And from nearby he also heard Sailor Moon yell "Moon Prism Power". 'That's odd...she must be really nearby." He whipped around and saw Usagi bathed in a golden light, transforming into the hero that he tried hard to protect.
'Usagi..is Sailor Moon?'
Suddenly his plan became more urgent then ever. The girl he loved, and the girl he always protected were the same exact girl...he felt as if he could run to her and confess all his feelings. But he wouldn't. He would give her the romance of her dreams, and give his heart one field day. Then he would safely return to the shadows, and nothing need be confessed.
Rejection not expressed.
It would be better that way.
She would be happy, receiving love.
And he would be safe, and wouldn't have to feel the pain of more rejection.
All his life he had been rejected. He was rejected from society, when the world made him an orphan by taking his parents away. He rejected himself, when he could not remember his past. He couldn't take it if the golden angel who accepted everything life had to offer...rejected him.
Sailor Moon leapt off the balcony, and Mamoru felt a gripping pain in his chest. He transformed into Tuxedo Kamen, and followed her.
He stayed in the shadows, watching Sailor Moon and her Sailor senshi fight off the youma.
It was horribly ugly, several mouths protruding from its abdomen, which was pretty much all it had besides a pair of quick moving legs. Gnarled fangs and long, skinny purple tongues hung out of the mouths.
It had an innocent civilian tangled in one of its tongues, dripping with an acidic drool.
Sailor Mercury, Mars, and Venus, took turns trying to distract the ugly demon while Jupiter prepared for an attack.
"Jupiter Thunder Crash!" Sailor Jupiter yelled, sending a bolt of lightning towards the youma. Luckily, the youma was surprised and it dropped the poor person, who took off running.
He watched Sailor Moon pick the tiara off her head, preparing to send it towards the youma in a final blaze of energy.
He still couldn't believe that his Usagi was Sailor Moon...the klutzy, whining girl full of laughter and sunshine was also the strong fierce protector of justice and love.
In a sudden turn of events, Sailor Moon was caught off guard, the youma running towards her. He quickly leapt and carried her out of the way, throwing a rose into the one of the youma's throats. When he returned Sailor Moon to the ground, she dusted the youma, and he ran off before she would speak a word to him.
He had too much to plan for her.
He had it all planned out.
He had left a note attached to a rose, only signed anonymous, that said to wait by her windowsill dressed in her finest. He would transform into Tuxedo Kamen, and whisk her away in the night. Then, he would take her onto a secluded beach blanketed with rose petals, where he had prepared for her a candle lit dinner. He would have music play, and after dinner they would dance. If all went well, he would steal a kiss from her, and if he died right after that, it would be all worth it.
Mamoru had spent so many sleepless nights, planning this all out. When he did sleep, he would awake with a jerk, grasping for a pad of paper so his idea would not escape into the night. Everything had to be perfect.
He had already transformed, and was jumping from rooftop to rooftop, but halfway there, he had remembered that he had forgotten to light the candles.
'Kami-sama! How could I forget the candles! Everything has to be perfect!'
After lighting the candles, he continued on his journey to her house.
Usagi opened the door to her room, she fell on her bed in an exhausted heap. She had gotten detention again for not paying attention in class.
How could she help it that she could not focus on the quadratic formula? She had much more important things to deal with.
She recalled her last youma battle, in which her hero, her knight in shining armor, had rescued her from the youma. But he had left before she had gotten a chance to thank him. He was so strong and mysterious, she wished she could reach out to him somehow.
She looked to the side, and on her balcony she saw a long-stemmed red rose, with a note tied to it with a black silk ribbon.
Standing on the edge of her balcony, he saw her sitting by the window in a silky white off-shoulder dress trimmed in a cream-colored lace. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her at that moment, she looked like an angel, just like a princess.
'The plan Chiba, remember the plan. Don't do anything crazy...stick to the plan!' He could barely keep his hormones in check when he noticed how the dress accented her curvy figure. Her skin looked like pure ivory in the soft moonlight, and her golden hair turning a gentle silver. Her large blue eyes looked around hopefully, and her soft pink lips pouted gently.
He gently rapped on her window, and she looked up surprised.
"Tuxedo Kamen-sama?" She whispered as she opened her window, stepping out onto the balcony.
He held his hand out to her, "Do you trust me?"
Without considering, she answered "Yes."
He picked her up and whisked her out the window, again leaping from the rooftops.
He stared at the breathtaking girl in his arms, who was looking back at him. For a minute their eyes locked, even through his mask, and a sudden warmth went through his body. He continued to stare into her eyes throughout the awkward silence that would have killed Mamoru, but luckily he was Tuxedo Kamen, and was impenetrable. But then Usagi looked away.
She blushed, and was silent.
They arrived on the beach, and just as he hoped, everything seemed perfect. The candles were lit, the rose petals lay on the floor creating a slight fragrance of deep red roses.
He walked to the table, and pulled her a chair with his gloved hands. "Please, m'lady, have a seat." He said as smoothly as he could, which was quite smooth considering his heart beat in his chest so hard that he couldn't breathe.
Usagi was so surprised of this all. Her dream-guy had appeared in her window, and took her off to a beach, with candles and rose petals...
It was all so beautiful, she didn't even realize she was holding her breath. She was even afraid that if she were to move, it would all melt away. If this was a dream, she would not want to wake up from it.
The stars twinkled above her, and she heard music play.
"Please, m'lady, have a seat." he said to her as he pulled her a chair.
She sat down gracefully, and they enjoyed a meal quietly. She thought she would feel uncomfortable to be in such a romantic place with such a handsome man while she was just a silly child, but she felt so comforted, and that nothing was out of the ordinary.
But everything felt like it was moving so fast.
"Usagi, do you know why I brought you here?"
She shook her head no, she was almost bewildered by what was going on.
He chuckled lightly, sounding deep and breathy.
The music played slightly louder, and he got up from his chair, his cape ruffled in the wind.
"Would you care to dance with me?" He held out his gloved hand, and when she accepted, he pulled her close and they danced gracefully under the starlight.
Usagi placed her head on his chest as they swayed gently to the music. He laid his head on hers, and they both closed their eyes savoring the moment.
Then, like a rock breaking through a window, Usagi interrupted the tranquility and romance of the moment, with a thought that occurred in her mind.
"Tuxedo Kamen?"
"Yes, Usako?"
She blushed gently at the nickname he bestowed to her, but still continued.
"Who are you...really?"
He had planned for so long, and planned for everything to be perfect...but never planned what he would say if she asked him this.
"I'm sorry Usako, I cannot tell you."
"Do you not...trust...me?" She looked up at him, her blue eyes almost tearful.
For a minute he considered telling her everything. Confessing his love, kissing her, unmasking himself, revealing all the pain and longing, breaking down the walls that surrounded his heart and soul...
but if she knew who he was...
she would not accept it.
Already, he had made the mistake of making her hate Mamoru, he didn't need to make her hate Tuxedo Kamen too.
At least he could have her, while he was protected by his mask, protected by those walls he had strived to build.
"I trust you with my life."
'But I don't trust you with my heart...'
