1
It happened just as when she transformed; in an instant, so fast one could not really see it. On second, he was Chiba Mamoru. Then, Tuxedo Kamen. And the flash backs hit her.
Chiba Mamoru held up her test paper, smirked and told her to "Study harder, odango atama!"
Tuxedo Kamen hovered above her, telling her that "Crying will not solve anything!"
Chiba Mamoru, a teasing grin on his face, called out to her: "The dumpling's turned into puffed pastry!"
Tuxedo Kamen, leaping away into the air, called back to her: "Today, you are the star, Sailor Moon!"
Chiba Mamoru taunted her. "If you keep eating like that, you'll turn into a meat bun!"
Tuxedo Kamen bid her good-bye with a small smile as he took off. "Sayonara, Sailor Moon!"
Usagi stared. Blinked. He was still there. And, she realized, he was not the romantic hero she had dreamed up from their short interactions. Tuxedo Kamen was Chiba Mamoru. Chiba Mamoru was a guy who picked her simple because she was who she was.
"You're Tuxedo Kamen…" Usagi said.
He smiled at her, answering. "You were very brave today."
Something within her snapped. "And you were not. You had no intention of transforming, you just stood there. Is your secret more important than life? Would you have let Zoisite kill us?"
"I didn't know that you're Sailor Moon! I had to- "
"Shut up! I didn't know who you are, did you see me hesitating, allowing us to be blown to pieces?" Usagi interrupted, waving a gloved hand in the air. Behind her, Zoisite laughed.
"Save the lover's quarrel, Sailor Moon, and let me take the rainbow crystals from the hero."
Usagi snorted and faced the villain. "Go away, Zoisite. You won't ever get the rest of the crystals."
Zoisite snarled, his right hand became a fist and then unclenched again, fingers pointing down to the floor. It happened fast. A swishing sound, a body collided with hers, she was pushed aside. Tuxedo Kamen fell in a heap on the floor, a shimmer blade of dark energy piercing his body before it dissolved into nothingness. Usagi reacted on instinct. The Crescent Moon Wand was such a deep part of her now that she merely had to will it in a heartbeat. The familiar weight in her hand, the sudden boost of pure confidence as she let the power fill her.
"Moon Healing Escalation!"
With Zoisite momentarily blown out, Usagi whirled around. Although sad by the fact that the 'hero' wasn't such a hero, she certainly didn't want him – what to call him? Tuxedo Kamen would have to do in this form – to die. She sat down and helped him up into a half sitting position.
"Where are you hurt? Can you stand? Crap I don't know magic healing," she rambled and tried to call she Senshi but was only met by a buzzing sound. They were cut off. Fuck. He raised a hand towards her.
"Are you okay, Sailor Moon?"
She nodded. "Yes." She wasn't the one with a hole through her body, after all. His smile was strained, as if it hurt to use the muscles, and his hand shook.
"Why do you look like you're about to cry?" he asked. His voice was shaky as well. Shit. That could not be good. And then his hand fell onto floor beside his body, the soft thump filling her ears. She called out to him, she recalled that one should do so when someone lost unconsciousness.
"Tuxedo Kamen! Tuxedo Kamen!"
Vaguely, she saw a shade of grey. Zoisite. Damn. And then, distantly, sound of heels. Familiar heels. Her friends. They'd found her. She heard Venus mumble, voice soft: "We came too late!"
Mars chimed in, low: "Tuxedo Kamen…"
Usagi looked down at him. His eyes where closed, his face paler than before. He was completely still. And yet, she didn't think he was dead. There was a small, oh so small, rising of his chest. If they didn't get him help, it would be too late.
"Tuxedo Kamen!" Usagi mumbled, trying to stir him. Nothing. A tear slid from her eyes down her cheek. And then the world stopped. That one single tear on her cheek froze and then sent of silver white rings into the air, like rings upon water when you threw a rock in it. It felt oddly familiar, the heat that suddenly filled her body. She was close to… something. And this something was very needed. Suddenly she saw drops of colours invade the stillness around her. Red. Blue. Pink. Green. Yellow. Another blue shade. More red. And then, in a burst of silver and pink, Usagi saw it. The Silver Crystal. She heard Artemis call out in shock, the cat's vice muffled.
"The Silver Crystal!"
Luna chimed in, sound mildly baffled, and Usagi heard her cat as from afar.
"So, that's the legendary Silver Crystal?"
Usagi watched, somehow not at all surprised, as the Crescent Moon Wand appeared in the air. The Silver Crystal soared to the wand and the two came together, the Crystal resting in the former empty small holder at the base of the Crescent Moon that adorned the Wand. This was right, Usagi realized with a sudden calmness. The Wand was complete. Now, she had to do something. Slowly, she got to her feet, her body feeling sluggish and now her own. Something inside was compelling her to take the Wand. It was hers. She alone could handle it. Her forehead exploded in heat. A surge of power filled her, took her. Her fuku melted away into pure whiteness. This was also right, Usagi knew, even though she didn't know how she knew. But the feeling inside her was slowly growing, flowing through her. This was meant to be. Usagi took the Crescent Moon Wand, held it close in both hands. Its warmth calmed her. Closing her eyes, she sat still. She heard Luna in the background.
"Sailor Moon… Princess… Princess Serenity…"
That was it! The something she was waiting for. A name. knowledge. Usagi pondered over the name. Serenity. So… she was this Serenity? How? Then again, hadn't Luna talked about the moon princess? And, she Sailor Moon. And, the moon hadn't a soldier. The moon was… the moon was the Centre. The Power. The… Usagi lost her trail of thought. How did she know this? And why was everything hazy? Confused, she sat back down and – and she saw all of this from outside – placed Tuxedo Kamen's head in her lap, the Crescent Moon Wand placed in her lap as well. And the was drawn back when Zoisite's harsh voice cut through the world.
"The princess has awakened. In that case, I'll just kill you and take the Silver Crystal!"
As if he could hurt her know, Usagi mused as she – almost interested – watched the ball of dark energy blast through the air. The Crescent Moon Wand shimmered into her hand, sucked the attack away. She raised the Wand high above her head. Something inside her knew this. It was her right. Moonpower, clear and unused for so long time, coursed through her and burst from the Wand in a shocking pink light. The blast filled the room, threw Zoisite into a stone pillar with a thud, and then went out, its purpose filled for now. Placing the Wand back beside her. She – Usagi no longer felt right to go by, but neither did the other name, Serenity – put her left hand over Tuxedo Kamen's – what name was that, by the way? Surely, he couldn't have picked it himself? – heart and spoke to him, using that silly name since she still now knew his real one.
"Tuxedo Kamen…" And then, and this was so silly and yet through and she was torn between different personas. "All this for me…" And she cried, the tears falling on his face. He stirred, those oh so familiar, once loved – loved? What was that? – eyes opened, dark blue and so well known on one level, yet so unknown on another. He gazed up at her. And then, as she slowly said her true name, she knew.
"Serenity…"
She looked at him, hoped he knew as well, as the knowledge inside her grew.
"I remember everything know," he said and took her hand in his.
"Serenity, I am Endymion," he went on, confirming her strange growing suspicion.
In a haze, she repeated his name. "Endymion…"
Memories, bittersweet, rushed through her, turning the feeling of right into cold crystal-clear knowledge. She had loved him… at the Moon… and he her. And then there was a sudden burst of Darkness and she had lost him. Lost everyone. It was too much to bear. She fell through eons of time as she turned back into Sailor Moon, and the world went black.