Endymion: Chiba Mamoru
Age: 20
Grade: College year 3

Kunzite: Seishou Kouseinou (Kunzite)
Age: 19
Grade: College 2, Sophomore
Guardian: Shippou

Nephrite: Kousei Kyosei
Age: 18
Grade: College 1, Freshman
Guardian: Hokushin

Jadeite: Tabiki Kasen
Age: 18
Grade: College year 1
Guardian: Tansei

Zoicite: Kouseki Yosouya
Age: 16
Grade: College year 1
Guardian: Erimakitokage/Tokage

Chapter 12a-Doseki a.k.a. Earth and Stones

One silver-haired general admired a pinkish stone named kunzite, his namesake, in the corner of a jewelry store. His hand, stuffed inelegantly in his pocket, wrinkled and folded a square of stiff paper over and over, nervously. How long until he submitted and destroyed himself and the future again? Now he drew out the photograph, which was of a smiling blond girl with a vivacious grin that just brightened his day, any day, with the liveliest crystal blue eyes that bored into your soul, and golden hair shining out of the paper. One wondered if her beauty could outshine even the sun. "Minako, how am I supposed to protect you and the future if I don't know how much longer I can go without friends? I even miss Mamoru, who I don't even know in this life. Kasen was a joker, and his light-hearted spirit was so much like yours before he changed to become a cold-hearted bastard. Kyosei loved the stars and mysteries with a passion. He was serious but fun-loving too, just like Kasen. And Yosouya? What happened to the little squirt I looked after in middle school, through high school? What changed you all; was it that bout of 'amnesia'? When I find out what happened, who did this, I will kill them," he promised. His fists clenched and silver eyes hardened, something unidentifiable, a power he had not used in over a thousand years, sparkling in them. "I promised you, angel of Venus, wherever you may be now, that I wouldn't forget you. I may have before, but I will keep my words now. I just have to save some others, first. You'll understand, I know. You always have."
~ * ~ * ~
"Very interesting," remarked Mamoru. "He's still resisting. And what's more, his more violent tendencies seem to be emerging."

Yosouya nodded absently, trying to listen while his mind screamed questions. 'Why can't I remember? What's clamoring at me every minute of the day: a swimming pool, a lizard, the colors blue and green, and Seishou Kouseinou? What's WRONG?!'

Shooting a sharp glance in his brother's direction, Kyosei muttered, "You and him are both looking for trouble. Does _everyone_ call me stargazer?"

"Just about the planet's population, but perhaps your fame has traveled to the galaxies beyond," joked Kasen absentmindedly. 'He knows...knew me well. Exuberant jester, was I?' Clearing his throat, he stated coolly, "That's a very useful talent to have developed, Mamoru-kun. So useful to know his opinion of the ‘cold-hearted bastard.'"

The corner of the ebony-haired man's mouth twisted slightly, the rest of him relishing the cool comfort of air conditioning in hot June. "Actually, you were the best at this in the past, although Yosouya was the most gifted at magic."

"Although he had less talent at weaponry and fighting," commented the brunet, earning himself a dark look from the green-eyed man. "Speaking of which, the stars recently showed me the strangest picture of a man our age, actually maybe just a bit younger, with brown hair. So far, his eye color was unclear, as well as some of his features, but he seemed familiar."

Frowning, the blonde asked, "Are you two on friendly terms? Is he from the past?" 'There was someone like that for me as well, in a dream...or a vision. I just don't remember who....but he had brown hair, I'm sure of it. Wait, he? Why am I so sure it was a he?'

"What a surprise, two questions in one," drawled his friend. "No, we seemed like enemies or competitors. For what, I don't know, but I don't remember him from this life–maybe the last."

Turning over some mysterious, foreign objects in his pocket, Mamoru smiled strangely. "Enough chitchat about...unimportant people, you might call them, I suppose. Don't worry: I believe I may know that man, and you can rest assured that they–he, I mean–poses no threat for now..." The fingers twitched slightly, as did his arm. Three stones materialized in front of the generals's chests and disappeared a second later with no trouble, facets slightly shadowed by darkness.

"Jadeite," came the shocked voice as the pale green stone vanished.

"Nephrite." Kyosei watched calmly yet curiously as it was absorbed.

"Zoicite." Yosouya's voice was excited, wanting to examine the stone right away. "But you don't have a fourth one, the pink one. Kunzite."

Oddly, a grimace appeared on Mamoru's face. Another wave of the hand produced the pale stone. "He isn't here to receive it, but I don't doubt that he will be, soon. But it's time to start training. Zoicite?"

"Yes?"

"I want you to get as much information on these two people: Urawa Ryo and Kumada Yuuichirou."

"Of course, Mamoru. It will be on your desk as soon as I'm done."

"I have full confidence in your abilities."
~ * ~ * ~
Tabiki Kasen sauntered into his brother's office nonchalantly, not bothering to knock. Actually, none of them knocked anymore except when they had to consult Mamoru. To his surprise, an elegantly-furnished room met him. A wooden desk, of what type he couldn't identify (nor did he want to), held a computer and numerous stacks of paper. Strange crystals shed multicolored light from several positions throughout the room, and overhead was a chandelier–and instead of candles, they held untinted crystals. Large filing cabinets, he was sure of, held more information and things useless to him, and that was it. "What is it with you? Nothing matters but paperwork and technology these days?" When the addressed didn't answer, he strode quickly to the other side of the desk, where the chair was facing away from him, so its occupant could look out the window. "I can't believe you're sleeping in the middle of the day, too. Right after lunch is understandable, but you're missing it right now. Come to think of it, so am I."

As he shook him awake, cloudy green eyes opened to look into familiar blue ones. "Jadeite? No, I wasn't sleeping...I was dreaming of the Silver Millennium again."

"Something's wrong," he stated flatly. "You can't always be stuck in the past; something went wrong. We have to talk to Mamoru."

The smaller gen stood up quickly and caught his wrist. Breathlessly, also slightly dizzy, he said urgently, "You can't tell him, can't tell him anything yet. I know what's wrong, Kasen. People are always woozy when they wake up from sleep, don't tell him, don't tell him!!"

Puzzled, never seeing his cool, calm brother lose control before, the blonde shook him gently. "Souya, calm down. Sit. I won't tell him, okay? What were you dreaming of?"

"A brown-haired man, dressed like a knight. In blue, always blue." Wildly talking again, he threw up his hands, agitated and continued, gesturing. "That's haunting me, it's bothering me! Jade, help me make it stop!!"

Staring anxiously at him, Kasen backed away slightly. Trying to keep calm, he asked, "Who? What's bothering you?"

"The brunet man, the one that's a Knight!! There's someone else, with blue, an enchanting blue, and there's no one else like it! But it's cold, very cold, and then.....there's ice." With those final, frantic, and incomprehensive phrases, the blond-haired, green-eyed general went into compulsive spasms and collapsed.

Feeling a cold sweat steal over him, Kasen telephoned Kyosei and cut him off in the middle of his customary greeting. "Kyo, you've got to help me and get Mamoru-kun down here; Yosouya collapsed. He was muttering about the Silver Millennium again, and you have to-"

"Slow down," said his brown-haired friend reassuringly. 'Does everyone lose their heads in an emergency, or is it just me?' "I'll get Mamoru. Try pouring some cold water or whatever over him."

The door was flung open after a few minutes of watery treatment by Mamoru, whose black eyes were blazing. Close behind was an apprehensive Kyosei, not liking his position at the moment. The golden crystal that had appeared in the ruins under the now-fixed elevator gleamed, a daunting mixture of gold and black, harmonious yet unnatural. "He isn't well," he stated flatly. "But we knew that. I want you guys to transform, to general form." When generals Nephrite and Jadeite stood before him, their respective stones came out, causing the chunk of zoicite to appear. "You'll have to explore his dreams and find out what's wrong; there's something there that seems to be calling him away from us."

"Endymion, we _know_ what's wrong! When you brainwashed him, you screwed up his whole system!" screamed Jadeite, azure blue eyes nearly springing out of his head.

The ebony-haired one stared at him for a moment. "Don't speak to me like that, nd I'm not Endymion." A headache was coming on, and a youthful, girlish voice hispered, 'You promised me, Endymion, you promised her! Your promised m......you promised me.....' "Shimatta."

"Mamoru, what's wrong?"

Looking at the stargazer, he shook his head and pointed to Yosouya's prone form. "In. I'll send you in with the crystal, prepare yourselves."

*Inside the Mind of Kouseki Yosouya/General Zoicite*

In spiritual form, slightly misty and blurred, the blonde turned to look at his brown-haired friend. "Where do you think we start?"

"Well, for one thing, there's something coming into view over there," Nephrite pointed out.

Both men squinted as the person came closer, features in view now. She was beautiful, they thought, with shimmery blue hair and large blue eyes. Politely, quietly, she said, "Excuse me, generals, but you can't have him. Not now, and not never, at least when you're like this."

"What do _you_ have to do with Zoicite?"

She smiled for a second, but it vanished within minutes. "I'm not really like this, always in his mind. I stand as his conscience only semi-permanently; I'm really a memory. Just a figment of his imagination."

Frowning, remembering something, Jadeite accused, "You're the Princess of Mercury."

"As you say. Things have changed quite a bit in this life. But I'm afraid you can't have Zoi, not when you're overtaken by evil."

Bitten by the closeness she seemed to radiate, the beauty, the cold, and the warmth, his blue eyes flared. "You've overtaken Zoicite."

Shaking her head, she waved a hand and the hazy form of Zoicite appeared. "But let me prove to you, gentlemen, that his spirit is whole–for now."

He kissed her on the cheek, wrapping a hand around her waist. "Look inside you. The Princesses of Mars and Jupiter are waiting to pass their judgement."

"We owe Endymion none of our loyalty," his beloved said, "but we loved him well, once, and not only for the sake of our princess. But now he serves another, a malignant, malicious monster that will destroy him once he's become useless. He may be the king on the chessboard, or appear so to us, but you're less than pawns to him."

"You're not Zoicite," stated Nephrite coolly, ignoring the princess, although his navy blue eyes showed that he was shaken. There was a brown-haired, green-eyed princess in his dreams already, in the stars' visions.

The princess smiled thinly. "This is his innermost soul. But Zoicite knows much more than Kouseki Yosouya of the present. Your own souls should know more. Go back and tell your prince, generals." When they refused, a glare slid over her delicate features. "In this world, my order as a princess is higher than yours, as well as my power. Go. Yosouya will wake up soon."

When Tabiki Kasen and Kousei Kyosei came into existence, Mamoru leapt up from his seat. "Well?"

"There's a protector inside him," muttered Kasen dully. "You've got to wipe it out again."

"So who is it? Did you see the brown-haired man?" ‘And if it really is him, there had better be a good explanation.'

Kyosei answered this time. "Iie, a princess. Princess Mercury of the past, a ghostly form. She's turning him. Although to which side, I don't know anymore. Mamoru, you didn't tell us there was something inside you that you answer to. The Prince of Earth never answered to anyone but his people and General Kunzite–sometimes."

"What–what did that witch tell you?!" Black eyes were shining with ferocity now, and they were startled to see a rainbow mix of colors swirl in them.

The blonde stuttered, "That you have an evil entity that'll destroy you when you become useless."

Mamoru struck him hard, and both flinched away from each other. "I don't serve evil, and I shall _never_ become useless. Listen to what you're saying. You serve me, do you hear?! Go. Go now, I have some erasing to do that I overlooked. NOW!"
~ * ~ * ~
Tabiki Kasen was not having a good day. He walked through the park silently with his hands in his pocket. Occasionally, he stopped to glower threateningly at people who stared at the red mark on his face, which had remained there for at least two days now. But summer was fun, and children raced everywhere, shrieking. Children. The only thing he had a soft spot for nowadays.

Suddenly, a voice behind him greeted mockingly, "Konnichiwa, senpai. We meet again. Which schoolgirl are you trying to stalk this time?"

Turning around, royal blue met laughing purple. "Konnichiwa, Hino Rei. I remember, fire of the soul. I don't stalk schoolgirls; why do you ask?"

"Surely one of them slapped you for your impudence. Do you memorize all their names, or just mine?"

The corners of his mouth began to turn up slightly, he was always ready for verbal fencing. "Just yours, Rei-chan. I even remember your age–a mere fourteen. An innocent babe."

Blushing, she retorted haughtily, "Don't address me with such familiarity. Rei-san or even Hino-san would be more appropriate. Fourteen may seem young to you, but exactly what age are you, grandfather?"

He smirked, "Eighteen."

Cheeks flaming, her amethyst eyes snapped, as did her voice. "I'm fifteen now."

"Oh, really?" he asked, raising a blond eyebrow, "and when was your birthday, pray tell?"

Raven tresses danced in the slight wind as she suspiciously eyed a great clump of oak trees, with dense leaves. "Why should I tell you?"

"Are you afraid of trees or something? I mean, you keep looking at those oaks..."

"No, just my guardians–I mean–"

Kasen tried to hold back a laugh. "Your 'guardians' must be squirrels, then. Unless they have the unhealthy habit of hiding in the bushes all day long, since they fear your temper too much to walk in plain form."

Rei squawked, "Don't insult my guardians! And they aren't squirrels, they're–never mind. Fine, my birthday is April seventeenth. Are you happy now?"

He grinned, filing away the information. "Very much so. Arigato gozaimisu, firefly."

"Firefly?"

Hastily, wondering where that particular phrase had come from, he replied, "You don't ask about the slip of the tongue, and I won't ask about your tree-topping rats, or whatever they are. Care to talk a walk with me?"

Glaring at the offered arm, wondering why it seemed so familiar, she asked, "Do you know how...scandalous that would look?" When he goggled at her, she said, "For one thing, it'll look like we're a couple. I'm three years younger than you! And I barely know you!"

"Three isn't a lot," he shrugged. "I hope you don't have a boyfriend, but anyone that dates you probably has to have much stronger constitution than the normal guy. There probably aren't many around that could stand dating you."

She slapped him in the exact same place Mamoru had, angry tears rolling down her cheeks. "You're a complete bastard, and I'm glad I don't know your name." With that, she stomped off with alarming speed and disappeared from view quickly.

Feeling slightly ashamed, Kasen continued on his stroll (ignoring the looks from many a boy in the park, also girlfriend-less). "If you wanted to know, Rei-chan, you could have asked." However, he had a sinking feeling that she hadn't and wouldn't.
~ * ~ * ~
Chiba Mamoru muttered angrily, dismissing a crowd of workers that were upset without their quiet, gentle boss. Now they didn't know what to do, having finished all the steps he had directed them to. "His mind is being stubborn," he muttered out loud. "I need to get rid of that bothersome princess, but she just withstands all my efforts to erase from his memory. Shall I replace her? Zoicite was never one for female interaction, not in this life or the last...except for her."

'Prince Endymion.....perhaps it would be wise to find the girl in this life.'

'And why would I want to do that? Don't call me Prince Endymion, it reminds of Hotaru.'

The voice remarked darkly, 'She was your stepsister.'

'Yes, yes, we all know that my mother ran off to Saturn, and my father wasn't the most pleasant of people afterwards. Can we move on? Why would I want to find the Princess of Mercury, if it were possible? She would just destroy my hard work even more easily.'

Logically, the gender-less entity replied, 'Not if she doesn't have her memories back yet. Besides, if you somehow manage to gain control of her as well, her doubled darkness and General Zoicite's unending devotion to her would have a good effect. Dark princess, dark general, and both loyal to you.'

Mamoru considered this for a moment, running a hand through jet-black locks. ‘Perhaps. The plan has its merits, I suppose. Now, how would I find the Princess of Mercury?'

'Blue hair isn't common. Find Saturn first, she will be able to find a fellow senshi.'

Having taken a large gulp of water, he spit it out and coughed violently. ‘What the hell do you think you're talking about?!'

'Quiet,' the voice commanded. 'You don't remember? Dear little Hotaru, Princess of Saturn, was also a senshi You forgot your legends that worthless Princess Serenity taught you.'

*flashback*

"So you see, Prince Endymion," said Serenity, large blue eyes gazing adoringly at him, "this generation of senshi is completely composed of the planetary princesses, who are also the only heirs to the thrones. This is the first time that it happened, and many think it foreshadows either the coming of the Messiah or doom."
*end flashback*

'She was right, don't you agree? Anyway, if you are interested, I'll leave you with a last tidbit of information. Each of the senshi had a given name known only to their parents and the other senshi. They reclaim those names in every life–find a girl named Hotaru.' It retreated to its usual resting place.

Mamoru scowled darkly at the unconscious form of Yosouya. He was going to have problems, all right. "Spell, spell. He was the only one strongest in magic. Why is it that I suddenly need all these people? Kunzite was second best; I need to find him and also Hotaru and the Princess of Mercury." He sighed and muttered darkly, "If only he'd died early in the Silver Millennium. Then I wouldn't be having this problem."
~ * ~ * ~
Seishou Kouseinou walked down the street where the Osa-P Jewelry Store was again, stopping to look in the window. Instead, Mrs. Osaka, the single mother a daughter named Naru, smiled when she saw him, and wondered exactly what the silver-haired college student came to survey every day. The object of his affections was a man's silver ring, a piece of kunzite in to middle, carved in the shape of a square. Along the band, glinting in the sunlight, was a pattern of twisted lines, snakelike in appearance. His fingers itched, as if something powerful was drawing him to it. Gathering all his self-control, he left quickly, almost running. No one really noticed much, since students were always absentmindedly realizing that they had a class and running off.

The next day, however, and for every day of that week, he was back to gaze longingly at the display. For some reason, the captivating ring was never sold, always waiting there for him, twinkling merrily. Sometimes Kouseinou thought it was taunting him, teasing. Finally, the desire and attraction just became too intense, and the bell over the door rang, alerting Mrs. Osaka of his entrance. She smiled at him and said, "Konnichiwa, young man. I've seen you a lot, hovering outside the store window. Is there something I could help you with?"

He flushed faintly and nodded. "Konnichiwa, Mrs. Osaka. My name is Seishou Kouseinou. I was admiring that ring you have in the window, a silver ring with a pink stone?"

She went over and took it out, placing the jewelry onto black velvet. "Ah, kunzite. Usually it's very popular, but for some reason, this piece hasn't seen much appreciation. I'm glad you've taken an interest."

"Um....yes. How much would it be?" After seeing the carved snake, the squiggly lines ending in a serpent's head, he knew that it held some mystic meaning for him. Although, he thought, he hadn't seen Shippou recently. The guardians had disappeared and distanced themselves.

Examining the white tag that seemed to hold all importance at the moment for the silver-haired student, the red-haired woman showed it to him. "Not too bad, for a college student. I hope you can afford it. If not, I can put a slight discount, since no one else has shown interest."

"No, I can pay for it." Paying her, he declined the offer of a box and slid it onto his finger, where it twinkled innocently at him. Bidding her good day and leaving, he had the misfortune to bump into a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl, walking with another girl that had the same color eyes and blue tresses....
~ * ~ * ~
Kousei Kyosei eyed another brown-haired man walking into the Admission's Office of Juuban University, premonition flowing over him. 'Well, wise ones? What do you have to say about him?'

Slightly irritated at being called from their daytime nap (Kyosei constantly snickered at this, calling them nocturnal), the chimed 'What, you can't dredge up any memories yourself?'

'Of course not, that's why I call on you,' he grinned. For all outward appearances, he was a normal student scribbling notes, transferring them from textbook to notebook, sometimes drifting off to daydream as a rescue from his mundane task.

'See if you remember the Planetary Knights....and that's all we're telling you. Good night. We mean, good day.'

'Sure,' he replied, thinking himself successful. Now, all he had to do was think about Planetary Knights.....eh....._were_ there any Planetary Knights??!

*flashback*

"You aren't jealous of Ken, are you?"
He looked down to see an emerald-eyed, brunette beauty in his arms. Once again, he was General Nephrite, but instead of being in Chiba Mamoru's corporation, he was in a ballroom full of dancers, crystal chandeliers, and people. "Um....of course not," he smiled feebly.

The Princess of Jupiter smiled at him. "You aren't fooling me, Neph. But you don't have to be, he's just a childhood friend. Since I let you in on my secret, I'll tell you Ken's as well. Each planet has a knight to protect the senshi, so it's vital they grow up close together and don't fight. Unfortunately," she sighed, "that isn't the case for Mina."

"Mina?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She sweatdropped and blushed lightly. "Princess Venus. General Ace has fallen in love with her, but she hates him. Needless to say, Venus has a big problem on her hands."

"But Ken loves you, too," the gen stated softly.

Looking confused, Lita asked, "What do you mean? Brotherly love? Of course we have that; I told you we were friends since birth."

"No," he denied. "Look at him, he's always watching you with more fondness than 'brotherly love.'"

Blushing, she said, "I didn't want to tell you, but this is the first time that's ever happened, and Mina says it's true, as well. To Ace, Ken, Chad–the knight of Mars, and Gregory of Mercury."

"I suppose you have a problem on your hands as well?"

When she beamed up at him, he felt his heart turning somersaults in his chest. "Perhaps, but not at the moment. Not while I'm in your arms."
*end flashback*

Recognition dawning on him, Kyosei leapt up. ‘That's him! That's the Ken!' He loped off, nearly forgetting to bundle his textbooks in an ungainly jumble into his backpack.

Little did he know that the very young man he had discovered the true identity of was watching _him_ with a frown.....and he pulled out a cell phone.

*ring, ring* "Moshi moshi?"

"Ryo, there's someone in this university that looks like a gen, the one with long brown hair. Nephrite?"

"Shimatta. Look, I'll be there in a minute. Did he leave?"

"Hai." Thinking this over for a moment, Ken's forehead creased with a frown. "Wait, how do you know where I am?"

Ryo laughed and said, "You forget that I can see the future. By the way, the name's Urawa Ryo. Admissions Office in two."
~ * ~ * ~
"Kouseinou."

The familiar voice stopped the silver-haired general in his tracks, unawakened or not. Turning slowly, as to reassure himself that he wasn't dreaming, silver eyes lit in recognition, fear, horror, and some other emotions that had played with him for months now. "Kasen."

The blond replied, "You expected someone else? I'm disappointed, Kouseinou. Or should I say General Kunzite? You're getting a bit slow, old friend. Time was, you'd have had me flat on my back and begging for mercy, if you wanted to kill me–not that you would've had the guts. But you haven't been keeping up on your training, have you?"

"What do you want?" hissed Kouseinou, checking to see that no civilians noticed how heated or uncomfortable their conversation as. At least to him, since Tabiki Kasen showed no hint of unease, in fact, he was grinning strangely from ear to ear.

"Well, well, well. Wouldn't you like to see my brother? He's not well, you know. Mamoru's making a mess of things, if you ask me. I mean, Kyosei-kun is almost no fun anymore; he's a blind follower that obeys his every beck and call....Of course, we've have our good laugh at Mamoru's expense recently. But me, I'm having a very interesting life."

Wondering why he was hearing this, Kouseinou asked, "And do I care?"

Still beaming, Kasen replied, "Of course you do. I wasn't done, don't you want to hear about your little playmate? Souya isn't well, not at all. You remember when he woke up from his fever, ranting about the Silver Millennium? Turns out it's permanent–Mamoru-kun messed up his brain with something, but he remains ever so smart and annoying, of course. If only he would stop calling me General Jadeite."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you can help," replied the blond general coolly.

Eyeing him warily, Kouseinou asked, "How might I do that? You said your ‘employer,' our prince, 'messed up his brain'?"
Apparently, the conversation wasn't going as well or as easy as the other gen thought it would have gone. "Do you want to see him or not? After all your interesting words, the offer still stands."

"For what price?"

"None at all....." Kasen smirked.

The silver-haired one shook his head, not noticing where they were walking to. "Everything has its price nowadays. Why did you go, Kasen-kun?"

Startled, he turned bright blue eyes to silver ones. "You called me by kun."

"Hai."

"I suppose that warrants an answer. I went? Not exactly of my own accord." A twisted, sad smile had appeared on the smaller general's face.

Narrowed eyes widened from suspicion to amazement. "Then how can you stand to serve a prince that turned you to his side without asking you? Without your consent, when you didn't want it?"

"He has no side. I had no control, nor do I have any now. But it's all right. Here we are, a nameless corporation Chiba Mamoru has yet to find a name for; it was must be 'perfect,' he says. You know, Seishou Kouseinou, you two are a lot alike."

Clenching his hands into fists, he said, "Don't say that. I would never do that to my friends or anyone else."

"Really?" One golden eyebrow was raised in unforeseen shock. "I seem to remember the Silver Millennium, where the exact same thing happened."

Breathing hard, the previous High General said, "You don't–you don't remember anything; that isn't right!! It's not true, what you're saying-"

"Is true," said Kasen in calm affirmation. "We're going to see Yosouya now, he can tell you what you need verified. Unless, of course, he's still pissing Mamoru off by telling him his mother wants him. The one that had an affair with the King of Saturn and came crawling back to the king...do you remember that?"

Always loyal to the Golden Kingdom, no matter what, the silver-haired one retorted, "Don't speak ill of the queen or the king."

"But you can talk like that about the prince? I understand completely, dear commander." Getting into the elevator, shivering as he remembered his past experience, the blonde pulled his companion in and looked at the levels again. "I think Mamoru-kun has him, we'll have to go."

A flash of awareness bolted through steely silver eyes. "This was all a trick, wasn't it? My sympathy for your problems, Yosouya''s mind, and how I can help him?"

Kasen shook his head. "It may have been a trick, but what I told you was real. He has problems, but you can help...and it wasn't my choice to do this." An eerie, brilliant azure beam flashed out of his chest for a moment. Smiling weakly, as the doors opened, he whispered, "As you can see, I'm under orders."
~ * ~ * ~

Paths of Thorns