CHAPTER TEN
She was anxious. And a little wet.
The sun had set by the time the group had parted ways, and a light drizzle had begun to fall soon after. Were it not for Ami's umbrella, Usagi would have no doubt been soaked by now. As it was, the cool breeze that had ushered in the soggy weather kept pelting her bare legs with mist, chilling her skin and dampening her socks. Usagi huddled closer to Ami beneath their shared canopy and studied the glistening cracks in the sidewalk with a distracted gaze, lost in thought.
The gentle patter of rain falling against the umbrella's thin fabric provided a tranquil soundtrack for the subdued walk home. Ami had remained notably silent since departing the training session, but Usagi had been too preoccupied with her own thoughts to consider to her friend's silence. It was just the two of them, as Luna had once again opted to leave with Artemis. The two cats were spending an increasing number of nights together, trying to determine the Dark Kingdom's location.
This proactive change in strategy—looking for a way to bring the fight to the enemy, rather than waiting for the fight to come to them—made Usagi nervous. It was as if a countdown had been set. She could almost hear the ticking of the clock, numbering each day, marking each moment, until time finally…ran out. The climactic confrontation that had always loomed somewhere in the far off distance was suddenly visible on the horizon, and Usagi couldn't decide whether she was relieved or terrified.
She suspected all of the Senshi were nervous—likely even Venus—but it was hard to know for sure since none of them had discussed it. Or at least, no one had discussed it with her. More and more of late, Usagi was feeling excluded, separate. Whether that was a situation of her own making or not wasn't quite clear, but there was definitely an elephant in the room—more than one if she was being honest—that no one was willing to acknowledge.
Today had summoned one such elephant. Something had happened during the training session, but instead of addressing it as a team, the group had splintered. They'd all been shaken, that much was clear, but when Usagi had asked how she'd wound up on the ground, she'd received nothing but cagey looks and tight-lipped responses. The others had been more intent on extracting answers than giving them. In no time at all, they'd turned the questioning back on her, but Usagi had had precious little to offer them.
As far as she knew, she'd been following Ami's instructions, but somewhere along the way she'd gotten…lost. She remembered talking to Serenity, and though she'd worried that the princess had possessed her again, Serenity had assured her that wasn't the case. As Usagi had struggled to come up with an explanation, the pointed looks of concern fixed upon her had gradually morphed into suspicion. The others thought she was lying, and she supposed they were right. Just not in this particular instance.
Usagi cast a sidelong glance at Ami, whose pensive expression mirrored her own. Usagi wanted to know what she was thinking, wanted to broach the silence, but she didn't know what to say. Today's events were an obvious place to start, but the real concern was where to stop. While Ami's compassion was undeniable, so too was her intelligence. Bottom line, sometimes she was just too darn smart. Usagi wanted to talk to her, but if they stumbled onto any number of sticky subjects it would be next to impossible to throw someone as perceptive as Ami off the scent. And so Usagi let the silence stretch on because sometimes the best course of action was to say nothing at all.
"Usagi?"
Swallowing the sharp curse that sprang to her tongue, Usagi attempted to school her expression before looking to her left. "Yeah, Ami?"
"I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that your time with Osaka-san—with Naru—isn't important. I know how much you value friendship."
Usagi's jaw went slack. Of all the things she'd been expecting Ami to say, it hadn't been that. Remembering herself, Usagi pursed her lips and shifted her gaze to the sidewalk before responding. "You don't need to apologize, Ami. It was selfish of me to make us all late just so I could gossip with Naru."
Ami clasped Usagi's wrist and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Don't say that, Usagi, you weren't being selfish." The mild reproof made Usagi look up. "I know you and I haven't been friends as long as you and Naru have been, but I think I know you well enough to tell when you're being kind. That kindness makes you who you are, and you should never apologize for that."
Humbled by Ami's quiet fierceness but unsure of how to respond, Usagi nodded then turned her gaze to the road. The soft glow from the street lamps reflected off the slick pavement, creating blurry streaks of light that stretched far into the darkness. Ami wasn't wrong, Usagi had wanted to do something for Naru, but the choice to walk her home hadn't been entirely selfless. Still, why was Ami bringing this up?
"I know how challenging it is to balance your duties as a Senshi with the rest of your life," Ami said, adjusting her hold on the umbrella as the drizzle shifted to a steady rain. "Granted, the bulk of my free time goes to studying. I'm lucky that all of my friends are Senshi, so I needn't worry about neglecting anyone. Books never mind if you're too busy to read them."
"But teachers do," Usagi replied. While she doubted Ami had ever let a book sit long enough to incur a teacher's wrath, she understood that Ami was extending an olive branch, and Usagi appreciated that.
Ami chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you're right about that." A brief silence fell as they paused at an intersection and waited for the light to change. "I guess the point that I'm trying to make," Ami said, turning to Usagi, "is that we all struggle at times to make this work, so we understand if you're having trouble right now."
Though phrased as a statement, the note of enquiry in Ami's voice came through loud and clear. Usagi met Ami's searching blue gaze with wary eyes and realized her friend hadn't been extending an olive branch so much as setting a trap. This wasn't about friends or studying at all, this was about Usagi and her failure to measure up. The light changed, casting a green glow over Ami's expectant features, and Usagi turned away before stepping out into the street.
"Trouble?" she echoed, taking care to keep her tone light.
Ami surged forward to keep Usagi under the umbrella's protective canopy. "These recent developments have put everyone under a tremendous amount of pressure, you most of all. You've had to contend with a number of distressing changes in a very short time, no one is denying that. We realize how stressful this must be for you, and we're not judging you for needing more time to adjust."
Ami knew about Serenity. She had to—what else could she be talking about? As the steady rainfall turned into a downpour, Usagi quickened her pace, eager to escape the deluge and, more importantly, this conversation. "I'm no different than any of you, I don't need special treatment."
"We're not trying to single you out, Usagi," Ami said, hurrying to match Usagi's pace, "but surely you don't expect us to discount the additional strain you're under. You shouldn't be afraid to talk to us about it, we just want to help you."
"I don't need any help," Usagi insisted, needing to convince not just Ami of this, but herself as well. "We're all in the same boat. My situation isn't any different than yours."
Ami jumped ahead and placed herself directly in Usagi's path, giving her little choice but to stop or collide with her. Usagi stopped. "Usagi, I know that you're trying to be strong, but you don't have to pretend that all of this hasn't been harder on you than the rest of us." The rain was pouring hard enough now that Ami had to speak up to be heard over the din. "You're right, we're all in this together, but that doesn't mean it affects each of us in the same way. One of the benefits of being part of a team is being able to lean on each other when we need to."
Usagi wavered as the temptation to unburden herself swelled up inside her like a balloon ready to burst. As she opened her mouth to speak, a car drove by, illuminating Ami's anxious expression. Usagi's words dissolved on her tongue as other words flashed in her mind.
"You're a walking disaster. Keeping you alive is a full time job."
Usagi shut her mouth and squared her jaw. She wouldn't crumble now, not with so much at stake. Not when everyone was expecting her to fall apart. The Senshi thought she was weak, but she would prove them wrong. She would show them that she was just as strong as they were, just as capable. That she was their equal, not a liability. Usagi raised her chin and looked Ami in the eye. "What makes you think that this is harder for me?"
Ami met her bold query with gentle empathy. "Usagi, something is weighing on you, we can all see it. But instead of coming to us for support, you're pushing us away."
"I'm not pushing you away," Usagi said, suppressing an overwhelming urge step back.
Ami's softness hardened into an expression that, until now, Usagi had only ever seen on Mercury's face. "What about today? When you wanted to walk Naru home?" Usagi opened her mouth to respond, but Ami spoke again before she could get a word out. "No, please hear me out. I meant what I said earlier, your friendship with Naru is important, but you were almost…defiant when you told us, like you wanted to pick a fight. I know that it's been close quarters recently, but we're doing this because we don't want anything to happen to you. We're not your enemies, Usagi, we're your friends."
Ami's wounded look pierced the fragile armour shielding Usagi's heart like a knife. Fearing she would crumble in the face of her friend's concern, Usagi turned away and found herself in front of a familiar gate. She'd been so distracted, she hadn't even noticed they were back in front of the Rose Mansion. The huge house was nearly indiscernible through the heavy curtain of rain, and despite the dark night not a single light appeared to be on. Usagi stepped forward and rested a hand on the heavy iron gate as she peered at the large double entry doors. It was hard to be sure, but it looked like they were open.
"There's also the matter of Tuxedo Kamen."
Usagi clutched the cold iron and forced her features into a flat expression before looking over her shoulder at Ami. "What about Tuxedo Kamen?"
At first, Ami appeared cowed by the impassive response, but after a swift recovery she pressed on. "Usagi, I know that you're worried about him—that you're probably blaming yourself for what happened." When Usagi made to deny it, Ami dropped her schoolbag and clasped her shoulder. "I understand that it's complicated, and that you might not feel comfortable talking to all of us about it, what with Rei's history with…" Ami's speech trailed off, and the deafening roar of the pouring rain filled Usagi's ears as she stared into Ami's eyes.
So this wasn't about Serenity. It was about Tuxedo Kamen. Usagi didn't know whether to be relieved or horrified. Was she really so transparent? She'd thought she'd been doing a decent job of hiding her confusion about him, but apparently not. Were all of the girls aware of this, or was it just Ami? The thought of all of them, especially Rei, talking about this behind her back made Usagi want to climb into a hole and never come out. There were many things Usagi wasn't ready to talk about, but Tuxedo Kamen was at the top of that list.
She looked away and stared at the hulking mansion with vacant eyes. "There's nothing to talk about." A hot bead of moisture ran down her cheek, and Usagi dashed it away with a hand, cursing the rain even though she was still sheltered beneath the umbrella.
Ami squeezed her shoulder. "We were there today, Usagi. We watched you bump into that boy. We saw how you froze." Usagi froze again now, just as she had earlier. She knew they'd seen. "When you turned, and I saw your face…you looked haunted, like you'd seen a ghost."
When Ami stepped up beside her, Usagi dropped her chin. She couldn't bring herself to look at Ami any more than she could stop the rain from coursing down her face. "You thought it was Mamoru, didn't you?" The question hung between them, waiting for a response that would never come. That didn't seem to matter though, seeing as how both of them already knew the answer. "Please talk to me, Usagi. I want to help you, but I can't do that if you won't talk to me."
Usagi wanted to talk to Ami, she wanted to talk to all of the Senshi, even Rei…especially Rei. She wanted to tell them everything. She wanted to release every ounce of grief, and fear, and guilt, and confusion that she'd bottled up over the last two weeks and finally be free of it. Usagi wasn't used to keeping secrets, she didn't know how to hide her emotions. She was the kind of person who voiced every thought that entered her mind and only lied about test scores and forgotten homework.
Or at least she had been in her old life.
Her new life was ruled by fear, constructed on a foundation of secrets and lies. One false step, one wrong choice, was all it would take to turn that shaky foundation into a crumbled heap. Was confiding in Ami the right thing to do, or would doing so bring the walls crashing down around her? Being a Senshi had never been more terrifying than in those early days when she'd been alone…until now.
Was Ami right? Was Usagi isolating herself? Maybe it wasn't all the recent drama, so much as her choice to keep so many of her struggles a secret, that was making life more difficult. Maybe Serenity wasn't the one to blame for all this turmoil, maybe it had been Usagi's fault from the very beginning.
"I—" Usagi began, but the words died on her lips before she even knew what she'd been about to say.
A bright flare of green light flashed in several windows of the mansion, awakening a visceral reaction within Usagi. "Did you see that?" she said. Without waiting for a reply, she pushed at the heavy iron gate, and to her surprise it swung open. She walked through, out into the pouring rain, and headed straight for the front doors. Ami called after her, but Usagi didn't stop. Something was wrong. She could feel it.
She'd been right, the doors were open. Drenched by the rain and filled with a singular purpose, Usagi climbed the front steps and marched through the open doorway. The wet soles of her shoes squeaked against the polished floor, disturbing the ominous silence. As she paused to survey the large, empty foyer, Ami caught up to her.
"Usagi, this is private property," Ami hissed. "You can't just walk in here, you could get in trouble."
Usagi was tempted to point out that Ami had also entered the home, therefore they would both get in trouble, but that would only distract from the task at hand. She had seen something. After scanning the vast entry hall for any signs of life and finding none, she turned to Ami. "Something isn't right, can't you sense it?"
Ami looked around the dark, cavernous space, but it was clear from her puzzled expression that she was not plagued by the same sense of unease. Ami turned back to Usagi, who was wringing out a sodden pigtail. "Usagi, if you're not ready to talk to me, I understand, but you don't have to pretend—"
A high-pitched noise rang out in the distance, and Usagi recognized it in an instant—she had heard enough screams over the past year to know one when she heard one. Her gaze moved to Ami, who was now gripping the shaft of her umbrella in both hands as she gave their surroundings a second look. When Ami's alert gaze met Usagi's, she bobbed her head in a grim nod.
Usagi moved deeper into the unlit house, striding past the wide, sweeping staircase and heading for the set of closed doors beyond it. The light had come from the east wing of the building, and as Usagi placed her hand upon the doorknob, a knot formed in her stomach. She glanced over her shoulder at Ami, checking to make sure she was ready. The sight of Ami, slightly hunched and clutching her umbrella like a weapon was almost comical, and that brief moment of mirth buoyed Usagi enough to turn the handle and face whatever was waiting for her on the other side.
The room was dark, so it took a few seconds for Usagi's eyes to adjust, but when they did a low gasp escaped her lips. Dozens of figures filled the large space, and a flash of doubt made Usagi pause in the doorway. Had she just barged into some sort of private gathering? When Ami stepped past her, Usagi reached out to pull her back. "No, Ami, don't!"
"They're all frozen."
Usagi blinked and did a double take. Ami was right, none of the figures were moving. The room was so dark, Usagi hadn't noticed at first. Relieved that she was no longer in immediate danger of being caught trespassing, Usagi approached a small group of the figures for a closer look. They were life-size statues of young women, all of them. Usagi had never seen such convincing sculptures before, so detailed and life-like. If it weren't for their greenish hue, she would have sworn they were real.
Usagi traced a finger along the line of one girl's arm and started in surprise. She pulled her hand away and frowned at the viscous residue left on her fingertip. "Wax? Is this a house or a museum?"
"Usagi!"
Ami's urgent call sounded from across the room, snapping Usagi to attention. She dashed to Ami's side and scanned the area for a possible threat but found nothing. "What is it?"
"I know this girl," Ami told her, gesturing to the wax figure in front of her. Usagi's brow furrowed as she examined the sculpture, but the girl didn't look familiar. "She goes to my cram school." Ami met her gaze, and they stared at each other for the span of a few beats while Usagi absorbed the information.
"Why would…" Turning back to the sculpture for a second look, Usagi studied the girl's face, this time taking note of her startled expression. A trickle of unease—the same as before—ran down her spine, and she swivelled around as her eyes scoured the host of figures surrounding her. Why hadn't she noticed the outstretched hands, the fearful eyes, the wide open mouths?
Usagi whirled around. "Ami, we need to—"
Ami grabbed her by the elbow and led her to a nearby corner. "You were right, something's wrong. I'm going to call the others, you should transform." Usagi nodded and reached for her brooch as Ami pulled out her communicator. The vibrant glow of her transformation blinded her for a few moments and by the time she was finished, Ami was already swapping the communicator for her pen. Seconds later, Sailor Mercury stood before her.
Usagi nodded and made to set off, but Mercury stopped her by grabbing her arm. "The others will be here soon, they've told us to wait until—"
"Wait?" Usagi echoed with a frown. "Wait for what?"
Mercury failed to quash her reflexive look of exasperation. "Sailor Moon, we've discussed this. You agreed—"
"I'm not going to stand and wait in a room full of victims, Mercury. You know that's what they are. Some of these girls are our age, you even recognized one of them. There could be other girls in danger, other girls we know—" Usagi stopped mid sentence as a face flashed in her mind. Kuri.
Usagi rushed through the room, scanning each girl as she went, searching for her classmate. She'd seen Kuri enter the mansion hours earlier; was she still here, frozen with the rest of these girls? Usagi checked each and every face, but none of them belonged to Kuri. She wanted to be relieved, wanted to believe that Kuri's absence from this horrifying collection meant the girl was safe at home, but Usagi's gut said otherwise.
Mercury came up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sailor Moon, what—"
A muffled cry sounded in the distance, and Usagi and Mercury turned in unison toward a pair of French doors. They looked to one another, but when Usagi took the first step forward, Mercury grabbed her wrist. "Sailor Moon, we shouldn't—"
"Shouldn't what, Mercury?" Usagi countered, raising her chin. "Do our jobs?" When Mercury's hold loosened, Usagi tugged her arm free. "Wait here if you want, but I'm going."
The cool night air hit Usagi as soon as she opened the door, and she shivered as she stepped out onto the patio. It was still pouring outside, but a balcony above the doors provided welcome shelter from the rain. Mercury appeared at her right a moment later and the two of them shared a glance before nodding.
Voices sounded nearby, and Usagi jumped before she and Mercury crouched down. They scrabbled in opposite directions, each taking cover behind the balcony's two pillars. Safely concealed, Usagi peered out from her hiding spot to survey the scene. Three figures stood together in the pouring rain, roughly ten feet away from her, but none of them were wet. They were kept dry by a magical canopy, and as Usagi's gaze narrowed on one of the figures, she understood all too well whose magic it was.
Kunzite.
He had his back to Usagi and stood opposite what could only be a youma. The youma had purple skin and appeared to be clothed in a bodice made almost entirely of yellow seashells paired with a filmy green floor-length skirt. The colours clashed horribly, but so far as youma went, Usagi had seen worse. The third party was another waxen figure, and Usagi cringed when she recognized the girl's face. Kuri.
"I apologize, Master Kunzite," the youma said, bowing her head. "I believed that the girl was Sailor Moon. She seemed to fit your description."
Usagi flinched when she felt Mercury's gaze fall on her.
"What you believed is of little importance to me," Kunzite replied. "What I care about is results. All you have managed to accomplish by bringing me here is waste my time."
The youma kept her head bowed, but Usagi saw the way it flinched under Kunzite's harsh criticism. "Forgive me, Master. What shall I do with this girl and the others?"
Kunzite gave Kuri's waxen effigy a cursory glance before turning on his heel. Usagi caught a brief glimpse of his callous expression before she jerked back behind the pillar and pressed herself against the cold stone. "They may as well be of some use. Harvest their energy before you dispose of them. And, Shakoukai?"
"Yes, Master?"
"Do not call me again unless you're certain it's her."
"Yes, Master Kunzite."
Usagi counted to five before leaning out for another look. Kunzite was gone, and he'd taken his magical canopy with him. The youma, Shakoukai, had been left to stand in the rain alongside Kuri's helpless statue. Usagi glanced at Mercury, whose expression was grim, before looking back at the youma. It had already begun harvesting Kuri's energy.
The time for waiting was over. Usagi met Mercury's eyes and mouthed, 'Cover me,' before drawing in a deep breath and summoning her courage. "Hey you, shell-head! Don't you know it's bad manners to take something that isn't yours without permission?"
When the youma whirled around in surprise, Usagi was relieved to see the energy transfer halt in the process. "My name is Shakoukai, not 'shell-head'." Shakoukai frowned as she scanned the area for Usagi. "With whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"
Usagi drew in a breath before stepping out from behind the pillar and striking a pose. "Sailor Moon," she announced, flashing a cheeky wink and a 'V' sign for added panache. Feigning a plucky attitude often worked well to mask her fear, and Usagi was a firm believer in 'fake it 'til you make it'.
"Sailor Moon?" Shakoukai raised one impeccably groomed eyebrow and smiled. "Just the person I've been hoping to see. But I'd been expecting you earlier, how very rude of you to keep me waiting."
"Better late than never, right?" Usagi replied as she edged away from the pillar. The light banter was bound to dissolve into violence at a moment's notice, and she wanted to give herself some room to manoeuvre when it did. Sadly, this meant leaving the shelter of the balcony and stepping out into the rain, but it was either that or retreat into the close quarters of the mansion, where scores of defenceless victims stood awaiting rescue.
Clearly not an option.
Shakoukai tracked Usagi's furtive movements with a watchful eye. "I know how you can make it up to me. Give me the ginzuishou, Sailor Moon, and I will forgive your faux pas."
"That's a tempting offer," Usagi said, eyeing the distance between Shakoukai and Kuri's statue—right now they were too close for comfort. "But you know how word gets around. Next thing you know, every youma is going to expect me to bring them a gift, and I can't afford to be giving away legendary magical objects every other day."
Shakoukai drew up. "Refusing your hostess?" Usagi shifted her stance. "How impertinent. I shall have to teach you a lesson!"
The stream of wax shot out from Shakoukai's fist with impressive speed, but Usagi was ready for it. Leaping out of the way with time to spare, she sailed through the rain and landed safely in front of a nearby fountain. The next attack came faster than the first, making her ensuing escape a much closer call. Tumbling into a roll after a narrow dodge, Usagi looked over her shoulder at the freshly waxed fountain and shuddered.
"Sit still, you little hooligan!" Shakoukai ordered, shooting jet after jet of hot, liquid wax from the various shells covering her body. Usagi struggled to stay ahead of the barrage, stumbling and flailing across the slick patio stones. "Just look at the mess you're making of my garden!" When a stream of wax blasted toward her head, Usagi dove out of the way and crashed down against the wet stone.
The impact was hard enough to knock the wind out of her. Crawling to her knees, Usagi wrapped an arm around her ribs and wheezed as she struggled to breathe. Shakoukai's lips curved in a satisfied smile as she raised a palm to aim her next shot. "You'll make a beautiful addition to my collection. Master Kunzite will be so pleased with me."
"Sabão Spray!"
A cloud of bubbles streamed forth, engulfing the area in a thick, cooling fog. Shakoukai's angry curse rang out, and Usagi gave a brief thought to the youma's unladylike conduct while she clawed at the ground and begged her diaphragm to cooperate. A hand grasped her shoulder and rolled her onto her back an instant before the painful spasm in Usagi's abdomen relaxed. Gasping, she sucked in a loud, greedy breath and tears of relief streamed from her eyes, mixing with the rain pelting her face. When she looked up, Mercury was standing above her, one arm outstretched. Flashing her a grateful smile, Usagi took her hand and Mercury pulled her to her feet.
"Thank goodness," Usagi murmured as Mercury led her behind a thicket of bushes. "She almost turned me into a candle." Usagi spotted a flash of white as they crouched down. Mercury's icy fog had lowered the temperature enough to turn the rain into snow. She caught a flake in her hand and grinned. "Cool trick. You think we can pelt her with snowballs?"
Mercury gave Usagi a weak smile before running a hand up and down her back. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Usagi said, shooing her hand away. "Now that your fog is up, I'm going to need you to point me—"
"We're going to wait for the others."
Usagi leaned back on her heels and frowned. "What for? We've got this."
Mercury shook her head. "You've already had a close call. We'll keep our distance until the others arrive."
"What if she starts harvesting energy again?"
Mercury's brow puckered in a moment of hesitation before her features relaxed. "I can track her movements with my computer. If she heads for the mansion, we can draw her away." She tapped her right earring to pull up her HUD. "Stay down while I map the area."
Usagi opened her mouth to argue, but Mercury was already typing away on her computer. Creeping away a few steps, Usagi tried to peer around the bushes, but the shroud of mist was too dense to see through. Mercury's attack was a double-edged sword, granting cover to enemy and ally alike, and only Mercury herself could navigate it with the aid of her computer. Usagi blew out an impatient breath; when would the others get here? Cold, wet, and sore from her fall, she couldn't help but wish that Makoto had been the one to walk her home tonight. Jupiter's impulsive 'act now, think later' approach would come in handy right about now.
"Mercury, can we—"
"Sailor Moon, watch out!"
Before Usagi could react, Mercury dove forward and shoved her aside, sending Usagi plunging head first into the bushes. Disoriented, she fought to free herself from the prickly bramble, but the thorny branches clung to her fuku and tore at her exposed skin with every movement. Just as she was about to untangle her collar from the spines, a hand clamped down on her arm and pulled her free with one powerful tug.
Usagi cried out as the treacherous barbs raked her other arm before releasing her. When she hurtled into another body, she froze, feeling the jolt of connection, sensing the danger. Shock overrode pain, and Usagi forgot the burning sensation in her arm as she looked up at the face of the very last person she wanted to see. The face she now saw every time she closed her eyes. The face that haunted her.
Tuxedo Kamen.
"So, we meet again," he said. His cold smile sent a shiver down Usagi's spine. "I admit, I had expected this plan of Kunzite's to fail, but I suspect your presence here is more a result of luck than planning." His hand tightened on her arm as he leaned forward. "Couldn't stay away?"
Usagi recoiled and tried to jerk free of his hold.
"Ah ah ah, none of that," he chided before jerking her to his side. Usagi started when she noticed Shakoukai standing a few feet away. "Behave yourself, or I'll have our gracious hostess teach you how to sit still." When Shakoukai's mouth twisted in a sinister grin, Usagi cringed and moved unconsciously toward her captor. "While her methods may be unconventional"—Tuxedo Kamen dipped his chin toward the ground—"they're certainly effective."
Usagi lowered her gaze and felt her knees buckle. Sailor Mercury lay frozen on the ground only a few feet away, encased in the same green wax as the other victims. Her arms were outstretched in a protective motion and her mouth was open wide, mid-cry. The pose left no doubt as to what had happened—Mercury had been struck trying to save Usagi.
"Mercury!"
Usagi surged forward, trying—and failing—to reach her fallen friend. When Tuxedo Kamen yanked her back, she stretched out her free arm and pulled with all her might, using her body weight as leverage, but it wasn't enough. Tuxedo Kamen's grip was like a vice, strong, firm, and unrelenting. As he hauled her back up, a dizzying wave of guilt and frustration washed over Usagi and something inside her snapped. She lashed out at him with all the fury of a caged animal, clawing at his hand, ripping at his clothes. When she tried to bite him, he took hold of her other arm and gave her a firm shake.
Usagi hissed at the fiery jolt of pain that shot through her injured arm and went still. Tuxedo Kamen relaxed his grip and looked down at the blood staining his glove. With his mask in place, Usagi couldn't see his eyes, but she noted the frown that curved his lips before he raised his hand to his mouth and tugged the glove free with his teeth. His bare hand was back on her arm before the soiled linen hit the ground. Usagi gasped when his fingers pressed into her wounded flesh, igniting a fire beneath her skin. As the heat flared, Usagi feared he was fusing them together, locking her within his unbreakable grasp.
Then the heat faded, and with it, the pain.
Though he didn't release her arm, Usagi was certain her injuries were healed. She flexed her bicep to test her theory and felt nothing except the subtle tightening of his grip. Turning her eyes to his masked face, Usagi opened her mouth in silent query. This was the second time he'd healed her, but why? He'd been trying to trick her before, but he wasn't masquerading as her ally today, so what reason would he have to help her?
"Shall I call for Master Kunzite, sir?"
Tuxedo Kamen's head jerked up as though he'd been caught off guard by Shakoukai's question, then his mouth flattened in a firm line. "No. I will deal with this."
"But Master Kunzite gave me explicit orders to—"
"Leave us." The curt dismissal was followed by silence, and though Usagi couldn't see Shakoukai, she could tell the instant the youma obeyed by the way Tuxedo Kamen's rigid posture eased. He looked down at her with a formidable expression. "Now that it's just the two of us, let us dispense with the preamble and get straight to the task at hand."
Usagi held her breath in anticipation of his next words.
"Give me the ginzuishou, Sailor Moon."
Usagi had expected the demand, but hearing it made her heart sink all the same. She stared up at him and watched the delicate snowflakes land on his broad shoulders then melt into the jet black fabric of his cape. Mercury's fog had yet to dissipate, and Usagi wished that the chill still lingering in the air would numb the ache in her chest. Why did seeing him like this have to hurt so much? If only there was a switch she could flip to turn off all of these distracting emotions. It would be so much easier to listen to her brain if she could just silence her heart.
How was she supposed to focus on the man in front of her when all she could think about was the boy within? Were they really one and the same? The Senshi believed he was brainwashed, and Serenity agreed—why then, was Usagi still unconvinced?
"Why are you doing this?" The question slipped past her lips before she could stop it, and Usagi froze, dreading the answer.
"The Dark Kingdom requires the ginzuishou in order to achieve victory."
Usagi shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. Why are you doing this?"
Though his hands tightened on her arms ever so slightly, his expression didn't waver. "I am an agent of the Dark Kingdom. It is my duty to see it done."
"But you're not," Usagi argued, unwilling to believe the dispassionate claim. "You're our ally…at least, I thought you were." Disheartened, she lowered her gaze to his chest. Had she been so blinded by her own infatuation that she hadn't seen him clearly? How else could Usagi explain the fact that she'd never once considered that the mysterious hero who always came to her rescue was also the arrogant boy who annoyed her on a near daily basis? From day one, Usagi had seen what she wanted to see. No more, no less.
"I am not who you think I am."
Though he'd said the words before, Usagi felt like she was hearing them—absorbing them—for the first time.
"No," she whispered. "You're not."
It was clear to her now, more than ever, that she had no idea who she was dealing with. All of her beliefs, all of her presumptions, about the boy and the hero had been thrown into question. Left now with nothing but false hopes and foolish assumptions, Usagi felt lost. Confused. And completely crestfallen. If Mamoru were in her shoes, would he feel the same way? How many of his dreams had been dashed that day when she'd pulled out her brooch? How many preconceived notions had he been forced to abandon? Maybe they had both been blind.
"I'm probably not what you expected either," she murmured.
"You're not."
Usagi flinched at the response. Would he now tell her all of the ways she had disappointed him? Was her nightmare about to become a reality? She wasn't sure she could endure it again, not here in the real world where it was bound to be so much worse. She looked around for a means of escape. Where had Shakoukai gone? Usagi would rather be turned to wax than listen to a laundry list of her shortcomings from the hero she had romanticized from the moment she'd laid eyes on him.
"You're much more sombre than I was led to believe."
Startled by the quiet statement, Usagi blinked. "I'm—wait, what?" When one dark eyebrow quirked above his mask, she clenched her hands into fists. Usagi had never hated an article of clothing more than she hated that mask.
"I was told that I would find your sunny disposition both tiresome and grating, and that your youthful exuberance often borders on lunacy." Though his deadpan tone did nothing to soften the blunt appraisal of her character, Usagi had barely heard anything beyond his opening words.
"You were told?"
Her disbelief bled into the words, accentuating the consonants and stretching the vowels. If what he said was true—if someone had fed him lies about her—then they would have had to erase the truth first. Had they wiped his memory completely, or was it still locked away inside of him somewhere? When the question spawned a painful realization, tears sprang to Usagi's eyes. Mamoru had sought the ginzuishou in hopes of restoring his lost memories, but in the end, its discovery had only brought him further loss.
When a rush of sympathy overrode her caution, Usagi reached up to cup his elbows. "What did they do to you?"
His hands contracted around her biceps, squeezing hard enough to bruise. "I was also told to be wary of your deceptive tongue." Usagi winced when his mouth twisted in a scowl. "Your soft-spoken lies will not distract me from my purpose. I know better than to trust anything that comes out of that pretty little mouth of yours."
Usagi's hands fell to her sides as she blinked in astonishment. They hadn't just erased her from his mind, they had poisoned him against her. She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not the one lying to you. The Dark Kingdom is trying to use you against me, don't let them!" When she tried to wriggle free of his punishing grasp, he gave her another shake.
"Be still, you little hellcat!" he ordered, but Usagi refused to listen. She writhed, and kicked, and stomped at his feet—anything she could think of to help her break free of his hold. He held firm throughout, dodging most of her wild blows, then cursed when the heel of her boot found his instep. "That's enough!" he shouted, spinning her around and clamping her against him. Though she was panting from the effort, Usagi's breath hitched when his cheek grazed the shell of her ear. "Give me the ginzuishou. Now."
Usagi knew she ought to be afraid, but for the moment, self-preservation was far from the forefront of her mind. With her arms pinned to her sides, there was little she could do but focus on the unnerving physicality of their current situation. Despite the chill in the air, his body radiated heat. Usagi could feel it seeping into her, melting away her resistance. There was also no overlooking their difference in size. With his long, lean figure curved around her, Usagi had never been more aware of her diminutive stature. Truly, she ought be terrified. In a real fight, he'd have every advantage.
Why didn't this feel like a real fight?
"Do not refuse me, or I swear I will make you regret it."
As the dark threat lingered in the air around them, Usagi convinced herself that her racing pulse and shallow breathing was caused by fear, not hormones. She would rather sink into the ground right now than admit that some unbalanced part of her brain was attracted to him even as her threatened her. "I already regret it," she muttered. "More than you know."
His fingers curled around her hip. "I doubt you even know what true regret is."
Usagi flinched. He couldn't be more wrong. She harboured many regrets, but she had no intention of sharing any of them with him, especially not when he factored into so many of them. The hard truth was, brainwashed or not, he didn't know her at all, and nothing she said was going to change that. When something wet splashed against her cheek, she looked up to see that the fog had cleared, and the snow had shifted back to rain. Usagi couldn't afford to waste any more time. She had to save Mercury and all of the other innocent victims, but before she could do that, she needed to convince him to let her go.
"I won't give you the ginzuishou, no matter what you do to me," she said, hoping that her firm tone would detract attention from her body's mutinous trembling. "It's my job to protect it, so I'll do whatever it takes to keep it safe." It was her duty, and she took it seriously, even if there were times when it all seemed too much. Even if the job felt impossible. Even if it threatened to take everything from her.
"…Even if I hate it."
Tuxedo Kamen's head left her shoulder as he straightened up, and Usagi went still. She hadn't meant to say the words out loud, but they'd slipped out all the same. She supposed it didn't matter. He was a stranger to her now. He already thought the worst of her, so what did she have to lose? While the thought was somewhat liberating, it was also deeply depressing.
"Only a fool would renounce such a powerful weapon," he said, but his voice held a note of uncertainty.
"A fool?" Usagi echoed, realizing that he wouldn't—couldn't—understand. "What do you know?" She tried again to twist free of his hold. She couldn't bear to be pressed up against him any longer. "You're so mixed-up right now, you wouldn't know the truth if it hit you in the face. The ginzuishou has done nothing but cause trouble since it appeared. If you were in your right mind, you'd probably agree with me."
His arms finally relaxed, and for a moment Usagi thought he would let her go, but he only spun her around to face him. "You keep insisting that I don't know my own mind, but your words lack conviction." His long fingers dug into her arms, betraying his frustration. "Why should I listen to a girl who would risk her life to protect an object she professes to hate? There is no logic in that. If you hate it so much, why do you protect it so fiercely?"
"Because it's the only thing that might bring you back to me!"
When his grip eased in the wake of her outburst, Usagi lowered her eyes to her feet, feeling exposed beneath his concealed gaze. "To us, I mean. It's the only thing that might bring you back…to us." A charged silence stretched out between them, and though he stood less than a foot away, gripping her arms in his hands, Usagi had never felt more alone.
"Was I so easy to forget?" A tear slid down her cheek and fell to the ground, mixing with the pooling rain. "Did I really mean so little to you?" She knew Mamoru thought nothing of Usagi, but what about Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon? Hadn't they shared a connection? Or had it only ever been one-sided; just the fanciful imaginings of a naive young girl? One look at his face would be enough to answer her question, Usagi was sure of it. It was why she couldn't bring herself to lift her chin.
It was also why she had to.
She needed to face him so she could accept the truth and move forward. Otherwise she would be trapped in a hell of her own making, clinging to false hope instead of facing reality. Steeling her spine, Usagi forced herself to look up. Like her, he was drenched from the rain. Water spilled over the brim of his top hat, soaking his tuxedo and cape. The only part of him still dry was his face. Usagi searched for her answer but his features were inscrutable. If the truth was indeed there, it had to be hiding in the one place she couldn't see: his eyes.
He released her right arm and raised his bare hand to her face. "You are a convincing liar, I will give you that." Usagi stood stock-still as he traced a finger down her cheek, too disarmed by the action to move. "The tears are a nice touch." His thumb grazed the corner of her mouth as he moved his hand to cup her chin. "But they are wasted on me. I am no greenhorn, still wet behind the ears. It will take more than maudlin appeals to rouse my sympathies."
Repelled by his words but hypnotized by his touch, Usagi stared at him, unable to move, or speak, or even think. A voice in her head urged her to object, another to break free, but she ignored them both, driven by an irrepressible desire to hear him out. When he took a step closer, her breath hitched, and a slow, sinuous smile curved his lips.
"Tell me," he said as his smile morphed into a sneer, "do you employ any other tactics to ensnare your victims, or do you always rely on pity to sell your deceit?"
Usagi snapped out of her daze and blanched at his cruel tone. She'd bared her heart to him and this was his response? To mock her? Why was she even surprised? "You keep calling me a liar," she clapped back, "but which one of us is standing here playing pretend?" She eyed his mask with a pointed glare.
His sneer faded as he released her chin to snap his fingers. Just like that, the mask and hat disappeared, exposing his face to the rain…and her gaze. Usagi blinked and ran her eyes up and down the length of him. While she recognized the distinctive armour at once, it took her several moments to process the significance of this change in attire.
Tuxedo Kamen was gone.
Endymion now stood in his place.
He bent over her with menacing intent, bringing their faces within inches of each other. "Rest assured, this is not a game for me. We are at war, and I intend to win by whatever means necessary. Impractical evening wear is just the tip of the iceberg."
Usagi stood firm, refusing to be cowed. "I'm not afraid of you." She was, in actuality, but it wasn't his threats that frightened her.
He tightened his grip on her arm. "You should be. Unlike the sap who wore that ridiculous costume, I will not be taken in by a sweet smile and a pretty face."
Usagi's features puckered in distaste. "Don't call him that. You're wrong about him, and you're wrong about me." She drew in a breath before laying a timid hand on his arm. "The Dark Kingdom, whatever they've told you about me, none of it is true."
"Spare me your denials. The Dark Kingdom has done nothing but open my eyes to your true nature." Quick as lightning, he snatched her wrist with his free hand and raised it up between them. "You are no more than a temptress. You think to lure me with your charms, but I will not be led astray. Not again. Following you has only ever led to my ruin."
Usagi opened her mouth to speak, to argue, to reject his claims, but a thread of uncertainty held her tongue. The enemy had filled his mind with lies, that much was clear, but that wasn't what kept her silent. There was a truth at the heart of his statement that she couldn't refute. 'Following you has only ever led to my ruin.' Was he right? Had she led them both to this moment? To this nightmare?
"Were you so easy to forget?" Endymion sneered, parroting her earlier words with a casual disregard that underscored his inability to recognize what it had cost Usagi to say them. "You cannot hope to hide behind such hollow artifice." He released her wrist to cup her cheek, and the warmth of his touch made her gasp. "No force on earth could erase your face from my memory."
Usagi gaped up at him, transfixed by the sudden heat in his naked gaze. "I need only close my eyes to summon your features, for they are etched in my mind with perfect clarity. You have the face of an angel"—he stroked a tender path across her cheek—"and the heart of a devil."
Startled by the venomous remark, Usagi made to pull back, but he seized her by the neck and drew her against him, close enough to feel his heartbeat. Try as she might, she could not reconcile his words with his actions. He was a mess of contradictions; praising her in one breath and denouncing her in the next. Shackling her with one hand while caressing her with the other. He was too volatile to predict. Too captivating to dismiss.
And too frightening to comprehend.
Threading his fingers into her hair, he curled his thumb behind her ear and tilted her head up to his. "I have come for the ginzuishou because that is my charge, but nothing would give me greater pleasure than exposing your treachery to the world. Your day of reckoning is coming, Sailor Moon, and I look forward to exacting your punishment. You will beg me for mercy long before you meet your end."
"Let her go."
Usagi jerked at the familiar voice, and Endymion spun her around before pressing her back to his front. Sailor Jupiter stood roughly twenty paces away, poised for battle, and even from a distance, Usagi could see the spark of violence in her eyes.
"Sailor Jupiter," Endymion drawled. "I'd love to oblige you, but I'm afraid that Sailor Moon and I have unfinished business. Why don't you run along and leave us to it?"
"Don't make me tell you again," Jupiter warned, making a fist and clenching it in her other hand. The pop of cracking knuckles sounded a second later. "Otherwise I might lose my temper and forget we're friends." Her pointed glare bristled with animosity. "You know how it is."
"Your bravado is amusing," Endymion said, "but I have neither the time nor the patience to deal with you right now. You would be wise to leave before I change my mind. You stand no chance against me on your own."
"Who said I was on my own?"
The blow came from behind. Endymion staggered forward and let loose his hold, sending Usagi sprawling to the ground. Jupiter was next to her in a moment, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her up before thrusting her away from the chaos. Sailor Mars appeared out of nowhere and took Usagi by the shoulders before leading her a safe distance away. Mars was asking questions, but Usagi wasn't paying attention, she was too preoccupied with what was going on behind them.
Endymion was down on one knee, and Venus and Jupiter were in the midst of summoning their attacks. Usagi cried out in protest, too late. Jupiter's lightning combined with Venus's crescent beam before striking Endymion square in the chest. His guttural cry rose up to join Usagi's anguished wail in a perfect harmony of mutual suffering, but when she tried to go to him, Mars looped an arm around her waist to hold her back. The magical attack crackled around him for several excruciating moments before dissipating, and then he collapsed to the ground.
Usagi stood rigid in Mars's embrace as she scanned Endymion's body for signs of movement. She didn't allow herself to relax until she saw the gentle rise and fall of his chest that signified he was still breathing. Venus strode over to Usagi and Mars while Jupiter hovered behind to keep a watchful eye on Endymion's prone form.
"Are you all right?" Venus asked. Usagi nodded without looking away from Endymion. "He's down, but I'm not sure for how long. You have to do it now, Sailor Moon."
Usagi looked at Venus. "Do what?"
"Heal him."
Heal him. Right.
Usagi's gaze returned to Endymion's prostrate form. One of his arms was stretched out above his head, and his cape was spread out beside him in a rumpled train of black and crimson. The sight of him lying there reminded her of the last time she'd seen him fall. Only this time, he'd been brought down by her own Senshi. They'd done it to protect her, but also to help him. It was up to Usagi to do the rest.
[[Now is your chance. Summon the wand.]]
The wand materialized in Usagi's hand, and clasping it to her midriff, she took a few steps forward. Drawing in a breath, she raised the wand and pointed it at Endymion. This was it. She could finally put an end to all the pain, and guilt, and sleepless nights she'd been suffering since Mamoru had been taken. Usagi had been waiting for her chance, and now she had it. All she had to do was say three little words, and it would all be over. Everything would go back to the way it was before.
But for how long?
[No matter how long, it's never enough.]
Jupiter shot her a questioning look. "Sailor Moon?"
[[Why do you hesitate?]]
The wand trembled, and Usagi raised her other hand to double her grip. When a hoarse groan sounded in her ears, Usagi's eyes widened. Endymion stirred and pressed a palm against the ground in order to push himself up into a crouch. Jupiter retreated to a safe distance, while Mars and Venus rushed ahead to surround him. Usagi didn't move, didn't blink, didn't make a sound. She just stood there staring at him, frozen in doubt.
"What are you waiting for, Sailor Moon?" Mars shouted. "Do it now!"
[[Listen to Mars, do not waste this opportunity.]]
Endymion's blue eyes glinted with interest as the corner of his mouth rose in a smirk. "Yes, Sailor Moon," he said, arching an eyebrow, "what are you waiting for?"
Usagi kept the wand raised between them but gave no reply. They watched each other for several long moments until he shifted back onto his heels. When Usagi brandished the wand in quivering hands, he tipped two fingers to his forehead and flashed her a smile.
"Until next we meet."
Chaos broke out in the wake of his words. Endymion called out, "Shakoukai!" and sprang to his feet as a wave of dark magic erupted around him. Mars, Jupiter, and Venus were thrown to the ground by the blast, while Usagi, who'd been further back, merely staggered. Shakoukai shimmered into view beside Endymion, and he issued a quick order before nodding at Usagi and vanishing into a portal.
Usagi stared at the spot where he'd disappeared until Mars shouted her name, jolting her from her trance. Jupiter and Venus had managed to subdue the youma, and Usagi jumped into action, raising the wand and calling out the necessary words that had evaded her only minutes ago. Moments later, a lady, smartly dressed and impeccably groomed, collapsed to the ground. Mars and Jupiter carried her out of the rain to the shelter of the balcony, leaving Venus and Usagi alone.
Venus turned to Usagi, eyes full of questions. Usagi braced herself for the interrogation to come, but Venus said nothing. Disarmed by her silence, Usagi opened her mouth to explain then closed it again a second later when she realized she had no idea what to say. When a weak moan sounded from behind, Usagi whirled around and spotted Mercury struggling to rise from the ground. Usagi rushed to her side and slung an arm around her waist before helping her to her feet. Jupiter and Mars returned moments later, and an uneasy silence descended as the five of them stood together.
The rain eased to a light mist, and though Usagi itched to get out of her waterlogged fuku and home to bed, she knew that would have to wait. One quick glance at the three grim faces staring at her was enough to see that Venus's silence had been nothing more than a temporary reprieve. There would be questions, of that Usagi was certain. What she was less sure of, however, was whether or not she would have any answers to give.
Thank you, as always, for reading! I know things are getting a little tense, and Usagi is making some questionable decisions, but in her (and my) defence— Nope, I've got nothing. Sorry. 😅
Feedback of any kind is humbly encouraged and greatly appreciated.