In the Kamen's Shadow: Seiya's Turbulent Return
Chapter One
Usagi gazed at the stars, looking for the bright star that always marked Kinmoku-sei in the night sky. She smiled when she found it. It was its usual red glow, a comforting sight, considering her dreams of late. She frowned when she thought about the dreams. It was the same thing every night; she'd see Kinmoku in chaos, Sailor Starfighter struggling to stand up as attacks hit her and knocked her back, and thick, black smoke.
"What does it all mean? Are Seiya, Yaten, and Taiki in some kind of trouble? If so, then what kind?" Usagi wondered, jumping somewhat when Luna jumped onto her shoulder.
"Ne, Usagi-chan, what're you thinking about? You looked so serious just now." Luna said, as she turned her reddish-brown eyed gaze to her mistress.
"Just thinking about some dreams I've been having lately. About Seiya and the other two Lights." Usagi said, as she walked back into her bedroom and sat down on the bed.
"Why would you dream about them, Usagi-chan? Mamoru-sama's back, they are gone. Don't tell me that you are in love with Seiya!" Luna stated, getting a sharp gasp and a deep blush from Usagi.
"Iie! That's not it at all! Honest it isn't!" Usagi exclaimed, still blushing like crazy.
"Right………whatever!" Luna retorted, sarcastically.
"Actually, the dreams seem to be almost like cries for help." Usagi said, as she lay back on her bed, her expression thoughtful.
"What do you mean?" Luna asked, looking a little concerned, since Usagi never usually looked so serious.
"What I mean is that I see the same thing every time; Kinmoku in burning ruins, the Starlights fighting against something, and thick black smoke rising high into the night sky. What could it all mean, Luna?" Usagi asked, closing her eyes and seeing the visions as clearly as when she had been asleep.
"I don't know. Maybe you should tell Rei-chan tomorrow about it. For now, go to bed and get some sleep. Since your parents are away on a two month vacation and your brother is at your uncle's I am the only one here to keep you in line." Luna said, the latter half of her statement coming out in a somewhat teasing tone.
"Okay Luna-mama." Usagi teased, knowing that Luna hated being called that.
"One of these days, Usagi-chan, one of these days!" Luna said, as her mistress started getting ready for bed.
Usagi gasped as she bolted upright. The same dream again! Only this time it was Seiya fighting, not Starfighter.
"That dream again! Now I know that Seiya and the others are in…………………!?" Usagi thought, before a crash outside got her attention and awakened Luna.
"What was that?!" Usagi and Luna asked, at the same time, as they both rushed out on to the balcony to see what it was.
"I don't see anything……….Luna, could you go and get my flashlight? I need to get down there and see what made that sound." Usagi said, as she grabbed her brooch, in case she needed to transform.
"But what if it is somebody trying to get in?" Luna asked, but went and got the flashlight anyway, even though it was against her better judgment. As carefully as they could, girl and cat went through the house, making certain that no one was inside. When they had completed their patrol of the house's interior, Usagi went outside and looked around. At first she saw nothing out of the ordinary, then she heard a groan from one of the bushes in the yard.
"Luna…………." Usagi said, starting to get scared.
"Don't freak out, Usagi-chan! Go over there and see what it is!" Luna hissed, pushing the back of Usagi's leg with her head. With a whimper, Usagi nodded and started to cautiously edge her way over to the bushes. With the top of the flashlight, she parted the branches and prepared herself to jump back, in case this happened to be a drunk or someone like that. What she did not expect to see was a young man lying there; obviously badly hurt by the looks of him. What she least expected from him was the one word she had heard Seiya say so many times in the past.
"O-odango………………..?" the young man asked, before coughing painfully into a bloodied and soot blackened hand.
"Luna! Go and get the phone! Hurry! Call for an ambulance!" Usagi shouted, not caring whether the neighbors heard her or not.
"Odango……….." Seiya gasped, as Usagi gently pulled him out of the bushes, ever mindful of his injuries.
"Hush, Seiya-san! You shouldn't be talking! You've been badly hurt!" Usagi said, turning her head when she heard some yelling from inside her house, assuming that Luna was calling for an ambulance to come and pick Seiya up. A few minutes later, the called for ambulance arrived and the crew got out and started working.
"Would you guys mind if I came along?" Usagi asked, as one man attached an IV to Seiya's arm.
"It might help to keep him calm. Go get dressed as quickly as you can." The man said, as Usagi did just that. She was out in less than five minutes and jumped into the ambulance, sitting next to Seiya's soot blackened form.
"This is pretty bad. Any idea as to who he is?" one man asked.
"He looks a little bit like that dark haired guy from that idol group, the Three Lights. What was his name? Seiya? Seiya Kou?" another man said, then glanced at Usagi, who was gazing at Seiya's face. The trip to the hospital seemed to take forever, but they finally made it and rushed the wounded Light in, leaving Usagi in the almost empty waiting room.
"Usagi-chan?! What're you doin' here?!" a voice from the corner of the room yelped. Usagi turned abruptly around to see Minako coming towards her.
"Mina-P?!" Usagi yelped, as Minako rushed over, her face filled with worry.
"Why are you here? I thought nobody knew that Yaten-san had been brought here!" Minako said, as she and Usagi sat down in some of the chairs.
"Huh?! I came in with Seiya-san! He was badly hurt and I had Luna call for an ambulance!" Usagi said, as another emergency crew pushed past, with another familiar face behind it.
"Ami-chan!" Minako and Usagi cried out at the same time.
"Minako-chan?! Usagi-chan?! How did you know that Taiki-san was hurt?!" Ami asked, looking very surprised to see them.
"I came in with Seiya-san and Mina-P came in with Yaten-san! This could only mean that Kinmoku-sei is…………………!!!" Usagi freezes when she sees a familiar young man come running in, with a lifeless young woman in his arms, looking somewhat frantic.
"Mamo-chan!" Usagi calls, but the young man is directed into the emergency area by two other men so quickly that he didn't even hear Usagi call out to him.
"That was Kakyuu-hime he was carrying. She looked the worst out of all of them." Ami said, as she sat down beside her two friends and prepared for a long wait. They all looked up when Mamoru entered the waiting area, his face ashen and pale.
"Mamoru-sempai? Are you okay?" Ami asked, noticing the look on Mamoru's face.
"Ami-san? Usa-ko? Minako-san? What are you three doing here?" Mamoru asked, looking very haggard at that moment.
"We each accompanied a Light in here. Now we wait to see if any of them will survive. We each know the reasons why the Three Lights came to us, but why would Kakyuu hime come to you, Mamoru-san?" Minako asked.
"I don't know. Maybe that question will be answered when and if she comes to." Mamoru said, as he sat back in his chair, closing his eyes as he did so. The three girls did not know what to think of his behaviour. He was hiding something. Afterwards there was silence between them, as they tensely waited for news about any of the four Kinmoku survivors. Then a grim faced doctor came out to the waiting room, right up to the four anxious youths.
"Is Yaten-san all right?" Minako asked, bolting to alertness when she saw the doctor.
"What about Taiki-san?" Ami asked, equally as anxious.
"Is Seiya-san going to be okay?" Usagi asked, worriedly.
"The three young men are in stable condition, but it is the young woman I am worried about. She is in critical condition. I would really be surprised if she survived the night." The doctor said, as the girls exchanged shocked looks with one another. Mamoru's expression was unreadable.
"May we go see them?" Ami asked. The doctor nodded, silently. With that, Usagi and the other two girls went to find the Three Lights' rooms. They quickly found out that they shared a room and they entered it knowing that the Three Lights were going to survive their ordeal.
"Odango……………Odango Atama……………" Seiya murmured, getting an immediate response from Usagi.
"Seiya-san…………" Usagi said, keeping her voice soft as she approached his bedside. The wounded Light smiled weakly when he saw her, his deep blue eyes sparkling with pain.
"She's dying, Odango……………Kakyuu-hime is dying……………we couldn't protect her………….." Seiya whispered, as tears came to his eyes.
"Don't say that! She might still be all right! Just wait and see!" Usagi said, with confidence that she didn't feel. Deep down she knew that what Seiya was saying was true.
"It is true, Tsukino-san…………….our princess is dying…………..we can feel it." Taiki murmured, from his bed, as Ami tried to comfort him.
"And there is nothing we can do to stop it." Yaten whispered, whimpering from the anguish he felt. Then, as though on cue, a gentle, sweet smelling breeze blew into the room and a voice came from it.
"My sweet Starlights…………………." The voice whispered, gently.
"Kakyuu-hime." The Three Lights said, in unison.
"I know this is a painful time for you, but do not cry. We will meet again, someday. I have a new mission for you. Protect the earth and its people, and protect your new princess; Tsukino Usagi, Princess Serenity. Live your lives happily here with the ones you love. Farewell, my sweet Starlights……………….." Kakyuu's voice whispered, as medical staff rushed down the hall, responding to a 'code blue'.
"She's gone…………..Kakyuu-hime………………." Yaten sobbed, as Minako gently held his hand and cried with him.
"We must be strong, Yaten, Taiki. For our new Princess." Seiya said, as he wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at Usagi. He got nods of agreement from his fellow Starlights.
"Odango, will you let me love you this time?" Seiya asked, as he took her hand in his.
"I………….I don't know………………….I don't want Mamo-chan to be hurt by my actions if I do allow you to love me." Usagi said, with uncertainty in her voice. Seiya's look of hope did not fade. Unbeknownst to any of those in that room , Mamoru was watching the exchange between Usagi and Seiya. He could tell that Usagi loved Seiya now, more than she loved him. He felt hurt, yet happy that Usagi would finally be with the one she wanted.
"Take care of her, Seiya." Mamoru whispered, as he silently walked away. Usagi abruptly turned around when she heard a whisper and caught a glimpse of Mamoru before he walked off.
"Mamo-chan………." Usagi murmured, having caught the look that was in Mamoru's eyes and understood.
"If you love someone, let them go." A voice said, in the back of Usagi's mind. Mamoru had just let her go.
"Odango?" Seiya asked.
"I'm fine, Seiya-san. Get some sleep, okay?" Usagi said.
"Okay, Odango. Visit me sometime?" Seiya asked, as he started drifting off.
"Hai. I'll visit you tomorrow." Usagi promised, as she gently brushed some strands of hair away from his pale face.
"Usagi-chan?" Minako asked.
"Mina-P, Ami-chan, things have just gotten a whole lot more confusing………." Usagi murmured. Without even saying anything, Ami and Minako understood what Usagi had meant and wondered what the future now held in store for them.