NAME: Towel (1/14/02 – 4/5/02)
E-MAIL: MoonTowel18@msn.com
TITLE: Papa-Kenji… Please No More
RATING: PG-13
NOTE: Well it's been a good six or seven… or EIGHT months writing this story but it's finally time to end it *sob sob*. It's like having to clear a lot of things to concentrate on other things I guess (shrug). But finally I'm down to the last and final drop. And here it goes…. FINALLY. Last chapter Setsuna and Mamoru discovered Motoki's death; Haruka and Usagi discovered Makoto's death. Mamoru vows to kill the prostitute who he blames caused all of what happened which in fact is actually the girl he's been looking for all along. And Usagi finally decides to see if she could get help from the megastar Mina. I guess all there is now is to find out what happens to the rest of the characters in this conclusion. I absolutely cannot WAIT till springtime!!!!!
DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon 1992-2002. Naoko Takeuchi. Kondansha Ltd. And Toei Animation.
THANKS: Er'body who read this story and liked it( and RE: CV soundtrack for keeping me dedicated and into what was written without straying off from the pressure, and of course Naoko
~~~~~~~~~~Papa-Kenji… Please No More~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER 8
FINALE
The room began to spin inward as the curtains rose up in the dressing room where Usagi sat plastered against Mina Spears' vanity chair. Her bottom warm and itchy with splitter nerves as she watched quietly as Mina began reading the letter she spend thirty minutes in the damp dressing room putting together. Thirty minutes relieving and revealing the nearly two weeks secret braces against her life. Usagi had poured everything into that letter, everything she could and cried throughout the entire process until her eyes were puffy and red.
Mina's clock kept ticking with each uneasy heart pace as she stood there in the center of her dressing room her eyes scanning the stationary paper as Usagi tried to read them. Tried to read those eyes that seemed to soak in everything. Soak in everything to some amazement of sorts. Almost like a movie, a drama that was too real.
Mina's bodyguard Rei stood at the rear of the room, her shaded purple eyes roaming elsewhere upset at Usagi's presence in the room in the first place and how Mina just let her stay. Still she wasn't about to get too much involved with things and allowed Mina to read the blond's letter without a fuss although she'd glance at her clock every six seconds or so to make sure they remained on time. Rei did have a curiosity for what was on the letter, at first she figured just another fan letter but the velocity around the room told her differently. There was no excitement and she felt it. There was only… darkness. Moving so slowly. It was almost unbearable for her to stand still in the murkiness but she managed and therefore became probing as to what exactly was in that letter to disrupt the atmosphere.
Usagi wanted to shift in her seat as her eyes buried themselves on Mina who read the letter up close to her face her tiny pink lips mouthing along every word. She tried so desperately to let Mina know everything. Let her know this wasn't a joke and make it sound as desperate as for her radical plan to hitch a ride with Mina was going to work. Usagi couldn't deal with anymore of this strife and she felt that if she were given more at this very moment it would be the end of her. She'd finish it off for real. She was at the end of the rope.
And so Mina kept at her reading. Engrossed and completely sickened at the same time her eyes blinking in disgust as she'd never read or HEARD a thing as awful as this. And it made her want to throw up and throw the girl out of her dressing room because she didn't want to believe something as sinister as this was true. Sure she'd read fan letters of abuse but this one… this was just too… too much. However, it was the little boy mentioned several times in the letter that kept Mina from tripping on the girl and tossing her on out. All Mina could do was imaging what kind of life he'd led if all this continued.
Mina quickly figured out what kind of life he'd led at the end when the girl made a claim in her letter that this was her final try, if this goes wrong then it's over for her.
Mina blinked her large blue eyes lowering the letter. She raised a hand over her mouth sighing as she looked at the blond Usagi girl and tried to figure out was this really just a joke. Some insane fan? She knew almost otherwise as she stared into the blond girl's weary blue redden eyes that cried for help. The girl did look awful. Shabby and just… used all up. And if she were to go on she wouldn't make it. Nor would her brother.
Still it was so insane. Why'd she have to pick Mina!? Why jump to such drastic means to get on her private jet? There was nothing there. What kind of life did she think she'd led back in Mina's country? It would just be even harder and Mina didn't want the responsibility. She had a career; she'd done right in life and didn't want this screwing it all up.
"I can't…" Mina choked closing her eyes turning away from Usagi's eyes. Mina shook her head. "I just can't – you can't be serious!" Mina turned sharply toward Usagi almost in rage. "You're putting so much on the line! ME! My career! How can you think something like this!?"
Usagi stood up in a rush. "Because I have no choice!" she pled forcing back the biting tears. "I have no choice but to trust in you! I have nothing but Shingo and I-"
Rei began to move in taking the letter from Mina's hands and started scanning it finally ready to confirm any unclear accusations she owned.
Mina raked a saucy hand through her hair. "You do have a choice!" she persevered. "A choice to find another way! I can't…" Mina paused closing her eyes for a second not really in the sharing mood to continue this conversation. "I can't be responsible for you two once the plane lands."
"And you won't!" Usagi nodded forcing herself not to cry. Forcing Mina to understand. For someone to just UNDERSTAND and help her for once. "Once the plane lands me and my brother will be out of your sight. Far away. We won't ask for anything more."
"No," Mina shook her head. "No, no, no, NO! Look at you!" Mina shot a gesturing hand toward Usagi. "If this is what you look like here in Japan think about in another country! You'll be on the streets again. It's just all going to be even worst! You're not going to make it!"
"Yes I CAN!" Usagi roared ready to punch the hell out of Mina Spears in her aggravation!
"NO! You can barely do it here!" Mina spoke sternly inspecting Usagi from head to toe as the girl got heated.
Usagi took striding steps toward Mina her hands in fist at her sides. "I know the language. I'll adapt but I know I can do this!"
Rei balled up the letter tossing it in the nearest wastebasket and looked up at Usagi and simply said blankly: "Bring her."
Mina and Usagi looked at Rei with an unsure pleasure.
Rei nodded to confirm their looks. "Bring her. She's coming with us."
Usagi smiled but Mina jumped in angry her long blond locks whisky cutting the heat steaming in the air before Usagi at the turn.
"Are you crazy!?" Mina cried out. "You've just lost your damn mind Rei! That's risking YOUR job and-"
"No it's not," Rei contended taking Mina's shoulders with a warm smile then she moved into Mina's ear and began to whisper.
Usagi just looked and when she saw Mina Spears turn around with a huge glowing smile she figured nothing more than she was on her way to becoming a popstar.
Usagi wanted to smile back but the intensity of her sadness held her facial muscles into a constant bawl. If she was able then there was no reason to question anything. No reason to question why Rei choose so or Mina suddenly shined with excitement. There was no question. Usagi just wanted it and was going to just get it without thinking about the future and what could possibly be next.
A small part of her however wanted to know what gave; forcing it aside she calmly shook her head.
Rei looked at her watch then demanded Mina hurry and get dressed. She took Usagi along with her outside the dressing room and into the crowded thin hallway where crewmen were working to break down the stage upstairs. Usagi stepped out of the path of a large man carrying a piece of equipment.
"Usagi," Rei spoke nearly shocking the girl as she whisked back to Rei's side. With a gesture of her head Rei implored Usagi to follow her where the two dipped into an alcove sitting area right, implanted in the trafficking hallway. "Take a seat." Rei insisted as Usagi settled onto a cushioned seat, Rei standing before her.
At first Usagi could only look at the floor but feeling Rei's shadow doubted the floor had answers and Usagi's head craned up to look into Rei's dark eyes.
"This is a dangerous situation," Rei began keeping herself closed to only Usagi her arms folded in power. "Before you ask I want to explain why I'm agreeing."
Usagi blinked. "Wh – why?" she was almost afraid to ask.
"Because I honestly believe you need help," she said darkly. Then Rei stopped and beamed a winning smile along side a fingering peace sign. "If this gets into the papers Mina's album sells will skyrocket!"
"Oh," Usagi slumped due to Rei's rude awakening of information.
So that's why, Usagi thought wryly until she really focused on the issue.
Would that mean she'd be in the papers everywhere in America? Would that mean her story will get out and she'd be a criminal there likewise? One thing was for sure, Usagi wasn't thinking things completely through and even she knew it.
No, Usagi disagreed shaking her head. Think positively. Everything is going to be fine.
"Hi-hiiiiii!" Mina peeked around the alcove corner. "I'm readyyyyyyy!" she grinned.
"Awesome," Rei clapped her hands together.
"Security, security, security," Mamoru hollered holding up his badge merging through the civic hallways toward the ending concert. He emerged into the dissembling of the auditorium where the stage performance had ended thirty minutes ago. Men everywhere dressed in black were working the equipment apart and he scanned his eyes left and right holding his hand against the upper level balcony reaching to spot the girl. That girl that seemed so familiar. The girl he hadn't figured out just yet over. The girl who murdered Motoki.
There was no time to think about the past. It was time to finish off the future and seeing not a single fan was in sight he whirled around and followed up his plan to check the backstage area. Mamoru stormed through and through, he KNEW the blond girl was somewhere around.
And she was…
Usagi sat silently praying to herself that everything would work out just fine as she sat in between Mina and Rei in Mina's limousine driving through the pathway created by the millions of ruckus fans screaming and cheering as Mina reared her head out the window to smile and wave. Usagi sat silently in envy. Complete and total.
The weaken girl kept her hands together over her lap and just looked at them stealing glances of her hopeful dreams to come which were planted on Mina.
One step at a time, Usagi told herself.
She continued to pray. Pray that Shingo would be at the airport as planned when she called the boathouse earlier. Prayed that she wouldn't lose her control. Pray that this was all going to finally be over.
Usagi began to cry hoping that she was dried up…
Mamoru had finally gotten his clue. Mina was leaving toward her private line at the airport in company, another blond girl. What other choice did Mamoru have to take than follow up on it and rush to his car? He was determined and had not a single peep of sanity in his mind. He just wanted the girl dead.
But what was this thing that kept telling him that he KNEW the girl from somewhere? Over and over again something told him that he'd meet her before. Like he knew her face from somewhere…
It was almost like the girl from that picture. The girl who'd murdered her father…
Could it be the same girl? He thought gunning the gas toward the airport. In either case it was time to find out.
Usagi wrapped her arms around a teary eyed Shingo and thanked Haruka of all people who'd brought Shingo back to her in tow both their book bags. The bags that would be taking away last hopes and wishes with them. The bag that would take what remained of their old life. They're gone life.
There was so much tension in the near vacant airport terminal. They were to embark onto Mina's plane from the runway at its arrival. Until then an ecstatic Shingo sat alongside Mina while Haruka pulled Usagi aside.
"I'm going as far away as I possibly can?" Usagi avoided Haruka's eyes while watching only Haruka's neck as she spoke. "You'll never see me again." Usagi then forced a grin. "Unless you turn on the television."
Haruka snuffed folding her heavy arms looking down on Usagi. It amazed Haruka in the very end how brave and enduring Usagi was. She was still alive and somewhat sane. Just too many these days and Usagi's well being being at stake so much and her provisory to pull out safely was slight astonishing to Haruka. Then again, Haruka felt she'd been through far worst and maybe Usagi was surviving by luck.
Nevertheless, sorry and regretting a lot of the things that pushed Usagi away from Haruka, Haruka opened up her arms and collected the small blond youth in a tight hug.
"You just continue to be lucky and careful," Haruka whispered into Usagi's ear. "Continue keeping a low profile and promise me that I'll see you safe and on television one of these days when it's all finally over."
A tear slipped from Usagi's right eye as if her eyes were to never remain empty of them that she held for everyone; she nestled in the comforting clutches of Haruka's arms. Usagi nodded. Sadden that she had to leave Haruka. Sadden that Makoto had died protecting her and now Haruka was being left alone with practically no family. As much as Usagi wanted to stop and hold everything there and tell Haruka that she'd stay alongside her almost like a second sister, Usagi knew better. She didn't have long staying afloat before the police would come and take her away from Shingo. Take her away from her OWN lasting family. Something Usagi wouldn't be able to deal with. There was no way Usagi and Shingo could stay together as long as they were within where they were. Hell and a little bit more of something else…
"I'll give it my all," Usagi responding hurrying to dry her eyes before Haruka could see and call her weak as they pulled apart.
The two looked into each other's eyes. Reasoning, once again looking for another thing to clinch against too.
Usagi was weak when Haruka wasn't looking. Haruka leaving out of the terminal not turning her back on her past and yet her accomplishment in Usagi. Usagi cried and mouthed a silent "thank you" and Haruka was gone.
Before Usagi knew it Haruka was out of her life…
A soft hand slid onto Usagi's trembling shoulders, as it was Rei informing Usagi that it was time to go.
Usagi nodded and wiped her eyes turning. Shingo handed his sister her book bag and she held onto him tight bending down to his level looking deep into his eyes. Searching and hoping for no objectives.
"We're about to start a new life together," Usagi told her younger brother. He couldn't cry. He just couldn't cry. "A life far away, just you and I. I know we really don't know what's out there but… together we'll make it. We just have to trust that everything is going to be alright."
Shingo nodded his paling head. He didn't care. He stopped caring long ago. All he'd do was follow his sister and do his best to keep himself together.
Usagi threw her brother into a hug and the two followed Rei and Mina and Mina's accompany crew out to the runway.
As the team walked toward Mina's plane settled on the runway a chilling air floated over Usagi's head like ice. Something was wrong-
"FREEZE!"
Everyone turned and there he stood.
Usagi gasped sharply near a choke as she recognized him and knew exactly why he was there. Knew exactly why the barrel of his pistol was pointed right at her from afar immediately as he stepped out of the airport taxi that drove him onto the runway pausing at the edge near the terminal. Security didn't follow from the distance. It was he and Usagi; ready to dig her hole at the very site.
Always something, always something coming to end her dreams. Always something turning around and nipping her four times over.
The man she'd felt she could fall in love with, the stranger, stood there one leg out of the yellow taxi. His pistol seemingly burrowing right into Usagi's frozen flesh. His black tie flapping in the air spewing a sinister wind.
Usagi was terrified. He followed up on her and was now about to destroy her for destroying is relationship. Rather being apart of it. Then there was her selfishness involved. Still… was this the end?
"It's over Tsukino Usagi!" the man yelled splitting the knife through Usagi's heart. And now… not only was he back for revenge but he was apart of the one thing that could completely take her away from her brother. With the expanding grudge it wouldn't lead to a foster home, not even prison, it would only lead to murder. And Usagi knew that beyond those deadly eyes were the tolls for vengeance. The score had to be settled and now that he knew she was much more of a fugitive was all the more reason to blast the hell out of her and see it as otherwise than his own demons commanding him to take the life of his despair. His mistake.
"What's going on!?" Rei shouted stepping between Usagi and her pursier. "Go away before I call the-!"
"They're already here," the man wiped out his badge. "The name's Chiba Mamoru, and I am here to take Tsukino Usagi and her brother!"
Usagi grimaced. This couldn't be happening yet it made sense. She had to pay for all the awful things she'd done. But while she was so damn close? NO!
Usagi's fire began to burn. She was just TOO close.
Mamoru held the pistol tight and took small enduring steps toward the silent group who at all didn't know exactly what to say or what to explain. "You lose Usagi, you've been gone long enough and it's time to take you in! And Motoki! It was YOU! It was all YOU the whole time wasn't it!?"
Usagi's fire burned greater and without her knowing she pulled her book bag over her chest and opened it slightly fishing her hands inside. She never thought she could do this and literally make her a true fugitive but she wasn't going to take this. She wasn't going to allow his sins to be paid by her life.
Usagi's fingers wrapped around the cold metal.
And before she knew it she threw the revolver out of it's hiding, aimed and fired almost blindly with effort, the impact nearly sending the meek blond rocketing to the asphalt. Mamoru fired back. Screams erupted; panic consumed the area. It was just all wrong and all Usagi could do was fire another round as Mamoru charged toward the team. Usagi stopped, ducked low, grabbed Shingo and scuttled her way toward the plane as low and out of sight among Mina's cowering crew as she could. She'd caused the distraction and now was her and Shingo's turn to make a run for the plane within the sea of people without being seen.
One hand gripped Shingo's soft flesh. The other held onto the magnificent power of her father's revolver held tight in her hand. The two went as fast as they could and was almost there before the wailing screams of Mina erupted.
"NO! Let me go! REI!"
An insane Mamoru held Mina Spears in his clutches dragging the helpless girl back to the taxi where the driver had made a run for it once the shooting began. A helpless Mina struggling screaming and aching painfully to break free of Mamoru's grasp as he held the pistol coldly against her right temple her nails clawing at the manly arm wrapped around her throat.
Usagi was too afraid to turn as she dove behind a baggage cart carrying stage equipment and otherwise with Shingo at her side chilling through the night whispering something unrecognizable in his frightened voice.
"LET HER GO YOU MANIC!" Rei snarled running forth only to stop as Mamoru fired a bullet at her. Rei hit the asphalt fast and hard.
"Back home!" Mamoru's panic horsing eyes proclaimed. "I'm taking her back home! Back home to die!" At that Mamoru brought the butt of the pistol rigid against Mina Spears' skull and the blond faded at the instant.
Usagi finally got the nerve to peek beyond the baggage cart only to find Mamoru toss Mina into the car holding the crew at bay with his pistol until he got inside and sped off skidding the tires in grappling smoke.
Security guards threw up their pistols aiming at the car now that Mina Spears was tucked away from their aim and they began to blow rounds into the speeding yellow taxi car as it flew down the runway turning away completely.
Mamoru was gone and along with him a debilitate popstar.
Usagi felt sick. It seemed like it was her fault. If only she wasn't so angry. So upset to have fired first then Mamoru wouldn't have taken Mina in the mix. Wouldn't have taken her at all!? If only! But damnit! She was always risking someone's life! Selfish! Selfish! Just didn't THINK! DIDN'T THINK!
Usagi knew she couldn't let Mina die. Not like Makoto. Not while Mina was risking a lot herself just to give Usagi a new life. She HAD to stop Mamoru and before she knew it she was up and running after them revolver at tow and satan at arm.
"USAGIIIIIIII!" Shingo yelled for her to halt. But Usagi had to keep going. As long as Shingo was with the others he was safe. As long as he wasn't around Mamoru he was safe. As long as he wasn't there to see her kill Mamoru he was safe.
Usagi didn't count on Shingo following her every step.
"I'm calling the authorities to get this manic," Rei grated near tears at the horrible site of her best friend being harmed. She pulled out her cell phone and prepared to make plans to put both Usagi and Mamoru behind bars… for life…
A startled Mina blinked her eyes feeling the small thin trickle of blood seep into her right eyelashes. Everything was a blur except for the voice and the large dark shape standing before her. Her arms were pinned. Her head lying lazily to her side and she hurt… especially in the head. Throbbing. She was sore.
Harsh gritting rope dug into her tender flesh and with each movement her body quaked with pain and with each booming announcing of the buzzing voice above her went off her head chimed as if under the bell of a tower. She couldn't understand a word but knew it was sensitive to her ears.
Mina wanted to vomit and her vision was so weary but slowly coming to.
There was white carpeting. Dim lighting. She blinked feeling the wetness clog into her eyelashes.
"It's about time Usagi!" the manly voice boomed to where Mina was finally about to make it out. She struggled to lift her tired head, her blond hair spewing in its mess.
"U… Usagi," she choked swallowing the dryness in her throat. The name had a face but the situation was still vague. What happened? What could she remember? Mina closed her eyes tight and tried to think. Tried to gather all the holes in her head. She remembered, guns, a little fighting, a girl, and a car.
Suddenly a cold hand threw her chin up and she opened her tired aching eyes to the face of a twisted threatening young man.
Mina's emergency alarms began to pick up and her mentality shifted to panic. She recognized that face and remembered EVERYTHING.
She started to scream but couldn't get it out only dosing over in sincerest pain.
"It's over Usagi," the man hissed into her face. "All over. I finally got you. Got you all alone to do what's meant to be done."
Even in Mina's state she knew better to object. She just wasn't Usagi what so ever.
"I'm not…" she forced tightening her eyes then continued. "I'm not Usagi."
"SHUT UP!" Mamoru outraged striking the girl across the face.
Mina began to cry. She was terrified and already in enough pain. Was this what she deserved for assonating along with Usagi's curses? For trying to help her. All this pain? Was this what she deserved for trying to do something right in another person's coarsened life?
"Pleaseeeeeee," Mina pled her face wet and red and her eyes eyeing the white carpeting of someone's house… someone's living room. She was so afraid that she tembled. "I'm not Usagi. Please let me go-"
"NO! You'll never fool me again!" Mamoru shoot up and paced slightly. "Not this time," he grind his jaw, all the anguish from his mistakes tightening against his heart and prone mind. "You have to die!" Mamoru threw the barrel of the gun into the girl's face. "You just have to die!"
All Mina could do was cry and think was this it. Was this how it was all going to end? Her paying the price for someone else's problems? Someone else's sins? Was this really how it all was going to end?
"It's so simple," Mamoru threw down his gun from her face. "So simple. You fuck up and you have to pay for it simple as that," he paced menacingly. "So simple. Simple simple SIMPLE."
Mina couldn't question him. She was too fearful of asking the wrong thing and could only pray that someone could quickly to rescue her.
Mamoru moved around the Tsukino's living room and took a picture of the family off the wall. He hated the picture. The whole time he was there it looked at him. All those happy eyes just kept looking at him. With the picture he thrust it into a sobbing Mina's face.
"See, happy huh!? Allllllllllllllllll happy!" he's eyes wielded. "Happy little family! SEE!? I was happy! I was happy! HAPPY!" He pushed the frame deeming into Mina's shattered face. "Now that YOU'RE not happy like this picture, you decide to take it on me too! To curse ME!"
The picture flew out of Mamoru's hands as he threw it across the room where it shattered darkly in it's own corner. He looked down at a broken Mina and threw his lips against hers. Hard and hungrily pressing himself against her as she refused and muffled feebly for him to stop but he continued. Holding his lips against hers dangerously nearly toppling the dinning room chair she laid tied on over onto the floor.
Mamoru pulled away. Drew back from her. Held up the pistol…
"Sweet dreams." His finger reached for the trigger.
Right on time the front door threw open and there she stood the revolver gripping treacherously in her uncontrolling hands aimed at Mamoru who looked at her even as she laid showered in the darkness.
It was Usagi.
While he was open Usagi fired sending Mamoru wailing over, over, over, over, over, and-
SPAAAA-LASHHHHHHHH! Through the Tsukino's coffee table.
Usagi's heavy breath echoed through the room and Mina's panic relieved voice cried out. Usagi… exhausted beyond belief from her run. She'd ran. She'd ran so damn hard to stop it all. Her feet hurt, her lungs deprived of salvaged oxygen. But she ran. She ran. She was NOT going to let Mina die. Nobody else was going to die for her.
Silence.
Mamoru laid fallen into the glass coffee table as if sleeping. Laid quietly a bloody bullet wound reverberation in his left shoulder. As much as Usagi wanted to she just COULDN'T kill him. She couldn't kill anyone. She'd won the battle with satan after all even as he drove her feet to move.
Usagi immediately went to Mina's aid and struggled to untie the girl which took a lot of effort and just as she began to get the last bindings Mamoru awoke like ghost and blew the girl over onto the floor powerfully with the butt of his pistol against her chest. As Usagi laid she rolled against the carpet as Mamoru exploded a shattering bullet where she once laid. Expecting Mamoru to continue firing at her, instead he grabbed a freeing Mina and held her roughly again dragging her outside the house as once again she was helpless.
Out into the darkness.
Usagi wanted to cry. Wanted to crawl right upstairs to her bed and wake up. Wake up completely. While she was there. To just wake up. She was in so much pain but kept it all aside as she rose up to follow Mamoru. She HAD to save Mina and this time she wasn't going to miss her aim toward Mamoru's death. He was a crazy. Insane and he HAD to be stopped. Nevertheless after all this Usagi knew her life was over. There was nothing left for her to do but stop Mamoru and prepare to be separated from Shingo. Her life was all over.
Mamoru walked into his own trap. Outside he was greeted greatly with a blockage of police cars from either side of the road while he stood among their headlights in the center of the residential area just as they screeched to a halt sirens blaring their familiar tunes of justice. Mamoru just laughed as the team shield themselves pass their open doors and raised their weaponry against an unstable Mamoru who held Mina even tighter, the pistol against her head.
Mamoru just laughed. All he could do was laugh at the whole mess and couldn't believe he was on the other side for once. Way on the other side. And he knew his life was over as it was.
"Mamoru!" Setsuna's racy body streamed from one of the drivers seats. Mamoru swung around with Mina roughly at slave toward his best friend's voice. "Mamoru," Setsuna called again. "Mamoru, how about we talk!? Want to talk!?"
"NO!" Mamoru hollered. "I don't want to fucking TALK! I want… I want…"
"Motoki I know," Setsuna answered. "I do too Mamoru but Motoki's gone and this isn't going to bring him back one bit! Let the girl go Mamoru and let's talk! Let's talk about… about those good days! Days with you Motoki and myself at the academy! Remember those days!?"
"But…!"
"It's okay Mamoru, we can talk!"
Mamoru shook his head as streams of tears slide down his dirty face. Mamoru began to crumble and Setsuna began to walk toward him. She was getting to him. So terribly afraid, she was getting to him. Her best friend.
Setsuna was so scared. She knew it was all over Motoki that Mamoru was going insane. How when he discovered Motoki's body he plotted revenge on someone. A pop idol Setsuna never would have guessed until the station got a call of a kidnap from the airport leading the team to the Tsukino residence. Everything was so related it seemed. Mamoru's obsession over finding the children that murdered their father weeks ago, and now to see Mamoru step from the exact house it that started it all.
Was Mamoru really lost to her now was her greatest fear?
"They – " Mamoru followed up sobbing. "They took Motoki Setsuna!"
Setsuna shook her head sending her forest-green hair waving as she stopped at the hood of the police car she'd stepped from. "No one took Motoki away but himself! And it's time we talk about that! We have to talk our things out Mamoru!"
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Mamoru wailed and his sobbing ended, he stood straight and pressed the pistol harder against Mina's temple. Mina winched and cried out. "Talking doesn't help! What helps is to stop those that take away the ones we love!"
Setsuna stopped at her final step and at that point realized she'd lost Mamoru completely. The look in his eyes told her he was gone. Long gone. She almost had him until-
"Mamoru!" a small young blond girl exited the house Setsuna spotted. The girl was crying Setsuna could tell. "I can promise you Mamoru that killing won't solved anything!" the girl informed bravely. "It only causes more problems!"
Usagi was valiant. She stepped forward after listening to the incident. She stepped forward so valiantly and yet so distressing that she had to cry. Mamoru was confused and lost and she knew exactly how it felt. EXACTLY.
Mamoru looked at her as she continued.
"It solves nothing Mamoru! My mother died and you know what happened? My father couldn't deal with it. He became lost! He made me into something horrible that I'm not and I stood strong and afraid to ever tell anyone! I told no one about what he did to me! I didn't TALK to anyone Mamoru!" Usagi cleared her throat. "My father's dead now! Killed by his own children and now look where I'm at! LOOK WHERE I'M ATTTTTTTT!" Usagi screamed near a fall. Her eyes burning with tears. "I'm no where! We killed my father hoping all our problems were to be solved and look where it got us! Nowhere! My life is over and I'm only fifteen! And you want to know why? Because killing solves nothing! If only I had the strength to talk to someone about what I was going through then I'd still have a father! I'd still have a LIFE! But instead I kept it to myself and allowed someone else to take up my problems, my own brother! He took up my problems and ended them all only to toss me straight into hell!"
Usagi stopped before the sidewalk.
"I'm Usagi Mamoru!" Usagi opened up her arms and pushed her chest forward. "She's not! And if you believe what I told you then you'd let her go! However if you don't, I'll allow you to take my life until you learn!"
Mamoru said nothing. Nothing at all until-
He shot his forever-lost eyes up into Usagi from the road.
"I WILL BE WITH MOTOKI FOREVER!" he yelled and fired the bullet into Mina.
Like an erupting volcanoe Mina Spears' bloody astuteness spewed across the horrible road and she dropped lifelessly as an army of angled bullet rounds went stabbing into Mamoru smoking up fire at each pull of the triggers.
Explosion after explosion after explosion. Hole after hole blowing through Mamoru's swollen body.
Usagi screamed covering her eyes stepping far away. Setsuna fell to the concrete, to her knees.
The rounds receded and the bloody tattered body of Chiba Mamoru crossed lifelessly over Mina Spears' body.
It was over.
A once healthy, lively, succeeding youth with her world, her life, ahead of her. Once a sane, handsome, incredible, and honorable man. The death of two souls. Hopefully they could find peace….
Usagi on the other hand felt like the last to go. With both Mamoru and Mina killed before her eyes…. While the police and ambulance pulled together to gather the bodies she went into her house like she did so many times before shutting the door behind her and there was Shingo. Standing at the foot of the stairs just looking at her.
Usagi scooped up the revolver from the floor and softly told him to go up to her room. And without questing he did so.
Time to break the lock on her cage. Time to end it all completely. No more running, hiding, no nothing. Time… it was always time.
As Usagi got to her room covered in yellow tape, her once white pure carpet now stained with her father's blood she told Shingo to look. To turn around and look at what he'd did. Look at what he'd caused and while Shingo looked Usagi raised the revolver…
… And shot her brother in the back like the spineless devil she was…
Shingo yelped as the bullet blew into and he crumbled over his father's blood.
For once… Usagi didn't cry what so ever…
Outside the house, as the team moved in to arrest Usagi or do whatever she felt they were going to do, there was a final flash from within the upstairs bedroom window that one belonged to Usagi. One last bullet. One last life…
Usagi was finally free. Maybe Mamoru wasn't so insane. He was going to spend the rest of his life with Motoki in death. Mamoru was now happy. So why couldn't Usagi be happy? She made the choice to reunion her entire family. Her mother, father, brother, and herself. Reunite them all in heaven where she could be happen. Mamoru held truth it seemed to her. No point in denying what she didn't have on her previous side. There was nothing there anymore. So she had to cross. Cross to be happy again. This time happy forever.
Tsukino Usagi… dead….
But happy…? We'll never know…
A year later…
It was only Shingo's fifth time visiting the graves within a year. Headstones marked of his mother, his father, and his sister. Today he had to come. Whenever he felt guilty for being alive and once again able to smile within his new foster family he'd visit the gravesite and just pray.
"Am I going to fast Shi-shi!?" Shingo's foster sister Chibi-Usa asked as she pushed heavily against Shingo's wheelchair toward the graves along the dirt path.
"No it's just fine," he answered. "Here, over to the right."
Little Chibi-Usa went along Shingo's guidance until he alarmed her to stop before his families' gave under a tree where birds were happily singing. The best spot and only his mom could pick such a place. As if she knew that instead of crying she'd found it best for her family to smile under such a place.
Shingo and Chibi-Usa stopped at the graves. Silence.
Now was the time. Chibi-Usa handed Shingo the bag of cheery blossoms and together they prayed as they spread them over his family's grave.
When they stopped Chibi-Usa looked at Shingo and asked: "what does that mean?"
Shingo smiled. "It's sort of like respecting and honoring all the people who died trying to save me and my family's life. And those that didn't die. It's just my way of showing appreciation."
"Oh," the baby-faced girl shrugged her shoulders. She already knew the story. Knew as much as Shingo could tell her at least. Bored and short- attentioned sometimes at that moment Chibi-Usa ran off to chase a butterfly to leave Shingo alone.
"Mom, Dad, Makoto, Motoki, Mamoru, Mina," Shingo whispered in prayer his eyes close and the wind rustling. "And of course Usagi. I hope somewhere you're all happy. And finally there will be no more."
Shingo sighed heavily concluding his short prayer and turned his wheelchair around to deeply appreciate and soak in the fact that once again he was given a second chance. He could never stay and say much because he hated every last one of them…
Most of all…
He hated Papa-Kenji…
THE END
Whatever happened to…?
Setsuna – Married with a baby on the way and two adopted children.
Haruka – Haruka finally went back to her parents. To talk. After the news of Usagi's death she knew she had to clear up a LOT of boundaries between them all. Currently she's moving out of her boathouse and preparing to pioneer her on business. Usagi impacted her life greatly for the better.
Ami – Still a doctor but also a part time children's counselor. Usagi's impact told her it was important to reach out farther to children in trouble, so she given it up as a duty of part time work.
Michiru – happily engaged and pulling away from the club completely. She now has an actual REAL job on the way.
Hotaru – owner of the club. After Grandpa Hino was mysterious murdered she took it upon herself to take over the club.
Rei – currently quit the body guarding business and turned to choreographing
If anyone I'm missing let me know.
Anyway, finally I'm finished. So how was it? Could you take the time to tell me? Especially considering it took me forever to finish it because of all the pressures of writing a final chapter. I can NEVER get the final chapter right. But close. So I mean… please e-mail me what you thought of the overall story because like… e-mails are therapeutic after finally finishing a story. Shows people liked it *shrug* hehehehehe and that you did a pleasing job. Unless you're scared eh?
*HEAVY SIGHHHHHHH*
E-MAIL: MoonTowel18@msn.com
TITLE: Papa-Kenji… Please No More
RATING: PG-13
NOTE: Well it's been a good six or seven… or EIGHT months writing this story but it's finally time to end it *sob sob*. It's like having to clear a lot of things to concentrate on other things I guess (shrug). But finally I'm down to the last and final drop. And here it goes…. FINALLY. Last chapter Setsuna and Mamoru discovered Motoki's death; Haruka and Usagi discovered Makoto's death. Mamoru vows to kill the prostitute who he blames caused all of what happened which in fact is actually the girl he's been looking for all along. And Usagi finally decides to see if she could get help from the megastar Mina. I guess all there is now is to find out what happens to the rest of the characters in this conclusion. I absolutely cannot WAIT till springtime!!!!!
DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon 1992-2002. Naoko Takeuchi. Kondansha Ltd. And Toei Animation.
THANKS: Er'body who read this story and liked it( and RE: CV soundtrack for keeping me dedicated and into what was written without straying off from the pressure, and of course Naoko
~~~~~~~~~~Papa-Kenji… Please No More~~~~~~~~~~
CHAPTER 8
FINALE
The room began to spin inward as the curtains rose up in the dressing room where Usagi sat plastered against Mina Spears' vanity chair. Her bottom warm and itchy with splitter nerves as she watched quietly as Mina began reading the letter she spend thirty minutes in the damp dressing room putting together. Thirty minutes relieving and revealing the nearly two weeks secret braces against her life. Usagi had poured everything into that letter, everything she could and cried throughout the entire process until her eyes were puffy and red.
Mina's clock kept ticking with each uneasy heart pace as she stood there in the center of her dressing room her eyes scanning the stationary paper as Usagi tried to read them. Tried to read those eyes that seemed to soak in everything. Soak in everything to some amazement of sorts. Almost like a movie, a drama that was too real.
Mina's bodyguard Rei stood at the rear of the room, her shaded purple eyes roaming elsewhere upset at Usagi's presence in the room in the first place and how Mina just let her stay. Still she wasn't about to get too much involved with things and allowed Mina to read the blond's letter without a fuss although she'd glance at her clock every six seconds or so to make sure they remained on time. Rei did have a curiosity for what was on the letter, at first she figured just another fan letter but the velocity around the room told her differently. There was no excitement and she felt it. There was only… darkness. Moving so slowly. It was almost unbearable for her to stand still in the murkiness but she managed and therefore became probing as to what exactly was in that letter to disrupt the atmosphere.
Usagi wanted to shift in her seat as her eyes buried themselves on Mina who read the letter up close to her face her tiny pink lips mouthing along every word. She tried so desperately to let Mina know everything. Let her know this wasn't a joke and make it sound as desperate as for her radical plan to hitch a ride with Mina was going to work. Usagi couldn't deal with anymore of this strife and she felt that if she were given more at this very moment it would be the end of her. She'd finish it off for real. She was at the end of the rope.
And so Mina kept at her reading. Engrossed and completely sickened at the same time her eyes blinking in disgust as she'd never read or HEARD a thing as awful as this. And it made her want to throw up and throw the girl out of her dressing room because she didn't want to believe something as sinister as this was true. Sure she'd read fan letters of abuse but this one… this was just too… too much. However, it was the little boy mentioned several times in the letter that kept Mina from tripping on the girl and tossing her on out. All Mina could do was imaging what kind of life he'd led if all this continued.
Mina quickly figured out what kind of life he'd led at the end when the girl made a claim in her letter that this was her final try, if this goes wrong then it's over for her.
Mina blinked her large blue eyes lowering the letter. She raised a hand over her mouth sighing as she looked at the blond Usagi girl and tried to figure out was this really just a joke. Some insane fan? She knew almost otherwise as she stared into the blond girl's weary blue redden eyes that cried for help. The girl did look awful. Shabby and just… used all up. And if she were to go on she wouldn't make it. Nor would her brother.
Still it was so insane. Why'd she have to pick Mina!? Why jump to such drastic means to get on her private jet? There was nothing there. What kind of life did she think she'd led back in Mina's country? It would just be even harder and Mina didn't want the responsibility. She had a career; she'd done right in life and didn't want this screwing it all up.
"I can't…" Mina choked closing her eyes turning away from Usagi's eyes. Mina shook her head. "I just can't – you can't be serious!" Mina turned sharply toward Usagi almost in rage. "You're putting so much on the line! ME! My career! How can you think something like this!?"
Usagi stood up in a rush. "Because I have no choice!" she pled forcing back the biting tears. "I have no choice but to trust in you! I have nothing but Shingo and I-"
Rei began to move in taking the letter from Mina's hands and started scanning it finally ready to confirm any unclear accusations she owned.
Mina raked a saucy hand through her hair. "You do have a choice!" she persevered. "A choice to find another way! I can't…" Mina paused closing her eyes for a second not really in the sharing mood to continue this conversation. "I can't be responsible for you two once the plane lands."
"And you won't!" Usagi nodded forcing herself not to cry. Forcing Mina to understand. For someone to just UNDERSTAND and help her for once. "Once the plane lands me and my brother will be out of your sight. Far away. We won't ask for anything more."
"No," Mina shook her head. "No, no, no, NO! Look at you!" Mina shot a gesturing hand toward Usagi. "If this is what you look like here in Japan think about in another country! You'll be on the streets again. It's just all going to be even worst! You're not going to make it!"
"Yes I CAN!" Usagi roared ready to punch the hell out of Mina Spears in her aggravation!
"NO! You can barely do it here!" Mina spoke sternly inspecting Usagi from head to toe as the girl got heated.
Usagi took striding steps toward Mina her hands in fist at her sides. "I know the language. I'll adapt but I know I can do this!"
Rei balled up the letter tossing it in the nearest wastebasket and looked up at Usagi and simply said blankly: "Bring her."
Mina and Usagi looked at Rei with an unsure pleasure.
Rei nodded to confirm their looks. "Bring her. She's coming with us."
Usagi smiled but Mina jumped in angry her long blond locks whisky cutting the heat steaming in the air before Usagi at the turn.
"Are you crazy!?" Mina cried out. "You've just lost your damn mind Rei! That's risking YOUR job and-"
"No it's not," Rei contended taking Mina's shoulders with a warm smile then she moved into Mina's ear and began to whisper.
Usagi just looked and when she saw Mina Spears turn around with a huge glowing smile she figured nothing more than she was on her way to becoming a popstar.
Usagi wanted to smile back but the intensity of her sadness held her facial muscles into a constant bawl. If she was able then there was no reason to question anything. No reason to question why Rei choose so or Mina suddenly shined with excitement. There was no question. Usagi just wanted it and was going to just get it without thinking about the future and what could possibly be next.
A small part of her however wanted to know what gave; forcing it aside she calmly shook her head.
Rei looked at her watch then demanded Mina hurry and get dressed. She took Usagi along with her outside the dressing room and into the crowded thin hallway where crewmen were working to break down the stage upstairs. Usagi stepped out of the path of a large man carrying a piece of equipment.
"Usagi," Rei spoke nearly shocking the girl as she whisked back to Rei's side. With a gesture of her head Rei implored Usagi to follow her where the two dipped into an alcove sitting area right, implanted in the trafficking hallway. "Take a seat." Rei insisted as Usagi settled onto a cushioned seat, Rei standing before her.
At first Usagi could only look at the floor but feeling Rei's shadow doubted the floor had answers and Usagi's head craned up to look into Rei's dark eyes.
"This is a dangerous situation," Rei began keeping herself closed to only Usagi her arms folded in power. "Before you ask I want to explain why I'm agreeing."
Usagi blinked. "Wh – why?" she was almost afraid to ask.
"Because I honestly believe you need help," she said darkly. Then Rei stopped and beamed a winning smile along side a fingering peace sign. "If this gets into the papers Mina's album sells will skyrocket!"
"Oh," Usagi slumped due to Rei's rude awakening of information.
So that's why, Usagi thought wryly until she really focused on the issue.
Would that mean she'd be in the papers everywhere in America? Would that mean her story will get out and she'd be a criminal there likewise? One thing was for sure, Usagi wasn't thinking things completely through and even she knew it.
No, Usagi disagreed shaking her head. Think positively. Everything is going to be fine.
"Hi-hiiiiii!" Mina peeked around the alcove corner. "I'm readyyyyyyy!" she grinned.
"Awesome," Rei clapped her hands together.
"Security, security, security," Mamoru hollered holding up his badge merging through the civic hallways toward the ending concert. He emerged into the dissembling of the auditorium where the stage performance had ended thirty minutes ago. Men everywhere dressed in black were working the equipment apart and he scanned his eyes left and right holding his hand against the upper level balcony reaching to spot the girl. That girl that seemed so familiar. The girl he hadn't figured out just yet over. The girl who murdered Motoki.
There was no time to think about the past. It was time to finish off the future and seeing not a single fan was in sight he whirled around and followed up his plan to check the backstage area. Mamoru stormed through and through, he KNEW the blond girl was somewhere around.
And she was…
Usagi sat silently praying to herself that everything would work out just fine as she sat in between Mina and Rei in Mina's limousine driving through the pathway created by the millions of ruckus fans screaming and cheering as Mina reared her head out the window to smile and wave. Usagi sat silently in envy. Complete and total.
The weaken girl kept her hands together over her lap and just looked at them stealing glances of her hopeful dreams to come which were planted on Mina.
One step at a time, Usagi told herself.
She continued to pray. Pray that Shingo would be at the airport as planned when she called the boathouse earlier. Prayed that she wouldn't lose her control. Pray that this was all going to finally be over.
Usagi began to cry hoping that she was dried up…
Mamoru had finally gotten his clue. Mina was leaving toward her private line at the airport in company, another blond girl. What other choice did Mamoru have to take than follow up on it and rush to his car? He was determined and had not a single peep of sanity in his mind. He just wanted the girl dead.
But what was this thing that kept telling him that he KNEW the girl from somewhere? Over and over again something told him that he'd meet her before. Like he knew her face from somewhere…
It was almost like the girl from that picture. The girl who'd murdered her father…
Could it be the same girl? He thought gunning the gas toward the airport. In either case it was time to find out.
Usagi wrapped her arms around a teary eyed Shingo and thanked Haruka of all people who'd brought Shingo back to her in tow both their book bags. The bags that would be taking away last hopes and wishes with them. The bag that would take what remained of their old life. They're gone life.
There was so much tension in the near vacant airport terminal. They were to embark onto Mina's plane from the runway at its arrival. Until then an ecstatic Shingo sat alongside Mina while Haruka pulled Usagi aside.
"I'm going as far away as I possibly can?" Usagi avoided Haruka's eyes while watching only Haruka's neck as she spoke. "You'll never see me again." Usagi then forced a grin. "Unless you turn on the television."
Haruka snuffed folding her heavy arms looking down on Usagi. It amazed Haruka in the very end how brave and enduring Usagi was. She was still alive and somewhat sane. Just too many these days and Usagi's well being being at stake so much and her provisory to pull out safely was slight astonishing to Haruka. Then again, Haruka felt she'd been through far worst and maybe Usagi was surviving by luck.
Nevertheless, sorry and regretting a lot of the things that pushed Usagi away from Haruka, Haruka opened up her arms and collected the small blond youth in a tight hug.
"You just continue to be lucky and careful," Haruka whispered into Usagi's ear. "Continue keeping a low profile and promise me that I'll see you safe and on television one of these days when it's all finally over."
A tear slipped from Usagi's right eye as if her eyes were to never remain empty of them that she held for everyone; she nestled in the comforting clutches of Haruka's arms. Usagi nodded. Sadden that she had to leave Haruka. Sadden that Makoto had died protecting her and now Haruka was being left alone with practically no family. As much as Usagi wanted to stop and hold everything there and tell Haruka that she'd stay alongside her almost like a second sister, Usagi knew better. She didn't have long staying afloat before the police would come and take her away from Shingo. Take her away from her OWN lasting family. Something Usagi wouldn't be able to deal with. There was no way Usagi and Shingo could stay together as long as they were within where they were. Hell and a little bit more of something else…
"I'll give it my all," Usagi responding hurrying to dry her eyes before Haruka could see and call her weak as they pulled apart.
The two looked into each other's eyes. Reasoning, once again looking for another thing to clinch against too.
Usagi was weak when Haruka wasn't looking. Haruka leaving out of the terminal not turning her back on her past and yet her accomplishment in Usagi. Usagi cried and mouthed a silent "thank you" and Haruka was gone.
Before Usagi knew it Haruka was out of her life…
A soft hand slid onto Usagi's trembling shoulders, as it was Rei informing Usagi that it was time to go.
Usagi nodded and wiped her eyes turning. Shingo handed his sister her book bag and she held onto him tight bending down to his level looking deep into his eyes. Searching and hoping for no objectives.
"We're about to start a new life together," Usagi told her younger brother. He couldn't cry. He just couldn't cry. "A life far away, just you and I. I know we really don't know what's out there but… together we'll make it. We just have to trust that everything is going to be alright."
Shingo nodded his paling head. He didn't care. He stopped caring long ago. All he'd do was follow his sister and do his best to keep himself together.
Usagi threw her brother into a hug and the two followed Rei and Mina and Mina's accompany crew out to the runway.
As the team walked toward Mina's plane settled on the runway a chilling air floated over Usagi's head like ice. Something was wrong-
"FREEZE!"
Everyone turned and there he stood.
Usagi gasped sharply near a choke as she recognized him and knew exactly why he was there. Knew exactly why the barrel of his pistol was pointed right at her from afar immediately as he stepped out of the airport taxi that drove him onto the runway pausing at the edge near the terminal. Security didn't follow from the distance. It was he and Usagi; ready to dig her hole at the very site.
Always something, always something coming to end her dreams. Always something turning around and nipping her four times over.
The man she'd felt she could fall in love with, the stranger, stood there one leg out of the yellow taxi. His pistol seemingly burrowing right into Usagi's frozen flesh. His black tie flapping in the air spewing a sinister wind.
Usagi was terrified. He followed up on her and was now about to destroy her for destroying is relationship. Rather being apart of it. Then there was her selfishness involved. Still… was this the end?
"It's over Tsukino Usagi!" the man yelled splitting the knife through Usagi's heart. And now… not only was he back for revenge but he was apart of the one thing that could completely take her away from her brother. With the expanding grudge it wouldn't lead to a foster home, not even prison, it would only lead to murder. And Usagi knew that beyond those deadly eyes were the tolls for vengeance. The score had to be settled and now that he knew she was much more of a fugitive was all the more reason to blast the hell out of her and see it as otherwise than his own demons commanding him to take the life of his despair. His mistake.
"What's going on!?" Rei shouted stepping between Usagi and her pursier. "Go away before I call the-!"
"They're already here," the man wiped out his badge. "The name's Chiba Mamoru, and I am here to take Tsukino Usagi and her brother!"
Usagi grimaced. This couldn't be happening yet it made sense. She had to pay for all the awful things she'd done. But while she was so damn close? NO!
Usagi's fire began to burn. She was just TOO close.
Mamoru held the pistol tight and took small enduring steps toward the silent group who at all didn't know exactly what to say or what to explain. "You lose Usagi, you've been gone long enough and it's time to take you in! And Motoki! It was YOU! It was all YOU the whole time wasn't it!?"
Usagi's fire burned greater and without her knowing she pulled her book bag over her chest and opened it slightly fishing her hands inside. She never thought she could do this and literally make her a true fugitive but she wasn't going to take this. She wasn't going to allow his sins to be paid by her life.
Usagi's fingers wrapped around the cold metal.
And before she knew it she threw the revolver out of it's hiding, aimed and fired almost blindly with effort, the impact nearly sending the meek blond rocketing to the asphalt. Mamoru fired back. Screams erupted; panic consumed the area. It was just all wrong and all Usagi could do was fire another round as Mamoru charged toward the team. Usagi stopped, ducked low, grabbed Shingo and scuttled her way toward the plane as low and out of sight among Mina's cowering crew as she could. She'd caused the distraction and now was her and Shingo's turn to make a run for the plane within the sea of people without being seen.
One hand gripped Shingo's soft flesh. The other held onto the magnificent power of her father's revolver held tight in her hand. The two went as fast as they could and was almost there before the wailing screams of Mina erupted.
"NO! Let me go! REI!"
An insane Mamoru held Mina Spears in his clutches dragging the helpless girl back to the taxi where the driver had made a run for it once the shooting began. A helpless Mina struggling screaming and aching painfully to break free of Mamoru's grasp as he held the pistol coldly against her right temple her nails clawing at the manly arm wrapped around her throat.
Usagi was too afraid to turn as she dove behind a baggage cart carrying stage equipment and otherwise with Shingo at her side chilling through the night whispering something unrecognizable in his frightened voice.
"LET HER GO YOU MANIC!" Rei snarled running forth only to stop as Mamoru fired a bullet at her. Rei hit the asphalt fast and hard.
"Back home!" Mamoru's panic horsing eyes proclaimed. "I'm taking her back home! Back home to die!" At that Mamoru brought the butt of the pistol rigid against Mina Spears' skull and the blond faded at the instant.
Usagi finally got the nerve to peek beyond the baggage cart only to find Mamoru toss Mina into the car holding the crew at bay with his pistol until he got inside and sped off skidding the tires in grappling smoke.
Security guards threw up their pistols aiming at the car now that Mina Spears was tucked away from their aim and they began to blow rounds into the speeding yellow taxi car as it flew down the runway turning away completely.
Mamoru was gone and along with him a debilitate popstar.
Usagi felt sick. It seemed like it was her fault. If only she wasn't so angry. So upset to have fired first then Mamoru wouldn't have taken Mina in the mix. Wouldn't have taken her at all!? If only! But damnit! She was always risking someone's life! Selfish! Selfish! Just didn't THINK! DIDN'T THINK!
Usagi knew she couldn't let Mina die. Not like Makoto. Not while Mina was risking a lot herself just to give Usagi a new life. She HAD to stop Mamoru and before she knew it she was up and running after them revolver at tow and satan at arm.
"USAGIIIIIIII!" Shingo yelled for her to halt. But Usagi had to keep going. As long as Shingo was with the others he was safe. As long as he wasn't around Mamoru he was safe. As long as he wasn't there to see her kill Mamoru he was safe.
Usagi didn't count on Shingo following her every step.
"I'm calling the authorities to get this manic," Rei grated near tears at the horrible site of her best friend being harmed. She pulled out her cell phone and prepared to make plans to put both Usagi and Mamoru behind bars… for life…
A startled Mina blinked her eyes feeling the small thin trickle of blood seep into her right eyelashes. Everything was a blur except for the voice and the large dark shape standing before her. Her arms were pinned. Her head lying lazily to her side and she hurt… especially in the head. Throbbing. She was sore.
Harsh gritting rope dug into her tender flesh and with each movement her body quaked with pain and with each booming announcing of the buzzing voice above her went off her head chimed as if under the bell of a tower. She couldn't understand a word but knew it was sensitive to her ears.
Mina wanted to vomit and her vision was so weary but slowly coming to.
There was white carpeting. Dim lighting. She blinked feeling the wetness clog into her eyelashes.
"It's about time Usagi!" the manly voice boomed to where Mina was finally about to make it out. She struggled to lift her tired head, her blond hair spewing in its mess.
"U… Usagi," she choked swallowing the dryness in her throat. The name had a face but the situation was still vague. What happened? What could she remember? Mina closed her eyes tight and tried to think. Tried to gather all the holes in her head. She remembered, guns, a little fighting, a girl, and a car.
Suddenly a cold hand threw her chin up and she opened her tired aching eyes to the face of a twisted threatening young man.
Mina's emergency alarms began to pick up and her mentality shifted to panic. She recognized that face and remembered EVERYTHING.
She started to scream but couldn't get it out only dosing over in sincerest pain.
"It's over Usagi," the man hissed into her face. "All over. I finally got you. Got you all alone to do what's meant to be done."
Even in Mina's state she knew better to object. She just wasn't Usagi what so ever.
"I'm not…" she forced tightening her eyes then continued. "I'm not Usagi."
"SHUT UP!" Mamoru outraged striking the girl across the face.
Mina began to cry. She was terrified and already in enough pain. Was this what she deserved for assonating along with Usagi's curses? For trying to help her. All this pain? Was this what she deserved for trying to do something right in another person's coarsened life?
"Pleaseeeeeee," Mina pled her face wet and red and her eyes eyeing the white carpeting of someone's house… someone's living room. She was so afraid that she tembled. "I'm not Usagi. Please let me go-"
"NO! You'll never fool me again!" Mamoru shoot up and paced slightly. "Not this time," he grind his jaw, all the anguish from his mistakes tightening against his heart and prone mind. "You have to die!" Mamoru threw the barrel of the gun into the girl's face. "You just have to die!"
All Mina could do was cry and think was this it. Was this how it was all going to end? Her paying the price for someone else's problems? Someone else's sins? Was this really how it all was going to end?
"It's so simple," Mamoru threw down his gun from her face. "So simple. You fuck up and you have to pay for it simple as that," he paced menacingly. "So simple. Simple simple SIMPLE."
Mina couldn't question him. She was too fearful of asking the wrong thing and could only pray that someone could quickly to rescue her.
Mamoru moved around the Tsukino's living room and took a picture of the family off the wall. He hated the picture. The whole time he was there it looked at him. All those happy eyes just kept looking at him. With the picture he thrust it into a sobbing Mina's face.
"See, happy huh!? Allllllllllllllllll happy!" he's eyes wielded. "Happy little family! SEE!? I was happy! I was happy! HAPPY!" He pushed the frame deeming into Mina's shattered face. "Now that YOU'RE not happy like this picture, you decide to take it on me too! To curse ME!"
The picture flew out of Mamoru's hands as he threw it across the room where it shattered darkly in it's own corner. He looked down at a broken Mina and threw his lips against hers. Hard and hungrily pressing himself against her as she refused and muffled feebly for him to stop but he continued. Holding his lips against hers dangerously nearly toppling the dinning room chair she laid tied on over onto the floor.
Mamoru pulled away. Drew back from her. Held up the pistol…
"Sweet dreams." His finger reached for the trigger.
Right on time the front door threw open and there she stood the revolver gripping treacherously in her uncontrolling hands aimed at Mamoru who looked at her even as she laid showered in the darkness.
It was Usagi.
While he was open Usagi fired sending Mamoru wailing over, over, over, over, over, and-
SPAAAA-LASHHHHHHHH! Through the Tsukino's coffee table.
Usagi's heavy breath echoed through the room and Mina's panic relieved voice cried out. Usagi… exhausted beyond belief from her run. She'd ran. She'd ran so damn hard to stop it all. Her feet hurt, her lungs deprived of salvaged oxygen. But she ran. She ran. She was NOT going to let Mina die. Nobody else was going to die for her.
Silence.
Mamoru laid fallen into the glass coffee table as if sleeping. Laid quietly a bloody bullet wound reverberation in his left shoulder. As much as Usagi wanted to she just COULDN'T kill him. She couldn't kill anyone. She'd won the battle with satan after all even as he drove her feet to move.
Usagi immediately went to Mina's aid and struggled to untie the girl which took a lot of effort and just as she began to get the last bindings Mamoru awoke like ghost and blew the girl over onto the floor powerfully with the butt of his pistol against her chest. As Usagi laid she rolled against the carpet as Mamoru exploded a shattering bullet where she once laid. Expecting Mamoru to continue firing at her, instead he grabbed a freeing Mina and held her roughly again dragging her outside the house as once again she was helpless.
Out into the darkness.
Usagi wanted to cry. Wanted to crawl right upstairs to her bed and wake up. Wake up completely. While she was there. To just wake up. She was in so much pain but kept it all aside as she rose up to follow Mamoru. She HAD to save Mina and this time she wasn't going to miss her aim toward Mamoru's death. He was a crazy. Insane and he HAD to be stopped. Nevertheless after all this Usagi knew her life was over. There was nothing left for her to do but stop Mamoru and prepare to be separated from Shingo. Her life was all over.
Mamoru walked into his own trap. Outside he was greeted greatly with a blockage of police cars from either side of the road while he stood among their headlights in the center of the residential area just as they screeched to a halt sirens blaring their familiar tunes of justice. Mamoru just laughed as the team shield themselves pass their open doors and raised their weaponry against an unstable Mamoru who held Mina even tighter, the pistol against her head.
Mamoru just laughed. All he could do was laugh at the whole mess and couldn't believe he was on the other side for once. Way on the other side. And he knew his life was over as it was.
"Mamoru!" Setsuna's racy body streamed from one of the drivers seats. Mamoru swung around with Mina roughly at slave toward his best friend's voice. "Mamoru," Setsuna called again. "Mamoru, how about we talk!? Want to talk!?"
"NO!" Mamoru hollered. "I don't want to fucking TALK! I want… I want…"
"Motoki I know," Setsuna answered. "I do too Mamoru but Motoki's gone and this isn't going to bring him back one bit! Let the girl go Mamoru and let's talk! Let's talk about… about those good days! Days with you Motoki and myself at the academy! Remember those days!?"
"But…!"
"It's okay Mamoru, we can talk!"
Mamoru shook his head as streams of tears slide down his dirty face. Mamoru began to crumble and Setsuna began to walk toward him. She was getting to him. So terribly afraid, she was getting to him. Her best friend.
Setsuna was so scared. She knew it was all over Motoki that Mamoru was going insane. How when he discovered Motoki's body he plotted revenge on someone. A pop idol Setsuna never would have guessed until the station got a call of a kidnap from the airport leading the team to the Tsukino residence. Everything was so related it seemed. Mamoru's obsession over finding the children that murdered their father weeks ago, and now to see Mamoru step from the exact house it that started it all.
Was Mamoru really lost to her now was her greatest fear?
"They – " Mamoru followed up sobbing. "They took Motoki Setsuna!"
Setsuna shook her head sending her forest-green hair waving as she stopped at the hood of the police car she'd stepped from. "No one took Motoki away but himself! And it's time we talk about that! We have to talk our things out Mamoru!"
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Mamoru wailed and his sobbing ended, he stood straight and pressed the pistol harder against Mina's temple. Mina winched and cried out. "Talking doesn't help! What helps is to stop those that take away the ones we love!"
Setsuna stopped at her final step and at that point realized she'd lost Mamoru completely. The look in his eyes told her he was gone. Long gone. She almost had him until-
"Mamoru!" a small young blond girl exited the house Setsuna spotted. The girl was crying Setsuna could tell. "I can promise you Mamoru that killing won't solved anything!" the girl informed bravely. "It only causes more problems!"
Usagi was valiant. She stepped forward after listening to the incident. She stepped forward so valiantly and yet so distressing that she had to cry. Mamoru was confused and lost and she knew exactly how it felt. EXACTLY.
Mamoru looked at her as she continued.
"It solves nothing Mamoru! My mother died and you know what happened? My father couldn't deal with it. He became lost! He made me into something horrible that I'm not and I stood strong and afraid to ever tell anyone! I told no one about what he did to me! I didn't TALK to anyone Mamoru!" Usagi cleared her throat. "My father's dead now! Killed by his own children and now look where I'm at! LOOK WHERE I'M ATTTTTTTT!" Usagi screamed near a fall. Her eyes burning with tears. "I'm no where! We killed my father hoping all our problems were to be solved and look where it got us! Nowhere! My life is over and I'm only fifteen! And you want to know why? Because killing solves nothing! If only I had the strength to talk to someone about what I was going through then I'd still have a father! I'd still have a LIFE! But instead I kept it to myself and allowed someone else to take up my problems, my own brother! He took up my problems and ended them all only to toss me straight into hell!"
Usagi stopped before the sidewalk.
"I'm Usagi Mamoru!" Usagi opened up her arms and pushed her chest forward. "She's not! And if you believe what I told you then you'd let her go! However if you don't, I'll allow you to take my life until you learn!"
Mamoru said nothing. Nothing at all until-
He shot his forever-lost eyes up into Usagi from the road.
"I WILL BE WITH MOTOKI FOREVER!" he yelled and fired the bullet into Mina.
Like an erupting volcanoe Mina Spears' bloody astuteness spewed across the horrible road and she dropped lifelessly as an army of angled bullet rounds went stabbing into Mamoru smoking up fire at each pull of the triggers.
Explosion after explosion after explosion. Hole after hole blowing through Mamoru's swollen body.
Usagi screamed covering her eyes stepping far away. Setsuna fell to the concrete, to her knees.
The rounds receded and the bloody tattered body of Chiba Mamoru crossed lifelessly over Mina Spears' body.
It was over.
A once healthy, lively, succeeding youth with her world, her life, ahead of her. Once a sane, handsome, incredible, and honorable man. The death of two souls. Hopefully they could find peace….
Usagi on the other hand felt like the last to go. With both Mamoru and Mina killed before her eyes…. While the police and ambulance pulled together to gather the bodies she went into her house like she did so many times before shutting the door behind her and there was Shingo. Standing at the foot of the stairs just looking at her.
Usagi scooped up the revolver from the floor and softly told him to go up to her room. And without questing he did so.
Time to break the lock on her cage. Time to end it all completely. No more running, hiding, no nothing. Time… it was always time.
As Usagi got to her room covered in yellow tape, her once white pure carpet now stained with her father's blood she told Shingo to look. To turn around and look at what he'd did. Look at what he'd caused and while Shingo looked Usagi raised the revolver…
… And shot her brother in the back like the spineless devil she was…
Shingo yelped as the bullet blew into and he crumbled over his father's blood.
For once… Usagi didn't cry what so ever…
Outside the house, as the team moved in to arrest Usagi or do whatever she felt they were going to do, there was a final flash from within the upstairs bedroom window that one belonged to Usagi. One last bullet. One last life…
Usagi was finally free. Maybe Mamoru wasn't so insane. He was going to spend the rest of his life with Motoki in death. Mamoru was now happy. So why couldn't Usagi be happy? She made the choice to reunion her entire family. Her mother, father, brother, and herself. Reunite them all in heaven where she could be happen. Mamoru held truth it seemed to her. No point in denying what she didn't have on her previous side. There was nothing there anymore. So she had to cross. Cross to be happy again. This time happy forever.
Tsukino Usagi… dead….
But happy…? We'll never know…
A year later…
It was only Shingo's fifth time visiting the graves within a year. Headstones marked of his mother, his father, and his sister. Today he had to come. Whenever he felt guilty for being alive and once again able to smile within his new foster family he'd visit the gravesite and just pray.
"Am I going to fast Shi-shi!?" Shingo's foster sister Chibi-Usa asked as she pushed heavily against Shingo's wheelchair toward the graves along the dirt path.
"No it's just fine," he answered. "Here, over to the right."
Little Chibi-Usa went along Shingo's guidance until he alarmed her to stop before his families' gave under a tree where birds were happily singing. The best spot and only his mom could pick such a place. As if she knew that instead of crying she'd found it best for her family to smile under such a place.
Shingo and Chibi-Usa stopped at the graves. Silence.
Now was the time. Chibi-Usa handed Shingo the bag of cheery blossoms and together they prayed as they spread them over his family's grave.
When they stopped Chibi-Usa looked at Shingo and asked: "what does that mean?"
Shingo smiled. "It's sort of like respecting and honoring all the people who died trying to save me and my family's life. And those that didn't die. It's just my way of showing appreciation."
"Oh," the baby-faced girl shrugged her shoulders. She already knew the story. Knew as much as Shingo could tell her at least. Bored and short- attentioned sometimes at that moment Chibi-Usa ran off to chase a butterfly to leave Shingo alone.
"Mom, Dad, Makoto, Motoki, Mamoru, Mina," Shingo whispered in prayer his eyes close and the wind rustling. "And of course Usagi. I hope somewhere you're all happy. And finally there will be no more."
Shingo sighed heavily concluding his short prayer and turned his wheelchair around to deeply appreciate and soak in the fact that once again he was given a second chance. He could never stay and say much because he hated every last one of them…
Most of all…
He hated Papa-Kenji…
THE END
Whatever happened to…?
Setsuna – Married with a baby on the way and two adopted children.
Haruka – Haruka finally went back to her parents. To talk. After the news of Usagi's death she knew she had to clear up a LOT of boundaries between them all. Currently she's moving out of her boathouse and preparing to pioneer her on business. Usagi impacted her life greatly for the better.
Ami – Still a doctor but also a part time children's counselor. Usagi's impact told her it was important to reach out farther to children in trouble, so she given it up as a duty of part time work.
Michiru – happily engaged and pulling away from the club completely. She now has an actual REAL job on the way.
Hotaru – owner of the club. After Grandpa Hino was mysterious murdered she took it upon herself to take over the club.
Rei – currently quit the body guarding business and turned to choreographing
If anyone I'm missing let me know.
Anyway, finally I'm finished. So how was it? Could you take the time to tell me? Especially considering it took me forever to finish it because of all the pressures of writing a final chapter. I can NEVER get the final chapter right. But close. So I mean… please e-mail me what you thought of the overall story because like… e-mails are therapeutic after finally finishing a story. Shows people liked it *shrug* hehehehehe and that you did a pleasing job. Unless you're scared eh?
*HEAVY SIGHHHHHHH*