For the One I Love

Chapter Seven: Star Fighter

Seiya stopped at a small shop to buy himself some heavier clothing. Between trying to find something that fit right, looked good, and remained cheap, it wasn't a simple and fast task. By the time he had finished finding what he wanted, it was thundering and lightning worse than ever.

"These please." He handed over two warm shirts, a couple long pairs of pants and a deep purple coat over to the cashier. "How much?" He opened his wallet gloomily. The cashier who was a fairly young woman, chuckled.

"Bit down on money?" She asked him.

"You have no idea." Seiya replied.

"Well you know...if you're interested, I'll be leaving fairly soon. I'm moving out of town and they'll need to replace me. I could put a word in?"

"Really? That would be great."

"Here." She reached under the desk and pulled out two pieces of stapled paper. "Just fill this out and bring it back sometime. If you're still in school you'll need your high school's permission."

"Knew it." He thought. "Nope, I uh, dropped out of high school and live on my own now."

"Oh, haha that would explain your current situation, right? Well in any case just fill it out and bring it back to me and I'll hand it in personally for you."

"Thanks a lot." Seiya said happily folding the paper and sticking it in his pocket. "So... for now...errr how much?"

After paying and putting away his now incredibly more lightweight wallet; with jacket on against the heavy rain, Seiya started to make his way home longing for a bite to eat. He walked along a couple of streets and stopped at a corner. Across the street wearing a green raincoat and inside a phone booth, Seiya found himself running into Usagi for the second time that day. For a minute he debated whether he should go over to her, but right as he decided to she ran off.

"Oy, Dumpling! Wait up!" Holding tightly onto his bags he trailed after her. He caught up with her when they were a good way out of the buzz of the shopping district, surrounded only by a few smaller businesses and places to eat. "YO!" He screamed over the lashing rain, finally catching her attention.

"S-Seiya-san..." She stopped and whipped around. "You're still out?"

"It's just Seiya alright, and what are you still doing out here in this rain?" He asked.

"It's my, um- little cousin! She wasn't at school, she must have run off somewhere, I can't find her!"

"Your little cousin? Alright, why don't I help you look for her?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, just tell me where you want to look."

"Thank you Seiya!" She ran off a little ahead of him. Staring back as she started to round a corner she smiled, "I don't know what I'd do without your help- UMPH! Ahhh!"

At the sound of Usagi's scream Seiya quickened his pace, but instinctively jerked back around pressing himself up against the wall when he saw what the cause of the commotion was. Usagi had just smacked right into Mamoru Chiba.

"Oh... I'm sorry...Mamo-chan..." He peered around the corner as her voice faltered, realizing whom she just come face to face with. Mamoru stood there with a puzzled expression on his face, holding a dark red umbrella.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" He asked. Usagi took a step toward him and grabbed his sleeve. "Chibi-Usa is missing!"

"What? Chibi-Usa is?" Mamoru gasped. There was a loud crash of thunder as a bright flash of lighting lit the sky. Usagi screamed and jumped into Mamoru's arms. They stayed like that for a moment, and Seiya didn't feel like looking anymore.