Wavering Destiny

Chapter 22: The Bad Guy

The wind howled in the dead of the night, rattling tree branches against the apartment window. They scraped the glass like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Moonlight poured into the room, dancing shadows on the walls. Tossing in bed, blankets wrapped tight around Mamoru's body. He rolled over, stuffing his face into the pillow. The nightmare raged on.

"Usako!" he called hopelessly into the darkness. In the distance, the beautiful girl with silvery blonde hair wrapped her arms around a silhouette. She closed her eyes and rested her head onto their shoulder. Usagi didn't react to his pleas. Mamoru tried to run to her, but his legs wouldn't obey. It was as if they were tree trunks, rooted in place.

Suddenly, the sun began to rise, a gigantic fireball that made him shield his eyes.

The light reflected off Usagi's shimmering hair and white gown. The person she clung to came into view.

Seiya Kou.

It was the long ponytail cascading over the shoulder that jogged his memory. The leader of the Starlights. He remembered bidding them farewell on the rooftop last year.

Seiya wrapped her arms around Usagi, protective and gentle. She wore a similar gown, but of blue. Usagi turned closer and brought her hands to Seiya's shoulders. Standing on her tip toes, she stretched up, closing her blue eyes. Mamoru watched in horror as their lips met in a tender kiss.

"Usako!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, though he knew it was futile. 'Why? Why would she...? What's going on?!'

A glistening light caught the corner of his eye. He glanced around as the sunlight lit the surroundings. 'No...this can't be!'

Crystal towers stretched toward the orange sky, glittering like jagged diamonds beneath the rising sun.

Crystal Tokyo.

His eyes tore back to Usako - so close, yet so far away. That look in her eyes was something he'd never seen before. Could she even tell he was here?

Some part of him recognized this was a dream, but he hadn't dreamed of Crystal Tokyo in years. It certainly hadn't looked like this.

"Mamo!"

Mamoru whipped around. At first he thought it was Usagi's voice, but it was too close. Standing to his side was his daughter, the same age she was the last time he saw her. Two years ago, when she left after Nehelenia. Her crimson eyes brimmed with fear.

"Chibi-Usa!" He gasped.

Chibi-Usa threw herself around him. "Mamo! Please! You have to do something!" she wailed into his chest. She clenched her fingers at his shoulders as she wept. Her grip felt feeble like she'd lost all of her strength.

Mamoru's eyes widened. "Chibi-Usa, what's going on? What happened?" he asked.

She stepped away, her entire body flickered once, the colors all wrong and muted.

"Mamo, I'm disappearing!" Chibi-Usa cried. "You have to do something before it's too late!"

He grabbed her hand, only to find he couldn't. His fingers traveled right through her as if she were an apparition. He could still see her, but with each passing second, she grew fainter and fainter. The grass behind her slowly became visible through her body.

"Chibi-Usa! What's going on?"

"Please, stop her!" Chibi-Usa cried. "Or I'll be gone for good!" She wrapped her arms around her stomach.