“I dropped out, I burnt up, I fought my way back from the dead.  
I tuned in, I turned on, remembered the things that you said.”
~I’ll Be
Edwin McCain 

“I’m breaking through, I’m bending spoons 
I’m keeping flowers in full bloom. 
I’m searching for answers from the great beyond.”
~REM Great Beyond


Author’s notes:  Here it is, six pages of conclusion to a nine part story!!  
Yey!  I’m on my 16th chocolate-covered espresso bean, and this story is 
looking better with each one!

Disclaimer: Santa didn’t leave me the Sailormoon rights, even though I asked 
him too.  I *knew* I shouldn’t have eaten all the cookies I meant to leave out 
for him.  
	Oh well, hindsight *is* always 20/20, and BSSM still belongs to Naoko 
Takeuchi and all those nice people she sold-out to. 



Walking the Thin Line Part nine

By Antigone

	Mamoru cringed as the sound of the door smashing against its frame 
echoed throughout the silent apartment building.  Accusatory eyes turned to 
look at Luna.  She shrugged, as if to say, ‘I didn’t *make* you say anything, 
Romeo.’
	“What did you want to talk about?”  He asked, walking over the window 
again, and leaning against it.  The sky was nearly dark.
	“I thought there were a few things you should know, before you corrupt 
Usagi’s feelings further.”  Luna said, forcing her voice to be cold.  She 
cringed as his mouth tightened and his eyes hardened.  This boy was starting 
to grow on her, and she didn’t want to lose his company.  But the mission came 
first.  “I think you should know what your dreams mean.”
	“That’d be nice.”
	Luna curled up on a pillow on the floor, taking a deep breath and 
staring, as Mamoru was, at the appearing stars and brightening moon.  “I don’t 
know much, about the details of the senshi, the enemy, or the past.  All I 
have to rely on are vague memories, feelings and the sense of duty.”
	The cat paused.  “Also, I communicate with the personage behind a 
computer network known as ‘Central Control’.  There I find information I might 
not otherwise know, tips to help the girls and instructions for future 
training.  It is from this source where I first found out about you.”
	Mamoru glanced at Luna, still stony and silent. 
	“Tuxedo Kamen was a mystery even to Central, right from the start.  We 
knew nothing about him, even his age, but most certainly not his motive.  And 
we couldn’t really think of one.  This concerned us, and I was instructed to 
inform the girls that you couldn’t be trusted.”
	Luna realized Mamoru cringed a little, and decided to avoid that topic, 
and return to what was important.  “We also know the princess was reborn on 
Earth with a companion, someone we have reason to believe is connected to her 
with deep emotional ties.  He belongs to her, to be with her, his soul is 
destined for hers.  Do you know what I am trying to say?”
	His voice cracked on the unfamiliar word.  “Love...”
	“Yes.  Yours, Chiba Mamoru.  You are the one.”
	The clock ticked, time stretched and pulled, the whole city held its 
collective breath, it seemed to Luna, in the time it took Mamoru to respond.
	He turned quickly and started walking back to the kitchen  with clipped 
movements, and cleaned up the spilled hot chocolate with deliberate, even 
swabs with a paper towel.  When he finished he just stood, looking at Luna.  
“Are you telling me that I am in...  in love with this Princess of the moon?”
	“I...I guess I am.”  Luna lowered her head.
	‘Well, there you have it, Chiba’, he thought to himself, ‘Do you need 
it *spelled* out for you?’  What further proof was needed... what excuses did 
he have now?  ‘Just give in.’
	Luna blinked in amazement as a boyish grin suddenly spread across her 
companion’s face.  “Well Luna,” he said amicably, “That *does* sound about 
right.”

	Usagi was staring blankly into her math textbook when Luna arrived home 
through her window.  The girl was already dressed in her pajamas, long hair 
down and cascading down her back, pencil twisting between her fingers 
distractedly. 
	“Konbon.”  Luna greeted.
	“What did you and Mamo-chan talk about?”
	“The Princess.”
	“Figures.”  She still didn’t look up from the book.
	“Central Control and I both know...”  Luna shut her eyes and forced 
herself to finish the sentence, “That Chiba Mamoru is her soul mate reborn, 
and is destined to fall in love with her.  Tuxedo Kamen belongs to the moon 
princess.”
	It was a full minute of silence before Luna squinted one eye open just 
a sliver to check on Usagi’s reaction.
	The tip of her tongue was resting on her upper lip, her eyes staring as 
blankly at the numbers and equations as they had been when Luna first arrived.  
Her fingers had frozen along her pencil.
	“Usagi?”  Luna whispered, gently.
	“Luna, I’m really tired.  I’m going to sleep now.  Sorry I can’t study 
for the math test tomorrow...  I tried.”  Her voice was uncharacteristically 
quiet and slow. 
	Luna nodded slowly, and Usagi closed the book and turned off the light.  
Before long Luna fell into an uneasy sleep.  
	In the dark, the moonlight sent a minimal amount of silver light into 
the bedroom.  Just barely, against the blackness, Usagi’s profile could be 
made out, her eyes wide open, her chest heaving from choking back sobs.
	‘How could I have been so conceited to believe he loved me...’  She 
buried her face in pale hands, moonlight tracing faint lines across each 
fingernail, eyelash and strand of hair, ‘...when he could have a princess?’ 

	Almost a full week and half passed uneventfully for the senshi.  In 
fact, all Rei and Ami had to do, or worry about, was Usagi.  
	“She’s late again!”  Rei fumed, pacing around the temple, nervously.
	Ami looked at Luna.  “Was she with you?”
	Luna shook her head.
	The naturally inquisitive schoolgirl didn’t stop there.  “I haven’t 
seen Usagi with you in a long time Luna.  If I didn’t know better, I’d say she 
was avoiding you.”
	Rei rapped her knuckles quickly against the side of the room.  “She’s 
been acting so *weird*.  She’s never in the arcade anymore and that place used 
to be like a second home to the little ditz!”
	Ami shook her head sadly, “Not in the park either.  Luna, where does 
she go now?”
	Luna frowned, “Well, when she’s not in detention, she’s moping about 
her room, most of the time locking me out of it.  I’m not sure what she does 
in there, but I can bet it’s not studying.  Her grades have gone way down.”
	Rei snorted, “As if they could get any worse.”
	But Ami was deep in thought.  “I wonder what could be causing this sort 
of disparity in Usagi’s disposition lately.  Do you think it might have 
something to do with that boy she left with the other day, what was his name?  
Mamoru-san?”
	“As concerned as I am for Usagi as well, girls,” Luna interrupted, “I’m 
sure Ami-chan will agree with me that this has nothing to do with the mission.  
Let’s get started even before Usagi arrives, ok?”  But Luna could not even 
follow her own advice, letting her mind drift in an uncharacteristic fashion.  
Usagi’s depression had settled on everyone lately, like a weight they could 
feel on their own hearts.  Luna hated to think that she may be the cause for 
the heartbreak of her charge, but the mission had first priority.  Didn’t it?
	And why couldn’t she shake the feeling she had gotten the first night 
after Mamoru saved her, when she felt a higher power instructing her to the 
bring him and Usagi together.  Somehow Luna felt that buy disobeying Central 
Control she would actually be doing what was right.
	She didn’t like that feeling at all.

	Of course, Usagi showed up for the meeting nearly 45 minutes late, 
citing a detention as her reason.  The girl sat in moody reticence the entire 
time, twisting her thin fingers together while the others talked of their 
battles and mission.  Usagi left early, quickly heading home, Luna knew, 
before any chance to run into Mamoru presented itself. 
	While Usagi was trying not to talk to Luna all that much, Luna got a 
few things out of the downcast girl, enough to know that Mamoru was the last 
person the teenager wanted to see, and that she had done a pretty good job of 
avoiding him all these past days.
	Or he might have been making himself scarce as well, or else they 
definitely would have run into each other by now, wouldn’t they have?	
	‘Poor Usagi.’  Luna thought, watching her own shadow follow her home 
from the shrine that evening.  ‘I hope this doesn’t change her view of the 
moon princess she is supposed to protect.’  But how could it not?  And, more 
heartbreakingly, what would Usagi do when the princess finally showed herself?  
‘How will she stand seeing them together?’
	Luna crossed the street deep in thought.
	Unfortunately, the driver of the silver sports compact was also deep in 
thought, and didn’t see her crossing at the crosswalk.	
	Fortunately, someone else did.
	Quickly, a figure ran across the white lines and scooped the small 
animal into his arms before the car screeched on it’s breaks and, driver 
apparently seeing none hurt, quickly drove off.
	“Jerk.”  Mamoru muttered bitterly at the departing wheels.  He then 
glanced down at Luna.  “Don’t you learn?”
	“Thank you, Chiba-san.”  Luna said under her breath. 
	Mamoru glanced around the nearly deserted street, no one paying too 
much attention.  “Where’s Usagi?” he demanded of the cat in his arms.
	“I would imagine she’s at home.”  Luna tried to talk discreetly to him, 
as she often had to Usagi on crowded Tokyo streets.
	For a second Luna got a real good look at the man who had saved her 
life twice from the harsh Tokyo drivers.  His eyes were slightly red around 
the edges and the weary look was back with a vengeance, dulling his eyes to 
gray-blue.  His hair fell helter-skelter before his eyes, in need of a trim.  
He looked sad.
	“Where has she been?” he swallowed a little, and Luna was terrified 
that he might break down.  “I’ve been looking everywhere!”
	Two young girls and their mother gave Mamoru a strange look as they 
walked by, into a nearby video store.  Luna nearly whispered, “She’s been 
avoiding you lately, I think.”
	He winced, what could have pain flittered in and out of the weariness 
in his eyes.  “Why?” he choked out.
	Luna bristled.  “Well, wouldn’t *you*?!  You’d have to be blind not to 
realize what the girl feels for you!  But she knows you belong to someone 
else...”
	He dropped her.  Just dropped her, right on the sidewalk in shock.
	“What was that for?!”  Luna yelled up at him, but Mamoru was staring 
straight ahead with his mouth open a little.
	“You TOLD her?!” when he recovered, he backed up and shouted at Luna 
freely, not caring that people were crossing the street to avoid walking near 
him.
	“Of course I told her,” Luna hissed, “how could I keep something like 
that a secret from her?”
	Mamoru’s eyes narrowed and he gave Luna a look that could freeze water 
Tijuana.  “That’s *my* business, Luna, you had NO right.”
	“I’m responsible for her welfare!  Do you think I’d just let her fall 
for someone who could never care for her?”
	“It is *not* up to you who I decide to be with, Luna, it is not up to 
anyone,” he was talking quietly, fiercely, and he bent on one knee until he 
was nearly level with Luna.  “I need to see Usagi.  Please.”
	Feeling that this had to be the closest to begging Chiba Mamoru had 
ever come, Luna relented.
	“Come to the park tomorrow evening, where you met her and minna last 
week.  She’ll be there.”
	Mamoru looked relieved, the weariness still clinging to him, as 
noticeable as like the scent of stale cigarette smoke would be.  He ran a hand 
through his hair.  
	“Mamoru-san,” she started.  He looked at her.  “Mamoru-kun.  She’s 
suffering.  Don’t show up if you don’t mean it.  You are a strange man, 
Mamoru-kun, I’ve watched you for a while.  You can switch appearances and 
attitudes at the drop of a hat, and it’s hard to tell when you are being 
sincere and when you are manipulating.  I wonder if you can even tell.”  Luna 
turned to walk home, looking over her shoulder as the sun set behind her 
shoulder.  “You better decide who you are and what you really want.” 
Walking home, Luna asked herself, ‘What did you *think* you were 
doing?!  Aren’t you supposed to keep them apart?’  But the full moon shone 
even in the late afternoon sky and Luna let herself follow her instincts for 
once.

Usagi loved the scent of flowers.  Leaning her head on her knees, she 
shut her eyes and enjoyed the tranquillity of the moment.  The sun threw 
erratic beams off the nearby lake, glowing red behind her eyelids.  A breeze 
lifted soft locks of blonde hair up and off of her face, fluttering against 
her cheeks.  
It was good to be outside again.  She missed the park, and perhaps that 
was why she so eager to accept Luna’s invitation to walk here.  Both of them 
had promised not to bring up any disturbing topics.  Usagi shifted baby blue 
eyes to her small cat, a few feet away, seeming to watch out for something.  
She sighed, allowing herself to fall backward into the soft grass, watching 
the clouds circle the sky.
Mamoru approached the two of them as he would a timid animal, almost 
seeming afraid Usagi would run off the second she noticed him.  His footsteps 
were nearly soundless and it was just with Luna’s superior hearing that she 
heard him come near.  He nodded at her unasked question.  ‘Yes, Luna.  I’ve 
decided.’
Slowly he sank the ground next to where Usagi lay, just watching her 
for a second, amusement alight in his eyes, even under all else.  Finally he 
cleared his throat softly, and her eyes opened slowly.
For a few moments she just looked up at him, at the soft light 
filtering through the leaves and playing across his face.  “Konnichi’,” she 
forced the greeting out through dry lips.
Mamoru reached down and brushed a curl away from her face, Usagi froze 
under his touch.  “Where have you been?” he asked.
She shrugged as best she could in her position, avoiding his gaze to 
stare at the clouds again.
“It’s been a pretty tough world for me without you in it, Odango 
Atama.” 
“Why are you here?” she finally asked, tears filling her eyes.
At the sight of her tears he hissed through his teeth, and brushed his 
hand across her forehead.  “Don’t cry, Usako.”
At the endearment she sat up so she could look him in the eye.  “What 
about your princess?”  
He didn’t answer.  His hand rested only centimeters from hers. 
A breeze brought the scent of flowers and grass around the two.  
“I thought...  I thought you belonged... to her.”  Usagi broke the 
spell with her words, lowered her gaze.
Two warm hands slowly slipped up to cup her face, lifted her chin so 
blue eyes stared into blue.  “I belong to no one.” He said, not breaking her 
gaze, “I can’t say ‘I give my heart freely’ because I’m not sure I know how 
to, yet.”  He leaned toward her until their foreheads were nearly touching.  
“But I’ve never met anyone that made me want to try to learn more then you.”
“I can teach you, Mamo-chan,” the words were dancing in the air with 
the flowers before she realize she had even spoken.
Luna watched this from nearby, barely catching snatches of words on the 
breeze.  The moon was rising and Luna shook her head.  She would believe she 
was right to not listen to Central Control and instead to the sense of destiny 
from the moon and her heart, if only one thought wasn’t still bothering her.
“What about the dreams?”  Usagi was asking, pulling nervously on the 
hem on her school uniform skirt.
“I guess they can predict the future, if anything.  I am sure they 
cannot *change* it.”
“Are they predicting the *truth*, though?”  Azure eyes look nervously 
at him.
“Trust me.”  He said smoothly, a smile tugging at his mouth, and his 
eyes sparkling in hers worry free.  “It’ll all work out.”
A moment of silence.  Usagi looked into his confident eyes and felt 
herself fill with trust and security.  Mamoru looked away from her intense 
gaze, his ears burning a little.
The young girl flicked some dark hair back from his eyes. “You aren’t 
used to trusting your feelings.”  It wasn’t a question.
Mamoru suddenly felt exposed, as if his heart was now laid before this 
girl’s soul-searching eyes.  He paled a little.  
“Don’t be scared,” she talked like a mother to a child, and kissed his 
cheek quickly.  Usagi smiled suddenly like the teenager she was, and stood up, 
offering her hands to him.
He stood with her, hand in hand, and faced Luna.
The man and the feline stared at each other for an indeterminate amount 
of time.
Mamoru smiled.  “Thank you.”
Luna nodded.  “You’re welcome.”
Usagi giggled, a soft hand covering her mouth.  “You owed him anyway, I 
think, Luna.”
“Usagi-chan!  Don’t stay out too late!”  Luna said, giving Usagi a 
well-practiced look. 
Neither of the two people noticed Luna jump to rest in a nearby tree, 
shaded by the cool green leaves and the feeling of accomplishment and hope. 
“Now what?”  Usagi whispered, looking at her familiar feminine hands 
interlocking with Mamoru’s large warm ones.  This was all so entirely new.
“I don’t know,” he answered softly.
‘So much for leadership and confidence on his part.’  Usagi thought.  
But it was so nice to know he was as unsure as she.  
“What about minna?”  Usagi looked up at this delicate topic.  “How can 
we... there is so much they don’t know...”
Mamoru chose his words carefully.  “I would like to earn their trust on 
my own.  Before they know who I am, and my connection to their mission.”
She nodded.
“Do you think I can do that, Usako?”  he asked.  It was so important to 
him, yet he was so unsure as to what that entailed, and what it was like to 
trust in return for being trusted.
But Usagi understood.  “I won’t say a word, then.  It will be hard, but 
I’ll do anything for you.”  She smiled up at him, and he thought his heart 
would break.
What did he do to deserve this?  How could he ever be worthy of the 
senshi’s trust, or of Usagi’s love?  ‘I’ll prove myself,’ he thought, ‘to them 
and to you.  I promise.’*
Mamoru wrapped his arms around Usagi and she leaned her head on his 
chest.  “What about us?” he whispered.
She thought for a moment.  Could they be together?  ‘Boyfriend and 
girlfriend’?  Or just... enough?  “I love you,” she answered.
That’s enough.  He bent to catch her lips, and she threw her arms 
around his neck, standing on tip-toes and pressing herself against him.
Dizzily, Mamoru’s hands found their way to her waist, and gently, but 
with extreme effort, he pushed her away from him for a moment.  “Did you see 
where Luna went?”  He asked, looking around warily.
Blinking, Usagi shook her head.  “I think she went home.”
Mamoru searched the treetops, eyes wide and on guard.  “Are you sure 
she’s not going to come jumping down from somewhere?”
The bundle he held tightly in his arms was shaking with delighted 
giggles, “I’m pretty sure...”
Nodding, Mamoru locked one hand around her waist and slid his other 
hand delicately through the ringlets of gold at the nape of her neck, and took 
full advantage of the privacy.

This was seriously sickening.  Luna rolled her eyes and had to 
physically restrain herself from as Mamoru so poetically put it, ‘jumping down 
from somewhere’ and interrupting them.  
‘We—ell, I guess it’s ok, since they are... what are they now?  
Together, I guess.  Anyway, as long as—Hey!  Mamoru-kun!  I’m pretty sure 
*that’s* not ok in any case!  No...  I won’t do anything...  God, Usagi-chan, 
I’m really going to have to start chaperoning you!’  Luna sighed, turning away 
from the two crazy-in-love hormone-charged teens and faced the moon.  ‘Perhaps 
you were right.  But what will happen when the princess is revealed?’  The 
moon seemed to laugh at Luna’s question.

In between the warm sizzling that sporadically ricocheted through his 
head, the strange dazed feeling of deju vu, and the long moments of thinking 
of absolutely nothing but the feeling of Usagi in his arms, Mamoru somehow 
heard or sensed Luna’s concern and question.  He smiled smugly against Usagi’s 
throat and answered the cat in his mind, ‘I can have my secrets, too, moon-
cat.’


~Fin Walking the Thin Line

*- he does prove himself, if you remember the manga storyline.  :sniff: Which, 
by the way, is a million, jillion, quadrillion times better then this.  That 
is, if “jillion” was a real number.  Ah, just go read the manga.


“Believe it or not, it’s just....me.”
~The Greatest American Hero TV theme

“If girls aren't strong, we can't protect the boys we love...”
~Naoko Takeuchi 
BSSM notes, Act 3