Chapter 5
The wind rustled through the trees, and the distant sound of ravens calling roughly could be heard in the distance. The shadows played on the walls, and on the sleeping faces of the girls laid out on mats on the floor. Makoto and now Minako both rested in the temple. Rei's Grandfather and Chad stood facing the remaining senshi over the still bodies.
"What are you all up to?" Grandpa asked them. "What's wrong with these girls?"
"They've been injured in a fight, Grandpa," Rei said. "You know …"
"Yes, I know. Chad, go get some more water."
"Yes, sir." Chad left quietly, shooting a puzzled glance at Rei.
"I know you're the Sailor Senshi." Rei looked shocked. "Oh, please. I'm not stupid, you know! And I've been around this temple long enough to see the signs of special powers in people, and all of you have the signs, girls. You, young man, have the signs, too, which makes you Tuxedo Kamen. I've watched all of you for years, and I'm proud of the things you've been able to do. I'm especially proud of you, Rei. But darn it! I've never seen you hurt like this!" He gestured to the sleeping girls.
"We have a new enemy," Rei said, "and she's turning our attacks against us. It's a dream attack, and we don't know how to fight it. Not yet."
"Sir," Mamoru stepped forward. "Thank you for watching over our friends. I don't think they're in danger of further injury, but their sleep is unnatural. This could happen to all of us eventually. I hope not, but, if it does, please make sure our bodies are kept safe. I think our dream selves will be quite busy."
"Of course we'll take care of you. But you promise me that you'll take care of my granddaughter?"
"Grandpa!" Mortified, Rei glared at the old man. "I can take care of myself. I'm a Sailor Senshi! And we take care of each other."
Mamoru smiled at the old man as they exchanged a look of male superiority. "I'll do my best, sir." Nodding at t he girls, he added, "We'll all do our best!"
Usagi approached the still figures on the mats and knelt between them.
"Mako-chan? Mina-chan? I'm so sorry, guys. We'll get you back, I promise. Stay strong and believe in us." Kissing them both, she quickly got up, bowed to Grandpa, and left the room, the others following slowly in her wake.
~~~
Mamoru and the girls returned to his apartment; it was closer than central and had everything they would need, including the mainframe of the central computer. The walk back had been quite tense, as they all darted quick, worried glances at every noise or disturbance. Once they had almost flung themselves to the ground when someone in an upstairs apartment opened their window. Mamoru and the guardians would have laughed had the situation not been so grim.
Entering the apartment, they removed their shoes and padded into the living room. They sat quietly around his table.
"OK, that was bad out there. How do you all feel?" Luna looked at each one with concern. "You certainly look better."
"Day Mare took our energy, and she took Minako to the Dream World. We were helpless on both counts. I feel lousy." Usagi sighed. "What good is it being Sailor Moon if you can't help your friends?"
"Don't feel sorry for yourself!" Ami smiled and put her arm around Usagi. "We've been in tough situations before, and we'll make it through this one, too."
"Sure, Usagi." Rei mirrored Ami's care. "We'll figure this out, and when we do we'll take this Queen Mab out, just like we did with Beryl, Black Moon, and the rest. We are, after all, the Sailor Senshi."
"Thanks," Usagi smiled sadly. "But I'm not sorry for myself – I'm worried about you! What's next?"
Mamoru and Artemis had been talking at the desk, but upon hearing her words, Mamoru spun around.
"I think I know what's happening!" He walked to the table and gracefully sat down next to Usagi. "Let's look at it so far. I started getting these nightmares where Usagi is in danger. Obviously this is something that I obsess over – her protection is my responsibility. Then Makoto is taken. Day Mare said she went to the Dream World, but I bet they aren't good dreams! So, what would Makoto fear? What did she see?"
Rei looked thoughtful. "She didn't say anything, not like Minako. She just transformed and attacked. She was ready for a fight, though, like we were all in danger."
"Well, that's how she responds to danger. She likes to fight, too. What would be a nightmare for Makoto?
"Minako is easier. She's been the chief senshi, the main protector of the princess and of Sailor Moon. Any threat to you is a threat to her, and something she might find very frightening. So, when she saw assassins stalking us, she must have been terrified." Mamoru looked around the table. "Is this making sense? It's like Mab is forcing us to face the things that frighten us the most."
"With Minako and Mokato gone it's like our heart and strength have been taken away," Ami murmured sadly.
"We still have our spirit and our brains, Rei and Ami, and our anchor, Mamo-chan," Usagi noted, smiling softly at them.
"And our soul," Mamoru said softly as he kissed her temple. "So," he said brightly, "what's next?"
Usagi sighed and looked thoughtful. "Hey, did we ever eat? We need to do that, and we need to rest and regroup. Mamo-chan, you need to sleep."
"Hmmm," he replied, rubbing his eyes. "I wasn't kidding last night, Usa. I'm afraid to sleep."
"I'll be with you," she smiled.
"I think we should all stay here," Mamoru said. "I don't want anyone out alone. There's room here, I think. It'll be snug, but it should work."
They agreed, and after some serious fridge raiding they settled down to rest. Mamoru had gone into his room, while the girls and the guardians talked quietly in the living room. Their energy had returned quite quickly, which led them to believe that Day Mare and Queen Mab weren't interested in energy heists. Pure revenge and malice seemed to drive their ambitions to the destruction of all Usagi held dear.
Checking on Mamoru, Usagi quietly opened his door and crept in.
"I'm awake, Usako," he said.
"Oh, you were so quiet I was sure … Are you still afraid?"
"Of the dream – it scares me, yes. More than that, though, I'm afraid that now that it's out …"
She sat down on the bed beside him, putting her back against the headboard.
"Come here, Mamo-chan," she whispered, patting her thigh. "Put your head right here and close your eyes."
He did as she asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her tight. Usagi gently stroked his hair. His breathing slowed and he fell asleep.
The door opened a crack and Artemis peered in. Usagi smiled at him and put a finger to her lips. He nodded and rejoined the others.
~~~
"No dreams?" Usagi asked him when he woke much later.
Stretching, he groaned in satisfaction. "No. For the first time in four days I slept well."
Usagi smiled. "I'm glad. I've been worried about you. Hey, I left the others out there. I'll go let them know we're awake."
"What time is it?"
"8:00. You slept through the night."
"Did you get any sleep?"
"I don't need to sleep when I'm with you," she said. "I just wanted to make sure you were going to be OK."
She hopped up and opened the door, murmuring a greeting, and slipped out.
Mamoru stretched and closed his eyes. Smiling he could feel himself start to doze. Oh, yes, this was good!
~~~
"NO!!"
"Mamoru?"
The girls burst into his room. Mamoru was sitting up, drenched in sweat, clutching his head in his hands.
"Oh, God, Usagi! Are you all right?"
"Me? Mamo-chan, I was only gone a moment. Are you all right?" She gathered him into her arms. "You're shaking."
"Man, that was fast." His teeth chattered, and he moaned. "Like the dream was waiting for me." His eyes were huge and started filling with tears. "Usagi," he whispered, burying his face in her shoulder, "I can't stand this."
Usagi looked over his head at her friends standing by the door. She smiled and nodded at them. Quietly they slipped out, except for Luna, who watched the couple intently.
"Mamo-chan, dearest heart," Usagi soothed, "I'm all right, you're all right. Take deep breaths." She waited as he followed her directions. "Same dream?"
He slowly calmed and stopped shaking. Looking up he brushed the tears from his eyes.
"Same dream, but harder. Like a truck this time. I felt like something hit me – like the dream was being held back and had suddenly been released. The scary thing is that this time I wasn't all the way asleep …" His arms tightened around her, and the shudders started again. She rocked him, murmuring comfort.
"Usa? I feel fine when you're here. I can sleep when you're here. But as soon as you go, it starts again. What's going on?"
"I don't know …" she said.
A throat softly cleared. "I think I do," Luna said. "You are the Moon Princess, Usagi. Think about the story Artemis told us."
"You're right," Usagi sighed. "Mamo-chan, my power is protecting you from Queen Mab's dreams!"
Mamoru looked at the two of them. "You're right. And that would explain why you, Usagi, weren't touched by Day Mare's visions yesterday. When I'm near you lately I feel such peace and strength, more than usual. Mab must know that you're a barrier, which would explain why the dream hit so hard. She's mad." He slowly released his grasp on her, and visibly settled himself.
"I think it's time to talk about our nightmares. Mab's feeding on our fear. We have to try and figure out a way to stop her."
~~~
Once again they sat around his table, everyone with a hot cup of tea. Mamoru sat at the head, Usagi at the foot, and Ami, Rei, Luna and Artemis sat on either side. The girls and their guardians looked expectantly at Mamoru.
Taking a deep breath, he started. "OK. So yesterday we talked about Minako and Makoto. Today let's talk about us. Anyone want to share their nightmares, or fears, or anything?"
No one met his eyes.
"Hey," he said, "c'mon, now. I told you mine, now share with me."
"I don't have nightmares, Mamoru," Ami said. "I'm too practical, I guess. I have lots of fears about not being able to stand up to the dangers we face, but I always do what needs to be done, so I'm not afraid of that, either. I don't know what Day Mare will try with me."
"OK, Ami. But if you think of anything, please tell us. Rei?"
Rei looked up. "My turn, huh? Well, I have nightmares about the evil spirits that threaten to destroy happiness. It's hard to explain. I have nightmares about them, but I usually wake up before it gets too bad. I also have dreams about the future, but I haven't had any of those lately."
Usagi looked at the ground.
"Usako?" She looked up at Mamoru. "Tell us, sweetheart."
"Oh, this is hard," she muttered. "OK. Here goes. Several times our enemies have used Tuxedo Kamen to fight me. My nightmares are always about that. Fighting Tuxedo Kamen, getting hurt – because every blow, every slap or kick, every choke hold I felt, I felt in my heart ten times as hard." She closed her eyes and let the memories wash over her, the fights in the dark, the blue eyes she loved so dearly cold and filled with – nothing. Contempt or hate would have been easier to bear than the indifference she had sensed behind his intention to destroy her. Shaking her head she let the past go, and opened her eyes again, feeling faintly embarrassed. He had been blessed with amnesia regarding those times, and she had never wanted to let him know what these attacks had meant to her.
"Oh." Mamoru swallowed. Standing up, he went to Usagi. "Look at me, Usa," he whispered.
"No," she said. "I can't"
Kneeling before her, he took her hand and bowed his head over it.
"I didn't know," he said. "You never told me." He swallowed. "I can't make the past go away, but you know I would never hurt you…" He kissed her hand. "I'm so sorry, Usa. I hate that I've hurt you."
"I know you wouldn't hurt me – as long as you're you. But in my nightmares you're possessed again, and I know you're in there somewhere, but I can't find you." She finally looked into his beloved eyes. "You are the source, you know, of my most terrifying nightmares and my happiest dreams."
He sighed. "I don't deserve you."
"Yes, you do," she said softly, and smiled at him.
Still holding her hands he turned to the others. "So, how do you think they'll attack next?"
"Obviously they'll take out either Rei or Ami next," Artemis said. "Day Mare says she needs to neutralize the Senshi before Mab can take on the two of you."
"I agree with Artemis," Luna said.
Mamoru sighed. "Should we go out looking for them, or should we wait for her to find us?"
"I'm ready now," Rei said.
"Me, too," said Ami.
"You know you may end up like Minako and Makoto?" Mamoru asked.
"There are worse things that could happen," Rei mused. "We could die from the suspense, or from the boredom of waiting for it to happen."
"Facing this nightmare in the streets of Tokyo is not something I'm too anxious to do," Ami laughed, "but I'll do it." She turned to Mamoru and Usagi. "I guess you two may face this alone after all."
He frowned at her. "I hope not."
~~~
Mamoru raked his fingers through his thick black hair. "We aren't going out until we have a plan. We've got to think – there must be something we can do to neutralize them."
Mamoru paced, Ami took notes, Rei prayed, and Usagi doodled. Each, in his or her own way, was caught up by the challenge they faced.
Let's see, Usagi thought. What could you take to fight Mab? Rei needs her anti-evil charms – and she drew one on her paper – and Ami needs her computer – and she added that to her doodle.
Ami continued to write, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. She occasionally stopped and deleted something, but for the most part she was involved in a stream of consciousness exercise.
Mamoru continued to pace across his small living room, staring at the floor, then with unseeing eyes at his bookshelf. He stopped in front of the window, and stepped out onto the balcony. He leaned against the rail, and folded his arms across his chest. Gazing out at the Tokyo skyline, a frown worked itself between his eyes. "Damn it!" he growled under his breath, and stalked back into the living room.
"This isn't working for me," he announced to the three girls. They looked up at him gratefully. "Let's think out loud. Who wants to take notes?"
"I'll take notes," Rei offered.
"Great. OK, I've been thinking, how can we stop Day Mare from taking Rei and Ami?"
Ami looked at him thoughtfully. "I've been thinking of ways we can get in her world without her taking us."
"And I've been figuring out what things we need to have with us to help Minako and Makoto." Usagi looked around. "We need to get together here!"
"No, we're together," Rei said. She was busy writing. "See, we're going to fight Day Mare, and hopefully we'll hurt her, but we also want to get into the dream world, to get Minako and Makoto, and to fight Queen Mab. She's got to be taken care of. So, yes, we need to think about all this stuff."
Smiling, Mamoru sat down. "Good point! So, what do we have?"
They talked and argued for the rest of the afternoon, enjoying the company and the sense of purpose they shared.
~~~
Deciding that Day Mare would probably only come out in the day light, the remaining team decided to get as much rest as possible before morning. The girls once again set up camp in Mamoru's living room. Usagi and Mamoru shared his bed this time, both making sure she was always in contact with him.
They lay on their sides, she spooned into him, they both forming a question mark.. He held her loosely, one arm under her head, the other draped possessively around her waist. Listening to her soft breathing, he let his mind wander over their day.
"You are the source, you know, of my most terrifying nightmares, and also of my happiest dreams." Mamoru winced. He was so tired, yet he couldn't sleep, hearing her words echo in his mind. He was overcome with guilt. No matter how hard he tried, he had no memories of the events which haunted Usagi so. He could replay their entire past, yet he couldn't remember the times he had been possessed by the enemy and used against her as a weapon. He'd do anything, however, to erase the memories from her mind.
He tightened his grip on her. "Please," he prayed, "spare her anymore pain. I love her so much, I don't want to see her hurt any more." He lightly kissed her temple and stroked her beautiful hair, shining like silver in the moonlight. Suddenly the weight of the restless nights before crashed down on him and he closed his eyes. With a soft sigh he slipped into sleep.
The night slid by, and the only sound in the apartment was the breathing of the human occupants, and the prowling of the cats as they made their rounds.
Usagi woke, feeling Mamoru's arm still draped over her, his hand lightly holding hers. She smiled in contentment and drowsily scanned the room. She didn't know what had awakened her, maybe just the strangeness of sleeping in Mamoru's arms, where she could stay forever. She stretched, careful not to disturb him too much. Sighing happily she closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.
Cautiously and silently, the guardians, Luna and Artemis, patrolled the quiet apartment. Looking in on the sleeping couple, they nudged each other.
"It's all worth it, to see that," Artemis said, and Luna smiled.
"Yes," she replied, "the prince and his princess together again."