Kon'wa! I'm back! ^_~ I am hoping that this 
chapter will be longer than the rest of my chapters. I
will try. Also, thanks to everyone who has given me feed-
back on the story. Arigato, minna! 

Standard Disclaimer applies

Forest Walker
Chapter Six
by: Lazuli
<jupiterlightning@yahoo.com>

	Usagi knew that she would not be let out of her
room, much less the school building for several days at
least, so going to see Mamoru right away was not an 
option. She contented herself with keeping her grip on 
the world. It wouldn't do for Aiaka or the Headmistress
to come in and see her fade away from the present time. 
She wondered why she had been drawn to that other space
of time. She wondered if it had anything to do with 
Mamoru and all the time she had spent with him. She wished
that she could see him again. The world lurched painfully
again, and Usagi found herself in that same field, only
closer now to that man. Her eyes opened wide when she
realized that he could see her. Before he grabbed her
though, she faded back into the present time. She didn't
know what to think. Was her hold on her time fading, to
be replaced by Mamoru's? If that was so, she wished that
her jumping back and forth would stop until she was with
him again. Not only was it frightning, it was also 
annoying to be thrown back and forth between two worlds
like that.

	Aiaka came in the room quietly where Usagi was.
She saw Usagi clutch the edge of the bed....and vanish?
Aiaka's face went white. She *knew* something had to have
happened to Usagi in the forest! She had been cursed or
something! Usagi was only gone for a few seconds, but
she *returned* looking whiter than ever, and more like a
ghost than a real flesh-and-blood person. 
	She walked the rest of the way in, and gently
touched Usagi's shoulder. She didn't look down on Usagi
anymore. She felt almost pity for her now, and she feared
her. Perhaps it was because the forest had left some sort
of mark on her. Something noticeable. 
	"Usagi? Are you okay?" Usagi turned slowly to see
Aiaka there, and for a moment couldn't pull her thoughts
together enough to say hello to her. She seemed to be in
some sort of shock, and Aiaka was patient while Usagi's
eyes focused on her.
	"Aiaka? What are you doing here?" She asked. 
Aiaka smiled and sat down in the chair next to Usagi's 
bed. "Usagi, I know that we may not have gotten along in
the past, but I'm concerned for you now. What happened
in the forest that you aren't telling us about?" 
	Usagi looked away for a moment, then she turned
back to Aiaka with such a sad look in her eyes that she
was taken back by the intensity of it. "I'm not sure what
happened totally, Aiaka. I just think I found out where
I belonged."
	Usagi turned her head again, and Aiaka could see
the tears fall down the edge of her face. She chose that
moment to leave, feeling that it was wise to leave Usagi
alone with her emotions. She had a feeling that Usagi
was right about belonging in the forest. Even though the
Headmistress had forbid Usagi to go into the forest again,
Aiaka would find a way to get Usagi there. She knew in
her heart that was where Usagi would be happiest.

	Mamoru walked through the forest quickly, knowing
that somebody had come in. It didn't seem like Usagi, but
he couldn't be sure. He saw a girl with short, dark hair
met him in the cleared part of the forest. When he came
within seeing distance of her, the place cleared even
more, and the strange girl shrieked with surprise. Mamoru
walked up to her, wondering what she was doing in this
forest....when nobody really came in her. She looked like
that girl that had originally sent Usagi into the forest
in the first place....in fact....he had seen her before,
when she had been made to go into the forest. He had 
never shown himself to her before, though, so he was 
surprised when she came up to him, and talked to him
directly, with only a hint of fear in her eyes.
	"You're the one Usagi found in the forest, aren't
you? She's looked so pale ever since she came out. She
told me she felt like she belonged in the forest. Was it
because of you?" She asked bravely.
	Mamoru was surprised, and then concerned. Usagi
wasn't well? He frowned. He hoped...he hoped it wasn't 
because of him. He hoped that her tie with him had not 
affected her own ties to the present world. 
	"What's wrong with her?" He asked softly, just
confirming Aiaka's belief that he was the one that brought
Usagi to the forest the second time. She wondered if he 
was...Aiaka gulped. Impossible. She decided to answer his
question.
	"She's pale...and I swore that she vanished before
my eyes! There one moment, gone the next, and then came
back as quickly as she left! Have you anything to do with
that?"
	Mamoru nodded slowly. "I think you already know
who I am, or have guessed. I never wanted to hurt Usagi,
but it turns out that our meeting and my caring for her
may have damaged her in more ways than one. I think I 
damaged whatever link she had with her time, and forged
a new one with the forest...the same one I have." He
sighed and leaned aganist a tree, then looked at Aiaka.
	"Do you think she'll forgive for ruining her life
like this?" He asked quietly. He was surprised when Aiaka
stepped closer to him, and put a hand on his shoulder.
	"There's nothing to forgive, Mamoru. I may only
seem to be a dumb prep to you and to Usagi, but I think
I do know more about you two than most. This may sound
old-fashioned," Here she paused and gave Mamoru a look, 
but continued,"But I think that you just awakened a bond
that was already there. Even I could see she doesn't
belong with us! I think she already belonged to the woods
in your place and time or wherever you live, but she
didn't know it until she met you."
	Mamoru looked at her in shock, then turned eyes
on her that reminded Aiaka so much of Usagi. Eyes that
were filled with pain and sadness and longing. Why? They
thought they couldn't be together. Aiaka sighed. She was
more determined than ever to bring these together now, if
she had to sneak Usagi out of the dorm rooms in the dead
of night! Aiaka looked up at Mamoru.
	"Don't worry! I'l bring her here, Mamoru. I 
promise you this. I want you both to be happy." She gave
a little shrug. "I don't get how Usagi can fall in love 
with someone is not a part of life anymore, but I can see
that she *does* love you."
	Aiaka then turned and walked as quickly out of
the forest as possible, not looking back.

	Usagi turned her head quickly when she heard her
door bang open. She had not *slipped* since the last time
by sheerest force of will, and she was grateful for the
person that had come in her room. It would give her a 
presence to focus on. She saw Aiaka there, breathless and
her hair windblown. 
	"Aiaka? What's wrong?" She asked quietly, and 
Aiaka smiled. "Nothing is wrong, Usagi. I just need to 
find a way to get you back to that forest. I know you
belong there." She paused for a moment. "I talked with
Mamoru, Usagi. You need to go back to him."
	Usagi stared at her, eyes wide. This was Aiaka
speaking? Usagi shook her head in disbelief. "I can't!
I'm not allowed out of the HeadMistress's sight! I want
to go back....so badly....but it's impossible." She
whispered, her hands clutching the blanket tightly in
her sadness, and trying not to let it show. 
	Aiaka took Usagi firmly by the hand, and shoved
clothes into it. "Put these on, Usagi. We're going to 
go to the forest. I'm going to get you there if I have to
drag you there! I know you want to go back, and I know 
that you *need* to go back."
	Usagi let the tears roll down her face as she
looked up at Aiaka. "I know...you must think I'm stupid.
Usagi...falling in love with someone that she can never
be with. Always doomed to be alone because her heart had
to fall in love with someone who was dead." 
	Aiaka looked at her. When she put it that way...
it sounded so strange. But when she saw the twin looks 
of heartbreak in both Usagi and Mamoru's eyes when they
realized that their relationship was an impossible one, 
it didn't matter. 
	She sighed and lifted Usagi's chin up. "Stop 
sulking, girl, and get dressed. You need to be there for
Mamoru. Hurry up! We don't have much time, Usagi, to get
you out of the house and into his arms. Please, Usagi. 
You don't belong here anymore. You need to go where you
do belong, which is in that cursed forest, into that time
or place where only Mamoru is, and to be with Mamoru. You
have to do it now, Usagi."
	The final note of command in Aiaka's voice got
Usagi moving, although she was afraid that the world 
would fade away any second. She put on the coat Aiaka
gave her, and followed her through the hallways as fast
as she could without them both getting found out and in
trouble. She didn't question anymore why Aiaka was doing
this. She had spoken to Mamoru. Perhaps she had known what
they were both feeling inside. She never would have given
Aiaka all that credit, but it may be so. She left her 
thoughts in the back of her mind, and was soon running
for the woods, and Mamoru.
	Before she could reach the forest though, the 
world spun again around her, and she reached for Aiaka
automatically, hoping that she would be a steady handhold
for the present world. Instead when she opened her eyes,
she found herself in the middle of a busy street, and
nothing that she recognized. Buildings were different and
she panicked, and looked to her side, hoping that somehow
Aiaka had come with her, but she was alone again. The 
only thing that she could do was make it to the forest
somehow. 

	*Evil Laughter* Come on, minna! I have to live up
to my EMSIT status, don't I? I always love feedback!
	
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