The full moon cast a beautiful silver light on the balcony where Usagi and Mamoru were having one of their tender moments. She searched his face as he held her close. "Mamo-chan?"
"What is it, Usako?" He could sense something was bothering her. "Is something wrong?"
"No, of course not!" She laughed nervously as she lowered her eyes and rested her head on his chest. She was at war with herself on the inside. Her question had been festering in the back of her mind ever since he had reappeared after Sailor Galaxia had been healed. "I was just wondering about something."
"Anything in particular?" he asked, growing more curious as to what could possibly be bothering his odango atama. "Anything that I could help with?"
She lifted her head and looked him in the eye again, surprised to feel tears trickle down her cheek. "This may sound ridiculous, and childish, and maybe even a little bit selfish. In fact, I hate to even think this way."
"Usako." He wiped her tears away gently. "If this is about us, and it's bothering you this much, I want to know about it. I can see it's hurting you, and that hurts me. I don't care how arbitrary it may sound to you."
"All right," she said with a sigh as she lowered her eyes. She tried to bring her tears under control. "I've been thinking this ever since your Star Seed was returned to you. I must know, Mamo-chan." She looked him in the eye with an intensity that surprised the both of them. "Are you here to stay? Are you going to leave again?"
Mamoru was taken aback. The decision to go to America to study abroad was a long and difficult one. He knew that it was an opportunity that only came to a few students, and he had been very lucky. He also knew that he'd be without Usagi for a year or more. He couldn't be selfish and stay just to be with her. That would've been like a slap to the face for all the teachers who offered their glowing recommendations as well as to the administrators who pulled several strings to get him in the program in the first place. Before he left, he was plagued by the horrifying thought of leaving Usagi to fend for herself with no one to protect her. He tried covering his pain by making the excitement he also felt stand out more when he finally built up the nerve to tell Usagi.
He was in a very similar situation now with Usagi trying to be as brave and supportive as she could, while her tears betrayed her real feelings. So, he decided to answer her question the same way he did when she had asked him how long he would be gone…truthfully. "I haven't been offered another grant to go to America, if that's what you're asking, Usako."
Her will gave way and she started to cry again, but the tears she cried were happy tears. "Thank God," she replied between sobs as she flung her arms around his neck. "Oh, but Mamo-chan, what about your dream? Has something wonderful passed you by? I won't stand in your way if that's what you really want."
"Something even more wonderful almost did," he replied as he kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about me." He kissed her right cheek. "I can finish my schooling here at home." He kissed her left cheek. "I've already been gone long enough." He kissed her nose. By this time, she was giggling uncontrollably, and that only encouraged him to continue. "And you'll never be in the way of my dreams, because all of them include you. Everything I'm doing now is to improve my future, so that I'll be able keep you happy clear through the Crystal Millennium." Their lips met and he kissed her so passionately, that the rest of the world seemed to fade away.
It was only until her communicator went of in her pocket several minutes later that they were brought back to reality. They stared at one another for a few minutes locked in a reverie. "I guess I'd better get that, huh?" She pulled out the obnoxiously ringing communicator and flipped it open.
"I guess so," Mamoru replied as he let his grip on her loosen.
"What is it?" Usagi asked into the communicator with an air of irritation.
"We've got trouble here," Sailor Venus' voice came from the other end.
"What? There aren't any more Phages are there?"
"It's not like that at all, Usagi-chan," Venus replied. "Just get here quickly. We're at the park in the Tenth district."
"We'll be right there," Usagi grumbled. She looked skyward and spoke to no one in particular. "Why can't we have one romantic evening together? Why?!"
"Relax, Usako." Mamoru had just finished transforming into Tuxedo Mask, and he went back over to her. "We're needed. Besides, we have the rest of our lives for romantic evenings."
She blushed as she smiled at him. "You're right, Mamo-chan." She held her eternal brooch high above her head. "Moon Eternal…MAKE-UP!"
As her transformation ended, Tuxedo Mask took her in his arms and leaped off of the balcony onto the street below. "The park isn't far from here, let's hurry over there."
She gave a sigh before she took off running. "I hate this. I hate fighting!"
Tuxedo Mask wasn't far behind and heard every word she said. "None of us like it, Sailor Moon."
She stopped at the gate to the park and looked at him. "You heard me?"
"The only reason any of us put up with this everyday is to ensure a peaceful future," he continued as he peered into the gate to see the fight. Several huge monsters were swatting at the Senshi as if they were flies. He looked back at her. "Neptune and Uranus are here. That's not a good sign."
She gripped her Moon Tier tightly as she prepared for battle. "Then let's even the odds."
The fight wasn't going well for the other senshi. "Damn nasty things!" croaked Sailor Jupiter as her Oak Evolution attack was deflected by a monstrosity clad in black leather.
"Ignore these insects!" Cried the apparent leader of the attackers. "We've just gotta find one stupid girl!"
"Insects?" cried an insulted Sailor Venus. "I'll give you an insect! Mars, Mercury, Jupiter! Let's all show them what kind of insects we are! Venus…Love and Beauty Shock!" At the same time, the other Inner Senshi unleashed their powers.
"Mars…Flame Sniper!"
"Mercury…Aqua Rhapsody!"
"Jupiter…Oak Evolution!"
All of the attacks were either deflected or absorbed, making the monsters that much more powerful. Every Senshi wondered where their leader was.
"This is no good at all!" Cried Sailor Uranus as her Space Sword clashed with a chain whose user intended to skull her with. "We aren't even weakening them, just ourselves!" Her opponent proceeded to yank the chain, and the sword flew out of her grip.
"Deep…Submerge!" came Sailor Neptune's voice, followed by her massive attack. Uranus' assailant was immediately surrounded in the devastating energy.
Uranus took advantage of the diversion and prepared her own attack. "World…Shaking!" The sword and chain fell to the ground as the monster dissolved into ash.
"See?" quipped Neptune as she put on a sarcastic smile. "That didn't take much."
Uranus chuckled as she retrieved her talisman weapon. "Nothing at all." Suddenly, Neptune was seized form behind, her screams muffled by strong, misshapen hands crushing her throat. "Neptune! NO!"
A red streak flashed past Neptune and came to rest directly in one of her attacker's eyes. The female monster immediately crumbled to the ground screaming in pain.
All fighting ceased as every eye went up to the tree where Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask stood; each with an outstretched hand and horrified expression. "Oh my God," gasped Sailor Moon. "What did I do?"
Neptune shook free of the monster's limp grip and saw firsthand what had prevented the robbing her of her life precious. A red rose's stem had lodged itself deep into her left eye, and equally red blood dripped from the wound. She also noticed that she had that blood on her, but still she gave an appreciative look to Sailor Moon. "Nice shot!"
The other Senshi gathered around Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask as they both jumped from the tree. Tuxedo Mask traced the path of the rose he had thrown into the arm of another monster who had tried attacking Sailor Venus. He too, was on the ground nursing the wound.
"Yeah," echoed Sailor Venus with a smile. "Nice one, 'Dead-Eye'!"
"That's not funny, Venus!" Sailor Moon spat. "I didn't mean to do that!"
"Not generally the type of entrances I like to make, but hey…" Tuxedo Mask managed to croak as he recovered from his initial shock.
"At least you guys are here," Sailor Jupiter said. "We've been getting our butts kicked!"
"What ever possessed you to throw that rose, Sailor Moon?" Sailor Mercury's eyes were practically bugging out of their sockets. She still couldn't believe what she saw.
"I…I thought it looked so cool when HE did it," she replied pointing back at Tuxedo Mask. Her shock had not entirely worn off yet. Strong hands gripped her shoulders reassuringly. She looked up into her prince's deep sapphire gaze as he gave her a warm smile.
"Don't worry about it too much, my pretty soldier," he whispered. She smiled back.
"What say we leave the rose attacks as well as the poetry to the professionals from now on?" suggested Sailor Mars sarcastically. "How about this little ditty?" She cleared her throat. "Roses are red, That thing's eye is too. The monsters are STILL HERE, So, now what do we do?"
"Nice poem, Mars," Jupiter said with a rough nudge to the ribs. "I especially liked how it rhymed."
"Joke all you want." The monster whose eye had been impaled shakily stood as she pointed and glared with her good eye over to Sailor Moon. Hatred practically dripped from her voice. "You. You won't get away with that. The Bad Ass Brutes will not forgive you!"
"Get over it, 'Rosie'," said the leader of the group as he crossed his arms and leaned on a tree. "And get her. She's the one we want."
"Why does this not seem to surprise me?" Sailor Moon asked to the sky.
The wounded monster roared as a new adrenaline-inspired energy filled her, and charged the Senshi. She started hurling energy attacks to disperse them. Surprisingly, the nine warriors were able to withstand the attacks and protect their princess. They weren't able to hold out, however, when she started tearing them away from Sailor Moon.
One by one, Senshi after Senshi were tossed like rag dolls around the battlefield, until finally all that remained between the monster and Sailor Moon was Tuxedo Mask. She slashed at him over and over, but he refused to fall. Sailor Moon watched in horror as her true love lurched in pain protecting her. Finally, he gathered enough strength to grab her and roll away from the attack. He faced the monster with cane in hand. He lasted a few more minutes before the cane was slashed from his hand, and he was tossed over to the pile of battered Senshi.
"Mamo-chan! NO!" Sailor Moon screamed as the golden crescent moon on her forehead glowed brightly. "Oh, you are gonna pay for that!" She powered up her attack, but before she could do anything, the monster grabbed her from behind. She was writhing and squirming to no avail to free herself from the vice-like grip.
"Oh, shut up!" the monster cried. "And stop squirming. You are not gonna escape me." With that, the monsters all began to float to a portal that had been opened only seconds before.
Tuxedo Mask and the Senshi watched helplessly as Sailor Moon began to disappear through the hole in space-time. "USAKO!"
Though her only thought was of her situation, Tuxedo Mask's cry reminded her of something else. She knew this was the only way to keep everyone safe. She wriggled enough to grasp the eternal brooch on her chest. She pulled it from her fuku and threw it down to the Earth below. As Eternal Sailor Moon metamorphosed back into Tsukino Usagi, she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Mamo-chan! Keep this safe! I love you!" Then she was gone.
Tuxedo mask managed to pull himself to a standing position as he caught the delicate golden brooch. "She's gone," he gasped quietly as he stared at the brooch. Others were not quite so quiet with their reactions.
"Damn them!" Screamed Sailor Uranus. "Damn them all!"
"Haruka," Sailor Neptune said gently as she put her hands on Uranus' heaving shoulders.
"Where did they take her?" Asked a half-crazed Sailor Jupiter. "Where the hell did they take her? And why the hell did they do it?"
Sailor Mercury was feverishly typing on her computer, but her tears blinded her enough so that the calculations were not accurate. "I…I don't know! Usagi-chan!"
Sailor Mars took the computer away from Mercury gently and allowed the blue-haired senshi to fall into her arms, sobbing. "It's okay, Ami-chan. Your computer can only tell us so much."
Sailor Venus stood silently, looking at the slumped form of Tuxedo Mask. "Mamoru-san!" Her shrill voice cut through the other commotion. "Aren't you going to do anything? They took her away from us! Don't you care?" She fell to her knees muttering something about him being an idiot between sobs.
He clenched his teeth and fist. "Of course I care!" This wasn't his fault! Suddenly, something in him snapped, and the divine royal right he held kicked in: the right that said he couldn't be put down like this. His back straightened and he spun around. "That's enough! I have had it!" Everything else stopped. Even the crickets stopped chirping at the loud, authoritative boom that had emanated from the quietest one there. "We can't just sit here and mope about this! And we can't go around accusing people! That isn't going to bring her back! Unless anyone has a sound, calm solution to this, I COMMAND you all to shut up!"
As if on cue, Sailor Pluto emerged from a portal right beside him. He almost lost any composure that he had left, but he controlled himself. "The new crisis is at hand," she said simply. "I'm sorry, Prince, but I have little good news to offer. I don't have any idea where they could have taken her, but that's not what concerns me."
"It isn't?" Asked Sailor Jupiter dejectedly.
"No," Pluto replied. "What concerns me is WHEN they could have taken her. Their portal ran parallel to mine as I was coming here, and I couldn't intercept them."
"So, what are we going to do?" Sailor Venus was slightly less hysterical. "How are we going to get her back?"
"All I can suggest is that I locate her psycho-energy," Pluto sighed. "You're all going to have to wait until I find where and when they took her before you take any action." She looked over to Tuxedo Mask whose composure was slowly crumbling. He was gonna lose it very soon.
He noticed her looking at him from the corner of his eye. The look she gave him was one asking for his permission. All he wanted to do was go home, crawl into bed, and wake up the next morning to find that this was a terrible dream. He wanted nothing more than to see the delicate golden brooch in his clutched hand on its rightful owner's school uniform. He sighed as he turned to leave. "Please, Sailor Pluto. Please get her back for me. Do whatever you have to, and let me know as soon as you can when you find her." Then with a swirl of his cape, he disappeared into the darkness.