Stars in a New Sky

Chapter 21: The Catch

Usagi awoke with a start, the sounds of battle fading in her ears. Slowly, her racing heart returned to normal. She was no longer in the grip of the past, but in the relative safety of the present. Sitting up, she found Mamoru asleep in the chair bedside her bed. She gasped when she looked upon the myriad of bandages on his body. "Mamoru?" 

Despite her quiet whisper, Mamoru opened his eyes. He smiled with relief. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"How am I feeling? What about you?! You're all bandaged up!" She reached for his arm, the tips of her fingers caressing the edge of the gauze wrapped around his wrist.

Reaching for her hand, he gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry about it. It looks a lot worse than it is."

"What happened?" She asked, worry filling her chest.

He shrugged. "Metalia paid me a visit."

Usagi's eyes widened with fear. "How-w did you-u--"

"Nyx rescued us." He replied answering her question. 

She frowned. "Us?"

"Yeah..." He trailed off. "Takeshi was with me. It's like we thought. He's been reincarnated. Apparently, he was one of Prince Endymion's generals." It still felt strange to think of himself as Endymion. Though he possessed fragments of the prince's memories and emotions, Mamoru refused to see Takeshi through Endymion's eyes. Regardless of the past, they lived in the present now.

Usagi slipped out of bed and stood. "One of the generals who betrayed their prince?"

Mamoru rose from his seat and took her hand. "Only because he was under Metalia's spell. He saved my life tonight. That's all that matters right now."

"Okay." Usagi nodded, willing to trust his instincts. "Oh! Where are the others? Are they okay?!" 

"We're fine." Rei answered from the door, with Minako and Ami behind her. 

A smile spread across Usagi's face as tears welled in her eyes. "Good. I'm glad. I was worried that something happened to you after I passed out." A feeling of déjà vu settled over her, but someone was missing. She didn't know who, but it felt as if they were incomplete.

"From what I hear, you saved the day again, bun-head." Mamoru grinned and nudged her arm. She pursed her lips at his use of the moniker, but she gripped his hand a little tighter.

*** 

Thyst approached Metalia's throne room with trepidation. His abject failure to capture the Moon Princess or one of her Sailor Guardians weighed heavy on his shoulders. His mind reeled at his latest encounter with the princess. The power of her barrier was incredible. Not only was it able to repel his attack, but it purified every demon caught inside its perimeter. While impressive, it wasn't what sent his black little heart racing. For the briefest moment, he caught sight of the Legendary Silver Crystal. It flickered into life for a mere fraction of a second before vanishing once more. 

"Returning empty-handed again?" A sly voice whispered from a recess in the shadowy corridor. 

Growling in frustration, Thyst spun, letting fly a dagger.

Amused laughter echoed and rebounded against the walls. Balthus stepped from the shadows holding the dagger. Thyst wanted nothing more than to slam his arrogant face into a rough hewn stone column. Clenching his fists, he reined in his fury. Attacking Balthus would buy him no favors with Metalia. The bastard was a favorite of hers at the moment. 

Balthus grinned at Thyst, well-aware of his internal dialogue. Being a favorite certainly had its benefits. Flicking a long strand of inky black hair out of his face, he tossed the dagger back at Thyst. Thyst snapped his fingers, disintegrating the dagger mid-air. "Did you get your ass handed to you by a little girl again?"