As If The Sun Had Stopped Shining (Usagi Tsukino)

From Radiant Heart MUSH
As If The Sun Had Stopped Shining (Usagi Tsukino)
Date of Cutscene: 18 May 2024
Location: Tsukino-Osaka Dorm
Synopsis: Usagi Tsukino is preparing for a date, when something - someone - vanishes from the world. Concurrent with Scene 1554, Devour the Earth.
Cast of Characters: Mamoru Chiba, Usagi Tsukino, Kazuo Saitou

It was a dark and stormy day, the sort of weather that shortened tempers and forewarned danger, and Usagi Tsukino was humming to herself as she pulled articles of clothing from her closet, held them to her body as she inspected her reflection, and tossed them aside when they failed to satisfy. So far, she'd rejected thirteen shirts, seven skirts, three pairs of shorts, and both of her most-hideous-but-warm jackets, and yet, she was humming.
Why wouldn't she? How couldn't she? No matter how many dates they went on - now matter how many dates were ruined - Usagi would never want to shake away the gleeful jitters that came with anticipating a date with Mamochan.

"You're ridiculous," Luna sighs, ever judging. She was the ridiculous one, sprawled on her back on Naru's bed, one ear squished into the blankets. "You've been on how many dates with Mamoru-kun? He's already seen all of your clothes. And you'll probably finish this date in your fuku, anyway."

Now, that was just uncalled for.

"That doesn't mean I don't want to look cute! And just because we haven't had an uninterrupted date in a while doesn't mean we'll never have one!"

Usagi spun around to point at Luna, the fabric of the pink top in her hands flopping over her arm as she opened her mouth to start a proper justice speech, of all things -

And there was a tearing in the world, an emptiness punched into existence as simply, easily, thoroughly, as if the sun had stopped shining.

Usagi sank to the floor, knees like jelly, a hand flying to her chest, fingers digging through the fabric of her bra to scrape at skin, as if she could dig deep enough to find it, to find him, where was he, where was he where was he why can't she feel -

"USAGI!"

A scream in her ear. A throbbing pain in her leg, where four welts threaten to weep blood. Her lungs, screaming for oxygen. Her heart, screaming for -

Luna, leaning against her, risen up, her forepaws planted against Usagi's chest, her eyes wide with worry.

Usagi -

She can't feel him.

- breathes.

"Usagi, what happened?! You just collapsed - you weren't speaking - I don't think you were even breathi- "

"Track Mamochan's communicator." Her voice was raw, never mind that all the screaming was in her head. "I can't feel him. Something's wrong. Something happened. I can't feel him, so I need you to find him, I need you to find him now!"

It was a command, a scream, and Luna reacted to it as promptly as she had every one of Queen Serenity's orders.

Usagi reached for her phone.

"Kazuo-kun," she spoke into the receiver, when the other end picked up, voice chill, "Luna's tracking him. I know you'll get the others. I'll meet you all on the roof. If he's dead, we blow up Obsidian after all and never mind anything we told Kyouka about stupid plans."