It was nearly noon by the time Usagi made it back home the next day. She was happy it was only Saturday. Last night had been so refreshing and sweet a moment that she didn't want it to ever end.
"Usagi, where were you last night?" Ikuko's voice came as she entered her home.
Usagi mentally searched. "Ah! I was at Rei's! When it started to rain, we decided it was best to just stay in…" She excused just like she had dozens of times before. Hopefully her mother would continue to believe that.
Ikuko seemed to take Usagi's little white lie as truth, as she simply nodded and went back to folding laundry. "Usagi, you really must learn to call from now on." She lightly scolded. "You know how your father worries." She explained while putting the last of the laundry into the basket.
She laughed sheepishly. "O-okay mama!" She skipped off to her room, closing the door behind her. She let out a sigh of relief.
"Staying out all night at Mamoru's again?"
She nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh, phew! Its just you, Luna." She relaxed against her door for a minute before going to change out of her clothes from yesterday. She'd put them back on just before leaving Mamoru's place. "You really scared me!" She admitted.
"Usagi, you have got to take life more seriously." Scolded the little black cat. "Don't you have more important things to worry about- maybe studying for your finals or college entrance exam?"
Usagi often forgot just how old she was. She was at the end of her final year in highschool! And that meant going off to college soon. What a bummer.
"Come on, Luna!" She whined. "It's so hard trying to be a sailor soldier, maintaining friendships, doing house chores, having a boyfriend, attending school, getting my beauty sleep, and on top of all of that you want me to study every day?" She sighed. "What a slave driver." She crawled over to her dresser, pulling it open to find something appropriate to wear for the day.
Luna furrowed her brow. "You're hopeless. Mamoru won't wait around for you forever. If you don't graduate he'll probably move on." It was a lost cause trying to argue with her. Usagi was a romantic who truly believed with every ounce of her being that her love would never betray her feelings.
"Yeah right, Mamo loves me too much to do that to me!" She snorted before sliding on a pink and black polka dotted top and some soft gray shorts. She pulled her hair out from her shirt and slipped on some black stockings and picked her pink chucks from her closet before heading for the door.
"Just where are you going now, Usagi?!" Luna droned.
"I agreed to meet up with the girls for parfaits today!" She cheered, licking her lips at the thought of such a tasty treat. Luna sighed and gave in to the girl's silliness. She followed her out the door. On their way out the front, as Usagi was putting on her shoes, her mother stepped in speaking in a gentle voice.
"Usagi, try not to stay out all night. At least not without letting us know where you will be, okay?"
Usagi nodded. "Okay mama! I'll remember!" She waved as she walked out the door. "I'm off!"
Upon arriving to the café, Usagi found Ami, Makoto, and Rei to already be there. Minako was soon to catch up just behind her. Everyone ordered their food and began to eat.
The usual banter was fluttering about the table, boys, grades, games… But the topic took a sudden turn.
"Has anyone else noticed how calm things have been?" Makoto brought up thoughtfully.
"Its been years…" Minako chimed in, spooning some ice cream and strawberry into her mouth.
Usagi didn't like to think about how long it had been. It always sat at the back of her head hanging over her like a guillotine; a constant reminder that at any time all the peace and happiness they were feeling could vanish. She drooped in her seat.
"Aaaah! Don't bring that up!" She whined as she kicked her feet in her chair.
The rest of the girls shrugged it off. It was not uncommon for Usagi to protest any time they brought this subject up.
"Sorry, sorry!" Makoto put her hands up, waving them in an attempt to calm her. "It's just- maybe we should be doing more than…"
"Acting like our lives are normal?" Rei suggested, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Yeah." Mako poked her parfait with her spoon.
"That is a good point." Ami joined in.
"Ami… Not you too…" Usagi rested her chin on the table as she shoveled a spoonful in her mouth.
"No, seriously!" Ami continued. "Its been so long I sometimes have to think to remember what to say to transform!" The rest of the group nodded in mutual disappointment. "If we were to be attacked tomorrow, I'm not sure any of us would know how to defend ourselves, much less others." Her blue eyes traced the faces of her friends. They all suddenly looked glum.
Luna and Artemis both nodded. "Perhaps we should set up a simulation program to keep you guys in shape?" Artemis suggested.
"Just what are you suggesting?" Minako glowered. Artemis felt himself sweating.
"You know what I mean!" He defended. Minako was always taking things the wrong way. What was with that girl and body image anyways?
"I think Artemis has a good point, though!" Luna put her paws on the table as if she were some sort of CEO scolding their staff. "If the Earth is to remain safe, you must keep yourselves in top shape!" She cleared her throat. "And some of us need it more than others…" She eyed Usagi as she continued to cram spoonful after spoonful of parfait into her mouth.
Usagi didn't really seem to care much about Luna's jab at her. She just wanted the serious conversation to end. In fact, she would rather talk about finals at this point! The bun headed girl let out a long whine, and the rest of the group eyed her, knowing exactly what she was feeling, and sympathizing, but deciding to take a more adult like approach on the situation.
Luna continued to speak about possible training programs, to which the girls added their own ideas and opinions in. All Usagi could manage to do was space out as the last of her parfait found its way into her mouth. She was daydreaming about last night with Mamoru. How his long toned arms felt around her shoulders as they snuggled up together on his couch, the gentle sound of his heart beat, and his breath as it tickled her forehead. She wanted every day of her life to be like that: Normal and happy.
By the time everyone said their goodbyes, they'd already hit the arcade and the mall. The conversation had lightened a bit and Usagi was a little less anxious. When she and Luna returned to the Tsukino home, Ikuko, Kenji, Shingo, and ChibiUsa were all about the kitchen and dining room setting up for dinner. Usagi chipperly joined in, enjoying menial life tasks while she could. She'd set the utensils and ChibiUsa did plates and Shingo did napkins.
Dinner was delicious but uneventful. Usagi was questioned by her papa about her not coming home, and of course worried about his daughter becoming a 'delinquent.' That was his umbrella term for anything he didn't want his daughter to be doing. And yes, that included sleeping at a man's house. She gave him the same excuse she gave her mother, and he seemed to accept it, although hesitantly. Ikuko helped calm him by reassuring their little Usagi was not the type to lie. That only gave her a slight twinge of guilt which she pushed away by eating more food.
By the end of dinner, the girl was so stuffed she couldn't help but flop tiredly into her bed. She'd eaten so much she couldn't force herself to sit up and study. At least, that was the excuse she gave Luna. She stretched out in her nice comfy pink PJs and slid under her covers, enjoying the feeling of bed time.
"You weren't really at Rei's house, were you?" Came the slightly smug, very accusing voice of her daughter.
Usagi sat up in bed, giving the girl a powerful frown.
"I didn't think so." She shrugged while tossing her pink hair over her shoulder.
"Why's it any of your business anyways?!" Usagi barked. She crossed her arms and furrowed her brow.
"Ikuko-mama is gonna find out you know. She isn't stupid, Usagi." She pointed out. Her tone sounded more concerned now. She was worried about her poor Ikuko-mama's feelings, and also the slight possibility that Usagi might be banned from ever seeing Mamoru again, which in turn would prevent her own birth.
Usagi snorted. "She won't!" She turned her back towards the child and laid down, pulling her covers up to her chin. She was pouting now, not because she honestly thought the child was right, but because she wasn't in the mood to be scolded by someone who never seemed to physically grow any older than the age of 10.
ChibiUsa growled in frustration as she made her way to her silly mom's bedside. Though honestly she had a hard time thinking of this person as the beautiful regal mama she knew in the future. They seemed like two totally different people! She gave her a light shove as if to get her attention.
"You gotta start thinking about these things Usagi! Can't you keep your pants on till marriage!?" She frowned angrily.
Usagi shot up. "Hey! It's not like we had sex or anything last night!" Although, truth be told her pants had come off. Her face was red and ChibiUsa's face glowed an equivalent shade.
"Well I just don't want you to be banned from seeing him ever again if Kenji-papa and Ikuko-mama ever find out!" She pursed her lips and unshed tears bubbled in her eyes.
Usagi's face lightened and her shoulders dropped. Now she understood why the kid was giving her such a hard time. She sighed. "Oh ChibiUsa…" She pulled the little pink headed girl into her arms. "Don't worry…" She hugged her tight. "Mamoru and I can't be separated. We love you too much to let that happen." She patted the girls head and the small one hugged her back.
"Well- good…" She sniffled. "I like you guys too and I want to live with you." She pushed herself out of Usagi's arms and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I'm going to bed now…" She forced herself to smile.
"Good night."
With that the small lady trotted off to bed.
Usagi let out an exhausted sigh and pulled her covers up once again. She turned to shut off her nightstand light before giving the picture of Mamoru, ChibiUsa and herself a smile. Lights went out, and the bunhead fell asleep.