DISCLAIMER – rather long, too. It relates to the first part of my "epic" (my mother’s word for it), ‘The Persistence of Memory.’ So…this is non-profit, so don’t sue me. I’m a checkout chick and student by day, novelist by night – I have no money to take!
Sailor Moon, the Sailor Senshi, their guardians and friends, the Dark Kingdom and its inhabitants are all property of Naoko Takeuchi.
Avalon, Oberon, Titania, Puck, the Weird Sisters, Owen Burnett, Goliath, David, Fox and Alexander Xanatose and the Phoenix gate are property of Buena Vista television. (as far as I know)
Kryten, David Lister, Arnold Rimmer, Cat, Holly and the theory of the Omni-zone are all property of Doug Naylor and Rob Grant.
Yoda and Luke…think y’all know already…
The lyrics to "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" (part one) and "Farewell and Goodnight" (part four) are property of the Smashing Pumpkins, written by Billy Corgan and James Iha.
The lyrics to "I Shall Believe" (part two) were penned by Sheryl Crow and Bill Botrell.
Roma Ryan wrote the lyrics to the verse at the beginning of part three, part of an Enya song entitled "Evening Falls."
As for the characters of (this is a LONG list, unfortunately) Morganite/Morgan Shepherd/Éowyn, Lucien Goodchild/Leucite, Phoebe Loxeriam/Phenakite, Celestine/the Grand Inquisitor/Celeste Pendragon, Nepheline Syenite/Lena Quinn, Andradite/Andrea Rutherford-Troubetzkoy, Alexandrite/Alexander Rutherford, Zoya Troubetzkoy, Karl Rutherford and Jonathan Troubetzkoy, and Breccia, the force of Angelikarma, and the realm of Nemesis, are all of my own invention, though some are twisted versions/personalities of characters created by other people. Thus, you can’t have them without permission, ‘kay? Okay then…on with my ramblings…
-Claire, the unfortunate girl who got Celestine for a muse. (e-mail at luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com)
P.S. This part is BEFORE the attacks on Tokyo by the Dark Kingdom. I am screwing around with the emotions of the characters ‘cos it’s fun.
"life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair"
by Celeste Goodchildp>
Chapter One:
the beginning is the end is the beginning
"…from the ethers tragic i am born again…"
Part One : A Life So Changed
"the world is a vampire, sent to drain,
secret destroyers, hold you up to the flames,
and what do i get, for my pain
betrayed desires, and a piece of the game"
Kunzite pondered over the photograph that had once taken place of pride in his private chambers, a kaleidoscope of emotions playing in his silvery-blue eyes. A million thoughts danced like autumn leaves through his mind, but one single question took precedence over the others.
Why? Why did she have to be so stubborn, so damned impulsive, why couldn’t she just have…
The tears returned before he could stop them, hot fat droplets trundling down his cheeks in two rivers of simple pain.
Blindly, he shoved the silver framed photograph into the drawer from which he had taken it an hour previously. Then all he could do was sink onto the edge of his opulent bed, face buried in his gloved hands.
It had been a year now – an entire year. Was this pain gnawing at his insides going to be omnipresent in his life for all eternity? Hadn’t he been punished enough?
Admittedly, the sharp pain he had first felt at her death had, gradually over time, dimmed to a dull ache in his chest whenever he thought of her. Which was often.
Except when he looked upon her frozen visage under the glass. Then the pain became like sharp silver needles piercing his heart, like an acupuncturist gone super nova –
He started suddenly, as an annoying ringing burst into his mind.
I really need a new doorbell, thought Kunzite to himself, sighing. That goddamn ringing…well, it is slightly better than that bloody buzzer…
Although the visitor sounded pissed, if the intensity and duration of the rings was anything to judge by, Kunzite took his own sweet time, until he was satisfied he appeared his usual self. It was early morning, anyhow, and he had just awakened an hour previously. After dreaming of her…
Finally satisfied his uniform and indeed his beloved hair, were in pristine condition, he answered the door.
A tall blonde man, though not as tall or blonde as Kunzite, barrelled in, and twisted to face the highest ranking of the three present Kings, worry evident in his harassed-looking blue eyes. Kunzite looked upon Jadeite coolly, unperturbed by the younger man’s somewhat dramatic entrance. It was a characteristic move for the eldest king – he hadn’t gained the nickname ‘Ice King’ just because of his frigid good looks. It had been the greatest irony…he so glacial, she so fiery…
"Can I help you, Jadeite?"
Jadeite threw his lean body down, uninvited, into one of the chairs by the table. They were in what most humans would have described as a dimly-lit dining room.
"You’re in deep shit," declared the youngest of Beryl’s kings decisively, before noticing the pitcher of wine on the table, beside which sat a lone glass. "May I?"
Shrugging, Kunzite pulled a crystalline glass from the shelf behind him, handing it to Jadeite. Then he sat before the man on the other side of the table, taking the other glass which Jadeite readily filled.
"Nephrite’s collection, I assume?" Jadeite sipped the beverage with a slight look of pleasure flickering in his eyes.
"Only the best. The guy may have severe emotional problems – he has to, all that starlight can’t be good for a person – but he has great taste in wines."
Frowning, Jadeite inspected the low level of liquid of wine in the pitcher suspiciously. "You haven’t been drinking this shit alone all night again, have you?"
Kunzite shrugged again, knowing there wasn’t really much point in trying to conceal the fact. Jadeite sighed heavily. "It’s been what…a year now? Since she died…why can’t you just…"
"Forget her?" snarled Kunzite in reply, before quickly regaining his composure. He hated losing his poise in front of anyone.
Mortified, Jadeite looked into his glass, mostly to escape Kunzite’s wrathful gaze. Then he sighed, releasing his tension. "You’re in so much smeg, Kunzite," he said, moving back to his safer, original topic.
"Why do you say that?" He downed the last of his wine easily, and reached for the glass pitcher, Jadeite’s reproachful look notwithstanding.
"Beryl’s gonna want to see you soon – but I already know what it’s about," he replied, then added offhandedly, "I do have my sources, you know."
Kunzite chuckled knowingly, and Jadeite ducked his head in embarrassment. "I didn’t get it from her like that! Kunzite-sama, you’re so…"
Coughing to cover laughter, Kunzite tried to stay aloof. "Do tell."
"She’s got a new assignment for you – and you’re not gonna like it."
"I’ll be the judge of that, shall I?" Kunzite looked at Jadeite darkly over the rim of his glass. "Skip the melodrama already."
"She’s finally appointed a fourth king."
The glass slipped out of his suddenly slack hands, and Kunzite didn’t even notice, not even when it shattered on the dark, organic floor at his feet.
Jadeite ducked his head, obviously embarrassed to be the bearer of tidings that affected his superior to such an extent that he would lose control like that. In front of him, too…
"How could she...?"
"It has been a year, Kunzaito-sama…but there’s something else, too."
"More?" he put a hand to his head, like he was beginning to get a headache.
Tentatively, Jadeite added "She wants you to train him."
"Oh, fuck!" cursed the silver-haired king, burying his face in his hands. "The bitch, the great bitch…"
"Shoosh!" admonished Jadeite hurriedly. "If Beryl hears that…"
Shaking his head, Kunzite moaned, then looked up abruptly. "I take it you don’t know who it is."
"Oh, shit yes, that’s part of the reason I know about it. It’s…it’s otooto."
He appeared confused. "Brother? Since when do you have a brother?"
"Since always," snorted Jadeite, taking a long slug from the crystal glass. "But I’m not surprised you’ve never met him – he wasn’t exactly ‘sociable,…" Jadeite seemed to remember something, and choked on a mouthful of wine. "No, I wouldn’t call him that…"
Chuckling quietly, Kunzite said softly "One would almost think you were afraid of your brother, Jadeite-kohai."
Jadeite snorted. "Believe me, Lord Kunzite-sempai, you won’t feel quite so smug once you’ve met him."
"What’s his name?" Kunzite asked absently, wondering if he did actually indeed know him, just not as ‘Jadeite’s brother.’ There were several ‘humans’ in the Dark Kingdom, though he didn’t know all of them. Beryl’s four kings were the most important, though for the last year, there had been only three.
"His name’s Zoisite," said Jadeite, and unreadable emotion flickering into his eyes. Kunzite sighed.
"You’re right – I don’t know him." Besides Jadeite and Nephrite, he didn’t really know the others. There was Leucite, and then Phenakite…though the weird shadow priestess had never been human. Just a former princess of Nemesis…she had been the only one Beryl had tried to recruit as the new king in the past year. Phenakite would have none of it, however. She had point blank refused the offer, and in many ways, he was grateful.
But this Zoisite…from the way Jadeite was speaking, it was obvious he wouldn’t bail out.
"I know this will sound really stupid, Kunzite, but I warn you – watch it around him, okay?"
"Where’s he been all this time?" asked Kunzite, ignoring the not-to-subtle warning. "Is he around?"
"Iie, not yet," replied Jadeite, setting the pitcher down, after emptying the contents into his glass. "He’s been on the other side – I received a letter from him outlining Beryl’s proposal. Besides, though, even when he is home, he’s extremely hard to find. He’s a sneaky, intelligent little brat when he wants to be. He used to hang around with youma-"
Kunzite chortled. "Can’t be too bright if he enjoys that company."
"No, no, you’ve got it wrong – Zoisite used to study them, like he was an anthropologist or something. He is actually something of a master of youma theory…" He stood, brushing off his uniform. "I should really get going. My little gang has something planned, apparently." As he turned to leave, he paused, then spun around. "Oh, one last thing I should probably tell you. It’s unlikely Beryl would say anything, and Zoisite definitely wouldn’t, but…"
"Nanii?"
"Keep him away from Nephrite. You get those two in the same room…" He made a face. "Let me put it this way, would you rather have two whole kings or two million pieces scattered around the Dark Kingdom?"
"The latter wouldn’t be bad," remarked Kunzite musingly. "Two less rivals for power…"
"Beryl would fry you for it, and you know it," objected Jadeite. "Zoisite’s going to be your responsibility, and any problem he causes is YOUR problem, too."
"I’ll keep it in mind," said Kunzite dryly, turning away. Then curiosity bit him. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do Zoisite and Nephrite want to kill each other?"
"Well…as you’ll soon find out, Zoisite is a complete smart ass, he doesn’t know when to shut up. One day, that mouth of his is going to get him into deep smeg." Or his temper, he added silently. "Surely you heard about Nephrite’s little ‘wine cellar’ incident?"
"Of course…I was there, I saw that place go up like a Molotov cocktail. Shit, Nephrite was so pissed about that, he ignored Beryl’s summons for a week while he rebuilt his collection."
"It wasn’t some above-intelligent, irate youma that pulled that stunt…it was a highly pissed Zoisite."
"But why did he do it in the first place?"
"Ask Zoisite," shrugged Jadeite. "After all, you’re going to be stuck with him for a long time."
Jadeite then extracted himself from the chair, and walked to the door. Without thinking, Kunzite lowered the security wards so the younger king could leave.
Suddenly, the blonde turned. "You know, Kunzite-sempai, I knew her too. She was…a good warrior, but you can’t spend the rest of your life…"
Kunzite just stared at him with stony eyes, and Jadeite reluctantly left.
Listening to his orders as his queen dished them out, Kunzite sighed. Training a new king just got his hackles up – like he didn’t have enough to do already. Phenakite, at least, might have been a pleasure to teach. She certainly was pretty…but ‘Jadeite’s little brother’ sounded like a little brat. How mundane…
The following morning, Kunzite sat alone at his desk in his laboratory, absenting looking over his notes as he sipped the glass of wine. Apparently, at least according to Beryl and Jadeite, Zoisite would arrive from the other side of the kingdom today.
A brief knock at his door caused his head to snap up. "Come in," he said, hesitant only in his mind. This was it.
To his complete shock, a young girl dressed in the uniform of a king, lined in green, slipped into the room. Her eyes were lowered, so he couldn’t observe the colour, but her extraordinary, copper-gold curls were caught back in a ponytail, two tendrils free to tickle her ears. She bowed in respect, and then turned two not-inconspicuous emerald eyes on him.
"Lord Kunzite, I presume?" she almost purred, and he was slightly confused. Her voice was very husky, for a woman.
"Who did you expect, the tooth fairy?" he said, feeling disgusted. He hated interruptions, especially when he was in a mood like this. "Can I help you?"
"Actually, you’re supposed to be helping me," the girl said, looking over the silver-haired king with admiration.
"Your name might help," snapped Kunzite, raising the glass to his lips.
"Watashi no namae wa Zoiseito desu," he said lightly, and smiled when Kunzite spat the mouthful of wine out over the mess of scattered papers. He giggled internally, somewhat surprised. Jadeite had described Kunzite as being cool, aloof, detached. Especially since…but he, Zoisite, had caused the king to lose his composure by simply speaking his name.
Kunzite partly understood Jadeite now. Swiftly, he regained his poise. "Well, now…" he drawled slowly. "Since you’re the student, you can clean up this mess. After all, it was your fault."
"I’d really like to – but I can’t."
His cerulean eyes narrowed. "And why not?"
"I don’t do manual labour," he sighed, taking off one of his gloves, and examining his cuticles. "It’s hell on the hands, you know. Not to mention it doesn’t do my hair any good."
Eyes widening, Kunzite was suddenly filled with a heat that spread through his chest. "And what makes you think I care about the state of your hair, little seito?"
Zoisite lowered his long-lashed eyes, looking suitably chastised. "I do apologise, Lord Kunzaito-sama. I was out of line."
"Obviously," grunted Kunzite, and though the pretty young man’s words had sounded genuine enough, somehow, they were lacking truth.
"You still have to clean it up," pointed out the eldest king, and like an obedient dog, Zoisite set about the task. Kunzite was so preoccupied by the papers before him, he didn’t notice the malicious glint in his eyes.
"So," said Kunzite finally, reclining back in his chair. "You are to be the new king."
"I’m taking Morganite’s place, yes," he replied, standing at attention now he was done cleaning.
Ignoring the sharp pain in his chest, Kunzite continued. "I want you to prove to me your worthiness. Justify your existence as the fourth king."
Appearing to fall into deep thought, Zoisite stood quietly before the king’s desk. Kunzite used the opportunity to admire the new recruit – now, thinking about it, he could see that Zoisite was a man, albeit a ver effeminate one. He moved with an almost regal, feline-like grace, and held his head at an intelligent angle, an aura of startling innocence surrounding him like a cloak.
"Justify myself?"
"Yes," snapped Kunzite sharply.
"I’m beautiful, intelligent, competitive, strong-willed, and…" a strange smile played at his lips, lighting up his pretty verdant eyes as he gazed at his new teacher rather provocatively. "An absolute wonder in bed."
"You’re also wonderfully modest," commented Kunzite dryly, successfully managing to keep his amazement internal – why did his words make him feel so…Zoisite was certainly pretty, but only a kodomo…and a male to boot. And judging by the way the young king held himself, he knew his power. He was certainly more intriguing than he had anticipated – one second, he was a vain, egocentric, arrogant brat, the next, he was an obedient angel. Kunzite couldn’t understand his motivation, but maybe this had been why Jadeite had warned him.
Kunzite stood, eyeing the petite man as he did so. He was slight, and delicately built, very fine boned if his aristocratic features were anything to go by. He didn’t appear overly strong, though appearances could be deceiving. Those slender limbs could hold an amazing amount of strength, though Kunzite guessed in any direct physical confrontation, he would rely more on his cunning than his strength.
"You don’t look very impressive," he snorted suddenly, not quite truthfully. "Why Beryl wants you…"
Zoisite looked at him with eyes tinted with green fire. "Excuse me, Lord Kunzite-sama?"
"A king relies more on power than looks, Zoisite – so I suggest you quit worrying about your hair, and get training."
"You underestimate me, Lord Kunzite-sempai," said Zoisite softly, but Kunzite could hear no rancour tingeing his low words. He wondered why this worried him, more so than if he had said it maliciously.
"Then prove yourself, Zoisite."
"Didn’t Jadeite-oniisan you tell already?" A devilish grin spread like wildfire across Zoisite’s angelic face, startling Kunzite greatly. He had gone from celestial to evil in the time it took to blink.
"Nephrite," he said in sudden understanding. Zoisite gave a cackle like no other, Kunzite wincing as he heard it. It was too high-pitched for anyone’s standards. "Jadeite did warn me about that."
"Oh really?" Zoisite’s features calmed slightly, but a strange glint remained in his eyes. "I wonder what else he warned you about."
Kunzite narrowed his platinum eyes. "What else is there? You’re only a child."
"Humph," replied Zoisite, looking more than slightly put out. He sat down and sulked in his chair, and Kunzite lowered his guard as he laughed internally, almost fondly, at his strange new student.
To his horror, he suddenly found himself thrown back as Zoisite leapt onto him from his chair. His eyes were blazing, and in his hand he clutched a large ice crystal, directed straight at his heart. He straddled Kunzite with amazing strength, and Kunzite had to admire his agility. But if he didn’t react soon, he’d find out how good Zoisite’s aim was. And that was one lesson he’d rather let some unfortunate youma learn.
He vanished as Zoisite brought the ice shard down, and reappeared behind him as Zoisite cursed loudly.
He didn’t say a word, nor scream when Kunzite grabbed his long ponytail from behind, snapping his head back. His strong arm around his waist stopped him from moving, and Kunzite let magic flow between them, a barrier to prevent Zoisite from teleportation.
"You’re a fool if you think you can kill me, Zoisite no baka," he whispered in his ear, slightly unnerved by the lack of struggling from the cornered king.
"I’ll be a fool if it suits me, Lord Kunzite," replied Zoisite in a conversational tone, sounding oblivious to the fact that Kunzite could easily kill him if he so desired.
"So be it – I think your training’s over, Zoisite. You just failed my class."
"Tsk, tsk," came a voice from the suddenly open door, and Kunzite looked up in surprise. He didn’t release Zoisite an inch however.
Phenakite appeared to be laughing at the pair, not the slightest bit concerned that Kunzite might kill Zoisite. "What is this, Student Murder 101?" she asked, smiling oddly. "You know I told you not to take your anger out on real people – and I’m sorry, that means student kings, too."
The young princess was exceptionally pretty, with a soft face housing two deep brown eyes, framed by honey-blonde hair a shade lighter than Zoisite’s, and not as red. It was cut much shorter, and into a shaggy mane around her visage.
Her uniform was completely different to the drab grey of Kunzite and Zoisite, it was a rich purple, lined in white. It consisted of a double breasted blazer, a knee length skirt and white shirt. Two inch heels on her small feet added to her slight height. Even with this platforms, she was shorter than Zoisite, he stood a almost a full foot below Kunzite. "I am your caseworker, and I just cannot stand her and let you kill Zoisite."
"Caseworker?" gagged Zoisite in laughter, somehow managing to laugh uncontrollably without moving enough to provoke Kunzite into snapping his neck. "YOU have a caseworker?!"
Kunzite sighed in disgust, letting the hysterical king slide to the floor. A malicious look suddenly contorted his handsome features horribly. Without warning, he suddenly kicked Zoisite in the stomach.
Phenakite looked shocked as she knelt beside the king, who was crouched into a ball now, clutching his stomach. "Oh, now, that was truly unnecessary," she said reproachfully, while Kunzite looked at them emotionlessly.
"He deserved it."
"Maybe – but who are you to judge?" Phenakite helped Zoisite to his feet, and Zoisite roughly pushed her away, obviously his pride had taken more than a mere battering.
"Watch yourself," growled Kunzite low in his throat. "That’s Beryl’s favourite flunky you’re pushing around.">p> Zoisite tossed his pretty little head apathetically, and then doubled over in pain. Kunzite chuckled, but was silenced by a glare from Phenakite. Although Phenakite was not a king on Queen Beryl’s court, she was still exceptionally powerful. He suspected she was even more powerful than her adoptive mother. It was her inherent sweetness that made her underestimated often.
"Did I hurt you, my little seito?" he asked with apathy, though, for some unknown reason, he felt almost…remorseful about whacking him one. Though he had deserved it, the obnoxious little…
"Don’t bother me with your sympathy," sneered Zoisite, and he disappeared in what Kunzite was to learn was his characteristic flurry of cherry blossoms.
Phenakite sighed, and said "Stressed, Lord Kunzite-dono?"
"Lady Phenakite-hime," he replied, bowing his head. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Half smiling, Phenakite waved off the formalities. "I wanted to talk to you. About this whole new king thing, actually…"
A sly smile played at his lips. Beryl had believed that separating the two under threat of eternal sleep, would keep them from trying to off each other. Well, she wasn’t too bright about that…they had made a vow to meet again.
He and Nephrite had a history, mostly violent, that was. Ever since that starlight class.
There was the ‘fire in the sky’ incident…
Nephrite’s ‘let’s blow up Zoisite’ chemistry experiment…
Zoisite’s ‘caesium water bomb’ game…
And where would they be without a few direct physical confrontations?
It was time – promises should be kept, after all.
Phenakite sat cross legged on Kunzite’s desk, the king sprawled in his chair, eyes closed.
It was true what Phenakite had said – she was Kunzite’s personal ‘psychiatrist,’ had been ever since Morganite’s death in the realm of that cursed tree. At Beryl’s insistence. Phenakite had only been around for a couple of months then, but as far as Beryl was concerned, she was worthy. Beryl had an ulterior motive, too…she had hoped the pair would hit it off on more than a professional level. Kunzite had been shattered by her death, and even though Beryl detested this weakness, she couldn’t afford to lose him. She had believed the fresh, ‘young’ flesh of the ten thousand year old former princess would heal his wounds.
However, although she had helped him emotionally throughout the past year, they had never touched one another. Kunzite would never have considered it, and Phenakite knew it. So she buried her feelings deep within her aching heart, and tried to conceal her pain.
"Do you believe you’re up to this, Kunzite?" asked Phenakite. "After all, you tried to teach me The Way, and look what happened."
"That was you, Phenakite-hime. You’re powerful, too powerful for your own good, in my opinion. But you’re also too pure of heart for this place. Zoisite, however, is one malicious, scum sucking little smegger!"
Phenakite chuckled. "He has adorable spirit, however. Never before have I seen someone attack someone of such superior strength so openly!"
"I should have killed him," Kunzite half moaned, half groaned. "He’s just going to end up being a pain in the butt."
Phenakite simply shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. But I have the feeling he and Nephrite are going to be the prob-" Her brow suddenly creased in confusion.
"What is it, Phenakite?" asked Kunzite, though he thought he knew. He could feel a niggling at the back of his mind, like a power surge…
"Can’t you feel it? There’s something building, something malicious, and - OH, SHIT!"
Beryl had summoned all her kings, and her ‘favourite flunky,’ (her adoptive daughter) to her throne room.
Two were in serious smeg.
Jadeite stood to one side, with Phenakite and Kunzite. Kunzite stood toward the back, with Phenakite in front of them both.
Nephrite and Zoisite stood in front of the Queen.
Kunzite had to admit, the pair of them were amazing. The bitch-queen was in super destructive mode, yet neither lowered their gaze. If either was intimidated or frightened by her wrath, they concealed it exceptionally well.
"I thought I had made my mind clear on this matter!" screeched Beryl, her face contorted into a mask of hatred and anger. "You are two of my most powerful warriors, and thus I cannot destroy you – there is too much to lose."
"Queen Beryl-sama," spoke up Zoisite. "I only did what I was trained to do."
"Insolence!" screamed Beryl, and Kunzite winced. Zoisite was new at this, handling Beryl’s temper tantrums, and he didn’t seem to realise that he was making it harder on himself by speaking out of turn.
Nephrite snickered – he knew Zoisite was toast.
Beryl suddenly narrowed her scarlet eyes. "You were taught…you haven’t been under Kunzite long enough. So it must have been Morganite’s training, hmm?"
"Of course, your majesty," Zoisite replied in his silky, husky voice, playing idly with a strand of his coppery golden hair. This fidgeting was his only hint at nervousness.
"You admired Morganite then, didn’t you Zoisite?"
The others exchanged glances, wondering at the change. Nephrite had been positive Beryl was going to fry the youngest king for his insolence, but now…Kunzite didn’t like the mention of Morganite, his long-dead ex-wife…Phenakite could sense the power building…and Jadeite knew his brother was impulsive, and could, quite easily, get himself into a whole heap of trouble.
"She was my idol, majesty," he replied easily, not in the slightest way bothered by the uneasy movements from the three kings and the princess behind him, who were more experienced in Beryl’s bitching out sessions.
"Well, Zoisite, I warned you earlier about this behaviour regarding Nephrite. Which is why you must be punished." Her lips curved into a cruel smile.
Kunzite marveled at Zoisite’s audacity. "Eternal sleep then? Well, I do need my beauty rest."
"Silly child," chuckled Beryl, without real mirth. "I have something different in mind for you – something that might bring you a little closer to living up to your idol."
All the watchers covered their faces against the bright light that exploded from Beryl’s crystal ball, and they stared in shock at Zoisite’s fallen form.
Beryl grinned maliciously. "Nephrite – I will allow you amnesty from this – but rest assured, any more trouble like this regarding you and Zoisite will be severely punished." She looked up so her gaze encompassed the entire group. "That goes for the rest of you, too. You are dismissed. Oh, and Kunzite?"
"Yes majesty?" he asked as Jadeite and Nephrite hurriedly vanished, though Phenakite still remained.
"Take your student with you."