Chapter 10
Author's note: Some concepts loosely based of Cockpit Shorts Dojinshi. So paying homage, were I got some ideas.
Mamoru returned home several hours later, bearing a large tub of chocolate ice cream and a nice cage for Usagi' s mouse. After a long talk, some tears on Usagi's part and nearly the whole tub of ice cream they had worked out a compromise concerning the mouse. Mamoru had made Usagi promise that while he was home, her mouse "Tuxy" would be in his cage. Tuxy didn't seem to mind his cage, he was actually starting to enjoy it. It was a large enclosure, with a wheel, a little cave to sleep in, and tons of wood chips to chew and hide in.
Mamoru's plan back fired just a bit, since Usagi felt bad about having to cage up her friend she would slip into the cage with him and spend time playing around in the cage. Instead of spending time with him, leaving Rei as his companion for most of the night.
Rei wasn't all bad, really. Mamoru was beginning to like her, she had a curt dry sense of humour very much like his. He could have an intellectual debate with her over just about anything. He respected her , for her responsible nature. Also that she was hard working and actually enjoyed learning. She also wasn't bad to admire, with her long raven black hair and elegant beauty. In Usagi's absence, he was able to developed a close friendship with Rei.
A week past and still the girls remained teenie, tiny. Usagi wouldn't let it bother her, she attempted to enjoy being small. Finding interesting things that she could only do by being so small. Mamoru was amazed at how resilient she was. She never complained, never got upset. Always happy and full of joy, trying her mightiest to keep Rei's spirits up. Who had been becoming bitter and depressed as the spell wore on.
Mamoru had sent a note to Juban High stating Usagi would be out of school until Summer Break for Medical reasons.
Now a new week was beginning and his days were filled with finals.
"Alright I'm off Usako?" Mamoru called, slipping on his leather jacket. He wasn't looking the most dapper these days, his appearance was the last thing on his mind. Wearing jeans and a plain black t-shirt. He had let his beard grow for the last week, and now his face was covered in a small layer of soft dark hair.
Usagi crawled up onto the island, with the aid of a rope. Darting to the edge of the cupboard, her and Rei each had a weeks worth of doll clothes. Not always the most flattering of outfits, but at least they weren't running around naked. Today her hair was done up in it usual hair style of buns and tails. She was in a long pink flowing skirt and a white sleeveless vest with a low neckline that showed a little to much of her breasts. Mamoru liked this outfit on her the best, for obvious reasons.
"Good luck!" She yelled from the counter, her little voice carrying up to him.
Mamoru smiled warmly, cupping his hands against the counter so she could climb on. Standing strong, hanging onto his thumb for support he brought her up to his face.
She grasped the tip of his nose with her small hands and gave him a tender kiss upon his nose.
"For luck." She grinned happily, blushing just a little. She always blushed when she gave him affection. Mamoru thought she was just to cute when ever she blushed and acted so shyly.
"Thanks, Usako." Mamoru set her back down on the island, heading out the rice divider with out further words.
"Do you even care, that this romance of yours is completely doomed?" Rei commented bitterly from nearby. She had been enduring the mushy love scenes between Mamoru and Serenity for over a week and it was worrying her. She wanted more then anything to break these two up. Her princess loving a human was just so wrong.
Usagi found her Guardian sitting sombrely on an over turned coffee cup, near the cream and sugar containers on the low table beyond the island. The dark haired girl was in a pair of mock cotton jeans and a red tank top. Usagi cast her a sour look, then stuck her tongue out. Getting quite sick and frustrated at her constant need to comment negatively about her love life. She was free to love whom ever she wished and Rei could keep her nosey butt out of it.
Rei rolled her eyes. "Very Mature, Princess." She muttered.
"I am going to go let Tuxy out, so he can join us for breakfast." Usagi ignored the taunt, swinging back down on her rope to the floor.
Shiba National Park
Deep within the lush man made forests of Shiba National Park, a gentle power began to rise.
The koi pond began to ripple softly, the multi coloured fish leaping away nervously from the once calm waters, that had now became quite active. The water began to foam and bubble, splashing up in small geysers as the power issuing from it's shallow depths began to surge forth. The few visitors to this out of the way part of the park, stopped to stare in awe. Some standing still on the red bridge that spanned the pond, others on the pathway skirting the water.
As if a Venus was being born from the water, a woman emerged from the foam as silently and serenely as if walking down the street. She had short blue hair that framed her elfin face, with wide gentle blue eyes, round cheeks and a pointed chin. Her clothing was strange, yet alluring. With a long blue tanned, leather sleeveless coat that hung open down her slender body. Hanging low near her knees, it swayed with her lazy gait. An tunic of iridescent blue silk covered her chest, falling just over her small hips, with long flowing sleeves. Along with similar silk leggings, and darker cloth boots, with a black heavy leather sole underneath.
The boots tied up with a navy cord to just under her knees. She had a long navy cloak, with hood, clasped around her neck with a silver chain. A wide tan leather belt adorned her waist, with a satchel on one hip and a dozen small cloth bags on the other hip. A long cord trailed up between her small pert breasts, attaching a shimmering blue harp, in a carrying case against her back under the navy cloak.
She walked on top of the water as if it was nothing, ignoring the strange looks from the people around her. Merely disappearing into the under brush of the park with out comment.
The test went as well as expected, Mamoru was certain he at least got over eighty percent but it was hard won. He had barely spent more then a few minutes with his Usako over the last week or so. He promised himself as he drove home on his bike that he was going to take her out on a real good date after his last final in a couple of days. Turning up onto the dirt path, that led up to his home on the crest of the hill. He found a strange woman walking up the edge of the path, dressed all in blue leather and silk. With a sigh he pulled his bike over next to her.
"Friend of Serenity's?" He smirked, knowing full well she was.
"Guardian of Wisdom...Mercury." She nodded, her voice was soft and crisp.
"Get on I'll take you up to the house." Mamoru inclined his chin to the black leather seat behind him.
"No thank you, I shall walk." Mercury commented promptly ignoring him and continuing her slow walk up the path.
Mamoru shrugged taking it in stride and rode up the rest of the path without her.
He sought out Usako, who he found lounging on a beige pillow on the couch watching cartoons. Attempting to eat a large cheddar Cheetos. The puffed up corn chip looked like a giant piece of orange stuffing, she was currently shoving into her mouth.
Mamoru chuckled with good humour, noticing the dusting of orange smeared across her cheeks.
"Isn't that a bit to big for your mouth, Usako." He commented dryly, his mind strangely falling back on more lewd thoughts of her putting other things of a more pleasurable nature into her mouth. Yep, testosterone strikes again. He thought bitterly.
"I never give up, if it's something I want." She smiled innocently, then shoved the tip of the cheezie into her mouth.
Causing Mamoru to groan unintentionally.
Then she chomped down, biting the tip off with satisfaction.
Mamoru's sexual fantasy instantly sobered up,...owwwww.
Clearing his head by brushing a hand absently through his hair.
"You have a friend coming up the walk." He stated. Chucking a thumb out the open divider.
Usagi gave him a curious look, discarding the snack food on the coffee table.
"Hey!" Rei exclaimed in irritation, as the Cheetos landed at her feet. Dusting her clothes in a small orange cloud. She cast her princess a sour look,from her place sitting on the remote. Rei usually sat on the remote, taking control of the TV. Usagi never really minded, understanding it was Rei's way to be comfortable. She liked to be in control at all times, of herself and her environment. Usagi was too easy going most of the time to care about how domineering Rei got around her. Usagi merely shrugged, giving her an apologetic look. As Mamoru offered her his hand to ride on. Carrying her out to the veranda, she watched the vacant path with anticipation. Then the short haired woman in blue appeared on the top of the hill.
Usagi squealed in delight as Mercury walked into view.
"Mercury!" She screamed, leaping into the air on his palm. Waving her tiny hands over her head, her golden tails bouncing up and down.
Making Mamoru very nervous that she was going to fall off his hands. He watched her intently, making sure he caught her as she came down.
Mercury smiled warmly as she drew near. By the time she was nearing the edge of the veranda Usagi had built up her excitement to such an ecstatic extent. She couldn't contain herself and leaped off Mamoru's hands, latching onto Mercury's face giving her a huge hug.
"I missed you too, Princess." Mercury mumbled, around Serenity's body which was pressed up against her mouth. While the little princess's arms were stretched wide over her face, hugging her with all she had.
Mamoru shook his head. Usako felt things so intensely. Then he meekly peeled his girl off Mercury's face inviting the new Guardian inside after him.
Rei leaped to her feet as Mercury entered the house.
"Mercury, just the Guardian we need." She grinned up at the blue haired girl from her position on the coffee table.
"I see things have gotten interesting in my absence." Mercury sighed, sitting down on the couch beside Mamoru. Usagi sat on Mamoru's lap, tears of joy streaming down her little cheeks. Mamoru rubbed her back with a finger, she was just so emotional.
"The spell doesn't seem to be wearing off, can you fix us?" Rei inquired, moving to stand in front of Mercury.
"Well, I will need to run some tests. Find out what kind of magic was used on you two. Then I can come up with a reversal spell." Mercury's eyes focused inward, reviewing all her information about spells.
"Well I will leave you girls to it. I got my last final coming up in couple days and it's the worst yet." Mamoru sighed, taking his leave to hide in his room with his books.
A little while later, Rei wandered into this room. Climbing up onto his work bench making herself comfortable in the corner. Mamoru cast her a small smile, used to having her company while he studied. They would talk a little here and there through out the night. She would give him just a little bit of a distraction so he didn't over work himself.
"Hi, Mamoru." A few minutes later, Usagi nervously entered the room. Interrupting him laughing loudly to something Rei had just said.
"Hey, Usako. " Mamoru smiled warmly, stretching his arms over his head, feeling his back tightening up. He had been hunching over the books to long.
"I made you a snack and some tea." She gave him a small smile, casting Rei an uncertain look. She had noticed over the last week how close Mamoru was becoming to her. Mamoru had told her they were only friends, but he was spending more time with Rei then her. They had gotten to know one another pretty well while she was gone. He told her to relax and to stop worrying about him and Rei. But she couldn't, every time she caught them. It seemed she was interrupting a personal moment, as if she was an intruder. It hurt to see them acting so friendly, as if her sister was attempting to lure her boyfriend away. She had always had a bit of an inferiority complex with concerns to Rei. Rei never helped matter's much, always bragging about her skills, her intellect, her better etiquette and all around more memorable personality. So strong and confident she over shadowed the princess often in public.
"Thanks Usako, Your the best." Mamoru patted her on the head standing up to go retrieve his food from the kitchen.
Rei sighed with disappointment, jumping off his work bench. Giving Serenity a strange look as she past by, not
understanding why her princess was scowling at her.
Mamoru found his plate filled with homemade cookies, and a pot of green tea on the low table in the kitchen. The cookies looked a little charred, and certainly not the most aesthetically pleasing to look at. But as Mamoru had found out about Usagi's cooking. Even if the food didn't look like much, it was made with love and usually tasted pretty good. He snatched up the plate and kettle, hooking a mug around a finger and retreated back into his room. Usagi and Rei past him in the hall.
"This looks great, Usako. Thanks. It's sure is nice having someone looking after me." He cast her a happy smile. She paid him a small smile of her own, lost in her thoughts over his blossoming relationship with Rei. Mamoru's smile faded into a frown as his compliment fell flat. Not wanting to get into it again with her, he hid in his room studying for the rest of the day.
Mamoru was exhausted a few hours later, he decided to go have a relaxing bath. As he past through the back hall he found Mercury busy running her tests on Rei and Usagi. Who stood on the coffee table, looking bored and slightly annoyed. While the ever logical and thorough Mercury took notes, by typing into a handheld data pad. Casting a blue aura over them both from her hands for time to time taking readings.
Minutes later he was basking in the warm water letting all his worries fall away. Closing his eyes he sought a peaceful place within his mind. Lounging back against the rim of the rub, his arms hanging loose along the white ceramic sides.
His peace was soon shattered, by a small splash beside him in the tub. He knew who it was instantly, she no doubt had decided to join him seeking his company. They hadn't had a-lot of time together in the last few weeks. With small hands feet she climbed up onto his chest. Sitting on her knees, completely nude. Her long golden hair draped over the front of her tiny body hiding her breasts, her wide blue eyes staring at his peaceful features with deep love.
"Mamo-chan?" She squeaked.
"Yes...Usako?" He responded, shuttering silently. Feeling her climbing on him, she felt so much like a mouse it caused a nervous shiver to run up his spine.
"You and Rei are sure getting along well?" She started, nervously fidgeting with her fingers in her lap.
"Yes, I like Rei. She interesting to talk too." Mamoru nodded, not catching onto the thread of the conversation. He never opened his eyes, seeking to enjoy the relaxing qualities of the warm water.
A long silence fell between them.
"Do you still like me?" She asked, her voice quiet as if it was embarrassing to ask.
Mamoru chuckled, decided to play a joke on her. It was ludicrous for her to even question his love for her.
"No, Usako I don't like you." He stated with a tired sigh.
"What...?" She squeaked.
"I don't think I like you at all." He answered matter factly.
Then he heard her sniffling softly.
Snapping his eyes open, he realized his joke wasn't going as planned. He was hoping she might get a little annoyed or give him a little punch in the gut or call him an insensitive jerk or something. He was ready to finish the friendly jibe, with the fact that he didn't like her,.. he loved her.
Instead, he found she was crying softly,pulling herself up onto the rim of the tub. Brushing tears away angrily with her small hands, preparing to leap from the edge.
"Usako...Wait!" He called to her, as she scrambled off the rim of the tub. Landing gingerly on the floor, racing away sobbing out of the bathroom. He never realized how much his friendship with Rei was bothering her. It was as if she didn't trust his feelings for her. Oh Kami! He had to fix this!
"It was a joke, let me finish!" He rose out of the tub, kicking himself for an idiot. Why did he play around with her emotions, stupid, stupid!
Wrapping a towel around his waist he was quickly in pursuit. As he swung out of the divider into the hall. Mercury's voice
floated into the house from outside.
"Serenity I think I am ready. " Mercury called from the backyard.
Mamoru caught sight of the bottom tip of her long honey blonde hair flutter off the end of the open hall divider to outside. The light of the day was fading away, the horizon threw the lush trees along the side of the house glowing in deep purples and pinks.
"Usako!" he screamed in fright, racing back to his bedroom to throw on a pair of grey sweats before confronting the other girls in the backyard. A minute later properly covered, he raced into her room and out of her divider. Coming across the conclusion of Mercuries Reversal Spell. The short blue haired woman was kneeling out on the grass in the twilight of the back yard. Rei and Usagi stood before her, Rei casting a very mournful and naked Usagi strange looks. Wondering what the heck was going on with her. Mercury was all business ignoring her Princess's sad state, focused on her notes on the Data Pad set beside her. Then pulled off a blue velvet bag of magic dust from her belt. She poured just a little into her hand, then blew it on Rei and Usagi. The tiny girls sneezed, as the dust enveloped them.
"What spell was done, now undue, return to the forms that's true." Mercury muttered, reading off her notes on the Data Pad.
Mamoru moved silently behind Mercury, giving Usagi apologetic looks wanting her to look at him. She kept her eyes down cast, feeling to hurt to confront him. Not understanding why he had spoken so cruel to her. Confirming all her worries that she was losing him to Rei. Certain now that he liked Rei more then her. She was starting to really hate her Guardian, she had moved in on her territory and taken her Mamoru away.
Rei cast her an uncertain look as the magic began to warm her skin. Usagi was now glaring angrily at her, her little fists balled tight against her sides.
"Sereni...Arkkkk!" Rei began to ask, her voice falling into a crows a call. Rei clamped her hands over her mouth in shock.
Usagi felt her body begin to heat up as if a fire had ignited in her belly. She wrapped her tiny arms around her stomach, looking up to Mamoru with great fear in her wide blue eyes.
Mamoru cast Mercury a worried look.
"What's going on Mercury..." He stated in an uncertain hush, his eyes darting from Rei and Usagi and back to Mercury.
Mercury looked confident, sitting with her hands folded in her lap waiting for her spell to finish.
The outcome came in a twisting flash of blue fire, as both Rei and Usagi fell to the grass writhing in pain. Their bodies curling up into tiny balls, as black feathers exploded out of Rei's back. Usagi grew soft sandalwood fur all over her body.
Rei's face morphed into beady black eyes and a long sharp yellow beak, her body growing in size till she became a scowling raven.
Usagi grew in size as well, her torso filling out, legs thickening, feet lengthening. Her face twisting into a round shape with watery soft brown eyes, and a cute furry muzzle with a twitching pink nose. Becoming true to her name...a cute little bunny.
"Well that didn't work out so well?" Mercury scratched her head, undaunted. Reading over her notes and casting the Raven and Rabbit odd looks.
"What did you do!" Mamoru cried out in horror.
"Magic is a unorthodox kind of Science...I'll review the outcome and revise my spell." Mercury sighed in frustration.
"Arrrrkkkkk!" Rei screamed, flapping her wings madly. A cloud of black feathers fluttering around her and Usagi.
Usagi twitched her nose twice then bolted for the woods, unable to contain her raging emotions any longer she needed to work them out alone.
"Usagi!" Mamoru raced after her, knowing that yet again he had hurt her. Cursing his continuing stupidity with her, he disappeared into the forest as the deeper shadows of night took hold.
"Rei we need to find Serenity and get her back here. I need to reverse this, if you two are still in your animal form come dawn it's perminate!" Mercury exclaimed, fear clear in her dark blue eyes.
Rei pecked her hand in frustration, drawing blood.
"I deserved that..." Mercury yelped, then cradled her bleeding hand to her breast, admitting her failure bitterly.
Rei merely bobbed her dark head, then flapped her wings heading into the night sky to find her hiding Bunny.
Mamoru ran blindly threw the dark underbrush of the small forest that lay behind his home. The dry dead branches, snapping under his bare feet, cutting up the soft bottoms leaving a trail of blood behind him. Thundering through the bushes that sat unkept and wild between the high reaching trees. Full darkness was descending, with a dull half moon rising into the sky. Peeking threw the branches high above him. He reached out with his bond to her, searching the surrounding shadows around his running feet for any trace of that same silver path he had seen before.
A low howling echoed mournfully through the night, sending his heart into a cold freeze. Stray dogs were on the hunt in the forest.
"Usagi!"He screamed in panic, spinning in place as a cawing echoed down to him from above.
"Rei do you see her!" He cried out into the dark branches, seeing the black shape that was Rei.
The crow never responded, leapng back into the sky to do a wider circle of the grove of trees.
With a groan he raced away, reaching deep within himself searching for any trace of his own inner powers. He needed to find her before the wild dogs...they would tear a gentle creature like her to bits.
Hours later he was still running blind through the night, a cool breeze was biting against his hot sweaty bare skin. His arms and bare chest full of shallow scratches from stray branches and thorny bushes. He had lost track of Rei long ago, her calls falling away as she searched further a field. As a bunny, Usagi could cover a lot of ground in a short period of time.
The wild dogs howls and barks had begun to follow him, increasing his anxiety, fraying his nerves to a near breaking point. His heart was a thundering beat against his chest, his sweat running cold on his bare skin with dread.
"Usako were are you...please I need to find you...I'm sorry for hurting you." He groaned in emotional agony. Brushing his wet sweaty hair back from his forehead. As he cleared his wet fringe away, he finally saw the thin silver ethereal ribbon stretching away from him through the dark forest. It was faint a whisper of connection to the brilliance it once was.
"Finally..." He breathed, jumping into an all out run through the under brush. Crashing threw a set of heavy bushes a few yards ahead. His feet falling away, as a dried out ravine lay on the other side. With a yelp of surprise he fell backwards on his butt, sliding into a shallow creek below.
Slipping into the cold water, soaking the back of his sweats. With a frustrated growl Mamoru rose onto his feet, his bare feet stinging in the ice cold water.
The slick, submerged stones in the creek bed slippery under his feet as he trudged through the freezing water. Moving upstream, following the ghostly silver trail of his beloved.
A long howl echoed from the top of the ravine, Mamoru cast a worried look into the looming bushes that lined the edge of the creek bed.
"Usako...Please you need to stop hiding and come to me." He called into the darkness ahead, a chill from his feet being in cold water for so long beginning to cloud his thoughts. Wrapping his strong arms around his stomach he sought to retain some heat.
Then a low growling came from further ahead, along with several calling barks. The wild dogs had found something, and they were calling on the pack to help with the kill. Mamoru broke into a dead run yet again, pushing his fear to the side knowing that a pack of dogs could take him down quite easily. But he needed to save her, if it was her they had found...
Like a storm in human form, he rushed threw the three dogs that were flanking in front of an over turned log in the bend of the creek. The log was a huge dead tree that had fallen years ago, the underside slightly submerged in the creek, green and rotting away. The dogs were snarling and lunging in a break in the rotting bark, trying to drag out what lay within.
Mamoru screamed at them, pushing them aside with his hands. Kicking at them as he circled in front, glaring with deadly threat at their growling muzzles. The three dogs stood their ground before him, snarling and hunching low ready to lunge at him. Yet a bit nervous, never had they found a human so foolish or courageous to take them on. They were a
cross bred, wild things, borne of the street. Never shown love by a human, only loathing and hate. The three were on the larger side of dog breeds, maybe shepherd a little doberman mixed in considering their colours were black and dark brown. Fur long and matted, covered with mud and grit from chasing their prey all night.
Mamoru cast a quick glance over his shoulder, confirming what his heart already knew. The silver ribbon trailed beneath the log. He could make out two glowing brown eyes, staring in fear outwards from the small hiding place. Could feel her terror, her heart beating against her chest, breath ragged from out running the pack of dogs for most of the night.
"It's going to be ok, Usako..." Mamoru whispered, giving her a strong smile as the first of the dogs leaped at him.
Mamoru ducked grabbing a heavy stick at his feet, and swinging at the last two dogs as they charged.
Usagi watched her true love fight for her with everything he had, swinging his heavy branch at the ferocious dogs as they sought to flank him. Lunging and snarling, trying to take him down by tooth and claw. He stood his ground, the muscles on his broad back rippling, arms straining as he swung the make shift club towards a snarling maws. The soft light of the moon shone upon his heroic visage as he struck down one of the beasts. With a strangled yelp the club connected with it's jaw, shattering it. The dog went down into the shallow cold water, silent and still. The other two then fought with a new resolve, attempting to avenge their comrade. One weaved low towards Mamoru's ankles, while the other lunged for his neck. He had no choice, swinging high he connected with the lunging hound sending it back howling in fury. The other sinking it's teeth into his calf, ripping out a good chunk of flesh, darting away from the club as it was swung low. Crimson flooded down his leg, pooling into the clear water staining it with his life's blood. Usagi watched his blood flow away in the current, tears falling down her fuzzy cheeks. She regretted running away, anguished over not listening to him when he sought for her to stop and listen to him. She was always so foolish and rash when would she learn? Oh, Mamo-chan...Don't die!
His skin shone in the moonlight as he staggered forward, snarling at the remaining dog with as much feral hate as the animal. The dog growled low, matching Mamoru's rage. Leaping up on his hind legs, as Mamoru stumbled forward. His strong jaw snapping onto his wrist and dragging him down into the freezing water. Mamoru screamed in pain, as the dog hauled him down to his knees, shaking his arm viciously.
Usagi didn't want Mamoru to die...she had to do something, the only thing she knew could save him...Herself.
Seeing the second dog charging in from the shadows to his right, prepared to rip his throat out. She darted out of her hiding place, a blur of light brown fur.
"Usagi, NO!" Mamoru screamed, at her as he saw the brown flash of fur and soft white tail bounding through the two charging dogs. The dogs growled as her speed drew their attention sending them back into the chase.
Casting her little bunny face over a shoulder, she saw death rearing behind her in the snarling maws of the two dogs. Their tongues lolling to the side, saliva dripping from their mouths, living for the chase. If they caught her, one good bite to the neck and a shake and it would be over. She raced with all she had, zigging and zagging along the slippery stones on the creek bed. The soft light of the moon glowing on the shallow water she was churning up as she ran. She was speed, her legs held the power of flight as long as her feet could find traction against the river bed.
Mamoru rose shakily from the cold water, to his knees, as his beloved sought to save him. With his leg so ripped up, his arm torn and bloodied. There was no way for him to keep up. He could only kneel in the freezing water, tears streaming down his face. As he heard the dogs low growls and snarls far away in the darkness. His heart began to tear apart, his soul screaming to the fates that this was not how it was to end. She was not going to die! He would never allow anyone or anything to ever hurt her!
Throwing his arms up to the sky, he roared his fury to the stars. He needed to save her, would sacrifice all that he was to see her whole once more. His body began to glow with a blinding golden light, becoming consumed by it.
Usagi felt her body heating up once more, as if a flame had come to life within her soul. Screaming in agony, as she made one last leap forward. Her legs and front paws stretching to reach an over hanging log. Seeking to get out of the dogs reach, since they had slowly been gaining ground against her.
Her body began to surge with a golden light. As the light consumed her, it sent a force pulse outward towards the dogs. With a yelp of fright, the dogs were thrown into the air as the force struck them. Sending them end over end, high into the air and over the bushes the lined the ravine and out of sight.
As the golden light faded away, it left a supple, naked young woman lying in the cold riverbed. Her golden hair flowed over her back, a tint of silver in the strands as the dim moonlight fell upon her. Her slender arms and well shaped legs were sprawled in the cold water, her sweet face cast to the side. Looking utterly exhausted. Usagi groaned, her head was aching, her body sore. But still alive, with a thankful laugh she rose from the frigid water. Gasping in surprise when
she saw that she was human once more and the right size as well. Then her breath hitched as she remembered Mamoru.
"Oh, goodness..." she moaned in dread, racing back up the ravine that was now bathed in moonlight.
Everything looked pale, glowing with a soft silver light as the half moon hung in the star filled sky above her. Retracing her steps, back from her mad flight earlier her feet feeling numb and frozen from the water. She focused on keeping one foot in front of the other as she ran, her legs shivering with anxious worry. Her soul singing a mantra to her heart, 'He can't be dead, He won't be dead, please Mamo-chan don't be dead.'.
Coming around the bend, she found a shaggy dog with golden brown fur. Curled up in the freezing water, his back paw and a right front leg bleeding profusely. She knew from the blood, this dog wasn't from the pack, but her wonderful, courageous Mamo-chan. Somehow he had taken on her spell, turning her human once more.
She quickly knelt before his thick prone body, that was now shivering from the cold. Placing his furry face on her lap with gentle love. Admiring his regal and kind face, with a strong muzzle and floppy ears. Smoothing down his soggy, matted fur along his neck with a shaking hand, tears of adoration streaming down her face.
He blinked groggily, raising his canine features off her lap. Struggling to sit up before her, with only a few whines of pain. Staring with sweet brown eyes that held a depth to them. As if he could see into her very soul. He felt horrible for causing her such hurt again. She meant everything to him, he just kept screwing things up.
She cupped her hands to the wet fur on his cheeks, her cerulean eyes shimmering with tears of remorse.
"Thank you Mamo-chan..." she wept, drawing his face onto her shoulder as she embraced him tightly.
His sacrificial act in itself had shown her how much he loved and cherished her. She knew now what a fool she'd been.
He loved her, would give all that he was to keep her safe.
Mamoru basked in her embrace, his mind still chastizing himself for hurting her and causing this whole tragic event. He could no longer speak how deeply he loved her but he promised he would make sure she knew in all ways he could show it. Now that he was a dog. With out a doubt she would know that he loved only her.