Divinity: Fates and the Afterlife
Chapter Seventy-Seven
Chaos walked down the long empty halls that led to Zeus' palace in Olympus. The second Gaia used her power to defend herself from him, the titan used his power to take the warp in space under his control and exploded it to nothingness but failed into taking his sister under his influence and stopping her from vanishing right before his eyes. The dark titan walked without single mindfulness of his surroundings as he stepped the sharp veins of poison and thorns with spirits haunting every nook and corner in the endless darkness imposed to the realm.
His boots made a crashing sound every time he took another step over bones and debris that was left from his last encounter with Ares and Zeus, where he knew for certain they were trying to come up with something to fight him back in a hole somewhere in the universe. Accompanied by the steady sound of his footsteps, the hollow cries of spirits echoed his way to what he knew was the main vein that connected Olympus to all realms in the universe, a special gate crafted and guarded in its time by none other than Chronos, the lord of time. As he came close and unwilling to stop, Chaos waved his hand to blast any obstacles out of his way and walked into the large empty room that only housed the large intricate door with ancient symbols carved on its heavy frame at the very end of the room. The titan narrowed his amber eyes when he remembered that precise moment he knew of its existence, and later on when he stood in this same room thousands of years ago. It was a vague but very vivid memory where he witnessed the mighty power of the titan of time being granted to aid his grandfather to cross and marking this the beginning of his fixation on the true power of titans.
Something in him stirred like a thunderstorm at sea, it revolved his curiosity and interest, completely taking his full attention and urging him to want to know why such powerful race was obliged to follow Olympian laws, how it came to be; their condemned fate. The root of his rebellion: oppression, ambition, power, reign.
Reign.
Later he learned about the power of giants and what gave way to their existence, all down the lineage of Helios's creation and birth and later his descendants. Chaos wanted it, he wanted it all. He wanted his rise and control over the universe to be remembered as an absolute response to those who once thought of them as savages.
To Chaos, titans represented more than just being a superior race. They were absolute. He was absolute.
His amber eyes studied the deep carvings on the gilded gates and narrowed them in deep thought, knowing exactly what he had to say to made them open to his command. A prayer. A thing, Chaos has not done in thousands of years of his existence and deep down, it bothered him, to know the words and yet been obliged to mouth them with sincerity and respect he did not have.
"Tempus Custos; scindite seorsum caelum, et aperuerit spatium-vicis ostium mihi, Voco verum nomen omnipotens Titanus Tempore quia Custodis Pater! Chronos! Mihi fecísti vias lucem,"
The large golden doors roared with magnificent power as they reacted to the ancient prayer and opened wide before Chaos. The raging winds of the corridors of time and space hit at all directions, playing with the titan's long and pitch-black hair as he crossed. With a snap of his fingers, the road became clear and without complications he stepped right in front the underworld's gates.
His golden eyes immediately caught an entity in white lurking in the corner and raised his hand before the androgynous entity respawned and morph into the sins that guarded the entrance. In an almost invisible move, he took out his sword and cut its head in one clean straight move, "Non enim est in rem ineptias," (I do not have an interest in trivialities,)
Chaos walked straight to the welcoming meadows and with the same controlled movement, he dug his sword in the ground and released his power. The calm luminescent waters started to bubble and sway with unusual direction at his command, bringing the many spirits trapped inside to the surface with loud cries that caught the attention of the beasts Hades had sent to guard the rims of the realm which he easily cut through with his energy while others he took full possession of with just a flick of his hand.
The anomalies were soon caught by no other but the ferryman of the underworld, Charon, who appeared in his boat with wide eyes and dug his bone paddle in the water to control the restless spirits. He pointed his bony finger at Chaos and squinted his fiery eyes with anger, "Oi... I was starting to wonder... where the demon has been. I was not expecting to see you coming back to this realm."
"Quam molestum," Chaos pursed his lips, "Sedulitate transveheret, movere transeunt,"
(What a nuisance. Move aside, ferryman.)
"These waters are not for you to cross and I am not always the merciful kind!" Charon extended his arm and with a flick of his hand, manipulated the raging waters to create a barrier to block Chaos' path and stomped his paddle on his boat to summon one of his demon allies, "Arise, Kraken!"
Chaos arched a brow as he watched the ferocious and gigantic sea monster coming to the surface from the depths of the river; he narrowed his prismatic golden eyes with zero amusement or surprise, "Et Hades... fortasse ut semper cum servis suis," (Hades... always so flamboyant with its servants,) he leaped out of the beast's way and raised his hands to create a barrier blocking the beast's poisonous spit and landed with his sword in hand, this was a set up the lord of the underworld had clearly prepared for this moment.
With a quick turn, Chaos extended his arm and aimed his palm at the monster spitting fire and narrowed his amber eyes; with a swing of his majestic onyx sword Chaos cut through the barrier and stretched his arm to summon the power within him, "Adhuc non intelligere, quod nulla res quot decipit trahendum est, nihil metu deprecati sunt in medio vestrum et omnia quae fecerunt nidos." He looked at the dark sparks of energy bursting in his hand and in a matter of seconds, the shadows appeared to defend the territory.
The titan in black dug his sword again on the muddy ground and sent a strong gravity wave that pulled everyone down to a point it was almost impossible to move and continued to walk until he was inside Charon's boat and looked up at the kraken moving toward him with bestial movements, "Feras et bestias... omnia haec nihil sunt, sed in spectaculum mihi. Doliturum censeret primo genere pugnae, non sum tua remige transeunt."
(You still do not understand that no matter how many tricks you pull, it will do nothing to appease the fear you all have nested inside of you. Monsters and beasts... all these are nothing but a spectacle to me. I am not amused by your primitive tactics ferryman.)
Charon widened his fiery eyes when he saw Chaos impulse himself from the boat and in a perfect leap and a turn in his axis and with a move faster than sight itself, slashed through all the long arms of the beast and kicked them to break them apart from the rest of the body as he went down and landed on the boat before its slashed head splashed into the luminescent waters creating tidal waves. As the gigantic body fell and before it hit the water the dark titan aimed his hand toward it and blasted a massive charge of energy disintegrating it before it could respawn.
Charon widened his fiery eyes when he felt a strong sense of familiarity in the titan's attacks, he had seen these merciless and eye-catching movements before, perhaps not exactly the same, but the energy, the imposing presence, and the chilling and intimidating glare—that glare that warned the dangers of their power rushing within; it was there, echoing in his memory.
The ferryman watched the scene completely deadpanned and unarmed now that the vicious Kraken, his most trusted ally in the waters, had fallen without putting out a valuable fight. His parched lips parted as he watched Chaos swung his long onyx blade down to wipe the gore dripping from it and put it back in the sheath secured around his waist. Blood cold and impressed, the old man looked up at Chaos holding the long bone paddle,
"Vos ipsi vidistis eum. Qui diuino lumine Solis." (You have seen it. The one touched by the light of the Sun.)
Charon clenched his jaw, with realization. With a frown, the old man stood up and looked at the hauntingly beautiful specimen of a man and confirmed that in fact, the one he was talking about had the same blood running through his veins. The same one that said creatures like him should not exist. A casualty of the universe.
Chaos looked into the fiery eyes of the ferryman and formed a ball of dark energy in his hand and with a careless and disinterested glance at the old man, he dropped it into the water knowing the catastrophic result of such action. In a storm of madness, the thousands if not millions of souls trapped in its depths screeched in lament and pain; the always calm luminescent waters of Styx's river started to sway with force as Chaos manipulated the course to sail them faster to his desired destination.
In a quick attempt to stop Chaos from crossing over, Charon pushed himself up but his eyes widened when he felt a sharp pain in his chest and looked down at his bone paddle piercing through his chest and slowly looked up at Chaos with a complete lack for words.
"Ne hoc errore deciperis omnia, portatorem inveniunt eam dissimilis, non opus est tibi ut in hoc itinere. Scio mea modo valde bene." He pulled the old man close enough and whispered in his ear, "Quia fecit illud quod est."
(Do not mistake things, ferryman, I do not need you to go on this journey. I know my way very well. I made it what it is.)
Charon widened his eyes when he saw Chaos lifted him off the boat and threw him with force into the waters and watched the old ferryman being pulled down by the spirits he mercilessly condemned for not giving him a proper pay. With one last glance, Chaos narrowed his eyes as he looked how the now vulnerable rim that divided the underworld from Tartarus.
"Deprecor nomen tuum, Helios. Omni genere esse deprecor."
O—o—o—o—O
-O-
As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, Usagi carefully stretched her arm down to open one of the drawers in her vanity and looked down for a specific glass bottle—the one with the lilac flowers printed on the front and the lilac cap wrapped in a silky ribbon in the same shade. She pressed her glossy peach lips while she looked down to take the cap off and with a shaky hand, she sprayed the sweet and subtle scent of perfume behind her ears and down her neck. She took a deep breath, held it for a couple of seconds, and then slowly let it go as she stood up from her cushion bench and took a quick final look at her outfit mentally thinking she should add a light denim jacket over the striped blush pink light sweater and black pants to pair with her recently purchased find of the year—a pair of rose gold sparkly flats. She had done her hair in her classic and already trademark messy buns and the long streams of abundant hair falling on her back like rays of morning sunshine and was more than ready to take on the world outside.
Tsukino Usagi saw herself in the mirror one last time and pressed her lips nervously before taking a turn and left her room. As she walked down the stairs, the warm and inviting scent of breakfast welcomed her into the kitchen—it was a Sunday, and Ikuko would always wake up a little later than usual to start making breakfast since Kenji would go to the office at a later time whenever there was new information to look more into at the magazine company he worked on as writer, and lately, the strange events that had happened in Tokyo and some other places around the world not to mention the mysterious heroes that also had made an appearance were keeping him quite busy. At first, the talk around town about the people's obsession to find out the secret identity of the famous masked thief in black, Mysterious Face 2098—who further on made himself known as Tuxedo Kamen, and later on, the need to know who Sailor Moon and the Sailor Senshi were.
As she walked into the dining room, she saw her father drinking his usual cup of coffee while making some quick notes on a pad and took a quick glance at his annotations as she bent down to give the man a light kiss on his temple, "Good morning, Papa."
Kenji smiled and looked up, his deep brown eyes blinked with shock when he saw his daughter was fully dressed and not to mention wearing perfume so early in the day. Usually, Usagi would be the last one waking up on the weekends, she never pardoned whenever she had to be up early for something. Before he could ask, Ikuko walked into the room with her husband's breakfast and widened her eyes when she saw her daughter was there as well, "Usagi! This is a surprise..." the woman blinked, noting she was not wearing her usual pink PJs "Are you going out dear?"
Usagi gave her mother a soft smile and nodded, "Yes, I-I have... um... plans..."
"Oh?" Ikuko exchanged a quick glance with Kenji and looked back at her daughter, "It's ten in the morning. You don't usually wake up at this time..."
"Yeah... but, um..." Usagi nervously tapped the backrest of one of the dining chairs with her fingers and smiled, "I promised the girls I would meet them to go shopping. Minako-chan has this event she has to go with her family and she needs a new outfit."
"Ah, I see," Ikuko smiled as she refilled Kenji's coffee mug; she looked at her daughter with a complicit smile "A girl always needs to look good for these types of occasions."
Usagi wasn't sure why she would feel so shy about her mother's comment, maybe because in a way it suited the occasion and what she had in mind. Her small train of thought was suddenly interrupted by Kenji's warm voice, "Well, why don't you eat something before you go?"
Usagi fidgeted in her place behind the chair and looked at her mother who agreed with Kenji, "How long will you be gone?"
"Oh, I'll be back late in the afternoon... Mako-chan will be cooking at her place, so... right on time before my curfew,"
"Well, then... eat some breakfast—if you are going to be out for the day, at least have breakfast with us," Ikuko walked into the kitchen and minutes after came back with a small plate with diced fruit and a sliced tamagoyaki on the side.
Her mother always had a keen ability in the kitchen; she loved to cook and like Makoto, she would always be trying new recipes or giving new twists to her already classic ones. Usagi was sure about something: her mother was a true sweetheart; a little strict, very kind and loving, but if she offered you a plate of food it was an offer that wasn't up for any type of negotiation. You had to eat it—you had to eat. it. all.
Without anything else to say, Usagi took her usual place at the table across from her father and started eating her breakfast in silence while taking quick glances at the ticking clock on the wall that reminded her how much she was going to be late for her day if she didn't hurry. Her tardiness and lack of organization wasn't a novelty to anyone anymore, but to Usagi, this was a day where she wanted to make the extra effort to change those habits she knew very deep down weren't good, as Luna would always say.
After finishing her breakfast, Usagi went to give her father another quick kiss on his temple and then to her mother before heading to the bathroom and brush her teeth quickly before rushing out the door with her little black kitty crossbody purse on and her glistening shoes. Ikuko watched her daughter running out of her sight as soon as she closed the front gate and smiled, silently figuring the reason of her jumpiness.
"It's the pendant..."
Ikuko blinked and looked at Kenji over her shoulder, "Papa?"
"It means something to her," Kenji took a small sip of his coffee, "I did not want to believe it, but she did not deny it when I asked if she got it from a guy friend."
Ikuko smiled and turned to look out the window; she took a deep breath and slowly let it out, "Well... she is not a little girl anymore and you know she is very special. She is not just any girl."
"No, she is not, Mama. Usagi is becoming a beautiful lady and lately, she's been acting with a newly found grace that really keeps me wondering when did my little girl grow up so fast." Kenji nodded and took another sip of his coffee, "But," his brows furrowed, "Boys will always be boys, and when that moment comes, it better be one that respects her and makes her happy; really happy." The man looked up his wife, "I will only welcome that person into this family when I make sure he is worthy and capable of making our daughter feel like the only girl in the world because she is truly one of a kind."
O—o—O
It was a very lovely spring morning. The birds chirped happily as they hid in the branches of the many trees that led the way to her destination. Usagi gave a quick glance at her wristwatch to check on the hour while mentally kicking herself for not planning her morning a little better. As she turned around the corner and entered the park, she stopped when she spotted Mamoru sitting in his usual bench reading a book.
Like her, he was out of his usual school uniform and was wearing a much more relaxed and casual outfit that actually made him look more approachable than his formal uniform. Mamoru looked fresh in a plain white t-shirt underneath an open black and blue plaited flannel shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, slim fit dark jeans, and a pair of classic black and white converse. His dark hair was styled in its usual relaxed way with his fringe casually falling over his deep blue eyes he now had hidden behind a pair of dark shades.
Usagi felt her heart skipped a beat a couple of times and it hit her—the moment before her. She didn't lie; not entirely. She did have plans to be out for the day but unlike the schedule she gave to her parents, she didn't make plans to meet the girls and do some shopping for Minako and later have dinner at Makoto's place. No. Usagi had made plans, but she had made them with Mamoru instead.
And this was it, the day had come. This was their first actual date since the whole battle with Beryl and the Dark Kingdom ended.
They had come past the awkward phase of just bumping each other as strangers. They had become friends—good friends. The girls and Motoki had seen their relationship slowly bloom with so much organic nature that it made them forget they already knew each other thousands of years ago.
This was the first day after Beryl, the first day after a life or death battle. The first day of a new beginning but also, the first day they would have for themselves to get to know each other better and talk. Sure, they did a crash course while everything was happening as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen aided themselves in many occasions and later as Serenity and Endymion, but this was the first time they would go out as two normal teens who felt incredibly attracted to each other.
This was it.
Not long after things went back to normal, Motoki broke his newly acquired bro-code he had with Mamoru and told the girls that it took a lot of courage for the dark-haired man to ask Usagi out on a date despite knowing there was more than just plain friendship going on between them because while close, they still acted shy around each other at times. The news made them so happy and excited that they jumped in and give them a little extra push to the couple and encourage them to make a move. In support, they even helped Usagi plan a whole itinerary of what to say to excuse her long absence to her parents—Motoki included. Even Luna and Artemis joined the cause giving her the confidence to go for it and just let fate takes its course.
She wanted to get to know him—she really wanted to; after that slice of chocolate cake with the little note, this was the perfect time to craft that friendship they both wanted so much to have that could either or not lead to something more.
Usagi wasn't sure why she was so nervous since they already knew who they were as both, civilians and as agents of justice. She even armed herself with courage and kissed him right before going into battles and before learning they had been lovers in another lifetime. It was clear they liked each other. Before Beryl appeared to capture Mamoru, they had met several times behind everyone's back and even went as far to exchange a few subtle flirts here and there every time they happened to coincide in the same place. Whether he was talking to Motoki whenever he had to help his family at the parlor or whenever she was on her way back from school and they bumped each other on the street. There was always something there. A little and harmless flirt, a hidden smile, a polite yet playful compliment—it was an energy Usagi could not put her finger on to describe but she found it to be so incredibly magical. But now, as she looked at him wearing such casual clothes, she could notice there was a side of him she had yet not seen before since they always met on school days or when the situation required for them to meet in their special clothes that masked their secret identities.
There was always a code, and Usagi always had this idea that one could get to know much of someone's personality by the way they dressed and right now, as she saw Mamoru so detached from the image she always got from him whenever she saw him wearing his usual white shirt, red tie, and blue blazer with formal gray slacks, it made her realize that the young man was much simpler than the dashing hero in a black tuxedo with a cape and the upper-class elite student.
Usagi took a deep breath and gave her watch another quick glance before taking a few steps closer to him and that's when she noticed it: the light tapping of his foot on the ground and the way he randomly pressed his lips in a tight line every other minute that proved that just like her, Mamoru was also nervous. Seeing this, somehow made her feel a little more relaxed because it meant it was something new for both of them because this time the only reason they were there was because they wanted to. Because he armed himself with courage to ask her out on a date and she shamelessly said yes.
It didn't take him long to notice he was no longer alone. Mamoru closed his book with one quick snap, looked up, instantly gifting Usagi a gentle and very genuine smile, "Hi,"
Usagi responded the same way, "Hi," she blinked and pressed her lips as she saw him put his book aside the crossover black messenger bag he had brought with him, "I know we said ten but you see... my mother... she's always so—" her eyes widened when she saw him crack a light chuckle as he pushed his dark shades up along with his raven hair, exposing both his face and magnetic deep blue eyes, those she said were like looking into the deep oceans of Earth, so beautiful and alluring, "No problem, don't worry about it."
"I do want to point out that I did wake up early," Usagi giggled, "But no one can ever say no to Mama once she offers you food."
Mamoru smiled, "Don't worry, Usako. That's totally fine." He glanced down at his watch and shook his head, "It's not even that late," Usagi giggled and went to sit next to him on the bench, "Alright... but you must know... I am not the most punctual person in the world."
"Noted," Mamoru chuckled, "Wait, is this why you didn't want me to pick you up at your house?"
Usagi blushed knowing that the fact was indeed true but also because she knew her father would be there and she wasn't ready to answer awkward questions that would also put Mamoru on the spot, especially with his past, a thing she recently learned about and knew he had been struggling to find out the truth of what happened to him. After so many years of searching for answers, she figured he was still trying to process all the series of events that brought them to this very moment, just like she was doing as well.
With a soft giggle, Usagi bit her glossy lip nervously, "Maybe... well, also because I am not used to this formal way to go out on a date... this is actually the first time I ever go out on one... so, I don't know much about it."
Mamoru arched a brow, then cracked a nervous chuckle, "Huh..." he turned quickly and let out a soft sigh, "Well... I don't know if this applies as something 'formal' but... I brought you something,"
Usagi widened her crystal blue eyes when she saw him holding a pink rose and felt her cheeks flush almost instantly, "W-What..." she blinked, still very much surprised as she held the plump flower in between her hands and looked at it with disbelief. Mamoru gave her a soft smile, "It reminded me of you." He pressed his lips, "I know your favorite color is pink, so I imagined you would like it... but you can, you know... you can... it's okay if you don't..." The nervous tone in his voice gave Usagi the comfort she needed to believe she was not the only one vulnerable to the occasion.
"What? No, I love it! No one has ever given me flowers before." Usagi smiled, "Thank you, Mamo-chan." She felt her cheeks flush even more at the slight modification she made to his name that up until now, she had noticed it was a much more intimate way to call a simple friend but the same happened with him. It came so naturally and it never felt forced or weird.
With a reassuring smile, Usagi pinned the flower inside one of the button holes of her light jacket and turned to look down at the book in his hand, "So, what were you reading?" She squinted her eyes lightly and looked at him, "You read a lot, don't you?"
"I do, it's my favorite hobby..." Mamoru chuckled and glanced down, "Uh... this..." he pursed his lips and smiled with melancholy, "Well, it's kind of an old book I took as a loan and never got to return it to its owner, so I am finally taking the time to actually finish it."
"Ah..." Usagi blinked with curiosity, "Can I take a look at it?"
Mamoru arched his brow, "Uh, sure," he handed her the thick book and gave himself a moment to appreciate the beauty of the girl sitting next to him and took a slow breath to calm the pounding inside his chest. She was breathtakingly beautiful, but the energy that flowed from her was so soothing—it was enchanting. The way her pouty lips curved into so many different smiles he's seen gifting her friends made him wonder if she could have one for him. The way her pale blue eyes glistened with joy every time she talked to her loved ones made him think if she could ever grant him that wish, to be looked at the same way.
Mamoru caught the subtle hints of her perfume and felt his heart skip a beat in his chest; silently confessing his feelings to himself. He could look at her forever. He could listen to her forever. He wanted to, that he was more than sure. There were things said when the battle with the Dark Kingdom ended and they returned from the Moon but also, there were others hanging on threads drizzled with hope. He wanted to be with her but not because they had been together before and he wanted her to know that—he wanted to prove her that.
He smiled when his mind caught her reading some of the paragraphs out loud and widened his eyes when Usagi started to giggle ever so sweetly, "Okay wow... this is one complicated book and it doesn't even have any cool pictures in it..."
"Told you it's kind of old..." Mamoru chuckled lightly. Usagi pursed her lips and looked at the back cover, "But here it says it was pri—ohh, I see..." she laughed, "It's an updated edition... but the book is old..."
"I mean, it's not that old, about twelve years maybe? But the ideology in it is more of a utopian kind," Mamoru shrugged his shoulder, "I admit it is a little robust with its terminology and that its semiotic depictions are a little hard to follow at times but its complexity is what makes it truly fascinating."
There was something in the way he spoke that always charmed Usagi and made her think she could hear him speak forever. He was always so elegant and proper that could basically turn any random conversation into something else; proving he was fluent with words and made everything sound too cool—that was it, she thought. He made everything come out so cool and that low and warm tone of his voice made everything sound so charming—sensual even.
"A little?" Usagi mumbled as she flipped through a couple of more pages, trying her best not to let her mind wander more than she can allow it to, "How can you read this?"
"I read whatever comes available to me. I'm a bookworm, but, that book, in particular, has been making much sense to me on what my life turned out to be, of what I learned about myself... and, also, what I would want my life to be in the future."
Usagi smiled, understanding what he was trying to say. She pressed her glossy lips, still not ready to drown her soul into his piercing indigo blue eyes, "How come you never returned it to its owner?" She looked up and gave him a playful glance, "Are your thieving tricks still peeking through?"
"What?!" Mamoru tilted his head back and let out a carefree laugh, one Usagi immediately fell in love with by the smooth baritone sound of it. Mamoru shook his head and looked at her with a boyish side grin on his handsome face, "No, not at all! The person whom I borrowed it from moved away and I didn't get a chance to return it—hopefully, I get to do it one day,"
"Ah," Usagi laughed, "I thought... well, since you are a thief and all..."
"I don't steal anymore," Mamoru chuckled with a faint blush in his cheeks, "And I won't do it again. I am officially retired from my thieving adventures."
"Well, I hope so or otherwise Sailor Moon will get mad you know?" Usagi smiled and returned the book to him, "And she can kick serious butt." Mamoru flashed her a grin, "Oh, I know that, for sure."
Usagi smiled and tilted her head with curiosity "So, what are you feeling like doing today, Mamo-chan?"
"That should be my question, Usako." Mamoru smirked and turned to put his book inside his messenger bag along with his trusty green jacket he had brought in case it got chilly in the afternoon and tied the leather band inside the metal hoop to close it securely. Usagi grinned, feeling much more relaxed than when she got there and exhaled the remains of her nervousness as she stretched her legs and looked at her sparkly flats then at him with a curious grin, "Okay, what do you have in mind?"
"It's a secret,"
"Oh?"
Mamoru smiled and offered his hand to her, "Do you trust me?" Usagi blushed and nodded as she leaned closer to shake his hand, "I trust you,"
"That's all I need to know." Mamoru winked an eye at her and stood up without letting go of her hand and helped her stand up; he slid his dark shades over his eyes and grinned, "Alright, let's go."
Usagi nodded and helped him arrange his messenger bag across his chest and walked with him all the way to the subway station in Azabu-Juban. Usagi blinked surprised and turned to Mamoru, "Mamo-chan, where are we going?" Mamoru paid for their tickets and turned to look at Usagi with a soft smile, "A little birdie told me you've haven't really been out of Minato and that you love manga and art... so... I came up with a plan that I think you'll enjoy." He wiggled his brows playfully. Usagi blinked startled as they walked into the subway train and took their seats by the window and slowly turned her gaze at Mamoru who was taking his shades off again while thinking about how different he was from the initial idea she had of him. So simple and gentle—innocent even. She knew the young man had a growing brotherly bond with Motoki but even with him, she didn't see the playful gestures he was showing her and it was precious, it truly made her heart flutter in her chest—it made her feel like the only girl in the world. Mamoru turned to look at her and flashed her a beautiful relaxed smile, one she had never seen before but that she was sure she didn't want to ever stop admiring. It was genuine. A boyish grin that barely exposed his pearly white teeth. Almost sided, almost mischievous—playful and carefree.
The more she looked at him when she thought he wasn't looking, the more she could see he was letting her in into this mysterious yet bittersweet life of his. For good or bad, he was opening up to her and she was grateful because she wanted to see it all—she wanted to know everything about him just as much as he wanted to know everything about her, but as of now, he had the advantage because he was taking her somewhere she has never been before.
"How is it that you know your way to all these places outside of Azabu-Juban?" Usagi asked with a curious tone. Mamoru's lips curved to a much subtler smile, almost melancholic and for this answer, somehow, he preferred to look away, "I used to live in Shinjuku—well, Suginami-ku, to be exact. Later on, I moved to Minato, first to Moto-Azabu, and about a year ago to Azabu-Juban." He looked up at the sky with that same melancholy ghosting his lips, "I 've done a lot of commuting over the years that helped me learn and memorize the tracks and routes..."
"Oh, I thought you have lived in Juban all this time,"
"No, just recently,"
"You moved around a lot..."
"You can say that."
Usagi propped one leg up on her seat and hugged it lightly as she looked at him, she wanted to ask more but she didn't want to pry into the things he probably wasn't ready to share. It made her wonder how his life must have been before they met, where did he live, who were his friends—if he had any friends. While dealing with the Dark Kingdom, she learned by him that he was an orphan and how he had lost his parents in an accident on his sixth birthday, but that was very much it. She figured that if he lived somewhere else, it was probably because he moved with other relatives, or to a foster home after being adopted. She wished to know his journey in life, what brought him to Azabu-Juban from all the way from where he used to live before. She wondered if it was the same as it happened with Makoto but she wasn't going to force him to tell her more than he was willing to give at the moment so she just went with that little piece of information and continued enjoying the ride.
Around ten minutes after, their stop finally came. Mamoru quickly stood up to help Usagi move around and helped her come out of the train. She was completely smitten by the way he watched over her every move; Mamoru was being a true gentleman with her; with the flower as an adorable initial gesture, he opened all doors for her, watched her step at all times, and held her hand whenever they walked through crowded places so nobody would come close enough to make her feel insecure and also, so she wouldn't get lost. The young man knew what he was doing by taking her out of her comfort zone and he was well aware that he had to be extremely careful because unlike him, she had a family to return to. Usagi felt butterflies in her stomach as they walked out of the station and were soon walking down the busy and overly kawaii Takeshita Street in Harajuku. Despite the bright and almost blinding light of the sun at noon, Usagi turned to look everywhere with wide eyes; she didn't know where to turn, everything was so eye-catching, so colorful, loud and busy—very busy. Mamoru looked at her and noticed she was struggling to keep focus as she put her hand over her forehead to create a small shade and quickly took his sunglasses and put them over Usagi's eyes, "Here you go,"
Usagi jumped surprised and turned to Mamoru, "B-But..."
"It's okay," Mamoru smiled, "It's very bright and so much for you to see,"
Usagi wanted to tear up with emotion, how is that this young man could be this adorable, this uncommonly shy and innocent; like a little boy who wanted to show her everything with a unique spark in his eyes. It moved her, this was a side she never thought she could get to see of him. Underneath that unbreakable seriousness, was actually an incredibly charming guy. It was more than clear there was much more sparking between them that just ancient history. There was a friendship and complicity none of them had found before, an understanding and excitement and need to make each other happy—there was love. She had the biggest crush on Mamoru, that she was sure, and she was just one smile away from falling completely for him but she needed to try her best to disguise it and instead, the sunny blonde giggled with a mocking hint, "Ah, so this why you wear shades all the time?"
"Kind of," Mamoru chuckled and held her hand, "It's more of a developed custom than anything else..."
Usagi tilted her head with curiosity in her snarly grin but quickly pushed it aside when she felt his hand holding hers ever so gently; she liked it—the warmth that flowed within him, it was so much like the sun above their heads. How many times it saved her, she thought. After this, she didn't know how it was going to be possible to let go—she didn't want to let go, not now and she knew not ever.
"Come, there is a place I want you to see first. It's just a few more streets down but—" Mamoru said with mirth as he made way for them to walk in the crowded sidewalk. Between small talk and sweet and flirty jokes, Mamoru pointed a building when they were finally around the corner in Omotesando and smiled. It was so adorable to see him so excited, "I have a feeling that you will like this place, Usako,"
Usagi smiled widely, she was loving the nickname he gave her just mere weeks ago and she was loving the lightness of his voice that always came attached to it, it was a sweet, sweet sound—sweeter than a chocolate milkshake, "Really?" She held onto his arm as they crossed the street, "Well, then Mamo-chan... surprise me."
Mamoru chuckled and opened the glass door for her to walk in first. Usagi didn't need to look much around to know where they were. The minute she stepped inside she was instantly welcomed by a large image she knew by heart and loved. A manga illustration from her favorite mangaka she had as a bookmark in one of her art magazines and declared it was her all-time favorite. With much care, Usagi took the sunglasses away from her face and took a deep breath, "M-Mamo-chan..."
Mamoru turned to give the people at the entrance the pair of tickets he had bought in anticipation and smiled once he caught up with her, "I was reading the paper the other day—shocking, I know—and it said they were going to show a retrospective about the history of manga and anime and well, since I know you love illustration in general, I thought this would be a good place for you to visit."
Usagi stood in the middle of the first floor of the Watari Art Museum with tear-glossed eyes. She was beyond moved; she didn't believe she couldn't feel so happy and melancholic at the same time. As she turned around to look at the almost endless list of image compositions on the walls, she thought about the many times she told Naru about how much she loved to draw and how it ringed the idea of becoming an artist in the future, setting this the foundation of her love and dedication to the art of illustration and design—aside from her fascination with astrology. Usagi clearly remembered the day she was showing Naru one of her magazines while eating a chocolate parfait at the crown parlor one afternoon and she clearly remembered how she told her she wanted to go to visit this particular museum and see it all in person. Her light blue eyes widened when it finally made sense, how this came to be, "Naru-chan..." she mumbled with shock and turned to Mamoru, "Naru-chan told you! Naru-chan's the little birdie!"
Mamoru smiled as they walked around the large room and looked at the many framed images. There it was again, that unique smile Usagi loved so much to see, the same one that made her legs jiggle and her heart skip countless of beats.
"I was on my way home one day and ran into Osaka-san outside the jewelry store while she was giving away flyers to the people passing by. She recognized me and asked me for you since she saw us talking many times... and later it came to the conversation how much you loved art and that you were always drawing in your spare time—even during classes."
Usagi felt all the color in her cheeks had left and shook her head still not believing Mamoru had planned all of this just to surprise her and took a deep breath, "Oh my god..."
"I don't understand much about all this but I really want to learn... so, who better to teach me than someone who truly values and understands the many forms of art?" Mamoru kept his smile intact, "So, here we are. I'm all ears, Usako. Teach me about the art of illustration."
"Seriously?" Usagi blinked, "Me?"
"Yes, you." Mamoru nodded, his eyes couldn't look more honest and curious, "I really want to learn and who better than you to teach me?"
Usagi blushed. With a crazy flutter in her chest, she smiled. Without thinking it twice, she turned and pointed one of the pictures she clearly recognized as one of the most popular in her art magazines and started explaining what she liked about them, emotions and all. Mamoru was genuinely immersed in the conversation that quickly peaked to a much deeper analysis and debate—a thing he truly enjoyed since he was more of an analytical person rather than creative. Sadly, for him, all he could do were straight lines and write with impeccable but rather boring calligraphy.
Mamoru was impressed by how much Usagi knew about the matter and how she would describe every single thing with such detail and expression. At her fourteen years of age, she proved that she was more than the klutzy girl everyone got to see; the girl who liked to sleep and eat sweets—the playful one. With him, she was showing another layer he had yet not gotten the chance to see in all the times they have been together; on top of all the cuteness and klutziness, Usagi was showing him a side that wasn't afraid to expose her passions and he was loving every second of it.
The young couple went through each of all four floors looking at the different paintings, drawings, sketches and even little sculptures from very famous Japanese artists in the manga industry and some other very popular designers. It was a meticulous collection—as she would say. Usagi couldn't feel more connected and understood by someone as she felt with Mamoru right now. She was truly amazed to see he asked her genuine insight questions and how much he appreciated her likings and passions, proving her that the mocking person she thought he was didn't really exist. He really wanted to learn, and he was catching up pretty fast.
Usagi had finally found someone with whom she really could open a debate about anything and make the best conversations that would clearly go on for hours. This moment was a clear example of it. Mamoru was incredibly smart, that she had it more than clear, but he never bragged about it, he never mocked her much simpler way to describe and tell a story behind a piece; he was genuinely interested and the most curious thing about it was that she didn't feel intimidated by him. He made her feel comfortable around him, which inspired her to learn more on the matter and have more deep and thoughtful moments like these she knew she couldn't have with anyone else—except with Ami, but even the bluenette was also more into the arts of science rather than creative. This was something she had never experienced before, the man aside from the obviousness of his handsome looks and mad intellectual skills, was incredibly cool and fun to hang out with.
The moment slowly swayed them into a flirtatious frenzy and without really thinking, as they stood in front of a giant painting, she felt this inexplicable need to hold his hand. Out of the blue and without really thinking if there was going to be a consequence for such abrupt action, her hand slowly moved closer to his and let her fingers lightly held it without expecting anything in return; her heart skipped a beat when she felt him responding to her touch by lacing his fingers with hers with a much secure grip. They stayed holding hands in silence for the rest of the tour and decided to leave when they felt the room was starting to get a little too crowded for them and went out of the building not after passing by the gift shop and on Mamoru's request, she could pick anything she liked as a memento from the exhibition and choose something for him to take home as well.
They walked around the many little shops around the block while joking and playing around like two silly lovebirds. Usagi flipped her head to the side, her long pigtails flowed with the breeze like two bright rays of sunshine whey she spotted a kawaii store in the crowded alley, "Oooh! Plushies!"
Mamoru cracked a careless laugh like he hadn't done in years and let himself be taken to wherever the bubbly blonde wanted to go. She was his sail, the breeze to guide his boat to better shores; his heart beat strong in his chest every time she turned to look at him with those rosy cheeks and sweet smile. He was completely smitten by her, he had known it for weeks. Ever since he saw her for the first time, she had his heart on her sleeve. Usagi had a contagious laugh and clear energy he could not get tired of; her eyes were so expressive and clear like a cloudless day and all he wanted to do was to stare into them all day.
Usagi stopped at a spinning display with a large selection of sunglasses in all shapes, colors, and sizes, "Oh look!" She giggled and took a big pair of round glasses with flicking little lights and turned to Mamoru with a grin, "Would you feel embarrassed if we went out and I was wearing something like this?"
Mamoru tilted his head back and started laughing like he probably had never done in his life, "No," he turned and grabbed a similar pair but instead of flashing lights, these had feathers all over the frames and put them on Usagi's face, she wiggled her brows, "Fancy, huh?"
Mamoru grinned, "Classy too."
Usagi chuckled and turned to look at her reflection in the little mirror, "Oooh... I look good," she grinned, "They go with everything."
Mamoru laughed, "Sure, the feathers—" he clicked his tongue, "Nice touch,"
"Top notch," Usagi laughed and took them off. She put them back in the display and bit her lip, "So, I just realized I actually don't own a pair of sunglasses... I actually never had a nice pair, aside from the ones my mom got me when I was a little girl," she pouted her lips as she looked for a much more civil and modern style, "By the way... I couldn't help but notice... I've seen you wear yours a lot,"
"Yeah..." Mamoru smiled, "I do, a lot."
"You said it was more of a custom?" Usagi put a pair of black aviator shades and turned to face him, "How are these?" Mamoru chuckled, "Nice, you look tough,"
"Really?"
"Yeah,"
"I do feel like a mobster," Usagi giggled and put them back and kept looking for another pair, "So... how come it became a custom?"
"I wear them because well, to me, they're a necessity. After the accident, I was diagnosed with optic nerve damage. Thankfully, it didn't become a severe problem, but because of it, I am sensitive to very bright lights and at times my vision can get blurry and tired whenever I am not wearing my glasses when reading."
"Oh... that's why you wear glasses!" Usagi turned with wonder; Mamoru nodded. His smile faded a little, "But, to be honest, I also did it to feel less vulnerable and hide my eyes from view,"
"Vulnerable?"
"Yeah..."
"Why?"
Mamoru shrugged his shoulder and kept surfing through the many options, a little nervous. He felt a layer of his well-constructed fortress was peeling off and he felt exposed. Here goes, that part he didn't think he would ever have the courage to admit.
"It gave me the invisibility I needed... if it makes sense. When I started using them, I felt safe. I felt like myself. When I was in the orphanage, whenever there were people meeting with us, I would always get comments on my eyes and I felt uneasy."
"Like if that was the only thing that made you be you,"
"Yes, exactly like that." Mamoru nodded and let out a soft sigh, "I mean, eventually I got over it, and I continued using them more for necessity rather than a safety factor, but that was the first motive as to why I depended much on them whenever I went out,"
Usagi tilted her head with wonder, she was in complete awe by his unfiltered honesty. She didn't need to ask anything to know he had a completely different childhood compared to hers. One when he often felt like an amusement more than a boy trying to find answers about his family. It broke her heart, to know he went through such hard moments but now more than ever she wanted to lift the somberness that had followed him for years and make him laugh just like he was doing moments ago. She turned with a blush warming up her cheeks, "I don't want to sound like any of those people but... you know... I've never seen eyes as beautiful and unique as yours,"
"Thank you," Mamoru blushed three shades of red, "Coming from you, I'll take it as the best compliment I've ever gotten,"
Usagi smiled and pursed her lips as she turned to the display, trying her best to hide her flushed cheeks. She was usually carefree whenever she said something nice about someone, she often did and that made her be her, but she had never flirted before and now, here she was, flirting with the cutest guy she's ever met and felt like her heart could pound out of her chest any minute, "Um, so... should I look for something like the ones you're wearing?"
"Hmm..." Mamoru pursed his lips to the side in thought and started looking for a specific style, "I think you should look for something that makes you feel comfortable and something that matches your personality more,"
"So, yours are classic square because..."
"...I basically have the personality of a square,"
"What if the ones with the flashy feathers make me feel comfortable? I think the personality thing is more than set with those,"
"Then you should totally go for the ones with the feathers,"
Usagi laughed, "Well, I might," her eyes widened when she spotted another pair of black shades and sighed when she realized they were too up high and turned with a shy smile, "Could you help me? You're the tall one of the team..."
"I get it, I get it," Mamoru chuckled and leaned closer to grab them and carefully put them on her face; there it was again, that handsome smile that warmed up Usagi's heart and made her legs feel like jelly, "I think you found your pair."
"Really?" Usagi grinned with excitement and turned to look in the mirror, "Oh my god, yes!"
"Like them?"
"I love them!" Usagi puckered up her lips and turned her head both sides pay more attention to the detail in the cat-eye shape of the frame, "They're chic and comfortable," she giggled and puckered up her lips, "And I think it matches my personality, don't you think?"
"I do. Quirky but classy. They're lovely on you,"
"Really?"
"Yes,"
"It's like an homage to Luna too—you know, because of the kitty-eye frames..."
"That too,"
"I'll take them,"
"Perfect, say no more."
Usagi turned to look at him, "W-What?"
Mamoru pinched her nose lightly and turned to the cashier with his wallet in hand and paid for the sunglasses—her very first pair that instantly became her favorite from any others she would buy in the future. Usagi blinked completely shocked by his naturalness, "T-Thank you so much, Mamo-chan,"
"You are very welcome." Mamoru smiled and slid down his dark shades, "Hungry?"
Usagi nodded and put on her new sunglasses as they walked out of the little shop, the blonde smiled, feeling good with her the new custom she naturally adapted into her lifestyle. After a while, they walked into a little café famous for its bread and many lunch options and sat by the little terrace that gave the best view of the many Harajuku girls passing by with their best attires and taking pictures with many tourists and locals. She was really enjoying every single thing from their little date trip; it was exciting, it was new, and the best part of it is that she was spending quality time with Mamoru.
They continued with their conversation from their time at the museum and not sure when it happened, they started talking about the different kinds of salt and pepper and later about their taste in music and other random hobbies. As they waited for their food, they embraced the moment to get to talk a little more about themselves and get to know each other better including their unexpected journey that led them to become agents of justice and later meet.
Usagi smiled and propped her chin on her hand, "Did you really just go for it, just like that?"
"Yes," Mamoru nodded as he pushed his beverage aside, "Just like that,"
"So, you really just decided you wanted to be a famous thief,"
"Yeah..." Mamoru chuckled and leaned back in his chair, "Well, famous... not so much."
"You are so random," Usagi said with a grin, Mamoru cracked a mirthic laugh, "I wasn't finding any answers... I had to take extreme measures. That was my safest bet at the moment."
"This is why you're so athletic and active,"
"Well, I kind of had to. I had to train myself, otherwise, I would have broken a lot of bones from all my climbing and leaping."
"In a tuxedo,"
"Ah, well... that," Mamoru chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, "It's weird, I really can't explain how it happened. I just saw it on a display and had this itch to have it—it was a pinch of nostalgia I had to carry on with me."
"So, you stole that too," Usagi squinted her eyes with curiosity, "What?" Mamoru laughed, "No!"
"Well, I don't know! Maybe you're a kleptomaniac, Mamo-chan,"
"I wasn't a common thief, Usako."
Usagi laughed, then leaned closer to him with wonder in her crystal blue eyes, "Can I ask what did you do with the things you stole? Did you get to keep them all?" Mamoru shook his head, "No. Once I realized it was not what I was looking for, I would leave a clue to the authorities so they could find the bounty at a certain hidden place. I wanted answers, not things. I returned everything—if you don't believe me, ask Sailor V."
"Wait," Usagi's eyes widened, "You knew Sailor V?!"
"Yeah... although, we were not in the best of terms. I was a criminal."
"Oh my god, that's so cool!"
"That she wanted me in jail?"
"No! That you guys met before it all began,"
"You did too!" Mamoru laughed; Usagi blushed and scratched the back of her head shyly, "Well yes, but... you know...V came first and she became an instant celebrity... as you did later on... Mysterious Face 12345,"
Mamoru laughed, "Okay, that I was not expecting at all." He smiled and leaned closer to keep the confession intimate, "But I will tell you this, Sailor Moon: the only things I kept, and the reason I was chased after—I think up until now—are the gold medal and the pocket watch."
"Oooh!" Usagi's eyes blinked with realization, "Yeah... about that..." she sighed, "I accidentally broke the glass of your watch... probably—you know—but I'm so, so sorry,"
"That's alright, Usako," Mamoru shook his head, "Don't pay mind to it."
"It feels weird to know I have something that's been on the search for so long. Do you happen to know how much it costs? You know... if they got to sell it?"
"I have no idea but I think that due to their historical or mythological value, they would probably cost a fortune if they were auctioned." Mamoru shook his head, "I stole them from a gallery—they were part of a private collection, actually, from the man who wrote that utopian book I'm reading." He let out a muted chuckle, "That was the night I met V."
"Wow..." Usagi blinked with surprise, "Oh... now it makes sense why you are reading that book," Mamoru smiled with a nod, "Now, everything makes sense. I felt some sort of attachment to them the moment I saw them—now I know why..."
"You felt a connection to them... you knew there was something that tied them to you."
"Yeah..."
Usagi was happy to be having this private moment with Mamoru. Aside from the facts they knew about each other when they confessed their reasons to be searching for the silver crystal and they revealed their secret identities, it was nice she got to know him—Chiba Mamoru, the guy behind the mask of the mysterious Tuxedo Kamen. She got to know a little more about his common life as a high school student, his likings and dislikes and everything in between, including his plans and dreams for the future—a thing no one else had asked him until he met her. The same was for Mamoru, as he got to know more about her curious and honest nature with every question she asked.
Once their meal was served their conversation had to take a rapid turn to keep their anonymity intact and quickly caught up in a friendly talk that later led to sweet and innocent flirts; a wink of an eye, a little mischievous grin. All the little things that brought them together in the first place, way before they even met all over again in a new era. Without knowing, they were in love without knowing they had been in love before—thousands of years back.
While enjoying their food, they told each other jokes and laughed until their eyes teared up. They talked about everything and anything at the same time, it was addicting, being around each other. By now, the invisible mantle that made them feel shy and self-conscious had vanished and now, they silently wished this day would never come to an end.
Once done with their lunch, the young couple decided to continue their little tour. They walked down a few more blocks now holding hands without any shyness or remorse and decided it was time to have some dessert. Since it was Usagi's specialty, she got to choose what and the place to get it. After considering many options of sweet treats, Usagi spotted a cute little ice-cream shop where she later discovered they both had a love for chocolate, although with different levels of sweetness. He chose a mocha-espresso flavor and she went for the milk chocolate malt with chunks of brownie and sprinkles on top, mostly for the added pop of color. As she always said: when in doubt, always add sprinkles.
While he paid for the decadent dessert, Mamoru took a quick glance at his watch and turned to scoop some of his ice-cream when he saw Usagi took the lead by leaning close to do it first without notice and blinked his eyes rather surprised. Usagi started laughing, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! It's just that your ice-cream looks soooo good... I had to—" her crystal blue eyes widened when he leaned down to take a bite of her fudgy ice-cream in the same playful manner and savored the rich flavor melting in his mouth, "It's good,"
"You got—" Usagi chuckled and tried to get closer to wipe some of the fudge smudged on Mamoru's cheek and blushed softly, "Some chocolate... here..." she couldn't see his eyes because they were hidden behind his dark shades again but she could feel his strong gaze on her looking into her soul. It didn't make her feel uncomfortable but she was very grateful she now had her own pair of dark shades to mask her fascination with the young man as he willingly leaned down so she could wipe off the sweet trace with a napkin. All the ideas she had about him had been proven wrong, and now, all she could do now was to succumb to her feelings. That was it, she finally admitted it. Tsukino Usagi had fallen for Chiba Mamoru and she had fallen hard.
"I should have asked for a sample first..." She let out a shy giggle. Mamoru smiled, "It's alright. We can trade."
"Really?"
"Of course," Mamoru smiled and gave her his cone and took hers, "Next time we come, you can try a different flavor, deal?"
Usagi nodded with excitement, "Deal." Mamoru looked at the time in his watch again, "Ready to go?"
Usagi felt like if her heart had dropped in her chest and gave him a slow nod. As they walked all the way back to the station, she looked at her watch and freaked out when she saw it was still early for her to go back home and it made her wonder if she had done something that made him uncomfortable like holding his hand out of the blue or cleaning the smudge of chocolate off his cheek and it finally hit her. The things she was doing were things only a girlfriend could do and her eyes widened with panic realizing they were not an official couple despite the light shows of affection. This was a date, nothing less, but also, nothing more.
Once they took their seat inside the train, Usagi came to the conclusion that it might have been the fact that she licked his ice-cream without asking, or maybe the action was so bold it forced him to give her his cone. Yes, that was it—she had grossed him out and scared him away. She still had to learn to control her impulses—she thought, and then, she remembered the kiss she stole from him the night they were fighting Kunzite at Tokyo Tower and froze in her seat with panic.
Thirty minutes later, the train stopped at another station Usagi didn't recognize as the one in Azabu-Juban. Mamoru turned to look at her with that same charming smile she had declared to be hers in silence hours ago and held his hand as they walked out of the station and all the way down the street. Usagi's eyes widened when she saw the ocean peeking into view from a distance and turned to Mamoru with surprise, "Where are we, Mamo-chan?"
"Tokyo Bay," Mamoru smiled, "Well... the bay is all the way over there, but we're exactly at Odaiba Marine Park," the young man led his date to a stone bench that was close to the sandy beach ahead and sat under the shade of a tree to enjoy the peaceful scenario. The sky had started to paint the warm colors of the afternoon with the sun was slowly setting in the distance, giving a chance to the many tall buildings in Tokyo to start lighting up like little twinkling stars. They watched the ferry boats come and go filled with people adorning the wavy waters with many blinking lights as they passed by.
Usagi pointed the Daikanransha Ferris wheel moving in the distance and widened her eyes with genuine wonder, "Wow, it's so huge!" Mamoru smiled, "Yeah... it's one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the entire world,"
"Really?!"
"Yep,"
"Would you ride it?"
His little train of thought was interrupted when he heard her sweet, powdery voice. Mamoru chuckled and turned to look at her, "Only if you came with me,"
"Why?" Usagi wiggled her brows in a mocking gesture, "Don't tell me you are scared of heights..."
Mamoru chuckled, "After all the things we've gone through with our adventures? Nah... but... you know, it would be kind of sad for a guy to ride it alone." Usagi burst laughing, "Aww! But I thought you didn't care what others thought about you!"
"I normally don't," Mamoru said almost in a whisper and turned his view to the ocean ahead, "But I do care about you—I do care what you think of me."
Usagi's giggles slowly died down, giving a cue to Mamoru to continue. To him, it has come to a point that it was either now or never, regardless of the outcome. He took one deep breath and let it out slowly along with the overflowing feeling in his chest, "I'm in love with you, Usagi."
Usagi blinked but didn't say anything—she couldn't. She was completely taken by surprise and trapped in her own whirlpool of emotions. Mamoru blushed and took a deep breath, "I know how it sounds... I am well aware of what I'm saying..." he slowly turned to look at her and touched Usagi's cheek very gently, "I don't know how to explain it better but it's something I've never felt before—that I am sure. Ever since I met you, every time I look at you, you just... take my breath away."
"Mamo-chan..." Usagi blushed; Mamoru gave her a shy smile and turned to look away again, thankful that the sky had darkened enough to cover the blush in his cheeks, "I know we found out things about our past and it may sound crazy, but I genuinely don't feel any of this is influenced by it. My feelings for you are not a result of that truth, I am more than certain. It's amazing how things came to be, true, but I didn't meet you as Endymion in this time, I met you as who I am now. We got to know each other again and slowly became friends and later accomplices in battle—this is our present. The girl I've been looking for, the girl I wished so much to find for years... it's you. This wonderful, beautiful girl named Tsukino Usagi."
Mamoru looked down for her hand and held it in between his, he took a minute before looking up at her again and smiled, "I would like to keep seeing you, I would like to be with you. I would like to start over and let things flow naturally and take us wherever it has to go if that is something you would want to do too, of course. The only thing I do not want, for sure, is to let our past dictate what we should be doing with our present. If this is meant to be, it has to be because we both feel it's right. Because we both want it."
Usagi felt her eyes burn with tears and looked down at their hands together and laced her fingers with his. She looked up with teary eyes, her biggest fear had been demolished with the most wonderful set of words she's ever heard. In his own darkness, he was looking for her; despite not letting the past meddle with their feelings, just to know that he kept his promise to her made her feel all kinds of emotions. He loved her and not the idea of an ancient romance—it was her, Tsukino Usagi, not what it meant to be the reincarnation of a princess, but the simple girl sitting right next to him.
Usagi didn't feel conflicted with the idea of being a cosmic monarch, she learned to be fine with it after making the decision to never be a tragic princess ever again, but she didn't want that to define who she was now. Times were different, so were their experiences, and just like Mamoru had said, she fell for him before she even knew she was Serenity or even Sailor Moon. It was an instant pull of attraction and after that, it was genuine endearment far from the fact of having shared something in the past. She fell for Chiba Mamoru before she remembered he was Endymion. She wanted to be with him, she wanted to get to know him more and be happy with him without any of the obstacles that stepped in their way in the past. It was a clean slate—a fresh start, a new romance and it was happening right now. Love was within their grasp.
Mamoru combed his fingers through the silky hair cascading from one of her buns and smiled, feeling somewhat shameful for his blunt confession, "I'm sorry if—"
"Me too,"
Mamoru widened his eyes when he saw Usagi's tears rolling down her cheeks, not really caring if they ruined her makeup she put on with so much detail and care for the occasion, "I want to keep seeing you too... I can't stop thinking about you. I want to be with you. I know what I feel and I know it's something I want to share just with you." She turned fully to look at him and used the sleeve of her light jacket to dry her tears, "I want to erase that somber look in those beautiful ocean-blue eyes of yours. I want to be able to look at them gleam without you feeling guilty or vulnerable. I want you to feel safe and make you smile and hear you laugh and giggle like you've been doing all day..." she beamed at him with the most honest and genuine smile and shrugged her shoulders surrendering her deepest feelings in the most adorable way, "I love you, Mamo-chan... I do... I really do. I am not as good with words as you are, but my feelings are true. After all that has happened... I am more than aware that I should not take anything for granted, and that is you, my very first love—my only love. The one I want to be with."
Mamoru felt a lump in the back of his throat and a very familiar burn in his eyes that reminded him of all the things he had promised himself to keep in check and never show to anyone ever again. But she wasn't just anyone. She was a dream come true. He felt exposed by the gleam in his eyes but he was extremely moved to know that there was someone who had genuine feelings for him and that enjoyed his company, making him realize this is the first time he felt this indescribable desire to be with somebody and give anything to make that person smile forever.
With Usagi, everything was so simple and at the same time she made him feel safe despite being so different, she never mocked him but on the contrary, she always showed a great interest to know more. She eased his insecurities and allowed him to be himself, all the things that make him be him—him. The guy he had learned to keep well hidden from the world. Mamoru leaned closer and cupped her cheek with his hand and wiped Usagi's tears with his thumb, "Are we crazy?"
"Most likely," Usagi giggled, gathering enough valor to lean on him "I know it's up to us to make this work, but it feels right. It's a good kind of craziness..."
"It is a very good kind of craziness. I would say it's the best." Mamoru nodded and put his arm around her shoulders as she propped both legs on the bench and let her rest her back on his chest, "That is why I wanted to have a day for just us two. I wanted to spend time with you and tell you all this... regardless of what happened after." He rested his chin on one of her hair buns and smiled softly, "You deserved a proper declaration, a new one. One that wasn't thousands of years old."
Usagi smiled and looked up at him and put her hands on each side of his face, "I'm so happy that I found you,"
"I'm blessed for having found you," Mamoru leaned down to rest his forehead on hers, "I'm truly blessed." he looked at her in the eyes, "Tsukino Usagi, all I have left is to ask if you want to be with me as my girlfriend,"
Usagi blushed as she looked into his eyes and tilted her head to welcome his lips with hers in the sweetest and most heartfelt kiss they shared "I would love nothing more,"
Without any distractions, without mixed emotions in the way, without people watching—it was them, just them, enjoying the blessings of fate. They stayed in their own little romantic frenzy, both finally letting their emotions flow free that would set the ground for something they both knew it was going to be so grand that it was going to surpass what they once had in the past.
This was the bliss of committing to the moment with the excitement of knowing that every following day was set to become a new adventure and they could not wait. The stars started peeking through the velvety evening sky and let the new couple know it was time to go. They held hands all the way back to the station and walked all the way to Usagi's home, right on time before her curfew, as she promised to her parents.
As they looked into their eyes for a moment, they exchanged a few mischievous smiles and playful taunts, both succumbing to the excitement of their new blooming love. Usagi ran her hand through Mamoru's silky hair and flicked his fringe away from his face and giggled, "It always gets in the way and your eyes are too pretty to be covered,"
Mamoru blushed, "I may have to ask you to cut it then,"
"Oh no, no, no," Usagi chuckled, "I would never dare... I would leave you looking like if a beaver chewed on your hair... plus, you go to a very elite school, you can't go looking like that. You might get expelled—I heard from Ami-chan they're very strict."
"Who knows? It might become a thing. The school board might think it's cool," Mamoru laughed; Usagi giggled while combing his hair back gently, "It's fine the way it is, I like it this way." She stepped on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck to secure her height, "Good night, my charming Prince. Thank you so much for today, I'll remember it forever." Mamoru smiled, "My pleasure, sweet Princess. See you tomorrow."
"After school at the park, say around three-ish?"
"That sounds specific. I'll be there,"
"Alrighty," Usagi grinned, "Oh! Bring a book, you know... just in case..."
"Huh?" Mamoru arched a brow, "In case of...?"
"I get detention, the 'ish' is for a reason," Usagi bit her lower lip; Mamoru cracked a laugh, "Ah, look at you all confident about it..."
"It's going to be your fault, just so you know."
"Wait, what? How's is it going to be my fault?!"
"You're too cute, Mamo-chan," Usagi blushed and rubbed his nose with hers in Eskimo style, "And I may daydream a lot about everything that happened today. I may daydream a lot about you,"
"You should be studying..."
"Ah... yeah, that too."
"Seriously,"
"I don't like it..." Usagi whined, "I'm so bad at studying... so, so, so bad... I've been failing every test,"
Mamoru sighed, "I know. I'm familiar with your grades." He chuckled when he saw her blushing, "I'll help you out, don't worry."
"You will?" Usagi's eyes gleamed like two bright stars, "Really?"
"Yes," Mamoru smiled, "I'll take a look at your notes tomorrow,"
"I'll try to stay focused, I promise."
Mamoru felt his cheeks flush, "You are unbelievable," he leaned down and kissed her lips ever so gently. A minute after of pure bliss, they parted and gave themselves another minute to enjoy their company. Usagi cupped his cheeks lightly and stood on her tiptoes again to kiss him softly on the lips one last time before turning on her heel and open the front gate of her house. Mamoru waited until he made sure she got inside the house and started walking back to his apartment with a wide grin on his face.
"I'm home!"
Inside, Ikuko waved her hand at her daughter from the living room where she was watching television with Kenji, "Hi dear, how was your day?" Usagi smiled as she took off her sparkly shoes and let out a soft sigh, "It was wonderful..." she whispered while looking down at the pink rose pinned in her jacket and quickly turned to join her parents in the room, "It was great,"
"Did Minako find what she was looking for?"
"Yes, Mama."
"I'm glad you're home early, Usagi." Kenji smiled at his daughter, "You are proving to be very responsible with your free time. That's good."
Usagi smiled, "Thank you, Papa, that means a lot."
"Are you hungry dear? I packed some food from dinner in case you wanted to eat something," Ikuko looked at her daughter lovingly, Usagi shook her head, "I'm alright Mama, thanks. Actually, I am going to take a bath and then I think I'll go to bed, I am a little tired—it's been a long day." She smiled, "Good night,"
"Good night, dear," Ikuko and Kenji said in unison as they watched their daughter turn on her heel to go upstairs; Ikuko widened her eyes, "Oh, Usagi, before I forget—" she turned to look at her daughter, "Naru-chan called,"
"Naru-chan?" Usagi blinked nervously, silently kicking herself for forgetting telling her she had made plans with Mamoru that day, "Oh, and... what did she say?"
"That she knew you were going to be out with the girls today but she wanted to let you know their jeweler fixed the broken glass of the watch you left at the jewelry. She said it started working again on its own when he gave it a little maintenance—it's all polished and looking like new."
Usagi's eyes lit up with excitement, "Oh! Goodie, goodie!" She smiled when she remembered the little conversation she had with Mamoru while they were having lunch. "I will go pick it up tomorrow after school, then. Thank you, Mama."
"Which watch is it, dear?" Ikuko asked with a curious tone in her sweet voice, Kenji turned to look at his daughter with the same curiosity mirrored in his brown eyes; it was now or never, Usagi thought. There was no point in keeping it a secret, it wasn't fair for Mamoru, her parents, but also, it wasn't fair for her. Not when they just declared their feelings and made a promise to each other to live their love without obstacles; not when it was nearly impossible to hide the love reflected in her eyes and the intense blush in her cheeks every time she thought about him—her Mamo-chan.
"It's more like a gift... for someone..."
Ikuko and Kenji exchanged glances for a second and looked at their nervous daughter standing by the door with a soft blush in her cheeks, "Oh? And this someone is?" Kenji asked with an arched brow, expectant of his daughter's answer. He already knew it—he felt it—call it a father's instinct, but he needed to hear it from her to put all speculation aside. Usagi looked at her father, "Chiba Mamoru..." she smiled confidently, "My boyfriend."
O—o—O
Serenity slowly opened her eyes and waited a minute to allow herself to adjust them to the very dim light in the room and later to bring herself back to reality. She felt a sharp rush of anxiety once it came clear what was happening but before she could jump out of the futon where she realized she was sleeping on; she felt a light squeeze on her hand that made her turn to the man that has been her loving companion for years and that now she could finally call her husband—her Mamo-chan.
"Hey..." Endymion whispered to calm her down and reassure her that she wasn't trapped in a strange dream. Serenity took a slow breath, "Hey..."
"Bad dream?"
Serenity shook her head and gave her husband a soft smile, "No... far from it." She snuggled closer to him, "It was more of a memory than a dream..." Endymion rested his arm over her waist and looked at her with wonder, "A memory?"
"Yes..." Serenity exhaled softly, almost dreamily, "When we ended up sealing our love with a kiss at Tokyo Bay." She smiled as she turned to rest on her side, "Do you remember?"
Endymion traced her nose with a feathery touch, "Of course, I do, it was our first date."
Serenity slowly nodded, "I was so nervous that day..."
"Me too," Endymion returned the smile, "But I wouldn't have it any other way,"
"Me neither." Serenity shook her head, "But... you know... we never got to ride the Ferris wheel,"
"Huh, you're right..." Endymion pursed his lips in wonder, Serenity giggled, "We also made a deal and you haven't delivered, Chiba Mamoru." Endymion chuckled, immediately knowing what his wife was talking about, "That was some really good ice-cream, huh?"
"It was really, really good—I don't think we've had another as good as that one," Serenity bit her lower lip and sighed, "Do you think we can go back there when it's over?"
"Sure thing, my love."
"And do all the things we did that day?"
"Every single one,"
"Go to the museum?"
"I'm always up for another debate,"
Serenity giggled, "Eat at that little café in Harajuku,"
"By the terrace," Endymion smiled; Serenity bit her lower lip, "And can we go see the sunset at the bay again?"
"Anything you want," Endymion winked an eye at her, "I don't have to take you back home to your parents anymore... so... we can go wild and stay until the park closes," Serenity blushed and moved closer to him, "Ouuh, I would love that,"
"Then is a date, Usako." Endymion brought his hand to his lips and kissed it softly. Serenity moved her free hand to comb his hair away from his eyes, "Your hair is so long..."
"I know..." Endymion sighed, "I'm not so thrilled about it, to be honest, but at least I got to shave... Yuuichiro left a lot of things laying around at the shrine that came in handy for me now." Serenity giggled light enough to match their whispering voices, "I don't think I've seen you with hair this long,"
"I may ask you to cut it, it gets in my way, I don't like that," Endymion muttered with slight annoyance as he tried to blow the fringe away from his face making Serenity crack a light chuckle, "It always does! Why is such a bother to you now?"
"Well yes, but not like this..."
"Hm... if I leave it all uneven I'll never hear the end of it,"
It was Endymion's turn to crack a muffled chuckle to try to keep it low so the others would wake up, "What? Of course not." Serenity arched a brow, "Oh please..."
"You made me cut your hair, why can't you do that for me? Tit for tat, Princess."
Serenity laughed a little louder and shook her head, "Because, unlike yours, my pulse isn't the steadiest in the world... I am not a doctor, I'm an illustrator. I would truly leave you like if a beaver chewed on your precious midnight hair and I would never ever forgive myself and neither would you... you're still as feisty as ever, my darling Leo." She whispered as she kept combing her slender fingers through his hair in slow motion; a gesture her husband picked right away. Endymion narrowed his ocean blue eyes, "Hmm... whenever you give me those sorts of strange compliments is because you are trying to evade a certain topic. I feel like you want to tell me something but you're not sure if you should..."
"How the hell do you do it, seriously?"
"We're soulmates," Endymion winked an eye at her, "I love you madly,"
"I love you too... so much, so much..." Serenity cupped his cheek and took a deep breath; Endymion turned his face to lightly kiss her hand and looked at her with worry, "Tell me,"
Serenity wrapped her fingers in his hair and gave him a shameful glance, "Did you see him?" She finally dared ask, "When he... do you know what happened to him?"
Endymion took a deep breath and shook his head, "No... my vision was blurry, so was my consciousness..." he saw the traces of worry in her beautiful face. Serenity looked at him with teary eyes, "He's never going to leave us alone, isn't he?" She shook her head, this time with growing fear, "He'll just keep re-spawning like a maniac demon and be on the hunt for us,"
Endymion pulled her into his arms and kissed her temple but Serenity couldn't leave it at that, "He needs to find some sort of closure... but I am afraid to ask..."
"I can't give you a straight answer, Usa. I'm not sure if he is ever going to find any at all. He has done too much harm, too much disaster, and well... he hasn't made the best life decisions either..." Endymion wrapped his arms tight around his wife, "The Andromedian's fate is not in my hands, baby, you know he won't find peace or closure if the favor comes from me. Not after what he did to you in hell."
Serenity closed her hands into tight fists as she grabbed onto Endymion's yukata when the memory of Athamas trying to take her by force played in her mind all over again, but before another wave of anxiety could sprout out of her, the prince cupped her cheek and caressed her lips with his thumb, "You were limited by the heavy ambiance and your weak health but I don't need much to know you made him see you're not helpless and that you're not someone to be played with." He narrowed his ocean-blue eyes, "You are well aware of the situation, Usa. You know your strengths but you also know your limits—you know there is a very thin line that no matter how much you want to do it, you cannot cross it because it is not who you are."
"Does that make me weak, Endymion?" Serenity looked at her husband with teary eyes, "Does that make me just a cheap impersonation of a warrior?"
"No, not at all." Endymion shook his head as he tucked a long piece of her pearlescent hair away from her face, "Murder isn't synonymous of strength and neither is what makes someone a warrior, Serenity. It's the truth in its words and the passion put in its beliefs and actions. You don't kill, Sailor Moon. You don't wield weapons that claim blood and mirror death. That's why I always told you how much I was against the idea of you using a sword to kill because I knew that if you did, it would have unlocked a chain of insecurities and self-loath. You are a soldier of mystery; you cleanse and purify—you fight, you punish evil, and you inflict pain to those who do wrong, yes, that is true, but you are a soldier that brings redemption and gives a much-needed balance to the universe. You don't work with chaos to achieve peace... you make your own paths. We're a different kind of soldier, my love, that is a given fact, but that doesn't pull us far apart and it doesn't mean we can't fight together. We want the same things and that's what we always have to keep clear in our minds. It's perfectly fine to have different abilities and approaches to tackle a problem... I once told you, a warrior has a partner in battle and that some may even spend a lifetime looking for it because it's not easy to entrust one's life to another person. You are my partner in life and in battle and you have been a true example of a warrior."
Serenity cupped his cheek and looked at him with emotion but allowed him to continue, "There are things—many things—you do that I can't, but I know that when I need your help, you're there for me and the same goes to you too. If you need me, I am here. If you need to rely on the power of a weapon, I will use it for you because we are a team—we're together in this and in any other battle that gets in our way. I may have a destructive nature that burns everything in its path, but you Sailor Moon, you are the cleansing light that will appease the flames and build a new world from its ashes."
Serenity couldn't hold her tears this time and closed the tiny gap that was left between them in the most innocent but heartfelt kiss. She felt his words to the very core of her being and believed them as a truth—a motive to stay strong and walk victoriously at the other side of this dark tunnel they were currently trapped on. Crystal Tokyo or not, she didn't care anymore. She wanted to be with him, she wanted to be with her friends and family—she wanted the freedom they had been stolen for far too long. This was a battle that had put every fiber of their selves to the very edge between reason and madness. From heaven, all the way straight to hell and back, the love and trust they had for one another had proved that together they could face whatever came in their way.
As she cuddled into the arms of her husband, Serenity came to a blunt realization; the future was not something waiting for them in the horizon. It wasn't a palace or an identity; it wasn't a lifestyle or a dream come true—a speck of magic from their crystals, but in fact, it was something they had to work on day by day as humans and royals, as a couple madly in love and accomplices in both battle and life. It was all clear to her now, Serenity silently admitted, the future was now.
The Divinity Series is rated M. Violence, cursing, and intimacy are present.
I do not own Sailor Moon, just this plot and some of the characters.
A/N: SailorGuardian... this is for you. I knew it was something you always wished to know (or read about from this plot) I wrote this so long ago, but you earned a milestone and this is my way to celebrate your victory with you.
I want to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone that's been following this story week after week (or month) and for your reviews. They're my fuel to keep the words coming, and I don't speak only for me but for all my fellow writers. Chapter 78 will take a little longer to be up (all are written but there are things-personal-that I need to tackle first so I have free time to post them), in case you don't see an update in a little while, it's not because I've given up on the story. I will return. Promise.