Sailor Moon: Snippets - Nine

(mid-to-end of Sailor Moon R: Ail & Ann)

"Well, that’s the first time I’ve seen an Ondango in a tree -- careful that the squirrels don’t get you."

Usagi’s head dropped down below the branch, her hair-tails almost dragging on the ground. "Mamoru!" She swung back up and then dropped lightly to the ground. Mako jumped down after her. Usagi grinned at her friend, "Actually, we were thinking of wood nymphs."

Mamoru looked at the two of them, a grin lightening his face.

Usagi caught the way Mamoru was studying Mako and remembered that he wouldn’t know her, yet. "Mamoru -- this is my friend, Makoto."

"Pleased to meet you." Mamoru held out his hand with a cheerful grin.

Mako responded to it in kind. Oh my. Down girl. She glanced over at Usagi, who was regarding Mamoru with a look on her face that outshone any Mako had ever seen before. It was... happiness. Pure and simple. She was happy that Mamoru was here. And the way Mamoru was grinning back at her. He didn’t have his memory -- Mako could tell that. But... Oh, no wonder their love has survived a thousand years.

"Oh!" Usagi noticed the bedraggled peacock feather in Mamoru’s other hand. "Is Raylia here?" She knelt down and starting looking at the bushes, an expectant expression on her face.

Mako was still watching Mamoru, and at Usagi’s words, his face blanched and his eyes got wide. He stared down at Usagi, who after a moment looked up, "What’s wrong?"

"You do know me!"

"Well, yes..." Usagi’s face changed. "Oh."

And Mako realized it too. Apparently not many of his friends knew about Mamoru’s cat -- and here was this person he barely knew, calling his cat by name... Mamoru had turned away from them and was heading for a park bench. The two girls followed him. He sat down and buried his face in his hands. They sat down one on each side of him and didn’t say a word.

"I’m sorry, Usagi. I really don’t remember."

"I know." Usagi’s voice was gentle and soft.

Mamoru raised his head, and Mako was glad he wasn’t looking at her with that sort of pain in his eyes. "I thought the blackouts were over. I really did."

"Ah, it’s not the same thing."

Mamoru just looked at her. Usagi looked away.

"Well, your blackouts were of a few hours at a time, and you didn’t remember anything, right?"

The sound that Mamoru made wasn’t exactly a laugh, "You do know me."

Usagi’s voice was tattered when she spoke again, "This time it’s only us you don’t remember. It’s not a blackout. This is different." Usagi turned her head finally to look at him, "I think you’ll get it back."

"Huh." Mamoru looked in her eyes for a moment. Then he looked around, "Us?" He grinned rather weakly at Mako, "I guess that introduction was rather redundant, than."

Mako smiled, "Oh, I hadn’t known you all that long. Actually, I’m not sure if we were ever properly introduced."

Mamoru turned back to Usagi, "You didn’t remember me, either, a month ago." He studied the look on her face, then grinned, "Okay, I won’t ask anymore. But, Usagi..." She looked at him, her heart in her eyes, "Without my memory, I can’t offer you anything more than friendship."

"Oh, Mamo-chan..." Usagi started to lean in towards him, then jumped off the bench and headed off into the trees. Mamoru watched after her.

He switched his attention to Mako after a moment. "That must be hard."

"Uh, yeah." Mako wasn’t quite sure what to say.

Mamoru laughed, then set himself to putting her at her ease. Within minutes, they were chatting as if they were old friends. Mako was amused to note how often the conversation kept drifting to Usagi, then veering away again. On both their parts. Usagi was the link in their lives.

After about ten minutes or so, Usagi showed up again. She was carrying in her arms a grey tabby cat that was purring loud enough to be heard across the park.

Mamoru raised an eyebrow and grinned, "Well, Raylia remembers you, at least."