Of Love and Other Catastrophes 1/1 by Meredith Bronwen Mallory (maniac fan fiction writer and lover of Demando:-) mallorys-girl@cinci.rr.com It had been the WORST day of her life. A particularly pathetic and haggard Usagi made her way up the steps, thankful to escape with her life. First, she had slept in a full HOUR past her alarm (which didnÍt go off because SOMEONE unplugged it), then, sheÍd failed *two* (count them, two) tests. On top of that, Naru wasnÍt speaking to her, Haruna-sensi had given her detention for the entire rest of the week, Raye had majorly cut her down *again* and... Usagi flopped down on the bed, closing her eyes to relive the worst part of the day. -------------- She entered the Arcade as usual, happy to be freed at last from the prison of medieval torture some referred to as school. All Usagi wanted to do was have a nice *big* sundae, play a nice game of Sailor V, and have her daily fight with Mamo-chan. The young blond blushed at the direction her thoughts had taken. Ah yes, Mamoru-san, secretly Mamo-chan, tormentor, pain in the butt and the love of her life... Then, Usagi stopped abruptly. Mamo-chan wasnÍt at his usual place by the counter... nor was he by the crane game. Where could he be? THAT, was when she saw it. *Her* Mamo-chan was sitting at a booth, talking with a beautiful blond Usagi was not familiar with. Her heart broke. He had a girl friend. She resisted the urge to just plop down in the middle of the arcade and wail. ńHey, Usagi-san!î an entirely too cheerful voice called out to her, ńHow are you?î ńFine,î she plastered a smile on her face. Motoki walked up to her, a casual smile on his face. ńThatÍs good,î he said, leaning against the counter, gazing over at Mamoru and his ďdateÍ. ńErm..î Usagi was frantically trying to figure out how to ask about the girl without sounding as though she cared, ńCute couple,î she remarked. ďYeah right..Í she thought inwardly, ďSheÍs all wrong for himÍ. ńYeah, well,î Motoki said with a secretive smile. ńIs he.. going out with her?î Usagi asked carefully. ńNo...î her friend replied, looking at her curiously, ńWhy do you care?î Those words sent Usagi into panic-mode. ńMe, care?!î she asked, her voice shrill, ńNo way,î she sweat-dropped, ńAh.. bye Motoki-san!î With that she sped from the arcade at speeds yet to be reached by normal human beings. Unfortunately, Usagi didnÍt see the scene occurring after her hasty retreat, or her reaction would have been much different. Some minutes later, Mamoru got up from the booth and walked casually over to where Motoki stood. He was trying desperately not to pummel his arcade-keeping friend with questions. ńDid it...work?î he asked nervously, trying to keep his cool. His blue eyes gave it all away. ńYeah,î Motoki said gleefully, ńMan, you shoulda seen her, she was pea green with envy!î ńReally?î the other manÍs eyes lit up. The blond at his side shook his head in pity. ńMan, Mamoru-san, youÍve got it bad,î Motoki said. ńBye, Motoki-san, bye Mamoru-san,î the voice of the girl previously sitting beside Mamoru carried across the arcade, ńThanks for the help with my Calculus homework!î ńBye, Kendell-san,î both guys waved, then exchanged glances. Kendell had no idea she had just inadvertently aided the romancing of Tsukino Usagi by one Chiba Mamoru. ------ ńWhy do I have to be Sailor Moon?î Usagi asked aloud, still laying on her bed and indulging in a pity-party. She was tired; tired of fighting youmas, Mamoru and failing grades. Rolling on her side, Usagi looked at the moon, ready to just go to sleep. Her last thought as she gazed on the orb was that she needed a nice, exotic vacation. ------- Serenity, Queen of Crystal Tokyo, lay beside her husband, contentedly cuddling beside him. EndymionÍs hand came up to stroke her hair, his other arm wrapped posessively around her waist. The Neo-Queen looked up at him, eyes filled with love, and he returned her gaze with a tender look of his own. She sighed happily. TheyÍd finally managed to get away on a vacation, much to her delight. After all, Chibi-Usa was still in the past, training to be a senshi, and it had been such a long time since theyÍd had each otherÍs undivided attention. SerenityÍs mind wandered freely, surprising she found herself thinking of her first year as Sailor Moon, but when she had simply been Usagi, and her beloved Endy was her Mamo-chan. Things had been a lot more complicated, and yet more simple, back then. She tightened her arms around \her husband. She loved him dearly, and was quite happy with her life, but still, it was nice to remember... ńI love you, Endy,î she whispered, kissing his chest. The King smiled tenderly, bending down to nibble her ear before returning with; ńI love you too, Sere-chan,î The Queen closed her eyes, but her last thought before she drifted off the sleep was; ďAhhh... youth.Í ------- Usagi felt warm, tender lips being pressed against her own, arms holding her carefully, hands stroking her hair. She moaned in her sleep, what a very nice dream. The lips persisted, nudging her towards wakefulness. Putting her arms around the strong, male body above her, Usagi fought reality tooth and nail. She was dreaming that Mamo-chan was kissing her, she didnÍt want to wake up. ńDarling,î Mamo-chanÍs tender voice whispered in her ear, ńItÍs time to get up...î It was real! That thought sent UsagiÍs eyes flying open and her hands pushing Mamoru away. She sat up with a start, then wished she hadnÍt. She was naked. Buck naked. She gasped, pulled up the covers and averted her eyes elsewhere. They happened to land on Mamoru who was.. not Mamoru. The two looked at each other strangely. Usagi knew that, all though in some way this was Mamoru, the man before her was not HER Mamoru. He was a bit older, and every bit as handsome. ńSerenity?î Un-Mamoru asked. Usagi felt VERY dizzy. She looked around herself. She was in a hotel suite, the walls covered by endless mirrors, her own reflection stared back at her, and Usagi felt faint. *SHE* was older. ńUm... no? Mamoru?î she looked at Un-Mamoru hopefully, praying he had the answers. The man only looked deep into her eyes, then gasped. ńOh my god. Usako?î he asked. The color drained from his face. ńClose enough,î Usagi said dryly, before the panic set in, ńWhere am I and why am I naked?î ńI... whereÍs Serenity?î a very worried look came over his face. Usagi shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. ńI donÍt know, I donÍt even know who she is... I,î she sniffled a little and shifted in the bed. Bad idea. The sheets she clutched moved with her, and off of Un-Mamoru. Usagi realized with a start, though she should have figured, that he was also naked. Instinctively, she looked down. ńOh, my god,î was all she had time to say before she passed out. Next thing she knew, there were people talking. She could hear them as she struggled towards reality. She didnÍt want to think about the crazy dream sheÍd just had. ńWell, itÍs definitely Usagi. Some how she and the Queen have switched bodies!î Ami was saying... what was she talking about and why was she here so early. ńCan we get her back?î that was Mamoru. WAIT A SECOND! What was Mamoru doing here?! Oh no.... Usagi opened her eyes and was met with the sight of a more appropriately attired Un-Mamoru. She was in the same room as before... She moaned. ńAre you all right?î asked Un-Mamoru, putting a hand to her forehead. Usagi shook her head. How in the world could she possibly be all right? SheÍd just woken up, in a strange room, in a strange bed, with a strange Un-Mamoru! This had to be some kind of twisted cosmic joke! SheÍd asked for a vacation, but this was NOT what sheÍd meant. And it had been a secret little fantasy of herÍs to wake up beside Mamo-chan... but not like this!! ńUsagi-chan, can you hear me?î Ami asked. Wait, yes, it was Ami... familiarity in the midst of all this madness. Usagi opened her eyes searching for the short blue-haired girl. What she found, was a taller, older version of her friend, dressed in her sailor fuku. ńAmi?î she asked hopefully. ńIn a way,î the other woman replied. ńUg,î said Usagi, ńI knew all that studying couldnÍt be good for me!î She heard Un-Mamoru and un-Ami chuckle. ńCan you tell me where I am?î she asked hopefully. ńYouÍre on Jupiter, in the hotel suite,î un-Ami replied. ńJupiter,î Usagi murmured dryly, ńOf course, how silly of me to think otherwise.î ńUsagi, whatÍs last thing you remember?î the other girl inquired. Usagi thought for a moment. ńWell, I had really bad day, got out of detention and went to the arcade. I didnÍt fight with Mamoru because he was sitting with some girl,î Usagi grimaced, ńThen I went to RayeÍs for the senshi meeting, which was a total waste of time because we still donÍt know what the Negaverse is after and then I went home and went to bed.î The un-Ami and Un-Mamoru exchanged incredulous glances. ńDo you think we can get Serenity back?î Un-Mamoru asked worriedly. ńIÍm sure Pluto can switch them back,î un-Ami comforted him, putting a hand on his shoulder, ńBut unfortunately, Setsuna-chan is on vacation too. She said not to bother her unless it was an emergency.î ńUm, excuse me,î Usagi said, jumping back into the conversation, ńIt might just be my selfishness coming through, but I think this pretty much qualifies as an emergency.î The other two people chuckled. ńSame old Usagi,î un-Ami said, shaking her head. ńCould some one PLEASE tell me whatÍs going on here!?î Usagi wailed. ńI think IÍll let you do that, Endymion,î un-Ami said, ńIÍm going to try and get a hold of Setsuna.î The man nodded, and AmiÍs look alike made her way to the door, but not before she threw over her shoulder; ńBrace yourself Usagi-chan!î ńGood-*bye* Mercury,î Endymion said with mock annoyance. The other girl just giggled and took her leave. ńAre you gonna tell me whatÍs going on here?î Usagi asked, wanting to put her hands on her hips, but realizing she was still naked and clutching the sheet, and decided against it. ńAlright Usako,î Endymion replied, taking a seat at the end of the bed. His eyes and smile were kind as he gazed on her. For her part, Usagi was too busy to notice his expression, she was blushing at the tender nickname, ńIt would seem you inadvertently switched places with my wife, who happens to be your future-self.î UsagiÍs mouth dropped open, as she stared at him with shock-filled eyes. ńIÍm married to Mamoru-san?î she asked. The man sitting beside her chuckled. ńActually itÍs Endymion now,î he replied, ńItÍs a long story and I really canÍt explain, seeing as Pluto-chan would probably kill me.î Usagi nodded mutely. ńAnyway, we were on vacation, and you were in the past. Now it would seem that *you* and I are on vacation, and Serenity is in the past.î The girl gulped, finding her throat suddenly dry. Then, suddenly, her eyes widened and she let out a small wail. ńOH NO!!î ńWhat? What?î Endymion asked. ńIf Serenity is back in the past, then that means sheÍs near Mamo-chan,î the wailing girl failed to notice the warmth that filled EndymionÍs eyes at the sound of the familiar nickname, ńAnd sheÍs MARRIED to YOU, for Kami-samaÍs sake!î ńAnd...?î Endymion asked, unsure as to where this was going. ńWhat do you mean AND?î Usagi screeched, jumping up, not even registering the sheet as it slipped off her body, ńI know myself, if sheÍs ANYTHING like me, sheÍll want to help! Ohhhh... heÍll never speak to me again!!î Endymion stifled a laugh, which he didnÍt think Usagi would appreciate at the moment. He imagined Serenity *would* try to help. But she probably couldnÍt do too much damage. Besides, he knew Mamoru would love Usagi despite a little weirdness the next little while might carry. ńUsagi-chan, calm down,î he spoke soothingly. Startled by the tone, Usagi stopped mid-wail and looked at Endymion strangely. Then she realized she was standing in the middle of the room, minus the sheet, and her cheeks began to burn. Quick as a flash, she jumped back in the bed, hiding under the covers. ńOh my god,î her muffled voice carried out from under the blankets, ńI... you... oy vey!î ńUsagi-chan,î no response. Endymion chuckled and patted her back through the sheets, ńUsako,î now he had her attention, though she remained buried, ńUsako, relax. IÍve seen it all before.î He could practically hear her blood as it rushed to her cheeks, ńHold on, IÍll find you something to wear.î She was still buried somewhere in the bed when he returned, one of SerenityÍs robes in hand. Lifting the covers just slightly, he pushed the garment in her general direction. She gave him a muffled ďarigatoÍ, a proceeded to change beneath the covers. When she emerged, she was clothed in a light pink silk robe, one of SerenityÍs favorites. The King could how tense Usagi was, and decided that, if they were to survive this, he had better get her to relax. ńIÍm going to go get breakfast, are you hungry?î he asked, knowing full well the light that would leap into her eyes at the mention of food. To this day, SerenityÍs greatest passion in life was food, second to her husband, of course. (AN: If he was YOUR husband, what would YOU do? ;-) ńOhhhh YES!î she squealed happily. Endymion smiled. ńI thought so, be right back,î he then kissed her forehead and left the room. Usagi could only stare after him. ńSheÍs SO lucky,î the girl sighed, feeling envious of herself. Speaking of which... she wondered how Serenity was faring in her body.... ---------- The first thing Serenity noticed when she awoke, was that her darling Endy was not beside her. The second was that nothing was beside her, because she had fallen on the floor. Bolting up, the Queen looked around and found herself not in the hotel suite, but someplace else entirely. Pink walls, bunnies and moons everywhere, black cat sleeping on the bed... ďUh ohÍ she thought, feeling a headache coming on, ďI think I know where I am!Í She felt the urge to just sit there and wail until Endy came (which she knew he wouldnÍt, how could he, when he was in the far future...) but resisted it. ńWell, Sere, you got what you asked for!î she said dryly. I should be careful what I wish for, she thought with much self pity, oh why does everything always happen to me! Glancing at the clock, Serenity saw it was 5:30 am. What an ungodly hour to get up! Even she, Queen of Crystal, *she* didnÍt get up until nine in the morning. Well, she had two options, one; crawl back in bed and sleep until she was fifteen minutes late for school, like she used to, or two; get up now and actually be on time for something. Imagining the looks on the faces of her parents and Haruna-sensi, Serenity knew what her choice was. Suddenly, all her self pity was gone, vanishing like fog before the sun. Instead, she smiled, a broad smile, full of anticipation. Standing, she went to the window and gazed out on Tokyo. ńLetÍs see,î she said softly, careful not to wake Luna, ńone Neo-Queen Serenity loose on an unsuspecting Tokyo... hehehe, oh what mischief I can cause!î Stepping into the shower, Serenity idly wondered *when* she was. Well, sheÍd find out soon enough! For a moment, her good mood faltered as she wondered whether or not she was stuck here forever, but, she concluded that Setsuna would probably be able to fix it, and for the time being, she should just kick back and enjoy. As she stood under the hot jets of water, the Queen constructed a pretty good idea of what had happened. Obviously, Kami-sama had thought it might be funny to grant her little wish for ďyouthÍ and switch her and her younger self. Serenity felt a prang of sadness, she missed her Endy... she missed waking up with him, eating breakfast, and, she grinned, taking showers with him. She wasnÍt the least bit worried about her darling husband being alone with Usagi, she trusted him completely. However, she laughed when she thought about how her younger self would react. ďAhhh... Endy has his hands full!Í. Turning off the water, Serenity dried herself off and studied her younger body in the mirror. ďIckÍ she thought, ďAdolescence.Í SheÍd forgotten what a pain it could be. Her slightly less ::cough:: mature figure was something now forienge to the Queen who had born a little daughter. But, the moment she stepped on the bathroom scale, youth was back in SerenityÍs favor. Ahhh... she no longer possessed those pesky five pounds sheÍd been unable to shake since Chibi-UsaÍs birth. Of course, whenever she mentioned those pounds in front of Endy, he hushed her immediately and denied their existence. Quickly, Serenity threw on her school uniform, and waltzed down stairs whistling happily. ńOh my! Do my eyes deceive me? Usagi-chan, is that you?î asked her mother, who looked astonished as she stopped, mid-pancake flipping, to look at her daughter. ńYes, Mommy,î Serenity said quietly, grinning at the sight of her beloved mom, ńItÍs me! IÍm up, bright and early! IsnÍt it a beautiful day?î In an instant, Iuko was at her daughterÍs side, hand pressed to her forehead. ńUsagi, are you feeling well?î she asked in her oh-my-poor-baby-are-you-sick voice. ńIÍm fine, Mom,î Serenity replied, ńBut boy am I hungry!î Nodding cautiously, Iuko placed a plate of pancakes in front of Serenity. ńArigato.î ńKami-sama, is the world ending?î Shingo popped his head in the kitchen, his eyes bugging out at the sight of his sister awake and actually human at this hour. ńNo, but your life will if youÍre not careful,îSerenity replied sweetly, ńItÍs nice to see you too, Shingo.î Her brother backed away in mock fear. ńMOM! UsagiÍs been replaced by a pod-person!î he cried. ńShingo, leave your sister alone,î Iuko said, shaking her head. She never thought sheÍd live to see the day... --------- Usagi, meanwhile, cautiously approached the full-length mirror in the bathroom. She looked her reflection up and down, deciding she liked what she saw. She was taller (though, as she had recently discovered, Mamo- er, Endymion was still taller than she), and her figure had (finally) filled out rather nicely. However, when the evil device known as the bathroom scale entered her sight, Usagi immediately decided to steer clear of it. Reentering the main room, she noticed Endymion had yet to return, and set about exploring. The really wasnÍt much to see, save for a balcony, shrouded by sheer white curtains. Pulling the strips of cloth aside, Usagi stepped out onto the balcony, the warm air of Jupiter instantly embracing her, carrying with it the sweet scent of buttercups and warm honey. She took a deep breath, savoring the sensation. Curiously, Usagi eyed the edge of the balcony, which was surrounded by latice that formed a type of enclosure all around. Stepping towards it, she laced her fingers in the barrier and looked over the edge. Her breath caught in her throat. Below her was nothing but air, and wispy clouds of pink, yellow, red and orange. She was so high up it made her dizzy. Just as Usagi thought she might faint, a pair of strong arms encircled her waist and held her, making the world cease on itÍs dizzying tilt. Turning in the embrace, Usagi found Endymion smiling down at her. Endymion smiled down on Usagi, feeling acute longing for his wifeÍs presence. The King loved his wife with every fiber of his body, and though her body stood before him, he knew that the person inside was Usagi, and not his Serenity. Still, though he did not love Usagi as he did Serenity, he couldnÍt help but feel tenderness towards his wifeÍs younger self. ńArigato,î Usagi said, ńWeÍre so very high up!î Her eyes became wide with childish wonder. Endymion smiled. ńHai,î he said, ńYes we are. This whole city is floating, and the hotel is built on the edge. This is the only suite with a view.î ńWow,î Usagi murmured, turning back to the sight before her. Off in the distance, she noticed some strange creatures. They were like giant butterflies, though their middle sections were a bit thicker, and they were completely incandescent, shimmering with rainbow lights. As one swooped closer, Usagi realized there were people RIDING on them! ńWhat are those?î she asked of her companion. ńTheyÍre called Ettas. TheyÍre native only to Jupiter. People here ride them for sport,î the King replied. Usagi reached a hand up to the latice, looking on the creatures in wonder. ńIsnÍt it dangerous?î she asked. Endymion nodded, ńTheyÍre so pretty,î Usagi breathed. ńCome on,î he said at length, ńYouÍre breakfast is getting cold.î Now they sat on the bed, eating breakfast out of silver dishes and talking about nothing. at first Usagi had been a little unsure of what to say in front of MamoruÍs future self, but eventually they both eased into polite small talk. However, sometime during UsagiÍs fascination with the Jupiterian cobbler she was devouring, silence fell. ńUsagi-chan?î Endymion asked, his voice sounding a little bit nervous, much to the girlÍs discomfort. Usagi reluctently put down the tasty treat and looked at her partner. ńYes?î ńThereÍs a bit of a problem,î he said, ńYou see, Serenity and I are supposed to attend a welcoming banquet and well... youÍre going to have to go with me and pose as Serenity.î Usagi stepped out of his arms, her voice shaking. ńBanquet... is there something I donÍt know? Are you guys important?î she asked. Endymion had to refrain from hitting himself upside the head. Of course Usagi didnÍt know that she was Queen! ńYes, sort of,î he replied, wondering just how painful it would be when Pluto beat him into the ground with her time-staff for messing up the continuum. ńYouÍre Queen of the Earth.î ńWha...?î Usagi looked at the man before her as though heÍd plum lost him mind, ńQueen?î ńYes, Queen,î he replied evenly, watching her jaw drop. ńOy,î Usagi murmured, before leaning back against the pillows tiredly. Suddenly, though, her eyes flew open when she realized what sheÍd just been asked to do. ńYou want me, Usagi, first class ditz and klutz poster child, to pose as Queen?î ńNo, I want Usagi, the beautiful, sweet, wonderful girl to pose as Queen,î Endymion corrected her, watching her blush. ńThis is so weird,î she said aloud, though it was more to herself, ńIÍm so used to you teasing me...î to Endymion, she said, ńI canÍt possibly be Queen! IÍll klutz out or trip or say the wrong thing or...î Endymion took her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. ńUsagi,î he said, ńyou are not a klutz.î ńOf course I am!î she flailed her arms in exasperation, ńYou said so yourself!î A look of hurt passed through EndymionÍs eyes, unnoticed by Usagi. ńUsa, I never meant any of that,î he spoke softly, and with such tenderness that Usagi looked him straight in the eye. Mutely, she nodded, completely stunned. Giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, Endymion pulled a stunned Usagi to her feet, dragging her towards the closet. ńCome on, weÍre going to be late!î he said. Usagi could only wonder how she got into these situations. ---------- Serenity looked at the math quiz before her and felt like laughing. Finally, after three hundred years, she actually UNDERSTOOD how to find the slope of a line. Not that she ever used the information, well, except now. Smiling evilly, she picked up her pencil and got started. Boy, Haruna-sensi was gonna flip! Actually, Serenity had already almost given UsagiÍs poor teacher a heart attack, just by showing up before the bell, and five minutes early to boot! Not that Mercury, ah, *Ami* hadnÍt been equally surprised, along with Mako-chan. During their walk to school, Serenity had been able to determine that she had come to the past right around the time Zoicite had taken command. That also meant that she and Endy, er, Mamo-chan, werenÍt yet on good terms. ďWell,Í Serenity thought indignantly, ďIÍll fix that soon enough!Í And with that, the Neo-Queen set about one of her toughest battles yet... the destruction of those dumb variables! ńUsagi-san,î Haruna-sensi stopped Serenity just as she was about to leave the room, detention free. ńYes, Haruna-sensi?î Serenity asked, worried. Maybe she didnÍt know as much about algebra as she thought she did... ńIÍm very proud of you,î Haruna beamed, handing Serenity her perfect test score ńI canÍt believe you got an ďAÍ but you did! A one hundred!î ńThank you,î Serenity preened a little, then bowed to her teacher and left. Haruna looked after the girl, then weakly took a seat. ńNever thought IÍd see the day....î Happily, Serenity skipped down the sidewalk, Mako-chan and Ami trailing behind her. ńSo you got a perfect score on todayÍs quiz?î Ami asked, eyes wide. ńYup!î Serenity smiled widely, pulling out the paper and displaying it for them to see, ńA+ 100!î She declared happily. Makoto reached tentative hand to touch her forehead. ńGirl, are you feeling all right?î she asked. ńJust fine, better then ever!î Serenity said. Then her smile dimmed a little. She missed Endy. ďBut...Í she reminded herself, ďIÍm going see Mamo-chan and fix this WHOLE misunderstanding!Í She smiled a secretive little smile, which both her friends noticed, but decided not to comment. Usagi certainly had been acting weird today! The bells on the door to the arcade jingled merrily, welcoming in one incognito Queen of Earth and Moon. Serenity glanced around, searching for the familiar, albeit younger, form she knew so well. Not by the crane game.. not talking to Motoki... ahha! A glorious smile blossomed on her face when her eyes finally rested on his handsome profile. Mamoru was sitting at the counter, engrossed in a cup of coffee. Glancing back to make sure her friends werenÍt watching, Serenity slowly walked up to the counter and took a seat on the stool beside him. ńHey, Usagi!î Motoki said as he came up to get her order. Serenity smiled at her arcade-keeping friend. She hadnÍt seen him in a LONG while. ńHello, Motoki-san, how are you today?î she asked, watching out of the corner of her eyes as MamoruÍs head jerked up, and he watched the two of them with sudden interest. ńIÍm fine, and you?î Motoki asked with a smile. ńOh, well, you see, there was this math quiz and...î Serenity began, but Mamoru jumped in. ńYou failed it,î he said, still glancing between Serenity and Motoki. ďJealous, are we Mamo-chan?Í the Queen thought. ńOdango Atama,î Mamoru went on, ńThe day you pass a test will be the day I...î ńKiss me,î Serenity replied with a wide smile. ńWha...?î Both Mamoru and Motoki looked stunned. Mamoru looked Usagi up and down wondering what was so different about her today... well, aside from the fact she might have gone insane. Why did she want him to kiss her? Mamoru thought, There was something different about her though, just in the way she carried herself, the way she looked at him, like she *knew* him... he found he missed the old Usagi. ńWha?î he asked. ńIf I ever pass... no wait, if I ever *ace* a quiz, you have to kiss me.î Usagi said carefully, looking Mamoru up and down. The man fought down the color that rose to his cheeks. ńDream on, Odango,î he said, trying to salvage their ďrelationshipÍ. Better to fight with the goddess then to have her discover his true feelings and hate him forever, ńItÍs never gonna happen!î Usagi looked at him with a strange little smile and raised one of her perfect brows. ńOh, really?î she asked. ńReally!î he replied confidently, but then regretted it as she began to remove something from her pocket. Serenity smiled. Slowly, she removed the folded test from her pocket and displayed it before Mamoru and an unusually silent Motoki. Both stared slack jawed at the big red ď100Í written at the top of the page. Yup, Serenity thought happily, I vanquished all those annoying xÍs and yÍs. ńNo way,î Mamoru said at last, ńHowÍd you...î ńItÍs this foreinge concept called studying,î Serenity lied sarcastically. Of course, she hadnÍt really studied, but Mamoru didnÍt need to know that... ńI think you owe her something, Mamoru-kun,î Motoki said cheekily, delighting in his best friends discomfort. ńI... that is I...î Mamoru stuttered, but Serenity interrupted him. ńIÍll collect later,î Serenity said, wanting Usagi to be the one Mamoru kissed, ńI gotta go. Bye Motoki-san, bye Mamoru-san!î And with that, she waltzed triumphantly out of the arcade. Mamoru could only stare after Usagi slack jawed. The thought of kissing herwas VERY appealing. Or at least the Usagi he was used to. He had this weird feeling that the Usagi who had just been in here was not his Usagi. Strange, true, but that was what he felt. ńIÍd say she likes you, Mamoru-kun,î Motoki laughed after he recovered from shock. ńI certainly hope soî was all Mamoru could say. ----- ńI canÍt believe we just pulled that off!î Usagi said breathlessly as she and Endymion reentered the hotel suite. SheÍd just spent the last three hours in the company of diplomats and royalty, and not a one of them had even an inkling that she was not Serenity. Of course, with out Endymion to whisper directions and such in her ear, she would have been completely lost. She smiled up and Mamo-chanÍs future self. ńYou were wonderful, Usagi-chan,î Endymion said. ńI didnÍt even klutz out once!î the girl replied excitedly. She stifled a giggle, think about all the compliments on how ďyouthfulÍ she looked. ńEndymion-san, Usagi-chan!î a voice interrupted their conversation. It was one very flushed Mercury, hurriedly entering the room, followed by a tall, green haired woman in a sailor suit whom Usagi didnÍt recognize. ńIÍve brought Pluto, Usagi can go home now!î ńAnd I trust you wonÍt go making any more foolish wishes,î said the green-haired woman. Usagi blushed and looked at the floor. ńThis wasnÍt what I meant,î she said softly. ńHai, but it was what you got,î the other woman laughed. ńGomen,î Usagi said. The stranger nodded, waiting for Usagi to say good-bye. Quickly, the girl turned and gave Endymion a hug. ńGoodbye!î ńGoodbye,î the King replied, returning the hug. The stranger nodded, and raised the garnet rod she carried with her, mumbling a few words Usagi didnÍt catch, before striking her staff against the floor. A wave of energy panned outward, catching Usagi up in itÍs depths and thrusting her consciousness back into her original body. ------ Serenity stood on the bridge in the park, watching the sun set. She wanted to go home. Visiting the past for a little while, but now all she wanted was to curl up in EndyÍs arms. Sniffling a little, Serenity gazed at her younger reflection in the water. ńI hope youÍre ready to come home,î she remarked softly, ńÍCause IÍm tired of being here.î Suddenly, Serenity felt herself become light, and the edges of her vision become blurry. Next thing Serenity knew, she was falling, and strong arms reached around to steady her. She was back in her own body, she realized happily when she opened her eyes. Her beloved Endy had his arms around her preventing her from fainting as the energy dissipated. Her younger-self stood off to the side, back in her own body as well. ńSerenity?î Endymion asked worriedly. She smiled broadly, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly. ńI missed you,î she said softly, enjoying the feel of being in his arms. Her husband fairly beamed, ready sweep Serenity up into kiss, when she suddenly turned in his embrace. Pluto was preparing to send Usagi back to the past. ńWait!î the Queen said. ńExcuse me?î Pluto inquired. ńThereÍs a couple things I need to tell Usagi,î Serenity replied, hurrying over to her younger self Usagi looked skeptical. ńWhat did you do?î Usagi asked not really looking as though she wanted to know. The scene put a whole new spin on ďI donÍt trust myselfÍ. ńNothing MUCH,î Serenity replied innocently, ńYou aced a math quiz...î ńReally!?î Usagi asked. When Serenity nodded, Usagi flung her arms wide and hugged the Queen. ńOh thank you!î ńThatÍs not all,î UsagiÍs older self replied. She whispered secretively into UsagiÍs ear, ńA certain tall, handsome tormentor owes you a kiss for that ďAÍ.î The school girl looked at the Queen incredulously. ńHowÍd you manage that one?î she asked. ńMy secret,î Serenity replied, turning back to Endymion. The King and Queen waved goodbye as Sailor Pluto struck her rod against the floor once more and sent Usagi back where she belonged. ńMy Queen, kindly refrain from messing with the time-line any further,î Pluto asked once Usagi was gone. Serenity giggled and shook her golden locks. ńPluto-chan, I didnÍt do it on purpose,î she said. ńYes, well,î the guardian of time replied, trying to sound stern, ńSee that it doesnÍt happen again. Now, if youÍll excuse me, your highness, I have a vacation to get back to.î ńGoodbye, Pluto,î Endymion said. The green-haired Senshi nodded, and swept from the room. Alone at last, Serenity turned and put her arms around EndymionÍs neck. ńSpeaking of vacations,î she said, ńDonÍt we have ours to get back to?î Her fingers buried themselves in EndymionÍs short black hair, as her husband put his arms posessively around her waist. ńMmm..î he said, leaning down a little so their foreheads touched, ńI missed you.î ńOh, really?î Serenity teased, moving as though she was about to pull away. The King wouldnÍt have it, and wrapped his arms more tightly around her. ńHow much?î ńThis much,î Endymion replied as he brought his lips down on hers. ďOh yes,Í Serenity thought as she deepened the kiss, ďIt is most definitely great to be back!Í --------- With a blast of energy, Usagi found herself back on Earth and standing on the bridge in the park. The sun was setting behind the hills, and the sounds of the city reached her ears. She smiled to herself, glad to be back where she belonged. Visiting the future was fun, but it was also a little weird. ńMan, being Queen is tiring,î Usagi said to herself as she yawned. Turning from the bridge, she started walking home, so lost in her own world that she wasnÍt looking where she was going, and promptly collided with a warm, familiar male body. ďUh ohÍ she thought, as strong arms reached out to steady her. ńUsagi-san,î it was Mamoru. Mamoru looked down at the girl in his arms, a feeling approaching relief flooding through him. Somehow, he just KNEW that this was his Usagi, back to her normal, adorable self. He knew he should let go of her, push her away, or risk the discovery of his true feelings. However, once she was in his arms, it was another matter entirely. Her arms were soft where his hands held them, to keep her from falling, and she was so warm...Usagi looked up at him, her blue eyes filled with some emotion Mamoru couldnÍt identify. ńUsagi-san,î was all he was able to say. ńH-hello, Mamoru-san,î the goddess in his arms replied, ńGomen, for running into you.î ńDonÍt worry about it, Usa-,î Mamoru bit his tongue, heÍd almost said ďUsakoÍ. That would not have gone over well. ńHow are you?î Usagi asked, not having moved from where he held her at arms length. She took a deep breath, she couldnÍt remember having been this close to him. ńFine, and you?î Mamoru replied, wondering why she hadnÍt moved, and thanking the saints that it was so. ńFine, I..er.. about that bet,î Usagi began. As much as she wanted to kiss Mamoru, she didnÍt want him to do so just because of some stupid bet he made with Serenity. ńYes,î Mamoru said, seeing his chance, maybe his only chance. He leaned forward, his hands moving from where they held UsagiÍs arms, to cup the back of her head, the other resting at the small of her back. She was now completely in his embrace. Usagi looked up at him, startled. ńI believe I owe you... Usako,î then, before she could say anything else, he brought his lips to touch her own. They barely met, feathery light, and left Mamoru wanting more. But he didnÍt went to scare Usagi away. As he began to pull back, though, he was surprise to find she followed him, her lips chasing his. ńMamo-chan,î Usagi breathed, not caring if she gave herself away. He tasted so good, and she was ready to melt... Her hand went to the back of his head, to keep him with her, the other resting on his shoulder. With a groan of defeat, Mamoru gave in. ďMamo-chanÍ sheÍd said... Mamoru pulled Usagi even closer, almost crushing her against him, using the hand cupping her head to guide her mouth open for further exploration. Usagi, for her part, was completely lost to the kiss, all the love she felt for Mamoru boiling to the surface as she welcomed anything he did. When she felt his tongue caress the inside of her mouth, her knees buckled. Now he supported her fully in his arms as she clung to him for dear life... The kiss deepened even more, until usagi had to breath with him, or not at all. Dizzily, Mamoru pulled back, taking a deep breath. Usagi was still supported in his arms, her golden hair having come loose from the odangos sometime during their heated kiss. Her lips were parted slightly and her eyes held a faraway, dreamy look. ďNow, more than ever, she looks like a goddessÍ Mamoru thought, over whelmed by the tenderness he felt for the golden rabbit in his arms. ńI... hope that covers it,î he said softly. Suddenly, Usagi looked away from him, tears glistening in her aqua eyes. She moved her hands from their previous positions to push him away. ďHe doesnÍt love meÍ she thought sorrowfully, ďIt was all about that dumb bet!Í ńUsako,î Mamoru said, hurt that she was pulling away. She was out of his embrace now, and he grabbed for her wrist. She turned around, and he saw tears rolling down her cheeks. All he could think was ďI.. I hurt herÍ. ń Mamoru... let me go,î Usagi said softly, brokenly. After ďMamo-chanÍ, hearing her say his name so formally filled Mamoru with grief. He didnÍt know how heÍd hurt her, but she simply had to forgive him! He took both her hands in his and sank to his knees, pressing his lips to her thumbs. ńPlease forgive me, Usako,î he said. She looked down at him, her blue eyes filled with surprise, and tears. ńMamo-chan, what...why?î was all she could manage. Why was he on his knees... begging for her forgiveness. Something warm flooded through Mamoru at the sound of her pet name for him. In the end, it gave him the hope to continue. ńUsako, I love you,î he said softly rubbing his cheek against the back of her hand. ńYou... love me?î she asked, incredulous. Never in a million years, even after her trip to the future, did she actually believe he could love her. ńHai, very much so,î he went on, ńIÍm so sorry for all the mean things IÍve said to you... I didnÍt mean to hurt you. ItÍs just, ever since I saw you, IÍve wanted to get closer. IÍve never felt like that about anyone before, so I kept trying to find things about you that I could hate. I tried to think you were a ditz, but you showed me you werenÍt by all the kind things you did for others, and you really are smart, you just donÍt show it sometimes. And when I thought you were a klutz, I kept wanting you to fall into my arms... Oh, Usako, I never meant any of the things I said! Gomen, for any pain IÍve cause you. Forgive me?î Mamoru finally gathered the courage to look up at the woman he loved, only to find that she had sunk to her knees beside him. ńOh, Mamo-chan,î she said as she embraced him gently, ńI love you too! It was you all along...î She looked up at him, and as though magnets, their lips came together. Sometime later, they were sitting on a park bench near by, Usagi tucked gently in MamoruÍs arms as they watched the sunset together, at peace. Mamoru looked down on the treasure he held and smiled to himself. He should have apologized a long time ago. Usagi watched the sunset with a smile on her face, completely in love with Mamoru, and thus, everything around her took on a magical glow. Suddenly though, an idea occurred to her, and her brows furrowed. ńMamo-chan?î she asked softly. ńYes, Usako?î Mamoru replied, absently playing with a golden lock of her hair. ńEver wondered what itÍs like on Jupiter?î ˙