Chapter Five:

Nephrite paced back and forth round the front room. Zoisite and Kunzite had only been gone ten minutes and already it seemed as though it had been a lifetime ago. Nephrite was still furious at their inaction, although some small part of him could see the sense in their caution it just wasn’t like the Shitennou at all. This was their purpose here; to fight this new enemy. As much as Nephrite had wanted to believe that their rebirth had been so that they might have a second chance, he could not deny the evidence before them. They should have gone after this enemy as soon as it made itself known, Nephrite thought to himself angrily as he heard Jadeite whimper in pain. Had they done this then Jadeite might not have been hurt.

Just what the hell had he been doing anyway? Had he been looking for trouble? Nephrite frowned at this. It wasn’t like Jadeite but then again he wasn’t as settled as the others. Nephrite had welcomed the chance to live a near-human life and Zoisite and Kunzite still had thoughts of protecting the Master and the mission. Jadeite had nothing. He had held his loyalty to Beryl, even at the end, and perhaps he thought that Kunzite did not trust him? Perhaps he had gone after this Youma in a reckless attempt to prove himself?

A cry from the blonde suddenly drew Nephrite from his thoughts. He hurried to his side and saw immediately that he was conscious. There was some blood leaking from the wound on his chest again and Jadeite’s face was contorted in pain.

“N-Nephrite…” his gaze fixed on the older Tennou as another gasp of pain escaped him. “It hurts…” Being so young was a factor to his panic, Nephrite knew but none of the Shitennou had ever been injured this badly before. He could also have internal damage…

“I know,” Nephrite hovered at his side filled with uncertainty. “Just try to lie still. Kunzite and Zoisite will be back soon.”

Nephrite didn’t know what either of them could do either. Maybe there was a spell that could ease the pain but they wouldn’t be back for hours.

Jadeite’s face was pale and his breathing had quickened as he fought against further cries of pain.

I can’t leave him like this… he needs some sort of medical help…

But whom could he call? Human physicians were out of the question…

Ami’s mother’s a doctor…

Nephrite felt unsure. He couldn’t call Ami, could he? Kunzite would not be happy about that at all but Jadeite didn’t look well at all. He needed help, more help than any of them could give him.

There was no decision to make, Nephrite knew as he went to the phone and hurriedly dialled Ami’s number. If Jadeite didn’t get help then he’d die.

Ami felt filled with apprehension as she knocked on the door. When she’d taken Nephrite’s call her mind had been clouded with worry. She wasn’t a doctor; she knew a lot but only because she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps one day. She didn’t know how much help, if any, she would be. But how could she refuse? Nephrite had sounded almost scared on the phone.

When he answered the door, he looked relieved and quickly ushered her inside. Ami had brought some of her mother’s medical supplies with her but she wasn’t qualified for this at all. She said as much to Nephrite but he merely requested that she did what she could.

Jadeite’s eyes were closed when Ami approached the sofa but she could tell from the flickering of his eyelids that he was conscious. Even though Nephrite had described what had happened on the phone, Ami couldn’t hide her shock at the seriousness of his wounds.

“He really needs to go to a hospital,” she said softly but Nephrite shook his head.

“How can we explain who he is? He can’t maintain a glamour in his condition. Just do what you can for him.”

The sound her voice caused Jadeite to open his eyes. They registered some shock at seeing her but quickly misted over with pain again.

Ami set her bag down on the small low table in front of the sofa and opened it. She had brought various bandages and antiseptic creams as well as a strong painkiller.

She reached for this vial now and a needle. “This will ease the pain,” she said, more to assure herself that she was doing the right thing more than anything else. “Then I can have a look at those wounds.”

She had been roughly versed in what had happened and this had frightened her more than she let on to Nephrite. This new enemy… they really meant to kill…

Jadeite laid still the entire time, his eyes never leaving Ami’s face. She doubted very much that this was an act of trust on his part, for some suspicion still lingered in his expression, and that it was more to do with the pain that he was in.

After administering the injection, Ami gave it a few minutes to allow the painkiller to work before looking at his wounds. One of the Tennou had attempted to bandage them but this attempt was far from adequate and Ami gently undid them.

Even though the sight of blood did not faze her, the deep jagged wounds caused a murmur of worry to escape her lips. Nephrite hovered awkwardly behind her asking if he would be okay.

“I don’t know,” she admitted quietly. She requested that Nephrite dampen a cloth under the tap in the kitchen. He did this quickly and when he returned Ami used it to clean up the wounds. The deepest was still bleeding a little but not as much as it had been. It was amazing that he was still alive, Ami thought to herself and had he been anyone but one of the Shitennou he probably wouldn’t be.

As she cleaned the wounds she was aware of her phone ringing. She ignored this, however, and continued to work in silence.

“They really need stitches,” she said softly once she had applied some antiseptic and re-bandaged them. “But I can’t do that here.”

“I know,” Nephrite replied quietly. His gaze was troubled and Ami felt a pang at knowing that she had done very little after all.

“I’ll leave some more painkillers in case he needs it and I’ll also leave a supply of bandages. You’ll need to clean his wounds and change the bandages every day to prevent infection.”

Ami glanced back down at Jadeite as she said this but he was drifting out of consciousness again and was not mindful of what she was saying. This was an effect of the painkillers and she explained this to Nephrite.

The frown hadn’t left his face and he went through to the kitchen as she was packing up her things. Once she had done this, Ami tentatively joined him.

Nephrite was sitting at the small table staring at the vase containing roses that was on the centre of it. Ami sat down opposite him. “They’re pretty,” she commented after a few minutes.

“They’re from the garden,” Nephrite answered softly. “They’d come detached from the main plant so Kunzite brought them in here.”

“Kunzite?” Ami said with some surprised and Nephrite chuckled at this.

“They try to hide it but they do have other interests apart from the mission. Zoisite has his piano and Kunzite likes the garden. I see him out there sometimes… when he thinks he’s alone. He tends to the plants. The roses are his favourites.”

Ami shivered a little at this, despite herself. “What are your other interests?”

Nephrite smiled faintly at this. “I like working, anything that gets me out the house. Also… this is going to sound stupid but I like just doing every day things. You know stuff that you probably take for granted. Going into the city to get stuff for the house, getting a coffee on the way to work. You know, human stuff.”

“I don’t think that’s stupid at all,” Ami replied quietly. Something tugged at her heart seeing him like this. Nephrite, like the other Tennou, tried to hide his emotions, tried to seem as though the mission was all he cared about but it wasn’t, Ami could see this as clearly as anyone.

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Nephrite continued. “It’s all going to change now. Kunzite was right. We’ve been reborn to protect the Master. The Shitennou have no other purpose than this.”

“That can’t be true,” Ami said to this.

“It is but that’s okay. When I know who we’re dealing with I’m going to make them pay for what they did to Jadeite.”

Ami felt more pain at these words. Even though Jadeite was the youngest Tennou, he should have been able to fight off a mere Youma. Images of the Metallia Youma flooded her head and Ami’s heart clenched at the idea of Nephrite putting himself in danger like that. Yet she had no powers now in this world. She could do nothing but tend to the wounded. She was as powerless as Usagi and the others.

“Be careful,” she said finally. “Don’t let the past repeat again.”

Nephrite nodded and stood up from the table. “Thanks for coming today.”

“I can come back in a few days,” Ami offered as she also stood. “To see how he’s doing.”

“Thanks,” Nephrite smiled appreciatively as he approached her. Ami felt her heart speed up at the sudden close proximity of the red haired Tennou. She had thought that perhaps it was here imagination, that these feelings that she had were nothing more than a fantasy, but when she felt him wrapping his arms around her, Ami couldn’t help but return this embrace. She leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling as though she were somehow betraying her friends with her actions and yet by the same token uncaring of what the consequences might be. A part of her had always loved him, even when the Dark Kingdom’s hold over her had been at its strongest. That part of her had been slowly overtaking any worries and doubts that she harboured. Ami’s arms clenched around his back, holding onto him as though he were a lifeline, as though she were afraid that he might disappear should she let go. Time passed and it was again the ringing in the background that pulled her from such feelings.

Nephrite slowly released her, seeming awkward somehow as he let her answer the phone that had been ringing insistently for a few minutes now.

Somewhere inside of her, Ami felt relief that their embrace had been interrupted, preventing her from making such a conscious decision. The mood had been broken and she took the call, now being glad for the distraction.

“Ami-chan?” She was surprised to hear Minako’s voice on the other end of the phone. Even though the former Senshi were close, Ami and Minako had the least in common and she rarely saw the idol without the presence of at least one of the others.

“Minako-chan, how are you?” Ami knew instantly that something was wrong but went through the pleasantries anyway in a vague hope that she has misjudged the tenseness in Minako’s voice.

“Something’s happened. Rei’s hurt.”

Ami’s heart skipped a beat at this and she swallowed hard before replying. “What happened?”

“I don’t know. We think it was the new enemy. She tried to find them but they found her first. She’s blind, Ami-chan.”

“Blind?” Ami repeated, not knowing how to process this information. “How?”

“She was trying to use her powers so I suspect it was dark magic. She’s gone to Mako-chan’s as it’s not safe at the Hikawa Shrine anymore. We’re having a meeting there tonight.”

“I’ll be right over. Perhaps there is something I can do…” Ami trailed off, knowing how hopeless she sounded. If it was magic that hurt Rei then no medical intervention could help.

“She’s very shocked and weak,” Minako answered to this. “Mako-chan said she’s sleeping. It would be best if you waited until tonight, when everyone’s together.” There was something else in her voice, an almost hardened edge that hadn’t been there since her last battle. Ami recognised this all too well and knew that it was not directed at her; it was Minako’s defence – to hide behind her past self.

“Okay,” Ami said at length. “I’ll see you this evening. Bye.”

When she hung up she repeated what Minako had told her to Nephrite and as she did so an idea occurred to her. “If it’s magic that’s done this then is there anything that the Shitennou can do for her?”

Nephrite was obviously reluctant and Ami felt bad for asking this of him, knowing that he had already broken orders by revealing their rebirth to her and asking her here to help Jadeite.

“I don’t know,” he admitted finally. “I know little of healing magical afflictions. Kunzite or Zoisite might be able to help her but…” he broke off and shook his head. “They care very little for the Sailor Senshi.”

“So they would let her suffer?” Ami asked quietly, feeling some shock at this. She was aware that the past life still dictated the thoughts and feelings of the others, especially their hatred towards the Princess and her Guardians, but surely they could put that behind them now?

Nephrite was clearly uncomfortable and felt especially bad seeing as Ami had helped Jadeite without hesitation. “I will speak to them when they returned,” he offered finally.

“Thank you,” Ami replied softly, knowing that she could ask no more of him. She knew that things were very different for the Shitennou. They had not been reborn as civilians; they had been reborn to fight the new enemy and they did not share the closeness with each other that the Senshi did. This brought sadness to her heart but Ami knew that things were very different for them, even Nephrite.

Now that Jadeite knew that Ami had learned of their rebirth, she supposed that he would tell Zoisite and Kunzite. Even though Ami now wished to tell her friends more than ever she knew that she had to keep it a secret, for now at least. Yet she clung on to the hope that one of them would be able to help Rei and that she would not have to keep the Shitennou’s rebirth from them for too much longer. This new enemy was strong, stronger perhaps than the Dark Kingdom had been and Ami felt much fear at this. With the Senshi powerless then they had to place their hopes with the Shitennou but Ami had a horrible feeling inside of her that the enemy might be beyond them also.

When I arrived she was on the floor and her eyes were like this. She’s blind.

It was early evening and Minako was due at Mako-chan’s apartment along with the other Senshi. She left her apartment earlier whilst Artemis had been sleeping. Minako wanted some time alone to reflect on events that day and so she bought herself a takeaway coffee and walked down a few streets, looking in shop windows and enjoying the time alone. Her manager had called and, much to his dismay, Minako had put her career on hold for a while. She told him that she was tired and needed a break and this was, to some extent, true. However, more so Minako wanted to be there for her friends. She was the leader and yet it was Rei who had paid the price for her lack of direction. They needed their powers and Minako was sure that there had to be a way for them to have them restored. Yet she still felt very much in shock and angry also that she couldn’t do anything against this enemy.

Rei could not tell them what happened. She had been using her powers to locate the enemy and he had found her first. She hardly remembered much but the pain. Still, despite everything, she tried not to let it get through to her. It was another thing that Minako admired about her best friend. Rei was strong; stronger than Minako had been when she first learned that she was sick.

Rei had not wanted pity. It was magic that had done this to her and once they found a way to this enemy they could get her sight restored to her. It was the loss of her natural gifts that pained her. Her blindness was not an affliction reserved only for her eyes. Despite the other girls’ advice that she should wait, Rei had insisted on trying but she had been unable to tap into her natural magics. She said it was as though a door had been closed to her. Something was blocking her powers and there was nothing she could do against them. Whoever had done this was stronger and Rei had no chance against them.

As the sky descended into early evening, the moon was peeking out between the clouds and Minako stared up at the satellite sending up a silent prayer that she could be shown some way to protect the city and her friends.

She was so absorbed in this wish that she no longer paid attention to the path that she was walking and she finally did glance up to take in her surroundings, Minako found that she was in a much quieter part of the city.

Even in Tokyo there were some parts that should be avoided and Minako inwardly berated her carelessness for walking down one of these back streets.

She turned to walk back the way she had come when she heart footsteps ahead of her and then the silhouette of a man came into view, blocking her path.

Minako felt her heart speed up as fear jolted through her. This was a strange sensation for when she had her powers she need not be afraid of the rougher streets. As she was now, she felt almost helpless and Minako hated it.

So she turned to go back the way she had come, hoping that she would not be pursued. This hope was false and Minako sped up when she heard the footsteps coming closer and then a voice rang out.

“Are you lost?”

Don’t answer… don’t even look around…

The footsteps quickened and Minako broke into a faster walk at this as again the voice sounded out.

“Excuse me, I’m talking to you!”

The alley appeared to go on forever and Minako was finally at its end when she felt a hand close roughly round her wrist. The coffee fell from her grasp and spilled onto the pavement as she was jerked around. The man smelt of alcohol but his gaze was cold, indicating that he was more than simply a drunk who had lost his way.

Minako pulled away but her back was against the wall; there was nowhere for her to escape to.

“Don’t look so frightened,” the man said nastily. “I’m just trying to help you find your way.”

“I don’t need any help, thank you.”

“I think you do,” he replied to this as he moved in closer.

“I’m fine,” Minako repeated forcefully as she tried to move passed him. At this he drew back a first and struck her hard around the cheek, knocking her back into the brickwork.

At this pain, her instinct overtook her and Minako lashed out, a well-aimed kick making contact with his stomach and causing him to double over in pain.

“You bitch,” he snarled, recovering himself quicker than Minako had expected. She had only just made it passed him when she felt an arm round her waist. Then suddenly she was on the ground. As her back struck the concrete, an icy stab of dread cut through her and shock held her immobile as he pinned her down. She heard the sound of fabric ripping and she renewed her struggles but to no avail.

Then she felt him release her. Minako hurriedly sat up, her eyes widening when she realised that he hadn’t let her go; he had been pulled off of her by another man.

Her attacker swore furiously but the other man slammed him into the wall and he immediately collapsed unmoving to the ground.

“Thank you,” she said shakily as she got to her feet. Her blouse had been torn and she hurriedly pulled the fabric across her chest, feeling herself redden with embarrassment.

It’s the man from outside the coffee shop earlier today…

He silently reached down to retrieve her bag for her and at that moment her attacker, whom they had both assumed was unconscious, moved.

Minako cried out a warning as she caught the silver flash of a blade. Her rescuer whirled around and a gasp caught in Minako’s throat as he flung out a hand. Blue magics danced from his fingertips and struck the weapon destroying it in seconds. The attacker made a noise of shock and, without hesitating, fled the alleyway, crashing into a few trashcans in his flight.

At this commotion a light flickered on in one of the buildings, partly lighting the alley, but even before she could see the man who saved her, Minako knew his name.

“Zoisite,” she whispered as he allowed the glamour to fade, revealing his true Tennou form.