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Chapter 20: The gift of Eternal! Beryl's sorrow
Mamoru opened his eyes, though he had barely realised that he had passed out when Metallia attacked Zoisite. He lay on his stomach, his cheek pressed against the wooden floorboards. He moved slowly, testing his limbs for damage and when he found none he pushed himself into a sitting position. It was silent. Nothing moved in the Dark Kingdom. The silence terrified Mamoru even more so than the red haired Queen lying unconscious to his right, her body half propped up by the four-poster bed that had belonged to two of the kings. The floor nearest the door was gone, only a dark and gaping hole remained. Mamoru rubbed some of the dust and dirt from his eyes and forced his weary gaze to sweep the rest of the room. Jadeite lay precariously near the edge of the hole; the blonde was slowly coming around. Every so often he let out a small groan and moved slightly. Mamoru edged towards him first, taking a hold of Jadeite's shoulders and hauling him back towards the bed. Jadeite barely reacted to this contact, but Mamoru's attention was already upon the second of the kings.
Nephrite lay to Mamoru's left. He seemed worse off than Jadeite and at first the black haired Prince feared that he was dead. A closer inspection told him that Nephrite, like Jadeite, was simply unconscious, though the half dried blood that still leaked out of his mouth implied that he was seriously hurt. Mamoru placed a hand on Nephrite's shoulder and shook him, before gasping in dismay at the loud groan of pain that this emitted and realised that shaking him wasn't the most sensible option. Still, it did the trick and slowly Nephrite's eyes opened. They were dazed and at first all Mamoru could see was his own reflection. Then the light seemed to flood back into them. Nephrite coughed and spat out a mixture of blood and saliva. He inhaled deeply and Mamoru winced at the harsh rattling in his chest as he took that one breath.
"W-what happened? Endymion-sama?" his voice was weak and he allowed Mamoru to help him into a sitting position. Nephrite winced at this. "I think that bitch broke a couple of ribs," he hissed, his eyes searching for Metallia and when he failed to find her, he glared at Beryl instead.
"Shouldn't we kill her?" he asked next.
Mamoru shook his head, "So many lives have been ended. Why add hers? Even if she is the cause."
Nephrite did not argue, his pain showing more as he became more awake.
"You need a doctor" the Prince stated softly, "Or at least a Youma healer."
"There are no Youma" this was Jadeite's voice. The blond was knelt over Kunzite, gingerly wiping some strands of white hair back from the first king's eyes. "Zoi-chan healed them all."
"H-he did that?" Nephrite stuttered, his gaze searching for the little king and then turning questionably to Jadeite when he failed to find him.
"He fell" the blonde answered, "Damn it, Zoi-chan! Why did you have to fight!" this last bit was more to himself than Mamoru and Jadeite ended it by expelling a harsh breath as the first king started to show signs of life. Kunzite seemed to take an age to come back into consciousness whereas it could have only been a few minutes at the most. Mamoru held his breath as Kunzite's eyes focused upon him.
"Endymion-sama?" his voice wavered in places as he spoke that one name. "I remember… how?"
"With Metallia gone our memories of the past have been restored" Mamoru explained gently, "It is Eternal's gift to us all."
"Eternal?" Kunzite repeated slowly as his gaze travelled from Mamoru to Jadeite and Nephrite, "Where is Zoisite?"
"He fell" Jadeite repeated, "When Metallia was sealed away…" he indicated the gaping hole in the floorboards, "I'm sorry, Kunzite-sama."
"Dead?" Kunzite stood, one hand gingerly rubbing the bruising marring his throat, whilst the other hung uselessly at his side, red blood leaking out from a wound just below his shoulder.
Jadeite nodded and Mamoru moved forward to try and comfort his guardian, "We didn't want this, none of us did."
Kunzite ignored them and stepped up to the tear in the floor, before kneeling down to peer into the darkness. He was trembling, Mamoru noted, but he wasn't sure how much was grief and how much was blood loss. The boards creaked dangerously and Jadeite uttered a warning before reaching out and attempting to pull Kunzite back from the edge. The man did not resist and allowed Jadeite to pull him further back into the room, but his pained words said it all.
"We can't leave him down there. It wouldn't be right… not after what he did for us all…"
Mamoru was in agreement to this and silently started to search for a way round the hole. The entire floor was groaning now and the Prince knew that if they didn't move soon they would all fall to their deaths.
"This way" the Prince motioned towards the few remaining floorboards that were all that linked the way out and the rest of the room.
"What about her?" Jadeite directed a gaze towards Beryl.
"Leave her" Mamoru reached out to help Kunzite cross the small space as he spoke. The white haired king glared resentfully at this help, but did not shrug Mamoru off of him. Jadeite, like Nephrite, respected Mamoru's wishes and followed the other men out of the room. Once outside the bedroom, Mamoru demanded that they stopped to assess their wounds. Kunzite voiced an objection to this, but the Prince ignored him.
Mamoru moved closer, trying to get a better look at his wound, but Kunzite shook him off.
"Kunzite" he called after his guardian as the white haired man started off down the corridor again. "We shouldn't split up!"
Kunzite, again, ignored him, seemingly only thinking of Zoisite. Mamoru started after him, Jadeite and Nephrite behind him, until the auburn haired king stumbled; his injuries becoming more apparent now that he was fully awake. Jadeite grabbed a hold of his arm, steadying him.
"Can you continue?" Mamoru asked gently, sorrow registering in his eyes at the pain his guardian was in.
Nephrite nodded, leaning heavily on Jadeite as they hurried after the first king.
They reached the basement in a matter of moments, but, for Mamoru, it seemed like an eternity had passed. The door was jammed shut and it took Mamoru and Kunzite three tries to force it open. Once it did so, the young Prince exhaled deeply in shock at the state of the room. The ceiling had come down and broken floorboards littered the ground. Dust was thick in the air and Mamoru coughed as he breathed this in. He motioned for them to stay back, not knowing how stable the remaining parts of ceiling were. As before, Kunzite ignored him, and entered the room, kneeling down as he searched through the debris.
The remaining guardians watched this in silence. Mamoru loath to help his struggling friend in case his added movement caused the rest to come down. No one could be alive, Mamoru thought as Kunzite discarded the rubble he was shifting through and moved on to the next pile. No one could survive that fall…
A cry went up from the white haired man as he struggled to clear some wood off of a still shape lying beneath. Despite his earlier cautions, Mamoru found himself racing forwards and kneeling down beside Kunzite as the last of the debris was thrown aside.
"Don't move him!" the Prince warned as Kunzite reached out, with his uninjured arm, to touch his lover. Jadeite and Nephrite knelt down on the other side of the forth king and Mamoru couldn't suppress his gasp of shock and disbelief when he saw Zoisite's chest rising and falling. Tentatively, he placed a hand on his chest, feeling the weak beating of Zoisite's heart. Moving his hand upwards, Mamoru whispered: "He's cold… this isn't good."
Even as those words passed his lips, Kunzite was unhooking his cape and laying it over his younger lover. His fingers hovered over Zoisite's cheek, brushing, tenderly, some dust from his face. He was a horrible colour, blood pooling from an unseen gash to the back of his head. His eyes were open but he didn't appear to be responding to Kunzite's presence at all.
Mamoru was at a loss. He feared moving the little king in case he had broken his back in the fall, but that wound needed looking at, despite Mamoru telling himself that head wounds tended to bleed a lot.
Every so often a groan vibrated through the Dark Kingdom. It was growing unstable… They had to leave…
"Kunzite" Mamoru whispered, "We're going to have to move him."
The man nodded, then glancing down at his broken arm, he gestured to Mamoru that he would have to. The Prince did not want too. He did not want the responsibility of causing Zoisite further pain.
"Wait" Jadeite placed a restraining hand on his arm, whilst his other hand uncurled to reveal a shimmering stone.
"The ginzuishou?"
He felt Nephrite leaning against him; the older man was slipping in and out of consciousness. Jadeite knew he would not stay awake for much longer. They had to leave here, but Kunzite and Mamoru would never abandon Zoisite.
The ginzuishou was powerful and when Sailor Moon had utilised it with her Crescent Moon Wand, Kunzite had said that she could heal. Perhaps the ginzuishou could help Zoisite? Making the decision, Jadeite knelt over the little king and placed the crystal in his lax palm. For a moment, none one dared breathe. Jadeite stared, transfixed upon the light as it slowly gained strength.
"It's working" he whispered, and as those words passed his lips the light pulsed outwards and then stopped.
"What?" Nephrite exhaled as the ginzuishou's light began to fade. Frantic, Jadeite uncurled Zoisite's hand and gasped in dismay. The stone's surface was now an inky black.
"What is this?" Mamoru whispered as he stared at the crystal, tears blurring his vision as he pictured Usagi and all that she had been through in her struggle to keep the ginzuishou safe. It was destroyed… the only physical reminder that Usagi had existed was gone. Mamoru felt a lump forming in his throat, as much as he tried to ward off the tears that he knew were forming behind his eyes. He rubbed at them a couple of times, but this did nothing to relieve himself of this discomfort.
"Mamoru-sama?" Jadeite asked, his head cocked slightly to one side in confusion as he stared at the silent motions that his Prince was going through.
Mamoru shook his head, suddenly being unable to focus upon the blond king. He stepped backwards as the cold reality struck him for what appeared to be the first time. Usagi was dead. His perky Odango Atama was gone. He would never again tease her about her poor grades, he would never again transform into Tuxedo Kamen to save the silly crybaby Sailor Moon.
"Usagi" he whispered through clenched teeth and he stood, moving away even as Jadeite reached out to touch his shoulder, in an effort to offer him some comfort. But even as he did this, a part of him knew that now wasn't the time to fall apart. With Nephrite and Kunzite injured, and Zoisite near death, they needed Mamoru.
"Mamoru-sama-"
"Who was he really?" Mamoru cut him off with, shaking as he spoke, "Was he really Zoisite or was he just a vassal for Eternal's spirit?"
Jadeite didn't know. When they have first awoke in the desert… that had been Zoisite then hadn't it? But what of that voice he had heard? The angel… that constant eco in all of their minds. Eternal had been with them for longer than they thought, constantly guiding them.
"She's gone now" Jadeite did not know how to answer Mamoru as he stared down at the little king. This was true, that much he did know. The king lying so close to death was Zoisite. Only Zoisite.
"Usagi…"
Mamoru's grief was cut off when a shadow to his right, near to the entrance, caught his eye. Jadeite's mouth curled up in automatic disgust as the pitiful woman crawled towards them, her dress torn to near ribbons, blood dribbling down her chin to splash to the ground beneath her.
"Beryl" Jadeite stepped between the red haired woman and his Prince; they couldn't afford another confrontation.
Jadeite drew his sword, trembling as Beryl ignored his commands to stop and continued towards them, dragging her body painfully across the ground, the debris cutting into her palms and leaving a bloodied trail in her wake.
"Stop" Jadeite repeated, his voice shaking slightly despite himself, "You have no place here, Beryl."
She did heed him this time. Wretchedly raising her head, she stared up at him with a mixture of defeat and fear in her eyes. Her lips parted and she breathed out a word that Jadeite never thought he would hear Beryl uttered: Please.
"What?" he whispered, his eyes narrowing thinking that this was a trick.
"Please" Beryl repeated, holding out a blood stained hand, "Let me see her… Eternal… I don't… I don't want to die without her grace."
Jadeite had heard stories how, one day, Beryl would be claimed by Metallia should she ever fall. Her soul would be as payment for the power bestowed upon her. She now dared to hope that Eternal would save her? Even if Zoisite still possessed that power he would not save her. Why should he? Beryl had killed him once before.
"Zoisite's dying" Mamoru answered Beryl's question, "He will not hear your pleas."
"Please" she whimpered, "Just to see him will be enough."
Jadeite cast a look back at Kunzite and the older man shook his head, his grip on Zoisite tightening as he did so.
Nephrite, fading fast, also shook his head, wary too of the deceit that Beryl was capable of.
"You deserve to be cast into hell" Jadeite said coldly, "It is where you belong."
Mamoru felt himself waver, the compassion inside of him reaching out to Beryl, despite all that she had done to them, but as well as that there was his guilt and pain. Pain of losing Usagi and the guilt of not listening to his Shitennou before in the past life. He was not going to go against their wishes again, even if it went against his own.
"No" he shook his head, "Leave. There is nothing left for you here."
Beryl bowed her head and trembled, literally collapsing to the floor in anguish and defeat. Something broke inside of Mamoru as she fell and he found himself kneeling down at her side, gently easing her into his arms, even as tears built up in his eyes as he once again thought of Usagi and her fate at Beryl's hand. Beryl uttered a small noise somewhere between a gasp and a sob and Mamoru felt her clinging to the front of his uniform, her power gone she was helpless.
He felt none of the hatred that he had done previously, only pity. They had all suffered in this war, Beryl included. Mamoru suddenly felt tired as he held her. His body was weary from years of abuse at the hands of Beryl's master. Perhaps this was the end after all?
"Mamoru-sama" Jadeite suddenly appeared at his side and Mamoru, detecting the quiet awe in his guardian's voice, pulled away from Beryl slightly to look down at the blonde's outstretched palm and the ginzuishou, its surface still an inky black.
Not understanding, and Jadeite also clearly not understanding his actions when he had spoken of Beryl with such venom moments before, Mamoru reached out and took the ginzuishou before offering it to the woman in his arms.
Beryl stared up at him, some fear and some amazement at his sudden trust in her reflected in her eyes.
"You say you want redemption" Mamoru spoke coldly, despite his compassion, "Then prove it."
He didn't know what he was expecting, if anything at all, when Beryl reached for the stone. The Kingdom was crumbling around them, there was no escape from this hell, or so he thought. However, as Beryl's shaking fingers brushed the cold surface of the ginzuishou, Mamoru suddenly felt calm.
Well done…These soft words were whispered in his ear before light once again pulsed out from the gemstone. Hatred had turned the stone to black and now that hatred was melting away, fading into the past life where it belonged.
Mamoru smiled sadly as he closed his eyes and remembered the Princess who had given up more than her life to protect the planet.
"Zoisite's dying. He will not hear your pleas."
He could see, he could hear and yet he did not want to. The words spoken around him were vague and muffled as though spoken through glass. He lay still, as any movement he tried to make would hurt him.
"Go. Live… if you can."
Those words… so far off and yet so familiar to him. They gave Zoisite the strength to hold on. He could feel Kunzite so near and his presence was comforting but at the same time Zoisite felt so dirty, so violated.
Eternal… she had been within him all along and, although she had given him the power to defeat Metallia, and to save his friends, Zoisite hadn't wanted it. The power was not his and he just couldn't see how someone as beautiful and pure as Serenity had been able to place even a tiny piece of herself into his flawed soul. Even now, Zoisite could still feel the remnants of her left inside of him. He could recall her thoughts and her emotions and he didn't want it. He hadn't wanted to be the hero. It wasn't his nature at all. He had just wanted to be with Kunzite-sama and enjoy the second chance that they had been given.
"You say you want redemption. Then prove it."
He vaguely heard Mamoru's words to Beryl and then he felt the ginzuishou's light upon him once again. Unable to move due to the agony he was in, Zoisite retreated into the far corner of his mind, to a part of himself that he knew that she couldn't touch. It was easier than allowing his fragile mind to be overtaken again by thoughts and feelings that did not belong to him. Kunzite appeared to sense a change in him and his grip tightened but Zoisite barely felt it.
Gomen… Kunzite-sama… I can't do this… I'm not that strong after all…
Mamoru stood on the balcony, the slight breeze ruffling through his hair as he stared across the landscape, staring further than the mansion grounds and to the rebuilding that was taking place beyond. It was a new beginning, he thought sadly. Already many of the survivors had moved out, wanting to help more with the restoration of their beloved city.
After they had returned from the Dark Kingdom, everyone had acknowledged Mamoru their leader but he had not wanted it. He had been happy with the world as it was and this was the world that he intended to create again. Once the Earth had recovered, there would be the separation of the countries, people would live their own lives again and choose their own leaders. The world that Mamoru had been destined to rule over had died a long time ago.
Still, until that time, Mamoru and his guardians were the recognised authority and thus Mamoru had put Jadeite and Nephrite in charge of the rebuilding of the city. Of course, things would never be completely the same but Mamoru held onto the hope for a better future. After all they had fought and, in some cases, died for it and this would never be forgotten; not by anyone.
"Mamoru?" it was Nephrite who joined him now and Mamoru suppressed a small smile as the auburn haired man stepped out onto the balcony. No matter how many times he saw them in civilian clothing, he would never get used to it. Nephrite wore a pair of jeans and a white shirt, which had splashes of purple paint all over them.
"Naru is insisting on repainting all the rooms" he said in answer to the silent question, "But when you also involve Minako-tachi, you're bound to get more paint on yourself than the walls."
Mamoru chuckled at this thought. Out of all of them, Nephrite was adjusting the best. It was no surprise that he and Naru officially became a couple. Umino, although obviously hurt, wished them well and at last Naru seemed happy again, although the loss of her mother still weighed heavily upon her.
They had all lost so much, Mamoru reminded himself as his gaze drifted back down to the mansion grounds were Jadeite and Hotaru walked hand in hand. When they had returned, gone was the small girl that had once been the Messiah of Silence and in her place was a young woman. Hotaru's wish to Eternal, so Setsuna had explained. Hotaru, being younger than Naru, had known that Jadeite would never have expressed his fondness for her under those circumstances for it was not acceptable in the time that they now lived in.
Eternal… she had granted many gifts by purifying the Youma and returning those humans turned to their former selves. She had restored the lives of the Senshi and even healed those who fought at her side at the end.
They had lots to be grateful for, Mamoru knew.
"What are you looking at?" Nephrite asked, stirring Mamoru from his thoughts.
"Just thinking" he hesitated, not wanting to ask the question that was forming on his lips but forcing it out anyway, "How's Zoisite today?"
"No change" Nephrite replied flatly and Mamoru, disheartened, went back to looking at the landscape. For a month now, Zoisite remained unresponsive to his surroundings. Kunzite, whilst taking care of him, had tried to get through to him with both words and castings, but nothing had been able to get passed the barrier that Zoisite had placed between himself and the rest of the world.
It is him doing this, Nephrite had said after consulting the stars. The fact that it was Zoisite's own doing did not comfort Mamoru at all for he blamed himself. It was his fault for putting Zoisite through all this.
"Don't blame yourself," Nephrite added, sensing Mamoru's feelings, "This kind of prolonged… possession" he said awkwardly, not knowing how to best phrase Eternal's presence in the younger Tennou, "It affects people in different ways. Zoisite fought it for so long that giving into it so suddenly is bound to cause some kind of after effects."
Mamoru nodded, seeing the uncertainty in Nephrite's eyes. He knew that the older man was trying to make him feel better but this made it worse in some ways.
"Will anything get through to him?"
They had all tried, even Nephrite but nothing. Only…
"I still think we should give it a try" Mamoru said softly, "She may be able to reach him."
Nephrite shook his head, "I don't advise it. You may push him further away. Kunzite won't allow it," he added as an afterthought.
"I appreciate your advice" Mamoru answered softly "But I don't think I can sit idly anymore. He may never respond to us."
Without waiting for Nephrite's consent, Mamoru went back inside and followed the sounds of playful squealing that were coming from the room down the hallway.
Cautiously, he opened the door and ducked to avoid being struck by a glob of lavender purple paint, which instead hit the cream coloured wall in the corridor behind him.
"Gomen, Mamoru-san!" Minako giggled seconds before a second glob struck her cheek. "Rei-chan!" she pouted at the black haired Senshi and grabbed up another brush to chase her friend round the room with.
Ami was sitting on a chair in the corner, pretending to be engrossed in the book in her lap but Mamoru could see the beginnings of a smile tugging at her lips.
Makoto was standing atop a small stepladder with another paintbrush in hand as she watched the antics and when Minako and Rei came too close, she grinned devilishly and flicked paint droplets in their direction. The other two girls squealed and retaliated and Mamoru couldn't help but laugh out loud at this. Their silliness was a welcome change to the seriousness of the past month.
"Mamo-chan!"
Mamoru stumbled back slightly as the fifth and final member of their group cried out his name and then threw herself into his arms, holding onto him tightly.
"Usako" Mamoru returned her embrace, ignoring the fact that she was as coated in paint as her fellow Senshi.
The final gift… that Usagi had been returned to him, that she had been reborn in this world. A gift that Mamoru would always be thankful for.
"How's the painting going?" he asked, at last stepping back from her embrace.
"Um…" Usagi giggled and looked at her paint-splattered comrades, "We're getting more on each other than the walls."
"Have you even finished one room?" Mamoru teased lightly and Usagi shook her head, blushing slightly.
Pouting Usagi then realised that he was teasing and stuck her tongue out at him. Mamoru rolled his eyes. Sometimes it was difficult to believe that this was the girl that he was destined to fall in love with and spend his life with.
"Usagi" his tone then became serious and she immediately stepped out into the corridor so that they could talk apart from the other Senshi. Mamoru did not mind them hearing what he had to say but he also felt that it should remain private, as it was a difficult subject for all of them.
Her carefree expression faded slightly, her gaze darting to Nephrite who stood at the end of the corridor, out of earshot.
"I want you to see him," Mamoru said, before he could change his mind.
"Are you sure?"
He nodded and Usagi smiled sadly, "I'll help him if I can" she vowed quietly as Mamoru took her hand and led her towards Zoisite's room, "But the ginzuishou holds no more power in this world" she gently touched the broach on the front of her blouse as though to emphasize this.
"I know" Mamoru answered quietly, pausing outside the door as his conflict grew.
What if Nephrite was right? What if this only made things worse? Casting a glance over his shoulder, Mamoru saw that the auburn haired man was still following them, although keeping at a distance. He was right about one thing, Mamoru knew, Kunzite would not be happy with this.
Gesturing for Usagi to wait a moment, Mamoru entered the bedroom alone.
The room was one of the smaller ones in Nephrite's manse and was somewhat apart from the rest, which was good as it suited both of the occupants needs. After the final battle, Mamoru had refrained from mentioning Zoisite's role, although rumours had circulated anyway but already people were getting back to some degree of normality and all was needed now was for Zoisite to wake and Mamoru hoped that Usagi could help him.
Mamoru used the word wake but he wasn't altogether sure that this was the best word to describe the state that the youngest Tennou was in. As he entered the room, he saw Kunzite, as always, at Zoisite's bedside. The oldest king had changed since they had returned from the Dark Kingdom. Around Zoisite he was gentler although he still retained his frosty demeanour with others. He was particularly cold to Mamoru for a part of him was still unable to accept the past life and everything that had happened. Kunzite cared for Zoisite alone, almost as though he blamed himself for the smaller King's current state.
"How is he today?" Mamoru asked, coming around to Kunzite's side.
"No change" was the flat reply.
Reluctantly, Mamoru lowered his gaze to the man on the bed. Zoisite was on his side, underneath the dark blue duvet, his hair free from its ponytail. One hand was tucked up by his chin and the other hung over the side of the bed almost brushing the floor. He looked as though he could just be resting but his eyes were what gave it away. His green orbs stared dully at Mamoru. Zoisite was looking at him but he wasn't seeing Mamoru. There was no response at all and there hadn't been since that final battle. It was as though he had retreated back into the corners of his mind and nothing could get through to him.
"Zoisite" Mamoru said quietly, coming to kneel beside the smaller Tennou, "I've brought someone to see you."
Upon hearing her queue, Usagi stepped timidly into the room. Kunzite had merely been cold towards Mamoru but he still loathed the reincarnated Princess and his eyes blazed angrily and he was quick to step between her and his lover.
"What is she doing here?"
Mamoru stood up, coming to Usagi's side and snapping defensively, "I thought she might be able to help him."
"She has done quite enough" Kunzite snarled, "Get out of here."
"Usako" Mamoru sighed in defeat. He should have known better than to think that Kunzite would let Usagi anywhere near Zoisite.
"No" Usagi said in a small voice, pulling away from her lover and raising her head to look Kunzite in the eyes. "What I did… it was the only way. All this… it is down to me and I want to help if I can so please let me."
"Let her try, Kunzite" Mamoru agreed to add more weight to Usagi's words. "She may be able to help him."
"Or she'll push him away further" Kunzite shook his head, "Zoisite is my responsibility."
"And has he responded to you?" Mamoru asked sharply and when Kunzite didn't reply he added, "No, he hasn't. He hasn't responded to any of us. Usagi is the only one who hasn't tried. Do you really want him to stay like this? Look at him. He's dying, Kunzite. Surely you can see that."
The white haired man frowned, his gaze darting to the smaller Tennou on the bed and then back to Usagi. "If you hurt him…" he warned.
Usagi nodded and took a step closer, "I understand" she smiled gently, her aura reminding Mamoru very much of the Princess she had been at that moment.
As Usagi approached Zoisite, Mamoru moved back towards the door to give her some space. Kunzite also stepped back a little way but he was still very much near to them and was tense, as though ready to get between them at any moment.
"Zoisite?" Usagi knelt down beside the bed, "Zoisite" she repeated his name a couple of times but there was no response and Mamoru despaired inwardly. Would nothing reach him?
"Zoisite" Usagi spoke again, "You have to wake up. There are people here that care about you. Kunzite's here" she cast a glance at the older man and then back to Zoisite again, "Ami-tachi are here, too. They were reborn and now we can go back to living our normal lives. This is down to you, Zoisite. Everyone has a chance to start again. Don't you want that chance, too? You should. You deserve it more than most."
Still there was nothing. Zoisite hadn't responded at all and Usagi cast another hesitant glance at the two men watching her.
"That's enough" Kunzite snapped when her gaze then returned to Zoisite.
Usagi took no heed of this and reached out to place a hand on the blond man's shoulder, "Zoisite?"
The reaction he had to her touch was almost instant. Zoisite's head snapped up to look at her and fear and loathing suddenly flooded into his dull green eyes.
Immediately, Kunzite lunged forwards but Mamoru grabbed him by the shoulders and, with a great deal of effort, managed to hold the taller man back. "Wait" he grit out as Zoisite scrambled up and moved away from Usagi.
"Zoisite" she repeated and then, taking the young Tennou completely by surprise, she went to him and pulled him into her arms, her grip gentle but firm and Zoisite only resisted this for a moment before relaxing against her. He didn't return her embrace but he didn't fight it either and, after a full minute, Usagi glanced in Mamoru's direction once more.
Mamoru nodded slowly and released his grip on Kunzite's shoulders. The white haired Tennou shrugged him off angrily and approached the bed.
Usagi still held onto Zoisite until Kunzite was at her side and all who were in the room heard her choked whisper to the blond: "Gomen nasai" before she let him go.
Zoisite was still trembling and tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as he whispered, "Kunzite-sama."
Kunzite reached for him, wrapping his arms tightly around Zoisite's shoulders and pulling him close, murmuring softly in his ear 'aishiteru'.
At this, Mamoru and Usagi left the room, and he wrapped an arm tightly around her shoulders as they walked back down the corridor where Nephrite was still waiting for them.
"He's awake," Mamoru said for the auburn haired king's benefit.
"I'm glad" Nephrite smiled and then grimaced slightly, "I never thought I'd hear myself say that about Zoisite."
Mamoru chuckled lightly at this. There was still so much that had to be done. The planet was healing itself but the people who had fought to save it also needed some time to heal. They would be fine, Zoisite and Kunzite, Mamoru knew with a sudden certainty. Time was the greatest healer after all.
Now, with Usagi in his arms, he knew that everything would work itself out. They could all start to heal and embrace the second chances that were granted to them.
"This kind of peace" Haruka mused quietly, more to herself than her companions, "It is almost disturbing somehow."
Her lover turned to her, smiling gently and squeezing her hand playfully as she countered with: "So you would rather that we were still at war?"
Haruka shrugged her shoulders and pulled Michiru closer to her, "No but it is slightly discontenting, is it not, to know that your destiny has changed. All this" she gestured to around her, "It was never meant to be this way."
"Destinies can be misleading" Michiru answered to this, "But think of this. No matter which path we may take, they always end up along side each other. That is the only destiny that I ask for" she pressed her lips to the taller woman's after speaking.
Slipping her arms around Michiru's slender shoulders, Haruka returned the kiss until an awkward cough to her left reminded her of the third member of their group's presence. Reluctantly parting, Haruka turned to Setsuna, "Don't you find it disturbing?"
Setsuna smiled and shook her head, "It doesn't matter how we reached this end, but we are here now and that is all that is important to me."
"So I'm the only one who feels this way?"
Michiru giggled and shook her head affectionately, "I am beginning to believe that you almost enjoyed the war, lover."
"Not the war" Haruka said thoughtfully and then she shrugged, "I'm sure it will pass. It is a new beginning after all."
They then came to a pause outside of a house on the corner. It stood alone and apart a little from the rest. There was a lone woman outside, kneeling and tending to a small rose garden. A cloud of red hair obscured her face but they all knew her name.
"A new beginning" Haruka repeated, "Even for the one who didn't really deserve it."
"She knows nothing of the path that she once took" Setsuna reminded them, "That was the decision she made and she will earn her redemption in this life and the choices that she will make."
Haruka nodded. She bore Beryl no real malice. Very few who survived the final battle even knew of her rebirth into this world. This was Mamoru's order for he feared that there were those who would not leave her be as he felt she deserved. His only request was that they kept an eye on her from time to time and Beryl looked up from tending to her flowers when she became aware of their presence.
With a gentle and welcoming smile, she beckoned them to come nearer, "Konbanwa, Haruka-san, Michiru-san, Setsuna-san" she greeted them softly.
Michiru had been the first to extend her friendship to the woman who, in another lifetime, had brought so much pain and suffering upon the planet but that wasn't who she was anymore. They had all changed, even Beryl and, as Haruka returned her greeting she heard a voice whisper to her softly.
It is done now…And Haruka knew this to be true. Their destinies had reached an end and now was a chance for them to become who they wanted to be. They had their whole lives in front of them and the opportunity to live them as they wanted to. That was Eternal's greatest gift to them all.
The End
A/N: It's been a long time but finally we've reached the end. I hope that everyone enjoyed reading and massive thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review The Four Points. Thank you, minna-san, for following the fic through to the end, despite it taking me so long to get there! - Shari aka senshi of ruin
