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 33 - Out of the Shadows <
Mamoru parked his car, and he and Usagi got out. He retrieved the bags from their earlier shopping, then locked the car. Together, they walked toward the elevator.
Usagi looked over at him as they walked. "I love you, Mamo-chan," she said.
"I love you, Usako," he replied.
"And I really loved being able to tell that clerk my name was Chiba Usagi," she said, grinning happily. "That just felt soooo right."
He nodded. "I thought so too, my love."
"I'm just going to have to be careful that I don't get too much into the habit just yet," she said.
"That's true," he agreed. "It could cause some problems if we're not careful."
They stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for their floor.
"Your mother said we need to be really quiet about anything like that around your father," he said. "She thinks that will ruin her chances of convincing him that you need to move in with me."
She nodded in understanding. "I won't say anything about it," she said. "I certainly don't want to do anything that keeps me from moving in with you."
Moments later, the elevator stopped and the door slid open. They walked along the hall, and she unlocked the apartment door for him.
"Thank you, my love," he said, as he stepped inside.
She smiled, and stepped in after him.
He set the bags down and they removed their shoes. Drawing her into his arms, he kissed her lips.
"It's nice to be home, together," she said softly.
He nodded, kissing her again. "That is so nice," he agreed.
She removed her jacket as they moved into the living room. "And now we have a quiet weekend just to ourselves, Mamo-chan."
They kissed once more, and he slid his hands along her sides, beginning to lift her sweater. She stepped back, letting him slip the sweater off and set it down over the back of a chair. Her hands opened his pants and slid them down. He stepped out of his pants. As soon as he straightened back up, she started unbuttoning his shirt. She opened his shirt and swept her fingers over his chest with a happy sigh. He let her slip his shirt off, then brought his hands to the waist of her slacks, opening them, and sliding them down over her young, shapely legs. She reached back and unfastened her bra, slowly sliding the straps down off her shoulders.
He smiled, feeling his arousal swelling still higher as she slowly and teasingly uncovered her exquisite breasts, before finally tossing the bra away. His hands slid over her breasts, caressing her nipples, as he leaned closer and pressed his lips to hers. She sighed into the kiss, and ran her hands over his back.
"Usako," he whispered, steering her back toward the couch.
He grasped her panties and slid the small piece of thin fabric down, letting them drop around her ankles. As she stood there, completely naked, she reached for his boxers, seeing the bulging form of his aroused manhood. She giggled softly.
"Why, Mamo-chan. I think it wants out," she said with a grin, running her hand over his penis through the fabric of his shorts.
"It just wants to be in something else, my love," he said softly.
She pulled his shorts down, uncovering his swollen penis, and ran her hand gently along his full length. "I think I have just what it needs," she said.
He nodded. "You're the only one who does, Usako."
"You know, I think this may need very slow, careful attention," she said, grinning at him as she continued to caress him.
"Whatever it takes," he said. "I know you're always very thorough about these things."
She giggled again. "I try to be, Mamo-chan."
He drew her tightly into his embrace and kissed her deeply, while she rubbed herself over his hardness. Her crescent moon was already beginning to glow.
"Usako," he groaned.
Just then, her communicator beeped with the sound of the all-call.
"Oh, no," she moaned. "Not now."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A bit earlier that afternoon, Atana pulled his car up in front of Kara's school. Rei sat beside him, now in casual attire. Atana found a parking space and they stepped out of the car.
"I think I'll wait here," Rei said.
"Alright," Atana said. "I'll be right back."
He walked up to the front door of the school. A staff member sat at a desk inside the lobby.
"May I help you, sir?" the young man asked in English.
"Yes," Atana said. "My name is Atana Magi. I'm here to pick up my daughter."
The man checked his list, then picked up a phone and pressed a button. "Kara Magi's father is here," he said. He looked back up at Atana. "She'll be right out, sir."
"Thank you."
Moments later, a teacher walked several pre-school girls into the lobby.
"Daddy!" Kara cried, running to him.
"Hi, honey," he said, crouching down and giving her a hug. "How was your day? Did you have fun?"
She nodded. "Oh, yes. I made some nice new friends."
"That's good," he said. He kissed her cheek, then stood up, holding her hand. "Do you know who came with me to see you?"
"Rei?"
He smiled. "You certainly are a smart one, honey."
Kara grinned happily, skipping alongside her father. He opened the door for her and they walked outside. Kara waved at Rei and pulled at her father's arm, trying to break into a run.
"Kara, don't run," he cautioned. "You'll just fall and hurt yourself."
The little girl nodded, but continued to skip alongside him excitedly. "Hi, Rei!" she called.
"Hi, Kara," Rei said.
Atana released Kara's hand as they reached the car, and the girl rushed to Rei, giving her a hug.
"I... am happy to... see you too," Rei said in English. "But... what is hug for?"
Kara grinned. "I'm happy to see you."
Rei nodded, finding the girl's happiness infectious.
Atana opened the car door, and helped Kara into her booster seat in the rear, buckling her in, while Rei set Kara's bag on the floor.
Rei and Atana slipped into the front, and he started the car.
"Would you like to go to the park, honey, before going home?" Atana asked, looking at Kara in the rearview mirror.
Kara nodded. "Yes, Daddy."
"So, what did you do today?" Rei asked.
"We played some games," Kara said, looking out the window. "And we made pictures."
"What did you make a picture of?" Atana asked.
"I drew our home," Kara said. "Will you look at it?"
"Is it in your bag?" Rei asked.
Kara nodded.
Rei reached back and opened Kara's bag, quickly finding a folded piece of paper. She slipped it out and opened it. The picture showed a generic house shape with what was obviously meant to be a palm tree next to it.
"Is this your home in Hawaii?" Rei asked.
"Yes," Kara said.
"I don't see you and your daddy in this picture," Rei said.
"That's because we're here," Kara answered, as if the logic of that was obvious.
"Oh, I see," Rei said with a nod, noticing a grin on Atana's face.
They eventually reached the park. Rei released Kara from her seat belt, and the younger girl took Atana's hand as they walked.
Rei glanced around, noticing a tall woman with long dark hair standing nearby, seeming to be looking at them. Inexplicably, she had a strange feeling about the woman. She heard Kara cough, immediately turning her attention to Atana's daughter. Only a moment later, Rei looked back, finding the woman was gone. She glanced around, but could find no trace of her.
Just then, there was a strange rushing noise and a dark figure burst out of the trees.
"Get down!" Rei cried, immediately shielding Kara with her own body even as she pulled on Atana.
Atana dropped to the ground as the youma flashed past them. He carefully freed his hand from Kara's grasp. The youma jumped back toward them with a growl. Atana raised both hands, hurling a powerful burst of energy, striking the youma in the chest. The youma screamed and crashed to the ground, collapsing into dust.
"Are you alright?" Rei asked Kara, feeling the little girl trembling as she held her close.
Kara nodded hesitantly, pressing herself against Rei.
Suddenly, another youma appeared, hurtling at Atana from behind. Rei reached into her pocket, retrieving an anti-evil charm, and hurling the scroll at the youma. The dark figure froze in its tracks, growling in pain. Atana spun around and blasted it.
"Thank you, Rei. I appreciate that," he said. He glanced around, sensing things beyond the range of conventional senses. "But I don't think we're done with them yet."
She nodded, releasing Kara and rising to her feet. Taking a step back, she raised her hand. "Mars... Power... Make-up!" Fiery energy immediately swirled around her, washing away her clothes before forming her Senshi uniform. As soon as her transformation was complete, she produced her communicator in her hand and pressed the all-call button. "We should keep moving," she said. "The others will need some time to get here."
Atana took Kara's hand and they hurried along, staying under the cover of trees and bushes.
"Daddy?" Kara cried softly, her voice trembling with fear.
"Hush, honey," Atana said quietly. "Just keep your voice down. Rei and I will keep you safe."
"That is right, Kara," Rei said, glancing around as they kept moving.
Two more of the dark creatures burst out of the trees. Atana picked Kara up in his arms and rushed for cover. Rei dove away from him, quickly rolling into a crouch, ready for action. Both youma looked around in confusion, then rushed toward her.
"Fire... Soul!" Rei cried, unleashing a powerful blast of fire against the creatures.
Only one youma was destroyed. The other, burned and injured, struggled forward. Rei jumped forward, striking the youma with a kick, sending it crashing to the ground. She then finished it off with another fire blast.
"Are you OK?" Atana asked.
Rei nodded, still glancing around. "I just wish we knew why these things are after you," she said softly, in Japanese.
"Yes," he agreed, also in Japanese. "But I just don't know anything."
"Daddy. Why are these bad people after us?" Kara asked in English.
"I don't know, honey," he said softly. "But I'll keep you safe."
They heard a loud growl and the trees shook around them. A large shadowy form flashed past them, its shape vaguely humanoid, and its most notable feature being two large glowing red eyes.
"That thing's a lot more powerful," Atana said in Japanese.
Rei nodded. "I hope the others show up soon. We're going to need help."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The ginzuishou's bright glow filled a small clearing in the park, fading to reveal Princess Serenity, Tuxedo Kamen, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus. Mercury immediately opened her computer and began scanning.
Just then, a large dark form burst up from the trees as a blast of fire surged around it.
"I have a hunch they're over there," Jupiter said, pointing.
"But just what is that thing?" Venus asked.
"I don't know," Mercury said. "But it's very strong. Mars won't be able to handle it alone."
"And we'd better assume Atana can't handle it either," Serenity said. "I want everyone to stick together. If we do have to separate, don't attack that thing unless there's at least two of you."
They all nodded and rushed into the trees.
Their adversary swept down again, being met by an energy blast from Atana. The youma seemed more annoyed than anything else as Atana struck it again.
Venus signaled Jupiter with a motion of her hand, then pointed at the huge youma. Jupiter nodded.
"Supreme... Thunder!" Jupiter cried.
"Crescent... Beam!" Venus shouted.
A blast of lightning and a powerful beam of energy stabbed into the youma. It growled, spinning around to look for this new source of attack.
"Shabon... Spray!" Mercury cried, filling a section of trees with her chilling fog.
With a loud scream, the youma crashed down into the fog, smashing into the ground. It pulled up, looking around in confusion as it slowly realized it had been fooled.
Two of the smaller dark youma, like those that had attacked Rei and Atana earlier, raced toward Serenity.
"Crescent... Beam!" Venus cried, blasting one of the youma.
Tuxedo Kamen produced several roses, hurling them at the second youma. It screamed in pain as the magic of the roses tore through it. The youma then fell to the ground and collapsed into dust.
Sailor Mars ran toward them, with Atana and Kara close behind.
"Are you three OK?" Serenity asked.
"A little bruised... but we're OK," Mars answered.
The large youma flashed toward them again. Jupiter, Mars, and Venus quickly launched their attacks at it. The youma flinched, but kept coming.
"It's too strong!" Jupiter yelled.
The youma screamed, and an intense blast of energy struck the ground, knocking them all off their feet and leaving Serenity dazed.
Tuxedo Kamen felt ice close around his heart as he saw the woman he loved. Jumping back to his feet, he reached deep within himself, letting powerful energy swell up inside him. In an instant his tuxedo was replaced by the black clothes and chest plate of Prince Endymion. He unsheathed his sword, moving with blinding speed as the youma raced toward him. The sword tore into the youma, bringing a cry of pain from the creature as it turned away and climbed back into the sky, a glowing red gash visible across its chest.
Atana raised his hand and struck at the youma again with an energy blast, hoping to find it more vulnerable now that it was injured. The youma screamed in pain, but responded with another burst of energy of its own. Atana and Rei both dove back to shield Kara.
Serenity struggled back to her feet.
"Are you alright?" Mercury asked.
Serenity nodded. "I'll be OK," she said.
"Endymion injured it," Mercury explained. "But it's still very strong. I think you're the only one who can destroy it."
"I understand," Serenity said.
Serenity stepped away from Mercury and raised her hands. The ginzuishou appeared, floating just above her breasts, its glow enveloping her.
The youma growled, turning toward her.
"Let's try to hold it off for another moment," Venus said.
Jupiter nodded, standing beside Venus. Together, they turned their power against the youma with careful aim, striking the gash left by Endymion's sword. The youma screamed in pain, flinching away.
The crystal's glow surrounding Serenity had become almost blinding. She extended her arms, and an intense blast of silver and pink energy lanced out from her small form, striking the youma. The youma's shadowy body seemed to melt away under the overwhelming energy of the ginzuishou, making it appear to shrink before it finally melted away completely.
Serenity brought her arms down as the crystal's glow faded. She took a slow breath. Endymion rushed to her and took her in his arms.
"Are you OK, my love?" he asked.
"I'm fine, my prince," she said softly. "Just tired."
Atana held Kara in his arms. The young girl looked quite scared. "It's OK, honey," he told her. "It's all over. You're safe now."
Rei knelt beside them. "Yes. You are safe," she said in English.
Kara looked at both of them, still trembling. Tears welled up in her eyes. Atana kissed her cheek, then wiped away her tears. "You're alright, honey," he whispered again.
Serenity and Endymion stepped closer to them. "Are you OK?" Serenity asked.
"We're fine," Rei said. "Kara's just scared."
"I don't blame her," Endymion said. "Will you have any problems getting back to your apartment, Atana-san?"
Atana looked up and shook his head. "My car is nearby. We'll be fine."
"Then the rest of us should be going," Serenity said. "I believe Sailor Venus had to make an excuse to her friend."
Rei nodded. "We'll be fine," she said. "Thanks for your help."
Serenity nodded. "That's what we're all here for."
Serenity stepped away, and the other Senshi gathered around her and Endymion. The crystal glowed, and they faded away.
Rei stood up and transformed back to normal.
Atana kissed Kara again, then lifted her in his arms. "Let's go home, honey," he said.
Kara nodded, still trembling and crying softly.
When they reached his car, Rei opened the rear door and Atana slipped Kara into her booster seat. Rei then slipped into the back seat with Kara, holding the girl's hand.
As Atana pulled the car out onto the road, Kara looked over at Rei. "Can you stay with us tonight, Rei?" she asked, her voice still trembling.
Rei glanced up at Atana, somewhat taken aback. "Well... ah... I don't know if I can."
Atana looked at his daughter in the mirror. "Rei has to go home, honey."
"But... I'm still scared," Kara cried. "I really want Rei there too, Daddy... Please?"
"But, Kara... I would have to ask my grandfather about that... and I... I am not certain he would agree to that," Rei said.
"She's right, honey," Atana said. "And we really don't have much room in our apartment."
Kara shook her head. "Please, Rei? Please stay with us."
"I... I am not sure I can," Rei said again. "It is not really my choice to make... My grandfather would have to let me stay out tonight... and your father would have to agree."
"Daddy. Please?" Kara begged.
Atana sighed. "Kara, I know you're scared after what happened... But neither Rei nor I can say yes just now."
"But Daddy!"
"That's enough, Kara," he said. "We'll consider it... but you have to accept that Rei might not stay."
Kara scowled, her gaze dropping to her lap.
Rei leaned closer. "But the bad monsters have been destroyed, Kara," she said. "Your daddy will keep you safe."
"They've come back before," Kara said.
"I know they have," Rei said. "But before it was only one at a time. We destroyed a lot of them this time... I don't think you will see any more."
Kara looked over at Rei, still crying. "Can't you please stay?"
"I don't know," Rei said.
"Please?"
"Kara. I said that's enough," Atana said quietly but sternly.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mamoru and Usagi reappeared in their apartment, still in the forms of Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity. They kissed once more, then transformed to normal, both standing there naked. Her hair, which had been drawn up in odangos in her princess form, was now again back down in her new style. She sighed as fatigue caught up with her, leaning against him.
"Usako, are you alright?" he asked.
She nodded. "I'm still feeling tired."
"OK. Come lie down, my love," he said. "I'll massage your back." He led her to the bedroom.
"That does sound nice," she said.
She lay down on the bed and he sat down alongside her. He leaned forward and began gently massaging her shoulders.
"Oh, nice," she sighed.
Her eyes drifted closed as she enjoyed the feel of his strong yet gentle hands going slowly and lovingly over her back. As her muscles relaxed under his tender ministrations, she slowly drifted toward sleep.
He sensed her falling asleep, letting his hands run very softly over the bare flesh of her back. After several minutes, he sat back, then pulled a blanket up over her. He sat there quietly, his eyes taking in the exquisite beauty of his future wife as she slept.
He carefully eased himself off the bed and pulled on a bathrobe. Returning to the living room, he gathered up their discarded clothes, folding them and setting them aside on a chair. He would deal with putting them away later. Walking into the kitchen, he started considering what to prepare for dinner.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ikuko lay back in bed, smiling happily with the afterglow of beautiful passion. Kenji had surprised her with dinner reservations when she had returned from shopping with Usagi and Mamoru, and had let Shingo spend the night with a friend. The prospect of becoming a grandfather seemed to have brought out more of the passion and romance he had displayed when they were younger, a situation she was happily enjoying. Kenji slid his arm across her and kissed her cheek.
"You are a very beautiful woman, darling," he said.
She smiled. "And you are an incredibly handsome man," she said. "You make me very happy, dear."
"I'm glad," he said. "You make me happy."
She nodded with a contented sigh. "That happens when you're with the person you love."
"Very true," he agreed, kissing her again.
"And your daughter has found that same happiness."
He frowned as he looked up at her. "I know," he finally said, his voice quiet and subdued.
"I spent some time with them this afternoon... She's really growing up... More than even I had fully realized," she said.
Kenji lay his head back on the pillow and rubbed his hand over his eyes. "Do we really have to talk about this right now?"
Ikuko looked over at him, seeing his discomfort. "I'm afraid so, dear... You remember what it was like for me when I was about six months along?"
He nodded. "You needed help just to get out of bed."
"That's right," she said. "But Usagi is quite a bit smaller than I am."
He looked at her, not comprehending.
"That means she will reach that point sooner," she explained. "Her doctor thinks it will probably happen about the fifth month... but we both know she's going to be experiencing difficulties even before then."
He closed his eyes and sighed, remaining silent for a long moment. "You think she should move in with him," he finally said.
"Yes, I do," she said softly. "And I'm not the only one... Her doctor strongly recommends it, and the sooner the better."
His eyes opened and he stared at her in consternation. "What are you talking about?"
"Do you think it's fair to either of them to ask them to get used to living with each other full-time when she needs so much extra help?" she countered. "It would be much better for them to already be fairly comfortable with living together before she gets to that point."
He rubbed his eyes once more and shook his head, still struggling with the idea of his fourteen-year-old daughter living with a young man. "And just how soon do you want to see that happen?" he asked.
"Well, I'm sure Usagi would be quite happy if we said she could move in with Mamoru right away," she said.
"I don't doubt it," he said. "She no longer seems to consider our house as home."
Ikuko winced slightly, having hoped Usagi would have been a bit more discreet about that around Kenji. "That is true," she finally conceded. "And she and Mamoru seem very much at home with each other... Mamoru is planning to move into a larger apartment in just a few weeks, and would like to have her with him by then."
He groaned softly. "She's still so young," he muttered.
"Not as young as you might wish to think, dear," she said. "You didn't see them together this afternoon. She's definitely not a young girl anymore. The clerks at the store we went to clearly thought she was Mamoru's age, and she handled herself very well."
He lay there quietly, his face still wrinkled in a scowl. Finally, he sighed with a look of resignation. "Well, I guess it has to happen whether I like it or not... And I don't want to force her to live someplace where she no longer feels at home." His voice showed how uncomfortable this was for him.
Ikuko smiled, and stroked his arm gently. "She's found someone she loves very much," she said. "But she still needs, and wants, our love and support, dear. I know it's not what you want, but this is the right thing to do, both for her and for us."
He nodded, still looking far from convinced.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rei crouched next to Atana as he tucked Kara in to her bed. Initially, Rei had agreed only to stay for dinner, but eventually had decided to stay, telling her grandfather she was staying with a friend. Kara had been overjoyed, and Rei was surprised at just how comfortable she was feeling there.
"Good night, honey. Sleep well," Atana said to his daughter. He then leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"Good night, Daddy," Kara said. "You and Rei will both be here all night?"
Atana nodded. "Yes, we will," he said softly, still having conflicting feelings about that situation.
"That's right," Rei agreed.
Kara smiled, but her smile faded as they started to move. "Daddy, give me another kiss, please."
"Alright. One more," he said. "But then, you have to be a big girl and go to sleep, honey." He kissed her cheek again.
Rei leaned over and gave the young girl a hug. "Good night, Kara," she said.
"Good night, Rei... Thank you for staying," Kara said.
Rei nodded as she and Atana rose to their feet and slipped out of the room. Atana switched off the light, leaving only the soft glow of a small night light, and pulled the door closed.
"I'm glad she's finally going to sleep," he said, keeping his voice low. "I'm sorry you had to get dragged into this, Rei."
"I would not say I was dragged," Rei said softly. "I wanted to help."
He smiled and nodded. "I really appreciate what you've done for both of us. Particularly for Kara. The thought of her getting hurt by one of those things is what always made me most afraid."
"Destroying youma is one of the responsibilities of the Sailor Senshi," she said.
"Well, thank you anyway," he said.
In the living room, his television was on, with the volume set low.
"I think I will take a shower," she said.
"OK. I have set out a t-shirt and a robe for you, and there are clean towels in the bathroom," he said.
"Thanks."
She entered his bedroom and closed the door. After removing her clothes, she pulled on the robe he had provided, and rolled up the sleeves. She folded up her clothes and slipped them into her bag, then opened the door and walked into the bathroom.
He heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. Standing up again, he went into his bedroom and changed into a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. He had already agreed to let Rei sleep in his bed, while he would sleep on the sofa. Rei had obviously not been thrilled that he was giving up his bed for her, but had not wanted to make a fuss over it in front of Kara.
As he sat back down on the sofa, he continued to be of two minds about this. A part of him was really happy at the prospect of spending more time with Rei. They did seem to get along remarkably well together, and he sensed that he could trust her completely with Kara. He couldn't help but notice that Rei was extraordinarily beautiful, and felt strongly attracted to her. The attraction, however, caused him concern, as another part of him repeatedly raised the fact that she was only fourteen, and too young for any serious sort of relationship. Even so, he had to admit she seemed remarkably mature for one so young. If she hadn't told him how old she was, he doubted he would have guessed her true age.
Several minutes later, Rei emerged from the bathroom and sat down next to him. She leaned forward and picked up a photo album lying on the table and began to look through it.
"Is this your home in Hawaii?" she asked.
He glanced over and nodded.
"It's very nice."
"Yes, it is," he said. "It's part of an old plantation. I have the main house, which sits up on a hill, and a nice stretch of land that extends down to the beach."
"Is someone looking after it for you?" she asked.
He nodded. "I have a caretaker. He does some of the necessary handy work, and he manages the property."
"Manages the property? I... don't understand."
"I lease part of the land out to a neighbor of mine, and he farms it," Atana explained. "The caretaker looks after the details of that for me."
Rei turned the page, finding several pictures of Atana and Kara on the beach. In the first picture, father and daughter were building a very ornate sand castle. In the second, they were splashing each other in the water. In the third, Kara was busily burying her father in the sand. Rei smiled.
"It looks like you and Kara were really having a good time in these pictures," she said.
"Yes," he said. "We both enjoy time on the beach."
"So, what brought you to Tokyo?"
He was silent for a moment. "I'd faced several attacks and was growing concerned for Kara's safety. I did some probing with my magic, and that seemed to suggest things were going to get much worse in the near future. I found particularly strong magic converging on Tokyo, and I thought I would be able to tap into that to protect both of us. It was only after I'd arrived here that I realized things weren't going to work out that smoothly."
"Well, we think we're close to the final showdown with the Dark Kingdom," Rei said. "That should end the threat to you and Kara."
He nodded. "I hope so. I certainly don't want Kara to have to grow up facing a threat like this."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mamoru kissed Usagi. "I love you, my princess," he said softly.
"I love you, my prince... more than anything," she sighed.
"Shall we go to bed?" he asked, holding her in his arms as they snuggled together on the couch.
She nodded with a smile. "It's so nice to fall asleep alongside you."
"I couldn't agree more," he said.
He reached for the remote and switched off the television. She carefully moved herself off of him, then stood up. He followed, and they turned off the lights, then went back to the bedroom.
Kissing her again, he slid his hands down and unbuttoned the shirt she was wearing. As the shirt fell to the floor, his eyes swept over her naked young body, admiring her exquisite beauty. He pulled her into his powerful embrace and kissed her once more, overjoyed to have the woman he was going to marry there in his arms.
"Oh, Mamo-chan," she sighed.
As he released her, she pulled down his boxers and then began to lift his shirt, sliding it off and tossing it aside. She swept a hand over his chest.
He drew her toward the bed. She slipped under the covers, and he slid in beside her. As soon as he had switched off the light, she rested her head on his chest, sighing happily. He swept a hand gently over her back as she snuggled against him. Her eyes drifted closed as she enjoyed the feel of her future husband's warm body against her own.
"Sleep well, Usako," he whispered.
"Always, when I'm with you," she said softly.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Atana stood in the center of a ring of fire, holding his infant daughter securely in his arms as he looked up into the night sky. Haunting cries, like numerous birds filled the air, and the fire reacted to magic around it. The baby in his arms cried with fright. The air around them seemed alive with an overpowering menace.
He looked down to comfort his child, holding her closer to his chest. Looking back up, he suddenly saw the full moon above go almost instantly into eclipse. The darkness around him turned into an almost stygian gloom, and fire flared erratically. A tremendous feeling of loss and pain swelled within him, and he clung to his daughter with a frantic determination to keep her safe.
The fire around him flared higher and brighter, seeming to consume everything as it completely blocked out his view of the sky. He pulled the blanket wrapped around his daughter up to shield her face as the fire swelled ever closer to them. Suddenly, he felt them being buffeted by an intensely powerful wind. The ground seemed to disappear from beneath him, and they were swept away, immediately losing all sense of orientation. The girl screamed in terror.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Atana burst upright on his sofa, gasping for breath and drenched in a cold sweat, his heart pounding in his chest. He had experienced this dream before, but seldom had it been so intense. As the pounding in his chest began to subside, he struggled to his feet and walked to his daughter's room. He quietly slipped the door open and peered in, relieved to find she was still sleeping peacefully. With a sigh, he eased the door closed.
As he turned around, he saw Rei standing in the doorway to his bedroom, wearing the t-shirt he had loaned her.
"Is anything wrong?" she asked.
He shook his head. "She's OK."
"I was really asking about you," she said. "You look like you didn't sleep all that well."
"It was just a dream," he said softly. "I need to wash up, and then I'm going back to sleep."
She stood there as he went into the bathroom. Her psychic awareness had awoken her with the power of his emotional response to his dream. She could tell there was more to it than he had said, and felt a powerful concern for him within herself.
He emerged from the bathroom, having washed up. She stepped toward him.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Rei asked.
He nodded.
She took hold of his hand, letting her concern for him show in her face. "Come on. I can tell that was a pretty rough dream. You shouldn't have to sleep on that uncomfortable sofa."
He looked at her for a moment. "What's the alternative? That I let you sleep on the sofa?"
She shook her head, pulling gently on his arm. "No. We can both share your bed." She surprised herself with how readily she made a suggestion she would never have even seriously considered before, but she had no doubts that she could trust him completely. "It will be fine."
"You're too young, Rei," he insisted.
"You're just going to sleep, and I'm just going to sleep," she said. "What could possibly be wrong with that?"
He felt himself moving as she pulled on him. Though he knew he should continue to object, he was too tired to put up much of a struggle, and gave in with a nod.
She led him back into the bedroom and he slipped into the bed. She climbed into bed beside him. He rolled away from her at first as she could sense his lingering unease. Gradually, as he drifted off to sleep, he shifted a bit closer to her. She lay there quietly, settling to sleep herself, and hardly even noticing as her arm slid across his chest and he sighed contentedly.< To be continued >
* * * * * * * * * * * *
NOTE: Thanks again to everyone who has expressed support. As always, special thanks to my lovely wife, Hopeless Romantic, who is my support and inspiration. More to come.Hopeless Romantic and I now have a message group to notify our readers when we post new stories/chapters. Those who are interested can sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/strands_of_moonlight/ .
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.
-02.16.2002