The Four Kings

Chapter One


I


Mamoru lived through the night, and as Motoki had predicted, the young genius was up and moving around with assistance the following day and on his own before the week’s end. He had even returned to his lectures, with little explanation to anyone brave or desperate (maybe a little bit of both in Motoki’s opinion) to broach Mamoru on the subject.

The only concession he gave into after sitting through one of Motoki’s many lectures that week was, Mamoru agreed to let his friend temporarily move in so he could cart Mamoru to his morning lectures and then back home.
What was supposed to have temporary arrangement to care for a sick friend became permanent. After Mamoru healed from his injuries, he never brought up the subject of when Motoki was leaving. That was a little over four months ago and it was quickly approaching the fifth month.

In that time Mamoru had suited up Tuxedo Kamen about ten times and he and the Sailor Senshi had fought demons, met intergalactic diplomats, and fought in a war in another galaxy. Motoki became Mamoru’s advisor, medic, and main motivator when the masked hero did not want leave his bed when he had labs on Friday mornings.
Motoki listened when Mamoru complained, bitterly, about his current station or his future one. There was no doubt that the kid loved Usagi. Mamoru loved her with all of his soul. He had died for her, he had killed for her as well as been killed by her and he still loved her. He had even died for her again and fought against a god for her.

What upset Mamoru, and rightly so in Motoki’s unvoiced opinion, was that Mamoru would have to surrender his planet and people to Silver Millennium. He had lost the war before he knew he was in the fight, he told Motoki one night.

They were at Laundromat watching their respective loads of whites and bedclothes going through their final turns in the giant tubs. Motoki knew the story of how Kamen and the Senshi went to Thirtieth-first Century. What he didn’t know before that evening was that his young friend resented the Senshi.
As previous stated that Darien loved Usagi, but he was not going to bow down before her and surrender his planet to her. It was would have been a dishonor to his mother and his guardians, it was not just his honor at stake or his pride. It was for Terra.

Terra.

Terra, the Earth, was the love of Mamoru’s life Motoki realized.

The Tsukino family left for a trip to Hawaii for two weeks, the Senshi returned to their lives, leaving Mamoru to his own devices.

Mamoru’s idea of fun was roughing it through the harsh landscape of Northern Finland in the middle of spring. Three days of hiking to the snowbound region and five days playing Survivor man. Motoki had never done anything so crazy in his life, but he had to admit while he was sitting their tent, freezing his ass as listening to Mamoru telling bawdy jokes and drinking the foulest brew in the history of mankind, Motoki knew he was having the time of his life.



o.O.o


The arcade was particularly busy that afternoon, which was how Motoki preferred it. Rather that was how he used to feel.

Motoki used to enjoy coming to work in his family’s store, listening to the kids laugh and play, watching teenagers and some young adults falling in love. It was a happy place to be, especially when his favorite troop of customers would grace the place with their divine presences.

Mamoru had swept Usagi off to the Fruit Parlor, away from the prying eyes of her guardians and their teasing. The girls seemed not to mind, since their numbers were breaking off for their own activities.

Mizuno Ami, the cute little prodigy was an innocent blushes and shy smiles at some little punk with wild blond hair and green eyes. Something about him bugged the hell out of Motoki but he didn’t know what the reason was for it. It wasn’t as if the boy was being fresh or overly familiar with the girl. Hell, the boy was blushing and toying with his horn-rimmed glasses that vivacious Mina managed to con off his face.

Speaking of Aino Minako, the radiant blonde bombshell was holding court at the center of the arcade. Her throne was the Sailor V game, her court was made up handsome young men and a few heartbreakingly lovely girls fawning at the feet of the gorgeous Goddess of Love and Beauty. She giggled and smiled and charmed all those lucky enough to bask in her divine radiance. Personally Motoki though that she looked very nice in her peach sundress with her swept up in some kind of knot with a few loose strands framing her lovely face. Her attention was diverted from her many admirers to him. She wanted another strawberry milkshake. A slim, delicate hand touched Mina’s right shoulder and the blonde signaled for two. The second shake would be vanilla for her twin sister, Hino Rei.

Motoki passed the order along to the clerk working the soda machine, before he turned his attention to the kids at the counter.

Absent today were Kino Makoto and the Outer Senshi. Before his flat mate arrived, Usa had parked herself at the counter to catch up with her favorite soda jerk. Makoto was in Tokyo, for orientation at the Cordon Bleu Tokyo Campus. Motoki had been proud to learn that the girl had been accepted to the prestigious program. She, aside from Ami, was already transitioned from high school students to university students moving towards their futures.

Minako had no further interest in school; she devoted herself full time to her acting and modeling career and play professional volleyball. Motoki knew that was lie, Minako had turned to her own planet for her formal education. She was a soldier and future ruler, for her no Terran education would ever prepare her for the demands of her stations as Queen of Venus and the Supreme Military Commander of the Silver Alliance. After several months of debate, Rei had recently decided to follow Makoto and Ami’s façade of a Terran education. She planned to attend lectures in the winter for Theology and Classical Western Civilization.

Usagi was doing the same. It was decided that she would attend the same university as Rei; there she would be attending lectures in History.

He had gotten the entire story out of Mamoru while they were practicing French Cane fighting at Mamoru’s club. Motoki was surprisingly good at it, although he hand never participated in the sport or any form of martial arts in his entire life. Nor was he surprised at how good Mamoru was. The kid seemed to have been born to fight, whether with a sword or his bare fist, Mamoru was multi-talented guy.

Speaking of which, it was Thursday and Thursdays they went to have their asses handed to them in Krav Maga. Motoki grabbed the two Senshi’s drinks as he left the bar. He called a good bye to his staff saying that he would see them all tomorrow and smiled at his own little band of fan girls, who were all gaga over something he had supposedly done to his hair. Those little girls had something crazy about him getting highlights or something like that.

No, the only thing that had changed about Motoki was starting to fill out. He was putting on some muscle since he started joining Mamoru in his fitness routines and crazy trips. That and maybe his late term growth spurt, but other than that had anything changed about him.

He waded his way through Minako’s slaves to deliver the girls’ drinks and wished them both a goodnight. Before he could leave, Motoki for some reason met Minako’s eye and he saw her intense stare. She said nothing, but stared at his hair. Self-conscience about the girl’s silent study of his short sandy hair, Motoki ran one strong, long finger hand through it, thinking there might be something nasty hiding in his hair.
Before he dropped his hand, Minako shifted from her position and reached out intent on following his hand’s path with her own.

“When did you start bleaching your hair?” Rei asked from behind her sister.

Her question went answered as both blonds seemed to focus on each other. Something in the air seemed to change around them, in the way that the girl before him was seeing him, but for the life of him Motoki did not know what was going on.

Then suddenly the moment was over. Minako removed her hand from his and returned to her artfully arranged pose of lazy seduction. Motoki was forgotten by the Goddess of Love, but not by her fawning zealots.
As he left the Crown, Motoki was aware of the hissing and hateful sneer directed at his back. He stepped out into the late summer afternoon and saw that Mamoru was already outside waiting for him.

The dark haired youth had seen the entire thing play out. Mamoru looked his friend over; he had to look up slightly since Motoki was now somewhat taller than he. “What was all that about?” he inquired.

“I don’t know.” Motoki replied his voiced mirrored the confusion on his face.

The commotion in the back of the Arcade had drawn Ami’s attention to her friends. Before she knew what was happening, her study partner/date was on his half way on his feet, ready to do—what?

Concerned, Ami rose too, she wanted to go to Minako and Rei was diverted by a small blonde bullet that appeared almost out of nowhere. Usagi was alone and needed company. Ami sighed, but surrendered to her friend’s need. Before she let her Princess drag her off, Ami turned to Ryo—Before she could apologize for this, he told her that he to get home, but he would call her. That put her mind at ease. Ami smiled sweetly at him before she dragged off by Usagi.

With nothing more to be done, Urawa Ryo grabbed his bag and headed home. Sometime he wished he wasn’t the understanding boyfriend. Sometimes he wished that Usagi would just fall off a damn cliff and then he could have Ami all to himself.

Damn, he just hated that blonde twit.