Author’s Note: Short chapter, this. I’m really not sure what everyone thinks of this series…I haven’t had time to kick it into high gear yet…but if you stay tuned and leave reviews, I promise there will be colossal amounts of Moon/Mask mush. Plus plot. ‘Cause I like plot, even if it interrupts romance.

Disclaimer: I live, therefore, I am. I write fanfiction, therefore, I do not own Sailor Moon.

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The Scythe Reaps What Is Sown

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“Usagi! Wake up, honey! You’re gonna be late!”

“Ugh…” Usagi pushed herself up on her elbows. Her head felt groggy, her mouth as though she had slept with cotton stuffed in it all night. Sweat dampened her pillow.

She squinted at her clock. Seven-fifty, which meant she had ten minutes to get to school. It was a twelve-minute walk, seven-minute run. Even at a full-out sprint, she didn’t have time to take a shower. And she felt so muggy, too.

She stumbled out of bed and shrugged on her school uniform. It adhered stickily to her chest, and she blinked down at it, her eyes landing on the huge purple stain. That covered half of the shirt.

A groan escaped her lips. She ripped off the prune-smeared shirt, and tossed it across the room, then fell to her knees, scrabbling in her dresser drawer for last year’s summer shirt. She finally emerged with it triumphantly, praising herself for saving it instead of letting her mother cut it up into rags.

The shirt had more wrinkles than she would have liked, and it fit rather snugly about the chest, but it would have to do. She snatched up her hairbrush and began yanking it through her golden tresses. At least she had shopping with Naru to look forward to –

“USAGI! YOU’RE GOING TO BE LATE!”

So what else was new?

Usagi hopped down the stairs, pushing her shoes onto her feet as she went, and grabbed her briefcase and bento. She leaned over for a slice of toast, but her mother pushed her off sternly, ushering her out the door.

“You’re late, you’re late!” she chanted. “Have a good day, do good on your Gemoetry test, come straight home after school, and RUN!”

Startled speechless by her mother’s unusually uptight behavior –usually she just laughed at Usagi’s tardiness, citing it as something that would never change – Usagi broke into a run down the sidewalk, head down to watch out for the cracks in the sidewalk that she frequently tripped over.

Her stomach seemed to anticipate a collision before she was even aware of his presence; it shrunk within her, and a couple of seconds later, she felt her face crashing into something solid and then she cried out as she landed bone-jarringly on the sidewalk. Somehow she knew, even before she looked up, that it would be the creepy guy who she had bumped into.

He was already turning away from her by the time her eyes found his face, which was twisted in a scowl. Uttering a hasty, “gomen nasai,” Usagi grabbed her briefcase and bento and ran again.

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“Usagi-chan?” Naru passed a hand back and forth in front of her friend’s blank staring face. “Usagi-chan, what’s wrong?”

Usagi snapped back to Earth, her blue eyes wide and startled in her pale face. “Huh? Oh – nothing’s wrong, Naru-chan. I’m just kind of out of it today.”

“Why? Meet another half vampire?” asked Naru teasingly.

“No, same one,” answered Usagi absently.

Naru’s forehead creased. “You bumped into him again?”

“Hai.”

“Wow…weird.”

“Yeah…” Usagi didn’t seem to be paying attention; she had drifted back into space again, her chin propped on her hand.

‘Usagi, you’re not yourself today,” Naru heard herself saying. “Did something happen?”

“I…” Usagi dragged herself back to reality with obvious difficulty. “I just felt funny when I woke up this morning. I think I had a bad dream, but I can’t remember it.” She closed her mouth, then opened it again, tongue apparently lubricated by this confession. “And then Mom was acting weird this morning. Usually she just laughs at how late I am, but today she was pushing me out the door to go, like she wanted to get rid of me or something…” The hurt was tangible in Usagi’s voice as she glanced up at the solidly grey sky. “And this horrible weather’s not making me feel any better; it’ll probably rain while I’m walking home…”

“Oh, Usa-chan…” Naru encircled her friend’s slender shoulders in a hug. “I’m sure your mom was just acting weird cause of the time of the month or something. Or maybe she’s pregnant! Pregnant women always act weird in the mornings!”

Usagi smiled. “It would be really awesome if she was – I’d love to have a baby sister. We could play dollies, and I could sing her lullabies, and put her to sleep – ” her excited voice suddenly sobered. “But Mom and Dad have always said they don’t want any more kids. I’m a burden enough. So I don’t think that’s it.”

Naru felt her heart breaking to see her cheery friend so glum. “Look at it this way, Usa…at least you don’t have detention today!”

Usagi brightened. “Yeah! You’re right! Are we still on for shopping this afternoon, Naru-chan?”

Naru gasped. Her hands flew to cover her mouth.

“Naru? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, my gosh – Usa, I forgot!” whispered Naru in horror. “Oh, I told Umino that I would go see his grandmother with him today…”

“You’re getting almost as airheaded as me,” said Usagi, nudging her friend with a smile pasted on her face. “Forgetting shopping dates.”

“Let me go tell him I can’t come,” said Naru, getting to her feet.

“No!” Usagi grabbed her hand and yanked her back down. “No, don’t, Naru. We can go mall-trolling any time. Go with Umino today. After all, his obaa-san’s in the hospital, isn’t she? He’ll need the support.”

“Oh, Usagi…” Naru hugged her. “You’re such a good friend.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Usagi flashed Naru a grin and stole a shrimp from her bento.

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“Hey, Usagi,” greeted Motoki cheerfully as she entered the arcade. He paused in his counter-wiping. “Hey, why the long face?”

“No reason.” Usagi forced a smile, plopping down on the stool and propping her chin in her hand. “How was your day, Motoki-kun?”

“Pretty good.” Motoki’s eyes hazed over slightly as he stared into space with a dreamy smile. “I talked to Reika-san again…”

“Really?” Usagi sat up straighter in her seat, eyes sparkling eagerly. “Well, come on, spill! Didja ask her out?”

“Not so loud, Usa,” Motoki pleaded in a whisper, eyes darting around nervously. “What if she walked in and heard you?”

“Then I’d tell her that you liked her and that she had to go out on a date with you,” countered Usagi matter-of-factly. “Now, come on, tell me what happened.”

Motoki blushed. “It wasn’t really anything. She was just talking about how she needed to make a dessert for her Home Ec class and she had to no idea what to make. So I gave her a recipe for my decadent-drizzle fudge and cherry cheesecake.” He shrugged, trying to hide his grin. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

“I think it was a big deal,” Usagi declared loyally, clasping her hands. “I’d think it was totally romantic if a guy helped me out like that – especially if it was by giving me a recipe for something as delicious as your cherry fudge cheesecake.”

“Yeah, but not everyone has your culinary appreciation,” chuckled Motoki, ruffling Usagi’s blonde bangs. “Hey, how about a milkshake?”

“Definitely!”

“Coming right up!” Motoki strode over to the milkshake machine and grabbed a glass. “Hey, Usa…what happened at school today, huh?”

“Huh?” Usagi looked up from the counter, her expression startled, then she brightened. “Oh! I’m really happy – I didn’t get detention today!”

“Really?” Motoki gasped, jaw dropping. “Wow, something really special must have happened for you to get out of bed that early!”

“Not really…” Usagi’s lashes lowered; her eyes darkening almost imperceptibly.

“Well, either way, that definitely calls for a cherry!” Motoki plopped a fat red fruit on top of the enormous mound of chocolate and whipped cream, then handed it to her. “Good job, Usagi!”

Usagi beamed. “Arigatou, Motoki-onii-san!”

Motoki smiled to himself as he watched the little blonde girl dig happily into the frozen treat, oblivious to the numerous adoring stares she was receiving from the multitude of lovestruck boys who were surreptitiously peering at her from above the arcade games. He always wondered at how she could switch so easily and so quickly from looking like she had lost her best friend to smiling as widely as if she had just won a million dollars. The occasions upon which Usagi wore anything other than her usual genki expression were rare, and the occasions upon which she ever admitted to feeling sad were even rarer yet. She was far too giving for her own good. And yet…Motoki couldn’t help, sometimes, but feel happy when Usagi entered the arcade with a sad face and left it with a smile.

The sun had fallen, and moonlight was flooding the empty streets when Motoki withdrew the key from the lock of the Crown Arcade’s doors. The encounter with Usagi had left him feeling quietly content. Being able to brighten Usagi’s day, instead of her brightening his, was a humbling and fulfilling experience. He could still remember her bright smile as she skipped away down the street, calling, “Sayonara, Motoki-onii-san! Arigatou!”

He turned to head home, then stopped dead with a gasp.

“Kami-sama,” he muttered, letting out a shaky breath as his eyes discerned the detals of the shadowy shape on the sidewalk in front of him. “It’s just a cat.” He laughed sheepishly at himself, glad that no one was around to see him acting like such a wimp, then scooped up the animal. “Well, aren’t you a pretty kitty…where’s your family, huh?” The cat blinked up at him serenely. The clarity of its blue eyes unnerved him, and he set her back down on the sidewalk, noticing vaguely that she was a black cat. “Well…bye.” He pivoted and broke into a run.

Had he looked back, he would have seen a pleased smile curving the cat’s nonexistent lips.

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“I’m ho-o-o-o-me,” Usagi sang out, skipping into the kitchen. “Okaa-san, otou-san, where are you – Ikuko-mama?”

Her mother gazed sadly up at her from the kitchen table, where she sat next to her stony-faced husband. “Usagi, where were you? You had detention again?” There was the slightest hint of exasperation on ‘again.’

“No! I – I was at the arcade,” answered Usagi, feeling a faint flash of resentment at her mother’s assumption. Did everyone assume she was so unreliable? Her clear blue eyes flitted back and forth from Ikuko to Kenji in confusion. “Talking to Motoki-onii-san. I was on time, so Haruna-sensei didn’t keep me after.”

Her face cleared suddenly, and she shoved a hand into her schoolbag. “Oh, and look! Otou-san, I got an eighty on my Geometry test!”

Kenji glanced at the slightly crumpled paper she held out, then focused on his daughter again. “Usagi, didn’t we tell you to come straight home after school?” His voice rang like a steel rod, stern.

Usagi blanched. “Oh…I forgot!” she breathed. “Otou-san, gomen nasai -”

“You disobeyed us, Usagi.” Her father cut off her apology. “Go up to your room and think about what you’ve done.”

“Demo…” Usagi whispered, looking up and searching her father’s brown eyes for some sign she didn’t know the identity of. Her outstretched hand fell to her side, and the test paper crumpled within her hand. She started up the stairs, slowly, with head bowed. “Gomen, otou-san, okaa-san. I didn’t mean to worry you.” Her words were barely audible, and her father gave no sign that he had heard them.

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A/N: The emergence of Sailor Moon next chapter! And probably Mercury (it’ll be a looooooong chapter). And definitely our favorite dark-haired upperclassmen (and I’m NOT talking about Seiya!)

P.S. This is totally off-topic, but have you guys seen the new Phantom of the Opera movie? What’d you think of it? (I loooooooved it!). Which is better, this new one or the original?