The Eclipse

By Bashfulglowfly

Usagi was cold.

She rubbed her hands back and forth across her arms, but the friction didn't make her warmer.

She couldn't understand why she was cold. She had turned up the temperature in the apartment, but she was still cold.

She picked up her phone and sent out a group text. She hated doing that. She knew everyone was busy this Monday afternoon, but something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Rei was the first to arrive and she gasped as Usagi's chilled skin touched hers. Rei half-ran to the bedroom, grabbed a blanket and quickly wrapped it around Usagi. She then convinced the blonde to sit on the couch. Rei surreptitiously sent a text to Ami and Mamoru urging them to hurry.

Haruka and Michiru were the next to arrive with Hotaru right behind. Makoto and Minako arrived at the same time but were shoved out of the way by a frantic Mamoru.

"Usako!"

Usagi peered out from the blanket she was huddled in. "Mamo-chan!"

"What's wrong?" Mamoru gathered her into his arms and held her close. He took hold of one of her hands and gasped at how cold it was.

"I'm cold. I don't know why but I'm cold."

"Usako, I…"

"Maybe it's the eclipse."

The group turned and looked at Setsuna who stood in the apartment doorway behind a panting Ami.

"Eclipse?" asked Minako. "The sun's shining."

"Not on the other side of the world it isn't." said Setsuna calmly. "There is a full eclipse of the moon over North America. In fact, it's an eclipse of a super moon."

Ami, seeing the confusion in the faces of a few of her friends, spoke hastily. "A super moon is when the Moon is closer to the Earth than normal."

"Okay," said Makoto. "But that doesn't explain Usagi's reaction."

Rei nodded. "She didn't act like this when the Dead Moon Circus arrived."

Mamoru kissed her forehead. And cursed quietly to himself. We don't need this. At all. We know the Great Freeze is coming soon. What's going to happen now?

Minako caught his eye and she gave a small shrug. He knew that she was saying that they would take what comes like they usually did.

The Senshi sat quietly. And waited. Michiru made tea for everyone but her efforts grew cold in several cups.

After a while Usagi gasped "I'm hot!" and flung off the blanket. Mamoru gently touched her face then her hands. She was warm again.

Usagi looked at her fiancé and her dearest friends. "I'm sorry! I…"

Haruka laughed. "Don't be sorry. We understand."

Ami looked up from her computer. "The eclipse is almost over."

"That must explain it." Usagi bit her lip, doubt written across her delicate face. "I guess."

Rei stood up and stretched. "Well, despite this being a false alarm, it was nice being together."

The other's murmured agreement and slowly drifted out of the apartment after saying their goodbyes.

Mamoru rubbed his cheek across the top of Usagi's head. "Why don't we take a nap."

Usagi twisted around to look at her beloved "A nap?" Her eyes widened at his cheerfully lascivious grin. "OH! That sort of nap!" She gave him a sensuous smile and pulled him to the bedroom.

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Underneath the Sierra Nevada's, in an undiscovered cavern…four sets of eyes opened.