Earth Guardian Prince Endymion
By Senshi
of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi
Act Thirty Recap:
(Mamoru’s POV)
When Zoisite collapsed his true identity was revealed to the Dark Kingdom as well as us, the Shitennou. With the knowledge of his normal form, Queen Beryl set out to capture him.
She had waited so long for this moment and now it was a
matter of hours away. She was standing at that cliff edge, knowing for certain
that she was going to jump. There would never be a time like this again. Each
second counted and seemed longer than the last.
“Princess… it will not be like this again.”
Unfortunately, Usagi was also caught in the crossfire.
“Komoro-san?”
“Go. Quickly before the Youma arrives.”
“Youma? What? Aren’t you coming with me?”
“No.”
“Well” Usagi pouted, “If you’re going to stay and fight
you’ll need some help.”
“No. You must leave now. If they find you here with me…”
he trailed off, “Just go.”
Tsukino Usagi… Sailor Moon… A part of me has always loved
her… even when we were at each other’s throats I knew that something drew us
together… something as old as the past life itself. I had always known deep
down that I was…
“Stay back!” Beryl cried and Mamoru heard the shocked
gasps of his friends as he took another step towards them both. He could see
the change in his clothes happening before his eyes, but that did not seem to
cause him any concern and he kept his gaze locked upon Beryl and Seiichi.
“You…” Beryl whispered, the shock easily detectable in her
voice as she pushed Seiichi away from her. “You are…”
*******
Act Thirty-One:
“Stay back!” Beryl cried and Mamoru heard the shocked
gasps of his friends as he took another step towards them both. He could see
the change in his clothes happening before his eyes, but that did not seem to
cause him any concern and he kept his gaze locked upon Beryl and Seiichi.
“You…” Beryl whispered, the shock easily detectable in her
voice as she pushed Seiichi away from her. “You are…”
“Mamoru?” he heard one of the others, Taro, calling, but
Mamoru ignored him. He was completely focused on Beryl. For what seemed like an
age, neither moved. Their gazes locked until the realisation of whom Mamoru was
started to register.
“You” Beryl seethed, as she broke his gaze to turn back to
Seiichi. “You tricked me!” she screamed as she raised a hand, her magics
flickering to life in the palm of her hand.
Mamoru stepped between the two of them, and the fury died
as quickly as it had come. Beryl gave Mamoru one last look and fled,
teleporting back to the Dark Kingdom.
With her departure the ice disappeared, the people who had
been encased in a crystal prison slumped to the floor unconscious.
Mamoru paid them little heed and turned back to his
friend, “Seiichi? Daijobu?”
Seiichi was knelt down in front of him, but dared to raise
his head to look Mamoru in the face when he heard his name being called.
“Master… Endymion…”
“Master?” Usagi whispered, her voice hoarse from a mixture
of fear and disbelief as she stared at the change that Mamoru had undergone.
Pausing to look down at himself, the black haired Prince
exhaled sharply. Gone were his faded jeans and black shirt and replacing them
was a cream coloured uniform complete with gold stitching. The stitching weaved
its way around most of the upper half of this uniform, twining itself around
the fabric in many patterns until it ended just before his waist. A cream cape
with a turquoise lining was fastened to heavy shoulder pads and just brushed
the floor. A sword was sheathed at his side, the hilt encrusted in more gold.
He now wore boots that went up to his knees and were tucked into the trousers
of his uniform.
Mamoru could feel the heaviness of the atmosphere as his
Shitennou took in his new transformation. Then, as one, they transformed, the
shock in their eyes telling him that they had not willed their transformations
this time. Nephrite and Jadeite seemed confused and the latter’s gaze continued
to flicker between Zoisite and Mamoru, as though unsure of what to say or do.
Kunzite’s gaze was easier to read. His face held a look of complete horror and
lambent fury, as he understood what they should have all guessed from the
beginning.
“Master?” Usagi repeated, taking a tentative step towards
Mamoru and as she did so her clothes shone a bright white before being replaced
with her Princess gown. Halting in surprise, Usagi’s hand flew to the
Ginzuishou, which was hanging around her neck on a silver chain.
As she touched it, her head fell forward onto her chest as
its powers took hold and when she looked up, Mamoru knew he was staring into
the face of her past self once more.
“Endymion” she called plaintively and she reached out to
clasp Mamoru’s hand in her own. As she did so the hotel was lit up again, this
time in liquid moonlight and Mamoru felt the Ginzuishou’s powers take hold of
him.
“Master!”
“Mamoru!”
He heard the others calling him, but he was powerless to
the Ginzuishou’s thrall.
“The Princess… Princess Serenity…” Mamoru whispered, “Then
I am… the Prince?”
******
They were in heaven; there were no other words to describe
the tranquil beauty that surrounded them. Mamoru stood, as though in a trance,
as he gazed around. His eyes taking in the exquisite marble palace and the
silver-blue stream that flowed alongside it. There were rolling hills and
meadows for as far as the eye could see, the sun shining down brightly through
the crystal dome, which encased this serene landscape.
Mamoru turned to the Princess at his side, marvelling at
the radiant joy etched upon her gentle features as she gazed at her home. Tears
were shining in her eyes and Mamoru knew that she had longed to return to this
moment… this moment of peace.
Slowly she turned, reaching out to draw him to her in a
tender embrace.
Then the silence was shattered, as Mamoru knew it would
be. He heard the Princess scream as he was torn from her arms, a wall of fire
billowing up between them, forcing them apart.
“Endymion!” she screamed, the fire now licking around the
hem of her dress as she struggled to reach him, her tiny hands outstretched
towards him.
“Serenity!” Mamoru heard his own voice shout, as he fought
against this place, the delighted crows of Beryl ringing in his ears as the
ground in front of him exploded in a shower of colours and flames before dying
completely, leaving destruction in their wake. Then he felt it, an agonising
pain in his back as the sword entered his body even as Serenity screamed.
Mamoru fell, his own sword clattering heavily against the
stone as he did so. He had no strength left…
“Endymion!” Serenity screamed, her cries were like music
to the demon Queen of the Dark Kingdom and Beryl’s laughter grew as the
Princess sank to her knees, taking in the devastation that she was left with.
“My home… my mother… my Prince…” she whispered bitterly, a
single tear splashing down her cheek to stain the front of her dress. “My
Senshi… she has taken them all from me… I have nothing left” her voice hardened
as she stood to face the triumphant Queen, “Nothing. I have nothing left so I
have nothing to lose…”
With these words she raised the Ginzuishou high above her
head… Beryl’s laughter turned into screams of terror as the Ginzuishou began to
glow…
******
Mamoru opened his eyes, wincing slightly
at the harshness of the light streaming in through the window. He was on a bed,
dressed in his normal clothing. Usagi and Taro were kneeling beside him, the
relief clear in their eyes when he sat up and gazed around the rest of the
room.
“We had to move you” Taro explained
quietly, “When Beryl left the hotel returned to normal. You’re in Komoro-san’s
room.”
Mamoru nodded, his gaze now locking on
the forth of his Shitennou. Seiichi was standing beside the window, looking out
across the street, seemingly absorbed in the comings and goings of the people
below them.
Masaki sat in a chair by the door,
staring at the floor in silence, stunned by this latest turn of events.
“Kisho?” Mamoru asked softly, wanting to
know where his other friend had gone.
“He left when we brought you up here”
Taro explained, “He’s probably shocked that…” he broke off and looked away.
“That I am… the Prince?” Mamoru felt a
stab of dread as this realisation hit him for the first time.
“The illusionary Ginzuishou… please…”
“Endymion!”
Usagi drew back from the bed, lowering
her gaze to the floor and refused to meet his eyes. Luna hurried to her
charge’s side and nuzzled her reassuringly, though Mamoru was no longer
interested in anything that the Princess might have to say.
“You knew didn’t you?” this was directed
at Seiichi.
Seiichi looked up and nodded:
“You are the Prince,” he confirmed.
Mamoru felt nothing at his words. He had gone completely numb. He was watching
the events unfolding before his eyes as though he was standing behind a wall of
glass. He didn’t want this…
At Seiichi’s words, Masaki sprang up out
of his chair, becoming uncharacteristically angry as he shouted: “And when were
you going to tell us this?”
“He wasn’t ready to learn the truth”
Seiichi replied quietly, “I was trying to protect my Master until he was
awakened properly and he could accept what had happened in the past life.”
Masaki shook his head, “And do you think
he is ready now?”
Seiichi shrugged and turned to Mamoru,
“Are you, Master?”
“Master?” Mamoru repeated, ignoring
Usagi’s warnings of getting up too quickly, and standing.
“We are the Shitennou who protected the
Master in the past life… you are our Master.”
“I’m Chiba Mamoru!”
“Master--”
“Don’t” Masaki shouted, pushing between
the two of them, “You should have told us” Masaki said to Seiichi, making no
attempt to hide his bitterness, “How did keeping it a secret help? You were
truly willing to die today and you wouldn’t even give us a choice!”
“It was not your choice to make.”
“So you would have gladly died today and
taken the truth with you?”
“I don’t have to answer your questions.
I did what I had to do to protect my Master. Why should I have to justify
myself to you?”
“And what about Mamoru?”
“If he wishes me to then I will”
“Mamoru?” Masaki turned to him, “Don’t
you want him to explain properly instead of feeding us more lies.”
Mamoru shrugged, “He says that he was
trying to protect me and prepare me for the truth about the past life, but we
both know the real reason, don’t we? He knew I wouldn’t want this and I don’t.
I didn’t want to become Tuxedo Kamen and now I am the Prince as well? I don’t
want this. I didn’t ever want this.”
He felt better, Mamoru realised, and it
felt better to have this out in the open. It felt better to see the
disappointment in Seiichi’s eyes. Mamoru was sick of all these secrets. He was
tired of feeling as though he was always on an edge, even around his friends.
Seiichi broke the silence. He quickly
turned and hurried from the room, Artemis surprised all of them by racing after
him, the door slamming loudly behind them.
Masaki left a few seconds later. There
was no disappointment on his face, only some hurt registering in his eyes
before it was replaced by a look of indifference. He murmured something about
having to get home and was gone, leaving only Taro and Usagi at Mamoru’s side.
“Usagi--” Mamoru started, but she cut
him off with:
“You’re not him… you can’t be…” and she
fled, and, had the situation been a lighter hearted one, Mamoru would have
found it funny that he had managed to alienate two of his friends and the girl
he loved all in the space of a few minutes.
“Mamoru--” Taro started, but Mamoru cut
him off with:
“Don’t. There is nothing that you can
say that will make me change my mind. I have a life, Taro-kun. I have a fiancée
whom I love very much and now I’m suddenly told that I am supposed to love a
Princess from a life I barely remember? You were my friend and now I am your
Master?”
“We’re still friends” Taro replied
uncomfortably, “Nothing has changed there, Mamoru-kun, and as for Hina-san… no
one is forcing you to choose. You should be with the person you love and if
that isn’t Usagi-san in this world then no one will blame you for that.”
“And what if it is? Our love destroyed
this planet before. Do you really think Seiichi and Kisho will allow me to
choose her knowing all this?”
Taro shrugged and answered honestly and
for this Mamoru was grateful, “I don’t know. I do not recall the past life, but
I do not think it is important. The past is a part of ourselves, yes, but it is
also history. History will only repeat if you do not learn from your mistakes.
Avoiding them is not the answer. If you want to be with Usagi-san, then who are
we to stand in your way?”
“I don’t know” Mamoru sighed, secretly
grateful for his friend’s support, “I don’t know what to think anymore…”
******
“Endymion…” Beryl breathed softly, her
mind’s eye replaying that moment over and over again. Endymion… the true Prince
of Earth. Her heart clenched at the very thought of him in the Princess’s arms
and her mind strove for revenge against the foolish Tennou who had dared to
deceive her in such a way. Fury burned away in her soul that she could have
been so blind as to the true Prince’s identity. Chiba Mamoru… Endymion… with
her memories now fully restored Beryl knew that once again she must be patient.
With her shadow on Earth she could see Endymion any time that she so desired
and being near to him would be enough… for now…
Forcing herself to believe this, Beryl
also firmly crushed any thoughts of retribution she might have concerning a
certain member of the Shitennou. Revenge, too, would have to wait. The
Shitennou were all precious, or so Metallia had once told her, and Beryl had
wanted to much to make them her own and to see the pain and agony in Endymion’s
eyes. She had wanted him to feel just an inch of the agony that she had felt
when he rejected her love. Of course, that had not meant to be and Beryl
obtained her vengeance against the Princess by taking her Senshi from her side.
Metallia was growing stronger… her
powers flowed through the Dark Kingdom like an endless tide of destruction.
Somehow this filled Beryl with an uneasy sense of dread. Since the beginning,
Metallia had been something that Beryl could control. She had always been able
to harness the power of the Great Ruler for her own, but something had changed…
with the Ginzuishou’s shine in this new world Metallia had grown and Beryl
didn’t like this… she didn’t like this at all…
******
“These warm feelings are part of
life...As long as I stay as who I am. C’est la vie. I want to keep on loving
you.”
“Did you know?” Mars demanded, breaking
through the melodious singing of her former leader as she all but ran into the
room. She slammed the door behind her and this caused Venus to wince slightly.
“Did I know what?” the blonde asked
innocently.
“That Zoisite was not the true Prince?”
“Perhaps” Venus shrugged, “Why the
sudden interest?”
“Look” Mars snapped, leaning forwards to
glare into the other girl’s eyes as she spoke, “Beryl-sama was made a fool of
today because of him! Did you know?”
“Was she?” Venus asked mischievously,
obviously enjoying the conflict, “And I am sure that she would take very well
to all and sundry in the Dark Kingdom knowing of this.”
This quietened the Senshi of Fire and
Mars backed up a few paces as the door opened again and Mercury and Jupiter
entered.
“Queen Beryl requests your presence”
Jupiter informed Venus, more than a little coldly. “I would not keep her
waiting if I were you.”
“Her?” Mars protested, allowing to
feelings of resentment to echo in her voice, as she demanded to know what for.
“Beryl knows that you’ve been speaking
with the Princess” Jupiter continued, ignoring Mars, “That you’ve been warning
her against using the Ginzuishou.”
“The Ginzuishou is a terrible weapon and
will destroy not only all in its path, but the heart of the welder. Surely
Beryl does not still seek it for her own?” Venus sprang up from her stool, fear
clouding her heart at Jupiter’s words.
The taller Senshi smirked and shrugged,
“Beryl-sama has no need for the Ginzuishou now. Its very existence in this
world is enough to feed Metallia’s powers. Soon she shall awaken fully and the
Earth will be reduced to nothing but dust.”
“Is that what you truly want? Jupiter,
Mars, Mercury, think back to the time when we protected this world! A part of
you must still remember? Beryl is playing tricks on your minds. The Princess is
the one who we--”
“Enough!” Venus winced, stumbling
backwards as Jupiter struck her. She grimaced at the metallic taste of blood in
her mouth and, shakily, she reached up with a gloved hand to touch her split
lip.
Jupiter…
Venus stared into her face, silently
looking for a hint of her old friend in those cold brown eyes. There was none…
turning to the others, Venus only saw greed and delight at her current position
in Mars’s gaze. Mercury seemed troubled… torn almost, but there was no time…
ever since the Ginzuishou had healed her, Venus knew that she was living on a
knife-edge. She could almost see the axe falling above her head. There was no
time for anything more… Venus only prayed that the Princess was strong enough
to resist the Ginzuishou’s thrall in this world.
“Jupiter, Mercury, Mars” Venus pleaded
as she teleported from the room, “Go back to the Princess’s side.”
*****
“He says that he was trying to protect me and prepare me
for the truth about the past life, but we both know the real reason, don’t we?
He knew I wouldn’t want this and I don’t. I didn’t want to become Tuxedo Kamen
and now I am the Prince as well? I don’t want this. I didn’t ever want this.”
“Seiichi?” Artemis called out,
struggling to keep up with his charge’s faster gait, as he turned around a
corner and down another slight of stairs.
In the Okura things had returned to normal and no one recalled a thing.
Artemis was glad of this, as anything else would complicate matters further.
Not that they weren’t complicated enough, he thought to himself.
Artemis had known that this day would
come. He had known that one day Mamoru would awaken his powers, but the plushie
had always wondered where that would leave Seiichi.
Suddenly, his friend halted and Artemis
almost ran into his feet. “I’m going to the hospital,” Seiichi stated, his
voice giving away nothing, “Tetsuya called earlier. He was going to discharge
himself this afternoon. Because of what was going on I persuaded him that he
should wait until this evening so that I could be around if he needed
anything.”
“Seiichi, you can call the studio to see
that Tetsuya gets back here safely. You need to go back upstairs and talk to
Mamoru.”
“The Master will come around in time.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. You
should have told them sooner.”
Seiichi shrugged, “You were the one
telling me to keep it a secret” he reminded the plushie. “If we just leave them
alone then they will work things out without me having to interfere.”
“You won’t be interfering. You are a
Tennou, too!”
“Perhaps” Seiichi allowed, his calmness
frustrating Artemis to the point of him finding it difficult to keep his anger
at bay, “But me being there would only complicate matters. You heard what Ueda-san
said to me.”
“Of course they were going to be angry,
Seiichi. You couldn’t have expected anything else!”
“If they want to argue among themselves
then they can just get on with it. My only concern is protecting the Master
from Beryl.”
Artemis sighed, seeing the sense in
Seiichi’s words, but that familiar concern about his charge was back again.
Whether he liked it or not, Artemis knew that he did care about Seiichi. Not in
the same way that he cared about Venus, but he could tell that the young man was
very upset about what had happened, despite his outward coldness.
Artemis also knew that Seiichi was
subconsciously unsure of his place with the other Tennou. Acting as the decoy
Prince meant that he could keep them at a distance and now he would have to
start working with them again. Before Seiichi had, had relative control over
the situation and this new uncertainty was getting through to him more than he
cared to admit. It had been a year ago that Artemis had urged Seiichi to accept
the past life, but that day when… he shook his head sadly. Something had
changed… and Artemis was only now fully starting to realise it.
“Seiichi-kun?”
“Yes?”
“… You might want to look at that arm
first,” Artemis said at length, wanting dearly to voice his thoughts but not
having the nerve to quite do so. Instead he indicated Seiichi’s injury which
was still bleeding slightly through his jacket.
“If you go into a hospital like that
they’ll never let you leave” Artemis said, with a hint of a smile.
Seiichi nodded, agreeing to stopping off
at the next bathroom to look at the wound inflicted by Beryl.
However, this did not ease Artemis’s
concern.
He’s so much like Zoisite now Artemis thought to himself, Sometimes I am unable to
tell them apart…
*******
When Mamoru and Taro had finally left
the hotel, Mamoru had only been granted his privacy when Taro had received
several assurances that he was going straight home to try and get some sleep.
That in itself was a joke. How could he
get some sleep? How could he even hope to get some rest when every time he
closed his eyes he could see the Princess’s tears as he died back on the Moon?
Her screams still echoed in his waking mind and Mamoru knew that if he slept it
would be much worse.
Of course it all made sense now, Mamoru
thought bitterly. The fact that he was the one without any powers, that he
dreamt about the Princess and the Ginzuishou and that it was he who was drawn
to the impossibly clumsy and sometimes very stupid Tsukino Usagi.
Tsukino Usagi… Rabbit of the Moon… he
should have guessed really and this only added to his anger and fear. Yes, fear
was a factor. Mamoru was not like the Shitennou. He had not lived his life
waiting for his true purpose to find him. He was Chiba Mamoru not Endymion. He
had made his own way in this world. He had a fiancée whom he loved, not in the
same way as Usagi, but Hina was very special to him and Mamoru resolved to
stick by her no matter what.
Every decision that Mamoru had ever made
he had made as Chiba Mamoru, not Endymion. He would not suddenly alter his life
and feelings just because he was now the Prince. He would not fight this battle
anymore. How could he? How could any of them?
Masaki and Seiichi were at each other’s
throats, Kisho had gone and Taro… Taro would follow whichever lead Mamoru would
take. But he didn’t want to take lead. They were his friends and suddenly they
were his guardians and he was their Master?
“We are the Shitennou who protected the Master in the past
life… you are our Master.”
They were the Shitennou, Mamoru thought to himself. In this world
things were different. They were different.
He had met Masaki, Taro, Kisho and
Seiichi as they were now and, Mamoru had thought, they had forged friendships
based upon who they were now… not who they were in the past.
The past life… Mamoru now dreaded it.
“Mamoru-kun? Is that you?”
He winced as the light flickered on in
their apartment and the bedroom door opened. Hina stood on the threshold,
peering sleepily out into the darkened front room.
Despite himself, Mamoru replied: “Yes,
it’s me.”
He heard Hina sigh in relief and had
hoped that she would be content to go back into the bedroom. This was not the
case and Mamoru blinked under the artificial light as the lamp flickered on.
For what seemed like an age, Mamoru could only stare at her. They had been
childhood friends… Hina’s family had taken him in when his own parents died.
For a long time Hina and her family had been all that he had and Mamoru loved
them like they were his family.
“You’ve been a long time,” she said
softly as she took a seat on the sofa beside him, “I was getting worried.”
Mamoru glanced down at her hands, her
engagement ring sparkling in the light from the lamp.
Usagi…
“I went to see… I went for a walk.”
“I see. It must have been a long walk.”
“It was.”
Hina nodded, and asked hesitantly, “Are
you having second thoughts?”
“What about?”
“The wedding. We were supposed to be
going to the church this afternoon, remember?”
“I know. Something happened.”
“You just said you went for a walk”
“Well I lied!” Mamoru snapped, his tone
of voice startling her somewhat.
“What is happening to you?” Hina
demanded, suddenly becoming uncharacteristically angry.
I don’t know…
“You’ve been this way for a while” Hina
continued, “And I’ve tried everything to make it better, but I’m not enough for
you am I?”
“Hina…”
She lowered her gaze, but not before Mamoru
saw the tears in her eyes. “I booked a fall wedding. I thought you’d like
that.”
“I--”
“Don’t” Hina pleaded, “Please don’t make
it any worse. When you’ve finally decided what it is you want, let me know
because I just can’t take this anymore.”
She turned, hurrying back into the
bedroom and shutting the door. Mamoru stood again, taking a step in the
direction of the bedroom, but thinking better of it.
“Endymion!”
“So this is our fate? To live our lives
as something that no longer exists in this world?” Mamoru whispered to himself
as he walked to the door, ignoring the muffled sobs that came from Hina’s room.
“It cannot be… Were we truly reborn just for this?”
******
“You should not risk everything for someone you don’t
understand.”
“But I do understand you. You are afraid. You don’t want
the past to repeat itself. You are trying to protect me. If you really don’t
care for me then explain why?”
“I am not the Prince you love.”
“I am not the Prince you love” Usagi repeated
sadly to herself as she sat down upon her bed.
Chiba Mamoru… Endymion… she supposed
that deep down her heart always knew the truth but she had not wanted to
believe it. She had been content with trying to force herself to summon some
feelings for Zoisite because she had not had the courage to follow her own
heart. Still… she tried to be angry at Komoro-san for leading her on, but in
actual fact he had never done anything of the sort. She was weak, Usagi thought
sadly. She was too weak to realise the true meanings behind his words and she
was too weak to stay and accept the truth.
“I am… the Princess and he is…”
“Usagi?” she jumped slightly as her
bedroom door flew open.
“Shingo?”
“You a Princess?” her younger brother
smirked at her words, “Mama said that dinner was ready. Didn’t you hear her
calling?”
“No… I guess I…”
“Well hurry up” Shingo grinned as he
turned to leave. “Usagi-hime”.
Usagi nodded and Shingo was content to
leave her be.
“The Princess destroyed the planet,”
Usagi murmured to herself, “But I am more than the Princess in this world.
Shingo is my brother… I have a family and a life. So that past does not
repeat…”
“Usagi-chan?” Luna asked gently, “What
will you do?”
Usagi smiled, “Go and have dinner.”
“Eh?”
“I’m Tsukino Usagi and the Senshi of
love and justice, Sailor Moon, but right now I’m just hungry.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I just have to keep smiling. If I lose
myself to the past life then the planet really will be destroyed.”
“Usagi-chan… I’m glad…”
“Endymion!”
Chiba Mamoru…. Usagi thought to herself.
He had his own life, too, and wanted to live it as he chose too. She would
respect that. She would keep smiling… now Venus was back on her side it was
only a matter of time before the other Senshi were too, and with their help
they could start over again.
“This” Seiichi shouted, picking up her locket and dangling
it in front of the Princess’s face, “This destroyed our planet. Are you so
foolish to think that you could control its power? You are only a child!”
“And I have a weak heart”
“No… not anymore… I’m going to be strong
this time…”
******
“I don’t know. I do not recall the past life, but I do not
think it is important. The past is a part of ourselves, yes, but it is also
history. History will only repeat if you do not learn from your mistakes.
Avoiding them is not the answer. If you want to be with Usagi-san, then who are
we to stand in your way?”
“We cannot interfere” Taro repeated his
earlier words to Mamoru to the two men standing beside him. With the revelation
that Mamoru was the true Prince, Taro was well aware that the Shitennou were
divided over how to deal with this new situation.
Still, it didn’t mean that he hadn’t
felt weird when he called Kisho and Masaki first thing the next morning and
requested that they meet at the dockyard, away from the streets of Tokyo and
the indecision that lay inside the city. Taro had hoped that perhaps they could
come to some understanding without having to involve Mamoru at all. This was
not the case.
“If you do not put a stop to this then
the past will only repeat itself,” Kisho retorted to Taro’s remarks. His older
friend was confused, Taro knew. He had seen the way Kisho had looked at
Komoro-san and had mentally winced at the harshness of his gaze. Kisho truly
hated the Prince and now suddenly he was told that the Prince he hated was his
friend. Only a fool would be unable to sense the inner battle inside Kisho and
Taro was aware that he would have to phrase each sentence carefully unless he
wanted to further widen the gap between Mamoru and themselves. Hence the
reasoning behind not calling Komoro-san. As the forth Tennou, Taro knew that a
meeting between them should include him, but he was afraid that his presence
would only complicate matters. In fact, Taro was not even sure that Komoro-san
wouldn’t make matters worse. He wanted to ask Masaki about this, but after
recalling the furious words spoken between them, Taro decided it would be best
to leave matters be.
“Why must we live in the past?” Taro
questioned, countering Kisho’s response with his own question. “Why can we not
live as we are now?”
“You do not remember what happened so,
therefore, you are unable to make the choices that we all have too.”
“And you think that this is your answer?
To divide us like this? If so, then the Dark Kingdom has already won.”
This hit a nerve, and Kisho refused to
reply. Taro turned to Masaki. The younger man had not taken part in this heated
discussion and this annoyed Taro slightly. He had hoped, given the present
situation, that he could count upon a little more support from him.
“Mamoru is not the enemy,” he stated.
“I know.”
“Then why--”
“He was willing to die. He kept all this
from us and then continued to urge us to work as a team.”
Taro shrugged, “He had his reasons” and
then, thinking of Mercury, he added, “There are some things that are better
kept a secret.”
“I know. I saw the look on Mamoru’s
face, too. You are wrong about the recent events dividing us. We have been
divided for a long time, before all of this happened.”
It was true, Taro thought unhappily.
Ever since the beginning each Tennou had, had their own agenda. They worked as
a team, but it was only on the surface. Kisho wanted to keep the past from
repeating, Masaki had been forced to keep Zoisite’s identity a secret, Mamoru
had his love for Sailor Moon and Seiichi refused to even work together with
them. Even Taro had kept his love for Mercury a secret from them. With all of
this it was little wonder that they couldn’t find some common ground now and
they never would unless they all put their cards on the table.
Glancing warily at Kisho and Masaki,
Taro knew that he would have to go first.
“Look” he started, “When I was held
captive in the Dark Kingdom, I--”
“Youma!” Kisho shouted, grabbing a hold
of Taro’s arm and pulling him to one side as the creature raced towards them.
It continued in its dash and raced over the side of the dock and into the water
with a loud splash.
Taro winced slightly at the grip Kisho
had on his arm and shook him off, feeling a little foolish that he had been so
absorbed in what he was trying to tell them that he hadn’t noticed it.
“Can Youma swim?” he wondered, trying to
disguise his embarrassment as he glanced over the side. Nothing disturbed the
calm-as-a-millpond water.
Masaki shrugged, “I guess not.”
As he turned back to the others, Taro
couldn’t help but utter a shocked gasp as several other Youma appeared. It was
strange… they seemed to be bubbling up through the concrete itself.
Shaking this off, Taro transformed, as
did his friends, and then did a double take as he recognised the cloaked Youma
as being almost the same as the ones they had defended Zoisite from in the park
before.
“I didn’t know Queen Beryl was in to
recycling” he quipped as he drew his sword and slashed at the nearest one.
The Youma drew back, crowding together
as though they were protecting something. Kunzite had the same thought as he
drew his own blade and raced towards them, causing them to scatter as he
approached. Kunzite kicked out at the nearest one, sending it sprawling back
into two companions. As they hit the tarmac they disappeared, dragged down
beneath the surface once more.
The remaining ones also skittered
backwards and froze, as though in a trance.
“What are they---?” Jadeite started
when, as one, they stepped away revealing what they had been hiding.
To Nephrite’s surprise, it was another
Youma, though this one looked different. It was taller, and its body was made
of a brick-like substance, though it appeared to be a darker brown in colour.
In fact, its whole body resembled the creation of a very bad wall, Nephrite
thought to himself, but even he could tell just how much power was radiating
from this Youma alone and, for once, he decided that it wasn’t the time or
place for another of his bad jokes.
Slowly, the Youma raised a hand and a
flame of fire shot from its uncurled palm and danced towards them before Nephrite
could move. He only just managed to conjure a weak shield, which exploded upon
impact and sent him sprawling to the ground. Jadeite fell beside him, his
sword-hand bloodied from the effort of keeping his own shield going. Only
Kunzite was still standing and the most powerful of them managed to block the
next attack with his own weapon and sent it back upon the Youma.
Moving as one, the remaining weaker
Youma jumped out in front of it and took the blast, it disintegrated them in an
instance. They melted back into the pavement as the Youma took a step towards
them, now conjuring a scythe-like blade in a hand.
Nephrite snatched up his own weapon once
more as Kunzite lunged at it, his blade clashing hard against the scythe. The
Youma reached out with its free hand and grasped Kunzite’s wrist and then it
threw him off of it. Kunzite hit the floor with such a force that a thin crack
appeared in the concrete.
“What is that thing?” Jadeite whispered
in shock, voicing what they were all thinking.
“I don’t know” Nephrite replied as
Kunzite stood, his face had drained of all colour in disbelief that a Youma
could do this. If Kunzite couldn’t beat it… Dismissing these thoughts, Nephrite
took advantage of the fact that the Youma was advancing towards Kunzite again.
With its blade raised above its head, it should have been unaware of an attack
from behind. Nephrite raised his sword and brought it down hard on the
creature’s back… or he would have done had it not whirled around before he
could even register the fact that it had sensed him. It wrapped a hand around
his throat and threw him backwards into Jadeite. They both hit the ground again
and it turned again, to counter Kunzite’s next attack. The strongest Tennou
slashed again and again with his sword, and Nephrite could see the desperation
in his eyes as the Youma counter every move he made.
Then it was over. The Youma kicked
Kunzite hard in the chest and he was thrown back to join them on the tarmac.
It was too strong… Nephrite already
shook from exhaustion and pain… and his friends weren’t fairing much better.
Their attacks were getting weaker. This Youma simply absorbed them into its
being. It was like nothing they had ever faced…
Nephrite struggled to summon the last of
his strength… enough for one last attack…
*****
“Don’t” Hina pleaded, “Please don’t make it any worse.
When you’ve finally decided what it is you want, let me know because I just
can’t take this anymore.”
Mamoru ran, his Endymion guise making it difficult to do so as the
sounds of a battle reached his ears. All night he had simply driven around
Tokyo. He had visited the park where he and Hina had played together as
children, the kindergarten where he and Usagi had spent the afternoon together,
and even the Tsukino household. After terrible agonising over his decision,
Mamoru had made it and intended to stick to it.
Reaching the battle at the dockyard,
Mamoru saw that it was almost over. His Tennou were down… this Youma must be
strong… but was he stronger?
As the Youma raised its blade above its
head to deliver a deadly blow, Mamoru also swung his sword in a downward arch.
It crashed loudly against the scythe and the three kings looked up in shock.
“Master?” Jadeite whispered as he
recognised his Endymion form.
Mamoru ignored him as the scythe
clattered, broken in two, to the floor. So this was his power? The Youma,
stunned by his appearance could do nothing as he brought his sword crashing
down on its head, cutting it in two. The two halves of the Youma fell to the ground
and were quickly turned into nothing but a fine layer of dust, which was borne
away on a light westerly breeze.
Sheathing his sword at his side, Mamoru
turned to the Tennou. He offered a hand to Nephrite to help him to his feet,
but the red haired king refused to take in, instead opting to kneel down in
front of him, his head bowed. Jadeite followed suit and Mamoru was alarmed to
see that his friend was hurt, red blood welling up through his glove. The
blonde ignored this and Mamoru’s concern. Only Kunzite refused to kneel, the
oldest king taking a step back as Mamoru approached.
“Taro-kun?” Mamoru began uncertainly. He
had rehearsed his words so many times before and now the moment had actually
arrived… he did not know what to say.
“Master--?”
“Please don’t. Get up. It is me,
Mamoru.”
“Mamoru-kun?”
He nodded and they did as asked,
de-transforming when Mamoru requested that they did so.
“I have made my decision” he said
softly, “I am Chiba Mamoru. This…” he indicated his Endymion uniform “Is only
an echo of my former self. We were reborn to fight the Dark Kingdom, but that
was not our only purpose. Had it been then we would not have been granted the
lives we live now. When the Dark Kingdom is defeated we will go on living them.
I am not saying that the past is not important, because it is. In order to stop
the past from repeating we must learn from the mistakes of the past. We can
choose our own destiny and I choose to be Chiba Mamoru.”
There… he had said it and now Mamoru
awaited their reactions with baited breath. Taro was the first move, coming
over to Mamoru’s side as he said, “I agree with Mamoru-kun. The past is
important, but our present is too. If we live in the past life then it is bound
to repeat itself.”
Masaki nodded in silently agreement to
this.
“Kisho?” Mamoru prompted, “Are you going
to fight with us? Are you going to fight for the present?”
Kisho said nothing and simply walked
away.
“Let him go” Mamoru said, secretly
saddened that there was still this rift between them. Kisho just needed
sometime, after Mamoru, the recent events had hit him the hardest. A few extra
days wouldn’t hurt and Kisho was proud. Probably too proud to back down in
front of them.
“He wasn’t ready to learn the truth” Seiichi replied
quietly, “I was trying to protect my Master until he was awakened properly and
he could accept what had happened in the past life.”
Mamoru had accepted the past life, but
he had accepted the present, too.
“We should get back,” he said out loud.
He still had to speak with Hina and let her know of his decision regarding
their relationship. This decision had been the hardest of all but now it was
made, Mamoru felt slightly better about saying what he had too.
******
We can choose our own destiny and I choose to be Chiba
Mamoru
Artemis glanced at Zoisite as Mamoru
said these words. They had arrived seconds after the Prince did thus missing
most of the fighting. The white plushie had waited for Zoisite to make himself known
to them, but he had chosen to remain hidden behind a few crates that littered
the dockyard.
Mamoru’s words seemed to have an effect
on Artemis and he shivered as they repeated themselves in his mind. The cat was
also disappointed as they did not seem to sway the strongest of the kings and
he left the gathering rather hurriedly and Mamoru made no attempt to stop him.
“Zoisite?” Artemis turned to his
companion, intent on asking what he made of these words.
Zoisite said nothing to this and turned
away, only murmuring something about having to get back to the hotel.