Disclaimer: :sighs: No, I don't own Sailor Moon, or Fruits Basket. If I did, Mamoru wouldn't have dumped Usagi, Seiya wouldn't have come into the picture, and I would be RICH! but all i have is my laptop, some ramen, and my manga and anime. Oh yeah, and a crappy t.v. from the '80's. :sigh: well anyway, enjoy.
NOTE:Oh, and if you were reading my last story, What Has He Done, it's coming back up soon. I was reading it and saw many mistakes. I felt that taking it down and revising and re-posting would be much faster. Oh, gods I'm rambling. :stands up on bed: ON WITH THE STORY!
Chapter 1
Usagi's POV
:FLASHBACK:
"Hey, Usa? Can I talk to you?" I turned, and saw my fiancé, Chiba Mamoru standing there. My face lit up like the Christmas lights decorating the Arcade. "Sure, Mamo-chan!" I turned in my seat to the girls. I stood, paid, and said my good-byes.
"Bye, girls! I'll see you at the shrine later!" I picked up my green backpack, which has tons of writing from my friends and pins on it, and slung it over my shoulder. I grinned up at him, and he led me out of the cheery arcade without a word. I frowned.
What's wrong with Mamo-chan? I thought. He led me to our bench in the park. It's in a secluded part that no one has ever been in besides us. Rose bushes dot around the bench, and trees surround the area. I shift from one foot to the other, and straighten my pink and white striped long sleeved tee shirt.
Mamo-chan was still being oddly quiet. "Ah…Mamo-chan? What did you want to talk to me about.?" "Us." I got a confused look on my face, but my heart knew what he was talking about. My brain tried to shield me from it for just a bit longer. "W-what about us?" I asked nervously.
"Usagi, this just isn't working for me." My eyes widened at Mamo-chan's words. Tears filled my eyes. I looked at the pink heart diamond ring he gave to me at the airport, and I looked up at him. I remembered his words when he proposed.
I clung to that and asked him quietly, "What isn't working for you?" His response hurt me more than Galaxia, Beryl, Mistress 9, or the Dead Moon Circus ever did. "Us. You're still in high-school for God's sake!" he ran a hand through his hair. He avoided my eyes as I tried to keep my tears at bay.
"Why bring my age up? You know I'm in my last year before college." He looked me in the eyes, but only for a second. My heart began to break into a million pieces when he said, "I just think that I asked too soon. I mean, I'm 21. You're 17." I tugged one pigtail in frustration, and one lone tear escaped.
"WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?" I yelled, my annoyance finally breaking through. "IT HAS TO DO WITH EVERYTHING!" he yelled back. I was shocked into silence. He never yelled at me. EVER. Not even when we were sworn enemies. "Give me one good reason why it matters." I said trying to not cry.
"I don't want destiny to control how I live my life anymore!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air.
"Mamo-ch-Mamoru, after all we've been through together; you're willing to throw it all away!" I shouted, tears pouring down. A crack of thunder sounded. "If you seriously feel this way, fine. I'm not staying where I'm not wanted. I'm gonna leave, and I don't mean here. Good-bye, Chiba-san." I said as coldly as I could manage. "I'm leaving, and don't try and find me." I turned and ran away from the man who swore he would love me forever-what a liar. Tears poured down my face, and the rain and slush fell like my tears; relentless. I picked up my pace, and began sprinting towards the shrine.
:END FLASHBACK:
I ran into the shrine, soaked to the bone. The awful, heart-smashing thing that happened only a few minutes ago was on repeat in my head. I dumped my dripping wet neon green back-pack on the floor and Rei, my best friend, looked up at the sound of my loud entrance. I sniffled. "S-sorry I'm late." I shivered.
This had to be the worst Monday EVER. In my life. Rei took one look at my shivering form, and jumped up and got a towel. "You moron! What were you doing out in this weather?" Rei rubbed my face gently with her purple towel. I sniffed, and shook my head, not wanting to recount what happened minutes ago.
"Usa-chan, what's wrong?" Makoto asked worriedly. "N-nothing except for the fact Mamo-chan doesn't love me anymore!" I sobbed. Makoto's green eyes flashed menacingly. "He what?" Makoto said through her clenched teeth. I got my tears under control, then said, "He…said this" I waved my hands in the air, "isn't working for him."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ami yelled. We all stared at her. She blushed, and said more quietly, "Well, he keeps breaking up with you. It's getting really annoying." Minako nodded her head vigorously. "Why, though? I mean, he knows you guys are meant to be…" Minako trailed off.
Rei's purple eyes got as big as dinner plates. She clapped a hand over her heart. "Oh dear God. Aino Minako is…thinking? The world is ending." Minako threw a pillow at Rei, hitting her right in the middle of her face.
I giggled, my tears slowing as my friends argued. My smile faded as I thought of what I said back at the park to Mamo-chan. "But guys… I think I should leave." I whispered. All heads snapped towards me. "YOU THINK WHAT?" They screamed at the same time. I clapped my hands over my ears. "Ow. I said I think I should leave here. Home. Start fresh, where I won't see a man who doesn't love me anymore everyday."
Makoto jumped up and stood in front of me. "Oh hell no. You can't leave!" Tears shone in her emerald eyes. I smiled sadly. "Why can't I?" Minako stomped her foot childishly. "You just can't! Without you, we wouldn't have any friends!" Tears filled my look-alike's eyes. I squeezed her shoulder comfortingly.
"Hey, it wouldn't be for long! At least one year, and we'd keep in touch, and you could visit with Motoki-kun and-" "Why can't you stay here and recuperate?" Ami asked, her blue head low. "Because…I can't heal if I keep running into him every day. On the way home, to the arcade…" I hugged her.
"We could protect you from him!" Makoto shouted, a few tears escaping. I shook my head sadly. "There's going to be a time you can't protect me from him. And then I'll be back to square one. Guys, leaving my home is the last thing I want to do! Leaving you guys here." My voice cracked.
"Usagi-chan…please…" Ami choked out. "Ames…I wouldn't be that far. I'm not going to…" I gulped "America. I'm just going to another part of Japan." Minako stood, tears streaming. "Usa, just sleep on it… please?" I smiled shakily, but nodded. I already knew what my answer would be in the morning.
Rei raised her raven head, and tear-tracks shone on her face. "Let's go to the arcade. I'll buy." Her usually even voice cracked, and the fire that usually danced in her violet eyes had been extinguished with her tears. I nodded, not wanting the girls to worry about me.
"Okay. Who am I to refuse a free shake?" I joked feebly. It was odd: It was me whose soul was torn in half, yet Iwas the comforter, not the comforted. We gathered our things and Yuuichirou, I guess, heard our conversation while sweeping the shrine, gave me a sad look on the way down the steps carefully, trying not to slip on any slush or ice patches.
I just smiled back at him softly. We got into Rei's red Honda with a Mars symbol slapped on the front. Rei sped down the road, and parked in front of the Crown Arcade, our favorite hang-out since we were 14. I stepped out of the red vehicle, and smiled a ghost of a smile, remembering my 17th birthday party here.
We walked(rather, the girls walked, I trudged) into the cheery arcade, where Motoki greeted us with a smile. He must have noticed how down I looked, and his smile dimmed, and eyes turned questioning. "Hey, Mako-chan, what's up?" Makoto's eyes flashed. "Mamoru." She spat his name like an explicative.
Motoki's blonde brows drew together. Ami filled him in quickly. "Mamoru-san broke up with Usa-chan and now she wants to leave." Motoki's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Usagi-chan, you can't-"
Rei cut him off. "Toki-kun, she said she's gonna sleep on it…but…" she motioned for him to come closer, and us to go to our booth, so she could whisper, "I think she's gonna go anyway. As much as I hate to say this, I think I want her to go."
Motoki's eyes got even wider, if even possible. He hissed back, "Why? I thought you were her best friend." Rei glared at him. "I am. I want her to heal though. There's going to be a time when we can't shield her from Mamoru, and then all the time we've spent fixing her is gonna go to shit."
Tears brimmed at my best friends eyes. (Yes, the inner senshi are my best friends, but I feel more connected to Rei more than the others. It must be that in the Silver Millennium, Mars and Serenity were best friends.) She shook her dark head, and smiled a sad, small smile.
"Just…make Usa-chan the biggest bestest chocolate milkshake you've got." She started to walk back to us, when she tensed. Rei whipped her raven head towards the door, and yelled for Motoki to give her the keys. Motoki tossed her the keys with a confused look.
In the same instant, Rei darted over to the doors and locked them. A minute after she locked the doors, Mamo-chan-err-Mamoru-walked up. He tried to push the doors open, and then pulled on them. I brushed away the flow of tears, and giggled shakily when Rei knocked smartly on the window and swung the keys on her index finger with a smug expression.
Mamoru glared hatefully at her, but she shrugged it off and mouthed deliberately: "SCREW OFF." She turned on her heel, and marched over to the booth. Rei slid in the booth next to Minako. I slid out of my spot on the outside of the booth by Ami, retrieved a chair, and sat down in it. "If that man doesn't know why he's locked out, he's a dense ass hole." Minako giggled. We all laughed, and then the girls chatted while I sat, pondering why Mamo-chan broke it off so suddenly. Again.
"Rei-chan, what about the innocent people who want to come in?" Ami asked, looking at the door. The miko muttered something, lowered her head, and twirled her hand. "There!" she said as she lifted her head, beaming just as a group of middle-schoolers trotted in and went over to the Sailor V game.
Mamo-chan stared at the cheerful glowing neon sign, and tried it again. And he was still locked outside. He growled in frustration, and dug his phone out. I stopped watching as he glared at our booth, and put my head down on the table. Motoki dutifully trotted over to the door and let him in.
Rei hissed, and Motoki looked back at us. "He threatened to call the cops if I didn't let him in." He explained. I clenched my fist as he walked in, and I buried my head in my arms. I could hear Mamo-chan- Dammit! I mean Mamoru-order hot, black coffee and turn on his bar stool.
He must have gotten up, because I could hear him asking Rei why she locked him out angrily. "Wow, Mamoru-san. You really are a dense ass-hole. And here I thought Minako-chan was just venting." Ami commented. My head shot up, and Minako cocked a blonde eyebrow. She mumbled, blushing, "Well he is."
Makoto chuckled and patted her on the back. "No one disagrees with ya. We just didn't think you would say it." she laughed again. Rei and Mamoru were having a glaring contest, Minako was giggling as the contest got more intense, and Ami's face grew redder as Makoto continued to laugh.
Motoki broke the extremely awkward moment for Ami and me with our food(we didn't even have to order; Motoki knows us so well he just whips our favorites up when we walk in.),shooing Mamoru away. Mamoru stalked away, muttering about bitchy girls and their PMS.
I sipped my milkshake and kept quiet; just occasionally giggled at something the girls said. I watched Motoki talk to Mamoru. Motoki's face took on an angry look, and he stalked off into the back. A girl with pink hair walked in and began to flirt with him. He caught my eye, and began to flirt back. I couldn't stand being here anymore. I shoved my chair back and stood. "Hey, guys?" I cut into their conversation. Everyone's eyes snapped towards me.
"Um…I need to leave. Let's go to my house." The girls nodded, we gathered our bags, and Rei threw some cash down. Motoki threw his towel over his shoulder and waved bye to us, grinning. We got in Rei's Honda Accord, and we went to my house. As we pulled up, I admired our house like I always do.
Our house is a beautiful two-story. Mom always has flowers out front, and lining the walkway. My room has the only balcony, and French doors. We got out, and I dug my keys out of my jeans pocket. I'm so glad we don't have to wear uniforms at our new high-school!
I slung my now-dry backpack over my shoulder, walking up the stone walkway. I unlocked the door, and the girls came in right after me. As we took our shoes off in the entryway I called into the house, "MUM! We're HOME!" Strangely, I got no response. We dumped our stuff in my room, and then we ran downstairs.
My mom had a huge plate of cookies on the table with a note. As Minako attacked the still-warm cookies, I took the note off the counter and sat at the island.
Dear Usagi-chan, the note said in my mom's curly lettering, Papa, Shingo, and I are out for the rest of the week for Aunt Beth's wedding. Feel free to invite the girls over, if you haven't already. There's the debit card, the keys to the Lexus, and some cash in the top left drawer. Have fun, honey! Love, Mum.
"Well, guys, my parents are out for the week." I waved the note in the air. "Wayyyy!" Minako cheered, cookie crumbs spraying everywhere. Rei smacked Minako upside the head, and she yelped. Minako pouted, rubbing her blonde head. I chuckled, thinking, I'm gonna miss this so much.
Ami had to be the peace-maker, and step in the middle before Minako could retaliate. "Okay!" she giggled, "Let's not fight anymore! 'Kay?" Minako stared at her, and she shook her head. "Ames, why do you always have to be the pace-maker?" I laughed at Minako's mistake. "Minako-chan, it's peace-maker. Not pace-maker. A pace-maker is WAY different." Minako just waved her hand at me. She looked around, trying to find something to change the subject.
Her eyes, a shade lighter than mine, landed on the pile of mail piled below the mail-slot. "Hey, you've got mail!" she scurried over to the pile of mail and scooped it up. "Okay, Mina-soft." Rei laughed. We all just stared at her. "You know, like Microsoft?" she tried. We just kept staring at her. Rei ducked her head, her face redder than her sailor fuku's skirt. I brought the attention away from my friend and onto the pile of mail in Minako's hands.
"So watcha got there, Minako-chan?" Minako threw the pile on the marble counter, and tossed through it. "Bill, bill, savings book for Victoria's Secret, coupons for Java the Hut, acceptance letter from Osaka High, invitation to a funeral-" Makoto cut her off. "Whoa, whoa, whoa-go back! Acceptance letter?" "Lemme see that!" I snatched the smooth manilla envelope from the cool counter.
I opened a drawer and pulled out a dragon letter opener. I saw the impatient, excited looks on my friends faces, so I took my sweet time; twirling the letter opener on my white-painted nails, pushing Mamo-chan to the back of my mind and focusing on pissing my friends off.
I drew a breath, and slid the letter opener under a flap in the envelope. I slid it slowly, the ripping sound going through the quiet house. Rei, of course, broke the silence and threw her hands up in exasperation. "OH KAMI! USA-JUST OPEN THE DAMMED ENVELOPE!" I laughed, and quickly tore the envelope open, and dug the letter out. I read the swirly script in my head, squealed loudly, and then read it to my friends.
"Dear Ms. Usagi Tsukino, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into our arts school. Your audition blew us away, and we hope to see you on January 4, 2011. Please dress in the uniforms we sell, but until you can get them, you may wear your own clothes. Sincerely, Hana Kioshi.
Rei jumped up and hugged me tightly. She pulled back, and dark pomegranate clashed with light aqua.(Ha…if the girls knew if this is how I thought, I swear their minds would explode.) "How come you didn't tell us you auditioned?"
I shrugged and walked around the island to the stainless steel fridge. "It never came up. I didn't think I would get in!" I opened the fridge and examined it's contents. I crinkled my nose at the sight of left-overs, expired milk, and something I thinkis cheese. I slammed the fridge closed and picked the note up again.
"Oh thanks a lot mum." I muttered, scanning the neon green Post-It note again. P.S- we are out of things in the fridge, so either go out, or buy more food. Love ya! -MumI put it back down. "So, let's vote: homework, or doing something." Makoto offered, "Let's go to the arcade and show Motoki-kun your letter!"
I nodded, and Minako waved her hand in the air. "Let's go to the mall!" Ami nodded quickly in agreement. I choked on some air, Rei almost fell off her stool, Minako stared at Ami, and Makoto gaped in shock. Rei slapped a hand over her heart. "Oh Kami-sama! Save us all! First Minako-chan…THINKING! Now Ami-chan not wanting to do homework? It's the end of the world as we know it!"
We all started laughing and Ami blushed deeply. "Well, I don't have to do homework all the time! Let's just go to the arcade, show Motoki-kun your letter, and then go to the mall! Then, we can order pizza and do homework!" she said triumphantly.
I stood on the stool next to Rei and raised a fist. "AND WE SHALL!" The girls just stared at me, and burst out laughing as I jumped down from the stool and fell. "Ow…" I muttered, rubbing my side. Rei's eyes widened and gasped. "Oh my God…Minako-chan thinking, Ami-chan wanting leisure instead of homework, now Usagi-chan not crying when she falls!" She fell off her stool and pretended to faint. I stood and walked over to her. I prodded her with my foot, and she didn't move.
"Ah, well, guys, Rei-chan's dead." I giggled and kneeled on the ground. "OH HOW WILL WE GO ON WITHOUT HER?"I cried theatrically. Still no response. I stood, and whispered to Makoto to get a bucket. She gave me a confused look, but went and got said bucket and I filled it up with water from the sink. I walked to the freezer, and put a few handfuls of ice cubes in the bucket.
I slowly advanced to Rei's still form, and the girls backed up, laughing and scared of what Rei would do. "AWAKEN!" I yelled, dumping the bucket of freezing water on her. With an angry yelp, she bounced up and danced around the kitchen, clawing at her shirt. "THERE'S ICE IN MY BRA!" She wailed.
I went into hysterics, clutching my sides and barely breathing. The girls, who were in the doorway leading to the living room, followed glowered at me and threw the ice she got out of her shirt at me. I stopped laughing and started screaming. "NO! DON'T HIT ME WITH BOOBIE ICE!" Rei continued to pelt me with ice, and the girls (impossibly) laughed harder.
"REI-CHAAAANNN! I'M SOOORRRYYYY!" I ran around the kitchen as she pelted me with ice. Finally, she ran out of ammo. I collapsed onto a stool and panted, trying to catch my breath.
Rei, looking satisfied, straightened her shirt and asked innocently, "So! When are we going to the arcade?"
Well that's it for Chapter one. If you Review I'll be teh happies! :-)