1. A Good Leader

As Mamoru entered the arcade one afternoon, he noticed three things out of place which brought him to conclude that today was a very strange day.

Firstly, Usagi wasn't there.

Secondly, he had somehow managed to unconsciously dump four packets of sugar into his usually black coffee, which was something he only did when he was depressed or disappointed.

And thirdly, when Usagi had finally walked into the arcade, she had not been smiling, but instead looked rather downtrodden. Which was the weirdest of all, because it seemed nothing could ever wipe that annoyingly perky grin from her face. Well, except for Mamoru, of course.

"Hey, Odango! Fail another test?"

But apparently, the 'Odango' didn't hear him, because she continued to mutter to herself as she took her usual stool at the counter.

"I am so sick of Rei telling me to grow up! Did she ever consider that maybe I didn't want to be leader?!" Mamoru grinned and seized his chance.

"You? Leader?! Who in their right mind would ever make you leader of anything?" His outburst caused Usagi to finally awake to his presence, but then she immediately hunched back over and grumbled something that sounded like 'tuna'. Mamoru wanted to ask her to repeat her remark, but the next moment, Motoki had popped up from behind the counter and Usagi ordered and paid for her usual hot fudge sundae. When Motoki had retreated into the kitchen once more, Mamoru turned to Usagi again with eyebrows raised.

"So, Odango Atama, what exactly are you the leader of, dare I ask?" Usagi seemed to freeze for a moment, but quickly regained her composure and decided to ignore the question.

"And how do you know I'm not a good leader?" Usagi faced Mamoru with a glare. Mamoru, however, was undaunted. He smirked.

"Odango, I'm afraid you couldn't even lead a hungry pack of wolves with a steak in your hand."

"Not funny, baka. Just because you know I don't make good grades you think—"

"You, Odango Atama, probably couldn't even identify the traits of a good leader, much less act like one."

"Oh, really?" Usagi deadpanned, looking up at Mamoru with her face impassive, "Like who?"

He wasn't sure what made him say it, but for some strange reason the determined look Usagi gave him at that moment reminded him distinctly (and disturbingly) of another blonde teen, poised in her blue fuku to destroy a youma.

"Sailor Moon." Usagi dropped her spoon into the ice cream Motoki had just brought her.

"S-Sailor Moon?"

"Yeah. I mean, she's brave, and she may not always seem to know what she's doing, but when her friends are in trouble, she does everything to protect their lives before her own." Mamoru's eyes stared intently into his sugar-filled coffee. He suddenly brought his fist down hard on the counter, startling Usagi.

"And what annoys me most is that I know the other senshi don't give her enough credit. Especially Mars. She's always yelling at Sailor Moon about being too slow or too lazy or too scared."

Mamoru then fell silent, and it was a few moments later when he finally came out of his reverie. He turned back to Usagi to notice that she had finished her sundae and was rising from her seat to leave and that her face seemed to have turned a pale pink.

"Well, Mamoru, I guess you're right. Sailor Moon is most definitely a better leader than I will ever be. See you." She turned, smiling, and skipped back out the double doors.

Mamoru blinked, confused. Usagi had just insulted herself, agreed with him, and then smiled about it.

Yep, it definitely was a weird day.