Chapter 1:
Usagi sighed as she closed to the door her apartment and gently tossed her house keys on to the small dinning table on her left. She turned the lights on and headed to the fridge to grab a drink when she realized that the lights were still off. She walked back to the light switch and flicked multiple times before she let out a sigh.
"Great, another bill I need to pay. Looks like its low budget takeout again."
Usagi muttered to herself as she turned away from the switch and walked to the half dark kitchen. She walked to the fridge when she felt something underneath her foot followed by a loud screech.
"Oh god! Sorry Luna!"
Usagi kneeled down and picked up her black pet cat who was whimpering and licking its injured tail. She gently stroked Luna's tail, receiving a small purr from her fluffy friend. Usagi giggled as she set Luna on the counter and walked to the fridge.
"I envy you right now Luna, I wish I could see-gah!"
She opened the door to the fridge only to close it a second later as a horrifying smell hit her nose and almost made her want to throw up. Usagi took in a deep breath, opened the refrigerator door again. There were a couple of spoiled store bought foods and take out containers inside.
'They must have gone bad after the power was cut off.'
Usagi continued to hold her breath as she began to clean out her fridge, taking small breaks to breath. Soon, her fridge was bare of anything to eat but a box of crackers and water. Sighing, Usagi closed her fridge and pulled her cellphone from out of her pocket to check the time.
"Still early... How does dining out with the girls sound Luna?"
She smiled as she pointed her cell light to Luna who licked her paws. Usagi dialed her friend Ami's cell number and waited.
"Hello?"
"Hey Ami."
"Oh, hey Usagi. Whats up?"
"Nothing much, just wondering if you and the girls wanted to go out to eat? And I know for sure someone misses you."
There was a light giggle on Ami's end which told Usagi that Ami knew she was talking about Luna.
"Sure thing Usagi, I'll call Makoto, but I'm sure Minako is still probably on her date with her boyfriend."
Usagi rolled her eyes as she began to put on her shoes while she held her phone between her ear and shoulder.
"I love Minako but if I have to hear one more time on how great her boyfriend is, I swear I'm gonna slam my head in a door. Hey, speaking of boyfriends don't you have a date tonight with yours?"
There was a long pause, which Usagi knew meant that Ami was either thinking or blushing. Usagi smiled to herself as she picked up Luna into her free arm.
"I did but Zoicite had a lecture to give and was unable to reschedule. But he did promise he's gonna treat me to dinner next week."
"Thats nice of him, ok I'll meet you at the usual dinner. You get a hold of Makoto, I'll call Rei then I'll try and get a hold of Minako. Hopefully she doesn't butt dial me again and I don't end up getting emotionally scarred like last time."
Ami giggled on her end before both hung up. Usagi exit her dark apartment after grabbing her keys. She closed the door before she made her way down to the exit. As Usagi walked down the street, she began to dial her friends number. Usagi placed her phone to her ear as she stopped at a stop light.
"This better be good Usagi!"
Usagi pulled her cell away after Rei yelled in her ear. Luna looked at her owner with a confused look. Shaking her head, Usagi placed her phone back against her ear.
"Nice to talk to you too Rei. I was gonna ask if you maybe wanted to go out to eat at the usual dinner."
"Sure, and sorry about screaming into your ear earlier."
"It's ok, what's got you into such a bad mood Rei?"
"Same as last time, some punks think its so funny to rearrange the temples decorations for the summer festival next month, as if I didn't already have enough on my hands!"
Usagi pulled her phone away from her ear again as Rei began to curse in her end loud enough for bystanders to hear. People turned and gave Usagi weird looks who blushed lightly from embarrassment. She quickly ran down the street as Rei slowly relaxed and finished yelling before Usagi placed her phone back against her ear.
"You done already Rei?"
"Yah, I'm good now. And I'll meet you girls at the dinner."
Usagi smiled as she hung up and began to dial Minako's number when she bumped into someone and she fell backwards to the ground.
"Ow!"
"Sorry Miss, I wasn't watching where I was going."
Usagi looked up at the person she had bumped into and she nearly jumped up screaming. The male looked at her with deep ocean blue eyes that where hidden behind a pair of glasses. The stranger reached his hand out to her, causing her to get a little jumpy.
"Please, let me help you."
Usagi swallowed nervously before she stood up quickly, grabbed her purse and phone before she took off running down the street. The stranger watched her before turning away and noticed she had dropped her wallet on the ground.
Usagi kept running until she was at least five blocks away from where she had bumped into the stranger. She stopped in her tracks to catch her breath as Luna looked up at her, pawing at her face worried as if asking "Are you ok?"
Usagi looked down at her fuzzy friend and smiled a little before she gave a small nod. She gave Luna a small pat on the head before she continued on her way to the dinner where she would be meeting her friends. Four minutes later, Usagi walked into the dinner and sat down in the back in a booth as she tried to hid Luna in her bag. A waitress approached Usagi as she texted Minako.
"Hello, what will you have to drink?"
"I'll just have a glass of water for now."
The waitress gave a nod and went back behind the counter as soon as Ami and Makoto walked through the doors. Both looked around before they spotted Usagi a few feet away.
"Usagi-chan!"
Usagi looked up as Makoto and Ami walked over to her.
"Hey, you girls made it."
"Of course what you think we wouldn't?"
Makoto joked as she and Ami sat down. Usagi looked around before she smiled and placed her bag on Ami's lap before Luna stuck her head out a second after.
"Luna."
Ami and Makoto smiled as they both pet the black cat who began to purr at their touch. The waitress returned with Usagi's water before turning to Ami and Makoto and asked for their drink orders. The waitress walked away before Makoto and Ami turned to Usagi.
"Ok, so hows it been Usagi?"
Makoto asked as Ami pet Luna. Usagi bit her lower lip before she was tackled into a hug by Minako as Rei slipped into their booth next to Makoto.
"Hey sorry we're late, I ran into Minako and Kunzite. It took me five minutes to tear them apart."
Rei explained before Minako pouted at her.
"Why would you do that to us?"
"Because no one wanted to see what I saw and you two needed to breath!"
Usagi, Makoto and Ami all giggled as the waitress returned to more drinks before taking their orders. Once she walked away, the girls began to chat about random things from their jobs to their annual weekend shopping spree at the mall next weekend. After almost twenty minutes of talking the girls quiet down and turned to Usagi who quietly sipped her water. She looked at her friends before she sighed knowing what they were all thinking.
"I know what your all gonna say and no, not going to happen."
"But come on Usagi-chan, its been five years. You can at least let them know your ok. We know you want to and we know you miss them.
Usagi looked down at her lap as their food arrived. They ate in silence for a few minutes before the girls looked at Usagi who hardly touched her food. Usagi picked at her food before she let out a small sigh as she grabbed her bag and began to dig through it for her wallet. The girls all sighed and pulled their own wallets out and each payed for their own food. The girls all got up when they noticed Usagi in a somewhat panic state.
"Whats wrong?"
"I can't find my wallet! Maybe I lost it or dropped it somewhere!"
Usagi emptied out her things on the table and began to looked through everything when she felt something fall in her lap. She looked and saw her wallet sitting there.
"You dropped it back where we bumped into each other."
Usagi froze in place as the girls looked up at the owner of the voice before they all smiled.
"Hey Mamoru-kun, hows it been?"
Minako smiled as Usagi slowly grabbed her wallet and shakily placed her half of the money on the table. Mamoru smiled at the girls as he removed his glasses.
"I'm doing well, how about you girls?"
"We're just fine, so you've met our friend Usagi-chan."
Ami responded as the girls all looked at their friend and noticed her state before they began to help her clean up. Mamoru blinked as he watched before the girls helped Usagi up and walked away.
"Is everything alright?"
Mamoru asked in a concerned tone. Makoto turned to him and smiled.
"Yah, she's just u-um... Shy is all, sorry we're gotta go!"
She ran after her friends leaving Mamoru standing in the dinner confused as he watched the girls through the dinner windows.
"Breath Usagi, breath."
Minako said as Ami and Rei gently rubbed Usagi's back who took deep breaths. Makoto ran up to them as Usagi slowly relaxed.
"You ok Usagi-chan?"
"Y-yah, I-I-I'm f-fine."
Usagi stuttered before she began to walk away. The girls watched her shaking figure before Luna jumped out of Ami's arms and ran after Usagi. The girls all exchanged worried glances before they turned back to the direction Usagi walked away. Usagi walked back to her dark apartment and let Luna in before closing the door. After words, she headed to her bedroom, changing in pink bunny pajamas and went to bed.
The next morning Usagi woke up early and looked at the time on her cellphone. She wasn't due at Makoto's cafe for at least two hours. Usagi placed her cell back on her nightstand before she stared up at the ceiling remembering what had happened last night. As she thought about the male that the girls called Mamoru, her mind began to wonder to the events that happened to her back to her sixteen birthday. Usagi shook her head wanting to forget it before she got up and got ready for the day ahead.