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Friday the Thirteenth by AngelMoon Girl

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~Friday the Thirteenth~
Chapter 6: "Terror Times Four"

The ride back to the Hara residence was not unlike the trip to Perhoff's, although this time around, Mamoru gave in to his desire for real music (Usagi half-singing, half-humming what sounded like a spur-of-the-moment tune did NOT count). Maintaining the right amount of concentration driving required was a difficulty for the ebony-haired college student; he couldn't shake the tingling feeling on the back of his neck that usually meant one was being watched... which was silly, really. There was no one in the car but the three of them, and the ice cream parlor was a dim speck in the distance. With no real reason for worry, other than the fact that Usagi seemed determined that she was being stalked by kindly old serial killers, Mamoru put his apprehension to rest. He chuckled at the females' antics: Kotono couldn't stop giggling over the funny looks Usagi was throwing back at her, no doubt attempting to keep the toddler entertained. With the radio blaring and humor keeping all occupied, it seemed almost surprising when, ten minutes later, the trio was parked in front of the large white house.

"Oh, Usa-chan, we home!" Kotono exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly.

"And you know what that means?" Usagi prompted, smiling from ear-to-ear.

"Ice cream!" Kotono cheered. Mamoru rolled his eyes teasingly.

"Don't encourage her, Odango. Remember, we still have to clean up whatever mess our sugar-high charge creates."

"Ah, let her have her fun," Usagi cajoled, waving her hand nonchalantly as she dismembered herself from the passenger seat. "You just take that ice cream inside before it melts, and I'll get Koto-chan."

"Oh no, I'm not leaving you alone," Mamoru said seriously, coming around to stand beside his blonde partner with just the hint of a smirk. Usagi gaped, blinking, as her nemesis continued, "No, I vividly recall what transpired the *last* time I left you two outside in the dark. You do believe, after all, that you are going to be murdered tonight?"

"I never said that!" Usagi shouted, unconsciously turning crimson at his insinuation that she could not adequately protect herself. Yeesh, she wasn't a Sailor Soldier for nothing! "I only said he was creepy, not that I was going to die!"

"Did too!"

"Did *not*!"

"I wan' ice cream!" Kotono howled from her booster seat, effectively ending the argument before it got ugly. Usagi scowled at Mamoru, but the man had turned away from her and missed the glare. He was instead scooping out Kotono, muttering what sounded like "she'll be the death of me yet". Sniffing indignantly, Usagi decided to set off for the house to brood some more, and maybe grab a bite to eat from the fridge while she was at it. Dealing with Mamo-baka just made her so *hungry*...

Usagi grappled with the door handle and stepped into the empty house, shivering at the sensation of walking into an abyss. Slightly frightened, she ran her fingers along the wall in search of the light switch. The girl started when her appendages brushed something warm and... alive. It closed a hand around her fist.

"Miss me, darling?"

Usagi sucked in a startled, terrified breath, choking on her oxygen while trying to force out a scream. After the three most heart-poundingly scary seconds of her life, Usagi's infamous vocal cords finally decided to come back to life.

oOo

"That girl is so silly, isn't she, Koto-chan?" Mamoru grumped, unbuckling the two-year-old's straps.

"Usa-chan nice! Nice and silly! Like Mamo-chan!" Kotono chirped, oblivious to the fact that her babysitter was being sarcastic. She reached her arms out to him after being set free from bondage. Mama's car seats were so *uncomfortable*! Mamoru sighed moodily and complied, pulling the child into his arms and slamming the door shut. He would be lucky to live out the night in one sane piece-

Mamoru nearly tripped and fell face-first into the driveway at Usagi's sudden and startled shriek. He gasped, surprise giving way to fear, and fear to something... protective. Oddly, the emotion was not unlike what the man felt when Sailor Moon was in danger, though he did not stop to give that revelation much pondering. Usagi was in trouble, and he had to help her. It was... second nature; no thought was involved. Instinct. He thrived on instinct.

Sprinting as though vying to compete for first in a marathon, Mamoru lunged up the porch steps and into the open door of the house. He fairly took off the light switch in an attempt to see, but the sight that met his eyes was not at all the one he had been expecting.

Usagi was screaming bloody murder, eyes squeezed shut as she beat with clenched fists the living crap out of...

A blonde teen with a red bow?

Surrounded by shocked friends Hino Rei, Mizuno Ami, and that scary brunette named something-Makoto?

"W-what is going on here?" Mamoru asked loudly, adrenaline still rushing through his limbs. The man reached up to rub his ear of the blood pounding within. Kotono simply stared at the familiar people squished in her entryway, mouth agape at their strange antics.

Usagi paused at the sound of Mamoru's uncertain query, taking in the scene with confusion and embarrassment. "Oh. I thought... but how...?"

"We got the spare key," Makoto explained, holding up the aforementioned silver object with a smirk on her face. "Under that garden rock, remember? We were going to surprise you two, but-"

"It appears our plan worked only *too* well," Rei finished wryly, mocking Usagi with a cocked brow sent the Odango's way. "Don't you ever stop and think a situation through? Obviously only an individual knowing the key's whereabouts would have been able to get in. What if it was Fumara-san?"

"Then I'd probably still look like an idiot, wouldn't I?" Usagi muttered, blushing and straightening out her rumpled shirt. Minako cleared her throat and sauntered over to a frozen Mamoru.

"Hello. I'm Aino Minako," she introduced brightly, pointedly offering a hand. "I've heard a lot about you, Chiba Mamoru-san."

"I'm sure," Mamoru responded sardonically, shaking her appendage politely while glaring at Usagi. "Now if you don't mind me asking, *why* are you here?"

The teen smiled sweetly. "Well, the girls and I thought Usagi-chan must be awful lonely right about now, and decided to drop by for a visit. See if we could help, you know?"

"We don't need help," Mamoru told the blonde stiffly.

"Oh, posh!" Ami interrupted in an uncharacteristic move. "This is Usagi-chan's first time caring for a child, and- no offense- but I'm pretty sure you've never babysat much in your life either."

"Besides, we four brought adult entertainment!" Rei intoned, to which Usagi squealed in excitement obliviously and Mamoru coughed awkwardly.

"*Adult*?"

"The connotation is only dirty if you make it so, Mamoru-san."

"Er... right." Somehow, the ebony-head wasn't quite convinced, what with the expression Minako was currently wearing. "That's... that's very, er, kind of you to think of us, but... Odango and I have everything under control. And Koto-chan's going to bed soon anyway."

"Even better!" Makoto smiled, as Rei snickered,

"So eager to be alone with Usagi, are you?"

"*No*!" Mamoru exclaimed, affronted with a suspicious pink hue to his cheeks. "I... no... of course you can stay..."

"Aw, thank you!" Minako grinned, pumping his hand once more and joking, "What a thoughtful man. I like him, Usagi-chan."

"He's all yours," Usagi mumbled, ushering the throng into the kitchen for ice cream as Mamoru turned his back on the group of giggly females to shut the door.

Optimistic people liked to say Friday the 13th was a day of luck. Mamoru usually agreed... but on this particular Friday, he could not help but side with those who viewed the thirteenth with wary superstition. First Odango, now her friends?

Unlucky, indeed!

...Did he mention it was going to be a LONG night?

TBC

~Review~
AngelMoon Girl

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