I swear...the page breaks on this thing are a pain. It would figure that I just NOW figure out how to use them, seeing as I have one more chapter after this one, and it's all done! XP Thanks again to those who have reviewed!
Sailor Pluto was extremely pleased with herself. She and Sailor Mercury were watching the Brutes through a crystal clear dimensional window that she had just created. "They are now completely in sync with the time warp." She gave a low, almost evil chuckle.
"Amazing," Mercury said with a smile.
"Thank you."
"Well, I was sort of referring to the fact that they're sleeping in shifts and constantly looking over their shoulders." She giggled to herself until she saw the hurt glare Pluto was shooting her. "Oh, and what you've done to them to cause them to be so paranoid was pretty impressive too!"
"Uh huh," Pluto snickered to herself as she turned back to the window.
"I can't wait to tell Mamoru-san about this," Mercury rubbed her hands together in anticipation.
"Speaking of whom," Pluto waved her staff across the window and the scene changed. They both gasped at what they saw. Tuxedo Mask with their slightly altered, golden-red haired princess in his arms. "This guy is good!"
"So this is where the competition is going to be held tomorrow?" asked Mamoru as he and Serena stood in front of a convention center. There were quite a few people in line to sign up for the Star Quest talent search.
"Yep," she replied as she suddenly found great interest in the cement beneath her feet. Her eyes darted up for a few seconds as she scanned the line. She sucked in her breath and looked down at the ground again.
Mamoru creased his brow in concern as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay, Serena? What's the matter?"
"I'm fine," she replied quietly. "Can we go, please?" She took his hand and tried to pull him away from the convention center.
"Woah, woah," he replied as he tugged her back and put on a secret smile. "If we don't wait in line, how will you be able to enter the contest?"
She stopped fighting him and froze. She turned slowly to him and looked at him as if he were crazy. "I kinda gave that dream up after I found out that I couldn't afford the entrance fee."
He rolled his eyes skyward as if to contemplate what she had just said. "Yeah, okay. Is that the only reason?"
"Isn't that a good enough reason?" She still wasn't sure if he was being stupid, or teasing her cruelly.
"Nope." He led her to the end of the line.
"Darien, what are you doing?" He only answered her with a goofy smile, and she rolled her eyes. "Can this day get any weirder?"
"Well look who decided to crawl out of her hole today," an obnoxiously cheerful voice said in front of them.
Serena looked to see whom the voice belonged to, and wanted to die right then. "I guess it can."
Three girls turned around to face Mamoru and Serena. One was tall with dark brown eyes and had a head full of black braids that cascaded down to the middle of her back flatteringly. Another was considerably shorter and had icy blue eyes and long blonde hair piled neatly into a bun on the top of her head, secured by a pencil. The third was a little bit taller than the blonde and had friendly green eyes and dark red hair tied into a ponytail set high atop her head. They each wore matching outfits with a great big "J" on the fronts of the tops.
The blonde spoke again. "After you took off yesterday, we didn't think you'd ever show your face in public ever again." She then turned her eyes to Mamoru, who wore a puzzled and annoyed expression. "Well, hello there! Fancy meeting you again! Remember me?" His expression didn't change, and this upset the blonde. Her eyes misted dramatically, as if she willed them to. "That's harsh! Well, we met yesterday at Justice, remember? I was at the front desk when you came in looking for her." She gestured harshly in Serena's direction.
Mamoru fought back the urge to gag. "Oh, right. How silly of me to forget."
Serena looked up at him with a hurt expression on her face. 'Did he just say what I thought he said? He can't be flirting with HER! She's just a two-bit skank!' She found no comfort in her thoughts as he turned to look down at her and gave her a smile. She turned down her eyes and fought back her tears.
Mamoru's smile vanished as he saw her face, which had been so full of light a few minutes ago turn to doom and gloom. "Serena?" He put his arm around her again, and she fought for a second before deciding to cuddle into the embrace. His concerned featured melted as the corners of his mouth turned upwards slightly.
"But anyways," the blonde girl chirped, having obviously holding a conversation with no one. "My name's Natasha, what's yours?"
"Like even, Natasha," the girl with braids said as she folded her arms over her ample chest and turned her attention back to the line. "He's not even listening to you."
"Shut up, Jasmine," Natasha spat as she turned on her friend. "What guy wouldn't drop dead to have this?" She gestured to her curvy physique.
"Obviously not him," the redhead replied as she too turned her attention back to the line. "Jas is right. He's too busy with that." She stuck her thumb over her shoulder back at Serena.
Natasha looked over to the other girl as her eyes brimmed with more fake tears. "Maybe so, but mark my words, Shannon, I will have him!" She, too, turned back to face the right direction.
Mamoru scoffed loud enough to cause the three girls in front of him to turn again. "Not likely. In fact, not ever!" He tightened his grip around Serena. "Now just turn around..." He made a little twirling gesture with his free hand to demonstrate turning around to them. "...and mind your own business."
Natasha's eyes became icy blue slits as she swiveled back around with a huff. "He's not my type anyway."
Serena managed to hold in her laughter but just barely. She looked up at the man who still had a protective hold on her. "What was that for?"
He looked down at her again. "What was what for?"
"That," she said with a sweeping gesture in front of her. "That whole display."
"Ah," he replied with a small chuckle. He leaned down close to her ear and whispered softly. "Just reminding you who got saved last night, and who I'm forcing to fulfill her dream."
His warm breath tickled her ear, and she let out a small giggle as a light blush stained her cheeks. She sighed as the line moved forward and the three in front of them went up to the registration table.
"Hi there, ladies!" chirped a middle aged brunette lady with sparkling eyes set behind wire-rimmed glasses. She had a pen in hand, and a pad of paper with a list of names and events. "What are your names?"
"My name's Natasha, and these two are Jasmine and Shannon."
"All righty," the lady replied as she scribbled the information down. "What category are you three planning on entering?"
"Ensemble dance and song," Natasha replied. "And our group is called Justice!"
Serena snorted as she tried to quell her laughter. "Justice! This is sad. Three cashiers that I work with are going to enter a national talent contest using the store's name!" By now, she was shaking from keeping the laughter in.
"Shh, Serena," Mamoru said as he tried to keep the laughter out of his voice. "We don't need to be starting anything. Besides, it's your turn." Serena's laughter died instantly as her legs turned to jelly. Mamoru dragged her along to the best of his ability and placed her in front of the lady at the table. He removed his arm from her shoulders and attempted to steady her as he moved away slightly. The lack of warmth hit Serena as hard as the icy wind that blew her hair into her face. She recovered quickly, however, and pushed the hair out of her eyes and plastered a look of total confidence on her face.
The lady's hazel eyes sparkled happily from behind the glasses. 'This one's got a charisma about her,' she thought. "How are you today?"
"Oh, um, I'm fine," Serena stammered as she laughed semi-nervously. "How are you?"
The lady chuckled. "I'm doing fine. Now, what's your name?"
"Serena."
"Okay, now what event are you interested in singing up for?"
Serena looked over to Mamoru, who gave her an encouraging smile. She smiled herself before answering. "Solo vocal."
The lady matched Serena's smile as she scanned the list, moving her pen down as she went. Her face clouded over as she looked back up at Serena. "I'm sorry, but that category is completely packed. Is there another event that you are interested in?" Serena's face fell as she bowed her head to look at the categories and events on the list facing her on the table.
Mamoru's heart leapt into his esophagus as he looked at the list too. 'She has to do this,' he thought. 'She has to be able to believe in herself again if she's ever to go back to the way she once was.' His eyes landed on a particular category that would be feasible: if he were willing to risk all. He was. He'd walk barefoot over smoldering coals for his Usako. A little bit of public humiliation was a small price to pay. "How about duet vocal?" Serena's eyes went wide as they met his.
"That category is filing up," the lady replied. "And if you two sign up now, it'll be closed out." She smiled brightly. "Go for it, Serena, sweetie! You two have a unique chemistry. You'll knock 'em dead!"
Mamoru gave her one of his famous smirks as his eyes moved up to meet hers. "I'll bet you say that to all of the wary contestants."
She folded her hands under her chin and smiled coolly. "Only to the ones that I think truly do. So, what do you say, Serena?"
"Are you sure, Darien?" She managed to croak out. This guy was one surprise after another.
"Absolutely," he said softly. "So, are you game?"
"Sure! Sign us up!"
The lady at the table sighed happily and took Mamoru's name...well, Darien's name anyway, as well as two hundred bucks for the both of them. "We'll see you here tomorrow! I can't wait to see your performance!"
"Me neither," Mamoru echoed under his breath as they moved away from the table. "Maybe we should come up with something and practice?"
Serena giggled as she stuffed her near-frozen hands in her jacket pockets. "That's usually the way it works." She sighed as she tried to choose her next words. "Mamo-chan?"
He stopped walking immediately as he looked over at her. 'Did she just say...?'
When she noticed that he had stopped, she halted as well. "Darien? Are you okay?"
He took a deep breath, not wanting to rush her memories. "What did you just say?"
"Um," she considered what she had said. "I said, 'Darien'? What did you think I said?"
"I don't know," he replied. "I guess I'm just hearing things. How about we get some lunch and discuss our act for tomorrow?"
"You're gonna spoil me," she said with a smile. "First the hundred dollar entrance fee, and now lunch?"
"It's all going towards a good cause," he replied with a wink as he offered her his arm.
Her smiled broadened as he took his arm. "And what would that good cause be?" She knew that she saw him blush slightly. The rise in color made him look even more handsome, if that was possible.
"You, Serena, and your bright future."
It was Serena's turn to blush as they began to walk. She then smiled again and began humming a tune that had just entered her head.
"What is that you're humming?"
"Oh, it's just a little tune that's been hopping around my head for the past few days. I must have heard it somewhere, and now I can't get it out of my head."
"Can you sing it a little louder? It sounds like a nice tune."
"Um, I don't know..."
"Serena," Mamoru said as they stopped walking and turned to her. "You do realize that we're both gonna have to sing in front of a BUNCH of people tomorrow, right?"
She hung her head. "Uh huh. I guess now's a little too late to feel uneasy about this, huh?"
He gently grasped her chin and raised it until her eyes met his. He put on a kind smile. "Kinda, yeah. So how does that song go?"
"I don't know many of the words, but okay," she finally agreed. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her sweet, gentle voice was soon carrying the verses to a song that he knew really well.
"I look up at the moonlit sky and see you floating there.
I close my eyes and whisper your name.
Tears are like ripples in crystal filling my heart with loneliness.
For example, no matter how distant our separation, my love
Our hearts now can shine as one
You are just my love."
It was their song. Usagi and Mamoru's. The melody drove right to the very center of his soul. Tears began to brim his eyes, but he drew them back before they fell. "That, Serena, is the perfect song for us tomorrow."
"Huh?" she asked as she opened her eyes. "That's all I know of it. And plus, it's a really deep and emotion-filled song. It's about lovers who have finally found each other."
"I know," he said simply. "And you sing it absolutely beautifully. We can figure out more lyrics easily."
"I really do love the melody," she admitted with a smile. "Why not? Today has just been one great big spontaneous reaction after another anyways."
They resumed walking for a little longer until they stopped in front of a café. Mamoru noticed a girl with short shiny blue hair sitting in a booth inside enjoying a cup of tea. "Is this place okay, Serena?" She nodded in response and they went inside.
Ami noticed the pair entering the café and watched them closely until she had caught Mamoru's gaze. She waved her hand high. "Hey, Darien, over here!"
"Is she a friend of yours, Darien?" Serena asked.
"Yeah," he replied as he smiled. "She's a real good friend of mine."
A jolt of jealousy went through Serena as if she had just been shocked by static electricity. She was incredibly saddened until they approached the girl's booth and looked into her friendly blue eyes. She saw nothing even close to love, passion, lust, or any of that. Only very concerned, serious, beautiful blue eyes.
"Long time no see," Mamoru smirked. Ami chuckled in response. "This is Serena," he gestured towards the girl on his arm.
"Charmed," Ami replied as she took Serena's outstretched hand and shook it politely. "My name is Amy. I've known Darien here for quite a while. Please, join me, you guys. I just ordered my food myself."
"Serena?" Mamoru asked her for permission.
She smiled and nodded. She knew already that she really liked Amy. They both slid into the booth across from Ami.
"So, Amy, what have you been up to lately?" Mamoru attempted to make small talk.
"Same old, same old," she replied with a cool smile. "Going from school to home and back again. Yourself?"
"Same," he said as he put an arm around Serena. "But you'll never guess what we just did."
"Well, as long as you were both consenting," she said with a little wink.
That comment caused both Mamoru and Serena to blush furiously. Serena buried her head in the menu and found great interest in what foods there were to choose from.
"Amy, you need to get your head out of the gutter," Mamoru scolded quietly. "Actually, we just signed up for a talent search called Star Quest."
Ami's eyes widened as she raised an eyebrow. That wasn't part of the plan. "'We'?"
"Yup," said Serena from behind the menu. "Duet Vocal." She lowered the menu and smiled over at Ami. "Have you ever heard Darien sing, perchance?"
Ami almost broke down in tears. Mamoru was right. This was definitely Usagi. She sniffed the tears back and smiled back. "I have...he's got a decent voice."
"Wow, that's a relief," Serena declared as she folded the menu and set it back down on the table. She gestured for a waiter to come towards the booth. "Seeing as we have to perform tomorrow."
"What are you guys going to sing?" Ami inquired.
"A song I heard in passing," Serena replied, watching the waiter slowly walk across the room. "I think it's called something like..."
"'You Are Just My Love'," Mamoru replied as he looked at Ami with sparkling eyes. That almost pushed Ami to the brink of tears again.
"Are you ready to order, miss?" the waiter asked as he strolled up to the table and whipped out a pad of paper.
"Yup, I'll have the chicken chef's salad, please."
Two sets of eyes bulged out of their respective owner's sockets, and as Mamoru and Ami were trying to stick them back in before someone noticed, the waiter continued taking down Serena's order.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"Diet Coke, please."
"Very good." He turned his attention to Mamoru to take his order.
"And a chocolate milkshake too, if you could," Serena added with a smile. Ami sighed under her breath and Mamoru had to hold back a chuckle. Some things never change.
"I can't believe Toshihiro was such a moron!" Yukio roared as the four remaining Brutes trudged through a storm in the time warp. "How could he be captured by the police?"
"Because he underestimated the Sailor Senshi," Yemon replied as he continued to shepherd the rest of the brutes through the storm that was slowly edging them out of the warp. "He'll be out of custody and back here as soon as his disguise spell wears off."
"We can't be sure WE'LL still be here, Yemon!" Bara squealed. "That damned Senshi of Time has us cornered!"
"Face it, Yukio," Kin bellowed as he shook a golden prosthetic fist at his leader. "You have led us into this death trap! For as long as we have been waiting for our revenge, none of us deserve to be cursed to follow you any longer! I am relieved that the Earth didn't have to put up with you as king."
Yukio stopped suddenly and turned on his heel to face Kin. Everyone else shuddered and backed away from their leader's smoldering gaze. "Kin, don't you ever mention that part of history again. This whole quest is to avenge us, but what has happened has happened. And if you ever speak to me in that tone of voice again, I will rip that golden arm off of that pathetic, undeserving body of yours." He turned again and continued walking along the path that Yemon had highlighted with his power.
The others cautiously followed. "So, what do you intend to do now, Yukio-sama?" Yemon asked carefully.
"I intend to prepare to battle," Yukio said in a calm, low voice. "It's only a matter of time before Sailor Pluto manages to completely remove us from the time warp. If need be, I'll face every single damned Senshi alive. Finally, I shall have my revenge on that arrogant, manipulating brat, Endymion." A sinister smile spread across his face. "And just to drive the wedge deeper..." He removed the ring from his pocket and concentrated all of his power through it. "Moon Princess, your soul is mine!"
"So we have full tummies, a song in our hearts, and it's a beautiful day!" Serena skipped down the sidewalk, slightly ahead of Mamoru and Ami. "Now all we need is a stage presentation! I am so psyched about this!"
Mamoru and Ami both chuckled. "It seems as the day goes on, she acts more and more like her old self," Ami said softly to Mamoru.
"I get that impression too," he replied with a sigh. He cleared his throat as he called ahead to Serena. "Hey, Dumpling Head!"
Serena almost tripped over her feet as she stopped skipping. She quickly recovered and stomped back towards Mamoru, as he and Ami stopped walking. "Why do you keep calling me that?! Is my head obscenely round?"
"No," he replied as he gently cupped her jaw with his hand. His eyes softened and he softly stroked her cheek. "It just comes out. I think it's just a cute little name. But if you want me to stop calling you that, I will."
Ami turned her eyes away shyly as she found interest in the brick wall of the store they had stopped in front of.
Serena silently wished she could move at all. All she could do was take in the mysterious sensuality of Mamoru's face. It was kinda creepy, but today, whenever she looked into his eyes, it was like a part of her was trying to force its way out of her and make her remember something. She shook her head slightly and Mamoru released her jaw. "Um, no, that's okay. I was just wondering why you'd come up with such a strange nickname."
He just chuckled as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. He was about to reply when he felt a strange power. He looked to Ami, who had her computer out and was just about to say something when Serena screamed.
"AUUGGHH! Not again!" She held her head tightly as she began to teeter slightly. "I'm being attacked again!"
Mamoru lurched forward to steady her and lowered her to the ground safely. She clutched to the material of his shirt as the pain surged through her. He attempted to calm her as he stroked her hair and whispered softly, but the attack was only getting worse. "Enough of this!" He screamed up at no one in particular. "Why must you harm this poor, innocent girl? Why can't you show your face and confront us?"
"What fun would that be?" Ami and Mamoru looked skyward and saw four Brutes floating mere feet above them. Yukio spoke again. "She is too easy a target anyway. You're the one I really want, Endymion."
Mamoru tightened his grip on the still-whimpering Serena as he prepared for the confrontation. "So you're Prince Cadmus, huh?"
Yukio smirked. "So, you do remember your uncle."
Mamoru smirked back. "I don't know. My memory must be worse than I thought. Either that, or you're a lot hairier than you used to be."
"Mock me all you want, boy," Yukio said as he held up the delicate ring. "She'll just have to suffer more."
Mamoru felt the same strange power coming from Yukio, and Serena gripped him tighter before passing out. He cradled her gently against him and ran his hand across her face: unconscious and twisted in pain. He then looked back up at Yukio with his heart full of anger. A sharpened red rose formed between his fingers and he hurled it at him. "You bastard!"
Yukio batted the rose away casually as he and the other Brutes prepared to do battle. Mamoru and Ami formed a protective human shield around their fallen princess. They didn't know if they were going to survive the attack, but they knew they had to protect her.
Then, the odds were evened.
"Dead Scream."
Sailor Pluto's massive attack knocked all four Brutes out of the sky and onto the pavement, and not too gracefully. She stepped out of the portal and swung her staff back to her side. "Here to protect the continuum of space and time, protected by the God of the Underworld, I am Sailor Pluto!" She went over to Mamoru and Ami.
"Nice timing, Sailor Pluto!" Ami exclaimed as she wiped the sweat from her brow.
"It was my pleasure," she replied with a smile as she turned to Mamoru. "How is she?"
"I'm not sure," he replied quietly as he gathered her up in his arms and stood. "We need to get her out of here, though."
"Follow me, then," she said as she strode back to the still-open portal.
"What about the Brutes?" Ami asked as she looked back at the semi-conscious Brutes, each lying in a crater in the pavement. She then followed Mamoru into the portal. "Are we just going to leave them there?"
"They have more important things to be worried about." Sailor Pluto replied as they all emerged into her alcove in the time warp. She instructed Mamoru to set Serena down on a couch nearby.
He set her down, and watched as she curled up into the cushions, a small smile of contentment spreading across her features signaling that the attack had ended. He had to smile at that, but the smile quickly turned into a frown. "I can't believe this," he exclaimed quietly.
"What was it that Cadmus was holding up?" Ami asked as she sat down in a chair across from Mamoru.
"That was his medium," Mamoru replied. "He's using that ring to channel his psychometric powers through her."
"But why that ring?"
"Because that was the ring I gave her before I left on the flight that was supposed to go to America." He sighed before he continued. "That was supposed to be an engagement ring, but I didn't have the nerve to ask her then. I thought that we'd have plenty of time for that later. I guess I'm about as inept at predicting the future as I am in protecting her."
"Stop bashing yourself like that, Prince," Sailor Pluto said sternly. "You know that isn't true anyway. Besides, you must remain strong for her sake."
"I know," he replied barely over a whisper. He bent over and kissed Serena's sleeping face gently. "I just don't think it's going to be enough."
"Don't talk like that, Mamoru-san!" Ami cried as she stood.
"You said that all we had to do was to get her to remember how to believe in herself so she could use the Eternal Henshin Brooch!"
"Please try to clam yourself Ami-chan," Pluto said as she squeezed Ami's tense shoulders reassuringly.
"The Eternal Brooch," Mamoru murmured to himself as he reached into his pocket and produced the golden treasure. He gently tucked it into Serena's limp grip, and soon it was giving off a soft white light.
Pluto smiled softly. "The Silver Imperium Crystal recognizes its mistress. It will begin to restore some of her memories as it heals her. Come on, we should leave her alone so she can get some sleep." The other two nodded in response and got up to leave.
"Mamo-chan..." Serena mumbled as she turned on her side and reached for the spot that he had been previously occupying.
He kneeled again as he took her hand. "Maybe I should stay here with her." The other two nodded with knowing grins as they disappeared in the darkness of the time warp.
"Usagi..." a soft voice called.
Serena turned her head in the direction of the voice, recognizing both the voice and the name. "Who...? Who are you?"
"I am you," a woman said as she materialized behind Serena. She spun around to get a better look at her. She was the same height as Serena, but she was much slimmer. She also had hair of spun gold that went from the delicate buns on either side of the top of her head all the way down past her feet. Her simple, yet resplendent gown of form-fitting white silk accented with gold gave her an almost angelic appearance, and her crown of rubies and diamonds clued Serena in that she was talking to royalty. A golden crescent moon insignia glimmered from her forehead as Serena grasped for words.
"You are...me? How is this possible?"
"The Silver Crystal is healing your body, and I am here to heal your mind," the angelic queen replied with a smile. "Most of your memories were taken from you in a most violent way. Take my hand, and let me give them back to you."
Serena reluctantly took the queen's outstretched hand, and almost instantly, she was bombarded by a million memories.
A beautiful Silver Kingdom on the moon a thousand years ago...
A forbidden romance with the exquisitely handsome prince of the Earth...
A fate that was sealed in the Silver Crystal when the Dark Kingdom destroyed everything...
A crumpled-up test paper that set in motion a second chance for her and her long-lost prince...
The Dark Kingdom tearing them apart again...
Her prince, who lay dying in her arms, first calling her "Usako"...
Aliens, who brought them back together...
A nightmare that almost tore them apart again...
A pink-haired whirlwind who was to be their daughter...
An evil curse that a jealous Queen of Evil placed on him...
A fight to win him back...
Losing him again, this time to opportunity...one he couldn't pass up...
Discovering his Star had faded out and belonged to a twisted Golden Senshi...
Meeting lifelong friends...
Losing others...
But through it all, they had remained strongly devoted to one another...
"You will gain other memories, Usagi," the queen said. "And you will eventually return to your true form. But until that happens, you must trust the love you and Mamoru share. And you must also trust the power that is inside you."
"Power?"
"The power of the Silver Crystal reflects the power of your heart. Always follow your heart, and the crystal's power will be strong and true." The queen began to fade away. "Be strong, Usagi. You and Mamoru have the power to stop this evil."
"No, Queen! Don't go!"
"I must. And you must return to your prince."
Usagi slowly opened her eyes, and focused on a pair of concerned eyes the color of midnight. "Mamo-chan?" she whispered.
"Usako?" His heartbeat began to accelerate. "Is it really you? Do you remember?"
"I don't remember everything, but I do remember you Mamo-chan!" she cried as she launched herself into his arms. The current crisis was temporarily forgotten as two arms circled her waist and she and Mamoru embraced as if the world would end.
"I have missed you so much, Usako!" Mamoru whispered into her hair.
"I've been here waiting for you Mamo-chan," she said as she rested her head on his chest. "I may look a little different, but I'm the same me."
He lifted her chin to look into her tear-filled eyes. "I know, Usako. Nothing could ever cloud your light. The light that I love so much." His emotional walls were crumbling as tears began to fall from his eyes.
"Oh, Mamo-chan," she gasped as she wiped the tears away gently. "We will beat those icky Brutes. Then everything will be back to normal. But for now," she said as she kissed him. "I am perfectly content to be right here with you now."