Mending Loneliness

By Bashfulglowfly

Chapter Seven – Sunday 12 p.m.

Mamoru and Usagi walked through Arisugawa-no-miya Park hand in hand. Usagi loved the feel of his hand in hers, the warmth and the gentle power. She smiled as he gently squeezed her hand.

"I had a bad dream last night." He announced. He had promised a while back that he would tell her about his dreams instead of dwelling on them. She wasn't going through another break-up like the last time because of a stupid dream.

He didn't say anything for a moment. She waited patiently. She knew that he was a rather private person. It was difficult for him to open up.

"It was when I was Prince Endymion. When Atlantis existed. Before and after I met you. Before Beryl…" his voice hardened. "…destroyed everything." He was silent for moment longer. "I remembered the first time I met the Shitennou. Kunzite – he already seemed older than he should. Nephrite – he told me stories about the stars. Jadeite and Zoicite – we were the closest in age so we got in a lot of trouble together." He laughed. "If Kunzite's hair hadn't already been silver; we probably would have made it turn that color.

"I remembered studying history, politics, mathematics…" he smiled when Usagi wrinkled her nose. "We studied all sorts of things including weapons and tactics since we all were going to be kings. Then you came, followed by your Senshi. And even though it was forbidden, we fell in love with you.

"Then Beryl began spreading her poison. Her lies. You know what happened next. But this time my dream showed me the Shitennou at the time of the last battle on Earth. I thought that I had run, but Kunzite had hit me on the head and they all used their powers to send me to the Moon. I thought that I was a coward. But they were trying to save me. They were going to kill themselves but Beryl's forces overwhelmed them.

"I won't describe what happened to them next. Beryl tortured them. I don't EVER want you to know what she did to them. But she broke them, one by one she broke them. She brainwashed them and forced them to do her bidding. And when they woke again in this time, she used them again."

"I'm sorry, Mamo-chan." Usagi's voice was soft.

Mamoru turned and pulled her close. "I know." He pressed his face against her hair. "I just wish that I could have a chance to apologize to them. I blamed them for so much then and now. I just really want to apologize."

Usagi pulled back a little and smiled up at him. "You'll have that chance. I promise."

Mamoru laughed. "Promising impossible things now are you?"

Usagi merely smiled.

She captivated him. She had captivated him a thousand years ago and he knew that she would still captivate him a thousand years from now. Gently he lowered her to the grass and began to stretch out on top of her. As he lowered his body against hers, he leaned in to…and felt the cold kiss of steel against his throat.

Mamoru cursed himself for being unaware of an Enemy nearby. He could see that Usagi's eyes were opened wide but she wasn't screaming or trying to fight, which was a good thing considering how close the edge of the blade was to his veins.

"Shame on you, my prince." Mamoru felt his own eyes widen. He knew that voice. "You shouldn't allow yourself to be caught unaware like that."

"I didn't feel the need to be wary in such a safe place." Said Mamoru.

"That's what he said the last time we caught him and the princess like this, wasn't it." Mamoru swallowed carefully. He knew that voice too.

"Well, at least this time his pants aren't around his ankles." Came a third familiar voice.

Mamoru almost groaned. He waited for the fourth voice he just knew he was going hear.

"How do you think we should punish him for not paying attention to his surroundings? I vote that we make him run around the park four or five times screaming 'I will pay attention to my surroundings.'" Yep, there was the fourth voice he was waiting for.

A damned peanut gallery surrounded him.

Usagi scowled. "All of you stop picking on him! REALLY!"

Okay, this is getting weirder. She's not afraid of them. Mamoru braced himself on his left hand and with his right, reached up, placed his hand on Kunzite's arm and tried to push it way. It didn't move. Mamoru sighed. He placed his arm along the length of Kunzite's and leaned. He felt the muscles tense as he pulled himself up, using Kunzite's arm and getting his own feet underneath him. Kunzite's other hand gripped his upper right arm while Jadeite pulled up on his left. They held him for a moment until he was steady on his feet.

Nephrite picked up Usagi and brushed her off.

Usagi glared up at Kunzite. "Remove that sword from his throat. NOW!"

Mamoru saw Kunzite glance at him. "Have you learned your lesson, my Prince?"

Mamoru grinned. "Probably not. She's damned distracting." He didn't see the blade move but he certainly felt the flat of it as it thumped soundly on his backside. He managed not to yelp. Barely. He remembered what happened if he yelped.

Usagi still glared at Kunzite. "He's your prince, you really shouldn't treat him that way."

"A boy's ears are in his backside; he listens better for being beaten." Said Kunzite coolly. "Besides, YOU are underage and if he thinks he's going to do ANYTHING to my precious little cousin, he has another thing coming."

Mamoru stifled a groan. He's her cousin?! I'm never going to be able to… He wrenched his mind from those thoughts; he couldn't be sure if Kunzite could read minds or not. He always seemed to know what I was thinking before.

He looked at his Shitennou. They moved until they were side by side then went to one knee. "My loyalty, my service and my life are yours." They chorused together.

Mamoru felt himself change into Endymion. "I accept your loyalty, your service and your lives." He pulled his sword and laid the flat of the blade on each of their shoulders.

"Since that little show is out of the way, will you please transform back into normal people so we can go somewhere else and talk."

Endymion and his Shitennou spun and stared at the four girls standing not to far away. Endymion relaxed his transformation. Mamoru and Kazuya gave Usagi a hard look. She shrugged unapologetically. "You know I can't keep anything from them. Besides, I Showed them the Truth about a week ago. They've been waiting for you."

Rei stomped forward and before Jun could react, she slapped him across the face. He stared at her like she was insane. "WOMAN!" he thundered. "What the hell was that for?!"

Rei glared back, violet eyes flashing, her hands on her hips. "That's for dying before I could kill you!"

A collective groan came from the other Senshi and Shitennou. Minako looked at Kazuya as the arguing pair was herded towards the entrance of the park, "Some things never change."

Kazuya smiled down at her. "Is that a bad thing?" He took hold of her hand.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "No. No, it isn't. We aren't going to be lonely any more."

"None of us will." Said Ami.

Makoto smiled at them from around Nobuyuki. "Loneliness mended is loneliness vanished."

Minako glared at her, outraged. "HEY! I'm the one that's supposed to be making things up, not you!"

Laughter echoed up to the sun.