Chapter Five
The "warp hole" brought Usagi and Thanatos to a dark bedroom, colored only with deep reds and browns. There was an elaborate fireplace that acted as the only source of light.
Usagi stood fearfully. "What are you going to do with me?" she asked.
Nate smiled evilly and pushed her onto the bed. "You'll find out," was his only reply.
Usagi lay sprawled over a gathering of pillows, and she could feel her heart pounding furiously within her chest as she was consumed with fear. Thanatos stood over her, menacingly, looking at her with more than just lust in his eyes. Usagi could see the determination that lurked behind his darkened eyes, and that made her very nervous. She knew that she could not talk to him rationally-he wouldn't listen. Usagi stared in horror as Thanatos began to unbutton his shirt.
"What's wrong Serenity? Never been with a man before? Well, at least not a real man."
"Mamoru is more of a man than you will ever be," she stated simply.
Thanatos froze with rage. "You think so? Well, we'll just see about that," he said roughly as he grabbed Usagi by the wrists, pulling her against his body. She let out a shriek as she fell against him. Thanatos gripped Usagi by the waist and spun her around, trapping her between himself and a wall. She felt tears start to well up in her eyes. She was helpless. Thanatos pressed himself against her heavily and stroked one side of her face with his hand.
"Now, now, Usagi. I'm not going to hurt you-quite the opposite in fact. I care for you deeply, and soon you'll realize how deeply you care for me as well."
All Usagi could do was whimper. A tear escaped from her eye and began to fall down her cheek. Thanatos captured it in his mouth, kissing her cheek tenderly.
"Please stop," Usagi pleaded, but he just ignored her. He began to kiss a trail down the side of her face to her neck. His mouth lingered at her neck and his kisses tuned from tender to hungry. Usagi let out a sob. 'Endymion, pleases help me,' she thought. Usagi stiffened as she felt Thanatos' hands travel over her curves. She could not believe that this was really happening. She began to struggle, but he just pressed himself against her harder, almost paralyzing her.
She felt him undo his pants, and he began to pull up her nightgown. Usagi sobbed loudly. "Oh, God...please, don't..." she cried to no avail. His hand gripped the elastic of her underwear, preparing to remove the last barrier between them, but Thanatos suddenly let out a painful groan and fell to the floor. Thanatos' body fell roughly to the ground, revealing an angry and concerned Mamoru.
Usagi gasped wildly and sods racked her body. She began to collapse to the floor, and Mamoru swiftly caught her in his waiting arms.
"Dear God, Usako...Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?"
At his question, Usagi only cried harder. This made Mamoru panic even more. 'What did he do to her?' he thought angrily, tears coming to his eyes. He had a very good idea of what Thanato's was planning to do to his Usako, and he felt the taste of vomit rise into his throat as he was consumed with nausea. He swallowed hard and prayed that he had arrived before anything had happened.
"Shhhh, Usako. It's okay. I'm here," he said soothingly while he straightened out her clothing.
Usagi looked up at her Love, realizing that they had finally found each other in this hellish pit. "Oh, Mamo-chan! I thought you were dead, or, or..." she cried.
"I'm okay, Usako. As long as I have you in my arms, I'll always be okay."
Mamoru wiped away the tears that stained Usagi's faced. She stared at him intently as he did so. Their gazes met, and they just sat there for a long while absorbing one another. Mamoru brushed Usagi's lips with his fingertips and lowered his mouth to hers. They kissed lovingly and deeply, happy to be in each other's arms once again.
Usagi pulled her lips away from her Love's and whispered, "I love you, my Prince."
Mamoru smiled brightly, "And I love you, my sweet Princess."
Mamoru rose, pulling himself and Usagi to their feet. He looked over at the prone body on the floor and suddenly remembered how he had found his Usako with that creep.
Mamoru turned to Usagi, "He touched you?"
Usagi's eyes began to brim with tears, and Mamoru got his answer. He looked back at Thanatos and coolly said, "Then he will die."
Mamoru raised his sword above his head, preparing to decapitate the bastard who dared to touch his Princess, when he heard a large commotion coming from the room connected to the one they occupied. Mamoru quickly grabbed Usagi's wrist, pulling her away from whatever danger lurked in the shadows of the room.
They ran at a steady pace through the dark hallways that looked more like tunnels. Mamoru gripped Usagi's wrist firmly, pulling her close to him as they ran from who knows what.
"Mamoru! Where are we going! And what are we running from?"
Mamoru stopped abruptly, causing Usagi to fall forward. "Usako! Are you okay?"
"Yes, Mamo-chan. I'm fine, no thanks to you," she teased.
"Aw, I'm sorry, Love," he said as he helped her up and pulled her into his arms. "Let me make it up to you," he flirted as he leaned down to kiss her.
As their lips where about to touch, there was a loud explosion, and both their minds went black...
Forty-five minute later...
Usagi stirred painfully. She looked around confusedly. 'Where am I?' she though, 'and where is Mamoru?' Her forehead creased in anger as she remembered.
"That bitch!" Usagi screamed as she paced the tunnel. "Twice! Twice she attacked me with a cheap shot! Well, now it's my turn!"
Usagi let her instincts guide her to a room she believe Mamoru and Melpomene to be in. She clenched her fists as rage came over her. 'She better not have tried anything, or I swear I'll...'
Usagi was oblivious to the power that her anger was creating. So when she threw her hands forward at the doors in front of her, the smoke, fire, and flying wood came as a bit of a surprise.
Usagi burst into the room following the loud explosion. Mamoru looked at his beautiful and angry Princess, who seemed like she was ready to tear Melpomene to shreds.
"To what do we owe this honor, Serenity?" Melpomene taunted.
"Shut up you disgusting witch," Serenity growled.
Mamoru was shocked at the tone of Usagi's voice, and he continued to watch the scene in front of him.
"You seem tense, Serenity," Melpomene spoke, somewhat nervously. "Why don't you have a seat. Take a load off."
"Are you too stupid to comprehend the words 'shut up.' I don't want to hear you speak, I don't even want to hear you breathe." Usagi turned her gaze to Mamoru. "She touched you?"
Mamoru was surprised at the forwardness of her question. "Uh, uh, well, she, um...Well, she tried to, uh, you know...but, but..."
At Mamoru's stuttering, Usagi got her answer. She turned back to Melpomene and coolly said, "Then she will die."
At Usagi's words, Melpomene tensed and prepared to fight for her life. Melpomene gathered a ball of energy and swiftly threw at the Princess. Usagi looked at the attack calmly and destroyed it without even moving. Melpomene stared in horror. This could not be good. Obviously Melpomene did not know that Usagi's power was controlled by her emotions-and right now Usagi was extremely pissed off.
Usagi lifted her hand and pointed her index finger at the wicked creature before her. "I hope that you will be very unhappy in hell." With those words, Usagi blasted Melpomene with a ball of energy, killing her instantly.
Mamoru was completely still. Did he just see Usagi kill someone? Sensing his discomfort, Usagi looked toward her Love.
"I'm sorry, Mamoru," Usagi whispered, guilt beginning to consume her. "It's just, she, she killed you before. And the fact that she tried to, to...I hated her, Mamo-chan. I hated her for taking you away from me, both now and then. I'm sorry."
Mamoru rose to his feet and embraced Usagi tightly. "It's okay, Usa. I'm not mad-just a little surprised."
Usagi looked into Mamoru's eyes. "I don't want to lose you," she whispered.
"You won't. I'll always be with you. I love you."
"I love you."
Usagi and Mamoru hurried out of Melpomene's room, hoping that they could find some way out of the underground lair.
"How did you get here anyways, Usa?" Mamoru asked.
"Nate took me from my house. I figured out who he really was, but it was too late."
Mamoru looked at Usagi sadly, "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you."
Usagi smiled back lovingly and continued to look for an exit.
As they frantically searched for an escape, Usagi and Mamoru began to panic; there was no way out.
"Mamo-chan, what if we can't get out of here. We'll be stuck down here forever!" Usagi wailed.
"Calm down, Usako," he replied. "We'll figure something out."
However, their futile attempt at freedom was interrupted by a blast of energy hitting the wall right beside them. In a quick decision, Mamoru grabbed Usagi and threw her against the wall and then hurled himself on top of her.
"Mamo-chan, what are you doing?" Usagi screamed.
"Protecting you!" Mamoru grunted just before a ball of dark energy hit him in the back.
"Mamoru, stop this!"
"I won't let anything happen to you, Usa," he replied as he absorbed another blast.
"Jesus, Mamoru! You are going to get yourself killed!" Usagi yelled angrily.
"I don't care! I just want you to be safe!"
Mamoru was hit with another blast and let out a painful cry. Usagi felt tears of frustration and fear in her eyes as she watched the man she loved kill himself.
"Mamoru!" Usagi screamed as he began to slump over her shoulder. "Are you alright? Please, don't do this..." she pleaded.
Mamoru lifted his head and looked Usagi in the eye, "But I-love you," he grunted painfully.
"Mamo-chan, please...Endymion..."
Mamoru pushed himself off of Usagi and turned himself around to look at their attacker. He never got a chance, for as soon as he had looked up he was hit with a final ball of energy in the chest. Mamoru collapsed with a painful thud to the ground. Usagi watched in horror as her Love fell.
"Mamoru!" she screamed. "Mamo-chan, can you hear me?"
Her question was answered with a raw groan. Usagi knew Mamoru was badly hurt. She looked up and saw Thanatos standing over them with his arm sill outstretched from the blast he had directed at Mamoru.
"You bastard!" Usagi yelled. "Look what you've done."
Thanatos gave a cocky grin. "Yes, I see. I am rather disappointed, though. I was hoping that the blast would have killed him instantly."
Usagi looked back down at Mamoru when she felt something moist. Her eyes grew wide with terror as she realized she was covered in Mamoru's blood.
"Oh, my God! Mamo-chan!" she cried. "Oh, God...You're bleeding. There's so much blood..." she wept helplessly.
"Princess, I suggest that we leave Endymion here and get back to what we started in my room earlier," Thanatos said icily.
Usagi looked up at Thanatos coldly. "How dare you. I will never go anywhere with you. I loath you."
"I suggest that you reconsidered, Princess," he said harshly. "Your Prince will soon be dead, and I intend to make you mine, whether you like it or not!"
Usagi stood angrily. "He will NOT die!" she screamed. "You will!"
Thanatos looked at her mockingly, "Like I find you the least bit threatening, Serenity."
"You should not underestimate me. I had no problem getting rid of that wretch Melpomene."
Thanatos stiffened. "Melpomene? What have you done with her?"
"She's dead." Usagi said coldly. "I killed her, as I will kill you."
"We'll see about that!" Thanatos ran toward Usagi, filled with rage. Usagi placed her hands gracefully in front of her and threw a massive amount of energy at Thanatos. Usagi was amazed at how effortlessly she could produce such a great amount of power, but her bewilderment was interrupted by Thanatos' cries. She winced as he screamed in pain and fell dead to the floor.
"I'm sorry, Nate," she whispered.
Usagi looked down spitefully at her white nightgown that was now stained red with blood. She took notice to how the sticky garment clung to her uncomfortably and almost desperately, but her discomfort was not what was important right now-Mamoru was. She looked down at him and almost collapsed in sorrow. He was completely surrounded by a puddle of his blood. Usagi staggered over to him and fell to her knees at his side, the thick and sticky liquid further saturating her nightgown and covering her legs. Usagi felt a wave of nausea pass over her and she swallowed hard.
"No...Mamo-chan..." she whispered as she felt tears start to burn her eyes. "I'm so sorry, My Love. I should have protected you."
Mamoru gazed up at his Princess dazedly. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was. He tried to lift his hand and touch her face, but he found he could no longer move.
Usagi cradled the Prince in her lap lovingly, trying to hold back her tears. She stroked his hair, softly repeating, "You'll be okay. You'll be okay."
"Usako," Mamoru forced out.
Usagi sat up so that she could see his face, and she smiled, "Yes, My Love."
Mamoru smiled back tenderly, love apparent in his eyes, "Oh, my Serenity. To think that I've waited so long to have you...We've conquered so much to be together, and now..."
Usagi felt the tears start to slip from here eyes. "Mamo-chan, don't... You'll be fine. You'll be fine," Usagi nodded, trying to reassure herself more than her prince. "It's just like you said. You have me in your arms, so you have to be okay. You just need a little bit of time to rest, so we'll just stay here for a while." Usagi lightly played with his hair as she continued to babble, "And then we can go home. And, and then we'll finally get to be a normal couple-like we've wanted. We can go out to dinner, and go on picnics, and walks, and-well we can do anything and everything. So you are going to get better whether you like it or not. Okay?" Usagi asked playfully.
Mamoru smiled warmly, and he would of laughed had he had the strength. His features then turned serious and he said, "Can I ask just one thing, Love?"
"Anything," she said, fearful at his tone.
He looked at her tenderly and said, "I want you kiss me goodbye."
Usagi stared at her Prince blankly. "Goodbye?" she asked. "But where are you going, Mamo-chan?"
Her question was met with silence.
"Mamo-chan?"
There was still no response.
Usagi began to breath heavily as panic flooded her senses.
"Mamoru?" she pleaded.
Nothing.
"Endymion!" she screamed painfully. "No! No, please. Mamo-chan, answer me! Please...You're okay, Mamo-chan! You're okay...answer me..." she whimpered.
The echo of Usagi's anguished sobs filled the dark tunnel causing her to feel more frightened and alone. Her eyes burned from the heavy flow of tears that rushed from them, but Usagi could not cease her cries. Finally, remembering what her Love had asked, she tried to regain her composure. "I will kiss you, Mamo-chan," she wept, "I would kiss you forever."
Usagi gently ran her shaking fingers down the side of Mamoru's face and choked back a sob before leaning her face toward his. As her lips were about to brush his, Usagi prayed that he would taste the salty tears that covered her lips, but she knew he would not. As she pressed her mouth against his, she tried desperately to memorize the feel of his lips, the taste of his mouth, the smell of his skin...but soon Usagi began to sob brutally. As she cried, she never took her lips form his. She just lay there, pressing her body against his in hopes that if he felt her heart beat, he would answer back with his.
"Why?" she begged, ending their kiss, "Why is this happening again?"
As she pulled herself off of him, Usagi brought Mamoru's body close to hers. She hugged him fiercely and gently rocked him in her arms.
"Please, My Love, don't leave me."
Usagi looked at him dearly. He was so handsome. How could she go without seeing his face everyday?
"Don't worry, Endymion. I won't leave you," she said, a haunted expression taking over her features.
Usagi ran her hand down Mamoru's side, stopping at his hip. She paused before gripping the cool metal handle. She glanced once more at the face of her sleeping prince and proceeded in completing her task. Usagi swiftly pulled the long, double-edged sword from Mamoru's side and plunged in into her chest. She tried desperately to stifle the cry of pain that escaped her lips, but she could not hold it in. She felt her body slump forward, and she shifted her dimming gaze toward Mamoru. Sadly, Usagi realized, fate had ended their love affair once again, but she knew they'd be together somehow. With the last of her strength, Usagi brought herself above her Love's face and kissed him gently. Then, she collapsed on top of him as death took her.