Ching-a-ling

A cheerful sound to compensate for the sad lump that entered its doors.

With barely a nod – more like a tilt of the head - the lump acknowledged Motoki behind the counter before heading to the afore mentioned site.

"Milkshake, please, double chocolate." Usagi collapsed onto the counter seat. Arms sprawled across the space around her. Absolutely too tired to bother lifting her head up.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day where you'd be lazy enough not to even look at the person serving you your treats. Or even smile." Mamoru smirked at Usagi's prone figure.

Her response: a groan and slight twinge.

Tilting his head in curiosity he poked her in the side.

Moaning in pain, Usagi turned her head to face Mamoru with a glare. "Can't you see I'm not in the mood baka?"

"I don't know, you never seem to be in the mood, Odango." Mamoru smiled as he took a sip of his black, sugared coffee. "Although, you do seem a bit peaked….so…" Trailing off, he leaned in closer to inspect Usagi.

Scrutinizing her facial features and colouring, he tsked an old disappointed tsk and swiftly seized the milkshake that arrived seconds before, to his side of the counter.

"Hey! I was gonna drink that!" exclaimed Usagi. Her hands just stretched out to grab the sweet brew.

"Oh, she's alive!" Mamoru cried out, apparently relieved the mass of limbs across him wasn't so dead. "You know, milkshakes aren't good, all that sugar rush will take you on a rollercoaster of highs and lows, and trust me, from where you are at the moment, a low isn't a good place to go."

So, whilst, shaking his head, he gave Usagi's milkshake to a passing kid, who in her opinion, seemed much too smug and happy to receive the drink.

Wasn't she the one needing the pick-me-up? Didn't she deserve the treat? Hadn't she suffered enough?! For goodness sake, couldn't she simply have her milkshake when she wanted it!?!

So in outrage, and disregard of her current situation, she screamed. Several customers looked around in alarm.

If you were one of them, you would have seen a crazy girl jump up and start to yell jumbled words at a rather surprised young man, sitting two seats away from her.

"What's wrong with you? I just wanted a peaceful day! Can't you see I'm in pain! Don't you care! I wanted that milkshake! Now that smug kid has it and I don't!" Arms flailed fanatically in the air around her head.

Then all of a sudden, it was quiet. Mamoru peaked opened his shut eyes.

To his immediate shock, Usagi was sobbing on her arms, mumbling nonsense underneath her breath.

Feeling more than a little concerned, Mamoru asked, "Are you okay? Odango? I'm sorry, I'll buy you another milkshake if it means that much to you?" Receiving no response that indicated she heard him, he lightly touched her shaking shoulder.

As if shaken awake from a dazed dream, she looked around, before spotting Mamoru and narrowing her gaze in to heated slits.

Mamoru swallowed.

Then all of a sudden, she smiled, "Okay!" Before once again, some unknown pain seized her and she fell into a lump on the counter.

Suffice to say, Mamoru was more than confused in that moment than in his whole acquaintance with Odango.

"Just what the heck is wro–"

"USAGI! There you are! Just where have you been?" Minako, her just as crazy and erratic friend appeared. "You shouldn't have run off like that!" while admonishing her, Minako realised she had an audience of a completely bewildered Mamoru.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mamoru, you're probably wondering what's wrong with Usa…well more than usual, she's just having a bad time and Ami thought she could do some experiments on her, but we weren't counting on how extreme Usagi would react." Smiling in apology, Minako helped Usagi to her feet, preparing to take her home.

"Just what kind of experiments did Ami do to turn her into this?" Mamoru asked, perplexed and perhaps worried.

"Oh we just told her to relax, cause you see, she was getting a bit stressed, with…you know…stuff, anyway, we just took away her manga and told her mum to cook some healthy food that was supposed to 'detox' her body of bad stuff." Minako shrugged. "We didn't know that Usagi would get even more stressed and crazy."

With last words, she grabbed Usagi and dragged her towards the front door where her friends were waiting anxiously.

Mamoru just looked on. He thought it best he forget this eveeeerr happened.

It was probably better this way.

"So how'd he take your excuse?" Rei asked, nervously.

"Oh he was okay, just be glad he didn't try to help us get Usagi home." Minako heaved with Usagi in her arms.

"Here let me help." With no trouble at all, Makoto lifted Usagi's arms around her neck and lifted her against her back. "You know, she isn't that heavy, considering how much she eats."

"Just be thankful that youma blast didn't do anything worse," sighed Ami, "Imagine if it were any stronger? The youma's mood swing attack wasn't set on high."

"Yeah, and Odango head's already erratic. In addition to having a period today, if the attack were any stronger, we'd have mass panic." Mumbled Rei as she helped Makoto with her load.

"She's gonna have a painful time tonight and tomorrow, recovering from the gun, and especially her period pains." Mina shuddered, visualising the ache Usagi will definitely have.

"Just make sure she doesn't run off anywhere like before. Who knows why she went to the Arcade, and for a milkshake!" Ami shook her head. "She should be home, healing. Although, she does seem more calm now," peering closely at Usagi, she noted her deeper breaths as she snoozed on Makoto's back.

"Yeah, but she bothered Mamoru, Heaven knows what he might think of us for hanging around with such a lunatic." Complained Rei.

"Oh shush, relax girl, he seemed alright to me, a bit dazed, I'll admit, but alright." Minako reassured. "Plus he's probably used to her by now."

Everyone nodded. Although they may fight on nearly every opportunity, Mamoru must surely be used to Usagi's behaviour and proneness to be unpredictable.

"Anyway, we can just hope the mood swing attack's effects will have worn off by tomorrow and Mamoru will write this awkward situation today as a one-show-only kind of thing." Ami reasoned. "Okay, Makoto, just put Usagi in her bed and tell her parents she fell asleep at Rei's place. We'll just have to wait till tomorrow for Usagi to return to normal."

In Usagi's bed...

Usagi shot up in bed, angry, and eyes glazed. "Oh my god Mamoru! If I didn't love you, you would be so dead!" before collapsing on her bed, mumbling, "You annoying, dumb prat..."

So... What do you think??

Should I continue with my dismal efforts or just quit it right here and now?

If I get more than 3 reviews saying quit it, say adios to Passing Moments.

I don't really mind, to say the truth, i'm a bit struggling myself to see the interest in these drabbles...lol

Babaii