Title: Destiny's Way
Author: Mango
Email: mangomandie@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.geocities.com/smoondestiny
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all its characters are
copyright Naoko Takeuchi. This story is
copyright Mango, September 2002.
Rating: I'll say PG-13 for violence and language.
Distribution: Anywhere, but just let me know so I can
visit the awesome place that wants to show my work!
lol ;)
Summary: This fic is slightly AU and takes place
roughly during SMR/SMS. Sailor Moon hasn't
transformed into Super Sailor Moon.
It's been a year or two since any of the senshi
have had to transform so they've all gotten on with
their lives, until Usagi starts having
nightmares... then the fun begins ;) Oh yes,
everyone is a few years older (~20) than they are
portrayed on the show. Feedback, of course, is very
much welcome! :) Happy reading, minna-san!

Author's notes and thanks at the very end (Epilogue)

Concerning Japanese words and translations: I'll put
the translations at the end of every section :)

Japanese name conversion (last names are first in
Japan):

Tsukino Usagi = Serena
Chiba Mamoru = Darien
Kino Makoto = Lita
Aino Minako = Mina
Mizuno Ami = Amy
Hino Rei = Raye

And some suffixes to rememeber:

-chan = affectionate (mostly used for girls, though
also used in pet names, such as "Mamo-chan")
-san = respectful (can be used with a first name,
such as Usagi-san or to be even more formal, in
conjunction with the last name, like Tsukino-san.)
-kun = used for friends of the same age or your
inferior (in age or work). Usually only used on guys.


Okay, enough with the Japanese grammar lesson and on
with the story!! ;)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

With a crash, Sailor Moon's body was thrown back,
impacting roughly against a dark wall. A whimper
escaped her cut lips as she painfully lifted herself
up. It was dark, her eyes unable to adjust; unable to
see who it was that attacked her.

"Give me the ginzuishou*, Sailor Moon!" a deep voice
commanded, eyes blazing with uncontained fury.

Usagi's fuku** was torn in many places, her hair
falling out of the odango*** on her head and her
exposed arms and legs cut and bruised from numerous
attacks.

Though her body may have been beaten, the sheer
determination in her blue eyes proved that she wasn't
ready to give up just yet.

"You know I won't. I'll die before I give you the
ginzuishou!" she spat.

The voice growled. "Very well, Moon Brat. You
leave me no choice..."

Suddenly, a blinding white light pierced the
darkness; a ball of negative energy heading straight
for Usagi's exhausted form.

Desperately, she tried to move, roll, do *anything*
to get out of its murderous path, but she could only
watch in horror as it came closer and closer...

"USAKO!"

Before she could react, a caped figured leapt in
front of her, shielding her from the raw power of the
energy ball. A second later, the figure collapsed,
his life force sucked from him.

Usagi couldn't believe what her eyes were showing
her. No! No, this can't be! her mind screamed as
her hands traveled over the figure's limp body. But
no matter where she checked, she couldn't find a
pulse.

She sat in utter disbelief, her vision blurred by the
tears in her eyes until finally, she let out a heart-
wrenching scream:

"MAMO-CHAN, NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* ginzuishou = Silver Crystal
** fuku = Sailor outfit
*** odango = dumpling (In English, Serena is referred
to as 'Meatball Head.' Well, in Japan, Usagi is
'odango atama', or 'Dumpling Head' ;)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


With a start, Usagi awoke, her covers strewn about
in the dim light of her moonlit room. Her chest
heaved and sweat poured down her brow as she
replayed the gruesome images of her dream.

No, *Nightmare*.

Not again, she thought with a shudder, brushing her
damp bangs from her forehead. That's the third time
this week...

"Usagi-chan!" Luna yelled, barreling into the young
woman's room, Artemis at her heels. "Usagi-chan,
daijoubu ka*?"

Usagi's eyes filled with tears as the image of Tuxedo
Kamen's death played in her mind. "Oh Luna," she
whispered. "I had the nightmare again."

The small black cat jumped up on the bed, curling up
on the girl's lap. "Same ending?" she asked gently.

Usagi nodded, visibly shaken. "Why am I dreaming
about the ginzuishou? It's been years since we last
had any problems."

"I don't know," Artemis admitted, joining them on the
bed. "But maybe the Black Moon is on the hunt again.
Maybe they think they have a better chance of getting
the ginzuishou if they think we're unprepared."

Luna turned to Usagi. "Tomorrow, we'd better try to
get in touch with everyone, let them know about your
nightmares."

"No!" Usagi almost yelled. Both cats jumped in
surprise at her sudden outburst. "No," she repeated
quietly. "I... I think I just miss Mamo-chan. It's
been almost a month since he left to study in
America. That's probably why I keep having bad
dreams."

Artemis looked skeptical. "Usagi-chan, are you sure
you-"

"I'm not calling everyone because I'm having
nightmares, Artemis. They have better things to do
than worry about me," Usagi informed him sternly.
Luna was about to retort but the blond glared at her.
"I refuse to disrupt their normal lives just because
I can't sleep."

With a frustrated sigh, she rolled over, abruptly
ending the discussion. "Now, if you two will excuse
me, I'm going back to bed."

Luna and Artemis exchanged worried looks, but
shrugged and left Usagi to sleep, deciding that
they'd worry about what to do once morning came.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* daijoubu ka = are you alright?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Usagi awoke to the smell of an elaborate breakfast
cooking, her mind a mass of fuzzy confusion when she
realized that Mamoru was away and that the cats
couldn't cook...

She breathed deeply, inhaling the food's mingled
scent. Wait a minute! That smells like...

Without bothering to throw on a robe, Usagi jumped
out of bed and quickly made her way to the small
apartment's kitchen.

"Mako-chan?!" Usagi exclaimed, her face a combination
of confusion and joy. "What are you doing here?" She
ran over to the young woman, enveloping her in a warm
embrace.

"Ohayo*, Usagi-chan!" Makoto greeted, shifting her
attention from the stove to her friend. Luna and
Artemis watched curiously from the floor where they
were sprawled in the early morning sun. "I'm making
your favourite breakfast," the brunette explained
with a smile, turning back to the cooking food.

Usagi was still in shock. "But... but I thought you
worked today," she pointed out, pulling out a chair
to sit on. Her long, white nightgown flowed around
her like a cloud as she moved.

"I was supposed to," Makoto explained, "but I decided
to book the day off so I could come spend time with
you, Usagi. It's been ages since we last hung out."

"Hai**," Usagi agreed. "So, how is your restaurant
doing these days, Mako-chan?" she asked.

"Great!" the other girl explained. "I'm over-seeing
some important renovations at the moment."

Usagi furrowed her brow in confusion. "But I thought
only the head cook was allowed to do that?"

Makoto grinned, her eyes bright.

Realization dawned on Usagi, and she jumped up from
her chair in excitement. "Oh, Mako-chan! They made
you head cook?"

~~~~~
* ohayo = good morning
** hai = yes
~~~~~

Makoto nodded. "It's great finally being able to run
my own place," she explained, smiling. "I've spent my
whole life trying to achieve this and now I have."

Usagi bit her lip, her excitement quickly fading
away. "Yeah, we've all managed to achieve normal
lives..." she trailed off, flashing
back to her disturbing dream.

"Well, sure, but you never know when trouble will
appear again, right? Makoto pointed out with a
nervous grin.

Usagi's head snapped up at the remark. She narrowed
her eyes suspiciously, wondering if Makoto knew
something... She glanced over at the dozing
cats and caught Luna's watchful eye. The black cat
looked away, but not before Usagi caught the guilt
that lined her face, plain as day.

"Luna!" Usagi yelled, jumping up from her chair. Her
rapid movement toppled it, startling the
others. "You told Mako-chan, didn't you?"

"Usagi-chan-" Luna began, but was cut off before she
could continue.

"I can't believe you! Do you have so little faith in
me that you have to break my trust and go behind my
back?" the blond continued her rant, oblivious to the
bewildered look that plagued everyone's face.

"Usagi-chan!" Makoto yelled, shifting her friend's
attention away from the poor cat. "Usagi, yes, Luna
called me. But I had been planning a surprise visit
this week anyways." The tall girl looked sheepish.
"Figured today would be as good a day to do it as
any..."

Usagi, her angry rant interrupted, let out a
frustrated sigh. She righted her chair, slumping into
the large frame. "Gomen*, minna**," she told them,
resting her head in her hands. "I know you're all
just being a friend, but I'm fine. Really," she
insisted. "I just don't sleep well when Mamo-chan is
away."

~~~~~
* gomen = sorry
** minna = everyone
~~~~~

Makoto quickly finished the food and brought the
plates over to the table, placing one in front of her
friend. "Here. It's your favourite," she offered,
gently squeezing her shoulder.

Usagi looked up at the warm face above her and her
frustration seemed to melt away like snow. She missed
the days when her and the senshi* would hang out at
their favourite restaurant after school, discussing
the day's events and boys. Those days are gone, now
that everyone is grown up and off living their
lives, she
thought dejectedly, accepting the plate.

"Arigatou**, Mako-chan. It smells delicious."

~~~~~
* senshi = scouts/soldiers
** arigatou = thank-you
~~~~~

Makoto pulled out a chair and sat opposite her
friend. "You've been having nightmares," she finally
stated, watching Usagi push her food around the
plate, lost in thought.

"They're not that bad, Mako," Usagi assured her,
glaring down at Luna who was about to protest.
"Nothing I can't handle."

"Luna said you keep dreaming about the ginzuishou and
the death of Tuxedo Kamen," Makoto ventured
cautiously. "That sounds pretty bad to me."

At the mention of Tuxedo Kamen, Usagi's big blue eyes
welled up with tears and she turned away.

I knew it! Makoto thought. This nightmare bothers
her more than she's letting on.

"I'm right, then?" she said out loud.

"Hai," Usagi responded quietly.

"Tell me," Makoto prodded gently, her voice calm and
reassuring.

After a few minutes of tribulation, Usagi finally
revealed the disturbing images in her head. "What if
it's a warning, Mako-chan?" Usagi asked, tears
staining her soft cheeks. "What if it means something
is going to happen to Mamo-chan?"

Makoto was deep in thought, processing everything
Usagi had told her. "It's been years since any of us
had the need to transform," she pointed out. "I
haven't heard from the other senshi, but I could ask
Ami or Rei-"

"No!" Usagi exclaimed, once again startling everyone.

"That girl has *got* to learn how to control her
outbursts," Artemis mumbled, oblivious to Luna's
grimace.

"No?" Makoto repeated in confusion. "But Usagi-"

"No," Usagi said firmly. "It's bad enough that I had
to trouble you with my silly dream, Mako-chan.
Everyone's moved on, made a normal life for
themselves. I'm not going to drag them back into
this."

Luna jumped up at her words. "Usagi-chan, you *know*
we're all here for you, at any time. It's our
destiny. I really think you should listen to Makoto-
chan and talk to-"

"Baka* Luna! Why must you constantly harass me!"
Usagi snapped, instantly regretting her outburst when
she saw the hurt in the cat's red eyes. But her
temper had already been ignited.

Angrily, she pushed away from the table. "It's *my*
dream and I'm telling you that I don't want anyone
else to know about it!" She took a moment to relax,
closing her eyes as she took in a deep breath.

"Daijoubu**, minna-chan***," she told them, her voice
wavering, but under control. "Arigatou for the
breakfast, Mako-chan." With that, she turned and
left, shutting herself in her room.

Makoto exchanged worried looks with Luna and Artemis
before getting up to clear the untouched food.
"You're right, Luna," she finally said once she was
sure that Usagi was well out of earshot. "There's
more to this nightmare than she's telling us."

"So what are we going to do?" Artemis asked,
following Makoto to the door. "She's adamant about
keeping quiet."

"No matter how good of a show Usagi is putting on,
she needs our help," Luna told them quietly, head
down.

Makoto gently patted the black cat's head. "We're
doing the right thing, Luna," she assured, standing
up. "I'll call Mamoru-san tonight and see what he
thinks is the best course of action. But whatever you
do, don't let Usagi know that I told him, or all hell
will break loose." Once both cats nodded their
consent, Makoto headed home.

"And so it begins again..." Artemis mumbled, glancing
worriedly at his mate. But Luna didn't notice. Her
big red eyes were fixed, unseeing, on the Tokyo
landscape visible from the apartment's front window.

Oh, Usagi-chan. I hope I'm wrong about this...


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* baka = stupid
** daijoubu = I'm fine
*** minna-chan = still means 'everyone'. The '-chan'
is just to make it friendlier. Add '-san' and it's
formal.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Usagi sat in her room, blinds drawn and door shut as
if the outside world were a toxin that she needed to
keep away from. On top of everything, she felt
horrible; horrible about the way she treated Luna and
Makoto. They were her friends and they only wanted to
help her.

But I don't *need* help, Usagi fumed. Why can't
they just mind their own business!

She rolled over in her bed, her pink fluffy pillow
clutched to her chest. Her shimmering eyes fell upon
the picture of Mamoru she kept on her night table;
the one of him at the amusement park he had taken her
to as a surprise on their anniversary.

"Oh, Mamo-chan..." she whispered, grasping the
picture. "Why do you have to be so far away from
me...?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


It had been hours since Usagi had shut herself in
her room, and Luna knew the girl must have been
famished. But the cat refused to disturb her; fearful
she would just cause more trouble.

"Luna, don't take her outburst personally," Artemis
tried to console. "You know she hasn't been herself
since Mamoru left." But it was no use. Luna spent the
morning staring out the window, oblivious to anything
her mate told her.

It was just after one o'clock in the afternoon when
the phone rang; its loud, annoying ring finally
pulling Luna out of her depressed daze. By the time
she arrived to the receiver, Artemis had already
picked it up.

"Moshi moshi*," the white cat answered, the crescent
moon on his forehead reflecting the sun. "Mamoru-
san?!" he yelled a second later, his face lighting
up. "Thank god!" You don't know how much Usagi-chan
needs to hear your voice right now."

"I'll go wake her," Luna informed Artemis, speaking
loud enough that Mamoru heard her as well.

Tentatively, she walked up to Usagi's closed door,
suddenly afraid to go in.

This is nonsense, she scolded herself. It's Usagi,
your friend. Her confidence upped, she ventured
inside, finding the room cool and dark. Usagi's
sleeping form was curled under her comforter, a
picture of Mamoru clutched in her hand.

Carefully, she jumped on the bed and walked up to the
girl's head. "Usagi? Usagi-chan! Mamoru-san wants to
talk to you."

"Mmmm, Mamo-chan," Usagi mumbled, dreaming. She
rolled over, her limbs flailing, almost knocking Luna
off the bed.

"The things I put up with," Luna grumbled. She walked
up to the girl's ear once again. "USAGI! WAKE UP!"

"NANI*?!" Usagi yelled, jumping out of the bed as if
it were on fire. Her golden hair clung to her as she
tried unsuccessfully to untangle herself from the
covers. With a squeal, she tripped, landing
unceremoniously on the floor.

~~~~~
* moshi moshi = hello (to use when answering the
phone)
** nani? = what?
~~~~~

"WHAAAAAAAAA" she wailed as Luna covered her ears
from the assault.

"USAGI!!" Luna yelled over the girl's incessant
wailing. Some things never change with age, the cat
mused.

Usagi stopped the waterworks and glared at the cat.
"Nani?! I was sleeping if you didn't notice, Luna,"
she growled, getting up from the floor.

"Mamoru-san is on the phone!" Luna growled back. "And
I think you had better talk to him before you turn
into a permanent grump!"

At the mention of her beloved's name, Usagi's bad
mood was instantly forgotten. The girl nearly tripped
over her long nightgown in her race to the phone,
grabbing the receiver from Artemis.

"Mamo-chan? Is it really you?" Usagi asked, her voice
overflowing with excitement.

'Hai, Usako. It's me. How have you been?' Mamoru
asked, amused.

"Good," she lied, not wanting to trouble him with her
nightmares. "Except for the fact that you're not by
my side," she added mushily. Artemis made gagging
sounds behind her and Luna smacked him upside the
head.

'Aw, Usako. You should keep busy with school and not
worry about me,' he scolded, even though he felt the
exact same way.

"I miss you, Mamo-chan. When will I get to see you
again?" Usagi asked, her voice catching.

'Actually, that's what I'm calling about. I'll be
coming to visit this weekend.'

"REALLY?" Usagi exclaimed, jumping up and down. "Oh,
Mamo-chan! I can't wait that long!"

Mamoru chuckled. 'Aishiteru*, Usako. You're so
kawaii**.'

Usagi's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "I love you
too, Mamo-chan."

'I'll see you Friday night, alright?' he confirmed.
'And I've got a surprise for you that I *know* you'll
just love.'

"Hai," Usagi affirmed, barely able to contain her
excitement. "I'll see you then, my love."

'Sayonara***, my Usako.'

When Usagi hung up the phone, she glanced down to see
two sets of eyes staring up at her uncertainly.

"Ano****..." Artemis began, unsure of what to say.

"Minna, my Mamo-chan is coming to visit!" Usagi
squealed, picking Luna up in a crushing hug, her
earlier anger forgotten.

"Mumph!" Luna protested, her face squished against
Usagi's chest as she flailed her arms madly.

"Oh, gomen, Luna!" she apologized, holding the cat
away from her.

Artemis snickered from his spot on the floor.
"Urusai*****," Luna muttered, but her smile returned
a moment later when she noticed how happy Usagi was.

"So, Usagi-chan, what did Mamoru-san say?" Artemis
finally ventured.

Once Usagi had recounted her conversation, the two
cats began to purr happily. "That's great, Usagi!"
Luna exclaimed. "It's been far too long since you've
seen that man."

"Hai," Usagi said dreamily. "It has." Her eyes
hardened a second later as she looked down at the
cats. "Minna, I don't want you to breathe a *word* of
my nightmares to him, do you understand?"

"But, Usagi-" Luna protested.

"No. Not a word," she said firmly. "I want my visit
with him to be special, not plagued with speculation,
got it?"

Reluctantly, both guardians agreed to keep quiet
about the nightmares, each feeling a slight pang of
guilt knowing that Makoto had already told Mamoru.

"It really is for the best, Luna," Artemis whispered
once Usagi had gone back to her room. "Mamoru needed
to know."

"I know, Artemis. But why do I feel so bad?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* aishiteru = I love you
** kawaii = cute
*** sayonara = goodbye
**** ano... = umm...
***** urusai = 'be quiet', or 'shut up'.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Usagi-chan's been having dreams about the
ginzuishou?" Ami asked, speaking to her computer. The
webcam on her laptop broadcasted her image onto
Makoto's computer, halfway across Japan.

Almost a year ago, Ami had left Tokyo to study
medicine at a prestigious neurology hospital in
Kitami, in the north Japanese island of Hokkaido, in
turn leaving all her friends and family behind. It
had been a hard adjustment, especially knowing that
if the senshi were ever needed, she wouldn't be there
to help. But over time, she had come to accept the
fact that they had all moved on with their lives. And
so it was that this new bit of news about the
ginzuishou troubled her greatly.

"Hai. Though she refuses to talk about it. I'm not
supposed to be telling you, but I thought it best
that you look into it, let us know what your scans
pick up," Makoto explained, once again feeling guilty
for breaking Usagi's trust.

It's for the best, she kept telling herself,
although it never made her feel any better.

"I'll see what I can do, Mako-chan," Ami assured her.
"Although, I'm not sure what good my scans will do
way over here."

"Oh, come on, Ami," Makoto laughed. "You're not
*that* far away. An hour by plane, max."

Ami smiled, though her blue eyes were sad. "Maybe,
but it feels farther than that sometimes."

Makoto's sympathetic reply was cut off by a wave of
Ami's arm. "So how is Usagi doing then? Has she told
anyone else?" the blue-haired girl inquired, changing
the subject.

"Besides me and the cats? No," Makoto informed her.
"Though, I called Mamoru-san and told him about
them," she added guiltily.

"Mako-chan!" Ami jabbed good-naturedly. "Remind me to
keep quiet around you."

"Ami, I did it for her sanity!" Makoto reminded her
friend. "The mood swings that girl is going through
since Mamoru left are incredible!"

Ami laughed, her face bright on the computer screen.
"Mako-chan, it's been far too long since we chatted.
I only wish you had called with good news," she
added, her tone more serious.

"Gomen, Ami. I really do hope that it's nothing, but
you never know."

"Tell everyone 'Hi' on my behalf," she told Makoto.
"And I'll get back to you once those scans are
completed."

"Will do. Arigatou, Ami-chan!"

Once her computer had been shut down, Makoto walked
over to her dresser, catching her reflection in the
mirror.

Oh, I hope I'm doing the right thing, going behind
Usagi's back like this. Otherwise, I could be
compromising one of the most important relationships
I've ever had...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mamoru quickly checked his watch as he drove, glad to
note that he was still on time. It's great being
back in Tokyo, he thought, a smile forming on his
lips. And I can't wait to see my Usako! Even the
congested streets didn't bother his mood as he slowly
made his way towards Juuban, whistling all the while.

Less than twenty minutes later, he found himself at
the apartment he shared with Usagi, though he hadn't
been around long enough since they had bought it to
qualify as an occupant of the place.

He sighed. "I'm sorry that I've been gone, Usako," he
whispered to himself as he parked the car and got
out. He glanced up at the balcony that connected to
his room and his heart leapt. A golden silhouette
with long pigtails and big odango was looking down on
him.

"Usako?" he tentatively called up to the figure.

"Mamo-chan!" she yelled back, the happiness and
excitement in her voice overwhelming his heart.

"Chotto matte kudasai*! I'll be right up!" he called
to her, a smile playing on his face.

Without even bothering to grab his things, he ran
inside to the elevator, cursing the machine's
slowness as he waited impatiently to arrive at the
tenth floor.

When the bell chimed, signaling his arrival, the door
opened to show Usagi waiting with barely contained
excitement for him.

"Mamo-chan!" she exclaimed happily, enveloping him in
a fierce hug. "Okairi**!"

Mamoru almost fell back into the elevator from the
impact of the hug. He smiled down at her. "It's good
to be home, Usako."

He leaned down and kissed her then, a slow,
passionate kiss that seemed to last forever; their
love so bright, they seemed to illuminate the very
hall they stood in.

"Oh, Mamo-chan," Usagi whispered as she pulled away,
a dreamy look on her face. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you more, Usako," Mamoru told her,
holding her face gently in his hands.

A small, polite cough was heard from a doorway down
the hall.

Startled, the two lovers looked back to see Luna and
Artemis watching them with amused expressions.

"Luna! Artemis!" Mamoru called out, running over to
the cats and hugging them to his chest.

"Mamoru-san, okairi nasai***!" Luna told him happily,
purring. "Life in the apartment has been lonely
without you."

He smiled,

"Arigatou, Luna," he said cheerfully, placing the
cats on the ground once again before he stood up.
"But I won't be staying."

"NANI?" Usagi cried, running to his side. Her blue
eyes had doubled in size, unshed tears shimmering in
the hall's dim light. "Uso****, Mamo-chan! You just
got here!"

With a laugh, he hugged his distraught girlfriend to
his chest. "Usako, you're so kawaii."

When he pulled away, he could still see the hurt and
confusion that lined her features, so he decided it
was time to reveal his intentions. He turned back to
the cats.

"Luna, Artemis," he addressed each one. "I hope you
don't mind, but I'll be abducting Usako for a couple
of days."

"Nani?" Usagi repeated. "Really?!"

"Hai," Mamoru confirmed. "So I think you should go
get packed," he added with a laugh.

With a squeal of excitement, Usagi hugged Mamoru.
"Oh, Mamo-chan! Arigatou!" she told him before
disappearing inside their apartment to pack.

Once Usagi was out of earshot, Mamoru knelt down
beside the cats. "Makoto-chan told me about her
nightmares, minna," he informed them quietly. "I'll
try and get her to tell me more about them while
we're away."

"Arigatou, Mamoru-san," Luna thanked him. "This
getaway you have planned is just what Usagi-chan
needs."

"Yeah, maybe with you around, she'll stop having
nightmares and mood swings," Artemis joked.

Luna quickly glanced in the doorway, checking for
Usagi. "I hope you're right, Artemis," she whispered.
"But I've got a bad feeling that these dreams of hers
are foreshadowing something..."

Before Mamoru could respond, Usagi had already run up
to the trio, abruptly putting an end to their
discussion.

"I'm ready, Mamo-chan!" she informed him happily, a
stuffed overnight bag slung over her small shoulder.
Mamoru turned to the cats and winked, reassuring them
that everything would be all right.

"I'll be back in a week, minna!" Usagi called as she
followed Mamoru out the door.

"And if anything happens-" Luna began.

"Luna, you worry too much!" Usagi exclaimed, cutting
her off with a warning glance. "I'm with Mamo-chan
now. What could possibly go wrong?" With that, the
door closed behind her, leaving the cats wincing at
her temptation of fate.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
1 chotto matte kudasai = wait a minute
2 okairi = welcome back
3 okairi nasai = welcome back (formal)
4 uso = you're kidding me
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So where are we going, Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked as
she got into the passenger seat. "You still haven't
told me."

"It's a surprise, Usako," he teased, knowing full
well that his secret was driving her crazy.

"Aw, come on!" she protested, latching onto his arm
as he pulled out into the evening traffic. "Tell me,
please?"

He glanced down, her large blue eyes pleading. "Oh
all right!" he laughed, turning his attention back to
the road. "We're going to a little resort in the
mountains to relax. It'll be just you, me and nature,
Usako."

"Oh, Mamo-chan," Usagi swooned. "That sounds so
romantic."

Mamoru smiled, pleased that Usagi loved the idea.

"How are your studies going in America, Mamo-chan?"
Usagi inquired, relaxing into the comfortable seat.

"They're going good," he said with hesitation.
"Actually, I'm thinking about coming back here to
finish studying," he admitted after a moment.

"What?" Usagi exclaimed. "But Mamo-chan, you've
always dreamed of going to study abroad!"

"I know, I know. But, well... I'm doing it now
and..." He paused, glancing at Usagi; at her big,
innocent blue eyes, at her long, golden hair that
reminded him of sparkling strands of gold...

"Well what, Mamo-chan?" Usagi ventured, pulling him
out of his trance. He quickly returned his attention
to the road, swallowing the rising emotion that
threatened to break.

Get a hold of yourself, man! he scolded mentally,
clearing his throat. Might as well just spit it out,
I guess.

"The truth is, Usako, that I miss you. Miss you so
much it *hurts*." His blue eyes welled up with unshed
tears from the overflowing love he suddenly felt. "It
hurts to wake up alone every morning," he ended
quietly, keeping his eyes focused ahead.

"Oh, Mamo-chan," Usagi said, lightly touching his
arm. "It hurts me too."

Mamoru pulled Usagi's tiny body to his chest, kissing
her softly on her temple. A few minutes later, he
heard her breath even out as she fell asleep in his
arms.

"Aishiteru, Usako," he whispered, keeping one arm
wrapped around her as he drove. The rest of the
journey was passed in silence as Usagi slept, her
first dreamless sleep in a long while.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Less than an hour later, the young couple found them
selves at a scenic resort, ponds of koi swimming
contently and cherry trees in full bloom, their pink
blossoms floating in the light breeze. Birds sung
cheerily in the coming dusk, backed by the sound of a
small waterfall echoing off some rocks in the
distance.

Mamoru took in a deep breath, relishing the smell of
the fresh air. They were one with nature out here,
the lodge a good five minute walk away down a side
street. He glanced over at his sleeping princess, her
features relaxed and peaceful in her slumber.

"Usako?" he called, reaching over to gently shake
her. "We're here, Usako."

Groggily, Usagi opened her eyes, the irises growing
smaller as she tried to focus on her surroundings.
"Mamo-chan?" she called tentatively.

"I'm here, Usako. Look!" He got out of the car and
went to the passenger side, helping her out. "What do
you think of the place?"

"Oh, Mamo-chan!" Usagi exclaimed, suddenly wide
awake. "It's wonderful!" She ran to him, enveloping
his lean body in a tight hug.

"I'm glad you like it, Usako," Mamoru told her,
smiling, "because it's just you and me all week."

Usagi looked up at him, blue eyes awash with unshed
tears of happiness. "Aishiteru, Mamo-chan."

"I love you too, my little Odango," he teased,
holding her close. They stayed locked in their
embrace until Mamoru finally broke the silence. "How
about we go check out our cabin?"

"Hai," Usagi agreed with a smile, "yoush*!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* yoush! = let's go!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


"Somebody's after the ginzuishou?" Minako asked in
amazement as she sat with Makoto and the cats on the
couch. Makoto had invited the senshi to her small
apartment, wanting to discuss Usagi's nightmares with
them. Ami, who was still in Kitami, took up the
computer screen nearby, Makoto's web-cam picking up
the conversation for her.

"Hai," Luna affirmed. "At least, that's our theory."

"But why the sudden comeback?" Rei asked, confused.
"It's been years since they were last after it."

"Exactly," Makoto said. "Maybe they're trying to take
us off guard."

"The question we should be asking is: 'who are
*they*'?" Minako pointed out, the other senshi
nodding their agreement. They all turned to Ami's
projection, their faces expectant.

"Well, Ami. What did you find out?" Artemis asked.

"Not much, I'm afraid," she responded. "My scans
turned up a slight negative disturbance, but I
couldn't pinpoint its whereabouts. I don't even know
for sure if it has something to do with the Negaverse
or the Black Moon family."

"You're sure that these aren't just nightmares
Usagi's been having?" Rei demanded impatiently. "I
mean, she *is* a whiner, and-"

"This is different, Rei," Luna cut off.

"Yeah," Makoto agreed. "You guys didn't see her the
morning after she had one. Her moods were all over
the place and she was super jittery."

"Maybe she's pregnant," Rei mumbled. Everyone whipped
their heads around to stare at the raven-haired girl
in shock, sweat-drops forming on their heads.

"Rei-chan! Don't say such things!" Ami scolded from
the monitor.

"Well, it's a possibility!" Rei snapped. "'Usagi'
*does* mean 'rabbit', and you know what they say
about ra-"

Her words were cut off as Makoto covered the girl's
mouth.

"That's enough, Rei!" Luna snapped. "This is serious.
You could all be in danger." The black cat turned her
attention back to the computer.

"Ami-chan, keep scanning for any unusual energy
signatures and keep us updated."

"Hai," the blue-haired girl replied.

"As for you three," the cat continued, "keep your
senses alert and ready. Usagi's dreams have been
getting more frequent so that can only mean trouble
is on its way."

"Sure thing, Luna. You can count on us!" Minako
exclaimed. After signing off with Ami, Makoto showed
her two friends to the door.

"I'll meditate tonight, Mako-chan," Rei told her,
finally serious. "I'll let you all know what I find."

"Arigatou, Rei-chan," Makoto thanked, closing the
door. Once they were gone, she let out a big sigh and
sank to the floor.

"Makoto-chan? Daijoubu?" Artemis asked.

"I'm fine, Artemis," she assured, reaching out to pet
the white cat. He purred in contentment. "I just
forgot how stressful it is being a senshi."

Luna furrowed her brow. "Yes... You three should
henshin* tomorrow, get used to handling your powers
again. Just in case."

"Good idea, Luna," Makoto agreed. She pushed herself
to a standing position and stretched out her arms,
yawning. "But for now, I think I'm off to bed. It's
been a long day. Oyasumi**."

"Sweet dreams, Makoto," Luna whispered, watching the
tall girl head off to her bedroom. "Come on, Artemis.
It's time to go home." With that, they made their way
outside and lost themselves to the fading light of
the sun.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* henshin = transform
* oyasumi = goodnight
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On their third night away, Mamoru found
himself sprawled out on the king sized bed,
stretching his limbs as far as he could, totally
relaxed. Less than an hour earlier, he had taken a
romantic walk in the forest around their place,
holding hands with Usagi as they snuggled in each
others embrace, relishing the feel of the other.

This is the life, Mamoru sighed contently, feeling
more at peace with himself than he had all month. I
could live here forever.

A tiny door opened on the other side of the room and
Usagi emerged, towel wrapped around her head, white
nightgown flowing behind her.

"How was your bath, Usako?" Mamoru asked.

Usagi smiled, a lazy, content smile, her blue eyes
relaxed. "It was wonderful, Mamo-chan," she responded
drowsily. She jumped on the bed, snuggling up to him.
"Made me sleepy though," she admitted, her eyes
drooping.

Mamoru held her close, inhaling her fresh, clean
scent. "You've been sleeping a lot since we got
here," he remarked nonchalantly, keeping his voice
light and teasing.

"It's a relaxing place," she pointed out, stifling a
yawn.

"Have you been sleeping alright with me away?" he
asked, feeling her tense at the question.

"Of course," she replied, too quick. "Why do you
ask?"

Mamoru sighed, realizing that she wasn't going to
volunteer any information. "Makoto-chan told me about
your nightmare's, Usako," he said quietly, avoiding
her eyes.

"NANI?!" Usagi exclaimed, no longer on the verge of
falling asleep. "She did *what*?!"

"Usako, don't be mad!" Mamoru tried to calm her,
rubbing her arms gently. "She was just worried about
you."

"And I suppose this is why you brought me here," she
snapped, fire in her eyes.

"Aren't you glad to see me?" Mamoru asked, pouting.
Usagi watched him, her struggle to stay mad apparent
on her face. Finally, she smiled, giving him a hug.

"Oh, Mamo-chan. Why do you have to be so kawaii?" she
demanded, nuzzling his smooth neck.

Mamoru unraveled the towel that held Usagi's golden
hair, freeing it to dry in the light breeze that came
in through the open window. "See, aren't you glad
Makoto told me?" he murmured, kissing her forehead.

"Hai," Usagi whispered, melting in Mamoru's embrace.
"But she'll get an earful when I get back..."

Mamoru furrowed his brow. "Why all the secrecy about
your nightmares?" he finally asked.

"It's been so long since we had any trouble..." Usagi
began quietly. "We've all made normal lives for
ourselves."

"And you didn't want to ruin that," Mamoru finished,
finally understanding. "But you know what, Usako?"

"What?"

"It would have been selfish to keep the info to
yourself. Our destinies are all intertwined; they're
one and the same," Mamoru explained. "We're here to
protect you so you can protect the Earth."

Tears were running unheeded down Usagi's cheeks. "Oh,
Mamo-chan," she sobbed, clutching his shirt. "I was
only trying to protect their normal lives. I didn't
mean to keep anything from you!"

Mamoru smoothed the girl's hair, calming her. "Tell
me, Usako," he pleaded gently. "Tell me your
nightmare."

Once Usagi had calmed down and stopped crying, she
told Mamoru everything, finally collapsing when she
was done, overcome with exhaustion.

"Sleep now, my love," he whispered as he tucked her
in bed beside him. "You're safe now."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That night, Mamoru found himself wide awake in the
early morning hours, watching as his soul mate slept
peacefully beside him, snuggled into the crook of his
arm.

Poor Usako, he thought. All she ever wanted was to
be normal, but something always happened to remind
her that life can never be that way for her.

Mamoru had just begun to drift back to sleep, hugging
Usagi's form closer, when he felt her begin to squirm
in his embrace. "No...you can't have it..." she
mumbled, her brow furrowed in defiance.

"Usako? Usako!" he called, shaking her gently. Her
sleep became even more fitful, her cries louder.
"Usako! Daijoubu! I'm here. It's all right, my love,"
Mamoru reassured desperately, his heart aching as he
witnessed Usagi's inner torment.

"I'll die before I give it to you, bakayaro*!" she
yelled, her eyes still closed in sleep.

As Mamoru went to rouse her again, he recoiled in
shock. A bright white light was beginning to form on
her forehead.

"No... masaka**..." he muttered in astonishment as he
watched the royal crescent moon insignia appear as
plain as day on Usagi's sweat-stained brow.

"USAKO!!" Mamoru finally yelled, shaking her harder.
"Onegai***, WAKE UP!"

Usagi awoke with a start, her golden hair damp with
perspiration and her blue eyes wide in horror. "MAMO-
CHAN! NOOOOO!" she screamed, still oblivious to his
presence.

"USAKO! I'm here! It's me, Mamo-chan!" he assured
her, holding onto her shoulders gently, trying to get
her eyes to focus on his face. "Usako, can you hear
me? Daijoubu?"

The moon princess blinked once, twice, adjusting her
eyes to the dark room. Finally, "Mamo-chan?"

"Yes, Usako, it's me. I'm here." He pulled her to his
chest, hugging her tightly. "It's alright, my love,
everything is alright."

Tentatively, she brought her hand to her forehead,
her fingertips lightly brushing over the moon
insignia. She looked up at Mamoru, fear in her eyes.
"Mamo-chan, what's going on?"

"Usako, I-"

Before he could finish his thought, a great
thunderous roar was heard outside, followed by a
bright light that blinded them both. The sound of
shattering glass filled the room, shards flying at
the couple as a whirlwind assaulted them.

"AHHH! MAMO-CHAN!" Usagi screamed as tiny shards
embedded themselves in her exposed arms and legs. She
buried her face in Mamoru's chest, trying to protect
her face.

"HANG ON, USAKO!" Mamoru yelled back over the
continuous roar, holding her close to him despite the
flying glass that cut him. The wind's intensity grew
stronger and stronger, debris from all over the tiny
cabin flying around them at an impossible speed.
Mamoru could feel his control slipping as the wind
began picking him up off the bed, Usagi in his arms,
screaming...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* bakayaro = derogatory term, worse than 'baka'
(idiot)
** masaka = 'it can't be' or 'that's impossible'
*** onegai = please
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Back in Tokyo, Rei awoke as if someone had punched
her in the stomach, her raven hair matted to her brow
with sweat.

"Usagi-chan! Mamoru-san! No!!" she yelled, jumping
out of bed. Quickly, her hands trembling from the
extreme energy she had just felt, she dialed Makoto's
number.

"M-moshi-moshi...?" a groggy voice answered, unaware
of anything but her sweet dreams.

"Mako-chan! Usagi and Mamoru are in trouble. We gotta
help them!" she yelled, her purple eyes welling up
with tears. "We can't let them die!"

Makoto was already out of bed, getting dressed. "I'll
phone the others, Rei. Just get ready. I'll pick you
up in ten minutes."

As soon as she hung up the phone, her computer
beeped, telling her that Ami was waiting. She quickly
flicked on the web-cam as she continued to dress.

"Mako-chan! I think-"

"We already know, Ami. Rei-chan just called. We're on
our way to save them."

"But how will you get there on time, Makoto? Without
me, you can't teleport and it'll take an hour to get
there!" Ami protested, tears already staining her
cheeks.

Makoto gritted her teeth. "We'll get there, Ami." We
have to, she added silently. "Listen, I've got to
call the others. I'm bringing my communicator and
I'll keep the channel open for you."

Ami gulped back a sob, visibly fighting for control
of her emotions. "Thanks, Mako-chan, but I'm taking
the next flight out. You may need Sailor Mercury
there in person."

Makoto stopped rushing around to look her friend in
the eye. "We could *always* use Sailor Mercury in
person," she reminded warmly.

Ami smiled, her eyes a watery mess. "Arigatou, Mako-
chan," she said quietly. "Good luck!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"USAKO!" Mamoru yelled as Usagi's form was ripped
from his protective embrace by the intense wind.

"AHHHHH!" Usagi screamed as she flew across the room.
Her body impacted roughly against the far wall,
knocking the wind out of her. She lay on the debris-
laden floor, fighting for breath.

Mamoru's body was also thrown from the bed, the wind
too intense for him to continue fighting it. He
crashed into the far night table, smashing the
antique lamp that still stood upon it.

"Kuso!" he swore, trying to ignore the intense pain
in his side. "Usako?" he called, trying his best to
see through all the debris as it flew around the
room. He finally found her motionless body a few feet
away, face down on the wooden floor.

"Usako! Get up!" he yelled, crawling to her side and
rolling her over. He was surprised when he saw that
her eyes were open, but unfocused, as she continued
to take deep, wheezing breaths.

"M...Mamo..." she managed to cough out. "W-
what's...h..happening...?"

Mamoru's body was doubled over, his back to the door
as he tried to protect Usagi's body from flying
debris. "I don't know, Usako. Is it a monsoon?"

His question was soon answered as a tall, dark-haired
man entered the room, the wind suddenly dying down
and the wreckage raining unceremoniously onto the
huddled couple.

"Who are you!" Mamoru demanded, still hunched over
Usagi's form.

The dark figure laughed. "I am Keitaro, and I'm here
to take the ginzuishou."

Usagi visibly stiffened in Mamoru's cut and bruised
arms. "Mamo-chan," she whispered, her breathing back
to normal. "My nightmares..."

"Are you strong enough to henshin?" Mamoru whispered
back. "We need Sailor Moon."

"Hai," Usagi responded, though there was a dullness
in her eyes that made Mamoru's blood run cold.

"Hand over the ginzuishou and everything will be
fine," Keitaro assured them, an unnerving smile
playing across his lips.

"What makes you think we have this, this
'ginzuishou'," Mamoru stalled for time, slowly
getting to his feet so that Usagi could transform
behind him.

"Don't play stupid with me, Chiba. I know who you
are," Keitaro growled, showing his teeth like a feral
animal. "Where's the rabbit?"

Usagi could hear Mamoru stall for time as she slowly
made her way into the room's tiny lavatory. Once she
was sure that she was out of sight, she reached into
her overnight bag and pulled out her heart-shaped
locket.

"Oh, minna," she whispered sadly. "I thought all this
fighting was over for us. Gomen."

Suddenly, she heard Mamoru's yell as he was thrown
across the room, the sound of the impact making her
wince.

Without further misgivings, she held her locket above
her and yelled, "Moon Cosmic Power, MAKE-UP!"

It may have been years since Usagi had last
transformed, but as she felt her old powers return,
she smiled, relishing in its familiarity.

I can do this, she assured herself as she settled
back on the ground. I have to. Her eyes opened
abruptly at the sound of Mamoru's yells.

"Mamo-chan!" Sailor Moon yelled back. "I'm coming!"

When she emerged from the tiny washroom, she was
appalled by the sight before her. The once immaculate
room was awash in wreckage from the broken windows
and doors, and everything that had been resting on
the
various dressers had been destroyed by the swirling
whirlwind.

But seeing Mamoru pinned to the far wall by the man
called Keitaro made Usagi's blood boil.

Both men turned at her reappearance.

"So, Sailor Moon. You've come to deliver the
ginzuishou like a good little senshi?" Keitaro asked
in a mocking voice.

"You'll never get it!" Sailor Moon yelled, her eyes
hard and determined. "Let Mamoru go."

"Oh, you mean you don't want me to hurt your
boyfriend?" Keitaro taunted. "Well, hand over the
crystal and I'll think about it," he spat.

"Sailor Moon, don't worry about me," Mamoru assured
her, though his voice was thick with pain.

"Sailor Moon, *do* worry about him," Keitaro mocked,
throwing Mamoru across the room once again with a
sickening thud.

"Mamo-chan!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, beginning to run
over to his side.

"Yamette*!" Keitaro yelled, trapping Sailor Moon in a
kind of invisible cocoon. She tried in vain to move
her limbs but they refused to cooperate.

"No..." she mumbled. "Onegai... Please stop hurting
him!" she cried, her eyes wide.

"You know how to make the hurting stop, Rabbit,"
Keitaro reminded her, his voice taunting.

"Usako...no...," Mamoru grunted, trying to regain his
breath.

"But Mamo-chan!" Sailor Moon cried, "He's going to
kill you!"

Mamoru pushed himself to a sitting position, a small
rivulet of blood running down his forehead from a
gash on his hairline. "Sailor Moon, if you... give
him the... ginzuishou... everyone will...suffer..."
he wheezed, holding onto his side.

Before Usagi could respond, Keitaro grew impatient.
"Enough with this! Shiine**!"

"MAMO-CHAN!! NOOOOOO!!" she screamed, unable to move
as the deadly energy raced towards her soul mate...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* yamette = stop
** shiine = die
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


"Minna, we have to hurry!" Sailor Mars called from
the middle seat of Makoto's van. "They're in a lot of
trouble."

"We shouldn't have let them go off on their own like
that," Sailor Venus complained, her eyes alight with
worriment as she clutched Artemis.

"We'll be there soon, minna. Just hold on," Sailor
Jupiter assured, gritting her teeth.

"I just hope it's not too late..." Luna stated
quietly, her big red eyes turned towards the full
moon. Be strong, Usagi...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sailor Moon averted her eyes as the energy impacted,
smoke and debris filling the room.

"No... Mamo-chan," she sobbed as the smoke cleared a
bit. All she could see was a large crater where he
had once sat. Suddenly, her restricting energy field
disappeared and she sank to the floor in grief.

Keitaro's amused voice broke her trance. "Well, now
what are you going to do, Bunny?" he demanded,
laughing.

At his cold laughter, Usagi felt her resolve harden.
This bakemono* killed Mamo-chan. He disrupted our
normal lives! she thought, bitterness and anger
coursing through her veins.

Suddenly, she jumped to her feet, her eyes hard and
unforgiving. "You BASTARD!" she spat, before she
yelled, "MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!"

Keitaro deflected the attack as if it were nothing
more than a nuisance. "Is that the best you can do,
Moon Brat?"

Sailor Moon recoiled in shock, hand over her mouth.
It...it didn't work! Sona bakana**!

The dark-haired man grew impatient. "Well, Sailor
Moon, it's been a real blast chatting with you," he
laughed, his eyes heartless. "But now I'm afraid it's
time for you to die and for me to take the
ginzuishou."

Before she could react, a dark energy ball was coming
towards her, her fear freezing her in place. She
watched, eyes wide, as it came closer and closer...

Gomen nasai, minna. I've failed you. I wasn't strong
enough...

Suddenly, a large dark figure slammed into her side,
catapulting her tiny form across the room, covering
her with his body as the energy exploded where she
had been mere seconds before.

"Hanashite***!" Usagi yelled, only to freeze when she
saw who it was.

"Miss me?" Tuxedo Kamen asked with a smile, his eyes
bright as he watched her reaction.

"Tuxedo Kamen!" she exclaimed, hugging him close.
"Oh, Mamo-chan. I thought you were dead," she
whispered, tears falling freely.

"Nani?!" Keitaro exclaimed angrily. "Where did you
come from, Cape Boy?"

Tuxedo Kamen ignored the other man, helping Sailor
Moon to her feet. "Now, Sailor Moon. We can beat him
together."

Usagi's eyes welled up with tears once again,
uncertainty and doubt filling her. "No, I can't. I
can't do it, Mamo-chan. I'm not strong enough."

Mamoru grabbed onto her shoulders, shaking her
gently. "Usako, you *can* do it. Search your heart,
call out to your friends. We're all here for you, my
love."

"Awww, how romantic," Keitaro mocked, his eyes
growing hard. "But I've had enough of you two!"
Without further warning, he shot waves of energy at
the couple, enveloping them in a burning net.

"Ahhhhh! It hurts!" Sailor Moon yelled, her fuku
smoking.

Tuxedo Kamen gritted his teeth against the pain, his
mask falling off. "You can do it, Sailor Moon. You
*have* to do it."

After what seemed like an eternity, the scalding
energy stopped as Keitaro regained his strength.

"Now, Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Kamen yelled, before he
sank to the ground, succumbing to his injuries.

"Mamo-chan!" she called, desperation filling her. She
glanced at Keitaro as he glowed, his strength
returning. He'll kill us this time, Usagi reminded
herself. But I can't do this alone...

Concentrating, she closed her eyes, focusing on a
bright spot deep inside herself. I have to defeat
him, she repeated, over and over, gathering what
strength she could.

Before her, Keitaro's power was almost at its peak
again. "Prepare to die, Moon Rabbit," he sneered, his
hands going above his head, electrical energy
sparking off them. The whirlwind returned, picking up
the wreckage and tossing it about.

Minna... Sailor Moon called out in her head, trying
desperately to contact her friends. She ignored the
shooting pain as debris impacted her body as it flew
about. Minna, tasukete***!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* bakemono = monster
** sona bakana = that's impossible
*** hanashite = let me go!
**** tasukete = help
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

About five minutes away from the resort, Sailor
Jupiter suddenly slammed on the brakes, violently
pulling the van off the road.

"Did you guys hear that?" she asked, breathless.

"Hai," Sailor Venus replied, closing her eyes.

"Sailor Moon needs our power," Sailor Mars told them,
also closing her eyes. The crescent moons on the
cats' heads began to glow brightly, lighting up the
van's dark interior.

On the deserted stretch of road, the van began to
glow green, red, and orange as the three senshi
inside
surrendered their powers to their future queen.

"We have faith in you, Usagi-chan! You can do this!"
Luna called out, her voice echoing into the endless
night. "We believe in you!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ami sat nervously on the nearly deserted plane,
constantly checking her watch. Kuso! she swore. I
should be there with them. Her blue eyes watered as
she watched the twinkling lights down below, all the
normal people fast asleep. Normal... she thought
longingly, wiping her eyes. I can never be normal. I
should never have moved away for them...

Suddenly, Usagi's desperate voice invaded her
thoughts. Ami gasped, covering her mouth as the angry
image of Keitaro flashed through her mind.

Sailor Moon needs my help! Her heart leapt in her
throat, fear causing her to shake as she quickly made
her way to the plane's tiny washroom. Nobody gave her
a second glance; the passengers all asleep.

Once she was certain that the door was locked, she
closed her eyes, focusing on the familiar voice she
heard calling out to her. Usagi-sama*, my power is
yours for the taking, she replied, her body glowing
blue as she surrendered her power.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* Usagi-sama = -sama is used to address a princess.
And other people as well, but they have no relevance
in this story ;)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


With a rush, Usagi felt everyone's power converge on
her, a yellow glow surrounding her battered body. Her
fuku disappeared, replaced by the garments of
Princess Serenity and her crescent moon insignia
burned so bright that the broken room was awash with
light.

"What the hell?" Keitaro exclaimed, shielding his
brown eyes from the intensity of it. Finally, it died
down and he gasped in surprise. "It can't be!"

Princess Serenity opened her eyes, her irises focused
intensely on Keitaro as she stepped closer, her fear
vanishing.

"Keitaro," she spoke evenly. "You will never take the
ginzuishou. Not while the sailor senshi live to
defend it."

The man scowled, recovering from his shock. "We'll
see about that, Princess!" he yelled, throwing
daggers of energy at her.

The Princess didn't even move, the daggers impacting
harmlessly against the forcefield surrounding her.

"Nani? Why won't you DIE?!" Keitaro screamed,
launching himself at the young ruler.

Suddenly, the ginzuishou materialized in Serenity's
outstretched hands, emitting a powerful burst of
light at the young man.

Keitaro halted, midair, before the Princess as his
body lit up from within. "Shitmatta*!" he swore,
trying in vain to evade the power of the crystal.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!" His mortal body was ripped apart by
the power of the moon, Serenity not even flinching as
the small explosion rocked the room, destroying what
was left of the small cabin.

Once the battle was over, Serenity let out a gasp and
sank to the floor, her princess dress transforming
back to Sailor Moon's tattered fuku, the ginzuishou
nestled safely back in her locket.

Breathing hard, she smiled, her blue eyes glazing
over. "I did it, minna. I did it," she wheezed,
finally allowing the darkness to enfold her in its
grasp.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
* shimatta = similar to 'shit'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hurry, minna!" Mars yelled. The senshi had parked
the van only seconds before and had barely waited for
it to stop before jumping out. "The energy I was
picking up earlier is suddenly gone!"

"We're going as fast as we can, Mars!" Jupiter
assured, ignoring her pounding heart as they arrived
at Usagi and Mamoru's remote cabin.

"Oh my god," Venus exclaimed, placing a shaky hand
over her mouth. "What happened here?!"

"Usagi? Usagi!" Mars called out frantically,
beginning to wind her way through the destroyed
cabin.

"Shimatta!" Jupiter swore, punching the broken wall
angrily. "We're too late!"

"They weren't strong enough," Mars cried, holding
back a sob. "Oh, Usagi-chan..."

"Matte*!" Artemis called out, having ventured further
into the room. "Over here!"

The three senshi, followed closely by Luna, ran over
as fast as they could, apprehensive as they
approached Artemis' discovery.

"Masaka..." Luna cried.

"Usagi-chan!" Jupiter exclaimed happily, though worry
shone in her green eyes.

A bruised and battered Sailor Moon was sprawled
limply amongst the debris, her breath shallow and
uneven.

"Usagi-chan, can you hear me?" Mars asked, gently
slapping the girl's cut face.

"M... minna.... I did...it..." Usagi coughed out, her
voice barely above a whisper. "Arigatou."

"You're hurt, Usagi. We need to get you home," Venus
informed her. "Can you get up?"

After a few painful minutes, the senshi were able to
get Usagi on her feet, and Jupiter offered to carry
the girl back to their abandoned van.

"M...Mamo-cha...an," Usagi mumbled from Jupiter's
protective arms.

"Where *is* Mamoru-san?" Luna asked, looking around.

"There! I see him!" Mars pointed to a limp figure
that was trapped under a half-collapsed wall.

"Mamoru-san! Mamoru-san, are you alright?" Venus
asked, running over to the injured man. Dried blood
streaked his face and his Tuxedo Kamen outfit was
torn and charred, but he smiled up at her.

"Minako-chan," he whispered, eyes warm. "Usako did
it. She beat Keitaro."

Venus' eyes welled up with tears. "Yes, she did,
Mamoru-san. Our Usagi is one to be reckoned with."

Mamoru chuckled, wincing in pain at the movement.
"Mina... Minako. Is she alright?"

"She'll be fine," Mars assured him, coming over to
help remove the collapsed wall. "What we need to
worry about now is getting you both home so you can
heal."

"I'll be fine," Mamoru lied, knowing the senshi could
see his pain.

"Sure you will," Jupiter said, coming back from the
van. "Once we get you home and cleaned up, that is,"
she added with a smile. "Looks like you two put up
one hell of a fight for this Keitaro character," she
noted, gesturing at the damage.

Mamoru chuckled, his breath catching again as pain
shot through him.

"Be careful, minna. He may have broken ribs," Artemis
warned.

After many arduous minutes, the three senshi had
removed enough of the wall to safely move Mamoru.
They all helped carry him to the van and laid him
down on the back seat, careful not to disturb his
ribs.

The ride back to Tokyo was silent and uneventful,
each lost in their own reflections. Usagi snuggled
against Rei as the raven-haired girl kept an eye on
Mamoru, who was drifting in and out of consciousness
from his pain.

"Stay with us, Mamoru-san," Rei whispered. "We're
almost home."

Once they arrived back to Usagi and Mamoru's place,
the sun was just beginning to peak above the horizon,
the city and its people gearing up for another day.
As quickly and quietly as possible, the three girls
managed to get the injured couple up to their floor
without attracting any unwanted attention.

But as Makoto went to open the door to Usagi and
Mamoru's place with her spare key, it suddenly did so
on its own.

"Nani...?" she began, but then jumped in surprise.

"Ami-chan?!" Minako exclaimed, shifting Mamoru's
weight in her arms.

"You made it!" Makoto smiled, impressed.

"Yeah," Ami responded, about to add more until she
saw the state of Usagi and Mamoru. "Oh my god, what
happened to them?"

"We're not entirely sure, Ami," Luna explained as
they all made their way into the apartment. "But
Mamoru-san may have broken ribs."

"Can you heal him, Ami-chan?" Rei asked, worry in her
eyes.

"I'll do my best, minna," she assured them. Ami
ushered them into the bedroom, going over to Mamoru
as soon as he was placed on the bed.

"Alright everyone, give me some space!" Ami yelled
over her friends' worried banter.

"You're sure you don't need help?" Minako asked as
she made her way to the door.

Ami shook her head. "Arigatou, Minako-chan, but I'll
be fine. Just look after Usagi-chan until I'm done
here."

"Will do," the blond responded, gently shutting the
door.

"You can't kick me out, Ami," Luna insisted, jumping
up on the bed beside the unconscious Mamoru.

"I wouldn't dare," Ami teased, carefully removing
Mamoru's tattered clothes, leaving him clad only in
his boxers.

Once Ami had looked over his many wounds, Luna asked:
"How is he then?" worry in her soft voice.

"He's got some badly bruised ribs," Ami explained as
she sanitized and bandaged Mamoru's cuts, "but he'll
be fine, Luna."

"That's a relief," Luna let out the breath she had
been holding. "I was worried."

"Me too," Ami admitted, "which is why I came.

They looked down at Mamoru as he slept, his face
peaceful despite the bandage that covered his
forehead. "What do you say we let him get some
sleep?" Ami asked, pulling a sheet halfway over the
man's body to keep him warm. "I need to check on
Usagi-chan."

Luna nodded, rubbing against the girl's leg
affectionately as they quietly left the room.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

How's Usagi doing?" Ami asked as she emerged from the
hallway, wiping her hands on a cloth.

"She's fast asleep on the couch over there," Makoto
answered, leading her to the resting girl. "Rei-chan
helped her into some clean clothes and Minako-chan
cleaned her up a bit. She'll be fine once she gets
her strength back."

"Yeah. She must have used the ginzuishou. Her energy
level is way down," Artemis remarked, walking up to
Luna.

"That crazy Usagi," Rei scolded gently, her voice
filled with relief. "She could have killed herself
doing that."

"I'm glad she's alright," Ami smiled, kneeling down
beside Usagi's still form. "I feel bad for her,
always having to put her life on the line to save
everyone."

"I don't know about you, but I know that *I* feel
safer knowing she's out there, protecting us," Minako
admitted, her eyes expressing the love and respect
she had for the young princess.

Ami reached out, brushing damp, dirty bangs away from
Usagi's face. "Me too, Minako-chan. Me too."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


EPILOGUE - one week later

Usagi had been out of commission the following week,
spending most of her days sleeping and regaining her
depleted energy.

Mamoru slept fitfully, agonizingly aware of the pain
in his side. Ami had prescribed some medication,
which helped keep him knocked out to aide his body's
healing.

Because the couple wasn't fit to take care of
themselves, the senshi had agreed to alternate eight-
hour shifts so that someone was always present to
help them out.

At the beginning of the second week, Usagi had felt
well enough to walk around the apartment and the
following day, invited the senshi over to discuss the
battle; a topic they were all anxious to talk
about...

"So, you don't know where Keitaro was from or why he
wanted the ginzuishou?" Rei asked, her brow furrowed
in confusion.

"No, nothing. He just attacked us," Usagi explained,
shuddering as she relived it. "It was just like my
nightmare... you guys were right." She closed her
eyes, a tear slowly making its way down her cheek.

"Gomen nasai*, Usagi," Makoto apologized, gently
touching the girl's arm. "I didn't mean to go behind
your back and tell everyone about your nightmare. I
understand if you're mad at me."

Usagi gripped the other girl's hand, squeezing it
reassuringly. "You did the right thing, Mako-chan,"
she explained, eyes watering. "I was just being
selfish."

"Oh, Usagi-chan," Minako consoled. "You weren't being
selfish. You just didn't want to give up your normal
life."

"That sounds selfish to me," Rei mumbled.

"And what's so wrong with that?" Usagi complained,
her voice strained with emotion. "I never asked to be
Sailor Moon or Princess Serenity or Neo-Queen
Serenity. All I ever wanted was to be a normal girl
with a normal life!"

"But then you wouldn't be the Usako that I know and
love," a voice said from the shadows of the hall.

All seven heads turned to see Mamoru slowly making
his way into the living area.

"Mamo-chan! What are you doing out of bed? Ami told
you to stay there!" Usagi scolded, running over to
his side so she could help him walk.

"It's all right, Usagi-chan. The exercise will be
good for him," Ami reassured with a smile.

"See?" Mamoru teased. "Is it so wrong for me to want
to come and see my future bride-to-be?" he asked, his
eyes bright.

Usagi failed to notice seven sets of eyes grow wide.
"Well, when you put it that way, Mamo-" Suddenly she
stopped, her head snapping up to look at him. "M-
Mamo-chan?"

With great effort, his brow beaded with sweat from
the pain, the tall man crouched down to one knee, a
ring box in his hand. Usagi watched him in rapt
silence, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.

"I had meant to do this during our romantic
getaway..." he chuckled, trailing off as he watched
Usagi's expression. He cleared his throat. "Tsukino
Usagi... Usako," he added with a tenderness
that made her grow weak. "Will you marry me?"

"Oh, Mamo-chan!" Usagi yelled, ecstatic. "Of course
I'll marry you!" She jumped to him, carefully
wrapping her arms around his neck.

Mamoru gazed up into her big blue eyes, seeing
genuine love and respect shinning back. He gently
pulled her face to his and kissed her, their passion
overflowing, oblivious to the others in the room.

"All right!" Minako exclaimed, jumping up with a huge
grin, squishing an equally happy Artemis to her
chest.

"It's about time!" Rei muttered sarcastically, though
her eyes betrayed her joy.

"Destiny has its way, minna," Makoto said quietly,
her eyes watery pools of happiness as she watched the
couple embrace again. "The fighting may not be over,
but destiny always has its way."

Ami gently placed and arm around Makoto's shoulders.
"Yes, I agree. As long as we have our future king and
queen, we'll be okay," Ami said just as quietly.

With that, everyone rushed over to the newly engaged
couple, surrounding them with their love, offering
their congratulations, everyone hopeful and expectant
in this new chapter of their lives.


~*~fin~*~

author's notes & thanks: I would like to give a great
big THANKS! to Lillian, aka Lavenderswirl, for her
great job in beta-ing this story :D She stuck with
me, even though she had school, and I'm very grateful
for that :D

Also, this story is only 1 part in a bunch of stories
I have planned. I just wish that school would
cooperate :P I'm going to try and write the next part
during December when I'm off. (General plot: Usagi &
Mamoru's wedding, find out more about Keitaro and why
he wanted the silver crystal). Until then, thanks for
reading and remember, feedback is an author's best
friend ;)

~Mango