AN: Gomen ne gomen ne gomen ne! *cowers* Ok, so this
took a really long time to get out. Please don't hurt me. I
have excuses… really I do. You just might not like them.
Uh, writer's block? Extremely busy? Schoolwork? Um…
anyway, so this chapter is out at least, ne? It's not very
long… but it's something. So yeah. I realize Usagi's
majorly out of character sometimes, but keep in mind what
she's been through, and is still trying to deal with.
Title: Shades of Grey
Authors: Moonlight Storm
E-mail: MoonlightStormSM@aol.com
Genre: Romance/Action/AU
Season: 1st
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own Sailor Moon. Think of
something witty yourself and insert it here.
"Mamoru-san, we might as well come to a truce. Setsuna-
san has a way of getting what she wants," Usagi stated,
thinking somewhat cynically of Setsuna's own cajoling in
order to force Usagi to follow the older woman. "Really
Odango, I never thought I'd see you so ready to apologize
to me," Mamoru drawled, draping an over the back of his
couch. At this comment Usagi immediately shot up from
her seat on a chair next to Mamoru.
"Me? Apologize? For what? The only thing I've ever done
is suffer your tormenting!" "Aw, I'm hurt Odango," he
gave her a wounded look. Usagi glared and held herself
self-righteously to her full height, barely topping five feet.
"Listen you, I didn't want to come here in the first place,
but Setsuna-san dragged me. For some reason she wants us
to be able to get along aside from our alter egos, so that's
what we'll do. I suppose I can see her thinking, planning
strategies or something outside of a battle for once," she
shrugged. "But in order for this to work, we both need to
shape up. For some reason, I feel compelled to trust this
woman, which only makes me more inclined to not trust
her. However, since we probably should be… working
together more cooperatively anyway, I guess its worth the
effort. We really should try and figure out what Setsuna-
san's doing here, and why she's helping us, and how she
knows so much." Usagi boldly stuck her hand out in
Mamoru's reach. "Truce?"
Glancing quickly up into her unreadable cerulean eyes,
Mamoru grasped her hand to seal their newfound truce.
Usagi smiled brightly at him before throwing herself down
onto the couch next to her new ally. 'Well, that part's over,
now I guess we wait for Setsuna…I don't feel quite ready to
ask him anything else yet. Like, how he became a vampire,
or, for that matter, Tuxedo Kamen. Does he have a magical
cat too or something?' Usagi glanced around nervously.
Luna was enough to handle, thank you very much.
"Ne, Mamoru-san?"
"Hai? What is it?" he answered.
"You wouldn't happen to have a magical cat around, would
you?" Mamoru subtly edged away from the girl, blinking
twice before answering cautiously. "No… Should I?" Usagi
grinned happily at him. "No, it's actually rather good you
don't. Do you remember that black cat with the crescent
moon shaped bald spot? And how she was never far from
Sailor Moon? Didn't you ever notice I had the exact cat?
Anyway, I told you about her when we were trapped after
the last youma fight. Since you're fighting the Dark
Kingdom too, I was hoping a magical cat didn't give you
your powers too."
He nodded. "Right."
Setsuna then calmly entered the apartment, and took a seat
near Usagi and Mamoru. "I'm assuming you two have
begun to work out your differences, and with that
accomplished, I believe I shall take my leave of you."
Usagi objected at once, "But I'm still confused. Who are
you?" Without answering, Setsuna merely stood. "That
shall be revealed later, Usagi-chan. However, I believe you,
Luna, Mamoru, and Ami should start strategizing the next
move against the Dark Kingdom. Occasionally, perhaps, I
shall help you. In any case, expect to be seeing me often."
The emerald-haired woman then strode confidently from
the apartment, leaving Usagi and Mamoru within.
Usagi blinked. "Ok…" Before sneaking a glance at her
watch. "Oh no! Its already 5:30, okaa-san could be up any
minute. Luna's gonna kill me… I have to go."
While hurriedly putting her shoes back on, Usagi
continued, "Luna will probably want to talk to us later. I
guess I'll see you at the Crown later, ja ne." Following
Setsuna's example, Usagi left his apartment without giving
Mamoru a chance to respond. Racing desperately down the
street, Usagi kept looking at her watch, and hoping her
mother wouldn't check on her "sleeping" daughter for
another hour yet.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Usagi found her room still
empty, without a panicky family to greet her. Luna was
apparently still gone, leaving Usagi to catch a few precious
minutes worth of sleep before her mother would come to
awaken her for school. Tumbling into bed after changing
her clothes, Usagi quickly fell asleep.
Finding Ami during lunch at school, Usagi coaxed her into
leaving the library long enough to eat lunch with Usagi
outside.
"Ami-chan! How can you stand to stay in the library while
you eat? My grades are better than they used to be, but I
still don't want to spend every waking moment studying.
'More like any waking moment studying. At least now
studying seems easier than it was before Ghyard bit me. I
wonder if it's a side effect, to have enhanced concentration,
or if its just all in my head?'
"Anyway, I have some things I need to talk about to you
and Luna later."
Usagi dropped her voice. "Senshi business, potentially very
serious. There are several new… developments, I need to
tell you two about. After school we'll walk to the park
together, all right? I told Luna this morning to be waiting
on a bench we can meet her at, since cats aren't allowed in
the Crown, and I can't always sneak her in."
"New developments? What do you mean Usagi-chan?"
Ami questioned.
Usagi quickly glanced around their area, checking for
anyone nearby who could be listening. "I can't really say
right now. I'd rather not have to explain it twice."
Just then, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the next
class and effectively cutting off any further conversation.
Usagi waved, "Ja Ami-chan, I'll meet you after school in
the front."
AN: Ok, I'm ending it there. I told you it was short. This
chapter did not want to be written. It feels kinda forced,
doesn't it? Leave a review, please? Or e-mail me at
MoonlightStormSM@aol.com. I love getting reviews. A
lot. And they inspire me to write… I really need inspiration
right now. Please please please review. Thanks for taking
the time to read.
took a really long time to get out. Please don't hurt me. I
have excuses… really I do. You just might not like them.
Uh, writer's block? Extremely busy? Schoolwork? Um…
anyway, so this chapter is out at least, ne? It's not very
long… but it's something. So yeah. I realize Usagi's
majorly out of character sometimes, but keep in mind what
she's been through, and is still trying to deal with.
Title: Shades of Grey
Authors: Moonlight Storm
E-mail: MoonlightStormSM@aol.com
Genre: Romance/Action/AU
Season: 1st
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own Sailor Moon. Think of
something witty yourself and insert it here.
"Mamoru-san, we might as well come to a truce. Setsuna-
san has a way of getting what she wants," Usagi stated,
thinking somewhat cynically of Setsuna's own cajoling in
order to force Usagi to follow the older woman. "Really
Odango, I never thought I'd see you so ready to apologize
to me," Mamoru drawled, draping an over the back of his
couch. At this comment Usagi immediately shot up from
her seat on a chair next to Mamoru.
"Me? Apologize? For what? The only thing I've ever done
is suffer your tormenting!" "Aw, I'm hurt Odango," he
gave her a wounded look. Usagi glared and held herself
self-righteously to her full height, barely topping five feet.
"Listen you, I didn't want to come here in the first place,
but Setsuna-san dragged me. For some reason she wants us
to be able to get along aside from our alter egos, so that's
what we'll do. I suppose I can see her thinking, planning
strategies or something outside of a battle for once," she
shrugged. "But in order for this to work, we both need to
shape up. For some reason, I feel compelled to trust this
woman, which only makes me more inclined to not trust
her. However, since we probably should be… working
together more cooperatively anyway, I guess its worth the
effort. We really should try and figure out what Setsuna-
san's doing here, and why she's helping us, and how she
knows so much." Usagi boldly stuck her hand out in
Mamoru's reach. "Truce?"
Glancing quickly up into her unreadable cerulean eyes,
Mamoru grasped her hand to seal their newfound truce.
Usagi smiled brightly at him before throwing herself down
onto the couch next to her new ally. 'Well, that part's over,
now I guess we wait for Setsuna…I don't feel quite ready to
ask him anything else yet. Like, how he became a vampire,
or, for that matter, Tuxedo Kamen. Does he have a magical
cat too or something?' Usagi glanced around nervously.
Luna was enough to handle, thank you very much.
"Ne, Mamoru-san?"
"Hai? What is it?" he answered.
"You wouldn't happen to have a magical cat around, would
you?" Mamoru subtly edged away from the girl, blinking
twice before answering cautiously. "No… Should I?" Usagi
grinned happily at him. "No, it's actually rather good you
don't. Do you remember that black cat with the crescent
moon shaped bald spot? And how she was never far from
Sailor Moon? Didn't you ever notice I had the exact cat?
Anyway, I told you about her when we were trapped after
the last youma fight. Since you're fighting the Dark
Kingdom too, I was hoping a magical cat didn't give you
your powers too."
He nodded. "Right."
Setsuna then calmly entered the apartment, and took a seat
near Usagi and Mamoru. "I'm assuming you two have
begun to work out your differences, and with that
accomplished, I believe I shall take my leave of you."
Usagi objected at once, "But I'm still confused. Who are
you?" Without answering, Setsuna merely stood. "That
shall be revealed later, Usagi-chan. However, I believe you,
Luna, Mamoru, and Ami should start strategizing the next
move against the Dark Kingdom. Occasionally, perhaps, I
shall help you. In any case, expect to be seeing me often."
The emerald-haired woman then strode confidently from
the apartment, leaving Usagi and Mamoru within.
Usagi blinked. "Ok…" Before sneaking a glance at her
watch. "Oh no! Its already 5:30, okaa-san could be up any
minute. Luna's gonna kill me… I have to go."
While hurriedly putting her shoes back on, Usagi
continued, "Luna will probably want to talk to us later. I
guess I'll see you at the Crown later, ja ne." Following
Setsuna's example, Usagi left his apartment without giving
Mamoru a chance to respond. Racing desperately down the
street, Usagi kept looking at her watch, and hoping her
mother wouldn't check on her "sleeping" daughter for
another hour yet.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Usagi found her room still
empty, without a panicky family to greet her. Luna was
apparently still gone, leaving Usagi to catch a few precious
minutes worth of sleep before her mother would come to
awaken her for school. Tumbling into bed after changing
her clothes, Usagi quickly fell asleep.
Finding Ami during lunch at school, Usagi coaxed her into
leaving the library long enough to eat lunch with Usagi
outside.
"Ami-chan! How can you stand to stay in the library while
you eat? My grades are better than they used to be, but I
still don't want to spend every waking moment studying.
'More like any waking moment studying. At least now
studying seems easier than it was before Ghyard bit me. I
wonder if it's a side effect, to have enhanced concentration,
or if its just all in my head?'
"Anyway, I have some things I need to talk about to you
and Luna later."
Usagi dropped her voice. "Senshi business, potentially very
serious. There are several new… developments, I need to
tell you two about. After school we'll walk to the park
together, all right? I told Luna this morning to be waiting
on a bench we can meet her at, since cats aren't allowed in
the Crown, and I can't always sneak her in."
"New developments? What do you mean Usagi-chan?"
Ami questioned.
Usagi quickly glanced around their area, checking for
anyone nearby who could be listening. "I can't really say
right now. I'd rather not have to explain it twice."
Just then, the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the next
class and effectively cutting off any further conversation.
Usagi waved, "Ja Ami-chan, I'll meet you after school in
the front."
AN: Ok, I'm ending it there. I told you it was short. This
chapter did not want to be written. It feels kinda forced,
doesn't it? Leave a review, please? Or e-mail me at
MoonlightStormSM@aol.com. I love getting reviews. A
lot. And they inspire me to write… I really need inspiration
right now. Please please please review. Thanks for taking
the time to read.
