Chapter 6 - Glimmer of Hope; Chaos Revealed
"What just happened?" Rei asked as she sits at the shrine's steps.
"She took our crystals. We can no longer transform." Ami replied. She hugs her knees and tears fell from her eyes.
It was the day after. The four girls gathered in the Hikawa shrine to discuss what happened last night. It was still a shock to them and it was hard for them to accept what the starlights said. Usagi can't be the new enemy. She can't be this new evil that they're fighting.
"It doesn't make any sense. We saw the future...we met the King, we've seen Neo-Queen Serenity countless of times...we...we were with Chibi-Usa." Makoto sobbed.
"Oh god...Chibi-Usa. The starlights said that the future has changed. D-does that mean..? No...i-it can't be." Minako cried.
"Don't cry. It shows weakness." a familiar voice said. The four girls looked up and sees the 4 outer senshi - Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru and Setsuna.
"What are you doing here?" Rei demanded.
"We're not here to fight. We came to see how you all are." Michiru answered.
"Please don't be mad. What happened last night was for your own good." Hotaru said.
"And what about Usagi? How is she doing?" Ami asked.
"I want to say that she's fine but she's not. What happened last night didn't faze her. To her, it was just another night. She's no longer the Usagi that we know." Haruka answered.
"That energy that we saw last night. What was it?" Minako inquired.
"You have to understand. When a person goes through deep emotions and not let it out, it becomes pure energy and it's stored in our body. This energy can be very dangerous especially if negative emotions control it. If this happen, any evil being who wishes harm can control that emotion." Setsuna explained.
"Then Usagi is being controlled by evil. We can still save her." Minako said. The 4 outer senshi just looked sadly at them. It was clear to them that this is a battle the inner senshi cannot fight.
"No. One cannot be controlled by evil unless one wants to be controlled. Usagi is going through great changes. Whoever it is that is feeding her such negative feelings and pure evil is just helping her accelerate her new power. As soon as she is fully regenerated, she will destroy her host. Her power will be so great that not even evil could stop her. When this happens, no one will be safe. She will destroy this world and create a world of darkness." Haruka divulged.
"That's why you cannot fight this battle. You're not ready." Setsuna said.
"When will we be ready? When the world ends?" Makoto asked. She can't accept what these girls are telling them.
"If Usagi reaches her full power, the only way to stop her is to kill her. Could you do that? Could you kill her?" Michiru asked.
The 4 inner scouts dare not look at Michiru or the others. They know them too well. They know that they'll rather die than to kill their friend.
"So are you?" Ami asked. "Are you going to kill her?"
"If we can't stop her. Then I need to do it." Hotaru answered.
"This negative emotions...what are they?" Rei asked.
"Hate, jealousy, anger, betrayal...simple raw human emotions." Setsuna replied.
"She was feeling all of those and we didn't notice it. We were blinded by the thought of their love lasting forever. I guess...I guess that was just a fantasy." Rei bowed her head and began to cry. She felt so helpless, all of them do.
"Usagi thinks that we are on her side, that we will bring down anyone who'll stop her ascention. When the time comes and we won't be able to stop it. Don't be heroes. Be with your family." Michiru said.
"So this is good bye, my kittens. Don't give up hope. There's still time." Haruka said.
The 4 outer scouts leaves. Rei, Ami, Minako and Makoto looked at them as they disappear in the horizon. They can't do anything without their crystals. Rei punches the ground and gets up.
"I'm not going to sit here and wait. I'll find a way." Rei declared.
"But without our crystals, we're powerless." Makoto implied.
"No we're not. Even without our powers, we can still do something. Whoever it is that's controlling Usagi, it would have some sort of dark energy, right? We find whoever it is and stop them. Usagi-chan is still there...somewhere inside. We can still fight. We just have to believe in ourselves and believe of what we can do." Minako countered.
The four girls agreed. They went in the shrine and began to hatch their plans to find whoever it is that's controlling Usagi. They're no ready to give up...not yet.
In his apartment, Mamoru sits on his bed, looking at a picture of him and Usagi. The events that transcribed that night were still bery fresh in his head. The look of Usagi's face and what the starlights said about her. He can't let it happen. Mamoru picks up the ring that he gave Usagi before he left for America, puts in on a string and wore it as a necklace. He then tucks it under his shirt. If he can't save Usagi, he'll die protecting her.
Later that day, Mamoru decided to get some air and meet up with a friend, the cheif of police - Saori. The two are sitting inside Crown's cafe having coffee. The two have been friends since they were in school. They also used to date.
"To tell you the truth, Mamoru-san, I was a bit surprised that you called." Saori said.
"I'm sorry. I should've kept in touch. I've been busy with...stuff." Mamoru responded.
"I heard that you were supposed to go to America but never made it. What happened?" she asked.
"I...uh...some things came up." he replied.
"You know, when we were dating, I hated the fact that you were so mysterious. You always had something on your mind and you wouldn't talk to me about what's bothering you. Now, years have passed...you're still the same." Saori implied.
Mamoru lets out a small laugh. Saori was right. He never opened up to anyone. He lost his parents when he was young and has been in different foster homes. He never had any close friends and any friends he made left him. Still, when he was growing up and had those dreams of Serenity, he knew that someday he will be happy again. The day came that he met Usagi...he loved her long beore he knew her. True, he'd tease her almost everyday but deep down, he loved her and cared for her. He found happiness with her.
"Are you still with Usagi-san?" Saori blushed a bit as she inquired. It's not a secret that Saori still has feelings for Mamoru but she knows that her love is just a one way street. Eventhough Mamoru and Usagi are not together anymore, he would never look at anyone the way he looks at Usagi.
Mamoru's smile disappeared and looks out the window. "Honestly...I don't know." he sighed.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." she said.
"It's ok...Some people would say that if it's over, you have to let go, but I can't. I can't let her go..." he clutches his the ring under his shirt. "I love her too much to let her go." he continued
Saori reaches for his hand and smiled. "Then fight for her. I've seen how the two of you look at each other and for some reason, I feel like everything is going to be alright. That one day, there will be peace. You love her and that's all that matters."
Mamoru smiles at her. He needed to hear that. He needed to hear that there still hope. He now knows what he must do and he can't give up. He will get Usagi back...or die trying.
After his meeting with an old friend, Mamoru decided to walk around the park to clear his mind. He sees couples sitting together, cuddling. Couples walking hand in hand with bright smiles on their faces. For a second, he thought he saw Usagi by the trees. He shakes his head and sees no one. "Get a grip." he thought to himself. "You will get her back."
Mamoru looks back and sees Usagi again. This time she ran towards the middle of the park which was full of trees. Mamoru follows her. When he got to the center, he looked around and didn't see anyone. Then he felt the same wave of evil, it was surrounding him...it was overwhelming him. He began to fill cold and started shivering.
"She will be mine." a deep-malice voice whispered on his ear. Mamoru manouvered his hand as if trying to push someone off. Whoever it was, it just laughed meneacingly at him.
"Who are you?" Mamoru asked angrily.
"I am something you cannot conceive, boy. I live in everyone's minds. I know their hopes, their desires, their fears. I live in their hearts and I know...I know what they feel. Hate...Anger...Malice." the voice replied.
"What do you want?" he asked again, looking around to find whoever it is that was doing this to him. In the corner of his eye, he sees a figure behind him. He turns around and charged towards the figure only to fall into the ground. It was just a shadow.
The voice laughed evily. "Show yourself, you coward!" Mamoru exclaimed. A strange silence came over the air. Mamoru hears footsteps and turns to that direction. His eyes widened in shock. He almost stumbled over at the sight of the person coming towards him. It was Kaosu.
"Surprised?" Kaosu smugged.
"You...What did you do?" Mamoru asked.
"I just sparked something that was in your girlfriend's heart and watched. I thought that she'd just break up with you thus ending Crystal tokyo but, wow! you're girlfriend has such great emotions that it just got bigger and I knew...I knew that she was the one. The key to my ascention. Although, I should give credit to you too. If you hadn't been unfaithful, I would've been just another enemy." Kaosu smiled. Mamoru tried to run him down but he found himself planted to the ground.
"You don't think I'd make it easier for you to attack me, did you?" Kaosu asked.
"Who are you?" Mamoru asked.
"Look deep in your heart...You've seen me before. You're girlfriend fought me before and because of her, my plan to rule the galaxy was destroyed. Because of her, I lost my star seeds." Kaosu replied.
"Chaos." Mamoru whispered.
"Bingo!" he clapped. "And you know what? I can see your fears."
Mamoru places his hand on his head. He felt a sudden headache. It felt like someone is pounding a sledge hammer on his head. He falls to his knees in pain.
"You fear death...no...not your death. You fear that you won't be able to save her. You fear that you've lost her. You fear her death." Kaosu read.
"You're not wrong though. I will kill her...Let me show you." Kaosu places his hand on Mamoru's head.
Visions of what's to come swirled over Mamoru's mind. He sees the Sailor scouts trying to fight of monsters. One by one, they die. The world as he knows it is destroyed. He sees Neo-Queen Serenity but she was different. Her immaculate wings are as dark as night. She was in black and her eyes were in a trance. Then he sees Kaosu caressing her and kisses her. He looks straight at Mamoru and smiled. Serenity suddenly changes into her real form and reached for Mamoru. Her eyes were full of fear. She reaches out, he streched his arms out to reach her but fails. Kaosu takes his dagger and stabs her right through her heart. Mamoru falls into a dark pit.
Back in reality, Kaosu was lying on the ground and Mamoru was lying on the ground, unconcious until he's found by the Three Lights. They stare at his lifeless body.
"He might know something." Taiki said.
"He only knows what Chaos knows. They don't know anything." Yaten responded.
"It doesn't matter. We have to get him out of here." Seiya picks up Mamoru. Taiki helps him with Mamoru. They carry him out of the park. Yaten stayed for awhile and sees something glimmering on the ground. He bends down to pick up a ring.
"We still might have a chance." He whispered and followed his two friends out of the park.