"Mamo-chan!" Usagi's heart-piercing scream penetrated the night
as she ran to her fallen prince. She side stepped the dead youma and
knelt beside Mamoru. She gently lifted his head onto her lap, running
her fingers through his mop of glossy blue-black hair. "Mamo-chan,"
She spoke softly, but clearly. "Please don't leave me! I've lost you
three times already and I can't bear to lose you again."
Mamoru opened his eyes and smiled weakly. "I love you, Princess."
he said in a strained voice.
"Sssh....Save your strength, love." Usagi pressed her four
fingers to his lips in an action to quiet him.
Mamoru struggled to a sitting position so he could brush the
tears from Usagi's eyes. He cupped her face in his hands. Her hand
flew to his and he brought it to his lips, kissing her upturned palm.
Usagi bent to kiss his forehead. Mamoru's body tensed, but he
smiled ruefully. Usagi knew he was fading fast. "Mamo-chan...."
"I'll find a way back to you, Princess."
"Mamo-chan." she sobbed, realizing he was struggling just to
say those words.
"I love you, Usako-chan." He struggled to raise his head
for one last kiss.
His kiss was so gentle, barely touching her lips. Suddenly, his body tensed,then
went limp. "Mamo-chan!" Usagi's scream pierced the silent night as she clutched
desperately to her prince's lifeless form. "No!" she sobbed. "You
can't leave me!"
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
The four inner senshi arrived mere seconds too late. When
they arrived, Mamoru was already gone and Usagi was far from sane.
Minako ran to her princess. "Usagi, what hap--? Oh, Usagi!"
Minako's arms went around the broken princess.
"NO!" Usagi screamed breaking into a run. *I must get away!*
The grief was overriding her senses. She ran away from the scene of
the tragedy.
"We should go after her." Jupiter stated.
"No." Mercury said. "She needs to be left alone."
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Usagi was still running after what seemed like an eternity.
She looked around, her eyes wild. She looked at her surroundings.
She didn't recognize the cherry tree grove she had run to on instinct.
It had been where she had spent most of her free time with Mamoru, but
none of that registered. All that she saw was the cliff a few
hundred feet away. Not caring whether she lived or died, Usagi ran at
full speed off the face of the cliff. As she fell, her scream once
again pierced the silence of the night. Then, once again,there was
silence.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
The senshi were busy trying to comfort a hysterical Mars when a
feeling of emptiness closed in around them.
"Did you feel that?" Rei asked.
"It feels as if a part of me is missing" Jupiter muttered in
bewilderment.
"It's Usagi!" Venus exclaimed.
Luna nodded her ascent. "We must find her!" She turned to
Mercury. "Ami?" Mercury nodded and began clicking at the buttons
on her pocket computer. After a few moments she spoke. "I've got her.
She's in the cherry grove."
The senshi took off in the direction of the cherry grove.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
"USAGI-CHAN!" Rei's anguished scream broke through the darkness.
They had found Usagi. "I've lost them both! The two most important
people in my life are gone." she sobbed into the darkness.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
The funeral service was nice. Usagi was dressed all in white
with red roses adorning her casket. Mamoru was dressed in black
tuxedo. Red roses also decorated his casket. Rei's casket was closed.
She had gone home and blown the back of her head off. She left a note
saying how she wished the service to be.
"Usagi, why?" Minako sobbed as she laid a beautiful bouquet of
flowers on each of the caskets. She turned when she felt a reassuring
hand on her shoulder. When she turned around, she found herself face
to face with Usagi! Minako was about to scream, but Usagi pressed a
dainty finger to her lips. Minako began to weep.
"Do not cry my friend." Usagi soothed, Minako turned to stare at
Usagi's open casket. She turned back to Usagi. Usagi nodded. "But
how-?"
"I had some unfinished business to take care of. I was being
selfish. All I could think of---well, I wasn't thinking much at all---
but I didn't think of how this would effect the rest of you. I left
you without a leader. Usagi's down-cast eyes clouded. "I caused
Rei's death as well. All I cared about was being with Mamoru." She
frowned. "That's why I came back---to appoint a leader." Minako was
silent. "Minako, will you lead the senshi?"
Minako shook her head violently. "This can't be happening! Why
are you torturing me?!"
Makoto and Ami had found their way over to Minako when they heard
her outburst. They were visibly worried. "Mina-chan, is this person
bothering---" Makoto broke off suddenly as she realized who Minako was
speaking to. "Princess." she whispered.
Usagi placed a light had on Makoto's shoulder and peered up into
her eyes. "It's OK! Please don't cry. I know I was selfish and
I'm sorry. I came back to appoint your new leader." She turned to
Minako. "Mina-chan, please accept. I cannot leave my business
unfinished!"
Minako bowed her head solemnly. "Yes, my princess."
Usagi beamed. She gave her three best friends a hug and turned
to go.
"Wait, Usagi!" Ami exclaimed. Usagi turned expectantly. "Where
are you going?"
"I've gotta go!" Usagi chirped. "Mamo-chan and Rei-chan are
waiting for me!" She winked and pointed to the two waving figures,
one much taller than the other.
"Please, Usagi! Don't leave us!" Makoto rushed forward to
embrace her princess in a tight hug. Minako and Ami followed suit.
"I'm sorry," she said returning their hugs, "But I really must
go." She turned toward the other two figures once more. The larger
of the two, Mamoru, moved forward to meet her.
"Usako-chan, it's time."
"I know beloved." she smiled as she took her place at his side.
"Good-bye, Princess." Ami sniffed.
"We'll miss you. Why'd ya hafta go?" Makoto asked dejectedly.
Minako was silent.
"I'm not really gone." Usagi said. "I'm in here!" she said
pointing to Makoto's chest where her heart was. Mamoru's arm went
Usagi's waist and she laid her head on his shoulder as they walked
toward the third figure, Rei. Together the three walked into the
distance, just three silhouettes against the setting sun. The three
remaining senshi waved until the outlines of their friends were mere
specks on the horizon.
A tear slipped silently down Minako's cheek as she whispered
"Farewell, Princess."
The End
So how did you like it? I'd like to hear question or comments
(Unless it concerns my horrid spelling;-)
E-mail me at: PrincessSerena_1@hotmail.com
Bai-Bai!!! ~*^_^*~