Chapter Nine: The Return of Mamoru
Minako scowled at the ocarina while Artemis howled in pain, "Give it up,
Minako! You've been trying to play that dumb thing all morning and you haven't
hit a decent note yet!" The cat's tirade was interrupted as he was pelted
with a stuffed animal two times his size.
"Shut up, Artemis!" Minako demanded. Frowning she put the ocarina back to her lips and attempted to duplicate the song she had last heard Link play.
Minako closed her eyes and played one note at a time. She sighed and went through the long process of elimination until she found the first note of Link's song he had played. She crinkled her face in concentration and racked her brain for the rest of the song.
**
Usagi got out of bed groggy and tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered what had happened the day before. "I need a trip to the arcade," She said in a whimper. She rolled out of bed and got dressed. She walked out of her house and towards the arcade her eyes focused on the ground. She felt herself run into a solid object and she fell to the ground. She looked up and saw Mamoru.
"Watch it odango atama," he demanded.
Usagi didn't respond making Mamoru turn to her his eyes watching her every movement in confusion. Usagi got to her feet and without paying attention to Mamoru she continued towards the arcade.
Mamoru ran after her and grabbed her arm. Usagi looked up at him her eyes dead, "Let me go," She whispered ice appearing in her tone.
Mamoru dropped her hand his eyes widening in shock, "Usagi," He whispered trying to get an emotion to appear on her face.
"Mamo-chan!" Chibiusa yelled as she caught up to him. Mamoru glanced at Usagi and was even more confused when he realized she was continuing on her trek to the arcade.
Chibiusa looked up at him, "Mamo-chan, I have to talk to you." He got to his knees allowing the small girl whisper into his ear. "Mamo-chan, Usagi has been crying all night. None of the girls will tell me why either. They all just seem depressed over something and Rei wouldn't even talk to me," She explained in a small whisper.
Mamoru watched Usagi walk away. 'Have I lost her because of that stupid dream?' he wondered. He got to his feet and jogged after Usagi's fading form, "Hey, Usagi!" He called.
**
Minako grinned as she realized she had the whole song perfect except for the final note. She went through the grueling process of elimination and finally she found the correct note. She grinned as she was surrounded by blue light motes and she and Artemis vanished out of sight.
Link looked up tears trailing down his cheeks. He noticed a blonde-haired person staring at him, "Usagi?" He whispered as he wiped the tears away to see better. He frowned as he realized it was not his Usagi but it was the blonde-haired girl from before that Usagi had called Minako. "What do you want?" He demanded.
Minako studied him for a moment, "Who do you love?" She questioned.
Link blinked at her. "Love?"
Minako nodded "Yes, love, do you love anyone?"
Navi appeared and landed beside Link, "Link, she wants to know if you care for anyone more than you would care for a friend," Navi explained.
Link nodded, "Usagi told me she loved me but I'm not sure if I love her," Navi shook her head at Link's words. Minako sighed and was about to comment when she noticed the necklace Link had given Usagi was balled up in his fist.
Minako sighed, "Why didn't you tell Usagi about your fiancée? You tore her apart. Of course it worked on our side since we needed her home but now I'm not sure we did the right thing,."
Link looked at her startled, "Usagi returned back to your world?"
Minako scowled at him, "Of course she did! What did you expect her to do after she realized you were engaged?"
Link frowned, "I don't know what engaged or fiancée mean."
It was Minako's turn to look shocked. "Let me try to explain," She offered. Link nodded his head and she began. "Engagement means you plan to marry in the future and your fiancée is the person you plan to marry."
Link stared at Minako in shock, "I'm supposed to marry Ruto? But I can't. She's a sage, besides she said the engagement was cancelled.
Minako grinned, "Then..." She stopped and her eyes widened in horror, "Oh no," She whispered.
Link looked at the girl in confusion, "What's wrong?"
Minako turned towards him, "I used the ocarina to get here and no one knew we were planning to come!"
Artemis made his presence known as he leapt onto Mina's shoulder, "I told Luna that you were playing around with the ocarina so I assume she'll realize you actually succeeded." Minako glared at him.
**
Mamoru was confused. He had watched as Usagi entered the arcade and made her ways towards the Sailor V game. She had completely ignored him and everyone else for that matter and her whole concentration appeared to be on racing through the levels. He watched in shock as her score climbed higher and higher. "Usagi," He said grabbing her shoulder. She ignored him and continued her digital quest.
Rei, Makoto, and Ami watched the two from outside the arcade's windows. "Do you think she'll snap out of it?" Inquired Makoot.
Rei sighed, "I hope so but even when Mamoru dumped her she didn't go this extreme." The group sighed and turned their attention back to Usagi.
The words 'You Win!' flashed on the screen surrounded by hearts and stars. Usagi attempted to get up to leave but Mamoru's hand forced her to sit back down. Usagi slowly turned towards him, "What do you want?" She demanded her tone like smooth ice not allowing any emotions to show through.
Mamoru remembered his dreams but pushed the haunting thoughts away, "Usagi, I'm sorry I hurt you before..."
Usagi pushed his hand off her shoulder, "Leave me alone, Mamoru," She demanded in a steely tone. Mamoru watched as Usagi left and frowning he marched after her.
Usagi walked by her friends all of her emotions and feelings carefully masked. Mamoru followed her closely oblivious to the stares he was receiving. He waited until they were out of sight of Usagi's friends and he again grabbed Usagi's shoulder halting her progress. He whirled her around and kissed her hungrily.
His eyes filled with anger as she remained emotionless and did not return the kiss or even acknowledge it was taking place. He pulled away from her, "Usagi, I made a mistake but you can't hold if over me forever. I'm sorry I treated you that way but I had a dream that said staying with you would kill you," He explained. Usagi stared at him for a moment and his eyes softened, "Usagi," He whispered once again covering her lips with his own.
Usagi knew Mamoru was kissing her but she couldn't make her body respond. 'He says that he broke up with me over a dream?' she thought in confusion.
Mamoru attempted to deepen the kiss and stared into Usagi's eyes. His own eyes turned to a color similar to steel as she remained unresponsive. He growled deep in his throat as anger began to envelop him.
"Usagi," He whispered in a throaty voice.
A tear trailed down Usagi's cheek and Mamoru noticed it. His eyes clouded over in confusion and he pulled away from Usagi's lips to hear her whisper one word. "Link," she whispered another tear following the first.
Mamoru didn't know how but he knew that Link had to be a boy. His eyes filled with anger and all rational thought left him as he let the anger take over.
**
Rei frowned as she realized Minako was no where to be found, "Where's Minako?" She questioned. Ami frowned as well and pulled out her mini computer. She typed in Minako's energy signature and waited. The computer beeped and Ami frowned at the familair message.
*Nothing Found*
"Minako is gone," Ami said in a sigh.
The others looked at her startled, "Gone?" They asked in disbelief.
Ami nodded. "Yes, I saw her with Usagi's ocarina yesterday but I didn't think she would try to play it. That's the only way she could have vanished off my computer." She sighed and typed some more buttons in quick succession. Another map appeared on the screen and she pointed to a blinking orange dot. "This is a map of Hyrule and Minako is in this area here," She explained.
The others sighed, "We can't go there without Usagi's power?"
Ami nodded once more,. "Which way did she and Mamoru go off to again?"
Rei looked around for a moment before pointing to the north. "They went that way," The group sighed one last time and walked in the direction Rei had indicated.
Rei stared in shock as she saw Mamoru kissing Usagi. She was about to comment when Mamoru pulled away from the younger girl and his eyes were as cold and hard as steel. "How dare you," He hissed anger verbrating through each word.
Rei frowned confused but noticed the shattered expression on Usagi's face. She stepped in between Mamoru and Usagi and realized Mamoru had had his palm up ready to slap the heart-broken girl. "Mamoru, what do you think you're doing?" She demanded.
Mamoru seemed to come back to his senses and his body shook with shock as he realized he had almost struck Usagi. "I'm sorry, Rei I don't know what came over me," He explained weakly.
Rei glared at him but didn't move from Usagi's side. Makoto hauled Mamoru to his feet her eyes milimeters away from his, "I don't care who you are no one hits on girls! I want you to stay away from Usagi and just leave her alone or I'll make you regret it!" She threatened her emerald green eyes glittering with her anger.
Usagi walked away from the scene and was only halted by Ami's hand upon her wrist. "Usagi, Minako went to Hyrule you have to help us get there so we can go get her," She asked.
Usagi winced but nodded, "We're only staying long enough to get Mina-chan right?" She asked softly.
Ami nodded, "We can't do it tonight though too many people would be suspicious to where we vanished to so we'll do it in the morning at Rei's." Usagi nodded to confirm that she accepted the task and head bowed she walked towards her house.
**
Link frowned at Minako, "So you're stuck here?" She flushed and nodded. Link looked at Navi, "I have to go to Kakiriko Village but you look like you need rest," He said in a slightly annoyed tone. Minako blushed but nodded.
Link sighed and sat down on the ground to Minako's horror. "We can't sleep out here!" She yelped.
Artemis scowled at her, "Don't worry, Minako I'm sure this guy knows what he's doing."
**
Mamoru heard the tail end of the conversation with Ami and intrigued he faked a departure. Positive that the girls had each went to their own homes he transformed into Tuxedo Kamen and took to the trees until he had his odango atama in his sights. He noticed the dejected look she displayed and his heart ached. She pulled something out of her pocket and he could see her crying as she gazed at it. 'Why is she crying over an old wooden boomerang?' he wondered.
Usagi continued her trek home unaware of the masked man watching her every movement. She entered her house and without talking to her family made her way to her room. She sat down on her bed and let forth heart rendering sobs.
Tuxedo Kamen watched from a nearby tree and he fought the urge that demanded he go inside the house and comfort her. "Usagi," He whispered as softly as the wind stirs a single leaf. He watched her for a moment more before leaping out of the tree and made his way back towards his apartment. 'I don't know what this Hyrule place is but if Usagi is going so am I.' he thought as he entered his apartment.