Chapter 14 – Predestined

Minako felt like she was forgetting something, but couldn't figure what. But this didn't worried her too much as she continued to emerge herself into talking with Chibiusa and Helios who were smiling toward them. Then Diana came back and showed Chibiusa the three boys sitting a little farther from them with an expression of utmost surprise.

"Nee, Usagi. Who are the boys? They're staring." she asked, looking inquiring.

These words reminded Minako what she forgot and with an ashamed look she turned to them.

"Boys, gomen. I forgot to introduce you." She said to them with remorse and with her eyes down. She grabbed Yaten's hand and pulled him after her. "Come and meet Chibiusa."

They followed and when got closer, Seiya almost had a heart-attack. The pink haired girl looked so much with Odango! Except for the eyes, which were dark pink. But all the rest, she was a miniature of Odango!

"Chibiusa, Helios, Diana. They are Yaten Kou, Taiki Kou and Seiya Kou." Minako introduced them. "Boys, they are Chibiusa, Helios and Diana."

"We already greeted each other." replied sweetly Diana.

"Yes, that's right." answered Taiki smiling.

"But, Small Lady, they don't know about Neo-Queen Serenity." Diana added in a quiet voice to Chibiusa.

"They don't?" the pink haired girl asked in surprise. "Weird. I do feel from them a great force…" she added in an undertone, looking carefully at Seiya.

"Luna, I've heard that this charming little lady is your daughter?" Yaten asked, glancing to Luna who blushed and Artemis who looked smug.

"Yes, Yaten. She's my daughter, Diana." answered Luna.

"Looks a lot like you." smiled Yaten. "Took after you, she's got your charm." he winked at her making Artemis boil in anger.

"Thanks, Yaten." Luna smiled back making Artemis this time to clench his fist.

"Dad, why did you clench your fists?" Diana asked innocently, everyone stared at him.

"Aaa…" he stumbled, looking embarrassed. "I didn't clench my fists, Diana. It might've seemed to you."

"Artemis…" he heard Luna's voice warningly.

"Yes, Luna?" her eyes were gleaming with threat.

"We'll talk about this later." she answered, calming herself down.

"Artemis, you don't have to worry!" Minako said, giggling. "Yaten is mine!" she added, smiling to him which made him smile too. 'What a relief!'

"What was this about?" asked Yaten curiously.

"Nothing, just some words between me and Artemis." Minako replied, kissing him shortly on the lips.

"Where is Mamo-chan?" Chibiusa asked suddenly.

"He's in USA." answered sadly Usagi.

"What? Mamo-chan is away? Why? Did you have a fight?" Chibiusa started, looking surprised and upset. "Stupid Usagi! I'm not surprised he left you!" she added maliciously.

"Chibiusa! I did NOT fight with Mamo-chan! Otherwise, you wouldn't be here!" Usagi replied furiously, and then she noticed her mistake. Looked to the three boys and swallowed guilty.

"Odango, who is Chibiusa?" Seiya asked inquiringly. "And why does she look a lot like you?"

"Because I'm her daughter." Chibiusa answered before giving Usagi the chance to explain.

She didn't understand why she chose to tell the truth to a stranger, but she felt a strange familiarity from him, therefore she decided to trust him. Also, she said it to infuriate Usagi because she let Mamo-chan leave again.

But hearing this, Seiya didn't felt good. In fact, it was another shock, another heart-attack. Literally. He couldn't believe what he heard, in fact, he didn't want to believe. It was too cruel. Destiny was.

"When did you have a child, Odango?" he asked in a strange voice.

"Seiya…" Usagi laughed easily. "Chibiusa is my daughter from the future."

"Your daughter…what?" he asked even more confused.

"Yes…and I think we have a lot to explain and tell." Usagi replied, worried by his expressionless face.

A few hours later, Usagi and the others finished their story regarding Chibiusa. The boys kept on being shocked. They didn't expect that Usagi will end up being Neo-Queen Serenity and neither that Mamoru will be her companion, King Endymion. At least, Seiya didn't expect this. But seeing Chibiusa, he couldn't argue or choose to not believe what he was hearing. And now the whole thing proved to be more than complicated. How could he continue on fighting for her love, on pursuing her to accept their once lost love? How could he go on knowing that she had a future and a child above that? How could he fight destiny? He felt hopeless and it was visible.

"Seiya…how did you and Usagi met?" Chibiusa asked.

"Well…I met her three years ago at the airport." He answered, looking straight into her face. 'She looks so much like Odango. I can feel my heart skip a beat when I look at her. God! What am I saying?'

"I see. Did you know that you call the same way that Mamo-chan did?" she asked, watching carefully his reaction. She suspected that he wasn't aware of this little secret and she was right. Seiya looked taken aback.

"No…I didn't." he answered in a low voice. "Are you and Helios a couple?" he changed the subject on purpose, feeling oddly sad about the fact that Mamoru called her the same way – Odango. His Odango.

"Yes." Chibiusa replied her cheeks red and glanced at the boy sitting next to her.

"You look good together." Seiya smiled to them.

"Thanks." Helios answered instead of Chibiusa who looked to Seiya in an odd way. 'Something's wrong with him. I can feel it.'

"Well…I guess it's time we should leave." said Seiya looking to his friends which quickly nodded. "It's a little late. Do you want a lift up?" he asked the girls.

"Of course!" chirped Minako, glad that she got to spend more time with Yaten.

Back to their apartment, Seiya crushed onto the couch his eyes lifeless. Yaten and Taiki looked worried. They knew that he got a pretty nice blow this night. But he had to brace himself.

"Seiya, relax." Taiki said, putting a reassuringly arm on his shoulder.

Silence answered him, but Seiya lifted his dark blue eyes to meet Taiki's mauve eyes. Despair shouted out of them.

"Everything will be alright." Yaten said suddenly. "Be sure of this." He winked.

"How…how can I fight something like this?" Seiya replied disappointed. "There's a future ahead of her…What can I offer her?"

"Seiya! Don't talk like that!" Yaten raised his voice, worried of his friend's thoughts. "Remember what Princess Kakyuu said."

[flashback]

"Kakyuu." said Serenity with a calm voice. "You can erase their memories, but not their feelings. But I'll trust you this time. I'd give back your family." She added, smiling gently. "And you know why do I do this?"

"Why?" Kakyuu asked with husked voice.

"Because if they are the true loves of our girls and the only ones with whom they could use their real power, then they are meant to meet once again, to love each other once again. If such time would come, their sealed memories will return. I believe in love. If they loved each other truly just once, they'll love each other once again."

[end of flashback]

"Yes, Yaten, I remember." Seiya mumbled at last. "But this destiny of her…her destiny with Mamoru wouldn't it break us apart once more?" he added with a rough voice and couldn't avoid the tear that went down his cheek.

He rose from the couch, wiped his eyes and left the house. He felt too vulnerable, too weak to show them what he felt. They had their loves fulfilled. They couldn't understand him or his pain. He needed air.

In an abandoned building, someone was laughing, a cold and cruel laugh. On the shining building, a rising shadow could be seen.

"From death's claw, rise up; rip apart the curse that follows you!"

As soon as he finished saying these words, the building started shaking as if an earthquake was happening. Three other shadows appeared next to the first one and they bowed.

"Your wish is our command."

"Glad to hear that."

"Usagi, where are Ikuko-mama and Kenji-papa?" Chibiusa asked the moment they entered the house.

"Ah, they've gone on a trip and so is Shingo. This way Helios could occupy his room, not a thought of letting you two alone." Usagi replied, looking menacing.

"Stupid." retorted Chibiusa in a bored tone.

"Chibiusa, you should stop this!" Usagi shouted angrily.

"Ok, ok. Don't make such a fuss about it." said the other girl with the same bored tone. Helios was amused by them.

"Chibiusa!" yelled Usagi, but no use, since her future-daughter let her alone and climbed up to her older room. "God! She hasn't changed a bit." she sighed, looking up.

In Chibiusa's room

"Helios. I think Seiya loves Usagi." said Chibiusa looking worried.

"Why do you think this?"

"Well, firstly he calls her Odango and in his eyes are love. Love, Helios!"

"But Usagi loves Mamoru. You don't have to worry." tried to calm her down her lover.

"But I have to! If Usagi falls in love with Seiya, I won't exist anymore!" she replied, her eyes filling with tears. Helios took her into his arms, trying and wanting to ease her pain and chase away her fear. "I'm afraid to lose you…and I don't want to cease to exist!"

"Chibiusa…you'll never lose me." Helios said, caressing her pink and soft hair. "Trust Usagi."

'Trust Usagi.'

These words made her head spun. She had wanted to say Chibiusa 'good night' and had heard them talking…about her and Seiya. She felt horrible. She made her daughter suffer like this because of a lost and past love. She climbed up in her bed and let the tears fall down.

'I can't choose my destiny. I love Mamo-chan. But I love Seiya too. Since those memories came back, I understood why I always felt warmth from him. I understood why I trusted him when no one did. And this was because I had known him from a long time ago, because he was my destiny in a past life. But now…Mamo-chan is my destiny. And I really love him. Beside, we're going to have a baby together. A child that is now afraid that she will disappear if I let my feelings for Seiya grow bigger. I can't do something like this. I'll talk with Seiya as soon as possible and I'll tell him to forget about us. Because I just…I just don't love him the way I used to.'

Usagi sighed and wiped her tears, feeling sleepy and tired.

'But now…I need time to prepare…later.'

Seiya was watching her window as he did three years ago. When he felt sad or disorientated, he came for her looking for soothe and peace. Last time, she had come outside the balcony and talked to him…will she come out again too?

He looked sadly at the window and the hope to see her once more started to rise in his bleeding heart. But it soon died. She will never come out…not now, not ever. Seiya turned his back and left feeling worse.

He came to see her. Chibiusa was right. Seiya did love Usagi. But what about her? Did she feel the same towards him? This was to be seen. Helios looked to the pale and cried face on the pillow. He hoped for her that Usagi didn't feel the same.

A phone was ringing in an empty room. Soon, the machine's robot took the call.

"Hello, Mark. It's Mamoru. Sorry for calling so late, but I'm coming home tomorrow. Just wanted to tell you that our little project problem has been fixed. Now I'm calling Usako to tell her the news, she'd be exalted. By the way, where are you at this hour in the night? I hope to see you tomorrow, we have to talk. Good night!"

And with a click, the message was recorded.