Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Heart, ... and Mind ❯ Heart ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Heart,... and Mind
by Amby-chan aka Lady Ambre
amby-chan@sailormoon.com

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Another fanfic from Amby-chan enterprises!!

Yes.. It's another tear jerker.. I'm sorry! *L*

Anyways. This one takes place right after Ail and Ann, but before the Dark Moon family. You'll get it, I'm sure. *G*

COMMENTS go here: amby-chan@sailormoon.com .. Don't worry, I'll tell you at the bottom too!
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Chapter One: Heart

Usagi stormed out of the building, slamming the door behind her as she went. Tears were in her eyes, her azure eyes blazing. Behind her, Mamoru pushed through the door, looking upset. "Usako, wait," he called softly, his eyes taking in his love's set shoulders and angry stance. "Usako... It wasn't what it looked like, you've got to believe me!"

"Don't call me Usako, Mamoru!" Usagi suddenly cried, whirling around and shaking her fist at him. Tears fell down her cheeks as her voice reached a high pitch. "I saw you with her Mamoru! I saw you this time, kissing her! KISSING her! Don't tell me that it wasn't what it looked like!!"

"Usako, I wasn't kissing her-"

"Oh?" Usagi replied, her voice cracking. "So, you just HAPPENED to have your tongue in her mouth?"

"I didn't-"

"STOPPIT!! Just stop it!! I don't want to hear it anymore Mamoru. I'm sick of the all the lies, all the cover-ups! It's over!" She raised her hand, and he saw the Promise Ring he'd given her gleaming on her finger, along with his promise of eternal love. She pulled it off, and then threw it at him. His heart dropped with the ring as it flashed once in the sunlight, and clattered to the ground. "Stay away from me Chiba Mamoru! I don't want to see you ever again!"

And with that she was gone.

"But Usako..." he whispered softly, watching her gold frame slip like a wraith through the shadows, running.. running away from him. He watched her until her golden frame was gone from his sight, his head lowered, shoulders slumped. Tears of pain rolled down his cheeks as he looked down at the ground.

"Forget her." A sensual, sultry voice reached his ears, a soft hand slipping over his shoulders, kneading his knotted muscles. He tensed even more under her touch, turning his head slightly to look at her, anger in his eyes.

"Keisei. Get away from me. You planned this, you damned woman, and you know it." Keisei looked offended, her beautiful auburn hair glistening as she pressed a hand in an exagerated motion to her chest, a chest that was bared by a deep V neck top that barely hide her endowments.

"Me?? Oh Mamo, you know I'd never do anything like that. I was simply expressing my love for you. She shouldn't have gotten so upset. I mean, we could have both shared you..." Her voice was low, seductive as she gently slipped a hand down the back of his shirt, smiling teasingly. He coldly straightened, grabbing her wrist in an iron grasp.

"Get. Away. From. Me," he snarled, and threw her hand from him. She made a soft noise of indignancy and horror, watching angrily as he turned, stalking away from her. She didn't follow him, didn't need to. Her effort here was done for the night. She'd gotten Mamoru away from Usagi. Hurting Usagi would now would save her later...

"I'm sorry to do this to you Usagi..." Then she turned and began to walk away, back to her apartment.

As she walked, she pulled on a black jacket, one that she'd certainly not been carrying before.


Usagi ran.

She ran as fast as she could from Mamoru's house, crying heavily. She couldn't wipe the picture from her mind, couldn't believe that her Mamoru would have done what she'd seen him doing. But she'd seen all that she needed to see.

She'd just come to Mamoru's apartment, smiling happily, carrying in her arms her school books and some decent-looking cookies. Lita had been helping her, and she was sure Mamoru would love chowing down on her cookies as he helped her study. Then perhaps, after studying, they could cuddle on the couch, watch some TV, talk quietly until she had to go home.

His door had been ajar. Half of her hated herself for opening the door, for she would have been spared the sight that awaited her, the other half was glad she knew the truth. For as she pushed open the door, speaking Mamoru's name soft, curiously, her eyes had fallen on Mamoru. And the woman.

Kuchikukan Keisei. She reckognized her from the arcade. She'd been hitting on Mamoru a few days past, but Usagi had dismissed it as readily as Mamoru dismissed Keisei's advances. But now, .. Keisei was pushed up against the wall, her leg wound around Mamoru's, and.. Mamoru was kissing her. Passionately.

She must have cried out or something, dropped her books for sure. Mamoru turned and looked at her, and his eyes had widened. "No.. Usako.." He'd said softly, pushing away from the woman and stepping towards her, his arms outreached. She'd backed away, tears in her eyes. "Usako.." he'd pleaded.

"You bastard!!" She'd yelled, thrown the cookies she'd baked with such care at his head, and bolted out of there as fast as she could have gone. Mamoru had chased her.

She couldn't believe it! Her boyfriend! The love of her life! Her only love! Had been kissing another woman! A slut no less!! "Mamo!" she sobbed, "how could you??" Didn't he love her? What had she done wrong? What did that woman have that she didn't?

Turmoil boiled through her, the need for Mamoru, the hate she felt at the sight, the pain at being betrayed, the sudden burning desire for Mamoru to hurt as she was hurting now. But she didn't want him to hurt.. she loved him! But part of her argued with her. Look what he'd done to her!

And so, she was running, as fast as she could, towards the nearest haven: Rei's temple.


(Two Days Later)
"Usako.." Mamoru pleaded softly, spreading his hands wide. Usagi refused to look at him, instead took the books from him, wincing away from his touch, not meeting his eyes, her whole demeanor cold and harsh.

"Thank you Chiba-san for bringing my books back to me." He winced slightly at her tone. It was hurt, angry, harsh, cold, and arrogant, all in one. He sighed again, putting his hand on her shoulder, murmuring his pet name for her. She shook off his hand.

"It wasn't what you think, I swear! She forced herself on me!" Mamoru said desperately. He needed his Usagi back! Oh kami, he prayed, please let her believe me. Slowly she raised her head, and his heart sank. Her eyes were two cold sapphires, glinting with anger, rage.. Hate.

"I thought you were a cheater and bastard before, Mamoru. But now I know you're a spineless liar!! You take advantage of a girl and then say she FORCED herself ON YOU??" Usagi put her hand on the door handle, chin held high, eyes blazing. Mamoru had come to give her books back, come to her house, to apologize as well. Not having her, having her angry at him, was driving him crazy inside. He'd failed to get her back, he realized. In fact, he'd only succeeded in driving her further from him.. "Get away from me Mamoru. GET AWAY FROM ME!!"

She slammed the door shut in his face.


(Three Nights Later)
"What is it?" Sailorjupiter turned to Sailormars, brushing her long brown hair out of her eyes. The scout with the raven hair was frowning slightly, looking out over Tokyo from their vantage point on top of the temple's roof.

"I don't know.." She said after a moment, her smooth voice slightly upset. "I can.. feel it. It's horrible. A terrible energy."

"Let's find it and destroy it." Sailormoon's voice cut into their thoughts as she, Luna, Artemis, Sailorvenus, and Sailormercury walked up. Sailorjupiter and Sailormars exchanged looks. Ever since Usagi had seen Mamoru kissing Keisei, she'd changed. Drastically. She never laughed anymore, and the carefree, ditzy girl was gone. Instead, she was now a responsible, mature young adult. While her friends were glad to see an end to her ceaseless, idle babble, and constant clutz attacks, they worried about her. She never seemed to have any fun anymore. Luna had confided that she cried herself to sleep nearly every night. She looked horrible as well, her face pale and drawn, set as if there was a metal shield between her and the rest of the world. She was pessimistic and overly-realistic; no longer did she dream about a future, but seemed to have given up in a way.

"Let me see where it is," Sailormercury said quietly, to shift the attention away from Sailormoon's hard voice and the tension it created. There was a soft whoosh as her visor came out, and she tapped on her comp pad for a moment.

"When did you feel its prescence, Sailormars?" Sailorjupiter asked, turning back to the priestess.

"When I was meditating. I was chanting, when all of the sudden, the fire was turned totally black. Then, it went out." Sailormars shook her head as the Scouts fell silent, surprised. They all knew it just as well as she; when the Sacred Fire went out, it portended death.

"Very, very very bad..." Sailorvenus muttered, looking down at Luna and Artemis, who sat very quietly, staring out over the roofs. Then, coming to control of herself, she sighed. "It's got to be a Cardian; there's really no other explanation."

"Not necessarily," Luna spoke suddenly. "There are other evil forces in this world. The Negaverse is not the only thing that could have caused this attacks."

"She's right," Artemis supplied. "There are many, many things that could threaten Earth. I mean, the Kisenian Blossom wasn't from the Negaverse, but it was defintely very evil." ((Author's Note: I've always said that the SMR Movie goes right after Ail and Ann's departure, and before the Black Moon. That's the only time it makes sense.. :D ))

"Right. We can't go in making assumptions," Sailormoon said, subtly assuming the leadership position, surprising Sailorvenus as well as Luna and Artemis. The Sailormoon they'd known all of their lives would never have taken control. She would have waited for someone to tell her what to do. Just how much had Darien's betrayal changed her?

Just then, Sailormercury smiled. "Got it."

"Where?" came Sailormoon's voice, all business.

Sailormercury shot a glance full of meaning at Sailormars, speaking softly. "It's on the school grounds. Near the cherry trees."

"Let's go," Sailormoon said, gripping her hands together, her eyes hard. The Scouts nodded quietly, following her as she began to run, leaping from the temple to the steps, then onto the wall and across the roof tops.

They ran in silence, the only sounds the sounds of the city around them, their soft breathing, and the hollow thumps of their shoes on the rooftops. The school was dark, yet there was a glow coming from the small park filled with the cherry trees, an evil glow.

"Spread out," Sailormoon instructed. "Come at the glow from different sides. Sailorjupiter, lead the attack. When you hear her start her mantra, attack. Got it?" The Scouts nodded, more than a bit shocked at the fact that Sailormoon, their Sailormoon, had just come up with a plan that actually made sense. "Move!"

Sailormoon immediately began heading straight for it. Sailormars and Sailorjupiter went to the right, Sailormercury and Sailorvenus moving towards the left. Luna and Artemis followed Sailormoon, creeping through the bushes to watch the Scouts in action.

Azure eyes, carefully shielded from the world around her, meticulously scanned the clearing. The youma was standing in the center of the plaza, a large fire in front of it, which it generally powered up by spitting on. It was green, and scaly, with spikes down its back and the back of its legs. Its face was contorted, into a long funnel type deal, which it used to spit fire out. Presumably just fire, but it wasn't for sure.

Just then, a voice came to her ears as electric white energy gathered at one point to her right. "Supreme Thunder Dragon!!!" came Sailorjupiter's voice, along with a great electric dragon, winging out of the darkness and tearing towards the youma, impacting and erupting with a great burst of white electricity.

Seconds later, came three more voices.
"Fire Soul Bird!!!"
"Crescent Beam Shower!!!"
"Sabon Freezing Spray!!!"

Three attacks tore towards the youma, lighting up the darkened clearing. Smoke curled out about as the attacks all impacted at the same time. Leaping forward from her hiding attack, Sailormoon pulled the Cutie Moon Rod from behind her back, her eyes grim.

"Moon Princess Halation!!!"

The youma had struggled to its feet, smoke oozing out from its funnel-like mouth. Now it raised its head, and shrieked in sudden surprise as the attack hit it full force. A silver wave swept down it, turning it to a statue of moondust, that the wind picked up and carried away.

The Scouts stood staring at each other.

"That was too easy.." Sailormars said softly. "I don't think that's what I felt. It was way too weak."

"I agree. There's something going on here.." Sailorvenus turned in a full circle, her long blonde hair glistening a soft butter color in the half darkness and the flickering light of the fire, that even now was beginning to die.

"Oh yes. Something is going on here, Sailor Scouts. Something your pitiful powers won't be able to handle." She walked slowly out from the midst of the fire, her hips sashaying confidently, head held high. Her long hair swept out behind her, her form paused against the backdrop of the fire, a backdrop that kept them from seeing anything but her eyes -- her burning, dancing, irredescent blue eyes.

She paused, her hand on her hip. Her gaze swept over them with that curious searing cold feeling, resting the longest on Sailormoon. Sailormoon shivered; the woman continued.

"I will give you one chance. Hand over the one you call Tuxedokamen and I will spare your lives."

"He's not even here," Sailormoon snapped, her eyes hard at the sound of her former love's name. The woman paused, then, ever so slowly, her gaze raised to a tree behind them, penetrating the darkness.

"You can come out now, Tuxedokamen.." Her voice contained a light chuckled, one hand raising to brush her hair out of her eyes. "I can sense you though you try and hide it. Come to watch your love fight, and perhaps even.. die?"

Then, he landed on his feet lightly, having pushed himself out of the darkness of the tree he'd been concealed in. Sailormoon didn't even glance at him, instead she kept her eyes firmly fixed ahead, staring at the woman. His cape rustling out in back of him, he straightened, carefully keeping his eyes from Sailormoon's form.

"What do you want? Who are you? I demand you tell me." His voice was quiet, yet slightly strained, as if he was extremly close to bursting out with emotions.

The woman smiled, or at least, they expected she had, because her next words were filled with that small, smirking tone that colored her voice. Her silouette was hard to read, but her tone all too plain. "My name is nothing you would recognize, but,.. I shall give it to you anyway. As I am now, I am called Enjou. And you ask what I want? It's simple. I want-" here her eyes suddenly began to blaze, and she raised one hand, her voice reaching a painful pitch "to kill you!!"

The fire suddenly blazed and the Scouts flung their hands up to protect their eyes against the sudden light. A tendril of flame leaped up from the main body of the fire, spiralling around her arm, to shoot out -- straight at Tuxedokamen.

Tuxedokamen lowered his arm slightly, his eyes widening at the sight of the fire filling his vision. He had to move, but there was no time! Suddenly, his name reached his ears, shrieked out, shattering the air which was filled with searing heat. "Usako?" His mind wondered, his head moving slowly to search for her.. But she hated him-

And then she was standing in front of him, her arms and legs spread out, hair whipping back, singing in the extreme heat. He reached for her, her form haloed by the fire that was even now whipping towards them, ready to push her out of the way, wanting her to leave, praying to all the stars in the heavens for a miracle.

A miracle that didn't come.

Her scream stilled the stars in their orbits, shattered the peaceful midnight air, the orange fire engulfing her in its brightly horrendous embrace, her cry of pain still echoing on the breeze.

The fire died away. She stood, swayed, then slowly collapsed to the ground, her flesh burned and blackened, her beautiful eyes closed, her fuku burnt nearly totally away.

There was a second of silence, then chaos erupted.

The Sailorscouts cried out, Luna and Artemis bursting out of the bushes to dashed towards Sailormoon's body. Tuxedokamen dropped to his knees beside Sailormoon's body.

"Sailormoon!! Usako! Oh kami, please talk to me.. Don't die on me Usako!!! Don't die on me!!!"

"We have to get her to a hospital!" Sailormercury said worriedly, her voice shaking despite her best efforts to control it.

Sailorjupiter, tears rolling down her cheeks, whirled around, her hands clenched into fists. "Are you happy?!" she screamed at Enjou. There was no reply. Enjou had both her hands pressed to her mouth, standing quietly still.

"I.. I didn't realize.. she'd.. she'd still.. try and .. save him... I.. I should have known..." Step by step, she advanced on them, her voice soft as she continued to speak. The fire, once raging out of control, seemed to dim and drawn in on itself, as if it was no longer being fed. Yet, still she advanced, towards the small knot of Sailors.

"Stay away!" Sailorjupiter broke the tension that filled the clearing as Enjou advanced, throwing herself bodily at the woman with a cry that shocked all of the Scouts back to their senses.

Enjou raised her head, staring wonderingly at Sailorjupiter, her irredscent eyes lost, confused. Then, suddenly they clarified, sharpened, hardened, and the woman flung her hands up, her long hair streaming out at her sides. "No! I won't let you hurt her anymore! I've been through too much to lose her now!!"

The Scouts cried out in unison as Sailorjupiter flew back, flung out of the air by Enjou's power. Turning, Sailormars leaped to attack, but she was flung back as well by the wild-eyed Enjou. The woman was beyond all rhyme and reasoning, her powers lashing out like her rage, palpable and hurtful. Slowly, her steps sounding like thunder, she stepped forward, brushing away Sailormercury's Aqua Illusion as if were merely an annoying mosquito.

Then, it was simply her and Tuxedo Mask, staring at each other, Sailormoon's still form laying between them. The black clad knight raised his eyes, tears streaming down his face as he stared at Enjou, hate radiating from his gaze.

When he spoke, it was in the state of his heart: broken. "She's .. dead. Don't you understand? She's DEAD! Because of YOU! YOU KILLED HER!!"

"NO!!" Enjou's shriek shattered the stillness of the night as she clapped her hands to her ears. "I won't listen to this any more Prince Enydmion! You bastard, you brainswashed her! Its your fault!! I don't know why I ever thought otherwise. You did it then and now you're doing it again! You're hurting her, my poor, dear Serenity!!"

And then she was shoving Tuxedokamen back from Sailormoon, the cape clad Prince flying back to a tree with a heart-wrenching cry of pain as he crumpled to the ground. Her hands shaking slightly, Enjou tearfully smoothed Sailormoon's crumpled hair, talking as one would to a wounded animal.

"Don't you worry, my dearest.. Don't you worry anymore. I'm going to take you away from here, and I'm going to give you the life you deserve, the life free from his evil tricks and lies. I'm going to show you the love you should have had, not his trickery.. Don't worry.."

Then, crooning softly, she stood, taking Sailormoon into her arms, still talking as she backed up. Tuxedokamen pushed himself up, reaching out one trembling hand towards the retreating Enjou.

"No, please..." His broken whisper went unnoticed as a shower of golden petals flourished around Enjou and Sailormoon. When the flower petals fell to the ground, the two were gone.

Tuxedokamen fell back to the ground, sobbing. "Please bring her back.. My love.. My only love.. Serenity.... I need you..."


(One day later)
They were a quiet gathering, grouped together on the steps of Rei's temple, the peaked roofs glistening in the morning light. It was Saturday, early Saturday morning, but none of them heeded the chill bite that heralded the coming of snows and winter. They, as one, were thinking

-What if Usagi were here? She'd charge up the steps, breaking the silence with her shrill piping laughter, explaining that she was late because she had over slept and Luna hadn't bothered to wake her up. Then she'd clutz out going up the steps, giving Rei ample opportunity to yell and snipe at her. They'd get into a humungous fight, only to be laughing and joking the very next minute..-

"I.. I just can't seem to make myself believe.. She's really gone.." Minako's voice was the first to timidly enter the silence between them, to brave the grief-filled tension that filled the entire clearing, making it hard to breathe and harder to remain tear-free.

"She can't be! She just can't be.." Makoto replied, her voice cracking and breaking as she hung her head, staring down at the ground, her hands clenched into fists so hard her fingernails cut into her skin.

"She is," Rei said softly, free of her usual harshness. "And we have to go on." Her voice shook them free of their sorrow, pushed them back into sensibility.

"I know what I'm going to do," Makoto pushed herself from the step, turning to face them, her fists clenched, eyes flashing fire and hate. "I'm going to find that bitch Enjou and I'm going to show her just how much Sailor Scouts don't like losing their leader!"

"Ami!" Minako snapped, drawing the blue haired girl's attention. "Can you make us a program to trace all the negative energies in the city? Maybe then we can figure out where she is and nail her ass!"

The ring of hard-eyed, fisted girls stared at each other, their minds set and made up, a grief-strengthed determination welling out of their tears and regrets to push them back up. They were going to find Enjou.

And when they found her, they were going to kill her.


~*~
That's it! Finalé of Chapter One!
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Ambychan