse," Setsuna said knowingly.
"What about all eight?"
"You've forgotten that with Serenity and Endymion, that would be ten. And with their respective crystals..."
"I shudder to think about it."
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By the end of the day, Zoisite felt even more confused than before. Minako had been his first well-wisher, Ami had refused to see or talk to him, Haruka had wanted him killed even before he left, Michiru and Rei seemed to share the same fatalistic air of "Well, if Serenity, Endymion, and Ami already said it's going to be this way, we have to allow it," Hotaru had genuine hopes for his success but told him she feared that ominous prophecy (which, of course, neither she nor Pluto would reveal to him) would hold true, and Makoto had been determinedly silent and emotionless. Among his luggage, besides some other things Setsuna had packed for him (he'd definitely have more than a few surprises among the way), were the chain of warning from Venus with Mercury's pendant, Mars's two protective wards that were activated at night if and when he lit a fire, a sturdy oak staff from Jupiter, a silvery-greenish crystal placed on top of the staff (they seemed to be permanently fused together now) from Serenity, a sword with some magic runes scrawled all over its blade, hilt, and sheath from Endymion (although it was nowhere near as good as his general's sword had been), Uranus's exquisitely sharp daggers, Neptune's ring, and a very handy medicinal kit from Hotaru. Ah, yes, and a map from Pluto. He didn't bother to ask where or how she'd made it, but he did notice that it was constantly modifying itself as things changed, and he wasn't quite sure he liked that.
Nevertheless, it was late at night (the space of the Time Stream seemed to have darkened, but it could have been a figment of his imagination), and he wanted a good rest before setting off the next day. Pluto had offered a spare bunk he found to be comfortable enough, but exactly where she was, he had no clue. Probably monitoring the endless flow of Time, he decided, turned over, and promptly fell into spiraling darkness...
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Chapter 3
Zoisite looked around him, feeling very confused. The last thing he remembered was collapsing on the bed in a spare chamber of Setsuna's, somewhere in the Time Gate. Now, the plain, sparse room with solid-looking walls had been replaced by a room that looked as if it was built out of crystal. There were few furnishings in the room, and in the center was a massive crystalline table with two chairs at one end and nothing at the other. The chairs resembled thrones, and they were not made of crystal (neither were the other eight chairs, four on either side of the table). All of the seats looked extremely comfortable with their mounds of cushions. A person could have sat in them for hours without feeling too stiff, and he didn't doubt that they would have been suitable to sleep in.
Slowly, he began to take in other details of those chairs. The two throne-like chairs had different symbols carved on their backs, and the one on the left had gold cushions fringed with blue, green, and brown, while the one on the right had white ones edged with silver. On the left side of the table, there were four chairs that held the symbols of the Outer Planets, and those pillows went from deep red and olive green to purple and black, aquamarine and navy blue, and sky blue and gold. Facing them were the Inners' seats, with pillows of orange rimmed with dark blue, red with purple, medium blue with lighter blue, and green with pink. Zoisite's memories were still foggy, and while he was certain they weren't seated by rank, he couldn't figure out why the chairs were arranged in that order until he looked at the pairs facing each other: Pluto and Venus, Saturn and Mars, Neptune and Mercury, and Uranus and Jupiter.
Before he could figure out why he was there, the doors at either end of the room opened, and senshi began trailing in. Feeling as if it was Judgement Day part two, Zoisite looked wildly around him and tried to run. He found that he was permanently fixed in place, and he could not even twitch a finger. The only that worked seemed to be his ears and his eyes (and his nose), and he found that even his mouth had betrayed him. But the senshi didn't seem to see him; no one spoke to him. His fear faded slightly as his anxiety increased. All of a sudden, Setsuna's piercing garnet eyes met his, and he felt reassured, somewhat. And then Endymion and Serenity arrived.
Everyone sat in their seats, looking dignified and gracious...until the squabbling began.
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They had begun in good accord...sort of. "The first topic of discussion," Serenity began, after a brief and to-the-point introduction of the main subjects (Zoisite, Zoisite, and Zoisite), "is interference. None of you are to intrude upon his quest. Is that clear? If any of you teleport outside Crystal Tokyo without there being a legitimate, proven cause, we will be forced to discipline you. We've told you that in order to make the deal a little more fair, he would be gifted with a few magic objects, and Setsuna has told me that this has been carried out. We're making it very clear right now that apart from those things, he has to succeed or fail on his own. Does anyone disagree?"
Everyone shook their heads, but after a few seconds, Makoto inquired, "Are you planning to monitor the quest, Sere?"
Startled, she merely shook her head and looked at her husband, who answered, "Well, we weren't planning on it, but if you feel it should be..."
"We've already demeaned him enough, minna. No general in the past would have stood for this, and it would be too much like spying on him. Watching him every second of the quest would be a total invasion of privacy."
Quietly, Rei interjected, "No general in the past betrayed us so completely. If you'll forgive me, Serenity, I think you're letting your heart overwhelm your sense."
The blonde leader of the senshi replied, "Come on, Rei. We've been harsh enough, and he deserves a chance. We still don't know what really happened in the Silver Millennium, and it's Crystal Tokyo now. You've died and been reborn before, and you should know what it's like. The poor guy must be feeling totally lost."
Zoisite, who had been sweating for the past few minutes, felt a little calmer. However, he still didn't like the idea of traveling, knowing that he was being watched by critical, hostile eyes that could see his every act and hear his every word.
"I think you're being biased, Minako. You're giving him way too much support and trust, and you're forgetting that his traitorous acts brought down the life we knew. Everything was perfect. The world was at peace. Had it not been for the generals' defection, we would have been able to defeat Metallia."
"You can't say that, Haruka," her aqua-haired partner pointed out gently, "we have no proof. If you say the Silver Millennium wouldn't have been destroyed then, what if a stronger, more powerful enemy came? Sooner or later, the kingdom would have fallen. Crystal Tokyo has been foretold for millennia. You have to let things go."
Makoto sighed and remarked, "I don't know about the rest of you, but for my part, I don't want to monitor him simply because I have better things to do with my time. Can you imagine how much time we would have to sacrifice to be watching over him twenty-four seven? It's not that I don't want to make the effort, really; I'm just saying that there are more worthwhile things we could be doing."
Feeling a headache coming on, Hotaru touched her forehead with a hand that was glowing purple. When the pounding receded, she said, "The most important topic of discussion was no monitoring. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have other things waiting for me–like sleep. So I suggest we take a vote. Majority wins."
"Good suggestion, Hotaru," Setsuna smiled gratefully.
"What if there's a tie?" Makoto asked. "There are ten of us."
After a few minutes of contemplation, Minako suggested, "If there's a tie, why don't we let Ami decide? I mean, Zoisite is supposed to be her soulmate."
Everyone agreed, and Ami looked less than pleased at the prospect, not appreciating the attention and being put on the spot. So far, she had been quieter than usual, not wanting to be accused of extreme favoritism or bias.
Zoisite, however, didn't mind in the least. He looked forward to understanding this strange, icy statuette of a woman that had replaced his sweet, shy, caring princess. He wanted to know how her mind worked and what she thought of him.
"All right," she agreed reluctantly.
Nodding decisively, Minako announced, "All in favor of monitoring the quest, raise your hands." Haruka and Rei raised their hands. "Overwhelming majority says no. Need I ask for those who are not in favor?"
Endymion shook his head. "And the interference? Do we need you to swear on that?"
The raven-haired woman sighed loudly, beginning to feel impatient. "I'm beginning to think this may take all night after all. Since we all agree not to interfere, it's not really necessary. Ami, what do you think?" she inquired, turning to her friend, who was seated right next to her.
Biting her lip, she replied, "No. You're right. We've already agreed, so there's no point in swearing on it. Let's just get on with it."
Zoisite beamed at her, although she couldn't see, and missed the appraising look that Setsuna directed towards the younger woman.
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Unfortunately, from that point on, things went very much downhill when the subject of the tests themselves was broached. Minako was almost forced to the point of pulling rank on Haruka, who insisted that she was prejudiced because she wanted Kunzite back. Rei's temper was wearing dangerously thin; Makoto had thumped the table enough times to dent it, and had Serenity and Endymion not instructed the craftsmen that worked on it that it had to be extremely resilient, considering that the senshi would be using it as their most private discussion room, it would probably have been crushed after the many attacks on it. Michiru and Hotaru had their hands full trying to mediate peace, and Setsuna was blocking out all the noise around her and thinking about the Time Stream. Compared to the rest of them, Ami seemed awake as if she had just gotten up, and she was in full control of herself. She sat perfectly still and replied coolly when the other occupants of the room demanded her opinion or judgement. Her face impassively still, and what thoughts were going through her brilliant mind, Zoisite could not fathom. But he felt nervous.
Serenity was so tired of things that she had drifted off several times and had to be woken by Endymion, who looked like he would scream if he heard the words "general" or "Zoisite" again. He was probably cursing the fact that he had been born the Prince of the Earth, as his station required that he be guarded by four protectors.
For his part, Zoisite was extremely relieved that none of them could see them. All of them, even Minako, would most likely have throttled him just so they could forget about the problem and just get some sleep–it was around four in the morning already.
He was also having a horrible time, and his mind was tired. From his vantage point at the opposite end of the table from Serenity and Endymion, he could see everything. The problem was, his ears would become mysteriously clogged when anything too specific about the tests he would be facing was discussed.
v
The worst part was, he hadn't even known he was going to be tested. But of course, he thought sourly, he shouldn't have thought that he would get away that easily. Oh, no. Instead of just being thrown to goodness-knows-what was outside the gates of the pristine city, he was going to have these little tricks and traps awaiting him along the way. And they weren't even planning on telling him about that. If it hadn't been for Setsuna–he assumed that since she had been able to see him, or his spirit, or whatever part of him was intruding in that room, that she had brought him here–he would probably have failed. Miserably. Zoisite sighed inwardly. He owed her a lot, and he wasn't sure that he would survive long enough to repay her.
From the snippets of conversation that he had been allowed to hear, the gen deduced that he would undergo ten tests (one from each person present). He would start with the first clue, and following that path to a location, he would encounter the first challenge along the way. At the end of each task set him, he would retrieve the next clue, until he reached the end of the last trial (if he made it that far), where he would recover the object he was supposed to retrieve and return to Crystal Tokyo. It all sounded nice and simple. But he knew it wouldn't be.
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"Zoisite. Zoisite, it's time to go back now." A gentle but commanding voice awoke him, and he blinked sleepily.
It was as if he had fallen asleep on his feet...and his face was mashed against the giant crystal table around which all the senshi had been gathered. Now, the room was deserted with the lights dimmed, the chairs empty of their occupants. Only he and Setsuna remained behind. "Ugh," he grunted. "What am I doing here? Oh, good, I can talk again."
She smiled at him. "I brought you here, remember? There were some things you needed to see–and hear. Go back to bed now. You need your rest."
"What...time is it?"
"Five A.M. You have another hour or so before you'll want to set off."
He groaned but allowed her to pull his spiritual self to his feet. When they reached the empty room in the realm of the Time Gates again, he blinked in confusion and shock when he saw his physical body lying there, apparently asleep. "Wha–?"
"Hush," Setsuna reprimanded softly, her voice falling over him in waves, and he began to feel more exhausted than he had ever been. "You do remember what you heard last night, don't you?"
"Yes, but..."
"No. No questions. As long as you remember." Her smile faded until she was left with a slightly sad expression on her face, and she waved her hand towards his sleeping body. "Shoo. Your body may be resting, but it's time for your mind to join it. It's been quite a strain for you to be awake so long, and your mind is overactive as it is."
"Was it all a dream?" he mumbled, as he sank into his body with relief, feeling as if he had lost and just now found a indispensable part of him.
"No, Zoisite. It was no dream....sleep now." Her quiet, velvety tones followed him into approaching mist of slumber.
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The minute he opened his eyes the next morning, he knew it would be a bad day. A sense of dread and foreboding already hung over him, and he felt tired and as if he had only just gone to sleep. Rubbing his eyes so hard that it was almost like he was scrubbing him, he got out of bed and promptly tripped over a large knapsack, which had a large scroll sticking out of the top of it. After he had collapsed on his bed, curses issuing forth from his mouth all the while, he massaged his feet until the pain and buzzing faded.
An amused voice said from the doorway, "I assume you didn't sleep well, Zoisite?"
His eyes were red and bloodshot as he glowered at her. "Mmph. Where did this come from? It wasn't here when I went to sleep."
"I packed for you. It looks big now, and extremely heavy, but your load is lighter than it looks."
Glumly, he replied, "Maybe the physical aspect...but nothing else."
"Zoisite. Is this any way for you to begin your journey? Think of the excitement...the adventure...back in the Silver Millennium, all of you generals would have been wild to get away from the palace and civilization. I remember a time when you would have begged Endymion to let you try this challenge. You couldn't find enough interesting things to do in your labs anymore at one point," Setsuna reminisced at length.
His laugh was hollow as he retorted, "Yeah, well, since he's the one who assigned ordered me on this quest, there's no point in asking. Things are a lot more attractive when you have the choice to do them or not."
The Timekeeper sighed impatiently. "I think I've been a little too understanding of the situation, Zoisite. You're sulking, time is wasting, and if you want to get back here as soon as possible, you'd better go. Maybe it wasn't entirely your fault that the Silver Millennium collapsed, but you and your fellow Shittenou had a hand in it, Zoisite. Think about it."
"I don't remember what happened! No one does! All right. I'm leaving. Are you happy now?" he exclaimed furiously, shouldering his back and making for the door.
"I know," Setsuna said softly, stopping him in his tracks. Before he could ask, however, she warned, "I will never tell you what happened, Zoisite. Serenity, Endymion, and all the senshi have questioned me several times. No one will ever know–unless the time is right."
With an offended scowl, he stalked from the room, not noticing the rift that opened in the ground. He fell through with a startled yell, waving his arms so he looked like a windmill. A few seconds later, he landed on his behind right before the gates. Glaring up in the direction of the heavens, Zoisite dusted himself off, noting sadly that his clothes were not the general's uniform that he was used to. They were anonymous dark clothes that would be easy to travel in, as they were made of a strange material he was unaccustomed to that shifted noiselessly with his body movements. Then, squaring his shoulders, he stepped forth to the gate.
Just as he was about to cross, a scroll appeared before him, and two voices sounded in unison with each other in his mind. ‘Take the scroll, Zoisite. It will direct you to the first location, where you will receive another clue.'
‘Thank you,' he telepathed back automatically. It was a jolting sensation, for it had been a long time since he had talked mind-to-mind with anyone. Too long.
‘Good luck.'
Endymion and Serenity seemed to be speaking with genuine good will and in softer tones than the day before, so he was brash enough to inquire, ‘May I say a quick farewell to Ami?'
The queen's voice was regretful but firm as she replied, ‘I'm sorry, Zoisite, but she took leave of the palace and Crystal Tokyo earlier this morning. She requested permission to return to Mercury, and the length of her stay is indefinite. She requested that we not contact her unless in the case of an emergency, but she has promised to check back with whoever is on duty every other day or so." Her tone took on a meaningful emphasis as she added, "We believe that your sudden return may have distressed her. She was...not quite her usual self. Farewell, Zoisite.'
And so, the first step beyond the gates meant much less to Zoisite than it ordinarily would have, as his thoughts were preoccupied by memoirs of a blue-haired woman who he could no longer claim to love or know any longer.
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A General's Journey
