Title: Vacation --Part 5 Author: Lilac Summers Rating: PG salaices@leland.stanford.edu I'm baaaaack. Alright, on with the author's notes: Spoilers: I once again make reference to the fact that, in the anime, Seiya, the other Starlights, Usagi and the girls went camping. I've always wanted to comment on how Mamoru might have felt, so this is it. It's the "port in the storm" of the story, if you will. (read: mushy). I JUST WANT (in capitals to get your attention) to draw your attention to the fact that MAMO-CHAN IS EVERYWHERE! I'm not kidding, here! Case in point, look-alike #1: Tamahome, from Fushigi Yuugi. God, mere words don't do this man justice. Look-alike #2: anyone ever see a WB cartoon special called "Invasion America"? The dude looked totally like a young Mamo-chan, American style. Look-alike #3: the newest in our line, the new Batman in "Batman Beyond." Just LOOK at him and tell me that isn't a Mamo-chan rip-off. My only question is, where are all these people getting their inspiration?! I want to meet them! Disclaimer: I own none of the characters mentioned in this story, Naoko Takeuchi does. But I *do* claim the right to any real-life guy out there who looks like Mamo-chan. Keep that in mind, Sidnei . . . ^_^ "/.../" --> statement within a statment ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Vacation by Lilac Summers Part 5 Usagi clasped Mamoru's muscled arm sharply. "There! Right there! That's where I want it," she squealed, humming deep in the back of her throat. He looked down at her, gazing at her flushed face, and swept his lips over hers. "Is that where you really want it?" he murmured, muscles tensed as he awaited her command. "Ooh! Yes! YES!" she held Mamoru more tightly, squirming in delight. "Whatever you say, love," and he went in. Mamoru turned the vehicle easily into the camping spot Usagi had indicated, and they climbed out to set up camp. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is what it was all about. This is what she had dreamed of. Usagi settled back on the sun-warmed boulder and surveyed the brook that gurgled happily over jewel-toned stones. Pure tranquility. It was as if the only things that existed were the sweet air, meandering sunlight, and the music of the water. Here, nothing could intrude. Matters of the state were far away, and the only ones who watched Neo-Queen Serenity revert to Tsukino Usagi were the silent pines. In this spot, at this moment, Usagi could almost believe that the rest of the world had faded into some other dimension, the butterflies hovering over the moss-covered stones her only subjects. Yes, this was bliss. This was true peace, being secure in the knowledge that Mother Earth was welcoming one of her-- "USAKO!!! COME HELP ME PUT THIS DAMN THING UP!" Usagi shrieked and slid off the boulder, landing on her rump in a pile of dead pine needles. "Damn you, Mamo-chan! I was communing with nature!" she shouted back. "Well, commune after this contraption from hell is up!" came his muffled voice in reply. Usagi grumbled angrily as she stood and dusted herself off. She stomped her way past the brush that separated her "thinking spot" from the rest of their camp and joined her husband. Or at least, she thought that was her husband. In reality, all she saw was a blue-green blob, hulking ominously in the middle of camp. Obviously, Mamo-chan had already tried to kill it, for a number of poles stuck out of it from odd angles. Usagi walked up to it curiously and gave it a swift, sharp kick. "Owww!" came the disembodied voice of Mamoru from inside. "Sorry. Just making sure Sailor Moon wouldn't have to save the day," deadpanned Usagi. "What?" "Nothing. So, er, honey? What *are* you doing?" asked Usagi as she began to circle the . . . the *thing* slowly. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm setting up the tent. However, if someone had told me you had to have a major in architecture to set one of these things up, I would have thought twice before tackling the project." "Hmmm." Usagi picked up the forgotten instruction packet off the leaf-strewn floor. "Mamo-chan, did you read the instructions?" Silence filled the air for a total span of 15 seconds. "No," came the low reply from somewhere inside the "tent." "I didn't think I'd need them," he confessed. Usagi choked back her laughter and said, in all seriousness, "perfectly understandable. I mean, any idiot can put up a camping tent. It's not like you have to take a class or anything. I'm sure any person who's ruled the world for over 500 years can handle setting up one simple tent." The blue-green blob growled at her. "Usagiiiii . . . ." She ignored him, remembering, with a vindictive look in her eyes, the three and a half hours it had taken her to figure out the spell that would let her off the wooden table in the conference room. "Mamo-chan can't set up a tent, Mamo-chan can't set up a tent . . ." she chanted in a sing-song voice. "Usako! Stop fooling around and get me out of here!" Usagi plopped herself down on the floor and idly turned the pages of the manual. "Page one," she began loudly, for his benefit, "/the new, patented Wondertent is so easy to assemble, even your children can set it up in thirty seconds flat!/ Oh, wait, hold on, Mamo-chan. There's a side-note . . . Ah, yes, here it is. /Note: though any child can set up the Wondertent, we do not guarantee that lame-brained, silly Kings who don't read instructions can do so. Also, keep small parts away from them, lest they swallow them and choke./" The tent went into a frenzy of motion as Mamoru clawed for an opening and Usagi gave into a peal of giggles. "USAKO!! IT DOES NOT SAY THAT! When I get out of here, I'm going to--" "Page two!!" cut in Usagi, jumping away from the mass of tarpaulin that was managing to stalk her across the clearing. "Oh, this is very interesting Mamo-chan! Listen: . . ./although our wish is not to in any way insult the intelligence of our consumers, we feel we must add, for the sake of children under two years of age: do not try to set up the tent from the inside out!/ Oops! Bet you wish you'd read the instructions now, hey honey?" "So help me, Usa, if you don't stop teasing me--" "And, last but not least, PAGE THREE! /The Wondertent is all that is modern in this world because it is entirely capable of self-assembly, which you begin by remote control./" Usagi ripped away the small packet included with the instructions and began to roll on the floor with glee. "Oh, Mamo-chan, this is rich!! If word ever gets around in Crystal Tokyo that you couldn't assemble a remote-controlled tent, you'll be demoted for sure!" Mamoru howled in outrage. "REMOTE CONTROL!? Dammit, Usako, you could have told me that to begin with! Now, get me out of here!" Usagi dried the tears from her eyes with her fingers, gulping down the rest of her laughter. Poor Mamo-chan, she'd teased him enough. Still, how often did a chance like this come along? "Okay, Mamo-chan, stand clear of any poles. I'm going to press the button now." Her finger hovered over the button for a second as she resisted the urge for one final quip that would surely send Mamo-chan into a rage... Ah, what the heck. Mamo-chan was always so cute when he was mad. "You know what, Mamo-chan? Seiya had no problem setting up *our* tent," she said, pressed the button, and ran for her life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Crystal Tokyo: "Hit me," commanded Haruka, biting down hard on the bubble-gum cigar she'd placed firmly in her mouth. Michiru smacked her. "Owww! Michiru, that stopped being funny a long time ago." "Perhaps, but I can't help myself when you say something," and she looked at Haruka with doe-eyed innocence, "so *provocative*." Haruka gulped, swallowed the wrong way, and proceeded to cough, while Michiru pounded on her back helpfully. "Okay, children. Save that for some other, preferably *private*, occasion, yes? Now, are you gonna put some money where your mouth is or what?" Minako adjusted her visor and shoved her lollipop back in her mouth. "Alrighty, read 'em and weep, ladies. Three of a kind, Queens," Sailor Pluto spread her cards on the table and smiled demurely as Minako, Michiru, and Haruka groaned in disgust. The four were seated comfortably atop the huge, infamous round table in the Private Conference Room. An obscenely large pile of money adorned the center, gold glinting richly in the muted lights of the room. Pluto gleefully scraped most of it off the center and added it to the substantial pile by her side. "Again!" demanded Haruka, carelessly throwing in several thousands in currency. Minako began to shuffle easily, stretching out her pajama-clad legs and popping a sugared candy into her mouth. "Minako-chan," frowned Michiru, "when was the last time you actually changed out of your pajamas?" "Not since Sere-chan and Endy-san left," grinned Minako shamelessly. "No need! The cats are doing all the work and everything is per-fect-ly peaceful! Even the paparazzi have all gone off to the bogus vacation spot. So, I'm on an extended Sabbatical." "Shameless," proclaimed Haruka, though slightly muffled by the fake cigar. "Shameless, I say!" "You're one to talk!" accused Michiru, surveying Haruka's ragged cut-offs and absurd, dirty cap which read "Sailor Uranus #1 Fan." Her pale blonde hair stuck out in all directions beneath the bill. "A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Anyway, I don't want to make all the palace maids swoon at my very presence, now do I? I have to take precautions, I have to--OWWW!! Michiru, that hurt!" Michiru retracted her elbow. "Stop being stupid and I'll stop hurting you!" They got into a squabble over Michiru's "violent tendencies," as Haruka liked to call them. Pluto and Minako took the opportunity to stealthily relieve them of some of their wealth, in the meanwhile. The chaos was cut short when the door burst open and Ami walked in. "Hey guys," she said, slipping her feet out of her uncomfortable heels. She padded, barefoot, towards the table. "Minako-chan, I see you have yet to change out of your nightwear?" Minako saluted Ami briefly and continued to deal the cards. Ami sighed. "Am I the *only* one who did any work today? I've been up since 9 a.m. settling minor disputes." "It's hardly our fault, Ami-chan. After all, you drew counsel service for today, remember? It was a completely democratic process." Michiru glanced at her cards and threw in four thousand in gold coins. "Yeah, yeah," grouched Ami. "Democratic my foot! I still charge one of you with fixing the results! And, Haruka-chan, since when are you so free and easy with your money?" added Ami after watching Haruka raise the ante by quite a hefty sum, not once looking at her cards. "Since it isn't my money." "Oh. Whose is it?" "Royal treasury," informed Minako. "We got it out of the private treasure chamber, the money Endy-san left behind for /emergencies/." "And you call this an emergency?" "Yup. We ran out of candy to bet with. SHE," Haruka pointed an accusing finger at Pluto, "ate it all. So, it was an emergency." She blushed as Ami looked at her sternly. "What?! We'll put it back!" "I see. Well, at the very least, Pluto-san is still dressed for business," observed Ami, referring to Pluto's Senshi uniform, replete with time staff that rested on a chair behind her. "HA! Don't let Sets fool you! She just likes walking around the palace and having everyone in complete awe of the mysterious Senshi of Time," tattled Michiru as Haruka hummed the ancient theme song to "The Twilight Zone" behind her. "Oh." Ami was more than a little disappointed to note that she was the only one who seemed to be doing anything productive. "Well, darn it, didn't anyone do anything worthwhile today?!" "I saved an entire cosmos from being sucked into a dimensional rip, thus changing the course of a fate that would have us all walking around as half-human, half-cyborg as a result of the timeline disturbance." Everyone stopped to stare at Pluto after her matter-of-fact statement. Michiru carefully took out her handkerchief an patted the sweat off her forehead, then offered it to an equally disturbed Minako. "Er, yes. I mean, other than apocalyptic events in the space-time continuum." Ami cleared her throat uncomfortably. Minako raised her hand eagerly. "I played with Small Lady and Hotaru today! I even made them a snack and prepared them for their nap," she announced modestly. Ami rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure that was a real chore. That's it, I can't believe you four have been in here gorging yourselves on candy while I had to work alongside Luna and Artemis." Ami clambered onto the table and shoved Haruka over. "Now the only thing that's going to make me feel better is beating you all to a pulp in poker." Ami smacked her hand smartly on the wooden surface. "Alright, Minako, hit me!" Minako did. "OWWWW!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Perfectly unaware that the "responsible adults" they'd left behind to manage the world were busy playing poker with royal funds, the Queen and King were playing a friendly game of chase. "Usako! Come back here and say that to my face!" Mamoru leapt over a fallen log and rounded a boulder just to catch sight of his wife's golden hair. Well, maybe not *that* friendly, after all. Usagi gasped when she heard his voice so close behind her. Perhaps she was no longer as fast a runner as she thought herself to be. She frowned at that. Sure, so she hadn't been late for Miss Haruna's class in over a thousand years, but she still had to dash through the palace halls to make it to important meetings! Still, Mamo-chan would have never had a chance of catching up to her back then . . . oh, she really hoped this didn't mean she was going out of shape. Usagi resolved to sleep in later during the mornings, thus having to run faster to get to meetings on time. She vaulted over a tree root and ducked under a branch, pumping her legs furiously as Mamoru's voice increased in proximity. "Usako . . . what did you mean, *our* tent?! That was a joke, right? RIGHT?!" She bit her lip harshly to keep from laughing out-loud and made a hairpin turn around a statuesque pine. "Tell me you didn't really share a tent with--oof!" Mamoru's comment was cut off sharply, and Usagi could no longer hear his footsteps behind her. She faltered, then stopped altogether. "Mamo-chan," she ventured, retracing her steps tentatively. "Er, Mamo-chan . . ." She stepped by the aforementioned pine and gasped when she saw Mamoru's body sprawled limply on the floor, a broken branch the obvious culprit. "Oh, Mamo-chan!" she cried, dashing to his side and dropping to her knees beside him. Gingerly running her fingers through his hair, she searched for bumps but found none. So, he was just knocked out, right? He should be fine . . . But what if he'd hit his head on a rock when he fell? What if she'd killed him?! Usagi screamed "NO!" at the very idea and pressed her head against his chest, so grateful to feel his breathing and hear his heart that she almost cried. But he should have woken up by now! Did he have a concussion? DEAR GOD, would he have amnesia again?! She lifted his head and cradled it against her chest, crying loudly. "I'm sorry, Mamo-chan!! Just be okay and I promise I won't tease you again, no matter how silly a thing you do! And I won't mention Seiya again, just 'cuz you are so cute when you're jealous, and I'll learn to cook, and I'll let you catch me next time you chase me, and I'll--" "You'll tell me you didn't share a tent with Seiya?" Usagi shrieked in surprise and dropped his head, but it didn't really matter as he had already rolled over and pinned her beneath him, grinning deviously. "You faked that!" she accused, glowering at him. "Yup. I figured it would be the only way to catch you. You are dammed fast!" he informed her unabashedly. "That was dirty! I'm not talking to you anymore." She turned up her nose at him and stared with resolve directly over his shoulder, telling herself she'd ignore him completely. Even his damned laughter. And he was shaking with it. "Admit it, Usako, I got the better of you. And now I want an answer!" Usagi continued to stare beyond him, managing to have her eyes glaze over. She even began to hum a little ditty under her breath, just for the hell of it. "Usako," he warned, shaking her wrists slightly. "Usako!!" Usagi was on the second verse of a song from the latest blockbuster Anime film and moving on to the chorus. She seemed to find the tree just beyond his shoulder fascinating. Frustrated, with no more laughter in his voice, Mamoru framed her face with his hands and nudged her face toward his, startling her enough to have her eyes fly to his. Her humming died in mid-verse. "Did you?" he repeated. Usagi gave up her "silent treatment" and gazed at him with the utmost innocence. "I have no clue what you are talking about." "Did you share a tent with him!" growled Mamoru. "With who?" "WITH SEIYA!" he bit out, so frustrated he practically shook with it. Some part of Usagi found it laughable that Mamoru could actually be taking her seriously about this, another part felt bad about teasing him and only wanted to reassure him, and the last part of her was still pissed that he would make her worry about him hurting himself. Usagi had never known she was so vengeful. "Well," she said, drawing out the word slowly, "you *were* out of town. And I had no idea when you'd be back . . . and you hadn't written me." She looked at Mamoru with sad, beseeching eyes. "Tell me, Mamo-chan, what else was a girl to do?" The color drained from his face, and his Adam's apple bounced madly as he swallowed audibly. He let go of her face and slowly slid off her, landing with a thump on the ground. "Well," he said quietly after a period of stunned silence, smoothing back his hair with trembling fingers, "I guess I can sort of see...where you might have thought...I mean, you were so young, and he might have turned your head, and I was so far away. It's not...i-it's not like you two went far . . . or anything, right? I mean, I know I was your first, as you were mine, so nothing much could have..." Before Usagi's amazed eyes, he fell silent and looked away. Usagi was utterly dumbfounded. She'd never, in a thousand years (and believe me, she'd lived long enough to say that with certainty) ever thought he'd actually believe her. Anyone who knew her would know she'd rather bite off her own arm rather than be unfaithful to her Mamo-chan. Surely he knew that the Tsukino Usagi of hundreds of years before had been no different. She clambered quickly to her knees and grabbed Mamoru's arm tightly, making him turn his head towards her. When she saw the tears glittering in his eyes, she started crying herself and threw herself in his arms. "Mamo-chan, come on! Don't you dare tell me you would actually believe I would have ever, *ever* cheated on you with *anyone*!" She pulled back slightly and saw the pain in his eyes. "Mamo-chan, I was joking! You always tell me what a lousy liar I am, why would this be any different? Look at me and tell me, honestly, that you think I would have ever seen a guy as anything more than a friend, knowing that I had you." Mamoru looked deep into her eyes and suddenly embraced her tightly, burrowing his head in her neck. "I know, I know. I guess that . . . that after all these years--" "Hundreds of years!" Usagi reminded him sharply. "That after hundreds of years, I still hate the fact that I left you alone to fight Galaxia. And I have always hated the fact that it was Seiya, not me, who got to stand by your side." He squeezed her more tightly. "But I never doubted your loyalty, Usako. I swear I know you would never have cheated on me in any way. It's just . . . just that I know, perhaps more than you can understand, how much Seiya loved you. And I can't help but feel insecure about things that you and he shared that I haven't shared with you. Like camping." Usagi nudged his head up and cradled it between her hands much like he'd held hers before. God, she loved him so much . . . "Mamo-chan, to put it to rest here and now: Seiya was never anything more than a good friend. NO man has been anything more than that ever since I met you. I would have traded every experience with the Starlights for a second of being with you in those months. And I still think you are blowing this out of proportion. I'm pretty sure Seiya just had a little crush on me and nothing more." Mamoru shook his head slightly at her naivete, but smiled nonetheless. Usagi would always see in people what she believed best, and if the thought that Seiya saw her only as a friend made her feel better about ditching him (and Mamoru could do a little victory dance here), then that was fine with him. But now he could finally put those feelings of jealousy to rest, and revel in the pure feeling of joy and love that the woman he held in his arms always brought to him. The couple continued to hold each other, the silent firs throwing dancing shadows on them, witness to their love. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "That was absolutely beautiful," sniffed Green Eagle, flicking a renegade tear away from the corner of its eye. "Yeah. And the part where she was, like, /I would have traded every experience for one second with you.../ God, that just gets you," Red Eagle pounded a fist against its chest, "right here." Green Eagle nodded somberly and nudged the foliage aside again, giving both of them an unrestricted view of the couple. They still remained in a tight embrace, golden head against dark, rocking slightly in the shadows of the pines, as if to an invisible melody only they heard. Green Eagle mentioned this observation to Red, only to have Red guffaw loudly. "Green, a poet you aren't! Don't quit your day-job." Green's eyes narrowed. "So, how would *you* put it, poet-o'-poets?" Green challenged. Red struck a lofty pose. "Two beings finally finding their centers, so completely complimenting each other that the cadence of their breathing, of their hearts, become one. Henceforth, they slowly dance to the music of their joined souls, that sing to rejoice like of chorus of angels finally finding solace in each other." "Uh-huh. That's a bunch of B.S. You sound like a college essay," returned Green. "You, sir, are a plebeian," Red sneered and peered once more through the trees. To Red's surprise, she found that Moon and Earth had fallen asleep in each other's arms. They lay napping on the verdant forest floor, dappled sunlight outlining their forms when the pine's shadow shifted in the breeze. Green came up beside Red and, together, they gave a heartfelt, romantic sigh. "Better than The Young and the Restless." "Much," agreed Red. They paused slightly. "Except for that time when Mindy lost her baby, and Rhett sold the family business just to find out where Sarah, her evil twin, had taken the baby to," amended Green. "Ah, I loved that episode." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To be continued... So, was that sappy or sappy? Yeah, blame it on the Fushigi manga I've been reading (Tamahome or Mamo-chan? Decisions, decisions . . .). Ah, that reminds me: anyone know how tall Mamo-chan is? Please tell me, and while you are at it, tell me what you thought of this part! salaices@leland.stanford.edu