Authors notes: My sister came to visit the family. Very nice indeed, but not for over a month! She took over the spare room where I keep the computer. Alas, so sad she had to leave but I'm glad to have the Internet back. This chapter is literally slow. But what can I say…
Tough I have failed to mention his name, Usagi does think about him.
Sleep Depravation
Chapter 2: Nodding off
By: Namain
School went by in a half daze for Usagi Tsukino. She was physically present but her mind was glitching sporadically. Like a computer it kept shutting down and rebooting itself at odd intervals. It happened often during one particular class session; the substitute had a knack of emphasizing vowels in his speech instead of accentuating the important meanings and dates within the topic. Usagi adamantly focused on the lecture that the instructor was drawling on about and failed miserably.
A good three minutes listening to his voice; Usagi noticed the clarity of her vision becoming slightly unfocused. The lines and words on her notebook blurred. The voice that was once understood as a pattern of words linked together to form meaning had gradually become nothing more than white noise. She watched indifferently as her peripheral vision began to darken until everything turned foggy and then black.
Her palm slipped from under her chin and she jerked back into sudden awareness. Shaking the cobwebs out of her head, Usagi sat straighter in her seat and focused on her notes. Said notes were filled with half finished sentences and jumbled squiggles scarcely resembling words. All she wanted to do at that moment was scream. Vehemently erasing the squiggles, Usagi hoped she could copy Naru's notes after class.
If you asked Usagi what she learned in history, she would probably blink owlishly and remain silent, or perhaps she would simply change the subject. She learned nothing that day except that her daddy's coffee tasted like 'blargh', Monster drinks came in jumbo size, and a sugar rush is sublime. She fought a battle in all her classes and made it through without head-desking the table. Usagi thanked kami for granting small miracles.
Not wanting to overtax her brain with jotting down page after page of Naru's descriptive math, english, and history notes, Usagi decided it was easier to pay a visit to the schools library and the copy machine after class.
oo
Usagi stapled the warm parchments into her notebook and congratulated herself in discovering a new way of underachieving her way through the educational system. 'It's not as if I'm cheating,' she thought offhandedly as she exited out of the library and straight for detention. 'I'd be cheating if I was looking over Naru's shoulder during test time.'
Finding a vacant seat in the back of the classroom, Usagi examined her history textbook. With a critical eye, Usagi highlighted the important bits of information, added a few extra dates, and scribbled glossary terms to the side margins of her newly acquired notes. As time wore on, Usagi snacked on a power bar that she pilfered from her daddy's study desk earlier in the morning. She watched droopily as the minute hand on the clock ticked slowly around. Not finding any purpose to her staring, she shifted her gaze to the seconds ticking swiftly around the face of the clock instead.
oo
When detention had finally concluded for the day, Usagi wanted to cheer in gratitude. Quickly gathering up her belongings and shoving them into her bag, she speedily made her way down the stairs, through the empty hallways, and out the main gates of hell. Her sole thought was to go home and sleep.
Turning a corner at a slight jog, Usagi bypassed a black cat sprawled spread-eagle on the sidewalk. The black cat cried out to her faintly, "Usagi….y-youma…on the sightseeing …"
The blond froze mid-step as an ominous feeling washed over her. She knew better than to cross the path of a black cat. Pretending deaf, Usagi quickened her steps wanting to cross the intersection before traffic picked up again. All the while praying that Luna wouldn't-
"Guurck!"
Razor claws hooked themselves in the back of Usagi's uniform and the heavy weight of impending doom blossomed in the pit of the schoolgirls stomach.
"Uuuusaagiii…" Luna hissed warningly, "If you don't transform… you'll know what I'm capable of." The feline pressed her claws threateningly through the fabric and into the blonds flesh for emphasis.
"Roger that captain!" Usagi cried a little too cheerily, "But I need to make a stop first."
Crossing the street, the schoolgirl (with a black cat clinging to her back) headed straight for the nearest gas station. The employees manning the registers paid the young blond no mind as she entered the store… until Usagi turned her back towards the cashiers and they discovered a frazzled looking cat dangling like accessory on the back of the schoolgirls shirt. The women behind the counter watched the cat in mild amusement as it flexed its paws deeper into the fabric (getting a better hold of her quarry it seemed). If they squinted just right it looked as if the black cat was grinding its teeth together.
It was a silly sight to behold.
Not wanting to be rude to the girl, the workers decided not to reprimand the blond for bring an animal into the store. At least the cat wasn't running around getting into things and making a mess of the place. The girl approached the counter with a 'Full Throttle' clutched in her hand. She paused momentarily and bent down to retrieve a chocolate bar, "Better get this to," she mumbled as she placed both items on the counter and dug in her skirt pockets for money.
Upon exiting the store, Usagi snapped open the energy drink and took a huge gulp. She slinked her way towards a back alley and placed the consumable goods on the floor. Usagi asked Luna as politely as she could to detach herself from her bleeding back. When the weight lifted, the schoolgirl sighed in relief and immediately transformed into Sailor Moon. Picking up her goods, she asked her guardian the whereabouts of the elusive monster of the day.
Anticipating a quick and easy triumph, Usagi prayed she'd be home by six and in bed by six-thirty. But if she had to face off with that annoying blond Shitennou, she'd have to alter her schedule slightly. He was a sexist pig and enjoyed rubbing all the inadequacies of Sailor Moon in her face. Oh how she hated him. It was his fault she couldn't catch a decent nights sleep and perhaps the next time they meet, she'd get to punch him in the face for all his troubles.
"It could be anywhere. Like I said before, it was a tour bus."
"A t-t-to-tou-tour BUS?" Sailor Moon trailed off, all hopes of sleeping in early shattered at the thought of running around tracking down a moving vehicle.
"…You mean that I gotta…Gyah! Why can't this be easy LUNA!"
Chugging down her drink, Sailor Moon tossed the empty can into the nearest trash bin and ripped the wrapper from her candy bar. Here she thought school was going to be long and strenuous. Youma and Shitennou just had to be added into the mix.
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