Disclaimer: Sailor Moon- like it, but not mine. I'm also taking artistic license with the city layout. Hopefully I made it believable- if not all virtual rotten veggies can be directed to tmegrdian at yahoo dot com.
Now with that out of the way...
When we last left Usagi and Mamoru-
In the small basket, a bunch of withered roses were gathered and tied together with a black ribbon.
On the front of the bundle sat a photo of her holding Chibi-Usa and walking out of the hospital closely with Mamoru.
There was a large red x through the photo, along with some hastily scrawled words in red ink:
I HAVE FOUND YOU AGAIN.
Chance Encounter
An alternate reality Sailor Moon Romance
by Time Guardian
Chapter 7- Memory Lane
One hour later-
Sergeant Makoto Kinoto of the police sat perched against a nearby table and regarded the two huddled figures on the sofa with some distaste. She had heard of the case of the movie star's death nearly a year ago, and was willing to bet a year's salary that Usagi had either sabotaged the boat or had someone do it for her.
Mamoru Chiba watched as the officer flipped quickly through the notes she had taken from their conversation before unleashing her first question.
"You mean to tell me that you found these flowers on the doorstep and you have no idea who left them there?"
Mamoru's reply came out harsher than he had intended, but he was fed up.
"Maybe one of her deranged fans? Look, I don't understand why you are detaining us. We haven't done anything wrong and I have one very terrified lady here who wants to see this situation finished as much as you all do. She has a daughter that she doesn't want to put into danger."
He watched as the officer gave a small smirk and looked at Usagi pointedly.
"Ah, finally had Toya's love child eh? What a legacy, already shacking up with your next conquest."
Mamoru was ready to assault the arrogant officer, but he noticed a furious Usagi standing up.
Her voiced shook with barely-contained rage. "Look, detective, we have things to do and people to see, so unless you want to charge me, I suggest you leave-NOW."
Sergeant Makoto stood, and walked towards the door. She had gotten the reaction she was looking for. "This isn't over. Good day."
She opened the door, grabbed for the plastic wrapped basket of flowers on the table, and left,
quickly closing the door behind her.
Usagi's frustration was at a boiling point. Turning, she pointed a finger at Mamoru.
"You see, Mamoru-san? They think I did it! I told you it would turn out this way!"
Mamoru could feel her anger and frustration boiling over. If he hadn't seen the reaction of the police detective, he would have been ready to dismiss Usagi's ranting as being on the run for too long.
Mamoru did his best to calm her down. "Relax. If they really thought they had enough on you to convict you, they would have went ahead and arrested you. We can use that to our advantage. If we go back to the record company you were with, I am sure we can get some leads. Meanwhile you have to avoid playing into their hands, and that little outburst probably sealed the deal. You have to be careful."
As Mamoru stroked her hand gently, he heard the doorbell ring. "That is probably Mrs. Chen. You better see to the door."
Usagi nodded. Getting up, she went and opened the door. She smiled at seeing the friendly faces of Mrs. Chen and her daughter Keiko. "Thank you for coming. I owe you big time."
"Now don't worry about a thing, Usagi-chan," Mrs. Chen protested, "This is the least I can do for you helping me all those months. Now, why don't you take Keiko in to see your baby? I want to speak with Mamoru-san for a moment."
Nodding, Usagi took the little girl's hand and led her off to the bedroom.
Mrs. Chen smiled as the girls left the room, but when she turned back to Mamoru, her face was set in stone. "The media are having a field day with this, you know that don't you?"
Mamoru stood. "Truthfully, it has been a little busy around here to watch television, but we did have a bit of a situation earlier."
He told her then about the flowers that were left at the front door.
"You don't have much time then," Mrs. Chen frowned. "It sounds like this stalker could be out to harm her."
"I will watch out for her," Mamoru promised, "In the meanwhile, I need to take her to visit her old agent and record company. We will be back as soon as we can. I can pay you-"
"Nonsense," Mrs. Chen stated, "I was available, and Usagi-chan has done me quite a good turn. I just worry that you two are in over your heads with this."
Mamoru shook his head as Usagi came back into the room with Keiko in tow. "Everything will be all right. No one should be visiting me anytime today, so only answer the door for me, okay?"
The older woman nodded as she scooped up her daughter into her arms. "Well Keiko, we are going to babysitting Usagi-chan's daughter for a few hours."
Keiko turned her head and smiled at Usagi. "I will take care of your baby, like you took care of me."
Usagi smiled at the young girl. "Thank you, Keiko, I know you will do a good job."
Twenty minutes later, Mamoru parked his motorbike near the business district and helped Usagi off onto the pavement.
Removing her helmet, Usagi giggled. "Well, I can say that I have ridden on a motorbike now."
Mamoru smiled as he set their helmets on the bike seat. "Another thing you haven't done? You surprise me Usagi-chan, I figured with having the life of an idol, you would have chances to do some extraordinary things."
Usagi shook her head. "Trust me, they wanted me safe so that performances could go off without a hitch. They pampered me so badly that if going to the bathroom meant going down the stairs,
my manager would get someone to carry me down them. Now if memory serves...ah yes, it's this way."
Usagi turned down one of the cross streets as Mamoru easily matched her stride.
"You doing ok, Usagi-chan? I know this is the first real trip you have taken outside since Chibi-Usa was born."
"Why do you think I am going slow?" Usagi replied lightly. "So far, so good. I have been taking the vitamin and mineral supplements like the doctor wanted, and they have been working."
Usagi grew silent as she continued down the street. They passed a few investment firms, which then gave way to some colorful shops and eateries.
Mamoru watched as Usagi's countenance brightened. "Ah, here it is."
The building in question was odd in design where the buildings that surrounded it were traditional in style, this one was distinctly modern. It was located at the street corner, and was completely surrounded in glass, despite only being a two story building. On the top of the building, an oversized metal mockup of a stereotypical superhero with a long cape stood proud and tall. In it's huge hands it held a sign proclaiming "Titan Records" in at least four different languages.
Mamoru was surprised. "Your agent has an office here too?"
Usagi nodded as she directed him to the main entrance. "Titan records leases a few offices on the first floor. Last time I visited here, there were two other talent agents and a private detective that inhabited the first floor."
Walking through the main entrance with Usagi, Mamoru was struck speechless at the opulence of the place. Most of the surfaces were covered in what looked like marble. The floors covered in a plush beige carpet and the walls were covered in various works of art that looked very old and very expensive.
There was an elevator and set of stairs, but Usagi led him to the end of a long hallway just to the right of the stairs. At the end, they stopped in front of a large wooden door which bore the name "Bob Sanderson, Talent Agent."
He noticed her heave a sigh. "Here goes."
She raised her arm and knocked on the door.
A few seconds later, Mamoru heard a low baritone voice from the other side of the door. "Come in."
Usagi slowly opened the door, and proceeded inside.
The office was small, but well furnished. Soft carpet in a muted tan led the way to a desk a few feet in front of them.
Behind the mahogany desk, an astonished older man sat there staring at the two of them.
Memories assaulted Usagi's senses. Not much had changed since she went into hiding. Bob's office was pretty much the same since she had been here last. A half circle of four chairs faced his mahogany desk, and the walls were adorned with pictures from all over the world.
Bob Sanderson, the old man that had been with her at the start of her career, stood and had an astonished look on his face. He stood a head taller than her.
His voice wavered slightly. "As I live and breathe- is that you Usagi-chan?"
His voice had that accent that she would never forget. Bob had once told her that he comes from the United States, from a big state called Texas, and he declared that was one thing he would end up keeping from there. He stood and quickly rounded the desk. She noticed that he had put on weight,
and his normal dark brown hair was starting to show streaks of gray.
This man had been like a second father to her throughout her singing career, and was definitely the one person she missed most of all.
"Bobby-san."
On impulse, she reached over and gave Bob a hug.
Bob gave a hearty laugh, and broke away from her. "It is good to see you, my dear. It is also good to see you safe." His face sobered. "When you sent me that last letter a few months ago, I thought I would never see you again. What are you doing here?"
Usagi gulped. It was now or never. Mamoru's presence behind her helped to calm her down, but she still felt nervous.
"I- I- um would like to sign back with Titan records and sing again."
Bob looked at her with a sad gaze. "I wish it was that easy, Usagi-chan. When you disappeared, Akuma-san went looking for the next big thing and is now hyping Aino Minako."
The name sounded familiar, but it took a few moments to sink in. "My backup singer?"
A surge of frustration went through her. This couldn't be-she was so close.
Bob looked at her in concern before he reluctantly nodded. "When the biggest moneymaker flees with little regard of the company, they are going to look for a replacement. However, if you are serious about this, Akuma-san and Sachi-san are coming down to this office in a few minutes to talk over details of a debut tour with Minako. I don't think it would be too hard of a sell, after all, you were the first Titan artist to top the charts for three solid months. However, that's the president's call to make."
Usagi nodded. "We will stick around then."
Smiling, Bob motioned them to two of the four chairs in front of him. "By all means, sit. It should only take a few minutes."
Usagi took a seat, and nervously began to wait, until she remembered the second reason for their visit.
"Bobby-san...I know it has been a while, but the letters the stalker sent me- do you still have them?"
The older man shook his head. "No, I'm afraid Akuma-san ordered me to destroy those letters after you disappeared."
What hope she had sunk within her. Those letters showed the sadistic, persistent nature of the monster that hounded her. How was she going to prove her innocence now?
She was jolted from her thoughts by Bob's office door opening.
As Usagi stood, two men came into the room. They looked to be older businessmen with the thinning grey hair that comes from a long life. Usagi recognized Shinjiro Akuma, the Titan record president. The man beside him was an exact mirror image save for a small pair of glasses he wore. It took her a moment, but she realized that it was her former manager and Akuma's brother, Sachi. Funny, she couldn't remember his name when she told Mamoru of the key employees. Usagi never really felt close to him, despite him running her tour.
If they were surprised, neither man showed it.
An uneasy silence passed over the room until Bob spoke up. "Akuma-san, our Usagi-chan came back to us."
Sachi's face curved into a smile, and his voice was light. "Aria Aure. Our gentle, sweet wind is back."
Akuma's face remained expressionless. "She broke the terms of our contract."
"With due respect, sir," Usagi's voice wavered, "I felt that my life was at risk, and that's something I was not going to put my child through, no matter how much security you have."
"Still," Akuma pointed out, "you left us high and dry. We lost money due to your disappearance. We were even willing to help you with your legal troubles concerning Toya, but you chose to fled."
Usagi bowed. "I am sorry, but I stand by my reasons. Family is important to me, and I did what I felt was right in protecting my child. With your permission though, I can prove that I can still be valuable to your organization. I am sure that people would still come to see the great 'Aria Aure' perform."
"But the stalker- the police," Sachi protested, "there are still some unresolved issues and-"
"I am taking precautions," she replied simply. "Everything will resolve itself soon I can assure you."
This was turning into a hard sell. Usagi wasn't sure where that last comment had came from, but she had come too far to turn back now.
She waited with baited breath as she watched Sachi turn to Akuma and have a quiet conversation for many moments. Finally, the brothers turned to face her.
Sachi began. "You were one of our brightest stars before you fled. You have to understand that we had to move on. However your talent at one point was rated second to none."
Akuma stepped forward. "That is why I am willing to allow a double billing concert. Two weeks from now we will have a special opening concert at the park. I am willing to allow you to share billing with Minako on the basis that you have two songs at the ready to sing. I will grant you access to the songwriter and the studio band to help. If we get a good audience reaction, we will sign you back to Titan records."
Usagi bowed in quiet elation. She was being given a second chance. "Thank you sir. I will be in touch to make arrangements."
Akuma's face hardened. "Do not disappoint me. I do not give out second chances lightly."
Nodding, Usagi motioned to Mamoru. The made their goodbyes and they both left the office quickly.
Once they closed the office door, Usagi squealed. "I did it! Thank you Mamoru-san for all of your help"
As Mamoru led Usagi back to the main entrance, he thought abut the characters he met.
"Usagi-chan, are you sure it was wise to tell them you were taking precautions? You might have just tipped off the stalker that you were hunting for him or her."
"Nonsense," Usagi protested, "I have to admit that I had reservations at first, but you saw their reaction- they want me back."
Mamoru held the main door open for her as they both stepped outside into the late afternoon heat.
Usagi continued with her jubilant mood. "All I need now are two songs to wow the crowd and-"
He looked at her, curious to see why she had stopped talking, and noticed her staring down the street.
Mamoru followed her gaze and spotted two figures. He immediately recognized from the time in the hospital as being in the throng of reporters that busted into Usagi's hospital room.
"How did they find us? There weren't any reporters when we left my place," Mamoru muttered.
Usagi frowned. Her mind whirred with all of what she encountered at Titan records. "I don't care, but at this point I'm really not in the mood to talk to them."
Mamoru spotted an arcade across the street from where they were. "We may be able to lose them in there."
Keeping himself hunched over, he quickly prodded Usagi across the street and into the arcade.
For the time of day, the arcade had quite a few visitors. A small cluster of business men were watching one of their own trying to break the record on the latest fighting game. A couple of college students sat near the entrance, chatting away, and in the corner a couple gazed longingly into each other's eyes.
Mamoru herded Usagi over to a small bench near one of the games and sat her down. "We can wait in here while those reporters are looking for us. I don't think they saw us."
"Thank you, Mamoru-san. I don't think I would have been able to keep my temper if they came after me."
Mamoru decided it was time to broach the subject. "You need to be careful. There's no telling, but one or more of those people that you worked with may be the ones stalking you."
Usagi shook her head in denial. "I can't- I don't know what to believe. most of those people were my friends and-"
Her voice broke off, as she spotted the reporters they were trying to avoid. They had entered the doorway of the arcade, and were looking around. Usagi was pretty sure that they hadn't spotted them yet, but it was only a matter of time.
Usagi dropped her voice to a panicked whisper. "Mamoru-san, they've come in, and they'll find us in a second. What are we going to do? I just want to go back to your place, see Chibi-Usa and-"
Mamoru cut her off. "I have an idea." Quickly, he grabbed her, turned her bodily away from the entrance to the arcade, and brought his lips down hard on hers.
I know, I know. Evil to leave off there. More will be coming, I promise! Oh by the way, you've met the stalker somewhere in this chapter-so let the speculation begin.
-ducks as objects are thrown-
Till Later,
Time Guardian