Earth
Guardian Prince Endymion
By Senshi
of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi
Act Fifty Eight Recap:
(Mamoru’s POV)
With Kisho unable to transform, Seiichi in hospital and
Masaki regaining those terrible memories of what Metallia did in the Dark
Kingdom, we are more divided than we have ever been before and I just can’t see
a way out of this.
“I’m sorry” he apologised to Kisho, “Usagi’s been in an
funny mood all evening.”
“She was here earlier,” Kisho said, cutting straight to
the point.
“At the hospital?”
“Yes. She was acting strange. She…” Kisho paused.
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure, but I think I caught her trying to put an
air bubble in Seiichi’s vein.”
Usagi had been acting a little strangely lately, but she
would never have harmed Seiichi. What I didn’t know was…
“There’s been no misunderstanding, Mamoru-kun.”
“What do you mean?”
“I tried to kill him and twice I failed”
Usagi was no longer Usagi and hadn’t been for a long time.
“I’m at the harbour. There are some disused warehouses.
It’s the last one as you turn into the harbour itself. There are two Youma
guarding the entrance, like the ones we faced today, and at least two more
inside. As you can imagine even I’m a little wary of going in without someone
else with me.”
“Don’t go in” Mamoru ordered, “Taro, it’s not just the
Youma. The one sending them is Kuroki Mio.”
Kuroki Mio… we had thought that she had died when the Dark
Kingdom fell but somehow she had escaped and, over the last four years, has
been growing stronger and plotting her revenge against us. Taro managed to find
her hideout and together we went there and discovered that she had been keeping
the real Usagi there as hostage whilst Mio, in a glamour form, fooled us all
into thinking that she was Usagi.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly as she pulled away.
“Why?”
“For being so foolish as to allow myself to be captured.
For putting you through all of this.”
“Usagi” Mamoru answered, gently placing his hands on her
shoulders, “What happened is not your fault. It could never be your fault.”
“You don’t blame me?”
Even when she was free, Usagi still thought that I would
blame her for what has happened. This couldn’t be further from my mind. If
anything I blame myself for not realising the truth sooner. It isn’t Usagi who
should be asking for forgiveness… it’s me…
******
Act Fifty-Nine:
Usagi unlocked the front door and slipped inside, Mamoru a
pace or two behind her, feeling his hand on the small of her back to somehow
reassure her as they entered the Tsukino family home. Ikuko and Kenji were out
for the day and Shingo was at school and Usagi didn’t want to see them just
yet. The clothes she was wearing all but hung off of her, so how could she
explain this dramatic weight loss in, what they would think, had only been one
night. She was also very conscious of the soreness around her wrists where her
bonds had dug into her skin and Usagi pulled the sleeves of her jumper down
further to hide these.
Sensing her unease, Mamoru’s hand moved and he wrapped an
arm around her shoulders as they stepped fully inside the house. How she would
have got through the night without Mamoru’s support, Usagi did not know.
Of course, he wasn’t the only one whom she should thank
for her rescue. Taro-san and Ami-chan had also played an important part and
Usagi had already tried twice this morning to call them and thank them for what
they did, but she hadn’t been able to gain a reply. After consulting Mamoru, he
reminded Usagi that Ami was probably in college and, if Taro wasn’t working,
then he was probably still in bed. Half smiling at this, Usagi had requested
that they drop round to their apartment later and see if they were in. Mamoru
had agreed to this, before adding that he also wanted to stop by the hospital.
“I’m going to make things a little more interesting that’s
all.”
“No. Please, don’t hurt anyone, not as me… please…”
Usagi had been greatly distressed to learn of all that had
transpired and all that Mio had done whilst pretending to be her. Of course,
Mamoru had spoken to Kisho and Ami would have told Makoto-tachi, but so much
hurt had been caused and if… if the unthinkable happened, Usagi didn’t know if
she would be able to live with herself. Mamoru had also told her that she couldn’t
be held responsible, but Usagi couldn’t help but feel that she might have been
able to do more. Perhaps if she had been able to reason with Mio-chan then a
lot of this could have been avoided?
I shouldn’t think like that. We have to think about how we
are going to fight.
Usagi frowned at this. She knew this troubled Mamoru, too,
despite him trying to hide it. Usagi wasn’t sure how best to approach him on
the subject, even if she should at all. After a long talk with Kisho last
night, Usagi hoped that Mamoru would feel better about things but he hadn’t
said anything to her and Usagi was reluctant to ask. Despite her relationship
with Mamoru, she didn’t often question him about the Shitennou as she trusted
that he would tell her anything important and that concerned her. It was the
same with the former Senshi, Usagi knew although she was sometimes
uncomfortable about the thin line that separated the two groups.
“Usagi” Mamoru said gently, drawing her out of such
thoughts, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine” she gave him a small smile and headed towards
the stairs, “I’ll just get some of my things. Do you want to wait here?”
Mamoru nodded to signal that this was fine with him and
Usagi went upstairs. She desperately wanted to see her parents and Shingo, but
knew that, until her wounds had properly healed and she had put on the weight
that she had lost, she would have to keep away. Ikuko, at least, would note the
change in her daughter and want to know what had happened. Usagi knew that her
mother could never find out about the mission or her ordeal and, in any case,
Ikuko would never believe her.
As she stepped into her room, Usagi felt a pang of
homesickness and, for a few minutes, she simply took in the spotless floor, the
fact that no clothes littered the carpet and all her plushie bunnies were sat
neatly on the end of her bed. Had Mama been keeping it tidy? She wondered until
she saw her CD collection. The majority of her CDs, including her Aino Minako
singles, had been thrown in the waste paper bin. Immediately, Usagi knew who
had been keeping her room clean. Shivering slightly at this knowledge that Mio
had been going through her things, wearing her clothes… Usagi bit her lip,
feeling a little tearful. She felt as she had when Shingo had once stolen her diary
and handed out pages to the boys in his school. This was another invasion of
her privacy and Usagi hated it.
Kneeling down beside her bed, Usagi pulled out her Hello
Kitty backpack and opened her wardrobe with the intention of stuffing as
many clothes as she could inside and then leaving as quickly as possible. When
she could go back home, she resolved to have the entire room redecorated,
anything and everything that would help her get over this feeling that her
privacy had been violated.
As she opened the wardrobe, something moved. Usagi
screamed as the shape lunged at her face, knocking her to the floor.
Landing hard on her back, she grabbed the cat by the
scruff of her neck and held her out in front of her.
“Luna!” Usagi cried, overjoyed to see her friend. Luna,
however, was not as pleased to see her.
Twisting away Luna landed neatly on the bed and hissed at
the stunned pigtailed girl.
“Luna?” Usagi took a step back in confusion before it
dawned upon her. Luna had known… she had known and Mio had kept her shut in
here to prevent her from warning the others.
“Luna, it’s me” Usagi tried again, this time moving slowly
towards her, “Mamoru, Ami-chan and Taro-san rescued me. Mio’s gone.”
The plushie glared at her and did not say a word.
“Usagi?” the door opened and Mamoru stepped into the room
at this point, looking concerned, “What happened?”
“Daijobu” Usagi smiled slightly at this concern, “Luna
surprised me, that’s all. Mio had locked her up in my wardrobe.”
“Usagi-chan?” Luna asked hesitantly. Usagi nodded
encouragingly:
“Hai, Luna.”
“I want to believe you” the cat said softly, “But how do
we know?”
Usagi smiled slightly and pulled up the sleeves of her
jumper, revealing the robe burns around her wrists.
Luna’s eyes widened and then, without another word, she
jumped at her charge. Usagi giggled and hugged the plushie tightly.
“I’ve missed you, Luna” Usagi said, finally releasing the
cat and setting her down on the floor once more.
Luna nodded and said likewise before requesting to know
exactly what had happened and how Usagi had escaped, as well as to the events
of the passed week or so. Usagi and Mamoru exchanged glances and then, when
Usagi realised that some of it was too painful for Mamoru to really speak of,
she said, “I have to get some things together and be back at Mamoru’s. He has
to go out for a bit so why don’t I give you all the details then?”
Sensing the guarded and painful subjects, Luna was in
agreement to this. Usagi forced a smile and began packing some clothes into her
bag whilst her cat friend and Mamoru looked on.
******
Kisho paused outside of the Hikawa Shrine, hesitating
slightly as he stared up at the temple, silently debating whether or not to
enter.
After a long conversation with Mamoru, detailing Usagi’s
rescue and his own fears about the new mission, Kisho was more convinced than
ever of the severity of their situation. With only Mamoru, Taro and Masaki
being able to fight and Masaki, at present, was in no state too, Kisho knew
that their chances of defeating Mio were slim. Deep down, he suspected that
Mamoru knew this too but he would never admit to it.
Thus Kisho was here, outside the Hikawa Shrine. Of course,
he also had a slightly selfish reason for coming here. As he was now, he could
not fight and he hated that anyone, Mio especially, should be able to take a
part of himself away from him. Kisho felt sure that there was nothing that the
remaining Tennou could do to help him, even before their present situation,
but, perhaps, she could.
It was a faint hope, Kisho knew and, under normal
circumstances, he wouldn’t have even thought of going to her, but the fact
remained that Hino Rei’s natural magic abilities might be able to at least see
what sort of spell Mio had over him, even if she was unable to do anything
about it. Kisho had to know if… if what she had done to him was permanent and,
if it was, he would have to try his best to come to terms with this, but this
was something that Kisho couldn’t bear to dwell upon too much, lest it were
true.
Taking a breath, Kisho entered the shrine, softly
announcing his presence to the Miko as he did so.
Rei sat with her back to him, dressed, as always, in her
shrine attire, one hand holding onto a twig that she dangled into the flames of
the young fire before her, almost toying with it.
“You let your fire go out,” Kisho stated quietly, knowing
that this symbolised a bad omen.
Rei glanced up; surprised that he would note that the fire
glowing before them was not the true fire of the Hikawa Shrine.
“My mother was a Miko once” Kisho said as an explanation
as he knelt down opposite her. Usually he had no time for the former Senshi,
still seeing them as they once were, but with Rei it was different. Rei held a
quiet wisdom about her, something far greater that set her apart from the
others. He could only suppose that this was owed to her natural gift. Kisho had
always been respectful to those with such powers. In the past life the powers
that he and the other Tennou possessed had been natural ones and now, in this
world, they were anything but natural. Or were they? The power to transform
came from inside of them, Kisho reasoned. Perhaps they, as they were now, had
natural powers that allowed them to tap into their former lives? He wasn’t
sure, realising, with some embarrassment, that he had never questioned his
being able to transform, until it was taken away from him that was.
Rei raised her head to look at him steadily, not in the
slightest daunted by his presence as she said:
“How’s Komoro-san this morning?”
Kisho shook his head, “I haven’t been to see him yet.
Mamoru is going in a while and I expect Shina-san will also be there so I
thought I might keep a distance for a while.”
Rei nodded, “You heard about Usagi?”
“I did” Kisho confirmed, feeling a pang of annoyance that
Mio’s true form had remained hidden for so long. Rei must have picked up on
this as she said:
“I felt something… but I was unsure. It is not easy to
doubt your friends.”
Kisho smiled slightly, but did not add anything to this
and cut right to the chase, “You know why I am here?”
Rei nodded, keeping his gaze. “You would like me to try
and help you and I will, if I can.”
Kisho smiled again, gratefully. Rei was also the only one
of the former Senshi who would not call upon the irony of having one of the
Shitennou come to her for help.
“Look into the flames” Rei instructed softly, “Look into
the flames and think back over what happened to you. Concentrate on the moment
you felt your powers leave you. Keep your eyes closed and do not open them
before I tell you.”
Kisho found himself hesitating slightly, wondering how she
tell what had happened to him just from that alone. He had assumed that she
would perform some sort of ritual involving, perhaps, some charms from the
shrine, but he did as she asked, recalling again the battle with the Youma, the
battle that had cost him his powers.
As Kisho turned down another path, this leading away from
the lights of the city, still deep in thought, it struck. The first he was even
aware of the Youma’s presence was when the beast slammed an attack into his
chest, throwing him to the ground. He landed on his back, the dizzying force of
the attack knocking the breath from his body and causing stars to dance before
his vision.
He frowned as he felt it, something touch the subconscious
of his mind. Kisho’s first reaction to this intrusion was to pull back, putting
up a wall between him and the entity.
Kisho took a couple of breaths, forcing away this guard
that he suddenly had and concentrated again on that night.
Struggling to ignore this, Kisho rolled to his left as he
sensed another attack, the energy striking the spot where he had been seconds
before. Getting to his feet, he glanced wildly around, feeling blood running
down his cheek and a dull throbbing in his chest where the first attack had
struck.
He had barely time to register this as again it attacked.
Kisho again managed to evade the Youma as it lunged at him once more. Twisting
out of its reach, he leapt back, already struggling to focus on his
transformation as it continued in its flight, unable, or so he thought, to
stop.
A gasp escaped him as it twisted bid air, using the trunk
of the tree that it had been about to crash into to pivot around in mid-air and
lung towards him once more.
Kisho grunted in pain as it seized him by the shoulders,
using the momentum and its own body weight to slam him back into a tree behind
him. His head snapped back, striking the trunk with a force that caused the
world to flash black and white before his eyes. Using this to its advantage,
the Youma drew back a clawed hand and then slammed it forward, into Kisho’s
stomach. A scream escaped him as he fought to free himself, to focus on
transforming but the extra agony that this induced… he could do nothing against
this… the burning sensation that came with this new wound was too great, even
after the Youma released him, teleporting away in a flash of white light.
It was then he saw it, although ‘saw’ was probably the
wrong choice of word. ‘Felt it’ would have most likely been a better
description for what happened next. Kisho felt his senses, mingled with Rei’s
own, flooding inwards. He could feel the energy in the air; even transformed he
had not been able to sense things this clearly. Not only could he see what
happened to him, but he could sense it as well. He could sense the darkness
that had been thrust into his soul, capturing his powers in its cage. Yet he
saw more than that. He saw the true meaning of this power… he felt the wall
that his mind came up against when he tried to dispel the darkness burning from
within, causing him pain.
Kisho felt tears building up behind his tightly closed
eyes as he doubled over, biting his lip to suppress a cry of agony as he felt
Rei pull back, uttering her own cry of pain as she did so.
Kisho opened his eyes, still feeling the edge of her mind
touch his own as the Hikawa Shrine vanished from his sight. What he saw was
worse, much worse…
Darkness… all around her… she could hear the screams of
her Princess… her friends… Rei couldn’t breath. She fell to her knees, her own
screams echoing around her as the city burned. Smoke invaded her nostrils,
pouring down her throat and causing her to cough. Fierce spasms shook her body
as her aching fingertips grasped at the ground beneath them, the tips torn and
bleeding, as was the rest of her body.
Unable to fight she was forced to witness this… Tokyo
burned around her… nothing could stop it…
Kisho pulled back, shock causing him to do so as he bolted
up, the room spinning slightly and he was forced to lean back against the door
frame as his gaze narrowed.
Rei could not help him, this they both knew. Mio’s spell
was too strong for her magic yet this was not the cause of his resentfulness.
Rei had seen the City’s destruction. She had foreseen it and not told them.
They who rightfully guarded and protected this planet and she had not told
them. She had kept them in the dark. Kisho had always been a great believer in
trusting his first instincts and he had dearly wished that his instincts about
Rei had been correct. He had misjudged her he realised bitterly as he made to
leave the shrine, ignoring her calls for him to remain inside.
The former Senshi were not their allies, they never had
been and now, Kisho knew with certainty that they never could be.
******
Ami shook her head, chewing on her lower lip so hard that
she drew blood. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Taro answered, still forcing himself to keep
the burning questions from passing his lips. He had long since learned that Ami
was a very private person and would confide in him eventually. She just needed to
work things through at her own pace that was all. “You can tell me anything,”
he added as encouragement.
“I know” she paused and drew a sharp breath before saying,
“I’m pregnant.”
~~~~~~
“What about names?” Ami said, drawing him back from these
thoughts as they continued to walk again, “Have you given any thought to that?”
“If it’s a boy I was thinking that we could call him
Kiyoshi,” he suggested, “How do you feel?”
~~~~~~
He looked up when he heard the bathroom light go out and
seconds later the bedroom door opened. Ami stepped into the room, still fully
dressed. Her right hand was pressed up against the open door for support and
the other was placed on her stomach. The look of fear and pain on her face, as
well as the pallor of her skin was enough alone to tell him that something was
seriously wrong, even before Ami spoke. Her voice was small, but edged with
fear as she said:
“Taro, there’s something wrong with the baby.”
~~~~~~
Taro sat in the reception of the hospital in Minato,
watching steadily the comings and goings of patients and relatives throughout
the night. His eyes were heavy with both fatigue and pain, but he refused to
break down, not when it was Ami who was truly suffering.
“She’s fine.”
“And the baby?”
“We couldn’t stop the bleeding. I am sorry.”
That single conversation and Taro felt as though the
doctor had cut out a part of his soul. Unable to speak and certainly unable to
go to Ami, Taro had left. How could he see her? This was his fault? His desire
for revenge had driven them both to this point. Had he got some sort of reign
on his temper then Ami wouldn’t have to suffer, their baby wouldn’t have had to
suffer. This fact cut deep and Taro was almost overwhelmed with pain to even
think of this. That he had all but murdered their child.
At this unbearable thought, Taro gripped the engagement
ring tighter in his hand. He had been such a fool to think that he deserved
her. Well, one thing was for certain, he could never marry Ami now, not after
all the pain that his stupidity had caused.
“Taro!” Ami cried out again, but this cry was one of
terror. Glancing up at his girlfriend, Nephrite was horrified to see the first
Youma advancing on her.
“Run!” Nephrite shouted again as he conjured another ball
of red energy in his palm and slammed it into the Youma holding him. It gave a
scream as his fist connected with its chest, staggering back and releasing him
before slumping to the floor, dead as it hit the ground.
Upon seeing that Nephrite was free, Ami made to run, but
the Youma leapt in front of her, drawing a fist back and striking her round the
face. Ami shrieked and fell down onto the concrete as Nephrite reached them,
his sword now back in hand.
He should have defended her… she was his soul mate… he
loved her more than he could ever comprehend and he had allowed this to happen
to her… and their child. Had he just been stronger. Taro cursed himself. He
deserved to be punished but why did his foolishness have to harm those he
loved?
Taro stood, unable to bear sitting in the reception for
any longer than he already was. He couldn’t see her; she would not want to see
him not after what he had done. His child’s blood was on his hands and Taro
didn’t think he could face Ami knowing this. She would never blame him and this
made it all the more unbearable. He should be blamed.
Taro shook his head. He could see no end to the pain that
their baby’s needless death had caused. Although he had only known of Ami’s
pregnancy for a short time, he had already gotten used, and he wanted, to being
a father.
He had always liked to think that he could protect them
both and, by going after the enemy, he had thought that he was but in actual
fact he nearly lost them both. Taro smiled bitterly as he made his way down the
corridor. What sort of father would he have made anyway? He couldn’t even look
after houseplants, let alone a newborn. What kind of role model would he have
made? It was better this way, he had tried telling himself at some point during
the evening but Taro couldn’t quite bring himself to think that way. Again the
mission had taken away something dear to him but this time all he could think
of was the pain. He had no desire for revenge, not when he felt so much guilt
and so much pain. Ami was better off without him, Taro knew now.
******
Ami lay in the hospital bed, huddled under several
blankets as silent tears rolled down her cheeks to soak the pillow under her
head. At her side Makoto sat, also in silence, allowing Ami time to grieve.
The brawny girl, upon getting Ami’s message, hurried to
the hospital expecting to find Taro at Ami’s side but instead she was told that
the worst had happened. Ami had lost her baby and Taro had made himself scarce.
At first Makoto reasoned that he was just as devastated as Ami, which she could
very much sympathise with but, as the morning wore on and he still did not
reappear, Makoto’s sympathy started to wane thin. Taro was Ami’s boyfriend and
should be here to support her, not let her suffer alone with her guilt. Ami did
feel guilty. As soon as Makoto had appeared at her side, the young woman had
collapsed against her in grief, repeating her jumbled telephone message that
she had lost the baby and that it was her fault for going after Taro last
night.
“I should have known better” Ami had sobbed, “I am no
longer a Senshi, in this body I am weak. I couldn’t have defended him. I
couldn’t defend him and our baby paid the price for it. I shouldn’t have gone
after him, but how could I not? I love him so much and the thought of losing
him again… What else could I have done, Mako-chan? I love him…”
Makoto had no answer for this and she most certainly
wasn’t going to start telling Ami what she could have done, even if she knew.
Had someone she loved been in danger, Makoto knew that she would have done
exactly the same thing. Love made people do things that they wouldn’t normally
contemplate and Makoto knew just how strong Ami’s feelings for Taro were. Their
love had survived death and rebirth, as had Usagi and Mamoru’s. They also were
destined to be together, but, of course, this did not save them from pain.
“Ami-chan?” Makoto said gently, at last breaking her
silence and touching her friend’s shoulder. Ami flinched slightly before
raising her head to look at her.
Her gaze was so full of pain that Makoto felt some anger
towards Taro for leaving her in this state.
“It’s my fault” Ami said dully, “It’s my fault and Taro
knows this. That’s why he is staying away. He wants to save me the pain, but
not having him here… we should be together, Mako-chan.”
“Of course you should” Makoto answered her.
“Then why isn’t he here? I know he’s trying to help me,
but I can’t deal with this alone. It wasn’t just my baby, it was Taro’s too”
she broke off and sobbed.
Immediately, Makoto leaned forward and placed her hand on
Ami’s shoulder once more. Ami, reacting to this, eased herself into a sitting
position and Makoto wrapped her arms around her. Ami huddled against her
friend, her tears falling again, but Makoto knew that she shouldn’t be here. It
was not her place to comfort Ami in this way. Despite all the guilt and grief
that they were both feeling, Makoto knew that Taro should be at Ami’s side.
They had to get through this together otherwise their future, as a couple was
in question.
Waiting a while, until Ami laid back against the pillows
and gave into an uneasy sleep, Makoto slipped out of the room.
Walking quickly down the corridor, wanting to be back by
the time Ami awoke, Makoto scanned the hospital ward, looking for Taro.
******
“Fools” Mio whispered quietly as she paced up and down in
front of her remaining Youma. It stood stock still, his gaze occasionally flickering
to its dead companion, the Youma who had informed Mio of their hideout being
discovered and forcing her to relocate to this less place, the remnants of the
Dark Kingdom. Mio did not like it here. It’s very walls echoed with defeat and
death, a constant reminder of what fate would be hers if she failed, if the
Shitennou caught up with her.
With the rescue of Usagi, it would appear as though, soon,
she would face the former Dark Senshi, together with their Princess, again.
Carefully stepping over some rubble, her black dress
sweeping over the ground and, occasionally, catching on some of the sharper
rocks, Mio frowned as she considered her next move. Kunzite and Zoisite were
unable to fight and Jadeite, she was sure, now would have no wish to. She had
watched, in great pleasure, his failed suicide attempt. The youngest of the
Shitennou would never have had the courage to go through with it, she knew, but
this did not matter. He was more useful alive, causing dissention among the
remaining kings. She would have to nurture this dissention if she wanted it to
continue, which she did.
Nephrite would have been a problem, had he not had his own
personal tragedy to deal with. This was an unexpected, and delightful, turn of
events and it gave Mio a little time. The former Dark Mercury would have no
desire to start the search for the Senshi Sword in her present state and, with
Nephrite distracted, it paved the perfect opportunity for Mio to obtain her
goals.
Speaking in a low voice to the remaining Youma, she
ordered it to gather her some more energy. She, again, was feeling a little
weak after her last battle. Mio had used more energy than she had liked to, but
that couldn’t have been helped.
“They deserved it. The Shitennou took everything from me,
but now they know how I’ve suffered for these last four years.”
“What have you done with her?”
Mio’s gaze darkened as she recalled Mamoru’s words and his
look of disgust when he had gazed at her. Did he truly hate her? How could that
be? Had Usagi’s hold upon him grown stronger, too? Mio did not know, but she
had made a vow. A vow to make Mamoru her own no matter what. She cared so much
more for him than Usagi ever could. Usagi’s feelings could never compare to her
own. All this time… all this time the only thing that had kept her going was
the thought of Mamoru finally loving her as she loved him and Mio wasn’t going
to let anyone get in the way of this again. If she lost Mamoru for a second
time… she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood as she again issued the Youma
with its orders. If she lost him again then Mio knew that she couldn’t be held
accountable for her actions.
******
“I still can’t believe that Mio-chan has been alive for
four years and plotting to get back at us” Usagi said loudly, between taking
licks of the ice cream that she had bought along the way to Taro and Ami’s
apartment.
Mamoru was unable to disguise a slight smile at this.
Usagi appeared to be finally coming to terms with her ordeal and stating her
disbelief in this way, albeit a little childish, was her way of coping, Mamoru
reasoned. Luna, nestled under the crook of her charge’s arm, listened in
silently to their conversation.
Usagi had been as good as her word and explained what had
happened to the plushie whilst Mamoru had gone to the hospital. Usagi admitted
that she was not ready to face the other Tennou just yet, despite Mamoru’s
reassurances and he could understand this and deemed it a good idea for her to
stay away for now.
When he got to the hospital, he saw Shina was there again
and, this time, Minako was with her. Artemis was also there, hiding in his best
friend’s bag. There had been no change in Seiichi’s condition; he was having
another scan when Mamoru got there and Minako had promised to call him when
they had the results. She also, probably to reassure herself more than Mamoru,
explained that the scan was a precautionary measure, as Dr Miura wanted to
monitor him to make sure that there was no internal bleeding. No one had
commented on the fact that Seiichi had yet to regain consciousness. Mamoru had
tried telling himself that this was because his body was in shock after his
ordeal and needed time to heal itself, but the anxiety was still there in the
back of his mind. What if Seiichi never woke up? The more and more time that
passed, Mamoru knew that this would become more than likely and he suspected
that Dr Miura knew this, too. It was not something that Mamoru wanted to think
about too much.
“What I also can’t believe,” Usagi continued, breaking
into Mamoru’s thoughts, “Is that you didn’t come to my rescue sooner.”
He gave her a wry smile, knowing that she wasn’t really
angry with him, just trying to distract him somewhat, “What makes you think I
wanted to rescue you?”
“Mou! You didn’t want Mio-chan to continue to pretend to
be me… did you?”
This last bit came out a little doubtful and Mamoru
answered her by wrapping an arm around her shoulders and leaning down to press
a reassuring kiss to her cheek, “Of course not. You should know me better than
that by now.”
“I do” Usagi smiled and then took another lick of her ice
cream before adding, “Are you sure that you don’t mind me coming to see
Taro-san with you? After all, he was the one to find Mio-chan’s hideout and I
want to thank him, too.”
“Of course I don’t mind” Mamoru shook his head, despite
her outwardly cheerful and confident nature; Usagi could really be quite
insecure at times.
“Good” she gave Mamoru another smile as they turned the
corner and started down the road where Taro and Ami’s apartment was situated.
Mamoru did not say anything to this and they arrived at
the apartment block in silence. Mamoru rang the bell for Ami and Taro’s
apartment but there was no answer.
“He must be at work”
Usagi was disappointed and sighed as she finished her ice
cream, “I suppose we’ll have to wait.”
“It would appear so” Mamoru said as he took his phone out
of his pocket and selected Taro’s number, “I’ll just give him a quick call and
see what time he’ll be back.”
“What’s wrong?” Usagi asked moments later when Mamoru
turned to her apprehensively.
“He’s not answering. It’s switched off.”
What if… what if something’s happened? After last night
Mio is bound to want some form of revenge… She’s already hurt two of us…
“Daijobu” Usagi said softly, guessing his concerns, “I’m
sure he’s okay. I’ve just tried Ami-chan’s phone and it’s switched off, too.
They’ve probably gone out together” she clasped her hands together at this and
sighed, “How romantic.”
“I suppose so” Mamoru answered half-heartedly and caused
Usagi to add:
“I’m sure they’re fine. We can try again later. Did you
leave a message?”
“Hai.”
“Then I’m sure that he’ll give you a call when he can.”
Mamoru nodded. He couldn’t keep thinking like this. He
couldn’t keep thinking that if Mio’s hatred was that strong then they would all
suffer for it in the end.
“It’ll be okay,” Usagi said, as though guessing his
thoughts, “Mio-chan cannot keep hating us forever. It just isn’t possible.”
“What do you mean?”
“Hatred is like a fire. It burns and burns until it has
consumed everything and then it will, eventually, burn itself out.”
That was insightful, Mamoru thought to himself. Sometimes
Usagi could act like such a child but now he saw an almost fully mature young
woman staring back at him, the woman he loved.
Mamoru gave her a small smile and reached out to draw her
into another embrace. Usagi leaned her head against his chest and curled her
arms around his back.
For a moment neither moved, Mamoru taking a small comfort
in his fiancée. For that one moment the entire world and all its pain seemed to
disappear and all that was left was the two of them. Then a scream gave cause
for him to be pulled back into reality once more.
Mamoru released Usagi and glanced around. It appeared to
be coming from a few blocks away, but the fact that they had heard it so loudly
and clearly could only mean one thing: Youma.
Mamoru saw that Usagi was trembling at this realisation
and he met her gaze.
“Before…” Usagi whispered softly, “The Youma… they kill
people don’t they.”
“Usagi--”
“This is my destiny and it always has been. I’ll be fine.”
“You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to fight this
time.”
“And run away? So much pain has been caused already. I’m
not going to run, I’m no longer the frightened schoolgirl that Mio-chan
remembers. These Youma have killed people, innocent people, and I am not going
to stand by and allow this to happen again. Moon prism power… make up!”
******
He wants to save me the pain, but not having him here… we
should be together, Mako-chan
Makoto found Taro in the hospital grounds, sitting beside
one of the many fountains that dotted the landscape. It was lunchtime and,
around them, some people sat eating, some were obviously some of the less ill
patients and some were relatives. Taro sat by himself and did not have anything
to eat. Instead he was looking into the water, not even registering the fact
that Makoto had sat down beside him.
“Where have you been?” she asked, breaking the silence and
causing him to look round. His gaze was somewhat unreadable, his guard up as,
Makoto reminded herself, that she was not close to him, in fact they barely
exchanged words before now. It wasn’t about her though, Makoto knew, this was
about Ami.
“I’ve been looking for you,” she added, not really
expecting an answer, but Taro surprised her by giving her one.
“I went to see Seiichi.”
“How is he?”
“The same. Not good. The doctors can’t really tell us
anything yet. They say that it’s still too early. I don’t know.”
“Have you seen Ami?”
Taro broke her gaze, “Why?”
“Because she’s your girlfriend and she needs you.”
“Ami doesn’t need me. If it wasn’t for me she wouldn’t
have lost the baby to begin with.”
“She blames herself. She says that it was her fault.”
“That’s stupid. It was my fault. Finding him like that…
all I could think of was revenge. I should have been thinking of Ami and the
baby. I didn’t deserve either of them.”
“So you’re just going to abandon her?”
“No.”
“Then what are you going to do?” Makoto demanded, “Ami
needs you.”
“She’s better off without me” Taro stood, the look in his
eyes was now one of pain mixed in with very obvious disgust that someone, let
alone Makoto, should see him like this.
“Matte” Makoto also got to her feet, blocking his way,
“I’m not going to let you leave her in this way. She needs you.”
“I told you” Taro grit out, “She is better off without
me.”
“Shouldn’t she be the one to decide that?”
Taro paused; again looking away, the conflict almost
becoming unbearable and Makoto, sensing he was on the point of wavering, chose
her words carefully.
“I can never understand your pain but perhaps together and
with time” she offered at last, “It is only right that you are together.”
Taro nodded mutely and then shook his head, the wall back
up, “She doesn’t need me.”
“Yes. She does.”
“No” he snapped as he began to walk away, “She doesn’t
need me. Not anymore.”
Angered, Makoto shouted after him: “You have to put aside
your own feelings and help Ami! She needs you now more than ever!”
******
Taro walked hurriedly away from Kino Makoto, his hands
shoved into the pockets of his jacket as he made his way back inside the
hospital. Where was he going? He just didn’t know. Anywhere to get away from
her
What the hell did she know? How could she possibly claim
to know any better? Taro was forever being the cause of Ami’s suffering and
this time his stupidity and rash behaviour had taken the life of an innocent…
their child…
“I’m not abandoning her,” he whispered out loud as he walked
down the endless corridors, “I am doing her a favour. She doesn’t need me.”
Perhaps it was that he was afraid that she would tell him
how much she blamed him? Perhaps he was simply afraid of her rejection?
Taro scowled at this, angry with himself and even more so
at Makoto. This was none of her business. It never had been.
Then what was it? Even though they were not ready for a
child, Taro had been glad of the prospect of becoming a father. Kanaye and
Michie were already married with their own daughter, so why couldn’t he be
happy?
The mission… it always comes down to that… because of who
I was in a past life, perhaps we can never find happiness?
Somehow Taro could not believe this. He wanted to think
that, after all she had been through, Ami could have a normal life.
Shouldn’t she be the one to decide that?
Maybe she should, he thought as he paused outside the room
door, the room number that the doctor had given him. Inside, Taro could hear
the sounds of her sobbing and almost turned away again were it not for his
thoughts of the mission.
After all that they had been through… she deserved a
chance to tell him just how much she blamed him. She deserved the chance to
lash out, to make him feel the extent of her suffering.
Taking a breath, Taro pushed open the door and stepped
into the room.
Ami lay on her side, her face tightly into a pillow, which
muffled her cries somewhat. She didn’t acknowledge Taro’s presence and he was
forced to make his way over to her side, placing a tentative hand on her
shoulder as waves of guilt battered him. He had caused this… he was the cause
of her suffering again…
“Ami?”
She rolled over to look at him; her eyes filled with more
unshed tears. This pained Taro more than words could describe and he looked
away, “I’m sorry. I should have protected you both.”
Ami opened her mouth to speak but was unable to find the
words. She couldn’t even find the words to tell him how much she hated him.
“This is my fault” Taro continued, “And I know you’ll be
better off without me” he felt his heart breaking at these words because, now
as he looked down at her, he wanted nothing more to hold her, to comfort her,
but Taro knew that he didn’t deserve her.
“I’m sorry. I should never have followed you” Ami
whispered, at last finding her voice.
“I shouldn’t have gone” he answered, a little angry that
she would try to take upon herself the guilt that didn’t belong to her, “All I
could think of was revenge. It was selfish and stupid.”
Despite his desire to leave her, to put an end to the
suffering that he had caused her, Taro raised a hand to her cheek, wiping away
a tear. Ami uttered another sob and placed her hand atop his own.
Do I want to leave her? No. It is not what I want… I want
to comfort her… to be with her. But after what has happened… I don’t know how
she can look me in the eyes… what am I to her now?
“Will you leave me?” Ami asked softly, her arms now around
him, gently, so if Taro wished he could slip free.
“It was my fault.”
“No” Ami bit her lip, but was unable to hold back more
tears, “I don’t blame you. I could never blame you.”
“Ami?”
“Please… stay…”
Taro knew it would take time for them… it wouldn’t be easy
to forget, but as long as they were together…
He had been such a fool to think otherwise.
******
“Moon tiara… boomerang!” Sailor Moon cried, letting fly
her weapon as she leapt to one side to avoid a rush of magical energy that was
thrown her way. As her tiara struck, the Youma staggered slightly, giving
Endymion the opening he was looking for. Bring his sword down hard on the
exposed back of the Youma; he all but cut the beast in two.
It fell to the ground, the stolen energy flooding back
into its rightful owners as Sailor Moon watched. This Youma had been weaker,
she had noted, and, seeing as several people had been attached before they had
arrived, this was a merciful thing as it meant that they still lived.
Yet this fact, strangely, brought her little comfort for
Usagi suspected that she knew what it meant.
“I’m going to make things a little more interesting that’s
all.”
It meant that Mio’s mind was elsewhere and, most likely,
focused upon more destruction…
******
He was alone.
This last thought allowed his fear and pain to overtake
him completely and, wildly, Masaki pulled open the drawer under the cabinet
that he had been leaning up against not seconds before. Trembling and sobbing,
his hand closed around the hilt of a kitchen knife, the blade glinting in the
light from the window as he held it up, now feeling calm as he brought it down
to his left wrist, poising the edge of the knife exactly over his scars of
before. He allowed it to hover there for a few minutes before, with an element
of frustration, he turned and hurled the knife across the room, watching
through blurred vision as it connected with the wall and then fell harmlessly
to the ground.
Slowly, Masaki slumped to the floor, his strength drained
from him as he gave into his despair.
Masaki wasn’t sure how long he had been here. Alone with
only his thoughts and memories of his own personal hell, he had managed to lose
all track of time. He had not slept. How could he when these visions were being
constantly replayed in his head? It was all he could think of… it was all he
could do not to break down. Masaki knew that if he allowed his despair to truly
take hold of him again then he couldn’t be held responsible for what had
happened.
Masaki shook his head, even as Mamoru released Usagi and
went to his side. “Daijobu?” he requested softly.
The younger man raised his head to meet Mamoru’s gaze
before drawing back a hand and punching their leader in the stomach. Mamoru,
not expecting this blow, doubled over, gasping at the force of the blow.
“Daijobu? You bastard! How dare you ask me that?” Masaki
screamed before launching himself at Mamoru.
Accepting what he had done, as Metallia, was an impossible
task and one that Masaki struggled not to think of, but to accept his reaction
to finding out this information was passed the impossible. He had hurt Mamoru,
allowed his memories to keep him from helping Seiichi at all when those few
minutes when he had left him there could have made all the difference. Had
Masaki called an ambulance straight away then perhaps his friend wouldn’t be in
the condition that he was in now.
Ever action since he learned of what he had done had been
wrong and followed by regret. So many times today already, Masaki had almost
called Mamoru. He had pushed them away but at the same time he felt that he
needed them.
“You died, Masaki. Metallia was living through you. You couldn’t
have done that to Seiichi. We all know that. That is why we didn’t tell you. We
didn’t want you to hate yourself for something that you had no control over.”
But I don’t know what I did. I can barely remember the
passed few days.
Masaki exhaled deeply. He wanted to continue to hate
Mamoru-tachi for lying to him, but he also needed them to reassure him that he
didn’t do those terrible things. It was an endless cycle and Masaki just didn’t
know what to think anymore.
Again choking back a sob, he shakily stood up, pausing to
take a look at his appearance in the bathroom mirror. His eyes were red and
swollen, dark circles marring the underneath of them. He was pale and trembled
ever so slightly, as did his hands as they struggled to light the cigarette
between his shaking fingers. Finally managing to do this, Masaki took a
prolonged drag, closing his eyes so that he didn’t have to look at the wane
reflection staring back at him.
Breathing out the smoke, Masaki felt that frightening wave
of pain threatening to wash over him again and he again raised the cigarette to
his lips as though this would somehow assuage this pain.
“Mou, you’ve still not given up that disgusting habit? I
really used to hate it when you smoked in my chambers”
Masaki froze, now almost afraid to open his eyes at that
familiar voice.
Yet it was, no mistake. Slowly Masaki opened his eyes,
feeling dumb with shock as he stared at the reflection that had joined his own
in the mirror: Kuroki Mio.
******