*THE GOLDEN CRYSTAL*
by Mamolove
*Chapter 1*
The atmosphere in the Tokyo University
Stadium was electrifying. Throngs of spectators
steadily streamed into the stadium, excited to
witness the annual inter-university sports
competition. Banners were hanging everywhere,
bearing the names of athletes or their
respective universities-- adding to the
colourful surroundings and intense competition.
Today was the finals of all the track events and
it was not surprising to see the stadium nearly
packed to the brim.
Standing and craning his neck, Motoki
Furuhata frantically scanned the crowd for
Reika, who was supposed to bring Usagi and her
friends to watch the games. Ah... Can't wait to
see you, Reika-chan... Motoki snapped his head
to his left as a redhead waved to him. Right on
schedule, Reika!! Soon the redhead was joined
by a group of bouncing, lively girls. Motoki
first noted Makoto Kino, who was carrying a
basket which he presumed contained delicious
dumplings. Ami Mizuno was there too, and she
looked very different and sweet in that cap and
track bottoms of hers... Ouch! Sorry, Reika!
Next he grinned at Rei Hino, the priestess,
sunlight dancing on her raven black hair, which
equalled the shade of Mamoru's hair... I wonder
whether she still thinks about Mamoru... Minako
Aino saw Motoki, and started walking towards
Motoki, beckoning the rest to follow. "A born
leader," Motoki quipped to himself.
"Motoki-onnichan!!!!!!!!" Before he could
greet her, Usagi Tsukino wailed his name,
drawing some stares from some spectators. Motoki
smiled fondly, fully understanding why Mamoru
loved this bright, lovely lass. He needs her
spirit and cheerfulness... Gosh, it IS
uplifting! Soon, the girls were seated beside
him, and Motoki grinned to himself, basking in
the presence of his Reika.
"Thanks for inviting us, Motoki-san!"
Makoto grinned towards Motoki. "Sure, it's *my*
pleasure," Motoki replied, only to have Reika
poke him in his ribs. "Don't forget whose idea
this was, and who lined up to buy the tickets!"
Reika said, putting an exaggerated pout. And so
Motoki, Reika and the girls happily chatted
away till the commentator's voice filled the
stadium.
"Welcome, everybody, to the annual Inter-
University Sports Competition!!" boomed the
emcee's voice over the speakers in the stadium.
"This event brings all THE BEST athletes
from all the universities in Japan, and I assure
you, competition is at its peak here! Today, you
are going to witness the finals for the 100
metres sprint, and of course, the most intense
events: the 200 metres and 100 metres relay.
Without further ado, let the games begin!!"
The audience in the stadium roared in
agreement, wanting the games to commence. Motoki
grinned to himself. The girls, especially Usagi,
were about to get a big surprise....
As the 100 metres female category ended in
a blaze, the audience grew more excited as their
favourite event-- the 100 metres male category,
began to commence. Supporters of various
universities were shouting slogans and mottoes..
"Heck, even supporters of Kyoto University
are singing!!" Motoki noted.
Then came the blaring voice of the
commentator... Motoki and Reika glanced at the
girls, who were reading the schedule's book
while waiting for the event to take place. They
really, really didn't know! Reika and Motoki
thought, and grinned to each other. The runners
took their places in their respective lanes, and
everything was a blur until...
"And last but not least, in lane 8... This
gentleman from Tokyo University is currently
pursuing a medical degree, holding the post of
President in the Students Affairs Society, the
Physics and Mathematics Society, and is a key
member of the swimming team... He hails from
Tokyo University," the audience gave a
thundering roar, "... He is OUR athlete, MAMORU
CHIBA!!"
At the mention of Mamoru's name, literally
the whole coalition of spectators in the stadium
stood up and cheered and attempted a Mexican
wave. Hysterical screams of female admirers
added to the deafening noise vibrating through
the stadium.
Usagi, Rei, Ami, Minako and Makoto gasped,
and instantly stood up craning their neck as the
supporters in front of them rose in
anticipation. "Mamoru-san????" "Are you sure?"
"Can you see him??" "There he is!! There he is!!
Lane 8, minna!!"
"My MAMO-CHAN!!!!"
There in Lane 8, in the blistering heat of
the track, stood a tall, slender young man with
hair as black as ebony, eyes of the most
beautiful shade of blue, and a strong jawline
which any man in the planet would envy. His
chiselled features were matched by broad
shoulders and a well-toned body, which streamed
down into a slim waist and a pair of strong,
long legs. His body was perfectly streamlined
due to the hours of swimming and pushing his
body to its limits. This man, whom everybody
knew as *the* Mamoru Chiba, exuded an aura of
calmness and wisdom which gained the respect of
his peers and teachers. The piercing blue eyes
always caught people's attention-- it was very
rare to find blue-eyed Asians. The only readable
expression on his face was determination. Deadly
determination.
"Motoki-onnichan! You didn't tell us Mamo-
chan would be participating!!" Usagi said
excitedly.
"I wanted to give you girls a surprise!"
Motoki said, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh,
Mamoru himself doesn't know you're all here!"
Reika chipped in, winking mischievously towards
the group.
"I had NO IDEA Mamoru was a runner," Rei
said. "Yeah, I can't believe it! Guess we'd
better call Haruka for a match, huh?" Minako
thought loudly.
"Mamoru's our best runner, you know that?"
Motoki said quietly, smiling. "He used to
participate in the long jump and relay events as
well, but medicine really takes up a lot of his
time, so he chose to run in only one event this
year." Jade green eyes reflected pride and love,
as Motoki reminisced the passed years of
cheering for his best friend, who unfortunately,
had no parents to support him. You can do it,
Mamoru!
Beside Reika, a blonde odango atama's mind
went blank upon hearing Motoki. Mamoru never
told her about this, and though she knew he was
very popular among his peers, she had never
imagined Mamoru as the *best* runner in
Tokyo University. The best *runner*! She gazed
lovingly at her unaware soul mate, and repeated
the same thought as Motoki.. "You can do it,
Mamo-chan!"
************************************************
Mamoru took in a deep breath as he raised
his hand at the mention of his name. I can't
believe this... Mamoru thought wryly, seeing
literally the whole stadium rise up. The cheer
was deafening, and Mamoru could hear the crowd
slowly chanting his name. "Chiba... Chiba...
Chiba...." It was quite unnerving, but Mamoru
blocked all those distractions from his mind.
Control over his mind was something Mamoru had
no problem with, and soon his mind and body
melded into one entity, so focused to the point
that nothing else in the world existed but the
sight of the finishing line. Vaguely Mamoru
heard the official calling all the runners to
their positions.
On your marks.... Mamoru clenched his jaw,
a trickle of sweat dropping to the ground.
Get set..... His muscles tensed up
automatically, straining his ears for the
slightest sound of the gun shot, smelling again
the sweet smell of Earth....
BAAM!
And Mamoru *ran*.
*********************************************************
BAAM!!!
At the sound of the gunshot, all 8 runners
bolted towards the finishing line. The stadium
was filled with thundering cries and cheers.
Spectators screamed for their runners...
"FASTER, Hirake!!"
"YES!! Furiya's ahead of Chiba!"
"OH NO!! CHIBA, SPEED UP NOW!!!"
Motoki was shocked to see TWO runners
already ahead of Mamoru. Dear heavens! This
never happened before! Unconsciously he started
shouting Mamoru's name, and Reika, Usagi, Mina,
Ami, Rei and Mako screamed in anxiety.
As Mamoru reached the 40th metre, the sun
beamed its brightest light, and Rei vaguely
sensed ethereal power rising from the ground.
Although Rei was the most sensitive senshi, she
couldn't decipher the soft surge of force,
although it had a very frustratingly familiar
feeling... Strange... Rei thought.
To everybody's amazement, the slender
runner with ocean blue eyes started to catch up
with Hirake and Furiya. Slender long legs fully
stretched and covered the distance between the
other two runners with merely 4 strides.
Everybody, including Hirake and Furiya's
supporters, marvelled at the skill and grace
displayed by this runner called Mamoru Chiba. By
his fifth stride, Mamoru was already side by
side with Furiya, and the spectators roared at
such speed. Furiya displayed a face which
clearly etched out torture and strain, but
Mamoru looked as though he wasn't even breaking
a sweat. Then, as though a spark was fired in
Mamoru's legs, he sped past Furiya and left him
behind by nearly 1 metre. By the time Mamoru
reached the 70th metre, the gap between him and
Furiya had widen to almost 6 metres.
"Unbelievable...." "Am I seeing things??"
"... I heard about this guy, but I didn't know
he was this good!!!" Usagi beamed with pride
hearing those remarks. She continued shouting
along with the rest, and it was obvious her
friends were totally absorbed in the race,
screaming their throats dry.
As Mamoru touched the finishing line, the
whole stadium erupted in a thunderous roar and
applause, and again, hysterical female screams
added to the deafening cacophony. The
commentator's voice was full of excitement as
well, "What a race! WHAT A RUNNER! Tokyo U's
Mamoru Chiba clinched the gold medal!!! We are
waiting for the time... Is it a record? ...
YES!!! It's a new record!!!! The record set by
Chiba-san himself last year has been broken!!!"
Slowly stopping, Mamoru had his eyes
closed, breathing in air, with his feet
literally burning from the speed in which he ran
with. He was filled with so much adrenaline, and
he could hear his heart thumping loudly. Yes, he
was very happy and satisfied-- almost giddy with
the excitement. Lightly jogging, he ran his hand
through his hair, which were matted with sweat.
Mamoru smiled to the audience waving at him, and
shook hands with those near the track. He then
shook hands with his competitors, who were
totally humbled by his speed, honoured that they
ran with the man. Then, like a typical Japanese
gentleman, Mamoru abruptly stopped walking, and
bowed to the officials, coaches, and spectators.
Usagi, Motoki, and the rest of their
friends jumped in joy seeing Mamoru winning so
splendidly. The girls, except Reika, had never
seen Mamoru in sports before, and this was yet
another surprise and revelation of Mamoru's life
besides fighting evil with them. "Come on,
minna! Let's call for Mamoru!" Usagi said.
Everyone nodded excitedly, and took a deep
breath....
"MMMMMMAAAAAMMMMMMOOOOOOORRUUUUUU!!!!!!",
and was nicely complemented by Motoki's tenor
voice.
Mamoru spunned around at the voice(s), and
nearly dropped his jaw when he saw Motoki and
Reika with Usagi and her friends. They all
came.. *Usako* came... Mamoru never thought of
telling Usagi and the girls about this. It was
no big deal, really! He would have met with
Usagi right after this, as though nothing had
ever happened. This had to be Motoki and Reika's
doing! Without realising it, his heart was
filled with a warm sensation... Usako's here..
Childish as it was, Mamoru couldn't help feeling
elated to have impressed his love. Finally
recollecting himself, he waved to his friends
and mouthed the word, "Aishiteru," to Usagi. His
heart thumped to a speed which could have
rivalled his running, when Usagi sent him a
flying kiss in return....
Usagi wasn't sure, but she could swear
that Mamoru was blushing.
************************************************
The prize presentation was right after the
race, and Mamoru did not have the opportunity to
meet Usagi and the rest of the gang. Motoki,
however, brought everyone down to the track,
where they could see Mamoru receive his medal.
"Motoki-onnichan.. Thanks for bringing me
here..." Usagi said softly, giggling innocently.
"Hey, you guys saw his face when he saw us?"
Motoki grinned. He knew Mamoru would be
pleasantly surprised by this.
"Minna! The winners are walking to the
rostrum now!!" Ami said excitedly, "There's
Mamoru, Usagi!!" This time they had a clear view
of their friend. While the official continued to
give the bronze and silver medals to Furiya and
Hirake, Mamoru noticed the sky darkening. A gust
of cold wind ensued, and Mamoru began to feel an
uncomfortable tingling in his chest. He saw
Usagi and the rest and flashed a smile, and then
raised his hands to the rest of the spectators
when his name was called out. Mamoru stepped
onto the rostrum, strong and lean legs
stretching the material of his track bottoms,
and bowed to receive his medal amidst the
thundering applause and cheers of the audience.
Usagi and the senshis noticed it as well--
they all had senses more acute than normal
citizens. Usagi looked up, and saw a shadow
slowly covering the sun. "An eclipse!" Ami noted
instantly. They sensed the cold as well, but
other people, including Motoki and Reika, merely
noticed the eclipse occurring.
As it got darker, Mamoru's discomfort
grew. He could feel something faintly pulling
the threads of his soul, his heart. "Strange..."
he muttered. As the full eclipse occurred, that
slight discomfort in Mamoru exploded into full-
blown terror and pain.
What ensued was one of the most terrible
experiences Mamoru had ever had.
All of a sudden, Mamoru felt sheer pain
slamming into his heart, blocking out all
thoughts, all perceptions. His powerful legs
suddenly gave way, and Mamoru keeled over and
dropped from the rostrum to the ground. His
sight was blinded suddenly with the intense pain
and his heart seemed to shrivel in the
indescribable torture, making it impossible for
him to even breathe for air. Was it his
imagination, or did Mamoru *feel* Earth's pain
as well? So sudden was the attack that Mamoru
could only muster a faint moan of pain. What's
going on?! Mamoru's mind screamed, barely able
to block out the terror gripping him.
Usagi saw Mamoru collapsing, and with a
scream of concern, she pushed her way to Mamoru
while everyone on the track and in the stadium,
gazed hypnotically at the strange event. Her
world became black and white and everything
seemed to move in slow motion as she saw
Mamoru's knees buckling. A certain portion of
the crowd gasped as they saw the 100 metre
champion collapse.
"MAMORU!!!!" Instantly, Motoki rushed to
his friend. As he got closer to Mamoru, he
winced seeing Mamoru grimacing and gasping
ineffectively for air. But as the dark sky
cleared, the pain on Mamoru's face slowly eased
off.
Soon Mamoru was surrounded by Usako,
Motoki, Reika, the senshis, concerned officials
and health officials. "Mamo-chan... Are you
alright?" Usagi asked, eyes brimming with tears
of concern. As she stroked Mamoru's head on her
lap, she could see Mamoru slowly opening his
eyes. Her fear grew as she saw pools of black...
"Dear Gods! His pupils are fully dilated!"
Motoki voiced in shock and worry. His friend
seemed confused and dazed...
In truth, Mamoru was only semi-conscious.
It was a peculiar sense of subconsciousness,
with his senses of his physical surrounding
mingling with flashes of Earth.... Something he
had yet to understand but had accepted
willingly. He vaguely saw a vision of a palace.
A beautiful palace, bathed in lights and filled
with a familiar scent... Absent-mindedly, he
noticed the scent of the perfume he bought for
Usagi.
Rei sensed a very evil presence during the
eclipse, and was wondering whether it was the
cause of Mamoru's pain. She followed Motoki from
behind as he rushed towards Mamoru. Mamoru!! He
has to be alright! Concerned, she kneeled
beside Usagi and Motoki. She looked intently at
Mamoru, who was staring at nothing in peculiar,
and noticed that his lips were moving, as though
mouthing words which they could not hear.
"Mamoru-kun! What are you saying?" Rei
asked, straining to read his lips.
Usagi, who stroked Mamoru's head on her
lap, and Motoki, who held Mamoru's hand and
shoulders, moved closer to hear the words Mamoru
seemed to be whispering. Finally Motoki made out
the word.
"Elysion."
------------------------------------------------
Author's Notes: Thank you for reading my story.
Your guidance and constructive criticisms will
be deeply appreciated! YOU will definitely be
mentioned in my future works!
The response I received about THE GOLDEN CRYSTAL's
prologue was overwhelming [Mamolove cries
Sakuragi-style]! I'm so immensely touched by
all of your encouragement and enthusiasm.
*big hug*!! Tiffany, I miss you! Samantha, you
are a gem! Antigone, you're a joy to chat
with! Rose Candy, I'll definitely go check out
your story! Michibikare, thank you for
leaving Mamoru all to me. Evee, I really
like your phrase "Peace-out!" ^_^ Lily, good luck
in your PMR exams! Sidnei, you're a wonderful friend!!
Destiny Rose, *I* believe in you!! Thank you,
Harry Ritz for your kind encouragement.
Tsuki-chan, thanks for your sweet letter! Ditto to
Christine! You made my day, girl! Meg, hope you're
reading this, it's for your enjoyment too! Rosy,
hope to hear from you again! Thanks for writing to
me! And to Andrea, Caleyndar and Lady Spring,
thank you for posting my story. ^_^
Thank you to everyone who have expressed their
views and opinions about the prologue of THE GOLDEN
CRYSTAL!! *big hug* I will work harder!
Arigatou, thank you [bows profusely],
Mamolove
david_duchovny@hotmail.com
"Mamoru Fanfiction"
http://devoted.to/mamorufanfiction
Date written: 4 October 2000
Sailor Moon is copyright (c) 1992 Naoko
Takeuchi/Kodansha,
TOEI Animation. English Language Adaptation (c)
1995 DIC Entertainment.
by Mamolove
*Chapter 1*
The atmosphere in the Tokyo University
Stadium was electrifying. Throngs of spectators
steadily streamed into the stadium, excited to
witness the annual inter-university sports
competition. Banners were hanging everywhere,
bearing the names of athletes or their
respective universities-- adding to the
colourful surroundings and intense competition.
Today was the finals of all the track events and
it was not surprising to see the stadium nearly
packed to the brim.
Standing and craning his neck, Motoki
Furuhata frantically scanned the crowd for
Reika, who was supposed to bring Usagi and her
friends to watch the games. Ah... Can't wait to
see you, Reika-chan... Motoki snapped his head
to his left as a redhead waved to him. Right on
schedule, Reika!! Soon the redhead was joined
by a group of bouncing, lively girls. Motoki
first noted Makoto Kino, who was carrying a
basket which he presumed contained delicious
dumplings. Ami Mizuno was there too, and she
looked very different and sweet in that cap and
track bottoms of hers... Ouch! Sorry, Reika!
Next he grinned at Rei Hino, the priestess,
sunlight dancing on her raven black hair, which
equalled the shade of Mamoru's hair... I wonder
whether she still thinks about Mamoru... Minako
Aino saw Motoki, and started walking towards
Motoki, beckoning the rest to follow. "A born
leader," Motoki quipped to himself.
"Motoki-onnichan!!!!!!!!" Before he could
greet her, Usagi Tsukino wailed his name,
drawing some stares from some spectators. Motoki
smiled fondly, fully understanding why Mamoru
loved this bright, lovely lass. He needs her
spirit and cheerfulness... Gosh, it IS
uplifting! Soon, the girls were seated beside
him, and Motoki grinned to himself, basking in
the presence of his Reika.
"Thanks for inviting us, Motoki-san!"
Makoto grinned towards Motoki. "Sure, it's *my*
pleasure," Motoki replied, only to have Reika
poke him in his ribs. "Don't forget whose idea
this was, and who lined up to buy the tickets!"
Reika said, putting an exaggerated pout. And so
Motoki, Reika and the girls happily chatted
away till the commentator's voice filled the
stadium.
"Welcome, everybody, to the annual Inter-
University Sports Competition!!" boomed the
emcee's voice over the speakers in the stadium.
"This event brings all THE BEST athletes
from all the universities in Japan, and I assure
you, competition is at its peak here! Today, you
are going to witness the finals for the 100
metres sprint, and of course, the most intense
events: the 200 metres and 100 metres relay.
Without further ado, let the games begin!!"
The audience in the stadium roared in
agreement, wanting the games to commence. Motoki
grinned to himself. The girls, especially Usagi,
were about to get a big surprise....
As the 100 metres female category ended in
a blaze, the audience grew more excited as their
favourite event-- the 100 metres male category,
began to commence. Supporters of various
universities were shouting slogans and mottoes..
"Heck, even supporters of Kyoto University
are singing!!" Motoki noted.
Then came the blaring voice of the
commentator... Motoki and Reika glanced at the
girls, who were reading the schedule's book
while waiting for the event to take place. They
really, really didn't know! Reika and Motoki
thought, and grinned to each other. The runners
took their places in their respective lanes, and
everything was a blur until...
"And last but not least, in lane 8... This
gentleman from Tokyo University is currently
pursuing a medical degree, holding the post of
President in the Students Affairs Society, the
Physics and Mathematics Society, and is a key
member of the swimming team... He hails from
Tokyo University," the audience gave a
thundering roar, "... He is OUR athlete, MAMORU
CHIBA!!"
At the mention of Mamoru's name, literally
the whole coalition of spectators in the stadium
stood up and cheered and attempted a Mexican
wave. Hysterical screams of female admirers
added to the deafening noise vibrating through
the stadium.
Usagi, Rei, Ami, Minako and Makoto gasped,
and instantly stood up craning their neck as the
supporters in front of them rose in
anticipation. "Mamoru-san????" "Are you sure?"
"Can you see him??" "There he is!! There he is!!
Lane 8, minna!!"
"My MAMO-CHAN!!!!"
There in Lane 8, in the blistering heat of
the track, stood a tall, slender young man with
hair as black as ebony, eyes of the most
beautiful shade of blue, and a strong jawline
which any man in the planet would envy. His
chiselled features were matched by broad
shoulders and a well-toned body, which streamed
down into a slim waist and a pair of strong,
long legs. His body was perfectly streamlined
due to the hours of swimming and pushing his
body to its limits. This man, whom everybody
knew as *the* Mamoru Chiba, exuded an aura of
calmness and wisdom which gained the respect of
his peers and teachers. The piercing blue eyes
always caught people's attention-- it was very
rare to find blue-eyed Asians. The only readable
expression on his face was determination. Deadly
determination.
"Motoki-onnichan! You didn't tell us Mamo-
chan would be participating!!" Usagi said
excitedly.
"I wanted to give you girls a surprise!"
Motoki said, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh,
Mamoru himself doesn't know you're all here!"
Reika chipped in, winking mischievously towards
the group.
"I had NO IDEA Mamoru was a runner," Rei
said. "Yeah, I can't believe it! Guess we'd
better call Haruka for a match, huh?" Minako
thought loudly.
"Mamoru's our best runner, you know that?"
Motoki said quietly, smiling. "He used to
participate in the long jump and relay events as
well, but medicine really takes up a lot of his
time, so he chose to run in only one event this
year." Jade green eyes reflected pride and love,
as Motoki reminisced the passed years of
cheering for his best friend, who unfortunately,
had no parents to support him. You can do it,
Mamoru!
Beside Reika, a blonde odango atama's mind
went blank upon hearing Motoki. Mamoru never
told her about this, and though she knew he was
very popular among his peers, she had never
imagined Mamoru as the *best* runner in
Tokyo University. The best *runner*! She gazed
lovingly at her unaware soul mate, and repeated
the same thought as Motoki.. "You can do it,
Mamo-chan!"
************************************************
Mamoru took in a deep breath as he raised
his hand at the mention of his name. I can't
believe this... Mamoru thought wryly, seeing
literally the whole stadium rise up. The cheer
was deafening, and Mamoru could hear the crowd
slowly chanting his name. "Chiba... Chiba...
Chiba...." It was quite unnerving, but Mamoru
blocked all those distractions from his mind.
Control over his mind was something Mamoru had
no problem with, and soon his mind and body
melded into one entity, so focused to the point
that nothing else in the world existed but the
sight of the finishing line. Vaguely Mamoru
heard the official calling all the runners to
their positions.
On your marks.... Mamoru clenched his jaw,
a trickle of sweat dropping to the ground.
Get set..... His muscles tensed up
automatically, straining his ears for the
slightest sound of the gun shot, smelling again
the sweet smell of Earth....
BAAM!
And Mamoru *ran*.
*********************************************************
BAAM!!!
At the sound of the gunshot, all 8 runners
bolted towards the finishing line. The stadium
was filled with thundering cries and cheers.
Spectators screamed for their runners...
"FASTER, Hirake!!"
"YES!! Furiya's ahead of Chiba!"
"OH NO!! CHIBA, SPEED UP NOW!!!"
Motoki was shocked to see TWO runners
already ahead of Mamoru. Dear heavens! This
never happened before! Unconsciously he started
shouting Mamoru's name, and Reika, Usagi, Mina,
Ami, Rei and Mako screamed in anxiety.
As Mamoru reached the 40th metre, the sun
beamed its brightest light, and Rei vaguely
sensed ethereal power rising from the ground.
Although Rei was the most sensitive senshi, she
couldn't decipher the soft surge of force,
although it had a very frustratingly familiar
feeling... Strange... Rei thought.
To everybody's amazement, the slender
runner with ocean blue eyes started to catch up
with Hirake and Furiya. Slender long legs fully
stretched and covered the distance between the
other two runners with merely 4 strides.
Everybody, including Hirake and Furiya's
supporters, marvelled at the skill and grace
displayed by this runner called Mamoru Chiba. By
his fifth stride, Mamoru was already side by
side with Furiya, and the spectators roared at
such speed. Furiya displayed a face which
clearly etched out torture and strain, but
Mamoru looked as though he wasn't even breaking
a sweat. Then, as though a spark was fired in
Mamoru's legs, he sped past Furiya and left him
behind by nearly 1 metre. By the time Mamoru
reached the 70th metre, the gap between him and
Furiya had widen to almost 6 metres.
"Unbelievable...." "Am I seeing things??"
"... I heard about this guy, but I didn't know
he was this good!!!" Usagi beamed with pride
hearing those remarks. She continued shouting
along with the rest, and it was obvious her
friends were totally absorbed in the race,
screaming their throats dry.
As Mamoru touched the finishing line, the
whole stadium erupted in a thunderous roar and
applause, and again, hysterical female screams
added to the deafening cacophony. The
commentator's voice was full of excitement as
well, "What a race! WHAT A RUNNER! Tokyo U's
Mamoru Chiba clinched the gold medal!!! We are
waiting for the time... Is it a record? ...
YES!!! It's a new record!!!! The record set by
Chiba-san himself last year has been broken!!!"
Slowly stopping, Mamoru had his eyes
closed, breathing in air, with his feet
literally burning from the speed in which he ran
with. He was filled with so much adrenaline, and
he could hear his heart thumping loudly. Yes, he
was very happy and satisfied-- almost giddy with
the excitement. Lightly jogging, he ran his hand
through his hair, which were matted with sweat.
Mamoru smiled to the audience waving at him, and
shook hands with those near the track. He then
shook hands with his competitors, who were
totally humbled by his speed, honoured that they
ran with the man. Then, like a typical Japanese
gentleman, Mamoru abruptly stopped walking, and
bowed to the officials, coaches, and spectators.
Usagi, Motoki, and the rest of their
friends jumped in joy seeing Mamoru winning so
splendidly. The girls, except Reika, had never
seen Mamoru in sports before, and this was yet
another surprise and revelation of Mamoru's life
besides fighting evil with them. "Come on,
minna! Let's call for Mamoru!" Usagi said.
Everyone nodded excitedly, and took a deep
breath....
"MMMMMMAAAAAMMMMMMOOOOOOORRUUUUUU!!!!!!",
and was nicely complemented by Motoki's tenor
voice.
Mamoru spunned around at the voice(s), and
nearly dropped his jaw when he saw Motoki and
Reika with Usagi and her friends. They all
came.. *Usako* came... Mamoru never thought of
telling Usagi and the girls about this. It was
no big deal, really! He would have met with
Usagi right after this, as though nothing had
ever happened. This had to be Motoki and Reika's
doing! Without realising it, his heart was
filled with a warm sensation... Usako's here..
Childish as it was, Mamoru couldn't help feeling
elated to have impressed his love. Finally
recollecting himself, he waved to his friends
and mouthed the word, "Aishiteru," to Usagi. His
heart thumped to a speed which could have
rivalled his running, when Usagi sent him a
flying kiss in return....
Usagi wasn't sure, but she could swear
that Mamoru was blushing.
************************************************
The prize presentation was right after the
race, and Mamoru did not have the opportunity to
meet Usagi and the rest of the gang. Motoki,
however, brought everyone down to the track,
where they could see Mamoru receive his medal.
"Motoki-onnichan.. Thanks for bringing me
here..." Usagi said softly, giggling innocently.
"Hey, you guys saw his face when he saw us?"
Motoki grinned. He knew Mamoru would be
pleasantly surprised by this.
"Minna! The winners are walking to the
rostrum now!!" Ami said excitedly, "There's
Mamoru, Usagi!!" This time they had a clear view
of their friend. While the official continued to
give the bronze and silver medals to Furiya and
Hirake, Mamoru noticed the sky darkening. A gust
of cold wind ensued, and Mamoru began to feel an
uncomfortable tingling in his chest. He saw
Usagi and the rest and flashed a smile, and then
raised his hands to the rest of the spectators
when his name was called out. Mamoru stepped
onto the rostrum, strong and lean legs
stretching the material of his track bottoms,
and bowed to receive his medal amidst the
thundering applause and cheers of the audience.
Usagi and the senshis noticed it as well--
they all had senses more acute than normal
citizens. Usagi looked up, and saw a shadow
slowly covering the sun. "An eclipse!" Ami noted
instantly. They sensed the cold as well, but
other people, including Motoki and Reika, merely
noticed the eclipse occurring.
As it got darker, Mamoru's discomfort
grew. He could feel something faintly pulling
the threads of his soul, his heart. "Strange..."
he muttered. As the full eclipse occurred, that
slight discomfort in Mamoru exploded into full-
blown terror and pain.
What ensued was one of the most terrible
experiences Mamoru had ever had.
All of a sudden, Mamoru felt sheer pain
slamming into his heart, blocking out all
thoughts, all perceptions. His powerful legs
suddenly gave way, and Mamoru keeled over and
dropped from the rostrum to the ground. His
sight was blinded suddenly with the intense pain
and his heart seemed to shrivel in the
indescribable torture, making it impossible for
him to even breathe for air. Was it his
imagination, or did Mamoru *feel* Earth's pain
as well? So sudden was the attack that Mamoru
could only muster a faint moan of pain. What's
going on?! Mamoru's mind screamed, barely able
to block out the terror gripping him.
Usagi saw Mamoru collapsing, and with a
scream of concern, she pushed her way to Mamoru
while everyone on the track and in the stadium,
gazed hypnotically at the strange event. Her
world became black and white and everything
seemed to move in slow motion as she saw
Mamoru's knees buckling. A certain portion of
the crowd gasped as they saw the 100 metre
champion collapse.
"MAMORU!!!!" Instantly, Motoki rushed to
his friend. As he got closer to Mamoru, he
winced seeing Mamoru grimacing and gasping
ineffectively for air. But as the dark sky
cleared, the pain on Mamoru's face slowly eased
off.
Soon Mamoru was surrounded by Usako,
Motoki, Reika, the senshis, concerned officials
and health officials. "Mamo-chan... Are you
alright?" Usagi asked, eyes brimming with tears
of concern. As she stroked Mamoru's head on her
lap, she could see Mamoru slowly opening his
eyes. Her fear grew as she saw pools of black...
"Dear Gods! His pupils are fully dilated!"
Motoki voiced in shock and worry. His friend
seemed confused and dazed...
In truth, Mamoru was only semi-conscious.
It was a peculiar sense of subconsciousness,
with his senses of his physical surrounding
mingling with flashes of Earth.... Something he
had yet to understand but had accepted
willingly. He vaguely saw a vision of a palace.
A beautiful palace, bathed in lights and filled
with a familiar scent... Absent-mindedly, he
noticed the scent of the perfume he bought for
Usagi.
Rei sensed a very evil presence during the
eclipse, and was wondering whether it was the
cause of Mamoru's pain. She followed Motoki from
behind as he rushed towards Mamoru. Mamoru!! He
has to be alright! Concerned, she kneeled
beside Usagi and Motoki. She looked intently at
Mamoru, who was staring at nothing in peculiar,
and noticed that his lips were moving, as though
mouthing words which they could not hear.
"Mamoru-kun! What are you saying?" Rei
asked, straining to read his lips.
Usagi, who stroked Mamoru's head on her
lap, and Motoki, who held Mamoru's hand and
shoulders, moved closer to hear the words Mamoru
seemed to be whispering. Finally Motoki made out
the word.
"Elysion."
------------------------------------------------
Author's Notes: Thank you for reading my story.
Your guidance and constructive criticisms will
be deeply appreciated! YOU will definitely be
mentioned in my future works!
The response I received about THE GOLDEN CRYSTAL's
prologue was overwhelming [Mamolove cries
Sakuragi-style]! I'm so immensely touched by
all of your encouragement and enthusiasm.
*big hug*!! Tiffany, I miss you! Samantha, you
are a gem! Antigone, you're a joy to chat
with! Rose Candy, I'll definitely go check out
your story! Michibikare, thank you for
leaving Mamoru all to me. Evee, I really
like your phrase "Peace-out!" ^_^ Lily, good luck
in your PMR exams! Sidnei, you're a wonderful friend!!
Destiny Rose, *I* believe in you!! Thank you,
Harry Ritz for your kind encouragement.
Tsuki-chan, thanks for your sweet letter! Ditto to
Christine! You made my day, girl! Meg, hope you're
reading this, it's for your enjoyment too! Rosy,
hope to hear from you again! Thanks for writing to
me! And to Andrea, Caleyndar and Lady Spring,
thank you for posting my story. ^_^
Thank you to everyone who have expressed their
views and opinions about the prologue of THE GOLDEN
CRYSTAL!! *big hug* I will work harder!
Arigatou, thank you [bows profusely],
Mamolove
david_duchovny@hotmail.com
"Mamoru Fanfiction"
http://devoted.to/mamorufanfiction
Date written: 4 October 2000
Sailor Moon is copyright (c) 1992 Naoko
Takeuchi/Kodansha,
TOEI Animation. English Language Adaptation (c)
1995 DIC Entertainment.