“This has gone on for too long Rinko!” Rei yelled. She slammed her fists down on the table. Usagi hesitated to speak as Rei made it her purpose to prosecute Rinko in the large room. Minako waited in silence, watching them intently. Zoicite’s cool eyes were cast downward.
Jedite, who had just been recently revived, lingered in the corner. Makoto and Nephrite had just returned from earth. Makoto’s leg was still in a cast. Mamoru closed his eyes and waited as Rinko sat with an indifferent look upon her serene face.
“What is going on Rinko? Earthia’s attacks have been nonstop for the past three weeks. We don’t know anything about her, we don’t know anything about her motives, and we don’t even know how to stop her.” Rei stood straight up and gave out an exasperated sigh.
“I know Lady Mars. I know that I owe an explanation,” Rinko said.
“Are you going to answer some questions?” Rei asked.
“I can.”
“I have a question, and it’s been bugging me for a while,” piped up Usagi. She gave a gentle squeeze to Mamoru’s hand. “I want to know why Earthia hates you, and why we all got dragged into this.” Rinko looked at her princess, her own. She looked at the others, their faces eagerly waiting for an answer.
“When the planets, moons, and stars were created by the gods,” she began, “Maidens were created as well. I am a maiden of the Moon and Earthia is the maiden of Earth. When the people of Earth didn’t acknowledge her and began to admire and praise the other maidens she became violently jelouse. She hated me the most, for some reason.”
“So what does that mean? What does that have to do with us?” Minako asked.
“Well we maidens gain our power from the life energy of the inhabitants. Certain inhabitants, who are direct descendants of the maidens, have a power directly linked with ours. You, Hime, are a direct descendent of me. The only way to destroy me is to destroy you and vice versa. If a maiden and all of her direct children die then that world would be destroyed.” There was a long silence. Then Mamoru spoke.
“Isn’t Usagi the only remaining descendent of the Moon Kingdom?”
“Yes and No, my dear prince. You see there were many others from the Moon Kingdom that I could gain power from, but Earthia destroyed them all. Hime is the last, and because she is a direct descendent she and I are crucial to one another.”
“So what about the rest of us?” Ami asked.
“You senshi are the last of your planets as well, and are also direct descendents.”
“And Kunzite, Jedite, and Zoicite? What about them?” Rei inquired. Jedite spoke up.
“Rei…” he hesitated when he cast a glace at her eyes. “Zoicite is like an indirect descendent. He traveled to the Earth, no one was aware where he came from, and Earthia decided to use him to harness power.”
“Through time I harnessed a lot of Earthia’s powers even though I am not directly linked to her,” Zoicite spoke up.
“As for Kunzite and I,” Jedite said. “We are direct descendents.”
“I’m a member of the Star Community,” Nephrite said. “A neutral force.”
“So your saying that if we kill Jedite and Kunzite Earthia will die?” Minako asked. Rei jumped.
“No we can’t do that. There must be another way,” she cried in a hysterically panicky shrill of a voice.
“Rinko?” Usagi whispered, but Rinko just hung her head.
**************
Jedite knocked on Rei’s door to her chambers. His new body felt numb from lack of use. Rei quickly ushered him inside and closed the door, locking it. He sat in a chair and shook his head.
“Rei why do you keep doing this. You act ashamed every time I try and see you.”
“Well Jedite how will it look if everyone found out that…” she trailed off. Her heart raced at his lazy, yet innocent, face. He stood up and held her in his arms.
“Found out what? That we are in love? That we’ve been in love ever since you were reawakened? That we had an-”
“Stop it,” she pleaded, pushing herself out of his arms.
“Rei, you can’t hide it, and you can’t be ashamed of it either.”
“Stop it.” She turned on him and glared. “Ami and Makoto learned how to love Zoi and Nephrite again. I didn’t. Instead I ended up…” she paused then continued, “How was I suppose to know?”
Jedite glared back at her. He knew. He knew that she was deeply in love with him, just as he was. This raven-haired vixen had the ability to twist his heart and turn his head. She was dynamic and passionate and very independent, but unknown to the others was that she was very shy, and sometimes insecure. Rei had secrets and she wanted no help from anyone. So when a lone stranger came to live in the Shinto shrine with her and her grandfather she said nothing. When she and that stranger fell in love, she said nothing. When that stranger suddenly disappeared only to show himself as her enemy years later, she said nothing.
Rei wanted to be open with her affections, but instead she decided to burry them deep inside her. She didn’t want her love for Jedite to be questioned. If she fell for him too quickly her friends were bound to detect some previous foreplay. The one thing she could not live with was the shame and guilt of carrying out a romantic affair with a man who turned out to be a deadly enemy.
“I’m not going to do this anymore Rei, I don’t see why we should hide.” He moved around her room, and finally came to a stop at her window.
“I just don’t think we should-”
“Just say it Rei. Say it!”
“Say what?”
“That you don’t want to be with me.”
“But I do, I just don’t think that it should be rushed.” Rei closed her eyes as he returned to her side. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close to his own body. She relaxed and swayed in his arms. This is the way it should be, at all times, not just in the privacy of their rooms. He wanted to express his feeling out in the open and she was denying him that. She was denying the feelings that they shared deep down ever since they began new lives after the fall of the Silver Millennium.
“Make your choice Rei, but I can’t wait anymore, not like this.” His words were like ice and sent chills up he spine. The words felt dry in his throat. He was pushing her away and he knew it, but she was doing the same. In the back of his mind he wondered if she hurt every time she pushed him away, because he sure as hell felt awful when he did it.
“Jed… I… I can’t…”
“Gomen ni Rei-san.” His heart-filled whisper of apology felt like a twist in her gut. He kissed her so gently, so tenderly, that she felt like crying. Soon, he was gone. He was tired of her silly fears. She settled into her bed in a trance. She stared at the ceiling, but she didn’t cry. For some reason she couldn’t. She wanted to cry so badly, but a single tear would not fall, no matter how hard she tried.
*****************
Rei was worried, and Jedite could tell. She stood outside staring into space. Concern was written all over her face. Her brows were set in a deep ‘v’ shape. Her lips were pursed and she kept her hands in tight fists. He fought the urge to leave her standing there alone, but he went against all other judgment and he approached her. She didn’t seem notice him until he cleared his throat.
“Oh Jedite, I didn’t see you there,” she said.
“What’s wrong?” he asked her. Rei looked back up at the sky. She shook her head and he squeezed she soulders.
“I feel something bad is coming. I’m not sure at what it is, but it’s really bad.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Is it from the Earth?”
“Defiantly… It felt like how it did before,” she whispered.
“What do you mean?”
“When you came to earth that one night, and just before that attack on the moon in the Silver Millennium.” She wanted to lean in his arms. “I felt this pressure on my heart. It hurt so much that I would cry sometimes.” They stood in silence for a while.
“Both times you were ashamed of our love,” he whispered. Rei reeled oh him, a spark in her violet eyes.
“Are you saying that it’s my fault?” Jedite didn’t say anything for a while.
“No, I’m not saying that. I just can’t understand why you keep this secret.”
“I just do, so don’t ask me anymore. You’re such an idiot Jedite. Not everyone needs to know that I loved you way before I was a senshi.”
“Then you know that I can’t fight beside you,” he hissed. Rei looked at the ground. There was another long silence and then he disappeared, just like he had always done.
**************
“A power transfusion? What’s that?” Ami asked. Rinko held up a small orb. It seemed dim, like a dying light. Rinko had gathered all of the senshi and their counterparts into one room. It was hidden deep within the catacombs of the moon. Drips of water plopped into sizable puddles on the rocky ground. There was no opening for sunlight but the caves seemed bright enough.
“Since you are not direct descendants of me then you must willingly channel a specified energy into this orb. From there it will directly link to me,” she said.
“I don’t mean to question the methods Rinko, but why does it go to you instead of Usagi?” Makoto asked.
“I’d have to agree. It seems that Usagi is more capable of physical battle then you are,” inquired Zoicite.
“I think so too,” Minako agreed. Rinko began to look annoyed and impatient. Her eye twitched and she clutched her fist. Minako took notice. Rei felt her anger rise inside of Rinko then slowly die down. She wondered what Rinko was getting riled for.
“The transfusion will channel directly through me to Hime. I know that in the past you have given her power to fight, but the power that you will be emitting would be too great for her body to handle. This orb is the evolved form of the silver crystal and is a part of me. Once the transfusions are complete Hime and I will possess enough power to stop Earthia.”
“You say that the energy that we’ll be giving up is a specified energy right?” Zoicite asked. Rinko nodded.
“What kind of energy?” Nephrite questioned. Rinko took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Their questions were burning time and she was hungry for the power.
“I revived the generals for a reason. The energy of your positive emotions from the Silver Millennium was great. The emotions that you carried for your counterparts were more powerful then the original powers you have been blessed with. The desire to protect the ones you love boosted your power tenfold and it still does.”
A question posed in Rei’s mind as she zoned Rinko out. If Rinko wanted to use the power of their positive emotions then wouldn’t Rinko notice that she had tried to push Jedite out of her heart? Would she see the shame of her past love affairs with him? Rei also wondered if she could hold back all of the welling emotions that she felt for Jedite. Her heart felt heavy and a wave of fear consumed her entire body. Jedite wasn’t near so he didn’t see her hold her arms and shake herself until her brain rattled.
“So this is based on our relationships from the silver Millennium?” Mamoru asked.
“Yes.” Rinko held the orb out and her eyes shined with anticipation and excitement. After much debate the senshi and generals agreed to take part In Rinko’s plan. Rinko was pleased. Her soul craved the energy she was about to recive. Soon, very soon, everything would be over and her wishes would come true. She only prayed that her Hime would find it in her heart to forgive her. If not…
“Rei, Jedite, do you mind doing the honors and begin?” Rei panicked, but Jedite took the opportunity and stepped forward, taking the orb out of Rinko’s hand. Rei moved sluggishly towards him. As they had been instructed to do so Rei touched the orb, her fingers brushing against Jedite’s. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Now clear your mind of your physical form and try to become one with your partner,” said Rinko. She held out her hands and red circles formed around the two. Everyone watched in aw as the circles glowed and their friends seemed to become limp in the air. Nephrite wondered if the process was going to successful.
Usagi gripped Mamoru’s arm. No matter how hard anyone tried they all soon realized that this was also a test of their love. It would prove just how strong their love was for one-another, all except for Minako. Suddenly Jedite cried out in pain. They jumped and Ami panicked.
“What the hell is going on?” Zoicite screamed.
“He’s in pain,” Usagi whispered.
“But why not Rei?” Minako questioned.
“Something is wrong,” Ami vented. “Something is wrong in their minds…” Ami trailed off and cast her worried glace at Jedite and Rei. She could see, even if the others could not. Jedite cried out in pain and sorrow. She saw the tears flow from his eyes and he clutched his heart as though it were being ripped to shreds.
Ami also saw that Rei was in pain as well. Rei was trying not to scream, but her face was tensed and scrunched. Beads of sweat covered her face and her hand twitched. They were both suffering from something, but what. Were they fighting some sort of invisible enemy? They looked so afraid.
Rinko hadn’t given them any proper warning about this transfusion. Rinko was also no help to them. She concentrated hard on maintaining the circle that protected their human bodies. Ami realized that without it their bodies would vanish from this plane, probably never to return.
“Concentrate Rei!” Ami yelled and the other quickly snapped their attention to her. “Don’t be afraid!” Ami yelled. She had to help stabilize their mind, and if she could reach them…
**************
“I don’t love you Jedite!” Rei yelled.
“You say that but you’re lying. Have you forgotten the nights that I held you in the rain? How you curled on my lap and how I would kiss you.”
“No! I haven’t forgotten, but if the others knew-“
“Dammit Rei, why the hell do you even care. Is your reputation more important than the love that I feel for you?”
“No. It’s just that…” she couldn’t answer him. Her soul had been floating around in nothingness for a while now. Their souls were arguing when they should have been merging together. She had refused him so openly that he began to fade with each increase of anger. She felt pain though. This pain was more immense then any other pain she ever knew.
“So you’d rather endure this pain Rei? You’d rather suffer?” he questioned her. Rei felt like dying. Even when only her soul existed she managed to feel the weight of shame and suffering.
“I’m stubborn Jedite, I can’t help it,” she whispered.
“Yes you can.” He paused and then winced. She was still pushing him away. Didn’t she realize that she was killing him, killing herself? He didn’t much care that he would vanish, but if she ceased to exist he would never forgive himself. He loved her more then anything in the world and she was denying him that one simple pleasure.
“Jedite!” she screamed when she saw him vanish then reappear. The pain in his body and soul came together as a major blow. He cried out. His strength seemed to skitter away
“Rei… God, you’re… killing us both!” He was angry with her now. He was angry at the fact that the importance of their relationship was being played with. Somehow she had managed to rile him to the point of violence.
“Jedite your fading!”
“Look at me Rei!” he managed to scream even though he was still in pain. “I’m like this because of you, and because of you we have managed to doom ourselves into eternal suffering. Well you know what, I’d take that over this pain.”
“No don’t say that-"
“I mean it Rei. Push all you want. I’m tired of fighting you.” He had stopped yelling now, closing his eyes while she cried. He had lied to the both of them. He didn’t want to suffer because she wanted to push him away. He wanted to continue fighting for the affection he knew was there, but he was too tired and too hurt physically and emotionally.
“Jedite your fading!” His body was becoming harder and harder to see. It was then that everything she had stood for was wrong. Every moral she thought was good between them was wrong. She was wrong about everything and if he managed to leave her forever she would die from the heartache. She wanted him to stay.
“Jed, stay with me please,” she cried. “Don’t give up on me. I… I…” She saw him now. Was he getting clearer? Was he closer or was this just a part of her imagination. Was the pain that she had been feeling gone?
Rei’s mind and soul finally realized that if Jedite left her now, there would be no coming back. He wouldn’t be reborn and return to her. He would be gone forever. She had asked herself; could she really live with this feeling of undying love and misery for someone who would never come into her life again? The answer had been no.
“Jedite please… I need you here… with me…”
******************
Earthia screamed and collapsed on the floor. Gaia and Kunzite huddled around her. Earthia gripped her heart and choked. Her breathing was shallow and her head spun. She felt like she was dying and she couldn’t get up. She couldn’t move as she lay there on the floor. She shuddered and bucked from the immense amount of pain she was feeling. Her back arched and her spine ached. Her eyes became dilated as a small trail of saliva trailed past her open lips. She only saw white and only felt pain. A dull ringing sound echoed between her eyes. After more agonizing moments she passed out. Even while sleeping she was heaving.
“Kunzite-san,” Gaia whispered urgently as she held Eathia’s sweaty palms.
“I know, I know. It’s gotta be Rinko.” Kunzite cursed and stood up. The time has come and now there was no turning back.
“You have to stop her, if you don’t Earthia will…”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head, I’ll take care of it.” Kunzite took a deep breath and looked back at the fallen form. He would be the last link to her after Endymion gave his power to Rinko. He had to stop them.
“Here, take the transport stone.” Gaia handed him a small black stone. “Earthia used that to get to the moon. You have to hurry.”
“Don’t worry. Without my share of energy, Earthia won’t die.” He turned but Gaia called him back.
“Don’t get sidetracked Kunzite, no matter what,” she said. Kunzite nodded deeply and left. Earthia stirred and shook. She moaned as her actions became more violent. She started to scream again, holding her heart. Gaia panicked as she realized that Endymion and the Moon Princess had started the transfusion.
“Oh Kunzite-san, onigai hiaku,” she whispered. At that moment every living thing on earth felt a pang of fear and despair.
--Author’s Note—
Man that was a hard one. I’m trying to move the story along. Expect a lot of action in the next chapter and some eye opening conversation. Oh and for all of you Minako fans, don’t worry. I haven’t forgot about her. Keep Reading. Keep Writing.
