Memory 21

Nephrite looked at the wall clock. 1.00 a.m. His back was ached for sitting so long. He couldn’t sleep so, he decided to check on some agreement papers. But his mind refused to pay any attention on the papers. After they had left from Lita’s apartment, he had closed himself behind his office’s door and he hadn’t gotten out since then. He tried to busy himself from thinking about the earlier incident and mostly about Lita.

Lately he had barely seen her and he sorely missed her. Never had he felt this strong to a woman. He was terribly worried about her and was surprised when she announced her quitting. At that time, he was quite furious at her unthinking decision and he left abruptly without turning back. He thought Lita was a coward and not as courageous as he thought she was. But apparently, after he had thought for a long time, he was mistaken.

He recalled the time when they spent together on an island. When she told him her hideous dreams. She had endured it for days, since the day they had boarded the ship. And when he knew about that, he noticed that she was struggling not to shed a tear when she told him her misery and failed. He smiled as the same admired and sweetness that had pierced through his heart.

She was the most amazing, determination woman he had ever met but yet she still managed to dazzle him with her soft and ethereal beauty. She was tough and slightly short-tempered but naturally gentle and feminine. And his heart ached with emptiness and longing every time he looked or thought about her. A truth struck his head, an undeniable and obvious truth. Lita wouldn’t make that decision with a coward as a reason. That’s not Lita he knew, admired and…loved.

Tomorrow, he would talk to Serena and pushed to see Lita. Out of all, Serena was the only one who defended her even though Lita had insulted her. She might see the reason. Nephrite closed the light and teleport himself to his room. If he was going to convince that stubborn woman to take her transformation pen, he needed a good night sleep.

* * * * * *

Lita looked around nervously waiting her master emissary to fetch her up. Her fear had faded away as the time went by and impatient mixed with nervous replaced. As she waited, her memories of her horrible past life began to haunt her.

She remembered her master beautiful face but too bad she always wore the sinister smile that chilled her people. Her master once had told her that she was her most precious slave. Obviously she was. If not, her master wouldn’t come this far and struggled for a long time to find her. She also wouldn’t threaten to kill everyone she knew and destroyed the Earth just to drag her to come back to Planet Jupiter.

After all this years, she still didn’t know what her master see in her. She was parentless ever since she could remember and her master had raised her, trained her to be a perfect warrior. It confused her when sometime her master had treated her right but mostly she had treated her as if she was the most disgusting and filthy slave she had ever had.

Lita crossed her arms and slightly shuddered whether in cold, as a result of a late night, or in fear when her mind painfully recalled the way her master had abused her. She didn’t mind if the torture was merely a slap or any ordinary blow but she hated with all her heart if her master used the black leather whip. Every time she was beaten using the whip, every muscle in her body was writhing in pain. When her master really angry the whippings usually drawing bloods and it took days to heal the wounds. She remembered how dreadfully uncomfortable at night, sleeping on her stomach because her back was aching with pain.

But it nearly two milleniums since she had seen her master, surely the crop had been destroyed. It had to be destroyed, Lita convinced herself. As she was drifted in her thought suddenly a green light began to lighten the dark night and Lita saw a very recognizable woman with a wavy blond approaching her.

“Vanessa!” Lita hissed under her breath. She couldn’t believe her eyes. The wench that had pushed her from the ship was her master emissary! She would really enjoy messing her life as soon as they arrived at Jupiter! Lita thought furiously as Vanessa walked smugly toward her.

“Hello, Lita. I’m still going to win him and with you trapped in Jupiter, let’s just consider that I’ve already won him,” She goaded her and immensely pleased when Lita glared at her with her fist carefully hidden at her sides.

“He’s so good in bed, you know. Too bad you can experience it,” Vanessa said maddeningly. Lita had enough. This wench really pissed her off. Guided by her impulse, Lita surprised her by punching right her jaw.

“Too bad he didn’t like you!” Lita snarled back as she watched in satisfaction that Vanessa wiped her blood. “He will!” Vanessa immediately grabbed Lita’s hand and prepared to teleport back to Jupiter.

“Just wait until master see what have you done to me. She’s going to be really angry when I tell her that you come to her unwillingly!”

“That’s a fat lie!” Lita snapped at her. Inside, her mind was screaming in fear. She knew what her master would so if this crazy woman told her that she had went unwilling. Lita looked Vanessa in loathing glance. If she’d gone unwillingly, Vanessa would have a lot more than just a bleeding lip.

“You know that, I know that but will she know that?” Vanessa curved up and evil smile, which makes Lita instantly knew, that Vanessa was truly evil adversary with no mercy.

* * * * * *

Nephrite knocked impatiently. It was 10.00 am in the morning as he banged the Tsukino’s resident. If Serena wasn’t up yet, that was just too damn bad. He was sleepless at night and grumpy in the morning. He had snapped unreasonably at Jadeite and gave Kunzite a killing glance when he asked Nephrite whether he was going to office today or not. Lita had effected him so much that he didn’t have the desire to date any woman anymore. Knowing Lita had made his life like a hell.

“Can I…Nephrite! What brought you here?” Serena exclaimed in surprised.

“Lita,” he answered her honestly and saw that her eyes went dark in disapproval when she knew his true intention for coming here. “May I come in?” Serena nodded her head and stepped aside.

After they had seated, Nephrite wasted no time and immediately started discussion. “I think we have made a mistake,” he started.

“About Lita?”

Yes, about Lita,” Nephrite ignored the coldness in her tone. “Look, I know her for only a few weeks and you know her for years. As her new friend, I think that there is something really not right.”

“Nephrite, are you deaf? She made that perfectly clear!” Serena waved her hands in frustration. “She had told us everything she had kept in her! And she didn’t flinch or even regretted her decision! She had all night to think and did she call me? No! To think how I stayed up all night waiting for her call,” Tears started to flow down her pale cheek and she tried to hide the tears by buried her face in her arms.

“Serena,” Nephrite said softly. “I want to tell you my secret that you’re the first to know.” Whatever secret Nephrite wanted to reveal, it had capture Serena’s attention. He bent his head with his eyes locked at the carpet as he considered if it was wise to tell Serena. “Well?” Serena asked mixed with impatient, eager and curious.

“I think that I’m…I’m in love with Lita,” Nephrite confessed. He had never admitted to any woman or told any of his friends that he was in love. The first time he saw Lita, he felt completed in every way. He had the urge to make her happy and pleased her in every way. For him, Lita was everything.

Serena’s jaw dropped wide open. She was speechless. She was dumbfounded. She was awe-struck. She was happy for Lita. “Does…does Lita know this?”

“As I told you, you are the first to know,” Nephrite glanced wryly at her. “Now you see why I want to see her. It just not her to take that kind of decision.”

“I just not believe that she was quitting. I think she is hiding something from me…I mean you…I mean…” Nephrite looked absolutely flustered and distressed that Serena thought it was sweet because finally Lita had someone that concerned about her.

“I know what you mean,” Serena interrupted softly. “You are right, Nephrite,” she smiled at him. “It’s funny, humiliating actually because it isn’t me or any of my friends to realize that.” She stood up and reached for her coat.

“Let’s go. Perhaps we can persuade her to tell us the truth,” Serena opened the front door.

“I knew that I’ve chosen the right friend of Lita,” Nephrite grinned.

* * * * * *

“Miss Tsukino!” Serena whirled in surprised and saw the blonde receptionist called her merrily. She approached him with curiosity and followed close by Nephrite.

“Yes?”

“Miss Kino had left last night,” Aaron said as he reached the apartment keys. “Wait a minute, you say she’d left?” Serena asked him frantically. She looked at the man beside her, who had the same confuse look.

“Yes, she’d told me that you’ll be surprised when I tell you this. By the way, she told me that she had left you something on her coffee table.” As he spoke, his hand searched through a box of keys, looking for Lita’s key. “Here it is. You just go inside.”

Quickly they ran toward the elevator and punched the button impatiently. When they had arrived at her apartment, Serena unlocked the door. She found nothing on the coffee table but only a letter.

“She really had left, Serena. A couple of her clothes had missing,” Serena had barely heard Nephrite’s voice from Lita’s room as she opened the letter.

I hope it is you, Serena, who opened this letter. You probably think that I’m really a coward for I have run away. But I’m not. I have some personal reason that I need to deal this alone. You all my very best friends and I didn’t want you to get hurt for something I’ve done in my past life.

Tell Rei and Mina that I’m sorry. If I told you the truth, you all will not permit me to do what I planned to do. You will insist to help me. But no one can help me and I don’t want you to help me. I know Ami, she’ll probably wondering the truth more than others will. If you really desperate to know, searched for Molly. That’s all I can tell you. But I hope you do not search for Molly. I doubt she remembers what had happened in the past life.

Living with you guys really gives me a meaningful life and thank you. To think what I had said this morning, I don’t think that you’ll believe it. But I really do mean it. Serena, I didn’t mean what I’d said early this morning and I know you know that. If not, you would be here, reading this letter.

Maybe we will never meet again. Because of that, I hope you will forgive me. If you can’t forgive me, I’ll be happy if you understand my circumstances right now. There are certain things we have to face it alone.

Love,
Lita Kino.

Serena lowered the letter soft, feeling sick in her heart, as she tasted the bitter defeat. Nephrite was right, she thought. Lita could have never acted like that unless there was something she had been hiding from them. And the person, who enlightened her, wasn’t any of Lita’s best friends, but a stranger who had known her for only a few weeks.

She sank in the sofa, feeling her tears ran down uncontrollably. Lita did only not tell her friends about her problem, but she also had left them confused and puzzled by her action. And she asked them to understand her circumstances! Serena was angry and upset at everyone. She hated Lita for left her, she angry at Nephrite for had dragged her here and made her realized her mistake and most of all she hated herself for letting Lita go!

“Serena?” Nephrite called her from behind and alarmed when he saw her crying. “What’s wrong?”

She felt that something was choking her and Serena knew if she started talking, she would burst into more tears. So, she handed him the latter that Lita had left. Nephrite took it with curiosity and his gaze reverted at the neat handwritings. Then, he returned his gaze at Serena with a frown pasted on his face. “For a smart woman like Lita, it’s hard to believe she actually did this,” he said to Serena as he put down the letter.

She waited for him to say more. After all, he did admit that he loved her. He should be frantic but Nephrite reluctant to say more. “That’s it?” Serena snapped at him, which brought his attention to her. “That’s all you are going to say? For a smart woman like Lita, it’s hard to believe she actually did this? ”

“What the hell am I supposed to do?” He snapped back at her. His calm and collected attitude changed into angry. “Burst into tears and prayed that Lita finally got her senses and return? Or slammed the damn door open and go after her?” He abruptly stood up and took five strides across the living room toward the door. He yanked the door opened and looked back at Serena, who was watching him with a great bewilder.

Serena finally noticed that he was waiting her to do something. “Why are you staring at me?”

“I want to chase after her and I was wondering whether you want to come along,” he was mocking her! She realized as her face went hot with anger and humiliation. With a great determination, Serena leaned back. “No, you go after her while I wait here, crying and prayed,” she mocked back and watched in satisfaction when she saw Nephrite was frowning deeper. But her satisfaction wasn’t lasted long when he broke into a smile and then he chuckled.

“No wonder, Endymion is so caught up with you, my princess. You are delightful.” Serena was taken back by his sudden praise and she smiled back at him.

“We shouldn’t quarrel like kids,” She stood up and went toward the door. “Tell the generals we are having a meeting this morning.”

“Can you make it afternoon? I have an appointment with a client and I’ll make it fast,” Nephrite asked as he shrugged his arms into his long coat. Serena nodded her head understandably.

“See you at Rei’s place at one,” Serena waved her hand while her other hand held securely the letter.

* * * * * *

“My Jupiter,” Lita flinched visibly when she heard her master’s voice, sinister as ever. She approached her slave and told her to look at her. Lita reluctantly lifted her face as fear colored her cheek and undeniable hatred displayed in her glamorous eyes. The master slowly and softly caressed her cheek, felt the coldness of her pale cheek.

“Why are you afraid of me, Jupiter?” her pretentious voice murmured. “Am I way too old from the last you saw me?” her tone was getting harder. Unexpectedly, she grasped her jaw hard that forced Lita to let out a small cry. “I shall punish you for the damaged you have one!”

Lita felt the same fear and panic that she had felt long time ago. “No, milady! I wasn’t doing that! I…I don’t know how it happened! But I swear I’m not, milady!” Lita didn’t dare to struggle. She knew it would only made her master angrier.

“Then, who would you like to suggest?” she hissed angrily at Lita. “The lady of Callisto? You want me to bring Callisto here?” The master nodded her head at Vanessa and the blonde left. “Some friend you are!”

Impulsively, she shook her head hard. “No! You promised you will leave my friends alone!” Lita tried to escape her jaw from her master grip as the grip was getting tighter and more hurt. Her hands brought up to her chin and tried to pull away from the master vicious hand.

“You, ungrateful and disgusting slave!” her master jerked away from her and at the same time Vanessa had arrived. In her hands, she brought something that made Lita stopped moving. Her eyes widened in horror, and coldness ran through her body that she thought that her legs were frozen as she sat on the cold floor. It was the same black leather whip that she had feared of for a long time.

“So,” the master walked toward her as she slapped the whip to the floor. Lita unconsciously pushed her legs and forced her body to slide backward. “Living as a lady in Silver Millenium made you forgot who you really are,” She took several steps forward while Lita, who was shaking all over her body, sliding backward. “Let me tell you if you’ve forgotten. You are my possession. You are belonged to me. You have no right to touch your filthy hands on me without my permission. You are only a SLAVE!” The master ended with a shout and raised the whip.

CRACK! The whip landed painfully at Lita back and let out an agony cry. She could feel her shirt was torn and her back was bleeding. One blow was hurtful enough to make her unconscious.

Before she could brace herself for the second blow, her master whipped her without mercy. One hit and another and another as Lita’s scream in agony echoed through the hall. “Can’t…take it…anymore,” Lita whispered weakly and then passed off.

“Take this slave to her room. She was getting weaker,” Vanessa dragged the unconscious figure. She let out a disgust snort when she saw a blood trail in front of her as she continued pulling her.

When Vanessa had left, locking the door, Lita’s eyes fluttered opened. Her lips were dry and her back was the worst. Lita could feel that her blood was running out from the wounds and fell onto the floor. The room was so cold. Lita couldn’t stop shivering and she wished that they had left a blanket. Shifting her position, she laid on her stomach, hoping that she didn’t have pneumonia tonight.

* * * * * *

Molly stared at the outside of her window. She was so caught in her thoughts, remembering everything that had happened in the pass two millenium. After she awoken from her nightmare last night, everything seemed to come back to her. Her kingdom, her family, her friends and especially Jupiter. And the day when Jupiter destroyed completely and the people of Jupiter agreed to take her as the new ruler.

And then, she remembered Jupiter. At the first time she saw her, she wanted to befriend with her because of a pity. She looked so lonely and unwanted there. But as she spent her time with her, Molly admired her and began to love her as her sister. She smiled at the thought when they used to play together and whenever they got into trouble, Jupiter always took the responsibility. And her excuse was she didn’t mind to be punished.

She always wondered what had Queen of Jupiter had to her that made Lita's eyes clouded with fear whenever she was summoned or the Queeb was around. She could feel something really bad had happened between them until one day she saw Lita's bruises arms. It took her days to convince Lita to tell her what had happened. She had already knew that she was a slave but it was beyond her wildest dream when Lita told her how her master hurt her every day. For a girl at her very young age, Lita had showed her a courage that no one had ever showed to her.

Suddenly, she an urge to meet Lita. After all these years, she couldn’t believe that she and Lita had a connection in the past. Molly wanted to retie the bond that had been loose for all these years being apart. Tomorrow she would take a break from her work and she would go to Serena’s house. No matter what happen, she was going to see Lita tomorrow