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.