Earth
Guardian Prince Endymion
By Senshi
of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi
Act Sixty Five Recap:
(Masaki’s POV)
“What did she do to you?” Kisho asked as they walked back
over to the others, the older man’s face displaying little to no emotion, which
wasn’t unusual in times of crisis, Masaki knew.
“Does it matter?” Taro answered, allowing some anger into
his voice, “We have to go after her.”
“And we will” Kisho assured him, “Once that we’ve made
sure that you’re okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“No. You’re not. Why did you tell Mio where the girls had
gone?”
“I didn’t want too. She did something to me. The pain…
Does this really matter?”
“It does” Kisho answered steadily, “If you betrayed them.”
Mio used her powers to force Taro into telling her where
the girls were gone. Of course, we knew that Taro would never have willingly
betrayed them but we had to talk to him before we went after them. If we didn’t
then the mistakes of the past would surely repeat themselves.
Taro exhaled loudly and sniped out, “I don’t know what
happened. She attacked me. She did something to my mind. It was as though I
wasn’t in control of what I was saying.”
“That magic is complex and very draining” Kisho murmured
to Masaki, “For her to have mastered it means that she is very powerful, but it
would have weakened her considerably. That is why she didn’t kill Taro or you.
She needs to get to the Senshi Sword before the full consequences of using
these powers hit her.”
After we were sure that Taro was okay, we left for
Kamakura but when we reached the girls we feared that we were too late.
“Step aside” Mio repeated her command.
“No.”
“Have it your way then.” With these words, Mio released
the energy.
Nephrite hurriedly called up a shield, one that surrounded
both himself and the sword. Mio’s energy slammed into it, causing him to step
back a little at the force of the blow. The shield wavered slightly and
Nephrite found himself pouring even more power into it, so much that he was
beginning to feel light headed.
It was because of Taro’s efforts that the sword was kept from
Mio’s hand, but she managed to escape before we could finish her.
“We, in the past life, were taken against our will and
brainwashed to served Beryl because of my decision. It was because of my
actions that we turned against our Princess.”
“Minako--” Sailor Moon started to protest but Minako held
up a hand, silencing her.
As she did this, Sailor Moon noted the henshin bracelet
that hung off her right wrist.
“I have accepted my responsibility for my actions in both
my lives, when I betrayed you for a second time in this world. My acceptance
returned our henshins to use once more. We can now fight to protect this world,
to protect our Princess.”
The Senshi now have their henshins returned to them, but I
can’t help but worry about what this will mean. I know that they intend to
fight on our side, but there are still so many things that divide us. The truth
is I still don’t know if we can really trust them, not deep down.
******
Act Sixty-Six:
“Where’s Mamoru?” Usagi repeated, looking from one to the
other and finally staring at Kisho and pleading for an answer. For this Seiichi
was glad. He didn’t want her searching gaze to fall upon him, not when he still
felt a certain amount of hostility towards her; most likely Zoisite’s
influence, he thought to himself for it was certainly not his own.
He had felt a conflict when he had held Aino Minako in his
arms, too. A part of him, the Zoisite part of him, had hated being in that
close a contact with a Senshi, but he also felt as though he had longed to hold
her before… perhaps before he…
Seiichi frowned, giving Masaki cause to enquire if he was
okay. Seiichi had problems teleporting that evening, hence the reason that they
had only arrived at the shrine with time enough to save Minako from a horrible
death.
“Mamoru was captured by Mio” Kisho stated softly in answer
to Usagi’s question, “He sacrificed himself so that we could live.”
Seiichi felt some degree of shame at this statement. They
were the Shitennou, or so he had been told, and they had to protect their
Prince. Mamoru would not have had to make that decision had they been fully
awakened.
Both Kisho and Taro had now awakened their full powers.
Kisho to save Mamoru and Taro in rescuing the Senshi Sword. Seiichi couldn’t
help but wonder when his own awakening would be and whether or not he was ready
for it. He doubted that he was. After all, he had only just managed to accept
his past life and could barely recall his present.
“Seiichi?” Masaki asked, placing a hand on his shoulder,
“Did you hear? We’re going back to the hotel. The girls have booked a couple of
rooms. It’s not ideal but we’re all tired.”
Seiichi nodded mutely, casting a half hearted glance at
the Senshi Sword, now being carefully entombed in the rock once more by Rei and
Ami.
“We’re going to leave it here” Minako stated shyly when
she saw the direction of his gaze, “Why destroy the myth when we have no
further use for it and its powers are now gone?”
This sentiment was one that Seiichi had to admit that he
shared but did not comment further. He was tired and all he wanted to do was
get to the hotel.
The others felt the same and the journey back was in
pretty such silence, only Makoto’s comforting words to a sobbing Usagi could be
heard. None of the guys had seen it fit to comfort her and, in any case, what
could they say? Mamoru had chosen to go with Mio and they already felt bad
enough as it was without having to comfort her, too. Seiichi instantly felt bad
at this thought. He didn’t mean it. All he could remember when he saw Tsukino
Usagi was the loathing that he had felt in the past life, the only life that he
remembered.
Once at the hotel, Minako announced that they had booked
two rooms for the night but she had managed to get them one more. The hotel was
a modest sort, not as luxurious as the hotels that Seiichi had been told that
he had stayed in before, but for this he was glad as he was already getting
some curious stares from some guests.
After a long debate over who got which room, it was
decided that the guys would stay in one and the girls would have the other
two. Seiichi, again, wasn’t really that
concerned and simply said that he would make do.
If the others were annoyed over the sleeping arrangements
then they were too polite to say so in front of the girls.
The room was small and had only a single bed. Kisho and
Masaki started to devise a fair way to decide who got the bed, whilst Seiichi
announced that he was going to have a shower. After he had finished he found
that, whilst they had been arguing, Taro had sneaked over to the bed and
promptly claimed it and was now sleeping soundly whilst Masaki looked for spare
blankets and pillows under the bed and then in the wardrobe.
It all seemed to be passing by in a sort of haze. Seiichi
felt as though he was merely an observing. Never before had he felt so
detached, so unable to join in the laughter when Masaki went over to the bed
where Taro lay sleeping and threw a cup of cold water over his face in payback
for grabbing the bed whilst they weren’t looking. The mood was as light-hearted
as it could be and Seiichi found himself unable to relax as Taro leapt up,
shouting and cursing at Masaki, but also seeing the funny side to this prank.
Despite him feeling tired, Seiichi slipped out of the
hotel door, almost colliding with Minako as she came out of the room opposite.
“Sorry” they said in unison and Minako blushed slightly
before looking away, instead focusing on the shouting coming from the guy’s
room.
Seiichi explained what happened and Minako forced a small
laugh and opened her door to repeat what Seiichi said back to Ami and Rei.
Makoto was staying in the room next door with Usagi.
“Aren’t you tired?” Minako then added when Seiichi said
that he was going down to the hotel’s restaurant to get a coffee.
“I am” Seiichi admitted, “But I don’t think that I’ll get
much sleep at the moment” referring to the noise level that seemed to have
increased within the passed few seconds.
“I doubt if any of us will” Minako answered to this,
“Would you mind if I joined you?”
Seiichi replied that he didn’t and the two of them walked
in more or less silence down the corridor and then the flight of stairs before
reaching their destination.
“Take care. I think you’re coping with things remarkably
well, Seiichi.”
“Do you want to know the truth? I’m terrified.”
“I know, but I’m sure that your memory will come back
given time. You just have to be patient. Please try not to worry. We’ll all
help you to get through this.”
He recalled that day in the hospital as Minako went to
organise some coffee for them. The conflicting emotions inside of him continued
to plague his mind and Seiichi could feel another headache coming on. In truth
he didn’t know if he should be here. He had not lied to Kisho when he said that
he wanted to fight and the Youma had not scared him, it was just that… Seiichi
knew that if he continued to fight then his past life memories would continue
to dominate him. What if, by fighting, he never regained his normal life?
“Here you go” Minako startled him out of his thoughts when
she set a cup off coffee down in front of him, before taking the seat opposite
him. Silence followed again until she said:
“Thank you, again, for what you did at the shrine. Thank
you for saving me.”
Seiichi nodded and took a sip of the coffee, and holding
the almost intense stare that Minako was giving him and then realising the
reasoning behind bringing up the events of earlier in the evening again and
added, “You didn’t know I could transform, did you?”
Minako shook her head.
“I can remember my past life, but not my present one, so I
can still fight.”
“I’m sorry”
“Why?”
This angered her, as did Seiichi’s almost cold tone, a
tone that he didn’t want to be using with her, but the different emotions that
being in her presence invoked were starting to get through to him.
“I care” Minako snapped back, “I want to help you through
this.”
This, coming from the leader of the Senshi, was a strange
concept, and Seiichi again repeated ‘Why?’
“Because I… because we…”
“Because we what?”
Minako hung her head, hiding behind a curtain of black
hair as she murmured, “Because I love you and you loved me. We only got around
to telling each other this right before your accident. What we had was fleeting
and I couldn’t tell you when it became apparent that you didn’t remember me.
How could I tell you?” her voice cracked slightly as she said this, “It
wouldn’t have been fair to expect you to return my feelings and now, as you are
now, I know that you could never feel anything more for me because… because all
you remember is Venus and how much you hated her.”
Seiichi stood up, not knowing what he could say to this.
What did she want to hear? What could he possibly say that could make any
difference?
The person that she loved was gone and Seiichi couldn’t do
anything about that so he left, he left her alone, all the while hating himself
more when the sounds of her crying reached his ears.
******
“Because I love you and you loved me. We only got around
to telling each other this right before your accident. What we had was fleeting
and I couldn’t tell you when it became apparent that you didn’t remember me.
How could I tell you? It wouldn’t have been fair to expect you to return my
feelings and now, as you are now, I know that you could never feel anything
more for me because… because all you remember is Venus and how much you hated
her.”
Minako was unable to stop the tears from falling as
Seiichi left. What she had just told him had been even harder than admitting
that she was to blame for the Senshi’s capture in the past life. His reaction
had confirmed her fears. What they had was gone and nothing could ever bring it
back.
It was selfish of me, Minako tried telling herself. It was
selfish of me to expect that he would return my feelings. Why should he? To him
I am still Venus and nothing can ever change that.
Minako wasn’t sure for how long she was sitting at the
table, staring into her cold cup of coffee and berating herself when she heard
someone call her name. Glancing up, her hopes that Seiichi had thought
differently after all, were dashed when Masaki paused in front of her.
“Have you seen Seiichi?” he asked very abruptly and Minako
got the distinct impression that he had been trying to get her attention for
longer than she had realised.
She nodded mutely in answer to his question.
“Where is he?”
“I…” Minako bit her lip, not wanting to voice the
conversation between them. Her feelings were private and she had no intention
on allowing Masaki to know them.
“Where is he?” his voice rose a tenor when Minako failed
to answer him.
“We were talking,” she said at last, “We were talking and
then he left.”
“Where did he go?”
“I didn’t see.”
Masaki scowled, obviously annoyed and Minako enquired to
know why he was so concerned.
“Because” Masaki grit out, “He is still not himself and if
he were you would realise that Kamakura is the last place that he would want to
be.”
“I… I didn’t think…”
“Of course you didn’t think! Not to mention the fact that
there are still Youma about.”
Minako stood, suddenly feeling very foolish for placing
her own feelings above Seiichi’s safety, “I’ll help you look.”
“No” Masaki snapped, “Taro is checking the rest of the
hotel. You wait here in case he comes back. I’ll have a look outside.”
He was gone before Minako could argue. The idol slumped
back down, feeling mortified that she had allowed him to speak to her in such a
manner. Had he done so before, then Minako knew that she never would have taken
that, let alone comply with his demands.
“You killed them. You killed them despite knowing that I
would go with you. Why?”
“I couldn’t take the risk that they would come after you
and we both know that they would have.”
“So you killed them,” Mamoru repeated bitterly, determined
not to allow her to see any more of his pain so he hid it behind his anger
towards her.
Turning his back to her once more he stated softly, “I
will never show you anything more than anger and I will never forgive you for
their deaths.”
Mamoru bolted up in bed, his eyes snapping open as he took
in his unfamiliar surroundings. His hands shook as they clasped the coverlet
and it took him a moment or two to realise where he was; the remains of the
Dark Kingdom, which meant…
“I couldn’t take the risk that they would come after you
and we both know that they would have.”
His friends were dead… Mamoru swallowed hard, making no
secret of his disgust when Kuroki Mio stepped out of the shadows, where she had
been quietly observing him. Mamoru was momentarily taken aback by her
appearance. The girl was shaking and her black dress was torn in places. Her
brown hair lung limply around her shoulders and the dark look in her eyes had
increased tenfold as she clenched her fists and gave him a cold stare.
“Bad dream?” she asked mockingly, although there was an
overtone of pain in her voice.
Mamoru refused to reply, despite a part of him wanting to
know just exactly what had happened, but then Mio voiced an explanation
willingly as she sat down on the end of his bed, one hand tracing the duvet,
her gaze focused on the floor.
“The Senshi have regained their henshins.”
“They did this to you?” Mamoru asked, unable to help
himself or hide the disappointment in his voice. For a moment he had dared
hope…
Mio glowered at this, “They will not interfere. I will not
allow them to steal you from me, not again.”
“You won’t be able to stop them” Mamoru answered, “They
will come looking for you, even here if they have too.”
Despite everything Mamoru had clung on to the faint hope
that the Senshi could survive, that they could fight again and somehow stop
Mio, for Mamoru himself had lost the will to fight. He had lost it the moment
his friends had died.
“They will” Mio nodded, “Do you love Usagi, Mamoru-kun?”
Mamoru did not reply, a stab of fear entering his heart at
her words and he was afraid that any reply he might give her would pave the way
for another disaster.
It was what Mio had intended anyway, for she gave him
another cat-like grin and then said: “I will have to forfeit then, it would
seem.”
“Forfeit?” Mamoru asked suspiciously.
“We will stay here. Together. Forever.”
“You can stay. I will stay with you.”
Mio gave him another grin and slid off of the bed, “Do you
remember what happened to Hina?”
“Chiba-san. Your fiancée died at 10.15 this morning.”
Even now, when anyone spoke of Hina, Mamoru felt as though
he had been punched in the stomach. The pain was so deep, even now and to be
faced with her murderer… He looked up sharply. Mio enjoyed this reaction and
smirked as she added:
“If you don’t want the same fate to befall Usagi-chan then
I suggest you think very carefully about my demands, don’t you, Mamoru-kun?”
******
“Mamoru was captured by Mio. He sacrificed himself so that
we could live.”
Usagi bit her lip, trying not to let her friends see the
look of pain on her face as she thought of her fiancé. Mamoru was always forced
to give up everything… and, until Mio showed herself once more, Usagi knew that
she could not be reunited with him.
Rei, Ami and Makoto had congregated in Usagi and Makoto’s
room to talk about the mission but with Minako absent and Usagi not really
feeling in the mood to talk, all they had done was try to reassure her.
“Mio won’t hurt him,” Ami said gently, placing a hand on
Usagi’s shoulder.
“I know” Usagi drew her knees up to her chest and sighed
heavily, whilst toying absently with a piece of her hair, “But… I can’t help
but worry.”
Ami nodded, her own expression troubled.
“At least now we can fight with you again” Makoto pointed
out in an effort to make her feel more positive where the mission was
concerned, “We can help you get Mamoru back. He won’t have given up so why
should you?”
“Exactly” Rei nodded, “Mamoru is probably trying to think
of a way to get back to you. He loves you, Usagi. I’m sure he won’t give in
that easily.”
“Minna” Usagi whispered softly, tears threatening to spill
over at their words, “Arigato. You always know how to make me feel better.”
Ami pulled Usagi into a quick hug, which the pigtailed
girl returned. If she didn’t have her friends… She just didn’t know where she’d
be…
A knock at the door startled her from her thoughts. Makoto
went to answer it, “Taro-san” she said in surprise as the tall man walked into
the room, ignoring this shock and going straight over to Ami. He murmured
something in her ear and she stood, casting a pained eye to her friends as Taro
led her to the door. Then she stopped, stated quietly that they had a right to
know too. Taro wasn’t that keen but Ami’s voice was firm and, in the end, he
reluctantly agreed.
“Seiichi’s missing” Ami said softly, “Taro’s looked all
over the hotel but it would appear that he’s actually left the building. There
are also still Youma roaming the streets. We cannot go back to Tokyo until they
are defeated.”
Makoto, forever keen when it came to the prospect of a
battle, gave Ami a smile, “Then what are we waiting for?”
“And where’s Minako?” Rei added quietly and Usagi began to
get the feeling that there was more to Seiichi’s disappearance than Ami or Taro
were letting on and that it had something to do with Minako.
“She’s waiting in the restaurant in case Seiichi comes
back” Taro said, “Masaki and Kisho are already looking in Kamakura itself. We
are to take care of the Youma whilst they find him.”
Usagi nodded, also getting up, but Taro stopped her, “No.
You must stay here in case he comes back to the rooms.”
“Demo” Usagi bit her lip, getting the feeling that there
was more to it than that. Was it because she was the Princess? It had to be,
but Taro had left the room now, Ami giving Usagi an apologetic look before
following suit, as did Makoto. Only Rei lingered and then said as by way of an
explanation:
“You are our Princess. We must keep you safe.”
“But I can fight too” Usagi protested determinedly.
“I know” Rei smiled, “But you are tired from today, ne?”
Usagi nodded; she was feeling a little tired but how could
she sleep knowing her friends were out there risking their lives?
“I’m fine” she said determinedly and got up but as she did
so a wave of fatigue started to overcome her, although she tried to hide this
Rei knew anyway.
“See” she said gently, “Just rest. I’m sure that
everything will be fine.”
Usagi didn’t want too, but she knew in her heart that she
had to heed her friends’ wishes. If she wasn’t strong, when the final battle
came, then she might never see Mamoru again. This Usagi couldn’t bear. All they
had fought for… she couldn’t lose Mamoru after everything, she just couldn’t.
“Be careful,” she whispered and Rei nodded, drawing her
friend into a quick embrace before following Taro, Ami and Makoto.
Once alone, Usagi went back to the bed and lay down, her
eyes falling closed despite her concern for her friends and thus she could not
actually bring herself to give into the sleep that threatened to claim her.
Still, she must have dozed a little, Usagi thought because it was certainly
well into the night when she fully became aware of her surroundings and the
fact that someone was in the room with her.
Snapping open her eyes, Usagi sat up, her heart hammering
loudly in her chest as she flicked on the lamp at the bedside, wincing slightly
as light flooded the room.
Finally her eyes adjusted and she was able to turn and
look at the man leaning back against the bedroom door and a lump formed in her
throat as she recognised him. Instantly she up was, stumbling to him and
throwing her arms around his shoulders as tears leaked from the corners of her
eyes as she spoke, her voice coming out as a breathless whisper:
“Mamoru.”
******
“Because I love you and you loved me. We only got around
to telling each other this right before your accident. What we had was fleeting
and I couldn’t tell you when it became apparent that you didn’t remember me.
How could I tell you? It wouldn’t have been fair to expect you to return my
feelings and now, as you are now, I know that you could never feel anything
more for me because… because all you remember is Venus and how much you hated
her.”
Seiichi wasn’t sure how long he had been walking around
Kamakura for. He supposed it was a couple of hours at least. The night had
closed in quickly and a cold breeze gave him cause to wrap his arms around
himself in an effort to keep warm. His head was pounding, but he had left his
pills back at the hotel and couldn’t bring himself to go back there yet. How
could he when his conversation with Minako was still echoing in his mind?
Seiichi felt terrible. He had all but cut her heart out without intentionally
meaning to. He might no longer be the person that she loved but that was no
excuse to leave her crying. What he had done was unforgivable.
Had he hated Venus? Seiichi could recall his loathing for
the people of the Moon and even his dislike for the leader of the Senshi, but
he hadn’t hated her. They had formed an alliance, an alliance that he had
broken. Hate was too strong a word, but he hadn’t been able to correct Minako
on this. Why hadn’t he? He might not be the person that she loved, but his own
feelings for her were still there. Seiichi still loved her. This hadn’t
changed, but how could he tell her now? He had hurt her and his condition would
continue to do so. Then there was the mission. How could he hope to help Mamoru
if he allowed his own problems to keep coming between him and the mission like
this?
So Seiichi carried on walking away from the hotel,
wandering the dark streets in the hope that this would somehow jog some
memories, but nothing. He might as well have never visited Kamakura before. His
doctor had suggested some sort of therapy might help, but Seiichi was afraid
that he might regain more recollections to do with the mission. He chuckled
slightly at this. He’d find himself in a different sort of hospital if he
started to talk about the mission and the past life so openly. Even if he never
regained his memories… he swallowed hard at this. He wanted to remember. He
wanted to remember the moments that he and Minako had shared, his friendship
with everyone and his family. Yet he had nothing but the damn past life. A past
life that brought him nothing but pain.
Without being consciously aware of it, he pushed open a
pair of iron gates that he suddenly found blocking his way just as his phone
started to ring again. Seiichi had been ignoring it all evening, as he wanted
to be on his own, but now he found himself checking the caller ID, seeing that
it was Masaki, for the forth time.
“It is nothing really, but we have this rule about not
fighting alone. Our numbers are all programmed in so if you see any Youma all
you have to do is call one of us.”
Why did they have a rule against fighting alone? There was
so much that hadn’t been explained to him and, even as he walked, listening to
the phone ringing, Seiichi realised that the aura in the air was almost
tangible. He shivered again and finally took the call.
“Seiichi? Where have you been?” Masaki snapped, the anger
in his voice easily detectable as concerned anger more than anything. “Why
wouldn’t you answer your phone before now?”
“I wanted to be alone.”
“You shouldn’t have left the hotel.”
“I can do what I want. I don’t answer to you.”
Masaki said something to this, but Seiichi suddenly wasn’t
concentrating on what his friend was saying. His eyes widened slightly as he
realised where he was; the cemetery. More so than that he was walking with a
purpose, although he had no idea what that purpose was.
“Seiichi? Are you still there?”
Masaki’s voice was irritating him a little as it
interrupted his concentration and Seiichi almost hung up but the fear was
almost overwhelming him as he became aware of the increasing Youma aura
together with the natural saddened atmosphere that seemed ever present in
cemeteries. His increased his gait whilst assuring Masaki that he was fine.
“Where are you?”
“The cemetery.”
“What the hell are you doing there?”
“I don’t know” Seiichi admitted quietly as his journey
came to an end, leaving him standing by one particular gravestone.
Kneeling down, he focused on the gravestone, noting at how
immaculate it was kept, the marble still polished and clean. No moss covered it
and he leaned forward, struggling under the soft light, to read in the
inscription.
Komoro Zinan, beloved husband of Shina, father of Etsu,
Yasuo and Seiichi. You will always be in our hearts, and never forgotten.
“Seiichi?”
“I have to go” Seiichi answered
distantly, his mind nowhere near focusing on what his friend was saying, “Bye,
Masaki.” He hung up before his friend could argue and switched his phone off
and slipped it back into his pocket as his left hand gently traced the writing
on the marble as his headache started to worsen.
“You look terrified.”
“I’m a little nervous” Seiichi allowed, “It will pass.”
“Seiichi you are a master. You have nothing to be nervous
about” Zinan assured him, “This is just the break you’ve been looking for.”
He shrugged, “In a few weeks it will have all died down.”
“What sort of attitude is that?”
Seiichi smiled “A realistic one.”
Seiichi frowned as this conversation that echoed in his
mind, dully and somewhat muffled, but still he struggled to retain this… no
matter how much pain it caused him.
“Father” Seiichi whispered, tears blurring his vision and
he was unable to stop them from falling.
Zinan smiled weakly and nodded towards his transformation,
unable to speak, but Seiichi understood what he meant.
“This is… this is my true self…”
To this Zinan violently shook his head, letting go of his
son’s arm to reach for where his wallet lay at his side. He slipped out a
photograph from the inside flap, but as he did so another spasm overtook his
body. Seiichi cried out as Zinan’s hand fell lifelessly to his side, his eyes
drifting closed.
For what seemed like an age, Seiichi could only stare down
at his father. Tears ran rivers down his cheeks, splashing down onto his new
uniform. He could barely breath. He was dead… Zinan was dead…
Seiichi felt tears stinging at his eyes at this recollection
and the pain that it caused him.
“Zinan” he whispered softly, reaching up with a shaking
hand to brush his tears away. Before, when Shina had told him that his father
was dead, he had felt nothing. How could he mourn a man who he hardly remembered?
Now it was different. Seiichi could picture his father in his mind’s eye. The
evening of the concert, the way Zinan had encouraged him to pursue his music
career and… the day he died.
A sob escaped him and Seiichi barely registered the hand
that suddenly clamped down on his shoulder. He uttered a small cry as the hand
roughly wrenched him around and Seiichi’s eyes widened with shock as the Youma
raised a hand complete with razor sharp claws. The blow was dizzying and
knocked him backwards. Pain exploded in his head as he struck the marble stone
behind him, the blow causing red and white stars to flash before his vision.
The pain came in waves, each one more intense than the next. His vision was
going grey at the edges and his mind was simply having flashes of different
memories, each making little or no sense and stopping him from being able to
focus on anything substantial let alone his transformation. Seiichi heard the
Youma above him growl but was unable to do anything but utter a soft moan of
pain as he struggled against the relentless tide of memories. A blurred image
of Zoisite came into his mind and was gone a second later. He just couldn’t
hold on to it…
******
“Mamoru.”
Usagi breathed her fiancé’s name softly, unable to believe
her eyes and rubbing at them once to make sure. He was here. He had come back
to her.
Then she was running towards him, wrapping her arms
tightly around his neck and burying her face into the folds of his shirt and
breathing in his familiar scent. Tears blurred her vision as she felt him
placing his hands on her shoulders… and then pushed her away.
Usagi stumbled slightly, her eyes widening as she gazed up
at him, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the neutral look in his eyes.
“Mamoru? What is it?” she asked shyly, “What is wrong?”
although her heart now hammered wildly in her chest as Mamoru’s gaze refused to
soften at seeing her tears of joy turn into fearful ones.
“Mamoru? You came back for me, right?” Usagi prompted him.
Mamoru looked up sharply at her and then spoke, “I don’t
want you getting the wrong idea, Usagi.”
“The wrong idea. I don’t understand?” Usagi took a step
forward; her hand clutching tightly at the pendant that she wore around her
neck, a pendant that Mamoru had given her.
“I have not come back for you.”
“What?” Usagi trembled as she felt her fear heighten,
“What do you mean?”
“I have come back to tell you that I don’t love you
anymore.”
That can’t be true… that can’t be true! Usagi stumbled,
leaning back against the chest of drawers as her legs threatened to give way
beneath her at the coldness of his words and the look in his eyes. They were
cold, as were his words. He meant it… he meant it.
“Why?” she couldn’t help but allow a choked sob to escape
her lips.
“I don’t see why I should be your boyfriend simply because
of something that we shared in a previous life.”
“I look forward to being with you for the rest of my life.
I look forward to the family we will have. I look forward to having our own
house and children, but you’re wrong. The wedding day isn’t meaningless. If
anything it is the most important day of all. The day that you make your vows
sets the course for the rest of your life. It will be the day that will keep us
going when things get tough, the day that keeps us together for that future
that you think I care so little for.”
“No” Usagi shook her head. Our future… the future that we
gave up so much for… why is he throwing it all away? We are looking to the
future, not back at the past. What has changed?
“Is Mio-chan making you say these dreadful things?”
“No. I have realised this myself. By holding on to the
past we can only cause each other pain. The Shitennou have already paid for
this.”
“Mamoru, Kisho-tachi are alive,” Usagi blurted out, hoping
that this knowledge would make all the different. If it did, then Mamoru did
not show it.
“Mamoru!” Usagi cried out as he turned away, stating that
he had said all that he came to say. “You can’t leave me! Where are you going?
Back to her? What has she done to change your heart?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Usagi. You are a
wonderful girl.”
“No” Usagi whimpered, clenching her hands into fists at
her side as Mamoru exited the room. “No!” she let out a scream and ran after
him, “I won’t let you give up our dreams, Mamoru! Mamoru!”
He was gone… the corridor was deserted. He had left her…
“I don’t see why I should be your boyfriend simply because
of something that we shared in a previous life.”
Usagi felt her legs buckle beneath her and she fell to the
floor, uttering a choked sob as more tears filled her eyes. He didn’t mean it…
he couldn’t have meant it. Did their love and future truly mean nothing to him
now?
Mamoru… I don’t understand… I don’t understand how you
could say such things. Our love is destined… We are meant to be together…
Mamoru…
“Usagi-san?”
She froze upon hearing a male voice utter her name and
Usagi hid her tears in shame as she felt a hand on her shoulder. “What is
wrong?”
“Mamoru… I’m sorry…”
“Don’t be sorry. Mamoru would forgive you.”
“But I’m afraid… I don’t know what to do with this power.”
“Then prove me wrong about the past life. Prove to the world
that it will never repeat again.”
The recollection of what Kisho had done for her was the
only reason that Usagi could fathom for what she did next. Allowing another sob
to escape her, she threw herself against the stunned man, holding him tightly as
she cried. Usagi would have normally hated for one of the Tennou to see her so
upset, but, after Mamoru, Kisho was the one she trusted the most.
Still unsure of what to make of this outburst, Kisho
stood, and helped Usagi back into the bedroom before asking what exactly
happened.
Shakily, Usagi told him, seeing no reason to leave
anything out. She completely trusted Kisho and, besides, he might be able to
reassure her of Mamoru’s actions.
Kisho listened silently until she was finished and Usagi
wiped the last of her tears from her eyes, although the pain that Mamoru had
caused her still weighed heavily on her heart.
“Mamoru wouldn’t have said those words without good
reason” Kisho started, obviously taking great care with his words so as to not
upset Usagi any further than she already was, “I cannot believe that he meant
them. Even when we were strongly against your relationship he believed that you
were destined to be together. He would not betray his feelings or hurt you in
such a way without a good reason. Who knows what Kuroki Mio has said to him?”
“Is Mio-chan making you say these dreadful things?”
“No. I have realised this myself. By holding on to the
past we can only cause each other pain. The Shitennou have already paid for
this.”
“He thought you were dead” Usagi whispered brokenly,
“Could that have changed his heart?”
“No” Kisho shook his head, “Even when we thought that
Masaki had been killed, his faith in you remained. Kuroki Mio is behind this, I
am sure.”
Usagi nodded, still not feeling any more confident. Of
course she believed in Mamoru, but his words had still hurt terribly.
“Thank you” she forced a smile, for Kisho’s sake more than
her own, “Thank you for believing in us.”
Kisho, obviously a little embarrassed, cleared his throat
and stood up, “You should get some sleep. You are exhausted.”
Usagi nodded and watched him turn to leave when another
thought crossed her mind. “Have you found Seiichi-kun yet?”
“No” Kisho made little effort to hide his concern.
“He’ll be okay” Usagi called after him as he left, “You’ll
see.”
But, like her concern for Mamoru, Usagi wasn’t sure. Mio
was capable of terrible things and no one could be sure just how far she would
go.
******
“I don’t see why I should be your boyfriend simply because
of something that we shared in a previous life.”
Mamoru stepped through the portal that Mio had created all
too willingly, wanting to escape Usagi’s pained cries as a lump formed in his
throat.
“No! I won’t let you give up our dreams, Mamoru! Mamoru!”
“That was quite a show she put on” Mio commented coolly as
she slid off of the bed and came to Mamoru’s side, wrapping her arms around his
shoulders and pressing a kiss to his lips. Mamoru shuddered and pulled away,
making no secret of his hatred.
“Mou, Mamoru-kun, don’t look that way. You did it to save
her, remember?”
“I might just of well cut her heart out.” He replied
coldly, “But I did as you asked. Can I rely on your word?”
Mio nodded, “Usagi-chan will be safe.”
Satisfied, she released him from her embrace and went back
over to the bed, smoothing out the wrinkles in the duvet until Mamoru’s next
question stopped her in her tracks.
“Why didn’t you tell me that Kisho-tachi were still
alive?”
She looked up sharply, some annoyance flickering across
her face before giving him a lopsided grin and saying, “It must have slipped my
mind.”
“They will come after me. Their duty as my guardians is
too strong, no matter what Usagi says to them.”
“Not if you order them to stay away.”
Mamoru’s heart slipped a beat at the hidden threat in her
voice, “You promised me” he snarled out, “You promised me that Usagi would be
safe.”
“Usagi yes. But the others… If they come here I
will destroy them. You know I have that power and even if I destroy myself in
the process, I promise you this, Mamoru-kun, I will take them with me and make
their end as slow and agonising as possible.”
Mamoru bit his lower lip, thinking of that day four years
ago. Taro’s death was still burnt clearly in his mind. She could do that then…
and she could do much worse…
“Fine” he whispered bitterly, “What do you want me to do?”
*******
“I wanted to be alone.”
“You shouldn’t have left the hotel.”
“I can do what I want. I don’t answer to you.”
Silence after this and Masaki prompted:
“Seiichi? Are you still there?”
“Where are you?”
“The cemetery.”
“What the hell are you doing there?”
“I don’t know”
Again silence.
“Seiichi?”
“I have to go”
The phone went dead. Instantly Masaki hit redial and got
voicemail. Cursing loudly, Masaki was unsure what to do for the best. Was
Seiichi in immediate danger? He wasn’t sure. He was well aware of just why
Seiichi had gone to the cemetery, even if Seiichi himself remained oblivious
and Masaki was sure that he wouldn’t thank him if he called the others and they
all turned up there. Ever since Seiichi had entrusted Masaki with his true
identity as Zoisite four years ago, albeit he didn’t have a choice in the
matter, Masaki had thought that they were close. Seiichi had also confided in
him about his father and, given that his current situation most likely had
something to do with Zinan, Masaki was loath to get everyone else involved.
Thus he made his decision and transformed, teleporting to
roughly where he thought the cemetery was. He appeared, however, in the midst
of about five or six Youma.
Cursing, Jadeite threw up a shield as the nearest one
reacted quickly to his presence and hurled a ball of energy at him. The shield
absorbed this, as Jadeite was reluctant about fighting in a cemetery. This was
sacred ground and he didn’t want to risk damaging any of the headstones.
Unfortunately, the cemetery also emitted a lot of negative
energy, which made the Youma stronger. Knowing that energy alone would be
enough to defeat them, Jadeite drew his sword used it to deflect the next
energy attack and smirked when it made contact with the wielder, catching it a
blow in the stomach and knocking it to the ground. Its comrades now regarded
him with a little more caution and they started to spread out, encircling him.
Unsure, Jadeite cast a wild gaze to his left and saw a
shape lying on top of a gravestone that had been toppled. Seiichi… At least the
Youma weren’t too concerned with him now, Jadeite thought in relief as his
friend was left alone, but the odds weren’t in his favour and he grabbed hold
of his phone with intention of now calling Taro and Kisho. To fight against
such odds would just be stupid. The Youma, however, preferred the odds the way
they were. Jadeite yelled in pain as one struck him from behind, the blow
knocking the breath from his lungs. His phone fell from his hand as he doubled
over in pain, tears forming in his eyes as a similar energy attack knocked him
further forward.
They were on him before Jadeite could do anything about
it. He felt a pair of arms grab him, keeping him pinned on his knees as another
pressed his own blade lightly against his chest and then drew its sword hand
back.
Then suddenly he was free. The grasp that the Youma behind
him had on his shoulders was gone. Jadeite wasted no time in rolling to one
side, and smirked in satisfaction when the blade cut through nothing but air.
Grabbing up his own sword again, he jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his
shoulder:
“I am supposed to be the one saving you” the blonde Tennou
pouted. Zoisite smirked a little at this comment but said nothing in way of a
reply and concentrated on facing the Youma. Jadeite had little time to wonder
how his friend had managed to wake up, let alone transform, judging by the
state he had been in when Jadeite arrived.
The Youma, losing another companion quickly to Jadeite’s
sword, decided that they had enough and turned, making for the gates in the
distance.
If they got out into the city with the pain of loss and
sorrow from the cemetery fuelling them… Jadeite broke into a run after them. If
he merely teleported to the gate then it would only give him a matter of
seconds before they reached him, not enough time for him to then call up an
attack he realised.
Coming to a standstill once again, Jadeite did the only
thing that he could think of doing. He couldn’t even be sure that this would
work but he had to try it, despite it being magic that he had never used
before. He cupped his hands together, drawing on all the reserves of energy
that he had left before casting them outwards, to form a shield around the
gate, his energy wrapping itself around the bars and thus stopping the Youma in
their tracks.
Jadeite stumbled; feeling light-headed at this sudden drop
in his energy levels as the shield’s presence only slowed the Youma for a
matter of seconds. The first one lunged at the gate and actually broke through
the shield before screaming in pain and leaping back, clutching a burnt shoulder
as the magics tore at its flesh. The others were more cautious, but still they
tried to break through and Jadeite was forced to pour more energy into the
shield just to keep it doing, despite the obvious damage it was doing to his
body in the process.