Chapter 2

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Nephrite walked through the hallways of Juuban Senior Academy in his disguise as Miyake Akeno, a fourth-year transfer student. Princess Setsuna's instructions, when she met him on the other side of the Gates of Time, had been to pose as a student at this school, blend in, and wait for further instructions. Nephrite didn't understand why he couldn't just deliver the message he'd supposedly been sent to deliver and then go home. But he was under orders from the King to follow Setsuna's instructions, so it was his duty to obey without question. It occurred to Nephrite that perhaps he was a spy on a mission so secret that even he didn't know about it.

An apartment had been prepared for him, along with money, the necessary papers, and clothing, including the school uniform he was now wearing, dark blue jacket, white shirt, blue and white striped necktie - Nephrite had nearly strangled himself, learning to knot the damn thing correctly - and black trousers. He also wore a pair of spectacles, plain oval pieces of glass set into gold wire frames, though he didn't need them. Setsuna had insisted he wear them, saying only that Nephrite bore a striking resemblance to a prominent, wealthy man who had disappeared a few years ago, and it would be better to minimize that resemblance as much as possible, to avoid too much curiosity about his background.

The Princess of Pluto was even more unfathomable than the rumors claimed, Nephrite decided.

One of the first things Nephrite did after Setsuna left him to his own devices was purchase one of those fast, noisy, sleek two-wheeled vehicles he had admired in the streets while Setsuna showed him around the city. Setsuna hadn't liked the idea; she had argued that it would do serious damage to the flow of time if he broke his head riding the thing, but Nephrite promised to buy a safety helmet and not ride the motorcycle too fast. He knew there was no point in even asking if he could take the machine back through the Gates of Time with him - Princess Setsuna had told him several times he would not be allowed to take anything back with him, not even memories - but he would use it as much as he could while he was here.

Nephrite was trying to concentrate on finding his next class instead of looking at the girls walking past him in the halls. They wore full, pleated blue skirts that swished and swirled just above bare knees, and short white blouses with wide blue collars and red bows in the front. The hems of the blouses swung back and forth, revealing glimpses of soft smooth skin at the waist and back. He couldn't believe that such a display of feminine skin was permitted in a school of all places. Not that he was complaining.

The bell rang, and the last stragglers in the hallway disappeared into the classrooms. Nephrite stopped and looked around at the numbers on the doors near him, then at the number on the slip of paper he held. He was lost. He sighed, then turned to walk back the way he had come.

He rounded a corner, absorbed in trying to puzzle out the layout of the school, and stopped just short of running into two girls who were hurrying towards him. One of the girls had blonde hair in an oddly familiar style of buns and ponytails. The other was a small, pretty redhead with a big blue bow in her hair. They both stared at him with eyes like frightened deer, then the blonde's eyes narrowed. "Nephrite!" she said, as though accusing him of something.

The redhead crumpled to the floor in a faint.

The blonde quickly knelt beside her friend, feeling her face, checking her pulse. Then she looked at Nephrite again. "What are you doing here, Nephrite?" she asked, again in that accusing voice. "You're supposed to be dead!"

Nephrite finally found the name to go with the buns and ponytails. "Princess Serenity?" he asked in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm - hey, wait a minute." Footsteps were approaching in the hall around the corner. "Oh, rats," Princess Serenity said. "Hall monitor. I'm in for it now."

Nephrite thought quickly. There was a door nearby, marked 'A/V Storage.' "Come on. In there." He stooped down, lifted the unconscious redhead in his arms, and led the other girl into the storage room. Serenity found the switch that turned on the light.

It was more of a closet, crowded with odd machines and boxes, but there was just barely room for Nephrite and Serenity to sit on the floor, with Nephrite holding the red-haired girl on his lap. They held their breath as the footsteps drew near the door and then continued past. As soon as the steps had faded into the distance, Princess Serenity whispered, "Okay, Nephrite, start explaining. And this had better be good."

Nephrite took another deep breath. He had the feeling that he had better tell Princess Serenity the truth. "All I know is that Setsuna of Pluto, the Guardian of Time, sent me here to deliver a message. I don't know what the message is or who I'm supposed to give it to, only that I'm supposed to act like I belong here and wait for further instructions."

Serenity gave him a flat, skeptical look. "I'm not sure I believe you. You were such a liar, before." She seemed to think for a minute. "Wait. You called me Princess Serenity, instead of Usagi or Sailor Moon. Why?"

Damn Setsuna's secrecy, Nephrite thought. He hated not knowing what was going on. "Because it's your name, of course. It took me so long to recognize you because the last time I saw you, about a year ago, you were five years old."

Serenity went pale. "Wait a minute. Where - or when - are you from?"

"I'm from the Realm of Earth, in the fourteenth year of King Philemon. I'm one of the Guardians of his son, Crown Prince Endymion, who is ten years old."

"Oh. My. Gosh," Serenity said slowly. "So you don't know anything about the Dark Kingdom or Queen Beryl or any of that, do you?"

Nephrite shook his head. "Forgive me, Princess. I have no idea what you're talking about."

Serenity chewed her lip for a moment, considering the situation. "Okay, Nephrite, I believe you. I don't know if Setsuna would want me to tell you anything - as usual, I have no idea what she's up to - but I'd better tell you a little bit about when you were here before."

"Before? What do you mean, before?" Nephrite had the unpleasant feeling of having been dumped from a ship into the deepest part of the ocean with no warning.

"You were here two years ago." Serenity studied him for a moment. "But you were older. I guess the things that happened two years ago haven't happened to you yet, and that's why you don't know what I'm talking about. Didn't Setsuna tell you about any of this?"

"She didn't tell me anything. I wish someone would; I'd like to know what I've gotten myself into."

"Well, basically, you were a Lord of the Dark Kingdom, in the service of Queen Beryl, and you were trying to destroy the Earth. You and the other three Guardians. I fought against you, with the other Senshi Princesses. See..." Serenity paused, perhaps trying to decide how much she should tell him. "There was this, like, war on the Moon, between the Moon Kingdom, and Endymion and the Senshi and I all died, but we were reborn now to fight against the Dark Kingdom again, and, anyway, you and I were enemies, until..." Serenity looked at her red-haired friend, a sad, tender look on her face. "This is where Naru comes in. See, when you were trying to destroy the Earth, she fell in love with you. First she thought you were this rich businessman, Sanjouin Masato, but when she found out you were evil, she still stood by you. She saved your life, protecting you from one of my attacks. Then you fell in love with her. You were killed protecting her from someone else in the Dark Kingdom. You died in her arms." Serenity smoothed back some of the girl Naru's bright, wavy hair. "She still cries over you."

Nephrite sat still, trying to take it all in. If what the Princess said was true, that he and the other Guardians had been part of an evil Kingdom that was trying to destroy the Earth, then at some point in the future - his future - he and the others would commit treason.... It would be better for him to die here on his motorcycle than to return to his own time and betray his King, his Prince and his Realm. If it weren't for his present duty to the King, this was a course of action he would seriously consider.

What kind of game was Setsuna playing with him, anyway? He was the man she had mentioned, the rich man who had disappeared. He and the girl Naru had loved each other. He had died for the girl's sake. Would love each other, he reminded himself. Would die for her. It hadn't happened to him yet. Strangely, though, as he looked at the girl it seemed only natural that he would love her and want to protect her. Why hadn't Setsuna told him about any of this?

Naru stirred, and murmured something. Nephrite looked at the Princess. "Would you - would you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes? I promise, my intentions are harmless."

Serenity smiled at him a little. "I may not trust you with anything else, but I trust you with her. See you later." She opened the door slightly, peered out into the hallway to make sure the coast was clear, then slipped out and shut the door behind her. Nephrite went on holding Naru, watching her as she woke up.

********

"Nephrite-sama?" Naru looked up at the face that hovered above hers. It couldn't possibly be Nephrite, yet there was no mistaking those deep blue eyes, the fine-boned face, or the wavy auburn hair. Or the warmth of the arms that were holding her. But the eyes were behind gold-wire glasses, and the hair was short, and the face was -

"You're younger than you used to be," she said, then instantly wished she could faint again.

One corner of his mouth quirked up in a small half-smile, and his eyes crinkled a little, just as she remembered. "No, it's just that I was older when you knew me before."

Naru blushed and tried to turn her face away, but he was holding her on his lap, so it was hard to hide from him. As though sensing her awkwardness, he loosened his hold on her and she slid off his lap to sit on the floor in front of him. "You are Nephrite, aren't you?"

"Yes. But, as you said, I am younger than when I was, the other time I was here." He gave her another little smile. "Serenity explained to me about how we knew each other. None of that has happened to me yet. Right now, I've been sent forward in time to deliver a message."

"Oh." Naru looked down at her hands, twined together in her lap. It was too good to be real, after all. "I was hoping that you had, you know, come back...."

"From death? No. I haven't died yet."

A few tears were beginning to make tracks down Naru's face. "And that you could stay."

"I can't stay," he said gently. "I'll be here for about a month."

Naru nodded, and tried to wipe the tears away before he saw them, but he took her hands in his. "But I'd like to spend some time with you while I'm here. If that's all right..."

"I'd like that." Naru was startled by the sensation of something warm in the vicinity of her heart, where she had felt so cold for so long. She tried to smile. "You promised me a chocolate parfait, you know. The night you - you - " She closed her eyes and bit her lip, torn between her sudden happiness and the sorrow of her memories.

"Tell me," he said softly.

So Naru told him the story of the night he died, how he had come to her room and told her the truth about himself - or what she had thought was the truth, though it left her more confused than before; how the monsters had kidnapped her and were planning to kill her when he showed up and rescued her; how they had sat together in the park and finally, tentatively began to really talk to each other; how the monsters had suddenly appeared and attacked, and how she had tried to save him but couldn't stop him from dying in her arms.

Naru was crying again by the time she finished, but he wouldn't let go of her hands. She had no choice but to sit there, crying openly in front of him.

After a while he said, "Did I ever kiss you?"

"No." Naru sniffed and tried to dry her face on her shoulder. "I don't know if you wanted to."

"That can't be." His quiet voice had become lower, almost seductive, the way she remembered him speaking to her before. "Because, looking at you right now, I can't imagine not wanting to kiss you."

Naru looked up at him. His eyes met hers steadily. "May I?" he asked.

Numbly, she nodded. He pulled her towards him, until she was in his lap again, then lowered his face to hers. A shock went through Naru as their lips met; she stiffened, then relaxed in his arms. He held her close against him, deepening the kiss, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The door to the closet opened. "What is going on here?" a stern female voice demanded.

Nephrite's eyes opened wide. He and Naru hastily pulled apart, Naru straightening her blouse and trying to settle her skirt more modestly around her knees.

The intruder was Miss Awashima, the history teacher whose class Naru was supposed to be in at that moment. "Well, Miss Osaka?" Miss Awashima asked.

"Umm..." Naru said.

Nephrite stood up, placing himself between her and the formidable-looking teacher. "It wasn't her fault."

Miss Awashima silenced him with a flat stare. "Come with me. Both of you."

Nephrite sighed, then gave Naru his hand and helped her up. Still holding hands, they followed the teacher to the principal's office.

********

"I am shocked, Miss Osaka," Mr. Oshima said. "You're the last person from whom I would have expected this sort of behavior. Especially after the problem we had last week."

"It wasn't her fault, sir," Nephrite said.

"Akeno, isn't it?" the principal asked. "Miyake Akeno? And this is your first day?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, at least you have the excuse, Mr. Miyake, of not being familiar with school rules. This is Miss Osaka's second year at this high school. She knows the rules." The balding principal looked at Naru. "Now, Miss Osaka, what have you to say for yourself?"

"We used to know each other, sir. A few years ago. Then he had to move away and I thought I'd never see him again. We were just really happy to see each other again, and, well ..."

"I see." Frowning, Mr. Oshima looked from Naru to Nephrite, then back again. "You'll each serve an hour and a half of detention this afternoon. Report here after school to receive your assignments. You're dismissed to go to class."

Classes were changing, and by a fortunate circumstance, Naru and Nephrite's next classes were in the same hallway, so they were able to walk together. "You lied to the headmaster, Naru," Nephrite said. "Won't you get in more trouble if he finds out you lied?"

"It wasn't a lie. We used to know each other, and you had to go away, and I thought I'd never see you again."

"But it wasn't exactly the truth, either, was it? I mean, in spirit it was a lie."

"You're the one who taught me that a lie works best when it's close to the truth."

Nephrite shook his head. "Serenity said I was a liar. I have my faults, but I'm not a liar, or at least I try not to be...."

"The Dark Kingdom turned you into one," Naru said. All at once she stopped, causing the students behind her to bump into her and each other. She ignored them as they walked by, giving her dirty looks. "Hey, maybe now that you know what's going to happen, you can change things."

Nephrite shook his head. "I wish I could, but I'm not going to remember anything or take anything with me when I go back. I won't be able to change anything."

"Oh." Naru started walking again slowly. "So nothing will happen any differently."

"I'm afraid not, Naru." They walked in silence for a moment, then Nephrite said, "I'm sorry you're going to be punished. It really was my fault."

"It's okay. It could have been worse - it could have been two hours, or two days after school. My mom isn't going to be very happy, though. I just had a two-day detention last week."

"Is that the trouble Mr. Oshima talked about?"

"Yeah."

"What happened? I gather that it isn't like you to get into trouble."

"I skipped school last Wednesday. It was the second anniversary of the day you, you know -"

"The day I died?" he asked softly.

"Yeah. I spent the whole day in the park where it happened, just thinking about you."

"It sounds like all I do is cause trouble for you." They arrived at Naru's classroom, and turned to face each other.

"I don't mind," Naru said. "As long as you're with me, I don't care what happens."

Nephrite looked down at her, a gentle, puzzled look on his face, just like the night he died, when she said that she didn't mind if he lied to her, as long as they could be together. Then he touched her cheek, bent down to give her a quick kiss, and smiled. "I'll see you after this class, then?"

"Okay!" Naru smiled back. Feeling oddly disconnected from everything around her, she watched him go into his classroom down the hall. It was the same school, the same people, she was the same girl she had been an hour ago, but everything was different now. If it was a dream, it was a very strange and realistic dream, one she hoped she wouldn't wake up from. If it was a dream, I wouldn't be wondering if I was dreaming, she thought. She hugged herself, suddenly feeling like she might burst into a shower of fireworks. Nephrite was back.