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ladyemeraude · 6 years ago

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Nephrite/Masato Sanjouin Bio (my fanbased version)

Did a bio on Nephrite years ago and thought I would refit it since I rewrote the fics since then. This is basically how he is in my little "miniseries" fanfic. Name:Nephrite aka Masato Sanjouin Age: appears 19 Birthday: January 3 Astrological Sign: Capicorn Height:1.80m (5'11) Weight:73 kg Hair: chestnut brown, wavy, slightly past midback Eyes: sapphire blue Favorite Food: Chinese, Italian, Greek, gourmet, cheesecake, chocolate parfait, stir-fry, the occasional glass of wine Least Favorite Food: liver, kidney..basically anything that bothers his stomach immensely Hobbies: stargazing, going to the opera, meditating, playing tennis, hanging out with Naru Strong Points: loyal to those he protects, honorable, protective, charming, somewhat proper, calm, reserved, dignified, practical, intelligent Weak Points: slightly arrogant, used to be a bit deceptive(he eventually changes that), can have a horrible temper when ticked off, stubborn Has Trouble With:his pride at times Likes: the finer things in life, music, Naru, driving his Ferrari Dislikes: cowards, Beryl, idiots, bullies, control freaks, people with no decorum Fears: certain hospital equipment (the ones that would turn him into an experiment), losing his honor and dignity, losing Naru Abilities: flight, teleportation, levitation, telepathy,telekinesis,possessing with the magical crest, tapping into the stars, variations of his Starlight Attack,hand-to-hand combat, and is a superb swordsman History: Nephrite is the second shitennou of the Dark Kingdom. He used to serve alongside his fellow shitennou as Prince Endymioin's guardians before he surrendered his soul to Queen Metallia for power. Not very long after his conversion to the dark side, he was approached by three elite youma, who were initially under Beryl's servitude and desperate to escape that fate, requesting that he allow them to serve him. He was not particularly keen on the idea at first given his preference for solitude, but gave in, deciding there was no harm in having extra minions to do his bidding. It did not take him long to see how efficient and devoted they truly were, and he gradually came to tolerate their company, eventually enjoying it,even showing concern for them following the destruction of the Moon Kingdom. A millennia later, Beryl made the decision to reawaken Metallia from her dormancy in order to continue to wreak havoc on the universe. She recruited a lower ranked shitennou, Jadeite for the task of gathering energy, much to the dismay of Miki, Yukari and Ruby. They felt Nephrite was far more worthy of that post. Despite finding the decision unwise, Nephrite encouraged the henchwomen to remain patient, reminding them there were ways to take advantage of the waiting period. During that time they monitored Jadeite's progress (or lack thereof), and Nephrite familiarized himself with the human culture, wishing to see if it was the same as before he had surrendered his soul, not to mention he had grown quite weary of Beryl's affinities. It was also part of his plan to strategize and perfect his plan for when he became commander. It wasn't long before Beryl's patience with Jadeite's failures came to an end, but using Thetis in his scheme without her permission sealed his fate. This was good news for the trio of youma, who were desperate for their master to get the position he deserved. Nephrite had been rather stoic about the matter, but showed his glee at witnessing Jadeite being cast into Eternal Sleep and reminded himself to succeed so he wouldn't suffer the same fate. He informed Beryl of his capability of gathering more energy from one person than Jadeite was able to collect from a massive crowd. Whilst the witch queen was somewhat intrigued, his arch-rival Zoisite poked fun of him for being ambitious, which earned the sakura a tongue-lashing from the henchwomen. Nephrite merely dismissed the younger shitennou, and Beryl approved his plan. He used the power of the stars to seek his victim, and Ruby provided him with a magical energy draining crystal ball that would enable him to still have the energy captured even if the senshi interfered. She and the other henchwomen were eager to aid him in any way, and although he preferred working alone, he saw how astute, proficient and efficient they were so he assured them they would be granted the opportunity to. He used helpful advice and flattery to ensnare his victims before cursing their items with the magical crest. Due to the crystal ball he received, he was partially successful in his scheme. However, Beryl was concerned about why he had so much trouble defeating the senshi when he did such a commendable job capturing the energy. Zoisite appeared and feigned concern as well, offering to assist. Beryl ordered the star shitennou to work alongside with the sakura shitennou, but Nephrite flatly refused, angering the queen with his defiance and arrogance. Zoisite, however, was thoroughly tickled, as it meant Beryl was losing faith in Nephrite. Just like previous times, the star shitennou succeeded in capturing the energy but failed to defeat the senshi. It was then Nephrite decided the failures were becoming quite bothersome and decided to take matters into his own hands, telling his henchwomen they could assist him,much to their delight. He used the stars to find out Sailor Moon's greatest weakness and was confident he would defeat her, as he was hitting her where it hurt most. He sent love letters signed Tuxedo Mask to all the girls that attended Juuban Junior High, believing he would lure Sailor Moon into his trap that way. Before that night, he crossed paths with Naru, after having met her at a tennis tournament a week prior and having a rather interesting encounter he didn't care to repeat. She asked him if he wrote the love letters, causing him to grow suspicious that she was Sailor Moon. Brushing that thought aside, he told her he would love to spend an evening with her and left. On the following night, Naru came to see Nephrite before time so she could have some alone time with him. She told him she loved him. He thought she was trying to seduce him, and so he captured her energy, rendering her unconscious in the process. He felt maybe she could be of use for future schemes and knew he would need her unharmed for that, so he requested that Ruby take her to the hospital. Soon after, Sailor Moon showed up and he revealed his true identity before increasing his energies and summoning Leo the Lion. At that moment, the real Tuxedo Mask arrived, furious about the trickery. He told Moon to escape, but Nephrite called for Leo to attack her. The monstrous lion proceeded its ferocious onslaught, severely wounding the heroine. Tuxedo Mask sprung into action to rescue her, but the trio of youma blocked his way and challenged him. It was an even match, but much to the masked man's horror, the moon senshi was a bloodied mess. Nephrite laughed as Tuxedo Mask took her into an elevator as it was the final part of his trap. He and his youma left in satisfaction, only to discover later from Beryl that somehow Moon managed to survive. However, he was able to escape being punished due to the love energy from Naru. He returned to his mansion, summoning an image of the red head girl. He realized his anger might make her suspicious of him and knew that was not a luxury he could afford if he intended to use her to assist him, so he did a memory wipe of the incident. He was partly grateful to her, but mostly amused that she was foolish enough to fall for his disguise without knowing his true nature. Nephrite later decided it was time he unleash his most powerful battle youma, Castor and Pollux, desperate to dispose of the senshi once and for all. Knowing it would take much energy, he sought out a victim who would be more productive than usual, who turned out to be animator Hiromi Matsuno. After possessing her pencil, he encountered Sailor Mercury standing on the roof of his car. Enraged by her audacity to do such a thing, he simply knocked her off and warned her about his powerful youma before speeding off. Feeling a bit less stressed, he treated himself to a glass of white wine and some gourmet chocolate chip cookies his henchwomen had baked before continuing to monitor Hiromi's energy progress. Once it reached its peak, Nephrite seized it and summoned the Gemini Twins, this time inviting Zoisite to watch the battle. It took everything the trio of youma had to not show their uneasiness, although they understood Nephrite's reasoning. Castor and Pollux proved to be quite formidable with their ability to imitate the attacks of Mars and Mercury. Unfortunately, they got into a heated argument over who would finish the senshi, which nearly gave the girls an opening for a counterattack. Not wanting the twins to die as a result of rivalry, Nephrite ordered them to retreat from battle. This was a subject of ridicule for Zoisite, but Nephrite shrugged it off, knowing he had gathered more than enough energy to revive Queen Metallia. Several weeks later, Beryl announced the arrival of Princess Diamond and mentioned that the princess could be in possession of the legendary ginzuishou, which peaked Nephrite's interest. Although finding the ginzuishou was originally Zoisite's job, Beryl gave it to the star shitennou so he would have a chance to achieve greater success, bringing the sakura shitennou to tears of anger. Oblivious to this, Nephrite hatched his plans to investigate, accepting assistance from his henchwomen again. Once at the party, he noticed Naru standing in a corner alone. He approached her and they shared a dance together. The star shitennou then led her out on the balcony and flattered her before possessing her with his shadow. He then alerted his trio of youma that it was time to put the scheme into motion. Princess Diamond, possessed, came outside, and Nephrite ordered her to hand over the crystal. As she prepared to throw it to him, she was stopped by Sailor Moon, only for the possessed princess to push her over the balcony. Luckily for the moon senshi, Tuxedo Mask caught her before she plummeted to her death. Infuriated at Moon's attempt to foil Nephrite's plan, Ruby attacked her, wounding her and retrieving the treasure from the princess. The red head youma then delivered it to the star shitennou, who gleefully accepted it. He got a feeling he should make sure it was the artifact he was sent for and followed his instincts, his feelings of exhilaration fading upon realizing it was the wrong crystal. His henchwomen were furious as well. Trying to suppress the anger, Nephrite prepared to launch an attack at Tuxedo Mask. Before he could, Mars launched her attack at the veteran shitennou. Ruby was able to create a shield to protect her master, redirecting the attack at the senshi of fire. Having managed to hold off two of the senshi, Ruby, along with the twins, turned their assault on Tuxedo Mask, causing him to nearly lose his grip on Sailor Moon and both of them to fall over the balcony. Luna quickly tossed the parasol to Moon, and so she used it to allow her and the masked man to safely glide them to the ground. Nephrite and his trio of youma fled the scene, disgusted at the time wasted. It was then they resolved to quit following Beryl's orders completely. Such defiance proved to be Nephrite's downfall as the witch queen grew extremely livid, Ruby getting a taste of it as she sassed Beryl. Nephrite was unaware of this, trying to concoct a scheme to locate the ginzuishou until interrupted by Zoisite, who "advised" him to teach his minions respect and to step aside. Naturally Nephrite would have none of it, and vowed to make the younger shitennou look like a failure. Zoisite swore revenge and left, whilst Nephrite secretly swore for allowing someone like Zoisite to rattle him. After taking a moment to compose himself, Nephrite tapped into the stars' powers, channeling his energy to create an object that would guide him to the ginziushou, the kurozuishou. The dark colored crystal glowed, revealing an image of Naru, causing the star shitennou to conclude the red head was in possession of the ginzuishou and making him freeze in surprise. He then went to make plans with his henchwomen. An argument Naru had with her best friend over Masato Sanjouin's true nature left her unable to concentrate on her studying. However, a phone call from Nephrite asking her to meet him at a nearby park cheered her up considerably. She didn't think twice and wasting no time at all, she changed shoes and headed to the park, picking a rose on the way. She was filled with anxiety as she wondered what was up but at the same time she didn't care as she was just happy to hear from him. She gave him the rose she picked, which he gratefully accepted despite his surprise. He feigned regret for making the young girl come out late and was nearly distracted when she expressed her joy at him calling her. Her joy faded when the star shitennou said he was saying goodbye as she figured it was because he was tired of someone as young as she was bothering him. He quickly denied it, explaining he just didn't want her to be hurt, which confused Naru. He went on to say he was being targeted by dangerous people and he liked her too much to see her involved. Naru's confusion turned into worry at this, and she instantly asked what she could do to help. He made brief mention of the ginzuishou, then told her to forget it, as if to show he had doubts whether she knew what he meant. Naru, however, recalled her mom speaking of a rare gem. Thinking that might be it, she ran off to retrieve it, only to be caught by her mother. Unable to think of a decent explanation, she mumbled an apology and ran out of the store. Mrs. Osaka could only stare after her daughter and wonder what her actions were all about. She went out to look for the young teen, bumping into Usagi and Luna. She frantically notified them of the situation, and an infuriated Usagi ran off to find her friend, determined to smooth things over and make her understand.

Naru watched Nephrite intently as he tested the rare gem with his kurozuishou, looking both anxious and pleased with herself. It was all Nephrite could do not to look disgusted because it was not the ginzuishou, but an ordinary jewel.He then gave a confused frown as the kurozuishou began to glow.He saw it was reacting to the girl herself, which peaked his curiosity about her even more. He asked her to come with him, which didn't take much coaxing. He placed an arm around her shoulders to lead her away, oblivious to Yasha spying on them. However, his henchwomen spotted her and were instantly repulsed. Not wanting to give the monster too much thought, the women refocused their attention on Nephrite and Naru. Despite being disdainful of the girl at first, they couldn't help but feel slightly intrigued watching her and their master together. Before Nephrite could lead the red-head too far, they heard an all-too familiar voice yelling for them to stop. Much to Nephrite's displeasure, it was his archenemy Sailor Moon. He warned her not to meddle in his affairs, but she simply ignored him, delivering her speech. Naru grew nervous and also a bit irritated, but did her best to suppress both feelings, not wanting to get into another dispute. Instead she protested she wasn't in danger, but the blonde superheroine gave her the shock of the evening, telling her who the young man really was. Naru had her doubts about whether hearing the same speech again was a coincidence, but she felt too drained to be angry this time. She turned to the man who had her affections and asked him to confirm the blonde was lying. Instead, he fired a burst of star energy, knocking Moon off her feet with great force. He missed with his other variations of the attack. Undaunted, he vowed she would not escape again. Hearing the voices of Mercury and Mars gave the moon senshi much joy, along with a boost to her confidence. Nephrite taunted the girls that he would kill all of them at once and prepared to launch his attack. Mercury used her bubbles to disorient him, and Mars shot her fireball at which point Naru quickly pushed him out of the way. The senshi were positively dumbfounded by such an action, and so was Nephrite. Not only was the girl not frightened away, but she defended him despite his true colors.While he appeared to be distracted, Moon took it as her cue and tossed her tiara at him. The star shitennou cursed loudly as he was frozen with fear and knew he would be at least fatally wounded. Much to his and the senshi's surprise,Naru dashed in front of him and spread her arms out. He chided the teen girl for her recklessness, but she was determined to protect him.Filled with fear, Moon yelled for the tiara to stop, which it did before falling on the ground.Naru gave the senshi a hard look whilst declaring she would not allow Nephrite to be harmed by them. Mercury tried to reason with her and Mars ordered her to step aside, but the red head was defiant. Nephrite marveled at her strong desire to protect him. Mercury questioned Naru about protecting the young man. She admitted with tears streaming down her face that she loved him with all of her heart and she would rather die than see him get hurt or killed. Moon wanted to protest, but was at a loss for words. After a brief period of silence, Nephrite's trio of youma appeared before Naru, bewildering the girl.Ruby introduced all of them,and thanked her for protecting the star shitennou. Naru wasn't entirely sure what to make of the ladies, but felt warm inside by their gratitude.The kurozuishou started glowing again, and Nephrite wondered if it was possibly reacting to Naru's deep love for him. All of a sudden, he heard a shrill voice asking him if he had the ginzuishou. The creature revealed itself before trying to snatch the crystal from him. He knocked her hands away, but dropped it in the process. Naru picked it up, and Yasha lunged at the young girl, causing her to cry out in fear. On impulse, the star shitennou fired a burst of star power at the creature, splitting her mask in two. The senshi of the moon was amazed by this and for Naru, it confirmed that he indeed felt something for her. The emotional episode caused her to faint. Nephrite stared at his hands as if to show his disbelief at protecting a mortal girl. Yasha revealed her true form and unleashed her attack on the dark general,which he evaded. The creature continued to berate him, which prompted an attack from Yukari. In a twist of fate, the brunette youma ordered Moon to deliver the final blow. Wasting very little time, the moon senshi did as she was told, all the while thinking how odd it was for a Dark Kingdom agent to fight on her side. Nephrite wrote down his contact info on a small piece of paper, placing it and the rare gem into an unconscious Naru's hand before turning to leave. Sailor Moon thanked him for saving Naru's life, and he dismissed it, indicating it may never happen again. He requested Ruby to escort the young girl home before taking his leave. The twin youma left as well, whilst Ruby carried out her master's orders. During the early hours in the morning, Nephrite returned to Naru's room. Before he could get too distracted by how beautiful he thought she looked while asleep, his kurozuishou started glowing again. It was still a mystery since he never came to a proper conclusion. He wondered if maybe the ginzuishou was inside her body. To test this theory, he allowed his kurozuishou to hover over the girl's body. It projected a beam of energy, providing a transparent view. However, there was no gem resembling the ginzuishou. Nephrite was perplexed at first, but his mind replayed the encounter with Naru just hours prior. The kurozuishou reacted whenever her love for him was shown. That was when he got his answer. It did little to help soothe his complicated feelings about why the kurozuishou had not done its job, and what he would do about this revelation. Late the next night, Nephrite was still trying to ponder the previous day's events and what course of action he should take about his most recent discovery. He no longer had any use for the kurozuishou, but that was only one of several dilemmas he was faced with. Once again, his mind drifted to Naru, her smile and the deep love she had for him, despite seeing his true colors. All of that made his heart feel warm inside, which he found ludicrous. His musings were interrupted by Ruby appearing before him to find out about his next move as well as discuss what she and the twins had been thinking. She asked him how he felt about the girl and he admitted he had feelings for her. Try as he may to deny it in the past, he couldn't any longer. The cherry-haired youma also told the star shitennou he should leave the Dark Kingdom, at which he was taken aback, but she reasoned with him reminding him how fond he was of certain aspects of planet Earth. He couldn't deny that, either, and conceded he would give her advice some thought. She warned him to be careful, which he acknowledged. Nephrite recalled how vehement the moon senshi was when she warned Naru about him, and found it odd unless she knew the red-head. And he knew if he did end up leaving the Dark Kingdom, he would need to know of Moon's identity so he could see her whenever he wished. He believed who better to get the information from than Naru, and disappeared from the mansion. Unbeknownst to him, Zoisite was there and heard his musings about the kurozuishou, as well as his conversation with Ruby, and decided he would keep a close eye on the elder general. Ruby caught a glimpse of the sakura shitennou just before he left, and got a bad taste in her mouth, so she decided to go to keep watch on him. Nephrite appeared in Naru's room, spending a few minutes watching her sleep. He was moved by how peaceful she looked. To avoid getting too distracted, he hid behind the curtain, which roused the young girl from her sleep. She was surprised but also quite happy to see him. He told her his real name and how much he regretted deceiving her for so long. She assured him he was forgiven, and he proceeded to tell her how she impacted his life, not to mention that of his chief henchwomen. Naru felt her heart melting by this, and she asked Nephrite to come closer, for she also had something to tell him. He obliged by sitting next to her, having a hunch about what the red head wished to say.She told him for the second time she loved him, adding that she had since the moment they met. He told her he loved her too, and it took everything in her not to cry tears of happiness. He then asked her if she knew where to find Sailor Moon, for he wished to fight alongside her. The red-head tearfully told him she didn't, since the heroine only showed up when there was trouble. Nephrite wiped her tears away and told her to contact him when she found out. He gave her a peck on her cheek before exiting the bedroom. However, he made sure to remain nearby. He was curious to see the action she intended to take, given the tenacity she possessed. Meanwhile, Zoisite, along with three plant youma were spying on the veteran shitennou. While he made no mention of the ginzuishou, the fact that he cared deeply for a human gave them another reason to plot his demise. The plant sister known as Grape wanted to kill him right away, but Zoisite told her not to be hasty, for Nephrite was a fierce warrior and that blindly rushing into battle would only get themselves hurt or even killed. He suggested kidnapping Naru and setting a trap. Suzuran, who had only been listening, asked whether it involved Nephrite's henchwomen, too, and Zoisite said to leave them be for a bit. The Plant Sisters left to set the nefarious plan into motion, Zoisite smirking to himself. Naru was wide awake, both from Nephrite's confession and the situation he was in. She wracked her brain for a way to help him, then remembered the conversation she had with Usagi that afternoon and how her best friend had sounded slightly more supportive. She got the phone and dialed the blonde's number, feeling guilty for calling so late, not to mention worried that no one would be awake.A wave of relief washed over her when Mrs. Tsukino answered and put her on hold. Usagi came to the phone, albeit groggy, and Naru told her what occurred during Nephrite's visit, breaking down in tears at how useless she felt. Although hidden, Nephrite listened to the entire conversation, smiling to himself when Naru hung up, for he had gotten his answer. He went by the street light and made himself invisible, keeping watch for the young girl. He was pretty sure she would not deny Naru assistance, and so therefore, she would be playing into his hands in the process. Using his magic, he warped the road so that it would appear crooked and watched as his nemesis struggled. His lips curled into a smile when she transformed, and he materialized, making the road normal again. He thanked the moon heroine for revealing her identity, coercing her to admit it when she squirmed. It came as no surprise to him, but he secretly hoped she would keep it together for once, so he decided to test her. The fact that she was such a stammering mess had not helped matters, until she managed to prick his conscience, which sounded a lot like Naru. He assured Moon her secret was safe with him, to which their first civil conversation ensued. There was still a bit of tension in the air, however, so the star shitennou considered it a good thing when his trio of youma appeared. The relief faded when Ruby mentioned Zoisite and his youma were up to no good. Her warning was cut off by Naru crying out for help and Nephrite caught on to what the red head youma was trying to tell him. He told Moon they would meet again before disappearing with his trio of henchwomen. As quick as Nephrite and his trio of youma were, Naru's kidnapper was quicker because when they got to the room, it was empty, save for a small piece of paper on the bed. Nephrite picked it up to read. The writer of it demanded for him to hand over his kurozuishou if he wanted Naru's life to be spared.For a moment he burned with anger at Zoisite's level of insolence, then an image of Naru laughing and running towards him popped into his head.He crumpled the note in his hand, engulfing it in flames. Miki asked him about it and when Nephrite told her, she and the other two youma were just as enraged. Not wanting to be useless in such a detrimental situation, Yukari suggested she and the other two young women come with Nephrite just in case he was walking into a trap. The star shitennou gave them the green light on the condition that they remained hidden. The youma trio agreed, as they had heard when Suzuran ask whether to kill them too. They waited as Nephrite ordered the kurozuishou to show him Naru's whereabouts, which it did instantaneously. According to the black crystal, she was at an abandoned nightclub called Rag Time. They all teleported to the site together, the trio of youma concealing themselves as Nephrite ascended the stairs. When he was about halfway down, he saw the Plant Sisters watching him intently. He gave them a brief stare of death and then averted his eyes toward Naru, who was bound to an overturned table. The star shitennou more or less expected such a set up, but it still infuriated him all the same. Naru cried out a warning to look out, and the next thing he knew, a barrage of small grenades were headed his way. He quickly avoided the onslaught, and while Suzuran's sonic waves did little to faze him, they threw him off, causing him to land awkwardly and nearly stumble. Even with that minor setback, the sisters were simply no match for the shitennou in terms of strength and even speed. He conjured his star-sword, reducing two of the plant creatures to ribbons. Facing off against Grape was a bit more challenging, but he dodged her vine arm with ease. He chopped it off and bisected her for the final blow. Knowing the destruction of the sisters wouldn't be enough for his rival shitennou to leave him be, he pulled out his kurozuishou and crushed it in his gloved hand, letting the shards litter the ground. He wandered over to the young girl, exchanged a loving gaze with her and used the sword to slice the ropes that ensnared her. He then picked her up and carried her out, taking her back home.Not long after he gently rested the red head down, she embraced him and thanked him for rescuing her. Nephrite told her how much he wanted to make up for having lied so much to her in the past, and she embraced him again, telling him he already had, as she got the feeling he had a good heart deep down. For a moment, he seemed a bit perplexed by her words and her affection towards him. Naru remembered back at the battle with the Plant Sisters, Nephrite appeared to have hurt his ankle. She was sure of it when she noticed him limping slightly while bringing her home. She inquired whether he felt any pain, and he confirmed that he was, knowing she wouldn't buy it if he told her otherwise. As soon as he sat on the young teen's bed, she had him remove his boot, which he did without question. She gave him a gentle massage and tore a piece of cloth from her pajama to wrap the ankle. He thanked her, retrieved the boot and gingerly stood up, deciding the soreness was nothing he couldn't handle. He gave Naru a quick hug before disappearing from the room. After giving Ruby instructions to watch over Naru, Nephrite left with the twins. Ruby took Naru to the mansion to visit with Nephrite the next day as the red head was concerned that the ankle injury was worse than she was led to believe, and bothered that he got it on her account. He considered her visit to be a pleasant surprise, but it pained him to see her in emotional distress. She voiced her concerns to him and he reassured her that she wasn't at fault. Feeling a sense of relief, Naru mentioned to the reformed star shitennou how it had always been a dream of hers to share a chocolate parfait with him. He promised they could make it happen, at which her eyes brightened. This would be the beginning of their courtship until the young girl was old enough for a long term committed relationship. In regards to aiding the senshi, he opted to keep a low profile, assisting them in an inconspicuous manner.

#nephrite sailormoon headcanon bio

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thebkgengagement · 8 years ago

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sylverra · 6 years ago

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ladyemeraude · 6 years ago

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The Gift of Love: Chapter 8 (Sailor Moon Fanfiction)

Zoisite’s heart proceeded to pound rapidly and a knot formed in the pit of his stomach the moment he sensed Beryl summoning him. He knew he would endure a major tirade for his failure, at the very least. A tiny part of him was tempted to not even appear before the witch queen. ‘No, Zoisite, you mustn’t think that way. You pledged to be more loyal and competent than Nephrite ever was, remember?’ a voice in his head reminded him. He mentally cursed himself for even thinking of running away from his fate.

All of a sudden, he felt a firm, gentle hand on his shoulder, which made him stiffen at first, but he relaxed upon feeling the reassurance he craved whenever he was distraught, lost or frightened. He glanced up and saw Kunzite, giving him a small smile. “I’m so happy to see you, Kunzite-sama.”

Kunzite returned his pupil’s smile, then looked serious. “What are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you be reporting to Queen Beryl?” He spoke in a paternal, but gracious tone.

Zoisite gulped, looking sheepish. He avoided his mentor’s eyes, peering down at his boots as if he had been scolded. “I know…I just needed a few minutes to get it together. “ His face turned red with embarrassment. ‘Okay, not my best response, but at least I’m not lying to him.’ It took everything in him not to cross his fingers in hopes he wouldn’t be asked to elaborate.

The top ranked shitennou placed a finger under Zoisite’s chin, prompting him to give eye contact. Contrary to the sakura king’s worries, Kunzite did not look disappointed or angry with him, but as if he understood. “It’s all right. I imagine the fact that your fate is uncertain must make you anxious, but Beryl might just be merciful to you in spite of this second setback. However, you have no way of knowing that unless you answer her summons. You know she doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Zoisite exhaled a heavy sigh, both in relief and because he knew his mentor spoke the truth when he hinted stalling wouldn’t appease Beryl’s displeasure. ‘Sometimes I don’t know what I would do without him.’ He made an effort to look perky instead of despondent. “You’re right. I’ll be back.” With that, he disappeared from the castle.

Kunzite stared after the sakura shitennou for a bit, then partially closed his eyes to enter a meditative state. ‘Oh Zoisite…please return soon and unharmed.’

Zoisite appeared before Beryl, giving a deep bow. His legs became wobbly and proceeded to tremble, which he ceased with his willpower. No way was he going to show the witch queen his nervousness. ‘I always have to remember what Kunzite-sama taught me. These human emotions are signs of weakness. I refuse to give Beryl or even that Nephrite and his wretched youma the satisfaction of exploiting my fears.’

Drawing in a deep breath, Zoisite faced the witch queen, barely managing to hold back a cringe at the look of displeasure on her features. He didn’t know whether to attribute it to his failure, his late arrival, or possibly both. ‘Either way, I owe her an apology. This tension is too much.’ Exhaling lightly, he said in a timid voice, “My apologies for keeping you waiting, Queen Beryl-sama.”

Queen Beryl set her mouth in a line, tapping on her crystal ball with her long, clawed nails. She studied the young man and saw that there was fear in his eyes, despite his effort to hide it. “Apology accepted. However, I do hope it doesn’t become a habit. But that’s not the issue here. It is the fact that you’ve failed me twice thus far. You’re even worse than Nephrite. I expected so much more, given the promise you showed when this task was first assigned to you. Perhaps I had overestimated your capabilities and should consider replacing you.”

Zoisite mentally flinched as if he had been slapped in the face; Beryl’s excoriation of his performance thus far had stung his pride deeply. Still, he dared not show how offended he was to be considered not just as bad, but worse than his long-time nemesis. He bit his lower lip to keep it from trembling. ‘Nephrite will always be a disgrace to the Dark Kingdom in my eyes. Beryl is right in one respect, though. These two setbacks are nothing to be proud of. And as much as I hate to admit it, Nephrite’s plans were partially successful and he is far stronger than I am.’

The sakura king swallowed a small lump that had formed in his throat before pleading in a meek voice, “Please, your majesty, give me a bit more time and a chance to prove myself. I promise you I can rebound from this.” He retrieved the kurozuishou from his pocket. His voice got loud as he ordered, “Dark crystal, show me the identity of the fourth nijizuishou carrier!”

The ebony colored gem responded by floating away from him and hovering in mid-air, generating a gust of wind resembling a cyclone. The wind evaporated, revealing a young woman with long thick chocolate colored hair pulled over to one side in a loose braid, and she wore glasses. Zoisite gave an evil grin. ‘So, this woman possesses the next nijizuishou. How quaint.’ He was about to burst into maniacal laughter, but caught himself, remembering he was in the presence of Queen Beryl and needed to show some sort of restraint. He faced the witch queen, clearing his throat. “I promise you, I will retrieve this nijizuishou and the stolen ones without fail, even if I must sacrifice my life in the process. “

Beryl’s hardened eyes softened a tad, but the sternness was still present on her features. “Very well. I will give you another chance. However, you know what the circumstances will be if you continue to fail.”

Zoisite held back a shudder, for he had an idea of the punishment Beryl was alluding to. Just the mere thought of being turned into a human icicle made him quiver in fear. “Yes, I do understand, my queen, and I’ll keep that in mind.” Giving one last respectful bow, he disappeared from the throne room.

**********

Ruby, in invisible form, retreated back to the mansion. While Zoisite hadn’t been dealt with in the manner she had hoped, she couldn’t help smiling at the chewing out he had received. She especially had to give a smug smirk at the sakura shitennou looking as if he would cry when Beryl said he was worse than her master. ‘Hell yes he is…ten times worse. It’s about time the hag admit it.’ Still, she knew she would be lying if she said she was thrilled with the idea of dealing with Zoisite or his mentor for much longer. ‘I don’t suppose the others would be, either, but I can’t worry too much about that now. I know the identity of this nijizuishou carrier, and that’s what is most important. Well, sort of. I know what she looks like, but not her name. Perhaps Master Nephrite might know, though.’

The cherry-haired youma rematerialized in the planetarium, putting on her best “no exciting news yet, but I’m still optimistic” look. She did her best to ignore the tickling feeling in her stomach as she recalled how Beryl had nearly reduced the sakura shitennou to a sobbing mess. ‘One would think Kunzite would have rubbed off on him enough for him to grow a backbone, but apparently not. Then again, he is still pretty much a child, so I can’t expect much, right? Still, I know of even younger children who are more mature than he is.’

‘Hmm?’ Nephrite and the twin youma turned to face Ruby, giving her a slight nod of greeting. “What do you have to report this time?” inquired the star shitennou.

“Yes. While you do not appear as amused as you were last time, you definitely seem pleased,” observed Miki. ‘Something tells me Beryl had not lived up to her threat, but then again, how often does she? Unless she is extremely livid, that is.’

Yukari’s eyes were full of excitement and curiosity. “Is it about Zoisite?”

Ruby looked relieved at having managed to succeed in suppressing her amusement. She was never one to wear her heart on her sleeve, but it was difficult not to give in at times. “Well, it all began when Zoisite arrived late, which Beryl surprisingly overlooked. She did not punish him for his failure, but she did manage to toss him down several pegs.” Suppressing a laugh that was threatening to explode out of her, she continued, averting her eyes toward the reformed general this time, “She finally acknowledged how much better your performance was under her service, Master Nephrite, and threatened to replace him, both of which nearly reduced him to tears.”

“Is that so?” The corners of Nephrite’s lips quirked up a bit, both at the idea of Beryl realizing how valuable he was during his tenure and his greatest rival dangerously close to crying. He couldn’t help laughing a little at the scenario, especially when he recalled the endless needling he had endured. “Having the shoe on the other foot seems to hurt him quite deeply. Well, I’m afraid it will only get worse.”

“It certainly looks that way,” agreed Miki. “However, it is a fitting punishment for poking his nose where it doesn’t belong.”

Yukari snickered. “I’ll say.” She laughed some more. ‘Seriously, though, does Zoisite always have to be such a wuss?’

Unable to hide the tickled feelings any longer, Ruby let out a chuckle. ‘I figured they would find it hilarious…and it does help to overlook the fact that the virus will be a thorn in our side for awhile longer.’ She then looked serious, although there was still hope in her coffee coloured eyes. “I’m happy to report I have found out the identity of the next nijizuishou target. While I do not know her name, I thought you might, Master Nephrite. I managed to take a picture of her.” She pulled out her mobile phone and clicked on the snapshot she took before handing it to the star shitennou.

Nephrite took the phone from Ruby, furrowing his brow whilst examining the image. Despite it looking a bit fuzzy, he was still able to recognize the young woman. He glanced up at Ruby, who was awaiting his response with a look of mild anxiety. “You are correct. I am familiar with this girl. Her name is Yumemi Yumeno, and she is a well-known artist. It has been some time since I’ve seen her work, but from what I do recall, she is extremely talented.” He handed the phone back to Ruby.

“Thank you, sir.” Ruby took the phone, looking relieved that she hadn’t made a fool of herself. ‘Now, to pass this information on to Usagi-san so she can notify Sailor Moon. ‘ Her eyes lit up as she realized what this revelation meant. “Naru-san mentioned wanting to visit the local museum and Usagi-san will be joining us briefly. This will give me the perfect opportunity to have her warn Sailor Moon.”

Nephrite felt his heart racing at the mention of his female companion’s name, which he ignored. ‘This is not the time to be satisfying your fantasies. You must wait,’ a voice chided him. However, there was no dismissing the warmth inside of him. “Well then, it’s time you get going. I leave Naru-san in your capable hands.”

Ruby’s face flushed slightly at the amount of confidence placed in her to look after Naru yet again. ‘If I had to pinpoint, I believe it was the night she was kidnapped that solidified how much I enjoy doing it.’ She curtseyed. “Thank you again. We’ll be careful. Also, chances are she may want to see you after our outing, so I was considering bringing her by…if it’s all right with you?” She sounded a bit hesitant, as if wanting to make sure it wasn’t a bad time for him.

The star shitennou quirked an eyebrow upon noticing how unsure of herself the red head youma sounded. “It’s fine.”

Ruby opted for a reserved smile to hide her relief. “Wonderful. I’ll see you all later.”

“I hope you enjoy,” said Miki.

“Give Naru-san my regards,” added Yukari.

“Sure thing.” With that, Ruby disappeared from the planetarium.

Usagi sat on a bench at the park, reading a manga while waiting for Naru and Ruby to show up. Luna was next to her mini backpack, listening to the sounds of the birds and crickets chirping. ‘Thank God it’s Saturday…but then I still have lots of homework to do. If only Ami-chan could help me, but she’s studying with Ryo-kun and I don’t want to bother either of them. I should have done what Naru-chan did and worked on it during Study Hall yesterday. Gosh, I’m such an idiot.’ She released a heavy sigh, wondering why school had to be so complicated for her.

The blonde’s mind then switched to Tuxedo Kamen and how he was in possession of the second nijizuishou. She hadn’t read too much into it, but recalled that Luna was troubled and suspicious as she gave a quick glance at the feline guardian from the corner of her eye. ‘While he did seem interested in what we first thought was the ginzuishou at that ball, I don’t think it makes him evil. I mean it’s better he has it than those Dark Kingdom creeps. Besides, he wouldn’t be looking out for me if he was truly an enemy. I refuse to accept that he is unless proven otherwise.’

Not wanting to spoil her day by thinking about subjects she deemed unpleasant, Usagi shook her head lightly to rid it of the thoughts and directed her attention back to her manga, trying to lose herself in the story. The cool breeze blew against the nape of her neck, making her feel relaxed. ‘That feels so good. I have to make sure I don’t fall asleep on this bench, though, since Naru and Ruby will be here any minute.’ She pinched herself hard in the left thigh to remain alert, and continued reading. She came to a funny part and began to giggle. It gradually got louder until she was laughing uncontrollably. She had to grab one end of the bench to keep from falling over.

Luna rolled her eyes and shook her head as if to say, ‘Really, Usagi-chan?’ She crawled partially onto Usagi’s lap and tugged at the blonde’s skirt with her teeth to get her attention, prompting her to cease her laughter. She gave a startled yelp and clutched at her chest as if she were having a heart attack. “Lunaaaa, you scared me half to death! And you could have put a hole in my skirt! What’s the big idea, anyway?”

“That’s what I should be asking you.” The feline guardian gave Usagi a look of disapproval. “I was merely trying to get your attention and tell you to quiet down. You could have woken up the dead with that boisterous laughter. You’re a young lady, so act like one, would you?!”

“But I can’t help it if what I’m reading is so hilarious,” protested the blonde. She bit her lip to keep from bursting into another fit of giggles.

“I’m sure it’s not that funny, Usagi-chan.”

“How would you know unless you’ve read it?” Usagi retorted in a mock irritation tone. Her annoyance sounded more real than she intended for it to.

Luna was about to give a retort of her own, but before she could, Naru and Ruby arrived. “Greetings, Usagi-san,” said Ruby.

“Hey girl!” Naru greeted. “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting for too long.”

‘Those two just saved me from another lecture.’ Usagi inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. She put a bookmark in her manga and slipped it in her backpack before facing both teens with a bright smile. “Oh, hi guys! Don’t worry, your timing was perfect!” She got up from her spot and grabbed her backpack, stretching her legs a bit as they were slightly cramped.

Naru gave a relieved smile. “Good. Oh, and since you asked, here’s what the promise ring Nephrite-sama gave me looks like.” She held out her hand for her best friend to see.

Usagi gazed at the ring on Naru’s finger with awe. She held the red head’s hand gently to get a better look whilst continuing to admire it. “Wow, it’s gorgeous. And it so happens your birthstone is a garnet.” She released her friend’s hand.

“Yup! It’s too special to be worn at school, so when Mama made me promise that I wouldn’t, it was easy,” said Naru. She smiled, feeling proud of herself for proving no relationship would make her forget her standards. ‘Not only that, but Nephrite-san has shown he loves me the way I am.’

“I bet.” Usagi smiled sadly as it hit her how quickly Naru was maturing. ‘I don’t even know where I stand with Tuxedo Kamen, and here Naru-chan has a guy who has changed so much for the better because of her.’ She let out a light sigh of despair, then remembered Ruby was standing there. Although noticing a slight smile on the young woman’s face, she didn’t want to give the impression anything was wrong, nor did she wish to keep the youma waiting longer than necessary. “Oops, so sorry if it looked like I was ignoring you.”

“Oh, you’re fine,” Ruby reassured the blonde. “I’m more than happy to give you two girls a few moments to converse.”

“Oh, thank you for understanding. I really do appreciate it.” Usagi looked thoughtful. “We’re ready now, though.”

The reformed youma nodded. “All right. Shall we get going, then?”

Usagi’s eyes brightened and the excitement returned to her features. “You bet! Let’s go!” She took off with Naru and Ruby right behind her. They made their way to the gallery together. Unbeknownst to the blonde, her moon wand had flown out of the pocket of her backpack and would have landed in the river had Luna not sprung off the bench to retrieve it. ‘Hopefully this will take my mind off of what Luna said about Tuxedo Kamen. Also, I wonder if there is another enemy Ruby wants to warn me about. It sure would be nice to be able to take a breather.’

Luna, meanwhile, could only let out a weary sigh as she watched Usagi with the two red heads. ‘That girl seriously needs to be more attentive to more important matters. However, I must admit she sure knows how to put the information given to her by Ruby to good use.’

Once the three young ladies arrived at the gallery, they entered and noted the decent sized crowd it appeared to have that day. Shrugging it off, they gathered around to look at all the different paintings of well-known couples done by Yumemi Yumeno, taking in the essence of each.

“Wow, these paintings are amazing,” said Usagi in an awed voice. “Whoever this girl is sure has got some major talent.”

“Yes, they really are,” agreed Naru. “I can see how much heart and soul Yumemi-san put into these.” She felt her heart becoming full and warm.

“I must agree with you girls,” Ruby spoke up. “Take a look at this one over here. I think it will be of interest to you especially, Naru-san.”

“Huh?” Naru wandered over to see which painting the cherry-haired youma was referring to. Her eyes widened when she saw herself and Nephrite etched in the picture. It depicted him reaching out a hand and her preparing to take it. All she could do is stare as the words she wished to say escaped her. A lump formed in her throat, which she swallowed. ‘Look at me. It’s like cat got my tongue because of a mere painting, but I can’t help it. Not only is it gorgeous, but it’s so realistic and true, telling the story of how our relationship began.’

“So what do you think, Naru-san? Pretty breathtaking, isn’t it?” asked Ruby, rousing the young teen out of her thoughts. She had taken the stunned silence as a good sign, as she herself had been speechless.

Naru barely managed to squeak out, “Oh yes! It’s really beautiful.” Her face turned red with embarrassment at the sound of her voice. ‘Gosh, what is with me today?’

Usagi wandered over to the red heads to see what the fuss was about. Her jaw dropped open upon seeing how accurate the portrait of Nephrite and Naru was. “Wow, that one is incredible! Nephrite should have been here to see it!” She fell silent, afraid she had been thoughtless. “But I do understand why he is being cautious.” She turned away from the painting to look at the one on the opposite side, freezing in surprise as soon as her eyes landed on it.

Featured in the picture was a young man with short raven hair dressed in a tuxedo, complete with a masquerade mask over his eyes. He was soaring towards the moon, accompanied by a girl with long blonde hair pulled into pigtails that were topped by buns and dressed in a leotard. The blonde felt her heart beginning to race and she got a dreamy look on her features.

“Yeah…” Naru sighed, looking wistful. ‘I hope one day those people in that evil organization leave him alone for good…of course they will once the sailor senshi defeat them. Stop worrying and have some faith!’ She mentally winced at the berating she received from her conscience, but knew it was true. Not to mention she really didn’t want to spend her day with Ruby in despair. She frowned with concern upon noticing her friend’s pensive state. “Are you okay, Usagi-chan? What’s up?”

Naru’s sweet voice filled the blonde’s ears, bringing her back to reality. She let out a nervous giggle. “Nothing, this picture just gives me a feeling of déja-vu for some reason.”

“Oh.” Naru took a quick glance at the painting that had the blonde’s attention. “It is beautiful.”

“Hey, did you guys know if you bought one of these paintings, your romantic dreams will come true?” asked a deep male’s voice, making Naru and Usagi nearly jump a mile.

All three girls turned away from the portraits they were admiring to see Umino standing behind them. The two junior high schoolers gave him a look of exasperation for sneaking up on them, whilst Ruby frowned at how unfamiliar the teenaged boy was. “Umino, stop scaring us like that!” Usagi and Naru yelled in unison. Ruby chuckled quietly to herself, shaking her head at the young boy’s antics. ‘Tsk, tsk, tsk.’

Umino squirmed and tittered nervously before looking relieved that neither of the girls had hit him. “Sorry. “

Naru’s look softened a bit. “To answer your question, no I didn’t, but thanks for telling us. It’s really good to know.” A tiny smile formed on her lips as an idea for a gift for Nephrite came to her. ‘Not that a painting is necessary to prove that our hearts are connected. In fact, I felt it before I saw this. At the same time, though, seeing that he bought a present for me, it’s my turn to do the same for him. Plus, I know he likes the fine arts very much.’

“Yes, thanks,” piped up Usagi. “I’m gonna buy the one with the guy in the cape for sure.” She wrung her hands, looking wistful. ‘If what Umino says is true, then Tuxedo Kamen will be my guy for sure.’

Neither Naru nor Ruby were surprised to hear Usagi make the decision, since they knew of her infatuation with the caped hero. Umino merely grinned, feeling proud of himself for mentioning something of interest to his classmates as opposed to being scoffed at for talking about boring stuff.

Naru looked sheepish and slapped her forehead, embarrassed for taking so long to properly introduce Umino and the cherry haired youma. “Ooops! I can’t believe I almost forgot. Ruby, as you heard Usagi-chan and me mention, this is Umino, a boy in my class. He’s the biggest nerd and among the most intelligent. He can be very sweet when he’s not being embarrassing, stalkerish or a blabbermouth.” She turned to the young teen boy, who looked a bit pokerfaced. “Umino-kun, this is Ruby, a really good new friend of mine. She’s on the way to becoming like a big sister to me, just like Rui one-chan is.” From the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Ruby blush. She shot Umino a look that read, ‘Now don’t you say anything too stupid or else.’

Ruby gave Umino a slight nod, and the young teen boy did likewise, mumbling a “Nice to meet you.” With Naru’s warning glance, he couldn’t think of much else to say. ‘The lady sure is pretty, but I don’t want her to get the wrong idea and think I’m flirting or anything. She doesn’t seem like the type to fall for that.’

Naru appeared somewhat satisfied, then she let out a sigh of relief. She turned to face Ruby, sensing the awkwardness between her and Umino. “Ruby? Where to next?”

Ruby rested a slender finger on her chin. “Well, I must speak to Usagi-san about something important…” She cut herself off mid-sentence, gazing around the gallery. ‘Still the same amount of people, but if it really is as Naru-san said, that this Umino person can’t be trusted to keep quiet, well then, some privacy is in order. It is better to be safe than sorry.’ Quickly wracking her brain for an idea, she turned to Naru again. “You remain here and look around at whichever painting you choose, or if there is one in particular you would like to purchase, I will let you take care of that. Usagi-san and I will be right back.”

Naru nodded. “All right.” She directed her attention back to the painting of her and Nephrite, having made up her mind to buy it. ‘Hmm, let me see here.’ She proceeded to remove the portrait from the wall.

Ruby allowed a small smile to escape her lips. ‘I thought she would want that painting. While I do not entirely know what to make of that boy, I don’t get the feeling he will allow harm to come to her. The forces of heaven forbid he tries to seduce her, but I’m certain Naru-san won’t stand for it.’ Leaving the younger red head to do her shopping, she wandered over to Usagi, putting a hand on her shoulder, which prompted the blonde to face her. “There’s something important I must speak to you about. Come with me.”

“O-Okay.” Mystified, Usagi allowed the cherry-haired young woman to lead her away from the paintings, down the halls of the gallery. Although not expecting Ruby to suddenly want to speak with her in private, she had an uneasy feeling in her chest about the possible reason the youma could have for doing so. ‘She must want to warn me about another Dark Kingdom attack…that has to be it. In that case, her reasons for not telling me in front of Naru-chan and Umino are obvious.’ Her cheerful mood was beginning to become sour. It took everything in her not to clench her fists in anger. ‘I should have known…I will make that Zoisite pay for ruining my Saturday.’

Ruby stopped when she and Usagi came to the ladies’ room. She pushed the door open, jolting the blonde out of her angry thoughts in the process. Peeking inside, she looked relieved to see the restroom was empty. She then entered and gestured for Usagi to follow, which the blonde did without question.

“So, what is it you wanted to tell me?” inquired Usagi as she leaned against the wall next to the dryer. “Is it something about a new target?” She sounded hesitant, as if she knew the answer would be yes, but wasn’t prepared to hear it.

Ruby smiled briefly at how perceptive the blonde was before looking grim. “Yes. Yumemi Yumeno is a nijizuishou carrier.”

Horror made its way onto Usagi’s innocent, child-like features. “What?!” Her voice was just above a whisper.

“Yes. Unfortunate, I know. That’s why you must ensure Sailor Moon and her fellow senshi keep an eye on her. Seeing as how you’re here, I imagine you would want to help as well.”

Usagi’s horrified expression turned into determination. “Definitely! You can count on all of us.” Inwardly she was screaming for joy as she wanted to meet the person behind the paintings and the task of guarding her just made it that much easier. It was all she could do not to start jumping up and down as well. ‘Hopefully she is right here and not too far away. That way I can pick her out, once I know what she looks like.’ She barely suppressed a grin.

Ruby gave a hint of a smile. “I know I can. Here is a picture of her, to help you along.” She took out her mobile phone and pulled up the picture she had snapped of the young woman, holding it in front of the blonde to see.

Usagi eyed the snapshot, absorbing all the details of the girl’s appearance. ‘She’s pretty enough. Would hope she’s as beautiful inside.’ She glanced up at Ruby with a grateful smile. “Thank you, this helps a lot.”

Ruby placed her phone back inside her pants pocket. “Good. It was my pleasure. We should get a move on, now, especially if you want to find Yumemi-san before Zoisite does. Also, I shouldn’t leave

Naru-san alone for too long.”

Usagi nodded. “Right. Let’s go.” She and Ruby exited the bathroom, making their way back to the display area together.

Just as the teens arrived, they saw Naru talking to the renowned artist, and watched as she handed the red head a large plastic bag containing a wrapped painting. They faintly heard her thanking Yumemi, to which the brunette responded, “My pleasure. I’m honored you have taken an interest in my work and I am especially glad you like the piece I dedicated to you and Sanjouin-san.” She left to go make other rounds.

Usagi had a starry-eyed look on her face as she watched the artist walk away. She felt her heart bursting with joy and had to bite her lip to keep from squealing like a crazed fan. A part of her wanted to run after Yumemi, but instead opted to show restraint. ‘Ruby’s reserved nature must be rubbing off on me a little…still can’t believe Yumemi-san was standing just a few feet away.’ She wandered over to her best friend. “Hey Naru-chan! Ruby and I are back. I see you got the painting.”

Naru faced the blonde, looking cheerful. “Hey! Yup, I got it! As I expected, it was a little pricey, but there’s a special discount for the next few days. Not to mention I’ve been saving my allowance, so it worked out great!”

“Wow, that’s awesome!” Usagi grinned, genuinely excited for her friend, although she knew purchasing the painting she coveted would have to wait. ‘That’s right, Usagi. This isn’t about you, but about Naru being able to present a gift to the love of her life,’ a voice in her head told her.

Ruby smiled to herself, happy that Naru had gotten sorted out. She glanced around the museum, frowning slightly upon noticing Umino was nowhere in sight. ‘Hmm…I wonder where that eccentric young lad went off to. Shouldn’t be my business, though.’ She mentally kicked herself for her distractions in recent weeks before coming close enough to be in both girls’ view.

Usagi glanced at her watch, and then at both red heads. “Well, guys, I think I’m gonna head out and see if I can catch up with Yumemi-san. It was great hanging out with you. “

Naru nodded. “Okay. I enjoyed hanging out with you, too. See you later.”

“Be careful,” added Ruby.

“I will. Later.” After giving a farewell wave, Usagi left.

Naru watched her best friend for a bit before turning to Ruby. “What do you suggest we do now? Any ideas?”

The cherry-haired youma got an uneasy feeling in her stomach, as if she sensed things would turn ugly for her and Naru if they remained at the museum for too much longer. ‘I’ve been doing well to protect myself and Naru-san since the desertion and I’m not going to screw that up. Not now, not ever.’ Masking her grim feelings, she responded, “Actually, I think we had better get going, too.”

“Okay. Anywhere in particular?” Naru tried her hardest not to show how eager she was to give Nephrite his gift. ‘No, scratch that…you just want to see him, period.’

Ruby scrunched up her brow in thought. “Well, I imagine you would want to visit with Master Nephrite, especially since you haven’t seen him in a little while.” Although merely a suggestion, the mild excitement was evident in her voice.

Naru’s eyes lit up and a smile escaped her lips. It was if the cherry-haired youma had read her mind. “Oh yes! I would love to.” ‘Of course, this will just be my second time going to his house…the first being the day after that night he saved me, when he sprained his ankle…thank goodness that’s all in the past.’

Ruby smiled wryly, chuckling a little. “I thought you might want to.” Her smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. “Wrap your arm around my shoulder as tight as you can and don’t let go.”

“All right.” The red head wrapped her free arm around Ruby’s shoulders in a tight embrace as instructed. She imagined it looked rather odd, considering the youma was a head taller, but she didn’t care. “Okay. I’m ready.”

Ruby draped an arm around the younger teen’s shoulder as well, and transported them both to Nephrite’s mansion.

Nephrite was on the couch in the den, watching a televised symphony performance with the twin youma. It had done well to destress him after a lengthy week, and the twins looked peaceful as they enjoyed the beautiful music, just content to be in their master’s company.

Just as the concert was about to end, there were footsteps approaching the den, followed by the sound of muffled voices, which got the attention of the twins and Nephrite as they looked away from the TV screen. “Ruby, is that you?” called the reformed general.

“Yes, Master Nephrite,” came the reply. “Naru-san is here to see you.”

‘Hmm?’ Nephrite felt a smile forming on his lips. He decreased the volume until it was nearly mute. “Send her in.”

“Yes sir.” Lowering her voice a bit, Ruby told Naru, “Go on in. I’m heading into the kitchen to attempt to make this daifuku I’ve heard about.”

“Okay. Thank you again,” Naru whispered back. ‘Mmm, daifuku. I wonder how Nephrite-sama will like it. He seems pretty open, after all.’ She entered the den to see Nephrite and the twin youma seated on sofas. A shy smile crept on her lips, especially at the star shitennou. “Hi everybody,” she greeted.

“Salutations, Naru-san,” the twins responded.

“Hello. It is wonderful to see you again,” said Nephrite.

“I’ve been eager to.” The red head strode over to Nephrite, who stood up with open arms. She rested the plastic bag she had been holding down on the ground next to the TV before running into her male companion’s arms, wrapping hers around him and giving him a squeeze. Unable to resist this time, she stroked his hair. He chuckled and returned the gesture, before lifting her chin to peck her on the lips. Naru felt her skin tingling and her cheeks becoming hot at this. ‘Oh, this is another dream come true.’

Miki and Yukari felt their once frozen hearts turning into mush as they watched the display of affection—though not to the extent where either of them would burst into tears. Miki looked thoughtful. ��I imagine Naru-san must mean more to the master than ever before. May their happiness continue.’

Nephrite pulled away and sat back down on the sofa, patting the spot next to him. Wasting no time, Naru retrieved the gift and accepted the invitation, giving him another shy smile. “I-I bought you a present,” she told the ex-villain.

Nephrite quirked an eyebrow, genuinely curious. “Oh really? What is it?”

Naru pulled the wrapped painting from the plastic bag, handing it to the star shitennou. “It’s a painting I bought from the art gallery,” she explained. “It’s one I had a feeling you would appreciate very much. I know I did.”

“Well, I am curious to see this painting.” Nephrite carefully removed the wrapping from the painting and examined the portrait. There was a long silence as he extensively absorbed each detail.

Naru brought up a hand to run through her hair, feeling slightly anxious about what Nephrite’s silence meant. ‘I know I was speechless myself because it was so stunningly beautiful, but what if I was wrong about what he would think?’ The thought of spending money on a gift he disliked was too much for her to bear.

Her fears were alleviated when the chestnut-haired young man glanced back up, smiling. “It most certainly is a masterpiece. I can see how much heart and soul Yumemi-san had poured into this. Thank you, Naru-chan.”

Naru briefly looked relieved before giving a delighted smile. “You’re more than welcome. I’m so happy you like it.”

“Indeed I do. It is an accurate portrayal of our relationship.”

“I think so, too, which is one of the main reasons I was drawn to it.” Naru was about to say more when Miki and Yukari, bursting with curiosity (more so Yukari) whilst listening to the exchange, rose up from their seats and walked up to the couple. “May we see, Master Nephrite?” asked Miki.

“Certainly.” Nephrite handed his painting to the brunette youma.

“Thank you.” Miki took the portrait and eyed it, holding it in front of her twin so she could also see. Her eyes widened in amazement. It was all she could do not to get a dreamy look on her face as well. “Wow, this is gorgeous. Don’t you think so, sister?”

“Yes I do, and this is coming from someone who has always been rather particular about creative arts,” said Miki. She thought she saw Nephrite smiling wryly at her comment. ‘Then again, he’s kind of like me.’

Yukari nodded, as she knew her twin wasn’t entirely keen on art in general. “I know that’s right, and so I’m glad it has met your approval.” She looked away from the painting, directing her attention to the star shitennou. “I know the perfect place to hang this, that is if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. In fact, it’s a superb idea.” Nephrite couldn’t help smiling at the way his henchwoman gushed over the painting.

Yukari grinned. “Great.”

“And we’ll take this trash for you, too,” added Miki, retrieving the gift’s wrapping and the plastic bag. Truth be told, she also saw it as the perfect opportunity to give the couple some time alone. ‘They can most certainly use it.’

Nephrite gave a reserved smile. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” Miki and Yukari exited the den to carry out their respective tasks and also to see what Ruby was doing.

Nephrite retrieved the remote and shut off the television, having no desire to view the ongoing program. He then took ahold of Naru’s hand, caressing the back of it with his thumb.

A swarm of butterflies appeared and fluttered around in the teen girl’s stomach. She squeezed Nephrite’s hand in turn. “I was going to tell you it isn’t the painting that signifies we belong together. I’ve felt it in my heart from the moment we met.”

“I very much believe that, too, although I didn’t care to admit it in the beginning. Nor did I understand. However, the stars knew, and so they led me to you.” Coming to grips with the realization was a release of the inner turmoil for Nephrite. He knew he would be branded as a traitor because of his love for Naru, but quite frankly he didn’t care. ‘After all, I never pledged loyalty to Beryl from the outset, and she will soon come to see the remaining minions are not as loyal as they appear to be. In spite of having to keep a low profile for now, I do not regret choosing this path.’

“And you’re the only one for me, Nephrite-sama.” Naru got misty-eyed as she thought of how much the reformed general had opened up to her since that fateful night. ‘Even when he confessed to everything, he was direct and blunt about it. I honestly believe those have always been his strengths, but he just didn’t know it.’ She blushed when she felt him putting an arm around her. Heaving a contented sigh, she rested her head on his shoulder.

Zoisite stood atop the roof of Yumemi’s apartment, keeping watch so he could ambush her. He wore a sinister grin at his imminent victory. “Yumemi Yumeno, famous artist. Your time under that fraudulent identity is about to end as you will be reawakened as Binah, the shadow youma.” He unleashed a diabolical cackle. ‘And if that pesky Tuxedo Kamen or those pathetic senshi interfere, I’ll have an unpleasant surprise waiting for them.’

After spending a tension-filled several hours on the couch at Yumemi’s home with Mamoru as a model for the young woman’s painting, Usagi stood up, grabbed her backpack and stretched her legs. Mamoru had left already, which was fine with her. She headed for the door, looking surprised to see Yumemi following her. “Yumemi-san, what are you…?”

“It’s getting kind of late for you to walk home alone, not to mention muggers and perverts are also out at this hour,” replied Yumemi.

Usagi held back a shudder at the mention of the dangerous people, but she waved her hands in a sheepish refusal gesture. “Awww, you don’t have to do that. I live ten minutes away as far as walking distance goes, and I would hate to inconvenience you.” She mentally winced at the pang of guilt she felt for not telling the real reason. ‘Come on, it’s true enough. Besides, you couldn’t possibly tell her exactly why without coming close to revealing your identity.’

Yumemi gave the blonde a “don’t be silly” look. “Oh, it’s no inconvenience to me at all. I want to do it as payback for you agreeing to be my model. It was really very kind of you. Please give me a chance to return the kindness you demonstrated to me.” She stopped, listening to herself. She wanted to die of embarrassment for sounding like she was begging. ‘She must consider me so annoying and pushy right now, but I can’t help it.’

Usagi knew there was no point in flatly refusing with the brunette’s earnest tone and strong argument, as well as the pleading eyes. ’Oh, why am I such a softy during times like this? I know! Let me see if a compromise will work!’ Putting her hands up in defeat, she conceded, “Okay. You can walk with me for part of the way.”

Yumemi put on a nonchalant expression to hide her mild disappointment, as the response was not what she had been hoping for. ‘It’s better than her saying no way, I suppose.’ She nodded to show her approval. “Fair enough.”

Usagi grinned widely, partially out of relief that she hadn’t offended the young woman. “Good. Let’s go.” She opened the door and let Yumemi exit first, then came out after her, shutting the door. She and Yumemi began walking together.

There was an uncomfortable silence between the two girls before Yumemi finally spoke up, “Thank you again for agreeing to be my model. You and that gentleman helped my inspiration tremendously.”

“Don’t sweat it. You’re one of the best artists, if not the best,” answered Usagi with a cheerful grin. “I need to be thanking you for those delicious cookies you made.”

Yumemi’s cheeks flushed slightly. “I’m glad you liked them.”

Usagi eyed the brunette a bit strangely. “Are you kidding?! I loved them! Oh, and I hope you get out of your slump. “

Yumemi managed a small smile. “Thank you, that means so much to me. I can feel the inspiration, along with my confidence, returning, thanks to support from you and Naru-san.”

It was Usagi’s turn to blush. “I’m glad I can help. You’re such a sweet person.”

“So are you.”

The two girls continued their journey in silence, each one appearing as if they were lost in their own thoughts as they mused over the day’s events. Usagi spotted the arcade in the distance. “Okay,

Yumemi-san, I can make it home on my own from here. Thank you for walking with me this far.”

Yumemi nodded. “Of course, It was my pleasure. Good night, and be careful.”

“You too. I hope we see each other again some time.”

Yumemi’s eyes brightened. “I would like that very much. Well, you know where to find me when time permits either of us.”

“Yes, I remember. Until then, I’ll see you later.” Usagi ran off, pretty sure dinner was nearly over. ‘Oh well, I’m sure there is some left over, that’s if Shingo hasn’t eaten it all.’ She gritted her teeth at the thought.

Yumemi watched Usagi go and waited until the blonde was out of sight before she began to make her own way back home. A small smile formed on her lips as she thought more about Usagi. ‘She is really something…spirited but she truly has a big heart.’

Truth be told, accompanying Usagi had helped to soothe her loneliness she imagined the blonde would have felt, not to mention the uneasiness produced by the possible dangers of walking home alone at dusk. ‘Now I’m the one with chills up my spine, as I’m sure she is. The fact that she’s a bit younger is even more cause for concern, so my persistence was justified.’ She stopped in her tracks and took several breaths to calm herself, then resumed her walk home.

Soon, Yumemi was approaching her apartment, and as she was about to walk up the doorsteps to go inside, she saw a young man with long blonde hair swept from his face in a ponytail and forest green eyes standing on top of her roof. He wore a smug grin on his face that sent chills down her spine, which only worsened when the young man fixed his gaze upon her.

The brunette’s legs became paralyzed before she could go any further. She barely kept her horrified gasp muffled and her heart nearly stopped with fear. ‘Oh no…why did this have to happen now?’ She managed to squeak out, “Who are you?”

Zoisite gave a soft evil chuckle. “Let’s just say I am somewhat of a friend. A friend who has searched for you for a very long time.” He chuckled again.

Yumemi mustered enough courage to study this strange young man. ‘He is really pretty, but something about his laugh and the grin he wore on his face give me the creeps. Also, his eyes, although beautiful, look so cold.’ She gave Zoisite a blank stare. “I don’t understand. I don’t recall seeing you before in my life. What is it you want from me?”

Zoisite sneered at the brunette. “Nothing much, but it will free your mind in the process.” He levitated off the roof, onto the ground. ‘Time for the crystal to go to work!’ He conjured his kurozuishou and tossed it out. “Zoi!” He shot a beam from the ebony colored gem, striking Yumemi in the chest and causing her to cry out in agony. The sakura king grinned maliciously as he increased the power level, which effortlessly extracted the emerald colored nijizuishou. He caught the gem in his hands. “Success!”

Meanwhile, Usagi was halfway home when she got a gut feeling she should stop and remain nearby in case something happened to the artist. As she made the decision to follow her instincts, she felt a sharp pain gripping her chest and discomfort in her stomach worse than mere hunger pains or nausea. She had to bite her lip to keep from screaming, as she didn’t want to draw any attention to herself while alone. ‘Oh no. I think the Dark Kingdom has already gotten to Yumemi. Now I really feel guilty about letting her walk with me.’

At that moment, Luna sprinted up to the blonde, holding the moon wand in her mouth and dropping it at Usagi’s feet. The alarm on it started going off, which confirmed the blonde’s suspicions Yumemi was being targeted. Usagi, looking a bit surprised, picked it up, ignoring her erratic heartbeat. “Luna! Where did you get this?”

“You dropped it at the park, and I had been searching for you all day in order to return it to you,” responded the feline guardian, sounding rather reproachful. “What timing to have finally tracked you down, too, considering it’s the nijizuishou alert.”

Usagi winced as if she had been stabbed in her heart by Luna’s criticism and her sarcastic tone. ‘She sure is grumpy, and sounds like Rei. I wonder what’s got her so upset. Is she mad that I dropped the wand or just because I was out practically all day?’ She gaped at the black cat. “Oh, I had a bad feeling the Dark Kingdom was after Yumemi and Ruby had warned me about it. But I had no idea the wand was missing.”

“You would have if you would just pay attention to all that’s going on,” said Luna a-matter-of factually. “If you don’t want the wand, you should just say so. There is someone who will gladly take it off your hands.”

Usagi peered down at her feet, looking ashamed for a brief moment, then she flinched at the reminder of Rei. ‘I can just hear her right now. She would never let me live it down. I already feel inadequate enough without her lectures.’ She quickly shut down that train of thought. “Of course I want it! I just had so much on my mind, wondering whether time with Naru and Ruby would help me take my mind off of what you keep telling me about Tuxedo Kamen!” She shot her guardian a dirty look.

Luna appeared unfazed by the blonde’s outburst. She simply responded, “Well, I trust you dealt with all your emotions successfully. They can be a major distraction during a battle, you know.”

“Perhaps I have. Even so, if you’re trying to make me change my mind about Tuxedo Kamen, it’s not going to work. I’ll only believe what you said when I see it!” Usagi ran away before Luna could answer, as fast as her legs would carry her.

Luna hung her head, releasing a deep sigh. “I was simply looking out for her…perhaps I was too meddlesome.”

By the time Usagi had arrived at Yumemi’s apartment, she was out of breath. Squatting and placing her hands on her knees, she panted several times before grumbling, “Stupid Luna…she doesn’t understand anything. That’s the last time I’ll go to her for relationship advice…”

The still-sounding alarm broke the blonde out of her indignant thoughts. She rose to her full height and peeked through the apartment window to see the artist’s transformation complete. It consisted of a humanoid shaped angelic being with long, straight navy-blue hair, black eyes, rosy pink lips and pristine sleek snow-white wings. She was dressed in a long pale pink robe-like dress with gold ornaments on both shoulders, pink gloves, and her forehead was adorned by a halo.

Usagi blew at her bangs, making a “Phew” sound. ‘Well…at least there’s a normal looking youma for once, but that doesn’t matter. I had better save poor Yumemi…no time to wait for the others.’ She took out her brooch and screamed, “Moon Prism Power, Make Up!” Ready for action, she headed off to face the shadow youma.

Zoisite and Binah glided and pranced around the construction yard as if there was no tomorrow. They had huge grins on their faces, feeling giddy with excitement. It kept up until they both felt their endurance levels diminishing ever so slightly.

Zoisite unleashed a hearty evil chuckle. “This was a piece of cake. All that’s left is the destruction of those meddlesome senshi and Tuxedo Kamen.”

“Don’t count on it, Zoisite!” blared a familiar female’s voice.

The sakura shitennou cursed under his breath and glanced up sharply, looking like smoke would rise from his ears. “Sailor Moon! Show yourself, if you dare!”

“Heeeeya!” The moon senshi leapt down to meet the two villains, landing with precision. “Exploiting the passion of a talented artist for your own selfish purposes is despicable! I will never forgive you for that! Do you hear me?” She pointed a finger at Zoisite. “I’m the pretty sailor senshi of love and justice, Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I will punish you!”

Zoisite looked unimpressed before faking a lengthy yawn, which made Binah giggle. “Don’t you ever get tired of making the same old speech? It’s so boring.” He turned to the angel-like creature, smiling a bit at her amusement. His smile faded as he commanded in a no-nonsense tone, “Dispose of that wimpy little girl.”

“Consider it done, Master Zoisite.” Binah pulled a feather from her wings. Moon backed away in fear and whimpered, “Please, I’m ticklish”, then her fear turned into bemusement as she watched the youma toss the feather into the air. The feather conjured a small rock, causing the moon senshi’s expression to return to horror as it fell from the air, about to land on her. She dodged it just in time, giving a little yelp as it slightly nicked her in the ankle.

Undeterred, the monster retrieved another feather from her right wing and tossed it in the air to create a second boulder, but Moon dodged that one as well, albeit just barely. Binah snarled with annoyance before using a third feather to conjure a boulder, which was much larger than the previous two. “This will finish her off.”

Sailor Moon’s eyes grew wide as saucers and she let out a horrified cry as she prepared to be crushed to death.

Fortunately for the moon senshi, a pair of strong arms grabbed her out of harm’s way just in time. She glanced up, her face resembling a Christmas tree when she saw it was none other than Tuxedo Kamen. She gave him a big grateful smile. “Thank you Tuxedo Kamen-sama. If it weren’t for you, I would be as flat as a cockroach.” She laid her head against his chest.

The caped hero’s face turned bright red and he felt his heart racing just a little. “Think nothing of it. No harm will ever come to you as long as I’m around.” He gently set the blonde senshi down.

“Awww my hero,” sighed Sailor Moon with starry eyes.

Zoisite grimaced, his face turning green and then glared at his enemies. “Binah, squash those pathetic fools like bugs.” He disappeared in a flurry of cherry blossoms.

“Right away, my master.” Binah pulled several more feathers from her wings, this time aiming to conjure enough boulders to destroy Moon and Tuxedo Kamen in one swift swoop.

Sailor Moon hunched over slightly and clasped her hands together, pleading, “Yumemi, please snap out of it. I know your kind and gentle spirit is still alive, even within that monstrous exterior.” She gazed at the angel-like being with earnest eyes.

Binah’s eyes glazed over and she allowed the feathers to float to the ground, instead conjuring several ropes which turned into serpents. She thrusted them forward, preparing to bind the duo and squeeze the life out of them.

Then, all of a sudden, a voice rang out, “Fire Soul!”, followed by a fireball swirling toward the snakes, incapacitating and turning them into charred cinders.

Sailor Moon looked relieved and gave a wide smile upon seeing that Mars, Mercury and Jupiter had arrived. ‘Luna must have told them…again, she continues to look out for me, even when I feel like shutting her out.’ Her heart melted at the thought of that. She didn’t even object when Tuxedo Kamen took this as his cue to go and track down Zoisite.

Binah scowled at the interruption from the three senshi, then her scowl turned into an evil smirk as she pulled more feathers from her left wing, tossing them into the air to create a cluster of boulders. The girls ran out of the way.

Sailor Mercury gave Binah a hard look. “Enough of your attempted brutality! Shabon Spray!” The bubbles floated towards the angel-like being, creating a fog and causing her to shiver. Her teeth chattering, she covered her arms with her wings to shield herself from the cold.

“Good work, Sailor Mercury!” Sailor Moon’s expression then grew serious, with a touch of fear and concern. “Please just make sure you guys don’t be too rough on her. Remember, Yumemi-san is still in there, and she’s a really kind person. I’m gonna go help Tuxedo Kamen fight Zoisite now. I leave this monster in your hands.” She left before any of the other senshi could question her.

Luckily for Tuxedo Kamen, he was able to track Zoisite down. The two young men engaged in a scuffle, which was an even match thus far as they leapt at one another, but had yet to actually land a blow.

Tuxedo Kamen gave the sakura shitennou a fierce look. “Hand over the nijizuishou!” he demanded.

Zoisite sneered at the masked man. “I don’t think so. You’ll have to take it from me by force, and you’re not capable of doing that.” He and Tuxedo Kamen jumped at each other once again.

“You should be careful what you ask for. You might just get it,” Tuxedo Kamen told Zoisite wisely.

“And just what do you mean by that?”

A sly smile threatened to escape the caped hero’s lips. “You’re about to find out,” he responded. He smiled widely upon seeing Zoisite was distracted. He tossed several roses around the younger man’s feet.

Zoisite began guffawing loudly. He had been expecting more, although he wasn’t sure why. “That’s the best you can do? I should have known you were only bluffing.” However, when he geared up for a counterattack, he found he could not move his feet. His amusement faded and was replaced by a horrified look. He dropped the nijizuishou in his shock. “What’s this? I’m trapped! “

Tuxedo Kamen gave a gleeful laugh, especially when he saw the nijizuishou was out of Zoisite’s grasp. “That’s right. I’m afraid the worst is yet to come.” He bent over and quickly snatched up the nijizuishou, putting it in his pocket.

Before Zoisite could question his arch-enemy or react to losing the nijizuishou, a hail of rose petals rained down, slicing through his jacket sleeves, shoulders, back and pants legs, causing him to give a yelp of pain. He disappeared before the petals could touch his face, reappearing once the mini-storm was over. Although his face had been spared, there were wounds on his arms, thighs, knees, calves, shoulders and back, at which he clenched his fists, shaking them in rage. “You will pay for this! Zoi!” He shot razor sharp cherry blossoms at the caped hero.

Releasing several grunts, the ebony-haired young man shielded himself with his cape as best as he could, but was nicked on the shoulder by several blossoms. Whilst he was recovering from the onslaught, Zoisite tossed an ice crystal at him. “Die!” spat the tawny-haired shitennou.

Sailor Moon arrived just in time to see the ice crystal being aimed at her beloved Tuxedo Kamen. ‘No!’ Springing into action, she took off her tiara and tossed it at the cherry blossoms, shouting, “Moon Tiara Action!” The tiara attack hit the back of the young man’s cape, eliminating the petals and crystal shard. He turned to face his rescuer. “Sailor Moon…”

“Are you all right?” asked the moon senshi in a worried tone.

Tuxedo Kamen gave the blonde teen girl a warm, grateful smile. “Yes I am, thanks to you.”

“I’m glad.” Moon eyed Zoisite, giggling a little at the sakura king’s battered state. “Well, you seemed to have done a number on Zoisite. Way to go! Up high!” She placed a hand up in the air. Tuxedo Kamen looked a bit bewildered at first, but then obliged by giving the superheroine a high-five. Her heart raced as he did that.

“Thank you, Sailor Moon. I appreciate your support,” said the masked hero.

Zoisite scowled at the pair before him and clenched his fists again, this time to calm the rage within him. It was infuriating enough losing yet another nijizuishou, but to be wounded to such a degree intensified his hatred for Tuxedo Kamen. ‘Not to mention Queen Beryl is gonna have my head for sure if I dare to appear before her empty handed again. I’m going to bring much pain and suffering to these two, but now is not the best time.’

The sakura shitennou cleared his throat, getting the attention of Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. “Hear me now, you audacious little worms. You may have won yet again, but you won’t be so lucky next time, for I will retrieve the remaining nijizuishou, and the ones you stole from me, then I’ll send you, along with those other pathetic humans, to the pits of hell!” After unleashing a cruel laugh, he teleported away.

‘Whoa. Talk about creepy.’ Sailor Moon stared at the spot Zoisite had been standing and then turned back to Tuxedo Kamen. She pulled the star shaped locket from inside her bosom, and it started playing a heartwarming, morose melody. “Here, Tuxedo Kamen, take this locket back. I’ve been keeping it safe ever since the day you dropped it in a fight.” She held it out for the young man to accept.

‘Hmm?’ Tuxedo Kamen furrowed his brow and looked pensive, as the music brought back memories, although he wasn’t sure why. ‘So beautiful.’ Shaking his head lightly, he pushed the blonde’s hand back, clasping her fingers over the locket. “It’s all right. I feel inclined to give it to you as a gift.”

Moon’s eyes brightened as if she had received an early birthday gift. “Oh really? Thank you!” She looked thoughtful as she thought of a way to return the favor. ‘Oh, I know. Luna won’t like this, but at least it’ll show her I stand my ground.’ She retrieved the yellow nijizuishou which she also had in her “secret” hiding place and held it out for the caped hero to take. “I’m sure you’ll want this, though. While I may not know why you’re after the nijizuishou, I do feel like I can trust you with it tons more than I can trust the Dark Kingdom. Plus, you’d do better at keeping it safe than I would.”

Tuxedo Kamen looked taken aback at first, but accepted the gem from the moon senshi. He kept a nonchalant expression on his face to mask the relief and happiness he felt. “Thank you, Sailor Moon. You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

Unsure of what the caped hero meant, Sailor Moon got a perplexed expression on her features. Still, his gratitude made her feel warm inside. “Don’t mention it, I suppose. “ She let out an awkward giggle.

“I will reveal my motives to you in time. Until then, so long. Go and help your friends now.” With a brief salute, Tuxedo Kamen took his leave.

“Awww, my masked man,” the moon senshi mumbled with hearts appearing in her eyes as she stared after the ebony-haired young man. His parting words echoed inside her brain, bringing her back to reality. “Oh! That’s right! My friends! “ She slapped her forehead, annoyed with herself for nearly forgetting. ‘Hopefully they would have listened to me.’ Placing the star locket back in her bosom, she ran back to the scene of the battle.

Binah had just regained her senses from Sailor Mercury’s attack and was preparing to conjure her ropes again. “You miserable sailor senshi are finished!”

Sailor Jupiter put on her hardened warrior look. “That’s where you’re wrong! Supreme Thunder!” The enormous surge of thunder travelled towards the angel-like youma, destroying her right wing. She slumped over, letting out an ear-piercing screech of pain, which Sailor Moon arrived in time to witness. ’Whew. She’s still alive, but only by a thread.’

“Great work, Sailor Jupiter! That’s enough, though. I can take it from here.” Sailor Moon whipped out her moon wand and tossed it, then caught it. “Moon Healing Escalation!” As she waved the wand around in a circular fashion, healing magic poured down onto Binah, making her yell out, “Refresh!” Yumemi reappeared, collapsing face down.

(Dark Kingdom castle)

Kunzite was in the living quarters he shared with Zoisite, tending to his pupil’s wounds. Zoisite clenched his teeth and hissed with pain as the veteran shitennou dabbed at each one with a damp cloth before placing his hand on the areas to heal them. It was all Zoisite could do not to yelp at how much it hurt.

Kunzite gave Zoisite a sympathetic look upon noticing his discomfort. He hated to cause the young man even more pain, but knew it was part of the process. “I know it stings, but try to bear it a little longer,” he said in a paternal tone.

“Yes, Kunzite-sama.” The sakura shitennou remained still as the older man continued to clean the wounds and heal them. ‘They did hurt, but the mere sound of his voice is nearly enough to make everything better. Of course next time I see that wretched Tuxedo Kamen, oh, is he gonna pay!’ The mere image in his head of Sailor Moon laughing at his injuries made his nerves twitch. ‘Not to mention my perfect uniform is ruined!’

Kunzite finally finished cleaning and healing Zoisite’s cuts, then disposed of the blood-stained cloth. Sensing a slight change in his pupil’s demeanor, he placed his hands on the younger man’s shoulders. “Now, now, my dear Zoisite, I understand your fury. You will have an opportunity to retrieve the stolen nijizuishou and crush our enemies, but do not allow your emotions to cloud your judgment. That is how you lose.”

Zoisite released a defeated sigh, knowing his mentor was correct but abhorred the agony and being outsmarted by his enemies all the same. “You’re right. Thank you for tending to my injuries and always being the voice of reason.” He laid his head on Kunzite’s chest.

Kunzite held the tawny-haired shitennou close. “Not at all. I only want the best for you.”

“I always knew that.”

A/N: Yes, you read right! Zoisite is under the age of 18. His estimated age is given in the Materials Collection Artbook as 16-17…he is 17 here, though, same age as Koan/Catzi. Anyway, I hope you guys are still enjoying this. Faithful reviewers and silent readers alike, let me know if you like where this story is going so far at your earliest convenience. It adds fuel to my creative juices. Thank you!

#nephritenaru nephlitemolly sailormoon zoisitekunzite happierendings romance fluff

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ladyemeraude · 6 years ago

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The Gift of Love: Chapter 7 (Sailor Moon Fanfiction)

Ruby made herself invisible before materializing in Beryl’s throne room, giving a Cheshire cat grin at how the lack of interference made her job to help the senshi easy. Her grin faltered a bit when the possibility hit her that maybe Beryl was aware of her methods to aid the superheroines of justice, but just chose to remain silent about it. ‘Wait a minute, what I’m thinking? She’s too busy ranting and raving about world domination to even notice things like that, not to mention she’s still an idiot. I just have to continue to be discreet and all will be well.’ With that bit of self reassurance, a smile formed on her lips, especially when she considered how effective she was with aiding the senshi in such a manner. ‘I want to keep it that way, too, so if Beryl doesn’t know, then it’s just as well.’

The cherry-haired youma tilted her head upon noticing the look of displeasure etched on Beryl’s features, which she had the feeling was caused by Zoisite’s recent failure. ‘The worthless little snake in the grass is in for it now…and he’s demented if he thought I was going to miss this for the world. I almost wish I had some popcorn. This is like a movie, after all.’ She had to bite her lip to keep a straight face.

Beryl waved her hands around her crystal ball, bouncing it. “Zoisite! Kunzite! Come here at once!!” she barked.

The two young men immediately appeared before the witch queen, bowing respectfully. “Yes, your majesty?” responded Zoisite. He barely managed to hold back a shudder at the heavy frown on Beryl’s face. His palms became moist and a sweatdrop formed on his forehead, which he quickly wiped off.

Queen Beryl fixated her gaze on the two shitennou as she cleared her throat. “We need all seven nijizuishou in order to obtain the ginzuishou. Tuxedo Kamen should not be in possession of the second one, or any for that matter. Your failure displeases me greatly.”

Zoisite wanted to disappear right then and there. It was all he could do not to start squirming as well, but Kunzite’s presence alleviated his uneasiness. He bit back a gulp. “Yes, I do humbly apologize for that, Queen Beryl-sama. I can assure you it will not happen again. In fact, there are plans set in motion to retrieve it from him.”

“Yes, we will do whatever it takes to seize back the nijizuishou stolen from us, even if it means disposing of Tuxedo Kamen forever,” chimed in Kunzite. He clenched a fist and laid it on his chest, giving a slight bow.

Beryl’s expression softened a smidge, but it still looked stern. It matched the tone of her voice as she conceded, “Very well. I will hold you both to that. However, I would implore you to remember there are also five more nijizuishou to capture besides the stolen one. I want them all, understand? I will accept no more failure from you!” Her voice raised a little with the final statement, causing everyone in the throne room to nearly jump a mile.

“Understood, your highness,” said Zoisite and Kunzite in unison. After giving one last respectful bow, the two young men disappeared to make more plans.

Despite cringing at the sound of the witch queen’s raised voice, Ruby got a smile on her face witnessing the scathing rebuke Zoisite received. ‘I knew he could only keep it up for so long. It’ll be interesting to see how he pulls himself out of this. I do wish he remained long enough for me to see the next target, but no matter. There are other ways I can find out. Hehehe.’ Still in her invisible form, she teleported away, making herself visible again once she was back in the planetarium where her comrades and Nephrite had been doing a bit of meditating. “Hi girls, Master Nephrite. I’m back.”

Nephrite and the twins turned to face Ruby, Nephrite quirking an eyebrow upon seeing her expression. “Well, you seem amused. What have you discovered this time?”

“Something pertaining to Zoisite, I presume?” asked Miki. ‘She never returns from one of Beryl’s meetings smiling unless there is favorable news that would help us.’

“Let’s hear it,” said Yukari, giving a curious smile.

Ruby’s face flushed a bit, and she let out an embarrassed little laugh at her glee being noticed. “Well, Zoisite’s failure to retrieve the second nijizuishou has angered Beryl quite a bit. In fact, she gave him and Kunzite a stern warning about it. This means our efforts to assist the senshi are bearing fruit thus far.”

Yukari resisted the urge to do a fist pump gesture, instead allowing a grin to escape. There was also a hint of relief on her face, given how worried she had been before. ‘Geez, I was worked up over nothing.’ She snickered. “I can imagine. I almost wish I had gone with you so I could have seen it.”

“I can’t say I didn’t see that coming,” remarked Miki. “I mean, I don’t know whether he relied on counsel from Kunzite in that particular scheme or not, but either way it makes no difference. He is in over his head, and Kunzite is a lousy mentor, not to mention it remains to be seen if either of them know not to underestimate the abilities of our former enemies.” She then looked serious. ‘What a turn of events. In the past, hell would have had to have frozen over for me to commend Tuxedo Kamen, but to him I must say kudos and keep it up.’

“Indeed.” Nephrite couldn’t help giving a slight smirk of delight at his nemesis feeling pressure from Beryl so early in his tenure, especially when he recalled numerous times the younger shitennou had relished in his failures despite most of his plans being partially successful. ‘I can say with confidence I had completed my task. He should have minded his own business, and now he is paying the price. I am interested to see how soon he falls from Beryl’s favor and how he fares against the senshi. I look forward to the day he and Kunzite are silenced forever.’

Ruby chuckled a little at Miki’s bluntness. ‘She sure knows how to keep it real, and I do agree.’ Her smile disappeared and was replaced by a serious look she wore when she had disappointing news to deliver. “Unfortunately, I don’t know the identity of the third target because Zoisite did not use the power of the kurozuishou to reveal it at this meeting.” The regret was evident in her voice. ‘I know I’m not a failure for that, but does it put the senshi at a potential disadvantage?’

Yukari rested a hand on Ruby’s shoulder, giving her an “it’s all right” look, at which she appeared a bit taken aback. “Hey, don’t sweat it. We still have this.” Removing her hand from the younger woman’s shoulder, she conjured her crystal ball.

“Yes, I remember.” All traces of apprehension drained from the cherry-haired youma’s demeanor. ‘What the hell is wrong with me lately?’

Yukari gave a smile of satisfaction before shaking her crystal ball. “I command you to show me Zoisite!” She, Miki, Ruby and Nephrite observed as the spherical item complied by revealing an image of Zoisite in his castle invoking the power of his kurozuishou. The cylinder-shaped gem revealed an image of a young man with a mop of low-cut brunette hair dressed in a white shirt and black pants. He appeared to be the same age as the senshi. The trio of henchwomen felt their stomachs becoming queasy whilst listening to the false pity in Zoisite’s tone as he spoke of how innocent and naïve his victim was.

Ruby exhaled through her nostrils and rubbed her temples. ‘I think I’m about to lose my breakfast. Never mind that, though. At least I now know who the next target is.’ She turned to the twins and Nephrite. “Master Nephrite, I suppose I should get going now to give this information about the new target to Usagi-san, for Sailor Moon.”

“All right. Do be careful, and try to return as soon as possible.” Nephrite didn’t want to risk the cherry-haired henchwoman bumping shoulders with Zoisite. Although his appearance in public with Naru most recently went smoothly, there were only so many chances he was willing to take in such a precarious situation. ‘However, I am confident it will only be for a season.’

“Yes sir.” Ruby gave a quick curtsy and exited the planetarium. ‘Hmm…perhaps I should speak with Usagi-san personally this time seeing as how she and I have finally made peace.’ She peered down at her minidress. ‘I should change into something more presentable, though.’

The entire eighth grade class at Juuban Junior High gathered in the hall to see the results of their national examination and class rankings. Usagi’s jaw dropped and her heart leapt in her stomach when she saw hers. Five hundred eighty-six points out of nine hundred, ranked two hundred and three.

“Oh no!” moaned the blonde. “I know my score is way over the halfway mark but it’s still not good enough for my parents. They’re going to be so mad at me again!” She let out several rapid breaths and proceeded to tremble as if she were on the verge of having a panic attack. ‘Not to mention Ms. Haruna will probably put me in detention forever.’

Makoto eyed her friend’s results, shaking her head slightly before giving her a look between amusement and sympathy. “Well, it is to be expected. That’s a pretty awful score you have there. I know you can do much better than that if you try something more assertive…like studying??”

Usagi had the urge to wrinkle her nose in distaste, but instead giggled a bit. ‘At least she isn’t making me feel like less of a person.’ She quickly scanned the list for the brunette’s results and felt a bit of reassurance seeing they were not much better. “What an awesome idea, Mako-chan! You and me both! It would be fun!” She and Makoto burst into laughter and then averted their eyes to the top of the list to see who got the top grade. There was no doubt in their minds it would be Ami, so when they saw her in second place instead of first, their mouths dropped open.

“It turns out the new transfer student, Ryo Urawa got the perfect score this time,” stated Makoto.

“Who would have thought there was actually someone who could beat Ami-chan?” Usagi pondered in awe. “If people had actually told me that, I would have thought they were lying.”

“I know right?” agreed Makoto. She was about to say more when all of a sudden, a voice blared over the PA system, “Miss Usagi Tsukino, please report to the office immediately!”

Usagi’s shoulders slumped and a massive knot lodged in her stomach. “I knew it. I’m in big trouble.” She let out slight whimpers as she thought of all the possible punishments that would be inflicted on her for the subpar performance on the exam. ‘What if I have to repeat 8th grade? That’s even worse than being grounded!’

Makoto placed a hand on the blonde’s shoulder, relaxing her a little. “You may not be. Just go. Whatever happens, I’m here for you.”

Usagi managed a small smile at her friend, knowing she was fortunate to have crossed paths with her. “Thank you, Mako-chan. I’ll be right back…at least, as soon as possible.” Inhaling a deep breath, she made her way to the office, her heart pounding wildly the entire time. Her right hand shaking a little, she turned the doorknob and opened, bracing herself for whatever lecture or punishment she would have to face as she entered.

***********

Sitting in one of the chairs was not Mrs. Tsukino, but a young woman with long wavy cherry coloured hair held in place by a beret, dressed in black slacks with a matching top bearing her midriff and a bolero jacket draped over it. The wardrobe was complete with a pair of brown boots.

The principal smiled slightly. “I see you have arrived, Ms. Tsukino. Excellent. I do not know all the details of this young woman, but I imagine whatever it is you two intend to discuss must be very important. I’ll give you some space. I trust I can leave you both alone.” He left the office without waiting for a response.

Usagi let out the breath she had been holding, heaving a sigh of relief. Her eyes became wide as saucers and she gasped as she recognized the woman. “Ruby?!” She kept her voice muffled so the principal wouldn’t return and scold her for being overly loud. ‘Although she isn’t wearing that short poufy dress, I can tell by the hair and eyes that it’s her.’

Ruby chuckled a bit. “So you recognized me, huh? I should have known you would. I’m glad, though.”

Usagi blushed and giggled nervously. “Of course I did. Really, though, what are you doing here? Do you have more information for Sailor Moon you want me to give her?” She felt her legs beginning to ache, so she sat next to the youma.

“Aye, there is something urgent I need you to inform her of. The next nijizuishou carrier is a young man by the name of Ryo Urawa.”

A look of horror crossed the blonde’s features, and the gasp she released was identical to her expression. “Oh no..” she murmured, her voice just above a whisper. ‘These guys really aren’t going to quit.’

Ruby gave her former enemy a sympathetic look. “I’m afraid so. That means you will have to advise Sailor Moon to keep a close eye on him.”

“Most definitely.” Usagi’s fear turned into anger, which she had to clench her fists to control. “I’ll keep watch over him, too. It just so happens he’s a new student in my class.” The idea of her potential new friend being attacked made her blood boil. ‘Of course, I’ve wanted to talk to him anyway, and get to know him better.’

Ruby gave a light nod. “I thought that might be the case, so it makes the task so much easier.” She then got up from her seat. “Well, I should get going. The master doesn’t want me gone longer than necessary and I don’t want you to miss too much of your lesson.”

Usagi nodded. “I understand. Thank you for stopping by, though, and telling me.”

“Anytime, Usagi-san. I’m off now. Do take care of yourself and tell Sailor Moon to remain vigilant.”

“I will, thank you. See you later.”

“Later.” Ruby left the office, the sound of the heels on her boots echoing with her footsteps.

Usagi stretched out her legs a bit and got up, too, rubbing her sore buttocks. ‘I guess I had better get a move on, too.’ The last thing she wanted was to get a detention for skipping class. She exited the office and made her way back to class, thinking about her brief conversation with the reformed youma and how at ease she felt around her. ‘I have to admit it felt nice talking to her face to face…it solidifies the feeling I have that I can trust her. After all, I didn’t sense any evil aura. And she’s right. Ami, Rei, Mako-chan and I will have to protect Ryo at all costs. Hopefully it won’t distract me in any way.’

Ryo accompanied Usagi at Café Amigo after school, something he had agreed to do after receiving a bit of coaxing from the blonde. Despite there being a minor incident where water had spilled overhead, semi-drenching her in the process, she and the young man managed to make it to the eatery with very few problems. Once they were situated in their booth and had placed their orders, the two teens faced each other.

“So,” Usagi began, twiddling her thumbs. “How are you enjoying it here so far? Especially in comparison with your old home.”

“I love it, actually,” the young man answered. “I’m especially glad to be in the same class as Mizuno-san. I’ve always admired her and wanted to meet her. I used to carry this picture around with me all the time.” He pulled out an old newspaper clipping of a photo of Ami to show to the blonde.

Usagi took the paper and examined it, skimming over the featured article next to her friend’s picture. ‘Oh, I remember seeing this…then again, Ami-chan is always in the paper for her high marks, so it isn’t surprising.’ She glanced back up at Ryo with a big grin on her face. “Oh, so you like her like that, huh?” she asked teasingly.

Ryo’s face turned red with embarrassment. “I wouldn’t say that. She has just been my inspiration and she motivates me to do my best in school.” He lowered his head a bit to avoid the blonde’s eyes. ‘The truth is that I do…in fact, I like her a lot…but I would never have the nerve to tell her.’ He barely suppressed a sigh of despair, annoyed with himself for his cowardice.

Usagi gave a wave of her hand as if to say she wasn’t buying it. “Oh come on, there’s nothing wrong with having feelings for her. What you say makes sense, though. I secretly wish I could be like her, too, but I don’t see that ever happening. She’s so smart, I never expected anyone to beat her. It threw me in for a loop when you did.”

“I can see how you would be. I’m really not the genius you think I am.”

Usagi was about to ask the young man what he meant when a waiter wandered over to their table holding a tray with two chalices of fruit smoothies on it. He presented the teens with their respective treats and straws. “I hope you enjoy. And shall I bring back two separate checks or just one?”

Ryo was about to say two, but Usagi piped up, “One. I’m paying for both of us.” The brunette glanced at her with a hint of surprise on his features, but she said, “It’s my treat.”

Ryo knew there was no point in arguing or asking the blonde if she was sure. Not with the air of firmness and determination in her tone as well as a look of kindness in her eyes. The latter especially melted his heart. “Wow. Thank you, Tsukino-san.”

“It’s nothing.” ‘I may be blowing half of my allowance, but at least I’m doing it for a good cause this time.’

The waiter knitted his brows together. “Consider it done.” He left the two teens alone.

Ryo picked up his glass and took a sip. ‘Mmmm, this is so delicious.’ He gulped a bit when Usagi guzzled hers down. Shrugging his shoulders, he continued drinking his. ‘I know about her appetite, so I’m not surprised.’

Usagi finished off her drink and pushed the chalice off to the side. “Aaaah, that was so good,” she raved. She picked up a napkin, using it to muffle a loud burp that had escaped. ‘Ooops…he must think I’m so nasty…but I would be more mortified if it had happened in front of Tuxedo Kamen or Motoki-san.’

Ryo chuckled a little. “I could tell you were enjoying it. However, I do agree with you. It really is good...in fact better than the ones I had at my old home.” He finished off his drink and then picked up a napkin to wipe his hands.

Usagi wiped her hands before digging in her purse, pulling out a small package. “This is for you, Ryo. Think of it as a present,” she said, holding out the package for the young man to take.

The brunette young man looked surprised, but accepted Usagi’s gift. “Thank you. I appreciate it.” He tore open the package and pulled out a photo, holding it up to see. It was a picture of Ami preparing to take a huge bite of a hamburger. He tilted his head slightly, as he didn’t expect Ami to wear that type of expression in any of her pictures. ‘I have to say it makes her even more adorable.’ He allowed his eyes to meet the blonde’s. “Thanks again.”

Usagi placed a hand in the back of her head, giggling awkwardly. “Don’t mention it. I thought you would want to have a better picture than that newspaper clipping. Plus, it shows even serious and studious Ami has a fun, silly side.” She got a mischievous look in her eyes. ‘One good thing about Ami is she’s not Rei, who would flip out and kill me for sure.’

“So I see.” Ryo slipped the photo in his shirt pocket. ‘I don’t know if I should keep it or not, but if I end up moving again, it would be nice to have something to remember her by.’

The waiter returned with the bill, and also to collect the empty chalices. “I take it you youngsters enjoyed?” he asked, placing the cheque book on the table and picking up the glasses.

“Yes, we certainly did,” responded Ryo.

“It was delicious,” chimed Usagi with an emphasis on the first syllable. She saw the young man stifling a small laugh. ‘One thing I can say about him is he’s really easygoing.’

The waiter smiled. “I’m glad to hear it.” Once again, he left the teens to themselves.

Usagi picked up the cheque book to examine the total on the receipt, then searched in her purse for her wallet. She pulled it out and zipped it open, desperately hoping she hadn’t put her foot in her mouth when she offered to pay. ‘That would be totally bad…but it’s what I get for spending too much at one place.’ She took out several bills and counted them, smiling in delight when she realized it was even more than enough. ‘Yay! I did good this time!’ Biting her lip to keep from yelling out, she rested the necessary amount on top of the receipt before putting the remainder back in her wallet and closing it, dropping it back inside her purse.

“Once again, thank you,” said Ryo. “I owe you one.”

Usagi gave him a funny look. “Don’t be silly. That’s what friends are for.” She closed her purse and got up from her spot. “You ready to go?”

“Yes, let’s get going.” Ryo stood up as well. He and Usagi made their way toward the exit, leaving the café together. They stood by the window, facing each other. “Usagi? Can I tell you something?” the young man asked.

Usagi quirked an eyebrow slightly as it was somewhat unexpected. ‘What could he want to tell me? Is it something I’ve done?’ She could have driven herself crazy worrying or making incorrect guesses, but instead she responded, “Sure. What’s up?”

“Um…about what you said earlier, that I have feelings for Mizuno-san, you’re right. I do like her and would love to get to know her better,” admitted the young man.

The blonde breathed a light sigh of relief. She allowed a tiny proud-of-herself smile to escape. It was all she could do not to scream, “It’s about time you fessed up!” as she knew it wouldn’t help matters any. “Oh…like I said before, you’re not wrong to like her. That’s really great, actually. I do sense a “but” in your voice, though…what’s the matter?”

Ryo let out a heavy sigh before reaching up a hand to run through his hair. “It’s just…I’m worried she doesn’t feel the same...and with all she has going for her at the moment, she might say she doesn’t have time for a relationship. Besides, I’m not good enough for her.” He looked somewhat dejected as he made the last statement.

‘Man, he looks so bummed out.’ Usagi felt her mood taking a nosedive upon seeing the young man’s glum countenance. She peered down at her feet, then back up at him. “I can relate to being afraid of rejection. But saying you’re not good enough is crazy talk. You and Ami-chan are perfect for each other. Besides, you won’t know what her response will be unless you actually tell her how you feel.”

Ryo’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are you sure?”

“You bet! Just leave the setting up to me. She’s at cram school right now, but it’s about to end. You can just go to the arcade to wait, and I’ll bring her to you when she’s done.”

Ryo was hesitant. “Ah, well I…” He generally didn’t like dragging people into his dilemmas, but he didn’t mind the nudge when he was on the verge of giving up. ‘Tsukino-san sure is easy to talk to, I can say that much. I guess trying wouldn’t hurt.’ He cleared his throat. “I suppose that could work. Thank you.”

Usagi gave the young man a gentle tap on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit! I’ll see you again in a bit!” The blonde traipsed to the cram school whilst Ryo began to make his way to the Crown Arcade. ‘I did want to try my luck at the Sailor V game,anyway…I think I’ve earned it.’

As Ryo was approaching the arcade, he spotted a young man with long flaxen hair pulled into a ponytail perched on top of the roof. His heart skipped a beat, a sweatdrop appeared on his forehead and his stomach felt queasy. “Oh no…that guy is bad news. Good thing I can no longer say the same about Nephrite,” he muttered to himself. ‘What should I do? I suppose I could try to pretend I didn’t see him, but it won’t do me any good.’ Unfortunately for him, the young man glanced up, destroying whatever slim chance he had of going by unnoticed. ‘Crap! Now I’m in for it.’

Zoisite fixated his gaze on the seemingly unsuspecting younger teen boy, giving him a sinister smile. “Well hello there, young lad. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you,” he said, blowing the brunette a kiss.

Ryo eyed the sakura king strangely at first, then gave him a hard look. “Listen, Zoisite, you’re not fooling anyone with your pretense, so whatever it is you want with me, I suggest you just get to the point already.“

Zoisite froze in surprise at first. Ryo was the first mortal besides the senshi to address him by his name. ‘He is actually the first to know it without me introducing myself.’ A part of him wanted to laugh at Ryo’s annoyance, but instead his eyes hardened to mirror the hard look he had received from the brunette. “How is it that you know my name when I haven’t revealed it to you?” he demanded to know. ‘If I hadn’t known any better, I would have thought Nephrite recruited a male youma to spy on me.’

Ryo barely held back a shiver at Zoisite’s menacing demeanor. Refusing to give the impression he was intimidated, he kept his expression firm, clenching his fists. “Ever since I was very young, I’ve had the ability to foretell the future based on visions I have. It’s both a blessing and a curse, but they are always true. I know all about the Dark Kingdom and why you’ve come here today.”

Zoisite made a “hmmm” sound before allowing a smirk to escape his lips. “Is that so? Well then, my job has just become so much easier.” He levitated off the roof onto the ground with an effortless landing, facing the young teen. “Now, my young friend, come along quietly and offer yourself to the Dark Kingdom.”

It was times like this Ryo considered his ability to be a curse—knowing that no matter what he did, he couldn’t escape his fate, even if he wanted to. Still, the thought of being a servant of the Dark Kingdom made his stomach churn. He exhaled through his nose to prevent the bile from rising up, then gave the tawny haired shitennou a defiant look. “Never!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. “I’ll never surrender myself to the likes of you, even if you kill me in cold blood right here and now. In fact, I would rather die that type of death before I sell my soul to a demon!” He clenched a fist and lunged forward, preparing to punch the sakura king in the face.

For a moment, Zoisite looked shocked at the younger teen’s outburst, but when he saw the boy going on the offensive, his expression turned into a sneer and he used his telekinesis powers to throw Ryo off his feet. “Zoi!” The young man landed on his bottom with a pain-filled groan, eliciting a smirk from the sakura shitennou.

Zoisite peered down at his target with an evil grin. “It is quite admirable that you are willing to sacrifice yourself, but it is not necessary in this case. It would be in your best interest to come along quietly and accept your fate, instead of trying to escape it. I promise you, your suffering will end if you just trust me.”

Ryo, who had slowly been recovering from the fall, rose to his feet and stared at the sakura shitennou as if he were insane. “I don’t think so! I don’t trust you further than I can throw you!”

Zoisite shook his head at the young man’s stubbornness, clicking his tongue. “Fine. I suppose I will just have to use force. A pity, too, considering I had given you a chance to go the easy route.” He retrieved the kurozuishou from his pocket and tossed it out, emitting a beam from it. “Zoi!” The beam struck Ryo in the chest, causing him to yell out in pain.

Meanwhile, Usagi waited outside Ami’s class, watching as all the students exited. All of a sudden, she heard the sound of the moon wand going off in her purse. ‘Oh no! I hope the Dark Kingdom didn’t get to poor Ryo already. What do I do? What do I do? I promised I would take Ami-chan to him. These evil creeps sure know how to choose the worst timing.’ As she attempted to wrack her brain for a solution to her dilemma, Luna ran up to her. “Oh it’s you, Luna!”

“Usagi-chan, it’s the nijizuishou alert. You must hurry and transform!” said the feline guardian in a rush.

Usagi took the wand out of her purse. “Yes. Ruby came by the school today and told me the Dark Kingdom is after Ryo. We will need Ami-chan, too, which works out fine since I had told Ryo I would get her for him.”

“It’s good that you are aware. However, you will have to go without her for now. There isn’t a second to lose,” pressed Luna.

Before Usagi could protest, Ami finally came out of the classroom, causing the blonde to let out a sigh of relief. Ami looked surprised to see her and Luna. “Oh, hi Usagi-san! Hi Luna. What brings you here?”

“There’s very little time to explain…just come with me to the Crown Arcade,” responded Usagi. She felt a sharp poke in her ankle. “Ow! Lunaaaa! What was that for?!”

The black cat just gave Usagi a reproachful look and told Ami, “You must transform! Ryo is in danger!”

A look of horror appeared on Ami’s features. “What?! Oh no!” She and Usagi ran to the back of the school to transform. Lucky for them, the students were long gone. “Mercury Power, Make Up!”

“Moon Prism Power, Make Up!” Moon and Mercury sprinted to the arcade together.

Zoisite increased the power level of the kurozuishou just a tad, whilst the young man clutched his chest, trying to prevent the nijizuishou from coming out. The sakura shitennou gave him a look of false pity. “Don’t worry, your suffering will end very soon and you’ll be one of the most powerful beings in the world!”

“Don’t be so sure you’ll get away with such a thing!” two female voices yelled.

Zoisite cursed under his breath and then turned away from Ryo to sharply look over his shoulder. His expression turned into a scowl when he saw it was Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury who had interrupted him. “It’s you pests again,” he growled.

“That’s right! Neither of us will stand by and watch you torment innocent people! I’m the pretty senshi of love and justice, Sailor Moon!”

“I am the pretty senshi of love and intelligence, Sailor Mercury!”

“In the name of the moon….”

“We will punish you!” Moon and Mercury declared in unison. They each took their combative stances.

Despite the deep anguish, Ryo managed a reserved smile of admiration, which was especially aimed at the senshi of ice. His smile then became sad as he considered his inevitable fate. ‘At least I will have a brief moment of happiness. I will cherish it.’

Zoisite sneered at the two senshi. “Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to judge a book by its cover? Furthermore, it is impossible for you girls to stop me, but if you wish to try, it’s your funeral.”

“You don’t scare us! Whatever it is you plan to dish out, bring it on!” The blonde senshi turned to Sailor Mercury. “Mercury, I want you to get Ryo to safety while I try to hold off Zoisite,” she instructed, giving the blue-haired teen a slight wink.

Sailor Mercury looked a bit flustered for a moment, her cheeks turning red before worry and doubt appeared on her features. “Are you sure you’ll be fine alone?” she asked, sounding just as worried as she looked.

“Yes! You have to hurry! I’ll be fine, I promise,” insisted Moon, attempting to reassure herself at the same time. ‘The truth is I do feel a little nervous…he doesn’t seem to be nearly as strong as Nephrite, but I still don’t know what I’m up against because I haven’t seen all his tricks yet. He is far crueler, I can say that much for him.’

“All right. But be careful.” Mercury wandered over to the shaken Ryo and placed one of his arms around her shoulders, taking him away as instructed.

The senshi of the moon directed her gaze back to Zoisite, a fierce look appearing on her features. “All right, pretty boy, it’s go time!” She took off her tiara and tossed it at the sakura shitennou. “Moon Tiara Action!”

Zoisite watched as the frisbee weapon travelled towards him for a bit, then a tiny sly grin formed on his lips. He disappeared in a flurry of cherry blossoms, causing the tiara to fall harmlessly to the ground and Moon to let out a gasp of horror.

“What the heck?! Not again!” the moon senshi whined. ‘Just like the time I first took on Jadeite.’ She retrieved her tiara, put it back on her forehead and then clenched her right fist, shaking it. “You rotten cheater!”

There was a sound of diabolical laughter in response. Zoisite rematerialized, smirking at Moon. “You’re a fool if you thought your little frisbee attack was a match for my power. I will show you how unworthy an opponent you truly are. Zoi!” He shot razor sharp cherry blossoms at the moon senshi. She crossed her arms in front of her face in a defensive position, crying out in pain as several of the petals hit her. The young man then disappeared to locate his target.

The senshi of ice had taken Ryo to a nearby park and laid him on the bench, resting a damp cloth on his forehead to mop up any beads of sweat that formed. She sat beside him and kept watch, monitoring his condition. So far, he appeared to be in a dream-like state. She had the strongest urge to grab ahold of his hand to let him know he wasn’t alone, but felt too shy to do so. Instead, she stroked his right temple, near his ear. ‘Don’t worry, Ryo-san. I won’t let Zoisite hurt you.’

Ryo stirred a bit, exhaling a light breath through his nose. He turned his head to the left and grimaced as if he were in pain, causing the towel to fall off his forehead onto the bench. All of a sudden he yelled out, “NOOOOOO! Mizuno-san, run!”

Mercury briefly looked taken aback at the young man calling her civilian name. ‘Does he know my identity? But that’s impossible. Not that it’s exactly worrisome…after all, he seems pretty trustworthy so I can pretty much guarantee he won’t reveal it to anyone.’ She gently shook his shoulder and loudly whispered, “Wake up! You’re having a bad dream!”

“Huh?” Ryo’s eyes shot wide open and he sat up, running a hand over his face. He gave the ice senshi a sideways glance, looking relieved. He then stared ahead. “I’m so glad you’re all right. What I just saw was so disturbing.”

Mercury gave a confused frown before turning to the brunette with her eyes full of concern. “What’s disturbing? What was your dream about?”

A grim expression appeared on the young man’s face as he answered, “It’s no dream. It was a vision of the future.”

The blue-haired senshi cocked an eyebrow, not expecting to hear that at all. “Oh? What do you mean?”

Ryo then knew it was time to come clean and that simply declining to speak on the matter wouldn’t work with the ice senshi. Plus, he didn’t want to give Usagi a less than favorable report. ‘After all, it was Tsukino-san who set this up so Ami-san and I could get to know each other.’ He took a deep breath before beginning his narrative. “Well, you see, ever since I was a little boy, I have had the ability to foresee the future, and as I got older, my premonitions became even stronger. That’s how I was able to achieve a perfect score on the recent examination, not because I am super intelligent.”

“Oh…” Mercury put on her best pokerface to mask her surprise. She didn’t blink when he mentioned the examination since his revelation covered everything. It also brought back a memory of how rigid he seemed during the exam and how she had to encourage him to relax. She let out a slight gasp as the realization hit her what Ryo’s “gift” meant. “So that means…you know my identity!”

Ryo nodded. “Not only that, but the vision I had when you first brought me here showed that you and I will become enemies.”

Mercury blanched at that and she felt her blood running cold. ‘Could he be overthinking this?’ she mused. “What are you saying?”

Ryo could see his prediction was a hard pill for the senshi of ice to swallow. His heart pained with guilt for making her feel uncomfortable. ‘However, the truth cannot be changed, and my visions have yet to be wrong.’ He gulped and peered down at his feet as he responded, “I mean, you and I will soon be in a fierce battle because my true nature is an agent of the Dark Kingdom. I cannot stand the thought of hurting you, so when I transform into a youma, please promise you’ll kill me immediately!” His voice was slightly raised when he made the plea.

Mercury was speechless as she slowly absorbed everything she had been told. She glanced at the young man and saw in his eyes that despite his very blunt tone, he was distressed by it all. ‘He can’t continue to go on like this or he will fall into a deep depression. While I’m all for realism, I don’t condone it at the expense of living a miserable life.’ She placed a finger under his chin, lifting it up so he was giving her eye contact, which made him blush and caused his skin to tingle. “Ryo…I can only imagine how difficult this must have been for you, but I want you to listen to me. Granted, there are some things in life you cannot escape because they are inevitable, but it’s up to you to shape your own future. You have the power to do it.”

Ryo’s ocean colored eyes widened in surprise. “I do?”

“Yes. Even if the tragic events you foresee do occur, you should make the most of every moment and make sure they’re filled with happiness. Take it from me. It’s a lesson I’ve had to learn as well, thinking about how I would eventually lose the ones who mean the most to me. Sacrifice is very noble, but think about your friends and loved ones who would be sad if you were to leave them behind prematurely. “

Ryo looked thoughtful. It was the first time in his life he had ever received such uplifting advice. ‘Then again, very few people know about my ability or my true feelings I’ve kept deep inside me for so long. I have to thank Tsukino-san for this later.’ His shoulders felt lighter, as if a burden had been lifted. For the first time, he was able to give the ice senshi a genuine smile. “Thank you. You have given me something new to think about.”

Mercury gave the young man a warm smile. “I’m glad I was able to free your mind somewhat. I don’t want to see you suffering. I want you to remember you can still have joy, even if you feel you can’t escape your fate.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Oh, how very touching. A pity no one is going to be escaping except me,” interrupted a male silky tenor voice, making the pair whirl around sharply. Standing several feet behind them was Zoisite with a wicked grin plastered on his face, spinning the kurozuishou around on his finger like a top.

“It’s you again,” stated Ryo, his voice full of displeasure.

“That’s right. You’re a fool if you thought you could hide from me forever. And this pathetic senshi won’t be enough to save you from your destiny, either.”

Mercury stuck out her jaw defiantly. “I’m tougher than I look, so it wouldn’t be wise for you to underestimate me. I won’t let you lay a finger on Ryo.” She enveloped the young man in a protective embrace.

Zoisite gave a devilish grin before using telekinesis to knock the ice senshi away from Ryo. “Zoi!” He watched with a satisfied smirk as Mercury stumbled with a yelp and grabbed ahold of the bench to stop her fall. He sneered at her. “That was quite a heroic act on your part, but truth be told, he is helpless against my kurozuishou. Trust me, you wouldn’t be so intent on protecting him when you see his true self.”

The ice senshi got back to her feet and rose to her full height, glaring at the sakura shitennou. “Well, you can try to do your worst, but mark my words, you won’t get away with it.”

“We’ll see about that! Zoi!” Once again, Zoisite emitted a beam of energy from the ebony colored gem. The young man cried out as he was struck for the second time. The yellow colored nijizuishou flew out of his chest, into Zoisite’s open hands. “Success!”

Mercury watched with a stony expression as a billow of thick, cloud-like smoke surrounded her male companion. She waited with baited breath to see which shadow youma had been awakened. The smoke dissipated to reveal a particularly large humanoid shaped lizard-like beast with light green skin, orange eyes, sharp teeth and white armor covering most of his body. His arms were made up of razor-sharp blades resembling scissors. He let out a mighty roar. “Bunbo!”

Zoisite gave a wide evil grin at the creature’s ferocity. “Welcome back, Bunbo! Cut Sailor Mercury apart!”

The lizard-like creature approached the ice senshi with a menacing look in his eyes. She stepped back, glancing at him with pleading eyes. “Remember my previous words. You have the power to shape your own future.”

Bunbo looked confused for a bit, hesitating as if trying to process Mercury’s words. Then, with a fierce roar, he soared into the air towards Zoisite, pushing him into the puddle of water and causing him to land with a splash. The sakura shitennou yelped at both the impact and the fact that the nijizuishou flew out of his grasp into Mercury’s hands, which she caught with precision. She looked pleased upon realizing her persuading proved to be effective. She stuffed the nijizuishou in the shirt portion of her fuku for safekeeping.

A drenched Zoisite emerged from the water, coughing. He used his magic to dry his soaking wet hair, clothes and boots before clenching his fists and shaking with rage for a bit, obviously furious at the disrespect shown. ‘The nerve of that incompetent oaf! I should destroy him for this!’ He got an incredulous look on his face as he was hit by the realization that the creature still had human emotions. ‘How could this be? He’s the strongest of all the warriors.’

Feeling somewhat calm again, Zoisite averted his attention back to the youma, emitting some waves from the kurozuishou onto him. “Your enemy is the sailor senshi. Retrieve the nijizuishou from her.”

Bunbo’s fierce look returned, he felt power surging through him and he grew several more inches. “Bunbo!!!”

Mercury could tell by the emotionless and cold look in the youma’s eyes that Zoisite’s maneuver had worked. She managed to suppress a shudder. ‘It’s useless to plead with him now. I can most certainly use the help of the others this minute.’

Sailor Moon finally arrived at the scene with Luna at her side. “I’m not allowing you to get your evil, greedy hands on the nijizuishou, and I certainly won’t tolerate you tormenting innocent people!” she declared, pointing a finger at the sakura shitennou.

Zoisite breathed a heavy sigh. “I beg to differ. Bunbo, pummel these nuisances to the ground and get that nijizuishou!”

Bunbo let out another roar, which sent chills down the spines of the two senshi. He shot several knives from his mouth at a nearby tree, causing it to fall over. The girls dashed out of the way before it could land on top of them. Bunbo came after them, breaking the bench in the process.

Zoisite laughed as if he were watching a comedy. “Well done, my old friend. Now destroy those girls the same way you just annihilated that flimsy bench.”

“Bunbo!” The lizard youma followed Moon and Mercury, shooting a blade from his hand at another tree. They got out of the way, Moon almost tripping over her feet.

“We can’t keep going on like this,” said Mercury.

“Yeah, enough is enough!” Moon agreed. She faced the massive creature with a glare, clutching her wand. “The fact that you’re trying to wreck such a beautiful park is unforgivable! Time to bring back the sweet boy who is no doubt fighting to break free. Moon Healing Escalation!” Healing magic rained down from the wand onto the beast, but it had no effect and he unleashed a battle cry.

Moon’s mouth hung open as she glanced at her wand. “What happened?! It didn’t work!”

“It’s because he’s too powerful at the moment,” explained Luna. “You girls will have to weaken him.”

Sailor Mercury nodded. “That makes sense. I felt power radiating from him earlier.” She saw the beast preparing to attack again. “Careful, Sailor Moon!”

“Huh?” The moon senshi looked at the creature, then made a panicked nose as he threw several knives, this time with the intent of severing the two.

“Duck!” Fueled by adrenaline, Moon and Mercury crouched low. The knives flew over their heads, just narrowly missing them. “Whew! That was close.” The blonde senshi took a few moments to catch her breath before rising to her feet, Sailor Mercury doing the same. They turned to see Bunbo approaching them to correct what he failed to do, which made them break into a run once more.

The creature chased after the girls, but they kept on running, only to realize there was not much room left. “Oh no! We’re trapped!” cried out Moon in a horrified voice as she and Mercury stopped by a fallen tree. She shook her legs to rid them of the soreness.

“I’m afraid you’re right,” conceded the ice senshi. “However, running away was not the answer in the first place. We have to do something, and fast.”

“I agree.”

Zoisite laughed again. “There’s nothing you can do. You foolish mortal girls are finished. Bunbo, this is your chance.”

“Bunbo!” The reptilian youma launched two more blades in the girls’ direction. They stepped aside to avoid them.

“Fire Soul!”

“Supreme Thunder!”

The fire and thunder-based attacks stopped Bunbo’s weapons in their tracks. The youma snarled at this, whilst Moon and Mercury breathed huge sighs of relief, their eyes brightening to see they were joined by Jupiter and Mars.

“I hope you two are all right,” said Mars.

“Yeah, sorry we’re late,” added Jupiter.

“No worries,” reassured Mercury. “You’re here now and that’s what matters.”

Moon had to fight the urge to ask her friends what took them so long because she didn’t want to start an argument. Especially not when the creature was gearing up for yet another attack. “Exactly. You’re here just in time to help us take out the trash!”

The ice senshi chuckled. “That’s one way to put it. “ Her expression then turned into an all-business one as she directed her attention back to the youma. “Shabon Spray!” The barrage of bubbles floated towards the lizard-like youma, creating a fog around him. He looked around and shivered from the cold, his skin becoming numb.

“Awesome work, Mercury! Now it’s my turn!” Moon took off her tiara and tossed it at the disoriented creature. “Moon Tiara Action!”

The tiara weapon travelled towards Bunbo, hitting him in the head and making him shrink in size. He unleashed a pain-filled roar.

“He’s weakening. Now is your chance, Sailor Moon!” said Luna.

“You don’t need to tell me twice!” The moon senshi twirled her wand around before waving it in a circular fashion. “Moon Healing Escalation!” Again, magic rained down on the creature, except this time the action was successful in purging the dark energy from Ryo’s body and transforming him to his normal state. He raised both arms over his head and yelled out, “Refresh!” before collapsing face down.

Zoisite gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, shaking with rage at having lost another nijizuishou. “You will pay for this!” he vowed, disappearing in a flurry of cherry blossoms.

Tuxedo Kamen had been watching the battle from afar, just in case the girls ended up in grave danger and also because he intended to retrieve the nijizuishou. ‘It looks like the senshi are now in possession of the third nijizuishou. That’s fine. I’ll allow them to hold on to it for now. It’s better for them to have it than the Dark Kingdom.’ Seeing that his assistance was not needed, he left. ‘I actually think this is a sign they are becoming stronger.’

(planetarium)

Yukari, who had been using her crystal ball to view the battle with Miki and Ruby, allowed the image to dissolve and then turned to face the two youma. “Well, it certainly won’t be too long now for Zoisite, wouldn’t you say, girls?”

“Oh definitely,” concurred Ruby. “I mean, Beryl made it crystal clear that she wouldn’t be accepting any more failure and he failed again. Not that I’m surprised.”

“Neither am I. However, I will say that even if Beryl does decide to give Zoisite a reprieve, it remains to be seen if he can still redeem himself with or without help from Kunzite and somehow regain favor from the witch if he has already lost it,” pointed out Miki.

Ruby nodded. “You have a point. While I frankly have high doubts about both, time will tell. Either way, we must do everything in our power to see to it that he does fail.” She looked pensive as she considered her motives for doing so. On the one hand, it was her desire to make peace with her former enemies that drove her, but on the other hand, she knew she would be lying if she said her reasons were entirely unselfish. ‘Oh well…no one can change overnight.’

“Of course. Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury really seemed to have had trouble against Bunbo for awhile, but to be honest I expected it, considering what a brute he is,” said Miki.

“Yes, it’s very understandable,” agreed Yukari. “He made my skin crawl during the days of the Silver Millennium. I have to say, though, his attack on Zoisite was so satisfying to watch.” It was all she could do not to burst into another laughing fit at how the sakura shitennou ended up soaking wet.

“Oh yeah.” Ruby barely held back a chuckle, but a slight snort escaped through her nose. ‘Oh my…that was really elegant of me.’ She then looked serious. “More importantly, though, the senshi came through in the end. Master Nephrite will be pleased to know things went well, which I will inform him of when he returns from the tennis club.”

Miki glanced at her watch. “Now that you’ve mentioned it, he should be back any minute.”

“You both are right.” Yukari’s eyes brightened as she continued, “I, for one, am especially looking forward to the day Zoisite and Kunzite are out of our hairs for good.”

“We all are,” remarked Ruby.

The three henchwomen broke into malicious laughter.

#nephritenaru mollynephrite sailormoon whatif

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