1.1.1 Tokyo, Japan: Juuban District
1.1.2 April 4, 2002
7:42 P.M.
1.1.2.1 One
The streets were icy cold as the rain whipped down. Cold, dark, unforgiving rain, as icily frozen as her heart. Everything about her was cold, from her beautiful long golden hair, to her white and blue school uniform, drenched from the pouring heavens. The white cotton clung to her shirt so tightly you could almost see through it, her hair plastered to her sides and down her back, falling in her face as she tried to wipe away the tears. Tears that kept falling, falling, falling down her face, more coming with each heaving breath she took. Her soul felt empty, it seemed as if she would never quit weeping, never heal. She didn't feel as if she could possibly love again, that her heart would melt and break into a thousand pieces. Her deep, soulful blue eyes burned from all the tears. They fell constantly, one after the other, mixing with the pouring rainwater as it ran into her sobbing mouth, to where all she could taste was a brackish mix of salt and water.
"Why?" she sobbed, her chest heaving with the effort, her entire body wracked with her heart wrenched sobs. On and on she ran, the only noise she heard was the pounding of the rain against the sidewalks and her own footfalls. She ran until she came to the park, and even longer. The paths stretched out before her endlessly, until her muddy trail became one with the forest, deep in the heart of Japan's wilderness.
Water sloshed around her as her black shoes landed heavily in the growing mud puddles. Rust-colored mud, liquefied from the onpouring water, splashed up on her, soaking her legs and skirt in the foul mess. She tried to watch up ahead of her, but the blinding sheets of rain and sleet stung her eyes, making her blink and squint them tight. So blindly she ran, the angry storm sending sheets of icy moisture, inhibiting the minute vision she had. Trees, rocks, and paths.... they were all one and the same, one more shape that seemed to be leering at her from the dark.
Exhausted, her legs no longer able to support her weight, the bedraggled blonde beauty sank to her knees upon a rocky outcropping. Her entire body bobbed with her heart-felt cries, as with each one she seemed closer to despair....
* * *
"Mamo-chan!" she giggled, feeling his warm hands over her eyes as he gently steered her through the halls. He chuckled, in that deep voice that made her knees tremble and her heart race. "No peeking, Usako," he told her, mock-sternly. In truth, she could feel the excitement pouring from him through their bond.
"Now?" she asked, with all the innocence of a child.
"Just a minute," he said, his own childlike delight almost palpable. Mamoru set her on the couch, and proceeded to gently tie a blindfold over her eyes. She giggled again, wondering what her beloved had in store for her. Anticipation mounting, she fidgeted slightly on the comfortable seat, as he fiddled with something in front of her. Suddenly, she felt a warm, fuzzy weight in her lap, as he set a little furry bundle there.
"Now," he said, eyes alight. She pulled the blindfold off her eyes, and her face lit up in wonder. The little fuzzy bundle in her lap was a puppy, looking up at her with wide brown puppy eyes, small pink tongue lolling from its mouth as it cocked its small head to one side as if to get a better look at her. There was a pretty pink silk ribbon tied around its neck, as it wagged its little rump back and forth with as much energy as she herself normally had.
"He's so cute, Mamo-chan!" she said, pulling the puppy up to her face and laughing when it licked her nose. "She," Mamoru replied, gently pushing an errant strand of golden hair behind her ear. "And she's beautiful, just like you." He leaned towards her, tilting his chin to meet her lips. She kissed him back, slowly, but with every ounce of love in her.
"I love you, my Mamo-chan," she said softly, her eyes drinking in the sight of him, so close to her. "I love you too," he said, just as softly, "Usako."
* * * *
"Why?" she repeated again, clutching her hands to her chest, the rain still pouring down around her. "Mamo-chan," she sobbed, "How could you do this to me?"
2 New York, United States: State of New York
2.1.1 April 4, 2002
5:42 A.M.
Two
1.1.2 April 4, 2002
7:42 P.M.
1.1.2.1 One
The streets were icy cold as the rain whipped down. Cold, dark, unforgiving rain, as icily frozen as her heart. Everything about her was cold, from her beautiful long golden hair, to her white and blue school uniform, drenched from the pouring heavens. The white cotton clung to her shirt so tightly you could almost see through it, her hair plastered to her sides and down her back, falling in her face as she tried to wipe away the tears. Tears that kept falling, falling, falling down her face, more coming with each heaving breath she took. Her soul felt empty, it seemed as if she would never quit weeping, never heal. She didn't feel as if she could possibly love again, that her heart would melt and break into a thousand pieces. Her deep, soulful blue eyes burned from all the tears. They fell constantly, one after the other, mixing with the pouring rainwater as it ran into her sobbing mouth, to where all she could taste was a brackish mix of salt and water.
"Why?" she sobbed, her chest heaving with the effort, her entire body wracked with her heart wrenched sobs. On and on she ran, the only noise she heard was the pounding of the rain against the sidewalks and her own footfalls. She ran until she came to the park, and even longer. The paths stretched out before her endlessly, until her muddy trail became one with the forest, deep in the heart of Japan's wilderness.
Water sloshed around her as her black shoes landed heavily in the growing mud puddles. Rust-colored mud, liquefied from the onpouring water, splashed up on her, soaking her legs and skirt in the foul mess. She tried to watch up ahead of her, but the blinding sheets of rain and sleet stung her eyes, making her blink and squint them tight. So blindly she ran, the angry storm sending sheets of icy moisture, inhibiting the minute vision she had. Trees, rocks, and paths.... they were all one and the same, one more shape that seemed to be leering at her from the dark.
Exhausted, her legs no longer able to support her weight, the bedraggled blonde beauty sank to her knees upon a rocky outcropping. Her entire body bobbed with her heart-felt cries, as with each one she seemed closer to despair....
* * *
"Mamo-chan!" she giggled, feeling his warm hands over her eyes as he gently steered her through the halls. He chuckled, in that deep voice that made her knees tremble and her heart race. "No peeking, Usako," he told her, mock-sternly. In truth, she could feel the excitement pouring from him through their bond.
"Now?" she asked, with all the innocence of a child.
"Just a minute," he said, his own childlike delight almost palpable. Mamoru set her on the couch, and proceeded to gently tie a blindfold over her eyes. She giggled again, wondering what her beloved had in store for her. Anticipation mounting, she fidgeted slightly on the comfortable seat, as he fiddled with something in front of her. Suddenly, she felt a warm, fuzzy weight in her lap, as he set a little furry bundle there.
"Now," he said, eyes alight. She pulled the blindfold off her eyes, and her face lit up in wonder. The little fuzzy bundle in her lap was a puppy, looking up at her with wide brown puppy eyes, small pink tongue lolling from its mouth as it cocked its small head to one side as if to get a better look at her. There was a pretty pink silk ribbon tied around its neck, as it wagged its little rump back and forth with as much energy as she herself normally had.
"He's so cute, Mamo-chan!" she said, pulling the puppy up to her face and laughing when it licked her nose. "She," Mamoru replied, gently pushing an errant strand of golden hair behind her ear. "And she's beautiful, just like you." He leaned towards her, tilting his chin to meet her lips. She kissed him back, slowly, but with every ounce of love in her.
"I love you, my Mamo-chan," she said softly, her eyes drinking in the sight of him, so close to her. "I love you too," he said, just as softly, "Usako."
* * * *
"Why?" she repeated again, clutching her hands to her chest, the rain still pouring down around her. "Mamo-chan," she sobbed, "How could you do this to me?"
2 New York, United States: State of New York
2.1.1 April 4, 2002
5:42 A.M.
Two