From Another Time
It's been a while since I've written any Sailormoon fics, but an amazing, generous lady commissioned this, for which all proceeds went into a donation to help Haiti. This is set during the few months between the first and second seasons of the Anime, before the senshi regain their memories. Enjoy!
For Sam, with love and gratitude.
She was certain the tips of her ears had grown pink. The murmur of disapproval grew behind her, and the woman before her tapped her fingers. Usagi bit her lip and kept fumbling through her wallet, as if flipping her fingers through the cheap plastic enough times would miraculously produce the money she needed to pay for her purchase.
But such miracles didn't happen, at least not to her. Tsukino Usagi was neither princess nor superhero; she was just a normal girl, a middle school student who had lived in Tokyo all her life. And no matter how much she was wishing the extra fifty yen into existence—or herself out of existence—nothing would change.
The cashier's impatience slid into anger. Usagi's entire face had grown hot, and she felt foolish for not apologising and leaving the line before, when the other customers would have simply shrugged and laughed it off. Now they were frustrated, and the polite coughs had turned into purposefully spoken words she pretended not to hear.
She began to withdraw the book—the highly anticipated latest volume of her favourite manga—from the counter. "I'm very sorry, but I—"
"Here."
The deep voice came from behind her, and the last fragment of his breath brushed against her hair. Usagi stilled, suddenly filled with a warmth she could not comprehend. It was quickly replaced with confusion when she saw his extended hand and the small coin he placed on the money tray.
"For the lady," the man spoke again. This time, she heard the ocean in his voice. Usagi shifted to the right to make room for him, and glanced up just in time to see him smile. He was more than a head taller than her and only a few years older, wearing a green jacket that stirred in her both a familiar repulsion and affection.
"That's exactly 530 yen," the cashier was saying, taking the money from the tray. "Do you have a Kinokuniya membership card?"
She felt his eyes on her, and Usagi wondered why this stranger was making her feel so stifled, yet so alive. Not trusting herself to speak, Usagi shook her head, and was rewarded with another one of his smiles.
"Then I hope you won't mind if I use mine." He had kept his card on top of the books he was going to buy, and now handed it to the cashier. Having gathered her bearings again, the woman worked quickly and efficiently, bagging Usagi's manga and returning it to her. Usagi quietly said her thanks, though she wasn't quite sure whom she was addressing. Book in hand, Usagi stood silently beside the stranger, waiting for him to make his purchase, not knowing whether she was being rude or polite. She couldn't help reading the titles of his books as they were being scanned, her eyes widening when she saw the Physics and the Anatomy and the Japanese translation of someone called Henry James.
Feeling somewhat intrusive when the stranger provided his credit card, Usagi shifted her gaze to the other customers waiting in line, relieved to find that their patience had returned after the holdup was resolved. Usagi smiled when she caught the eye of the girl next in line, recognising her as Mizuno Ami, the genius of their school. The other girl seemed surprised Usagi was paying her attention, but Ami gave a small nod. Usagi's grin widened, and her eyes flashed with determination; she would speak to Ami at school next week.
When the stranger had finished making his purchase and they walked away together, Usagi didn't feel half as awkward. She still didn't know what to say, but it became apparent that he wasn't expecting anything from her and had simply helped her from a potentially disastrous situation. They parted after exiting the bookshop, and Usagi thanked him again, this time in a loud voice, her accompanying bow low and certain.
It was only later at home, when she was curled up with her manga, that Usagi realised she did not know his name.
He was discovering the secrets of quantum theory when the seat shifted beside him. Then Mamoru caught a whiff of the fresh yuzu and peony, and the magic of Schrödinger was replaced by another kind of magic.
He carefully marked his page and removed his glasses.
His slight movement caught her attention, and as the bus climbed the hill, Mamoru found himself enchanted by her large, sparkling eyes that combined the summer sky with stars.
"Hello," he managed to breathe. "I don't know if you remember—"
"You're the guy from Kinokuniya!" It was a declaration, and her excitement lifted his too. "Sorry, I don't think I ever introduced myself. I'm Tsukino Usagi, in eighth grade at Juuban Middle School. It's nice to meet you."
She was still in the same school uniform worn during their last encounter, but she held herself with a confidence that almost dazzled him.
"Tsukino-san." Mamoru tried out her name, and they both grimaced, as if there was something else she meant to have, for him to call. Then he tipped his head towards her hairstyle, the distinct buns with their flowing tails that first caught his attention at the bookstore, and said, "I think 'Odango Atama' suits you better."
There was a moment where the sounds of the engine stretched between them, and Mamoru was afraid he had insulted her. But then she let out a silvery laugh, and his heart skipped.
They stopped at the Hikawa Shrine, and Usagi gave up her seat for an old lady who boarded the bus. A miko with long, black hair saw the gesture and nodded to Usagi in approval before alighting from the bus. The doors closed and the wheels turned again. Mamoru tried to swallow the guilt for allowing Usagi to stand, but she flashed him a smile.
"It's okay, I'm getting off at the next stop."
The whisper of intimacy that had developed during their brief conversation folded within itself. The old lady thanked Usagi, and Mamoru listened as they spoke, not to the girl's polite words, but to her light, almost fragile voice, so different to how she had addressed him. If only he knew the words to describe that voice.
The bus slowed and made a turn.
"Well, this is me," she said to him. "I guess I'll see you around, maybe."
He nodded and watched Usagi make her way to the front of the bus, flashing her pass and thanking the driver. She almost tripped on her way out, but caught herself; he saw the parting of her lips, and wished he could hear that laughter. There was a spring in her step as she walked down the street, her hair trailing behind her in flashes of gold.
Tsukino Usagi. Odango Atama.
In the fading image of her smile, she seemed to him like an elusive princess.
She still didn't know his name, but Usagi had come to recognise his broad shoulders and windswept hair. And there was that green jacket. Usagi grimaced as she walked to the bench where he sat; there was no doubt he was good-looking, but his jacket did him no justice. She wondered if it would be rude of her to mention it.
He was engrossed in his reading when she approached within speaking range. Usagi remembered their meeting on the bus a week ago, when he had a book in his lap. She must've missed his glasses, but looking at him now, Usagi saw how they brought out the sharp angles of his face, making him appear so intelligent, so above her.
Usagi took a step back, and then another, her hands clenching against the nectarine skirt she wore on weekends. She spotted a girl on a picnic blanket not too far away, brown hair in a messy ponytail, basket unpacked. Despite the distance, Usagi could make out the sandwiches and muffins, and her stomach grumbled. But the girl was alone with her pink tartan amidst a sea of green, and Usagi's appetite was replaced by an overwhelming urge to sit beside the girl. She had almost made her decision when Usagi heard his throat clear behind her.
"Out to enjoy the lovely weather, Odango Atama?"
He was still wearing his glasses, and for a still heartbeat, Usagi saw the thin metal rims extend to a white mask. Then he put away the glasses and Usagi was herself again.
"I'm actually on my way to the Crown Arcade to meet my best friend." She walked towards him, but made no move to sit down. "You really like to read, don't you?"
He glanced down at his book, as if to confirm her words. "Yea, I guess I do. I've never really thought about it though."
"But you bought all those books the other day! You must have a really fancy collection."
"Now that you mention it…" He trailed off, but instead of the pride that Usagi expected, she only saw resignation, as if her insistence branded him with something undesirable. Usagi didn't understand it, but she wasn't going to let him brood for no good reason.
"You know, I think it's awesome to have so many books. I only get manga, and mama is always scolding me for not reading other things. I think she'll probably faint if I went home with a book on…" She moved closer to make out the title on his hardcover. "The Golden Bowl. Hey, does that have pictures of pretty bowls? I've always wanted to do ceramics, but using the wheel looks so hard! Are you a potter? Can you teach me?"
He looked at her with the strangest expression, as if he was caught halfway between disbelief and amusement. Then he shook his head and smiled to himself, lips curling and eyes softening, as if he was enjoying his own joke. Usagi wished she had a camera to capture his enigma.
A familiar sound brought Usagi back to the park, and she grudgingly withdrew her phone, finding an impatient text from Naru-chan, who chided her for not keeping an eye on the time. "Sorry, I'm kinda running late so I've gotta run…"
Usagi thought she saw a flash of disappointment. "Sure. Have a good time at the arcade."
The slight hitch in his voice told Usagi he shared his sincerity with a hint of reluctance. She almost thought she had seen the same reservation somewhere before, but that curious sensation was only fleeting.
"Thanks, I will," she said, hoping she sounded cheery enough. "I hope you enjoy your book."
He nodded at her, not quite meeting her eyes, before replacing his glasses and returning to his reading. The small, perfectly nature gesture left her feeling shunned and strangely obsolete, and Usagi was overcome with a desire to attract his attention, in any way possible.
"So what's your name?"
It sounded like a demand, harsh to her own ears, but Usagi held her ground when he looked up at her again. And when he spoke, she found that she didn't need to hear his words to know the answer.
"Chiba Mamoru."
"Okay, I'll see you around then, Chiba-san." This time, Usagi was the one who tore her gaze away from him and nodded in farewell. Mindlessly, she moved through the park, letting the cool, spring breeze wash over her flushed cheeks. She couldn't believe the almost slip that would have wedged itself between their tender friendship.
For some reason, she had longed to call him Mamo-chan.
He wanted to brush her hair aside and bury his nose in the crevice of her neck. Mamoru already knew her scent, but he yearned to inhale her skin and commit her to the part of his heart that went beyond memory. When he looked at her, he saw ribbons and petals and crystal tears, he felt a nostalgic tug and a persistent urge to wrap her into him. And when the fragmented melody of a gold locket receded, Mamoru heard the chatter of schoolgirls and a hesitant question with his name.
He blinked away the haze, only to drown in her eyes.
"Moshi moooshi, Chiba-san?"
It was the waving of her hand and the whiff of her perfume that reminded him he was being a fool.
"I'm still here, Odango Atama."
She didn't seem convinced, but moved her schoolbag from the seat beside her. He accepted her silent invitation, all too aware of how bizarre, almost stalker-ish, he must have appeared.
"Motoki-nii-san, can I please have another chocolate milkshake?"
Mamoru was surprised she knew his college friend by name, and shifted in his seat, suddenly uncomfortable at her familiarity. She seemed like a regular at the arcade so it made sense for her to know Motoki, but Mamoru felt cheated he had never seen her here before.
"Sure, Usagi-chan!" There was another, more profound twinge when he heard Motoki's chirpy reply, relieved slightly when his friend became taken aback. "Mamoru? I didn't even see you come in! You two know each other?"
"Yea," Mamoru replied, keeping his voice even, "we keep bumping into each other every now and then."
"It's really a small world, isn't it? Well, I've gotta get your order, Usagi-chan, but we'll catch up another time!"
His friend left them, and Mamoru decided he preferred being alone with Usagi, though they had always been surrounded by people. Before he became too carried away with his thoughts, Mamoru gestured towards Usagi's half-finished milkshake. "Don't you already have one of those?"
Usagi grinned at him in a way that made him want to hide. Then she spoke, and he only wanted to hold her.
"It's for you, baka—you look like you've stayed up all night." She paused, then said with a shrug that was too nonchalant, "Besides, I still owe you for the other day."
Mamoru had become so focused on their unexpected meetings that he had almost forgotten the events at the bookstore. Oh, he remembered their first unspoken exchange and her rumpled school skirt and the pink embarrassment of her ears, but he hadn't given much thought when he offered her spare change then, and he certainly didn't think much of it now. What touched him was that it had mattered enough to her that she felt the need to repay him, even when it was obvious she was the one short on cash.
But he didn't want her to act out of obligations formed in the past.
"I really appreciate the thought, Odango—"
"Great, because Motoki-nii-san makes the best chocolate milkshakes in all of Tokyo! I'm sure you know what I mean! Wait, how do you know him anyway?"
She really did keep him on his toes.
"We met at high school, and we go to college together. And I actually haven't tried any of his milkshakes, but—"
"No way! Do you have any idea what you're missing out on?" She aimed a frustrated sigh at him. "Obviously not. Well, we're going to fix that today! How's your book about the shiny golden bowls going?"
"Uh…I've finished it."
Her eyes became impossibly wide. "Wow, really? Already? Cause that book was ginormous! You know, it took me three weeks to read The Goblet of Fire, and then The Order of Phoenix came out and I almost died! My younger brother Shingo got so annoyed, cause I was taking ages and he wanted to know what happened, except he wanted to read it for himself so he kept bugging me when it only distracted me more! And then Shingo got his revenge by beating me at Tekken because he got more time to practice, and then he bragged about it for days! Have you ever played Tekken?"
They were so far removed from the original topic that Mamoru couldn't find a way of refusing her offer without sounding narcissistic and contrived. Instead, he sought to return her gesture with one of his own.
"No, but I've always wanted to try. It's an arcade game, right? Do they have it here?"
"Are you kidding me? Of course it's here! This is the Crown Arcade!!"
He found her enthusiasm endearing, if not a tad frightening. "What do you say you show me the ropes? Motoki can bring us my milkshake there."
She practically bounced to her feet at his suggestion. Mamoru followed her lead, feeling out of his element but finding he didn't really mind. Together, they ventured to the section of the arcade which Mamoru knew existed, but had never felt inclined to visit. He had always chosen to have his coffee in a quiet spot furthest from the games, but now Mamoru was wading through the blinding and deafening machines, his heart racing at her proximity. He almost forgot to breathe when Usagi stopped at an occupied console and leaned towards him.
"This is my favourite Sailor V game," she said in a loud whisper, as if she was divulging one of her greatest secrets. Mamoru could only nod, and they watched the blonde girl with a giant red bow defeat pixelated monsters. When the girl easily vanquished the final, evil Queen, he heard Usagi squeal beside him. "Wow, she's really good at this!"
It didn't take a genius to figure out Usagi's intentions were now fixed on the Sailor V game, and Mamoru chuckled softly as he went to the change machine. When he returned with coins, Usagi had already struck a friendship with the other girl, and they were sharing tactics. Her eyes lit up when she saw him again.
"Chiba-san, let's play this instead—there's a two-player mode too! Minako-chan just taught me a few tricks, and I want to try them out before I forget!" She pounced on the seat and looked at him expectantly.
"You know, you'll find yourself in a lot of trouble if you team up with me. Minako-san seems like a very formidable Sailor V, so you're better off with her—I'll be happy to watch you two play."
Before she could protest, Mamoru slipped two coins into the game, bringing it back to life. He gave Usagi a reassuring smile when she silently questioned him. Her reservation disappeared when Motoki arrived with his milkshake and Mamoru accepted it, raising his glass. "See, I'm all set. Go kick some youma bottoms!"
"Hai!" Decision made, Usagi offered him a salute. "Watch out, Dark Kingdom, because the soldiers of love and justice are here!"
When he first set out to the arcade that afternoon, Mamoru had expected to spend a few hours with a long black and a book; now he was sipping a chocolate milkshake, laughing at Usagi's comments as she battled forces of evil.
And when she finally dashed from the arcade to be home for dinner, leaving him with, "I'll see you later," Mamoru felt later would not be soon enough.
Her cat woke her in the middle of the night. Confused and disoriented, Usagi was stumbling out of bed when the world shook and she darted back under the blankets in a half-asleep attempt to protect herself from the earthquake. It was only when her parents, after turning on the TV, assured her the tremor had been from outer space debris, that she emerged from under the covers. The excitement started to bubble then, and Usagi begged to be allowed outside and down the road where the asteroid had struck. It was the phone call from Naru-chan that saved her; permission was reluctantly granted when it was clear Usagi would have company. She shrugged on a coat, slipped into some sandals, and was out the door before her parents could change their mind.
Usagi met her friend a few minutes later, similarly dressed in a haphazard fashion. She was wide awake now, and they practically raced down the street until they found the crowd gathering around the crater.
"Wow, look at that!" Usagi exclaimed. "I've never seen anything so big, except on TV! I hope no one was hurt!"
"Me neither! I wonder what happened…it must've been something from outer space, but I don't see anything inside the crater…"
"Hey, you're right! Aren't there supposed to be bits of rock lying around here?"
As she scanned the area for an answer, Usagi spotted Mamoru, hair mused, brows furrowed. She quickly muttered, "I'll be right back, Naru-chan," and left.
He saw her when she was almost there, and gave her a small wave. When she finally reached him, the crowd had multiplied and it was impossible not to be pressed into him.
"This is pretty crazy, isn't it?" she said, slightly breathless. "I thought the space people are supposed to predict these things and warn us about it."
He was quiet for a long time as the noise around them grew.
"They are," he finally said. He looked down at the crater again, at the smooth indentation and the absence of remnant particles that should have been there. His nerves tingled, but it was not from the feel of her shoulder against his chest. Somewhere deep down, the part of him that was fascinated by the turn of her neck and the moonlight in her eyes, Mamoru sensed a danger he could not comprehend.
"What's going to happen now?"
The voice was hers, but the soft night peeled back the curtains to reveal a taste of something more. There were candles, and dancing, and limbs entwining with sheets, and she was asking him another question, from another time. Their reality lay elsewhere, untouchable; this was the fairytale begging for completion.
And he would take the first step.
"The police will come and tape this area," he said, words empty, heart full, because he was certain she felt it too, the burning and the goodbyes and the limbs that hung, broken. "Then construction workers will repair the damage and return it to the way it was before."
Tomorrow, he would show her how this story was supposed to end.
Finis. Thanks for reading, and please leave a review! :)