Ice King by Amethyst Serenity
Disclaimer: No own.
AN: This will be my last update until I come back from a month or so in China. Perhaps, I'll be really good and finish Farewell and this fic while I'm traveling (yeah right....)! Special thanks go to Aridemarcus and Deny (who help me with my story ideas) and Tina (hope you're feeling better!). As always, thanks to those who read and/or review, including: Darling of the Hulta, jelo, moonangel, AMYANGEL, Azura, hatami, =), @~, Kachie-chan, moon princezz, Crystalline Lily, Uri, jupitergreen12, Beloved, SilverAngel, Summer, Gz, kirei*snow*tenshi, Rini, Sailor Temptress, bunny14, SlrMagica, Serena, Bunny, Hontoutempest, !3ad_kitty and teardrop.
Chapter 2: Denial
"So, the Beast's your new girl and she got into a cat fight to prove it. Right in *front* of you. But you didn't tell me, your *best* friend. I'm *crushed* by your lack of trust!" Motoki declared, mimicking a heart attack by making faces and clutching his chest. Unimpressed by his theatrics, Chiba concentrated on his lunch box and decided that the teriyaki chicken was particularly good today. Tasting an unagi roll, he closed his eyes and savored the flavors in his mouth. He grumbled when his friend noisily plopped his food on the table and straddled the chair next to him. Motoki irritated him further by grinning and poking him in the arm. "Everybody in my gym class was talking about it, you dog. Be a pal and throw me a few crumbs."
"Go away."
"Mamoru, old buddy, you already know that *never* works with me. Spill the details, man. Did B pull hair and gouge someone's eyes out with those talons of hers? Did you swap saliva with someone on the school lawn an hour ago? Your adoring public wants to know the ugly truth!"
Chiba grunted and managed to hide his instinctive flinch. Well, he hid it from everyone *but* Motoki. Instantly fascinated with whatever his friend didn't want to say, Motoki's eyes sparkled with devilish mischief. Faced with stony silence, he took drastic action. Motoki grabbed Chiba's lunch and held it hostage. Dumbfounded, his friend gaped at him as if he lost his mind. Taking full advantage of Chiba's shock, Motoki peered into the box. "Unagi rolls! Yummy!"
"Give that back!" Chiba snarled, reaching for it. Motoki quickly shoved the box behind him.
"Tell Uncle Motoki everything and you'll get it back," he taunted. Gritting his teeth, Chiba sourly eyed his *supposed* best friend whose legendary persistence would make his life miserable until he talked. Judging by his rumpled, tattered green t-shirt and baggy khakis, Motoki wouldn't be meeting his girlfriend anytime soon. While Motoki was obnoxiously cheerful and nosy in his own right, he was worse than the Spanish Inquisition when teamed with Minako. Insufferably happy together (an affront to all rational single people), they made snooping and meddling into major art forms. If he confessed now, the couple wouldn't have an excuse to gang up on him and start one of their "investigations." Chiba inwardly shuddered at the prospect of the two busybodies in trench coats, fedora hats and sunglasses shadowing his every move. Whenever possible, he repressed *that* incident. Sometimes, friends were major pains in the rear end (according to his limited experience).
"Girl ran into me. We fell onto the lawn. B did her psycho stalker thing and grabbed the girl's arm. Girl ran away. No kissing, eye gouging or hair pulling," he summarized, conveniently leaving out all the juicy details. Motoki frowned and glanced at him suspiciously but decided he was telling the truth. Returning the hostage lunch box, he started munching on his own rice ball. Heaving a sigh of relief, Chiba tuned out most of Motoki's chatter. Contemplating his nameless angel, he realized she had looked familiar, like a petite, lovelier version of Minako.
"Cousin... looks just like Mina but shorter... blind date..."
"What was that again?" Chiba demanded. His friend rolled his eyes skyward.
"Don't you *ever* listen to me?" an exasperated Motoki asked. "No, don't answer that! At any rate, I was telling you about Minako's cousin, Usagi Tsukino, who just moved to town and transferred to our school. They're really close and look like twins. Well, almost like twins. Mina's taller with a lighter hair color. And, of course, my sweetie's much prettier! She wants to set her cousin up on a date with Tatsuya because they're in the same class, blah blah whatever. Goodness only knows why she would want to inflict my bratty kid brother on poor Usagi. *No* girl deserves such a fate!"
"Usagi? What a... cute name. Tell me more," Chiba commented with a wolfish smile. Giving him an odd look, Motoki was surprised but gratified by his unusual interest in gossip.
"Nice girl but she has this really weird hairstyle."
Trudging down the hall, Usagi sighed. Lunch with Minako had not been much fun. Between doom-filled warnings about the popular but malicious Belle, her cousin had bubbled endlessly about a blind date for her. A blind date! She loved Mina-chan like a sister but she'd rather have her liver picked out by vultures! Unless her date was *that* guy... No! What was she thinking? They could *not* have been on the verge of kissing! It must have been her hyperactive imagination! Mom always said she read too many romance novels. She probably had a concussion or dizziness from the fall or something (ah, the wondrous powers of denial!). Besides, no guy could be *that* hot and he had a *girlfriend*! A really nasty one who had knives, not fingernails, attached to her hand! But it would have been *so* nice to be kissed... Catching sight of the infamous Belle, Usagi snapped back to reality and ducked behind a large group of gossiping students. If she avoided her notice, Belle might forget about her. At least, she hoped so!
Smarting from another failed attempt to seduce Chiba, Belle scoured the school for likely victims to torment. Her dark brown eyes smoldered with unholy glee when she spotted someone carrying a huge pile of books. Slender and dainty with curly, bluish-black, chin-length hair, the girl moved with doe-like grace but she could barely see where she was going because her books obstructed her vision. Flashing her trademark sugary- sweet smile, Belle deliberately stuck her foot in front of the girl and tripped her. As the girl fell to her knees, her books spilled onto the floor.
"Oh, I am *so* sorry but little nerds should watch where they're going," Belle cooed. Usagi gasped but no one did anything to stop Belle or help the poor girl. In fact, everyone carefully *didn't* notice the two girls. Apparently used to such treatment, the dark-haired girl grimaced, rubbed her knees and generally tried to shrink into the floor. While a smirking Belle loomed over her, she hunched over her books and quietly gathered them together. Before she could think of the consequences, Usagi burst out of concealment and leaped between the two girls. Startled, Belle stumbled back but the kneeling girl looked up in surprise and perhaps a little awe.
"That wasn't very nice! You should apologize!" Usagi snapped, filled with righteous anger. She glared at the redhead and crossed her arms in front of her chest. The jaws of the entire Azabu student population collectively dropped. A few people almost passed out from overwhelming shock but they miraculously recovered in time to watch the budding conflict.
"Isn't that just precious? *Losers* sticking up for each other. Have I stumbled into a support group?" Belle sneered, clenching her fists. Her pale skin was mottled with rage.
"We aren't losers, you witch! *You're* pathetic if harassing people is your idea of fun," Usagi retorted. Infuriated, Belle raised her hand to slap the defiance from her face but the sound of muffled laughter penetrated her fury. Glancing around, she realized that too many people, *including* a few teachers, were avidly paying attention. Too many witnesses.
"This isn't over, little girl. If you don't stay out of my way, you'll regret it," she spat.
"I'd only regret being a nasty person like *you*!" Usagi flared. When several students hid their grins, Belle sensed the mood of the crowd turning against her.
"I'm leaving before I catch your airhead loser status, blondie!" Belle fumed. Holding her head high, she pushed people out of her way and stomped out of the hall. She'd make that troublesome klutz *pay*! By the time she was done, the airhead would wish she had never been born.
"Good riddance, you meanie," Usagi muttered under her breath. Buzzing with gossip, the gathered crowd slowly dispersed. Even though they admired the spunky blonde girl, many thought that she had committed social suicide by challenging the Beast. However, a select minority granted her the nickname of Beauty (possibly as an indirect way of aggravating Belle). Ignoring the various comments, Usagi knelt down to help the other girl. Blinking her teary, blue-flecked silver eyes, the dark-haired girl glanced at her with a combination of gratitude and puzzlement.
"Hi, I'm Usagi!" she announced with an infectious grin when they had finished stacking the books into two wobbly heaps. A small smile tentatively curved the other girl's bow-shaped lips, lighting up her ivory pixie-like face.
"A-Ami Mizuno. Thank you for everything."
"No problem! Need help carrying this stuff somewhere?"
"While I'd appreciate it very much, it's not healthy to help me," she earnestly whispered.
"Why not?" Usagi asked, scratching her head in innocent confusion.
"That girl Belle won't like you very much and she can make your life *miserable* at school."
"What's she got against you?"
"When I was tutoring her, I refused to do any of her assignments or papers. I like helping people but that kind of behavior is *cheating*," Ami softly confided, sounding mystified about why some people would *choose* to deprive themselves of priceless learning. "Anyway, I don't want to get anyone else in trouble with her."
Rolling her eyes skyward, Usagi hefted some books into her arms and got to her feet despite Ami's protests. Picking up the second stack, Ami blushed and quickly stood up.
"Don't sweat it. At the rate that I'm going, I'll never get *out* of her bad books. It's my first day here and I've already ticked her off twice. Belle *might* forgive me if I drop dead but I honestly doubt it," Usagi admitted. Tilting her head to the side, she smiled at Ami. "Want to be friends? Fellow misfits should stick together, you know."
"I... I'd *love* to be your friend. If you don't mind me asking, what else did you do?"
"This is great! You're my first new friend in this school! Oh, I met Belle earlier today when I crashed into her boyfriend. Literally! We landed facedown on the front lawn. She thinks I made a pass at him or something."
"She has a boyfriend?"
"Yeah, didn't catch his name. Come to think of it, he didn't look too thrilled to see her."
"I wouldn't be happy either if Belle was my girlfriend," Ami joked. The two girls giggled.
"Hey, we should get together after school! Minako's showing me some good places to hang out."
"Minako *Aino*? The junior? The one dating Motoki Furuhata? The model, cheerleader *and* former volleyball champion? *That* Minako?"
"Yep, my cousin. We try not to let the popularity thing go to her head."
"I shouldn't intrude on your time with your cousin!"
"I'm sure you guys will like each other! Mina's pretty nice, crazy but nice. But I just thought of *one* thing that's wrong with our get- together..."
"What?" Ami asked, slightly alarmed.
"You've got at least two centimeters on me, Minako's definitely taller than either of us and I really, really *hate* being the short one!" Usagi pouted, making a comically tragic face. Suddenly, Ami couldn't stop laughing. Cheerful for the first time in ages, she smiled and led the way to the library.
Checking her locker, Usagi zipped up her bag. After a blurry marathon of classes, the only good thing about her day was her new friend Ami. Deliberately, she suppressed her run-in with a certain good-looking guy. Since he was *very* taken, she was better off when she didn't remember anything about him. Humming under her breath, Usagi was looking forward to meeting the other girls by the cherry blossom tree near the gym. Unexpectedly, she detected the scent of roses and rain. A warm, tingling sensation invaded her chest. Pushing her door shut, she turned her head and saw her handsome stranger. With his back resting against the next locker and his hands stuck in his jean front pockets, he rakishly grinned at her.
"You!" Usagi gasped, instantly turning red.
"Hi, Odango. I need the name and number of the truck that steamrollered me into the lawn," he quipped, thinking she was even more adorable when she blushed.
"Er, isn't this the part where your *girlfriend* comes marching up with murder in her eyes?"
"B's my psycho *stalker*, not my girlfriend."
"She thinks otherwise," Usagi scoffed, turning back to her locker. Attempting to ignore him, she fumbled with her padlock but she was all too aware of his presence. Too easily, she recalled the feel of his body against hers.
"B *wishes* otherwise because I have not and will *never* date her. This is a girl who thinks 'hello' is a marriage proposal! Ask anybody *but* her and they'll tell you. Please credit me with better taste in women," Chiba snorted, leaning towards her. He playfully tugged one of her pigtails, letting the silky gold strands slide through his fingers. Buffeted by a riot of bewildering, unfamiliar emotions, she stared at him.
"Don't touch my hair, you... you *baka*!" Usagi stammered, yanking her hair out of his grasp.
"That's *Mamoru*-baka to you, Odango Atama," he teased.
"Are you insulting my hairstyle?!?"
"Wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart."
"Mamoru-baka, my name is *Usagi*! Not Odango, Odango Atama or sweetheart! U-S-A-G-I!"
"If I call you by your name, will I get your phone number?" he blandly inquired, arching an eyebrow. Clutching her bag, Usagi directed a blistering glare at him and walked off. Watching her departure, Chiba raised his hand to his face and breathed in the vanilla scent lingering on his fingers. Whistling a tune, he grinned and fastened the padlock on her locker. Sauntering off in the opposite direction, Chiba mentally promised himself that he'd soon know Usagi much, much better.
Usagi's progress through the hallway was accompanied by total silence, as students regarded her with awe and nearly genuflected in her direction. After escaping unscathed from matches with the Beast *and* the Ice King, they suspected she either had divine intervention on her behalf or she was a goddess who should be worshipped. When people noticed that Chiba was grinning and whistling as if he was actually a *normal* guy, they preferred the goddess theory. Rumors (and possibly bets) about the Beauty and the Ice King blazed through the school like wildfire (which probably enraged a certain blonde-streaked redhead).
AN2: Ages-
Minako Aino- 17
Mamoru Chiba- 17
Belle Fonce- 17
Motoki Andrew Furuhata- 17, almost 18
Ami Mizuno- 15
Usagi Tsukino- 16
See you all in a month!
Disclaimer: No own.
AN: This will be my last update until I come back from a month or so in China. Perhaps, I'll be really good and finish Farewell and this fic while I'm traveling (yeah right....)! Special thanks go to Aridemarcus and Deny (who help me with my story ideas) and Tina (hope you're feeling better!). As always, thanks to those who read and/or review, including: Darling of the Hulta, jelo, moonangel, AMYANGEL, Azura, hatami, =), @~, Kachie-chan, moon princezz, Crystalline Lily, Uri, jupitergreen12, Beloved, SilverAngel, Summer, Gz, kirei*snow*tenshi, Rini, Sailor Temptress, bunny14, SlrMagica, Serena, Bunny, Hontoutempest, !3ad_kitty and teardrop.
Chapter 2: Denial
"So, the Beast's your new girl and she got into a cat fight to prove it. Right in *front* of you. But you didn't tell me, your *best* friend. I'm *crushed* by your lack of trust!" Motoki declared, mimicking a heart attack by making faces and clutching his chest. Unimpressed by his theatrics, Chiba concentrated on his lunch box and decided that the teriyaki chicken was particularly good today. Tasting an unagi roll, he closed his eyes and savored the flavors in his mouth. He grumbled when his friend noisily plopped his food on the table and straddled the chair next to him. Motoki irritated him further by grinning and poking him in the arm. "Everybody in my gym class was talking about it, you dog. Be a pal and throw me a few crumbs."
"Go away."
"Mamoru, old buddy, you already know that *never* works with me. Spill the details, man. Did B pull hair and gouge someone's eyes out with those talons of hers? Did you swap saliva with someone on the school lawn an hour ago? Your adoring public wants to know the ugly truth!"
Chiba grunted and managed to hide his instinctive flinch. Well, he hid it from everyone *but* Motoki. Instantly fascinated with whatever his friend didn't want to say, Motoki's eyes sparkled with devilish mischief. Faced with stony silence, he took drastic action. Motoki grabbed Chiba's lunch and held it hostage. Dumbfounded, his friend gaped at him as if he lost his mind. Taking full advantage of Chiba's shock, Motoki peered into the box. "Unagi rolls! Yummy!"
"Give that back!" Chiba snarled, reaching for it. Motoki quickly shoved the box behind him.
"Tell Uncle Motoki everything and you'll get it back," he taunted. Gritting his teeth, Chiba sourly eyed his *supposed* best friend whose legendary persistence would make his life miserable until he talked. Judging by his rumpled, tattered green t-shirt and baggy khakis, Motoki wouldn't be meeting his girlfriend anytime soon. While Motoki was obnoxiously cheerful and nosy in his own right, he was worse than the Spanish Inquisition when teamed with Minako. Insufferably happy together (an affront to all rational single people), they made snooping and meddling into major art forms. If he confessed now, the couple wouldn't have an excuse to gang up on him and start one of their "investigations." Chiba inwardly shuddered at the prospect of the two busybodies in trench coats, fedora hats and sunglasses shadowing his every move. Whenever possible, he repressed *that* incident. Sometimes, friends were major pains in the rear end (according to his limited experience).
"Girl ran into me. We fell onto the lawn. B did her psycho stalker thing and grabbed the girl's arm. Girl ran away. No kissing, eye gouging or hair pulling," he summarized, conveniently leaving out all the juicy details. Motoki frowned and glanced at him suspiciously but decided he was telling the truth. Returning the hostage lunch box, he started munching on his own rice ball. Heaving a sigh of relief, Chiba tuned out most of Motoki's chatter. Contemplating his nameless angel, he realized she had looked familiar, like a petite, lovelier version of Minako.
"Cousin... looks just like Mina but shorter... blind date..."
"What was that again?" Chiba demanded. His friend rolled his eyes skyward.
"Don't you *ever* listen to me?" an exasperated Motoki asked. "No, don't answer that! At any rate, I was telling you about Minako's cousin, Usagi Tsukino, who just moved to town and transferred to our school. They're really close and look like twins. Well, almost like twins. Mina's taller with a lighter hair color. And, of course, my sweetie's much prettier! She wants to set her cousin up on a date with Tatsuya because they're in the same class, blah blah whatever. Goodness only knows why she would want to inflict my bratty kid brother on poor Usagi. *No* girl deserves such a fate!"
"Usagi? What a... cute name. Tell me more," Chiba commented with a wolfish smile. Giving him an odd look, Motoki was surprised but gratified by his unusual interest in gossip.
"Nice girl but she has this really weird hairstyle."
Trudging down the hall, Usagi sighed. Lunch with Minako had not been much fun. Between doom-filled warnings about the popular but malicious Belle, her cousin had bubbled endlessly about a blind date for her. A blind date! She loved Mina-chan like a sister but she'd rather have her liver picked out by vultures! Unless her date was *that* guy... No! What was she thinking? They could *not* have been on the verge of kissing! It must have been her hyperactive imagination! Mom always said she read too many romance novels. She probably had a concussion or dizziness from the fall or something (ah, the wondrous powers of denial!). Besides, no guy could be *that* hot and he had a *girlfriend*! A really nasty one who had knives, not fingernails, attached to her hand! But it would have been *so* nice to be kissed... Catching sight of the infamous Belle, Usagi snapped back to reality and ducked behind a large group of gossiping students. If she avoided her notice, Belle might forget about her. At least, she hoped so!
Smarting from another failed attempt to seduce Chiba, Belle scoured the school for likely victims to torment. Her dark brown eyes smoldered with unholy glee when she spotted someone carrying a huge pile of books. Slender and dainty with curly, bluish-black, chin-length hair, the girl moved with doe-like grace but she could barely see where she was going because her books obstructed her vision. Flashing her trademark sugary- sweet smile, Belle deliberately stuck her foot in front of the girl and tripped her. As the girl fell to her knees, her books spilled onto the floor.
"Oh, I am *so* sorry but little nerds should watch where they're going," Belle cooed. Usagi gasped but no one did anything to stop Belle or help the poor girl. In fact, everyone carefully *didn't* notice the two girls. Apparently used to such treatment, the dark-haired girl grimaced, rubbed her knees and generally tried to shrink into the floor. While a smirking Belle loomed over her, she hunched over her books and quietly gathered them together. Before she could think of the consequences, Usagi burst out of concealment and leaped between the two girls. Startled, Belle stumbled back but the kneeling girl looked up in surprise and perhaps a little awe.
"That wasn't very nice! You should apologize!" Usagi snapped, filled with righteous anger. She glared at the redhead and crossed her arms in front of her chest. The jaws of the entire Azabu student population collectively dropped. A few people almost passed out from overwhelming shock but they miraculously recovered in time to watch the budding conflict.
"Isn't that just precious? *Losers* sticking up for each other. Have I stumbled into a support group?" Belle sneered, clenching her fists. Her pale skin was mottled with rage.
"We aren't losers, you witch! *You're* pathetic if harassing people is your idea of fun," Usagi retorted. Infuriated, Belle raised her hand to slap the defiance from her face but the sound of muffled laughter penetrated her fury. Glancing around, she realized that too many people, *including* a few teachers, were avidly paying attention. Too many witnesses.
"This isn't over, little girl. If you don't stay out of my way, you'll regret it," she spat.
"I'd only regret being a nasty person like *you*!" Usagi flared. When several students hid their grins, Belle sensed the mood of the crowd turning against her.
"I'm leaving before I catch your airhead loser status, blondie!" Belle fumed. Holding her head high, she pushed people out of her way and stomped out of the hall. She'd make that troublesome klutz *pay*! By the time she was done, the airhead would wish she had never been born.
"Good riddance, you meanie," Usagi muttered under her breath. Buzzing with gossip, the gathered crowd slowly dispersed. Even though they admired the spunky blonde girl, many thought that she had committed social suicide by challenging the Beast. However, a select minority granted her the nickname of Beauty (possibly as an indirect way of aggravating Belle). Ignoring the various comments, Usagi knelt down to help the other girl. Blinking her teary, blue-flecked silver eyes, the dark-haired girl glanced at her with a combination of gratitude and puzzlement.
"Hi, I'm Usagi!" she announced with an infectious grin when they had finished stacking the books into two wobbly heaps. A small smile tentatively curved the other girl's bow-shaped lips, lighting up her ivory pixie-like face.
"A-Ami Mizuno. Thank you for everything."
"No problem! Need help carrying this stuff somewhere?"
"While I'd appreciate it very much, it's not healthy to help me," she earnestly whispered.
"Why not?" Usagi asked, scratching her head in innocent confusion.
"That girl Belle won't like you very much and she can make your life *miserable* at school."
"What's she got against you?"
"When I was tutoring her, I refused to do any of her assignments or papers. I like helping people but that kind of behavior is *cheating*," Ami softly confided, sounding mystified about why some people would *choose* to deprive themselves of priceless learning. "Anyway, I don't want to get anyone else in trouble with her."
Rolling her eyes skyward, Usagi hefted some books into her arms and got to her feet despite Ami's protests. Picking up the second stack, Ami blushed and quickly stood up.
"Don't sweat it. At the rate that I'm going, I'll never get *out* of her bad books. It's my first day here and I've already ticked her off twice. Belle *might* forgive me if I drop dead but I honestly doubt it," Usagi admitted. Tilting her head to the side, she smiled at Ami. "Want to be friends? Fellow misfits should stick together, you know."
"I... I'd *love* to be your friend. If you don't mind me asking, what else did you do?"
"This is great! You're my first new friend in this school! Oh, I met Belle earlier today when I crashed into her boyfriend. Literally! We landed facedown on the front lawn. She thinks I made a pass at him or something."
"She has a boyfriend?"
"Yeah, didn't catch his name. Come to think of it, he didn't look too thrilled to see her."
"I wouldn't be happy either if Belle was my girlfriend," Ami joked. The two girls giggled.
"Hey, we should get together after school! Minako's showing me some good places to hang out."
"Minako *Aino*? The junior? The one dating Motoki Furuhata? The model, cheerleader *and* former volleyball champion? *That* Minako?"
"Yep, my cousin. We try not to let the popularity thing go to her head."
"I shouldn't intrude on your time with your cousin!"
"I'm sure you guys will like each other! Mina's pretty nice, crazy but nice. But I just thought of *one* thing that's wrong with our get- together..."
"What?" Ami asked, slightly alarmed.
"You've got at least two centimeters on me, Minako's definitely taller than either of us and I really, really *hate* being the short one!" Usagi pouted, making a comically tragic face. Suddenly, Ami couldn't stop laughing. Cheerful for the first time in ages, she smiled and led the way to the library.
Checking her locker, Usagi zipped up her bag. After a blurry marathon of classes, the only good thing about her day was her new friend Ami. Deliberately, she suppressed her run-in with a certain good-looking guy. Since he was *very* taken, she was better off when she didn't remember anything about him. Humming under her breath, Usagi was looking forward to meeting the other girls by the cherry blossom tree near the gym. Unexpectedly, she detected the scent of roses and rain. A warm, tingling sensation invaded her chest. Pushing her door shut, she turned her head and saw her handsome stranger. With his back resting against the next locker and his hands stuck in his jean front pockets, he rakishly grinned at her.
"You!" Usagi gasped, instantly turning red.
"Hi, Odango. I need the name and number of the truck that steamrollered me into the lawn," he quipped, thinking she was even more adorable when she blushed.
"Er, isn't this the part where your *girlfriend* comes marching up with murder in her eyes?"
"B's my psycho *stalker*, not my girlfriend."
"She thinks otherwise," Usagi scoffed, turning back to her locker. Attempting to ignore him, she fumbled with her padlock but she was all too aware of his presence. Too easily, she recalled the feel of his body against hers.
"B *wishes* otherwise because I have not and will *never* date her. This is a girl who thinks 'hello' is a marriage proposal! Ask anybody *but* her and they'll tell you. Please credit me with better taste in women," Chiba snorted, leaning towards her. He playfully tugged one of her pigtails, letting the silky gold strands slide through his fingers. Buffeted by a riot of bewildering, unfamiliar emotions, she stared at him.
"Don't touch my hair, you... you *baka*!" Usagi stammered, yanking her hair out of his grasp.
"That's *Mamoru*-baka to you, Odango Atama," he teased.
"Are you insulting my hairstyle?!?"
"Wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart."
"Mamoru-baka, my name is *Usagi*! Not Odango, Odango Atama or sweetheart! U-S-A-G-I!"
"If I call you by your name, will I get your phone number?" he blandly inquired, arching an eyebrow. Clutching her bag, Usagi directed a blistering glare at him and walked off. Watching her departure, Chiba raised his hand to his face and breathed in the vanilla scent lingering on his fingers. Whistling a tune, he grinned and fastened the padlock on her locker. Sauntering off in the opposite direction, Chiba mentally promised himself that he'd soon know Usagi much, much better.
Usagi's progress through the hallway was accompanied by total silence, as students regarded her with awe and nearly genuflected in her direction. After escaping unscathed from matches with the Beast *and* the Ice King, they suspected she either had divine intervention on her behalf or she was a goddess who should be worshipped. When people noticed that Chiba was grinning and whistling as if he was actually a *normal* guy, they preferred the goddess theory. Rumors (and possibly bets) about the Beauty and the Ice King blazed through the school like wildfire (which probably enraged a certain blonde-streaked redhead).
AN2: Ages-
Minako Aino- 17
Mamoru Chiba- 17
Belle Fonce- 17
Motoki Andrew Furuhata- 17, almost 18
Ami Mizuno- 15
Usagi Tsukino- 16
See you all in a month!
