Thank you guys so much for your kind words and support so far. This story has been percolating in my head for the better part of a year, and I'm so happy to finally get to share it.
Big shoutout to my betas, Lin_Lamont and k8tj17, who made this chapter readable.
Mamoru felt his body moving upwards, though his feet remained firmly planted in place. His stomach knotted when he understood where he was.
The elevator.
Thick, green vines surrounded him in the tight, claustrophobic space, closing him into some mysterious fate. His destination, as always, was unknown. He'd never made it to the top before and he doubted this time would be any different.
Right on cue, the morbid greenery disappeared beneath the sea of pink ribbons swirling around the cramped vestibule. For some reason, the dream never allowed him to remember someone was with him until it was too late. Tonight, as always, Mamoru tried to catch a glimpse of his mysterious companion before the ribbons covered his eyes and blinded his view, but as always, no luck.
Thin, yet strong arms latched tightly around his waist and the two of them flew upwards, never to reach the top. Any second now he would awake with a jolt…
Instead, the darkness around him swirled and morphed into something new. It entered his body, permeating his cells, transforming his biology and brain chemistry. He was different now. He felt bigger and more powerful.
And angry.
The faceless figure before him howled in pain, her voice growing hoarse as crackling, black vines squeezed and delivered shock waves through her body. The girl's head was thrown back in agony, her long, delicate neck on display for him. It called to him, courting him, promising him everything he ever desired if he only came closer.
Then he had her throat in his grasp, her blood pulsing so rapidly beneath his fingers he could almost smell it, as he smelled her fear. He lifted the faceless girl off the ground like a ragdoll, while she wept and squeaked in her struggle to break free, fueling his fire. His fingers squeezed tighter–
Mamoru shot up in bed, gasping for air as if breathing for his dream victim. The thundering of his pounding heart was deafening in his ears.
That was a new, disturbing addition to the dreams. He let out a shaky breath, running a hand through his hair and praying to any god who would listen that that didn't become a pattern.
The young man had no idea why he was plagued at least once a week by the recurring dream and it rattled him to his core. The elevator of vines, glowing pink ribbons, and the tight embrace carrying him to safety all felt real, as if he'd lived it before. The anxiety of the ride, the wonder at whatever the ribbons symbolized, and the shock of being lifted into the air were all extremely visceral.
And in this new chapter of the dream, he liked the feeling of strangling that person…that girl. He reveled in it like a lifelong vendetta was finally being avenged. Now, with his mind beginning to wake with his body, he felt a little sick. Mamoru had never been a violent guy, and he had certainly never raised his hand against a woman. Now he felt morbidly curious as to what prompted such a savage act.
Taking deep breaths, he wiped the sweat from his brow and gazed out the window. He bit back that dangerous thought that crept into his mind early morning and late at night, the one that said if he had someone sleeping beside him, he could snuggle into their warmth and fall asleep again. Maybe even confide his dreams to this person.
But no, he forced it away as he always did.
The dawn was still a little ways out, but he was wide awake. His first class of the day didn't even start until 10am. He just needed to go for a jog and decompress, then he'd be good as new and forget all about that horrifying, murderous nightmare. He threw off his sheets and stumbled into the kitchen to turn on his coffee pot, then went to the bathroom to splash water on his face, attempting to ease the clamminess that had broken out. After brushing his teeth and changing into running clothes, he downed a small cup of coffee, just enough to get him through a run, and headed out the door.
Jogging through Arisugawa-no-miya Park at daybreak always soothed Mamoru. The scent of springtime cherry blossoms blended with early morning dew brought a sense of relief, grounding him from whatever far off fantasy his overactive mind took him to. He was safe to feel at peace here, moving his body in a wide-open space, breathing in fresh, crisp air. Most of the time, he had the trail nearly to himself, only sharing it with the occasional stray early bird like himself.
About 15 minutes in, he had rounded the pond and made his way into the dense greenery of trees.
Clink clink clink.
He couldn't hear it clearly through his headphones, but that was definitely not a sound he was used to hearing. Stopping to catch his breath, he paused the music and removed one from his ear.
Clink clink clink.
It was louder now, and didn't sound like any animal that frequented the park, more like machinery. Was there construction going on in this area? Or maybe a lawnmower malfunctioning?
"Clink clink clink!"
The metallic clicks were replaced with growling, menacing words. Mamoru stopped dead in his tracks, eyes darting around in search of whoever had spoken them.
It was probably just some poor junkie tweaking out, he tried to rationalize, but gooseflesh had spread up his arms and he felt chilled to the bone despite the sheen of sweat covering his skin. A feeling deep in his gut was telling him to book it, to get the hell out of there before he could find the source of his terror.
Just when he had finally willed his body forward, a heinous, unbelievable creature leaped from above and landed several feet before him, cutting him off in his tracks. Its bare top half was humanoid, with one long, black stripe running from its head all the way down the middle of its reflective, silver body. There were heavy chains of various sizes wrapped all around the torso and hanging from the shoulders, decorating the creature like armor. The bottom half seemed to be some sort of whirring engine supported by four mechanical legs.
The half man, half engine set its black eyes directly on Mamoru.
This wasn't real. Surely he was still asleep! This was one of those dreams where you get up and go through the motions of your morning, only to wake up and realize you haven't left your bed yet. That was the only explanation.
Still, it didn't stop him from slowly backing away, never taking his eyes from the beast.
"Oh no!" The creature's low, sing-song voice mocked. "Whoever put you together did it all wrong. I'm going to have to take you apart and fix you!"
The monster howled and sent a long, thin chain directly at Mamoru, snagging around his ankle and yanking him off his feet. His back hit the pavement and the wind was knocked out of him in a huff. He had no time to catch his breath before the creature pulled, dragging his body towards its winding gears.
Mamoru sat up as best as he could, his back scraping along the concrete as he grasped at his ankle, desperate to break from the monster's grasp. He managed to pry his fingers underneath the heavy iron and yank his foot free, losing his shoe in the process and stumbling to his feet.
Knowing he only had seconds, he bolted through the trees towards the nearest busy street. He didn't know how exactly that would stop the beast, but he needed as much distance from it as humanly possible.
The shrubbery was too thick, though, and the clanking of chains grew louder as Mamoru was slowed by the weaving around bush and branch.
There would be no escaping from this. He was out of time.
"Clank clank! Time to fix you up!" The monster jeered. Mamoru turned just in time to see a hook at the end of a thick chain swinging towards him, sending a blow that would almost certainly end his life.
This was it…This is how he was going to die. Prey to a murderous youma with no one to witness or mourn him. There wasn't even time to raise his hands to try to deflect the attack.
And there wasn't time to anticipate the familiar feeling of being suddenly airborne, with firm arms wrapped tightly around his waist. His rescuer shifted midair so that when they hit the ground, Mamoru didn't take the brunt of the impact. Instead, a soft, feminine grunt filled his ears when they landed together in the dewy grass.
Mamoru tried to roll onto his stomach and away from her, wondering how the hell this girl had saved him just in time, but she was latched onto him in a death grip.
"Gah! Not you!" The creature shrieked, the sound of clanking chains whirling in their direction once again. Mamoru's savior rolled on top of him, covering his head and as much of his body as she could, half of his face planted firmly in the dirt.
"FIRE SOUL!" Another female voice shouted, and the creature erupted in painful wails, the putrid smell of singed flesh filling the air.
"Sailor Moon!" A third voice shouted in concern.
The weight on Mamoru's back was lifted as the woman pinning him scrambled to her feet, growling in anger.
"Attacking an innocent man while he's out on a boring morning jog?" She shouted. "While it may be way too early, he's only trying to keep his gorgeous body in shape. I won't forgive you! I am Sailor Moon!"
No way.
Mamoru lifted his head from the dirt as the woman spoke with pride and determination. Though his head was spinning, he took in her knee-high red boots, short blue skirt, a large red bow hiding a good portion of her plump behind–
Not the time, Chiba.
Surely she was just some cosplaying college girl in way over her head. There had been rumors about the so-called Sailor Senshi and the youma that had attacked Tokyo for years, but that's all they were: rumors.
"Clank, clank!" The charred creature mocked, and a thick, barbed wire was sent lurching towards Sailor Moon. The heroine had plenty of time to dodge, to leap from the harm zooming towards her, but she stayed firmly planted.
Move, dammit! Mamoru mentally screamed at her while he was sprawled frozen in the grass. Sailor Moon tensed as the wire wrapped brutally around her upper body, gasping in pain as she was squeezed. Her heels dug into the earth as the creature tried to drag her forward, and her hands vainly fought to keep the barbs from her neck and face.
"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!" A glowing rope of hearts shot out from the trees and wrapped tightly around the youma's thick neck. The creature pawed at the bright, golden chain while holding firm on the gray wire imprisoning Sailor Moon. A blonde dressed in orange emerged from the woods and pulled her chain taut, causing the youma to flinch, tugging Sailor Moon down to her knees.
The hero before him wheezed, struggling to stay upright as the wire squeezed the life out of her and the barbs pierced her flesh. Spatters of blood were staining her white fuku as her skin tore beneath it.
Help her. Mamoru's inner voice demanded. She saved you, go rescue her before she's strangled to death! But his body refused to listen. He continued to lay there, too stunned for action, as the heroine of Tokyo bled and choked for air less than five feet away.
"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!" A girl with short, blue hair summoned a torrent of azure water, as if she had liquified the air itself, and sent it crashing against the creature. Its mechanical bottom half squeaked and malfunctioned as it was drenched.
"JUPITER THUNDER!" A brunette in green roared. Lightning crackled from her gloved hands and hit the monster with a boom, electrocuting its soaked top half. It howled in agony, both parts of the centaurion wounded and broken. But it still held tight to its grip on Sailor Moon's chain, the electric shock zapping through the wire and towards her at an alarming speed.
Mamoru was certain she was done for, but at the last second, she was able to slip her hand from where it was pinned against her neck and yanked the golden tiara from her forehead, slicing the tight wire away just before she was electrocuted. She gasped deeply, falling onto her hands as the heavy steel fell from her body.
"Finish him off, Sailor Moon!" The Senshi with long, black hair yelled impatiently.
"Get a grip, Mars," Sailor Moon choked out between heaving breaths, moving shakily to her feet. "I'm trying not to pass out over here!"
"You can breathe when that thing is destroyed, now move it!" The other girl demanded.
"God, you're annoying," Sailor Moon grumbled as if her life hadn't been on the line mere seconds earlier.
A small, pink baton formed in Sailor Moon's hand and she held it out. Where the hell did that come from?
"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!" The blonde heroine chanted. Glowing energy surged through Sailor Moon's body and the weapon took on a life of its own, shooting her attack straight at the monster. Mamoru put his hands over his ears as the creature was hit with the force, its blood-curdling wail loud enough to make his ears ring.
Then…nothing. Where the youma previously stood now held only dust and ash, falling gently to the ground.
"Let's go," the brunette called, turning to make her exit with the others in tow, but Sailor Moon held her spot. Her spine went rigid and she twirled around to look directly at Mamoru.
Mamoru's breath caught in his throat as he finally took in her appearance. Her impossibly long, blonde hair flowed gently with the wind in two identical streamers. There was no doubt it would reach the ground if half of it wasn't piled atop her head. She was battered, with shallow cuts freckling her arms, neck, and face, as well as bruises already forming on her ivory skin. Mamoru couldn't look away. The pink hue of the rising sun framed her from behind, and he could swear he was gazing slack-jawed at an angel.
She was breathtaking.
"Sailor Moon.." The other blonde called to her, though lacking enthusiasm as though she'd already lost the argument.
Sailor Moon's gaze held to Mamoru's as she approached, kneeling before him where he lay frozen. As she got closer, he took in the vivid sapphire color of her eyes.
"Are you hurt?" She asked, her face serious.
Mamoru continued to stare at her, not processing her question. Her lower lip had been split open, no doubt by one of the barbs, and blood was trickling down her chin.
He blinked slowly…was he hurt? Dumbly, he shook his head no, unable to utter a sound in her presence.
Tentatively, she reached a gloved hand out to him. "Can you stand?" The alarm in her eyes shocked him, as if his measly well-being was all that mattered to the heroine. He took her proffered hand, so small in comparison to his, and shifted onto his knees before her other hand supported him under his elbow, hoisting him awkwardly to his feet.
The adrenaline that had soared through his body as he had tried to outrun the youma was rapidly abandoning him, and he winced despite himself when he stood on his left foot. That chain was going to leave one hell of a bruise, possibly even a sprain.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her hand coming to cup his cheek.
Mamoru caught her gaze again, piercing into him as if she knew him intimately. What the hell was she sorry for? She had saved his ass while he laid on the ground and did nothing. He would undoubtedly be a bloody pile of flesh right now had she not intervened.
He remained silent, still unable to make his vocal cords work, searching for an answer in her sparkling eyes. Instead, he leaned into her touch, feeling the warmth of her skin even through her glove.
The sound of the park ranger's approaching siren jolted them back to reality. Sailor Moon flinched. Mamoru vaguely heard one of the other women shout, "We have to go!" The blonde heroine held his gaze a moment longer, and Mamoru's heart nearly ceased beating when she brought her bloody lips to his other cheek and kissed him. There was a knowing in it; a recognition, a strange deja vu that he had no way of identifying.
Sailor Moon's lips and hand slipped away from his skin. The ranger's truck barreled into view, the man behind the wheel shouting about the racket he had heard. Mamoru looked back to where his heroine had stood before him a second ago, but she was gone.