Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi and we still have no permission to use her characters. So don't sue us!

Shifting Positions - Part Five "Kaaaantsuuuu"

by Luna and Phoebe

Phoebe's note: Warning! Chaos is spreading!

"Nephrite, Kunzite, where is Zoisite? Doesn’t he think it to be necessary to react to my call?" Queen Beryl’s red eyes were narrowed in one of the more threatening kinds of facial expression. Kunzite heaved a sigh and started his excuse, "We don’t know where he is. He hasn’t reported to me for a long time. All I know is that he had a trace which should lead him to the genzuishou. Then he disappeared and since then I wasn’t able to find him." He felt Nephrite’s gaze upon him all the time he was telling that lie to Beryl. But it was impossible to tell her the truth, it was just not an option. If he did it would be Zoisite’s death. He returned Nephrite’s gaze only a shade darker. ‘Tell her the truth and you are dead, instantly, no matter what that would mean for me.’ For some seconds Nephrite could stand him then he turned his head to face Beryl. "I haven’t seen Zoisite, either. I am afraid that something has happened to him."

"Then he has failed in his mission. Kunzite, it’s your turn now to find the genzuishou. Nephrite? What about you? Were you able to collect some more energy for Queen Metallia?"

Nephrite swallowed. "I am preparing a plan that won’t fail. And this time Sailormoon’s efforts will be futile."

Kunzite took a step forward. "If you allow it I will work together with Nephrite this time. That would give us the chance to find the genzuishou and collect energy in the same moment."

The other one jerked his head around and stared at him, unbelieving. Queen Beryl agreed to Kunzite’s suggestion and then the two kings teleported away, back to the crypt where the girl was waiting for them.


"Kunzite-sama!" Zoisite clung herself to her koibito when he and Nephrite reappeared. "What did the old dragon say? Was she very angry that I wasn’t with you?"

"No, not really." Kunzite stroked her hair and she leaned her head against his chest. He twisted one strand of her hair and looked over at Nephrite who rolled his eyes at the scene the two presented him. "Can we go on? What’s your plan anyway, Kunzite?" He sounded unnerved.

Zoisite turned her head, "Don’t interrupt us, Neffy, or I’ll use you as target practice again."

Nephrite was close to explosion. "You little--"

"Enough!" Kunzite put himself between the two of them to prevent another fight. "Stop this! Both of you! Nephrite?"

The other king clenched his fists and looked very offensive but didn’t attack. After he had breathed some times he became calmer and was content with a contemptible look. (Luna: Oi, Phoebe! A tongue-twister!) Kunzite turned back to Zoisite after he was sure that Nephrite didn’t cause a danger to them.

"Zoisite, what about this Usagi? When will she be in control again?" Zoisite looked at him. "Idon'tknow.AllIcansayisthatshetakesovereverytimeI'mtooweak,becauseofafightorjusttootiredandthereforehaven'tenoughenergylefttostayahead.ButIseemtohavetheabilitytotakeoverwheneverIwantprovidedthatI'mstrongenough.AtschoolIcouldwatchtheeventsthathappenedwithoutbeingincontrol.Icouldn'treadherthoughtsbutIcouldtakeoverwheneverIwantedto.Shecan't.She-" Zoisite babbled without taking a breath in. Kunzite tried to make out any sense in it but had his difficulties. (Luna: Thanks to Luna's-endless-sentencesTM) A quick glance over his shoulder told him that Nephrite didn't understand anything of what Zoisite tried to tell him, either. After some seconds the little girl stopped speaking when she noticed that the two were staring at her. "You- you haven't understood me, Kunzite-sama?" The white-haired king looked a bit worried. "What's up, Kunzite-sama? Is something wrong, I mean - except this -" She plucked on her skirt.

"Zoisite. You have been babbling like a hurdy-gurdy and --"

"WHAAATT? I've been babbling like a WHAAATTT? A hurdy-gurdy?? HowcanyoucompareMEtoahurdy-gurdy?Iamnohurdy-gurdy,Iamnotlikesucha--" Kunzite's kiss muted her down. She stared at him. "You've done it again," he answered her unspoken question. Nephrite came up to him. "Kunzite," he whispered in the other one's ear. "Perhaps their identities mix up."

Kunzite thought about it. "That would be bad but it's possible. One reason more why we have to hurry up, before it's too late for Zoisite."

Nephrite grabbed his arm. "But on the other hand it would be very useful for our fight against the sailor-senshi. Nevertheless this girl is their leader and if we wait just some more hours until Zoisite knows more about them we have a real chance to fight them effectively. It would --"

"No! Forget it! I won't risk Zoisite's life for your obsession, Nephrite." He pulled his arm free.

"But Kunzite, we won't get such a chance again. We --"

"No!"

"Arrgh, Kunzite. At least think about it." Nephrite was indignant that the other king only had his little toy in mind. Zoisite jumped to Kunzite's side and smiled triumphantly. "Haven't you heard him, Neffy? It's too dangerous for me to stay longer than necessary in this body."

Nephrite gasped contemptible then crossed his arms. "All right, Kunzite. What's your plan?"

Zoisite clung herself to her king, "Kunzite-sama, let's search for my body. I am tired of being so weak. I want to return into my own beautiful body."

"As if your body was any better than this," Nephrite spat, still unnerved.

"Look, who has plenty of jaw here. Go, look for your energy," Zoisite shooed him away but Nephrite just stood there and started grinning when he thought of something.

"Ooooh, sorry, Kunzite hasn't told you. I forgot."

"Told me what?" Zoisite stared at Nephrite then at Kunzite whose gaze was blank. "Kunzite?!"

He was grabbed by his collar and violently pulled down to Zoisite's level. Suddenly there was a *scrttch* and the top button of his uniform tinkled to the floor. The small girl blushed. "I'll fix that on occasion."

"You? You have not the slightest notion of sewing!"

She looked at his rather free chest. "It doesn't look that bad. You could leave it this way."

"If you say so." Kunzite gracefully wore a slightly embarrassed expression.

"BUT!" Kunzite jumped. "Sorry, BUT on with the story. What is it that you haven't told me?"

Kunzite ducked his head. "I am working together with Nephrite this time. I have promised him to help him gather energy for Queen Metallia," he answered subdued.

There was a silence.

*sniff* "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHAAAAA!"

Zoisite broke down on the floor with the tears coming down from her eyes in wide bows. Nephrite covered his ears, whining, "She sounds as bad as the one you had locked up in your bedroom --"

Silence again. Nephrite peeked over to Zoisite and added, "--while Zoisite was on his search for the genzuishou."

The person spoken of went red. And redder. Reddest. Reddester.

KUUUUUUUUUNZIIIIIIIIIIIIIITEEEEEEEEEEEEE!?!"

"Zoi, let me explain, let me, let me --" Kunzite went backwards, stammering and holding his hands protectively in front of his chest while the girl stomped over to him, furious.

Nephrite saw it with delight.

Zoisite snatched his collar again - Kunzite swallowed - took a deep breath and shouted again. "KAAAAANTSUUUU!" Then dropped him, went over to Nephrite and pushed him over to the stairs.

"Come on, we go and look for .... eh, ... my body."

Nephrite watched the girl suspiciously but she seemed to be serious about it. As long as Zoisite was in this body it seemed as if she had no control over her emotions. He didn't know if this was a positive aspect, but if he could win some more time then ...

Kunzite listened to the *padpad* of their steps up the stairs. He shook his head. This wasn't his koibito.


"You are the relatives of Hino Mamoru, am I right?" (P: "No da?" - Teehee!) The medical superintendent closed his notebook. "I am very sorry, but his condition hasn't changed yet."

Rei started speaking of course. "We thought so. We were wondering if he had any valuables with him when he was taken to the hospital?"

"I don't know. Ask a nurse."

"Fine, thanks." Rei turned to Ami. "Let's go catch a nurse." The girls slowly went down the corridor. "Hey, Ami, what do you think has happened to our uncle?"

"Rei, that's not funny."

"All right, what do you think has happened to the stranger? BETTER?"

"Gomen... I don't know. Somehow the stone seems to have ... switched him off."

"Mmh, I wonder how long he can stay alive in such a condition. I mean --"

"Yeah, I know... mh, no idea." 


"So," Rei opened the hospital's main door, stretched and stepped into the sunlight again. "She said he had nothing with him. That's a problem."

"Therefore the stone must have disappeared somewhere between the shop and the hospital. It either still has to be in the ambulance or one of the first-aid attendants must have it. We--"

Ami was interrupted by a black cat that jumped onto her shoulder. Rei was so surprised that she jumped back in shock. "Luna, are you mad?" (Phoebe giggles, maybe)

Luna breathed very fast. "Ami, Rei, I have found Usagi. Quick, come with me. She seems to be with someone form the Dark Kingdom."

"WHAT???" both of them gasped in stereo. 


All of the pedestrians got a slightly strange expression when they came along a certain bench in the center.

I mean, really -- how could he -- he betrayed me with a woman, a WOMAN."

Nephrite who was listening to that lamentation approximately for half an hour now was thinking about another plan. If Kunzite thought he could twist around the facts how it suited him then he was really naive. Not as long as he was on this. At least he could go after his own plan now and as it seemed - he nodded to Zoisite's complaining to satisfy her - he didn't need much more time until he could ask the other one some interesting questions about the senshi.

"After all those --" she interrupted herself. "-- eh, many, many years he betrayed me with a woman. Nephrite! Help me!"

Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury who came running towards the bench only heard Usagi's cry for help and hurried up. 


"Zoisite, stop whining around. I can't bear it anymore. If Kunzite has chosen another pet I can't help him -- or you." Nephrite put his arm around her shoulders and pretended wanting to comfort her when ...

"Stop it at once! Let her go! I am Sailor Mars and I fight for love and justice! And I won't allow anyone to seduce a minor girl."

"Eh, what about Mamoru? Oh, it's my turn, I am Sailor Mercury and I won't allow you to keep such a nice girl from going home to do her homework."

Zoisite stared at them and then turned to Nephrite whispering to him, "Who are these clowns?"

Nephrite smiled. "Hey, Sailor-senshi, I've been waiting for you. You are quite late. I had to bear her whining for almost an hour now. Where have you been when I needed you?"

From the corner of his eye he noticed that Zoisite knitted her eyebrows.

"Let Tsukino Usagi go, instantly, whoever you may be" Sailor Mars demanded.

Nephrite just started laughing loudly and grabbed the girl beside him. "I'm Nephrite, one of the great four kings of the Dark Kingdom! And you won't get Sailormoon back from me that easily, Sailor Mars."

"Nephrite, what are you doing?" Zoisite said through her gritted teeth.

"Hush," Nephrite hissed and a blade appeared in his hand. "Senshi, surrender and reveal your true identities to me. Then I will take your transformation units and then you'll get her back. You have crossed my way far too often. I will end this now."

The senshi stood in front of them with wide eyes. Zoisite, who was finally finding her way back into reality, noticed the danger she was in, took a deep breath and started screaming. "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH, HEEEEE-- *urks*" Nephrite's arm around her neck somehow didn't cooperate with the scream. She managed a gurgled, "Help me!"

Mars and Mercury stopped in their way when they saw how the blade was lifted to her throat. They had no idea how to help her.

Out of a sudden a rose hit Nephrite's hand and got stuck there. Automatically he withdrew his hand and let the blade clatter to the ground. Nephrite cursed and looked upwards to his attacker who stood on a windowsill and pressed himself flat to the wall. "Ehm, what did I want to say? Wait a moment, it'll come to me, it'll come to me. Moment --"

"Thanks, Tux," Mars shouted.

"SHABON SPRAY!"

Mars scuttled through the fog, grabbed Usagi and pulled her out of Nephrite's range. Then she gave her to Mercury to start her own attack but she couldn't see her enemy anywhere. He was gone.

Zoisite was over the shock after some seconds and stared at the two senshi who had saved her. Fear broke over him, (Luna: Confused already, eh??? *_*) fear he hadn't felt since a long time - not even when Nephrite had threatened his life some seconds ago. He tried to shove that emotions away but it wasn't as easy as he had wished it to be. A feeling of being alone swept through him. Kunzite had betrayed him and Nephrite - that bastard - how could he have trusted him. Being tired of everything he couldn't suppress a faint sob. Zoisite felt a hand stroking his hair - just like... "Oh, Kunzite-sama, he was so mean." The stroking hand stopped and was retreated. Mercury and Mars exchanged some questioning glances. "Usagi?"

When Zoisite heard the definitely female voice calling him by his host's name he finally got aware of his surroundings and jumped back from Sailor Mercury who had held her.

"Usagi, you will have to answer us some questions!" Rei determined.

Zoisite's head jerked around at the loud mean voice. Stuck with the senshi. Great. What else had he to go through? When he saw Mars stepping towards him he instinctively switched into a defensing position. Rei stopped. "Usagi, what's up with you? We only want to help you. I know it's difficult to be a Sailor-senshi but you just can't let it make you insane."

Zoisite blinked. "Sailor-senshi? What do you mean?" He was really confused by now. He felt how tears started welling in his eyes. It all was too much to bear. When he noticed that he couldn't fight the tears back he started screaming. "No, stop this, I - I can't ..." He backed away, turned around and started running. Rei followed screaming, "Are you doing your nut? Come back!" After some hundred meters Rei couldn't see the blond girl anymore and slowed to a halt. "Dammit!"


Zoisite turned into a dark lane and dumped himself in front of a wall, sobbing. Looking around with tears in his eyes he noticed that it had to be very late already, night was falling. Well, at least no-one could see him weeping like a child. When his heart stopped pounding wildly his body cooled down as well and he started shivering slightly. It was too much for a day. First Nephrite who was fighting Kunzite for whatever reason he had, then Kunzite who had betrayed him with a woman and then Nephrite again who had tried to kill him. Why was he in Nephrite's crypt anyway? It didn't make any sense to him. What -- Someone interrupted his flow of thoughts by addressing him with, "Hey, little girl, feeling lonely tonight?"

Zoisite looked up at the man who was standing in front oh him, grinning broadly. He wore really torn and old clothes. A scar decorated his right cheek and the biting stench of too much alcohol hit Zoisite's nose. Once Zoisite was past his shock he jumped up and tried to look as dangerous as possible hoping to scare the other one away. But it was in vain. The tears in his eyes didn't allow a stern expression and so all he earned was a cackling chuckle (Luna: Ack! Phoebe! Leave my Tomo be!) from the man. "Oh, brave," he mocked and pushed the girl to the wall behind her. Zoisite started to snarl at this treatment, "Stop this, you stupid human, if you want to live some more days. I am in a very bad mood right now."

"Oooh, I quiver with fear."

Zoisite gathered his last energy and produced one of his trademark ice-crystals, ramming it deep into the mortal's chest when the man didn't stop to oppress him. He turned away from the badly bleeding creature that dropped to the pavement and started running again not knowing where to go to. Some meters further he collapsed into exhaustion.


After some time Usagi blinked into the dark lane. Every of her muscles hurt. She slowly lifted herself up and carefully took a look around. Except the dark walls and a light at the end of the lane she couldn't make out anything. Slowly she tapped towards the light, groping her way along the wall.

Kunzite walked down one of Tokyo's streets deeply sunken in thoughts. He was worried more than just a bit about Zoisite. Under normal circumstances he would have taken an incident like the one some hours ago as a temporary fit but since his koibito was forced into this special situation he feared for Zoisite's sanity. Nephrite was certainly not the best accompany for Zoisite right now. Best would be he would go and find them instead of looking for that crystal that had caused all that trouble. When he rounded a corner he saw a young man in front of a game center turning his head where he had heard a call from. Then a girl came running towards him and clung her torn self to him. Kunzite's eyes grew wide when he recognized the girl. "Zoisite!" He watched how the man laid an arm around his koibito's waist, opened the door again and led the girl in, telling something to her. He wondered for a moment where Nephrite was but dumped that thought. Zoisite's welfare was more important to him than the whereabouts of the other king. And speaking of Zoisite's welfare, he should be with him and not with anyone else. Seeing that Zoisite didn't mind to be touched by the man and didn't jump back at the touch started an alarm bell to ring in his mind when he remembered Zoisite's reaction to his touch yesterday. He had to do something. 


"Usagi, what's up? You are trembling! Can I help you somehow? Shall I bring you home?" Motoki tried his best to calm her down and to learn about whatever had happened that made her so torn.

"No," she said weakly. "Just hold me some seconds. I --" She stopped speaking when she felt his arms embracing her. It felt really good. Leaning her head against his shoulder she closed her eyes. "Just hold me."

Motoki looked down at the girl that had visited him so many times already and he knew that she had a crush on him, but this time she really was in need for his help. Something strange must have happened to her. He felt how her trembling slowly stopped and she found some strength again. Then Motoki noticed something.

"Usagi...have you...cut yourself or something???" She lifted her head from where it rested and looked at her hands. They were stained with dark, dried blood. He anxiously saw into her paled face. "Usagi? Daijoubu ka? Shall I bring you home?"

"I will do that," a stern voice said.


 END OF PART FIVE

On to Chapter 6

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