Storyline Name: Sins of the Heart
Creator(s): Sailor Mercury and Eternal Knight
Forum: Tokyo City
Advanced or Relaxed: Advanced

Plot Summary: Taking place in the live action universe, this story explores what would have happened had Sailor Venus and Zoisite succeeded in their plan to protect the world and ensuring destruction does not happen again by preventing their prince and princess from being together. The music box that Venus uses on Usagi erases her memories of Mamoru successfully, but it does not erase Mamoru's. Their actions have unforeseen consequences; now they must watch their masters suffer as a result of their actions.

Mamoru keeps finding himself drawn to Usagi, but does not understand how she has no recollection of him and treats him like a stranger. Even as she tries to push away this strange man that has come to follow her around for an unknown reason, Usagi's heart aches for a reason she cannot fathom.

Can Venus and Zoisite continue watching them be hurt, knowing they are responsible for their loved ones' pain? Is saving the world really worth breaking the hearts of the people they love?

Details on any necessary information: This takes place in the PGSM/live action universe and an AU of what actually happened from Episode 35.

Restrictions: Only for Sailor Mercury and Eternal Knight. The only playable characters will be Sailor Venus and Zoisite. Mamoru, Usagi, and the others will be NPCed if necessary.

OOC Thread: None

Member to Character List:
- Minako Aino/Sailor Venus: Sailor Mercury
- Zoisite: Eternal Knight

It had been a few weeks since the princess forgot about her love, and yet Minako had not found peace.

She found her nights to be sleepless and restless, tossing and turning in her bed even as her body felt the fatigue. I guess this is what they mean when they say ‘how can you sleep at night?’ She lay in bed wide awake, staring at the ceiling, questioning what she’d done every day.

Whether it was the right thing. Whether she was fulfilling her duty in the right way.

She was trying to save the world… but at what price?

The princess was meant to come first, yet Minako had hurt her in her quest to prevent world destruction.

Because Usagi was hurt. She didn’t know it, and no one else could see it, for Usagi remained smiling and happy like she always was. But there were moments when Minako would see her looking confused, as if a piece of her was missing. She’d stare forlornly at nothingness even among her friends, easily distracted, needing to be pulled back into the conversation more than once.

She looked unbalanced. And Minako wondered if it would hurt her—destroy her—in the long run.

What was the point of saving the world if the princess she loved the most was destroyed in the process?

The other senshi already knew what happened, and they seemed wary too. Was it just Minako’s feeling, or were they looking at her with distrust? She’d begged them to understand—told them what happened in the past that none of them remembered—but Minako could tell she was losing their faith, too.

They didn’t feel it was right.

She had been watching from afar, and Mamoru was not helping either. He kept finding her in places, even as Usagi didn’t remember him. He was understandably confused, but even when she told him to keep away, he kept coming back.

That afternoon, on the way home from school, he’d found her again. Minako balled her fist and gritted her teeth as she watched Usagi try to fend him away, both confused and distraught. It looked like she’d have to step in again.

What the hell was Zoisite doing? What was the point of erasing the princess’ memories if Endymion was going to keep being around her like a lost puppy and ruining everything? She thought Zoisite was supposed to keep him on a leash. Did they have an agreement, or not?

She must find a way to contact him.

This wasn't going exactly as planned.
And they had forgotten one important part of the problem that plagued both of them, both of their minds, both of their lives. Because though the princess was in great part responsible for the misfortune that once destroyed both the Moon and Earth, Endymion was the other side of that coin.

And his prince hadn't forgotten her.

Even despite Beryl's shadows towering above both of their heads, Zoisite could see his master's sadness, his confusion and as time passed, his pain. As the only one still loyal enough to keep by his side as much as the spell linking him to the queen allowed him, he had a front-row view of how and when Endymion slowly started to fall apart.

What did the cursed princess have that was so special? What was different about her that even though she couldn't remember him, he would still linger.

Zoisite was powerless.
Useless.
And unable to understand.

The rest of the Shitennou were busy and Beryl's mind was never really on him, allowing Zoisite to take this free time to try and contact the only one who could maybe help him.

It wasn't hard to find Venus' consciousness, nor was it harder to teleport his own near hers. His shadowy form appeared when he was certain she would be alone, interferences sometimes breaking his image. He wasn't yet fully solid, not exactly wishing to fall prey to the soldier's reflexes.

"Your princess keeps being an obstacle despite everything."

Was his greeting.

It was as if he had heard her thoughts. Minako made a mental note to check if this was in fact something he could do or not. She readied herself for a possible fight out of habit when the strange shadowy form appeared near her, unnerved by the idea that he’d know where she was at all times. Did it mean it would be easy for him to kill her in her sleep if he ever deemed that necessary? What about the princess? But then again, why had he gone to all that lengths before to kill her if he could do something so simple? After all, he’d once tried to kill all the princesses in the world to get to her.

She scowled at his first words.

“Are you blind? It’s your master who keeps harassing her! She’s already forgotten about him, but he hasn’t, and he won’t give up on her. At this rate, he will undo everything and make her remember again. Or make her fall for him again. Then it would have all been for nothing.”

She wasn’t disguising her discontent and disapproval at all.

“Don’t you have another music box you can use on him? If she’s the only one who doesn’t remember, this is never going to work. At the very least, put a leash on him. I thought he’s your charge. As far as I’m concerned, I’ve already fulfilled my side of the bargain. Now it’s your turn to do something about him,” she stated, crossing her arms in front of her chest defiantly.

Though most of his form was unmoving, his brows furrowed and his chin just slightly rose in some sort of defiance. Was she that blind? The princess had always been the problem here, no matter what. A small scoff left his mouth.

"Your side of the bargain? I gave you what you needed for her memories to go away. Your part was to protect my master if Beryl was to try and attack him."

His eyes fell distant before focusing again on her, his image fluttering again before he made himself completely solid.

"I cannot interfere as easily as you can."

He was bound to Beryl still and no matter how infuriating it was, he couldn't do much about it. He shook his head, however, when she mentioned another music box.

"Endymion's mind is too strong."

His fingers twitched. He was powerless. He knew that. Endymion wasn't getting better and Venus was right on one thing at least: if the princess remembered, their work would have been for nothing. Endymion needed to stop.

"You are the only one who can do something about this. Keep them apart. You never quite achieved that, I agree, but I am sure you can find it in you. You can be quite... ruthless."

“Well, she hasn’t tried to attack him, so I’ve got nothing to do about that,” she replied matter-of-factly. To tell the truth, the idea of protecting Mamoru made her blanch, mainly because he was the source of all their troubles in her opinion. Especially right now. Why couldn’t he just stay away? She’d be happy if she never had to see his face again.

She looked at Zoisite curiously as he explained that he was unable to do much. And that, apparently, the music box wouldn’t work on Endymion. These all sounded like excuses to her, and she was tempted to say as much. Was he trying to insinuate that her princess had a weak, feeble mind? Less than his master, at any rate, which annoyed her in yet another way.

Her temper flared at his next words. “Sounds to me like you want me to do everything. To be quite honest, if we didn’t make the agreement, I would simply take care of your master in a more… permanent way.”

Even as she said it, she didn’t know if she meant it. Zoisite had said that she could be ruthless—and by the way, was that supposed to be a compliment?—but could she take a life? More than that, a life that meant everything to her princess? If taking the prince out would ensure the safety of the world?

“But I have committed enough sins to keep me up at night. You can’t just sit by and do nothing. You can at least talk to him, right? Convince him to leave her? Wouldn’t he listen to you more than me?”

His hand twitch, ready to make his crystal sword appear when she spoke so lightly of finishing Endymion in front of him. Did she think he was pleased by the idea of leaving his prince's protection to her? He trusted her - weird feeling he didn't like really - because he thought if there was honor to be still found, he would find it in one who knew, who understood, who remembered.

His smile was wry from both her commentary and his own. Sins, eh?

"Since when, pray tell, have any of them listened to any of us?"

He looked defeated despite himself, truth given through clenched teeth, his gaze not meeting Venus until his sentence was finished and its meaning hang in the air between them.

"Did she listen to you before sending this world to its doom?"

He clenched the fist hidden behind his cape.

"Because you do remember what happened, don't you?"

It wasn't an accusation, surprisingly. More so the question of a mind who finally saw clear and who knew Serenity hadn't destroyed only Earth. Even if he cared very little about the people of the moon compared to his excessive worry for his own prince, he knew none of them could have survived either.

And if Kunzite remembered also, his hatred was too much.

"I will try again. Beryl is up to something," was he giving them an advantage? Maybe but if it could work for him, he would take it. "so perhaps will I be able to shake enough of her off my mind to speak more directly to him."

He seemed hesitant.

"Threaten him if you must and I fail. Anything is better than them coming together."

If only Endymion could stop looking so haunted. His own haunting passed in his eyes as he blinked the worry away. Surely, this was to not to be permanent. Surely he would move on, forget her. Surely, the past wouldn't repeat itself until they all died. If he would gladly lay down his life for his prince, he refused to see him killed because of a brainless child.

"But do not hurt him, Venus."

Never, she thought even as a rebuttal formed on her lips.

His direct question made her think back to the all too clear memory of that fateful day. Do I remember? the question echoed mockingly in her head. Of course she remembered. Venus always remembered. Only her, no one else. It was her own curse to bear for her failure. She would never be able to erase that day from her mind no matter how hard she tried.

“Princess, please, control your emotions. You know what can happen if you unleash the powers of the Silver Crystal. You can decimate all of us. The entire world.”

Serenity hadn’t listened. All she cared about was her all-consuming grief. Venus could tell her voice couldn’t even penetrate that. That her words were meaningless. Still, she desperately tried to find the right words that would break through, believing if only she found the right ones, it would snap the princess out of it.

“Serenity. Listen to me, please. Think about your mother. Your friends. Your people. Endymion is not the only one who mattered. He’s gone, but so many people are still alive. Don’t take their lives away too, please.”

It was like beating on a brick wall with her bare hands. She was not making a dent whatsoever and she knew it. Serenity still knelt atop her lover’s body with tears running down her face. And the energy of the Silver Crystal kept building and building, threatening to swallow everything whole. Her keening cry reached its peak, and then she screamed his name.

And the world erupted into light.

Minako blinked and tried not to stagger as she was wrenched from the past to the present. In her mind, the memory was still as fresh as if it happened yesterday. She took a deep breath to re-center herself, her curiosity piqued when Zoisite said Beryl was up to something.

Threatening him… Well, she certainly wouldn’t be against that. “I’ll try,” she said shortly. Sometimes she wondered if she had to turn into the dark side herself in order to save the world. It shouldn’t cost that, should it? Saving the world shouldn’t cost love.

She pressed her lips together at his warning and nodded. “Fine. It would only be a last resort anyway.”

In the distance, Usagi had managed to shake off Mamoru, and he appeared distraught. Minako sighed. “You know… maybe we’re approaching this all wrong. They would be okay if they get to live happily ever after, right? So maybe we just make sure that happens. That he doesn’t die again. Take care of Beryl and any threats against them… I mean, isn’t that our job to begin with? Protecting them?”

These days, she felt like she was doing just the opposite.