Zoisite was caught in surprise, and didn't move for a couple of seconds. "Princess, I... I don't know what to say." Mercury opened her eyes, and looked at him. Her look made him shiver, but he hid it by standing up.

"What do you mean you don't know what to say? You are Ren aren't you? Stop playing with me." She covered her eyes with one hand, and started sobbing.

Zoisite joined all the energy he had left after the look she had given him, and put one hand in her shoulder. He saw Mercury stiffen, but she didn't move. Zoi took her hand from her eyes, and moving her head until their eyes met and said, "Princess, I already told you who I am. And listen to this, I will never harm you in any way. I am a knight in Earth, and by my honor, I swear to you I will never hurt you." Her watery eyes were locked with his for a minute, like if he was passing some of his own strength to her.

She blushed deeply, and moved away. "I'm sorry, milord. Thank you for your support."

"It was a pleasure. Now, Lady Mercury, could you please tell me what happened?" God, what am I doing? I'm here, in the Moon Gardens, telling a Mercurian Princess to tell me her problems, and I rather like it? Let's just hope she doesn't think I'm a gossip spreader or anything.

Mercury looked at him, and started thinking, What's going on? Why do I feel that's it's right to tell him? Why do I feel so safe with him in here? But I can't tell him, Ren would kill him, and I don't want it... Hey, what was that for? I've barely known him for 20 minutes, and I'm already thinking that my heart would broke if he dies? But, this feeling of rightness, he may be able to help me. I can't face Ren alone. All right, I'll tell him.

Zoi was looking at her, and clearly saw as through her eyes crossed doubt, fright, indecision, strangeness and resolution. He was going to tell her not to say anything if she didn't want to, when she spoke: "It all started yesterday night, when I entered my room...." The story was told, and as she approached the ending, she felt in peace. The secret she had been carrying for a day was eating her heart, but now she was free again. When she finished, she looked at Zoisite.

He was with his fists clenched, and a white aura surrounded him. "Lord Zoisite," Mercury asked concerned, "Are you alright?"

The General looked at her, and she backed off, because of the hate he saw in them. "I'll kill him with my own two hands. Not a single piece of his body will be left whole. They will have to get him off the floor with a spoon," he answered. "Where is he? He'll wish he was never born when I'm done with him." He didn't see anymore. All his eyes saw was a red curtain, and his desire for Ren's blood. Then, suddenly, it all finished, when a calm voice spoke to him, and a little but delicate hand was put over his. "Wha...?"

He looked around, and saw that Mercury had got closer, and was cupping his hand in her own. "Thank you, Lord Zoisite, but I don't think killing him will help us. But, may I ask you a favor?" Please don't say no. I don't think I'll be able to escape from Ren alone.

"Anything you want, milady," answered the General.

"Please, could you help me to escape from Ren? I think we may lose him in the North side of the Gardens, but I would prefer to be with someone when I enter that place."

Be with her all night? Sure I would! "Of course, milady. I'll go with you, and then make sure that Ren will never bother you again."

"Thank you so much, milord. I think we may stay in here for a little while longer. He won't find us in here." They sat down in the edge of the fountain again, and the conversation died. Mercury looked into the water, and dove her right had down into the fountain. Ripples were formed, and moved with no direction, until she smiled, and got her hand out.

Immediately, a bubble appeared, and floated in the air. It was followed by several more, until she was completely surrounded by them. They followed her hand's movements, and seemed to be dancing harmoniously. Zoisite opened his eyes in surprise, and looked at her through the never-ending water spiral. God, she looks like a goddess in there. The water obeying her commands, the light reflecting in the bubbles, it's really a sight from heaven. She is just as a mermaid, magic around and inside her.

Then, Lady Mercury seemed to feel his look, because, she made a graceful gesture and the water curtain opened, leaving a space in where she was. However, it still floated around her, this time without hiding her from his view.

"Lady Mercury, this is amazing," he said, truly meaning it. She blushed again, and the bubbles seemed to take a pink color, just as her cheeks. It was just for a moment, but Zoisite knew it wasn't an illusion.

She answered, moving a finger in circles, until both of them where surrounded by her magical bubbles: "It's not that impressive. My powers are specifically on ice, not liquid water. Neptune is the one with that kind of ability. I can just produce freezing bubbles, and play sometimes with the water. My powers are only for defense, not for attacking, as you may see. If you could see what Neptune can do with...."

Inside the water circle, Mercury's voice died, as she saw Zoisite from a different angle of view. The silvery water made his orange hair shine, and his gray-storm eyes flicker playfully. Strangely, her water seemed to like him, and fused with him. Strange, this had never happened before. My water always accepted people, but never united with anyone. Does this mean he is harmonious with me?

His eyes were so beautiful, and looked happy. But there was something else, worry, no, it was stronger, it was loneliness. Mercury could see herself in his eyes, her own despair, her own need for company.

Zoisite also was feeling strange. He was surprised as water appeared to dispense from her, from her hair, eyes and body. Water and her were one. Her eyes were like a without-bottom abyss, and he felt lost in them. They were so big, deep, mysterious, and reflected her soul. Inside them, he could see a fiery will, hidden by her natural shyness. Also, a huge amount of raw power, that had never been used. Mixed with all that, a belief that violence isn't the way of resolving things. He now understood her non-attacking powers. She always backed-off at the time of using them, that's why they never were very destructive.

But, deeper inside, he saw a weird emotion. It was loneliness. She had several friends, but her heart was alone. Just as myself, he thought. The bubbles started to disappear, as her concentration did the same. Zoisite took her hand, and focused on his own powers. Immediately, the magical water reinforced, and was joined by flower petals, surrounding them in a magical circle, that sent through them the deeper feelings of each other, that they had never shared with anyone before. They felt so right with each other that each took the other's hands, and locked their eyes together.

Time seemed to stop, until a voice interrupted their sharing: "My, my. Isn't this heart breaking? My little princess with this useless Earthling. Well, Mercury, I supposed you would wait for me to get cozy." Immediately, the bubbles and petals disappeared, and they separated in a reflex. Standing in one of the vegetal corridors that led to the fountain, with a hand in his waist and the other in a tree, was Ren, the Prince of Saturn.