With Your Light to Guide Me
By zSah
Summary: Sailor Moon saves Tuxedo Kamen from a youma's attack. In the morning, Usagi finds herself blind, and falling… into the arms of her nemesis, Mamoru.
Author's notes
1) In the market for ideas, one barters his thoughts or the representations thereof, in exchange for the thoughts of others. And the main motivation lies in the search for profit… the profit of satisfaction. The satisfaction one gets from knowing that his brainchild is appreciated. And what better currency is there for compensating an author with one's appreciation than by reviewing him… in this case her… thoroughly… truthfully…
In clearer terms, REVIEW this fic, people. PLEASE! There, I'm reduced to begging.
I'm through writing this fic. But I've decided to install it in two parts. Do review each part.
No flames, please.
Thank you, in anticipation of your reviews.
Thank you, again, for putting up with me, so far. (",)
Disclaimer: The anime series Bishoujo Senshi belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.
1 John 8:12
Then Jesus spake again, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
----~@
With Your Light to Guide Me
by z§äh
1.1 Prologue
Everything was dark. Not a ray of light intruded into the unending despair. He was all alone. They had gone and left... never to return. The old man in a black robe told him that. They had gone to heaven. And left him alone to fend for himself.
He felt a drop of moisture trickle to his hand. He raised it to take a look. Not even a gleam appeared to reveal itself to him. He brought his fingers to touch the suspect dampness. He was crying! A weakness. One he could not afford. He dashed the tears with an angry arm.
He breathed in deeply to calm his senses. And realized that he knew not where he was. Where was he? What was this place?
His eyes squinted and tried to pierce the darkness. But the void was relentless.
His pulse started to quicken. He was lost. And no one would even care enough to look for him.
"Mama! Papa!" He yelled... over and over again. But his cries met with mocking silence.
"Mama... Papa..." He whispered hoarsely. Hopelessly. And the misery he had fought to hold back started flowing without restraint.
"I'm here." A tiny voice whispered from nowhere. "Don't cry, I'm here."
His head jerked towards the source of the sound. And suddenly, he saw a flicker of light. The flicker pulsated, and grew, gradually, steadily, until its white light now turned to a glowing red. It started floating towards him. He scrambled in fear, and fell to the unseen ground. But the now blazing object continued to draw nearer him… nearer, nearing… until it hovered threateningly upon his hand… He gazed at it curiously, his fear now seeping away. His fingers lifted of their own volition to stroke the ruby flame. No sooner had his fingers touched it when it glowed brighter, and brighter still, before the excess light faded away to reveal a gleaming red rose.
And with it, appeared a little girl, bathed in silver light.
"Who are you?" He asked suspiciously. His eyes strained to get a look at her features. But the light was too bright behind her.
"Sewenity." She said disarmingly. She could not have been more than three years old.
"Sewenity?" His brows furrowed when he saw her shake her head in vigorous protest.
"Iie. Se-r-re-nity." She enunciated carefully.
"Oh, Serenity… My name's Mamoru."
"Iie." Serenity's head shook again with renewed vigor. "En-dy-mion." She told him solemnly.
"No. My name is Ma-mo-ru." He told her, carefully pronouncing each syllable of his name.
"En-dy-mion." The child stated stubbornly, and giggled.
The sound of her childish laughter had lightened part of the heaviness within him. And suddenly, light rushed like a rolling wave to unveil a moonlit vale of myriad roses.
He looked around him in wonder. He must be dreaming. He looked down at the feel of her tiny luminescent fingers gripping his slightly larger ones. She was pure light, this mysterious child.
"En-dy-mion." She repeated cheerfully and craned her young neck to look at him. And though he could not see her face, he felt the warmth of her smile. He felt the ice within him thaw.
And he smiled back.
Someone above is surely looking after him.
Surely, she had come to light up his world.
----~@
1.2 Part I
----~@
It was a moonlit, starlit April night, with the breeze breathing its cool sigh and the nightingales humming their nocturnal melodies.
In the midst of the park, a lone girl treaded her way amidst the cluster of cherry blossom trees and well-kept rose hedges until she came to the edge of the lake which sparkled with moonshine.
She was a slip of a thing, this seventeen-year-old lass. Her bones were fragile, her waist was tiny and her legs were slim. But there was nothing inconsequential about this girl. She was five feet, three inches. Her skin had a translucent quality, which reminded one of alabaster and of oyster pearls. Her calf-length-odangoes-styled hair (rolled into two buns on either side of her head, with the ends reaching to her knees) was golden, as if the sun had chosen to always smile on it. And her face… ah… her face was a joy to behold, with its delicate eyebrows, its small, straight nose, its rosebud lips and its stubborn little chin – set to perfection. But it was her pair of eyes that distinguished her the most. Her clear, rounded, cerulean eyes, which can contain all the happiness in the world, in one brilliant sparkle, and radiate with warmth… with tenderness… with innocence… and reach out to those blessed enough to be around her.
And tonight, like in every other night, they were gleaming, reflecting the moon's borrowed light as she raised her head to find solace in its cold warmth.
She loved this place, at this time of the night, when no one was about and a gentle zephyr teased the silken surface of the still water to distort the images of the risen moon and the cherry blossom trees with their yet-to- bloom buds. It was her refuge - a sanctuary for her wounded soul… as it always came out after a scorching encounter with him...
And now, more than ever, she needed all the peace she could get. She let tired eyelids close over her eyes, and let the serenity of the evening wash over her.
But it seemed that her solitude was to come to an end. For all of a sudden, an earth-shaking scream rented the fabric of silence beneath the cherry blossom trees behind her. And there could only be one reason for that-
"Moon prism power make-up!"
No sooner had she uttered the words when a burst of rainbow light sprang from her raised brooch and ribbons reached out from nowhere to surround her suspended body, and let her finally emerge, clothed in knee-length red boots, a pair of red elbow-length gloves and a mini-skirted blue, white and red fuku.
Yes, she was none other than Sailor Moon, champion of love and justice. And for the moment, she was off to save someone unjustly attacked.
She was no stranger to the sight that greeted her. It was always like this, a youma from the Dark Kingdom finds a victim and attempts to drain it of its energy. It was just fortunate that she and or one of the other Sailor Senshi happen to be close by when the attacks occur. Moreover, Luna had this uncanny ability to detect an attack.
For tonight, it seemed that the victim was a cowering, red-haired teenage girl, and the youma was a six-foot, golden-limbed, horrible-looking shinma -- a vampiress --, with a full-length mirror for a body.
"I am Sailor Moon, Champion of Love and Justice. In the name of the Moon, I shall punish you!"
"Not if I scramble your brains first, Sailor Wimp!" The redhead, who managed to run out of sight, was now wholly forgotten.
It was bad enough being practically called that to one's face everyday during one's normal self, but a little respect should be in order when one is in her heroine's garb. Shouldn't it?
"SAILOR WIMP? YOU -- wait till I get my hands on yOu, yOU -- YOU H-HIDEOUS H-HAG!" Spluttered a terribly incensed Senshi.
And with that, another loop in the Senshi Chronicles spiral had started: the youma attacks, Sailor Moon scrambles, barely dodging the wave of pure energy which threatens to do something to her - probably, atomize her - and in the process, just about manages - always - to stumble on an imaginary obstacle and fall face flat on to the hard ground. And just when the youma has her exactly where it wanted her to be (down on the ground, spitting out dust), and emits another wave of energy directed at her, a flying rose just about succeeds to interfere and save the Champion of Love and Justice.
He glides by the name of Tuxedo Kamen, otherwise known as the Champion of the Champion of Love and Justice. Yes, he wore a black tuxedo and had a mask to shield his eyes. Added to these, he had a calf-length cape, a tall hat, white gloves, black, polished, hand-made Salvatore Ferragamo shoes and was the last word in male elegance. His favorite attack makes use of steel- tipped roses, which he manages to stick just anywhere.
And if the cycle were to run its course, by now, the dashing, mask-and- caped hero would have harshly ordered our klutzy heroine to launch her "Moon Tiara Attack!". But that would be too much to ask for tonight, considering the circumstances. For no sooner had Tuxedo Mask reached Sailor Moon (who was still, one should say, barely consciously sprawled on the ground) when another youma, the carbon copy of the horrible-looking vampiress, with a mirror for a body, appeared behind Tuxedo Mask.
With speed, uncharacteristic of Dark Kingdom minions, the youma in front emitted an intense stream of photons to which our hero reacted with extreme swiftness and grace and was able to successfully cut-off with another one of his roses. But what he did not count on was --
"No…" As Sailor Moon saw the youma behind, almost simultaneously with the one in front, release its own beam which was directed at the unsuspecting back of the occupied Tuxedo Kamen.
"Tuxedo Kamen!" She screamed in warning.
As she saw Tuxedo Kamen turn his head, the strangest thing happened. For suddenly, it was not his masked face that she was seeing but that of -
'It can't be…' She thought in panic. And as time was against her, she did the only way she knew best to protect him.
Tuxedo Kamen felt her slump against his back as the wave of pure energy hit her full on the head.
"Sailor Moon!"
And with a terrifying rage directed towards himself as much as it was towards the twin youmas, he picked up an unconscious Sailor Moon and with a series of actions which he did so fast, that to an onlooker they would have been construed as one fluid motion, he sprung from the ground, took out his extendable cane from his space pocket, and smashed the mirrors of both youmas, who promptly disappeared after their bodies had splintered into a thousand pieces.
Only then did Sailor Moon start to stir in his arms...
"Tuxedo… Kamen-sama?"
"Hai. Where does it hurt?"
"I-- I-- don't hurt at all." She felt oddly untouched.
"Sailor Moon!" Shouted a raven-haired Sailor Mars as she and three other senshi -- Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus leapt and ran towards them.
"Konbawa, minna-chan! You're just right on time!" A sarcastic Sailor Moon greeted her comrades as she struggled to stand up from Tuxedo Mask's comforting hold. But it seemed that her legs refused to support her and she was once again in his arms...
"What happened?" Asked Sailor Venus.
"She has been hit by a laser-emitting youma. She had saved me."
"It was nothing that you had and would have done for me. Well, I'm now all right, Tuxedo Kamen-sama. Domo… arigatou… gozaimasu. Minna - let's go home." She said as once again, she tried to stand on her feet, albeit reluctantly, and stumbled towards Sailor Jupiter.
"You're still shaken, Sailor Moon. I'll take you home."
Tuxedo Mask watched the group disappear beneath the cherry blossom trees.
'Something is not right.'
He turned in the direction they went, and started to follow them. But already, none of them were in sight.
"Usagi-chan, tell me what's wrong." Makoto worriedly asked her golden- haired friend after the others quickly had de-transformed into their civilian selves and had spread out to avoid arousing Tuxedo Mask's suspicion if ever he decided to pursue their tracks.
"Well... it's nothing to worry about Mako-chan. It's just that -- everything looks fuzzy and wavy at the moment -- but I suspect all I need is a night's rest."
As they neared the Tsukino residence, a black cat leapt out from the shadows to meet them. There was nothing ordinary about this cat whose name was Luna. She was a moon cat, with a glowing crescent moon symbol on her forehead – a talking moon cat with a glowing crescent moon symbol on her forehead...
"What happened?" Luna asked worriedly as she saw Usagi leaning heavily on Makoto's tall and sturdy frame.
"Usagi got hit by a youma."
"You KLUTZED out - AGAIN?" Luna directed at the clinging Usagi.
"Save it, Luna. She's not yet fit to handle anything, much less another one of your galactic lectures."
"I'm fine... it's just that everything around me seems to have blurred edges, and I can't---"
Usagi was not able to finish what she was about to say as a bottomless pit seemed to yawn out from below her and start to suck her into its depths.
"USAGI!"
It was a good thing that five-foot-ten-inch Makoto was strong enough to carry Usagi's deadweight inside her house and into her room on the second floor to lay her gently down on her bed.
"What's wrong with her, Mako-chan? I've never seen her like this -- even when she was badly scorched and she hit her head against a tree the last time..." A badly frightened Luna whispered, barely audibly as she looked down at Usagi's deathly countenance.
"I don't know, Luna. We came too late -- a mite too late. Maybe tomorrow, things would be better."
---~@
The Friday morning sun was high up in the cloudless sky, and from a distance, the ringing bells of Juuban High could be heard, signaling the beginning of another day's school toil. As usual, Usagi was late, but she was unusually in no hurry.
'What is happening to me? I can't see a thing beyond this kaleidoscope that blocks my vision.' She clutched her head, as the first wave of pain assailed her senses. 'I should have listened to Luna. Oh why didn't I just stay at home.'
Blindly, she made a turn, intending to go back the way she had come from, but the blaring horn sound and the screeching brakes of a speeding car greeted her ears and rooted her to the spot. Before she knew it, a strong pair of arms locked themselves around her and a warm, lean, muscular body protected her as they fell and rolled on to the hard ground. Her protector bore the brunt of their fall, but to her oversensitive head, the pain was a thousandfold…
"You Idiot! What were you trying to do? Kill yourself?"
Usagi knew that voice. It was the same voice she heard every morning - the very same that haunted her nightmares at night. It was the same wintry voice that had her walking every night beneath the moonlight. 'Yes', she thought through the blinding haze of pain, 'I know that voice only too well. But she had never heard this anger in it before. Before, it was always calm. Mocking. Infuriating. So much a part of the man. Mamoru… She was still in his arms. She had never been so close to him like this. She struggled to open her eyes. But for the life of her, she could not open them for the pain, which coursed through her head. But pain or no pain, she was not about to let him get away with calling her "Idiot.
"Hardly, Baka! I was just trying to dent the car's bumper!" She flung out acerbically.
"Cut the sarcasm off, Odango Atama. I don't find this amusing." Coldly.
"ODANGO ATAMA? Well, then, perhaps I was trying to get YOU, BAKA, to dent the car's bum---!" Her ungrateful tirade trailed off as she opened her eyes and the kaleidoscope of colors seemed to whirl before her vision and just like in a power failure, suddenly disappear into the blackness which suddenly invaded her world. She tried closing her eyes and opening them again. But the darkness would not go away.
'I'm blind!' She thought in panic, as the knowledge suddenly dawned on her.
"What?" The sudden stillness in Mamoru's body surfaced her out of her shock. She did not know that she had spoken her discovery aloud.
He passed his hand twice before her unfocused eyes - near enough for any person with the slightest vision to flinch in reflex action. But there was no reaction from those unseeing blue eyes.
"My God." He whispered in horror. "How could this be?" He murmured to himself. "I must get you to the hospital." In one easy motion, he stood up and swung her gently into his arms. In no time, she was strapped to what seemed to be the leather upholstered seat of a car. The expensive purring of the engines lolled her into an unexpected, exhausted sleep…
Only the distant sound of voices awakened her…
"… I had her head scanned and from the results, I could see that her optic nerves have been damaged"
"An operation, then."
"No, that wouldn't do."
"I've seen it done before. I'll do it."
The old doctor smiled sadly at Mamoru. He never saw the young, colder-than- ice man this tense before.
"As much as you're the best student I've ever had and ever likely to have, Chiba-san, you don't have your medical license yet to operate. Honestly, I do not think that either you or I, or anyone else could do anything for her. What the girl needs is a miracle. I'm so sorry, there really isn't anything that can be done. Is she related to you?"
"A friend."
"Well then, the best you can do is to help her accept this."
'How does one ever accept becoming blind? No. This is not real. This can't happen to me. I am Sailor Moon.' Usagi stubbornly fought the unending blackness that stretched before her.
"Usagi." This was the first time she had heard him utter her name and she marveled at the way he made it sound so beautiful. She wondered at how she could take notice of such a thing in such a circumstance.
"Hai?"
He took one deep breath and said, "I've been talking to the doctor and he told me that--"
"I heard, Mamoru-san." She said softly, her voice composed, her eyes looking unseeingly straight ahead.
"I'll find any way to bring it back." He vowed.
"We're not God, Mamoru-san. Some things are meant by Him to happen for the better. But you're right, I don't believe it's incurable." She smiled at the darkness.
She sensed his presence loom before her. "You don't have to be brave all the time, Usagi-san." She felt the mattress depress beneath his weight, as he sat beside her and tentatively took her hand.
"Cry… it would help." The gentle, albeit laconic advice stunned Mamoru as much as it did Usagi. In all his years as an orphan, he had never found solace in tears. But he was not used to this calm, brave-faced Usagi. He braced himself for the first symptom of impending waterworks.
"What time is it?"
Mamoru was taken aback. "Five thirty-two – in the afternoon."
"I've been gone for nearly nine hours! Would you take me out of here, Mamoru-san? I detest hospitals. I'd like to go home."
But it turned out that it was to his own home that he took her to.
"Why?" Asked a confused Usagi after he had settled her on a soft bed.
"I heard you telling your friends at Motoki's arcade yesterday that you're parents and brother would be out for the entire weekend. Nobody would be at your house to take care of you. Shouldn't they be notified?"
"No! I don't want them to worry. I don't want to ruin Shingo's outing. It has been his dream all year round to be able to visit Akasaka with my parents and I. It's just that I backed out the last minute… Besides, I'll be able to manage."
"No."
"Well then, I'd call Rei or Ami or Lita – or Mina to take me until my parents come home."
"Tomorrow then."
"Why do you insist on taking me under your responsibility?"
"Because I'm a medical student and I'll be able to take care of you properly. For tonight, at least."
At his words, Usagi felt her emotions hit ground level. So, she was to be just a medical case. Oh, he was kind alright. Kind, compassionate and caring. But she didn't need those from him. What she needed – what she needed… from him was… Unrealizable. 'Snap out of it, Usagi.' She raged at herself. 'You've just become irrevoca – no! – blind and now you're thinking nuts. Baka!'
"Well, Ami's mom is a doctor." She said doggedly.
"Yes, but I'm sure that she'd be at the hospital, as her shift in the ER is during nighttime, wouldn't she?"
He was too clever, she had to give him that. And there was really no sound reason for her to refuse his offer to stay the night. But she honestly did not want to stay alone in his apartment with him - for the wrong intent. No, she didn't doubt his intentions. He was too honorable, too trustworthy. 'No', she thought as her eyelids dropped over her sightless eyes. What she didn't want was the fact that she was offered his care off-handedly. 'What then did you expect?' One half of her asked. But the other half refused to answer that. She was altogether too tired…
---~@
"No…"
"Usagi!"
Usagi was having the worst nightmare. They were back in the park, and the youma was going to hit Tuxedo Mask with its beam, she wanted to save him but there was no time to activate her tiara.
"No…!"
The beam was about to hit his defenseless back. And just as she moved her body to protect his, he turned, and she saw his face –
"Mamoru!"
"Usagi, wake up!" Mamoru shook her until her scream died and she was fully awakened. But she released a terrified cry. "Shh… you were having a nightmare."
For a moment after she opened her eyes, she was overwhelmed by the darkness that seemed to suffocate her. She thought of her dream. Only now, did she realize the full implications of her disability. She would not be able to fight with the others as Sailor Moon anymore. She would not be able to accomplish her mission to find the Moon Princess. She wouldn't… she wouldn't be able to do a lot of things that she used to do. It wasn't fair! She had her whole life ahead of her. A life which had been so full of wonderful, endless possibilities. And now, all she could see was a long dark tunnel ahead of her -- narrowing, and narrowing still. She panicked. Steady, Usagi. Breathe. Come on. That's it. Now, steady, girl, steady. She could hear his voice, and it was like a balm, soothing her.
"I dreamt of the incident which had caused this." She said aloud, when she was feeling more composed.
"The incident this morning?" He probed.
"No-I mean, y-yes, no. No. I-I hit my head r-rather hard on what felt like a - a w-wall t-the day before yesterday." She averred, stammering.
"And…" He prodded.
"Ummm… and nothing. That was all. You know what a klutz I am. He, he, he."
'You're not telling me everything, Usagi. There's something here that does not quite add up. But I'll find it all out.' Mamoru avowed silently. Aloud, he said, "Would you like to eat?"
She was not really hungry. But the change of subject greatly relieved her. "Hai!"
But in no time at all, her legendary appetite returned at the smell of spaghetti italiani with tomato sauce, meatballs and black olives. She rubbed her hands in her usual manner and proceeded to fumble with the smooth wooden chopsticks. But a few minutes later, her attempt to get the maximum amount of spaghetti into her, resulted in the maximum bulk of spaghetti swimming in a puddle on her tray that Mamoru had to take the pair of chopsticks from her hands and proceeded to feed her himself. She blushed at this seemingly intimate act. But she had to admit, she never knew that spaghetti could taste this good.
"That was sooo yummy. Where did you learn to cook so well?" She asked after gulping down the remnants of her Oolong tea.
"Motoki taught me the basics. The rest, I got from the cook books."
"What about from your mother?" She knew this was prying but she could not help herself. She had suddenly developed this urgency to know everything about him.
"My parents died in a car accident when I was seven." He said tersely.
"I'm sorry." She cursed the wave of impulsiveness, which had urged her to ask him tactlessly. It must have been lonely for him as a child. She could picture him - a beautiful boy of seven, with his dark hair and huge midnight blue eyes - full of pain and feelings of betrayal. She closed her eyes. And felt hot tears seep through her eyelids, as a sob escaped from her lips.
"Don't." Mamoru wondered at the irony of saying those words. Not more than three hours ago, he wanted her to cry her heart out. But now that she was starting do so, he could not bear to see her in tears. He took her in his arms and laid her head on his shoulders. He felt her tears seep through his dark blue sweater. She was crying in earnest now. "I'm so sorry." She sobbed brokenly.
"Shh… it's none of your fault. It was not that bad. I just had to learn to fend for myself a little earlier than most kids my age. That's all. Besides, I had my prin—I had Motoki and his family… and now, I have you - as my friend."
Usagi smiled a watery smile at that. "I've never been a good friend to you."
"On the contrary, you brightened my every morning, Odango. What better friend could have done that?"
'And you set my whole life ablaze… now, more than ever.' Usagi never imagined that she would ever acknowledge such cliché, revealing thoughts - even to herself. And she had never thought that the day - or rather night - would come when she would relish being called "Odango".
Even then, his statement proved to be a leverage for the beginning of camaraderie between the two of them. For the first time in the history of their fiery encounters, they were sharing easy bantering and exchanging experiences - and Usagi altogether forgot that she was unable to see. It was rhapsody to be able to hear his deep laughter and to listen to his beautiful voice.
"Why are you being so nice to me, Mamoru-kun?" Usagi asked as she snuggled close to Mamoru after a particular bout of laughter from a funny anecdote Usagi had just shared.
"I'm sorry that I was always a brute to you, Usagi. You see, I had always wanted a younger sister, I just didn't know how I would have acted around her."
'Sister! So that's what all this was about. Sister, indeed! Shut up, Usagi! We've been through this a couple of times: He might as well be from the moon! Now, face it! Or better yet, start thinking of a way to continue being Sailor Moon!'
"I-I'm tired, Mamoru. I would like to sleep, now, please."
"Would you like me to stay with you, until you fall asleep?"
"No, thank you." She said distantly, though it hurt so much to deny herself like this.
"What's the matter, Usagi-san?"
"Nothing." She replied coldly. Men are such moronic monsters! And what happened to "Odango"?
"Well then, here's a pair of pajamas. Good night." He said politely.
And as she sensed his presence leave the room, she felt the oppressive darkness. For the first time since she had become blind, she was truly experiencing loneliness. It was like the only light bulb in her world had been suddenly, cruelly extinguished, leaving her desolate.
"Meow." A soft furry creature nuzzled her cheek.
"Luna! H-how did you find me?"
"I followed you this morning from your house to the hospital, to this place. I've been staying outside, perched by the window. I couldn't have let Mamoru see me."
"Oh yeah. Clever cat! You're too conspicuous with that crescent moon symbol glaring on your forehead." Usagi giggled softly, while her eyes misted with unshed misery.
"Oh, Usagi-chan…" Luna said sadly.
"It's alright, Luna." And for the first time in their guardian-senshi relationship, Luna acted like a terran cat and snuggled against Usagi's neck.
"Meow." She purred and its effect on Usagi was like a doze of sleeping medication. Only when she was sure that the girl was peacefully asleep did she gently wriggle out of her embrace and leap out of the window.
Outside, the night was dark, for the moon and its stars were nowhere to be found.
----~@
The familiar redolence of roses pervaded his senses as he walked through the vale. Nothing had changed since his last visit, a few nights ago… the moon, nearing its fullness, still hung, dominantly effulgent in the starry sky… silvery-white swans glided across the still lake, and left in their trails tiny ripples, disturbing the moon's tranquil image.
But despite its tranquil familiarity, something was disquietingly wrong.
"Serenity." He whispered. He awaited her response. But his voice echoed through the silence. His heart began to labor painfully within him. Where was she? Until now, she had always welcomed his arrival with delighted laughter that sparkled through the air, before she revealed herself to him cloaked in light.
He missed her. Missed her so much that her absence was like a clawing talon in his heart.
"Serenity!" He ran through the woods, unmindful of the thorns and thistles that tore through his flesh. He looked about with wild, agitated eyes. He had never been here before… it was so dark he could barely see his feet.
"Serenity!" He called, once again, desperation now setting in. And just when he was about to give up, he saw a spark of light, in the distance up ahead. He run towards it, like a man who had not seen the sun for a hundred years.
He saw her, curled obliviously between the exposed roots of tree. Her body phosphorescent in slumber. He crouched and reached out to stroke the side of her face reverently. It had always seemed strange to him that he could feel her, hold her in his arms, hear her voice, but had never seen her face. But it did not matter. She was here and safe.
She had grown from the adorable child she had been, virtually right before his very eyes. And now, she was on the brink of womanhood. Tenderness for her overwhelmed him.
Serenity stirred with the rousing whisper of his fingertips. "Endymion… You have come." She said softly.
"Of course, I could never stay away for long." He took her in a tender embrace. "I had been on night duty in the hospital during the past three days." He explained and could not resist kissing the top of her head. "You smell of strawberries, my love." He breathed into her hair.
Serenity smiled. The radiance of it caused her entire being to glow brighter. And as always, the warmth of it had never failed to induce an answering glow within him. Light pervaded his entire entity. And in a flash, they were both back in the vale. But it was of no consequence. Nothing filtered through their awareness… Nothing except the invigorating feel of the other's presence…
"I have felt the Heart of the Holy Silver Crystal… 'tis close at hand…" She whispered in his ear. He ran the back of his forefinger on her cool, smooth cheek. She shivered and buried her face in the juncture of his neck and shoulders, like she always did when she felt shy. He grinned.
"Endymion." She muttered against his neck. This time, it was him who felt the shivers run up his spine. He felt her grin, before she sobered up immediately and lifted her head from its shelter. She faced him. In normal circumstances, the brilliance of her should have blinded him, but all it did was to conceal her countenance from him.
"Would you – will you d-do something for me?" She asked tentatively.
"Anything." He answered without hesitation.
"Bring me the Heart of the Holy Silver Crystal."
"How do I find it?"
"You won't need to. It will come to you."
"How will I recognize it, then?"
"I cannot tell…" She turned her head away, regretfully. Her sparkle dimming.
He cupped her cheek and slowly turned her face to him. "Don't be sad… I'll bring it to you. I'll bring you the Heart of the Holy Silver Crystal." He solemnly vowed.
"Thank you...." She gently took his hand in hers and kissed his open palm. "My love…"
He closed his eyes at the unexpected sensation that shot through him.
"I love you…"
----~@
A million tiny raindrops splattered the early morning streets of that Saturday morning. Overnight, the temperature had dropped from a bearable eleven degrees, to a biting eight degrees. But Usagi was blissfully unaware of the coldness outside as she snuggled against something… or rather someone wonderfully warm…
During the wee hours before dawn, she had had that dream again. The one where the youma tried to hit Tuxedo Mask, who became Mamoru. She had screamed again and in the grip of her terror, someone held her until her mind was at peace enough to go back to the world of oblivion.
And now, she was again at the threshold of wakefulness. Her senses could now register the smell of roses… and of something else. Something vitally warm - and alien. Something which filled her with the longing to nestle closer to its source. She breathed deeply, absorbing into her being that wonderful scent, but as she did so, she became aware of the fact that her head – bless it – was lying atop what seemed to be the rising and falling chest of a very asleep, very male – Mamoru! How ever did she get herself into such a compromising position? She carefully tried to raise her head, but her long hair was entangled with his arms, which were around her. Well, at least, nobody could say that she didn't try to extricate herself out of such a - an entrapment. Usagi gave a sigh and resigned herself to laying her head down on his chest. Who was she deluding? It was pure bliss to be able to have this opportunity to be closer to him still - even in his present state of unconsciousness.
And as the rhythmic sound of his breathing and the steady fall of the rain drummed her consciousness into slumber, her mind gave it a last message: "You love him - Baka!" And the feeling of lightness, which coupled the knowledge, was unlike any other she had felt before.
----~@
The drool-inducing smell of frying bacon wafted through the air and triggered Usagi's primary instinct. Suddenly, she sat bolt upright in bed and tried to scramble out of it. Unfortunately…
Thunk. Crash. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Usagi!" A pair of big hands took hold of her under her armpits and brought her back to bed.
"I-I'm alright, Mamoru-san. It doesn't hurt. Really. Honestly. Believe me, I've been through this thump, thump thing all my waking life and my bones and muscles have gotten used to it. Yep, right side of the bed, wrong way. He, he, at least now, I have an excuse - he, he, he…" She was babbling, she knew, but his hands, which were checking out for signs of injury Clinically detached as they were, they still had the power to make scrambled eggs out of her thought processes. But then, out of the jumbles, a thought occurred to her-
"The bedside lamp--!"
"Is broken beyond repair." He said with detached amusement.
"Gomen ne. Gomen nasai. I'll save to buy you another one. Gomen, gomen-"
He placed a finger to her lips to stem dam the rush of words. "Stop. It's alright. You don't have to replace it."
Suddenly, there was a stillness in him. His hands had left her body but she felt his sweet breath on her face. And suddenly, her heart started throbbing inside its cage and her breath became short and shallow. She could feel his nearness - and the thought sent her into panic mode.
"So what's the verdict?" She blurted out.
"Verdict? Sorry Ma'am, wrong occupation. But I do have a prescription…" His voice was deep and serious and she could feel him go closer still.
"What?" She swallowed hard. Was he going to kiss her? Do you want him to kiss you? All my life… Baka!
"I think you need to take your bath."
"Nani?"
"You heard me, Odango. Now stay put and try not to get into too much trouble, while I fix the tub, won't you?" He said with a little more of his old teasing.
"Why you, YOU - I can't believe you can be such a total nincompoop, Mamoru "Baka" Chiba! Of all the insults! Contrary to your stuck up opinion, I don't think I am in need of any bath. Hey, come to think of it, in this weather, I can go around without taking a bath for even three days! Wait a minute, I regress, I do think I need that bath - if only to wash away the stink of sleeping in your bed!" There was nothing like a volatile mixture of incredulity, outrage, disappointment and hurt emotions to set a girl flaming. But the last shot was a bit below the belt, if not ungrateful in the extreme, she acknowledged darkly.
"Exactly." And without further ado, a stunned Usagi felt herself being lifted out of the bed and being carried into what seemed like the bathroom. He seated her on the dry tiled floor before turning the tap to allow water to fill the tub.
"Just how are we going to smell differently if I am to use your soap?" She challenged.
"I always keep another brand." He said. His tone different. He was back to Mr. Curt again.
'O yeah? Just how often do you have someone spending the night in your apartment, Mamo-chan?' Usagi wondered jealously.
A few minutes and a thousand jealous musings later…
"I've placed the things you'll need by the edge. Here, feel. Can you help yourself or do you need me to help you in?" Mamoru said distantly. Too distantly, perhaps.
The thought of him undressing her and carrying her into the tub was enough to make her flush red from the scalp.
"I-I can manage. Arigatou."
"Very well. If you need something, just call." He said crisply.
She waited until she heard him close the door to the bathroom before she undressed and carefully felt for the tub to finally lower herself into its blessed warmth. She laid her head on the cushion, strategically placed near the edge of the luxurious sauna, and tried to relax. But her head ached from the futile effort of forcing her eyes to pierce the dark veil before them. Even then, she admitted that this physical pain was better than the mental anguish of having known Mamoru's gentle teasing, only to be subjected to his chilly politeness again. 'Well, it was your fault.' She sighed. She'd be best off concentrating on the task at hand.
About twenty minutes later, her hands ran through the smooth tiles to feel for the bath towel. But in her haste, her fingertips connected with an obstacle. A nanosecond later, a resounding crash tore through the bubbles floating in the humid bathroom air.
"What the--!" The bathroom door flew open and an aghast Mamoru exclaimed. "Usagi!" He could not see through the film of bubbles that impeded clear eyesight. For a moment, visions of Usagi ran through his mind. Visions of her - sprawled on the floor – unconscious… bleeding… Cold fingers of fear uncontrollably crept up his spine. Creeps! He was turning into a neurotic. His ears caught a frustrated moan. And then he saw her. She was leaning over the tub, frantically fumbling for the broken mess on the floor. Her long, unbound, golden tresses were wetly spilling over her ivory shoulders, while her smooth, beautiful back glistened with droplets of water. She was like a nymph - a beautiful frantic nymph soaking in a bubble-filled tub.
"Usagi, it's all right. It's just the hairdryer." He said calmly, despite the tumult that refused to be stilled inside him. He picked up the pieces of the irreparably smashed gadget and placed them on the marbled top of the sink.
"Gomen ne, Mamo-kun. Gomen nasai…" She spoke in a small voice, her eyes, a stormy shade of blue. Lately, she seemed to be saying out those words to him with a wretched frequency. After all the help and hospitality he had extended towards her, she had to go out of her way and repay it with her destructive tendencies.
Mamoru, on the other hand, after his initial shock at hearing her call him "Mamo-kun", was doubly shocked to see her looking so… so bitter. He never saw her like this, not even yesterday when... It wrenched his insides to see her with her head hanging at a defeated angle, her long, thick eyelashes sweeping over big sad eyes, and her knuckles showing white on small trembling hands... on trembling hands… She's trembling!
"Usa-chan, you're shivering!" Mamoru hurriedly grabbed the white robe hanging at the back of the bathroom's door and placed its end at Usagi's frozen fingertips. "Here. Put this on. You can hold onto my back." At his brisk command, Usagi snapped back to attention. 'Usa-chan…' Her left hand managed to clutch at what seemed to be the warm juncture between his neck and his left shoulder. He must have gone down on his hunches - with his back to her, of course - and used it as a support to stand up. She hurriedly slipped into the warm flannel robe, not caring that its edges were getting soaked in the tub, and belted it close. She lifted her right foot out of the bath, intending to find her own balance, but the marbled ledge was too high, and the white flannel robe, too long… She found herself falling again… felt a pair of arms swiftly taking hold of her… and tepid water splattering everywhere.
"What in the bla- " An outraged feminine voice demanded from the doorway.
"Rei?" Usagi gasped.
"Oh my goodness! Good thing I brought my disposable cam. Smile!" Click. Flash.
Two more collective, undeniably feminine gasps and… silence.
Four girls viewed their drowned-looking friend, stretched, with her bathrobe gaping precariously, on the lap of the dark-haired man, who, until this very moment, they all thought was her nemesis. But the pretty, telling picture in front of them was an explicit denial of that.
"What the -! "
"Ask your questions later. Usagi is getting ice-cold." Mamoru's authoritative voice doused the storm that threatened to blow out from Rei's lips. And as they made way for him as he carried Usagi on to the adjoining bedroom, four individual reactions painted four female, teenage faces. Affront. Amazement. Amusement. Approval.
"You need to get changed." He gently told Usagi. Towards her friends, "Help her. Her school uniform is on the armchair." And walked out of the room, his facial expression, non-existent.
Mamoru went out to the balcony and gazed at the stream of Juuban High students, with their backpacks and their lunch bags, chatting and laughing on their way to school. His fist slammed into the cemented balustrade. The pain rocketed its way through his brain.
"Why not try it with your head?"
Mamoru smiled, but continued staring at the scene below him. If only that could help Usagi, he'd gladly do it a thousand times.
The voice behind him erupted with violent anger. "How dare you - you baka! How dare you take advantage of a seventeen-year-old! Don't bother to defend yourself - no self-respecting court would hear you out! Damn! What a master plan - pretending indifference and scorn when in fact, you were planning s- something l-lecherous! I don't know how you seduced Usagi but-"
"She's blind."
"Yes! She must have been blind to—nani…?"
Inside the bedroom…
"Hey Usagi-chan - you dark bunny - you never said there was something between you and Mamoru-kun." Minako, elbowed Usagi meaningfully.
"Of course she didn't you ninny. Her relationship with Mamoru-kun is totally new and fragile and she would want to keep it to herself for a while before she'd let any of us into it. Right, Usagi-chan?" Makoto teased.
They all looked at Usagi who was quietly sitting on the huge, high bed with her feet dangling, dripping with cold liquid. They were not used to her in such a pensive mood. She was usually bubbling with chatter.
"Usagi-chan, you're getting colder. Here, put these on." Ami thrust the neatly folded uniform in front of Usagi.
They stared as Usagi groped for it, with unsure, trembling hands, and watched her grew desperate with the effort. There was something very wrong.
"Usagi-chan, take it easy. Can't you see them – they're in…" Ami's voice trailed off. She bent her knees so that she was on an eye-to-eye level with her friend…
"Usagi, what's wrong? Tell us. If Mamoru hurt you in anyway, I'll-" Makoto hovered threateningly, but stopped as...
"Usagi-chan, can't you see me?" Ami asked in a small, suspicious, anxious voice.
In answer, the blonde smiled - a tiny, forlorn smile and said, "No. But gee, your hair smells like the fresh flowers cut from the top of Mt. Fuji last nineteen ninety-nine."
Usagi heard Ami's indrawn breath. "No…"
"Since when? How?" Makoto breathed.
"Great. I was worrying how I'd tell you guys. You have just saved me the effort." Usagi said dryly.
"Nani?" Mina asked, still uncomprehending.
"She's blind." Rei said flatly from the doorway.
"She's-? That's not a nice crack, Rei-chan." But the lost look in Rei's eyes told her it was real. D****t, Usagi! How can you make a joke out of this? Bakaru!" Mina yelled.
"Don't yell at her!" Rei bellowed.
"I was not yelling at her!" Mina screamed.
"Yes you were!"
"I was?" Mina forged challengingly.
"Ye-es!"
"Stop that." Mamoru ordered quietly.
But the effect was like a hydrogen bomb. It left everybody motionless. Everyone, except…
"We were going to have breakfast, were we not, Usa-chan?" He asked tenderly.
"Hai, Mamo-kun!" Usagi replied cheerfully. Usa-chan. She was happy to hear that and the warm tone in Mamo-chan's voice again.
Mamoru helped her to her feet and then carried her out of the bedroom.
Four girls hung in the background. Stupefied. Usa-chan?
"Minna, you may join us, if you like." Mamoru threw over his shoulder.
----~@
"He actually chopstick-fed her!" Makoto uttered in delayed astonishment when the five of them were alone, after Mamoru had gone out to go to the hospital, and Usagi had just woken up from a morning's nap.
"Mmm… if that's the way to get a kawaii guy like Mamoru-kun, remind me to get into trouble the next time—oh, no! I didn't mean it that way, Usagi- chan. Gomen ne. I wasn't thinking. Gomen nasai."
"It's alright, Mina-chan. But you've taken it all wrongly. Mamoru and I are not what you think we are. He was just being nice because… because I'm handicapped. Besides, he might be feeling responsible for me because I blindly bumped into him yesterday morning, when I realized that I've lost my sight, that's all."
"What exactly happened before we arrived the other night?" Demanded Rei .
"I was in the park when a youma appeared. I transformed. I was attacked. I panicked. Tuxedo Kamen-sama came and tried to save me. Only, a duplicate youma materialized behind him. It emitted a beam. I knew that I could not let him have it. And so—"
"And so you let yourself in for it, instead. Brave girl. D****t, Usagi! Who told you to go around saving someone else's back when you can't even save your own?" Makoto fired.
"I… I… Well at that time, I wasn't thinking properly." 'Yes, I was in a frenzy, because I thought it was Mamoru's back that needed saving.'
"Yeah. That I could accept and vouch for."
"Hey!"
"Alright, Usagi-chan. No need to raise your fur…"
"How are we going to tell your parents?"
"I don't know. It'll come…" In the ensuing silence, Usagi could tangibly feel her friends' compassion. The last thing she wanted from any of them.
"Hey, snap out of it, you guys. It's not as if my life is over. I've got to be thankful that I didn't slip and bite my tongue out - wouch! That would have been a tad more painful. By the way, how did you guys know I was here?"
"Why, Luna told - Beans!" Makoto spat out and hurriedly opened the bedroom window.
Minako shrieked and joined Makoto who was bending over the windowsill.
"Oh my, how could we forget?" Amy bit her lower lip in worry.
"What is it?" Asked Usagi as she felt the gush of cold wind biting her face.
"Luna." Rei replied succinctly.
"Luna…?"
"She was the one who told us what happened and where you were. We were supposed to let her in through the window, but we sorta… forgot… he, he, he." Mina related.
"Y-y-you w-w-won't-t-t b-b-be a-ble t-t-to laugh a-a-again once I g-g-get out-t-t of t-t-this s-s-state…" A near-frozen Luna threatened.
"If ever you get out of that - he, he, he."
"D-d-dumb g-g-girl."
"D-d-dumber cat - he, he, he."
"Y-y-y-you-- !"
"He, he, he…"
"Cut it out, you two! We have a crisis here and all you can do is describe yourselves? I can't believe you!" Lita refereed.
"Ok. Now that we're all here, maybe we should all address the exigency at hand. Let's start the discussion." Ami said. (Everyone sweatdrops. 'Exigency - what?')
" Well, we can't fight without Sailor Moon. It's her tiara that does the moon-pulverizing bit. How's that for starters?" Rei began.
"Well, clearly, she's in no disposition to fight." Lita asserted.
"Why not find another one to take her place - for the moment?" Inserted Minako.
"Duh! We can't. Because one, the brooch can only have one owner, and it is already owned by Usagi. And two, even if that is not the case, finding another Sailor Moon would just compound our troubles." Declared Luna.
"So? What's your proposal?"
"….."
"I'll continue fighting."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"But, Usagi-chan, be reasonable. H-how are you going to dodge the enemy?"
"I could detect its energy through my fuku."
"Might I point out that even in the past, when you were not i-in your present condition, you umm, had trouble dodging the enemy." Rei reminded her.
"Yes. But I always ended up pulverizing the youma, didn't I?"
"Yes. But only by a hair's breadth before the youma would have pulverized us. Please, Usagi-chan, it's your safety that we are keeping in mind here. We do not want you to be –"
"Shhh… I hear the lock turning. Let's continue this later." Ami warned them.
"It's Mamoru." Usagi whispered, while her heart started beating into a gallop inside her rib cage.
"Hey Luna, out!" Mina grabbed a protesting Luna and dropped her onto the roof ledge outside, beneath the window.
"I'll get you for ---"
"Ha-Hah!"
"Quiet!"
Silence.
"Why do you all look like you've seen the Boogie Man?" Mamoru asked amusedly, as he leaned elegantly against the doorframe.
"It's probably because they thought they're seeing one." Usagi teased, her color heightened, and her smile aglow - so much so that it had her friends staring at her.
"Why you impertinent little brat! I'll teach you to have a healthy respect for ugly, big-nosed, big-eared, sharp-tooth, salivating monsters." Mamoru said in a good imitation of the Boogie Man, as he proceeded to take hold of her.
"Huh!" Scoffed Usagi.
"Huh, indeed." As Mamoru grabbed her and started tickling her ribcage. Usagi's friends were stunned. They have never seen this playful, indulging side of the normally imperturbable and enigmatic Mamoru.
"Hey - ha,ha! Cut, ha - it out - ha, ha - I can't - breathe!" Usagi squealed.
"Hah! Serves you right, for goading your Onii-chan!"
"Onii-chan?" Rei asked, under her breath - puzzled, as she saw the rose tints slowly drain from Usagi's cheeks.
'Onii-chan… Big brother… That's how he sees me. How he'll always see me. I knew that. He said so himself last night. I am like the sister he never had. Got that. Crystal… So why this tearing pain in my throat?' Usagi asked herself, as she dared not breathe for the lump inside her throat that threatened to choke its way out into audibility. 'Hadn't you admitted it? Admitted what? That you love him, baka! It was a m-mistake…That you love him? … NO! Then what was? I-I don't know… Baka… Hai, baka, baka, baka...'
"Usa-chan, what's wrong?" Mamoru asked concernedly as he felt Usagi's slight form suddenly still.
"S-so tired." Usagi whispered chokingly. She felt Mamoru's intense regard and struggled to hide the misery that threatened to spill from under sweeping lashes that slightly quivered.
"Gomen, Usa-chan. I didn't think." She felt the self-censure in his voice.
"Iie, Mamo-kun. That's my line." She smiled. A bright smile over hidden tear-brightened eyes. Perfect. She'd consider a supporting female role in the future.
"There's something else." He said too astutely for her sanity.
"Nothing else. J-just tired."
"All right." Mamoru conceded after feeling her head fall heavily against his chest. He carried her to her bed, and her hitherto-spellbound friends suddenly sprang to life and began to chatter. They helped Mamoru in lifting the bedcovers, plumping the pillows and making her comfortable.
Usagi kept up the pretense until she felt their presence leave the room and heard the door's lock softly click into its slot. Only then did she allow the dormant pain to crawl inside her. It crept like a serpent that seared its way from the pit of her stomach to her windpipe, until she could not breathe - to the insides of her eyelids, as she felt its fangs dig in sharply, until she could no longer contain the venom that trickled down from wounded, unseeing eyes. A little more than twenty-four hours ago, when she had gone completely blind. And she had cried once… and she was weeping again. But not for her blindness. Not even that could reduce her into this tight coil of agony that threatened to lacerate her if she was not careful enough… Mamoru… only… Unyielding darkness flaunted its face to mock her.
"Usa-chan." Strong arms cradled her against the warm, vibrant smell of roses.
The whispered sound of her name startled her. The whimper she so strove hard to contain, broke its way out from deep within her. What was it… compassion… caring… gentleness? None that could completely fill the void that she had never before guessed was even there. But the sound of his voice brought with it a glimmer of light.
"Usa-chan, what's wrong?" Mamoru asked hoarsely.
She held herself still. If it were not for the weak stream that flowed from tightly shut eyelids, anyone would have thought that she was only trying hard to sleep, as children often do.
"Usagi!" This time, more urgently.
"I-I-can't." A strangled sob escaped from her throat.
"Tell me." He whispered softly, his lips so close to her temple that she could feel his breath stir the soft tendrils of her hair. It soothed her, at the same time that it roused within her an indefinable yearning that clawed at the emptiness within.
"I love you."
It was his turn to be still. For a moment, Mamoru thought that he had imagined the soft admission. But it haunted the air like a tangible ghost. He was confused. And he cannot explain the lightness that he felt whenever he was near her. But he had pledged his heart his princess…
She had said that she loved him. But girls her age were notorious for falling in and out of love at the drop of a hat. No, he wasn't stupid enough to liken Usagi to the other girls. She was different. She was an innocent. And though she might be carefree and bubbly, she was also caring and sensitive.
She was infatuated with him. Yes. That's it. Infatuation. He hoped so. He prayed so. Fervently prayed so. But what if it isn't... "No!"
He felt her tense and saw her face harden stoically. He did not realize that he had uttered the denial aloud.
"My God, Usagi! I'm sorry… so sorry… I can't…" He started to rock her in his arms. Usagi felt his self-reproach. It ate into her like a rush of corrosive acid. She hurt all over from a mixture volatile sensations… humiliation, self-pity, grief… but the pain from the knowledge that he was suffering because of her, was the most acute.
"It's alright, Mamo-kun." She groped for his fingers in a comforting gesture and brought them to her cheek. "Please, do not feel t-that you owe me anything." She took a steadying breath and forged in her normal tart voice. "And please don't start mumbling about me being seventeen and too young for stuff like this. I could still land you a punch, you know. Remember the last time you called me a - what was it - a "bean-brained bun- head?"
Yes. He remembered the incident clearly. She had called him a "banana-assed baboon" and a host of other unappealing cognomens. He had responded by laughing at her face and calling her the fore-mentioned appellation. She had been livid. She had kicked him. And missed his most sensitive part by sheer luck. How could he forget. He started laughing softly, at the memory of her outrage.
She smiled upon hearing his wonderful laughter and turned her face to his chest. "Hey, are you busy this afternoon?"
Hey, are you busy this afternoon? Just like that. Mamoru stared at her, stunned. No tear, no distressed whimpering. Nothing. Nothing but a generous heart and an understanding, almost painful smile. She was making it easy for him. But he had no practice at all in handling situations like this. But so had she. A troubling voice within derided him.
"Usagi." He took a deep breath. "No, why?"
"The cherry blossoms are scheduled to bloom this afternoon. Have you ever seen sakura buds blossom slowly? It's the most wonderful thing. Heavenly. For the past ten years, except for this year - that is, we - Oto-chan, Oka- chan and Shingo - have been going to the park to witness them blossom. I -- " Usagi faltered. She knew she was blabbering. But she could not stop herself. She felt the darkness closing in on her. She took a steadying breath. "W-would y-you a-accompany us to the park - if you don't have anything else to do, that is? But I could understand it if you'd rather not. I mean, you must have lots of other things to do – you, being almost a doctor, and stuff. Anyway, it's not as if I'd be able to see them – he, he… However, I have never missed being there while they bloomed and --" A forefinger was laid on her lips to stem the rush of words. She felt a spark in the darkness as a warm tide rush to her ears – to her cheeks, and knocked the breath from her chest.
"Let's go." Was all he said.
----~@
End of Part I
P.S. Now here's the deal minna-san: I get enough reviews, and I'll release Part II. Say, a hundred? Just kidding. But please, do review me. Domo arigatou gozaimasu. Have a blessed day.
By zSah
Summary: Sailor Moon saves Tuxedo Kamen from a youma's attack. In the morning, Usagi finds herself blind, and falling… into the arms of her nemesis, Mamoru.
Author's notes
1) In the market for ideas, one barters his thoughts or the representations thereof, in exchange for the thoughts of others. And the main motivation lies in the search for profit… the profit of satisfaction. The satisfaction one gets from knowing that his brainchild is appreciated. And what better currency is there for compensating an author with one's appreciation than by reviewing him… in this case her… thoroughly… truthfully…
In clearer terms, REVIEW this fic, people. PLEASE! There, I'm reduced to begging.
I'm through writing this fic. But I've decided to install it in two parts. Do review each part.
No flames, please.
Thank you, in anticipation of your reviews.
Thank you, again, for putting up with me, so far. (",)
Disclaimer: The anime series Bishoujo Senshi belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.
1 John 8:12
Then Jesus spake again, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
----~@
With Your Light to Guide Me
by z§äh
1.1 Prologue
Everything was dark. Not a ray of light intruded into the unending despair. He was all alone. They had gone and left... never to return. The old man in a black robe told him that. They had gone to heaven. And left him alone to fend for himself.
He felt a drop of moisture trickle to his hand. He raised it to take a look. Not even a gleam appeared to reveal itself to him. He brought his fingers to touch the suspect dampness. He was crying! A weakness. One he could not afford. He dashed the tears with an angry arm.
He breathed in deeply to calm his senses. And realized that he knew not where he was. Where was he? What was this place?
His eyes squinted and tried to pierce the darkness. But the void was relentless.
His pulse started to quicken. He was lost. And no one would even care enough to look for him.
"Mama! Papa!" He yelled... over and over again. But his cries met with mocking silence.
"Mama... Papa..." He whispered hoarsely. Hopelessly. And the misery he had fought to hold back started flowing without restraint.
"I'm here." A tiny voice whispered from nowhere. "Don't cry, I'm here."
His head jerked towards the source of the sound. And suddenly, he saw a flicker of light. The flicker pulsated, and grew, gradually, steadily, until its white light now turned to a glowing red. It started floating towards him. He scrambled in fear, and fell to the unseen ground. But the now blazing object continued to draw nearer him… nearer, nearing… until it hovered threateningly upon his hand… He gazed at it curiously, his fear now seeping away. His fingers lifted of their own volition to stroke the ruby flame. No sooner had his fingers touched it when it glowed brighter, and brighter still, before the excess light faded away to reveal a gleaming red rose.
And with it, appeared a little girl, bathed in silver light.
"Who are you?" He asked suspiciously. His eyes strained to get a look at her features. But the light was too bright behind her.
"Sewenity." She said disarmingly. She could not have been more than three years old.
"Sewenity?" His brows furrowed when he saw her shake her head in vigorous protest.
"Iie. Se-r-re-nity." She enunciated carefully.
"Oh, Serenity… My name's Mamoru."
"Iie." Serenity's head shook again with renewed vigor. "En-dy-mion." She told him solemnly.
"No. My name is Ma-mo-ru." He told her, carefully pronouncing each syllable of his name.
"En-dy-mion." The child stated stubbornly, and giggled.
The sound of her childish laughter had lightened part of the heaviness within him. And suddenly, light rushed like a rolling wave to unveil a moonlit vale of myriad roses.
He looked around him in wonder. He must be dreaming. He looked down at the feel of her tiny luminescent fingers gripping his slightly larger ones. She was pure light, this mysterious child.
"En-dy-mion." She repeated cheerfully and craned her young neck to look at him. And though he could not see her face, he felt the warmth of her smile. He felt the ice within him thaw.
And he smiled back.
Someone above is surely looking after him.
Surely, she had come to light up his world.
----~@
1.2 Part I
----~@
It was a moonlit, starlit April night, with the breeze breathing its cool sigh and the nightingales humming their nocturnal melodies.
In the midst of the park, a lone girl treaded her way amidst the cluster of cherry blossom trees and well-kept rose hedges until she came to the edge of the lake which sparkled with moonshine.
She was a slip of a thing, this seventeen-year-old lass. Her bones were fragile, her waist was tiny and her legs were slim. But there was nothing inconsequential about this girl. She was five feet, three inches. Her skin had a translucent quality, which reminded one of alabaster and of oyster pearls. Her calf-length-odangoes-styled hair (rolled into two buns on either side of her head, with the ends reaching to her knees) was golden, as if the sun had chosen to always smile on it. And her face… ah… her face was a joy to behold, with its delicate eyebrows, its small, straight nose, its rosebud lips and its stubborn little chin – set to perfection. But it was her pair of eyes that distinguished her the most. Her clear, rounded, cerulean eyes, which can contain all the happiness in the world, in one brilliant sparkle, and radiate with warmth… with tenderness… with innocence… and reach out to those blessed enough to be around her.
And tonight, like in every other night, they were gleaming, reflecting the moon's borrowed light as she raised her head to find solace in its cold warmth.
She loved this place, at this time of the night, when no one was about and a gentle zephyr teased the silken surface of the still water to distort the images of the risen moon and the cherry blossom trees with their yet-to- bloom buds. It was her refuge - a sanctuary for her wounded soul… as it always came out after a scorching encounter with him...
And now, more than ever, she needed all the peace she could get. She let tired eyelids close over her eyes, and let the serenity of the evening wash over her.
But it seemed that her solitude was to come to an end. For all of a sudden, an earth-shaking scream rented the fabric of silence beneath the cherry blossom trees behind her. And there could only be one reason for that-
"Moon prism power make-up!"
No sooner had she uttered the words when a burst of rainbow light sprang from her raised brooch and ribbons reached out from nowhere to surround her suspended body, and let her finally emerge, clothed in knee-length red boots, a pair of red elbow-length gloves and a mini-skirted blue, white and red fuku.
Yes, she was none other than Sailor Moon, champion of love and justice. And for the moment, she was off to save someone unjustly attacked.
She was no stranger to the sight that greeted her. It was always like this, a youma from the Dark Kingdom finds a victim and attempts to drain it of its energy. It was just fortunate that she and or one of the other Sailor Senshi happen to be close by when the attacks occur. Moreover, Luna had this uncanny ability to detect an attack.
For tonight, it seemed that the victim was a cowering, red-haired teenage girl, and the youma was a six-foot, golden-limbed, horrible-looking shinma -- a vampiress --, with a full-length mirror for a body.
"I am Sailor Moon, Champion of Love and Justice. In the name of the Moon, I shall punish you!"
"Not if I scramble your brains first, Sailor Wimp!" The redhead, who managed to run out of sight, was now wholly forgotten.
It was bad enough being practically called that to one's face everyday during one's normal self, but a little respect should be in order when one is in her heroine's garb. Shouldn't it?
"SAILOR WIMP? YOU -- wait till I get my hands on yOu, yOU -- YOU H-HIDEOUS H-HAG!" Spluttered a terribly incensed Senshi.
And with that, another loop in the Senshi Chronicles spiral had started: the youma attacks, Sailor Moon scrambles, barely dodging the wave of pure energy which threatens to do something to her - probably, atomize her - and in the process, just about manages - always - to stumble on an imaginary obstacle and fall face flat on to the hard ground. And just when the youma has her exactly where it wanted her to be (down on the ground, spitting out dust), and emits another wave of energy directed at her, a flying rose just about succeeds to interfere and save the Champion of Love and Justice.
He glides by the name of Tuxedo Kamen, otherwise known as the Champion of the Champion of Love and Justice. Yes, he wore a black tuxedo and had a mask to shield his eyes. Added to these, he had a calf-length cape, a tall hat, white gloves, black, polished, hand-made Salvatore Ferragamo shoes and was the last word in male elegance. His favorite attack makes use of steel- tipped roses, which he manages to stick just anywhere.
And if the cycle were to run its course, by now, the dashing, mask-and- caped hero would have harshly ordered our klutzy heroine to launch her "Moon Tiara Attack!". But that would be too much to ask for tonight, considering the circumstances. For no sooner had Tuxedo Mask reached Sailor Moon (who was still, one should say, barely consciously sprawled on the ground) when another youma, the carbon copy of the horrible-looking vampiress, with a mirror for a body, appeared behind Tuxedo Mask.
With speed, uncharacteristic of Dark Kingdom minions, the youma in front emitted an intense stream of photons to which our hero reacted with extreme swiftness and grace and was able to successfully cut-off with another one of his roses. But what he did not count on was --
"No…" As Sailor Moon saw the youma behind, almost simultaneously with the one in front, release its own beam which was directed at the unsuspecting back of the occupied Tuxedo Kamen.
"Tuxedo Kamen!" She screamed in warning.
As she saw Tuxedo Kamen turn his head, the strangest thing happened. For suddenly, it was not his masked face that she was seeing but that of -
'It can't be…' She thought in panic. And as time was against her, she did the only way she knew best to protect him.
Tuxedo Kamen felt her slump against his back as the wave of pure energy hit her full on the head.
"Sailor Moon!"
And with a terrifying rage directed towards himself as much as it was towards the twin youmas, he picked up an unconscious Sailor Moon and with a series of actions which he did so fast, that to an onlooker they would have been construed as one fluid motion, he sprung from the ground, took out his extendable cane from his space pocket, and smashed the mirrors of both youmas, who promptly disappeared after their bodies had splintered into a thousand pieces.
Only then did Sailor Moon start to stir in his arms...
"Tuxedo… Kamen-sama?"
"Hai. Where does it hurt?"
"I-- I-- don't hurt at all." She felt oddly untouched.
"Sailor Moon!" Shouted a raven-haired Sailor Mars as she and three other senshi -- Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus leapt and ran towards them.
"Konbawa, minna-chan! You're just right on time!" A sarcastic Sailor Moon greeted her comrades as she struggled to stand up from Tuxedo Mask's comforting hold. But it seemed that her legs refused to support her and she was once again in his arms...
"What happened?" Asked Sailor Venus.
"She has been hit by a laser-emitting youma. She had saved me."
"It was nothing that you had and would have done for me. Well, I'm now all right, Tuxedo Kamen-sama. Domo… arigatou… gozaimasu. Minna - let's go home." She said as once again, she tried to stand on her feet, albeit reluctantly, and stumbled towards Sailor Jupiter.
"You're still shaken, Sailor Moon. I'll take you home."
Tuxedo Mask watched the group disappear beneath the cherry blossom trees.
'Something is not right.'
He turned in the direction they went, and started to follow them. But already, none of them were in sight.
"Usagi-chan, tell me what's wrong." Makoto worriedly asked her golden- haired friend after the others quickly had de-transformed into their civilian selves and had spread out to avoid arousing Tuxedo Mask's suspicion if ever he decided to pursue their tracks.
"Well... it's nothing to worry about Mako-chan. It's just that -- everything looks fuzzy and wavy at the moment -- but I suspect all I need is a night's rest."
As they neared the Tsukino residence, a black cat leapt out from the shadows to meet them. There was nothing ordinary about this cat whose name was Luna. She was a moon cat, with a glowing crescent moon symbol on her forehead – a talking moon cat with a glowing crescent moon symbol on her forehead...
"What happened?" Luna asked worriedly as she saw Usagi leaning heavily on Makoto's tall and sturdy frame.
"Usagi got hit by a youma."
"You KLUTZED out - AGAIN?" Luna directed at the clinging Usagi.
"Save it, Luna. She's not yet fit to handle anything, much less another one of your galactic lectures."
"I'm fine... it's just that everything around me seems to have blurred edges, and I can't---"
Usagi was not able to finish what she was about to say as a bottomless pit seemed to yawn out from below her and start to suck her into its depths.
"USAGI!"
It was a good thing that five-foot-ten-inch Makoto was strong enough to carry Usagi's deadweight inside her house and into her room on the second floor to lay her gently down on her bed.
"What's wrong with her, Mako-chan? I've never seen her like this -- even when she was badly scorched and she hit her head against a tree the last time..." A badly frightened Luna whispered, barely audibly as she looked down at Usagi's deathly countenance.
"I don't know, Luna. We came too late -- a mite too late. Maybe tomorrow, things would be better."
---~@
The Friday morning sun was high up in the cloudless sky, and from a distance, the ringing bells of Juuban High could be heard, signaling the beginning of another day's school toil. As usual, Usagi was late, but she was unusually in no hurry.
'What is happening to me? I can't see a thing beyond this kaleidoscope that blocks my vision.' She clutched her head, as the first wave of pain assailed her senses. 'I should have listened to Luna. Oh why didn't I just stay at home.'
Blindly, she made a turn, intending to go back the way she had come from, but the blaring horn sound and the screeching brakes of a speeding car greeted her ears and rooted her to the spot. Before she knew it, a strong pair of arms locked themselves around her and a warm, lean, muscular body protected her as they fell and rolled on to the hard ground. Her protector bore the brunt of their fall, but to her oversensitive head, the pain was a thousandfold…
"You Idiot! What were you trying to do? Kill yourself?"
Usagi knew that voice. It was the same voice she heard every morning - the very same that haunted her nightmares at night. It was the same wintry voice that had her walking every night beneath the moonlight. 'Yes', she thought through the blinding haze of pain, 'I know that voice only too well. But she had never heard this anger in it before. Before, it was always calm. Mocking. Infuriating. So much a part of the man. Mamoru… She was still in his arms. She had never been so close to him like this. She struggled to open her eyes. But for the life of her, she could not open them for the pain, which coursed through her head. But pain or no pain, she was not about to let him get away with calling her "Idiot.
"Hardly, Baka! I was just trying to dent the car's bumper!" She flung out acerbically.
"Cut the sarcasm off, Odango Atama. I don't find this amusing." Coldly.
"ODANGO ATAMA? Well, then, perhaps I was trying to get YOU, BAKA, to dent the car's bum---!" Her ungrateful tirade trailed off as she opened her eyes and the kaleidoscope of colors seemed to whirl before her vision and just like in a power failure, suddenly disappear into the blackness which suddenly invaded her world. She tried closing her eyes and opening them again. But the darkness would not go away.
'I'm blind!' She thought in panic, as the knowledge suddenly dawned on her.
"What?" The sudden stillness in Mamoru's body surfaced her out of her shock. She did not know that she had spoken her discovery aloud.
He passed his hand twice before her unfocused eyes - near enough for any person with the slightest vision to flinch in reflex action. But there was no reaction from those unseeing blue eyes.
"My God." He whispered in horror. "How could this be?" He murmured to himself. "I must get you to the hospital." In one easy motion, he stood up and swung her gently into his arms. In no time, she was strapped to what seemed to be the leather upholstered seat of a car. The expensive purring of the engines lolled her into an unexpected, exhausted sleep…
Only the distant sound of voices awakened her…
"… I had her head scanned and from the results, I could see that her optic nerves have been damaged"
"An operation, then."
"No, that wouldn't do."
"I've seen it done before. I'll do it."
The old doctor smiled sadly at Mamoru. He never saw the young, colder-than- ice man this tense before.
"As much as you're the best student I've ever had and ever likely to have, Chiba-san, you don't have your medical license yet to operate. Honestly, I do not think that either you or I, or anyone else could do anything for her. What the girl needs is a miracle. I'm so sorry, there really isn't anything that can be done. Is she related to you?"
"A friend."
"Well then, the best you can do is to help her accept this."
'How does one ever accept becoming blind? No. This is not real. This can't happen to me. I am Sailor Moon.' Usagi stubbornly fought the unending blackness that stretched before her.
"Usagi." This was the first time she had heard him utter her name and she marveled at the way he made it sound so beautiful. She wondered at how she could take notice of such a thing in such a circumstance.
"Hai?"
He took one deep breath and said, "I've been talking to the doctor and he told me that--"
"I heard, Mamoru-san." She said softly, her voice composed, her eyes looking unseeingly straight ahead.
"I'll find any way to bring it back." He vowed.
"We're not God, Mamoru-san. Some things are meant by Him to happen for the better. But you're right, I don't believe it's incurable." She smiled at the darkness.
She sensed his presence loom before her. "You don't have to be brave all the time, Usagi-san." She felt the mattress depress beneath his weight, as he sat beside her and tentatively took her hand.
"Cry… it would help." The gentle, albeit laconic advice stunned Mamoru as much as it did Usagi. In all his years as an orphan, he had never found solace in tears. But he was not used to this calm, brave-faced Usagi. He braced himself for the first symptom of impending waterworks.
"What time is it?"
Mamoru was taken aback. "Five thirty-two – in the afternoon."
"I've been gone for nearly nine hours! Would you take me out of here, Mamoru-san? I detest hospitals. I'd like to go home."
But it turned out that it was to his own home that he took her to.
"Why?" Asked a confused Usagi after he had settled her on a soft bed.
"I heard you telling your friends at Motoki's arcade yesterday that you're parents and brother would be out for the entire weekend. Nobody would be at your house to take care of you. Shouldn't they be notified?"
"No! I don't want them to worry. I don't want to ruin Shingo's outing. It has been his dream all year round to be able to visit Akasaka with my parents and I. It's just that I backed out the last minute… Besides, I'll be able to manage."
"No."
"Well then, I'd call Rei or Ami or Lita – or Mina to take me until my parents come home."
"Tomorrow then."
"Why do you insist on taking me under your responsibility?"
"Because I'm a medical student and I'll be able to take care of you properly. For tonight, at least."
At his words, Usagi felt her emotions hit ground level. So, she was to be just a medical case. Oh, he was kind alright. Kind, compassionate and caring. But she didn't need those from him. What she needed – what she needed… from him was… Unrealizable. 'Snap out of it, Usagi.' She raged at herself. 'You've just become irrevoca – no! – blind and now you're thinking nuts. Baka!'
"Well, Ami's mom is a doctor." She said doggedly.
"Yes, but I'm sure that she'd be at the hospital, as her shift in the ER is during nighttime, wouldn't she?"
He was too clever, she had to give him that. And there was really no sound reason for her to refuse his offer to stay the night. But she honestly did not want to stay alone in his apartment with him - for the wrong intent. No, she didn't doubt his intentions. He was too honorable, too trustworthy. 'No', she thought as her eyelids dropped over her sightless eyes. What she didn't want was the fact that she was offered his care off-handedly. 'What then did you expect?' One half of her asked. But the other half refused to answer that. She was altogether too tired…
---~@
"No…"
"Usagi!"
Usagi was having the worst nightmare. They were back in the park, and the youma was going to hit Tuxedo Mask with its beam, she wanted to save him but there was no time to activate her tiara.
"No…!"
The beam was about to hit his defenseless back. And just as she moved her body to protect his, he turned, and she saw his face –
"Mamoru!"
"Usagi, wake up!" Mamoru shook her until her scream died and she was fully awakened. But she released a terrified cry. "Shh… you were having a nightmare."
For a moment after she opened her eyes, she was overwhelmed by the darkness that seemed to suffocate her. She thought of her dream. Only now, did she realize the full implications of her disability. She would not be able to fight with the others as Sailor Moon anymore. She would not be able to accomplish her mission to find the Moon Princess. She wouldn't… she wouldn't be able to do a lot of things that she used to do. It wasn't fair! She had her whole life ahead of her. A life which had been so full of wonderful, endless possibilities. And now, all she could see was a long dark tunnel ahead of her -- narrowing, and narrowing still. She panicked. Steady, Usagi. Breathe. Come on. That's it. Now, steady, girl, steady. She could hear his voice, and it was like a balm, soothing her.
"I dreamt of the incident which had caused this." She said aloud, when she was feeling more composed.
"The incident this morning?" He probed.
"No-I mean, y-yes, no. No. I-I hit my head r-rather hard on what felt like a - a w-wall t-the day before yesterday." She averred, stammering.
"And…" He prodded.
"Ummm… and nothing. That was all. You know what a klutz I am. He, he, he."
'You're not telling me everything, Usagi. There's something here that does not quite add up. But I'll find it all out.' Mamoru avowed silently. Aloud, he said, "Would you like to eat?"
She was not really hungry. But the change of subject greatly relieved her. "Hai!"
But in no time at all, her legendary appetite returned at the smell of spaghetti italiani with tomato sauce, meatballs and black olives. She rubbed her hands in her usual manner and proceeded to fumble with the smooth wooden chopsticks. But a few minutes later, her attempt to get the maximum amount of spaghetti into her, resulted in the maximum bulk of spaghetti swimming in a puddle on her tray that Mamoru had to take the pair of chopsticks from her hands and proceeded to feed her himself. She blushed at this seemingly intimate act. But she had to admit, she never knew that spaghetti could taste this good.
"That was sooo yummy. Where did you learn to cook so well?" She asked after gulping down the remnants of her Oolong tea.
"Motoki taught me the basics. The rest, I got from the cook books."
"What about from your mother?" She knew this was prying but she could not help herself. She had suddenly developed this urgency to know everything about him.
"My parents died in a car accident when I was seven." He said tersely.
"I'm sorry." She cursed the wave of impulsiveness, which had urged her to ask him tactlessly. It must have been lonely for him as a child. She could picture him - a beautiful boy of seven, with his dark hair and huge midnight blue eyes - full of pain and feelings of betrayal. She closed her eyes. And felt hot tears seep through her eyelids, as a sob escaped from her lips.
"Don't." Mamoru wondered at the irony of saying those words. Not more than three hours ago, he wanted her to cry her heart out. But now that she was starting do so, he could not bear to see her in tears. He took her in his arms and laid her head on his shoulders. He felt her tears seep through his dark blue sweater. She was crying in earnest now. "I'm so sorry." She sobbed brokenly.
"Shh… it's none of your fault. It was not that bad. I just had to learn to fend for myself a little earlier than most kids my age. That's all. Besides, I had my prin—I had Motoki and his family… and now, I have you - as my friend."
Usagi smiled a watery smile at that. "I've never been a good friend to you."
"On the contrary, you brightened my every morning, Odango. What better friend could have done that?"
'And you set my whole life ablaze… now, more than ever.' Usagi never imagined that she would ever acknowledge such cliché, revealing thoughts - even to herself. And she had never thought that the day - or rather night - would come when she would relish being called "Odango".
Even then, his statement proved to be a leverage for the beginning of camaraderie between the two of them. For the first time in the history of their fiery encounters, they were sharing easy bantering and exchanging experiences - and Usagi altogether forgot that she was unable to see. It was rhapsody to be able to hear his deep laughter and to listen to his beautiful voice.
"Why are you being so nice to me, Mamoru-kun?" Usagi asked as she snuggled close to Mamoru after a particular bout of laughter from a funny anecdote Usagi had just shared.
"I'm sorry that I was always a brute to you, Usagi. You see, I had always wanted a younger sister, I just didn't know how I would have acted around her."
'Sister! So that's what all this was about. Sister, indeed! Shut up, Usagi! We've been through this a couple of times: He might as well be from the moon! Now, face it! Or better yet, start thinking of a way to continue being Sailor Moon!'
"I-I'm tired, Mamoru. I would like to sleep, now, please."
"Would you like me to stay with you, until you fall asleep?"
"No, thank you." She said distantly, though it hurt so much to deny herself like this.
"What's the matter, Usagi-san?"
"Nothing." She replied coldly. Men are such moronic monsters! And what happened to "Odango"?
"Well then, here's a pair of pajamas. Good night." He said politely.
And as she sensed his presence leave the room, she felt the oppressive darkness. For the first time since she had become blind, she was truly experiencing loneliness. It was like the only light bulb in her world had been suddenly, cruelly extinguished, leaving her desolate.
"Meow." A soft furry creature nuzzled her cheek.
"Luna! H-how did you find me?"
"I followed you this morning from your house to the hospital, to this place. I've been staying outside, perched by the window. I couldn't have let Mamoru see me."
"Oh yeah. Clever cat! You're too conspicuous with that crescent moon symbol glaring on your forehead." Usagi giggled softly, while her eyes misted with unshed misery.
"Oh, Usagi-chan…" Luna said sadly.
"It's alright, Luna." And for the first time in their guardian-senshi relationship, Luna acted like a terran cat and snuggled against Usagi's neck.
"Meow." She purred and its effect on Usagi was like a doze of sleeping medication. Only when she was sure that the girl was peacefully asleep did she gently wriggle out of her embrace and leap out of the window.
Outside, the night was dark, for the moon and its stars were nowhere to be found.
----~@
The familiar redolence of roses pervaded his senses as he walked through the vale. Nothing had changed since his last visit, a few nights ago… the moon, nearing its fullness, still hung, dominantly effulgent in the starry sky… silvery-white swans glided across the still lake, and left in their trails tiny ripples, disturbing the moon's tranquil image.
But despite its tranquil familiarity, something was disquietingly wrong.
"Serenity." He whispered. He awaited her response. But his voice echoed through the silence. His heart began to labor painfully within him. Where was she? Until now, she had always welcomed his arrival with delighted laughter that sparkled through the air, before she revealed herself to him cloaked in light.
He missed her. Missed her so much that her absence was like a clawing talon in his heart.
"Serenity!" He ran through the woods, unmindful of the thorns and thistles that tore through his flesh. He looked about with wild, agitated eyes. He had never been here before… it was so dark he could barely see his feet.
"Serenity!" He called, once again, desperation now setting in. And just when he was about to give up, he saw a spark of light, in the distance up ahead. He run towards it, like a man who had not seen the sun for a hundred years.
He saw her, curled obliviously between the exposed roots of tree. Her body phosphorescent in slumber. He crouched and reached out to stroke the side of her face reverently. It had always seemed strange to him that he could feel her, hold her in his arms, hear her voice, but had never seen her face. But it did not matter. She was here and safe.
She had grown from the adorable child she had been, virtually right before his very eyes. And now, she was on the brink of womanhood. Tenderness for her overwhelmed him.
Serenity stirred with the rousing whisper of his fingertips. "Endymion… You have come." She said softly.
"Of course, I could never stay away for long." He took her in a tender embrace. "I had been on night duty in the hospital during the past three days." He explained and could not resist kissing the top of her head. "You smell of strawberries, my love." He breathed into her hair.
Serenity smiled. The radiance of it caused her entire being to glow brighter. And as always, the warmth of it had never failed to induce an answering glow within him. Light pervaded his entire entity. And in a flash, they were both back in the vale. But it was of no consequence. Nothing filtered through their awareness… Nothing except the invigorating feel of the other's presence…
"I have felt the Heart of the Holy Silver Crystal… 'tis close at hand…" She whispered in his ear. He ran the back of his forefinger on her cool, smooth cheek. She shivered and buried her face in the juncture of his neck and shoulders, like she always did when she felt shy. He grinned.
"Endymion." She muttered against his neck. This time, it was him who felt the shivers run up his spine. He felt her grin, before she sobered up immediately and lifted her head from its shelter. She faced him. In normal circumstances, the brilliance of her should have blinded him, but all it did was to conceal her countenance from him.
"Would you – will you d-do something for me?" She asked tentatively.
"Anything." He answered without hesitation.
"Bring me the Heart of the Holy Silver Crystal."
"How do I find it?"
"You won't need to. It will come to you."
"How will I recognize it, then?"
"I cannot tell…" She turned her head away, regretfully. Her sparkle dimming.
He cupped her cheek and slowly turned her face to him. "Don't be sad… I'll bring it to you. I'll bring you the Heart of the Holy Silver Crystal." He solemnly vowed.
"Thank you...." She gently took his hand in hers and kissed his open palm. "My love…"
He closed his eyes at the unexpected sensation that shot through him.
"I love you…"
----~@
A million tiny raindrops splattered the early morning streets of that Saturday morning. Overnight, the temperature had dropped from a bearable eleven degrees, to a biting eight degrees. But Usagi was blissfully unaware of the coldness outside as she snuggled against something… or rather someone wonderfully warm…
During the wee hours before dawn, she had had that dream again. The one where the youma tried to hit Tuxedo Mask, who became Mamoru. She had screamed again and in the grip of her terror, someone held her until her mind was at peace enough to go back to the world of oblivion.
And now, she was again at the threshold of wakefulness. Her senses could now register the smell of roses… and of something else. Something vitally warm - and alien. Something which filled her with the longing to nestle closer to its source. She breathed deeply, absorbing into her being that wonderful scent, but as she did so, she became aware of the fact that her head – bless it – was lying atop what seemed to be the rising and falling chest of a very asleep, very male – Mamoru! How ever did she get herself into such a compromising position? She carefully tried to raise her head, but her long hair was entangled with his arms, which were around her. Well, at least, nobody could say that she didn't try to extricate herself out of such a - an entrapment. Usagi gave a sigh and resigned herself to laying her head down on his chest. Who was she deluding? It was pure bliss to be able to have this opportunity to be closer to him still - even in his present state of unconsciousness.
And as the rhythmic sound of his breathing and the steady fall of the rain drummed her consciousness into slumber, her mind gave it a last message: "You love him - Baka!" And the feeling of lightness, which coupled the knowledge, was unlike any other she had felt before.
----~@
The drool-inducing smell of frying bacon wafted through the air and triggered Usagi's primary instinct. Suddenly, she sat bolt upright in bed and tried to scramble out of it. Unfortunately…
Thunk. Crash. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Usagi!" A pair of big hands took hold of her under her armpits and brought her back to bed.
"I-I'm alright, Mamoru-san. It doesn't hurt. Really. Honestly. Believe me, I've been through this thump, thump thing all my waking life and my bones and muscles have gotten used to it. Yep, right side of the bed, wrong way. He, he, at least now, I have an excuse - he, he, he…" She was babbling, she knew, but his hands, which were checking out for signs of injury Clinically detached as they were, they still had the power to make scrambled eggs out of her thought processes. But then, out of the jumbles, a thought occurred to her-
"The bedside lamp--!"
"Is broken beyond repair." He said with detached amusement.
"Gomen ne. Gomen nasai. I'll save to buy you another one. Gomen, gomen-"
He placed a finger to her lips to stem dam the rush of words. "Stop. It's alright. You don't have to replace it."
Suddenly, there was a stillness in him. His hands had left her body but she felt his sweet breath on her face. And suddenly, her heart started throbbing inside its cage and her breath became short and shallow. She could feel his nearness - and the thought sent her into panic mode.
"So what's the verdict?" She blurted out.
"Verdict? Sorry Ma'am, wrong occupation. But I do have a prescription…" His voice was deep and serious and she could feel him go closer still.
"What?" She swallowed hard. Was he going to kiss her? Do you want him to kiss you? All my life… Baka!
"I think you need to take your bath."
"Nani?"
"You heard me, Odango. Now stay put and try not to get into too much trouble, while I fix the tub, won't you?" He said with a little more of his old teasing.
"Why you, YOU - I can't believe you can be such a total nincompoop, Mamoru "Baka" Chiba! Of all the insults! Contrary to your stuck up opinion, I don't think I am in need of any bath. Hey, come to think of it, in this weather, I can go around without taking a bath for even three days! Wait a minute, I regress, I do think I need that bath - if only to wash away the stink of sleeping in your bed!" There was nothing like a volatile mixture of incredulity, outrage, disappointment and hurt emotions to set a girl flaming. But the last shot was a bit below the belt, if not ungrateful in the extreme, she acknowledged darkly.
"Exactly." And without further ado, a stunned Usagi felt herself being lifted out of the bed and being carried into what seemed like the bathroom. He seated her on the dry tiled floor before turning the tap to allow water to fill the tub.
"Just how are we going to smell differently if I am to use your soap?" She challenged.
"I always keep another brand." He said. His tone different. He was back to Mr. Curt again.
'O yeah? Just how often do you have someone spending the night in your apartment, Mamo-chan?' Usagi wondered jealously.
A few minutes and a thousand jealous musings later…
"I've placed the things you'll need by the edge. Here, feel. Can you help yourself or do you need me to help you in?" Mamoru said distantly. Too distantly, perhaps.
The thought of him undressing her and carrying her into the tub was enough to make her flush red from the scalp.
"I-I can manage. Arigatou."
"Very well. If you need something, just call." He said crisply.
She waited until she heard him close the door to the bathroom before she undressed and carefully felt for the tub to finally lower herself into its blessed warmth. She laid her head on the cushion, strategically placed near the edge of the luxurious sauna, and tried to relax. But her head ached from the futile effort of forcing her eyes to pierce the dark veil before them. Even then, she admitted that this physical pain was better than the mental anguish of having known Mamoru's gentle teasing, only to be subjected to his chilly politeness again. 'Well, it was your fault.' She sighed. She'd be best off concentrating on the task at hand.
About twenty minutes later, her hands ran through the smooth tiles to feel for the bath towel. But in her haste, her fingertips connected with an obstacle. A nanosecond later, a resounding crash tore through the bubbles floating in the humid bathroom air.
"What the--!" The bathroom door flew open and an aghast Mamoru exclaimed. "Usagi!" He could not see through the film of bubbles that impeded clear eyesight. For a moment, visions of Usagi ran through his mind. Visions of her - sprawled on the floor – unconscious… bleeding… Cold fingers of fear uncontrollably crept up his spine. Creeps! He was turning into a neurotic. His ears caught a frustrated moan. And then he saw her. She was leaning over the tub, frantically fumbling for the broken mess on the floor. Her long, unbound, golden tresses were wetly spilling over her ivory shoulders, while her smooth, beautiful back glistened with droplets of water. She was like a nymph - a beautiful frantic nymph soaking in a bubble-filled tub.
"Usagi, it's all right. It's just the hairdryer." He said calmly, despite the tumult that refused to be stilled inside him. He picked up the pieces of the irreparably smashed gadget and placed them on the marbled top of the sink.
"Gomen ne, Mamo-kun. Gomen nasai…" She spoke in a small voice, her eyes, a stormy shade of blue. Lately, she seemed to be saying out those words to him with a wretched frequency. After all the help and hospitality he had extended towards her, she had to go out of her way and repay it with her destructive tendencies.
Mamoru, on the other hand, after his initial shock at hearing her call him "Mamo-kun", was doubly shocked to see her looking so… so bitter. He never saw her like this, not even yesterday when... It wrenched his insides to see her with her head hanging at a defeated angle, her long, thick eyelashes sweeping over big sad eyes, and her knuckles showing white on small trembling hands... on trembling hands… She's trembling!
"Usa-chan, you're shivering!" Mamoru hurriedly grabbed the white robe hanging at the back of the bathroom's door and placed its end at Usagi's frozen fingertips. "Here. Put this on. You can hold onto my back." At his brisk command, Usagi snapped back to attention. 'Usa-chan…' Her left hand managed to clutch at what seemed to be the warm juncture between his neck and his left shoulder. He must have gone down on his hunches - with his back to her, of course - and used it as a support to stand up. She hurriedly slipped into the warm flannel robe, not caring that its edges were getting soaked in the tub, and belted it close. She lifted her right foot out of the bath, intending to find her own balance, but the marbled ledge was too high, and the white flannel robe, too long… She found herself falling again… felt a pair of arms swiftly taking hold of her… and tepid water splattering everywhere.
"What in the bla- " An outraged feminine voice demanded from the doorway.
"Rei?" Usagi gasped.
"Oh my goodness! Good thing I brought my disposable cam. Smile!" Click. Flash.
Two more collective, undeniably feminine gasps and… silence.
Four girls viewed their drowned-looking friend, stretched, with her bathrobe gaping precariously, on the lap of the dark-haired man, who, until this very moment, they all thought was her nemesis. But the pretty, telling picture in front of them was an explicit denial of that.
"What the -! "
"Ask your questions later. Usagi is getting ice-cold." Mamoru's authoritative voice doused the storm that threatened to blow out from Rei's lips. And as they made way for him as he carried Usagi on to the adjoining bedroom, four individual reactions painted four female, teenage faces. Affront. Amazement. Amusement. Approval.
"You need to get changed." He gently told Usagi. Towards her friends, "Help her. Her school uniform is on the armchair." And walked out of the room, his facial expression, non-existent.
Mamoru went out to the balcony and gazed at the stream of Juuban High students, with their backpacks and their lunch bags, chatting and laughing on their way to school. His fist slammed into the cemented balustrade. The pain rocketed its way through his brain.
"Why not try it with your head?"
Mamoru smiled, but continued staring at the scene below him. If only that could help Usagi, he'd gladly do it a thousand times.
The voice behind him erupted with violent anger. "How dare you - you baka! How dare you take advantage of a seventeen-year-old! Don't bother to defend yourself - no self-respecting court would hear you out! Damn! What a master plan - pretending indifference and scorn when in fact, you were planning s- something l-lecherous! I don't know how you seduced Usagi but-"
"She's blind."
"Yes! She must have been blind to—nani…?"
Inside the bedroom…
"Hey Usagi-chan - you dark bunny - you never said there was something between you and Mamoru-kun." Minako, elbowed Usagi meaningfully.
"Of course she didn't you ninny. Her relationship with Mamoru-kun is totally new and fragile and she would want to keep it to herself for a while before she'd let any of us into it. Right, Usagi-chan?" Makoto teased.
They all looked at Usagi who was quietly sitting on the huge, high bed with her feet dangling, dripping with cold liquid. They were not used to her in such a pensive mood. She was usually bubbling with chatter.
"Usagi-chan, you're getting colder. Here, put these on." Ami thrust the neatly folded uniform in front of Usagi.
They stared as Usagi groped for it, with unsure, trembling hands, and watched her grew desperate with the effort. There was something very wrong.
"Usagi-chan, take it easy. Can't you see them – they're in…" Ami's voice trailed off. She bent her knees so that she was on an eye-to-eye level with her friend…
"Usagi, what's wrong? Tell us. If Mamoru hurt you in anyway, I'll-" Makoto hovered threateningly, but stopped as...
"Usagi-chan, can't you see me?" Ami asked in a small, suspicious, anxious voice.
In answer, the blonde smiled - a tiny, forlorn smile and said, "No. But gee, your hair smells like the fresh flowers cut from the top of Mt. Fuji last nineteen ninety-nine."
Usagi heard Ami's indrawn breath. "No…"
"Since when? How?" Makoto breathed.
"Great. I was worrying how I'd tell you guys. You have just saved me the effort." Usagi said dryly.
"Nani?" Mina asked, still uncomprehending.
"She's blind." Rei said flatly from the doorway.
"She's-? That's not a nice crack, Rei-chan." But the lost look in Rei's eyes told her it was real. D****t, Usagi! How can you make a joke out of this? Bakaru!" Mina yelled.
"Don't yell at her!" Rei bellowed.
"I was not yelling at her!" Mina screamed.
"Yes you were!"
"I was?" Mina forged challengingly.
"Ye-es!"
"Stop that." Mamoru ordered quietly.
But the effect was like a hydrogen bomb. It left everybody motionless. Everyone, except…
"We were going to have breakfast, were we not, Usa-chan?" He asked tenderly.
"Hai, Mamo-kun!" Usagi replied cheerfully. Usa-chan. She was happy to hear that and the warm tone in Mamo-chan's voice again.
Mamoru helped her to her feet and then carried her out of the bedroom.
Four girls hung in the background. Stupefied. Usa-chan?
"Minna, you may join us, if you like." Mamoru threw over his shoulder.
----~@
"He actually chopstick-fed her!" Makoto uttered in delayed astonishment when the five of them were alone, after Mamoru had gone out to go to the hospital, and Usagi had just woken up from a morning's nap.
"Mmm… if that's the way to get a kawaii guy like Mamoru-kun, remind me to get into trouble the next time—oh, no! I didn't mean it that way, Usagi- chan. Gomen ne. I wasn't thinking. Gomen nasai."
"It's alright, Mina-chan. But you've taken it all wrongly. Mamoru and I are not what you think we are. He was just being nice because… because I'm handicapped. Besides, he might be feeling responsible for me because I blindly bumped into him yesterday morning, when I realized that I've lost my sight, that's all."
"What exactly happened before we arrived the other night?" Demanded Rei .
"I was in the park when a youma appeared. I transformed. I was attacked. I panicked. Tuxedo Kamen-sama came and tried to save me. Only, a duplicate youma materialized behind him. It emitted a beam. I knew that I could not let him have it. And so—"
"And so you let yourself in for it, instead. Brave girl. D****t, Usagi! Who told you to go around saving someone else's back when you can't even save your own?" Makoto fired.
"I… I… Well at that time, I wasn't thinking properly." 'Yes, I was in a frenzy, because I thought it was Mamoru's back that needed saving.'
"Yeah. That I could accept and vouch for."
"Hey!"
"Alright, Usagi-chan. No need to raise your fur…"
"How are we going to tell your parents?"
"I don't know. It'll come…" In the ensuing silence, Usagi could tangibly feel her friends' compassion. The last thing she wanted from any of them.
"Hey, snap out of it, you guys. It's not as if my life is over. I've got to be thankful that I didn't slip and bite my tongue out - wouch! That would have been a tad more painful. By the way, how did you guys know I was here?"
"Why, Luna told - Beans!" Makoto spat out and hurriedly opened the bedroom window.
Minako shrieked and joined Makoto who was bending over the windowsill.
"Oh my, how could we forget?" Amy bit her lower lip in worry.
"What is it?" Asked Usagi as she felt the gush of cold wind biting her face.
"Luna." Rei replied succinctly.
"Luna…?"
"She was the one who told us what happened and where you were. We were supposed to let her in through the window, but we sorta… forgot… he, he, he." Mina related.
"Y-y-you w-w-won't-t-t b-b-be a-ble t-t-to laugh a-a-again once I g-g-get out-t-t of t-t-this s-s-state…" A near-frozen Luna threatened.
"If ever you get out of that - he, he, he."
"D-d-dumb g-g-girl."
"D-d-dumber cat - he, he, he."
"Y-y-y-you-- !"
"He, he, he…"
"Cut it out, you two! We have a crisis here and all you can do is describe yourselves? I can't believe you!" Lita refereed.
"Ok. Now that we're all here, maybe we should all address the exigency at hand. Let's start the discussion." Ami said. (Everyone sweatdrops. 'Exigency - what?')
" Well, we can't fight without Sailor Moon. It's her tiara that does the moon-pulverizing bit. How's that for starters?" Rei began.
"Well, clearly, she's in no disposition to fight." Lita asserted.
"Why not find another one to take her place - for the moment?" Inserted Minako.
"Duh! We can't. Because one, the brooch can only have one owner, and it is already owned by Usagi. And two, even if that is not the case, finding another Sailor Moon would just compound our troubles." Declared Luna.
"So? What's your proposal?"
"….."
"I'll continue fighting."
"What?"
"You heard me."
"But, Usagi-chan, be reasonable. H-how are you going to dodge the enemy?"
"I could detect its energy through my fuku."
"Might I point out that even in the past, when you were not i-in your present condition, you umm, had trouble dodging the enemy." Rei reminded her.
"Yes. But I always ended up pulverizing the youma, didn't I?"
"Yes. But only by a hair's breadth before the youma would have pulverized us. Please, Usagi-chan, it's your safety that we are keeping in mind here. We do not want you to be –"
"Shhh… I hear the lock turning. Let's continue this later." Ami warned them.
"It's Mamoru." Usagi whispered, while her heart started beating into a gallop inside her rib cage.
"Hey Luna, out!" Mina grabbed a protesting Luna and dropped her onto the roof ledge outside, beneath the window.
"I'll get you for ---"
"Ha-Hah!"
"Quiet!"
Silence.
"Why do you all look like you've seen the Boogie Man?" Mamoru asked amusedly, as he leaned elegantly against the doorframe.
"It's probably because they thought they're seeing one." Usagi teased, her color heightened, and her smile aglow - so much so that it had her friends staring at her.
"Why you impertinent little brat! I'll teach you to have a healthy respect for ugly, big-nosed, big-eared, sharp-tooth, salivating monsters." Mamoru said in a good imitation of the Boogie Man, as he proceeded to take hold of her.
"Huh!" Scoffed Usagi.
"Huh, indeed." As Mamoru grabbed her and started tickling her ribcage. Usagi's friends were stunned. They have never seen this playful, indulging side of the normally imperturbable and enigmatic Mamoru.
"Hey - ha,ha! Cut, ha - it out - ha, ha - I can't - breathe!" Usagi squealed.
"Hah! Serves you right, for goading your Onii-chan!"
"Onii-chan?" Rei asked, under her breath - puzzled, as she saw the rose tints slowly drain from Usagi's cheeks.
'Onii-chan… Big brother… That's how he sees me. How he'll always see me. I knew that. He said so himself last night. I am like the sister he never had. Got that. Crystal… So why this tearing pain in my throat?' Usagi asked herself, as she dared not breathe for the lump inside her throat that threatened to choke its way out into audibility. 'Hadn't you admitted it? Admitted what? That you love him, baka! It was a m-mistake…That you love him? … NO! Then what was? I-I don't know… Baka… Hai, baka, baka, baka...'
"Usa-chan, what's wrong?" Mamoru asked concernedly as he felt Usagi's slight form suddenly still.
"S-so tired." Usagi whispered chokingly. She felt Mamoru's intense regard and struggled to hide the misery that threatened to spill from under sweeping lashes that slightly quivered.
"Gomen, Usa-chan. I didn't think." She felt the self-censure in his voice.
"Iie, Mamo-kun. That's my line." She smiled. A bright smile over hidden tear-brightened eyes. Perfect. She'd consider a supporting female role in the future.
"There's something else." He said too astutely for her sanity.
"Nothing else. J-just tired."
"All right." Mamoru conceded after feeling her head fall heavily against his chest. He carried her to her bed, and her hitherto-spellbound friends suddenly sprang to life and began to chatter. They helped Mamoru in lifting the bedcovers, plumping the pillows and making her comfortable.
Usagi kept up the pretense until she felt their presence leave the room and heard the door's lock softly click into its slot. Only then did she allow the dormant pain to crawl inside her. It crept like a serpent that seared its way from the pit of her stomach to her windpipe, until she could not breathe - to the insides of her eyelids, as she felt its fangs dig in sharply, until she could no longer contain the venom that trickled down from wounded, unseeing eyes. A little more than twenty-four hours ago, when she had gone completely blind. And she had cried once… and she was weeping again. But not for her blindness. Not even that could reduce her into this tight coil of agony that threatened to lacerate her if she was not careful enough… Mamoru… only… Unyielding darkness flaunted its face to mock her.
"Usa-chan." Strong arms cradled her against the warm, vibrant smell of roses.
The whispered sound of her name startled her. The whimper she so strove hard to contain, broke its way out from deep within her. What was it… compassion… caring… gentleness? None that could completely fill the void that she had never before guessed was even there. But the sound of his voice brought with it a glimmer of light.
"Usa-chan, what's wrong?" Mamoru asked hoarsely.
She held herself still. If it were not for the weak stream that flowed from tightly shut eyelids, anyone would have thought that she was only trying hard to sleep, as children often do.
"Usagi!" This time, more urgently.
"I-I-can't." A strangled sob escaped from her throat.
"Tell me." He whispered softly, his lips so close to her temple that she could feel his breath stir the soft tendrils of her hair. It soothed her, at the same time that it roused within her an indefinable yearning that clawed at the emptiness within.
"I love you."
It was his turn to be still. For a moment, Mamoru thought that he had imagined the soft admission. But it haunted the air like a tangible ghost. He was confused. And he cannot explain the lightness that he felt whenever he was near her. But he had pledged his heart his princess…
She had said that she loved him. But girls her age were notorious for falling in and out of love at the drop of a hat. No, he wasn't stupid enough to liken Usagi to the other girls. She was different. She was an innocent. And though she might be carefree and bubbly, she was also caring and sensitive.
She was infatuated with him. Yes. That's it. Infatuation. He hoped so. He prayed so. Fervently prayed so. But what if it isn't... "No!"
He felt her tense and saw her face harden stoically. He did not realize that he had uttered the denial aloud.
"My God, Usagi! I'm sorry… so sorry… I can't…" He started to rock her in his arms. Usagi felt his self-reproach. It ate into her like a rush of corrosive acid. She hurt all over from a mixture volatile sensations… humiliation, self-pity, grief… but the pain from the knowledge that he was suffering because of her, was the most acute.
"It's alright, Mamo-kun." She groped for his fingers in a comforting gesture and brought them to her cheek. "Please, do not feel t-that you owe me anything." She took a steadying breath and forged in her normal tart voice. "And please don't start mumbling about me being seventeen and too young for stuff like this. I could still land you a punch, you know. Remember the last time you called me a - what was it - a "bean-brained bun- head?"
Yes. He remembered the incident clearly. She had called him a "banana-assed baboon" and a host of other unappealing cognomens. He had responded by laughing at her face and calling her the fore-mentioned appellation. She had been livid. She had kicked him. And missed his most sensitive part by sheer luck. How could he forget. He started laughing softly, at the memory of her outrage.
She smiled upon hearing his wonderful laughter and turned her face to his chest. "Hey, are you busy this afternoon?"
Hey, are you busy this afternoon? Just like that. Mamoru stared at her, stunned. No tear, no distressed whimpering. Nothing. Nothing but a generous heart and an understanding, almost painful smile. She was making it easy for him. But he had no practice at all in handling situations like this. But so had she. A troubling voice within derided him.
"Usagi." He took a deep breath. "No, why?"
"The cherry blossoms are scheduled to bloom this afternoon. Have you ever seen sakura buds blossom slowly? It's the most wonderful thing. Heavenly. For the past ten years, except for this year - that is, we - Oto-chan, Oka- chan and Shingo - have been going to the park to witness them blossom. I -- " Usagi faltered. She knew she was blabbering. But she could not stop herself. She felt the darkness closing in on her. She took a steadying breath. "W-would y-you a-accompany us to the park - if you don't have anything else to do, that is? But I could understand it if you'd rather not. I mean, you must have lots of other things to do – you, being almost a doctor, and stuff. Anyway, it's not as if I'd be able to see them – he, he… However, I have never missed being there while they bloomed and --" A forefinger was laid on her lips to stem the rush of words. She felt a spark in the darkness as a warm tide rush to her ears – to her cheeks, and knocked the breath from her chest.
"Let's go." Was all he said.
----~@
End of Part I
P.S. Now here's the deal minna-san: I get enough reviews, and I'll release Part II. Say, a hundred? Just kidding. But please, do review me. Domo arigatou gozaimasu. Have a blessed day.