“Bittersweet Memories.” by Gwyphyn.

Silently Nephlite walked into Beryl’s deserted throne room, his eyes automatically going to the huge crystal which stood, half hidden by shadows, between the stone pillars which lined the far wall.

He had returned to the Dark Kingdom in search of Zoicite, to demand that the third of Beryl’s Kings release the human girl Naru. But the small man had conveniently disappeared, along with his lover Kunzite, the strongest of the four Kings, and to his surprise Nephlite had found himself in Beryl’s throne room. An odd, melancholy mood possessing him.

Crossing the huge cold stone room, Nephlite snarled in distaste as his eyes briefly fell to the stained ground before his ‘Queens’ throne. How many youma had met its distruction in gruesome, vicious pain to satisfy their Queens bloodlust? He sighed. Up until several weeks ago the fate of the lowly youma had never concerned him. They were Beryl’s creations, let her do with them as she wished. But that was before he had meet Naru. Naru with her short red brown curls, and large brown eyes. Eyes which shone with a youthful innocence and love of life, completely without guile, a thing never heard of in the cold cruelty of the Dark Kingdom, in his world, had awoken in him something that he thought long dead. Feelings of compassion and sympathy hampered him, making him unable to complete his missions with the usual ruthlessness for which he was known.

He had always known that he was different from his fellow Kings. Often his dreams had been plagued with images of another life, a life where he was free of Beryl and Metallica’s harsh, cruel world. Where he and Zoicite were friends and companions rather then the vengeful enemies they now were. A life where he had been in love with a beautiful noble Lady of a now dead court. A woman who’s long red brown hair and brown eyes reminded him so much of Naru’s that they could have been sisters. He had always supposed that it was his link to the divine power of the stars which had been the source of these memory like dreams, but now he began to suspect that he had once actually lived the life his dreams portrayed. It would certainly explain why he felt so strongly ~ dare he use the word love? ~ for a girl half his age, and whom he had only just met.

Reaching the huge crystal he gazed sadly up at the frozen blond haired form of the first of Beryl’s Kings, all thought of the girl vanishing at the sight. Albeit probably only briefly.

Jadeite stood forever entombed in the cold crystal of eternal sleep, as punishment for the gross crime of failing to destroy the enemies of Queen Beryl, Sailor Moon and her two Sailor brat friends. Nephlite forced himself to study the image he had studiously avoided looking at, until now.

Dressed in the compulsory uniform Beryl had chosen for her Kings. The grey, blue ribbed uniform stood out starkly against the white pallor of Jadeite’s skin, the white gloved fingers splayed as though he was struggling to raise his hands to push something away. His blond head was thrown back slightly, turquoise eyes wide and startled, pale lips parted in an unending silent cry. Jadeite’s whole body gave the impression of unimaginable terror, and Nephlite felt his heart leap painfully in his chest at the sight of it. Almost tenderly he pressed a white gloved hand to the smooth cold crystal. Nephlite had come to say goodbye to the one person in the Dark Kingdom he had ever been able to call friend. For by the next morning either he would be dead, or he would be free of Beryl’s power and unable to return.

He chuckled grimly as a memory of the handsome face, now frozen in a mask of terror, flushed with an equally powerful and completely different emotion, played briefly before his eyes. His bleak amusement faded though, as he wondered briefly at what his small enemy would say if he knew that, when the cold cruelty and loneliness of their life grew too much for them, Jadeite and he would occasionally find warmth and solace in each other.

Nephlite smiled again suddenly, the flash of happiness at odds with his previous anger. He had never ‘loved’ Jadeite as the word implied, but he had, and still did, feel a fond friendship for him. Though perhaps things would have been different had they been given more time. He laughed at the thought. Beryl barely tolerated the union of two of her four Kings, there was no way she would have allowed a similar union between her remaining two.

Nephlite groaned softly. He had missed Jadeite’s company over the last few months. Jadeite had been a calm, intelligent companion who had always somehow managed to dissuade him from his often homicidal intentions towards Zoicite. Intentions which would have surely also involved the small Kings very protective, and very powerful lover, Kunzite. Who’d have no doubt extracted a painful and terminal revenge, even if Beryl had not punished him herself for acting without her permission.

Nephlite’s smile faded as his thoughts turned to the last hours before Jadeite had left on his disastrous mission to destroy the Sailor brats. The memory playing before his minds eye like a scene from a human horror movie.

He had watched silently, leaning against the doorway to prevent any of Jadeite’s many ‘loyal’ youma’s from entering his personal quarters, as the weakest of Beryl’s four King’s in magical ability, issued his challenge for single combat to the three Sailor scouts, by projecting his image in the night sky over Tokyo. Naming the time and place and finishing with a unveiled threat of what would happen if they didn’t turn up, Jadeite dispersed the spell with a wave of his hand and lowered himself wearily into a chair. Knuckling his eyes the blond man groaned softly.

“Is this choice of action wise?” Nephlite asked quietly. Moving further into the room he lent back against the desk which matched the chair Jadeite was sitting in, before continuing. “You are not the strongest among us and are almost exhausted. To challenge all three of them at once...” He stopped.

Jadeite looked up at him, a humourless smile twisting his lips. “Not the wisest course of action perhaps, but the necessary one. Our Queen has left me little choice.”

“Hm.” Nephlite said thoughtfully one hand crossed over his chest, the other fingering his chin. “Do you want me to help you?” He offered hesitantly, not looking at the other man but gazing up at the roof instead. “Between the two of us we should be able to destroy the Sailor brats easily enough.”

For a time Jadeite didn’t answer, and Nephlite was just about to force himself to look at him when his shoulder was gripped by a warm hand. “Thankyou for the offer, my friend. But only if I destroy them myself will I be returned to Beryl’s favour. Besides if we were to fail you would no doubt share in my punishment.”

Helpless sapphire eyes met resigned turquoise. Seeing the weariness in Jadeite’s eyes Nephlite realised that there was something he could do for him and gripping the Kings shoulders tightly, he opened a link between their two auras. Realising what he meant to do, Jadeite gasped and tried to squirm away from him, but Nephlite prevented the smaller man easily. Concentrating on the link in their auras he began to channel his own energy into Jadeite, depleting his reserves as the other’s were strengthened.

Finally managing to pull his shoulders out of Nephlite’s weakened grasp, Jadeite stepped away from him as the more powerful King sagged against the desk.

Nephlite smiled slightly as he studied the change his energy made in Jadeite. The slumped shoulders were straightened and the weariness left Jadeite’s eyes as Nephlite’s energy flowed through him, increasing his powers past what they could ever have been otherwise. Watching in satisfaction through lowered lashes Nephlite saw the turquoise eyes darken in gratitude and concern as Jadeite stared at him, before stepping closer to Nephlite and lightly smoothing his thick wine red bangs off his face, with one long fingered hand, frowning puzzledly.

“Why?” Jadeite asked softly.

Not meeting Jadeite’s eyes Nephlite shrugged. “Don’t really know.” He was equally surprised over what he had done, though he wasn’t sorry he’d done it. “Seemed like the right thing to do, and besides, it’ll give you a better chance.”

Jadeite studied him awhile longer before stepping closer and leaning forward to press his lips to Nephlite’s. The kiss was tentative and light at first as he waited for Nephlite’s response, but it quickly became more passionate, deepening as Nephlite returned it eagerly, splitting Jadeite’s lips with his tongue. Jadeite sighed deep in his throat as Nephlite’s arms encircled his waist, pulling him closer so that Jadeite’s muscular length was crushed against his.

Worming a hand between them, Jadeite’s fingers moved to the buttons of Nephlite’s jacket. Sensing Jadeite’s relief when he didn’t try to stop him, Nephlite smiled and pushed him away before grasping Jadeite’s hand and guiding him into the bedroom.

Hours later he had been forced to swallow his involuntary protest as he listened to Jadeite cry out in pain and fear as Beryl carried out the forewarned punishment.

Straightening he forced his anger away and smiled coldly as his Queens cruel red eyes, sparkling with malicious enjoyment at Jadeite’s misfortune, turned to him. “Nephlite, you are now my warrior on earth. Do not fail me the way Jadeite did.” She warned.

Pushing away the memory of soft lips kissing his brow while he was still half asleep and a whispered goodbye. Nephlite made himself laugh cruelly. “Jadeite was a fool, my Queen...”

With a groan Nephlite yanked his thoughts back to the present and discovered that he was kneeling in front of the crystal, his hand pressed to the smooth surface hard enough to stop circulation.

Struggling to his feet, his disorientated mind almost sent him stumbling as Naru’s voice lanced into it once again.

**Nephlite, help me please.**

“Naru...” He whispered.

Looking once more at Jadeite, Nephlite pulled his hand away from the crystal. “Goodbye my friend.” He said stepping away. Opening a portal to Earth he smoothly teleported away in a swirl of blue fire, never noticing the tall, broad shouldered figure moving away from one of the pillars to the left of the huge crystal.

The figure pulled his long cloak tighter around himself as he tossed his long silver hair over his shoulders. Platinum eyes in a tanned handsome face turned to gaze dispassionately up at the figure locked inside the crystal, as though he was trying to sort through what he had just witnessed. Then the figure disappeared as well, surrounded in a black and pink swirl of power. Leaving the crystallised prisoner alone in the black throne room.

Authors Notes.

I wrote this fanfic at about four o’clock one Monday morning after seeing the way Darion and Nephlite reacted when accidentally meeting at the doll exhibition in episode (I’m not sure of thee title, sorry) earlier that day.  It takes place some during the episode Molly’s Folly - in the dubbed version.  (I used Naru instead of Molly as a name because I like it better, so there.)  I sorta feel sorry for poor Jadeite, his character was developed the least, but he was the one to suffer the worst punishment for failure.  I mean what’s dying when compared to an eternity of ‘the most profound darkness’?  But anyway enough of my rambling.  I hope you enjoyed it, I’m still not 100% sure I like it, but oh well.  Later!