Earth Guardian Prince Endymion

By Senshi of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi

Act Thirty Five Recap:

(Mamoru’s POV)

“Long ago I sought to make you my own” Mio taunted, “Do you think I would let anyone get in the way of that?”

“So you killed Hina? You killed her because of me?”

“She got in my way” Mio snapped darkly.

Kuroki Mio killed Hina. Hina is dead because of me. If I had just let her go… if I had just had the courage to tell her of my true feelings for Usagi then she wouldn’t have died. The guilt is overwhelming. I can’t sleep… I can’t eat. I can’t seem to focus upon anything else. Hina is gone and it is my fault.

“I came to see how you were,” she said softly.

“I was just on my way out.”

“Oh… shall I come back?”

Mamoru wanted to say ‘yes’, but as the seconds ticked by he suddenly felt unable to say anything of the sort and he truly despised himself for this.

“No” he answered at last, “I was just going for a walk. You can come, too, if you like.”

Even now… I turn to her for comfort. Usagi… the Princess in the past life and still she captivated me so, even in this world. No matter how hard I tried to convince myself that I was different, that my feelings had changed, I always knew deep down that this wasn’t so.

Our love will destroy the planet. What we had can never be rekindled in this world, but still I am drawn to her. What can I do? Hina is dead and it is my fault. If I decide to be with Usagi now then the Shitennou will never trust in me or my leadership, but if I don’t… I will be denying my own heart.

*****

Act Thirty-Six:

“Long ago I sought to make you my own” Mio taunted, “Do you think I would let anyone get in the way of that?”

“So you killed Hina? You killed her because of me?”

“She got in my way” Mio snapped darkly.

“Mamoru?” Motoki waved a hand in front of his friend’s face, trying to gain some response from the other man. Motoki was worried. Mamoru had been so quiet for nearly a week now. Hina’s funeral had taken place the day before yesterday and Mamoru had been asked to speak about her. He had not, instead withdrawing further and Motoki didn’t really know what else to do. He had not been back to the apartment either. This silence was not a good thing. Motoki hated to see his friend like this. Hina was dead, this was a terrible thing, but Mamoru couldn’t dwell upon it forever.

“What?” finally a response.

“I was going to get something to eat. Would you like anything?”

Mamoru shrugged, “Whatever.”

Motoki sighed, he had, several times, debated calling Kimi-kun and asking him to come over. He knew that Mamoru’s other friends were worried, too, and perhaps seeing them would cheer him up? Motoki shook his head. Mamoru couldn’t go on like this; he was sure that it wasn’t healthy.

Then there was a knock at the door.

Secretly pleased Motoki raced to answer it and was stunned when he opened the door and saw Tsukino Usagi standing there. Her expression was solemn though she smiled slightly when Motoki greeted her.

“I’ve come to see Mamoru” she said hesitantly, “I was worried about him.”

“Aren’t we all” Motoki sighed more to himself than her, “If you can talk to him that would be great. I’m really worried about him, too” Motoki confided to her.

Usagi nodded and stepped into the front room.

“Mamoru?”

He looked up at the sound of her voice and she even managed to draw a smile from him. Now that was an improvement, Motoki thought to himself.

For a few seconds the three of them sat in silence before Motoki stood, realising that they wanted to be alone. A long time ago he had accused Mamoru of having feelings for Usagi. This was true, Motoki now knew, but all Mamoru could think of was Hina. He had no concerns about leaving them alone together… not anymore.

*****

Usagi sat on the sofa beside Mamoru, her heart thumping wildly in her chest as Motoki left the room leaving her alone with him. All morning she had debated whether or not to come and see him. Part of her reasoned that he would want to be alone, but she was still deeply concerned for him.

“How are you?” she asked softly at length.

“Fine.”

Usagi nodded, “I went to see Naru-chan before coming here. There’s no change… I miss her so much…”

It pained Usagi to see her best friend lying so ill. No one could wake her. Not even when Usagi mentioned that she had met Komoro Seiichi and got his autograph did Naru wake. She had debated asking him if he would come with her to see Naru. The doctors seemed to think that Usagi should play Naru’s favourite music in an effort to rouse her. This Usagi had been doing, but if Naru-chan knew that he come to see her… but Usagi had been afraid to ask. She had meant to that day in the Okura, but after what had happened… She didn’t feel at all at ease around any of the Shitennou anymore.

“School is horrible without Naru” Usagi continued, trying to gain some sort of reaction from Mamoru, “Mio-chan has turned everyone against me. Naru was the only one who stood up to her and now Naru is… but I didn’t realise that Mio-chan is an enemy.”

“She killed Hina.”

“I know” Usagi bit her lip, “I’m sorry.”

“Hina hasn’t even been dead for two days! Just because she is gone doesn’t mean that I do not have feelings for her.”

“I didn’t mean that. I just meant that I--”

Mamoru turned away, the harmonious ruined as he sniped back, “I no longer care for the past life! I just want Hina back!”

Usagi winced as she recalled the harshness of his words. Did he really mean that? Though it was terribly selfish, Usagi hoped that he didn’t. Of course he was hurting but, perhaps, someday he would be willing to…

“It is my fault” Mamoru said, breaking into Usagi’s thoughts.

“No” she shook her head, “How can you be responsible for Mio-chan’s actions?”

“Hina died because I was with her.”

“Let Mio-chan be consumed with jealousy and anger” Usagi answered, “But don’t let her drag you down, too.”

Mamoru looked up, a half smile on his lips, “Those are wise words, Tsukino Kobuta.”

“It’s Usagi!” she pouted, but deep down she was glad that he had started to tease her again.

Perhaps things could finally start getting back to normal.

*****

“It isn’t wrong” Mercury said quietly. The blue haired Senshi had been quiet up until now and Jupiter knew that Serenity often coaxed Mercury into accompanying her to the Earth Kingdom to meet with Endymion.

“Love can be blind, but never wrong.”

Jupiter frowned, “Don’t let Venus or Mars hear you say that.”

Mercury shrugged, “I think we should be happy that the Princess has found someone worthy of her.”

“And you think that an Earthling is worthy of the Lunarian Princess?”

“Jupiter, Mercury. Please don’t fight” Serenity pleaded softly, “Endymion has already alienated his Shitennou because of our love. I don’t want to be the cause of your arguing, too.”

“Of course not” Jupiter said, already regretting saying anything on the matter, “You are our Princess and it is our duty to follow you. Whatever decision you may make concerning the Earth.”

Serenity smiled, “I know you will. Thank you.”

Mercury watched, from a distance, as Jupiter frowned, her face contorted with agony as she recalled yet more scenes from the past life. A tiny shred of compassion broke through her stoic wall and Mercury backed away, as though afraid. Where had this compassion come from? She needn’t question herself so, Mercury thought. She knew the source of her sudden humanity; Kimura Taro. She was willing to give up everything for him… to betray Beryl for him… but to start to show compassion for her fellow Senshi? Emotion in the Dark Kingdom would lead to ones downfall, Mercury knew. She had to remain strong, if not for her own sake then for Taro’s. Her weakness could lead to suffering for both of them.

Though it was not so sudden, Mercury knew. She had always had a shred more humanity than the rest of them and she hated herself for it. Humanity made one weak…

“Princess” Jupiter whispered, her fists clenched at her sides as she managed to stand, “Why must your presence torture me like this?”

“It represents the past life and I give it to you to show you that the past life means nothing to me in this world. I do not look to the past, but to the present. The present that I share with you.”

Her words had been true, Mercury said to herself. The past life was irrelevant to her in this world, but it did not mean that the others were not still governed by it. Staring scornfully at Jupiter for a few seconds more, Mercury then turned away, firmly crushing any feelings to the contrary.

*****

Kisho walked slowly towards Motoki’s house, pondering what he was doing and what exactly he was going to say to Mamoru. Nothing had changed since they last spoke. Kisho’s feelings concerning the mission were still as strong as ever, but… he was wrong. Something had changed. Hina was dead, Taro had explained and then giving Kisho directions to Motoki’s house he had insisted that Kisho talk to him.

“We can’t be divided. At least talk to him. If you are right about the past life then how can you prevent the mistakes from repeating if you refuse to fight?”

Taro spoke the truth, Kisho knew, and it angered him slightly. He also knew that Mamoru was the Master and he was still loyal to him, no matter what.

It had been the same in the past life. Despite Endymion’s mistakes, Kunzite had stayed at the Master’s side. There had been no other choice and, indeed, he would want it no other way.

If the Princess dies then the Earth will be saved.”

“The Earth will be saved? Why do you wish for this planet to be spared?”

What was Beryl’s game now? Did she truly want to save the Earth or was it another part of an elaborate trap? The latter seemed more likely, but Kisho wasn’t sure. Seiichi would know. He was the only one of them who knew more of the past life than Kisho did, but Seiichi… Taro had also mentioned what had happened at Mamoru’s apartment. Seiichi obviously still preferred to fight alone. Kisho could understand this. Things were that much easier when you didn’t have to worry about hurting anyone else’s feelings, but Seiichi had sacrificed a lot for the mission, Kisho had pointed out, more than perhaps he was willing to let on.

He paused a few doors down from Motoki’s house when the front door opened.

Sailor Moon?

Kisho’s eyes narrowed when he saw the Princess exiting the house, followed closely by Mamoru. She said something and he smiled slightly and Kisho felt all his anger and pain directed at the Princess surfacing again.

“I’m not asking you to serve me. I don’t want that. Not in this world.”

“Then what do you want?”

“For us to fight together for the present and not to dwell upon something that is meaningless.”

Mamoru had lied. If he truly cared nothing for the past life then why was he with her? Hina had only been dead a week! She had only been put to rest two days ago.

“Kisho!” Mamoru had seen him and called his name, frantically, as Kisho turned away.

“Tamura-san!” her voice only antagonised him further.

Kisho walked hurriedly away, glad that Mamoru had the sense not to come after him. Since the day of his awakening, Kisho had known that the Prince would betray him. Deep down, since he found out that the Prince was his closest friend, Kisho had wanted to be proved wrong.

His first instincts had been proved right. He could not trust Mamoru. The Prince would definitely betray them again.

*****

When Usagi had first come round, all Mamoru could think of was Hina and how much he resented Usagi’s presence, but, gradually, he began to feel at ease around her. Usagi was not the type of person that you could hate, Mamoru realised, and as the morning passed he felt himself relaxing and even enjoying her company. Usagi did not tiptoe around him as Motoki and his friends did.

Her words concerning Mio also helped. Mamoru hated his feelings of rage and vengeance. He was not usually like this at all and Usagi was helping him to see that he had no control over what Kuroki Mio did to Hina.

Then, to see Kisho walking away. To see the hurt and betrayal in his eyes…. Mamoru knew that he couldn’t do this. How could he continue to be friends with Usagi? He couldn’t have them both. He couldn’t fight alongside the Shitennou and still see Usagi. She knew this too, and Mamoru hated himself for it.

“I’m sorry” she said softly, “I shouldn’t have come here.”

“No, you shouldn’t” Mamoru answered coldly.

“I’m sorry” Usagi whispered, turning away.

Usagi…

Mamoru watched her leave. A part of him wanted to go after her and a part of him just wanted never to see her again. Why must he always be forced to choose between them?

“I’m not asking you to serve me. I don’t want that. Not in this world.”

“Then what do you want?”

“For us to fight together for the present and not to dwell upon something that is meaningless.”

“If we are to fight together,” Mamoru whispered to himself, “Then… I do not know…”

He sighed to himself and turned away from Usagi, silently thinking back to his first fight as Tuxedo Kamen. Back then things were so simple, so uncomplicated and now… Now he was the Prince of the old Earth Kingdom who had fallen in love with the Princess of the Silver Millennium on the Moon. Their fated relationship had caused Mamoru to betray his Shitennou; his friends in this world. His destiny had cost Hina her life. Because he wasn’t strong enough to tell her how he truly felt she had died.

If he made the wrong decision now, concerning Usagi, then someone would suffer for it. No matter what he decided upon it would be wrong!

As Mamoru turned to go back inside, his mobile rang. He didn’t want to answer it, but when he saw the caller ID he knew he had to.

“Taro-kun, hello” he said, trying to keep the bitterness and almost resentfulness out of his voice as he spoke. Why were they all so tied to the past life? Why couldn’t he have Usagi and them, too?

“Mamoru” Taro seemed surprised that he would bother even answering and added, quickly, “How are you?”

“Fine, thank you.”

“I’m glad” Taro said, pausing for a moment and then adding, “I was going to meet Masaki in Crown. Would you like to come?”

“I’m not really in the mood to discuss the mission right now” Mamoru answered quietly.

“We’re not discussing the mission” Taro said, a little impatiently, “I just thought it might be nice to hang out and do something normal like watching videos. You haven’t been out of the house for at least a week.”

“No. I just want to be left alone. Why can’t you see that--” Mamoru broke off as someone brushed passed him, knocking him back into the wall. He looked up to see who the rude person was and a shocked gasp escaped his lips.

Hina?

It couldn’t be her… she was dead. Mamoru was there when she was laid to rest! But it was her. There was no doubt about it. She was wearing the turquoise jacket that Mamoru had bought her for her birthday.

“Hina” he whispered and then louder, “Hina!”

She ignored him. Turning a corner she hurried out of sight. Mamoru dropped his mobile and raced after her. Suddenly everything else seemed to be pushed to the back of his mind. Nothing else mattered. Hina was somehow alive! The hospital had made a terrible mistake! She was alive. This knowledge filled Mamoru with an indescribable joy that he had somehow been granted a second chance.

Nothing else mattered… not anymore…

******

“Hina!”

“So, Endymion” Beryl whispered, her eyes closed as she concentrated on projecting the image of the dead girl down onto the streets of Tokyo. “You still pine for her. This is good. Today I will make you my own.”

Her gaze darkened when she saw that the Shitennou had also taken to the streets, looking for their missing Prince, “Yes. You also have a part to play.”

Unknowingly they had all run right into her trap.

******

“I’m sorry” she said softly, “I shouldn’t have come here.”

“No, you shouldn’t” Mamoru answered coldly.

“I’m sorry” Usagi whispered, turning away.

“I just don’t understand” Usagi said sadly, “We were getting on so well and then Tamura-san… Why must I force him to choose in this world?”

Dark Venus leaned back against Usagi’s closed bedroom door, her gaze holding that of the Princess’s whilst she debated her reply.

Usagi knew that Venus would ridicule her for spending time with Mamoru. She knew that she shouldn’t pin her hopes upon him in this world. He treasured the Shitennou in the past and now, in the present they were his friends, too. How could she ask him to give them up? Usagi, in his place, would be faced with a similar sort of dilemma. As it was the only way to make the Shitennou trust her was to give them the Ginzuishou. Usagi couldn’t do this. She needed the Ginzuishou to help save her Senshi.

“The Prince is the same as he was in the past life” Venus answered at last, “You just cannot see it.”

“The same?” Usagi echoed, recalling the horrors from the past.

“You love him” her voice softened, “But to be with him will bring a great destruction down upon us all. Princess, you must be strong. Queen Beryl also wants Endymion. She will do whatever it takes to make him her own.”

“Beryl” Usagi whispered, recalling the Queen of the Dark Kingdom and the lengths she had gone to at the Okura when she thought that Seiichi was the Prince.

“Princess” Venus’s voice took on an urgent tone as she spoke, “You must hurry. Even as we speak, Endymion is in danger.”

“In danger?” Usagi cried, “What can I do?”

“You must go to him. Perhaps if you save him then the Shitennou will see how much you truly care for him.”

Usagi hesitated, recalling the hatred in Tamura-san’s eyes, but if Mamoru was in danger…

“Where is he?” she said at last, making her decision.

“On the outskirts of Western Tokyo--” Venus started, but as soon as those words escaped her lips, Usagi was gone.

“Usagi-chan, matte!” Luna cried, racing after her charge. Venus smirked to herself and teleported back to the Dark Kingdom.

“It is not just the Senshi” Usagi’s gaze travelled down to her locket, “The Ginzuishou… It has never truly been under my control, has it?”

“The Ginzuishou effects Metallia” Venus admitted, “But only if you let it control you.”

“But what am I supposed to do?”

Venus lowered her gaze, “If you will permit me this one idea, Princess. I remember the Ginzuishou as it was in the past. I know how you controlled its power before. With my help you could learn to do so again. The Ginzuishou is a terrible weapon, yes, but in the hands of the Princess… Beryl and the Dark Kingdom wouldn’t have a chance.”

“What are you saying?”

“I can help you master the Ginzuishou’s power and together we can take on Beryl and free the other Senshi.”

The Princess was so predictable, especially in this world. It was not enough for Beryl-sama to have Endymion witness the deaths of his Shitennou. The Princess had to be there, to watch as Beryl stole everything from her once again. Venus reappeared in the Dark Kingdom, lost in these thoughts.

“Princess” Venus whispered, “You are a fool. The Senshi serve Beryl and no other. For a while I could not see this, but now I do. Beryl-sama will reclaim what is hers. This I shall help her to do, regardless of the cost.”

A small noise further down the tunnel caught Venus’s attention. It sounded like footsteps.

“Who’s there?” she demanded, but gained nothing but silence in return.

For a few more seconds Venus poised herself, readying for an attack. Nothing came and she turned away, walking slowly back down the corridor as though nothing had happened.

*****

“Princess. You are a fool. The Senshi serve Beryl and no other. For a while I could not see this, but now I do. Beryl-sama will reclaim what is hers. This I shall help her to do, regardless of the cost.”

“Venus” Mercury whispered as she watched their leader depart, “So you were never really on our side at all were you?”

*****

“I’m glad. I was going to meet Masaki in Crown. Would you like to come?”

“I’m not really in the mood to discuss the mission right now”

“We’re not discussing the mission. I just thought it might be nice to hang out and do something normal like watching videos. You haven’t been out of the house for at least a week.”

It was true, Taro had added to himself as he awaited Mamoru’s reply. His friend hadn’t been anywhere since the funeral and even before he had kept to himself. Taro was worried about him and he knew that Masaki and Seiichi were, too, though the latter had kept pretty much to himself since that day in Mamoru’s apartment. Taro didn’t know what to say about this. He had put it down to Seiichi having a bad day, after all everyone was entitled to an off day, but he had become so… Taro frowned. He wasn’t sure and Masaki couldn’t shed any light on the situation either. Taro was reluctant to burden Mamoru with any concerns he might have and had resolved to get to the bottom of things himself. But when he had taken Mamoru his things and explained that Seiichi had been called away and couldn’t come himself, their leader had made no comment whatsoever on this.

Seiichi could look after himself, Taro reasoned in the end. Mamoru was grieving and obviously needed his friends at the moment. They couldn’t start worrying about any possible problems that Seiichi might have and he had as good as said he could look after himself anyway.

“No. I just want to be left alone. Why can’t you see that--”

Mamoru had broken off halfway through his sentence and the other end of the phone went deadly quiet for a moment before he whispered: “Hina.”

Taro had steeled himself to say something uncharacteristically sensitive when Mamoru shouted out louder, “Hina!” and then there was a clatter, as though he had dropped the phone.

“Mamoru?” he had called, but there was no reply, “Mamoru!”

“Did you find him?” Taro demanded, as Masaki hurried up to him. He had called his friend as soon as it became clear that something had happened. Masaki’s house was nearer to Motoki’s and Taro asked him to go there straight away whilst he waited outside Crown. It had been a worrying twenty-minute wait to say the least and Taro had spent it reliving his telephone conversation with Mamoru over and over, trying to understand what exactly had happened.

Masaki shook his head and showed Taro, Mamoru’s phone, “This was lying outside Motoki’s house. He wasn’t there and the door was unlocked. I pulled it too, but someone should tell Motoki to go and lock it up as soon as possible.”

Taro ignored this last bit, “Where the hell is he then? Could it be a Youma?”

“There didn’t appear to be a battle,” Masaki answered. “Maybe he went for a walk?”

“He dropped his phone and ran off shouting for Hina” Taro said sarcastically, “I doubt it.”

Masaki sighed, obviously annoyed as well as concerned, “What else do you suggest we do?”

“We have to look for him. You call Seiichi and I’ll call Kisho.”

“Kisho?” Masaki repeated doubtfully, “He won’t come.”

“He has too,” Taro snapped. Something had happened… he could feel this and the growing tension in the atmosphere around them. This wasn’t just a Youma attack… it was something more…

“Okay. We’ll call him” Masaki sighed, “But I don’t like your chances.”

Taro nodded, hurriedly punching Kisho’s number into his phone. Perhaps he wouldn’t… but they had to try. Whether Kisho liked it or not they were still the four Tennou of the Earth Kingdom who protected the Prince; Mamoru.

Still it didn’t mean that Taro wasn’t surprised when Kisho answered his phone and even more so when he agreed to meet them.

“Taro” Masaki interrupted them. “Seiichi said the build up of energy was located outside of Western Tokyo.”

Taro relayed this information to Kisho who promptly decided that he would meet them there and hung up.

“Seiichi seemed to think that, that was where Mamoru would be heading” Masaki explained.

“Let me guess” Taro replied. “He was on his way to check it out alone?”

Masaki nodded, but said no more on the subject. This wasn’t the time, Taro knew as the two of them transformed, preparing to teleport to the other side of town. He could worry about any individual issues later. Their Prince was in danger. They had to focus on helping him. Nothing else mattered now…

******

Endymion moved, as though in a trance, and indeed he was, leaving the suburbs of Tokyo behind as he desperately tried to keep up with the illusion of his dead fiancée. Beryl kept her image a mere few inches from him, causing him to sometimes reach out, thinking he had caught her jacket or perhaps a lock of her hair.

The human heart was easily manipulated, Beryl knew, especially when guilt ravaged at the soul. Now, as Endymion reached the outskirts of the city, she made herself known to him. Appearing before him in the middle of a field, a field that she had chosen because of its emptiness. The perfect place for a battle. The perfect place for the Shitennou to die.

Endymion did not bat an eyelid as she appeared, her hands outstretched and he walked slowly towards her, only seeing the illusion of the dead girl and not the Queen beneath this façade.

“Beryl! Yameru!”

Endymion stopped dead in his tracks as the Shitennou appeared, coming to a halt themselves when they saw Beryl. She scowled slightly, lowering her hands to her sides once more. In the distance Beryl could see Sailor Moon racing towards them. They were all here… now the fun would truly begin.

*****

As Nephrite’s teleport faded and he appeared at the end of a field, he glanced wildly around as his fellow Tennou materialised beside him; Jadeite and Zoisite to his left and Kunzite to his right. For the first time since Mamoru’s awakening they were together. The Shitennou… the guardians of the Earth. Still, Nephrite knew he could dwell upon such things later. He scanned the horizon, searching for Mamoru. He found him quickly enough.

Their leader was in the middle of the field, walking slowly, in a trance-like state, towards a woman… a woman that Nephrite remembered all too well.

“Beryl” he whispered as Zoisite cried out:

“Master!”

Nephrite wasn’t sure who took the lead, it could have been Zoisite or Jadeite or even Kunzite, but he found himself running towards Mamoru, his fellow Tennou at his side as he did so. His heart beat wildly in his chest and he was well aware that he was trembling at the thought of being before Beryl once again.

I am stronger now… Nephrite reminded himself, I’m not alone…

“Beryl! Yameru!” Zoisite shouted as they drew nearer, coming to a stop just behind their Prince.

She scowled, yet there was a glimmer of something else in her eyes… She had been waiting for them.

The sound of Zoisite’s voice seemed to snap Mamoru from his daze. He halted, slowly turning towards them.

“Jadeite-tachi?” he murmured, slumping to his knees in exhaustion, “What… what is this?”

“Master!” Zoisite shouted as he fell.

Beryl laughed, a chilling grating sound and one that Nephrite remembered and loathed. He shivered slightly and took an involuntary step backwards even as Beryl addressed them directly.

“The Shitennou… all together. Endymion’s most loyal guardians were always so precious to him in the past life and, perhaps, in this life also.”

“Beryl?” Kunzite growled, drawing his sword, “What are you planning?”

Then she struck. She flung out both her hands in front of her and a stream of purple and black magics lanced forth from her palms. Nephrite raised his cape as a shield, momentarily blinded as the sheer power behind her attack forced him to his knees.

He gasped as he felt a crushing weight on his chest, keeping him pinned helplessly to the ground, even after Beryl lowered her arms. Raising his head slightly, Nephrite could see that her attack still had them surrounded, black and purple energies encasing them in a dome like structure as Mamoru looked on helplessly.

“Endymion” Beryl crowed, “Since the past life I have yearned for you to be by my side and now that day has come.” She held out a hand again, this time opening a silvery portal directly in front of the Prince.

“This leads to the Dark Kingdom. Go through it and I will let the Shitennou live… if not…” she accentuated this threat by pouring more of her dark magics into the dome. Nephrite uttered a small cry of pain as the agony increased and he hated himself for it.

“Master!” Zoisite shouted as Mamoru took a hesitant step towards the portal, “Don’t! She will kill us regardless!”

Mamoru paused, obviously realising that Zoisite spoke the truth. Beryl did not like this and aimed her magic at the white haired king, but at the last minute her attack turned on the king beside him. Jadeite fell, his face contorted with pain as the magics struck him.

“Hold your tongue” Beryl warned Zoisite, “Unless you want your companions to suffer for your disrespect.”

Zoisite glared daggers at the Queen, but, glancing at Jadeite, he averted his gaze and said nothing more.

Satisfied, Beryl turned back to Mamoru, “Endymion. The choice is yours alone. Come with me and they will live. If you don’t then they will die.”

For what seemed like an age no one moved. Mamoru cast a pained glance at them, the confusion and fear easy to read in his mind before he, very slowly, took a step towards the portal once more.

“Mamoru!” Nephrite found himself shouting, despite Beryl’s warning, “Don’t! Stop!”

The other Tennou joined in with his protests, but Mamoru ignored them, keeping his gaze intently focused on the rotating portal. He would not let them die, Nephrite knew, even if it meant giving himself up.

*******

Mamoru had walked, in a daze, through the streets of Tokyo. All he could see was Hina, walking elusively in front of him. No… walking wasn’t exactly the world he should use to describe her gait. She sometimes floated, appearing so tantalisingly near and, for a fleeting second, he would touch her hair or her arm, and then she was gone. Always one step ahead of him…

Deep down, Mamoru knew that this was a dream. Hina was dead. He had seen her coffin. He had placed his hands on the top of her final bed and placed a single white rose atop the tomb as it was lowered into the ground. Had he gone mad? Was this some kind of delusion brought about by his grief-stricken state? It must be… then why did he feel compelled to follow her? Though the angel he could almost see the true being beneath her innocent façade and still he could not draw himself from her.

Then she stopped, in the middle of a field, her hands outstretched as though offering him a gift. A gentle smile was spread across her face as Mamoru slowly started to walk towards her.

Endymion…

“Beryl! Yameru!”

The illusion was shattered, broken into a thousand fragments. Hina’s image seemed to flicker and then was gone, falling away and revealing the true nature of the being before him.

“Jadeite-tachi? What… what is this?” he whispered, his voice sounding far away to his ears as he struggled to force his consciousness back to reality and out of this crumbling dream. He seemed to succeed and Mamoru fell to his knees before the Shitennou, his strength deserting him as he thought of the Dark Kingdom Queen’s spell.

“Master!” he heard Zoisite cry out as he fell and they started towards him until Beryl’s laughter halted them in their tracks.

“The Shitennou… all together. Endymion’s most loyal guardians were always so precious to him in the past life and, perhaps, in this life also.”

“Beryl? What are you planning?” Kunzite drew his sword and they prepared to defend their Prince. Mamoru was unable to do anything. He could only watch as Beryl captured them in her dome, his heart crying out at their suffering.

“Endymion. Since the past life I have yearned for you to be by my side and now that day has come.”

The light from the portal almost blinded him, that and the sickening dread that was beginning to well up inside his soul. Mamoru knew where the portal led, even before Beryl enlightened him with its destination.

“This leads to the Dark Kingdom. Go through it and I will let the Shitennou live… if not…”

He heard them cry out again as Beryl sent another wave of dark magics at the dome. Mamoru almost cried out with them. She was right… the Shitennou were precious to him in this life also, perhaps more so than in the last. They were not only the Shitennou but also his friends.

Standing, Mamoru felt as though his feet were made of lead as he took a reluctant step towards the portal, ignoring Zoisite’s cries and even Beryl’s threats, despite his slight pause when Jadeite was hurt. All the Tennou were down now, unable to even counter Beryl’s stronger attacks. Not even Kunzite… there was no hope. Mamoru knew, deep down, that they would die the moment he left this world and this caused him to glance up at Beryl, his gaze meeting her own.

Let them live… I can never love you, but if they die then even my hatred will mean nothing to you. Let them live and perhaps…

She seemed to understand the meaning behind his intense stare and even nodded slightly to show that she understood, but then her gaze slid passed him, to rest upon the Shitennou and she attacked again, thus emphasizing her point further.

“Stop!” Mamoru cried out as they bit back their own cries of pain. He couldn’t bear to see them in such agony.

“Mamoru! Don’t! Stop!”

“Master! Stay back!”

He ignored their protests as he stepped towards the portal again. They did not understand… Mamoru couldn’t watch them die… he couldn’t lose them, too.

Masaki, Taro, Kisho, Seiichi… they were all precious to him in this world.

“Mamoru!” a new voice rang out, this one causing him to halt. Mamoru turned around as Sailor Moon stopped beside the Shitennou, horror flooding into her eyes as she took in the situation before her.

“Princess” Beryl smirked, “I see you are just in time to witness my triumph. Endymion will belong to me, as he should have all those years ago.”

“By threatening him?” Sailor Moon demanded, aghast, “You can’t change someone’s heart!”

“Silence!” Beryl commanded, this remark obviously cutting her deeper than she would ever care to admit. With these words she hurled an attack at Sailor Moon. The Princess shrieked as it exploded in front of her, knocking her to the ground.

“Endymion!” Beryl shouted over the roar of the flames as smoke clouded the atmosphere, “Do you wish for the Shitennou to suffer further?”

Mamoru shook his head, casting his gaze away from Sailor Moon’s heartbroken one as he prepared to step through the portal.

“No” she whispered in a small voice and then louder, “No! Endymion!”

As she screamed, the entire field was lit up in a blinding white light… the energy suddenly pulsing out from the locket on Sailor Moon’s fuku. Mamoru stumbled backwards, and even Beryl uttered a stunned cry as the sheer power of this new energy shattered the dome surrounding the kings.

“Usagi” Mamoru whispered as the light started to fade as quickly as it had come, withdrawing back until it was but a shimmering crystalline glow, silhouetting Sailor Moon.

She stood, carefully, staring down at her transformation. The bodice of her fuku had changed. Now, underneath was a thin layer of lace, a very similar lace bow was attached to the back of the fuku, trailing down like butterflies wings almost to the ground. Her skirt was still royal blue, but was made of silk; as was the light pink bow she wore on the front of her fuku. A tiara made of pearls now sat upon her head. Though Mamoru had never seen this transformation before, he recognised it.

“The Princess” he whispered, even as she held out a hand, a pink sword appearing in her palm as she took a composed step towards them.

“Endymion!” Beryl shouted, breaking the heavy atmosphere, “Do not be fooled by her outward appearance. Does the Princess not know that I am stronger than her in this lifetime, too?”

Then she struck, a cry stuck in Mamoru’s throat, as black flames seemed to engulf the Princess, Beryl’s manic laugh echoing loudly in his ears.

This laughter was cut off as the Princess stepped out of the flame, calmly, before raising her sword as Beryl attacked again. Princess Sailor Moon blocked the attack, sending it slamming into the ground behind her before continuing to walk towards them.

Usagi…

“Stop!” Beryl commanded, “Do not get so cocky, Princess. I can still easily defeat you!”

Another attack followed, but Mamoru could see the panic in Beryl’s eyes as the Princess again blocked the attack, flinging it to her right. It slammed into the ground in front of the Shitennou, knocking them to the floor.

Mamoru cried out as they hit the ground, calling for Usagi to stop. She did not. Whether she wouldn’t or couldn’t, Mamoru didn’t know. Beryl shouted out another warning and flung another rush of magics at the Princess.

This time she held her sword high above her head, capturing the energy before cutting it into a star shape and flinging it back towards Beryl. She stumbled back as the attack struck, disbelief and horror registering in her eyes as Princess Sailor Moon continued to advance on her.

“What?” she cried out, the pain in her voice unmistakable and it felt like a dagger in Tuxedo Kamen’s heart to hear her sound so afraid.

“The Ginzuishou” Zoisite repeated, “Give it to me.”

“No. I need it to save my Senshi!” she refused and backed away in confusion and fear.

“You do not know its true powers.”

Sailor Moon shook her head; “I won’t use it for anything bad. I just want it to help my friends.”

Zoisite’s eyes narrowed and he took another step towards her, “The Ginzuishou is affected by the heart of the wielder. You have a weak heart and will only bring destruction to this planet.”

“Usagi!” Mamoru shouted, ignoring the Shitennou’s protests as he stepped between Beryl and the Princess. “Usagi! Stop this!”

“Endymion” she came to a standstill, lowering her sword as confusion registered in her eyes.

Glancing behind her, Mamoru saw the Shitennou had stood, ready to defend him.

“Yameru!” he ordered and they halted, unsure of what to do.

“Usagi” Mamoru stunned them all into silence by pulling her into his arms. The Princess did not react to his embrace, but Mamoru cared little for this new transformation.

“Usagi… come back to me, Usagi” he urged her.

A shape stepping out in front of him caused Mamoru to jolt out of his thoughts and swerve, narrowly avoiding coming into contact with a 14 year old girl. She squealed in surprise and looked up, as though noticing for the first time that she had stumbled out in front of him. Always being a gentleman, Mamoru was concerned and stopped to see if she was all right. Well, that was his intention anyway. What he actually said couldn’t have been further from his mind.

“You stupid kid! Watch where you are going! You could have been killed!”

She glanced up in shock at his words and Mamoru was stunned at the harshness behind them. The girl had a sweet face, her eyes narrowing angrily at his tone and for some reason Mamoru smiled. She flipped her ridiculous pigtails over her shoulders and pouted loudly before continuing on her way.

The black haired man sighed softly to himself and got back on his motorbike, whilst pondering over his actions. There was something about that girl… something familiar and this disturbed Mamoru the most.

“Usagi!”

Though the scene that he was met with was very different from what he had been expecting. Poised by the door, Tuxedo Kamen saw a Youma. Its body appeared to be made out of a giant paint can, but its head was distinctly humanoid with long purple hair and wide blue eye set on the sides of its head. A lopsided red smile was etched across its face and Tuxedo Kamen recognised it as being from one of Naomi’s earlier paintings. Before he could scoff at what a ridiculous Youma this was, Tuxedo Kamen’s gaze locked on Tsukino Kobuta. She was standing over the fallen Sensei, Naomi was unconscious beside her and all round the room children lay on the floor, their energy zapped from them.

Now the Youma reached out with a fine long nailed hand towards Usagi and Tuxedo Kamen prepared himself to race to her aid, when her next words stopped him dead.

“Moon prism power… make up!”

Shock and total disbelief rooted him to the spot as she transformed, her paint soaked dress becoming a white and blue sailor fuku, flashes of light turned into ribbons and her hair became longer and tied up into twin odango’s atop her head. Red slides decorated the strange hairstyle and her pigtails grew longer so that they were just below her waist. She struck a pose and then spoke:

“I am the pretty suited soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon. In the name of the Moon I will punish you!”

“Sailor Moon?” Tuxedo Kamen whispered, falling back against the door in astonishment. Tsukino Kobuta was Sailor Moon? The clumsy and foolish girl who constantly argued with him and ran into him at every opportunity she got was Sailor Moon? He was dreaming. This had to be another dream or at least some crazed kind of nightmare. How could Sailor Moon really be someone as ungainly as Tsukino Usagi? It just didn’t make sense!

Then, slowly, her outfit shimmered and Mamoru felt the Princess yield. When he looked down at her again he was holding Tsukino Usagi in his arms. She did not react to his embrace and did not even pull away. The haunted look in her eyes said it all.

“Endymion!” Beryl shouted, but knowing deep down that she had lost the day, even before the Shitennou stepped between their Prince and the Queen.

“Unforgivable” Beryl seethed as a teleport took hold of her, “I won’t forget this!”

Then she was gone and Mamoru felt the tension flood out of his body. He stepped back, releasing Usagi and the stricken teenager glanced around her, and taking in the burning field and the injuries her attacks had caused Mamoru’s guardians. Kunzite clutched his sword arm, as blood welled up through a tear in the fabric just below his shoulder. Nephrite was practically holding Jadeite up as the blonde had been on the receiving end of Beryl’s wrath also. Nephrite and Zoisite appeared shaken, but unhurt and this obviously gave her little comfort.

“I am…” Usagi whispered, a single tear running down her cheek as she glanced up at Mamoru, “The destroyer of worlds…” with this she turned and ran.

“Usagi!” Mamoru called after her, but Zoisite reached forward and grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks as he made to run after her.

“Master…” he trailed off when Mamoru shook himself free, rather roughly, and turned on them all:

“Is this the burden of the past life? Will she continue to suffer for it? Even in this world?”

None had an answer for this and Mamoru also left. There was nothing else to say to them. Zoisite and Kunzite had been right.