A/N:
Thanks again for your reviews, alerts, and favorites! It makes me so happy that you all are enjoying the story so far! I would've had this one out to you earlier, but after I wrote the whole chapter I realized the last bit was not what I wanted it to be, and had to rewrite about 3-4 pages. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 6: I'll be exactly what you need

Usagi cracked the door to her home as silently as possible. It wasn't past curfew, but her head was swirling with a million different thoughts. She stumbled as she removed her shoes, her clothing soaking wet and cold from the rain. Somehow she could still feel Mamoru's hot hands and lips against her skin. She shivered at the thought, tears welling up at her lashes and threatening to give her feelings away. Her steps were quiet as she crept up the stairs to her bedroom, and she slowly opened the door to be greeted by darkness. Had she truly expected something else? This was her room, not Seiya's or even hers and Seiya's...just hers.

The light of the overcast moon from the window cast fuzzy shadows around the familiar space, only broken by the brilliant sliver of light cutting in from the hallway. It was quiet, and the shiny eyes of her stuffed animals stared at her from their place on her bed. Was it just the dark or did their eyes seem to judge her? Usagi carefully shut the door behind her, turning the knob and holding her breath as she muffled the click of the latch with her palms. Everything was dark again, but she could still see the lights of the street lamps, Mamoru's deep blue eyes looking back into hers, and the rain that slid from his ebony locks and down his perfect face as her lips found their way to his.

She removed her wet shirt, tossing it aside. Mamoru's hot hands had found their way beneath it, his palm pressed against the middle of her back while his fingers pressed into the skin between her shoulder blades. It was protective, to some extent, holding her so that she wouldn't fall, but it was also desperate in the way that it held her body close against his. It was a simple touch and yet it had sent a million little tingles through her body. She had not felt this way before. It was as if some cosmic force had taken over her and pushed her to rebel against everything she knew.

Usagi stepped out of her wet skirt, letting the fabric fall dejectedly into a heap on the floor. Mamoru's warm lips were still against her neck and collar bone, warming up each bit of skin that had been cooled by the rain. Her hands were pulling at his hair to keep him close against her. The sound of cars driving across the wet payment just around the corner kept Usagi alert.

"What if someone sees us?" she whispered against Mamoru's cheek, breathing in the smell of his cologne as her lips found the edge of his ear.

A deep chuckle reverberated through Mamoru's chest, his warm breath tickling Usagi's neck. "No one will see us," he promised. They both knew it was a thinly veiled lie, but in that instant neither of them cared. All that mattered was the two of them. Mamoru lifted Usagi slightly and her legs wrapped around his torso. Her skirt fell limply around her upper thighs, the wet fabric somewhat sticking to her legs. "Usako." Mamoru moaned that familiar name into her hair.

Usagi's heart pounded in her chest as if it was about to explode. "Mamo-chan." Her voice was a breathy whisper that seemed to leave her lips on its own volition, deep and drawn out. Another new, yet familiar name. Mamoru froze beneath her, and Usagi glanced at his face to find a grin plastered there. His lips were back against hers in an instant, his hands exploring but careful. Usagi found her own hands suddenly at the top of his pants, beginning to fumble with the belt at his hips.

As if a sign from the heavens, though, the sound of voices calling Usagi's name began to crescendo in the distance. Usagi's eyes met Mamoru's, his just as shocked as hers were. He slowly let her slide from his torso, the warmth of their bodies suddenly replaced with the cold of the wind and rain. Mamoru's hand still pressed against Usagi's back as he looked toward the street.

"We'll tell them what happened and that we hid. They'll understand," he murmured. That last touch of Mamoru—his hot palm against the middle of her back that seemed to warm every bit of her body—was pulled away. His hands, once on her body, moved to straighten his clothes as he stepped away from Usagi. There was a sudden emptiness in her chest that had started with the absence of his touch. The space between them felt further than it had before she ever knew him. How did they go from passionately embracing to somehow less than nothing?

"Usagi!" The voice called again, this time shaking Usagi from her daydream. She blinked a few times, realizing she was still standing in her dark bedroom in her underwear. Her skin prickled with goose bumps in the cold. "Usagi, outside!" The voice wasn't from her hazy memories, it was real and followed by tapping. Usagi quickly donned her pink robe and peaked behind the veranda curtains to find Seiya on her balcony grinning mischievously.

Usagi felt her stomach flip upside down at the sight of Seiya's carefree face. She opened the sliding glass door slowly, gesturing for him to come in. She tried to cover the nerves she felt in her chest and belly by playfully scolding him in a hushed tone, "What are you doing here? And how did you get on my balcony?" Usagi closed the door, waiting beside it, her hands resting on the handle as though she was contemplating jumping out herself.

"I missed you," Seiya whispered, turning to face Usagi, his hand softly moved the wet strands of hair from her face. "I just kept thinking something wasn't right. I needed to see you."

If it wasn't for the dark, Usagi was sure her face would have given away her guilt. She could hardly stand to look at him even through the shadows. Not but fifteen minutes ago had she been in the arms of someone else, ready to give herself away to a stranger practically. Her breath hitched in her throat as her thoughts sped like feral waves. She didn't deserve Seiya—his constant care, his thoughtfulness, his gentle touch and understanding. All the time they had been together he never pressured her or questioned her. He had always been a strong pillar to rely on, no matter what happened, and yet, here Usagi was, betraying him in the worst possible way.

Usagi's own tears betrayed her as they fell from her lashes, suddenly, unexpectedly. She couldn't look at Seiya, but she could already imagine his face; wide eyed at first at her sudden outburst and then softening with concern. His arms wrapped around her shoulders and back, pulling him against her. It was familiar, but not like Mamoru, whose embrace felt like home. Seiya's warmth was comfort, like a cozy blanket heated by the sun or a warm cup of amazake in the winter. Why was she so confused? She had everything she needed, yet she couldn't stop feeling that Mamoru was everything and more.

"Usagi, it's okay," Seiya murmured. "Whatever happened, I'm here. You can talk to me." His head tilted forward to place a long, soft kiss against her forehead as his hands rubbed her back. It was such a gentle touch compared to Mamoru's. Why couldn't she shake him?

Usagi's hand grasped at Seiya's shirt, and she buried her face further into his chest. "I'm sorry, Seiya," she sobbed, "I just need to rest."

There was no questioning or prying. Seiya simply whispered a soft "okay" to her before he led her to her bed. He undid each messy bun on the top of her head and reached for the hairbrush on her nightstand. He gently combed out the ends of her hair before running the brush through the length of it. The act was simple but full of love. Each move he made was thoughtful. He toweled off the remaining rain from her hair and ran his fingers through it one last time before he let it settle back against Usagi's back. Usagi felt him stand and before she knew it, he was standing in front of her with pajamas in hand. His hands fell to the shoulders of her bathrobe, preparing to remove it from her, when she suddenly looked up to Seiya, her eyes full of tears.

"Seiya, why are you so kind to me?" Usagi's voice was soft and broken through the sniffles that accompanied her shaky breaths. "You deserve a normal life. I don't know if I can give you that anymore."

Seiya's eyes were soft, concerned. He leaned in to press another soft kiss against her forehead. "Usagi," his voice was a whisper again, "I already know what it's like to be without you. It doesn't matter to me if my entire destiny was changed by being with you. If you chose me, I would stay every time. I spent an eternity looking for you; I will never give you up."

Usagi had to look away. Seiya's sincerity was overwhelming. Guilt washed over her as he poured out his soul to her. From here on out, she had to do better—for Seiya. If she truly loved him as much as she felt in her heart, she could no longer let herself be distracted by Mamoru. She swallowed the rising guilt again. This had to remain secret. Seiya could never know.

Suddenly the robe fell from Usagi's shoulders. Her eyes darted up to Seiya who was back to caring for her. Her porcelain skin was smooth in the reflection of the muddied moonlight. He pressed his lips against the curve of her neck. "You are stunning, Usagi. In so many ways."

The words were familiar, she had heard them before, in her dream. That ebony haired prince had said that. Usagi watched Seiya carefully as he helped her into her pajamas. He smirked just a bit, that charming smirk he always had when he found something Usagi did just a little too cute. Whatever it was, he didn't comment on it tonight. He tucked the sheets around her shoulders and brushed the hair from her face as he whispered his good nights and I love yous. As he stood in the doorway of her veranda, preparing to climb to the ground, Usagi thought she saw it—for just a split moment, he looked like Endymion. The black hair, a little tousled in the wind; the blue eyes and flirtatious smirk; and the jacket over his shoulder, billowing like Endymion's cape. It was odd, but seeing Seiya in that way brought her a sense of relief that she hadn't felt since the day of the concert. She heard him whisper "I love you" and her groggy reply back, but that was the last she remembered as she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

The next day, the weather was perfect; the sun was shining, a few puffy white clouds accented the blue of the sky, and the breeze blew just enough to keep it from getting too hot. Usagi stretched her arms in the sunlight, taking it all in. The events of the previous day almost seemed like a dream. When Usagi had woken that morning, there was a bunny shaped sticky note on the inside of the sliding glass door that said, "meet me at the Crown at noon. Don't be late, Dumpling!" At the end was Seiya's signature and a rose doodle. In typical Seiya fashion, he was asking her out on a date. So she had gotten dressed and made her way out for the day.

For once, Usagi was actually early. She had gotten up and left the house before eleven. All morning she had felt a little anxious to get out of the house, as though she just couldn't relax until twelve. She checked her watch outside of the Crown Arcade and it was only 11:15. She knew she had plenty of time to kill.

As she entered the arcade, her heart began beating a little too fast. Usagi told herself she didn't know why, maybe it was the walk, but when she really thought about it, she knew. She knew her heart was pounding in her chest because maybe she would see Mamoru Chiba. Maybe he would be there with Motoki, and he would touch her hand again, sending a million little sparks through each other. But she couldn't believe that. She had promised herself she would do better, that she would remain true to Seiya.

"Welcome back, Usagi!" Motoki greeted her with a wave from the register. Usagi's eyes shot up to Motoki and then around the area for Mamoru. No one seemed to be there.

"Good morning, Motoki!" Usagi called back, skipping over to him.

"Are you back for the Sailor V game?" he asked, pointing to a game with a blonde, masked heroine on it.

Usagi let out an audible sound of confusion. "Sailor V?" It did sound familiar.

Motoki nodded, "You mentioned it the other day, remember? The crime fighter from England? We were going to look at it and then you ran off to hug Chiba."

Mamoru's name sent a chill down Usagi's spine as soon as it left Motoki's smiling lips. She felt herself pause for a moment, but only briefly because then the memories from her previous visit came rushing back. She remembered asking about the Sailor V game, but Motoki hadn't known what she was talking about. He had said he'd show her a game, but she never got to it. Similar to the draw she had to Mamoru, this game was drawing her in too. She had to play it, just to know what it was about—to remember. Maybe there were answers there so that she could find out whatever it was that her friends had been talking about.

"Oh, yes, Sailor V. How could I forget?" Usagi chuckled nervously, but Motoki didn't seem to notice. "Actually, I think I'll go play now." Motoki waved shortly as Usagi made her way to the new arcade game.

Across the screen, bright red letters read: "Are you ready to fight?! Insert 100 yen." Usagi's fingers inserted the coin seemingly on their own. "Press start!" flashed across the screen, and Usagi gingerly pressed the button with her finger. The screen went black briefly before the sprite of a blonde-haired girl in a school uniform appeared on the screen; she had long blonde hair, a blue skirt, and red bows on her chest and hair. A dialogue appeared to introduce the story: "I came from far away to protect Tokyo! Most days I'm just a normal girl, but I've got a secret...sometimes I have to fight crime!" There was a little animation of the school girl back to back with Sailor V. The school girl suddenly disappeared and the sprite of Sailor V kicked a robber in the face. "LET'S TRAIN!" suddenly appeared on the screen with a swell of action music. The school girl was back, walking through town. A text box appeared, "Press the GREEN button to use your COMPACT and transform into SAILOR MOON!"

Usagi gasped at the word on the screen, Sailor Moon. She blinked hard, shaking her head. When she looked again the sentence read "...transform into SAILOR V!" She stared at the screen for a long time, then to the game next to hers. A little kid put in a coin and pressed start. The intro started, but there was no training sequence. Perhaps he knew how to skip it? Usagi turned back to her own game, where the green button was flashing. She pressed it, causing a brilliant flash of light on the screen and suddenly Sailor V was standing there, looking at Usagi.

"Time to fight crime!" Sailor V yelled, running off the screen. Another textbox appeared on the screen, this time with instructions on fighting. Usagi moved the joystick, causing the character to run over to a man in black and white stripes. She began to fight a hoard of people, evading bullets and jumping over pits. A boss appeared and there was suddenly a new voice speaking through the game, "Remember your strength, protect the silver imp—" Usagi was suddenly jolted, her hand pushing into the joystick and running Sailor V into a pit of lava. "GAME OVER!" appeared on the screen with a countdown to continue.

"Excuse me," Usagi began, turning around, ready to give an ear full to whatever child had bumped into her. To her surprise her eyes were met by the same deep, blue eyes she had gazed in last night—it was Mamoru. Her breath hitched in her throat, leaving her unable to speak.

Mamoru had begun to apologise as well, but he stopped at the exact same moment. His eyes turned cold and distant within an instant. "Oh, Tsukino." Was that a tone of disdain in his voice? The stoic man before her averted his gaze, only making brief eye contact with her when she spoke again.

"M-Mamoru. Hello." Usagi's stomach dropped to the floor. Her chest ached as though she had just been broken up with, but she had no reason to feel this way. She shouldn't feel so enthralled by him; she had already decided she couldn't. Her voice wavered only slightly as she mustered a carefree smile. "What are you up to today?"

Mamoru crossed his arms, looking down the aisle of games. "A date." His response was curt, as though he didn't have the time to spare on simple pleasantries. Even though last night had gone farther than it should have, why was he treating her so coldly? Had he just used her while she was scared and alone? She watched Mamoru, her eyes wide, trying to cover the sadness that she was sure lingered there.

A familiar voice called from a row of UFO catcher games, "Yay! Look what I won, Mamoru." A woman's head popped out from behind a giant teddy bear she was carrying. "No thanks to you!" It was the same woman Mamoru had been with when Usagi and Seiya had run into Mamoru on the street. Now that Usagi was really looking at her, she was beautiful: tall, slim, and a mature demeanor. Her long brown hair was in a loose braid that laid elegantly on her shoulder, and her dark, brown eyes almost sparkled with mystery. She was the perfect match for someone like Mamoru—probably intelligent and grown up—nothing like Usagi who couldn't make it through the day without crying or snacking.

"Who's this?" The woman stopped beside Mamoru, linking her arm through his. "She's so cute, is this a little girl you tutor?" She wasn't phased by Usagi at all—and why should she be? Usagi still looked to Mamoru for clarification for some reason. Even though he had no reason to defend her, she couldn't help but pray he might stand up for her.

Mamoru glance at Usagi coldly again, "She's just a regular here, one of Motoki's friends." He turned to the woman, "Nevermind her, I was just looking for you, Mie. Let's get lunch. What do you think?" Mamoru's hand wrapped around Mie's waist as he turned them toward the entrance of the arcade without even saying goodbye. Usagi's stomach twisted in knots. She had never felt so invisible, so disregarded. She watched them for far too long, fighting back the tears of rejection she knew she shouldn't have.

"I'm cold!" Mie whined as they walked out the door. Mamoru replied something and removed his jacket, putting it over her shoulders. Usagi watched as something slipped from a pocket inside the jacket and fell to the ground nearly soundlessly. She hurried to the entrance and picked up the item, a golden, star-shaped pocket watch.

"Mamoru! Wait, you dropped something!" She called after him, but the two had already crossed the street and disappeared into a sudden rush of people exiting the train station nearby. She would just have to return the watch the next time she saw him.

"Geeze, was that Mamoru?" A familiar voice called from behind Usagi. She looked behind her and Makoto was there. She waved with a guilty smile as her four other friends peaked out from behind Makoto's frame. Usagi gasped, surprised that they had seen the whole thing, and then laughed as the others joined in with their own guilty laughter.

"What a jerk!" Rei exclaimed, crossing her arms. "What, the guy tries to save your life and then acts like you don't exist? Even after the concert he bolted! Last night, too. What's up with him?"

Usagi shrugged with a sigh. Last night had been strange. Once the girls had arrived, Mamoru had left very quickly, passing Usagi off to her friends. They walked her home, apologizing for the events that had gone down at the shrine. The girls explained they were just discussing a mutual friend whose boyfriend was being less than honest, and if Usagi's name had been brought up, it was merely in passing. When Usagi had thought back, she remembered she hadn't been sure if she heard her name. She had been so insecure lately, too, it was possible her mind had played tricks on her. Usagi had forgiven them on the spot, perhaps due to the logic, but also maybe because her mind was still a little frazzled from her encounter with Mamoru.

Minako jumped forward, hugging Usagi around the shoulders, "Ah, Usagi! I'm so glad we're all together again." Happy tears poured down Minako's face as she held Usagi's shoulders. "How about we all go out for lunch and dis Mamoru while we look at these new photos of the Three Lights I got?" She flashed a smile along with multiple signed polaroids of the Three Lights.

"Sorry, Minako, Dumpling is mine today!" Seiya's voice cut in from the entrance of the arcade. He placed one hand on his hip, flipping his hair, and plastering on his most charming smile. He pulled Usagi close next to him, embracing her as Minako whined into Ami's shoulder. The warmth of Seiya's touch enveloped Usagi, and she looked up to his face just to be reminded of every little thing she loved about him: the confident show he put on in front of everyone but her, his tenor voice and laugh that could fill a room, and how when she was with him, she felt like the only girl in the world. The entire scene felt like it was in slow motion. She watched her friends interact; each little move they made, each crinkle of the eye as they laughed, every tone of their voice—she took it all in as if it was the last time she would ever see them.

"But, Seiyaaaaa," Minako cried briefly, before suddenly jumping to his side and pulling on his arm. Her voice dropped as she pulled a stack of CDs from her bag. "How about you sign a couple copies of these CDs?"

Seiya playfully shooed Minako away, pulling Usagi with him as he did so. "Minako, don't you have anything better to do than harass me all the time?! You know, maybe if you studied…"

There was boisterous laughter from the group, but it faded into the distance in Usagi's mind. It all felt like too much, but not enough. She wanted to take it all in just one more time; if only she could pause and rewind these moments of normalcy forever. In the pit of her stomach she knew it couldn't last. Too many strange things had happened for life to continue on the way it had.

"Oi, Dumpling, you've zoned out all afternoon!" Seiya's voice broke her thoughts.

Usagi looked around at her surroundings. They were at the park. The sky was blue and the trees swayed ever so slightly in the wind, geese swam serenely in the pond, and children ran through the grass laughing and shouting happily to their friends. Seiya had planned a picnic, he had said as they left the arcade, but Usagi hardly remembered the walk there. Her mind had been elsewhere. Her mind was always somewhere else these days.

"Thank you, Seiya," Usagi murmured. She looked up into Seiya's eyes, slowing him down. He smiled at her, his head dropping as their lips met.

And for another moment everything was perfect again. But Usagi already knew it couldn't last.

As if on cue, there was a loud boom. The birds flew from the trees all at once and the geese squaked to one another, issuing a warning as they followed behind the birds. The children ran, crying, to their parents who screamed the names of their children in fear. Seiya and Usagi turned toward the sound, seeing nothing at first but a billowing cloud of grey smoke. From the haze appeared another humanoid figure, just like the ones from the concert and the street. It was dark blue, and its bare body was facing away from them. Usagi looked around for somewhere to hide before it noticed them, but it was too late. It's head turned around completely backwards, locking its sights on Usagi.

"What are these things?" Seiya whispered frantically. His eyes were locked on the monster and his hands rested tentatively at Usagi's waist as though he was waiting for the perfect moment to move her from harm's way.

Usagi stared at the haze, swallowing hard. "They're after me again. It's becoming more frequent." She looked to Seiya and then to the monster again. "We're going to have to fight, however we can."

Then, without warning, the rest of the figure's body snapped into place. It began to sprint toward the couple, raising one knotted and bony claw. As its fingers curled to the sky, the water from the pond formed a giant tower, like a stationary waterfall. With a cackle, the monster sent the water hurdling forward toward Usagi with a flick of its wrist.

"Usagi, run!" Seiya yelled, pulling her aside with a yank of her arm. She fell to the ground as the geyser of water hit Seiya in the chest, sending him crashing to the grass and through a group of bushes behind them. Everything became eerily quiet. There were no sounds of birds, no people laughing; it was just Usagi's heart beat in her ears and the sobs she tried to hold back in her chest.

One sob escaped her throat, and it opened her voice that was frozen inside of her. "SEIYA!" She screamed, holding her head. She looked to the bushes. There was no sign of movement, no sound from Seiya. Just the strange calmness of the world around them. Usagi's lip quivered as she stood, her knees still shaking from the adrenaline coursing through her blood. In her pocket, her brooch was hot against her thigh. She grasped it, pulling it from her skirt, and she clenched it in her palm.

"You monster," Usagi yelled through gritted teeth. "Whatever you want from me, you'll have to take it from me." She braced herself as the monster cackled.

"It will be a pleasure to destroy you, Sailor Moon," the monster hissed. It put its hands together, forming a giant ball of water.

In that moment, everything was clear. Usagi had felt this power radiating from the brooch just yesterday, and at the arcade, it wasn't a coincidence that the game had told her to transform into Sailor Moon. She was Sailor Moon. She knew it in her heart. She felt it in every fiber of her being. It was time to control her life again.

"Not today, you creep," Usagi screamed. She held the brooch into the air. The words were already in her mouth. "Moon Eternal—"

"Usagi! Don't!" A familiar voice yelled from behind her, interrupting her mid sentence. The monster's head snapped to the voice as well, the ball of water still rolling in its hands. Behind them stood Usagi's friends, Rei in front. Each one of them held a different colored wand, topped with a star and symbol. Usagi looked at them all, confused. Why were they here? How had they found her? Why were they stopping her?

Rei stared at her friend, her eyes intense but a little fearful, "Usagi, if you say those words, you can never come back to this normal life." She raised her wand above her head and Ami, Makoto, and Minako followed in suit. In unison they shouted:

"Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!"

"Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!"

"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!"

"Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!"

Each of them was engulfed in a different element and when it disappeared, the friends Usagi once knew now stood before her, clothed in sailor uniforms, tiaras, and bows. They looked the same but somehow different. How had Usagi not seen it before? It was obvious now that her friends were the very same women who had saved her the previous day, and here they were again, at her side without a concern for their own safety.

Sailor Venus stepped forward toward the monster before them all. She pointed to the figure, her eyes fearless. "We are the pretty suited sailor soldiers here to protect Earth from scum like you. We are your opponents today, you fiend!"

Mars and Jupiter joined Venus to create a wall between Usagi and the monster. Mercury hurried to Usagi's side and touched her arm. Her eyes were sad and pleading, "Usagi, this is not the kind of life you want. Help Seiya and run as far as you can from here." She gave Usagi a slight nudge and then joined the others who now stood in fighting stances as the monster screeched before them.

Usagi took a dizzy step back, her head still swirling from the realization that her friends were not just the everyday school girls she took them for. Her hand still grasped her brooch so tightly that it felt like it might crumble to dust between her fingers. Her friends were sailor scouts. Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minakao…. She took another dizzy step backwards and her heel caught on a root, causing her to stumble and fall to her bottom. Usagi watched the girls, frozen. Venus sent a beam of gold light toward the monster, and it narrowly missed piercing the monster's hand which still held the orb of water.

"Nothing will get in our way of getting the silver imperial crystal," the figure screamed, sending a spear of water at Sailor Venus. It struck her, sending her flying backward into the trunk of a tree. Next Jupiter bolted forward with Mercury. Mercury created a screen of fog throughout the area as Jupiter jumped up, preparing to strike the monster beneath her, but when the fog lifted, the monster was behind them. It swiped at Mercury, sending her to the ground with its fist and then shot a stream of water at Jupiter. Jupiter slid across the dirt and grass, her body resting just near the edge of the pond. Mars hesitated only for a moment—she looked back to Usagi briefly and begged for her to run—but in that single moment the monster was able to send a tidal wave over her. As the water receded, Mars's body was left crumpled and bloody on the ground, her hair splayed out beneath her body. Usagi cried out for her friends whose bodies were strewn across the ground. couldn't watch anymore. She stood to her feet. This time, she would fight.

Usagi raised the brooch above her head once more, "Moon Eternal, Make Up!" A power coursed through her body like nothing she had felt before as a burst of feathers surrounded her body. A burning at her forehead revealed a golden crescent moon. Her body was clothed in a sailor fuku, gloves, and boots. Her back arched as the feathers came together, giving her wings. With the transformation came the memories of everything she had forgotten. They came all at once like a tidal wave, flooding her mind and sending her back to her knees as she held her head in her hands.

"The crystal is mine!" The monster screamed, the sound of water rushing was loud in their ears. Sailor Moon looked up at the last moment, and to her surprise another beam of energy was shot at the monster, this time striking it straight in the chest. The monster screeched, keeling over and holding its chest with its gangly hands. The water it had prepared to attack with fell back into the pond with a rainy splash. Sailor Moon searched the area to see where the attack had come from. Behind her her eyes locked with Sailor Mars, who was up on her hands and knees, shaking with fatigue

"You must finish it off, Sailor Moon," Mars coughed out before collapsing into a heap on the ground. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Her body was wracked with scrapes and fresh pink bruises. All of this, she had endured for Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon ran to Sailor Mars's side, picking up her head and resting it in her lap. "Sailor Mars, hold on, please!" Tears fell down her face again. "I can't do this! I don't know what I'm doing, there's too much!" Mars's eyes opened only for a brief moment as a bit of Rei's smile came through her disguise.

"You can do...anything," she whispered with a grimace, her eyes closing slowly as she exhaled a raspy breath. Her words were an echo of what Seiya had told her just the day before. She had to believe in herself. She had to try. Sailor Moon held Mars in her lap as hot, angry tears fell down her cheeks. She could hear the monster laughing triumphantly in her ears.

The figure took a heavy step toward Sailor Moon and it shook the ground beneath her. "It's your turn, Sailor Moon!" It cackled, releasing another ball of energy at her. She shielded Mars's body with her own, sending them both tumbling across the grass and into a tree.

Sailor Moon's body seared with pain, but she somehow managed to pull herself up. The monster was pulling more water from the pond as it sauntered toward her, like a lion ready to pounce. She had to pull herself together or else they would all die. She stood, her back against the tree, and she took a deep breath. "You can do this," she whispered to herself, closing her eyes for a brief moment. She wasn't convinced. She hadn't finished the training on the video were still so many memories that were fuzzy in her brain. Her hand reached for her forehead, but there was no tiara there. "Shit," she murmured, trying to remember what other attacks she had. She peaked around the tree to see where the monster had gone, when to her surprise, there was nothing before her. The park was empty and calm, just like it was before the figure had appeared.

"What?" Sailor Moon stepped out from behind the tree, scanning the area with confusion.

"Gullible!" Came the voice. The monster came flying down from the sky behind her. Sailor Moon turned, but it was too late. "Die!" The watery orb of the monster's attack was already prepped for release in its hand. Sailor Moon covered her face with her hands and squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the impact. The impact never came. Instead the monster squalled, and when Sailor Moon opened her eyes once more, she was met by a new scene. Now the monster was turned away, clutching its hand. A red rose laid next to the figure's feet. For some reason, Sailor Moon's heart began beating out of her chest, but not out of fear, but more of an excited anxiousness. Finally her eyes fell upon the owner of the rose—a masked man in a tuxedo. His cape billowed behind him as he stood before the monster, a cane in his hand readied like a sword.

"I won't let a being as hideous as you take a cheap shot against Eternal Sailor Moon," he called to the monster. "If you want to fight, then fight fair!" The man turned to Sailor Moon tipping his hat. "Sailor Moon, your Eternal Tiare! With it you can defeat this monster once and for all."

Sailor Moon nodded, her memories clear with the name of the wand. She pointed to the monster, ready to end this fight. "You came to wreak havoc on couples and friends who wanted to enjoy such a nice day. In the name of love and justice, I'm Eternal Sailor Moon, and I will punish you. You're going down!" She reached out, and in her hands appeared the Eternal Tiare. She felt the power coursing through her to the wand as she called out, "Starlight honeymoon therapy kiss!" A colorful light covered the area and the monster. With a scream, the monster stretched, its body suddenly becoming thin until it suddenly poofed into a wisp of black smoke.

Sailor Moon stumbled, falling to her knees, her body overcome with fatigue. The transformation, the memories, and the attack...it all had used such great power from her that she now felt weak in comparison. She lifted her heavy head and suddenly in the corner of her eye she thought she saw another female figure with a long, black ponytail peeking out from behind a tree. Her head snapped toward the spot, but there was nothing there. Perhaps it was her imagination.

"Sailor Moon, are you okay?" The man who had saved her called out.

She looked up to the masked man, her heart beating double time in her chest once more, "Tuxedo Mask...Thank you."

His head turned to her, a smile falling upon his lips, "Ah, so you remember me." The voice was confident and flirtatious, he was obviously teasing her just a bit.

It hadn't occurred to Sailor Moon until just then that he had never said his name to her. Her eyes widened in surprise. Yes, she had remembered him. The memories were there. He had saved them so many times. He had fought beside them in countless battles, and even against them for a time. No matter what, though, that red rose was always their saving grace. There were so many things she wanted to tell him, so many questions. "Tuxedo Mask, I—"

In the distance, the four new sailor suited soldiers from the alleyway were running toward Eternal Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask: Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn. They called out to her, waving.

"Well, looks like everyone is here now. I suppose it's about time for us all to chat," Tuxedo Mask chuckled, looking out to the group of girls. Sailor Moon's breath hitched in her throat as she watched Tuxedo Mask. In a glint of sun she saw the brilliant blue of his eyes sparkle through his mask. His black hair beneath his hat laid a little messily against his neck. The cape he wore billowed out behind him; it was familiar. The previous night flashed into her mind—Seiya holding his jacket behind him and Endymion's confident face looking out in the rose garden from her dream. Was it him? Was he the one? She reached out her hand tentatively. If only she could touch him, surely she would know.

A/N:
Not too bad of a cliffhanger, right? I tried not to leave it hanging much! Sorry for a lengthy chapter (or maybe you like it, I dunno), but there was so much that I needed to get out for the upcoming bits. There's still lots to come...right now I think there's at least 3-4 more chapters, but there could be more depending on how things take me. Let me know what you thought, and I'll see you all again next chapter!