Trapped Together Till Haloween

The next morning dawned bright and crystal clear. Everything had been washed clean and was revitalized by the storm. The air was a little cooler and breezy but the sunshine was still warm.

They had both finished breakfast and Usagi decided she wanted to wash her hair. Grabbing the shampoo and a few other things, she headed for the spring.

The storm had caused the little trickle to become quite a fountain. Usagi stepped from stone to stone in the stream the fountain had spawned. As she looked up at the rushing water, she decided there was even enough that she could take a shower in it. She’d be cold but Usagi decided it would still be worth it. She stood to the side of the flowing water and bent down to put her shampoo on a sunny patch of ground.

As she let go, the sunny patch suddenly erupted into a writhing twisting snake and it was angry. This big thing had interrupted its nice nap in its favorite warm spot! The snake was determined that the big thing would pay.

Usagi had been so startled by the snake that she slipped on the mud and fell back flat on her butt with a scream.

Mamoru heard her and immediately ran toward the spring. Up ahead he saw Usagi on the ground and a fairly large tan and yellow snake curling up to strike. Alarm shot through him as he recognized the viper shape of its head. He instantly knew it was going to bite and that it would be a very bad thing for Usagi with them stuck out there alone.

The thought for his next action never made it to his brain. It had formed in his heart and went straight to his fingers. Just as the snake had started to strike, a red rose pierced it’s head and firmly stuck into the ground in front of Usagi.

The snake’s body was now thrashing around the stem that impaled it. The rose held true and the danger to Usagi was over. Tuxedo Kamen ran up to her and breathlessly asked as he reached for her, “Are you okay?”

Usagi sat on the ground staring wide-eyed at the rose. She looked up at the familiar black suit and cape on the man who had hidden much from her behind his white mask.

Usagi slowly stood and she was trembling. Tuxedo Kamen’s concern for her showed even from behind his mask. She wanted to cry. She wanted to hide in a safe dark place and try to come to terms with the overwhelming information she had just been undeniably presented with. Sad to say, there wasn’t anyplace like that on the island.

Usagi whispered, “Thank you once again, Tuxedo Kamen, for saving me.” She numbly turned to head back to the camp.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tuxedo Kamen had clearly heard the words she had whispered. [‘once again’?] he silently questioned. [When had I saved Usagi in the past? I don’t think ever. I’d have remembered if I had.] Now totally confused, Tuxedo Kamen quickly went after Usagi. He caught up to her beside the lean-to and grabbed her arm to make her stand still.

Looking searchingly at Usagi, he asked, “What do you mean, ‘again’?”

She wasn’t ready to tell him but Usagi could see he wouldn’t let her go. Sighing, Usagi haltingly answered, “I-I’m…S-Sailor Moon.”

He stared incredulously at her for a moment then angrily responded, “Don’t kid about stuff like that! You *can’t* be Sailor Moon!”

Shocked, Usagi stuttered, “W-w-what?” Here she had told him her biggest secret and he *didn’t* believe her! Finally she gathered her wits enough to demand, “Why *can’t* I be?!”

Looking at her skeptically, he said, “Okay, prove it then! Transform.”

Usagi’s face drained of all color. She mournfully answered, “I-I can’t! The Senshi took my brooch when they abandoned me on this damn island!”

Tuxedo Kamen’s eyes narrowed dangerously on her as he growled, “I figured you copied her hairstyle because you were a fan of hers, but this is just too low! Are you sick in the head or something? Why would you tell me, of all people, that you’re Sailor Moon?! Did you forget that I *KNOW* Sailor Moon? I *WORK* with her and yes, I *SAVE* her!”

Tears began to stream down Usagi’s face as she listened to him rant. She sobbed, “Why is it so hard for you to believe that I’m Sailor Moon?!”

He turned back to her and yelled, “Sailor Moon is the bravest, strongest, most loyal person I know! She has the heart of a lion and the strength to save the world! *YOU* Usagi, aren’t *ANY* of those things!”

Truly, he might as well have just used his hand and struck her down! It would have hurt less. It hurt her so badly she couldn’t even cry. Silently she turned and ran from him and his horrible accusations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tuxedo Kamen stood in the now silent camp and fumed. [How *dare* she! Like Usagi could *ever* do the things Sailor Moon does! Usagi’s a crybaby!] Suddenly, Tuxedo Kamen’s mind recalled Sailor Moon wailing the jewelry store down around their ears. He added, [Sailor Moon *never* gives up on people or a fight.] His mind replayed all the times he’d seen Usagi turn from him in anger then square her shoulders and turn back to face him again. Slowly, Tuxedo Kamen came to the realization that he had probably just made the biggest mistake of his entire life.

“Oh, God!” the shocked hero whispered. He considered all he knew about Usagi and realized she was very brave. Her strength of will and her strength of love were the strongest he’d ever known. He knew Usagi would never turn away from anyone in need if she could help them. Anyone who was lucky enough to call Usagi their friend had love and loyalty that would never end.

“Oh God!” Tuxedo Kamen whispered again as he suddenly knew beyond a doubt. Usagi was absolutely the *only* person in the world who *could* be Sailor Moon!

A new realization came to Tuxedo Kamen on the heels of the first one. This one made him fall to his knees. He, Chiba Mamoru, Tuxedo Kamen, *LOVED* Tsukino Usagi, Sailor Moon with all his heart and soul!

Tears pour down from behind his mask as Tuxedo Kamen realized how badly he had hurt the one person he never wanted to ever hurt. Ripping off his mask, he scrubbed at his tears. [No time for that now!] he scolded himself, [You’ve got to find her and apologize!]

Tuxedo Kamen stood to go and realized he heard music. [That’s odd. Where’s it coming from?] he wondered. Quickly swinging his head around a few times, he found the music was coming from a rock on the side of the camp. He picked the rock up and saw a purse in a hole and the music was louder. It was also *very* familiar. Tuxedo Kamen opened the purse and dug to the bottom. He pulled out a shiny golden star locket and any possible doubt he had left was resolved.

Tuxedo Kamen closed the locket. When he went to put it back, he couldn’t help noticing the rest of the contents of the purse. Wide eyed he tried to count then mumbled, “What the hell?” He also saw a letter. When he pulled it out and read it he chuckled, “No wonder Usagi wouldn’t talk about Minako’s letter!” He continued to chuckle as he returned everything to its place. With new resolution and a curiously lighter heart, Tuxedo Kamen went to track down his valuable prey.

As he searched he wondered if he could use the same pull he always felt for Sailor Moon with Usagi. Tuxedo Kamen stretched his mind’s senses out to scan the area and was ecstatic when he felt her presence. It wasn’t as strong as when she was transformed but it was definitely Usagi. No wonder the girl always drove him crazy! They were attached subconsciously and had been unknowingly drawn to each other like magnets.

He found her on the opposite side of the island, curled up against the cliff and hidden by the vegetation. To say she was surprised he had found her was an understatement.

With a sad and stricken look, Usagi went to run from him again. She couldn’t bear to hear anymore of the horrible things he had said to her.

Tuxedo Kamen quickly caught her in his arms. She struggled a few moments then realized it was a lost cause. She wasn’t getting away if he didn’t want her to go.

Usagi sighed with resignation and became still in his arms. Tuxedo Kamen wrapped his cape around her and held her close. He whispered, “Usagi, I’m sorry,” then brushed a kiss on her left palm. He whispered, “Sailor Moon, I’m very sorry. Please forgive me,” then pressed a kiss into her right palm.

Looking up, Tuxedo Kamen’s eyes were unmasked and they clearly showed all that was in his heart. He whispered, “I love you with all my heart and soul! I want to be with you, forever. Please forgive me and give me another chance.”

Usagi was once again speechless. Her addled brain finally caught up with all that he had said. Her eyes got impossibly wider as she asked, “Y-you…you love…me?”

Tuxedo Kamen nodded then again simply said, “I love you. Please forgive me.”

Her smile returned and lit up her face and eyes, “Oh!” she exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck, “I love you too! I forgive you, I love you!!”

Standing up, Tuxedo Kamen leaned his head down to kiss her. He gratefully whispered against her lips, “Thank you! Thank you so much for loving me!”

They kissed and Usagi tasted the salty tanginess of his tears. She hugged him closer to comfort him.

A multicolored glow began to appear above the couple as they kissed. Suddenly, seven glittering jewels materialized. The jewels came together above their heads and in a brilliant flash they merged into one blindingly bright crystal clear jewel. The light shining down transformed the couple. Usagi now wore a shimmering white Princess dress and Tuxedo Kamen wore an imposing, dark suit of armor.

It was the clothes that tipped Usagi off that something was happening. It had dawned on her that Mamoru’s hands weren’t caressing her bare flesh anymore. There were now a few layers of material between them.

Mamoru had also realized he wasn’t touching her silky skin anymore. He was somewhat disappointed until he broke their kiss and looked at Usagi. With a gasp he exclaimed, “Princess Serenity! I’ve found you! You’re free!”

The Silver Crystal floating above them had restored their memories of their past lives. Usagi as the Princess joyously answered, “Endymion! My precious Prince Endymion!”

They kissed again even more passionately until something fell on the Princess’s head and got stuck on one of her golden royal hair-buns. It was heavy and it pulled. The Princess exclaimed, “Ow!” as she reached up to grab whatever it was that was hurting her.

Prince Endymion was staring at her as he stuttered, “Y-y-your…your hair!”

The Princess was finally able to untangle the object and saw it was the Moon Wand with the Silver Crystal finally in its proper place on the base of the crescent. Looking back up at Prince Endymion, she asked, “What about my hair?”

The Prince reached out and reverently wrapped a long ponytail around his hand. He pulled it to his face and began to rub it against his cheek. Joyously, he whispered, “It’s back!” He grabbed the other ponytail and actually wrapped it around his neck twice.

Laughing, Princess Serenity reached up and tried to untwist her hair from him but he possessively held on to it tightly. “Endymion!” she admonished. He laughed and used her hair to pull her close. He passionately kissed her again all the while rubbing her hair between his fingers.

When they finally broke their kiss, Princess Serenity also took a look at her hair. Amazingly it was *all* there as if it had never been cut!

She looked up and they kissed again as their transformations faded back into their island attire. They could have transformed again to keep the clothes but it would have been very taxing on their energy reserves. They didn’t mind though. Both of them had become used to the freedom and comfort of the light outfits.

Chapter 7 - If You’re Happy And You Know It… will be posted soon. ^_^


Thank you for reading my story. If you\'re enjoying it, or if you have any (politely worded) suggestions/comments about my story, please let me know via review. I truly appreciate all feedback. ^_^

Sincerely,


Luna Hope ^_^