Standard grovelling procedure…puh-LEASE don’t sue me, big important people, for using your trademarks etc…this is NON-PROFIT, I swear!

Hey, I’ve just discovered why totemization is so much better than torture. It’s cheaper, neater, and more space efficient! And that was yet another, USELESS FACT.

Mail me at luna_dreamscape@hotmail.com. That is, if you think you can cope with the person who wrote this insanity…(!)

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Leucite turned, stunned. Behind him was Morganite, eyes yielding, her hand held out. "It’s not too late, is it? I came…I came to go back to the past. Back to Avalon’s eternal summers."

He looked at the broken mirror, which now appeared a nearly completed jigsaw puzzle. "I’ve been waiting centuries to hear you say that, sister." He placed the last piece in its assigned place with a delicate hand, and ran a hand glowing with green energy over the surface.

The pieces melded themselves together, the mirror once more complete, whole. "It takes a lot more than a severely pissed off Dark Kingdom wannabe to destroy the power of Oberon," he smiled sadly. He pulled the mirror from the ground, standing it up straight. "Shall we?" he asked, extending a hand.

"Of course."

The pair gazed at the mirror, and Leucite spoke. "The power of Avalon doth mean much, and the pain of thee it will touch, from the heart of its hidden skies, it will heal the daughter of ancient lies."

It glowed brightly, and the pair stepped together into the light.

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

"No," mumured Kunzite, his voice harsh with pain as he fell to his knees.

Zoisite lay sprawled on her broken back, eyes blankly staring at the ceiling. Phenakite stood shakily, as stunned as the rest of them. Nephrite held Naru closer to him, horror building bile in his throat. They had had their problems over the years, but truly…he wouldn’t wish this on his worst enemy.

Celestine appeared at a complete loss, as Tuxedo Kamen cried out in horror, desperately calling her mortal name, falling at her side. "Zoya!"

Venus’s hand flew to her mouth as she gagged, seeing the blood pouring from the fallen girl’s chest. It was Mercury who ran to help her wounds, and Tuxedo Kamen desperately called to her, tried to lift her from the stupor of death.

Phenakite, who had been motionless as she stood behind the girl who had, in theory anyway, saved her life, suddenly let out a cry of horror, and ran from the room.

As if deaf to all other sounds, this made Kunzite’s head snap up, his eyes flashing. "Phenakite…" he hissed, and he stood. He shot after her, screaming for her blood.

"Oh, dammit to hell," said Celestine unhappily, her eyes troubled and dark. "This has really screwed this up." She knelt beside the girl, and placed a hand on her forehead. "Zoisite?"

The girl stirred, swallowing painfully, and as she tried to sit up, Celestine held her down. "No, child, do not move. You are dying, Zoisite, and I cannot help you."

Her eyes filled with tears that spilled down her cheeks, as Tuxedo Kamen mirrored the action. He took off the white mask, and the hat, looking at her in pain. He was too heartbroken to speak.

Only the Avenger could voice the question in all their minds. "Why did you do it, Zoisite?"

"She couldn’t die," she said painfully, and Celestine sighed heavily. "She is the only living person who can rule Nemesis…you know as well as I that if she died, Nemesis was finished."

"It seems you know more than you were ever supposed to," she said quietly, with regret. "Oh, Zoisite you are but a child. You have so much to live for…"

"I had to do it," she whispered, as her eyes fell shut again. "Please understand…Phenakite had to live, and I had to do it. If Phenakite had died, this would have all been for nothing…"

Celestine regarded her with pity as she fell into unconsciousness, eyes blank. "You knew more, but not enough, Zoisite. Oh, gods…why do you laugh at me?"

"What do you mean?" Sailor Moon asked quietly, looking down at Zoisite.

The immortal looked remorseful. "Zoisite was right – Phenakite must be alive for the rebuilding of Nemesis to be successful. So she stepped into the path of fire, to save the girl. But what she didn’t know was this – Kunzite could never have killed her. Breccia would have protected her."

"So she’s dying – for nothing?!" cried Tuxedo Kamen incredulously.

"I’m sorry," she said miserably, but she straightened, holding her head higher. "Come, we must stop Kunzite from continuing this charade. He cannot kill her, and she will never hurt him, but he may accidentally reveal our presence to the Queens."

"What about Zoisite?" asked Jadeite in shock. "Surely you’re not going to just…let her die?"

"There’s nothing I can do," she said helplessly, looking at her staff. "Angelikarma is no healing force, at least, not like that."

"I could – with the ginzuishou," suggested the leader of the Senshi, but Celestine shook her head.

"She is beyond all that, princess. She is inches from death, and there is nothing to pull her back, save…"

"Save what?" demanded Venus, her love for Jadeite causing her additional pain. It hurt her to see him suffer.

"Life force," she replied simply. "The force of life. It is too pure, too simple to be a part of any magical implement. Thus, it is impossible. I…she’s going to die, no matter what any of you say or do."

"How can you be so cold?" gasped Mercury, an old pain tearing at her heart as she watched Zoisite.

"It’s a natural ability – it goes with the territory, Mercury. Besides, haven’t any of you realised the truth? Life by its very nature is cruel and unkind and unfair."

"That’s a cynical view," laughed a voice, and every stared as two strange figures stepped out of a glowing mirror, and into the temple’s main chamber.

"Yeah – whatever could make you say a thing like that?"

The two figures walked arm in arm towards the group, one a small sprite dressed in purple, red and gold, the other a tall, stately woman dressed in a warm red dress, with loose sleeves and a yellow bodice, a golden belt circling her tiny waist. From her back sprouted a pair of wings, not feathered like an angels, but like those of a butterfly. They were unpatterned, and translucent, shimmering with a pearly green sheen. Her hair was long and black, in two ponytails that fell over her shoulders, held at breast-level by two purple orbs that served as barrettes. Their eyes glowed brightly, his a cheerful blue, hers violet.

"I think you’ve spent too much time – oh gods." The light flew out of his eyes as he saw the blood staining the ground around the fallen figure, who now lay cradled in the arms of Mamoru. For without his mask and hat, he seemed oh so mortal. "Zoisite?"

"Yeah," said Mercury huskily, clutching the dying girl’s hand. "Who are you?"

"Oh – the form, right. Sorry guys. I’m Puck, and this is Éowyn."

"LEUCITE?!" cried Nephrite just as Nepheline simultaneously shouted "MORGANITE?!"

They looked at each other like two children who had been partners in some childhood prank, and smiled. Then seriousness overtook them as they looked down at the girl. Puck knelt before Zoisite, gently pushing the others aside. Now, only Mamoru and Mercury remained with the girl, whose form was already fading.

"Oh crap," he said, and his voice was thick with sorrow. "I’m sorry…I could heal Jadeite, but Zoisite…is too far gone. I’m so sorry…"

"It’s okay, Puck," replied Venus huskily, as she held Jadeite to her, listening to his silent weeping. "Celestine already told us about the life forces."

"Yes," he murmured, pressing his hands to her chest, and drawing them away, covered in blood. Naru quietly turned and emptied her stomach, Nephrite helping her stagger back to her feet. "When someone is this close to death, nothing can stop it. Only life itself can heal her – for her life force is gone. Her spirit is desperately clinging to her mortal form, but soon…she will have to let go."

The haziness of her form was proof of his words, and Mamoru and Mercury began to sob openly, both of them feeling pain they didn’t completely understand.

"Wait."

The soft voice of Éowyn broke through, as she knelt before the girl. She frowned as she took the girl’s hand, seemingly in deep consideration. Then she sighed. She turned to the group, and beckoned to Nepheline Syenite and her half-brother, Nephrite. They both stepped forward, and she stood to greet them. She threw her arms around Nephrite, and then stood back. "Morganite never told you, Nephrite…but…" The strange fairy-like woman leant forward, and whispered something in his ear, something that paled his face, and made her smile wistfully. "Promise me," she whispered, and he nodded in disbelief.

Then she turned to the girl, and embraced her warmly. She planted a brief kiss on her lips, and stepped away. "Forgive me, my friend," she murmured, and moved towards the fallen girl.

"Now THAT sounds suspicious," cried Sailor Moon, but Celestine held her back.

"Hush, child. She knows what she is doing. Éowyn has much to repay in her life, and this is her choice."

Puck seemed bemused by his sister’s actions, as she sat beside the girl. The others noticed her necklace only when she took it off – and it made Puck shout out.

"ÉOWYN!"

But she was deaf to his cries. She pulled Zoisite away from the others, into her own arms. Taking a limp hand, she held one half of the necklace. It was extraordinary, half gold, half silver. It was the symbol of eternity, an eight on its side…and Puck knew what she was doing as she wrapped Zoisite’s limp hand around it.

"What is it?" asked Sailor Moon, shocked at the hopeless features of the changeling. Yet somehow, in amongst all that sorrow, there was…pride?

"She is healing her." Celestine sounded quietly stunned.

"I thought you said that was impossible," said Mars, surprised.

"Just watch," she said softly. "She will heal her, but at a dear cost."

As they watched in stunned silence, the form of the girl seemed to corrupt, become hazy…she smiled sweetly as she leaned forward, and without warning, she became one shapeless mass that slipped silently into the girl.

There were no bright lights, no heavenly music, but everyone could feel the lightness of heart that suddenly echoed around the room.

The girl’s gory wound to her chest suddenly closed over without warning, and Mercury leapt forward with a cry as the former king lay sprawled on the cold ground. Mamoru joined her, cradling Zoisite like a child.

"Careful, careful," chided Mercury gently. "I think her back is broken."

Puck stood silently, watching the pair fuss over the girl, who was now very much ALIVE, if not unconscious. It took a hand on his arm from Nepheline to awaken him from his musings.

"Don’t hate her for what she did, Puck. She had to do it." He turned to her, and though his eyes were bright with tears, he seemed to be happy, somehow. "I don’t hate her. She was my sister…"

"I don’t understand," Venus put in slowly, as she watched Jadeite walk blindly, with increasing disbelief, towards his sister. He collapsed in tears beside her form, clutching her hand to his chest. Venus desired to move to join him, but curiosity was rampant.

The necklace was still held in Zoisite’s limp hand, and Puck stared at it, smiling. "We changelings, we have no particular mortal form, not like humans. We are changelings, shape shifters, beings of pure magic. Éowyn played on this fact when she sacrificed her own form to give her life force to Zoisite."

"So…Éowyn gave her sustenance to Zoisite?" asked Jupiter, shocked beyond belief. "She gave up her own life?"

"She’s dead then," said Nepheline, her bubbly voice curiously flat.

"Oh, you might be pleasantly surprised," said Puck with a crooked, though mischievous grin. "You never know what might happen when you mix magics."

"What do you mean?" Mars sounded her usual suspicious self, and Celestine laid a comforting hand on the girl’s shoulder. Mars was surprised at the warmth that flowed through the girl, and into her – her power was great, yet pure. Complex, yet simple.

"Magic is an unusual force present in all realities. It exists in different forms in different places, different times. When you mix them…well, things do happen."

"Bad things?" Sailor Moon looked worried, and Puck roared with laughter, a twinkle in his eyes.

"When the Puck’s involved, it can’t be anything bad," he snorted.

Celestine shook her head in mild amusement. "I beg to differ. But we digress. What of our mourning king?"

"Who – Kunzite?" Jupiter wrinkled her brow. "Why is he mourning?"

"Well," drawled Mars in her best kindergarten teacher voice, "He believes he just killed his former lover, and…"

"Stuff it, bitch," snarled Jupiter, and was chastised by two pairs of feline eyes.

"I’ll go get him," offered Nephrite suddenly, and Naru looked at him in astonishment.

"Nanii?!"

"We’ll all go, don’t get all heroic on me now, Neffy," smiled the Avenger. "There may be only four in Breccia’s Trust now, at least, once we get Kunzite back, but really, it will be okay."

"I’m not leaving Zoisite," stated Mamoru firmly, and Celestine nodded. "It will be better if you stay here, Naru, Mamoru. Because of who the Senshi and the remaining Kings must face."

He pulled a face. "If you’re referring to my, ahem, ‘previous relationship’ with Beryl…"

Sailor Moon echoed his face exactly. "EWWWWWW!" they cried in unison, and smiled tentatively at each other. It was the first time since the infamous kiss that the pair had directly looked at one another, and not turned away. They found it difficult to do so.

"So, as it shall be, the trust is one member short – unless, of course, my friend, you can find it in your heart to forgive me." Celestine sounded apologetic as she looked at Puck, and he brightened.

"Does this mean you’re gonna let me play?"

She winced at the choice of words, and nodded. "Take on your old form, my friend."

Puck bowed to her, and without warning, spun into a whirlwind, emerging a few seconds later, hair short and dark, and much taller. He was dressed in his usual black cloak, the strange pendant still at his throat.

"I’ll join you up in the ‘club’ once we get a hold of Kunzite," said Celestine, and she indicated everyone should gather around her. "Mercury, you too."

She looked up, concern shining in her blue eyes. "But Zoisite…"

"Is in no real danger – as long as she has Mamoru by her side, she will be fine. I doubt she’ll regain consciousness for some time, any how. She’s in no pain, despite her injuries. She has been healed of any mortal wounds, but…" she seemed thoughtful. "Never mind that now."

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

Kunzite looked around in blind fury, his heart burning. It felt so…unusual to be like this. He had never been so out of control, so emotional in his entire life.

Then again, he thought sardonically, it’s not every day you kill the person you love…

He threw back his head and screamed "Phenakite, you coward! Get out here you bloody WHORE!"

"No," came a tentative voice, and he laughed cruelly as his pained eyes roamed her chambers.

"So you want to play, hmm? Okay then, we’ll play." He began to search the rooms systematically, calmly, beginning to feel a lot more like his old self.

"Why must you hate me?" she asked in a tearful voice. "All I ever did was love you!"

"And I hate you," he said in a voice thick with his pain. "I hate you for making me do what I did to Zoisite…I loved him, and you’ve destroyed that."

"I know." Her reply was barely above a whisper.

"And you must pay for your sins – does that not sound fair?"

"But I love you," she pleaded from her hidden alcove, crying evident in her words. "He was in the way…"

Kunzite sighed, with…pity? He could remember the way the girl had been, when she had been the lost Princess who had become his friend and confidant. If it wasn’t for her, he surely would have ruined his relationship with Zoisite when…

He blinked back a lens of tears. "I’m not going to hurt you, Phenakite."

"Really?"

"Really. Why don’t you come out and play?"

She should have heard the ominous undertones in his words, but love had blinded her to any danger, just as his love had blinded him to reason.

He pulled out a huge dagger from thin air, from his extensive weapons collection, and pinned the unresisting girl to the floor quite easily.

She didn’t struggle, just stared up at him with sad eyes.

"I love you," she whispered, and she continued to whisper it repeatedly as he plunged the knife into her chest repeatedly, as tears fell down his own cheeks. "I love Zoisite…"

The pair chanted in oblivion, as her voice faded, grew hoarse. Finally, unable to take anymore, he slipped off her, and looked at the blade in distaste. He flicked it aside, and looked with heavy sadness at the blood soaked girl who stared at the ceiling with such love.

"Zoisite," he whispered, and began to cry.

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

Celestine halted, eyes wide. Then, quite unexpectedly, she began running towards a dark building, the others trailing in shock. "What’s going on?" screeched Sailor Moon, barely staying on two feet.

"Love, that’s the goddamn problem," called back Celestine in anger. "It started this whole goddamn mess, and that’s the goddamn fucking truth!"

"Blasphemy," sighed Luna. "Is it really necessary?"

"I’m fucking serious!" cried Celestine, now in panic. "I can’t believe…"

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

She burst into the room, the others not far behind.

Kunzite sat slumped alone on a chair, his eyes blank as he stared at a photograph that Mamoru could have explained.

The girl was no longer on the ground, but had been carefully laid on her bed. The tacky stains on the floor, however, told the story better than the dagger at Kunzite’s side on the table could have.

"Oh, gods," breathed Celestine, and she seemed at the verge of fainting. "I was told this was impossible!"

"Never believe all that beings like Breccia tell you," Leucite said in a knowing voice. "These powerful immortals are all the same – just like dear old dad."

"Shut the fuck up, Leucite!" cried Celestine, dashing to Phenakite’s still form. It was highly pointless, though. She had been dead awhile.

"I thought you said she couldn’t die," said Mercury in a trembling voice. "And that if she did somehow die…"

"This was all for nothing."

Venus stared long and hard at Mars, but did not leap into anger. Instead, she looked at Jadeite, and shook her head. "Not entirely," she whispered.

Celestine had buried her head in her hands, and to Sailor Moon’s shock, she could hear gentle sobbing coming from the girl.

Leucite looked at his pendant. It broke every rule in the book, but still…

He moved quietly into the hallway.

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

The darkness of non-time penetrated every each of his being as the Phoenix gate threw him backwards, and he uttered a quiet prayer that Pluto was not paying attention.

He materialised in the chamber, as he heard a huskily whispered "But I love Zoisite…"

"No!" screamed Leucite, and he threw himself at Kunzite.

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

Sailor Moon shook her shoulders, and called out to the guardian. "Look, it’s not all lost," she whispered softly, eyes comforting. "Maybe Nemesis is lost forever now, that its last member is dead, but we can still destroy Beryl and Metallia. And let all those spirits of Nemesis finally be at rest."

Her eyes were wounded, bitter. "You don’t understand, it’s not that simple," she sobbed. "I can’t get rid of this power just by saying ‘I don’t want it anymore.’ It must be purged through retribution…and without someone to take up rulership of Nemesis, someone alive at the time of the rebirth, there can be no one to right the wrongs and bring the light back. Thus, I am stuck with this power – forever."

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

"No," said a quiet voice from the doorway, and everyone looked up in shock to see Phenakite standing at Leucite’s side. She looked sad, and Leucite quirked a smile in Celestine’s direction.

"You forgot I had the Phoenix gate, nimbus," he said with a small chuckle, and held up a hand when she tried to protest. "It had to be done."

Everyone looked around – to their combined amazement, Phenakite’s body had vanished, and Kunzite stood at Nephrite’s side, mournful but strong. He also looked more than a little apologetic.

"You jammy goit," said Celestine in amazement, and burst into laughter, throwing her arms around him. "I guess you can act like a responsible adult after all!"

"I didn’t alter it so we’d forget it," he said, placing the pendant back on his cloak. "I thought we’d be better off remembering it – lest some of us get tetchy again."

Kunzite sighed, but didn’t object. It took a friendly hand on his arm to get him to speak – it was Mercury.

"Zoisite’s alive," she said, and he nodded.

"So I’ve been told – I’ve been a right baka, haven’t I?"

"It doesn’t matter," replied Sailor Moon, stunning everyone. "I do it too…though I’ve never killed anymore because of it…well, accidents do happen."

He looked at her, bemused, then a smile spread across his face. "You’ re not so bad, moon brat."

"Stop calling me that," she whined, and then become suddenly very serious. "Does this mean…"

"It’s party time!" cried Leucite, and he looked at Celestine, who nodded.

He leapt into the centre of the room, and pulled Nepheline Syenite, Nephrite, Kunzite and Jadeite in with him. "We have to join hands, guys – to initiate me into Breccia’s Trust, now that Zoisite and Morganite aren’t able to."

The gang shrugged. "Can’t do any harm."

______________________________________________________________________ ________________

Celestine handed Sailor Moon the golden locket, and said quietly, "Put this on, Usagi-chan…Princess Selenity-hime. It is your key to retrieving the ginzuishou."

She nodded mutely, and looked at the new trust. Now Leucite too, was in the white cloak, but the golden pendant never changed. She still didn’t understand how he had used it to bring Phenakite back from the dead, and explain to both Kunzite and Phenakite the situation, but…she sensed now was not the time for questions.

Phenakite looked alone, lost. Celestine leant down and whispered in her ear, and she sighed heavily. And warped from the room.

"Where’s she going?" asked Mars, a tad annoyed that someone was bailing on them.

"To the temple of Breccia – to await the rebirth," replied Celestine. She raised her staff, and it glowed brightly. "You guys, that way."

She looked up, and sighed. "I’ll be with Metallia." And then, she too vanished like an autumn leaf on a chill winter breeze.

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