Summary: A new enemy has appeared that feeds off the dark energy/emotions of humans. Their first target was the Earth Prince, who has now taken his own life. Usagi now has to cope with this loss and knowledge that Mamoru will not be back this time since it was his own hand that took his life. Will Usagi be able to face this new enemy during her depression? Will she be able to emotionally grow from this? Will she find a new love?
Rated M: For dark themes, adult themes/situations, language, etc.
Disclaimer:I don't own Sailor Moon. I just enjoy writing fanfiction about it and exploring relationships with certain characters. This is a yuri so, if you don't like, well then you clearly don't like Sailor Moon and are quite lost XD
Chapter I
Three young men and two young women kneeled before a woman who had long, flowing, dark purple hair. Her eyes were crimson in color and seemed devoid of all emotion. She wore a long black, Victorian style dress with a dark purple corset around the middle. The woman was remarkably beautiful, but something was not quite right with her. She stood in front of a gorgeous throne, trimmed with silver, in what appeared to be a black palace.
The woman studied the five kneeling before her, a wicked smile appearing on her lips.
"Greetings, my loyal friends," the woman's voice rang out. There was an edge of insanity in her voice.
"Lady Corinnanisa," the five said together in unison, bowing their heads.
"In order to successfully carry out our plan in dominating this…atrocious planet," Lady Corinnanisa began, disgust clearly in her voice. "We need to rid it of its representative guardian."
Lady Corinnanisa waved her hand and an image of Prince Endymion appeared.
"This is your target; Prince Endymion," she continued. "He has been reincarnated into this man, Mamoru Chiba." Lady Corinnanisa waved her hand again and a present day image of Mamoru appeared in place of Prince Endymion. "He is very content with his current life, so it will probably take the five of you to weaken him and draw out the darkness that lies within."
The five young men and women studied the images with their crimson red eyes, plotting ways to bring the downfall of this man.
"Is that understood?" Lady Corinnanisa asked, closing her fist, which wiped out the image of Mamoru.
"Yes ma'am," the five said as they bowed before the woman again.
"Then go! And do not disappoint!" Lady Corinnanisa barked.
One by one, the five rose to their feet and backed into a portal of darkness, disappearing to a place to ready themselves for their mission.
"This will be cake. We just need to have an opening," a young said while sticking a lollipop into his mouth. He eyed Mamoru from a couple buildings down from where Mamoru was. The young blonde looked no older than eighteen. His honey blonde hair fell in waves around his face. He was tall and wore a black blazer, white button down, blue skinny jeans, and black converse for his civilian appearance.
"Don't say that just yet, Metus," another young man about the same age said as he stepped out of the shadows. He had long, dark blue hair which fell over one of his crimson eyes. He wore an apathetic expression on his face. For his civilian outfit, he wore a black and grey stripped hoodie, blue skinny jeans, and grey converse.
"Why not, Nocte? We just need something like…a fight with his girlfriend. Does he have a girlfriend?" Metus said as he pulled his lollipop out of his mouth and scratched his head in thought.
"Probably. I mean, look at him. Damn," came a third voice; a female voice. A woman with magenta colored hair that fell to her chest was peering around the building watching Mamoru walk off. She wore a pink and black striped shirt, similar to Nocte's hoodie, but with her shirt revealing her shoulders. She wore dark blue skinny jeans as well and pink and black plaid Vans.
"Bryla, who invited you here?" Metus asked, shaking his head.
"Oh please. You'll need me. I know exactly what kind of opening you're looking for, Metus-kun, because I suggested it to you," Bryla said playfully. "You are looking for this Mamoru to have a fight with his girlfriend and to go in for…hehe, the kill."
"Technically, we don't even need that. Metus, you harness doubt, so go make him feel doubtful of himself and his relationship," Nocte said lazily. "And don't lose sight of him, dumbasses." Nocte made his way from around the building and followed Mamoru back to his apartment with Metus and Bryla on his heels.
"Touchy, touchy," Metus teased, ruffling Nocte's hair after Mamoru disappeared inside his apartment.
"Do not," Nocte said darkly as he slapped away Metus' hand.
"Shit, calm down Nocte. We have a mission here. Let's go see if he has a balcony. That'll be easier," Metus suggested.
He took the lead for Bryla and Nocte, walking past the last apartment door and the edge of the balcony. He kept going though, as if there was a solid surface beneath his feet as he continued around the building to the back, peering into the windows as he past so he could find Mamoru once again.
"He's right here," Bryla said, pointing into one of the apartments from a back balcony.
"Could you say that any louder? I don't think Corinnanisa-sama could hear you!" Metus hissed when he and Nocte arrived on Mamoru's balcony.
"Whatever, he couldn't hear me. Plus he's on the phone," Bryla said with a shrug. "So don't be such an ass."
"Hey, this needs to be short and sweet. Cut and dry. I don't want to be here all day doing this," Nocte said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.
"What's that?" Bryla asked, pointing to the cigarette.
"Humans made it. They harnessed some plant on this planet, added some chemicals, and made a nice tasting addictive…cigarette. They call them cigarettes," Nocte explained to Bryla.
"Is that right?" Bryla said in awe.
Nocte tossed her the pack of cigarettes from his pocket.
"Says here that they're bad for you. They cause diseases," Bryla said as she analyzed the box. "Deadly ones, I might add."
"Yeah, for humans," Nocte said as he stifled a chuckle.
"God, humans are fucking pathetic. Corinnanisa-sama is right," Bryla said as she tossed the pack back at Nocte. He caught it with one hand and shoved the pack into his pocket.
"Guys, mission! Cut the chit chat and focus!" Metus was getting annoyed.
"That's what I've been saying to you and Bryla," Nocte said, shaking his head.
"Is he still on the phone?" Bryla asked as she turned her attention back to Mamoru in his bedroom.
Mamoru was sitting at the foot of his bed, his head in one of his hands.
"Uh oh, looks like trouble," Bryla said with a smirk. "Now looks like a great time."
Bryla stretched out a hand towards Mamoru. Suddenly, Mamoru had a red aura around him. Bryla smiled wickedly.
Mamoru grasped his hair tightly in his hand. He began to sweat. He was incredibly stressed out. But why? He only had a minor predicament with Usagi on the phone; nothing to get worked up about. It was Usagi though…and he hated upsetting Usagi, even in the slightest. He was just going to be busy tonight, working on his paper. He wouldn't be able to give her attention if she spent the night.
Bryla slowly closed her hand and pulled away, leaving the aura of stress on Mamoru. "You're up, Metus-kun," she said quietly, stepping out of the way.
Metus stepped forward and placed his lollipop in his mouth. He repeated the same motion Bryla had just made with his hand. Mamoru was now surrounded by a brown aura as a wave of serious doubt swept over him, joining with the stress he was feeling a moment before.
Metus thrust his hand forward, adding in the aura of yellow fear, causing Mamoru to feel an intense feeling of fear. Fear of his relationship with Usagi, fear of his future, fear of his life not turning out the way he was planning.
"Poor guy. This is so unfair," Bryla said with a frown. "Corinnanisa-sama sucks."
"Like you care," Metus said, stepping back and allowing for Nocte to take his turn in inducing sorrow in Mamoru.
"I do! He's so hot, what the hell," Bryla pouted.
"That's the only reason you care," Metus said rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah. Come on, Nocte-kun. I want to be out of here," Bryla whined.
Nocte had just induced his wave of blue sorrow on Mamoru. The four colored auras were rotating around Mamoru, making him feel intense feelings of stress, doubt, sorrow, and fear.
The trio smiled each time their aura color appeared around Mamoru. When Mamoru felt these heightened emotions it powered them up significantly. They were instantly rejuvenated and ready to take on the planet and those that inhabited it. No one could possibly take them down.
"Ah shit that feels good," Metus said as the double dose of fear and doubt energies surged through him. The waves of energy coursed through his veins from his head to his toes, to the tips of his fingers.
"We should go. We're done here. He should finish the job sometime tonight with these intensities flowing through him," Nocte said, summoning a dark portal.
"Yeah. Good work, team. Corinnanisa-sama should be pleased," Metus nodded in agreement.
The three stepped through the dark portal and disappeared, leaving Mamoru to suffer in agony.
Throughout the rest of the day and night, Mamoru suffered through a mostly silent agony. He had never felt such intense emotions of stress, fear, doubt, and sorrow before. Especially so suddenly. The emotions gripped Mamoru hard, making him unable to move on or from his bed. He just lay there silently, wishing that these emotions would go away since they were beyond his fixing. He wished, more than anything, that Usagi would come over. Come over and purify, if possible, whatever was coursing through him. But she wasn't coming and he knew that. He had told her over the phone he'd be busy all night so it would do her no good to come over at any time.
Mamoru closed his eyes. There was only one thing he could think of that he could do, to end this suffering.
Minako sprinted as fast as she possibly could to Usagi's house. Rei was close behind at her heels. They had no idea how Usagi was going to take the news.
"Shit! This is gonna kill her. Literally," Rei said shaking her head when she found out the news. Tears were already falling down her face. If this was making her feel so awful, she felt pretty spot on about Usagi was going to feel when she found out.
Minako pushed the front door open to Usagi's house, not even bothering to knock. They ran up the stairs, two at a time. They weren't getting to Usagi fast enough. It didn't feel fast enough.
They burst through Usagi's door and found her sleeping peacefully in bed. The mere sight made Minako's eyes well up all over again since she knew she would be the one to devastate Usagi. To wake her from this peaceful slumber and kill her. Minako had to. It was her duty. She was the closest to Usagi and she was the leader of the senshi. It was her responsibility.
Minako carefully crossed Usagi's room to her bed. Rei followed slowly behind her. They both sat on the floor beside Usagi's bed. Minako drew in the steadiest breath she could, trying to summon all of her courage. She wondered if this was how doctors felt when they had to deliver the news that a loved one didn't make it under their care.
"U…Usagi-chan…" Minako said softly. She placed a gentle hand on Usagi's shoulder and shook her to wake her up.
Usagi opened her eyes and blinked a few times, coming out of dream land. She focused on her room and then on Minako and Rei sitting before her. She blinked a few more times and then panic and worry crept onto her face.
"Minako-chan! Rei-chan! What is it? What's wrong?" Usagi asked, sitting up.
Minako grabbed Usagi's hands and held them firmly in hers, squeezing them.
"Usagi-chan…" Minako said, looking at her best friend. Tears fell from her face and she shook her head.
Usagi looked at Minako and then at Rei, who was also crying. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.
"Wh-what is it, guys?" Usagi asked, beginning to freak out.
"Mamoru-san…" Minako tried. "Mamoru-san is…is…"
Usagi's eyes widened. No…
"He's no longer with us, Usagi-chan," Minako finished.
No…that's impossible.
Usagi's eyes widened even bigger, if that were even possible. She was speechless. Her eyes instantly filled with tears.
"That's…impossible…" Usagi breathed at last.
Minako and Rei shook their heads.
"We found out this morning, moments ago and came straight here," Rei said, wiping her eyes.
"You're lying…" Usagi choked out. "I know it…you've always been so cruel to me, Rei-chan."
Usagi knew though that they were speaking the truth. She could feel it in her heart. Mamoru's shine, Mamoru's warmth, was gone from this Earth. It was like a big, gaping hole in her heart that he once filled, completed.
"We're so sorry, Usagi-chan," Rei said lowering her head.
Minako pulled herself up onto Usagi's bed and pulled her princess fiercely into her arms. She held Usagi as tight as she could.
"It was a suicide," Minako continued, causing Usagi to sob harder. "We don't know why." She wasn't about to tell Usagi how Mamoru committed this act. She didn't need to know the details that would only make it harder for her.
Usagi wailed and screamed. She knew what this meant. Mamoru would never come back as he did before. Each time Mamoru was killed, it was at the hands of the enemy and their dark power. Since Mamoru carried out the act himself, it meant that he would never come back.
"I know, Usagi-chan, I know. Let it out," Minako said gently through her own sobs. She stroked the blonde princess' hair soothingly.
"This wasn't a normal suicide," Haruka said, grabbing the bottle of vodka she had stashed in a cabinet. She, Michiru, and especially Setsuna were going to need this.
"Quickly, please. This headache is already monstrous," Setsuna said, putting a hand to her forehead.
"You're right though, Haruka-chan," Michiru said to her wife when she returned with the bottle of alcohol and the three glasses. "Mamoru-san was much too happy with his life."
Haruka hastily poured Setsuna a glass and handed it to her. She quickly downed the drink and returned the glass to Haruka, silently asking for more.
"You're right. The Prince was always happy with his life. He was never so unhappy or suicidal. I would've seen…known…" Setsuna said as she gasped for a breath after the last bit of vodka left her mouth.
Michiru picked up her mirror and ran her fingers along it. "I thought I felt an ominous presence…but it disappeared as quickly as it came and hadn't returned…"
Haruka downed her glass after she gave Setsuna her second and she leaned back against the couch.
"So it's most likely a new enemy…" Haruka said thoughtfully, crossing her arms.
"One unlike we've ever seen before. Darker, more powerful…unpredictable," Michiru said softly.
Setsuna nodded in agreement.
"I'm sorry you two. I wouldn't have asked for that if I didn't need it. I don't normally drink but…this headache…from the serious change of course in time…" Setsuna shook her head.
"Don't mention it. It's fine," Haruka said.
"I wonder how Usagi-san is taking the news…" Michiru said, lowering her eyes.
"Probably not well," Haruka said simply. "The last time the Prince was killed and wasn't going to return, during the Silver Millennium, the Princess killed herself."
"So the future could be in jeopardy..." Michiru said slowly. She reached for the bottle of vodka and poured herself another drink. She hated the taste, but she knew what was about to happen was going to be intense.
"Not 'could be', is," Setsuna corrected. She sighed. "Fuck!"
"Take it easy, Setsuna. We're here. We'll help you any way we can," Haruka said gently to her friend. She could only imagine the agony the guardian of time was going through.
"This will have to be our last round. If an enemy is upon us, we have to be completely sober and ready for combat. Especially with an enemy like this… Who knows what kind of power they hold…" Haruka said, sliding her glass to the middle of the coffee table.
"I don't know if I can promise you that. At least, not right now," Setsuna said, closing her eyes and pressing her hand once more to her forehead. "The pain is just…too much…"
Setsuna was very out of character and Haruka and Michiru could see this. Setsuna never drank or used such language, so the pain of what Setsuna was feeling must've been very great. Very intense.
"Are you going to be alright, Setsuna?" Haruka asked.
"Eventually. Time and life will find a way to correct all this. To the best of its abilities. But it'll be awhile. The pain will dull, but since it's so recent…" Setsuna explained, filling her third glass of vodka herself and taking a long drink. "I need the edge taken off."
Haruka and Michiru looked at each other and then at Setsuna. How on Earth were things going to be corrected and an enemy like this, defeated?