Thank you all for the supportive reviews! I'm really excited to be finally writing a story involving Demando... he's one of the characters that has always fascinated me.
As a note, the Prologue has been updated. Nothing that you have to go back and read, just a few grammatical errors fixed.
**This chapter has been updated for a few errors as well. Thanks to Arabella Violetta and my good friend Michi for noticing that I mixed up one phrase that was supposed to describe Motoki, not Mamoru. lol.
Rabbits Through The Ages
Chapter One
It was burning a hole in Tsukino Usagi's pocket. Her fingers kept itching toward it, tracing its outline through the jean material. Yet, she knew it had to remain in her pocket, or her boyfriend—no, scratch that—fiancé, would give her one of his heated, betrayed glares. Above all else, she hated those looks from Chiba Mamoru. They were worse than his "I'm disappointed in you" looks or his "Don't try to blame the broken vase on Luna again" looks. No, they were the absolute worst, mostly because his hurt expression simply tore at her heart, and because unlike her breaking something (well, that happened often enough; she was rather clumsy...), the betrayed looks were ones that could be avoided as long as she kept her word to him. She'd only received one of those looks once before in her nineteen years of life, and she never wanted it to happen again. Of course, that had only been because she had purposely stolen a hideous green jacket he was in possession of and given it away to charity. She would hate to see the betrayed glare should she do anything really bad. Though, she supposed, to Mamoru, that had been really bad.
But she simply sighed, wrenched her hand away from her pocket, and strode forward after her best friends: Kino Makoto, Mizuno Ami, Hino Rei, and Aino Minako.
The five girls had decided it was a perfect day for the group to go out on a shopping excursion, and there was hardly anything Usagi loved more than to spend her time with her adoring, beautiful friends. Still, keeping secrets from them was also one of the things she hated most, so it was as if she was staring at an adorable puppy... that happened to have rabies and was snarling at her.
Her boyfriend's deep, alluring voice broke into her thoughts. "Usako, please, don't tell them yet. We'll tell them all together, Haruka-san and Michiru-san too." His dark, stormy blue eyes had pleaded with her lighter crystal ones, and how on Earth was she supposed to refuse those adoring eyes? It was an incredibly beautiful form of torture. She sighed longingly.
"Yo, Usagi-chan!" Aino Minako had turned around and was walking backwards, her arms tied behind her back with her bubbly blue eyes sparkling and honey blonde hair bouncing behind her. "You are being way too quiet, girl. What's the deal?"
Hino Rei muttered something incoherent from beside Minako, and she reached out a hand and lightly smacked Minako on the head. "Minako-chan, really! Don't you know what Usagi's sighs usually indicate?" The violet-eyed girl turned her head to stare back at Usagi, her long, dark raven hair whipping along with her. "Something's up with Mamoru-san, right Usagi-chan?"
Usagi gulped and said nothing, her blue eyes widening. Rei was always able to read her too well.
The group of girls stopped walking suddenly, as the two girls in the lead were peering in a store window and making awed noises. The other three looked to see what was so interesting, and the lump in Usagi's throat grew once again. Her eyes sought out the blue-haired girl she knew would not be very interested in this, but unfortunately, she was proven wrong. Mizuno Ami's luminous blue eyes were soaking in the long, silken white dress on the mannequin just as much as the tall brunette's, Kino Makoto, green ones were.
"Isn't it gorgeous?" Makoto breathed as Rei and Minako joined the two at the window, all of their hands pressing against the glass. "This is the newest wedding collection from Usui Yoshiki*." Makoto stepped away from the glass and twined her hands together, sighing romantically. "Remember when we saw that fashion show of his years ago? He's grown in such popularity since then..."
Rei's critical violet eyes whipped around to stare at Usagi. "Didn't Usui-san once promise to make you a wedding dress, Usagi-chan? Or did you really make that up like we all thought?" Her eyes narrowed as she stared at her friend.
Usagi gulped back the lump in her throat. She wished she could answer, but nothing came out. If only they knew she'd had a telephone conversation with Usui-san just the day before...
Rei took her silence as a yes, and she rolled her eyes and turned back to the window, feeling gloatingly right.
"Let's go inside!" Minako suddenly squealed. "Come on, we can try on wedding dresses!"
"Minako-chan, none of us are getting married," Ami pointed out, and Usagi turned red in the face. Thankfully, all of the girls had their backs to her as they stood in front of the window. "Besides, you have to have an appointment with the designers to try on dresses. You have to be engaged, Minako-chan," Ami stressed once she saw Minako's dancing blue eyes start to try and devise a plan. The bubbly blonde stomped a foot and sighed in annoyance. She turned back to the window and peered morosely in. A blushing, starry-eyed girl was being fitted for a dress at that moment. Minako let out a whine.
Usagi gulped once again. Her appointment with the shop was in exactly four days on Monday, and Usui Yoshiki himself was going to come out to his Azubu store branch to help her with her dress. Her face the exact shade of a blazing hot red pepper, Usagi cleared her throat and tried, through dry, parched lips, to direct the girls' attention elsewhere. "L-l-look, minna—Osaka-san is having a sale at her shop!" The blonde pointed across the street toward Osa-P, the jewelry store owned by the Osakas: Usagi's good friend Naru and her mother.
Makoto glanced toward the store for a moment. "I never buy jewelry; too expensive." Minako nodded and pressed her face against the glass, her nose looking akin to a pig's snout.
"W-well, I'm going to visit Naru-chan!" Usagi choked out defiantly.
Rei sighed and pried herself away from the glass, sending the beautiful dresses in the window one last longing look. "I'll go with you, Usagi-chan. No use in standing here and looking at these. Doesn't help matters when you're single," the girl grumbled.
The other girls suddenly became unglued from the glass and they stared at Rei morosely. The three let out hopeless sighs similar to Rei's and all of the girls began to trudge after Usagi toward Osa-P.
"Mamo-chan, it was the worst shopping trip of my life," Usagi finished her story with a flourish and fell dramatically onto the couch behind her, her head landing in her boyfriend's lap. The man chuckled in amusement and ran a hand through one of her long locks of hair. She had arrived at his apartment, looking frustrated, only minutes before.
"I'm sorry, Usako," Mamoru said sympathetically, staring down at her with deep love written across his dark blue eyes. "I know it couldn't have been easy."
Usagi sighed, half irritated and half enraptured by his ministrations to her hair. She reached into her jean pocket and pulled out her engagement ring. Holding it up in the light, she felt a blush rising onto her cheeks as she stared at it. It was a pink diamond heart, surrounded by white diamonds. "Mamo-chan," she pondered. There was a question in her voice.
"Mmm?"
"What took you so long to give this back to me?" The girl looked up at the black-haired man through her eyelashes.
He looked blank for a moment, and his eyes turned to gaze at the ring being held between her fingers. "Because my original plan was thwarted, Usako. You know that."
She sat up defiantly and turned around to look at him. Her blue eyes narrowed at him. "Mamo-chan, when you left for America the first time, I was sixteen. Then you were... were..."
"Dead?" he whispered, his eyes looking pained as he remembered the pressing darkness of being without his star seed.
Usagi choked slightly. "Y-yeah." She grimaced, but went on. "Then when we defeated Chaos, you went back to America, and somehow, the ring had disappeared from my jewelry box."
"Luna's handy like that."
"Damn cat," Usagi grumbled, looking down at the ring.
Mamoru sighed and leaned forward, his hands on his knees. "It was a difficult thing for me to do, Usako." He looked at her, but she only frowned at him, brought her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. The ring still dangled between her thumb and forefinger. It was like it felt toxic for her to put it on.
"Why?" she muttered.
He frowned and stared out the wide balcony doors in front of him. The sun was beginning to set in the sky. "I didn't want to leave you with that on your chest, again. In case something happened... again."
"That's stupid; what else could have happened?" Her voice was like a pouting child's.
He laughed somberly and shook his head before turning to her. "Usako, with the luck we've had, anything can and does happen. I wanted things to be done properly this time. I didn't want to leave you here in Tokyo with the ring, wondering about things. For you, it was like I was gone for two years." He held out a hand to her, motioning her forward, but she didn't move. He frowned. "I wanted to propose to you when I was actually here, ready to marry you. Not just to leave you with a ring and a promise. You're worth more to me than that. Do you have any idea how hard it was to go to America? Again? Knowing how much time I'd been away from you already and would be away from you still?"
"I wanted you to go, Mamo-chan. I never blamed you for wanting to go." Her voice was soft, and her hold on her knees began to loosen.
"I know, but I was very close to not going," Mamoru mumbled.
Usagi scooted close to him again and laid her head on his shoulder. "You had to finish your degree, Mamo-chan. It was an amazing opportunity, and your dreams are important to me, too." She was quiet for a moment, and they simple sat watching the sun setting through the glass doors. "So you wanted to wait till you were back." He nodded. She pursed her lips together. "So... why now? It's been several months since you got back."
"Ah..." Mamoru cleared his throat. He looked at her for a long minute.
Her eyes widened at him. "Mamo-chan?"
"Well..." he reddened. "Let me explain what happened..."
"Eh?" Her eyes turned confused.
One Week Earlier
Mamoru sat enjoying his morning coffee while perusing through a newspaper. It wasn't often that he got to just sit and drink a cup of coffee anymore. He glanced at his watch. He had two hours before he had to be at the hospital he worked at, and it felt nice to have a little free time. Not that he didn't enjoy his work, because he did. Being an intern was demanding, but it was well worth it.
He waved to his best friend, Motoki, who had just entered the CROWN Fruit Parlor that he owned. Motoki grinned at him and walked toward him. "Mamoru! Finally got in for some of Unazuki's coffee, huh?"
Mamoru grinned back. "Your sister does make the best. You're coming in late today, Motoki."
Motoki slid into the booth across from him. "Hey, the boss can come and go whenever." He grinned. "Especially now that Unazuki is my assistant manager."
Mamoru chuckled and shook his head. "She has time for that?"
Motoki nodded, his green eyes twinkling. "She's taking a few courses at the community college at the moment, so she has time for both." The blonde haired man noticed a red haired-girl glaring at him from the front counter. "Ah, Unazuki's mad... better go. Ja ne, Mamoru!" The lightly freckled man jumped up and hurried toward the front.
Mamoru smiled toward his friend getting a lecture from his younger sister before shaking his head and turning back to his newspaper. The morning was dragging on in a lazy fashion for quite a while, until suddenly Mamoru felt dark shadows above him.
He blinked down at his newspaper, and then looked up. Four girls were standing around him, their thin arms crossed across their chests as they stared down at him with firm expressions on their faces.
He blinked. "Minako-chan, Mako-chan, Rei-chan, Ami-chan?"
Suddenly they were sliding into the booth around him, and all their faces turned to look at him.
"We have a bone to pick with you, Chiba Mamoru-san." Makoto said in a threatening voice, sitting very close to him. He grimaced. The tall, strong brunette could wield lightening with her fingertips. She was a bit... terrifying with a thundering look on her face.
He looked around at the other girls. Ami nodded her head solemnly. He raised an eyebrow. If even gentle, timid Ami was involved in whatever the girls had up their sleeves, it had to be serious.
"Alright, girls... what can I do for you?" He folded his newspaper and gave them his attention.
This seemed to please them. Minako, sitting straight across from him, leaned over the table. "Why haven't you proposed to Usagi-chan yet?"
Mamoru blanched. "W-what?"
"You've been home for months, Chiba," Rei poked her finger around Makoto to sink her sharp fingernail into his arm. "We thought when you got back, we'd have a happy, engaged Usagi! And no, we don't! So what's your problem?"
His jaw dropped, and he stared around at them with his eyes blinking stupidly. "I, uh, well..." He cleared his throat. "You want to know why I haven't pr-proposed to Usako?"
All of them nodded. "Please," Ami added as an afterthought. The others shot her dirty looks, but she shrugged, a small grin tugging at her lips.
"She's been busy, and so have I," Mamoru managed, muttering. He glanced at Makoto. "You've kept her pretty busy in the bakery, and I'm in my intern year. We haven't exactly had that much time together lately."
Makoto raised one thin, brunette eyebrow. "Usagi-chan loves working with me, but every time we get an order for a wedding cake, she gets this dreamy, sad—"
"Okay, okay," Mamoru put up his hands. "I get it. She's ready." He sighed. "I didn't want to rush her in any way, you know, girls. She should get to have a peaceful life of her own. With no worries about battles or me or... you know, the future." He gave them a meaningful look.
"So that's why you've been stalling!" Ami hit a realization, and she smiled at Mamoru. "You were afraid the second you guys married, all of our lives would change."
Mamoru nodded, looking sheepish, hi eyes averted from them.
"We don't know what will happen," Ami looked sympathetically at him.
He nodded. "Aren't you all worried?"
"We'll all have a lot more responsibility then," Minako muttered. Then her blue eyes lit up. "But I think we'll all be able to lead a normal life for a while before Crystal Tokyo, don't you guys?" She looked around at the others.
"Was Chibiusa born before or after the creation of Crystal Tokyo?" Rei pondered, tapping her fingers on the table.
"No idea," Mamoru shook his head. "They never really let us know when she was born."
"Then who knows, Mamoru-san!" Minako's face had brightened. "You and Usagi-chan may have years and years before you have to become king and queen!"
"Minako-chan, keep it down!" Makoto hissed. She looked at Mamoru. "But she does have a point, Mamoru-san. We don't know when the... you know, disaster...will hit, so we shouldn't put any of our lives on hold because of it."
Mamoru nodded, smiling softly. "You're right. I've been letting it get to me, I guess." He looked out the window with a secret smile playing on his face.
"So the girls convinced you I was ready?" Usagi was staring at her boyfriend with her mouth wide open.
He nodded. "Pretty much. I don't know what's going to happen, Usako, and I don't know if our marriage will influence when we... become king and queen." He looked at her. "But the girls did help me realize that I can let that stand in the way."
Usagi was sniffling. A waterfall of tears suddenly erupted from her eyes and she jumped in Mamoru's open arms. "Mamo-chan!"
He chuckled and pulled her close. "Usako."
She quietened her sniffles after a few minutes, and then her eyes happened to glance at the clock on the end table. She groaned. "I'd better go." She lifted her head from his chest and saw the disappointed look on his face. She grimaced as well. "Mako-chan, Minako-chan, and I have a really busy day tomorrow. Friday means lots of weekend wedding cakes to prepare." She shrugged. "It's June!" She grinned up at him. "So when can we tell the girls?"
"This weekend?" He kissed her forehead. "Michiru-san's art exhibit is Saturday."
"We'll have drinks with them all after?" Usagi beamed.
"Perfect." Mamoru grinned back at her.
Usagi jumped up and headed toward the door, slipping into her shoes. Mamoru followed her, opening the door for her. He leaned against the door as she walked out and turned to him with a smile. "Mamo-chan, I'm really happy."
He chuckled. "I am, too."
She leaned up and received a kiss from him. "Will I see you tomorrow night?"
He winced. "Working at the hospital, Usako."
She nodded. "I thought so. I'll see you Saturday, then." She kissed him again. "Oyasumi, Mamo-chan."
"Oyasumi, Usako."
"This one is finished, Usagi-chan!" Makoto called, and the blonde girl came bustling to the back to see the cake. The blonde squealed.
"Mako-chan, it's your most beautiful one yet!" She clapped her hands together as she stared at the layers of the ivory wedding cake.
Makoto grinned as she surveyed her work. "Pretty good." She wiped her hands on her apron and picked up the cake, carrying it to the freezer. "This one will be delivered for the Rika wedding tomorrow."
Usagi went to the front and came back with a clipboard. "Toro will be here tomorrow morning to make the delivery. What about the Chisaki wedding?"
"The cakes are in the oven baking, and I'll finish decorating it today before we close. Is that everything?"
Usagi nodded. "Except whatever orders come in today. Minako-chan will be here soon, so we'll have more help for the busy afternoon hours."
Makoto grinned. "I have to say that working with you guys is the best. Who knew the clumsiest twins on the planet could actually be the best workers ever?"
Usagi rolled her blue eyes, grinning too. "You're just lucky you have us! We don't break things that often"
"Just the random plate or two." Makoto went to the oven and checked on the baking cakes. "I'm very lucky to have you guys, and I appreciate you. I won't have you guys for much longer, and you know how much it's going to suck when I have to hire fourteen year old teenagers to work part time for me?"
Usagi raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going anywhere, Mako-chan, and I don't think Minako-chan will be either!"
"Minako-chan's going to hit it big soon; I just know she will!" Makoto looked away from the oven to Usagi, her eyes dancing. "She's too awesome and has too much talent. And you!" Makoto snorted. "As if I don't know, Usagi-chan."
Usagi looked away, a lump forming in her throat. "...know what?"
"So which pocket are you hiding it in?" Makoto crossed her flour-covered arms across her chest.
"Hiding it?" Sweat beads began to fall down Usagi's face.
"Your ring." The brunette grinned.
Usagi's eyes widened to the size of teacup saucers. "How—how..."
"Please." Makoto rolled her eyes and waved a hand. "I can read you, Usagi-chan." She grinned evilly. "I was sure that you would spill yesterday at the wedding dress shop window, but you held up." She chuckled.
Usagi grinned sheepishly. She reached into the pocket of her white shorts, hidden behind her apron. She produced the ring. "Don't tell anyone else, Mako-chan. We're going to tell everyone this weekend, after Michiru-san's exhibition."
Makoto nodded. "Don't worry; I won't tell."
"Yoohoo!" called a cheery voice, and Minako breezed into the back room just as Usagi pocketed her ring again. "Hey guys!" She opened a cabinet and stored her handbag with the other girls' belongings before grabbing a white apron and tying it on. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Just the Chisaki wedding," Usagi grinned sheepishly at Makoto, who nodded, grinning in return.
"Okay, well I'm going to go out front." Minako darted a glance at Usagi. "You've been leaving the counter empty, and there is a hot guy out there looking at birthday cakes." She paused. "I just hope it's not for his girlfriend!" She grumbled as she sped past the other blonde.
Usagi giggled. "I guess that's my signal to get out front with her. Call me if you need me."
"Will do!"
When Usagi left work in the late afternoon, she was exhausted. Wiping her hand across her brow, she stepped out into the bright sunlight after waving goodbye to Makoto and Minako, who were cleaning up for the day. She slung her handbag over her shoulder and started to walk toward home to change out of her work clothes before heading to Rei's. It was going to be an uneventful, easy night at the temple with Rei and Makoto. Minako had secured a date with the hot guy from earlier (he had apparently been buying a birthday cake for his younger brother), so she had bailed on their girls' night, and Ami was, as usual, busy with her university work.
Usagi worried about the blue-haired genius sometimes. Ami was intent on starting her intern year as soon as possible, so she seemed to be working around the clock to finish her medical degree from way ahead of schedule.
So it was going to be a girls' movie night for Makoto, Usagi, and Rei, who lived at the Hikawa shrine with her grandfather while she studied ancient Japan and archeology at the Azubu University, where Ami studied as well. Usagi hadn't understood why exactly the miko decided to become a Japanese historian, since when she was younger her dreams had included being a singer like Minako. But then she had asked her why she had changed her mind.
"It was a childish dream, Usagi-chan," the miko said while she stood stirring curry at the temple stove. "For Minako-chan, singing is a passion. She is an idol already, and she doesn't even realize just how special she is. She'll go far. But for me, it was a whim. I have always dreamed of a satisfying career, and this is the one for me."
"But it's... history!"
The miko chuckled. "To you, it's boring. To me, it's who I am. It's who I've always been. Ancient language was always my favorite class in school, but I just didn't pay much attention to history as a career." She looked at Usagi with a smile. "But how awesome will it be when I'm on a dig someday and I help to find a piece of our ancestry? It's going to be amazing." Usagi watched the girl's eyes shine, and she smiled.
Usagi smiled as she walked. She was happy, and all of her friends were happy. Minako was working with her agent to get auditions while she worked with Makoto and herself part time at Makoto's bakery, which was flourishing. Rei was enjoying her studies, Ami was so close to finishing hers, and she...
"I'm getting married," she whispered, her eyes shining brightly in the light.
"Oh my God!"
Usagi blinked and looked at an elderly woman who was gaping up at the sky, her hand pointing toward it. The blonde frowned and turned around to see what the woman was staring at, and she noticed that all around her, others were stopping to stare up at the sky as well.
She gasped as she gazed up at the brightness of the sky. It was tainted with blood red writing.
"Bring them to me, the princess and the rabbit. Or all shall die by my hand."
End Chapter One
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and the next one will be out soon!
*You will remember that Usui Yoshiki is the fashion designer from SuperS. He "promised" to make Usagi a wedding dress after she helped him find his inspiration again. I always liked this episode very much... er, except the weird FishEye being naked thing. Was. Just. Weird.