And we're in the home stretch. Only one more chapter after this. Thanks going out again to everyone who has reviewed, favorite'd, and followed this story to this point. This chapter is short, but next chapter will make up for that.
A Little Late
Chapter 8/9
The next day rolled around and Usagi found herself awakening warmer and more comfortable than she ever had before. She looked around, alarmed at first because she wasn't in her bedroom, but then the night before came back to her and she realized she wasn't alone, either. Holding her firmly around the waist was her, well, she still didn't know what to call Mamoru. They had spent the night together but weren't lovers. They weren't dating per say. He hadn't proclaimed his undying love for her at some point during the night and they weren't planning on running off and getting married like their past life counterparts had often talked about.
They had spent much of the night talking, very carefully talking, about his time as Endymion of the Dark Kingdom. At first she was afraid to bring it up, that he wouldn't want to talk about something so dark and harmful as having your life ripped from you just when you were getting your answers, but he slowly opened up to her and poured out his secrets, what he had been thinking, why he hadn't been able to really harm her, how sorry he was for all of the harm he had actually caused her. Usagi had put her finger to his lips every time he apologized and shook her head, indicating there was no need, it wasn't him. He would kiss her finger and continue on with the story, feeling vastly inferior to this girl who he had been blessed to know. Who refused to give up on him.
Mamoru confided in her about Beryl expecting him soon with a plan to destroy the Senshi, and if she didn't already know that he was missing, she would soon and she would be beyond anger. They would need to strike now, not later, and they had to find a way to D Point. Usagi agreed with him, feeling her stomach twisting and turning like a pretzel as she did so. She had grown so much stronger these last few weeks, proven herself to be a more capable warrior, but she couldn't help but feel that she wasn't ready for this step.
Late into the night, well towards midnight, they realized the time. Usagi moved to go home, knowing her family was waiting for her, but it was Mamoru who reached out and took her by the arm, his head down and voice soft when he asked her not to leave. To stay with him for the night and keep him company, and most of all to stave off the nightmares that he feared were going to come.
Usagi had smiled, called Luna on the communicator so she could tell her parents her plans, ignored her advisors' protests and so she stayed.
They had kissed, mostly chaste and innocent, huddled together in his bed. Mamoru gave her some of his pajamas which were so big on her that she practically swam in them when she had to roll up the cuffs and pant legs, but he couldn't deny that she looked adorable in them. She had pouted when he teased her about it, and pouted even more when he asked her if she slept with her hair up like that, reminding him that this was a hair style suited for royalty after all.
Mamoru had a single nightmare that night, which woke him up screaming. In his hysterical state Usagi managed to get him breathing normally again and he was able to tell her what he saw. He told her that he saw her body, lying on the ground broken and bloody. That she was dead by his sword and he was relishing in his victory over the white moon, Queen Beryl at his side. He had vomited over the side of the bed, feeling that it was so real and all Usagi could do was hold him and remind him that not only was it not his fault, she wasn't going to let Beryl hurt them again.
She vowed it.
After cleaning up, the rest of the night had passed in relative peace, Mamoru had only grumbled and rolled around in his sleep while Usagi stroked his hair back and whispered lovingly into his ear before she finally succumbed to her own dreams, which were strangely vivid and of her previous life on the moon. Once or twice she swore she saw her mother calling out to her only to have her fade away like so much smoke in the dark.
Now awake, Usagi loathed to rouse Mamoru because he had such a rough night. She checked the clock and it was only eight, too early for her on a Sunday. But she also had to get home as soon as possible so she could be punished for staying at a boys house, without a chaperone, all night. If word of this got out her reputation would be ruined, but as for that part Usagi couldn't bring herself to care. She wasn't going to just leave Mamoru alone with a note, though. She was going to say goodbye properly until they met up later in the day back at Rei's. A meeting she knew her parents wouldn't stop.
Tripping over her too long pajamas, Usagi kneeled next to Mamoru's side of the bed and brushed raven colored hair out of his face. "Mamo…Mamo-chan," she whispered softly, blushing a little. "Mamo-chan, you need to wake up." Mamoru moaned softly and so she shook his shoulder a little. "Mamo-chan, please wake up." She leaned forward and kissed his lips softly and after a few moments found that the kiss was being returned. She moved away, but he followed her, pulling her head down and pressing his lips harder on hers until she was out of breath.
"Good morning, Usako," Mamoru said with a smile on his face, touching his forehead to hers gently.
"Good morning, Mamo-chan," Usagi replied, blushing even more than before.
"Mamo-chan?" he asked while he sat up and let the sheets slide around his waist. He chuckled at ran his fingers through one of her long pony tails, feeling the silky strands in his hand. "I could get used to that."
Usagi looked a little embarrassed, but pleased with herself, and she stood, her hair sliding through Mamoru's fingers. "It's after eight," she said, playing with the cuffs of her shirt. "I think I should go home. My parents are going to be furious with me for doing this. The sooner I get my grounding until I'm sixty over with the better. I just wanted to say goodbye to you, I didn't want to leave a note or anything silly like that."
Mamoru swung his legs over the side of the bed and put his feet on the carpet, relishing in the feeling of even having carpet again. He wrapped his arms around Usagi's waist, burying his face in her stomach and inhaling her scent. "I'll go too," he said in a muffled voice. He looked up at her and his face was set, there would be no arguing with him. "This is my fault, and I owe your family an apology."
"Mamo-chan…papa is going to be so mad I was here," she reminded him. "You should let it sit for a little while, just until after we defeat Beryl and we come back with some heroic tales of what you've done to help us."
A shake of his head and Mamoru put his foot down. He would be escorting Usagi home, driving her home actually as it was freezing outside, and he was prepared to take whatever the Tsukino's could dish out. It was his punishment for his actions, which he very much considered his responsibility. He was just glad that he had still managed to cling to some of his better qualities and wasn't a completely vile person while he was under the control of the Dark Kingdom. He had so many chances to kill Usagi and take the ginzuishou, and he had never taken one of them.
Usagi changed back into her clothes in the bathroom and Mamoru dressed hurriedly in his room, putting some of his clothes on and noting the slightly musty smell they had to them. They skipped breakfast, much to Usagi's utter dismay, and clamored into the little red sports car, which caused Usagi to squeal in delight. Mamoru promised that when the snow melted he would take her out for a real drive and show her what the car could do. In no time, they arrived at the Tsukino household and they waited outside the gate, both of them breathing faster as they put off the inevitable.
"So," Mamoru said, a note of fear in his voice, "shall we?"
They laced their fingers together and walked towards the door. Usagi fished out her key and found that the door was already opened. She froze as the door creaked and the hairs at the back of her neck stood on end. She exchanged a glance with Mamoru who had already pulled out once of his lethal red roses and nodded at her, saying that she needed to go in, he was right there.
Usagi pushed the door open and gasped at the sight in front of her. It looked like a battle had taken place in the entryway, all of the pictures that normally lined the walls were smashed, many were on the floor, shoes and slippers were strewn everywhere , and there was a bloody hand print smeared on the wall heading towards the door. Usagi abandoned all caution and ran into her house, not bothering to take her shoes off.
"Mama! Papa! Shingo! Luna!" she screamed, running into the kitchen and living rooms and finding them in similar disarray, but finding no person there. She ran upstairs, still calling their names, Mamoru following her, calling hers. She checked every bedroom, every closet and just as she was about to give up hope she heard a faint voice call out.
"Usagi-chan…"
Usagi jumped. She was in the hallway and the voice had come from her room. She dashed into the room and stepped lightly over the tossed furniture, careful to not trip over anything. "Luna!" she called, recognizing the voice immediately. "Luna, where are you?"
Mamoru was in the room looking, too, and he saw a patch of black fur underneath the collapsed desk and kneeled down. "Usako, over here!" He pulled the desk up and gently removed the debris from around Luna, who was in bad shape. She was bloody and bruised all over her body, and was having some trouble breathing. Usagi looked in horror as Mamoru gently picked Luna up and started to check her for her worst injuries.
"Luna," Usagi said softly, tears in her eyes. "What happened? Where's everyone?"
Luna looked at her princess, ashamed that she had been powerless to do anything, not even able to make it to the communicator to call for back up. "A pack of youma descended upon the house in the early morning. We were completely over whelmed. I wasn't able to get to my communicator to call for help and they took your family and told me to give you and Mamoru-san a message."
Mamoru's face became troubled and he avoided Luna's gaze. "They know."
"It would appear so," Luna agreed, taking a deep breath in and coughing.
"What was the message?" Usagi asked softly, almost certain that she knew the gist of it.
Luna reached her good paw out and touched Usagi's arm in solidarity. She had failed as a guardian to her princess, and she had allowed the enemy to get too close. "That if you want them you must come to the Dark Kingdom and get them. Queen Beryl expects you in no less than twenty four hours." She paused, hesitant on if she should give Mamoru his message or not, but decided that he was strong enough to know what they were facing. "And to Mamoru-san specifically, or Endymion, they said traitors are not tolerated and you should expect a slow death." She paused again and retracted her paw. "I'm sorry, that's all they said to me."
Trembling, Usagi reached for her communicator. She had to call for help. This was not a mission she could undertake on her own.
XxXxXxXx
In less than fifteen minutes everyone was at the shrine, ready to go to D Point and put an end to the war they had fought and suffered for so many months.
Sailor Moon was holding herself together pretty well, but it was easy to see that underneath her calm exterior she was boiling in anger and freezing with worry. She had promised them that this wouldn't happen, that she would protect them at all costs and now they were in the heart of the enemy's base, possibly being torture or even killed. But she couldn't let that get her down now, she had to put it aside and concentrate on the object which was to defeat Queen Beryl and Queen Metalia so they could rescue her family. They would never be safe if they didn't do this now.
Taking one last look at the shrine, and all the memories that had been made here, she took a deep breath and let it out. This might be the last time she saw this place. She would have to make it worth it.
"Usako," Tuxedo Kamen said as he approached her, touching her shoulder, "the others are ready to go. Mercury thinks she has the exact location based on my information and the energy signature that was emitting from the North Pole. I guess they're either getting sloppy, or want us to find them."
Sailor Moon made a fist and looked at the ground. "They just want us to find them. Well," she turned and met his deep blue eyes, "let's go find them!"
Tuxedo Kamen leaned down and kissed her, tried to reassure her. He was interrupted by the sound of someone hooting and hollering at the two of them. Venus. "She is so competent sometimes, why not now?" he ground out between his teeth.
"Well, only sometimes," Artemis said as he approached the two royalty. "Don't let her fool you."
"Artemis, how's Luna?" Sailor Moon asked, worry evident in her voice. She played nervously with a pony tail and waited for the answer. They had rushed Luna to the shrine and done their best with setting her broken bones and wrapped and cleaned her wounds, they weren't sure about taking her to a vet, and she seemed to be doing alright at last check.
"She'll live," Artemis grunted none too happily about the state of his partner. "Mercury did a good job on her. She's just resting. All you can do for her now is win this, Sailor Moon. Are you ready?"
They walked over to where the others had gathered in a circle and at Artemis' command they joined hands with Tuxedo Kamen in the middle. They concentrated their energy and their destination, letting it swirl around them before calling upon their powers.
"Mercury Power!"
"Mars Power!"
"Jupiter Power!"
"Venus Power!"
"Moon Prims Power!"
"Sailor Teleport!" they all cried together, vanishing from the shrine, taking Tuxedo Kamen with them and leaving nothing in their wake.
Artemis waited another minute, feeling his anxiety grow with each passing moment, but he pushed it back because he had to be strong for Luna, who needed him now more than ever. With luck, she would be asleep from the medicine that Ami had given her, but he couldn't count on that forever. Head up, tail straight, he walked back into Rei's room and went to worry with his partner and pray for their charges safe return.
XxXxXxXx
When they arrived it was freezing, more cold and white than anything they had ever experienced and the only one who was even remotely properly dressed for it was Tuxedo Kamen. In their short skirts and body suits, while entirely fashionable and easy to move in, the girls were freezing. Mars was the first to bring up the obvious flaw with their costumes, and that a man must have made them.
Where that comment would have been met with some half-hearted 'yeahs' normally, today everyone nodded their vehement agreement and they lost nearly five minutes to Mars and Jupiter railing on the stupidity of their short skirts. Venus finally had to reign them in with the promise of visiting the changing of their uniforms when this was all said and done, though it was a lie.
During the entire exchange, Tuxedo Kamen was quiet and Sailor Moon was glancing out into the distance, trying to imagine that her family was out here, somewhere, in this cold. She could only hope they were warm and as safe as they could be. Mercury was quietly, and hastily, typing at her computer to find the direction they needed to move in this snow storm. She ignored the tirade that Mars and Jupiter were on completely and by the time they were done she had the correct coordinates.
"You guys, it's that way," she said, pointing to the east. "It's about a half mile, it won't take too long for us to get there, even in this storm. But we should move before hypothermia or frost bite sets in."
Sailor Moon blinked at the strange word. "Hypowha?"
"Hypothermia," Tuxedo Kamen explained to her. "It's when your body freezes, which is quite a possibility in these conditions. And frost bite could cause you to lose body parts."
"Body parts?" Venus shrieked. "What are we waiting for? Let's move, let's move!"
Mercury sighed and touched the side of her face. "All of the power of the Dark Kingdom coming at us, and she's concerned about losing her toes."
Jupiter shrugged, and then grinned ruefully. "She's Venus."
XxXxXxXx
Sitting upon her black throne Queen Beryl felt them before she saw them. The Sailor Senshi, and Endymion. Endymion who had once again been ripped from her by that accursed princess. Lied to and poisoned, filled with hatred against his own people all because of her. The witch of the moon. Queen Beryl gripped her staff tightly, her knuckles protesting against the great strength she was using, but she paid no heed.
In her crystal ball she could see them, all six of them, starting towards the Dark Kingdom and she focused on Tuxedo Kamen, who was helping Sailor Moon through the snow. She had been betrayed by the one man she thought she could fully trust. She would make him pay as much as the other. She had seen them lying together, she understood that things were just like they were back in the past and she was cast aside again, an unknown figure, an unknown woman, unwanted.
But this time she had the power of Metalia behind her, and Metalia was ready. Setting the trap with Serenity's family was only the beginning because it would draw them out, now they were ensnared. They would never escape from the hell she had planned for them.
And first she would send a welcoming party, her strongest warriors, the ones responsible for bringing Serenity's family to her. And hopefully rendering that annoying cat of hers with only a few last breaths to deliver her message. The DD Girls. Perfect. They were vicious, cruel, and unafraid of what lay before them. They had been wanting to get into the war for months but Beryl had always held them back as a trump card for this day.
And so she watched as the DD Girls made their appearance before the Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen, a cruel but satisfied smile playing on her lips. They would pay. All of them would pay.
To Be Concluded…
Well, if you celebrate Christmas or Kwanza or Solstice, I hope your holiday is a good one. Or any other holiday that happens during this time of year, I have enough trouble keeping track of the major ones. As always, thank you for reading and reviewing
-Ginzuishou