Disclaimer: Sailormoon and all the related items do not belong to me. I've just borrowed them!

Chapter 1: Failure

"Hey watch out, Odango Atama!" someone shouted just as Usagi crashed into a wide chest.

"Oh no" thought Usagi, "Why him on all days?" Usagi just had her worse day so far. Her mother and Luna scolded her for not waking up on time and then, she had to sprint to the school but was still late. Ms. Haruna gave her detention for her lateness and not paying attention in class. And finally, Usagi was told that if she didn't pull her grades up, she would need to take summer school.

Usagi sighed and stepped back, looking up to see the annoyed face of Mamoru Chiba, her arch-nemesis. She planted her hands on her hips and took up a defensive stance, her trademark hair flying behind her.

"Why don't you watch where you are going, baka-chan?" she cocked her head, as if assessing him.

"Me watch out?" an indignant Mamoru said, "Who was the one barrelling out of the street and straight into me?"

"Humf! I don't have the time to argue, baka, I have to be at Rei's by 4pm." Usagi looked at the town clock and exclaimed "Oh no! Look what you've made me done, baka! I'm late!" She pushed past Mamoru and ran down the street towards the temple.

***

Left behind, Mamoru smiled as Usagi's meatballs disappeared into the crowd. He was satisfied about his latest escapade with Usagi. Mamoru knew he shouldn't be enjoying how agitated he made her but it was the only time of the day that made him smile; it was enough to purposely step into the way of his Odango Atama. Hang on, 'his Odango Atama'? Where did that come from? Usagi was not his. Shaking the idea out of his head, Mamoru started to walk on his way towards his friend, Motoki's arcade.

***

Out of breath, Usagi ran up the stairs of the temple, wishing that she would not be the last one to arrive.

"I'm only a few minutes late" Usagi thought to herself. "And I would not have been late if I did not bump into Mamo-chan...Mamo-chan? Where did that name come from? He is Baka-san" She shook her head and made her way up towards the group of girls looking at her standing near one of the temple's trees.

"Odango! You're late!" shouted Rei. "You're always late! We can't expect you to show up on time anywhere! It is a wonder how."

"Shut up Rei! I'm only a few minutes late. And anyway, Mina isn't here yet" retorted Usagi, sticking out her tongue. Rei stuck out her tongue too but before she could reply, Ami pushed them apart.

"Hey, Mina's arriving now. Let's get started O.K?" Ami said. Rei and Usagi was both quiet but kept up the staring contest.

"What's up, everyone? Sorry I'm late but I saw this delicious guy when I was coming down the street and I just had to get his name and number" gushed Mina as she came towards the group.

"Rei and Usagi were having another argument.again." Lita, another group member, replied, shaking her head at the two mentioned girls.

"That's not new, they are always fighting" Mina said.

"We are not always fighting! It's not my fault Odango Atama can't do anything right" retorted Rei

"I can do so!"

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

"Stop it! Both of you!" outspoke Luna, Usagi's small black cat and guardian. "We must get to the matter at hand! We have to start training just in case the Negaverse decides to send another enemy to Earth"

Ami pulled up her computer visor "I've worked out a training schedule that would help each of our weaknesses."

"Did you include Usagi in the calculations? Because you should. She can't do anything." Rei said.

"I can so!" retorted Usagi.

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

"Stop it! Let's have a look at the schedule, Ami" Lita said, "What do each of us have to do?"

"Well, Lita, you don't have much to do, just work on your strength and awareness. Actually we all have to work on our awareness, so that we would not be attacked from behind. Mina, you have to work on your attack range and concentration. Rei, you also have to increase your power. Usagi has to work on her strength, concentration and endurance. You tend to run out of energy very fast. And I have to work on my strength and power." Ami turned to the girls while she mentioned their weaknesses.

"But." Usagi began to tell them that her attacks always took a lot out of her and she couldn't do anything about her. Her attacks always used up around 75% of her energy, so even if she had more endurance, she was always left with only a quarter of her original energy.

"What part of that didn't you understand, Odango?" Rei exclaimed, "Ami was said that you had the most to work on"

"But my attacks.."Usagi began again.

"Usagi! Let's just get on with it!" Rei turned and walked away; ready to change out of her temple robes and into more suitable training outfits. The others looked at both girls and sighed.

"Come on, Usagi. I'll work with you," said Mina.

***

After a gruelling training, Usagi left the group and went to the Crown Arcade, hoping to get a milkshake and a play at the new Sailor Venus game Motoki had just bought. As she tiredly entered the arcade, her sense alerting her Mamoru was nearby as it always did. Usagi went to the counter where Motoki and Mamoru were talking.

"Hi Motoki" she said resignedly. Both men looked at her.

"Hey Usagi. Why so down? What can I get you to cheer you up?" replied Motoki.

"Just a chocolate milkshake, thanks. Ami just put us through a training schedule and I'm poofed." Usagi sat down with a whoosh as the cushion sank.

"Why are you training? You should be concentrating on not being so clumsy and studying to pull your marks up from that dismal 33%, Odango Atama." Mamoru remarked.

"I am not Odango Atama!" Usagi looked up and hotly exclaimed. "My name is U- Sa-Gi! Get that through your thick brain, baka-chan!"

Mamoru smiled and repeated "O-Dan-Go A-Ta-Ma"

Usagi huffed and turned towards Motoki and the milkshake he brought to her. "Thanks Motoki. You're a dream.which is more than I can say for some other people who I know"

***

Motoki chuckled at the image the two sparring partners made. They really do make a wonderful couple, even with the constant bickering. He wondered why the two won't admit their feelings for each other.

***

Mamoru looked at Usagi and Motoki talking. When Usagi complimented Motoki on being a 'dream', his chest mysteriously clenched slightly.

"Why am I feeling this way? She is just Odango" thought Mamoru to himself. He looked at her again, trying to see her in a different light. "What are these feelings? It can't be.. nah, it can't. She's only 14, for goodness sakes! I would be arrested and that's not including what her father might do to me! I must get her out of my mind."

"Hey Odango, why were you training anyway? You need more muscles?" Mamoru exclaimed outloud.

"Humf, Ami thought we needed to work on our weaknesses in our free time now. I have to work on my strength, concentration and endurance.." Usagi replied "But it takes so much out of me." She pushed the milkshake out of the way and layed her head on the table.

"You definitely need concentration, Odango. You never finish anything you set out to do, except for drinking milkshakes" Mamoru joked.

"I don't need you to tell me my weaknesses, baka-chan. I get enough of that from school, Rei and my mom. I can't go anywhere without having someone tell me I'm clumsy, stupid or lazy." Usagi's head turned away from the two men, her voice muffled.

"Now, Usagi, you aren't clumsy, stupid or lazy. Well, maybe a little bit but we like you all the same." Motoki reassured her and looked at Mamoru to do the same.

"Well, ah...you are clumsy, Odango, you always crash into me and you are kinda stupid since you never study but you aren't lazy. Well, not much. You're always running around with those Odangos of yours flying behind you." Mamory tried.

Usagi lifted her head and surprised the two with her red nose and eyes, as if she was crying. "It's not my fault that I'm clumsy and I've been too busy with things you won't know about to study!" She jumped off the stool and ran out of the arcade, leaving Motoki and Mamoru behind.

***

"Look what you've done, Mamoru" exclaimed Motoki "Couldn't you have been a little more.. diplomatic? Nicer, perhaps?"

Mamoru looked at his friend, "I just told her the truth, Motoki. I'm sure she can handle some criticism once in a while."

"But it seems like she is always getting criticised about anything and everything. You could have helped her. Now she's off crying somewhere. If I didn't have to look after the arcade, I would go after her" Motoki pointedly said.

Mamoru stood up, "If she can't take the heat, she should stay out the kitchen. Anyway, Odango wouldn't survive the world if she couldn't take insults once in a while." He walked out of the arcade, "I'll catch you later, Motoki."