Konnichiwa, minna! *g* Any comments or critz will be accepted and appreciated! goddess_avalon@hotmail.com I do not own Sailor Moon, the creator and all of the companies that dub and all that kind of thing do. Don't sue me, I'm just a wanna-be author *g* Now ONTO THE STORY! *g* ----------------------------------------------------------------------- After making sure Seion and Chibi-Usa were comfortable to watch the events going on inside or around the building, Seiya and Usagi left to go find a nice place just to sit and talk. They sat down in a booth in a little restaurant and ordered hot drinks to dry and override the wet coldness that was still hanging. After they had ordered their drinks, Usagi started talking. "I'm not in love with Mamoru-chan anymore. I don't think I ever was except up until that time with the Wiseman." She said, "And if Mamoru-chan's not in love with me, I guess I'm relieved. I can start looking for someone new, and I wouldn't have to worry about hurting his feelings." Seiya held his breath and hardly managed to keep from sighing in relief. He and Mamoru were good friends, and now Seiya wouldn't have to worry about offending Mamoru if Usagi had somehow developed any feelings for him over the years. Usagi sighed, "I don't know how we can get inside that building... Illsus-baka knows about the disguise power." An idea popped into Seiya's head. "Why don't you disguise yourself as a county supervisor?" He said, shrugging his shoulders. "Illsus-baka may be strong, but he's also pretty stupid." He continued, laughing. "Yeah, I suppose so." Usagi said. They paid for their coffee and walked out of the shop. There was nobody around except for them. Usagi turned to Seiya, "Ready?" She asked, and pulled out the Luna Pen. Seiya nodded. "Disguise Power! Turn me into a county supervisor!" As the light around Usagi faded, Seiya stared in disbelief at Usagi. "Wow." He whispered. Usagi examined herself to make sure it really made her look like a county supervisor. "Perfect! Seiya-chan, you have the best ideas!" Usagi exclaimed, and hugged him. She pulled back quickly though and turned to the building. "You stay a safe distance away. I'll call if I need help." Seiya nodded, and Setsuna walked up. "I see you're going to see what's going on in there?" She asked Usagi, stepping in front of Seiya. "Yeah... if this doesn't work, well... I think I'm out of ideas." Setsuna shook her head, "You may find out what he's doing in there, but nothing will defeat him except for the power that goes with the heart wand. But you will not find that for a while." Usagi and Seiya stared at Setsuna. "Ok... I guess I'll just have to take your word for it." Usagi said, and walked off. "Be careful, Usako!" Seiya whispered, as he watched her pause for a moment at the door, then enter the building, the stronghold of Illsus. "We just want to make sure that this building won't be in the way of the condos that are being build not to far behind you." Usagi said, as Illsus pushed her along one of the long hallways. "None the less, nobody comes in here and goes out alive." Illsus grumbled, and shoved Usagi into a room. She fell down and Illsus soon had her tied to a chair, with a cloth gag in her mouth. Instead of calling for Seiya as she promised she would, as she started slipping unconscious, the thought subconsciously Help me, Tuxedo Mask! The next thing she knew, he was untying her. "What?" Usagi asked, groggily. "I thought Seiya-kun was supposed to come." Mamoru sighed, "I don't know where he or any of the others are right now." He said, and helped Usagi stand up. "He's right here." Illsus said, pushing Seiya into the room with the three. "An even sweeter victory than getting rid of Sailor Moon." He said, "I've got Tuxedo Mask himself, along with his good old friend Sailor Star Fighter." "Seiya-kun!" Usagi gasped, Seiya stood up and stood in-between Mamoru and Usagi, facing Illsus. "What do you want with us, Illsus-baka?" He demanded, holding his shoulder. Usagi noticed this and her eyes narrow, I'll kill him for hurting Seiya-chan! she thought, and was surprised at that thought. "Uh oh." She whispered to herself. "Nothing, I just want you out of my way!" He said, and blasted a ball of energy that engulfed the room. Usagi, without thinking, pushed Seiya out of the way of the flying energy ball. She hit the wall after pushing him out of the way and fell down. She stood up quickly after that, though. "Illsus-baka! Return to the Negamoon... IMMEDIATELY!" A deep voice growled. Illsus disappeared, leaving Usagi, Seiya, and Mamoru in the room. Seiya looked around for Mamoru but didn't see him anywhere. "Usagi-chan, where's Mamoru-kun?" He asked. He saw her sitting on the floor by the wall. "Seiya-kun... Illsus-baka killed him!" She gasped out. "What?" Seiya exclaimed, and went over to where Usagi was sitting. "That little... Usagi-chan, you have to do something about him!" "WHAT CAN I DO?" Usagi burst out, "Setsuna-sama's no help, she just says I have to realize something before I can do anything even CLOSE to what needs to be done to get rid of Illsus!" Usagi started crying, "He's probably coming after everybody... not just me but everybody! He proved that just now." She said, gesturing towards Mamoru. "I see... Usagi-chan, you know nobody ever leaves you." Seiya hesitated before continuing. "If you really did care about him, and if he really did care about you, then he will always be with you." Usagi stood up. "Seiya-kun, I proved something tonight. I proved I can't handle Illsus-baka by myself. Or even with all of you guys. Setsuna-chan's right, I need something more... I just don't know what it is yet!" She then turned and walked out of the building before Seiya had a chance to say another word. Setsuna watched Usagi from a distance. "I don't know how much longer it will take, Seion-sensei." She said to the old woman standing beside her. "It will take time, Setsuna-chan. Just be patient." Then Seion disappeared back to her post. Usagi walked back to Hotaru's apartment and sat down on the front steps. Hotaru soon came out with to mugs of hot tea. "What happened, Usagi-chan? Ami-chan said suddenly, it was as if you, Seiya-kun, and Mamoru-kun vanished, after Mamoru-kun appeared." Usagi sighed and took a sip of her tea. "He's gone, Hotaru-chan. Mamoru-chan's gone. Illsus-baka killed him. I saved Seiya-kun, but didn't give a second thought to Mamoru-chan until after Illsus-baka disappeared." Hotaru sighed, "I'm sorry, Usagi-chan." Usagi held up a hand to stop Hotaru. "It's all right, Hotaru-chan! Mamoru-kun had started cutting me out completely, so there's nothing to be sorry for." Seiya then reached the house and joined Usagi and Hotaru on the steps. "Hey." He said, Hotaru stood up. "Do you want some tea or coffee or anything, Seiya-kun?" Seiya nodded, "Tea would be nice." He said, and sat down next to Usagi. Hotaru went in the house and Seiya and Usagi sat there a long time before either of them said anything. "I'm so sorry, Usagi-chan." Seiya finally said. "Don't be." Usagi replied, "These things happen for a reason. Strange as it may be... everything will work out... for destiny." Usagi finished in a whisper. "That sounds like something Setsuna-sama would say, Usagi-chan!" Seiya exclaimed, surprised. Usagi laughed slightly. "Yeah... surprising, isn't it?" Hotaru came back out and gave Seiya his tea, then went back inside. "Can you believe how... connected our group has become? I mean, what, maybe seven years ago Haruka was so hostile and protective of the main scouts and everything... of course I always knew we weren't a part of your group, but Galaxia was... so it did concern you, I guess." "And now it's almost as if you've always been one of us?" Usagi finished for him. Seiya nodded, "Once this is over, I'm not going to go back to being a starlight." Seiya said, suddenly. Usagi whipped her head around and stared at Seiya. "WHAT?" She exclaimed, "But Seiya-kun, you have to! It's your duty to the princess!" Seiya thought a moment before replying. "You're a princess to, aren't you?" He asked, and Usagi just shrugged to this. "Yeah... but I'm a princess of the moon... your duty as a star fighter to YOUR princess is more important than being a friend to this moon princess." Seiya shook his head, "If there's one thing I ever learned from Princess Kakyuu, it's that friendship is more important than anything. Usagi sighed and stared down into her tea. "She really taught you that?" She asked. Seiya nodded. "Right after we returned to our planet after you helped defeat Galaxia." Usagi felt her breath catch in her throat. "I've... got... to go do something." She said in a rush, then hurried into the house, closing the door firmly behind her. Images flashed through her mind of the time before the starlight's left with their princess to start their planet over again. It was just as it was now, but Mamoru had returned. ---FLASHBACK--- "It's great that your boyfriend has returned." Seiya told her, "It's because of you. Because of you I was able to do my best." She had replied, not catching the hint of sadness that might have slid into Seiya's voice. "Odango, I won't forget you." Seiya had said, and Usagi, then not realizing what he really meant, replied with a simple "Yes, we're friends forever." ---END FLASHBACK--- And that was that. Now that Usagi thought over it, she finally realized what Seiya had really meant, through all of those dates and everything he had done for her. "It's because of Illsus this has all happened!" Usagi growled. She spun around, and her ponytails slapped Seiya right across the face. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Uh-oh... Mamo-chan's dead and Usagi-chan just realized that Seiya-kun has a major crush on her... *singsong voice* Uh-oh, let's see what happens next! ~*~Goddess Avalon