Cruel Destiny of an Unlikely Superhero

Chapter One: For You

For you, I would move heaven and earth… To feel your love I would sacrifice everything I am even if that love were to last but a day. I would die a thousand deaths just to hear you say "I love you". The tall teenager thought as he paced furiously through the beaten paths of Inchinohashi Park. He began to contemplate the day he'd had, first he ran into her, well truth be told she had run into him, and he just could not keep his mouth shut, he just had to go and insult her. However, he had felt horrible when he saw those silent tears running down her face they were different from the ones she normally shed.

Damn. Those tears have been haunting me all day long. Instead of paying attention in class the way I should have, I was thinking of her. He had made her cry in the past but it had always been through wailing that she had told the world she was hurt, these tears were somehow more emotional and made him feel worse than he usually did. How could I have caused her so much pain that all she could do was simply bite her lip and run off in the other direction. She must have gotten tired of all my teasing and simply decided to ignore me, is that even possible? I never thought she would ever hold back on her normal wailing. Oh Gods, what have I done to her? Have I finally pushed her to the brink where now she will hate me forever? No, Usagi could never hate anyone, could she? He brushed black hair back from deep cerulean blue eyes and tried desperately to think of anyone but her. Nevertheless, that was an impossible task for him no matter what he tried, his mind would always return to her. Those eyes, that smile, her laughter, no I must not think of her. She will be the death of me yet. He thought as he glared at the hard beaten stone path below him. Why do I even bother to try to stop myself from thinking about her? Especially when I know, I am irrevocably addicted and that I am irretrievably in love with her.

Pedestrians who encountered the young high school student kept their distance, the dark cloud that noticeably hung over his head seemed threatened to cling to them and ruin what was left of their day. He noticed that people kept their distance and that was how he liked it. He liked his privacy after all he had been alone for most of his life; even in the orphanage he had no friends. He did not want to get hurt, did not want a broken heart. Yet somehow, this golden haired child had wormed her way into his heart when he was not looking and now he could not rip her out. He loved her more than he could ever explain to himself or to anyone and that was the truth. More than anything he wanted to tell her what he felt, that he knew everything about her alter ego, and that he did not care. He knew that could never happen, because then he would have to explain to her who he was and no matter what he felt for her. He was sure she could never love him; she would only hate him even more.

He had heard as she had exclaimed her love for Tuxedo Mask and that had pleased him to no end. However, if she found out that her dashing Tuxedo Mask was no other than grumpy old Mamoru she would end up hating them both. After all, it would not be every day that you found out the man you loved was also the man you had come to hate. He couldn't bear to think of her hating him even if all she loved was his alter ego. He was depressed, the fire in his blue eyes went out as he walked towards the rose bushes, and he knew he would have to keep thinking because he knew there was no way he could stop. At least not when it came to thinking of her, she was too entrenched into his being for him to stop. He knew he loved her, knew deep down inside himself that nothing would make him happier than to hear her tell him that she felt the same. Nevertheless, that was only a dream and there were more things obstructing him than just this. It was at this exact moment that he felt her transform, felt a rising panic in her transformation, knew that this time he had to get to her fast, so he followed his link to her. What could have possibly happened to make her panic thus?

A lone figure sat on one of the empty benches by the park's lake, far too entranced with her own thoughts than the people watching the light play with her golden blond hair. That morning she had awoken from a dream that had chilled and yet thrilled her at the same time. Someone enshrouded in fog crying out to her, yet he was not exactly calling for her but someone named 'Serenity'. She did not know what to make of the man except that from what she had seen of his features had set her heart to yearning more than she understood. A feeling in the pit of her stomach that had her yearning for something and she was unsure of its meaning. However, her heart was pounding then and even now, as she thought of the man's full lips, the only part of him she could see in her dreams. What has gotten into me, maybe I have read too many romantic mangas and seen one too many romance movies? However, I cannot feel but as though I know this man and that I knew him far too intimately especially with the way his voice set my blood to boil. Never the less, this is not right, how can I love… hold on how can I be thinking love? I cannot love a man I have never met, can I? This is so confusing… how is it that this keeps happening to me? Whatever happened to living a nice, quiet and normal life as a teenage girl?

Her life was falling apart at the seams and she was not sure if she would be able to put everything back together once more. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes as she continued to think back on her horrible day. Horrible because she had intended it to be a good day, she had even set her hopes on waking early but that dream had ruined everything for her, she didn't even hear her alarm this morning for once actually due to middle of the night blackout and not because she had pushed the snooze button one too many times. Then the worst of all things had happened on her dash to school this morning, she had run into him. She had no real excuse she couldn't give him the line 'Sorry Mamoru-kun, too busy thinking about the mystery man in my dreams that makes me feel funny so I wasn't paying attention to where I was going'. If I ever said that to him, he would surely laugh and never leave me alone with all his bullying. Therefore, she did what she always did even though it always did nothing but infuriate him she apologized profusely.

"Watch where you go meatball for brains if you don't end up killing me purposely you'll only end up hurting yourself accidentally."

Those words had further harmed her psyche; did he really think she was trying to purposely hurt him? She could never do that, at least not to him he was far too important to her. Although I would rather bite my tongue than tell him how I really feel. There was a million different ways and in fact, there had been times she could have told him what he meant to her. However, she knew the truth in her own situation with him, Mamoru of all people could never love her and his own words had proven that fact to her. Therefore, in her wretchedness she held back the wail that was fighting to make itself heard. Instead, the only thing that showed him he had hurt her were the silent tears that had fallen from her eyes. In that moment she resolved to never show him her pain, but she could have sworn that before she turned to leave she had seen profound guilt in his eyes. She had shaken it off, after all why would Mamoru ever feel guilty about hurting her he had never felt such remorse before so why now?

In that moment she had sworn not too show him her pain but she could not stop herself from showing it now in front of all these strangers. She wiped the tears away from her porcelain cheeks as she looked to the setting sun for some sort of comfort. However, she quickly realized she would not find solace in this park least of all today when terrified screams rent the air behind her. She turned slowly to see what the commotion was about although she knew in her heart of hearts what it was already. It was exactly as she thought it would be a youma. She quickly looked around, too many damn witnesses I will not be able to transform here. She looked off to the side and found what she wanted the little wood of trees nearby they at least should be able to hide her while she transformed. She quickly ran to their shadowy depths.

Soon as she was deep enough in their boughs, so as not be seen by anyone, she reached in her pockets but she could not find it. No, no do not tell me I left it at home. She desperately searched through her briefcase but her communicator was not there either. What did she do to deserve such a rotten unlucky day? Fine I will have to do this without them as tough as it will be hopefully Mercury might pick up a signal from the monster and have the others join me.

"Moon Prism Power Make Up!" she shouted and the transformation overtook her as it always did. Pink ribbons exploded from the pink compact pinned to the bow of her school uniform and just as always they cascaded around her seemingly playing with the lights that surrounded her. She panicked as she thought of facing the youma alone when her tiara formed on her forehead. Oh well, I need to get a handle on myself, she thought silently as she landed lightly on her feet once more. She took a deep breath of fresh air and pushed herself off the ground. Now that she was airborne, she channeled her nervous energy into standing her ground. She landed in front of the slimy reptilian youma that the Dark Kingdom had sent for energy or so she presumed.

"Put those people down now!" she cried out as she looked at the people in the thing's many arms. She was not even sure what it might be this time around, all she knew was that the thing was ignoring her. "I am the Sailor Suited Pretty Soldier of Love and Justice, Sailor Moon is here! In the name of the Moon I'll punish you!" she called out her normal entrance line; she found it was always best to announce oneself. Crap, I usually do that to distract its attention to me so that the other scouts can get a shot at it. I really need to learn how to fight one on one combat.

"We know who you are pathetic weakling; do you honestly believe you can take us on much less stop us from doing our Queen's bidding?"

Sailor Moon was confused now the thing kept speaking in plurals, why would it do that. "We, we, and what do you mean by us?"

"Ah, the pathetic child hasn't noticed us."

"Us, what are you talking about you revolting creature?"

"We are Multus, many live inside this one body we are an abomination to life and we will destroy you." The many-armed youma cried as it suddenly dropped its prey and shot its arms towards Sailor Moon.

She jumped back just barely evading the arms that came crashing down all around her. She began to bob and weave hoping to gain time until help arrived and then just as suddenly a thought hit her and she jumped back several feet. There is no way of knowing whether the other scouts are coming and whether I take action and destroy this thing now means whether or not I get to see another day.

While she evaded the monster's powerful arms Sailor Moon had a realization, she could lop off these creatures arms but there was no way of knowing whether they would regenerate or whether they would multiply so she could do the only attack she knew would cripple it. It was an attack she had only used once before and annoyance to those she knew in her normal life. The Super Sonic Waves emitted from my jewels while I cry may just give me enough time to use my boomerang and destroy its body its only weakness. So unwillingly, she dredged up her memories of Mamoru and all the hurtful things he had ever said that had torn her heart apart. The tears and the overwhelming need to cry hit her like an avalanche and she let it overtake her. She wailed her heart out as she eyed the youma cautiously. She saw its arms tremble and then they began to quake.

"No, stop that repugnant crying." Multus cried out in pain. It hurt to have to listen to the dreadful wailing amplified several times over.

Sailor Moon smiled through the wailing she could see the weakness she was looking for the one area on the youma's body that quaked more than its arms was its hideously soft belly. It kept trying to arc that body part away from her as though it could shake off the immobility her wailing caused. Her delicate hand reached for the tiara on her brow and she maneuvered it easily to her side as it turned into a golden discus of glowing power. She positioned her body into a better one and then just as suddenly her wailing stopped as she cried out "Moon Tiara Boomerang!"

There had not been enough time for Multus to recover once her wailing had stopped her attack had been immediate, her strategy flawless for once. The discus arced in a golden light toward its target and hit the soft spot Sailor Moon had searched for; the monster had only had time for one last garbled cry before it turned to ashes.

"Moon dust," Sailor Moon whispered as she caught the discus in her hand and once more returned it to her brow.

She slumped to her knees that had been one serious crying jag she had done just now. Even after defeating the youma, the induced memories of all of Mamoru's words had caused her more pain than she realized and silent tears fell from her sad blue eyes once more. I have to remember to bring that communicator along more often so I have less need to destroy these monsters by myself.

The once beautiful scenery of the park was one of devastation, there where piles of stone and tufts of grass littered in complete disorder. The roses were broken lying on the soil; there were pieces of broken glass from who knows where, and a pile of ashes the result of the youma destruction. He had been there countless times with and without the Tuxedo and mask but never once had it ever looked like this. Why oh why did these battles always take place in the park, the poor gardeners would have to work overtime to fix this mess, because this had been one serious battle... That is a stupid thought to be having when a battle had just finished taking place. On that note, how did she dare to take such a stupid risk?

It had been another battle; he had arrived early on to see her take on the creature all on her own, instead of running, as she would have normally done. This time she stood her ground and fought the beast, this in itself made him proud. Nevertheless, that did not keep him from being angry; after all, she had risked her life and had not bothered to call in her Scouts to help protect her. He wished he could have barreled into the battle to help her but even he knew he could not fling himself into every battle. It was not because he did not want to but because he knew that she would come to depend on him too much and that was not acceptable. He jumped from the tree he was so conveniently hiding in and landed before her.

Standing before her is hard; she is like a living star, a guiding light in my world of darkness. I cannot imagine my life without her, since the first day I have met her. Her deep cerulean eyes drown me nearly every time, and every time I looked into them I nearly lose my bearings and my sense of duty and wanted to hold her in my arms to make her feel better, and to kiss all her tears away, so that she never had a care in the world.

However, I can never hold her and I can never show her my emotions, I am unable to as she can never be mine. As the guardian of Earth, she is powerful and untouchable, the Protector of this Solar system. She is like an avenging angel, if you harm one of hers' then heaven help the poor soul who crossed her. She is a formidable opponent one who's very being holds the innocence and wisdom of the ages and the galaxy. That made what he would say next to her one of the toughest things in his life, he did not want to say it but he needed her to be more responsible with her own life. What he would give just to be more involved in these battles that she was in, but he could only come in when it was convenient for her. He looked anywhere but at those deep blue eyes, he knew that if he did then he would not be able to tell her what he needed to and he would be hard pressed to stop his natural instincts from taking over.

She glanced up as he landed before her and she immediately got to her feet, embarrassed that he had caught her in a moment of weakness. A weakness she would be unwilling to admit was due to another man that would be especially hard since she had already professed her love for this masked crusader. Even she feared to admit that it was possible she could love more than one man at the same time. After all who would be able to understand her emotions?

"Where are the Senshi?" his voice thundered around her, it was deep and obviously angry. "Why are they not here to protect you?" she could feel him glaring at her even through the mask that obscured half of his face. The same mask that after most battles she wanted to rip off, just so she could see his face. A face that she had wanted to see for a long time and even though she stood this close to him, she could not bring herself to do it. It might very well crush all her dreams if the face underneath was not the one she wanted to see. If his face did not match the one in her dreams, it would most certainly crush her already fragile heart.

"Um-well, I um, kind of forgot my communicator..." she managed to stutter at him. She was shamefaced and looking at the ground while scuffing her foot like an errant child whom had endured some chastising. Her cheeks had grown pink and her eyes that filled with unshed tears were sparkling in the evening light.

"You forgot it! How can you forget your communicator?" he shouted at her. He was way beyond being simply angry. How could she forget the communicator that kept her in touch with her Sailor Senshi and called them to her when she needed them most? This girl had to be the most aggravating and forgetful female that he had ever met in his life. She was a complete and total klutz how could she possibly be Sailor Moon. Sure, she had the biggest heart and the purest intentions he had ever seen in a girl as young as her but that would not always protect her from trouble.

His anger was almost tangible, she could feel it encircling her and she did not have a clue as to what she should do. "It was an accident, I was late for school this morning and I ran out of the house for fear of getting detention. Which for your information Tuxedo Kamen I narrowly missed getting. It was an accident, one that will never happen again, that much I can promise you." her voice was soft and filled with shame, shame that she had failed her duty once more as the guardian of Earth. Only he could ever truly make her feel so guilty when she did something wrong even something as small as this. Could he imagine that being Sailor Moon was hard for her or did he think that everything came easily to her just as it did to him and that she was screwing up on purpose.

"Do you realize how close you came to getting killed by that youma?" he barked at her and without realizing it he had grabbed her shoulders and had begun to shake her. He was willing to make her understand even if this was a somewhat violent way to show her.

"But I wasn't. Was I?" The smart retort left her lips as she gazed up at him, defiant to his words and his will. She would never repeat such an accident. Did he not realize how scared she had been, how she could never want to do that again. Nevertheless, in the end, she had come out of the experience all right. In addition, had she not just proven how she could defeat a monster without the need of her Sailor Scouts? Was that not what they have always wanted, for me to grow up and finally defend myself without the help of anyone else? I'm getting sick and tired of all these double standards being applied to me, either I'm not working hard enough or I'm just trying to off myself. Can't they see I just want to be normal? I don't want to be the Champion of Love and Justice.

"That doesn't matter, you could've been. Do you not realize that the people of earth need you? You are the only one who has the power to destroy the Dark Kingdom." his voice was getting angrier by the second. What she did not know was that in truth, he was scared, scared senseless that he could have lost her. If she were lost what else would I have left to hang onto? When she's my only lifeline, without her what would there be left for me to hang onto? She can never know that I feel this way for her. "If you are lost who will be left to protect the Earth and her people! Can you not understand your death would wreak havoc on the world? Then who would be left to hold back the Dark Kingdom from taking over completely?" He demanded to know of her. She needed to understand that she was the only Senshi powerful enough to defeat the Dark Kingdom. The only one endowed with the wisdom and the power to save Earth from being conquered. What he did not realize was that his fingers had begun to dig into the delicate flesh of her arms.

She was unwilling to see things his way. After all, she did not want to see herself as Earth's only guardian. Could I do this for the rest of my life? Could I give up everything I want to do in life and dedicate myself to only protecting the Earth and her people? What will happen when I grow old? Will someone else step up to the challenge or will I in my old age continue to battle for earth's survival? She shook her head slightly she was not sure she wanted to think about that. She did not know what she wanted now, but it was all too much for her to think about right now. "Look Tux Boy! I never asked to be Sailor Moon. Heaven knows I did not want it. But no, it was my damn destiny to be the Champion of Love and Justice, and all I wanted was a normal life." She shouted at him trying to will the understanding that this was not her desire into him.

She knew she was being unfair by dumping this on him and yelling at him for what he could not help, but it was just too much for her. Why can't he just congratulate me just once instead of insulting me? Sure, he came in and saved her a couple of roses and a speech or two and then he left her alone again. She surveyed the scene of destruction and wished that there could be something that she could do to help maybe she could volunteer to help them, but right now, she had to deal with a certain annoyingly handsome super hero that was beginning to grate her nerves.

She was seething at him and he grew frightened as she looked every inch the avenger she truly was and looked like she was about ready to smite him where he stood. He had never known that, he had always thought that she had a choice in whether she wanted to be the Sailor Senshi of the Moon. Had he known that she was as unwilling as he was, he might have been kinder to her. He knew how it felt when fate threw you around when all you want is a chance at a normal life. Now he might very well have ruined any chance he had with her. If in fact, I ever had a chance with her.

"It must make you feel so safe and warm to know that I am the Guardian and Protector of this world. Tell me, Tuxedo Kamen, do you sleep safely in bed your bed; does it comfort you to know that I am the almighty Sailor Moon, the biggest klutz on the planet and the worst fighter? Do you want to know what I think?" she asked him, completely intent on his face, "What am I when compared to the other Senshi? I am nothing; my power is nowhere near theirs. Mars has fire, Mercury has water and ice, and Jupiter has her lightning and thunder, while Venus has her meteors and whip, and what do I get to use? No I get some stupid flimsy Frisbee and a wand! So if I were to die Tux, it wouldn't be as bad as you think and Earth would not lose its protectors, she has enough with those four, she does not need me as well!"

She was angry and she knew that she was being unfair to him but it was with relief that she finally lashed out at someone, even if he did not deserve it. Didn't he know that she wasn't as sure as everyone thought Sailor Moon was, after all, she hadn't been born with this knowledge, Luna and Central had dumped this all on her. She was truly irritated and was getting ready to leap away from him. She needed to get away, needed some time to think to herself about all of this. I need to get away from him, being so close to him I cannot think. She thought, as she got ready to jump away.

How could she think that? How could she think that she is powerless and worthless when compared with the others? She holds more worth than she believes she does. Why is she wallowing in self-pity? Sailor Moon, how do I show you what you mean to me? How can I show you your true worth? Have I failed you that much as your protector? He thought sadly, as she leaped into the sky and left him standing alone in the deserted and recently destroyed park. He watched her as she sped away from him and then he left the park to head to his own home in the opposite direction that she had taken.

In an apartment not too far away...

Mamoru slammed his palm against the walls of his apartment; he could still hear the self-loathing in Sailor Moon's voice as she spoke of herself. No, she should never think those things of herself. Gods, how he wished he could have comforted her instead of being angry with her. The dark green walls of his apartment that usually comforted his soul did not seem to affect him that way tonight.

He walked out onto the balcony of his apartment, how he wished that he could hold her in his arms and kiss her hurt away but then as her protector he could never do that to her, it would compromise their missions. Moreover, the Princess, what about her, and what would he do when he found her?

What about her, all you can do is wait for her right? A voice in his mind asked, she is only a dream, Sailor Moon is real as is her other identity as Usagi Tsukino, are they not one and the same and they are more real than the princess can ever be. She only lives in your dreams and does not exist in this realm of reality. Annoying voice, must be my conscious, it always speaks when I wish it would stay quiet.

"Damn it all to hell!" he cried out to the distant moon. He would have to show her how much he cared for her and show her that she was worth far more than she obviously thought she was. When would that time come that was his only question now? "For you Sailor Moon, I would do anything…" he whispered softly his voice fading into the cold of the night.