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A Woman Scorned

mbsilvana@hotmail.com

standard disclaimers

AN: This is rough draft... lemme know what ya'll think.

First season romance... done QS style!  Yes, this IS Usagi/Mamoru- just hold
your horses!  Motoki has NOT YET met Reika.

Earlier parts are available at the EMSL:
http://www.angelfire.com/ri2/ems/index.html

The Archivist is, of course, the wonderful and talented Meredith Bronwen
Mallory.

The stuff on Arthropods is from my Biology notes- Professor Wolback can take
the blame.



Part Two: Study Buddies



    Chiba Mamoru walked through the streets of Tokyo, feeling oddly disjointed
and apart from his surroundings.   The air was crisp and vital, and he
wished that he could see... her.   He imagined the highlights that late day
sun would cast across her shadowy hair, and heard her laughter instead of
remembering her plea.   She was out there, he believed.    She had to be.

    Hastening his steps, he hurried to Motoki's home, ready to drop off the
notes he had promised.   Motoki was a very good student, but even he
couldn't afford to miss the first day of classes in ANY class.    Motoki and
Mamoru had signed up for all of the same classes, hoping to study together. 
One professor, Chisato-sensei, had interfered with THAT by assigning
so-called "study buddies".

    Mamoru HATED being assigned a partner.   He preferred to work by himself,
or chose his own friends.   It was honest that forced him to admit that he
was very attractive to the opposite gender, and he sometimes hated it.   
Females would follow him around faithful dogs, and no matter WHAT he did,
nothing would discourage them from trailing his every move.   Some guys
would love it, but Mamoru was a private person by nature.

    The moment Chisato-sensei had announced that they were having partners was
the moment abruptly stopped dreaming of the double chocolate latte he was
going to get as soon as soon as class finished, his stomach tied in knots.  
The class had approximately an even male-to-female distribution, which
meant he had a fifty percent chance of getting some girl who would spend the
rest of the semester drooling after him.   Not a pleasant prospect.  If he
were lucky enough to get a male partner, his partner would most likely
become jealous of his popularity with females.   Sometimes a guy just
couldn't win.

    He barely managed to keep from cringing when his name was pulled out with a
"Chika Ezura".   To his surprise, though, she seemed almost wary of him,
which had surprised him.   Rather then volunteering to come over to his
place, she had pushed for either the library or her apartment, where her
roommate would be.   He was impressed by her good sense, though he admitted
to himself that she wasn't bad on the eyes.

    She had curves in all the right places, and a long mass of black hair that
made a guy's fingers itch to see if it was really as silky as it looked.   
Her chocolate brown eyes were quite pretty, and he was under the impression
that there was a mind behind it.   Still... she wasn't his princess.   Not
to mention that she had sent VERY clear indications that she wasn't
interested.

    Shaking his head, he knocked on the door to Motoki's place, then let
himself in.   Motoki had left after their third class, violently ill.  
Mamoru had collected the homework for their last class of the day, promising
to deliver it.

    "Ohayo, Motoki!" he called with false cheer, waiting for a reaction.   Sure
enough, he got one.

    Motoki stumbled out of his bedroom into the sitting room, his eyes shadowed
and his face waxy.   He was wearing a ratty old bathrobe, and the glare he
directed at Mamoru was truly classic.   It was odd for Mamoru to see his
oldest friend not in a good humor, but he figured that Motoki had it coming.
 "Is there some reason that you're so chipper?" Motoki practically
growled, "or do you just have a death wish I didn't know about?"

    Mamoru smiled and handed over the notes he had photocopied for his friend. 
"I brought you a get-well present," he said.

    Motoki's frown deepened, looking almost frightening with the dark circles
that were under his eyes acting as accents.   "Thanks," he said, scowling as
he glanced over Mamoru's precise script.   "For some reason, this doesn't
make me feel at ALL better," he griped, glaring through the papers.  Then
his face turned an interesting shade of green, and Mamoru watched as Motoki
raced off to the bathroom.   In a few seconds, he could here the sound of
someone emptying the contents of their stomach.   After a brief moment of
running water, Motoki returned, looking even more wane then before.   "This
sucks," he grumbled.   "Not only am I sick, but YOU end up being partnered
with the hottest babe on campus while I end up with the exchange student
from Germany.   I can't even TALK to him, much less study with him."  
Motoki's eyes brightened.   "Tell me what's she's like."

    "Chika-san?" Mamoru asked in surprise.

    "Who else?   Have you asked her out yet?"

    Mamoru laughed lightly.   "You know I'm not interested in dating just
anyone.  I'm waiting for someone special," he said softly, trying to convey
how important it was.

    "She's special!   Did you get a good look at her?   I mean, a guy would
have to be BLIND not to think she's something special."

    "She didn't seem interested in doing anything aside from studying.   Made
it quite clear, in fact," Mamoru said.

    Motoki thought for a minute, then looked horrified.   "You don't mean she's
a lesbian, do you?  What a waste!"

    Mamoru shook his head.   "No!   She just gave me the cold shoulder."

    Motoki's expression of disbelief turned to one of surprised, then to
laughter.   "Now THAT makes me feel better!" he crowed.   "Welcome to the
world of ordinary mortals!   Tell us, Chiba Mamoru, how does it feel?"

    "Decidedly odd," Mamoru said, then grinned impishly.   "But it's a kind of
odd I could get used to.   It might be nice having a female FRIEND."

    "What about Sayako?" Motoki suggested.

    Mamoru blinked.  "I don't think of her as female- she's too... too
SOMETHING.   Chika-san is DEFINITELY female.  We're going to be studying
tonight," he admitted to Motoki grudgingly

    Motoki blinked and groaned.   "Life is SO unfair!" he complained.   "I'm
going to be spending the next evening being sick, while you get to hang out
and flirt with one of the hottest girls I've ever seen."

    Mamoru laughed him off.  �I�m hoping to get a lot of work done, actually.  
Chika-san seems like she would rather do that as well.   But if it makes you
feel happier to get envious, feel free to!�

    Motoki waved a threatening fist at Mamoru�s retreating back.   �I�ll get
even with you for this, Chiba!�

    �In your dreams, Furata!� Mamoru shot back, glancing over his shoulder as
the door swung shut.





    At ten  minutes to eight, Chiba Mamoru was knocking on the door of the
address Chika Ezura had given him, wondering if this was a prank on her
behalf.   The building she was in was pricey, to say the least, and she was
on the floor below the penthouse.   Mamoru was by no means poor, but this
region of wealth was beyond what he was comfortable with.

    He heard the chain slide and the door swing inwards, and caught his breath
as the door opened.   The man on the other side looked at him with icy blue
eyes that were a match for his own, and Mamoru had a hard time suppressing a
sense of d�j� vu.   He should know the blue haired man who was looking at
him like some kind of disgusting lab specimen he wasn�t sure how to dissect.
�Yes?� the man said in a cool voice.

    �Um�. Excuse me�. I was looking for Chika Ezura?� he asked.

    The man sighed.   �You must be Chiba Mamoru,� he said with a distinct lack
of enthusiasm.

    �Yes,� Mamoru said, hanging out uncomfortably, trying not to shift too
obviously.   Something about the man gave him the impression that he
disliked Mamoru on sight.

    The man tilted his head, pausing in thought.   �I suppose there�s no help
for it.   You might as well come in,� he said, turning around.   Mamoru slid
around the door before it could slam shut, since the man obviously had no
intention of being a good host.

    �Are you her roommate?� he asked.

    �She�s my cousin,� the man said acidically.

    Mamoru blinked.   �Oh,� he said, unable to think of anything more
intelligent.   Taking off his shoes, he put on a pair of guest slippers by
the door.

    �Kae Satoshi,� the man finally said.

    �What?� Mamoru asked.

    �It�s my name,� he said.   �I�ll get Ezura,� he said.  �Ezzy-chan!� he
yelled without moving from the living room.

    The door swung open, and Ezura stumbled out, still wearing the same outfit
she had been wearing earlier then that day.   Her hair had been pulled into
a high ponytail and her sleeves rolled back, and she was wearing a rather
perturbed frown on her face.   �How many times have I told you to stop
calling me that?� she demanded, then her eyes widened as she noticed her
guest.   �I�m sorry for my rudeness,� she said, bowing slightly, �but
Satoshi keeps doing that!� she said, then blinked.   �Sorry again.   He
tries to drive me nuts.�

    Satoshi glared at them.   �I�ll be in my room working with my flowers.�

    They watched him leave.   �Friendly, isn�t he?� Ezura said.   �If you wait
here, I�ll get my books.   Would you like something to drink?  Eat?�

    �A soda would be nice,� he said.

She nodded.  �He�s obsessed with those silly flowers,� she muttered, then
lowered her eyes.   �Oops.   I bet you like them, don�t you?�

�Yes,� he confessed.  �Especially roses.�

She tilted her head.   �That doesn�t surprise me,� she said with an amused
smile.    �We should start work- I�ll get my stuff?�  Then she left, leaving
Mamoru to look around the apartment by himself.

Everything was green.   Green curtains, chairs, rugs�. all around was a few
very interesting objets d�art, and plants ran riot.   Mamoru guessed that
Satoshi was probably responsible for them, and his opinion of the rather
offensive man rose a few notches.   Anyone who could produce plants like
this couldn�t possibly be all bad.

Ezura returned, carrying her biology text and a notebook.   Setting them on
the table, she headed in the other direction, only to return with two cans
of Pepsi and glasses filled with ice.   Smiling at him, she sat down at the
low table on a mat, motioning that he should take the opposite seat.   �I
know this sounds horribly rude, but are you a good student?�

�Very,� he said frankly, charmed by the stunning smile she sent to him in
response.

�That�s good,� she said.   �I wouldn�t want you dragging down my grade.   To
be quite honest with you, I�m not that much of a team player- I tend to be a
loner.�

He smiled.   �Myself as well.  How do you want to do this?�

�Well, I think we should each do the reading, and maybe quiz each other on
it when we�re done.  I haven�t had much time to look over the material yet.�

He nodded his agreement and they started to review there books.   Every now
and then Ezura would grab the end of her ponytail and twist it between her
fingers as her eyes absorbed the knowledge.  Finally she set the book down
and sat, looking at him.   It wasn�t a stare of lust (which he was used to
seeing), but rather an evaluating one.    Mamoru snapped his text shut,
intrigued.

�Something interesting?� he asked.

    �No, not really,� she said.   �I was just thinking about how much you and
Sa-chan resembled each other.   It�s rather remarkable, actually.�

    Mamoru shrugged.   He couldn�t see it.   �So do you want to quiz me first,
or should I ask you?�

    �Ask me,� she said, handing over her text.   �I need all the help I can
get.�

    Opening the book he randomly pulled out a review question.   �Tell me about
Arthopods,� he said.

    Smiling, she started to recite, almost word for word, the book�s
definition. "Arthropods range in distribution from the deep sea to mountain
peaks, in size from the king crab with its 12-foot armspan to microscopic
insects and crustaceans. Despite this unbelievable diversity, the basic body
plan of arthropods is fairly constant. Arthropods have a stiff cuticle made
largely of chitin and proteins, forming an exoskeleton that may or may not
be further stiffened with calcium carbonate. They have segmented bodies and
show various patterns of segment fusion (tagmosis) to form integrated units
such as heads, abdomens, and so on. The phylum takes its name from its
distinctive jointed appendages, which may be modified in a number of ways to
form antennae, mouth parts, and reproductive organs."

His eyes widened, and she started to provide information that WASN�T in the
book.  �Chika-san, I thought you said you weren�t sure about this!�

    She looked at him.   �I�m not!� she said.   �I can never remember anything!
 Do you mean I got it right?�  She sounded surprised, and a touch
disconcerted.

    He stared into her confused eyes, intrigued.  Apparently the woman seated
in front of him had no idea of her own intelligence.   In spite of himself,
Mamoru felt the stirrings of interest.   �Everything you said was right,
Chika-san.   Every little detail.�



END PART TWO





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