Chapter 8: The Break-up

"What took you so long dear? We were worried." Ikuko asked one Usagi and the rest of the senshi entered the house. "Do you have the groceries?" she added.

"Here you go mom." Usagi said softly as she handed her mother the grocery bags. "You remember Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, and Hotaru?" she nodded over to them.

"It's nice to see you again Michiru. How are you?" Ikuko smiled over at her.

"I'm great. Thank you for asking." Michiru leaned over and gave Usagi's mom and light hug. "It's nice to see you again too." She added.

"We're going to go downstairs." Usagi mentioned for everyone to head downstairs. "A big project for school." She explained while backing up slowly. "They're helping me out. Just call us when dinner is ready."

"Does Chibi Chibi really need to help? Why don't you let her stay up here with me?" Ikuko turned towards the red head child and started to punch her cheeks.

"If she cried just make a funny face." Galaxia handed Chibi Chibi to Ikuko. Seiya opened the door to the basement and noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He turned and saw Kenji with his arms crossed staring at him intentionally.

"You're father is giving us really weird looks." Yaten whispered towards Usagi.

"He doesn't like the fact that 3 guys are going to be with me in a basement." Usagi rolled her eyes and led everyone downstairs. She pulled out various inflatable chairs and beanbags for everyone to sit on.

"I wonder what is reaction will be once he find out were actually girls." Yaten snorted while collapsing on the couch.

"Don't even joke about it." Taiki warned him and took a seat in an inflatable chair. "Let's worry about the topic at hand." He added. Luna came running down the stairs and jumped into Usagi's lap.

"Let's review what we already know." Princess Kakyuu suggested while taking a seat next to Yaten on the couch.

"Okay," Usagi shrugged." Demando's back, he wants me as his queen again, I can't transform, and there is an army off evil coming towards the planet Earth, and we're doomed." She said; with every word she muttered she got louder and louder until she screamed it.

"So what can we do?" Hotaru took a seat in Michiru's lap and rested her head in the crook of her neck.

"We should find Usagi's crystal." Haruka answered as if it were obvious.

"We should find our sister." Seiya shook his head and cut his eyes over towards the blond.

"What are the chances of finding your sister?" she demanded.

"What are the chances of finding the crystal?" he sot back.

"I'd say pretty big because we know where it is." Haruka shouted and got up to her feet. Seiya got up too and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What if it's a trap?" Hotaru piped up.

"What do you mean?" Yaten raised en eyebrow.

"Well think about it." She leaned foreword in her seat. "One of Demando's minions don't attack us but give us information about where her crystal is." She explained.

"That's a good point." Setsuna nodded.

"And the cloaked figure is really powerful." Taiki added. "They must control magic."

"Or something more powerful like a crystal." Luna suggested.

"I have an idea but you aren't going to like it." Michiru said while resting her chin in her hand. She opened her mouth to answer but the sound of a door opening cut her off.

"Usagi, Mamoru is here." Kenji called down. Seiya and Haruka took their seats and turned to look at Usagi. She rolled and looked miserable.

"Send him down. I could as much help as I can get." Usagi called back. Everyone waited silently as he walked down the stairs into the basement. "Where have you been?" she demanded.

"What do you mean?" Mamaoru looked around at everyone and smiled softly. Seiya ignored his gaze and ran a hand through his hair.

"I've been calling and texting you for a couple of days now and you never returned them." Usagi held Luna in her arms and walked over to him. "What's up?" she cocked her head to the side.

"I've been busy." He muttered.

"With Rei?" she demanded. Mamaoru remained silent. "Why are you here?" Usagi shook her head and changed the subject.

"I heard about your confrontation with Demando's minion." Mamaoru answered. "I hope you are alright." He held her shoulders and checked to see if there were any cuts or bruises on her body.

"Could you guys excuse us for a moment?" Usagi handed Luna over to Princess Kakyuu without taking her eyes off of Mamaoru. "I want to talk to Mamaoru for a minute." She added.

"What about our meeting?" Michiru asked while climbing to her feet.

"We'll continue it after dinner." She answered. Usagi made sure Mamoru didn't take his eyes off of her as everyone brushed past them to get back upstairs.

"What's wrong?" Mamaoru asked and took a seat on the couch.

"I want to know where your loyalties lie." Usagi answered and took a seat on the arm rest of a chair.

"What are you talking about?" he rolled his eyes and crossed his legs.

"You've been acting so weird lately." She looked at him in disgust. "Ever since the starlights came back here you avoided me. And you don't even come out to help us in our fights. I expected something like this from Rei but not you." She added softly. Mamaoru got up from his seat and pulled Usagi off of her seat. He held her tightly in his arms.

"Usagi I love you. I care about you." He whispered in her ear while stroking her back and her head. She broke away after a couple of seconds.

"Could have fooled me." Usagi glared and crossed her arms over her chest. "If you aren't going to be there to help then I don't think we should see each other anymore." She turned away from him.

"But what about Chibi-usa and Crystal Tokyo?" he gasped.

"I've been doing a lot of growing up since I entered high school." Usagi explained with a small laugh. She turned back around and faced him. "And if losing my only daughter will help me keep the world safe...then that's what I have to do." She added.

"Usagi-"Mamaoru tried again.

"I want you out of my house. Good bye Mamaoru." Usagi wiped a stray tear from her eyes. Mamaoru nodded silently and brushed past her. "I'm sorry Chibi-usa. I love you." She whispered as he headed up the stairs and out of her heart.