Hi Hi! Sorry again to everybody again. It's summer, the beach is toooooo tempting. But, I got you another chapter done here. So I hope you're all happy with me again. Anyhoo, just so everybody knows ahead of time, there's gonna be a lemon coming up real soon; so you're warned.
Oh and I don't own Sailormoon. I should though- LALALALALLA jus kidding.
Enjoy!
Chapter Twelve:The Haunted House
"This can't be!" Ai screamed to the top of her lungs catching weird looks from the surrounding people. Mizu nodded his head side to side not believing how sick he felt. Paired up in a romantic competition with his sister. How did this happen.
"Listen, there's been a mistake. She's my sister, not my partner!" Mizu grabbed the nearest hand stamper and roughed him a bit. He wanted to be with Usagi, not with Ai. Aside from being paired with his sister, she was plain annoying. It had been a week since he saw Usagi, and he wanted to spend time with her.
"Ah Gomen you guys. It's too late to change now." Naru winked waving a little teasing finger at Ai and Mizu, both of who looked up at the red hair. Behind Naru was a blushing Usagi and a wordless Mamoru. Ai burned up in flames not believing her bad luck. She thought her plans were going perfectly. Usagi was almost out of the picture. Mamoru couldn't help notice how angry Mizu was, ignoring Ai completely. He stared at the young man glaring back at him.
"Usagi-san, you don't have to go through with the contest. We could just go on the-"
"Ah too bad too bad. No time to talk we have to head over to get the first game." Naru jumped in forcefully before Mizu or Ai could put in another word. Mizu and Ai tried very hard to say something, and to go after their lost partners; but Umino and Naru shoved Usagi and Mamoru on their way.
"Naru-chan?" Usagi said wondering why she was doing this. She didn't want to be Mamoru's partner, seeing him was awkward enough.
"It's okay Usagi. Umino and I are gonna be right behind ya." Naru smiled and winked giving Usagi a little bit of comfort. But what was going to happen during this contest. She'd have to talk to Mamoru, look at him; and watch him; it would be a lot to take in, considering they went through so much drama.
"Ladies and Gentlemen Arigato for joining up for the Romantic for Two Cruise trip!" The tall lean man said into the microphone. He seemed too hyper for his age. Mamoru looked down at Usagi after they had all squeezed into the large open ground, cut off from the rest of the park just for the contest. He seemed really worried, and at the same time he couldn't help feel so glad to see her. But it was apparent, that she was here with Mizu; on a date, and had entered the contest together. He was angered by the thought that she was with a guy like that. But he was in no place to say anything to her, he was here with Ai. He was able to get his eyes off of her, to listen to the announcer.
"Okay. So you have all been teamed up into different groups. You're either in Red, blue, Yellow or Purple. Each of these groups will be given a set of tasks to complete. Anything from rides too dangerous to open to the public, to crazy impossible games. Those partners to finish first on all the tasks, will be faced off at the end with the ultimate challenge. Whichever couple finishes the ultimate challenge, wins the trip for two on the romantic cruise!" The crowd cheered, a loud happy scream to start echoed the sky. All the partners were pumped and seeing stars, thinking they would win. The sky was dark now, the traces of sunset gone.
"Behind you are your stations, please see the large displays at the station to see your first task! And good luck to you all!" The announcer blew into his whistle, the crowd didn't wait. There was an angry shove to get to the stations first, girls, boys running over people just to get to the first task, first.
Usagi stood still for a moment watching the crazy pile of people as they kicked and screamed.
"Hey Odango, lets go." Mamoru smiled pulling on her arm. Usagi was surprised, and overwhelmed with happiness. There was some sort of normality in the way he talked. She hoped that it would be like this for the rest of the night.
The crowd flew into different directions, skipping and screaming all the way to their first task.
"Ahh, this is getting way to serious." Usagi's eyes spun around just watching the other partners. They all seemed so determined, and it was starting to freak her out.
"Hey, Odango pay attention or we'll lose before we start." Mamoru grinned moving his finger on the list to see that the first task was pretty simple. And like reflex she was annoyed with him.
"Don't call me that!" She shouted realizing after she said it, how things were going back to normal. It felt nice to see that same evil smirk on his face, looking smug as ever. And yet, so handsome. She blushed.
"Okay, we gotta go this way." He pulled on her arm and headed off to the first ride. Hopefully they made it before the coaster starter.
"That's the first task!" Usagi screamed, her hair buns off her head and spinning out of control as did her eyes. She had never seen a roller coaster that big, or that crazy in her life.
"Come on Odango. Get on." Mamoru pulled her almost unconscious body on to the roller coaster and sat her down. Usagi cringed, she buckled in; wondering why there were so many straps. But before she could ask, the ride stormed off. She screamed to the top of her lungs, all the air she could breath, she swallowed in one helping and continued to scream. Mamoru held on tight too, feeling a little nervous about the ride. He looked over to the amusing face on Usagi's face. She was so beautiful even when she looked so ridiculous. There was a huge line of tears streaming from her face as the coaster continued.
"WHEN- IS – THIS – HELL- GONNA- SSSSTTTTOOOOOOPPPPPP?" Usagi shouted as the coaster came to a loop.
By the time they were at the last task, Usagi was pretty much passed out. She clung on to Mamoru as he dragged her helpless, and shaken body to the final task.
"We're here." Mamoru said looking a little upset at the sight of the last task. Usagi came out of her haze.
"Thank God." Usagi opened her strained eyes, she had cried so much. Her voice hoarse from all the screaming she had done, on the roller coaster, then the two legged run from the man eating lions, followed by the crazy dodge the large balls game; then elevator of terror, the human ping pong game, and finally…finally.
"Shoot the duck and win a prize." The stall manager said welcoming Mamoru and Usagi. Large tear drops hung down Mamoru and Usagi's head, not believing that it was that easy, compared to all the other things they had to do.
"I'll take this one." Mamoru said walking up to the stall. He was sure to get the stupid duck, he just hoped it was really that easy. Usagi was proud of herself, now that she had a moment to realize it. She did really well, for someone who sucked at everything sport.
"AHA! We have a winner. Congratulations. You've made it to the finalist round." The stall keeper smiled handing him a toy duck. Mamoru handed the duck to Usagi who seemed to be very happy with herself. And he had to admit she did very well.
"Arigato." Usagi said, not looking at him. It was the first strange moment since they started this contest.
"Good news, we made it to the final round. You did really good Odango." Mamoru smirked at the little annoyed expression she made. He was glad to see her happy, with him.
"Lets go." He smirked.
There was only one more challenger who hadn't dropped out of the race. Out of the hundreds of people, Mamoru and Usagi were the last and only competing couple. Even Naru and Umino had dropped out, unable to cope with the crazy tasks. Mizu and Ai hadn't even participated, disgusted by their situation.
"Okay, we have only two couples here. The final task is simple." The announcer said looking a bit grim. Everything around him had turned black, just the scary part of his face shone with the flash light as he talked.
He stepped back sharply and unveiled.
"The ultimate haunted house. Escape from it alive, and you win, MMUUAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHA gasp HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHHAAAAHHAHAHAHHHHHHHAAAAAAAHHHAHHAHHAHAHAHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAA"
The last two couples stood there, looking very confused and utterly weirded out by the announcer's crazy behavior.
There was a long pause as they watched the crazy announcer.
"BEGIN!" He shouted. The couple competing against Mamoru and Usagi shot off into the doomed house.
"Okay Odango! Lets go!" Mamoru said beaming her a great smile, but he found her shaking madly and hugging on to the side of the stall nearby. Little drops of tears hanging by the edges of her eyes. He realized she was afraid of haunted houses.
"Aw, Odango, don't tell me you're afraid." He said sounded a little bit too disappointed. He was really working hard for those two tickets, and he wasn't even sure why. He wasn't trying to win, or was he.
"It's scary!" She whinned, as she fell to her knees and starting to cry like something had died. Mamoru felt stressed and he let out a big sigh.
"Okay, don't worry. It's all fake." He said grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet. She still wasn't sure about it, and tried to protest angrily, but he stormed her off to the haunted house.
"I wonder how Usagi-chan's doing. She hasn't come home. She must still be at the park. Maybe I should go and check up on her." Luna said staring out to the streets. It was rather empty in town, she had expected it to be packed, since it was a nice fresh Friday night. She pressed on slowly, in some ways enjoying her leisurely walk, when she saw a white cat.
"Artemis!" She shouted feeling so happy to see him after so long. The cool cat turned around surprised to see her racing to him.
"Luna!" He smiled with glee as he raced up to her too.
"You're looking good as usual Luna." He smiled. It had been weeks since they had the chance to see each other. Luna blushed.
"Oh Artemis."
"By the way, how is Usagi-chan?" Artemis asked wondering who the boy he saw her with the other night was. Luna sighed, her long story would start now.
Usagi tried her best to convince herself that there was nothing scary about this place. But the ghosts who popped out from nowhere, the strange creepy noises; the pools of blood and other creepy things were telling her otherwise. Mamoru looked around, the small room they had just entered seemed to suddenly become dark, he couldn't see anything. He felt Usagi suddenly grab him, an embrace he hadn't expected.
"I wanna go home!" She whinned crying again. Mamoru sighed, but a smile had come to his face, rather then upset. It felt nice to have her hug him, to trust him enough to look for protection from him. The thought of never leaving the haunted house was pecking at his mind just so he could continue feelings this way. But that could never happen.
"It's okay Odango." He smiled placing a hand on her back. Everything went silent for them. All the scary noises, all the weird things that were popping from the walls, didn't seem to exist. Usagi looked up at Mamoru, as he looked down at her. His heart was racing. He had done fine this entire night. But it was getting real hard to control himself now that she was alone with him, in a dark place; in his arms. Soft puffs of pink hint her cheeks, she felt the same way he did. The urge in her stomach telling her to lean up, to kiss him; to forget whatever it was that was holding her back.
"..U..Usagi…" Her name escaped his lips suddenly, without thinking of saying her name. Usagi's head tilted up to him, as if she anticipated his lips to meet hers. It was as if music was playing, urging them through it's notes, to kiss.
"CONGRATULATIONS!" The announcer screamed opening the door of the black dark room freaking both Usagi and Mamoru out of their skins. She screamed holding on to Mamoru as tight as she could as she watched the light from outside come in.
"Congratulations! The other couple dropped out, and you stayed in the black room of silent death the longest! So you win!" The happy announcer announced through a mega phone that just didn't need to be used.
"Will you quit that!" Both Mamoru and Usagi shouted in sync.
They hadn't planned on winning. But what to do with the tickets. It was the strangest thing to realize when all of it was over. Mamoru couldn't help but wonder, was this fate. They had been through so much, and Usagi was not the fit type; and yet she buckled through and passed all the tasks. And why was he working so hard to win. And now he had. What should be done?
"Um." Mamoru said looking down at the tickets as he walked her to the parking lot. The crowd had thinned but there were still a lot of people in the park still. Probably couples who dropped out trying to 'fun' their disappointment away. Usagi swallowed not sure what to say to him about the trip. She couldn't go on the trip with him. It would be so weird. And yet, there was that large part of her heart, that told her to go with him.
'What's going on with me?' She thought. Mamoru sighed and took in a deep breath.
"Listen. We did go through all that with the tasks in all. And we could just go, since it's free and all." He said looking a little bit too stern for his liking. But it was the automatic expression he gave her each time he wanted to tell himself she meant nothing. Usagi didn't look up at him, she only nodded.
"Well I-I-I guess so." Usagi said digging a small hole with her feet, trying not to look up at him.
"So maybe next weekend?" Mamoru asked feeling really weird about what he was doing. He was asking a 16 year old girl out, on a weekend trip on a romantic cruise. How crazy could this get. And it had to be Usagi. What was fate telling him. Could he never escape her. Usagi nodded. It was getting too hot for her, and way too weird. She hoped there was something that could be said about their relationship, but what relationship would she link it to.
"Usagi!" Naru shouted from the distant. Usagi was so glad to see her. Now things could feel somewhat normal.
"Usagi! Congratulations! You won!" Naru beamed her a wide smile. She couldn't help but feel a little bitter, after all Usagi was not the type to bare those tasks. Deep down she must've wanted to win too.
"Mamoru-san, that girl you were with was asking about you?" Umino suddenly blurted out. Naru cringed and suddenly took a swing at him with a large bat labelled 'Umino.'
"I told you not to say a word!" She shouted as she pelted at him in a puff of fog. Mamoru sighed. He had forgotten about Ai. He could tell by the look on Usagi's face, she was disappointed.
"I better go." Usagi said trying to fake a smile. But somehow Mamoru could tell what was going through her head.
"She's just a friend." He blurted out. He got into his car, unable to say goodbye. Usagi was surprised to hear him say that. He drove off, not looking back. She wondered why he told her that. Naru came to Usagi's side, noticing how sad she seemed.
"Cheer up Usagi. Things will work out. You just need to give it some time." Naru smiled. Usagi did feel better, but what was the point of feeling better now. She was now stuck with a great memory of him again. The memories of him and her, on that roller coaster; dodging those large dogde balls. That memory of her and him holding on to each other and staring deeply into each others eyes. He wanted to kiss her, and she wanted that to. And now, that feeling was left in her.
"That's just it Naru-chan. It doesn't matter how much time we have, nothing'll happen." Usagi said faintly looking off to the direction Mamoru had gone off to. She felt hopeless, she wished she could talk to Mamoru. And now this trip, was she and him really going to go through it?
WOW, I mean WOW! So they won the Cruise! But what weird things will happen?
On the next chapter: Mamoru plans to give the ticket to Reika to go with Usagi, but some weird things happen. Ai and Mizu crash their time alone, and some romantic things you guys have been waiting for. Stay tuned!