A/N: Hey everyone! It has been a hot minute since I've updated this story. I'm sorry I sort of fell off the face of the planet for this one, and we are definitely way past the deadline for Usa/Mamo week 2020. Still, I did not give up on this story and this is part 1 of my submission for the Mix and Match day! Which you will see, I took liberties with the actual meaning of Mix and match to fit the story.
Thank you to all the lovely readers and reviewers, faves, and likes, it is so super appreciated. You have no idea! To my lovely circle of fanfiction author friends, you guys are amazing, and I'm super glad to be a part of an inclusive, super supportive Fandom family!
Of course, shout out to my lovely bae-ta Ninjette Twitch, who read over this right away for me, despite her own busy life, because she indulges my idiosyncrasies and my obsessive need to post as soon as I finish writing! XD
Just a quick note, I pulled inspiration for the Cardian in this chapter from somewhere else. I'm sure that will be very clear when reading this. LOL Hope you guys life it! More to come soon.
Chapter 6
In which we welcome the reincarnated Prince and Princess of the Silver Millennium
Part 1
Usagi's eyelids fluttered open, and it took a moment for her blurred vision to focus. She blinked, momentarily disoriented as she reached out, slender fingers listlessly searching as they slid across cotton sheets, tangling in the coarse faded purple comforter on her bed.
Eventually, it registered, just like it always did, that she wasn't on a comfortable, practical queen-sized mattress in a master bedroom that was decorated perfectly to reflect her and Mamoru's individual tastes. Her fingertips weren't going to graze across the silky pink sleep-tumbled curls that belonged to Chibiusa, who'd quietly crept between them in the dead of night. And her left index finger was bare now, utterly devoid of the comforting weight of a wedding band that she'd spent what felt like days marveling at in awe.
They were home, or the real version of it anyway, and they'd slowly spent the last two weeks adjusting in the devastating aftermath of the Cardian's dream world.
Usagi smiled sadly, exhaling slowly, noting that the sun was just barely starting to peek through her window in muted oranges and golds, as she pressed her palm against the indent in the mattress beside her. It was still warm, indicating that Mamoru hadn't been gone for long.
Though Usagi considered herself an optimist, a glass half full, find-the-silver-lining-in-everything kind of girl, sometimes the loss of Chibiusa and Kousagi, even though they'd never truly existed in the first place, overwhelmed her. Particularly in the morning, when she was still waking up, and it was harder to orient herself right away.
Sighing, inwardly mourning the fact that she was never going to be able to sleep in again because her internal clock was permanently altered to accommodate small children, Usagi stretched, swinging her legs over the side of her bed.
As she moved to stand, she stumbled sleepily, and her hip nudged her phone, and the screen lit up brightly. After silently berating herself for having forgotten to plug it in to charge again as she noted the low battery percentage, she frowned as her eyes caught the time. It was barely six, and though Mamoru was typically an early riser, he'd been up late the night before.
Usagi's frown deepened as she exited the bedroom, quietly shutting the door behind her, an expert at tip-toeing now as she crept past Minako's closed bedroom door, careful not to make a sound.
She'd always been a deep sleeper. In fact, her inability to wake up quickly had often been a point of contention for Luna and her mother, who had spent the better part of her formative years trying to drag her out of bed in time for school. Usually without much luck. But after DreamWeaver, she'd somehow learned to sleep a little lighter to accommodate the nighttime tribulations of a precocious toddler and a pre-sleep trained baby.
This was how she knew that Mamoru had been restless the night before, tossing and turning in his sleep. Usagi didn't have to ask him to know that he was dreaming of the Princess again, and often, too.
She swallowed, trying to ignore the involuntary pang of jealousy that fluttered in the pit of her stomach, then immediately shook her head, pushing the unbidden and unwelcome thought aside.
In the beginning, Mamoru had confided the importance that the Princess of his dreams held for him. It was why he'd begun his search for the Silver Crystal in the first place, after all. Usagi, Mamoru, and the Senshi had discussed the dreams, his manifestation of power in the form of Tuxedo Mask, and they'd all agreed that their Princess and Mamoru's Princess were one and the same. So, in a way, Usagi was grateful that Mamoru had a connection to her. At least, that's what she vowed to say out loud if anyone asked. Deep down, though, it really bothered her.
Shaking her head with a chiding snort of self-deprecation, Usagi stepped into the dimly lit living room.
Her shared apartment with Minako was small. It was a chaotic mishmash of pink, unmatching furniture, clothes strewn about, marshmallow stuffies, Senshi-shaped accent pillows, and kitchen appliances that had no rhyme or reason. Both her and Minako were terrible cooks, and admittedly, they tended to indulge in a whole lot of takeout.
It was a disorganized mess, and it probably would have made more sense to stay in Mamoru's apartment when they'd been pulled back into a reality in which Usagi had to come to terms with the fact that, in this life, they should have basically been strangers.
He wasn't, though, and in her heart, he'd always be her better half, the yin to her yang, the husband of her dreams. Which was why she knew that the reason he'd insisted that they stay in her apartment, even though his was more spacious, located closer to Keio and the Crown arcade, was because it reminded him of the home they'd shared in their dream world.
The crease on her brow softened when she stepped over the threshold of their living room, stopping to quietly observe Mamoru seated on their very pink sofa, hair falling messily over eyes that were narrowed sternly on his phone. His gaze swept over the screen in that sexy, earnest way that indicated he was focused entirely on something that she probably wouldn't find remotely interesting, though she wouldn't mind spending the rest of the day watching him read it.
She smiled softly, unabashedly admiring him. Her breath caught in her throat as she noted that even surrounded by pink pastels and comfortably nestled beside a sailor V-shaped pillow, he looked totally at ease. Like he belonged here in her world where, in her opinion, he fit perfectly.
She must have made a noise, or dreamily sighed out loud, because Mamoru glanced up from his phone.
He raised a brow, clearly amused that he'd caught her checking him out. "Good morning, Usako," he rasped, smirking. "You're up early. I didn't even hear you turn off your alarm once."
Usagi rolled her eyes, dismissing his teasing words with an overexaggerated huff, a pointed look, and a flick of her hair over her shoulder as she skipped past him and into the equally tiny kitchen. He chuckled, the sound muffled as Usagi ducked under the counter in search of Minako's box of sugary, totally not Mamoru approved, breakfast cereal.
She frowned, rummaging through the disorganized mess that was their makeshift pantry. Her eyes narrowed when in place of what should have been a gaudy purple and yellow box that housed the sugary deliciousness of unicorn-shaped cereal that would turn her milk pink, she found the red, unopened packaging of frugra calbee. Which was granola made from oats cereal that was decidedly very healthy but also super gross.
"Mamo-chan," she quipped curtly, straightening with the cereal clutched in her hands. "What is this?"
The sheepish shrug and guilty grimace totally gave him away, and Usagi gasped indignantly. "Why?" she whined. "Where is my cereal?"
Mamoru sighed. "There was barely any left, Usako," he defended. "This is much better. Just try it."
Usagi narrowed her eyes, but her frown disappeared, and she graced him with a mischievous smile that elicited a wary look from Mamoru. "Okay, fine," she conceded with contrived nonchalance. "Then you can be the one to let Minako know that the cereal-"
"It's in the highest cupboard," he interrupted quickly, sighing with defeat.
Usagi blew him a playful kiss, and he couldn't entirely suppress his responding grin as he turned his attention back onto his phone as she retrieved the cereal he'd half-hidden behind the rice.
It hadn't been long before the girls had warmed up to Mamoru in the real world, just as they had in DreamWeaver's world. Though Rei and Luna, who were warier by nature, had taken the longest to come around. It was easy because the Senshi she'd managed to bring into her dreams were precisely the very same versions of themselves in reality, and because of this, Mamoru already knew them well.
Minako, though, still drove Mamoru insane, and there was no way he would risk engaging her in an argument over cereal.
"Coffee, Mamo-chan?" she asked, leaning over her bowl of cereal to turn the Keurig on.
She paused, frowning when she noted that it was already on and the coffee cup Mamoru favored was cleaned and drying beside the sink.
"No, thank you, Usako," he replied. "I've had one already."
She stopped, glancing up, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. If Mamoru had already had time to drink a coffee, clean his mug, then he'd been awake for longer than she'd previously assumed, and that was unusual. Or at least, it would have been in the time they'd spent together in their dream world. It seemed like Mamoru was more and more restless here, and Usagi couldn't completely ignore the uncertainty that churned uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach at the realization.
She must have stood there, quietly scowling at her cereal longer than she'd meant to because a soft touch on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts, and she blinked, snapping her chin up in surprise to meet Mamoru's concerned gaze. She hadn't even heard him make his way towards her.
"Hey," he began, his tone soft, concerned. "Are you okay?"
Usagi blinked, lips parting on a sharp exhale because what was she supposed to say? I'm totally jealous of the Princess that I'm meant to find and protect because she's invading your dreams on a nightly basis? And What the hell was that about, anyway? It was so ridiculous. She was being stupid and—
Mamoru chuckled warmly, interrupting her internal tirade as he leaned forward and tenderly pulled her into his arms, gently chucking her beneath the chin.
"Usako, I would give anything to spend even a moment in your head just to hear what it is that you're thinking," he said, smiling with a doting edge that instantly soothed all of her insecurities. "You know your eyes give you away every time. Tell me what's wrong."
Usagi exhaled, flushing with embarrassment because when he looked at her like that, it seemed so silly. "I just noticed that you've been sleeping less," she admitted quietly, leaning into him, averting her eyes, pointedly staring into the hollow of his collarbone instead as she traced her index finger in the creases of his shirt. "And I just— I was wondering if maybe…" she cringed, swallowing nervously. "If it was because you are dreaming of the Princess more?"
He was silent for a moment, and Usagi's breath hitched when she felt him tense against her. She lifted her gaze, heart skipping a beat because he was frowning, confirming her suspicions.
Finally, he exhaled, nodding curtly. "Yes," he admitted quietly. "I'm sorry, Usako. I hadn't realized that you'd noticed. I didn't mean to worry you. I promise I'll tell you if she … if she says anything useful."
He was frowning, lost in thought, very clearly frustrated by this. Usagi nodded, trying desperately to ignore the painful pang that reverberated in her chest as she stepped closer, burying her face in the crook of his neck as he instinctively pulled her close.
It was ridiculous to be jealous of the Princess. It was silly, and it was wrong, and all she had to do was ask him if any of the sour, uncomfortable emotions churning inside of her were at all warranted. She opened her mouth, sucking in a breath, before snapping her lips shut because she was a total coward.
"Oh, my, with the early morning kitchen cuddles!"
Usagi grinned even as Mamoru groaned as the high-pitched teasing tone of Minako's voice cut through the intensity of the moment, and Mamoru stepped back, releasing her, even as he rolled his eyes. Minako's smirk deepened as she proceeded to mock fan her face as if overheated.
"Don't stop on my account," she quipped brightly, "I can step back into my bedroom for a bit if you want some privacy. How long do you need? Five minutes?"
Mamoru sighed, resigned, "Minako—"
"Oh! Ten minutes?"
Usagi giggled, the intensity of her emotions momentarily pushed aside as she leaned over and lifted her bowl of cereal.
Minako's eyes narrowed, "That better not be the last of my cereal!"
Usagi shrugged, feeling only a little guilty to have finished off the box as she scooped a spoonful into her mouth.
Minako arched a perfectly manicured brow before canting her head to the side curiously. "Hey, wasn't it supposed to be your last shift at the arcade today? Weren't you supposed to start at seven?"
Usagi froze, the grin slipping from her face as she realized with horror that she had, in fact, switched with Kaori for her final shift as she was going to be starting school full time effective next week.
Cursing her horrible memory and her inability to ever be on time, ever, Usagi cursed, dropped her spoon into the bowl as she dashed around a bemused Mamoru towards her bedroom to get ready as quickly as possible.
Usagi distinctly heard Minako cheer triumphantly, probably because she'd managed to get the last of the cereal after all, as she pulled her shirt on, probably backwards, in her rush to move quickly.
"Don't forget about the Senshi meeting tonight!" Minako called out as Usagi, cursing, bumped her hip against the doorjamb as she stumbled in her hurry to get out of the door.
There was no way she was going to make it on time, and the dread that had begun to unfurl when she'd realized she was jealous that Mamoru was dreaming of the Princess settled uncomfortably in her chest with the knowledge that some things would never change. She was always going to be late, no matter how hard she tried, and maybe Mamoru would always have feelings for the Princess.
She tried not to think about it as she dodged pedestrian traffic, late for her shift for what was, hopefully, the very last time.
oOo
Usagi had hoped that her final shift at the arcade would go smoothly. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, and, admittedly, she'd involuntarily set some high expectations when imagining how her final time serving patrons in a place that held so much importance to her would go. So she was a little disappointed that it was just like every other day. She'd shown up late, like usual, and Kaori, who'd covered for her again, had given her that reproachful look that Usagi swore she must have somehow learned from Luna because it was practically identical. She ended up getting stuck with the closing shift instead of the opening one, then she'd proceeded to go about her day just like usual.
Truthfully, she was a little bit wary of giving up her only source of income to go back to school. She probably would have spent her entire shift sniffling and doubting her decision if it wasn't for Mamoru. Now that he was a very permanent fixture in her life, despite the ever-present dangers of the enemy they fought as their alter-egos, everything was just a little less challenging, and she didn't feel so alone.
This is why it would be a touch easier to close the arcade for the very last time tonight, knowing that she was starting a new chapter of her life. One in which, if she fell, someone would be there to help her back up again.
Usagi glanced up at the clock, brow furrowed with mild irritation. The arcade was ten minutes to closing, and her least favorite customers were still tucked away in a booth, shoulders slumped, expressions stern as they whispered angrily over a meal she'd served them over an hour ago that they had yet to touch.
Honestly, Seijouro and Natsumi were the banes of her existence on a regular day, but today she was eager to close given that it was her final shift, and there was a Senshi meeting right after. If she was late again, Rei would never let her hear the end of it.
Usagi kept peeking up, studying the pair from afar as she dutifully counted the money in her till, when the chime over the arcade door trilled, drawing her attention from the strangeness that was Natsumi and Seijuro towards it. Luckily it wasn't a new patron that she would have to turn away or kindly remind that they were closing soon; it was Makoto that confidently strode over the threshold.
Usagi's smile was relieved as she snapped the till shut for what would be the final time and waved Makoto over. "Hey!" she greeted. "What are you doing here?"
Makoto shrugged, gracefully slipping into the stool that was typically Mamoru's favorite spot. "I was on my way to meet the others, and I thought I'd stop in and see if you were done so we could go together."
Usagi was mid-nod, stacking clean glasses behind the counter when she noted that Makoto's face was flushed, gaze averted, almost as if she was lying… almost as if…
Usagi's eyes narrowed as she swiveled around, shrewdly observing her friend, who was now shifting in her seat. "Rei sent you to make sure I was on time, didn't she?"
Makoto grimaced, laughing nervously as she shook her head. "Well, no, it wasn't Rei…"
Usagi gasped, thoroughly offended. "It was Mamo-chan!" she exclaimed, disgruntled. "He sent you!"
Makoto's apologetic wince was answer enough, and Usagi pursed her lips as she tugged the Crown apron over her head. "I didn't plan on being late.." she grumbled, sulking a little bit even while inwardly admitting that her punctuality left a lot to be desired.
Makoto chuckled, arching her brow in amusement. "Ah, come on, Usagi," she prompted. "It was only just a suggestion. Besides, I wanted to ask you…" Makoto leaned forward, pulled her cell phone from her pocket, swiped the screen a couple of times before tentatively turning it towards Usagi. "What do you think?"
Usagi frowned, tilting her head to the side as she studied the picture of.. of a man? He was tall, short-cropped brown hair, relatively handsome, smiling at the camera. She pulled her gaze from the screen to Makoto's eager expression, shaking her head in confusion.
"Who am I looking at here, Mako-chan?"
Makoto's expression fell, and she sighed, disappointed as she slipped her phone back into her pocket. "I just interviewed him for the cashier position at the bakery, and I'd hoped that you might recognize him because…"
She trailed off, and it took a moment before what she was asking finally registered. "Oh, Mako-chan," Usagi breathed, biting her lower lip, her eyes filled with sympathy. "It was only a dream. It wasn't real."
Makoto blushed, and she cleared her throat. "I know, Usagi," she replied, waving her hand dismissively. "I just thought if there was a small chance that maybe it wasn't a dream, and if you potentially knew what my future husband looks like, why not ask? Besides, you found love with Mamoru in that same dream, right?"
Usagi opened her mouth to gently remind Makoto that she'd already been in love with Mamoru before DreamWeaver, and technically he'd already been in love with her, too, but she didn't get a chance.
"What?" Natsumi hissed, barreling towards the counter, her eyes narrowed with rage. "What do you mean you found love with Mamoru? You're a liar, Tsukino!"
Makoto stood quickly, tense and on alert, and Usagi took an alarmed step back. She'd almost forgotten that the siblings were still here, and it startled her to see Natsumi, practically feral, about to attack her. Something was wrong, though, and the slender redhead stumbled. She was out of breath; her angled face looked more worn than usual. She was pale, purple, almost bruise-like circles under her eyes. She was clearly sick, and luckily her brother steadied her before she crumpled to the ground.
Without thinking, Usagi instinctively took a step forward as if to help, but Natsumi's icy glare made her hesitate.
Usagi inhaled sharply, eyes filled with concern. "Ginga-san, are you okay?"
Seijuro cleared his throat, drawing Usagi's attention away from his trembling sister. "She's fine, Usagi-chan," he assured smoothly with a wane smile. "She's just a little hungry and clearly hearing things."
Usagi was tempted to point out that she'd served them hours ago, and Natsumi had barely touched her meal, but Natsumi gasped, tearing away from her brother with an indignant screech.
"I am not hearing things!" she growled, eyes narrowing into angry slits. "But I am hungry. I think right now, right here—"
Seijuro vaulted towards his sister, panicked, grasping at the redhead's arm. "Time to go, Natsumi," he hissed, then almost as an apologetic afterthought. "I'll see you later, Usagi-chan."
Usagi and Makoto could only watch, eyes wide and filled with confusion as Seijuro dragged his protesting, angry sister out of the arcade.
Makoto was the first to break the deafening silence left in the wake of the weirdest altercation ever. "What the hell was that about?" she wondered out loud, turning towards Usagi with brows drawn and her lips pursed with irritation. "Did that guy just call you Usagi-chan?"
Usagi grimaced, nodding as she leaned below the counter to collect her things. "Yeah, it's a long story," she sighed. "Those two are very strange."
Though Natsumi's disposition bothered her, uncertainty settling uncomfortably at the back of her mind, Usagi pushed it aside, choosing to focus on the fact that, as this was her last shift at the arcade, she'd rarely see them now anyway.
It didn't take long for Usagi to finish closing up, and she stopped, poised over the threshold of the arcade with Makoto waiting for her as her gaze swept over the quiet, empty interior that had been such an integral part of her life. Though, undoubtedly, they would still come here. Headquarters was still hidden beneath the floor under the Sailor V game after all, but it was a little overwhelming to know that she was going to be willingly moving on to a new chapter of her life.
"Are you nervous?" Makoto asked, pulling Usagi from the nostalgia of her inner thoughts. "About school, I mean."
Usagi grimaced, already dreading being a student, as she slid the door shut and locked it. "Oh, man, Mako-chan. You have no idea," she confessed, the thought of deadlines, tests, teachers breathing down her neck unbearably overwhelming. "I mean, I'm not sure what I was thinking when applying."
She hadn't really expected that she'd be accepted. And with the Cardians running rampant and her inability to show up to anything on time, maybe—
"You'll be awesome, Usagi-chan," Makoto exclaimed, tugging her onto the sidewalk, hooking her arm through hers. "Social work is the exact perfect thing for you. Plus, Mamoru-san is like having a free tutor. I doubt he'd let you fail."
The tension eased from Usagi's shoulders, and she smiled warmly at her friend. She was right. This was what she wanted to do, and if she could power through the whole actual school part, she knew she'd be good at it too, and with Mamo-chan, she could basically do anything.
She opened her mouth to thank Makoto for reminding her why she was doing this, then froze, breath caught in her throat, when the sound of muffled screams tore through the din of regular traffic. It was out of place, odd, and paired with a heavy, oppressive feeling that settled heavily over them. It immediately set off every instinct Usagi had inherited from the more perceptive skills gained from years of being Sailor Moon, and Usagi's alarmed gaze met Makoto's.
Makoto was so much better at this than her, and she didn't hesitate, pulling her pen, triggering her transformation until she burst into a bundle of green ribbons and lightning. When Jupiter fell into place, green leather boots hitting the pavement with grace, she snapped her gaze onto Usagi with a determined sense of urgency that pulled her out of her daze.
Usagi winced, feeling guilty for hesitating, and called for her own transformation into Sailor Moon.
"What do you think it is?" Usagi asked, tone clipped nervously despite the comforting feeling of power thrumming through her veins as she landed, clad in her Moon fuku, beside Jupiter. "I can't see anything."
Jupiter frowned, shoulders squared defensively as she scanned the street. "I don't know, but everything is suddenly really quiet," she pointed out, vaulting forward. "Come on!"
Usagi hurried after Jupiter, who propelled herself with ease onto the nearest building rooftop. She couldn't help but admire the way Jupiter seemed to move so effortlessly, and though she managed to keep up, Usagi still felt unsteady in her red leather boots. She'd never managed to quite master her footing as all of the other Senshi had.
Just like always, Usagi pressed the doubts aside when they flew from a rooftop, landing at the base of Kimi-chan's statue on patio Juban. The reason for the deafening silence was made clear when Usagi, not as lucky as Jupiter, managed to collide face-first into something hard.
Cursing, Usagi stumbled back, endlessly long legs tangling as she fell onto the cement with a jarring, painful impact. She moaned, clutching at her nose. "Owww," she whined, prodding at the bridge of her nose in an attempt to massage some feeling back into her face. "What the hell was that?"
Jupiter was more careful; brows pinched together as she leaned forward, pressing her gloved palms flat against nothing but air.
"It's like there's some kind of wall here, but I—"
Suddenly, Makoto fell forward, silenced mid-yelp as she tumbled beyond the invisible barrier. Usagi sucked in a panicked breath, ignoring the bitter sting of pain that shot up her backside as she leaped to her feet, impulsively slamming her fists against the unyielding, invisible wall.
"Sailor Jupiter!" she cried, panic rising when Jupiter struggled to sit up, collapsing again as whatever prison she'd been sucked into began to sap the energy from her, eliciting the wisp of lightning sparks as the Senshi's eyes fluttered closed.
Usagi took a step back, wide-eyed, as her gaze swept across the intersection, noting for the first time that there were hundreds of people all curled helplessly on the ground or floating just above it in similar positions. If Usagi looked carefully, the walls around them almost shimmered in the light of the streetlamps overhead. They were all trapped in cubes with invisible walls.
"Mime! MIME!"
Usagi inhaled sharply, twisting around as the cardian responsible for all of this energy-sapping destruction materialized. Humanoid in appearance, it shifted creepily back and forth on two spindly legs, bulbous torso swaying along with blue growths that resembled clown hair growing on the side of its pale pink head. With protruding frog-like fingers, gloved hands moved slowly as it mimed another invisible barrier into existence in front of her.
The encroaching barrier pushed closer, and Usagi snapped out of her stunned daze. She gasped, twisted to the side, propelling her body out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed as the Cardian pushed the wall forward with a swipe of its creepy hands, and it smashed into the cube Jupiter was trapped in behind her.
"Hey!" Usagi snapped indignantly. "Who do you think you are trapping innocent victims in prisons to steal their energy?" She didn't have time for this as Mime narrowed his eerily rounded eyes and was already in the process of creating another barrier, but she couldn't help it, twisting on her heels with a swish of her hands and a scowl of determination. "That is not cool! I am the pretty Guardian who fights for love and justice! Now in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"
Of course, Mime wasn't as impressed by her speech as she was, and before she could do anything, it launched another barrier that she was not graceful enough to dodge this time. The psychic blast hit her like a ton of bricks, and she gasped, shoved back a few feet until she skidded across the pavement, and her head hit one of the many cube prisons scattered across the street.
With another groan and a harshly muttered curse, Usagi rolled aside, narrowly dodging another attack, vaulted to her feet, and evaded Mime by squeezing through the gap between two invisible cubes, stumbling through to the other side.
Mime thrust many additional barriers at her, all the while screaming his own name and Usagi grit her teeth. She braced herself, filled with determination as she attempted several swipes of her tiara. Mime was quicker, though, and she missed the mark every time as she tripped, dodging some walls, knocking her face into others, until she was cornered. Entirely and utterly trapped.
Hissing in a breath, twisting around to face the creature, it never once occurred to Usagi to be afraid because, just as she knew would happen, a thick curtain of fog spilled through the gaps between all the cubes. Backup had arrived, and Sailor Mercury's mist had effectively exposed all the outlines of the prisons, obscured Usagi, and temporarily distracted a confused Mime.
Exhaling with relief, Usagi took a step forward, trying to decide how she would get through the mist-covered maze when a warm, velvety chuckle from above pulled her attention.
Tuxedo Mask stood on top of one of the cube prisons, looking dashing and sexy as hell. "Hello, gorgeous," he greeted, smirking in that way that only Mamoru Chiba could manage as he leaned down, extending a gloved hand, red-lined cape rippling behind him. "Need some help?"
Usagi rolled her eyes, though she couldn't suppress the slight, amused curl of her lips as she gratefully took his hand. "Looks like you were the one that was late this time."
Her heart leaped into her throat as he effortlessly lifted her, twirling her body until she was snugly tucked into the safety of his arms. He chuckled, pressing her closer, tilting her chin up with a gloved index finger as she curled her fingers into the lapels of his tuxedo.
His smile was mesmerizing, blue eyes flashing hotly behind his domino mask, and Usagi shivered as he swept his thumb along her bottom lip. "I wasn't late; we were here." The low baritone of his voice was like a warm caress as his breath fanned across her cheeks. How the hell had she not known that Mamoru was Tuxedo Mask? It was so obvious now that she knew. "It took a while to get through one of the barriers, but I could see you."
Usagi blinked as his words registered, and the sexy, totally intimate moment was ruined as she recalled just how many times she'd fallen, sometimes tripping over her own feet, without managing one successful attack on the offensive.
The heat of an embarrassed blush fanned across her cheeks, and she cringed. "You saw all that?"
Again, Tuxedo Mask chuckled, brushed his lips across hers, pulling away before she could reciprocate. "Have I mentioned that watching you fight as Sailor Moon really does it for me?"
Usagi rolled her eyes, suppressing the urge to snort because, really, there had been no fighting involved there, but still, she couldn't help the warmth that blossomed comfortably in her chest when he looked at her like that. Like she could take on the whole world.
With another chaste kiss, unexpectedly, he gripped her hips and twisted her around, lips brushing against the shell of her ear in a way that made her tremble. "Speaking of fighting, you should probably get back to being the badass Superchick I know you are."
Tuxedo Mask definitely possessed confidence and flair that she didn't often see in Mamoru. She made a note to ask him about that later as she nodded, feeling more determined and confident as she leaped from Tuxedo Mask's embrace through the waning mist and back into the fray of Mime's attacks.
This Cardian was one of the most difficult ones they'd fought, stronger even than DreamWeaver, who they'd been able to dispatch fairly quickly after managing to escape the dream world. Mars and Venus threw everything they had at it, but they couldn't get through its barrier. Jupiter was still trapped, and Mercury did her best to utilize the microcomputer to find its weakness.
Finally, after several near misses and a couple of well-timed rescues courtesy of Tuxedo Mask, Usagi managed to get a good shot in with a swipe of her tiara. The sharply edged steel appeared to be very effective as it tore through the psychic waves and ripped through his bulbous torso.
Even with the Cardian destroyed and the prisons melted away, blending back into the atmosphere, a lot of energy had been collected, and its victims were weak with fatigue, drained as they remained immobile where they'd been trapped.
Usagi wobbled unsteadily, exhausted, and Mamoru was there to steady her as Venus and Mercury swiftly knelt beside Jupiter, who groaned, rolling onto her back.
Usagi's heart flipped nervously as she pulled away from Mamoru and stepped towards Jupiter, whose eyelashes fluttered open, though she appeared lethargic.
Venus' expression was stern as she helped Jupiter sit up, and the brunette offered her a grateful smile. "I'm okay," she reassured, pressing her fingers to her temples, wincing. "Just one hell of a headache. Is everyone going to be okay?"
Mercury bit her lower lip, stood, blue vizor sliding into place as she frantically scanned the scattered bodies across Juban patio and the intersection. "I don't know," she whispered. "It- It doesn't look good for some of them."
Usagi started, inhaling sharply as her vision blurred with tears as she swept her gaze over the Cardian's victims with horror. Never, in all of their battles, had there been the potential to lose someone. They always recovered. She always managed to get there in time. With her heart in her throat, Usagi swiveled around to face the others, the inevitable sting of guilt welling in the cavity of her chest.
"There must be something-" she choked, her eyes darting from Mercury's pinched, worried gaze to Mars, who stood stoic, guarded, Venus who was watching her, devastated, and Jupiter's sorrow-filled expression. "We can't just leave them like this."
As if timed perfectly, the wail of sirens in the distance began to draw closer, and Usagi knew that meant that soon this place would be swarming with emergency responders and, more than likely reporters, eager to report on the devastation of the latest Cardian attack.
"We have to go," Mars snapped. "We won't be able to get out of here soon."
Usagi was going to protest, her heart aching with the thought of leaving so many helpless people behind, but Mamoru gripped her hand in his, pulling her close just as Luna leaped into Jupiter's lap and Artemis draped himself across Venus' shoulder.
"We'll meet at Hikawa shrine," Luna ordered, almond-shaped eyes shrewd and filled with determination. "Mercury has a new theory that we need to discuss."
It was not as if they could have managed to protest even if they wanted to. They were about to be swarmed, and Usagi leaped forward to help Jupiter stand. She wobbled a little but managed to steady herself, offering them a determined nod before vaulting ahead, propelling herself upward onto the building rooftop and out of sight.
There was a tension thrumming uncomfortably between them, and Usagi tried not to look back when Mamoru took her hand, and they followed suit, using the last bit of her strength to fly over rooftops and out of sight.
oOo
Usagi's legs, joints, and arms practically keened in protest with every leap and movement she made. By the time they landed in the Hikawa shrine courtyard, safely obscured by the tall elm trees just inside the gate, she was ready to collapse, utterly exhausted. Though not nearly as drained as Jupiter, who was panting from the exertion, back pressed against the trunk of a tree, bent in half as she tried to catch her breath.
Usagi didn't miss the worried looks exchanged from the others. It typically didn't take this long for the accelerated healing process granted to them by the same gift of their Senshi powers to kick in. Never before had a Cardian wrought so much devastation on their victims, and Usagi swallowed nervously, sidling up beside Mamoru, who curled a reassuring arm around her waist.
Mercury swiftly knelt in front of Jupiter, brows knit in concentration as her vizor clicked into place, and the Senshi carefully studied her through whatever complex formulas were flashing before her eyes.
Jupiter offered her a watery smile as Mercury carefully swept a gloved palm across her forehead over her tiara, pushing aside chestnut brown strands of hair from her face.
The silence was deafening, the tension thick as they waited with bated breath, and Usagi practically wept with relief when the tension eased from Mercury's shoulders as she released a soft, barely audible breath and stood.
"It looks like you're recovering, Mako-chan," she reassured before swiftly swiveling around to face them. "But I don't think she was imprisoned as long as the others."
Usagi cringed because maybe she should have tried a bit harder when Makoto first fell through the barrier? She hadn't even attempted to free the others. What kind of Senshi was she if she couldn't even—
"Usako," Mamoru whispered, bending so that his face was level with hers. "This wasn't your fault."
Of course Mamoru knew her well enough to know that she was spiraling. Usagi stopped, exhaling slowly, offering him a grateful nod that he accepted as he smirked, brushed his lips briefly across her temple before straightening to face the Senshi.
"Obviously, this wasn't your fault, Usagi," Rei chastised, shifting her gaze onto Luna, who leaped onto an overhanging branch above them. "The Cardians are getting stronger, or we're getting weaker."
Luna shook her head, flicking her tail back and forth. "We're not getting weaker, but I think it's imperative that we recover the Silver Imperium Crystal and the Princess." Usagi frowned because hadn't this been their goal all along? Luna sighed; her expression held a hint of regret as she briefly glanced at Usagi before shifting to Ami. "I think we need to tell her."
Minako cringed, exchanging a nervous look with Makoto, who'd managed to straighten, though she was still leaning against the tree for support. Mamoru must have noticed as well because he tensed beside her, his fingers gripping her almost painfully as they bit into her waist.
The dread unfurling inside Usagi's chest made her stomach twist nervously. "What is it?" she rasped, pressing her hands into the folds of her pleated skirt to keep from wringing them together. "What are you talking about?"
Ami winced, taking a deep breath as she fixed her gaze on Usagi. "You know that the supercomputer in headquarters is the final remnants of technology from the Silver Millennium," she began, clearing her throat. Usagi did not fail to notice that the others did not seem to be waiting with bated breath for whatever it was Ami had to say. She couldn't help the hurt that coiled up in her chest with the realization that they already knew. "Well, obviously, I'm not familiar with the coding, it's extremely advanced, and with all of the memories of our past lives completely absent, it genuinely took a long time to even open up a fraction of the information embedded in there."
Usagi shook her head, throat constricted tightly. "Okay, Ami?" she replied warily. "What does that mean?"
Ami swallowed, nervously tucking a tendril of blue hair behind her ear before continuing. "Well, we've learned that the Silver Crystal is powerful, and it possesses some pretty amazing properties. Healing, for example, which probably would have been beneficial this evening." She paused, took a deep breath, and cleared her throat. "We've learned a bit more about… about how the Silver Millennium empire fell, too. The transmissions were vague, and they were hard to decode because the languages don't exist anymore, but from what I was able to decipher, the Princess died, despite our best efforts, because she fell in love with the Prince of Earth."
Usagi exhaled an anxiety-ridden breath, frowning, utterly confused, and slightly deflated given the tension preceding the revelation. This… this didn't mean anything to her. But then why was Ami cringing and the others staring at her as if she was going to implode? Casting a sideways, furtive glance at Mamoru, she noted that even he was tense, his expression hard, guarded in that frustrating way that he'd worn like armor before DreamWeaver.
Before Usagi could address any of that, Minako took a step towards them, her expression uncharacteristically solemn. "Usagi, we believe that the Prince was reborn just like us," she breathed softly, almost as if she were handling a bird that might fly away if she raised her voice an octave. "We think that the Prince meant a lot to her. That they connected in such a way that he might be the key to finding the Princess."
Usagi nodded, following what they were telling her but unable to interpret the reason for their wariness. "Okay…" she began, tone filled with hesitation. "This makes sense, I guess. How would we go about finding the Prince?"
Minako winced, and Ami shared a nervous look with Rei. Usagi was on the verge of tears now because whatever the hell was going on was frustrating. She was irritated that she'd for some reason been kept out of the loop in the first place, but if they didn't just spit out whatever they were-
"Hon," Makoto soothed, expression filled with sympathy as she pushed away from the tree. "We think we've already found him."
"Who?" Usagi gasped, rigid, wound tightly with anxiety. "Who is it?"
Usagi frowned, heart skipping a beat because she started to suspect what they were implying, but it couldn't be. It was impossible. There was no way.
They didn't answer, almost as if they were afraid to speak, but their gazes shifted onto Mamoru, who'd actually been pretty silent up until now. Usagi gasped, pulling away so that she could swivel around and face him.
He was so hard to read, especially as his face was still hidden behind the domino mask, and Usagi froze, studying him for a moment before she laughed. The sound was hysterical, disbelieving because, of course, it wasn't true.
"That's not possible," she hissed, not even daring to let her mind explore the possibility that Mamoru could be the Prince that might belong to the Princess she'd spent years believing that she was born to protect. "Right, Mamo-chan? Tell them it's stupid."
She'd expected him to do what he'd always done since the moment she woke up splayed across his chest in DreamWeaver's world. He would smirk at her, tell her that it was all a crazy theory that held no possibility of truth because he wanted to belong to her.
Usagi let out a strangled breath of disbelief when instead his eyes met hers, and they were filled with anguish. Absolute and utter devastation, which could only mean that he suspected it was true.
"No, Mamo-chan," she choked, blinking back tears. "Tell them!"
He winced, reaching for her like he should have right away, but it was too late. The damage was done now, and Usagi gasped, stepping back, the blood draining from her face when it suddenly occurred to her.
"The dreams," she hissed brokenheartedly. "You've been dreaming about more than just her appearing, haven't you?"
Mamoru swallowed, tore the domino mask from his face, and swept his hand through his hair. "Usako," he rasped, and Usagi's heart was breaking because his expression gutted her. "Listen, it doesn't matter. I didn't tell you because I don't care—"
He reached for her again, but Usagi evaded him, vision blurring before she blinked, and tears spilled from her eyes, slipping listlessly down pale cheeks. "I care," she sobbed. "What is happening in the dreams, Mamo-chan? Is it more?"
Mamoru's expression was tortured, and she wanted to stop. Wanted to say that it didn't matter, but when she thought about what the Princess meant to all of them, what she could possibly mean to Mamoru, it did matter. Because if what they were saying was true, Mamoru didn't belong to her; Mamoru belonged to someone else.
"Yes, Usako," he choked, voice trembling with emotion. "I— the dreams are more vivid—"
Usagi shook her head, crying out and covering her ears like the childish coward that she was because it didn't matter that she'd just demanded it of him; she didn't actually want to know. She couldn't handle it, especially here, in front of her friends.
She felt broken, resigned because this changed things. Because this meant that she'd swept in and stolen something from the person she'd literally been born to protect. If he ever remembered, he'd probably wish he'd never fell into DreamWeavers world with stupid, clumsy Tsukino Usagi. Hadn't he told her that the Princess had been a staple of his life? Hadn't he told her that she'd saved him from the darkest pits of loneliness wrought by the trauma of his childhood?
Still, she had to know; she had to make sure. It was only going to hurt her, she knew that, but still, she had to ask…
"Do you think you're the Prince, Mamo-chan?"
She held her breath, heart pounding so painfully she wished she could reach into her chest and rip the offending organ out, and she whimpered, her last shred of hope dissipating when his resigned, pained gaze met hers.
"Yes," he admitted miserably. "It's possible."
It was then that Usagi remembered again that she wasn't alone. This whole painful interaction had occurred in front of the others, and they all stood, shell-shocked, crying for them, as they watched this horrible moment unfold and Usagi swiveled around, hyperventilating. Humiliated, broken-hearted because she had to give him up. She had to let him go, and it was tearing her apart inside.
Before she could flee, Mamoru caught her wrist. She turned, unable to muster the strength to tear away when he pulled her close. He tenderly framed her face with trembling hands. His breath fanning warmly across her cheeks like it had less than an hour ago as he'd smirked down at her as Tuxedo Mask, only this time, his expression was unguarded, raw, filled with devastation and desperation that mirrored her own.
"Usako," he choked brokenly. "They're just dreams. They don't matter. I want to be with you. I want to belong to you."
Usagi wasn't sure how she managed the strength required to lift her arms and gently pry his hands from her face. "Mamo-chan, they aren't just dreams. You know it, and so do I." He sucked in a pained breath, and she could see the panic in his eyes. It took everything she had to release him and step away. "The world DreamWeaver created for us was just a dream, and now it's over."
She was grateful in that moment that she hadn't dropped her henshin and that she was still Sailor Moon because otherwise, she would not have been able to flee that clearing as quickly as she did. The Moon Senshi's powers thrummed through her veins, carried her as she flew over rooftops, blinded by tears and drowning in sorrow. She'd done the right thing. If they found the Princess, and Mamoru remembered, it would hurt them both so much more later on. He'd have her, and she'd have…
Usagi choked on the horribly bleak direction of her thoughts, and she wandered aimlessly, feeling scattered, laced with anguish as she grappled with how deeply she loved him until, finally, she stumbled through the balcony door of her apartment.
She was equally dreading coming home to an empty apartment but also afraid that maybe Mamoru would be there, and if he was, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to turn him away again. Not like this. But when she stepped into the living room, kicking scattered accent pillows aside, it was Minako who stood there, tears in her eyes, lower lip trembling with love and sympathy.
"If I could take your place, take this pain away for you, Usagi, I would."
Minako held out her arms, and Usagi didn't respond, bursting into a new round of tears, stumbling into them before spending the rest of the night sobbing in the comfort of Minako's lap.
oOo