AN: Decided to take a break from The Game Is the Mystery (which I stupidly haven't posted yet...^^;) and go back to first season romances...much shorter...much easier^^; This was intended to be a short story...but, erm...lately they haven't worked with me. Had to divvy it up...Not too much UsaMamo interaction in this part but you need to read this to get the hint...Don't have too much to say this time (surprise surprise) just that: I'M CRAZY AND NEED FEEDBACK LIKE I NEED A CHOCOLATE HIT!!!!! *coughs* Okies, that's all. ^_^ Thanks, as always to the all powerful Sakura, who again helped me sooo much by prereading this. *And* she really helped me clear up some of the lines in here by writing them. Arigatou! Disclaimer: Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon, I don't. (creative, ne? ^^;) ************************ Camera Shy Prologue Rated PG By April Rayne Startear42@aol.com ************************ BUZZ...BUZZ...BUZZ... Mamoru cracked one eye open, the sunlight coming in through the window making him shut it closed just as quickly. BUZZ...BUZZ...BUZZ... "Stupid alarm clock..." he mumbled, his arm reaching to bang on the top buttons until the incessant buzzing would stop. BUZZ...Buzz...buzz..boing! "I'll get another one today..." the sleepyhead mumbled while Dreamland began to lure him back to his blissful sleep again... Where he'd meet up with his one and only princess... "Better wake up now, or you're gonna be late for school, Sleeping Beauty." The princess faded from view and Mamoru's eyes shot open at the sound of the too familiar voice. "Motoki-kun!" he cried, jumping to an upright position in his bed. "Ohayo, Mamoru-kun!" Motoki, grinning, moved to the side of the bed. He zoomed the handheld digital camera that he had in his hand until it was practically nose to nose with Mamoru. "That's good! Keep it up Mamoru-kun! They're gonna love this in class!" Mamoru's eyes widened then narrowed. "Keep it up? Class? Motoki-kun, what in the world are you talking about?" His eyes narrowed in anger, and Motoki sheepishly sped to the foot of the bed. "Geez. If looks could kill..." He gulped as Mamoru took the now broken alarm clock and tossed it up and down in his hand, a stray screw falling out every other bounce. "Erm...heh...You, Sleeping Beauty, are the subject of my documentary project for film appreciation class. You're gonna help me get an A+ on this!" "Funny, Motoki-kun," his friend mumbled, putting down the alarm clock. He ran a hand through his thick, jet black hair, which had fallen into his eyes. A sigh escaped him. "Now shut the camera off." "I'm serious! The project counts for *fifty percent* of my *final* grade and they're going to *love* watching y- AHH!" Motoki cried as a pillow flew past him, narrowly missing the side of his head. He moved so that Mamoru could see his whole face, instead of having it half hidden behind the camera. "Hey! Watch it! This is really expensive merchandise!" Motoki zoomed in on Mamoru's face, and grimaced when he saw his expression. "Eh, I guess you're not too happy with the ide- Oomph!" --- Zip! Whap! Zoom! Whap! Zap! Whap! --- Erm...let's just say, Motoki became acquainted with Mamoru's other pillows that morning.** "I don't even know what the idea *is*!" his annoyed friend shot back. "By the way Motoki-kun, I don't have any more pillows, so unless you want me to use..." Mamoru leaned over to grab the alarm clock. "This...I can always get a new one." Motoki put up one hand, waving the invisible white flag. "Okay! Okay! I know you're mad, but just hear me out for a second!" "This is the *last* time I ever tell you where I put my spare keys," Mamoru grumbled to himself. Still holding the camera fixated on Mamoru's face, Motoki grinned sheepishly. "We're doing a project in that new elective course I got, The Film Maker-" "You want to be a doctor-" "*Elective*," he coughed, making sure that he didn't get interrupted while the camera was rolling. "So in that class, we were assigned to make our own movies. And, genius that I am-" "Genius my-" "*I*," he cut off, "decided that, what better to film than a 'day in the life' of the school heartbreaker, Chiba Mamoru?" Mamoru groaned, and ran a hand through his sleep ruffled hair. Bounding out of bed, in a tank top and boxers, and with wary steps and a fiendish gleam in his eyes, he began to approach the lone cameraman. A nervous Motoki shuffled back, finding himself trapped against a wall. "Motoki-kun..." Mamoru whispered in his most threatening voice, looking directly into the lens of the camera. "What are you *really* up to?" The blonde gulped again, suddenly finding his throat dry. "Nothing...What makes you think that?" "The goofy looking grin on your face when you said that. You *always* have that look on your face when you're up to something." "I have to worry about my grades, ya know." Motoki looked to the side, and then faced Mamoru square in the eye, trying to show that he wasnt afraid, even after taking a very audible gulp. "Well...there's one catch to this whole project." "I knew it," Mamoru practically growled, leaving his prey to stew and moving to his closet. He pulled out a pair of pants and a shirt, making sure to toss his green blazer on the bed. He brushed past his friend to go to the bathroom, but Motoki never let any room between them that wasn't more than one foot long. "Well, spit it out," Mamoru continued. Turning the knob, he walked into the bathroom, promptly shutting the door behind him, but not before Motoki stuck his shoulder in the doorway, making sure to film Mamoru's reflection in the mirror. "Ne, Mamoru-kun, I can't even videotape you brushing your teeth?" "No!' "But the ladies-" "Would be highly disappointed if their *other* favorite heartbreaker by the name of Furuhata Motoki didn't show up to school because of an...unfortunate incident." "All right, all right," the cameraman muttered, the camera disappearing from it's peeking place in the doorway. Mamoru shut the door with a slam. "For someone who's supposedly a morning person, you sure are cranky." He heard his friend groan and slam the medicine cabinet shut, muttering 'unrepeatables' to himself. 'Wonder if Usagi-chan knows about that.' He smiled to himself. "Oh, and about the catch...I'm not going to be the one videotaping you." The door swung open. "*What*?!" "That! That's what the professor's looking for!" Motoki cried, bringing the camera to focus. "Motoki-kun..." he growled,putting his palm over the lens, "You said that *you* were going to tape a day in the life of Chiba Mamoru." Mamoru snapped, unusually peturbed by his friends presence so early in the morning. "I know, but think about it. I can't really film you because I have work this afternoon, and Reika is going to call me tonight from Africa...." Mamoru raked his hand through his hair again. "I'm not sure that I like this..." "Aww, c'mon, man. Just for today. I really need to pick up my grade, and the film is due in two days-" "You probably had a month to do it..." "...And it's not required that I film it...just...direct it." Mamoru's eyes rolled heavenward. "You're not *doing* any directing..." "Besides, you have no ties to this girl- she's just someone that I met on the K.O. campus once." He grinned, an inner laugh making his eyes gleam. "Girl?" "Pretty and smart too. Has really gorgeous eyes. Not that you'd notice." He coughed, then added, "But she knows it's just for the tape. No strings attached. Just have to meet her once and you never have to see her with a camera again." Mamoru waited, and closed his eyes. Knowing inwardly that one of Motoki's schemes always led to some embarrassment, he nodded his head. He never could turn his back on his best friend, no matter how many times he knew that it was going to turn out strange, like the time that he asked Mamoru to dress up as Santa Claus for the kids at the arcade...Mamoru cringed. "All right." Mamoru waved his finger at him. "But no other tricks. Got it?" "Of course." Shaking his head, Mamoru returned to the bathroom, and shut the door. Motoki heard the sound of running water, grasped the camera in one hand and removed the other from his back. No one ever said you had to cross your fingers behind your back with *both* hands... ************** End Prologue ************** AN:A *BIG* thank you to Eternal Angel, who gave me the award for story of the month (March 2000) -'To Exist', @ her site, Cherry Blossoms! (http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Tower/6023/) Arigatou!!! @>->->--- *I don't mean heartbreaker in the sense that he's gone out with a lot of girls...he just doesn't go out with the girls that like him, and in my personal opinion, I think it's the entire female population at K.O. ^^; Just because he doesn't like them the way they want him to doesn't mean they can't drool over him...^_^ Well, what did you think? Pleeeeeeze tell me, I haven't written first season in such a long time and I feel rusty. Camera Shy Prologue 2/2000