Hi! New chapter. :)

Disclaimer: …You know the drill. :P

Sixth Chapter

Usagi and Luna had a good long talk with Rei about what she knew, and it turned out, she had access to some of her memories from the Silver Millennium. Not all of them, though Luna had offered to unlock them, once Usagi had reminded her that she had that ability, and Rei said she'd think about it. Usagi asked Rei when she'd started remembering, turns out it was the same time that Usagi had remembered as well. Only Rei's memories weren't as complete, and she had no knowledge of the future.

Rei had been quite surprised at that bit of information, almost not believing her until Usagi showed her some drawings she'd done over the years of the coming future. She'd also shown the miko a picture of the shitennou, and made her swear black and blue that she wouldn't incinerate Jadeite this time around. After all, Usagi wanted Mamoru to have his shitennou back, alive and as unscathed as possible, if you'd please.

Usagi and Rei had then made plans to meet up at the Crown Arcade. Rei knew Motoki's sister Unazuki (Usagi had completely forgotten that!) so she knew where it was. The next day was Saturday, so their meeting would have to wait until after school. Usagi and Luna had farewelled Rei shortly after, and then caught a bus back to their neighbourhood. It was cutting rather close to the time Usagi had to be home by each day, but they made it with a few minutes to spare.

Right now, she sat in her last class of the day, art class. They were supposed to be drawing an interpretation of the huge stuffed bear that their sensei had brought in with him today. Usagi's interpretation was dressing the bear in knight's armour to rescue a bear princess. It was a rough sketch, she wasn't really putting a whole lot of effort into it. Still, it was turning out pretty good anyway.

"Psst! Usagi-chan!"

Usagi looked up and over to where Naru, Yumiko, and Kuri were. It was Yumiko that was trying to get her attention.

'What?' Usagi mouthed, not wanting to draw their sensei's wrath.

"Are you going to the arcade today?" Yumiko asked, her voice still a whisper, and Usagi nodded.

Yumiko grinned, gave a thumbs up, and turned back to whisper and giggle with Kuri. Naru grinned at her, and Usagi grinned back.

"Alright!" their sensei spoke suddenly, startling Usagi. "I have some news. There's a competition coming up at a local gallery, for kids aged eight to sixteen. They've sent out the call to all the local schools, so if anyone wants to compete, the details will be on the school bulletin board in the main office. There are, of course, prizes for the winners, as well as recognition for each of the schools represented. I know there are a couple of you who would be more than capable of taking out one of these prizes, so if you're interested, sign up."

The bell rang then, the final one for the day, so instead of everyone staying and waiting for the next class, they packed their things together to get ready to head off home, or to school clubs. Or even to detention. Thankfully, Usagi didn't have a detention today, so she was able to head straight off with her friends. At least, she would have, if their sensei hadn't called her over. She shooed Naru, Yumiko, and Kuri away, and went over to the teacher's desk.

"Yes, Kondo-sensei?"

The sensei levelled her with a serious look. "Usagi-chan," he said. "I want you to seriously think about entering that art competition."

Usagi's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. "M-me?!" she squeaked.

"Yes, you," he confirmed. "You are an amazing artist, Usagi-chan," she blushed furiously here. "I am quite confident that you could take out one of the top prizes."

She really didn't know what to say… "I… I'll think about it," she promised him.

"Go look at the information at the office," he told her. "The competition runs for the next three weeks, so there's plenty of time for you to create something. And you could even use one you've already done, if you wanted. Just… think about it, alright?"

Usagi nodded, and the sensei let her go. Outside, she ran into Naru and the others, who'd been waiting for her.

"What did Kondo-sensei want?" Naru asked.

"H-he… he wants me to seriously consider entering that art gallery competition," Usagi said in a small voice.

Naru's eyes widened. "Oh my kami!" she exclaimed. "You should totally do it!"

"Wh-what?"

"Absolutely!" Kuri agreed.

"Naru-chan's right!" Yumiko piped up, then grabbed Usagi by the hand. "Come on, let's go over there now!"

The three of them dragged her over to the main office, ignoring her spluttering along the way. Once there, they saw that there were pamphlets with information on the competition, and after getting the go ahead from a sensei to take one, made Usagi read through it, with them reading over her shoulder.

"Ooh!" Kuri squealed. "First place gets a deal to show their work in… The National Art Centre!?"

That last bit was practically screeched into Usagi's ear, and everyone that wasn't Kuri flinched heavily. "Keep it down!" Yumiko complained. "That was my ear drum!"

"B-but but but!"

"Quiet," Naru ordered, then turned to Usagi. "Usagi-chan, what do you want to do?"

Usagi was still quite stunned about the whole thing, but she forced herself to clam. What did she want to do? With everything that was going on now… Did she really have the time for this? But then, maybe it could be a good thing, to sign up for it? And if she didn't paint something new, then at least she had several other paintings that she could enter in, and she even knew which one she'd pick if it came down to that.

She glanced down at the pamphlet, then up at her friends, then over to the sign-up form. With a sort of detached determination, she walked over and wrote her name up on the form.

"Yay!" Kuri cheered, and hugged Usagi, before moving on to Naru and then Yumiko.

"Let's get going then," Naru said.

"To the arcade!" Yumiko declared. "We gotta celebrate!"

And she and Kuri marched off, Naru and Usagi following in their wake.

OoOoO

Once they arrived at the Crown, Usagi saw that Rei was already waiting there for her. She saw Luna poking her head out from behind the miko, who was scowling at the rather boisterous duo that was Yumiko and Kuri. The two had immediately headed over to the counter, ordering milkshakes, burgers and fries for themselves, getting all chatty and, in Yumiko's case, flirty with Motoki.

"Uh Naru-chan, this is Rei-chan," Usagi said, introducing her best friend to the miko. "I met her yesterday at Hikawa jinja."

"Nice to meet you," Naru said, smiling. "Please excuse Kuri-chan and Yumiko-chan. They have no filter. Or common sense, really."

"Uh… okay," Rei said. "So, you're Usagi-chan's friend?"

"Her best friend," Yumiko said as she passed by, towing Kuri over to a booth. "We're here to celebrate that Usagi-chan is entering a competition at a local art gallery."

"Really?" Rei asked. "I know you're talented, the pictures you showed me yesterday were… I mean, they were really good."

"Usagi-chan is a genius with her art," Naru said, causing Usagi to blush heavily. "You should see some of her paintings some time, they're so good, you'd think a professional painted them."

"They're not that great," Usagi mumbled, embarrassed. Naru always did like to talk up her art in front of people.

"Yes they are!" Naru argued, then sighed. "You always argue with me on this, but you'll see. When you win that competition, you'll finally understand. Until then… Motoki-san! We need shakes! And food too!"

Usagi vaguely heard Naru rattle off orders for the two of them as she turned to Rei. "Do you really think your drawings aren't that good?" Rei asked, frowning.

Shrugging, Usagi said, "I know I've got talent. I know everyone else likes them, but…"

Rei sighed. "As long as people like them, you know it's good," she said. "That's how things like art and other stuff work. But… Do you think you'll have the time to paint something? You know, with everything that's coming up?"

"I'm gonna try," Usagi said. "If I run out of time, there's a painting I've already done that can be a back up just in case."

Rei nodded and left it at that.

The next hour was spent with all five girls talking and playing video games. Naru declared that Rei was cool, which startled the miko and made her blush lightly. Then Kuri and Yumiko left, and Naru soon after that. Usagi had spent some of the time wondering if Mamoru was going to come in, but he hadn't shown up yet. She wondered where he was…

Usagi and Rei left the arcade soon after, headed for Usagi's house. Rei wanted to see the drawings that Usagi had at her house. The only one who would be home right now would be her mother, as Shingo the Twerp would be at his extracurricular classes until after six, and their father wouldn't be home until late tonight, he had some deadline due apparently.

"Kaa-san!" Usagi called as they entered the house and removed their shoes. "I'm home! I brought a friend over!"

Ikuko appeared from the kitchen, spatula in hand. "Oh!" she said at the sight of Rei. "Is this a new friend then? I was expecting Naru-chan when you hollered."

"This is Hino Rei-chan," Usagi introduced. "She wanted to see my artwork."

Ikuko smiled. "Oh, wonderful!" she said. "Well, I'll leave you two girls to it. Yell if you need anything!"

She disappeared then, and Usagi led Rei upstairs to her 'studio' after briefly dropping her school bag in her room.

"Wow, you've got quite the set up here," Rei remarked.

"It's even better, because Shingo-kun complained like crazy, but didn't get his own way when he wanted his own extra room too," Usagi told her rather smugly, as she moved over to pull out some boxes from the cupboard.

Luna, who'd followed them up, nudged the door closed joined them. "Which ones are those?" she asked as Usagi sat on the floor and began rummaging.

"This is a Silver Millennium box," Usagi told her. "Most of what's in here is all about the Senshi. The Inner Senshi, that is. Mercury to Jupiter."

Usagi handed over some drawings to Rei, who eagerly, but politely, grabbed at them. She went through them, staring at each one intently and moving on to the next, until she stopped at one in particular. She stared extra long at it, before her brow scrunched, as if she was trying to remember something. Usagi glanced over and saw it was one that included the shitennou.

"This… this seems familiar," she said.

"That was from the day when the Inner Senshi met the Shitennou," Usagi said. "No one was happy about having to work together, you were all only there for Endymion and Serenity."

"The prince and princess," Rei murmured. "You and… Endymion, did you say? Yes, that sounds right… We're all glaring."

Usagi giggled. "I did say no one was looking forward to it," she said. "You and Venus were especially unhappy with the arrangement."

Rei nodded distractedly, then moved on to the next picture, though not before glancing briefly at it once more.

They spent the next hour going through everything, with Luna interjecting at one point to get them to actually discuss their senshi duties.

"Honestly, I'd rather Usagi-chan didn't fight," Luna said as Rei sorted through pictures from the period when Galaxia was due to show up. "But from everything she's told us…"

"It would be best for her to fight," Rei finished as she put aside a picture of the shadowy form of Chaos. "Usagi-chan's the Princess, but with everything she knows… You're not going to stay out of the fights, are you?"

Usagi shook her head. "No way," she said. "No matter the fact that it's all terrifying, I'm doing it."

Shortly after, Usagi showed them the painting she was going to enter as a back up.

"What do you think?" she asked, self-conscious.

"It's… It's brilliant," Rei told her. "Is that… That's Serenity and Endymion, isn't it?"

Usagi nodded. "I only finished it four months ago," she said. "Since it's newer, I thought it would fit better to show the ability I have now."

Soon, it was time for Rei to leave, but Usagi was going to walk with her to her bus stop. "We're leaving, kaa-san!" Usagi called.

"Okay dear, be back before dinner!" Ikuko called back, and two girls and the cat left.

Usagi saw Rei off, then wandered a little aimlessly. She ended up back at the arcade, which was winding down from its busy afternoon period. Luna told her that she would head back home, and not to be out too late. Once Usagi was inside, she sat at the counter, nursing a milkshake. When the bell for the door went off, she didn't pay it much attention, at least until a voice greeted her, and she shot up on her stool.

"Usagi-chan," Mamoru greeted her.

"Mamoru-kun," she breathed, smiling.

"You're not taking any more buses to shrines today, are you?" he asked, and she shook her head. "Then… can we talk? Not here, though."

"Sure," Usagi said, and followed him out of the arcade.

They walked hand in hand until they reached a small park, and claimed a bench with a really nice view of a flower garden. Mamoru's spare hand came up to grip the hand he already held, his thumb brushing lightly along that little dip between her thumb and pointer finger. The light caress made her heart thump in her chest, and she stared down at their joined hands, unable to look away.

Usagi waited until Mamoru finally decided to speak, "I… Ever since I've met you, Usagi-chan, I've felt this pull to you. You're so fascinating, and I just… I just want to keep you close and never let you go."

Usagi's eyes were wide, and she wondered if he… Was he…? She swallowed hard as he turned to face her, and she couldn't help but stare up into his blue, blue eyes.

"I know that we hold hands, and I walk you to school in the morning if I catch you, but…" Now Mamoru swallowed thickly before he continued, "Usagi-chan, no… Usako… Would you… be my girlfriend?"

She wanted to say yes, honestly! But no words formed, no matter how much she opened and shut her mouth. In the end, Usagi settled for nodding fervently, a rather vague part of her brain noting the sag of relief in Mamoru's shoulders at her affirmative.

"May I… May I kiss you, Usako?" he asked.

"Yes," Usagi said, finally finding her voice. "Yes you can… Mamo-chan."

Mamoru grinned happily and leaned down, connecting his lips to hers, and Usagi fell into an eternity of bliss.

Thanks for reading!