I'd like to devote this part to a special friend of mine, Lazuli. Thanks
for the inspiration Sunshine, you're the greatest ^_^

The Mummy's Curse 3/6
PG
thelonepig@hotmail.com
Mamoru seemed so down the next few days. Usagi found herself thinking more
and more about his normal jovial personality and wished silently to herself
that he would return. More than once, while revising her papers, she
thought back to the man that had mysteriously shown up on her doorstep on a
dark and stormy night two weeks ago. He seemed so rustic standing on the
porch. Usagi sighed and set her pencil down on her desk. She leaned back
in her comfortable chair and removed the pair of reading glasses she was
wearing and held them in her lap. Usagi stared for a long time at the
ceiling.

There was something different about that man. His eyes, beautiful as they
were, harbored a sense of great loss from long ago. Despite the smile that
always crossed his face, Usagi knew there was something wrong when she
looked into those eyes. But it was not a look of hopelessness, it was of
regret. What could Mamoru be hiding from her? Not that it was any of her
business though.

"I'm turning into my mother," she said silently to herself, smiling as she
traced pictures in the air with her finger.

She began humming a tune that she had heard just a few weeks earlier.
Somehow, it sprang to her mind and lyrics came to her mouth.

My love, here you are,
So close... yet so far.
I wish that somehow you could know.
I want to hold you, the way that I used to,
Under the moonlight glow.
All I can do is stand here and smile,
And reminisce a while.

How had that song found it's way inside her head? She continued humming for
a moment before trailing off. The music, however, continued and even
increased slightly in volume. Usagi blinked twice before tilting her head
up and looking around the room. She stood from her seat and walked into the
living room, one hand massaging her shoulder.

Mamoru stepped to the music with two left feet. Usagi grinned widely and
stepped into the living room. She watched bemusedly as Mamoru tried
desperately to follow the instructions from a book he held in his hand. She
watched for a moment before stepping into the room. If he had noticed her,
he did not say anything.

Usagi smiled as she stepped in front of him, her arms held innocently behind
her back. Mamoru must have been incredibly engrossed in his dancing
lessons, for he still did not notice the blonde before him.

Slightly agitated, Usagi reached for the dance book Mamoru held. She threw
it across the room and stepped in close to him, guiding his hand to her
waist. Mamoru's right hand, bandaged though it was, all but consumed
Usagi's left hand as he embraced it. Her hand went to his shoulder. Mamoru
stood wide-eyed. "Usagi..."

Removing her hand from his shoulder, she placed it silently to her own lips.
"Just follow my lead."

Mamoru blinked, but had no time to complain as Usagi began to sway back and
forth. Mamoru found his body, too, swaying in tune with the music. He had
just caught the rhythm when Usagi began to back up slowly. Mamoru faltered,
his shoes caught in the carpet and he toppled to the ground, landing
squarely on top of Usagi. He looked down at her deep blue eyes and was
drawn into them. And the record continued playing.

My love, here you are,
So close... yet so far.

"I'm... sor... ry," he managed, his lips coming nearer hers.

I wish that somehow you could know.
I want to hold you, the way that I used to,
Under the moonlight glow.

Usagi, too, was drawn in by his dark blue eyes. Once again, she saw that
deep longing for something in his soul. Her head tilted up to meet his.
Moonlight flooded in from the windows outside, bringing a soft white glow to
the couple.

And the doorbell rang. Usagi shot up, her head crashing into Mamoru's.

"Ow!" she complained, rubbing her forehead.

Mamoru removed himself from on top of her and went to stop the phonograph
record. Usagi straightened out the dress she had been wearing, brushed off
her blouse, and straightened her hair, before hurriedly rushing to the door
to answer it.

"Usagi!" greeted the handsomely-dressed man at the door.

"What do you want Ashiki?" responded Usagi coldly, folding her arms.

"I bring sweets, for my sweet," Ashiki replied, pulling a heart-shaped box
from behind his back and offering it to the agitated woman in front of him.

"Why are you here?"

The man looked shocked. "I am simply trying to be as congenial a gentleman
as I can be. You realize how I feel about you Usagi, I want us to get back
together."

"Ashiki, you were the one that stomped on my heart after I gave it to you.
What makes you think I would come back to you?"

"Usagi, I realize my mistake, please..."

Mamoru walked to the door, curious as to the cause of such confusion.

"Usagi?"

Ashiki jumped. "Who are you?!" he demanded of Mamoru.

Mamoru blinked at the intruding figure. "Are you addressing me sir?"

"Yes you! How dare you be inside Usagi's house! In the name of her dead
father, get out immediately!"

Usagi lost her temper. "How dare you! Get out! Get out! Get out! He has
rented a room from me, as per request of my mother! If you don't like that,
then you can take it up with her! Now good night!" The door slammed in
his face.

Kazuya Ashiki stood bewildered momentarily on Usagi's door step. He pushed
his glasses further up on his nose and sneered. "Usagi, you will pay for
taking my fame from me, just you wait." Tucking his hands into his pockets,
Ashiki stepped off the porch and looked up at the bright moon. "Only three
more days until the full moon and your presentation, my dear Usagi. And by
then, you shall know my anger."
Once the door had been closed, Usagi lost her composure. Tears prodded at
the corners of her eyes and she hurried into the living room, where she
collapsed into her rocking chair. Mamoru glanced into the room, a look of
concern marring his handsome features.

"Usagi?"

She glanced up at Mamoru and hurriedly wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm
fine. Don't worry about it, it's late. You should sleep."

Mamoru crossed the room to her and knelt by her side. He held her chin in
one hand and tilted her face up so he could look into her eyes. His other
hand brushed a tear gently from her cheek.

"You are truly beautiful..." he whispered.

Usagi looked at him nervously, her eyes fluttering nervously. Mamoru
brought his lips close to hers once again, but Usagi sniffled and pulled
away.

"Mamoru, why do you have bandages on your hands?" asked Usagi, eyeing the
sarcophogus that still littered one side of the room.

Mamoru smiled at her and pulled away. He sat comfortably on the floor and
watched Usagi for a moment before speaking.

"When I was eight years old, my hometown had record high temperatures.
Fires spontaneously began erupting throughout the area. My father was
called to help with the fire control, and the night after my home caught
fire. We were all asleep, my mother, brothers, and sisters. One of the
neighbors noticed the blaze first. He yelled for help, and ran in to warn
my family. I remember waking as a man grabbed me around the waist and threw
me over his shoulder, much akin to a sack of potatoes."

Usagi blinked and nodded for Mamoru to continue.

"By the time the neighbor had gotten me outside, it was too dangerous for
him to enter the home again. Help had arrived by then, but it still took
most of the night to put out the fires." He hesitated a moment and looked
away from Usagi, tears welling in his eyes. "I still hear the screams of my
family as they were slowly killed in that blaze..."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room.

Mamoru sniffed and wiped his eyes. Usagi stood from her chair and kneeled
beside him. She hugged him tightly to her and let him rest his head on her
shoulder. Usagi began rocking Mamoru back and forth slowly in her arms.

The phonograph in the corner played static for a few minutes before
strangely jumping back to the beginning of the record. Jazzy music filled
the moonlit room. Usagi hummed quietly to herself before singing with the
music.

My love, here you are,
So close... yet so far.
I wish that somehow you could know.
I want to hold you, the way that I used to,
Under the moonlight glow.
All I can do is stand here and smile,
And reminisce a while.

The final note lingered in the air a moment before plunging the room once
again into silence. And there the couple sat for the remainder of the
night.