Things aren't always what they seem

By: Bashfulglowfly

Chapter One

The park was once more the battleground but this youma had encased them in a 20 by 20 foot area severely limiting their movement. The youma laughed at the Senshi while she danced amongst them slashing them with her sword. Kunzite stood on the other side of the barrier, arms folded, face expressionless as he watched.

"REALLY Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mercury's tone was exasperated.

"WATCH OUT!" chorused Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter.

"MOVE, ODANGO BRAIN!" snarled Sailor Mars as she shoved Sailor Moon aside.

"AAAAHHHHHH!" Sailor Moon's scream of pain echoed across the park.

The youma froze. Her face began to contort into a horrified expression as she looked at the end of her sword buried deep in Sailor Moon's stomach. The barrier collapsed yet no one moved.

Kunzite cursed and moved swiftly to Sailor Moon, grabbing her as she began to crumple to the grass that was rapidly becoming stained with her blood.

The youma began to shake and tears rolled down her face. "P…p…princess… I… I… s…stabbed the Princess!" She wailed.

The four Senshi looked at each other in shock. Their minds couldn't understand why Kunzite was helping Sailor Moon and why the youma was so upset.

Two people appeared suddenly. Even though they were clothed, hooded and masked in gray from head to toe, it was obvious that one was a man and the other a woman. The man moved quickly to the youma's side, taking the sword carefully out of her hands. He held it steady as Kunzite slowly lowered Sailor Moon to the ground. The youma curled up on the ground and began to sob with heart-wrenching pain. The woman moved towards the Senshi stopping five feet away from them, pulling two long daggers from behind her back.

"If the Senshi move, make them sorry that they did." Ordered Kunzite. "But, don't kill them. That decision belongs to someone else."

"Yes, General." Said the ninja-like woman.

Venus's eyes narrowed. The woman's…no, the girl's voice seemed familiar but she wasn't quite able to place it.

"K…Kunzite?" Sailor Moon's voice was filled with pain.

"Dear Princess. Hold still. You'll be healed very soon now."

"It h…hurts." Tears began to roll down her face, but she did not sob. Instead her hands grabbed onto Kunzite's wrists.

Kunzite shifted so that her body was reclining fully against his. He slid one wrist out from under her grasp and raised her hand to his mouth, gently kissing the back of it. "I know it does, Princess. Will you trust me to take the pain away? I promise you, that when you wake, Endymion will be by your side."

"Endymion?" Sailor Moon twisted her head to look up at him. She whimpered in pain at the movement. "You'll bring Endymion to me?"

"I will take you to him, Princess. You have my word of honor. Please, let me ease your pain."

"Yes" she said simply.

Kunzite whispered something that the Senshi could not hear and his free hand covered Sailor Moon's eyes. Slowly her hands fell away to the grass and her body relaxed.

Just then, another man appeared. His long, curly blond hair was tied back in a ponytail.

"Zoicite!" whispered Sailor Mercury.

Zoicite dropped to his knees next to Sailor Moon while pulling a large leather bag off his shoulder. Pulling large packages of gauze from the bag, he began ripping them open, placing the gauze around Sailor Moon's terrible wound, trying to staunch the blood oozing around the sword that was still embedded in her stomach. "You put her to sleep?" he asked giving a quick glance to her face.

"Yes," replied Kunzite. "Where's Jade and Neph?"

Zoicite flashed a hate-filled glare at the Senshi, "Sitting on Endymion…literally. Dymion's frothing at the mouth. He wants to cover the park with blood, bone and entrails." His hands added still more gauze. "Beryl's grabbing anyone who has even the slightest ability to share energy and having them wait in the infirmary just in case we aren't able to provide enough for her and Dymion to heal the Princess. Are you coming with me or are you going to stay here?"

Kunzite didn't even glance at the Senshi. "I'm staying here. She's going to come." The Senshi looked at each other. She? Mouthed Sailor Mercury. "And will more than likely want my report."

Zoicite nodded. "Thought so. Let's trade places and you can transport us to the infirmary."

Carefully Kunzite and Zoicite switched places so that Sailor Moon's unconscious body was leaning against Zoicite. During the whole maneuver, the gray-clad man held the sword steady and still. Kunzite looked at the gray man and Zoicite, "On the count of three…one…two…three!"

The gray man in one swift movement pulled the sword from Sailor Moon, Zoicite clapped more gauze to her wound. Kunzite spoke in an unknown tongue, moved his hands in a graceful pattern and Zoicite and Sailor Moon disappeared from view.

"SAILOR MOON!" Cried out the four Senshi.

The gray-clad man snorted in disgust. "Now you call out her name." He stood and made his way to the other side of the Senshi, blocking them from the other side. He drew his own sword and stood opposite his partner. Watching the Senshi like a hungry lion watches a gazelle.

A woman appeared and knelt next to the crying youma. "Countess Rose!" cried Sailor Jupiter. The Senshi looked at the youma again but instead of the blue skin, red eyes and orange hair she'd had when fighting them, she looked like a normal human girl. Not much older than they were. The girl lurched into Rose's arms sobbing piteously. "Lady Rose! Lady Rose! I stabbed the Princess! I hurt her! I hurt the Princess! I want to die! I hurt the Princess!" Her voice got higher with every word until she was almost screaming.

Rose rocked the girl back and forth, pressing the girl's face into her shoulder. "Shhhh. Shhhh. It was a terrible, terrible accident. You are not to blame." Rose, like the others, glared at the Senshi. "I'm going to take you home, sweetie. Come now, stand up." Rose pulled the girl to her feet, still holding her close.

"Rose." Kunzite said. "Make sure she is not left alone even for a minute for the next few days." Rose nodded understandingly then disappeared with the girl.

Another woman emerged from the bushes. "Titus." Hissed Sailor Mars. Titus had both Moon Cats. Artemis was draped across her shoulders while she gently held a crying Luna with one arm and was gently stroking her from ears to tail, periodically petting Artemis as well.

Venus took a step forward as if to try to retrieve Artemis and the gray woman raised her daggers. Venus hesitated then stepped back. The woman lowered her daggers. Then Mars cried out in pain. Venus whirled just in time to see the gray man step back, shaking blood from his sword. Mars was kneeling on the ground, hands around a bleeding wound on her leg. Mercury started to move then hesitated. Looking at the gray man, "May I stop the bleeding?" The man nodded and Mercury moved to Mars' side and bandaged the wound. Helping Mars to her feet, Mercury said quietly "That man sounds like Motoki." The other Senshi gasped in shock.

The gray woman chuckled. "Isn't she just too clever!"

Kunzite looked at the various people and cats. "Prepare yourselves. She is coming." He moved a bit away and stood straighter, staring at the sky.