Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Princess is Revealed ❯ Introducing Chiba Mamoru ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

 

The next day the girls meet up in the mall.

 

“Hi Usagi-chan!” The girls chorused.

 

“Hi guys! Shopping-time!” Usagi replied with a happy smile.

 

“Hi Usako! You know what?” Mamoru asked with a teasing voice as he came up behind Usagi.

 

“No, what?” Usagi asked with curious voice and tried to turn around to greet him, but he wouldn't let her.

 

“I'm going to kiss you now!” Mamoru said with a tender voice just beside her ear.

 

“Not if I kiss you first!” Usagi responded and quickly turned around and gave Mamoru a passionate kiss that could have gone on forever if Chibiusa didn't interrupt them.

 

“I want a hug from Mamo-chan!” She pouted.

 

Usagi and Mamoru sighed a little for the pre-taste of parenthood but smiled at their little girl nevertheless.

 

“Of course I'll give you a hug, munchkin!” Mamoru said and hugged the child with a tender smile on his lips.

 

Usagi's family choose that moment to appear. Ikuko smiled at the girls and hurried over to them before Kenji and Shingo.

 

“Hi girls! How are you?” She asked as she hugged all her daughter's friends that she regarded as her extra-daughters. She cared for each of them dearly and was very happy that her daughter had found so good and caring friends.

 

“Hi Tsukino-san!” The girls chorused and smiled back at her.

 

“Are you all invited to the ball next Saturday?” Ikuko asked.

 

“Yes we are, and we all need to buy a dress.” Rei said.

 

“Then why don't you join us?” Ikuko asked.

 

“That would be great, Tsukino-san!” Minako said with a smile.

 

“Please call me Ikuko, instead. Tsukino-san makes me feel old.”

 

“Mom, don't be silly. You aren't old!” Usagi said and rolled her eyes.

 

“I didn't say I'm old. I said that I feel old when someone calls me that. It's a big difference, honey.” Ikuko said smiled at her daughter. Then she noticed the young man for the first time. He was standing a bit outside the group of girls and held Chibiusa in a gently embrace. “Usagi dear, I don't believe that I have been introduced to this young man before?” She said and smiled at her daughter's and the young man's sudden discomfort. She had already guessed what part the young man had in her daughter's life.

 

“Mom, this is Chiba Mamoru. Mamo-chan, this is my mother Tsukino Ikuko.” Usagi presented them to each other and Mamoru bowed politely after he had let Chibiusa down.

 

“And he's one of your friends, honey?” Ikuko asked her daughter, well aware that she was teasing her daughter, but she couldn't resist.

 

“We'll actually he's more than just a friend, mom.” Usagi said in an uncertain voice.

 

“Oh really? Is he your best friend?” Ikuko asked with a teasing voice.

 

“Mom, stop being so childish! Stop teasing me!” Usagi sighed as soon as she realised that her mother had already guessed the truth about her and Mamoru.

 

“I'm not sure what you mean, honey? I was just asking what this young man means to you?” Ikuko replied with a smile.

 

“All right, I admit. He's my boyfriend. Happy now?” Usagi said in an embarrassed voice. “Parents, I'll never understand them.” She sighed dramatically.

 

“I'm happy if you're happy, honey!” Ikuko said with a gentle voice and raised her daughter's chin so that she could look Usagi in her eyes. “Are you happy?”

 

“Yes, I'm happy mom. I'm happy that Mamo-chan and I are together.” Usagi said with a blush and shy gaze at Mamoru.

 

Unfortunately Kenji and Shingo choose that moment to catch up with the group, just in time to hear Usagi's confession.

 

“A boyfriend? He's your boyfriend? Do you actually mean that someone is stupid enough to be your boyfriend, Odango?” Shingo asked with a shocked voice.

 

“Shingo, I'm going to kill you!” Usagi replied with a threatening voice, which resulted in Shingo hiding behind Ikuko with a teasing grin. He blew her a raspberry and was going to retort to her threat when Kenji started yelling.

 

“A boyfriend? You haven't mentioned anything about a boyfriend before! Tsukino Usagi, are you hiding things from your own family?”

 

“Well….I….I mean….” Usagi murmured with a guilty look. You have no idea of how many things that I'm hiding from you daddy! But some things are better to remain secret and, besides, if I told you, you would be in danger! I have to keep some things a secret even if I would like to tell you. It's for your own safety. She thought with a guilty conscience.

 

“So it's true then. Why haven't you introduced this young man earlier? Or maybe the relationship is new? And what about….”

 

“Dad please, listen to me.” Usagi interrupted her dad's rambling. “Mamo-chan and I have only been together for about a month now.” Well at least in this lifetime. “And I was planning to introduce you to him soon.”

 

“Then why haven't you?” Kenji asked with a doubtful voice.

 

“Well you have been really busy with your work and Mamo-chan had big tests in school lately, it was never a good time.” Usagi defended herself.

 

“And that brings me right to my next question, how old are you Mamoru-kun?” Kenji asked with a stern voice.

 

“I'm 19 years old, sir. I attend Moto Azabu High School and study to be a doctor.” Mamoru replied with a serious voice.

 

“A doctor, you say? That's an admirable career.” Kenji admitted with an approving smile. “But Usagi, I still think you should at least have mentioned his name.” Kenji said to his daughter.

 

“Well Mamoru and I had a rough beginning of our relationship, so I thought it was best to wait awhile before introduce you to each other.” Usagi said with an apologetic smile. Yeah, and I needed to make sure that he returned to the good guys after Queen Beryl's brainwashing and then it was that little memory problem.

 

“What do you mean rough beginning? What did he do?” Kenji asked with a threatening glare at Mamoru, assuming the worst.

 

“Dad calm down. Must you always assume the worst?” Usagi asked with a sigh. “He didn't do anything. We just had a little trouble to get along in the beginning of our acquaintance. To be frank, we almost hated each other and couldn't spend more than a few seconds in the same room without arguing.” Usagi said with a little laugh.

 

“They were mortal enemies.” Makoto said with a laugh.

 

“Yeah, but rather amusing to be around.” Rei said with a smile.

 

“I think they were rather immature.” Ami sighed.

 

“Anyway!” Usagi interrupted her `helping' friends. “One day we suddenly realised that the reason why we always fought was to hide our true feelings for each other. We had felt attracted to each other from the beginning without realising it. But then one month ago we admitted our true feelings for each other and became a couple.” Usagi said with a tender voice and her eyes shined with love towards the young man in front of Kenji.

 

When Kenji saw the love radiating between his daughter and the young man he sighed in defeat. He raised his hand and shook Mamoru's hand before hugging him. “Welcome to the family, boy. I'm happy that my daughter found a nice young man to love.” He said with a smile on his lips.

 

“Yes, welcome to the family, Mamoru-kun.” Ikuko said and hugged Mamoru as well before whispering in her husband's ear. “Very good, honey. I'm proud of you.”

 

“Adults! They are so confusing! Are we going to stand here hugging each other all day?” Shingo sighed and rolled his eyes, which caused everyone to laugh. The laughter helped to ease the tension in the group and Ikuko used it to suggest tha they should start to look for a good store of ball-gowns. They accompanied each other through many stores before finding the perfect one. It was located in a corner of the mall. The store was fairly small but with beautiful dresses decorating the window. Ikuko regarded the dresses with an approving gaze with a smile on her face.

 

“This store seems to have quality dresses. Let see if we can find anything in here.” She said and entered the store with Shingo and Kenji just behind her. Usagi though, hesitated to go in and the girls and Mamoru regarded her with concerned eyes.

 

“What is it Usako?” He asked her.

 

“It's nothing really. It's just a feeling I have.” Usagi murmured.

 

“A feeling? What kind of feeling?” Rei asked with a serious voice.

 

“It feels like someone is watching us!” Usagi said. Everyone turned around and watched the mall with suspicious eyes.

 

“I don't see anything suspicious, Usagi-chan.” Rei said after a few moments.

 

“Me neither!” The other girls chorused.

 

“I wish I could scan the mall, but I don't dare take out my computer. What if someone sees it?” Ami murmured.

 

“No, don't do that! I'm sure it's nothing!” Usagi said in a determined voice. “We can't risk being revealed! There are too many people here!”

 

“Usako, please don't let your worries about Diamond's next move destroy this day. Whatever he comes up with, we'll be ready!” Mamoru said with a tender voice.

 

“I didn't want to say anything before, Usagi, but it isn't just Diamond that we have to watch out for anymore.” Rei said with a serious voice.

 

“What is it Rei-chan?” Usagi asked with a sigh. “What have the fire revealed to you?”

 

“It's Esmerald. She's planning a trap for us.”

 

“We know that the Black Moon Family are planning a trap for us, Rei-chan. Do you know something that we others don't?” Makoto asked with an impatient voice.

 

“Esmerald's trap has nothing to do with Diamond's. She's not planning to kidnap Usagi-chan, she's planning to kill her.” Rei murmured.

 

“Kill me?” Usagi asked in a shocked voice. “Why? Isn't she one of Diamond's generals?”

 

“Yes, she is! But she has been consumed by the green eyed monster.” Rei replied with a sad smile.

 

“The green what?” Usagi asked with a confused tone.

 

“Jealousy, she's consumed by jealousy!” Rei explained with a sigh.

 

“Jealousy?” Ami asked with a confused voice.

 

“Jealousy of what?” Mamoru asked with a concerned voice.

 

“Jealousy of Diamond's obsession with Serenity. She loves Diamond with all her heart and thinks that he will love her back if she gets rid of the competition, namely you Usagi.” Rei said with a sad voice.

 

“Great, just great!” Usagi sighed. “Not only do I have to worry about Diamond's obsession in me, now I have to worry about an insane Esmerald as well?”

 

“I'm afraid so, Usagi-chan!” Rei sighed.

 

“Did you get any idea of when or what she's planning?” Ami asked with a serious voice.

 

“I'm afraid not. The fire has no apprehension of time as we measure it. It just shows me what will happen in a near future. And that could mean anything from a few seconds from now and a few months.” Rei answered with a repentant expression.

 

“It's all right Rei-chan! Thanks for the warning!” Usagi said with a tender voice and raised Rei's chin to be able to look her in her eyes. “Now let's go in before Mom discovers that we're no in there.”

 

“Our when your dad assume that you and Mamoru-kun are making out in a public place?” Ikuko asked with a teasing smile when she stuck out her head out of the store.

 

“Mom, we're not making out!” Usagi replied with a little wail.

 

“I know dear! I'm just teasing you! Now come on, we have dresses to find remember?” Ikuko said before disappearing back into the store.

 

“Well. Let's go! It's shopping-time!” Minako said with an eager voice and almost ran into the store.

 

The other girls and Mamoru smiled at her enthusiasm and entered the little store in a more sedate manner.

 

“Is she the one that we have been searching for?” A masculine voice was heard from the roof of the mall.

 

“Yes, I believe it is! I believe it really is her!” A female voice answered.

 

“In that case our mission will be a success!” Another female responded.

 

“Don't be so sure about that! She's strong! Maybe she doesn't…..” The masculine voice replied.

 

“It doesn't matter how strong she is! She'll notice that too late!” The first female voice said.

 

“Our work here is done, now the only thing that we can do is sit down and wait!” The second female voice replied and the three figures disappeared without a trace that they had ever been there.