The Grand Scheme
Usagi
Usagi@lunap.com
Http://www.geocities.com/minako_usa
Standard Disclaimer: If I owned Sailormoon and characters, don't you
think I would have anime artists drawing this instead of me writing this?

Author's notes: Ummm...  I know I should have something to say,
but I don't think I do.  Oh, wait!  Read this Mk, and tell me
you don't think I can write my own anime and get it on the air!

	
	I was just finished my third milkshake when Usagi walked in
with an annoyed Ami in tow.  I shoved the empty glass aside and
leaned casually on the table.

	"Usagi-chan!" I called, waving a hand to get her attention.
Usagi beamed and began walking over when her gaze fell on the occupant
of the booth behind us.  Coincidentally, it was a certain tall,
handsome, utterly drool-worthy university student.

	"What is he doing sitting so close to us?" Usagi hissed as
she slid into the only vacant seat in the booth (Ami had been wise
enough to dash in next to Rei and Mako, making Usagi face the 
aforementioned university student).

	"Who knows?  Maybe he wanted a good view..." Mako started,
but Rei poked her to shut her up.  I nodded my approval.

	"Hey Motoki-onee-chan!" Usagi called.  The sandy haired
man made his way over with a smile on his face.

	"Hai, Usagi-chan?"

	"Can I have a chocolate milkshake and a piece of that
totally yummy chocolate fudge cake?" Usagi asked, smiling.

	"Sure thing!  Coming right up." Motoki headed straight
back to the kitchen and I watched him the entire way.

	"Alright, why did I just have to be here?" Usagi asked.

	"Oh.. umm...  Well, ask Rei-chan." Ami blushed.  Lying certainly
wasn't her forte.  

	"Oh, well, we wanted to know if you wanted to, umm...  Study
with us." Rei nodded.  "Yeah, a study session, at my place."

	"And I had to come to here for you to ask me?" Usagi
looked dubious.

	"Well, I wanted to get some of that chocolate fudge cake."
Makoto jumped in.

	"The one that isn't nearly as good as the cake I know is
sitting on your counter at home?" Usagi asked.  

	Gee, Mako-chan was no help at all.

	"Why so suspicious, Usagi-chan?  We just wanted to hang
out at Crown." I smiled innocently before glaring in Ami's
direction.

	Motoki arrived then, putting an immediate halt to
the conversation, much to my relief.  I smiled at him before
looking pointedly at Mamoru.  Motoki sweatdropped, but nodded.

	Hesitantly, Motoki made his way towards Mamoru and slid
into the booth across from him.  Luckily, Usagi was far too
involved in eating her cake to notice.

	Now, from my seat, I couldn't hear very much, but after
a fairly lengthy conversation, I saw a much more relaxed Motoki
get up to reveal a red-faced Mamoru.  Hmm...  This could be much
more interesting than I thought.

	"Hey, Usagi-chan," I began.  "Have you ever noticed how
totally cute that guy over there is?"

	Usagi glanced up in the direction I had pointed and made
a face.

	"Mamoru-baka?  Cute?  Puh-leeze!" She scoffed.  But I
noticed how her gaze lingered on his face, and I smiled.  

	"Are you sure about that?" I asked softly before looking
up at the others.  "Motoki-onee-san is just too adorable!"

	I knew it would certainly start a conversation I could
keep going, and I wanted to give Usagi some time to think about
what I had said.  I watched her out of the corner of my eye,
and sure enough, her eyes kept wandering back to Mamoru.

	That night I lay on my bed, thinking.  Artemis, my cat,
lay beside me, sound asleep.  I was stroking his soft fur as
I thought.

	Usagi is desperately in love with Mamoru.  She's infatuated
with the kind of love all romantic teenagers desire, and here it
is, practically on a silver platter for her.  Why isn't she leaping
at the opportunity?  Something must be preventing her from doing
that.

	Her father?  As scary as the man can be, he only wants his
daughter's happiness, so if she really loved someone, he wouldn't
stop her.

	Her mother?  Nah, I've met the woman.  She's as much a romantic
at heart as Usagi.

	Her school work?  Okay, forget I suggested that one.

	Her duty as a senshi?  Hmm...  That's a possibility.  What if...

	My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the high pitched 
beeping of my orange communicator.

	"V-chan here." I flashed a grin and my characteristic 'V' sign.

	"Attack, central park." It was Mars.  Well, she certainly wasn't
one to mince words.  I sighed and crept towards my window.  Artemis
would know where I was, if he woke up.

	After climbing down the tree just outside my window, I ran
a safe distance from the house before hiding in an ally and 
transforming.

	When I got to the scene of the crime... err.. the park, Usagi
was the only one not yet there.  I sighed and launched an attack,
hoping to catch the youma by surprise.

	"It sure is an ugly one!" I greeted the others after my 
attack knocked the thing flat on it's back.

	"V-chan!  Good thing you're here.  I can't get a lock 
on it, and Moon isn't answering!"  Mercury shouted.  

	"Alright, divide and conquer!" I shouted.  "Mercury, create
a cover.  Mars, Jupiter the two oak trees!"

	"Gotcha!" Jupiter winked and quickly dove for the tree as
soon as Mercury flooded the place with fog.

	Quickly following my orders, Mars and Jupiter took their 
positions and waited for my signal.  I hadn't quite decided what
that signal would be, when a blast took the youma out.

	"Sorry I'm late!  Luna was sleeping on the communicator 
and muffling the sound." Sailormoon smiled sheepishly at her 
friends.  I knew Mars was about to blow a fuse so I quickly
stepped in.

	"No worries Moon-chan!" I smiled and flashed the 'V' again.
"We won, didn't we?"

	"We always win." Jupiter added with a confident nod, and 
I knew she was referring to more than just the battle.

	"Thanks, guys." Sailormoon smiled at us before stifling
a yawn.

	"Hey Chica, go home and get some sleep!" I ordered, placing
a concerned hand on her shoulder.  "You look like you need it."

	"Yeah, Moon-chan.  Get some rest."  Mars watched Usagi with
concerned purple eyes.

	"Okay, I'm going!" Sailormoon grinned before dashing off
towards her house.  I watched until I was sure she was out of 
listening range. 

	"Okay girls!  Phase one was a completely success.  We've
got her thinking on the right track.  Now, we just need to come
up with a phase two." I plunked down on a nearby rock and looked
at the other three.  Each looked back at me with a blank stare.  
I sighed.

	"What if we got them stuck together, alone, somewhere 
isolated?" Ami suggested, kneeling on the soft grass next to 
my rock.

	"Yeah, or we could stick them in a situation where they
had to rely on each other." Rei suggested.

	"Something like... stranding them alone with each other."
I laughed.  "Brilliant!"

	"But where in Tokyo can they be stranded?" Jupiter asked.
I just grinned.  I knew the perfect place.

~ If we notice our friend has been ensnared by a man whom irritates
her but whom she clearly has noticed and if this is someone you think
might be a good match for her, a friend's duties include pointing out
all his positive characteristics ~