Act One - Fun and Games

"Small Lady, it is time to get up!" Diana said, shaking the princess with her paws. Chibi-Usa briefly opened her eyes, then flipped over and hid her head under the pillow. "I mean it. You're going to be late for school again."

"Go away, Diana," she mumbled. "It's way too early to get out of bed."

Diana was getting frustrated. They went through this same routine every single morning. She gave Chibi-Usa one final shove, knocking her off the bed.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Chibi-Usa asked, finally wide wake. She stood up and yawned. Somebody needed to teach that cat some manners.

"I'm sorry, Princess, but I really didn't have a choice. Waking you upin the morning is like moving a mountain with your bare hands."

Chibi-Usa picked up her brush and began brushing her long pink hair, remembering the dream she had last night. She smiled at the memory and started humming to herself, off in her own dream world.

"You sure sound surprisingly happy this morning," Diana commented. "Planning a major shopping spree with Anzura-sama after school?"

"Oh, Diana, I had the most wonderful dream," she exclaimed, walking into the bathroom to take a bath. She turned on the faucet and poured some lavender bubble bath into the water. "I was in the garden, watching the sunrise with Helios and I finally told him about how I feel about him. He took me in his arms and said he loved me too. Then, as the first ray of sunshine appeared on the horizon, he gave me the sweetest kiss on the lips. It was magical, just like out of a fairy tale."

She breathed a dreamy sigh and got settled into the warm bath. "Do you think that Helios will ever tell me that he loves me?" she asked Diana, blowing a bubble toward the cat.

"If that is truly how he feels, I'm sure he will tell you in time. But maybe you should consider checking out other options. What about Goku-sama's friend, that nice boy who asked you to the Crystal Ball?"

"You have got to be kidding me, Diana!" she exclaimed, making a disgusted face. "Toshihiro-kun's a nice guy, but he's kind of a dork. Besides, it's my destiny to be with Helios, he just doesn't realize it yet."

Diana rolled her eyes as Chibi-Usa got out of the tub and brushed her teeth. The girl had a major crush in this guy, but Diana was worried Chibi-Usa was setting herself up for heartache. He was so much older than she was. What could they possibly have in common?

"I saw that," she teased, styling her hair into two "meatballs". As a final touch, she draped her mother's star locket around her neck. "I know you think this is just a silly teenage crust, but I've loved Helios ever since I was eight years old and I know he feels the same about me."

She glanced at her bunny-shaped alarm clock. If she didn't hurry, she would be late for school again. Chibi-Usa grabbed her book bag and ran out of the room with Diana right on her heels.

"Why didn't you tell me it was so late?" she groaned. The last thing she felt like doing after school was sitting in detention. Everybody was planning to go to the arcade after class, and she was determined to win back her racing title from Goku.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Neo-Queen Serenity was standing at the door with a large satchel in her hands.

"Here's your lunch, sweetheart," she said, handing the bag to her daughter. "Mako-chan made your favorites."

"Thanks, Mother."

Chibi-Usa gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and ran out of the palace. She was going to be sooo late!

As she watched her daughter and Diana racing to beat the morning bell, the queen smiled. She remembered all the mornings she ran to class, hoping Ms. Haruna was in a good mood and wouldn't give her detention, with Luna trailing behind her with the lunch she forgot on the kitchen table. That was so long ago. When did she get so old?

Chibi-Usa and Diana walked into the local arcade after spending an hour in detention for being late to class. Her brain was totally worn out, but she was sure a nice game of Indy 500 would cure her blues.

"Hi, Chibi-Usa-chan," her best friend Shizu greeted them, waving from one of the game machines. "Did you have detention again?"

"You know, you really ought to try harder to get to school on time," Katsuna advised her. "I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if you were late for your own funeral."

Chibi-Usa stuck her tongue out at her friend and took a seat at her favorite racing game. Katsuna could really get on her nerves sometimes. Well, actually, it was all the time. The two of them were always fighting or teasing each other.

"Goku-kun, ready to race? Or are you chicken?"

Anzura's handsome boyfriend took a seat beside Chibi-Usa and placed a gold token into the coin slot. "You know I'm ready, but I still don't understand why you insist on challenging me every time we come to the arcade. You're never going to beat me again, so you might as well give it up now while you still have some dignity left."

"We'll see about that, Ego-san."

Everybody gathered around the two racers as the game began. Chibi-Usa pressed down on the accelerator with all her might, taking the early lead, but Goku wouldn't be so easy to beat. He quickly pulled ahead of her car and stayed there until the end. Now matter how hard she tried, Chibi-Usa couldn't pass him. Goku was just too good.

When his car crossed the finish line about three seconds before Chibi-Usa's, she banged the steering wheel in frustration. Goku beat her again. Total embarrassment.

"Looks like I win again, Squirt," he declared, calling her one of her most hated nicknames. "Are you finally ready to admit that I am the undisputed king of virtual auto racing?"

"Never! In fact, I challenge you to a rematch, Tenoh Goku, right here, right now."

He laughed at her spunk as Anzura took a seat on his lap and kissed him on the lips. Goku had to admire Chibi-Usa's determination, but the poor girl never had a chance, although she was steadily getting better. Today's time was her best yet.

"Will you two just give up this petty rivalry?" Anzura suggested. "It's beginning to become a little ridiculous."

"I won't give up until I win!" Chibi-Usa insisted.

"So, does everybody have a date for the Crystal Ball?" Nagisa asked, changing the subject. "Oki-kun asked me to go with him this afternoon. He's so cute. I can't wait!"

"I got my date," Anzura said, gazing adoringly into Goku's eyes. Lucky girl. She always had a date whenever she needed one.

"I'm going with Toshihiro-kun."

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, HA, HA, HA!

Tomoko blushed very prettily as Chibi-Usa burst into a gale of laughter. "Chibi-Usa-chan, don't laugh at me," she whined. "After you dashed all his dreams with your refusal to go to the ball with him, Toshihiro-kun asked me, and I couldn't bear to say no to his kind invitation. Besides, he's a sweet boy and very intelligent, too."

"I can not believe you are taking Toshihiro-kun to the ball," Chibi-Usa said, still giggling uncontrollably. "It's too hilarious. That guy couldn't dance if his life depended on it."

Toshihiro was Naru and Umino's son. Since she was the queen's best friend, Serenity and Naru thought it would be very cute if their children got married to each other and pushed them together at every opportunity. Chibi-Usa even went on a date with Toshihiro once, just to humor her mother. It had been a complete disaster, but for some reason he was still madly in love with her.

"Hey, Chibi-Usa-chan, you haven't told us who you are taking to the dance yet," Amaya pointed out. "Is Helios-sama going to be your date or are you bringing an even bigger geek than Toshihiro-kun?"

Chibi-Usa finally stopped laughing. Technically, she still didn't have a date for the Crystal Ball, but she was hoping that Helios would invite her soon. She was planning to visit him in Elysion this weekend. Maybe she would make the first move and ask him out. He wouldn't dare to say no to her then.

"Of course I'm going with Helios," she lied. "Who else is there?"

Anzura, the busybody of the group, leaned toward Chibi-Usa looking for some juicy gossip. "So, does that mean you two are officially and item? Has the crown princess of Silver Millennium finally captured her Prince Charming?"

"No, he still won't reveal his true feelings," she replied mournfully. "But he will someday. I know he will."

Diana yanked on the hem of Chibi-Usa's uniform, trying to get her attention. "Small Lady, we have to go now. It's almost dinner time, and you have a pile of homework to do."

"But we just got here, Diana!"

Sighing, Chibi-Usa reluctantly stood up and said goodbye to her friends. If it were possible, she would probably live in the arcade, but unfortunately it was time to go back to the palace and do her homework. Ugh, homework -- the dirtiest word in the English language.