uthors Notes:  Hi!  This is my first, first season 
fic, some of you might know me from 'Eyes on You', 
my unfinished alternate reality fic (but I will finish 
it, promise people!) and I thank everyone who
has supported my writing, specially the darlings at SMRFF 
who are great writers and friends.  

Something Worth Remembering
A retelling of Usagi's first kiss
Rated PG
by Rinoa


    The stars were twinkling brightly in the night sky 
a testimony that the world was safe and that good won 
the battle over evil. But, for him, it was another night 
of failure; his search of the illustrious yet evading 
ginzuishou marked another battle he lost. But, it wasn't
a total failure though.  Looking across the grand 
ballroom of the Diamond Embassy, his masked eyes focused 
on the enchanting girl he danced with, the girl who made 
him forget where he was, what he was all about.
    He snuck into the embassy in the hopes that the 
rumors were true, that his seemingly endless search 
would finally stop, and he would know if he was human.  
He never felt human; he had no memories, no past, no 
real name, and the only thing he has was this mission 
and even that felt vague and empty to him.
    This masquerade ball was a perfect setting for 
him, people hiding behind masks. There was no truth 
in them, just illusions made by the mask they were 
wearing, but they were here nonetheless.  Just like 
them, he was here but what was he?  An empty soul in 
a shell.  Everyone looked like him, empty souls in
shells.  He was questioning the reality of his existence, 
looking for evidences that might point right back to him.
    So, when he first saw her as beautiful as any 
woman he has seen, yet, there was an aura around her, 
beckoning him and him alone.  It distracted him, and 
for the first time, he lost sight of his mission and he 
strode past the other masked people, his feet moving in 
the polished marble floor, making his way to her not
knowing what to do, what to say.  As if sensing he was 
near, she whirled around and faced him.  He watched her 
face slowly rise and meet his gaze and the impact of her
beauty hit him like a tidal wave.
    There was something profoundly poignant about her 
face. It struck deep cords within him, the way her eyes 
went wide with shock and then softened with recognition, 
her mouth parting a little with surprise, and the way 
that the thousand golden candles made her face glow.  She 
wasn't wearing a mask, and to him it was a relief.  She 
was real, and she was hiding nothing from him, unlike all 
these people around him that he wouldn't remember because 
there is nothing in them worth remembering.
    "Dance with me, princess?" he heard himself ask, and 
without waiting for her answer, he took her into his arms 
and guided her into the unfamiliar world of dancing.  He 
had no recollection of learning how to waltz, just as he 
had no recollection of learning how to throw roses.  But 
both of them came to him out of a need, the first one was 
to protect and the other was to remember and create memories.
    No words were spoken between them, but the emotions 
were so thick that it need not be said.  He just simply 
understood her; he could feel the warmth of happiness 
emanating from her body and he felt so honored to be 
the cause of it.  He knew that she understood him too, 
that the feelings were mutual.  He felt relieved that 
though he might forget this intimacy between them, she 
would always remember and that was enough for him, for now.
    But as much as he tried to block the insistent 
whisperings of his mission in his mind, he woke up 
when he heard the snatch of conversation from the couple dancing beside them.
    "Yusuke-san, the vice-consul told me earlier that 
they were keeping the treasure at the door in the end 
of the hallway on the left wing.  It's heavily guarded, 
you know.  Though, I must say that the Dia Kingdom was 
a bit backwards for using men to guard the door, haven't 
they heard of the state-of-the-art Japanese security
using infrared lasers?" the talkative woman asked her partner.
    There it was--his clue.  Everything inside him 
shut down and he became the ruthless man on a mission. 
He saw that his dancing partner was also distracted 
and he took that moment to leave, not bothering to 
say good-bye, the only thought in mind was to possesthe ginzuishou.
    With superhuman speed he was at the said door, he 
opened it. In his hand was a rose, ready to fight off 
the guards.  However, he saw them lying on the floor, 
their bodies drained out of energy and he felt evil hover 
over the room.  He heard commotion on the ballroom, and 
he quickly made his way back, only to find the
littered bodies of men and women drained of energy.  It 
was a sight that he was used to, but his mind wandered 
back to the girl he had danced earlier and instinct told 
him to look at the balcony and there she was alive and was 
about to fall from the railing.
    As quick as lighting, he ran to her; and in a 
space of a heartbeat, he was able to grab her hand just 
as she fell.  Their eyes locked and there was trust, not 
the accusation he thought she would have felt for leaving her.  
    "Hold on," he commanded.  She was slipping from 
his grasp; those damn gloves were inching slowly 
out of her hand.  He saw her look down and felt her 
hand clutch his convulsively.
    "Just look at me," he instructed, his eyes holding 
hers, willing it never to leave his gaze, as if it alone could save her.
    He heard Nephrite's sinister voice taunt him. 
	"I'll give you the pleasure of dying with a beautiful princess!" 
	He felt the powerful build up of energy emanating 
from his enemy.  In his precarious position, he was 
powerless to do anything.  For him to be saved, he had to 
let go of her.  Damn the mission.  But, he couldn't do it, 
if it were anybody, he would do that unhesitatingly, 
unflinchingly and he could live with the guilt because he 
would eventually forget whatever happened.  But she was a 
different matter, they created something special together, 
and if she died, the memory would die with her.  He could 
not allow that to happen.     Like an answer to a prayer, he heard Mars' voice, 
her battle cry.    "My Tuxedo Kamen has eternal life!"
    He was never able to ponder the meaning of that 
line, because his princess' hand slipped from his 
grasp.  He acted without thinking, jumping out of the 
balcony, he went after her, willing himself to match 
her speed.  He caught her in his arms, his body
shielding hers that if they hit the ground, she wouldn't suffer the impact.
    It would appear as if somebody was watching over 
them, from the balcony somebody threw a flimsy looking 
umbrella to them, the princess in his arms caught it 
and opened it.  It was unexpected, the pink umbrella 
slowed their decent, acting like a parachute, but it 
looked so light and airy that a sudden gust of wind
could turn it over. They landed lightly on the ground 
and he placed her down in the care of the senshi.
    Nephlite knowing that it wasn't safe for him to 
stay, ran off into the darkness and he was about to 
follow when Sailor Mercury stopped him saying,    "Who are you?"
    That was a question that drove him on his mission.
    "I want to know who I am too.  To find out, I need 
to solve the mystery of the ginzuishou." he answered 
honestly.  Yet, he was rewarded by an uncomprehending 
look by the smartest of the Senshi.
    "Are you our friend or are you our enemy?" Mercury 
asked, her look was inquisitive and searching, asking 
him questions that he himself has no answers to.
    Not liking the way she was looking at him, he replied,     
    "Since we're after the same thing, we could be enemies."  
    With that negative note, he ran off to the darkness 
in search of the Dark Kingdom general. 
    He was back where he started.  In the ballroom 
with revived people, their masks gone, laughing, 
chattering themselves silly as if nothing had happened.  
Only one person in this room besides him knew the events 
that conspired while the rest slumbered.
    Again, he watched her in silence, hiding himself 
in the shadows of a pillar. She was an enigma to him, 
but she looked like an open book, her crystal blue eyes 
shining back at him reflecting....reflecting what?  
    Every emotion was so foreign to him that he couldn't 
identify the warmth he felt when she was near, nor could 
he shake off the unmistakable feeling of déjà vu.  It 
was a first for him.  He didn't know how to handle these emotions inside of him.
    He had the heart of a stone.  He understood hatred, 
ambition, desire, and justice but what of the more basic 
human feelings?  Of love, friendship and sorrow?  Maybe 
she knew these things, maybe for a few hours she could 
teach him how to be human, and in a few hours, maybe he might feel like one.
    So he left the shadows and went to her, she was 
standing near the refreshment table, the back of her 
body facing him, but somehow she must've felt his presence 
that he was there to catch her fall. For a while, he stood 
there blankly, looking at the top of her head that was resting 
on his chest.  Then, the faint scent of punch mixed with 
alcohol assailed his senses.  His little princesswas drunk.
    He felt the corners of his mouth tug at the sides, as 
he decisively picked her up.  She lifted her head to look 
at him full in the face, her cheeks were flushed a rosy red 
from the amount of alcohol she consumed, but she smiled when 
she recognized his face.
    "I knew you'd come back,” she whispered resting her head
contentedly on his chest.    
    He decided to take her outside, for fresh air, the air 
in the ballroom was thick and he felt suffocated by it.  As 
he reached the massive wooden doors, he caught their 
reflection on one of the large mirrors plastered on the wall.
    He stood there for a while, looking at their image 
and he couldn't help but notice the trusting way she was 
snuggled in his arms.  She looked as if she belonged there, 
that they were meant to be.         
    'I knew you'd come back,' she said to him earlier, 
and he felt unworthy of her but he selfishly wanted to 
keep her for himself. He felt her stir in his arms and 
he looked down, she was awake and was staring at his profile.
    "You're gorgeous.  Has anybody ever told you that?" she 
asked him, and the question took him by surprise, she was 
very articulate and very lucid for a person who consumed so much alcohol.
    "No," he answered evenly, trying to keep the appearance 
of indifference, but her expression was so unguarded right 
now, full of childish innocence that reeked mischief in her shining blue eyes.
    "Liar, I just did!" she accused, and for some reason 
that struck her as remarkably funny that she started 
giggling.  He couldn't help it, he found himself smiling 
at her laughing form, maybe it was because she looked so 
defenseless right now that made him drop all of his barriers, 
leaving him vulnerable to all her attacks.
    "Not that I'm complaining, but why are you holding me 
like this?" she inquired seriously, her dark brows snapped 
together in a quelling expression.
    "Because you're drunk," he said in a matter-of-fact 
voice.  He opened the door on his left to enter another 
grand ballroom.  In the darkness, he could see a chaise 
lounge in front of the massive windows that occupied the 
walls of the room.  The crystal glass panes allowed moonlight 
to spill all over the floor and bounce to and fro the room.
    He glanced at her silent face only to find it in a comical disbelief.    
    "I'm drunk?!" she shrieked, and again the sound of 
her laughter filled the room and echoed back to them.  
She was enchanting like this; she must be more so when sober.
    "Is it really that hard to believe?" he found himself 
replying, teasing the princess in his arms.
    Her face grew thoughtful, and she looked as if she 
was thinking about the matter with a great amount of consideration.
    "I dunno.  I've never been drunk before." She confessed 
as he laid her down into the lounge, one of the padded 
cushions supporting her head.
    "Do you know what it is like to be drunk?" she asked 
him as he watched the moonlight touch her face.
    "You tell me.  But what I know is that afterwards 
you'll get a huge hangover, and you'll forget all about 
this." he answered the best he can.
    At that, her face sobered, looking at him with sadness in her eyes.
    "But I don't want to forget.  I want to remember 
everything. I want to remember being in your arms, not 
klutzing for once, talking to you, listening to the sound 
of your voice, the memory of your smile, the way you kiss 
me." her voice soft and languid.
    "I haven't kissed you." he protested, but once the 
idea was planted in his mind, it was strangely appealing 
and he couldn't help but look at her lips and contemplate 
how lush it looked... and how inviting.
    "You will." she predicted confidently, catching his 
eyes and looking into it,  "It would be my first kiss, you 
know." she confided in a small voice.
    "If were to going to kiss you, I would want us to 
remember," he murmured stroking her hair, noting again 
its weird hairstyle.  She looked a lot like a rabbit, a small one.
    "I would, 'cause it's from you,” she promised giving 
him a sleepy yawn, her eyes turned into a dreamy glass-like 
look and he could see his reflection there.
    "You're a heartbreaker, you know that, Usako?" he thought, 
and truly she was breaking his heart of stone, replacing it 
with something infinitely fragile, something he always yearned for.
    He leaned over, slowly and uncertainly touched his 
lips on hers.  Again, he could smell the sweetness of the 
punch she drank. He opened his mouth to take a good taste 
of her, liking the way her sigh sounded in his ears.  She 
was intoxicating and again, déjà vu hit him, but it was 
unfounded; certainly, this hasn't happened before, he would 
never forgive himself for forgetting.
    His mouth stilled when he felt her respond.  He 
allowed her to explore the corners of his mouth, knowing 
that she was trying to commit every detail to memory, like 
he was at that moment.  It was indescribable, the feelings 
that rushed through him, he felt as if he could do anything, 
conquer the unconquerable, yet he wouldn’t, he didn't want 
to leave and end this moment, this memory.
    Reluctantly, he drew back.  He felt something calling 
him, and he knew that in a few minutes, he would disappear 
again along with the echoes of the night.  He took one long 
hard look at her, she was asleep, and her long lashes lay 
against her cheeks in lush crescents.  It was unfair, for 
both of them to forget, but he will make her remember.  He will find a way.
    "It was my first too, you know..." he confided, not 
caring if she heard him or not.  He had no knowledge of 
kissing anybody besides her and if he did, nothing else 
matters, this kiss was the only one that counted.
    He stood up, planted a swift kiss on her forehead, 
and quickly left the room retreating back to the shadows.  
He'll make her remember, someway.... then, he would go back to her.
~The following day~    Tsukino Usagi was walking slowly on her way to 
school; she didn't bother running because she knew 
she would end up late.  Besides, she was currently 
hosting the mother of all headaches.  Luna called 
this a hangover, giving her a ten-minute lecture while
she was dressing up, promising a day and a half more 
in continuation. They found her lying unconscious on 
one of the ballrooms.  She didn't remember how she got 
there, and the last thing that she recalled was she was 
hanging out on the refreshment table.
    She couldn't believe that she had to go to school 
today, her father was at home, nursing his own hangover.  
Luna practically dragged her out of bed, lest her mother 
suspected she was out late and drunk, subjecting her to a 
long lecture on the evils of alcohol.
    Her body felt so heavy and the air around her was 
so cold, she wrapped her arms around her body, hugging 
herself tightly, warding off the unpleasantries the hangover 
brought her. There was something that was nagging at the 
back of her mind, something that happened, that she needed 
to remember, but the pain in her head was blocking all rational thought.  
    She kept her head bowed as she walked, sunlight hurting her eyes.
    "Oy, Odango!" a familiar voice called her, she ignored 
it and kept walking.  He moved quickly, he was beside her in a second.
    "Woah, you look awful!" he exclaimed.  She didn't 
bother to raise her head and acknowledge his presence 
he wasn't worth her headache.
    "I didn't ask for your opinion." she said bitingly, she 
wasn't in the mood to face this jerk, not in her condition.
    "Since I'm so fond of you, it's free." he smirked, and 
she could just imagine the arrogance on his face.  What is 
wrong with the universe?  Here she was miserable and they 
had to add him as bonus.
    "Okay, you win.  I give up.  Please leave me alone," she
mumbled, trying her best to get away from him, but it was 
futile, she was as slow as a turtle trying to keep her head from spilling open.
    "Hey, wait.  I just want to give you something.  Someone 
left this for you.  Well, I don't know if it's yours, but 
you're a good guess as any." he explained, thrusting a cream 
colored envelope at her.    She took it and it was addressed, 'Usako'.
    "Usako?  Where did you get this?" she wondered, the name 
was strangely familiar, and it felt as if it belonged to her.
    "Dunno, just found it sitting at my doorstep.  It's you, right?" he asked.
    "Yeah, I guess so." she answered shoving it inside her pocket.
    "You should take care of yourself, you look a lot like 
a small rabbit right now. Ja ne, Odango." he concluded, then 
left.  She would almost think that he was concerned, and then 
he threw that over used nickname at her.
    "Mamoru-baka." she muttered to herself, not able to think 
of anything creative to say.
    "I heard that!" His voice was loud in her ears and she 
felt the pain in her head intensify.  I'll get you one day, 
she vowed silently to herself.
    School was awful, as expected she got detention.  Naru 
called from home sick so she was all alone.  Worse of all, 
Umino seemed to have this maggot stuck in his brain that he 
would be having lunch with her. As much as she wanted to 
tolerate the guy, she wasn't in the mood to be with anyone, not even Ami.
    She found a quiet spot on the school fields, under the 
protection of an ancient tree.  She wasn't also in the mood 
for lunch, the mere thought of food made her want to puke.  
Her mind wandered to the events that transpired last night, 
Serena wanted to talk to Naru, she was at the Dia Assembly 
last night.  She wondered if she met the 'wonderful' Sanjouin, 
she had a bad feeling about the guy.  But, what would she tell 
her friend, who claimed was in love with the mysterious, but dangerous man.
    The thought of mysterious and dangerous men brought 
Tuxedo Kamen's image to her mind.  She relished the way it 
felt dancing in his arms; it was like a dream come true.  
But she had to wake up to another reality; he might be 
their enemy.  He even admitted that much to them. A senshi 
meeting was called because of that, but Luna excused her 
from going, feeling sorry for her.
    It felt so good to be out here alone.  The breeze 
was gently brushing her face.  The green of the grass 
was easy on her eyes and the sound of the birds soothing 
in her ears.  She wished she could stay like this forever.  
No youma attacks, no responsibilities, just freedom and 
peace.  She decided that she needed to catch up on
sleep.   She rolled to her side and felt something flat 
touching her outer thigh.    She went back to a sitting position and shoved her 
ands inside the pocket of her school uniform and her hand 
encountered the envelope that Mamoru handed her a while ago.
    She took it out of her pocket and stared at it for a 
while, 'Usako,' the name felt so familiar, and it frustrates 
her to wonder why.  Impatiently, she ripped the side of the 
letter, exposing a plain card, she opened it and rose petals 
fell, their crimson color like droplets of blood spilling on 
her lap.  The wind stilled and everything stopped moving.    Usako,
            I didn't imagine my first would be so 
        sweet, soft and tender.  But I don't think 
        it was the kiss, but the girl I'm kissing.
    That was it.  It had no signature, but she knew who it 
was from, the rose petals, a dead give away.  The closed 
vaults of her mind opened and she caught the memories that 
eluded her, memories that had surfaced because of this short 
note, coming from him. She felt tears coming, but she suppressed 
it, deciding that it was absurd to cry just because she was happy.
    He wanted her to remember and that was spectacular in 
itself, it convinced her that he wasn't their enemy.  No man 
could be as sweet as this could harm her.  Then a thought 
occurred to her, something he said about both of them remembering.    
    'If I'm going to kiss you, I would want us to remember'. 
For some reason, he implied that he'd forget.  She didn't 
understand the meaning of his words, but what she understood 
was that she was to keep the memory of their kiss for the 
both of them.  It was his first too, he told her that when 
he thought she fell asleep, but in reality, It probably 
took a lot of himself to be able to send this message
to her, she didn't bother to wonder why he chose Mamoru of 
all people, what was important was that he was able to get 
it to her.  Somehow, someway, she'd get through him; she'd 
make him remember because she knew that to him, it was 
something worth remembering.~Two thousand years later.~
    "That was it?" The little Princess Usagi shrieked 
at her mother.   Mother and daughter were sitting side 
by side at Princess Usagi's large canopy bed; both were 
curled up on their favorite spot, holding their favorite cushions.
    "No, that was one part of the story." Neo-Queen
Serenity smiled at her daughter's eagerness.
    "Good, now tell me the part where you made Daddy 
remember. You *did* make him remember, didn't you?" her 
daughter insisted, focusing all will to charm her mother 
into telling her the rest of the story.
    "I'm not telling.  That story is for another time, you 
need to get some sleep." Serenity declared, resisting her 
daughters' beseeching gaze and promptly stood up to tuck her daughter in.
    "It's not fair!" her daughter pouted, while obediently 
settling herself in bed.
    "I love you." Serenity murmured, kissing her daughter's 
forehead and tucking the comforter underneath her chin.
    Her husband was waiting for her at their daughter's 
door; he looked at her solemnly and then without warning 
swept her off her feet. She happily clung to him, as he 
carried her to their bed.    "Is that how it happened?" he asked her, nuzzling 
her neck.    "You know it is." she retorted, as she closed her 
eyes and savored his every touch.
    "Care to refresh my memory?" he asked her, looking 
at her with eyes full of love.
    "I'd love too."  And she found herself lost in the tenderness of the moment.
    It was not until minutes later, when she lay cuddled 
in his arms, warm, safe and content, did he whisper in her ears,
        "Happy Anniversary, Usako."

The end. 

******************************

Well?  was it lame or was it lame?  Tell me if you want a 
sequel to this thing, my writing feeds on e-mails.  I love you all.
Special Thanks to Lady Spring, my ever so gracious and 
patient editor.  Visit her site:
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Lights/3406/index.htmlStandard disclaimers apply
rinaheart@yahoo.com