Hi everyone!
How are things going? I'm down in the dumps because I losy my cellphone! Talk about bad luck! And my mother has been nagging me about it ever since! sigh!
Ah well I'm not going to bore you with my life. I present to you the long-awaited chapter 5! Now be nice and don't forget to drop me a line:D
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters.
-Recap-
Suddenly feeling the need to throw up as she realized just how she had died. She had died only after having watched how the others had suffered and finally been killed!
"Why are you showing me this?" she gasped forward.
"This is your end should you choose to return. The others will still all die if you do not return but if you go back you shall be forced to watch the entire process. Now that you know your destiny you shall choose. Will you go back and suffer this fate or do you choose to enter the realm of peace?"
-End of recap-
Chapter 5
"I…" Usagi was stunned. How was she supposed to answer? Could she really bear watching all her friends die? No matter what she chose she was sure this image would haunt her for all eternity. She wavered.
Mamoru sensed a sudden change in Usagi. Her regular breathing hitched slightly and she became even paler if that was even possible. He quickly checked her pulse; it was still there but fluttering.
"Hang in there Odango," he whispered tenderly. He didn't care what it took. He would go to the kingdom of Death and take her back himself if that was needed. He was not letting her go!
Usagi heard him but she still faltered. Could she bear to see him die? But would she be able to exist without him? Some foreign emotion inside her murmured that it was not possible.
The young girl's eyes swept past the barren land, past the shells which had housed her four best friends and at last at the young man lying in her arms.
"You must choose now," the shade said without the slightest regard for how the teenager must be feeling at that point.
Tears clouded her vision as she desperately tried to decide which way she wanted to go. How was she supposed to choose? Even if she returned this picture would return to haunt her every time she saw her friends. Could she bear being with her friends knowing that this was the end that awaited them, after having seen their lifeless bodies?
More importantly, how was she supposed to look Mamoru in the eye knowing that she had failed him, she had let him die? Her arms tightened unconsciously around Mamoru's cold body as she lowered her head and hid her face in his hair.
"You must choose now," the shade repeated.
Angelica and Vince both stared at the picture presented forgetting to breath at that moment. How would the Queen choose? Angelica was more confident than Vince who was almost about to faint with worry.
Mamoru was getting more worried by the second. Something was wrong, he could sense it. Usagi was getting paler by the second and her previously peaceful face now wore a troubled frown. What was happening? No, scratch that question. He didn't care what happened as long as she returned to him!
"Odango now you listen here!" he demanded. "I am, under no circumstances, letting you go, do you hear me? Under NO circumstances so don't even think about leaving me! If you do I will move heaven and earth to find you again! I don't care what is going on inside your head but know that I will never ever let you leave me!"
Mamoru's words moved someplace in Usagi's heart but it didn't matter did it? It didn't change anything. This would still occur and Usagi doubted that her heart and mind could take it when it finally did. She gently placed a soft kiss on her Mamo-chan's forehead and took one last lingering look at him before placing him on the ground.
Usagi stood up and something in her gaze suddenly died and faded away. She turned to the shade silently, still grappling with her decision.
"Well, what have you decided?" the hollow voice asked.
Usagi's mouth opened as her lips started to form the words that would come to change her life. Images flitted across her mind reminding her of all the good times she had spent together with her family and friends. Weren't they enough? Shouldn't she be satisfied having lived such a happy and love-filled life?
As the images came to a halt the pictures of Rei, Mako, Amy and Mina each pacing back and forth in their own homes appeared. They, being faintly linked to her, had sensed something but weren't sure what the feelings were. Each had a sense of foreboding that they couldn't shake off.
Rei being the psychic one had the strongest urge to, well, she didn't know but it was making her extremely restless. She paced back and forth in the exact image of her future self. Something was wrong! She just knew it. She had tried contacting the other girls but due to the storm the lines were down.
The fire had refused to tell her anything, making her even more anxious.
"Argh!" she exclaimed at last. A feeling of frustration and helplessness was engulfing and making her as mad as hell, especially when she didn't know why.
The others were all experiencing the similar thing although perhaps not as strongly. Suddenly at the same moment the same thought crossed their mind. This was a feeling they had experienced before and hoped that they never would have to go though it again.
"Usagi!" they all cried out simultaneously.
Once when she had been on a vacation with her family she had hurt herself and broken her leg. The Scouts had sensed that something was wrong but they didn't find out until they saw Usagi with her leg in a cast. Then they all understood. They had some kind of connection with their leader telling them if something was wrong, and something was definitely wrong now.
Without a second thought the girls rushed out through their doors only to be met by the furious storm. Regardless of the downpour and ominous rumblings they continued forward. The wind was too strong and the rain felt more like whips that droplets of water but they ignored everything and focused on one single person, Usagi. They would reach her no matter what!
Ami, Makoto, Rei and Mina all reached the house almost fainting with the exhaustion of having to brave the storm. They glanced at each other, taking in the others' shape and a look of understanding was shared. They knocked on the door but it took several tries before the door was opened. The storm was so loud that the knocking was almost ignored.
"What on earth are you doing here?" Ikuko asked surprised at the sight of her daughter's best friends at the door soaked to the skin. She quickly ushered them in commanding her son to fetch towels for the girls.
"Where's Usagi?" Rei asked panting.
"I thought she was with one of you?" Ikuko said slightly worried. She had been worried about her daughter when the storm started but she had hoped that Usagi would seek shelter at one of her friend's house. Apparently that was not the case.
"She's not at home?" Mina asked panicking.
Mako swore. "We have to find her, now!"
"No," Ikuko protested. "You can't possibly go out into that weather. I'm sure that Usagi is alright. She's probably at the arcade or somewhere." She continued, fervently praying that she was right.
They all looked out the window. God they hoped she was right!
Usagi kept the image of her friends. How lucky she was to have them! The last picture she received brought tears to her eyes; her Mamo-chan sitting beside her holding her hand, whispering soft words to her.
He was so gentle, so caring. He was more than she had ever hoped for. She would be leaving all this behind if she chose to go; could she really tear herself apart from them?
Usagi straightened up, her eyes set in grim determination. She knew what her answer would be. 'Calm down Usa,' she thought trying to encourage herself. 'This is the right choice, no matter what happens.'
"Are you sure?" the shade asked when she had answered.
Usagi hesitated for only one second.
"I'm sure."
The shade nodded slightly as the world around her began to shift and melt away.
Mamoru kept wake at Usagi's side and paled when he heard her sharp intake of breath before silence. Something had changed. He dreaded looking up. He wouldn't be able to take it if she left him, she couldn't leave him!
Suddenly complete disbelief covered his face. His head jerked up quickly. He had to be dreaming! Tears misted his vision and all became blurry, all but the young girl lying on his bed.
A huge smile burst forward as he managed to whisper a few soft words.
"Welcome back Usako."
And that concludes chapter 5! What did you think? Review review review!
Till next time then!
Cathy Daine