Hey everyone! This Fanfic was absolutely great fun to write! Rarely I come out with something so amusing. Not since 'You And Me, Always And Forever'. I hope you'll enjoy it and...send me heaps of letters saying you loved it too :) Write me! *************************************** Title: The Games Series: The Games We Play Author: Princess Destiny E-Mail: princessdestiny@hotmail.com Rating: PG 13+ (It's more suggestive, than actual DOINGS) Summery: During a battle, Tuxedo Kamen gets hit with a love arrow. The first person he sees after the battle is Usagi and immediately he falls for her. It wears off, but Mamoru has realized his true feelings for the girl. Now, how to convince her. With a little help from his alter-ego Tuxedo Kamen! Little knowing, his identity has been discovered by a gleeful Usagi, who in turn, pays him a few visits as Sailor Moon. Soon, a game is born...But what will the consequences be? Archive URL: Destiny's Gateway - Romance Fanfiction Archives: http://www.crosswinds.net/~aureliadestiny/Destinys_Gateway.htm Disclaimer: I think we all know who owns Sailor Moon by now ;) Distribution: Anywhere you like, just send me the URL. Feedback: Write me! I adore letters! Thank you's: A HUGE thank you to Stormlight, who edited this huge fanfic until her fingers were numb! Think you're up for the sequel, girl? *Evil grin* Also, to my cousins Karri and Bobbi-who will probably not even see this dedication, due to a dislike of SM. *Clears throught* Umm-And of course, Alica Blade-who has been VERY majorly patient with waiting for this monster for Fanfic of the Month-which was umm...a few months back. *Mutter* Sorry, Ali-Chan! Weird-offer-and-ask-of-possible-help-from-a-totally-disinterested-lot-of- fanfiction-fanatics: *Deep breath* I've had this idea for a while-I mean come on! There are HUNDREDS of we Fanfiction writers. What-if we all put out heads together and talents and try to create our own anime? We could pool idea's, get a script written for a possible full-outline of the series, but mainly for the piolet. We need people that can draw good. Umm-and possibly someone who knows any contacts, er-someone with production experience? It'll be a lot of work, organising and fun. I don't know about all of you, but I've LONG wanted to create my own anime. That's why I watch them so much and Sailor Moon us one of my favorites. I know that I have a few story idea's floating around my PC-and I'm sure some of YOU do. Is anyone game? If anyone out there ever wanted to break out and totally use their imagination and creativeity for something worthwhile-and NOT just for the money, then contact me! Even if you're a beginner at writing, designing, the web, drawing, producing, script-writing, creating of any kind and most of all, a lover of anime...then lets try this! Contact me ASAP! It doesn't matter what coutry we're all in-I'll create a message board or somethign somewhere private and we can begin the specs for the anime on a webpage only known to us. Give it a go everyone? Even Naoko started with a comic! Why can't WE? This is a chance of a life-time! ____________________________________________________________________________ _________________ THE GAMES WE PLAY _________________ By Princess Destiny [ princessdestiny@hotmail.com ] ____________________________________________________________________________ Chapter One ____________________________________________________________________________ The moon was high into the sky and a young blonde girl deeply asleep, when a shrill persistent beeping penetrated the quiet of the night. Luna woke up immediately, eyes blinking with alertness. She saw that her charge was still sleeping deeply and bounded swiftly up to the pillow. “Usagi!" Luna said urgently. "Your communicator is beeping. There's a battle!" Usagi's eyes silted open, sleep wanting to claim her again. "What's all the shouting, Luna?" she asked tiredly. There'd been a battle that day and it had left it's toll. ["I want to go back to sleep and think of Tuxedo Kamen!"] she wailed inwardly. "Get your communicator and find out!" Luna said in exasperation. The blonde yawned widely, stretched, then snatched her communicator from her bedside table. She turned sideways, half-rising from the covers. Usagi pressed the flashing blue symbol of Mercury. "Usagi here." "Usagi! You need you get to the park," Ami said urgently. In the background, Usagi and Luna could see the night sky. "A Youma is attacking some couples here!" "Couples?" Usagi questioned. She looked over at her clock, frowning as she saw the time. "Ami, it's 1:00 in the morning. What are people-and you-doing there?" "That's a good question," Luna said angrily. "That's no time of night for a fourteen year old girl-" "You can scold me later, Luna," Ami replied worriedly, glancing away from the communicator for a moment. "I have to transform! I think the Youma is looking for energy, not a Rainbow Crystal. Zoisite isn't here." Usagi shut the communicator off, sliding reluctantly out of bed. "Okay, Luna. You stay here," she ordered, and thrust a hand into the air. "Moon Prism Power, Makeup!" The power consumed her, bringing that great joy with it. Sailor Moon jumped out of the window, wincing as she tripped and fell onto her knees hard. ["I really have to get that jumping thing down-pat"] she groaned internally, getting to her feet and running into the night. The park was lit up with colors as she reached it, running quickly through the trees. She recognized the colors at that of Jupiter’s green lightening and Mars' red fire. "They started without meeee!" she cried out involuntarily. Sailor Moon was irate. Now Mars would yell at her, merely because she had reached the fight first and they had to wait for her to reach them! ["Ugh! Is it MY fault I live further away than the other Senshi?"] Sailor Mars plowed into her as she reached them, throwing both Senshi to the ground. "Glad to see me, huh Mars?" Sailor Moon teased. "Hardly, Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mars growled, getting off of the blonde. Sailor Moon got an elbow in the stomach and knew it had been on purpose. "You weigh a ton, Mars! Go on a diet," Sailor Moon taunted, sticking out her tongue. Mars immediately responded alike. "Ha! You're the one who pigs out all the time, Odango Atama!" "Don't caaaaall me that! That jerk calls me that!" Sailor Moon wailed. "Hello? All Senshi call here!" Jupiter shouted. "Youma?" Sailor Moon looked that way, contritely-then saw the Youma. She broke into hysterical giggles, holding her sides. "It's-it's a…demented Cupid!" she gasped in mirth. Sure enough, it was. The Youma looked like one of those Cupid dolls they gave out at Valentines day-but it was stretched all out of proportion. What was hilarious was the wings and bow, complete with toga. "You know," Jupiter said thoughtfully, studying the Youma. "It IS a demented Cupid!" "All the better to SHOOT you with, my dears!" the Cupid cried out gleefully. He reached behind his back into the quiver and withdrew a dozen arrows. Then he aimed swiftly and let them fly at the startled Senshi. "Argggggh!" Sailor Moon shrieked, diving out of the way. "Wrong fairytale, you creep!" Sailor Jupiter called as she dodged the arrows nimbly. "Do we care?" Mars snapped, diving after Sailor Moon. "Oh darn," Sailor Mercury sighed, staring at the arrow sticking in the dirt a centimeter from her boot. "Shabon spray!" The area was filled with blinding bubbles. Luckily that the Senshi could see-although not THAT clearly! Sailor Moon stumbled about, squinting. "Fire Soul!" Mars' voice rang out triumphantly. There followed a cry of pain from the Youma and a thudding sound. "Did we get 'im?" Jupiter shouted eagerly. "I bring you looooove!" the Youma declared, leaping out of the fog right before Sailor Moon's eyes. It paused, looking slyly at Sailor Moon. "Oh come on, Moon girl!" It coaxed, readying an arrow out of her sight. "Don't you want love? It won't hurt-MUCH!" "Ugh! Get away! Get away!" Sailor Moon shrieked, reeling backwards. She shrieked again and wind-milled her arms wildly, trying to stay on he feet. Naturally, she ended up on her butt-as always. ["Can't I be a LITTLE graceful?"] she complained to the world. Her immediate concern, of course, was the arrow-wielding Cupid maniac standing over her. "Say 'Love'" it crowed cheerfully, pulling back the bow. "Oh and by the way-I failed to mention something!" It giggled at her. Sailor Moon stared at it, with fear and curiosity. "What?" She said, the word reluctantly dragged out of her. "Unfortunately, no love comes without pain! And this pain comes in the form of madness!" The cupid aimed at her chest, grinning maniacally. "You'll be DYING to find love-believe me!" "Sailor Moon!" Mars yelled, as the fog began to clear. There was nothing the Senshi could do without hurting their leader. The Youma was too close to her form to use their powers. Sailor Moon covered her head with her arms, shaking. This was it, her last moments. ["Of course, if Tuxedo Kamen rescues me…I can live to be a beautiful old lady!"] Something shot swiftly through the dissipating fog, piercing through the Cupid's heart. It screamed, releasing the arrow. Sailor Moon peeked out just as it flew at her. She shrieked, but it raced over her, disappearing into the dark night. Sailor Mars looked at Sailor Moon, then the Youma groaning on the ground, a red rose piercing it's heart. "You sure are a Dark Kingdom magnet, Sailor Moon," she said acidly. "Get up and dust this thing!" "Right!" Sailor Moon leapt to her feet, reaching into her sub-space pocket. She pulled out the Crescent Moon Wand and leveled it at the grounded Cupid. "Your arrow-shooting days are over, mister!" she announced. "Moon Healing Escalation!" Despite the words, the bright golden light that consumed the once-plush Cupid Doll was far from healing. It shrieked in pain, then fell into dust at Sailor Moon's feet. "Ha! Dusted!" she shouted, jumping around triumphantly. "Take that Dark Kingdom! Bring on Zoisite!" "Not tonight, please," Jupiter groaned, holding her shoulder. "I think I have a bruise the size of Mount Fugi forming on my shoulder." "Oh, Jupiter!" Sailor Moon cried, racing over to her friend's side. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine," Jupiter said wanly. "Actually," Ami said after a moment. Everyone turned to her, waiting. "I think it's Naru that's the Dark Kingdom magnet." The Senshi stared at each other, then grinned. "I think you're right there," Sailor Mars said, laughing. "But Odango here is a close second!" "I am NOT!" Sailor Moon protested. She stuck her tongue out, then turned and ran off. "I'll see you tomorrow everyone! Night!" she called over her shoulder. ["Boy, I bet Mars is FUMING about not getting the last word in!"] She snickered quietly. As she reached the street, she looked carefully around and then de- transformed. Then, she started towards home. ["I hope I can get in some more sleep before Luna wakes me for school in the morning."] ************************************* "Tuxedo Kamen! Bring me the Silver Crystal" The musical voice spoke from the surrounding fog. As always, Mamoru could see very little, other than her faint form and the huge palace behind her. "Who are you?" he shouted in frustration. "I am-" Abruptly, a searing pain filled his being. A familiar pain. SHE was in trouble. He blinked at the hidden Princess…and then woke up. He panted, leaping out of bed quickly and stumbling towards the balcony. On the way, he stubbed his toe, completing his flight towards the balcony doors on one foot. "Ouch! Damn it! Who put that couch there?!" he swore, clutching his injured toe. Mamoru groped past the pain, unlocking the siding glass doors and flinging them open. Reaching out with a strange motion, a rose was dropped into his hand. He transformed, still holding his foot-only now, it was an expensive black shoe. “Wonderful!" he muttered sarcastically, dropping the foot. The hero leapt out into the night, heading towards the pull. Sailor Moon's pull. He ALWAYS knew when she was in danger. When Tuxedo Kamen reached the park, he groaned, rolling his eyes. "Of COURSE, the park! When is it NOT?" he grumbled under his breath, racing into the trees. The sky was lit up with brilliant colors, signifying that the Senshi had already began their battle. The Youma, he noted with amusement, was a huge plush toy that had once been a Cupid doll. Complete with arrow and bow. As he watched, Mercury filled the area with dense fog. Tuxedo Kamen peered around, trying to see. He was practically as blind as the Youma! Sailor Moon was obscured from his sight. "How am I supposed to rescue her when I can't SEE?" he growled, crossing his arms. Then, he remembered wrinkles and uncrossed them quickly. Wrinkles would just RUIN his dashing hero image. So, he waited. Shouting came from the fog occasionally and flashes of lights. Then, it began to clear and he caught sight of Sailor Moon, the Cupid standing over her. "Sailor Moon," he whispered, reaching swiftly into his tuxedo for roses. He touched a rose and flung it. ["Dead hit! Woo hoo! All right! One more for Tuxedo Kamen!"] he silently congratulated himself, grinning. Luckily, the Senshi couldn't see him. Then-something sharp pierced HIS chest. Tuxedo Kamen gasped, clutching at himself with his hands. He looked down frantically, but could see no wound…but something was wrong. His body became hot and sweaty and he de-transformed. Then…he forgot what he was doing. "Huh? What am I doing here?" He looked around, but didn't see anyone. Mamoru blinked, shook his head and started to walk. He was obviously in the park, but couldn't think what he was doing there. As he left the park grounds and stepped into the silent street, something walking further ahead caught his gaze. Immediately, his heart began to thunder in his chest. He took great gasping breaths…then raced after the figure quickly, staying to the other side of the street. As he came alongside her, he looked across…and Saw Tsukino Usagi. His eyes widened, his breath quickened and his heart swelled. ["Oh what an angel!"] he declared silently. His eyes narrowed, hands clenching. "I must-I must-" he muttered. ["KISS HER!"] He looked up, intending to dash across the road and sweep her into his arms, but saw that she had disappeared. "What?!" he shouted, feeling cheated. He had just caught sight of his true love and she had vanished. Mamoru snapped his fingers, frowning. "Damn!" He smiled quickly. "But I will see her in the morning." He quickly turned and headed down the block towards his apartments. As sure as the sun rose in the morning-he would crash into Usagi before college even started! It was destiny. Like clock-work. "Oh, wait!" he shouted, remembering. "Tomorrow is SATURDAY! NOW what?" He paced along the path, wandering aimlessly towards his admittedly comfy and EXPENSIVE apartment. "She'll probably get up around-12:00? So I'll go there, to where I usually crash into her-I'm sure she lives around there-and…kiss her?" He was rather confused about that point, but he could work the details out later. He had a girl to catch at midday! But what to DO until then? ************************************* ‘DO’ involved a lot of sitting, cups of strong coffee and a cushy chair. Chiba Mamoru blinked slowly, but despite his action, his eyes remained dry and sore. He'd sat thus, in his favorite chair, staring into space for hours. And the sun had taken so long! He took in the magnificent sight of the rising sun, feeling jumpy. His feet kept a constant tattoo on the floor, the only thing keeping him slightly sane. Because, if he was truthful, he was anything BUT calm and sane at that moment. "Soon," he murmured, blinking again. And so he waited…and waited…until finally, he stared at the clock for the millionth time and saw that it was 12:40. Mamoru started to his feet, panic raising through his body. He looked again, harder. Yes, it was REALLY 12:40. "On no!" he shouted, leaping to his feet. The chair skidded away from him, from his rough movement, scraping on the floor loudly. "Now I'M late to catch her!" He was sure that she'd be up by THEN! Shopping or something… Mamoru quickly raced into the bathroom, ran a brush through his hair, gave himself a cursory look and bolted from the apartment. Mamoru raced down the plush-carpeted hall to the elevator and thrust a finger at the down button. Then he waited. His eyes swung from side to side, foot beginning to tap nervously on the floor again. He looked up, frowning darkly at the little needle, which SEEMED to be taking waaaay too long to reach his floor. "Who the bloody hell would be catching the lift at this time of the morning?!" he bellowed loudly-just as the lift doors slid open to reveal the slight form of Mrs. Porter…a frail and delicate thing that a gust of wind could blow over. She started back, clutching at her chest. "Oooh" she groaned, to Mamoru's horror. He leapt into the lift, just as the doors were closing and descended on the slight form. "Are you okay? Mrs. Porter? Hello?" he demanded, waving an impatient hand in her face. He repeated the gesture, then leaned closer. She seemed to be trying to say something… “Yes?" "You-you-" she croaked, a hand still clutched to her chest. "Yes? Yes?" Mamoru gritted his teeth. "You're standing on my foot, Mr. Chiba!" she fairly shrieked at him, displaying an amazing capacity for such a small chest. Mamoru reeled back, eyes going wide with shock. He glanced down guiltily at his own foot, staring at it as if it didn't belong to him. Then, he remembered a certain blonde and spun around, thrusting a finger desperately at the down button. "Sorry, sorry! I really didn't mean to yell or stand on you're foot-but I have a girl to catch!" he announced, spinning back to face her. The old lady immediately dropped the act, staring at him with interested eyes. "Really?" she said, puttering forward on her small shoes. Mamoru suddenly found himself plastered effectively against the wall of the lift. Cornered there by a so-called “innocent” old lady. "Umm…" He stared at her face, which hardly reached his chest, but was nevertheless a foot away. "Did you know I was the head of the gossip club?" she told him slyly, reaching into her handbag for something. She rummaged around, returning with a pen and pad. She slowly flipped the top over to a new page and looked up at Mamoru expectantly. "What?" Mamoru said nervously, eyes rolling around from side to side. ["What is taking the blasted lift so long?!"] "Details, young man" she demanded, then paused. "Now" "Huh?" Mamoru said intelligently, staring at her with disbelief. "Come, come!" she said sweetly, leaning up on her toes to peer into his face short-sightedly. "No details of the lovely young lady-and I tell management that you harassed me!" she added blithely. "WHAT?!" he shouted at her. He blinked down at her through bemused blue eyes. "IS this by any chance-blackmail, Mrs. Porter?" "Call it what you like, dear," she told him in a motherly way. She patted him on the chest condescendingly. "Just who are they going to believe, hmm?" "Okay, okay," Mamoru stammered. Then the lift chimed and the doors slid open. Mamoru quickly bolted out, before she could catch him. "There's no where to run, Chiba!" Mrs. Porter croaked after him, making her way out of the lift falteringly. Mamoru stopped in his headlong flight through the foyer, gave the curious security guard there a nervous look, then turned tail and fled back to the innocent old lady. He bent over close to her face, gasping for breath. "She blonde, beautiful, hair down to her ankles, umm…does okay in school…" Mamoru broke off, trying to think. "Uh huh," Mrs. Porter muttered, laboriously writing down every word. "Umm, these absolutely amazing legs, deep blue eyes, the sweetest voice, the heart of an angel…" Mamoru went on and on, voice becoming more sure as he sang his angel's praises. "Quite a paragon you have there, Mamoru," Mrs. Porter interrupted, still writing. She looked up, eyes steely. "You WILL bring her around to meet me, won't you?" Mamoru swallowed, staring. Her words obviously were NOT an invitation-but rather an order. "Yes, Ma’am!" He felt like saluting, but he was late! "I have to go now!" he called, backing up. When he was a few feet away, he turned and dashed towards the front doors, passing an amused security guard. "Morning, Tom," Mamoru muttered as he passed. "Morning, Mr. Chiba." Tom grinned wider as Mamoru dashed past, clothes rumpled. "I see that Mrs. Porter cornered you." "Huh?" Mamoru muttered, rushing out into the street and down the sidewalk like an ax-wielding maniac was after him. "How is it that everyone in that building knows things but ME?!" He frowned, absently passing people with care. ["I think I'll grill Mrs. Porter when I get the time"] He was fit, tall and leggy-but he was STILL running late by the time he reached the right place. He bent over, gasping for breath. ["With luck, SHE'S late-later"] he amended, grinning. He straightened, looking left and right down the block for his blonde angel. But she was nowhere in sight. "Maybe, it's further down," he wondered, starting to hurry further down the block. He continued swiftly down the street, eyes swinging left and right. Where was Usagi?! They ALWAYS crashed into each other most mornings! Mamoru frowned. "How does this work? I'm not paying attention and then-wham, Usagi hits me and knocks us over…right?" he questioned aloud. Mamoru grinned, reaching up to place a large hand over his deep blue eyes. The reasoning was sound enough, to him anyway. And to the fate that constantly had them crashing headlong into each other's arms- Suddenly, something did crash into him. With enough force to rock him backwards a foot. Mamoru’s hand flew down, arms wind-milling in order to gain his balance. He glanced down to see a girl with long blonde hair laying practically at his feet like some pagan sacrifice. He grinned lasciviously, thoughts running away with him. She was wearing a short gray skirt and pink sweater, along with a matching pink handbag. [“What do you know?”] he thought in wonder. [“The hand over the eyes thing actually WORKED!”] Usagi looked up, eyes thunderous. "YOU!" she accused, pointing a finger up at him. She glared, then stumbled to her feet, handbag clutched in her free hand. "I should have known-wait...I'm LATE! I don't have time to argue!" She made to pass him, and was stunned when he side-stepped quickly, right into her path. ["What is he doing?"] she asked herself, bewildered. "Hello, Odango!" he announced loudly, grinning at her like a maniac. Usagi eyed him doubtfully, noting his tired-looking eyes, rumpled clothes and weird smile. "Don't call me that," she told him absently, frowning. Her eyes skimmed down his tall form to his feet, noting that a shoelace was undone. ["When is Mamoru ever un-impeccable?"] she asked herself incredulously. Mr. Perfect looked like-Mr. Homeless Person. A grin started over her face. "Ah, that smile just lights up my heart! I feel-full and complete!" he told her, eyes glinting strangely. Usagi took a nervous step backwards, looking at him sideways. "Huh?" she said intelligently. ["What is he going on about?"] She shook her head, long hair swinging lightly against her hips. "Look, I don't have time for this, you creep! I have to meet the guys for a day of shopping!" "But-I had to tell you-" Mamoru began. "NO! And DON'T call me Odango!" She stormed at him, attempting to pass again. He dodged to the same side, blocking. Usagi frowned at him, dodging to the other side. Mamoru followed her with his taller frame. And then she dodged back and forwards several times-followed faithfully by him. "Just-" *Dodge* "What-" *Dodge* "Do you think-" *Dodge* "You're DOING, you total cr-?!" *Dodge* Usagi halted her words, raised her handbag and promptly bashed Mamoru over the head. She dodged around him swiftly when he was wincing with pain and touching his head to check for blood. "And I'll have you know that I did that on PURPOSE this time, Chiba!" she shouted at him, incensed. ["Okay, so it's usually by accident-but he deserved it! Weirdo!"] "Jeez, Usagi! That's going to leave a mark," Mamoru muttered, spinning to face her. He smiled again, advancing on the suddenly nervous girl like a stalking wolf. "Now-" he began again. "The TIME! Arrggggggh!" Usagi suddenly shrieked, looking angry and upset. She leveled a glare at Mamoru, that was meant to melt ice burgs. "You CREEP! Jerk! You made me late!" ["How the hell does she know that?!"] he wondered, impressed. Usagi was wearing no watch. Was there no END to his angel's perfection? His eyes clung to her, noting her long hair as the sun's rays shone directly onto the tresses and lit them like gold. ["Gold!"] "Your hair is like golden-" he began, staring into her eyes lovingly. Usagi frowned at him, entirely put out. Not only was she late for a majorly cool day of mall trawling, she was stuck with this creep as he ranted! Wait-what had he said about her HAIR?! "What was that about my hair, you creep?" she demanded. "It’s like golden ropes, dazzling to the eyes!" Mamoru declared, hand on chest dramatically. ["That should get her attention"] he told himself. ["I wonder if she'll bash me again if I try to kiss her?"] Usagi nodded slightly, then backed away, eyes on his. "Uh huh," she said, still backing off. ["This is just TOO weird! And I want to shop!"] Mamoru pursued her, frowning in determination. "Usagi," he began. ["She's LEAVING? But…I waited up ALL NIGHT!"] She shook her head, eyes wide. "No, no! You creep! You're weirding me ouuuuuuut!" she wailed. Before he could blink, she had turned and was dashing back down the street the way she had been heading, putting shame to a pro runner. Mamoru immediately ran after her, eyes blazing delight. "Ah! The chase! She means to play hard to get! I love it!" he shouted, increasing his speed. But as he reached the corner, he saw that once again, Usagi had disappeared. Mamoru stopped, panting. ["I never knew she could run that fast! Who would have thought she COULD with all the food she devours! No doughnut is safe-"] His thoughts broke off at that. "Wait a second. I love her!" he mumbled, confused. "Then why did I just insult her?" He looked left and right, then determined there was only one place she could be. "The Arcade!" he yelled, taking off again. ************************************* He nibbled on a burger, watching her closely from across the arcade. Usagi had met her friends-and exactly where he had thought she would too. He grinned, taking another bite. He was entranced with her every move. Every sip of her shake, every movement of her long hair, every expression. "Mamoru? Buddy? Can I get you a coke with that?" Motoki said into Mamoru ear. Mamoru stumbled back, eyes wide. His burger went flying and both watched with fascinated horror as it made a spectacular dive to the floor, divesting itself of all its delicious contents on the way. The resulting-er-masterpiece was spread quite wide over the pristine floor of Motoki's arcade. "Oh, sorry about that!" Motoki grinned, a hand to his face. "Oh well, I can get you another," he offered. "No. Fine," Mamoru muttered, looking towards Usagi and Co., who looked as if they were readying to leave. "Mamoru?" Motoki waved a hand in front of Mamoru's face, drawing his attention. "WHAT?!" Mamoru demanded, eyes wide. Sweat was dripping down his back and he felt REALLY hyped. Motoki's eyes widened and he backed away slightly. "You don't look so hot," he said, looking Mamoru over quickly. "How about you come into the back room and fix yourself up?" Mamoru threw a quick look at his angel, who was thankfully eyeing the Sailor V game with an expression of glee. Moments later, she raced over, thrusting a coin into the machine. "Sure, sure. I pulled an all-nighter," he lied quickly, following his friend out of the boot and down the isle. They passed the other girls-Usagi's friends-with only a cursory look. Mamoru began to sweat more as he left sight of Usagi. He and Motoki entered the back room, complete with bed and couch. "There's a shower in here. Help yourself. You really should take more care though, Mamoru," Motoki scolded, pushing Mamoru towards a small door. Mamoru nodded, waiting until Motoki had left, then bolted frantically into the small bathroom. He chucked off his clothes, dashed into the stall and had the quickest shower in his life. Then, clad in a towel, he raced to the mirror, brushed his hair, checked his teeth and then threw his clothes on. He paused, looking into the mirror. Considering how he had LOOKED, he now appeared to be his usual suave self. "Ha!" He grinned. "This will get her attention-I hope." He frowned, changing emotions swiftly. "Right?" Mamoru turned and left the room, passing through the other room and into the arcade. "Wow, that was quick!" Motoki stared at his friend strangely. "Are you sure you didn't want to take longer?" Mamoru quickly looked down at himself. "What? I don't look cool?" he demanded. "No, no. You look good" Motoki said hastily, confused. "So-you want to go to lunch and me with Reika this afternoon? I've got a new girl working for me and she's ready to take over-for now." He winced slightly, looking sheepish. “The truth is, that she's a little clumsy-but she's doing okay." "Clumsy?" Mamoru's eyes widened. He ran past Motoki and scanned the Arcade quickly. They were gone. SHE was gone! "NOOOOOO!" he roared. "How could this HAPPEN? I was only gone for a minute!" "What? What?!" Motoki looked freaked, staring around the arcade as if a blood- covered murderer were in the place. "Usagi! Damn it!" Mamoru muttered, staring at his feet. ["Damn, she moved fast!"] "USAGI? Odango Atama?" Motoki queried, staring. "Why are you looking for HER? You HATE her! She hates YOU!" "Since when? Oh, never mind," Mamoru grumbled, beginning to sweat again. His hands started to twitch with the need to hold her. "I have to go," he said quickly, stumbling away from Motoki. The guy watched his friend bolt from the arcade with a semblance of normality. Then, he grinned. "There's hope yet! I'm raising the betting stakes everyone!" he announced to the room. Dozen's of groans greeted his words. "It's already way more than I can afford," someone muttered. "I have reason to believe that-" Motoki paused dramatically. "YES?!" everyone shouted, eyes on him. "The game is afoot!" Groans were heard again. As well as some mysterious thumping noises. ____________________________________________________________________________ Chapter Two ____________________________________________________________________________ "So-where to next guys?" Usagi asked brightly, munching on a left-over doughnut from her meal at the arcade. "I don't know, there's SO much to do," Makoto answered, grinning. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet, opening it to show them all. It was full of cash. "I have LOTS to shop for!" "Wow, Makoto!" Usagi breathed, staring. "Where did you get all of that?" "I sold a couple of recipe's to this guy," the brunette said casually. "You're that good?" Rei asked, stunned. "Wait, how do you know he isn't ripping you off?" "LOOK at all the cash!" Usagi pointed at the wallet. Which Makoto hastily put away again. "Right," Rei muttered. "Don't let Odango brains near it, Makoto," she added snidely. "Or she'll spend it all on comics!" "I will not!" Usagi denied, glaring at her friend. "I…" Usagi suddenly stiffened, eyes blinking at a strange sensation. Almost like-she was being followed? She glanced behind her, catching a brief glance of someone hastily darting into a shop. Someone with dark hair. AND a suspiciously familiar dark green jacket! "Hey!" she shouted, rushing back down the sidewalk. "Usagi!" Rei shouted, running after the blonde. "What is she doing?" "I don't know-but she's about to get really embarrassed," Makoto noted, pausing. "What?" Makoto silently pointed to the sign over the store that Usagi was dashing into. Rei's lips turned upwards in an evil grin. "Ah." Usagi followed the mysterious person into the store he had run into, convinced that she knew just WHO it was. Only one person in that town had a green jacket like that! And beautiful dark hair… "Arrgggggh!" Usagi shrieked, coming to a screeching halt right inside the door. She clutched her fingers into both long streamers of her blonde hair, tugging. "He's NOT gorgeous! And neither is his hair!" "Can I help you miss?" a voice asked. Usagi looked up, startled. A man stood there, dressed impeccably in a blue suit. Slowly, she looked around the store, flushing brightly. It was a MEN'S store! "Argggggh!" she shrieked, again, turning to bolt back out of the shop. Her cheeks felt like fire as she raced into the sunlight. "I can't believe I went into a men's store!" she wailed loudly. "Neither can WE!" Rei said. Usagi peeked between her lashes to see her friends standing in a half-circle around her. "Umm-" "What WERE you doing?" Makoto asked, curiously. "Uh-" Usagi stammered, eyes skittering from side to side. Then, inspiration hit her. "I thought that I saw my dad! Yeah" "Oh?" Rei said skeptically. "And was it him?" "No," Usagi muttered, fuming silently. She was certain that it had been that jerk Chiba-FOLLOWING her! What other possibility was there exactly? He'd been in the arcade when she left. And this was the THIRD time that she'd seen him that morning! "Can we continue on then?" Rei asked acidly, glaring. "Fine!" Usagi stalked past her haughtily, nose in the air. ["What would SHE know anyhow? Rei always wanted to be leader of the Senshi!"] She nibbled on her bottom lip. ["What if the others vote for her if I'm too ditzy?! Ooh, that CREEP! Embarrassing me like this!"] "Stop glaring, or your face will stick like that, Odango!" Rei said, voice soft. Usagi blinked at her. "What?" she muttered. "Are you okay?" Rei murmured, uncharacteristically gentle. "Yeah, sure I am" Usagi replied, sighing. "Let's shop, okay?" "Right!" Ami, Rei and Makoto shouted. ******************************************* "Boy that was close!" Mamoru breathed, hearing the blonde retreat blindingly fast. And that shriek was enough to shatter the window. He emerged from the changing stall nervously. She'd almost SEEN him! [And she gets so angry when she sees me,"] he thought silently. ["I just need to corner her somewhere and kiss her!"] "Will you be purchasing that, Mr. Chiba?" Mamoru blinked at the owner of the shop, staring stupidly down at the suit clutched to his chest. He'd grabbed it as he dashed past into the change rooms for an excuse. "Oh my god," Mamoru uttered, staring in horror at the pink suit in his hands. He shuddered, thrusting it hastily at Mr. Hastings. "No, thank you," he added faintly, walking towards the front of the shop. "I think maybe next time." "Very good sir," Mr. Hastings replied, retreating to behind his desk. Mamoru stepped out into the sun, feeling dazed. He was so confused and all he could think about was kissing-and doing more to-the blonde. "Who is getting away!" he reminded himself quickly, seeing her long blond hair in the distance. Swiftly, Mamoru followed. ******************************************* "Wait a moment, guys," Makoto said, peering interestedly into a shop window. "Isn't that the most beautiful dress?" "Yes, it sure is," Usagi breathed, staring at the white and lace dress. It strangely reminded her of something. But she couldn't place where or what… Abruptly, she spun back the way they had come, glaring. "What now?" Rei asked, staring back also. "This is the sixth time today that you've looked back. Is there someone following us or what?" the girl demanded. "Umm-no," Usagi replied hastily. ["Yeah, like I'm going to tell them that I think Mamoru is following me! I'd never hear the end"] She bit her lip, eyes anxious, then spun back to look at the dress. "How about we hit the mall then, girls?" Makoto announced, grinning widely. "Sounds like a plan," Ami breathed tiredly. "Then I can go home. I'm really not an experienced shopper like you girls." "Sure you are," Usagi replied, grinning. She linked an arm with Ami, throwing a slightly suspicious last glance behind her to the crowded sidewalk. "You just need more practice." ******************************************* As the girls began walking again, Mamoru stepped out of a shop, dark sunglasses in his hand. Sure, it was corny, but he slipped them on, grinning like an idiot. ["I look so dark and dashing."] He pondered that for a moment. "I wonder if Usagi likes dark and dashing? Tuxedo Kamen?" He looked up, prepared to follow…and then saw that he's lost sight of her. "Oh no! This isn't happening!" he yelled, looking around frantically. But there was no sign of the blonde. "Noooooo!" he shouted. People stopped to stare at him, making Mamoru feel like a bug under a microscope. "I failed an exam! Okay!?" he yelled at them. They turned quickly away, continuing on as if nothing had happened. But it still remained that Mamoru had LOST his angel-completely. "Wait. Think, Chiba," he told himself, pacing down the sidewalk. "Where would a bunch of teenage girls go on a Saturday?" The answer came to him and he slapped a hand to his forehead. "Moron!" he declared, eyes brightening eagerly. “The mall of course!" And thus said, he headed swiftly towards the largest cluster of wonderful shops around. Juuban Mall. But first… "I'm SICK of walking around everywhere!" he announced to the world at large. "And I don't HAVE to! I'm RICH!" "Are you married?" an elderly woman asked, stopping in her tracks to stare at him eagerly. "I'm looking for a fourth husband-" "Umm…no-I mean YES! I'm taken," he said firmly, standing tall. "She's gorgeous and blonde and-" "I get the point, honey," the lady muttered, smiling faintly. She walked away, shaking her head. "Why couldn't I be thirty years younger and blonde?" "Why can't the blonde like me?" Mamoru muttered after the woman. "I just want a kiss." He glared around. "I'm wasting time!" He ran back down the street in the opposite direction from the Mall. Luckily, he didn't live too far away-and he could get his Ferrari! ******************************************* 4:00. Usagi glanced at Makoto's watch with curiosity. "Almost time to pack it in, right guys?" Ami asked wearily, with hope. "Nope. Just a few more shops, Ames! Eat your fries," Makoto instructed, pointing at Ami's plate. The girls were taking a break in the food hall, exhausted from all their shopping efforts. There were bags laying all around their feet. Usagi, of course, was eating a huge plateful of food and enjoying every minute. "Can you pass me the salt, Rei?" "Sure. Right-it’s your body." Rei rolled her eyes, passing the salt over. "Huh?" Usagi said, wonderingly. "What do you mean? We keep WAY fit by-you know-" She lowered her voice. "Senshi business. I'm really fit you know." "We all are, but not for long if you keep putting that junk into your body," Rei announced. Usagi eyed the remains of the priestess' greasy burger. "You're one to talk, Rei!" Rei flushed, pushing her plate away. "Well, at least I don't use salt!" "But fat will-" Ami began. Usagi's head shot up. She held up a hand. "No! I don't want to hear it! I am going to enjoy this delicious burger and not worry about calories or anything!" she announced. She followed this by taking a huge bite out of the burger. "This is great!" she muttered around the mouthful. Rei pulled a face. "Close you're mouth, Odango!" "Rei!" Usagi screeched indignantly. ******************************************* Mamoru watched Usagi eat the delicious burger with an abandoned glee, and wished that it was HIM being touched by her lips. The need to kiss her now was PAINFUL! Very! "This isn't working," he muttered, peering more around the pillar that supported the upper floor. "I can't see a thing!" The food hall was crowded, almost unbearably. And Mamoru had to get closer to his angel. He glanced around quickly, then strode to the nearest table-and ducked under it. "If I was Tuxedo Kamen, I'd have a way better time at this," he groaned, thumping his head on the underside of the table. "But then I'd be mobbed by hordes of shrieking fans and lose her again. Swiftly, Mamoru thrust his head up, saw which direction the blonde was in, and began to crawl. "This is just so humiliating…but I'd do anything to get a kiss from that angel!" he told himself, groaning loudly. Here he was, Tuxedo Kamen, hero extraordinare…and he was crawling on his hands and knees from one bloody table to the next! "She's worth it. She's worth it," he muttered over and over, occasionally peering up to see if she was still there. He was stealthily making his way towards her position, having the faint idea of leaping out and jumping her. The idea head its merits. He crouched a few tables from her, watching from his position under the table. Then, to his complete and utter horror, three very fat ladies slid into the chairs of his table. He watched with fascinated horror as a pair of chubby legs descended towards him, as the woman pulled in her chair. Mamoru winced as she paused a few centimeters away. ["Oh gods! NOW what? I'm trapped!"] he yelled mentally, trying not to panic. Very slowly, he started to edge out from under the table, intending to crawl to the nearest vacated table. Of course, things never went ahead as planned. He accidentally brushed a hand against her ankle and before he knew it, the table was thrown over and three accusing fat women staring down at him. "HENTAI! HENTAI!" the women he had accidentally touched shrieked. She pointed at him accusingly with one chubby digit. "Call security, May!" one of the other women ordered the third, eyes determined. She began to advance upon him and the third ran off for security, while the first continued to shriek hysterically. "Now look," Mamoru began. He backed off, staring around with wide eyes. A lot of the food court was staring at them all with interest. "Oh gods! This isn't happening!" He danced out of the second women's way deftly, keeping out of range. Those arms looked like they could strangle him! Thick as tree trunks. Mamoru swallowed hard. "Look, Ma'am…" "Hentai!" "I think we've already established that!" Mamoru growled at her. She shut her mouth, staring at him. "The fact IS, that I was sitting here and dropped my wallet! I bent over to get it and you…LADIES sat down!" Mamoru embellished wildly. He looked around, hoping he sounded sane and plausible. All he NEEDED right now-was to be thrown head-long into a jail cell. Bars COULD keep him from his much-deserved kisses! The two women stared at him. "Oh," the first one said, bewildered. Her eyes became accusing again and the finger once again pointed firmly in his face. "But you touched my ankle!" The crowd gathered around, looking at Mamoru expectantly. "I was backing out, Madam!" he bellowed at her, grabbing handfuls of his hair and tugging in frustration. Did these people not know that he was on a mission? That he had to kiss a girl before he went completely stark-raving mad!? "What's going on here? Are you the pervert?" A man in a security uniform pushed his way through the crowd and looked Mamoru over. "Meeee?" Mamoru said, sounding incredulous. "Look, I was sitting here and I dropped my wallet. When I bent over to get it, these LADIES sat down and in straightening-I brushed against that one's leg! An ACCIDENT!" Mamoru stressed, with HE now pointing an accusing finger at the lady. "Well," the guard began, looking bored. "But-" the first fat lady protested. "Now, Bea, leave it at that. He looks a nice dependable HANDSOME young man," the second said, eyes looking him over. She smiled superiorly. "I’m SURE he won't mind repairing the damage to your person…by cleaning out your back yard say?" "WHAT?" Mamoru bellowed, startling them all. "HER damage? What about my mind? I was surround down there-Oops." He broke off nervously, backing away. He pointed again at the woman, then the security guy. "Frankly, I think that SHE ought to be arrested! Think of the mental damage I've sustained!" He told them all dramatically, trying to make an exit through the thick of the crowd-Who seemed very reluctant to give up their entertainment, by letting the hero escape through their midst. Somehow, he managed though. Making it to the outskirts of the crowd-a moment before the argument broke out again. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" the second lady bellowed at the top of her lungs. She lunged at Mamoru and was restrained forcefully by the guard. "Now, now, Lady. The show's over and now harm done," he told her, winking at Mamoru. "The hentai gets away?" Bea demanded. "Like I SAID, Lady.." The guard began more firmly, waving Mamoru away quickly with his hand. To the amusement of the crowd, Mamoru took the hint and bolted. Making as much of a dashing hero's exit as possible-given the circumstances. ******************************************* "HENTAI! HENTAI!" The girls were startled as there was a commotion a few tables down. They all glanced that way, but a huge woman was standing in their way shrieking. Another huge woman stood at her side, completely blocking whatever was going on. And quite a crowd was gathering too. "What's going on? Should we check it out?" Ami said thoughtfully. "Senshi business?" Usagi wondered, staring. "In the MALL? With two overweight women? Get a clue, Odango Atama," Rei replied casually, getting to her feet. She grinned slyly. "You know, that's what YOU'RE going to look like in a few years." "WHAT? You're lying!" Usagi shrieked. "No, I'm not." "Let’s get out of here," Makoto suggested, eyeing the women with worry. "They're really making a racket over there! I pity the poor person that's directed at!" "Yeah," Ami murmured, ever curious. They made their way out of the food hall, not wanting to get involved with whatever was going on back there. Ami glanced back curiously, despite herself. But there was no way to see what was happening past the crowd. "What do you suppose THAT was all about?" she wondered. "From the many shrieks of 'hentai', I deduce that it's some guy," Rei replied dryly, smiling. Then, her eyes darkened. "Boy, some people really don't know how to keep their hands to themselves!" "I know SOMEONE that would like to get his hands on you!" Makoto said in a sing- song voice, grinning evilly. "Mamoru?" Rei asked dreamily. "That creep?" Usagi exploded, making a face. "No-I meant Yuuchiro!" Makoto grinned wider, making a kissy-face at Rei. "He's totally gone over you, girl" "Ugh! I could do way better than that!" Rei groaned. Her eyes brightened. "Now Mamoru-!" "Argggggh!" Usagi yelled, stomping away from them. She glanced around cautiously. ["I could have SWORN that I sensed Mamoru around just now!"] ******************************************* "This is MUCH safer than out there," Mamoru convinced himself, ten minutes later. He swore that he'd never run so fast in his life. And he KNEW that he looked a mess! He was sweating, clothes rumples and his eyes felt like salt had been poured into them. Yet he kept his silent vigil over his angel-who was increasingly annoying him! All he wanted was a kiss…and maybe a little more….but she kept eluding him. And her friends were always there too. Mamoru shifted in his uncomfortable position, rolling his shoulders to relieve the tension. He reached up to brush the hair from his eyes and stared out across the mall intently. Usagi and her friends were in a dress shop just across from his position. Mamoru regarded her through weird swirls over his vision. He looked down to see that his hands were shaking. ["What is wrong me with?"] he wondered, momentarily afraid. Something seemed wrong here, but he couldn't say what. It was like-he couldn't think. A thick wool was over his mind and all he knew was Usagi. HIS Usagi, damn it! At least-she WOULD be! "Argggggh!" he groaned loudly to himself. He reached up and tugged at handfuls of his dark hair in frustration. "If I can't kiss her I'm going to go crazy!" But something held him back. Something just wasn't right about this situation. ["I can't put my finger on it,"] he mused, eyes going back to the dress store. Through it, he could still see Usagi and her friends, giggling and talking while they shopped. "Maybe, I should just…jump in there and kiss her lights out," he wondered aloud. The vision flashed through his head, looking more appealing by the minute. Unfortunately, his angel was likely to bash him one for trying! What he REALLY needed was for her to fall as hard for him as he had for her. Not LITERALLY of course. Mamoru grinned. She did THAT every day! Usagi and the others left the store then, bags swinging from their hands. They laughed happily, talking as they passed the spot where he hid. Mamoru watched them go, then carefully slipped out from the plant-jungle. A security guard that Mamoru had not noticed, a few stores down, gave him a suspicious glare. ["I CAN'T blame him!"] Mamoru shouted mentally, running for it. Luckily, the guard didn't follow. And even LUCKIER it wasn't the same guard as earlier. ["A guy hiding in amongst the potted plants in a shopping mall can only be up to mischief!"] Mamoru paused in his flight, realizing that, once again, he'd lost the blonde. "Damn!" he yelled, raising his arms in anger to the sky. Everyone around him turned to look. He gave them an embarrassed look, lowered his arms and casually strolled away, whistling a jaunty tune. ["Okay, cool it, Chiba! Or they'll cart you off to the loony bin"] His steps faltered as he looked around, trying to spot a laughing group of girls. But they were gone. Usagi had disappeared, and he hadn't even gotten to tell her he loved her! "Argggggh!" he shouted, pelting towards the mall entrance. He stopped just outside the sliding door, looking frantically left and right. A few people stared at him curiously, as the handsome dark-haired man grabbed handfuls of his luxurious blank hair and tugged wildly. "SHE'S GONE!!!" His words thundered around the car park and back into the open doors of the Mall. Everyone stopped to listen to the battle cry, then resumed shopping. Outside, few people noticed the harassed college guy racing towards his expensive red Ferrari, like the devil was after him. ******************************************* "Bye, guys!" Usagi called, trying to wave from hands filled with shopping bags. She left them outside the arcade and entered. Motoki looked up as the doors slid open, a welcoming smile curving his lips. "Hey there, Usagi" he said cheerfully, heading for the counter. "I didn't expect to see you back today." Usagi sat down on the other side, placing the man bags at her feet. "Can I get a chocolate shake, Motoki?" she asked, gasping dramatically. "I've shopped till I've almost dropped!" "Did you have fun?" Motoki grinned, going to make her a shake. She watched his movements with curiosity. She never tired of watching food being prepared. Abruptly, she scowled, looking over her shoulder into the arcade. "Is that JERK here?" she demanded, out of the blue. "Who? Oh, Mamoru? No." Motoki grinned wickedly. "Why? Did you miss him?" "HARDLY!" Usagi shouted, grabbing her shake from Motoki's startled hands. The chocolate slopped over the side, onto the counter. "Oops," she apologized, blushing. "He just makes me SO furious!" "What did he do THIS time?" Motoki smiled secretly. He'd always suspected that under Usagi and Mamoru's fighting, there was something deeper. Something that maybe they weren't aware of. And something-that he could make a neat bundle of cash from! "What DIDN'T he do?" Usagi wailed, chugging down her shake quickly. "I bashed into him this afternoon-as usual-and he acted SOOOO weird! Umm…that was before I came here, but you were too busy." "Come to think on it, he WAS acting strange this morning." Motoki failed to mention to the blonde that his friend had been-frantically, it seemed-looking for HER. ["He never DID say why,"] Motoki mused silently. "I'll say. H-he COMPLIMENTED my hair!" she shouted, incensed. "And said really weird things!" She flushed slightly in remembrance of that afternoon's run-in with 'the annoying jerk'. ["And I had to hit him over the head with my hand-bag....But he deserved it!"] Motoki frowned. "He COMPLIMENTED it…and you're ANGRY? Not that it's LIKE him-but he wasn't MEAN at all?" He was confused. Was Usagi angry because Mamoru HADN'T insulted her? "He freaked me out, Motoki!" The blonde frowned. "He was up to something! I'm sure." His frowned deepened. ["That doesn't sound like Mamoru at ALL. But he didn't look himself either. Maybe I shouldn't have let him go this afternoon. He looked really…exhausted, yet hyped,"] Motoki thought worriedly. Mamoru studied way too hard. Usagi quickly finished her drink and slid to her feet. She bent to pick up her bags, holding them to her chest defensively. "And all day I got this weird feeling he was around! I swear that I saw him a time or two, but couldn't PROVE it!" "You…sensed him?" Motoki questioned in a strange tone. He gave her a sideways glance. ["This is a new addition to their little romance!"] He grinned. ["I believe that I've just found another way to up the stakes!"] She giggled. "No, no...Well…" She rolled her eyes. "I guess so. I mean, I didn't SEE him QUITE. Umm-well who else has that green jacket ANYWAY? But I know when he's around!" She nodded emphatically. ["Like-my hairs stood on end. I'm POSITIVE he was there all day!"] "Really?" Motoki said with keen interest. "You know, Usagi, he's said the exact same thing about you once." He remembered it well. It had practically STARTED their little poll on Usagi and Mamoru. Usagi snorted derisively. "Sure." She grinned a him cheerfully. "I have to go now! I refuse to let that jerk ruin my beautiful day! Er…any more than he already has!" And then she was gone. Motoki smiled, wiping chocolate shake from the counter, whistling cheerfully. He was startled when, a moment later, the doors slid open and someone ran inside. It was Mamoru, looking ruffled and annoyed. "Is she HERE?" he shouted at Motoki, looking harassed. He was panting hard, car keys dangling from clenched fingers. Motoki stared long and hard. His usually impeccable friend was a mess-again! Hair sticking in every direction, clothes rumbled and even a shoelace untied. "Are you okay, buddy?" he asked cautiously. Then he remembered what Mamoru had shouted. "Her? Usagi? You just missed her, Mamoru." Motoki stared hard at his friend. Was there something Mamoru wasn't telling him? ["He's STILL looking for her? WHY?"] He was afire with curiosity by then, but said nothing. "Noooo!" Mamoru actually roared. He gave a wild look around, then bolted out of the arcade. ["Not again! How can I keep missing a girl that I constantly bash into without expecting it?!"] Motoki stood there, frozen, his cloth half-extended over the counter to wipe. "Uh…what was THAT?" he questioned, stunned. Why was Mamoru so keen to find a girl he hated? He looked almost…insane! The man rolled his eyes. "Could it be that Romeo finally realized his feelings for said-blonde and she won't give him the time of day?" He grinned. ["If so-then I'm gonna win a large pile of cash!"] He turned his face expectantly towards the arcade, where several interested people had watched the entire scene. "Anyone care to place more bets? I'm raising the stakes again!" There was a mad scramble towards the counter. Usagi and Mamoru were the hottest gossip this side of town. But, as all wondered, would the two end up together in love…or kill each other? ____________________________________________________________________________ Chapter Three ____________________________________________________________________________ *Thunk* "She loves me." *Thunk* "She loves me not." *Thunk* "She loves me." *Thunk* "She-" The phone began to ring, rather shrilly then, starting Mamoru out of his daze. He jerked wildly, almost falling out of his cushy chair to the floor, but managed to catch himself just in time. He straightened, pried his fingers from the couch arms and stared hard at the offending object. “Go away!” He shouted at it. It seemed to take all of his energy and the hero slumped back into the chair, black swirls spinning all over his vision. [“Ooooh! My head!”] he groaned silently, blinking again and again. Something bit into his fingers and he managed to clear his vision enough to stare down at the perfect red rose clutched in his right hand. “Oh, right,” he muttered, grinning. He scowled briefly at the phone, which continued to ring for a long time, then finally shut up. “Finally!” he groaned. Mamoru shook his head to clear away the cobwebs of exhaustion and raised his hand again. He let the rose fly swiftly and followed it’s progress with interest as it joined several other that were embedded in the wall of the lounge. *Thunk* “She-where was I UP to?” he yelled, annoyed. Mamoru slumped back again, frowning like a thundercloud. He was utterly exhausted, after following his love around all day, being accosted by fat women and madly running from place to place! “If nothing else, I’ll be amazingly fit once I finally get a kiss!” he bellowed, frown deepening. All he wanted was a kiss! But NOOOOO, it had to be so bloody hard! And after checking around the arcade and the general area once more-Mamoru finally concluded that he’d lost the blonde permanently. At least-for the day, that was. So, he’d driven home in his Ferrari and collapsed into the chair the moment he entered the apartment. His clothes were still rumpled, sweat beaded on his forehead and down the back of his neck and he desperately needed a shave. But STILL, Usagi ruled his thoughts. “Who’d have thought that it would be SO bloody hard to get a kiss!” he growled under his breath, unimpressed by the days events. And even worse, the security guard was BOUND to remember him if he ever went to the mall again! Mamoru groaned, reached into his jacket and withdrew another rose tiredly. He had to pass the time until the next afternoon, when Usagi would once again go to the arcade-and Mamoru would way-lay her. [“Does she sleep in more on Sundays?”] he wondered. Thought seemed somewhat beyond him at that moment and he seriously felt as if he were going slowly nuts. No-SHE was driving him nuts! “Where was I?” he muttered, staring at the vague circle pattern on the wall, created by his roses. Mamoru let fly the rose, starting from the beginning again. *Thunk* “She loves me.” He paused before reaching for a new rose, titling his head from side to side as he studied the wall. “It looks like an Odango! Arrggggh!” he shouted, something finally cracking in his mind. He began to laugh and laugh, tears streaming from his eyes. “All I wanted was a kiss! And she drove me nuts instead!” he gasped, clutching at his chest with both hands. “And-“ He broke off as a strange tingling began in his head, then slowly spread to all parts of his body. A tingling that was accompanied by an ecstasy and power. Mamoru gasped, falling from the chair face-first. As he hit the carpet, his mind abruptly cleared, his form changing. “What?” Tuxedo Kamen groaned, eating carpet. He pushed his arms under his body and levered away from the floor, staring dazedly down at himself from a kneeling position. “What-happened? Why am I so exhausted?” he groaned, touching fingers gingerly to his pounding temples. He had a migraine like you wouldn't believe Suddenly he gasped, as he realized that he was transformed. “Sailor Moon is in danger!” he yelled, striding quickly towards the balcony. On the way, he tripped over something-and then something else. “Arrgghhh!” he cried out, wind-milling his arms frantically. But he went down anyway, again kissing carpet, with his cloak wrapped around him. “Ugh,” he groaned into the carpet again. He rolled over and stared back at what he had tripped over, eyes widening as he saw piles and PILES of coffee cups and plates scattered all over the carpet near his chair. “WHAT?!” he bellowed, shocked. “What is going on-oh my god!” he shouted, horrified. Everything abruptly came back to him. The battle, getting hit by an arrow, following Usagi around-trying to get a kiss. “Ugh! No way! I was NOT trying to kiss that ditz!” Tuxedo Kamen leapt to his feet, throwing his cloak back impatiently. His eyes fell on the far wall of the room, where roses dotted there in a vague circular shape. Like an Odango. “Oh my god! I was obsessed!” he groaned, dropping his head into his hands and grabbing handfuls of his luxurious dark hair. “No, no, no,” he moaned. “Me? In love with that ditz? And oh god, the fat ladies! The security guards…The STALKING!” He raised his head, dark blue eyes shocked. “I stalked the Odango Atama? I was trying to KISS her? Am I crazy?!” he roared, hands grabbing at his hair again in stress. “Usagi must think-she…” He trailed off as he thought about the morning and the day before. He’d pursued her with single-mindedness. And he hadn’t even thought of using Tuxedo Kamen. He hadn’t thought about his secret identity at all. “Which means-what? I WAS under a spell,” he murmured, beginning to walk slowly around the room, deep in thought. As he recalled, he had started to go slowly mad, the more Usagi got away. Abruptly he remembered the sight of her in the street, golden hair glowing in the sunlight. He’d TRIED to compliment her then-and she’d actually BASHED him. Tuxedo Kamen’s lips twitched as he remembered her enraged look. She’d looked absolutely- “Adorable,” he muttered. Suddenly, Mamoru’s head jerked up as he realized something-terrible. Or good, depending upon how he looked at it. Despite the fact that the arrow’s power had ended when he was transformed into Tuxedo Kamen- “Oh my GOD!” Tuxedo Kamen shouted, utterly in disbelief and denial. “I am still IN LOVE with that ditz!” He shook his head, beginning to pace up and down the length of the Lounge Room. His cloak swirled around him comfortingly as he reach the kitchen. He eyed the coffee pot longingly. “Coffee? I really NEED a cup-but I have to go do something. And I THINK that I’ve had QUITE enough!” He trailed off, mind blank but for the utter chaos that a certain blonde had caused. Her and her klutz attacks, her long golden hair, her wailing… ”Oh no!” he bellowed, horrified that he had even FORGOTTEN. “I have to go and save Sailor Moon!” Of course, THAT thought conjured up problems that he had not even thought of yet. Sailor Moon! He was in love with HER too! “Arrgggggh! Why me?” he shouted. “What sort of a normal guy is in love with two women?!” [“One that NEEDS to go and save Sailor Moon, you idiot! You forgot her AGAIN! I don’t believe this!”] he shouted at himself. At once, the dashing hero leapt for the balcony window, sliding the glass doors open swiftly. He left it wide open in his mad bolt to save the life of Sailor Moon, then he paused on the rail, quickly leapt back down and slammed the sliding doors closed. Okay, so he was eight floors up-but you never knew! “Right! I’m coming Sailor Moon!” he roared, taking a flying leap. Only a couple of birds and an old woman heard his fierce battle cry, as the hero of all Tokyo went to save ONE of the women that he was in love with! ********************************************* “Stupid jerk,” Usagi muttered, thinking distinctly uncomplimentary thoughts about a certain dark-haired College student. The blonde shook her head angrily, long pony-tails whipping from side to side. “Why would he have been following me in the first place?” she wondered aloud, steps faltering. All afternoon, despite the fact that she had been CERTAIN that Chiba Mamoru had been following her-it had just impacted, and hard, that she had not QUESTIONED it in the slightest. She’d been annoyed-but never stopped to ask herself WHY he would follow her. They HATED each other! “Loath.” Usagi nodded sagely. “So-“ She nibbled on her bottom lip-something that she did frequently when nervous or thoughtful-eyes filled with chagrin. “What if I was wrong? What if it wasn’t him and I was just imagining it all?” This thought, of course, did not please Usagi at ALL. Because if it HADN’T been him-then SHE was the one who had been thinking of him. Which she had done a lot lately, if truth be told. And she crashed into him so often! It was like fate. Destiny. [“I expect it. And-“] She hesitated, coming to a complete stop beside a narrow alley between the shops. [“Not that anyone would get it out of me in a MILLION years, but I kind of enjoy shouting at him.”] She grinned. There was nothing she liked more than to wipe that superior grin of Chiba Mamoru’s face! Suddenly-in the shop right before her startled eyes-people began running out in a tight crowd, eyes wide with terror. The women were screaming and the men looked as if they’d LIKE to be, but acted from-running for their lives nevertheless. A woman screamed, pointing backwards into the shop. “Monster!” She shrieked loudly around, eyes wide with terror. “Run for your lives!” “MONSTER?! Youma?” Usagi said, blue eyes widening. She looked up at the shop. “What? A beauty salon? How DARE they!” The blonde’s eyes grew outraged. Her bosom swelled with indignation and wrath. “Okay! I have totally HAD it today!” she shouted. Usagi turned and dashed into the alley quickly, bags crushed to her sides in the narrowness. She went about half way in, then dropped the bags indifferently, eyes burning with anger. [“It’s enough that I’ve had to put up with that CREEP all day! But now a Youma is destroying one of my favorite shops? Not on MY shift, buddy!”] Usagi thought furiously. She almost ripped the broach from her shirt and held it up over her head. “Moon Prism Power, makeup!” Sailor Moon finished her pose, a moment later, and then dashed out of the alley as fast as her boots could carry her. She skidded around the corner, then leapt heroically into the shop. “All right!” she shouted, staring around the shop with blazing eyes. “Where are you, you Dark Kingdom creep? I’ve had TOO much today and you’ve really made me angry!” “Oooh! Scary, scary!” a voice taunted from a corner. Sailor Moon turned in that direction quickly, eyes narrowed. Her expression melted into one of disbelief as she saw the Youma for the first time. It was-her! “Whaaaaaaat?!” she shrieked in outrage and horror. The Youma was her, right down to the boots-the hair was admittedly a little shorter, but that was the ONLY difference. “Ha ha! Gonna cry, Moonie girl?” the Sailor Moon clone taunted her, jumping lightly from side to side on her boots. She bounced around as if she was on something. “Come and get me!” “Are you-on something?” Sailor Moon said, eyes wide and incredulous. “You’re like me, sort of. But on Jolt!” “I’m ALL like you, girlie!” the Youma said gleefully, giggling. She twirled around on one boot, coming to a stop facing Sailor Moon again. “Hey! I LIKE this outfit!” “It’s MINE!” Sailor Moon replied dangerously, a glint entering her eye. Her day had been long and annoying-and she was getting majorly peeved! “Change into something else! That’s MY Fuku! And MY hair and MY Tiara and-” “Nu uh!” The Youma giggled again, eyes expectant. “Are you going to beat me up or cry?!” it demanded. “This is MY Fuku now!” “Huh?” Sailor Moon said intelligently, drawn out of her murderous thoughts. “Umm-beat you up I guess,” she answered, giving the Youma a weird look. [I’m having a REALLY bad day! I’m gonna KILL Mamoru if I see him!”] she wailed internally. [“Where is Tuxedo Kamen?”] “No crying? Damn,” the Youma muttered, looking disappointed. It looked at Sailor Moon with almost identical eyes-except for the obvious LACK of anything resembling intelligence. “But okay-then I will!” it announced. The Youma’s pretty face scrunched up, going an alarming red-then she exploded into wails. Sailor Moon just-stared. “I don’t believe this!” she muttered under her breath. She winced as the Youma hit a particularly loud note. “Do I sound like THAT?” she wondered. “Yep. Basically,” Mars proclaimed suddenly, from behind, sounding supremely smug. “Uh huh,” Jupiter added. “Sorry, but yes.” Even Mercury had to agree. Sailor Moon spun around, to see the other Senshi gathered behind her and watching with lively interest. [“How long have they been there, just watching?”] she was tempted to ask-and then yell-but there was still the matter of the clone! Jupiter nibbled on a lock of her hair, eyes glued to the Youma. “Lower the decibels!” she said absently to the look-alike, as if she had been talking to Usagi or Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon’s eyes narrowed again-this time in anger. “So WHY are you just standing there? And hey, how did you know this was me and not THAT clone?” “Well-the girl over there didn’t fall flat on her face when she twirled,” Jupiter said absently, watching the Youma spray tears to a truly impressive distance. “Whaaaaat?” Sailor Moon shrieked in outrage. “You knew because she didn’t klutz out?!” Her blue eyes narrowed rebelliously. “Some friends!” she muttered under her breath feeling betrayed. “I’m sorry Usagi, but that’s about right,” Mercury nodded, staring at the wailing Youma. “Why isn’t it fighting us?” she eyed it with keen interest, trying to see any discrepancies in the appearance-but found little. Only the hair had a slight variance. Mercury absently reached into her sub-space pocket for her computer, scanning the Youma cautiously. It would not be a good idea to draw attention to herself. The clone-for now-was moderately harmless, but given some sort of incentive, it could turn ugly. “Any hey!” Sailor Moon yelled, turning back to the Youma. “Why did the people run out of here screaming ‘monster’? You look like me!” she eyed the Youma inquiringly, quickly checking it over to see if there was anything on the clone that was remotely scary. “Not really.” The Sailor Moon Youma’s tears broke off, as if a tap had been turned. She smiled evilly at them, then shimmered briefly black. The sweet face was replaced with a hideous one, covered with fur. Then, before the Senshi could fully take the creature’s true form in, it changed back into Sailor Moon. “But I like THIS one much more!” It giggled insanely. “I’m Sailor Moon! I’m Sailor Moon!” “You’re ANNOYING!” Mars bit out, crossing her arms. She turned to face her fellow Senshi, purple eyes flashing annoyance. “Can we please dust this clone? I have better things to do and if I want to hear wailing I can just talk to Usagi!” “Hey! You take that back Mars!” Sailor Moon wailed, eyes filling with outraged tears. She spun to face the Youma, hands clenching. “And YOU-turn baaaack! How can I dust myself?! I’m copyright! No one is allowed to look like meeeeee!” “GOOD question, Blondie,” the Youma sneered. She twirled around on one boot again, and then again. “This is fun!” The clone seemed QUITE happy enough just to talk to them. The Senshi all exchanged a quick glance. “So-what’s your name?” Jupiter said casually, playing with a lock of her brown hair. “Sailor Moon, of course,” the Clone batted her lashes at the Senshi of Jupiter coyly. She gestured down at her Fuku. “Can’t you tell?” “No, no. Your REAL name,” Mars snapped, going along with Jupiter’s plan. “Surely you don’t want to die being called ‘the clone’?” “I’M not going to die-you are!” the clone said petulantly, but then she smiled, looking chillingly like Sailor Moon. “But okay-you have a point of sorts. Umm…lets see. Zoisite calls me ‘distraction’ and ‘worthless’, but I think I like Sailor Moon MUCH more!” it admitted to them, eyes holding little intelligence. The Senshi had all turned to each other, eyes wide. “Distraction?!” they all said at the same time. “What SORT of distraction are we talking here?” Sailor Jupiter demanded belligerently, taking a step towards the clone. “That’s my name!” the Youma protested, eyeing Jupiter nervously. She smiled slyly. “How about we ditch Moon here and I can join the team?” “AS IF! I’m the only Sailor Moon!” Sailor Moon took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her blue eyes narrowed dangerously. “This is unbelievable!” she yelled. “Can we PLEASE dust her?” “Nah!” Jupiter said, eyes filled with laughter. “This is hilarious! I wish I had a camera!” “Then, I guess you don’t need me,” a voice said from behind them. The Senshi all turned to see Tuxedo Kamen there. He was leaning against the open door of the Beauty Salon, arms crossed casually. His lips twitched slightly as he looked from Sailor Moon to her double. “Is this some sort of Dark Kingdom joke?” “She SAID that her name is ‘Distraction’” Sailor Mercury said absently, still scanning the Clone of their leader. “Tuxedo Kamen!” The breathed words came from two different people. Sailor Moon and the Youma. “Hey!” Sailor Moon shouted, eyes furious. She glared at the Youma. “That’s MY line!” “Not any more!” the Youma snapped back. She batted her lashes and headed towards Tuxedo Kamen. “Come here cutie!” “What? No way! He’s mine!” Sailor Moon muttered, leaping forwards to intercept the Youma. She grabbed her by one of her long pony tails and yanked. [“There is no way she’s getting such a hunky guy. Besides, he rescues ME!”] she thought angrily. The Youma turned, eyes glowing red. “Hey! Let go!” it yowled in outrage. It hesitated, then reached out for one of Sailor Moon’s long pony tails. Mercury and the Senshi shook their heads, holding a conversation urgently under their breaths. “Weakness’?” Jupiter asked, keeping half her attention on the squabbling girls. “As far as I can TELL, Jupiter, the entire Youma is a weakness. As was the one the other night, these creatures are simple to beat and seem designed specifically for energy gathering,” Mercury replied, all in one breath. “So-we can beat it easily?” Sailor Mars said, looking over Mercury’s shoulder, to where Sailor Moon and her annoying clone were still engaged in the time-honored ‘hair pulling fight scene’. “Why is it that whenever there’s two girls fighting, they resort to the hair pulling?” she asked no one in particular. “Arrgggh! It hurts!” Sailor Moon screeched loudly, yanking hard on the Youma’s hair. “Let go of my hair right this minute! Do you have any idea how long it took to GROW this?!” “Ouch!” the Youma screeched back, yanking at Sailor Moon’s hair. “Well, it only took ME a few seconds! So who’s the idiot in this picture?” “Should we help her or something?” Sailor Jupiter asked the others, never taking her eyes from the two Sailor Moons. “I mean, now that we know it’s easy to dust.” “Nah,” Mars said, grinning maliciously. “This is just too funny! Let them fight for a while. Usagi has been JUST too smug lately and needs to be taken down a peg or two.” Mercury winced as ONE of the Sailor Moon’s yanked particularly hard on the other’s hair, making the recipient shriek in pain. “Let go!” Sailor Moon shouted, wincing and trying to pull away. “Why aren’t you people helping me? Jupiter?” she yelled, trying to pull her head out of an extremely awkward angle. Where were the other Senshi?! “YOU let go!” the Youma shouted back, trying to pull her hair free. “Tuxedo Kamen, aren’t you going help me?” it wheedled at the stunned hero. Tuxedo Kamen had watched the last five minutes with a mixture of amusement and disbelief, torn between rescuing his beloved or just watching. Suddenly, he looked from girl to girl, wondering which was the REAL Moon. They’d effectively-if unwittingly-switched positions so much that no one could really tell who the real Moon was. Especially when they still had strangle-holds on each other’s hair that way. “Sure, Sailor Moon. Just as soon as you tell me which one you are,” Tuxedo Kamen drawled lightly, looking intently from girl to girl. [“This is really too much. After the week I’VE had, all I NEEDED was this mix-up!”] he groaned silently. “Jeez, yeah!” Sailor Mars added, shaking her head in disgust. “Which one ARE you Sailor Moon?” She was ready to use her fire on one of the Moons-but which was the real Usagi? “I’M me!” one shouted, trying to extract her hair from the other’s grip. She narrowed her eyes on the Clone. “YOU? Tuxedo Kamen is going to help ME!” she snapped, looking at Tuxedo Kamen pleadingly. [“Doesn’t he know me?”] “Great,” Tuxedo Kamen murmured, eyes exasperated behind the mask. “Which girl do I rescue?” “Which is which?” Jupiter muttered, confused also. Her green eyes flitted from girl to girl. “Just great! Good going Sailor Moon!” Mars snapped, eyes flashing furiously. “You ditz!” “Maaaaars! What did I do now?” both Moon’s wailed at the Senshi with identical tones. Mercury just stared, then giggled helplessly. She looked down at the Mercury computer, typing for a moment. “DO something, Tuxedo Kamen!” Sailor Moon shouted, finally yanking her hair free. [“Or I will! This clone is going to be moon-dust, when I get my hair free!”] “Yes! DO something!” the other Moon shouted, yanking her hair free, too. “This is bad. This is bad,” Tuxedo Kamen murmured under his breath, dropping his face into his hands with a thump. Here he’d come to rescue one of the girls that he loved-and there were now THREE! [“I can’t TAKE this!”] he yelled mentally. “Which is the real Sailor Moon?” he asked them tiredly. “Me!” “No, ME!” “That isn’t helping any!” Mars snapped at them both. Both Moons turned and blew a raspberry at Sailor Mars rudely. “Hey!” Sailor Moon gasped. “Don’t do that! Only I’m allowed to do that!” “Says who?” the other Moon glared. She turned back to Tuxedo Kamen, batting her lashes again. “Take me on a date, tall dark and handsome?” she inquired, eyes sweet and innocent. [“Ah ha!”] Tuxedo Kamen took a deep breath, then reached swiftly into his tuxedo jacket. He removed a perfect red rose-and then flung it swiftly at the Sailor Moon who had asked him out. Her eyes widened, then the rose impaled through her chest. “Arrggggh!” she shrieked. Sailor Moon never hesitated. The moment that the rose had hit, she removed her tiara and flung it at the Youma. “Moon Tiara Magic!” she cried out. The other Sailor Moon swiftly turned to dust, mouth gaping stupidly. “I just wanted a daaaaaaate!” she screamed in outrage, then was gone. “Take that! How dare you pretend to be me!” Sailor Moon glared at the pile of dust, almost wishing that she could bring the Youma back to beat the crap out of it! [“How DARE the Dark Kingdom do this! I’m gonna KILL Zoisite!”] she fumed silently. “All right-well, that was weird,” Jupiter said, not knowing whether to cheer or laugh. “So WAS she a distraction?” “So Zoisite could go after another Crystal?” Mercury murmured, worried. “Do you really think so, Mars?” “What about the Moon Wand, Sailor Moon?” Mars said, staring hard at their panting leader. Sailor Moon was rubbing at her head and wincing. “Did it react at all?” “What?” Sailor Moon paused, removing her hand as she saw that everyone was staring at her intently. She flushed under the stares. “The Wand? No, no. It didn’t beep or anything,” she told them hastily, eyes falling on Tuxedo Kamen. [“He’s still here? Why?”] she asked herself silently. He usually took off right after fights. The ‘dashing hero disappears into the night’ routine. “Well THAT’S a relief. I don’t want to fight Zoisite after this fiasco,” Sailor Mars growled, stomping over to the pile of dust. She kicked it in a few directions disdainfully with her high heels. “How did you know that I was the real Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen?” Sailor Moon asked thankfully, walking over to the cloaked hero. Tuxedo Kamen looked down at her, deep blue eyes seemingly startled at her question. She looked up at him with wide eyes, absently taking in his hunky form. As always her eyes were drawn to his cloak. She LOVED that cloak! [“I wish I could bury my face in it,”] she thought wistfully, then flushed red in embarrassment. Tuxedo Kamen smiled slyly at the blonde, eyes intent on her flushed cheeks. [“I wonder what she’s thinking,”] he thought absently. “She asked me out on a date,” he replied simply, blue eyes staring down into her own. [“She’s so beautiful,”] he thought, eyes drifting involuntarily over her lips. [“I wonder if SHE will hit me if I try to kiss her? Usagi’s sure got a temper on her!”] The day had been absolutely crazy and he was exhausted-yet could truthfully say that he’s love to jump Sailor Moon and kiss her thoroughly! Tuxedo Kamen’s eyes flitted over the other Senshi assessingly, mentally counting the possible seconds of kissing he could get in before they pried him off their leader. “What? So I CAN’T-er, we can never…umm-that didn’t come out right. So-I’ll just be leaving now!” Sailor Moon shouted, rushing past him. Her face was glowing as red as a tomato. “Bye guys!” she yelled over her shoulder, making a clean get-away. [“Oh! I am SO embarrassed!”] she wailed mentally, heading into the alley. “Damn,” Tuxedo Kamen said under his breath, standing frozen. Just as he had decided to kiss her senseless-and the other Senshi be damned-the love of his life had dashed away! [“Er-ONE of the loves of my life,”] he amended silently, making a getaway before the Senshi realized what happened. He swept regally into an alley on the left side of the store and de-transformed into Mamoru. The dark-haired Collage student shook his head, smiling ruefully. “My life is WAY too complicated!” he complained loudly. He walked to the end of the alley and glanced out. Further down the street, he saw Usagi, walking swiftly away, bags in hand. His heart began to quickly speed up at the sight of the girl he had been stalking for the last few days. He frowned after her in annoyance. “Where has SHE been? I’ve been looking everywhere!” As usual, he’d only seen her when he WASN’T looking. “Amazing,” he murmured in amusement. “We didn’t even crash into each other.” Of course though, the spell had worn off-and though he still loved her like crazy-he REALLY had to go home and think this over! “How can I be in love with TWO women?” he demanded to the world at large. It was just inconceivable. He glared upwards. “This is some cosmic joke-right?” Mamoru hesitated, completely torn. Of course, his er-hormones/heart won over. He swore softly under his breath, gritted his teeth and then dashed back into the alley. It took only a moment to transform into Tuxedo Kamen again. “RIGHT! This time, I AM getting a kiss!” he announced firmly, filled with resolution. The hero glanced upwards, then leapt easily onto the roof. He turned and began furiously rushing across the roof-tops, for about three buildings. Then he stopped hurriedly, jumped down into an alley and de-transformed. Mamoru ran swiftly towards the end of the alley and carefully peered out. Sure enough, Usagi was there, storming down the sidewalk furiously. Her blue eyes were flashing, cheeks flushed prettily. She was STILL angry? Mamoru winced as he saw the pace she was going. “This is going to hurt,” he told himself. He took a deep breath, ran a hand through his hair to smooth it down-and then bravely stepped out of the alley-and right into the blonde’s path. He didn’t even have time to brace himself. Immediately, they crashed into each other VERY painfully. “Arrgggggh!” Usagi shrieked, bags flying in all directions. Her heart thundered in shock, eyes wide as she lost her balance and the person she had crashed into fell back helplessly under her weight. [“Oh no!”] “Ooof!” Mamoru grunted as Usagi smashed into his chest, knocking them over before he could blink. The blonde had barreled into him with the force of a bullet. She shrieked into his ear, then clung for dear life as he fell over backwards un-gracefully, with her on top. They hit the ground with a sickening thud, Mamoru JUST managing to save his head from been bounced on the ground painfully. Mamoru stare dazedly up at the sky, which was slowly turning darker as the sun began to set. [“It’s my lot in life to be bowled over by this girl, I swear,”] he told himself, groaning. [“Of course, it was my fault-but still-“] He continued to lay there, aware of the warmth from the girl laying on top of him. Absurdly, he was comfortable. Usagi groaned, nose mashed into a muscled chest. She REALLY didn’t need to look up to tell who it was that she had crashed into. The warm body she was laying on was as familiar to her as her own nose. And given that she had crashed into him so OFTEN, she even knew his scent. [“He smells like roses,”] she thought absently, nose wrinkling in perplexity. Where had she smelt that intoxicating scent before? “Don’t you have anything better to do than crash into me, you creep?” she grunted into his shirt, laying stunned. Her head was spinning a little and for a WEIRD reason-she was strangely comfortable where she was. “Excuse me, but YOU crashed into me, Odango Atama,” Mamoru replied, lying blatantly. He grinned, then quickly hid it as Usagi lifted her face and glare into his eyes furiously. [“That’s my girl.”] “WHAT?” she shrieked at him. “This is YOUR fault! Where did you come from ANYWAY?” she demanded suspiciously, looking around from her position on top of him. The street had a few people, obviously coming home from shopping or work or something-but still, she was SURE she would have seen him coming a mile off. All though, she HAD been distracted after the fight, and angry too. Between the annoying guy beneath her and the clone-it added up to one extremely peeved Senshi. “I was walking down the street, Odango. While YOU were obviously in la-la land,” he told her tauntingly, enjoying every moment. Her deep blue eyes flashed at him, annoyance clear in their beautiful depths. Her breathing deepened as she glared at him, faces only a few tantalizing centimeters apart. [“Does she realize that she’s just laying on me?”] he wondered. Mamoru purposefully kept his hands flat on the ground. He wanted nothing more than to wrap them tightly around the blonde’s waist and never let go. “La-la land?” Usagi muttered, eyes turning into blue flames of fury. She suddenly recalled where she was and scrambled off of Mamoru swiftly, flushing. Sure, it was coming on night-but she had been plastered along Mamoru’s length on a sidewalk! She stood there, trembling slightly under his gaze, which seemed a strange combination of amusement and something else. “WHY must you constantly humiliate me?” she wailed at him, looking around for her bags. “You’re everywhere!” Mamoru got easily to his feet, wincing as his back ached. As Usagi was leaning over to her bags, he quickly scanned her for injuries. He’d NEVER forgive himself is she had been harmed by his stepping into her path. She fell enough without his help, he knew well. [“Oh well, I KNEW she’d bowl me over.”] He shrugged back the pain and continued to watch as the blonde collected all of her bags. Mamoru averted his eyes as she turned her back to him, still leaning over. The hem of her dress rose alarmingly. Did she even know that her underwear was almost showing when she did that? “So-been shopping, hmm, Odango?” he asked casually, crossing his arms and trying to appear normal. She didn’t know about the events of the last few weeks, after all. But his little blonde was driving him crazy! Leaning over, Usagi stiffened, hands full of purchases. Her blue eyes narrowed. “Shopping?” she murmured, abruptly remembering that he had been POSSIBLY following her all day. “Yes!” she snapped, springing up and turning swiftly to face him in one movement. “What were YOU doing all day, mister?” she demanded, eyes sweeping over his form. This was really one of the longest conversations that they’d had. His arms were crossed casually over his green jacket, blue eyes filled with amusement and mockery. Usagi felt a slight pang for an unknown reason. Why couldn’t he ever be nice to her? “Me?” Mamoru swallowed hard. So-Usagi had noticed him trailing her? That was not good. And he’d been so careful, too. [“Oh nothing, Usagi. Following you, under the throes of a love spell all day, dying to kiss your lights out-being chased by fat women and security guards…”] He was SO tempted to tell her EXACTLY what he had been doing, but bit the impulse back at the last moment. He’d scare her off and that was the last thing he wanted to do. “I was at home studying for an exam,” he said, eyes narrowing challengingly at her. “A thing that YOU could never comprehend.” “What?!” she shrieked at him, eyes narrowing further. Usagi stomped closer, arms full of bags. Her eyes were fill of disbelief and anger. She studied! “I don’t have to take your insults! And I don’t believe you either!” she yelled with surety, wishing that her hands were free so that she could point accusingly in his face. “You were following me all day, weren’t you?” Who else could it have possibly been? And why was she so determined to make the annoying guy admit it? “Me? Follow YOU?” He filled his voice to the brim with incredulity. He stepped closer to her, mouth turned upwards in a mocking smile. “Now why would I do that, Odango Atama?” he asked her silkily. [“What can she say NOW!?”] he thought triumphantly. Embarrassing the girl was a sure-fire way to have her back down-or beat the lights out of him! He watched with sudden interest, as the blonde flushed scarlet, the redness spreading over her pure skin like a fine mist. No artist could ever hope to accomplish such an act on paper. And his angel looked just too adorable when embarrassed. Usagi flushed under the obviously mocking glance that the older guy was giving her and suddenly, she was uncertain again. [“What if it WASN’T him? Then-I’ve just made a fool of myself! No way!”] She frowned fiercely up at him, thrusting her way closer until the bags were crushed between them. She was determined to get to the bottom of it. “Look here, jerk! I KNOW that it was you. No one else in the entire CITY has that green jacket!” She smiled triumphantly, lashes falling over her eyes to hide their expression. She realized vaguely that her feet were touching Mamoru’s and that his every breath was wafting over her face. Her heart began to slowly beat faster, but she was not going to move from her spot until Mamoru gave her an answer. Mamoru grimaced involuntarily. [“The jacket! Damn! If I hadn’t been under the spell, I would have hidden better!”] He rolled his eyes in exasperation. [I could have bought new clothes to hide from her-but NOOOOOO. I buy a pair of sunglasses! Chiba, you’re a moron!”] He shifted slightly, realizing that their shoes were touching. Usagi was really close. He could see the lighter blue flecks in her beautiful eyes, which he seemed never to have noticed before in their encounters. “Weeeell?” Usagi shouted impatiently in his face. She shifted her bags impatiently, wondering why he hadn’t answered her. In fact, Mamoru seemed to be looking at her face with a startling intensity that made her flush again. [What is he staring at?”] She bit her lip nervously. [“Do I have dirt on my face?”] Mamoru tried to look affronted, while once again afforded a view of Usagi’s blushing. He was SO tempted to find out what was making her blush so much. What was she thinking about? Him? “You have something against my jacket?” He looked down at it assessingly, then glanced sideways at the blonde who was standing so close. Her expression was bewildered for a moment, as if she had forgotten entirely, what they had been discussing. “No! I mean yes! I mean-Argggggh! You’re SO annoying!” She glared at him, thrusting her face upward and as close as she could over the bags between them. She couldn’t believe just how annoying he was! But still, her heart continued to beat crazily at their proximity. Thank the Gods that Mamoru didn’t seem to even notice. “You’re a creep!” she said vaguely, hoping that her voice sounded more insulting than it did to her ears. Here she was trying to fight back and all she could think about was how close she was standing to him?! He was just-so distracting! And her fingers positively itched to brush back a lock of his dark hair that had fallen over his eyes. “And you’re an Odango Atama,” Mamoru replied absently, looking down at her. They were so close that their lips were almost touching and Mamoru had an insane urge to sweep her into his arms and kiss her. But now that the spell had worn off, he was far more prudent. His little Odango was FURIOUS at him and looked as if she’s like to cheerfully beat the hell out of him! No, this was NOT a good time to jump her. He stared into her eyes, seeing bewilderment again. And anger and-a sort of glazed look that he couldn’t define. “Don’t call me that!” Usagi managed, gritting her teeth, eyes glaring into his. She felt a surge of rage at what he was making her feel. [“Why does he make me SO angry? And why do I feel so strange!”] she wondered, trying to burn holes through his face with her eyes. Unfortunately, his smugly smiling face didn’t melt. And just that look made her knees feel all weak. “I LIVE to call you that,” Mamoru murmured under his breath, eyes sweeping over her features openly. [“Does she realize just how CLOSE she’s standing to me?”] he wondered briefly. But for the bags crushed between them, Usagi would have been practically in his arms! And SHE had been the one to close the gap between them. They never had fought like normal people though and CONSTANTLY invaded each other’s personal space. Mamoru’s eyes returned to hers and locked. [“Don’t look away,”] he commanded silently. Usagi stood stunned as she abruptly realized just how CLOSE they were. She was almost in his arms and pressed so close that she could see the flecks in his eyes were silver. He was staring at her with an intensity that made everything around them melt away. And SHE had thrust up against HIM! Had he noticed how close they were? She hoped not. She swallowed as she looked into his eyes as saw that he was looking right down into her eyes, which were so close and burning with a strange emotion. Their eyes locked. [“What is-this?”] Usagi asked herself slowly, eyes filled with stunned dismay. Her heart began to thunder in her chest, lips parting. [‘What is going on?”] she asked frantically inside her head, unable to remove her eyes from his. She was sinking in…And she wanted to stay there. A horn beeped a block away and Usagi leapt backwards as if she had been burnt. Thankfully, she had not dropped her bags. She stared silently at Mamoru for a long moment, eyes filled with fear, desire and bewilderment-then bolted around him and raced towards home as if the hounds of hell were after her. Mamoru blinked, then turned quickly to watch the girl go. Her long golden hair streamed out behind her in the light of the setting sun, turning it to pure gold. “What just happened here?” he said aloud, watching until Usagi disappeared from sight. “Is it possible that Usagi likes me? She seemed as transfixed as I was.” He turned and slowly began to walk home, heading in the opposite direction. His hands slipped into his jacket pockets, eyes as bewildered as Usagi’s had been. It had been like, the girl he had was hopelessly in love with, had abruptly realized that she felt something… [“That was an attraction, Chiba! And no denying!”] He smiled slowly in satisfaction, eyes glinting with fierce triumph.. “Usagi LIKES me, but doesn’t KNOW it! Perfect!” He felt like shouting in joy. Finally, after all those months-and him falling for her, the little blonde was SEEING him. He was perfectly sure that Usagi had just that very minute realized her attraction to him. That their fights hid more than they revealed. He sighed deeply, staring up at the now-dark sky. The sun had fully set as they had stared at each other. He turned his head briefly to look back in the direction Usagi had fled, wondering if he ought to have walked her home to make sure she was safe. [“No.”] He shook his head, smiling slightly. [“Usagi will be home already, at the pace she was running!”] Yes, his little blonde had fled from him as if he were the devil. Not too flattering-considering. Or was it? If she was so scared of what she was feeling-then they would HAVE to be intense. He smiled wickedly. Now-how to make her LOVE him? ____________________________________________________________________________ Chapter Four ____________________________________________________________________________ Unfortunately, nothing came to Mamoru for another two days. And so-since he couldn’t STAND to be parted from her…he decided to stalk her. Now that he was certain that she liked him, he knew what to watch for. And Usagi was DEFINITELY avoiding him at all costs. He watched her from afar, keeping his distance from the blonde. She knew he was there, of course, but he kept a low profile. She avoided eye-contact when she could, though he’d look up sometimes and see her looking at him almost wistfully. And he was always in her sight, but never actually speaking to her. If he crashed into her on the street, she’s flush and scream at him and he’d calmly yell back. She carefully kept her distance of a few feet from him. And anything she had on her-be it bag or book or ice cream-she made sure to use like a shield.. And it made it all the plainer to Mamoru that Usagi was fighting an equal attraction to him-but that they really couldn’t help biting each other’s heads off! Inspiration-in the form of complete and utter madness-came to him on Wednesday. He skipped a class and headed to the best flower shop in Juuban. Mamoru entered the shop, completely ignoring the multitudes of beautiful flowers. He went straight for the display of beautiful red roses. There was about four dozen there. Roses showed love and passion and though he loved Usagi, he felt a deep passion and desire for her. Perhaps at a later time, he could tell her how deep his feelings went-and she really WAS too young, but he couldn’t help himself! “Can I help you, sir?” A woman appeared at his side, smiling politely. Her eyes flitted over him with interest, but he barely seemed to acknowledge her presence. “Yes,” Mamoru said, frowning in thought. He raised on hand, gesturing at the lot of roses, the other hand going into his jacket pocket for his wallet. “I want the lot.” It was going overboard perhaps, but he happened to know that Usagi loved roses. Some guy had given her one back on valentines day. Mamoru must have unconsciously filed that information away, even though he’d hated her at the time. “The-the LOT?” the woman stammered, gaping. “But that’s expensive-” “I don’t care. Money isn’t an object when dealing with love,” Mamoru snapped at her. He blinked, then smiled apologetically. “She’s a very special girl.” “Of course. She must be!” The woman’s eyes began to glow slyly. [“My commission is going to be huge! Yes!”] she thought gleefully. “Can I interest you in anything else?” Mamoru’s blue eyes filled with calculation. He turned and looked around the store slowly, trying to see anything else Usagi might like. His eyes alighted on stuffed toys. He ignored the suddenly simpering saleswoman and stalked over to the rack of toys, scanning. There was a pink bunny there, which he knew Usagi LOVED, but it was only the size of his arm. “Don’t you have anything bigger?” he demanded, rounding on the woman and staring down at her expectantly. “Bigger?” Again, she gaped at him, then eagerly sprang back to the counter for a catalogue. She rushed back to his side and swiftly flicked through the pages. “Here you go. Bigger bunnies. They can be ordered in.” Mamoru stared at the stuffed toys in the picture, then pointed at one indifferently. He winced inwardly as he saw the price of the gift. Rich, he was, but THAT was just going TOO far for a stuffed toy. [“Oh, well,”] he thought. “That one.” Usagi would love it to death. He knew his angel well. “THAT ONE?!” she shrieked at him. The woman stifled herself, plastered a smile on her lips and hurried back to the counter to ring the price up. “I can order it in for you. It will take a week-“ “Make it to this address by Saturday morning and I’ll give you an extra $50,” Mamoru said, this time ignoring her gaping mouth. He frowned, calculating. Usagi got up about 12:00, so if he got to the arcade around 11:00, he could be there to see her delighted face as she met her friends. He couldn’t WAIT to see her expression! “Yes-yes, sir!” The woman took Mamoru’s only card with Usagi’s address and slipped it into her book. Then she took the credit card Mamoru held out and swiped it. Mamoru signed the piece of paper, then left the store before he could bolt out. He was sweating buckets by the time he slipped into his car, eyes wide with shock. It just hit him, exactly what he had done. Utter madness. What if she hated the roses and bunny? He’d just spend a huge amount of cash on a fourteen year old who might not even appreciate it. “I’m MAD! I swear, that girl will bankrupt me before she’ll date me!” He lowered his head and rested it against the steering wheel, trying frantically to convince himself that the inordinate amount of cash that he had just forked over for a stuffed toy and 4 dozen roses was going to be worth a LOT of kisses! “Eventually,” he reminded himself with a groan. Mamoru straightened and started the car, muttering under his breath all the while, “She’s worth it, she’s worth it…” **************************************** Usagi groaned and rolled over onto her side, unconsciously reaching down to rub at her leg. She’d been bruised the last crash into Mamoru, the evening before. It had been a relatively uneventful crash-as far as they went. Crash, fight, blush-stare into his amazing blue eyes. Blush some more, jerk away from him. Usagi had made CERTAIN that there was a few feet of space between them at all times. But when she crashed into him, she usually ended up in his arms. And she’d SWEAR that she crashed into him MUCH more often than usual. He seemed to be there every time she turned around. And Usagi hadn’t entirely abandoned her ‘being stalked by Mamoru’ theory. Nothing that she could PROVE, but still…It was enticing, she had to admit. The thought of Mamoru following her made her skin tingle and her heart speed up. “What is wrong with me lately? I hate him-but he make me feel so strange when he’s near,” she whispered, biting her lip. A surge of anger took over her thoughts. That was Mamoru she was thinking about! Mamoru! “Argggggh!” Usagi yelled, throwing the covers off and jumping out of bed. “That jerk won’t get out of my head!” She glared accusingly at the bedside table, where her clock blatantly announced that yes, it was 11:30 and Usagi was up almost a full hour early! “Unbelievable!” She threw up her hands and stomped out of the room, heading for the bathroom. She had to meet the girls in an hour, so maybe she could take her time for once? And maybe even get up early once in a while… “NOT!” she shouted, reaching in to turn on the shower taps. Usagi turned towards the mirror and studied herself for a long moment, wondering what Mamoru saw when he looked at her so intently. A silly young girl? But if so-then why did his expression so often make her want to blush and run away? Why did her heart thunder in her chest when he just LOOKED at her. “And why Mamoru? Why the jerk? What changed and when?” Usagi whispered helplessly. She spun on her heel and stalked into the shower, divesting herself of her clothes as she went. Usagi had a shower slowly, enjoying not having to rush-but that CREEP kept firmly in her thoughts. She thought about him WAY too much lately and he was even invading her dreams! [“As long as I think of him as a creep, he can’t hurt me,”] she thought firmly, eyes anxious. Usagi flushed as she remembered a particularly vivid dream of a few nights before. Mamoru had bought her an ice-cream and then kissed her. And she could still remember the wonderful feeling of melting as his lips had touched hers… “Argggggh! Get out of my heaaaaaad!” she wailed. She didn’t even like Mamoru! Right?! And definitely didn’t want him kissing her…right? Usagi jumped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying herself. Her expression became unfocused and dreamy as she thought back to the dream unconsciously. It HAD been nice. He’d-“NO!” Usagi yelled, wrapping the towel about her form and stomping from the bathroom. She reached her room and bolted inside, locking the door behind her. She stood with her back against the door, eyes wide and afraid. He was in her head! Her dreams! And she couldn’t STOP thinking about him. Not even at School. And especially not when she crashed into him every single morning, like clock work. She felt her cheeks lightly with her fingertips. Her skin was on fire. “Oooh! How can he do this to me? It’s that creep! He’s an utter jerk! And I DON’T wish he’d kiss me!” Usagi said furiously, glaring at nothing. [“Yeah right”] her mind taunted her, throwing a quick flash of the ‘dream’. Someone suddenly knocked on the door. Usagi gasped and leapt away from it, whirling to face whoever would enter. Her heart began to thunder in her ears. [“Oh my god! It can’t be Mamoru!”] she thought in panic, wondering if her thoughts had conjured him up. The door opened swiftly and she slumped with relief as she saw her mother. Ikuko entered, carrying something in her arms, a large grin on her face. “Hello dear, you’re up a little early,” she said happily. Usagi gaped in disbelief as she saw the dozen beautiful roses in her mother’s hands. [“Oh my god! Is this-from Mamoru? No it can’t be.”] She was about to open her mouth when her father and Shingo entered, carrying another three dozen. “Whaaaaaaat?” Usagi shrieked, rushing over to Ikuko. “Are these ALL for meeee?” she asked with disbelief. [“Who could have sent me so many roses? Tuxedo Kamen? Oh wait, he doesn’t know who I really am.”] She slumped slightly, having exhausted her options. Her hero didn’t know her real identity and Mamoru-well, he didn’t even like her…right? Why on EARTH would he send her anything? “Of course they are honey,” Ikuko giggled. She set the roses on Usagi’s bed and grabbed her daughter’s hand, before Usagi could smell the roses. “No card came, so it must be from a secret admirer. Your father almost throttled the delivery boys,” Ikuko whispered into Usagi’s ear. Usagi was dragged past her fuming father and out into the hall. “Where are we going?” she asked, still stunned. Who would send HER roses? “Your other gift is downstairs dear,” Ikuko replied mysteriously, pulling Usagi down the stairs and into the lounge room. Usagi gaped like a fish as she saw what was on the couch. “Oh my GOD!” **************************************** Mamoru was grinning was ear to ear, as he sat in a both in the back of the Arcade on Saturday morning. His ‘presents’ ought to have arrived at Usagi’s place earlier that morning. And he couldn’t WAIT to see her face! [“Thank GOD that I didn’t think of this when I was under that spell!”] he thought fervently, sighing deeply with relief. [“I was so under it that I would have SIGNED it! Then Usagi would have come down here and slowly murdered me. No, the secret admirer thing ALWAYS works.”] And so, he sat there, rather impatiently, grinning like a maniac and waiting for his angel to arrive. His fingers began a restless tattoo on the table-top, eyes flitting from side to side with the restlessness of a panther. Rei and Makoto and Ami were already seated across the room from him, in plain view. Usagi would come and sit with them and he would get to see her face as she told her friend’s about what had arrived from an ‘admirer’ that morning. “Perfect,” Mamoru almost purred, deep blue eyes glinting with satisfaction. He looked down at his almost-empty cup of coffee and picked it up to stare into its depths. Since he’d discovered that he was in love with two women, life had not been the same. In fact, he’s barely BEEN to college-and when he’d finally checked his answering machine, there had been several messages there from his teachers. He NEVER missed classes, so they were naturally worried. [“Not that I could tell them I spent two weeks following around a fourteen year old girl in order to jump her!”] Mamoru shook his head, taking a sip of the coffee absently. “I mean, really Chiba!” he muttered to himself. All he knew lately was Usagi though and plans within plans on how to make her realize and admit her feelings for him. She hid them well enough, he admitted to himself grudgingly. Except for the times she looked into his eyes. THEN, he saw the emotions raw in the blue depths. Usagi could say all she liked, but her eyes told him everything. And one day, her attraction would turn to love, he swore it. Suddenly, his ears picked up the sound of the arcade doors sliding open. His head jerked up as he ‘sensed’ Usagi. It was almost like a physical punch in the gut, whenever she was near Mamoru’s mouth fell open, as he gaped in astonishment. “She BROUGHT it WITH her?” He almost dropped the mug of coffee as he saw the tiny form of his beloved, struggling valiantly to carry a huge pink bunny that was almost her size. He blinked at her a few times, then smiled. “She must have reaaaally liked it,” he murmured, lashes falling over his eyes to hide their expression. No sense giving the game away, if she should happen to glance his way. Which she DID. He saw Usagi scan the arcade warily, before spotting him over the other side of the room. She flushed wildly-which he saw, even at that distance-and spun away from him swiftly. [“Ah ha,”] he murmured inwardly, giving an evil grin. [“Poor Usagi can barely contain herself! I really DID get to her, didn’t I?”] “USAGI! WHERE did you get that?!” Rei almost shrieked, jumping to her feet to help the staggering blonde. Mamoru watched from across the room-with interest and wicked amusement-as Makoto and Ami also jumped up from the table to help Usagi with the enormous bunny. They eased it, with difficulty, into a chair, where it sat precariously. He NOTICED, however, that Usagi kept a wary eye on her bunny-just in case it should start to fall. Just before she looked away from Rei, she threw Mamoru another look across the room-OBVIOUSLY wanting to see if he’d noticed her ‘wonderful present’. “A secret ADMIRER!” Usagi squealed in delight, voice carrying over the arcade. She STRESSED her absolute delight, excitement and just generally thrilled state-trying valiantly to rub it into Mamoru’s face like an owner and her puppy. Of course, in THEORY, it would have worked-but for the fact that HE had sent the ever-loved present her way. Not that SHE knew that. Mamoru satisfied her, with an open-eyed look of extreme disgruntlement, trying to stifle his grin of mirth with the remains of his cooling coffee.. [“Ha! Score one for Chiba! Tsukino 0!”] Mamoru thought triumphantly, struggling to smother the huge grin building. “I’ll wear you down yet, Usagi,” he added out loud, eyes glinting wildly. He continued to stare across at his beloved, as she sat with her friends and they grilled her. Not that Mamoru could hear what they were saying, but Usagi continued to glow with pleasure. And Mamoru became smugger by the minute. “Stalking is against the law, buddy,” Motoki hissed suddenly from somewhere. Mamoru started in shock, turning to look at his friend. Motoki was leaning over the top of the booth, watching Usagi. His eyes were narrowed at the group of girls, obviously trying to figure out who had given her such an obviously EXPENSIVE present. [“He’ll never guess,”] Mamoru thought smugly. “Not in a million years,” he muttered under his breath, staring across at Usagi from over the brim of his empty coffee mug. He saw Motoki giving him a strange look and abruptly set the cup down, staring at his best friend hard. “What was that?” Mamoru asked suspiciously, glaring. [“Did he just say what I thought he did? Damn, I should be more careful around him.”] Mamoru studied his friend slyly, wondering how likely Motoki was to figure out who Usagi’s benefactor was. [“Not bloody likely!”] “Stalking is an offense almost everywhere,” Motoki repeated, grinning widely. “Or-were you just looking at Rei instead?” He looked pointedly at Mamoru, as if he could see the guilt written across his forehead in huge red letters. To his delight, Mamoru involuntarily flinched. “Excuse me?” Mamoru said coolly, picking up his coffee and taking a sip. Inside, he was a bundle of nerves. If Motoki found out, there’s be no one in ALL of Juuban who didn’t know that Mamoru liked Usagi, and all by sundown. He liked his friend and they were great buddies, but NO ONE knew Motoki like Mamoru-other than Reika maybe-and Mamoru knew what a schemer Motoki was! Almost as bad as Usagi’s friends. Mamoru groaned softly, wondering if Usagi was giving away anything to Rei and the others. Surely they’d noticed her looking over at him every minute or so and her seemingly-random blushes? “Oh, come on, buddy,” Motoki coaxed, sliding into the seat across the table from Mamoru. “Give a friend a bone! I KNOW that you’ve been watching Usagi all week!” He smiled slyly. “And, you WERE searching FRANTICALLY for her the other day…” “You’re hallucinating,” Mamoru said loftily, looking across the room to where Usagi was eating with her friends. It was Saturday once more and the girls were all set for a shopping spree. Perfect for Mamoru-but he absolutely REFUSED to crawl under tables and hide in pot-plants this time! He had his dignity-well, what was left of it. He frowned across at Usagi’s bunny. [“Maybe that will slow her down? I couldn’t have planned it more perfect myself.”] Without realizing, he began grinning in satisfaction. “Am I?” Motoki asked, sounding disappointed. He looked at Mamoru slyly. “Then why are you doing it again?” He frowned at the strange grin Mamoru was giving-someone. Motoki followed Mamoru’s eyes and saw that he WAS looking at Usagi. [“Ah ha! I was RIGHT! And WHY is he grinning like the cat that got the cream? Is this something I can up the bets with? I HOPE so!”] He bit his lip nervously, eyes scanning the arcade for victims with cash. Almost everyone was interested in the Usagi/Mamoru drama. To his delight, there were several. And all watching Mamoru and Usagi, eyes going backwards and forwards between them like spectators in a Ping-Pong match. “I’m LOOKING out the window,” Mamoru replied blandly, trying to ignore his best friend’s scheming. Motoki was obviously up to something-but he was busy! He had to convince a girl to love him as much as he loved her! And if he had to give her EXTREMELY expensive items and follow her around like some hentai stalker-then he’d DO it! In his car this time though. He could get there before her. And he’d come prepared this time! Mamoru smiled down at his black slacks and dark blue sweater. Usagi’s comments his jacket had somewhat rankled. SURELY, he wasn’t the only one with a dark green jacket in all of Juuban? Or was it just that she’d been attracted to him for days and hadn’t known it till the day before? Girls that usually took note of what a guy was wearing, were usually interested in ‘said-guy’. Right? Motoki turned his eyes to look at Usagi and the girls again and noted with disappointment that Mamoru indeed seemed to be staring out the window behind them. [“What’s WRONG with him? Usagi looks good enough to eat today! Is he BLIND?!”] Mamoru was ANYTHING but blind to Usagi’s extremely short sun dress that showed off an amazing amount of slender white legs. [“She looks good enough to eat,”] he thought, eyes narrowing. Mamoru’s fingers tightened around the study books on the table before him. His excuse was studying for a test-but he’d KNOWN that she would be there on a Saturday. She was always there. And he’d be there every single weekend to way-lay her and be around every turn on week days for her to crash into his chest. He QUITE enjoyed Usagi bashing into him. It gave all sorts of opportunities to wrap his arms around her. But he had to be careful, or she’d bash him! His love had a bad temper when it came to him. Again, his fingers began drumming on the table-top with impatience. Were the girls leaving anytime soon? “More coffee?” Motoki asked, peering into Mamoru’s empty mug. He glanced up at Mamoru to see a slightly glazed look in his friend’s eyes. Motoki shook his head. [“He drinks WAY too much coffee and studies like a maniac. But BOY is he going to be loaded-er MORE loaded when he becomes a doctor!”] he thought enviously. “Sure,” Mamoru replied, swallowing as Usagi rose to her feet, the hem of her dress flouncing up to give him an even greater view. [I am such a hentai! But GODS I want to kiss her!”] He groaned out loud and let his head thump onto the table top. He didn’t care if Motoki thought he was acting weird. He’d gone through hell to get this girl! Of course, making her love him and expanding on her attraction to him was dragging…a LOT! Maybe he’d have to resort to more drastic measures? But seriously-how many more crashes a day could he possibly stage? They’d get concussions before she admitted her love! “Mamoru, are you okay? You REALLY study waaaaay too hard,” Motoki said, sounding worried. He waited for a moment, but Mamoru’s head never rose. Motoki’s eyes narrowed as he watched Usagi across the room. He smiled slyly. “Mamoru!” he hissed urgently. “Usagi is leaving!” “WHAT?!” Mamoru roared, instantly, leaping to his feet. The books went flying. He looked over to Usagi and the girls, who WERE indeed leaving the arcade. His heart began to thunder in his ears as he watched her wrap her slender arms about the giant bunny-and FERVENTLY wished that it was HIM! Not many men could claim to wish to be a stuffed toy, at any given time-but Mamoru was one. ********************************** Usagi looked over as someone shouted and saw Mamoru there. She glared towards him, eyes unconsciously looking him over. He was wearing a dark blue sweater today and black slacks. Her mouth went dry. [“He looks gorgeous!”] she whispered mentally, then frowned as her cheeks flushed guiltily. [“WHAT am I saying?! That’s MAMORU! The jerk! The guy you love to hate!”] She turned her face away and followed the girls gracefully, conscious that he was watching her. Of course, she tripped over SOMETHING! “Ugh!” she gasped, wind-milling her arms. Mamoru started forwards involuntarily as the blonde began to fall, but one look at Motoki’s grin stopped him dead. Mamoru had to stand there silently as he watched Usagi windmill her arms, the bunny went flying-and then she fell like a rock. He winced as the blonde fell flat onto her face, legs and arms splayed out. She USUALLY had HIM to fall against. [“Oh, that HAD to hurt!”] Even the bunny had landed more softly than she had. “Ouch!” Usagi shouted. “That hurt, that hurt, that hurt!” She whimpered, crawling to her knees and feeling her nose gingerly. [“It’s all HIS fault! I was trying to act graceful so that the jerk couldn’t make fun of meeee!”] she wailed inwardly, angry tears springing to her eyes. “You Odango Atama!” Rei glared down at the blonde, then reach down to grab her arm and yank her back to her feet. “Can’t you ever be graceful?” “I’m TRYING to be!” Usagi muttered, wrenching her arm away. She sniffed indignantly, brushing off her dress. Why did Rei always have to be so mean? “Oh, Usagi,” Ami said, shaking her head. She sighed, standing by patiently as Makoto looked the blonde over for injuries. “She looks okay-except for her nose.” Makoto winced in sympathy as she saw Usagi’s reddened nose. The blonde touched her nose tentatively. “Ith it reth?” she whimpered, squeezing her nose to feel if it was broken. “What was that, Odango Atama?” Rei asked almost gently, concern in her eyes. “Is it broken?” “I don’t think so,” Usagi said finally, scrunching her face up to wail. At the last moment, she changed her mind, throwing a sidelong glance across the arcade to where Mamoru was seat with Motoki. [“I’ll be damned if that creep gets a tear out of me!”] she thought rebelliously. Her friends watched her with surprise, waiting for the familiar wail-but it never came. Usagi merely got to her feet, a little shakily and stood there with a strangely resolute expression on her pretty face. Almost as if she were repressing something. “I should see if she’s all right,” Motoki said under his breath, starting to get to his feet. [“That looked rough,”] he thought in concern. He DID wonder though, why she hadn’t dissolved into the expected tears. Usagi’s wails and tears were LEGENDARY around those parts. Motoki looked sideways at his friend, eyes narrowed. [“I wonder if ‘Mr. Tall, dark and handsome’ here has something to do with her sudden maturity. Usagi WOULD rather die than have him see her act like a little kid!”] Mamoru frowned darkly at Rei, at treating Usagi that way. But he hesitated. [“This is my chance to prove any thoughts Motoki was having, wrong!”] He put out a hand and grasped Motoki’s arm. “Nah!” he said loudly, making sure that his voice carried. “Let the Odango Atama fend for herself, Motoki. She’ll learn eventually not to dent the concrete.” Inwardly, he winced, waiting for the imminent explosion. Already, Usagi’s face was turning the color of a tomato. “WHAAAAT?” Usagi shrieked loudly, spinning to face Mamoru across the length of the arcade. She glared in fury. “How DARE you, Chiba!” “Easily, Odango. You shouldn’t damage public property like that,” he told her smugly. Rei giggled with Makoto. “Guys!” Usagi wailed at them. “Sorry, Usagi,” Makoto sniggered. “But you DO fall a lot onto your face.” “BOY does she!” Rei commented. Motoki was frowned and looking around the arcade at the staring people. [“Oooh, this will be bad for the polls!”] He winced. [“A fight between Usagi and Mamoru will set me back!”] “Weren’t you leaving, Odango?” Mamoru said easily, sitting back down at his table. He picked up his coffee and deliberately ignored her. Which was the WORST thing he could have done to offend her. [“This is the girl that I’m TRYING to make LOVE me?!”] he thought incredulously, mentally slapping himself for acting like an idiot. [“Way to make her hate you, Chiba!”] “Oooh!” The screech of pure rage came across the arcade. Then the sound of stomping. Mamoru thought that Usagi was going to come over and bash him, but when he glanced up, she and the girls were exiting the arcade, Bunny held furiously to Usagi’s side in a stranglehold that he was SURE she was dying to use on HIM!. “Wow, I really thought that she was going to stomp on you,” Motoki said, wiping at his brow theatrically. “She could TRY,” Mamoru replied absently, opening a book. The Odango would be shopping for hours. Now, he had to WAIT. If he got up now, Motoki would guess that he was following her! All of his plans went out the window at that moment. [“I HATE waiting!”] Mamoru growled mentally. He looked up at a strangely expectant Motoki. “Can I get more coffee?” “Sure, buddy,” Motoki replied, eyes disappointed again. He was SURE that Mamoru would follow the blonde! The way Mamoru had almost panicked when Motoki said that Usagi was leaving had been a dead give-away. But the way he had publicly embarrassed her seem to say that he still hated her. [“Now what?”] Motoki groaned, heading back to the counter. All he could do now was wait and see what happened when Usagi came for an evening milk shake! *************************************************** “That’ll be $3.50,” Motoki told the little boy, smiling in a friendly manner. The boy handed over the money, then cautiously wrapped his small hands about the plastic milkshake cup and tottered off to where his mother was sitting. Motoki watched him go, still smiling. [“Maybe one day, Reika and I will have a few kids,”] he thought, eyes becoming far away. He blinked, shook his head and looked across the arcade. Mamoru was still there, head buried in his books. Motoki frowned deeply, smile fading. On the surface, Mamoru seemed to be diligently studying for an exam, but every five minutes, his head would jerk up. He look towards the doors of the arcade swiftly, almost expecting to see something-or anxiously hoping that he WOULDN’T miss something. “Or someone?” Motoki wondered wickedly, watching Mamoru intently. Ever since the shouting match between Mamoru and Usagi that afternoon, his friend had been like a live-wire. Even as Motoki watched, Mamoru’s head rose swiftly. His dark blue eyes scanned the doors, then the rest of the arcade with a startling intensity-then went back to his books. Not only that, Mamoru was on his fifth mug of coffee. NOT a good sign. Motoki grabbed a cloth and wiped off the counter absently and scanned the tables closest to him for potential customers. Everyone seemed happy, so Motoki threw the cloth into the sink and headed purposefully down the isles towards his unsuspecting friend. If Mamoru had looked up then, he would have seen an almost scary expression on Motoki’s face. [“I’m DETERMINED to get to the bottom of this! Is he waiting for HER or what?”] Motoki thought, eyes narrowing on his best friend’s bent head. Mamoru head someone trying to unsuccessfully sneak up on him and deduced that it was Motoki. [“Why is he trying to sneak up on me?”] he thought, eyes narrowing on a page of his book. He waited until Motoki was almost looming over him and then spoke. “What are you up to, old buddy?” Mamoru asked suspiciously, carefully underlining a paragraph with his pen. Motoki stood there in a dumbfounded silence, gaping. “How did you know it was me?” he demanded, sliding into the chair across from Mamoru. “Did my shoes squeak or what?” “You can’t sneak up on ME, Motoki,” Mamoru replied dryly, finally looking up. Motoki’s eyes were suspiciously bright and eager. [“Yes, he’s up to something all right,”] Mamoru thought, gaze sharpening. [“Does he KNOW about Usagi?! Was I that obvious?”] he wondered in sudden panic. “Suuuure,” Motoki drawled, crossing his arms. “That’s why you’ve dropped various things-messily I might add-over the last few days when I’ve walked up unexpectedly.” “I’ve been distracted,” Mamoru said guiltily. Absently, he looked towards the arcade doors. [“Where the hell IS she?”] he thundered mentally. Motoki would have jumped out of his skin if he knew what Mamoru was REALLY like inside at that moment. If Mamoru had been a kettle, then he would have been close to exploding! [“Did I somehow miss her?”] “By what?” Motoki asked innocently, picking up one of Mamoru’s books and pretending to study it. He peeked over the edge slyly. “A certain blonde girl perhaps? Hmm?” His observation was so casual, that Mamoru didn’t even register what had been said. “What? Yes-she’s late. Where can she be-WHAT?!” Mamoru’s muttered words and harassed expression halted as if he’s run into a brick wall. His eyes opened wide in shock and horror. “BLONDE? Usagi?! THAT ditz?!” he bellowed, leaping to his feet. He leaned over the table, one hand slapping to the surface belligerently. “Are you KIDDING?” he almost roared into Motoki’s face. Motoki winced, staring up at his friend, who was looming over him like some demon overlord, preparing for the kill. Mamoru looked, frankly, like he cheerfully wanted to throttle Motoki for even SUGGESTING he was waiting for Usagi. [“Oh dear. I think I jumped the gun.”] Motoki winced again, leaning back in his chair with mock-calm. “What are you screaming about then, Mamoru?” he said easily, hiding his shaking hands beneath the table. Mamoru stared at him murderously for a long moment, then his expression went blank. He slumped back into his chair, almost falling off the side in the process. He straightened, gripped the edge of the table with both hands and glared silently at Motoki. [“Just HOW much has be guessed?”] he wondered, eyes boring into his best friend. “Quit joking Motoki. As if I’d EVER like that Odango Atama!” Mamoru snapped, picking up a book randomly. Of course, he wasn’t really reading, but his mind was racing ahead at light-speed. He winced. [“I hope I didn’t over-react just then or it’ll take a platoon of soldiers to pry Motoki away from spreading the gossip!”] Motoki smirked as he stared at the book in Mamoru’s hands. Mamoru was reading upside down! [“Ah ha! I have you NOW, Chiba!”] he gloated silently. Not only could he raise the bets now-he looked around the arcade, to where several interested eyes were staring at Mamoru with barely-hidden interest…he had WITNESSES! [“Got you!”] Mamoru slowly lowered his book slightly, peering at Motoki, who was regarding him with an evil expression. “Don’t you have customers?” Mamoru asked pointedly, heart thundering nervously. Motoki’s expression had been like a demon considering a potential sacrifice! Motoki grinned, getting quickly to his feet. He turned away, heading for the bar. “Sure I do, Mamoru. But when did YOU learn to read upside down anyway?” he called back, smirking openly around the arcade. He looked at the closest group of interested watchers and thrust a thumb upwards, indicating that he was raising the bets again. “Nooo! I’m going bankrupt!” a guy wailed, letting his head thump to the table painfully. Mamoru jerked as he heard the despairing cry, looking around for it’s source. But just then, the arcade doors opened and a certain much-awaited blonde entered. Mamoru straightened, eyes clinging to her. His blue eyes swept over her quickly, desperately trying to hide the longing expression. If Usagi had glanced in his direction then, she would have run for the hills at the look of barely-hidden hunger in Mamoru’s blue eyes. “A shake please, Motoki!” Usagi sang out cheerfully, sliding into a chair at the counter. Mamoru’s eyes burned holes into her profile as she accepted the shake and began to drink quickly. Mamoru swallowed hard. “You are such a hentai, Chiba. She’s fourteen!” he reminded himself, jerking his eyes down from her lips. He STILL hadn’t gotten his kiss yet! And a fourteen year old was driving his hormones NUTS! “I need to seek therapy,” he groaned, reaching out and swiftly gathering his books. He waited all day to see her again and now all he wanted to do was run for it before he jumped her right there and then in front of Motoki and the entire arcade! He looked at the bags at her feet, then all around the floor in worry. “WHERE is the bunny?” he hissed in alarm. His present wasn’t there! Mamoru got to his feet, which drew Usagi’s attention swiftly. She glanced over at him, eyes startled and wide. Their eyes met for a moment, seeming to cling. Then her lashes swept down as she glared over the length of the arcade. “What are you staring at, creep?” she shouted over to him, looking annoyed. Mamoru hid a grin. For a moment there, their attraction had flared, then she’d tried to cover it with a fight. Well-if she WANTED one, who was he to disoblige? “Oh, I was just wondering how many helpless, innocent people you gave concussion to today, Odango,” he drawled loudly, skirting his table easily with his long legs and heading in her general direction. Immediately, Usagi’s eyes flashed with wrath. [“How DARE he?! Oooh!”] she thought murderously. And to think that she’d DREAMED about wanting that creep to KISS her! “You jerk! I didn’t knock anyone over! And if I had, it would be YOUR fault! Ooops…” Usagi broke off, flushing. Her eyes went wide with horror. [“Don’t TELL him that you’ve been distracted all DAY because you were thinking about a kiss!”] she wailed to herself, completely horrified. Her flush deepened as he sauntered up to her and stood before her easily. A mocking smile spread over Mamoru’s lips as he watched Usagi’s discomfiture with a HUGE interest. [“Why is she blushing?”] he wondered, eyes narrowing on her red cheeks. “And why is it MY fault, pray tell?” he asked her, head tilted curiously. “Am I getting to you, Odango?” “GETTING to me?” she screeched, getting the meaning immediately. [“IS he saying what I think he’s saying?”] she shrieked mentally, eyes growing large. [“Oh my god! He doesn’t know about the dream?! No way!”] Usagi forced a smile to her lips, plastering it there frantically. “What do you mean, Chiba?” she demanded, swinging a foot around with a seeming-nonchalance. Inside, she was a mess. “Why our fights of course,” Mamoru replied innocently, watching her like a hawk. [“Score three for Chiba!”] he crowed silently. “What did you THINK that I meant?” “Yeah…what?” Motoki hissed, stared eagerly at Usagi. He could hardly believe his luck. Mamoru had INSINUATED that Usagi was attracted to him and she had flushed guiltily! [“YES! I’m gonna be stinking RICH!”] Motoki seriously felt like jumping around like a manic. “That’s what I meant! Ugh! I can’t STAND the sight of you!” Usagi shouted, flushed as red as a tomato. [“I can’t BELIEVE that he’s DOING this to me! Doesn’t he know he’s driving me NUTS!?”] she thought frantically, reaching for her bags. She practically threw herself from her chair and scrambled for all her purchases. “Ditto on that, Odango Atama. You’re the most annoying little girl I’ve ever met,” Mamoru drawled insultingly. Usagi’s head jerked up with surprise and shock. A strange pang filled her heart, a moment before she squelched it under fury. [“I don’t CARE what he thinks of me! Arrggggh! I can’t BELIEVE I dreamed of kissing that JERK!”] Mamoru’s eyes widened as he saw the brief look of pain fill Usagi’s eyes at his words, then it was replaced by pure fury. [“Uh oh.”] He winced mentally. [“I THINK I just went too far.”] He’d be lucky if the love of his life-well one of them-didn’t belt him into the next galaxy for that insult. “Arrgggh! Get out of my FACE!” she shrieked at him, storming past in a fine fury. Usagi swept out of the arcade without falling on her face once, leaving two stunned guys and an arcade full of eager gossips. “Boy,” Motoki said, grimacing. “I was surprised when she DIDN’T belt you, Mamoru. You were WAY harsh this time,” he observed, watching his friend closely. COULD he had been mistaken after all? That fight seemed waaaay more tense than usual. Maybe the two didn’t like each other after all? “I-have to go! Bye Motoki!” Mamoru shouted suddenly, bolting for the arcade doors. Motoki watched with open mouth, then turned to the captive audience. “If that’s not a couple in love, I’ll eat my apron,” he announced wickedly. Motoki rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Now-let’s discuss the stakes again, people!” To Be Continued... ________________________________________________________________________ Go to the next part! Princess Destiny