Hey all. I've been worn out and crazy busy with the holiday season. I also suffer from acute anxiety so it's been...fun. I confess this chapter has no editing or anything else - I'm falling behind on my writing, but I'll try to keep up during the holidays so that those of you who have kept reading have a bit of something to read. Thanks, as always for sticking with me, and hopefully you'll all continue to enjoy this long-ass story at least a little.

-Onward.

Chapter 68

Shuu Li-Huang felt empty inside.

It was like someone or something had hollowed out his insides with a melon baller. He felt bereft. Lost. He ached, inside and out, but the physical wounds his body had endured had nothing on the pain roiling inside of him.

Scarier still? At some point he'd tripped and fallen through a hole in the floor of an old arcade. There'd been some interesting machinery down there, he'd messed with some stuff, and now he was literally on the moon. That, or he was higher than a kite right now.

He stared at the silhouette of an Earth that was a dull greyish greenish, a testimony to the destruction he'd been stumbling through first hand before the landscape had shifted. More baffling still? He was standing in the ruins of what appeared to have once been a very, very fancy palace.

Nothing made sense anymore, but one of the only things this place had going for it was the lack of monsters. Since he'd fallen here, the air felt cleaner – which was weird because he was breathing without a space suit on the moon – and he'd been largely undisturbed by anything else.

And that could only be a good thing since at this point he could hardly keep upright.

Shuu turned from the view of the devastated Earth, rubbing his face, overwhelmed by the grief and the loneliness. The impotent anger that demanded he take action. But what action could he even take?

Shuu studied the room around him. Once gilded columns still supported a domed ceiling with effortless style. He left the observation area and wandered with unsteady steps along halls with grandly arched ceilings that echoed the sound of his own footsteps back at him eerily.

He drifted like a phantom through sitting rooms and eating rooms and sleeping rooms.

He came back to himself in a large hall lined with paintings. A gallery of some sort? Sure, why not? Shuu shrugged as he meandered deeper into the room, half sure at this point that if it weren't for the pain that wracked his body he might actually assume he was hallucinating all of this.

He stared dully at the portraits that lined the hall with figures that silently watched him.

It was a little creepy.

He blinked up at a portrait that took up the central space of the far gallery wall, staggering to a halt beneath it. His breath caught. His heart began to pound. For some reason, he felt a little lighter.

There in front of him, hung a massive portrait of a beautiful woman, her hair done in a strange style – split into two buns with long, elegant falls of hair spilling from each. Its color was pale, the color of moonlight, and her blue eyes seemed to glow at him from the painting. Her small, delicate mouth was curved in a perfect bow, the tilt of the lips suggesting that she'd been suppressing outright laughter at the time of the painting, joy radiating from her face.

He fell in love with her immediately, without even knowing who she was. Something inside of him reached for her, longing for the woman in the painting so deeply Shuu could feel an actual tug toward the picture.

Behind the woman, an older version of her, with hair the color of pale lavender, stood with her hands resting on the girl's shoulders. It was clearly a portrait of mother and daughter, and the sight of it made him feel warm. Both women bore a crescent moon symbol resting on its curve on their foreheads, and he wondered about it.

"I'm glad you made it here safely," a deep male voice said suddenly, breaking the silence. "I'm only sorry I couldn't pull you free sooner, but I have very limited ability here."

Shuu whirled, fists up and ready for a fight, even as he tried to combat the dizziness the sudden movement gave him. The apparition of a man, in full white tuxedo, complete with cape, stared at him from a short distance away. His eyes were hidden behind a white domino mask for some reason.

Going by the fact that Shuu could see the furniture and walls of the room through him, he was dealing with a ghost.

He gaped at the man stupidly, slowly lowering his fists, looking for something to say. The man smiled sadly. "You're Shuu Li-Huang," he said. Shuu scowled at him.

"How'd you know my name?" he growled.

"I know many things about you Shuu Li-Huang," the man said in a low voice full of melancholy. Incredible pain swept over his face for a moment and he turned away. "Forgive me but I needed to know. I needed to be sure you could keep her safe….happy," he whispered, face hidden.

Shuu forgot to feel angry.

"What?" he asked stupidly. He frowned then, getting his bearings. "What the hell is going on here? One minute I'm in my restaurant, worried about….something…" he trailed off here, head pounding, heart aching as he tried to claw through the fog around the memory of his last normal day. He pushed past it.

"Then I'm wandering around in a post-apocalyptic wasteland getting ambushed by these….monsters." He shuddered here, hunching his shoulders up. "Then I'm falling through rotten floors and landing on the moon, and now, I'm talking to dead guys," he muttered.

The phantom man smiled with empathy. He closed his eyes, furrowing his brown as if in pain. "Kongo no Shuu," he said softly, and Shuu jolted at the name. He'd never been addressed by that title before, had he? His heart beat a little faster. A little harder.

Kongo, he thought, a strange pang of longing vibrating through him like a single, plucked string.

What in the hell was Kongo?

"I don't have much time. I've pulled you here because she is looking for you, and I needed her safe, one last time. The last time I can do anything for her." There was such raw grief in the man's voice that Shuu could feel an echoing ache inside of him. The man seemed to steady himself, and when he looked back at Shuu, his expression was hard.

"This won't make sense to you now, Kongo no Shuu, but I need you to remember this," he began. "To protect the Silver Crystal and the Moon Princess, the Golden Crystal must be dissolved, absorbed by your planet. This place is forever cursed, and so long as the Golden Crystal exists in your world, a link to this one will persist. And that will leave the Moon Princess in terrible danger. The Silver Crystal is connected to the Golden Crystal. Even now this monster is trying to break into the connection – to devour Usagi. You cannot let that happen. Once this monster has been subdued, you must root Elysion in the energy of your own Earth, and then let the Golden Crystal be absorbed. Your armor, the Kongo armor, can do this – it resonates with your own Earth."

Shuu stared at the phantom man.

"…what?" he said stupidly.

Armor? Crystals? Moon Princess?

What?

Strange emotions began welling up inside him then. Emotions that he didn't understand or even know how to process. Shuu shoved them aside ruthlessly, glaring at the man across from him. As he watched, the phantom image began to flicker. First slowly, and then with more regularity. Shuu reached out, alarmed. He hadn't exactly liked the guy, but it was better than being alone.

"Hey hey! Where are you going?" he yelped. "I'm not going to remember all that!"

"Dissolve the Golden Crystal, Kongo no Shuu. Use the Kongo armor." He faded for long, frightening moments before the weakest flicker of his image came back.

"An- Ple—se -ell-agi I- Lo—e- er," his voice was glitching now, words skipping like a computer trying too hard to process something.

Shit, Shuu thought, feeling panicked.

"Whoa hey, I didn't get that!" he yelled, waving his hands. The man simply continued to smile sadly, not reacting to Shuu's plea for clarity.

"I love you Usako. Please, be happy." The line was delivered with startling clarity. And then the phantom disappeared, silence settling heavily in the room. Shuu stared, standing frozen in the same spot for several minutes.

He didn't know this guy right? He didn't know anything about where he was, or what was going on. But sadness for the man pulled at him, and Shuu rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand just in case. He blamed the exhaustion, and staggered over to a padded chair that seemed to be in tact still, sinking into it's still sturdy frame with an ungraceful collapse.

Everything suddenly became too much for him. The emptiness tore at him. His body hurt. His spirit felt so heavy. The word Kongo kept buzzing around his brain like an angry bee, feeling important. And familiar.

A headache started to form again as he tried to think about where else he might have heard it.

With a groan, Shuu let it go, huffing a gusty sigh and leaning his head back against the silken texture of the wall paper. That feeling of being adrift, lost, washed over him again, and despair came with it.

And then, in the silence, he heard it.

The slapping of tiny, delicate feet against cold, hard, polished stone.

Immediately his ears perked up.

These were not heavy, predatory steps. The owner of these feet was running, full speed, nearby. Shuu blinked his eyes open and lifted his head wearily. Another ghost? An illusion? A hallucination?

And then she rounded the corner, and the breath fled from his lungs.

She was radiant. It was the girl from the painting, but older. And in different clothes. She wore a tiara in place of the crescent moon, but he'd recognize her anywhere. Her skin gave off the slightest silver glow, as if lit from within. Her face was frantic, desperate, worry furrowing her brow and tears clinging to the corners of her blue, blue eyes.

He rose from the chair, mesmerized.

And then she turned, and caught sight of him. And that face lit up. She looked at him, and joy pushed the worry from her face. She smiled a smile so dazzling it felt like having the sun in his eyes for a moment. Then she was running towards him.

"Shuu!" she yelled, her voice filled with manic relief. "You're alive! Oh thank Gods! I'm so happy I found you!"

She leapt at him then, wrapping her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, and squeezed, her relieved laughter ringing next to his ear. Shuu staggered, unprepared for the force of her affection, and dropped back into the chair hard. He didn't feel it.

Awed and numb at the same time, he wrapped his arms around her, and squeezed back, closing his eyes, breathing her in. It felt perfect. Beautiful. Like being soothed by his mother after a nightmare. Safe. Loved. Warm. It was as if the light she radiated was pouring into him, healing his hurts. Soothing his aches.

Filling the emptiness inside of him.

His eyes burned. He buried his face in her shoulder, inhaling her scent. So familiar but not.

"I was so worried about you! I can't believe this happened, I'm so sorry Shuu!" she pulled back, cupping his face in her hands and looking at him with so much love his breath caught. But panic began to wedge a crack in this cocoon she'd shrouded him in.

She clearly knew who he was.

But he had no idea who she was. He felt cold. He wanted to know who she was. He needed to. He couldn't imagine forgetting the love of a woman like this for any reason. Something of his fear must have shown in his face, because the glow surrounding her seemed to dull slightly as her brow furrowed.

"…Shuu?" she whispered, hesitantly.

A rock formed in his stomach as his heart began thundering in his chest.

"I'm sorry," he managed to whisper," but I don't….who….who are you?"

Horror crossed her face, and then was quickly washed over with pain.

"Oh…," she whispered, putting a hand to her mouth. "Oh Shuu. You don't….remember?"

His eyes burned. He hated himself for the pain he could see in her expression. "I'm sorry," he choked. "I'm so sorry."

Her lips trembled. Those big blue eyes filled, the tears spilling over, but she sniffed, firmed her chin, and tilted her head up. "It's ok," she said smiling gently, the sadness still reflected in her eyes. "It's ok." She leaned forward, wrapping him in a gentle hug. "We're going to figure everything out Shuu, I promise. But I've got you now, and I'm going to get you out of here, ok?"

She pulled back then, and seemed to take him in. Her expression hardened. "Can you walk?" she asked as she rose, her tone implying that if he couldn't she was prepared to carry him vast distances. He stood, trying not to groan, and forced himself to smile at her.

"You bet. Where are we going?" he asked. She had already turned, leading him from the gallery, back through echoing halls. She smiled at him over her shoulder, one of her hands firmly entangled with his, and tugged him behind her.

"I wanna get to the observation room. I think that's going to be the best place to find a way into Elysion and also, I want to see if there's anything we might need before we leave here for good," she said. Saddness flooded her face then, and she turned back around, leading him with single-minded determination.

When they arrived, Shuu recognized the room he'd been dumped in originally. Usagi let go of his hand and made a beeline for the console Shuu had thought was long dead. She laid a hand on it, and immediately, lights flickered on.

"Okay," she muttered to herself, "Let's see what gadgets might be around." She disappeared behind the counter, and Shuu could hear the sound of things banging around and getting tossed aside. Shortly after, objects began flying up and away from where Usagi was presumably squatting.

"No, no, no, no, no, no…." she muttered as things went flying. "Hey! POCKEY! I KNEW MY STASH WAS AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE!"

Usagi's head popped back into view, and she was carrying a huge pile of snack foods, beaming with enthusiasm. Shuu didn't know what he expected next, but for her to grab half the pile and shove it in his arms was not it. "Eat," she said sternly. "You'll feel better."

She disappeared back around the counter, and things resumed banging and crashing again as she muttered to herself. Shuu looked down, and his stomach growled. He didn't like the idea of taking any food from her, but he was so hungry. Wandering over to a bench made of crystal that seemed to be growing from the floor, Shuu sat, and dug in.

He munched as he kept watching her flitting around, gathering items, generally ripping the room apart in her searching. Before long, he'd demolished what she'd given him and she had a decent-sized pile of…stuff… she was sweeping into a sack. The palace rumbled ominously and she froze, looking up and around.

"Nut bunnies. We gotta get out of here," she muttered. She finished loading the sack and then groaned when she pulled it over her back. "Man, this thing is heavy," she complained, but straightened, smiling at Shuu.

"Okay, you ready?" she asked enthusiastically. But there was something….something around her eyes that sapped the warmth of the smile. Shuu nodded at her, not sure of what to make of her strange mood. Everything about her said she was light and cheerful, but there was something underneath that was….not.

"Uhh, can I carry that bag for you?" he asked, watching her shoulder its weight and march toward a giant crystal monolith in the room. She looked at him as if she wasn't quite sure he was sane and then shook her head.

"I'm good, but thanks Shuu! Save your strength ok?" she smiled back. "Besides, I'm super strong! I've got this!" she chirped. She didn't look very strong. Honestly she looked…fragile. But he kept that to himself. They stood in front of the giant crystal. Usagi took a deep breath, and frowned at it. "Okay. Elysion. Elysion. How do I get to Elysion?" she muttered.

The crystal flared to life suddenly. A slight man with white, tousled hair and a horn growing out of his head appeared. "Helios!" Usagi cheered with so much enthusiasm Shuu blinked. The man bowed his head deferentially. "Neo-Queen Serenity," he murmured back. Shuu stared at her as she flushed and flapped a hand at him.

"Now cut that out, Helios! It's just Usagi, ok?

Neo-Queen….Serenity?

Who was this woman? He hadn't met any royalty in his life, but he was pretty sure queens were more...regal?

"Helios, we need to get to Elysion! I don't know how to do it this way!" she said anxiously, bouncing up to her tiptoes. The man smiled at her gently.

"Neo-….Usagi," he began, correcting himself. "The Silver Crystal will take you here. Concentrate on Elysion, and think of a sweet dream," he murmured.

That sounded….well, kinda nice, but also kinda like a kids' movie. Then again, he'd fallen through a basement and landed in some sort of palace on the moon, had talked to a ghost and been rescued by a woman from a painting who was also apparently a queen, so he didn't really have a lot of room to talk.

He was leaning back toward the idea that he might have eaten something bad and was probably flying high at the moment. Or maybe this was a weird dream?

"Okay. I'm going to try now!" she said. She held her hands out, palms up, close to her chest, emphasizing the brooch there. She closed her eyes, furrowing her brow, and as Shuu watched, the Crystal in the brooch began to glow. It floated outward, and suddenly, it blossomed, transforming from a small teardrop to an incredible, multi-layered flower.

Usagi bit her lip, continuing to concentrate, and as he watched, the light grew brighter and brighter, surrounding them both. Finally, he had to close his eyes, the radiance burning through his lids for a moment before it seemed to fade. Shuu blinked his eyes back open to find himself standing in a different room than the one he'd just been in.

Helios, the man with the white hair, was now standing before them…looking very solid and real.

"Serenity, you made it," he breathed, looking at her with utter reverence before bowing. Usagi flushed again, rubbing the back of her head uncomfortably.

"Cut that out Helios, I mean it. It's just Usagi, ok? I'm not even a Princess anymore, let alone a Queen." There was an edge to her reply. Something darker, sadder. The man smiled at her softly.

"You will always be Serenity of the Moon, wielder of the Silver Imperium Crystal," he said reverently. "But I'll call you Usagi if that is what you desire."

Usagi looked distinctly uncomfortable for a moment, but huffed out a breath of air and then turned to Shuu. "Okay, you're safe here, Shuu. Rest, and I'll be back later, all right?" she said.

Shuu blinked. "Wait. Where're you going?" he asked.

Helios frowned, anxiety weaving through his expression. "Ne-Usagi. Please. Stay here," he murmured gently. Usagi put her hands on her hips then, white gloves balanced on the white of her skirt.

"Helios," she began, her tone that of someone trying to explain something to an impatient child. "I can't stay here. Not when my Senshi and our allies are out there fighting. Not when two whole worlds are counting on us to keep them safe. I know you're scared, but please, have faith in us. I won't let this monster destroy anyone else," she said, blue eyes hard like sapphires.

Helios looked away for a moment. When he turned back he smiled at her weakly. "I understand," he said. "I wish you a safe and victorious journey, Serenity."

Usagi put a hand on his shoulder. "It's going to be ok, Helios. I know things have been…." She paused here, biting her lip. Helios turned, wrapping her in a hug, then and Usagi returned the embrace.

"They will never be forgotten," he said in a grave voice. Usagi squeezed her eyes closed, a few tears trickling out. She pulled back, giving Helios a watery smile.

"They won't," she said firmly. "This is for them too."

He nodded, appearing bolstered now. "Farewell, my lady. The gods watch over you and keep you. I will see you when you return," he said in a much stronger voice. Usagi hugged him again quickly.

"Much better," she whispered. She turned to Shuu then, putting a hand on his shoulder. He didn't know what was happening right now, but he didn't like the way it was making him feel. He didn't like the idea of her out of his sight.

"Okay Shuu! I'm gonna get these guys! You stay here and recover." She pulled the huge bag from her back. "The rest of the snacks are in here ok? Eat if you get hungry!" She trotted between he and Helios, smiling way too brightly.

"Okay guys! Save me some Pockey! I'll be back!" she made a V sign, laying it against her forehead. And then vanished.

Shuu blinked.

"Wait. Where'd she go?" he asked.

Helios favored him with an expression that clearly suggested he was trying to smile to cover up the true depth of his emotion. "Off to beard the lion in his den," he said cryptically. Shuu frowned at him.

"Umm, what?" he asked. Helios shook his head.

"Let's not worry about it right now. You need rest, of both body and mind," he said, ushering Shuu towards an arched hallway. Shuu scooped up the bag Usagi had left, surprised by how heavy it was. Despite its awkward weight, he bundled it against his chest, holding it as he staggered after Helios towards who knew where.

He hunched his shoulders, trying to understand why everything felt so wrong. Something inside of him was pulling him back, back towards that main hall. Back to the last place he'd seen Usagi. Something inside of him was demanding he find her, make sure she was safe. Make sure she was ok.

He was in a room now, with a massive and fluffy bed. Shuu didn't want to see how comfortable it was. He wanted to find Usagi. And the longer she was out of his sight, the more convinced he became that it was a mistake.

"I need to….I can't just…" he began to protest.

"Rest," Helios murmured in a strange voice. Shuu felt a wave of sleepiness take him. He gripped the bag for dear life, not completely rational.

He didn't even feel himself hit the bed.