Mamoru:
I pulled Usagi closer shielding her from the invisible evil that floated around the dim evening. She shook with tears as she registered everything. The night wind blasted around us but I felt warm from her heat. She slowly stopped shaking and looked up at me. She smiled.
"I'm okay now" She said.
She sniffled. I pulled her closer and then wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek. She buried her head in my jacket. I reached down and kissed her lightly on the head, hoping she would be okay. Then I realised that she was slightly shivering. She would probably want to spend the night so I invited her in.
Usagi reclaimed her stature on the way up the stairs to my apartment. The paint on the walls in the stairwell was slightly peeling. The carpet dirtied. But once we reached the inside of my apartment all that was forgotten. The sophisticated interior clashed with the drowsy feeling in the halls. The place had not been much to rent and it served its purpose. We slipped off our shoes and into slippers. I told Usagi to sit on the couch while I went to make some tea. The kitchen was neat and orderly. I liked to keep everything in its place. As if I had everything under control. My slippers were the only sound in the house. I finished making the tea and walked out to the living room. Usagi sat rigidly and awkwardly on the worn leather.
She looked up at me with her shining blue eyes. Her shoulders quivered momentarily and she bit her lip.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
The question startled me and I placed the tea on the coffee table and sat down next to her. I looked into her worried eyes and smiled.
"I did," I whispered into her hair pulling her close.
The sweet smell of vanilla and cherry rushed through my mind, Usagi's smell. The smell drifted me into a lullaby. The lulling sounds of it dulling my senses. Usagi snuggled close and pulled her legs up on the couch. I sipped my tea in one hand and realised how much Usagi had grown. It had taken years for the whiny teenager to mature. She was a true leader. I placed my cup down and put my other arm around her. I just let the scent envelop me and drifted into a calmness.
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Usagi:
I woke up still in Mamoru's arms. His tea was gone and he had a peaceful expression on his face. I moved slightly watching that I didn't wake him. He moved and pulled his arm from around me. I brushed my lips across his and stood for a moment watching. I wished I could stay. I went into the kitchen and after returning the tea bags to the cupboard left a note for Mamoru on the counter and rushed off to school.
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Rei was up early in the morning helping her grandpa with the chores in the temple that they ran together with Chad, Rei's boyfriend and aspiring musician. She hadn't had time to worry about Usagi yet, Mamoru would take care of her. She decided she might as well call her house and see if she got home alright.
"Hello, You've reached Usagi! I'm not home right now! leave a message! Bye!"
Rei cheered at the happy sound of Usagi's voice.
*Beep*
"Hi it's Rei, I guess your still sleeping. I was just wondering how everything went last night. anyway I'll talk..."
"Hello?" A voice on the other line said.
"Luna?" I asked.
"Yes. Is Usagi with you?" She asked.
"No Mamoru took her to his apartment last night and he said he'd drop her at home later."
"Okay, can you do me a favour?" The four-legged guardian asked.
"Sure,"
"Can you phone Mamoru and see if Usagi is there? These paws are troublesome for pressing anything but the speakerphone button"
I laughed, "Okay Luna"
"Thank you, bye"
As Rei hung up she thought she heard a second voice on the line but she figured it was just her imagination. She dialled Mamoru's number.
"Hello?"
"Hi Mamoru, is Usagi there?"
Mamoru stood in the kitchen drying the breakfast dishes. He was freshly showered and was wearing an apron. He had a towel draped over one shoulder the phone resting on top of it held in place with the side of his head. He smiled.
"No, she left early this morning to get ready for school at her place."
He fingered the note in his pocket and smiled more remembering the last sentence, "Rei-chan will phone in about an hour please tell her not to worry and not to phone Luna back because I'll be home by then. -Usako"
"Rei, she says not to worry, she'll be home safely"
There was a short silence, "Okay," I hesitantly answered.
"She'll be fine. She says she has an appointment after school but she'll meet us at your place a little bit after."
"Okay thanks Mamoru. Bye," I silently put down the phone.
'Usagi will be fine' Rei assured myself. 'She's very strong.'
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Usagi:
Everything at school had gone fine. Rei had given me a stern warning on wandering the streets alone and without the senshi or Mamoru. 'she's so protective, I'm not only mature but I am the moon princess after all' I smiled remembering my night with Mamoru. He had wanted so badly to tell her. Someone calling my name jolted me out of my memories. I turned around to find Ami.
"Hi Usagi, you're going to the meeting tonight right?" she asked.
"Yeah I just have something to do first." I replied.
"I don't know... you shouldn't wander around alone" she eyed me warily but gave up in the end. "Fine see you there."
She smiled and turned around. Just one more thing to do before I officially accepted the new threat.
Mamoru:
"Excuse me?" I tapped a young shorthaired blonde on the shoulder. Her back was to me. "I'm here to pick up Tsukino, Usagi have you seen her anywhere, you look like your in her grade"
The young girl turned around it took me a moment to recognise her, Her sparkling blue eyes showed great excitement welling up in them. The shoulder length blonde hair was freshly washed and cut. I took a step back.
"Usako!" I exclaimed.
"Do you like it?" She asked looking at me with her shining eyes.
"I love it!" I exclaimed after a moment's pause of absorbing the shock. "Wow!"
The lack of hair took a little while to register but I returned her happy gaze. She looked amazing, more mature then ever. I caught the smell of the fresh cherry blossom scent. Before I let it get to me I helped her into the car. She couldn't stop grinning. The girls were going to be surprised!
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Rei:
I heard a car door slam and I looked out the window to see Mamoru's car parked out in the front. He was escorting a girl about Usagi's height into the house. 'What's he doing' I thought. 'Where's Usagi'. The girl had a striking resemblance but she didn't have Usagi's odango hair. I crept down to the door wondering if it was even Mamoru at all.
"Hi!" his voice exploded with excitement. His eyes glittering with anticipation and happiness.
"Err.... what's wrong with you?" I looked from Mamoru to the girl who had her head hung down. I couldn't see her face. The smell of cherry blossoms drifted to my nose and the puzzled expression left my face.
"Usagi!" I said, almost yelling.
The girl raised her head so her face was showing. She wore a huge grin and her eyes sparkled like crazy!
"Oh my gosh!" I yelled. My hands instinctively flew to my face.
She ran over and hugged me.
"Wow!" I said, stunned. "Oh my.. Oh quiet! I hear the other scouts coming. hide your face."
Usagi tilted her head down just enough that you couldn't see her face. The scouts walked in chatting happily. Minako was the first to notice the strange girl. By habit Mamoru and me had on stone cold faces and I decided to act on it. The girls had all stopped in their tracks by now. I looked up slowly looking each one in the eyes .The tension in the air built.
"I have bad news, something happened to Usagi"
Usagi and Mamoru both almost lost it but covered up their laughter with slightly over-exaggerated sobs. The girls looked crest fallen, like someone was just about to stab them in the heart. Their minds raced over the many deaths that could have happened to Usagi. I looked at the ghostly pack and then said solemnly.
"She, she, she... CUT HER HAIR!!" I pretended to break down and cry and the girls looked heart broken for a moment and then they looked up. They all thought "What?' completely confused. Then they looked to something behind me and they looked just as stunned as if she'd died. I knew Usagi had lifted her head.
All the girls started talking at once, they all started crying and hugging Usagi registering that she was not dead. Then they all started exclaiming over her hair and how mature she looked. Mamoru looked on and smiled. Everyone smiled and talked until they thought there faces and lungs were going to crack from smiling and talking when Luna came in. She glanced once and Usagi's hair and then called everyone to attention.
"If you're all finished, we have work to do"