Prompt 9:
Snow Angels
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Rei said bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest. Her ivory skin was colored pink as the cold air bit at her.
Usagi, who had flung herself into the freshly fallen snow happily, had begun to shift her limbs open and closed. The shifting of the snow beneath her was the only sound for a moment as the visage of a snow angel was being carved out by her moving limbs. Her pale blue eyes stared thoughtfully at the gray sky above her until she finally spoke. “I don’t think so. Why can’t you just try it? For me?”
The other four girls didn’t answer. Rei and Makoto, who sat across from each other on the picnic table, avoided eye contact. Minako stopped fixing the poorly built snowman’s scarf, and looked down shamefully. Ami bit her lip hard where she stood behind the table, her brow knitting together in worry. None of them could find the proper words.
Usagi sat upright in the snow, wearing a bright smile with hope in her eyes. “I know there are a lot of reasons you feel you shouldn’t, but I’m really wish you all would spend some time with these guys. They mean to Mamoru what you all mean to me, and I think that Mamo-chan’s been on his own for long enough now.”
“Oh, Usagi-chan,” Minako murmured.
“What if they don’t remember?” Ami chirped. She looked around at the sudden attention. “Well, Zoisite didn’t, and I don’t think it’s my place to tell him. Even if it’s for Mamoru.”
“Does he have to?” Four pairs of eyes fell on Usagi. She blinked innocently with contentment at her own answer. “I don’t know why they need to remember the past to be our friends again.”
The four girls were stunned by their Princess’ simplistic thinking. Makoto got to her feet and approached the blonde sitting in the snow. She offered a gloved hand out, and Usagi took it cheerfully. “Come on,” Makoto said, pulling Usagi to her feet. “Enough snow angels. Let’s have some cocoa.”
She led the smaller girl over to the table and let her sit. As she did so, she pulled the thermos and a cup wrapped in a cloth from her bag. She shook the canister once before unscrewing the cap and readying a cup for her snow-covered friend. Minako approached and began to brush snow from Usagi’s pigtails, which were already curling from the moisture.
“They don’t need to remember,” Minako spoke gently, her fingers in her friend’s hair. “Maybe it would be easier for them if they didn’t, but not for us. We can’t forget. To face them, knowing everything we do, just seems,” her eyes looked away in remembrance, “too hard.”
Usagi turned around to face Minako. In the brief moment before the two pairs of blue eyes met, Usagi saw the pain etched on Minako’s face. It was recent, too deep to be caused by simple memories, and it worried her. But it was quickly erased as Minako noticed the attention, the ache slipping away into a sweet smile.
“I know it sounds nice,” Makoto offered. “But not everyone gets the happy ending you and Mamoru have.”
At this, Usagi’s eyes welled up with tears. She held it back as long as she could, which was just a brief moment, before she whimpered out her words. “I know, but it’s not fair! You guys have given up so much for me. I just thought that maybe if there were others who understood, who knew what you guys actually do, it would make it easier for you when…”
The four girls looked around at each other. All eyes filling with wonder at what Usagi spoke of. Ami was the one to ask. “When what?”
“When Crystal Tokyo comes,” Usagi choked, wiping away her tears. “I just don’t want you all to be alone when you’re guarding my family. I just want you all to be happy, too.”
The tiny wish from their hopeful Princess impacted the girls visibly. Rei uncrossed her arms, leaning away from the table guiltily. Makoto’s head dropped, her eyes closing. Ami’s head tilted compassionately as she stared at Usagi. Minako stopped playing with Usagi’s hair and her hands dove deep into the pockets of her coat. All their Princess wanted for them was the same happiness that she had, but even with the totality of her power, she couldn’t just give it to them. Usagi had everything but still only thought of them and their futures. Now, with the return of the Shitennou, she had hoped it would all be possible somehow but they shot her down. Against her desperate concern for them, it felt horribly selfish to refuse even trying.
After listening to nothing but Usagi’s sobs for a moment, Rei reached over and placed a hand over Usagi’s. The blonde looked up, surprised to see Rei smiling at her.
“All right,” Rei said with a coy smile. “Stop crying. We’ll do it, but on one condition: we do it on our own terms. Try not to push us too much, okay?”
