Chapter 12

Usagi had been drifting on soft, gentle clouds when a horrific shriek bounced off the walls and cascaded through the empty rooms surrounding her. She realized she recognized the voice, and rocketed into wakefulness.

"Mako-chan!" she cried out, opening her eyes and inhaling sharply.

She stopped moving then, her body jerking as it drifted beside something warm. With a heartbeat. Alarmed, she turned and looked up.

Into the face of Shuu. He gave her a happy smile. "Hey! You're awake!" he sounded incredibly relieved, and she flushed.

"Uhh…how long was I out?" she managed. Shuu carefully set her down, and she was even more embarrassed as she realized that he'd been carrying her for who knew how long. What was wrong with her?! This was not the time to be napping. Poor Shuu.

Still, even as her feet touched the floor, she felt incredibly weak and dizzy.

She'd already used the crystal too much.

Usagi had a bad feeling about what might be waiting for her down the road. But, as she looked up and into her rescuer's face, she acknowledged that she'd do anything to keep her friends – both new and old – safe from harm. She turned then, remembering what, or rather who had woken her up, and she put a hand on Shuu's arm.

"That was Mako-chan," she whispered to him.

He frowned, the somber expression looking almost out of place on a face that always seemed open and friendly. "Yeah. I was hoping that wasn't anyone we knew," he said in a low voice. He glared at the darkness down the hallway in front of them. "We're gonna find them, ok Tsukino? We'll find your friends. I can feel Touma and Ryo nearby."

Usagi nodded, feeling breathless as she leaned on him, eagerly waiting for him to lead the way. He pointed in front of them, and Usagi moved to take a step in that direction, surprised when her arm held fast, gently pulling her back. Shuu was giving her a look she couldn't interpret, his brows furrowed as he studied her face.

"Stay close to me, ok? No more wands. No more crystals. You just stay close and let me handle stuff now, right?" he said, sounding so serious she had to fight the urge to give him a hug. She smiled at him.

"I'll be ok Shuu!" she chirped. He merely tugged on her hand, shaking his head.

"No. I mean it Tsukino. No crystal. No more powers. I saw what that thing did. No. It's too dangerous."

Unsure of what to make of this side of the cheerful, friendly guy she'd started out with, Usagi simply nodded, wondering how she'd ever be able to keep that sort of promise if they were attacked again. She couldn't stand by and just watch him get hurt. As if he read her mind, he smiled, the expression reassuring.

"My head's a lot harder than it looks. I'll be all right. I promise. You need some time to recover." Slowly, unable to resist when he was being so serious about her well-being, she nodded, smiling.

"Ok Shuu. I'll let you take care of it." He beamed at her, and she felt like she'd done the right thing. It was hard not to like him. He seemed so cheerful. And so kind. She needed kindness right now.

They walked in silence for a time, Shuu leading the way without ever letting go of her hand. She tried to make her own fingers let go, to put some distance between them, but her hand wouldn't listen to her. She was so afraid and felt so alone. And Shuu just made her feel….less alone.

Gradually, she noticed that his pace began to pick up, until she was nearly running to keep up with him. Usagi tripped then, and would have face planted, but he'd stopped and caught her neatly, setting her back on her feet.

"Sorry. It's just…they're close. I can feel them," he wouldn't meet her eyes as he spoke, scratching the back of his head nervously. Usagi smiled and squeezed the fingers in her grasp reassuringly.

"That's ok. I want to get there quickly too. I'll try to keep up," she promised him. His face brightened.

"I've got a better idea," he grinned. Before she knew what was happening, he'd grabbed her wrists and managed to tug her up and onto his back, piggyback style. Instinctually, she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, clinging to him for dear life as he started sprinting down the halls. Dear lord, he was fast. She didn't even have time to feel embarrassed as she clung to him for dear life.

He laughed as he charged ahead, and Usagi tried not to squeal as they quickly approached speeds that felt a bit terrifying. "Shuuuuuu!" she yelled, trying not to look in front of them. He simply laughed again, sounding maniacal.

"Got 'em!" he roared, and Usagi shrieked as she saw them headed directly for a wall. She ducked down, burying her face in the back of his neck, breathing in the comfort of his scent as she tried to calm her racing heart. She trusted him, she reminded herself. She trusted him.

They burst through the wall, while she was mid-shriek, and she ended up gagging on plaster dust and shreds of paper. "The Kongo train is in the station!" he boomed, skidding to a halt.

Usagi blinked, wiping the dust out of her eyes. They were here, apparently, but where was here, exactly?

"SHUU!" a male voice yelled, full of delighted surprise.

"RYO MAN!" Shuu yelled back.

Oh good, Usagi thought. They'd found someone. Weakly, she released her fingers' white-knuckled grip from his shoulders and tentatively reached a foot down, only slightly surprised to feel solid floor under her. The Shuu Express had been a wild ride, and she was happy to get off now.

"Usagi!" Ami was at her side in an instant, already looking her over before wrapping her up in a big, relieved hug. "We're so glad to see you. You're all right, aren't you?" the Senshi of Mercury was casting a worried frown over her now, hands on her shoulders. Usagi rushed to reassure her.

"Yes! I'm totally fine! I had Shuu with me the whole time! I'm sorry I worried you!"

"Oh, thank goodness." Ami started to smile, winced a bit, and gave Usagi a bit of a lopsided smile instead. Usagi studied her, noticing the bruising on her face, but didn't want Ami to feel self-conscious so only smiled and hugged her again.

"Are you ok, Ami?" she asked cautiously. Ami gave her another smile, tired but full, and Usagi felt herself ease a bit.

"Yes, I'm all right Usagi." Usagi nodded.

"Ami, we have to find Mako-chan, I heard – " she was cut off by a weak rasp from nearby.

"No need to look. I'm right here." the Senshi rasped as she made her way over. This time, Usagi couldn't help the noise of distress she made.

"Oh Mako-chan," she wailed, flinging herself at Makoto. The blue-haired man caught her mid-leap, gently halting her acrobatics with his free hand.

"Ah. That's probably not a good idea, er…miss…Usagi?," he cautioned with a small smile. Usagi clasped her hands in front of her, wringing them tightly. Makoto shot him a dirty look that he stoically ignored.

"Oh. Yes. I'm Usagi Tsukino," Usagi sketched a quick bow at the blue haired man and then the group, but didn't wait for reciprocal introductions. She turned back to Makoto, eyes wide, trying to fight back tears and stay strong for her friend. If she started crying, Makoto was probably going to feel responsible. The last thing she wanted to do was make Jupiter feel worse. "Poor Mako-chan," she whispered, clasping her hands in front of her in an effort not to latch on to the tall woman. "What happened?"

Makoto mustered a tired smile for her. "Aw hey, Usagi, don't cry. I promise I'll be ok," she said weakly. The man supporting her huffed, but Usagi ignored him. She gave Makoto her brightest smile.

"That's right. You will. Because you're going to leave everything to the rest of us, aren't you?" she beamed at Makoto, daring the stoic woman to argue. Makoto blinked her expression growing flustered as she tried to figure out a way to refute Usagi's request without hurting her feelings.

"Uhh…I'm not…I mean…I can fight, Usagi," she muttered, fumbling in her reply. Usagi looked to Ami, still smiling, and tilted her head, inviting the shy, intelligent woman to weigh in. Ami shook her head, and then backed Usagi's argument exactly as Usagi had assumed she would do.

"I'm afraid not Makoto. You're to rest as much as possible and leave anything else to the rest of us. You're in no shape to be brawling," Mercury intoned firmly.

Makoto's expression turned wheedling. "Aw, come on guys! I'm not that bad!"

Usagi continued to smile at her, clasping her hands behind her back and bouncing on her toes in an effort not to hug Makoto the way she wanted to. "Don't worry about it! I'm gonna beat everybody up so you don't have to lift a finger!" she promised. Ami coughed delicately into a fist, hiding her face, but Usagi ignored her, tilting her head at Makoto and pouting.

"Are you saying I'm not strong enough to win?" she asked, batting her eyelashes, and letting a few little tears hover on the rim of her lower lashes. Makoto cringed, smiling and waving her free hand with quick reassurance.

"Of course not, I'd never say that!" she rushed to assure her. "I'll just uh…leave it to you, Usagi," she continued, looking resigned but honest. Internally, Usagi nodded. Makoto managed. She darted a look to the man supporting Jupiter, trying to study him discreetly. He was very attentive of her friend. Very. Attentive.

"I'm Touma Hashiba," he offered, giving her a polite but brief dip of his head in her direction. "Ryo Sanada," the dark haired man hovering near Ami echoed, making a similar gesture. Usagi waved at them both, taking in the way Ryo seemed to stay closed to Ami with sharp eyes, and boy, did she like the direction things were going in this group now.

Internally, she cackled maniacally.

Hu hu hu…

Usagi clapped her hands together, rubbing them enthusiastically. She'd found Mako-chan, and Ami-chan, and they seemed to have their own handsome escorts, but she couldn't rest until she found the rest of her girls and made sure they were all ok and together. "Right! Who're we finding next?" she called out. Shuu, Ryo, and Touma exchanged looks, then shrugged.

Ryo furrowed his brows as he stared off into the middle distance for a moment before refocusing on her.

"I'm not sure. The others are too far away. We'll have to see if we can figure out a way to get closer." He replied. Usagi nodded.

"Then let's go," she said.

The group moved together, exiting through the hole Shuu had made, and branching off towards the right. She watched as Shuu approached Touma and Makoto, and carefully tucked himself up against Makoto's other side, gently pulling her free arm over his shoulders.

"We've got you," he said quietly. "Tell us if you need to rest or something."

Makoto winced, but nodded. "Thanks. I appreciate it," she muttered, her voice full of gravel. Usagi's heart constricted at the knowledge her Senshi was suffering so much, her glee from earlier evaporating. She'd meant what she'd said before. She wasn't going to let Makoto lift a finger. She'd already been through enough.

Ryo and Ami took point as they all made their way back into the hushed and ominous shadows of the hallways. Usagi stayed with Touma and Makoto, keeping her eyes vigilant as she kept pace with them. For once, her Senshi needed her, and she was going to keep them safe, no matter the cost.