…surprise?
A Sailormoon story
A/N: Welcome, everyone! It's my first Sailormoon story, written in honor of Usagi's birthday (Yeah, I know it's late). This story takes place sometime after Stars, and Usagi is turning 17. Chibiusa's still around because I said so.
Summary: The Sailor Team is planning a surprise birthday party for their dear odangoed leader. What perils will they face along the way?
Disclaimer: I'm only going to say this once. I don't own Bishojo Senshi Sailormoon in any of its forms, Naoko-san does.
Chapter One: The Scheme
Saturday June 22
Once again, the Sailor Team is meeting at Hikawa Shrine for yet another discussion of Sailor business, minus Usagi. The girls are waiting for the odangoed one to show up, giving her a few more minutes before they give up. Ami is occupying herself with a book that discusses theories of time travel. Chibiusa and Rei prefer to play with the three cats, which are enjoying the unusual attention. Minako and Makoto are tossing a tennis ball back and forth while chatting.
"I'm guessing Usagi-chan's going to be mysteriously absent again." Makoto smirks devilishly as she comments, glancing over at Minako.
"Yup, it wouldn't surprise me anymore. Want to bet she's sucking face with Mamoru-san?" Minako lets out a bold laugh, startling Ami from her book.
"Mina-chan, could you please keep it down?" Ami makes her request meekly.
"Sorry Ami, but that's just too funny! Mamo and Usa…Mako-chan, care to set up some hidden cameras in Mamoru-san's apartment?"
"Only if you're up for it, Mina." Mako and Mina wink at each other, giggling.
"Wait a minute, did you mention secret cameras in Mamoru's apartment? Count me in!" Rei hurries over to Mako and Mina, dropping the cat food on Chibiusa's head in her haste. Luna, Artemis, and Diana's mouths water at the delicious treats now tangled in the spore's hair. They claw at Chibiusa's legs eagerly. The pink-haired girl sighs in defeat and collapses on the floor, allowing the starving felines to eat from her hair.
"Guys, could we do something a little more constructive?" Ami sadly gives up on her book and attempts to dismantle this disturbing plan.
"What could be more constructive than securing some solid blackmail on our favorite couple?" Makoto grins at Ami, wondering what the bookworm could possibly have in mind.
"Could we do something for Usagi's birthday? She's turning 17 next week, you know."
"It's my birthday too!" Chibiusa adds, trying not to cringe as Artemis sticks an eager claw in her hair.
"Oh, yeah! I totally forgot!" Minako bolts upward, narrowly avoiding a collision with the table.
"Of course you forgot Mina-chan, that's because you're…oh never mind, I'm not even going to go through with that one." Rei coughs awkwardly.
It takes Minako a few seconds to realize the implications of Rei's statement.
"Rei, how could you? That's discrimination against us lovely golden-haired goddesses! I bet you're just jealous!"
"Jealous? As if! I don't need to be an airhead like you."
"You're the one full of hot air, Rei, making pigheaded assumptions like that!"
"Mina, I-"
"WILL YOU BOTH SHUT UP!" A flurry of claws courtesy of Luna and Artemis puts an end to this battle.
"Okay, now we can move on to the party ideas. I think we should organize all the tasks that need to be done before next Friday. Minako, can you be secretary?" Ami passes a pen and paper to Minako. She hurriedly jots down the dates and "Party for Usagi".
"Okay Ami, what all needs to be done?" Makoto asks her friend.
"Well, we'll need someone to organize a gift registry, someone to get musical entertainment, someone to handle food, someone to get a location and decorate it, someone to distract Usagi while we make plans, and someone to get the guest list together."
"Sounds good. But could we get a photographer?" Rei suggests.
"Why would we need one?" Minako is confused.
"Because Usagi-chan will definitely remember this party, and she'd love some nice pictures of herself with Mamoru-san, right?"
"Oh yeah." Comprehension dawns on the blonde heroine.
"Okay, so who's doing what?" Chibiusa joins the other girls, attempting to remove the traces of cat from her hair.
"I'll do food, of course." Makoto declares right away.
"I'll help, I know what Usagi snacks on late at night, and mama taught me how to make tasty lemon pies." Chibiusa offers to help.
"Sure, we'll do it together. Makoto agrees. "Mina-chan, are you writing this down?"
"Oh…yeah, of course I am!" Minako snaps out of a trance and hurriedly jots down some notes.
"I'll get Mamoru-san to help me with the guest list." Rei suggests.
"Great. I'll get Yuuichirou to help me with the music." Minako adds. "Ami, you can find the hall for us and handle costs and stuff."
"Okay, and I'll get Naru to help decorate. Umino can be photographer." Ami takes out her phone book and searches for their numbers.
"I'll get Motoki-san and Unazuki-chan to distract Usagi. They can go fishing together or something." Rei glances out the window distractedly, searching for signs of Yuuichirou.
"I'll help Hotaru put together the gift registry too." Chibiusa volunteers, now free of cat traces.
"Awesome, so we're all set?" Minako asks Ami.
"Almost, but there's still one more thing to do."
"And what is that?" The girls slouch a little. They can pretty much predict Ami's next words.
"Study, there's a history exam coming up tomorrow and you've all been doing poorly in that lately. Even I only managed a 96 percent."
The other girls drop their jaws in disbelief.
"Ami got an imperfect score? Oh Kami-sama, the world must be coming to an end!" Makoto clutches a hand to her heart and falls over for dramatic effect.
"That teacher is a biased scumbag!" Minako slams her hand on the table out of rage on behalf of her friend.
"I wish we didn't have to study." Chibiusa complains, scratching Diana's head.
"Wishes won't catch fishes, Chibiusa-chan." Minako states wisely.
"Mina-chan, you need to study more than all of us!" Rei observes.
"And why is that?" Minako asks innocently.
"It's 'wishes won't wash dishes', not 'wishes won't catch fishes'!" Ami shakes her head in disbelief. How many proverbs has Minako managed to muck up since they've known each other?
Oh well, the senshi have a plan. And there's never been a plan that they managed to pull off without a hitch. What terrible crisis will the Sailor Team face next time? Where the heck is Usagi? And will she survive to her 17th birthday? Find out next time!