Author's Note: I've been pretty distracted lately, what with Covid-19 playing havoc in America, and all over the world. Sometimes it is really hard to find hope, and for a while I thought about all the ways I could have Sailor Moon save us. Then I came up with this thought, Heroes often wear masks, so I started trying to use that as a way for people to connect masks with something good. I would say: Be a Hero. Wear a Mask.

Except, no one noticed. And that is the heart of the issue right there. No one notices us little people, who don't have money or breeding or power. I really wish they did. I wish someone would share the message and get people to realize no one is stealing your rights by asking you to protect other people. We expect the military personnel to go face soldiers in other countries, but we can't be bothered to put a freaking mask on to save a life. And here I am, just ignored while CNN and FOX tear at each other and the rest of us just want to know what is going on!

Anyways... now that I've gotten a tiny portion of my ranting out, I will share a story with you. This is a requested story from Astraearose-silvermoon, who happens to be my beta and friend. She has been trying not to hound me for weeks, but yesterday she gave me this idea and I really got inspired, so I hope you enjoy it. Happy reading and stay safe!

Sailor Silver Ladybug
~ Tori

Mamoru's Malfunction
An Identity Reveal Story

"What is his problem?" wondered a girl aloud as she passed the handsome, but rather angry looking teen sitting on his stool with a coffee cup squeezed between his palms.

Mamoru raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. The question was rhetorical, and she wasn't talking to him. He knew he wasn't sending out the best impression, but he didn't care. Two months had passed since he'd lost the love of his life and he didn't know what he could do about it.

She didn't even remember him! How could it be that the strong, incredibly brave girl had just forgotten everything that had happened. Frustrated, he sighed and put his coffee cup on the counter, looking around for the others. Rei wasn't sitting at the table with Usagi, getting into some ridiculous argument with her. Ami wasn't sitting in the corner with a book held protectively in front of her face and occasionally letting out a wry comment or correcting someone. Makoto wasn't laughing with the little blonde and promising to cook her a dozen cookies. And Minako wasn't lounging all over the place mooning at boys or trying to convince the girls to go to a party.

Nothing was the same, and it hurt. Angrily he swiped at the stupid moisture in his eyes. Damned dust was everywhere. Standing abruptly, he made his way to the door, stalking footsteps audible even over the noises of teenage enjoyment and tinned sounds of video game violence. With a huff of anger, he rushed out, not willing to sit in the Crown without Usagi, or even Motoki to keep him company.

Striding toward the park, Mamoru glared at everyone. What hope did he have of ever being with Usagi if she didn't even know he existed? She never ran into him anymore. And in the past few weeks, since that rat Seijoru had asked her out, she hadn't been into the Crown, or even talked to Motoki. He knew she was alive. Fear and curiosity had sent him racing across the rooftops a few nights before to make sure, even after the others had promised she was fine.

'Stupid,' he thought.

He had been terrified someone would spot him and the city's hero would be forever labeled as a creeper, a peeping Tom. He would have been humiliated. Jadeite and Zoicite would have made sure he remembered it. He shook his head in exasperation. If it wasn't bad enough sharing a tiny apartment with the four recently healed young men, two of them were jokers and pranksters.

Mamoru settled onto his favorite bench. He had precious memories here, of just him and Usagi, fighting mostly. A few times they had simply talked, and he had seen something in her that was far beyond the wisdom a young teenager should have. If only he hadn't fought his feelings for her, they might have had more time. He might never have been taken. And now she was lost to him.

A slug on his shoulder pulled Mamoru out of his contemplations and he turned to look up at Nephrite, who was glaring at him. "Enough of this crap!" the other teen said, running fingers through his unusually messy, thick chestnut hair. "I can't take it! You look like hell, and we all feel like it! I'm done waiting. The cats can kiss my..." he trailed off at the sight of the white cat leaping up onto the bench.

Mamoru turned his eyes on the cat as well, no happier than Nephrite. All of them had begged the cats to help the girls remember, but they'd refused. Luna and Artemis firmly believed the girls should be allowed to have a normal life, no matter how miserable it made them. And none of them were happy. Rei was being bullied at school, Ami never spoke to anyone, Minako went from one boy to the next, never having a second date, and never having a nice first one, Makoto didn't cook anymore, and Usagi was dating Seijoru, but by all reports didn't even smile.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Nephrite," Artemis said formally. "As I said before, Usagi must have wished for this. We can't take that away from them all."

"And what about us?" Nephrite asked, anger filtering through. "We have to suffer twice because we remember, and because they don't."

"Usagi would never have wished for this," Mamoru added. "She never would have wanted her friends to be sad and miserable."

"They aren't-"

"Don't!" Nephrite yelled, holding up his hand as he interrupted. "We have eyes! Makoto sits on her balcony and cries every night! She's all alone. No one to stand up for her, remember? And the other girls are no better. They're miserable."

Artemis sighed. "I know." He shook his head sadly. "Minako doesn't even threaten to dye me pink anymore."

"Ahem," a soft cough came from under the bench and a small black bundle of fur leapt up to stand next to Artemis, who blushed.

Mamoru glared at Luna and turned away. He didn't want to speak to her. Luna's argument was that Usagi was better off without him and the others. He wanted to hate her for it, but he also remembered squeezing Sailor Moon's throat at the order of Queen Beryl. So, he had given in, told himself she was right.

"I have a new lead on the aliens," Luna said, grabbing his attention.

Mamoru still didn't look at her, but he did turn back. He was in charge of the Shitennou. He had to be responsible so nothing horrible happened to them again. He would never forgive himself for leaving them behind in the orphanage, even though he hadn't remembered their former life yet. He listened as Luna described an attack at the new virtual reality center. Usagi's father and brother had been caught up in it.

"As I made my way in, I saw Usagi with Seijoru and Natsume. Her eyes changed."

"Usagi's eyes changed?" Mamoru questioned, curious.

"No. Natsume's eyes changed."

Quick as lightning Mamoru's mind moved from Natsume to Seijoru. If Natsume was the cause, then there had to be something wrong with him too. And if he was one of those aliens... "Where is Usagi?" he asked.

"At home. As I said, her father and brother were caught in the attack."

"Are they alright?" Mamoru asked.

"Why didn't you call us?" Nephrite asked.

"They're fine. And I didn't call because it was over before I knew it was happening. We need to step up patrols." Luna paced back and forth across the bench in front of Artemis as she talked, her tail twitching in agitation.

"We need the girls to remember who they are," Nephrite retorted. "Or do you like seeing them miserable?"

Luna inhaled a quick breath and took off running, quickly disappearing into the bushes.

"That was out of line," Artemis said, glaring at the tall teen. "She misses Usagi too."

Mamoru ran his long fingers through his hair and paced back and forth in front of the bench. "Why don't you two see, this isn't what Usagi would have wanted. She would have wanted to remember her friends, to remember me..." He trailed off, unable to finish over the lump in his throat.

Artemis sighed. "I know," he said sadly. "But Luna doesn't want her in danger anymore. When we thought she was dead..." He too left his sentence unfinished. Mamoru swallowed hard. He knew how badly that must have hurt them because he had seen her die.

Saying nothing, he turned and walked away. There were too many words and not nearly enough to say the things he was feeling. He felt like crap. All he really wanted was to go to sleep and wake up with everyone happy and everything normal. A normal life. One with no monsters, but with Usagi running wildly towards him and sometimes literally tripping into his arms. A man could do far worse than a life that simple and easy. If Usagi had made a wish, it would have been for no more monsters and magic, not to forget the ones she loved so dearly.

"Maybe it's time for a different tactic," Nephrite panted, having caught up with him.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Go behind their backs and talk to the girls."

"You saw what that got Kunzite," Mamoru reminded his friend. Kunzite had been bespelled by Artemis twice, once with pink hair, and the second time so he couldn't speak a word for three days.

"Yeah well, Makoto doesn't have a guard cat. And who says we have to tell them anything about being Senshi. How about we just make them happy? You know, ask them if they want to hang out, spend time with them. No magic involved."

Mamoru nodded. It wouldn't be possible for Kunzite. Or for him. Luna had gotten him once, turning him into a kitten for several hours so she could teach him a lesson about going behind her back. Still, he would give anything for five minutes with Usagi, even if it were just talking about the weather.

"You guys can try, but Kun and I had better stay out of it at first."

"He won't like that," Nephrite predicted.

"I know."

Another full week had passed, and Mamoru was beyond frustrated. It was clear to him now that Seijoru and Natsume were in fact the aliens they were fighting. Worse, he had been forced to sit watching as Usagi and Seijoru had a date when it had been his turn to watch him. Seijoru had tried to kiss Usagi. She'd turned her face away, so the kiss had landed on her cheek, but he had seen the angry look Seijoru gave her and it sent a chill up his spine.

He leaned against the railing of his balcony, letting the gentle wind stir through his hair and try to chase some of his irritation away. He felt more alone than ever. Nephrite seemed to be having a great deal of luck with Makoto. She had even agreed to have coffee with him. Jadeite had simply walked into the Jinja and asked to become a priest-in-training. Grandfather Hino had immediately agreed and had winked at him. And Zoicite had wandered into the library and sat next to Ami, immediately beginning a discussion about physics. They had been talking each day since. Even Kunzite had grudgingly been given Artemis' blessing to see Minako, so long as he didn't say anything about the Senshi or the Shitennou.

Not Mamoru.

Luna still insisted he was bad for Usagi and that she didn't want him near 'her girl.' It was hard not to be angry. He felt like he would be happy if only he could see and talk to her. But he wasn't about to get into a fight with a magical cat when he still didn't have a handle on all of his own powers. He was learning more each day, thanks to constant training with Kunzite and the others, but he knew she could still turn him into a kitten again.

It was early. Mamoru wished he could sleep, but since he didn't have the princess dream anymore, there was nothing to look forward to. Often, he woke in the small hours of the morning and couldn't fall back to sleep. So, he would spend time staring out at the world he didn't really feel a part of. He wished he could either forget Usagi or be allowed to be near her. Her light made things better. She made him realize what was truly important. And without her, it felt like the world should be burning.

Frustrated, he walked off the balcony and crept through his packed apartment to the kitchen. There was no coffee. For a moment Mamoru thought the world might end right there, but reality hit, and he realized he could just walk to the store. He grabbed his keys and left the apartment as quietly as he could.

The streets were quiet in the more residential area of Tokyo. As he walked to the konbini, Mamoru thought about moving into a bigger apartment. They'd all been talking about it for weeks. Somehow it had just become normal to trip on at least two people on his way to the bathroom. It hadn't even occurred to him that the others had been sleeping on his floor for over two months. He passed the Crown, which was still closed so early, and went through one of the alleys to get to the konbini.

As he walked through the alley, he noticed a property that looked like it needed some serious care. The roof had a couple bad patches he could see even in the half-light of early morning. The paint needed to be scraped off the porch and redone entirely. The garden was a tangled mess of weeds, and several windows were broken. But the bones of the structure were good, even if it was far too big for five men. Dozens could live there without driving each other crazy.

Without asking why he was doing it, Mamoru pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the retail information so he could call and ask about the old building. Then he slid his phone back into his pocket and hurried the rest of the way to the store and his precious coffee. He gathered snacks for the others, a breakfast they could eat on the run since they all had school and patrols to do.

Before long he was back in the apartment, and the others were waking up as the sun rose. They took turns getting ready. Mamoru was grateful to be an early riser when he heard Jadeite pounding his fist on the door to hurry Zoicite along. They definitely needed multiple bathrooms. He reminded himself to call the realtor later that day and hurried to find his school bag and check that his homework was inside.

Throughout the day, Mamoru found himself thinking more and more about the old property, and about Usagi. He wondered what advice she would give him. She had a funny way of looking at the world that made everything seem possible. Would she tell him to go for it, or to look for something more traditional? Thanks to his money he didn't have to live in a tiny apartment, but they needed something bigger than what they had now.

When school finally ended, Mamoru once again found himself in the Crown, though he had argued fiercely with himself trying to avoid it. Today was different however, because Usagi was sitting at one of the tables with Naru at her side. Mamoru felt his heart stop, his hands grew sweaty, and he thought for just a moment that he might pass out. Then Motoki grabbed his arm.

"I didn't think you were coming, or I would have waited," the blond teen said, hauling Mamoru towards the counter. "Give me just a minute to put on a fresh pot. Any luck?"

Motoki was the only one who knew who Mamoru and the others were. He also knew that Mamoru was desperately in love with Usagi and wanted to talk to her. He only shook his head in response. Luna hadn't let him near Usagi, even after Kunzite had been granted permission to hang out with Minako. He wanted to yell and scream that it wasn't fair, but he was too mature for that.

"It isn't fair," he grumbled under his breath instead.

"Life never is," Motoki agreed.

"Now that's just silly," a musical voice announced behind them.

Mamoru struggled to breathe as he turned his gaze on Usagi. He wasn't about to make the same mistakes he had before. He carefully guarded his tone and put a small smile on his face as he turned to address her. "How is it silly?" he asked, trying to be serious. She might know something he didn't. She was like that.

"Because life is what you make it." Usagi tossed her head, grinning and leaned on the counter.

Mamoru slid into his seat as Motoki went around and because pouring a cup of coffee for him and making a shake for Usagi. He watched her slip into the seat next to his and lean her head on her hand. She stared at him with those incredible bright blue eyes. Cerulean, he thought. It was the perfect shade of blue.

"I've always thought life is what happens to you," Mamoru said morosely.

Usagi snorted. "Then you will never have any fun. Think about all the things that led you to this moment, right here. Is there something you could have changed, but you chose not to because you thought you didn't have a choice? What if you did have a choice? What if you could do, or be, anything?"

"I want to change a lot of things," Mamoru said, trying to hide the horrible aching sadness that threatened to swamp him.

"Then do it," Usagi said, grinning happily as she took the first sip of her triple chocolate shake.

"Others won't let me," Mamoru argued gently.

Usagi snorted. "Then think around them. Sometimes we want things we don't even understand. Or we don't want things others want for us. Sometimes we want to be free. If you don't fight for you, who will?"

"Alright Yoda, Naru looks about ready to jump up and come after you. Go spend time with her."

Usagi laughed. "I think I will. I haven't seen nearly enough of her the past couple of weeks. Or this place," she added, shaking her head gently. "See you later Toki, and you as well..."

It tore at Mamoru that she didn't remember his name. "Mamoru," he supplied, choking back anything else he might say.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Usagi."

Mamoru only nodded and smiled before she had walked away. Naru started waving her hands animatedly as Usagi approached the table and Mamoru had the distinct impression she was scolding her blonde friend. He wished, not for the first time, that he had some sort of Crystal of his own that could fix Usagi's memory. It hurt when she looked at him with no recognition in her eyes.

"I'm sorry man," Motoki murmured after she was gone.

Mamoru wasn't sorry though. He felt like new life had been breathed into him. Even though the conversation had been short, and Usagi's lack of memory had hurt, Mamoru felt like there was hope. Usagi had said he could change his life. She'd said he could fight for himself, for what he wanted. Well, he knew what he wanted. Usagi, at his side, his best friend, his girlfriend, his everything.

"You're plotting something," Motoki hissed.

"Yes, I am," Mamoru agreed, though he didn't elaborate.

It had been two days since Mamoru had seen Usagi, but his newfound optimism hadn't dissipated. In fact, it was growing stronger than ever. Usagi and Naru had been in the Crown every day, and he had been able to interact with Usagi at least once each visit. He thought they might become friends within a few weeks if the new pattern held out. In fact, he was quite excited to get to the Crown.

When he did finally reach the arcade, Mamoru hurried inside and to his accustomed place at the counter, where Motoki was standing, compulsively washing the same spot over and over as he stared at the back of the seating area. Worried, Mamoru turned to look and saw Usagi and Seijoru standing beside the last table in the row, in the midst of a heated discussion. Naru was still sitting at their normal table, wringing her hands together, looking upset.

"What is going on?" Mamoru asked, keeping his voice low so that only Motoki could hear him. Others were looking in the direction of the argument as well and Mamoru found himself growing more worried by the moment.

"Apparently, Usagi tried to slow things down with Seijoru. He tried to kiss her a few days ago and she turned her head or something."

Mamoru had already known that part. He'd seen it. "And?" he questioned, hoping for more information.

"And Seijoru showed up here, terribly angry, and asked where Usagi had been the past few days. She explained she'd said she needed time to think about what she wanted, and then he grabbed her arm and tried dragging her out. I was about to hit him, but she stopped me and said she could handle it. I think he's been pushing her for the next step and she just isn't ready."

"Not to mention he's an alien trying to steal people's energy," Mamoru retorted under his breath. He desperately wanted to step in and rescue Usagi, but something held him back. If he were ever to have her as his partner, he needed to treat her like one. She could save herself. Unless she really needed help, he would stay out of it, but if Seijoru tried to hurt her he couldn't promise not to put him in the ground.

"Did you say he's an alien?" Motoki asked and Mamoru winced. He hadn't told Motoki that last bit, hoping to spare him some of the worry.

Seijoru's voice suddenly rose and Mamoru turned his attention back to the quarreling couple. "... have every right to know where you are. You're my girlfriend. I decide where you go."

Dead silence filled the arcade as Usagi set her shoulders back and stood to her full height, which was less than five feet but seemed like much more as she glared at the doomed teenager. "First of all," she said in a calm tone that belied her anger. "No one decides where I go and what I do, or who I can hang out with, other than my parents. Second, I will never cut Naru out of my life. In fact, I would rather cut off my own arm than to lose my best friend. Or any friend. But I don't mind saying, I won't miss you."

"What are you saying?" Seijoru asked, his tone changing from anger to pleading.

"I'm saying that I deserve better than someone who won't listen to me. I deserve better than to be treated like I'm not good enough, or smart enough. I deserve better than to have someone tell me I can't spend time with my friends. And I certainly deserve someone who doesn't try to make me kiss his fishy lips when I've already said no!" the last word ended on a shout and Usagi's entire body seemed to be vibrating with energy. "Now get out!" She lifted her hand and pointed toward the door imperiously.

Seijoru, for his part, stared at her with a mix of shock, anger, and hurt, then turned to look at everyone who had stopped what they were doing to watch the fight unfold. His face reddened and his fist clenched, then he stormed past Usagi, knocking her off balance with his shoulder before slamming out the door cursing.

For a single heartbeat there was silence. Then all around the Crown people started clapping and cheering, telling Usagi she had done a great job and that she was incredible. The little blonde made her way to Naru and threw her arms around her friend.

Something clicked in Mamoru's mind, and he had a vague understanding of how Usagi's wish might have gone wrong. The loss of Naru as her best friend must have hurt Usagi more deeply than any of them had imagined. Being a Senshi had meant danger, and somehow Naru found more danger than most people. She'd given up spending time with her to keep her safe.

Not that it had worked. Mamoru was under the distinct impression that Naru would be better off knowing the secret, like Motoki did. It was one thing to protect someone from your secret identity, it was an entirely different thing when just knowing you put them in danger. You had to warn them of that danger. Luna had been wrong to encourage each of the girls to hide their identities from their families. Mamoru knew he was onto something important. Her wish could only be fulfilled if she could have Naru and all her other friends as well.

"I've got to go," he told Motoki. "I promise I'll explain everything later if you come to my apartment, but for right now, I need to take care of something very important."

"I've got your back," Motoki said, handing him a go-cup of coffee. He'd already known somehow that Mamoru wouldn't be able to stay.

As Mamoru stood however, he was bumped from behind and spilled his coffee all down the front of a girl's school uniform. A wince of pain and a shocked screech announced that the coffee was very hot. Hurriedly, he put down the cup and grabbed a cup of ice water, pouring it over the scald as quickly as he could.

"Owie," Usagi complained. "Owie, owie, owie!"

"I am so sorry Usagi-chan," Mamoru said. "Are you alright?" She nodded slowly. Mamoru turned and grabbed his satchel. He knew he had a spare sweater inside. He quickly pulled it out and handed it to her. "Go change your shirt and soak it in cold water. Make sure you aren't badly burned."

"Alright," she said, blushing as she disappeared into the hallway. Mamoru followed her down to the end, where the girl's and boy's bathrooms stood side by side across from the break room. He heard the rustling sound of clothing being changed and blushed, kicking himself for not thinking.

"Are you okay?" he asked a few minutes later.

"Hai," Usagi opened the bathroom door, her white shirt wrung out in her hand. She looked absolutely adorable in his dark brown sweater.

Something inside him seemed to twist and he longed to kiss her. Instead, he bowed his head. "I'm really sorry I burned you."

"It was an accident. And I didn't announce myself." Usagi shrugged. "Besides, there's no real harm. The coffee didn't burn me badly and it all came out of the shirt just fine. See?" she held up the bundle of wet cloth.

Mamoru chuckled. Even when she'd had a rough day Usagi was unfailingly kind. He wished, not for the first time, that he could go back and make things right, and be friends with her from the day they'd met. Still, he had a real chance now. Before he could say anything else the screech of twisting metal hit Mamoru's ears, and the sound of screams followed it.

Without so much as a thought, Mamoru scooped Usagi up and hurried into the breakroom with her. He set her on her feet next to the table. "Hide under here," he ordered. Usagi moved quickly, ducking down and crawling under without argument, which was unusual for her.

Before Usagi was fully under the table, Mamoru pulled the eternal rose into existence with a downward twist of his hand. Instantly his normal clothing reformed itself into the suit and cape of Tuxedo Kamen. A mask formed on his face and a hat on his head. He heard Usagi gasp, but there were people in danger.

"Stay here," he ordered, then took off running out the door and down the hall.

What met him was two sneering aliens, and a monster that had Naru by the scruff of the neck. She let out a piercing scream as it ran claws down one of her arms. Tuxedo Kamen could see blood welling in the fresh wounds and wanted to gag. If he hadn't already known Seijoru was Ail, this would have proved it to him. White hot rage filled him, and Tuxedo Kamen lifted his hand and did something he'd never done before. Words came to him and filtered through as though they had always been there.

"Tuxedo la Smoking Bomber!" he shouted. A concussive force flew out of his palm, knocking the creature back and making it drop Naru, who was grabbed instantly by a couple boys and Unazuki and hurried behind the counter. Others were racing out the doors, but most of the patrons were already gone. Motoki peeked over the counter with a thumb held up, looking a bit ridiculous under the circumstances.

Turning his attention to the two aliens, Tuxedo Kamen pressed the call button on his communicator even as he addressed them. "Spoiling an afternoon of friends and fun for teenagers is unthinkable. Tuxedo Kamen cannot forgive you." He mentally smacked his forehead. No matter what he did, those speeches always sounded stupid.

Neither alien paid him any attention. "Where is she?" Ail asked, spinning around and around.

"Who?" he asked, trying to sound clueless about the attack and what had caused it.

"Tsukino Usagi," Ail snarled. "She has to pay."

"No, I think it's you who has to pay," he said, trying to keep calm. "You come to our planet and hurt people, destroy people's things and make them feel bad and you want some innocent girl to pay? Stop hurting innocent people and maybe they'll be nice to you!"

"You'll pay for that," An snarled, hurling her hand toward him. Instantly the creature advanced.

Tuxedo Kamen closed his eyes and concentrated on his new attack. "Tuxedo la Smoking Bomber!" he cried, again throwing energy at the creature. At the same time, he formed a rose into a mini-bomb and threw that a second later. A puff of smoke rose in the air where the creature had been. On the floor nothing remained but a pile of dust and a smoking card. Zoicite would want to study it.

The two aliens looked ready to attack him when Tuxedo Kamen heard a voice behind him. "No!" He wanted to scream. He had told her to hide, to wait for him, but she had come out and put herself in danger.

Then he turned and what met his eyes wasn't a helpless teenager. It was Sailor Moon, slightly altered. Her fuku skirt was still blue, but there was a golden hem around it now, and the same golden thread lined the cuffs of her gloves, the choker with the dangling moon, and the edging of the blouse. She was Sailor Moon, but somehow stronger. Something had changed, and he thought she was more beautiful than ever.

Slowly she raised the moon wand. How she even had it, Tuxedo Kamen couldn't guess. He hadn't seen it since the battle with Metalia. In a soft but powerful voice, Sailor Moon uttered the words, "Moon Healing Escalation." The wand glowed silver and gold and Sailor Moon spun in a slow dance that entranced everyone watching, except the female alien, who grabbed Ail by the arm and disappeared.

Naru hurried out from behind the counter, Motoki's arm wrapped around her as he called for a clean towel. Sailor Moon let out a sigh of relief, but she didn't stay. Instead she raced for the front door. Tuxedo Kamen followed immediately, his heart pounding as though he had run a hundred miles and leaped to the roof after her. She spun, staring up at him with wide eyes, then opened her arms and threw herself at him.

Letting his henshin go, Mamoru clung to Sailor Moon until she released her own. It took a moment for the sounds around them to come through, but then Mamoru looked up to see they were surrounded by the four Shitennou, all looking ready to shout for joy. Mamoru didn't know how Usagi had fought through the power of the Silver Crystal and whatever wish she had made, but he was grateful. He didn't care about looking silly or sentimental, so he just kept hugging the young woman who was the other half of his soul.

"Let me get this straight," Naru said, her forehead wrinkled as she held the Luna pen. "I just say what I want, and it will change me?"

"No," Usagi giggled. "Just your clothing. So, your mom doesn't see the claw marks and the blood and have a heart attack."

"Good idea," Naru said, nodding her head. She closed her eyes. "Luna disguise pen, make me look just like I did when I left for school this morning." She glanced down at her arm and sighed in relief. "It worked."

"It did."

"Now, will someone tell me what is going on? Who are all these people and why do they all know you?"

"Luna?" Usagi said, turning to the feline, who seemed almost excited to release the enchantment over Naru. She moved forward, the crescent moon on her forehead glowing brightly, and Naru gasped. In seconds it was done.

Mamoru, who hadn't let go of Usagi's hand for a moment since the end of the battle, smiled at the red head as she stared back at him, mouth open wide in shock. "You were a jerk!" she said abruptly.

"I really was," Mamoru agreed.

"They're here!" Motoki said, clapping his hands. "All of them are here!"

Mamoru turned to the doorway where four girls were standing, looking confused, in front of the closed sign over the door. Kunzite unlocked it and let them in, instantly grabbing Minako's hand. Mamoru watched in fascination as Artemis restored her memory, then Ami's, while Luna restored Makoto and Rei's memories. Soon there was quite a bit of screaming and hugging and Mamoru found himself separated from the love of his life. Still, he didn't begrudge the girls a moment. He knew what having Usagi meant to him, and he knew she was just as important, though in a different way, to each of the girls.

"So," Motoki said, standing next to him a few minutes later. "You weren't rude. You controlled your jealousy, and you knew Usagi could handle herself. I think you've actually grown." He patted Mamoru like a simpleton and laughed.

Slugging his friend, because he deserved it, Mamoru laughed and agreed with his assessment. He had been an idiot. He wouldn't make that mistake again. They still had a long way to go. Two aliens needed to be healed, and whatever it was they were stealing energy for had to be found. But he didn't really want to worry about any of that. He had Usagi back in his life. It was all he'd wanted for so long it hardly seemed real.

A tiny hand slipped into his own and Mamoru looked down into bright blue eyes. "I missed you," Usagi explained, blushing a little. "It must have been so terrible not having us remember any of you."

"It was. I think this time around, what you need is to keep Naru involved. Maybe then you won't feel so split in two."

"That, and I could use a boyfriend," Usagi said, giggling a little nervously.

"You have one," he announced, bowing as best he could without releasing her.

Usagi stood on her tiptoes, reached up with her free hand, and caught him by the collar. Then she dragged him closer and wrapped her small arms around his neck in a tight hug. Mamoru squeezed back, glad to have her. He had missed her so much and would do whatever he could to keep her happy, so no more wishes went astray. Usagi pulled back slightly, still blushing a pretty pink.

"I want to kiss you," Mamoru admitted.

"I'd like that," Usagi whispered.

Then Mamoru covered her mouth with his own, floating a bit as everything he had wanted came true. Her lips were soft, smooth, and tasted of strawberries. He pulled back and stared into her huge eyes, loving the way it seemed to take her a moment to regain her senses. Then she smiled and kissed him again. He held her tight, knowing he was home.

Author's Note: This is absolutely nothing like I had originally planned. It is incredibly sappy and sweet at the end, but you know what? That is exactly what we need right now. I think I really empathized with Mamoru in this story because I am so longing for things to go back to normal. Thankfully, I have my own prince, who always has my back, and he has kept me somewhat sane, but this is a crazy world we live in. Anyways, tell me what you think. I would love to hear from all of you. I pray you are all safe and healthy, and that you have what you need to stay that way.

I wanted to make a promise to all of you... I won't leave you hanging. This is just a blip. I will get back to my normal writing. It's just been difficult with all the pain and sadness and the fear. I will try to update a few of my stories over the next few days and we'll go from there.