Chapter Text
Hospital
Mamoru felt lost in more ways than one. Unconvinced he was actually the boy called Mamoru Chiba. The once orderly world now felt jumbled and divided. He sat alone on the sterile hospital bed, in the barren room. His small hands clutched the thin sheets as if they were the only solid thing left in his shattered world. Tears streamed down his face. Each drop overwhelming. Each drop confusing.
Who was he really?
The doctors and nurses called him Mamoru, but the name felt hollow. A label attached to a stranger. Just a month ago, his entire world imploded, both literally and figuratively. As he stared at his reflection in the window, he saw only a lost child with haunted eyes. Searching desperately for a hint of recognition in his own face. Yet, there was nothing. No hint as to who he was. Who the before boy was.
They said it was a car accident. They said he was the only survivor. But how did the word “accident” explain the absolute loss?
It wasn’t an accident.
It was chaos. Wrapped in a cacophony of screeching metal and blinding light. It was ripping. It was the destruction of an entire world.
In those few minutes, everything changed. His family, his memories, his sense of self—all vanished in an instant. Now this austere hospital room had been his home, the nurses and doctors his parents. Soon he’d leave for an orphanage, to be raised by strangers. To be alone forever.
What would his life be like then? A routine of unknown and unsatisfying events. A collection of meaningless holidays and milestones, meant to be celebrated with family, but instead, observed alone. Significant moments, with no one but himself to appreciate them. How long would he be alone? Did orphans ever gain new families? Or was he destined to live and die alone?
A gentle breeze carrying flower petals drifted through the room, announcing his only friend’s arrival. Mamoru’s heart sank, knowing it might be the last time he’d experience this.
Fiore
“I’m sorry, Mamoru,” Fiore said, laying a hand on his. “I wish I could stay.”
Fiore had to leave; the Earth’s air was making him sick. The only friend he’d made was leaving after just a few weeks together. Fresh tears spilled down Mamoru’s face, dotting his hospital gown with dark spots.
Fiore squeezed his hand. “We’ll always have our memories, even when I’m gone.”
“I know,” Mamoru hiccupped between sobs. “I’ll miss you lots.”
“We helped each other when we were lonely. That was special.”
Mamoru wiped his nose with his sleeve. “Where will you go? I know how lonely you were in space, searching for a new home. How can you do that again?”
Fiore shrugged. “I have no choice. Until I find a new home, I have to keep going.”
“Can’t I come?” But those words felt wrong somehow, like they were fighting destiny.
“No,” Fiore said with a sad smile. “You’re an Earth kid, Mamoru. Space is too dangerous for you.”
“Can’t you stay a little longer?”
“I wish I could. You’re my best friend. But I’ll get really sick if I stay.” Fiore looked up suddenly. “A nurse is coming. I’ll wait for you on the roof, okay?”
In a swirl of petals, Fiore vanished. The soft click of her shoes on the cold tile floor and the squeak of the metal cart were the only evidence of her arrival. He didn’t look up, didn’t want to be consoled again.
“Thinking about your parents?” she asked gently, sitting beside him. “It’s okay to be sad, Mamoru. It’s normal to cry when you lose someone you love.”
Mamoru rubbed his eyes. “But crying doesn’t fix anything!”
“That’s not true,” she said softly. “Tears are special. They’re how your heart talks when words aren’t enough. Crying helps let out the sad feelings, so you can start to feel better.”
Mamoru looked down at his tear-stained gown.
“Your parents would want you to be happy again someday,” she continued. “You’re living for them now, too. You’re a brave boy, and you’re getting stronger every day.”
“How do you know I’m brave?” Mamoru asked. “I don’t even know that about myself.”
“Being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared,” she explained, giving him a hug. “Being brave means doing things even when you’re afraid.”
Mamoru looked up at her, his eyes wide.
“You’re brave because you keep trying. You’re brave because you let yourself cry. And you’ll keep being brave every day.”
She gave him one last squeeze before setting his lunch on the table. The soft click of her shoes on the cold tile floor and the squeak of the metal cart were the only evidence of her departure. Mamoru could feel Fiore’s energy on the roof, saying goodbye to Earth.
More tears fell. Mamoru didn’t want to go up there. Going would make it real.
He’d be alone again.
He’d be without a friend again.
He’d have to face everything by himself.
It was too much. Where there should be feelings, there was just a big, empty space. He couldn’t hear his mom’s kind voice or feel his dad’s strong hugs anymore. All the happy times from before were gone. Everything vanished like it never happened.
And now, even the fun times with Fiore would fade away. Mamoru was only six. How long until he forgot his best friend, too? Was he a bad friend for forgetting? A bad person?
He couldn’t remember his parents, and soon he might not remember Fiore either. The thought made his chest hurt even more.
His world shrunk to the confines of his grief, an endless void of loneliness and despair. Each breath felt like a struggle against the crushing weight of his losses. Then, without warning, a warmth blossomed in his chest, foreign yet achingly familiar. It spread through him like liquid sunshine, chasing away the shadows that had taken residence in his soul.
A small hand laid on top of his, a touch so gentle it almost wasn’t there. The skin was cool and soothing, like soft silk. It anchored him, pulling him back from the brink of his sorrow. Mamoru blinked, his tears making the world a watery blur. As his vision cleared, he found himself staring into eyes as vast and blue as the summer sky.
A little girl, no more than three or four, gazed up at him with an expression of pure concern. She had her golden hair tied up in two buns, which gave her the appearance of a tiny rabbit. She leaned against his hand, her warmth seeping through the hollowness of his soul.
“Don’t cry,” she said, her voice as soft and sweet as a lullaby.
Those small fingers tightened around him, and Mamoru felt a jolt of… something. A connection, a resonance that echoed in the very core of his being. For a moment, the weight of his grief lifted. The ache in his chest eased, replaced by a feeling he couldn’t quite name.
It was familiar, so familiar that it made his heart burn. But that wasn’t possible. He’d never seen her before. Or had he? Were they lifelong playmates whose memory that horrible day had stolen? Were they best friends? Someone else yanked away from him?
Still, his entire soul yearned for this reprieve. It was comfort and hope and a promise of something he didn’t understand. All he knew was that in this moment, with this strange little girl holding his hand, he didn’t feel so terribly alone anymore.
“Please don’t cry,” she said. “I feel sad inside when you cry. Today is a happy day. My mommy just had a baby. I’m a big sister now.”
“But my best friend is leaving today, and I’ll be all alone. I’m all alone.”
She squeezed his hand. “I’ll be your friend, so you’ll never be alone.”
Somehow, her words were more comforting than anything the nurses or doctors had said. This girl, with buns in her hair and vibrant blue eyes, felt more real and important to him than anyone else. Would he forget her, too? Would her memory vanish into the same black void that had swallowed everyone else he’d loved?
Young Usagi
She straightened just as he was about to cry again. Plucking a rose from the bundle in her hand, she held it out to him. “Here! For you!”
“Thank you.”
The instant his fingers closed around the stem, the world seemed to shift. There was a pulsing energy that resonated deep within him. Its vibrant red petals unfurled before his eyes, each one perfect and unblemished, as if it had just bloomed for him.
As he gazed at the rose, a strange sensation washed over him. Like he was seeing it for the first time, yet it felt intimately familiar, like a long-lost friend finally returned. The flower’s fragrance enveloped him, sweet and pure, carrying with it whispers of memories he couldn’t quite grasp—of moonlit nights, of battle fought, of a love that transcended time itself.
The rose seemed to glow softly in the sterile hospital room, its beauty a stark contrast to the cold, clinical surrounds. Mamoru felt a surge of something flow into his body, driving away the lingering shadows of his despair.
This was more than just a flower; it was a promise, a talisman against the darkness that had threatened to consume him. And he’d treasure it longer than time itself.
For a brief moment, he saw himself not as a lost, grieving boy, but as someone stronger, braver—a protector. Someone who fought for good and righteousness. Someone who defended the weak and made the world a better place. Someone who would transform the world into something of made of beautiful dreams and shimmering light.
The sensation was gone in a flash, leaving him confused but comforted. He looked from the rose to that little girl, her eyes twinkling with barely restrained light.
“It’s pretty.”
A man entered the room, and Mamoru tensed. Why he felt the need to protect this girl, he couldn’t say. But the girl only smiled up at the newcomer.
“There you are Moonshine, why did you wander off?” The man grinned and kneeled next to her.
She pointed to Mamoru. “I felt his sadness, and I wanted to make him happy! So I gave him a flower.”
“That was very nice of you.”
The girl nodded, her hair bouncing. “Mommy always smiles after you give her flowers, so I knew he’d smile too. And he did!”
“That was very nice of you.”
“Thank you,” Mamoru said. “It did help me smile.”
The girl beamed at him, her smile as radiant as the sunlight streaming through the window.
“Roses are magic,” she said.
Mamoru nodded, unable to explain the truth he felt in her words. This rose was magic. He held it closer.
“See, Moonshine, a little kindness can brighten the darkest days. If you’re ready, we can see mommy and Shingo now.”
“Because I’m his big sister! Bye-bye.”
The girl gave his hand one last squeeze, and the man gave a smile before they turned to leave.
She stopped before leaving and turned back. “Member, I’ll be your friend.”
New tears, not of sadness, but of found friendship, glistened in his eyes as he nodded. As they vanished around the corner, Mamoru turned back to the flower, watching how the light seemed to spread across the petals before vanishing. Then somehow he knew what he needed to do. Who needed this happiness more than he did.
He practically ran through the hallways and up the stairs to the roof. By the time he shoved through the massive doors, his chest was heaving. But he was on time. Fiore stood on the roof. Instead of the human clothes, he wore the suit he’d arrived in.
Gold twinkled in the setting sun, with emerald green fabric shimmering in the fading light. Fiore’s alien nature was undeniable now, his otherworldly beauty both mesmerizing and heartbreaking. Tears glistened on his cheeks, catching the last rays of sunlight like liquid diamonds.
“Fiore!” Mamoru called out, his voice cracking.
Fiore smiled. “You came.” A sad smile played on his lips.
Mamoru rushed forward, his hands outstretched, offering the rose. “To help you smile.”
Fiore’s eyes widened, his gaze fixed on the vibrant red bloom. More tears spilled down both their cheeks as he gently took the flower, cradling it as if it were the most precious thing in the universe.
“Thank you, Mamoru,” Fiore’s voice trembled. “One day, I’ll find you again and bring you lots of flowers. A whole planet of them, just for you.”
The wind cooled the tears as they fell down his cheeks. “I just want you to be safe and not lonely.”
Fiore met his eyes. “I won’t be lonely anymore, because I’ll have this rose to remind me of you.”
A soft glow began to emanate from Fiore, growing brighter with each passing second. Mamoru’s tears came faster, knowing what was coming.
“Please,” Fiore said, his form starting to shimmer.
Flower petals and wind swirled around, catching Mamoru’s clothes and brushing against his skin.
“Please, don’t forget me.”
“Never,” Mamoru promised, his voice barely a whisper.
The glow intensified, enveloping Fiore in a cocoon of light. For a moment, Mamoru saw his friend’s smile—full of love, gratitude, and hope—before Fiore vanished in a shower of sparkles that drifted away on the wind.
Mamoru stood alone on the roof, the setting sun painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. The warmth of the day faded, leaving him with a chill that went bone deep. Yet, as he watched the last of the sparkles disappear into the twilight, he felt a flicker of hope in his heart. Somehow, his eyes found the sliver of the pale moon hanging in the sky.
The sight stirred something within him—a mixture of sadness, heartbreak, and an inexplicable sense of destiny. As if the moon held secrets, he was meant to uncover. The little girl's words echoed in his mind, a promise of future connections.
As darkness fell, Mamoru made his way back to his room. Exhaustion from the day's emotions washed over him, and he climbed into bed. His last thoughts before drifting off were of roses, sparkling lights, and a princess with hair like spun moonlight.
That night, for the first time, Mamoru dreamed of crystal spires and a kingdom bathed in silvery light. Of a hand in his, warm and familiar, as they ran through corridors that crumbled around them. Of a desperate need to protect someone precious.
As Mamoru slept, a beam of moonlight slipped through the curtains, illuminating his peaceful face. In that moment, he looked less like a lost orphan and more like a prince in waiting, poised on the threshold of an extraordinary destiny.
Though he wouldn't remember the details come morning, the dream would plant a seed—a quest for answers about his past, his future, and the mysterious connection he felt to the moon and its secrets.
🌙 Author’s Note 🌙
Thank you so much for following the journey of Silver Millennium: Forbidden Bonds! If you enjoyed that story, I'm excited to announce that the next chapter in this saga, Dark Kingdom: Shattered Moonlight, is now live! This new story dives deep into the awakening of the Guardians and Mamoru, told from their perspectives. Join me as we explore their battles, memories, and the mysteries that unfold.
Look for the new story, Dark Kingdom: Shattered Moonlight!
Happy reading! 📖✨