SailorStar9: You girls wanted this chapter, so here goes. This is Chapter 9 of this fic; so please be a dear and review.
Disclaimers: I do not own the animes. But I do own the pairing, I hope.
Chapter 9: Steal Mamoru's Kiss! Ann's Snow White Strategy
Time passes...
"Wow! This is rare! Usagi, are you studying English?" Luna leapt onto the studying table. "Hello? Hello!"
"Of course, what else?" she sighed at the dozing Usagi.
"But I wonder if she's having a romantic dream like this story?" she wondered, looking at the opened 'Snow White' book. "Yes! One day, I want to share a urning and passionate kiss with a handsome tomcat!"
Stepping onto a pencil, the cat skidded off the table and awakened Usagi in the process.
"And I was dreaming of eating a gigantic meat bun!" the blond whined, holding her nose in pain.
"A meat bun?" Luna sweatdropped. "What happened to the romance of young girls?"
In the Juuban Odyssey...
"Do we really need to study English?" Ali asked as Ann read the 'Snow White' story. "If we have that much time, shouldn't we try to figure out how to collect energy instead?"
When Ann remained unresponsive, Ali snorted and walked out.
Love is something we should take. The alien girl mused. Kissing and winning the love of a person who has been sleeping. That is it! I'm going to kiss Mamoru's lips and win his love!
The next morning...
"Sorry, I'm late!" Usagi apologized once she arrived at the Hikawa Shrine.
"Don't worry. It's nothing new." Rei remarked.
"Rei, why did you ask us to come here so quickly?" Usagi fumed. "Did a Cardian show up again?"
"No, it didn't." Rei replied. "Actually Mamoru is in trouble."
"What!? Mamoru is?" Usagi exclaimed. "Did he hurt himself? Oh no! That would be so sad!"
"No, it's not it." Rei sighed at the wailing blond.
"It seems like Mamoru has to perform a play at Juuban Hall." Ami explained.
"What? A play?" Usagi inquired.
"Right. According to him, his friends were supposed to be in it." Rei added. "But they had a fight over the casting, and they all left."
"So, Mamoru has to find new people, but it's not that easy." Makoto remarked.
"Of course, Mamoru is very responsible." Rei noted, handing the wish board to Usagi. "He wants the play to be successful, so he came here to pray for its success."
"Then, I'll help him!" Usagi beamed.
Later...
"You're going to participate in my play?" Mamoru blinked at the girls' proposal.
"That's right! We decided to go with Rei's suggestion to do Snow White!" Usagi exclaimed.
"Snow White?" Mamoru echoed.
"And! And, and..." Rei added enthusiastically. "Since I came up with the idea, I think I should play Snow White!"
"That's not fair! Snow White should be played by somebody's who's cute!" Usagi retorted. "And of course, that'll be me."
"Hey, don't settle this just between the two of you." Makoto interjected. "Snow White should be played by the person with the biggest chest! That would be me!"
"You are not!" Usagi and Rei fumed.
"Do you want to compare?" Makoto challenged.
"Hold it!" Minako shouted. "Snow White should be played by somebody who is refined and elegant. And that would be me."
"Gag." the three girls remarked.
"Since I'm always busy with cram school and homework, Snow White should be perfect for me." Ami voiced. "Because she sleeps most of the time and doesn't have that many lines."
"Humph!" the four girls snorted at a sweatdropping Ami.
"Excuse me, but we have more characters." Mamoru pointed out. "There's the prince and the mean queen too."
"We've all already agreed that you should play the prince!" Minako informed him.
"The problem is who is going to play Snow White?" Usagi added.
"That's right!" the girls returned to their argument.
"Since I came up with Snow White, it should be me." Rei insisted.
"Considering our figures, it should be me." Makoto interjected.
"It should be the elegant me!" Minako protested.
Ami sighed as the four girls argued, "This could take a while."
"You should not be so egocentric!" Umino chided.
"You're all so selfish!" Naru agreed.
"You shut up!" the four girls chorused.
"My friends argued about the same thing and ended up leaving." Mamoru sighed.
"Everyone, there's a good way to decide who will play Snow White!" Nastumi intervened.
"Oh, Nastumi..." Usagi blinked when the alien girl in disguise pulled out a bunch of paper straws.
"So what is this good idea?" Rei asked.
"How bout drawing lots to help us decide in this case?" Nastumi offered. "I'll participate in your play as well. If you get a twisted paper string with a white tip, you'll be Snow White a red tip means the queen, and blue tips will the the dwarves. Of course, I'll take the last one left. So, please!"
"Okay then, I'll draw first!" Usagi decided, drawing out a paper straw.
"Oh!" she sweatdropped when she drew the red tip. "Oh, I have to play the mean queen!"
"You certainly aren't very lucky, Tsukino-san." Nastumi remarked.
"No, I don't wanna, I don't wanna!" Usagi wailed.
With static electricity sparkling, everyone else picked their respective straws.
"Oh!" they sweatdropped when they realized they had each drawn a blue tip.
Everybody got blue." Makoto sighed.
"Oh my. It looks like none of you are lucky at drawing straws." Nastumi noted, picking the last straw, revealing its white tip.
"Oh!" everyone else gasped in shock.
"It seems I'll be the one playing Snow White, sorry." Nastumi concluded, showing the white tip.
"I'm so disappointed." Usagi sobbed.
They are so dumb. Nastumi grinned, revealing the torn-off blue tip in her hand after she walked off. No one suspects that tampered with those strings.
Later...
"You need one more person to play the dwarf?" Ali inquired after Ann told him. "I refuse! I want the role of the prince!"
"We already have a person playing the prince." Ann informed him. "That would be impossible."
"Then, I don't want to participate!" Ali retorted.
"Then we have no choice but to do the play with six dwarves." Ann concluded before disappearing. "And here I promised Mizuno-san that you would help."
A play at Juuban Hall. Ali mused.
Tossing a card, he summoned a Cardian.
"Come forth, Cardian Bipierrot!" he played on his flute to summon the Cardian.
"Bipierrot!" the Cardian declared.
"There will be many people at the Juuban Hall next week. Steal all their energy from them in one fell swoop!" Ali instructed.
"Bipierrot." the Cardian remarked.
Time passes...
"What? You're going to do it, again?" the girls chorused in unison while rehearsing in the Juuban Public Hall.
"The sleeping Snow White accepts the princes' passionate kiss." Nastumi reasoned, while lying on a bench. "This is the climax of the story. We have to practice it as many times as we can!"
"Now, Mamoru, let's practice the scene one more time, please." she requested.
Mamoru looked over at Thomas who was the stand-in director.
The blond sighed, "Okay then, just one more time."
"Ready? Start!" he instructed.
"Oh Princess! Please accept my love on your lovely lips and wake from your eternal sleep." Mamoru acted his part.
No! please don't kiss her for real! Please don't! Usagi panicked when she saw Mamoru lean over to kiss Nastumi.
This is my chance! The 'sleeping' Nastumi decided, reaching up to accept Mamoru's kiss.
"CUT!" Thomas yelled over the loudspeaker when he saw Nastumi reach her ams over Mamoru's back.
Glaring at an annoyed Nastumi, he retorted, "You're not supposed to do that! Snow White is supposed to be sleeping! You can't move!"
Drat! Nastumi glared harder at Thomas.
"I'm sorry! Why don't we try it one more time?" she beamed at Mamoru.
"Don't you think that's enough?" Rei retorted.
"Let's practice a different scene next." Makoto suggested.
"Are you kidding? This is a very important scene!" Nastumi insisted. "We need to make sure this scene is perfect. Everyone, please don't be selfish!"
"What? Who's being selfish here?" Makoto retorted.
No kidding! Usagi agreed.
Nighttime...
"Bye, everyone!" the girls waved farewell to Naru and Umino.
"Bye, everyone. See you!" Mamoru was the next to leave.
"Okay, bye!" the girls waved farewell.
"Mamoru, let's go home together." Nastumi offered. "Since we're playing lovers, I think we should get to know each other much, much better."
"What's the deal with her?" Rei asked, after a fuming Usagi tore her twisted handkerchief into two. "Our play will be ruined if she keeps acting like that!"
"I want to ask that selfish Nastumi to give up the role of Snow White." Makoto noted.
"That's right. She got the Snow White role dishonestly anyway." Minako agreed.
"What do you mean by that?" Usagi demanded.
"What?" Minako sweatdropped.
"Hey, what do you mean by 'dishonestly'? Hey, hey! Hey!" Usagi pressed.
"It's not nice to leave me out and talk behind my back." she sobbed.
"Stop it! We'll tell you!" Rei stopped her wails.
"What the girls are saying is that Ginga-san cheated." Thomas explained. "Basically, all the twisted paper strings had colored tips and she tore off the tip of the last one to make it white."
"That's not fair! If you knew, why didn't anyone say anything?" Usagi inquired.
"Because, no matter which one of us plays Snow White, it would make us uncomfortable." Minako replied.
"And Nastumi hasn't had any close friends since she moved here," Ami added. "She was always alone and looked so lonely. That's why."
"She wanted to play Snow White, even if it meant cheating." Rei interjected. "That passion impressed me a little, too."
"Everyone is so sweet, but do you really think that's true friendship?" Usagi inquired.
"I don't think so! Cheating is cheating!" she fumed. "We should never allow her to cheat. If you let her..."
"Anyway!" Rei cut in. "Let's talk to Nastumi.."
"Okay." the three Planetary Senshi nodded.
"Yeah!" Usagi agreed.
On the way back...
"Usagi, are you sure you can do this by yourself?" Rei asked.
"Don't worry! I'll talk to her tomorrow at school!" Usagi assured her.
"Oh, that's Nastumi!" she noted, seeing Nastumi walking up the Hikawa Shrine stairs.
"What could she be doing at Hikawa Shrine?" Ami wondered.
In front of the prayer hall...
"Please, please make this play a success!" Nastumi prayed after ringing the bell.
May I be able to steal a kiss from Mamoru;s lips. She added mentally.
"Nastumi is so serious." Rei muttered, as the girls peeped form behind some bushes. "I didn't know she was so passionate about the play."
"She's selfish, but all actresses are selfish in their own way." Minako noted after Nastumi walked off. "And they say a selfish actress is usually a good actor."
"I guess we'll just let her play Snow White." Makoto suggested.
"For both Nastumi's and ours, let's work together to make this play a success!" Ami added.
"I won't allow her to kiss Mamoru, but I guess I have no choice." Usagi agreed reluctantly.
"What? Did you say something?" the girls chorused.
"Oh, nothing!" Usagi replied.
The next day..
"Poor lovely Snow White ate the poisoned apple.." the dwarves, now dressed in animal costumes, sang.
"She ate it, all right!" Usagi, playing the evil queen, retorted.
"And fell into an eternal slumber." the dwarves continued to sing.
"Heh, heh, heh!" the evil queen laughed.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Rei retorted, removing the bear's head. "This isn't a kindergarten play. Why do we have to dress up like this?"
"She's right! Why am I a gorilla?" Makoto fumed, removing the gorilla's head.
"But everybody said it won't be fun if it's the same old play." Umino protested, removing the pink elephant head. "That's why I rented these adorable animal costumes!"
"How is this adorable?" the two hotheaded girls sank their costume heads onto Umino.
"But they look good on you." Nastumi pointed out. "Tsukino-san, you're a perfect witch!"
"Okay, everyone. let's continue with our practice." she chided.
I want to wear a costume like that. Usagi bemoaned. And do a love scene with the prince, too!
Later in the Juuban Odysseus...
"Oh, Princess... please accept..." Ann swooned. "My love on your lovely lips and wake... from your eternal sleep."
"What are you doing, Ann?" Ali asked, seeing his companion kiss the pillow.
"Oh, just practicing for the play!" Ann replied.
Ali then looked over at the script, envisioning himself and Ami as the lead roles.
"Ali? Ali!" Ann shouted to snap the blushing Ali out of his musings.
"So, your play will be tomorrow. Good luck." Ali told her.
I wish I could have played the prince. He thought after the door slid close.
Meanwhile...
"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is fairest of them all?" Usagi rehearsed her lines in front of her wardrobe mirror. "What? I'm only second? Snow White is the fairest? This cannot be!"
"Yo! Ham actress!" Shingo poked his head in.
"How dare you?" Usagi fumed.
"I'm spending my precious time to see you play tomorrow," Shingo informed her. "So, make sure your performance is a bit better than that."
"No one asked you to go!" Usagi shouted after Shingo closed the door.
The next day...
"Wow! There are so many people!" Usagi, now dressed as the evil queen, gasped when she peered out of the curtain.
"Now, I'm getting nervous!" Rei admitted.
"It's the first cue." Thomas remarked after the buzzer sounded. "Are you ready?"
"Yes!" the girls chorused.
And we'll finally start on the second cue. Nastumi smiled. Today, I'll make sure to kiss Mamoru.
The applause sounded when the curtain was raised and Bipierrot appeared in the spotlight.
"Bipierrot!" the Cardian declared.
"What's that?" Usagi blinked.
"A clown in the play?" Makoto, in the gorilla costume, sweatdropped.
"No one told us that!" Naru, in the cat costume, and Minako in the purple bear costume, sweatdropped.
"I wonder if someone changed the script?" Ami inquired.
"No such thing, Blue." Thomas assured her. "I'm the director. If there's a change like that, believe me, I will know."
"Bipierrot!" the Cardian spun on its unicycle.
"Bipierrot!" it then leapt down from the castle prop.
"Bipierrot! Bipierrot! Bipierrot! Bipierrot! Bipierrot!" it declared, demolishing the props.
"Amazing! They're wrecking the stage at the very beginning!" Shingo awed.
"Stop! Don't destroy the stage!" Nastumi pleaded, running towards the Cardian.
"Bipierrot!' the Cardian tossed a red ball at her.
"Nastumi!" Mamoru gasped when the sphere threw Nastumi backwards.
"Mamoru, you tried to protect me!" Nastumi gushed when Mamoru shielded her fall with his body. Before she proceeded to kiss him, the ball knocked her unconscious.
"Nastumi! Mamoru!" the girls exclaimed at the fallen actors.
"Bipi..." the Cardian turned its attention to the girls backstage.
"It's a real monster!" Umino realized. "Naru, run!"
Tripping over the large elephant's feet, Umino only succeeded in throwing Naru at the girls.
"Mako, you're heavy!" Minako protested once Naru landed on the pile.
"Get off me!" Rei demanded.
"You get off me first!" Makoto shot back.
"Calm down! One person at a time!" Ami played peacemaker.
"It hurts!" Naru moaned.
"Naru, hang on!" Ami urged.
"Bipierrot!" the Cardian now twirled its umbrella at the audience and draining them of their energy.
"We're in trouble!" Ami shouted over the chaos.
"We have to do something quick!" Minako remarked.
"Get off me!' Rei demanded as Usagi stood up.
"You messed up or play! I can't forgive you!" Usagi retorted. "Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Oh, the long months and years of practice!" Sailor Moon declared.
"Bipi?" the Cardian looked at the Senshi behind him.
"At last, we stand in all our brilliance upon the stage!" Sailor Moon added. "This is the fruit of our labor and friendship! And you had to come and mess it all up! I'm a Sailor Senshi of love and justice. In the name of the moon, Sailor Moon will punish you!"
"Bipierrot!" the Cardian wrapped its umbrella's whip around the Moon Senshi.
"Bi, bi, bi, bi, bi, bi, bi, bi!" it then sent electricity through the whip, electrocuting Sailor Moon.
Just then, a white rose severed the whip, freeing Sailor Moon.
"Bipi?" the Cardian looked at the intruder.
"I do not know who you are. But all the girls know who I am." the Moonlight Knight declared. "I am the Moonlight Knight and I am here!"
"Moonlight Knight-sama!" Sailor Moon gushed.
"What's going on? Sp, this is a Sailor Moon play, and not Snow White?" Shingo inquired.
"Who is that?" the audience chorused when the rest of the Senshi appeared.
"Passionate like the fire!" Sailor Mars declared. "Rin, Pyo, Tou, Sha!" I defeat evil with the power of prayer! In red high heels, I'm Sailor Mars!"
"I was born this this strength!" Sailor Jupiter added. "I am Sailor Jupiter with lightning power!"
"Juggling between cram-school and homework," Millennial Sailor Mercury continued. "I am always reading study guides! Top scorer in the nationwide, everything goes mock exams! As you know, I am Millennial Sailor Mercury!"
"The legendary mask is a thing of the past." Sailor Venus wrapped up the introductions. "And the face revealed is also beautiful! I am the last addition to the Sailor Senshi, Sailor Venus!"
"We've arrived!" the four girls chorused.
"Bipierrot!" the Cardian now turned to its new opponents, firing its head spikes at them. The girls jumped to dodge the attack.
"My red high heels are mad like fire!" Sailor Mars retorted, pulling out her anti-evil scroll. "Rin, Pyo, Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!"
"Here's my talisman!" she declared, tossing the scroll.
"Bipi?" the Cardian blinked when the scroll was attached to its forehead.
"I sacrificed precious studying times to memorize my lines!" Millennial Sailor Mercury declared. "Give me back the time to read three study guides!"
"Ice Blast!" she fired her ice ball at the frozen Cardian. Encasing it in ice.
"Ruining the play is unforgivable!" Sailor Moon announced, revealing her weapon. "Moon Princess Elimination!"
"Cleansing!" the Cardian cried as the attack washed over it. Returning to its card form, the card then turned black.
"It's great! This is the best play ever!" Shingo whooped, as the audience applauded.
"Now, this is a happy ending." the Moonlight Knight remarked. "A girl's face in the spotlight is beautiful."
"Adieu." he ten bade the Senshi farewell and disappeared.
"Oh, Moonlight Knight-sama!" Sailor Moon gasped when the Moonlight Knight vanished from sight.
"Encore! Encore! Encore!" the audience cheered once the curtain closed.
"We did it!" the Senshi smiled at each other as 'Encore! Encore' sounded from the audience.
After the play...
"You are so mean! How could you, Ali?" Ann demanded. "I practiced so hard, and you sent a Cardian!"
"Be quiet! Did you forget our mission to collect lots of energy?" Ali reminded her.
Ann threw herself onto the bed and cried after the door slid close.
"I wanted to steal Mamoru's kiss of love!" she sobbed.
I wish I could have played the prince. Ali pondered outside the door.
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review. In the next chapter, Usagi and Nastumi both get detention after school. When the teacher leaves to go on a date, the two girls compete to see who can finish the assignment first. Nastumi gets weak from lack of energy. She tricks Usagi into closing her eyes and begins to steal her energy when they are interrupted by a renegade Cardian who is causing a ruckus outside. Usagi transforms but is too weak to attack the monster. With the Moonlight Knight's encouragement, however, she regains her strength and defeats the Cardian.