Whilst browsing for her upcoming wedding, Usagi bumps into a familiar face…Anime canon. Written for the 30th Anniversary of Ms. Haruna.

Rated: T - Drama/Humor - Words: 2,385 - Usagi T./Serena/Bunny/Sailor Moon, Haruna S./P. Haruna, OC

A/N: A big thank you to Lin Lamont for betaing this fic for me. Find her on FFN, AO3 and tumblr under the same username.

The teacher's ears picked up the faintest shuffling behind her. Whirling around, she caught sight of a small, black shoe disappearing behind a desk.

"Go stand in the hall" she sighed, exasperated. The girl crawling on the floor froze. "Yes, I am addressing you young lady. This is far from the first time you've snuck into my class late."

"But Ms.-"

"Now!"

The teacher pointed to the door and, sure enough, the girl stood up and slowly marched out the door.

The silk felt delightful between her fingers. Usagi wondered if Mamoru or her father would mind the expense given their respective salaries. Even if they did, surely they'd forget such worries once they saw her in the dress itself. Of course, she intended to make Mamoru wait until the actual day.

She let out a love-struck giggle, imagining the look on his face.

"Miss Tsukino?"

Usagi's eyes widened as she whirled around.

"Miss Haruna?"

Before Usagi stood an older woman with blue eyes and long, wavy auburn hair.

"I haven't seen you in like eight years! What're you doing here?" they chorused.

They both let out polite, little laughs before Haruna spoke up.

"Well, actually I'm browsing for my wedding," there was an almost imperceptible blush to her cheeks.

"You are!?"

Haruna's eyes narrowed slightly. "You sound rather surprised."

Realizing her faux pas, Usagi let out a nervous titter and waved dismissively. "No, no, it's not like that. It's just that… you know… You were my teacher in middle school. Us kids never thought about your life outside of the classroom."

Haruna tilted her head slightly but then slowly nodded. "I suppose I understand. Anyway, you never told me what you are doing here?"

"Me? Oh, I'm browsing too."

"You're getting married!" exclaimed Haruna.

Now, Usagi's eyes narrowed. "Hey! Why're you so surprised!?"

Haruna's face flushed and she mimicked Usagi's earlier hand gesture. "It's just that… you know…You were my student. You'll always be a fourteen-year-old girl to me."

Usagi's face relaxed. "Well, anyway-"

"Congratulations!" they said in unison.

For a moment, both looked embarrassed, but then they began to chuckle together.

Quick as a flash, the teacher slid the classroom door open!

The fourteen-year-old girl gasped in shock, almost gagging on the pork bun.

"First you're late, and now you have the audacity to eat while you are being punished?"

"It's not my fault! I'm starving and I missed breakfast and I ran all the way to school because-"

"I'm sure I can deduce the reason you had to run all the way here. Now, put that away and return to your seat. Preferably not on your hands and knees."

The girl did as she was told and walked back into the classroom, her head hung in shame.

"And I suggest you savor your meal come lunchtime. Seeing as you'll be staying after school for detention!"

"Wow Ms. Haruna! Is that your dress?"

"No Mi-… No it isn't Usagi. I was actually just admiring it. And you know, you can drop the 'Miss'. You left Juban Middle School a long time ago."

"Oh right, sorry. As my friend Mina says, 'New habits don't live long.'"

A slightly worried look came over Miss Haruna. "That's not quite…Er, never mind. Are you finished browsing?"

"Yep!... Well no, but I can't stay here all day… Much as I want to…" muttered Usagi, almost painfully hanging the dress back up.

Haruna let out a sigh of exasperation. "I know how you feel. I'm so bus-"

"It is lunchtime after all!" Usagi cut-in.

Haruna looked taken aback. "Oh… Yes I suppose it is. "

Usagi snapped her fingers, her face almost beaming in delight. "Say, Mi-... Haruna, why don't we grab something to eat together!?"

A quizzical expression swiftly passed across Haruna's face, soon replaced by a small smile. "Why not."

"Great! I know this wonderful place nearby called Fruits Parlor Crown. They do all these-"

"The most fabulous desserts!" exclaimed Haruna.

It was Usagi's turn to look taken aback. "Yeah… How'd you know that?"

Haruna blushed slightly. "Um… well… I might've frequented their establishment once or twice… Just… Just to make sure it was a safe place for all you students of course!"

Usagi cocked her eyebrow and led the way out the store.

Throughout the day the girl had seemed like she was on the verge of tears.

That wasn't an unusual occurrence. Whether it was about a difficult lesson, being mildly teased by her friends or how she lost a game weeks ago, the girl was something of a crybaby. The girl cried so often in fact that every so often she and her tears would haunt the teacher in her very dreams.

During that day's break, the teacher swore she could even hear the girl wailing all the way from outside, despite having remained in the classroom to grade tests.

For her part, the teacher let out an audible groan when she came to the girl's English test paper. She hadn't even checked her answers yet, but based upon her student's previous work it was unlikely to be a pleasant experience.

As she put pen to paper, the girl's wails started up in the back of her mind, as if giving the teacher a preview of what was to come.

"So, are you still friends with anyone from middle school?" asked Haruna.

Usagi nodded her head as she sipped her strawberry milkshake. "I see Naru and Umino from time to time. They got engaged recently."

Haruna leaned forwards in surprise, nearly toppling her own pink milkshake. "They're still together? They're getting married!"

Usagi looked confused. "Yeah. I mean, they had their ups and downs of course, but they'll tie the knot sometime next year."

Haruna leaned back in her chair. "I wasn't one to pry into my students' lives. But I just never quite understood those two going out. And I confess, I wasn't too fond of Mr. Umino after that time he-"

"Flipped your skirt up?"

Haruna's jaw clenched. "Yes… That."

"Well… he's changed a lot since then. He's a scientist or something now."

"That doesn't surprise me. He was always one of the smartest students in the school. Second only to that Mizuno girl."

"Oh yeah Ami, I see her a lot more often actually. Though these days it's mostly been when I've needed help studying."

"Studying?"

"Yeah. She's working hard to become a doctor but she still found the time to help me out at college."

"College!?" Haruna's eyes were the size of saucers.

"Yep, I'm a college graduate. Did I forget to mention that?"

"I… Why, yes. Yes you did."

Usagi pouted. "Is… Is it really that shocking to hear?"

Haruna composed herself and gave Usagi a consoling look. "I'm sorry. It's just that… when I think back to teaching you it was… I was honestly surprised you passed your high school entrance exams. You… you weren't exactly… the most 'dedicated' student I knew…"

Towards the end of the day the teacher could sense her class' attention flagging. Admittedly she was struggling herself, grading the tests having taken its toll. Her eyes didn't close, but they did begin to droop slightly. However, her fatigue was swiftly replaced by anger at the sound of soft, rhythmic, nasally huffs behind her.

She snapped her head back up! Sure enough, every student had their books lying flat on their desks, reading through the chapter she'd assigned earlier. Every student… with one exception.

She practically stomped towards the desk with the lone textbook propped up, it's covers obscuring its 'reader'. It was taking all her resolve to keep her hand from trembling. Somehow she was able to contain herself as she gently lifted the book up, closed it, then slammed it down on the desk!

With a gasp, the girl jerked into an upright sitting position. A split second later, her bleary eyes went wide as she beheld the fury on her teacher's face.

"Perhaps," she began, coldly, "If you didn't nap during my classes, you might not get grades quite as poor as this!"

She thrust an English test with a measly 25% score in the girl's face. A round of giggling rippled through the classroom. Tears welled up in the girl's eyes again.

"And I think your night of detention just turned into a week's worth!"

The tears finally broke free as the girl wailed, though at that moment, her teacher was too angry to care.

Usagi's face fell. Reflexively Haruna reached out to pat her hand. "Hey, listen. That was very rude of me. It's terrific that you've made it through college, and I really am sorry for how I reacted just now."

Usagi's expression perked up, although there was a hint of curiosity behind her eyes. "It's okay… Haruna. Looking back, I know I was… er… difficult sometimes."

"Well… Maybe I could've gone a little easier on you myself. It's all in the past, though."

Usagi nodded affirmatively. "Right. What matters is the here and now. Oh, and the future of course. Like our weddings!"

They continued to chat for a little while longer before exiting the parlor. After bidding goodbye, they began to walk away from one another.

"Usagi, wait a minute!"

Usagi turned back to find Haruna, her face wearing a slightly concerned look.

"I just want to say… I just want to repeat…" she sighed in exasperation. "I'm sorry again for being surprised earlier. Of all people I shouldn't have been so quick to judge. And regardless, seeing you today I'm… I'm proud of who you've grown into. "

Usagi's face broke into a smile and she instinctively hugged her former teacher. A few moments later they parted ways again, but this time Usagi was the one who called back.

"Haruna?"

Haruna looked back towards her former student.

"Ami and my other friends helped me pass those high school entrance exams. But… It wasn't all down to them…"

Haruna made an expression Usagi had never seen her make before, and certainly not in their classroom. Her eyes wavered, and her lips parted, letting out a soft, tiny, gasp. She didn't say anything, simply waving as she turned away. But as she departed, Usagi just glimpsed the tears welling in her eyes.

Somehow, Usagi knew her teacher was going to have a wonderful wedding day. However, what she wasn't as certain about was that odd comment she'd made back in the parlor…

As the detention period neared its end, the teacher found her attention had completely drifted. If she were being honest, she was only pretending to prepare for the next day's lessons. In reality, she was simply staring off into space, too exhausted to do much else.

It was in the last five minutes of the detention that she noticed the other occupant of the classroom wasn't quite as still as she should be. The girl was doing a very poor job of pretending to not be writing something.

Fatigued as her mind was, for an instant the teacher wondered if the girl was trying to slyly do some of her homework. The ridiculousness of the idea almost made her laugh, waking her up a little. As such, she suddenly remembered the girl wasn't allowed to work during detention.

The teacher let out her umpteenth exasperated sigh and got up from her desk. She primed the reprimand on her tongue, but held it back when she saw what the girl was writing.

"I think you can leave now. But that stays with me."

Not for the first time that day, the girl's eyes widened in shock. She had been so engrossed in her task she hadn't even noticed anyone looming over her.

"But this is-" She implored.

"I read enough of that to deduce exactly what it is, young lady. But detention isn't the place to be writing love-struck letters to local radio stations."

"You… You read…" The girl's face flushed red.

However, her embarrassment apparently outweighed her desire to retain the item. She hurriedly gathered her things and headed for the door.

"Oh, and one more thing…" The girl was halfway out the door when she turned back to the teacher, her curly hair bouncing on her shoulders as she stopped. "If you are late again tomorrow, it'll be another week's worth of detention." The girl's bottom lip began to quiver. "If you are going to cry, please do so on your way out. That'll be all Miss Sakurada."

With that, Haruna ran out of the classroom, her teacher just glimpsing the tears welling in her eyes.

A/N: I didn't actually write this for my anthology. I wrote it way back in December 2020 and was originally going to release it as a multi-chapter story. However, when I decided to do my anthology I held it back as I realized it was too perfect for a Haruna tribute.

The general idea for the fic, that Haruna and Usagi are ironically very similar, was prompted by a Sailor Moon podcast I listened to back in the day, where they observed that Haruna was in effect a grown up Usagi!

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!