That Special Magic
-by: the Yarnspinner-
the_yarnspinner@yahoo.com
http://strands-of-moonlight.my3gb.com
-or- http://strands-of-moonlight.6te.net
A Sekkushiaru Roman
featuring characters from the anime "Sailor Moon"> Chapter 18 - Consequence <
Mamoru awoke slowly, feeling Usagi's warm body snuggled next to him. He lay there quietly, enjoying her presence as she slept. The sound of her slow, steady breathing had a soothing effect on him, and he found himself dozing off again. It was some time later that he fully awoke, running a hand gently over her. She stirred slightly and groaned, her eyes remaining closed.
He brushed a finger along her cheek.
"Hmmmm. Just let me sleep a little longer," she mumbled softly.
With a smile, he gently and carefully slipped out of bed. She promptly rolled into the warm spot he had just vacated and buried her head in the pillow.
He pulled on his robe, then walked into the bathroom, pulling the door closed behind him. After attending to necessities, he shaved, then washed his hands and face.
Heading downstairs, he started some coffee, then began preparing pancakes. Eventually, he heard Usagi go into the bathroom. He poured himself some coffee, taking a sip of the warm liquid. Just as he finished the first batch of pancakes, she came downstairs. As she entered the kitchen, he looked up, seeing she did not look well.
She took one sniff of the pancakes. "Oooohhh," she groaned.
"Are you alright, Usako?" he asked.
She shook her head. "I don't feel hungry," she said softly. As she took another sniff, a wave of nausea assaulted her. "In fact... I feel quite sick... I think I'd better go back upstairs." She turned and dashed back upstairs.
He stood there, looking after her and hearing the bathroom door close. Concern swelled within him. Turning back into the kitchen, he turned off the heat under the skillet, deciding there was no point in making more pancakes. He put on a kettle to prepare some tea. His own appetite had faded, but he ate several pancakes. He prepared some green tea, then opened the pantry, finding a box of saltine crackers.
Carrying a tray with the tea and crackers, he walked back upstairs.
"Usako," he called softly, as he entered their room, where she was lying on the bed.
She glanced over at him. "If that's food, I don't want it," she mumbled. "I feel really, really sick."
He set the tray down. "I have saltines and green tea. That was the favorite remedy of the nurses at the orphanage... and they saw plenty of sour stomachs," he said. "Eat several crackers first, then sip the tea slowly. You need to eat something, or it will just get worse."
She look skeptically at the crackers. Finally picking one up, she sniffed at it hesitantly, then took a tiny bite. "Are you sure about this?" she asked.
He nodded. "Absolutely, my love. These will help calm your stomach."
"Alright," she replied, taking another small bite.
He watched as she very slowly nibbled on the cracker. "Did you wake up feeling sick?"
"Yes," she replied. "I was hoping that a little food would help, but just one sniff..."
"I understand," he said, running a hand gently along her arm. "I'm just sorry you're not feeling well... I wonder if this has something to do with the problems you've been having with your transformation."
"Maybe. But I wasn't having any stomach problems last night," she said.
He placed his hand on her forehead. "It doesn't feel like you have a fever, but there might be some sort of stomach flu going around... A bad virus might explain everything... except I wouldn't expect it to hang on this long."
She picked up another cracker and took a small bite. "I did have a stomach bug earlier... I think I told you... but it cleared up about the time I had my period last week." She giggled softly. "And of course that rules out another possibility."
He nodded and smiled, still having a feeling of anxiety in the pit of his stomach from not knowing what was wrong.
Finishing her cracker, she sat up a bit and took a sip of the tea. Her stomach still felt queasy and most unhappy. She took another sip of her tea. Like him, she felt anxiety adding to her already pronounced discomfort. As she looked up at him, she saw his smile had faded.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Maybe we should think about heading back early," he said softly.
She started to sit up farther, then winced as her stomach muscles cramped up. "Ooww," she groaned. "I don't think I could take sitting in a moving car for several hours. Not just now."
"I know. But if this doesn't start to clear up soon, you probably should see your doctor, Usako. We don't want to take any chances if this is serious."
"Let's give it some more time," she said. "It still might clear up... and I'd hate to spoil our vacation, Mamo-chan."
"You're far more important to me than any vacation, my love," he said. "We're going to have a lifetime together." He leaned down and kissed her cheek.
She smiled up at him happily. "Yes, we certainly are," she sighed.
She sat there quietly, feeling her stomach finally beginning to calm down a little. Taking another sip of her tea, she continued to wonder just what was causing this.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It was mid-afternoon and Usagi was growing restless. Mamoru had brought her more crackers and some broth for lunch, which her stomach had accepted only grudgingly.
He was now back downstairs, cleaning up. She slipped out of bed, standing up slowly and carefully. Once on her feet, she closed her eyes and concentrated. The ginzuishou appeared just above her chest and bathed her in its glow, quickly transforming her into the princess. Standing there, she found her stomach pains were still there but now considerably less severe.
She let the crystal's energy flow through her, hoping it would cure whatever was the problem. As the energy went through her, she again tried to feel anything out of the ordinary. Her body's energy had changed slightly, but she recognized that came from combining some of his energies with her own. Beyond that, she could find nothing else.
The crystal's glow faded, and she let it disappear. Still feeling better than in her normal form, she decided to remain as the princess for the time being. She left their room and headed downstairs. Mamoru was in the kitchen, looking up to see her.
"Usako. Are you feeling better?" he asked.
"A little."
"Why are you in your princess form, my love?"
"I found the stomach pains are less severe in this form," she said. "At least like this I can move around. I'm not stuck in bed."
"Well, that's good," he said. "But don't over do it, please."
"I won't," she said, nodding her head. "I tried again to use the crystal to figure out what's wrong, but I couldn't find anything."
"That's alright," he said, taking her in his arms. "We'll figure it out. Just give it time."
She smiled up at him and kissed him. "I'm so happy to be here with you, Mamo-chan, even if I'm not feeling well."
He kissed her in return. "I'm glad we're together so I can take care of you. I'd hate to think of you going through this when I couldn't be with you, my love," he said. "Would you like some more tea?"
"Please."
He poured two cups of hot green tea, and handed her one. She took a sip and nodded.
"That is good," she said softly.
They walked back into the living room and sat down, looking out over the lake as they sat together, sipping their tea.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
He was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Usagi remained in the living room, still in her princess form, deciding she wasn't ready to test herself with the smell of food cooking. He filled a bowl with broth, set some crackers on a plate, and refilled her tea cup. Placing all these on a tray, he carried them out to her.
"Here's your dinner, Usako," he said, placing the tray on a table.
"Thank you, Mamo-chan," she said, reaching for a cracker.
He kissed her cheek, then returned to the kitchen, serving himself the stew he had prepared. After pouring some more tea, he went back to the living room and sat down.
"How is your stomach handling the broth and crackers?" he asked.
"It's doing fairly well," she said. "But I'm not sure what it would be like if I wasn't in the form of the princess."
He nodded in understanding. "Hopefully you'll feel better in the morning," he said.
"I certainly hope so."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Later that evening, Usagi went upstairs and started a bath. Outside, a storm had blown in, and they could hear the wind whistling around the house.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, quickly reverting to her normal form. As the added energy of the princess faded, the lack of food for the day began to catch up with her, leaving her feeling very tired. She sat on the edge of the bed. Her stomach was still a little upset, but nowhere near as bad as it had been that morning. She sighed with relief at that, hoping that was a positive sign.
Mamoru entered their room. "How are you feeling?"
"Not perfect, but better," she said. "Maybe after a good night's sleep..."
He nodded, then moved closer and kissed her.
She stood up. "I'm going to take a bath."
"Would you like me to wash your back?" he asked.
She smiled. "I'd love it, Mamo-chan. And if you'd help me with my hair...?"
"My pleasure," he said, removing his shirt.
They walked into the bathroom and she removed her robe, then lowered herself into the water. He crouched down alongside the tub. She sat back up and he ran a washcloth over her back with slow, gentle motions.
"That feels nice," she sighed.
She lay back in the water, and he swept the washcloth over her chest, going slowly over her breasts, then down across her abdomen. He leaned over and kissed her lips, before sliding the cloth over her long, beautiful legs.
"Ready to do your hair?" he asked.
She nodded and sat up. He ran his fingers through her hair, then began applying shampoo. Together, they worked the shampoo through the full length of her hair, then started rinsing it. When they were finished, she rose to her feet, and he handed her a towel.
"Thank you, Mamo-chan. It's so nice having you help me."
"And I love doing it," he said.
She stepped out of the tub. He picked up a second towel and helped her dry herself. As he slid it down over her back, he softly pressed his fingers into her bottom.
"Oh, I'm afraid I'm not up to that yet," she said.
"I know," he said. "I'm just admiring this incredibly lovely young woman standing naked in front of me."
"Mamo-chan, you're terrible," she said, giggling softly. "I just wish I was feeling better... so that I could fully enjoy your... admiration."
He grinned. "Well, when you are feeling better, my love, then I'll see about making up for lost time."
"I do like the sound of that," she said, still giggling.
He picked up a brush as they turned their attention to drying her hair. Outside, they could hear the wind blowing harder, and the sound of thunder.
She flinched. "The storm's getting worse."
"But you're perfectly safe here, Usako," he said softly, kissing her.
They finally finished drying her hair. She picked up her robe and they walked back to their room. Just as she was slipping into bed, they heard a loud cracking noise.
"What was that?!" she asked, trembling.
"I don't know," he said. "But I'll be right back."
He hurried to the other end of the house and looked outside. Lightning flashed, and he could see a tree down across the driveway.
"Could you see what it was?" she asked, when he returned to their room.
"A tree came down. It's blocking the driveway," he said. "I'll call Ishihara in the morning and ask if he can help remove it."
He removed his clothes and turned off the light, then slipped into bed alongside her. She immediately snuggled closer to him.
"I love you, Mamo-chan," she sighed.
"I love you," he whispered, kissing her softly, still longing fervently for the time when he would be able to spend every night with her.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The morning sun streamed in through the window, warming the room. Mamoru stirred, feeling Usagi's head still resting on his chest. He slid a hand along her back, softly caressing her.
She sighed happily as he caressed her, shifting position slightly. Immediately, her stomach protested, and she groaned.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"The stomach pains are still there," she mumbled.
"As bad as yesterday?"
"I don't know yet," she said.
He embraced her. "I'll make you some more tea," he said. "You should probably stay out of the kitchen for now."
"Most definitely," she agreed.
He kissed her, then slipped out of bed and pulled on his robe. "I'll bring your tea and crackers up shortly, my love."
Walking down to the kitchen, he put water in the kettle, then placed it on the stove. As the water heated, he picked up the phone and dialed Ishihara's number.
"Hello," Ishihara Shiro said.
"Ishihara-san, this is Chiba Mamoru," he said.
"Good morning, Chiba-san," Shiro said. "Did you have any problems with the storm?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Mamoru replied. "We have a tree down, blocking the driveway."
"No damage to yourselves or the house, I hope."
"No. We're fine," Mamoru said. "Just the fallen tree."
"Alright. I'll be over later this morning and we'll see what we can do," Shiro said.
"Thank you, Ishihara-san. I appreciate it."
"Not at all. It's what I'm here for, Chiba-san," Shiro said. "Good bye."
"Good bye," Mamoru said, hanging up the phone.
The kettle had now come to a boil. He took it off the heat and prepared the tea. Opening the pantry, he noticed they would need more saltines and broth soon. He placed the tea pot, cup, and crackers on the tray and carried it up to her.
"Here you are, Usako," he said, setting the tray down on her night table and pouring her some tea.
"Thank you, Mamo-chan."
She eased herself up into a sitting position and took a cracker, nibbling on it slowly.
"I called Ishihara," he said. "He'll be over later this morning to help clear that tree out of the drive."
She nodded, still nibbling on her cracker. Looking up, she saw the concern on his face. "What is it?" she asked.
"I think we should consider heading home as soon as you feel up to the drive," he said quietly. "This doesn't seem to be getting any better, and I'd hate to be up here if it suddenly got worse."
"Alright," she said softly. "But let's wait until tomorrow before we think about driving back."
"That's OK," he agreed, leaning over and kissing her.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Later that morning, as Mamoru and Shiro were looking at the downed tree, Usagi sat in the kitchen with Shiro's wife, Naomi.
"Chiba-san said you needed saltine crackers and broth," Naomi said. "And I can see you've used quite a bit of green tea... Is someone having stomach trouble?"
"I'm afraid I am, Ishihara-san" Usagi said.
"Please. You may call me Naomi."
"Thank you, Naomi-san," Usagi replied. "And you may call me Usagi."
Naomi nodded. "So, what brought on your stomach problems, Usagi-san? Surely Chiba-san isn't that bad a cook."
"Oh, no. Mamoru is really quite a good cook," Usagi said. "I just noticed it yesterday morning. I woke up feeling mildly sick. When I came down and smelled the pancakes Mamoru was cooking, my stomach felt like it wanted to jump up my throat."
"And you felt sick again this morning?" Naomi asked.
Usagi nodded. "Mamoru's been feeding me crackers, broth, and tea, which seems to settle my stomach somewhat."
"That is a good treatment," Naomi agreed, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I don't wish to intrude, Usagi-san... but is there any chance you might be pregnant?"
"No," Usagi answered, shaking her head. "I had my period just last week."
Naomi frowned and took a long, slow breath. "Usagi-san... that does not necessarily mean you're not pregnant."
Usagi's eyes went wide, and anxiety added to the discomfort she already felt in her stomach. "But I thought..."
"Many people do," Naomi said. "And in most cases, a woman's period does stop right away... but not always. When I had my son, my period didn't stop until the third month. I remember I was frantic about it at first, afraid I was having a miscarriage, but my doctor assured me I was doing fine and not to worry."
Usagi gasped for breath, feeling her stomach tightening. "Oh, gods!" The pain in her stomach increased, and she ran for the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
She returned several minutes later, looking pale, and slid back into the chair.
"How are you feeling?" Naomi asked softly.
"Miserable," Usagi groaned. "Especially now."
"You were counting on the fact you were still having your period to mean you were safe," Naomi said.
Usagi nodded.
"And it's still entirely possible that you're not pregnant," Naomi added. "But you really should try to find out just what the situation really is."
"Mamoru thinks we should go home early so I can see my doctor," Usagi said.
"That's probably a good idea," Naomi said.
They sat there quietly for several moments.
"I was thinking of going out to the market to get your broth, crackers, and tea," Naomi said. "If you would like, I could pick up a home pregnancy test for you... Or you could even come with me if you feel up to it."
"Come with you?"
"It might be better than just sitting around the house here," Naomi suggested.
Usagi reached for another cracker, nibbling on it slowly. Finally, she nodded. "I'll go with you. Thank you." She sipped more of her tea.
Several minutes later, they went outside. Both Usagi and Naomi wore jackets. They walked up the drive, finding Shiro readying his chainsaw.
"Where are you going?" Mamoru asked.
"We're going to drive to the market and pick up a few things for you," Naomi answered. "We won't be long."
"Have a good time," Shiro said. "We should have most of this out of the way by the time you get back."
Mamoru stepped closer to Usagi. "Are you sure you're up to this, Usako?" he asked.
"I could feel a lot better," she admitted. "But I think I need a little time out of the house."
"OK. I understand. Enjoy yourself."
Naomi and Usagi walked around the fallen tree, and climbed into the Ishiharas car. As Naomi started the engine and turned the car around, they heard Shiro starting his chainsaw.
They turned onto the main road, heading away from the hot springs spa, and Usagi winced, feeling her stomach protesting the motion.
"How long have you and Chiba-san known each other?" Naomi asked.
"A few months," Usagi said. "But it seems like we've known each other forever."
Naomi glanced over at Usagi as she drove. "You're a bit younger than he is, aren't you?"
"A bit," Usagi confirmed.
Naomi considered for a moment, then decided not to press it any farther.
They soon pulled up in front of a small market. Stepping out of the car, they went inside. Usagi still found her stomach rather unhappy. Naomi picked up several cans of broth, along with boxes of saltine crackers, and a tin of green tea. She led Usagi to one end of the market and showed her several different brands of pregnancy tests.
"Is one better than another?" Usagi asked.
"Probably not," Naomi said. She reached for a box. "Try this one. It looks like it should be easy to read... but either way, you should still see your doctor pretty soon."
Usagi nodded, taking the box. She looked down at it in her hand, feeling a fresh wave of anxiety swelling within her.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Back at the house, Usagi retreated to the bathroom. Mamoru and Shiro were still outside, and Naomi had gone out to join them after putting away the groceries.
Usagi had opened the box. Her anxiety had only increased as she read through the test's instructions several times. She was not looking forward to what it might tell her. Finally, she picked up the test stick, and did as the instructions directed.
She sat there and waited, still not certain which result she was hoping for. Either would lead to innumerable problems. A negative result would mean something else, potentially very serious, was causing her stomach malady. She would still have to go see her doctor to find out just what the problem was. On the other hand, a positive result would mean she was pregnant. She longed to marry Mamoru, even as young as she was, but never had she even remotely supposed she was ready to have a child of her own. The romantic within her loved the thought of a new life growing within her that was a product of their love, but just not so soon.
She glanced at the stick, but found her eyes refusing to focus. Wiping them, she then clenched them shut for a moment, before looking again. Her breath caught in her throat, and a tremendous weight seemed to press down on her chest.
"Oh, gods!" she gasped. "Positive."
She stood there, staring at the stick, her entire body trembling. Her stomach felt like it was twisting into a knot. She took a step toward the toilet, then lunged forward as her stomach rebelled completely. When the intense nausea had finally subsided, she crouched on the floor, crying miserably.< To be continued >
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NOTE: Please don't send me messages saying I'm wrong about a woman's period continuing for several months after conception. I know several women who have experienced just this situation, including my better half, Hopeless Romantic. As I've related in this chapter, it may not occur frequently, but it does happen. Special thanks to Hopeless Romantic for what might be called 'technical advice'.Always remember, good gentles, that a yarnspinner works from and within existing legends and stories. The characters of "Sailor Moon" belong to others. In spinning my yarns, I do not seek to infringe on their rights of ownership, but merely to join with other fans to spread the legend still further. "The moonlight carries a message of love." Enjoy.
-09.28.2001