Okay, here is the next chapter.... chapters are pretty slow I guess, but I have been busy with things (classes and work) and have had a tiny writer's block (it started about 5 pages into this chapter, actually, lol.) But here we go, next chapter is finally ready. Please, please review and tell me what you think... I keep getting lots of "story alerts" added to this story and that's great... but reviews are what helps :(
Destiny Decision
Chapter Thirteen
Zoicite laughed, his voice shrill and girlie, twirling one hand over his mouth menacingly. "I am very surprised you found this place."
Kunzite walked in front of the other general, his eyes narrowing toward Sailor Moon. "Princess, I can make a very convincing deal with you. If you would but give us the Ginzuishou, we will spare your lives for a little while longer, instead of your deaths.... now." The dark general grinned, bearing extremely white teeth.
Sailor Moon reached into her subspace pocket and brought out her Moon Wand. She gripped it firmly with both hands, her eyes furious toward the tall man. "Absolutely not! I will never allow you to hurt any of my loved ones!"
Kunzite clucked his tongue. "Such a pity then, that such a pretty one must die."
Tuxedo Kamen cursed and lunged toward the general. Sailor Jupiter grasped him by his arms before the man could get closer. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama, you can't listen to him!" She hissed near his ear. "He's trying to make us angry, but we can't let him!" Tuxedo Kamen forced himself to calm down, his angry eyes still narrowed toward Kunzite's cold ones, and Jupiter released him, still remaining close to him in case he tried to attack again.
Sailor Mercury felt Sailor Moon latch onto her arm. She looked at her leader. "Sailor Moon?"
"We have to join our powers," the senshi whispered. "We have to destroy them or we'll never get by. I know how to; I almost destroyed them at the park, except that I was still weak." The Moon senshi nodded her head toward Sailor Venus, who was staring at Kunzite with wide, full blue eyes. "She can't let what might have been get in the way now." Moon looked Mercury in the eye. "Neither can you."
Sailor Mercury smirked. "Believe me, Sailor Moon, I feel no attraction whatsoever for that... girl." She scrunched her nose, nodding her head toward Zoicite.
Sailor Moon sighed. "And he was such a good looking man before Beryl took control of him."
Mercury almost giggled, except that without their knowing, Zoicite had attacked Mars and Venus. The two senshi whipped their heads around to see Mars inflicted by the attack and rolling away on the ground, while Venus jumped as high as she could, landing nearly twenty feet away. She dropped to the ground with a thud and they heard the blonde mutter a small curse as her arm contacted with the hard ground. She pushed herself up with a grimace, gently rubbing her arm where a large scrape was seeping bits of blood.
Jupiter jumped and brought her hands into her power's ancient signs. "Supreme Thunder!" She yelled, stretching her arms out wide and lashing the power toward the two generals. Kunzite swung his cape around him and easily avoided the attack, with Zoicite giggling behind him. Sailor Moon broke away from Mercury and ran up to the front with Tuxedo Kamen. Mercury gasped and called out her name, running after her.
"Sailor Moon, what are you doing?!" Tuxedo Kamen gave her an angry glare and started to take the girl by the arm and pull her behind him. She pulled her arm away from him and shook her head firmly.
"No, Tuxedo Kamen-sama. You can't protect me this time." She turned her eyes toward the generals and gripped the Moon Wand in her hands. Tuxedo Kamen started to stop her, but Mercury put a hand on his shoulder. He turned to her.
She shook her head. "It's her duty now."
Struck by her words, the man blanched for a moment and took a step back. Mercury took his place beside Sailor Moon. Kunzite tried to lash out another attack, this time toward Mercury and Moon, but Sailor Moon raised the Moon Wand and a light emanated from it, dissolving the man's power into dust. Kunzite and Zoicite both cursed, and both of the men began to power up for a strong attack.
Sailor Mars rose to her feet and pushed herself toward the group. She stood firmly beside Sailor Mercury and nodded to Sailor Moon, who still held the Moon Wand high in her hands. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus quickly joined the others, with Venus beside Moon.
Sailor Moon darted a look to Sailor Venus out of the corner of her eye. "I am not telling you to give up hope, Venus, but do not hope for the moment."
Venus took one glance toward Kunzite and his fierce, unloving eyes. She nodded her blonde head once and her gloved hands clenched at her sides. "I understand," she said. "I still don't know him but I... I had hoped."
"Don't let it go," Sailor Moon whispered to her friend. "But for the moment, don't let it stop your power."
Sailor Venus remained still, her eyes firm and her mouth set in a straight line. Sailor Moon gave the girl a small, reassuring smile before turning to her task. "We have to combine our powers. Zoicite is no trouble, but Kunzite is strong, and we can't defeat him if we fight separately." She blinked suddenly and glanced at Luna. "That's what you meant, stay together."
The cat nodded once, but she looked relieved. She took one swift glance toward Kunzite and Zoicite. The white haired man was forming a powerful attack, stronger than any he had ever thrown at the senshi before, and she felt the hair on her back stand up straight in fear. Then she turned, and she and Artemis ran up to Tuxedo Kamen, who stood rather helplessly behind the senshi. He looked down at the cats and bent down, allowing them to climb onto his shoulders. From his kneeling position, he watched as one by one, each senshi began to glow.
"Mars Power!"
"Mercury Power!"
"Venus Power!"
"Jupiter Power!"
The light of their powers began to sink into the Ginzuishou, and Sailor Moon held the wand forward, closing her eyes. "Moon Crystal Power!"
An attack from both of the dark generals came hurtling toward the senshi, but the powers they had combined met the attack head on and it was unable to reach them. With the brightness of the Ginzuishou, Sailor Moon launched a massive streak toward the generals, and it began to barrage at them. Blocking it, the generals tried to push back with their own powers, but the four senshi held firm, locking their hands together as Sailor Moon walked closer and closer to them, the power of the Ginzuishou growing with each passing moment.
Tuxedo Kamen felt chills run down his spine watching the girl wield such a powerful tool. Wasn't I afraid in a previous life that she wouldn't be strong enough to handle it...? Endymion was very, very wrong. Unless... unless Serenity wasn't strong enough, but with... Usagi... she's unstoppable.. Tuxedo Kamen's dark blue eyes grew wide and swam with emotions passing through them.
Sailor Moon gritted her teeth as she walked closer to the generals. Their powers got stronger as she went, but she held her arms as firmly as she could. She felt the force of their attack weighing her back, and she trembled. Her feet dug into the ground as she stopped walking, and she squeezed her hands around the Moon Wand more forcefully. Her eyes squinting at the bright lights around her, she looked at Kunzite. The general, for the first time since she and the senshi had met him as a dark general, looked afraid. Zoicite was behind him trying to help with the attack, but the man was obviously too scared and weak to be of much help to him. Her confidence in her power rising, Sailor Moon picked her feet up and took one final step toward them. With one last burst of energy, Sailor Moon pushed herself forward enough to push the generals back. The two men fell to the ground, their attacks stopped. Kunzite tried to throw his cape over himself and Zoicite to help them escape, but it was too late. The Ginzuishou broke through the cape and burned it to ash. With strangled screams, the two generals were suddenly gone.
The four senshi relaxed, deep breaths emanating from all four of the tired girls. They wrapped their arms around each other, leaning against one another.
"We did it!" Jupiter grinned, leaning her head on top of Sailor Venus' head.
Sailor Mars grinned as well, but looked over and saw Sailor Moon with the Ginzuishou still shining above her. She frowned. "Sailor Moon!"
The senshi didn't move. With eyes closed, Sailor Moon focused her powers into the wand. Please... give them back to me. Make them whole again. I beg of you. Ginzuishou, help me!
The four senshi gasped as the light suddenly flooded over them. Behind them, Tuxedo Kamen and the two guardian cats watched with wide eyes. The man took a wary step back, wondering what could be happening. The light grew brighter and brighter, until finally, it seeped into each of the four girls and it was gone. All of the girls fell to the ground, Sailor Moon among them. The blonde odangoed senshi sat up, blinking and rubbing her head with one hand, the other hand limply holding the Moon Wand. She glanced around at her friends, who were all beginning to sit up. Her crystal blue eyes grew wide as she watched them, blinking and disoriented.
"Girls?" She whispered, her blue eyes full of hopeful tears.
Sailor Venus blinked repeatedly, her lashes sweeping against her skin. She glanced over to the place where Kunzite's form had previously been. "Kunzite." She whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She glanced at Sailor Moon. "My sweet Kunzite. Can we get him back, Serenity?"
Sailor Moon pushed herself to her knees and crawled over to the girl, wrapping her arms around her. "I don't know, Minako. But we can try. I told you not to give up hope."
Venus nodded into Sailor Moon's shoulder, and her eyes glazed over. "I remember... my family, my home... Venus. Venus was beautiful, Sailor Moon. It was so lovely... it was my favorite place in the world. My mother... she loved to dance just like me; she held parties all the time. There were yellow roses everywhere... and my favorite place was in my garden; it was right outside my bedroom, and when I opened my doors in the morning, the scent of the roses would instantly greet me." She smiled a watery, teary smile and pulled away from Sailor Moon. "Did you know that Kunzite even visited me once on Venus? Well..." She pursed her lips. "He visited my father, out of duty to the Earth king. He was sent as an envoy for... something, I don't know. They never told me much of anything. But he did visit me there once... that was where I fell in love with him. He walked in my gardens with me." Venus wiped a tear from her eye. "It was magical. Ever since that time, I longed for the Moon even more, for you my dear friends, and because... I might see Kunzite at the grand universal balls your mother gave. And sometimes... I did." Venus turned her head away slightly and stared at the space where Kunzite had been a few minutes before.
"I remember too." Sailor Jupiter whispered, her eyes locked on the two girls close to her. She scooted over to sit beside Venus, with Moon still on her knees in front of them. "I remember walking on the Moon with all of you. And growing up on Jupiter with my horses... watching the storms of Jupiter brewing out the windows of my bedroom..." Her voice took on a dreamlike state as she stared at her two friends. "I remember Nephrite showing me his horse in the stables on the Moon. He was new, and he named him Zeus... after the god of my planet, for me." Her eyes swam with tears. "I remember Nephrite. He was so kind and good, and he took an interest in everything I did. He was the only man I'd ever met who actually cared what I did, and not just how I looked. He wanted to know everything." She smiled in remembrance. "We rarely had time alone, but those trips to the stables were... everything. I remember now."
Mars nodded in concurrence, feeling mute at the moment. Her eyes were extremely full of emotions, and she pushed herself up to her knees to crawl to her group of friends. She cleared her throat once. Sailor Venus forced herself to pull her eyes away from the place where Kunzite had lain, back to the three girls around her. They looked at Mars' eyes, her violet eyes watery and a soft smile on her lips. Sailor Moon smiled a heavenly, happy smile and reached out with one hand to grasp Mars' hand, who smiled a watery smile in return. "You remember too, don't you Mars?"
The raven haired senshi nodded. "My story is... different though."
The girls looked at each other with raised eyebrows. "Sailor Mars, we... know your past as you know it. You were happy." Sailor Jupiter said, reaching out a hand to place it over Mars' other hand that was not in Sailor Moon's grasp.
"Yes, I was very happy." She smiled. She squeezed Jupiter's hand. "But your favorite places in the world were your homes. Mars was not such a happy place, my friends, if you remember." The girls glanced at each other and nodded collectively. They did remember. "There were many wars on my planet," Mars said. "It was a lovely place, of course, but... I never felt safe there. Because of the civil wars. The people of Mars blood have high tempers, and they had trouble getting along. So wars broke out among cities often. My home was safe enough, as my mother and father guarded the place carefully. But they were often gone, to help in one war or another." She paused. "I had good parents, though. They adored me, and I adored them. We didn't get to spend much time together, but when I was with them, they were everything in the world to me. But my favorite place was on the Moon, because it was the most beautiful, enchanting place in the universe. I loved when all of us were there, and I was never happier than when we were." She squeezed both Moon and Jupiter's hands. "Jadeite and I met on the Moon as well. He was just... everything I was not." She paused and giggled. "He did not have a temper at all, I don't believe. He was always calm and collected. He also had a strange gift, similar to mine. It was not as strong, and..." She frowned. "You all remember how he knew evil was going to take over his soul." They nodded. "I loved him from a distance mostly. He was so unlike me; he was so shy... I had to take cautious steps with him. I'm not even sure if he was sure of my affections. But I loved him dearly." She squeezed Sailor Moon's hand briefly. "Thank you, Serenity. I'm so glad we're together once again."
Sailor Moon nodded her head excitedly. "Oh, me too! Finally, you all know everything! I've been so alone!" Then she frowned suddenly. Her eyes shifted and she saw a pale, motionless Sailor Mercury sitting with her head buried in her knees. "Mercury," she whispered. "Mercury, what is the matter?" She pulled her hand away from Mars and quickly stood, rushing over to Mercury and dropping to her knees beside her. "Mercury! You remember, don't you?"
Tuxedo Kamen stood motionless, simply watching all of them. The cats on his shoulders were silent, their breaths betraying the emotions flooding through them. He knew they were anxious to go to the senshi but were giving them their time together first. His eyes widened considerably as he watched Mercury finally raise her head off her knees to reveal a tear-stained face. He gulped back a knot in his throat, feeling wary at the sight.
"Of course I remember, Serenity." Mercury whispered, her eyes locked miserably on Sailor Moon's. "You gave me little choice."
"But... I... Ami!" Sailor Moon tried to reach a hand out to the girl, but she shrunk away from it. "Ami!"
"I was happy as just Mizuno Ami, Sailor Moon." Sailor Mercury turned her head to stare down at her knees again. "I was very happy. I did not know what it was to be in love, I had great friendships, and I was happy to study and learn as I have always loved it."
Sailor Moon gasped and put a hand over her mouth. "Oh, no... I...."
Sailor Mercury shook her head, a sob wrenching out of her throat. "I was as happy as you all during the Silver Millennium, for a time. I loved the Moon, I loved Mercury, and I loved my books just as much as I love them now!" Her voice grew harsh. "But you all know when that changed, because you all have seen my past, every single bit of it that I may not even want known. I did not love Zoicite the way you all loved your generals, because my heart had been broken and was still healing from the pain of love for another." She gazed up at Sailor Moon then, her eyes full of tears that kept spilling over. "And now, I remember that love. I remember how strong it was, how painful it was to... put up a strong front, to be strong and brave and to tease and to.." She choked. "I tried to be strong for everyone's sake, especially for your sake and Endymion's sake. But inside I was always churning, always feeling hurts and pains. And now they've all returned," she whispered the last part. "I was so happy as just Mizuno Ami. I was... so happy." She broke her arms away from her knees and pushed herself up, standing. She gazed around at all the senshi who were staring at her, with tears in their own eyes. She tried to choke out a smile for them, but it came out as a grimace instead. "I would like to be alone." She turned and headed toward the stairs.
"But Mercury, we... the cave..." Tuxedo Kamen started to go toward her. He put a hand on her arm and she flinched harshly, pulling her arm away from him. She gazed up at him for the longest time, her blue, tear-filled eyes meeting his. Tuxedo Kamen blinked at the intensity of her gaze... a gaze he was often given by Usagi... but... Ami? He gasped and instinctively backed away, knowing what the look meant.
Sailor Moon was staring at the two and had not moved from her place on the floor. Her hands shook as she clenched them together to form fists. "We will not proceed into the cave tonight," She said, her voice wavering. "Luna, Artemis... I want you both to stay in this store and guard the staircase. Check this room frequently. Make sure the portal to... whatever this is, stays open. Watch the store for any signs of youma, and alert us at any time. We will come back tomorrow night. All of us," she added fiercely, her eyes on Mercury's back.
Luna and Artemis both jumped down from Tuxedo Kamen's shoulders and nodded. "That's not a problem, Sailor Moon." Luna said, trying to catch the girl's eyes without much success.
The other senshi all stood and started toward the staircase, all of them feeling numb after the scene they had just witnessed. Sailor Mars strode over to Sailor Moon and pulled her up, wrapping an arm around her waist securely and pulling her with them. Sailor Moon allowed it until she got close to Sailor Mercury and Tuxedo Kamen. Then she stopped, her eyes gazing up at the man. "You don't remember," she stated.
He shook his head. "No, Sailor Moon... I don't."
She sighed and pulled out of Mars' arms to go to him. "There must be a reason the Ginzuishou would withhold your memories."
"He isn't a senshi," Jupiter noted. "Perhaps that's why?"
Sailor Moon pursed her lips together. "I don't know."
Sailor Mercury was silent, staring around at the girls as they continued to talk about the man in front of her... who was obviously tired of the conversation. She gave him a small smile, realizing that she didn't feel much for Tuxedo Kamen himself. It seemed Chiba Mamoru was still just a friend to her. But her heart clenched at the sight of him anyways, because he was Endymion... he just didn't realize it yet. She sighed miserably, knowing it was going to be hard work having to keep the feelings at bay yet again. She turned to the staircase and started to climb it. Sailor Venus and Sailor Mars followed her, and Sailor Moon cast her eyes up the staircase for a moment before nodding to Sailor Jupiter to follow as well. Luna and Artemis passed by the couple, with Artemis murmuring that they were going to find a cozy place upstairs to sleep for the night.
When they were gone, she looked up at Tuxedo Kamen. "Not a single memory?"
He couldn't help but laugh helplessly. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him, shaking his head. "I'm afraid not."
She sighed impatiently and leaned her head against his chest instinctively. "I didn't realize what I was doing when I gave Mercury her memories back."
"Ami-chan would have resented you had you given memories to the others but not her."
"A two-edged sword, isn't it?"
"Apparently so." He turned toward the stairs and pushed her gently in front of him. "Let's go, Sailor Moon." She nodded and started up the stairs. The store was empty when they entered it, and Sailor Moon realized that the other girls must have already started walking home.
"I hope they walked Mercury home. She didn't seem well."
"I'm sure that once she has time to adjust, she'll be fine."
Sailor Moon pursed her lips and shook her head as they they exited the store and started walking down the dark street. "You don't understand the feelings going through her at the moment. It must have taken a lot of strength to stop her emotions back then... and Ami, just Ami, has no idea how to do that. I don't know if she'll ever forgive me."
Tuxedo Kamen sighed and wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked. "You and Ami-chan are going to constantly be at ends, aren't you?"
"I certainly hope not. You're right that I couldn't exactly not give her memories back. I just hope that she'll be able to... move on again, as she did before. It took months for her to even see any of us, if you remem--oh, never mind, you don't remember." She sighed impatiently again.
He smirked and shook his head. "It's going to be even worse around all of you with all of your memories intact now."
"Perhaps that's a hint that you should try harder to retrieve your own, Mamoru." Sailor Moon reached up and touched the jewel on her head to turn her back into Usagi. She glanced up at Tuxedo Kamen to see that he had easily de-transformed as well.
"If I knew how, Usako, I would."
Usagi stopped walking, pulling herself away from him. He continued to walk until he noticed she was gone. He turned to look at her. Her eyes were wide. "Usako?" She squeaked.
Mamoru blushed, clearing his throat and running a hand nervously through his dark hair. "I... well... It's been in my head for some time, but I just haven't allowed myself to... think... or say..." He trailed off.
She smiled serenely, a smile that was obviously more akin to her namesake than Usagi, before walking up to him again and taking one of his hands. She nodded once, squeezing his fingers. "'My little rabbit'. I like it.." She said shyly, and then looked away from him. "You never once gave me a nickname before," she said.
"I suppose that's the difference between Endymion and me." He pulled her forward into a walk again.
"May I give you a nickname?"
Mamoru looked out of the corner of his eye at her as they walked. Her head was turned toward him, her eyes wide and shining in the bright moonlight. Her hand was still clasped in his, their arms brushing together as they walked. He felt the puffed sleeve of her white dress brush against his dark black shirt.
"I'm slightly afraid to say yes with that look in your eyes, but I don't suppose I can, can I?"
She shook her head rapidly. "No!" She pouted childishly, her lower lip protruding. "Pretty please, Mamo-chan?"
He gaped at her for a moment and stopped walking again. "Mamo-chan?!" He looked at her laughing, pretty blue eyes and rolled his own dark ones. "I have no choice, I see." He leaned down to her and touched his forehead with hers. She blushed at his closeness but did not pull away. "And as I know that it comes from Usagi, there is no way I could possibly refuse you."
Her eyes lit up and she squeezed his hand still wrapped around hers. "Thank you, Mamo-chan."
He laughed and pulled away from her to start walking again. "Are you ever going to call me anything else again?"
"No, Mamo-chan."
"You've found a way to tease me*."
"Yes, Mamo-chan."
"Usako, stop it!"
"Okay, Mamo-chan."
"Usako!"
"Yes, Mamo-chan?"
"Oh for the love of God."
She giggled and laid her head on his shoulder as they walked. He glanced down at her and smiled softly, his heart feeling light and happy.
Ami paced the length of her bedroom back and forth. She had been so thankful that her mother had left for an emergency at the hospital before she had returned. The note on the refrigerator had been the most relieving thing she'd seen all day. She just didn't feel like seeing her mother at the moment.
In fact... she frowned. Now she knew exactly how Usagi felt. She had two moms now, too. One from long ago, that she didn't know... and her own mother now. She could remember her mother from the Silver Millennium, though. She could see her long, dark blue hair as she brushed it and tied it up into a bun. Ami felt a knot form in her throat. She had talked to her mother then about everything just as she talked to her mother now. She did know her mother... both of them. It was a gut wrenching feeling to love two mothers.
She sighed and collapsed on her bed, her eyes staring up at the ceiling. Did the other senshi not feel this conflicted? Rei probably didn't... her mother in this time had died, and her father was never around and had nothing to do with her. Makoto's parents had both been killed in a plane crash years before, but... Minako lived with her mother... in fact, she was very close to her just as Ami was close to her mother. How was she feeling?
Ami pushed herself up and reached for her phone, dialing Minako's phone number. Minako's mother picked up the phone on the second ring. "Hello, Aino residence."
"Aino-san? It's Ami... is Minako-chan there?"
"Oh, Ami-chan... yes, she's in her room. She's... acting a little strangely, though. Did something happen with you girls tonight? She said you just watched movies at Rei's..."
Ami clenched the phone in her hand. "Yes, we did."
"Oh, well... I'll get her for you." Minako's mother sounded a little sad before the phone went silent. Ami suppressed a sigh until Minako's soft voice came on the phone.
"Hello? Ami-chan?"
"Minako-chan."
"I'm in my room; Mom can't hear us." The girl answered Ami's unasked question.
Ami leaned back against the pillows on her bed and grabbed the single stuffed animal she owned, a dark blue stuffed cat that always reminded Ami of Luna for some reason, even if Luna was a black cat. "How are you... dealing with the... mother thing?"
"Not well." Minako's voice cracked. "Everything else is fine, but... my mom... she's not my mom really. I don't know how to... talk to her. I told her to leave me alone earlier... I've never done that before. I feel so lost..."
"That's how I keep feeling..."
"It makes me... almost glad that I don't have a father anymore..." Minako never talked about her father. He had walked out on her and her mother when she was a very young girl still living in England, and she hadn't seen him since.
Ami had tried not to think about her own father, but now the thoughts rushed in on her as well. She and her father weren't very close. In fact, he only sent her occasional gifts from wherever he was at the time. He and her mother had divorced when she was little. He was an artist and always traveling, so she rarely saw him. Suddenly, she shared Minako's sentiment.
"I suppose you're right... it's good I'm not close with mine."
The girls were silent for a moment. Then Minako spoke up again. "How are you, Ami-chan? Other than this. I mean... the rest of us..." She paused. "I mean, I'm happy. I feel upset over.. not knowing how to feel about my mother, but... I'm so happy, that I finally remember everything... but..." Minako trailed off, and Ami bit her lip.
"I'm fine, Minako-chan. I feel very strange, and... it helps that I don't feel anything at all for Mamoru-san. I just dread when Endymion returns." Ami sighed and leaned her head back against a pillow. "I don't think I ever really talked about loving him with you girls. I tried to keep it very hidden, even after it was over... for Serenity's sake. But I loved him with every part of my heart. So having all these memories again... it's painful. It's very painful, in fact. But I will be okay... I always am." She forced her voice into a cheery one.
She could practically hear Minako nod into the phone. "No, you never really talked about it. It must have been hard for you to listen to all of us... well, maybe not Rei-chan and Mako-chan... they weren't really... with Jadeite and Nephrite. Well... I suppose they were but..."
"Like Rei-chan said, she loved Jadeite mostly at a distance. Mako-chan kept her relationship with Nephrite very private."
"Yes... but I..."
"Minako-chan, you have always been a flirt." Ami giggled slightly into the phone. "I never gave a thought about it. You were completely enamored with Kunzite and had no reason at all to hide it."
Minako laughed half-heartedly, and then her voice grew softer. "And none of us really knew about... you and Endymion."
"No. I wanted it that way. Serenity found out... and..."
"Yes. I remember seeing that in the dream Usagi-chan showed us.."
"Yeah."
The two girls grew silent, and Ami sighed. "I'm sorry, Minako-chan... to be bringing all this up to you. I just felt alone..."
"We're friends, Ami-chan." Minako paused. "We all love you dearly... don't forget that."
"I know."
"Are you still angry at Usagi-chan...?"
"No..." Ami sighed. "I just feel very lost. But I will be okay."
"We'll probably be going back to that cave tomorrow night."
"Probably so... in that case, I'll say good night. We need to get some rest."
"Yeah."
"Good night, Minako-chan."
"Night, Ami-chan."
Ami clicked the phone off and dropped the device on her nightstand and turned off her bedside lamp. The room plunged into darkness and Ami pushed herself back into her pillows and just laid there, fully clothed. She just didn't feel like moving to change into pajamas or even to get under the covers of the bed. She stared up at the darkness, and the only light that shone was the bright moonlight outside. It cast long shadows of light across her bedroom floor, and she reached over with one hand to pull the blinds closed. She sighed deeply.
Mamoru walked home slowly through the bright moonlight. He had walked Usagi home and now felt at ends without her near. She had kissed his cheek warmly before walking inside her house, and his skin still tingled from the feeling of her lips. But he frowned, because he still felt that although Usagi was receptive to his attentions, she was holding back from him simply because he wasn't Endymion. Usagi, he could tell, was happy, and he was relatively sure that she felt something for him... but Serenity wanted Endymion, and he wasn't sure how to make all the parts of Usagi happy if he couldn't bring his memories back.
Why didn't the Ginzuishou bring his own memories back? He sighed as he walked into his building and rode the elevator up to his floor. There was no way he could know, and he simply had no idea how to bring his memories back. He just didn't understand.
Unlocking the door to his apartment, Mamoru made his way inside and decided to go ahead and call it a night. It was well after two in the morning, and he was exhausted. With thoughts of the Ginzuishou, his memories, Usagi, and Serenity all floating through his mind, Mamoru went to bed.
Usagi rocked back and forth on the heels of her shoes. She pursed her lips together and stared warily up at Mamoru's apartment building. She wanted to go see him, but at the same time she didn't. For some reason, she was dying to hear him say "Usako" again. It was a gorgeous Sunday morning, and the sun was bright in the sky with fluffy clouds dotting the blue horizon. She felt particularly giddy with her friends awakened (even if she was extremely wary of Ami's feelings toward her) and she wanted to share in her joy with him.
But she couldn't make up her mind. Or... the duality of her emotions couldn't make her decide. She wanted to see Mamoru, but she also knew that he didn't understand her joy and was probably feeling bad about not remembering himself, so... she didn't know if he would want to see her so happy to have her friends back, when he was still just Mamoru. Then her eyes widened and she was reminded again about how much she really cared how Mamoru felt...
With that thought, she grinned and pushed open one of the glass doors to his apartment building only to see the man exiting the elevator and walking toward her. His eyes widened to the size of saucers when he spotted her at the doors. "S--Usako!" He said loudly, and she blushed and brought her hand up into a short wave before tying both of her arms behind her back and waiting for him to walk closer to her. He met her at the door and glanced down at her outfit before meeting her eyes. She had hoped he would go to the park with her, and so she had worn white shorts and a pink tee with white sandals.
"I... Hi, Mamo-chan." She smiled nervously. She suddenly felt extremely shy in front of him... was it because she was finally conscious of how much she really did love Mamoru? She had always known she loved him... but had she thought loving him was just part of loving Endymion? Now, though... now she felt like Mamoru was everything to her, in the same way she felt toward Endymion. How could it be possible? But yet... it was...
"I was just... on my way to see you." He stared at her strangely, and she felt odd at his glance. He shoved his hands in his jean pockets, and she saw that he was wearing a white t-shirt. The contrast of his dark hair against the white shirt was nice, and she thought for a moment that he hadn't worn his green jacket in the past few days... was it because of what she had said? She wondered for a moment before smiling up at him.
"I see we had the same thought. I was actually wondering if you wanted to go to the park with me?" She blushed and bit her lip, rocking back and forth on her heels again.
He still stared at her in an odd way, but nodded slowly. "Sure. Perhaps we could... talk about a few things."
"Of course." She beamed and turned to the doors, launching herself outside into the sunshine again. "Isn't it a lovely day?" She twirled around to face him, a wide smile on her face.
He nodded and a smile crossed his face as he walked up to her. "It is." Cautiously, he extended a hand to her, watching her eyes. She smiled and took his hand and twined her fingers through his. Still smiling brightly, she pulled him in the direction of the park.
As they walked around the park slowly, hand in hand, Usagi glanced up at Mamoru out of the corner of her eye to see him always staring at her. She tried not to worry over it, but found it perplexing. Sure, he was often glancing at her... but... not like this. She pushed the thoughts from her mind so that she could focus on what she had to tell him. She saw a bench close to them and pulled him toward it, plopping down with a smile. "Sit. I have something I want to talk to you about." He did as he was told and watched her as she bit her lip, fidgeted, brushed a piece of imaginary lint off her shorts, glanced at him, looked away, and finally turned to face him. "Well, you see..."
"Usako, what is it? You look upset." He squeezed her hand in comfort and turned his body to face hers.
She bit her lip again, chewing on it thoughtfully. "Well, it's just that I've been thinking a lot lately... about what you said the other night. About how... we couldn't go forward if I didn't understand that you were Mamoru, not Endymion."
Mamoru winced slightly, so slightly that she didn't notice.
"Well... I... get what you said now." She glanced up at him and blushed. "I mean, even this morning I was having trouble... because I didn't know if going to see you was a good idea or not because I was... worrying... that you might feel bad about not remembering like the girls, and... I didn't want you to hurt." She took a deep breath. "So I get it now. I mean... I've always known that I loved you, but I just didn't realize just how much I love you... as Mamoru." She smiled her heavenly smile, and reached for his hands so that she held both of them. "So you see, I don't love you because you're Endymion... I love Mamoru the way you love me... Usagi." She had been looking away from his eyes, but now she dared herself to glance up to see a very sad look gracing his features. She felt the blood drain out of her face. "Mamo-chan? What's wrong?"
He sighed and tore his eyes away from her face to look away out at the lake in front of them. As he stared, he suddenly realized how ironic it was that they were sitting on a bench very near the railing where they had shared a dream before. He pulled his hands away from her and walked to the railing, turning and leaning against it to look back at her. She didn't move from her place, but she looked pale and her eyes were wide as she watched him. "Usako.. I am overjoyed that you feel that way, I really am."
Usagi's brow furrowed. "But then what..."
He held up a hand and shook his head, closing his eyes for a few long seconds. Opening them, he looked out at her again. "You're... a little late in realizing it, though, Serenity."
Usagi felt as if her heart was literally falling out of her chest. It sprung into a pounding beat as she stared at the man across from her. She took in his eyes, and for the first time the entire morning, really looked into them. "Oh, god... Endymion," she breathed.
He looked away from her and his face was creased into frowns across his lips and brow.
"When?" She whispered, her hands shaking as she used them to push herself off the bench. She gingerly started to walk toward him, afraid of his reactions.
"Last night." His eyes met hers again, his dark blue orbs taking her lighter ones. He reached out a hand to her. "Take my hand, Usako."
She took the last few steps to him. She started to reach out her hand to touch his, but she paused. "Are you... going to show me something?"
He didn't say anything, but simply nodded. He motioned her forward again, and with that, she placed her hand in his. As she had expected, a white light engulfed the couple.
Everything was white. Mamoru blinked repeatedly, knowing that he was dreaming, but he found that he was unable to wake himself up. He whipped his head around the blank space for what seemed like eternity, but in fact was only a few soundless minutes. From behind him, he heard footsteps, and he turned his head around to see a dark shadow walking toward him. Tensing, he clenched one fist at his side and reached for the rose that would help him transform into Tuxedo Kamen with the other hand, only to find that he was wearing only the pajama bottoms he wore to sleep, and he did not have the rose with him. He cursed to himself and watched the dark shadow come closer.
Then he flinched when he realized it was a man, and it was himself. In armor. With eyes more piercing than his own. Eyes that had seen centuries. Mamoru took an instinctive step back at the sight of the other man's eyes. He stopped walking and stood several feet away from Mamoru, but he didn't speak. He seemed to be waiting for Mamoru to speak first, and Mamoru knew there was no way that was going to happen.
Finally, the man spoke, seeming to give in. "Mamoru."
Mamoru felt his throat clench up at the repetition of his own voice mirrored back to him. He tried, and with a throat that felt as if it was thick with cobwebs, spoke. "I'm guessing you're... me, in the past."
"Yes, I'm Endymion, Mamoru. You can say my name. Your name." Endymion took another step toward him. "You must have some idea why I'm here."
"I'd rather not guess."
Endymion smiled at this and shook his dark head, his hand lightly clasped on the sword at his side. "I apparently have become even more stubborn in the future. Who would have thought it could be possible." He looked away from Mamoru for a moment, and then turned his head back to him. "Now I don't have much time. So try to keep the stubbornness at bay for just a little while. Look around you."
"There's nothing here."
"Look again, Mamoru."
Mamoru blinked and suddenly he was in a rose garden. He gasped and whipped around. He recognized the place. It was the Earth Kingdom. He had seen it frequently in his dreams. The palace rose up high against the gardens, the fountain in the middle of the stoned pathway shimmered with running water in the bright sunlight, and the roses of all different colors were in majestic bloom. He whipped his eyes back to Endymion, who had paced away near a set of white rosebushes.
"Why are we here?"
"It's your home. Why wouldn't I bring you here? It's where I've been."
"What do you mean?"
Endymion ran one finger along a rose petal and sighed, turning to the man. "Fine; if you aren't going to think for yourself, I suppose I have to tell you. I've always been inside you, Mamoru. But you've been forcing me down, forcing me to reside here, in your dreams and your heart. And your dreams of the Silver Millennium have kept me safely here in this garden, the place of your dreams and my favorite place, but the dreams have ended, Mamoru. You can't keep me hidden anymore."
"Wait.. I've kept you here?" Mamoru took a step forward, only to find that the stone was cold on his bare feet. He decided not to move again.
Endymion smirked. "You were trying to prove a point with Serenity, were you not? Or Usagi, I should say."
"Yes, but I..."
"Well, in trying to make sure that Usagi loved you as you, you kept me trapped here, unable to be with Serenity." Endymion's eyes were suddenly pained and he looked away toward the roses again. "You must understand the pain that's caused me."
Mamoru winced, suddenly realizing that he very much did. He had a feeling that he didn't have to answer Endymion, though. He decided on a different question. "Is that why the Ginzuishou didn't work on me?"
"Your powers are strong enough to keep the Ginzuishou from affecting you too much. The only reason I'm able to finally get to you is because the Ginzuishou weakened you."
Mamoru's eyes widened. "I have powers?"
"You've been using them to show dreams, haven't you? That's been me, Mamoru. I've been awakening within you for a long time. But ever since you realized you loved Usagi... in fact, since Serenity awoke, I've been trying to awake as well, but you've been shoving me down." Endymion looked angry as he walked toward himself in the future. He gave Mamoru a hard glare. "Please tell me you are finished. I am just as much you as you are. You're not you without me."
Mamoru winced. "That's what Usako keeps saying."
"Serenity understands what you don't. Usagi let her in, knowing that she wouldn't be complete without her." Endymion continued to glare at Mamoru. "And you cannot stop me from being with her when she goes to battle against the Dark Kingdom. You need my power, Mamoru... I can help Serenity, but you cannot without me."
Mamoru sighed and looked away. In the far corner of the garden, a few pink rosebushes were planted and blooming. He gazed at them for a long moment. "What about Ami-chan?"
"Ami?" Endymion winced in the very same way Mamoru had. Mamoru couldn't shake the feeling that he was looking into a mirror. "She's awake, I know."
"Have you any idea what it will do to her when you awake?"
"I know... but it can't be helped. But you are her friend, Mamoru. You love her in a way that's more pure for her. That will always remain."
"I'll still be me?" Mamoru felt extremely worried.
Endymion smiled softly, nodding his head. "The way Usagi is blended with Serenity. She's completely Usagi, but completely Serenity as well."
Mamoru nodded slowly. He could reaffirm that... he was learning how Usagi was still uniquely Usagi, with flairs of Serenity within her. He glanced at his former self once more. "I couldn't make her love me as Usagi. Serenity always wanted you."
Endymion laughed. "That's where you're very wrong, Mamoru. I see that my feelings of inadequacy carried over as well... oh well." He smiled again. Walking forward, he walked into Mamoru's body. Mamoru gasped and fell back, back, back... until his eyes flew open and he was awake.
Morning sunlight poured into the room.
The white light was leaving them, and Usagi stared at Mamoru's silent face for a long time, her eyes blinking the light of them.
Mamoru looked away from her out at the lake, his hand still clutching hers. "At least... now I know you do love me... all of me..."
Usagi gasped and pulled herself close to him, her body pressed against his. "You should have known anyways."
Mamoru smirked slightly and shook his head. "You accepted me, but I wasn't... sure..." He looked down at her, at how she was against him. He took his free arm to wrap it around her waist, pressing her against the railing. "You still seemed to be withholding... so much of yourself..."
Usagi raised an eyebrow at him, her face close to his as she stood on her tiptoes. "You do realize that part of me is still a fifteen year old girl, right? Not all of me is thousands of years old. And even that part of me was fifteen when I died."
Mamoru winced. "Must you?"
"Sorry." Usagi wrapped her arms around his neck. "But really, what could you expect? I haven't had my first kiss yet..." She shifted her eyes away. "Well, in this century." She looked back at him. "But I think I'm allowed to want to go slow with you, Mamo-chan. Part of me doesn't want to, but the other part does. And I may know everything about you as Endymion, but I'm still learning things about Mamoru."
Mamoru blinked. "Oh."
Usagi shook her head, laughing. "You were always dense when it came to me."
"That's not true!" Mamoru sputtered, his arms tightening around her.
"It so is." Usagi rolled her eyes. "You didn't even realize I was in love with you for the longest time."
Mamoru started to say something, but he clamped his mouth shut and simply shrugged.
Usagi smiled at his obvious defeat and dropped from her tiptoes to lean against his chest. "Are you happy, though?"
He sighed, and she could feel his breath in his chest. "I feel... strange. I can't seem to straighten my thoughts..."
"You will for a while. You get used to it though, and your thoughts will become easier after a little while."
Mamoru nodded. He grew quiet for several long minutes as he simply held her. Usagi closed her eyes and listened to his heartbeat for the longest time. But thoughts were swirling through her head, and she finally raised her head from his chest to glance up at him. "But do you love all of me?" She looked into his eyes, which had turned a darker shade under a furrowed brow. "As Mamoru only."
Mamoru gazed down into her scared eyes for a moment before his face turned calm and he smiled softly, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her forehead. "I do love every part of you, very much. Sometimes it hurts how much I love you, like it shouldn't be possible."
Usagi sighed happily, her heart feeling relief. She leaned her head against his chest again. Mamoru laid his head on top of hers. "But when do I get that first kiss?"
"Mamo-chan, seriously?"
"Well, I was just asking..."
"Mamoru wouldn't ask that."
"Usagi would have already said yes, but Serenity obviously wants to tease me and be stubborn."
She suddenly pulled her head away from his chest and beamed up at him. "And look at that, finally you know how to tell the difference. Isn't it nice?"
Mamoru shrugged, his lips pouting. "Not when it doesn't seem to do me any good anyways."
Usagi giggled and shook her head. Reaching up, she slid one hand into his hair and pulled herself up closer to him. "But you get all of me now. The part of me that will say yes and the part that knows exactly how to tease you beforehand." Grinning, she pulled herself close enough for him to bring his lips down on hers.
Rei drummed her fingertips impatiently against the table, her eyes scanning the Fruit Parlor for sight of her other friends. It was evening, right after the sun had set, and they had all promised to give her poor grandfather a break from the group of girls (plus two cats and the appearance of a man that her grandfather had happily assumed was her boyfriend, only to be terribly let down) at the temple, so they had decided to gather at the fruit parlor for a while before heading back to the portal to what Rei was assuming was The Dark Kingdom. Rei whirled her head around when the sounds of giggling invaded her silent musings. She looked at the door to see Ami and Minako walking in the door, their arms entwined, both girls wearing spring print dresses. The two girls walked up to their usual booth, where Rei was. Minako slid around to the corner as usual, with Ami sliding in beside her.
"Hi, Rei-chan." Minako beamed, and she began to wave her hand to the front for a waitress to come take her order.
Rei swiped her eyes away from Minako to Ami, who was also smiling. "What are you two up to?"
"Nothing," Ami said. "We just had a really nice day out with our moms."
Rei raised an eyebrow, asking a question without having to say anything.
Ami shrugged and glanced at Minako. "We were both feeling really down about how our moms aren't our true mothers... but..."
"But they are." Minako smiled and put her head in both of her hands, leaning her elbows on the table. "They may not technically be our true, biological mothers... but they are our mothers."
"They gave birth to us in this time period, have loved us all of our lives..." Ami smiled. "They're our moms."
"My mom totally loves Ami's mom, too." Minako nodded. "I have a feeling they're going to be friends."
"Who knew one day of shopping and lunch with them would make them best friends," Ami said, grinning. "I'm glad my mom had the day off."
Rei's lips twitched into a small smile. "That's great, guys." She didn't like to think about her own mother, so she was thankful when Makoto came skidding into the café, her hair up in a messy ponytail and her face covered in a sheen of sweat. She wore tight shorts and a white t-shirt that was stained with a bit of sweat.
"Hey, guys!" She gasped out as she collapsed into the booth next to Rei. "Sorry I'm late, but I was having the best run of my life."
Minako scrunched her nose up and waved a hand back in forth in front of her face. "You smell like it, too."
Rei and Ami giggled, while Makoto rolled her eyes. She leaned back into the booth and fanned her face with her hand. "Where are Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san?"
"Who knows." Rei shrugged, and the movement of her shoulders set off the sparkled beading that graced the front of her crimson blouse. She also leaned back in the booth, finally able to relax now that her friends were all with her. She kicked her heeled foot back and forth, taking one hand to smooth out her black skirt. "They're probably off somewhere together though, I bet."
"I called Usagi-chan this morning to let her know the plan to come here tonight," Makoto said. "She did say she was heading over to Mamoru's. She probably spent the day with him."
"Which is really sweet." Minako purred. "I mean, you know, that Usagi loves him as Mamoru even if he hasn't woken up yet."
Rei rolled her violet eyes. "Really, Minako-chan. That would be like saying Usagi wasn't our friend until we got our memories back."
Minako pursed her lips together. "Good point."
"Bad service today," Ami cut in. "Where are all the waitresses?"
"It is getting close to their closing time," Makoto observed.
"Not really an excuse."
"Desperate for a drink, Ami-chan?" Rei raised an eyebrow.
"Not the kind I'm allowed, but okay." The other girls blinked their eyes and stared at the girl, who waved a hand at them. "Relax, relax... I'm fine. I was kidding." Ami shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips.
The others visibly relaxed. "Well, I'll go get us some drinks!" Minako started to scoot out of the booth, bumping Ami out of her seat as she went. Ami squeaked but got up. Minako took off toward the front, leaving the others to watch her run off.
"Usagi and Mamoru are really late, though." Rei murmured, glancing at her watch.
"It's Usagi... should we expect anything else?" Makoto chuckled.
"So you really liked them?"
"Yes, Usako, I really liked them. Well, except... maybe not your father. He didn't have to glare at me as if his eyes could become lasers at his bidding. Your mother is a lovely lady, though."
Usagi was leaning against Mamoru's arm as they walked, her arms entwined around his arm. She smiled and sighed happily, closing her eyes. The sun had just set in front of them, and it had been perfect in Usagi's eyes, to watch the sunset with Mamoru by her side. Now they were walking slowly toward the Fruit Parlor, both of them not really wanting the next part of the day to begin, but heading toward it in any case because they had no other choice.
"Dad's just not used to me having a boyfriend. I'm sure in time he'll get used to the idea..."
"Am I your boyfriend now?" Mamoru looked down at her out of the corner of his eye. "I mean, it seems like such a... weak term."
"Do you really want me to say 'Oh hey dad, this is my fiancé from over a thousand years ago'? I mean, I know you saw the rifle he had conveniently placed nearby, but would you like him to use the rifle?" She teased, sticking her tongue out slightly at him. "
Mamoru visibly paled. "Boyfriend is great."
"That's what I thought." Usagi giggled, squeezing his arm. "Besides, we're not really engaged now..."
"Technically, it was never broken..." Mamoru mused, his head shifting upwards to look at the night sky. "But I guess we'll say that we're not.." He turned his head to look down at her with a smile in his eyes and on his face. "Because I'd very much like to propose to you one day."
Usagi blushed, ducking her head under his shoulder as she snuggled close to his side. He chuckled and wrapped an arm securely around her. They were silent for several minutes. Then she looked up at him again. "Mamo-chan, when do I get to meet your parents?" The man became deathly pale and he stopped walking. They were steps away from the stairs to the Fruit Parlor. Usagi blinked, clutching her arms around his waist worriedly. "Mamo-chan?"
He took in a ragged breath, his eyes pained. He looked down at her and turned her in his arms so that she was in front of him. Hugging her close, he tried to force out a tight smile. "Usako, my parents died when I was very young. I'm afraid you won't get to meet them. In fact, I don't remember them myself."
Usagi gasped and buried her head in his chest. "I'm sorry, Mamo-chan... you never..."
"I know; I try not to bring it up." He took her chin in his hand and made her look up. "It's okay." He smiled down at her. "But now you know why I was so intent on finding out about my past. I don't remember mine. I can remember the Silver Millennium now, and I know my parents of that time... my mother died when I was younger, but we were close... and I remember my father and... for some reason, I always feel like they are both with me, as if they were standing right here beside us. But as for this time, I don't remember my parents." He smiled at her, a real smile this time. "But it's okay... the pain of not knowing is going away, because I can remember my real parents now. And I have you." He kissed her forehead gently, and then quickly pulled her toward the stairs. "We're late, Usako."
She stopped him on the stairs though. "Mamo-chan, stop..." She stopped and held her feet firmly to the bottom step to force him to turn toward her. When he did, she quickly went to the step above him so that she would be at eye level with him. She placed both of her hands on the sides of his face, bringing her face close to his. "It does matter, Mamo-chan. Even if you don't remember, your parents of this time matter, because you know they had to love you so much, because... who could not?" She smiled at him softly, her nose touching his. "They're your parents now, and that matters, just as my parents matter to me. So I know you don't mean that." She kissed him softly and quickly, so that she could pull away before it could pull her concentration away. "When the fight with the Dark Kingdom is over, I'll help you try to remember... if you want."
"But how-" His question was silenced but another soft kiss.
"I have ways," she whispered, stroking his face with her thumbs. Smiling, she kissed him once more before pulling away and bounding into the Fruit Parlor. Mamoru stood still for a moment on the steps, his heart hammering in his chest from her kisses and her words. She would help him remember. He felt more complete than he ever had before... being Endymion made him finally feel whole, with the woman who was finally open to him in every single way. And who loved every single part of him, just as he knew he loved every part of her. He knew that he didn't need to remember anymore to feel whole, but... just that he knew Usagi had made it important to her as well meant the world.
Smiling softly to himself, he followed her into the Fruit Parlor.
"Tsukino Usagi, must you always be late?" Rei growled at the girl as she sat down in the booth.
The blonde shrugged, flipping one long strand of hair behind her. "Can I help it that my mind was otherwise preoccupied?" Her eyes drifted to the door, and the others turned their eyes just as the door opened and Mamoru walked through.
Minako sucked in a breath and looked at Usagi. "Usagi-chan, does he get hotter every time we see him?"
Mamoru, unfortunately, had heard that. He turned red, and Rei and Makoto had to force themselves to stifle a laugh. The man slid into the booth next to Usagi uncomfortably, and she wrapped an arm through his. Grinning, she winked at Minako. "It's the shirt. He usually hides in the jacket, remember?"
Minako cooed an "ohhhh", her eyes raking over the tight white t-shirt Mamoru wore. The flirt in her itched to say something, but she decided it wasn't worth Usagi ripping her head off. She settled for staring at him instead.
"Usako, could you stop talking about me like I'm not sitting right here?" He grumbled, his face still a startling shade of red. He noticed Minako looking at him, and he glared at her. The blonde girl shrugged and turned to her drink, slurping away.
"Sorry, Mamo-chan, but you really do look good!" Usagi batted her eyes at him innocently, but he only rolled his eyes at her.
Ami was staring at Mamoru as well, but it was for an entirely different reason, and she wasn't looking at him, but rather his eyes. Usagi suddenly noticed and her eyes rested on Ami, knowing that she could tell. "Ami-chan?"
Ami ripped her eyes away from Mamoru to see Usagi looking at her. She blinked her blue eyes slowly. "Usagi-chan... Mamoru-san... he..."
"Yes."
Ami's eyes widened and she looked at Mamoru again, who nodded, his eyes boring into hers. She gulped.
The other girls looked at the three, their eyes darting around in wonderment. "What's going on?" Makoto demanded, her green eyes narrowed.
Mamoru cleared his throat. "I... remembered."
The girls gasped. "You're Endymion?!" Rei leaned over the table to look at him.
"I'm still me," he argued. "I'm still Mamoru, just..."
"Just as I'm Usagi, just as you all are who you are..." Usagi finished for him, smiling up at him. "He's complete, though. Finally, we all are." Mamoru nodded and smiled down at her in return.
"Damn." Makoto breathed. "That's fantastic. There's nothing... confusing anymore."
Ami scoffed. "I wouldn't say that." Then she coughed and shook her head, burying her head in her arms on the table. "Forgive me," she muttered. Usagi tore her hands away from Mamoru and placed them over one of Ami's. Ami looked up warily, her eyes meeting Usagi's soft ones. The blonde smiled and nodded.
"It's okay, Ami-chan. It's going to be okay."
Ami stared at her for a long moment, and then nodded slowly. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Mamoru before leaning back and sighing.
Makoto decided it would be best to change the subject. "Well, in any case, how do we proceed tonight?"
"First we need to talk to Luna and Artemis and make sure nothing strange happened there tonight," Rei observed.
"Right. And then we proceed?" Minako asked, her head swiping around to look at everyone.
They all nodded. "Should we have some kind of plan in case we need to get out?" Makoto laced her fingers together and leaned her chin against them.
"We go forward." Usagi said fiercely. "I don't know about all of you, but I'm ready to end this. I think we've scared Beryl, because there haven't been any youma released after the death of her generals, have there?"
"But she's sure to be building energy," Minako muttered. "And what about Metalia?"
Usagi shook her head, reaching beside her to clutch Mamoru's hand. He squeezed her fingers to stop their shaking. "She will be powerful, but I was able to defeat the generals, so she can't be fully awakened."
"We should strike before she does," Mamoru said. "While we all are, but she is not, we have the advantage."
Usagi nodded. "Right."
"Or at least that's what we think," Rei said, her voice strained. "What if... Beryl's been..."
"Hiding the power?" Mamoru shook his head. "It's not Beryl's way. She attacks with all she's got, the second she gets it."
"Unless she's gotten smarter in the last thousand years," Ami mumbled. "And that is very possible."
Usagi took a deep breath. "Well, whatever faces us... I'm as ready as I'm going to be."
Rei, Makoto, and Minako nodded in concurrence. Mamoru looked vaguely worried, but he gripped Usagi's hand fiercely. Ami pursed her lips. "I'm just saying, we can't charge in there thinking that we're going to defeat her so easily. We don't want a repeat of the past."
Mamoru cringed, but Usagi nodded. "And that's where I'm relying on you, Ami-chan." Ami raised her eyebrows, but said nothing. Usagi smiled. "You're our brilliant Ami. You'll find our way."
Minako squeezed Ami's arm. "Definitely."
"Nobody else could ever hold a candle to you, Ami-chan." Rei nodded, her eyes bright.
"You'll kick ass." Makoto grinned.
Ami blinked around at her friends, all of their faces smiling and bright, all of them sure in their belief. She felt her heart grow lighter, and she found a smile. It broke out over her face. She nodded. "Let's do it."
Makoto punched the air and quickly scooted out of the booth, pulling Ami out after her. Minako literally hopped her way out of the booth. Mamoru got up quickly and pulled Usagi to her feet as well. Only Rei remained seated. The ebony haired miko cleared her throat, her face pulled into a wide grin as if she were a chester cat who held a great secret. "Guys... ten o'clock won't be for several more hours."
The others froze, their eyes darting around to each other. Usagi bit her lip and shifted from foot to foot. Mamoru ran a hand through his hair sheepishly. Ami shrugged, Makoto cursed, and Minako pouted. Rei grinned wider. She scooted out of the booth. "But at least we can't stay here anyways, cause they're closing in like ten minutes."
The others looked at each other again and shrugs were suddenly universal.
"Let's at least head that way." Usagi decided.
"A stake out," Minako said with extreme seriousness. Ami shook her head and latched her arm through Minako's.
"Not really, but we will be ready," Makoto noted.
"And we need to check things out with Luna and Artemis," Ami said.
Usagi nodded, and her eyes shifted to lock on Mamoru's. "We have to be ready." Mamoru nodded as well and his arm broke away from her hand to entwine around her waist, pulling her tightly against him.
"We have to be," he said.
End Chapter Thirteen
Omg, you guys have no idea how close we're getting to the end. There are a few interesting things coming up, such as the major showdown with Beryl! (or really, let's face it, Metalia... she's the one that's so powerful anyways. Total kick ass.)
*Okay, let's face it... Mamo-chan is kind of a silly nickname. I mean, it's ADORABLE, but come on... not very manly. :P So I think it's cute that I decided to make it start out as Usagi/Serenity teasing Mamoru. And it just sticks. It's just too cute.