(For those of you who I didn't get a chance to E-mail, I'm having trouble
uploading on FF.Net, so chapters might be out a little late. This chapter
being late is actually my fault this time. I took a day out to write the
last chapter of another one of my stories for the people who've been
waiting for it, and then I took another day out to work on a Senior Project
so I don't have to do it when school rolls around. I'm sorry for the
delay.)
~*~*~*~
After leaving the shrine, Makoto went straight home to tell her parents the news. She wondered how her father would react. There were a number of different ways he could react. There was a large chance that he would take the route of sarcasm and insult her by saying that it was about time she started doing what she was told, even though she always had. Along with being a complete ass, her liked to make things up in his mind. He had always seen and heard only the things he wanted, never what was really placed before him. He had always somehow seen the things she did wrong, and come down on her hard for them, but he never seemed to see the things she did right; her accomplishments. She had always gotten the feeling that he treated her like to compensate for something. It had really bothered her when she was younger, but as she grew older, she learned to ignore those feelings like she had so many other times.
Turning down her street, she noticed her father shutting the door to his car. He looked at her, but didn't acknowledge her presence before he turned to go inside the house. She hadn't expected him to. He never really paid attention to her. She would have been surprised if he even recognized her as his own daughter from that far away, even though she was only two houses down. Sighing to herself, Makoto picked up her pace so she could report the news. She wanted to get it done quickly and get out of the house just as quick. The less time she spent in the same house as her father the better.
"Mom! I'm home!" She yelled as she kicked off her shoes after entering the house. She didn't even bother greeting her father. She threw her bag next to the sofa and walked down the hall where she could hear her mother's voice originating from. "Mom?" She called out just as she was coming upon her parents' room. She could hear her father's voice in there now, which warded her away from the room. She knew better than to go in there when her father was home. He always had to get an attitude and scream at her for breaching his privacy. "Mom?" She called out again, not knowing if her mother had heard her the first two times.
"Wha'do you want?" Her father angrily returned the call.
Makoto frowned. She didn't remember ever asking for him. Why did he feel the need to ask what she wanted? It was none of his concern. "I need to talk to mom."
"Your mother's busy!"
"Stop it!" Mrs. Kino emerged from her room, momentarily poking her head back to look upon her husband who was frowning. "Honestly! I don't know what your problem is sometimes." With that being said, she looked back out on her daughter, who wore a hateful scowl. It hurt her to see her daughter looking that way. She knew exactly where that look came from. It was from all the years of mental abuse the child had received from her father. She never really understood why the man felt it was his duty to treat their only child like she was a bum off the street. Makoto had never done anything to deserve that sort of treatment. She wished that Makoto and her father had more of a relationship like Minako and her father, or Usagi and her father. But that was something of a distant dream anymore.
Trying not to dwell on the moment, Mrs. Kino smiled at her daughter. "What can I do for you, dear?" She asked softly.
It wasn't hard for Makoto to shove aside her anger as she looked up at her mother. "Rei's grandfather said it would be alright for me to stay with them while you're gone."
Mrs. Kino smiled wider with excitement. "Oh that's wonderful! I'm so glad you've found someone to stay with!" She poked her head back into her room. "Did you hear that?" She got no answer from her husband as she pulled her head back out and looked down at her daughter, who didn't seem to be all that happy. Her look of excitement disappeared. "What's the wrong?"
Makoto sighed as she lowered her head. She didn't know why, but for some reason she didn't want them to leave. Well, not her mother. She didn't care that her father was leaving. "Nothing, I guess." She turned back down the hall and started making her way back to front door, only to stop once again. "When are you guys leaving?"
"Friday night."
Makoto said nothing as she started on her way again. 'Two days from now.'
~*~*~
Usagi arrived home just in time for dinner that night as she had promised her mother in their agreement. She dashed in the door and flipped her shoes off into the middle of the living room, making sure her bag was thrown in the same manner. "Hi!" She chirped as she ran into the kitchen where she found her mother finishing up dinner.
Smiling, Chi-Chi looked over at her teenage daughter. "Hi, sweetie. No homework today?"
Usagi grinned as she sat down at the table. "I'm happy to report that as a negative!" She looked in the far right corner to see Lucky sleeping soundly.
Chi-Chi looked back to what she was doing. "Dinner's almost ready."
Usagi leaned against the table as she stared back up at her mother. "Great! I'm starved!" Turning her head toward the door, she noticed her father walking by. "Hi, dad!" Goku, who had been on his way out the door, stopped and turned to his daughter with a grim expression. Usagi wasn't sure whether or not to be alarmed. He didn't usually look that way unless he was worried or concerned about something. She couldn't help but wonder that maybe something had happened while she was away at school, maybe something leading to a new enemy. She had grown very accustomed to having to defend earth against threats in the past few years that she was always on alert, just as she had always been taught. "What's wrong?"
Goku changed his direction and walked into the kitchen. Ignoring his wife, he sat next to his daughter. "Nothing much, really."
Usagi knew better than that. She could read her father just as easily as he could read her. "Daddy." She scolded.
Chi-Chi smashed a pan onto the stove. "Goku you've been moping around for an hour now. What's wrong with you?"
Goku rested his arms on the tabletop and leaned inward. "Usagi, I have something very difficult to tell you, and I know you're not going to like it."
Unknowingly, Usagi's heart began to race with fear. Her father was NEVER so solemn with her before, well, not unless she disobeyed him big time, like when she had gone into the past. She had to wonder if she had done something to upset him, but what could she have done that could have been SO bad. "Am I in trouble?"
Goku was stunned by his daughter's question. Where would she ever come up with such a thought? Chuckling, he gave a half smile. "Of course not." He chuckled again when Usagi gave a quick sigh of relief. "Actually, I saw something very interesting on the news a while ago."
Usagi wasn't sure how to react. What did he mean by 'interesting'? "Uhm, ok." She looked up at her mother, who still had her attention on dinner.
Goku wasn't quite expecting such a laid back reaction. After living with the girl for so long he had expected her to become excited with wonder. "A girl was found to be missing at the Mugen School for the Gifted today."
That caught Chi-Chi's attention. "You mean the school Hotaru goes to?"
Goku nodded, but didn't give his wife the respect of turning and facing her. "Sure is." He continued looking at his daughter, a little upset that his wife wouldn't let him tell what he had seen. "Anyway, she was missing for about four hours, no one had seen her since three this afternoon. Guess who her mother was?"
Usagi shrugged. "I bet you're going to tell me, aren't you?"
Goku nodded. "Your math teacher."
"Really?!" Usagi leaned further into the table, as she was more interested now.
Once again, Goku nodded. "Yeah. Now comes the painful part." He cleared his throat, wanting to give his daughter enough time to ease into his horrible news. "She was found dead about an hour ago in one of the old research labs by Hotaru's father."
Chi-Chi threw down a knife and turned around to face her husband and daughter with a gasp. "How horrible!" Usagi nodded to agree with her mother, but was too shocked to say anything. "Did someone kill her!?"
Goku shook his head. "No, it looks like she died of natural causes. Her mother, your math teacher, is taking time off from work to get over the shock, which means bad news for you."
Usagi leaned back in her chair at the mention of bad news. It meant a substitute, definitely, but who was it? It had to be someone bad otherwise her father wouldn't have been so serious. "Do I want to know?"
Goku hated the fact that he had to tell her the next part. "They said the replacement for the period of math she taught you guys for was going to be a new teacher at the school, known none other than Mr. Koch to us."
Chi-Chi became furious at the mentioning of that idiot's name. "What!? You mean that devil of a teacher that taught MY baby in first grade!?"
Usagi's eyes grew large with fear. "No! This can't be happening!"
Chi-Chi grabbed her husband by the throat as if he were the problem. "I will NOT allow this to happen! That bastard will NOT teach my little girl!" She tugged him back and fourth, not even realizing what she was doing.
Goku frowned as he reached up and grabbed a hold of his wife's wrist, trying desperately to pry her hands away from his throat without hurting her. "What're you doing!?"
Usagi temporarily forgot about the new teacher situation and laughed at her parents. She remembered the last time this had happened. It was shortly after Kiro and his gang had been uncovered as the beings causing the Saiyans to become sick. She remembered what had happened when Mr. Koch had tried to pull his crap on Chi-Chi. One thing Usagi had learned early was no one, and that meant NO ONE ever called her mother's children stupid without having a death wish. Things had gotten so bad that a parent-student-teacher meeting had to be called. Mr. Koch had made the mistake of telling Chi-Chi that her daughter wasn't performing as well as the other students, which Chi-Chi took as an insult to her child's intelligence. Things had pretty much gone downhill for the man after that. Chi-Chi ended up chewing him out and threatening to send Goku out to 'hurt' him. After seeing the woman's reaction, Mr. Koch had backed off a bit, for a while that is. It wasn't long before he was back at his old antics and picking on Usagi for everything, which she just KNEW was a result of the meeting, there was no doubt about it. This same incident had happened every time there was a meeting between the Son family and Mr. Koch. Chi-Chi would always work herself up into a frenzy and end up choking Goku JUST because he was a man.
Usagi laughed hysterically at her father, who was turning red. "Mom's gotcha good this time, dad." She hoped down out of her chair and calmly approached her angry mother. "Mom?" She poked her mother.
Moving her attention to her daughter, Chi-Chi slightly let up her hold on Goku. "What?!" Her words unintentionally came out harsh.
Usagi didn't take any notice to the way her mother had addressed her. She knew better than to take it personally. "I think you're making daddy suffocate." She pointed to his bright red face.
Chi-Chi turned back down toward her husband and noticed his pink colored face for the first time. Gasping at her own power, she released him at once and backed away. "Look at what that man makes me do!"
Goku gasped for breath as he lightly wrapped his hands around his throat to protect it from any more irrational moves his wife might decide to make. He had once made the mistake of not protecting himself and mentioning Mr. Koch's name, which earned him more punishment from the angry mother. "Get a hold of yourself." He ducked his head and raised his hand, hoping that he hadn't set her off again.
Chi-Chi had to stop herself from lashing out at him. Even though she knew he had nothing to do with Mr. Koch being her daughter's new math teacher, she still felt the urge to beat up on someone, and Goku was the only one she would trust herself with. She knew that she couldn't truly hurt him, which she figured why he always seemed to let her get away with lashing out like that without yelling at her. "Oh God I'm sorry."
Usagi tugged at her mother's elbow, still with a slight giggle. "Mom, that's not Mr. Koch, it's dad." She looked at her gasping father whose face was returning to its normal color. She knew he wasn't too hurt, just a little winded.
Seeing that there wasn't really anymore of a threat, Goku smirked as he leaned his arms on the table as he tried to catch his breath. "Gees, it's just like old times."
Usagi's face turned white with fear. She didn't want things to be just like they used to. That would mean Mr. Koch would be the true jackass he always was. "I hope not."
Chi-Chi frowned as she took her place back at the counter. She figured that if she stood away from her husband that the chances of her just lashing out from no where would disappear. "I don't want a replay of what happened in first grade this year, am I understood, Usagi?"
Usagi didn't know how well that would work out. She had barely spoken for five minutes with the man and he had already started the same old Crap with her. Being in a class situation wouldn't be any different. Things were sure to be the way they used to. That would only mean trouble for Usagi. She hadn't really been in the office for challenging a teacher SINCE Mr. Koch. He absolutely hated her; there was no doubt about it. "Well," She began, not knowing what to say.
Chi-Chi didn't like the uncertainty in her daughter's voice, and Goku liked it even less. "Usagi, this is one time I'm going to have to agree with your mother. You're too old to be getting in trouble with your teachers. It's fine when you're in elementary school, but once you start getting to be your age it really reflects on your permanent record."
Chi-Chi eyed her husband with a glare. "No, it wasn't ok for her to get into trouble in elementary school."
Goku sighed. He hated it when she totally missed his point. "You know what I meant."
Usagi looked back and fourth as her parents argued with one another. Education seemed to be one of the keys to pretty much all of their arguments, and quite frankly it was getting tiring. She figured she had a say in what happened to her in school.
Chi-Chi decided to leave Goku alone about the entire getting into trouble in elementary school. It didn't seem that important now that it was in the past. Usagi was past elementary school, and soon to be past middle school. "Your father is right, young lady."
Shocked, Usagi shot a quick glance at her mother in confusion. She couldn't remember any other time when her mother had said that her father was right. "Are you feeling alright, mom?"
Chi-Chi frowned as she spun around to face her husband and daughter. "Don't sound so surprised. Your father was onto something when he said it reflects your permanent record."
Goku lifted his hand behind his head. "I was?"
Chi-Chi chuckled. "Yes. Usagi now is the time you have to start thinking about your future, and more importantly, what school you want to attend next year. You have to make sure it's a good one because.. ."
Usagi rolled her eyes as she took a seat next to her father and dropped her head upon the table. "I know, I know. Because whatever school I go to will determine what kind of job I get and who'll hire me. I know the drill."
Sighing, Chi-Chi was once again pulled away from dinner duty as she pulled up a chair next to her daughter's side. "Usagi you have to understand how important it is for you to get into a school with a good reputation. If you have a reputation for having an attitude problem it could seriously hurt your chances of getting into a good school." She looked up to Goku for some support since it was his comment that brought this entire subject about, but he didn't seem to want to get his hands dirty with the subject. He had acted the same way when Goten was trying to pick out a High School.
Usagi turned her head on its side and looked at the corner where Lucky was still fast asleep, even through all the commotion. It was at times like this when she wished she led a life as simple as a dog's. Then she wouldn't have to worry about going to school and keeping her grades up just to make her mother happy. She could live a life as carefree as she wanted. "Can we not talk about this right now?"
Brushing a strand of hair from the girl's eyes, Chi-Chi slightly frowned. "You can't keep putting it off. It's going to come up sooner than later! Quite frankly I thought you'd be more concerned about your future!"
Goku crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. He could tell there was something else bothering the girl, something other than school. He had a feeling it wasn't really about Mr. Koch either. She didn't start getting 'down' until her future was mentioned. "Chi-Chi," He started as he looked up at his wife, "why don't you let her wash up and get changed while you finish dinner before it gets burned?"
Chi-Chi couldn't argue with Goku on that one, she DID need to get back to her meal, but she knew he had other intentions for asking her to leave their daughter alone. He always seemed to stop their conversations right at the most vital point. "Fine. Usagi go do as your father just said."
Usagi lifted her head and stood up with pleasure. She was more than thankful to her father for stopping that nonsense right there and then. She made her way out of the kitchen, only to see Luna staring up at her, who had been allowed back into the house after the incident with Tatsuo. Chi- Chi had swallowed her pride, and after realizing that the cat had been the only reason why her daughter was able to escape from the Dark Kingdom, she allowed the cat to stay. "What?" Usagi didn't wait for an answer before she began making her way down the hall. She figured Luna would just talk while they walked.
The wide-eyed cat said nothing as she stood on all fours and began following her Princess down the hall. Luna jumped up on the back of the sofa in the living room and watched Usagi go into her room to get a change of clothes. "As much as it pains me to say this, your mother is right."
Usagi ignored the cat and continued on with what she was told to do. She opened her closet and pulled out the only clean outfit in there. 'Guess I gotta do more wash tonight.' She proceeded to close her door, but not before Luna darted in.
Usagi glared down at that cat that sat at her feet. "You eavesdropped."
Luna frowned as she jumped up onto Usagi's bed and lay down in a streak of light. "I was passing by when I heard your mother talking about High Schools. She's entirely right. You DO need to start thinking about the entrance exams. They're only nine months away."
Usagi frowned back at the pesky feline as she began to change her cloths. "Exactly! It's NINE months away. I don't know why you both have to worry so much."
"You need to study!"
Usagi rolled her eyes as she threw the shirt to her school uniform into a white laundry basket that held the rest of her cloths. "Don't try to preach to me what I need to do. You're only my advisor. Isn't there some sort of rule that states the advisor isn't supposed to eavesdrop on the Princess?"
Luna wasn't quite sure how to take Usagi at that point. She seemed a little disturbed about something all of a sudden. The girl had never been so brash with her before. "As your advisor I need to ADVISE you on what to do, thus the name ADVISOR. I need to know what's going on in your life to do my job." She stood up and walked to the foot of the bed just as Usagi was making her way out of the room. "What's with your attitude today, Usagi? You were fine until your mother mentioned High Schools."
Usagi stopped short on her way to the bathroom and shot a piercing glare back at the cat, the same glare that her mother had given her many times in the past. "I can't believe you, Luna! You were listening the entire time!"
Luna ducked her head in. She hadn't meant for that to slip out. "I'm sorry, Usagi."
Usagi frowned at the feline. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You didn't have to lie to me, Luna! Last time I looked you were supposed to be teaching me good morals, not bad ones." She crossed her arms and turned her back to the cat as she angrily marched into the bathroom.
Taking a deep breath, Luna decided to follow her Princess inside. This was such unusual behavior for her, which was beginning to worry Luna. "Are you all right, Usagi? It isn't that time of the month for you or anything, is it?"
That did it for the young Saiyan. She had had it with nagging for one day. She tried hold in her anger, but it wasn't really working at this point. "Why is it that a guy can get upset whenever he feels like it, but when a girl gets the slightest bit upset she's automatically on P.M.S.!?"
Luna knew something was up after seeing that display of anger. She made a hasty escape from the bathroom while she still had a head on her shoulders, hoping that she hadn't upset the girl too terribly much.
~*~*~
Usagi was relatively easy to set off for the rest of the night. She had decided not to go out after dinner like she had originally planned. After her talk with her parents and Luna she didn't much feel like it anymore. She had other things to do, like think about her future, as much as it pained her to do. The truth was that she hadn't thought anything about the dreaded entrance exams past the fact that she needed to take them. She hadn't really thought of them in depth like her mother had wanted. She actually tried to avoid the thought as much as possible. But now it was apparent as the time ticked closer and closer to the terrible test taking day her mother would stress the matter more and more.
Sitting on her bed, she stared at her six-star Dragon Ball, which she had found as soon as all seven balls turned back into their original form. She could remember staring at that thing for hours on end when she was just a little kid. Sighing to herself, she wished she could teleport herself back in time, back to when things were simple, back when she still had eight years before the entrance exams. She knew that there was no chance in hell of that ever happening. Pluto would never allow that to happen. The keeper of Time wouldn't want her Princess chickening out over such a trivial thing.
Just as she was about to get up and prepare a bubble bath for herself, she heard a knock on her door. Judging by the energy signature she knew that it was her father standing just outside. "Come in." She sat up just in time to watch the door be opened slightly, which was just enough to allow an excited dog run into her room and jump onto her bed. "Hey girl!" She whispered as she reached out and scratched the dog behind the ears. It responded with a slight kicking of its hind leg, causing Usagi to giggle.
Following Lucky was Goku with his patented goofy smile. "Someone really wanted to see you."
Usagi didn't look up at her father. Instead just nudged her face together with Lucky's. She hadn't been spending nearly enough time with the dog lately. She was usually too busy with school or hanging out with her friends.
Goku took the liberty of sitting on the corner of his daughter's bed as he pet the dog on her back. "She sure is lively tonight." Usagi smiled as she nodded, still saying nothing. "Not like someone else I know."
Usagi's smile slightly faded as she backed away from the dog. She refused to look at her father. "I suppose mom probably made you come in here so you can try talking to me about school?"
Goku looked offended. "Of course not." He used the bed as a brace while he pushed himself back up to his feet. "I was just letting Lucky in. She's been sitting outside your door all night."
Usagi watched her father as he turned around to leave. She was a little confused. Usually when he came in like that he either wanted to talk, or her mother sent him in. It didn't feel right for him to just leave like that without saying a word more to her about her strange behavior. "Dad?" She called to him, not knowing exactly what she was doing. Goku paused, but remained silent. "Wanna talk?"
Goku made his way back to her bed and sat down next to Lucky once again. "Sure. What about? Sports? Tournaments? Or the latest thing Mr. Satan's done to make himself look like an idiot in front of everyone."
Usagi couldn't help but giggle at that last suggestion. "As interesting as those topics would make for a conversation, I kind of want to talk about something a little more important."
"Oh?" Goku quirked a brow. "And my hobbies aren't important to you anymore?"
Usagi playfully glared at her father with a muffled giggle. "Daddy."
Goku chuckled as leaned against the wall in order to get comfortable. "Wha'do you wanna talk about then?" He put his hands behind his head and crossed his legs, somewhat.
Usagi turned her eyes downward and grabbed for her tail. She wasn't sure how to bring up what was actually bothering her. She had never really had a problem before, but for some reason, this felt a little different. Sighing, she decided to just dive right into it. "I'm scared."
Goku's happy disposition dropped only to be replaced by concern. "Excuse me?" Did she know something he didn't? Was there someone at school like Tatsuo? Both of these questions and more raced through his head as he tried to figure out what in the world she was talking about. Maybe it was Mr. Koch.
Two seconds after she had said that Usagi knew that wasn't exactly the best way to just come out with it. But it was what she had started with so she might as well go with it. "I mean, I'm scared about the entrance exams."
Goku's heart felt a little more at ease after hearing that. He placed his hand over his heart as he stared at his daughter. "God, girl. You almost gave me a heart attack. I thought someone was trying to kill you or something."
A slight smile cracked upon Usagi's face, but nothing much. "I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't thinking." She fiddled with her tail as Lucky nipped softly at her hands.
Goku reached out and rubbed her knee. "Don't worry." He pulled his arm back and started to sit up. "Don't you think your mother would be a better person to talk to about the exams?"
Usagi literally threw herself over her father's lap at the mentioning of talking this over with her mother. That was NOT something she could imagine herself doing. "Daddy, no!" She quickly realized how childish she was acting and pulled away from his lap in embarrassment. "I mean, no." She said more calmly this time.
Goku was convinced. Chi-Chi was obviously someone this child did NOT want to talk to at the moment. "I'm listening."
Usagi sat on her knees as she pushed the excited Lucky to the side. Looking back into her father's caring eyes, she asked her first question. "Daddy what if me and the girls don't get into the same school? What if they all get in the same school but I'm in a different one? What if we start growing apart?"
Goku's eyes widened at the mouthful he had just received from his daughter. He hadn't expected a game of twenty questions. "What if, what if, what if? Don't you ever ask why anymore?"
Usagi frowned. "Daddy this is serious. What if I don't.. ."
Goku put his hand over her mouth to quiet the girl down. "I heard you the first time, Usagi." He sat up and pulled his legs close enough to his chest so he could cross his feet and still be able to rest his arms on his knees. "I think you're worrying about nothing, really."
That wasn't exactly the answer Usagi had been looking for. "But what if I'm not and we really DO get split up? Then we won't see each other every day."
Goku frowned at his daughter. "Do you really think you guys have to go to the same school to be friends?"
Usagi lowered her head. "No. But I've seen it happen."
Goku chuckled. "You five are attached at the hip. With as close as you are I really don't think you're going to have that problem, sweetie."
Usagi didn't really seem to like the answer she got, but she knew it was true. In all honesty she wasn't even really worried about going to different schools. There was really something more bothering her. "Dad?"
Goku patted his leg to get Lucky's attention. "Hmm?"
Usagi gulped as she tried to find the words to her next question. "Do you think mom will be mad if I don't get accepted into a good school?"
Goku dropped his playful attitude about the entire situation right then and there. He ignored Lucky, who now sat on his lap, and looked directly into his daughter's bright, blue eyes. He KNEW something had been bothering her the moment the subject was mentioned earlier. "Your mother would never get mad at you for something like that. I know she comes off strong sometimes, but you know how she is. She wants the best for you."
Usagi looked down at her bed, not so sure of his answer. "No, I think you're wrong. Mom's been stuck on education from the start. She's always yelling at me when I don't bring home good grades. Why would this be any different? In fact, it'd be worse. You heard her today. What school I get accepted into really impacts my future." She let her words taper off as she backed off even further.
It was then that Goku knew something even greater was bothering his daughter. "Usagi, look at me." Usagi didn't react. "Look at me." This time Usagi looked up in silence. "Your mother will NOT be mad if you don't get into your first choice. As long as you try your hardest she'll be happy. That's all she's ever really asked."
Usagi sighed. "I'm just tired of disappointing her."
Goku didn't know how to respond to that. It wasn't exactly his area. He didn't really want to meddle with his wife's territory. "You won't disappoint her."
Usagi looked up with a slight smile. "I hope you're right."
Goku wished he could help her more, but education wasn't exactly his forte. After all, he himself had never gone to school. Everything he knew he picked up from other people or looking through all of Gohan's old textbooks. There was only one piece of advice he could give her at that point. "Think of the exam this way. The test is your foe, and it's your job to train for the big fight."
Usagi liked the sound of that. She had been training for enemy attacks all her life, why should this be any different. "That makes a lot of sense."
Goku smiled. "Of course it does."
Usagi smirked. "I'm gonna train for this just as hard as I did for Cell."
Goku patted his daughter on the leg with an even greater smile. "That's my girl."
"Thanks dad."
~*~*~
~~The Next Night: Museum of Art~~
Haruka restlessly fidgeted in her suit as she and Michiru made their way up the front walkway of the Art Museum, which was lined with tiny, white lights. Michiru giggled as she latched onto the other girl's arm. "Stop fidgeting." In her free hand she held a small portfolio of her work as Taro had requested.
"I can't help it. I'm not used to getting all dressed up." Haruka whined as she adjusted her tie. "I can't believe you're making me do this. She brushed down her jacket to make sure it was sitting flat.
"Don't you want to take an interest in me and my hobbies?"
Haruka gave a sly grin. "Well I don't really mind taking an interest in you.. ."
As the two came upon the front door, Michiru blushed. She was cut off by the doorman before she had a chance to reply. "Names please."
Haruka tilted her head back with a groan. 'This place is really gonna be somethin else if they have a list.' She looked back down just after Michiru gave her name. "The names Haruka."
The doorman began searching his list, finding them near the bottom. "Go on ahead." He stepped aside, allowing the two to go on inside. Another woman was quick to approach the doorman, this one not nearly as dressed up as the rest of the folk inside. "Can I help you?" He noticed that she too, like Michiru, was holding something in her hand, but this looked like some sort of silver suitcase.
The woman was quick to glare at the nuisance. "Move aside." She lifted up her silver box and knocked the man out. Stepping over him, she entered the party.
~*~*~
Haruka pulled her arm out from Michiru's grasp. "You didn't tell me this was going to be 'list' kind of place."
Michiru frowned. "Did I have to? I knew you wouldn't have come if I had."
"Damn right I wouldn't. You know these kind of people give me the chills."
Michiru frowned even harder as she put her hands around her hips. "And just WHAT are you implying."
Had Haruka been given the chance to reply, she would have. But she noticed a boy about their age approaching with a huge smile. "You know him?"
"Huh?" Michiru turned around and was suddenly standing face to face with Taro.
"Hello, Michiru." He said calmly, his smile quickly disappearing. He looked up to the girl behind her and held out his hand. "Hello. My name is Taro."
The only reason why Haruka reached out and shook the boy's hand was because Michiru would have completely gone of if she hadn't. "Haruka."
Taro turned his eyes away from the blonde and looked toward Michiru. "Did you bring those paintings?" Michiru lifted up her portfolio. "Great. Why don't you two follow me and we can get set up in one of the studios. Then I'll let you guys look around a bit since you're probably dying of excitement."
"Yeah, I'm really dying." Haruka mumbled. "You go on ahead." She turned her head to the right, noticing something that would much more fun than the artsy stuff. "I'll be there in a minute."
Michiru turned her attention in the direction that Haruka's eyes were facing with a silent giggle. She knew exactly what her partner was after. "All right." She turned back to Taro with a smile. "Let's go.
Taro nodded as he put his hand on her shoulder and began directing her through the crowd of people. "It's upstairs. We'll have completely privacy up there. That way you won't have to show anyone else if you don't want to."
The uninvited woman spotted the duo making their way upstairs. "Perfect." She pushed her way through the crowd.
~*~*~
"So, Michiru, was that guy your boyfriend?"
Michiru blushed as she looked down. "You could kind of say that. Actually, SHE'S my girlfriend."
"I'm sorry!" Taro brought his hand behind his head and scratched it. "I had no idea she was a, well, you know, a girl." His face turned a bright shade of red.
Michiru giggled. "It's all right. She's not exactly the female-looking type. It's understandable."
Taro grinned. "She's a very lucky girl." Michiru's face turned even brighter as she was directed into a small, but brightly-lit studio. "Well, here we are."
~*~*~
Meanwhile, the uninvited woman snuck upstairs. She found herself met with a hallway of darkness. "What kind of idiot runs a Museum without lights upstairs?" Shrugging to herself, she began on he way down the hall. Not far from he position she could see a light being emitted from underneath one of the doors. "Perfect. How convenient that my next victim just take himself away from the crowd and put himself in a secluded place. That girl will be the only witness. I guess I can take her Heart Crystal too. It never hurts to stock up." Laughing to herself, she made a quick dash down the hall and pressed herself against the wall just outside the only occupied room on the floor. She could hear voices, which meant they were actually in there. "Time to get my first Pure Heart Crystal!"
~*~*~*~
After leaving the shrine, Makoto went straight home to tell her parents the news. She wondered how her father would react. There were a number of different ways he could react. There was a large chance that he would take the route of sarcasm and insult her by saying that it was about time she started doing what she was told, even though she always had. Along with being a complete ass, her liked to make things up in his mind. He had always seen and heard only the things he wanted, never what was really placed before him. He had always somehow seen the things she did wrong, and come down on her hard for them, but he never seemed to see the things she did right; her accomplishments. She had always gotten the feeling that he treated her like to compensate for something. It had really bothered her when she was younger, but as she grew older, she learned to ignore those feelings like she had so many other times.
Turning down her street, she noticed her father shutting the door to his car. He looked at her, but didn't acknowledge her presence before he turned to go inside the house. She hadn't expected him to. He never really paid attention to her. She would have been surprised if he even recognized her as his own daughter from that far away, even though she was only two houses down. Sighing to herself, Makoto picked up her pace so she could report the news. She wanted to get it done quickly and get out of the house just as quick. The less time she spent in the same house as her father the better.
"Mom! I'm home!" She yelled as she kicked off her shoes after entering the house. She didn't even bother greeting her father. She threw her bag next to the sofa and walked down the hall where she could hear her mother's voice originating from. "Mom?" She called out just as she was coming upon her parents' room. She could hear her father's voice in there now, which warded her away from the room. She knew better than to go in there when her father was home. He always had to get an attitude and scream at her for breaching his privacy. "Mom?" She called out again, not knowing if her mother had heard her the first two times.
"Wha'do you want?" Her father angrily returned the call.
Makoto frowned. She didn't remember ever asking for him. Why did he feel the need to ask what she wanted? It was none of his concern. "I need to talk to mom."
"Your mother's busy!"
"Stop it!" Mrs. Kino emerged from her room, momentarily poking her head back to look upon her husband who was frowning. "Honestly! I don't know what your problem is sometimes." With that being said, she looked back out on her daughter, who wore a hateful scowl. It hurt her to see her daughter looking that way. She knew exactly where that look came from. It was from all the years of mental abuse the child had received from her father. She never really understood why the man felt it was his duty to treat their only child like she was a bum off the street. Makoto had never done anything to deserve that sort of treatment. She wished that Makoto and her father had more of a relationship like Minako and her father, or Usagi and her father. But that was something of a distant dream anymore.
Trying not to dwell on the moment, Mrs. Kino smiled at her daughter. "What can I do for you, dear?" She asked softly.
It wasn't hard for Makoto to shove aside her anger as she looked up at her mother. "Rei's grandfather said it would be alright for me to stay with them while you're gone."
Mrs. Kino smiled wider with excitement. "Oh that's wonderful! I'm so glad you've found someone to stay with!" She poked her head back into her room. "Did you hear that?" She got no answer from her husband as she pulled her head back out and looked down at her daughter, who didn't seem to be all that happy. Her look of excitement disappeared. "What's the wrong?"
Makoto sighed as she lowered her head. She didn't know why, but for some reason she didn't want them to leave. Well, not her mother. She didn't care that her father was leaving. "Nothing, I guess." She turned back down the hall and started making her way back to front door, only to stop once again. "When are you guys leaving?"
"Friday night."
Makoto said nothing as she started on her way again. 'Two days from now.'
~*~*~
Usagi arrived home just in time for dinner that night as she had promised her mother in their agreement. She dashed in the door and flipped her shoes off into the middle of the living room, making sure her bag was thrown in the same manner. "Hi!" She chirped as she ran into the kitchen where she found her mother finishing up dinner.
Smiling, Chi-Chi looked over at her teenage daughter. "Hi, sweetie. No homework today?"
Usagi grinned as she sat down at the table. "I'm happy to report that as a negative!" She looked in the far right corner to see Lucky sleeping soundly.
Chi-Chi looked back to what she was doing. "Dinner's almost ready."
Usagi leaned against the table as she stared back up at her mother. "Great! I'm starved!" Turning her head toward the door, she noticed her father walking by. "Hi, dad!" Goku, who had been on his way out the door, stopped and turned to his daughter with a grim expression. Usagi wasn't sure whether or not to be alarmed. He didn't usually look that way unless he was worried or concerned about something. She couldn't help but wonder that maybe something had happened while she was away at school, maybe something leading to a new enemy. She had grown very accustomed to having to defend earth against threats in the past few years that she was always on alert, just as she had always been taught. "What's wrong?"
Goku changed his direction and walked into the kitchen. Ignoring his wife, he sat next to his daughter. "Nothing much, really."
Usagi knew better than that. She could read her father just as easily as he could read her. "Daddy." She scolded.
Chi-Chi smashed a pan onto the stove. "Goku you've been moping around for an hour now. What's wrong with you?"
Goku rested his arms on the tabletop and leaned inward. "Usagi, I have something very difficult to tell you, and I know you're not going to like it."
Unknowingly, Usagi's heart began to race with fear. Her father was NEVER so solemn with her before, well, not unless she disobeyed him big time, like when she had gone into the past. She had to wonder if she had done something to upset him, but what could she have done that could have been SO bad. "Am I in trouble?"
Goku was stunned by his daughter's question. Where would she ever come up with such a thought? Chuckling, he gave a half smile. "Of course not." He chuckled again when Usagi gave a quick sigh of relief. "Actually, I saw something very interesting on the news a while ago."
Usagi wasn't sure how to react. What did he mean by 'interesting'? "Uhm, ok." She looked up at her mother, who still had her attention on dinner.
Goku wasn't quite expecting such a laid back reaction. After living with the girl for so long he had expected her to become excited with wonder. "A girl was found to be missing at the Mugen School for the Gifted today."
That caught Chi-Chi's attention. "You mean the school Hotaru goes to?"
Goku nodded, but didn't give his wife the respect of turning and facing her. "Sure is." He continued looking at his daughter, a little upset that his wife wouldn't let him tell what he had seen. "Anyway, she was missing for about four hours, no one had seen her since three this afternoon. Guess who her mother was?"
Usagi shrugged. "I bet you're going to tell me, aren't you?"
Goku nodded. "Your math teacher."
"Really?!" Usagi leaned further into the table, as she was more interested now.
Once again, Goku nodded. "Yeah. Now comes the painful part." He cleared his throat, wanting to give his daughter enough time to ease into his horrible news. "She was found dead about an hour ago in one of the old research labs by Hotaru's father."
Chi-Chi threw down a knife and turned around to face her husband and daughter with a gasp. "How horrible!" Usagi nodded to agree with her mother, but was too shocked to say anything. "Did someone kill her!?"
Goku shook his head. "No, it looks like she died of natural causes. Her mother, your math teacher, is taking time off from work to get over the shock, which means bad news for you."
Usagi leaned back in her chair at the mention of bad news. It meant a substitute, definitely, but who was it? It had to be someone bad otherwise her father wouldn't have been so serious. "Do I want to know?"
Goku hated the fact that he had to tell her the next part. "They said the replacement for the period of math she taught you guys for was going to be a new teacher at the school, known none other than Mr. Koch to us."
Chi-Chi became furious at the mentioning of that idiot's name. "What!? You mean that devil of a teacher that taught MY baby in first grade!?"
Usagi's eyes grew large with fear. "No! This can't be happening!"
Chi-Chi grabbed her husband by the throat as if he were the problem. "I will NOT allow this to happen! That bastard will NOT teach my little girl!" She tugged him back and fourth, not even realizing what she was doing.
Goku frowned as he reached up and grabbed a hold of his wife's wrist, trying desperately to pry her hands away from his throat without hurting her. "What're you doing!?"
Usagi temporarily forgot about the new teacher situation and laughed at her parents. She remembered the last time this had happened. It was shortly after Kiro and his gang had been uncovered as the beings causing the Saiyans to become sick. She remembered what had happened when Mr. Koch had tried to pull his crap on Chi-Chi. One thing Usagi had learned early was no one, and that meant NO ONE ever called her mother's children stupid without having a death wish. Things had gotten so bad that a parent-student-teacher meeting had to be called. Mr. Koch had made the mistake of telling Chi-Chi that her daughter wasn't performing as well as the other students, which Chi-Chi took as an insult to her child's intelligence. Things had pretty much gone downhill for the man after that. Chi-Chi ended up chewing him out and threatening to send Goku out to 'hurt' him. After seeing the woman's reaction, Mr. Koch had backed off a bit, for a while that is. It wasn't long before he was back at his old antics and picking on Usagi for everything, which she just KNEW was a result of the meeting, there was no doubt about it. This same incident had happened every time there was a meeting between the Son family and Mr. Koch. Chi-Chi would always work herself up into a frenzy and end up choking Goku JUST because he was a man.
Usagi laughed hysterically at her father, who was turning red. "Mom's gotcha good this time, dad." She hoped down out of her chair and calmly approached her angry mother. "Mom?" She poked her mother.
Moving her attention to her daughter, Chi-Chi slightly let up her hold on Goku. "What?!" Her words unintentionally came out harsh.
Usagi didn't take any notice to the way her mother had addressed her. She knew better than to take it personally. "I think you're making daddy suffocate." She pointed to his bright red face.
Chi-Chi turned back down toward her husband and noticed his pink colored face for the first time. Gasping at her own power, she released him at once and backed away. "Look at what that man makes me do!"
Goku gasped for breath as he lightly wrapped his hands around his throat to protect it from any more irrational moves his wife might decide to make. He had once made the mistake of not protecting himself and mentioning Mr. Koch's name, which earned him more punishment from the angry mother. "Get a hold of yourself." He ducked his head and raised his hand, hoping that he hadn't set her off again.
Chi-Chi had to stop herself from lashing out at him. Even though she knew he had nothing to do with Mr. Koch being her daughter's new math teacher, she still felt the urge to beat up on someone, and Goku was the only one she would trust herself with. She knew that she couldn't truly hurt him, which she figured why he always seemed to let her get away with lashing out like that without yelling at her. "Oh God I'm sorry."
Usagi tugged at her mother's elbow, still with a slight giggle. "Mom, that's not Mr. Koch, it's dad." She looked at her gasping father whose face was returning to its normal color. She knew he wasn't too hurt, just a little winded.
Seeing that there wasn't really anymore of a threat, Goku smirked as he leaned his arms on the table as he tried to catch his breath. "Gees, it's just like old times."
Usagi's face turned white with fear. She didn't want things to be just like they used to. That would mean Mr. Koch would be the true jackass he always was. "I hope not."
Chi-Chi frowned as she took her place back at the counter. She figured that if she stood away from her husband that the chances of her just lashing out from no where would disappear. "I don't want a replay of what happened in first grade this year, am I understood, Usagi?"
Usagi didn't know how well that would work out. She had barely spoken for five minutes with the man and he had already started the same old Crap with her. Being in a class situation wouldn't be any different. Things were sure to be the way they used to. That would only mean trouble for Usagi. She hadn't really been in the office for challenging a teacher SINCE Mr. Koch. He absolutely hated her; there was no doubt about it. "Well," She began, not knowing what to say.
Chi-Chi didn't like the uncertainty in her daughter's voice, and Goku liked it even less. "Usagi, this is one time I'm going to have to agree with your mother. You're too old to be getting in trouble with your teachers. It's fine when you're in elementary school, but once you start getting to be your age it really reflects on your permanent record."
Chi-Chi eyed her husband with a glare. "No, it wasn't ok for her to get into trouble in elementary school."
Goku sighed. He hated it when she totally missed his point. "You know what I meant."
Usagi looked back and fourth as her parents argued with one another. Education seemed to be one of the keys to pretty much all of their arguments, and quite frankly it was getting tiring. She figured she had a say in what happened to her in school.
Chi-Chi decided to leave Goku alone about the entire getting into trouble in elementary school. It didn't seem that important now that it was in the past. Usagi was past elementary school, and soon to be past middle school. "Your father is right, young lady."
Shocked, Usagi shot a quick glance at her mother in confusion. She couldn't remember any other time when her mother had said that her father was right. "Are you feeling alright, mom?"
Chi-Chi frowned as she spun around to face her husband and daughter. "Don't sound so surprised. Your father was onto something when he said it reflects your permanent record."
Goku lifted his hand behind his head. "I was?"
Chi-Chi chuckled. "Yes. Usagi now is the time you have to start thinking about your future, and more importantly, what school you want to attend next year. You have to make sure it's a good one because.. ."
Usagi rolled her eyes as she took a seat next to her father and dropped her head upon the table. "I know, I know. Because whatever school I go to will determine what kind of job I get and who'll hire me. I know the drill."
Sighing, Chi-Chi was once again pulled away from dinner duty as she pulled up a chair next to her daughter's side. "Usagi you have to understand how important it is for you to get into a school with a good reputation. If you have a reputation for having an attitude problem it could seriously hurt your chances of getting into a good school." She looked up to Goku for some support since it was his comment that brought this entire subject about, but he didn't seem to want to get his hands dirty with the subject. He had acted the same way when Goten was trying to pick out a High School.
Usagi turned her head on its side and looked at the corner where Lucky was still fast asleep, even through all the commotion. It was at times like this when she wished she led a life as simple as a dog's. Then she wouldn't have to worry about going to school and keeping her grades up just to make her mother happy. She could live a life as carefree as she wanted. "Can we not talk about this right now?"
Brushing a strand of hair from the girl's eyes, Chi-Chi slightly frowned. "You can't keep putting it off. It's going to come up sooner than later! Quite frankly I thought you'd be more concerned about your future!"
Goku crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. He could tell there was something else bothering the girl, something other than school. He had a feeling it wasn't really about Mr. Koch either. She didn't start getting 'down' until her future was mentioned. "Chi-Chi," He started as he looked up at his wife, "why don't you let her wash up and get changed while you finish dinner before it gets burned?"
Chi-Chi couldn't argue with Goku on that one, she DID need to get back to her meal, but she knew he had other intentions for asking her to leave their daughter alone. He always seemed to stop their conversations right at the most vital point. "Fine. Usagi go do as your father just said."
Usagi lifted her head and stood up with pleasure. She was more than thankful to her father for stopping that nonsense right there and then. She made her way out of the kitchen, only to see Luna staring up at her, who had been allowed back into the house after the incident with Tatsuo. Chi- Chi had swallowed her pride, and after realizing that the cat had been the only reason why her daughter was able to escape from the Dark Kingdom, she allowed the cat to stay. "What?" Usagi didn't wait for an answer before she began making her way down the hall. She figured Luna would just talk while they walked.
The wide-eyed cat said nothing as she stood on all fours and began following her Princess down the hall. Luna jumped up on the back of the sofa in the living room and watched Usagi go into her room to get a change of clothes. "As much as it pains me to say this, your mother is right."
Usagi ignored the cat and continued on with what she was told to do. She opened her closet and pulled out the only clean outfit in there. 'Guess I gotta do more wash tonight.' She proceeded to close her door, but not before Luna darted in.
Usagi glared down at that cat that sat at her feet. "You eavesdropped."
Luna frowned as she jumped up onto Usagi's bed and lay down in a streak of light. "I was passing by when I heard your mother talking about High Schools. She's entirely right. You DO need to start thinking about the entrance exams. They're only nine months away."
Usagi frowned back at the pesky feline as she began to change her cloths. "Exactly! It's NINE months away. I don't know why you both have to worry so much."
"You need to study!"
Usagi rolled her eyes as she threw the shirt to her school uniform into a white laundry basket that held the rest of her cloths. "Don't try to preach to me what I need to do. You're only my advisor. Isn't there some sort of rule that states the advisor isn't supposed to eavesdrop on the Princess?"
Luna wasn't quite sure how to take Usagi at that point. She seemed a little disturbed about something all of a sudden. The girl had never been so brash with her before. "As your advisor I need to ADVISE you on what to do, thus the name ADVISOR. I need to know what's going on in your life to do my job." She stood up and walked to the foot of the bed just as Usagi was making her way out of the room. "What's with your attitude today, Usagi? You were fine until your mother mentioned High Schools."
Usagi stopped short on her way to the bathroom and shot a piercing glare back at the cat, the same glare that her mother had given her many times in the past. "I can't believe you, Luna! You were listening the entire time!"
Luna ducked her head in. She hadn't meant for that to slip out. "I'm sorry, Usagi."
Usagi frowned at the feline. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You didn't have to lie to me, Luna! Last time I looked you were supposed to be teaching me good morals, not bad ones." She crossed her arms and turned her back to the cat as she angrily marched into the bathroom.
Taking a deep breath, Luna decided to follow her Princess inside. This was such unusual behavior for her, which was beginning to worry Luna. "Are you all right, Usagi? It isn't that time of the month for you or anything, is it?"
That did it for the young Saiyan. She had had it with nagging for one day. She tried hold in her anger, but it wasn't really working at this point. "Why is it that a guy can get upset whenever he feels like it, but when a girl gets the slightest bit upset she's automatically on P.M.S.!?"
Luna knew something was up after seeing that display of anger. She made a hasty escape from the bathroom while she still had a head on her shoulders, hoping that she hadn't upset the girl too terribly much.
~*~*~
Usagi was relatively easy to set off for the rest of the night. She had decided not to go out after dinner like she had originally planned. After her talk with her parents and Luna she didn't much feel like it anymore. She had other things to do, like think about her future, as much as it pained her to do. The truth was that she hadn't thought anything about the dreaded entrance exams past the fact that she needed to take them. She hadn't really thought of them in depth like her mother had wanted. She actually tried to avoid the thought as much as possible. But now it was apparent as the time ticked closer and closer to the terrible test taking day her mother would stress the matter more and more.
Sitting on her bed, she stared at her six-star Dragon Ball, which she had found as soon as all seven balls turned back into their original form. She could remember staring at that thing for hours on end when she was just a little kid. Sighing to herself, she wished she could teleport herself back in time, back to when things were simple, back when she still had eight years before the entrance exams. She knew that there was no chance in hell of that ever happening. Pluto would never allow that to happen. The keeper of Time wouldn't want her Princess chickening out over such a trivial thing.
Just as she was about to get up and prepare a bubble bath for herself, she heard a knock on her door. Judging by the energy signature she knew that it was her father standing just outside. "Come in." She sat up just in time to watch the door be opened slightly, which was just enough to allow an excited dog run into her room and jump onto her bed. "Hey girl!" She whispered as she reached out and scratched the dog behind the ears. It responded with a slight kicking of its hind leg, causing Usagi to giggle.
Following Lucky was Goku with his patented goofy smile. "Someone really wanted to see you."
Usagi didn't look up at her father. Instead just nudged her face together with Lucky's. She hadn't been spending nearly enough time with the dog lately. She was usually too busy with school or hanging out with her friends.
Goku took the liberty of sitting on the corner of his daughter's bed as he pet the dog on her back. "She sure is lively tonight." Usagi smiled as she nodded, still saying nothing. "Not like someone else I know."
Usagi's smile slightly faded as she backed away from the dog. She refused to look at her father. "I suppose mom probably made you come in here so you can try talking to me about school?"
Goku looked offended. "Of course not." He used the bed as a brace while he pushed himself back up to his feet. "I was just letting Lucky in. She's been sitting outside your door all night."
Usagi watched her father as he turned around to leave. She was a little confused. Usually when he came in like that he either wanted to talk, or her mother sent him in. It didn't feel right for him to just leave like that without saying a word more to her about her strange behavior. "Dad?" She called to him, not knowing exactly what she was doing. Goku paused, but remained silent. "Wanna talk?"
Goku made his way back to her bed and sat down next to Lucky once again. "Sure. What about? Sports? Tournaments? Or the latest thing Mr. Satan's done to make himself look like an idiot in front of everyone."
Usagi couldn't help but giggle at that last suggestion. "As interesting as those topics would make for a conversation, I kind of want to talk about something a little more important."
"Oh?" Goku quirked a brow. "And my hobbies aren't important to you anymore?"
Usagi playfully glared at her father with a muffled giggle. "Daddy."
Goku chuckled as leaned against the wall in order to get comfortable. "Wha'do you wanna talk about then?" He put his hands behind his head and crossed his legs, somewhat.
Usagi turned her eyes downward and grabbed for her tail. She wasn't sure how to bring up what was actually bothering her. She had never really had a problem before, but for some reason, this felt a little different. Sighing, she decided to just dive right into it. "I'm scared."
Goku's happy disposition dropped only to be replaced by concern. "Excuse me?" Did she know something he didn't? Was there someone at school like Tatsuo? Both of these questions and more raced through his head as he tried to figure out what in the world she was talking about. Maybe it was Mr. Koch.
Two seconds after she had said that Usagi knew that wasn't exactly the best way to just come out with it. But it was what she had started with so she might as well go with it. "I mean, I'm scared about the entrance exams."
Goku's heart felt a little more at ease after hearing that. He placed his hand over his heart as he stared at his daughter. "God, girl. You almost gave me a heart attack. I thought someone was trying to kill you or something."
A slight smile cracked upon Usagi's face, but nothing much. "I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't thinking." She fiddled with her tail as Lucky nipped softly at her hands.
Goku reached out and rubbed her knee. "Don't worry." He pulled his arm back and started to sit up. "Don't you think your mother would be a better person to talk to about the exams?"
Usagi literally threw herself over her father's lap at the mentioning of talking this over with her mother. That was NOT something she could imagine herself doing. "Daddy, no!" She quickly realized how childish she was acting and pulled away from his lap in embarrassment. "I mean, no." She said more calmly this time.
Goku was convinced. Chi-Chi was obviously someone this child did NOT want to talk to at the moment. "I'm listening."
Usagi sat on her knees as she pushed the excited Lucky to the side. Looking back into her father's caring eyes, she asked her first question. "Daddy what if me and the girls don't get into the same school? What if they all get in the same school but I'm in a different one? What if we start growing apart?"
Goku's eyes widened at the mouthful he had just received from his daughter. He hadn't expected a game of twenty questions. "What if, what if, what if? Don't you ever ask why anymore?"
Usagi frowned. "Daddy this is serious. What if I don't.. ."
Goku put his hand over her mouth to quiet the girl down. "I heard you the first time, Usagi." He sat up and pulled his legs close enough to his chest so he could cross his feet and still be able to rest his arms on his knees. "I think you're worrying about nothing, really."
That wasn't exactly the answer Usagi had been looking for. "But what if I'm not and we really DO get split up? Then we won't see each other every day."
Goku frowned at his daughter. "Do you really think you guys have to go to the same school to be friends?"
Usagi lowered her head. "No. But I've seen it happen."
Goku chuckled. "You five are attached at the hip. With as close as you are I really don't think you're going to have that problem, sweetie."
Usagi didn't really seem to like the answer she got, but she knew it was true. In all honesty she wasn't even really worried about going to different schools. There was really something more bothering her. "Dad?"
Goku patted his leg to get Lucky's attention. "Hmm?"
Usagi gulped as she tried to find the words to her next question. "Do you think mom will be mad if I don't get accepted into a good school?"
Goku dropped his playful attitude about the entire situation right then and there. He ignored Lucky, who now sat on his lap, and looked directly into his daughter's bright, blue eyes. He KNEW something had been bothering her the moment the subject was mentioned earlier. "Your mother would never get mad at you for something like that. I know she comes off strong sometimes, but you know how she is. She wants the best for you."
Usagi looked down at her bed, not so sure of his answer. "No, I think you're wrong. Mom's been stuck on education from the start. She's always yelling at me when I don't bring home good grades. Why would this be any different? In fact, it'd be worse. You heard her today. What school I get accepted into really impacts my future." She let her words taper off as she backed off even further.
It was then that Goku knew something even greater was bothering his daughter. "Usagi, look at me." Usagi didn't react. "Look at me." This time Usagi looked up in silence. "Your mother will NOT be mad if you don't get into your first choice. As long as you try your hardest she'll be happy. That's all she's ever really asked."
Usagi sighed. "I'm just tired of disappointing her."
Goku didn't know how to respond to that. It wasn't exactly his area. He didn't really want to meddle with his wife's territory. "You won't disappoint her."
Usagi looked up with a slight smile. "I hope you're right."
Goku wished he could help her more, but education wasn't exactly his forte. After all, he himself had never gone to school. Everything he knew he picked up from other people or looking through all of Gohan's old textbooks. There was only one piece of advice he could give her at that point. "Think of the exam this way. The test is your foe, and it's your job to train for the big fight."
Usagi liked the sound of that. She had been training for enemy attacks all her life, why should this be any different. "That makes a lot of sense."
Goku smiled. "Of course it does."
Usagi smirked. "I'm gonna train for this just as hard as I did for Cell."
Goku patted his daughter on the leg with an even greater smile. "That's my girl."
"Thanks dad."
~*~*~
~~The Next Night: Museum of Art~~
Haruka restlessly fidgeted in her suit as she and Michiru made their way up the front walkway of the Art Museum, which was lined with tiny, white lights. Michiru giggled as she latched onto the other girl's arm. "Stop fidgeting." In her free hand she held a small portfolio of her work as Taro had requested.
"I can't help it. I'm not used to getting all dressed up." Haruka whined as she adjusted her tie. "I can't believe you're making me do this. She brushed down her jacket to make sure it was sitting flat.
"Don't you want to take an interest in me and my hobbies?"
Haruka gave a sly grin. "Well I don't really mind taking an interest in you.. ."
As the two came upon the front door, Michiru blushed. She was cut off by the doorman before she had a chance to reply. "Names please."
Haruka tilted her head back with a groan. 'This place is really gonna be somethin else if they have a list.' She looked back down just after Michiru gave her name. "The names Haruka."
The doorman began searching his list, finding them near the bottom. "Go on ahead." He stepped aside, allowing the two to go on inside. Another woman was quick to approach the doorman, this one not nearly as dressed up as the rest of the folk inside. "Can I help you?" He noticed that she too, like Michiru, was holding something in her hand, but this looked like some sort of silver suitcase.
The woman was quick to glare at the nuisance. "Move aside." She lifted up her silver box and knocked the man out. Stepping over him, she entered the party.
~*~*~
Haruka pulled her arm out from Michiru's grasp. "You didn't tell me this was going to be 'list' kind of place."
Michiru frowned. "Did I have to? I knew you wouldn't have come if I had."
"Damn right I wouldn't. You know these kind of people give me the chills."
Michiru frowned even harder as she put her hands around her hips. "And just WHAT are you implying."
Had Haruka been given the chance to reply, she would have. But she noticed a boy about their age approaching with a huge smile. "You know him?"
"Huh?" Michiru turned around and was suddenly standing face to face with Taro.
"Hello, Michiru." He said calmly, his smile quickly disappearing. He looked up to the girl behind her and held out his hand. "Hello. My name is Taro."
The only reason why Haruka reached out and shook the boy's hand was because Michiru would have completely gone of if she hadn't. "Haruka."
Taro turned his eyes away from the blonde and looked toward Michiru. "Did you bring those paintings?" Michiru lifted up her portfolio. "Great. Why don't you two follow me and we can get set up in one of the studios. Then I'll let you guys look around a bit since you're probably dying of excitement."
"Yeah, I'm really dying." Haruka mumbled. "You go on ahead." She turned her head to the right, noticing something that would much more fun than the artsy stuff. "I'll be there in a minute."
Michiru turned her attention in the direction that Haruka's eyes were facing with a silent giggle. She knew exactly what her partner was after. "All right." She turned back to Taro with a smile. "Let's go.
Taro nodded as he put his hand on her shoulder and began directing her through the crowd of people. "It's upstairs. We'll have completely privacy up there. That way you won't have to show anyone else if you don't want to."
The uninvited woman spotted the duo making their way upstairs. "Perfect." She pushed her way through the crowd.
~*~*~
"So, Michiru, was that guy your boyfriend?"
Michiru blushed as she looked down. "You could kind of say that. Actually, SHE'S my girlfriend."
"I'm sorry!" Taro brought his hand behind his head and scratched it. "I had no idea she was a, well, you know, a girl." His face turned a bright shade of red.
Michiru giggled. "It's all right. She's not exactly the female-looking type. It's understandable."
Taro grinned. "She's a very lucky girl." Michiru's face turned even brighter as she was directed into a small, but brightly-lit studio. "Well, here we are."
~*~*~
Meanwhile, the uninvited woman snuck upstairs. She found herself met with a hallway of darkness. "What kind of idiot runs a Museum without lights upstairs?" Shrugging to herself, she began on he way down the hall. Not far from he position she could see a light being emitted from underneath one of the doors. "Perfect. How convenient that my next victim just take himself away from the crowd and put himself in a secluded place. That girl will be the only witness. I guess I can take her Heart Crystal too. It never hurts to stock up." Laughing to herself, she made a quick dash down the hall and pressed herself against the wall just outside the only occupied room on the floor. She could hear voices, which meant they were actually in there. "Time to get my first Pure Heart Crystal!"