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: 3/11
Status: Completed
Year Completed: 2000

Comments: Hi everyone! I'm so delighted with the feedback for this Fanfic, especially those who did read this in the past, and those who let me know just what it was that they liked in the Chapter. :Giggles: I've just had a look at Chapter Three to edit it, and it looks as if it has more detail than the previous Chapters. If it doesn't take too much editing, then I might be able to send out two Chapters today.

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 Three

Thunk

"She loves me."

Thunk

"She loves me not."

Thunk

"She loves me."

Thunk

"She-"

The phone began to ring, rather shrilly then, starting Mamoru out of his daze. He jerked wildly, almost falling out of his cushy chair to the floor, but managed to catch himself just in time. He straightened, pried his fingers from the couch arms and stared hard at the offending object.

"Go away!" He shouted at it. It seemed to take all of his energy and the hero slumped back into the chair, black swirls spinning all over his vision.

'Ohhh, my head! I feel like I have a hang-over...' he groaned silently, blinking again and again. Something bit into his fingers and he managed to clear his vision enough to stare down at the perfect red rose clutched in his right hand. "Oh, right." he muttered, grinning.

He scowled briefly at the phone, which continued to ring for a long time, then finally shut up. "Finally. Some peace and quite." he groaned. Mamoru shook his head to clear away the cobwebs of exhaustion and raised his hand again. He let the rose fly swiftly and followed it's progress with interest as it joined several other that were embedded in the wall of the lounge.

Thunk

"She-where was I up to?" he said loudly, annoyed. The handsome upperclassman slumped back again, frowning like a thundercloud. He was utterly exhausted, after following his love around all day, being accosted by fat women and madly running from place to place! "If nothing else, I'll be amazingly fit once I finally get a kiss." he growled, frown deepening. All he wanted was a kiss! But noooo, it had to be so bloody hard!

On top of feeling tired beyond belief, he felt somewhat sick. Something still felt very wrong with all of this, but there was a block in his mind that he could not get through. Mamoru had tried, but that fog had obscured his thoughts. He had never felt like this, and his body was trying to cope with whatever was wrong with it.

After having checking around the arcade and the general area once more, Mamoru finally concluded that he'd lost the blonde permanently. At least-for the day, that was. So, he had driven home in his Ferrari and collapsed into the chair the moment he entered the apartment.

His clothes were still rumpled, sweat beaded on his forehead and down the back of his neck and he desperately needed a shave. But still, Usagi ruled his thoughts. "Who'd have thought that it would be so bloody hard to get a kiss?" he wondered aloud, eyes narrowed to slits, and highly unimpressed by the days events. Even worse, the security guard was bound to remember him if he ever went to the mall again!

Mamoru groaned, reached into his jacket and withdrew another rose tiredly. He had to pass the time until the next afternoon, when Usagi would once again go to the arcade and Mamoru would way-lay her. 'Does she sleep in more on Sundays?' he frowned consideringly. Thought seemed somewhat beyond him at that moment and he seriously felt as if he were going slowly nuts.

No-she was driving him nuts.

"Where was I?" he muttered, staring at the vague circle pattern on the wall, created by his roses. Mamoru let fly the rose, starting from the beginning again.

Thunk

"She loves me."

He paused before reaching for a new rose, titling his head from side to side as he studied the wall. "It looks like an Odango!" he snarled, something finally cracking in his mind.

The dark-haired man began to laugh and laugh, tears streaming from his eyes. "All I wanted was a kiss! And she drove me nuts instead." he gasped, clutching at his chest with both hands. "And-" He broke off as a strange tingling began in his head, then slowly spread to all parts of his body. A tingling that was accompanied by an ecstasy and power.

Mamoru gasped, falling from the chair face-first. As he hit the carpet, his mind abruptly cleared, his form changing.

"What?" Tuxedo Kamen groaned into the carpet. He pushed his arms under his body and levered away from the ground, staring dazedly down at himself from a kneeling position. "What-happened? Why am I so exhausted?" he groaned, touching fingers gingerly to his pounding temples. He had a migraine like you wouldn't believe.

Suddenly he gasped, as he realised that he was transformed. "Sailor Moon is in danger." he said grimly, striding quickly towards the balcony. On the way, he tripped over something-and then something else. "Arrgghhh!" he cried out, wind-milling his arms frantically. But he went down anyway, again kissing carpet, with his cloak wrapped around him.

"Ugh," he groaned into the carpet again. He rolled over and stared back at what he had tripped over, eyes widening as he saw piles and piles of coffee cups and plates scattered all over the carpet near his chair. "What!" he murmured, shocked. Had Mamoru missed something, or was something very wrong here? When did he drink all of those, and was that way he felt so dreadful?

"What is going on-oh my god!" he shouted, horrified.

Everything abruptly came back to him. The battle, getting hit by an arrow, following Usagi around-trying to get a kiss. "Ugh, no way. I was not trying to kiss that ditz!" Deep blue eyes wide with horror and mortification, he remembered each and every detail of his day. Good god, what had happened to him?

Tuxedo Kamen leapt to his feet, throwing his cloak back impatiently. Obviously, whatever had overcome him, his transformation into the hero had reversed it. Now all he had to do was try and contain the damage...

His eyes fell on the far wall of the room, where roses dotted there in a vague circular shape. Like an Odango. "Oh my god. I was obsessed!" he groaned, dropping his head into his hands and grabbing handfuls of his luxurious dark hair.

"No, no, no," Mamoru moaned. "Me? In love with that ditz? And oh god, the fat ladies! The security guards…The stalking." He raised his head, dark blue eyes shocked. "I stalked the Odango Atama? I was trying to kiss her? Am I crazy!" he roared, hands grabbing at his hair again in stress. This was all too unbelievable, unreal...was he merely dreaming it all. No, the roses in the wall and the coffee cups were a good testimony to his previous state of mind. And besides, his memories or everything that had happened were far too clear.

"Usagi must think-she…" He trailed off as he thought about the morning and the day before. He had pursued her with single-mindedness. And he hadn't even thought of using Tuxedo Kamen. He hadn't thought about his secret identity at all.

"Which means-what? I was under a spell," Mamoru murmured, beginning to walk slowly around the room, deep in thought. As he recalled, he had started to go slowly mad, the more Usagi got away. Abruptly he remembered the sight of her in the street, golden hair glowing in the sunlight. He'd tried to compliment her then-and she'd actually bashed him.

Tuxedo Kamen's lips twitched as he remembered her enraged look. She'd looked absolutely- "Adorable," he muttered.

Suddenly, Mamoru's head jerked up as he realised something-terrible. Or good, depending upon how he looked at it. Despite the fact that the arrow's power had ended when he was transformed into Tuxedo Kamen-

"Oh my god!" Tuxedo Kamen whispered, utterly in disbelief and denial. "I am still in love with that ditz." No, this couldn't be right at all. He didn't like the petite blonde girl at all, never had. Wasn't that right? Was it possible he was still under the thrall of the spell...no, he felt more clear-headed than ever.

He shook his head, beginning to pace up and down the length of the Lounge Room. His cloak swirled around him comfortingly as he reach the kitchen. Tuxedo Kamen eyed the coffee pot longingly. "Coffee? I really need a cup-but I have to go do something. And I think that I've had quite enough." He trailed off, mind blank but for the utter chaos that a certain blonde had caused. Her and her klutz attacks, her long golden hair, her wailing…

"Oh no!" he shouted, horrified that he had even forgotten. "I have to go and save Sailor Moon."

Of course, that thought conjured up problems that he had not even thought of yet. Sailor Moon! He was in love with her too! "Why me? I mean, really?" he shouted to the world at large. Wasn't his current life as a hero, and a medical student, quite complicated enough?

"What sort of a normal guy is in love with two women!" The handsome man muttered in disgust. Was it even possible to like more than one woman, let alone bring love into the equation. And could he really have fallen for Odango Atama in only 24 hours, when all he felt before had been dislike?

'One that needs to go and save Sailor Moon, you idiot! You forgot her again. I don't believe this!' he shouted at himself. He could think about this all later. Right then, he had an obligation to the people of Juuban to stop the Dark Kingdom from taking over.

At once, the dashing hero leapt for the balcony window, sliding the glass doors open swiftly. He left it wide open in his mad bolt to save the life of Sailor Moon-but then he paused on the rail. Tuxedo Kamen quickly leapt back down from the railing and slammed the sliding doors closed. Okay, so he was eight floors up-but you never knew!

"Right, I'm coming Sailor Moon!" he roared, taking a flying leap. Only a couple of birds and an old woman heard his fierce battle cry, as the hero of all Tokyo went to save one of the women that he was in love with!

"Stupid jerk," Usagi muttered, thinking distinctly uncomplimentary thoughts about a certain dark-haired College student. The blonde shook her head angrily, long pony-tails whipping from side to side. "Why would he have been following me in the first place?" she wondered aloud, steps faltering.

All afternoon, despite the fact that she had been certain that Chiba Mamoru had been following her-it had just impacted, and hard, that she had not questioned it in the slightest. She'd been annoyed-but never stopped to ask herself why he would follow her. They hated each other!

"Loath each other." Usagi nodded sagely.

"So-" She nibbled on her bottom lip-something that she did frequently when nervous or thoughtful-eyes filled with chagrin. "What if I was wrong? What if it wasn't him and I was just imagining it all?" This thought, of course, did not please Usagi at all. Because if it hadn't been him-then she was the one who had been thinking of him. Which she had done a lot lately, if truth be told. And she crashed into him so often! It was like fate. Destiny.

'I expect it. And-' She hesitated, coming to a complete stop beside a narrow alley between the shops. 'Not that anyone would get it out of me in a million years, but I kind of enjoy shouting at him.' She grinned in amusement. There was nothing she liked more than to wipe that superior grin of Chiba Mamoru's face!

Suddenly in the shop right before her startled eyes, people began running out in a tight crowd, eyes wide with terror. The women were screaming and the men looked as if they'd like to be, all were running for their lives nevertheless.

A woman screamed, pointing backwards into the shop. "Monster!" She shrieked loudly around, eyes wide with terror. "Run for your lives!"

"Monster! Youma?" Usagi said, blue eyes widening. Again? Good god, this was the third one in the last two days. Was the Dark Kingdom escalating...what a horrifying thought.

She looked up at the shop. "What? A beauty salon? How dare they?" The blonde's eyes grew outraged. Her bosom swelled with indignation and wrath. "Okay, I have totally had it today!" she shouted.

The small blonde girl turned and dashed into the alley next door quickly, bags crushed to her sides in the narrowness. She went about half way in, then dropped the bags indifferently, eyes burning with anger. 'It's enough that I've had to put up with that creep all day. But now a Youma is destroying one of my favourite shops? Not on my shift, buddy!' Usagi thought furiously.

She almost ripped the broach from her shirt and held it up over her head. "Moon Prism Power, makeup!"

Sailor Moon finished her pose a few moments later, and then dashed out of the alley as fast as her boots could carry her. She skidded around the corner, then leapt heroically into the shop. "All right!" she shouted, staring around the shop with blazing eyes. "Where are you, you Dark Kingdom creep? I've had too much today and you've really made me angry!"

"Oooh. Scary, scary." a voice taunted from a corner. A very familiar voice...

Sailor Moon turned in that direction quickly, eyes narrowed. Her expression melted into one of disbelief as she saw the Youma for the first time. It was-her! "What on earth!" she shrieked in outrage. The Youma was her, right down to the boots-the hair was admittedly a little shorter, but that was the only difference.

"Ha ha! Gonna cry, Moonie girl?" the Sailor Moon clone taunted her, jumping lightly from side to side on her boots. She bounced around as if she was on something. "Come and get me."

"Are you-on something?" Sailor Moon said, eyes wide and incredulous. "You're like me, sort of. But on Jolt!"

"I'm all like you, girlie!" the Youma said gleefully, giggling. She twirled around on one boot, coming to a stop facing Sailor Moon again. "Hey, I like this outfit! It's very comfortable."

"It's mine." Sailor Moon replied dangerously, a glint entering her eye. Her day had been long and annoying-and she was getting majorly peeved! "Change into something else; that's my Fuku! And my hair and my tiara and-"

"Nu uh!" The Youma giggled again, eyes expectant. "Are you going to beat me up or cry?" it demanded with interest. "This is my Fuku now."

"Huh?" Sailor Moon said intelligently, drawn out of her murderous thoughts. "Umm-beat you up I guess." she answered, giving the Youma a weird look. 'I'm having a really bad day! I'm gonna kill Mamoru if I see him!' she thought wrathfully. 'Where is Tuxedo Kamen?'

Was her handsome hero going to be a no-show again?

"No crying? Damn," the Youma muttered, looking disappointed. It looked at Sailor Moon with almost identical eyes-except for the obvious lack of anything resembling intelligence. "But okay-then I will!" it announced. The Youma's pretty face scrunched up, going an alarming red-then she exploded into wails.

Sailor Moon just-stared. "I don't believe this!" she muttered under her breath. She winced as the Youma hit a particularly loud note. "Do I sound like that?" she wondered.

"Yep. Basically." Mars proclaimed suddenly, from behind, sounding supremely smug.

"Uh huh." Jupiter added.

"Sorry, but yes." Even Mercury had to agree.

Sailor Moon spun around, to see the other Senshi gathered behind her and watching with lively interest. 'How long have they been there, just watching?' she was tempted to ask-and then yell-but there was still the matter of the clone!

Jupiter nibbled on a lock of her hair, eyes glued to the Youma. "Lower the decibels!" she said absently to the look-alike, as if she had been talking to Usagi or Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon's eyes narrowed again-this time in anger. "So why are you just standing there? And hey, how did you know this was me and not that clone?"

"Well-the girl over there didn't fall flat on her face when she twirled." Jupiter said absently, watching the Youma spray tears to a truly impressive distance.

"Whaaaaat?" Sailor Moon shrieked in outrage. "You knew because she didn't klutz out?" Her blue eyes narrowed rebelliously. "Some friends!" she muttered under her breath feeling betrayed.

"I'm sorry Usagi, but that's about right." Mercury nodded, staring at the wailing Youma. "Why isn't it fighting us?" she eyed it with keen interest, trying to see any discrepancies in the appearance-but found little. Only the hair had a slight variance. Mercury absently reached into her sub-space pocket for her computer, scanning the Youma cautiously. It would not be a good idea to draw attention to herself. The clone-for now-was moderately harmless, but given some sort of incentive, it could turn ugly.

"And you," Sailor Moon yelled, turning back to the Youma. "Why did the people run out of here screaming 'monster'? You look like me." she eyed the Youma inquiringly, quickly checking it over to see if there was anything on the clone that was remotely scary.

"Not really," The Sailor Moon Youma's tears broke off, as if a tap had been turned. She smiled evilly at them, then shimmered briefly black. The sweet face was replaced with a hideous one, covered with fur. Then, before the Senshi could fully take the creature's true form in, it changed back into Sailor Moon. "But I like this one much more." It giggled insanely. "I'm Sailor Moon! I'm Sailor Moon!"

"You're annoying," Mars bit out, crossing her arms. She turned to face her fellow Senshi, purple eyes flashing annoyance. "Can we please dust this clone? I have better things to do and if I want to hear wailing I can just talk to Usagi."

"Hey! You take that back Mars." Sailor Moon said, eyes filling with outraged tears. She spun to face the Youma, hands clenching. "And you-turn back. How can I dust myself! I'm copyright! No one is allowed to look like me."

"Good question, blondie," the Youma sneered. She twirled around on one boot again, and then again. "This is fun!"

The clone seemed quite happy enough just to talk to them. The Senshi all exchanged a quick glance. This was a youma from Beryl sent to drain energy? But it seemed so...airheaded. No offence meant to Usagi, of course.

"So-what's your name?" Jupiter said casually, playing with a lock of her brown hair. She looked about carefully to see if there was another youma, because this one didn't seem like the usual.

"Sailor Moon, of course," the Clone batted her lashes at the Senshi of Jupiter coyly. She gestured down at her Fuku. "Can't you tell?"

"No, no. Your real name," Mars snapped, going along with Jupiter's plan. "Surely you don't want to die being called 'the clone'?" She moved slightly closer to the real Sailor Moon, ready to blast the clone to kingdom-come. Despite their bantering in battle, if that thing hurt the blonde, the Senshi would come down on it like it couldn't imagine.

"I'm not going to die-you are!" the clone said petulantly, but then she smiled, looking chillingly like Sailor Moon. "But okay-you have a point of sorts. Umm…lets see. Zoisite calls me 'distraction' and 'worthless', but I think I like Sailor Moon much more." it admitted to them, eyes holding little intelligence.

The Senshi had all turned to each other, eyes wide. "Distraction!" they all said at the same time. Oh no, that couldn't be what it sounded like. Did this mean there was another youma somewhere and they had all been drawn to this one whilst the other did the damage?

Mercury took out her computer and typed some commands into it, but came up with nothing. As far as she could see, this youma was the only one rampaging through their city. She breathed a small sigh of relief.

"What sort of distraction are we talking here?" Sailor Jupiter demanded belligerently, taking a step towards the clone.

"That's my name!" the Youma protested, eyeing Jupiter nervously. She smiled slyly. "How about we ditch Moon here and I can join the team?"

"As if! I'm the only Sailor Moon." Sailor Moon took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "This is unbelievable!" she yelled. "Can we please dust her?"

"Nah!" Jupiter said, eyes filled with laughter. "This is hilarious! I wish I had a camera!"

"Then, I guess you don't need me." a voice said from behind them.

The Senshi all turned to see Tuxedo Kamen there. He was leaning against the open door of the Beauty Salon, arms crossed casually. His lips twitched slightly as he looked from Sailor Moon to her double. "Is this some sort of Dark Kingdom joke?"

"She said that her name is 'Distraction'" Sailor Mercury said absently, still scanning the Clone of their leader.

"Tuxedo Kamen!"

The breathed words came from two different people. Sailor Moon and the Youma.

"Hey," Sailor Moon shouted, eyes furious. She glared at the Youma. "That's my line!"

"Not any more!" the Youma snapped back. She batted her lashes and headed towards Tuxedo Kamen. "Come here cutie."

"What? No way! He's mine." Sailor Moon muttered without thinking, leaping forwards to intercept the youma. She grabbed her by one of her long pony tails and yanked. 'There is no way she's getting such a hunky guy. Besides, he rescues me!' she thought angrily.

The Youma turned, eyes glowing red. "Hey, let go!" it yowled in outrage. It hesitated, then reached out for one of Sailor Moon's long pony tails.

Mercury and the Senshi shook their heads, holding a conversation urgently under their breaths.

"Weakness'?" Jupiter asked, keeping half her attention on the squabbling girls.

"As far as I can tell, Jupiter, the entire Youma is a weakness. As was the one the other night, these creatures are simple to beat and seem designed specifically for energy gathering." Mercury replied, all in one breath.

"So-we can beat it easily?" Sailor Mars said, looking over Mercury's shoulder, to where Sailor Moon and her annoying clone were still engaged in the time-honoured 'hair pulling fight scene'. "Why is it that whenever there's two girls fighting, they resort to the hair pulling?" she asked no one in particular.

"Ouch! It hurts!" Sailor Moon screeched loudly, yanking hard on the Youma's hair. "Let go of my hair right this minute. Do you have any idea how long it took to grow this!"

"Yow!" the Youma screeched back, yanking at Sailor Moon's hair. "Well, it only took me a few seconds! So who's the idiot in this picture?"

"Should we help her or something?" Sailor Jupiter asked the others, never taking her eyes from the two Sailor Moons. "I mean, now that we know it's easy to dust."

"Nah," Mars said, grinning maliciously. "This is just too funny! Let them fight for a while. Usagi has been just too smug lately and needs to be taken down a peg or two."

Mercury winced as one of the Sailor Moon's yanked particularly hard on the other's hair, making the recipient shriek in pain.

"Let go!" Sailor Moon shouted, wincing and trying to pull away. "Why aren't you people helping me? Jupiter?" she yelled, trying to pull her head out of an extremely awkward angle. Where were the other Senshi!

"You let go!" the Youma shouted back, trying to pull her hair free. "Tuxedo Kamen, aren't you going help me?" it wheedled at the stunned hero.

Tuxedo Kamen had watched the last five minutes with a mixture of amusement and disbelief, torn between rescuing his beloved or just watching. Suddenly, he looked from girl to girl, wondering which was the real Moon. They'd effectively-if unwittingly-switched positions so much that no one could really tell who the real Moon was. Especially when they still had strangle-holds on each other's hair that way.

"Sure, Sailor Moon. Just as soon as you tell me which one you are." Tuxedo Kamen drawled lightly, looking intently from girl to girl. 'This is really too much. After the week I've had, all I needed was this mix-up!' he groaned silently.

"Jeez, yeah," Sailor Mars added, shaking her head in disgust. "Which one are you Sailor Moon?" She was ready to use her fire on one of the Moons-but which was the real Usagi?

"I'm me!" one shouted, trying to extract her hair from the other's grip.

Sailor Moon's eyes narrowed on the Clone, the blue of her eyes stormy. "You? Tuxedo Kamen is going to help me!" she snapped, looking at Tuxedo Kamen pleadingly. 'Doesn't he know me?'

"Great," Tuxedo Kamen murmured, eyes exasperated behind the mask. "Which girl do I rescue?"

"Which is which?" Jupiter muttered, confused also. Her green eyes flitted from girl to girl.

"Just great! Good going Sailor Moon," Mars said in exasperation, eyes flashing furiously. "You ditz!" she muttered at them, secretly worried for her friend. What if they accidentally killed the real girl? Her blood froze in her veins at the terrifying thought.

"Mars, what did I do now!" both Moon's wailed at the Senshi with identical tones.

Mercury just stared, then giggled helplessly. She looked down at the Mercury computer, typing for a moment.

"Do something, Tuxedo Kamen!" The real Sailor Moon shouted, finally yanking her hair free. 'Or I will! This clone is going to be moon-dust, when I get my hair free!'

"Yes, please do something." the other Moon replied, yanking her hair free, too.

"This is bad. This is bad." Tuxedo Kamen murmured under his breath, dropping his face into his hands with a thump. Here he'd come to rescue one of the girls that he loved-and there were now three! Shouldn't his senses be telling him which was the real girl he loved? But right then, he was so exhausted he was barely stopping himself was weaving around on his feet like a drunken sailor. He was very concerned for the real blonde girl also. What if they accidentally killed the wrong one?

'Oh man, I can't take this. Not after the last 24 hours of madness I just underwent because of the love-spell' he groaned mentally, just wanting it all over with. Then he could go home and get some sleep, and face Usagi with a fresh outlook. "Which is the real Sailor Moon?" he asked them tiredly.

"Me!"

"No, me!"

"That isn't helping any!" Mars snapped at them both, purple eyes seeking out any differences between the two girls. As far as she could see, they were absolutely identical. The clone was even mimicking the real Sailor Moon's mannerism's, which made it that much more difficult.

Both Moons turned and blew a raspberry at Sailor Mars rudely.

"Hey," Sailor Moon gasped. That was a private, affectionate thing that she and Rei did. How the heck did the Dark Kingdom pick up on that? "Don't do that! Only I'm allowed to do that." She was getting very, very mad.

"Says who?" the other Moon glared. She turned back to Tuxedo Kamen, batting her lashes again. "Take me on a date, tall dark and handsome?" she inquired, eyes sweet and innocent.

'Ah ha!' Tuxedo Kamen took a deep breath, then reached swiftly into his tuxedo jacket. He removed a perfect red rose-and then flung it swiftly at the Sailor Moon who had asked him out.

Her eyes widened, then the rose impaled through her chest. She shrieked, flailing about.

Sailor Moon never hesitated. The moment that the rose had hit, she removed her tiara and flung it at the Youma. "Moon Tiara Magic!" she cried out.

The other Sailor Moon swiftly turned to dust, mouth gaping stupidly. "I just wanted a daaaaaaate!" she screamed in outrage, then was gone.

"Take that! How dare you pretend to be me?" Sailor Moon glared at the pile of dust, almost wishing that she could bring the Youma back to beat the crap out of it! 'How dare the Dark Kingdom do this! I'm gonna kill Zoisite!' she fumed silently.

"All right-well, that was weird," Jupiter said, not knowing whether to cheer or laugh. "So was she a distraction?"

"So Zoisite could go after another Crystal?" Mercury murmured, worried. Well, the Mercury computer had come up with nothing, but still...that youma had the strangest name. "Do you really think so, Mars?"

"What about the Moon Wand, Sailor Moon?" Mars said, staring hard at their panting leader. Sailor Moon was rubbing at her head and wincing. "Did it react at all?" And why on earth hadn't her best friend used her weapon?

"What?" Sailor Moon paused, removing her hand as she saw that everyone was staring at her intently. She flushed under the stares. "The Wand? No, no. It didn't beep or anything." she told them hastily, eyes falling on Tuxedo Kamen. 'He's still here? Why?' she asked herself silently. He usually took off right after fights. The 'dashing hero disappears into the night' routine.

"Well that's a relief. I don't want to fight Zoisite after this fiasco." Sailor Mars growled, stomping over to the pile of dust. She kicked it in a few directions disdainfully with her high heels.

"How did you know that I was the real Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen?" Sailor Moon asked thankfully, walking over to the cloaked hero. Tuxedo Kamen looked down at her, deep blue eyes seemingly startled at her question. She looked up at him with wide eyes, absently taking in his hunky form. As always her eyes were drawn to his cloak. She loved that cloak! 'I wish I could bury my face in it.' she thought wistfully, then flushed red in embarrassment.

Tuxedo Kamen smiled slyly at the blonde, eyes intent on her flushed cheeks. 'I wonder what she's thinking?' he thought absently. "She asked me out on a date." he replied simply, blue eyes staring down into her own.

'She's so beautiful.' he thought, eyes drifting involuntarily over her lips. 'I wonder if she will hit me if I try to kiss her? Usagi's sure got a temper on her, so trying to get a kiss from that girl will be an impossible task!' The day had been absolutely crazy and he was exhausted-yet could truthfully say that he's love to jump Sailor Moon and kiss her thoroughly!

Tuxedo Kamen's eyes flitted over the other Senshi assessingly, mentally counting the possible seconds of kissing he could get in before they pried him off their leader.

"What? So I can't-er, we can never…umm-that didn't come out right. So-I'll just be leaving now!" Sailor Moon shouted, rushing past him. Her face was glowing as red as a tomato. "Bye guys!" she yelled over her shoulder, making a clean get-away.

'Oh! I am so embarrassed!' she wailed mentally, heading into the alley.

"Damn," Tuxedo Kamen said under his breath, standing frozen. Just as he had decided to kiss her senseless-and the other Senshi be damned-the love of his life had dashed away! 'Er- one of the loves of my life.' he amended silently, making a getaway before the Senshi realised what happened.

He swept regally into an alley on the left side of the store and de-transformed into Mamoru. The dark-haired Collage student shook his head, smiling ruefully. "My life is way too complicated!" he complained loudly.

He walked to the end of the alley and glanced out. Further down the street, he saw Usagi, walking swiftly away, bags in hand. His heart began to quickly speed up at the sight of the girl he had been stalking for the last few days. He frowned after her in annoyance. "Where has she been? I've been looking everywhere!" As usual, he'd only seen her when he wasn't looking.

"Amazing," he murmured in amusement. "We didn't even crash into each other."

Of course though, the spell had worn off-and though he still loved her like crazy-he really had to go home and think this over! "How can I be in love with two women?" he demanded to the world at large. It was just inconceivable. He glared upwards. "This is some cosmic joke-right?"

Mamoru hesitated, completely torn. Of course, his er-hormones/heart won over. He swore softly under his breath, gritted his teeth and then dashed back into the alley. It took only a moment to transform into Tuxedo Kamen again. "Right! This time, I am getting a kiss." he announced firmly, filled with resolution.

The hero glanced upwards, then leapt easily onto the roof. He turned and began furiously rushing across the roof-tops, for about three buildings. Then he stopped hurriedly, jumped down into an alley and de-transformed.

Mamoru ran swiftly towards the end of the alley and carefully peered out. Sure enough, Usagi was there, storming down the sidewalk furiously. Her blue eyes were flashing, cheeks flushed prettily. She was still angry? Mamoru winced as he saw the pace she was going. "This is going to hurt." he told himself. He took a deep breath, ran a hand through his hair to smooth it down-and then bravely stepped out of the alley-

And right into the blonde's path. He didn't even have time to brace himself.

Immediately, they crashed into each other very painfully.

Usagi shrieked in surprise, bags flying in all directions. Her heart thundered in shock, eyes wide as she lost her balance and the person she had crashed into fell back helplessly under her weight. 'Oh no!'

"Ooof!" Mamoru grunted as Usagi smashed into his chest, knocking them over before he could blink. The blonde had barrelled into him with the force of a bullet. She shrieked into his ear, then clung for dear life as he fell over backwards un-gracefully, with her on top. They hit the ground with a sickening thud, Mamoru just managing to save his head from been bounced on the ground painfully.

Mamoru stare dazedly up at the sky, which was slowly turning darker as the sun began to set. 'It's my lot in life to be bowled over by this girl, I swear,' he told himself, groaning. 'Of course, it was my fault-but still...' He continued to lay there, aware of the warmth from the girl laying on top of him. Absurdly, he was comfortable.

Usagi groaned, nose mashed into a muscled chest. She really didn't need to look up to tell who it was that she had crashed into. The warm body she was laying on was as familiar to her as her own nose. And given that she had crashed into him so often, she even knew his scent. 'He smells like roses.' she thought absently, nose wrinkling in perplexity. Where had she smelt that intoxicating scent before?

"Don't you have anything better to do than crash into me, you creep?" she grunted into his shirt, laying stunned. Her head was spinning a little and for a weird reason-she was strangely comfortable where she was.

"Excuse me, but you crashed into me, Odango Atama," Mamoru replied, lying blatantly. He grinned, then quickly hid it as Usagi lifted her face and glare into his eyes furiously. 'That's my girl.'

"What?" she shrieked at him. "This is your fault! Where did you come from anyway?" she demanded suspiciously, looking around from her position on top of him. The street had a few people, obviously coming home from shopping or work or something-but still, she was sure she would have seen him coming a mile off. All though, she had been distracted after the fight, and angry too. Between the annoying guy beneath her and the clone-it added up to one extremely peeved Senshi.

"I was walking down the street, Odango. While you were obviously in la-la land." he told her tauntingly, enjoying every moment. Her deep blue eyes flashed at him, annoyance clear in their beautiful depths. Her breathing deepened as she glared at him, faces only a few tantalising centimetres apart. 'Does she realise that she's just laying on me?' he wondered.

Mamoru purposefully kept his hands flat on the ground. He wanted nothing more than to wrap them tightly around the blonde's waist and never let go.

"La-la land?" Usagi muttered, eyes turning into blue flames of fury. She suddenly recalled where she was and scrambled off of Mamoru swiftly, flushing. Sure, it was coming on night-but she had been plastered along Mamoru's length on a sidewalk! She stood there, trembling slightly under his gaze, which seemed a strange combination of amusement and something else.

"Why must you constantly humiliate me?" she wailed at him, looking around for her bags. "You're everywhere!"

Mamoru got easily to his feet, wincing as his back ached. As Usagi was leaning over to her bags, he quickly scanned her for injuries. He'd never forgive himself is she had been harmed by his stepping into her path. She fell enough without his help, he knew well. 'Oh well, I knew she'd bowl me over.'

He shrugged back the pain and continued to watch as the blonde collected all of her bags. Mamoru averted his eyes as she turned her back to him, still leaning over. The hem of her dress rose alarmingly. Did she even know that her underwear was almost showing when she did that? "So-been shopping, hmm, Odango?" he asked casually, crossing his arms and trying to appear normal. She didn't know about the events of the last few days, after all.

But his little blonde was driving him crazy!

Leaning over, Usagi stiffened, hands full of purchases. Her blue eyes narrowed. "Shopping?" she murmured, abruptly remembering that he had been possibly following her all day. "Yes!" she snapped, springing up and turning swiftly to face him in one movement. "What were you doing all day, mister?" she demanded, eyes sweeping over his form. T his was really one of the longest conversations that they'd had. His arms were crossed casually over his green jacket, blue eyes filled with amusement and mockery.

Usagi felt a slight pang for an unknown reason. Why couldn't he ever be nice to her?

"Me?" Mamoru swallowed hard. So-Usagi had noticed him trailing her? That was not good. And he'd been so careful, too. 'Oh nothing, Usagi. Following you, under the throes of a love spell all day, dying to kiss your lights out-being chased by fat women and security guards…' He was so tempted to tell her exactly what he had been doing, but bit the impulse back at the last moment. He'd scare her off and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

"I was at home studying for an exam," he said, eyes narrowing challengingly at her. "A thing that you could never comprehend."

"What?" she growled at him, eyes narrowing further. Usagi stomped closer, arms full of bags. Her eyes were fill of disbelief and anger. She studied! "I don't have to take your insults! And I don't believe you either!" she yelled with surety, wishing that her hands were free so that she could point accusingly in his face. "You were following me all day, weren't you?" Who else could it have possibly been? And why was she so determined to make the annoying guy admit it?

"Me? Follow you?" He filled his voice to the brim with incredulity. He stepped closer to her, mouth turned upwards in a mocking smile. "Now why would I do that, Odango Atama?" he asked her silkily. 'What can she say now?' he thought triumphantly. Embarrassing the girl was a sure-fire way to have her back down-or beat the lights out of him!

He watched with sudden interest, as the blonde flushed scarlet, the redness spreading over her pure skin like a fine mist. No artist could ever hope to accomplish such an act on paper. And his angel looked just too adorable when embarrassed.

Usagi flushed under the obviously mocking glance that the older guy was giving her and suddenly, she was uncertain again. 'What if it wasn't him? Then-I've just made a fool of myself? No way!" She frowned fiercely up at him, thrusting her way closer until the bags were crushed between them. She was determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Look here, jerk, I know that it was you. No one else in the entire city has that green jacket!" She smiled triumphantly, lashes falling over her eyes to hide their expression. She realised vaguely that her feet were touching Mamoru's and that his every breath was wafting over her face. Her heart began to slowly beat faster, but she was not going to move from her spot until Mamoru gave her an answer.

Mamoru grimaced involuntarily. 'The jacket! Damn. If I hadn't been under the spell, I would have hidden better.' He rolled his eyes in exasperation. 'I could have bought new clothes to hide from her-but no. I buy a pair of sunglasses! Chiba, you're a moron.'

He shifted slightly, realising that their shoes were touching. Usagi was really close. He could see the lighter blue flecks in her beautiful eyes, which he seemed never to have noticed before in their encounters.

"Well?" Usagi shouted impatiently in his face. She shifted her bags impatiently, wondering why he hadn't answered her. In fact, Mamoru seemed to be looking at her face with a startling intensity that made her flush again. 'What is he staring at?' She bit her lip nervously. 'Do I have dirt on my face?' What a very embarrassing thought to be arguing with the upperclassman with something smudged on her face. But she would be damned if she would start rubbing at her cheeks and forehead in front of him.

Instead, she fixed Mamoru with a steely look.

Mamoru tried to look affronted, while once again afforded a view of Usagi's blushing. He was so tempted to find out what was making her blush so much. What was she thinking about? Him? "You have something against my jacket?" He looked down at it assessingly, then glanced sideways at the blonde who was standing so close. Her expression was bewildered for a moment, as if she had forgotten entirely, what they had been discussing.

"No! I mean yes! I mean-! You're so annoying!" She glared at him, thrusting her face upward and as close as she could over the bags between them. She couldn't believe just how annoying he was! But still, her heart continued to beat crazily at their proximity. Thank the Gods that Mamoru didn't seem to even notice.

"You're a creep." she said vaguely, hoping that her voice sounded more insulting than it did to her ears. Here she was trying to fight back and all she could think about was how close she was standing to him! He was just-so distracting! And her fingers positively itched to brush back a lock of his dark hair that had fallen over his eyes.

"And you're an Odango Atama." Mamoru replied absently, looking down at her. They were so close that their lips were almost touching and Mamoru had an insane urge to sweep her into his arms and kiss her. But now that the spell had worn off, he was far more prudent. His little Odango was furious at him and looked as if she's like to cheerfully beat the hell out of him! No, this was not a good time to jump her.

He stared into her eyes, seeing bewilderment again. And anger and-a sort of glazed look that he couldn't define.

"Don't call me that!" Usagi managed, gritting her teeth, eyes glaring into his. She felt a surge of rage at what he was making her feel. 'Why does he make me so angry? And why do I feel so strange!' she wondered, trying to burn holes through his face with her eyes. Unfortunately, his smugly smiling face didn't melt. And just that look made her knees feel all weak.

"I live to call you that." Mamoru murmured under his breath, eyes sweeping over her features openly. 'Does she realise just how close she's standing to me?' he wondered briefly. But for the bags crushed between them, Usagi would have been practically in his arms! And she had been the one to close the gap between them. They never had fought like normal people though and constantly invaded each other's personal space.

The dark-haired man's eyes returned to hers and locked. 'Don't look away.' he commanded silently.

Usagi stood stunned as she abruptly realised just how close they were. She was almost in his arms and pressed so close that she could see the flecks in his eyes were silver. He was staring at her with an intensity that made everything around them melt away. And she had thrust up against him! Had he noticed how close they were? She hoped not. She swallowed as she looked into his eyes as saw that he was looking right down into her eyes, which were so close and burning with a strange emotion.

Their eyes locked.

'What is-this?' Usagi asked herself slowly, eyes filled with stunned dismay. Her heart began to thunder in her chest, lips parting. 'What is going on?' she asked frantically inside her head, unable to remove her eyes from his. She was sinking in…And she wanted to stay there.

A horn beeped a block away and Usagi leapt backwards as if she had been burnt. Thankfully, she had not dropped her bags. She stared silently at Mamoru for a long moment, eyes filled with fear, desire and bewilderment-then bolted around him and raced towards home as if the hounds of hell were after her.

Mamoru blinked, then turned quickly to watch the girl go. Her long golden hair streamed out behind her in the light of the setting sun, turning it to pure gold. "What just happened here?" he said aloud, watching until Usagi disappeared from sight. "Is it possible that Usagi likes me? She seemed as transfixed as I was." He turned and slowly began to walk home, heading in the opposite direction.

His hands slipped into his jacket pockets, eyes as bewildered as Usagi's had been. It had almost been as if the girl he had was hopelessly in love with had abruptly realised that she felt something…

'That was an attraction, Chiba! And no denying!' He smiled slowly in satisfaction, eyes glinting with fierce triumph.. "Usagi likes me, but doesn't know it. Perfect!"

He felt like shouting in joy. Finally, after all those months-and him falling for her, the little blonde was seeing him. He was perfectly sure that Usagi had just that very minute realised her attraction to him. That their fights hid more than they revealed. He sighed deeply, staring up at the now-dark sky. The sun had fully set as they had stared at each other. He turned his head briefly to look back in the direction Usagi had fled, wondering if he ought to have walked her home to make sure she was safe.

'No,' He shook his head, smiling slightly. 'Usagi will be home already, at the pace she was running.' Yes, his little blonde had fled from him as if he were the devil. Not too flattering-considering. Or was it? If she was so scared of what she was feeling-then they would have to be intense.

He smiled wickedly. Now-how to make her love him?

To Be Continued...

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I might get one out a little later today, but this took two hours to edit so we'll have to see.

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Princess Destiny