It was a quiet day on the Moon, but it never seemed to be anything but serene there. Most of the Shitennou and Senshi were engaged in activities of state and other secretive plans, which left the soldier of Mercury and the European Commander without anything to occupy their time. Zoisite hated to be cooped up in his room all day, and was relieved when his fast-growing favorite Senshi graciously decided to keep him company. She seemed a little hesitant, but nonetheless led him to some 'surprise' she had planned.
"Isn't it beautiful?" he heard her say. He had forgotten the other person in the room when she led him through the open door, and realized just where she had taken him. Zoisite eyed the dark liquid warily. A glass ceiling allowed the stars to shine down upon the private rectangular pool of the Inner Senshi. But for him, it shone light on one of Zoisite's greatest fears.
"It was my saving grace when I first came here. I would come and swim for hours, pretending I was still on Mercury. It was so beautiful there, I wish you could've seen it. I-Zoisite, are you all right?"
As she spoke, he managed to work up enough courage to walk towards the edge. He remembered why he feared it so. The bottom could not be seen, and he pictured massive creatures of claw and tooth waiting for him below. Once, while trekking with his father, he had seen a beast with scales for skin, and long snouts full of angry incisors. It had slunk back into the water, it was watching, glaring at him the entire time before it disappeared. Then and there, Zoisite vowed to stay clear of such murky depths, and places where its depths were unclear. Even these days, when their missions called for him to cross the sea, Zoisite stayed inside his cabin the entire time, and refused to come on deck. The sea was even worse than a river or lake. It was a cornucopia of tragic ways to die, and he visibly shivered just thinking of it.
"Zoisite…?"
He cleared his throat as she placed a concerned hand on his shoulder. How fitting it was that the one person on this satellite he was trying to impress would lead him to the one thing he hated the most. He should have known the Princess of Mercury would take him to a place where she felt comfortable, considering how nervous she must be, entertaining a foreigner like himself for the day on her own. Although the two were growing quite close, she had no way of knowing of his aquatic phobia, knowing how much the water meant to her and would feel horrendously guilty turning her down. Inside, a battle for what he wanted to do and what he was sadly incapable of raged within his mind. Her analytical eyes seemed to catch it as well.
"It's all right if you wish to do something else..." she reached, detecting his discomfort. "We could go to the library I suppose, or walk through the city. It should be quite calm today."
"It's not that I don't want to I just," he paused, unclear as to how to get his point across without hurting her feelings and his pride. Luckily, for him, it was like the water senshi could read his thoughts, and she offered a small smile of understanding.
"One of the rituals of my family was that whenever the royal children came of age, they would ride down to the beach below our castle with a torch, and carry the light to the fire burning within the lighthouse. It signified hope and trust, something subjects demand from their rulers. We were given our horses on our ninth birthdays. My horse was so beautiful, the most gorgeous auburn color I had ever seen. But the first time I tried to ride her, she threw me off into the sand and disappeared along the beach. They spent half the day looking for her, but the damage had been done. I refused to ride her for four years, and I don't understand how parents put up with such insolence."
She bent down then, and gently dipped her fingertips into the pool. Ripples danced outward, breaking the placid surface like skiers over a lake. "Fear affects everything. Even if it's such a little thing, it can take hold and stop you from living your life. Eventually I swallowed my fear with the help of my very patient father, and I have never felt something so liberating as riding her across the beach, with the sea breeze caressing my face. It was so magical, and I'm so glad I overcame my fear."
"Oh, you've got it all wrong. I'm not afraid! I just, well..."
He watched as she slowly extended her hand, beckoning him to take it. "Do you trust me Zoisite?" she questioned. Even though her blue eyes were the color of his phobia, he could find nothing but friendship and kindness in them.
"Yes," he answered, and took her warm hand in his.
"Close your eyes, and free your mind." He did as she commanded, settling his heartbeat to a slow and steady rhythm as much as he could manage. In his mind, he began to hear the swirl of the ocean as it broke against the shore, and the calm trickling of water over smooth circular rocks. He could smell the salty warm air and hear distant gulls singing on the breeze. The sounds that usually filled his heart with panic were serene and enjoyable now, and for the first time that day, he let himself relax. "Now open your eyes." Immediately after doing so, all sense of calm Zoisite managed to find was blasted away like the shores after a hurricane, and with wide eyes he looked down. There was some magic he didn't understand, for they now stood on top of the placid water as if it was land, and he could see his surprised expression on its surface. He let out a startled cry before childishly launching himself into her arms. She chuckled quietly at him, and a slight blush slowly crept over her cheeks.
"What's going on!"
"Calm yourself, Zoisite, I promise I won't let anything happen to you. Now please, let me go."
"Oh, right. I'm sorry," he coughed, quickly taking her hand once again.
She gave him a few moments to calm himself before clearing her throat, "Are you ready?"
"Well, it's a little too late to ask me that now, don't you think?" he sighed, and the blush crept up to her cheeks once more.
"Stand still, and watch."
She closed her eyes then, and the room became deathly still. On its invisible currents, Zoisite could suddenly feel some ancient power begin to flow through the air. Below, a ripple shook the surface of the water, and he turned his eyes to watch it move. All at once, like something heavy had been dropped through the skylight above, the water suddenly leapt out of the pool, and he yelped in surprise. She didn't open her eyes, only grabbed his other hand in response, and gave it a supporting squeeze.
He watched the water build up around them until they were surrounded in it. Small streams disentangled themselves from the main body of water, and began to weave their way through the space between their bodies. He watched in awe as they wrapped themselves around her arms and legs, caressing her like bracelets and charms.
As water began to coil up his legs and arms, he could feel its coolness close to his skin, but the water neither attacked nor harmed him. He stilled himself and let it embrace him, and slowly his fears began to subside. He let go of her hand and watched as his fingers were wrapped lovingly in the streams, and he smiled to himself. She seemed to note his change in demeanor and opened her eyes. He marveled, for her eyes seemed to swarm just like the water around them. She was absolutely breathtaking as her element danced around her, taking pleasure in making its mistress happy, and Zoisite felt like he could do anything under her bright smile.
"Thank you," he whispered. She nodded gracefully and tilted her head up towards the ceiling. And as slowly as it had come, the water began to untwist itself from around their forms and joined the larger mass hanging suspended over their heads. It oscillated there for a few more seconds before she allowed the water to drop back into the pool, and he felt some of the spray reaching up to touch his face. It sloshed back and forth a few times, before the pool once more became a quiet sanctuary. He turned to look at her, and the growing friendship was evident as they smiled happily at each other.
"How do you feel?"
"Much better, thank you, that was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen."
"Are you ready to take a swim now?" Zoisite's smirked suddenly dropped, and she stared at him quizzically.
"What? What is it?"
"Well I uh...well you see," he stuttered, and put his hand behind his head in embarrassment. "Well...I can't swim either."
At least there was one thing down.
