"So what do you think?"
She took a few steps and twirled around so that Mamoru could have a full view at her pink yukata.
She was simply gorgeous.
Although being fourteen at this time, undisguised standing in her bedroom, her hair put up into sweet sort of apes swings, Usagi was the prettiest girl he had ever met. Regardless in which of their lives. It would always and forever be her who he could turn to, as if he didn't have any other chance than worth shipping the ground she walked...until Usagi lost balance and fell face first onto the bed.
Mamoru couldn't help it but had to chuckle about her unintended move. This was also Usagi...and he loved her so much for being this way. Never he would want to change her.
"Grrrr, it's the first time in ages that I had those shoes on!" She mumbled into the blankets, avoiding his gaze and ready to defend her clumsiness.
"Don't worry, Usa...Throughout the time I got used to saving you from any kind of danger...or bruises or whatever happens to you during this life-" He couldn't continue when he suddenly reminded the reason why he was here in this past. He wouldn't be able to continue with rescuing her unless he manages to trigger the light of hope to come with him.
That was the reason they had come up with a proper plan for today which requested all the members of the mission; First, there was Motoki who had to get Mamoru somehow to the festival. This was supposed to be one of the most difficult tasks since Mamoru was - at least at this time - far away from being any kind of a social person- but Reika had promised to come, too, so that past Mamoru was surrounded by two of his closest friends which would give him a certain security. At least this was what Mamoru had promised his team members.
Secondly, Diana had to keep an eye on little Kousagi, together with Mamoru who would be in charge to make sure that Usagi could switch between being fourteen and an adult without causing any suspicion to her family.
At the same time he was in charge of observing Usagi and her date and need to find a way to trigger the light of hope.
For his two tasks they had decided to let Mamoru wear the middle eastern dress so that neither of the today's festivals attendees would become suspicious. Lucky him this festival was supposed to be that sort where everyone was allowed to dress up as fancy as they want to.
The Tsukinos were slightly surprised about his outer appearance but Shingo only shrugged when he was holding a big water pistol in his hands.
"It will be quite heavy on you once it's soaked with water but I heard that in Osaka they really do enjoy extraordinary disguises."
Mamoru had never been to the Fukagawa Hatchiman Masturi Festival before - at least not until this day in the past - but had heard of one of Tokios biggest water festivals a lot. Actually he welcomed the upcoming refreshments since this summer was tremendously hot and he was kind of curious. Perhaps this would be his last chance to visit a festival anyways.
When he arrived with the Tsukinos, Diana and his adopted child, the parade was already taking place. Approximately 500,000 people came to see this spectacular water splash party every year and Mamoru had to admit that this looked more than fun.
It was loud, quite a chatty ambience filled up the busy streets, a lot of drums bearing in different rhythms were heard and many people were laughing and quite busy with making a lot of fun with water.
"Come on Endy, enjoy this festival with the others! I'm heading over to the food stall over there and will Organise our lunch. Honey, will you help me?" Ikuko have her husband a light smile and both made there way through the crowd over to a food stall.
"I am not hungry at all, I want to throw water!" Shingo rolled up the sleeves of his yukata and loaded his water gun, when Usagi gave him an unnerved glance.
"Seriously, you are such an immature kid! Regardless how old you are, you'll never - iiiieeeeek!"
Usagi couldn't end her taunting when a big swall of water ended up in her face and soaked the half of her yukata with water. "Uhhhh great, thanks a lot you brat! How am I supposed to look good in front of Mam-"
She couldn't go on with her now furious screaming since the next small of water had overcome her. Shingo burst out into pure laughter when Usagi turned around and realized that it had been another source which watered her. A group of cheerful singing and fluting men, carrying a shrine crossed the street and to all of them a huge water fountain was directed which accidentally had hit and had soaked Usagi.
Mamoru could only laugh heartily at the sight of the freshly bathed Usagi. Life - no matter how hard it was for him - was simply wonderful and could go on forever like this in this time.
But it didn't help, the mission was already on the brink if he didn't hurry to bring his past self together with his Usako. But where the heck was Motoki with Reika and the past Mamoru? Mamoru looked around searchingly until his gaze caught on a girl with raven-black hair.
"Rei!" He hissed. His supposed "girlfriend" was indeed standing in a queue in front of a food stall, talking excitedly to a shaggy-looking, tall man who was almost kneeling on the ground in front of her with his hands in a gesture of apology.
Mamoru couldn't watch this strange scene any longer, however, as Usagi snapped him out of his thoughts.
"I'm going to disappear behind this food stall over there and transform back with the Luna Pen, because Motoki is coming with Reika and the Bak... with you."
Mamoru turned his gaze in the direction in which Usagi had pointed with disdain after she had quickly ducked around the corner. A cheerful Motoki and a heavily enamored Reika in his arms made their way through the crowd, closely followed by their personal third wheel. Past Mamoru seemed annoyed by the roaring and cheerful crowd. It was more than obvious that he wasn't feeling happy at all and Mamoru wondered at that moment what kind of development he had actually made in the past 1 ½ years that he was able to enjoy this event now.
"It's obvious, I was lonely back then," he mumbled to himself, lost in thought.
"Lonely? Why?" Usagi, who had changed back in the meantime, looked at him uncomprehendingly.
Mamoru had neither had the opportunity nor the will to tell his future fiancée about his childhood and his parents' accident. But somehow he couldn't leave his past self hanging, and there was still the mission to accomplish.
"You know, Usako, I put up a pretty high wall around my feelings during that time and I'm sure that's why it wasn't always easy to be around me. Generally speaking, I'm a nice guy, so give me a chance."
Mamoru pushed a puzzled Usagi in the direction of his friends and called after her through his white face mask
"Be nice to me, I deserve nothing less."
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Motoki running up to Usagi with a bright smile on his face and hugging her in greeting. He pulled his face mask up so that neither the fuming Rei nor Mamoru could recognize him and followed the three friends at a certain distance.
A few minutes later, Usagi and Mamoru were already waiting in front of a cotton candy stand. Motoki was working intently on his sunglasses, which he let Reika examine expertly. Masked asKnight the Moonlight , Mamoru stood directly behind Usagi and Mamoru and listened to their conversation.
"This festival has a long tradition, I actually go here every year with my family, but Shingo splashed me, so I lost sight of my parents, but then Motoki came by with you in tow. I didn't know you went to festivals like that, it's so not like you. Have you never done anything like that with your family?"
'Very thin ice, Usako,' Mamoru sighed inwardly. But to his surprise, his past self reacted quite differently than he had expected.
"It's none of your business, but I used to go to events like this more often. Now, however, there are other things that have priority for me."
Usagi didn't say anything in response, but looked at Mamoru with her eyes wide open. After a few seconds, she looked down at the floor, rather overwhelmed, and she seemed to realize all at once that she wasn't the only one whose life had changed completely from one moment to the next because of her superhero identity.
"I see," she said tonelessly and caught herself the next moment.
"But you know, Mamoru, you're back here now and you can enjoy this festival a little, even if your priorities have changed. I'm sure it's not easy to juggle everything all the time." Now she looked back at Mamoru who rewarded her with a slight surprised expression on his face
, "but it's always worth taking life as it comes, every single day."
Mamoru smirked at her last note, which seemed to be rather quite wise for a middle school girl.
"What do you mean with it's worth it? Writing bad English papers and getting detention? Or wasting all your pocket money at the Game Crown Center on Sailor V games and ice cream and cotton candy?"
"You know me suspiciously well, Mamoru. And yes, it's worth getting up every morning and living a normal life just for that."
Usagi suddenly seemed even more removed from the situation as she turned her gaze to the cotton candy which was now placed in her hand and continued.
"I'm late for school every morning because I prefer to sleep a few minutes longer. The teacher sends me out of the classroom as punishment and it's true, I get very bad marks. But after school, we go to the Crown and I look at the latest party dresses in the windows of the fashion stores."
Now Usagi was almost on the verge of tears as she looked up at Mamoru again and told him
"And all these little things make me really happy. All of this, this normal life."
Mamoru was amazed when his past self raised his hand to touch her cheek while he stared at Usagi as if she were a saint. He would have loved to comfort Usako in that moment too, but he couldn't when the now almost familiar energy of the Light of Hope appeared next to him.
"They are falling in love, your majesty."
Diana looked in awe at the lovers in front of her, while Kousagi applauded enthusiastically. The light seemed to shine only for Mamoru, while all around them the street party was still in full swing. Even if it was meant to be, even if this was fate, it felt like defeat to Mamoru at that very moment. Right now, this new life in the past was no longer desirable to Mamoru. It hadn't even taken five sentences, in which Usagi and Mamoru had talked to each other normally and alone for the first time, to rekindle the love from the past silver millennium. Even if neither of them would ever admit it at that moment, fate simply could not be changed. Mamoru looked thoughtfully at the little girl with the red hair in front of him.
"Have I ever stood a chance against my own self here?" Kouagi gazed at him with her big blue eyes and only replied in her typical way
"Chibi."Mamoru sighed. That was probably exactly the answer to his question that he had needed.