Ange stared up at the window of the house above him, watching the young girl in the room brushing her hair. Dimly he could hear her voice through the open window as she talked with the white cat at her side. Princess Ve—Her name was Minako now, he corrected himself in his mind. Minako stroked the brush through her hair again and he sighed in longing. He missed her so much now. Earlier that day Clarissa, Mamoru and Usagi had given him his memories of the Silver Millennium back in full and he’d found himself unable to concentrate through their talking the rest of the day. He had said he needed to take a walk and Mamoru had told him to go to his apartment and stay with him and Clarissa when he had his thoughts sorted out. He hadn’t intended on coming here, but it had happened anyway.
She’s so beautiful, he thought as he stared up at the lit window above him.
Suddenly the cat, Artemis, said something in a louder voice and the blond girl quickly turned to look out the window. Their eyes locked as he stared up at her, hers confused and his full of yearning. Turning she disappeared from the window with Artemis at her side and the curtains were closed.
He sighed and turned away. She did not believe him capable of good. Usagi had told him that while he now had all his memories, the Senshi’s memories of the Moon Kingdom were sketchy at best. All Minako knew of him was what she had experienced when they had arrived on this planet and begun their quest to rid the evil.
How stupid that was. He raked his fingers through his wavy hair as he blew out a frustrated breath. How could the others believe that junk they had been brainwashed with? How could he ever have believed his darling Minako and the other Princesses could be evil?
Angry with himself, he started to walk away, but halted at a confrontational voice behind him. “Ange-san.” Minako said, her voice sounding harsh to ears that remembered words of love from her.
Ange slowly turned to face her. She wore a light green dress, a summer dress that seemed unfitting for the cool night breeze. Her long blond hair was loose from its normal bow and tumbled down her back in a shimmering waterfall. “Minako.” He replied softly.
“What are you doing peeping into my house?” She demanded of him.
“My heart yearned to see you Princess.” He said truthfully.
He watched her blink in surprise. “What?” She asked, confused.
“My memories have been returned to me. I will serve and protect you now, and aid you in destroying the danger posed to you by the evil of the one who corrupted us.” He sank to one knee and bowed his head; hating having to act so formal with the girl he loved.
“So your good now?” She was obviously still very confused.
“Yes your highness,” He replied. After looking around and making sure no prying eyes were looking, he took his chain whip from his dimensional pocket. Standing he cracked the whip, aware that Minako had grabbed her transformation pen in alarm. “Venus Knight Transform.” He said in a soft voice. The links on his whip started to glow, then beams of light shot around him covering his body. After only seconds of the warmth the light faded, leaving him transformed as Venus Knight.
“I am Venus Knight, protector of the lady of Venus and her family. I pledge my allegiance to you, Princess of Venus.”
Stunned Minako watched as the handsome knight bowed.
“You can stop that!” She stammered, quickly grabbing his shoulders and pulling him to his feet. After hustling him into her house she stared at him. “I’ve seen you look like this before.”
After hesitating he nodded. “Each of the Princesses of the planets had a knight from the same planet by her side to love and protect her.” He answered shortly, not meeting her curious blue eyes.
“Love?” Minako sure hit the subject. Nervous, he didn’t answer her. “Clarry told us that all of the Inner Senshi loved the protector from their planet.” She continued stubbornly when he didn’t reply. “Why won’t you talk to me?” She demanded at his continued silence.
“Forgive me Princess,” he murmured. “But you do not remember me and I do not wish to force memories of what we had in the past on you.”
“Well that’s a stupid excuse if I ever heard one!” She glared at him. “Maybe I don’t remember you now but maybe I want to make new memories of us.” She blushed at her own statement and he looked at her hopefully. “Detransform and lets talk ok?” She asked, turning and walking into the living room to hide her blushing face.
Slowly he did as told, a smile curving his lips as he realized the white cat had made himself scarce. He entered the living room and stood in front of the couch she sat on, watching.
“Could you maybe act more normal?” She asked, her voice sounding soft and unsure. “It’s really weird having you act so formal.”
He chuckled and slowly sat on the couch next to her. “If that is how you wish, I can assure you I prefer this to formal.” Sighing he stretched, resting his head on the back of the couch.
“Tired?” She asked watching him.
“Yeah,” He replied. “I’ve been wandering around town for the last couple hours thinking. Listen Minako-san, I’m really sorry about all I did to you and your friends while under evil influence…” He trailed off, keeping his eyes closed until he felt her hand lightly touch his cheek.
“It wasn’t your fault Ange, as long as you’re on our side now!”
He smiled and cupped her hand with his, leaning his head to her hand softly.
“So tell me about you now Ange?” Her voice was soft, almost caring, and he aloud more hope to filter through.
“Well, you already know I was your protector and loved one on Venus so long ago,” he began. “After Queen Beryl destroyed everything back then, all of us were sent to this time and place by Queen Serenity’s power. However, like you all differ in ages, we do too. The other guys are all 19, while me and Clarry are both 17.”
“So you are the same age as me.” She said sounding pleased.
“Yeah,” He answered with a smile. “Although I skipped some grades while in America so I am in the same classes as the other guys, but I get ahead of myself. Anyway, whereas you were all born in Japan, we were all born in America and lived our lives fairly peacefully, not remembering much of anything.
“Then, when Queen Beryl began attacking Japan, we were all, well confronted, with this evil presence. Slowly we began remembering these images of the Silver Millennium, all false but we believed them. We knew of the Senshi and we paid attention to them, spreading bad rumors in the states about them to undermine their image of peace here.” Pain flickered across his face and he again closed his eyes. “I don’t know what the evil one who gave us these falsehoods is, Sean is the only one who has ever really seen and talked to it.”
“Ange?” Minako asked after a minute of silence.
“Yes?” He turned his head to her, still holding her hand to his cheek and opened his eyes a bit.
“Do you think we can turn the rest of the Opposite Senshi into good people again?" She looked worried about that fact and he quickly smiled to reassure her.
“I know we can Minako, I know inside they are all good people who yearn to return to their lives instead of being caught in a false circle of hate.”
Minako thought about that then asked. “Do you think we can defeat the evilness which commanded you?”
This fact obviously worried him more. “I believe we can Minako, but only together. First we must turn all the others to the side of good before we attempt that fight, and even then I worry…” He trailed off and gave her another smile. “But don’t think about it too hard, love, I’m sure together we can do it. Just believe.”
Upstairs Artemis was talking to Luna over the communicator. “I’m very glad Usagi did something like that without any guidance.” He was saying.
“Well it’s not that unbelievable.” Luna defended her owner. “After all she will be the queen in a short while and I’m sure she is almost ready for the task.”
“Yes,” Artemis smiled. “And if things go well with the Opposite Senshi turning back to their Senshi everyone will be happy.”
Luna seemed pleased with that thought then she said. “Only one thing worries me about this.”
“What is it Luna?”
“Well Usagi said that when she talked to Mamoru’s father from ancient Earth, that he told her there may also be Opposite Senshi to complement the Outer Senshi as well.”
Artemis gasped. “You mean there could be Opposite Senshi with the advanced powers of the outers??”
Solemnly, Luna nodded. “Yes I believe it’s very possible, and very dangerous if it’s true.”
As he lay on his bed in his room, Storm stared at a picture. The picture was taken back in America before they had become Opposite Senshi. It showed the six of them happy and whole and friends. Storm frowned. “Clarry, Ange, why?” His voice was full of great pain. He sighed and tossed the picture to the floor to stare at his gloves. “Tomorrow I’ll attack. Maybe if I can take out some of the Senshi they will remember us and come back to our side, then we can be a family again.”
Closing his eyes, he drifted into a troubled sleep.
End of chapter seven.
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