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Note: Gomen nasai!!! Don't hurt me??? Three months of vacation and writer's block had me stumped… But here it is. I'm finally done with this chapter.

Thank you all my readers and reviewers! I want you all to know that without your responses giving me a guilty conscience… this part would take even LONGER to come out!
Now on with the story…

Quest: Fighting Love

Chapter 8

Mamoru gritted his teeth. He gritted his teeth and sat on the plush, green sofa. After a long, intense afternoon of teasing and taunting, the three women were about to allow him to forget it. They'll finally let him forget that Setsuna's whole office had seen him in ripped, prostitute's tights. Oh the humiliation.

He sat still in the comfortable sweat suit that Setsuna had provided after the embarassing ordeal. He hadn't even bother to defend himself. Instead he sat quietly, all the while thinking up ways to avenge his dignity and more importantly, ways to protect his ego. A male, any male, with a bruised ego, is deadly. If Beryl knew the methods of torture that streamed through Mamoru's mind, she would be shaking in her excuse of a dress now.

Serena exchanged an amused smile with Setsuna. Both of who have been trying not to laugh. The sight of the man glowering into space and snarling at the air proved too much however. The two leaked giggles until even Mina couldn't resist. Trying to cover the laughter up by coughing proved to be a dead giveaway as Mamoru jerked his neck with a snap to face the trio.

"What's so funny?" scowled the cornered Mamoru. *Just when I thought that they were done…*

Biting her lower lip to stop the laughter, Serena managed to muster up a courageous "nothing." The others, however, lost what restraint they had and burst out laughing.

Snarling, Mamoru began stalking around the room with a pantherlike grace. Then jabbing a finger at Setsuna, he bit out a "Start explaining." Turning toward the desk, he propped down on the chair behind it with an economic motion. After all, he needed to establish his position as the interrogater, not the interrogated. Next to the Senshi of Time, he felt all too weak and insignificant.

Understanding that it was time to explain, she began.

"There are many things that I cannot tell you, but I will tell you what I can. As you already know, you were all once connected in the past. The past is not in this life, however, but in your past lives. You were all once princesses and prince of the Silver Millenium. A great war with the Negaverse destroyed the entire solar system leaving only earth capable of sustaining life. Queen Serenity, the Queen of the Silver Alliance was Serena's mother. She sent the spirits of the dead from the Moon to the Earth to be reincarnated. That is why all nine senshi will be found on Earth. I was guarding the Gates of Time when the invasion began. Left with nothing to do but observe, I've watched over the souls of the senshi for a thousand years. Now the Negaverse has returned and they must be stopped. You have been awakened and others, too will be when the need arises. There's nothing more I am permitted to say."

"What about my family? How am they related to everything?" asked the frustrated Mamoru, who still couldn't figure out why his family had been so brutally murdered.

"They weren't. All magic users unconsciously send out waves. Your waves were scented by the youmas and so when you weren't home, they killed everyone instead. I'm to blame for not seeing them. By the time I realized what happened, it was too late," Setsuna replied with regret and guilt. She lowered her head in shame.

Mina laid a hand on the green-haired woman's shoulder in comfort. Obviously that mistake had struck her hard. "You're not to blame. Even the Senshi of Time cannot be expected to see everything," Mina said softly.

Mamoru's eyes had gone dark with emotion. Senseless anger and grief warred with common sense. Luckily for everyone, common sense won out and he nodded in agreement with Mina's statement.

Serena walked over to Mamoru and gave him a hug, which is a rare show of affection for her. Tears burned in the back of Mamoru's eyes as he clutched at Serena tighter.

Sensing that they needed a moment alone, Mina and Setsuna were about to leave when Serena called for Setsuna to wait. "What was my mother like?" she asked hoarsely.

Setsuna's eyes misted over with memory. "I can only say that I have never met a more beautiful, just, and kind person than Queen Serenity until I met you. You are your mother and that is the highest compliment that I can pay to a person," replied the choked woman.

Smiling a bit in acceptance, she turned back to Mamoru to hold him and be held by him.

~ Later that night

Thanks to Setsuna, all three were settled into her luxurious apartment. The apartment was sound proof and so it was peacefully quiet and comfortable. Each had their own room, but none slept peacefully.

~Mamoru's room~

Staring at the bright red digits of the alarm clock can be interesting to an unseeing man.

4:30… 4:31…

*My parents are dead. My sister is in the Negaverse and it's totally my fault. They loved me and cared for me and in return, I brought this on them. If only I never existed.* thought Mamoru mournfully.

Tossing and turning in his bed, a thought struck his mind. *If the Negaverse can feel my waves, then I'm putting Serena and everyone else in danger.*

*But they're magic users, too* argued the other side of him.

*It's best to not take a chance though. Either way, you should stay away from Serena. You're cursed.* the first voice replied miserably.

*No argument there. You're cursed alright.* the second voice concurred.

Having made his decision, Mamoru settled down to try to get as much sleep as he can as Serena's image floated through his mind. Soothed by the sight of her, he slept soundly.

~Serena's room~

Mamoru and Serena are probably the most starcrossed pair of lovers ever. As Mamoru debated with himself, Serena had her own doubts.

Staring at the moon, she sat by the window ledge. *I was born there?!? Am I even human?* she wondered with a sigh.

*Will Mamoru think that I'm an alien? Will he still want to be with me? Wait. Did he ever want to be mine? Damnit! I knew that falling in love's a bad idea!* That thought stopped her ramblings dead.

*In…love? Do I love him?* she asked herself mentally.

*Yeah you do. You're stupid in love with him.* She thanked herself sarcastically for the unwelcomed thought.

*Aww shit! I'm so messed up! I'm talking to myself!*

Deciding to wait until morning to think about what to do, she flopped onto the bed and snuggled under the covers. With Mamoru on her mind, she drifted off into sleep.

~Mina's room~

In the throes of a dream, she whispered Malachite's name over and over again. Her voice was tragic as she called for her love. Suddenly she began to relax slowly. Unknown to all, Malachite had heard her cries and gently soothed her with his telepathic powers. Another pair of starcrossed lovers…

~Setsuna's room~

The Guardian of Time did not sleep at all. In another dimension, she remained vigilant at the Gates and watched as destiny played its' hand in the game of fate.


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