Title: Never Talk To Strangers
Author:Princess Destiny
Email:In Profile
URL:destinysgateway DOT com
Rating:M 15+
Summary:Usagi meets a handsome guy in the carpark of the Juuban Mall and offers to drive him to his car, which he seems to have misplaced. She obviously never heard the saying about talking to strangers...
Genre:Romance/Horror
Couple:Usagi/Mamoru
Category:SMAR (Alternate Reality)
Chapters:1/1
Status:Completed
Year Completed: 2007
Size:27 KB

Comments: Hi everyone! It's not rated for gore, but rather for er...suggestion of bad things happening. I remembered this Urban Legend going around the net about a guy with a suitcase asking for girls/women to give him a ride to his car at the Mall. I thought it sounded cool-so here's the result:) I thought it would be interesting to have Mamoru as a serial killer, so let me know how I did. I know it was brief, but I didn't think it would survive as a mult-chaptered Fanfic. Maybe I'll do a Sequel someday.

This Fanfic was written for the The Annual Halloween Challenge I post to my Lists and Site every year. It's slightly late, I know. Actually, I wrote half of it last year, but didn't finish it. Please feel free to check it out my Profile for details and write for the Halloween Challenge yourself. If you do, please post it up at Destiny's Gateway for everyone to read. :)

Thank you's: To Usa who gave such awesome feedback, I was able to finish this Fanfic!

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NEVER TALK TO STRANGERS

By Princess Destiny

"Look at the time, I have to go home guys," Usagi said, glancing down at her delicate silver wrist watch with surprise. "Shingo is visiting with his girlfriend and I'm cooking."

"Oh, is that the time already?" Rei said with disappointment, throwing her silky dark hair back over her shoulder. She smiled at her best friend. "You know, there was a time when the thought of cooking gave you the horrors. You preferred to eat." She giggled.

"I taught her well." The brunette to Usagi's left commented rather proudly. "Nothing to it!" Makoto yawned and stretched her arms above her head. Her green top rode up, revealing a tiny green tattoo of a four leaf clover below her navel.

Ami rested her chin on her hand and looked at her three friends. "It was fun today," She murmured, yawning in response to Makoto's. "It was a really bad time at the hospital this morning."

"Whereas I had fun cooking for my restaurant, Minako had a great time as usual doing her acting, Rei was on her movie set-" She turned to look at Usagi. "And our little Usa here spent all last night and this afternoon designing her clothes."

The four friends enviously looked over the golden-haired girl's form. Today she was wearing a pink silk top with a short white skirt with a silver belt and white pumps. Everything Usagi wore was something she had designed herself.

The beautiful girl smiled at them all and rose to her feet, gathering up her handbag and a shopping bag with ingredients to cook a chicken curry. "I'll see you all tomorrow night. I need to work late on that project." She explained.

Usagi leant over and hugged each girl goodbye as she made her way around the table. "Take care." She added softly.

"Bye, Usagi." Rei said, waving a perfectly-manicured hand with blood-red nails at her friend. "I'll let you know how that date with Matt goes."

"He's cute." Makoto nodded. "I think you'll like this one."

"I don't know, I just don't feel like I've met the right guy-sort of like Usagi." The dark-haired girl murmured, looking rather lonely. But then a predatory smile curved her red lips. "But then again, I have more fun dating around."

"You man-eater!" The brunette accused.

"She can't help herself." Ami sighed, blue eyes amused.

"Leave me out of that." Usagi grinned at them and waved goodbye. She wanted to meet Mr. Right, but she had just never met him. Somehow, some day, she knew that she would just crash into him out of the blue and it would be love at first sight.

As she made her way through the Mall to the ground level park, she had no idea how true her thoughts were.

He was leaning against a column near the stairwell, looking calm and collected. A tall handsome man in an expensive blue business suit, with a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth.

Usagi stopped dead as deep blue eyes met hers. She noticed everything at once. The way his eyes narrowed on her as if she were the only girl alive in the world, the way his dark hair fell into his eyes, how he held himself so lazily like a big cat.

The blonde's heart began to thunder in her chest and a blush filled her cheeks as she realised she had been standing there and staring at him like some love-struck fool. She cursed under her breath and began to walk past him.

"Excuse me? Could you help me, I seemed to have forgotten where I parked my car." He said politely, straightening up from the column. He tossed the cigarette to the ground and stood on it with one shoe, grinding it into the cement.

The dark-haired man took a couple of steps towards her and gave the most devastating smile Usagi had ever witnessed. Her breath caught in her throat and she stood like stone as he came over to her and stopped about a foot away, eyes boring into hers.

"You-you lost your car?" She managed to get out, bewildered. He was talking to her, but it wasn't making much sense. She was utterly smitten. Even his voice was wonderful. Deep and smooth.

"That's right." He looked rather embarrassed as he slid a hand into his jacket pocket and regarded her with an indefinable expression.

Usagi felt his eyes move over her body and felt very uncomfortable. Good-looking men had always rather intimidated her. "I'm sorry, but I have to get home and cook for my brother." She told him in a dazed tone, turning away. She wanted to escape as much as she was dying to stay!

The man frowned, looking a little perplexed. "It won't take long, if you could just help me out?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. "I'm not sure if it's the second or third. Could be the fifth. I didn't really have my mind on it when I came out of the meeting."

"That was a little careless of you." She blurted out, somehow having a lot of difficulty in picturing this man with such an absent mind. He came across as very calm, collect and intelligent. Had he truly forgotten?

Unease filled her and she gave him a hesitant look. Sometimes, she herself had been absent-minded after a long day at the office. The blonde relaxed and smiled. "I guess it would be okay." She murmured, looking down the isle to where her car was. "I'm parked just down there."

"Perfect." He said, grinning at her and once again blowing her mind with his absolutely devastating looks.

The man fell into step beside her as they headed towards her car. "I'm Chiba Mamoru by the way. I'm a computer programmer."

The blonde through him a sidelong look, frowning. This guy was very forthcoming with personal stuff. But then, she supposed that she was a very private person.

"And you are?" Mamoru asked softly, catching her gaze.

Usagi flushed in embarrassment and looked away. "I'm Tsukino Usagi. I'm a fashion designer." Since he had offered what his vocation was, she was willing to do the same.

The handsome man whistled. "A very hard job, but rewarding." He remarked, giving another smile.

"It is." She nodded and smiled back, some of her awkwardness disappearing. "I work long hours though and don't socialise much." She added.

"Such a pity." Mamoru said cryptically.

"Excuse me?" She said, taken-aback. Usagi stopped at the back of her car and stared at him.

"I just meant that it was a pity that such a beautiful girl never gets out." The dark-haired man elaborated smoothly. He turned his head and looked at her vehicle. "Your car?" He questioned.

"That's right." She nodded and got out her keys, clicking on the remote to unlock the car. "I can't be too long." Usagi warned him cautiously. She had no idea why she was talking to such a gorgeous guy. It wasn't like her at all to be acting so confident, but something about Mamoru just drew her to him like a moth to flame...

"Can I just put this in the back?" Mamoru asked, showing her his black briefcase.

The golden-haired girl blinked, not having even noticed that he was holding it before. Had she been so utterly smitten with the man that she had failed to even notice his work-gear? Berating herself for an idiot, she nodded and popped the boot.

The man placed his case inside and closed the boot. "Alright, let's try the second level shall we?"

He was so confident! Usagi felt herself pale beside him and sighed deeply. If only she had this sort of self-assurance with her designs, she would have made it even bigger in the industry. To her co-workers, she was the shy designer who came out with amazing ideas, but kept to herself.

They both got into her car and she paused with the key in the ignition. "Can I ask you something?" Usagi asked suddenly.

Mamoru stiffened slightly, then gave her a penetrating look. "Yes?"

"Where do you draw your confidence from?" The blonde asked him in a rush. If only he would tell her, maybe she could do better in life. Maybe she could one day date a guy like this and be totally assured.

"My confidence?" He mused, eyes thoughtful. Mamoru turned to face her in the seat. "I suppose you could say my self-assurance comes from experience." He murmured with a secretive smile.

"Experience?" She said blankly, mind whirling. "So, you mean that I just need more practice?"

Mamoru broke out in a rich chuckle as if she had said a joke. "You could say that, Usagi." His face leant closer. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm not confident at all." She muttered, turning her face away.

There was a long silence.

"You have no idea how hard it was to even talk to you." Usagi admitted shyly, meeting his gaze.

Blue eyes widened in surprise. "Is that a fact?" Mamoru said, amused. "How courageous of you." His face turned away and he looked out of his window. "Perhaps you'll get a reward."

Another cryptic answer!

Usagi shook her head, her silky golden hair brushing against her cheeks. "A reward?" She started the engine and began to back out of the space. "If you don't mind me saying so, you're a strange man."

"That I am." Mamoru's head swung back and he gave her a wolfish grin. "You have no idea."

"Then that makes two of us, because everyone thinks I'm strange." The blonde told him rather sternly. Was he making fun of her? "I don't date, I keep to myself, I have dreams that no one understands."

He gave her a strange look from his dark blue eyes.

"I have four very good friends, but I don't make other friends very easily. And guys..." She trailed off, wondering why she was even telling this complete stranger about her innermost thoughts. There was just something about Mamoru that made it easy to tell him those things.

"Have you ever been surrounded by people, but been completely alone?" Usagi asked, tone quite. She bit her lip as she manoeuvred up the ramp to the second level. Soon he would be at his own car and out of her life. It was depressing.

"You're different from the other girls I've met." Mamoru said abruptly, lips tightening into a firm line.

She gave him an uncertain look. "Is that a bad thing?"

"It depends on which side of the mirror you're looking from." The dark-haired man's voice was vague.

"Is your car here?" Usagi asked him, looking around even though she had no idea what sort of car she was seeking. "What sort of car do you have?"

"A red ferrari." Mamoru frowned as he stared about him. He seemed rather distracted by something-or annoyed.

Usagi fervently hoped that she wasn't the reason for his temper. She studied his face with astonishment, wondering what had even given her that impression. Mamoru's face was expressionless, yet she had a feeling that he was angry about something. Her eyes skittered away nervously, since she wasn't actually used to looking at a handsome guy. His presence fairly filled the car, making her uneasy and yet, excited.

They drove around in silence for a while, and she went up two levels. It was unnerving sitting next to him, since neither of them were speaking and Usagi had the weirdest feeling he didn't know what to say.

Any other girl would be talking his ear off right then, trying to seduce him where he sat. Mamoru found himself waiting in vain for the usual chatter that sent his blood boiling. He needed this; the build-up to the kill. The girl was not doing anything right.

"Can you see it yet?" The blonde questioned, feeling a tension in the air that she didn't understand. He didn't seem to be looking for his car, his blue eyes boring into her profile. No man had been so utterly smitten in her that he had forgotten what he was doing. "Is that it?" Usagi's words were almost desperate as she looked at a car. She slowed down behind it and waited for his assent.

He glanced casually in that direction and shook his head. "That isn't a ferrari,"

"Sorry, I don't know cars very well." The girl apologised and went to take her foot off the brake.

Mamoru leant across to her seat, breathing sexily into her ear as the other girls liked. She merely flinched and threw him an uncertain look. Fear was in her eyes, but also attraction. A heady combination. "Your face, would look lovely covered in blood." He murmured, finger sliding gently along her chin.

Usagi gave him a startled look and jerked back, not quite sure she had heard right. "Excuse me?" She stammered in disbelief.

"I said-your face would look lovely when you're in love." Mamoru said smoothly, covering up his slip. She would look rather fetching with a brilliant scarlet against her beautiful white skin...

The blonde smiled in relief. Damn, that sleepless night was really catching up to her if she was imagining this handsome man saying something so terrifying. Mamoru had been giving her a compliment and she had shied away like he had waved a knife under her nose. His touch was so...gentle. If only a guy like this was really interested in her, and not looking for his car.

"Ah," Usagi looked about her hurriedly, as eager to have him gone as she was to have him there with her. She spotted another red sporty car towards the back, near the lift. Strange, if that was his, then surely he had recalled that it was near the lift? "Is that it, Mr Chiba?" She asked with a frown, driving towards it.

"Call me Mamoru," He replied, turning to follow the direction of her eyes. Yes, it was his car. How careless of him to have not directed her away from it. The girl must have realised that having the ferrari next to the lift was not something one forgot easily. Perhaps he would have to kill her anyway.

She was disappointed as she stopped the car behind his, and it showed on her face. "Okay then," Usagi murmured, blushing. She looked at him anxiously. "Perhaps we'll meet again?"

The hope in her voice was just so intoxicating! He wanted to dash that hope and hear her delicious screams. Mamoru's hand twitched with the familiar need to hold his blade. But for some reason, he was not feeling the overwhelming urge to kill that he usually did with the girls. He would have to make sure that this one was hidden more carefully, or he would have to switch to new hunting grounds. Four malls, and sixteen girls over a five year period. Two states. Ah, it was hard sometimes. But he was nothing, if not intelligent.

The dark-haired man turned in his seat carefully, and stared at Usagi in a rather unnerving way. For a long moment, their eyes locked, and Usagi had an uneasy feeling that he was thinking something over very seriously. His blue eyes darkened, and narrowed. "Are you, alright?" She hated the way her voice was so quiet and shy.

"Perhaps..." He said, lips pursing in a thoughtful manner. His eyes slid down over her legs, noting the way she furtively tried to pull her skirt lower in response. "Would you like to get a coffee?" Mamoru said silkily. If she said yes...

"I-I don't think so. I'm sorry." The blonde said in a rush. She really wanted to go with this man and have a drink, but she had responsibilities. Shingo and his girlfriend were waiting for a lovely dinner, and she still had designs floating around in her head.

Such innocence, he had no experience with. It was refreshing, in a mundane sort of way. Nothing much about this gorgeous girl got his blood pumping; his need crying out to slit her throat from ear to ear. "Ah well, perhaps another time then." A double meaning hidden in his words. But Usagi merely gave him a tiny smile, and looked away with a rather sad expression.

"I might see you here at the Mall again," She said rather apologetically as he undid his seatbelt and opened the door.

The man turned back at the last minute, and moved in close. He noted her startled expression before his lips curved over hers. He moved straight in for a deeper kiss, but the girl didn't seem to know what to do. She tried to kiss him back, and keep up with his passion, but her innocence showed through clearly.

It felt almost-right. Perfect. Damn her for making him...feel.

Disappointed that he hadn't had a more heated response from her, that he could use, Mamoru moved back from her sharply. "I apologise." He said stiffly, eyes hardening. She was blushing, damn her.

Usagi fought to keep the betraying blush from her cheeks, but failed miserably. It wasn't as if she hadn't been kissed before, but never like that. "It's alright," She told him shyly. "Thank you." She added.

"I beg your pardon?" Did nothing this girl said or did make any sense to him? She didn't try and seduce him, with look or deed. She had not even responded like the other woman though he had kissed her that way. Mamoru was becoming more angry and confused by the minute. And he didn't like it one bit.

"For the kiss," She said earnestly. "I've never had such a...passionate kiss, in my life. I was worried I would never get one. So, thank you." Oh, this was wonderful, now she looked even more of an idiot to him. Chiba Mamoru was angry again. His blue eyes were a stormy colour, but even as she watched, the tension seemed to drain away.

Mamoru's lips twitched in genuine amusement. "You're a strange girl," He chuckled and got out of the car. "How very lucky for you."

The blonde popped the boot and he took out his suitcase. His hand tightened about the handle, as a sense of irritation filled him. The knife remained unused, and the girl was still breathing. Perhaps he was not as displeased by it all as he had thought. Her kiss remained with him.

"Good bye, Mr Chiba-Mamoru!" Usagi called out before driving away. She had no idea just how fortunate her day had been.

Mamoru watched the blonde drive away, his expression pensive. She was the first girl he had ever let out of his grasp. "She has no idea how close she was to death."

In a way, this satisfied him. Yes, Usagi had gotten away without his blade touching her skin, but it had been an exhilarating experience. Such innocence...Perhaps he would meet her again one day, and who knew, maybe she would not be so lucky.

"There's always a first time." The man nodded and smiled wryly. The memory of her lovely face was burnt into his mind and for the first time in years, he had not felt the overwhelming urge to kill.

The tall man made his way to his ferrari and he peered into the tinted window to make sure all was secure. His eyes went over the missing seat, to the floor covered in plastic, and the door missing it's handle.

"Right, back to work then." Mamoru murmured, placing his briefcase carefully onto the ground, he then straightened his jacket and smoothed a wrinkle from his pants. The dark-haired man then picked up the case again and made for the stairwell. A few minutes later, he was back at the bottom entrance to the cark park

He didn't have long to wait; soon enough a pretty brunette in a short red skirt and white top exited the Mall. Her long hair fell past her backside and her eyes were an enchanting colour of purple.

"Excuse me? Could you help me, I seemed to have forgotten where I parked my car."

The girl turned her head, startled, but smiled when she saw his face. "That's okay, I can help you find it." She approached him on her red heels and stopped a foot away, her shopping bags dangling from slender hands. "I've done the same things a dozen times. Where do you think your car is?" She inquired, head cocked to the side as she looked him over.

The handsome man smiled charmingly and gazed about him with a look of studied confusion in his deep blue eyes. "I'm not sure if it's the second or third. Could be the fifth. I didn't really have my mind on it when I came out of the meeting."

"Where do you work?" The girl asked curiously, turning and leading the way towards her car.

Hooked line and sinker! Mamoru hid his vicious grin. "I'm a computer programmer. By the way, I'm Chiba Mamoru."

"Nice to meet you, Mamoru. This must be my lucky day." The raven-haired girl gave him a seductive look from under her lashes. "My name is Rei."

The End

Write me if you liked! Comments are adored and much appreciated.

There may or may not be a Sequel someday, but I don't really think it needs one, do you? And yeah, he killed Rei!

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Hugs,
Princess Destiny