Authours Notes: Sorry for the delay, had a bit of trouble with this part. I'm pretty much satisfied with the finished product but comments and even "I hate this junk" letters are very much appriciated. I can always rewrite it in the future. My favorite youma, Hotaru, plays a part here, look for more of her in Chapter 3 of my other story "Starlight Memories". This is a long chapter, I didn't mean to make it so long but I couldn't find a good place to cut it off and still make it into two good chapters. Oh well... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Love at Second Glance Part 3 by Calico Kat ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pools of light, shining green eyes... silken copper hair... pale skin, smooth, warm... beautiful so beautiful... a voice, so framilier, whispering, "After we take the silver kingdom, we can be together, forever." "Forever," Kunzite heard himself whisper. He couldn't remember why, then in bits and peices the dream came back. His eyes snapped open, blinking in the unwelcome light of the star Kab'nal, the Dark Kingdoms sun. The light oozed across the floor, bearing a sickly green cast. Kunzite groaned and pulled himself out of bed, mentally triggering the mage lamp overhead to banish the twisted shadows that had settled themselves in the corners of the room. It wasn't so easy to banish the unwanted thoughts floating in the back of his mind. -Zoisite... I feel like I've known him before. That's silly of course,- Kunzite thought, shrugging off the slight sense of deja vu, as well as any other feelings on the matter. By the time he was dressed and had eaten breakfast his young student was all but forgotten. Concentrating on how to kill Azurite he headed down to his study. Azurite was a bright man, he'd know who was behind the attempts before long. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zoisite usually ate alone in his small house, since rations were given to all troops living outside the palace. But that morning he was feeling praticulary self confident, despite the previous nights failure, and opted for the palace dining hall. He had almost forgotten hoe to be social, and was a little snapish at the waitress who implied she wouldn't mind taking more than his money. Finally he moved to a table in the corner of the room and questioned his sanity for coming here. "Zoisite-kun?" Zoisite whipped around to see a tall solmen faced woman resembling a large lizard with a human face walking up. Her body was alomost human except for the thick green scales that spread across her skin, and the six foot tail that lashed out behind her. The woman's hair, a myrid of shades of green, fell loosly around her thin smooth skined face, accenting her large teal green eyes. Zoisite knew that if he at all cared for women he would probably consider her beautiful, but then, he didn't care for women. "Mind if I sit here? Wouldn't care if you did," she stated flopping down in the chair before him, "Long time no see." "Hai, I'm not sure if it's a pleasure to see you Hotaru-san," Zoisite said with something close to affection. Hotaru looked him in the eyes. The pools of green were darker than she recalled, and not only in shade. Hotaru was a good judge of people. "You've changed." "Hmmmm?" She bit her lip and sighed. "Grown, I mean you've grown." Zoisite frowned, that was definitly not what she meant. Hotaru looked at him a moment longer before saying, "Binzer said you got in a bit of a mess." "I did." "Care to talk about it?" "No," Zoisite stated, in a way that closed the topic for good. "Heard the latest gossip?" she asked pleasently, at least acting unphased by her friends bluntness. "I'm not much for gossip," Zoisite replied nonchalently. "Well, according to rumor someone attempted to murder Azurite last night," Hotaru took in the fact that Zoisite visibly paled before going on, "I'm guessing that it was Lord Kunzite." Zoisite blanched. Hotaru looked solomen and whispered, "No one else really suspects him any more than the other lords, but then very few have my resources. I won't tell anyone Zoi-chan, and if I did I certanily won't mention your implication in the matter." Zosite nearly fell out of his chair, "How did you-" "Your reaction. I doubt you'd very much care if your mentor went down. I know you. You're just afraid it will be traced to you," Hotaru stated with a smile. "But mabye a little of the reaction was over Kunzite, ne? I know you've always respected him." "He's not a very nice person when you get to know him, he's the most mean spirited and self centered person I've ever met!" Zoisite snapped. "Ah... Kunzite has been through a lot, don't underwrite him. He's mean to everyone because I think he's just afraid of being hurt again," Hotaru said thoughtfully. "What do you mean?" "Ah.... before your time, before my time really. Just forget I said it," Hotaru said, then added, "Still be careful around that one, he's a very dangrous man. Ah, must be going, I've an appointment. See you around old friend." She stepped over to give Zoisite a light kiss on the cheek, then headed for the door. If it had veen anyone else Zoisite might have seriously wounded them for that. But it was Hotaru, his only real friend. -Friend, what an odd word. She has known me as long as I can rember,- Zoisite thought with a sad smile. His face clouded with concern as he once again realized his memory only went back five years. The first thing he could rember was waking up in his quarters to head down to the dining hall. Hotaru and another youma, Tensai, had invited him to sit at their table. They had said they were in Kunzite's legion, and somehow he realized he too worked under Kunzite. Hotaru and Tensai had been decisivly different from the other youma, all smiles and friendly words. But after Tensai, and two years later Hotaru, left for Nephrite's legion Zoisite had found his thoughts growing darker. He had become much more self centered, and something, some small part of his mind that had been hidden before began to urge him to search for power. It had been that same feeling, that same part of him that had told him to spy on Kunzite, until three days ago when he had gotten caught in the generals study. -I do not feel attracted to Kunzite in the least!- he snapped as a stray thought wondered just why he had been spying in the first place. He finished his meal and strode irritbly towards the door, not really watching where he was going until... Zoisite nearly fell back as his sholder slammed into something, no, someone. He looked up into Azurite's bright blue eyes, which reveled nothing about his emotions. Zoisite stammered a quick apology and headed double quick to the door, trying not to notice that Azurite's gaze rested on him until he was out in the hallway. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- The throne room was filled with youma, countless masses of people, impossibe to pick out one individual from the mob. Except for Lord Azurite who stood alone before Beryl's throne. Beryl rested her hand on the glowing orb before her, tapping her fingers impatiently on the trasparent surface as she addressed her highest ranking general, "Are you not worried about an attempt on your life? Why did you not report this Azurite?" Azurite yawned brefily and seemed to be chuchling softly. Finally he shrugged and spoke in a tone that didn't indicate a hint of worry, "Beryl, my queen, you well know that, compared to me, the others are like flys. Swat them, and they are crushed. Do you really have so little faith in me?" Beryl studided the man before her before anwsering, he had certanily offended everyone and thing in court, as always. Finally she replied, " It would be unfortunate to have to find a replacement, Azurite. Watch yourself." "Always," Azurite said, smiling softly. The effect took years off of his already youthful features, "Always my queen." Beryl nodded, then waved her hand in a quick pattern that said clearly that the court was dismissed. Teleporting wasn't allowed in the throne room, except for those the queen addressed personally, or under special order. Zoisite bit his lip as yet another youma bumped into him, he couldn't wait for a premotion. The mass of demons hurrying towards the door was a most uncomfortable group to be with. "Self confident, isn't he?" A framilier voice said from beside him. Zoisite turned to see Kunzite, who looked equally displeased with having to walk through the milling mob of youma, "Oh, yes..." "I have another plan, not much of one, I'll need your help again," Kunzite stated. Zoisite felt a little indignent that the older man didn't bother to ask for his help, that he simply commanded it. But Kunzite was his superior and that was to be expected. They finally reached the hallway, but with all the youma pouring out it wasn't safe to try and teleport. Finally they reached a hallway that was blessidly empty. Kunzite seemed about to say something when an all-to-framilier voice rang out from behind. "Robbing the cradle now, Lord Kunzite?" Kunzite and Zoisite turned in unison to see the towering figure of Lord Azurite stiding down the coridoor, flanked by his usual batillion of gaurds. He looked cheerful. When Azurite was in a good mood, it was always at somebody elses expense. Azurite stopped before Zoisite, reaching foward to hold the copper haired man's chin. He forced Zoisite to turn his head from side to side and Zoisite felt uncomfortably like a racehorse at a livestock auction. Then Azurite released him and turned to Kunzite, "Not that I blame you, such a pretty little thing..." "Zoisite is one of my soldiers, Azurite," Kunzite stated tensly, Zoisite stood motionless, resiting the urge to hide behind Kunzite, he hoped he wasn't that weak. But Azurite definitly fightned him, more than he would say. "Soldier? That little bird? Prehaps, but I think I could put him to much better use, how much?" Zoisite's jaw nearly dropped and he nervously edged, just a little, closer to Kunzite. "I don't sell my soldiers to my rivals, that is a stupid mistake that could possibly prove fatel. What sort of fool do you take me for?" "I doubt this little bird is any threat to you, or anyone else for that matter. Come, don't be stubborn Kunzite." "I will not sell my troops to you. I am admittibly cold hearted, but I am also humane." "What are you implying?" Azurite asked in a sweet tone with a very deadly edge to it. "Everyone knows the entrance to you're bedchamber is a one way door, Azurite. Zoisite is to valuble to loose, sorry," Kunzite stated cooly. Zoisite blinked he had never thought of himself as praticuly "valuble" to anyone. He wondered if he should take it as a compliment. "Hmph, didn't think you liked boys Kunzite. But a pretty little thing like that, I can understand. Well, don't try and dump him on me if you get tired of him. Mabye the lower courts can give you a better price. Good day, Kunzite-san," Azurite said almost cheerfull as he and his gaurds continued down the passage. "Buy me?" Zoisite squeaked as Azurite moved out of hearing range. Kunzite looked at him for a long moment, with an expression that Zoisite read as vague sympathy, finally he anwsered, "It's not uncommen. But don't worry, I'd more likely poision you than sell you to Azurite, the end result would be the same either way." "But... the way he looked at me... it made me feel... I dunno... wrong," Zoisite muttered, trying not to let his voice crack. He was feeling terribly weak, but trying to hide it. "Forget it, let's go figure out how to kill the bastard, ne?" With that Kunzite teleported away, a shaken Zoisite following less than a second later. They reappered in Kunzite's living room. Kunzite began to speak again, then noticed that Zoisite was litrialy trembling. He sighed, sometimes he forgot that Zoisite was only eighteen. Certanily when he was ordering him aound he looked on the boy as only a tool, same as he thought of all his other soldiers, but it was hard not to pick up on Zoiste's fear. He felt sorry for the boy, because he rembered when he had been that vunrable. He debated the situation for a moment before saying, "Tell me, when I say get a backbone do you actually hear me? Or does it bounce around in that empty head of yours and jump out the other ear?" Zoisite stopped trembling, but didn't snap back. Kunzite sighed as he knew he had misjuged Zoisite's condition, the younger man was sincerily frightned, and, Kunzite knew, he had every reason to be. Finally Kunzite said softly, "You want to kill him don't you?" "Y... YES!" Zoisite said angerily, anger that radiated from him as an almost physichal force. -He needs to learn some self control. He's not going to make it here if he can't control his emotions,- Kunzite thought irritbly, then said aloud, "Well then, calm down and lets figure out how to go about this. The best thing I can think of is poisioning him. I have ten ounces of Elisewood sap..." Zoisite looked at him, suprised. "I thought that plant was extinct, I remember reading about it." "It's very rare, which is why Azurite won't have built up an immunity to it," Kunzite replied, "A few drops can be deadly, think of what a few ounces will do the job nicely." "And how do you plan to get it to him?" Zoisite asked. Kunzite paused before replying, "I have absolutly no idea." Zoisite looked pensive, "He eats breakfast at the hall, I've seen him there. Prehaps one of the waitresses could slip it in his food... And then go back and betray us... no, that won't work. Say, I could easily pass... er..." Kunzite looked at him, "I have enough skill at illusions, I could set a spell, but if you're not comfortable with that idea than it's better not to risk it. If you're nervous it will give you away." Zoisite thought about it, he thought about having to dress as a girl, weighed aginst having Azurite, who made him feel so weak, dead. It was a good plan, it might work. He was rather proud that he had thought of it himself. And who would know? Only Kunzite, and Kunzite was too far above him to bother telling anyone. Finally he decided, "I want to do it." Kunzite was startled, he had been positive Zoisite would back out. He thought -Mabye I don't give him enough credit- but simply said, "Alright, we'll do it, report here tomorrow around five and we'll see about setting those illusions." Zoisite nodded and teleported home, leaving Kunzite to wonder if he could fufil his half of the plan this time, illusions weren't what he was best at. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zoisite looked at himself in the mirror like steel door of the kitchen. He didn't prefer dressing as a girl, but he had to admit that he, or at least the illusion, looked good. There was two layers of illusion. One of a pretty green haired girl dressed in a waiters outfit, the second of a girl with ugly olive skin and one eye missing. If anyone was suspicious they would look past the first illusion, provided they had the skill, but probaly be satisfied with the idea of an ugly girl posing as an attractive one. Zoisite looked at Kunzite before he entered the kitchen. The silver haired man had had no trouble creating the illusions, but adding detail and setting them as a self sustaning spell seemed to have taken more out of him than he cared to admit. Kunzite motioned for him to go on and Zoisite obayed, still a bit worried that Kunzite had over taxed himself on this one, there were very few people in the kingdom that were capable of creating illusions, the very essence of the place seemed to ward aginst it. Kunzite was not one of these few. As the steel door swung shut Kunzite allowed himself to lean aginst the wall for support. He gathed his energy to teleport, and felt his legs give way, too tired to cry out he colapsed to the hard stone floor. Cold A snowball. Powder spraying across his face Laughter, very framiler, matching his own Emerald green eyes sparkling with joy Another snowball, this one from him Silken copper hair laced with snow Impact Falling backwards into the cold frzen ground Good natured mock punches, snow flying clothing, icy, water soaked laughter "I'm glad the bad ones have gone, I hope they're gone forever." "Prehaps, Zoi-chan, prehaps." "Everyone's happier now, Nephrite, Jadeite, Carnelian... " "And us?" "Us? Of course, we're happiest of all, together." "Hai, together." "Kunzite? Lord Kunzite?" Kunzite blinked in the light from the hallways several mage lamps. He felt sick to the stoumch and very tired. He couldn't figure out how he had ended up on the floor. Then it came back to him, he had sapped his streangh adding so much detail to the illusions. But Zoisite was kneeling above him, alive, so they must have worked. "Ah, you're awake. I was begining to wonder if you hadn't had some of that Elisewood stuff yourself," Zoisite said absently. "Is Azurite dead?" "Ne... obviously he's immune. He ate all ten ounces, clutched his stoumch once and looked a little odd, then went on eating," Zoisite said with a dissapointed sigh. "Well shit," Kunzite said angerily as he stood up. He scolded himself for this, showing weakness in front of one of his troops, but right now he was doubting his sanity anyway and didn't really mind. "You may return to your quarters Zoisite." "We're giving up?" Zoisite asked, suprised, he also looked scared again, he didn't want Azurite around. "Hardly, simply have to find a new plan," Kunzite said, absently patting Zoisite on the sholder. Gone Dead. Gone. Death was all to final. He turned to see Zoisite, in the corner, sobbing. He had to be told. -He trusts me, it might as well be me.- "Zoisite?" Sad green eyes, cheeks burning red from tears "Zoisite I'm sorry, we can't-" "We're giving up?" He reached out to rest his hand on the younger boys sholder. "I'm sorry, we tried, we can't do anymore, I'm sorry." As the copper haired boy fell, sobbing, into his arms he let himself cry as well Death was forever. He had to wonder if his friend would ever smile again. Zoisite watched in shock as Kunzite simply colapsed. He managed to regain his senses and catch him before he hit the floor. It wasn't uncommen for people to go into shock after casting illusions, it was one of the hardest spells to preform in the Dark Kingdom, though he had heard it was easier in the Earth Relm. He teleported to Kunzite's living room and found that Kunzite was to heavy for someone as lightboned as Zoisite to move. He left him lying on the black stone floor and took this as a chance to look around the house. He headed for a inconspicous blue door in the corner of the room. He felt a little guilty and prayed that Kunzite wouldn't wake up until he returned. The door was unlocked and Zoisite quickly decended the steps into the study. As he reached the floor and looked around his eyes lit up like a child in a candy store. The huge collection of books and weapons could have held him captivated for hours, and probalbly would have if he didn't notice the desk. Zoisite trotted over to examine the huge marble desk. He remembered that he had seen Kunzite open a secret drawer in it and wondered what such drawers might contain. Zoisite was a very curious person by nature. He ran his hands over the decorations searching for a catch. It was sheerest luck that his fingernail caught under one of the dragons scales, popping it up. As the switch snapped a drawer popped out just bellow. The drawer was nothing special, except for the fact that it was hidden. Inside was a small leather bound note book. Zoisite told himself it was rude to go through others belongings, he told himself that Kunzite would have his head for this, he grabbed the book. Flipping to the first page he read: School was awful today, Ms. Giffeon made us go through yesterdays math lesson three times over before she decided we knew it. I was incredibly bored, since I was one of the few that passed the quiz. She can't blame her students if her work is too hard! Mom couldn't do the bloody thing! Robert laughed and told me I was over reacting, I laughed and told him he was a freak with blue hair. We got into a fistfight eventually and Dad kicked us out of the house. We went to the park and walked for a while, cause dad said we couldn't come home til dinner. "It's a nice day, you boys enjoy yourselves." There was the strangest lady there, she tried to get me to go with her and I got away as fast as I could, she said she could wait. I don't like her, she scares the bloody hell outta me. Ack, mom's telling me to turn of the lights. What a lousy day. Eric Zoisite paused and tried to figure out what this all meant, and wondered why Kunzite would have somebody named Eric's journal, then gave up and turned the page. I was wrong, compared to today yesterday was a gem. You wouldn't beleive where I am if I told you, but I'll put it down anyway. It's a dungon, swear to god. Robert came to pick me up from school, we stopped to get ice cream, that weird lady appered, and next thing we now we're in a dungon. Go figure. Mom always said she could tell I'd have an intresting life. I'm begining to wonder if I should click my heels and say "there's no place like home," I wouldn't be suprised if it worked at this point. My brothers begining to run out of jokes to tell, that's Robert for you, at home in any situation. He dosen't even seem phased, I wish I had that kind of courage. I don't think I could bear it if he wasn't here, but I somehow feel that it's my fault we're captured. I can't place the feeling, mabye I'm just parinoid, but if I had gone with the woman yesterday, would Robert even be involved? Eric Zoisite bit his lip, this was sounding almost framilier. He shook his head and read on. I've finally realized I've died and gone to hell, no joke. This "Dark Kingdom" is as close to hell as I'll ever get. I've seen people that look like something stright out of monster movies. And that lady tells me that I'm supposed to live here, that I'll understand sooner or later, and that my name is Kunzite, not Eric Matthews. It's odd, but I can't seem to rember what mom and dad look like, or the people at school. All my memories are becoming a blur, and part of tells me to just let it happen, that they don't even matter anymore. I don't want to forget. The only thing that keeps me from going absolutly bonkers is Robert, and even he isn't how I think I should rember him. That lady, Queen Beryl she calls herself, took him somewhere, and now that he's back he's acting weird. I can't place this either, but he isn't himself, he jokes less, clutches his head as if he's in pain often, and seems very distant. I know we're in danger, but I just can't do anything. What am I supposed to do? I'm only eleven and he's in collage so I'll just follow his lead for now and pray. I'm scared, there's no point denying it. And somehow I feel that it's far to late to escape. Eric Zoisite set the book in the drawer and slammed it shut as he heard Kunzite coughing weakly in the living room. He shut the drawer, closed the switch, and exited post haste. Kunzite's eyes snapped open. He was in his living room, lying on the floor. It was definitly the living room, because there were two light fixtures on the unusually high celing insted of just one, as in the other rooms. He was definitly on the floor because the furniture was never this cold, and the celing was usually a little closer. He sat up to see Zoisite curled up in one of the chairs, reading a book. He noted it was the englis traslation of the Iliad, which Kunzite read either when he was very bored or very tired and couldn't sleep. The young man appered to be so absorbed in reading that he didn't notice Kunzite. Kunzite couldn't figure out how he had gotten here. Then he rembered the second dream. He must have passed out. That was more than a little embarassing, but at least Zoisite was the only one who had seen him. He would have spent more time worrying about his wounded dignity if he could just figure out where these dreams were coming from... "Any good?" Zoisite jerked up with a yelp and quickly set the book on the table, "K-Kunzite-sama, sorry! I didn't..." Kunzite didn't feel like sitting through an apology, "What happned?" "Oh, well you just sort of colapsed, my lord. I thought it best to bring you back here." "Yes... um... thank you," Kunzite muttered. He supposed he should be angrey that Zoisite had seen him in a moment of weakness, but he couldn't find the logic in this so he wasn't. Thank you had been the last thing Zoisite expected to hear, tentivly he asked, "Are you alright my lord?" "Yes, fine, just tired," Kunzite muttered, then rembered where he was, "Return to your quarters, I'll summon you if needed." With that Kunzite strode past a startled Zoisite and climbed the stairs to hi bedroom on the small second floor of the house. He managed to get his shoes off before he grew unbearbly tired and stumbled into bed. He barely had time to label his condition as being "power drunk," a condition caused by having used to much energy too quickly and channeling energy from the srounding and notebly tainted magic feilds of the Dark Kingdom, before descending into an uneasy rest. Pain His eyes fluttered open. His fingers curled in the sandy dirt. Dirt. Practice Ground. Training. Pain "I think you hit him a little hard." "No, really?" Pain "What happned?" Blurred vision. A figure above him. Long copper hair, delicate fingers on his cheeks. "Nephrite got carried away." Sitting up, Dizzy. Warm arms wrapping around his sholders. "Stay still, you'll hurt yourself." "Sorry, I didn't think I'd built up that much energy." "No, it's okay, that's good, It means you're getting more powerful. It's my fault for not sheilding." "You're sure you're alright?" Delicate fingers resting on his chest. Sparkling green eyes filled with worry. "I'm fine, just winded." "Okay, it's just-" Soft lips pressed aginst his, warmth like fire, making his head spin. "God you two, not in public!" Standing up, brushing off the dirt. Laughter. Three voices ringing in unision. If only things had stayed that way. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zoisite sat on the corner of his bed, staring out the window at nothing in praticular. He was confused with Kunzite's sudden mood swing, and more confused with himself. He couldn't decided if Kunzite favored him or hated him, although it was seeming less and less like the latter. Kunzite certanily wasn't a very likable person, so cold and for the most part manipulitive. But Zoisite was oddly attached to him none the less. Part of him told him to give Kunzite a chance, reminded him of what Hotaru had said "He's mean to everyone because I think he's just afraid of being hurt again." And anyway, somehow reading his journal had made Kunzite seem a little more human, a little less of just a obstacle. Suddenly Zoisite rembered what he had read. -Robert... blue hair... being hurt... Oh god, Azurite is...- Too late he sensed the second presance in the room. Then a sharp pain shot through the back of his head and he spun into blackness. The darkness began to take shape and he had a vision to real to be passed off as a dream. Zoisite forced his eyes open and managed to strugle to his feet. He looked around the dimly lit room. It was barely big enough to pass as a clost. The smooth stone walls and stone celing gave him a claustraphobic feeling. There was a metal door on one wall, with no window and no handle on the inside. He was in a dungon. Looking down at the dirty brown stone floor he saw his friends sprawled out beside him. One of them, a tall blond haired man with a thin boyishly handsome face, was proped aginst the wall and seemed to be alright save for the dirt smeard across his face and dark blue uniform. The other, a brown haired man of a similer height, had a thin line of blood trickling from the side of his mouth an his uniform was torn and in some places bloodied. He had obviosly put up more of a fight before being taken to wherever they were now. "Jadeite? Nephrite?" he said softly, but they were unconsis. He decided it was probably better for them that they stayed that way. He was startled by the clicking of the cell lock and blinded by the bright light that poured in. He was more startled by the man standing before him. "Malachite?" he asked in confusion. The silver haired man looked disdainfully at Zoisite, "My name is Kunzite. I'd ask for yours but I already know it, it is of no importance, yet. Come, the queen has summoned for you." Zoisite followed nervously, studaying the man that so strongly resembled his lover. The same long silky green hair hung to his mid bakc, the same grey- blue eyes although they seemed to be notebly colder. The most notable, prehaps only, difference was his uniform. Insted of the blue and gold colors of the army of Tokieo he wore a sickly grey and teal almost mocking version of it. Still, it was definitly the man that Zoisite had known for over half of his life. -That's Malachite, I don't know what happned, I don't care what he calls himself, but that's Malachite. Could he have... could he have switched sides? NO! That's impossible! Malachite would never betray us!- Suddenly the man who called himself Kunzite stopped before a heavy carved stone door. As if by it's own free will the door swung open Kunzite motioned for Zoisite to enter, and Zoisite decided there was nothing he could do but obay. As soon as he was in the room the door slammed shut, Kunzite still outside.