Title: The Games Series 1: The Games We Play
Author: Princess Destiny
Email: In Profile
URL: In Profile
Couple: Usagi And Mamoru
Rating: M 15+
Summary: During a battle, Tuxedo Kamen gets hit with a love arrow. The first person he sees after the battle is Usagi-who has just de-transformed from Sailor Moon and immediately he falls for her. Chaos ensues, where Mamoru is hit by an irresistible need to kiss the blonde and goes to amazing lengths to get it! But when the spell wears off, Mamoru is still in love with her. Now-how to convince her? With a little help from his alter-ego Tuxedo Kamen! Little knowing, his identity has been discovered by a gleeful Usagi, who in turn, pays him a few visits as Sailor Moon. Soon, a game is born...But what will the consequences be?
Chapters: 2/11
Status: Completed
Year Completed: 2000

Comments: Hi everyone! Here is Chapter Two as promised and I seem to be editing it as I go along, so you're getting a lot more than the original Fanfic here. I'll do a proper revamp another time when I'm not so injured. Hehehe. The fun in the Fanfic starts here!

Please review me! You don't know how much it means to an Author to get a review on their Fanfic and to know that you're enjoying it. Believe me, it makes us want to write more for you. LOL.

Enjoy the Fanfic!

Hugs,
Princess Destiny

THE GAMES SERIES 1:

THE GAMES WE PLAY

By Princess Destiny

Chapter Two

"So-where to next guys?" Usagi asked brightly, munching on a left-over doughnut from her meal at the arcade.

"I don't know, there's so much to do," Makoto answered, grinning. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet, opening it to show them all. It was full of cash. "I have lots to shop for!"

"Wow, Makoto!" Usagi breathed, staring. "Where did you get all of that?"

"I sold a couple of recipe's to this guy." the brunette said casually.

"You're that good?" Rei asked, stunned. "Wait, how do you know he isn't ripping you off?"

"Look at all the cash!" Usagi pointed at the wallet, which Makoto hastily put away again. It wasn't smart to wave that sort of money around, especially in a crowded place where some nefarious person could spot it. Although the Senshi took care of the youma threatening the city, it did not extend to anything the police might handle, such as robbery-or worse.

"Right," Rei muttered. "Don't let Odango brains near it, Makoto," she added snidely. "Or she'll spend it all on comics."

"I will not," Usagi denied, glaring at her friend. "I…"

Usagi suddenly stiffened, eyes blinking at a strange sensation. Almost like-she was being followed? She glanced behind her, catching a brief glance of someone hastily darting into a shop. Someone with dark hair and a suspiciously familiar dark green jacket!

"Hey!" she shouted, rushing back down the sidewalk.

"Usagi!" Rei shouted, running after the blonde. "What is she doing?"

"I don't know-but she's about to get really embarrassed." Makoto noted, pausing and staring at the store name.

"What?" The dark-haired priestess demanded, afire with curiosity. She might be Usagi's friend, but anything that brought embarrassment to the impulsive blonde had to be a good thing. It would teach her to think before she acted if nothing else.

Makoto silently pointed to the sign over the store that Usagi was dashing into, trying not to grin in amusement.

Rei's lips turned upwards in an evil grin. "Ah."

Ami merely blushed and looked through the shop window anxiously. Poor Usagi was about to get a fright. What on earth had the blonde been thinking?

The three Senshi leant against the wall outside the shop and waited calmly for the explosion.

Usagi followed the mysterious person into the store he had run into, convinced that she knew just who it was. Only one person in that town had a green jacket like that! And beautiful dark hair…Usagi gave a little shriek of annoyance, coming to a screeching halt right inside the door. She clutched her fingers into both long streamers of her blonde hair, tugging. "He's not gorgeous! And neither is his hair."

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even see where she had stumbled into, or the men all staring at her from around the store.

"Can I help you miss?" a voice asked her politely.

Usagi looked up, startled. She let go of her hair and smoothed it down with an embarrassed look towards the impeccably-dressed gentleman who had addressed her. A man stood there, dressed immaculately in a blue suit, his dark hair combed back from his forehead.

Slowly, the small blonde girl looked around the store. As the contents of this said store made an impact, she flushed brightly in mortification. It was a men's store!

The Senshi of the Moon, who had faced numerous hordes of fierce youma, shrieked again and turned to bolt back out of the shop. Her cheeks felt like fire as she shoved the door back open and raced into the sunlight. "I can't believe I went into a men's store!" she almost wailed, quite loudly. Why had she been so obsessed in following that guy in the green jacket that she hadn't even thought about where he was going?

What had she been thinking? Of course Chiba Mamoru was not following her. What a totally absurd, utterly moronic thought to cross her mind. Usagi's worst enemy had far better things to do than trail her around like some spy. He was a medical student, right? And he hated her.

She groaned loudly and covered her face with her hands, knowing her friends had witnessed the whole thing.

"Neither can we!" Rei said, laughing loudly. She clutched at her chest, trying to fight back to the chuckles. Oh, the look on Usagi's face had been priceless! If only they had a camera on them.

Usagi peeked between her lashes to see her friends standing in a half-circle around her. A hand patted her shoulder consolingly and she knew that it was Ami. The gentle girl would have been as mortified for the blonde as if she had gone inside that store herself.

"Umm-" Ami began awkwardly, blue eyes wide. How did she phrase this delicately?

"What were you doing?" Makoto asked, green eyes very curious. No mucking around on her part in trying to find out just what was going around. She was a very straight-forward girl and she knew her friends loved her for it. She folded her arms and waited for an explanation.

"Uh-" Usagi stammered, eyes skittering from side to side. Then, inspiration hit her. "I thought that I saw my dad! Yeah..." If only her face wasn't so red, and her expression guilty, she might have been able to carry that one off. Darn it.

"Oh?" Rei said sceptically, head tilting to the side to examine her best friend's flushed cheeks. "And was it him?" she went on.

"No," Usagi muttered, fuming silently. She was certain that it had been that jerk Chiba-following her! What other possibility was there exactly? He'd been in the arcade when she left. And this was the third time that she'd seen him that morning!

She wasn't imagining this, she wasn't! Mamoru was trailing her like a blood-hound and she was going to find out why if it killed her.

"Can we continue on then?" Rei asked acidly, glaring. Obviously they were going to get nothing further from Odango Atama. Her face was now set in a familiar mulish expression they were all familiar with.

"Fine!" Usagi stalked past her haughtily, nose in the air. That was it, keep up the injured air...they wouldn't really know what to think of her having just walked blithely into a men's store. 'What would she know anyhow? Rei always wanted to be leader of the Senshi,' She nibbled on her bottom lip. 'What if the others vote for her if I'm too ditzy! Ooh, that jerk! Embarrassing me like this.'

She was going to put her hands around his neck and throttle him within an inch of his life for this stunt. Usagi's blue eyes glittered wrathfully under her golden lashes.

"Stop glaring, or your face will stick like that, Odango!" Rei said, voice soft. She placed her hands on the blonde's cheeks gently. She really did care deeply for this little friend of hers.

Usagi blinked at her when she saw tenderness in Rei's eyes. She had sometimes surprised that emotion in the other Senshi's lovely purple eyes, but had never thought much of it. She and the priestess fought much. "What?" she muttered, irritation leaving her. How could she stay angry and irate when her friend looked at her that way?

She sighed deeply and placed a hand over Rei's.

"Are you okay?" Rei murmured, uncharacteristically gentle. She pulled back her hand, only to brush the bangs from Usagi's eyes so that she could see their expression better.

"Yes Rei, sure I am." Usagi replied, smiling brightly. Mamoru was thrust into the back of her mind. She was with her friends today, and after two battles the previous day they all needed some rest and relaxation. "Let's shop, okay?" she suggested.

"Right!" Ami, Rei and Makoto agreed, grinning.

"Boy that was close," Mamoru breathed, hearing the blonde retreat blindingly fast. And that shriek was enough to shatter the window! He emerged from the changing stall cautiously and looked out through the front window to see Usagi and her friends walking away.

She'd almost seen him! 'And she gets so angry when she sees me,' he thought silently. 'I just need to corner her somewhere and kiss her!' Then everything would be perfect, right? The handsome man frowned, mulling over this fact. Something still seemed not right to his eyes, but no matter how much he tried to concentrate on it, it eluded him. On some level, he knew he was acting irrationally, and his brain screamed at him.

"Will you be purchasing that, Mr. Chiba?"

Mamoru blinked at the owner of the shop, then dropped his deep blue eyes down to stare stupidly down at the suit clutched to his chest. He'd grabbed it as he dashed past into the change rooms for an excuse- "Oh my god," Mamoru uttered, staring in horror at the pink suit in his hands. Pink. The upperclassman shuddered, thrusting it hastily at Mr. Hastings.

"No, thank you," he added faintly, walking towards the front of the shop, a hand to his throbbing head. He was getting such a headache. "I think maybe next time."

Mamoru wanted Usagi as much as ever...but his head was gradually becoming clearer. Although his obsession with her was almost overwhelming, a feeling of wrongness was seeping through him. But every time he tried to stop and think about it, pain exploded in his head.

"Very good sir," Mr. Hastings replied, retreating to behind his desk. He was a professional, if nothing else. Not much fazed him these days. Not even one of his very best clients trying on a pink number that he had obviously been horrified over. It must have been that young lady that was chasing him. A slight smile curved his lips as he began to fold the suit pants over a hanger.

Mamoru stepped out into the sun, feeling dazed. He was so confused and all he could think about was kissing-and doing more to-the blonde. "Who is getting away!" he reminded himself quickly, seeing her long blond hair in the distance. Swiftly, the handsome man followed.

"Wait a moment, guys," Makoto said, peering interestedly into a shop window. "Isn't that the most beautiful dress?" She admired it's white silk with an envious glance. With her colouring, this would never look good on her.

"Yes, it sure is," Usagi breathed, staring at the white and lace dress. It strangely reminded her of something. Her dream flashed briefly into her mind and she was there for a moment, dancing in the man's arms, her dress gliding smoothly about her body. But she couldn't place where or what-

Abruptly, she spun back the way they had come, glaring. He was there! The small blonde girl knew it with every fibre of her being. Mamoru was following them again. Only this time, he seemed to be doing a better job. Her blue eyes raked over the shops and crowds, then swung to the opposite side of the street. Nothing.

"What now?" Rei asked, staring behind them also. Her priestess senses were on alert as she searched for the object of Usagi's agitation. She could feel it radiating from her friend in waves. Was Usagi sensing something that she could not? Impossible. "This is the sixth time today that you've looked back. Is there someone following us or what?" the girl demanded, purple eyes moving over the crowds.

Now that she was fully focused, she could sense...something. Very elusive and powerful. Something was following them alright, but it seemed a rather confused being. It was powerful though and Rei did not like the thought of someone like that trailing after them. Was it the Dark Kingdom and Usagi was sensing it because she was Sailor Moon?

"Umm-no," Usagi replied hastily, unsure how to tell her friends what was going on. Rei already looked rather suspicious. 'Yeah, like I'm going to tell them that I think Mamoru is following me! I'd never hear the end of it.' She bit her lip, eyes anxious, then spun back to look at the dress. Why was he doing this? Some sort of stupid game-or was it just a really huge coincidence and he was shopping the same as them?

"How about we hit the mall then, girls?" Makoto announced, grinning widely. She felt something was wrong with her two friends, but could not feel any danger in the area. A quick look at Ami told her that the Senshi of Mercury also had no idea what was going on.

"Sounds like a plan," Ami breathed tiredly. A yawn escaped her involuntarily. She was so very tired. Her friends would have killed her and buried the body if they realised she had gone home last night to study after the battle, rather than sleep! "Then I can go home. I'm really not an experienced shopper like you girls."

"Sure you are," Usagi replied, grinning. She linked an arm with Ami, throwing a slightly suspicious last glance behind her to the crowded sidewalk. "You just need more practice."

As the girls began walking again, Mamoru stepped out of a shop, dark sunglasses in his hand. Sure, it was corny, but he slipped them on, grinning like an idiot. 'I look so dark and dashing.' He pondered that for a moment. "I wonder if Usagi likes dark and dashing? Tuxedo Kamen?"

He looked up, prepared to follow…and then saw that he's lost sight of her. "Oh no, this isn't happening!" he yelled, looking around frantically. He ran a harassed hand through his dark hair, mussing it. But there was no sign of the blonde.

"No!" he shouted in anger, looking through the crowds for a familiar blonde hair complete with odango-style buns. But Usagi and her friends had vanished-again. His compulsion to follow her nagged at him, made him feel rather ill, but exhilarated at the same time. As a medical student, his brain was telling him he was suffering from some outside influence. But as a man who wanted, no needed a kiss from his girl desperately, he was not listening to his training.

People stopped to stare at him, making Mamoru feel like a bug under a microscope.

"I failed an exam! Okay?" he said to them resentfully. They turned quickly away, continuing on as if nothing had happened. But it still remained that Mamoru had lost his angel-completely.

"Wait. Think, Chiba," he told himself, pacing down the sidewalk. "Where would a bunch of teenage girls go on a Saturday?"

The answer came to him and he slapped a hand to his forehead. Where did young girls always go on the weekends in droves so thick you had trouble wadding around them? "Moron," he declared, eyes brightening eagerly. "The mall of course!"

And thus said, he headed swiftly towards the largest cluster of wonderful shops around. Juuban Mall. But first… "I'm sick of walking around everywhere." he announced to the world at large, blue eyes narrowing. "And I don't have to. I'm rich!"

"Are you married?" an elderly woman asked, stopping in her tracks to stare at him eagerly. "I'm looking for a fourth husband-"

Fourth? When you've been married that long, you were either incredibly stupid in your choices, or were a homicidal maniac who had knocked them off and buried the bodies where no one could ever find them. "Umm…no-I mean yes! I'm taken," Mamoru said firmly, standing tall. He belonged to Usagi, and she to him. She just didn't know it yet. "She's gorgeous and blonde and-"

"I get the point, honey," the lady muttered, smiling faintly. She turned and walked away, shaking her head. "Why couldn't I be thirty years younger and blonde?"

"Why can't the blonde like me?" Mamoru muttered after the woman, frowning heavily. He sighed. "I just want a kiss."

The handsome man glared around, then threw his hands in the air. "And now I'm wasting time." He ran back down the street in the opposite direction from the Mall. Luckily, he didn't live too far away-and he could get his Ferrari!

Four O'Clock. Usagi glanced at Makoto's watch with curiosity. Mamoru had not shown his face in the mall at all, to her eternal relief and even Rei had relaxed. Maybe it had been a coincidence that she kept spotting the upperclassman around town. It was the shopping district after all.

"Almost time to pack it in, right guys?" Ami asked wearily, with a hopeful look in her eyes. She looked down at their multitudes of shopping bags and groaned internally. They had shopped till she had almost dropped. Never had her backside been so happy to see a seat.

"Nope. Just a few more shops, Ames! Eat your fries," Makoto instructed, pointing at Ami's plate. If her friend didn't eat them, then she would. Shopping was exhausting. "Poor Ami, we won't be too much longer." she went on, with a kind smile.

The girls were taking a break in the food hall, exhausted from all their shopping efforts. There were bags laying all around their feet, testimony to their now empty purses. But it had been worth it.

Usagi, of course, was eating a huge plateful of food and enjoying every minute. "Can you pass me the salt, Rei?" she asked politely, head cocking to the side as she felt something strange. A presence. No, that couldn't be right. She had lost Mamoru hours back, right? Still...she looked around carefully, blue eyes narrowed.

"Sure. Right-it's your body." Rei rolled her eyes, passing the salt over. She was complaining and she knew it, but didn't Usagi realise that one day all that junk food was going to go to her hips?

"Huh?" Usagi said, wonderingly, turning back to face her best friend. "What do you mean? We keep way fit by-you know-" She lowered her voice. "Senshi business. I'm really fit you know." They all were.

"We all are, but not for long if you keep putting that junk into your body," Rei announced, taking a long drink from her coke.

Usagi eyed the remains of the priestess' greasy burger. "You're one to talk, Rei." she replied slyly. "I thought you were packing on some pounds."

Rei flushed, pushing her plate away. The blonde was right, this was hardly a healthy lunch for any of them. "Well, at least I don't use salt!"

"But fat will-" Ami began one of her fascinating lectures. But she was cut off before she got far.

Usagi's head shot up from her plate and she held up a hand. "No, I don't want to hear it! I am going to enjoy this delicious burger and not worry about calories or anything." she announced. She followed this by taking a huge bite out of the burger. "This is great." she said with delight, around the mouthful.

Rei pulled a face. "Close you're mouth, Odango." she grinned then at her friend, letting her know that it was all in fun.

"Rei!" Usagi exclaimed indignantly.

Mamoru watched Usagi eat the delicious burger with an abandoned glee, and wished that it was him being touched by her lips. The need to kiss her now was painful! Very.

"This isn't working," he said under his breath, peering more around the pillar that supported the upper floor. "I can't see a thing!" The food hall was crowded, almost unbearably. And Mamoru had to get closer to his angel. There didn't seem to be any free tables though.

As if answering his unspoken thoughts, a family rose from a table a few meters from Usagi. Mamoru glanced around quickly, then strode to the table-and ducked under it. "If I was Tuxedo Kamen, I'd have a way better time at this," he groaned, thumping his head on the underside. "But then I'd be mobbed by hordes of shrieking fans and lose her again."

Swiftly, Mamoru thrust his head up, saw which direction the blonde was in, and began to crawl. It was just so humiliating to resort to this sort of thing, and his mind was screaming at him that he was an idiot. Worse yet, people were starting to notice the handsome young man crawling past their tables and began to stare and whisper.

"This is just so humiliating…but I'd do anything to get a kiss from that angel!" he told himself, groaning loudly. Here he was, Tuxedo Kamen, hero extraordinaire…and he was crawling on his hands and knees from one bloody table to the next! "She's worth it. She's worth it." he muttered over and over, occasionally peering up to see if she was still there.

Mamoru was stealthily making his way towards her position, having the faint idea of leaping out and jumping her. The idea head its merits. He crouched a few tables away from her, watching from his position underneath.

Then, to his complete and utter horror, three very fat ladies slid into the chairs of his table.

He watched with fascinated horror as a pair of chubby legs descended towards him, as the woman pulled in her chair. Mamoru winced as she paused a few centimetre's away. 'Oh gods. Now what? I'm trapped!' he yelled mentally, trying not to panic. Very slowly, he started to edge out from under the table, intending to crawl to the nearest vacated table.

Of course, things never went ahead as planned. Mamoru accidentally brushed a hand against her ankle, and before he knew it, the table was thrown over and three accusing fat women staring down at him.

"Pervert! Pervert!" the women he had accidentally touched shrieked. She pointed at him accusingly with one chubby digit.

"Call security, Mae!" one of the other women ordered the third, eyes determined. She began to advance upon him and the third ran off for security, while the first continued to shriek hysterically.

"Now look-" Mamoru began. He backed off, staring around with wide eyes. A lot of the food court was staring at them all with interest. "Oh good god! This isn't happening." The dark-haired man danced out of the way of the second women, keeping out of range. Those arms looked like they could strangle him! Thick as tree trunks.

Mamoru swallowed hard. "Look, Ma'am…"

"Pervert!" she screamed at him again, veins standing out in her forehead.

"I think we've already established that!" Mamoru growled at her, losing his patience. Was Usagi watching all of this? Oh, how embarrassed he was. Here he was, rich, good-looking and a hero to boot, and he had been caught like some pervert when three women sat down at the table he had been hiding under.

What was wrong with this picture!

She shut her mouth, staring at him as he growled at her.

"The fact is, that I was sitting here and dropped my wallet! I bent over to get it and you…ladies sat down." Mamoru embellished wildly. He thought through that explanation and was satisfied. Now if only those people who had seen him crawling around would back him up, it would look very creditable. The upperclassman looked around, hoping he sounded sane and plausible.

All he needed right now-was to be thrown head-long into a jail cell. Bars could keep him from his much-deserved kisses!

The two women stared at him. "Oh," the first one said, bewildered. Her eyes became accusing again and the finger once again pointed firmly in his face. "But you touched my ankle."

The crowd gathered around, looking at Mamoru expectantly.

"I was backing out, Madam!" he bellowed at her, grabbing handfuls of his hair and tugging in frustration. Did these people not know that he was on a mission? That he had to kiss a girl before he went completely stark-raving mad? He knew his eyes were glazed and he was sweating again, but he had to get out of this situation before he did something very rash. Like transform and...and...do something very un-Tuxedo Kamen like to these three banshees.

"What's going on here? Are you the pervert?" A man in a security uniform pushed his way through the crowd and looked Mamoru over. Obviously he took a dislike to what he saw, because his face darkened.

"Me?" Mamoru said, sounding incredulous. He looked down at his attire with raised brows. Okay, so he looked a little rumpled, but he was wearing expensive clothes. "Look, I was sitting here and I dropped my wallet. When I bent over to get it, these ladies sat down and in straightening-I brushed against that one's leg! An accident!" Mamoru stressed, with he now pointing an accusing finger at the lady.

"Well," the guard began, looking bored. This was what all the shrieking had been about?

"But-" the first fat lady protested.

"Now, Bea, leave it at that. He looks a nice dependable handsome young man," the second said, eyes looking him over. She smiled superiorly. "I'm sure he won't mind repairing the damage to your person…by cleaning out your back yard say?"

"What?" Mamoru bellowed, startling them all. "Her damage? What about my mind? I was surrounded down there-Oops." He broke off abruptly, backing away. His panic at having been trapped under that table had gotten the better of him momentarily.

Mamoru pointed again at the woman, then the security guy. "Frankly, I think that she ought to be arrested! Think of the mental damage I've sustained?" He told them all dramatically, trying to make an exit through the thick of the crowd-who seemed very reluctant to give up their entertainment, by letting the hero escape through their midst.

Somehow, he managed though. Making it to the outskirts of the crowd-a moment before the argument broke out again.

"What did you say!" the second lady bellowed at the top of her lungs. She lunged at Mamoru and was restrained forcefully by the guard.

"Now, now, Lady. The show's over and now harm done." he told her, winking at Mamoru. His expression clearly said that he felt sorry for the poor guy that had been trapped like a deep in headlights.

"The pervert-guy gets away?" Bea demanded, crossing her chubby arms and glowering.

"Like I said, Lady.." The guard began more firmly, waving Mamoru away quickly with his hand.

To the amusement of the crowd, Mamoru took the hint and bolted. Making as much of a dashing hero's exit as possible...given the circumstances.

"Pervert! Pervert!"

The girls were startled as there was a commotion a few tables down. They all glanced that way, but a huge woman was standing in their way shrieking. Another huge woman stood at her side, completely blocking whatever was going on. And quite a crowd was gathering too. "What's going on? Should we check it out?" Ami said thoughtfully.

"Senshi business?" Usagi wondered, staring. She felt a strange pull from that direction, something familiar, but nothing dangerous. No, it was no youma. Her brows came together delicately. No, it couldn't possibly be what she was thinking. She giggled to herself, shaking her head. Mamoru, involved in some sort of argument? It would have been so beneath him. He was cool, calm and collected at all times.

"In the mall? With two overweight women? Get a clue, Odango Atama," Rei replied casually, getting to her feet. The priestess had also sensed something strange, but could not say what. She grinned slyly. "You know, that's what you're going to look like in a few years."

"What? You're lying!" Usagi shrieked, utterly horrified. She would never be like that. Would she? She gaped at the over-large women, then down at the remains of her food.

"No, I'm not." The Senshi of Mars said gleefully.

"Let's get out of here," Makoto suggested, eyeing the women with worry. "They're really making a racket over there. I pity the poor person that's directed at!"

"Yeah," Ami murmured, ever curious. They made their way out of the food hall, not wanting to get involved with whatever was going on back there. The blue-haired girl glanced back, intrigued despite herself. But there was no way to see what was happening past the crowd. "What do you suppose that was all about?" she wondered aloud.

"From the many shrieks of 'pervert', I deduce that it's some guy," Rei replied dryly, smiling. Then, her eyes darkened. "Boy, some people really don't know how to keep their hands to themselves."

"I know someone that would like to get his hands on you!" Makoto said in a sing- song voice, grinning evilly.

"Mamoru?" Rei asked dreamily. Oh yes, that was one man that she would love to have put his hands on her body. The guys was drop-dead gorgeous, and he probably didn't even know it. He was also utterly clueless that she even liked him.

"That creep?" Usagi exploded, making a face. Why did his name keep popping up? Couldn't an hour go by without her mind going to him, or one of her friends saying something. The blonde did not like him.

"No-I meant Yuuchirou!" Makoto grinned wider, making a kissy-face at Rei. "He's totally gone over you, girl."

"Ugh, I could do way better than that." Rei groaned. Her eyes brightened. "Now Mamoru-!"

"Please don't mention his name. I'm so annoyed with him right now." Usagi said with irritation, glaring. She stomped away from them, then glanced around cautiously. 'I could have sworn that I sensed Mamoru around just now!'

"This is much safer than out there," Mamoru convinced himself, ten minutes later. He swore that he'd never run so fast in his life. And he knew that he looked a mess! He was sweating, clothes rumples and his eyes felt like salt had been poured into them. Yet he kept his silent vigil over his angel-who was increasingly annoying him! All he wanted was a kiss…and maybe a little more….but she kept eluding him. And her friends were always there too.

Mamoru shifted in his uncomfortable position, rolling his shoulders to relieve the tension. He reached up to brush the hair from his eyes and stared out across the mall intently. Usagi and her friends were in a dress shop just across from his position. Mamoru regarded her through weird swirls over his vision. He looked down to see that his hands were shaking.

'What is wrong me with?' he wondered, momentarily afraid. Something seemed wrong here, but he couldn't say what. It was like-he couldn't think. A thick wool was over his mind and all he knew was Usagi.

His Usagi, damn it! At least-she would be!

"No, what is happening to me?" he groaned loudly to himself. He reached up and tugged at handfuls of his dark hair in frustration. "If I can't kiss her I'm going to go crazy!" But something held him back. Something just wasn't right about this situation. 'I can't put my finger on it,' he mused, eyes going back to the dress store.

Through it, he could still see Usagi and her friends, giggling and talking while they shopped. He was tempted to walk into the stall and grab her, but she would scream most likely.

"Maybe, I should just…jump in there and kiss her lights out?" he wondered aloud. The vision flashed through his head, looking more appealing by the minute. Unfortunately, his angel was likely to bash him one for trying! What he really needed was for her to fall as hard for him as he had for her. Not literally of course. Mamoru grinned. She did that every day.

Usagi and the others left the store then, bags swinging from their hands. They laughed happily, talking as they passed the spot where he hid.

Mamoru watched them go, then carefully slipped out from the plant-jungle. A security guard that Mamoru had not noticed, a few stores down, gave him a suspicious glare. 'I can't blame him!' Mamoru murmured mentally, running for it. Luckily, the guard didn't follow. And even luckier it wasn't the same guard as earlier. 'A guy hiding in amongst the potted plants in a shopping mall can only be up to mischief!'

The upperclassman paused in his flight, realising that, once again, he'd lost the blonde. "Damn!" he yelled, raising his arms in anger to the sky. Everyone around him turned to look. He gave them an embarrassed look, lowered his arms and casually strolled away. 'Okay, cool it, Chiba! Or they'll cart you off to the loony bin.'

What on earth was he doing! A brief moment of lucidity gave him some reprieve and he was horrified. But then the fog rolled back in and his mind went to Usagi again. Her long beautiful hair, her small kissable lips, her amazing legs.

"Wait-where is she?" His steps faltered as he looked around, trying to spot a laughing group of girls. But they were gone. Usagi had disappeared, and he hadn't even gotten to tell her he loved her!

"Damn it!" he shouted, pelting towards the mall entrance. He stopped just outside the sliding door, looking frantically left and right. A few people stared at him curiously, as the handsome dark-haired man grabbed handfuls of his luxurious blank hair and tugged wildly. By the time this was over, he was going to be bald, he just knew it. And his blood-pressure had gone through the roof.

"She's gone!"

His words thundered around the car park and back into the open doors of the Mall. Everyone stopped to listen to the battle cry, then resumed shopping.

Outside, few people noticed the harassed college guy racing towards his expensive red Ferrari like the very devil was after him.

"Bye, guys!" Usagi called, trying to wave from hands filled with shopping bags. She left her friends outside the arcade and entered.

Motoki looked up as the doors slid open, a welcoming smile curving his lips.

"Hey there, Usagi" he said cheerfully, heading for the counter to make her a cool drink. The day was pretty hot out there and from all the bags he could see, she had done a shop-a-thon. "I didn't expect to see you back today." Motoki went on curiously.

Usagi sat down on the other side of the counter, placing the man bags at her feet. She put her elbows on the cool surface of the counter and sighed deeply. What a day-and night. The Dark Kingdom were hitting them so hard. Was life about to get a lit more difficult for them all? This thought concerned her more than she could say.

"Can I get a chocolate shake, Motoki?" she asked, gasping dramatically. "I've shopped till I've almost dropped!"

"Did you have fun?" Motoki grinned, going to make her a chocolate milk-shake.

Usagi watched his movements with curiosity. She never tired of watching food being prepared.

Abruptly, she scowled, looking over her shoulder into the arcade as a thought occurred to her. "Is that jerk here?" she demanded, out of the blue. Had he been here at Motoki's and that was why she had lost sight of him earlier? Still, her senses told her that somehow, the dark-haired man had been at the mall. And why was she suddenly sensing him? How very, very weird.

"Who? Oh, Mamoru? No." Motoki grinned wickedly. "Why? Did you miss him?"

"Hardly!" Her eyes widened and she shook her head emphatically. She grabbed her shake from Motoki's startled hands. The chocolate slopped over the side, onto the counter. "Oops," she apologised, blushing. "He just makes me so furious."

"What did he do this time?" Motoki smiled secretly. He'd always suspected that under Usagi and Mamoru's fighting, there was something deeper. Something that maybe they weren't aware of. And something-that he could make a neat bundle of cash from!

"What didn't he do?" Usagi muttered, chugging down her shake quickly. What was she going to tell Motoki? That his best friend had turned into a stalker? No, he would never believe such a thing. "I bashed into him this afternoon-as usual-and he acted so weird! Umm…that was before I came here, but you were too busy." she added.

"Come to think on it, he was acting strange this morning." Motoki failed to mention to the blonde that his friend had been-frantically, it seemed-looking for her. 'He never did say why?' Motoki mused silently, afire with interest. Mamoru had been acting strange, and now Usagi was acting weirdly.

"I'll say. H-he complimented my hair!" she shouted, incensed. "And said really weird things." She flushed slightly in remembrance of that afternoon's run-in with 'the annoying jerk'. 'And I had to hit him over the head with my hand-bag...But he deserved it!'

Motoki frowned. "He complimented it…and you're angry? Not that it's like him-but he wasn't mean at all?" He was confused. Was Usagi angry because Mamoru hadn't insulted her?

"He freaked me out, Motoki," The blonde frowned. "He was up to something! I'm sure."

His frowned deepened. 'That doesn't sound like Mamoru at all. But he didn't look himself either. Maybe I shouldn't have let him go this afternoon. He looked really…exhausted, yet hyped.' Motoki thought worriedly. Mamoru studied way too hard. But following Usagi around-no way.

Usagi quickly finished her drink and slid to her feet. She bent to pick up her bags, holding them to her chest defensively. "And all day I got this weird feeling he was around! I swear that I saw him a time or two, but couldn't prove it." Not without telling her friend that she was Sailor Moon, that is. Then she would have to explain that she sometimes sensed Mamoru around. Even if she couldn't quite prevent herself from crashing into him.

"You…sensed him?" Motoki questioned in a strange tone. He gave her a sideways glance. 'This is a new addition to their little romance!' He grinned. 'I believe that I've just found another way to up the stakes.'

She giggled, trying to make it sound more light-hearted. Motoki would never believe Mamoru had deliberately been following Usagi around like a puppy all day. And now that she thought about it, that didn't sound right at all. The dark-haired man usually bashed into her, then insulted her and left. He did not like to be around her at all.

"No, no...well…" She rolled her blue eyes expressively. "I guess so. I mean, I didn't see him, quite. Umm-well who else has that green jacket anyway? But I know when he's around!" She nodded emphatically. 'Like-my hairs stood on end. I'm positive he was there all day!'

"Really?" Motoki said with keen interest. "You know, Usagi, he's said the exact same thing about you once." He remembered it well. It had practically started their little poll on Usagi and Mamoru.

Usagi snorted derisively. "Sure." She grinned a him cheerfully. "I have to go now, Motoki. I refuse to let that jerk ruin my beautiful day! Er…any more than he already has!" And then she was gone, long hair swirling around her.

Motoki smiled, wiping chocolate shake from the counter, whistling cheerfully. He was startled when, a moment later, the doors slid open and someone ran inside.

It was Mamoru, looking ruffled and annoyed. "Is she here?" he shouted at Motoki, looking harassed. He was panting hard, car keys dangling from clenched fingers.

Motoki stared long and hard. His usually impeccable friend was a mess-again! Hair sticking in every direction, clothes rumbled and even a shoelace untied.

"Are you okay, buddy?" he asked cautiously. Then he remembered what Mamoru had shouted. "Her? Usagi? You just missed her, Mamoru." Motoki stared sternly at his friend. Was there something Mamoru wasn't telling him? 'He's still looking for her? Why?' He was afire with curiosity by then, but said nothing.

"No, not again!" Mamoru actually roared. He gave a wild look around, then bolted out of the arcade. 'Not again! How can I keep missing a girl that I constantly bash into without expecting it!'

Motoki stood there, frozen, his cloth half-extended over the counter to wipe. "Uh…what was that?" he questioned, stunned. Why was Mamoru so keen to find a girl he hated? He looked almost…insane!

The blonde-haired man rolled his eyes. "Could it be that Romeo finally realised his feelings for said-blonde and she won't give him the time of day?" He grinned. 'If so-then I'm gonna win a large pile of cash!'

He turned his face expectantly towards the arcade, where several interested people had watched the entire scene. "Anyone care to place more bets? I'm raising the stakes again."

There was a mad scramble towards the counter. Usagi and Mamoru were the hottest gossip this side of town. But, as all wondered, would the two end up together in love…or kill each other?

To Be Continued...

Write me if you liked! Comments are adored and much appreciated.

Wow, okay the editing is taking a lot more time than expected, so I think I can only get one Chapter out a day. O.o I hope you're all enjoying this though. The real comedy starts when the love-spell wears off and Mamoru realises what he's been doing. LOL.

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Hugs,
Princess Destiny