Anomaly
~Chapter 4~
"I can't believe it," Makoto breathed, shaking her head back and forth in both exasperation and humor. "Minako-chan's spidey senses were wrong! Mamoru-san didn't propose... That's got to be a first."
Rei peeked through the doorway leading into the Tsukino entrance hall with a smirk on her face, watching the aforementioned blonde distract Usagi from the girl's own impatience. It was late evening, and they were waiting for Mamoru's call; the one that would reassure his nail-nibbling girlfriend that no, the plane did not go down in a freak storm and no, they were not attacked by vicious, star-seed-stealing Sailor Senshi along the way. At least, that's how they hoped the conversation would go. "Eh, she's been frequently off the mark before. Oh, did I say 'frequently'? I meant all the time."
"Aw, you're just miffed because you lost money to Minako-chan," Makoto snickered.
"You shouldn't have wagered anything at all," Ami scolded, sneaking up behind the two eavesdroppers with a pot of tea in hand. "Mamoru-san's not the sort of man who would push a woman into marriage so early in life."
"Or would he?" Makoto leered, green eyes gleaming playfully. "He already knocked Usagi-chan up, didn't he? What's next- shotgun wedding?"
"Ooh, you are unbelievable, you know that? All of you," Ami frowned, pushing past a giggling Rei.
"We're only joking!" Makoto called, but the glare she received in return was less than forgiving. "Yeesh, mother bear on the prowl... you know, I bet if we asked Usagi-chan, she'd jump at the chance to skip school and become a bride instea-"
The brawny warrior of Jupiter was interrupted by a shrill octave that was quickly eclipsed by an even louder shriek full of euphoric excitement. Rei schooled her features and bound out of hiding just as Usagi grabbed up the singing telephone. Makoto followed suit soon after recovering use of her ears.
"Mamo-chan!"
The Senshi jumped into position around their glowing leader, piping hot tea forgotten as even Ami crowded in to listen.
"Mamo-chan, I- oh. Oh, I'm sorry. She's not here right now; may I take a message? Mm-hmm. Okay. No, we're not interested, I can tell you that now. Goodbye." Usagi hung up with a dour look painted across her countenance. "Stupid salesmen."
There was silence for a second, then everyone gathered realized just how close they were to being burnt. Ami stepped away sheepishly before she caused damage on a catastrophic scale, offering tea to a willing Usagi. The blonde gulped the cup empty as she suffered the wrath of let down.
"They always call at the most inconvenient times, don't they?" Minako scowled. "I remember this one time I was in the bathtub before school-"
"Please," Rei interrupted, raising a hand. "Spare us the details. Lunch belongs within me, not without."
"Whaaat? It's a good story!" Minako pouted.
"To one with a dirty mind, perhaps, but I'm sure us normal people would prefer not to hear of your experience with raunchy telemarketers trying to sell inflatable sex toys- again. Considering it's been told about five times before..."
"Try three, my so-called omniscient friend," Minako mumbled irately at the priestess, but any argument that would have ensued was mercifully redirected by an insistent BRINGGGG! and Usagi tripping to scoop up the receiver on first ring. Luck was favorable; Usagi squealed when the swoon-inducing baritone greeted her with silky familiarity.
"I thought you'd never call! What took you so long?"
"I've been flying across three continents and the ocean all day, Usako! Cut me some slack!" Mamoru's laugh resounded tinny in the hallway. The girls exchanged wide smiles; if it weren't for the miles separating them, they could have sworn Mamoru was right here at Usagi's side. They could just imagine the usual idiosyncratic smirk, sprinkled with the merest suggestion of mischievousness and adulation. The casual stance; the arm tucked around Usagi's waist. Those velvety blue eyes would have feasted on Usagi's glee before winking out as he kissed her soundly, chasing away all the seventeen-year-old's fears that the past would repeat itself; that chaos would sneak its way into their lives once more. The Senshi knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Mamoru longed to do just that. Unfortunately, intimacy over the phone was going to have to suffice, and so it was with complete understanding and a spark of maturity that the four snoops slipped away into the Tsukino sitting room to give their friend her due privacy.
oOo
"How's Mamoru-san?" Ami inquired as Usagi returned a full thirty minutes later, face shining happily with relief and possibly old tear tracks.
"Wonderful," she said warmly, hopping onto the sofa next to Makoto. Rei reached over from the floor and quickly rubbed the girl's arm; a brief gesture of consolation and affection. "He's settling into his dorm room at Harvard, though with the time difference it's early morning so Mamo-chan's heading off for a quick nap before engaging in any serious unpacking. He's really excited for his classes, too. Says he'll try his hardest to get all A's!"
"A worthy goal," Ami commented with sparkling eyes, chuckling when Usagi responded with a carefree shrug.
"Mamo-chan's smart. I never believed he would earn any less."
"Did he duel to the death with any maniacs en route?" Minako asked teasingly.
"No," Usagi answered slowly, lips twitching in either mirth or annoyance.
"Ignore her, Usagi. Minako-chan's insensitivity never fails to astound," Rei sniffed. Minako glared from across the coffee table.
"I'm only trying to make light of the situation. Usagi-chan's clearly still upset. I hate it when she's upset," the effervescent flaxen admitted in a moment of sincerity.
"I know you're just trying to make me feel better, Minako-chan," Usagi smiled, blinking back moisture. "Thank you for being so... well, you. And for keeping me company this afternoon, too. Between you guys and Mamo-chan's correspondence- knowing he's safe- I think... I think this time, I'll be able to get through the waiting period. What's a year compared to eternity?" Usagi glanced down at her ring following the whispered recollection from her and Mamoru's last night together; the night they finally consummated their love. She smiled. No matter how long the tenure, they would always have that memory, that night, to keep them connected.
oOo
A week passed with surprising speed. Usagi seemed mollified by the fact that Mamoru had, true to his word, begun sending letters every few days. Each one was like a breath of fresh air in an otherwise doldrums-filled interim. She stored each under lock and key in a special box that only Luna had access too, but the black feline was more interested in keeping Usagi focused on her academics than peeking at those novels of sap. As it was, the Saturday afternoon following Mamoru's departure found Usagi and her loyal guardian taking up residence in a quiet corner of the library. Usagi was sweating over her reply to Mamoru's latest Harvard update, but the words were obstinately refusing to flow... or was it simply the lack of anything resembling action in the lives of the Sailor Senshi as of late? Usagi gnawed her eraser and Luna released a much aggrieved groan.
"It's been three hours, Usagi-chan. Three hours and you've penned out four sentences. Let's give this letter up for dead and start on your grammar essay, huh? At least there is progress to be made in your practicing-"
"Well isn't this table turned?" the blonde muttered, cerulean eyes flicking over the majestic columns of books glassily. The library had become one of her favorite haunts; Usagi could almost sense Mamoru in the musty smell of classic literature ensconced in these hallowed halls stocked with every facet of history. Studying anything in reach had always been one of Mamoru's hobbies; Usagi remembered Makoto once referring to him as a "jack of all trades". He was a man of culture, of education, so it was in this library that Usagi felt the most attuned to him.
"... what?"
Usagi shook herself from reverie at Luna's query. "Sorry, I just meant... the tables have turned. Only a year ago it was me clamoring to tell Mamo-chan about every minute detail of my day. I had so much to say, and now... Luna, I hate to admit it, but life is boring. My letter is going to consist of moaning about math trivialities and that fight my parents had over laundry duty! I don't want to torture Mamo-chan like that."
Luna chuckled. "Brighten up, Usagi-chan. I would have thought this peace was something to embrace, not disparage!"
"But that's the problem, Luna," Usagi whispered, laying down her pencil to gaze restlessly out the window. A dark shadow fell over the moon princess' expressive eyes. "It doesn't feel right. Something doesn't feel right. This may not be the calm after a storm, but before..."
Luna stared at her charge in concern. Her whiskers twitched and the ebony-hued cat pounced into Usagi's lap.
"Let's go get some ice cream," she purred, trying to stir the teen with a gentle lick to the palm. "Okay?"
Usagi started, scratching behind Luna's ears as she endeavored to clear her mind of faint, foreboding premonitions. "I like that idea."
To Be Continued...
