Chapter 7 - Prelude to a Battle

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi cries out as she reaches for Mamoru.

"Usako!" Mamoru calls out as he tries to reach Usagi's hand. It seems that no matter how fast he runs, he can't get to her. Then the ground opens up from beneath and devoured him.

Falling into a deep, dark pit. Mamoru relives beautiful memories of him and Usagi. Moments that happened in the past. Memories that were formed in the present and dreams of a wonderful future together. The loving face of Usagi, her sweet smile and even her pout flashes through his mind. Her laughter fills his head. He lands on top of what seems to be a building in the middle of the city. It was raining and as he looks around him, the city was near to destruction. He sees people dying. Then he sees Kaosu and Usagi floating on top of the building. They were surrounded by a strange, black energy.

"Usako!" he cries out. Usagi looks at him but it wasn't like before. She was under his trance again.

"You're too late." Kaosu said as he caresses Usagi's face. "She's all mine."

"Get your hands off her!" Mamoru screamed. He jumps towards them but was blasted away by the dark energy.

"You can't do anything. You've lost everything. You're nothing." Kaosu said. A dagger materialized in his hand.

Usagi changes into her true form. She struggles to get away from Kaosu. She sees Mamoru who now changes into Prince Endymion.

"Endymion!" she cries. Her hand is again trying to reach her beloved.

"Serenity!" he exclaims. Mamoru tries to rescue her again but failed. Kaosu laughed at him.

"I'm sorry." Usagi whispers and with that Kaosu stabs her straight to the heart. Mamoru was helpless to save her. All he can do is watch as the love of his life die right in front of him. Tears fall from his eyes. He stands and watches as Usagi's body falls.

Mamoru suddenly sits up. It was a dream, no it was a nightmare. It can't happen. It won't happen. He touches his head. He looks around and noticed that it's not his apartment and he's not wearing his own clothes. The room door opens.

"Oh, you're awake." Seiya mentioned. He walks in the room and sit on the chair opposite Mamoru.

"What am I doing here?" Mamoru asked.

"We saw you lying unconcious in the park. My friends and I brought you here. Your clothes are in the closet. It's already been washed." Seiya replied.

"Oh. Thank you." Mamoru looked down and noticed that the ring he was wearing around his neck was gone.

"What happened?" Seiya asked.

"I don't know. I thought I saw Usagi but..." his voice trailed off. Kaosu was Chaos. He should've known. The way he acted, the aura around him. "I need to go."

Mamoru stood up and went over to the closet. He changes his clothes in a hurry and walks out of the room. As he reaches the living room, he sees the remaining starlights and the outer scouts.

"Mamoru-san, how are you?" Michiru asked. Mamoru couldn't answer. He was a bit surprised to see them there.

"I don't think you should go. Chaos will probably attack you again." Haruka implied.

"He can go if he wants to." Seiya appeared behind him. It was weird, there was the guy who is also infatuated with Usagi but by the tone of his voice, he seemed to not care.

"Chaos already messed with him. He almost died out there." Taiki said.

"Well, it seems like that's what he wants. Let him die. It'll be one less person to worry about." Seiya replied.

"Shut up, Seiya!" Yaten exclaimed.

"You're on his side now? It's his fault we're in this mess in the first place." Saiya retorted.

"It's no one's fault. No one could've known what Chaos was up to." Setsuna conceded. Mamoru felt the rage overwhelming his body. They were talking about him like he wasn't there and it even seemed like they don't care what was happening. They seemed to be persecuting him, not like he didn't deserve it.

"Oh c'mon! Not his fault? He should've protected her. He should've seen what was happening. He should've been there for her but instead, he seeked comfort in another woman's arms when the first sign of trouble appears. You know, what bugs me more is the fact that he knew about his destiny and still he cheats on her!" Seiya drawled.

Mamoru had enough, he turns and grabs Seiya by the shirt and pinned him hard on the wall. The others tried to break it up but Taiki and Haruka stopped them. They know that Mamoru needed this and the only one who could get him flared up is Seiya.

"I know what I did! I pay for it every single day! I wish that I never did it but there it is...I only hope that one day she could forgive me because God knows I can't forgive myself!" Mamoru barked. Then his voice started to crack and he eased on his grip. His murderous stare at Seiya is now blank. His eyes were full of sorrow. He lets Seiya go and drops on the floor. He buried his face on his hands and cried.

"I can't live without her. I...I can't lose her, not like this. I'll sacrifice everything for her...I'll die for her. I love her. I always have and I always will." he sobbed.

Everyone in the room was looking at him. They don't pretend to know what Mamoru's going through. All they can do is watch him sob like baby. There's no doubt that their love for each other has survived the test of time. There are countless of times that their love has saved the world but can their love survive this evil? Is Mamoru's love enough to save Usagi?

Mamoru wipes his face and stood up. He looked at the people in the room, he wanted their help but he can't ask them to sacrifice their lives for this.

"I have to save her...I don't know if I could but I have to try. I can't ask you to fight with me but I hope that when you do, don't do it because you feel sorry for me but fight because you believe in Crystal Tokyo and you believe that Usagi is still somewhere in there." he said. Mamoru was about to walk out of the apartment when Yaten stopped him.

"You'll need this." Yaten gave Mamoru the ring he lost.

With a smile, Mamoru nodded and leaves. The Starlights and the outer senshi are left looking at each other. It was time. No more running, no more hiding. It's not or never.

"He's going to get himself killed." Seiya mentions as he straightens up his shirt.

"No doubt about it. But he's right. We don't have to fight his battle but we do have to fight for the future." Setsuna said.

"This time tonight, it will all end." Hotaru implied.

"Well, then let's see how it ends." Taiki gets up and heads for the door. The rest followed him.

"Haruka," Michiru grabs her lover by the arm before going out. "There's a chance that we might die."

"I know...third time's the charm, right?" Haruka smiled.

"I'll see you on the other side." Michiru smiled back.

"Not if I see you first." Haruka takes Michiru's hand and kissed her. The two lovers leaves the apartment and joined the others.

Elsewhere, on top of a building. Kaosu is standing near the edge with his eyes closed. He breathes' in and opens his eyes with an evil glee. He looks at the unconscious body behind him. It was Usagi. He walks toward her body and moves in closer to her face.

"It's time, princess." he whispered. The battle has begun.