Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
Ep. 62.5
I Want To Be The Smartest Ever! Birth of Genius Usagi?
Pt. 1
"Usagi-chan." Ami's voice was flat, if not peppered with a hint of sternness. "You should watch where you're going."
"Wh-me?!"
The two girls slowly got up. As they did, Ami brushed Usagi's uniform off and handed her her schoolbag. Usagi accepted it graciously.
"Oh, thank you!" Usagi beamed. "I'm sorry. It wasn't imy/i fault, but regardless I'll pay more attention in the future."
"It was nothing, Usagi-chan." Ami looked Usagi up and down. "So, I guess you're going to the arcade?"
"Yeah!" Usagi shrugged. "Well, first I'm going home to get my money."
"Aaah, Usagi-chan." Ami gave a huff. "Perhaps your money would be spent better doing other things."
"Ami-chan?"
"I don't want....well, I don't mean to....sound like a nag." The two began to walk. "But Luna talked to me this morning..."
"Oh, brother," Usagi moaned. "I think I know what this is about."
"She confided in me that you were worried about me leaving....that I was the....'brains' of the soldiers." Ami paused. "She then told me that she was worried about you."
"Luna's always worried. Worried to the point where she nags!"
"But Usagi-chan," Ami gently protested. "Luna thinks you're not applying yourself the way you should in school. In fact, she wanted me to break it to you..."
"Break....break what?"
Usagi stopped. She looked at Ami, her eyes wide.
"A-ami-chan..."
"She told me..." Ami gave a sigh. "That she is considering to put you on probation from being a sailor soldier until you raised your grades."
"WHAT??!?!?!?"
Usagi hit the wall as she jumped back in shock. Her schoolbag dropped again as she breathed heavily, almost to the point where she was hyperventilating. She stared at Ami, her look both accusing and shocked.
"Why....why would Luna say such things?!"
"Honestly, I'm not sure." Ami looked at Usagi with a sad smile. "The truth may be that she just worries about you. She's not just there to train you as a sailor, you know."
"B-b-b-but...!" Usagi looked around nerviously. "What about the new threat? Sh-she wouldn't do that to me when there's a new...! DOOOOH!"
"I thought you didn't like being a sailor?" Ami smiled.
"That's not it!" Usagi pouted. "I like being a sailor, I've accepted it. It's just that....well....."
"Well, what?"
"Well-"
"Oh."
The new voice made the two girls turn around. Seeing the figure behind them, Usagi's cheeks flushed, and her hands trembled.
"Ooooh, Mamo-chan!" Usagi covered her mouth. "G-good afternoon...."
"Hello."
The reply was surprisingly blunt, even coming from Mamoru. Upon thinking, however, Usagi realized that this was, in fact, now a normal thing; Mamoru was trying to avoid her, and she still did not understand why he had dissolved their relationship.
"I've....got to go." Mamoru went to leave. "I-"
"Oh, Mamoru-san!" Ami quickly tapped his shoulder. "I'm sorry to bother you right now, but I need to give you something."
"Hmm?"
To Usagi's surprise, Mamoru stopped and turned towards Ami. In Ami's hand was a thick gray book.
"Oh....thank you, Ami." Mamoru smiled. "Actually, that was the book I needed for class today. I was worried I'd be unprepared."
"Oh, I finished reading it and wrote the terms down." Ami smiled. "They'll be useful in my night classes. I won't need this book anymore, if not for a long time."
"That's good to know, Ami."
Slowly, the conversation wore on, and slowly the effects on Usagi became more marked. Her eyes widened, and her frown became more pronounced, more saddened, at the sight of what was being talked about.
"Though," Ami continued. "I was confused about that pharmacist student's thesis paper in the appendix..."
Thrombosis.....Appendix.....Pharmacist...all those hard words..... Usagi saw Mamoru, and almost cried out when he saw the look on his face. Mamo-chan, what....
"The one about the effects of ultrasound on thrombosis?" Mamoru was beaming in a way that, even in her days as his intimate, Usagi had never seen. "Oh, don't worry. I'm surprised you understood that at all. You have a good grasp on things."
"Oh, Mamoru-san." Ami blushed. "I just study a lot, that's all."
"No, no, that's a good thing." Mamoru nodded. "Your chosen profession will be demanding. Being a pediatrician requires a lot of patience, which you have from how much you study every day."
"Oh, Mamoru-san, you horrid flatterer!" Turning red with embarrassment, Ami turned back to Usagi. "Well, you should go to class right now. Usagi...chan?"
She looked over to find the wall, and Usagi's schoolbag on the ground. The girl herself, however, could not be found.
------------------------
Mamo-chan.....Mamo-chan......
Usagi ran down the street, her school heels pounding hard on the pavement. She was arely able to contain her tears as she flew past trees, walls, houses and people.
So that's it. Usagi could feel the hot sting of salt water on her cheeks. That's the truth.....
"I'm breaking up with you."
"Why?"
"Just.....go."
But I know, you know! Usagi gasped for breath. I know the real reason! I saw that...that smile....
She stopped because she had to; she was out of breath and gasping for air. Nevertheless, as soon as she stopped her tears came full-fledged. She crumbled on the sidewalk and hugged her head into her knees.
You..... Usagi's mind whirled. You never....told me.
She slowly wiped the tears from her eyes to no avail. She kept weeping even as, slowly, the sun began to dip behind the Tokyo skyline. The wind began to blow, and goosebumps began to appear on her exposed skin.
I know why you broke up. Usagi shivered. I'm not good enough for you....is that it? All those terms and books. I was so blind. You're impressed by intelligence. Ami-chan's intelligent. I'm not. That's why....
"Luna....is considering to put you on probation from being a sailor soldier until you raised your grades."
....Well, let her!
Slowly Usagi stood up. Her head went down as the wind blew, and again she shivered.
No.... Usagi's head went up, and through the tears a look of determination came into her eyes. No, I'll show them! I'll show Luna, and Mamo-chan, and Chibi-Usa and Ami-chan and Rei-chan and Mom and Dad and Shingo and Haruna-san and all of them! I'm going to show them just how smart this Tsukino can be!...And I know just how to do it!
With a huff of determination, Usagi began to walk forward, only to suddenly trip on her own two feet. With an screech, she unceremoniously landed face first on the sidewalk.
".....Ow...........iiie..............."
--------------------------
The silence that permeated throughout the room was almost deafening to Calaveras as she looked around the mirrors. In each of them were images, images of defeat. Before, the group had been riding high on success; now, they had already lost several Crystal Points, and Calaveras knew full well the possible consequences.
"Hmph." She took up a vial and began to wipe the contents on her face. "Its bad enough we've lost several Crystal Points. Now I find that they don't sell the cream my skin type can tolerate in the past."
"Well," a voice behind her chirped. "That's what happens."
"Easy for you, younger sister."
Calaveras gave a mumble as she turned to face Beruche. Beruche, younger and with blue hair and a blue suit on, was reading a book. A small smile was on her face.
"Your skin is like a baby's." Calaveras turned around spitefully. "Because, in a sense, you are a baby, you know."
"I'll ignore that comment, elder sister." Beruche turned to Calaveras. "I'm just a bit too busy to care."
"Is that so?" Calaveras turned again to face the girl. "What are you doing?"
"Oh…..nothing." Beruche ran her hand through her hair. "Just reading some information about the next Crystal Point."
"Oh, I s-WHAT?"
Beruche's smile became a slightly malicious smirk as she heard her elder sister stomp over to her. She almost had to laugh as Calaveras' desperate face came down to her level.
"What-how?!" Calaveras stammered. "How did Rubeus find another Crystal Point so quickly?!"
"You were too busy shopping for face lotion, dear sister. " The page turned in the book as Beruche looked back down onto it. "Rubeus decided to go on with the announcement without you."
"Oh, that Rubeus….!"
"You know, dear sister." Beruche closed the book. "Rubeus hasn't been too happy with your performance lately. Not once have you ventured out to capture a Crystal Point, and its apparent that he may shut you out of the chain of command if you don't get your act together."
"I…!" Calaveras blushed. "He said that?"
"Well, not exactly." Beruche giggled. "His exact words were 'That bitch. Where is she? Never here, never bothers to life a finger to help our cause.' Then Petz said 'Well, that's what you get for trusting Calaveras of all people'. Then Rubeus said, 'Well, if that's the way she wants to play it, she can forget about any possible reward she might have gotten for getting this Crystal Point. Its easy even for a fickle girl.' And," Beruche turned away at this. "It is a very easy Crystal Point to get. There was quite a bit of arguing over it, but finally I managed to get the mission."
"I…"
Calaveras took a step back. Her face was as red as an apple from embarrassment. She turned away for a moment, her eyes darting back and forth from one side to another. She did not like the past and wished to be done with it; on the other hand, returning alone, especially not having done anything, meant disgrace, and she knew it fully.
"….Beruche…"
"I'm starting tonight." Beruche stood up. "I think it would be best, since no one will be there-
"Wait." Calaveras turned back, her eyes wide with frenzy. "Beruche, let me go on this with you!"
"Oh, but I don't know…." Beruche looked up in mocked thought. "Rubeues assigned it to me….Hmm, and I've already began planning my strategy…."
"Oh, come on!" The girl finally snapped. "Don't be such a pill."
"Well, I don't see how you'd help me."
"I'll….I'll supply the droid!" Calaveras thought frantically. "Or if you have a droid, I'll power it up with some of my energy!"
"Hmm….." Beruche smirked. "Well, since you put it that way…"
It was at this point that Calaveras realized what Beruche was doing. As Beruche was technically the weakest of the four sisters, she was using her newfound mission to try to milk out the other girls' power for her droid! However, Calaveras had no choice.
"Here's the deal." Beruche turned towards one of the mirrors. "You help me capture this Crystal Point by creating a superdroid….."
"That would take too much energy!"
"…..And I'll let you have a crack at the Masseau Lotion I got from Petz." Beruche touched her face. "Its very good on all skin types, even yours, dear sister."
Instantly, Calaveras was by Beruche's side. Her arms were crossed, and her head was up almost haughtily.
"Very well." The two entered the mirror. "We will get it together."
--------------
"Hmm."
The door to Ami's door opened slowly as she entered her bedroom. She placed her bag, as well as Usagi's bag, on her bed and began to quickly undress.
…Usagi. Ami wiped the hair from her face. Oh dear. I hope I didn't offend her somehow by talking to Mamoru-san!
She threw her uniform shirt onto the bed, followed by her dress, leaving Ami in her bra and underwear. With a sigh, Ami went over to her closet to get some other clothing on.
*RIIIIIIIIIIING! RIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!*
"Hmmm?"
Ami's arms slid through the shirt holes as she went to pick up her phone. She nearly hit her knee on her side table doing it, but managed to keep her balance.
"Hello?"
"Ami-chan?" Luna's voice came on the phone. "Is that you?"
"Luna!" Ami sat down on the bed. "Is everything ok?"
"I think so, but…." There was a pause. "Ami-chan, did you tell Usagi-chan my message?"
"Yes, Luna." Ami adjusted herself. "Yes, I told her."
"Well, I…." Another pause. "Well, she came home a few minutes ago."
"She did?" Ami sat up. "What happened?"
"Well….she seemed angry, at least from my point of view." Luna gave a sigh. "She went into her room, took out her money from her bank and then left the house. Not a word!"
"Oh, I…" Ami looked down. "I hope she wasn't too upset about the message. But I think she was. I'll call Makoto and see if she's at Crown. Maybe she can talk to her?"
"It sounds good. But, Ami…"
"Hmm?"
"I'm surprised to catch you home." Luna's voice was concerned. "You're not at night school?"
"Not tonight." Ami weakly smiled. "I don't feel like it tonight."
"Well, I'll let you go then." If Luna had been there, she would have seen Ami's worried look. "Good night."
"Good night……"
Slowly, Ami hung the phone up. She took several deep breaths to compose herself, and finally, gave a sigh.
Usagi…. She glanced at the schoolbag. Usagi, did I offend you…?
----------------------
"Ok!"
Usagi looked nervously up at the large brick building as she crossed the street. The light of the sun barely peeked from above the horizon, and the stars were already out in their splendid form as 7:00 approached. Despite this, the "LEARNING CENTER" was in bright neon lights.
"Ok…." Usagi shivered. "Don't be nervous……this is natural to be scared! I mean, you've never been to one of these, right? These….these stand against everything you're for! Laziness! Crybaby! Manga and candy!"
I'm breaking up with you, Usagi.
"But…." Usagi clenched her fist. "But I have to prove myself! I have to show everyone I'm not dumb! I can do this! I can! I have too...."
"I'm sorry." The girls at First Star Cram giggled. "We can't accept you, Tsukino-san. We can't risk the reputation."
"Tsukino-san?" The man at Good Schooling looked nervous. "Um....we'll put you on a waiting list.....yeah."
"We have liabilities here at Gifted Talent School." The eyes all glared at the name Tsukino. "Judging by your records, we couldn't possibly accept you. You'll need more drastic measures if you want to enter this school!"
"Ok!" Usagi put her sleeves up. "This is my last chance! I have to do this or I'll be lost!"
With a couple of stomps, Usagi walked into the building, and in walking into the building she cracked her nose on the brick siding. She staggered back with a grunt, then gave a growl as she readjusted her projectory and went through the door.
"Uuugh..." Usagi rubbed her nose as she looked around. "That hurt..."
Her annoyance subsided at the simplistic elegance of the school lobby. It was nothing like the inside of any school that she had ever set feet in before. It was obviously new; leather seats in the lobby, colored wallpaper and hard oak desks, as well as a large "LEARNING CENTER" sign behind the receptionist.
"Yup, this is a new place, all right...." Usagi looked at the receptionist nervously. "Well, I'm here....I'd better go over to talk to her...."
Usagi's approach to the desk caused a head to go up. The head, which belonged to a young woman with brown hair, turned and gave Usagi a smile.
"Welcome to Juubaan Learning Center." She gave a brilliant grin. "Two months old and still going strong. How may I help you?"
"Um....." Usagi looked over at her. "Y-yes! I want to apply here to take classes!"
"Hmm, I see..." The girl smiled at the school uniform. "So I assume you're here to get better grades?"
"Yes! Absolutely!" Usagi went into her pocket. "And I'll pay you everything I have in my pocket and more to get smarter! No one else will accept me, so I'll get on my hands and knees if I have to!"
With that, she threw several yen notes and coins on the table for the woman to inspect. After looking at it for a moment, the receptionist could not help but chuckle.
"Oh, dear." To Usagi's surprise, she pushed the money away. "With that kind of enthusiasm....Just give me your name, dear, and I'll have the board give you classes for free."
"What? Really?!" Usagi jumped up. "You'd really..."
"Of course!" The receptionist's cool brown eyes looked into Usagi. Her voice was like honey to the girl. "We don't want any obstacles to get in the way of success. What's your name?"
"Tsukino Usagi!"
"Well, Tsukino-san." After scribbling her name down, the receptionist handed Usagi several sheets of letterhead paper, a pencil and a card. "We have a spot in room 6-66. Go right there, class starts in five minutes."
"WOW!" Usagi charged off. "THANK YOU!!!"
With that, the blonde girl left, neglecting her money. Within the instant, she was gone down the hallway. As the dust clouds settled, the brown-haired girl smiled and slowly pocketed the money for herself.
"No...."
The Black Moon sign appeared on her head. Behind her, Beruche smiled and gave a snicker.
"No, Tsukino Usagi." Calaveras' smile became malicious. "Thank you."
----------------------
Finally, the sun set. In a blaze of colors, the bright golden orb left its place in the sky, allowing for la reina Luna to take her place in the dark sky.
"All right, class...."
Tonight, however, there was no moon. It was the beginning of the new moon cycle, and so all that was seen on the earth was the moon's ominous black shadow. There was not even a halo of light around it, and so the rock was lost to human eyes.
"Here!!"
Screams permeated from the building as flashed of light began to pulse out of the windows. Hands flew towards the windows, as if to escape the fate that the people within had drawn themselves into, however unwittingly. One person, in particular, tried to escape.
"Mamo-chan...........Ma.................mo................."
But whatever was in the building, whatever form the dark essence that overtook those inside assumed, it was all-powerful and all-consuming. Soon, there were no hands clawing at the windows, and no screams for help or assistance. There was nothing but silence, as if everyone was obeying some unspoken command.
"Let us....." An evil smile formed on the pursed, cherry red lips. ".....begin."