Morning dawn on Sunday with the promise of new adventures, or at least it would to a morning person. As full of sunshine that Usagi is, she was not one to greet the sun with open arms and wide eyes. This had never been a secret to anyone who knew her, yet she laid restless in her bed. Her eyes glued accusingly at the two felines at the edge of her bed. Usagi's body was yelling at her for her fainting act yesterday, her body did not rest while her mind zapped her of her strength. Yet, she was denied one of her simpler pleasures in life. Sighing at the unfairness of it all, she rose from her bed and instead sat on the cold floor. To jolt her awake so she may focus on her guardians following statements.
Luna stared seriously at her charge, evaluating her as per mental health. Figuring her estrange behavior was over, she ventured forward. Though it was Usagi who broke the ice instead.
"Luna, why did you wake me up?" Usagi whined at her guardian which caused Artemis to snicker. Luna was submerged in the sweat drop that appeared behind her head. Her charge was still so silly at times. However, Artemis's snickering was getting to her patience, and she rather deal with him, then her non awake charge. Usagi is short of patience and attention in the morning, ignored the squabbling guardians and walked down stairs. Breakfast sounded good, and once again the princess left the sight of the two guardians.
Usagi stumbled downstairs in her usual grace, her feet seemingly barely finding the next step. Slipping off the last step, she blindly walked by following her nose to the kitchen. Amazingly she avoided banging into any walls, or bruising herself, which was a good thing. Her nose led her to the breakfast table, where her mother watched amused as she collapsed sleeping in the chair. Usagi slid her eyes blearily opened and smiled pleadingly at her mother to feed her.
Ikuko chuckled silently, nodding her ascent to feed her daughter. She was happy that she hadn't totally lost her baby girl to growing up. Kenji was always whispering about boys taking away her baby, and though she lobbied for her daughter's freedom she worried. Though Kenji was more vocal about his objections, Ikuko was probably the worst of the two. A warning to those who hurt or crossed her babies, Ikuko could wield a fierce frying pan. Setting those thoughts aside, she served her daughter breakfast, and hummed as she cleaned the breakfast dishes.
Usagi stretched as she felt more awake after breakfast, her eyes trailing on the calender. She smiled happily as she noticed it was Sunday, she figured she'd get a little shopping done. It's a free day to her, completely forgetting the importance of the question she had for her guardians. Cheerfully she bounced up the stairs, slid into her room, changed into some day clothes, bounced back out with money in hand.
Sunlight played cheerfully with her blonde hair as she skipped out. Figuring she head the way of the grocery store, eventually she would find the shopping district. This simple instinct of a shopper, along with probably a built in radar detector for stores had Usagi heading in the right direction. Bouncing along the sidewalks, peeking in and out of stores in the district until her eyes caught on an interesting sign.
The name of the store was Ayame, and Usagi smiled largely. Usagi bounded up to the shuttered store, thinking the flowers were rare. Since Ayame means Iris, the beautiful flower, Usagi couldn't wait to pick up some for her mother, since it was her favorite flower. Also, her mother had been looking rather down for the past few weeks. Nodding to her idea, she bounded up to the door, a brilliant smile on her face. With her normal flourish of energy she pulled the door open and darted in. As her eyes focused on the store, she face faulted in surprise, as she crashed she saw a flash of red.
"Ho, ho, ho, ho, what's this?" A male voice chuckled just above her. "A damsel in distress, or one of my admirers here to fall at my feet in reverence?" He boasted to himself. Usagi blushed, as she heard him laugh again, then a gloved hand entered her vision. Thinking nothing of it, she grabbed it, and was hauled up. "Now, vision of loveliness, whose male romance are you here to make true?" The male voice asked as she took time to study him.
He was beautiful in essence of an effeminate male, and his appeal was one of a heartthrob. Long silvery-white hair draped around his person, brushing his lower back. The red clothing trimmed in yellow suited his pale coloring, but perhaps his most drawing feature was his eyes. Golden orbs flashed with amusement as he looked Usagi over, perhaps mentally assessing her measurements.
"Ah, yes, you are enraptured by beauty." He stated, causing Usagi to shake from her observations.
"Hello." She stated, and smiled at him. "I'm looking for some flowers for my mother." Usagi added, Ayame looked pleasantly befuddled before laughing. Usagi stared confused at him while he laughed. "What?" She inquired politely.
"No, my name is Ayame, this is not a store for flowers." He answered her with a smile. Usagi glanced down sadly, while blushing in embarrassment.
"Sorry Ayame-san." Usagi stated, and turned back to the door.
"Wait, allow me to make reparations for the misinformation." Ayame commented, while holding his hand out to her. Usagi blushed at him, while glancing away.
"Uh.." Usagi stuttered.
"Cute." Ayame complimented, and grabbed her hand with his. Usagi's blush spread past her cheeks curling down her neck.
"Okay." Usagi agreed.
"Fabulous." Ayame stated while leading her out the door. He led her directly to flower store, right next door. Usagi sweat dropped at her misdirection, and turn to thank Ayame. He merely ignored her comments dragging her inside and gesturing for her to pick the flowers for her mother. Usagi nodded shyly, and walked over to the Irises, picking a few. Ayame smiled charmingly, while quickly paying for them, Usagi wondering what he may have been doing.
"Ayame-san?" Usagi intoned, and watched as the gentleman turned around. "What's is your store about then?" She inquired naively. Ayame grinned brightly, a secret hiding in his eyes.
"Oh you'll find out soon enough, ho, ho, ho." Ayame commented, while Usagi blinked. Somehow, she did not feel comforted by that. As he led her back into his store, he turned to her with a flourish. "Now, what's your name?" Ayame asked.
"Usagi." She answered, while he looked over her.
"Yes, Usagi, could you do me a favor?" Ayame intoned, and yet, before she could answer.. "Of course you will." Ayame answered for her and turned toward the back of the store. "Mine, come out here, and put her into the newest model." He ordered, as a brown haired female came out in a maid outfit. Without a minute to protest, Usagi was whirled off to a back room.
Usagi stammered as she was pulled and prodded into several different outfits, and accessories. True any girl enjoys being pampered, but by a stranger can be disconcerting, if not a little odd. After many different variations on the articles of clothing that hung around, she was ushered from the changing room. She was shoved right before the grinning Ayame, who glanced over Usagi before humming in his throat.
"Mine, get me that 'certain,' thing." Ayame told her, while Usagi fidgeted.
"Ayame-san, what's the 'certain,' thing?" Usagi questioned, but Ayame merely listed a few changes that could be made to the outfit ignoring the question. Mine walked back with a white box topped with a black ribbon. Usagi gulped at the odd looking box, and her eyes widen as Mine approached her. The box was propped open, and the 'certain,' thing was revealed.
It was simple and elegant, compared to some of the things Usagi had seen. It was a silver chain, not very gaudy or thick, with an emblem hanging from it. The charm was a splayed light lavender iris, with the symbol for zodiac in the middle. Mine clasped it around Usagi neck, and the two shared a grin as Usagi stood demurely before them. Ayame, then in his normal fashion began his parade of compliments.
Usagi was feeling light headed to all the blood rushing to her cheeks, as Mine and Ayame talked of her outfit. Concerned, and curious she looked herself over. It was a dress of pale yellow, like the dawn sunrise's first rays. Elegant and form-fitting, that just brushed beneath her knees. Gloves of a shade darker yellow were covering her ivory hands that were clasped before her. It was sleeveless with a pale, translucence rainbow sheer over her upper body. The necklace perched directly at the hollow of her throat, her buns had been let down. Instead, she had a small band of her pulled back and braided with fake pale pink flowers.
"Mine, she needs a dark contrast to the pale colors, though beautiful." Ayame stated while tossing another compliment at the unusually quiet Usagi. Mine, tilted her head, and turned to the back. She came back with two long, dark sapphire butterfly clips. They matched extremely well with Usagi's eyes, as a few of her bangs were pulled back from the clips. "Excellent!" Ayame chirped, and clapped his hands together with a blinding smile. "Ah, I have an idea." Ayame commented as he looked over the shy blond. Tilting her head up, he allowed her eyes to lock with his.
"What?"Usagi inquired quietly.
"Model for me." It wasn't in question form, more like a demand, though soft. Usagi glanced at the hypnotizing golden eyes, and felt herself nod compliance. "Terrific, you shall help me make many male's romances come true, ho, ho, ho!" Ayame congratulated. Usagi blinked, unsure about what she had just agreed too. "Now, I need you to sign this, and this, this, this, finally this." He stated while handing her several papers. Usagi blinked, and one questioned crossed her mind, out of her dazzled fog.
"Ayame-san..."Usagi started, but was cut off.
"Ayame." He returned, and Usagi bowed her head.
"I start school shortly." Usagi intoned. Ayame merely waved to a section in the paper, and Usagi glanced down at it. "Weekends?" She screeched lightly, and then sighed. It was true that her mother and father needed more income because of the rising tuition in schools. 'Besides, it be nice to have a little spending money for manga!' Usagi thought, and signed the papers with her normal bunny caricature at the end. Though, not normal business tactics, neither was her new boss's way of obtaining employees either. He took the finish papers from her and filed them with a flourish while ushering her out with a new schedule. "Wait, what about your stuff?" Usagi asked.
"Think of it as a bonus, ho, ho, ho." Ayame shouted back as she stepped out. As she bounded home, still dazed from Ayame's behavior, she did not realize that her hands were empty of the flowers she had. Ayame smiled at the contract of his newest model of male's romances when he noticed the forgotten Irises. Glancing at the contract for the address, he decided to be gallant and bring them to his newest employee.
Usagi arrived home just as her mother was stepping out of the kitchen. She smiled widely as she noticed her daughter's get up, and gestured for the airy bunny to tell her what had happen. Usagi quickly explained everything, and Ikuko made to question where the missing flowers were when their was a knock on the door.
Ikuko opened the door, to find a silver-haired gentleman with irises standing at her door. At this time Artemis had come downstairs, and withheld a hiss as a familiar scent hit his nose. His princess had encountered another one of those strange youths! He thought and hissed at the male in the doorway, who glanced down at him with appraising eyes while Ikuko apologized. Ayame merely laughed, and handed the flowers to Usagi who had stepped up beside her mother. Then with a magnificent twirl, he was walking away, the sun striking his silver hair making him appear otherworldly.
As Ikuko closed the door, she pinned her daughter with a meaningful glance. Usagi merely blushed, shook her head, and finished her story. Then she handed over the flowers and rushed to her room to avoid further embarrassment from her mother. Taking great care of the new clothing she peeled out of it, with her original clothing underneath. Then she unhooked her necklace, and placed it in the jewelry box. For a minute Usagi stared confused at the box as if a few items were missing. She shook her head at her silliness, marking them toward her dreams of a handsome prince and princess. A moon princess though she was, those memories were also not hers anymore. She could still use the ginzuishou, but had no idea the history behind it. Though there would be times she looked at it in wonder, it was a beautiful crystal, though it seem a bit dull.
Stretching she closed the box and yawned, the day had been especially long for her. Nodding, she grabbed a towel, her pajamas and made her way to the bathroom. Deciding on a long, relaxing bath, she didn't notice Luna follow her in. Luna had seen the new necklace, not to mention the odd scent on the clothes and was concern about Usagi. Waiting for Usagi to commence relaxing, she popped up on the sink.
"Usagi." She called, causing Usagi to start, and accidently duck her head under the water. Sputtering she turned her attention to the black cat.
"What?" Usagi asked.
"Where did you get the necklace?" Luna inquired, and Usagi had no qualms about telling her about her day. She started from where her two guardian cats 'rudely,' awaken her. Then explained the rest of her day with her normal flair. Washing and explaining, she got out while toweling off, still talking. Dressed she bounced down stairs, promising to finish the story after dinner. Lunch had been in Ayame's store as she was force to change in and out of outfits for the perfect one. After dinner, she wished her family goodnight and slipped into bed while finishing her story. As she began to pass out, she slipped out the question that she had been trying to ask for two days.
"Guys, what is a big, zombie cat, categorized as far as senshi business?" She asked sleepily to her two guardian cats. Usagi did not see the two confused, and shocked faces of said cats as she fell into her normal dreamless sleep.
"I'm worried." Artemis piped up. Luna looked to him with a nod, that description could be depicted for the scent on Usagi's hands two days ago. Sighing they settled on the headboard of the bed overlooking their charge. Though before they dozed off they set all of Usagi's new alarm clocks that Ikuko bought today.
Hmm, the longest chapter so far. Ayame made the scene. School's going to be fun eh? Anyways, much care, please review, WCB.