Moving Changes
Author's Notes: Konnichiwa! Once again, thanks all you reviewers- I wouldn't be half as good without your input. By the way, Usagi and Makoto live in a fictional suburb near San Fran, so if I accidentally used something REAL in there, my apologies to the inhabitants. On with the show, Minna!
Usagi trotted down the path to Los Conejos High School on Monday morning, not wanting to be late for her 7:00 appointment with her counselor. She knew that first impressions were going to be very important, and she didn't want to be known as the Japanese (who didn't look Japanese) new girl who couldn't put two English words together and was always late. That would be a bad thing.
She slowed down to a brisk walk as she neared the edge of the school campus—she checked her watch—5 minutes before the appointment. She began to walk a little faster. Finally she reached the administration building. Taking a deep breath, she pushed through the door. With a smile, she turned to the lady at the desk and said clearly, "Hi. I'm Usagi Tsukino, the new student from Japan. May I see my counselor please?" Her smile broadened as she realized she had said it perfectly- she had been practicing that one phrase for an hour the night before. Nodding briskly, the lady at the desk directed her to one of the offices adjoining the room. Usagi thanked her and walked over, poking her head through the partially open door after knocking twice. "Hel-lo?" The counselor smiled from her desk, looking at her schedule.
"So, you're Usagi Tsukino. It's so nice to have you at our school. Here are a few papers you'll need to find your way around," the counselor handed her a map, planner, and a list of the school rules, "And here is your guide to help you make friends and guide you around the school, Drew Gallagher. Drew, meet Usagi, the student you'll be guiding. Usagi, this is Drew." A young man with slightly curly brown hair and brown eyes walked in. He was taller than Usagi (most people were), but not as tall as Mamoru. He offered a small grin and a "hi" with a dip of his head. "As I said before, Drew will show you around the school and help you establish a group of friends on your own. You can also tutor each other—Drew takes Japanese, so you can help him there, and he'll help you with your other studies." The counselor walked up and put her hand on Usagi's. "I know it's very difficult moving to a new school, much less a new country, but I'm sure that you'll settle in just fine with that bright personality of yours," she moved back to her desk with a smile, "Now off with you both," and turned to her work.
Drew led the way out of the office, with Usagi falling in step behind him. He started to fill in the silence in Japanese, "I think you'll like it here, Usagi. Most of the students here are friendly and will probably welcome you," he gave her a mischievous grin, "especially the other guys." Usagi giggled a little, and he continued, "Do you mind terribly if we go meet my friends now? This is normally the time we all meet at my locker. Oh, and I'm sorry my Japanese is so bad, but I've never heard it spoken by natives before and can't get the accent." Usagi smiled some more.
"That is ok," she answered in slightly shaky English, "at least you are trying. Let's go to your locker. I would like to meet your friends."
"Let's go then." Drew led her back through the maze of buildings to a large tan one with two levels. They stayed on the lower floor, weaving through the crowds in the hall until they came to a group of girls and guys crowded around a locker. A girl with bushy brown hair turned and smiled at her and Drew, waving a little. Drew nodded back at her, and Usagi decided on a small wave. She sighed. That cheerful girl and her bushy hair reminded her of Naru- who in turn reminded her of Ami, who reminded her of Rei, who reminded her of Minako, who reminded her of the battle with Zoicite...who in the end reminded her of Tuxedo Kamen/ Mamoru. Why did she remember Zoicite of all people? She hadn't thought of the Dark Kingdom Generals in ages...
She was brought out of her reverie by a tap on her shoulder. She turned around, "Si!" She gave a brief acknowledging bow, "It's nice to see you again." The girls in Drew's group were gaping at her, wondering how on Earth she knew Si, one of the more popular seniors in school. He said, "Hey Serena, how's it going?" She gave him a funny look for a moment at the name, then remembered that Makoto introduced her to him with her "American" name. "I'm fine, how are you?"
"Just great. Introduce me to your friends, will ya?" She blushed a little- she hadn't caught all their names. She gestured to Drew first and said,
"This is Drew, he's my guide," she pointed to the bushy haired girl, "This is Haley," and she introduced others that she could remember.
"Well, Serena, nice to see you again. Nev gave you and Makoto my number, so call me if you need any help with anything, ok?" She nodded cheerfully. "Alright, see ya later." The girls around her instantly started clucking amongst themselves like a flock of hens, excited that a senior had just come to their group and asked about the new girl. Immediately after that, Usagi found herself immersed in a conversation that consisted mainly of questions directed at her.
"How'd you meet him?" "Ooh! Does he like you? Are you going out?" "Are you two an item?" "When did you meet him?"
Usagi fended off the questions as best she could, "We met at the mall a few days ago. No, we aren't going out, or an "item?" I don't know if he likes me!" I hope not, she thought. Just as soon as the questions were there, they were gone as the whole group dispersed instantly at the bell. Drew led her away towards her first class.
"Whew," she sighed, "I did not know that they could ask so many questions so fast! Or that they would become interested so quickly." Drew offered a shrug.
"Hey, they're girls. Sometimes even I don't understand them." He pulled out both his and Usagi's schedules to check where they were going again. "Hey, cool, we share some classes together- A Period English, 2nd Period P.E., and 4th Period World History. Good, that means I can help you out in those classes. Let's go to English class now." The two weaved their way through the crowds exiting the building, and up the stairs to their English class. They were the first to enter the room. The lights were on, but the teacher wasn't present. Drew went up to the teacher's desk and checked out the seating chart. He and Usagi were on opposite sides of the room. "Still," he said, "at least we're in the same class."
The whole day passed with all the teachers handing out paperwork to be read and signed by parents, all acknowledging that they read the rule sheet. Usagi didn't know anyone other than Drew and Haley (who she shared Study Hall with) in her classes, but she learned a few more names at lunch. She walked home completely satisfied with her day, and semi-confident that the next one would be as good.
Kunzite leaned back in his chair a little bit, brows furrowed. "Hmm...is there anything else I can tell you..." He trailed off, thinking. After a moment's thought, he spoke again. "All I think I can tell you is that we are- all five of us- the closest of friends. You've had troubles with a courtier, Beryl, who is obsessed with you. AND, we're having a bit of trouble with you and the Moon Princess. I don't know how many times Sailor Venus has had to come down here and fetch her back up to the Moon... We are on Earth, right?" Mamoru nodded. "I don't know where on Earth we are, Endy, but I'll continue anyway. We've all been doing things together for the last 14 years of your life- since you and I were a wee 5 and the others were younger. I can't describe all the little things that have happened, but I can tell you we're the closest of friends. It's strange how you remember your position, but not us. Did you ever..." Kunzite trailed off again, lost in thought, he looked up again, "I'm sorry Mamoru, what was I saying? I forgot." Mamoru simply stared.
"You don't remember ANYTHING?"
"No, not really, just that you... you..." Kunzite, now Kent again, frowned, trying to remember. "You and..." his eyes lit up, "Holy Shit," his mouth hung open a bit and his eyes widened. "Holy Shit! I remember! I remember! I..." He frowned again, "Crap, I forgot," he looked Mamoru straight in the eyes, "I know that you have something to do with those memories. You're important somehow. Bring them back. I know you can."
"Uh, well," Mamoru scooted back his chair, unused to this weird mix of Kunzite and Kent, both desperate to find out what was going on.
"Tell me!" Kent pleaded, "I know that you have the means," he lost his train of thought again, "Wait! Don't tell me! Show me. Use your powers as... shoot, I forgot what I was going to call you!" Kent banged his fist against the table, completely frustrated. Mamoru backed up a little more.
"Kent? Are you alright?" Kent glared,
"What? Do I look alright? I keep on having strange memories resurface and then disappear again, I know that you have something to do with them, my brain feels like it's going to—to explode into a million pieces, does that sound alright to you?" he shouted, "I want to know what's going on Endym-" he paused, "See, there I go again! I forgot what I was going to call you." He stared Mamoru hard in the eyes, half begging, half demanding to know. "Tell me." Mamoru stared at this man so desperate for this knowledge, and caved.
"It's a long story, " he warned.
"I don't care."
About two hours later, Kent was up to date on all the Senshi happenings that had been going on for the last 3 years, and the brief period of time where Kunzite's soul's memories returned without Kent's permission. Mamoru stood after the long tale. "I've told you all this, but there's one thing I absolutely have to do as a result. I must restore your memory, and hope that you'll be able to transform to Kunzite if I ever need your help. I'd hate to think what would happen if this city got a youma. The only thing standing between it and killing off the inhabitants would be my feeble energy attack and my lifetime supply of roses. I'll need your help," he unconsciously switched into a regal mode, "Do you accept your past, and your future? It's risky business- you could die. Also, since you are the first King to be found, and the leader of all the other Kings, my Generals, the others' decision rests on you as well. If you do not join, I can and will not recruit the others. With out you, there will be no Generals." Kent thought for a moment, hesitant.
"Well..."
Mamoru interjected,
"I need you to help me out, Kent," he looked at him and pleaded silently with his eyes, although his face didn't betray any such emotion.
"Well," Kent started again, "OK." Mamoru broke into a rare smile.
"Great!" he checked his watch, "Do you have any early classes morning after next?" he asked.
"No, my first class will start at two."
"Good," Mamoru said, "We'll bring out your memories and awaken 'you' tomorrow evening. Let's get some sleep." Mamoru sighed to himself. Living here is going to be a bit more complex than I thought.
The first week of school passed by as fast as the first day was slow. Before long, two weeks had passed, and Usagi was getting into a routine. She would run to school so she wouldn't be late, meet Drew and his friends at his locker, go to A period with Drew, blah, blah, school day. Exit from Bio 6th period, meet up with Drew, who lived near to her, walk towards home, meet Makoto at assigned corner, go home, do homework every day for the first time in her lifetime (Luna is becoming so proud of me!) Have supper, have lots of dessert, get ready for sleep and go to bed. She almost felt like Ami, she was doing so much homework. And by the third week of school, she was pretty certain that, with luck, she'd get straight B's this year.
No such luck.
On the fourth week, her parents received a notice from her teachers saying that she had mainly D's and a few C's in her classes, except for Study Hall, P.E., and ROP Careers w/ Children- those were kind of hard to fail. This wasn't because she wasn't doing the work- she had turned in every assignment so far. No, this was because all the work was done wrong. Instructions not followed, concepts not grasped, worksheets neatly filled with wrong answers, that sort of thing. Also, her test scores were abysmal. Usagi was not doing well. The counselors recommended Peer Tutoring.
"NANI??? ahem I mean, WHAT???" Usagi shouted, correcting her Japanese for English, "I am trying my hardest! The counselor said that I was turning in all of my assignments, what do I need 'Peer Tutoring' for? I do not want to be tutored. Everyone will think I'm STUUPID," she moaned to her parents. While she didn't break down in crying fits for random reasons any more, she still whined on occasion—"PLEASE, tell them I'll try haaarderrr! I don't WAAAANT to be TUTORED." Usagi's parents shook their heads.
"Usagi-chan, we're sorry, but we know that you HAVE been trying your hardest. We're very proud of you for not receiving any failing marks. But we realize that you need help to get the best grades you can get. You are learning everything in a new language, which is hard enough to succeed at by itself. If we get you a tutor, at least that person will understand the things you're learning, and will go over everything with you at your own pace," Ikuko-mama smiled at her, "Even Luna sides with us, dear. We're sorry, but these grades do go on your permanent record, and we want you to have a chance at a normal future, before you receive your destined one." Eyes downcast, Usagi sighed in defeat, and, grumbling all the way, shuffled up to her room.
The next Monday found Usagi at the Office, waiting to be introduced to her tutor. She grumbled to herself, If only Ami-chan was here, then I wouldn't be here. She could tutor me to her heart's content and I'd be an A student. Great, I can't wait to see what sort of brain they'll be assigning me to work with. I so want someone like Ami-chan! She kept on grumbling mentally to herself the whole time sitting in the office. Finally, the door swung open and the counselor and Si walked through. They both greeted each other and looked to the counselor for where their student/ tutor was.
"Well," the counselor motioned with her hand between the two of them, "If you know each other, why don't we all skip the introductions and get to planning where and when you two are going to tutor, or be tutored."
"Hey, cool, I get to tutor you, Serena!" Si exclaimed.
"Cool! I am glad that I get to be tutored by someone I have met before! Great," she smiled back. The counselor smiled, pleased that she had done a good job with this pair of students, and walked off as Si and Usagi began making plans for where and when to meet.
"Well," Usagi started, "My...dad will want to meet you and probably sit in on some of the lessons," she said, "He's very overprotective, but if Mom is around when I tell him about you and introduce you, she'll call him down a little. Just... try to be polite?" He nodded in agreement. She continued, "Since my parents are really overenthusiastic about my tutoring, could you come to my house this afternoon for the first lesson, so I can prove that you're a nice, non-threatening boy whose only real concern is my grades?" She looked at him hopefully.
"Sure," he shrugged, "no prob."
"Great," she smiled. The bell rang and all happiness drained from her face. "Oh, no, I'm going to be late for A period class! Bye, Si!!!" She picked up her bag and zoomed out of the office, leaving Si shaking his head in amazement behind her.