Part IX

Kunzite reappears in his and Zoi's room and sits at his desk, setting the pad of paper down and opening it again, looking at the picture.

"What are you looking at, koibito?" Zoi asks as she steps up behind him and puts her arms around his neck, leaning in for a kiss.

"You remember Beryl ordering me to search that human girl's room?"

"The one that Jae seems to have taken an interest in? Hai, I remember."

"Well, after Jae left her, she took a shower. While she was in the shower, I teleported in to search.

I was only able to look in the drawer of her vanity before she came out, but I was able to find this."

Zoi looks over to the tablet of drawings. As she leafed through with her lover, she sees that they're all of Jae, or the group of Generals plus Diana and the strange eyed one.

"How odd," Zoi says softly. "Look...in some of these I look more like a man, in others, more like a woman. And who is this other one who seems to be with Nephrite?"

"You're right, love, and I haven't the faintest clue as to who that other woman is."

"She may be the key to finding the crystal."

"I will show Beryl..."

"No! No, love, I don't think that would be wise."

"Why not?"

"I...well...I don't know...I just don't think it would be." She looks pleadingly into his icy eyes. "Please...it would just make me feel better if she didn't know about it."

"All right, love, he turns and pulls her down onto his lap, "for you I won't. Anyway, perhaps this strange woman doesn't really exist, after all, you are female and you haven't ever been male before."

Zoi giggles. "I am most assuredly female," she pauses before saying in a low, sensual voice, "and I can prove it to you."

Kunz grins, undoing the top button of her uniform jacket. "Why don't you, hm?"

"I think I will," she whispers, sliding out of her jacket.

Meanwhile, Jae bows before Queen Beryl.

"Your wish is my command, my Queen," he says humbly.

"Tell me, Jadeite, is this human a good lover?"

Jae blinks and looks up at Beryl in surprise. "I...I'm sorry, my Queen?"

"Is this human a good lover?"

"Ah...I would not know, my Queen. To my knowledge, she is still a virgin. If I may be so bold, why do you ask?"

"I see. My reasons are none of your concern. What progress have you made?"

Jae pauses long enough to gather his thoughts.

"I have determined that she is not a Sailor Senshi of any kind, but she is not Dark Kingdom either.

She's told me that she has on occasion seen the near future and the far past, so she does have powers beyond that of ordinary humans. That is the closest reason I can come up with as to why the crystal reacted to her.

I also sense greater power within her, but I'm still not certain as to if she's the crystal carrier, my Queen."

Beryl nods slightly.

"Dismissed."

Jae nods, bowing once more before disappearing.

Jae reappears in Diana's room, and he sees her sitting by her open window. The wind gently stirs her curls as she gazes sadly out of it, watching her sister flirting heavily with some boy through the leaves of the tree by the window.

Jae sits by her, sliding his arms around her, taking note of the torn up jeans and v-neck shirt she wears.

"What do you see?" he asks softly as she leans back against him, shifting closer and putting her hands over his.

"My sister flirting with some guy. The kid's luck is going to run out one of these days and she's going to get pregnant before she's ready," Diana answers in a flat tone.

Jae raises a brow and frowns slightly, pulling Diana close against him.

"Ok..."

They both watch as Naomi giggles and leads the boy into the house.

"That's the fourth one she's been with since Sunday, and today's Wednesday."

Jae makes a face. "That's one a day, and your parents don't mind?"

"They don't know. They think she's the innocent little girl and I'm the one who either beats up or fucks anything that moves," Diana says bitterly.

"Ok. The only time I've ever seen you like this was during battle, and we're not fighting at the moment. What's wrong? You know you can tell me," Jae says, gently turning Diana so they can look at each other.

Diana sighs softly, putting her hands flat on his chest. "Do you know any tall, strait haired platinum blond men who go around wearing capes?" she asks. 

Part VIII
Part X
Beginnings and Endings Index