A blonde teenager wakes up late for school. You know the story from there… or do you? Mixed Manga/Anime canon. Post-Stars. Written for the 30th Anniversary of Sailor Moon
Rated: K - Family/Drama - Words: 1,227 - Usagi T./Serena/Bunny/Sailor Moon, Shingo T./Sammy, Ikuko T.
A/N: Many thanks to moonchildoh8 for betaing this document for me! Check out her own works on Ao3 and FFN under the same username.
/users/moonchildoh8/
u/975170/
"It's past eight o'clock!" called up Ikuko.
The eyes of the fourteen-year-old Tsukino snapped open and caught sight of the bedside clock.
From downstairs Ikuko heard a yell of horror followed by some loud thuds as her child descended the stairs and ran past the kitchen.
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?! Thanks a lot, Mama."
Ikuko was nonchalant in her response. She didn't even bother looking up from her magazines. "I tried many times. You answered each time, remember?"
"I don't remember!"
Ikuko finally tore her attention away from her reading when she heard the pad of footsteps near the genkan.
"Oh, wait..."
"What? I'm in a hurry!"
Ikuko held up the wrapped box of food. "Don't you want your lunch?"
A youthful face peeked around the corner of the doorway, trying (and failing) to look more shrewd than embarrassed.
"Um… yeah I guess… although I could swing by the store and pick up some..."
"You are late enough as it is and I don't need you eating that sort of junk, now get going!"
"Why does morning have to come so early?" The teen yawned, running at break-neck speed down the street. "I'm totally wiped. Gym is going to be a nightmare!"
"Tsukino-san! You're late again!" Ms. Haruna's reprimand positively vibrated through the halls of Juban District Middle School.
As was becoming routine, 'Tsukino-san' left the classroom and wallowed in self-pity.
"Mean old bat. I was only a little late. How could she embarrass me in front of everyone like that? I have my pride after all."
A rumbling sound emanated in the empty hallway.
"So hungry."
After a quick glance to the left and right the young Tsukino took out their lunch box.
"Well… like they say I am a growing-"
But as the chopsticks began to lower, the classroom door slid open, giving the teen pause.
"What are you doing?" Ms. Haruna demanded, her hands on her hips. "That's why you get failing grades!"
She held up a test paper upon which was a large, red '30'...
Many hours later Tsukino-san exited the video game store in defeat. The bargain sale was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Perhaps Mama and Papa could lend h-
A second glance at the ugly crimson '30' murdered the thought before it'd even finished.
"No fair. I studied hard this time… Maybe I should've done that after the video games though," they muttered. "Oh, get lost!"
A scrunched up test paper was promptly thrown into the air.
"Hey, that hurts!" Said a soft voice from behind.
The teen swiveled around "What? Oh, sorry..."
"Thirty percent!?" The stranger said in utter disbelief.
Tsukino-san's face became a picture of embarrassment.
The stranger lowered the unfurled paper from their face, revealing an attractive face adorned by thick sunglasses. "Study harder, 'Tsukino'" they admonished, though they shot a wink as they said it.
Tsukino blushed and stomped towards the stranger, getting just close enough to snatch the test paper back. "It's none of your business!"
Squaring their shoulders, Tsukino about faced and angrily marched off for home, but soon stopped in front of the Game Center Crown. There was an irresistibly attention grabbing poster in the window of the arcade. It was advertising the latest Sailor V game, complete with a new multiplayer mode.
"It must be nice being a hero like Sailor V and her friends. You don't have to worry about tests, and I bet catching bad guys and fighting monsters feels pretty good." The teen took another look at their paper. "But me on the other hand..." Tsukino let out a deep sigh. "I don't want to take this home..."
"I'm home!"
Ikuko exited the kitchen, spatula still in hand, and headed towards the genkan. "Oh, you're back," she began. "You're late." Her tone was light and friendly. As such, she tried her best to not notice how clearly nervous she had just made her child.
"Yeah, a bit," the young Tsukino replied.
"I bumped into one of your friends today. She said you got your test back."
"What?" The teen stiffly grunted.
"She got a 95."
"Oh, really? That's amazing!" A clearly fake laugh echoed within the hallway.
"And... what did you get?"
"Well, umm. Umm, well... Actually, that is..."
Ikuko held out her hand. "Let me see."
"...Here."
The adolescent handed over the paper, their body hunched over in defeat.
About ten seconds elapsed as Ikuko took in the paper. Then, she positively exploded.
"Getting such a score! I'm not letting you into the house!"
Quick as a flash, she'd thrown the juvenile out the front door and slammed it shut behind her.
"Mama!"
"I can't hear you!"
Maybe she should have known better. Maybe she should have expected to face this upon coming home. But, she had rather hoped that today, times might just have changed.
The teen was on the verge of tears, leaning against the door on bended knees.
As she watched, a sense of déjà vu washed over her. Clearing her head with a little shake, she reached out a hand to the youth's slumped shoulder.
"Did you get locked out?" She asked evenly.
The blonde teen whipped around, looking up into her face with panicked eyes.
"No... I... Mama threw me out because I got a rotten grade."
She sighed and rolled her eyes. When they came back to centre however she found the youth's body had tensed, as if braced for a verbal lashing or some further round of humiliation. They had apparently gotten the wrong idea. Not that she could blame them for expecting that from her. Old habits die hard after all. Hadn't Ikuko Tsukino just demonstrated that?
"Yeah... she does that. Just... " She leaned forward and pressed her ear against the door. "...wait a little while. And then..." She gave a confirming nod. "...She cools off a little and walks away."
She produced a key and quietly unlocked the door, putting her finger to her lips as she ushered the teen inside.
"Alright," she whispered. "Coast is clear. Head upstairs and crack open a book. At least look like you're studying."
"Good idea."
The blonde teen took three steps before turning around again, gratitude shining in their eyes.
"Thanks, Usagi," they whispered.
Usagi shrugged. "No problem Shingo. It's what big sisters do, right?"
A/N: Written for Shingo's 30th Anniversary.
I struggled for a long time to come up with a suitable Shingo tribute story. Initially i considered a fic of him in Crystal Tokyo, sort of examining the irony of his 'baka big sister', winding up as the Queen of the whole world.
However, I felt that as a tribute for Shingo himself, that would skew more to being about Usagi and her accomplishments. Instead, I opted for something 'closer to home', basically still giving Shingo a little comeuppance for his bratty behaviour, but at the same time emphasising that he and his sister love one another.
Also just to let you know I am involved in a discord called 'Moonlight Legends' which is dedicated to sharing all sorts of Sailor Moon fanworks, including other fanfics. If you would like to join so you can share your own work, get help with your current projects or just connect to other fan creators shoot me a PM and I'll send you an invite. All are welcome!