12/31AM Wrong Side of the Bed (Luna/Usagi/Lucan)

[Neo Queen Serenity]

The doors to the church were opening wide. Usagi took in the beautiful sight. All of her friends and family were there, standing as she entered, taking her first step down the aisle. The organ played the stately music.

She was finally going to do it, to marry her only love. Tears glistened in her eyes. She was wearing the most beautiful, ethereal white dress... Her heart soaring, she strolled down the aisle, feeling like she was on air.

This was the best day of her life. When she reached the altar, she handed her bouquet off to Naru, who was her Maid of Honor. The senshi stood in a long line, her beautiful bridesmaids. Usagi gave them a beautiful smile, turning her attention to the priest, who coughed softly.

'It's not usual that have the bride come down the aisle first,' the elderly man pointed out.

Usagi just smiled serenely back at him. So what if her groom was late? He was the love of her life, and he would be here. Nothing could ruin her perfect day. 'That's quite alright, I'll just wait here for him,' she replied pleasantly, standing aside.

And he did come! Through the side door, he was coming. He was so handsome, all that she wanted... He came up to the altar, his face turning towards her...

Suddenly, the entire church went dark. Usagi spun around, blinking in confusion as her friends and family circled around her.

'Usagi, remember when we talked about the kind of man we would want to marry?' Naru asked.

'Usagi-chan, this man is everything you dreamed of! You're so lucky!' Minako insisted to her.

'He is the man you are supposed to marry, in all of your lives,' added Rei.

'My darling, surely this was meant to be. He's smart, and handsome, and everyone knows you two are meant to be together,' her mother added.

'He's your soulmate!' insisted Makoto.

'I don't understand,' Usagi said. 'Of course I know who I'm about to marry! He's the love of my life, everything I've ever wanted! He's-- he's...' But, she could not think up his face, nor his name. Suddenly, the dark lifted, and she turned to look at her future husband, her beloved...

...It was a stranger. Everything was so wrong. Usagi gasped. 'I don't know you! Who are you?!'

He held out his hand for her. He was lovely, but he was not her love. She didn't know him, she never had. This was all a mistake! She was about to marry a stranger!

Usagi picked up the heavy skirts of her dress, running from the altar. Her friends and family clogged in around her, stopping her escape.

'I don't know him!' she yelled. 'I didn't know what I was doing before! This is a mistake!'

'This is the way things are meant to be! You don't want to disappoint us, Usagi! This was the plan from the beginning! You mustn't disturb what has already been set in motion,' Ikuko instructed her.

'But--'

'My love...' Her groom was extending his hand. She stared into his foreign face, backing away in horror.

'I don't know you!'

'We must fulfill our destiny, my love...'

'I can't do this! I don't know who you are!'


Usagi's eyes snapped open. It took a moment for the dream to clear itself from her mind. She concentrated on the sound of her breathing. She blinked a few times, rolling over.

What a weird dream... She remembered now, it was New Year's eve. The room was still mostly in shadow, due to the thick curtains that covered her high windows. But there was still a beam of sunlight on the floor. At least it's good weather for the party, she smiled to herself, enjoying the sensation of just lingering in bed. It wasn't a pleasure she had often, these days. She told her staff to let her sleep in today, it was a holiday after all, and she would be up late at the party, anyway.

Usagi stretched, yawning. When she got her own room in the Palace, she found herself surrounded by many extravagances, but there was none that she liked more than her custom-made bed. It was quite large and long, enough that she could lie in the middle and stretch her arms out and point her toes and still not touch either end. And it had a feather mattress on top, so she could nestle in the down and just snuggle.

"Luna," Usagi called, sitting up and letting the coverlet fall. "I had the weirdest dream, you wouldn't believe it... You aren't still sleeping, Luna," she teased. It was be too rich if the cat that had scolded her for sleeping too much for so many years had slept later than she had.

[Luna]

Luna rose her head from her paws blinking sluggishly. She was just so comfortable, snuggled down at the foot of Usagi’s bed, and so it took her sleep filled mind a few moments before she could process exactly what was being said to her.

The instant her mind cleared, Luna immediately sat up doing her best to act as dignified as she could. She couldn’t believe that she had managed to sleep longer then Usagi had, she would never live this down. How had this happened?

“I believe you told your staff to let you sleep in this morning Usagi, aren’t I allowed to do the same thing every now and then? Never mind that though, what were you saying?”

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi snickered to herself as Luna went from a reclined position to snapping up, trying to appear as if she'd been awake. Oh, this was too good... "You're correct, I did Luna, but I never thought that you the great, dignified, prim and oh-so-proper Luna would be caught dead sleeping later than the lazy crybaby, Tsukino Usagi! You're losing your touch, or maybe you're sick," she teased. "Or maybe this bed is just that irresistible. Oh, bed, bed, bed, blessed, sweet, warm bed..."

She rolled around for a moment, just enjoying the soft, buttery feel of the high thread-count linens, that were spritzed with a lovely linen spray. "I love my bed..." She hugged a fluffed feather pillow to herself, sighing with ecstasy. Nothing like sleeping in and just wallowing in bed like a pig would in mud.

This was her element. Usagi propped herself up on one elbow, looking down at the other end at the cat. "I was saying... that I had the weirdest dream." She tossed the pillow in Luna's direction; after all, she had never followed through on her threat last night to throw a pillow at the cat, and since Usagi was at the top of the bed, she had plenty of pillows at her disposal.

"I dreamed that I was getting married... I was so happy. And the girls were there, and my family was there... You might have been there. Maybe you were the ring-bearer," Usagi giggled again, imagining Luna walking down the aisle with rings tied to her collar. "I think you'd make a good ring-bearer, Luna. You're cuter than my little cousin Takeo..."

[Luna]

Luna glared at Usagi and snapped, “It couldn’t have been longer then a minute or so Usagi, that doesn’t count for anything ...”

She curled her tail around her paws and sat up straighter, still doing her best to retain her dignity. In her best haughty tone, she added, “Perhaps I am getting sick ... infected with the lazyitus disease that you seemed permanently infected with while you were growing up. I hear it’s contagious and as I’ve been with you since you were 14 years old it’s no wonder that I might have caught it. I’ll have to go to Ami for help, I’m sure she’d have a cure ... though she might want to take away the bed, it is rather irresistible.”

Luna grinned in amusement as she watched Usagi roll around in her bed. She was glad that Usagi was enjoying herself, even if it came at her expense. There had been far too many days full of stress since the beginning of Crystal Tokyo, not even counting the current situations. She would have to remember to get Usagi to take more mornings off in the future, not all of them of course but every now and then wouldn’t hurt. It would probably help the stress a little if she could just have a morning here and there to herself to do what she did best, sleep in.

She startled to settle down again so that she could listen to what Usagi was saying when the pillow was thrown at her. Luna easily leaped out of the way and taunted, “You will have to do better then that to hit me Usagi, especially considering you have always had poor aim.”

Luna listened quietly to the dream, her happiness fading somewhat at the mention of Usagi getting married simply because it reminded her yet again of the current situations they were dealing with. However she quickly shoved those thoughts aside and said, “I’m sure your cousin Takeo would be just fine as a ring-bearer ...”

She hesitated a moment before asking, "Was there more to the dream though? Dreaming of a wedding doesn't sound terribly strange to me ..."

[Neo Queen Serenity]

"'It doesn't count for anything,'" Usagi mimicked, throwing her head back and laughing. "Oh, I never thought I would see the day... You wouldn't have woken up if I hadn't called you, Luna... You would've slept on for hours, and hours, and hours..." She was going to lord this over Luna for a very, very long time. Provided the right opportunity, she could even do it in front of the other girls.

Usagi raised an eyebrow at Luna's pathetic explanation for her behavior. "'Lazyitus?' Oh, that's terribly scientific. I'm sure you'll help Ami-chan win her first Nobel Prize for discovering this debilitating disease. Nope, I tell you what, Luna, it sounds more like a psychological problem to me. You'll have to go to a shrink and get your mind played with. If you're lucky, you might even get prescribed happy pills." Luna on Prozac, why didn't she think of this earlier? She might have gotten a lot less lectures growing up if she had this epiphany at an earlier date. "Oh! I have an idea. We could send you to that pet psychiatrist-- no, no! Even better! The pet psychic on the Animal Planet channel! We could finally prove once and for all whether she's for real or not!"

Usagi pouted as her pillow missed the mark, but just grabbed another to make a second try when the timing was right. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get you eventually." She smirked at Luna. "Nope, you're cuter than Takeo. And you'd have to have some part in the wedding. The dream, though..."

She hesitated, recalling the very strange circumstances. "Well, I was really happy, and everything was perfect, 'cuz I knew I was marrying the best person in the world. And I walked down to the aisle, but when I got there the groom wasn't up there yet. So I told the priest I'd wait, I wasn't worried about being stood up or anything. And he started to come in, and the church went dark, and everyone was telling me that this was the guy I meant to be with forever, that he was perfect for me, this was how this were meant to be. And then the lights came back on, but the guy was a total stranger. I couldn't even really see his face. And so I got really scared and tried to run away but nobody would let me, they kept saying this was how things had been planned and I couldn't fight what was right for me. But I didn't want to marry a stranger, someone I had never known..." She drifted off in thought for a moment, recalling the intense feeling of dread and anxiety that seized her upon realizing her beloved was a stranger. Usagi shook her head. "Some dream, huh?"

[Luna]

Luna glared once more at Usagi and irritably said, “You don’t know when I would have woken up. Anyway, you don’t know when I actually fell asleep ... for all you know I only had a couple of hours sleep which would be why I overslept.” She hadn’t actually, but Usagi didn’t need to know that as it was she figured she would be hearing about this for years to come.

She flicked her tail in annoyance and snapped, “I do not have a psychological problem Usagi and I don’t need happy pills. I’m perfectly happy on my own, although I might need anxiety pills considering all the things you put me through.” The rest of what Usagi was saying suddenly dawned on her and she lifted one of her paws, the claws showing in a semi threatening gesture as she growled, “and another thing, I am not a pet so we can’t send me to any kind of pet psychiatrist and especially not a pet psychic! I am trying to get the world to view me as something more then just a cat Usagi, it would be a little easier to do if you would stop trying to pass me off as a pet.”

Luna continued to keep an eye on Usagi when she picked up another pillow, ready to dart out of the way at a moment’s notice. She had no intention of allowing that pillow to hit her, especially since she couldn’t actually catch it as Lucan had the night before. Once again she glared in annoyance at Usagi when she was told she was cuter then Takeo, but then she frowned. This time she gazed at her friend and charge with sympathy and murmured softly, “A stress dream I think, what with everything that’s been going on ...”

She hesitated a moment before continuing on, remembering Usagi’s insistence that she should be the ring-bearer. “Usagi-chan, you know there isn’t going to be a wedding ... not unless you either make up with Mamoru or find someone else to love and marry ... right?”

[Neo Queen Serenity]

"Yeah, nice try," Usagi smirked. "I'm fairly sure you fell asleep when I did. You can't take this away from me, Luna!" she gloated. "I've waited for years for you to slip up, and I'm going to milk it for all it's worth!"

Usagi raised her eyebrows at Luna's grumbling. She was fairly sure that the cat was not really as annoyed as she was behaving. "You were the one that brought up being sick, so you can't blame me for considering psychological issues. And don't be coy, you know you like being treated as a pet... You nap on windowsills during the day and do other cat-like things. Besides, we'd both be doing a favor for humanity by making sure that pet psychic is real. After all you're one of two cats that can actually talk. Ooh, I could use the Luna pen, and they'd never know!" she giggled, imagining an incognito visit to the show.

"Stress dream? Perhaps. It was just odd." She shrugged, but looked up as Luna hesitated, and then spoke. Usagi flinched at her words, her good mood evaporating quickly. "Of course I know there's not going to be a wedding," she said, miffed. "I may be a ditz, but I'm not delusional! What the hell kind of question is that?!" She threw back the covers, getting out of bed. Usagi knew she wouldn't be making up with Mamoru, and she certainly didn't think she'd be falling in love again soon.

"I'd have to be stupid to find another man. The first one was enough of a disaster! I'm just going to be an old maid. I've already been told that I'm a prude because I'm a virgin at 24 years of age. Now I'll never get laid."

[Luna]

Luna grumbled under her breath, “Oh I bet you will ...”, but as she really wasn’t that upset she didn’t say anything more.

She gave a long suffering sigh and growled, “Usagi, I am not going to the animal psychic no matter how much you want me too. If you must have someone do this favor for humanity get Artemis to do it. The world doesn’t know him as anything other then a cat and he’s back in the palace now remember?”

Which reminded her, she really needed to seek him out and talk to him again. She hadn’t seen him all of yesterday, but surely he had made up with Minako by now right? She would have to see him, there was just so much she wanted to say ... she had missed him so much while he had been away.

All thoughts other then Usagi and the pain she was going through immediately vanished the moment Usagi had flinched under her words. She shouldn’t have said them, should have known that Usagi would have reacted badly. Luna padded to the edge of the bed and murmured, “Usagi, I know you aren’t delusional and I hadn’t meant to upset you, I just ...” She shook her head, not really knowing what to say. What did you say to make the pain go away? “Usagi, I’m just worried about you. I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to make you feel bad ...”

She would have flushed at Usagi’s next words, but luckily being a cat she wasn’t able to. As it was, she simply twitched her whiskers a bit and dryly said, “It’s not really a terrible thing you know. I’m sure that you aren’t the first 24 year old virgin and let me assure you that you won’t be the last.”

[Neo Queen Serenity]

Usagi giggled at the idea of taking Artemis. She didn't know how Minako would feel about that, but she'd have to be sneaky. "You know, I was beginning to worry about him. I'll have to have a chat with him soon, we haven't seen each other in ages. Missed him," she smiled. "And he's so much more relaxed than you, he might be willing to go see the pet psychic. And you'll watch us on Animal Planet and you'll get jealous because it will be awesome!"

Luna's words failed to mollify Usagi, who still did not understand the question to begin with. "If you don't think I'm delusional, what would prompt you to ask that? I'd have to be to think there would be a wedding without a groom. So, you're worried I'm going to become crazy? Geez, Luna!" Sometimes she just didn't understand that cat.

Usagi stepped into her slippers, walking over to the antique chair near the wall and pulling on the silk dressing gown that had been set out for her. She pulled her hair out, letting it fall down her back. It was still slightly crimped from the odangos that she had taken out last night. "Certainly not the first, or the last. But I bet I'll be the first thousand-year-old virgin when I get older," Usagi sighed. "I'll be the oldest old maid in the entire world. By then I'll have cobwebs in my vagina," she muttered, more to herself than Luna.

"Luna..." Usagi asked, coming over to sit on the bed again, wrapping her arms around herself. "Thousands of years is a long time to be alone... Right now I don't think I could love anyone like I did Mamoru, but I am only twenty-four... All those years, maybe a decade doesn't seem so long in comparison..." Could she love again? She did want to do some of the things that other people did.

"Some people... have sex without a committed relationship." Usagi had never understood that, always having romantic feelings for the men she felt attracted to, but she also didn't want to go her entire life without experiencing the act of making love. Just to try-- maybe even once? I can't believe you're even thinking like that, Usagi... "I dunno, maybe I could... Try it... Just with one person. If I felt attracted..." Usagi shrugged these thoughts off. "Don't pay any attention to me, Luna, I'm just curious, and I don't want to be alone forever, and not know what it's like. Besides," she sighed, "who's going to want to screw a loser like me? Mamoru hung around for ten years and he never got any, no one else will probably even want to try!"

[Luna]

Luna glared at the Usagi and once again muttered in annoyance, “I would not be jealous of Artemis for any reason. If you want to take him off to go see the pet psychic go right ahead. It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other ...”

She sat down, drooping somewhat as she realized that she hadn’t made Usagi feel any better. “Usagi, I don’t think you are going to become crazy. That isn’t why I was worried. I told you last night that I was worried about you pushing aside how you felt so that you could get through the days easier. I know perfectly well that you did know that there wasn’t going to be a wedding, you were the one that called it off after all. It’s just, well a lot has been going on recently what with you finding out about Mamoru’s secret and realizing you didn’t know him as well as you thought, the Shitennou’s eventual return, and everything that you have to deal with as queen. Sometimes it’s the little things we forget when we are stressed, I just wanted to make certain I guess. You had just woken up fresh from your dream and so you might have temporarily forgotten ... I didn’t mean to hurt you Usagi, I’m sorry.”

Luna watched Usagi pull the dressing gown on and then let her hair loose. She sighed softly, wishing that she could go over and help Usagi brush out her hair, a soothing task she knew ... anything to help Usagi feel better, but as a cat it would be impossible. She momentarily cursed the fact that she was stuck as a cat, but quickly shoved those thoughts away. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about that, Usagi was hurting and Luna needed to comfort her in whatever way she could. Ignoring the fact that the conversation was one she would rather not have, Luna padded over and placed a paw on Usagi’s knee.

“Usagi-chan you aren’t going to be alone forever. You are a very beautiful and loving woman. The world would be crazy not to know it. There will come a time when you won’t feel so hurt and you will be able to open your heart again. In the meantime you have all of us, I know it isn’t the same kind of love as what you shared with Mamoru ... but you aren’t ever alone.”

She stiffened when Usagi began to talk about sex without a committed relationship and pulled away somewhat. She hated to be disapproving at a time like this, but that was what advisors were for. Speaking as gently and understandingly as she could, Luna murmured, “Usagi, I don’t really think you would be happy in a relationship like that, you are just too caring a person. You will find the right person, I promise. There is someone in this world that is perfect for you and when you find him he will make you happy ... They will make you happy both in the bed and in life, please don’t give up. You aren’t a loser, anything but. It’s really Mamoru that you should be questioning, I mean it’s been ten years ... perhaps he should have tried something during all that time.”

Luna paused a moment before adding in a more motherly tone, “You would have been wise enough to resist any moves he made on you though ... right?”

[Neo Queen Serenity]

"You wouldn't even be jealous of Artemis if he found a lovely, demure female cat to go with him to the pet psychic?" Usagi asked slyly. "Not jealous for any reason, hmm? We'll see about that!"

Usagi softened as Luna explained. This time she did understand. "Yeah, and I know in the past I've forgotten some important stuff just after waking up. Not this time, though. I don't think it's possible. It's been the last thought before I've fallen asleep and usually the first one I have when I wake up..." Mamoru was gone, it was over, and it was written on her heart, and would bleed for a very long time. She ran a soothing hand over Luna's hand and down her soft coat of fur. "I understand now. I'm fine, Luna. Just confused me, that's all."

She smiled down as Luna rested her paw on her knee, her eyes lightening with the cat's soothing words. "You think I'm beautiful?" Usagi asked in a small voice, feeling touched. "Oh Luna, I know I'm not really alone... I just meant... romantically." How could she explain it? After being in a committed relationship for so long, it was different to be single again, especially since she hadn't been single since-- well, since she became an adult. There were certain things you shared with your fiancé, experiences you had with that person that could not be replicated with friends. And without that, you were alone, just in a different way. "You know I value that. It's just different having a romantic relationship. I meant alone in that way."

Maybe she wasn't ready to hear about future loves and being happy with someone else, because Usagi just couldn't believe what Luna was saying. It was maternal, something her mother had said to her when she was young, but being older, it just seemed thin, especially after she had lost a relationship that she had given everything to. "I don't know, Luna. Maybe I need less commitment, not more. I don't want to invest in another relationship... It's so much work, and you get hurt." She frowned, knowing this was a different outlook for her, but these things were so complicated. "Something easy-- without strings, and totally selfish actually sounds appealing right now. I mean, I'm an adult, right? Find another consenting adult, agree to the terms, and... God, I sound like I'm negotiating a business transaction." She made a face. Maybe the idea wasn't as appealing as she originally thought.

"Oh, yes... Mamoru was always the gentleman. To a fault. He could be so dense," she sighed, remembering all the times she wanted a cuddle or a kiss and he just wouldn't get the hint. Or even that time, right before Fiore showed up, and he looked every which way before deigning to kiss her. "I don't know... I never questioned him before on that, I figured he was just protecting my honor. And maybe he was, but surely a guy's got needs? Men seem to need that more than women... But if he kept a secret like the Shitennou from me, what else could he be hiding? Could he have met those needs-- with-- with someone else? He is older than me, and maybe..." The thought made her stomach roll, and she shook her head violently, sending long locks of hair flying. "I can't think about that," Usagi exclaimed breathlessly, leaping to her feet from the bed. "I-- I don't want to know if he did. It doesn't matter now anyway. I just-- I don't know who he is... What else he would be capable of hiding..."

Her mouth had suddenly gone dry at the thought of Mamoru in another woman's arms, while she was strolling along completely clueless. Why had she suddenly fixated on this idea? Wasn't one big secret enough? Mamoru would never do that to her...

Sure, just like he never would've kept the Shitennou secret from you... A voice inside her jeered. He could have any secret, multiple secrets... He isn't who you thought he was. So you better be prepared for anything.

"I need air," Usagi managed to say, strolling towards the french doors leading out to the balcony. She pulled the curtains aside and unlocked them, throwing them wide and stepping out, the gentle breeze blowing her long, filmy nightgown about her ankles.

It was surprisingly mild outside. Usagi sucked in a deep breath of fresh, cool air, enjoying the change in temperature even though a line of goosebumps appeared along her arms. The sky was bright and clear, not a single cloud insight. It was such a lovely shade of blue, and she could see the bare limbs of the trees juxtaposed against it. There were even the twittering of a few birds, and the soft tinkling sound of the water in the large fountain several stories below her.

Usagi rested her hands on the thick stone rail of the balcony, looking east to west over her domain, beyond the private Palace gardens, towards the public ones.

A white van was parked outside, on a side road off the main boulevard, which already seemed to be patrolled by uniformed Secret Service. There seemed to be a crowd gathered, though it was hard to see any individual people from this distance. A long pole extended from the van; she guessed whatever news service the van belonged to was broadcasting live.

Her eyes caught sight of a strange structure near the van, and Usagi's eyes widened as she took in the gamut of men, and signs. She couldn't make out any individuals, but the signs were quite large, some more than 20 meters in length, with large letters.

'Marry Me, Serenity!' was written on them. Her mind flashed back to the murky, unfathomable face of the stranger-groom in her wedding dream. Usagi opened up her mouth and let out a hair-raising, shrill scream.

[Luna]

Jealous might be putting how she would feel mildly, because it wouldn’t really be green that she would be seeing ... rather red. She wasn’t certain which cat would feel the wrath of her claws the most though, that lovely female that Usagi spoke of, or the handsome white cat that had stolen her heart long ago ... probably both. Did she say any of this to Usagi though, of course not! If she shared how she really felt, she might never hear of the end of it either. Keeping her tone as disinterested as she could Luna simply replied, “Artemis is just a friend and a partner Usagi, there isn’t any reason why I would be jealous of any companion he chose to be with.”

Though she felt better knowing that Usagi understood what she had meant, she was still sad that her friend was going through so very much. If she could take it away from her she would, but unfortunately there wasn’t anything she could do except be there at her side. She purred softly as Usagi petted her and murmured, “I should have been clearer about what I had meant Usagi. I wish I could take this pain from you, make it where it never happened ... but I am proud of how you are handling the situation.”

“Of course you are beautiful Usagi, you were a very pretty girl when I first found you but you’ve matured into much more then that.” She smiled before frowning somewhat sadly at Usagi’s next words. “I understand Usagi. A person can have all the friends in the world and still feel alone without their other half standing with them. A person that understands you without you ever having to say a word, they understand things that you can’t even share with your friends. I do understand Usagi.”

Luna twitched her whiskers somewhat in distaste of the kind of relationship Usagi was talking about. She really didn’t think that Usagi would be happy in that kind of situation, but, what was she suppose to do ... forbid her from doing it? Obviously she couldn’t do that, Usagi was a consenting adult perfectly capable of making her own decisions. Luna was rather relieved to see the face that Usagi had made. Perhaps she didn’t need to worry about it after all, still she did have one thing to say. “Usagi, I know you don’t want to hear about commitment or other relationships at the moment but please don’t decide never to look into something like that again. It would be a mistake. You were hurt, but that doesn’t mean that everyone would do that to you. In the future, you might change your mind ...”

She quickly pretended that she hadn’t heard Usagi insinuate that she had tried to get Mamoru not to be a gentleman. That was information that Luna just didn’t need, she preferred to continue thinking of Usagi as the innocent girl that she always had been. Still she couldn’t remain quiet when she heard Usagi start down a road that would only serve to hurt her further.

“I really don’t think that Mamoru would have done anything like that Usagi. Regardless of any secrets he kept from us, he did seem to love you more then anything and I don’t think he would have carried on in such a manner. After all, in your own words he was a gentleman and well maybe he always just put you first, protecting your honor as you said ...”

She trailed off uneasily, not really knowing what else to say. Luna couldn’t guarantee any of what she said, but she still didn’t think that Mamoru was capable of betraying Usagi in such a manner. Yet, he did keep the Shitennou a secret as well as the fact that he was taking advise from the souls of men that had once been enemies ... perhaps he was capable of much more. Did they really know everything about Chiba Mamoru?

Luna watched sadly as Usagi shook her head violently and leaped to her feet. There just wasn’t anything that she could say to make this better. She stared at the floor wishing that there were words to make this better as she listened to Usagi murmur something about needing air and then heading out to the balcony.

She just couldn’t understand how all of this had happened. A mere month before everything had been perfect, even a few days before really. They hadn’t known about any dangerous secrets and the wedding plans were being made. Ten long happy years had been ruined in the space of no more then an hour or two ... and now Usagi was left to pick up the pieces as best she could. She would eventually be fine, Luna had no doubt in Usagi’s ability to move on once things had settled down ... but for how long would her heart bleed?

The fur along Luna’s spine rose the moment she heard Usagi’s hair-raising, shrill scream. Even with her sharp hearing, she didn’t really register the muffled yell of Usagi’s name through the door too caught up with the idea that Usagi was in danger. She leaped off the bed, claws bared ready to do battle with anything that had dared hurt her. However, she had barely taken two steps, when the door shattered open and a man rushed out to the balcony.

For a moment Luna froze where she stood, her heart pounding in fear, but then she realized that it was only Lucan and she forced herself to calm. Darting out to the balcony right on Lucan’s heels, she glanced around the area trying to come up with what had caused Usagi to scream. She didn’t actually see anything right away, but then her eyes caught the sight of the crowd of men and signs and simply stared in amazement.

“Great Serenity ...”

Did these people actually believe that she would want to court someone so soon after breaking up with someone she had loved for so very long? Did they actually believe that this kind of behavior would win Usagi’s heart?

[Neo Queen Serenity]

"Luuuuunnnnnnnaaaa!" Usagi wailed aloud, pointing a shaking finger at the crowd outside, her face white. Somehow, Luna was here with her. Usagi didn't even notice Lucan, at least not at first. She was still stricken by the sight of the mass of suitors in the public gardens.

"It was a premonition, Luna," Usagi said breathlessly, staring out as if she was seeing a ghost. "My dream, Luna... It was an omen!! And... and..."

Even Usagi wasn't entirely sure what came after the 'and.' She realized that perhaps she should have expected something like this. But who could anticipate the amount of people that would be crowding around, eager to snatch at power.

Blinking, she finally realized that Lucan was standing in front of her. In fact, he was blocking her view of the offending crowd. Usagi swallowed, realizing that she probably overreacted. She found herself brushing some wooden splinters off of sleeve absentmindedly. Her body and her mind seemed to be going in two different directions, the sight had unsettled her so much.

"Look." She pointed again, licking her lips, as they felt dry. "You got in here fast." Usagi glanced askance at him. "Sorry, I-- well, you understand, don't you? What a thing to wake up to!"

Usagi brushed past him to go to the edge of the balcony, leaning out to get a better view. It was like watching a train wreck, she knew it was horrible but she couldn't look away. Then, another thought formed in her mind and she found herself saying:

"Hey Luna, looks like I won't have to be a virgin much longer..."

[Luna]

Luna flicked her ears in Usagi’s direction at her wail, but she couldn’t stop staring at the crowd. It was just something she had never really even thought about. Perhaps she should have realized that Usagi would technically be on the market for a new fiancé now that she had broken off her engagement, but it honestly had not occurred to her that things would happen this fast. A week hadn’t even gone by and these people expected her to form new relationships so quickly.

She vaguely heard Usagi speaking about a premonition and muttered, “Usagi it was only a stress dream, it wasn’t an omen. These people are just insane, there isn’t any way that you will be going down the aisle with any one of them.” She wouldn’t allow it ...

Luna sighed irritably and turned to look up at Lucan prepared to launch into an attack about why he had allowed this to happen. However, one look at his face had her relaxing once more. He obviously hadn’t known about this and just as obviously was angry. That could only mean that someone would pay for having done this. She was satisfied when his next words confirmed what she had been thinking. However, she was immediately put back on edge by Usagi’s next words.

“What?!”

She stared at Usagi in disapproval, barely noticing the look that Lucan threw her. In a tone that dripped disapproval Luna growled, “Don’t be ridiculous Usagi. You can’t possibly be thinking about going anywhere near that crowd of idiots. They wouldn’t even have your best interest at heart and more then likely they are only out for what you can give them ... power, fame, and money. Do you really want to sleep with someone like that?”

[Neo Queen Serenity]

"But it was a premonition!" Usagi kept on wailing. "It happened right after I had that dream! And we talked about losing my virginity. And sex. And boys. And sex with boys! And some silver-tongued political advisor will talk me into marrying one of them, and then I'll have sex, but it'll be a loveless marriage and I'll be despondent and never have any babies and then people will get mad because there won't be any heir and they'll conspire against me with my husband and I'll be forced to have an affair just like in the The Duchess and then there will be a coup d'etat and I'll die by a firing squad! It'll be just like the dream!" Of course, the dream did not include a loveless marriage, a coup d'etat, and death by firing squad, but Usagi could see where things were going! She really couldn't defy destiny! Now that she had broken up with Mamoru she'd have to marry a stranger for political convenience, and...

The senshi won't let you get talked into marrying a stranger, no matter happened in the dream... Usagi relaxed, enough to mentally laugh at herself. I really do have an overactive imagination.

Usagi found herself facing a worried-looking Lucan, and a disapproving Luna. She threw up her hands, backing away from them and into the room. "Hey! I didn't say I wanted to, just that this would be the perfect opportunity! I thought I was a loser who couldn't get laid, and there's lot of men on my doorstep now who would be willing-- I'm trying to look on the bright side here! See the silver lining! Of course, they all want to get married, but surely one could be persuaded to accept a no-strings-attached, sexual exploration. That wouldn't be so bad, would it? That way I wouldn't have to be the one thousand year old virgin... I might have to take advantage of this opportunity before I get cobwebs down there!" she defended herself. Usagi really didn't have plans to do anything of the sort, at least not in reality. "Like I said... a nice, selfish, quid pro quo relationship might be a nice change..." Even if it sounded so terribly impersonal when she said it. Usagi suddenly flushed, realizing everything that she had just blurted out to both Luna and Lucan. I really need to learn to stop thinking aloud.