Metalia-sama

When Nephrite spotted the youngest of the Shitennou later in the day, he was almost afraid to walk up to him. Jadeite was walking down the palace hall slowly, occasionally stopping to lean against the wall for a moment before continuing on. He was holding on to his right arm tightly, as if it hurt to move it. What had the Master done to him after he had left with Zoisite?

“Jadeite?” he asked softly, having easily caught up to the man with a casual walk.

Jadeite stopped and waited. Nephrite stepped in front of him to speak to him eye to eye, but was frightened by what he saw. Jadeite's eyes were so empty. It was like looking into the eyes of a corpse, there was not even a hint of life. “Jadeite... I...”

“You don't need to ask,” Jadeite said slowly, and almost inaudibly, “I know my place now.”

“No, Jadeite! Please understand,” Nephrite said quickly, trying to explain himself. “It was an act, I had to say those things. Please, don't...” Don't what? Nephrite didn't even know what he was asking.

He thought he saw a glimmer of life for a moment, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “I am to return to the Master's chambers until he needs me,” Jadeite stated, completely monotone. “Excuse me.”

Jadeite began to move to walk around Nephrite, but Nephrite stopped him by speaking again. “I could use your help for a moment with something.” He wanted to do something to get Jadeite away from the demon, at least for a short while.

“If that is the case, you will need to speak to the Master about it first. I am only his property.”

Nephrite was speechless as he watched Jadeite continue down the hall at his slow pace again. Property? Nephrite shuddered at the though of what could have happened to him since this morning. How much trauma had Zoisite's arrest caused him? Guilt slowly began to overtake Nephrite as he realized that he had a hand in this as well.

A hand on his shoulder caused him to jump. Nephrite spun quickly to find that Kunzite was standing beside him. The older man was watching Jadeite struggle down the hall, studying his movements. “Kunzite?”

“I need you to speak to the Master about getting Jadeite free sometime this evening. We're going to meet together in his and Zoisite's room.”

Nephrite nodded, “I should be able to do that. But, Kunzite, Jadeite he's... something is wrong with him.”

“I know. Let me take care of that.”

“Right...”

---

Everything was moving in slow motion for him. After being ordered to return to his Master's rooms and clean up, Jadeite had done so. Two simple tasks that should have taken no longer than an hour to do at most. Jadeite had taken most of the day. Not that it mattered, the Master never returned to his room until early evening anyway. It was at that point that he was instructed to return to his own room and wait for Nephrite to fetch him as Nephrite required some assistance with some task or another.

So then began another long and slow journey through the palace. Jadeite would have thought that the other Tennou would be waiting for him by the time he arrived, but that was not the case. No one waited outside the door, and so Jadeite let himself into the room he shared with Zoisite.

Used to share with Zoisite.

It was his first time in the room since his lover had been taken from him. The open wardrobe revealed several identical white uniforms hung neatly beside Jadeite's black ones. He didn't bother closing the door behind him as he entered and looked around the outer room. Everything was exactly as he had left it this morning, except for one thing, and Jadeite's eyes lingered on it for some time. Zoisite's silver curved dagger.

Someone, probably Nephrite, had returned it to it's rack on the wall. Slowly, Jadeite walked up to it, reached out, and gasped the hilt in his hand, pulling it off the shelf.

The blade gleamed with the last traces of daylight coming in through the window. It was a beautiful weapon that had seen very little real use. Only once or twice had it seen a real battle, and never had it been used to take a life, even though it could easily serve that purpose.

Jadeite rotated the blade in his hand, studying the engraved pattern. He could do this. Before he was forced to watch Zoisite's execution, before he had to return to the Master's bed once more. He could end this now.

With a surprisingly steady hand, he brought the weapon to his exposed wrist. He felt the heat of the blade as he drew it slowly across his skin, and watched with a curious interest as blood began to flow from the wound.

And then the blade was no longer in his hand. Confused, he watched as his wrist was quickly wrapped with cloth and the loose ends tied tight over the wound.

“Don't be a coward.”

Jadeite looked up slowly, and saw Kunzite returning the dagger to it's rack. “Kunzite?” he asked, slowly.

“Zoisite is not dead yet, and I'll be damned if I let you kill yourself like that.” Kunzite turned, and Jadeite remembered then what had happened after Zoisite had been taken away. Kunzite had since let his hair down, and some of it now fell over his face, covering his missing eye.

“Just let me...”

“No.”

Jadeite fell silent and his eyes slowly fell to the floor. He just wanted the pain to stop. He was tired of all of this. Zoisite was gone, and the Master was only going to continue torturing him. The old Master wasn't coming back, why couldn't he just...?

“Because I need your help,” Kunzite answered his unspoken question.

Jadeite lifted his eyes a bit, just enough to look at the toes of Kunzite's boots. “What could I possibly help you with?”

“You're able to get closer to the Master than any of us. Beryl and I plan to make a second attempt, but we will need your assistance in order to make it work.”

“It won't work.”

“In that case I plan to destroy Metalia completely.”

This got Jadeite's attention, enough to raise his line of sight to Kunzite's knees, his eyes wide. “You mean...”

“My orders come from the Master's father himself. If our plan fails, I am to kill Endymion.” Kunzite spoke with an unwavering tone. It chilled Jadeite to know that he was serious and that it didn't seem to bother him in the least.

“But... that goes against...”

“Do you still want to protect him, Jadeite?”

He did. Even after everything that the Master, no, Metalia had done to him, Jadeite still felt that deep, in-born desire to protect and serve his Master.

“I need your help for this to work, otherwise I will be forced to carry out my orders.”

Still, what could Jadeite possibly do to help Kunzite? The Master was strong, much stronger than him. He had overpowered both Zoisite and Kunzite at once. He would know that there was something going on as soon as he set eyes on Jadeite. The young Tennou has never been good at hiding things.

“Regardless of how this ends, you will see Zoisite again.”

Jadeite looked up farther, slowly, eventually looking Kunzite in the eye. “What do I have to do?”

Kunzite didn't reply, but he looked over to his left, and Jadeite followed his gaze. He was shocked to see that the woman from before was also standing in his room. His mouth fell open as she stepped forward.

“My name is Beryl,” she introduced herself. “First, let me apologize for what happened earlier. I...”

“You're the one Zoisite went to see?” Jadeite interrupted.

“Yes.”

“You're the one that got him involved in all this?” His voice was raising, and he was aware of Kunzite trying to silence him, but he didn't care. It had been a long time since he felt anger.

“Yes.”

“Get out.”

“Jadeite!” Kunzite started, but was silenced by a hand motion from Beryl. Something that seemed rather odd to Jadeite's eyes.

“Please, let me explain,” Beryl asked. Her voice sounded so soothing, and Jadeite felt his anger dimming. “I am very sorry for what's happened. I underestimated Metalia's power, and both Zoisite and Kunzite had to pay for my mistake. Please forgive me.”

She was so kind, and quite beautiful as well, Jadeite was having difficulty staying angry at her, as much as he tried. He nodded his forgiveness.

Beryl turned then and addressed Kunzite. “Would you be able to give us a moment alone?” she asked.

He was confused by her request, as was Jadeite, but he agreed, so long as they kept it short, and left to wait outside the door.

After the door was closed, Beryl spoke quietly. “You and Zoisite are lovers, aren't you?”

“How do you...?”

The woman smiled, “it's just what I've gathered from what Kunzite has said, and how Zoisite spoke of you. Also, one doesn't normally try to kill themselves for just anyone.”

Jadeite looked away, a bit embarrassed. “So you saw that then?”

“Why don't we talk about the plan for tomorrow evening? We don't have much time,” she said, changing the subject. “My understanding is that you are with Prince Endymion-sama every evening, correct?”

Jadeite nodded, but continued to avoid eye contact. Thankfully Beryl didn't touch on that particular subject.

“Tell me, does he often have anything to drink before going to bed?”

“Yes,” Jadeite answered immediately, “often he'll have a few glasses of wine.”

“That will work well,” Beryl replied, and fetched a vial of clear liquid from the pocket of her skirt. “I will need you to add this to his drink. It's only a sleeping potion, which will make him much more docile. Hopefully it will be enough to keep Metalia weakened while I seal her. I doubt that it will knock him out completely in his current state, but it may. Once it has taken effect, you will open the door and let myself, Kunzite, and Nephrite into the room. We'll take care of the rest.”

Jadeite took the offered vial and looked it over. It looked harmless enough, and if Kunzite trusted her, than he would as well. “But not until tomorrow evening?” he asked, now a bit upset that it couldn't happen tonight.

“Unfortunately, yes. I will need some time to prepare before then. I'm sorry, but you will need to endure one more night.”

Jadeite bit his lip, partly in realization of what 'one more night' could involve, partly because he was finally starting to feel the ache where his back was burned earlier.

“I should tell you, however,” Beryl continued, “that despite what Kunzite said, there is a third possible outcome. Should the plan fail, and Kunzite be unable to kill your Master. If Endymion manages to kill Kunzite first.”

It was true. That could happen. Did Kunzite not realize this, or had he purposely not mentioned it? Most likely the latter, Jadeite realized.

“Should that happen, there will be nothing stopping Zoisite's execution from going as planned. I'm sorry,” she apologized yet again, and then produced a second vail, this one filled with a dark, almost black liquid. “Let me give you this, in case that does happen.”

Jadeite accepted the second vial, and looked at it curiously. “Poison?” he asked.

The red haired woman nodded. “Painful, but very quick.”

“Thank you.”

Beryl turned to leave, but then stopped short of the door. “There is something I should tell you however. Zoisite wouldn't want me too, but I feel that you should know.”

The way she spoke make the blond Tennou feel a bit nervous. “What is it?”

“Zoisite and I made an arrangement, in exchange for my help to rid your Master of Metalia. Should the plan fail... you won't be reunited with Zoisite on the other side.”

“What?” Jadeite didn't understand. He had never really thought about the after life much, in fact, he wasn't even sure there was one.

“Do you know what a Soul Exchange is?”

He shook his head.

“When a person dies, their spirit normally leaves this plain and passes on into the next life. If someone has made a Soul Exchange however, their spirit remains in this plain, and is kept in service to the one they made the exchange with. In exchange for my help, Zoisite agreed to this arrangement.”

“He wouldn't...” Jadeite trailed off. No, if those were the terms to free the Master, Zoisite would probably agreed to them in a heartbeat. Jadeite was still clutching the black vial, even if he did kill himself, he still would never see Zoisite again. He wanted no part in any afterlife if his lover couldn't be there as well.

And then the answer hit him.

“Take mine as well.”

“Excuse me?” Beryl asked, sounding rather surprised.

“I want to be with him. Please. If you take mine as well, then we'll both be in the same place, right?”

Beryl took a step towards him, “you are sure about this?” she asked. “It's true that you will be together, but it would not be an arrangement most people would go into lightly. You would be serving me, and you would not be able to pass into the spirit world if you choose to remain in this one. Ever.”

“I don't care,” he replied, feeling more sure about this than anything he'd ever done before. “So long as I can be with him.”

“Very well,” Beryl agreed, and she revealed a small knife. “It is relatively quick and simple. Just follow my instructions.”

---

Kunzite stood alone in his private chambers. It was late at night, and most of the palace would be asleep by now. He slept very little these days as he was often worrying about the well being of his fellow Shitennou. The incident with Jadeite today scared him, not that he would admit that to anyone. Kunzite hadn't realized that Jadeite's feelings for Zoisite would drive him to that point. If he hadn't found him so quickly...

And then there was Zoisite. Kunzite knew that he should go down to the dungeons to speak with the King, but he couldn't stand the thought of seeing his second-in-command restrained in a cell, and not be able to do anything about it. He desperately wanted to go down there and break the other Tennou out. Sneak him out of the palace somehow until this whole thing was dealt with, but his logic told him that it would only complicate matters further, and to stick to the original plan.

Nephrite was fine as he continued to pretend to be the Master's little rat. Even so, Kunzite knew that Nephrite was forced to listen to the Master bragging about the latest events, and specifically his plans for Zoisite and Jadeite. Often in excruciating detail.

While he often didn't show it, Kunzite cared deeply for his fellow Shitennou. It sickened him to think of what the three of them must be going through right now, Jadeite especially. With all that had been going on, Kunzite was finding it harder and harder not to blame their Master. It was Metalia's doing, after all, but through their Master. It wasn't his fault, but...

Regardless, it would all be over tomorrow evening, one way or another. Kunzite actually had little faith in the witch named Beryl. He fully expected that he would have to kill his own Master, and had finally come to resign himself on this fact. 'If Master Endymion knew what he had been doing,' Kunzite told himself, 'he would want me to do this for him. He wouldn't want anyone else to be hurt.'

Kunzite turned from the window and looked at his sword, which had been thrown onto the nearest chair to the door. It would be covered in his own Master's blood tomorrow, but maybe, just maybe, he would finally be able to rest, knowing his closest friends would finally be safe.