They reappeared in a darkened chamber, cold and damp, and when Zoisite saw the small throne at the head of it - and the general emptiness of the chamber - his heart sank. He automatically recognized it as the first place he had seen in the Dark Kingdom and felt a wave of yet more disappointment. Obviously, nothing was going to happen... yet.

Kunzite sat down, staring at him in contemplation, his narrow eyes hooded, his mouth soft. Zoisite met his gaze head-on, a bit more courageous from their embrace of moments before. There was some sort of tension gone from Kunzite's features, and a slight affection present that hadn't been there moments before. Zoisite stared at him, riveted.

"You aren't going to make this easy for me, are you?" Kunzite murmured, sending chills up Zoisite's spine.

Zoisite shivered, then moved cautiously forward, as if Kunzite were a cobra that could strike at any moment. In a matter of speaking, he was. This new affection in his eyes could have been a lie, just like it had been before... he just didn't want to believe it. "What do you mean, Kunzite-sama? Make what easy?"

Kunzite didn't move as Zoisite approached him, and though Zoisite was longing to embrace the cold General before him he contented himself with sitting at Kunzite's feet, looking up at him innocently. Kunzite smiled slightly, but said nothing.

"There's something you're not telling me..." Zoisite said quietly, again nagged by the curiosity in his head. He wanted to know... why. Why those horrible whispers were torturing him, why things were the way they were in the Dark Kingdom, how it even existed. How he, Zoisite, of all people, had been strong enough to become a General in it's military. He set aside his desire for a moment to take advantage of Kunzite's sudden gentleness, thinking that perhaps this was the only time he would get a chance to find out the answers to the questions that had been at the forefront of his mind from the very beginning.

Kunzite's eyes darkened. "Yes, there is."

That was all he said, and Zoisite felt a surge of frustration. Why did he have to make things so difficult? Biting his lip and taking a deep breath, Zoisite said what he had been wanting to say from the first moment in the Dark Kingdom. "Tell me why. All of it.... Now." He knew he shouldn't be demanding anything of Kunzite, in fact was probably signing his own death warrant, but he had always been too curious for his own good and the unanswered questions were eating away at him.

"Always so impulsive, Zoisite. That could get you into trouble one day."

Kunzite was speaking more to himself than to Zoisite, and Zoisite frowned. This wasn't as easy as he thought it would be. "Yes, well, that's not going to change. Please, Kunzite-sama. You have all of the answers, I know it, I can see it in your eyes. Why won't you tell me?"

Kunzite reached out to brush a lock of hair from his face, eyes narrowing. He pressed his lips together in consideration, then opened his mouth. "Zoisite... you won't like it."

That was the last thing he had expected to hear, although he already knew that he wouldn't. The throbbing wound in his shoulder and the lingering sensations of the demons constantly plaguing his nightmares told him that. "I don't care. There is some vital secret here, and only you know it. Hardly fair, I should think. If I'm willing to endure this place and fight for it I should at least know what it is."

Kunzite looked away from him, his eyes distant, his mouth grim, then finally he nodded. "You're right, but I'm not sure the opposite won't happen. That you'll walk out of here and never come back."

Zoisite smiled, his eyes travelling mischievously over Kunzite's lounging body. "Does that bother you?" He asked in a silky voice, and Kunzite chuckled, looking back to him with glittering eyes. "It might."

"Why not take the risk, Kunzite-sama? I'm sure it can't be that bad."

"You're sure it can't be that bad? You don't even know what 'it' is yet." Kunzite shook his head, his usual detached amusement darkened by his sudden seriousness.

Zoisite inched further up, leaning on Kunzite's lap and looking at the General slyly. "Let me put it this way," he purred, "If you don't tell me, I'll walk out of here anyway- Beryl or no Beryl. I won't fight for something I don't understand."

"Yes, you will," he heard Kunzite say softly, but it wasn't a threat... it had more the air of a premonition. Zoisite's brows furrowed in confusion as he searched those silver eyes for answers, for some sort of clue as to what Kunzite was thinking.

"What do you mean?"

Kunzite sighed, then stroked Zoisite's hair absently as his gaze bored a hole into the floor. "You already touched the crystal, Zoisite. You've already started to change."

Zoisite sat straight up, his eyes widening, but Kunzite was continuing, his eyes still fixed on some distant point as he spoke softly. "When the change is complete, you won't have a choice. You'll fight, and you'll kill, and it won't matter to you at all. The lives you take will be meaningless, faceless shadows. You will have one goal only... and you will do anything short of selling your soul to get it, sometimes even that. You can no longer control what the crystal does to you, what it... awakens in you." There was sadness in his voice, a deep husky regret, as though he himself had lost something precious to him.

I knew it...

"I see," Zoisite whispered, looking away. Immediately, everything made sense. Nephrite's sudden violence toward him, Jadeite's coldness, and his own biting hatred. The crystal had done that, and he had known it from the first. It had contaminated him with darkness, as well as bringing his very nightmares to live, taunting him with them. Oh, I should never have touched it!

"But that isn't all," he heard Kunzite murmur hesitantly, and looked back to see the white-haired General still staring into space, mouth grim.

"There's more?" He whispered huskily.

Kunzite nodded. "It was no accident that you, Nephrite and Jadeite were placed under my tutelage. It wasn't by chance that the other recruits were disbanded, and the other Generals destroyed, or that the three of you were promoted to this position so soon...."

Zoisite stared at Kunzite as he spoke in a low, urgent monotone, leaning forward slightly with each word in an air of almost secrecy. It was almost as if... he didn't want someone to hear. He leaned in closer, grazing his fingers over the plane of Kunzite's cheek to urge him to continue. They were now brushingly close, so close that Zoisite felt warm and nervous all over. Kunzite was as distracted as he was by his sudden closeness, finally looking up into his eyes and blinking dazedly, staring at him in a way that made Zoisite's stomach lurch nervously, but shook his head as if clearing it and pressed on.

"Zoisite... you were here... before."

At first, this did not register with Zoisite. In fact, he thought that perhaps Kunzite had gone insane somehow. Here before? What does that mean?

Kunzite seemed to know what he was thinking and pulled him closer, onto his lap. Zoisite was stunned by this almost hesitant gesture of affection, tensing in Kunzite's arms against his will, a million unidentifiable emotions flitting through his mind. Fear, desire, and uncertainty mingling in his mind at once, making his heart pound, but as Kunzite's arms tightened around him, he felt warm and oddly safe. Strange that he should feel safe in the arms of someone who had lied to him again and again, who had lured him into this place which was like a living embodiment of Hell, who had captured his heart so that he couldn't even think of running away... this man who had haunted his dreams and fantasies for so long... and now was holding him as if he were a fragile china doll, meant to be treasured and admired. I have no reason to trust him.

But he did trust Kunzite, and no matter how foolish that was he couldn't go back on it, wouldn't renounce that for anything. Zoisite settled hesitantly into Kunzite's embrace, half relieved, half frightened, as Kunzite's strong arms encircled him, gentle but firm. Slowly, his fear dissipated, but not his desire. He felt warm and feverish all of a sudden, found it hard to concentrate on what Kunzite was starting to say.

"Zoisite...You remember when I spoke to you about the Moon Kingdom... a long time ago, before any of this" -he swept a hand around to indicate- "existed. You were a part of it... as was I. We were Generals in the Earth's army, fighting alongside the forces of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and the Moon. Fighting for the Queen of the Moon; Serenity."

Zoisite closed his eyes. There was something horrifyingly truthful about Kunzite's tone and words that he didn't dare laugh at the absurdity of it. Fighting in an army? For the moon? At any other time he would have been rolling on the floor with laughter.

But not now. Not with Kunzite's arms heavy around his waist, not when he suddenly had in his grasp all that he had ever wanted. This was too real, too serious to be anything but genuine. And... it called up memories in him; distant, dim memories that he couldn't grasp. Trying to remember those faint impulses made him feel nauseous and dizzy, and so he simply rested his head on Kunzite's shoulder and closed his eyes, ignoring them.

"We were obedient to her, the Queen, all of us. Until... until she became an incompetent ruler. Her family, her own daughter and husband, became more important to her than her Kingdom. There was suffering, death... disaster. The time came to act-" Kunzite sighed, his head resting on Zoisite's unconsciously, like a reflex. Zoisite again stiffened, but certainly not from displeasure, and when Kunzite realized what he had done, he pulled away and stared at Zoisite with an air of contemplation, his forehead marred with confusion. Zoisite gazed up at him with wild eyes, something deep within him awakening at that innocent gesture. It had seemed so... right.

He held his breath, but Kunzite was continuing. "And so we rebelled against her. We became warriors for Beryl, Serenity's half-sister and her rival for the sovereignty. She promised us everything; life, happiness, all of the things that Serenity's kingdom were lacking, all of the things that... we are still denied today. When the time came to strike against her, we were ready to defeat her.

"But Serenity knew about our rebellion... somehow. She was ready for us, and when we fought against her she used her Silver Crystal against us, banishing us to this hell and cursing us with an eternity in this place... The only problem was that she could not ensure that we wouldn't escape somehow. To assure that we would never be revived, as well as creating her own insurance that her Kingdom would live on the future, she sent her daughter the younger Serenity and the young girl's betrothed, Prince Endymion, to fight us if we escaped and to banish us back to the Dark Kingdom...

"But there was another problem. While performing the spell to send her daughter after us, she accidentally sent us into the future, scattering us around Earth. Only Beryl and Metallia remained here, and it was only a matter of time until Serenity and her Prince of Earth found us and banished us here again. Beryl thought it best that we be ready for them, and this was the only place left to us."

"Prince of Earth?" Zoisite choked out, stiffening. His heart had leapt in his chest when he had heard Kunzite say that name... that name. Kunzite's arms tightened around him, but Zoisite felt an uncontrollable fear. Prince of Earth... he will be the cause of my death. The dream!

But... that was probably just nonsense, wasn't it? Kunzite's soothing voice called him back.

"...Beryl awakened in this new time, but she was alone in the Dark Kingdom, with the Goddess Metallia locked in sleep. The rest of her warriors were scattered about Earth in a future time, lost, with no recollection of their past. These warriors, Zoisite, were us."

Zoisite looked up at Kunzite, who's eyes were grim, sad. He felt tears springing into his eyes. But... there was something about this story that didn't seem right. Why would Serenity, who seemed to love her own daughter more than her kingdom, send her alone to face an enemy? Why wouldn't she just destroy the rebels instead of banishing them?

But looking around, he could almost see why. The Dark Kingdom was ten times worse than any death.

"And so... Beryl found me, took me away from my new life on Earth to train me. She couldn't afford to lose us, for she knew that along with the Princess Serenity and her betrothed the Queen had sent along the Princesses of the four allied planets, the Sailor Senshi. Beryl needed us to fight.

"I was sent to Earth to retrieve you, Nephrite, and Jadeite, but I knew that you wouldn't just come with me if I told you the truth. You would probably think I was crazy. It was bad enough that I had to bring you here, to expose you to the darkness that Queen Serenity cursed us with. And so... I created an illusion, a life for you and the others. Not much of a life, but in your case a better one. I knew it was the only way to make you stay...."

Zoisite looked up again, tears now streaming down his cheeks, and Kunzite wiped them away with something like wonder on his face, his eyes widening in surprise. "I would have stayed, Kunzite... I'm no warrior... I stayed here because of you."

Kunzite's eyes widened, his mouth opening slightly in shock. Tempted and still slightly giddy from this new and strange affection between them, Zoisite leaned forward and kissed Kunzite gently, tasting his own tears as they slid down his face and mingled on their lips. Kunzite buried his fingers in Zoisite's hair, causing him to shiver as he responded to the kiss, but then pulled away.

"Zoisite..." Kunzite started, but Zoisite was unwilling to relent. Not this time.

"You want me to leave?" he challenged, eyebrows raised.

Kunzite chuckled. "Actually... no. That's strange." His eyes clouded with bewilderment and confusion, and Zoisite took the opportunity to kiss him again. It felt so right, being in Kunzite's arms. He wondered briefly if he had done it before....

But again, trying to remember made him feel sick. It was almost as if something were actively preventing him from remembering. He rested his cheek against Kunzite's chest, closing his eyes again. "Kunzite-sama, do you actually... remember any of that?"

Kunzite stiffened, and his gaze slid to the young boy in his arms. "I-- no. It's almost as if I don't want to remember. If I do, it makes me feel... wrong. As if the past was meant to stay hidden from me. Queen Serenity's doing, no doubt."

"But then how do you know all of this?"

"Beryl told me, when she first brought me here."

Ah. With those words, Zoisite actually started to doubt all that Kunzite had told him. Beryl told him that story? What was to stop the malicious looking Queen from lying? If it had been him, he would have lied as well. And the fact that he couldn't remember made him even more suspicious.

Even more suspicious was the fact that Kunzite himself hadn't questioned the Queen. Then again, Kunzite was loyal to her, much more than he was. In fact, Zoisite didn't feel any obligation to obey the Queen at all. It was Kunzite who held his unwavering devotion, not her.

But Kunzite's fingers were gently tracing the line of his cheekbone, making him forget what he was thinking. His flesh quickened under that gentle, almost hesitant caress. Those hands that had only been used in anger or pain before, during those grueling months of training, now moving along his cheek as though memorizing it's ever curve. Those previously cold, detached eyes bored into his with a mixture of heat and desire. The mere fact that it was Kunzite touching him made his breath catch in his throat.

"I don't want you to leave, Zoisite," he heard Kunzite's husky, seductive voice against his hair. Zoisite closed his eyes, losing himself in Kunzite's touch. Kunzite's fingers moved to trace his lower lip, and he tensed in apprehension at that light, faint caress. He tilted his face upward and whimpered slightly before Kunzite's mouth again covered his own, his tongue gently parting Zoisite's lips. Kunzite's tongue traced the inside of his upper lip and he gasped, reacting to Kunzite's touch instinctively. As Kunzite's tongue snaked further into his mouth, he wrapped his arms around the General's neck and pressed his mouth more urgently to Kunzite's. Kunzite made a small noise, both surprised and delighted, and it inflamed Zoisite even further. He didn't ever want to stop....

As Kunzite's mouth continued to work expertly over his own, his fingers lightly traced the line of Zoisite's collarbone, causing a heat to stir in his groin. He moaned slightly, almost undetectably, but Kunzite noticed, tracing his finger further down with expert gentleness and unclasping the first button of Zoisite's uniform. With a sudden intake of breath, Zoisite moved to do the same, but Kunzite held his hands away from him, moving one of them up to kiss his palm gently, then continuing his slow progress.

"No, Zoisite, let me..."

Zoisite relaxed into his embrace as again the room shifted, disappeared all around them, and they reappeared in Kunzite's private chambers. Zoisite gave a small sigh as Kunzite's fingers brush against his bare chest, and then his face flushed as the rest of his uniform top was removed.

For a moment Kunzite merely looked at him, Zoisite fighting the nervousness that welled up inside of him. It was... different than being seen by Nephrite. Nephrite he had never worried about when it came to passion, to desire. The auburn haired General's lust was obvious. But now with Kunzite... for a moment his stomach lurched with dread. What if Kunzite decided he wasn't good enough? What if he didn't like what he saw?

But with an fierce, hungry expression and an almost glazed look in his eyes, Kunzite dispelled those fears at once, and again Zoisite's every thought was replaced by intense desire. He wanted Kunzite... now.

Kunzite leaned over him, pushing him back onto his large bed, his white hair falling onto Zoisite's chest and tickling him. He giggled, squirming beneath him, and Kunzite grinned at him.

"You always get what you want, don't you Zoisite?" he murmured, voice husky, and Zoisite smiled at him, his flesh turning feverish beneath Kunzite's ministrations.

"So do you," Zoisite shot back, and Kunzite shook his head, a slight chuckle in his throat as he stroked his fingers delicately down Zoisite's sternum, lingering over his abdomen.

The fingers of his other hand hesitated over his chest, then pinched one of Zoisite's nipples teasingly, causing him to cry out at the unexpected stimulation. Before he knew what he was doing, he buried his hands in Kunzite's beautiful silvery-white hair, pulling him down to his chest.

"You are certainly confident for someone who has challenged my authority so often in the past, Zoisite." It was hard to find that tone dangerous, especially since at the time Kunzite's lips were poised over his left nipple, the heat of his breath alone enough to drive Zoisite mad. How could Kunzite know that he was the exact opposite of confident? His heart was pounding in his chest, and his lust was only part of it. Fear took up a good percentage of the other part. This was something he had always wanted, fantasized about even when in Nephrite's arms... and now that it was actually happening he wasn't sure he could handle it. Trying to dispel his fears, or at least cover them up with the semblance of self-confidence, he took a shaky breath and smiled seductively at him.

"Oh? I thought you would like a challenge, Kunzite-sama," he teased, his breathing ragged. Kunzite grinned and kissed the nub of flesh so lightly that it was almost a torment, but a sweet one. He buried his hands into Kunzite's hair, writhing beneath him. At that moment, he knew that if Kunzite had showed any disdain toward him or pulled away, he would have begged for him to continue, forsaking his own pride. The sensations taking over his mind were maddening, causing his entire frame to pulse with savage desire, roaring in his ears so that he could think of nothing else.

"Please...." he murmured, almost a whimper, but Kunzite ignored him. Zoisite's erection was by now almost as painful as the wound in his shoulder, only it was a warm, throbbing, heady sensation that pulled at him from every angle. Kunzite elusively denied him any release, his lips moving lower onto Zoisite's abdomen, and then stopping just short of the source of his agony, moving back upward.

Zoisite groaned, trying to force Kunzite back, to achieve some sort of release from the nagging throb in his groin, but Kunzite was too strong for him. He brought his head back up, seizing Zoisite's mouth possessively and then pulling back to bite his lower lip.

"Please...." he whispered again, this time his plea nothing but a vague gasp, but the intensity of Kunzite's eyes stopped him. His stomach lurched from the almost predatory look in them. The torment of suspense was simply too much to bear, and he clutched the sheets in two clenched fists, biting his lip to hold back a whimper.

"I want something from you..." Kunzite murmured, breathing ragged.

Zoisite grunted to show that he was listening, unable to form any coherent words. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his breathing. "Anything..." he heard himself groan, still writhing as Kunzite's gentle stroking ceased. His hips lurched reflexively upward, but Kunzite evaded him with a sly smile.

"I want you to swear..." Kunzite said, taking a pause to kiss the hollow of his throat, "...that you won't let that bastard Nephrite ever touch you again. I want you to swear to me that your body and soul are mine."

Zoisite ignored the intensity of these words, too caught up in the raging torrent of desire that had claimed his thoughts. "I swear, Kunzite, I swear..." He took a moment to gasp as once again Kunzite began teasing his neck and shoulders with his feather-light kisses. "-As if I could ever go back to that possessive cur after thi-" Zoisite broke off with an abrupt hiss as Kunzite's fingers brushed lightly over his sex, Kunzite's mouth descending hungrily onto his own to prevent him from saying more. A lovely friction passed along his aching groin as Kunzite wrenched Zoisite's trousers down from his hips. He pulled the black, knee high boots off impatiently, discarding them to some darkened corner, and moments later the trousers joined them in a heap, as did his undergarments.

Again, Kunzite's lips started at his abdomen and moved downward, but this time they lowered ever so slightly to the tip of his sex, stopping just short of it. Zoisite was hyper-sensitive to every stimulation, the warmth of Kunzite's breath causing him to squirm, whimpering again. He thought dazedly that this was very shameful behavior for him, to beg like this, to need something this badly from anyone... but he was beyond caring. Slowly, Kunzite's tongue darted out to touch the tip, tasting him, and Zoisite shrieked as his tongue then continued along to travel in wandering circles around it. Zoisite cried out desperately from the exquisite sensation, and this time Kunzite responded to his plea. His mouth surrounded the tip, sucking on it hungrily, ravenously. Zoisite's arms jerked erratically as Kunzite's mouth worked artfully over his length, and he clutched the bedsheets more tightly, ripping them in his grasp. Once again he cried out, pumping his hips forward into that warm enclosure, and as he did so, Kunzite's mouth released him.

Zoisite groaned again, about ready to blast Kunzite for torturing him like this, but Kunzite stood up just long enough to remove his own shirt and trousers, rejoining Zoisite moments later, and then Zoisite moaned as he felt the exquisite sensation of bare flesh against his, Kunzite's hard organ brushing against his own as Kunzite settled between his legs. He wrapped his own legs around Kunzite's lower back, desperate for release, hissing inward through his teeth as the warm weight pressing on his sex threatened to drive him over the edge.

Kunzite leaned forward to cover Zoisite's mouth again as he entered him gently, the lovely mixture of pleasure and pain nearly bringing him to the brink, but not far enough to ease the throbbing in his groin. Kunzite groaned slightly in his throat, a harsh, feral noise as he moved within Zoisite, slowly at first and then with more urgent thrusts. The pain quickly subsided, and along with the intense pleasure of his own sex rubbing against Kunzite's tight abdomen, there was also a strange, zinging pleasure at having Kunzite inside of him. Something different about the way Kunzite moved... causing the motion within him create its own intense pleasure.

Zoisite threw his head back, crying out in ecstasy and not caring who might hear him. With each thrust the pleasure grew greater, and his fingernails dug into Kunzite's lower back in a desperate attempt to pull Kunzite further into himself, to merge with him completely. He stiffened, eyes clenched shut, screaming behind his tightly pressed lips as he reached the brink of his passion, the warmth of his semen spreading between them, and Kunzite came shortly after, his own deep groan mingling with Zoisite's strangled cry. Kunzite remained within him as the last shocks faded from Zoisite's body, and then he carefully removed himself and pulled Zoisite possessively into his arms.

For a moment he merely lay there, stunned, his chest heaving, his entire body glistening with sweat. He had never experienced anything of that intensity in his entire life, much less with Nephrite. Kunzite's warm arms around his waist along with his lips pressed to the back of his throat made the last intense shock of pleasure mingle with something warmer, sweeter. He closed his eyes and leaned back further into the embrace.

'I love you', he wanted to say, but knew he couldn't. He didn't want to alienate Kunzite, make him sorry he had done this. The cold, detached General had even admitted that he didn't love Zoisite... or rather, had hinted at it. Love has no place in the Dark Kingdom. Did he really expect one night with Kunzite to change all that?

But he chased these thoughts from his head as Kunzite's arms tightened around his waist, careful to prevent contact with his injured shoulder. It felt so perfect to be in Kunzite's arms. He had been waiting for this for what seemed like an eternity.

"Pretty one..." he heard Kunzite say. It was gentle, affectionate, a variation of what Kunzite had called him when they first met, now more appropriate for their new familiarity with each other. Despite his languor Zoisite felt a twinge of excitement. He thinks I'm beautiful... why does that strike me so?

Perhaps things will be better now. I won't be so unhappy if Kunzite is here to protect me. I won't be so... alone.

Feeling warm and safe and completely trusting, Zoisite let the nagging darkness of sleep take over.

Zoisite is sitting by the lake, dangling his feet carelessly in the warm, sunlit water. Cherry blossoms cling to his legs as he kicks them back and forth, his face turned upward towards the sun that breaks through the canopy of cherry trees. He can feel the heat of it turning his face golden, reflecting off of his hair.

"Lovely view."

He is interrupted by a voice behind him, and turning around he sees Nephrite perched on the log, watching him, his eyes hooded, an odd smile on his face. Zoisite hasn't seen him look so happy since before.... He can't quite remember.

"Hello, Nephrite," he says cheerfully, and moves to sit next to him.

Nephrite smiles lazily. "This place is beautiful. Where are we?" he asks, blue eyes still fixed on Zoisite.

Zoisite smiles sweetly at him. "My home... or at least what I considered to be my home. I came here a lot when I was a boy."

Nephrite nods, his eyes widening slightly as a flock of birds, surprised by their conversation, take off across the lake. "I wonder... why I never came here before." He seems confused, and Zoisite shrugs. There is something vital he has to remember, something....

But he doesn't want to. The lake is so beautiful, and the sun is so warm, he doesn't feel like thinking. It's enough to just sit there in the flower scented breeze and talk to his friend Nephrite.

"I don't think you knew about it, Nephrite. Only me and... well, I don't remember." Zoisite stands back up to kneel by the lake again, dipping his hand in the water and taking it out covered in wet petals. He laughs, tossing his hair back, his eyes twinkling. He feels wonderful....

He is suddenly aware of Nephrite behind him, and he stands up to face the auburn haired youth. Almost instantly, Nephrite grabs his shoulders gently and kisses him tenderly, causing Zoisite to momentarily loose his balance and tumble backwards into the water. He stares up at Nephrite with wide eyes, then starts to laugh.

"You did that on purpose!" he whines half-heartedly, then starts laughing again as Nephrite kneels down to smile at him. He grins impishly at him, then splashes water in his face. They both start to laugh again.

"Yes, I guess I did," Nephrite says, still chuckling.

Suddenly, Nephrite's eyes darken, and he looks through Zoisite at something behind him, his entire face reflecting fear. Zoisite cranes his neck around to see, but there is nothing there.

"Nephrite? What's wrong?"

Nephrite stands up, eyes wide, dazed, and then abruptly turns and runs away from him.

Zoisite stands up, still eyeing the space behind him in confusion. It is still just a sun-dappled pool covered in pink flower petals, nothing more. Shrugging, he sits down on the log and attempts to dry out his clothing.

Suddenly, there is silence. He looks up, startled. No gurgling streams, no birds chirping, not even a slight rustle of wind. His brows furrow in confusion.

Zoisite. "You again!" He cries out, standing straight up, fists clenched at his sides. He remembers the voice, though whose it is and where it comes from is a mystery. He only knows that he has heard it before...

You didn't believe me. The Prince of Earth will be your executioner, Zoisite. You have heard his name, and soon you will know him. You will die because of him, and he will still be alive long after you are gone.

"Get out of my head!" he screams at the lake, at the trees, all of which are remarkably still. Not even a ripple on the petal covered lake, it is as smooth as glass.

You thought you could escape destiny, Zoisite. No one can escape destiny.

"What destiny? How do you know all this?"

I know everything about you, Zoisite. Everything.

"Liar. You're only trying to rile me, to make me suffer. I know you're not real!"

The voice chuckles, almost affectionately. Kunzite told you that, Zoisite, to shut you up. He only wanted to get into bed with you, you know that. He lied, for that is what he does.

"No, you lie!" he insists, refusing to accept that. Refusing to be tortured like that. He holds his hands over his ears, but it is a futile attempt, as the voice speaks directly into his skull.

You don't seem to understand, do you Zoisite? Kunzite does not love you. Your mother didn't love you.

"Yes she did! My mother loved me!" Despite his stubborn cries, tears escape his eyes, trailing down his face. He angrily brushes them away.

See for yourself.

The lake fades, and Zoisite realizes he is back in his own home, in his own town. He hears delicate, tinkling laughter from one of the rooms, behind a closed door, and smiles to himself. He doesn't remember any laughter from before, and the sound is a welcome surprise.

He opens the door tentatively, and his eyes widen as he sees his mother holding a baby girl in her arms, his father standing over her. He moves farther inside, his eyes riveted on his mother. She is just as he remembers her, eyes twinkling with laughter, hair like spun gold, a gentle smile upon her lips. And his father... he smiles as well. They are happy, laughing as the baby coos and wiggles in her mother's arms.

Zoisite reaches out a tentative hand towards his mother, but she does not see him. His brows furrow as he realizes this, slightly hurt. She cannot see him... she does not know he is there. All he can do is watch.

The door opens behind him, and a small, blonde boy enters the room. He is as beautiful as a girl, his green eyes innocent, his face almost cherubic. He has the same long, golden hair as his mother, reaching just past his shoulders. He sees his parents laughing over the girl, and approaches tentatively.

Zoisite watches with interest as Julian stands politely next to the bed, waiting for them to notice him.

After many minutes of waiting, his radiant smile fades, and his face grows pale.

"Mother, may I see her?" he asks in a soft voice, barely audible. His mother looks up, startled, and her smile fades.

"Yes... just be careful with her." His mother hands the baby to him, and Zoisite notices his father scowling. Thankfully, Julian does not notice. His face is alight with wonder as he holds the baby in his arms, and immediately she starts to cry.

"What did you do to it?" his father snaps, and Julian flinches.

His mother hastily takes the child away from him, eyebrows furrowed. She smiles at Julian. "Go play outside for awhile, Julian. She's just not used to strangers yet."

Julian tries to hide his hurt at this statement, and smiles lightly before disappearing out the door.

Zoisite frowns after him. He remembers this day, remembers being depressed about the situation, and then his mother coming to him and telling him not to worry, that everything will be fine. He smiles at the memory.

But when he looks back to his mother, she is frowning at the door. His father sits down on the bed and scowls at her.

"Where did we go wrong with that one? He can't even hold a baby without screwing up. And he acts so much like a girl.... It's your fault, you know. You spoiled him too much." Zoisite tenses. No. I don't want to see this.

But what he sees next is even more heartbreaking.

His mother smiles up at her husband, eyes dull with some sort of weariness. "I won't make the same mistakes with this one, Greg. No, this girl is going to be perfect. We won't raise her the same way. You'll see. It'll be better."

Zoisite stares at his mother in silence. Horrifying that she could say such a thing... his own mother! The one he thought cared for him! Zoisite looks away, eyes clenching shut as the tears spring into them.

"It better be. If not, you remember what I said. The only reason I'm staying is because of the kids, and if she turns out as weird and twisted as that one, I'm gone."

His mother smiles. "She won't, Greg, I promise. She'll be an absolute angel. Just look at her."

"Yes, well, you said the same thing about him." His father grimaces, motioning towards the door again.

"I'm sorry, Greg. I really am. I just wanted a daughter so much..."

Zoisite hears the voices dim, but cannot see as he has long ago turned his face away, but the voice of his mother suddenly enters his head like music, soft and gentle.

"What ever made me stupid enough to keep that child. I didn't want a son... I wanted a daughter! He's always making a nuisance of himself, and his father doesn't even like him. It wasn't worth it... At least now I have Olivia. She'll make up for that mistake."

"Mistake? I was a mistake? No mother, say it's not true! You loved me! You told me you loved me!" Zoisite cries out to her desperately.

The image of his mother looks up, her smile fading. She sees him. For a moment, Zoisite is too afraid to move, afraid she will scream, or faint, or... something. But she just stares, and then a wicked smile comes over her face.

"I told you I loved you Julian," she agrees softly. Zoisite approaches her slowly, as if she is an apparition, some sort of gentle vision that will disappear if he gets too close.

"Julian..." she continues, beckoning for him to come closer.

He does so. "Yes mother?"

"I lied."

The illusion shatters, and Zoisite is surrounded by inky darkness. He looks around wildly, searching for his mother, but she is nowhere to be found. There is no one there. He is... alone.

"Aw, does being alone frighten you, Zoisite?" He hears Nephrite's mocking voice from behind him, and the auburn haired General emerges from the darkness as though he is part of it. He comes so close to Zoisite that he is almost touching him.

"I'm not afraid of anything, Nephrite. Certainly not you," he says defiantly, putting his hands on his hips. Nephrite grins and takes Zoisite's head in both of his hands, kissing him roughly on the mouth. Zoisite struggles, and with a chuckle Nephrite pushes him backwards.

This time, Zoisite plummets into the darkness below him, falling....

He stops, hitting the ground with a thud. Again, there is nothing but darkness.

"Is anyone there?" he calls out, a slight tremor in his voice. There is no answer... none at all. He waits expectantly for some sign... but there is none. Only silence.

"Oh, please come back! I don't want to be alone! Someone! Anyone! Nephrite!"

There is no answer, and Zoisite collapses bonelessly to the floor, weeping. He doesn't want to be alone, not like this. Again, he looks around, but there is nothing to meet his gaze but darkness.

"I'm afraid!" he confesses to the darkness, and is almost relieved to hear a deep chuckle. "Kunzite-sama?" he asks timidly, whirling around and around, trying to see the source of the voice, but... there is none.

No, Zoisite. There is no one here but us.

"Who are you!? Tell me why you are doing this!"

Again, the chuckle, this time right next to his ear. Oh, lovely one, don't you know who I am? I'm doing this because you deserve it, Zoisite. Because you bring hatred with you everywhere you go, because you have ruined the happiness of so many, your mother, your father, your sister, Nephrite, and now you will ruin Kunzite's happiness. Wait, Zoisite. Wait for the Prince of Earth to find you. He will finally deliver you to me, deliver you to justice!

Zoisite sinks to the floor as the whispers start again, only this time more harsh, more cruel. The children laugh at him over and over, chanting, calling him names. They creep inside his skull, poking him from the inside. Searing pain shoots up his legs, his arms, settling in his stomach where the pain seems to eat him alive, devouring him from the inside out, as the whispers continue.

Are you all right, pretty one? Kunzite's voice is horribly distorted. Zoisite rolls around on the floor, clutching his abdomen in a vain attempt to muffle the pain. There is wicked laughter all around.

"No, leave me alone! You're not real! You're not real!!"

Let me in, Zoisite, let me in... you can't fight me for much longer....

"No!" Zoisite yelped, sitting straight up in bed. His entire body was drenched with sweat, his hair matted against his skull. Cool fingers brushed his lower back, and he jumped up with a yelp to face his attacker.

Widened silver-gray eyes met his own, and Zoisite's breathing slowed, his eyes closed in relief as the dream faded slowly from around him, vanishing into memory.

"Zoisite? What's wrong?" Kunzite's voice was gentle, a caress, and it soothed him out of his nightmare. He groaned slightly, leaning back into Kunzite's arms, as Kunzite studied him with a troubled expression.

"I had a nightmare, Kunzite-sama. The voices... they were eating me alive..." He knew he sounded ridiculous, deranged, but Kunzite's expression softened slightly.

"It was only a dream, Zoisite," Kunzite replied gently, caressing his bare flesh with cool fingers. "It wasn't real."

"But.. you don't understand..."

Kunzite silenced him with a gentle kiss, covering his mouth so that he couldn't say any more. He closed his eyes, relaxing slightly. It almost made him forget.... "Zoisite, let it go. I know you want to hang onto the memory, little masochist that you are, but I told you before," he cast a hunted glance around, "The very fabric of this place is alive. It can hear your thoughts, and use them against you."

"Oh, Kunzite-sama... why is this only happening now?"

Kunzite flinched at his devastated expression, tearing his eyes away from Zoisite guiltily. Zoisite watched him in wonder, eyes wide, mouth slack. "When you touched the crystal... I was no longer able to protect your mind from them. You see... they're part of you now, as much a part of you as your own soul." He took a moment to glance again at Zoisite, his expression still tined with guilt. "It is necessary when you live in a place like this, Zoisite, to learn how to mask your fears, to pretend that things don't bother you any way that you possibly can. Otherwise... the fears take over."

Zoisite frowned, resting his cheek wearily against Kunzite's bare chest. It felt good to be there, in the safety of Kunzite's arms, feeling that cool flesh against his feverish skin, and he sighed. "What are you afraid of?" he inquired softly.

Kunzite stiffened, and Zoisite instantly regretted his words. For him to ask Kunzite something like that was... unthinkable, simply stupid. But, he thought wryly, I really would like to know.

"Go back to sleep Zoisite." Kunzite said gently, and Zoisite mentally kicked himself.

Me and my big mouth.

But the nightmare stuck in his mind, and Zoisite tried to mentally block it out. Best to take Kunzite's advice, before this torture drove him mad. "Kunzite, are you still awake?" he murmured, and the arms around him tightened in answer, one of Kunzite's thumbs rubbing gently back and forth over his abdomen.

"Hmm..." came the murmured answer.

Zoisite turned to face Kunzite, whose silver eyes were still wide open and watching him with mute interest. "How do you mask your fears?"

Kunzite smiled at him, kissing his forehead. "Every time something about this place bothers you, or you wake up screaming from a nightmare, you remember that it was Serenity that put us here, and you direct all of your fear and hatred towards your duties, towards the destruction of the Moon Kingdom and our own eventual freedom... and revenge..."

Zoisite scowled, wrinkling his nose. "That doesn't sound like much fun."

Kunzite laughed, affection sparkling in his eyes. "It's not. That's what I'm here for."

Zoisite grinned and reached down to brush his fingers teasingly over Kunzite's lower abdomen, snaking one of his legs around Kunzite's.

Kunzite gave a light sigh of pleasure, then scowled. "As much as it pains me to say this, Zoisite, you have to sleep. I've noticed your exhaustion lately, and frankly it isn't very pleasant to see you exhausted."

Zoisite frowned. The prospect of sleep was not very inviting. "I don't think I want to..." he murmured, looking away.

Kunzite wrapped his arms around Zoisite's waist and pulled him closer. "I'll protect you, Zoisite. I'll always protect you. Consider this a... challenge."

Zoisite scowled playfully, closing his eyes. Yes, Serenity. She will pay for this, as will her daughter... as will they all....

He didn't dream again for the rest of the night.