Sakura

Chapter Two

By: Icesyvey

Don't own sailor moon... don't want to.

Kyoto 1860

Mamoru looked from the girl with the sword in front of him, to the one standing behind him in the carriage confused. They obviously knew each other, from where he didn't know. He returned his attention to the woman in front of him, she was small. She had long blonde hair and surprisingly blue eyes, but the most interesting part about her was, even though she was talking to the woman in the carriage, she never dropped her guard.

"Makoto?" Usagi asked again in confusion while her blue eyes remained fixed on the samurai before her.

Makoto Kino stepped out of the carriage lightly and looked at her friend. She had hoped that she would not meet Usagi like this, but in the long run it had been destined. She looked to the man that had been assigned to guard her tonight, Mamoru Chiba. He was tall with black hair and blue eyes, even though he seemed confused as to what was going on he never took his eyes off of Usagi.

The two swordsmen stared at each other while the brunette watched on; sounds of battle could be heard all around as one by one the carriage guards fell. Blue eyes locked in battle then suddenly with a glint of steel and sparks Mamoru and Usagi engaged. The two blades slid along each other as the welders struggled against each other. Heated breath gasped out from partially opened mouths.

Usagi bit the inside of her cheek as she pushed against her opponent sweat trickled between her shoulder blades. With small shuffling steps the two danced in a circular pattern, she shoved against him with all her weight then jumped back when he stumbled avoiding a knee high slash. Her hand fell to the dagger tied just above her sword sheath. She caught her breath and she pulled the long dagger, her eyes hardened with determination.

"I do not know what you want with Makoto, but I will not stand by and let you take her against her will!" She spat at the man

Mamoru looked at the small woman before his breathing even, this somehow seemed familiar. He tried for a vertical cut to her shoulder his blade whistling through the night's stillness. He was not surprised when she blocked his sword with the smaller blade of the dagger she had pulled. Mamoru studied the way she moved, avoiding each of his attacks easily. But by the way she moved he was almost positive that, this woman was used to a smaller lighter weapon than the one she was using.

Again the sting of their blades met as Mamoru and Usagi pushed at each other. Fiery anger was met with calm blue eyes, as sword hilts locked together. A blurring movement to one side alerted Mamoru to the oncoming dagger, he threw his arm up to block it. It was a sharp blade, he felt it bite into his lower arm, it stopped at the bone and he turned his attention back to the woman in front of him. Shouts could be heard in the distance coming closer as re-enforcements arrived to aid the carriage. Mamoru shoved Usagi hard planting a foot in her stomach.

"Does she look like she is with me against her will?" He asked letting his injured arm drop to his side. Blood ran down and dripped to the street below in a steady stream.

Usagi stood panting looking at the man in front of her, slowly her blue eyes traveled to the form of Makoto Kino and she saw that the other woman was indeed standing there. Not trying to run, Makoto had not said two words since the beginning of the fight. Usagi's blue eyes clouded in confusion for a moment as she looked down feeling pain, it was then she noticed the blood spreading across her stomach.

Makoto could hear the shouts getting closer, she moved forward to the smaller woman. The look in Usagi's eyes caused her to stop short, "Usagi… run…" Makoto said in a soft voice.

Usagi stared at the woman that she had once thought of as a friend, she almost laughed at the thought. Blood loss was starting to make her body feel heavy as she continued to look at both Makoto and the man behind her.

"…Run!" Makoto yelled at the other woman and did a foolish thing, she pushed Usagi causing her to stumble and lash out. The sharp blade of Usagi's dagger sliced through the flesh of Makoto's arm.

Slowly Usagi realized that she would have to retreat for the time being, she looked at Makoto confusion in her blue eyes as she sheath her sword, then attempted to sheath her dagger and frowned when it dropped to the ground at her feet. By now the voices were close enough that she ignored the fallen blade and turned jumping over a wall into someone's yard. Usagi didn't pause to look back, she didn't stop running until she reached the room above the Inn that she had been living in.

Usagi stumbled through the downstairs part of the Inn, blood falling in heavy splats on the wooden floor. She climbed the stairs ignoring the look from the whores and the inn keeper. Once in her room she fell forward onto her futon, turning her head to the side so she could breath. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts as blood loss began to eat at her vision.

Among the thoughts were; 'I failed Master Kino.' This caused her to pale drastically if it was still possible to do so after blood loss. And also the thought that Makoto Kino, was working for the imperialist's, of this Usagi had no doubt. Makoto's words from the previous day circled inside of Usagi's head as she finally passed out.

Makoto watched at Usagi disappeared into the night, half of her wanted to go to her friend. But her duty was not with Usagi, she turned to the man that stood bleeding behind her.

"Do not fret Mamoru; I am sure we will see her again." Makoto said then helped the man into the carriage.

Once inside the driver who amazingly had not been killed started the vehicle in motion again. Makoto's green eyes reflected the moonlight that came in through the carriage door, using her teeth the ripped the bottom off her kimono and bandaged Mamoru's arm.

"It will need to be sewn up once we reach your home." She said softly

Mamoru looked at the woman across from him, he was curious as to why a pampered daughter of one of the shoguns lords had decided to help the Meiji. He looked down at the makeshift bandage on his arm and frowned deeply, he was surprised that the woman had been able to injure him. He looked at Makoto Kino again; the woman was about his age. Deep smile lines were formed around her mouth, and yet worry lines could be seen between her emerald hued eyes.

"Tell me about that woman." He said staring at a dark corner of the carriage now.

Makoto blinked away from her own thoughts and glanced at the man across from her, she paused trying to gather the words to describe Usagi Tsukino. Makoto turned and studied the buildings as the rode by.

"Usagi has served my family since she was born, as has her entire family. For many decades the Tsukino's have served the Kinos." Makoto paused smiling softly, "Usagi and I were raised more like sisters than master and servant." She shook her head focusing her thoughts once more.

"Usagi was trained from a young age in the ways of swordsmanship and martial arts. She was raised that her only duty was to protect those of the Kino clan. Or whomever her master, my father Astuo Kino asked her to. Usagi has recently been used as an assassin for the Tokugawa though at the request of my father." Makoto watched as a moth floated around the oil lamp outside the carriage.

"She has been given the name, 'black butterfly' recently. She is very good at her job and her skills on more than on occasion saved my life." Makoto fell silent

"Why did you decide to join with the Meiji, Lady Kino?" Mamoru asked looking at the woman's profile

Makoto smiled softly, it was a sad smile though. She thought about her conversation with Usagi the day before. About why Usagi fought, Makoto had never thought that it had been fair to ask Usagi to do what she did. But the answer she had gotten since she had been a child about her friend was; it was Usagi's duty to serve the Kino clan. Makoto had betrayed her family and even her friend, so that just maybe Usagi would be able to live without needing the permission of Makoto's father.

"I did it for Usagi, so that she can have the choice to outside of my father rule." Makoto said her green eyes hardening. "The time of the Tokugawa shogunate needs to come to an end. The people must stop being oppressed."

"So you are risking everything for a friend that may or may not want this?" Mamoru asked in a soft voice.

"Yes," Makoto said her face set in determined lines.

Usagi slowly opened her eyes the world seemed unfocused and spinning for a moment before she realized that her master, Astuo Kino was sitting next to her futon. She tried to sit up quickly and cried out falling back on the mattress.

"Master…" Usagi said in a soft voice

Astuo smiled at the young woman before him putting a hand on her shoulder, "Do not get up Usagi. I need to ask you some questions."

Usagi nodded and settled against her futon staring wearily up at her master, her mind raced rapidly from one thought to the other. How long had she been unconscious? How much time had passed since the night she had seen Makoto standing with the imperialists? Had her master seen his daughter with the enemy? Her mind squirreled around wildly for the answers.

"What happened the other night, Usagi? Astuo asked

Usagi's eyes focused on the man above her again and she began to feel her blood run cold. Astuo Kino was nice enough unless you failed him; Usagi had not only failed him… but had failed twice.

"There were more people inside the carriage than we thought," She said slowly

Astuo eyed the woman on the bed frowning, she was hiding something. He knew she was well trained to not give up any information even under torture. He stood looking at her still.

"Usagi rest up, we have a job in three days." That said Astuo turned and exited the room

Usagi watched her master leave, and then slowly she pulled herself to a sitting position. Pulling the covers around her shoulders she looked at the painting across the room. Her thoughts were still scattered though one question circled in her head;

'Why had Makoto betrayed them?'

Usagi thought about a few days before by the pond in town, the sakura falling. Makoto had seemed so sad, and also very interested in why Usagi fought. It scared Usagi that Makoto may have done something this drastic for her. She pictured the gentle Makoto's face frozen in shock as the life leaked out of her, in an ever growing red pool. Shaking her head roughly Usagi forced her thoughts from that train.

She was sworn to protect the Kino house, now she needed to decide what that meant. What did protecting the Kino's mean? Was Usagi supposed to protect Astuo, the head of the clan? Or Makoto who was the future of the clan. Usagi's eyes fell onto a wrapped package next to her bed; she slowly lifted it and unwrapped the brown paper. Inside was her wakizashi, one of the two swords her father had left her when he died.

She lifted the short sword and slowly slid it from the sheath looking at the newly repaired blade. It had been a blade used to protect the Kino clan for decades, it had been Usagi's fathers, and before him her grandfathers. She looked at the sword that held so much of her families past, what was she supposed to do? What part of the Kino clan was she supposed to protect?

She slowly re-sheathed the sword, the hilt clicking sharply. She had three days to decide, what her honor meant.

Protect her master…

Or protect her friend.