Games of Seduction

By:The Young Lady of Legends

Well guys. I hate that I can't give you a longer chapter for the end, but alas, this is it. I feel like I might cry! This is my favorite fanfic yet! I loved the way it turned out even if I feel like I made some mistakes in the storyline on the way to here. I wrote the beginning of this chapter to prove that even though our little Usagi has found true love, she's still the same girl she always was. Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story! It keeps me going when writer's block is beating at me with a broom handle. Please come back for whatever my next story may be! Enjoy! And as always... review!

ChapterTen:I Hereby Declare Myself the Winner!

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Beep Beep Beep!

What is that irritating noise? My eyes were heavy with sleep, and my vision was blurred when I opened my eyes to see what could possibly be disturbing my beauty sleep. My arms were flailing around in the air, hopelessly trying to locate that sound when my arm hit something plastic and square on my bedside table. "Huh?" Okay, so I'm not exactly a master of words when I first wake up. Who is?

My alarm clock! Of course! I'd set it last night when I vowed to turn over a new leaf. I figured as good as things were going I could at least make some small effort somewhere. Immediately I'd thought of Mamoru's taunts before all this began and I'd decided to work harder in school.

The thought of Mamoru made my lips curl up in the corners. I glimpsed myself in the mirror and noted the fireworks that were apparent in my eyes. Minako liked to call them stars, but we aren't so cheesy.

I bounded from my bed in a jubilant mood and quickly dressed. Not that I had to, of course. It wasn't as if I was running late, but... as they say, old habits are hard to break. I practically skipped down the stairs and threw my arms around my mom's neck as I saw her.

From the look on her face you'd have thought I'd told her I was moving to Antarctica to swim with the penguins.

"Usa- ah...uh, that is to say, um...what on earth are you doing awake?" she sputtered in complete shock. In walked my father, not paying attention, and drinking from his coffee mug. As he looked up and saw me, two things happened in such rapid succession you'd have thought they were simultaneous. Firstly, his eyes widened to the size of refrigerators (er... well maybe an exaggeration on my part, but I digress) and then he spattered coffee all over me and my mom.

"Ew?" I said questioningly.

"Usagi! What are YOU doing awake?! Not only is it before noon, it's relatively early." he gasped rather quickly.

"What are you talking about? Noon? I'm never THAT late for school Dad." I answered. Of course this is when I began to notice small things that made a world of difference. My father was here and it was a few minutes after seven o'clock. He was always gone at six a.m. on weekday mornings. Secondly, my mother was in her pajamas.

Hold it.

"What day is it?" I asked, feeling as if my balloon of triumph had deflated rapidly.

"Saturday, Usagi." my mother answered, looking at me as if I'd grown an extra head.

I threw my arms into the air and screamed angrily. "WHAT?! I WOKE UP EARLY?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! THE ONE MORNING I WAS GOING TO BE ON TIME, IT HAS TO BE SATURDAY?!?" I bellowed. I'd already started toward the stairs and was pulling on my shoes as I went. "I'M GOING BACK TO BED FOR A WEEK!!!!!"

So much for my new leaf.

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Later that afternoon, after I'd slept off my anger, I went to the Crown Arcade to tell my friends the latest news. I walked in nonchalantly, so as not to give myself away. I slumped down into my usual seat in the booth that the girls were already seated at. I swear, they are always in the arcade.

Minako grinned at me and started humming "Na-na-na-na-boo-boo." There is no telling what that was all about.

"What?"

Rei looked at me like I was trying to hide something. Which in reality... but that wasn't really the point. "Usa-chan. Do you think we didn't hear it?"

I swallowed hard. "Hear what?" I asked innocently.

Makoto burst at the seams, unable to hold it in for any longer. "The letter over the radio that the d.j. read yesterday!"

Well, it's not like you could really blame me for letting a little thing like that slip my mind, now could you? What with everything else that was going on. Speaking of which, I noticed then that Mamoru wasn't in the arcade, much to my disappointment. "Hmm... oh yeah."

"What do you mean 'Oh yeah'?! You sound surprised, almost like you had no idea!" Ami cried. Since when had she become the gossip queen?

"You did know didn't you?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah. I heard it. What's the big deal?" I asked.

Rei looked stunned. "We figured you'd be furious!"

I shrugged. "Who cares? Just a radio announcement. Who, other than all of you I mean, really listens to that sort of thing anyway?"

Suddenly I felt something warm snake around me from behind and a small kiss on my cheek. I turned. "Mamo-chan!" I grinned. He was leaning down so we were nearly eye level. He grinned as he kissed me. Heaven. Absolute bliss. Euphoria.

My friends were all gaping at me. "What?"

" 'What?' 'WHAT?!' I'll give you what Tsukino Usagi! You didn't tell us about all..." there was a pause, "all this!" Rei finished, huffily.

I cocked my head inquisitively. "You mean that Mamo-chan and I are dating?"

"WHAT?!" Minako cried. "And I wasn't the first one to hear about it! You'd think I'd get that privilege as I am the...expert" she strained looking at Mamoru, knowing that she couldn't say senshi, "of- I mean on love!"

Makoto asked, "So... Usa-chan. Did you come out win, lose or draw?"

Suddenly it occurred to me. Why did they care so much who won this bet? Wasn't this something between Mamoru and I? "Why?"

Each of them, Rei, Minako, Makoto and Ami became interested in something on the floor and began to fidget. Minako, being the brave soul that she is ventured, "Well we...um.."

Rei burst out with the rest of the confession, "placed bets on who we all thought was more apt to win!"

I was astounded.

"How much?!" I demanded. I, afterall, had the right to now how much my friends thought my love life was worth.

"Well, we each bet fifty dollars." Ami admitted, looking rather remorseful.

I looked to Mamoru. Even I was interested in who won now. "Er...Mamo-chan? Who did win exactly?"

"Well..." he began. "I suppose it wasn't a fair bet since it was on whoever fell for whomever first, and I had it bad for you since well before the bet was made."

My eyebrows knitted themselves together in confusion. "So...that means I won?"

He smiled lightly as he held me a little closer in his arms. "As I was the one who ended up with you I think that means...

...I won."