Oh dear, more of the same…what can I say, I either watch too much Sailor Moon, or I just have nothing better to be doing with my life…well, if your drama teacher constantly made you do the ‘Time Warp’ (not to mention making poor Chris Peard Watson be a ‘sweet transvestite’), and then insisted on calling you various other names for no apparent reason, you’d be just as crazy as I am…and just as crazy as poor Natasha, too.

Sailor Moon is the property of blah blah blah…and I mean no disrespect, I’m just sure you all know already…

by Celeste Goodchild

chapter three:

Zoisite whipped around from the torn and bloodied body, to see the young prince, his former friend and commander, staring at him oddly. "Orpheus, what the Hell are you doing?"

He allowed a smile to form across his lips slowly, as he looked over his one time friend. "Oh, nothing, really…just the usual, you know. A bit of murder, pillaging, and of course, being your average deceptive spy…why?"

Endymion’s beautiful eyes narrowed, as he regarded Zoisite warily. He stepped to one side, almost in a panther-like movement, never once taking his eyes from Zoisite. The entire time, he purposely averted his eyes from the lax figure of his father. Endymion could see that the king was quite honestly beyond help. He was dead. "So it is true?"

"What?"

"That you are in fact a traitor to the kingdom?"

Zoisite smiled again, his eyes dark and calculating. "I was never a part of your Kingdom, Prince of Earth. My real name is Zoisite, I am a commander under Queen Beryl of the Dark Kingdom."

He shook his dark head faintly, appearing flabbergasted. "No, Orpheus, you’re wrong…Serenity warned me, she told me the truth…"

"There is no truth – except for this. I am of the Dark Kingdom. Orpheus was a pseudonym, a clever one I must admit, but the truth is so clear to me…I am Zoisite. And that is the truth."

"No," he murmured slowly. "This…Beryl, she manipulated your mind…she’s making you think that you were brainwashed into working for our side…but it is the other way around!"

The young man moved closer, and Endymion took an involuntary step backward, towards the throne, towards the body. Zoisite smiled widely, and drew back a hand. To the shock of Endymion, a large ice crystal formed, sparkling cruelly in the dim lighting.

"I must kill you now," he said in a dead voice. "You are nothing to me, Endymion. Nothing at all."

Endymion moved further backward, disbelieving. "Orpheus…no. What are you doing?!"

"I hate you. Therefore, I must kill you."

Endymion shook his head again, his eyes wide. He didn’t want to have to hurt the young man, but it was painfully obvious he was going to have to. It was that, or die. "But we were friends," he pleaded one last time, his hand moving towards the hilt of his sword.

Zoisite aimed the crystal. "I’m no-one’s friend."

He let it fly with deadly accuracy, and Endymion moved swiftly out of the way, to the side of the throne. He didn’t waste a second, and leapt down to stand in front of the effeminate man. Zoisite didn’t move an inch, just keep on smiling inanely.

"You’re…you’re not like this," Endymion said, suddenly terrified by the emptiness in his friend’s eyes.

"Oh yes I am…and if I can’t prove it to you, maybe I’ll prove it to…Selene." The last word came out like a hiss, and Endymion’s eyes widened.

"You wouldn’t."

"Oh yes I would. And man, do I feel cranky…" With a laugh, the man stepped backward, as Endymion lunged forward to grab him by his collar.

When he drew back his hand, he found it was simply a handful of pink cherry blossoms. And Orpheus – Zoisite – was gone.

________________________________________________________________________

Nephrite walked slowly through the falling buildings of the Moon Kingdom. Zoisite was still on Earth, supposedly trying to convince Adonis to join them.

He wondered why he felt such a sadness when his thoughts drifted to the news given by Melpomene – that the girl named Perseus was dead. He wondered why Beryl seemed so eager to know of the fate of the girl – she was simply a member of the court of Jupiter or something. And why would he care anyway? The portrait of the woman…it showed a beautiful young woman, but that was all…yet her eyes, her tourmaline eyes, they struck a chord in him…somehow. But from what he could remember, Perseus had only been his token mistress…

The Moon Kingdom had had a grand and noble capital, but now…but now…

Empty, fallen buildings stood alone. The silence of this part of the city was periodically broken by the cries and shouting of the battles on the other side of the capital. He was alone…but he knew one of them was near. He could feel her presence.

Jupiter. It was Jupiter…the one he had manipulated into loving him. His lip curled in a sneer as he remembered the way she had declared her love to him on several occasions. She was so naïve, for such a ruthless warrior-princess…

Nephrite turned and strode quickly in the direction of the Senshi.

________________________________________________________________________

Jadeite turned slowly, his head still aching. Zoisite and Nephrite had said it wouldn’t hurt…he should have known better. Nephrite was the type of person who should be hooked up to a lie detector, and Zoisite was about as trustworthy as an encyclopaedia salesman.

The strange memories had all come flooding back…Zoisite and Nephrite had both accepted the memories so easily, without comment. But Jadeite’s scientific mind could spot the inconsistencies…the little flaws that could make the whole story fall apart.

And we all fall down, he thought sullenly, and he felt suddenly very, very tired. He knew what he was in the Moon Kingdom for, he was here to destroy the Senshi. Nephrite was already here – he could sense his aura – and Zoisite would be here presently. Once he had changed his friend. Adonis was Kunzite…yet he did not remember. He would, when Zoisite was through with him.

Another aura flickered into his mind-vision. He recognised it easily.

Mars was near.

________________________________________________________________________

Endymion knew Selene was in the Palace of Earth, and he realised that Zoisite must know it too. He sighed, and called upon his little-used teleportation powers. He usually avoided using them, but this threat was real. He didn’t know who Orpheus was anymore…

________________________________________________________________________

Zoisite appeared in the outer chambers of the guest suite, and stayed in the shadows, melding in easily. He sent out a gentle mental probe. Selene was in her room…from the looks of things, she was sitting on the bay window, looking over the harbour.

Tommy knockers, tommy knockers, knocking at your door, he laughed to himself, the sound low and grating. He wondered for only a second where the strangely chilling chant had come from. What the Hell was a tommy knocker anyway?

A smooth, icy crystal formed in his gloved hand, and he wrapped his long fingers around it as a smile touched his lips. Beryl had warned him to stay away from Endymion, but Selene…

And for some reason, he wanted to hurt Endymion. Hurt him badly…even though he knew Beryl would throw the world’s biggest hissy-fit if he did. But she was a stupid bitch anyway, who really cared?

He was in no mood to die, though. He would simply hurt Endymion in a much worse way. He would kill Selene.

Smiling cruelly, he raised the crystal and stepped through the wall.

________________________________________________________________________

Endymion appeared in the room in a flash of pure white light, and he experienced the usual feeling of brief disorientation. In a second, he felt Selene’s sweet hands on his shoulders, and heard her lilting voice.

"Endymion, love, are you all right? Why on earth did you teleport like that? What’s wrong?"

He smiled oddly as he thought does she ever stop? Selene was always one to ask a million questions, and it was nice to know that at least she hadn’t changed.

"Orpheus," he croaked, blinking his eyes several times. "Where is Orpheus?"

Selene’s light blue eyes filled with concern and confusion. "Orpheus? The fourth commander? What is it about him? Endymion?"

"He’s…"

"Right behind you, love," murmured Zoisite silkily, and Endymion grabbed Selene easily, pushing her behind him as he turned to face Zoisite.

He smiled innocently, both hands behind his back. Even though Endymion knew that he concealed one of his new, nasty-looking ice crystals, he wavered in his belief. He looked so…innocent.

This is your friend! screamed a voice in his head. You don’t need to protect Selene from Orpheus! He’s your friend!

Zoisite smiled oddly. "Endymion, why aren’t you scared of me? I want to kill you, Endymion. I want to rip your heart out."

"Why?" He was confused, horrified, and terrified at the darkness in his former friend’s voice and eyes. "What did I do?"

"You lived," he replied simply, and he tsked as he saw Selene behind him, regarding him with wide blue yes. "But I cannot kill you…my prince. So, I will settle for second best. Step aside, Endymion. Selene is the one I want."

Buoyed by the revelation that Zoisite could not kill him, Endymion refused to step aside. "You’ll have to go through me to get to her, Orpheus."

"Zoisite," he corrected sullenly, his hands still behind his back. "Endymion, this is your final warning. I think my wording was incorrect. I am not supposed to kill you. But I can, and I will, if you don’t step aside right this minute."

"What about Athena?" he asked suddenly. "Do you think Athena will love you for this? Do you think she wants to throw in her all with a murderer?"

The young man shrugged, his golden hair flying. "I don’t need Athena. I’ll kill her next – and then, this realm will be the stomping ground of Metallia…well, once she finds a body to stomp with, anyhow."

Drawing the wicked blade, Endymion twisted the edge of his sword so that the pointed end was in the general direction of Zoisite’s prone heart. "Orpheus, I don’t want to have to do this."

"Oh, but I want to do this," he hissed in his new, snake-like voice, and like a bat out of Hell, he snapped his hand up, and plunged at the Prince and the Princess behind him.

"Duck!" shouted Endymion, pushing Selene down, throwing up his sword. It clashed with Zoisite’s crystal, shattering it easily. Zoisite growled deep in his throat, and swiftly conjured another. Selene moved out of the way, and Endymion stood, to parry another heavy-handed blow from the young general.

They faced off once more, Selene once again standing behind Endymion, while Zoisite faced the pair, breathing heavily. Suddenly, he smiled.

"Let’s try this!" he cried, and as he launched himself at the pair, the lights went out in a spectacular burst of fireworks. Endymion gasped, reaching for Selene’s hand.

But she wasn’t there.

"Selene?" he cried, not caring how panicked he sounded.

A cruel laugh was his only reply. "Oh, Endymion. Can’t keep tabs on your beloved very well, can you? Some protector…"

Suddenly, the curtains were thrust open, revealing Selene standing at the windows, bathed in the cool moonlight. Zoisite and Endymion looked up, and Zoisite’s new crystal sparkled wickedly.

"Now, there’s a challenge!" he crowed, and spun into action.

Endymion threw himself at the princess, pushing her out of the way. Zoisite turned, and let out an enraged howl. "DAMN YOU TO HELL, ENDYMION!"

"I think you’re slightly more damned than me," he whispered, as Zoisite pounced again. Endymion murmured a quiet prayer for forgiveness, and as Zoisite careened closer, instead of striking him with his sword, he pushed him.

Zoisite smashed through the window. Five storeys above the ground.

Selene let out a strangled cry, and dashed towards the window. The pair regarded the darkness below soberly.

"Why…Endymion, you didn’t have to kill him," she whispered hoarsely. "Remember what my mother said? They’re brainwashed…they don’t know any better!"

"He tried to kill you," he replied stonily, though inside he ached. Yet, he still hated Zoisite for what he had tried to do.

Besides, he could see the truth that Selene didn’t. The sign that Zoisite was not quite finished here.

He took her hand, and indicated the shining orb above them. "Selene, take me to your palace. Don’t worry about what transpired here…your home is what matters now. The Moon Kingdom needs its princess…"

As Selene took her prince to the Moon Kingdom, he turned back for one last look. And what he saw confirmed the truth.

A single cherry blossom twisted and turned in the rising wind outside the broken window.

________________________________________________________________________

Deimos watched the fires burn higher and higher in the Moon Kingdom’s capital, as she stood on the stairs of the great cathedral, one of the last buildings standing. It wouldn’t be long now, however. Sooner, probably more sooner than later, they would reach the cathedral. And then, there would be only her to stand between them and the cathedral.

Deimos turned, her dark hair flying, and strode into the cathedral. The heavy doors slammed behind her as she moved up the aisle, her gold and red robes dimmed into darkness by the dim lighting. The few candles lining the walls and the light streaming through the stained glass windows provided limited illumination.

Moving towards the altar, she fell to her knees, wishing desperately she could speak with the sacred fire in her shrine on her home planet.

But I am on the Moon now, she thought to herself. She felt a murmur of anger at the Princess – for not allowing her to be home to see this in the flames. Maybe, if she had seen these events in the fire, she could have stopped them.

But you can’t change the past – and you know what you must do.

Nodding to herself, the Senshi of Mars stood slowly, and bowed her head one last time in respect. Then, she raised her transformation stick, the one passed down through her family for generations, and spoke the words that would transform her into her Senshi seeming.

Sailor Mars overlooked the empty pews for several long, reflective minutes. Her heart was heavy, yet she knew there was nothing left for her to do. She could sense the approach of the man she had said she loved, and there was but one choice.

Her red heels clicked as she moved once around the marble dais, before she stepped down. The long red carpeting muffled the sound as her long legs winked in and out, moving down the endless aisle.

She stood for a moment at the door, one gloved hand resting lightly on it. She could feel his presence in this street – he drew ever closer. Sighing, she turned, and moved back up to the altar. She stood behind the pulpit, and watched the door like a minister about to deliver his sermon. She had all night to wait for him. Yet, she knew he would not keep her waiting. The time was upon them.

________________________________________________________________________

Adonis sighed heavily, and looked towards the sky. He didn’t understand – what had happened? What was wrong with his friends, his comrades?

The sweet taste of Aphrodite was still on his lips. The princess had recently been torn from him, by Selene’s call. From the Moon Kingdom – where she had taken Endymion. Aphrodite had offered to take him with her, but he had declined.

He needed to know for sure that Orpheus was lost to them. Needed to prove it…to himself.

With a cold, icy heart, Adonis moved towards the throne room. Just another stop in his eternal search for Orpheus.

________________________________________________________________________

Senshi Sailor Venus walked in shadow down the abandoned streets, following the shadow before her. She recognised it as being the third Commander of Endymion, the strange one whom nobody knew whose side he was on. General Orion and General Orpheus were both known to be traitors to the Kingdom of Earth, and therefore enemies of the Universe in general, but Hermes…

Continuing to follow him, she, for a second, thought of Adonis. The one she had left behind on Earth. She had no doubt in his ability to resist whatever had transformed his compatriots, but…

Orpheus was indeed a strange young man. And she knew that Adonis and Orpheus shared a very special relationship – one could see it in the way their eyes would meet, in the brief touches they would give one another. A simple hand on the shoulder, a half-hug with one arm, a gentle brushing of their hands…simple gestures, but their eyes told of the deeper relationship.

She knew Adonis would never leave her for Orpheus, though. Though neither would openly admit it, Athena and Orpheus were obviously nuts about one another.

With a sad smile, she remembered Athena’s face when she was told of the defection of her new friend. Athena was now in the palace…at least, Venus hoped she was. Mercury was intelligent, quick-minded and logical, but not an offensive fighter. She would do better to stay out of the fire.

Venus continued to shadow her objective, and soon, she followed him silently up the stairs leading into the only building still completely standing this side of town.

________________________________________________________________________

Athena stood on the balcony, watching the tides of darkness sweep down from the portal, and towards the royal palace. She grimaced in distaste, and moved towards the throne room, where Serenity stood, on either side of her, her two cat advisors, Luna and Artemis.

"Athena," Serenity said quietly, her crescent moon wand held tightly in one hand. "If you want to join the other Senshi, by all means, do so."

She shook her head. "I promised Venus I would remain with you, my Queen. And we must wait for Selene to return…"

________________________________________________________________________

Mars watched the blonde man open the door, and move swiftly down the aisle towards her. He wore the strange, grey uniform that she had seen both Orion and Orpheus in, and she cried out in her heart for her lost love. But on the outside – she was stone.

"You came back?"

"How could I not?" he sneered contemptuously. "You think I could resist one last final showdown with the fiery red Senshi Sailor Mars? Come on, I’m not that stupid."

"Oh, I don’t know," she replied in a steady voice. "You’re pretty stupid."

He smiled coldly. "Are you a professional comedienne, Deimos? You should be. Actually, though, a woman’s place is not in the theatre, nor on the battlefield."

Mars chuckled without mirth. "I dare you to say that in front of Jupiter."

He arched an eyebrow. "Oh? To afraid to stand up for your sex yourself? I expected more from you."

Sailor Mars stepped down, and stood face to face with Jadeite, and looked up to him. "Do I look afraid?"

Still smiling, he ran a long finger down one side of her face. She flinched at his touch, remembering how once, this touch had been so sweet… "No, my love. You are not afraid to die."

"I’m not planning to die," she replied strongly, and pushed him away. She drew a long, silver sword from the pulpit, and aimed it in his direction. "Shall we dance?"

His sword materialised from nowhere. "Always a pleasure, Mars. Always a pleasure."

Thrusting forward, he aimed for her heart, instead neatly slicing several strands of hair from her head as she nimbly ducked. He could easily see the martial-arts trained priestess was not going to rely on brute strength.

Well, neither would he.

________________________________________________________________________

Nephrite saw the Princess before she saw him. She stood in the gardens, the low fence just at her waist. One delicate hand rested on the sharp, ornate point of one of the poles, black as ebony. Her hair fluttered in the breeze.

"Odysseus!" he hailed her, and the Princess, dressed in her Senshi seeming, turned on him with dark eyes. "Ah. Nephrite. So, you decided to come back."

"Only manners," he chuckled, and her eyes grew more stormy.

"I don’t believe you’ve come here to apologise for your recent behaviour."

He almost laughed out loud. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Jupiter smiled. It was not a pleasant smile. "You know, Nephrite, you told me once that I was beautiful. Do you know how many people have told me that before? None! And when you told me, I believed. I believed that you loved me…yet, you had three others waiting for you…three. And you know what? You lied. And you know what else?"

Nephrite rolled his eyes. "What, dear heart?"

"I despise liars. Guess what else?"

Nephrite sighed in exasperation, and muttered to himself darkly "I despise guessing games…"

Jupiter smiled. "You’re a liar."

She swung a nasty punch out, striking him in the jaw. Stunned, he fell to one knee, before his anger washed over him like an energising wave.

He rushed at the young woman, who stood unafraid. She easily withstood the physical battle as they rolled across the stone floor, and he grimaced at her raw strength. She was more brutal than most men.

Finally, he tired of the game. Hefting her with a gasp, her held her several inches off the ground. He shook his head. "Nice try, Jupiter. Nice try."

She shrugged. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"Ain’t that the truth." Nephrite then heaved her backwards, downwards.

There was a gruesome puncturing sound as the point of the fence pole passed through her, as Jupiter was effectively impaled on the fence. Her head lolled on her neck, her once bright eyes dead. The Princess of Jupiter was dead.

Nephrite shrugged, and walked away. He could sense an uprising in the star fields…they told him something. Something important.

Leaving the Princess to be mourned only by the weeping stars, Nephrite teleported to Earth.

________________________________________________________________________

Her breathing was heavy, her eyes dark and ready for a real fight. Jadeite was quickly learning that brute force could be turned oh so quickly on him.

So? He still had one hand yet to play.

He let a horrified look come into his eyes, and he saw the rattled look on the face of Senshi Mars as he stood back, looking terrified. "Deimos, what are you doing?"

She stumbled over her words, her sword – and guard – falling like rain. "What? You’re my enemy now, I must…I have to kill you. You want to kill me!"

"Never," he whispered, sounding hurt and shocked. "Never…I love you!"

She gasped, tears flooding her eyes. "Hermes?"

He stepped closer, but she scrambled backwards. Unfortunately, her sword had fallen from her lax grasp, and now lay out of reach. "Don’t…don’t come any closer…Jadeite."

He smiled. "So you’re not so dumb after all. Oh, come on Mars! What have you got to live for anymore? Your boyfriend just dumped you, your friends are on death row, your kingdom is ashes…why not be a good girl and just die?"

Tears flooded her eyes – she felt so ashamed. Why was she crying, now? At a time like this? "Leave me," she whispered, and she stood, staggering towards the stained glass windows. Blood dripped from her nose, where Jadeite had gotten in a well-aimed blow. "I am the Senshi Sailor Mars…and you will not take me. You can’t have me!"

"Honey, I don’t want you," he said in a light, cruel voice. "But Hell does…why don’t you go there? Burn in eternity, baby. Burn…like your stupid fires." He took a match from one pocket, and struck it on the wall, holding it so the light flickered in his dark eyes. "Would you like to burn tonight, Deimos?"

She stood, and regarded him seriously. "No. But I will burn for my Princess. If I die, and she lives on, then I will not have lived in vain."

He smiled – like a cobra. And tossed her the match. "Catch!"

As she touched it, he sent a mental command to it, and it exploded in a small fireball, engulfing the girl. Yet, as she burned, she continued to watch him with her violet eyes. Though her face was creased deeply in pain, she did not scream, nor cry out.

Jadeite turned to leave, then looked back at the silently burning girl. "Oh, I hate to break it to you, Mars. But you have lived your life in vain."

She reached out a hand towards him, and suddenly lost her balance, plunging forward into a flaming heap at his feet. He rolled his eyes as he stared at the heap, though something inside him was beginning to ache something terrible. "The Senshi – so dramatic."

________________________________________________________________________

Adonis looked over the palace one last time, from the tower’s balcony. Below him lay the dome, the glass dome that covered the throne room as its roof. He wondered where Orpheus was.

He looked up. There! Orpheus – it had to be Orpheus! – was standing on the balcony of one of the other three towers!

Moving quickly, he was soon behind the young man, who stood regarding the city and the palace. His eyes filled with confusion as he looked at him. Orpheus stood with his hands on the railing, glowing slightly blue as he murmured a low incantation to himself.

Before he could stop himself, Adonis leapt over to his friend, and pulled him back from the edge. He could sense the evil in whatever magic he was practising, and he was filled with the desire to…cleanse Orpheus of this madness.

He pulled him tightly into his embrace, and he was shocked to feel Orpheus shove him roughly back. "Don’t touch me!" he rasped in a hoarse voice. "Get away from me…Adonis! You’ve betrayed me…Beryl…Metallia…the Dark Kingdom! Stay away from me!"

Adonis was shocked into disbelief. "Orpheus…?"

"My name is not Orpheus!" he screeched with the voice of a banshee. "I am Zoisite! And you should be Kunzite…but no, big bold, honourable Kunzite decides the earthen life is for him…along with a Venusian bride!" His angry eyes suddenly filled with tears. "How could you choose her over me?!"

Adonis was flabbergasted. "Orpheus, you were the one who said we couldn’t be together! I could have given you love – Orpheus, I would have given you everything! Listen to me, Orpheus – I loved you then! I love you now! I could have given you all the love I had to give, and more!" He was desperate to break through whatever spell he was under – he was realising how much he loved the younger man.

But it was too late. Zoisite’s eyes were filled with a maddened glow. "No! No! You couldn’t give me love! You gave me pain! Suffering! No belief in myself!" His eyes darkened, and he allowed an insane smile to grow on his face. "So, my dear A-don-nis – I give you this!"

And with those parting words, Zoisite struck him forcefully in the chest, sending him reeling backwards.

It was then that Orpheus realised he had made a terrible mistake.

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