Title: Angel in the Snow
Author: Lisa
Chapter: 1
Rating: G
Website: www.geocities.com/mystillusions
Author's Notes:
Hi! I'm sorry that this chapter took *much* longer than expected, but after my hamster Artemis died...I didn't feel like writing. And school has been claiming my time. But thank you to the ten people who reviewed the previous chapter, you guys are the best! ^_^ And please, please, *please* go visit my co-owned website if you haven't already! ^^ With that said, read, enjoy, and please review/e-mail at the end! Oh, and I know Christmas was over a long time ago, but work with me here! ^_~
Disclaimers: Sailor Moon and the others don't belong to me but this story does.
*******************
The letter was clutched tightly in her hand, and Usagi made sure it stayed that way. She sucked in a deep breath to calm her fast-beating heart as she practically flew down the stairs, eyes sparkling excitedly. Luna followed at her charge's feet, demanding to see the letter. What was in it that made the girl so excited? "Usagi-chan, I demand that you give me the letter before I go crazy down here," the black feline said with clenched teeth. But Usagi ignored her and laughed gleefully.
They reached the bottom of the stairs in record time, and Usagi rushed to show Ikuko the letter. "Mom!" The letter was thrown in front of the blue-haired woman's face. Ikuko squinted, being that the letter was too close for her to read it properly. "All right Usagi, all right." She silently mouthed the words as she read, and before long, her eyes went wide. "Well," she started, "this is quite a surprise!" Needless to say, Ikuko was shocked.
"Can I, Mom? Can I?" Usagi asked in a pleading tone. She was desperate for her mom to agree now. "Please?"
They heard the sound of a car coming in from the driveway, and Usagi knew that her father had come home from running his errands. She grimaced, because knowing her father, he would never agree to what Mamoru had asked of in the letter. 'But if Mom agrees, then maybe she can get Dad to agree...' she contemplated. That sounded about right.
"Excuse me Usagi," Ikuko said and left, putting the letter on the table as she went to greet Kenji.
'Finally!' Luna's eyes brightened. Now was the opportunity to read it. In a leap, the feline jumped onto the table easily, sat down beside the paper, and scanned the words hurriedly. "Usagi-chan, this is very nice of Mamoru-san!" she exclaimed happily. "To think, visiting America! I've always wanted to go there myself," the cat said.
Usagi exhaled a shaky breath. "Hai, if my parents will agree."
Luna nodded her agreement and grinning, stated, "I told you to pay attention in the English class that you had to take, but did you listen? No."
"Luna!"
Usagi was not in a mood to start a silly fight with Luna. And even though the blonde did not want to admit, Luna was right. She should've paid more attention in English class; it just might come in handy if she had to go to America... Which she was, hopefully. She picked up the letter once more, cradling it close to her heart. Usagi could still smell the faint scent of roses on the piece of paper. She could not wait to see her Mamo-chan again. The blonde could not help but read the letter again...
My dearest Usako,
You must be angry with me for not writing back for the longest time. Gomen nasai, I didn't mean to anger or worry you. I can only picture you in my mind right now, a small smile plastered on your face, perhaps playing with the rose petals I put in with this letter. I miss you so much Usako. It's hard to imagine that a year has already passed since we last met, though I think about you every day. I long to touch you again. Usako, I want to see you again soon. Since Christmas is just around the corner, I get some time out of college, like you do with high school in Tokyo. Usako, I am asking you to spend Christmas with me this year, in America. I know this is very sudden, and your dad would probably disagree. But please call me and say you'll agree. I will gladly pay for your plane tickets, if you are worried about that. I await your answer.
Love,
Mamoru
The letter, in Usagi's opinion, was very romantic, which was good. It showed that Mamoru missed Usagi as much as she did him. A smile tugged at her lips...
Heavy footsteps were heard as Usagi's father walked into the kitchen, mumbling something about the cold weather. Usagi turned hopeful eyes to Kenji and greeted him with much enthusiasm. "Hi Dad! How did your errands go?" The girl rushed to get Kenji's mug and poured
him a cup of steaming tea. "Here," she said, smiling brightly...a little too brightly.
Kenji took the mug, mumbling a quiet thanks. He took a long drink, eyeing his daughter suspiciously, and took a seat at the dinner table, Usagi following suit. Kenji raised an eyebrow, knowing that something was definitely not right.
"Usagi, is something wrong?"
"No, why?"
"Usagi..."
"Well..." She searched for something to say. And as if on cue, Ikuko sat down next to Kenji with a sigh. She winked at Usagi, as which meant that she agreed for her to go. Usagi looked down at her hands nervously as her mother opened her mouth, and began to say talk.
"Kenji, you know that the holidays are upon us," she started, smiling.
"Yes..." Usagi's father gave his wife a thoroughly confused look. "And what does that have to do with Usagi?"
"Well, we all want to spend our holidays with someone..."
"Just tell me already!" The annoyed Kenji suddenly bellowed, startling Ikuko and Usagi. His face flushed red before he shook his head, mumbling an apology for giving them a sudden fright.
Seeing that this was going nowhere, Usagi decided to take matters into her own hands. "Dad, what I'm trying to say is that Mamoru wants me to spend Christmas in America with him, and I really want to go. I haven't seen him in such a long time, so please let me go!" The words just came pouring out from her lips, and Usagi took in a deep breath to slow her heartbeat. Her eyes slowly looked at her father, only to see a blank expression on his face.
"Care to say that again?" he asked after a moment of registering what the blonde had just said.
"What our daughter is trying to say is that she wants to spend the holidays with Mamoru," Ikuko cut in, and put a comforting hand on Kenji's shoulder.
"So...can I, Dad?"
For a moment, the middle-aged man's eyes went wide, but before long, they narrowed until his eyes were almost closed. "Usagi, you want to what?"
Usagi got up from the chair, and took a step back. "I..I want to go to the United States?"
"My daughter, going to spend Christmas with a guy? I don't think so!"
"Usagi, let your father and I discuss this in private," the blue-haired woman said quietly. Usagi nodded and bit her lip before going up the stairs dejectedly, all the while thinking that possibly the best Christmas of her life was ruined. Hot tears formed in her eyes, and threatened to overflow as they blurred the blonde's vision. With a stifled sob, Usagi ran the rest of the way up the stairs to her bedroom. Once there, she went inside, slammed the door, and pressed her face against her pillow. "The one chance I get to see Mamo-chan and America...gone." That was all she could think about as she shed those salty tears.
The wind outside howled furiously as the black feline slowly made her way up the flight of stairs, having witnessed how Kenji had refused Usagi to go to America. 'Poor girl,' she thought, shaking her head, 'she must be devastated.' Luna sat down beside the door, hearing heartbroken sobs from the other side. She exhaled a breath of air, and gently knocked on the door with her paw.
"Go away!" The girl on the other side shouted in response to the knocking.
"It's me, Luna," the cat simply answered, and after a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a red, puffy-eyed, sixteen-year-old girl.
"Luna," Usagi sniffled, and picked up her feline companion. "What did my parents say?"
The cat smiled weakly and replied, "I didn't hear everything, but your mother is trying her best to talk some sense into that overprotective father of yours."
That made the blonde somewhat feel better as a small smile formed on her face at the thought of her mom patiently discussing matters with her dad, who was probably not willing to listen to her reasoning.
"It'll work out," Luna said calmly, "you'll see. In the end–" Luna was interrupted before she could finish her sentence; Usagi finishing it for her instead.
"In the end it always works out, I know."Usagi sighed, a bleak look evident in her eyes. "I just wish that it would work out sooner."
Nighttime came swiftly, and before long, the moon, particularly round that Saturday evening, illuminated the dark sky with its pale glow. Usagi had stayed in her room all afternoon, hands clutched onto the letter as if her life depended on it, and once in a while, she touched the rose petals that laid neatly in a small pile on her desk. "You'd think they would be done by now," the blonde commented, and drew in a breath. "I wonder what my parents came up with for an answer."
Luna stretched and sighed contentedly before taking a seat beside the girl on the soft bed.
"It's dinnertime, Usagi-chan," she reminded lightly, "don't you think we should go down?"
"Why?" Usagi looked into her feline's dark eyes, grinning slightly, and simply asked, "you are not hungry, are you?"
The cat, realizing that Usagi had discovered why she was anxious to go downstairs, blushed. "Well, I didn't have anything to eat since lunch!" Luna complained. The girl shook her head, and patted her own stomach.
"And you don't think that I'm hungry?"
"All I know is that I am starving," the feline muttered under her breath.
"Luna!"
A pillow was thrown at the unsuspecting Luna, and hit her square on the face. Her face now red with anger, Luna pounced on her charge, putting a paw in front of her face, the claws showing, threatening the sixteen-year-old. Usagi only giggled before getting up, and together the two made their way down the stairs, eager to get some food into their empty and growling stomachs.
Usagi found her parents seated and already eating their dinner, a bit disappointed that they had failed to tell her that dinner was ready. "Hi Mom, Dad," she greeted quietly before slipping into her regular seat at the dinner table. A plate of food was placed in front of her, and she took a bite, avoiding making eye contact with her father, who was, at the moment, staring at her. The family ate in silence, due to the absence of Shingo, Usagi's younger brother, who was spending the weekend at a friend's house.
"Usagi, did you have a nice nap?" Ikuko asked, breaking the silence, and took another bite of her food.
"I didn't take a nap, Luna did," she answered, and glanced over at the eating cat. Hearing her name, Luna peered up at the family, shooting Usagi a dirty look for her remark.
"Oh, I see. So then, what did you do?"
"Think," was her answer.
"About what?" The woman asked her daughter, hoping that she could give a longer answer than just a few short words. She could see that Usagi was unhappy that she could not go to America to spend the holidays with Mamoru. 'Usagi truly loves that young man,' Ikuko thought silently, 'it's a shame Kenji can't see that.'
"Different things."
Silence came again as the family continued to eat...
After finishing every bite of food on her plate, Usagi asked to be excused, though Kenji stopped her before she could leave. "Usagi, I've been thinking about you going to the United States to spend some time with Mamoru," he said, "and I just have to say, the timing is not right. Your mother and I have discussed this long and hard, and–"
Almost as quickly as those words lifted Usagi's hopes up, they plummeted them as well. "I understand, Dad," she replied slowly, on the brink of shedding some more tears. She quickly dabbed at her eyes with a napkin, and smiled weakly at Kenji.
"I wasn't finished," Kenji stated. He looked closely at her daughter, and sighed. She wasn't his little girl anymore, he realized suddenly. No, Usagi was growing up to be a young woman, and a beautiful one for that matter. "Can I trust you?"
'What kind of question is that?' Usagi wondered, but didn't say to say that out loud. Instead, she answered, "Of course."
"I trust that you will not...do some inappropriate things there with your boyfriend?"
Ikuko coughed discreetly, and Usagi began to blush furiously. "Dad!"
"All right, all right." He smiled. "Have a good time in America then, Usagi."
Her mouth was wide open, and eyes were as wide as saucers, or even bigger, perhaps. Was this a dream? Or had her father just agreed that she could go to America? Closing her eyes and opening them after a short while helped her conclude that this was indeed real, and that she could finally go see Mamoru again. Usagi's heart skipped a beat as she jumped up from the table, embracing her parents tightly. All the while, she whispered 'thank you' nonstop.
Kenji, though still somewhat reluctant about the while thing, chuckled, and Ikuko only hugged her daughter back with equal force.
With Luna behind her, Usagi ran up the stairs. She couldn't wait to call Mamoru and tell him the good news.
"You see?" Luna said proudly. "I told you that everything would work out in the end."
Usagi had to agree with her on that.
*******************
Okay, after nearly two and a half months, chapter 1 is completed! Too bad Christmas was over a LONG time ago...but oh well.*grins* The chapter was a bit on the short side, but at least I wrote something! ^_^ I know I promised this story was going to be finished soon, well...I lied! It'll probably take me several more months, sorry! But as always, *please* review!!!! Or e-mail me at LisaZUMstories@aol.com or Lisafics@sailormoon.com. Thanks minna, and take care! Don't forget to visit my co-owned website, and a big thank you to everyone who has!
This story written and posted March, 2002.
Author: Lisa
Chapter: 1
Rating: G
Website: www.geocities.com/mystillusions
Author's Notes:
Hi! I'm sorry that this chapter took *much* longer than expected, but after my hamster Artemis died...I didn't feel like writing. And school has been claiming my time. But thank you to the ten people who reviewed the previous chapter, you guys are the best! ^_^ And please, please, *please* go visit my co-owned website if you haven't already! ^^ With that said, read, enjoy, and please review/e-mail at the end! Oh, and I know Christmas was over a long time ago, but work with me here! ^_~
Disclaimers: Sailor Moon and the others don't belong to me but this story does.
*******************
The letter was clutched tightly in her hand, and Usagi made sure it stayed that way. She sucked in a deep breath to calm her fast-beating heart as she practically flew down the stairs, eyes sparkling excitedly. Luna followed at her charge's feet, demanding to see the letter. What was in it that made the girl so excited? "Usagi-chan, I demand that you give me the letter before I go crazy down here," the black feline said with clenched teeth. But Usagi ignored her and laughed gleefully.
They reached the bottom of the stairs in record time, and Usagi rushed to show Ikuko the letter. "Mom!" The letter was thrown in front of the blue-haired woman's face. Ikuko squinted, being that the letter was too close for her to read it properly. "All right Usagi, all right." She silently mouthed the words as she read, and before long, her eyes went wide. "Well," she started, "this is quite a surprise!" Needless to say, Ikuko was shocked.
"Can I, Mom? Can I?" Usagi asked in a pleading tone. She was desperate for her mom to agree now. "Please?"
They heard the sound of a car coming in from the driveway, and Usagi knew that her father had come home from running his errands. She grimaced, because knowing her father, he would never agree to what Mamoru had asked of in the letter. 'But if Mom agrees, then maybe she can get Dad to agree...' she contemplated. That sounded about right.
"Excuse me Usagi," Ikuko said and left, putting the letter on the table as she went to greet Kenji.
'Finally!' Luna's eyes brightened. Now was the opportunity to read it. In a leap, the feline jumped onto the table easily, sat down beside the paper, and scanned the words hurriedly. "Usagi-chan, this is very nice of Mamoru-san!" she exclaimed happily. "To think, visiting America! I've always wanted to go there myself," the cat said.
Usagi exhaled a shaky breath. "Hai, if my parents will agree."
Luna nodded her agreement and grinning, stated, "I told you to pay attention in the English class that you had to take, but did you listen? No."
"Luna!"
Usagi was not in a mood to start a silly fight with Luna. And even though the blonde did not want to admit, Luna was right. She should've paid more attention in English class; it just might come in handy if she had to go to America... Which she was, hopefully. She picked up the letter once more, cradling it close to her heart. Usagi could still smell the faint scent of roses on the piece of paper. She could not wait to see her Mamo-chan again. The blonde could not help but read the letter again...
My dearest Usako,
You must be angry with me for not writing back for the longest time. Gomen nasai, I didn't mean to anger or worry you. I can only picture you in my mind right now, a small smile plastered on your face, perhaps playing with the rose petals I put in with this letter. I miss you so much Usako. It's hard to imagine that a year has already passed since we last met, though I think about you every day. I long to touch you again. Usako, I want to see you again soon. Since Christmas is just around the corner, I get some time out of college, like you do with high school in Tokyo. Usako, I am asking you to spend Christmas with me this year, in America. I know this is very sudden, and your dad would probably disagree. But please call me and say you'll agree. I will gladly pay for your plane tickets, if you are worried about that. I await your answer.
Love,
Mamoru
The letter, in Usagi's opinion, was very romantic, which was good. It showed that Mamoru missed Usagi as much as she did him. A smile tugged at her lips...
Heavy footsteps were heard as Usagi's father walked into the kitchen, mumbling something about the cold weather. Usagi turned hopeful eyes to Kenji and greeted him with much enthusiasm. "Hi Dad! How did your errands go?" The girl rushed to get Kenji's mug and poured
him a cup of steaming tea. "Here," she said, smiling brightly...a little too brightly.
Kenji took the mug, mumbling a quiet thanks. He took a long drink, eyeing his daughter suspiciously, and took a seat at the dinner table, Usagi following suit. Kenji raised an eyebrow, knowing that something was definitely not right.
"Usagi, is something wrong?"
"No, why?"
"Usagi..."
"Well..." She searched for something to say. And as if on cue, Ikuko sat down next to Kenji with a sigh. She winked at Usagi, as which meant that she agreed for her to go. Usagi looked down at her hands nervously as her mother opened her mouth, and began to say talk.
"Kenji, you know that the holidays are upon us," she started, smiling.
"Yes..." Usagi's father gave his wife a thoroughly confused look. "And what does that have to do with Usagi?"
"Well, we all want to spend our holidays with someone..."
"Just tell me already!" The annoyed Kenji suddenly bellowed, startling Ikuko and Usagi. His face flushed red before he shook his head, mumbling an apology for giving them a sudden fright.
Seeing that this was going nowhere, Usagi decided to take matters into her own hands. "Dad, what I'm trying to say is that Mamoru wants me to spend Christmas in America with him, and I really want to go. I haven't seen him in such a long time, so please let me go!" The words just came pouring out from her lips, and Usagi took in a deep breath to slow her heartbeat. Her eyes slowly looked at her father, only to see a blank expression on his face.
"Care to say that again?" he asked after a moment of registering what the blonde had just said.
"What our daughter is trying to say is that she wants to spend the holidays with Mamoru," Ikuko cut in, and put a comforting hand on Kenji's shoulder.
"So...can I, Dad?"
For a moment, the middle-aged man's eyes went wide, but before long, they narrowed until his eyes were almost closed. "Usagi, you want to what?"
Usagi got up from the chair, and took a step back. "I..I want to go to the United States?"
"My daughter, going to spend Christmas with a guy? I don't think so!"
"Usagi, let your father and I discuss this in private," the blue-haired woman said quietly. Usagi nodded and bit her lip before going up the stairs dejectedly, all the while thinking that possibly the best Christmas of her life was ruined. Hot tears formed in her eyes, and threatened to overflow as they blurred the blonde's vision. With a stifled sob, Usagi ran the rest of the way up the stairs to her bedroom. Once there, she went inside, slammed the door, and pressed her face against her pillow. "The one chance I get to see Mamo-chan and America...gone." That was all she could think about as she shed those salty tears.
The wind outside howled furiously as the black feline slowly made her way up the flight of stairs, having witnessed how Kenji had refused Usagi to go to America. 'Poor girl,' she thought, shaking her head, 'she must be devastated.' Luna sat down beside the door, hearing heartbroken sobs from the other side. She exhaled a breath of air, and gently knocked on the door with her paw.
"Go away!" The girl on the other side shouted in response to the knocking.
"It's me, Luna," the cat simply answered, and after a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a red, puffy-eyed, sixteen-year-old girl.
"Luna," Usagi sniffled, and picked up her feline companion. "What did my parents say?"
The cat smiled weakly and replied, "I didn't hear everything, but your mother is trying her best to talk some sense into that overprotective father of yours."
That made the blonde somewhat feel better as a small smile formed on her face at the thought of her mom patiently discussing matters with her dad, who was probably not willing to listen to her reasoning.
"It'll work out," Luna said calmly, "you'll see. In the end–" Luna was interrupted before she could finish her sentence; Usagi finishing it for her instead.
"In the end it always works out, I know."Usagi sighed, a bleak look evident in her eyes. "I just wish that it would work out sooner."
Nighttime came swiftly, and before long, the moon, particularly round that Saturday evening, illuminated the dark sky with its pale glow. Usagi had stayed in her room all afternoon, hands clutched onto the letter as if her life depended on it, and once in a while, she touched the rose petals that laid neatly in a small pile on her desk. "You'd think they would be done by now," the blonde commented, and drew in a breath. "I wonder what my parents came up with for an answer."
Luna stretched and sighed contentedly before taking a seat beside the girl on the soft bed.
"It's dinnertime, Usagi-chan," she reminded lightly, "don't you think we should go down?"
"Why?" Usagi looked into her feline's dark eyes, grinning slightly, and simply asked, "you are not hungry, are you?"
The cat, realizing that Usagi had discovered why she was anxious to go downstairs, blushed. "Well, I didn't have anything to eat since lunch!" Luna complained. The girl shook her head, and patted her own stomach.
"And you don't think that I'm hungry?"
"All I know is that I am starving," the feline muttered under her breath.
"Luna!"
A pillow was thrown at the unsuspecting Luna, and hit her square on the face. Her face now red with anger, Luna pounced on her charge, putting a paw in front of her face, the claws showing, threatening the sixteen-year-old. Usagi only giggled before getting up, and together the two made their way down the stairs, eager to get some food into their empty and growling stomachs.
Usagi found her parents seated and already eating their dinner, a bit disappointed that they had failed to tell her that dinner was ready. "Hi Mom, Dad," she greeted quietly before slipping into her regular seat at the dinner table. A plate of food was placed in front of her, and she took a bite, avoiding making eye contact with her father, who was, at the moment, staring at her. The family ate in silence, due to the absence of Shingo, Usagi's younger brother, who was spending the weekend at a friend's house.
"Usagi, did you have a nice nap?" Ikuko asked, breaking the silence, and took another bite of her food.
"I didn't take a nap, Luna did," she answered, and glanced over at the eating cat. Hearing her name, Luna peered up at the family, shooting Usagi a dirty look for her remark.
"Oh, I see. So then, what did you do?"
"Think," was her answer.
"About what?" The woman asked her daughter, hoping that she could give a longer answer than just a few short words. She could see that Usagi was unhappy that she could not go to America to spend the holidays with Mamoru. 'Usagi truly loves that young man,' Ikuko thought silently, 'it's a shame Kenji can't see that.'
"Different things."
Silence came again as the family continued to eat...
After finishing every bite of food on her plate, Usagi asked to be excused, though Kenji stopped her before she could leave. "Usagi, I've been thinking about you going to the United States to spend some time with Mamoru," he said, "and I just have to say, the timing is not right. Your mother and I have discussed this long and hard, and–"
Almost as quickly as those words lifted Usagi's hopes up, they plummeted them as well. "I understand, Dad," she replied slowly, on the brink of shedding some more tears. She quickly dabbed at her eyes with a napkin, and smiled weakly at Kenji.
"I wasn't finished," Kenji stated. He looked closely at her daughter, and sighed. She wasn't his little girl anymore, he realized suddenly. No, Usagi was growing up to be a young woman, and a beautiful one for that matter. "Can I trust you?"
'What kind of question is that?' Usagi wondered, but didn't say to say that out loud. Instead, she answered, "Of course."
"I trust that you will not...do some inappropriate things there with your boyfriend?"
Ikuko coughed discreetly, and Usagi began to blush furiously. "Dad!"
"All right, all right." He smiled. "Have a good time in America then, Usagi."
Her mouth was wide open, and eyes were as wide as saucers, or even bigger, perhaps. Was this a dream? Or had her father just agreed that she could go to America? Closing her eyes and opening them after a short while helped her conclude that this was indeed real, and that she could finally go see Mamoru again. Usagi's heart skipped a beat as she jumped up from the table, embracing her parents tightly. All the while, she whispered 'thank you' nonstop.
Kenji, though still somewhat reluctant about the while thing, chuckled, and Ikuko only hugged her daughter back with equal force.
With Luna behind her, Usagi ran up the stairs. She couldn't wait to call Mamoru and tell him the good news.
"You see?" Luna said proudly. "I told you that everything would work out in the end."
Usagi had to agree with her on that.
*******************
Okay, after nearly two and a half months, chapter 1 is completed! Too bad Christmas was over a LONG time ago...but oh well.*grins* The chapter was a bit on the short side, but at least I wrote something! ^_^ I know I promised this story was going to be finished soon, well...I lied! It'll probably take me several more months, sorry! But as always, *please* review!!!! Or e-mail me at LisaZUMstories@aol.com or Lisafics@sailormoon.com. Thanks minna, and take care! Don't forget to visit my co-owned website, and a big thank you to everyone who has!
This story written and posted March, 2002.