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Chapter Six
{Part 1}
AN: I'm trying to be as accurate to all three, the dubbed anime, the subbed anime and the manga. So there are a few things in here that I stole from the anime and a few things most don't comment on, but I took it from the manga because it tells a slightly different story than the anime. Yet at the same time, I'm being truthful to my story, and my version of events, meaning that I'm not using things from any of the aforementioned sources.
Translations: Meku- to jerk off
Usagi skidded around a corner and a familiar feeling of deja vu over came her as she ran into a man's chest. Luna was at her heels, and bounced up onto Usagi's shoulder to avoid running into the girl.
"I'm so sorry!" She apologized, looking up into dark brown eyes that were now glaring at her from the concrete, the man was holding his leg. Two other men were with him, and they too were looking at her in anger.
"Sorry?" One of the men asked, his eyes were brown as well, and he took a menacing step towards her. "Sorry isn't good enough! What are you going to do about this, girl?" He waved at his friend who was writhing in pain.
Usagi looked at the man wearing an almost pink shirt and took a step back. "I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to do it. Is-" She cut off, not knowing what to say.
"You're going to pay for hurting my friend!" He took another few steps towards the blond odangoed girl and with a gasp she took a few backwards.
A piercing whistle stopped them in their tracks. They turned to look at the girl who interrupted them. "Leave her alone."
"It's Kino-san." The man on the ground whispered, but the other two men paid him no heed.
"Get lost." The man closest to Usagi told the new arrival. "This doesn't concern you."
He turned back towards Usagi, this time, extending a hand outward to grab the skittish girl, but Kino-san slid in between them and threw a fist into his face. "I saw what happened." She said as he went flying into a tree.
The man staggered to his feet and attempted to return the favor, but Kino only picked him up and threw his into the other two men. "Meku." She told them as they laid there dazed before all three scrambled away.
Usagi's eyes had widened considerably at the word, she'd never heard anyone speak that way, especially not a girl.
Kino-san turned back towards Usagi with a small smile. "You ok?"
Usagi had no words to say, she only nodded, her eyes still large as saucers. She had been impressed by Kino's strength, but hadn't been frightened. She just still couldn't believe her ears. Nobody spoke that way around here, and she wasn't sure if it was entirely called for either.
"Hey,-" Whatever Kino-san was going to say, she cut off herself and shook her head. "Watch out for those bozos in the future, ok?" She rested a hand on Usagi's shoulder and walked off.
Usagi watched her go, seeing the tan pleated skirt sway with the steps, the white long sleeved back, disappearing around the corner. So she had learned more about the girl who had caught her interest a few weeks ago. With thoughts still running in her head, no, more intrigued than before, Usagi heard the bell ring in the distance and she knew she was late. "Arg!" She took off at a run towards her school.
"Careful Usagi-chan, I don't trust her. There's a weird energy around her, she may be evil." Luna said as she clung onto Usagi's shoulder as the girl's gait nearly tossed her off.
"Bah-humbug Luna." Usagi waved her goodbye to the cat as she slid in to the school's gate. Then into the school proper itself.
She made it into her desk seconds after the tardy bell rang and she was berated by her teacher for awhile before finally she was let off without a detention as someone else came in after she did. The teacher turned to yell at that student as well, but froze, seeing a tall brunette walk in with a hesitant smile.
"Take your seat Kino-san, next to Tsukino, perhaps you can keep her on better track as Mizouno-san seems to have fallen prey to her slacking."
Usagi winced at the words, Ami's mother's commentary fluttering back in through her head about how much the students at this school were worthless. Kino-san looked around for a moment in confusion, but then spied the empty desk next to Usagi, which blocked her view from the window she was currently staring out of.
Kino-san lowered herself into the spot, and gave Usagi an apologetic smile at the removal of obviously one of her many distractions. Usagi shrugged and turned her gaze back to the front, resting her chin on her folded arms and watched Haruna-sensei sway back and forth as she lectured.
Usagi was paying attention to the lecture, but she must have been spacing out as well, because she quite recalled Haruna speaking about genomes and then feeling the eraser of a pencil biting into her back between her shoulder blades as Ami caught her attention. The class was filing out for lunch. Usagi mentally scolded herself for not paying better attention. But she thanked Ami anyways for the reminder. "What did I miss?" She asked on a groan.
"A lot. You were silent for an entire three class periods. Haruna had looked at you, but your eyes were open and were tracking her movement, so she let it be, as you weren't disrupting the class at the very least." Ami explained as they walked down the hall. "I have to go to the library, but I'll see you for the next class." She explained and they split directions.
Usagi walked outside, stretching in the crisp fall day, she headed towards where the group usually ate lunch, but as she neared, she heard none of the familiar chatter. She instead saw the girl from earlier sitting by herself.
Usagi was about to go introduce herself when she was pulled off to the side by Umino. "Matte!" He cried as he dragged her out of sight. "That girl! She's dangerous. I heard she got kicked out of her old school for fighting!"
Usagi peaked around the tree to see the girl calmly eating bento. "She doesn't look dangerous." Usagi mentioned softly, too many people judged too quickly by looks alone. She herself had been included in the pile of judged upon far too often.
"She is, she put some guy in the hospital." Umino held onto Usagi's arm. "Come eat with us inside, that's where we moved to."
With all the subtly she could muster, she gently tugged her arm away and shook her head. "Go on inside Umino, I'm not moving just because someone else is sitting there. I'll only go in when it gets too cold." Usagi rested a hand on his arm before slipping around the tree and kneeling next to the girl.
Before she could say a word, the dark haired girl snapped her face around to her. "Who's there?"
Usagi gave Kino-san a large guilty smile. "Hi! I was just admiring your earrings!"
"Oh, it's you." Kino-san sighed. "I hadn't realized you went to this school until I sat next to you in class."
"I hadn't realized you were going to come to this school either." Usagi admitted. "I'm Tsukino Usagi!" She held out her hand and Kino-san pushed Usagi out of the way as the ball the boys down the field were playing with came straight at the back of Usagi's head. Kino-san hit it back and it went flying past the boys.
"That's dangerous. Thank you." Usagi said from her position against the tree as she watched the entire thing, realizing that if Kino-san hadn't pushed her out of the way, she would have face planted in the middle of the courtyard and everyone would have seen it.
"Why don't you come join me for lunch?" Kino-san invited and moved over slightly, while patting the ground.
"Ok, sure." Usagi sank to the ground next to Kino-san and knew Umino was still watching them, but she ignored his dismay and worry. "Thank you for this morning, I hadn't a chance to thank you then."
Kino-san was picking up a dumpling to eat when she noticed Usagi's gaze on her food. "Would you like some?"
"Sure. Thank you." Usagi took one and plopped it in her mouth. Around her bites she groaned. "This is sure good!"
"Thank you!" Kino-san beamed. "I'm glad someone likes it, I made too much this morning. For some reason, everyone here is afraid of me. Are you sure you want to be sitting here with me? Isn't it against some type of unwritten rule?"
Usagi waved her off. "Nonsense! Your mother must be a good cook, this is delicious!"
"I actually made it myself."
"You are an amazing cook! You'll have to teach me sometime!" Usagi beamed. "Or you could just make my lunch for me from now on!" Usagi winked and Kino-san laughed. "Say, what's your first name?"
"Makoto."
"Mako-chan," Usagi paused when Makoto gave her an odd face. "You don't mind if I call you that, do you?" She asked sheepishly.
"I guess not." Makoto agreed. "Do you know why everyone is so afraid of me?"
"There's rumors you beat someone up at your old school."
"Maybe I should transfer to a private school, that way nobody would know about it because the records would be sealed off."
"No way!" Usagi shook her head. "Nobody will care in a few days and you'll be accepted just as you are! Besides, you can't leave me now that we're friends!"
Makoto couldn't help the smile that twitched onto her face and soon it was a large grin as she beamed at the innocent girl sitting next to her. "Be careful, would you?"
"About what?" Usagi asked, her eyes wide.
"About who you accept as your friend so redly, I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, now that I've met you."
Usagi waved her off, like she had Luna earlier that day. "Don't worry about it so much, if I did that, then we would have never become friends."
Makoto nodded her agreement. Before long, her entire meal was gone, and she didn't know if she ate most of it, or the Odangoed blond next to her.
"What?" Makoto asked as the bell rang, signaling their end of their lunch period.
Usagi had been staring at her intently for the last five minutes. "I'm sorry." Usagi shook her head. "I just hadn't believed it until now, your hair is almost pink in color."
"Ah..." Makoto blushed. "That's because it is..."
They were heading back inside, after lunch, usually the class split up into different groups and had a different teacher for the rest of the day. First though, Usagi went to P.E. with Naru. Afterwards though, to Usagi's surprise, Makoto was in her class as well. Ami was already sitting and chatting to Yumi, another one of Usagi's friends, when they entered. Naru and Umino were in another class, together. "Kino-san." Mr. Towagasha's voice echoed in the class room and Makoto nodded for him to continue. "Where is your uniform?" He demanded.
"There weren't any that fit me, they were all too small." Makoto responded instantly.
"And your hair?" He made to grab a strand and force her to look at it, but she ducked her head in time.
"That's natural!" She defended herself.
"Arg, another one!" He groaned and waved Makoto away. "Go sit down."
Usagi heard Yumi state to Ami on a whisper. "No wonder everything was too small for her, she's so tall."
Ami nodded her blue head in agreement. Makoto was quite tall and already it seemed she and Usagi had a bond. Ami frowned at that, it had taken Ami weeks to warm up to Usagi's exuberance and she was jealous that Makoto had already easily excepted her blond friend's advances to be friends. Ami realized she had wasted so much time, being a little too shy when it came to Usagi's vicarious attitude. Usagi had another friend to split her time with now. Ami was saddened by that thought, she could already see Naru's questioning gaze when Usagi had to pull away and do something that couldn't involve Naru, when she had senshi business. Would there be less time for all of them with Makoto around now? Ami had seen as well Usagi's attempt to befriend Rei, and when that backfired, she reluctantly pulled away and gave the miko space.
Although she had also been dating Jade for awhile, so maybe now she would have a lot more free time...
"Hey, Usagi-chan?" Makoto asked, sitting down next to the blond. "Since I'm new around here and all, is there a possibility you could point me in the direction of a convenience store after school?"
"Of course, I'll take you there myself!" Usagi beamed. "Then afterwards, I'll bring you by the arcade, I haven't been there in so long."
"All right." Makoto agreeed.
Usagi turned to Ami. "Hey Ami-chan, do you mind if I meet up with you guys at the arcade?"
"No, that'll be all right Usagi-chan." Ami smiled before returning to her note taking.
"You'll also need to grab Luna..." Usagi winced at the thought. "Sorry, I know she's tough to track down sometimes."
"Don't worry about it Usagi-chan." Ami whispered as she scrawled across the pages in kanji.
Usagi looked at the action in envy for a moment before she went back to writing in her less formal script.
"Come along Usagi-chan!" Makoto grabbed the blond's hand and together they left the school when it was finally over. They went first to a convenience store so Makoto could pick up some stamps. "Where is this place you wanted to go to?" Makoto asked skeptically as they walked down the street.
There seemed to be a crowd gathering outside of junior high students and Usagi looked over her shoulder with a smile. "That building." She winked as the door slid open with a ping and they were both hit by the cool air-conditioning. "I wonder if Motoki's working today."
"Who's Motoki?" Makoto asked curiously. "Could he be your boyfriend?"
A blush raced up Usagi's neck, turning her face very red. "Oh no, nothing like that." She waved off. "He's very cute and all, but we've moved past me having a crush on him to the two of us being like siblings."
"That's cool," Makoto had slid into a chair and started to play a video game. Usagi watched her play for a moment, amazed at Makoto's skill level.
The doors slid open again, revealing Ami and in her arms Luna. Usagi left her new friend to go talk to the blue headed girl. "What's up?" She asked, patting Luna on the head before looking to her friend.
"Luna doesn't trust that girl." Ami admitted, and hated seeing Usagi's crestfallen face.
"Who? Makoto?" Usagi asked curious. "She's not that bad. You think too much Luna." Usagi's attention left the two females as Motoki walked over, leaning over Makoto's shoulder to watch her play.
"Are you Usagi-chan's friend? Wow, you're good, already got so far in the sailor v game."
Motoki shook his head in amazement. "Damn, it beat me." Makoto pounded on the game then turned to Motoki. "Oh, I'm Kino Makoto." She greeted a little bashfully.
"I'm Furuhata Motoki." He replied with a grin and bowed to her. "Are you from a different school?"
"Oh, I just transferred to Juuban."
"Onii-chan, tell her what your friends at college call you."
Motoki wrapped an arm around Usagi's shoulders and he looked down at her with a warning gaze. "Furu-chan." He admitted.
Makoto blushed at looked away.
"Isn't that so kawaii?" Usagi sighed and hugged her onii-chan. "What's up with today?"
"There's a guy here that's beating the crane game." He explained. "You're friend is pretty Usa-chan." He whispered in her ear.
Usagi grinned. "I know, right?"
"Usagi-chan's not afraid of anything is she?" Ami asked Luna with a curious look in her eyes.
"To make matters worse, she's friends with everyone. What's the deal with Kamen?" Luna hung her head.
"Hey!" Makoto looked at the two. "Mizouno-san, correct?" She asked, walking away from the conversing blond duo. She looked down at the black cat in her arms. "Is she yours? She's super cute!" Makoto scratched Luna's ears and Luna purred and soaked up the attention.
Usagi watched the action with a shake of her head, and Luna often complained about her being the weak link. Honestly, that cat would like anyone who pet her. "Mamoru-kun's here, why don't you go say hello?" Motoki teased Usagi, drawing her attention away from the newest friends.
"Aai, toki-chan, what are you trying to do to me? Kill me?" She shook her head. "No way."
"Aw, I thought it would be nice, if you could at least try to make a decent conversation with him."
"No way, no how, Mamoru-baka is the worst." Usagi slipped from out of Motoki's casual arm around her shoulders and went to the gathering crowd.
"Worth a shot at least." Motoki muttered to himself as he got back to work.
Usagi slid next to a girl about her height with long straight black hair and no bangs and a center part, who was standing next to Naru. "Oh, Usagi-chan, he's beating the game. He's supposedly the guy who goes to each arcade, beats the games without much of an effort and the arcades are supposedly to loose a lot of money that way."
"Thanks Yumi." Usagi wrapped her arm around Yumi's as they watched the stuffed animal practically float up into the crane's claws and Usagi wondered about that change in pace. She'd never been able to beat the game to even get one stuffed animal out.
Makoto slid next to her, abandoning Ami and the cat as a dark man slid past them and out the door, with a few words to Ami, distracting her, so Makoto could split.
"He looks like my old sempai." She stated as she stared at the man.
Usagi tilted her head to look at her new friend in curiosity, but Makoto's eyes were glued to the man.
Interesting... Usagi thought, Makoto seemed to attract men like flies to honey. Probably best to make sure she stays away from him though, I have a bad feeling about this guy. Usagi pulled Makoto away from the crane guy and waved goodbye to some of her older friends. She brought Makoto up to the counter to talk with Motoki, and unfortunately, Usagi forgot that Motoki said that Mamoru was there, and she had to endure his presence as well as the two girls talked to Motoki.
"Ey, Usa-chan." Naru dragged Usagi's attention away from the two men and Makoto and they split off to talk at a booth while both slurped down their milkshakes. "I wanted to talk to you about something." She brought out the pictures she had taken the weekend before. "Remember that my cousin is getting married next summer?"
Usagi nodded, Naru had invited her along, and she was excited to shop for summer dresses. "Of course."
"Well, I got to try on her wedding dress, just for fun, do you want to see?" Again Usagi nodded and Naru showed her the pictures.
"Ah, kawaii!" Usagi sighed. "She should pass the dress down to you after she gets married."
"That's the problem though, she's been sick in bed for the last few weeks after her fiancé disappeared. He's always been busy, but this is pushing it." Naru explained.
"And right after you got to try on the dress too, that's a shame." Yumi sank into the booth on the other side of Naru. "Isn't that the wedding shop that's supposed to be haunted?"
"I guess. I hadn't heard about that until after she fell sick." Naru replied.
"It's haunted?" Usagi's hands stilled on the counter, she hated scary stuff. The other two nodded. "Like how?"
The cushion next to her depressed as Makoto filled the other void in the four person booth. "I just decided I want to get married." Makoto sighed as she looked at the pictures with hearts in her eyes.
"Toki-chan?" Naru asked slyly and Makoto nodded happily.
"Waa?" Usagi groaned. "Toki-chan? But he's-" Naru covered Usagi's mouth so she could never get out the rest of what she was going to say.
"I thought you were over him." Makoto poked her in the side. "But even if he does have someone else, which he has to, because he's too perfect, it doesn't mean I can't stop trying for him... maybe someday he'll return those feelings. If not, I'll probably have moved on by then." Makoto sighed as she sank into the seat.
Usagi stared at the pink tinted brunette in wonderment, the other two girls had equally dumbfounded looks on their faces. Makoto was much more of a softy than any of them had realized.
Naru snapped out of it and returned to the true matter at hand. "So anyways, I thought you would be interested to know that at any rate. I'm just sad that she's so sick, they might have to push the wedding date back."
Usagi grabbed her friend's hands. "No, Naru-chan, she will have her daydream wedding, just like she planned, I guarantee it."
"Oh, Usa-chan, there's no way you can, but I thank you all the same for being you." Naru laughed and hugged her friend. "I still expect you to come, no matter what. We'll be shopping for bridesmaid gowns tomorrow, if you want to try them on and give your opinion on mine."
"Of course!" Usagi gleefully shrieked. "I wouldn't miss it for the world!"
"This is where I stop belonging, I'll see you tomorrow Usagi-chan. Oh, and bring an umbrella with you if you go out tonight, there's a storm brewing." Makoto stood up, suddenly feeling the weight of her new arrival and the history this girl had with other people and she left with a cheerful goodbye ringing in her head.
Chapter Six
{Part 2}
Usagi did go out that night. She was called out of her nice, warm slumber when Mercury called her on the communicator. "Remind me again why we have these things, Luna? I thought they were supposed to help me, not make my life a nightmare."
Luna only rolled her eyes, putting her feet onto Usagi's chest. "Just get going."
"Right." Usagi turned into Moon, and she hopped out of her window and went to follow Mercury's directions. She stumbled upon them at a small cafe. The crane game guy was just turning into one of the crystal carrying youmas. "Which brother?" Moon demanded in anger, if it was Jade- she'd have his head. Using his position at the arcade like that was just low, getting the customers to trust him...
"Neither of the ones we know." Mercury dialed into Moon's feelings as she herself was mortified that she had even begun to like a guy who would put them all in danger.
"What if we didn't know how to turn them back?" Moon bit out.
"Then they might have stopped." Mercury suggested as they fought the demon.
"Where's Kamen?" Moon wondered softly to herself as she twisted her body into an arch, to avoid the claws coming out of the youma, trying to grab her like it did Mercury.
Moon twisted again, this time using the wand and moving around in a circle, the youma screamed as it was reduced back into a human. Moon quickly looked around for the third brother, but could not find him. "I want to meet the last two, keep an eye on them." Moon grumbled. "You see if Zoi will introduce you. I hadn't realized Jade was part of this until after we broke things off."
Mercury nodded and together they stepped back through the broken glass window and into the pouring rain. Mercury turned to Moon to say something more when both she and Luna suddenly noticed a black figure sweeping in, and taking Moon off to some place else.
"Follow them!" Luna shouted to Mercury. "We don't know if he's the enemy or not!"
Mercury ran after them, but she was slowly loosing ground as the man's longs strides didn't falter as he practically guided along the rooftops.
"She had been right." Moon mumbled in Kamen's arms as she clung to him, wondering at the change of pace.
"Who had been, about what?" He asked softly, knowing this was completely uncharacteristic of him, but he had been walking home past the arcade and had seen Motoki in there looking down at a girl he had known as Usagi's friend. They both seemed to be under a trance, and Motoki had a girlfriend already, so overhearing Motoki say 'I've been looking for you' had sent warning bells in his head. He knew Moon wasn't in any danger as she was facing a different youma, but she had to know about this one, so he hurried to her side, to see her deal a last blow at the human turned creature, then didn't waste any time an swept her off her feet.
"My friend, about the rain, it is raining." Moon mumbled and Kamen was relieved to not hear her say that her fellow warrior was right, that she shouldn't trust Kamen.
He lowered her to the ground outside the arcade. "Look within." He pointed to the two and they both saw what he had seen earlier, but also a woman in a bridal gown, who was almost skeleton-like manipulating the entire thing.
"Stop right there!" Sailor Moon yelled once Kamen was safely out of sight. The bride looked at Moon in confusion. It let the other two go as she found a new prey. She slid towards the girl, she had seen the tuxedo wearing man earlier, and knew she could work better with this relationship than the one she had been working on.
"These feelings, aren't real?" They heard Makoto whisper softly. "Damn it."
The bride turned to Makoto before deciding it was done for the night, and disappeared.
Makoto collapsed along with Motoki. "Ok, that was strange." Moon mentioned to the air and Mercury had just slid into the grounds.
"Where's Kamen?" She asked out of breath.
Moon shrugged. "Gone to where-ever it is he usually goes."
Mercury shook her head. "You shouldn't have let him do that."
"I just helped Makoto with his assistance, who knows what would have happened to these two if the bride lady got to finish her attack?"
Mercury only frowned at the thought. "Come on, two attacks in one night? Let's get home and sleep, we'll have a busy day tomorrow, investigating this bridal shop." Mercury rested a hand on Moon's arm.
"Yeah, but let's first help Makoto out, the two of them should be sleeping at least on the couches in the employee lounge."
Mercury helped Moon move both in and they shut the door and made sure the arcade was locked up. "Come on, Moonie." Mercury dragged her concerned friend out of the arcade and towards their respective homes. "Go to bed and don't worry about them, they'll be fine."
Moon nodded and she really did try to do as Mercury suggested, but for a strange reason, she couldn't get the fact that Makoto was right about the storm out of her head when none of the newscasters had even mentioned a drizzle.
The next day Makoto echoed her story about the strange bride-lady and how Motoki was to be her groom in some strange reality. Usagi could understand that, Motoki had admitted it himself the previous day that he thought Makoto was super pretty. Usagi didn't mention this to Makoto though, because she didn't want to get her hopes up, especially with Motoki dating Reika and all.
Makoto asked if Usagi wanted to hang out that evening but Usagi had to turn it down with a lie. "I've got family night to attend to." They hadn't had family night since Usagi had turned into Sailor Moon but, her mother did enforce a strict, family dinner three nights a week. Which three, was often left up in the air and Usagi hoped that when she got back after class, to change into her street clothes, that her mother didn't spring one of those nights on her today.
Although she looked slightly disappointed, Makoto agreed and didn't push the issue. Usagi hesitated, she didn't know how long it would be tonight, but she didn't want to hurt her new friend's feelings.
"Um... why don't you and I hang out tomorrow? We could go to the crown-" With Makoto's look, Usagi paused and laughed nervously. "No... no... not the crown, right, how about the park?" Usagi's eyes brightened. "Yeah, we could get ice cream and enjoy a walk around the park tomorrow!"
Makoto's green eyes reflected her merriment and she agreed with Usagi. "That sounds good Usagi-chan."
Ami was giving Usagi a 'what are you doing??' look and Usagi blushed under it, she knew she wasn't supposed to be talking to the tall girl until they could figure out whether or not she was evil. But Usagi didn't listen to their advice, no way.
Usagi and Ami split off in the direction of Usagi's house, Ami had brought along her street clothes because she had planned out the day accordingly as Usagi's house was closest to the bridal shop. Ami waited in the foyer, watching Shingo play his video game as Usagi bounded up the stairs and changed.
When she came back down, she stopped in the kitchen to grab a snack on the go and looked at the notes on the white-board. "We have a party to go to tonight, dinner's on your own. Be back late. Love Mom and Dad."
Usagi nodded and headed back into the living room, in her time away, Ami had moved from the foyer and was now battling against Shingo on his suggestion. Usagi laughed, she could never get Ami to join her at the arcade to play a game, but here she was, playing with Usagi's younger brother.
When Shingo's character died, weeping in shame at the loss, Ami noticed Usagi's presence. "Ai, Usagi-chan, I'm sorry, how long have you been waiting?"
Usagi shrugged and took another bite out of her muffin. "Ready to go?" She asked instead. Ami had changed into a white skirt and a blue blouse. Usagi on the other hand had changed into a pair of cut off jeans that ended at her knees and a purple three-quarter length sleeved top.
"Yes, of course." Ami scrambled to her feet and bowed slightly to Shingo. "Thank you for allowing me to play your game." She half bowed to Usagi in shame that she had wasted time.
Usagi shook her head, she'd have to talk to Ami about this later, she didn't need to apologize for anything. "Ja ne Shingo, see you this evening or tomorrow morning."
"Wait, you're leaving me all night too?" He asked put out.
"Don't worry, Luna will be here." She winked at him as they left.
"Just me and the cat?" He could be heard hollowing down the street.
"Why did you do that?" Ami questioned. "Luna will no doubt be with us the entire night." Ami looked back at their house and could see the red eyes of Luna. "You didn't tell her, did you?"
"Rest assured Ami-chan, Luna's fine, Shingo hates cats, that's why I said it. And, Luna doesn't need to know everything, but she already knew about this and asked me to contact her when the ghost shows up."
"Oh." Ami was always being surprised by Usagi, one way or another, at the very least. She was the girl she portrayed, and yet she was more as well. "Well, then, come along!" Ami threaded her arm through Usagi's and together they headed off to the bridal shop.
"Usagi!" They turned their head just as they were about to enter, it was Yumi waving at them with a broad stroke of her arm. "There you are! I was just heading here myself, my sister decided she wanted to look at bridesmaid dresses for her dream wedding." Yumi rolled her eyes. "Can you believe it? Why are you guys here?"
"Um..." Usagi's eyes darted to Ami, as she knew she sucked at lying, and friends could see through her faster than anyone else.
"We are here to find Usagi a dress for Naru's cousin's wedding next summer." Ami filled in.
"That's cool." Yumi wrinkled her nose. "I would hate to have to buy a dress here though. Oh well, I'll have to go to a different section, sis, is calling me. See you later girls!" Yumi winked and walked away.
Usagi sighed, she bought that story. "Thanks Ami-chan." She smiled at the blue headed girl. They hung out a few hours, and the store started closing up. Usagi and Ami sneaked up to the upper floor, where the ghost was theorized to come from and haunt the floor, before falling out of the window, over and over again.
The lights flickered as most people were leaving the store. "What I still don't get- is why would people still come shop here when it's haunted?" Ami asked as they hid in the stairwell.
"That's exactly why it's doing so well." Usagi teased. "Because many people like the idea of buying something that's a little dangerous."
They waited until they didn't hear anymore people and then they snuck out of the staircase. They didn't wait long enough as there were still a few people hanging around, closing up, but the lights suddenly flickered and there was the ghost bride again.
She moved towards a young woman, who was discussing with her friend who worked there, about her upcoming wedding, and was holding up a dress to her.
"Go transform." Usagi pushed Ami back into the staircase and she dropped down herself behind a counter and used her disguise pen to transform into a groom. "Hey you! Your groom has come!" Usagi shouted at the bride as she popped back up.
Ami called Luna in the staircase as she transformed. "The bride has shown up, I haven't a clue what Usagi's doing!"
"I'll be there shortly." Luna cut the connection and as she ran, she saw Makoto's form looking up at the bridal shop, thinking about going in. Luna ran past the girl but heard her footsteps as she ran behind the cat.
"What are you doing here?" Usagi asked when they broke through the door, the humans had all fainted. Mercury slipped out and was waiting for Usagi's signal to attack and provide her coverage.
"I wanted to get even with this bitch!" Makoto pointed at the bride, and then turned her attention back at the blond male in the tuxedo. "U-" She cut off when Usagi made the 'shush' movement with her hand.
"Luna!" Usagi grabbed the cat. "Give her, her pen!"
The cat shook her head vigrously as Makoto proceeded to go hand to hand combat with the bride youma. "I can't! She's not one of us, she's evil!"
"How much more proof do you need?" Usagi pushed Luna towards the amazonian girl and there on her forehead was the Jupiter sign.
"Fine." Luna grouched at did a back flip in front of Makoto. "You are the senshi of Jupiter." Luna held the pen in between her teeth.
"Don't take it if you don't want to." Usagi urged.
Makoto didn't even hesitate and called out her phrase. There in her place was Sailor Jupiter. Usagi smiled, this one had been easy, this one was true from the start, she never needed to worry about Makoto's desires and actions towards her. Everyone else though had been weary of Makoto, probably for that same reason.
Usagi slipped back as Mercury helped out the new combatant. "Welcome to the team." Mercury shouted as Usagi transformed from male to Sailor Moon.
"Thanks!" Jupiter smiled at the blue now black headed girl and wondered if she herself had changed in appearance to become more normal Japanese. Moon fell into place beside her on the other side and she sent the blond a mischievous smile. "Family matters, hmm?" The blond was no longer blond and Jupiter missed the interesting shade but the style was still there.
Moon sent an apologetic smile back and mouthed that she'd explain later.
The bride screamed and lunched for the trio, her hand swiping out. All three tried to dodge the attack, but the long fingernails managed to graze Moon's forehead and cut a gash above her right brow. The youma attacked again and went straight for Moon, but a black figure swept her off her feet before the youma could, and she went crashing into the merchandise.
"Careful." He whispered in her ear. "A third senshi?" Moon nodded. "I don't trust her."
"That's what everyone says about you, to me. Do I sense a pattern here?"
"Point taken." Kamen looked down at Moon once he set her on her feet. "You're injured!" He reached out to touch the dribbling cut above her brow the blood was dripping into her eye and she winced.
"It's only a scratch." She took his hand away and wiped at it, the blood smeared across her forehead, but it didn't leak as much anymore.
There was a frown about Kamen's lips and she smiled up at him reassuringly. This was probably the worst injury anyone had received yet and they had been lucky. He nodded towards the fight, clearly not happy that he hadn't arrived early to stop that small action.
Moon grabbed her moon rod by feelings only and called upon it's powers to restore the bride's soul. The bride turned to Moon in mid attack and lunged for her again, but the bride stopped dead and her eyes turned silver as she looked upon Moon, then her body started floating and with a wave, disappeared.
"Where did you think to do that?" Kamen asked softly, resting a hand on her shoulder.
Moon shrugged. "I heard the stories that she was a bride scorned, I hadn't realized my wand would do that though."
"It's a good power to have." He looked up as the other senshi turned to them. "Take care of that wound." Then he was gone, but Moon could still feel the warmth from the hand on her shoulder.
"I'm glad he's gone." Jupiter watched his retreating back.
"He came and got me when you were in danger last night." Moon cut off Jupiter's tirade, she liked the girl, but she hated people doubting others before they really knew them. "He's in a position not unlike yourself." She reminded the tall leggy, not black haired beauty.
Moon looked closely at her two companions, both had brown eyes now. "We don't change that drastically, but only our hair and eye color?"
"It's enough to throw them with the added magic surrounding your identities." Luna explained, pouncing up onto Moon's shoulder. "We should get going. It's getting late."
Moon nodded and the three of them split up. Luna was now held in Usagi's arms as she walked down the street towards her home. She was looking down to make sure she didn't trip in any cracks that when she saw the feet directly in her line of sight, it threw her enough that she didn't stop in time and bonked her head into a hard chest.
She didn't fall as hands held her shoulders warmly. She looked up into the mocking face of Chiba Mamoru. A scowl enlightened her features before either said a word. "I'm sorry I ran into you." She sidestepped him and continued walking.
He fell into step next to her. "What's the matter Odango?" He asked with a tone in his voice that always got under Usagi's skin, it was that arrogant drawl. "Cat got your tongue?" He asked, reaching out to pet Luna.
Luna swiped at him and he withdrew his hand. "Jeez Odango, she sure does take off after you. Isn't it a health violation to have such a mangy feline with a bad temper? Somebody could get rabies."
"That's dogs you idiot." Two sets of wide-eyes stared down at the black cat, before Usagi quickly covered for Luna's surprising outburst. "That's dogs you idiot!" She scratched the back of her head and got into a full blown out battle of words with Mamoru, exactly what she was trying to avoid, but Luna made impossible.
"What happened to your voice?" Mamoru still looked skeptically at the cat, but she slipped from Usagi's arms and ran off down the street. "Isn't it dangerous for her to run around like that? Or is that why she looks so raggedy?"
"Leave her alone!" Usagi jabbed a finger into Mamoru's chest, not learning from the last time she did it and moaned as she encountered a brick wall again. "She's not a bad cat. She knows who to like and who to try and kill. She got it right on the head with you!"
"She's probably so diseased in the head from spending so much time with you, that she doesn't know who to attack anymore." Mamoru caught Usagi's hand and pulled her closer, so he could glare straight into her eyes in the darkening street.
Street lamps flickered on as they stood there glaring at each other. Usagi humphed and turned around and walked away. "The only diseased brain around here is you Mamo-baka." She threw over her shoulder and continued walking, even as he turned and went towards his apartment.
Luna was on Usagi's bed when she finally got home and for a change, Usagi got to scold Luna. "That was a close one!" She told the cat, sinking onto the bed. "You almost blew your own cover, and you're always worried that I'm going to do it?" Usagi shook her head. "I can't believe it!"
"I'm sorry Usagi-chan, but I'm very proud of the way that you covered for me." Luna stretched out. "Thank you."
Usagi shook her head. "It's not a problem, I do for you, what I would do for any of my human friends. Just be careful Luna, try being nicer to Mamoru, he's a smart man and he'll figure it out eventually that you aren't quite normal if you continue this way. It'll just raise his suspicions." Usagi pet Luna's head and the cat purred beneath her ministrations.
Luna agreed. "I'm also sorry for not trusting your judgment about Makoto, she is in fact a truly powerful senshi, I had just worried that her strength came from elsewhere."
Usagi ignored that and changed, and curled into a ball on the bed with Luna by her head now. "I know it doesn't look like it, but when it comes to people Luna, I know what I'm doing. I expect you to apologize to Makoto herself though."
Luna's head nodded against Usagi's forehead in agreement. "I will. Goodnight, Sailor Moon." Luna had never felt such a name deserving on any of these girls as that one did on Usagi.
Usagi smiled at that, she didn't mind being a senshi. It had been demanding on her body, and she faced things she feared, but so far, it wasn't beyond what she could handle. It gave her a sense of purpose, and it made her feel good about herself in a way she hadn't known possible. She was still a klutz, and a ditz, and a crybaby, and she still enjoyed her friends, and she still did poorly in class, and she was still happy, and sought after her own dreams, but this, this gave her something more. A personal pride, one that she didn't use to look down upon others with, but one to cherish in her own heart, to cheer herself up after a very vexing day.
The blond girl fell into a deep slumber.