Quixote Complex
Part One of Three
Author: ChibiCori. That's right, ChibiCori. Say it with me now!
e-mail: [email protected], and you'll always get an answer!
site: www.chibicori.virtue.nu
Rating: probably PG
Disclaimer: You people have no idea how hard it is to come up with an entertaining disclaimer for every story we authors' write. Dammit, I'm gonna start writing original stuff so you'll have to write disclaimers that it belongs to me. Ha, take that!
Oh, and Sailormoon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, or I wouldn't be writing this dumb thing. ::grumbling::
Summary: Hey there, howdy ho there! You're as welcome as can be! ::Reader begins to hum Mickey Mouse theme as Cori elaborates on her insane prattling:: Well, here is another delightful short by me! In this one, Mamoru gets a knock to the head and is taken over by his former life as Prince Endymion. Which means he immediately recognizes Usagi as his princess. And guess which poor sap Prince Endymion catches Usagi flirting with? All Motoki lovers may want to leave, this could get ugly. Hopefully, hilarity ensues.
Quixote Complex
Part One of Three
Something felt different as Mamoru walked into the arcade that fateful afternoon. He hadn't felt quite right all day. And when he hadn't been greeted by Motoki's warm, usual smile, Mamoru knew right away that the day would only get weirder.
Motoki, meanwhile, had noticed nothing but the book in front of him for the past few days. As Mamoru drew closer to the counter where Motoki was reading, he noted the title, "Don Quixote". Mamoru smiled as he sat at his stool and silently waited for Motoki to acknowledge him.
It became apparent rather quickly that he would be sitting there for a while. Motoki was engrossed in the tales of the Spanish nobleman who saw giants in windmills and magical armor from washbasins. An unholy grin split Mamoru's face as an evil little idea tickled his brain. Remembering the one time he had actually seen Motoki's father at the parlor, he took a deep breath and boomed into Motoki's ear, "Motoki! No readin' on my time boy!"
"ACK!" Motoki exclaimed, dropping his book and looking around fearfully. His eyes lit on Mamoru, who was laughing hysterically, and scowled uncharacteristically, "Oh, funny Mamoru. You made me lose my place."
"Well, shucks." Mamoru chuckled, fighting back the laughter that threatened to take over again.
"I only have two days to finish this and no time to do it in, so cut me some slack." Motoki muttered, flipping through the pages, in search for the one he had been reading.
Mamoru smothered a grin and then offered, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. I've already read it if you need some help."
"It's okay, it's a pretty easy read." Motoki replied, and then sighed, "Except the whole concept kind of escapes me."
"How does it escape you?" Mamoru asked, incredulously.
"Well, it just seems ridiculous. Why would some rich, old guy leave the comforts of his mansion to ride on an old horse and spend all his time with a little guy named Sancho?" Motoki wondered.
"Quixote wasn't all there, Motoki. He was old and bored, and he spent all his time reading about the great adventures that knights had and one day he snapped." Mamoru pointed out with a snap of his fingers.
"Yeah, I got that, but still, it doesn't make any sense."
"Motoki. It doesn't have to make sense, it's just an old book about a crazy old man." Mamoru sighed in frustration, why was Motoki always reading too much into things?
Motoki only replied with a frustrated sigh all his own, "If that is true, then I'm going to have one boring paper."
"Motoki, no one's papers on books are exciting." Mamoru rolled his eyes.
Motoki chose not to comment and folded over the corner of the page he was at, then with another sigh, put it under the counter. The only thing Mamoru helped him with was to remember what happened the last time he was caught reading on the job, and it hadn't been pretty. Better to live then get caught up in Literature.
"So, what brings you to my counter?" Motoki asked, fishing up a glass to fix Mamoru a drink.
Mamoru waved the glass away and then shrugged, "Nothing really. I just have the weirdest feeling today and I thought that some Motoki-chat could fix it."
Motoki grinned at the 'Motoki-chat' reference and then asked, "Why do you feel weird?"
"Dunno, just do." Mamoru answered, lifting his broad shoulders again.
"Maybe you're having a premonition." Motoki wondered out loud.
"Get real." Mamoru laughed, shaking his head.
"No, really. I've read about stuff like this. People get these feelings that something is going to happen all the time! It's a kind of power." Motoki explained, quite seriously too.
Mamoru fought the impulse to laugh right in his friend's face, but couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from trembling upward, "Somehow, I seriously doubt-"
But Mamoru didn't get the chance to finish the denial. Motoki watched in puzzlement as Mamoru's eyes rolled backward and he slumped forward. Motoki shot himself across the counter to catch Mamoru before his head slammed into the formica top. What had happened? Had he passed out?
Motoki's internal questions were immediately answered when a group of young boys ran up to the clerk and his unconscious comrade.
"Good one, Shingo!" a dark-haired boy called wryly, "Just kill somebody why don't you?"
"Shut up, Ryu!" A boy with hair the same color as Motoki's spat and then looked at Mamoru in worry, "I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have thrown the ball in here."
Motoki blinked because the boy seemed familiar to him somehow, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it, then remembered his friend and nodded, "No, you shouldn't have. What kind of ball were you throwing?"
The dark-haired boy, Ryu, held up a baseball and grinned sheepishly, "Sorry."
"Is he hurt real bad?" Shingo asked, his expression in earnest worry.
Motoki gave Mamoru's head a thorough perusal and decided he'd wake up soon enough, and he'd have one hell of headache when he did, "He'll be fine, but you guys shouldn't have been throwing that ball in here."
Shingo reddened in shame and looked down at his feet, "We know, I really didn't mean to throw it that hard."
Motoki smiled somewhat as he took in the boy and remembered how his friends had always egged him on to do things he shouldn't have when he was Shingo's age. Motoki chuckled softly then said, "Tell you what, help me get Mamoru into the back room and I'll let you go without any harm done."
Shingo's face brightened, "Really?"
"Really, just make sure you throw that thing outside from now on." Motoki advised, jerking his head towards the ball Ryu was still holding.
"No problem." Shingo agreed whole-heartedly, thankful for the reprieve.
"Now that THAT is settled, grab his feet, and try not to damage him more then you already have." Motoki grumbled as he took a firm hold of Mamoru's upper half.
^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~
Usagi couldn't help but feel giddy when the sliding doors to the arcade whooshed open in greeting. She had scheduled a full hour of Motoki- flirting; senshi, guardian and Mamoru-baka free.
Speaking of the latter, she hadn't seen him all day. Usagi immediately took it as a sign that today was the day that Motoki would see her in that different light she so desperately wanted him to see her in. She had even gone home to change, put on something a little special. And she couldn't help but feel superior to every single female who crossed her path. Today, she was IT.
Running busy fingers through her hair, Usagi scanned the usual Friday night crowd for her prey – er – Motoki. They immediately found him bending over a table to serve a young woman with reddish hair and hazel eyes. She was blushing for some odd reason, but Usagi was too hyped up to care why.
She practically bounced all the way over to him. Usagi quickly decided she simply did not have the patience to wait for Motoki to finish whatever he was doing with the woman, so she stood on tiptoe and leaned forward so her mouth was right by his ear.
"Hey Motoki-san!" she cried, then immediately received Motoki's shoulder to her jaw. She quickly backed up, slapping a hand up to the offended structure.
Motoki gulped and then smiled uneasily as he went to aid the small blonde, "Sorry, you surprised me."
Usagi grinned, wincing only slightly at the twinge of pain in her jaw, "Oh, it's nothing really. It was my fault."
"Still, we should get some ice on it, or it'll bruise. And we don't want bruises on your cute, little face, do we?" Motoki grinned, then moved Usagi towards a stool, "Sit down and I'll be right with you. Just gotta wrap things up with Reika here."
Usagi hadn't really heard what he had last said, just sat on the stool he had placed her in front of. Motoki had said she was cute! Oh joy of joys! She knew that today was going to be special. Usagi felt her grin stretch ear to ear, then immediately drop at the over-exertion on her swelling jowls.
Motoki joined her at the counter a moment later and began to fill a baggie full of ice, "Geesh, this place is accident prone today."
Usagi gladly took the bag, seriously considering whether or not she should keep it forever as a memento of the day Motoki fell madly in love with her, then asked, "Why is that?"
"Well, Mamoru was here earlier-" Motoki missed the slight, pained scowl on Usagi's face and continued, "And he got bonked on the head with a baseball."
"Good." Usagi muttered, upset that the name of Chiba Mamoru had entered this precious conversation, then asked, "Was he alright?" simply so she wouldn't look bad in front of Motoki.
"Oh, he'll be fine. He's in the back room recovering."
Usagi dropped her bag of ice and planted her hands on the counter to support her as she leaned forward over the counter, her eyes lighting with a furious fire, "You mean he is still here?"
Motoki blinked at the violence in her tone, "Ummm...yes?"
Usagi looked lethal for a moment before releasing a puff of air and sat back, folding her arms in front of her, "Figures."
"Usagi-chan?"
Usagi looked up at Motoki and all her anger immediately melted, she smiled and sat straighter in her seat, "Sorry, but you know how I feel about Mamoru-baka."
Motoki smiled somewhat uneasily then offered, "Well, we won't be seeing him for a while yet, if that helps?"
"What do you mean?" Usagi asked, her head tilting to the side in suspicion.
"He was knocked out cold. We won't be hearing a peep from him." Motoki explained, jutting his thumb towards the back room.
Usagi's eyes lit in mystery and she looked at him coyly, "Do you think he'll be out for at least an hour?"
"Uhhh, maybe." Motoki answered, his brows knitted together in confusion.
"Yay! I can continue with my plans!" Usagi exclaimed, pumping a victorious fist in the air.
"Plans?"
"Uhhh, yeah. I was just going to hang out and talk for a while." 'And then make you my love puppet!'
Motoki didn't notice the mischievous little smile to cross Usagi's lips as she plotted his downfall. Then again, Motoki rarely ever noticed anything, especially deviant blondes plotting his romantic demise.
^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~
It was dark when he finally managed to open his eyes. Raising a lethargic limb to his head, he carefully felt at the lump growing out the back of it. He grumbled an oath as he sat and tried to gather his thoughts.
The last thing he had remembered was the battle on the moon, that witch Beryl attacking the Moon Kingdom.
Serenity! He had gone to defend the Moon, to save her. When he had finally found her amidst the rubble of her palace, she had looked so frightened. He remembered her calling his name, the frantic need ripping from her throat. He had run to her, the desperation in his voice as plain as hers as he shouted for her. He remembered a sudden, white-hot, burning pain.
And then, nothing.
A louder curse followed the initial one and he rubbed the grime from his eyes. Where was he? In a Dark Kingdom prison? Where was Serenity? By the gods, if Beryl had touched one hair upon her head, he would rip out the demon's throat with his own hands!
A light, tinkling noise caught his attention. Her laughter, he would remember it anywhere. Serenity was well! The urge to have her in his arms once more took over his senses and he stepped towards the sound he loved so much.
He squinted, than put up a shielding hand as new light invaded his vision. His head began to pound violently, but he willed it to the back of his thoughts as his adjusting eyes eagerly sought out his beloved's form.
Another peel of laughter brought his head around and finally, his gaze rejoiced upon her. The light, once so harsh to his dilated eyes suddenly softened and outlined her lithe silhouette. Her hair - though oddly enough, a different color - was still hung in it's two perfectly shaped buns. Streamers of butter-gold hair fell from them and spilled down her shapely back. Her face, the face that inspired the artists of his world for centuries, was still a generous heart shape, cheeks still painted pink. Eyes that could only be compared to the jewel tone of sapphire shone merrily as her face lit up with laughter.
It was her, Serenity. His eyes searched her length up and down, searching for any sign of harm the enemy may have inflicted, but there was none. The only difference was her hair color. It had somehow darkened from the precious-metal color of silver to the equally rich gold. It fit her though, and made her look more like an angel of the Earth, then one of the sterile Moon. His heart warmed to that, the idea that his moon princess had been bound to the Earth in a way. And was therefore bound to him.
His hands not being able to stand the itch of not holding and touching her reached out, and his feet joined with the outreached limbs. He needed to hold her, to be held by her. He felt as if he hadn't touched her for centuries.
Then she spoke, and her tone startled him. It was Serenity's voice, but it lacked the refinement he was used to hearing in her dialect. Instead of rolling off her tongue in a steady purr, her tone jumped from pitch to pitch, bounded from peaks and valleys. Puzzled, he halted and listened to her words;
"I have to admit it Motoki-san, I'm kinda glad that Mamoru-baka took a hit to the head. We never get to talk between just the two of us anymore." she smiled then, though it seemed to be painful. This worried him further; Serenity's smiles had always been so easy and warm. Not once had he ever seen her grimace. What was going on?
"Hey, how is that jaw coming?" A new voice asked. A new – male – voice, he noted as something flashed in his eyes.
His love brought her hand down from her cheek, bringing down a bag filled with melting ice with it. She then turned her cheek to show the male asking and the on-looker's eyes widened as he took in the slight discoloring of her pale flesh. Someone had hit her! Who was it? One of his so-called friends, those cowardly generals who had turned on him? Was it the witch Beryl herself? Whoever inflicted this injury on his beloved would pay dearly.
But when the other man raised his hand to stroke her swollen cheek, Serenity's eyes widened in surprise and...could it possibly be...want? He felt his heart crack and his soul bleed. True, no one but a trusted few knew of their love affair, but he could not stand to have this other suitor, this pig who did not deserve Serenity's love any more then he, to touch her. The only man who was going to touch Serenity in that way was he, Endymion.
Reaching back into the dark space he had woken in, he grabbed a weapon, a staff by the feel of it. Excellent, he excelled with the staff. The insolent man behaving so freely with his princess would taste his wrath.
^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~
"Wow, that looks bad. I'm real sorry Usagi-chan." Motoki winced as Usagi pressed the ice back to her cheek. She giggled and shook her head, blonde ponytails whipping around her small body.
"Nah, don't be." she winked then and added, "They say bruises give you character."
Motoki laughed at this and scooped more ice into a baggie, seeing as how Usagi's was leaking all over her blouse. He was just about to pass it to her when something hard and powerful smacked him in the back of the head. Motoki's eyes bulged and the impact sent him flying over the counter he'd been leaning over. Usagi shrieked and dropped to her knees next to him. He took in wide, blue eyes, before he looked over her shoulder and saw his attacker. Motoki blinked, then whimpered, "You gotta be kidding me."
"This is no jest. Keep your hands off of the princess!" Mamoru ordered from behind the counter, holding a mop expertly in his hands.
"Mamoru-baka!" Usagi squealed as she lifted her poor Motoki's head onto her lap, "You idiot! Why did you do that?"
"Mamoru...baka?" cobalt eyes flashed in confusion, then anger as his angel stroked slim fingers through her other suitors blonde hair. Growling low, he jumped over the counter and stood over them, manacling Usagi's wrist in a sure hand as he hauled her into his embrace. The action left Motoki suddenly without support and his head fell with a loud crack to the linoleum floor. He groaned and lifted a hand to gingerly assess the damage done by both back-stabber and blonde.
But Motoki's pain went unnoticed above. Usagi's eyes widened at the intimate way Mamoru's hands gripped at her back, the flashing passion in his eyes. What the - what was going on? Mamoru had never looked at her that way before, or touched her so. In fact, he'd never touched her before, period. But there was something oddly familiar to the feel of his arms wrapped around her. They made her think of Tuxedo Kamen's. And perhaps...something long ago and forgotten.
"Serenity..." Mamoru's voice beckoned Usagi's full attention, "Serenity, it is me. Endymion. What is wrong with you? You act strangely."
Usagi sputtered as she slowly absorbed his words. Had he called her Serenity? And he was this, Endymion? What was going on? "Oh no, I think we've got it backwards buddy. Your the one acting nutty." She then raised hands that wanted to cling to him and push him away at the same time to his shoulders. The inner victory went to the latter, but Mamoru's grip did not release. Blowing out an annoyed puff of breath, Usagi punched at his arm, "Let me go."
"No." Mamoru answered, and Usagi looked away as his eyes seemed to eat away at her soul. Geesh, what was up with him?
"Why not?"
Mamoru didn't hesitate as he answered, "Because I love you."
Usagi's breath snagged. What? He...no, she wouldn't believe him. It was just Mamoru-baka playing some cruel joke. All he'd done since they met was tease her and make her life a living hell. People who loved you didn't do that. When someone loves you, they're nice, and affectionate. They brought flowers and candies and wrote pretty poems trying to express how they felt, and failing miserably at it too.
At least, that's what she figured. No one had ever told her they loved her before. And the fact that the first had been Chiba Mamoru broke her heart.
'Oh, if only he meant it, then maybe it would hurt less.'
Usagi stared at the ground, her small frame shaking with boiling anger before she finally muttered low, so only Mamoru would hear, "How dare you? How could you be so...mean?"
"Seren-"
"No!" Usagi exclaimed, jerking herself free of Mamoru's arms, "No, don't call me that. You know that isn't my name!" Mamoru clapped his mouth shut, a tick working in his jaw as Usagi slowly continued, trying desperately to keep her fury in check, "This is really an all new low for you Mamoru. Do you play with all young, impressionable girls' hearts like this? Well I'm tellin' you what, buster, I'm not falling for it. This is one young, impressionable girl you are not going to get too."
Usagi spun around, hoping Mamoru would get a mouthful of pigtails from the violent motion. But before she could exit through the automatic doors of the arcade, her emotions got the best of her. They screamed for justice, and what had already been said was not enough to sate them, apparently.
Turning back, Usagi stalked to Mamoru's frozen form and stood on tip toe so she didn't have to tilt her head all the way back to address him, "Just so you know, I think you are the lowest, most horrible man to ever walk this planet. You've tainted the first 'I love you' I ever heard. I hate you for that. I really do. I wanted the first time to be beautiful and real, and you took that from me. How could you be so terrible? What did I ever do to you?"
Usagi was surprised to find herself crying. She wasn't even aware of it until Mamoru lifted his hands and gently cupped her damp cheeks in his palms. Gently swiping the pads of his thumbs over her tear stained face, he watched her reaction. It was like the softest of caresses, full of emotion and caring. She involuntarily shuttered her eyes as she absorbed the touch and marveled as it etched itself in her brain. There would never be a touch like this again.
Mamoru bent his head so that his breath washed warm over her ear, tickling sensitive whorls and nerves Usagi never knew she possessed. Usagi shivered as he finally answered, "You loved me."
Usagi eyes shot open at the remark. She stepped back, away from his intoxicating atmosphere and glared at him with sparking blue eyes. Her hand flashed out, almost of it's own will, and made sharp contact with the side of his face. Mamoru stumbled backward a few steps and finally looked back with haunted eyes. Eyes that did not affect her in the least.
The reason that her heart cried out as her hand had cracked across his cheek, would best be left for discovering later, "There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I ever loved you, or will. Good bye Mamoru."
Her revenge taken, her heart broken and her head just plain confused, Usagi spun once more on her heels and, this time, exited the fruit parlor doors.
Leaving behind at least two, very confused men and a handful of amused by- standers. Mamoru, or Endymion, lifted a stunned hand to his cheek, felt the heat of her hatred. Serenity had never lifted a finger to anyone in her life. Not even to him, who had deserved a round slapping from her on more than one occasion. What had happened to her? She hated him?
His heart ripped in half as he heard from the ground beneath him, "Mamoru, what were you thinking?"
Endymion looked down, to the suitor. Motoki had sat up, the bag of ice he had made for Usagi becoming his own as he held it to the back of his head, and was looking at his best friend with narrowed eyes.
'Mamoru, there is that name again,' Endymion pondered as he spoke, "Excuse me?"
"I mean, if you like Usagi, that's fine. But there is no need to hit me when I'm talking to her." Motoki grumbled, trying to rise and finding the room still spun too much to attempt that again for a few moments. Swearing softly, he looked up again, "And what was that, laying into her like you were? I didn't know you had it for her so bad, but you went about it in totally the wrong way."
"Had it bad?"
"What kind of friend wouldn't tell his best friend that he was in love? I mean, I am a bit surprised that you actually love Usagi, but-"
Motoki hushed as Endymion suddenly squatted down, the mop that had caused Motoki all his pain still gripped in a white-knuckled fist. Deep blue eyes that were suddenly deep and old glared into his face. His mouth was unsmiling as he spoke with a fierce, yet quiet tone, "I do not love Usagi."
Motoki blinked, "But, you just told her you did."
"That was not Usagi, that was Serenity. And you know that, you black coward." The soft rage grew stronger, and Motoki could barely swallow the lump in his throat down to speak.
"Uh, no. That was Usagi." Motoki was light-headed. A blow to the head would do that to a man. Suddenly reminded that Mamoru himself might be struggling with the effects of the same infliction he was, Motoki's fear and confusion was pushed back to make way for brotherly concern, "Mamoru, maybe you should go back into the closet and rest some more. I don't think you are entirely clear-headed yet."
Endymion stood quickly, his aggravation reaching new peaks, "There is that name again! First Serenity, and now you. Has the world gone mad? I am Endymion, Prince of this green planet and Lover of the Moon. And you," the blunt end of the mop was thrust between Motoki's eyes, forcing the blonde man to go cross-eyed as he looked at it, "are not going to take her from me."
"Take her...you mean Usagi?" Motoki stammered, shoving back on his butt, trying to escape the janitorial weapon that followed him, until he finally ran into a wall. With the back of his head. Now seeing two Mamoru/Endymion's, Motoki continued in his defense, "You know I'm not interested in Usa-Serenity that way. She's like a kid sister to me!"
"You lie." Endymion jabbed the staff/mop into the gland at the top of his throat, felt a devilish glee as he heard the suitor make a soft gagging noise, "I saw her with you. You have filled her head with ideas of romance. A romance with you."
"No, no!" Motoki croaked out, the mop handle making it a little hard to speak, or plead for his life, whichever, "I don't want to have a romance of any kind with her. Man, Mamoru, you know I have it bad for Reika."
"WHAT?"
Both men turned at the excited scream, the origination standing by the counter in head-to-toe Chanel. She was flushed, a hand over a shocked mouth. She was a pretty, young woman with long red hair and green eyes. Motoki only groaned and said under his breath, "Well, crap."
"I take it that this," Endymion withdrew his weapon from its abused resting spot, "is Reika."
Motoki finally took in a deep breath and rubbed at his neck, looking up at Endymion through pained eyes, "Yeah, that's Reika."
"And I assume that 'I have it bad,' would mean you have feelings for this young woman." Endymion continued, his eyes still daring him to deny he didn't love Serenity.
"Yeah, you could assume that." Motoki's eyes unfastened from Endymion's to Reika's. It was the softening of the green depths that convinced Endymion that his words were true. Relaxing the hand on his weapon/mop, he offered his free limb to the man in apology;
"Then you must forgive me. I had no right to attack you as I did."
Motoki looked at the hand suspiciously, then slowly lifted his own to take it. Too slowly for the darker man though, because he lashed out and grabbed his wrist, then easily hauled Motoki to his feet. The hasty motion left Motoki wincing and wary, but all together unharmed.
"Um, no problem, buddy. You've had a rough day, I understand."
Endymion bowed at his acceptance, "Thank you. I'm sure that you do understand. After the attack on the Moon, tensions on Earth have been extreme. I do not know who to trust anymore."
Motoki could only blink in response. The attack on the whosa-whatsa-thingy- mabobber? Mamoru was definitely out of his gourd, "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." Hey, if you can't beat them, join them. At least until you get them in a locked, padded room, "Listen, errr, Endymion. You might want to think about lying down for a bit. You had a really bad hit earlier, you need rest."
Endymion remembered the intense pain he had felt before he had regained consciousness, the man must have been referring to that. And well he should listen to this new friend, as the pain made him thing he maybe should have died from the blow he had received.
But the idea of Serenity out there, spurred him into action, "I cannot. I must find Serenity."
"I don't think that is a good idea." Motoki warned, for both Usagi's sake and Mamoru's. He remembered the raw pain in Usagi's eyes as she left, another bout with the new Mamoru would probably ruin her for a relationship ever again. And when Mamoru came back to his senses, if he really did have these strong feelings for Usagi, he wasn't going to be happy when he found out that while he was in some sort of Don-Juan-Zombie state, he had totally freaked her out. He would not be a happy man, at all.
Either way, both of his shoulders would be taken by a weeping friend and now that Reika knew how he felt, he kind of wanted them to be open for a little whil
Endymion only shook his head and put a hand on Motoki's shoulder in a show of ancient comradery, "Thank you for your concern, but I worry more for her. This place is dangerous. Without the grace of the Moon to protect her, she is vulnerable. As long as I breath, I shall let no harm come to her."
With a sweeping gesture, as if he should have been wearing a cape, Enydmion made for the exit through which Serenity had earlier exited. He smiled warmly at Reika, who still stood, speechless by the counter, "Take care of your love. I am afraid I did him some harm. He will need your tender hands to heal him."
He bowed again. It came as a mild shock to him when the doors opened of their own accord. He had not known any establishment on Earth, for it was indeed on Earth he was currently domiciled, had possessed this technology. However, many other planets in the alliance had been using it for centuries. He had seen it the one or two times he had snuck to the Moon to meet Serenity, and he had seen the same affect when she had stormed out. He was about to walk through the portal when a voice beckoned him.
"Mamo- I mean, Endymion." Motoki was next to him, limping slightly and his head starting to swell, but mobile at least. Endymion said nothing in return, just looked at him expectantly. So Motoki made it quick, "Do you mind, um, leaving the mop here?"
Endymion looked down at his hand and saw he still held the weapon he had brought with him from his dark chamber. Chuckling softly, he placed it into Motoki's waiting hands and then left. Motoki could only stare after his friend.
What happened to him? Motoki could only be glad that his blow to the head hadn't damaged him as much as Mamoru's seemed to. He was acting like an entirely different person. The way he had swung that mop around, it was as if he had staff training since he was big enough to hold a stick. His demeanor and posture, though always confident, now had a certain nobility to it. And he was talking funny too.
Don Quixote suddenly flashed into his mind. The book that had been daunting him for the past couple of weeks, with its implausible plot and outlandish characters, was stunningly clear now. A regular man who became a knight in a land where knights were out of date. A simple girl who was thrust onto the pedestal of princess in the eyes of a man who loved her. Mops were swords and the Moon once had a silvery kingdom on its surface. And the regular man, who had everything anyone could ever want, had just snapped.
It was a fairy tale, pure and simple. It wasn't supposed to make sense because that was the point. It was an exploration of the innards of the human brain, its imagination. Its potential for great things. No one is content with what they have, everyone dreams of a more exciting and exotic life. It was a story about one man who dared to throw aside convention and embrace his dream. A man who could see giants in windmills and armor in washbasins.
Man, his paper was going to be great!
As Motoki slowly turned back into the parlor, his mind wandered to one last thing. If Usagi and Mamoru were two major characters, what part did he play? Sancho? Little Sancho, on his donkey, who just stood by in bewilderment as his master fell into madness?
"Motoki?"
Motoki lifted his eyes to meet Reika's, who had finally managed to unfreeze and walk over to him. She was beautiful, and smelled great. Her hazel eyes shone with hope and her voice trembled slightly as she continued, "Is it true, what you said? You, care for me?"
Sancho, who was going to be taking the prettiest girl in town out on his donkey, rather than living vicariously through the adventures of the crazy man that was chasing his own dream.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Part One is finito! Did you enjoy? Let me know:
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Hasta!
Cori (A WAFF Princess)
Part One of Three
Author: ChibiCori. That's right, ChibiCori. Say it with me now!
e-mail: [email protected], and you'll always get an answer!
site: www.chibicori.virtue.nu
Rating: probably PG
Disclaimer: You people have no idea how hard it is to come up with an entertaining disclaimer for every story we authors' write. Dammit, I'm gonna start writing original stuff so you'll have to write disclaimers that it belongs to me. Ha, take that!
Oh, and Sailormoon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, or I wouldn't be writing this dumb thing. ::grumbling::
Summary: Hey there, howdy ho there! You're as welcome as can be! ::Reader begins to hum Mickey Mouse theme as Cori elaborates on her insane prattling:: Well, here is another delightful short by me! In this one, Mamoru gets a knock to the head and is taken over by his former life as Prince Endymion. Which means he immediately recognizes Usagi as his princess. And guess which poor sap Prince Endymion catches Usagi flirting with? All Motoki lovers may want to leave, this could get ugly. Hopefully, hilarity ensues.
Quixote Complex
Part One of Three
Something felt different as Mamoru walked into the arcade that fateful afternoon. He hadn't felt quite right all day. And when he hadn't been greeted by Motoki's warm, usual smile, Mamoru knew right away that the day would only get weirder.
Motoki, meanwhile, had noticed nothing but the book in front of him for the past few days. As Mamoru drew closer to the counter where Motoki was reading, he noted the title, "Don Quixote". Mamoru smiled as he sat at his stool and silently waited for Motoki to acknowledge him.
It became apparent rather quickly that he would be sitting there for a while. Motoki was engrossed in the tales of the Spanish nobleman who saw giants in windmills and magical armor from washbasins. An unholy grin split Mamoru's face as an evil little idea tickled his brain. Remembering the one time he had actually seen Motoki's father at the parlor, he took a deep breath and boomed into Motoki's ear, "Motoki! No readin' on my time boy!"
"ACK!" Motoki exclaimed, dropping his book and looking around fearfully. His eyes lit on Mamoru, who was laughing hysterically, and scowled uncharacteristically, "Oh, funny Mamoru. You made me lose my place."
"Well, shucks." Mamoru chuckled, fighting back the laughter that threatened to take over again.
"I only have two days to finish this and no time to do it in, so cut me some slack." Motoki muttered, flipping through the pages, in search for the one he had been reading.
Mamoru smothered a grin and then offered, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. I've already read it if you need some help."
"It's okay, it's a pretty easy read." Motoki replied, and then sighed, "Except the whole concept kind of escapes me."
"How does it escape you?" Mamoru asked, incredulously.
"Well, it just seems ridiculous. Why would some rich, old guy leave the comforts of his mansion to ride on an old horse and spend all his time with a little guy named Sancho?" Motoki wondered.
"Quixote wasn't all there, Motoki. He was old and bored, and he spent all his time reading about the great adventures that knights had and one day he snapped." Mamoru pointed out with a snap of his fingers.
"Yeah, I got that, but still, it doesn't make any sense."
"Motoki. It doesn't have to make sense, it's just an old book about a crazy old man." Mamoru sighed in frustration, why was Motoki always reading too much into things?
Motoki only replied with a frustrated sigh all his own, "If that is true, then I'm going to have one boring paper."
"Motoki, no one's papers on books are exciting." Mamoru rolled his eyes.
Motoki chose not to comment and folded over the corner of the page he was at, then with another sigh, put it under the counter. The only thing Mamoru helped him with was to remember what happened the last time he was caught reading on the job, and it hadn't been pretty. Better to live then get caught up in Literature.
"So, what brings you to my counter?" Motoki asked, fishing up a glass to fix Mamoru a drink.
Mamoru waved the glass away and then shrugged, "Nothing really. I just have the weirdest feeling today and I thought that some Motoki-chat could fix it."
Motoki grinned at the 'Motoki-chat' reference and then asked, "Why do you feel weird?"
"Dunno, just do." Mamoru answered, lifting his broad shoulders again.
"Maybe you're having a premonition." Motoki wondered out loud.
"Get real." Mamoru laughed, shaking his head.
"No, really. I've read about stuff like this. People get these feelings that something is going to happen all the time! It's a kind of power." Motoki explained, quite seriously too.
Mamoru fought the impulse to laugh right in his friend's face, but couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from trembling upward, "Somehow, I seriously doubt-"
But Mamoru didn't get the chance to finish the denial. Motoki watched in puzzlement as Mamoru's eyes rolled backward and he slumped forward. Motoki shot himself across the counter to catch Mamoru before his head slammed into the formica top. What had happened? Had he passed out?
Motoki's internal questions were immediately answered when a group of young boys ran up to the clerk and his unconscious comrade.
"Good one, Shingo!" a dark-haired boy called wryly, "Just kill somebody why don't you?"
"Shut up, Ryu!" A boy with hair the same color as Motoki's spat and then looked at Mamoru in worry, "I'm so sorry. We shouldn't have thrown the ball in here."
Motoki blinked because the boy seemed familiar to him somehow, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it, then remembered his friend and nodded, "No, you shouldn't have. What kind of ball were you throwing?"
The dark-haired boy, Ryu, held up a baseball and grinned sheepishly, "Sorry."
"Is he hurt real bad?" Shingo asked, his expression in earnest worry.
Motoki gave Mamoru's head a thorough perusal and decided he'd wake up soon enough, and he'd have one hell of headache when he did, "He'll be fine, but you guys shouldn't have been throwing that ball in here."
Shingo reddened in shame and looked down at his feet, "We know, I really didn't mean to throw it that hard."
Motoki smiled somewhat as he took in the boy and remembered how his friends had always egged him on to do things he shouldn't have when he was Shingo's age. Motoki chuckled softly then said, "Tell you what, help me get Mamoru into the back room and I'll let you go without any harm done."
Shingo's face brightened, "Really?"
"Really, just make sure you throw that thing outside from now on." Motoki advised, jerking his head towards the ball Ryu was still holding.
"No problem." Shingo agreed whole-heartedly, thankful for the reprieve.
"Now that THAT is settled, grab his feet, and try not to damage him more then you already have." Motoki grumbled as he took a firm hold of Mamoru's upper half.
^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~
Usagi couldn't help but feel giddy when the sliding doors to the arcade whooshed open in greeting. She had scheduled a full hour of Motoki- flirting; senshi, guardian and Mamoru-baka free.
Speaking of the latter, she hadn't seen him all day. Usagi immediately took it as a sign that today was the day that Motoki would see her in that different light she so desperately wanted him to see her in. She had even gone home to change, put on something a little special. And she couldn't help but feel superior to every single female who crossed her path. Today, she was IT.
Running busy fingers through her hair, Usagi scanned the usual Friday night crowd for her prey – er – Motoki. They immediately found him bending over a table to serve a young woman with reddish hair and hazel eyes. She was blushing for some odd reason, but Usagi was too hyped up to care why.
She practically bounced all the way over to him. Usagi quickly decided she simply did not have the patience to wait for Motoki to finish whatever he was doing with the woman, so she stood on tiptoe and leaned forward so her mouth was right by his ear.
"Hey Motoki-san!" she cried, then immediately received Motoki's shoulder to her jaw. She quickly backed up, slapping a hand up to the offended structure.
Motoki gulped and then smiled uneasily as he went to aid the small blonde, "Sorry, you surprised me."
Usagi grinned, wincing only slightly at the twinge of pain in her jaw, "Oh, it's nothing really. It was my fault."
"Still, we should get some ice on it, or it'll bruise. And we don't want bruises on your cute, little face, do we?" Motoki grinned, then moved Usagi towards a stool, "Sit down and I'll be right with you. Just gotta wrap things up with Reika here."
Usagi hadn't really heard what he had last said, just sat on the stool he had placed her in front of. Motoki had said she was cute! Oh joy of joys! She knew that today was going to be special. Usagi felt her grin stretch ear to ear, then immediately drop at the over-exertion on her swelling jowls.
Motoki joined her at the counter a moment later and began to fill a baggie full of ice, "Geesh, this place is accident prone today."
Usagi gladly took the bag, seriously considering whether or not she should keep it forever as a memento of the day Motoki fell madly in love with her, then asked, "Why is that?"
"Well, Mamoru was here earlier-" Motoki missed the slight, pained scowl on Usagi's face and continued, "And he got bonked on the head with a baseball."
"Good." Usagi muttered, upset that the name of Chiba Mamoru had entered this precious conversation, then asked, "Was he alright?" simply so she wouldn't look bad in front of Motoki.
"Oh, he'll be fine. He's in the back room recovering."
Usagi dropped her bag of ice and planted her hands on the counter to support her as she leaned forward over the counter, her eyes lighting with a furious fire, "You mean he is still here?"
Motoki blinked at the violence in her tone, "Ummm...yes?"
Usagi looked lethal for a moment before releasing a puff of air and sat back, folding her arms in front of her, "Figures."
"Usagi-chan?"
Usagi looked up at Motoki and all her anger immediately melted, she smiled and sat straighter in her seat, "Sorry, but you know how I feel about Mamoru-baka."
Motoki smiled somewhat uneasily then offered, "Well, we won't be seeing him for a while yet, if that helps?"
"What do you mean?" Usagi asked, her head tilting to the side in suspicion.
"He was knocked out cold. We won't be hearing a peep from him." Motoki explained, jutting his thumb towards the back room.
Usagi's eyes lit in mystery and she looked at him coyly, "Do you think he'll be out for at least an hour?"
"Uhhh, maybe." Motoki answered, his brows knitted together in confusion.
"Yay! I can continue with my plans!" Usagi exclaimed, pumping a victorious fist in the air.
"Plans?"
"Uhhh, yeah. I was just going to hang out and talk for a while." 'And then make you my love puppet!'
Motoki didn't notice the mischievous little smile to cross Usagi's lips as she plotted his downfall. Then again, Motoki rarely ever noticed anything, especially deviant blondes plotting his romantic demise.
^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~
It was dark when he finally managed to open his eyes. Raising a lethargic limb to his head, he carefully felt at the lump growing out the back of it. He grumbled an oath as he sat and tried to gather his thoughts.
The last thing he had remembered was the battle on the moon, that witch Beryl attacking the Moon Kingdom.
Serenity! He had gone to defend the Moon, to save her. When he had finally found her amidst the rubble of her palace, she had looked so frightened. He remembered her calling his name, the frantic need ripping from her throat. He had run to her, the desperation in his voice as plain as hers as he shouted for her. He remembered a sudden, white-hot, burning pain.
And then, nothing.
A louder curse followed the initial one and he rubbed the grime from his eyes. Where was he? In a Dark Kingdom prison? Where was Serenity? By the gods, if Beryl had touched one hair upon her head, he would rip out the demon's throat with his own hands!
A light, tinkling noise caught his attention. Her laughter, he would remember it anywhere. Serenity was well! The urge to have her in his arms once more took over his senses and he stepped towards the sound he loved so much.
He squinted, than put up a shielding hand as new light invaded his vision. His head began to pound violently, but he willed it to the back of his thoughts as his adjusting eyes eagerly sought out his beloved's form.
Another peel of laughter brought his head around and finally, his gaze rejoiced upon her. The light, once so harsh to his dilated eyes suddenly softened and outlined her lithe silhouette. Her hair - though oddly enough, a different color - was still hung in it's two perfectly shaped buns. Streamers of butter-gold hair fell from them and spilled down her shapely back. Her face, the face that inspired the artists of his world for centuries, was still a generous heart shape, cheeks still painted pink. Eyes that could only be compared to the jewel tone of sapphire shone merrily as her face lit up with laughter.
It was her, Serenity. His eyes searched her length up and down, searching for any sign of harm the enemy may have inflicted, but there was none. The only difference was her hair color. It had somehow darkened from the precious-metal color of silver to the equally rich gold. It fit her though, and made her look more like an angel of the Earth, then one of the sterile Moon. His heart warmed to that, the idea that his moon princess had been bound to the Earth in a way. And was therefore bound to him.
His hands not being able to stand the itch of not holding and touching her reached out, and his feet joined with the outreached limbs. He needed to hold her, to be held by her. He felt as if he hadn't touched her for centuries.
Then she spoke, and her tone startled him. It was Serenity's voice, but it lacked the refinement he was used to hearing in her dialect. Instead of rolling off her tongue in a steady purr, her tone jumped from pitch to pitch, bounded from peaks and valleys. Puzzled, he halted and listened to her words;
"I have to admit it Motoki-san, I'm kinda glad that Mamoru-baka took a hit to the head. We never get to talk between just the two of us anymore." she smiled then, though it seemed to be painful. This worried him further; Serenity's smiles had always been so easy and warm. Not once had he ever seen her grimace. What was going on?
"Hey, how is that jaw coming?" A new voice asked. A new – male – voice, he noted as something flashed in his eyes.
His love brought her hand down from her cheek, bringing down a bag filled with melting ice with it. She then turned her cheek to show the male asking and the on-looker's eyes widened as he took in the slight discoloring of her pale flesh. Someone had hit her! Who was it? One of his so-called friends, those cowardly generals who had turned on him? Was it the witch Beryl herself? Whoever inflicted this injury on his beloved would pay dearly.
But when the other man raised his hand to stroke her swollen cheek, Serenity's eyes widened in surprise and...could it possibly be...want? He felt his heart crack and his soul bleed. True, no one but a trusted few knew of their love affair, but he could not stand to have this other suitor, this pig who did not deserve Serenity's love any more then he, to touch her. The only man who was going to touch Serenity in that way was he, Endymion.
Reaching back into the dark space he had woken in, he grabbed a weapon, a staff by the feel of it. Excellent, he excelled with the staff. The insolent man behaving so freely with his princess would taste his wrath.
^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~ ^_~
"Wow, that looks bad. I'm real sorry Usagi-chan." Motoki winced as Usagi pressed the ice back to her cheek. She giggled and shook her head, blonde ponytails whipping around her small body.
"Nah, don't be." she winked then and added, "They say bruises give you character."
Motoki laughed at this and scooped more ice into a baggie, seeing as how Usagi's was leaking all over her blouse. He was just about to pass it to her when something hard and powerful smacked him in the back of the head. Motoki's eyes bulged and the impact sent him flying over the counter he'd been leaning over. Usagi shrieked and dropped to her knees next to him. He took in wide, blue eyes, before he looked over her shoulder and saw his attacker. Motoki blinked, then whimpered, "You gotta be kidding me."
"This is no jest. Keep your hands off of the princess!" Mamoru ordered from behind the counter, holding a mop expertly in his hands.
"Mamoru-baka!" Usagi squealed as she lifted her poor Motoki's head onto her lap, "You idiot! Why did you do that?"
"Mamoru...baka?" cobalt eyes flashed in confusion, then anger as his angel stroked slim fingers through her other suitors blonde hair. Growling low, he jumped over the counter and stood over them, manacling Usagi's wrist in a sure hand as he hauled her into his embrace. The action left Motoki suddenly without support and his head fell with a loud crack to the linoleum floor. He groaned and lifted a hand to gingerly assess the damage done by both back-stabber and blonde.
But Motoki's pain went unnoticed above. Usagi's eyes widened at the intimate way Mamoru's hands gripped at her back, the flashing passion in his eyes. What the - what was going on? Mamoru had never looked at her that way before, or touched her so. In fact, he'd never touched her before, period. But there was something oddly familiar to the feel of his arms wrapped around her. They made her think of Tuxedo Kamen's. And perhaps...something long ago and forgotten.
"Serenity..." Mamoru's voice beckoned Usagi's full attention, "Serenity, it is me. Endymion. What is wrong with you? You act strangely."
Usagi sputtered as she slowly absorbed his words. Had he called her Serenity? And he was this, Endymion? What was going on? "Oh no, I think we've got it backwards buddy. Your the one acting nutty." She then raised hands that wanted to cling to him and push him away at the same time to his shoulders. The inner victory went to the latter, but Mamoru's grip did not release. Blowing out an annoyed puff of breath, Usagi punched at his arm, "Let me go."
"No." Mamoru answered, and Usagi looked away as his eyes seemed to eat away at her soul. Geesh, what was up with him?
"Why not?"
Mamoru didn't hesitate as he answered, "Because I love you."
Usagi's breath snagged. What? He...no, she wouldn't believe him. It was just Mamoru-baka playing some cruel joke. All he'd done since they met was tease her and make her life a living hell. People who loved you didn't do that. When someone loves you, they're nice, and affectionate. They brought flowers and candies and wrote pretty poems trying to express how they felt, and failing miserably at it too.
At least, that's what she figured. No one had ever told her they loved her before. And the fact that the first had been Chiba Mamoru broke her heart.
'Oh, if only he meant it, then maybe it would hurt less.'
Usagi stared at the ground, her small frame shaking with boiling anger before she finally muttered low, so only Mamoru would hear, "How dare you? How could you be so...mean?"
"Seren-"
"No!" Usagi exclaimed, jerking herself free of Mamoru's arms, "No, don't call me that. You know that isn't my name!" Mamoru clapped his mouth shut, a tick working in his jaw as Usagi slowly continued, trying desperately to keep her fury in check, "This is really an all new low for you Mamoru. Do you play with all young, impressionable girls' hearts like this? Well I'm tellin' you what, buster, I'm not falling for it. This is one young, impressionable girl you are not going to get too."
Usagi spun around, hoping Mamoru would get a mouthful of pigtails from the violent motion. But before she could exit through the automatic doors of the arcade, her emotions got the best of her. They screamed for justice, and what had already been said was not enough to sate them, apparently.
Turning back, Usagi stalked to Mamoru's frozen form and stood on tip toe so she didn't have to tilt her head all the way back to address him, "Just so you know, I think you are the lowest, most horrible man to ever walk this planet. You've tainted the first 'I love you' I ever heard. I hate you for that. I really do. I wanted the first time to be beautiful and real, and you took that from me. How could you be so terrible? What did I ever do to you?"
Usagi was surprised to find herself crying. She wasn't even aware of it until Mamoru lifted his hands and gently cupped her damp cheeks in his palms. Gently swiping the pads of his thumbs over her tear stained face, he watched her reaction. It was like the softest of caresses, full of emotion and caring. She involuntarily shuttered her eyes as she absorbed the touch and marveled as it etched itself in her brain. There would never be a touch like this again.
Mamoru bent his head so that his breath washed warm over her ear, tickling sensitive whorls and nerves Usagi never knew she possessed. Usagi shivered as he finally answered, "You loved me."
Usagi eyes shot open at the remark. She stepped back, away from his intoxicating atmosphere and glared at him with sparking blue eyes. Her hand flashed out, almost of it's own will, and made sharp contact with the side of his face. Mamoru stumbled backward a few steps and finally looked back with haunted eyes. Eyes that did not affect her in the least.
The reason that her heart cried out as her hand had cracked across his cheek, would best be left for discovering later, "There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I ever loved you, or will. Good bye Mamoru."
Her revenge taken, her heart broken and her head just plain confused, Usagi spun once more on her heels and, this time, exited the fruit parlor doors.
Leaving behind at least two, very confused men and a handful of amused by- standers. Mamoru, or Endymion, lifted a stunned hand to his cheek, felt the heat of her hatred. Serenity had never lifted a finger to anyone in her life. Not even to him, who had deserved a round slapping from her on more than one occasion. What had happened to her? She hated him?
His heart ripped in half as he heard from the ground beneath him, "Mamoru, what were you thinking?"
Endymion looked down, to the suitor. Motoki had sat up, the bag of ice he had made for Usagi becoming his own as he held it to the back of his head, and was looking at his best friend with narrowed eyes.
'Mamoru, there is that name again,' Endymion pondered as he spoke, "Excuse me?"
"I mean, if you like Usagi, that's fine. But there is no need to hit me when I'm talking to her." Motoki grumbled, trying to rise and finding the room still spun too much to attempt that again for a few moments. Swearing softly, he looked up again, "And what was that, laying into her like you were? I didn't know you had it for her so bad, but you went about it in totally the wrong way."
"Had it bad?"
"What kind of friend wouldn't tell his best friend that he was in love? I mean, I am a bit surprised that you actually love Usagi, but-"
Motoki hushed as Endymion suddenly squatted down, the mop that had caused Motoki all his pain still gripped in a white-knuckled fist. Deep blue eyes that were suddenly deep and old glared into his face. His mouth was unsmiling as he spoke with a fierce, yet quiet tone, "I do not love Usagi."
Motoki blinked, "But, you just told her you did."
"That was not Usagi, that was Serenity. And you know that, you black coward." The soft rage grew stronger, and Motoki could barely swallow the lump in his throat down to speak.
"Uh, no. That was Usagi." Motoki was light-headed. A blow to the head would do that to a man. Suddenly reminded that Mamoru himself might be struggling with the effects of the same infliction he was, Motoki's fear and confusion was pushed back to make way for brotherly concern, "Mamoru, maybe you should go back into the closet and rest some more. I don't think you are entirely clear-headed yet."
Endymion stood quickly, his aggravation reaching new peaks, "There is that name again! First Serenity, and now you. Has the world gone mad? I am Endymion, Prince of this green planet and Lover of the Moon. And you," the blunt end of the mop was thrust between Motoki's eyes, forcing the blonde man to go cross-eyed as he looked at it, "are not going to take her from me."
"Take her...you mean Usagi?" Motoki stammered, shoving back on his butt, trying to escape the janitorial weapon that followed him, until he finally ran into a wall. With the back of his head. Now seeing two Mamoru/Endymion's, Motoki continued in his defense, "You know I'm not interested in Usa-Serenity that way. She's like a kid sister to me!"
"You lie." Endymion jabbed the staff/mop into the gland at the top of his throat, felt a devilish glee as he heard the suitor make a soft gagging noise, "I saw her with you. You have filled her head with ideas of romance. A romance with you."
"No, no!" Motoki croaked out, the mop handle making it a little hard to speak, or plead for his life, whichever, "I don't want to have a romance of any kind with her. Man, Mamoru, you know I have it bad for Reika."
"WHAT?"
Both men turned at the excited scream, the origination standing by the counter in head-to-toe Chanel. She was flushed, a hand over a shocked mouth. She was a pretty, young woman with long red hair and green eyes. Motoki only groaned and said under his breath, "Well, crap."
"I take it that this," Endymion withdrew his weapon from its abused resting spot, "is Reika."
Motoki finally took in a deep breath and rubbed at his neck, looking up at Endymion through pained eyes, "Yeah, that's Reika."
"And I assume that 'I have it bad,' would mean you have feelings for this young woman." Endymion continued, his eyes still daring him to deny he didn't love Serenity.
"Yeah, you could assume that." Motoki's eyes unfastened from Endymion's to Reika's. It was the softening of the green depths that convinced Endymion that his words were true. Relaxing the hand on his weapon/mop, he offered his free limb to the man in apology;
"Then you must forgive me. I had no right to attack you as I did."
Motoki looked at the hand suspiciously, then slowly lifted his own to take it. Too slowly for the darker man though, because he lashed out and grabbed his wrist, then easily hauled Motoki to his feet. The hasty motion left Motoki wincing and wary, but all together unharmed.
"Um, no problem, buddy. You've had a rough day, I understand."
Endymion bowed at his acceptance, "Thank you. I'm sure that you do understand. After the attack on the Moon, tensions on Earth have been extreme. I do not know who to trust anymore."
Motoki could only blink in response. The attack on the whosa-whatsa-thingy- mabobber? Mamoru was definitely out of his gourd, "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." Hey, if you can't beat them, join them. At least until you get them in a locked, padded room, "Listen, errr, Endymion. You might want to think about lying down for a bit. You had a really bad hit earlier, you need rest."
Endymion remembered the intense pain he had felt before he had regained consciousness, the man must have been referring to that. And well he should listen to this new friend, as the pain made him thing he maybe should have died from the blow he had received.
But the idea of Serenity out there, spurred him into action, "I cannot. I must find Serenity."
"I don't think that is a good idea." Motoki warned, for both Usagi's sake and Mamoru's. He remembered the raw pain in Usagi's eyes as she left, another bout with the new Mamoru would probably ruin her for a relationship ever again. And when Mamoru came back to his senses, if he really did have these strong feelings for Usagi, he wasn't going to be happy when he found out that while he was in some sort of Don-Juan-Zombie state, he had totally freaked her out. He would not be a happy man, at all.
Either way, both of his shoulders would be taken by a weeping friend and now that Reika knew how he felt, he kind of wanted them to be open for a little whil
Endymion only shook his head and put a hand on Motoki's shoulder in a show of ancient comradery, "Thank you for your concern, but I worry more for her. This place is dangerous. Without the grace of the Moon to protect her, she is vulnerable. As long as I breath, I shall let no harm come to her."
With a sweeping gesture, as if he should have been wearing a cape, Enydmion made for the exit through which Serenity had earlier exited. He smiled warmly at Reika, who still stood, speechless by the counter, "Take care of your love. I am afraid I did him some harm. He will need your tender hands to heal him."
He bowed again. It came as a mild shock to him when the doors opened of their own accord. He had not known any establishment on Earth, for it was indeed on Earth he was currently domiciled, had possessed this technology. However, many other planets in the alliance had been using it for centuries. He had seen it the one or two times he had snuck to the Moon to meet Serenity, and he had seen the same affect when she had stormed out. He was about to walk through the portal when a voice beckoned him.
"Mamo- I mean, Endymion." Motoki was next to him, limping slightly and his head starting to swell, but mobile at least. Endymion said nothing in return, just looked at him expectantly. So Motoki made it quick, "Do you mind, um, leaving the mop here?"
Endymion looked down at his hand and saw he still held the weapon he had brought with him from his dark chamber. Chuckling softly, he placed it into Motoki's waiting hands and then left. Motoki could only stare after his friend.
What happened to him? Motoki could only be glad that his blow to the head hadn't damaged him as much as Mamoru's seemed to. He was acting like an entirely different person. The way he had swung that mop around, it was as if he had staff training since he was big enough to hold a stick. His demeanor and posture, though always confident, now had a certain nobility to it. And he was talking funny too.
Don Quixote suddenly flashed into his mind. The book that had been daunting him for the past couple of weeks, with its implausible plot and outlandish characters, was stunningly clear now. A regular man who became a knight in a land where knights were out of date. A simple girl who was thrust onto the pedestal of princess in the eyes of a man who loved her. Mops were swords and the Moon once had a silvery kingdom on its surface. And the regular man, who had everything anyone could ever want, had just snapped.
It was a fairy tale, pure and simple. It wasn't supposed to make sense because that was the point. It was an exploration of the innards of the human brain, its imagination. Its potential for great things. No one is content with what they have, everyone dreams of a more exciting and exotic life. It was a story about one man who dared to throw aside convention and embrace his dream. A man who could see giants in windmills and armor in washbasins.
Man, his paper was going to be great!
As Motoki slowly turned back into the parlor, his mind wandered to one last thing. If Usagi and Mamoru were two major characters, what part did he play? Sancho? Little Sancho, on his donkey, who just stood by in bewilderment as his master fell into madness?
"Motoki?"
Motoki lifted his eyes to meet Reika's, who had finally managed to unfreeze and walk over to him. She was beautiful, and smelled great. Her hazel eyes shone with hope and her voice trembled slightly as she continued, "Is it true, what you said? You, care for me?"
Sancho, who was going to be taking the prettiest girl in town out on his donkey, rather than living vicariously through the adventures of the crazy man that was chasing his own dream.
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Part One is finito! Did you enjoy? Let me know:
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Hasta!
Cori (A WAFF Princess)