[FFML] [SM][FANFIC] Just Wishful Thinking Chapter 5

Just Wishful Thinking

By Douglas Helm and "Tuxedo" Will Wolfshohl.

Those characters that are original and the story "Just Wishful Thinking"

are copyrighted (c) 2000 by Douglas Helm and Will Wolfshohl.

This story and our other Sailor Moon stories reside at

http://rivendell.fortunecity.com/traveller/861/

Send comments to: Douglas Helm (dhelm@log.on.ca) or

"Tuxedo" Will (wwolfshohl@logicon.com)

Chapter 5 - The Future

Having three mythical Sailor Senshi appear in your establishment was

unheard of. Therefore, the hostess that greeted them in the trendy

restaurant was suitably surprised, as were many of the patrons.

"Nani?" the hostess asked.

"I said may I borrow your washroom?" Sailor Moon inquired while casting

an anxious eye towards her jiggling daughters.

"Are you going to eat anything, Miss?" the hostess asked.

Sailor Moon was becoming exasperated. "Where do you think we'd carry

money in these fuku?!"

"Gomen but..."

"Mommy!!"

"Fine. Come on, Musume, I'm sure this place doesn't need our business."

"Wait!" the hostess cried. You just didn't know whom these mythical

Senshi knew. If they lost patrons because she turned away the Sailor

Senshi, she'd likely be fired. "It's down the hall and to your left."

"Thanks!" Sailor Moon chirped and quickly guided her young daughters

down the hall.

 - -

Later that evening, Chiba Usagi walked into the living room carrying a

cup of tea and two cookies. Sitting down on the couch, she glanced at

her daughters' bedroom. The door was shut and except for the

occasionally raised voice, there was nothing to be heard. When Mamoru

finally came out of the girls' room after shutting off the lights, she

asked, "You didn't read them a story I hope."

"No," Mamoru replied, "They had me on the ropes though. Both of them

were in tears because I wouldn't read them a story." He looked at Usagi

and added, "What's wrong with a story anyway? It was just up to the good

part."

"Well, you could read me a story, Mamo-chan," Usagi countered and then

giggled, "Cookie?"

"Hai," Mamoru said and after taking the proffered cookie, snaked his arm

around his wife. "Didn't you ever jump on your bed, Usako?"

"Yeah..."

"And how did your mother get you to stop?"

"She told me if I kept jumping on it, I'd break it."

"And that worked?" Mamoru asked, "We've told that to the girls and it

didn't stop them."

"Well... I did stop jumping on mine but I just started jumping on

Shingo's."

"Oh that's cruel. No wonder he celebrated when you mov..." Mamoru

grunted as his wife poked him none-too-gently in the ribs. "I guess we

could get them a couple of futons. But that just means they'd try it on

ours or jump on this couch."

"Well, we could ban them from sweets anytime they jump on the furniture.

That was what finally got me to stop. Worked wonders for Shingo too and

he isn't even as much of a sweettooth as I am," Usagi suggested.

"Mamo-chan, I don't think they set out to destroy it and they were upset

about it."

"We'll have to get Makoto and Minako to agree. You know how they are.

You can talk to Minako on this, Usako, because I know she'd try to sneak

the girls some sweets."

"Don't think Makoto wouldn't try it. She's a big softy when it comes to

the twins." She sighed a little and closed her eyes. "It's been a long

day. I'm gonna take a bath." Placing her cup on the coffee table, Usagi

pushed herself up and stretched. She grinned down at Mamoru before

making her way across the room and into the bedroom where she undressed

and pulled on a bathrobe.

 - -

As soothing warmth penetrated into her body, Usagi closed her eyes and

relaxed. <Can I get back?> She wasn't sure. Although she wasn't sure what would happen to her then, or

even if it would work. But if she could go back, should she? That was

the question she was truly struggling with.

<I'm definitely more responsible. And I can do things I typically

can't.> "More mature" she felt her older self say. She felt stronger as

Sailor Moon, more confident as well. <It's nice being a mom even if it

is a pain at times.> A smile graced her lips as she thought, Deep in her heart, she knew how much her mother loved her.

<And this isn't my Mamoru. He's not as confident but... I can talk to

him better.> She certainly wasn't as smart as Mamoru now but it seemed

like they were more deeply connected somehow. <But why? Could I take

that with me?> She didn't know. 

Hearing a gentle tap at the door, Usagi sat up and looked towards the

door. "Hai?"

"Mommy, I gotta go to the bathroom."

"It isn't locked, Chibi-Usa-chan," Usagi replied. Chibi-Usa came in and

closed the door. Closing her eyes, Usagi sank back into the warm water

and pretended she was alone. After a little bit, Usagi heard the toilet

flush and the water running in the sink.

"'Night Mommy."

"Konbanwa, Chibi-Usa-chan," Usagi replied. She heard the bathroom door

open and then close again. <Chibi-Usa seems a lot happier. And she

respects me more. Well, at least, she listens a lot more.> Usagi had to

admit that except for a few things, she could likely learn to live with

life here; life was very good.

Deciding that if she didn't get out soon she'd turn into a prune, Usagi

pushed herself up and began drying off. <Time for bed.> But a peel of

thunder predicted it would likely be a long and sleepless night.

 - -

"I haven't seen you reading one of those in a long time," Luna remarked

as she hopped onto the bed and padded her way towards her charge. "What

manga is it?"

Usagi looked up from the manga, grinned, and tilted the cover so Luna

could see. "Aren't you a little old for that, Usagi-chan?" Luna asked.

"I wanted to indulge myself," Usagi replied. "I was a teen once." <Not all that long ago.> The Lunar Cat

stretched and curled up in Usagi's lap. "Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

"Were you disappointed when I got pregnant so young?"

Luna was silent for a long time then she answered, "A little but I was

scared." She smiled weakly at her friend. "Why ask me now?"

Usagi closed her eyes for a moment and mused, "No reason really, Luna. I

was just thinking what it would be like to grow up with my daughters. If

I was the same age as the others."

"Good thing you aren't, Usagi-chan. All of you together would be quite a

handful."

Usagi gave her a sour look before giggling. <Oh Luna, you're so

different sometimes and then you remind me of my Luna.> Reaching out,

she scratched the feline behind her right ear. "You're good to me, Luna.

And a big help."

"What do you think you would've been like back then? I mean if you

hadn't gotten pregnant?"

"Well..." Usagi began. 

 - -

"Mamo-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever wish we never got married?"

Mamoru rolled from his back to his side and stared at wife. "Nani?"

"Well, did you every think you could do more if you hadn't got married?"

Usagi asked.

"You want to break up?" he sounded pained.

"No!" Usagi exclaimed and rolled to face her husband. "I'm sorry,

Mamo-chan. I was just thinking how lucky I am. I know you dreamed of

studying in the United States." <Both Mamorus talked about that.> She

thought, before adding, "I just wondered if you ever regretted not

going?"

"I'd miss you and the girls too much, Usako," Mamoru retorted, "You're

my family and I made vows to look after you." He kissed her then. "So

you aren't breaking up with me, ne?"

"No, my love, for you are my prince and death couldn't separate us,"

Usagi stated and kissed her husband back. "I just want to make sure

you're happy." They stared at each other and started to embrace when

thunder rumbled overhead. Moments later, the first streaks of lightning

flashed across the sky and a fresh downpour of rain began. "This is a

sign."

"Nani? Of what?" Mamoru asked.

At that moment, a screaming bundle burst into their bedroom, hopped onto

the bed, and scrambled down its length. As expected, it was Chibi-Usa.

"Where's Momoko?"

Chibi-Usa shrugged before asking, "Can I sleep in here, Mommy?" With the

next peel of thunder, the question was answered as Chibi-Usa crawled

between her parents.

"I'm going to get Momoko," Usagi told them. She slipped from the bed and

pulled on a robe.

 - -

<Oh, poor Mamoru,> Usagi thought a short time later, <Forced out of his

own bed.> Usagi wasn't much better off. She was pinned between their two

sleeping daughters. As she looked down at the sleeping Momoko, Usagi was

reminded that Momoko already had parents. She couldn't even begin to

believe that she was being fair by replacing the little girl's parents.

<And I missed all the growing up they've already done.> And she had

always dreamed of the day she would marry Mamoru. <Now I only have

memories, and even those aren't really mine.> While the respect the

other girls gave her was pleasant, she hadn't truly earned it. It had

more to do with her age and her confidence than actual respect. <My Rei

is a lot closer. But what about Makoto?> That was a hard point. She was

glad to see that her friend had a family. Nevertheless, she wasn't sure

she had the right to tamper with Makoto's life. And assuming she was unhappy in a life without the

Tsukino's as a family would be unfair.

<But if I can't get back, then why am I worrying about this stuff?>

Usagi sighed. It was because deep in her heart, she knew she wanted to

go back to being fifteen. It was wonderful to have a family of her own

and be the way she was now but that really wasn't her; at least deep

within her heart, it wasn't her. More importantly, her happiness would

never, could never, come at the expense of others, whether they be

Momoko, Makoto, or even Chibi-Usa who was vastly more confident than the

six year old that was snuggled beside her.

"I would go back," Usagi whispered, just to make sure she really

believed it. And with that, she drifted off to sleep.

 - -

It was a beam of sunlight that woke Usagi up. As her eyes fluttered

open, she realized that something was definitely amiss. Sitting up, she

blinked trying to dispel the sight before her. When it didn't go away,

she pinched herself and immediately regretted it. <I'm back!>

Indeed, she was back in her own bedroom. The room she had in the Tsukino

home with the rabbit-head and crescent moon covers and the odd stuffed

bunny lying about. Not only was she back in her own bedroom but also she

was back in her body. She felt fifteen. Getting up,

she turned around and gazed at herself.

"Nani?" a sleepy Luna asked from the foot of Usagi's bed, "You're up

before the alarm? On a weekend?! The world's coming to an end."

"Luna, I know this is going to sound weird but how old am I?"

Luna, who had closed her eyes opened them again and raised her head to

stare at the blonde. "How old are you?" Usagi nodded. "You're fifteen.

Why?"

"Um... I haven't told you if I was pregnant, ne?" Apparently, that was

the wrong thing to say because Luna leapt to her feet and stared sternly

at her charge. "WAIT!" Usagi pleaded, "It isn't what you think!"

"Well then, Usagi, hurry up and explain!" Luna demanded.

"I'm not pregnant. I just had this really weird dream." Usagi then

continued, "Besides, Luna, I'd tell you before I'd tell anybody else."

Luna seemed surprised by this statement. Stretching, Usagi sighed a

little and walked back over to her bed. Flopping down, she folded her

hands behind her head and looked up at the ceiling. After a few moments,

her vision began to blur. Blinking, she realized she was crying. <I'll

miss it, but I wouldn't give this life up.>

"What's the matter, Usagi-chan?" Luna asked.

"Oh... I'm just thinking about family." And reaching over, scratched

behind one of Luna's ears.

 - -

Usagi hummed softly to herself as she finished dressing. <Oh Kami-sama,

that bath felt so good!> The furo in the Tsukino home was definitely

larger than the small Western style tub she had dreamed in the small

apartment. She had stretched right out. <Luna thinks I'm sick because

I'm up early!> Usagi thought with exasperation, <Sure it's weird but

it's been a weird weekend.> She gave her trademark odangos one last

check. <Time to check on the girls.>

Opening the door, she stepped out into the hallway and was about to turn

towards the stairs that led up into the attic bedroom when she heard

giggling. <The girls must be up already,> Usagi decided, <But I didn't

hear them come downstairs.> She had been in taking a nice long bath

though. <But where...> Her thought was cut off as she heard giggling

again. It was muffled but in the quietness of the house, still audible.

<Nani? What are they doing in Shingo's room?> Usagi began to worry. The

girls really had no business in her brother's room. <And if something

happens, I'll get into trouble for it.> Maybe it had been that very

intense dream she had but she felt uncomfortable. While she and Shingo

squabbled, she did feel obligated to extend to him the same privacy that

he did to her.

Walking down the hall to Shingo's bedroom door, she gripped the handle

and paused for a moment. <Now, Usagi, you aren't their mother.> Then she

giggled softly to herself. <Well at least not Momoko's.> She didn't want

that intense dream to make her do something rash. <It had to have been a

dream, ne?> Maybe it had been that beef curry last night. Another burst

of giggling brought her back to the present.

Opening the door, she stepped inside and stopped dead in her tracks. The

three little girls inside the room gave her startled looks. Chibi-Usa's

face flushed bright pink. Momoko was giving her a very apprehensive

look. Neither reaction was seen by Usagi. She was staring too intently

at the third little girl. The unexpected child was around eight years

old and a near perfect copy of Makoto, except for her small stature and

lack of a ponytail.

"Onee-chan?" little Makoto asked, "What's wrong?"

<You will NOT faint!> she told herself sternly. Tearing her eyes away

from Makoto, she looked around the room. <This has to be a joke. But

where would they find a girl who looked like...> Gone were the piles of

junk that littered her brother's room. Gone were his posters and video

games. <It can't be... It's too different.> It was semi-clean although a

little crowded. In one corner was Makoto's bed. Its covers were of deep

green. A stuffed toy horse sat staring wide-eyed at Usagi from the head

of the bed.

A desk was tucked under the window, its surface holding a neat pile of

schoolbooks and what looked like the remnants of a late night snack. A

bookshelf with a few books and a couple of plants. <Right along Makoto's

style,> Usagi thought absently. In all appearances, it looked like a

little girl's room. In fact, it looked like it was shared by two little

girls. The floor was covered with discarded clothes, dolls, a few manga,

and empty foodstuff packages.

"Onee-chan?"

Usagi gave a start and turned her gaze back to her pint-sized friend.

<It wasn't a dream, but then...> None of this made any sense.

"Ohayo Usagi-san," Momoko said and walking over, gave her a hug. Usagi

bent down and returned the hug; she was startled though when the child

drew a crescent moon on her forehead before kissing it.

"Ohayo, Momo-chan, why don't you go and get ready and then me and you

will make breakfast."

"Hey!" Tsukino Makoto squawked, "I wanna help!"

"Well of course you can, Mako-chan. You're a great cook," the blonde

replied and bending down, hugged the once tall girl. "Want me to put

your hair up?" Makoto nodded and after grabbing up a few things, hurried

off after Momoko who had already left. Usagi walked to where her

daughter was looking at her and asked, "How's my favorite daughter

today?"

"I'm your..." Chibi-Usa pressed her lips together for a moment then

bowed her head and apologized, "Sorry for teasing you yesterday,

Usagi-san. Gomen."

"Nani?"

"I mean about that `Mommy´ thing," Chibi-Usa explained, "Momoko started

after me and well..." Chibi-Usa blushed a little. Her mother smiled,

bent down, and gave her a hug.

"I would never want to replace Momoko's mother. She's a special lady."

Usagi gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead. <And you're a special

little girl.> "Now go get ready, Chibi-Usa-chan."

"Hai!" Chibi-Usa chirped happily and after giving her mother another

quick hug hurried from the room.

 - -

"Baka Odango Atama..." Chibi-Usa grumbled out.

"Don't be mean to Mommy," Momoko admonished then giggled.

"Yeah!" Makoto added in. They were sitting around the dining room table

eating lunch.

"But I wanna go 'n' see my Mamo-chan!"

Usagi was about to retort but Momoko burst Chibi-Usa's bubble.

"Usagi-san said that you couldn't. I want her to read us a story

anyway." Makoto nodded her agreement since she had food in her mouth.

Chibi-Usa glared at her friend who ignored it.

"But..."

"Chibi-Usa," Usagi began in a calm but authoritative tone of voice. "You

didn't ask me if you could go over. Also you didn't ask Mamoru either."

Chibi-Usa crossed her arms and pouted. "If you're going to sulk, you can

go up to your room." Her annoyance crept up a notch as her daughter slid

from her chair and stomped out of the room.

<Makoto and Chibi-Usa share a room together.> She did feel sorry for

Shingo who was relegated to the attic bedroom. There was certainly a lot of privacy up there. Sighing

a little, she took another bite of her sandwich. <Everything is familiar

but yet strange too.> As far as she could tell, everything was the same

as it had been on Friday with the exception that Makoto was now eight

years old instead of her normal fifteen. <At least she's wearing that

ponytail.> Usagi didn't know if she could stand to see Makoto with

odangos and pigtails.

Makoto gave her older sister a large grin and giggled. "Think she'll

come 'n' listen to the story, Onee-chan?"

"I think she might, Mako-chan," Usagi replied and gave her little sister

a wink. At that moment, the phone rang. Getting up, she walked out into

the hallway and picked it up.

 - -

The rain pattered softly against the windows of the Tsukino home. Dark

clouds made the day gray and somewhat bleak. However, inside the house,

it was warm and comfortable. Usagi sat on the couch with two little

girls snuggled close beside her while she read from a book.

About mid-afternoon, Usagi caught a glimpse of strawberry-blonde hair.

"The end," she declared. Both little girls clapped as she shut the book.

Raising her voice a little, she called out, "Chibi-Usa-chan, you come in

here." Her daughter shuffled into the room wearing a sheepish

expression. "Are you going to behave?"

"Hai," Chibi-Usa squeaked out.

"Minna, do you think she should be allowed to come and listen to another

story?" Momoko and Makoto shared a look before nodding. Usagi smiled

then. "There's soda pop in the fridge and I'll go make us some more

popcorn." Getting up and stretching, she wandered into the kitchen.

Chibi-Usa followed closely behind her.

"Gomen nasai," Chibi-Usa said softly, "You aren't going to tell

Ikuko-mama, ne?"

Usagi patted Chibi-Usa reassuringly on the head. "Don't worry about it,

Chibi-Usa-chan. It wasn't anything major and I'll handle it." Chibi-Usa

grinned and left the kitchen. Soon, Usagi could hear the girls giggling.

Smiling to herself, Usagi thought, <I'm glad I came back.> Makoto might

be eight and Chibi-Usa had to go through the Black Moon Family War but

things seemed more realistic. <And Minako's eleven!> The perky preteen

had shown up shortly after lunch looking for Shingo. <I'll have to be

careful about teasing Shingo and Minako about them "dating".>

Thoughts of dating brought Mamoru to mind. <Even Mamo-chan...> She

giggled at the thought of her boyfriend. <He nearly flipped out when I

asked him how old he was.> Her mind started to drift as she thought

dreamily about him. <No, I'll think about him later.> He had invited her

and the girls out to supper but she declined. <This is just a girl's

only afternoon.>

 - -

When she came into the room, she noticed that the children were sitting

on the floor and looking expectantly at her. Putting the tray of snacks

down, she sat down on the floor herself and looked questioningly at

them.

"We couldn't decide who was gonna sit by you, Onee-chan," Makoto

explained, "So we decided on a circle." Her companions nodded.

"Where's your book?" Chibi-Usa asked.

"I thought of a special story," Usagi announced.

"Really?" Momoko asked with interest, "What's it called?"

Usagi looked at each little girl's face for a long moment before saying,

"Just Wishful Thinking."

The End

Authors' Afterword

Another story written. This one actually came out of a desire to write a

story that had Momoko in it as one of the characters. I should note that

I have used Momoko's hair coloring from the SMR and SMS seasons since it

is a consistent dark brown. In the SuperS season, Momoko's hair varies

wildly between a coloring akin to Ami's dark blue to an almost lavender

color.

The ending was not the one that I had originally intended. It was overly

complicated and didn't really do what I wanted to do. Moreover, after

reviewing my outline, I saw that I was trying to stretch the story out

over six chapters which it really didn't need to be.

I'm also amazed that I stuck to my outline fairly closely when it came

to chapters. Certainly there were a few things that needed to be

modified (Saturn's calling of Pegasus wasn't in the original). I

actually wasn't sure if Usagi would stay or not until almost the end of

the story.

One last thing, I've taken Momoko's last name from a Chibi-Usa manga

diary. Whether this is her actual name or not, I don't know but it's the

only reference I've ever seen to Momoko's family name.

Many thanks to Will for various reasons including helping me with ideas

and editing. I wrote it but he put the necessary polish on it. I also

owe him a deep apology; for what, he already knows.

Doug Helm June 15, 2000

Look for our next story "Bear Bunnies" soon.

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