Author's Note: Where do I even begin? I've been having such a hard time juggling around things with my schedule, that I have just held onto this chapter and let the dust settle on it. To be honest, I'm quite in need of a beta and in even more need of advice to keep this story going. I hope you all continue to enjoy and review. I promise I won't give up on the idea if you won't!

Chapter 4

The weeks began to blur into each other – one long and bland pause in Usagi's otherwise color-injected days. She avoided the arcade dutifully, he deserved to keep his corner stool where he sat with Motoki – the only friend she knew he felt comfortable enough to confide in.

This particular afternoon, Usagi wandered aimlessly around inside the expansive Arisugawa Park. Perhaps if she wandered enough she'd find something that would give her purpose. She'd even take a youma at this point – she knew this period of peace ironically left her nerves on edge.

"You know… It's okay to talk to us sometimes," a soft voice broke her haze. Usagi whipped around, long golden hair following her shoulders, while her gaze softened at the sight. Luna took the pause to jump into Usagi's arms which naturally caught her.

"Oh, Luna…", Usagi smiled sweetly and nuzzled her button nose into Luna's fur. It was comforting for both of them.

"I just don't know what I'm doing anymore. I feel so angry, and sad, at everyone. Nothing feels like my choice and fighting it just hurts everyone I love. I know I've been avoiding the girls too. I'm just tired of feeling like I'm failing them by not wanting to be the leader and princess they need." Usagi's heart clenched at the admission that fell out of her lips.

"Oh, Usagi. If you feel like you're failing them, then I'm failing you as an advisor. You used to act the same way on the moon, do you remember?" Luna questioned.

Usagi's eyes widened, shaking her head.

"When you fell in love with Endymion, you fought against it so hard. You knew what falling in love with him would mean for your kingdom. You isolated yourself so much and we were so worried." Luna seemed lost in the memory, a sadness washing over her that Usagi so badly wished to take away.

" When I look back at those times", Luna added wistfully," I remember how much I wish you had confided in me. You lacked confidence, even then. If you don't have it, and if you don't have faith, you may never know what you'll lose."

"If you need time away from Mamoru, to gain that confidence, I will support you all the way. Destiny does not have to be the chains that binds you," Luna concluded.

Usagi felt a few tears come loose, rolling thick and heavy down her cheek. When will I stop crying? She hugged Luna closer to her chest.

"Thank you, Luna. You've never failed me as my advisor."

A beep emanating from Usagi's briefcase interrupted the soft moment. It was her communicator. Confused, Usagi popped it open, wondering if her nerves were right all along.

Rei's face popped up on the screen.

"Usagi! We're having an emergency senshi meeting in 30 minutes at the arcade, get here as soon as you can," Rei declared, hanging up before Usagi could begin to protest. Usagi sighed, and Luna jumped from Usagi's shoulder to the floor.

"Go on, we can talk more at home."

"Okay so that should give us anywhere between forty-five minutes to an hour," Rei exclaimed to the tightly packed corner booth at the Furuhata's Fruit Parlor.

Even though it was nearing six pm, the blaring August sun was shining brightly through the window. The girls facial expressions varied, but there was no denying the common tension holding their shoulders tight.

"And what exactly again are we going to say at this emergency senshi meeting?" Minako questioned, brows furrowed and her slim hands cradling her face.

"That she has to stop avoiding us! She can't just do this to us," Rei responded, fists tightening in her lap.

"She's going through a lot, Rei. I don't think it has anything to do with us," Makoto responded gently, placing one of her hands over Rei's in attempt to loosen them.

"I thought her and Mamoru were going to be friends," Ami interjected, unsure if this was even her business in the first place

"I think it was just too hard for her. She just needs some space, before she gets there," Makoto whispered, starting to feel a little guilty for gossiping about her precious princess even if it was with their dearest friends.

"I still can't believe she broke up with Mamoru. How can she believe he doesn't love her? If she literally walked into the arcade once in the past three weeks, she would see the zombie he's become. He's more stone-like than ever," Rei shouted hotly, and the girls immediately moved to shush the priestess, very aware that the man being spoken about was sitting again at his usual corner stool of the parlor.

"I'm worried about both of them, Rei. But neither of them are willing to talk to us. How do we get them to open up. Usually we can't get Usagi to stop talking, but this is territory we're unfamiliar with," Makoto soothed – but in reality she was sure she was soothing nobody, not even herself.

"I feel like we're losing her… and I don't know if she'll give us the chance to help her," Rei sighed, causing Minako to speak up.

"Was this a premonition, Rei-chan?"

"I just feel it in my bones… something is coming and it's coming soon. That's why we need to fix this sooner rather than later. We can't have Usagi distracted if there's a danger coming our way, " Rei explained.

The girls nodded, their need to protect their princess greater than their personal feelings on how to be there for Usagi.

The door opened with a beep, and the girls turned to see Usagi walk in. As if he could sense her presence, Mamoru's shoulders tensed and he whirled around.

If he didn't miss her so damn much, he most definitely would have felt embarrassed by how intensely he drank up the sight of her. Her body was still changing into the princess, and he could measure the inches her hair had grown, and the slight hint of silver than ran through her golden locks. He wondered how much the changes still bothered her, she had complained a few times only to have her complaints dismissed by him. He cringed at the memory.

The dreams had stopped abruptly after their break up, but his misery had only intensified. He longed to hold her in his arms, drag her away from this world, and find a place where their destiny could stop screwing them like this. If only he could tell her these things, but he would never. This was his burden to bear, not hers.

Her eyes snapped up to look at him, as if she could sense his thoughts. She would be able to if she had kept our soul bond. The irony of how much I hid from her even with our bond that I now wish desperately I could show her.

Usagi almost froze in place. His eyes never stopped to hypnotize her - the deep blue of the planet he was born to rule. He looked tired, and she so desperately wanted to comfort him. Destiny sure hates us.

She began to move towards the senshi when she heard the door beep again, signaling another person had entered.

"Oi, Odango," a deep and achingly familiar voice called. Almost everyone in the arcade quieted, knowing how Usagi's reaction to be called the name. Mamoru's eyes widened, and the girls turned suddenly.

"My name is not—" Usagi fumed before she faltered.

He was tall. Wearing a fitted and stylish outfit, his eyes covered in sunglasses, hair covered by a baseball cap. She could still see the long thin ponytail that hung behind him.

Usagi wasn't sure what possessed her, but she found herself taking short steps towards him. When she reached him, he smiled and bent slightly down, allowing her to slowly pull the sunglasses off him. The hue almost purple caused her to get lost in the familiarity of his eyes, so much so she didn't even notice his hands holding her at the exposed skin above her skirt.

"Some things never seem to change, no matter what timeline we find each other, huh Odango?" he asked, smiling more broadly at the way her mouth gaped.

"Why are you s-so—" she stammered, completely unable to find speech.

He had to chuckle at that. The shaking of his body caused the cap to fall to the side. A couple of young girls screamed, breaking Usagi out of her reverie.

"It's Seiya Kou from the Three Lights!"

I have always wanted to write a story with Seiya in it... and now I get to do that :)