Why, hello, everybody! I see we managed to snag a few new readers last chapter! Well, I'm going straight to review replies. This chapter has like, no action in it, but it's really sweet! Writing it made me giggle. Any fans of fluff? This is your chapter! But next chapter, THE ACTION RETURNS! MUAH HAH HAH!
Ahem.
JadesRose: You are amazing. Thank you soo much for reviewing my story! Wow. Tears. I can only hope. And, I can only return the favor by declaring, I am YOUR number one fan! And never forget it! Thank you so much!
Manga-moo: Ding, dong, the hag is dead! hahah! And thank you for your marvelous review! Haha! And be anxious no more, cuz here's the next part! I'm on a roll!
fantasy-monkey: You're right, what AM I waiting for? Here it is!!! Thanks for the review!
omystars: Ah, I love my regulars! Yes, it is meant to be… sigh I can't wait to write more either! Hang with me! Thanks for reviewing so much!
WingsofaDream: Chocolate eating foxes! WHEEE!!! And man, I loved writing that part at the Gate too. Remember how Setsuna said "Don't worry, it couldn't be better protected."? Well, who else, but NGS?! TEE HEE! I haven't decided about going into Dark Moon. I may, I may not. Then it would be a KAH-RAZY long story! But if everyone is for that… I just may. Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy!
Heline: You're a new face! Yay! And don't worry, I'm a rainbows, bunnies, and flowers happy ending type gal, so don't worry, it's coming! Hang with me! Thanks for reviewing!
Carla: Hi! You're awesome too, cuz without your great reviews, I simply wouldn't be motivated to update! Thank you so much!
Moonmoore: Spin a tale! I hope so! Thanks so much for the compliments! And I shall add you to my staff! Thanks for reviewing, and enjoy this chapter!
Alicia Blade: Yes, she does have all her memories… as you will soon see. Haha, didn't mean to wear you out. This chapter is a little slower-paced, so sit back, relax, and enjoy!
ells: In fact, I am going to do just that. The Outers, as much as I love them, don't belong in the R series. I just had to put them in the Beryl bit because they were involved in that fight in the past and never got to do anything about it. The Shitennou will be hard enough, as you said, so the Outers are receding for a while. Great minds think alike! Thanks for reviewing!
karone-sakura: You know, I can't wait to see how I get them back together either. Cuz at this point, I know as much as you do! This story is in control, not me. Hope the update came soon enough!!! Enjoy!
Tori: Yay! Reviews make me happy! And yours was very flattering by the way. I can't thank you enough for the encouragement it gave me. I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter!
sleepy26: Speaking of continuation… here it is! Enjoy! Thanks for reviewing!
Neonlights: Another faithful! You were with me from the beginning! YES! Gah, I couldn't end it there! That would be just slimy. Yay for Setsuna and the Queen guarding the gate! That was probably my favorite scene, too. And don't worry, everyone will be happy again, soon! Hang in there! And thanks for reviewing!!! Your story is coming along nicely by the way! Here's a chapter dedicated to you, my most faithful reviewer!! Enjoy!
angel313: Another new face! Glad you're enjoying yourself! Here's the new chapter! And thanks for reviewing!
Starlit Warrior: yet another faithful! Die?! Is that what it looked like?! MUAH HAH HAH! (nah, I'd never do that. not to my favorite character!!) Hope you enjoy this chapter, too!
Serenity's Blaim: You're a new face, too! Glad to have you along for the ride! And I haven't decided about Rini yet. We'll see. I might just stop after Ail and Ann, but since I'm a firm believer in democracy, if an overwhelming majority of readers tell me to keep going, I shall. We'll just see how it goes. Thanks for reviewing!!
airdreanna: Did you seriously read this whole beast in one sitting? WOW! Thanks for the great review, and I hope you enjoy this next part of the story!
cardcaptor eternity: Answer: You'll just have to wait and see! MUAH HAH HAH! Just kidding. That doesn't happen in this chapter, so I haven't actually decided how that will happen, but you'll see! I won't let you down, however I decide to do it! Anyhow, enjoy! And thanks for the review!
NOTE There seemed to be some confusion. As you can see, the Ail and Ann bit isn't going to be a whole different story. I couldn't bear leaving Usagi and Mamoru apart at the end of a piece! So, it's just going to be a continuation of the same story, not a sequel. However, there will be a third "book" which will be a Crystal Tokyo story. Past, present, future! See that pattern? Anywho, enjoy!
Chapter Thirteen: The Wish
"Usagi, daijobou?!" Tsukino Ikuko dried, bursting into the hospital room, and snatching up her daughter's hand before she realized it was injured. Usagi sucked in a breath at the stinging, but said nothing. "What happened to you, baby?"
As Ikuko interrogated their daughter, Kenji looked to his daughter's face as she answered. She was badly beaten, and showed it, but gave a brave smile to her mother.
Something was wrong with her eyes. The one that she could open was dull; listless. Something terrible had happened to his daughter, and by her shallow smile, Kenji knew she couldn't tell them.
"I was mugged," Usagi stated softly, fighting off the dizziness. I was murdered.
"By whom?!"
"I don't remember." I wish I could forget.
"What did they take from you?"
"Just my cash." My dearest friends, my kingdom, and the only man I ever loved.
Ikuko finally dropped the 411, and allowed Shingo to push by her.
"Cool black eye, Usagi!" he declared, eager to be rid of the tension in the small hospital room.
That did get Usagi to giggle, but before another word was spoken, Dr. Mizuno swept into the room, replacing a warm cloth over Usagi's bruised eye and cheek.
"Are you feeling any better, Tsukino-san?" Ami's mother asked, concerned, checking the bandages around her head and hands.
Her memory's been erased of me too?
"A little. My head is killing me, I can't see straight, and my knee hurts," Usagi mumbled, dazedly. She was heavily medicated for pain. "Why can't I move it?"
"Tsukino-san, your right leg has been encased in a cast that you must wear for at least three weeks to take the pressure off of your cracked kneecap. You will be given crutches for that time. After that, you will only need a brace for three weeks, and crutches for only one more week. Then the brace will be sufficient. Luckily, your knee didn't require surgery. How did you manage to fracture your kneecap?"
"I was running from the mugger and I tripped and hit my knee on a sharp rock." Usagi said, shutting her eyes against dizziness.
"Ah, that explains the flesh wound. You are very lucky to have only lost some money, Tsukino-san." Dr. Mizuno said darkly.
If only, if only, if only…
The words repeated over and over in her head like a mantra, lulling her into a fitful, drug-induced doze.
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All was silent between the witch and the princess for a moment.
"Let me end your suffering, Princess. Surrender to me, and I will make your death painless."
For the last time, the princess's eyes lit with fire.
"I am still the Princess of the Silver Millennium! And heir to the throne of the Moon Kingdom! I will never be defeated by the likes of you! You will not have the honor of defeating me! Not in this lifetime OR the next!!"
She knelt down, and deftly yanked the prince's sword from its sheath. She positioned the tip at her heart.
"Everyone! Mark my words!" she yelled, not caring who heard and who did not. "I, Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, will right all the wrongs done today when I return! You will all be avenged in the name of the Moon! Peace will come to us! Never, never give up hope!"
She lowered her voice to a whisper, and glared at her enemy. "Until we meet again, Beryl, farewell."
Then, she looked into her lover's eyes, still open, and still filled with love, even in death, the princess uttered her last words.
"Mother, I die with honor, because I cannot live with honor. Endymion, I love you until the stars fall from the sky. Soon, we will meet again."
Then, with a sharp intake a breath, she plunged her lover's sword right through her broken heart.
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Mamoru shot straight up in his bed, his heart pounding, his breath coming in gasps.
That girl. The princess from his dream. She had the face of the young woman he'd found yesterday in the park.
He wondered about that girl. Tsukino. She'd been in bad shape. And though, he was sure he'd never laid eyes on her, he felt responsible for her. When he's seen her sprawled underneath that big oak, his heart went cold with dread.
But I don't know her! I have never seen her before! he insisted to himself, as he rose, knowing he'd never be able to sleep after that.
Then, why would you have a dream about her killing herself?
He shook his head, and stumbled into the kitchen of his apartment. He switched on the coffee maker then flopped into a chair, massaging his temples.
Obviously, he was going to go back and check on Tsukino-san. For several reasons.
One. She was badly beaten, and he was a kind, decent human being.
Two. She was female. He was male. She was attractive, and he was… well, attracted to her. The brave smile she'd weakly give him as she was loaded into the ambulance, floating in and out of consciousness, was still clear in his mind's eye.
Three. She whispered his name when she'd slid from unconsciousness. He'd never seen her before, but she knew his name.
And four. Perhaps the most puzzling, the most frightening of all.
The face on the dead man to whom she'd pledged her eternal love was his own.
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When Usagi woke up the next time, it was some ungodly hour of the morning, and she was alone.
She glanced at the morphine button on her bed, considering her pounding head and aching knee, but decided to ignore it.
She pushed herself up into a sitting position as best she could, biting her lip when the effort stung her hands. The bandages smelled of antiseptic.
"I wished for my friends and my prince to have a chance to live a normal life," she said wistfully aloud, gazing out the window at the moon.
"I didn't think to include myself in the wish."
She looked around her room, and spotted a glass of water. She reached for it slowly, squinting, willing her eyes to focus. She managed to aim accurately, and her slender, bandaged hand, brought the drink to her mouth, careful of the IV line in her wrist.
When she was finished, Usagi debated on what to do.
Obviously, she wouldn't be fighting anytime soon. Then again, there wouldn't be a need to anytime soon, most likely. Metallia and her puppet Beryl were gone for good.
"I'm sure my luck won't last for long." She said out loud, smiling dryly.
Well, apparently she was in the same position as when she first became Sailor Moon. She had to find her Senshi and give them their memories back.
Except this time, she didn't have to. Sure, she wanted to. But, more than that, she wanted them to be happy, even if it left her alone.
Luna could help her. And Artemis. They would be waiting at her house for her. Artemis would realize Minako's memory was gone, and come to Luna.
"Well, until then, I'm going to concentrate on getting out of this cast."
With that, she went back to sleep, dreaming of Mamoru.
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Exactly two weeks after her admission, she underwent some more x-rays, and the stitches on the back of her head were removed. The x-rays confirmed her need of the cast for one more week; her kneecap had a hairline fracture, but wasn't as severe as they'd originally thought, and the brace would be sufficient after another week.
"Well, Tsukino-san, I'm going to let you go back tomorrow, as long as you promise to take it easy. That concussion of yours is still fading, and your knee needs to be kept as still as possible. Don't forget to keep those bandages on your hands fresh for another week. The scarring shouldn't be too bad, and your eye should look completely normal in a day or two."
"Arigatou, Mizuno-san," Usagi mumbled, tuning out her parents questions about physical therapy and pain medication. Thankfully, Dr. Mizuno led them out of the room to fill out some paperwork.
A few moments passed, and she got aggravated. They'd promised to let her practice a little more on the crutches by taking her down to the cafeteria to get some freaking solid food!
She looked at her crutches. They were propped up against the counter next to the sink.
About a thousand miles away.
Usagi sat up, and threw her good leg over the bed and putting all her weight on it. The soreness from hanging chained from the wall was gone; she could move without flinching now. She put her game face on, determined to get out of the bed by herself.
Then, she began the hard task of dragging the entire cast-encased leg over the bed. She was nearly there, when too late she realized it was still under the covers, and it got tangled up. She clenched her eyes shut, as she realized she was going to fall.
"Whoa!"
The fall never came. Instead, warm, strong arms found their way around her, supporting her from under her arms.
She looked up into her rescuer's eyes, and discovered Chiba Mamoru behind them, smiling amusedly.
"Maybe you should ask for help when you want to get out of bed," he suggested, holding her steady with one arm, and with the other arm, he leaned backwards and snagged her crutches, and handed them to her. She accepted them sheepishly.
"Arigatou. You might be right, but after two weeks, I figured I could do without three nurses trying to help me out of bed, but my clumsiness wins yet again."
"How about one pre-med student?" he asked, innocently. "Is that too much?"
Usagi found herself lost in his eyes, remembering all the love she'd once seen in them.
"Ie. That's okay."
He smiled, stuck out his hand. "We haven't been formally introduced. I'm Chiba Mamoru."
Usagi held up a finger, signaling for him to wait a moment. She balanced the crutch under one arm and leaned on it, keeping it upright, then awkwardly put her hand in his own, but before she could say her name, he brought her hand very carefully up to his lips.
"Pleased to meet you, Tsukino Usagi."
He kissed the undamaged tips of her fingers. His warm breath tickled them.
Usagi stared, a fiery blush filling her cheeks. He smiled at her discomfort.
"How did you know my name?" she asked breathlessly, returning her hand to the crutch.
Mamoru smiled mysteriously. "I could ask you the same question."
Usagi waited a moment, then smiled. She sat back down on the bed, already tired from standing for so long. Mamoru followed suit, sinking into the chair across from her.
"Fair enough. When you rescued me, you were wearing your student ID badge."
Mamoru looked back into his memory. It was true, he had come straight there from class, so he probably did still have his ID on.
"And your name is on the door," he answered smoothly. He noticed that she was fully dressed, save shoes. "Is that changing soon?"
"YES!" she exulted. Somehow, seeing her happy made Mamoru's heart soar. "Tomorrow, but hopefully, I can talk myself out by today."
He grinned. The image wasn't difficult to picture. "How are you holding up? Did they catch the mugger?" he asked seriously.
Usagi's eyes flickered for a moment, before she smiled the strange look in them away. "I'm fine besides this blasted cast. And no. I'm positive that the… the mugger is long gone."
The way she said it, Mamoru knew that she was sure. How? He had no idea. He said nothing, willing her to continue the conversation.
She eyed him curiously, then gave him another smile, slow and warm and tender, as if they'd known each other all their lives.
"Thank you, Mamoru, for everything."
He had a strange feeling that she was referring to more than a phone call to 911, but he had no idea why.
"You're welcome."
Suddenly, the door opened again. Mamoru shot to his feet, realizing that Usagi's father had just entered the room.
Kenji glared daggers at the young man, glanced at Usagi, then back at Mamoru.
"Who in Kami's name are you?!"
Mamoru opened his mouth, but Usagi spoke first, her voice high and indignant. "Really, Dad, how rude! This is Chiba Mamoru. He's the one who rescued me! He came to see how I was doing!"
At these words, Kenji's entire demeanor changed from hostile suspicion to warm appreciation.
"Well, Mamoru! How are you, son? I'm sorry, just coming in, strange guy in my daughter's room, you know how it goes. I'm sure she's told you all kinds of crazy fabricated schemes of how she's getting out of this smelly hospital today, and not staying a day longer! So, how's school going for you? Fine, I'm sure! You look like the kind of guy that would excel in an academic environment!"
Mamoru blinked, but shook Kenji's outstretched hand. "Thank you, sir," he said meekly.
Ikuko swept into the room, eyes bright. "Usagi, I've talked Dr. Mizuno into let--," Her eyes fell on Mamoru. "Oh. Hello!" she said, shooting a questioning glance at first her daughter then her husband.
"Ikuko, dear, this is Mamoru! He's the resourceful young man who rescued our Usagi! He just happened to be in the park and he found her, isn't that so, Mamoru? And wouldn't you believe it, she was about to fall when he came into visit her, and he caught her. How kind of him! Not just to come visit but to save her from another injury!"
Ikuko stifled a laugh. Obviously, Kenji had been more worried about Usagi than he'd cared to admit to anyone. That was the only logical explanation to why he would be kind to a boy within a mile of Usagi.
"Well, it's so nice to finally meet you, Mamoru! We can't thank you enough for saving our daughter."
Mamoru kissed her hand, smiling, to silence her. She eyed him, a mischevious glint in her eyes.
Not to mention a handsome, polite, gentleman of a boy.
"Mamoru, dear, you really must join us for dinner sometime so we can thank you."
Surprised by the invitation, Mamoru was silent for a moment. But he could feel the familial warmth around him, and that was something he'd be denied his entire life. And the fierce blush creeping up Usagi Tsukino's face was absolutely irresistible, even in the face of the now-doubtful Mr. Tsukino.
"I would love to, Mrs. Tsukino. Domo arigatou."
"Marvelous!" she exclaimed. "How's Friday night?"
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When Usagi arrived home, she begged off from dinner saying that she was still feeling the effects of her concussion. She took the stairs slowly, concentrating all of her efforts against the dizziness.
Finally, when she got to her room, she reached her room, red-faced and winded, she was about to flop on her bed, but found two agitated felines waiting for her there.
"Luna, Artemis, I promise never to disappoint you in any way ever again if you just get. Off. My. BED!" she said through clenched teeth. They obediently hopped down, and allowed her to stretch out, hauling her casted leg onto the bed.
"Usagi, what happened to you?" Luna demanded, her voice catching.
Usagi gave a wry smile. "You didn't even see me when it was bad." She pulled a crumpled picture from her pocket. "The police took this picture of me to use in the 'investigation.' After all, I had to tell them I was mugged."
She dropped the picture to the ground. The two cats huddled around it, and Luna sucked in a breath. "Usagi… Beryl did this to you?"
Usagi took a deep breath, and retold the story, telling them the story behind each injury. She gave them a detailed narrative of the battle, and the wish she'd been granted by the Silver Crystal. "Apparently, in order for them to live a normal life as I wished, their memories were wiped."
"That explains why Minako freaked out when I said hello to her," Artemis said smirking. "She screamed, and hid under her pillow, telling herself that she was dreaming."
"Mamoru doesn't remember anything either…" Usagi whispered, trailing off sadly. She told them how she had been dropped in the park where they'd left when everyone else had been returned to their homes. She voice softened as she mentioned how Mamoru had found her and called for help, then told them about his visit two weeks later.
"Well, kiddo, we're really proud of you," Artemis said, hopping up into her lap.
"Usagi, what are you going to do?" Luna said, making herself comfortable, prepared to listen to Usagi's extensive plan.
"Nothing."
Luna jumped onto the bed, her cat eyes burning a hole into Usagi's face.
"Nani? Are you sure?"
"Hai." Usagi was fading into sleep as they spoke.
"You can't handle it, Usagi! You need Mamoru! You need the Senshi!"
It was too late. She'd fallen into a feverish sleep.
"Artemis, I don't know how long Usagi can last without her friends. And Mamoru… she needs him. And he needs her! I can understand giving the Senshi the chance to live normally, but Mamoru-san just wasn't happy until she found him. And how will she ever fight alone if another enemy appears?" Luna blurted worriedly.
Artemis curled on the bed next to his wife. "I don't know, Luna. I just don't know."
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A few days later, Usagi went back to school. Her concussion symptoms were almost gone, and her leg would be in a cast for only a few more days. She insisted on walking to her parents, saying she needed to get some kind of exercise. She promised to leave early enough that she could take it slow, and they didn't consent until she delivered on that promise in the morning, when she was ready to go at the same time they were.
Of course, they walked to work as well. But they would have arranged a ride for her! Cars aren't really needed in a huge, compact city like Tokyo. Usagi took the time to sit and eat breakfast, then she grabbed her crutches, and was off. She'd gotten pretty good at using them in a way that didn't hurt her arms after two weeks.
Other passer-by smiled sympathetically at her and allowed her plenty of room on the sidewalk. She smiled back, nodded her thanks and continued, concentrating on placing her crutches on even sidewalk, taking a step, then replacing her crutches.
A car horn and a yelled "Usagi!" surprised her enough that she wobbled a little. A kind woman walking a step behind her reached out to steady her. "Arigatou," Usagi said gratefully, then turned towards the bright red convertible parked on the sidewalk next to her.
"Mamoru?!" she demanded, gawking at the car.
He laughed, and jumped out of the car and ran around to open the passenger door for her. "Usagi, what are you doing walking? You're going to be exhausted when you get to school!" he scolded affectionately.
She smiled, but retorted playfully, "Well, I have to get some kind of exercise!"
"Oh, no, you don't. I'll drive you to school."
"But, isn't that out of your way?"
Mamoru grinned benevolently. "Usagi, my school is on the same street as yours."
"Oh. Well, ok, you've talked me into it. But only because you're so darn persistent!" She winked, breathing hard from the effort of walking so far, and carefully climbed into the car. Once her leg and her crutches were situated, and Mamoru shut the door gently behind her, she leaned her head back against the car, and closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath.
Mamoru stared at her for a moment. The red tint in her cheeks was positively delicious.
Uh-uh, Chiba, he told himself silently, starting the car. You better watch the road.
After only a moment of driving, Mamoru discovered that his cargo was causing him to drive very cautiously.
Aw, man. This is bad.
He grinned to himself. Well, actually, it couldn't feel better!
"When do you get that cast off, Usagi?"
She opened her eyes to glare at the cast. "Saturday. And it's about time!" she declared.
As she was speaking, Mamoru tossed glances to her other injuries. The bandages around her head were gone, and she'd made sure that her hair covered the scar from the stitches. Her tiny hands were also free from bandages, but she was wearing fashionable gloves to cover the scars. And the small gash that he'd found on her cheek that day in the park was now a just a small scar like a stray eyelash under her eye which was now completely healed.
He dropped her off at her school. "Usagi, why don't you keep walking in the morning, but let me drive you the rest of the way?" he said, wondering if that made sense.
She grinned, "Arigatou, Mamoru. I understand completely. My father does seem to put a deep-seated fear in guys." She thanked him profusely again, and crutched her way to the door to the front office of her school.
Mamoru gazed after her, smiling softly, then drove off.
"Well, she certainly doesn't seem like the kind of girl that would commit suicide!" he said to himself with a smile. "I'm sure that dream was just that: a dream."
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Well, that's it! Can you believe it? No cliffhanger this time! I mean, besides the whole wondering about how the DINNER will go and what will happen when Usagi sees the SENSHI again, and whatever happened to the GENERALS, and what about the upcoming LOVE TRIANGLE?!
Well, I tried to make a cliffy but no cigar, I guess. But I'm sure most of you will stick with the story anyway. I decided to give you all a break from cliffhangers. Isn't that what you wanted?! LOL! But be prepared, next chapter, I'll have to make up for it with a seriously slimy cliffy. Prepare yourselves! MUAH HAH HAH!
BTW, does anyone know what the Moonlight Knight is called in Japanese? Did they just call him the Moonlight Knight in English like they say Sailor Moon in English? I simply cannot remember. Any help is appreciated!
And please review!
Arigatou, minna!
-rose lunae