(AN: This takes place somewhere after Rei joins the scouts but before Mako does.)
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon
The heart is a mysterious thing. While your brain will always tell you what to do, think or say, the heart tells you what you should do. You can try and hide it or deny it, but your heart is always the dominating factor in decisions whether your mind agrees or not.
Tsukino Ikuko was having one of her typical days. All her days began with the next to impossible task of getting Usagi out of bed and off to school ('more difficult than it sounds, trust me,' she would tell her friends.) That would usually be followed by cleaning or groceries or laundry or any other such domestic job typical of a Tokyo housewife. Today's task was groceries; rather a lot of them too. As the cashier ran her items through the checkout she couldn't help but begin to dread the walk home carrying all the food that was slowly adding to the total price displayed on the register's screen. She gave the cashier a small smile as she took out one of her husband's credit cards and handed it over. She sighed and began putting her stuff into bags. The cashier handed back her credit card and she gathered her bearings, and letting out a slight wince as she picked up her bags and walked out of the store.
She was just approaching the end of the area classified as Jubancho shopping district when one of her two bags began slipping. She quickly tried to move her hands to the bottom of the bag to get a better grip, but as she succeeded in securing the first bag, the second one slipped out of her arms. She let out a small, "oh," of surprise, waiting for the sound of it hitting the ground and the bottles breaking and eggs cracking. But it never came. She looked down only to find a pair of feet. She followed the feet up to two long legs, and onto a strong torso. The torso led up to a face with stormy blue eyes and jet black hair. Most importantly, this rather handsome young man was holding her grocery bag.
"Here," he said, handing the bag back to her.
Finally collecting herself, Ikuko sighed and said, "Thank you so much. I hope the eggs didn't break." She began checking through the bag for the eggs. After concluding that the eggs were safe she picked up the bags once more and was about to continue walking home when the young man spoke once more.
"Uh Miss? Would you like me to help you with that?" he asked.
Ikuko felt immediate gratitude toward the man and began stretching out her arm to offer him one of the bags when she stopped herself. After all, she didn't even know this man's name. Although she got the strong feeling that she could trust him, she held herself back as a result of years of people imprinting into her mind the idea of being cautious around unknown men, and later, her own attempts to imprint it into Usagi's mind.
"No thank you sir, I'll manage." She gave a small smile and walked off. However she had only gotten three steps before she tripped over a crack in the pavement. The man immediately rushed over to help her up. She had never been so embarrassed. She was turning bright red. Whatever happened to feminine grace? She thought to herself.
"Are you sure you don't want me to give you a ride?" the man asked again. "Look, my car is right there. It would be no trouble at all."
Ikuko was preparing to refuse again when she thought once more about the 13 blocks separating her from her house.
"Yes, that would be wonderful," she said to the man. He nodded and helped her up. He then took one of the bags and carried it over to the red sports car he had indicated as his own earlier. He deposited the bag in the trunk and motioned for Ikuko to do the same with the other bag. She did so. He then held open the passenger door for her. Once in, she had a few moments to gather herself together as he got in the other side. She couldn't help but think, What in the world am I doing? But she could get nothing but good vibes from the stranger. Feeling very impulsive she ventured to make conversation.
"Thank you so much for helping me."
"It's no problem at all ma'am. I'm Chiba Mamoru."
"Tsukino Ikuko. It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise." The rest of the drive passed in silence, excepting when Ikuko gave him the directions to her house. When they arrived she dared herself to ask the bold question.
"Would you like to come over for tea tomorrow, Chiba-san? I would like to thank you properly for helping me. You could meet my daughter."
He thought about it for a moment before saying, "I have class until 4:00 tomorrow, but after that I'm free."
'That's perfect. Thank you again for your help."
"It was no problem at all." He helped her carry the bags to the doorway before heading back to his car. Ikuko waited for him to drive off before entering the house.
The next day, Tsukino Usagi was walking home from school with her friends, Ami and Naru.
"Oh man, I can't believe you failed again!" Naru was saying to Usagi, who looked about ready to cry.
"Mama is going to kill me! I actually tried really hard this time!"
"Well, Usagi-chan, you're just going to have start being on time for the study meetings at the temple."
Usagi let out a sigh but moments later she suddenly jumped into the air, a wide smile on her face.
"Oh yeah! I just remembered the new Sailor V game just arrived at the arcade! We should go!" Naru and Ami both sweatdropped.
"Usagi-chan, that's why you get failing grades," Naru said. Usagi gave her a look of death before sighing again.
"Well, just one day won't hurt, right? C'mon let's go!" Usagi pleaded.
"Uh… I have to work at the store tonight. Please forgive me." Naru said and turned a corner rather quickly.
"Naru-chan!" Usagi shouted after her. "Ami. Dear, dear Ami. You'll come with me right?" Usagi looked up at Ami with big pouty eyes.
"Um… I'm sorry Usagi-chan but I have to go to juku (AN: more school after school). And video games aren't really my thing anyway." Ami then followed Naru around the corner.
"Hey! Hey! Betrayers!" Usagi yelled after them both, and then continued to fume to herself as she proceeded to the arcade on her own.
After about an hour of continuously pumping quarters into the machine at the arcade, Usagi had finally given up and headed home. With yet another sigh, she entered her house, preparing for her mother's wrath.
"I'm home,." She called out, but there was no answer. Once again she called out. Her mother's head popped into view from the kitchen.
"Oh, Usagi-chan. Could you do me a favor? Can you just tidy up the lounge please?" Usagi was so pleased that her mother seemed to have forgotten all about the test that she cleaned the room without complaint. She was just heading upstairs to have a nap on her bed when her mother re-emerged from the kitchen and said, "Usagi, don't go now. We're having guest over in a few minutes. On second thought go up and get Shingo then come back down."
"Just who is this?" Usagi asked. "Hey, Mama, who's coming over?"
"I'll explain later. Just go get your brother." Usagi climbed the stairs and after depositing her bag into her room (and safely tucking the test out of sight) she entered Shingo's room.
"Hey, idiot-Usagi didn't I tell you not to come in here."
"Mama wants us downstairs now." Usagi was too busy worrying about who was coming over to make a snide comment to Shingo. Then she was struck with a horrible thought. What if it's Haruna-sensei! Maybe Mama didn't ask about the test because she can hear all about it from Haruna! Now Usagi was very worried and it was with a heavy heart that she descended the steps. Then she heard the doorbell ring and stopped where she was. Ikuko was heading to the door. Usagi was fully prepared to bolt if Haruna was the one on the other side of the door. Ikuko was turning the handle now. Usagi began to move very slowly once more. That is until Shingo came up behind her and kicked her butt so she fell down the stairs.
'You're going too slow, idiot-Usagi!" he said as he did so. The next thing Usagi knew, she was in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. Her stomach was flat on the floor and her legs were sticking up in the air. Ironically enough it was at that exact moment that Ikuko opened the door, and who should be standing there but Usagi's arch nemeses, Chiba Mamoru.
