The Prank War

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Here’s Chapter 5, I hope you enjoy it! Please review!!

*Thanks to all my reviewers. I appreciate your input.

Chapter 5:

Usagi Tsukino’s apartment on Dreamwalk Lane was a typical apartment for any young adult going to college. It was just big enough for one person, and it was small enough to fell cozy without making any visitor feel claustrophobic. The apartment was one bedroom, one bath, and on the ground floor. Again, a typical young adult apartment, but, of course, the designers had made it that way on purpose. In their minds, an apartment on the ground floor lessened the chance of any deaths by drunken people who thought they could fly.

Inside the apartment, Usagi had decorated in a way that actually made visitors gasp at the sight of it. Instead of her usual childish pink bunny motif, she had used black, muted gold, and white to create an effect that reminded others of the fact that she would soon be Neo-Queen Serenity. It was unusual, to say the least, to see that Usagi was finally growing into her future self.

It was the perfect time of day. Everyone else on the block worked, so when Usagi and an unconscious Seiya appeared in front of her apartment with a great flash of light, there was no one around to notice, which, of course, was perfect.

Usagi sighed as she faded out of her Sailor Senshi uniform. Wow. Now that was a rush. It was almost hard to believe that she had once had a problem using the crystal. Previously, before Galaxia, any wish made on the crystal drained enough of her energy to almost kill her. But now, when she used it, she only experienced an adrenaline rush.

Which, in her mind, was completely awesome.

Usagi reached down and hoisted Seiya up as best as she could while she used her other hand to open the door. Given the fact that she was the smallest of the senshi, it took her a moment to open the door, drag Seiya inside, and then close it. But within a few minutes, she was inside the dark apartment with the leader of the Starlights on the floor behind her.

She glanced down at the unconscious senshi, and then around the apartment. Everything seemed fine. It was dark, of course, but nothing looked out of place. At least no one had decided to booby trap her home. She would seriously kill anyone who decided that. Namely, Mamoru.

“Well, I guess I should put you on the couch. It looks like you won’t be waking up for a while.” Addressing Seiya, she debated whersherself for a moment. She SHOULD put him on the couch, but she had already saved him from certain death. If that wasn’t enough to get his eternal gratitude, she didn’t know what was.

Snorting slightly, she decided to let him lay there, and went around the apartment, turning on lights as she went. It took her only a minute, but afterwards she found herself picking up stray clothes, dusting any available surface within her reach, vacuuming the apartment, doing the dishes, mopping the kitchen floor, rearranging her canned goods, doing her laundry, making her bed, and then, finally, flopping down on the couch and watching a movie.

It was rare to for Usagi to clean, but every once in a while, when she was thinking, she found herself doing every chore she could think of. And, afterwards, she spent the next several hours acting like a couch potato. It was pitiful, but it was true.

A few hours quickly went by, while Usagi watched several sappy romance movies, that made her both sniffle and yell at the idiocy of the guy who couldn’t see beyond his own nose. She loved the movies, but sometimes she just wanted to reach into the television and slap the guy senseless. But, unfortunately, that would never happen.

After watching movies, she became bored and switched to cable. Usagi flipped through several channels before finding a show that was about forensic science, and the next thing she knew she was debating on who had really killed this one lady. Just when the show got to the good part; where they revealed who it really was, she was interrupted by a very tired voice.

“Where in the heck am I?”

It took Usagi a moment to realize who it was, but when she did she sighed. “Damn. I thought he’d sleep longer.”

“Hello? Where am I?”

Usagi didn’t answer, instead choosing to slowly get up from the couch and stretch. She stretched her arms over her head, and then turned from side to side, getting out all the little kinks.

“Is anyone there!?”

This was followed by, a thump, a bang, and then soft cursing as Usagi heard Seiya begin to move toward the sound of the television.

Usagi stretched and then stretched some more, patiently waiting for Seiya to come to her. She was like the spider waiting for the fly.

“Patience is a virtue,” she said, and then frowned in slight disgust.

“Man. I guess I finally did pay attention in class. All of those years of sleeping in class are worthless now. I had a spotless record, but now, with this piece of intelligence, I have ruined years of hard work.”

“You worked hard!? When?” Seiya’s voice seemed to come out of nowhere as he interrupted her private conversation.

Men. Why did they always have to interrupt?

“None of your business. And I’m trying to have a private conversation here!” Usagi’s voice was sharp as she looked at Seiya, who had just entered the living room, looking like he had just been run over by a truck. Perhaps run over by the stars would be more accurate.

Seiya grinned, eyes twinkling as he regarded the moon princess. Initially, he had been worried when he had woken up, on the floor, in an unknown place. And, of course, when no one had answered him, he had grown anxious. It wasn’t until he had spotted numerous pictures of Usagi and the Sailor Senshi that he had realized where he was.

“Talking to yourself is the second sign of insanity you know.”

Usagi narrowed her eyes at his playful tone, but curiosity got the best of her. She planted her hands on her hips.

“Oh, and what’s the first?”

“Being an odango atama.” The statement was short and simple, but Usagi, being the person that she was, took a moment to process it and the insult that it contained.

“Why you….how….what….I’m not an odango atama!!”

Seiya smiled smugly, and watched as Usagi was almost rendered speechless. Almost being the operative word. It would take a miracle for Usagi to be speechless.

“So, you admit you’re insane.”

Usagi glared at him, and wondered why she had decided to help him. Because, as of right now, it was obvious that she should have left him to face death by trampling.

“I’m not insane!!”

Seiya winced as her voice reached an octave that only Usagi could reach. Man, she could scream. He wondered if screaming could be considered an art. If it was, Usagi would win first prize.

“You’re sure now? Because questioning yourself is the third sign. Maybe we should take you to a hospital.”

Usagi leaned forward, and went bright red. How dare he say that she was insane! She saved his miserable life, and this was how he repaid her? Ooh….he was going to get it. She opened her mouth and prepared to scream.

Seiya eyes widened as he noticed how mad he had made her. He was all for teasing Odango, but not to the extent that he had. He had better do something before she screamed, because after she finished screaming Usagi always used her glare o’ death. And he had no wish to be put through that again.

“Hey, Usa. Look, I was just kidding I didn’t mean it.”

Usagi, on the verge of screaming at the top of her lungs, paused. He was kidding? He had called her insane AND an odango atama. There was no way she would let that one go.

Seiya gulped nervously as he realized that his words had not affected her at all. Stopping her anger was like stopping a freight train. You couldn’t unless you sacrificed something. He had better think fast. There must be something that would calm her down, something….wait. He had it.

“I’m sorry Usa. How about I take you out for ice cream to apologize?”

Seiya groaned as he watched her calm completely down and smile at him. Her ability to change her mood that fast always unnerved him, but never as much as it did now. Well, it seemed he’d sacrificed something alright. His money. In less than an hour from now he’d probably be broke.

Not really, but it would feel like it.

Usagi smiled. Ice cream was good. She’d been in favor of tearing him to shreds, but his offer of ice cream had completely turned her mood around. Ice cream was one of the only things that she considered to be the ultimate peacekeeper.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

She watched as Seiya smiled in relief, and taking his hand, she dragged him through the apartment and out the door, shutting things off as she went. Within minutes they were out on the street, walking side by side towards the nearest ice cream parlor.

As they walked, Seiya tried to decide whether or not he should attempt a conversation.

I should say something. I have this really good comment I could say, but that would piss her off again. And I definitely don’t feel like doing that so soon. Hmmm…I know!!

“Hey, Usagi.”

Usagi turned to look at him, wondering what he wanted.

“Yes?”

Seiya smiled slightly. Her tone of voice was very encouraging. It was light and cheerful, meaning that she had gotten over his teasing. Their relationship had always been like that. He teased, she got upset, and within minutes they were joking with each other again.

“How have things been going? It’s been several years since I saw you, and I know I’ve missed a lot.”

Usagi frowned and considered the question. She could go into her life at college, the small time enemies they’d had since Galaxia, or her power increase, but she didn’t feel like talking about that. She wondered what she could say. There really was nothing, except….Oh, yeah!! That was why she had saved his life! Duh!

“It’s been okay,” she said carefully. “But…”

Seiya tilted his head to the side, wondering what was wrong. “But…what?”

He watched as Usagi sighed.

“I’m kinda in a jam, and…”

He raised an eyebrow. Whind ind of jam?

“Yes,” he encouraged when she continued to remain silent.

His eyes remained on Usagi as she took a deep breath and ran her hand through her bangs, a sure sign that she didn’t want to say something, but was going to do it anyway.

“I kinda need your help.”

The words came out in a rush, and Usagi hoped that he would fall for it. He had this hero complex, and she was trying to use it to her advantage.

“Okay. Just tell me what you need.”

Usagi smiled. Bingo.

Mamoru was going down. It was only a matter of time.

End of Chapter 5! Please review!!