Title: Maybe We Could Do This Again Sometime Rating: PG By: Azurite/Andromida/Meriellen5 Email: sailor_andromida@yahoo.com Site: www.geocities.com/sailor_andromida/ members.xoom.com/sailor_azure **ANNOUNCEMENT** I need people to submit fanart, music, or any other anime (specifically Sailormoon, but Card Captor Sakura, Fancy Lala and Magic Knight are perfect too) related stuff to put on my pages. Mostly fanart and fics, but ANYTHING (Non-Hentai) is gladly accepted. If you want publicity, here it is! Plus, I need people to help me finish RedLady's Sailor Moon Eternal! HELP!! Greets: To my onee-chans, Jlala and Sailor Peace, and the ever reappearing-disappearing Sailor Elysia, much love! And to all you wonderful peeps who emailed me about Only 16, Impossible (I'm workin', I'm workin!) Secrets, Little Princess and Halloween. Lessee: Joy, Disclaimer: Did you honestly think Sailormoon was mine? If it was, I'd still be making it, along with MONEY! Money which I don't have, thusly I don't own Sailormoon. Words You Need to Know: "Nani?!" - "WHAT?!" "Masaka..." - "It can't be..." "Genki desu ka?" - "How've you been?" "Genki." - "Fine." "Odango Atama" - "Dumpling Head" "Ohayo(gozaimasu)" - "Good Morning!" "Konnichiwa!" - "Good Afternoon!" "Konbanwa!" - "Good Evening!" "Moshi Moshi?" - "Hello?" (telephone) "Okaa-san" - "Mother" "Nani ten yo?!" - "WHAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY!?" (not REALLY, but pretty close) "Ja ne!" - "See you!" "Baka!" - "Idiot!" (can be attached to a name, such as 'Mamoru- baka!' "Gomen Ne (Gomenasai)" - "I'm sorry" "Matte!" - "Wait!" "(Domo) Arigatou (Gozaimasu)" - "Thanks! (Thank you/Thank you so much!)" "Iie!" - "No!" "Hai!" - "Yes!" "Aishiteru!" - "I love you!" ********************************************************** He had to go someplace far, someplace without an arcade, a junior high school, without gardens, lakes, malls or views of the moon. Any place that wouldn't remind him so much of *her*. No such place existed. Even the sky reminded Mamoru of her. Her sweet, pearly smile, her creamy skin, her summer-sky blue eyes, and her rosy smile to match her dimpled cheeks. Her hair like spun sunlight, and her happiness radiant in the same manner. Every partcle of Usagi that he loved could be found in something else, something that served as a reminder of what he had once had... and could never have again. No, Usagi was gone, forever. 'Here I go again. Thinking of her.' Mamoru scolded himself. It had been two full years since he had moved to Hokkaido, two years... and he still thought about her. 'How could I move on? She changed my life.' Two whole years, and yet, without Usagi by his side, it seemed longer. The worst part was, he knew it would always be that way, because Usagi could never be with him again. 'No, Usagi is dead.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mamoru had been reading 'Genetic Engineering from a Future Persepective' when he felt it. 'It' was hard to explain. It was... a rush of adrenaline, usually, the panicked feeling Usagi always got when she knew she had to fight... the word he used was "the pull", for that's what it felt like. A pull that lead him straight to Usagi, and where the droid attack was. And he always felt her, her presence, her feelings... everything. So the pull was very... voyeuristic. Yes, it did feel as if he was spying on her feelings. After all, it was her own subconscious doing this to him, reminding him constantly that what they had could never be broken... unless the impossible became possible. And tonight of all night, when he least expected it, it did. As soon as the link 'pulled', it ceased. Without it, he had no idea where the attack was, and he knew not to bother calling the senshi- they weren't home. Deathly afraid, and acting purely on instinct, he flicked on the television set, hoping to see on the evening news some sign of what had happened. "...just arriving on the scene of this horrific wreckage. We have recieved word that the four of the five people in the accident are okay, but one person suffered fatal injuries and is now..." At this point, the camera swiveled to where the paramedics were surrounding a crushed car. The group of three picked up a small body and placed it into a body bag, zipping it up fully just before the camera swiveled back to the reporter. 'Oh gods, no...' Mamoru thought, numb. He HAD NOT just seen a blonde head stuffed into that body bag... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mamoru had up and left, leaving only two letters. Both for Motoki, the person he thought would understand. He had instructed Motoki not to bother finding him, but to please care for his home. He sent rent every month to Motoki, who supposedly sub-let the place in return for caring for everything. When Mamoru found there was no way to keep on living without thinking of Usagi, he vowed not to dishonor her memory by becoming a hopeless alcoholic, or by committing suicide. So, he went back. Motoki's sub-let had left, as Mamoru found when he arrived at his apartment, which looked the same as it had when he left for Hokkaido. The distinct difference was the air in Tokyo... the sparkling sky, and the city skyline view, as opposed to the view of the mountains. 'Ah Tokyo... for some reason, it's good to be back. I wonder how the senshi are faring.' And for the first time in two years, he wondered if they were even alive. He hadn't bothered sending one letter, or calling anyone, not even Rei or Ami, both of which he had known for just about the same amount of time as Usagi, give or take a few months. 'Imagine what THEY had gone through... especially Rei, she was Usagi's best friend. And the attacks... could they have survived droid attacks without Sailormoon to dust them?' These thoughts came with his arrival, and looking around, he realized... 'Of course the senshi must be fine... Tokyo IS still in one piece, and isn't being ruled by some Black Moon overlord.' But still, he wanted to check. Check on Motoki, and thank him a thousand times over for helping him keep his apartment for two whole years. Thank him for being the best friend in the darkness, and the one to show him how he really felt about Usagi, and to go for it. For the time that it had lasted, before the nightmares, it was the most wonderful thing in the universe, and he owed it all to Motoki. 'I have to see him. The first thing in the morning...' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was an unusually sunny day for autumn, and Mamoru woke up bright and early. He threw on his 'old' normal outfit, consisting of a black turtleneck, green blazer and light slacks, and off he went to the arcade. Fifteen minutes and a relaxing, familarizing walk later, Mamoru walked into the arcade. It was a Saturday, which meant the arcade would be packed around this time... at eleven o'clock. Okay, he hadn't gotten up as early as he thought he had. Motoki, was, in his normal position, hunched over a teenager attempting to play Sailor V. 'No one could play it like Usako. Probably because Luna, Artemis and Minako rigged the game to train her in the first place.' The sliding doors had caught Motoki's attention, and his face dropped. "Mamoru? Mamoru, is it really you?" "Hey, Motoki. It's good to be back." Motoki's formerly cheerful face slid into skin and darkened. "Where the hell have you been?" Caught off guard and somewhat surprised, Mamoru placed his hands up in front of him as defense. "Hey hold it... I... I needed a break." "Break?! You up and left for two years!" Motoki scoffed. "I had my reasons..." "None of which appeared in the letters you sent from the non-returnable address. You're lucky I got them all, or the apartment would have been sold a long time ago." "Thank you so much for that, man." "Anytime." "MOTOKI!" The feminine voice yelled. "Hold on a second!" Motoki turned back to Mamoru. "I think I know why you left though." "I hope so, because if you don't, you don't know me as well as I thought!" "Hey, Usagi-chan, there's someone I want you to meet!" "U-Usagi?" Mamoru croaked. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The blonde girl turned in her chair to face Mamoru. She cheerily thrust out a hand and spoke. "Konnichiwa. I'm Tsukino Usagi. And you are...?" Mamoru was still as white as a ghost, and then some. "Hello? Oh dear... is there something on my face? Is one of my buns crooked again? MOTOKI!" Usagi whined desparingly. Motoki jabbed Mamoru, snapping him out of his shock. "K-Konnichiwa, Tsukino-san." "NO! I mean, no, don't call me Tsukino-san... it's way too formal. I like Usagi-chan, if you don't mind." "N-No... I'm... uh..." "He's Chiba Mamoru, my best friend for a LONG time. You knew him before the accident too, but..." "I don't remember any Chiba Mamoru..." Usagi said quietly. "Accident?" Mamoru queried. "That's right... you left right when it happened!" Motoki remembered. "Usagi-chan was in a car accident. Turns out some convict was on a high speed car chase on the highway, and careened through the rail and into Usagi's family car. Everyone but the criminal herself got away safe, but Usagi has had amnesia for a while now." Motoki continued. Usagi's face had crumpled, and she was tearing up and crying softly. "Gomen ne, it's just... I can't remember ANYTHING from before the accident... I mean, my family, yes, but no one else... not even my math teacher!" Usagi whined yet again. And the waterworks started. "Some things never change, eh Mamoru?" Motoki asked, comforting Usagi. "I..If you don't remember anything from before the accident, how do you know Motoki?" "Snff... well, about a week after the accident, I was released from the hospital. The doctors said that no one should TELL me about my past, but let me wander around and find out for myself. I came here... and that's when I met Motoki... again. I remembered some things about him, but... not a lot. We became friends anyway, and... and that's that. I also met some other people who said they had known me before... some of them I met at the hospital... but I didn't really get the chance to talk to them then, I was..." Here, Usagi managed a giggle, "on a lot of drugs. Kino Makoto, Hino Rei, Aino Minako, Mizuno Ami, Gurio Umino and Osaka Naru. They're all my really close friends now." Mamoru simply nodded. He was still absorbing the shock of seeing her... seeing her now... seeing her ALIVE! 'But she doesn't remember you in the slightest.' A nasty voice inside Mamoru's head reminded him. 'Maybe it's for the better. You can start over again... without Destiny interfering. The senshi are all still alive, and everything SEEMS peaceful...' "I just got back from Osaka a few weeks ago anyways. My parents and my little brother moved there a few months after the accident, and after staying for most of the time, I finally convinced them to let me come back. Thanks to ny family and Motoki, I'm living on my own, and have a great job at the Crown Fruits Parlor." "Well... I better go... my shift starts up again in a few minutes. See you Usagi-chan, Mamoru!" And with those words, Motoki shuffled off, leaving a strange silence between the former lovers in the noise of the arcade. "It was very nice meeting you, Mamoru-kun." "Please, call me Mamoru-san... Mamoru-kun is so formal." Mamoru smiled, lighting up at her rosy blush. HE had made HER smile! "And I'm very glad to meet you... again." Mamoru brought her small hand to his lips and kissed it gently. Usagi flushed bright scarlet and smiled like a ten thousand kilowatt bulb. "I better go myself... places to go, people to see... bills to pay... Ja ne, Odango Atama!" Mamoru called as he ran from the arcade. Though Usagi was still blushing, she managed an angry "HEY! I'm not an Odango Atama!!!" Mamoru's rich laughter could be heard from blocks away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'Amazing... she's ALIVE! ALIVE and... ALIVE! ALIVE AND BEAUTIFUL AS ALWAYS!' Mamoru could have jumped for joy, but the somewhat pressing matter of the Black Moon and Chibiusa invaded his thoughts again. So, Mamoru walked casually to the Hikawa Jinja. When he arrived there, Rei was sweeping the main floor. "Mamoru-san?" "Hai, Rei-san. Genki desu ka?" "Genki desu... but where have you been?" "Long story..." "The enemy isn't here anymore, not since... since... do you know what happened to Usagi two years back?" "Yeah. She was in the car accident... I... I thought she had died." Rei suddenly nodded in understanding. So THAT was why he had left. "Anyways, Usagi is back." "SHE IS?!" Rei screamed, dropping her broom. She vanished into her bedroom and emerged fifteen seconds (or so it seemed) later, fully dressed. She grabbed Mamoru's arm and they tore off in the direction in which he had come from, back to the arcade. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "USAGI!!" Usagi immediately jumped from her chair at the familar voice. "REI!!" She ran up and let her game end, rushing to meet her friend. "You've been back a week, according to Mamoru-san over here, and you didn't call us?!" "Gomen ne, I..." "You had to what? Get an apartment, a job?" Rei quipped sarcastically. "Actually, yes. My family stayed in Osaka, but Chibiusa, you know, my cousin, she's coming to live with me in a few weeks." "Nani?! You're serious?!" "Hai." "Masaka... Usagi... an okaa-san?!" "NANI TEN YO?! I'm no mother!" "You'll be watching Chibiusa-chan all the time! You'll have to act like one!" Rei pointed out. "Oh no... why can't she stay with you, or Ami-chan?" "No, No, Usagi... she's your cousin, and we DO have high school exams coming up!" Since it had been two years since when Usagi had been in ninth grade, the girls were now in grade 11, Year 2 of High School. "Hai, I transferred to Juuban high with the rest of the gang... except you, Rei-chan, you go to T.A. Girls." "Hai." Rei nodded solemnly. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Within a week, all the girls knew Usagi had returned. They had even thrown a 'Welcome-Home' Party, which Mamoru had been invited to. "Mamoru-san, do you plan on getting close to Usagi-chan again?" Minako had asked. "Eh...I uh...." "That means yes!" Makoto had said cheerily. Minako nodded enthusiastically, then went serious. "But if you break her heart again..." "On behalf of our planets... we WILL PUNISH you." Makoto and Minako said in unison. The look they gave Mamoru was so icy and cold, it was frightening. But no, he would never make a mistake like that again. EVER. If Usagi ever gave him another chance, he'd take it and make it last. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A whole month. Yes, a whole month had gone by, and Mamoru didn't know HOW he'd survived it. 'You survived two years.' 'I thought she was dead.' 'So?' 'I couldn't stop thinking about her even then.' 'Oh... okay...' Chibiusa arrived from Osaka, and was now living with Usagi. She knew something was wrong, because Usagi wasn't the same... "Chibiusa-chan?" "Hai, Rei-chan?" "Have you noticed anything different about Usagi?" Chibiusa tilted her small chin up thoughtfully and nodded. "Yeah... after the accident... which I wasn't in, because I was with Momo-chan, she didn't seem so... so protective. Has... has she forgotten that she's Sailormoon?" "It seems so, Chibiusa-chan, so try not to let her remember. She has to remember on her own... if she wants to..." So, after the accident, Chibiusa had stayed with Momo-chan, her friend from school, until the family was ready to have her back... only to move to Osaka for a year and ten months. It had taken some cajoiling on Usagi and Chibiusa's part, but the Tsukinos had finally relented to letting Usagi get her own place back in Tokyo, and take Chibiusa with her. But Usagi STILL didn't know about being Sailormoon... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Ohayo, Odango!" Mamoru greeted as he walked into the arcade. Usagi, clad in her apron and short blue skirt and white tee, faced the second year college student. He ruffled her hair playfully, noting the flushed and angry expression on her face. 'How beautiful she is... how come I never told her how I felt BEFORE the Negaverse began attacking?' "BAKA! What do you want?" "To see you, of course." Mamoru replied subconsciously. Little did he know he had said that out loud. "N-Nani? W-What for?" It was now Mamoru's turn to blush. Usagi couldn't help but smile. Motoki had rambled on an on for hours about Mamoru, which had caused her to remark: "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were playing Cupid, and were trying to get me interested in him!" Motoki had just winked and muttered, "Maybe I am... Maybe I am..." And for some reason, that was rather appealing... 'He is SO cute when he... wait a minute... he's BLUSHING?!' "Mamoru-san, what is it?" Usagi asked gently. Mamoru looked up. She hadn't used such a sweet tone with him before in a LONG time. He missed it. It brought back sweet, fond memories, and those gave Mamoru the courage to ask her. "Usagi-chan, I was wondering if..." Usagi nearly fainted when he called her Usagi, and not Odango. Was something wrong with him? "If you'd like to go to a movie with me sometime." Now, if Usagi hadn't had a decent lunch, jogged around the lake in the morning, and dealt with her cousin Chibiusa so early, she just MIGHT have blacked out then and there. Was this Chiba Mamoru, the one all her friends said was: 'The cutest guy ever made... the Greek god of all men in Japan... The most flirtatious... silent, cold and reserved, all stuffed into a shy and romantic shell body... lost and lonely little boy who...' no, who had said that? ASKING HER OUT ON A DATE?! "I uh..." Usagi tinted rosy pink, and looked down. "It's okay, Usagi... I.. didn't know. I mean, you might be... um, involved with someone else or..." "No, that's not it! I... I'd love to!" Usagi exclaimed. "Y-You would?" Mamoru asked, thinking he must be dreaming. "Yeah. Yeah, I really would, Mamoru-san." Leaning over, Usagi kissed him on the cheek, sending tingles down her lips and through the muscles on his face. They both tinted a light shade of pink before parting, Usagi's eyes sparkling. "I um..." "I guess..." "I'll pick you up at eight. Ja!" "Mamoru, matte!" "What?" "Do you even know my address?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Usagi had begged Motoki to let her off early, and when he had asked her why, she said she was going out. Motoki immediately guessed she wouldn't be alone, so he asked, "With who?" Caught off guard, Usagi replied, "Mamoru." "AAHH... okay Usagi-chan, but remember, he tells me EVERYTHING!" "Nani?! Motoki, get your mind out of the gutter!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Usagi arrived home just in time... no Chibiusa... she was still playing at Momo-chan's. And thanks to ingenious Ami-chan, little Chibiusa always had an escort home from school, along with her own key to the apartment... which was more of a condo than anything, due to her parent's overgenerousity and 'connections'. 'Perfect!' Usagi picked out a casual outfit... a red mini-dress and white princess-sleeved tee, with red hi-tops and cuff socks. Usagi showered, and dried her six feet of hair (which took an hour) until it gleamed sunshine gold and moonlight silver. Chibiusa STILL wasn't home... 'Maybe I should be worried.' Usagi thought at six o'clock. Then she thought to check the messages, and found Chibiusa would be staying at Momo-chan's overnight. 'Yay, I think.' Usagi picked up and put on her dress, applied a thin sheen of makeup and waited. Precisely at eight o'clock, the doorbell rang. "Hello?" "Usagi-chan, it's me." "Want to come up?" Usagi asked Mamoru without thinking. "Sure. Let's see this place you've babbled non-stop about!" "Mamoru, I do not..." Usagi pushed the button and heard the downstairs gate slam just as she finished her sentence. "Babble." Suddenly, it hit her. 'Me and Mamoru... alone in my apartment! Yeek! No.. no wait, Mamoru and I are just friends... if that.' 'Then how come you're on a *DATE* with him?' 'I...uh...' *DING DONG* "Konbanwa!" Usagi greeted cheerily as she threw open her door. "Good evening to you too, Miss Casual." Usagi opened her azure eyes and viewed Mamoru. He was mostly casual himself, in dark slacks and a navy polo shirt. His hair was gleaming and slicked back, matching in depthness his endless midnight eyes. 'Oh no... I'm checking him out!' "Shall we go, My Lady?" Mamoru asked, offering her an arm after being shown around some fifteen minutes and a short, uncomfortable silence later. "We shall." Usagi linked arms with him, and relished in the warmth she felt. This was... nice. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Sorry sir, all the movies except for Sailor V are sold out." "Oh, Mamoru-san, can't we see Sailor V? I don't want to go to another theater just to see a scary movie!" "Okay... come on, Usagi-chan." Mamoru paid for the tickets and laughed privately to himself. They were going to see a movie about Minako, one of Usagi's best friends, and Usagi didn't even know it! "MUAAAAARRRHH!!" A gigantic, very phony-looking youma came onto the screen and started to attack Sailor V. "YYEEP!" Usagi squealed. She subconsciously clutched Mamoru's shirt sleeve, pulling them closer together. He liked that feeling. By the end of the movie an hour later, Usagi had laughed when Sailor V clutzed out, cried when Kaito Ace died, and smiled with tears in her eyes when Sailor V turned into Sailorvenus, and met up with the other senshi. "Did you like it, Usagi-chan?" Mamoru asked as they left the theater. "Hai, Domo Arigatou Mamoru-san!" Usagi said happily. 'Please let it continue this way... I want to be with her more and more...' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mamoru got his wish, in a way. He worked part time at a movie studio as well as Juuban Memorial hospital, so when the hospital announced a charity ball, Mamoru immediately thought Usagi would love to go, so he prepared himself and what he'd say when he asked her. Usagi, meanwhile, had heard about it from Chibiusa, for Momo-chan's father was the Director of the Hospital, and had bought Momo-chan a new dress so they could go together with Momo's mother and brother. Momo-chan had spent the sleepover telling Chibiusa about the dresses she had seen at the mall, and why she needed a really nice one. "It's not fair! I want to go too!" Usagi whined childishly. "Hmph. It'll just be a buncha adults dancing in poufy dresses. Momo-chan found out that you have to sit for most of the time, so now she doesn't want to go either. If Mako-chan isn't going, can she watch me and Momo-chan here, I want to have a sleepover here!?" "Chibiusa! Don't be-" *RING RING* "Moshi Moshi?" "Hey, Usagi-chan! Rei told me you had a date with Mamoru. Need someone to babysit when he asks you out again?" Makoto asked. "Wha-" "YES!" Chibiusa screamed in the background. Makoto laughed. "Eh... how did Rei know I had a- ahem, *date*, with Mamoru-san?" "Well, someone told Mina, Mina told Ami, Ami told Rei and Rei told me. Anyways, Ami also told me that Mamoru wants to ask YOU to the hospital charity ball, so do you need a babysitter or not?" "Mako-chan! He hasn't even asked me yet... and what? Ami said so?!" Ami-chan never lied about things like this... and Ami's mom DID work with Mamoru-san... "Yeah. Her mom came home one day saying she had to give one of her interns the day off because he was all lovesick. Turns out it was Mamoru." "LOVESICK?! You must be crazy!" "Talk to Ami-chan, not me. I'll be free that night, so if he DOES ask you, and I'm sure he will, Usagi-chan, you have a babysitter for Chibiusa and her friend." "Ah- Thank you, Mako-chan." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next day, Usagi spent her last free weekend as a teenager, and not a high-schooler at Juuban, at the arcade. She was there to work, but she had fun nonetheless. Then Mamoru walked in. "Ohayo, Usagi-chan!" "Ohayo, Mamoru-san!" Usagi greeted back. "What can I get for you?" "You, free, next Thursday evening." "Nani?" Usagi pretended to be surprised. Mako-chan was right! "The hospital is holding it's annual charity ball, and I'd like you to come with me... as... as..." "Your date?" Usagi smiled. Mamoru blushed scarlet and nodded. "Of course." Usagi hugged him genuinely and laid another butterfly kiss on his cheek. He was as red as Sailormars' skirt when she released him and sauntered off to her duties again, only coming back once to give Mamoru his usual cup of coffee, two sugars and a cream. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "This would look DIVINE on you!" Usagi exclaimed, holding up a silky sapphire dress to Ami's body. Ami already held a pair of shoes, a purse, hair clips and gloves in the same shade. "Usag-Usagi-chan!" Ami cried over the piles of clothes and accessories. "Hai?" Usagi peered over the top to see a struggling Ami. "Shouldn't we be shopping for YOU? You're the one with the date!" Usagi flushed a light shade of pink, and then nodded. "Hai but..." "And besides, because I work at the hospital as an assistant to the Director, and my mom is the vice president of staff, I have to be one of the waitresses anyways. Having a nice dress will be pointless!" "Nah-uh-uh! Mamoru-san told me that the party is being CATERED, so you won't be working as a waitress. You just don't want to get wolf whistled at, do you, Ami-chan!? And besides, Mako-chan told me that that old friend of yours... Urawa Ryo I think his name was, he's coming!" "NANI?! URAWA!?" Ami dropped everything and flushed deep red. Usagi smiled happily. Ami had it bad. 'But then, don't I, as well?' Two and a half hours later, Usagi had gotten the entire ball's wardoobe picked out for Ami. Usagi herself had actually picked out a modest silk red gown that flowed like rose petals to her ankles, adorned in two inch heels decorated with gold sparkle, like the bodice of her dress. With it came a thin red purse decorated with the same sparkle, two rose hairclips, a rose choker, and gloves. "It's perfect. Very eye catching, but not too showy." Ami had commented on Usagi's choice of gown for that evening. "Arigatou, Ami-chan. This WILL be the perfect night!" Famous last words. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The night finally arrived. Because Ami, as she had told everyone, not only worked at the hospital, but was the assistant to the director and the daughter of the VP of staff, she had to be there early, and couldn't go with Mamoru and Usagi. Makoto and Minako gladly offered to babysit Chibiusa and Momo-chan at Usagi's 'apartment', which was a good three times bigger than each of their houses, and Rei had to help her grandfather at the temple... An hour before Mamoru and the 'babysitters' were to arrive, Usagi inspected herself in the mirror. Her sunshine-spun hair fell in its normal style to her ankles, as she had let it grow out for a long time, and was tied with the two rose clips. The red choker with red rose accented in gold lay across her neck, and the elbow-length silk gloves encased her slender arms. The waterfall of silk that was the gown cascaded to the floor, where Usagi's bare feet were twisting nervously. "What if this is too fancy?" "I don't think it is..." Chibiusa said helpfully. "Thank you, Chibiusa-chan. I need all the confidence I can get. This is, after all, my FIRST *REAL* DATE with Mamoru!" 'That's what you think.' Chibiusa thought sadly. Usagi finally slipped on her shoes fifteen minutes later, applied a light sheen of makeup again, and grabbed her purse. She twirled for Chibiusa in the bedroom. "How do I look?" "Like... Like... Cinderella?" Chibiusa wasn't sure if that was the right character. "OOH! Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu, Chibiusa-chan! I just hope I get to dance with my prince! I mean... uh..." "It's okay Usagi, everyone knows you like Mamoru." "Like Mamoru... Hahha..." Usagi laughed nervously. Chibiusa only smiled, knowing it was silly to start a fight with her now. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Got ya!" Chibiusa cried, taking Usagi's last red checker from the board. Usagi graoned desparingly. Even Chibiusa beat her at checkers! *DING DONG* They were early. "Konbanwa!" Minako and Makoto's voices said in unison when Usagi pressed the button. Usagi buzzed them in, and after ten minutes, their marching down the hall was heard. When Usagi opened the door, the first thing Makoto said was, "So Chibiusa beat you at checkers again?" Usagi gave Makoto a dirty glare before collapsing into 'Thank-You's' for her best friends. "You'll never know what this means to me, guys!" "Maybe we will, if you pick us as your Maids of Honors!" "It's Maid of HONOR, Minako-chan, and there can only be one." Makoto reminded her. "What are you talking about?! This is our first date!" "What about the movie!?" "Wha- how did you guys know about that?" "We have our sources." Makoto replied mysteriously. *DING DONG* "Just what does that mean?" Usagi asked angrily, walking to the door. She pressed the buzzer and heard Mamoru's voice say "Your carriage awaits, my love." Usagi flushed, unbeknownst to everyone but the girls who tittered in foolish giggles behind her. Usagi shot them dagger-like glares before putting on her 'best' face and answering the door. The gathering of girls behind her saw Mamoru's face drop in appreciation. Makoto swore she saw Mamoru mouth 'Thank Kami-sama!' before smiling that melt-your-knees-into-a-puddle smile and offering an arm. "You look wonderful." He found himself saying, though she was much, much more. "You don't look so bad yourself." Usagi smiled, noticing his formal tuxedo. It seemed familar... but no one she had ever seen... let alone DATED ever wore a tuxedo, and don't all tuxes look the same? Seeing Usagi's perplexed expression as she stared at his tuxedo, he broke her out of her trance by saying, "It was specially made." Usagi did snap out of it, and blushed, embarassed at being caught 'checking' him out. "Ladies. Good evening." Mamoru tipped an invisible hat at the three girls before leading Usagi out the door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He could only revel in her beauty the entire way to the ball, but she wanted to avoid this uncomfortable silence, and made conversation. "Wow... this is...a nice car. Just out of curiousity, but how can you afford this, and the Armani wardobe, the motorcycles and the fancy tux?" "My parents left me a hefty inheritance." Mamoru said quietly. "Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't know... or I forgot. I mean, I don't know how close we were before, but... oh I don't know what I'm saying Mamoru. I'm just grateful." "For what?" "For you." Usagi replied simply before turning back to he window. For some reason, Mamoru left it at that, and smiled. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The start of the ball began with the catered dinner Usagi had gushed about, and that Ami and Mamoru had told her about. Being polite, Usagi chose one entree, one appetizer, and a drink from the table... something that looked like fruit juice in a fancy goblet of sorts. She was SO thristy for some reason, and downed it one gulp. 'Kinda... kinda sweet and bitter all at the same time.' Usagi dismissed the wave of dizziness she felt a moment later when the food came. She ate heartily, but delicately, so as not to embarass Mamoru. Forty-five minutes later, her plate was clean, like everyone else's on the table. People were beginning to dance, so Mamoru offered the option to Usagi. "Hai." Usagi said, blushing. They danced slowly for several minutes, each reveling in the closeness they felt to the other. Only Usagi wondered why HE, of all people, affected her at all, and so much. 'She smells like passion fruit... she is SO beautiful, and tonight, she is all mine!' 'Cinnamon... musk... and roses? What an unusual combination of scents.' Sometime later, Usagi parted from Mamoru, because she had to go to the restroom. On her way back to the dance floor, she took another glass of that 'juice', and again, downed it in one gulp. She finally found Mamoru, but just as they were about to dance again, she felt dizzy. "Mamo-ru-san... I feel... I feel kind of dizzy..." "Usagi! Maybe we should get some air..." It WAS kind of stuffy in here... and the smell of alcohol was beginning to get stifling. They went outside to the benches, where Mamoru held Usagi tightly around the waist to prevent her from swaying and possibly passing out. "Usagi, did you eat something you're allergic to?" Mamoru asked concernedly. "Iie... I only had the chicken plate... I'm not allergic to anything..." "What did you have to drink?" Mamoru asked suddenly, realizing that stifling smell was NOT from inside. "Just...*hic* a little bit of *hic* that juice." Usagi slurred before fainting into his arms. "Oh dear..." Mamoru muttered. He picked her up gently and carried her to the car. For the entire ride home, Usagi muttered small things in her sleep which Mamoru couldn't make out. He finally arrived at her apartment, and rummaged through her purse until he found the key with the bunny tag on it that Usagi had used when they had left. He found a letter on the nearby endtable that read: "Usagi, took the girls to see 'Sailor V'. We might stay at Makoto's place, because she owes everyone a cake. I'll explain later. Minako" So the girls probably wouldn't be back tonight. If he knew Chibiusa, her friends and Minako, they wouldn't pass up staying at Makoto's if it meant a free cake. He opened the first door and found himself in a closet. When he opened the next on the right, he found a master bedroom, which was decorated very Usagi-ishly. There were several boxes lying near the bedside, one of which contained several photo albums and frames. The top one was covered in a sheen of dust, but when Mamoru brushed it off, he found it to be very familiar. 'It's the picture we took at Ichinohashi park two and a half years ago.' Mamoru's arms were wrapped tightly around Usagi's waist, whose arms were entangled with his own. They both wore happy smiles. 'I want it like that again. No more nightmares, no more breakups. I want to be with her forever. I want to be her soulmate.' Mamoru was almost shocked at how he was pairing himself with her, but it was true, he had felt this way about her for a long time, and was NOT, under any circumstances, going to lose her again. Usagi was now sleeping soundly in her own bed. She turned on her side and faced Mamoru, sitting on the edge of her bed. She smacked her lips and opened her eyes drowsily. "Usagi?" Mamoru asked. "Hmm. Umm... mmm... Aishiteru... *hic* Mamo-chan." Usagi hiccuped, smiling, before falling back into sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'She doesn't mean it. She CAN'T mean it. She's only known you for a little while, according to her memory, and been with you on two, count 'em TWO dates, and she got DRUNK! She's not thinking with her normal head!' 'But what if she did mean it, and the alcohol just made her say it?' 'Yeah, right.' Mamoru drove home at a speed too fast for his current state of mind. 'She might not have been drunk when she said "yes" to you, but she might have been trying to be nice... try not to make you look so pathetic when you asked her out.' 'That's right... Usagi doesn't really want to be with me...' Mamoru thought desparingly. She was just trying to be nice. "...And so I don't think she really wants to go out with me, she was just being nice." Mamoru finished telling Motoki. Motoki rolled his eyes and scoffed. But he couldn't TELL Mamoru he was wrong. Telling this guy that he was wrong was like talking to a wall: he wouldn't listen, even if he really was wrong, and if he corrected himself, he'd get what he wanted. "I better get back to work, Mamoru. I hope you figure out your problem, because from my view, it seems like you've got to figure out a girl's emotions and signals before you send a reply." Motoki walked off... to where Makoto, Minako and Rei were sitting in the Parlor. "So? He told you everything about last night, didn't he? What happened? Usagi didn't answer he phone when we called her this morning." Minako said. "Usagi got drunk." Motoki stated. Minako's face dropped. "N-Nani?" Rei breathed in disbelief. "Yeah, she got drunk, and then when Mamoru brought her home, she told him she loved him. Now he thinks that he was taking advantage of her, or something, and that she never really wanted to be with him. It's like he thinks she pities him or something!" "Yeah right!" Makoto said. "Yeah, I mean, Usagi-chan's always gushing about him, she doesn't pity him at all... why would she... she has no reason to!" "That's true... he didn't tell her about what happened to his parents until last night, he said, so she couldn't have gone out with him because of that!" "Konnichiwa!" Ami and Chibiusa greeted from the door. "Hey Ami!" "Ami, you saw Mamoru and Usagi leave last night?" "No, I didn't. What happened to them, anyways?" "Usagi got drunk." Rei said solemnly. "She did?!" Ami asked incredulously. "Um-hmm! Makoto and Minako dropped me off last night, because Momo-chan had to go home, instead of staying over at Mako's, but I was the only one to check on her. She smelled funny, like... like um... Cham-pag-ne?" Chibiusa piped up questioningly. This comment brought laughter, and more worries. "We should check on her. She didn't answer when we called this morning, I guess it's because Chibiusa had left to meet Ami-chan, right?" "Right." Ami and Chibiusa nodded. The small crowd, save Motoki, decided to go pay Usagi a visit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Usagi was up and about, complete with hangover, when the girls arrived. Chibiusa had let everyone in, so she was startled when Rei tapped her on the shoulder. "Ahh! Where'd you come from?" "The door." Rei replied snidely. Usagi would have rolled her eyes, had they not felt like someone stuffed grapes in the lids! "Usagi, how are you feeling?" Ami asked. "Rotten. I can't remember what happened after the dancing, my head, eyes and throat hurt, and my muscles are all weak and noodly." "Congratulations, you've been diagnosed with alcoholic hangover!" Makoto announced in a game-show host voice. "Alcohol? But I didn't..." "That 'juice' you had last night was really wine, Usagi-chan." Ami stated. "Oh... oops?" Usagi managed a smile. Usagi had taken a long, long hot bath, had some hot tea, and allowed the girls to help her clean up. Makoto made lunch, Ami watered Usagi's plants, Chibiusa and Minako took Usagi's laundry downstairs to the cleaner, and Rei made up Usagi's bed. She saw the half-dusted off picture frame lying on top of the boxes in one corner of Usagi's room. 'It's Mamoru and Usagi... from two years or so back! It's best if she doesn't see this... she'll ask questions.' Rei placed the frame between the wall and the endtable, just underneath the bed. Usagi would never look for something there. Fifteen minutes later, Usagi was mostly over her hangover, and the girls had gathered back in the living room, with Minako and Chibiusa playing an intense match of checkers, and Makoto and Ami beating it out on chess. "You know, Usagi, you shouldn't pity Mamoru." "Pity him? Why would I pity him?" "I don't know. That's what Motoki told us Mamoru said. Apparently, last night when Mamoru dropped you off, you told him you loved him, and he started to think that you never REALLY wanted to go out with him, you pitied him or something." "Or did it on a dare." Minako added. "I said--I said what?" Usagi was deathly pale. "You said-" "I know what I said!" Usagi snapped. "But you just--" "Oh my god..." Usagi breathed in and out too rapidly for her heart rate, and she was near hyperventilation. "Breathe... inhale, exhale." Ami instructed. Some time later, Usagi was still pale, but breathing normally. "I can't believe..." "Can't believe he'd think that? I know. I mean, who would PITY Mamoru? He's nearly got everything, he's Mr. Immaculate-in-a-Shell, and you are the lucky girl who pierced his rock hard heart." Rei stated. "Yeah, Usagi, you have to prove to him that you're not like those ditzes who chase after him all the time. You're the one he wants, so make him believe it!" Minako added. "Yeah... Yeah! I'll do that!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <4:00PM> "I don't think she's going to show." Mamoru told Motoki anxiously. "She called and said she was coming in. But Dad told me to close early today anyways, so she only gets a half-hour shift." "Konnichiwa!" Usagi greeted from the door. Mamoru turned in his chair and faced Usagi who wore a pink sleeveless shirt and light blue skirt. "Hey Usagi. You feeling better?" "Much, thanks. Guess I better start my shift now, ne?" "Actually you mine as well not, because I have to close up early anyways." Motoki said, putting Usagi's apron back on the hook. "Oh... okay..." Usagi walked back out to the counter, and leaned over it somewhat precariously, from Mamoru's point of view. "Mamoru-san, would you come with me to the park today?" "Y-You and m-me...? P-Park?" Mamoru stuttered. Usagi giggled, her face lighting up. "Yeah, you and me, *alone* in the park, for a picnic. And don't worry, Makoto made it. There's more than enough for the both of us." "Okay..." "Great! Come on!" Usagi grabbed Mamoru's arm enthusiastically, along with the picnic basket she had brought in. The two nearly flew to Ichinohashi park, where they settled on the cool grass overlooking the lake and backed by a small grove of trees. Sunset was fast approaching, and the first of the stars was coming out. "Okay, so it's not lunch, it's not supper, or dinner... how about... lupper? or linner? sinner? No, that's not right. How about dupper? Or maybe sunch, or even dunch?" Mamoru laughed. "Hey, want a chocolate?" According to Rei, who had heard it from Ami, who had heard it from her mother, who had heard it from Mamoru himself, Mamoru had a BIG weakness for chocolate. "Sure." Usagi pulled out a nearly-melting truffle-ish looking thing and offered it to Mamoru on the end of her two outstretched fingers. Without thinking, his lips covered the ends of her fingers and had taken the chocolate with them. Usagi gasped lightly at the flood of emotions rushing through her veins. 'No doubt your hormones, stupid!' However, within seconds, it was over, and only a trace of the chocolate remained on her fingers. Usagi licked the rest off, not noticing the thin, wet sheen Mamoru had left on her fingers. Silence enveloped the two as the moon and the stars rose, and the sun set in a gorgeous display of colors. Usagi lay back on the grass, her arms crossed under her head, and stared up at the rising stars. Her lips moved, but no words were uttered. Mamoru thought she was just being quiet, and so lay back beside her, their sides only inches apart. But still, he heard nothing. "What are you mouthing?" He finally asked. "Ssh... Starlight, Starbright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight." And Usagi mouthed her wish. Mamoru thought he saw her mouth 'Mamo-chan' but he couldn't be too sure. That and, he was, uncharacteristically shy around her now, for some reason. "Usagi, can I ask you something?" Mamoru said, breaking the silence as soon as the magnificent sunset was over, and the sky took on a light violet hue. Usagi giggled, and in response, quietly said, "You just did." "Usagi." Mamoru breathed, somewhat seriously. "Yes?" Usagi asked, not turning for fear of getting lost in his eyes. But she couldn't avoid them, for he postioned himself angularly above her, with one arm on either side of her waist. He looked directly down at her, admiring her every feature with love. "Would you mind if I kissed you right now?" Mamoru breathed quietly. He expected no response, and when their faces were only inches apart, he closed his eyes and brushed his lips lightly across hers. If one could describe fire in one's veins, that was what Usagi felt going through her lips. There was hardly any pressure at all, and for some reason, Usagi wanted some... wanted more than light butterfly kisses. "I'll take that as a no." Mamoru whispered huskily before kissing her more savagely. Eagerly, Usagi responded, her mouth in time with his. They collapsed into each other, their arms wrapped around each other as the night air settled around them. Usagi had somehow rolled on top of him, and when a branch broke underneath his back, they parted, somewhat startled. Usagi stood, seconds before Mamoru. They both started brushing off their clothes and blushed, for lack of ANYTHING to say. Finally, Usagi broke the silence. "Maybe we should do this again sometime." Mamoru smiled. "Yeah, we really should." Mamoru wrapped his jacket around her slim shoulders and led her to his car some blocks away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Usagi never "recovered" from that kiss. If you saw her during the day, perhaps when she was walking to the Shrine from school, or even at work, when she was on break, you would see her brush her hand across her lips, and her glazed eyes would shimmer, and stare at those two fingers she has brushed those lips with. As the weeks went on, Mamoru and Usagi went out more and more often. Usagi still kept up with her schoolwork, not just for herself, but because if Mamoru was at such a high college level, she wanted to be SOMEWHAT near him... 'Besides, you can't be a nurse if you don't study!' Ever since the accident, Usagi had wanted to be a nurse. Actually, she had been a Candy Striper for a while while in Osaka, and enjoyed it thouroughly. Cheering up people was just part of her nature, and as Motoki and all her friends said, she did it well. So she wanted to be a nurse, and work in Pediatrics. Usagi and Mamoru went out together whenever they had free time, and when Usagi and the girls weren't meeting for a study session. They went to parks, to row on the lake or simply stare at the stars, to the movies, and Mamoru once took her to the woods at sunset, so they could see the light spread over them like a blanket and through the trees. 'Mamoru is such a romantic... I can't believe that he gave me RED ROSES for the last date!' Usagi sniffed the bouquet of deep red, perfectly cut roses in her vase. It added so much color to her otherwise modern 'apartment', which only had a splash of color from a blanket, picture frame or picture of Chibiusa's. '*sigh* This is perfect...' Or so it seemed. For deep in the barrier planes between space and time, a loud CRACK was heard. A shrill scream, and then loud, monotonous laughter. And the attacks, which had stalled unusually during the two years Usagi was in Osaka, began again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was when Mamoru was on a date with Usagi downtown, walking from the mall when the first attack occurred. It was quiet at first, but loud screams from the hapless victims of droids interrupted the normal commuter noise of downtown. Mamoru, on instict, turned to the noise. There, he saw the droid. The entire bit was complete in this one: fur, fangs, claws, spikes and blank eyes. The jewel on its chest, and the whole thing was packaged incongrously into a female package. "Usagi, get down." Mamoru said with an eerie tone. He knew he couldn't call the senshi; they hadn't expected an attack any more than he did, so they hadn't given him a communicator. "Mamoru?" Usagi questioned, frightened. But before anyone could say "Sailor Senshi", they were on the scene. "I am Sailormars!" "I am Sailormercury!" "Sailorjupiter!" "Sailorvenus!" "The Sailor Team is here!" "MUA?" This appeared to be a weak droid, but the point was, without Sailormoon, there wasn't any apparent way to destroy it, only weaken it. And weakening it wouldn't give all the helpless victims' their energy back. "Usagi, stay HERE." Mamoru commanded firmly before dashing off. Usagi was left, speechless and alone, watching the scene from the dark alleyway. Moments later, Tuxedo Kamen appeared on the scene, and performed his usual distracting, sigh-from-Sailormoon-inducing speech. It distracted the droid long enough for the senshi to get some major weakening attacks in, and then Tuxedo Kamen got the miracle his subconscious hoped for. His cane transformed into a long, double edged sword, which, with precision, he stabbed through the jewel on the droid's chest. The jewel cracked and the droid vanished into light blue dust. "Tuxedo Kamen! Arigatou!" Sailorvenus called. Tuxedo Kamen tipped his top hat graciously before rushing off to detransform and find his way back to Usagi. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'I can't lose her again...' Mamoru was contemplating HOW to ask her, what to say, exactly. 'You remember what you were thinking when you thought you were going to die in the fight against Zoisite? You wanted to tell her you loved her, but you couldn't. In the end, she felt the same way, and she knew. This time, don't let there be an end. Tell her what you want, before history repeats itself.' "Usagi." "Mamoru!" Usagi threw her arms around him and kissed him happily. All thoughts vanished from his head and his heart ruled his speech. "Usagi... I need to ask you something." "Hmm? What is it?" She slid her arms down to around his waist, but his own lack of movement caused them to release and drop like lead weights at her sides. 'I have NO clue how to do this... proposing to her will be easier! At least I know how to do that!' Mamoru thought, exasperated. "Usa..." Mamoru desperately wanted to add the 'ko' to the name of his beloved, but then wouldn't she think he was moving too fast? No, for now, Usa was good enough. 'OOH! He called you Bunny!' "Usa, would you... would you... would you consider going steady with me? I mean, would you... can I call you... girlfriend?" Mamoru stuttered. Usagi's face tinted a hue of red before tears brimmed her azure eyes. "OH! Mamo-chan!" She threw herself at him again while her arms snaked around his neck to play with his hair. 'She called you Mamo-chan!' It was like a refreshing drink of water, after having drunk coffee for three years. "Usa..." Mamoru breathed into her lightly scented hair. His lips began to ache unmistakenly, and her temple and bowed neck happened to be the closest place to them, and were his first target. In moments, she had raised her small head in fierce joy and pride, and their lips met in a moment of passion. Two booths away, four teenage girls and a young blonde man sat, admiring the scene with titters, giggles, open-mouthed stares and tears of joy. Watching in the shadows, were two other figures, both with extremely long hair. "It can't stay this way for long." One said to the other. "I'm aware. But until then, it'll have to do. Usagi can't know... not yet." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Usagi and Mamoru were back together again. And so were the senshi. "We're not just friends anymore, we're a team. Without Sailormoon, we have to work extra-hard to fight against these droids, and if Tuxedo Kamen can't get away in time to help us..." "Minako-chan, I think you should be our new leader." "But..." "But what? It's only temporary, until Usagi gets her... if she gets her memory back." "Mm. Well, if you guys believe..." "YEAH!" And so the senshi were a team again, with Venus as leader. And although the senshi and Tuxedo Kamen fought harder, longer, and in the end, were stronger, the attacks STILL got worse. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was the seventh attack in a month, the most the senshi had ever faced. It had been a month and one week since Usagi and Mamoru had officially become a couple, and already the constant attacks were becoming a strain on the relationship. When Mamoru was fighting, Usagi was free, hoping she could go somewhere with him. When Mamoru was free, Usagi was studying with the girls or taking care of Chibiusa, who, as a seven-year-old, had needs as well. Neither seemed to notice anything unusual, for both had legitimate excuses, and neither wanted to interrupt the other during their 'precious' time. So it was that seventh attack that brought all the strain out. This time, it wasn't in a very crowded place at all. In fact, the droid seemed to LURE the senshi to the spot, a secluded warehouse on the pier. Tuxedo Kamen joined the Team, and was ready to fight... when the droid vanished. Instead, a sparkling of light appeared in its place, and a tall, green-haired woman floated above the senshi. "Hhaha! So you're the Sailor simps who prevent me from opening the Dark Gate! Well, you may be able to beat my droids, but I... am a much tougher opponent!" And with another hyena-like laugh, the woman launched a dark green energy ball at the senshi and the caped hero. "Emerald Negabomb!" Tuxedo Kamen jumped swiftly, while the senshi rolled to the side. He adeptly shot a rose through the bomb, exploding outward in a red-green blast of light and energy. "I, Emerald, the highest ranking officer of Prince Diamond's crew, am not that easy to beat!" Emerald sneered. From the jewel on her gloved arm came a long green rope. Before Tuxedo Kamen could react, both he and the senshi were wrapped in it, and now having trouble breathing. "Mmmhha! Who's going to save you now?" Emerald sneered. That was when all the lights went out, systematically, row by row. Then a single light at the mid-far end of the warehouse shone on, and a dark shadow appeared. "Machinasai!" The four senshi gasped from their bounds. It couldn't be... "Ai to seigi no... sailor fuku, bishoujo senshi..." "Sailormoon!" Seven voices said unanimously. Only Sailormoon said it loudly, while Emerald hissed it, and the senshi and Tuxedo Kamen barely whispered it. "You and that other senshi were the ones stopping us from going back in time for two whole years!" Emerald glared at the approaching figure, a good seven feet above Emerald's own hovering capabilities on some high wooden crates. 'Hmmm...' She moved an arm to the side and shot a smaller, more discreet Negabomb out towards the crates. The bottom stacks exploded in a pile of wood, and when the top ones crumbled beneath Sailormoon's boot-encased feet, she jumped off agily and landed on the ground some twenty feet below. Just as the fires started, Emerald teleported back in front of Sailormoon. "Still trying to protect your senshi, even when you know you'll end up dead in the future? You know, Rubeus was right. There is NO Sailormoon in the 30th century, which means you die. And it mine as well be now!" Emerald launched another attack at Sailormoon, which she blocked with her arms alone. "Masaka..." Emerald breathed angrily. A flame licked at her boot, and in fear and frustration, she snapped. "Shimatta!" Emerald yelled, dancing on her flaming foot. "MOON PRINCESS... HALATION!" Sailormoon called with her remaining energy. "Oh no you don't!" Emerald *picked up* the flame, turning it a sickly shade of green. It danced dangerously in her palm and then grew, swirling in a orb-shaped mass. "YOU might be able to block my attacks, but I doubt your teammates can!" And Emerald shot the sphere of flame at the nearest enemy... Tuxedo Kamen. "Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailormoon screamed, leaping in front of him just as the attack hit. It exploded on her side, causing her to keel over in pain. But Emerald had not heeded the first attack Sailormoon sent out, and it hit her full on. "I'll be back!" Emerald screamed angrily before teleporting away. The four senshi looked to where Emerald had been, and there was no trace of her... save a partially burned green boot. "USAKO!" The cry of anguish caused the senshi to turn back, but they saw nothing... except a distraught Tuxedo Kamen, holding his arms out as if they once held something... but now they did not. "Tuxedo Kamen! Where did Usagi go?" "I...I don't know... I blinked, and then she was running off... I was frozen." The senshi looked into the darkness, and so no trace of their beloved ex-leader and best friend. "Usako..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next morning, Usagi woke up with an amazing pain in her side. She called in sick for school and work, and decided to take the day off. Chibiusa had gone to a week-long camp in Honshu, and would be back in three days. When Usagi finally decided to take a shower, or perhaps, if she was in the mood, a hot bath, she went into the bathroom to prepare. She took off her oversized shirt and gaped at her side in the mirror. The skin was incredibly raw and burned, open and sensitive at places and singed in others. When Usagi ran her fingers across it, the nerve endings responded back with a shock of pain. Usagi decided against the hot shower, and got dressed in clean clothes. Perplexed as to how she could have gotten such a wound overnight, and knowing for a fact that without knowing HOW, she couldn't go to the hospital, she picked out her own medical books and treated herself. After she was all cleaned up and wrapped in clean dressing, Usagi redressed for a third time. The best thing for her was to get her mind off the perplexing situation, and go out. School had let out by this time anyways, so by going to the arcade, she might make it in time for work. 'Oh wait... I don't have any work today... maybe I can see Mamo-chan... I haven't seen him in a while.' Usagi smiled at the thought, still overjoyed that Mamoru, Chiba Mamoru, was HER boyfriend. How long had it been since they last went on a date, last kissed? She missed that intense, burning feeling... Grabbing her jacket, Usagi skipped out the door of her place, thinking of Mamoru the whole way to 'work'. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Something's not right. If Usagi IS Sailormoon, how could she have just..." Rei snapped her fingers for effect, "Remembered?" "Yeah, I mean, even Luna said a Mind Meld wouldn't work." Luna had tried the Mind Meld when Usagi had first gotten out of the hospital, and having found that it didn't work, she continued trying every night until her energy was spent, and until Usagi was forced to move to Osaka. Usagi had let Ami keep Luna, because they all had the hope that one day she'd return. When she did however, she still didn't remember anything, so Ami decided it was wisest for her, and not Usagi, to keep Luna. "Could she have been playing us out like that for so long?" "No... not even Usagi could fool doctors like that. And she didn't have the crystal with her, so how could she have faked it on the med tests?" Makoto asked. "Mako-chan's right. So if Usagi did have amnesia, and she slowly remembered, that still doesn't explain why she wouldn't have told us." "Do you think it's because she'd rather only have to deal with Sailormoon responsibilities when she IS Sailormoon, and not Usagi?" Minako asked. She remembered how Usagi had hated training or 'studying' sessions, and although Usagi learned quite a bit, they WERE boring and rather rigorous. "Maybe so..." Rei trailed off. Her eyes were fixated on the single Odango Atama walking across the street from the temple. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The four senshi and two cats decided to follow Usagi at a distance, hoping to get some clues. Usagi seemed happy enough, wearing her usual cheerful smile. "Mamo-chan!" Usagi greeted, still not noticing the girls as she approached the arcade. Mamoru turned from his walk, glad to see her. 'If she remembers... why wouldn't she have told me?' "Usako..." Mamoru pulled her into his embrace for a gentle kiss, but was startled when Usagi's abrupt flinching movement halted him. "Usako... is there something wrong?" His hand was resting on her waist gently, and he could see nothing wrong VISIBLY... "Iie... M-Mamo-chan. My side just hurts." Mamoru suddenly remembered the blast she had taken for him the night previous, and pieces started sliding together. '*I just want to be a teenager... just an ordinary girl!*' He remembered Usagi telling an enemy once. 'Usako always wanted to live the normal life... When she found that her memories were coming back, she must have wanted to keep it that way... the senshi were doing fine without her, and didn't seem to miss her as a leader... and without Sailormoon, there is no destiny, no reason why I could... why I could hurt her again. But still... does she remember the love we shared for a thousand years?' Mamoru led Usagi into a corner booth at the Parlor and held her hand gently. "Let me see." Usagi's eyes widened somewhat. 'What am I supposed to tell him? I don't have any idea how this happened!' "Mamo-chan, it's okay, really." Usagi whispered, flustered. She removed his warm hands from her side and stared at her lap, trying to think of something else. "Usako." His voice held the endearing name, but the tone was anything but. What could she do? Tell him she had fallen into a fireplace? Lying was no better with him than avoiding the truth. Usagi turned her head away as Mamoru lifted the edge of her shirt and gasped. He knew how this happened, and if Usagi really was faking it, she wouldn't want him to know... 'Maybe I should play along... and not ask how it happened.' "Usako, you did all this yourself?" Mamoru motioned to the bandages. Usagi, startled by the question, simply nodded. "Not bad. That burn should heal in a few weeks." Usagi nodded. "Mamo-chan..." Usagi started. Perhaps he was just being nice by not asking HOW she got the burn in the first place. She wanted to tell him, but she couldn't, because she didn't know herself. Usagi's mixed feelings and thoughts exploded into tears, and Usagi found herself holding Mamoru and crying onto his shoulder. Between sniffles, she managed a short explanation. "Mamo-chan, I don't know what's happening to me! I don't know how I got this burn, or even where I was last night! I know I didn't have anything to drink, but..." 'She *doesn't* know?!' "Usagi." Rei's needle-sharp voice cut in. Both Mamoru and Usagi turned in surprise. Usagi wiped her tears with the napkin on the table, and sniffled loudly. "Hai, Rei-chan? D-Did I miss a study meeting?" "No, Usagi-chan. We just want to talk to you. Alone, if you don't mind." "Um... well..." Usagi gave a regretful glance at Mamoru, who was beginning to understand what Usagi had been trying to tell him. "I'll be back quick, Mamo-chan." She left the booth with the girls, and it was then that Mamoru realized what they wanted to talk to her about. 'They think she knows... when she doesn't! Something is very strange is going on here... not even Usagi could lie so blatantly to me about not knowing if she really did. She really DOESN'T know how she got that burn!' "Usagi..." Rei started, unsure as how to accuse her best friend of lying. "Usagi-chan, do you remember anything more, about before the accident? About how you were friends with us, and everything?" Minako asked. Usagi's face fell. She shook her head sadly, wishing with all her heart that she could remember SOMETHING... ANYTHING! "No... I wish I could, but I can't. The last thing I remember is waking up at the hospital and seeing you and all my family around me." Both Rei and Makoto cast doubtful glances at Usagi before continuing. "I'm sure you'll remember more soon." "And when you do, TELL US." Usagi only nodded wordlessly as the girls left. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At every battle after that conversation, Sailormoon appeared to save the day. And each time, she vanished without a trace. She always entered with her usual introductory speech, but never said anything regarding the senshi, or the 'other senshi' Emerald had first mentioned at that first battle when Sailormoon had appeared. "She's so impersonal nowadays! How can she act all sweet and friendly when she's in Usagi form, but all ignorant when she's Sailormoon?" Mars had complained after one particular battle. No one knew. Tuxedo Kamen was the only one who had a small idea... that Usagi really didn't know, and perhaps underwent spontaneous transformations, like he had had when Sailormoon transformed. 'Could she be linked to me, and transforms without knowing, when I do?' It was true... Sailormoon had never did shown up before Tuxedo Kamen, so it was a possibility. But he never voiced his thoughts to the senshi. For some reason, he thought they wouldn't understand, or would think the idea was too far-fetched. He never even mentioned it to Ami, with the scientific and logical mind, or Minako, who had 'seen it all' in all of her years of experience. And so the senshi continued to think that Usagi was faking it. That she knew about being Sailormoon, and just chose not to have any part of it during her 'normal life' hours. To not undergo training, or have fire readings, or just go to senshi meetings. To be ignorant of her duties and responsibilities. They had several more talks with Usagi, until she got so fed up with their persistent and abnormal behavior that she ran, crying from the arcade, to Mamoru's apartment. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *KNOCK KNOCK* 'Who could that be at this time in the evening?' Mamoru pondered, setting down his book. As soon as he opened the door, a blonde form hurled itself into his arms, and started crying loudly. "Usako?" "M-mo-chamf!" came the muffled response. Usagi buried her head in his chest, not caring about her tears, how she must look to him. Only that he was the only one there for her, and she could only trust him. The only one she loved and would be loved back by unconditionally. God, how she loved him. And whatever was happening to her and her friends, he wouldn't care. He'd be there. Wouldn't he? Mamoru led Usagi inside and shut the door quietly. Her knees collapsed from under her before they reached the couch, so her just held her there, rubbing the small of her back soothingly. He whispered in her ear, hoping to get her to stop crying, and say something about what made her so upset. "Mamo-*hic* chan! It was horrible! All the girls ganged up on me... and, and... and they kept on saying I knew, that I shouldn't be so selfish and ignorant! Oh, Mamo-chan, what- *hic*... where did I go wrong? I thought they were my friends!" Usagi cried miserably. So it was the girls... they still thought she knew... and it was putting Usagi through hell. "Mamo-chan... I don't know what's happening to me! I wake up one night, and don't remember what happened the night before, or even how I got into bed! An-And the girls keep saying I DO know, but I really don't... Mamo-chan, you believe me, don't you!?" Usagi cried, her eyes spilling tears. Mamoru nodded an affirmative. "Of course I believe you. I... I don't know what to say either... I don't know how to explain it either, without confusing you but-" Mamoru was cut off when Usagi lurched back into his chest. "Unngh..." "Usako?!" "Mamo-chan... it... it's happening again. I don't know whether I'll remember it this time, but... UNGH!" "Usako! Come on, stay calm, stay still!" "If I forget you, remind me of everything we had... I don't... I don't want... I don't want to lose you again. I... I love you, Mamo-chan." And with those heartwrenching words, Usagi vanished in a flash of colors. "USAKO!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ End of Part One Skylight: You're evil. Azurite: Yes I am. MUAHAHA!!!