Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory
Act 26: Seiya and Usagi's Second Date
By: Sora Kazeno
What happens when Seiya and Usagi try to go on a date?
Happy Holidays everyone!
Usagi and Seiya walked down the street with smiles on their faces. However, Seiya underestimated the resourcefulness of the photographers. When they wanted pictures for celebrities, they were relentless. The flash from a camera caught them off guard.
"Seiya-san, is this your girlfriend? The two of you have been spending a lot of time together. Do you have a comment on your status?" The man behind the camera asked the young couple.
"My life is private," Seiya said as he walked past the man in a huff. Usagi quickened her pace to keep up with him.
"All your fans want to know the answer!" The man shouted behind them. The duo quickly entered a metro station and lost the photographer.
Once they were in the station Usagi asked, "Does this happen to you all the time?"
"Chased by reporters?" Seiya asked with a frown. "Too often," he answered his own question.
Seiya and Usagi remained in the station for another ten minutes until they were sure the reporter was gone. They cautiously walked out of the station while looking around for the young man and since he was nowhere to be seen they emerged out of the metro exit.
Usagi took in a sharp intake of breath when she saw Varada. "That's him," Usagi said, as she pointed to a man across the street dressed in black and silver with dark green hair.
Seiya eyed the man carefully to make a mental note of his appearance. "I'm sure he's not here for anything good." Seiya glanced around for a location where they could move to transform. "Over there," Seiya said with a head nod. The two turned the corner and pulled out their transformation items.
"Moon Eternal, Make Up!"
"Fighter Star Power, Make Up!"
Sailor Moon and Sailor Star Fighter rushed toward Varada as he began to attack the city.
"I don't know why you keep attacking this city, but I won't stand for it! For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor suited solider Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!" She ended her speech in the familiar pattern of pointing to her adversary.
"Penetrating the darkness of night, the air of freedom breaks free. Sailor Star Fighter, stage on!"
Varada stood in shock as the two sailor senshi appeared before him. His confusion gradually became a sinister smile. "A Sailor Starlight on this planet? How intriguing…" he trailed off, as he took a few steps forward to examine Sailor Star Fighter. "Your appearance only confirms our suspicions."
"What are you talking about?" Sailor Star Fighter questioned him. She pulled out her star compact in preparation to attack when the time arose.
"If you are here, that means the Guardian is undeniably on this planet. Somewhere… and close by I imagine…" his voice trailed off as he stared at Sailor Moon. "I constantly seem to keep running into you. Haven't you grown tired of this game yet?"
Before Sailor Moon could respond, Sailor Star Fighter took a few steps in front of her. "Who is this Guardian you speak of?"
Varada laughed at Sailor Star Fighter's question. "You can't be serious? You of all people should know whom the Guardian is… especially with your history." He enjoyed the puzzled look on Sailor Star Fighter's face, as she tried to make sense of what Varada alluded.
"What are you talking about?" Sailor Star Fighter questioned. She could feel her temper rise. His remarks led to more questions rather than answers.
Varada responded with more laugher. "If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you!" He taunted the Starlight. "But I grow tired of this banter." Varada raised his left hand over his head and began to collect dark energy. Seconds later, the energy dispersed at Sailor Moon and Sailor Star Fighter.
The energy approached them quickly and they tried their best to void the onslaught. But they couldn't keep it up forever. Sailor Moon tripped over her feet and fell onto the pavement. The sound caused Sailor Star Fighter to turn to check on her, in the process she ignored the bolt of dark energy heading toward her.
An aqua ball of energy shot by Sailor Star Fighter and saved her in time.
"What…?" Sailor Star Fighter said, as she turned around to find the source of the energy.
Dozens of cherry blossom petals were carried in the air by a soft breeze.
"The planet of the sky is my guardian deity, the solider of flight, Sailor Uranus!"
"The deep sea planet is my guardian deity, the solider of embrace, Sailor Neptune!"
"Hmm?" Varada said with little interest. "Two more senshi…" He sighed. He still could not find the one he desired. "This is never ending." He gathered a large ball of energy between his hands and sent it in the direction of the Outer Senshi.
Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune easily dodged the attack as if it was a minor obstacle, barely worthy of their time.
It was Sailor Uranus' turn to taunt, "You have to do better than that!" She raised her hand over her head and gathered massive amounts of golden energy. "World Shaking!"
As the attack flew toward Varada, Sailor Star Fighter helped Sailor Moon back to her feet. Normally Sailor Star Fighter wouldn't be thrilled at their appearance, but given the circumstances any help was appreciated.
Varada was confident in his ability to defeat the senshi and yawned as he dodged Sailor Uranus' attack. He underestimated the teamwork of the senshi. He was not prepared for her partner's attack.
"Neptune Violin Tide!"
A massive tide of water washed over Varada and swept him backward. He felt as if he was just hit by a tsunami. He glared at Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus. He had become too confident in his abilities and overlooked a basic battle maneuver. "We will finish this another time." Varada faded from sight.
Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune walked over to Sailor Moon to check on her and make sure she wasn't injured.
Sailor Neptune reached her first, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah…" Sailor Moon said. She rubbed the minor scrap on her knee from her fall. "Do you know anything about the 'Guardian' he keeps referring to?"
"The Guardian?" Sailor Uranus slowly repeated. She pondered what it meant. "We are all guardians of our respective planets…" her voice trailed off in thought.
"I've never heard of the 'Guardian' before," Sailor Neptune said, as she placed her hand under her chin. It was a familiar pose she often used when she needed to process new information.
Sailor Star Fighter stood silently as the two older senshi ignored her existence. Considering their last encounter she was happy they snubbed her presence.
Sailor Uranus held her tongue as she looked at Sailor Moon standing next to Sailor Star Fighter. She tried the diplomatic approach Michiru had asked her to try several times, "Take care kitten." She turned and left with Sailor Neptune.
Once they were out of earshot, Sailor Neptune whispered to Sailor Uranus, "I'm glad you were able to play nice."
"You know I'll do anything for you," said Sailor Uranus with a suggestive smile.
Sailor Neptune smirked at her reaction.
Sailor Moon and Sailor Star Fighter watched their retreating backs from the distance. Sailor Moon turned to face Sailor Star Fighter as she spoke, "That wasn't too bad."
"The silence was refreshing," said Sailor Star Fighter with a lopsided grin. "But I should probably finish walking you home." She tapped her brooch and reverted to Seiya.
Sailor Moon did the same and reverted back to Usagi. She placed a hand over her mouth as she tried to hide a yawn. "It's like I've barely had a moment to rest or do anything fun since we've returned from Kinmoku."
Seiya put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Usagi gasped in surprised by his actions. "You know it is becoming harder and harder for me to be able to spend quality time with you. It seems everyone else wants your attention."
Usagi giggled at his comments and his ability to make light of the situation in order to cheer her up. "You sound as if you have something on your mind."
Seiya tilted his head to the side for a moment to consider Usagi's words. An idea began to form. "You know Odango, we haven't had a proper date since we got together…."
"Eh?" Usagi said in a bewildered tone. "A date?"
"Sure," Seiya said with a warm smile. "I'll pick you tomorrow afternoon at 1pm. We can get lunch and then go from there."
Usagi's eyes widened at Seiya's proposal. "What do you have planned?" She asked with an inquisitive glance. She hated surprises. She typically harassed the person until they finally grew tired and told her.
"It's a secret," Seiya said, as he looked at her.
Usagi began to stick out her lower lip at him in an effort to convince him to tell her. It was a behavior she had used with Mamoru multiple times. However, it was ineffective against Seiya today.
Seiya laughs at her persistence. "I don't know what the rest of the plan is yet, since I need to figure it out," Seiya said as he embarrassedly admitted. It was true, even though he had a few ideas he wasn't prepared to share. "You'll just have to wait and see what I planned for tomorrow." Seiya looked at the setting sun in the distance, "It's getting late and I should be getting you home."
Seiya and Usagi slowly walked back to her parent's house talking and laughing the entire time until they reach the familiar stone wall at the front of the house. Seiya hesitated when he realized they had to part. He bent down and softly kissed her on the lips, "Good night, my Odango."
Usagi smiled contently at him. She felt at ease when he was around her. "Good night," she responded back.
"I'm looking forward to tomorrow," he said as he left.
Usagi felt panicked as she tried to figure out what to wear for her date with Seiya. She was anxious, even though she knew she didn't have a reason to be. Maybe it was because the word 'date' was attached? She finally settled on a sleeveless button down shirt in pale blue and a short white skirt with matching sandals. She walked over to her dresser to grab her crystal pendant to wear around her neck. She hesitated when her eyes fell upon a familiar a star shaped object. It was the star shaped locket that once symbolized a bond between her and Mamoru. Right next to the locket laid a pale pink heart shaped ring. She sighed. There were reminders of Mamoru everywhere in her room and in her life overall. Her mind began to drift to the day at the airport when Mamoru gave her the promise ring. They had made a promise to each other… and now she had broken it.
She gradually lifted the lid of her Star Locket to listen to the melody she had heard dozens of times. He represented a large part of her past. She couldn't help, but question if she and Mamoru would have become a couple if they never received some of their memories from their past life. Her past life was still a blur, she only had fragments. But she was Tsukino Usagi now. She has a completely different life on this planet.
Her fingers brushed across the transparent crystal of her pendant. She picked up the crystal to stare at it as she thought about her awakening. She became mesmerized by its brilliance. The training she received on Kinmoku was difficult and she wished she had more time to learn from the other senshi.
Usagi smiled when she recalled the time she spent with Seiya learning about his culture and his life before they met. It was a long journey to Kinmoku and she wished her body would allow her to return one day. She opened the clasp of the necklace and placed it around her neck. The chain was short and hovered around her collar bone. Even though she wasn't supposed to use her abilities as Cosmos she didn't feel comfortable leaving it behind. She scooped up her brooch and placed the object in her pocket. Since her encounter with Logos, she made sure to have her brooch before she left the house. She pondered how many more were in the organization he described. Varada will be back and will likely bring others with him. It was a matter of time.
Usagi hesitated in front of the mirror as she inspected her appearance one more time before she rushed down the steps. Seiya waited for her in the hallway by the door. He wore khakis with a two tone red and white shirt. He held sunglasses and a baseball cap in his hands. "Hi Odango," he said warmly, as he greeted her. "I would say I hope you're hungry but…" his voice trailed off.
"Hmph!" Usagi exclaimed with her hands across her chest. "I am really hungry and want to eat all kinds of food." Usagi quickly positioned her feet into her sandals.
"The place I found is supposed to be really good," said Seiya with a wink.
"Where is it?" Usagi inquired.
"You'll have to wait until we get there," Seiya said, as he tried to build suspense.
Ikkuko took a few steps forward, "Well you better get going!" She couldn't wait to ask Usagi for details later. She had dreamt her version of a date with a celebrity and wanted to compare her version to Usagi's. The two left before her mother could try to pump them for information.
Once outside, Usagi turned on her charm to try to weasel knowledge out of Seiya. "So… where are we going?" She said with an innocent face.
Seiya narrowed his eyes with a mischievous look. "I know what you are trying to do Odango, and it's not going to work. You just have to patient."
"Buuuut…" Usagi pouted. She stuck out her lower lip trying to find a way for Seiya to spill the beans.
Seiya laughed at the spectacle, "It still isn't going to work." Seiya began to walk down the street.
Usagi stood still for a few seconds before she broke into a run to catch up to him. "You were just going to leave me behind?"
"Well… I know where we are going and I need to lead the way, or we'll never get there. It is too far to walk so we'll need to take a train."
"Are you sure that's a good idea? You're fans might recognize you!" Usagi teased him.
A short time later the two exited the train station and found themselves in Minato Ward. The Tokyo Tower appeared gigantic due to the close proximity. Usagi eyed each restaurant waiting to see which one they would enter.
Seiya paused at a pair of double doors to examine white lettering which spelled out "Tango". Seiya smiled and opened the door for Usagi, "Here we are."
The restaurant was beautiful and contained many large banquet rooms for events, as well as an outdoor terrace. The hostess smiled brightly as soon as she recognized Seiya, "Ah, Kou-san. Your table is ready." The hostess picked up two menus and walked them past a large banquet room.
Usagi was able to steal a quick glance at the plaque on the wall, labeling the room as the Sakura room. There were dozens of wooden tables with matching wooden cushion chairs. A few workers were in the room placing white cloths on the tables and arranging center pieces in what seemed to be a preparation for some type of celebration taking place later on that night.
They passed another large room filled with people conversing and laughing.
The hostess let them outside to an area labeled "Garden Terrace".
Usagi was amazed by the décor. It had a very casual atmosphere with large couch-like chairs in front of what look like American coffee tables. The restaurant was near the base of the tower and provided a beautiful back drop. Scattered around the terrace were numerous plants and flowers. She noticed no one else was there.
After they were seated the hostess gave them menus and silently walked away.
"Are we the only one's here?" Usagi asked incredulously.
"Out here…. Yes." Seiya responded slowly as he looked at the menu.
"Wait… what?" Usagi asked.
"Well… I called to make a reservation for the Garden Terrance and the next thing I knew they said they would arrange a private spot, an hour before they officially open, since the tabloids have been harassing me. They were very nice," Seiya replied nonchalantly. "At least we can enjoy a quiet meal?"
"..Yeah… it's nice," Usagi smiled brightly. She opened her menu and began to examine the contents.
A few minutes later a waitress dressed in a short black dress appeared to take their order. They put in their request and the waitress bowed slightly before she parted off. As soon as her back was turned she smiled broadly. She couldn't believe her luck to wait on a member of the Three Lights.
Usagi sat silently as she looked at the base of the tower.
"Is there something on your mind?" Seiya asked Usagi once he noticed the distant look on her face.
"I'm trying to remember the last time I was up there," she said with a head tilt to the side, to gesture to the tower. "I think it was a class trip years ago."
"I've never been there," Seiya said, as she looked at the large structure behind him. An idea struck him, "What do you think about going there afterward?"
"Sure!" Usagi said with enthusiasm in her voice.
The two continued to talk until their food arrived. They ate, Seiya paid the bill and they left. A loud shout was heard as they exited the restaurant, "ITS SEIYA!"
Seiya groaned as he quickly ducked outside. It was one of those kinds of fans, the screaming fan girl. Seiya lowered the cap on his head as he tried his best to blend in with the crowds. They walked silently for a while until they crossed the short distance to Tokyo Tower.
They waited in line briefly to purchase tickets and made their way to the second floor to visit a small Shinto shrine. They paused to offer a few prayers and continued on to a gallery called "Trick Art Gallery".
Usagi stared at the image in front of her. It was an optical illusion and she couldn't tell what it was supposed to represent. Seiya stood next to her and tried to focus his eyes to see the optical illusion. She began to feel frustrated when she was not successful. Seiya laughed when the image took shape in front him.
Usagi turned to glare at him. "What is so funny?"
"You'll see once you see the back image. It's great."
"Ugh. There has to be a trick with this."
"Try relaxing your eyes. They can't be focused on a single point."
Usagi took a deep breath and tried to follow his advice. After a minute she began to feel frustrated until the form of a woman began to take place. "Is that…?" Usagi asked, as she took a few steps in the direction of the art. Her jaw dropped when she stared at an image of Sailor Moon. "Seriously…." Her voice trail off and she smiled.
"It's nice to see the city honors their heroine," Seiya said.
Usagi nodded. She stared at the image a little longer and then moved onto the next one. She had a difficult time with the next image and a large group of people entered the area. "Maybe we should head to the top?" Usagi suggested as she noticed the masses begin to form around the various images in the gallery.
"Yeah," Seiya said, as he searched for a sign to direct them to the elevator. They waited in line for twenty minutes until it was their turn to be crowded into an elevator and ascend the first 492 feet to the first observation point. There were groups crowded around the different telescopes to look at various points in the city. Once the crowds began to thin out Seiya and Usagi made their way to the edge of the tower windows to look down at the city.
"The view is amazing from up here," Seiya said in awe.
"Yeah… it's like everything else is a million miles away," commented Usagi in a thoughtful tone.
"Sometimes it is good to see things from a different perspective," Seiya said, as he thought about all the changes he experience during the past two years of his life. "Things can be…" he paused, as he tried to think of the correct word, "Hectic."
"Yeah…" Usagi murmured. "Since I first awoken a few years ago… that is the perfect way to describe it." Usagi giggled as she thought about how clumsy she was during her first few battles. "You should have seen what I was first like."
"No one starts out with all the answers. We have to gradually figure them out for ourselves or through trial and error." Seiya noticed another large group of individuals by another set of elevators, different than the ones they rode to their current floor. "Where do those elevators go?"
Usagi turned her gaze to see where he pointed. "Oh? That is a special observation deck that was recently added."
"What makes it special?"
"It's higher and supposed to have better views."
"Then what are we doing down here?" Seiya asked. He began to lead Usagi over to the elevators to make their way to the next observation deck. They had a short wait in line until it was their time to use the elevators.
Usagi smiled deviously as she developed a plan. "Over here," she guided to Seiya to the far side of the tower. She wanted to see how Seiya would react to the glass floor called the Lookdown Window. There were three people looking down through the thick glass. She waited for them to finish before she began to walk forward with Seiya.
"What is over here?" Seiya asked. He looked over to Usagi for an answer, but she provided none. Seiya slowly walked forward and felt his heart rate speed up when he looked down and saw part of the tower base underneath him. "Whoa."
Usagi stood behind Seiya and grinned. She remembered when the other girls first brought her onto the glass area and how she panicked.
Suddenly Seiya raced toward Usagi and pulled her into his arms, so as to stand on the glass along his side. "Don't think you can escape this!"
Usagi closed her eyes. She was afraid to look down again.
"Come on, Odango! You can't be scared."
Usagi slowly opened one eye and looked down. She looked down slowly and opened her second eye. She gasped as she became aware of the height. "It's still scary…" Usagi said, as she leaned against Seiya for support. Usagi noticed a few other people waiting to stand on the glass. "We should probably move on…"
"Yeah…" Seiya said, as he guided her to another area. They walked around the circular observatory hand in hand. Seiya paused to examine Mt. Fuji in the distance. "I always hear everyone talking about how beautiful it is, but I've never gotten a chance to see it up close. When the three of us filmed the movie a while back, we were still over an hour away."
"Maybe we can go there some time," Usagi said.
"Really? Won't you get tired of seeing all of these things again?"
"You weren't tired of showing me around Kinmoku."
"Of course. I wanted to show you my home."
Usagi grinned, "Now you know how I feel."
"Odango…."
Seiya leaned forward and kissed her. He felt so lucky to have her in his life. Unfortunately, the tender moment ended as quickly as it began. A bright flash from a camera captured the moment on film.
Seiya and Usagi turned toward the direction of the light to learn its source.
It was the same photographer from yesterday. He was slightly taller than they remembered. This time he didn't hide his jet black hair under a hat. He wore large wired glasses. "Seiya-san, I know you can't deny your relationship now! Would you like to comment?"
Seiya glared at the man for ruining the moment. "I told you yesterday, it is a private matter." He pushed passed the man with Usagi.
"But your fans will want to know, especially your fan club!" The photographer shouted after them.
There was a long line for the elevators and the photographer chased after them. Seiya noticed an exit sign for stairs, "What do you say, Odango?"
"Let's get out of here," Usagi said. "Are you sure we'll be able to lose him?"
"Trust me. I've had to do this dozens of times." The two quickly descended the long staircase.
Twenty minutes later they left the tower without the photographer. "I'm sorry about this," Seiya apologized to Usagi.
"It's okay… but I guess we can't go anywhere, huh?" Usagi said with pouted lips.
"Hmm," Seiya said, as he pondered his next move. "No matter where we go this can happen. But I have an idea you might enjoy… maybe the large shopping place….what is it called?"
Usagi's eyes light up like Christmas lights, "Akihabara! We can look for manga!"
Seiya chuckled. "Sounds great… the only problem is, I'm not sure how to get there."
"We should take a train," Usagi directed. She began to drag Seiya toward the nearest train station. Her eyes twinkled like stars as she thought about the large selection of manga she would be able to browse.
A short train ride later they found themselves in the brightly lit Akihabara district. The sun began to set in the distance as the moon began to rise.
Usagi rushed ahead of Seiya. She continued her journey until she reached a particular store, Gamers.
A store clerk by the entrance immediately recognized Usagi. "Welcome back, Tsukino-san," she greeted her with a slight bow of her head.
"Hi!" Usagi responded brightly, as she made her way to the right side of the store.
Seiya followed a few steps behind. The story clerk's eyes widened as she recognized Seiya. After the initial moment of shock was over she welcomed him to the store. Seiya turned the corner and noticed a small display for current pop music and came face to face with a poster of himself and the other members of the Three Lights. He lowered his hat down more and decided that standing by that poster was not the best idea. He searched for Usagi and found her examining a few different books.
"I didn't know so many new ones came out…" Usagi said, as she tried to make a decision on which ones to buy. She opened her purse and realized she could only buy a few. "Err… I need to figure out which ones I want…"
"Get whichever ones you want," Seiya said with a wink. "Think of it as a great way to end the day that had… some issues."
Seiya didn't need to tell Usagi twice as she began to pick up several volumes of manga into her arms. "Oh and this one!" This processed continued for several minutes until she had a large stack.
Seiya tear dropped at the quantity. But he did promise her. "Let me take some of those, so you don't drop them." Within moments Seiya had a majority of the books in his hands and followed her to the checkout area.
They left the store with several bags of books. The two walked back to the train station to board a train back to Juuban. Usagi pulled out a manga and began to read it. She leaned against Seiya while she read. Seiya grinned and enjoyed the peaceful moment.
The next morning, Minako sat down to breakfast with her parents and younger brother. They chatted idly until it was time for her father to go to work. He grabbed a section from the newspaper to take with him and read on his way to work. It exposed the Entertainment section of the newspaper underneath.
Minako gasped when she realized what was on the front page. She snatched it up to examine the image closely. "I need to be excused," Minako said politely before she ran upstairs to use the telephone. She glanced at the clock and knew it was still too early for her to be up, but she had to talk to her about what she had seen. She waited for her to wake up and drag herself to the telephone to answer. The other person gave a very sleepy response.
"How was your date yesterday, Usagi-chan?" Minako asked with much enthusiasm in her voice.
"My.. what…" Usagi responded back after a long pause. Then she realized she never told the other girls about her plans with Seiya since she knew they were still adjusting to his new role in her life. "…How…how did you hear about it?"
"It's all over the papers! It looks like you guys were in Tokyo Tower… and you guys kissed!" Minako explained the details in the photograph.
"Ugh… that photographer…" Usagi winced when she thought back to the man who had been chasing after them the past two days.
"I want all the details!" Minako shouted into the telephone in excitement.
Usagi moved the earpiece away from her for a moment. "Minako-chan... you're going to make me deaf!"
"Oh… sorry!" apologized Minako in an embarrassed tone. "What if I come over in a little bit?"
"Sure."
It was the start of another morning for Mamoru of indecision. He needed to find work in the meantime to help cover his expenses and decided to examine the wanted ads for something part time. He bent down to pick up the newspaper in front of his apartment door. After he collected it, he placed it on his kitchen counter as he began to make his morning coffee.
As he waited for the coffee to brew, he began to separate the different sections of the newspaper. A headline caught his attention. "Seiya's Girlfriend?" His eyes immediately looked down at the image under the caption. It was a picture of Seiya and Usagi kissing. He stared at the image as his fist began to clench. The image was now burned into his mind. It was an image he couldn't erase.
Against his better judgment, he began to read the article. Seiya had been seen with the mystery girl two days in a row. Sources informed the paper they were spotted at a restaurant near Tokyo Tower. The picture was snapped during a tender moment on the special observation deck on Tokyo Tower. They were also seen holding hands on multiple occasions. The article continued with a discussion on the writer's belief that Seiya was off the market and were unsure of how the information would affect the Three Lights' fan club.
The coffee machine beeped. Mamoru flipped the paper over to avoid seeing the picture. He walked back over the counter to grab a coffee mug. His hand trembled and the mug fell onto the ceramic title and shattered. He collapsed to the floor and for the first time in years, he allowed himself to cry. Tears began to spill down his face and fell onto the floor with the broken mug pieces. He sat there for the next twenty minutes.
The sound of the telephone, snapped him back to reality. He wiped his face and quickly stood up, careful to avoid the ceramic shards on the floor. He reached the telephone after several rings. "Hello?" It was Motoki and he seen the morning paper.
Minako paused at a red light to catch her breath. She wanted to speak to Usagi as soon as possible about her date yesterday. She was glad the light was red for a moment. It gave her a chance to catch her breath. The light changed and Minako crossed the street with the crowd. She accidentally bumped into a girl about the same age as her with short blonde hair. "I'm so sorry," Minako apologized with a short bow.
The girl was startled and nodded her head slowly. Minako began to run again in the direction of Usagi's house. "Minako-san!" The blond hair girl called after her, but it was too late. She was already out of range to hear her voice among the crowd.
The girl sighed. She began to follow Minako, but quickly became lost since she was not familiar with Juuban. Minako was lost in the crowd to her. She felt her temper rise since she had found Minako, but lost her so quickly. She knew the others would be just as frustrated and hoped they had better luck.
Rei sat in front of the Great Fire. Her eyes were out of focus as she watched the flames dance before her. She was in a state of confusion as of late. She gasped when a form began to take shape. It was Neo Queen Serenity trapped inside a crystal. Her eyes squinted as she tried to determine if it was the same crystal she had seen years ago in Crystal Tokyo. The crystal began to glow softly at first and the light intensified. Rei held up her arm to shield herself from the light. The light emitted one last burst and then disappeared, as if it had burned out.
She blinked several times, the vision ended. The vision provided more questions than answers. Multiple times she had seen images of Neo Queen Serenity and Crystal Tokyo. But the city in the future presented Usagi and Mamoru's future. Did it mean that her current relationship with Seiya will not last?
"Rei?" Grandpa said, as he entered the room. He noticed her near the Great Fire. He frowned as he walked over to her and sat down. "You've been in here more and more lately. I'm concerned."
"I'm searching for guidance, Grandpa. One of my friends is at a major crossroad in her life. I want to try to help her in any way I can," Rei said. She didn't want to explain all the details to him.
"Ah," said Grandpa, he scratched his bald head. "I know that you care a lot about your friends, but you must remember it is your friend's decision. She will ultimately be the one to determine her fate, whether anyone agrees with it or not."
Sailor Charon, Sailor Titan and Sailor Pluto finally arrived at their destination. The building the two moon senshi had reminded in for ages was nothing more than a large pile of rubble.
"No!" Sailor Charon shouted rushing forward. She couldn't believe the building that housed everyone was gone. She became terrified not knowing where they were.
Sailor Titan ran up and stood next to Sailor Charon. "It was still a solid structure when I left! Everyone was still enclosed in crystals…" her voice trailed off as she began to feel panic. "Maybe they are still inside!" Sailor Titan ran into the ruins. She stopped when she noticed large crystal shards.
"I'm sure they left before this…" Sailor Charon said as she tried to reassure the young woman to her right. Sailor Pluto stood on her left.
Sailor Pluto took a few steps forward to examine some of the crystal fragments up close. She kneed down to the floor and picked up one of the smaller shards. "What are these made out of?"
"I'm not sure… we were hit by some energy blast and then we were trapped," explained Sailor Charon. She made her way to Sailor Pluto to inspect the same shard she held in her hand. She turned around to scan their surroundings. "We should search the area… they might still be here. I think this happened recently."
The trio explored the rest of the ruins and found a few footprints in powder left from the broken crystal. Their search was expanded to the surrounding area within a 500 foot radius from the broken building. They were unable to locate any more clues.
"When each of you broke free from the crystal, where did you go?" Sailor Pluto asked the two young women.
"I returned to Saturn. When I found nothing, I traveled to the Silver Millennium and discovered the ruins. Earth was my final stop," recalled Sailor Titan.
"I had a similar experience. I immediately returned to the Silver Millennium and was shock to learn of its destruction. I prayed to find clues on Earth since I was sure Prince Endymion would have done everything in his power to save Princess Serenity. I refused to accept the entire kingdom had vanished," Sailor Charon said, as she glanced at the direction of the Moon beyond the sky.
"Hmm…" Sailor Pluto murmured, as she began to develop a plan of action. "Perhaps we should visit each planet on the way back… with the exception of Pluto and Saturn of course."
"Good morning Minako-chan!" Ikkuko brightly greeted at the front door. "I'm not sure if Usagi is completely ready yet…" She said, as she closed the door behind her. "She is still in her room if you want to head upstairs."
"Sounds great Mrs. Tsukino," said Minako. She sat down on the bottom step of the stairwell to remove her shoes before she continued into the house. She took the steps two at a time and knocked loudly once she was in front of Usagi's door. She heard a muffled sound from within.
Usagi opened the door, "Hi Minako-chan…" She didn't sound too thrilled to see her friend, since she knew what was next. Any second Minako would ask her countless questions regarding her date with Seiya.
"You went on a date with Seiya-kun yesterday!" Minako exclaimed while she dug through her bag until she pulled out a newspaper. She held up the paper and smirked when she witnessed Usagi's look of horror on her face.
"We… ah … just wanted to spend some time together…. And this photographer seemed to be following us… and I guess he took a picture… and we just happened to be kissing… it wasn't… that big of a deal…" Usagi stammered, as she rubbed the back of her head while avoiding eye contact with Minako.
"Usagi-chan!" Minako screeched, as she moved forward. "You are not going to weasel out of giving me the details! To be able to go out on a date with one of the Three Lights… it's everyone's dream!"
Usagi sighed. There was no way for her not to tell Minako the events of yesterday. Usagi began telling her about her date with Seiya starting from the beginning when he arrived at her house and ending with the events that lead to their kiss.
"So… you and Seiya… are really serious….?" Minako asked. She knew they were together, but a part of her doubted it would last because of her history with Mamoru.
"Of course… if it wasn't serious…. I would still be with Mamo-chan," Usagi responded. She almost felt offended by Minako's remarks.
Minako hesitated as she tried to find a way to lighten the mood, "I'm glad that you had a lot of fun." Her eyes were drawn to two bags by her bed filled with manga. "Usagi-chan, when did you get all of those manga?"
"Oh…" Usagi said, as she realized she neglected to mention Seiya bought her a lot of manga while they were in Akihabara. "Um… I was looking at a lot of the books and realized I didn't have enough money to purchase all of them. Seiya offered to buy them for me."
Minako walked over to the bag to examine its contents, "Oh wow…" She eyes focused in on one of her favorite series. "There is a new one!"
Usagi giggled at her friend's expression. "Go ahead and read it."
Minako didn't need to be told twice.
Haruka threw down the newspaper in a fit of rage. "It's not right," she said while looking at Michiru.
"What has happened?" Michiru asked, coming to the side of her partner to examine the paper on the table. She groaned once she had a moment to examine the picture to fuel Haruka's outrage. "I don't understand either, Haruka. I know Mamoru-san has talked to Usagi-chan several times already…" Michiru was not a fan of recent events, but she tried to meet the challenge of at least being civil to Seiya or Sailor Star Fighter when their paths crossed. Keeping Haruka in check was a full time job.
"It doesn't look like he's had success," Haruka said darkly. She would need a lot of self-control to not punch him the next time she saw him. But her Princess had ordered them to not harm Seiya since she claimed it was the same as someone attacking her. "Something has to be done. I won't accept this. Ever."
"I'm not sure what else can be done. You can't forcefully change Usagi-chan's mind. You know how stubborn she can be," Michiru said. "Kind of like you…" She said as she raised an eyebrow at Haruka. She tried to lighten up the tense atmosphere in the room.
"I still refuse to accept him as her … her… her choice," Haruka spat out the last word. It left a bitter taste in her mouth.
A realization dawned upon Michiru as she looked at Haruka darkly. "You might have to. What if he becomes the future King?"
Haruka glared at Michiru with an icy stare. She would not admit it out loud, but she knew it was a possibility. "I'll knock his lights out."
"And then you would have to answer to Neo Queen Serenity."
Haruka cringed at the response she heard from Michiru.
Mamoru was thankful the conversation he had with Motoki over the telephone did not last long. After they hung up he received another telephone call. The second one was from the college he was supposed to attend in America last year. They were giving him another chance to resume to his studies. They needed to know his answer soon. He told them he needed to resolve a few personal issues and would like a little time to think over his decision. They told him they must have an answer by the end of the month. He needed to clear his head. He went for a walk in the neighborhood.
His thoughts continued to drift back to her. Every time. It was always about her. If he went to America to continue his education he would cause friction again with Usagi. But he was given the chance of a lifetime. He had several weeks to try to patch things up with Usagi before the university needed a commitment from him.
The picture popped up in his mind again and made him feel queasy. She told him she was with Seiya now, but she was still confused. It meant she still had doubts and unless he spent more time with her, the doubts would gradually go away. He didn't think it would be a good idea to see her at her house. But there shouldn't be any harm in calling her. He surveyed his surroundings and still had another twenty minutes until he would reach his apartment. It gave him time to think what he would say to her. He wanted to meet her somewhere, so they could talk uninterrupted.
He wasn't ready to accept Usagi was with Seiya permanently. His thoughts wandered back to happier times.
Shouting brought him back to the present. A man he had never seen was ahead of him. He had long crimson hair and wore a charcoal long sleeve shirt and black pants. He wore gray boots. Based on his appearance, Mamoru assumed he was related to Varada. He knew there would be others after him. He found a secluded area to hide and transformed in Tuxedo Kamen. He remained in the shadows for a few moments to observe the newcomer before he made his presence known.
"Where is the Guardian?" Varuna's voice boomed, as he tried to draw as much attention to himself as he could. If he caused enough trouble the Guardian would appear, he was betting on it. "This will all end once the Guardian appears!"
Tuxedo Kamen observed the man's actions for a few minutes. The other man's actions were still peaceful. He hoped he could talk to him to learn more information about their origin.
Tuxedo Kamen walked out of the shadows to confront the other man. "Who are you and why do you seek the Guardian?"
Varuna was surprised to see Tuxedo Kamen. He turned his head to the side as he tried to determine if he knew him. "I am Varada, who are you?" He eyed Tuxedo Kamen suspiciously. He wasn't sure if he was the same one Varada had mentioned to him.
"I am Tuxedo Kamen," said Tuxedo Kamen, as he took a few steps forward. His eyes narrowed as he realized he would be unable to gain information. He took a different approach. "Abandon your quest and leave Earth," Tuxedo Kamen demanded. "There is no place for you here. Earth is a peaceful planet."
"Earth will be peaceful… one day," Varuna sneered at him, "Once we rid it of all those that have wronged us. Where is the Guardian?" He asked again.
Tuxedo Kamen retorted back with his own question, "Who is the Guardian?"
Varuna sighed. It was apparent Tuxedo Kamen was unaware of the identity or the location of the Guardian. He decided to have some fun. "You should be the one to leave Earth, while you still can… before it is too late."
"Too late for what?" Tuxedo Kamen asked in an alarmed voice. Their new advisories were not going to disappear anytime soon.
Varuna smirked before he continued. "Change is coming soon. It will no longer be 'your' planet," he emphasized the word 'your'. "Enough of this," Varuna said as he began to launch dark energy at Tuxedo Kamen.
Tuxedo Kamen dodged to the right and pulled out his cane. He knew he wasn't a match for Varuna one on one. He didn't have the abilities of the other senshi to defeat him.
Varuna prepared another attack, but it was interrupted by an orange shaped heart of energy. The attack clipped his left arm. He was caught off guard. He looked in the direction of the two newcomers, Sailor Venus and Sailor Moon. His eyes squinted while he examined their fukus. He sighed when he realized neither senshi were the Guardian he sought. He felt his anger rise when he remembered Logos was still missing. "Where is the Guardian?" He shouted at the two senshi in anger. When they didn't answer, he asked his next question, "Where is Logos?"
Eternal Sailor Venus scrunched her eyebrows as she tried to figure out what he asked them.
Sailor Moon bit her lip. She never heard the name of the man she defeated recently, but she was willing to bet his name had been Logos.
Their silence irritated Varuna more. "Fine," he said. "We will have to do things the hard way!" He gathered energy.
Venus immediately prepared her own attack, "Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
Varuna's attack was stronger and easily overpowered Sailor Venus. Venus fell to the ground a few feet to the side. Sailor Moon gasped as everything seemed to move in slow motion. She watched Sailor Venus land hard on the pavement. She turned her head back to face Varuna and he already prepared the next attack directed at her.
Sailor Moon froze. Her mind told her to move, but her body wouldn't respond. In a flash, Tuxedo Kamen stood in front of her and used his cane to deflect as much as he could. Varuna's dark energy fanned out in different directions. Tuxedo Kamen grunted when part of the energy hit him in shoulder.
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"
"Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!"
Varuna was hit by both attacks. He glared at the three new senshi, Eternal Sailor Mercury, Eternal Sailor Jupiter and Eternal Sailor Mars. Sailor Mars pointed a flaming arrow at him. "This is far from over. I will be back to continue this." He turned his back to them and disappeared as he walked away.
"Who…?" Sailor Mars said as she tried to determine whom the others had just fought.
Sailor Moon turned her attention to Tuxedo Kamen. Her stomach dropped when she realized he was injured because he protected her. "Are you okay?" She asked him, her voice full of concern.
"I'll be fine," Tuxedo Kamen said, as he immediately tried to brush off his injury. He didn't want her to worry about it; she would feel guilty.
"No," Sailor Moon said. "You're injured… because of me," her shoulders slumped when she realized it was because she froze and was unable to defend herself.
"I'll be fine," Tuxedo Kamen repeated. He tried to downplay his injury even though it throbbed. He knew he needed to talk to her again, but not under these circumstances.
"Let me at least make sure you get home," Sailor Moon said with guilt in her eyes. Her stubborn streak began to take control. She was insistent.
The girls exchanged looks with each other. The three had just met at Rei's shrine and where on their way to the Crown for snacks and to chat with Minako and Usagi. They knew their discussion could wait.
"We'll return to the shrine and see you soon, Usagi," said Sailor Mars. She gestured to the other senshi with her eyes to leave them.
Sailor Venus hesitated behind the others. She thought about the conversation she had with Usagi earlier in the day about her date with Seiya. She wasn't sure if the other girls knew what happened yesterday. But it was Usagi that offered to make sure Mamoru returned home safely. It was not her place. She turned and followed the girls silently.
Usagi walked with Mamoru to his apartment in silence. While trying to muster something to say, Usagi noticed some of the blood on Mamoru's shoulder, which bled threw his favorite pink shirt. She sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry…" she whispered as she felt her eyes tear up. This was a familiar sight to her. Too many times he was injured due to her carelessness. She closed her eyes to prevent Mamoru from seeing her tears.
"Usako…." Mamoru said as he lightly touched her shoulder, "You can't blame yourself every time something happens."
Usagi stopped walking. "But it is my fault… I feel so powerless without my abilities as Cosmos. I can't protect anyone."
It was Mamoru's turn to sigh. "Usako, I seem to remember it was everyone's job to protect the Moon Princess," he smiled warmly at her hoping it would lift up her spirits.
"But… as a member of the royal family, it is my duty to protect everyone…" her voice trailed off. She realized she could not always live up to her responsibilities.
"Usako, we are willing to do everything we can to protect you. We want to… I want to see you safe. Unless that happens…I don't see that as a future I want to be a part of."
"Mamo-chan…" Usagi whispered in awe of his kind words. She was speechless.
Usagi and Mamoru arrived at his apartment. They had talked most of the way. Mamoru did not discuss the newspaper article he had seen this morning, nor did Usagi. Once they were inside, Usagi insisted she examine his shoulder.
Mamoru told her he was fine, but she refused to accept it as his answer. She wanted to know the extent and if it was something serious. "I have to make sure you're okay, Mamo-chan. You've done so much for me and I can't leave knowing that you are in pain because of me." Mamoru let out a small sigh. He knew he couldn't deny her request. He tried to unbutton his shirt, but realized it was nearly impossible with the pain from his shoulder. He closed his eyes tightly as he tried to avoid calling out.
"Now you're the one trying to be brave…" Usagi said. She walked over to the couch and sat down next him. It was really awkward when she realized she needed to unbutton his shirt to examine his injury. She raised her hands to the top button and paused. Her cheeks began to flush.
Mamoru laughed. "It's not like you've never done this before."
Usagi's face turned bright red as she shouted, "Mamo-chan! You're not making this any easier!"
Mamoru laughed at the situation to ease the mood.
Usagi took a deep breath in an effort to calm her racing heart. She stood up and closed the distance between the two of them. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt and helped him take off the bloody fabric. He was sitting in front of her shirtless. It brought back a few memories to her mind and she tried her best not to show any facial expressions. "How does it feel?" She asked, as she turned her eyes to his injuries.
"..It's sore…but it will be fine," Mamoru said, as he tried to downplay it. He always put on a brave face in front of Usagi.
"… Mamo-chan… you're doing it again. You're trying to hide things from me. This is serious!" Usagi exclaimed, as she was finally able to inspect the wound. It was a deep cut that made movement in his arm difficult. "I'll fix it for you." Before Mamoru could say a word, Usagi touched the crystal around her neck and her Cosmos staff appeared.
Mamoru wanted to protest, but it was already too late. Usagi sat down on the couch next to him and lightly placed her hand on his shoulder. Her touch sent a shiver down his spine.
Usagi's hand began to feel very warm as she began to heal the wound. Her eyes were closed and an eight point star shone brightly on her forehead.
Mamoru did not say anything as he took this moment to watch the deep concentration on Usagi's face. The pain in his shoulder began to fade as more of Usagi's healing energy began to flow into his body. He began to feel warm and very relaxed. He no longer felt pain in his shoulder. The light began to fade.
Usagi removed her hand from his shoulder and examined it for any other injuries. "It should be okay," she told him. She moved back slightly as her staff disappeared. The star on her forehead began to dim until it disappeared.
Mamoru moved his shoulder and did not feel pain. "I feel a lot better…" Mamoru said he rubbed his shoulder a little. "Thank you, Usako."
Usagi smiled. Her eyes were heavy as she began to feel exhausted after using her healing abilities. She knew it would take time before she would be able to use her ability with ease. The more she used it, the less strain it would be on her in the future. Her head began to nod as she felt exhaustion wash over her. Her eyes began to close and she collapsed forward into Mamoru.
"Usako!" Mamoru exclaimed, as he caught her in his arms. He felt relieved once he realized she was sound asleep. He shook his head. She had overdone it again. It was a habit with her. He gingerly picked her up in his arms. He couldn't let her sleep on the couch. He carried her effortlessly into his room so she could rest on his bed. He placed her on the bed and lightly placed a cover over her. Out of habit, he kissed her lightly on the forehead. He watched her for a few moments. This is how it should be, he told himself. Once she woke up they would talk, uninterrupted. The time she slept gave him time to think about what he would tell her. He was convinced he would win her back.
He walked out of the room back to the living area. His eyes were directed to a framed picture of them. They were smiling and he had his hand on her shoulder. It looked like they didn't have a care in the world when it was taken. He picked it up and held it in his hands. A few tears fell onto the picture's glass.
An hour later, Rei hang up the telephone. "Well… that was Mamoru-san. Usagi healed his shoulder and immediately fell asleep. Healing others seems to take a lot out of her."
"Hmm…" Makoto said as a thought occurred to her, "I wonder if Mamoru-san is going to try to talk to Usagi-chan again once she wakes up. It would be the perfect opportunity."
"Yeah…" Rei said slowly. "Something in his voice… seemed different. It's hard to describe." She sat down at the kotatsu with the other girls and placed her hands under her chin. "Something…is different."
"I wonder if he knows about the date Usagi-chan and Seiya-kun went on yesterday," Minako stated with a head nod.
"They went on a date?" Ami asked with wide eyes. "Are you sure Minako-chan?"
"Usagi-chan didn't say anything to us about it," added Makoto.
"Well… Usagi-chan knows that we are not yet fans of their relationship… but look for yourself," Minako said, as she pulled out the newspaper she carried with her all day. She opened the newspaper to the image of Usagi and Seiya kissing on the Observation Deck at Tokyo Tower.
The three girls crowded around the newspaper to examine the image.
"Wow!" Rei exclaimed.
"I didn't realize…" said Makoto.
"I'm really surprised she didn't tell us this," Ami said quietly. "Let me read the article to everyone." She picked up the news article and began to read it. Once Ami was done, the three girls were speechless. Ami found her voice first, "Things don't look well for Mamoru-san…but Usagi-chan does seem really happy with Seiya-kun right now. I know this is new for everyone, but I think we need to get used to the idea of Usagi-chan being with Seiya-kun."
"When the Three Lights were here the first time, we were worried about how Seiya-kun acted around Usagi-chan…but now they're a couple," Makoto said while she thought out loud.
"… But as long as she is happy, we should all support her and her relationship," Rei stated, as she tried to be compassionate for her best friend. "I still can't help, but wonder… are the Three Lights going to remain on Earth once this ends? I know Usagi-chan can't return to Kinmoku."
Minako frowned, "Usagi-chan would be heartbroken if he left."
"I don't think they are going to leave," Rei said, as she looked at the others. The other girls stared at her, anxious for her reason. "They seem different since their return from Kinmoku. The four of them… seem closer. They didn't return to Kinmoku as soon as Usagi-chan felt better. Just call it a gut feeling."
A loud knock on the door interrupted Mamoru from his thoughts. He walked over to door and looked threw the eyehole. It was Haruka. He took a deep breath and opened the door. He wasn't sure why she was here and he didn't have a good feeling about her surprise visit.
The door opened to revealed Haruka with slanted eyes. Her lower lip was twitching. She was pissed. She didn't wait to be invited in and walked past him. "Did you see today's paper?" She searched his counter for the daily paper.
Michiru gave Mamoru an apologetic look for her partner's actions as she entered the apartment.
"Yes," Mamoru said, as he turned his attention back to Haruka. "Could you keep your voice down a bit?" Mamoru looked over toward his bedroom for any sign of Usagi.
His statement only fueled Haruka's anger, "Keep my voice down at a time like this?" She walked over to Mamoru to add, "I can't stay calm right now. What are you waiting for?"
Michiru placed a hand on Haruka's arm, a gesture to calm her. She observed how Mamoru's eyes shifted to the other room, as if there was someone else present in the apartment. She narrowed her eyes at Mamoru as she asked him, "Who is in the other room?"
Haruka became silent due to subtleties Michiru picked up without her notice. She glared at Mamoru while she waited for an answer, with a look that stated, it better be good.
Mamoru hesitates while he thought about how he wanted to word what happened earlier. "…Usako is in the other room…" he finally answered.
"Oh?" Haruka asked with an arched eyebrow. Her tone became softer. She expected to hear good news hearing the development.
"There was an attack earlier. Someone named Varuna. He was new and asked about someone else from their organization that disappeared. He attacked Sailor Moon and I did everything I could to protect her, and in the process my shoulder was injured. Usako insisted she walk me home to make sure I was okay. Once she saw the extent of the injury she insisted on healing me. She was successful, but it exhausted her and she fell asleep," explained Mamoru to the two women.
Haruka could feel some of the tension drain from her shoulders. "You have to talk to her when she wakes up."
"Of course," Mamoru eagerly responded.
"You have to fix this," added Haruka. She turned around to head to the front door of the apartment.
Michiru began to follow Haruka and paused to tell him, "We're cheering for you. I know things can be resolved." The two left Mamoru by himself.
Mamoru closed the door behind them. "If only it was that simple."
Mamoru had picked up a book to help pass the time while Usagi slept in the next room. Hours passed. He tried to read the material, but it was impossible to focus. He took off his glasses and placed them on the coffee table in front of him with a heavy sigh. He rubbed his eyes in frustration. He wanted her to wake up, but he wanted her to be well rested before he spoke to her. He was tired of waiting. It was almost as bad as when he waited for her to return from Kinmoku.
A noise startled him from behind and he quickly turned around in the couch to determine the source of the noise. He jumped to his feet when he realized Usagi stood there. "Usako!" He rushed to her side.
Usagi yawned and looked around confused. "How did I end up in there?"
"You feel asleep as soon as you healed me and I couldn't let you sleep on the couch, so I carried you in there."
"Oh…" Usagi felt awkward when she thought about being in his arms. Usagi noticed the sun had set as she peered out the sliding door of the balcony. "I should probably be going…" her voice trailed off.
"I… we need to finish talking, Usako."
Usagi's heart began to hammer in her ears. She knew it would happen sooner or later. "I'm not sure… what is left to say…" she tried to brush it off. Being in such familiar surroundings put her on edge. She wasn't sure what would happen if she continued to remain here.
"Let me do the talking this time," he sat down on the couch and waited for her to join him.
Usagi gulped and sat next to him. She kept a short distance between them. She felt her heartache when she witnessed the pained look in his eyes before he began to speak.
"Usako…I want to apologize to you for all the pain I have caused you and my past actions," he paused as he debated how detailed he wanted to be about the different events, but felt afraid that it would bring hurtful memories to the surface for her. "During the time we spent apart, when you were on Kinmoku, it gave me time to reflect on a lot of things."
Usagi sat next to him, wordlessly.
"I should have discussed the nightmares I had with you when Chibi Usa first appeared. I never should have pushed you away, even though I thought I was protecting you. You don't do that to someone that you care about, someone you love." He paused before he continued. He tried to stay in control of his emotions. "If what I experienced when you left for Kinmoku was anything like the experience you had all those years ago…. I don't know how you survived it." He looked into her eyes when he spoke, "You're strong, Usako."
Usagi's eyes were sad as she listened to how Mamoru felt. He was in a lot of pain, pain she had caused. She didn't want to hear anymore, but she couldn't run out of the apartment. Her mind told her leave, but her heart told her to stay.
"Can you forgive me for what I've done?"
Usagi parted her lips to speak, but no sound immediately came out. She smiled slightly and tried again. "When I was on Kinmoku… it gave me a lot of time to think about things. Everything. It was hard to not be around everyone. It gave me a chance to examine what happened to me throughout my life. I feel less angry than when I awoke as Sailor Cosmos. I forgive you, Mamo-chan…" Usagi said as she looked down at her hands for what she was about to say next. "But it doesn't change my mind… about us." She couldn't look at him. She knew it was breaking his heart.
"… What can I do to change your mind?" He grasped at straws, hoping for something to give him a fighting chance.
"…I don't know…" Usagi stammered.
He reached forward and placed his hands on her. Usagi gasped and looked up at him. He squeezed her hands slightly, "I just can't give up on us. I love you too much, Usako. It's not that easy for me to just walk away from this. I don't think I'm strong enough. I need you in my life."
She felt like her heart was being torn apart. She abruptly stood up and walked over to balcony. She didn't want him to see the tears which threatened to fall. "…Mamo-chan…." She couldn't face him. "Why didn't you say all of this before? Why couldn't you tell me how important I was to you before?" She spun around as a few tears flowed freely down her face. She didn't care anymore. "You've always been so distant. You made me think at times I was nuisance to you. But now… everything you're saying… it's what I've wanted you to say for years."
The tears rapidly flowed down her cheeks. Mamoru walked over to her to close the distance between them.
She couldn't control it. "But why does it have to be now?"
"It's not too late, Usako," Mamoru said while he placed his arms around her and held her close. She continued to cry into his chest.
Usagi didn't say anything as she cried. She felt so frustrated at everything.
Mamoru rubbed her back to comfort her. He felt a little guilty he never told her how he really felt until now. If he had, things would have turned out differently for him. It was the part of his that he disliked; he could never openly talk about his feelings with her.
Usagi slowly broke away from Mamoru and wiped the few remaining tears. "I should be going…." Usagi said quietly.
"Leaving…?" Mamoru asked confused. "But…."
"I don't think staying would be a good idea…" Usagi said as she tried to place more distance between their two bodies. "I know what is going to happen if I stay… and I can't do that to Seiya…" Usagi said, as her voice trailed off. She walked over to the door to collect her shoes. She used all the self-control she could muster. She knew she couldn't turn around to face him until she was across the room.
Mamoru stood frozen in place while he tried to process everything that just happened in those few seconds. He watched Usagi open the door to leave and it snapped him back to reality. "Usako, wait!" He pleaded with her.
Usagi turned to face him with her hand still on the door knob. "I… I'm sorry. I have to go." Usagi flung the door open and ran out into the hallway.
Mamoru quickly tried to run after Usagi but she was already gone. He sighed. He felt like he had finally made progress and she left. He took a sharp intake of breath when he realized what she had meant. She knew what would happen if she stayed… and she didn't want to do that to Seiya. It was clear she still had feelings for him. Feelings that she didn't feel she could control. He couldn't help, but feel relieved by this revelation. But she still refused to leave Seiya. He needed to keep trying. He put on his shoes and grabbed his keys.
Varada was livid. "I still can't find Logos," he said with a poor disposition. "I don't understand why we haven't seen him or heard anything."
"I can't help, but think the Guardian might have gotten to him. I never wanted to believe the Guardian was a real person, but I can't find another explanation. He was not sent on a mission," said Varuna.
"Eris is starting to become upset with you," a woman with black, long, wavy hair said as she entered the room. She wore a knee length crimson dress and pair of black high heels.
"How nice of you to drop by, Haumea," greeted Varada, as he tried to remain unexpressive with his tone of voice.
"You are running out of time," added Haumea as she tried to rile them up. She walked over to the two and continued, "Eris is becoming displeased on the lack of progress you have made. You know they had made preparations for years… and our ancestors before us." She curled a few locks of her hair. "In order for them to advance forward with the next phase, we must find the Guardian."
"But if the Guardian is the one that can stop the organization…why must we search for them?" Varada asked as he tried to understand the grand plan. He was considered a low ranking warrior and was rarely consulted or informed about any plans. He was instructed to follow not lead.
"The Guardian possesses an item we need… the final component. We must also discover their weakness," Haumea explained to them in a bored tone. "You should figure out our next move soon. In the meantime, our master is growing stronger each day. It will be only be a matter of time until he is ready. But we must find the Guardian first."
Nothing is ever easy for Usagi. What would of have happened, had she stayed in Mamoru's apartment? It looks like Mamoru finally figured out his mistakes but he might be too late. Usagi's inner turmoil will grow in the next act as she recalls a few memories from the Silver Millennium. Act 27: Distant Memories.
Thank you KiKis 87 for all your help an amazing feedback!