The Sailor Switch

Chapter 3: A Bond Between Sisters

TERMS: imouto: little sister  *name*-nee-san: older sister

This chapter was proof-read by Robinfireemblem

Usagi and Naru were washing the linens together, deep in conversation.

"So, Usagi-nee-san, will you show me how to do my hair like yours?" Naru asked excitedly. Usagi usually had her hair done up in a braid that wove around her head and made a crown. Nobody but Mizuki and Usagi knew how to do it, and Naru wanted to know too.

"Sorry imouto, but I don't think your hair is long enough to do this with it," Usagi told her sister. The main reason this worked is that Usagi's hair went to her knees when it was in a high ponytail.

"Well, is there anything you can do with my hair?" Naru said, pouting. Aww, I really wanted my hair to be as pretty as Usagi-nee-san's! she thought to herself.

"Well, let me think. I might be able to whip something up real quick," Usagi said, thinking. I could do a little braid, but if Naru is going to have a braid, she wants it long. Ooh, I know! I'll do her hair like Sailor Venus', with that bow! Naru loves bows! 

"Hey, Naru! I just got an idea. Do you have a small bow with you?" Usagi said, putting down the laundry she was washing and walking over to Naru.

"Yeah, I do! What are you thinking about doing with it?" Naru asked her sister. Usagi came over and had Naru sit down and get out the bow. It was a pretty blue-green, but it would clash with her uniform.

"Aww, I can't wear it with my uniform! And I really wanted to see what you'd do with it, Usagi-nee-san..." Naru exclaimed sadly. Meanwhile, Usagi was coming up with a plan.

"Alright then, Naru! Which do you want to change, the bow or the uniform?" Usagi asked her sister excitedly. 

"If I could, the uniform, definitely," Naru said, confused. You can't just change the color of your uniform, could you?

"Alrighty then! Let's go ask Mizuki-san if she has an old uniform that's the color of your bow!" Usagi said, and got up to go with a spring in her step.

"Hey, Usagi-nee-san?" Naru asked, having noticed something odd. "Why do you call Mom 'Mizuki-san'?" Usagi sat back down, slumping slightly while trying to think about how to put her feelings into words. She hadn't ever told anyone why she called her 'mother' by her first name, most assuming she was just a family friend.

"Well, I think it's because I'm just not comfortable calling her 'mom'," Usagi said, deep in thought. "Also, I believe my real mom's still out there somewhere. Maybe she misses her daughter. And if my birth mother does show up one day, I'd like to call her 'mom' so she feels like her daughter really loves her." Usagi whispered, having started at a normal tone and gotten softer. "I just can't explain it, but for all that Mizuki-san is, the one thing she is not is my mother."

"Okay then, Usagi-nee-san," Naru whispered, feeling hurt. Does Usagi not think of us as her family? Does she not love us? Does she not love me? What Naru didn't realize was that she had spoken aloud, and Usagi was looking at her with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, imouto," Usagi said. "That's not it at all! I do love you guys, you both are my family! It's just that Mizuki-san is more like an older sister to me than a mother. I love you both, and I will never stop loving you guys. Your mother raised me, and you will always by my sister." Usagi quickly said, trying not to cry harder than she already was.

Naru was in tears herself from Usagi's declaration. "Usagi-nee-san..." Naru trailed off, lost for words. Usagi wiped her tears away and said,

"Come on, imouto. Let's finish that laundry." And they did, with the silence between them a pleasant one.