Wavering Destiny

Chapter 24: The Bad Guy

Wavering Destiny
by Strawberry Moon Rose

A/N: 11/23/20 - This chapter was written in June 2013, six years before Billie Eilish released the song, "The Bad Guy". As I edit this story, I find it even more fitting now; the title for this chapter. Especially since almost every chapter in this story is titled after a song. This one originally wasn't, but it can be now. #coincidencemuch?

Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi.
_________________________________
Chapter 23: 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.

The crescent moonlight burned treacherously into the room, dancing ominous shadows on the walls. Lying in his bed, his blankets strangled him like a boa constrictor. Wrapping tighter and hotter against his muscular body until it hurt to breath. Mamoru rolled over, stuffing his face into the pillow. The nightmare raged on, consuming his mind.

"Usako!" he called hopelessly into the darkness. In the distance, the beautiful girl with silvery blonde hair wrapped her delicate arms around a figure. She closed her eyes and rested her head onto the shoulder of the mysterious silhouette. Usagi didn't react to his pleading voice. Mamoru made an attempt to run towards her, but his legs wouldn't obey. It was as if they were tree trunks, rooted to the Earth.

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

The morning sunlight reflected off Usagi's shimmering hair and warmed her body. She was wearing a thin gown of white that clung to her porcelain skin. The figure she clutched onto was none other than Seiya Kou. Although she looked vaguely familiar, Mamoru didn't recognize her at first. It was the long ponytail cascading over her shoulder that jogged his memory. 'She's the leader of the Starlights'. He remembered bidding them farewell on the rooftop a year ago.

Seiya wrapped her arms around Usagi in a gentle, yet protective, loving gesture. She too was wearing a similar gown, but of blue. Usagi ran her hands up the girl's back and to her shoulders. She tangled her fingers at the nape of her neck. Standing on her tip toes, she stretched up, closing her glittering 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!' Tall, glass-like buildings pointed up towards the orange sky. They were sharp and geometrically shaped like diamonds growing from the ground.

Crystal Tokyo. If Mamoru could have moved, he would have stumbled backwards and fell on his butt. His eyes tore back from the glittering skyscrapers to the couple so close, yet so far away. That look in Usagi's eyes was something he'd never seen before. Passion. Love. Desire. She seemed so infatuated with the woman she couldn't see or hear anything else around her. Mamoru didn't know what to do. He could sense it was a dream, but it was nothing like he had ever felt before. 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 a young girl who appeared to be eleven or twelve years old. She had big, crimson eyes filled with fear, and cotton candy pink hair tied in familiar cone-shaped buns.