Black Moon

Usagi wakes from a deep sleep; it's not the first time, nor will it be the last, of that she is sure. It's not a nightmare per se that wakes her but a memory, a haunting one at that, one that happened only two weeks ago. It's odd for those to reside while she's at Mamoru's apartment – since the times she stays over her dreams are relatively calm, and memories are locked away. He's a soothing presence, one she is wholeheartedly glad to have, and she can only hope that she provides the same calm in him that he gives her.

Knowing she won't fall back asleep with the image of Pluto's death ravaging her mind, Usagi moves as quietly as possible from the bed and picks up Mamoru's discarded shirt before leaving the bedroom. Tea would be the best course of action, but she's too exhausted and doesn't want to wake her lover, which leaves the quiet living room with a view of Tokyo's cityscape as the next best option. Sitting on the couch with nothing but memories, she does what she can to process it all. There are questions she has had since Chibiusa took them to the future for the first time. Usagi had pushed them down, as those questions weren't necessary. Finding her girls and defeating the Black Moon had been the main objective; everything else could wait.

There had been a whirlwind of activity in the two weeks since their return. Chibiusa's departure and subsequent return, she and everyone else trying to return to normal life – or as normal as possible for them – those questions remained buried. It wasn't until the past week that those thoughts began to bubble to the surface. She had woken up to her future daughter in her bed clinging to her as a lifeline with cries for Pluto leaving the young girl's lips.

How had she not known about Pluto? Before her death, Serenity was acutely aware of all that was happening in her kingdom. She knew the Queen kept some things private, a knowledge that she thought the young princess didn't need to know at the time. That was an accepted fact, but to hide one of Serenity's Senshi from her was baffling. Were there others she wasn't aware of, or was Pluto a particular case due to her nature with time? It's frustrating not to have all the answers.

I've always wanted to be useful to you.

Those words continued to haunt her and made her nauseous when they crossed her mind. If only she had known. Neo Queen Serenity knew, her future self knew. Had Pluto reached out when Crystal Toyko was founded or had her future self discovered it by chance? Did it even matter anymore? Probably not. Pluto was in eternal sleep after her service over many millennia. If only…

There was the distinct clink of ceramic against wood that broke her thoughts.

"Mamo…chan?" She catches the soft look mixed with concern in his eyes.

"You have been staring into the night for the past twenty minutes."

Brows furrow in confusion. Surly, her mind hadn't wandered that long, ten minutes at the most.

"Did I wake you?"

Mamoru shook his head in the negative.

Usagi didn't miss the pain he tried to hide. Despite saying he was fine, he wasn't. No doubt he had been reliving her death once again. She wishes she could lie to his face and say everything was fine, but she has died twice now. He wouldn't believe her even if she was skilled at lying.

"What were you thinking about?" Mamoru had moved to sit on the couch and pulled her to lean against him. No doubt a reminder that she was very much alive.

"Pluto." Usagi leaned her head against his shoulder.

It is quiet between them for a period before Usagi spoke again. "I wonder if I would have the ability to reincarnate?" Her voice above a whisper. "The Queen was able to do so."

"It was also the Queen's last-ditch effort to give us a better life." He doesn't mention that the Queen of the old Silver Millennium was never reincarnated, more than likely because of the strain of her actions.

The sounds of gentle breathing became the backdrop to a growing silence and surrounded them.

"Thank you," Usagi says.

She can feel her lover move slightly, and she wonders if he had fallen asleep and she has woken him up.

"For what?" He whispers.

"You kept Endymion's promise to Serenity."

She feels rather than hears a rumble of laughter in his chest. "You're going to have to be more specific than that, Usako."

She supposes that is true. Endymion and Serenity had made numerous promises to each other. Promises of love and unity were always the ones that left their lips.

"Endymion promised Serenity that one day they would have a united kingdom." She feels his arm tighten around her. She knows he remembers that promise; it was the closest to a marriage proposal that would ever leave the prince's lips. "You kept that promise. In the future, we have a united kingdom. We have each other and a daughter." We have everything they promised they would achieve was left unsaid. "That makes me happy, Mamo-chan."

Briefly, Usagi thinks of the night in the orchard on Earth and the loving embrace of Endymion as he whispered a promise they would always be together.