Title: The BIG Wish -- Chapter 4 by: Lilac Summers Rated: PG 13 (still!!) for language and sexual situations Hello! I'm back, as you can see. To those who've been asking for longer chapters, this is it! This is probably going to be the longest chapter, and, as it is, it isn't that long. Sorry. I just can't seem to write long chapters for this story. Thanks to all of you who continue to stick with me and write to me. Hmmm . . . who did I forget last time? Lynn, Callista, Akin Z, Commander Galos, and LdyPluto. Sorry I keep forgetting people! GREAT BIG thanks to Lady Mirage and Sidnei for always helping me out! This is dedicated to *Shi Lin Loh*, so that it cheers up her day. Keep on smiling, Shi-chan! Love, Nee-chan. Disclaimer: As I've mentioned before, Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. Not me, not you (unless you are Ms. Takeuchi, in which case, THANK YOU!!!). * * * * * * * * * * * @>---'---;---- * * * * * * * * * * * * The BIG Wish by Lilac Summers Chapter 4 I stared at the jumbled mass of colors by the door, deja vu stealing over me. Now, where had I seen *this* before? Gee, I wonder. Of course, it was just my luck that they had entered at a time like this. I mean, how much more sketchy could you get? Mamo-chan was leaning against me and, a fact that was just now starting to crash down on me, naked. *NAKED*! When I remembered this little fact, I gasped and instinctively looked down at him. Yuppers . . . naked as the day he was born! I could feel the raging red of a blush creep all over my face. Okay, so I was intent on seducing him, but deep down, after all, I am only sixteen! I never saw an honest-to-god naked man before! And not just *any* naked man . . . Mamo-chan! And oh. my. god. Wow! Mamo-chan weakly tried to bring his head up off my chest (though I personally don't think it was really necessary), and a fit of coughing took over again. My arms instinctively went around him to pat his back while his own hands flew up to his mouth. Well, of course, there could only be one outcome. Our arms tangled together and threw me, who was supporting most of his weight, right off balance. I fell back with a jarring thud and he landed, hard, right on top of me. For a second, little stars floated into my view as the back of my head made impact with the bathroom floor. Which reminds me, did I always have such an affinity for bathroom floors? It seemed like today I was getting more acquainted with the cold tiles of bathroom flooring than I had ever wanted to get. In any case, what ended up happening was that now Mamo-chan and I were nose to nose. At this moment in time, we couldn't care less. He was still making odd little choking noises and I was perusing the wonderful little galaxy that had bloomed before my eyes. But things are never that simple . . . "Good grief! Can't you guys stop for just an instant? I mean, at the very least, check to see if we are okay and all before you go back to your kinky bathroom games!" Rei's voice boomed into the bathroom. Startled, both Mamo-chan and I jerked forward, promptly banging our heads together. Hello, super nova! After a few more seconds of the light show, Mamo-chan rolled off me, groaning all the way, and tried to stand. Hello, Mamo-chan! I might still be seeing stars, but you're still naked, bud! At this point, my vision is *never* going to clear. "Mamo-chan!" I screeched as I caught sight of Rei's wandering, and appreciative, gaze. The other girls were stirring behind her. Oh, no you don't! This is for *MY* eyes, only! Without thought I jumped up and flung myself at a wobbly Mamo-chan. His "What?" was cut short as I slammed into him. Er, I guess you are pretty much guessing what happened next. I didn't mean it, I swear it! Good grief, I had just meant to shield him. In truth, I *always* throw myself into his arms with that much force. However, Mamo-chan usually isn't wobbly, wet, *naked*, and standing on slippery wet tiles . . . SPLASH! That's right! Back in the tub, everyone. However, learning from his previous experience, Mamo-chan quickly twisted in mid air and grabbed me, turning us sideways so that we landed into the tub full-length. So now, for your viewing pleasure, the sputtering Princess of the Moon, astride our handsome, also sputtering (have I mentioned naked?) hero, the Prince of Earth. I suppose it would be too much to ask that the other Senshi still be knocked out? I reared up and flung wet hair out of my eyes, blindly reaching out a hand to steady myself against Mamo-chan's chest. Cautiously I opened one eye and looked towards the door . . . I guess it *would* be too much to ask. Seven newly recovered and gaping girls stood once again at the door. Rei, having witnessed the whole thing, was sitting at the toilet and laughing at us until tears rolled down her eyes. "Usagi-chan!" Gasped a set of seven shocked voices. Glaring at them from my precarious position, I caught Minako, the most theatrical of all, readying herself for an encore of her melodramatic faint. I freed one hand from the sleeve of my sopping wet sweater and pointed it at her paling face. "Don't you dare! I've had about enough of all this! The next one to faint goes out the window!" Minako instantly recovered and pouted in my general direction. Now that I think about it, none of my Scouts were really looking at me . . . They were trying to look *under* me! "OUT!" I shouted, pointing that same imperious finger at the crowded doorway. "What? You think we are actually going to leave you two alone in here?" Haruka asked. I looked daggers at her. "Haruka, get! NOW!" She gave us a brief once-over and chewed thoughtfully on a thumbnail. "Okay, but how long are you guys going to take? I got stuff to do and I really can't be waiting around --" I reached into the tub for the shampoo bottle and threw it at her. The damned girl dodged it and laughed, actually *laughed*, at me! I saw red. Without hesitating I went for the conditioner, hurling it in her direction again. She ducked behind Setsuna and it ended up bonking Setsuna on the head, instead. "Hey!" roared Setsuna. Minako, of course, started giggling, which prompted Setsuna to round on her angrily. My next flying missile, still aimed at the ever elusive Haruka, flew past goggle-eyed Ami-chan, who yelped and ducked just in time to crash into Mako-chan, who had also ducked. Michiru, right behind them, reflexively reached up to catch the object . . . a rubber ducky. I looked down at Mamo-chan. "A rubber ducky?" He flushed and shrugged his shoulders defensively. "It's Chibi-Usa's." I cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah, right." My attention was sidetracked, however, as I saw the telltale light-blonde head peeking behind a still-laughing Rei-chan. "Got ya!" I crowed triumphantly and threw a loofah at her. She dodged and there was a wet splat! as it caught Rei. Rei suddenly didn't think everything was so funny anymore. "It looks like your aim still only works for frisbees, Usagi!" taunted the unrepentant Haruka. Seething, I made one last grab into the water, reaching for the soap. And felt Mamo-chan go utterly still beneath me. "Usako," he croaked, "whatever you're looking for . . . that's not it." My eyes widened and my hands shot up in the air and out of the water as if I were being held at gun-point. However, I couldn't resist one little dig. I leaned forward slightly just enough to look into Mamo-chan's dazed eyes. "How do you *know* that's not what I'm looking for?" Mamo-chan took one look at me and then thundered at the group of grappling girls by the doorway. "OUT!!!!!!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I grumbled as I searched Mamo-chan's room for something to wear. Apparently, when Mamo-chan had said "Out!", it included me, too! The nerve! And after I'd saved his life, too . . . you'd think he would show just a *little* "appreciation." With increasingly bad humor I yanked open drawers for something to wear. I had no wish to enter the living room for my luggage and confront all of my friend's sly glances. No, if I was going to face the lions, Mamoru was darn well coming with me! And why'd they have to show up here, anyway? Maybe if they had never appeared, Mamo-chan would have been more "appreciative." I mean, the whole stage had been set! We'd be together, on the floor, he'd be grateful, he'd be naked . . . I stole a large, white, button up shirt from his closet and yanked it on, fuming all the while. But NO! Instead of THANKING me for saving his rotten life he had actually thrown me out! OUT! As if it had been *my* fault that the whole fiasco had occurred. Well, if he hadn't forgotten the damn towels to begin with, none of this would have happened. As far as I was concerned, the whole thing was *his* fault! To hell with the "it takes two" belief that I had been so willing, so *generous* to prescribe to! I stomped over to the mirror and swatted my straggling hair away from my face. It was drenched. After a few half-hearted swipes with a comb, I let it fall, dripping, to the floor. I debated whether or not to try to pull a pair of Mamo-chan's jeans on, but knew they would be too big. My underwear was still wet, too, but I was not about to take it off! I've got my modesty to think of, after all... Anyway, Mamo-chan's shirt hung a few inches above my knees and really did cover me adequately. Sigh. Well, I guess I just couldn't put this off any longer. I stepped out of the bedroom just as Mamo-chan stepped out of the bathroom. I take it he made use of the infamous sheet and then hurriedly slipped on the same clothes he had been wearing. He did not look comfortable. The minute our gazes met I blushed crimson. What did you expect? I mean, I really hadn't mean to see him in his birthday suit! At least, not at that particular moment... Quickly we looked away and walked silently towards the couch, which was immediately vacated by Minako and Ami. The room was eerily silent, and I could feel the girls' gaze boring into my back. I gulped audibly and sat down, Mamo-chan beside me. The one to break the silence was Haruka. I was not surprised. "Hey, Mamoru-san . . . I didn't recognize with your clothes on," she sniggered. Michiru promptly grabbed her by her short hair and dragged her to safety before I could blast her into next week. I could *feel* Mamoru go bright red beside me. Ami quickly tried to placate everyone. "Usagi-chan, we really don't want to know anything that went on --" "Speak for yourself, I really do want to mphhhhhh--" Minako struggled underneath Makoto's silencing hand. Makoto smiled warily at us. "Don't mind her. She's had too much sugar, today." Ami continued valiantly. "We were just bringing the Outers over here to see what had happened to you with their own eyes." And I bet they got an eyeful! "What I want to know, minna, is why you all showed up at the bathroom door, unannounced," I demanded. Rei looked suddenly guilty. "Uhh, that was my fault. We were approaching the door when I got a feeling of danger, or something, coming from you two. We kinda just barged in to see what was wrong. I-I don't know why I felt danger when all you two were doing was . . . I mean, when the two of you obviously weren't grappling . . . I mean, you *were*, but not with . . . Ahhh! You know what I mean!" "Good going there, Rei-chan. If you open your mouth a little wider, I think you can fit your whole leg in there. Please, don't feel you have to stop with just your foot!" said Makoto snidely. I guess Mamo-chan decided to clear the air once and for all. "Girls, what you saw in there, it wasn't what you think. I fell in the tub and blacked out, and Usagi saved me, that's all." A quiet voice which we had not heard up till now cut through all the "Yeah, right"s and "Uh-huh"s. "The Prince speaks the truth. I was trying to tell you that what you felt was not true danger, Rei-chan, but you all just took off." My gaze, and everyone else's, swiveled to the slim girl that stood by Setsuna. Hotaru has this tendency to place herself where she will draw the least attention possible. She never steps up until she has a revelation. The others stared at the twelve year old with dismay. "Well, great way to take the fun out of things. Why didn't you say something when we were in the bathroom?" Makoto asked. "Hey! I was just as shocked as you guys to see them on the floor! And I certainly didn't think I'd see the Prince na--" She hurriedly looked at Mamo-chan and turned cherry red. "Uh, forget it." I think that's the first time I ever saw Hotaru embarrassed. Setsuna, for her part, must have decided that it was time to steer the conversation in another direction. "Okay, now that that is all cleared up, shall we proceed with what we really came up here for?" Magenta eyes homed in on me. "Usagi." Everyone stilled as Michiru, Haruka, Setsuna, and Hotaru walked over and peered at me with avid curiosity. They circled me once . . . twice . . . "Okay, okay! I've been through this once already, now don't you four go freaky on me, too!" Three ignored my indignant protests while Setsuna stepped back with an oddly satisfied smile on her lips. "She is, indeed, the very picture of the Neo-Queen. You were absolutely right, Ami-chan. Her body is that of her 21 year-old self." "Twenty-one, huh?" Haruka teased, plopping herself down smack between Mamo-chan and me. She stretched one long arm around my shoulders and smiled wickedly at Mamo-chan, baiting him. "So, busy tonight, Usagi-chan? I know this great little pla . . . OW!" Michiru grabbed one of Haruka's ears and yanked her off the couch. "You be quiet and pay attention, baka!" Amidst the ensuing giggles, I caught another smug smile about Setsuna's lips. "Setsuna, something tells me you know something we don't." She batted her eyelashes at me. "Princess, I *always* know something you don't know." With a wink, she transformed into Sailor Pluto and smiled blithely at the group. "Well, I must be off. Certain little *details* have to be seen to. I suggest we all leave the Prince and Princess to . . . rest." With the general chatter and mumbling following any mass departure, the girls migrated towards the door. On her way past me, Makoto grabbed me by the lapels of my shirt and hauled my face up to her so she could whisper hurriedly. "Don't forget to tell us everything! Don't leave out a thing and, for God's sake, take notes!" I nodded dumbly and she continued past. Somewhere in front of me I heard Rei ask Pluto: "Hey, Pluto, you can see anything through your gate, can't you?" I hear Pluto say, "*Everything*!" and blushed scarlet, watching Mamo-chan squirm beside me. I don't think my face is ever going to be it's normal color again! I'm sure I've never been so many varied shades of red in my life, and all in one hour, too! When the shuffling of feet ended, I looked up at the door, expecting to see the apartment emptied once more. To my complete surprise, Pluto stood still stood before us, swinging her time staff idly. "I just thought you two should know that everything is under control," she said. "ÔUnder control'? What do you mean by that? How can you control what's happened to Usako?" asked Mamo-chan. "I can't. But I *can* tell you that this little incident doesn't, in any way, alter the time continuum. Surely you must have given some thought to the dangers that such a change in Usagi-chan, the one on whom the entire future depends, could cause in the time corridor!" Mamoru looked slightly abashed. Apparently, my love had been thinking of nothing of the kind. In his defense, I admit that I had kept him preoccupied with other matters. "Oh. Well, then, thanks," he mumbled. I, on the other hand, felt like a great steamroller had just led the May Day parade over my head. To think that all this time my actions could have been affecting my future, and I hadn't even thought of it! I-I could have completely screwed up my life with this stupid wish to be big! I became oblivious to my surroundings as every "what if" resounded in my head. "Mamo-chan . . ." I whispered, stricken. He looked at me, concerned at my tone. "W-What if this really *had* been permanent? What if I had wished for something, anything, that might have altered anyone's future? How can I be responsible for such power?" Mamo-chan's eyes softened in sympathy and he drew me close to his side. It was not the first time that I had confessed my fears to him . . . my fears of being responsible for the future and well-being of this entire planet. "Usako," he sighed gently into my hair, "there is no one else that I would rather trust with that power. And you have nothing to worry about, now. This won't affect any of our futures." Slightly mollified but still unconvinced, I let the thought of my power crash over me. "Oh, Mamo-chan . . . sometimes I think I'll never be able to control it all . . ." "You don't have to. I'll always be here to help." Slowly, ever so slowly, his hand reached up to brush away a few stray tears, then lingered on my face, cradling my chin. My eyesight was filled with Mamo-chan as his lips drew nearer and nearer . . . The long-forgotten Pluto turned discreetly and swirled agilely as she made to go through her time portal, her Time Staff twirling and moving unerringly towards . . . Mamo-chan's head. "Oof!" he uttered and slumped back, once again out of commission. "Mamo-chan!" Pluto stopped her grand exit abruptly and looked down at Mamo-chan in dismay. "Oh!" She looked at me sheepishly. "Sorry! But don't be too worried. I doubt another knock on the head will harm him much after all he's gone through today, already." It occurs to me that Mamo-chan's poor memory and susceptibility to mind-games could be the effect of such a number of "harmless" knocks on the head. "Poor Mamo-chan," I said, settling his head comfortably on my lap. "Oh, it's just as well," said Pluto, beginning her departure once more. "It's probably the only way you were going to let him get any rest today, anyway!" Before I could question her as to what exactly she meant by that, she was through her portal. I looked down at the peaceful face of my Mamo-chan and sighed. Oh, well, it didn't look as if I'd make anymore leeway with Mamo-chan today. Might as well take a breather. Who knew if he would survive another assault? Scooting out gently from beneath him, I covered him with a blanket and made my way into the kitchen. If I remembered correctly, there was still one piece of pizza left. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ to be continued. And NO! Setsuna didn't do it on purpose . . . I don't think. Anyway, tell me what _you_ think! salaices@leland.stanford.edu ^_^