12. Tabula Rasa

No the sight in front of him bared no resemblance to the Juuban he knew or recognised. The architectural structure of the buildings seemed to have changed drastically. Very drastically. Whereas instead of normal brick or wood structure, now it all seemed to be made of crystal? Confusion overtook him as he looked ahead. His mind couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.

What was going on?

The sight was enough to leave him dazed but then he remembered the state in which Usagi had been. It raised his hackles and his protective instincts kicked in. Usagi. He had to find her and his future self. They had to be here. It's where the portal threw him so they must be here too. It wouldn't make sense for it to throw them in different places. At least he hoped not.

Determined, he ignored his surroundings and closed his eyes, trying to concentrate and target the link which he had felt with Usagi when she was in pain. If he could locate that then he could trace it back to her. It was guaranteed to tie him to her.

But he couldn't find it. The link, the thread he had felt so strongly with Usagi wasn't there. At this immediately horror struck him. For him to not feel her at all. That could only imply one thing and he wasn't willing to address that. He couldn't. He had only just seen the future which he could have never dreamt off, as a possibility. He didn't even want to think of it disappearing. That was too much.

Too stubborn to even consider the unthinkable, Mamoru closed his eyes once again and used his senses to spread out and seek the link which he had been completely unaware of until only few minutes ago.

A part of him wondered why he never felt this connection with Usagi, his Usagi even though he (deliberately) ran into her regularly. It was actually similar to how he felt when Sailor Moon was in trouble. The similarity there tickled his curiosity but the urgency to see Usagi safe and sound over-rode that and he solely focused on the link he was unaware of its existence.

He was very close to cracking and ripping his own hair out in frustration at the never-ending abyss when he felt it. A small spark of a link. It wasn't as powerful as the previous one he felt when Usagi was in pain, but it was still there. One thread. It felt ions away but still there, similar but small in size.

Just feeling it calmed him and he relaxed his tense shoulders. Till now he hadn't been aware that he was so wound up in the first place but evidently he was. He stood straighter and started to walk, the urgency to find and fix things very high in his priority list.

"I wouldn't advise moving your highness" a deep, unfamiliar voice rang out, freezing his leg immediately in place.

Immediately he let out a growl and held his face. He did not have time to face a new foe. With anger running through him, he turned around to see who had stopped him. Though as soon as he turned he halted.

He had been expecting a youma or even a twisted foe of this times (for by the looks of things he got the impression he was further in the future). But instead his eyes fell on a senshi. At least he assumed she was a senshi, with her outfit. She sported long emerald hair which were half tied back and her outfit reminded him of the senshi style, but in prominent garnet colour. On her hand she held a long staff and she seemed to be staring at him intently. The anger left him and he stared at her. If she was a senshi then she shouldn't be any enemy. But still it annoyed him. He just wanted to go and find Usagi.

"Who are you?" he asked in cryptic tone. While he didn't think she was an enemy, he still didn't know this senshi and thus he was still suspicious.

The senshi smiled, looking at him in amusement.

"If you want your future become safe and solid once again, you will have to come with me" said the smiling senshi. Her smile, he noticed, had sadness in it. The emotion was enough to soften his expression but her words chilled him. Did that mean his future, the one he saw, was breaking up? He didn't want that to happen! Not after how good it was. To have it near his grasp and lose it would be horrifying. She must have seen his decision through her eyes for her eyes softened and she raised her hand. Tentatively he caught her hand and immediately a white light erupted. Instinctively he closed his eyes to protect it from the blinding light. The heat of it was strong on his face. Finally, after what felt like forever, the intense heat disappeared and silence greeted him.

Cautiously he opened his eyes. He wasn't outside anymore. Instead he seemed to be inside a glass crystal structure. He looked on his right to see the strange senshi still there. She had let go of his hand and looked grave. Her gaze was straight ahead. Curious he followed her gaze but froze instantly. Because standing in front of him was….another him. There was no mistaking. In front of him, clad in white tuxedo instead of the black he was wearing, was his twin. Used to the last few hours he concluded this man was also his future self. A different one than the one who saw him definitely as he had changed evidently. The lack of Usagi around his this future self worried him but he kept calm, not wanting to worry unnecessarily. He needed to control himself. So taking a deep breath he stared at his future self, who turned to glance at the senshi beside him.

"Have you sent the others back in their places Pluto?" his future self asked, looking at the new senshi (he realised called Pluto). His gaze held concern, which was worrying him. Though his future self's posture slightly intimidated him at first glance. The way he stood and his stance, it was very unnerving. But he didn't want his future self to realise that he was feeling intimidated. For one thing, there were more things to worry about. And another was that he didn't want to seem weak in front of…well himself.

"What's going on?" Mamoru finally asked, not being able to bear the unknown any longer. His fear for his future and Usagi was great. His future self turned to look at him, a knowing look on his face as well as worry. His future self sighed and started speaking.

"Pluto is not sure but somehow, something changed your present and that has been changing my present, and your future"

Mamoru noticed his voice was a bit different to his, it was deeper somehow. The change more noticeable than the future him he saw before. Which meant he was much further in future now than before. Still physically he looked exactly the same? How was that possible? He shook it out and concentrated on what his future self said. It chilled him.

"Changing my future and your timelines? How is that even possible in the first place?" he asked, confused and worried.

"Future isn't set in stone your highness" uttered Sailor Pluto, gaining his attention back "For some reason things didn't follow through with you the same way it did for him" she pointed at his future self.

"Yes, Zoicite never attacked me, he blackmailed me into setting up a meeting to duel with me for the rest of the rainbow crystals. The change in this with your timeline has thrown our timeline into chaos," his future self spoke in a lamenting voice. His tone was scaring him. There were only a few things which could shake him and neither of them were reassuring him.

"Chaos? How?" he asked warily.

His future self's eyes hardened instantly.

"Usako has disappeared as have most of the inner senshis" his future self spoke while rubbing his head. His voice hollow. His eyes went wide at his as horror struck him.

"No…" he whispered, not believing those words. Usagi couldn't disappear, he couldn't have her in the future and then lose her. That was cruel, it wasn't fair, "That's not possible. I-there must be some way to reverse it!" this couldn't be permanent. This had to change!

At his words he noticed that Pluto and his future self froze. Their eyes had a knowing look, which were boring into him. It could mean that there definitely was a way to set things right. For if there wasn't then his future self would not be this calm. He knew himself, he would have lost his mind. So he stayed calm and stared at them. He needed to know what he had to do.

"There's a way isn't it?" he asked with mock calm in his voice. Although he was quivering inside he was still wanted to appear calm.

"Yes there is" Pluto uttered it while folding her arms.

"Well then tell me what is it?!" he asked, his voice raising in volume quickly. His façade of calm cracking badly the longer time went without her.

His future self spoke up, the resolute in it keeping him anchored.

"For it to be stable again we need to send you back to the moment where you were pulled from, with altered memories so you have what happened to me, in your head. Once you take the steps which I took, it should set things back on the right path." His voice was calm but his eyes were full of worry yet hope.

Mamoru nodded but then froze at his words.

"Memories? You're gonna take away everything I've seen?" his voice was full of regret. He didn't want to forget these. The memories gave him such hope, he didn't want to lose them. There had to be a way to deal with this situation while keeping his memories! His future self knew what he must have been thinking for he shook his head.

"There isn't any other way. Your memories needs to be wiped of the alterations and memories of what actually happened to me needs to be planted on you before Pluto drops you off. She has already altered your Zoicite's memories and dropped him off, so as far as he knows you will meet him at the Tower. Now yours needs to be altered. To make sure the timeline is stable again. If we don't…"

"Then everything is over," he whispered while his future self nodded, staring at him with a sad smile.

Mamoru's hands clenched into a fist at the ultimatum which had been delivered. He didn't want to lose memories or have anyone messing with his head. Already he had years of missing memories, to loss more angered him. But the thought of losing the future he saw, that scarred him. Horrifying. It couldn't be possible. He didn't want it to happen. With a big sigh he looked up at his future self.

"You know what my answer is going to be" he said it gravely while looking at him. His future self smiled softly, "So, how are you planning to change my memories?" he wondered out-loud, looking at him, wanting the exposition.

"With the help of another senshi, Hotaru?" his future self called out loudly and a purple suited senshi walked in, with burgundy locks and a scythe in her hand. The senshi looked young, much younger than the other senshis. At least 12 physically. She looked at him with a calm smile. When he looked at his future self, his future self spoke.

"This is Sailor Saturn, she is the senshi with the strongest psychic powers. She will alter your memories. Once its done, Pluto will drop you off."

"Pleased to see you again in your old get-up your highness" Saturn remarked with a smile while holding out her hand towards him. He smiled at the young senshi tentatively and looked at his future self.

"So its true that everything will be fine if I let this happen?" he looked at his future self.

"Definitely, Pluto promises that and she'd know. She is the senshi of time," he said it while pointing at her. Mamoru nodded and then looked back at Saturn. With one last look at his future self, he reached out and held her hand.

Immediately darkness attacked his mind as abyss consumed him.

His head and shoulder was killing him. He groaned and clutched his shoulder as dejection hit him. It was his fault that the senshis almost died today. Worst of all it was his stupidity which revealed his identity to Zoicite. Now the only thing he had left was to meet Zoicite and make a deal. He knew it was a trap but he had no option but get along with it. Even fighting through the pain.

But something was nagging him mentally. He needed to remember…something. But he couldn't grasp it. He felt as if there was something important he was forgetting. For the feeling resembled how he felt when he woke up that fateful day in the hospital. It made him paranoid genuinely. Was he missing memories again?

No, no. It wasn't possible. He remembered exactly what had happened the last few days. Hell the last few weeks. He remembered what happened today too. So logically he wasn't missing any memories. But the feeling didn't go away. He sighed and shook it off as he started to make his way out of the door.

He had Zoicite to deal with, so he buried the feeling of emptiness inside his mind.

And that's it guys! This story is pretty much complete! I will post up a Epilogue but apart from that, this story is complete! Up next I will be updating my other SM stories and publishing another new one. Yes I know I have enough, but this new bunny demands to be published.

So thanks even more for all your reviews, it has been an awesome time. You can carry on checking out my other SM stories as they are nowhere near finished :D

See you at the epilogue!