Usagi woke up the next morning and headed straight for the arcade. Sure enough Mamoru was inside having his usual morning coffee. Motoki was busy with another customer. 'Perfect, I need to talk to Mamoru... alone.'
The glass doors slid open and Mamoru looked up to see who had entered. He looked nervous. Very nervous. Usagi averted his gaze until she sat on the stool next to him. She took a deep breath and tried to think of the right way to go about this. But, she didn't have time to say a word. Mamoru suddenly reached out and grazed the wound upon her neck. Usagi shivered as his fingers slowly traced the length of the cut. Mamoru looked into Usagi's eyes with worry. She gazed back and immediately they both knew. Identities were no longer secret.
"We need to talk" Mamoru said as he stood up.
"That we do" Usagi replied as she followed him out the door.
Mamoru led her down the street to his apartment. They rode the elevator in silence. Both too busy thinking about the situation to utter out a word.
Within a few minutes they arrived at Mamoru's door. Usagi was nervous. She had no idea what to say. Mamoru put his keys on the table and sat down on his leather couch. Usagi stood in the middle of the room clasping her hands together nervously.
"Please sit Usa" Mamoru said as he reached out and gently took her hand. He guided her to the couch and turned to her as she slowly sat down. They both just stared at each other for awhile. Usagi couldn't stand the silence anymore.
"So you know?"
"Yeah, I guess I do" Mamoru replied cautiously.
"So, what now?"
"I just can't believe it" Mamoru said staring off into the distance. "It's just so ... so.."
Usagi didn't know what to think. Was it really that hard to grasp? She could be Sailor Moon! Why not?
"So what? So IMPOSSIBLE?" Usagi replied angrily. "What I couldn't be Sailor Moon? Is that just so hard to believe?"
"No, that's not..." Mamoru started to explain, but he was quickly interrupted.
"I'm too much of a klutz and... and ... a cry-baby?" Usagi said as tears began to silently slide down her delicate face.
"Usagi, I never said any of those things! I have feelings for you don't you see?" Mamoru said as he reached over and tried to embrace her.
"For me? Or for Sailor Moon?" Usagi asked as she resisted his attempt.
Mamoru sat back for a minute trying to think of a way to explain this to her. He had loved her all along. Both as Usagi and as Sailor Moon. Obviously his moment went on a little longer than it should have because Usagi stood up and headed for the door.
"Never mind Mamoru, your silence says it all. I don't have time to deal with this. Every guy in Tokyo has a crush on Sailor Moon. I thought after all this maybe you would be different."
"Usagi, please don't leave you have to let me ..." Mamoru replied as he hurried towards her.
But it was too late. She had already slammed the door.
Mamoru just stood there. He didn't know what to do. She wouldn't even let him tell her the truth! What had gotten into her? He paced around his apartment a few times then decided to go after her. She had to know the truth.
Usagi just couldn't do this right now. She needed to get away. She headed for the one place that helped her feel calm. The park.
It was getting dark and Usagi was feeling nervous wandering around with no one accompanying her. She soon found herself on a worn out path that led to a garden filled with roses. Even in the dim light she could see how beautiful and luscious they were. She paused to take in the delightful smell, taking in the good and breathing out the bad. 'I have got to empty my mind' she thought to herself.
'But of course all I can think about is HIM!' She sighed as she flopped down onto the ground.
'Why oh why did he have to be like everyone else... I should have known, he is much too attractive and smart to be in love with a girl like me...'
Just then the young blonde heard a rustling in the bushes. She sat up and quickly clutched her brooch. For only a moment everything remained still. Usagi slowly rose feeling unusually brave. She took one small step before she tripped over something very large and slippery. She looked up from the ground and came eye to eye with a small, yet fierce looking tentacled creature. She scrambled to her feet thrusting her brooch into the air.
"Moon crystal power make up!"
It was too late. The tentacles wrapped around her petite form squeezing her harder than before. She could feel her lungs were ready to collapse and despite her best efforts, not a sound could be heard coming from her mouth. She could feel herself slipping away and nothing could stop it. Tears ran down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. 'I love you Mamoru.'
Meanwhile Mamoru was back at his apartment frantically pacing around his living room.
'That definitely had not gone the way I planned… Yes I know.. I didn't even have a plan! But if I did, it would most definitely not have been that mess!' He sat on the couch clenching his head in his hands trying really hard to fight the urge to break something. And then it happened. He felt her morph.
'Not now! Why now!' He quickly rose from the impeccably white couch and quickly ran out the door following his senses. He had no clue where to go but something was guiding him as it always does. A dark alley came into view where he transformed, and took to leaping over buildings to achieve his goal at a faster pace. He arrived at the park and approached the bench to which, unbeknownst to him, held Usagi only moments before. He could feel her. He could feel pain and … then silence. It was gone.
'What does this mean?' He thought frantically searching for the young heroin. Tentacles reached out from the ground and surrounded the Tuxedo clad man around the ankles. In a matter of seconds Tuxedo Kamen was suspended in the air. And again out of nowhere one of the Generals materialized before him.
"Kunzite" he growled.
"How nice to see you Tuxedo Kamen" the platinum blonde said smirking. "You are all so horribly predictable! All I have to do is capture the klutzy blonde and you all come running." He said laughing.
"I don't see any Senshi here" Tuxedo Kamen managed to say through the incredible amount of pain he was experiencing.
"Good, they would only get in the way."
"Where is she Kunzite?"
Kunzite laughed and snapped his gloved fingers. Another set of tentacles appeared holding onto an unconscious Tsukino Usagi.
"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Kamen yelled as he tried to free his arm.
"Oh Tuxedo Kamen.. don't you mean Usagi? This pathetic mess doesn't look like Sailor Moon to me." The General smirked.
"I know she was transformed. I felt it. Let her go. I MEAN IT!"
To his surprise, and instant regret, Kunzite did just that. Kunzite snapped his fingers and Usagi began to fall to the ground.
"DIE TUXEDO KAMEN!" Kunzite yelled ferociously as the tentacles all went straight for the struggling raven haired man.
Neither Tuxedo Kamen nor Kunzite could fully comprehend what happened next. Before Usagi's body could hit the ground a bright, white light erupted from her small body. Everything felt warm, if only for the briefest moment. Tuxedo Kamen worked up the courage to open his eyes, unsure of what to expect. And what he saw nearly took his breath away. The tentacles were gone and there stood Usagi, still surrounded by the warm, inviting light. Only now she was dressed in a white flowing gown and a golden crescent moon gracing her forehead. She looked stunning. Neither man could look away.
"I found her." They both said at the same time. They looked at each other in confusion.
Sorry I didn't add too much new to the chapter but its better than nothing right? -_-' I am hoping this will get me going again! Thank you for the patience and support 3