Name: Tsukino Serena
Age: 13
Grade: 8
Guardian: Luna, Moon Cat

Name: Aino Minako
Age: 13
Grade: 8
Guardian: Artemis, Moon Cat

Name: Hino Rei
Age:12
Grade: 7
Guardian: Phobos & Deimos, crows

Name: Kino Makoto
Age: 13
Grade: 8
Guardian: Aoao, bird

Name: Mizuno Ami
Age: 12
Grade: 8
Guardians: Koori, crab

Name: Chiba Mamoru
Age: 18
Grade: College 1
Guardian: None

Name: Seishou Kouseinou (Kunzite)
Age: 17
Grade: 12
Guardian: Shippou, snake

Name: Tabiki Kasen (Jadeite)
Age: 16
Grade: 11
Guardian: Tansei, bird

Name: Kousei Kyosei (Nephrite)
Age: 16
Grade: 11
Guardian: Hokushin, eagle

Name: Kouseki Yosouya (Zoicite)
Age: 14
Grade: 11
Guardian: Erimakitokage/Tokage, lizard
Chapter 5-The Tears of a Guardian

Suspiciously, the reincarnation of the always-sharp and on-his-toes (although not as much as Kunzite) General Zoicite peered around the room.

"Ohayo, Souya-kun! Long time you've been sleeping."

"Konnichiwa, Kasen-kun. Hm....I see I'm still in the hospital."

"Hai, well.....they didn't want to move you if you weren't awake."

"You're doing a great job of assuaging my fears, dear brother. Do tell me, where did everyone go?"

Kasen grinned and asked, "What, you think they're going to wait around all day for their precious Sleeping Beauty to wake up? Ne, it's just me left. Okaa-san had to go home, Otou-san came to see you too, but he had to go to work-you've slept two more days and made everyone nervous. Especially that kawaii little girl's mother, Dr. Mizuno."

Yosouya, who had been at first touched by his brother's company, glowered. "What little girl? Nice of you to stay here, arigato (grudgingly). Two days? Honto?"

"Honto. I know, aren't I so nice? Always the kind onii-san. Don't tell me you have amnesia as well as a concussion. Dr. Mizuno's daughter? Mizuno Ami? Who you called Ami-chan?"

"Oh, her," he said, trying to sound nonchalant and failing utterly.

His brother beamed mischievously poked him in the ribs. "I think you like her, Souya-kun."

"Don't be silly, I knew her...hm...seven to eight years ago. Nothing important."

Shaking a finger, azure blue eyes picked up on the slight unease the green-eyed boy was giving off. "Iie, that doesn't fool me for a minute. I'll stop bothering you now. Most unfortunately, I don't think you'll get to see her again, though. Left with her mother shortly after you woke up." He picked up a magazine and proceeded to thumb through it with great pleasure while the patient glared at him in disappointment. He also clutched his slightly sore ribs, trying to hide his injuries from all present. To tell the truth, the doctors hadn't bothered checking the rest of him-the boy had hit the edge of the pool with his head and gotten a head injury. How could any other part of him be hurt? Recalling his dream, or rather now-awakened memories, Yosouya frowned as he realized it was where the senshi of Mercury had stabbed him for the final kill. "Eh.....Souya-kun? How did you manage to hit your head on the edge of the pool?"

*cough* "Accident, I guess."

"That doesn't fool me, Hokkaido's champion swimmer. What happened? The coach is going nuts, he's so upset that you can't compete in a month of competitions. Honestly, little guy, I think your reputation's going to go down the drain."

"Nani?!"

"Doctors are ordering no swimming for a month."

"No way! They can't do that!" He was panicking and fidgeting,

Genuinely worried, Kasen asked, "Hey, what's wrong? Nothing to be nervous about, everyone would be much.....more relieved if you just stayed away for a bit."

"But I want to swim!"

"No can do."

*grumbles* "I'll sneak it."

"Stupid thing to tell your brother."

"I thought you were supposed to be on my side?"

"Not when you've turned into 'Yosouya-no-baka."

"You're even worse than Kouseinou-kun."

"Somehow, that's not reassuring."
~ * ~ * ~
Mizuno Ami was walking home, shivering in the somehow frosty air-wasn't October supposed to be warmer than this? Pulling on the other strap of her backpack and wincing at the weight, she also sighed with relief when her right shoulder stopped paining her. Inside contained half of her morning binders, all her afternoon books, physical education clothes ready to be exchanged for fresh ones (sweats), and a few other things. She had a chilly, frightening feeling that someone was watching her. Turning around, she saw nothing but cold sunlight and a few deserted alleyways. Why did it always happen in movies that the main character was walking down a deserted alley and out jumped a monster? Actually, what came out from behind a dilapidated garbage can was a small black cat. "Konnichiwa, neko-chan. What's that on your forehead? A crescent moon?" Kneeling down and scratching the midnight-black kitty behind the ears, she whispered into its ear in case someone else was watching, "Would you, by any chance, by the sixth guardian Luna-sama?"

"Konnichiwa, Ami-chan. It looks like I've found Mercury. Sixth?"

"Artemis-san is currently supervising Sailor V, otherwise known as senshi Venus, in London, Rei-chan has Phobos-chan and Deimos-chan, Mako-chan owns Aoao-chan, and Koori's at home, I believe. Unless she's scurried off to another meeting, they're holding those quite often now. It's very nice to meet you, Luna-sama, forgive me if I go off track."

"Likewise, Ami-chan. If I may ask, why do you add the-sama onto my name?"

Once again checking that no one was present, she straightened up and curtsied. "The four guardians in residence in Juuban say you are the greatest and most knowledgeable, unprecedented only by the other Lunar cat, Artemis-san."

Large blue eyes looked up at her for a moment, blinked, and the cat said, "I would like it if you'd feel comfortable enough to call me Luna-chan, or even Luna-san."

Eyes wide, she backed away slightly and said, "Hai, of course, Luna-san. Gomen nasai."

Luna sighed and wondered exactly what was WRONG with the poor child. She was only twelve, true, but they were plenty of girls her age that were very outgoing. Looking at the quivering girl, she remembered how the Princess of Mercury had also been shy but not painfully so. At least, that was what she still knew about that foggy time period. "Nothing is wrong at all. Excuse me, Ami-chan, but have the planetary senshi actually had to fight any evil yet?"

"Iie, none at all. The guardians say, however, that there was a cold, black force. They're currently trying to find it via Central Control, saying that a main characteristic of the being was that it was parasitical-thus, some living or inanimate object must be giving off a large amount of dark energy, unless it is masked or controlled well. If-if it was someone powerful as the Moon Princess, the missing one, is or was, then it could easily be hiding within that person's magical inner core."

"I see, thank you." Inwardly, she exhaled, forgetting how intelligent and long-winded the Mercury princess had been. "Would you mind if I asked what power level you are currently in?"

"The first, our transformation phrase is '----- Power.' Mars has the attack of Fire Soul, I have Shabon Spray, Jupiter mastered the Supreme Thunder."

"Can you put up functional shields?"

Turning red at the more than slightly embarrassing memory, she nodded and quietly said, "Hai, that was the first thing everyone taught us. It took some.....time. We've finished and perfected the first attacks, Koori, Phobos, Deimos, and Aoao are trying to spark the energy to a higher level."

"Are they?" asked Luna, eyes narrowing. "I'll have to talk to them about that. It seems they've forgotten that senshi can only reach a high power by themselves-a certain unlocking in the mind, if the magic suddenly decides on creating a new transformation wand, or if something spurs it on."

"What exactly might an example of the third one be?"

"If an enemy came and a senshi was in danger without backup."

"That doesn't sound very comforting."

"But believe me, it's happened."
~ * ~ * ~
'Man, I am so late for Astronomy club,' thought Kyosei. He hurried through the hall, trying not to knock into several people, quickly waved to a solitary Urawa Ryo, passed a chattering Kasen, and nearly ran over Kouseinou. "Ah, kuso! Gomen, Kouseinou-kun, I'm late, ja ne!" The silver-haired boy stared after his friend, racing against the unbeatable time-great foe of all the students of Hokkaido High School-ran into more people and shouted apologies. Finally reaching his desired destination, Kyosei collapsed into the nearest seat and smiled, panting.

Two minutes later, a composed and calm Urawa Ryo walked in and sat next to him. "Konnichiwa, Kyosei-kun. Some reason you were running through the halls? We still have another two minutes, even now."

*sweatdrop* *mumble* "Watch must be set."

"I'll say," remarked Ryo, looking at the silver watch with a navy blue face. "That watch of yours is ten minutes fast!"

Just as the advisor who conducted the after-school club clapped her hands for attention, intending to start the meeting, a knock came at the door. "Please get the door, Ryo-san." The brown-haired, brown-eyed one nodded, pulled open the door, and greeted the visitor politely.

"Konnichiwa, sensei. Do you remember me?" asked a handsome college student. Several girls in the classroom cooed adoringly, others pushed up their glasses and sniffed. Kyosei stiffened, feeling that this....man was familiar. Yes, very familiar. Had he been the one wearing the silver and black uniform, steadily becoming clearer?

"Oh, konnichiwa, Mamoru-kun! Of course I remember you, my best student last year!" The plump, matronly science, chemistry, and biology teacher reached over and gave him a gigantic hug Attempting to look embarrassed, he glanced over at Kyosei and whispered something to the teacher. "Hm...of course! Kousei Kyosei, Chiba Mamoru would like a word with you."

"Gomen nasai, sensei-"

"Oh, don't worry, dear! You were always a star student. Take as long as you need!"

Nodding to the brown-haired, blue-eyed boy that was two years his junior AND a junior, the black-haired one motioned towards the door. "Konnichiwa, Kyosei-kun. My name is Chiba Mamoru, as said my sensei. If you like, you can call me Mamoru-kun."

"Konnichiwa, nice to meet you. Excuse me, but have you, by any chance, ever worn silver and black armor? I seem to remember something familiar...and sapphire blue eyes, yes." Kyosei tried to peer into the slightly taller boy's face and was startled to see not blue eyes but inky, shadowy ones. "Kami-sama...."

Meanwhile, Mamoru just smiled and said pleasantly, "Hai, I might. Kousei Kyosei, I seek people out for special reasons. You are having some mysterious dreams, aren't you? Where someone resembling me appears in the clothing you just described?"

"Hai......" muttered the boy uneasily.

"I can give you what you're missing, if you'd like."

"You have a price, don't you?" he asked suspiciously.

Mamoru smiled again. "I would have thought Kouseinou-kun to be more suspicious, not you. Definitely Yosouya-kun, but I didn't have the chance of restoring his memories."

"I'm not missing any memories. Matte, did you sat Kouseinou-kun and Yosouya-kun? Seishou Kouseinou and Kouseki Yosouya?"

"Hai, of course. There are only certain distinctive names that stand out, don't you think? Energy, High Power. Any child in the past could have figured out who the man was. Crystal, crystal gazer. Much like you, stargazer. Like the first, Yosouya-kun was quite easy to identify. He banged his head on concrete and retained what he needed much quicker and more painfully, though. You, yourself-fixed star, giant star. Not many parents have these strange inclinations having to do with the solar system and galaxies, ne? Now, would you like what I have to give you or not?" asked Chiba Mamoru, becoming slightly restless.

"I guess so. Hai."

Nephrite: Previously, in another life, he had been the prince of the South and protector of Endymion, going to the palace and training with Kunzite. They had later been joined by the brothers Jadeite and Zoicite who bickered constantly and nonstop. He had become fascinated with the study of the planets, stars, nebulae, everything-astrology and astronomy. Any extra time was spent by his treasured and near-priceless telescope. His best friend managed to tear him away quite often, though, and Jade, Neph, and Endy had run wild through the kingdom-much to the dismay of Kunzite and preoccupied Zoicite. The stars knew everything and told him as much as they could, proclaiming that a trip would be taken soon-and the five went to the Moon Kingdom. He fell in love with Princess Lita of Jupiter-beautiful, vivacious, an excellent cook, and just....she was the star for which all evenings wait. He never had a chance to propose, leaving his brunette beauty with two rose earrings and a kiss. Nephrite had fallen with Earth and become a soulless monster, and he died with senshi Jupiter when they were encased in lightening.
~ * ~ * ~
Hino Rei peeked into a room, which was currently being used as a "sanctuary" for one Seishou Kouseinou, who was going through the ordeal of becoming a warrior. 'So young, too," she thought, admiring his form. For once, shoulder-length silver hair was tied in a ponytail, but when he faced the person, one could see that he was quite youthful-around seventeen. His instructor, with whom she was familiar with, motioned for her to either come in or shut the door. She reluctantly slipped in, taking care not to trip over her heavy robes, wishing Makoto hadn't just upset a glass of cold tea over one sleeve. At that moment, Kouseinou was kneeling in front of the Great Fire, meditating, and when he turned around, he didn't look very surprised to see her there. Unruffled, cool, and calm (while wondering if the girl was the senshi and Princess of Mars in the back of his mind), he nodded to the raven-haired, purple-eyed thirteen year old. "Seishou Kouseinou, are you ready to begin?"

"Hai, sensei."

"Then down the hallway, make a left, a right, then to the first door on the left."

She couldn't help giggling slightly at the teacher's instructions, but he seemed to recall them and drifted hazily out of the room. "Excuse me, sensei, but what are the tasks he must complete to become a warrior?"

"One spiritual, one physical combat, loyalty, justice, mercy, and honor are just..um..six out of fifteen, I believe. There ARE fifteen priests here, ne?"

"Hai, you're right."

"There we go, every priest gives a test. If you'll excuse me this time, Rei-chan, I think I'd like to watch my student. Would you like to as well?"

"Um....iie, arigato. Unfortunately, I've got something else to attend to at the moment. Another time, perhaps." He bowed to her and left, she also bent at the waist in return. '"Something else", my transformation stick. My "something else" is senshi training....how do I hate thee, let me count thy ways.....' Ten minutes later, she found herself facing a wall and yelling, "Fire Soul Bird!" 'Kami-sama, what am I doing? That wall is made of wood!'

"Mars! The objective of this exercise is calling it back!"

"Shimatta! Come back, please? Ojii-san will kill me if I set the temple on fire. Um...open sesame?" The fire roared louder and zoomed faster to the wall. "Gomen nasai, guess that wasn't the right thing to say." Panicking, the red-haired, red-eyed senshi stared at the wall nervously, trying to focus her mind. Just at the right moment, before everyone was flamed (the guardians hid their faces, the birds with their wings, Koori with her claws), she managed to dissipate it so quickly that the burning whoosh in the air knocked the standing senshi down, ruffling the birds's wings. "Kami-sama....."

Phobos and Deimos prayed, "Kami-sama, Queen Selenity, anyone up there at the moment, help us get through making Mars do this once more, then four more times for the other two senshi, without being fried, electrocuted, or frozen. Please?"
~ * ~ * ~
Tabiki Kasen felt ill. Hai, very, very, ill. "Sensei, can I go to the bathroom?"

"May, Kasen-kun, MAY. Goodness, you're in eleventh grade and sixteen years old. Haven't any of you teachers taught you proper grammar?"

"Hai, sensei, MAY I go to the bathroom?" The usually good-tempered blonde frowned, feeling moody and sick. 'Kami-sama, I've heard that from every teacher since elementary school.'

"Hai, but come back quickly."

Lurching down the hallways and hoping that he wouldn't lose him impromptu breakfast before he reached the lavatory, also thanking the gods that the times had passed where bathrooms were holes dug in the freezing outdoors, Kasen tried to avoid the strange glances he was getting from various teachers and other students. Relieved, he pushed open the heavy wood door to the restroom and found Chiba Mamoru. "For kami-sama's sake, and forgive me, kami-sama, for calling on you twice already, are you everywhere? Konnichiwa, Mamoru-kun. Excuse me, I think I have to throw up." He raced into the stall and indeed vomited while the black-haired boy winced and washed his hands again.

"Konnichiwa, Kasen-kun. You don't seem to be feeling very well today, do you Dajibou?"

*groan* A moment later, his bright blue eyes looked a bit...dead, not alive, and his face was pale and sweaty. But the latter was only to be expected when you threw up. "Iie, I'm not well at all, arigato. Dajibou now. And you?"

"Ah, dajibou. I should be getting back to class now," said Mamoru, black-blue eyes strangely excited and feverish.

"Me too. Hey Mamoru-kun, are you okay? You look a bit hot."

"Dajibou. Ja ne, Kasen-kun."

"Ja." Confused by the odd lock in the older boy's eyes and wondering what a college student was doing lurking around his old high school, if it even WAS Chiba Mamoru's high school, he ran a hand through short, recently-cropped tresses and wandered back to class.

Most unfortunately, that night, Kasen found himself throwing up again. Groaning and clutching the edge of the toilet and trying not to look inside, he rested his moist face against the cool seat. His mother came in and asked, "Kasen-kun, what's wrong? Dajibou?"

Smiling weakly, he replied, "Dajibou, okaa-san. Must be something I ate, maybe those king crab legs at the seafood restaurant tonight."

"Food poisoning? Should I take you to the doctor?"

"Iie, I'm fine, really!" Of course, he looked like he had died and come back all too soon, but he shook his head hastily. "I'll just spend an uncomfortable night, it'll be over by tomorrow morning." 'I really hope....' Looking unconvinced, his mother agreed and left, but she checked up on him many times during the night-all of which he was continuously losing his food, although she was almost positive there couldn't have been anything left in his stomach...

When a pasty-faced Tabiki Kasen was seen sitting in the nurse's office, to the surprise, dismay, and consternation of his three and sometimes four friends, his hyperventilating mother also appeared a few minutes later. "Tabiki Kasen, this is it! I am never going to trust you when you say you aren't sick, we are going to the doctor's!"

"Konnichiwa, okaa-san. Iie, I don't feel very well. You're right, we should go." On the surface, the blonde felt slightly queasy yet cool. Something strange was penetrating his sense, and it hurt. A lot. Trying to ignore the fact that he had thrown up half a dozen times after dinner, then he hadn't eaten breakfast yet felt the need to empty his stomach twice more at school. Now he felt that maybe another time today would do the trick, after all, they say third time's the charm, ne?
~ * ~ * ~
Kouseki Yosouya, unable to accompany his brother to the doctor, was in seventh heaven and pure bliss. After a torturous month without being able to swim or participate in any other sports, he hadn't had any fainting spells and was able to go back to swimming. But now, side effects known only to him kept popping up when he was in the pool, he kept thinking back to the day in the miserable hospital that he had seen Mizuno Ami again. Except now he was coming to the conclusion that he wasn't at all sure that she was the Princess of Mercury. All over the international news section, the papers proclaimed that a "Sailor V" had appeared in London, England. Vaguely, faintly, he remembered eight planetary senshi that had been in existence in the Silver Millennium. If that was so, who was this "Sailor V?" And did she hold any clues to the senshi in this life, and did the Princess of Mercury have any connection at all to the senshi of her planet? For that matter, did ANY princesses have a link to their senshi? Feeling very confused and puzzled, he decided that a dozen or so laps might clear his mind and raced off like a shark, to the envy of his fellow teammates. The coach was happy to get his top swimmer back and also pleased he didn't have to order extra laps, everyone was so competitive that they wanted to catch up. Just the pool aroma was nice, although water that got into your mouth was slightly sour, and you didn't want to think about what was in it besides chlorine. Cool blue tiles lined the bottom, which could only be touched in the shallow end, not in the deep end-unless you were ten feet tall. But the water level measurements weren't that accurate anyway, and on one side of the pool was a glass-encased exercise area, where they all sighed in jealousy and admiration of the huge muscle men and sometimes women that worked out. The other end of the swimming facility were the showers and sauna, which everyone adored, since there weren't any whirlpools. Although it had been banned once when a student came out looking like a prune with shriveled skin, it was now open again.
~ * ~ * ~
Chiba Mamoru smiled, grin growing wider as he watched Kyosei converse almost with himself, Kouseinou adding in some polite comments when needed and generally listening. He was glad that his generals already seemed to have found their bond and got along quite well. ,Very good, yes, excellent for the future,' he mused.

'Prince of the Earth....remember....power,' hissed an odd voice in the corner of his mind, neither feminine or masculine.

'Hai, I remember. You want to create a race of the most powerful beings in the universe that will rule the world and kill anyone that disagrees with us, ne?'

'There's no need to be so barbaric.'

Sighing, he retorted to what he considered his "inner self," although it was an alien being, 'You're sounding Hitler, the horrible and disgusting dictator that created the Holocaust.'

'Goodness, I'm not killing millions and billions nor creating a superior race. I want power. Power.....magic.....the gift that was never granted to me.'

'And you shall have it, if you stop talking about that.'

'I am waiting, Prince of the Earth.....Tell me what you have started. Think back and recall that we need the generals as allies. Have you begun our master plan yet?'

Sulkily, he asked, 'A or B? Or has there been a C created without my knowledge?'

'Don't be impertinent and sore just because you have to get through college before a flourishing industry suddenly appears in prospering Tokyo, taking over all the businesses in Japan.'

'Hai. Tabiki Kasen, I suspect, has already begun the rejection process. Quite painful, my poor general.'

'That isn't wise or good for you to bear too much warmth towards your generals. They serve you, you command them.'

'I realize that, and I'll treat them any way I want. I figure, Kasen-kun has been quite easy. Soon he will forget everything, especially the Princess of Mars. He will join me easily because of this process. Kouseinou-kun is going to be a hard one to win over, as will Kyosei-kun. He never obeyed me well, saying the stars were the only ones who could command him.'

'No way to brainwash them as you've already done, planting the seeds of removal in General Jadeite?'

'Perhaps, but don't you think they will get suspicious when a group of four friends start getting stomach viruses and throwing up? No, that doesn't sound very practical. I do, however, have a plan for my weakest general, tactical and intelligent as he is, no stomach for battle.'

'That can change, Endymion. You sound well on your way. I leave you, continue watching over General Jadeite's process and start General Zoicite's. With that, the murky voice that reminded him of inky tentacles retreated back into some silent corner and mused while he sighed in relief.

To his almost-empty inner core, he whispered, 'And how, pray tell, will I throw off suspicion from the general public if two brothers suddenly lose their memories?'
~ * ~ * ~
"You know, Rei-chan, I feel young yet very ancient."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'll be leaving junior high school next year for Juuban High, so that makes me think I'm old. But I'm only thirteen, and the 'old age' to us seems like eighteen or twenty-five years more or so."

Puzzled and looking at her friend with quizzical purple eyes, Rei asked, "And I suppose the people in their early twenties won't feel that, say, thirty or forty."

"I guess so, but I've just been having huge headaches recently."

"As long as they aren't migraines, you'll be fine. It's probably stress from *snicker* senshi training or school, one or the other. What else could it be?" Despite her carefree manner, the raven-haired one tried to push away the nasty voices in her head reminding her of dreams, visions of past and coming death.

Shrugging, the brunette replied, "Iie, no migraines. Where's Ami-chan? If we don't find her and get to the temple quick, Aoao-chan will give me extra exercises *sniffle*, because she says lateness is a habit guardians are supposed to disapprove of."

"And you don't think Phobos-chan and Deimos-chan will do that to me, too? I truly hate putting up fire shields.....and having only two attacks that are basically the same. I mean, Fire Soul and Fire Soul Bird? You add a bird, and everyone thinks it's such a power charge. Mako-chan, did you forget that Ami-chan doesn't have lessons with us on Thursdays? That's her day for 'specialty' training, poor girl. Mine's...hm...."

"Monday, and mine is Wednesday. Thank goodness it's Thursday, tomorrow is the last school day of the week!"

"Mako-chan, you're really strange. Shouldn't you be saying your favorite day is Friday?"

"Maybe, but Thursday just gives me an interesting feeling of anticipation, I just think 'Ooh! Tomorrow's Friday, no more school for another two days!' I mean, Friday is exciting and all, I just appreciate Thursday more. Hai, I am weird, but it's okay-that mean's I'm special," she grinned, winking a large green eye. Rei had no choice but to laugh and drag her off to the temple, wishing they didn't have training. Being a semi-super heroine and not fighting at all seemed to be grating on her nerves...poor Ami, working away at computers and analyzing, things like that. She had to do spiritual work, but she had always done that to practice for being a priestess, so it didn't really seem like a chore. Makoto, for now, was working on central focuses to keep her volatile temper from sparking when she got provoked. Usually, she was pretty easy going, but she had a number of pet peeves and overprotectiveness. *sigh*

While senshi Jupiter and Mars worked on their attacks and blocking, also higher power levels (with the slightly cranky Luna, Phobos, Deimos, and Aoao), Ami and Koori were indeed in the midst of many papers, charts, graphs, and mechanical equipment. "Hm....you say that for the last, oh, two to three years or so, a great power has been building near the junction of Hokkaido and Juuban? Why?"

"For one thing, senshi influence the readings, but that isn't all." Scuttling onto a table near the keyboard attached to the computer used to communicate with Artemis a.k.a. Central Control, she cursed the fact that crabs had claws and not fingers. As best as she could, she managed to log in and showed her senshi. "For another, dark power lying dormant, ever since the guardians felt something cold reaching Tokyo. Cold, very, very cold and black. Luna and Artemis, through some kind of procedure, have determined that the being is indeed parasitical and disguised under a very powerful being. Do you remember who held the most power in the universe and still does?"

"All the senshi put together, especially the Outer senshi, the-the generals, their prince, and our princess. The latter four seem to be missing, and senshi Venus is currently in London. Do you get power readings from her as well?" asked the blue-haired girl curiously.

Koori pulled up another map. "Not as strong as, say, Mars or Jupiter here, even though she's the strongest and your leader. Senshi Venus is not in senshi form, she's disguised in a type of magic granted to her by her planet, you all have it and can use it in 'normal' form, civilian form."

"Why do you say just Mars or Jupiter?" questioned Ami coolly. Slightly apprehensive and disliking her position at the moment, the blue-white crab muttered, "Mercury is the weakest senshi. Which is why we have to build up your strengths and work on the weaknesses." She tried not to look at Ami, who had an odd expression on her face.

"Lovely."
~ * ~ * ~
"Hm...stick out your tongue, there's a good boy. Hai, good. Iie, I'm trying to take a throat culture. Put the tongue down no. How many times have you vomited again?"

"Mmph...mmph...!!"

"Iie, see, that won't do! Nurse, I need a tongue depressor, please."

Angry, azure blue eyes glared at the doctor. When the disgusting bit of cotton had been rubbed against his throat and then on the red, waxy substance (the tongue depressor also removed, to his extreme relief), he said, "Excuse me, but I'm not five years old anymore. I'm sixteen, for kami-sama's sake! A doctor as smart as you or as your reputation claims, going to the best college in Hokkaido, should be able to treat juniors in high school properly!"

"Oh, pardon me, master Tabiki," replied the doctor icily.

Blushing, Mrs. Kouseki shot an annoyed glare at her son. "Gomen nasai, doctor, he's never been rude like this before. Kasen-kun, apologize!"

"Iie, what for? You shouldn't have, you haven't done anything but sit there and wring your hands. I'll be fine. Can I go now?"

"Must be going through a difficult stage," the white-coated man mumbled to the now purple-faced mother of Kasen. "I do pity you, perhaps that's why I never had children, particularly two boys."

"His brother is fine. Hardly ever says a word, I don't know which is worse."

"A chatterbox or a deaf mute? I'd pick the deaf mute after seeing the loquacious one. All right, I'm prescribing a medicine for food poisoning, he should be fine in five days, it looks quite serious. Although it doesn't seem to be affecting his attitude. If he isn't better in that number of days, bring him back, but make sure he sees someone else besides me."

"Er....arigato, doctor. Sayonara."

"Sayonara."

Unfortunately, the gloopy pink medicine didn't seem to be affecting Kasen either way. His temper grew steadily worse, he was moody, and he still kept throwing up. No one knew that it wasn't food, however-only him. But the previously-chipper blonde didn't seem to care, he seemed to be happy. Pleased. However, he was flying through school without a second thought and off to college in two years, so no one suspected or said anything much except Yosouya.
~ * ~ * ~
Trying not to cry as Artemis bandaged the severe wound on the side of her head where a bullet had grazed her, Minako said, "Artemis, that's it. I'm going back to Japan, whether my parents like it or not." Chewing her lip anxiously, she continued, "I'm tired of fighting crime and being shot at and cursed at, discriminated and over-exaggerated by the media. Can't we go home?"

Blue eyes sad, the Moon Cat said, "Mina, I know you weren't ever used to fighting crime. Senshi weren't expected to do that in the Silver Millennium. You're right, it's time to return for evil seems to be resurfacing yet hiding at the same time. What will we do without your parents? You can't enroll in school without them, if you go back without your mother and father, you won't have any money or plane fare."

"Aren't magical trust funds supposed to appear out of nowhere for heroines?"

Smiling weakly, the white cat tried to laugh. "Only on tv, Mina, only on tv."

"Mina? Who are you talking to? It's time to go to sleep, we have to go to the studio for another contract tomorrow," said her mother, smiling with anticipation of more riches.

"Mama, I'm not going to film Sailor V anymore. Four movies and three years are enough, I want to go back to Japan."

"Young lady, what in the world are you talking about? We need the money you make fro acting to support us! And don't you like it?"

"Acting isn't going to be my life, mother. Once I reach a certain age, I'll be old and have nothing to fall back on. It's not my job to support you, you can get off your lazy butt and get a job. I don't like it anymore, it seems like work."

Mrs. Aino slapped her daughter, furious. "Don't talk back to me like that! There isn't any way you could go back to Japan anyway. We're not paying for your ticket, and you won't be able to survive or get into schools. Acting IS your job, it's work. Do you think it's supposed to be fun? That's right, you don't have anything to fall back on even now. Don't think I forgot about all those times you cried, because you failed all your tests. An idiot with a pretty face like you is only good for one thing." With those last words of poison, she left. The blonde was too tired and upset too tired to cry, collapsing on her bed.

Artemis locked the door, turned to the computer screen, and searched for a special website. "Darn these paws, cats need fingers or better keyboards, no idea how I've survived being Central Control. Mina, there's one way you can get back to Juuban without your parents."

Sniffling, she sat up and asked, "How?"

"You have to be willing to leave your parents and perhaps never see them again."

Although her tender heart was broken, she shook her long hair and declared, "I hate them. They just keep me so they can live the lives they've always wanted, I'll be GLAD not to see them. So, what is it?"

"Go as an exchange student from London and find a host family. They can enroll you."

Smiling brilliantly, her crystal blue eyes sparkled. "Artemis, you're a genius! Come on, I've got to find someone tonight, or there's going to be a contract signed tomorrow."

"Hey, your parents can't do it without you," said Artemis, shrugging and modestly blushing. Or at least trying to.

Sighing, he moved over and let his charge surf the web until she said happily, "Artemis, I've got it! A family named Tsukino, with one daughter named Serena and one son, Shingo. What do you think?"

"Move over and let me see the screen, sunshine," he said patiently.

"Sunshine?"

"Don't you remember anyone calling you that?"

Sadly, her eyes clouded over as she shifted her seat. "Kunzite."

Sighing, he cursed himself. 'I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to bring it up. But he was so right when he called you that. I don't know whether or not to hope for you to see him again.'
~ * ~ * ~
Tansei chirped sadly, sitting in a tree with hunched shoulders. Hokushin, who had been unable to get a word out of his friend, had gone off to find the last members of their circle. Shaking his distinctive blue head with red markings, he felt he would have cried if birds were able to cry (which they were, at times), but it was dishonorable for a guardian to be seen crying. Moments later, an eagle, a snake, and an iguana came upon their fellow caretaker that was currently wallowing in self-pity. Shippou shook an elegant silver head and admonished, "Tansei, stop that, and tell us what's wrong."

Disliking commands, he glared at his leader but had to obey. "Jadeite is not faring well, it sounds like his body is ejecting his soul."

"How? And why?"

"He's throwing up when there's nothing left in his stomach! And Kasen-kun is strange now, he's always....callous and bad-tempered. Oh, he used to be so golden and caring! What happened? *sniffle* He was the cutest little general in the world, although a bit big for his breeches, if that's the right expression."

Trying to ignore the fact that one of their own was crying, and the tears of a guardian meant either something so good the world would be changed forever or that the world was coming to and end, Hokushin tried to put a wing on his shoulder and failed miserably. Nor could Tansei cry on his shoulder, because beaks got in the way. "Can we save him?"

"I don't know, but what made him do this all of a sudden? Well, I don't think it was of free will, what happened to his body?" asked Erimakitokage.

Sniffling and stopping the giant crocodile tears rolling down his feathers, the blue and red bird shook his head wildly, spraying tiny saltwater droplets over his friends. "There's something strange implanted in him, feels like a black marble to my powers."

"Does he need an operation?" pumped the ever-curious and scholarly Tokage, somewhat like his charge in that aspect.

"No, no, Tokage. You're forgetting that he said FEEL. Aura powers?" questioned Shippou, who had the most knowledge of being a guardian and was also the oldest.

"You're right, there's this odd black core, but it's not the core. It's starting from the outside and eating in, but we didn't notice it before and passed it off as the 'difficult' stage teenagers go through. That was horrible during the Silver Millennium. But now, I don't know if he can be saved, he was fighting for his inner core subconsciously, and it's looking like it lost!"

Grimly, the eagle stretched magnificent wings. "What happens to that 'lost' part? What exactly does it hold?"

"Not his powers, that's his soul. Um.....if it's lost, it can only be returned to the person who lost it."

"Does anything replaced it?"

"Maybe something that acts like him and remembers some things, but it's like an evil or brainwashed form of the person. Whoever implanted this in Jade should or would have the most control. It's up to that person, Mr. X as mystery stories declare, whether or not to let the person retain his original personality or control his every move."

All of a sudden, in the middle of Tansei's long and lengthy explanation, the door to the Kouseki house swung open and then promptly banged shut. An extremely upset Yosouya appeared, one hand sliding down his left cheek, the other shading his eyes. Erimakitokage scurried over to his green-eyed general and climbed up to his shoulder. "Souya-kun? Dajibou?"

"Dajibou." *sniffle* 'I can't believe I'm crying...haven't done that since...awhile. Kami-sama, Yosouya-kun, you're fourteen! And talking to yourself, that's a definite mental illness you've got.'

Regarding him with odd silver eyes, Shippou also slithered over to him and corrected, "No, you're not fine. What happened? And why are you hiding your cheek?"

Self-consciously, he immediately slapped his hand back in place and winced. "Nothing." When all four guardians gave him vicious glares, even the slightly-damp Tansei, he winced. "Am I such a bad liar?" When a quartet of unanimous nods reached him, he sighed, and Tokage reached up with tiny green, webbed fingers and tugged the hand down until the blonde relented. The four gasped in horror and amazement when a red hand print was revealed. In just a few minutes later, (there was a shocked silence), the gen's healing factor kicked in and turned the scarlet print a reddish-purple, the color of a minor bruise or one almost healed.

"Gaia, what in the name of the gods are happening?" demanded Shippou. None of the gods or the earth goddess seemed to hear or want to answer, though.

Worriedly, Hokushin asked, "Souya-kun, what happened? Who hit you?"

"No one," he mumbled.

Tansei regained some of his normal humor and interrogated wryly, "What, are you going to tell us you hit yourself by accident? Maybe you were trying to slap a fly?"

Turning pink so the hand print was less visible, Yosouya replied, "Eh....maybe. But not a fly, none in this season."

Everyone sweatdropped. "Souya-kun, what happened??" asked his emerald guardian nervously.

"Got hit," he mumbled.

"I don't like stalling," said Shippou, stating the obvious to his fellows.

Gulping and staring at the metallic glint near his feet, the blonde mumbled, "Okayokay. IgothitbyKasen-kunbecauseIaskedhimsomething."

They blinked at him for a moment, wondering if he'd lost his mind and REALLY slapped himself before the eagle was able to decipher what he'd said. "You said...okay, okay. That makes sense. IgothitbyKasen-kunbecauseIaskedhimsomething?? I....got....hit..."

Depressed, Tansei continued the transfer, "By Kasen-kun because...."

"I asked him something," finished their leader gloomily. "Care to tell us what you asked him?"

"Iie," said Yosouya, turning purple. "It wasn't exactly very nice."

"Well? We haven't got all century."

"I asked um....what was wrong with him."

Again blinking their eyes at this sudden strange statement, they asked, "And that led to Kasen-kun hitting you."

Blushing again and feeling hot, he fingered his collar with slim fingers. "It didn't exactly sound complimentary, and okaa-san and otou-san weren't around so he got angry and lost his temper."

"That was obvious," said Hokushin as dryly as the crystal specialist of the generals could at times. "Were you aware that the last part of your explanation was a run-on sentence?"

"Not important," said Shippou, glaring and sounding slightly singsong.

The tiny iguana, smallest in the group of guardians as Zoicite was in the circle of generals, scurried down the thin arm and hugged his wrist, the only part of Yosouya he was able to hug. Tansei started weeping again and asked, "What's wrong with him? He wouldn't ever have laid a hand on Zoicite before." The other guardians could only say something vaguely comforting and shake their heads or shrug their shoulders. The blonde turned white, making the eerie hand print stand out more, also pondering what had happened to his brother.
~ * ~ * ~

Paths of Thorns