Author: Koneko E-mail: divinepheonix@hotmail.com Rating: PG or PG-13 Title: Vanilla and Cherry Blossoms Website: Eh, need to find a good place to keep it. AN: Aren't these things annoying? If you don't want to read them than don't. Anyway, this plotline is kind of twisted. First of all, so that you don't get too confused, Usagi is 18 in this story, and Mamoru is 22, simply because Usagi doesn't live with her family and I couldn't figure out any other way to make it seem logical than killing 'em off and I didn't feel like doing that. Anyway, This was just a spur of the moment thing and trust me, it is really really dramatic for the first couple pages or so... the endings sweet because I didn't have the guts to make it sad. There's some swearing in it but not too bad. Last to say: I want e-mail! My poor hotmail account is lonely! Standard Disclaimer Applies **** "Bastard." The smile left my face as soon as she said that word. My shoulders tensed up and I stopped laughing, stopped teasing, stopped talking. I stared at her for a long time, just looking at her golden hair and wondering how something so beautiful, could be so painful. "Eh, Mamoru-baka?" She asked, snapping me out of my daze, "Are you ok? You were looking kind of... spaced out for a minute there." The air-conditioning shifted and the scent of cherry blossoms and vanilla wafted its way to my senses. Closing my eyes I decided that now would be the time to go. To many raging feelings. I turned around quickly and walked silently out of the parlour, leaving a very confused rabbit behind me. I walked the few blocks to my apartment, deciding to skip my afternoon class today. Hurrying into the elevator and back out again, I slammed the door to my apartment. A single tear found its way down my cheek and I swiped it away. I looked around, anger and sadness practically bleeding from my body. My eyes fell upon cherries sitting on top of my counter next to the sink. My face went tight, cherries, her smell. Running up to them I stuffed them all into the sink and turned on the water and the garbage disposal. "Damn Her!" I screamed, looking around insanely at my apartment. Everything, everything reminded me of her, of them. The pink roses-pink is her favorite color. The bare walls, that's what my life is since I've been declared... a bastard. I sunk onto my couch and put my head into my hands. It wasn't her fault, she didn't know. I shouldn't be mad. One word, just one word sent me into this pitiful rage. Any other person and it would have been ignored, swatted away to never remember again. But her? She's important to me... one of the most important things in my life. She's always there, she comforts me without knowing. And this one word, it shattered it all. I was about to knock over my vase of roses when a pounding pain shot through my body. My brain felt as if it were being torn apart and squeezed to salt at the same time-which is entirely impossible but I felt it nonetheless. It only meant one thing, one thing these headaches always meant. Sailormoon's in trouble. I raced over the tall buildings of Tokyo to wherever the pull would take me. My veins pumped blood faster than any humans should, but still I continued. I almost felt as if I would faint at one point, my earlier rage having drained some of my energy, but I went on. She depended on me, she counted on me. Hell, she'd probably be deadwithout me. I arrived just as a scream pierced through the crisp air of the fall afternoon. My body tensed, am I too late? Is she hurt? My eyes flew all over the battlefield, flitting back and forth as I stood above the park on a high rooftop. Finally, I saw a small mound of golden silk. A small whimper made its way through my throat that quickly turned into a growl. Flying down off my perch I attacked whatever it was with all my might, launching rose after rose after rose. Anger and pain filled each thorn with increased might, when I was done-so was it. I looked down at the soldier that was once so vibrant and alive, where were her friends? The other Sailor Senshi? I don't know... what to do. Making up my mind I gently picked her up and caressed her cheek lightly, my entire heart hoping that there was still some sort of resistance against the darkness in her. She had to make it, she just had to. "Tuxedo Kamen?" came a voice behind me. I turned around quickly, paying no heed to the voice behind the words. My eyes fell upon the orange Senshi, Sailor Venus. I let out a sigh of relief. "Will she be alright?" she asked, stepping forward a bit. I held Sailormoon tighter. "I don't know. Would you like to take her? I'm sure she trusts you more than she trusts me." I said, going with my damned head instead of my dumb heart. Sailor Venus smiled lightly at me, her eyes twinkling in a way that in any other situation would have been seen asmischief. "Now listen to me," she began, "I'll tell the other Senshi that Sailormoon and I destroyed that monster without any problems. I'll add that she and I will be having a... meeting-a private meeting. They won't ask anymore questions. Now go, I'm sure that when she wakes up you and her will have quite a bit to talk about." And she jumped away. I looked down at the bundle in my arms and back to where Sailor Venus formally stood. This day just keeps getting better and better. Shaking my head while trying to clear my jumbled thoughts, I began to jump away and back to my apartment. Feeling her eyes on me for as long as she could see. Don't worry Sailor, I'll never hurt her... and you know it. I landed on my balcony without a sound and opened the glass door into my room quietly. Lying the angel onto my bed I covered her with blankets and ran to get a cold washcloth. Wiping off some of the gunk that the monster had sprayed on her I put the cloth on her forehead, and sat. There was nothing more I could do until she woke up, but... should I stay Tuxedo Kamen? Could I trust her with thatinformation? I bent over her to change the washcloth and a sweet smell caught onto my senses. It was so familiar... leaning closer I pulled in a slow huff of breath, Vanilla and... Resting my hand on the other side of the moon bunny I sucked in another breath and waited. Vanilla and Cherry Blossoms... Usagi's trademark scent. Noticing a shuffling below me I looked down into the eyes of the worlds savior. They stared up into mine for a long time while I began to ponder how close we were; my former thoughts flying off into the wind. All I could think about was how big and beautiful her eyes looked, and how wonderful her lips had to taste like. Eyes, lips, eyes, lips... Damn this woman! She confuses me as much as- What came next I was not expecting, I had not moved, not so much as blinked, and neither had she. I had thought she was too weak to do what she did, and the fact she did it surprised me more than anything. Guys normally initiate these sort of things... but hell if I cared. Somehow the Moon Sailor had managed to grab my neck, pull my head and the rest of my body with it onto the bed-meaning onto her. Of course, that's not the end of it. No, she had to connect her beautiful pink lips with my own. Needless to say I lost control. Now I'm a rational person, like Spock, I am in control of my emotions. I never let them get the better of me... or at least I try not to let them. Oh come on! Give me some slack here, I'm a guy, eighteen, and according to all the sorts of things I've read on this subject, at the height of my hormones. If you were in my position, lying practically on top of a beautiful woman with legs up to her neck and a leotard that barely covered her under garments, and she was kissing you, of all things, what would you do? My eyes were wide open and I suddenly wished my mask were gone so I could see her without restrictions. Her lips were so soft... Without knowing it my eyes shut and I wrapped my arms around her. I can only explain this by saying there was this little bug, and this bug had climbed into my brain and was controlling my actions. Of course if another person were looking onto this situation their answer would probably be quite different. But as I noted before, I lost control. The kiss seemed to go on forever, heated passion swept into my mouth and then out again. I felt sweat bead down my forehead, but didn't care. I only held onto her tighter. When finally we parted, our breath was ragged and both our lips were swollen. I kept my eyes shut as we panted for breath. Pulling her forehead to mine I kept us as close as possible for as long as possible. I opened my eyes slowly and stared into her big blue ones for who knows how long, surprise was what met me and I questioned her silently with my face. "Mamoru..?" I shot straight up and looked around violently for my mask and hat. How did this happen?! How can she know my real name?! We've never met before! Or... have we? "Oh God..." she cried, "Now it's hopeless." Burying her head in her hands salty tears began to fall from her eyes. My heart broke. How the hell can a day get worse than whens't this day begun? First Usagi had to... oh Usagi! What have I done? I sunk into a chair loudly to think about my misgivings. It felt so wrong now, but at the same time so right. I was just so damned confused! I lowered my eyes to try and compress the tormenting emotions inside of me, when I finally looked up again she was gone. I walked dazedly to my bed and fell on top of it. Pulling the pillow she had just been lying on towards me I felt my eyes water. Blinking quickly I pulled in a deep breath and stopped... andsmelled... Vanilla and Cherry Blossoms. I walked slowly down the streets of Tokyo towards the Crown Game Parlor, all my thoughts lying on what happened the night before. What had I done? Gods Usagi... I feel like I've betrayed her. But what does it matter anyway? She hates me. My eyes kept to the ground and I kicked a stray pebble, thinking life couldn't get any- And books adorned the sidewalk around us. People stopped and stared at the two people who had just fallen-quite literally-on top of each other. I looked at the woman below me and sighed. Speak of the devil. Immediately she was on her feet apologizing to me... like always. As if she fell on top of a person every day-besides me ofcourse. "Don't worry about it. It was my fault. Here," stopping her apologizing easily I grabbed a couple of her books and handed them to her, "See you later, Usagi!" And I walked away, my heart beating a million times a minute. "Mamo, er, Mamoru-san?" she said softly, barely in my hearing range. She coughed slightly and my ears pricked... the last time I checked she was just fine. I turned around quickly and began walking back towards her, going faster and faster when her coughs didn't stop. When I finally arrived to where she was standing she looked at me with pleading eyes and looked down. Following her line of vision I gasped, in her hand there sat green, writhing goop. The same stuff Sailormoon had all over her last night? Was she in the attack too? "Please Mamoru... Please... Help me, Mamo-" her eyes rolled into the back of her head and I caught her before she fell onto the ground. I went into panic mode. "Oh god, oh god, oh god..." I murmured under my breath as I ran her up and down roads inside of uptown Tokyo. My breath was short and I felt like collapsing too but I went on. I went on until I found it. Tokyo General. "Please, please someone help me!" I screamed in the main halls. "What's the matter sir?" asked a woman at the front desk. "This girl, she passed out in the street! She was coughing up this green stuff and-" "I'm sorry sir, this isn't the emergency area. We can't help you here." She said and went back to filing papers. I growled in my throat and ran back out. Looking around I searched for a landmark, anything, anything where I could find a place that Usagi could get help. Finally my eyes fell upon something I should have seen immediately with arriving. Hikiwa Jinja. Running up the long stairs I burst through the paper doors and started looking around for somebody. An angry priestess came up behind me and started yelling what sounded like nonsense to me. "What do you think you're doing?" she screamed, "The temple's closed! You're going to have to pay for that door you know!" "Rei..." I said hopelessly, "Help, I don't know what to do." "Usagi..." Everything she held fell to the ground in a giant clang an she stared at the bundle in my arms. "C'mon," she said frantically, "Bring her to the fire room." "So, what's the matter with her?" I asked impatiently, shifting my position as I sat on the floor of the fire room. Rei sighed and I caught a slight tear run down her cheek. "Something is blocking her soul." She replied, replacing the now warm washcloth on her forehead with a new one. "What?" "Ami will be able to explain it better than I. Hold on, I should call everyone." And she left the room, leaving the place as empty as my heart. Slowly, I crawled over to her, my movements somewhat resembling baby steps. I watched her breathing, watched her lie there as if a statue, breath the only movement that said she was anything else. I sighed and began fidgeting. I was so scared and it showed. What if she never woke up? How would I be able to bear it? I pulled her hand into mine and kissed it tenderly. Her scent of Vanilla and cherry blossoms drifted to my senses. Was it a popular scent? I kept smelling it all around me, haunting me, taunting me. Telling me to never let go. "They'll be here soon." Rei said, walking back into the room. I placed her hand down tenderly and frowned, "How did you know what was wrong with her?" "The Fire told me, that green substance she was coughing up, it's pure evil. And it spreads. It stops the soul from feeding life to the rest of the body keeping it hidden inside of its masses." A silence draped through the room, broken every once in awhile by one of us trying to speak but then shutting our mouths again. I don't really know how long that went on for, all I did know was that the bundle of joy I could always depend on... was dying. And there was nothing I could do about it. But that just didn't click, there had to be something I could do! I couldn't just sit there and think that she was gone forever. But that's what I did. My body wouldn't do anything else. Suddenly, a thought struck me, "Rei, Where did Usagi get herperfume?" She looked up, surprised. In all the 'chaos' I suppose she didn't think I could ask such a question. She smiled lightly and brushed through some of her locks. "It was a month after we met. Usagi's scent back then was Vanilla, but I thought that for her it didn't work. It was more of an attraction perfume, but Usagi's like a bunny too, cute. So when we were walking through the park it struck me, Cherry Blossoms. I made her the perfume of Vanilla and Cherry Blossoms-she wouldn't go without the Vanilla-there's only one smell like it in the world." My breath caught in my throat. Then that would mean... "What is it? What happened?" came a frantic voice at the doorway into the Fire room. I turned my head slightly to see Minako come in, her clothing raggled and hair knotted and overall looking like she just got out of bed. Not to much better than I did. "Oh Gods..." Ami said, covering her mouth and running away. "Usagi!" Makoto yelled rushing through the door, but she stopped dead when she saw her friend lying there. Just like I had. She fainted onto the ground without another word. "You should go home Mamoru, get some sleep." Rei told me quietly, looking up from where Usagi laid on the ground. "But what if she wakes up? What if something happens?" I said frantically, not wanting to leave her side. Rei smiled softly, "Your no good to her like that. But I can tell you're going to be stubborn. Hold on and I'll get you a pillow and a blanket. You can sleep in here." I watched as she went out of the room and wondered how she could be so calm in a time like this, not to mention so full of hope. She reminded me of a more mature Usagi... Usagi, when will you ever wake up? I miss you and our arguments, you know they made my day. I could be having the worst day and then along you would come, bouncing and odango's never touching the ground. You would look at me up and down and call me a jerk and make me forget about all my troubles-or know that they could always be worse, and that these will get better. I need that Odango, I need you. I looked up when Rei walked back into the room and set down the pillow and blanket, I smiled in thanks and went to go make myself a small bed next to her. Bringing her body into my arms I wafted into my nose the wonderful smell of her perfume and sighed. If this was what it took to get her in my arms I didn't want it. I would never wantthis. I fell asleep soon after, dreams tormenting my brain all night. **Apparition Perpetuity...** "Endymion. Please, help me!" she yelled, her voice more desperate this time, "Please, I don't have much more strength. I need your help to be free again!" The normal dream ended there, and I knew that this one was being influenced by something. I looked upon a huge dark castle, its very being sending chills into my soul. I heard her cries and felt gorgeous blue eyes plead with me to go in. Gripping a sword at my belt tightly I ran into the dungeon to save her from whatever peril wasbetaking her. She was right before me as soon as I entered. Her shape still shadowed, but beautiful nonetheless. I saw her right in front of me, my eyes gaining salty tears quickly. There she is, and here I am. I reached for her but was stopped somehow. Reaching forward again the same thing happened. I lost all hope, she was surrounded by a forcefield. Standing up the princess walked over to me and put her blurred hands onto the force field and pleaded, "Please Endymion, I need your help. Only you can help me!" "What can I do? Please tell me what to do and I'll do it! I promise, please! I don't know what to do!" I screamed at her, pressing my hands as close to her as they could get. "You must free me, please Endymion, please!" the dream began turning into the fog that normally surrounded me. I closed my eyes preparing for the sudden awakening that usually happened around now. I looked back at her and saw nothing. Looking down I saw wind blowing away the remnants of what used to be Vanilla beans and Cherry Blossoms. **End** My eyes opened wide and a tight "no" left my mouth as my throat constricted into itself. Unknowingly I pulled Usagi tighter to myself and worked on breathing so I could think. In my dream, the princess had died. Died. And what was left of her, Vanilla Beans and Cherry Blossoms. The wheels in my head turned slowly as I watched the beautiful girl I held in my arms, the fires light casting shadows on her brilliant face. I sighed, it was too much, just too much. Usagi was-she was dying. And there could be nothing done about it. My eyes blurred and I felt salt multiply inside of them, grasping her hair to my face I let them drop. I let them drop until she spoke. "Mamo-Mamoru, why are you crying?" I looked down at her and my heart broke as I saw all the green covering her body. And yet she cared about me. Me. I sighed and pulled her in towards me, "I was crying because, because, because I'm afraid." "Afraid of what?" she prodded. "Afraid that you'll leave me." She gasped and pulled herself away just far enough so she could look me in the face. I felt her eyes flit around my body, as if checking me, maybe thinking this was a dream. My eyes fled away, looking anywhere but at her. "I never meant it." She said silently. "What?" I asked, pulling myself out of my silent reverie. "You're not a bastard." I looked away once more, "Yes I am." "What?" it was her time to question. "That's another story for another time," I told her, letting my thoughts wonder once again as I held her close. My eyes thought back to my dream, everywhere, Vanilla and Cherry Blossoms, on Sailormoon, On Usagi, what's left of the princess... my eyes snapped open as things began connecting in my brain-finally. "Usagi?" I began, she looked up at me silently, "Who are you?" But before she had a chance to speak another came in andanswered for her. "She is many things, Mamoru. For one, she is Sailormoon." Rei said quietly, coming in. "She is my friend." Minako said inaudibly. "She is our happiness." Makoto said softly to herself. "And she is dying." Ami finished, looking me straight in theeye. I stood up quickly from my place on the floor, my brain trying to organize all I was thinking about. She's dying, she's Sailormoon, she's... could she be? Could she finally stop my loneliness? Couldshe? A hacking cough to my left brought my thoughts back to focus, my heart constricted. Why did she have to go through this? Why wasn't I there in time to keep her safe?! All my fault, everything, every damn thing was all my fault! I could have saved her! I could have! "Is there anything I can do?" I asked desperately, trying to hold onto my last chance. "No, she will die. It may take hours, days, perhaps weeks. But she will die, no one can live without their soul." "I know when I am to die." Usagi said firmly, her body slowly rising from where she was on the floor, "And now is not the time. Neither is in a couple of hours, or a couple of days, or a couple of weeks. I am not to die until," she turned to me, "You are." I gasped and held my breath, "But how?" "Usagi does not have a whole soul," Minako said quietly, walking from by the door to us, "Just like you, Mamoru. But Usagi, just as you share a soul with he, what goes on in your body does the same to him also." "No!" she screamed, surprising us all from the quiet atmosphere we had, "No! He can't die! Even if I go he must go on! I can never let him die!" "You two will die at the same time, in the same place, to have your one soul intertwine itself together and rise to be born again in two bodies. No one can live with only half a soul, just as they can't live without a full one. You two will be together always, but not now. Not now. "And you two will be happy! Together, you'll live again, and die again, and love each other again. I swear it! And now, I must leave you, so that I can cry in peace." And she left the room before a tear fell down her face. The others soon followed, and again I was left alone with her. I could see darkened circles under her eyes, that would soon be followed with nothing between her bones and skin. All in under a day, I probably looked no better. "You're not going to die." She said firmly. "Neither are you." I replied. "Then we have only one choice," she began. "We both have to live." Vanilla and Cherry Blossoms wafted through my senses and I walked into my tiny apartment at the end of a tiring Friday. I set my briefcase down and ran a hand through my hair and fingered with the box inside of my jacket. Would today be the day? I had watched her, watched her suffer as I suffered with her all those quiet days and nights at the Jinja. Watched as she continued with her poor life only so I could live. Those days had been hard, and I had cried each night, hoping that maybe I could stop her pain somehow, but knowing that the only way to do that would make her die anyway. So I sat, and I cried. And then it was gone, it just disappeared one day, without reason, without notice. And I never asked why, for I would be happy. But it was not a miraculous recovery, it was slow, and it meantpatience. It had been two months. Two horrible, teary, months. But I had never said it, and neither had she. I went swiftly through the short hallways and finally landed at her door, opening it slightly like I always did, and looked in. I saw a flash of light on her forehead and her gaze locked with mine. "Mamoru, I'm sorry, but I won't be in your dreams any longer."She said. I looked at her questionably, willing her to continue her strange sentence, the smell of her scent nearly overpowered me as I walked into the room and watched her sit up in bead. "I didn't know until I began getting better. I had a dream then, and this was what came out of it," she held up a shining stone, "It's because of this that the green poison is gone from my body, but I am still dying. And only you can stop me." I ran to her bedside and held her hand, bringing her to my nose, my eyes flitting back and forth from hers. "Anything, just tell me and I'll to it." "I love you, Mamoru." She said, the shining light on her forehead glowing brilliantly. I looked at her, surprised, my hand feeling the little box in my pocket. She loves me? Her eyes filled with tears, "Is that all that answers my plea? Silence?" I walked a few steps away from her and closed my eyes, holding out my hand I waited for her to come to me. When I felt her body pressed against mine I breathed in her scent and smiled. Vanilla and Cherry Blossoms. "Mamoru," she turned my head so her face was looking into mine, "Answer me, please! Answer me!" I pulled the velvet box out of my pocket and wrapped her hands around it. Kissing her softly on the nose, I spoke: "Open it when I leave. And I'll be waiting when you decide." I walked out of the room and pulled in a couple of quick breaths outside of the door before moving into the living room and lying myself onto the couch. I must have fallen asleep, I must have. For if I didn't than I wouldn't have missed Usagi walking around loudly and practically sprinting to my side. I must have fallen into a deep sleep or else I would have woken up to her sweet voice whispering in my ear. But it was the simple thing that woke me up. "I promise." She stated softly, her sweet breath caressing my neck as she spoke the slight whisper. My eyes opened and I groaned with a finality that would forever change my life. Pulling her down to me, I held her in my arms and grasped at her hair that I would never take for granted again. "You make me crazy, do you know that?" I asked. "Well I'd die without you." She replied. "So would I." "Well are you going to ever reply to my first statement?" "I love you, Usa-ko." I said. I watched with silent satisfaction as her mouth suddenly stopped working and it twitched open and closed again. I watched with confusion as tears fell down her face as I tried gently to wipe them away. And I watched with happiness as she flew herself into my arms and kissed me with all her might. She promised me two things that night. The first, was to never, ever, leave me again. And the second was one that at the time I wrote it seemed less important, but now was the most important in the world. She promised that she would forever smell of Vanilla and CherryBlossoms. And together we silently promised, we would live together, die together, and live to love each other again. **** ..End. Corny, no? I like my ending though! I thought it was cute, besides, it wasn't all butterflies and candy! Oh, and remember people, E-mail! E-mail is very good! <3 Koneko