Moving Changes
Author's Notes: Thanks to Marni for being the only person to review chapter 5, and thanks to HiME-AnGeL-RaCeR, Oikui, and JlScorpio78 for reviewing chapter 4! All your input is greatly appreciated ! ^_^ On with the story, minna....
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The next day at school found both Si and Usagi unusually quiet. Usagi wasn't quiet by choice- the crystal had drained most of the energy out of her. Si, however, - on top of being tired- simply wasn't as interested in everyday trivial interests in girls, and cliques, and "cool"-ness. At the moment, his main concern was his past life, and how much it would interfere in his relatively simple one now. He was reincarnated from a life a million years ago to protect the Prince- and the Princess, too. He had powers, superpowers. So did Kent, and two others unnamed yet. How does a normal guy deal with these sudden changes to a not-normal life? How was he to do his duty to protect his Prince and Princess? If they had already defeated unspeakable evil by themselves, how could he help? These questions plagued his mind. Well, he thought, for the moment I can be a big brother figure to the Princess, at least. Keep trouble away, although I'm sure she can take care of herself. He sighed in frustration- he'd have to talk to Usagi about this.
During lunch break, he didn't go immediately to the Senior quad. After picking up his lunch he strolled casually over to where Usagi sat talking tiredly, but in earnest, with Drew and Haley. "Hey, Usagi," he greeted. She smiled up at him. "Can we talk for a sec?" He gestured over his shoulder towards an area where people couldn't see them nor easily hear them.
"Hm? About what?" she answered lightly.
Ugh, Usagi! SENSHI BUSINESS! SENSHI BUSINESS! he thought, frustrated. "Didn't you say you needed some help on that science project of yours?" he answered out loud. Usagi had sat up a little straighter, staring intently at him, then relaxed a little and said cheerfully,
"Of course! Thanks for reminding me. Let's go!" She picked up her pack and darted off in that direction. He smiled half-heartedly at her enthusiasm and went after her, carrying a pink sack with bunnies on it.
"Usagi, you left your lunch behind!" Reaching the spot he indicated, they sat down. "OK," he started. Usagi cut him off.
"Are you crazy? Why were you yelling about Senshi near them?!" she asked heatedly, shocked that he would do such a thing, "They don't know!"
"But I didn't say anything about the Senshi," he protested, confused.
"I heard you say it clear as day!"
"I thought it, sure, but... Usagi? Usagi?" She had zoned out on him halfway through his sentence.
"Think something. Think it so hard you're almost shouting it."
"Uh, OK..." What on Earth is she talking about? Has Usagi gone crazy?
"It's amazing! I can't believe it!" she screeched, excited.
"What?"
"Listen," Usagi thought really hard: Mamoru, Endymion, Prince, Food...
"Huh?" Si asked, "What are you talking about, Usagi? What does Endymion have to do with food?" Usagi then started jumping up and down, grabbing Si's hands.
"It worked! It worked! I thought about Mamoru and Endymion and food, and you heard me! And I heard you when you thought about the Senshi! Si, you have telepathy with choice people, I think. This is sooo cool!"
"Wow, that's fascinating," he mused over it for a second, "Now you all can contact me when you're in danger. But what I really wanted to tell you is that, well, I seem to be suffering from an identity crisis of sorts. I'm supposed to be a protector- I don't have anyone to protect. All of a sudden I have this 'I am the Prince's Guard- must do something Guard-like' instinct in me. Its crazy," he shook his head, "Did you go through this insecure stage, where you aren't really sure who or what you are? What your position is?" He continued on worriedly, "I've so much on my mind that it's hard to concentrate on things like college -which I really should be very concerned with- much less petty things like hanging out, wasting time with my friends, just being able to think, 'Wow, that girl's hot!'" Usagi pondered this.
"Well," she said, trying to think of a solution, "With this psychic connection, you don't have to worry so much about me, because I can always reach you if I'm in trouble."
"This sounds weird, but what if you don't need me? You're not just a princess like in the Silver Millennium, you're a warrior. You could probably kick butt twice as hard as I could."
She thought about that statement before shaking her head. "No, my powers decrease greatly when I'm not transformed. Can't jump up buildings or anything. While I'm in this form you can kick butt for me, OK?" she smiled encouragingly at him, "Not to mention, even transformed I do go into klutz attacks, and I'll need someone in addition to Jupiter to fend off youma while I get back on my feet. So you can be all protective and guard-like then, and don't have to worry. You can hang out with your friends and have less on your mind. Okay?"
He nodded, "Sounds good to me," he grinned, adding, "Princess."
"You're welcome," she answered with a bob-curtsy, popping up with a happy look on her face. The bell rang, and they walked their separate ways.
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Usagi and Si's next few days passed by uneventfully. They both went back to hanging with their friends, and nothing seemed different. Si's ability (much to his relief) only picked up on Usagi when she thought particularly heated comments, and it didn't listen in on anything, or anyone, else. He went back to being his popular senior self, and all was well.
Two days later, he found himself, like an overprotective brother, telling off a junior boy who wanted to ask Usagi out for a date. Day after that, Si broke up a fight- by simply commanding it to end. "Boys- Stop fighting. Now." They backed away from each other, stared at Si, stared at each other, and turned and left through the surrounding crowd.
Si next found something weird when, in science class, he had an actual idea for the science fair project that made up a good part of the grade for that class. It seemed complicated at first, but working on the project grew easier and easier the more he worked on it. He had always excelled at science, but it was as if this was something he had created before, though he was sure he hadn't. It was amazing, and the concept revolutionary. Forget the Science fair- I should be using this for my college thesis. When he brought the blueprints of his project to Usagi's house when he tutored her next, Luna informed him his masterpiece was something he had created in the Earth Kingdom in the Silver Millennium. He had been an engineer and physicist in the Silver Millennium, and apparently the knack for science had stayed with him. He won the science fair hands down, but he declined the offer to continue to the State and possibly National science fairs- he passed that honor to the runner up. Don't want to be known as a brainiac, anyway, he reasoned. But all the memories of the things he learned over ten thousand years ago were very interesting, and helped him with his math and science, at the least.
One of the strangest happenings was hearing a girl's- not Usagi's- voice in his head one evening shouting telepathically,
"AH! Selenity give me strength, I refuse to A- this course! I completed physics and trigonometry in eighth grade, so I can complete this problem now! I won't fail!" The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it to a name, nor a face, and he found he couldn't answer back, either. He didn't hear it again, but he attempted to remember the sound of that girl's determined voice for future reference.
A month had now passed smoothly by. Makoto had gotten re-used to Si, he had gotten used to Luna talking, and everyone was doing well. It was now early November, the leaves falling from the trees in full force and everyone donning jackets, sweatshirts and sweaters. He maintained his friendships with Usagi's friends Drew and Haley while maintaining his reputation as a smart senior hunk with cool friends. Schooltime was running smoothly until, out of the blue, he heard a few rumors in the hall about the "hot" new guy health teacher, who replaced the older one on maternity leave. Seems this "hot" teacher was picking on Usagi. He wondered why Usagi had never told him- when he asked, she brushed it off with a "Don't mind it, I'm taking care of it myself," - and she obviously wasn't keen on discussing the subject when he brought it up. She started being late when they walked home together. He asked Drew and Haley, but all they knew was that they heard through the rumour mill that Usagi was being picked on by the new Health teacher, and Si already knew that. They added that the new teacher often stood outside his classroom door, and teased Usagi after school, sometimes in class, and during the passing period before class. Geez, Si thought, What a jerk. Usagi told me I could "kick-butt" for her when she was in trouble, but I really don't think I can persuade a teacher what he's supposed to do (teach) and not do (tease). I heard he's rather strict- probably give me a detention for talking back! Well, at least she isn't getting any low self-esteem from this. If anything, Usagi's acting more cheerful these last few days. Nothing seems to get that girl down!
Later, he heard a very steamed Usagi yelling out a storm in the back of his head. The next day after school he actually saw the teacher with Usagi. He was taller than Si, and much taller than Usagi, Si observed as he observed their banter from around the corner of the building. Something told him he should just watch to see how things turned out. Usagi was screeching something indistinguishable at that decibel at him, and the man coolly replied as he put away his glasses in a pocket of his briefcase-bag. He saw the guy reach over and yank on one of her long ponytails, calling her "Odango atama." He noticed the fellow's straight, bold posture as Usagi whirled around and started screaming at him.
"Creep! Jerk! Oooh, you make me sooo mad. How can you be so mean?" she whined walking in the direction of her locker, a completely new, immature Usagi. The guy laughed, his black hair tossing in the wind as he followed her, Si assumed because the office was in the same direction.
"Odango, you amaze me completely by using the exact same insults every time we see each other. I've been here a while, and I thought by now you would come up with something new." She pouted as she walked away, but Si could swear he saw a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"Fine, then, scum. Be that way," she said, briefly turning to him and sticking out her tongue before walking off down the hallway and behind a few of the columns holding up the walkway's overhang. Si looked closely and saw a flick of her gold hair disappear behind one in stead of turning onto the adjoining path. He watched as the teacher she was yelling at previously stood for a second then walked off where she went. Taking a few steps forward from his observing place on the opposite corner, Si looked just in time to see the teacher disappear behind the same pillar, a smile in his deep blue eyes as well. Si took another few steps forward so he could see the two. Two his complete shock, he saw the man whisper to Usagi with a smile on his face, then tilt up her face and kiss her sweetly- and she kissed him back. He hurried forward another few steps and heard her murmur, lovingly, "Mamo-chan..." Si took in a sharp breath. 'Mamo-chan' was Usagi's pet name for Mamoru. Prince Endymion.
As if just acknowledging the other man's presence, a whole slew of memories crashed through Si's mind. Memories of riding horses, fencing, losing in sports, but winning in mental activities. Long evenings spent talking with the Prince about love, war, and other serious matters. Memories of friendly competition and complete devotion and loyalty. He let out faint groan and clutched his head. Usagi peered around the pillar. Mamoru stepped back from Usagi, and to the side, into view. Composing himself, Si placed his hands at his sides, head still throbbing painfully as he looked at his feet, and straightened himself. Lifting his head, his eyes caught Mamoru's and , dazed, Si acted as instinct had told him to do, he was sure, a million times before. He raised his right hand fisted to his chest and fell to one knee.
"My Prince..." he murmured, eyes never leaving Mamoru's. Mamoru paused a moment, then grew a small smile.
"Zoicite. Rise," Si did as commanded, "and remember that in the past, and in the future as well, I hope, you did not just serve me, we acted as brothers." He smiled fully, and another small wave of memories hit Si as he remembered all the times he, the Prince and the Generals all pulled pranks on the royal household, all the camaraderie. He snapped back to it as Mamoru gave him a friendly slap on the back and ruffled his hair like one would a little brother's. Si looked up at the taller man.
"Long time no see, Endy." They laughed together, the happy sound echoing under the covered walkway. Usagi smiled.
"So this is the infamous bully teacher who always picks on you?" Si asked, incredulous. Usagi nodded.
"He came a little under two weeks ago- he wants to do an internship at Stanford next summer, but needs more money, so he's a health teacher at the moment, since he's studying to be a doctor. We decided that instead of having him just randomly appear and become my boyfriend, which would make us look really odd and break student/ teacher protocol, we'd go back to the way we were 3 years ago. He teased me to no end, and I lashed right back at him. We were almost the worst of enemies until we found out each other's alter identities. So to not raise suspicions, we decided that showing that period of out relationship would be best. If you hadn't seen us getting 'mushy' there at the end of that 'argument,' and you didn't know who Mamoru was, or our relationship, then would you think that we're engaged?" Usagi asked.
Si's brows furrowed, thinking it over. "No, I wouldn't." Usagi smiled.
"See? For the others who don't know us, it wouldn't even occur to them that we would even give each other a second look after each argument, much less plan to be married. Works brilliantly. And after the coast is clear, as you just noticed," she blushed, "Mamoru and I can be ourselves." She turned another shade of pink as Mamoru pulled her to him. Si raised an eyebrow.
"Is that why you're always late? Instead of getting out late 'because of homework,' it's because you've been kissing Mamoru here? Great."
"No!" Usagi exclaimed indignantly, then, "Well, yes, but so what?" she said, folding her arms defensively. Mamoru laughed.
"Well, either way, I'm going to have to say goodbye, because I have tests to grade," he switched into a semi-formal tone, "Si, I would like to commend you on a job well done in protecting my Usako. We all know how important Princess here is," he said squeezing her shoulders, "And it was good of you to help out Makoto since the other soldiers aren't here." Si bowed it away.
"It was nothing, Prince Endy," he winked at him. "However, if you don't want a very angry Mr. Tsukino after your hide, I suggest that you allow me to get Usagi home soon." Mamoru smiled,
"Well we both don't want that to happen, as I'm sure you've dealt with him when he's in his must-kill-any-male-near-Usagi mood, so I'll let you escort Usako home." He kissed her on the nose, and then on the lips, as Si blushed and turned away.
"I know you guys have been at it for a millennia, but could you please cut the..." Looking straight ahead, all words died from his mouth, except for two- "Oh, shit."
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