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Usagi could hardly believe it.
She was going to college.
She supposed she shouldn’t have been that surprised. She’d worked hard in high school to bring her grades up. She’d studied with Ami and Mamo-chan and had even gone to some cram school for extra help when those two were too busy with their own, super-smart studies. She’d never be considered brilliant, but at least she passed her classes. She’d worked hard and it had paid off when the acceptance letter from Tokyo University had said she was accepted.
But, even now, with cardboard boxes filled with bedding and books and clothes piled around her and Kenji-papa going to borrow a van from her uncle, she still couldn’t believe it was real.
She was going to college.
There were times she was positive she’d never see this day. Not just because she’d stared death in the face innumerable time and made it through the other side. Not just because she thought her life had been planned out for her and no one she’d met from the future had ever mentioned that she’d gone to college. She’d never thought she’d see this day when she’d studied and studied and studied and still only had a 57 on that math assignment. She never thought she’d see this day when she spent a late night putting together English sentences and then discovering she’d actually insulted someone’s mother instead.
But she did it.
She kept working on her math (which, truly, was a horrid subject, no matter what Ami thought). She worked on learning English. She even started French and wasn’t half bad at it. (She had only a year so far, but it really was a much easier language than English. Stupid English with its stupid rules that it liked to not follow.) She didn’t go very far in science (Ami had taken Organic Chemistry at the college already!), but Ami and Mamoru and even Setsuna had all (very patiently) tutored her. (Besides, it was fun to watch Setsuna’s eyes get this little twitch whenever the subject of Pluto’s classification status came up.)
And she was going to college.
Usagi did a happy dance around her room. She was so excited. She was going to change the world. She’d decided on Political Science as a major or maybe psychology or maybe sociology or...well, it could end up being a lot of things. After Galaxia, Setsuna had told her that things had changed and what they thought of as Crystal Tokyo may no longer happen. It might, but it might not. Or it might be a different Crystal Tokyo.
What freedom.
She could live her life without the thought that the entire future of Earth’s very existence depended solely on her. She could have fun, be silly, plan for a life that wouldn’t involve sitting in a crystalline palace at the age of 22. She was thrilled. Sure, it might come to that. But it might not.
And, once she started thinking about how she wanted to spend the next 50 or so years of her life (besides kissing Mamo-chan and eating daifuku), she decided she wanted to help people. She wasn’t sure how she would do that, but she’d figure that out eventually.
Usagi started doing a dizzy spin, planning on landing on her bed. As she turned towards her door, she saw her mother standing in the doorway, apron on, holding a towel in her hand. “Don’t look quite so eager to get out of here! It makes me think you don’t like it around here,” Ikuko said, eyes sparkling.
Usagi immediately tripped as she tried to stop, mid-twirl. Her mother’s smile widened as Usagi fought to straighten herself and look like the responsible college student she was going to be (she was going to college!) and not a klutzy 14 year old, falling down the stairs. “I’m sorry, mama,” she began, babbling. “I just never thought it would be me! Me! Going to college! I’m so excited. I do love living here with you and daddy...”
Ikuko started laughing. “It sure is easy to get you going. Your father and I are so proud of you. We don’t even mind that you’re leaving us. Actually, when I consider how much money I’ll save not having to feed you snacks every day, well, I think we should have asked you to go a lot sooner!”
“Mo-ther!” Usagi protested. “I do have a teenage brother, you know. Seriously, have you seen what that boy eats after school each day. At least several cookies! And…” By now, Ikuko was laughing so hard, she had sat down on the bed. “You really do rise to every bait, Usagi-dearest.”
Usagi sat down next to Ikuko. “I really do love you guys.”
“And we love you, too.” The two sat in silence for a second.
“I have to admit, there were times your father and I weren’t sure you’d even graduate from high school, let alone be accepted into college. We are so proud of you.”
Usagi’s smile grew bigger. “Thanks, mama.”
Ikuko pulled her daughter in for a hug. “Just think of the fun you’re going to have. You’ll get to take classes that interest you. You’ll get to join clubs with people interested in the same things. You’ll get to be a part of projects that matter. And you’ll still have your friends! I know you girls will be able to still get together and have fun, even with juggling new schedules.” Ikuko stroked Usagi’s long hair. “Plus, you’ll be able to spend the nights at Mamoru’s without telling me you’re at Makoto’s.”
Usagi sat bolt upright, a sweatdrop forming behind her. “Mama, I don’t know what you mean,” she said, giggling nervously.
“Usagi, please. I’m your mother. You think I didn’t notice that you spent an awful lot of nights at friend’s homes and rarely reciprocated?”
“That’s because Shingo is so annoying! He hogs the TV! And his crush on Ami! It’s sooooooo embarrassing!”
“Usagi,” her mother said, with a smile. “I’m your mother,” she repeated. “I know that you’ve spent several nights at Mamoru’s.” Usagi’s face was bright red now. Ikuko nudged her with her shoulder. “Still can’t tell me, eh? I just hope you’re being safe. You know, Dr. Kobo can help with any questions you have or concerns. I mean, I hope you’d come to me, too.”
“Mother,” Usagi said, firmly, but with her head buried in her hands. “I just...cannot...talk about Mamo-chan and I right now. With you. I’m still getting over the shock of finding out that you’ve known this whole time. Does Daddy know?” Her eyes widened with fear. “Oh my god, he does, doesn’t he? That’s why he’s never warmed up to Mamo-chan! You don’t think he’ll do anything to him, do you? Oh, god, he’s gone to get a truck. I bet he’s using that to transport Mamo-chan’s body.”
Her mother was laughing again. Usagi was a bit relieved. She’d met her share of maniacal monsters, but they didn’t usually laugh like her mother was laughing when discussing Mamo-chan’s demise. To be honest, they weren’t really interested in his demise, but keeping him as some sort of love slave. But the laughter was different, either way. At least her mother didn’t plan on killing him.
“Oh, Usagi,” Ikuko said, drawing her daughter into her arms for a hug. “I’m really going to miss having you around.”
Usagi just hugged her mother back. It wasn’t until this moment that she realized what going to college really meant. All her plans for growing up and changing the world really began now.
She was moving out. She had a dorm waiting for her. She wouldn’t be going home for dinner at night. She’d be coming over for Sunday dinner and then leaving again. She wouldn’t wake up late, knowing a piece of toast would be waiting for her. If she needed to share a funny moment from her day or have a good cry, she’d have to call her mother to make the time.
She knew she was lucky. Most of her friends weren’t able to talk to their moms and Usagi hadn’t realized until now how much she took that for granted.
She looked at her desk, painted white where she had spent so many hours struggling. She looked at her bedding - the bunnies and moons still scattered randomly across the pink bedspread. She looked at the pictures she had left on the wall, There were favorited childhood snapshots, goofy photo-booth strips of her and her friends. She saw a favorite picture of her and Mamo-chan, him holding her tightly as she mugged for the camera.
She looked at her mom. Ikuko had such a look of understanding and pride in her face. Usagi tried to swallow past the lump in her throat.
Ikuko brushed a stray hair out of Usagi’s face. “This is your moment, honey. You’ve gotten to be such a grand lady. You’ve surprised us all. The question is, what are you going to do next? And you don’t have to have an answer now. But whatever you do, you’ll always have your father and I behind you.” She kissed Usagi’s forehead. The two sat on the bed for a long moment.
The sound of a truck horn outside broke the moment. Ikuko started and brusquely stood up, patting down her skirt as she did so. “Well, your father is here. I guess it’s time to get this stuff on the truck.” She picked up a small box from the top of the pile and left the room.
Usagi took one more moment to look around. She looked at the memories of her life and the space she’d always considered hers. She grabbed the top box from the pile closest to her, took a deep breath.
Then she took the next step towards changing the world.