A/N: I am actually unsure how to start this…Hmnn, well, first the obvious (though I have stated this in the first chapter), this story have Seiya for a leading man. If you are - in any way – a strict canon fan of Mamoru-Usagi, there is the big chance you will not like this story.

From some reviews I have gotten from you guys (I am grateful for getting reviews, let that be cleared) there is a misunderstanding of the direction of my story. While I am more known for my Mamoru-Usagi stories, in no way would I box myself to that particular pairing. There are too many good plots for Usagi being paired with Diamond, even Yaten. Do not get me wrong. I love Mamoru. He was and always will be, first love.

But the Stars arc gave me a contender for my affection for the Baka. Kou Seiya will always have a very dear spot in my stories. I have stated it in 'One Day' and I will state it again here. Before fan fiction I was slowly but surely crossing to the Seiya-Usagi fan club. But reading stories from Lilac Summers and Princess Destiny gave me a new appreciation for Mamoru which prompted me to post the stories you have been reading now.

And now that I have posted them, I see nothing wrong in posting my other stories that are not Mamoru-Usagi related. My one wish is this: Please never request any illogical twist like Mamoru turning evil, getting killed, etc. for no apparent reason but simply because you hated the guy. I HATE IT when characters start acting OOC. I would FLAME stories like that except I was raised to be courteous. Same goes for a Mamoru-Usagi flick with Seiya acting all mean and not himself. What in heaven's name is wrong with those writers? It never made sense to me. If you hate a character so much, then why bother to add him/her in your story?

Ranting done, here is the next chapter.

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Counterfeited Love

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Choose your love, and then love your choice.

'Who was it that said 'They do not love that do not show their love' Because who ever it was,' thought Tsukino Usagi, 'it was a very good argument to make.'

She sighed, a bit sad, a tad blue, and a great deal in doubt. Love, for all the problems that it had caused on the poor girl, was still the mysterious force of eons past. And love had caused a great amount of problems for the reincarnated Moon princess. Not to mention the many heartbreaks and let downs she had to go through.

If it was possible, she would shove love out of her system and pretty much live alone, surrounded by friends and NO lovers what so ever.

"Mina-chan," she asked her friend, "what the heck is love, anyway?" She looked questioningly at her friend, expression hopeful. Growing up and with no more bad guys to fight had given the rest of the Scouts time to pursue their many interests. Usagi had cheerfully told them to follow their dreams and practically forced the Inner Guardians to go and experience new things. Ami had gone to Germany to further her studies, Rei had gone on a sabbatical to cleanse her spirits, and Makoto went to France to study cooking.

Aino Minako, however, stayed.

It was a curious thing. Usagi had cajoled and whined, asking for the reason why Mina had not taken the chance to be normal and Minako had simply looked at her and said, "What, staying and going to college in Japan is not being normal?"

Good point.

But still, there was a mystery behind her reason; one that Usagi knew involved her. It always involved her, one way or the other.

'When had it not?' the girl thought resentfully. Her blue eyes were clouded and a frown marred her features. 'It seems that everything that happened was all because of me, either directly or indirectly.'

That thought sucked. No girl wanted to be blamed for the destruction of the world.

Minako saw the kaleidoscope of emotions that appeared on her friend's face. She grimaced and started picking on the blades of grass underneath them as they sat on the ground of the park, a week after the return of the Three Lights. "I really have no clue, Usa."

Usagi gave her a look of disbelief. "I thought you were supposed to be the Goddess of Love and Beauty?"

That was answered with a snort. "Oh, puleeeaaasssseeee," Minako whined. "I don't mean to sound mean, but did you really believe all that junk I sprouted in my speeches way back then? If so, I hasten to ask, why am I still single and a virgin if I was even remotely borderline Goddess of Love?"

Her friend's face turned beet red. "Minako-no-hentai!" Usagi screeched. "What does having a boy friend have anything to do with being a virgin?"

Usagi was shoved playfully, causing her to topple backward. "Usa-chan! Are you telling me you have yet to do the deed with Mamoru?"

"Baka!" Usagi's hand clamped down on Minako's mouth. "Couldn't you have just sky written that in the air? I don't think your voice was loud enough to be heard by the entire Juuban City." She glared at her Guardian, a look of mild irritation now on her face.

Mina bit the hand that was blocking her mouth.

"OWWWW!"

"Serves you right!" Mina said, not the least bit repenting her action. Her nose was touched and wiggled playfully and her face was puckered comically "I couldn't breathe because you were blocking my nose as well."

She watched Usagi hop up and down nursing the bitten hand. When the pain had become manageable, the Moon princess gave Minako a look that could kill. "What ever. Look, can you at least give me your idea of what love should be?"

Blue eyes turned soulful and dreamy. "Love is a many splendour thing," Minako sighed.

Usagi rolled her eyes on that one. "Oh that was original…Not! Really, Mina, I'm serious. I really want to know what love is."

"Why?"

"Huh?"

Minako stared, blue into blue, face crafty. "Why do you want to know what love is? And why would you be asking this now when out of all of the girls, you are the one with the soul bound love? Shouldn't you know what love is, eh, Serenity?" Minako raised her eyebrows at this point, her pointing finger poking Usagi's chest.

Her friend swatted the finger away. "Don't call me that," Usagi said with a hint of sadness. "Anou…it's just, these past years…" she let her sentence slowly drop to silence.

The Senshi of Love and Beauty felt a juicy gossip hanging like a forbidden fruit between her and her friend. "Well? Tell, tell," she prompted.

Usagi frowned and felt a guilty feeling slowly coming over her. Should she tell? Would Minako understand? Cerulean blue eyes turned toward the blonde and she smiled because it felt like she was looking at a distorted reflection of herself.

With a sad voice, Usagi decided to be brave and seek the confidence of her Guardian. "I'm afraid you see. It has always been a fear of mine, but I always did my best to hold it back. You see, I figured if I keep it in the most shadowed corner of my heart, it would wither and die."

Minako said nothing. In her heart, though, she marvelled at the emotion behind Usagi's words. 'Never knew Usa-chan could be so deep,' she thought in awe.

Usagi continued with her eyes downcast. "It always bothered me, because I always felt that maybe, just maybe, all I have is counterfeited love, Mina." She smiled, but it was a dead smile, and the emotions in her eyes were anything but happy thoughts. "Wouldn't it be grand, to have a love that was simply because you fell, and not because you mirrored a face from long ago?"

'Oh, Usagi,' her friend thought, 'how could you think that? And what exactly did you mean when you said 'counterfeited love'?' But she did not say it out loud. Because saying it aloud would open a can of worms.

Minako was afraid of an opened can of worms. Both literally, and figuratively speaking.

Instead, Minako went on damage control mode, because she sensed that there was damage to be righted. "Usa, you do love Chiba-san, right?"

This time, Usagi's smile was true. "I do."

"So…why ask that question?"

The clouds overhead slowly drifted like billowing sails. It hid the bright sun and for a moment, the two young women were in a shadowed world. Usagi shifted on the blanket and tried to sit more primly, while Minako, too painfully aware that things were changing – that something was changing and that it would affect the future she knew – slowly lowered her body so that she was laying on the ground looking up the illuminated clouds.

"Usagi," she called, "why ask the question?" she repeated in a soft and sad voice.

Minako tensed, waiting for the answer. The play of shadows and light on the clouds was soothing and lulled her to sleep. Too many things were happening. She needed to rest and think later. She was not aware that her eyes were slowly getting heavy, nor did she realise that her breathing was becoming deep.

But Usagi saw.

Usagi saw that Minako was becoming drowsy and she stilled any movements so that her best friend would fall asleep quicker. Eventually, Minako did fall asleep, with her beautiful face turned towards the clouds, like an angel contemplating the best way to go back home.

And Usagi, feeling jealous of how easy it was for Minako to escape to the world of make believe, lay down, too, and willed sleep to come over her.

She never answered why the question needed to be asked.

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"Heaven is missing two angels," remarked Yaten.

Kou Seiya groaned. "That was beyond cheesy, Yaten. I would think you had more class that to speak such tired old lines."

The smaller of the two young men whacked his leader's head for emphasis before his finger pointed to two figures apparently asleep underneath a shedding Sakura tree. "Correct me if I am wrong, idiot, but are those two not what you would say an angel would look like?"

Seiya bit back an oath. Holding his smarting head, his dark blue eyes followed the direction Yaten's finger was pointing to. He felt his heartbeat accelerate like crazy the moment he spotted her. He had stayed away from any contact with the blonde after that night in the bar. Intoxicated, he had not been aware of whatever it was he had said when she and her friend had returned from the bathroom.

But Yaten and Taiki were pretty much in agreement that he, Kou Seiya, had made an utter ass of himself that night. And Yaten and Taiki being Yaten and Taiki, both refused to tell him what he had said that night that would caused them to remark about him being an ass.

Seiya would certainly never ask her what he had said. He would certainly never brave the idea of even seeing her again.

This was why he slowly walked towards the two 'angels' his face inscrutable.

Because wanting something like never seeing her again, would never win over the fact that Seiya needed her to live. A moment with her was more than enough to sustain him through a lifetime. He loved her. He loves her still. She was his delicious torment.

Yaten smirked, and hands in his jean pockets, slowly followed his leader to where Usagi and Minako was sleeping.

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A/N: I will be in hiatus for one month so the next update would be roughly after that length of time. I apologize if anyone was offended with the first A/N but those are honest comments from me. That said, thank you for reading chapter three and, if possible, kindly leave a review. Please and thank you.

Also, the quote Usagi spoke of was said by William Shakespeare