Whew! Sorry for the lack of updates. Final exams are next week, so I've been cramped for time, but writing gives such great relief, no?

kireisnowtenshi - eep! sorry you got lost in my story, hehe! i was trying to write well, but i just get readers lost. (hangs head in shame)
Thanks to everyone who reviews on Lj! If you're looking for aMaZiNg writers and all-around great people, check out the UsakoMamoru at Livejournal dot com!

I know I'm kicking myself for it, but I mixed canon with anime. The episode just had so much action and pain when you watch the events unfold and got me out of my writing slump. Enjoy!


Reasons
#18 Death, 1414 words

How many times?
How many times have we died for each other?

"Mamoru, I know this isn't you!" pleaded Sailor Moon as she dodged the dangerous blade of Endymion's sword, feeling its forceful breeze. The swish of metal barely missed her vulnerable flesh.

The dark shadows in his eyes were unmistakable. Sailor Moon gazed at her lover- what once were bright and penetrating blue eyes succumbed to the black void forced upon them by Beryl's dark energy. This wasn't her Mamo-chan.

Endymion attacked her again, but this time with brute force. His fist met Sailor Moon's chin, launching an unfamiliar pain through her body. Endymion's foot found a place on her stomach, kicking her across the vast alien room. A loud cry escaped her lips, but still, Sailor Moon could not bring herself to lift a finger against Endymion. Her brain scrambled to find another way, any way, to defeat Metalia before he killed her. She refused to touch him.

Sailor Moon bounded through the room, one move ahead of her pursuer. She found she couldn't move very far away; there were evil looking youma surrounding them in a death circle, all staring at the two humans with malice in their eyes and twisted smiles on their faces. Surely they would let only one leave the circle alive, and it definitely wouldn't be her. Crumpled unconsciously on the ground, Sailor Venus' body remained lifelessly curled around the sacred Senshi Sword. Somehow, she needed to get to it for some defense against the armed evil prince. Sailor Moon stopped for a moment to let Endymion reach her. He swung his sword again, but she leapt over Endymion, brandishing her Crescent Moon Wand in the process.

"Your petty wand tricks won't do you good here, Sailor Moon," Queen Beryl hissed, a smug grin spreading over her cheeks. "Endymion has enough dark energy in him to resist your little light show."

Gritting her teeth, she tried anyway. "Moon Healing Escalation!" cried Sailor Moon, pouring her heart through the energy in the crystal. The familiar brilliant white light of her Silver Crystal showered Endymion's figure, but he continued to stand before her unfazed. "Mamoru, I know you're still good inside!"

Queen Beryl's voice spoke softly but dripping in venom. "My dear Endymion, kill her."

With a silent nod, Endymion leapt through the air, kicking the wand from Sailor Moon's hand. "No!" she gasped as her sacred weapon slid across the ground. Sailor Moon stared at Endymion, someone once familiar to her, before he kicked again, sending Sailor Moon to the ground in excruciating pain.

"Sailor Moon," Endymion said quietly. She looked at him through the tears in her eyes. Endymion produced a black rose and dropped it in the warrior's lap. "Die."

Within the blink of an eye, the rose's stem elongated to encompass Sailor Moon and electrocuted her with dark energy. She screamed with each volt of energy draining her life away. Several laughs echoed from the surrounding youma, but were easily drowned out with the increasing volume of Sailor Moon's howls. After what seemed like an eternity for her, the restraints faded away, decimating itself with the amount of energy it expelled. Sailor Moon, however, retained her consciousness.

"Mamo-chan," she gasped, her breathing ragged and labored. "You promised you'd come back to me."

The expressionless figure took a step forward. "Must one of us die every time we're about to find our love? I don't want to lose you a third time." Sailor Moon blinked away her tears as she tried to plead with Endymion. She didn't have the energy to try to escape from his potential danger. "You died for me when we were young, back on the moon. Don't you remember?"

He took another step, this time, raising his sword. "And even before we recovered our memories, the more time I spent with Chiba Mamoru, I fell in love with you. That's when Mamoru-baka died...and I found my Mamo-chan."

Endymion loomed over her, the cold steel blade raised high over his head. Sailor Moon closed her eyes, ready for the inevitable. She took in a last breath and whispered, "Forgive me, Mamo-chan."

A sudden flash of light illuminated the room, its power destroying the circle of youma. Even Beryl had to shield her eyes, but it did not block the sound of Prince Endymion's terrorized scream. Sailor Moon panted as she strained to maintain the flow of energy in her tiara. Her weapon hit Endymion in the gut, burning through his thick armor and paralyzing him. His sword dropped to the ground, followed by his body, and then Sailor Moon's spent tiara. Her eyes rested on Endymion's lifeless form for a moment before she struggled back to Venus' body, collecting her Crescent Wand on the way. She was about to reach her friend when a sharp pain erupted from her back, and Sailor Moon crashed to the ground.

"Get up, Sailor Moon," Endymion commanded, kicking her again in the stomach.

Staring up at him, Sailor Moon wondered how Endymion was able to recover so quickly. Her heart couldn't take this confusion anymore. As Endymion reached back to hit her again, Sailor Moon sat up, brandishing an unexpected weapon. "Stop!" she commanded.

Endymion froze, staring at the tiny object in her hands. Sailor Moon held out their golden star locket, its soft tune twinkling from the open cover. It seemed so familiar to him, but a force within him screamed for Sailor Moon's destruction. A twitch at his eye told her something was fighting a battle within.

"Kill me if you must, Endymion," she said with a sad smile. Holding out the locket closer to her opponent, Sailor Moon let her voice penetrate his psyche. "But I want you to remember first. Remember me, your Odango Atama."

A moment of silence passed when Endymion's hand moved towards the locket. His fingers barely brushed the glossy finish when a shimmering light engulfed his body. Endymion let out a gasp, allowing Sailor Moon to reach behind her to the Senshi Sword. She gazed lovingly at the locket before kissing it and tucking it away close to her heart.

"This can't be the reason why we were reborn," Sailor Moon sighed. Taking one last look at her only true love, she plunged the sword through the opening in Endymion's armor. Surprisingly, it entered his flesh with sickening ease, and Sailor Moon was close enough to embrace her victim. She grasped Endymion's face, closed her eyes in a silent prayer, and pressed her lips to his. "But I know we'll find each other once again."

They both collapsed to the floor.

"No! What did you do!" Beryl bellowed in fury. She watched helplessly as the remaining dark energy in Endymion's body escaped through the sword's penetration. Cursing, she teleported to Queen Metalia, seeking additional power to defeat the Moon Princess.

Usagi gently wrapped her arms around her beloved Mamoru's shoulders, trying desperately to pull his heavy body onto her lap without much pain on his part. Mamoru's eyes remained closed for what seemed like an eternity, but he suddenly grunted in response to the sudden warmth engulfing him.

"Usako?" he whispered, cracking his eyes open to reveal darkening blue eyes within. Usagi nodded, unable to speak because the weakness in her protector's voice shocked her so.

"Mamo-chan! I knew I'd get you back," replied Usagi, but cold fingers on her lips stopped her words.

"Sailor Moon, beautiful Usako, get out of here," Mamoru commanded. Then he forced a painful smile. "Find a cool boyfriend out there."

Usagi glanced down at Mamoru's chest. A dark pool of blood soaked through to his armor. Clutching him harder, Usagi let out a sob with a smile. "You're the coolest, Mamo-chan."

"Arigatou." He smiled. "For everything."

She nodded, and Mamoru's head fell to her lap.

Usagi's heart pounded in her chest. Was she alone again? Her eyes searched for any life in Mamoru's body, but her mind knew it was useless. Her eyes searched again, and they found the inevitable answer. She remembered the reason why they were reborn, and she resolved to fulfill her Heavenly mother's wishes. Usagi wrapped her fingers around the hilt of the Senshi Sword, that which was meant to protect the Princess of the Moon, the heiress of the Silver Millennium.

It plunged deep into the chest of Tsukino Usagi, Sailor Moon.

And how many more times have we fallen in love?
Because they're the reason I live.