"You think she's okay?" Makoto asked worriedly, casting a wary glance down the hall. "Of course she is." Minako sighed. "It's the Queen. What's she going to do, bite her?" "Good point." the jovian laughed. "How has she been?" Her leader fidgeted. "About that..." Green eyes widened. "Minako." Venus remained silent. "Is she alright?" Jupiter asked again, her tone serious. "We can't afford to be messing around right now." "I know that!" Minako cried, dropping her gaze. "It's just that...well.." she blonde chewed on her lower lip nervously. "There are some things that seem a bit, I don't know, off..." "Off, like how?" Makoto asked warily. "There are just moments where she looks completely lost. Seriously lost, like she has no idea where she is. I've seen her look completely baffled when someone she's known for years asks her a question, like she has no clue who they are." "Well, that wouldn't surprise me. God only knows what she hasn't told us." the brunette sighed. "She and Endymion both told us about how that witch loves to tamper with memories." "What if, I don't know, what if she's not...completely her?" "What do you mean?" "You can't just suck all of that out of a person and leave it empty. It had to be filled with something." "But it's her, right?" Makoto asked quietly. "You're the closest to her, and if anyone would know, it would be you." Minako's mind flittered back to the previous night and a light blush tinted her cheeks. "It's her. I know that." "Then we trust in her." Jupiter replied with a lopsided grin. "Now is not the time to be losing faith." Down the hall, the door to the war room creaked open, and Mars appeared, turning to hold the door for the Queen. Serenity said something to the martian that the soldiers couldn't hear, and Mars dropped her gaze to the floor. The Queen placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke again, now indicating the waiting pair with a slight tilt of her head. The fire soldier nodded stiffly as the Queen took her leave, and made her way back down to the others. "Everything okay?" Minako asked with forced cheeriness. "Yeah." Rei mumbled quietly. "I have to go see Ami now." she cast a sideways glance at Jupiter. "Happen to know where I could find her?" The brunette chuckled. "Prince Charming isn't as blessed as we are. He's still cooped up in the infirmary, and that's where Ami will be." "Ah." Dark eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Minako and Makoto exchanged knowing glances. "I'm kinda headed that way." the blonde offered. "Want to join me?" Mars flashed her a grateful smile, and as they departed, Jupiter couldn't help the pang of worry that ran through her. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. ------------------- "Do you think you could open a portal again?" Ami questioned. "I don't know. I was told the power would dissipate, and besides, I'd be more worried about what would come through." The soldier of ice frowned. "Do it." Venus piped up. "Try to, anyway. We need all the help we can get, and if portals are her sole means of transporting the army, we need to find a way to dispatch them." Mars cast a worried glance in her direction. "We have to try." Venus continued. "And I'll be here should anything come through." Rei shifted restlessly. What she was concerned about was her control. The power was a link, that much she was certain of. By using it, would she be opening her mind again? Her body was still far from a complete recovery, and she knew from past experience it meant a loss of control. Queen Serenity's earlier words haunted her, but truth be told, they were reaching the end of their rapidly fraying rope. There had to be something, anything, she could do to keep them all alive... "Alright, but get Haruka." Venus shifted nervously. "What? Why?" Mars crossed her arms. "I'm still weak, and if things get out of hand, I need someone here that can stop me." The blonde shot her an indignant look and Rei found herself biting back a laugh. "Hey, I'm not insulting your abilities here, I know you can take me, and you've done it before." The ice soldier coughed into her fist. Rei quirked an eyebrow at the gesture, her expression bemused. "What, I'm gone for a few days and now even Ami is a pervert?" She pondered this over for a moment, and cast a confused glance at Minako. "Was she like this before? Did I forget something again?" Venus choked back bubbling laughter and waved her hand dismissively as a horrified Mercury flushed crimson red. "But seriously, Minako, I need someone who won't be afraid to hit me. Hard." The blonde rolled her eyes. "Trust me love, there are days..." -------------------- "Are we ready?" Rei asked quietly, cracking her knuckles. "You're sure about this?" Haruka replied doubtfully. "Of course." the martian drawled sarcastically. "What could possibly go wrong?" "Oh God." Minako muttered. "Every time she says that, something horrible happens." "What?" Rei cried, looking hurt. "Since when?" "Bug demon." Violet eyes blinked in cute confusion. "Bug demon?" "...you don't remember?" Mars shook her head in the negative. Minako crossed her arms and huffed. "Lucky. Wish I could forget." Haruka pressed the palm of her hand to her face and sighed deeply. "Hey, if you guys are done fooling around..." Ami cut in gently. "Got it." Rei sighed, and the room fell into an eerie silence. The martian held an open hand out in front of her, and focused her will on the dark corners of her mind. She felt a twinge of pain, and an overwhelming flood of emotions ran through her. Anger, sadness, despair. But the hate. Oh God, the hate. It was blinding, and white hot. Voices seemed to pull and claw at her, demanding blood. Her head pounded relentlessly, but she refused to give in. There wasn't much power left, her mother had been right about that, but what was left was murderous. A portal opened before her as the soldier dropped to her knees. Venus rushed to her aid but Uranus held an arm out, motioning for her to get back. Mars pressed a shaking hand to her face as Mercury immediately sprang into action, analyzing the dark energies cast off with an array of gadgets and tools, and that's when the fire soldier saw something that terrified her to the bone. The portal collapsed, but in it's place she could see a hazy image of a figure garbed in dark robes of violet and black. In it's hands it held a weapon, a polearm? No. Mars struggled to get a better look. It wasn't a scythe... ...a glaive. It was a glaive. "Who are you?" Rei asked hollowly, already dreading the answer. 'Some call me Death, and I will see you soon.' "Mars!" The soldier came too, and the figure was gone. She could hear the hiss of cold steel and immediately panic rose in her heart. "It's still me, damn it all, you don't have to kill me." Rei muttered weakly. That took more out of than she had realized, and something told her that things were about to go from bad to worse. "Had to be sure." the wind soldier replied, sheathing her blade. "What the hell was that? You were holding a conversation with thin air." "A vision." Rei sighed wearily. "Just like the first time." "Of?" Venus questioned softly. "Death. She called herself that anyway." Rei let out a hoarse laugh. "Said she'd be seeing me soon." "She?" Haruka pressed softly. "Yeah." the soldier breathed as Venus helped her to her feet. "Had the glaive and everything." She turned worried eyes on Mercury. "Please tell me you got what you needed. I really don't think I can do that again." "I've got it." "Do you think it was a trick?" Minako asked. "No, I don't." the fire soldier ran a shaky hand through slick bangs. "I think that's why it's so damn creepy." "A glaive, huh?" Uranus mumbled hollowly. "Something wrong?" "What, besides this whole bloody mess?" the outer soldier smirked. "Not a damn thing." ----------- The wind soldier tore through the palace, as fast as her legs could carry her, until she reached the suite she and Neptune were occupying. She threw the door open without ceremony, startling Michiru from her sleep. Instantly the woman sprang awake, teal eyes wide. "Oh God, has it started?" Tears sprang to the wind soldier's eyes, and Michiru felt her heart seize in her chest. "What is it?" "Michi...it's Saturn. She's awake." Michiru's fingers curled around the edge of the blanket until her knuckles turned white. "No." Immediately Haruka was by her side, pulling her into strong arms. "But that means...." "I know." "The Queen." Michiru whispered. "And the others. They're still so young..." her voice cracked, and the arms around her tightened. "I know." ------------ It had taken her a few tries, and many dead ends, but eventually, with the help of that cute maid of course, Rei had found the kitchen. After a rather awkward tour, she set upon the task of making a sandwich. Nothing like a good snack when one couldn't sleep. It was well past a decent hour, and the palace had fallen silent. It did feel oddly strange to be off duty, but with the amount of guards she had posted near the princess anyway, half of the freaking universe would be awake before a single hair was harmed on that head. 'Some call me Death.' No. Mars shook her head violently as she pawed through the pantry for a heavy block of cheese and salted venison. Thinking about it would only prolong the night. She tossed the ingredients onto the chef's counter and slid up a stool, grabbing a thick loaf of bread and carving off a few slices with a knife. As she slapped together a good sized meal, she nicked her finger with the edge of the blade, wincing when a thin red line of blood appeared on her thumb. 'I'll see you soon.' Violet eyes squeezed shut. It was like her remaining days were an hour glass now, and she could practically see each grain trickling by the seconds of her life. It terrified her more than she let on, especially to the others. They had enough to worry about. But why worry? Why worry at all if it was all going to be so pointless? She shoved her plate away and sighed wearily. Funny. She wasn't hungry anymore. "Couldn't sleep?" a gentle voice murmured as a soft kiss was pressed on the top of her head. "Hey." Rei replied quietly. Minako slid a stool up beside her, eyeing the path of destruction the soldier had made in the normally tidy domain. "The cook is going to kill you if she sees this mess." The martian could only stare at her, horrified. "What?" the blonde asked, mildly agitated. Realizing her mistake, blue eyes widened. "Oh God, I didn't mean it like that!" Rei laughed. "It's actually kind of typical." "Is it?" The soldier nodded solemnly, and Minako burst into laughter. "I guess it is." "It's funny, the things I remember and the things I don't." "Honestly," the venusian huffed. "I don't know how you could forget a beauty like me." "I don't think anyone could." Rei replied honestly. "Aww..." "Don't let it go to your head." the fire soldier muttered, sliding the sandwich back in front of her. An eyebrow quirked. "You gonna eat all of that?" "Yes. Why?" "Looks pretty good." Rei took a bite and nodded. "It's delicious. You should make one." "My hero." Minako drawled. "What?" the raven haired woman muttered between bites. "I don't share my food. You know that." "Not even for me?" Another bite. "Nope. 'Sides, gotta get my strength up." "More like your weight." "Excuse me?" "Funny." Minako breezed. "I don't remember stuttering." Rei cocked an eyebrow. "If you devoted all the time you just spent on talking to making your own sandwich, you'd have one by now." And then it happened. The lip. The pouty lip. The soldier twitched. "Oh no. Not gonna work." "Please?" "No." "Honey?" "No." "Sweetie?" "Hah." "Oh my GOD!! What is THAT??" the venusian cried, pointing to the far wall. "Please." the martian scoffed. "Like I'd fall for that." "Damn." Rei cast a sideways glance at her lover, arms crossed and pouting dejectedly. Shaking her head, she leaned across the table and picked up the knife, neatly slicing the remainder of her sandwich in half and plopping a half down in front of the goddess. Minako arched an eyebrow at the gesture. "If you don't want it..." Rei said, moving as if to take it back. "No no." the blonde replied, flashing her a brilliant smile. "I'm going to totally enjoy this sandwich that you said you wouldn't share." "I swear, someday the lot of you are going to give me a complex." Minako blew her a kiss. -------------- Rei crawled back into bed, feeling much better than she thought she would have. Funny how the lithe blonde had that effect on her. Minako slid into bed beside her, snuggling close and tucking her head under the soldier's chin. "Feeling better?" she murmured softly, dropping light kisses across Rei's collarbone. "Much better." "Glad to hear it. You're bruising is fading away pretty quickly too." "Another day or so and it'll be gone." Then you can get some new ones. Rei must have tensed, because gentle fingers immediately set to work, tenderly soothing away knots along her back. "I don't know what I did to deserve you." the soldier murmured into golden locks, relaxing under the sweet ministrations. Minako laughed queitly. "Love you too."
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