~Wavering Destiny~
by Strawberry Moon Rose
Title of this chapter from the beautiful piano song from Revolutionary Girl Utena.
Enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi.
Chapter 5: Inside the Sunlit Garden
After breakfast, everyone split up. Taiki showed Ami the palace's library while Minako insisted Yaten show her the music room. Seiya decided to give Usagi, Rei, and Makoto a tour of the large garden. They walked down a stone path, surrounded by greenery and blooming flowers of all unique shapes and sizes. The sunlight shone on their backs, warming the morning. The sweet fragrance of plants hung in the air.
"Oh Seiya, what are these called?" Makoto asked, "they're lovely!" She rubbed the purple petals between her fingers. They felt like velvet.
"Those are Lisoisas," Seiya answered. "At least, I think. Better check with Taiki."
"I wish we had these on Earth!" Makoto exclaimed. Her excitement was contagious as she bounced from plant to plant, kneeling and peering to examine them all.
"It smells so nice out here," Rei said.
"Hey, Rei! Come look at these ones! They almost look like flames!" Makoto called.
"Really?" Rei and Makoto continued on. The faint trickle of a nearby fountain added to the tranquility. One of the palace's gardener's slipped by, pulling a wagon full of bags of mulch and fertilizer.
"What do you think of the garden?" Seiya asked, turning to Usagi. She was taking everything in with a grin on her face.
Usagi bent and brought her nose to an alluring pink flower, breathing in its fruit-like scent. "Everything is so pretty! You're so lucky. I would love to live here."
"You could. The Princess would let you," Seiya said.
"Huh?"
Seiya's expression turned serious. She closed the distance between them. "You can stay here."
"I..." Usagi gazed into Seiya blue eyes. Is she serious? I can't tell...
Seiya reached out and placed her hand on Usagi's cheek. She sighed. "Of course, you couldn't do that, I know. You have important people on Earth."
Usagi was quiet.
"Don't look so serious, I was only half-joking," Seiya lied. She smiled playfully for good measure.
Usagi felt very relaxed. She blamed it on the enchanting floral scent, but Seiya's hand on her face left her feeling content. Why do I feel so at peace right now? Such a natural feeling. It's nice...
Seiya knelt, then held up a flower in her hands. She offered Usagi the red rozamoku. "Here, Bun Head," she said. "For you."
Usagi accepted the flower. "Thank you, Seiya. It's lovely." Her voice was small.
Seiya blushed, faintly. "It's nothing." She took the flower out of Usagi's hand and fastened it to one of her buns. "What kind of a person would I be if I took you here without giving you a flower?"
Usagi smiled at the ground. Why can't I look at her right now? What's wrong with me?
Seiya reached for her hand. She intertwined their fingers and leaned in close to her. There were only inches between their faces. "Let's catch up with the them," she whispered.
Usagi nodded, her heart rate increasing. She still couldn't meet her eyes.
Seiya stepped back with a laugh. "Come on, Bun Head!" She led her along the garden.
"Um, Seiya," Usagi managed after a moment.
"What's up?"
"Um, I don't know if I'm okay with this..."
Seiya stopped. "Okay with what?"
"With...this," Usagi said glancing at their hands.
"Oh? How come?"
"Because... I think it means something to else to you than it does to me," Usagi answered quietly.
Seiya felt her stomach drop. She tried her best to hide the pain the words inflicted. "Hey, I understand. I got carried away."
"I'm sorry, Seiya."
"Hey, why are you apologizing, Bun Head?"
"I...I don't know."
Seiya couldn't help but smile, just a little. "Come on, Rei and Mako will wonder where we're at."
Usagi nodded and followed the taller woman. With each step, she began to feel more and more uncomfortable. The silence was killing her. I hurt her feelings, I know I did. I didn't mean to. It's not that I didn't like holding her hand, but I just couldn't. What would Mamo think if he was here watching me? I suppose it would have been harmless enough. Even so, why do I feel so nervous around her? I don't know what to do. This is so awkward.
"Oh hey, guys! We lost you back there for a while!" Makoto greeted them again. She pushed her brown bangs from her eyes, somehow smearing dirt on her face.
"Is something wrong?" Rei asked. She shifted her gaze from Usagi to Seiya. Even without her psychic powers, she could sense the shift in energy.
"We're good," Seiya assured them.
Usagi smiled. "Yeah." She didn't sound convincing. Just conflicted.
"Well, we were just looking at the lilies when we noticed that," Makoto pointed to the entrance of a hedge maze at the end of the garden. The bushes were bright green and twice as tall as Usagi. The maze of hedges immediately broke off into three paths.
"Oh? I take it that you want to go in?" Seiya asked.
Makoto nodded excitedly. "I've always wanted to try one! But you don't get to see them often in Tokyo."
"Are you sure? It's confusing," Seiya warned. "Taiki designed it herself. There's more than one way out. The end leads back to the palace door we came out here from." Seiya turned to Usagi. "You want to try?"
"Sure."
"Don't get lost," Seiya teased.
Usagi pouted. "Haha. Not."
Seiya grinned. "Hey, first one to make it out wins. Ready...set..."
"Hey, that's not fair!" Makoto said. "You've done it before!"
"GO!"
Seiya sprinted off. Makoto dashed after the long, ebony ponytail.
"I hate running!" Usagi yelled after them.
Rei turned to her friend. "How about we just walk and enjoy it?"
Usagi smiled. "Let's go." She and Rei stepped into the labyrinth.
"Did you happen to see which one Seiya or Mako chose?" Rei asked.
Usagi shook her head. "Nope! Let's go this way," she said pointing to the right. The two girls strolled along the stone path. The hedges were tall, and walking in their shadows was cooler, despite the sun beating down above them. After walking for a little bit, the path branched off to three more choices.
"Let's go right this time," Rei commanded. A minute later, they came to a dead end. The tall hedge loomed before them as if it were laughing in their faces.
"Maybe we should have picked the middle one," Usagi offered.
Rei sighed. "Why didn't you say that earlier?" The two of them back tracked until they were at the point where it forked off.
"Actually, which way did we just come from?" Usagi wondered. She did a slow 360. All of the thick hedges looked identical.
"It was definitely-"
"This way!" they both declared at the same time, pointing in different directions.
"Usagi, I'm telling you, we came from that direction!" Rei argued.
"No, I'm pretty sure we need to go this way!"
"You're wrong," Rei stated bluntly.
"Hey! Am not!"
"Well, I'm going this way." Rei marched off in the direction she was pointing at.
"I'm telling you, that's not right!" Usagi called after her. She stood for a second in her place, expecting Rei to come back because she hit another dead end. But she didn't.
"Rei?" Usagi called. There was no reply. She hurried off after the raven-haired girl. She picked up her pace. It was like a giant corn maze! She hadn't reached Rei yet, or the others, and was starting to panic. She wasn't that far ahead of me. Where did she go? Usagi came to yet another fork in the path. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe... She picked one at random.
"Rei, where are you? This isn't funny anymore!" Silence. "Mako? Seiya? Anyone?" Usagi's heart started to race. This isn't good! What if they are out of here by now? What if they forget about me? I don't know how to get out of this thing! No, they'll know that I haven't reached the end eventually and have to come looking for me. But Rei will tease me if that happens. I can make it to the end by myself!
Usagi dashed around each corner and chose paths without much thought. She hit dead end after dead end and had to turn around. Curse you Taiki, for making this so complicated! Usagi wasn't sure how long it had been since she and Rei had split. Five minutes? Fifteen minutes? "REI WHERE DID YOU GO?!" she called. She picked up the pace. I should have just gone with her! Then we'd be together right now! She made a sharp turn and BAM! ran right into someone. At the speed she was taking the corner at, she fell forward, knocking the other person down with her.
"Uah, ahh!" Usagi cried. They hit the ground together with a thud. Usagi laid on top of the tall girl she ran into. "Ow... I-I'm, so sorry, Mako-chan, I was just-"
Usagi lifted her head to see that the girl she was on top of was not Makoto. "Seiya!?"
Seiya managed a smile even though she just had the wind knocked out of her. "Hey there, Bun Head. You should really consider joining the football team back home," she joked.
"I'm so sorry! I just lost Rei and was trying to..."
"Is this payback for the time Chibi Chibi opened the door, and I fell on top of you?" Seiya laughed at the memory.
"Eh?" Usagi realized the position they were in and suddenly became aware of all the places their bodies touched. Her face burned. Their faces were just inches apart. She stood up in a hurry. "I'm sorry," she said, embarrassed.
"Don't be," Seiya replied.
Usagi extended a hand and helped her up. "Are you hurt anywhere? Did you hit your head?"
Seiya ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. She untied her cloth ponytail and threw her head backwards, sending her long mane swaying freely behind her back. Usagi had never seen her with her hair undone before. She found herself blushing even more, though that didn't seem possible.
Seiya gathered her hair and retied her ponytail. She noticed Usagi staring. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Eh? Oh, nothing," Usagi said quickly. "I'm just glad I ran into you."
"Literally," Seiya joked.
"Oh shut up," Usagi mumbled. "I got lost from Rei and I was starting to worry I'd never make it out of this maze! If the hedges weren't so thick and tall, I'd just climb right over them!"
"Yeah, I heard you yelling, that's why I came back this way," Seiya said. "Makoto is already at the end. She beat me, actually." Seiya laughed.
"And Rei?"
"I thought she was here with you, but I guess not. Don't worry, she's probably at the end by now."
"Okay, well we had better not keep them waiting."
"Hold on." Seiya came close, reaching for the rozamoku in her hair. It had come unfastened from her bun and was hanging crooked.
"Oh, thanks," Usagi mumbled. Thump. Thump. Her heart hammered in her chest. Seconds ticked by. She's standing so close to me... Why am I so nervous?
"There!" Seiya stepped back and admired her work. "It suits you very well," Seiya told her. "The color brings out your eyes."
Usagi turned her head in the other direction. "W-What is that? Some new way to compliment girls? Well, I'm not buying it."
"Of course not."
Usagi frowned. "Let's...let's just go see the others already."
Seiya shrugged. "You're funny, you know that?"
Usagi ignored her and continued to march on.
"You're going to get lost again! And this time I won't save you!" she teased.
"I don't need saving. I can take care of myself," Usagi called behind her. She took a right and stepped straight into a bush.
Seiya tried her best to suppress her laughter. "Hey, Bun Head! Are you alright?" she called.
Usagi stepped back and rubbed the side of her face. "I'm fine... But maybe you should lead..." She brushed the leaves out of her hair.
Seiya grinned. "I think so." The duo made their way through the maze of hedges. Seiya pointed out the right direction when they came to a fork. Usagi didn't question her. The sound of birds chirping filled the morning air.
"Seiya, I'm sorry," she blurted.
Seiya looked over her shoulder. "For what?"
"For...before. I hurt your feelings, didn't I?"
Seiya furrowed her brows. She had no idea what she was talking about. "It's okay, Bun Head, you weren't looking where you were going. And I already told you, now we're even!" She winked.
Usagi shook her head. "No, not that. I meant before. You can...you can hold my hand if you want to. I don't mind."
Seiya uneasily stared ahead. "No, that's okay. I don't want you to be uncomfortable." She's just saying that to make me feel better.
Usagi bit her lip. "No, really. I'm okay with it. We are friends, aren't we?" she asked. Usagi leaned in as they walked so that their shoulders touched. She reached for Seiya's hand and wrapped her fingers around them. It was a perfect fit.
Seiya became flustered. "Bun Head, really, you don't have to-"
"It's okay," Usagi assured her. They walked together, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder. I feel it again, Usagi thought, it's comforting, even if it's just for a little bit. I know it's wrong of me to take advantage of her like this, but I...I like this feeling. I'm selfish... But Seiya's hands are soft and warm. Our hands are almost the same size. Mamo's hands are too big, and always rough and somewhat...cold. This is a nice. It doesn't mean anything...
Seiya didn't know what to say. Their hands together felt so right. It was as if they were connecting their bodies as one. Seiya could feel a heart beat pumping through her veins. But she couldn't tell if it was hers or Usagi's.