For the One I Love

Chapter Thirteen

"Recurrent Decisions"

Sunlight poured into Usagi's room and she wanted nothing to do with it at the moment. She rolled around on her bed, facing the opposite direction.

"Usagi!" Ikuko called from the bottom of the stairs. "Usagi, you're going to be late for school again! Come on, or you won't be able to eat your rice before class!"

"Mmm…" Usagi grabbed her pillow and shoved it over her face.

"Usagi!" She heard her mother call again.

"Alright!" Usagi lazily picked the pillow up from her face and plopped it on the bed. Swinging her legs over the side, she managed to force her body into a sitting position. She continued to sit there for a few seconds, trying to think herself awake. Something was bugging her, and it wasn't the sleepiness. It was one of those feelings in the pit of your stomach, like you can't remember what you should be worrying about, but you know that you should be worrying about something. As she turned her body, she noticed the vase of flowers, the stuffed monkey, and the picture sitting in-between both of them. "Oh …"

Standing up, Usagi walked to the night stand and took the picture in hands. She brushed off a couple petals from the flowers that had caught on the frame. Tears found their way down her cheeks once more. "What have I done?" She spoke to the emptiness.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Umino!" Naru Osaka called from inside the 2-1 classroom at Juban Junior High. "Umino give it back!" All the students sat on or around desks chatting loudly with one another, with their teacher Miss. Huruna nowhere to be seen. Seiya was reclined back in his own desk, his feet propped up on the empty seat to the side. He glanced to his right at Usagi's empty desk.

"Hey Naru. Have you seen Usagi at all today?" He asked.

"What, Usagi-chan?" Naru stopped her pursuit of Umino to look at Seiya. "No, I haven't seen Usagi yet."

"Hmm…"

"I'm sure she's just running late again." It wasn't hard for Naru to tell what he was thinking about, what with the look of worry she saw enter his eyes as he looked at Usagi's empty desk.

"Yeah, most likely..."

"Hey Umino! Where are you going?" Naru chased after Umino again as he made to leave the classroom. As he stepped out from the room, a faint screaming could be heard down the hallway, accompanied by screeching footsteps.

"Woah! Watch out!"

"Who?"

Crash! "Are you okay?" Naru leaned outside the door to see Umino sitting on the floor. He had collided with a late and panicked Usagi who was face first on the floor across from him. Usagi picked herself up off the floor, rubbing the back of her head.

"That hurt!"

"Sorry." Umino said, picking up his glasses from the floor also standing up.

"Oh?" Usagi caught sight of who she had crashed into. "What happened to our homeroom class?"

"Oh." Umino also replied when he saw Usagi. "Miss. Huruna is not here today. So even first period is study hall."

"So that's it." Usagi said happily, then suddenly sulked at her own thought. "I wish I'd had another bowl of rice."

"Umino," Naru interjected. "Give it back to me."

"What? But…"

"I'll give it to you when I finish it properly, okay?"

"Well, if you say so, Naru." Umino blushed as he reached into his pocket and pulled out something that resembled a bracelet, yet seemed to be made out of string, and handed it to Naru.

"What? What is that?" Usagi leaned over it in interest.

"It's a promise ring." Naru told her.

"A promise ring?"

"Miss. Usagi, you don't know what a promise ring is?" Umino asked her in shock.

"Pro-wrestling?" Usagi seemed to dwell in her own mind for a second before blushing a bit. "Kinky."

"This is no good." Umino and Naru said in unison.

"Come on, I'll show you." Naru grabbed Usagi's arm and pushed her inside the classroom. As Umino closed the door behind him, Seiya glanced over at them and jumped up out if his seat at the sight of her.

"Usagi!" She froze mid-walk.

"Seiya…" It was as though her heart suddenly jumped into her throat and stayed there, letting its continuous pounding invade her ears.

"I was, afraid you wouldn't come today."

"Why… wouldn't I come?" She could feel herself blushing and quickly looked down at the hem of her skirt.

"No reason." He smiled.

"Usagi, come here."

"Coming!" Still trying to avoid his eyes, Usagi whipped around to where Naru and Umino took off too. Naru set down a couple of the same looking yarn bracelets down on a desk.

"These are the promise rings that everyone's been talking about."

"Wow! So lovely! So how do they work?"

"You make them one knot at a time while making your wish, and then you tie it around your wrist or ankle." Umino said knowingly. "Then, when they snap, your wishes are supposed to come true."

"It's very popular nationwide right now."

"Right?"

"You're right." Usagi looked around the room at her classmates, more than half of which were wearing the promise ring, or working on one at that moment. "I didn't notice everyone wearing them. I wonder if I should make one too…"

"There are different ways to make them, depending on the wish." Umino held up an advertisement about the promise rings to show Usagi. "Oh yeah, they opened a specialty store in the Juban area."

"Wow..." Usagi took it into her own hands and looked at it.

"Not only do they carry embroidery threads, books, leather strings, beads, and everything else needed to make promise rings, but they also offer free classes to customers."

"They say that if you make one and give it to your boyfriend, you'll stay together forever."

"Like Naru and me." Umino pointed to himself.

"Really? Then maybe I should also…eh-" Usagi stopped speaking. She had almost forgotten, Mamoru was no longer her boyfriend. For some reason she still didn't understand, he had left her. There was no one to give a promise ring too…unless…

"Are you going to make me one then?"

"HUH?" Usagi jumped to the side, almost knocking into the corner of the teacher's desk. "Dowhat?" She slurred.

"What surprised you all of a sudden?" Seiya eyed her suspiciously. "I asked, are you going to make me a promise ring then?"

"W-why would I make you a promise ring?"

"So you're not?" Seiya puckered his lips into a pout.

"Of course I'm not! You're only supposed to give them to your boyfriend! What?" Usagi snapped at Seiya who had his hand on his chin and was looking at her intently as if studying her close-up.

"Well, you can easily solve that problem can't you?"

"Solve what problem?"

"The boyfriend problem."

"And how is that?"

"Yesterday, was my official asking. Just so you know."

"Official…asking? Yesterday?"

"Oy, come on now." Seiya sighed. "On the Ferris wheel. I told you I wasn't joking Dumpling, when I said I'd very much like to be your b-"

"Ah! Okay!" Usagi pounced on him to cover his mouth, for both Umino and especially Naru were giving her deeply interested looks.

"Okay?" Seiya pulled Usagi's hand away.

"No! Not okay, okay! I mean…"

"So, no?"

"No, not no! Just-"

"So then there's still hope, if it's not a no right now, right?"

"Seiya…" Usagi lowered her eyes softly, his hand still wrapped around the one she had used to cover his mouth. It hit her again, right in the chest and traveling throughout her body, the same pain from this morning. "I-"

Bing bong bing bong…

"Ah!" Naru snatched the bracelets off of the desk. "Usagi, that's the bell for Phys. Ed. We got to go, the guys change in here today."

"Right." Usagi said. Naru said goodbye to Umino and headed for the door, but before Usagi could follow, Seiya held hard onto her hand slightly yanking her back towards him.

"An answer, only when you're ready." Throat dry and the pain beginning to pound harder inside her, Usagi simply nodded her head.

It was a school day Usagi was glad ended. Seiya hadn't said anything more about the previous night the rest of the day, and everything would have felt back to normal if it wasn't for the nagging feeling Usagi got every time she looked at Seiya smile. Deep in thought, she came to a stop on her way home from school and sighed.

"Usagi-chan! Usagi-chan!"

"Huh?" Usagi turned around to see her two friends, Ami and Makoto standing behind her.

"What's wrong?" Makoto asked. "You look so down."

"Did something happen at school?"

"No, nothing like that." She lied.

"Then, cheer up!"

"If you have any problems, we can give you advice anytime." Ami encouraged her.

"Thank you, but it's nothing like that. Oh yeah!" She said with a sudden burst of energy. "I heard the Juban area has a new promise ring…heh- Mamo-chan!" At that moment, a tall man wearing a green blazer with black hair had walked around the corner of a brick wall. "My wish came true. I've bumped into Mamo-Chan!" Mamoru stopped and stared at Usagi for a second before turning to leave without saying anything. "Wait!" Usagi called after him. As she began to run forward she tripped and fell to the hard cement, landing on her knee. Again Mamoru stopped, and again he started to walk away. "Mamo-chan!" Usagi called out to make him momentarily stop. "I've been trying to figure out why, but I just can't. Please tell me! Why don't you like me anymore? I can't… I can't give you up like this… Please, at least tell me why!"

"Should it matter anymore? You've moved on now haven't you?"

"You're wrong!" Usagi curled her hands into balls along the pavement. "I… haven't moved on! I can't until I know…" Usagi shook her head. "Please, tell me why!"

"It's just me being selfish. Please forgive me." And he walked away, ignoring Usagi's last pleading calls and fresh sobs.

"Usagi?" Makoto said delicately. "Usagi, come on…" She kneeled down and placed her hands on either side of Usagi's shoulders. "Ami-chan and I will go with you to get the stuff for the promise rings, won't we Ami?"

"Yeah." Ami said quietly.

"So come on now, get up. Please?" Gradually, Makoto helped Usagi rise from the ground, keeping her arms tenderly on her friend's shoulders. No one spoke as they set off into the heart of the Juban District. It took them a little while to reach the building, the sky beginning to purple around them. They stopped outside the building for a couple minutes talking, before entering. Once inside, the girls began to look around at all the different materials they had for the rings as well as a couple books for beginners Ami pointed out. In the end, Ami had grabbed a pink tray and filled it with some string and a book called, "Original Promise Ring."

"Here!" She said handing the tray out towards Usagi. "These are the materials you need to make a promise ring that will let you and your boyfriend makeup."

"Thank you." Usagi said taking the tray.

"Here, the classroom is this way." Makoto took notice of a sign that was propped up on one of the counters, showing where the classes were held. She put her right hand on Usagi's back, showing her the direction of the class with her left.

"Okay." They followed the arrow on the sign that led them down a narrow hallway which gradually sloped. To their right was a door with another sign on it, "Promise Ring Classes." Makoto swung open the door revealing a room full of people near the end of a lesson that had already been in session for some time. "Umm..." Usagi said in the doorway looking around apprehensively.

"Well, we'll be right over there." Makoto jabbed her thumb out the door.

"Good luck." Wished Ami.

"Thanks…" Her two friends walked away as the instructor of the class spotted her.

"Is this your first time?" She asked politely.

"Usagi!"

"Here she is!" Two familiar voices sounded from the nearest table.

"Naru! Umino!" Usagi said happily.

"All of you are friends? Then, you can sit here." The instructor showed Usagi a seat at the table where Naru and Umino sat.

"I'm glad you're here." Naru said excitedly as Usagi took her seat. "I was worried since you looked so down today." After taping some of Usagi's strings onto the table, the instructor immediately began teaching Usagi how to start making one of the promise rings, but Usagi had so much difficulty, she quickly moved on to something simpler.

"See? Isn't this really easy?" She asked. Usagi fumbled with the strings as if they were reigns and she was trying to make a horse move faster, unable to simply move one under another to form the shape of the number four. "Everyone has trouble at the beginning." The instructor's voice wavered. Then a bell chimed in the background. "All right. Then we will stop here for today." She straightened up and spoke aloud to the class. "Everyone, please read the manually carefully and finish it at home."

"Ehhh?" Usagi pouted with her head pressed against the desk. "I have to read it? What a pain!"

"Do you understand!" The instructor screamed threateningly.

"Yes, ma'am!" Usagi panicked. She quickly picked up her things and left to meet up with Naru and Umino, Naru of which was snickering. Ami and Makoto joined up with them out in the hallway and joined in on the snickering after Naru told them why she was. All of them walked together most of the way back from the class before Ami, Umino and Naru split off to go to cram school together, and Makoto and Usagi took separate ways home a few minutes afterwards.

Once home, Usagi took off her shoes and headed to the kitchen for some warm pancakes her mother had whipped up as an evening snack. She told Luna and Chibi-Usa about the class she went to while watching some TV. When she was done she went up to her room and changed out of her uniform before sitting down at a small table and starting to work on the promise rings.

"Hmm…" She mumbled as she turned a page of the book, and tried to copy what the picture was showing her to do. "Arg, this is impossible!" She dropped her head onto the table causing everything on it to monetarily jump in mid-air. She eyed the knotted mess that was her ring and sighed, staring at it. "Should I… make Seiya one too? Unn…" She placed her arms over her head and buried her face into them. Not this again. She didn't want to go back to thinking about this… but then, who was she making the ring for? Mamoru…. Seiya? Both… What would she do if- could Mamoru truly hate her now? And why wouldn't he tell her why? It's wasn't fair. Yet, every day she spent with Seiya, thinking of Mamoru became easier… maybe… "Maybe I should… " Usagi slipped into unconsciousness. Her chest moved steadily up and down as she breathed, her head resting against her arms and sprawled out over her work book. "Mamo-chan, why..."

Her and Mamoru were walking together down what seemed to be a large white stoned walkway with planted flowers all around, and flower petals blowing past them. Mamoru was wearing a white tuxedo, his face unmasked, and Usagi… she was wearing a white wedding gown.

"Mamo-chan…" She said lovingly looking into her husband's eyes. "We're finally married; aren't we?"

"Usa-ko, I will never let you go." He smiled back at her.

"Mamo-chan…"

"Usa-ko…"

"I'm so happy…" They learned in to kiss one another, when the ground beneath Usagi crumbled. She screamed and began to fall into what seemed a never-ending pit before hanging limp, suspended in the air.

"Mamoru Chiba, you must not get close to Usagi Tsukino." A male voice shouted over the catastrophe. "When the two of you are bound together, the whole world will crumble, and Usagi Tsukino, in other words, Princess Serenity, will be struck by misfortune."

"You're lying! It's a lie!" Mamoru's voice still echoed in Usagi's voice when she sprung from her sleep.

"It can't be!" She bellowed. "A dream? Why did I have a dream like that?" Usagi quickly rose from the small table and went to grab the framed picture of her and Mamoru. "Mamo-Chan… Hah!" Usagi gasped as the glass in the frame cracked in half. She stared at it in horror, raced down the stairs, hurriedly stuffed her feet into her shoes, and ran out the door.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Ahhh!" Hitomi fell backwards into a wooden chair behind the checkout desk, raising her arms above her head and stretching. "That's it! We're closed! Sale done!"

"Fine by me." Seiya flipped the store sign so it read, 'Closed' against the window. "Who knew such a small store could fit so many bodies." After dealing with the sign, Seiya walked over behind the check-out counter and plopped himself on a chair next to Hitomi.

"Thanks again for coming to fill in." She said.

"No problem." He smiled. "Aren't you filling in as well?"

"Yep." Hitomi took a swig from the water bottle she left behind the desk. "Got a call from management this morning asking if I could help out with the sale after school let out. Apparently, the original person who was supposed to work it caught a cold. Then when I showed up," Hitomi shrugged. "The person I was supposed to be working with also called in last minute."

"Hah. Nice coincidence. Do you mind?" Seiya pointed to the water bottle in Hitomi's hand.

"No, go ahead." She handed it over to him and blushed slightly as he took a drink from it. "Hey, Seiya… do you believe in destiny?" Seiya peered at her from the corner of his eyes. Taking one last gulp from the bottle he slowly lowered it from his mouth.

"No." He said flatly.

"Oh." Hitomi said slightly let down. "How come? That is, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Because… it causes people to live by what they think is supposed to happen, rather than what could happen…"

"Huh?"

"Never mind." Seiya held the water bottle back out to her and grinned. "Just ignore my ramblings."

"Oh hey, what's this?" Ignoring the outstretched wattle bottle, Hitomi leaned over and picked something off of the floor by Seiya's chair. "Is this a promise ring? They're really popular at school right now." She held out the pink and white threaded ring in her palm for Seiya to see.

"Ah, that's mine!" Seiya grabbed it from her hand and shoved it back into his pocket after setting the water bottle on the counter. "Must have fallen out."

"Really? Gift from a pretty girl?"

"Nah, but I'm hoping. I made this one."

"Haha, it's hard to picture Seiya as the promise ring making type. It must… be for someone very special…"

"It is. Very special." Hitomi's eyes briefly widened as she drew in a short breath. She had never seen Seiya's eyes so warm.

"Tsukino-san?" She said somewhat bitterly, looking away. "It's for Tsukino-san, isn't it?" Seiya nodded, the same warmth still flooding his eyes. "Does Tsukino-san, feel the same way yet?"

"I'm not sure, but I have a feeling I'll know soon."

"And… and if she doesn't- Seiya?" Hitomi turned around at the sound of Seiya springing from his chair. He leaned over the counter as far as he could go, his head moving with his eyes as he watched something pass by outside.

"Hitomi, I have to go! Can you close up everything without me?"

"Sure, but-"

"I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you." Seiya ripped his name tag from his chest and threw it inside the cash register. Not even bothering to go around it, he flew over the counter and raced for the door.

"Seiya!" Hitomi quickly stood from her own chair. "Seiya, just one more question….are- are you in love?"

"Yeah, I am." He gave her one last smile before bolting out of the door.

"Yeah…" Hitomi said weakly. "I think I am too…"

Seiya rounded the corner of the clothing store, running as fast as he could trying to catch up with a blonde pigtail that had just whipped around another corner. "I know that was Usagi on her communicator." When Seiya rounded the same corner, there was no mistaking that it was Usagi running ahead of him. Guessing by the two other's that were closely following her, a small pink haired child and a black cat, there was no doubt what she was running for. Seiya slowed his pace, making sure that neither the Luna nor Chibi-Usa would catch sight of him following. When they stopped outside a building that he recognized as the promise ring supply store, he moved to hide on the other side of it. "I have to make sure she stays safe." Not being able to resist staying away when he knew a battle would soon unfold so close to him, Seiya transformed into Star Fighter the same moment Usagi transformed into Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Star Fighter called out to Sailor Moon as she started to make her way up the stairs. "Wait for me, I'm coming with you."

"Star Fighter?" Sailor Moon swiveled around and started down the steps. "Star Fighter!"

"What-" Fighter was thrown off guard when Sailor Moon leapt down the few stairs that separated the two of them and wrapped her arms around her in a hug.

"Ah um…" Sailor Moon backed away after realizing how odd she had just behaved. "I'm sorry…" She blushed lightly. "I just-"

"Long time no see?" Fighter smiled down at her. "It's nice to see you again too, Sailor Moon." Sailor Moon nodded her head, her mouth spread into a wide smile. "Come on, let's go defeat this thing, shall we?" Fighter let Sailor Moon lead the way up the many flights of stairs. They finally reach their last climb and the ground smoothed out to a concrete platform which led to a door.

"Dark Power, increase more and more!" They heard a female voice shout from the other side on the roof of the building. "Ring, ring, ring!" Sailor Moon grabbed onto the door handle and swung it open.

"I won't let you do that!" She shouted.

"Who's there? Ring?" The monster stopped collecting dark power and turned around to face Sailor Moon and Star Fighter.

"Wishing with each knot they make, girls put on these rings to make their wishes come true. But you imbued them with an evil power; that's unforgivable! I'm a Sailor Senshi of love and justice, Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

"And like a shooting star breaking through the darkness! Sailor Star Fighter! Stage On!" The two stood there in their battle poses, ready to attack.

"You impudent little brats, this is what happens to anyone who gets in our way!" The monster flew up above them and prepared her attack. "One Ring Attack!" Sailor Moon and Star Fighter jumped in opposite directions as a glowing blue ring crashed into the ground causing it to break apart. "A diagonal pattern makes your dream come true! Ring!" The monster babbled before cackling. "The secret of successful magic is not to give up after one try. Two Ring!" She aimed another attack, this time directly at just Sailor Moon.

"Sailor Moon!" Fighter shouted.

"For someone with no boyfriend, the heart pattern will be perfect!"

"How dare you? I do have a boyfriend, even if I might not look like it!" Sailor Moon hollered in complete anger. Star Fighter's heart skipped a beat. Could that mean… a decision? But there was no time to react to it. She shook her head and focused back to the issue on hand.

"Sailor Moon!"

"Watch out!" Chibi-Usa and Luna had taken the stairs to the rooftop to watch the battle. They both cried out in warning to Sailor Moon.

"Star Serious Laser!" Star Fighter shot the attack at the creature's back, knocking her assault slightly off course. Fighter ran and grabbed Sailor Moon around the waist as she tried to jump out of the way, pulling her roughly to the ground out of harm's way.

"Ouch…" Sailor Moon rubbed her left leg.

"You idiot." Fighter scolded. "Pay attention to what your enemy is doing!"

"Pitifully easy." The monster readied a third attack. "Here's the next one. Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring!" With each word, a blue light grew larger and larger around its pinky. Star Fighter moved Sailor Moon behind her back and prepared to attack, but before she could, a red rose shot down and smashed the spell into pieces. "Who's there? Ring?"

"A promise ring is a ring of hope. Abusing the trust of beautiful girls. You have an ugly heart, Droid. I, Tuxedo Kamen, will not allow it." The creature just laughed.

"Did you say 'trust'? You're so naive. What a huge joke! Three-Ring Thunder!" She fired at Tuxedo Kamen who batted the rings away easily, but as they soared away from him they came to an abrupt stop, filled with dark power, and came charging back at him. "For someone like you who wants to make up with a friend, ethnic patterns are the best!" Tuxedo Kamen was too unprepared by the sudden rebound; there was no chance to escape in time.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Sailor Mercury appeared on the ledge near where Fighter and Sailor Moon were, freezing both rings from striking Tuxedo Kamen.

"Sailor Mercury!" Sailor Moon said happily.

"I'm glad I made it!" One by one the other Sailor Senshi appeared, stopping the monster from trying to hurt anyone else. All the Sailor Senshi, plus Tuxedo Kamen surrounded the beast as Sailor Moon pulled out her wand.

"Moon Princess Elimination! It turned to dust and crumbled to the ground before Sailor Moon's feet. As soon as it did, something, or rather someone, appeared in the middle of the sky, with a shrieking laugh.

"That's…" The white cat Artemis began.

"Esmeraude!" Luna finished.

"The new lackey with the horrible laugh…" Fighter said, covering her ears.

"You impudent Sailor Senshi, listen very carefully to me." Esmeraude spoke. "Soon, the Dark Gate will open in Tokyo. When it does, the Evil Black Crystal's power will flood this place. Then, the Silver Crystal will turn evil and black, and the world will be surrounded by Dark Power and destroyed! Ahhahaa!" And then she left, leaving the Sailor Senshi to stand surveying the spot where she vanished.

"Sailor Moon…" Tuxedo Kamen looked over at her.

"Yes."

"Protecting our beloved city, and the future city, Crystal Tokyo, is the duty that has been laid upon us. No matter what kind of hardships stand in our way, we have to overcome them and keep going."

"Tuxedo Kamen…"

"Sai-" Sailor Star Fighter's voice caught in her throat, her outstretched hand faltering to move forward anymore. What… what was happening? That look, on Sailor Moon's face…
"Sailor Senshi, let us continue to fight together. Good-bye."

"Sailor Moon, why are you just standing there?" Sailor Mars walked over to her and grabbed her arm. "Hurry up and go after him!"

"I don't know exactly what happened." Mercury said. "But you cleared up the misunderstanding between the two of you, right?"

"How did you know that?" Sailor Star Fighter took a couple steps backward.

"It's obvious by the passionate way you two look at each other!" Venus pronounced.

"So, stop being indecisive!" Jupiter added.

"The tough experiences in life are what make us girls prettier. So, hurry!"

"Okay. Everyone, thank you." Without saying anything else to anyone Sailor Moon took off toward the door she originally came through. Something heavy was weighing Star Fighter down where she stood, behind the rest of the chattering Sailor Senshi.

"Sailor Star Fighter… Star Fighter?" Venus turned around to speak to Sailor Star Fighter, but she was gone. While her legs felt too heavy to move, she forced them too, not wanting to be near the others and their happiness at the moment. Once she was far enough from the Senshi and well beyond the clothing shop, Fighter stopped at Juban Park, resting her back against one of the swing set's poles. "This was it…" Fighter thought as she un-did her transformation and became Seiya. It was always the same. No matter where he went, he couldn't win… he could never win Usagi's heart. Did he even come close?

"Now what do I do…" Seiya slid down the pole until he hit the dirt. He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out the pink and white promise ring he'd shoved there about an hour earlier. As he pulled it out, it slipped through his fingers, and fell. Somewhere Usagi and Mamoru were kissing, in the present, in the future, here… and Seiya was sitting alone by the swings, a symbol of his love on the ground, where it would remain.