Hello Mina, Here for your delight is Chapter 3. Sorry for the delay. Once more I do not own or hold any rights to Sailor Moon…………Yada yada……Bla, bla, bla. Hope you enjoy.
Christmas Past, Christmas Present Chapter 3
Usagi left the temple in a quandary. Wrapping gifts and goofing off they had all enjoyed themselves very much. As usual Ami took time out from wrapping gifts to get ahead in her quantum physics reading. They had teased her as usual but she had just blushed a bit and continued reading.
Makoto had whipped up some curry chicken for supper. They even invited Rei's grandpa to join them.
He had been on his best behavior until Usagi tripped and landed on her backside legs akimbo.
Usagi had taken each of her friends aside and asked them about the night in the Cemetery. No one had noticed anything unusual. She had even asked Artemis if it was some kind of test. He had looked at her oddly, well as oddly as any cat could, and then shook his head. Luna had been the very first one she had questioned the night of the training. No one seemed to have noticed anything unusual.
Wandering up the street she was deep in thought. Luna had stayed behind to plot strategy with Artemis. All alone she considered going back to the Cemetery to have a look around. As the night was clear and the moon full it did not concern her to go alone. She followed a different route and came in from the other side. Hoping to find the grave she tried to navigate by finding familiar sights.
Recognizing a crooked stump she had climbed around Usagi knew she was on the right track. She picked her way once again around the headstones. Thinking back on the night her most vivid memory was the sadness that reached the depth of the Lady's soul. Those eyes kept haunting her. Humming softly she noticed that tonight there was no eerie light. As she approached the headstone with the C on it, the night became eerily quiet.
With the full moon out bright she was able to see more detail. It was not as decrepit as she had first thought. It was just discolored and had been worn down by the elements. Usagi sat off to the side and waited to see what might happen. There was definitely a sense of sadness here. The night sounds around her gently lulled her and before long she was leaned over dozing against the headstone.
An eerie weeping suddenly jolted her awake.Looking around her in fright, she could see no one ghostly or otherwise. The sound just kind of floated upon the air. It was a symphony of sadness to her ears. She could feel the torment of the weeping soul. Thinking that she had heard enough she was just standing up to leave when an eerie light coalesced around the headstone near her. The temperature dropped a couple of degrees in that moment. Suddenly where nothing stood before a form began to take shape. Little by little Usagi could see the woman from before.
She was even more beautiful than Usagi remembered. The Lady wore average clothes but that didn't detract from her beauty. Her skin looked like alabster stone and her hair was as dark as a raven's wing but her eye's were her most striking feature. The deep blue of her eyes looked somewhat familiar but Usagi could not think of why. She stood before Usagi once more and the forest had gone silent at her appearance. Tears ran down her cheeks unchecked and she made no move to stop them.
The sorrow radiating from her was even more noticeable this time around. Usagi felt as though her heart would break just looking at the Lady. The Lady had a pleading look upon her face that called to Usagi's heart. Without thinking about what she was doing, Usagi leaned forward and hugged the spirit. There was a warm tingling sensation that enveloped her. "I will help you somehow I promise." I must do what I can to help her, she thought.
Slowly the spirit began to dissolve like wisps of fog dispersing. The last impression Usagi received was a "Please" drifting on the night air. Seconds later the night returned to its former state. It was almost as though nature had been holding its breath and then decided to sigh. Usagi decided it was time to head home. Thinking everything through Usagi tried to remember every detail about the Lady. She had no idea what to do but knew that she had to figure something out.
Christmas Eve dawned cold and gray. Usagi finally stumbled out of bed and headed for the shower. When she was done she headed for the kitchen. Popping a piece of toast into her mouth she thought about her plans for the day. The girls were all meeting later at the temple to exchange gifts. Her family wanted her home this evening for some traditional family time. She had hours to kill off before then. Deciding to head for the arcade she let Luna know and headed out.
The chimes on the door chimed as someone walked in. Motoki looked up from wiping the counter. "Hey Usagi, how is your Christmas Eve so far?" Usagi smiled, "It is wonderful." She walked over to the counter and sat on a stool. Slipping off her coat she put it with the bag of gifts on the stool nexst to her. Taking a peek around the place to see who was around she noticed Mamoru sitting several stools down from her. She smiled in anticipation. Thinking of how it would make him happy she patted her bag filled with all her presents.
"Usagi, you want your usual strawberry shake?" Motoki smiled at her as he asked,already knowing the answer. She nodded vigorously and smiled in delight. When he finally brought her shake over she smiled mysteriously and reached into her bag. "Merry Christmas Motoki," she watched as he smiled. Tearing the wrapping off his present, his face split into a wide grin. "Oh the book I've been waiting for." "Thank you Usagi. Thanks very much." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
"Guess what Motoki," Usagi looked at him seriously for a moment. "I got your friend over there something too, even though he can be the world's biggest jerk, but it's a surprise." She paused in thought, then continued. "He looks so bleak, I thought a present from someone might cheer him up." Usagi waited a moment gauging Motoki's reaction. He glanced over at Mamoru and glanced back. "I think that is a great idea." He smiled at her and turned his attention back to the counter.
Stiffening her spine, Usagi finally gathered all her resolve and pulled out the best wrapped of the bunch. Sliding off her stool she walked down the counter towards the jerk. In her mind she ran the mantra over and over. "It's the right thing to do." Three more steps and she stood before him. Licking her lips nervously she fought for something to say. With a blank mind she just held out the gift. "Merry Christmas" was the only coherent thing she could spit out.
Mamoru knew when she approached, he had a sixth sense for things like that. He could feel her approaching at a distance. The hair on the back of his neck stood straight up and a warm tingling ran through him. It was almost like an electric charge to his senses. When she finally stood in front of him he turned towards her with a baleful look. She held up a package in front of her and all that came out of that beautiful mouth was "Merry Christmas". He reached out and tweaked one of her ponytails.
The feel of her silky hair did strange things to his mind. He had never dared to touch her before. Without thinking he blurted out, "What has the cat finally got your tongue?" He looked delighted as she blushed. "Why did you waste money on something I am sure I don't want?" He meant it teasingly but it came out gruff and sounded harsh even to his ears. He watched as those big blue eyes clouded over and became watery. Before he could even say a word, she had turned and fled through the doors.
By the time she reached the street the tears had begun to fall. Usagi paid no attention to the gray cold and just wandered up the street the tears blurring her vision. She didn't think about where she was going just wandered to her favorite spot. As she reached the park entrance she noticed that no one was around. Wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands Usagi walked over to her bench. Not worrying about the conditions of her clothes she dropped to her knees and laid her head on the bench. Sobbing quietly she let the pain flow through her
Motoki had watched from beneath lowered eyes and he had overheard what Mamo-kun had said. As Usagi had run out he had seen the hurt etched on her face. Without thinking about it he walked up and cuffed mamoru on the shoulder. "Ouch!" Mamoru looked at him in surprise and continued. "What was that for?" Motoki shook his fist irritated at Mamoru's dimwits. "She was trying to make you happier!" He shook his fist again under mamoru's nose and kept up. "What do you do?" "You ruin it." "Probably broke her poor heart."
Motoki was full steam now,"She didn't have to get you anything, doesn't even like you for that matter, but still she went out of her way to get you something to make you feel better and what do you do?" Mamoru sat up in surprise. "What do you mean she doesn't even like me?" Motoki looked at him like he was dense. "You are always picking on her. Saying mean things, what do you expect her to think?" Mamoru stopped dumbstruck. "How could she not know?" Motoki just laughed mirthlessly at that. "Maybe because you have never said anything nice or given even a hint that you aren't the jerk she thinks you are."
"I have to fix this." Mamoru really looked worried at this point. "Please, do you know where she might have gone:" Motoki looked at him a little more closely and he could see genuine worry. "She would head to the park." "You know the one a few blocks over with the lake." "Go to the bench by the shore and that is where she will be, I can almost garauntee that is where you will find her." Motoki continued, "Don't worry about her bag, just leave it here and both of you return when you have fixed everything."
Mamoru looked at Motoki for a moment, "I really owe you one." Then he turned and headed out the doors in search of Usagi all the while holding her gift. Motoki just shook his head. He would figure out a way for Mamo-kun to repay him. The thought of all the ways he could extract payment made him smile. He was just tucking Usagi's coat and bag behind the counter as chimes on the door jingled and once again he was busy helping customer's.