"A little to your left. Good. Look into her eyes."
Usagi and Mamoru were posing in the Juban Public Park for the last of their wedding pictures. They had timed the day's events so that their pictures could be taken at sunset. Usagi sighed contentedly as she posed another kiss for the camera, though she hardly needed an excuse to kiss her husband.
When they had first begun the photo shoot, she had been very nervous, wishing that they could go straight to the reception. But Usagi realized that changing plans on such short notice would only draw suspicion. Besides, the hall would not be ready for them until the scheduled time. The Moon Queen had been very specific about the war breaking out during the reception.
"That's a wrap. Lets head to the hotel for the final shot," The photographer turned away from the pensive couple to pack up his equipment.
With uncertainty in her eyes, Usagi looked up at Mamoru. There was no need to speak; they perfectly each understood the other's feelings. Mamoru reached down and folded his wife into his strong arms, pulling her close in a comforting embrace. Whatever was coming, they would experience it together.
(Scene Change)
The door swung open noisily on rusty hinges. Even before it was fully open, the magical indigo light of a fading sunset fell upon their faces. Usagi gasped with joy when she saw the beautiful sky framed by Tokyo's impressive skyline. Rushing to the edge of the rooftop, she spun around happily like a small child.
"The moon, Mamo-chan. See the moon?" she asked, motioning towards the sparkling crescent moon hanging low in the sky. Mamoru replied with a long kiss before nodding and agreeing that the moon was perfect.
While they took in the spectacular view from the rooftop, the photographer quickly set up his tripod, lining himself up with the tape markings he had placed on the roof when they had planned out this shot several weeks ago. Finally he called the pair over to the prearranged location and made the final adjustments to his camera.
Then suddenly, as if to salute the royal couple, all of the streetlights in the Juban district flickered and began to glow brightly. Hurrying them into position, the photographer began to snap picture after picture, struck by the ethereal beauty of both the enchanting couple and the vibrant sunset that danced behind them like a living tapestry of light.
Finally, the sky grew dark, lit only by the crescent moon and an array of bright stars. The photographer packed up his camera and walked through the roof door to the elevator. He would go ahead of them and get set up in the ballroom to capture their entrance.
Standing alone together in the moonlight, Mamoru leaned down to kiss his wife. "This is it Usako," he whispered into her hair. "Are you ready to be queen?"
"Now or never, I guess," Usagi replied with a sigh and a forced smile. But the smile quickly faltered and she admitted, "I'm scared Mamo-chan. Will it really turn out all right?"
"All we can do is trust Usako. Just trust." Mamoru pulled Usagi close to his body and sighed, resting his chin on her head. "Trust," the word was whispered so softly that Usagi felt it on her cheek more than with her ears. As the two lovers stood, clinging to each other in the face of an unknown future, they were interrupted by the rude chime of the elevator as its doors slid open before them. Mamoru recovered enough to put his body in motion and helped his tiny wife inside. "Let's greet the future with a smile."
(Scene Change)
Laughter filled the room as Usagi smooshed a small piece of cake into Mamoru's nose. The messy groom was quick to retaliate by kissing his bride hungrily, smearing icing from chin to brow. Her response was to lick some of the sugary mess off of his nose, "Mamo-chan, you taste better than chocolate."
Far behind the couple, one solitary bridesmaid remained at the head table, quietly contemplating the evening's events. She gently tucked a lock of sapphire hair behind her ear and sighed. Everyone was obviously enjoying the evening. Usagi had outdone herself when planning the event, and it was obvious to everyone present that this union had been meant to be. As the night wore on, the senshi had even begun to relax and enjoy themselves. There was no sign of any attack on the earth occurring. Ami had gone so far as to slip away to the bathroom several times to check her computer, but every scan had come up clear. Maybe the queen was wrong. Or maybe Usagi had misunderstood.
Ami was still puzzling through the situation when Akio, one of her and Mamoru's mutual friends from medical school interrupted her thoughts. "Care to dance, Ami?" Caught off guard, Ami looked around to see that everyone had taken their seats and was nearly finished their dessert. Realizing how deep she had been in her own mind, she blushed fiercely and nodded. There was nothing she could do to change the situation, so she might as well enjoy the evening.
As Mamoru and Usagi completed their first dance together, the couples around the edges of the dance floor moved in to join them. Akio led Ami out into the middle of the floor, leading her in a crisp waltz, his strong hand nearly circling her slim waist.
Back at the head table, Minako watched Ami and Akio longingly as the song finished. When the tempo increased to a catchy pop tune, she grabbed Rei and Makoto's hands, attempting to pull them out onto the dance floor. Rei willingly jumped up and joined her friend, but Makoto shook her head and waved them off. Normally she would have been the first one on the floor, and in fact she did want to be out there. But she would never be able to dance with the person she wished to. Sure they were friends, but he would never feel for her what she felt for him. As though to prove her point, she looked up to where Motoki was sitting, but found his seat empty.
"Eh hmm," came the sound of a man clearing his throat from behind her. Turning slowly, as though she were dreaming, Makoto saw Motoki bending towards her, his hand extended to her. "Makoto, may I have this dance?" he asked quickly.
Makoto just stared at him dumbly for a moment until his question sank in. Motoki was asking her to dance. Her Motoki was standing in front of her, asking her to dance. She nodded but did not move. After a moment, Motoki gently reached down and grasped her hand, pulling her to her feet.
When the couple reached the dance floor, the tempo of the song slowed as the DJ began a new song. With a questioning glance, Motoki slid his hand around Makoto's waist and pulled her towards himself. Makoto's thoughts were racing, but her feet easily kept time with the complex dance, making her appear calm and cool-headed. She analyzed his every move as they floated across the dance floor. He could not have feelings for her. While it was true that he had broken up with his long-time girlfriend, Reika, a few years ago, Makoto was positive that he was still in love with her. She was scheduled to return home from a long stint in Africa in a few months, and he would certainly be reuniting with her. His frequent sighs and longing expressions were proof enough that he was still in love.
Still, whether he was in love with Reika or not, it was Makoto he held in his arms at this moment. True, it was probably an act of pity to ask her to dance when he saw her sitting all alone, but that was no reason to not enjoy the feel of his strong arms around her. As the music's tempo slowed further, Makoto stepped closer into his arms and rested her cheek on his shoulder.
(Scene Change)
The hand groped around, making one final attempt to find its target in the last compartment of the camera bag. With a loud sigh the hand was withdrawn from the bag. It was true. He had really run out of film. This was a first. The photographer prided himself on being prepared. He always tossed a few extra rolls of film in his bag. Having met with the couple several weeks earlier, the bride's ethereal beauty had prompted him to pack twice the amount of film he usually needed for a wedding. And yet he had run out. Something about this couple had begged to be photographed. While they had planned just one quick photo on the roof, he had burned through five rolls of film. The effect of the moonlight on this girl's face had been nothing short of magical.
A quick glance at his watch confirmed that the reception was scheduled to run for nearly two more hours: plenty of time to run out for more film and be back in time for the gift-opening and the bride and groom's departure. Carefully packing up his camera and placing his tripod in an out of the way corner, he slipped out of the ballroom, exited the hotel, and made a beeline for the small camera shop just around the corner.
Unimpressed by the poor selection of film the shop carried, the photographer purchased their best brand and pushed through door, shooting a withering glare at the bell that cheerfully announced his departure. He walked quickly down the street, loading his camera with the inferior film, and muttering to himself about running out of film.
Just as he approached the hotel, he was thrown to the ground by a large explosion. He couldn't be certain, but it appeared to have come from the hotel lobby. A second explosion was punctuated by sudden darkness as every light in Tokyo was extinguished and the photographer fell unconscious.
