It took the Queen several days to sort through the rioters that had been taken into custody. The worst offenders were given the choice between purification and being confined. Most of them chose purification rather than be confined at the Institute again. The few who stubbornly held out, unrepentant and resisting purification, were locked into the Protective Custody unit at the Institute. Those who had chosen to join in, for whatever reason--resentment of the purification law, or just a desire to run wild--were given the opportunity to show their repentence through fulfilling a long period of community service or by being re-purified. Of those who had only been swept up by Mumeishi's dark energy without knowing what was happening, almost all were remorseful, so Serenity allowed them to go free, purified or not, with a promise of good behavior in the future.

On being told of how easily he had been influenced by the Child of Zero who had possessed the assistant superintendent of the mental hospital, and how easily Mumeishi had been able to control him, Dr. Tajima was filled with remorse at how his professional skills and interests had been turned to evil. He agreed to be purified and asked to be returned to his position at the Institute where he could counsel others who had experienced similar remorse. He offered Naru his deepest apologies for his part in nearly destroying her life.

Mumeishi's case was more difficult to reach a final conclusion on. Unrepentant and defiant, he had clearly taken advantage of other people's feelings of hurt and injustice in order to try to put himself into power over Crystal Tokyo. At his hearing before the King and Queen, he flatly refused purification, which was no surprise to anyone, especially Naru, and he had already shown that he couldn't be trusted in confinement at the Institute. Even in solitary confinement, he could still use his powers to contact and influence others.

"Your Majesties," Kunzite said, "I recommend that he be executed."

Naru went cold inside. She knew that Mumeishi was evil and power-hungry, and that he was likely to cause more problems in the future. He had very nearly convinced her to betray her best friend. But she also remembered him singing karaoke at the birthday party; evil as he was, he was also human.

The Guardians and Senshi were evenly divided in their recommendation whether or not to execute Mumeishi. But the final decision was up to the King and Queen. They retired to a private room to consult together. When they returned a while later, Naru waited nervously to hear what their decision was.

"Mumeishi, you are to be banished from Earth," Serenity said. "We have consulted with Sailor Pluto at the Gates of Time. A path will be opened for you which will lead far from this time and place. Where that path will lead you and whether you will be able to exit at the other end, we do not know."

Mumeishi looked defiant. "No matter how far away you send me, no matter how long it takes, I'll have my revenge, and Crystal Tokyo will be mine!"

The King and Queen ignored him. Serenity held out a short, dark wand that Naru hadn't seen before. Dark purplish light came out from it, forming a large oval. Beyond the oval, Naru could sense vast distances and howling winds. Before any of the Senshi or Guardians could be ordered to force him through the gate, Mumeishi strode forward and stepped through. Immediately, the gate closed.

Endymion turned to Serenity. "To Nemesis?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know," she said. "Most likely not, but there's no way to be sure. Pluto said this might be the only way to change what is to come..."

"If it can be changed at all," Endymion replied.

* * * * * * * *

Once the prisoners had been pardoned, purified, or sentenced, the Queen ordered the Guardians brought before her and Endymion. Naru also came along, at Nephrite's request.

"Zoisite, Kunzite, Nephrite," Serenity said. "Do you wish to be re-purified?"

"Allow me to ask you, Queen Serenity, King Endymion," Nephrite said, "do you still distrust us as we are? With our memories of the Dark Kingdom, and the potential for making evil choices still within us?"

The King and Queen gave each of them a long, hard look. "You have proved your trustworthiness," Endymion finally said. "Despite your anger at us for purifying you without your consent, and despite the fact that you sympathized, at least in part, with the rebellion, you chose to protect us and Crystal Tokyo. We trust you, whether or not you agree to be re-purified."

Kunzite, Zoisite, and Nephrite looked at each other and nodded, all of one mind. "Then," Nephrite said, "we choose to remain as we are."

"Very well," the Queen said. She turned her attention to Jadeite. "Are you content to remain as you are, Jadeite? Or do you wish me to lift the purification from you?"

"I think there may be things I'm happier not remembering," Jadeite said. "On the other hand, I don't like it that the three of them know things about me that I don't know. Besides, I think it would be better to be able to learn from the past than to be prevented from choosing evil by having my memories and the wisdom they could bring taken away."

"As you wish," Serenity said. She raised her scepter above her head. Light flashed out. Jadeite cried out and fell to his knees, arms wrapped around his head protectively. The light shone around him for several seconds, as his moans of pain continued. Then the light faded and Jadeite fell silent. After a moment he looked up at his three companions.

"It's done?" Kunzite asked.

"Yes," Jadeite said. "I remember... What idiots we all were."

"And now for the next item of business." The Queen smiled at Naru and Nephrite, and beckoned them to come before her. The marriage registry was brought out, the Queen bathed Nephrite and Naru in light from her scepter, then they signed the register.

"If you want a ring," Nephrite whispered, "I'll get you one as soon as I have the chance."

Naru looked down at her hand, at the finger where she had worn Umino's wedding ring. Her hand looked bare without a ring. "I would like that," she said.

* * * * * * * *

The sun shone on a light coating of snow as Naru and Nephrite walked down a quiet street lined with trees that were bare of leaves. Naru carried two small bunches of flowers. When they reached the cemetary, they found the place where her mother's remains had been laid to rest. Naru knelt, placed one bouquet of flowers on the name marker, and pressed her hands together in a brief prayer. Then she laid a hand on the name marker. "I miss you, Mom." A tear slipped from her eye and made its way down her cheek. She wiped it away.

After a few moments of silent remembering, she stood. She and Nephrite made their way over to Umino's name marker. His parents had been reluctant to tell Naru where it was, but she had persuaded them by asking if their son wouldn't want his widow to remember him. If they hadn't told her, she could have asked the director of the cemetary, as she had had to do for her mom's grave. But she felt that she owed it to Umino to speak to his parents, to offer her condolences to them even though they had never offered any to her. She knelt and placed the other bunch of flowers on his name marker and pressed her hands together. Umino, I'm sorry I wasn't the wife you deserved. I'm sorry I couldn't give my heart to you completely. But I hope you were happy anyway--I never wanted you to be unhappy. Rising, she wiped more tears away from her face.

As he had at her mother's grave, Nephrite also pressed his hands together. He stood, apparently praying or thinking, a little longer. Then he turned, and they walked away together. Naru slipped her hand around his elbow. "What were you thinking about?"

He smiled down at her. "I was thanking him for taking care of you when I couldn't be here. He'll live on, in my gratitude to him."

Somehow, hearing that helped ease her guilt a little. "I wonder if he feels the same way, about you being here for me when he can't be." As they walked on, a beam of sunlight hit an ice-covered leaf and burst apart into a tiny rainbow. Naru smiled, feeling the answer come into her heart.