Alicia Blade
Warm thanks to Stormlight, Usagi of Feudal Moon Era, and all reviewers! Midnight: Good catch on the Ail/Ann thing! Thanks!
New livejournal community, courtesy of jojodacrow, focusing on Usa/Mamo romances is now open for readers and writers! There will be drabbles, challenges, fanart, and more. Come join us! (Link on my bio.)
Ah, and for those of you unfamiliar with the Japanese names for Crystal Carriers, here's a cheat sheet (sorry I didn't think to put it in earlier!)
Crane Master Joe, Grandpa Hino, and the priest (nameless as far as I know) remain the same.
Urawa Ryo – Greg
Yumeno Yumeni – Lonny Lanai
Reika – Rita
Rhett Butler (the cat) - Hercules
"Moshi moshi. You've reached Furuhata Motoki. I'm not available, but please leave a message and I'll return your call as soon as I'm able. Ja!"
Reika sighed at her boyfriend's voicemail, a message she was innately familiar with, and wished she could talk to him for real instead of some machine. But her schoolwork and job had become so pressing lately, it seemed she hardly had any time to see him at all anymore. She missed him so much, and hated knowing that it was her own hectic schedule that kept them apart.
"Hi honey, it's me. It turns out that big project I thought was due next Monday is actually due Thursday so I'm afraid I can't come to the festival with you and Mamoru-kun this morning. I'm really sorry and promise to make it up to you this weekend. I love you! Have fun!"
Hanging up the payphone, she shouldered her book bag and began marching up the steps to the university library with an irritated groan. "Why did I ever choose archeology as a major? What was I thinking?"
"Excuse me, miss?"
She turned to see a teenage girl smiling at her shyly. "Yes?" she asked, her gaze curiously sweeping over the girl's odd costume and the large glaive in her hand.
"I was wondering if you could help me with something."
Reika tried to smile warmly, though her instincts told her that this girl was much different from other adolescents she had met. "What's that?" She unconsciously looked around but noted that at this time of the day, most people were either in class or still sleeping and this part of campus was eerily deserted.
"You see, I'm looking for a blue crystal that contains the spirit of a thousand-year-old evil monster and is needed to combine with other like crystals in order to create the most powerful weapon in the history of the world. Would you help me find it?"
Reika blinked at her a moment, before smiling appreciatively. "You should be a writer, kid."
Sailorsaturn smiled. "Thanks. And I'll be taking that crystal now," she said, poising her glaive at Reika's heart.
...
"Oh, let's go in here!" Emily squealed, pointing at a tiny tent tucked neatly into an alleyway. Usagi, Rei, Ami, and Makoto looked up at it suspiciously.
"Talk about a hole in the wall joint," Rei muttered.
"Maybe we should get to the festival before it gets too crowded," added Ami.
"Why do you want to go in there?" asked Usagi, looking a tad creeped out and very willing to take Ami's suggestion.
Emily grinned, pretending not to notice their apprehension, and pointed up at the little wooden plaque by the door. "Look! Palm readings, tarot readings, crystal ball readings... How exotic! And the prices are really low, too!"
Rei scoffed. "If I want to know my future, I'll ask the Sacred Fire, not some loony fake."
"Aw, come on, it'll be fun! We can all ask about the future loves of our lives!"
"Well, now you're talking!" Makoto giggled. "I can never have too much information on that subject."
Emily had been very unsurprised that Makoto had been invited to join them. It was obvious that the scouts had already had a meeting the night before and become acquainted with the new edition to their team. Usagi had told Emily that Makoto was new at school and she'd met her there and invited her to go to the festival with them. Emily befriended the tall brunette immediately.
"I think Usagi-chan should go first," said Emily, a sly grin on her face.
"What? Why me?"
"Because you want to know if Motoki-san is interested in you, right?"
"Hey, I want to know if Motoki-san is interested in me," complained Makoto, but she didn't seem to really mind as Emily gently guided Usagi to the tent's open door.
"Oh, we'll all get a chance. Go on, Usagi-chan!"
...
Usagi sat down in the chair, eyeing the woman speculatively. The heavy scent of incense clung to the air inside the tent and glimmering crystals suspended from the ceiling left rainbow streaks of light dancing around the walls and carpet.
"Welcome, Little Bunny," the woman said disinterestedly, fingering a green glass ball that rested on her little table.
Usagi gasped. "How did you know...?"
"I know all. All that is written among the stars or inscribed in the sands of time."
Gulping, Usagi began to fidget with the hem of her skirt.
"I see that you come with a question of the future, knowing not that it is a question of the present."
"I do?" she asked cautiously.
"You wish to know of your future love, yes?"
The nervous girl pursed her lips together. "Well, yes, I suppose."
The woman smiled knowingly. "The stars tell me many things—great things—are in store for you. I see a timeless romance, a true love, awaits."
Usagi felt her heart flutter excitedly. "It does?"
"It will be a love pure and wonderful, eternal and unchangeable. It will be a love like none other this world has seen."
Usagi's voice was awed. "It will?"
"And the stars—the stars that know all, tell all, and never lie—the stars tell me that your paths have already crossed."
Usagi gasped and paled, her voice little above a whisper. "They have?"
The woman nodded mutely, pulling the glass orb in front of her and gazing into its depths. "Ah, yes. I can see him."
Gulping, Usagi leaned forward and gazed into the crystal ball, but could only see shadows of milky greenness. "Who? Who is it?"
"He's very handsome. I see black hair, tan skin, and ravishing blue eyes."
Usagi began to chew on her lip.
"I see there is much anger between you."
Odanga Atama
"And yet much gentleness."
You'll make a good mother someday.
"And much passion."
I think we need more time.
By now, Usagi was shaking, her cheeks burning with a deep blush, her eyes locked on the green orb. "It says all that?"
The woman nodded.
"Does it... does it say... Is he in love with me?"
A sly grin crawled onto the woman's face as she looked up at the girl. "Yes."
Usagi grasped at the table, feeling suddenly dizzy.
"It also says that you are in love with him."
She instantly paled and looked up at the woman's deep, intent eyes. Maybe it's not him, she thought, scrolling through the list of men that she knew. Maybe it's Tuxedo Kamen, or... or... But she knew. She knew it could only be him.
"Though the stars send you a word of warning."
She blinked, pulling herself from the nagging thoughts. "They do?"
"Fate and destiny are most kind to those who do not deny them."
Usagi blinked. "What does that mean?"
The woman's face took on an expression that Usagi was becoming more and more familiar with the more time she spent with Emily: a mischievous smile and a twinkling eye. "Do not wait for destiny to come, Little Bunny. Decide what you want and go for it. Go for him."
...
Usagi was pale when she walked out of the tent. "So how did it go?" Emily asked.
"Fine."
"Did she tell you anything interesting?"
"Yes."
"Well? What did she say?"
The blonde cleared her throat. "The stars say that I will have a great romance."
"And?"
"And..." she shrugged. "And that was all, really."
Rei snorted. "Sounds like a scam to me."
"Well, scam or not, it's my turn next!"
...
The fortuneteller looked up and smiled as Emily walked up to her table.
"How did it go?" Emily asked.
"Worked like a charm," Setsuna answered, still fingering her oversized green marble. "When is Mamoru-kun coming in?"
"Should be here within the hour."
"Good, good. Would you like to hear your fortune, Emily-chan?"
"Sure!"
"The stars tell me that you will have great success. Very soon."
...
"Motoki, I am not having my fortune told."
"Why not? It will be fun! Look, we're here, anyway. And Emily said she's really good."
"No."
"What? Afraid she's going to tell you that you're going to die a young, miserable, lonely death?"
"Thank you. Really, thanks for that."
Motoki smirked. "What else do you have to do today?"
"Whatever it is, I'm sure it's better than this."
"Oh, come on! Look, it's only $5 for ten minutes!"
Mamoru groaned. "Will it make you shut up?"
"Yes."
"Fine. But this had better be good."
...
Setsuna's eyes twinkled excitedly as Mamoru entered her tent. Without taking a moment to look around, he pulled his wallet and set five dollars on the table.
"I don't really want to be here, so make this quick."
She grinned, remembering how frank and pessimistic the future king had been before Usagi's eternal cheeriness had taken a toll on his heart.
"Have a seat, Young Protector."
He quirked an eyebrow, then glanced at her suspiciously as he sat down.
"Do you come with a question?" she asked, shuffling a stack of tarot cards.
"No. Just tell me the usual: long life, rich, happy, blah, blah, blah, and let me be on my way."
"I think you do have a question, child. A question about..." She took the top card from the deck and laid it face up. The Lovers. "…a girl."
Mamoru rolled his eyes. "Why does it ALWAYS have to be about a girl? Why can't a guy ever be worried about his job? Or school? Or a friend? Why is it always about a girl?"
"What's her name?"
Mamoru clamped his mouth shut before he could make any confessions, and leaned back scowling, his arms crossed. "You're the psychic. You tell me."
Setsuna grinned. "What is your question?"
Mamoru rolled his eyes, fully prepared to remind her that he didn't have a question, but then his eyes fell on the card. The picture showed a man and a woman gazing at each other between two trees, one in full bloom. Hovering above them was a cupid-type figure, smiling proudly. It was impossible not to notice the similarity the man and woman had to, well, him and Usagi. Even he couldn't deny it. And the cupid figure strangely reminded him of Emily. Looking down at his five dollars still sitting on the table, he sighed. What was the harm, right?
"Okay," he whispered as Setsuna shuffled her cards, apparently oblivious that he was talking. "My question is: Why does she hate me?"
The fortuneteller's eyes lifted to his and held his gaze as she dealt five more cards onto the table. She did not look down at them as she began speaking, her gaze trapping him, holding his rapt attention.
"You believe that she hates you because you know that you have given her no reason to love you. You feel invaluable and unworthy beside what you deem as her perfection, and therefore attribute all she says and all she does to the hatred you alone have created from your inadequacy. However, she does not hate you."
Mamoru gulped, finding himself unable to pry his gaze away.
"Your question is incorrect, Young Protector. It is not the question you harbor. It is not the question that the cards will answer. Do you know what your true question is?"
He slowly shook his head, feeling a hint of fear well up. "No, but I have a feeling you're going to tell me."
Her tiny, mysterious smile returned. "You do not want to know why she hates you, child. You want to know how to make her love you." She lowered her gaze to the five new cards on the table, allowing Mamoru to ponder her statement.
"Hm..." she mumbled mysteriously, tapping the cards. "And it appears you are in luck."
"What? Why?"
"The cards tell me she has many feeling for you, though hatred is not among them." She tapped the first card. "Occasional annoyance."
Would you stop trying to be strong and good and just do it?
She tapped the second card. "Occasional frustration."
Your head is so big, it makes for a fantastic target.
"But mostly," she smiled and gestured at the final three cards. "Affection."
It's tradition for a damsel to give her hero a kiss... after he's rescued her.
"Attraction."
I'll help you back into your shirt. But I'll miss the view.
"And acceptance."
I forgive you.
Mamoru stared in awe at the five cards. It didn't occur to him to ask how the Nine of Cups indicated acceptance, or how the Knight of Wands meant frustration, or the significance of any of the cards, he could only wonder if it was true. A pang of hope startled him. Could he really possibly want...?
"It is possible to capture the heart of this girl that amazes you in every way. And once captured, you will love each other for all time. The cards also tell me two more very important things, child," Setsuna added, looking up at Mamoru again. He gulped and met her gaze. "Should you give this girl your heart, and receive hers in return, the love that blossoms will be more pure, more passionate, and more beautiful than anything else you ever have or ever could experience in this world. However, such a gift will be granted only once you discard stubbornness and pride and admit to yourself, and to her, your true feelings. And, child, your ten minutes are up."
Mamoru blinked, then gasped. "Oh! Oh, right." He moved to stand, visibly shaken from her words, and suddenly very anxious to leave the smoky tent. But as he turned away, Setsuna called him back and held up the five dollar bill.
"This reading was a gift, Young Protector."
"Why? Are you sure?"
"Very sure. If you truly wish to offer a payment, let it be that you will heed what I have said."
Gulping, he slowly took the money. "Thank you."
...
"So what did she say?" Motoki asked as a very distraught Mamoru emerged from the tent.
Shrugging, Mamoru did his best to act nonchalant. "You know, long life, money, happiness. The usual."
He began walking away, a tenseness apparent in his stride, and Motoki looked curiously up at the tent. He knew that the telling must have been anything but usual.
...
Motoki was used to Mamoru sitting at his counter with an open book or newspaper and pretending to read, while really his eyes were glued blankly to the page and his mind was wandering off somewhere else. Motoki was not, however, used to Mamoru sitting at the counter with the book closed before him while he sulked and glared at the cover in deep concentration.
Shaking his head, the arcade clerk slowly approached his best friend. "Alright, what's going on?" he asked, throwing a towel down on the counter.
"Nothing," Mamoru mumbled, not removing his gaze from the black spine of the book.
"Nothing? Come on, you've barely said a word since we left that fortuneteller this morning. Why won't you tell me what she said?"
"I did tell you."
"Not everything, and you know it."
Mamoru remained silent.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with Usagi-chan, would it?"
Abruptly, Mamoru's gaze snapped up to meet his. "What makes you think that?" he practically yelled, his eyes blazing in nervous curiosity. Motoki took a step back. "Just a guess. You know, you've been acting strange around her lately."
"I have not. You're imagining things."
"Uh-huh. But you know, I think she's been acting differently around you, too."
Groaning, Mamoru snatched up his book and hopped off the stool. "I have somewhere to be."
"No you don't."
"Goodbye, Motoki."
"You know I'm right!"
Mamoru continued to walk toward the exit, but was stopped from his quick escape by three girls coming into the arcade, two of them giggling and talking excitedly. The third seemed to be concentrating very hard on the tile floor beneath her feet.
"Oh, Mamoru-kun!" Emily squealed upon seeing the ebony-haired man.
Usagi whipped her head up and her gaze locked with Mamoru's, her breath catching. They both came to a dead stop before each other, their mouths hanging open as the words of the fortuneteller replayed in their minds.
Emily looked at Makoto beside her, who was staring at them with a curiously raised eyebrow, before turning her attention back to the motionless couple.
"I'm so glad I ran into you, Mamoru-san," Emily said, reaching into a large shopping bag she was carrying. "I saw this earlier and thought it would look fantastic on you. Plus it was really cheap! Why don't you try it on?"
With a struggle, Mamoru managed to tear his eyes away from Usagi to see Emily holding a tuxedo jacket in front of him. He blinked. "Why?"
"Because I want to see it on you. Duh! Come on, take that hideous jacket off."
Perhaps if Mamoru had more of his wits about him, he would have been able to come up with a decent excuse not to try on the jacket—he really didn't want to—but Emily, forceful as usual, had it on him within a matter of seconds. He wasn't quite sure how as he stood half-dressed-up in the middle of the arcade.
"Um, thanks, Emily-chan, but I have a much nicer tuxedo than this at home…"
"Oh, I figured you would. That's okay. I might want to keep it myself and use it for costuming. But oh my god, you look good in it! Doesn't he look good, girls?"
"Very hot," agreed Makoto.
"Kind of like Tuxedo Kamen-sama, right, Usagi-chan?"
Usagi only continued to gawk at Mamoru, her face turning a delicious shade of bright pink as he stood before her in the black blazer. A blue shirt beneath made his eyes appear even more intense than usual, and he was staring right back at her.
Slowly, Mamoru's nervous expression managed to creep into a tiny smile. His thudding heart flipped a couple times at the passionate look Usagi wasn't even attempting to hide. "Well, Odango?" he asked huskily, throwing sweaty hands into the jacket's pockets.
Usagi cleared her throat and forced herself to stand up straighter. Nervously, she shrugged. "You look… nice."
Mamoru's grin widened.
Mentally preening herself, Emily turned to Usagi fully. "By the way, I wanted to ask, Usagi-chan, do you ever wear your hair down?"
Grateful for an excuse to tear her eyes away from Mamoru, Usagi looked at Emily. "No, why?"
"Well, I just think it would be so pretty if you… Well, it's hard to explain. May I?"
Usagi stepped backward as Emily approached her, hands reaching for the odangos. "What are you going to do?"
"You'll see. If you don't like it you can put it right back up, I swear! I'm just curious."
Biting her lip, Usagi nodded her consent, unsure as to why Emily could be so persuasive. As she felt her hair being taken out of its usual hairstyle, she became suddenly very conscious of Mamoru watching them. She turned her eyes up to see his expression a mixture of curiosity and an awkward betrayal, his brow creasing as he watched Emily's work in avid interest. Feeling her face turning even brighter red, Usagi turned her eyes away.
"There!"
Blinking, she looked at Emily. "That's all?"
"That was it."
"But you just took it down."
"I know. I wanted to see what it looked like down."
Usagi frowned and finger-combed her locks to one shoulder, feeling it glide over her skin. It cascaded past her knees. Her scalp was tingling. "Not much, is it?" she asked skeptically, twirling her fingers up in the long strands.
"I don't know, Usagi. I think you look like a supermodel. But let's ask a guy. Mamoru, what do you think?"
Her eyes flew up to focus on him, her heart beating painfully against her ribs with the fear of rejection. 'How funny,' she thought. 'I never cared what he thought before. Or… or maybe I did, after all.'
The rejection didn't come, though, as she saw the look of bewilderment and enchantment etched onto Mamoru's features as he stared at her. His jaw hung open, his eyes wide and traveling up and down her frame. He moved to speak a couple times, but eventually slammed his mouth shut and cleared his throat nervously. Wetting his lips—a motion that made Usagi's stomach clench longingly—he finally managed, "It's… uh… long."
Emily and Makoto snickered among themselves as Usagi rolled her eyes. "Good detective work, there, Einstein."
Shaking his head as if to clear it, Mamoru tried again, "No, I mean, it's… it's nice looking. Emily's right. You do look… it makes you look older. But… it isn't very you. I think you should stick with the odangos. You don't want to lose your uniqueness."
She lowered her face, peering shyly at him through her eyelashes. "You just want to be able to call me Odango Atama."
Mamoru felt strangely light-headed at the flirtatiously teasing smile she was giving him. Almost unbidden, the fortuneteller's words echoed in his ears and he thought of spending the rest of his life in a passionate and loving relationship with this beautiful girl. The fantasy made him giddy—and he never felt giddy. The emotion, foreign and unusual, yet strangely pleasant, combined with the reassurance of destiny, boosted his confidence and he lowered his voice to reply, "Well of course. Where would I be without my lovely Odango-chan around?"
All three girls gaped at him, though Makoto was the first to recover. She looked at a bewildered, yet gleeful, Emily and asked beneath her breath, "I thought Rei-chan said these two hated each other."
Regaining her composure, Emily grabbed Makoto's arm and whispered proudly, "'The times they are a'changing.' Mamoru-san, Usagi-chan, why don't you two go find us a booth and Makoto and I will bring out some milkshakes, okay?" Without waiting for a response, she dragged the tall brunette toward the counter, not bothering to hide a tiny skip as she walked.
Mamoru and Usagi looked at each other, Usagi still trying to understand the compliment—it was a compliment, wasn't it?—Mamoru had paid her. They felt suddenly very isolated and alone, even standing in the crowded gaming center.
Forgetting that he'd told Motoki he had somewhere to be, Mamoru cleared his throat and gingerly scratched the back of his neck. "I guess we should… uh…" He gestured toward the tables.
"Yeah, I guess," she agreed dazedly.
They sunk into the nearest empty booth and sat desperately avoiding each other's gazes. Usagi found a mute interest in the saltshaker and Mamoru became oddly fascinated by markings on the table; someone had scratched a heart with unreadable initials into the surface years ago. He didn't realize he was tracing his fingers along it until the thought popped into his head that perhaps Usagi was the kind of girl that would scrawl their initials together in tiny hearts: in her notebooks and journals and school desks, maybe even "tattoo" the inside of her elbow or the top of her big toe with them?
He blushed, realizing that he liked the idea, strange as it was, and forcefully tore his eyes and fingers away from the scratches. "So… what did you do today?" he asked, for once not having much desire to tease the girl but feeling obligated to break the silence.
"We went down to the festival," Usagi said, gently sliding the shaker from palm to palm. "Rei and Ami went, too, but they had to be somewhere else, so they couldn't come have shakes with us."
"Oh. Did you have fun?"
Usagi hesitated, but it was brief, before nodding vigorously. "Yeah. Anything can be fun with close friends, you know?" The truth was that she'd been in such a tizzy since the crystal ball reading she'd hardly paid any attention at the festival. All she could think of was the perfect love, the perfect romance, the perfect man.
He grinned. "Motoki and I were down in that area earlier, too."
"Yeah? What for?"
"Oh, I guess Emily had told him about some… fortuneteller. So he wanted to go check it out."
Usagi's head snapped up, her eyes wide as they looked at him. "Fortuneteller? Really? We went to one too! I bet it was the same one!"
Mamoru tensed. "What did she look like?"
Usagi described Setsuna and the tent and Mamoru nodded his head. "That's her, alright. So… er…. What did you think of her?"
Her excitement quickly fading, Usagi shrank back into the bench. "Oh, I thought she was… um… pretty convincing." She began to nervously tie her hair around her fingers, the weight of it feeling hot and sticky against her neck.
"Yeah, me too."
"She just… seemed to know… stuff. About me. But, I guess that's the point, right?"
"Yeah. I know what you mean, though. It was kind of… unsettling."
"Mmhmm. Did… did she give you a good fortune?"
Mamoru cleared his throat, desperately trying to keep the blood from rising to his face. "Well, it was… yeah, I guess it was pretty good. You?"
"Yeah, pretty good."
They were avoiding gazes again, each one dying to know the other's fortune while desperately trying to make something up for their own should the other ask. The combination of curiosity and embarrassment and hope proved tough on their psyches and Usagi's knuckles were white from clenching the poor saltshaker desperately.
Finally, they each cracked and in unison blurted, "So what'd she say?"
Looking at each other, they chuckled, their cheeks staining pink.
"You first," prompted Mamoru.
"No, go ahead."
"I insist. Ladies first."
"Since when are you a gentleman?"
He winked. Usagi's heart skipped. She raked a hand through her bangs to calm her whirling thoughts. "She said… Don't laugh."
"I won't."
"She said that I was destined to have a… a wonderful love life. What did she call it? A timeless romance, I think." Her heart was hammering in her chest and she wondered that Mamoru couldn't hear it. Meanwhile, she felt her face growing warmer and warmer beneath his stare. She looked at the saltshaker again. "And she said… well, that, er… I know him. The guy, I mean, my soul mate, or whatever he is.… She said I know him and he… he loves me. Already. But she said that I should… probably, I mean the stars can always use a little bit of help so if I want it to come true then I should… I don't know, go for him I guess."
She was shaking, but Mamoru hardly noticed. His stomach was tumbling happily and he felt dizzy. Certainly two nearly identical fortunes couldn't be coincidence. If he'd been unsure that the fortuneteller was referring to Usagi, now there was no question.
The cards said so.
"So what did she say for you?" Usagi spat out quickly, dreading the silence and praying that Mamoru wouldn't figure out why she was fidgeting so much. Did he see right through her? Did he know that she thought… that she knew the fortuneteller was referring to him as her true love? What would he say if he did know?
Pulled back from his thoughts, Mamoru peered down at the heart and initials and cleared his throat. "Oh, something pretty similar, actually. She, um… well, it was a tarot card reading and the cards predicted that I…" He looked up at her and noticed that she was watching him with keen interest, unconsciously leaning over the table. His heart leaped and it occurred to him that he could lean forward and kiss her. His mouth ran dry. "Predicted that I would gain the love of someone that… will amaze me in every way. And that we'll love each other forever. She said that I probably already know her, too."
Usagi took a long breath and leaned back, the words Mamoru is my soul mate resonating in her brain. How was it possible? How could someone that she so strongly disliked…? But she paused and questioned even those feelings, for surely if she truly disliked him she wouldn't feel so giddy and content knowing he would someday be the one kissing her goodnight. Perhaps the only evident question was, how could she not have noticed how much she cared for him?
"Wow," she managed. "That's… that's awfully coincidental, isn't it?" She could feel herself going dangerously far on the limb, but kept going. "Do you have any idea who she might be?"
Mamoru's eyes flickered with some emotion she didn't recognize. Denial? Desire? Acknowledgment? He looked away.
"I don't really know a lot of girls," he said vaguely. "What about you?"
"Me?" she squeaked, her breath catching.
Mamoru flushed, realizing the innocent question had sounded more like a suggestion. He shook his head. "I mean, do you know who the boy is that the fortuneteller was talking about?"
She inhaled shakily. Disappointedly. "Oh, um, well, I guess I have a couple ideas. She described him a little bit. And I know she must have been right because she just knew so much! So many little details that she couldn't have known otherwise, you know? She even knew my name! And she talked about how he and I might not get along all that well and there are only so many boys that I would consider that I don't really get along with, but she said there was definitely something there. And, well, so yeah, there's a couple, maybe, one guy that I think, maybe…"
Mamoru frowned as Usagi continued to ramble, her speech quickening as she attempted to fill the awkward air around them, and secretly, almost painfully, wanted to let out her little secret. Perhaps if she said it fast enough it would come out sounding more… real?
But Mamoru stopped her with a wave of his hand. "She knew your name?"
Usagi paused, feeling her tirade come to an abrupt halt, and nodded. "She called me 'Little Bunny.'"
His frown deepened. "Odd. She knew my name, too. Don't you think that's a little strange?"
Usagi gawked at him, wanting to scream, It's because it's me, you idiot! She saw us in the stars and it's because you're supposed to be in love with me! She bit her tongue. "I guess it is a little odd."
Mamoru leaned back and folded his arms, his blue eyes scanning the arcade suspiciously. "Whose idea was it for you to go see the fortuneteller?"
"Emily's, I think. Why?"
"Emily suggested it to Motoki, too."
"So?"
Mamoru's eyes focused on the girl still chatting with Makoto and Motoki up at the counter. He remembered the first day he'd met her, when she'd confessed to being a professional matchmaker. When she'd all but begged him to let her set him up with a girl. Then the day she met Usagi and continued to parade her amazing personality quirks. Then the day she'd tricked him—yes, tricked him, somehow—into tutoring her. Then locking them in the closet. And then…
Mamoru groaned and sank into the bench, burying his face into his hands. "It was a set up."
"What?"
"It was a set up," he repeated louder, and looked up at Usagi. She was staring at him, her lips pursed in confusion. He sighed and pushed his hair out of his eyes before looking down again. If everything the fortuneteller had said was written on a piece of paper, he was mentally ripping it up at that moment. His heart felt as thought it was ripping along with it.
"I don't know why, or how, or what gave her the idea in the first place, but I think… Emily has been trying to…" He coughed and looked up at Usagi again. Her eyes were focused on his with mute fascination. "…to play matchmaker with us."
"Matchmaker?"
"Yeah. Ever since day one she's been trying to make us spend more time with each other and get us to admit… Well, something. Don't you see? The tutoring. The compliments. Making you take your hair down. And… and the fortuneteller."
"That doesn't make any sense. Why would the fortuneteller make something up just so she could set up two people she doesn't even know?"
"I don't know. Maybe Emily paid her. But don't you see? How else would she have known our names? How else would she have known…" He paused, realizing that he hadn't yet told Usagi exactly what the fortuneteller had said, but he could venture a good guess as to what she had been told herself. "How else would she have known what our…relationship is like? I mean, she described it in pretty good detail to me. I'm going to guess she did with you, too."
Usagi tore her eyes away, feeling her heart sink down into her stomach. Were those tears in her eyes? She rapidly forced them away and prayed that Mamoru didn't notice. "So… we aren't…?"
He shook his head. "She was a fake."
"And the stars don't…?"
"Neither do the tarot cards."
"So…" Her voice was becoming fainter and higher. "We aren't… soul mates?"
Mamoru watched her, trying to hold onto the awkward feelings of belonging and perfection he'd felt only minutes ago knowing that one day Usagi's heart and affections would belong to him, but they vanished in dread. Bitterly, he took what was left of them and squashed them mercilessly. He never wanted to be in love, anyway.
"No, we aren't." Why did it feel like such a horrendous betrayal to everything he felt? He didn't really feel anything for her, did he? It was all just a stupid mind trick. A game.
A silence stretched across the table. Usagi was the first to break it.
"Well I guess that makes sense."
"I guess so."
"We do hate each other, after all."
"Always have."
"It never would have worked out."
"We're complete opposites."
"I can't believe… Just the mere thought is ludicrous!"
"Nauseating."
"Disturbing."
"Absurd."
They chuckled awkwardly.
"You weren't hoping it was true, were you?" Mamoru could have kicked himself for that comment and inwardly flinched at how desperate it sounded.
For a fraction of an instant, it looked as though Usagi were debating with herself. It even looked as though she might break into tears. But then that instant was gone and she guffawed. "What? Me? No way! I wouldn't date you if you were the last man on earth!"
Mamoru hid the grimace that wanted to come up and smiled mockingly instead. "Well, good. Because I was sure hoping that the fortune was wrong. Who would ever want to get married to you is beyond me."
Usagi glared, but it only lasted a second before her face into a curious frown. "What are we going to do now?"
With the fire gone from Usagi's voice, Mamoru let his teasing smile fall as well. "What do you mean?"
"Well… Emily will probably keep trying to set us up if we don't do something. And… and we certainly don't want that to happen. Not that it would!"
"Of course not."
"Because I have no desire to date you."
"The feeling is mutual."
"Okay. Good. So?"
Mamoru sighed and looked out the window. "Well, if we can show her that it isn't working, she's bound to give up, right? So maybe we should just go back to having our normal arguments until she gets completely fed up with the situation."
Usagi nodded. "That shouldn't be hard. We haven't had a good argument in a few days."
Mamoru chuckled. "You're right. Well, alright, that's our plan then."
Usagi smiled and nodded determinedly. "We'll teach her to try and play matchmaker with us!"
Mamoru's eyes twinkled at her mirthfully. Even if she wasn't his destined lover, even he couldn't deny that she could be downright adorable at times. "Alright, then. Prepare yourself, because she's coming over."
Emily smiled cheerfully at the two as she approached their table. "Are you two enjoying each other's company over here?" she chirped, setting down a tray of milkshakes. Makoto stood behind her, drinking her own shake as well and watching the scene with a knowing twinkle in her eyes.
Usagi scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding? I was just waiting to be rescued from Godzilla's twin brother, here," she said as sourly as she could.
Emily's grin dropped and she blinked in surprise. They were hopeless!
"And I was just asking the Bride of Frankenstein how her last week of school is going."
"Fine, thank you."
"Let me guess, you only failed two tests instead of three so far?"
She glared and crossed her arms. "We haven't had any tests yet, thank you very much. And what have you done so far for summer vacation? Sit here and read like a complete loser?"
"Yes, actually."
Usagi paused, the next insult hanging on her lips. "Oh. Well, then, you're... a loser!"
Mamoru blinked. Emily frowned. Something seemed different this time. Like they were trying too hard.
Suddenly, Mamoru burst out laughing. "That's the best you can do?" he asked incredulously. "Come on, Odango, you can come up with something better than that!"
She rolled her eyes and slouched into the booth. "Oh, shut up, Baka! It's harder this way," she hissed.
Emily looked at her curiously, then at Mamoru, and her breath caught in her throat.
There was something about the way he was looking at Usagi as she pouted and seethed. Something foreign that twinkled in his eye. Something about his lips that quirked up just a hair more than usual.
Maybe not so hopeless.
"Well, you two have a fabulous day!" she said, turning quickly away.
"Where are you going?" asked Mamoru. The look was gone, but that was okay. Emily had seen it, even if no one else in the world had. Her faith in true love was restored.
"Oh, you know. Out. See ya!" She quickly scurried away, dragging Makoto with her and leaving them alone at the booth.
Mamoru looked back at Usagi, who was biting her lip nervously. "I wasn't very convincing, was I?"
He chuckled, lifting up his book. "I never thought you would need extra prompting to recall how much you hate me."
Ignoring the comment, Usagi leaned her chin into her palms. "How come all you ever do is read?"
"How come all you ever do is talk?"
She grinned, mumbling "Touché" beneath her breath. A silence settled over them as Mamoru finished the page he was on and looked up at her.
"Why are you staring at me?"
"Emily said something awhile back. I'm trying to figure out if it's true."
"What did she say?"
"None of your business."
"Judging by that look, I'd say it is my business."
She smiled, answering, "She said you were the most handsome man in the world."
He sat back, surprised. Clearing his throat, he rubbed a suddenly shy hand through his hair. "Oh. And... is it true?"
"I can't tell. Smile."
"No."
"Please?"
"I can't just smile on command."
"Fine. Loser."
He chuckled.
"There. Hold that."
He looked at her speculatively, not having to force the smile to stay, even though he felt that he was shrinking beneath her studious gaze.
Finally, Usagi shrugged. "I wouldn't say you're the most handsome man in the world," she said, standing, "But you're not half bad when you smile."
She quickly sauntered out of the arcade, not noticing Emily perched behind one of the large machines, giggling giddily to herself.
And Mamoru, though he would admit to no one, not even himself, the reason, could not help but smile dazedly.
"Where was Usagi going just now?" Emily asked from beside him and he gasped, startled, and turned to face her.
"I thought you were leaving," he commented.
She shrugged. "I forgot that I still have a milkshake to drink."
"And where's that Makoto girl?"
"Up flirting with Motoki," she said, gesturing toward the counter with her thumb. "So what were you and Usagi talking about all that time?"
Mamoru dragged a hand through his hair. "Er, Emily, why don't you sit down? I want to talk to you about something."
She happily complied. "Yes?" she asked, taking a straw into her mouth. He took a deep breath before saying sternly, "Emily, I want you to stop this."
"Stop what?" she asked innocently.
"This!" he said, gesturing with his hands at nothing in particular. "This whole stupid matchmaking thing. And don't deny it! I know what it is you're doing. Usagi knows too, and it is not working. We aren't interested in each other, so I want you to stop immediately. It isn't a game."
Emily blinked, lowering her eyes to stare at the table. "But, Mamoru—"
"No buts. If you haven't noticed, nothing has gotten any better between us, and certainly nothing romantic is ever going to happen. You are fighting a losing battle, and I will not have a repeat of this afternoon. Do you understand?" He, of course, felt he was under no obligation to tell her about the kiss, or the hopeful feelings that had stirred in him at the tarot reading.
Scowling, Emily rolled her eyes. "You sound like my father."
"Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"And you will stop."
"Fine."
"Promise."
"I promise."
He gave her a look she had seen many times on her parents, urging her to continue. Inhaling an agitated breath, she folded her arms and stared up at the ceiling.
"I promise to stop playing matchmaker with you and Usagi."
"Good."
"Until you realize that I'm right and you're wrong and you really do want her after all and you ask for my help. Then I will forget about what a dork you're being and help you anyway, because that's the kind of friend I am."
He glared silently for a moment, before shaking his head. "Because that is never going to happen, I'll let that comment slide."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"I want you to remember you said that when I say I told you so."
"Fine."
"Was that all?"
"Yes."
"Then I'm leaving," Emily said, smiling smugly and standing.
"Where are you…"
"I have something I have to deal with."
"Remember, you promised! No more matchmaking!"
"I remember. Goodbye."
He growled in frustration as glass doors shut behind her.