The morning air was chilly as Nephrite and Naru waited next to the chain link fence on the north side of the abandoned warehouse block. Naru was dressed in an expensive pair of jeans, a cashmere sweater, and high-heeled boots from the selection of clothes that had been sent up to the hotel room the night before. Nephrite wore his dark blue uniform. Shortly after seven o'clock, a black car pulled up at the curb. Instinctively, Naru moved behind Nephrite. "It's okay," he said. "It's them, that's just one of the Palace fleet cars."

Three men got out of the car, all wearing uniforms like Nephrite's. Naru gasped on recognizing the man with long tawny-colored hair. "It's all right," Nephrite murmured. "He isn't my enemy now. He doesn't even remember that we hated each other at one time."

The three men walked over to them. "So what'd you call us out here for, Nephrite?" the man with short blond hair asked. "Not just to meet your latest girlfriend, I hope."

Nephrite ignored him. Addressing the tawny-haired man, he said, "Zoisite, do you recognize this woman?"

Zoisite studied Naru closely for a moment while she fought back the urge to either scream or hit him. When he spoke, his voice was calm and polite, not the bitter, mocking voice she remembered. "I'm afraid I don't--wait--"

"She's the one on the alert that came yesterday," the tall man with long, straight silver hair said. "The one who escaped from the Institute."

"Nothing else, though?" Nephrite asked.

"What do you mean, nothing else?" the blond Guardian demanded. "She's an escapee from the mental institution! We should--"

"No, Jadeite," Nephrite said. "She shouldn't have been there. She's under my protection now. You don't know anything else about her, Zoisite?"

Zoisite shook his head. "Nothing. I've never seen her before, except on that alert, as Kunzite said."

"Okay. Tell me this: does the name 'Queen Beryl' mean anything to you?"

"Beryl?" Jadeite furrowed his forehead in thought.

The silver-haired Guardian, Kunzite, spoke up again. "Do you mean the courtier who tried to seduce Prince Endymion and was banished? She tried to gather an army and start a rebellion, but--" Now it was his turn to look like he was trying to remember something. "I don't remember what became of her, or if her rebellion ever came to anything. The next thing I remember after that is when we awoke in the Crystal Palace." Jadeite and Zoisite nodded agreement.

"I suppose," Zoisite said, "that's when we went into the sleep that Endymion and Serenity woke us from."

"That's what I thought," Neprhite said. "I hate to break this to you so bluntly, but we weren't asleep. Neo-Queen Serenity used the ginzuishou to bring us back from death."

They all stared at him for a moment. Then Jadeite said, "You can't be serious. What's going on?"

"I've also remembered what we were doing in the thousand years between the start of Beryl's war and when we died."

"A thousand years!" the other three Guardians exclaimed almost simultaneously.

"A thousand years that we lost," Nephrite said. "Or, rather, that were taken from us. You've heard of Serenity's purification, right?"

"Of course," Kunzite said. "Anyone with criminal tendencies or mental illnesses with the potential for violence--" His pale gray eyes drifted to Naru as he spoke.

Nephrite cut in. "That isn't all. Everyone in Crystal Tokyo is required to be purified of strong negative emotions, including grief, guilt, and anger, or with bad memories that could provoke those emotions. If they refuse, they are confined to the Institute for Wellness and Joy along with the unpurified criminals and insane. Naru is one who refused the purification." Nephrite stepped aside, leaving her the center of attention.

"Is this true?" Kunzite asked her.

"Yes," she said. "Nephrite was killed protecting me, almost ten years ago. They wanted me to forget that. And my husband's death, and my mother's, and my unborn baby, all in a car accident. Serenity wanted to take away the memories and all my feelings. Everything.

"But you refused and thus were confined at the Institute," Kunzite said.

Zoisite was staring at Naru. His face had gone pale. His lips moved, mouthing a word. Then he shook his head and moved a little closer to Kunzite, who put an arm around his shoulders.

"So, Nephrite," Jadeite said, "how is it that you remember things that we don't?"

"When the four of us were brought back to life, Serenity immediately purified us before we regained consciousness. Naru came to see me yesterday morning, to bring a warning of trouble in the Institute. She knew me; I didn't know her. When I realized she was an unpurified detainee from the Institute, the pieces came together, and I realized that I must have been stripped of my memories of her. I confronted Endymion and Serenity about it, and became angry. And then a seal in my mind opened, and all the memories and the associated emotions came back. I believe it was the shock and the powerful emotions from learning what had been done to me that undid the purification."

"What did you remember?" Zoisite sounded like he almost didn't want to know but was compelled to ask.

"We betrayed Endymion and the Earth, and joined Beryl. With our help, she destroyed the Kingdoms of the Silver Millennium. The Moon Queen Selenity, with her dying strength, drove us back and imprisoned us with the power of the Ginzuishou. After I don't know how many years, centuries, we broke free and began trying to conquer the Earth again. We fought against Serenity in her guise as Sailor Moon. Jadeite failed in his missions and was frozen in Eternal Sleep by Beryl. I met Naru, fell in love with her, and betrayed the Dark Kingdom for her, and for this Zoisite killed me. I don't know how Zoisite and Kunzite died. Clearly Beryl was eventually defeated by Sailor Moon and the other Senshi, and at some point Sailor Moon ascended to become Neo-Queen Serenity."

"Impossible!" Kunzite and Jadeite exclaimed at the same time.

"I don't know what you're up to," Jadeite went on, "if you're trying to turn us against Endymion and Serenity with this purification nonsense--"

Zoisite was rubbing his forehead with the fingers of one hand, his eyes creased in what looked like pain.

"Zoisite, are you all right?" Kunzite asked.

Zoisite nodded again. "I'm just getting a headache. Got up too early, not enough sleep last night, I suppose. I'll take a nap later, I'm sure Crystal Tokyo can muddle on without me for--" He suddenly cried out and dropped to his knees, his head buried beneath his arms as he groaned in pain.

"Zoisite!" Kunzite knelt down beside him and put his arms around him. "What is it?"

"My head, it's breaking, I--Aaugh!" His agonized scream echoed off the abandoned buildings.

Nephrite stared intently at the stricken Guardian. "It just like when it happened to me," he said softly.

Kunzite looked up from where he was hunched over Zoisite. "If you know what's happening to him, tell me!"

"The purification is coming undone. It's all coming back to him. Like I told you, it's a painful and terrifying experience."

"What should I do for him?" Kunzite asked, desperation in his face.

"Stay by him. When the process is finished, he'll need you to bring him back to reality. He'll be all right; physically, at least. I don't know how regaining the memories will affect him emotionally."

Would the man feel sorry for what he had done to Nephrite? Naru wondered. Or would the hatred return along with the memories?

Gradually, Zoisite's cries of pain subsided into quiet sobs. From the protective circle of Kunzite's arms, he looked up at Nephrite, his eyes streaming with tears. "Tell me I didn't do what I remember doing," he said. "Tell me I didn't become that monster."

"If it is true," Jadeite said shakily, "I for one am happier not remembering any of that."

Nephrite put an arm around Naru's shoulders and pulled her close to him. "The question now is, do Endymion and Serenity have the right to make the decision to be purified for us, or for anyone? Or to force people to choose between their memories and feelings, however painful they may be, and their freedom? Tell them what you came to tell me, Naru."

"There's a man in the Institute who is working on starting a rebellion against the purification. He calls himself Mumeishi; I have no idea what his real name is. I believe he's involved in organized crime. I also believe he has superhuman powers, like you guys and Serenity and the Senshi. He's very interested in learning how to reverse the purification."

"He may be intending to force a mass de-purification, in the hopes that the people affected will decide they don't like what was done to them and will rise up against it," Kunzite said.

"I don't see the logic of that," Jadeite said. "As far as we know, most people who were purified underwent it voluntarily. They had bad memories they were willing to give up, along with the associated emotions. Why would they prefer to have them back?"

"I would have been happy to forget everything from that time except for Naru," Nephrite said. "But my memories of her were too tightly bound with my memories of the Dark Kingdom. They couldn't be separated. Others might discover that some things they would rather have held on to had to be removed along with the less desirable things. Also, I can tell you from personal experience that having the purification come undone is an extremely painful, overwhelming, disorienting experience." Zoisite, still huddled on the ground, nodded agreement. "This Mumeishi may be hoping to take advantage of this brief period of mental and physical turmoil to influence those going through it," Nephrite went on. "So what do you think we should do? Should we support Endymion and Serenity in requiring people who haven't actually done anything wrong to give up their memories and emotions in order to prevent trouble? Or should we allow Mumeishi a chance to overturn the law?"

"We don't know exactly what he's planning, or if he's even capable of carrying out any schemes from inside the Institute," Kunzite said.

"We should wait and see," Jadeite said. "He really might be interested in correcting what he sees as an injustice and bringing about a peaceful change in the law. Or he might have something more sinister in mind."

Kunzite nodded agreement, but Zoisite said, "No." Using Kunzite's shoulder for support, he got shakily to his feet. "I hated Nephrite. I killed him, and tried to kill the girl too. This girl, that he loved. And I was supposed to go on as though nothing had happened, with no chance to redeem myself? I can't accept that."

"You already know how I feel about it, knowing what was taken from me without my consent," Nephrite said. "Naru?"

"I don't trust Mumeishi. I don't like what Serenity did to me and to Nephrite, either. I don't want to defend her and Endymion. But I don't trust Mumeishi. That's why I had to get out of there, so I could warn someone. But that law came close to destroying my life."

"It seems, then, that we are undecided at this point whether to support Serenity and Endymion, or allow the opposition to go forward, or perhaps even join it," Nephrite said. "If, as Naru says, Mumeishi is still trying to learn how to undo the purifications, we should have a little time to think the matter over and collect more information."

"As Minister of Peace and Security, I think I can have the staff of the Institute questioned, and perhaps even place one of my own people there," Kunzite said. "That will get us more information about Mumeishi's intentions and his capabilities. And I may be able to get access to files about purification, to find out more about it. That's undoubtedly under Jupiter's authority, but I can probably find some excuse to go poking around."

The other Guardians agreed with this plan. "If I'm going to conduct an investigation, I should get started," Kunzite said. "We don't know how much time we have." He helped Zoisite to the car, and Jadeite got in too.

Naru and Nephrite watched them drive away, then he turned to her. "I should put in an appearance at my office in the Palace today. I don't know how long I'll stay. I'll take you back to the hotel and you can wait for me there."

* * * * * * * *

Nephrite returned to the hotel late in the afternoon. "I'm sorry I was gone for so long, but I actually had something to do, for a change. Serenity and the Senshi are the ones who are really in charge; Endymion is mostly just a figurehead, and the four of us... Well, the King and Queen decided we might be handy to have around sometime, but so far there hasn't been any trouble so they try to keep us busy so that we won't start any."

"I thought Kunzite was the Minister of Security," Naru said, looking up from the room service menu as they prepared to order their dinner.

"He is, and they do let him do some real work. Putting someone in the Institute to find out what's going on with Mumeishi, I suspect that is going to be under the table. Mostly he arranges the shift schedule for the Guards. Sailor Jupiter is the one who actually gives the guards their orders and handles the really difficult situations. You were lucky you fell in with some guards who weren't afraid to make difficult decisions on their own initiative."

"What do you and the others do?"

"I'm the Minister for Science and Research, although Sailor Mercury is the one who really has the authority in that area. Jadeite is, believe it or not, the Minister of Culture, though Sailor Venus holds the reins there. So the dismal selection on TV and the radio isn't completely his fault. Zoisite is Minister of International Relations, meaning everywhere outside of Crystal Tokyo."

"But Sailor Mars is the one with real authority."

"Right. It's almost a relief to find out there could be trouble ahead."

They ordered dinner, and ate, and went to bed. Later, when they had exhausted each other, Naru asked, "How do people get married in Crystal Tokyo?"

"They go in front of Serenity and affirm their commitment to each other, and she blesses the marriage. Then they sign the register."

"Oh," Naru said. Going to Serenity to marry Nephrite wasn't going to be an option, at least not until the whole business of Mumeishi and the purification laws was settled. If ever.

"One day we'll be able to do that," Nephrite said, seeming to read her mind. "In the meantime, if you'd prefer to have seperate rooms..."

Naru remembered the years she had tried to go on without Nephrite, the loneliness she felt during her marriage; try as Umino might, he was never what she really wanted. She remembered that long, lonely, frightening night in the mental hospital, the night before the Awakening, the night that rumor said had lasted a thousand years; she remembered the joyful, heartbreaking dream in which Nephrite was alive but she couldn't be with him. "No," she said.

* * * * * * * *

The next day, Nephrite asked the other Guardians to meet him for lunch on his private terrace at his apartments in the Palace. When they gathered, Zoisite and Kunzite looked like they'd had little sleep, though not for the reason that would normally come to mind. "Kunzite remembered last night," Zoisite said. "I told him what I remembered about my death--Beryl killed me for trying to kill Endymion, who she had her own plans for, and Kunzite was with me as I died. He made an illusion of rose petals, so that my death would be beautiful. That triggered his memories."

"I'm still happier not remembering," Jadeite said. "None of you have mentioned me having a lover, or anything else good to remember, so I'm happy the way I am."

"I can understand that," Nephrite said. "There are lots of things I wish I didn't remember. But doesn't it bother you that Endymion and Serenity purified you without even asking your consent? And do you support them in forcing it on people who aren't necessarily dangerous?"

"I--" Jadeite was interrupted by a low explosion from somewhere far below in the city. It must have been a huge explosion for the sound of it to penetrate the walls of the Crystal Palace this high up. The Palace itself seemed to hum with the vibrations. The four Guardians looked at each other. "What was that?" Zoisite asked.

Kunzite's cell phone beeped, and he picked it up. "What is it?" He listened for a moment, his face suddenly grim. "All right. Thanks." He looked at his colleagues. "The Institute for Wellness and Joy just exploded."