Love and Destiny Don't Always Mix
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, or Reba McEntire's song "I Wouldn't Know"
AN: Hello. I know that I shouldn't be starting any more fics…but this is a one shot and my muse just wouldn't let me put it off until later. ::sigh:: Damn slave driver. Well…I did it. I did what I thought I would never do. I wrote a fic, with Usagi as the main character….the one, well…one of the characters that I can't stand in Sailor Moon. However, once I heard this song, I realized that it would be a perfect fic to write about Mamoru and Usagi. This is an AU fic, so don't expect otherwise. It starts when Mamoru boards the plane for America, and continues from there. I based this on the manga personalities (which I find much better). So…I guess that is all. Please read and review!
Song lyrics are in italics
Love and Destiny Don't Always Mix
I stood in Tokyo International Airport in tears. I had insisted to my friends that I see my long time lover Mamoru, off alone, and now I was glad that I had. Unable to stand on my own two feet any longer, I sank to my knees, holding my chest from the pain of the heaving sobs that my throat was emitting. People walked by me and not one said anything to console the young girl with her hair done up in a strange pair of odangos. Not one stopped to see if she was all right. Not one cared.
I had thought that Chiba Mamoru and I were going to be together forever. It was even in our destiny to be married in the future, have a beautiful, yet slighting annoying daughter named Chibi-Usa, and to rule Crystal Tokyo together. However, my king, my knight in shining armor destroyed that picturesque dream as if it were a tangible image that he could tear off a wall and shred to pieces. He had dumped me…me, Tsukino Usagi…his future Queen.
There would be no Crystal Tokyo, there would be no Chibi-Usa and there would be no future…all because he could not stand to stay attached to a girl while his "life was waiting for him" in America. He had told me that he didn't trust himself in America, in his co-ed college. He said it was better to break it off now, then to hurt me later down the road. That's what upset me the most, that he didn't trust himself without me there, which meant that he had never loved me. For love is based on trust.
I had suspected as much, from the get go. I mean, his first words to me were an insult, and his last was that he couldn't love me in the way that I loved him. In the way that he had a millennia ago. Sometimes I hated my mother. I hated her for giving "Usagi" the same heart I had as Serenity-hime and not doing the same for Endymion no ouji. As Serenity-hime I could do nothing else but love Mamoru. Apparently, he didn't feel the same way.
I silently wished for an enemy…any enemy to attack me at that moment. I had finally made it out of the airport, and I was on my way to Rei-chan's. Mamoru had driven us there, but I couldn't force myself into his car, no matter how late it made me for the senshi meeting. I needed a distraction, and I had hoped to find it while walking home. Besides, I didn't trust myself driving right now anyway. I may be upset, but I wasn't suicidal. Furthermore, I was still Sailor Moon, which meant that I couldn't endanger any civilian lives; so driving like a lunatic was out of the question.
Fortunately for me, tomorrow I too was leaving for school. Only instead of going to college, I was going to spend my four high school years as a foreign exchange student in London, England. I hated to be graduating away from my friends but Ami-chan and Mako-chan were also traveling abroad for high school, so it wasn't as bad. Mina-chan would go to the private all girls school just down the street from her house, and Rei-chan would go to a special high school that all future miko's attended. Ami-chan was going to be an exchange student in Munich, Germany, at a pre-medical type high school, and Mako-chan was traveling to Pairs, France to a culinary high school.
So it was no surprise that tonight's senshi meeting was really a goodbye party for the five friends. I finally made it to Rei's shrine half an hour late. Sooner than I expected but still late enough to give the other senshi reason to gripe at me. Especially Rei-chan. However, when I entered the room where I knew the senshi would be, none of them were angry with me. They all shot me sly looks.
"What took you so long Usa-chan. Did you and Mamoru cause him to miss his flight?" Mina-chan said with a downright evil grin on her face. I blushed beet red and about burst into tears when I remembered what had really kept me. I instead, shook my head no and flopped down next to my friends at the table. They all stared at me when I didn't immediately dig into the heaping amounts of food in front of me.
"Are you sick Usagi-chan?" Ami-chan asked, holding her hand to my forehead. I again shook my head, my face downcast.
"Nah…she's just love sick is all. You miss him already don't you?" Mako-chan said smiling. The other senshi started to laugh as well, and assumed that was the cause of my unhappy countenance. I went along with it, and finally excused myself only two short hours later. Of course, they felt like the longest two hours of my life.
"Aww, Usa-chan. Don't leave yet. The party is just getting started." Mina-chan whined.
"Gomen…demo, I have an early flight tomorrow, and I still have a lot of packing to do." I whispered. The other senshi sighed and nodded.
"All right then, Odango Atama. We'll see you at your house bright and early tomorrow. Make sure that you don't miss your own flight." Rei-chan teased with a smile. I was too tired to argue with her so I only nodded and walked to the door to grab my shoes. When I didn't turn to say goodbye, the other senshi all rushed up to me.
"Usagi-chan are you sure that you are okay?" Ami-chan asked, searching from her spot for any signs that I was medically unwell. I shook my head.
"No…I'm just tired. Ja ne, minna." I whispered turning and walking down the stairs on the night that the moon did not shine in the sky.
Everyone I see these days
Still asks me about you
I guess they got so used to us
Together they assume
That everything's okay
And then I have to say
Nearly four years after that incident that I have almost forgotten about, I find myself on a plane once again. I have graduated at the top of my class, and I can now speak English fluently, along with French, German, and Latin. I turned out to be quite the student when I tried. With nothing else to live for, I had nothing else to do but try. Okaasan and Otousan were extremely proud of me, and they had flown back home a month ago, after my graduation. I had decided to stay in London for a little while longer. I hadn't really kept in touch with the senshi, outside of Rei-chan.
Ami-chan had been extremely busy at her pre-medical school, as had Mako-chan at her culinary school. Mina-chan was now acting at Tokyo's top College for the Arts, and Rei was now a full-fledged miko. Mako-chan had arrived back at Tokyo about four months ago, leaving her high school to enter Tokyo College for the Culinary Arts. Ami had moved to America to further her study in medicine, and was currently studying at Johns Hopkin's University. I was to enter Tokyo University with a full scholarship. I had taken a liking to all kinds of languages, especially those of the ancient times, so I had decided to major in ancient languages with a minor in general history. Ami-chan would have probably had a coronary to learn that most of my time was spent in the library. I had become addicted to the written word, much as Ami-chan had been when we were younger.
"Passengers…this is your captain speaking. We will be landing at Tokyo International Airport in fifteen minutes. Please return to your seats and fasten all seat belts. Make sure your tray tables are in the up-right and lock position, and make sure all carry on bags are stored in the upper compartments. Thank you for flying Tokyo Air." After buckling up, I turned and leaned my head against the window, starring down into the land of Japan, a country that I had not seen for four years, a country which held many horrible memories.
When the plane finally did land, I unbuckled my seat belt and reached for my overhead luggage. Grabbing the two small bags that I had taken as carry on, I made my way down the aisle and towards the exit. After leaving the gateway, I walked into the terminal. Hearing shouts, I turned searching for the source of the clamor. There stood my friends and family. I smiled and walked over to them.
Mina-chan wore a pair of tight, beige leather pants and a bright yellow halter-top. Beige leather boots were on her feet. Her hair was down from the traditional red bow that I was used to, and was now in a long French braid. A metal choker with the symbol of Venus adorned her neck, as well as orange earrings to decorate her delicate ears. She ran up to me and quickly enveloped me in a big bear hug.
"Hey, Usa-chan! How've you been?" She asked kissing me on both cheeks before she pulled back. I shrugged and smiled.
"You know, same old same old." The next person to glomp me was Mako-chan. She was as tall as ever, wearing a pair of black and white sporty "swishy" pants and a pale green T-shirt that said "Kiss Me: I Cook." Her hairstyle hadn't changed a bit, the usual ponytail was still there. Mako-chan had the same choker as Mina-chan only it was the symbol of Jupiter. Her pink rose earrings were still there.
"Good to see you again, Usa-chan. Wait till you see the feast that I whipped up." I laughed and nodded. I turned to Rei-chan, she had changed the most out of all of them. She was taller, more mature looking. She wore a simple red sundress with a flower print. Red heels were on her feet, as well as the same choker as the other senshi. Of course, hers was the symbol of Mars. She had three red studs in each ear. Her hair was still the same, only now it was pulled into an elegant bun pilled on top of her head.
Rei-chan and I were more reserved with our hug. We both had grown so much in the past four years. Once I pulled out of her embrace, I found myself in another, that of my Okaasan's. She hadn't changed much, neither had Otousan. He hugged me along with Okaasan. I gladly returned the hug. Shingo, my brother was standing to the side rather awkwardly. I pulled myself out of my parents embrace and proceeded to glomp him. I ruffled his now shaggy like hair and kissed the top of his head.
"So Usa-chan, we know that Ami will be here in about four months on vacation, but when is Mamoru-kun coming home?" Mina-chan asked smiling. I sighed and turned to the three senshi that were all looking at my sad face in confusion. I hadn't told anyone of our breakup, and I had almost forgotten. Now, I had to re-open a few freshly sealed wounds. Hopefully they would have the tact not to ask for details.
"Yes when is the Prince going to return for his Princess?" Otousan asked smiling. It had taken quite awhile, but he had finally warmed up to the fact that I was dating Mamoru. I smiled a sad smile and shook my head.
I wouldn't know I haven't seen him
I couldn't say it's been awhile
I haven't thought about him lately
So I wouldn't know
"I have no idea." I answered their question.
"Oh? Shouldn't he have finished college by now?" Okaasan asked raising her brow. I shrugged.
"He may have."
"Didn't the two of you keep in touch?" Mako-chan asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. I shook my head.
"No, in fact I haven't talked to him since the day that he left all those years ago." I said plastering a smile on my face.
"Why in the world not?" Rei-chan asked glaring at me with her "don't you dare lie to me" look.
"Well, we broke up, that day. Or more correctly, he dumped me that day."
"Nani?" I heard from five very upset people.
"Is that why you were so upset that night Usa-chan?" Mina-chan asked quietly. I only nodded.
"Gomen! Gomen nasi, Usa-chan!" She said hugging me, holding me to her. "I am so sorry. I should have realized. We should have been there for you."
"Why didn't you tell us Odango Atama?" Rei-chan whispered, the hurt clear in her voice.
"I didn't feel like talking." I said sincerely.
"But all those times on the phone? Four years you've kept this hurt bottled inside Usa-him...chan." Rei-chan said almost slipping with my name.
"Gomen. But look, I'm fine. I've gotten over him. I've moved on with my life. Really, you guys are more upset about this than I was." I said with a smile, hopping that they would just drop the subject.
"Honey…" I heard my Okaasan say wearily. I turned to see what she was weary about and I saw her and my brother slowly backing away from Otousan, who was currently counting to ten.
"I will kill that bakayaro for hurting my little Usa-chan!"
"Otousan…please. Stop making a scene. Let's get to this welcome home party that you all have; I'm sure meticulously planned for me and remember why you planned it. I'm home! After four years abroad, I've finally returned. Let's not ruin the moment with thoughts such as the one I know you have right now." I pleaded, holding on his upper arm. He seemed to sober up almost immediately.
"Of course, Usagi-chan. Gomen…" I smiled at him.
"It's all right. Come on, I'm hungry for that food Mako-chan." Everyone laughed and we all headed towards the luggage pick-up so that I could grab my suitcases.
A few hours later, the party was in full swing. Mako-chan wasn't lying when she said that the food was delicious. Those four years had done her cooking wonders. Not that it needed it.
"Good thing there's a chief in our group with your stomach, eh Usa-chan?" Mina-chan teased, while wolfing down one of Mako-chan's wonderful concoctions.
"You're one to talk Mina-chan. I've seen the way you've been attacking the food table today." Rei-chan snickered. I smiled.
"Yea, Mina-chan. I don't know Rei-chan. Aren't actresses supposed to be thin? I think she just gained five pounds in the last ten minutes."
"Yes, I believe that you are correct Odango Atama-chan." Mina-chan about choked on the Mexican cheese puff that was currently in her mouth.
"I did not!" She screeched.
"Still as gullible as ever I see." I laughed.
"Oh like you weren't too Usa-chan! Talk about the pot calling the plant black!" Mina-chan said in a huff. We all couldn't help but laugh, Mina-chan hadn't changed much at all, and for that, I was glad.
"It's pot calling the kettle black, Mina-chan." Mako-chan said shaking her head.
"Oh, whatever!"
About two hours later, Mina-chan had to leave, something about an early call back in the morning and that she would see me again soon. Mako-chan left soon after Mina-chan, having some food to cook for her class the next day.
"Arigato for making all of this. You didn't have to, you have more cooking to do tonight." I said.
"I don't mind, Usa-chan. I love to cook, remember? Well, ja ne!" She waved as she walked down the stairs. We were at Rei's shrine, as if we all hadn't disappeared and gotten lives over the past four years.
"You may want to swing by Mina-chan's, she's been keeping both Artimas and Luna all of these years." Rei-chan said, swinging her feet from her perch in a Sakura tree. I was sitting a few branches down.
"Hai, I'll have to. Why didn't they come today?" I asked.
"Probably because Luna is expecting." She said as if it were everyday chatter.
"Nani? Luna and Artimas…are…?" She laughed at my expression.
"Hai…they got together shortly after you, Ami, Makoto, and Mamoru left…gomen." She whispered after realizing that she had said his name.
"It's okay…I've already forgotten all about him."
I'm getting tired of people askin'
why can't they just leave me alone
I couldn't care,
I couldn't say, I wouldn't know
Today was the worst day of my life. I don't think anything could make it any worse. The day had started as any normal spring day. I have been home for almost two months now, and I had fallen into a routine. Today, being Saturday, one of my few days off, I had intended to spend it re-aquatinting myself with Tokyo National Park.
And that's how it had started. I had woken up early, taken a shower and changed into a comfortable pair of low riders, boots and a pink tank top. Pulling my hair into the usual Odangos, I made my way outside, pulling my sunglasses over my eyes. I was strolling along the path in the park when I saw a familiar face. It was Naru, my old friend from Crossroads.
"Ohayoo! Naru." I called out, waving. She turned, slightly startled. She was the same as always. She was wearing a light green sundress, a pair of sandals and a light short-sleeved sweater. Her hair was about the same length that I remembered, only it seemed curlier. Two green barrettes held the sides out of her face.
"Ohayoo…Usagi? Is that you? You have changed so much. I wouldn't have recognized you without your Odangos." She said with a giggle. We hugged each other warmly and moved to sit on a bench to chat about old times.
"So how is Mamoru doing? You two love birds still going strong?" she asked brightly. I kept my smile up on the outside, however inside I wanted to scream.
"No, we broke up awhile ago." I said quietly. It wasn't her fault, I mean she wouldn't know. The senshi didn't even know how could I expect her to have?
"Oh, gomen Usagi-chan. I didn't know." She whispered bowing her head.
"It's okay, you didn't know. So how have you been lately?" I said as congenially as I could muster. We continued to chat for another few minutes before Naru had to leave for a prior engagement.
"Ja ne, Usagi-chan. Now that you're back in town, perhaps we can hang out again."
"I'd like that, ja ne Naru." I said waving to her retreating figure. I shook my head and was about to move from the bench when I heard my name being called.
"Usagi-san!" I turned wondering who it could be. There running towards me, was none other then Umino, Naru's old flame. He was wearing a pair of black slacks and a blue collar T-shirt. He had grown over the years, and really grown into his body. He no longer had glasses, probably due to contacts, and he was a bit more built. His unruly brown hair was still the same, and perhaps the only thing about him, appearance wise that didn't change.
"Ohayoo, Umino. You just missed Naru." I said smiling at him. He sighed and nodded.
"Hai, I saw you two talking and I waited until she left." He said sadly. I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Why would you do that Umino?" I asked.
"Because, we broke up. About two years ago…" He said with a pout.
"I thought you two had broken up while we were still at Crossroads?" I asked more confused then ever. He nodded.
"We did. But we got back together shortly after you left. We had been together since then, well until two years ago. She hates me now…well, enough of this sad talk. How are you and Mamoru doing?" he said forcing a smile to his face. I inwardly began to scream at the top of my lungs. I swear if one more person came up to me and asked about that bakayaro…
"We broke up actually." I snipped at him. I didn't mean to, it was just turning out to be a very frustrating day. "Gomen, but I must be going. It was nice talking to you again. Don't be shy, stop by my house any day. Ja ne!" I called turning with a wave. He slumped his shoulders and sighed.
"Ja ne…Usagi-san." Shaking his head, he sat down on the bench that Naru and I had just occupied. I walked back up to him and ruffled his hair.
"Don't give up on her."
"You really think so?" he asked brightening. I nodded.
"I really think so."
"Wow, thanks! You too Usagi-san. You and Mamoru-san belong together. Don't let him scare you off, Usagi-san! Well, ja ne!" he said running in the direction that Naru had gone. I shook my head. He didn't know how right he was. Mamoru and I did belong together. But who was I to hold him back with a little thing like destiny, or hell, even fate, and God forbid, love?
I don't get out anymore
To our old stompin' grounds
Cause some old friend is bound to
Ask me why you're not around
Well I just stay away,
So I don't have to say
"Usagi-chan, telephone!" Okaasan called out from downstairs. I sighed, mid-sentence. I was currently on the prowl for a flat; however, I didn't have the money at the time, so I was more or less on a job hunt. I could only work part-time because of my college schedule, and luckily; I only had to pay for my transportation to school, so I had some money saved up. Shaking my head, I picked up my pink telephone that was sitting on my desk.
"Moshi moshi, Usagi speaking." I said into the receiver. I heard the soft click that let me know that Okaasan had hung up and it was just me and the other person on the line.
"Moshi moshi, Usa-chan. It's Mina." Came the bubbly voice on the other line.
"Ohayoo, Mina-chan. What's up?" I asked, continuing to flip through the newspaper want ads.
"Well, we're all going out tonight. We're just going to a movie then back to the Crown Arcade, you know like we did in our good old days? So what do you say? You going to leave your friends hanging or what?" I closed my eyes, remembering all of the great times that we had at that arcade. However, almost everyone had him in it. I couldn't bear to go back there, back to that place with memories of him hovering over me. I needed to move on first, something that I feared would take much longer than I originally thought.
"Gomen, Mina-chan. I really do have a lot of homework to do tonight. And I still need to find a job soon. Gomen." I answered. I thought I heard her stop breathing. "Mina-chan…are you still breathing?" I asked.
"Hai…it's just, I never thought I'd hear the day when Tsukino Usagi turned down a Crown Arcade milkshake for homework. Well, I guess we'll take a rain check then?" she said with a sigh.
"Sure, later. I promise."
"Okay then, well ja ne!" She said.
"Ja ne." I said before I heard her end of the phone click. I shook my head and sat the phone back in the cradle. I wasn't avoiding them, I really wasn't. I just needed more time. If I had to put up with their looks of pity one more time…I stopped myself before my thoughts could get anymore negative.
The next day I awoke to my telephone's ring. Groaning, I pulled the covers over my head in attempt to fall asleep once again. However, it was useless. Grumbling about baka telephones, I made my way over to my desk and picked the phone up, taking it to my ear, blinking sleepily the entire time.
"Moshi…" I paused to let out a yawn, "moshi, Usagi speaking."
"Usa-chan! Why are you still sleeping?" Mako-chan's voice said in a scolding tone.
"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked instead.
"Cause, today is the day that Ami-chan returns! We're all going to meet her at the airport." Mako-chan said and I could just picture her rolling her eyes. I shook my head and sighed.
"All right, give me twenty minutes. Where are we meeting?" I asked.
"We'll pick you up in about half an hour. Okay?"
"That's fine, see you then."
"Ja ne, Usa-chan."
"Ja ne, Mako-chan." I said placing the phone back into its proper place. I stretched and yawned again. I really wasn't awake just yet. With a shrug I hurriedly made my bed and grabbed some clothes to change into. I made my way to the hall bathroom and proceeded to take a quick shower. Emerging from the steamy bathroom dressed in a pair of flare jeans, black boots, and a pink T-shirt with a picture of a bunny sitting on a moon on the front, I went to my room to grab my purse. Checking the mirror one last time to make sure that my makeup was on right, and that my odangos were tight, I headed downstairs to wait for the girls.
They arrived nearly ten minutes later in a green Jeep Cherokee. I called a "I'm leaving" out to the house then took off for the car. Mako-chan was in the drivers seat, and Mina-chan was sitting next to her. Rei-chan was sitting alone in the back seat, and I climbed in besides her, behind Mina-chan.
"Ohayoo, Usa-chan." My three friends said. Mako-chan smiled at me, put the car into gear, and took off for the airport.
"Ohayoo, minna." I answered. We arrived at Tokyo International Airport within the hour. As we all climbed out of the Jeep, Mako-chan walked over to the trunk, and pulled out several pieces of cardboard.
"Signs," she explained. "For Ami-chan." I nodded and took the sign that she had handed me. Once we all had our signs, we headed into the airport to await the arrival of our missing senshi.
I wouldn't know I haven't seen him
I couldn't say it's been awhile
I haven't thought about him lately
So I wouldn't know
"Ami-chan! Ami-chan!" We all called to our blue haired friend. She smiled and walked over towards us. She had changed a lot. More so than Rei-chan and I. Her once short pixie styled hair was now mid-back and slightly curly. She had left her hair down, with only two butterfly clips holding her sides back. She wore a short blue skirt that accented her long legs, and a white blouse. The first button was undone, and the sleeves were rolled up to quarter sleeve length. Her feet were adorned with knee high, black leather boots.
"Ohayoo minna!" she called waving to us, and fixing the shoulder bag that had fallen off her right shoulder.
"Wow, Ami-chan! You look awesome!" Mina-chan said instructing the girl to spin for us. She did with a laugh before walking over and hugging each of us.
"Thanks, America sure does wonders for a person's fashion sense." She said with a laugh. "My roommates 'refused' to let me go around dressed like 'an old hag' anymore. I don't know. I kind of like it." She finished with a smile.
"So, how is good ol' America?" Mako-chan asked with a smile.
"Great. I'm learning so much at school…" before she could finish she was playfully smacked on the arm by Mina-chan.
"We don't want to hear about your school stuff Ami-chan! We meant, how are the guys? Is there one particular, or many?" a smirking Mina-chan said. Ami-chan blushed and shook her head.
"Iie, demo I did see Mamoru-san the other day. Usagi-chan did he tell you that he spiked and dyed his hair? Well 'frosted the tips' as he called it. It's extremely odd looking. Wait until he comes home, I think you may have to throttle him one." She said with a slight chuckle. I looked at the other senshi out of the corner of my eye and saw they all looked like the walking dead. Their faces had gone sheet white, and I'm sure that their hands were clammy to the touch. I just stared at Ami-chan who was becoming more confused by the second.
"Uhhhh, well you see…" Mina-chan started.
"Nani?" Ami-chan asked, urging her on.
"Well, you see, Mamoru, well he broke up with Usa-chan the day that he left for college…" Mina-chan finished in a whisper.
"He did what?" Ami-chan gasped out. "Oh, Usagi-chan, Gomen nasi. I didn't know. I shouldn't have even brought him up. I'm so stupid. Can you ever forgive me?"
"Hai, don't worry about it. You didn't know. And I've gotten over him, I mean it has been four years." I said, forcing a smile onto my face.
"But, still Usagi-chan, gomen." Ami-chan said hugging me tightly.
"Well, enough of all this teary eyed shit!" Mako-chan said not so discretely changing the subject. "How about we pick up your bags, Ami-chan and go head over to get ourselves old fashioned Crown Arcade milkshakes?"
"Sure, It's been so long since I've had one." Ami-chan said with a laugh. So, we all moved to the baggage claim to retrieve Ami-chan's things, before heading out to Mako-chan's jeep.
I'm getting tired of people askin'
Oh, why can't they just leave me alone
I couldn't care, I couldn't say, I wouldn't know
We arrived at the arcade about twenty minutes later. After the jeep was parked, we all made our way inside the building. The bells at the top corner of the door were still there. The bells that were once an inviting and calming sound now made my heart clench. Memories flew through my head at a dizzying pace, and I could hardly remember one that didn't have him in it. Shaking my head both mentally and physically, I followed my friends to what had become "our" booth.
A girl dressed in the blue dress and apron that was part of the uniform for the Crown Arcade walked over to our table.
"Ohayoo, welcome to the Crown Arcade. What can I get you?" We had no need for the menus that the young girl had passed around, and simply ordered from memory.
"A double thick chocolate shake." Ami-chan said smiling at the girl before handing the menu back. She nodded and wrote the order down before turning to Mina-chan who was sitting next to Ami-chan.
"Hmmm, I'll have a hot fudge sundae with vanilla ice cream, sprinkles, and nuts!" the blonde said, returning her menu as well.
"Strawberry malt." Was Rei-chan's order. She then turned to me, who was sitting next to Rei-chan.
"Vanilla shake if you please." I said handing the girl whose name-tag read "Cindy" the menu.
"Banana split. With all the toppings." Mako-chan said. "Cindy" nodded, scribbling down more notes on her pad before collecting the menus and returning to the counter to place our orders.
"Well, this place hasn't really changed much." Ami-chan said looking around her at the interior of the place that we all knew oh so well. Mako-chan nodded.
"I know what you mean, the first time that I came back here I was shocked at how much hadn't changed."
"Rei-chan and I used to come here every Saturday that we could just to catch up and see how things were going. They even still have that old Sailor V game in the back," Mina-chan said looking wistfully at the counter, or more correctly the boy working behind the counter.
"Too bad they couldn't keep the help right Mina-chan?" Ami-chan teased nudging the girl next to her. We all chuckled at Mina-chan's now bright red face.
"Ami-chan! What happened to the quiet you? I think I liked her much better." Mina-chan said in a huff. Ami-chan giggled.
"America happened. My life happened." She said with a sigh. "I had no reason to change before, now…now I have things to strive for. A life to live."
"Demo…you had goals when you were here." Rei-chan whispered.
"And a life." I added quietly. Ami-chan blushed before bowing her head.
"That's not what I meant, minna-chan! It's just…" she paused to think of what she was trying to say. "It's just, I never knew what it was like to be a normal girl. I was always teased as a child, and I never had many friends. As soon as I met you, the best friend's I've ever had, my life as a senshi took over. As wonderful as you guys are, I couldn't be around you without wondering if you were only my friends because I was a senshi. Now, I'm in a completely different world, with no youma or enemies to worry about, and no destiny, and people like me for, well me. It's a new kind of freedom, one that Tokyo can never give me." Ami finished looking down at her folded hands.
"I know what you mean." I said. "After, he dumped me, I had to seriously re-arrange my priorities in life. I had always assumed that I was going to be Neo-Queen Serenity and have a loving husband and wonderful daughter, and that was my future. I didn't even register that that part of my life isn't…or wasn't going to be for a long time. I never seriously thought about college, school, or a career. Nothing made sense to me anymore; it was as if I had to find myself again. Before, the incident, I was dreading going to England for school, feeling as if I was being punished for being a poor student. However, I fell in love with London, and the people and culture around me. All Tokyo represents now, is a part of my past. I wish my future to be separate from my past. Something that none of us had the luxury of before. We were told who we were, who we are, and who we were going to be. Well, you know what, I am not going to let my past control my now…my future. I will be the one holding the reins this time." I finished with a passionate sense of determination.
"Usa-chan…I've never heard anything like that come from you before. You really have matured." Rei-chan said the shock quite evident on her face. I simply smiled. Before anyone else could put in their two cents, "Cindy" returned with our ice cream.
"There you go! Enjoy!" She said jubilantly.
I'm getting tired of people askin'
why can't they just leave me alone
Cause, I couldn't care, I couldn't say, I wouldn't know
I heard the sound of the door opening, and the not so comforting bells jingling, and looked up from my vanilla shake. Entering the arcade were three of the most handsome guys that I had ever seen. My friends seemed to agree with me, for even Ami-chan had stopped mid-slurp to stare at the bishies that had just entered.
They seemed not to even notice our stares as they sat in the booth next to us. Not that they had much of a choice seeing in how it was the only clean booth open at the moment. Of course, they sat at the booth next to where Ami-chan and more disastrously Mina-chan were sitting. Winking at us, while we all vehemently shook our heads "no", Mina-chan dropped her spoon on the table and turned her body in the booth.
"Konichiwa, gentlemen. My name is Aino Minako, but you can call me Mina. These are my friends Mizuno Ami, Hino Rei, Tsukino Usagi, and Kino Makoto. And who might you fine gentlemen be?" Mina-chan asked in the sweetest voice that she could muster. It was enough to make a sweets lover choke, it was so sickly sweet. We all sweatdropped and shook our heads.
"Please forgive our friend. She is a mental patient, we are just taking her out for some ice cream before we must return her to her cell." I said shaking my head.
"Usa-chan! Don't be mean!" Mina-chan whined forgetting for a moment that there were now three hot guys starring at us. The one that was farthest from us blinked and then spoke.
"Konichiwa ladies. I am Kou Seiya, these are my brothers Kou Yaten and Kou Taiki." He said smiling. Although to this day I swear that he was smiling directly at me. The other two turned around in their seat to look at us. I however could not move my eyes from the one called Seiya. I don't know why, it was if a stronger force that I had ever encountered were drawing me into him.
"So, where are you from? I don't recognize you from these parts and I've lived here my whole life." Rei-chan said narrowing her eyes. Her many years as a senshi had made her quite suspicious of "cute" guys that showed up in Tokyo.
"No, we're new in town." Taiki said curtly. Ami-chan raised an eyebrow.
"Really? What are you doing here then?"
"Business." Yaten snipped. Now we all had our eyebrows raised. Yes, being a senshi certainly had its ups and downs. Not trusting any "newbie" was one of the downs…or maybe one of the ups depending on how you looked at it. Seiya chuckled a nervous laugh,
"Forgive my brothers. They must have gotten the wrong size underwear." Seiya said while glaring at his brothers. I looked to my senshi and shook my head.
"Well, as much as I'd like to stay and chat, I still have to find a decent flat and job." I said. As soon as I stood, Seiya did as well.
"Let me walk you out." He offered. I glanced at my friends who were urging me on. I shrugged.
"Sure, why not." I gathered my purse and Mako-chan stood so that I could leave. "Ja ne minna, I'll talk to you guys later. Gomen that I couldn't stay longer."
"It's okay, Usa-chan. Good luck with the search." Mina-chan said waving.
"Ja ne Usagi-chan!" Ami called still eyeing the boy named Taiki.
"Ja ne, Odango Atama." Rei-chan said with a smirk. I lowered my eyes and glowered at her.
"Ja ne, Rei-baka." I said turning my nose up in the hair. We laughed before embracing and I said my final good-byes. The boys were starring at us as if we had just grown a second head. Seiya shaking his head, walked me to the door and beyond. He offered to walk me home as well, and with his eyes, I couldn't resist. They seemed to pull me to him like no other pair had ever done. Waving to him from my front step, I smiled to myself. I could definitely begin to move on from Mamoru. And like they said there was no time like the present.
I couldn't care,
I couldn't say,
I wouldn't know
The End!
So? What did you think?
A few things that I wanted to clear up:
All those places that I named outside of the Crown Arcade (which was in Sailor Moon) and Johns Hopkin's University (a real college in Maryland) I made up. If they really do exist then I just got lucky. ::shrugs:: Who knows.
Usagi kept referring to a "flat" that's what the British call an apartment (she did live in London for four years).
This fic was in no way bashing Mamoru. Although he dumped Usagi, it was for a plot line only and not because I dislike him in anyway. Thank you.
I know that in the beginning when Usagi says that she wasn't going to drive, you must thinking "She's a bit young, no?" Well, not really. I'm going on the assumption that Usagi is around 16 when entering high school, thus she has a license. Sorry if that bothers you.
Thanks for reading and please review as well!
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, or Reba McEntire's song "I Wouldn't Know"
AN: Hello. I know that I shouldn't be starting any more fics…but this is a one shot and my muse just wouldn't let me put it off until later. ::sigh:: Damn slave driver. Well…I did it. I did what I thought I would never do. I wrote a fic, with Usagi as the main character….the one, well…one of the characters that I can't stand in Sailor Moon. However, once I heard this song, I realized that it would be a perfect fic to write about Mamoru and Usagi. This is an AU fic, so don't expect otherwise. It starts when Mamoru boards the plane for America, and continues from there. I based this on the manga personalities (which I find much better). So…I guess that is all. Please read and review!
Song lyrics are in italics
Love and Destiny Don't Always Mix
I stood in Tokyo International Airport in tears. I had insisted to my friends that I see my long time lover Mamoru, off alone, and now I was glad that I had. Unable to stand on my own two feet any longer, I sank to my knees, holding my chest from the pain of the heaving sobs that my throat was emitting. People walked by me and not one said anything to console the young girl with her hair done up in a strange pair of odangos. Not one stopped to see if she was all right. Not one cared.
I had thought that Chiba Mamoru and I were going to be together forever. It was even in our destiny to be married in the future, have a beautiful, yet slighting annoying daughter named Chibi-Usa, and to rule Crystal Tokyo together. However, my king, my knight in shining armor destroyed that picturesque dream as if it were a tangible image that he could tear off a wall and shred to pieces. He had dumped me…me, Tsukino Usagi…his future Queen.
There would be no Crystal Tokyo, there would be no Chibi-Usa and there would be no future…all because he could not stand to stay attached to a girl while his "life was waiting for him" in America. He had told me that he didn't trust himself in America, in his co-ed college. He said it was better to break it off now, then to hurt me later down the road. That's what upset me the most, that he didn't trust himself without me there, which meant that he had never loved me. For love is based on trust.
I had suspected as much, from the get go. I mean, his first words to me were an insult, and his last was that he couldn't love me in the way that I loved him. In the way that he had a millennia ago. Sometimes I hated my mother. I hated her for giving "Usagi" the same heart I had as Serenity-hime and not doing the same for Endymion no ouji. As Serenity-hime I could do nothing else but love Mamoru. Apparently, he didn't feel the same way.
I silently wished for an enemy…any enemy to attack me at that moment. I had finally made it out of the airport, and I was on my way to Rei-chan's. Mamoru had driven us there, but I couldn't force myself into his car, no matter how late it made me for the senshi meeting. I needed a distraction, and I had hoped to find it while walking home. Besides, I didn't trust myself driving right now anyway. I may be upset, but I wasn't suicidal. Furthermore, I was still Sailor Moon, which meant that I couldn't endanger any civilian lives; so driving like a lunatic was out of the question.
Fortunately for me, tomorrow I too was leaving for school. Only instead of going to college, I was going to spend my four high school years as a foreign exchange student in London, England. I hated to be graduating away from my friends but Ami-chan and Mako-chan were also traveling abroad for high school, so it wasn't as bad. Mina-chan would go to the private all girls school just down the street from her house, and Rei-chan would go to a special high school that all future miko's attended. Ami-chan was going to be an exchange student in Munich, Germany, at a pre-medical type high school, and Mako-chan was traveling to Pairs, France to a culinary high school.
So it was no surprise that tonight's senshi meeting was really a goodbye party for the five friends. I finally made it to Rei's shrine half an hour late. Sooner than I expected but still late enough to give the other senshi reason to gripe at me. Especially Rei-chan. However, when I entered the room where I knew the senshi would be, none of them were angry with me. They all shot me sly looks.
"What took you so long Usa-chan. Did you and Mamoru cause him to miss his flight?" Mina-chan said with a downright evil grin on her face. I blushed beet red and about burst into tears when I remembered what had really kept me. I instead, shook my head no and flopped down next to my friends at the table. They all stared at me when I didn't immediately dig into the heaping amounts of food in front of me.
"Are you sick Usagi-chan?" Ami-chan asked, holding her hand to my forehead. I again shook my head, my face downcast.
"Nah…she's just love sick is all. You miss him already don't you?" Mako-chan said smiling. The other senshi started to laugh as well, and assumed that was the cause of my unhappy countenance. I went along with it, and finally excused myself only two short hours later. Of course, they felt like the longest two hours of my life.
"Aww, Usa-chan. Don't leave yet. The party is just getting started." Mina-chan whined.
"Gomen…demo, I have an early flight tomorrow, and I still have a lot of packing to do." I whispered. The other senshi sighed and nodded.
"All right then, Odango Atama. We'll see you at your house bright and early tomorrow. Make sure that you don't miss your own flight." Rei-chan teased with a smile. I was too tired to argue with her so I only nodded and walked to the door to grab my shoes. When I didn't turn to say goodbye, the other senshi all rushed up to me.
"Usagi-chan are you sure that you are okay?" Ami-chan asked, searching from her spot for any signs that I was medically unwell. I shook my head.
"No…I'm just tired. Ja ne, minna." I whispered turning and walking down the stairs on the night that the moon did not shine in the sky.
Still asks me about you
I guess they got so used to us
Together they assume
That everything's okay
And then I have to say
Nearly four years after that incident that I have almost forgotten about, I find myself on a plane once again. I have graduated at the top of my class, and I can now speak English fluently, along with French, German, and Latin. I turned out to be quite the student when I tried. With nothing else to live for, I had nothing else to do but try. Okaasan and Otousan were extremely proud of me, and they had flown back home a month ago, after my graduation. I had decided to stay in London for a little while longer. I hadn't really kept in touch with the senshi, outside of Rei-chan.
Ami-chan had been extremely busy at her pre-medical school, as had Mako-chan at her culinary school. Mina-chan was now acting at Tokyo's top College for the Arts, and Rei was now a full-fledged miko. Mako-chan had arrived back at Tokyo about four months ago, leaving her high school to enter Tokyo College for the Culinary Arts. Ami had moved to America to further her study in medicine, and was currently studying at Johns Hopkin's University. I was to enter Tokyo University with a full scholarship. I had taken a liking to all kinds of languages, especially those of the ancient times, so I had decided to major in ancient languages with a minor in general history. Ami-chan would have probably had a coronary to learn that most of my time was spent in the library. I had become addicted to the written word, much as Ami-chan had been when we were younger.
"Passengers…this is your captain speaking. We will be landing at Tokyo International Airport in fifteen minutes. Please return to your seats and fasten all seat belts. Make sure your tray tables are in the up-right and lock position, and make sure all carry on bags are stored in the upper compartments. Thank you for flying Tokyo Air." After buckling up, I turned and leaned my head against the window, starring down into the land of Japan, a country that I had not seen for four years, a country which held many horrible memories.
When the plane finally did land, I unbuckled my seat belt and reached for my overhead luggage. Grabbing the two small bags that I had taken as carry on, I made my way down the aisle and towards the exit. After leaving the gateway, I walked into the terminal. Hearing shouts, I turned searching for the source of the clamor. There stood my friends and family. I smiled and walked over to them.
Mina-chan wore a pair of tight, beige leather pants and a bright yellow halter-top. Beige leather boots were on her feet. Her hair was down from the traditional red bow that I was used to, and was now in a long French braid. A metal choker with the symbol of Venus adorned her neck, as well as orange earrings to decorate her delicate ears. She ran up to me and quickly enveloped me in a big bear hug.
"Hey, Usa-chan! How've you been?" She asked kissing me on both cheeks before she pulled back. I shrugged and smiled.
"You know, same old same old." The next person to glomp me was Mako-chan. She was as tall as ever, wearing a pair of black and white sporty "swishy" pants and a pale green T-shirt that said "Kiss Me: I Cook." Her hairstyle hadn't changed a bit, the usual ponytail was still there. Mako-chan had the same choker as Mina-chan only it was the symbol of Jupiter. Her pink rose earrings were still there.
"Good to see you again, Usa-chan. Wait till you see the feast that I whipped up." I laughed and nodded. I turned to Rei-chan, she had changed the most out of all of them. She was taller, more mature looking. She wore a simple red sundress with a flower print. Red heels were on her feet, as well as the same choker as the other senshi. Of course, hers was the symbol of Mars. She had three red studs in each ear. Her hair was still the same, only now it was pulled into an elegant bun pilled on top of her head.
Rei-chan and I were more reserved with our hug. We both had grown so much in the past four years. Once I pulled out of her embrace, I found myself in another, that of my Okaasan's. She hadn't changed much, neither had Otousan. He hugged me along with Okaasan. I gladly returned the hug. Shingo, my brother was standing to the side rather awkwardly. I pulled myself out of my parents embrace and proceeded to glomp him. I ruffled his now shaggy like hair and kissed the top of his head.
"So Usa-chan, we know that Ami will be here in about four months on vacation, but when is Mamoru-kun coming home?" Mina-chan asked smiling. I sighed and turned to the three senshi that were all looking at my sad face in confusion. I hadn't told anyone of our breakup, and I had almost forgotten. Now, I had to re-open a few freshly sealed wounds. Hopefully they would have the tact not to ask for details.
"Yes when is the Prince going to return for his Princess?" Otousan asked smiling. It had taken quite awhile, but he had finally warmed up to the fact that I was dating Mamoru. I smiled a sad smile and shook my head.
I couldn't say it's been awhile
I haven't thought about him lately
So I wouldn't know
"I have no idea." I answered their question.
"Oh? Shouldn't he have finished college by now?" Okaasan asked raising her brow. I shrugged.
"He may have."
"Didn't the two of you keep in touch?" Mako-chan asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. I shook my head.
"No, in fact I haven't talked to him since the day that he left all those years ago." I said plastering a smile on my face.
"Why in the world not?" Rei-chan asked glaring at me with her "don't you dare lie to me" look.
"Well, we broke up, that day. Or more correctly, he dumped me that day."
"Nani?" I heard from five very upset people.
"Is that why you were so upset that night Usa-chan?" Mina-chan asked quietly. I only nodded.
"Gomen! Gomen nasi, Usa-chan!" She said hugging me, holding me to her. "I am so sorry. I should have realized. We should have been there for you."
"Why didn't you tell us Odango Atama?" Rei-chan whispered, the hurt clear in her voice.
"I didn't feel like talking." I said sincerely.
"But all those times on the phone? Four years you've kept this hurt bottled inside Usa-him...chan." Rei-chan said almost slipping with my name.
"Gomen. But look, I'm fine. I've gotten over him. I've moved on with my life. Really, you guys are more upset about this than I was." I said with a smile, hopping that they would just drop the subject.
"Honey…" I heard my Okaasan say wearily. I turned to see what she was weary about and I saw her and my brother slowly backing away from Otousan, who was currently counting to ten.
"I will kill that bakayaro for hurting my little Usa-chan!"
"Otousan…please. Stop making a scene. Let's get to this welcome home party that you all have; I'm sure meticulously planned for me and remember why you planned it. I'm home! After four years abroad, I've finally returned. Let's not ruin the moment with thoughts such as the one I know you have right now." I pleaded, holding on his upper arm. He seemed to sober up almost immediately.
"Of course, Usagi-chan. Gomen…" I smiled at him.
"It's all right. Come on, I'm hungry for that food Mako-chan." Everyone laughed and we all headed towards the luggage pick-up so that I could grab my suitcases.
A few hours later, the party was in full swing. Mako-chan wasn't lying when she said that the food was delicious. Those four years had done her cooking wonders. Not that it needed it.
"Good thing there's a chief in our group with your stomach, eh Usa-chan?" Mina-chan teased, while wolfing down one of Mako-chan's wonderful concoctions.
"You're one to talk Mina-chan. I've seen the way you've been attacking the food table today." Rei-chan snickered. I smiled.
"Yea, Mina-chan. I don't know Rei-chan. Aren't actresses supposed to be thin? I think she just gained five pounds in the last ten minutes."
"Yes, I believe that you are correct Odango Atama-chan." Mina-chan about choked on the Mexican cheese puff that was currently in her mouth.
"I did not!" She screeched.
"Still as gullible as ever I see." I laughed.
"Oh like you weren't too Usa-chan! Talk about the pot calling the plant black!" Mina-chan said in a huff. We all couldn't help but laugh, Mina-chan hadn't changed much at all, and for that, I was glad.
"It's pot calling the kettle black, Mina-chan." Mako-chan said shaking her head.
"Oh, whatever!"
About two hours later, Mina-chan had to leave, something about an early call back in the morning and that she would see me again soon. Mako-chan left soon after Mina-chan, having some food to cook for her class the next day.
"Arigato for making all of this. You didn't have to, you have more cooking to do tonight." I said.
"I don't mind, Usa-chan. I love to cook, remember? Well, ja ne!" She waved as she walked down the stairs. We were at Rei's shrine, as if we all hadn't disappeared and gotten lives over the past four years.
"You may want to swing by Mina-chan's, she's been keeping both Artimas and Luna all of these years." Rei-chan said, swinging her feet from her perch in a Sakura tree. I was sitting a few branches down.
"Hai, I'll have to. Why didn't they come today?" I asked.
"Probably because Luna is expecting." She said as if it were everyday chatter.
"Nani? Luna and Artimas…are…?" She laughed at my expression.
"Hai…they got together shortly after you, Ami, Makoto, and Mamoru left…gomen." She whispered after realizing that she had said his name.
"It's okay…I've already forgotten all about him."
why can't they just leave me alone
I couldn't care,
I couldn't say, I wouldn't know
Today was the worst day of my life. I don't think anything could make it any worse. The day had started as any normal spring day. I have been home for almost two months now, and I had fallen into a routine. Today, being Saturday, one of my few days off, I had intended to spend it re-aquatinting myself with Tokyo National Park.
And that's how it had started. I had woken up early, taken a shower and changed into a comfortable pair of low riders, boots and a pink tank top. Pulling my hair into the usual Odangos, I made my way outside, pulling my sunglasses over my eyes. I was strolling along the path in the park when I saw a familiar face. It was Naru, my old friend from Crossroads.
"Ohayoo! Naru." I called out, waving. She turned, slightly startled. She was the same as always. She was wearing a light green sundress, a pair of sandals and a light short-sleeved sweater. Her hair was about the same length that I remembered, only it seemed curlier. Two green barrettes held the sides out of her face.
"Ohayoo…Usagi? Is that you? You have changed so much. I wouldn't have recognized you without your Odangos." She said with a giggle. We hugged each other warmly and moved to sit on a bench to chat about old times.
"So how is Mamoru doing? You two love birds still going strong?" she asked brightly. I kept my smile up on the outside, however inside I wanted to scream.
"No, we broke up awhile ago." I said quietly. It wasn't her fault, I mean she wouldn't know. The senshi didn't even know how could I expect her to have?
"Oh, gomen Usagi-chan. I didn't know." She whispered bowing her head.
"It's okay, you didn't know. So how have you been lately?" I said as congenially as I could muster. We continued to chat for another few minutes before Naru had to leave for a prior engagement.
"Ja ne, Usagi-chan. Now that you're back in town, perhaps we can hang out again."
"I'd like that, ja ne Naru." I said waving to her retreating figure. I shook my head and was about to move from the bench when I heard my name being called.
"Usagi-san!" I turned wondering who it could be. There running towards me, was none other then Umino, Naru's old flame. He was wearing a pair of black slacks and a blue collar T-shirt. He had grown over the years, and really grown into his body. He no longer had glasses, probably due to contacts, and he was a bit more built. His unruly brown hair was still the same, and perhaps the only thing about him, appearance wise that didn't change.
"Ohayoo, Umino. You just missed Naru." I said smiling at him. He sighed and nodded.
"Hai, I saw you two talking and I waited until she left." He said sadly. I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Why would you do that Umino?" I asked.
"Because, we broke up. About two years ago…" He said with a pout.
"I thought you two had broken up while we were still at Crossroads?" I asked more confused then ever. He nodded.
"We did. But we got back together shortly after you left. We had been together since then, well until two years ago. She hates me now…well, enough of this sad talk. How are you and Mamoru doing?" he said forcing a smile to his face. I inwardly began to scream at the top of my lungs. I swear if one more person came up to me and asked about that bakayaro…
"We broke up actually." I snipped at him. I didn't mean to, it was just turning out to be a very frustrating day. "Gomen, but I must be going. It was nice talking to you again. Don't be shy, stop by my house any day. Ja ne!" I called turning with a wave. He slumped his shoulders and sighed.
"Ja ne…Usagi-san." Shaking his head, he sat down on the bench that Naru and I had just occupied. I walked back up to him and ruffled his hair.
"Don't give up on her."
"You really think so?" he asked brightening. I nodded.
"I really think so."
"Wow, thanks! You too Usagi-san. You and Mamoru-san belong together. Don't let him scare you off, Usagi-san! Well, ja ne!" he said running in the direction that Naru had gone. I shook my head. He didn't know how right he was. Mamoru and I did belong together. But who was I to hold him back with a little thing like destiny, or hell, even fate, and God forbid, love?
To our old stompin' grounds
Cause some old friend is bound to
Ask me why you're not around
Well I just stay away,
So I don't have to say
"Usagi-chan, telephone!" Okaasan called out from downstairs. I sighed, mid-sentence. I was currently on the prowl for a flat; however, I didn't have the money at the time, so I was more or less on a job hunt. I could only work part-time because of my college schedule, and luckily; I only had to pay for my transportation to school, so I had some money saved up. Shaking my head, I picked up my pink telephone that was sitting on my desk.
"Moshi moshi, Usagi speaking." I said into the receiver. I heard the soft click that let me know that Okaasan had hung up and it was just me and the other person on the line.
"Moshi moshi, Usa-chan. It's Mina." Came the bubbly voice on the other line.
"Ohayoo, Mina-chan. What's up?" I asked, continuing to flip through the newspaper want ads.
"Well, we're all going out tonight. We're just going to a movie then back to the Crown Arcade, you know like we did in our good old days? So what do you say? You going to leave your friends hanging or what?" I closed my eyes, remembering all of the great times that we had at that arcade. However, almost everyone had him in it. I couldn't bear to go back there, back to that place with memories of him hovering over me. I needed to move on first, something that I feared would take much longer than I originally thought.
"Gomen, Mina-chan. I really do have a lot of homework to do tonight. And I still need to find a job soon. Gomen." I answered. I thought I heard her stop breathing. "Mina-chan…are you still breathing?" I asked.
"Hai…it's just, I never thought I'd hear the day when Tsukino Usagi turned down a Crown Arcade milkshake for homework. Well, I guess we'll take a rain check then?" she said with a sigh.
"Sure, later. I promise."
"Okay then, well ja ne!" She said.
"Ja ne." I said before I heard her end of the phone click. I shook my head and sat the phone back in the cradle. I wasn't avoiding them, I really wasn't. I just needed more time. If I had to put up with their looks of pity one more time…I stopped myself before my thoughts could get anymore negative.
The next day I awoke to my telephone's ring. Groaning, I pulled the covers over my head in attempt to fall asleep once again. However, it was useless. Grumbling about baka telephones, I made my way over to my desk and picked the phone up, taking it to my ear, blinking sleepily the entire time.
"Moshi…" I paused to let out a yawn, "moshi, Usagi speaking."
"Usa-chan! Why are you still sleeping?" Mako-chan's voice said in a scolding tone.
"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked instead.
"Cause, today is the day that Ami-chan returns! We're all going to meet her at the airport." Mako-chan said and I could just picture her rolling her eyes. I shook my head and sighed.
"All right, give me twenty minutes. Where are we meeting?" I asked.
"We'll pick you up in about half an hour. Okay?"
"That's fine, see you then."
"Ja ne, Usa-chan."
"Ja ne, Mako-chan." I said placing the phone back into its proper place. I stretched and yawned again. I really wasn't awake just yet. With a shrug I hurriedly made my bed and grabbed some clothes to change into. I made my way to the hall bathroom and proceeded to take a quick shower. Emerging from the steamy bathroom dressed in a pair of flare jeans, black boots, and a pink T-shirt with a picture of a bunny sitting on a moon on the front, I went to my room to grab my purse. Checking the mirror one last time to make sure that my makeup was on right, and that my odangos were tight, I headed downstairs to wait for the girls.
They arrived nearly ten minutes later in a green Jeep Cherokee. I called a "I'm leaving" out to the house then took off for the car. Mako-chan was in the drivers seat, and Mina-chan was sitting next to her. Rei-chan was sitting alone in the back seat, and I climbed in besides her, behind Mina-chan.
"Ohayoo, Usa-chan." My three friends said. Mako-chan smiled at me, put the car into gear, and took off for the airport.
"Ohayoo, minna." I answered. We arrived at Tokyo International Airport within the hour. As we all climbed out of the Jeep, Mako-chan walked over to the trunk, and pulled out several pieces of cardboard.
"Signs," she explained. "For Ami-chan." I nodded and took the sign that she had handed me. Once we all had our signs, we headed into the airport to await the arrival of our missing senshi.
I couldn't say it's been awhile
I haven't thought about him lately
So I wouldn't know
"Ami-chan! Ami-chan!" We all called to our blue haired friend. She smiled and walked over towards us. She had changed a lot. More so than Rei-chan and I. Her once short pixie styled hair was now mid-back and slightly curly. She had left her hair down, with only two butterfly clips holding her sides back. She wore a short blue skirt that accented her long legs, and a white blouse. The first button was undone, and the sleeves were rolled up to quarter sleeve length. Her feet were adorned with knee high, black leather boots.
"Ohayoo minna!" she called waving to us, and fixing the shoulder bag that had fallen off her right shoulder.
"Wow, Ami-chan! You look awesome!" Mina-chan said instructing the girl to spin for us. She did with a laugh before walking over and hugging each of us.
"Thanks, America sure does wonders for a person's fashion sense." She said with a laugh. "My roommates 'refused' to let me go around dressed like 'an old hag' anymore. I don't know. I kind of like it." She finished with a smile.
"So, how is good ol' America?" Mako-chan asked with a smile.
"Great. I'm learning so much at school…" before she could finish she was playfully smacked on the arm by Mina-chan.
"We don't want to hear about your school stuff Ami-chan! We meant, how are the guys? Is there one particular, or many?" a smirking Mina-chan said. Ami-chan blushed and shook her head.
"Iie, demo I did see Mamoru-san the other day. Usagi-chan did he tell you that he spiked and dyed his hair? Well 'frosted the tips' as he called it. It's extremely odd looking. Wait until he comes home, I think you may have to throttle him one." She said with a slight chuckle. I looked at the other senshi out of the corner of my eye and saw they all looked like the walking dead. Their faces had gone sheet white, and I'm sure that their hands were clammy to the touch. I just stared at Ami-chan who was becoming more confused by the second.
"Uhhhh, well you see…" Mina-chan started.
"Nani?" Ami-chan asked, urging her on.
"Well, you see, Mamoru, well he broke up with Usa-chan the day that he left for college…" Mina-chan finished in a whisper.
"He did what?" Ami-chan gasped out. "Oh, Usagi-chan, Gomen nasi. I didn't know. I shouldn't have even brought him up. I'm so stupid. Can you ever forgive me?"
"Hai, don't worry about it. You didn't know. And I've gotten over him, I mean it has been four years." I said, forcing a smile onto my face.
"But, still Usagi-chan, gomen." Ami-chan said hugging me tightly.
"Well, enough of all this teary eyed shit!" Mako-chan said not so discretely changing the subject. "How about we pick up your bags, Ami-chan and go head over to get ourselves old fashioned Crown Arcade milkshakes?"
"Sure, It's been so long since I've had one." Ami-chan said with a laugh. So, we all moved to the baggage claim to retrieve Ami-chan's things, before heading out to Mako-chan's jeep.
Oh, why can't they just leave me alone
I couldn't care, I couldn't say, I wouldn't know
We arrived at the arcade about twenty minutes later. After the jeep was parked, we all made our way inside the building. The bells at the top corner of the door were still there. The bells that were once an inviting and calming sound now made my heart clench. Memories flew through my head at a dizzying pace, and I could hardly remember one that didn't have him in it. Shaking my head both mentally and physically, I followed my friends to what had become "our" booth.
A girl dressed in the blue dress and apron that was part of the uniform for the Crown Arcade walked over to our table.
"Ohayoo, welcome to the Crown Arcade. What can I get you?" We had no need for the menus that the young girl had passed around, and simply ordered from memory.
"A double thick chocolate shake." Ami-chan said smiling at the girl before handing the menu back. She nodded and wrote the order down before turning to Mina-chan who was sitting next to Ami-chan.
"Hmmm, I'll have a hot fudge sundae with vanilla ice cream, sprinkles, and nuts!" the blonde said, returning her menu as well.
"Strawberry malt." Was Rei-chan's order. She then turned to me, who was sitting next to Rei-chan.
"Vanilla shake if you please." I said handing the girl whose name-tag read "Cindy" the menu.
"Banana split. With all the toppings." Mako-chan said. "Cindy" nodded, scribbling down more notes on her pad before collecting the menus and returning to the counter to place our orders.
"Well, this place hasn't really changed much." Ami-chan said looking around her at the interior of the place that we all knew oh so well. Mako-chan nodded.
"I know what you mean, the first time that I came back here I was shocked at how much hadn't changed."
"Rei-chan and I used to come here every Saturday that we could just to catch up and see how things were going. They even still have that old Sailor V game in the back," Mina-chan said looking wistfully at the counter, or more correctly the boy working behind the counter.
"Too bad they couldn't keep the help right Mina-chan?" Ami-chan teased nudging the girl next to her. We all chuckled at Mina-chan's now bright red face.
"Ami-chan! What happened to the quiet you? I think I liked her much better." Mina-chan said in a huff. Ami-chan giggled.
"America happened. My life happened." She said with a sigh. "I had no reason to change before, now…now I have things to strive for. A life to live."
"Demo…you had goals when you were here." Rei-chan whispered.
"And a life." I added quietly. Ami-chan blushed before bowing her head.
"That's not what I meant, minna-chan! It's just…" she paused to think of what she was trying to say. "It's just, I never knew what it was like to be a normal girl. I was always teased as a child, and I never had many friends. As soon as I met you, the best friend's I've ever had, my life as a senshi took over. As wonderful as you guys are, I couldn't be around you without wondering if you were only my friends because I was a senshi. Now, I'm in a completely different world, with no youma or enemies to worry about, and no destiny, and people like me for, well me. It's a new kind of freedom, one that Tokyo can never give me." Ami finished looking down at her folded hands.
"I know what you mean." I said. "After, he dumped me, I had to seriously re-arrange my priorities in life. I had always assumed that I was going to be Neo-Queen Serenity and have a loving husband and wonderful daughter, and that was my future. I didn't even register that that part of my life isn't…or wasn't going to be for a long time. I never seriously thought about college, school, or a career. Nothing made sense to me anymore; it was as if I had to find myself again. Before, the incident, I was dreading going to England for school, feeling as if I was being punished for being a poor student. However, I fell in love with London, and the people and culture around me. All Tokyo represents now, is a part of my past. I wish my future to be separate from my past. Something that none of us had the luxury of before. We were told who we were, who we are, and who we were going to be. Well, you know what, I am not going to let my past control my now…my future. I will be the one holding the reins this time." I finished with a passionate sense of determination.
"Usa-chan…I've never heard anything like that come from you before. You really have matured." Rei-chan said the shock quite evident on her face. I simply smiled. Before anyone else could put in their two cents, "Cindy" returned with our ice cream.
"There you go! Enjoy!" She said jubilantly.
why can't they just leave me alone
Cause, I couldn't care, I couldn't say, I wouldn't know
I heard the sound of the door opening, and the not so comforting bells jingling, and looked up from my vanilla shake. Entering the arcade were three of the most handsome guys that I had ever seen. My friends seemed to agree with me, for even Ami-chan had stopped mid-slurp to stare at the bishies that had just entered.
They seemed not to even notice our stares as they sat in the booth next to us. Not that they had much of a choice seeing in how it was the only clean booth open at the moment. Of course, they sat at the booth next to where Ami-chan and more disastrously Mina-chan were sitting. Winking at us, while we all vehemently shook our heads "no", Mina-chan dropped her spoon on the table and turned her body in the booth.
"Konichiwa, gentlemen. My name is Aino Minako, but you can call me Mina. These are my friends Mizuno Ami, Hino Rei, Tsukino Usagi, and Kino Makoto. And who might you fine gentlemen be?" Mina-chan asked in the sweetest voice that she could muster. It was enough to make a sweets lover choke, it was so sickly sweet. We all sweatdropped and shook our heads.
"Please forgive our friend. She is a mental patient, we are just taking her out for some ice cream before we must return her to her cell." I said shaking my head.
"Usa-chan! Don't be mean!" Mina-chan whined forgetting for a moment that there were now three hot guys starring at us. The one that was farthest from us blinked and then spoke.
"Konichiwa ladies. I am Kou Seiya, these are my brothers Kou Yaten and Kou Taiki." He said smiling. Although to this day I swear that he was smiling directly at me. The other two turned around in their seat to look at us. I however could not move my eyes from the one called Seiya. I don't know why, it was if a stronger force that I had ever encountered were drawing me into him.
"So, where are you from? I don't recognize you from these parts and I've lived here my whole life." Rei-chan said narrowing her eyes. Her many years as a senshi had made her quite suspicious of "cute" guys that showed up in Tokyo.
"No, we're new in town." Taiki said curtly. Ami-chan raised an eyebrow.
"Really? What are you doing here then?"
"Business." Yaten snipped. Now we all had our eyebrows raised. Yes, being a senshi certainly had its ups and downs. Not trusting any "newbie" was one of the downs…or maybe one of the ups depending on how you looked at it. Seiya chuckled a nervous laugh,
"Forgive my brothers. They must have gotten the wrong size underwear." Seiya said while glaring at his brothers. I looked to my senshi and shook my head.
"Well, as much as I'd like to stay and chat, I still have to find a decent flat and job." I said. As soon as I stood, Seiya did as well.
"Let me walk you out." He offered. I glanced at my friends who were urging me on. I shrugged.
"Sure, why not." I gathered my purse and Mako-chan stood so that I could leave. "Ja ne minna, I'll talk to you guys later. Gomen that I couldn't stay longer."
"It's okay, Usa-chan. Good luck with the search." Mina-chan said waving.
"Ja ne Usagi-chan!" Ami called still eyeing the boy named Taiki.
"Ja ne, Odango Atama." Rei-chan said with a smirk. I lowered my eyes and glowered at her.
"Ja ne, Rei-baka." I said turning my nose up in the hair. We laughed before embracing and I said my final good-byes. The boys were starring at us as if we had just grown a second head. Seiya shaking his head, walked me to the door and beyond. He offered to walk me home as well, and with his eyes, I couldn't resist. They seemed to pull me to him like no other pair had ever done. Waving to him from my front step, I smiled to myself. I could definitely begin to move on from Mamoru. And like they said there was no time like the present.
I couldn't say,
I wouldn't know
The End!
So? What did you think?
A few things that I wanted to clear up:
All those places that I named outside of the Crown Arcade (which was in Sailor Moon) and Johns Hopkin's University (a real college in Maryland) I made up. If they really do exist then I just got lucky. ::shrugs:: Who knows.
Usagi kept referring to a "flat" that's what the British call an apartment (she did live in London for four years).
This fic was in no way bashing Mamoru. Although he dumped Usagi, it was for a plot line only and not because I dislike him in anyway. Thank you.
I know that in the beginning when Usagi says that she wasn't going to drive, you must thinking "She's a bit young, no?" Well, not really. I'm going on the assumption that Usagi is around 16 when entering high school, thus she has a license. Sorry if that bothers you.
Thanks for reading and please review as well!