SPIN THE BOTTLE 2
By Princess Destiny
[ princessdestiny@hotmail.com ]




Chapter Six



"Please Serenity" Tuxedo Kamen prayed under his breath, casting out his 
desperation mentally. Mercury had been gone for almost a minute. Mars 
had been gone longer, admittedly, but how could tell when Serenity 
would sense-

["She'll get here!"] Mars broke into his thoughts, trying not to panic 
herself.

Abruptly, a brilliant silver light flashed into existence three feet 
from their grief-stricken group. A form solidified and when the silver 
vanished, Princess Serenity stood there, clad in her shirt.

"Serenity!" Mars cried out in relief.

"Thank god!" Jupiter and Venus cried out also.

"Usagi!" Shingo burst out.

"Shingo?" Serenity exclaimed, sparing him a searching look. She fell 
silent, determined to ask him why he was there later on. Mercury needed 
her now.

Tuxedo Kamen closed his eyes in thanks and then opened them quickly as 
Serenity gave a heartbroken wail and threw herself down next to 
Mercury's still warm body. She reached down to pick up a limp gloved 
hand and held it tightly. "Oh Mercury-I was hoping that I had been 
wrong" she said, tears forming and slowly sliding down her smooth 
cheeks. She looked swiftly up at Tuxedo Kamen, ignoring her tears. "How 
long was she gone before I sensed her death?" she demanded, dreading 
the answer. ["What if I sensed it too late?"] she thought in mental 
agony.

"She's only been dead for about a minute, Serenity" Tuxedo Kamen 
soothed, releasing Jupiter's form and moving to knee next to his love. 
He totally ignored his body's natural urges as their bond cried out to 
them and he needed to kiss her senseless. Mercury came first. And the 
well-being and safety of their family always WOULD come first before 
their own needs.

Serenity breathed a sigh of relief, glancing up at her Prince and then 
to Mars. "You were gone longer than this, Mars. I was in time" she 
breathed, trying to comfort them all. She brought up her right hand and 
opened the palm to reveal the Silver Crystal clutched desperately 
there. ["I hope that I can do this,"] she thought to Endymion. ["Mars 
was not brought back by the Silver Crystal-but by another means"] it 
was still a confusing point to the Princess-how her dearest friend had 
been brought back. Had her soul cried out in loss and the universe 
answered her call?

["Just try, Serenity. Try"] Tuxedo Kamen murmured back soothingly, 
laying a hand upon her slender shoulder briefly. It had not escaped his 
notice that his love was still clad only in a shirt and that they were 
crouched on a street near a usually busy Mall. How long would it be 
before people started to venture out to see that the battle had ended. 
He frowned and reached up to untie his clock, then swept it from his 
shoulders and onto the kneeling form of the Princess.

Serenity cast him a grateful look, then stared down at Mercury's silent 
form. ["Silver Crystal-lend me your power once more"] she centred her 
thoughts upon the Crystal and in response it began to glow almost 
soothingly. She felt the power shoot up her arms and then into the rest 
of her body as the silver light strengthened and consumed her and then 
Mercury. She was startled as her mind was filled with the murmuring of 
a thousand voices; all indistinct words but strong in chorus. A vision 
came to her, out of all the multitudes that flashed past her mind's eye 
and she saw a Senshi. She was older and had long dark green hair. The 
Senshi did not sense her and seemed to be staring into a swirling 
Vortex of some sort, a devastated look on her beautiful face. All at 
once, Serenity RECOGNISED her. It was sailor Pluto-the Guardian of Time 
that her Mother had spoken of. 

"Serenity?" Endymion's voice seemed to come from a long way off and yet 
her heart sang when she heard his voice. It broke into her meditations 
as no other's could have and the vision and voices faded. "Come back to 
me Mercury!" she commanded, feeling out with her mind for her Senshi's. 
Her dearest friend. Her sister. And she found it-soul burning bright. 
She grasped onto it and pulled, feeling the power race along her nerve 
endings in response.

"She's breathing! Oh, Mercury thank god!" Sailor Mars said from far 
off, filled with relief and love.

"Serenity?" Endymion's voice was filled with panic this time, but 
Serenity was unable to respond.

"Serenity!" they all cried out to her, filled with horror.

"Usagi?" Shingo's voice said also, confused and frightened.

Mercury's voice was weaker, but no less fearful as she waited for her 
Princess to say something. "Serenity! Answer us!"

Serenity opened her mouth to speak, but could not. She was formless. 
Floating in a loving warmth of silver power that was the Crystal. She 
didn't know what was going on-but only that she was there for a reason 
and reluctant to leave. Even though her loved one's waited for her, 
there was some REASON she was still enveloped in the power. A reason 
why it flowed into and through her and burned her and her soul. She 
felt like liquid power, endless-stretching on to past and present and 
future. And then there was a voice-or rather an awareness. She frowned 
as she tried to puzzle it out. Something wanted her to go back, but 
said nothing. Her eyes opened and everything blurred-the the power 
faded and she was again kneeling beside Mercury with Tuxedo Kamen's 
cloak wrapped warmly about her. She glanced down anxiously and saw that 
Mercury's eyes were wide open and staring back at her with relief, love 
and-shock?

"Serenity!" Mercury breathed at her, a hand rising to touch her chest. 
She pressed it there as if her heart were beating to hard to bare. ["My 
god!"] she thought mentally, absently feeling the strong link that she 
now had with Mamoru and Rei swirl about her comfortingly.

"Good lord-Serenity" Tuxedo Kamen uttered in shock, unable to look away 
from his love. She had changed-again! ["How did this happen?"] he 
demanded silently to Mars.

["I think that the Silver Crystal did it"] Mercury's voice answered, 
startling the other two. They'd forgotten that she was now to be linked 
to them. ["She used it to bring me back, didn't she?"]

["Yes"] Mars answered, too poleaxed to say more, even mentally. Her 
Princess was even MORE beautiful than before! She hardly resembled the 
14 year old Usagi who had been such a klutzy awkward girl only days 
ago...

"What is it-?" Serenity demanded of them, reaching down to pull Mercury 
into her fierce embrace. She held her as if she would never let go and 
was again almost in tears. She was completely startled at the sound of 
her own voice. She blinked. It was different somehow. More musical and 
older-sounding. She looked down at her form, noting her slender arms 
and legs were a little longer. She gasped as she spotted her hair-it 
was even LONGER than before. "Oh no, what has happened!" she said with 
fear. What had the Crystal done to her THIS time? She felt so STRANGE! 
Different.

"You've-aged" Tuxedo Kamen said in a strangled tone. His deep blue eyes 
were filled with so many emotions as he locked eyes with her. Love and 
lust, fear and concern, protectiveness and pride. ["You're...absolutely 
BEAUTIFUL, Serenity!"] he told her huskily, mental tone private. His 
eyes drank her in, moving slowly over her bare legs and upwards over 
the shirt which was suddenly more full and straining at the buttons. 
Under the cloak, her shirt-that had once fallen almost to her knees was 
almost indecently at mid-thigh. Serenity now looked about HIS age. 19 
years old and stunning beautiful. Perfect.

["Endymion?"] Serenity said uncertainly, seeing deeper emotions in her 
love's eyes than she'd even seen before. Something that had been 
restrained in the deep blue of his eyes had now been unleashed and her 
body responded, beginning to tingle with awareness. She clutched 
Mercury closer, actually afraid of what she was feeling.

"Don't be afraid of me" Tuxedo Kamen half-pleaded and half-growled at 
her aloud, startling the others.

Mercury clung back to her Princess, feeling the slight tremors racking 
her body. She didn't know what was wrong-but Serenity seemed to be 
AFRAID of her Prince-which Tuxedo Kamen's words had just confirmed. 
Immediately her eyes iced over. She gently removed Serenity's arms from 
about her and placed herself squarely before her Princess. The other's 
moved into similar protective positions, glaring at Tuxedo Kamen 
furiously and crouching between him and the Princess' form. "You stay 
away from her!" the Senshi of Mercury warned him.

Mars frowned unhappily, not sure what was going on. One minute they 
were all so happy that Mercury was alive again-and then their Princess 
was afraid of her Prince! ["Mamoru-what's going on?"] she demanded 
cuttingly of him, keeping close to him and Mercury for bond's sake 
only.

Tuxedo Kamen glared back, eyes baffled and unhappy also. ["I don't 
KNOW! I can't seem to fight my emotions"] he retorted in frustration, 
eyes going automatically to his love over their shoulder. She looked 
calmer, but he could still sense her wildly fluctuating emotions 
through their link. Endymion's link to Serenity. He bit his bottom lip 
hard as his body flooded with uncontrollable lust as their eyes met and 
locked. Her eyes answered his just as fiercely, fear fading. "Serenity" 
he purred at her, clothes shimmering from Tuxedo into armour.

"Endymion" she answered, breathing hard and unable to control her body. 
It felt like it was on fire! Her every senses were filled with 
Endymion. She lunged suddenly towards him, knocking Mercury to the 
side.

Mercury was looking at Tuxedo Kamen's eyes, which were filled with a 
bewildering hunger that made her flush with embarrassment even though 
she didn't understand it. He suddenly shimmered and was clad in armour, 
Prince Endymion taking over. Before she and the others could even 
speak, something rammed into Mercury's back and knocked her to the 
side. She gaped as her once-frightened Princess flung herself into 
Endymion's arms. Their lips met and began to devour each other's 
hungrily.

"Oh...dear" Jupiter said, staring.

Venus' powers cried out from beneath the facade of Sailor Moon. She WAS 
the Senshi of love after all...but this was more than love. It was 
natural and-burning brightly.

Mars and Mercury could only gape at the two as they locked arms about 
each other and did their best to eat each other's lips-at least that's 
what it looked like to the shocked Senshi.

Serenity moaned loudly and slid her arms up Endymion's armoured chest, 
then over his shoulders to lock firmly behind his neck. Her fingers dug 
into his dark locks as they kissed deeply, passion uncontrollable. 
["Endymion"] she groaned his name mentally, trying to burrow closer.

Endymion in return, slid his arms up her back until one hand was 
twisted into her long silver hair and another firmly against the back 
of her head to keep the kiss deep. ["My love"] he groaned back, licking 
hungrily at her bottom lip, then sucking it into his mouth. His body 
was on fire for her and all rational thought had left as soon as their 
minds had truly merged as Prince and Princess.

Mars broke out of her stupor and blinked, looking around worriedly. 
People were starting to wonder back out into the street, staring at the 
two lip-locked so passionately and the Senshi crouched a foot away. ["I 
think we should break those two up and get out of here. NOW!"] she said 
hastily to Mercury, feeling the beginnings of panic. What if Zoisite 
came back right now and saw the Prince and Princess? Would she 
recognise them? And she would see that Mercury was alive too!

["I agree-totally"] Mercury said, sounding a little distracted as she 
gazed at her Princess and Prince. There was something not all together 
unfamiliar about the scene before her and she was wondering why. She 
rubbed the back of her neck distractedly. "Right-you and Jupiter grab 
Endymion and I'll grab Serenity" she said, uncharacteristically taking 
charge.

Jupiter nodded and she and Mars lunged for Endymion, taking a hold of 
his shoulders and pulling. His lips unglued from the Princess', a 
fierce growl escaping his lips at the interruption. As they broke him 
away, Mars winced in pain as she and Mercury's bond began to be felt. 
They blue-haired girl was just a bit too far away. ["Mercury"]

As if sensing this, Mercury winced also and nodded, moving closer with 
a firm hold about Serenity's slender waist. She took a firmer grip as 
Serenity groaned helplessly and began mindlessly to move towards 
Endymion. "This is ridiculous!" she said aloud for Jupiter and Venus' 
benefit. Serenity and Endymion's eyes were totally glazed over and 
filled with hunger and lust! Given their behaviour, the unknown 
emotions that she had seen in Endymion's eyes before were now very 
obvious. Somehow Serenity's aging so abruptly had called up 
some...uncontrollable mating urge.

Mars smirked, as she caught Mercury's thoughts. "Mating urge?" she gave 
a short amused bark of laughter, clinging hard to Endymion's arms to 
keep him firmly back from his love.

"Mating urge?" Jupiter looked from Serenity then to Endymion and 
laughed also. "You're RIGHT! It's like...I don't know-two wolves?" she 
floundered for a similar experience in life to base this hunger on.

"It must be that bond Queen Serenity spoke of. The Princess' aging so 
rapidly must had let loose whatever had been held back by her younger 
age before. What had been an urge to kiss is now an overwhelming urge 
to-" she broke off, flushing brightly. "Er-lets just say lust and leave 
it at that, yes?" she suggested to the others, very much embarrassed.

"Sound's good to me. Now how do we DO this?" Mars said, looking 
pointedly at Sailor Mercury. "We're bonded now-and Endymion is bonded 
to Serenity...so those two HAVE to stay together and WE can't 
separate..." she trailed off helplessly.

The other Senshi eyed her with horror as the meaning caught up with 
them. How could they POSSIBLY jump from roof to roof and keep the 
bonded one's together? They HAD to keep Serenity and Endymion back from 
each other, but not more than a certain distance or they would die.

Venus moaned, taking a hold of her Princess' other arm and looking 
around at a growing crowd of curious onlookers. "Serenity! Get a hold 
of yourself-PLEASE!" she said desperately to the silver haired girl. 
NONE of them seemed to know what to do. They were all still shaken from 
the earlier events.

Shingo spoke finally, reminding them that he was there. "Uh-I don't 
know what's going on or what's wrong with my sister...but couldn't she 
use the Crystal to take us all back to the house?" he said tentatively, 
staring at Serenity as if she had grown too heads. It was beyond HIM 
why she and Endymion had looked like they were trying to eat each 
other's faces. It hadn't LOOKED like kissing to him.

["I'm glad we can't sense their thoughts!"] Mars said in relief, as 
Endymion tried to shake her off and get to Serenity, his deep blue eyes 
still glazed over. Still, something inside of him must have been aware 
of them, because he didn't try to get loose enough that he would HURT 
them. He just wasn't very rational or sane at the moment with his love 
so close.

Mercury frowned thoughtfully, then turned to her Princess. She calmly 
raised a gloved hand and slapped her over the face.

Prince Endymion roared in rage and threw Jupiter and Mars off; his eyes 
fixed on Mercury murderously. But he had not taken a step before the 
two Senshi dove onto him again and used their enhanced strength to hold 
him there.

Mercury swallowed hard at the look in her Prince's eyes, sure that he 
might have actually killed her if he had been free at that moment. Then 
she turned back to her Princess, an apologetic look in her blue eyes. 
"I'm sorry, Serenity-but there was no other way to wake you up" she 
said.

Serenity blinked as her cheek stung from some kind of pain. The 
feelings consuming her were pushed back slightly as she looked at 
Mercury's worried eyes. There was fear there too, which the Princess 
responded to. "Mercury! What is wrong?" she asked sharply, finally 
looking about her. Her lips still tingled from the touch of her 
Prince's and as she looked back at him, cheek still throbbing, she saw 
his rage. She flinched and he saw it, eyes becoming abruptly rational.

"Serenity" he gasped, slumping into Mars and Jupiter's arms. "What on 
earth just happened?" he demanded of the Senshi, utterly stumped. He's 
ravished his Princess in front of them-in a STREET! It was then that he 
noted he was being restrained and that there were curious people 
watching them. "I'm fine" he told Mars and Jupiter, who warily released 
him. "Serenity-you had better get us back home" he told his love, 
purposefully avoiding her lovely eyes. If they looked directly at each 
other, they might be consumed again!

"Of course" Princess Serenity said, nodding and avoiding his eyes also. 
She opened her palm and sent a thought to the Crystal, which she was 
much more familiar with now. Liquid silver consumed her and then the 
others and they vanished from sight.

"God!" Kenji blurted out in shock as his daughter, the Senshi and 
Tuxedo Kamen abruptly appeared in the centre of the bedroom. Everyone 
had been waiting anxiously.

"Mother-Mercury is all right" Serenity said, tears of relief filling 
her eyes. She was glad when no one gave her more than a cursory look 
before staring at Mercury in delight.

Seline however DID notice. Her silver eyes widened in incredulity and 
shock as she took in her daughter. She was taller, her hair longer, 
almost bursting out of her pink bunny shirt under Tuxedo Kamen's cloak 
and OLDER! "God lord" she breathed almost in a whisper. "Serenity, what 
has happened to you?"

"Endymion!" Malachite breathed in relief, seeing that his Prince was 
unharmed.

Minako slumped as the Luna Pen's power suddenly gave out and the 
illusion of sailor Moon faded along with it. "That's better," she said 
in relief, running a hand through her loose hair.

Zoisite took one look at Mercury before striding swiftly across the 
room and sweeping her into his arm. She gave a startled yelp and then 
her lips were smoothed under his in a demanding kiss.

"Umm-Mercury? Who is THAT?" Mars yelled, pointing a shaking finger at 
her friend locked into a passionate embrace with a strange man dress in 
a uniform and sporting a sword at his side. She noticed three other 
strangers and included them in her pointing. "And WHO are THEY-oh my 
god! Jadeite!" she shrieked at him, eyes going impossibly wide with 
horror and shock.

"Hello my sweet" Jadeite murmured to her, moving as quickly as Zoisite 
had to pull the Senshi into his arms. In a moment, she was being 
ruthlessly kissed.

"What-" Venus began, heart leaping into her throat as she noticed an 
amazingly handsome man eyeing her narrowly. He stalked towards her and 
she yelped, backing off-but to no avail. She too was swept into eager 
arms and kissed like there was no tomorrow.

"Good lord!" Kenji uttered, eyes boggling. What on earth was going ON 
around here?!

That left Jupiter, who was also being watched like a tasty treat by a 
gorgeous man with long brown hair. He took a step towards her and she 
took a step back hastily. Okay, so he was delicious BUT- "No, no, no! 
NO kissing!" she shouted at him, backing off more as he tried to corner 
her. She dashed around the other side of the bed and raised a shaking 
finger to his baffled and hurt face. "I don't know who you are, but no 
kissing without introductions first! And maybe a date!" she added the 
last part wistfully.

Nephlyte came to an abrupt halt, horror and realisation flooding his 
eyes. "You don't KNOW me!" he said rather numbly. He turned to look at 
Seline in agony. "We're not together in the future?"

Seline shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry-no" she looked at Mars, Mercury 
and Venus who seemed suddenly reluctant to end their kissing session-
even if they had no idea who the General's were.

"Together?!" Jupiter exclaimed, staring at the man. "Just who ARE you 
and why would you think that we were together-and WHY are your buddies 
kissing my friends!" she blurted out, confused as hell.

"That is what I would like to know" Endymion broke in coolly. He looked 
Nephlyte over, the faintest hint of recognition in the blue depths. "I 
know you, don't I?" he said, sounding uncertain.

Nephlyte closed his eyes in pain, then opened them and stared solemnly 
at his Prince. "My name is Nephlyte Prince. And I don't know how you 
don't know me and the others-but we are....WERE your Royal Guard a 
thousand years ago" his voice sounded extremely wounded, but he tried 
to hide it. Desolated.

Jupiter looked at him, feeling a strange tug at her heart. "We knew 
you? A thousand years ago?" she went to continue and then a glint 
entered her green eyes as something clicked. "Did you say Nephlyte? But 
you're dead! And one of Ber-"

"Jupiter NO!" Serenity shouted, drawing attention to herself. 
Everyone's eyes widened as they really LOOKED at her for the first time 
since she had returned. She flushed to the roots of her hair as their 
mouths fell open and she belatedly remembered that she was almost 
bursting out of her top. She swiftly closed the warm cloak about her.

"SERENITY!" Luna gasped out, the first to speak past her shock and 
amazement. Her Princess looked like she was 18 or 19 now! "HOW did this 
HAPPEN?!" she demanded.

"That's what I want to know, young lady! And NOW!" Kenji bellowed at 
her, eyes boggling-not only at her changed age, but at her apparent 
state of undress.

Zoisite pulled back as he heard yelling and looked down into the 
flushed face of his love. "I'm glad you're all right, love" he 
whispered tenderly. For a moment, there was love and tenderness in her 
eyes too-and then it faded into a look of fear, bewilderment and a lack 
of recognition.

"Who-who are you?" she stammered, yanking herself from his warm arms 
and backing towards the others.

Mars pulled herself from Jadeite's arms and stared at him for a long 
moment in disbelief. Then anger clouded her eyes and she raised a hand 
and slapped him over the cheek hard. "Don't EVER touch me again. 
Bastard!" she hissed at him, hate in her eyes. She and Mercury backed 
together, unconsciously reaching out for each other's hands.

"Mars. Love, what-" Jadeite began, utterly shocked by her. She had HATE 
in her lovely eyes. Hate for HIM.

"Don't CALL me that, Dark Kingdom scum!" she shouted in loathing, not 
noticing that the General's had gone deathly white at her words.

Venus caught the tail end of Mars' heated words and wrenched her lips 
from the handsome strangers swiftly. She looked at him in horror, his 
own eyes echoing it as he too heard Mars. "Dark Kingdom?" she whispered 
faintly, running past him to where Mars, Jupiter and Mercury were 
huddled protectively close to each other near Serenity.

Jadeite turned shattered eyes on Seline. "Dark Kingdom? We work for 
Beryl in this century?" he spat out, eyes boring into her 
unforgivingly. He gestured to Mars. "Mars doesn't LOVE me! My soul 
mate!" he shouted at her, voice filled with hate and pain. He didn't 
see Mars' eyes widen with incredulity.

"Just what is going on here?" Malachite said, trying to sound calm. 
From Venus' reaction, he surmised that the Senshi of this time did not 
know him at all. Had not met him yet. And at least his love's reaction 
had not been as violent as Mercury and Mars' had been.

"I'm so sorry-I forgot to tell them before we came back" Serenity's 
voice was anguished and hushed. Tears filled her eyes at the amount of 
pain in the four General's eyes. Unbearable anguish. "Mercury was dead 
and then-"

"Why did you kiss me?" Mercury demanded of Zoisite, sudden recognition 
in her eyes. "You're Zoisite-aren't you? But you're a GIRL!"

Zoisite winced in response, closing his eyes and trying to will the 
pain away. It wasn't her fault. She didn't know him in this time-which 
brought up the question of WHY? "Yes, I AM Zoisite and I have been told 
by Queen Serenity that I am a girl in this century" he sighed deeply, 
opening his eyes to gaze at the other three General's. "It's not their 
fault" he told them calmly. "Apparently they don't remember us-and the 
General's they know work for the Dark Kingdom"

"HOW?" Jadeite demanded, rage barely-contained in his voice. He looked 
at Serenity and Seline for answers and he wanted them NOW. "HOW can our 
soul mates not KNOW us" he frowned as something else occurred to him, 
unnoticed before. "And why are they younger than I remember?"

"I will answer all of your questions, Lord Jadeite," a strange voice 
said calmly.

They all spun defensively to see a Senshi standing just inside the 
door. She was older-in her early 20's, with long dark green hair and 
red eyes. Her Senshi fuku was dark blue and black. She was also 
stunningly beautiful.

"Pluto!" Seline and Serenity gasped out simultaneously.

"My Queen" Sailor Pluto bowed deeply before Seline and then again-with 
an ever so slightly deeper bow-to Princess Serenity. "My Princess"

"The Guardian of Time" Malachite breathed, aware of the ramifications 
of her even BEING there talking to them. Sailor Pluto had never been 
seen by anyone other than the Princess of the Moon and her Mother the 
Queen. She was legendary.

"But I thought that you weren't allowed to interfere with Time" Jadeite 
said in bewilderment, looking at Seline. "Queen Serenity hinted-"

"It is a moot point now, Lord Malachite" Sailor Pluto sighed deeply 
walking towards them. "Time has been changed beyond recognition and I 
had to escape before the Time Gate closed upon me"

Seline gazed at the Senshi in horror. "You can't DO anything, Pluto?" 
she whispered, faint.

"Nothing" Pluto answered, eyes sweeping over them all. "It's too late 
now to fix it" her red eyes swept over Serenity from head to toe. "The 
Princess has aged again" she noted clinically. "You know what this 
means" she said to her Queen, but still looking closely at the 
Princess.

"Oh no. It's too early. MUCH too early" Seline replied weakly. She fell 
to the floor as her legs gave way from under her, silver eyes wild and 
stunned.

"It is LATE now, Serenity" Pluto said gently, walking gracefully over 
to her Queen and helping her to her feet. She stared into glazed silver 
eyes. "You must aid her now, more than ever" she turned her head to 
look at the Generals and then Endymion. "They are now involved and must 
resume their roles as the Prince's protectors. They must ALSO be told 
of their involvement with Beryl in this time"

"No, no" Seline murmured, shaking her head. She looked up at them all, 
seeming all at once to be a normal frightened teenager. Sailor Pluto 
seemed to realise this and released her Queen gently. Princess Serenity 
immediately too her Mother into her arms, murmuring soothingly.

"Answer my questions now, Sailor Pluto" Zoisite said from between 
clenched teeth, trying not to look at his love in anguish. His world 
had been turned upside down and it would have been more merciful to 
kill him than let him live without Mercury.

Mercury gasped as she heard his words and saw from his startled eyes as 
he spun to look at her that he had not known he had spoken aloud. Her 
teeth clenched and her lips tingled as she remembered his searing kiss. 
It had held such love...and these apparently weren't the evil General's 
that they all knew. Besides the fact that he was a guy!

The Senshi all exchanged a look, filled with guilt, anger and half-
remembered feelings. Did they all feel the same, these strange men? 
That they would rather DIE than not have the Senshi's love? Were they 
truly together and soul mates in the past?

"Queen Serenity" Mars said rather formally, looking at Seline 
uncertainly. "Is it true? The General's were our soul mates in the 
past?"

Seline nodded. "It is true. You were all in love"

"Were" Jadeite said rather bitterly, flinging himself away from the 
others and keeping his emotions to himself.

Mars stared at his stiff back, not knowing WHAT to feel. ["We were in 
love? I felt-something...and then I remembered who he was and felt 
nothing but hate"] she thought to Mercury, anguished at the pain she 
and the others had wrought. These were not Beryl's Generals. These were 
men that had loved them-deeply. And still DID.

A sigh escaped Mercury's lips as she recalled her violent reaction to 
Zoisite's loving kisses. "Oh-what a MESS this is!" she exclaimed. 
["Such a HUGE mess!"]

Venus's heart ached as she felt all the unrequited love filling the 
room. Oh what utter agony the Generals were feeling at that moment! 
Their soul mates hated them and only knew them as enemies. She looked 
up at Malachite sadly, wondering how deeply THEY had been in love a 
thousand years ago. He returned her gaze with wariness and love and she 
felt her heart skip a beat in response. "How can we fix this?" she 
whispered to herself, feeling despair. "How can we EVER fix this?"