AN: Obviously this chapter did not get out when I expected and I apologize. I decided that it was better to wait and not post anything than to start my next unfinished series on you guys. I will start that tomorrow. I hope this chapter will explain Minako's character more clearly, but I don't want to give everything away just yet. I know there's been some doubt, so let me firmly assure everyone that this is an Usa/Mamo fic. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed me/encouraged me so far and please feel free to contact me anyway you like (IM, PM, email, review).
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Minako's look of horror and Artemis' enraged hiss were the focus of everybody in the room. Luna sprang to the other side of the table for a hurried consult with Artemis. Usagi and Mamoru exchanged looks of confusion and nervousness. Mamoru felt her hand go cold in his grip and he slid an arm around her comfortingly. They both remained standing at the door, behind Rei's seated form, waiting.
Ami leaned forward very slightly, intent on catching what was being hissed about by the two cats. Minako gave her an appraising look. Ami simply stared back, her eyes seeming to radiate a message that she was through being kept in the dark. Minako's eyes traveled around the room and she could see the same kind of opinion in the eyes of everyone else.
"Do you have any idea what he is?" Ami heard Artemis snarl.
Luna gave him a considering look. "He is an ally against Beryl and Usagi's boyfriend." Ami could tell Luna was irritated by Artemis' behavior.
"Luna, you weren't supposed to let this happen. You weren't supposed to let him anywhere near h . . . the senshi!"
"I don't have any instructions regarding someone called Tuxedo Kamen." Luna snapped.
"You never mentioned him!"
"I've never met you before last night!" Luna yowled, temper snapping.
Ami wasn't sure, because the look passed quickly, but she thought she saw Artemis look broken-hearted for a moment. A soft pat from Minako concealed him from her eyes and when her hand moved, Artemis looked arrogant again. "I'm Central, Luna." He said it in a pained tone that reminded Luna of the tone she used when explaining something obvious to Usagi. Her ears went back in distaste.
Rei interrupted, patience fully unraveled. "Is there something you want to share with us?" Minako and the cats swiveled in her direction. She rolled her eyes. "If blind servitude is what you are looking for, Princess, you aren't going to find it here. We've been doing this long enough without knowing the full reasons behind it and I, for one, am sick of it." She tossed her hair out of her face and gave them her father's best 'I'm waiting' glare.
Ami's eyes were wide in shock. "Rei-chan . . ." she whispered. Rei's eyes did not leave Minako's face. Ami was suddenly flooded with the memory of how Rei had not wanted to become a senshi in the first place. She hadn't wanted to open herself up to new people, hadn't wanted to take that risk. It had been something Ami had understood. Opening yourself up to new people meant risking rejection and mockery. If they discovered that they didn't like you after all, or worse, if they had been pretending to like you . . . Ami shook her head, preventing the old hurts from rising up again. She and Rei were stronger now. They both had learned to recognize people who just wanted to be friends for Ami's brains or Rei's connections as they matured. She smiled slightly as she thought about the way they had fumbled with Usagi's genuine and inexplicable friendship. At first both had been suspicious of her and, in truth, when she had revealed their powers to them, both had suspected Usagi had only offered friendship because they were senshi. Ami had harbored that suspicion in her heart while Rei had flat out stated it. The look of honest pain that had stamped Usagi's face had caused Rei to doubt her thoughts. But it was Usagi's lack of enthusiasm for senshi duty and her eagerness to bond with them outside of senshi duty that convinced both girls that Usagi liked them for who they were, not for the powers they possessed. She gazed speculatively at the blonde sitting regally at the head of the table, coolly appraising Rei, and wondered if she could understand where Rei was coming from.
Minako nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing in thought. "If everyone would take their seats . . ." she attempted to make her voice sound calm, even though the thought of Endymion in the same room as the senshi filled her with panic and anger. She watched Usagi look for agreement from Mamoru before following instructions. A dark thought danced across her mind. It seemed to her that Usagi, the senshi's leader in her absence, was taking her cues from that man. Had she already handed the reins over to this human and doomed them all?
Mamoru's eyes bored into the Princess's, as if trying to figure out what she was thinking. He nodded acquiescence to Usagi's unspoken question. He would stay. He wasn't as eager as Rei to have all the details spilled, but he knew he had to learn of it sometime. His arm released her waist and he followed her to their cushions, sending a concerned glance at Rei. She met his gaze and smiled softly. She would be okay, she told him silently. She may have once been dedicated to keeping Mamoru and Usagi apart, but even she had come around as she sensed the deep love between the two. Whatever Artemis and the Princess were afraid of, Rei was sure they would work around it.
Makoto had been silent through everything, watching and thinking. She hadn't been there when Usagi and Mamoru had fumbled their way awkwardly into a relationship. She had heard the story many times, from everyone's point of view. It was funny and sweet and sad and seemed to her to glitter with the promise of "meant-to-be". She wasn't filled with the tension radiating from Mamoru, Rei, Minako, Artemis, Luna and Usagi. It wasn't as if she didn't know Usagi's fears about the Princess taking Mamoru away from her. She just felt Usagi's fears were unfounded. She simply couldn't believe that Usagi and Mamoru would have been able to fall in love with each other if Mamoru had been fated to love another.
Minako took a deep, stabilizing breath. "I can't go into every minute detail. It is not within my rights to tell you things that are better left for you to remember on your own. Instead I will tell you the history, why you are senshi, why you live on Earth, and the like."
"In the long distant past, life flourished on the nine planets of the Solar System and on the Moon. The time was known as the Silver Millennium and a great empire united eight of those planets and the Moon underneath the wise and gentle rule of Queen Serenity. The only planet that declined to be united under her rule was Earth. In fact, tensions between the Earth and the Silver Empire ran high and all citizens of Queen Serenity's dominion were forbidden from visiting Earth."
"Each of the planets had their own monarchs. Many of the rulers were married and ruled jointly. On other planets, they were strictly matriarchal. Earth was the exception to this rule. They were the only patriarchal rule in the Solar System during the Silver Millennium. The Moon Kingdom was, of course, matriarchal. This conflict in thought was yet another barrier in the way of Moon-Earth understanding and goodwill. It is not to say that the Moon Kingdom treated men as inferior. They simply could not rule the Kingdom. The King Consort of the Moon Kingdom could never, for example, rule due to his wife's absence or death. Added to this was the fact that every Moon Queen only gave birth to a single child, always a girl."
Minako paused in thought for a moment, then continued. "Another role that is closed to males is the role of the senshi. Senshi are always female. In the Silver Millennium, a senshi's birth would be sensed by Queen Serenity through the Ginzuishou. Those girls born with the mark of a planet on their heads would be given special training throughout their lives. During the time surrounding Queen Serenity's due date, four such senshi were born, four of the last senshi born during the Silver Millennium. Sensing something foreboding on the future's horizon, Queen Serenity had those four girls brought to the Moon Kingdom to live when they turned 8 years old."
Minako took a deep breath here and closed her eyes, as if something troubled her. Artemis placed his paw on her hand comfortingly and took over the narration. "Queen Serenity's own daughter, Princess Serenity, was the fifth and final senshi to be born during the Silver Millennium. Princess Serenity's identity as a senshi was a closely kept secret as no other Moon Princess had ever borne the rank of senshi as well. It was a frightening aspect to Queen Serenity and her advisors. A senshi's duty is to risk everything, even her life, to protect her kingdom and her Queen."
"Princess Serenity, the only other being in the Empire who could wield the Ginzuishou, made a foolish choice at the tender age of 14. Using the crystal, she teleported herself to the forbidden planet, Earth. There, she met and fell in love with Crown Prince Endymion. Unbeknownst to the Lunar Court, she and her senshi made several trips to the Earth over the next two years. Endymion, for his part, persuaded his kingdom to enter into negotiations and peace talks with Queen Serenity."
"Endymion courted Princess Serenity openly when his delegation was invited to the Moon to meet with all the ambassadors and advisors and rulers of the Silver Empire. Despite the fact that a union between the Earth and the Moon is strictly forbidden by the earliest laws of the Moon Kingdom, Queen Serenity's heart was softened by the love that blossomed between the two and when he asked her for the Princess' hand in marriage, she happily agreed. But the peace process was being violently opposed on Endymion's planet. A powerful and treacherous woman was raising an army against the Silver Empire and every day more and more Earthlings swelled her ranks. It seemed the planet would soon be engaged in a civil war and the Silver Empire was willing to stand as Endymion's ally against his enemies."
"It all came to a head on Princess Serenity's 18th birthday. Endymion had slipped off the planet, amidst preparations for war, to meet one last time with his fiancée before he led his troops into battle against the false Queen. His absence, however, was the perfect opportunity for the dark Queen, who turned his own men against him and brought them with her to attack the Moon in an unprecedented and unexpected attack. The evil power she had allied herself with had given her terrible strength and talents. A dark energy blast from her shattered the ballroom ceiling, crushing many innocents, and sending the survivors scattering in fear. Only a handful remained in the decimated ballroom to fight the evil Queen and her minions. Some of Endymion's most trusted men actually led the charge. The four senshi surrounded their Queen, Princess, and Endymion stood with her. Attacked on all sides, they were drawn into one-on-one combat. All four were killed by their dark energy-assisted opponents."
Everyone except Minako gaped at Artemis in horror. Ami, Rei, and Makoto felt a cold terror fill them at the thought of dying, having failed to protect their Princess. Usagi's eyes shone with tears and she leaned into Mamoru's warmth to remind herself that this was cold, dead history. Mamoru's eyes were grim and he clenched his jaw tightly as he rubbed Usagi's arm comfortingly. Luna closed her red eyes. She knew what fate waited for her beloved Queen and for the people in Artemis' tale.
"Queen Serenity knew her Empire's time was drawing to a close. As powerful as they were, they didn't have the strength to fight the evil that now surrounded them. The Empire hadn't been in a desperate battle like this in centuries and it didn't have the tools to fight back and win, not now that these four senshi were dead. She knew her daughter was in no shape to fight and she could not bear the thought of Serenity throwing her life away, too. She stood to challenge the malicious Queen, powering up the Ginzuishou."
Minako interrupted, picking up the tale, bringing the focus away from the Moon Queen. "When the Prince and Princess looked out at the minions of the attacking Queen, an evil aura could be seen swirling about them. That aura rose into the Ginzuishou-supported atmosphere and blocked out the glow of the Earth. Endymion stepped forward a bit to shield the Princess as the wild-eyed witch turned her attention to them."
Artemis was not ready to relinquish his position as storyteller. "Prince Endymion's motion to protect Princess Serenity infuriated the woman. She moved forward, extending her hand to him, and invited him to join her and rule the Earth together. Endymion refused her and her rage intensified. Using her magic, she lifted him into the air, crushing him in her power. Serenity ran after him. Realizing that he was dead, or nearly so, Serenity grabbed the nearest weapon, a sword, and plunged it into her heart."
Tears dripped down Usagi's face as Artemis spoke of a love so intense that the girl could not bear to live without her partner. It was so romantic, so tragic. Minako watched the small girl, her own eyes dry and determined. Mamoru's mind was trapped, thinking of the Princess he dreamed of killing herself for the man she loved, thinking of dying in battle protecting Usagi, his heart tightening painfully at the thought of Usagi throwing her bright, wonderful life away if he died. He didn't share Usagi's point of view that it was romantic. He considered it a waste of a life.
Artemis's voice cut through his thoughts. "Queen Serenity was devastated. She blamed herself. She looked to her last remaining attendants, the screams of her people long since silenced as the attacking army rampaged through her beautiful kingdom. She knew the army of the Earth Queen was simultaneously destroying her other planets as well. The Silver Empire was destroyed. Her final words were spoken to Luna and myself." He ignored the gasp of shock that burst from all but Minako's lips. "Queen Serenity vowed to send her beloved daughter and all those that had died forward in time, to meet again. Her intent was for the senshi and her people to find happiness this time around. But in order to send them forward, she would have to send the darkness into the future as well. She lifted the now-pulsing Ginzuishou into the air, the silver light emanating from it cutting through the darkness. Draining herself of every last bit of life-sustaining energy she had, she sent all the fallen forward. Luna and I were the last to be sealed. She warned us that the powers of the senshi would be needed and that we would be awakened when it was time to train them. She was confident that we would defeat the dark powers and save the only planet upon which life remained. Silver light encompassed us and the Queen of the Moon lay still. The last thing I saw before sleep claimed me was the Ginzuishou fall from her lifeless fingers, shimmer, and disappear."
It was silent when Artemis finished his tale, except for sniffling and fiddling with handkerchiefs. Mamoru and Minako were the only two with dry eyes. Artemis' memories of his Queen's death had choked him up and Luna was overcome with emotion both caused by the story and by her inability to remember it. She believed every word that he said with every fiber of her being, but the memories were still being held at bay, just out of her reach.
When Artemis recovered, he addressed them bluntly. "The dead senshi and Princess are right here. As I said, Luna and I were Queen Serenity's closest advisors. Queen Beryl is the one who led her army against us. And the Prince of the Earth, Endymion, is you." He had padded up to Mamoru and was staring at him like he was some kind of bug he'd never seen before.
Mamoru still didn't see what the problem was. He had obviously fought and died protecting the princess and therefore shouldn't be considered an enemy. Minako spoke. "The tragedy would never have occurred if not for Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion falling in love. Had this never occurred, the application for entry into the Silver Empire would never have been filed, the Earth would never have risen up in such utter rebellion against their Prince, and the Silver Empire would have been able to sense and repel any threat that Beryl might have attempted to bring against them."
"Are you saying that you lay all the blame for Beryl and her minions at Prince Endymion's feet?" Mamoru queried, incredulous and more that a little incensed.
"All the blame?" Minako inquired archly. "No, there must be some blame laid at everyone's feet. Princess Serenity did initiate contact with the Earth. When her senshi found out, they didn't stop her, they followed her. The rumors of Earth were too much for the young girls to resist. The adults didn't act much better, all too eager to forget Earth's past behavior in an attempt to unite the entire Solar System into one big, happy family. But it is my understanding that the Earth laws also forbade contact between the Earth and the Moon and also predicted dire consequences should a forbidden union be attempted."
Ami stepped into the fray. "Why was it forbidden?"
"Is forbidden, Ami." Minako stressed. "It is something that comes out of the dark past that preceded the Silver Empire."
"Mamoru is our ally." Rei stated bluntly. "We trust him with our lives. He was the only aid Sailor Moon had in the beginning. Do you plan to just discount all that and push him aside?"
"I'm curious as to what caused him to become involved in the first place." Minako replied coldly, sidestepping Rei's question.
Mamoru met her gaze evenly, "Since you like to talk about yourself in the third person," Minako blushed, "Princess Serenity did."
"I . . . well, it's the way Artemis and I always talk about her, I mean, me. I couldn't risk letting the Dark Kingdom hear Sailor V speaking about herself as the Princess. And I haven't had the luxury of a secluded meeting spot." Minako realized how defensive she sounded and she tossed a hank of hair over her shoulder in a symbolic gesture of brushing the concern aside. "Now what exactly do you mean I did?"
Mamoru cast a surreptitious gaze at his girlfriend. She looked stiff sitting beside him and he knew she was unhappy. But he was proud of her for staying, confronting the issue, rather than avoiding it. His brows knit thoughtfully. "I can't say exactly when it started, but it was before I met Usagi or Sailor Moon. It wasn't a common occurrence at first, but I'd have these dreams about a Princess. She always stood in shadow and she would beg me to find the Ginzuishou so that I could save her. Sometimes, when I woke up, I would be standing outside a museum or a jewelry store dressed in a cape, top hat, and mask. In fact, that's how I first met Sailor Moon."
Usagi stared narrowly up at him. She didn't like remembering the time when he had behaved like a thief. He smiled down at her in a sardonic way that told he wasn't proud of it, either.
"So mighty Prince Endymion became a jewelry thief?" Minako laughed, a dark emotion in her eyes that Mamoru only barely noticed.
"I did not steal any jewelry. But I did illegally enter places that seemed they might hold the Ginzuishou. That was thankfully rendered unnecessary once the existence of the Nijizuishou were revealed. It is one of the reasons why the other two senshi were reluctant to trust me."
"They were right to mistrust you. I would never have intended for my senshi to be allied with you, even if you weren't Prince Endymion. I admit that I haven't had the luxury of fully assessing the senshi's abilities yet, but I can already tell something has held them back."
Luna interrupted, expending a great deal of energy in the effort to keep from putting her ears back at her Princess, "I object to that. The girls have fought very successfully on numerous occasions without help from Tuxedo Kamen. They have made a lot of progress and have sacrificed a great deal . . ."
"Sacrifices come with the territory, Luna. You of all people should not be whining about them." Artemis reprimanded.
"Don't be unfair, Artemis." Minako scolded lightly. "When we were born, our identities and destinies were known. Even before the five of us were united in training on the Moon, we were trained in our villages. Yes, I had hoped, we had hoped, that their memories would have awakened more fully, giving them access to the powers they had gained through a lifetime of training in the past." She tilted her head to the side. "I was awakened more than a year ago. When were you awakened, Usagi?"
"I . . . uh, about 7 months ago, I suppose. I fought alone for a couple weeks, then Mercury joined. We were together about a month before Mars was found. Tuxedo Kamen joined us officially about two or three weeks after that. Makoto only moved here three months ago."
Minako nodded, "See, Artemis, you can't compare them to me."
Artemis glared at her, then sighed. He had gotten her point. It was time to play nice with the touchy senshi. The five needed to bond and the sooner that happened, the better.
Rei noticed Minako's effort and decided to press the girl about Mamoru. "So, you said the union of the Princess and Prince was forbidden. Mamoru is devoted to Usagi. I don't think you need to worry about a repeat of the past."
Minako shook her head. "You don't understand. Usagi is from the Moon Kingdom, too."
"What?!" Makoto and Rei burst out.
"So we have two princesses?" Ami leaned forward eagerly.
"No." Usagi whispered, paling. Her wide blue eyes flew to Mamoru's determined ones. She hadn't anticipated this turn of events.
"No, there is only one Moon Princess. Each of you was named for the planet of your birth. I'm the only one who needs a cover identity. I'm sure you have noticed the similarity between Usagi and myself. We were cousins in the past." A soft smile drifted across her face, "We used that similarity to our advantage quite a bit when we were younger." The smile faded abruptly. "We also both use an item to help us fight. It is because two senshi doubles the demand for power. The senshi are sustained by the planet they were born on. Perhaps a planet like Mars or Jupiter could sustain two senshi at the same time without problems, but for a satellite? Without the Ginzuishou, life on the Moon would have been impossible. We both learned to fight with items that can focus and maximize the power within us." She closed her eyes wearily.
"Usagi, Mamoru, I know this is painful to hear." She smiled at Mamoru wistfully. "I can understand it more than you know. But the danger is more real than you realize. Even if you can't accept that the relationship you two share is forbidden and can bring about dire consequences, then you need to consider this. Beryl was obsessed with Prince Endymion. When she finds him again, do you really think she will see the two of you and give up?"
Usagi and Mamoru exchanged glances. Minako saw the stubborn set in Usagi's face, the love and determination reflecting in each of their eyes, and decided to let things rest for now. "I will not tear the two of you apart. It is not my place to do so. Yet it would be unfair of me not to warn you or your teammates." She leaned forward a bit, catching Mamoru's gaze, her eyes solemn and sad. "I do not understand your role as Tuxedo Kamen, but it is a disguise you must value. Guard your identity as Prince Endymion closely. Beryl turned your friends against you in the past. She overcame their life-long loyalties to you."
Usagi shivered in Mamoru's arms. He tightened his hold on her and acknowledged Minako's concerns. "I will be careful."
Minako nodded, drained by the memories that had flooded her as the tragedy of the Moon Kingdom had been explained. She leaned back on one arm, rolling her head in either direction, stretching her tense neck muscles. Makoto watched their new leader's face, noting the way the young girl seemed overshadowed by her past. It seemed to her that Minako was more of a disguise than Sailor V or Sailor Venus could ever be. Could it be that all there was to their newest member was a reflection of her past self? Those thoughts made her hesitant to ask her question, but she needed her vision explained.
"Minako-san," Makoto began warily, "may I ask a question?" Minako opened her eyes and sat up straight, gazing at the taller girl. She nodded once. "When you touched my hand last night, I saw a vision. A memory, perhaps?"
Minako tilted her head. "I gave each of you a small burst of energy that would hopefully trigger a memory of me within you." She waited expectantly.
"Well, what I saw confuses me. Nothing was clear, but there were five girls. Four in the senshi outfits for Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus. And in the middle of us was a woman in white. Was that the Queen, do you think? And where was Sailor Moon in my memory?"
Minako shook her head. "I can not be certain as to the time and place of your memory, Makoto-chan, but most likely your memory refers to a usual disguise we adopted during training. Queen Serenity had it quietly rumored that Sailor Moon's powers could not be used at the same time as Sailor Venus'. She let rumor take care of the reasons for this and there were many absurd suggestions as to why we could not fight together. However, the real reason that Venus and Moon were never seen together was because Queen Serenity forbid the appearance of Sailor Venus unless Princess Serenity was around."
Ami opened her mouth to question just how Minako could be in two places at once but Makoto spoke first. "So my memory refers to your comment about the similarity between you and Usagi."
Minako beamed at Makoto. "Exactly. Usagi would pretend to be me and I would then be able to train with you three. You four had more freedom than I did, but I would often persuade Usagi to stay in as me so that I could spend time out of the castle. Mother was very over-protective." Minako's face became pensive. "I have looked forward to being reunited with you girls for so long. The only time the five of us could be together was inside the palace. As Princess, I longed for the freedom I can enjoy now."
Even Mamoru's heartstrings were tugged at the thought of a lonely Princess, isolated in her palace, and forced to playact as someone else in order to find happiness with her friends. Her obvious loneliness from the past effectively silenced the group. No one felt like asking any more questions or discussing the past any longer. Artemis curled up beside his mistress. It was silent for a long time as the six humans nursed their cold tea, lost in their own thoughts.
Luna finally broke the silence. "Minako-san, you mentioned wanting to evaluate the girls. When would you like to do that?"
Minako sighed heavily, shaking off the melancholy that seemed to perpetually surround her. "Tonight would be best, I should think. The sooner we get started, the better. Have you sparred much with each other?"
Usagi groaned and the other three girls laughed. "I always get stuck with Pyro when we spar!" Rei tossed her a cocky grin and Usagi stuck her tongue out at the girl who liked to chase her around with fireballs. Laughter filled the room and Minako shook her head, an involuntary grin brightening her features as well. They chose a start time of 10 pm in the park and Minako excused herself. The rest of the group followed suit, leaving Rei alone to clean up the mess they had left.
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At the bottom of the steps, Mamoru and Usagi watched the members of their team go their separate ways. Makoto and Ami headed off to their apartments, both girls lost in thought. Luna trailed Ami. Minako, with Artemis draped off her shoulder, headed to her hotel room in the opposite direction. Mamoru held her close, her back resting against his chest, arms curled tightly about her waist, waiting for them to disappear out of earshot. Usagi savored the quiet moment between them, relishing the tight warmth of his encircling arms. She rested her own arms light on top of his, linking their hands and waiting for him to speak.
"Usako, I think you should rest before this evaluation. I know you are tired and the girls won't go easy on you." Mamoru's voice was soft, his lips brushing her ear.
Usagi turned resentful eyes to her boyfriend. "They never go easy on me."
Mamoru laughed softly and kissed the top of her head, "I didn't mean it that way, Usako, I'm sorry. I just mean that tonight is going to be much more serious than your usual training sessions." He gazed ahead sightlessly, thinking back to their meeting. "Minako comes off as someone extremely dedicated to this mission. She will probably be very demanding of you four in your training as well." Turning her in his arms to face him, he stroked her bangs out of her eyes. Gazing at her with love and concern, he tugged lightly on one of her ponytails. "Let's get something to eat and then I'll walk you home." Usagi nodded, rising up on her toes for a kiss.
The couple stood outside Hikawa Jinja, embracing tightly, lost in each other's kiss. A soft breeze ruffled their hair and swirled Usagi's uniform skirt around Mamoru's legs. Usagi internally marveled at the power of Mamoru's kiss, the way it chased away any sadness in her heart and gave her energy and confidence. In his arms, Usagi felt like she could face Beryl down single-handedly. She clung to him tightly, not reassured by Minako's statement that she wouldn't tear them apart.
Usagi drew back, gazing up at the man she loved. "Mamo-chan, do you believe her?"
"Which part, Usako?"
"That the Moon Kingdom was destroyed because of the love between Serenity and Endymion? That our relationship is forbidden?" Her eyes searched his.
Mamoru frowned darkly, "I can't believe that love destroyed a kingdom. I can believe that love was used as an excuse to destroy a kingdom. If the Earth had kept itself separate for the other worlds for as long as Minako said, then it makes sense that a xenophobic reaction among Earth's populace would have played into Beryl's hand."
Usagi tilted her head and wrinkled her nose, trying to figure out the meaning of 'xenophobic'. Mamoru smiled down at her, waiting to for her to ask for help or to puzzle it out from his sentence. "Xenophobic means the fear of . . ." she trailed off.
"Foreigners. In this case, nothing could be more foreign than aliens."
"I don't like thinking I am an alien, Mamo-chan." Usagi pouted.
He laughed. "Well, if you are, you have to be the best-looking alien ever." Usagi's eyes lit up and he was rewarded for his flattery with little kisses all over his chin, lips, and cheeks. He reluctantly pulled away from her enthusiastic embrace when the dusk deepened enough to cause the streetlights to flicker on. "Usako, you need to eat and rest. You can kiss me more later." he teased.
"Promise?" Usagi teased back.
Mamoru growled playfully down at her before tugging her along after him, her second question forgotten.
/\/\/\/\
By 6:30 pm, Usagi was catnapping at home and Mamoru was just arriving home. As he kicked off his shoes, he picked his school bag from beside the kitchen counter and pulled out his notebook. He sighed tiredly, schoolwork unable to capture his interest, and glanced out his balcony doors. A shadow moved on the balcony and his tiredness vanished, his senses heightening. There was no way a normal human was on his balcony.
One hand in his jacket pocket, ready to transform, Mamoru snapped the sliding glass door open and stared coldly at the young girl on his balcony. Minako turned to face him, a sheepish smile crossing her lips, her face half-hidden in shadows. Ignoring his cold stare, she turned back to original position, leaning against the railing and studying the moon. "You have an amazing view, Mamoru-san." Her voice was like a whisper of wind.
Mamoru acknowledged her comment with a nod. "Why are you here?" He dropped his hand from his pocket, but continued watching her warily.
"I wanted to talk to you. Is Usagi with you?" Mamoru shook his head. "Ah, good. I was hoping to speak to you alone." She turned again and laughed softly, "Don't look so suspicious. You trusted me once." Minako affected a hurt look at his continued frown. Returning her gaze to the bright moon, she sighed sadly. "You never came between me and Usagi before. Hers was the companionship I most looked forward to. I had expected a much different welcome than this, you know. I can't help but feel that it is due to you." This time she spun fully about, leaning back against the railing and studying his face. "I don't mean to be harsh. I know I must have sounded awful last night and this afternoon. My memories of you are incomplete, mostly filled in by Artemis. You can tell his wasn't your biggest fan."
Mamoru allowed a small smile and took a few steps further out onto the balcony, leaning against the railing in the opposite corner. "How is it that he has more memories than Luna?"
Minako tilted her head and considered him. "Artemis was the first awakened. His mission was to find me as quickly as possible. Can you imagine if Beryl had found the Princess first? The war would have been over then. Sometimes I have dreams about it. Would Beryl kill the young woman she hated so deeply outright or would she have captured her, torturing her for revenge, or worse, converting her into a willing servant of the Dark Kingdom?"
"You're speaking in the third person again." Mamoru pointed out softly.
"It's safer, since we are talking out here." Minako admonished. Mamoru inclined his head in agreement. She had a point. "There is something I wanted to talk to you and only you about, if I am completely honest with the both of us." Minako confessed, looking down. "I mentioned that even your most loyal men turned to Beryl." Mamoru nodded, watching warily as Minako moved closer. She took up a position next to him, wrists dangling loosely over the railing, eyes no longer searching the moon but instead gazing down on the sleeping city. Her hair fell forward, blocking her face from view. "They were not just your men. They were your best friends, your guardians. Men who had been to the Moon Kingdom with you. They were familiar with the senshi."
"What exactly are you saying?"
"Each of your guardians loved each of Princess Serenity's guardians." Mamoru's face contorted in pain at the thought of Usagi loving someone else, someone who had betrayed her. "It was because of that love that they were able to defeat the senshi. Beryl knew she had found the fatal weakness when she took your men and sent them out to kill their lovers." Mamoru's vision swam, the idea of his Sailor Moon being cut down by the man she loved making his blood run cold.
Minako spun again to face him, looking Mamoru in the eye. "My biggest fear right now, Mamoru-san, is that Beryl will try her trick again. She may very well plot to use you to break Usagi's spirit down. You must be very careful!" Mamoru nodded dumbly, overwhelmed by the thought of being used against his beloved. "I would normally say that love makes people stronger, but for my senshi, love can be their greatest weakness. Part of my power allows me to see the love between people like an aura. I have seen how strong your love is for each other, which is why I have made the decision to not break it up. Yet I would have been remiss in my duties if I had not said something." She turned away yet again, as if looking at him was too painful. She leaned forward a bit, bending her body over the balcony's iron railing, stretching forward as a cloud passed over the moon. Mamoru could see unshed tears glinting in her eyes.
"I have no intention of becoming Beryl's plaything." he attempted to reassure her. "Love makes Usagi much stronger than you may realize. We work together."
Minako interrupted him. "I can tell how much she relies on you. It speaks well of your connection, but poorly of her as a senshi. There will come a time when she may have to fight alone. Will she be ready? Will she be able?" Shaking her head, she brushed at the stray tears escaping her. "Everything has turned out so different from my hopes. I had no idea I would long for the constrictions of the Moon Palace again. Being forced to masquerade as Usagi to get a few moments of girl time with the other senshi was so much more preferable to being this outsider." She heaved a trembling sigh and thoughtlessly leaned against Mamoru for comfort.
Unnerved by her pain, Mamoru awkwardly patted her arm, flustered by the way she fit herself under his arm. "The girls will come around, Minako-san, if you trust them enough to show them who you really are." Minako stared up at him with damp eyes. "They won't respond to you as a friend if you continue to play dictatorial leader. They have worked hard and are proud of their accomplishments. Your exploits as Sailor V are praiseworthy, but if you make them feel inferior to you, they won't be able to trust you."
Minako was silently appraising Mamoru as she listened to his advice. She could see the young man for the leader he had been in the past. She nodded as he fell silent. "You always were the right person to go to for advice." she murmured softly. "I have so many questions I want to ask you, but I don't want to take up your time. It seems so long for me until 10 pm, but for you, I'm sure you have other things you would prefer to do than baby-sit someone like me."
Mamoru moved more closely into the iron railing, but Minako followed him. He wasn't sure if she was using her proximity to throw him off-guard or if she was subconsciously leaning into him for comfort. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "You can ask whatever you like. I will try to answer to your satisfaction."
Minako allowed herself a small smile. "Do you have any memories of your past self?" She looked up at him to gauge his reaction.
"No. All I have are the visions of the Princess and the deep connection to Sailor Moon."
"What powers do you have?"
"Um," Mamoru laughed awkwardly. "Well, I obviously have enhanced speed and strength. I don't really understand my outfit to be honest, the whole cape, top hat, and cane thing. I can fight hand to hand or I can create a rose out of thin air and target the enemy with it to distract it or to deflect an attack. My main purpose seems to be to create openings for Sailor Moon to get off her finishing attack." He gazed out into the night. "I'm a support person, I know that." He shrugged awkwardly, jostling Minako.
She stepped back to look at him more clearly. "Honestly, I'm surprised that you are in a support position. I look at you and I see your past self, sword at the ready." The wind caught her hair and blew it between them, veiling her from his speculative gaze. "I don't want you to hate me in this life, Endymion." she whispered. Mamoru recognized the soft hitch in her voice. Whenever Usagi had that hitch in her voice, it meant tears. Minako heard him shuffling awkwardly. Her voice strengthened. "Beryl caught us by surprise because neither your kingdom nor mine realized the depths of her evil, the extent to which she would go to defeat the Silver Empire. I won't underestimate her again. She must be stopped! I will stop at nothing to beat her this time around. I will sacrifice anything to achieve that purpose. I need to know that my team understands the level of commitment I am bringing to this mission and that I expect the same from them. We were reborn with a specific mission to fulfill, and if we fail, everyone on this planet loses. The loss of life in the past was devastating and I don't want a repeat of that debacle. The Moon Kingdom is gone, and in many respects, so is the purpose for bearing the title of Moon Princess. Aside from the fact that it leaves her the right to wield the Ginzuishou, it also makes her responsible for avenging her Kingdom, her mother, the people who suffered at Beryl's hands."
Mamoru didn't know what to say in response to her. Having just learned that he had once ruled this planet, he supposed he should feel the same as she did. After all, Beryl had destroyed his world, too. She had even seduced away the men his past self had been closest to. But try as he might, all he could find within himself was the need to protect Sailor Moon, his precious Usako. Out of his love for her, he would protect those important to her, because she made them important to him. Protecting Motoki or the other senshi would take second place in importance to him if it meant jeopardizing Usagi's safety. He briefly wondered if that meant he was cold-hearted.
Minako wondered if his silence meant he agreed with her or not. She spoke softly, carefully, unwilling to upset the man beside her. "I can sense that your past self is still dormant within you. I suspect that when you awaken, you will empathize with me more clearly. But you have been a witness to Beryl's evil for quite a while now. Surely you would agree that the longer she is free to attack humans, the more dangerous it gets. And Luna has told me that they possess at least one piece of the Nijizuishou."
"That is true." Mamoru admitted reluctantly.
Minako sighed. "Mamoru-san, how far are you willing to go to protect Usagi?"
Mamoru didn't even need time to breathe. "I will die for her, if need be." Minako studied his face, searching for any sign that he would waver in his devotion to Usagi.
"I hope it doesn't come to that." Minako's voice was soft, but the fear that it was a possibility was evident in her eyes. "You have an unexpected affect on me, Mamoru-san. I was afraid to ever meet the reincarnation of the Prince. I wanted to hate you, to block myself off from you so that I wouldn't be tempted to repeat our past mistakes. I even toyed with the idea of playing the home wrecker, trying to break you two apart that way. But talking with you, seeing you with her, I can't find it within me to be so cruel." Minako kept her face averted from him. "Standing here, I can't even believe I let myself think about it, especially when I think about . . ." she trailed off and Mamoru knew instinctively that what she was remembering was extremely painful for her.
Being a witness to her private pain made him feel slightly voyeuristic and he turned away, wondering how to excuse himself from his own balcony. He would not have wanted someone watching when his own demons rose up to torment him. He turned a beseeching gaze to the moon, silently asking it to take its Princess away.
"I met someone after becoming Sailor V." Minako told him. Mamoru felt panic circle in his chest. When had he become this teenage girl's confessor? She continued on, oblivious to Mamoru's rising discomfort. "I fell in love with him. I thought he loved me back. But on the night I prepared to leave Hokkaido, I stumbled upon a scene that I could never have expected. As Sailor V, I had become good friends with a young policewoman. I knew I had to make it clear to the inhabitants of my home town that Sailor V was gone, would not return. I'm not sure what went wrong with my plan, but instead of appearing seriously injured and being able to tell her that I had to go into hiding before the enemy discovered I was vulnerable, the warehouse I was fighting in burst into flames. Convinced I was dead, my friend became hysterical. I emerged and intended to go reassure her, but the man I loved, our mutual friend, found her first. As he comforted her, he confessed his love for her." Minako's breath failed her, tears falling again.
When she recovered, her voice was filled with self-loathing, surprising Mamoru once again. "I was stupid for letting my heart get in the way of the job. When I think back, I see how much danger I put the both of them in because I wasn't fully committed to the mission. Artemis won't understand, but I think you will. I understand how much Usagi wants to have a normal life. How can I make her understand that she can't, at least not until Beryl is defeated and Earth is safe?"
Mamoru grasped Minako by the shoulders, shocking her. "Minako-san, Usagi may not give the best impression, but she does understand that. Don't assume that her resentment of this responsibility is the same as an unwillingness to handle it. Usagi may not fight the Dark Kingdom for the same reasons you do, but she will fight despite her fears and her insecurities." He released her and ran his fingers through his hair. "The Dark Kingdom has repeatedly targeted her oldest friend, her classmates, even her teacher. She wants it destroyed."
Minako regained her composure while listening to Mamoru give her his view of Usagi. She wanted to know as much as she could about Usagi's attitudes and thoughts on her role as a senshi. Usagi was the weak link in their team at the moment and Minako was going to have to push the girl hard without breaking her spirit or destroying her confidence. She was going to ask more, but she realized it had gotten late. Glancing at her watch she was surprised to note it was nearly 8 pm. "I'm so sorry, Mamoru-san. I've taken up so much of your time. I'm sorry for talking your head off. I can't imagine why I told you some of those things. You are so easy to talk to!" She gave him a smile that he felt was too bright. "I must go now. I haven't even eaten yet!" Minako hoisted herself up onto the iron railing.
"Wait, Minako-san. Go out my front door. Someone might see you dive off the balcony!" Mamoru tried to keep the frustration out of his voice at the girl's crazy decision to just leap from balcony to balcony. Grinning sheepishly, she hopped off the railing and followed him inside, pausing only to slip her shoes off before she entered. "And don't worry about our talk." he assured her before letting her out the front door. Slipping her shoes back on, she gave him one last mega-watt smile, then took off in the direction of the elevators.
Sighing, Mamoru pulled the door closed and returned to his ignored schoolwork. As he settled in at his desk, he glanced again at the empty balcony and wondered if Minako had really felt compelled to spill her guts or if she had orchestrated the whole conversation. Was the ditzy blonde act he had just seen a glimpse of the real Minako beneath the warrior she presented herself as or a cover to deflect him from her machinations?
/\/\/\/\
Four girls and one cat gathered quietly in the park at 9:30 pm. Sailor Moon leaned up against a tree. The girls were already transformed and she could see that they had pent-up energy. Jupiter was pacing back and forth, Mars was muttering to herself, and Mercury was compulsively tapping away in her computer, searching for anything more in regards to the afternoon's revelations. She was also scanning the park for any life signs other than their own in order to prevent sudden attacks or malicious eavesdropping.
Mars finally plopped down on the ground gracelessly, crossing her legs in the men's style. Jupiter joined her, leaning back on her arms, legs stretched out in front of her, ankles crossed. "I did a fire reading. Wanted to see if I could make myself remember anything."
"And?"
"Nothing. I couldn't concentrate. I slept for a while and then tried again. My focus is off. There's something about her that makes me . . . angry."
"Angry?" Mercury inquired, taking a seat on the other side of Mars.
"I just feel like there's more that she's not telling us. And her attitude! She comes off all high-and-mighty."
"I feel like she isn't telling us everything, either. But I can't decide if it's because she wants us to discover it for ourselves or if it's because she thinks she's protecting us or what." Jupiter murmured.
Sailor Moon spoke from her tree, "I just don't understand her laying the blame for what happened in the past at Mamo-chan's or any one else from the Silver Empire's feet. Beryl's the one who was evil; she's the one who worked everyone up into a fever pitch to attack the Moon Kingdom, right? So I think she's the only one to blame."
Mercury tried to be logical. "I agree that Beryl is wholly responsible for her acts of aggression, but if we, as senshi, made poor decisions, we need to be aware of it. We knew that visiting Earth was forbidden and yet when we found out what she was doing, we didn't stop her, we went with her. I feel like we deserve to be held accountable for that."
Mars rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to be punished for something that happened in a past life, Mercury. That's ridiculous. What if I had murdered someone in a past life? Would I deserve the death penalty in this life?"
Jupiter grinned sardonically at Mars' example. "It seemed so much easier when we were just destined warriors battling an evil that had grown powerful enough to threaten Earth. This past life stuff is just too heavy."
Luna listened to her team grouse patiently. She knew this had been a shock to them. She certainly hadn't appreciated the attitude rolling off Artemis and the Princess. Sighing, she padded over to the girls. "I know her attitude is irritating, but we have to acknowledge the fact that she's been fighting on her own for over a year. She hasn't had the benefit of teammates to rely on or blow off tensions with. Let's give her the benefit of the doubt and show her the strength of this team tonight." The four girls eyed each other with determination and nodded as one.
A soft beeping from Mercury's minicomputer drew their attention. "They're here." Mercury stated flatly. The four girls stood, stretching, and watched Sailor Venus and Artemis approach. Mercury was nervous, she wasn't sure what their new leader would think of her bubble attacks. Mars was defiant, ready to flambé anyone who crossed her. Jupiter cracked her knuckles, anxious to let off steam in the evaluation. Moon was uncertain, wondering just how bad this was going to be and wishing Mamoru was there to give her encouragement. The four girls met Venus' hard, speculative gaze and knew she would demand more from them this night than any youma ever had.
/\/\/\/\
Tomorrow's update will be the first chapter of A Dark and Boring Night. Like An Unlikely Encounter, this is a multi-chaptered OHC. It is also another identities being revealed fic. In this piece, Usagi is given an extra-credit assignment that will keep her from failing for the year. But when her work-in-progress ends up in Mamoru's hands, it reveals a lot more than she expected. It is not complete, so I'll be working on new chapters for ADABN as well as for TPP.