Usagi skipped happily along, a mischievous look stamped on her nymph-like features. Anyone who saw her would have stated that she seemed normal. Of course, anyone who knew her could easily see that the child had found some delicious trouble to dive into.

And they would be correct in the assumption.

The wicked look spread steadily across her face and she resisted the urge to laugh evilly. No, that would ruin her perfect, perfect plan. Little did her arch nemesis know that he had not only handed himself to her on a silver platter, but he'd added all the garnish as well! Slung over her delicate, misguided little shoulders hung a rather large duffle bag that seemed much too big for how weightless it was. Perched precariously on her other shoulder sat the slowly shifting second strap to said bag.

Of course, as comes in all short stories, the fated corner found it's two favorite victims, sending them sprawling across the pavement, all of the annoying huffs and grunts involved. Across the sidewalk beside the young girl lay scattered several rolled columns, not unlike what one would find in the poster section in the store. Usagi, as was her natural tendency to do, wailed like a dying fish instantly.

"NO!!! My retirement!!" Mamoru snorted decisively, hefting himself across the pavement to grab at one roll in curiosity. Usagi had already jumped up and was currently in a flurry of activity, trying unsuccessfully to gather all of her scattered belongings. Unfortunately for the both of them, as our little schoolgirl hadn't bothered to notice, her skirt was just a wee bit too short, giving Mamoru more than enough view to satisfy a few lonely nights.

Instead of sitting there with his mouth gaping open in shock and wonder, the rather intelligent young man decided not to comment, but turned instead to the roll of glossy finish paper in his hand. No need to tell the Odango she was causing his heart rate to speed up, she'd just use that to her advantage! (Not to mention remove said view, which of course he wouldn't have). He unfurled the roll, only to find his heart rate had tripled, this time in anger.

"ODANGO-BAKA!!" He roared, eyes fixed on the scene before him. It was a poster of him, shirtless, in the arcade. It had only happened yesterday! How in the heck had she had so many printed up! There had to be at least thirty of them!

The small blond girl froze in her tracks, posters hanging limply from her grasp as she turned like a deer caught with a turnip in it's mouth – and Mamoru was the pissed gardener with a gun. A sheepish grin slipped across her face before she scratched at her head in assumed innocence.

"He he, how did that get there?" Before he could even think about a possible retort, she had grabbed the offending material, rolled it up, and stuffed the bag full of them. Mamoru bounded forward, gripping her arm before she could run off again and spun her around to face him.

"How in the HELL did you get that! And what's this about retirement?!" Usagi grinned sheepishly again.

"Well, don't look at me!! It's not my fault you sell damn good on ebay!" She huffed indignantly, jauntily setting one hand on her hip as if she had every right. Mamoru's nostrils flared angrily.

"You WHAT?! Ebay!?" the prankster jumped visibly in the face of his rage, causing a thrill of justification to course through his veins. She should be scared, the brat!

"Gomen, Mamoru…baka!" She screamed as her foot connected with his shin and she bolted, laughing like a crazy person. Mamoru grunted in pain, staring at the quickly disappearing form of his arch nemesis with something akin to pride.

------

Of course, there was revenge to be sought. At least in the modeling business, he got paid to appear on magazines and posters. But this was just completely unforgivable. He muttered something darkly promising as he continued down the sidewalk in search of something rather particular. Not an hour ago, he'd had the shock of his life as he'd found said poster plastered all over the merchandising site under the name 'Arcade Hottie'. The sole consolation was that it was going for $40 bucks at the moment.

And so, since Mamoru had never been able to think of anything particularly original when it came to prank-age, he simply decided on the easiest, most irritating course of action. An evil grin spread lazily across his face as he crossed the street, staring at the paper clutched in his hand. There was no getting out of this one for that Odango-Baka!

First, he had checked on the irritant in question, finding her laughing like a jackel with her friend over how much cash she would need to spend now. They were yucking it up in the mall, and even Ami had decided to join in. Oh yes, that had definitely spurned him on in finding the best course of action for revenge.

Next, he'd scouted out a phone book and ripped out the needed page so that he could easily find his way to the targeted house. Since the girls were in the mall, the likelihood of a quick return was not good. Now that he had made it across town with no one the wiser, he stood before a quant two-story house in white, with a junky little red station wagon parked outside the garage. It was nice enough, but not exactly what he'd imagined the always pristine Usagi to come from.

Now that he was here, though, the next phase took a few moments to figure out. There was a large tree stationed outside one window in particular that caught his eye. The drapes were pink. Of course Mamoru had never stopped to wonder if his nemesis had a sister at all, he assumed there was only a brother she'd mentioned in passing a few weeks ago. That would mean that her parent's wouldn't have pink drapes, and neither would the brother.

Nimbly hefting himself up into the sturdy branches, he made his way toward the window and his goal with all the grace of a stalking cheetah. Let's see her laugh at this!

Mere moments later, a figure leapt down from the trees, carrying a small package and sporting tiny streams of blood on his hands. The bundle seemed to be moving, though one would have to look rather closely to see it. The tall figure walked quietly away, a wicked gleam to his eye as he disappeared around the corner.

------

Usagi returned home that night, tired but immensely happy that her little fight with Mamoru had returned her at least a hundred bucks so far. The poor Baka really had no idea who he was messing with! One cheery 'hello' to her mother as she passed and the safety of her room was once more within reach.

She set her new clothes down on the bed, beginning to sort through the various bags she'd acquired during her visit with the girls, and cutting tags. Of course, she felt suddenly like the room was eerily…quiet. A quick glance noted that nothing had been removed or replaced, and yet it felt so empty. The feeling bothered the young girl as she sorted her clothes, ate dinner with her family and watched TV later that night. But when she slipped beneath the covers, it finally hit her.

Well, at least the realization of what was missing kind of came to her. What hit her was a pin sticking her leg as she moved. Throwing back the covers, her eyes were met with a small, hand written note tucked neatly between her sheets. Scrawled across the face of it in the irritatingly perfect spider web handwriting, was something she honestly didn't know how to take.

Luna's come to the dark side. If you want her back, you'll have to…bargain for her.

Mamoru

Usagi instantly saw red, though she wasn't sure if it was anger, or the strange feeling in her gut at the sight of the word 'bargain'.