Chasing History

7.21.2012

Summary: Ever wonder why Mamoru is the first one to meet Usagi? First one 'technically' on scene? Well, this goes a step further.

AN: Ghat! I am not forgetting or disregarding my other stories, for this one you have to blame anti-gone, though really it's not her fault for writing a new story that got me thinking about a what-if that she doesn't even touch on... I mean really, who would have thought "she's just a girl from my home-town, she's not who you think she is" would have sparked this story? Haha... this, to answer SailorMoonLover24's question, is where I find my creative sparks, from something completely simple and random and not related one bit to the story my mind conjures up. As to the time, late, late, late at night when I should be sleeping, is when I find the time to write. :)

AN2: I realize this title might be better served in a different story but I didn't think of it then, and now when I did think of it, it fit this story in my mind so much better.

First Encounters

When Usagi was eight years old, she got into some very big trouble. And when she says big, she meant it. The boys towered over her and were so much larger than her. She wasn't doing anything to cause this trouble. She was on the playground, brushing her doll's hair and sitting on the step. She had been put into time out for fighting with her little brother and he was safely in their mother's arms being cooed to.

Usagi didn't scowl at the sight, wasn't angry that she was punished for being the older one when he was clearly the one that started it. He had taken her doll from her! It was hers, and boys didn't even play with dolls! It wasn't fair. But instead of dwelling on it, and bemoaning the fact that she couldn't continue playing on the jungle-gym, she was happy that her mother let her keep the thing that started it all. She smiled happily as she brushed the doll's hair and giggled imagining all the things the doll would say if dolls could talk, but of course they didn't.

They boys had come racing down the sidewalk in their bicycles and skidded to a halt on the other side of the grounds. They came in big lopping strides towards her and tried to take the steps, where she was sitting. One got through, slipping around her, but the others stopped.

She shouldn't have felt so small, she was higher up then them, but she felt tiny when they started sneering at her. "What's this?" The doll was snatched from her fingers and she jumped to her feet to grab it back. Thankfully he did, and she hugged the doll to her chest and sat back down.

"Get out of our way." One of the other boys ordered.

Usagi was scared. She didn't want to talk back to them, she wanted to be quiet and imagine that they'd go away on their own. "Can't you hear? Get out of the way!"

"I-I can't!" She protested, and her eyes sought out her mother, but the woman was too far away to hear what was being said, they weren't talking loud enough and was putting Shingo back into his pram.

"What? Your legs don't work?" One of them actually poked her legs, but she knew if she moved before her mother said, it would be a worse punishment, she'd have her doll taken and maybe no food and be stuck up in her room and she could feel the tears welling up behind her eyes, could feel it clogging her throat and knew that if she needed to talk again she'd be unable.

"Prancy, leave her alone." The boy at the top of the steps said and the largest among them straightened out and glowered at the boy. He wasn't too tall, at least compared to the others, but then again he was years younger. He wasn't wide or muscular, he was just a boy.

"That's not my name!" Prancy howled and was clearly rolling up to a fight.

The boy came to stand next to her and a reassuring hand rested on her shoulder. "It is when you pick on girls years younger than yourself. She's here, she doesn't have to move just because you tell her to." A black brow lifted and he cast her a smile she couldn't understand. "Though it'd be easier if you just did." The boy rolled his shoulders, dismissing his words almost instantly. "Whatever her reason, she's standing her ground and you shouldn't make her break her resolve."

One of the other boys, smaller than Prancy elbowed him lightly and said a few words. Prancy's face contorted and then he nodded. "Have it your way Mamoru, just don't play any tricks."

"I wouldn't do anything of the sort." Mamoru's tone was flat and the boys moved off, took up their bikes and left the two of them. Mamoru dropped down onto the step next to her and reached out a hand to touch her doll. She let him, handing it over to him without thinking that she had a claim on it, that it was hers and hers alone. She'd share anything with him. "That was very brave of you." He smiled kindly at her and he was only a few years older than herself. "Also very stupid and dangerous." But the look still told her otherwise, that he was proud. "Choose your battles wisely in the future and if you believe in it, stand your ground." He held out his hand, giving her back the doll.

Usagi's fingers brushed his as she took it like he was giving her a gift, and in a way he was, but it wasn't the doll. "I'm Usagi." Then because she was Usagi and she was overtook with emotions she threw her arms around him in a hug. He sat unresponsive and stiff under her arms for a long moment before his came around her and hugged her in return, but it wasn't sure and it was tentative like she'd throw it back at him for even thinking it at any moment. She pulled back after a long time and beamed at him. "I like you."

"I like you too." He replied honestly and it seemed to surprise him.

"That's good, because some day when we're old like my mum and dad, I'm going to marry you."

Mamoru laughed and tried to pull her into another hug but wasn't sure how to do it. Usagi guided him and when his face was next to her ear, he responded. "That's good, because I'm going to hold you to it."

An old woman came down the path, looking very strict and also concerned. She was looking everywhere, and her body tensed when she saw Mamoru's bike left on the side near the playground and she only relaxed when she saw the boy. "Come along child, its time for a supper."

"That's the caretaker." Mamoru's arms tightened around Usagi. "Will I see you again?"

"I'm here all the time." Usagi responded. "Just it changes when exactly, sometimes before a big meal and sometimes after."

"I'd better go, but I'll see you again." He tugged at her hair. "Stay brave."

"You too." Usagi watched him go and her mother finally came over after all the fuss. Usagi didn't understand his words then, or why her mother acted the way she did or said what she said.

But Ikuko-mama dropped to her knees next to Usagi and pulled her into a tight hug. "That's my wonderful girl!" There was a small sob to her words and Usagi patted her mother's back awkwardly. That night when she asked for seconds she was given it and dessert.

Two things stuck with Usagi that day, the first was that if she had been able to speak she might not have been so afraid, Mamoru had spoken up and he'd been able to ward the boys off from tormenting her. The second was that she was a girl and as such, there was a second way to deal with boys. Of course she didn't understand all of this logically, but it started a pattern that became engraved in her.