This is my first attempt at a fanfic… I hope it's not that bad. Please, review! Be serious in your critiques, I want help to get better! Thanks!
This takes place before Usagi and Mamoru are a couple, but after all the inner Senshi are gathered. So, about mid-first season… but I included some of the attacks from later on, just because I think they were way too weak in the first season, having only one attack and all.. bleh. Hehe.
Note: Sailor Moon and other characters are copyright to whoever has them copyrighted, but not me! ;D Taka and Shigo, however, are mine.
This is a REVISED first chapter because I couldn't post the 2nd chapter without first changing a few small details in this one… sorry!
… … …
The wind blew fiercely, whipping the man's hair about his forehead as he wrapped his arms around himself to keep warm. From atop a lone building in a desolate part of town, he glared down at the surrounding streets, searching for any signs of movement. His vision unhindered by the lack of light.
"Cold up there?" called his companion from below.
He glared down from his perch to his friend, shivering, and growled sarcastically "Maybe a little. Why don't you come up here?"
"Nah... But we can take a break and walk around" was his reply.
"And how will that warm me up?"
"Well, it'll involve moving your body and thus making your blood circulate and..."
"You watch too much TV" interrupted the man from his shadowy perch.
"It's only common sense" was the nonchalant reply. The man leaned back against the building and crossed his legs in a bored way, and he began chewing on his fingernails.
"If it's common sense then why didn't I know that?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?" asked the man from below, chuckling, through clenched teeth as he pried at his fingernail.
A grunt was the only response that came from above.
A few moments passed before the man above shouted, "It's been almost an hour, Shigo! I don't see anyone or anything. Can we just go?"
The man called Shigo sighed and spit the portion of fingernail he had bitten off onto the ground. Looking up he ran his hand through his hair to keep the wind from blowing it into his eyes, and replied in a depressed tone "Alright, Taka. Let's go."
Taka joyfully leapt down from his perch and landed gracefully beside his companion. They then wordlessly began their decent out of the dark alleys and towards a more lit part of town.
Streetlamps cast shadows across their figures as they passed. The one called Taka was a tall slender man with short dark blue hair, casually tossed about his head. He wore a black trench coat that danced viciously in the wind. Taka loved the feeling of the wind. His face was worn, his eyes dark, but there was still a proud look to him. Shigo, however, was a little shorter than Taka, but tall nonetheless. He had fire red hair, which he always kept spiked. His face was always kept serious-looking, as if deep in thought about something he didn't understand. He, too, wore a trench coat, open, and dancing in the wind. Tattered jeans and tight black t-shirts adorned them both on this chilly autumn night.
A piercing scream shattered their silence. Their heads turned at once in the direction of the scream, and with silent acknowledgement, they ran towards it. There was silence once more, but they knew in which direction to run. They soon came upon the supposedly empty park. No lampposts were lit in the park, but there was definitely some sort of light display in the distance. Taka nodded in the direction of the dim fireworks-like display and they darted for it. The sound of women shouting and a growl echoed through the park.
Taka and Shigo hid behind a bush right before the clearing in the park where the women—no, girls were fighting this monster. They could see 5 girls in skimpy sailor outfits facing off against some creature that looked like a human, but was more like a plant. A shout of "Bubble Spray!" came before a dense fog blocked the men's view of the battle. A series of grunts and yelps were heard before the fog began to clear, but when it did, Taka and Shigo could see the monster was about to attack one of the girls. Taka leapt up to intervene, but stopped when a red rose sliced through the fog and landed between the monster and the girl.
"Sailor Moon, be careful!" shouted a man from a tree branch, obviously the one who threw the rose. The rose had distracted the monster long enough for the one called Sailor Moon to stand up, pull off her tiara and shout "Moon Tiara Action!" The tiara thus transformed into a glowing disk and sliced through the monster, disintegrating it in a series of sparks and glowing dust.
Taka just stood in the clearing, Shigo whisper-yelling from behind him to get back behind the bush. But Taka just stood there, watching as the slim Sailor Moon jumped up and down like a giddy little kid, happy at the monster's defeat as her comrades stood there and smiled at her. Remembering the rose guy, Taka looked up to the tree where the man once stood, but he was gone. Returning his gaze to the girls once more as they started to leave the park, he saw them one by one de-transform into nude figures and then into regular clothing as regular schoolgirls!
Unblinking, Taka asked in a whisper, "Shigo, that's them, isn't it?" as he gazed off to where the girls vanished into the darkness.
"I believe so..." Shigo responded, standing up from behind the bush and walking over to his friend.
"They're so... female." Taka said in a confused tone, tilting his head to the side as if that would make him understand it better.
"So it seems," replied Shigo as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to his companion. "And you can wipe the blood from your nose now."
… … …
Usagi waved goodbye to her friends as she turned down her street. It had been a rough night for her by her standards.
Waking up after only half an hour of sleep to go fight a youma... so unfair... but that Tuxedo Kamen-sama... Smiling, she drifted off into her thoughts as she turned towards her house. A slight shuffle was heard in the distance snapping Usagi back to reality as she twisted around to face behind her, searching for the source of the noise.
The youma was destroyed, wasn't it? she thought to herself, eyes straining in the darkness to see something, anything that could've made that noise. She didn't want to chance going into the house and endangering her family if someone was following her. She gripped her broach in anticipation of a battle as she stepped towards an odd shadow across the street.
Stay calm... stay calm... it's probably only a cat... or a dog... or a rabid dog with blood-thirsty fangs... she winced at the thought and stopped in her tracks.
I shouldn't just go walking up to a rabid dog, now, she thought as she bent over and picked up a rock. She then threw towards the strange shadow, but careful not to hit it. The rock hit the ground and rolled to a stop, and then, silence.
If something were there, it would've been startled by the rock…Usagi sighed in relief. She then turned to go back towards her house. Pausing before her door, she took a last look around, just in case. Seeing and hearing nothing, she entered her house and went bed.
Shigo's hand collided with the back of Taka's head.
"What was that for?" whisper-screamed Taka as loud as he could, trying to be quiet at the same time.
"She could've spotted us, you moron! Then she'd know what we look like. Knowing her real identity is an advantage right now, our only advantage." Shigo's words were harsh, but his tone was more matter-of-fact. The two were standing in the shadows up against a house across the street from Usagi's.
"Hmph" was the only acknowledgement Taka gave his companion, but he knew Shigo was right.
They stood there for a good 15 minutes monitoring the house before Shigo waved his hands and mumbled something, opening a dark oval-shaped portal. They stepped into the portal and it closed into nothingness behind them.
… … …
The alarm clock in Usagi's room had been going off for 20 minutes before Luna had had enough and pounced on the sleeping blonde's belly. "You're going to be late again!" she cried as she slapped her paw against Usagi's cheek. Usagi sat up immediately.
"Why do you always have to be so cruel?" she wailed, tears flowing, cupping her cheek.
Luna, ignoring her tears, growled "You've only got 10 minutes to get dressed, eat breakfast, and get to school!" before stalking out of the room.
Usagi sat there a minute as this information sunk in. She looked at her alarm clock to confirm it. She then shut the alarm off and jumped out of bed. In a frenzy she threw her school uniform on, attached her broach, fixed her hair up into its usual buns, and ran downstairs, all the while screaming "Why didn't anyone wake me up?"
Luna just sat on the banister shaking her head in disbelief. Every single morning…
Usagi downed her breakfast and dashed out of the house. Her mother stared from the kitchen in awe, still holding Usagi's lunch bag.
Running as fast as she could, she never saw Mamoru in front of her as he walked casually in her direction. He saw her, but had no time to react before she slammed head first into his chest, knocking them both over.
Mamoru lay on his back, head spinning from having it knocked against the sidewalk. Usagi sat on his belly, confused as to how she got there. Realizing she was sitting on top of Mamoru, she screamed "Mamoru! You pervert!" and slapped him across the face. She then stood up and stalked away, leaving him lying on the sidewalk, still dazed.
When Usagi finally arrived at school she was 10 minutes late. After a scolding from the teacher and after she was given detention, she finally sat down next to her friend, Naru.
"How can you always be late?" inquired Naru, whispering so as not to attract the teacher's attention.
"It's not my fault," protested Usagi, "the alarm clock isn't loud enough."
… … …
"Please can't I just have a little bite?" begged Usagi at lunch to Makoto.
"You can't always expect me to feed you when forget your lunch, Usagi-chan" Makoto said with pity in her eyes. She knew she would end up giving Usagi some food eventually, but she was hoping to knock a little sense into her before she gave in.
"I know, I know, but just a little? Please?" Usagi's eyes grew large as she looked up pleadingly at Makoto.
"Oh… alright" Makoto gave in, handing the remnants of her lunch to Usagi.
"Arigatou, Mako-chan!" exclaimed Usagi before consuming the lunch gratefully.
"Why were you late today, anyway?" Makoto asked with a smile, watching Usagi eat.
"It was ba larm losh folt… ish ut loud nuff" managed Usagi with a mouthful of food.
Makoto giggled at her friend's attempt of an explanation. Usagi swallowed, and said again, "It was the alarm clock's fault, it's not loud enough."
"Ah… and I guess you were in a hurry to get here and forgot your lunch, then?"
Usagi nodded, "and I won't be able to come study tonight either because I have detention now, too."
"Oh Usagi-chan…" Makoto shook her head in disbelief.
"I might've made it here on time if it hadn't been for that pervert of a Mamoru, though!" chirped Usagi, "He walked right out in front of me while I was running here, tripping me and pulling me on top of him!"
"Eh?" exclaimed Makoto, interested in the new topic. "He forced you on top of him? In broad daylight?"
"Mm-hm" agreed Usagi, innocently. "I slapped him, though. He learned his lesson."
Makoto looked sternly at Usagi as she said, "Usagi… you should be careful around guys like him. If he bothers you again," she pounded her hand into her fist, "let me know, alright?"
Usagi nodded again as the school bell rang for them to return to classes. She profusely thanked Makoto again, for the lunch and dashed off to class.
After school Usagi headed for detention while her friends all went to study at Rei's temple.
I don't know which is worse… studying with Rei-chan or detention? she thought to herself as she quietly sat down in the empty classroom. The teacher hadn't arrived yet. Usagi quickly became bored and stared out the window, wishing she were outside. Just then, something caught her eye—someone, or, something was sitting in the tree outside the window. It was hard to see exactly, the leaves provided a lot of shelter and shadows to conceal whomever or whatever it was. Usagi stood up and walked to the window, fixated on the small patch of blue in the auburn tree. It's jeans! She thought to herself as she leaned out the window. The tree was a good 10 feet or so out from the window.
"You'd better get out of that tree, whoever you are! The teacher is on her way here and you're sure to get caught when she shows up!" Usagi warned.
Just then, the classroom door opened and the teacher stepped in.
"Sit down, Tsukino Usagi" instructed the teacher, and Usagi obeyed.
Usagi did her work for detention, every once in a while sneaking a glance to the tree where the denim could still be seen. When the teacher finally dismissed her, she grabbed her things and hurried out of the building. Running over to the tree, she looked up and shouted "You're lucky the teacher didn't see you!"
No reply.
She couldn't see into the tree from the ground, it was too high. Usagi was determined to find out who was in the tree, though, so she set her schoolbag down at the base of the tree and jumped. She caught a low branch in her hands and pulled herself up, and reached for the next one. Usagi climbed until she ran out of branches within reach, and looked around. Only then did she realize she was alone in the tree.
Disappointed at not catching the culprit, Usagi began to climb back down. She slid her foot down to a lower branch but her foot slipped and she fell backwards. Usagi had no time to react before her buttocks clashed against a small branch behind her, snapping it in two before she fell some more. She screamed in pain and fear as she fell branch to branch, arms flailing to grasp onto something, anything to keep her from falling. Her fingers could grasp nothing, she closed her eyes, and then… warmth surrounded Usagi.
Still squinting in anticipation of smashing to the ground, she opened one eye to see what had happened. Blinking, she realized she was in the arms of a tall, handsome stranger. The man had dark blue hair, and stared at her in concern with bright hazel eyes.
"A-arigatou…" mumbled Usagi, dumbfounded.
Taka sat her down on the grass, then, kneeling, began to examine her ankle. She had torn her sock and scratch ran across her ankle from the fall. "Ouch" she exclaimed when the stranger touched it.
"You're ankle's pretty messed up," the stranger said. His voice was deep and strong sounding. He wore a uniform similar to that of the Mugen High School students, but he carried no books. His hair was disheveled, giving him a bad boy look.
Usagi just stared at him awe, nodding slightly.
"Where do you live?" he asked.
She just looked at him inquisitively.
"I'm going to take you home. You shouldn't be walking on that ankle," he told her.
Usagi nodded in agreement and allowed him to pick her up once more. He held her legs in one arm while the other supported her back. He then picked up her things from the base of the tree. From his arms she directed him to her home.
The walk to her house was a quiet one. Usagi was too confused to say anything, and the stranger seemed to be concentrating the slender body in his arms.
What am I doing? Shigo is going to kill me… She's strong enough to handle a fall like that… I didn't have to help! She has more power than a regular girl, no matter how fragile she may look. Ugh… I'm glad Shigo likes that school, I definitely don't want him finding out… Hm… She smells sweet.. almost familiar-
Taka's eyebrows narrowed at his thoughts, leading Usagi to think that she was getting heavy.
"Sorry…" she said, avoiding his eyes, "I'm such a klutz sometimes."
He smiled down at her, "Don't be sorry, I'm just glad I was there to help. You could've gotten hurt a lot worse than this." He then paused, and asked, "Why were you in the tree, anyway, if you don't mind my asking?"
"I was… looking for something," she said, afraid that the truth might make her sound even more stupid.
"Looking for something in a tree?"
Realizing what she said was even more stupid than the truth, she admitted, "I was looking for someone I thought I saw in the tree from my classroom, but I guess when I got there they were gone."
"Oh… couldn't you have just called to them?" he inquired further.
"I tried, but no one answered, so I thought I'd go look."
Taka stopped, trying to hold in his laughter, but the story sounded too cute to him. Usagi, realizing the absurdness of her actions, couldn't help giggling, causing Taka to give in and laugh with her. The two stood there a moment, laughing, until Taka caught his breath and started walking again.
Usagi took a deep breath, for the first time noticing the smell of pine needles from the man carrying her. She breathed in again, deeper this time, and leaned her head up against Taka's chest. She felt oddly comfortable in his arms as he carried her.
Taka's cheeks reddened as Usagi nuzzled into him.
What's she doing that for…? he wondered, turning onto her street. He took his time walking the last few steps before stopping in front of her house.
"Should I carry you in?"
"No, thank you, I'll be ok. You can set me down here." He obliged, gently setting her on a step in front of her house.
"Well, I'll be off, then. Be careful next time, ok?" Taka turned around to walk away when Usagi's words stopped him.
"How'd you know this was my house? I quit giving you directions a before you even turned onto my street…"
Dumbfounded, Taka just stood there. A million excuses ran through his head, none of which would be even half believable. "Ah… " he looked around, searching for an excuse, when he saw a little stuffed bunny sitting in a window of the house. "…I figured it was yours because of the bunny," Taka pointed to the window, and then to her briefcase, which also had a little bunny on it.
"Oh," Usagi breathed, unconvinced. Taka turned once again to leave when once again Usagi blurted, "What's your name?"
Taka turned and looked Usagi in the eyes. Big blue eyes stared up at him, and Taka wanted desperately to lie to her, but found himself unable to as he quietly said "Taka" before pulling his eyes away from hers and walking away.
Usagi watched him leave, running his name through her mind over and over again, trying desperately to recognize the name, but to no avail. She had never seen nor heard of him before today. Defeated by her thoughts, Usagi slowly stood up, balancing her weight on her one good leg, and hobbled into her house. It actually doesn't hurt that much anymore she thought as she removed her shoes in the threshold before going to her room.
Sitting down on her bed she removed her socks and examined her ankle. There was dry blood on it, but there was barely a scratch. I could've sworn this was a bigger cut.
Luna raised her head from the bed and yawned, "Where have you been?"
"Detention," she mumbled, still examining her ankle.
"Oh, Usagi… not again," she sighed. "What happened to your ankle?"
"I fell out of a tree, but the cut got a lot better since the walk home," she poked at her ankle.
"That would be help from that broach I gave you, Usagi. You're a lot more powerful now, a little cut won't hurt you like it used to. But you're still human, remember that," instructed Luna before laying her head on the bed once more.
"A guy… caught me, Luna. I've never seen him around before, and I got a strange feeling from him."
"Well, be careful. He might be dangerous."
"He carried me home," she protested.
"It may just be a ploy. You are a young lady, Usagi."
"You sound like my mother." Usagi stuck her tongue out at Luna before lying down on the bed beside her. Usagi's thoughts drifted from Taka to Tuxedo Kamen before she drifted off to sleep.
Not more than 5 minutes later Luna pounced on Usagi, "Usagi-chan! Wake up! The communicator!" she yelled as Usagi wearily sat up. She flipped open the communicator to see Sailor Mercury looking worried.
"We need you! Another youma showed up—this time it's at the parking garage by Crown Arcade. Sailor Venus just told us, we're on our way to her now. Hurry!"
Usagi shut the communicator, grabbed her broach and shouted "Moon Prism Power! Make-Up!" In a series of ribbons and lights Usagi transformed into Sailor Moon and leapt out the window. She landed on both feet, and yelped in pain. I guess it's not completely healed after all. She dashed towards Crown Arcade, wincing with every step.
When Sailor Moon arrived at the parking garage, the other Senshi had already bound the car-like youma in Sailor Venus' chain. "Sailor Moon!" Venus exclaimed, struggling to keep her hold on the youma. Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter were leaning against a wall in a corner, looking as if they had just gotten thrown. Mercury was nowhere in sight. But seeing her friends hurt charged Sailor Moon's spirit as she grabbed her tiara.
"Moon Tiara Action!" She leaned forward to throw the tiara-now-disk but as she threw it, her ankle stung and she stumbled, throwing the tiara off balance. It wobbled through the air, slicing through Venus' chain, freeing the youma. Sailor Moon looked up from where she was now kneeling on the floor, and saw the youma charging after her.
"Look out!" called Venus.
Sailor Moon's eyes widened as the youma slammed headfirst into her. The impact slid her against the concrete floor across the room and into a parked car. A dented outline of her body in the side of the door held her limp body in place.
"Sailor Moon!" called Venus desperately from across the garage.
Sailor Moon winced, opening her eyes. A maniacal smile spread across the youma's face as it glared at Sailor Moon, preparing to charge again.
"Venus Love Me Chain!" echoed through the garage, but the youma wouldn't fall for the same trick twice. The youma stuck out its arm, wrapping the chain around it. The youma held the chain tight and yanked on it as hard as it could, pulling Venus off of her feet and across the garage. Blue eyes widened in shock as Sailor Moon watched her friend land headfirst into the front windshield of a car. "Venus!" screeched Sailor Moon. Venus didn't move.
Sailor Moon's cheek as she clenched her hands into fists, hardening her resolve. Knuckles into cement, she pushed off the cement floor and lifted herself from her mold in the car. She stood balancing her weight on her good ankle while the other foot hung loosely behind her, barely touching the ground. Her head held low, she slowly raised her gaze towards the youma. Brows narrowed, eyes glaring, they showed no pain or fear, only determination.
The youma was already charging at her when she stood. Its arms confidently thrust out in front of it, prepared for the onslaught.
The youma gasped. Sailor Moon's knee rested in the gut of the youma as it froze, half-bent, leaning over her. Clenching its stomach in pain, the youma backed off of Sailor Moon, staggering to remain upright.
"Burning Mandala!" gasped an injured Sailor Mars, barely on her feet. An inferno of flames shot from her outstretched hands towards the creature.
The youma ablaze, Sailor Moon picked her tiara up from the floor and roared with renewed vigor, "Moon Tiara Action!" The tiara was instantly transformed into a discus again, slicing through the air with an explosive glow of power, directly into the belly of the youma. It disintegrated into a vehement array of sparks and dust.
Sailor Moon fainted.
… … …
Taka leaned his back against a stone pillar in a corner of the garage, listening to the faint sound of Sailor Moon's body hitting the floor. Shigo stared at Taka from behind another pillar, concern evident in his eyes.
… … …
End of chapter one! Tell me what you think! Be mean! It's ok! Thanks!
NOTES: When Shigo tells Taka to wipe the blood from his nose, it's meant as a joke because when the Senshi de-transform, they go nude for a sec (as demonstrated by Haruka-san). It's seen often that when an anime dude sees a naked woman, or a scantily clad woman, his nose bleeds. Hence, Shigo's comment.