Notes: Episode 20, "The Ocean! Our Youth! And a Ghost, Too". Or, "The one where the Senshi go to the beach and stay in a haunted house."
Episode 20
It was a gorgeous day. Far too gorgeous to squander this precious not-at-school time by sitting inside. Naru nodded firmly to herself and her determined pace increased. Usagi would be curled on her bed reading manga, or sitting in front of the television playing another of those games Naru could never understand. And that was fine, sometimes, but a day like today demanded fresh air and friends, and if Usagi wasn't going to get them on her own then it was Naru's sworn duty to drag her into them.
She marched to the Tsukino's front door and rang the bell, her mind already turning over their impending conversation. Usagi won't want to go of course. "But Naru-chan, I'm in the middle of this!" Naru will laugh and pluck the manga or the controller from Usagi's hands, toss it aside and, literally drag her out the door. Usagi will grumble for a minute, maybe two, and then it would disappear to make room for laughs and gossip and ice cream. They'd been best friends for years. Naru knew the routine.
Ikuko answered the door and Naru flashed a smile. "Good morning! I'm here to get Usagi out of your hair for a while."
She was already taking a half-step forward when she realized Ikuko wasn't ushering her inside.
"She's not here," Ikuko said, sounding confused.
Confusion made sense. Usagi taking the initiative? The world must be ending. Unless …
"Is there a new Sailor V at the arcade? I don't remember her mentioning it, but you know how it is." Naru shrugged and grinned. "I tune her out when she starts talking video games."
"No, no. She's gone for the weekend. She went to the ocean with Ami and Rei." Ikuko frowned. "I assumed you were going too."
The grin on Naru's face froze, but just for a moment. "Oh! Oh yeah! I, ah, couldn't go because I have to help my mother with the shop. I guess I must've forgotten about it."
Ikuko nodded kindly. "You're a good girl, Naru."
The remainder of their conversation was brief and automatic. All Naru could think was that Usagi had taken the initiative after all and wondered if the rest followed.
The day was gorgeous and demanded fresh air and friends. Naru tried to be happy that, somewhere, Usagi was enjoying both without her.