Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Shadow of the Absent Moon ❯ Mamoru and the Black Reflection ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: All characters, places and quotes of Magic Knight Rayearth are copyright CLAMP, Kodansha, Dentsu, YTV, TMS-K & Anime Works. All Sailor Moon references and characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi, TOEI, Kodansha & Pioneer.

Shadow of the Absent Moon
- Mamoru and the Black Reflection -

"Don't turn away. I couldn't go through that again. My heart would shatter." The words struck like a spike. Mamoru cringed inwardly. He knew Usagi hadn't meant for him to hear those words, but he also knew how sincere they actually were. So much pain...

Usagi hadn't said anything to reveal these feelings. She hadn't even mentioned anything about the breakup since they had made up. She was always so happy, so vibrant. Mamoru didn't suspect she'd expected him to deny her again.

Stupid. If he wasn't willing to trust in her, in their love, from the beginning, how could he expect her to not worry about his loyalties?

She climbed out of bed and rustled around for a few moments. "I love you," he heard faintly. It held a finality that Mamoru couldn't let go. She would not leave with those as her last words.

"Usako?" he called out, but she was already gone.

He jumped up, shirt already half on as he bolted for the door. The hallway, too, was vacant.

Where could she have gone so quickly? It had been only seconds. How could she have vanished like that?

Admit it, Mamoru. Stranger things have happened in the last few days.

He slid back inside the room momentarily to nab his shoes and slip them on.

Now, to find Usagi. He reached out with the mental "vines" of his mind that always seemed gifted with finding Usagi. They recoiled in a rush.

Up. She was up near the top of the tower castle. Now, the only problem was finding a way up there.

The castle was a veritable labyrinth complete with trick passages. Funny how, now that he thought of it, Usagi and his room was on seventh or so story, but Mamoru couldn't remember climbing a single flight of stairs to get there.

He had to pick a direction at some point and right was as good as any. He followed the endless corridors, always choosing right at every branch until he finally reached a passage with windows to the outside. Nighttime had arrived, turning the windowpanes to obsidian-faced mirrors. Mamoru stared at his reflection. It looked back at him with cold eyes, mouth working out a silent laugh and in the back of his mind Mamoru heard the Voice.