You're the coolest, Mamoru

Prologue

"You are the coolest, Mamoru."

Usagi's words still echo in my ears. Her unspeakably sad look, covered with a smile that tries to give me courage in this almost hopeless situation and at the same time it feels like a desperate attempt to make hope for a better world.

For us.

Usagi had fought. She had given everything. I've caused her so much grief, I don't want to know how much time she spent crying, struggling, suffering ... just so she could see me again.

"Don't leave me alone, Mamoru!" She pleaded when I was mortally wounded and about to take my last breath in her arms.

What have I done to deserve this? I acted like the last idiot to her most of the time. Nothing excuses my inappropriate behavior towards her. It didn't matter if I couldn't remember or if I was brainwashed. From the very beginning of this life I was rude to her. I should never have done that. I was probably too proud when I first met her in this life.

I don't deserve her. Usagi needs someone better than me. She should get a chance to meet someone who will treat her well and who will do anything for her except make her cry. Just like I've done over and over again. In any way.

"You're the coolest, Mamoru."

Those were her words she said to me through tears before I died. They did hurt. Sometimes I think Usagi is a saint. Geez, of course she is! She saved the whole damned world and banned Beryl and Metalia from this world for good. At last there is peace on Earth.

Everything could be perfect now. We were born again, we all got a new chance. Everyone is allowed to go on with their life without fighting evil at night.

No "Moon Tiara Action", no "Moon Healing Escalation" or whatever it was she exclaimed in magical words. But why is this no longer the case?

She can't remember.

She has no memory of it. Everything is erased from her mind. Absolutely everything. I know it from Luna. After I woke up in my bed, in my apartment, still dressed in my Prince of Earth uniform, I jumped up and went straight to Usagi.

I got more than strange looks about my unusual dress code on the streets of Tokyo, but I didn't care. I only wanted one thing; See Usagi again. Thank her for everything she has done to bring us all back into our lives safe and sound. It can only have been her, because she is the only one who can use the imperial silver crystal as a member of the Royal Moon Kingdom family.

Halfway through, I ran into the black feline from the Silver Millenium. At first she looked at me completely puzzled because we had hardly exchanged words with each other up to now, but the originally surprised impression quickly gave way to a sad look and in the end she made me understand very quickly that she and Artemis were the only ones who can remember what happened throughout the last year.

They are all normal people now. Just like Usagi wanted it for all of us. We have back a normal, ordinary life.

At first I was pissed off. I couldn't believe that obstructions would be put in our way again. How often has this been the case?! Was that a clear sign of fate? That from now on we should just let it be and try to be happy? Without each other?

It wasn't fair at all. I love her. No matter what time, no matter where, no matter what may come. But does that also mean that I can be with her? Or will I be condemned for all eternity to be allowed to stare at her from afar and lose myself in daydreams, how it could have been if fate had meant otherwise?

Who am I?

Now I know the answer to this question. It has occupied me almost all my life, but instead of this search for me, a new question has now come into my life.

What do I want?

With the new chance that Usagi had given to me with the help of the Imperial Silver Chrystal I can start over to built up my life the way I want it and it makes me happy. Free from any coercion.

At least I think I should be happy; at the age of 18 the world is my oyster. I have enough money to continue my medical studies and become the best doctor in the world. I live in a very comfortable two bedroom apartment in a building complex in the Tokyo suburb of Azabu-Juban. With Motoki and Reika, I even have something like a social life. I have friends.

But again and again, more precisely, for a few days now after the last fight against Beryl, my thoughts revolve around only one very special person.

Usagi.

I want her back ... even if I never really had her. I want to be with her ... even if there doesn't seem to be a chance. I want ... to be happy. With her. And for that I will do everything in my power to achieve this.

Absolutely everything. I want to be the coolest for Usagi... again.