Ai no Aji – Taste of Love
By Lady_Allure (Allure-chan)

 
You know I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or Sailor Moon, just the fic. ENJOY!


Note: Gomen ne for not updating my fics lately. I'm a college student, so my time is very limited. In the meantime, I just had to go and get myself addicted to Rurouni Kenshin. This fic is based mostly on the RK OVA series, and it may be a little angsty.




Prologue: Lost In Time

"Mamo-chan iie…" Usagi's voice seemed to fade slowly, as if wishing she didn't have to say it. Not this way, not in such a sorrow and mourning full voice. The thought of him leaving her was always out of the question, however now it wasn't. Chiba Mamoru, the love of her life was dead. To think a simple car crash had stolen his life, putting him into a coma, one from which he would never wake.

"Usagi-chan." Rei's voice echoed through her thoughts, unable to reach her. She could feel the hand of her best friend on her shoulder, aware that she stood next to her, trying to place comfort where it was impossible to fit, at this point anyway.

Tears stung her eyes, and the state of shock felt unreal. The words of the doctor were a waste of time. He couldn't comfort her no more than Rei could. He could apologize a thousand times, and she could cry a life times worth of tears, but it wouldn't bring Mamoru back.

Looking away, slightly brushing, more of a hint rather, for Rei to remove hand from her shoulder. Instantly, Rei understood and nodded at the doctor, Usagi wanted to be alone with Mamoru. With a glance over her shoulder, the young priestess left the room with the doctor.

As soon as Usagi heard the door close, she forced herself to look at the lifeless body of her long time boyfriend, her prince, her former future husband. Why Mamoru? Why did he have to leave her after only two months of his return from Galaxia's sick collection of star seeds? Why did he have to drive off the road and into a big ditch? It seemed as if why, was the only word she could ask.

"Mamo-chan…" Usagi whispered, touching his cheek with her fingertips, finally letting the tears fall, knowing it was no use to hold them back any longer. "Dooshite?" she seemed to repeat herself, asking the same question repeatedly when it was clear that there was no answer.

Usagi stared at Mamoru's face a moment longer before she withdrew her hand, and turned away, crying silently, and then ran out of the room, sobbing.




'Why does the sun have to shine on a day like this?' Usagi thought, staring at the headstone that read Mamoru's name. His funeral had taken place the day before, but she couldn't bear to see him in a coffin, so she didn't go. It was just too painful. This was the only way she could really pay her respects to him, privately.

"Mamo-chan…" she paused, unsure of what to say, "I'll miss you." It was the only thing that she said. She wanted to say so much more, but what good would it do when he wasn't there to hear it. They had so many plans; everything was set to destiny, now it was a mere memory, all in the past.

Usagi sighed, closing her eyes, her lips trembling. She just didn't need it anymore. There was no reason for her to wish for something that would never happen. Crystal Tokyo would never exist, and neither would Chibi-Usa, and it was a fact that was tearing at her heart.

With a heavy sigh, she turned, and began walking , walking away from Mamoru's grave, folding her arms from the slight chilling breeze, while a single tear trailed down her cheek as she place a pair of sunglasses over her eyes.



Tears were like ocean waves that came and went to Usagi. Her eyes were dry one moment, then damp again. It was said that crying was a way to feel better, then why did it make her feel worse. Comfort was beyond reach, and no matter what anyone said it was impossible to lift her sorrow.

Artemis slept on her pillow, and awoke when he heard Usagi weeping, her sniffles repeating. He looked at her with sad eyes, knowing how she must feel. Luna had asked him to stay with her for the night since she would be attending a meeting with the inner and outer senshi. They had to figure out what they were going to do; now that destiny had been altered. Usagi was in no condition to go, and everyone understood that she needed time alone. The white cat had agreed to without a second thought, but wanted the details.

Luna gave him her word, and it looked like the meeting could last all night. The white cat never imagined he would see the Moon Princess in such a state of sadness. If this continued, she would go into depression, and that's what the senshi were afraid of. It was not like her at all.

"Usagi-chan." Artemis said softly, so as not to startle her. She didn't answer, "I know nothing I can say will make things easier, demo…" he paused, searching for the right words, "Things can't stay bad forever."

Usagi leaned into her pillow, wiping a few tears from her eyes, "If that's true, then why does it have to hurt so much?"

The white cat gave her a gentle look, and placed a comforting paw on her shoulder, "Its life Usagi, even if you are Serenity-hime, or Sailor Moon, life is the same for anyone, and you take it as it comes." he explained in a soothing voice.

"Hai." Usagi closed her eyes.

Artemis smiled faintly, "Sleep Usagi."

She nodded, and pulled Artemis into her arms, slowly crying herself to sleep.




"Serenity-hime." A kind female voice awoke Usagi in the early hours of morning. Ever so slowly she opened her eyes, careful not to wake the sleeping cat in her arms as she sat up, rubbing her eyes with one hand. The moment she began to feel awake, a certain scent, a familiar scent of olives made her eyes widen. There was only one person she knew who smelled like that. She looked up to make sure, "Hello Usagi-san."

"Kakyuu-hime." Usagi smiled faintly at seeing the Kinmoku-sei princess again, but soon the smile turned to a look of questioning.

Kakyuu merely smiled, and took a seat beside Usagi, "I'm sorry about Mamoru." she said in a comforting voice, placing a hand on Usagi's shoulder.

Usagi bowed her head, "How did you know?" she asked, saddened at hearing Mamoru's name.

"It's not important."

Tears began to trail down Usagi's cheeks, even is she was crying, she placed Artemis's sleeping form onto the pillow, and began weeping into her hands. "It's not fair."

"Usagi." Kakyuu said, hugging the crying girl, allowing her to cry on her shoulder, "Life isn't always fair…" she paused, stroking the girl's hair in a motherly fashion, "Sometimes you must make your own destiny."

Kakyuu's words stayed on Usagi's mind until her tears were spent. What she said had a lot of meaning, and for once, she relaxed a little. "Did you come all the way from Kinmoku-sei just to tell me that?" she said, humor in her voice, smiling weakly as she sat back.

Kakyuu chuckled lightly, "Hai." she smiled; glad to see the Moon Princess smiling again, sorrow just didn't suit her, "I thought you might also like to see my home planet." Usagi blinked, surprised by the offer, unsure of what to say. The red haired princess noticed this, and grinned playfully, "The Starlights miss you, especially Seiya." she added, which caused Usagi to blush, due to the mention of Seiya.

Maybe it was a good idea to go away for a while, and have sometime to herself. She could always use her communicator to let the senshi know where she was, they would understand why she left. If anything, it wasn't permanently, she would return. In the meantime, she couldn't stay sad forever, eventually, she would have to move on. This could be a way to do that, Mamoru wouldn't want her to grieve over him for the rest of her life, but it would still take some time, and she didn't know how much.

After much though, Usagi stood up, and picked up Artemis, waking him in the process. "When do we leave?" she accepted Kakyuu's offer, smiling for real.

Kakyuu returned the smile and stood up, "Take my hand." she instructed, extending a hand.

"Nande?" Artemis frowned, still half asleep.

Usagi glanced at the white cat in her arm, and then took Kakyuu's hand with her free hand.

"Don't' let go." Kakyuu advised cautiously.

Usagi nodded in reply, taking a deep breath as Kakyuu began to glow red, a glow melded with her and Artemis. Then all three of them began to materialize into light, and within an instant of the transformation, all three of them went out through the window as one fast shooting star, into the night sky.



"Usagi-chan, where are we going?" Artemis asked when he was fully awake, and aware of the speed they were traveling at, not to mention through space.

"Kinmoku-sei." Usagi answered simply, tightening her grip on the white cat.

Artemis blinked, as if he didn't hear her correctly, "Did you say Kinmoku- sei?"

"Hai."

The white cat arched an eyebrow in thought, "Nani!" he shouted a moment later, not noticing that his claws dug into her shoulder.

"Itai!" Usagi cried out in pain, without thinking, she let go of Kakyuu's hand to push Artemis's paws away.

"Usagi-san!" Kakyuu shouted, turning to look for the Moon Princess, but gasped when she realized they had disappeared.




"What did you do that for?" Usagi scowled at Artemis, squeezing the air out of him. Artemis groaned from her tight grip, trying to breathe. "That hurt." she continued, loosening her hold, rubbing her should where he had scratched her.

Once he could breathe again, Artemis sighed, embarrassed, "Gomen ne Usagi-chan." he apologized, "I was just nervous about going to Kinmoku-sei, it was your impulsive decision to go that caught me off guard."

Usagi grinned faintly, and hugged the white cat, "Gomen for squeezing your to hard."

"Its ok." he assured her, placing a paw on her cheek, smiling sweetly before it turned to a frown, "Usagi, where are we?" he asked, looking at their surroundings, arching his eyebrows.

"Nani?" she whispered, looking around herself.

They appeared to be in some sort of forest, with the moonlight shinning brightly on them. Without saying anything, she began walking, keeping Artemis in her arms, scanning the place.

Suddenly, in the middle of their walk, a hand wrapped around Usagi's waist, pinning her arms to her sides, causing her to drop Artemis, and in that instant, a sharp blade was brought inches from her neck. "Don't talk." A deep voice threatened from behind.