I do not own Sailor Moon, nor do I presume to own it. However, I DO own the character Horatio 'Pierce' Orde. He is quite original, and a port from something else entirely. Copy and I come after you with a large stick.
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Horatio Orde stood alone on a balcony. A vision appeared -- unbidden -- before his mind's eye, a vision of despair that threatened to overwhelm him. Mixed images flowed before his mind's eye, showing people he does not know. Faces, blurred and distorted, flashed past his mind -- ghosts from an unknown past. Staggering slightly, Horatio opened his eyes. Awash in the aftermath of his vision, the tranquil balcony, once cool and inviting, served only to remind him of the stillness of death. He turned towards his new apartment only to be faced with more reminders -- a room, devoid of any memory.
/It's time I did something,/ he thought.
Pausing only to pull his boots on and to attach a small insignia to his shoulder, Horatio Orde exited the quiet room and proceeded down the stairs and out to the sidewalk.
"A walk will do me good. I've kept myself cooped up far too long," Horatio chided himself.
/Oh, sure. It's not like you've been a recluse up until now,/ his cynical side reminded him.
Horatio wandered down the streets of the city. After getting lost a few times -- he was new to the city, after all -- he finally found his way to the main park.
/Maybe I can relax now,/ he thought placidly. /I'm out and among... nothing./
Horatio looked around and saw nothing save trees and bushes. He sighed, expelling some of his frustration. /One would believe that I would make a few friends, gain a couple of hobbies. It's hard in a new city, no matter what your age./
Stroking his goatee thoughtfully, Horatio finally decided to head home and get some sleep. His search could wait a night.
The next morning, he reached over for a battered book and placed it upon his lap. Running his hands over the tattered volume, he felt the embossed letters on the cover. He opened the book and fumbled around for a pen. Turning the page to a blank sheet, he wrote:
"Personal Log Delta 3 -- Horatio Orde. I've moved into my new apartment. It's somewhat exciting to be here, but I can't shake the impression that something bad is about to happen. It's the same feeling that drew me to this city in the first place. However, I am unable to place a time or place to this... premonition, if I can indeed call it that. Today, I shall explore this city, get a feel for the place. I am here to protect it, after all."
After completing the entry, he arose from his bed and went to find appropriate clothing. He eventually decided to wear a grey shirt and jacket to complement the slacks he had his eyes on. He put the clothes on upon which he had his eyes, and stared at himself in the mirror. /Grey suits my mood today, it seems,/ he thought as he affixed the insignia he had worn the night before onto his shoulder. He walked out the door to experience the new day.
Life itself surrounded the lone captain. /It's so peaceful here,/ he thought. /I could learn to love this./ However, a flashback of his dark memory hovered ominously in his mind. /But not for long,/ he concluded. In his aimless wanderings, he found himself outside some interesting building. /What... what's this?/ He read a sign on the door. /Fortune-teller... why not?/
He strode into the building. As he entered, a feeling of cold dread washed over him. His eyes fell across the shop, noticing trinkets here and there in display cases. Everything looked as if it carried a beauty all its own. Then, a heartbeat later, that beauty turned to despair and hatred. The fortune-teller took one look at him and shook her head. "I have nothing for you," she said. A low undertone of warning colored her voice.
"I'm the one paying," Horatio countered.
"I have nothing for you."
Pierce smirked. "Now how could that be?"
"Leave. Now," she ordered.
Something about the fortune-teller changed, or so it appeared to Horatio. He turned and left sharply.
As he left, he heard the most peculiar thing. He had already turned the corner, when he heard a girl's voice: "Moon Prism Power... Make Up!"
Horatio spun, the once vague feeling of dread shifted to an acute sensation. He tapped the insignia on his shoulder and said a single word: "Engage." A flash of light engulfed him. His clothes metamorphosed into a set of grey armor, and a short rod appeared at his side, clipped to his belt. He plucked the rod from its place and held it in his hand, feeling the rod lengthen into a full-size staff.
He dashed back into the shop and took stock of the situation. Taking aim at the first target of opportunity -- something that looked like a girl in an absurdly short skirt -- he fired two blasts of energy from the tip of his staff. The other being before him threw a card of some sort at him. Orde batted the card aside with the staff, and stood to make a speech: "To turn away customers without any cause is bad business. But to fight your customers -- I cannot forgive that. To protect the innocent, I, Pierce Orde, shall destroy you."
His only reply consisted of another card being thrown at him. The card stuck in his armor as he ducked out of the door. Several more cards came flying, but Pierce managed to duck and dodge them until he was safely out of sight. /Space this nonsense -- I'm letting those two duke it out,/ he thought angrily. He disappeared in a haze of light -- teleported back to his apartment -- to plan his next move.
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Jadeite stepped before his dark queen. "My Queen," he began. "I picked up unusual energy readings at the last battle."
"And what does this mean?" Beryl replied from atop her dark throne, scorn in her voice.
"There is another fighter involved. Someone who goes by the name of 'Pierce'."
Beryl pondered this new information. /It's apparent that he himself is no friend of that Sailor Senshi. Perhaps I can entice him over to our side,/ she thought. /He is a warrior, although he does not understand how deep he is in./
Musing over situation, she came to a decision. She called for Kunzite, who appeared swiftly.
"You are to study this one called 'Pierce'. Find his weaknesses, and discover whether he can be brought over to fight for us. If an opportunity arises to capture him, do so."
Kunzite bowed. "Yes, my Queen, he replied simply. Jadeite bowed as well. The two left promptly.
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"Luna, have you had any luck finding out just who that person was?" Usagi asked, lounging on her bed.
"No. Whoever he was, he didn't seem to be a minion of the Dark Kingdom," Luna replied.
Usagi rubbed her shoulder idly. "That didn't help me. He just hit me in the back with something! Who did he say he was?"
"I believe he referred to himself as 'Pierce', but I have not had any luck discovering any information on him. I will search again tonight."
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Horatio studied his memories of the encounter late into the night, but to no avail. He had also repaired the damage to his armor. Turning his attention to the card, he observed that nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary about the card, except that it was sharp. Damn sharp. He yawned and glanced at the clock. Ten-thirty -- time for bed. He dragged himself to bed and fell asleep swiftly.
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Horatio found himself in an unfamiliar place. He spun, checking over the surroundings. Nobody was in his sight line, so he slapped at his shoulder, intent upon activating his insignia. His hand encountered the edge of something stiff, unyielding, metallic. Taking a moment in his surprise to observe himself, he discovered that he was not wearing any clothes he recognized. Suddenly more alert and on guard, he ran his hands over his garments. He mentally registered a cape -- material unknown -- and long pants -- material unknown -- and a long-sleeve shirt -- material unknown -- and a light, sleeveless vest -- material unknown. The cape seemed to attach to the vest.
A sound -- a scream -- ripped through the air. Horatio whipped around towards the general direction of the sound. Something must have been wrong with his eyes, because anything more than ten feet in front of him appeared hazy. Ignoring this difficulty, he ran towards the sound. The run took forever -- or so it seemed. When he arrived near the end of the twisting maze, his stomach lurched. Before him was some sort of monster standing over a corpse. He felt his hand rise to brandish something -- but what? His hands had been empty -- and felt a cry tear itself from his throat. His eyes, apparently the only part of him left that remained under his control, glanced to the thing in his hand. A staff, gripped firmly in the fist, was pointed straight at the monster. He glanced back at the monster. Saw the cruelty in its eyes. He felt himself charging at the monster, and then everything faded to white.
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Horatio awoke in a cold sweat, his left hand -- the one that had gripped the phantom staff -- clenched tightly into a fist. He shook his head, dispelling the already fading memory, and slowly relaxed his hand. Other than a few marks left in his palm, his hand seemed undamaged. He flexed it a few times, just to be sure. The excitement passed, he lay back and fell asleep.
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Usagi bolted at full speed towards school. "I'm LATE!!" she yelled over and over again. As she whipped around a corner, she collided into someone, causing both of them to fall to the pavement. Usagi's papers flew everywhere, and she scrambled to pick them up. The person she had ran into grabbed some of her papers and handed them to her. "Sorry," he apologized.. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"Neither was I." she said by way of counter-apology.
He stood and offered her his hand. "Let me help you up." he offered. She took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. He bent over and picked up the rest of her papers. Offering the packet to her, he offered her his name.
"Horatio." she replied. "What an odd name."
He gave her a puzzled look. "I'm somewhat new to this city."
Despite her rush, Usagi couldn't help but stare into Horatio's eyes. They reminded her most of a cold winter's day -- bleak, unforgiving, and lonely.
"Do I have something on my face?" Horatio asked. "Or is it too much to ask for your name, miss?"
Usagi shook her head. "Usagi." she replied. Then, suddenly remembering why she was in such a hurry, she ran off. "Sorry! I'm LATE!" she yelled behind her by way of apology.
"What an odd person." Horatio said quietly to himself. Taking a glimpse at his wristwatch, he muttered something about his own lateness. "I need to get back." he muttered. As he turned and left, he didn't notice the small cat that was following him.
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Horatio strode by a café. He looked at his watch again. "Well, I don't really need to go through my routine today," he rationalized. "I could do well with a cup of coffee." He stepped with his precise gait into the café and ordered a cup of coffee. When the waitress handed him the cup, he retrieved a few packets of sugar and four tubs of creamer. When he sat down and opened the first creamer tub, an odd black cat jumped onto the table. His first impulse was to bat it off, but decided against it. He poured the first tub into his coffee. "You're an impulsive kitty, aren't you," he noted. The cat gave him a stare that implied that it wanted something.
"No, you cannot have my creamer. It'll just make you fat," he retorted.
The cat continued to stare.
Horatio threw his hands into the air. "All right, you win. I just hope you can drink it out of the tub. I don't have a dish," he said as he opened another tub and placed it before the cat.
The cat, to its credit, slowly lapped the creamer out of the small tub. He reached out and pet the cat as he finished mixing his coffee. The cat slinked over to him and rubbed itself against his arm.
"Oh, fine," Horatio said with mock annoyance. He pet the cat while he drank his coffee. When he finished, he glanced at the cat. "So, do you want to walk around with me today?" he asked the cat. The cat seemed to nod, then rubbed its back against his arm again.
Horatio scooped the cat up and exited the café.
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Luna felt very comfortable in the man's arms. He knew just the right way to hold a cat. She purred while he stroked her fur. Now why couldn't Usagi be this nice to her? This day she would remember fondly for quite some time. She hoped that she would be able to find this person again.
Suddenly, the petting stopped. Luna picked up her head, wondering what had happened. She saw him open a glass door. Where was he going? Looked like some sort of exercise center. As he carried her through the building, she noted the various surroundings. He entered a padded room with a mirror along one side. Long rods leaned against another convenient wall. She watched as he brought her over to a chair and bunched a towel on the cushion. She felt him moving her onto the chair. Oh, this was soft.
She gave him a patient look. "Just stay there," he told her. Luna did a little cat-shrug and watched as the man selected a rod. He slowly paced to the center of the room, and began what seemed like a routine. She watched him with some interest as he danced to and fro within the room, swatting at invisible foes, blocking slices from phantom blades, and occasionally vaulting over imaginary chasms. He's quick on his feet, she noted. And then one of the odd inconsistencies struck her. This benevolent stranger wasn't wearing any workout clothes. Or any of the types of clothes people wear to maximize flexibility. Those were regular street clothes! His bobbing hair caught her eye. Back and forth, to and fro it danced, presenting itself as an intriguing target to swat, had it been within reach. Eventually, she grew drowsy and fell asleep, purring softly.
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Horatio wiped the perspiration off his forehead with the spare towel. Good thing there were two in here. He stood and watched the sleeping cat. He had no idea why he had decided to carry the cat all the way over here. Maybe it was because the cat was so damned cute. "I really have no clue." he said softly to himself. He strode over and ran his hand over the cat's fur. The cat stirred slightly. Shrugging to himself, he picked the cat up and winced as the feline, slightly panicked, sunk the tips of its claws into his arm. "Ow. It's okay," he whispered. The pain in his arm lessened. At least the cat had taken its claws out of him. Grimacing slightly, he left the room, cat in arms.
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Horatio's travels brought him to a park bench. Placing the cat on the bench, he sat and checked the scratches on his arm. "Nothing bad, lucky for you." he told the cat, who stared back at him dispassionately. As he relaxed -- petting the cat -- on the bench, his eyes scanned the park. Nobody in sight. He pulled a book out from his jacket and started reading.
Luna really was enjoying her day. She had found this wonderful person who had given her creamer (although it had been no small feat to get it out of the tub and look normal doing it), carried her around the city, set her on a soft towel, didn't drop her when she accidentally clawed his arm, and pet her all day. Usagi didn't treat her this well. She sighed happily and fell asleep again.
Usagi walked slowly back from school. She had had another test today, and hadn't done well on it. Luna had been absent when she had left school. Where could that cat be? As Usagi passed through the park, she saw the person she had bumped into earlier that morning. From this angle, it looked like he was reading something, and petting a cat. That cat looked comfortable, and it looked very familiar. She walked a bit closer. It was Luna! So this was where she had been all day while Usagi was stuck in school! She walked straight up to the sleeping cat. "Luna! So this is where you've been all day! I've got half a mind to..." she yelled. The stranger -- Horatio was his name, wasn't it? -- looked up from his book. "I'm sorry, is this your cat?" he asked. Usagi was taken aback slightly.
"Yes, that's my cat. I hope she hasn't been too much trouble." Usagi stammered. Those eyes were so mesmerizing. The way the afternoon sun hit them made them look like they were flashing grey as the light struck them every so often. The intensity of the flashes differed appreciably,
"She was no trouble at all." Horatio replied. He looked over at the cat. "Were you supposed to be somewhere?" he rhetorically asked of the cat.
The cat, somewhat startled by Usagi's outburst, stood and yawned. Horatio raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Well, I guess you can take her now." he said to Usagi. Usagi picked the cat -- Luna -- up and sat down next to him.
"I'm so sorry I ran into you this morning, Horatio-san." Usagi said.
"No harm done. Neither of us were watching where we were going," he reaffirmed.
She craned her neck, trying to get glimpse of the book's text. "So, what are you reading? It looks interesting."
"Oh, just Fundamental Principles of Tactical Combat. I like to reread it sometimes, visualizing the strategies involved."
When his head moved, the light of the sun caught his eyes and treated Usagi to a grey flash of light. /How odd.../ she thought.
Usagi opened her mouth and then closed it, not knowing what exactly to say. Horatio glanced at his wristwatch. "However, I need to be going. Perhaps I will see you around the city." he said. With that, he rose and walked off.
"Luna, I can't believe you were with him all day!"
"I sensed something odd about him, and so I followed him after you bumped into him. He gave me a tub of creamer, pet me, carried me around, set me on a soft towel to sleep on. He was very nice to me. Much more so than you." Luna retorted.
Usagi stuck her tongue out at her cat. "So, what else did you do today?" she asked.
"Well, he brought me to this exercise center. Then he put me on a cushioned chair. I watched him dance around with this rod. Then my attention shifted to his bobbing hair. I fell asleep soon after. When I awoke, he was picking me up again. He wandered a bit through the city with me in his arms, then we came here." Luna informed Usagi. "All in all, I had a very good day."
"Come on, Luna." Usagi said as she stood. "Let's go."
Luna hopped off the bench and followed Usagi.
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Horatio stood at the entrance to his apartment. At least today had been a quiet day. No robberies, kidnappings, or anything else to deal with. However, he was glad that the cat had come up to him. "What was its name again?" he muttered softly to himself, trying to remember. "Luna. That was it. Aptly named." he completed. He sat at his computer and ran simulations of various situations until he fell asleep at the keyboard.
----Dark Kingdom----
Jadeite stood before Queen Beryl. He knew not why he had been summoned to her presence.
"Jadeite, you now have a secondary priority. Capture the one known as Pierce if and when you have the opportunity."
Jadeite, somewhat surprised at Beryl's new command to him, bowed. "Yes, my Queen." he replied.
Beryl waved her hand at Jadeite, dismissing him. Jadeite bowed again, turned around, and left.
End Chapter 1
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Horatio Orde stood alone on a balcony. A vision appeared -- unbidden -- before his mind's eye, a vision of despair that threatened to overwhelm him. Mixed images flowed before his mind's eye, showing people he does not know. Faces, blurred and distorted, flashed past his mind -- ghosts from an unknown past. Staggering slightly, Horatio opened his eyes. Awash in the aftermath of his vision, the tranquil balcony, once cool and inviting, served only to remind him of the stillness of death. He turned towards his new apartment only to be faced with more reminders -- a room, devoid of any memory.
/It's time I did something,/ he thought.
Pausing only to pull his boots on and to attach a small insignia to his shoulder, Horatio Orde exited the quiet room and proceeded down the stairs and out to the sidewalk.
"A walk will do me good. I've kept myself cooped up far too long," Horatio chided himself.
/Oh, sure. It's not like you've been a recluse up until now,/ his cynical side reminded him.
Horatio wandered down the streets of the city. After getting lost a few times -- he was new to the city, after all -- he finally found his way to the main park.
/Maybe I can relax now,/ he thought placidly. /I'm out and among... nothing./
Horatio looked around and saw nothing save trees and bushes. He sighed, expelling some of his frustration. /One would believe that I would make a few friends, gain a couple of hobbies. It's hard in a new city, no matter what your age./
Stroking his goatee thoughtfully, Horatio finally decided to head home and get some sleep. His search could wait a night.
The next morning, he reached over for a battered book and placed it upon his lap. Running his hands over the tattered volume, he felt the embossed letters on the cover. He opened the book and fumbled around for a pen. Turning the page to a blank sheet, he wrote:
"Personal Log Delta 3 -- Horatio Orde. I've moved into my new apartment. It's somewhat exciting to be here, but I can't shake the impression that something bad is about to happen. It's the same feeling that drew me to this city in the first place. However, I am unable to place a time or place to this... premonition, if I can indeed call it that. Today, I shall explore this city, get a feel for the place. I am here to protect it, after all."
After completing the entry, he arose from his bed and went to find appropriate clothing. He eventually decided to wear a grey shirt and jacket to complement the slacks he had his eyes on. He put the clothes on upon which he had his eyes, and stared at himself in the mirror. /Grey suits my mood today, it seems,/ he thought as he affixed the insignia he had worn the night before onto his shoulder. He walked out the door to experience the new day.
Life itself surrounded the lone captain. /It's so peaceful here,/ he thought. /I could learn to love this./ However, a flashback of his dark memory hovered ominously in his mind. /But not for long,/ he concluded. In his aimless wanderings, he found himself outside some interesting building. /What... what's this?/ He read a sign on the door. /Fortune-teller... why not?/
He strode into the building. As he entered, a feeling of cold dread washed over him. His eyes fell across the shop, noticing trinkets here and there in display cases. Everything looked as if it carried a beauty all its own. Then, a heartbeat later, that beauty turned to despair and hatred. The fortune-teller took one look at him and shook her head. "I have nothing for you," she said. A low undertone of warning colored her voice.
"I'm the one paying," Horatio countered.
"I have nothing for you."
Pierce smirked. "Now how could that be?"
"Leave. Now," she ordered.
Something about the fortune-teller changed, or so it appeared to Horatio. He turned and left sharply.
As he left, he heard the most peculiar thing. He had already turned the corner, when he heard a girl's voice: "Moon Prism Power... Make Up!"
Horatio spun, the once vague feeling of dread shifted to an acute sensation. He tapped the insignia on his shoulder and said a single word: "Engage." A flash of light engulfed him. His clothes metamorphosed into a set of grey armor, and a short rod appeared at his side, clipped to his belt. He plucked the rod from its place and held it in his hand, feeling the rod lengthen into a full-size staff.
He dashed back into the shop and took stock of the situation. Taking aim at the first target of opportunity -- something that looked like a girl in an absurdly short skirt -- he fired two blasts of energy from the tip of his staff. The other being before him threw a card of some sort at him. Orde batted the card aside with the staff, and stood to make a speech: "To turn away customers without any cause is bad business. But to fight your customers -- I cannot forgive that. To protect the innocent, I, Pierce Orde, shall destroy you."
His only reply consisted of another card being thrown at him. The card stuck in his armor as he ducked out of the door. Several more cards came flying, but Pierce managed to duck and dodge them until he was safely out of sight. /Space this nonsense -- I'm letting those two duke it out,/ he thought angrily. He disappeared in a haze of light -- teleported back to his apartment -- to plan his next move.
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Jadeite stepped before his dark queen. "My Queen," he began. "I picked up unusual energy readings at the last battle."
"And what does this mean?" Beryl replied from atop her dark throne, scorn in her voice.
"There is another fighter involved. Someone who goes by the name of 'Pierce'."
Beryl pondered this new information. /It's apparent that he himself is no friend of that Sailor Senshi. Perhaps I can entice him over to our side,/ she thought. /He is a warrior, although he does not understand how deep he is in./
Musing over situation, she came to a decision. She called for Kunzite, who appeared swiftly.
"You are to study this one called 'Pierce'. Find his weaknesses, and discover whether he can be brought over to fight for us. If an opportunity arises to capture him, do so."
Kunzite bowed. "Yes, my Queen, he replied simply. Jadeite bowed as well. The two left promptly.
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"Luna, have you had any luck finding out just who that person was?" Usagi asked, lounging on her bed.
"No. Whoever he was, he didn't seem to be a minion of the Dark Kingdom," Luna replied.
Usagi rubbed her shoulder idly. "That didn't help me. He just hit me in the back with something! Who did he say he was?"
"I believe he referred to himself as 'Pierce', but I have not had any luck discovering any information on him. I will search again tonight."
--------
Horatio studied his memories of the encounter late into the night, but to no avail. He had also repaired the damage to his armor. Turning his attention to the card, he observed that nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary about the card, except that it was sharp. Damn sharp. He yawned and glanced at the clock. Ten-thirty -- time for bed. He dragged himself to bed and fell asleep swiftly.
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Horatio found himself in an unfamiliar place. He spun, checking over the surroundings. Nobody was in his sight line, so he slapped at his shoulder, intent upon activating his insignia. His hand encountered the edge of something stiff, unyielding, metallic. Taking a moment in his surprise to observe himself, he discovered that he was not wearing any clothes he recognized. Suddenly more alert and on guard, he ran his hands over his garments. He mentally registered a cape -- material unknown -- and long pants -- material unknown -- and a long-sleeve shirt -- material unknown -- and a light, sleeveless vest -- material unknown. The cape seemed to attach to the vest.
A sound -- a scream -- ripped through the air. Horatio whipped around towards the general direction of the sound. Something must have been wrong with his eyes, because anything more than ten feet in front of him appeared hazy. Ignoring this difficulty, he ran towards the sound. The run took forever -- or so it seemed. When he arrived near the end of the twisting maze, his stomach lurched. Before him was some sort of monster standing over a corpse. He felt his hand rise to brandish something -- but what? His hands had been empty -- and felt a cry tear itself from his throat. His eyes, apparently the only part of him left that remained under his control, glanced to the thing in his hand. A staff, gripped firmly in the fist, was pointed straight at the monster. He glanced back at the monster. Saw the cruelty in its eyes. He felt himself charging at the monster, and then everything faded to white.
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Horatio awoke in a cold sweat, his left hand -- the one that had gripped the phantom staff -- clenched tightly into a fist. He shook his head, dispelling the already fading memory, and slowly relaxed his hand. Other than a few marks left in his palm, his hand seemed undamaged. He flexed it a few times, just to be sure. The excitement passed, he lay back and fell asleep.
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Usagi bolted at full speed towards school. "I'm LATE!!" she yelled over and over again. As she whipped around a corner, she collided into someone, causing both of them to fall to the pavement. Usagi's papers flew everywhere, and she scrambled to pick them up. The person she had ran into grabbed some of her papers and handed them to her. "Sorry," he apologized.. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"Neither was I." she said by way of counter-apology.
He stood and offered her his hand. "Let me help you up." he offered. She took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. He bent over and picked up the rest of her papers. Offering the packet to her, he offered her his name.
"Horatio." she replied. "What an odd name."
He gave her a puzzled look. "I'm somewhat new to this city."
Despite her rush, Usagi couldn't help but stare into Horatio's eyes. They reminded her most of a cold winter's day -- bleak, unforgiving, and lonely.
"Do I have something on my face?" Horatio asked. "Or is it too much to ask for your name, miss?"
Usagi shook her head. "Usagi." she replied. Then, suddenly remembering why she was in such a hurry, she ran off. "Sorry! I'm LATE!" she yelled behind her by way of apology.
"What an odd person." Horatio said quietly to himself. Taking a glimpse at his wristwatch, he muttered something about his own lateness. "I need to get back." he muttered. As he turned and left, he didn't notice the small cat that was following him.
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Horatio strode by a café. He looked at his watch again. "Well, I don't really need to go through my routine today," he rationalized. "I could do well with a cup of coffee." He stepped with his precise gait into the café and ordered a cup of coffee. When the waitress handed him the cup, he retrieved a few packets of sugar and four tubs of creamer. When he sat down and opened the first creamer tub, an odd black cat jumped onto the table. His first impulse was to bat it off, but decided against it. He poured the first tub into his coffee. "You're an impulsive kitty, aren't you," he noted. The cat gave him a stare that implied that it wanted something.
"No, you cannot have my creamer. It'll just make you fat," he retorted.
The cat continued to stare.
Horatio threw his hands into the air. "All right, you win. I just hope you can drink it out of the tub. I don't have a dish," he said as he opened another tub and placed it before the cat.
The cat, to its credit, slowly lapped the creamer out of the small tub. He reached out and pet the cat as he finished mixing his coffee. The cat slinked over to him and rubbed itself against his arm.
"Oh, fine," Horatio said with mock annoyance. He pet the cat while he drank his coffee. When he finished, he glanced at the cat. "So, do you want to walk around with me today?" he asked the cat. The cat seemed to nod, then rubbed its back against his arm again.
Horatio scooped the cat up and exited the café.
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Luna felt very comfortable in the man's arms. He knew just the right way to hold a cat. She purred while he stroked her fur. Now why couldn't Usagi be this nice to her? This day she would remember fondly for quite some time. She hoped that she would be able to find this person again.
Suddenly, the petting stopped. Luna picked up her head, wondering what had happened. She saw him open a glass door. Where was he going? Looked like some sort of exercise center. As he carried her through the building, she noted the various surroundings. He entered a padded room with a mirror along one side. Long rods leaned against another convenient wall. She watched as he brought her over to a chair and bunched a towel on the cushion. She felt him moving her onto the chair. Oh, this was soft.
She gave him a patient look. "Just stay there," he told her. Luna did a little cat-shrug and watched as the man selected a rod. He slowly paced to the center of the room, and began what seemed like a routine. She watched him with some interest as he danced to and fro within the room, swatting at invisible foes, blocking slices from phantom blades, and occasionally vaulting over imaginary chasms. He's quick on his feet, she noted. And then one of the odd inconsistencies struck her. This benevolent stranger wasn't wearing any workout clothes. Or any of the types of clothes people wear to maximize flexibility. Those were regular street clothes! His bobbing hair caught her eye. Back and forth, to and fro it danced, presenting itself as an intriguing target to swat, had it been within reach. Eventually, she grew drowsy and fell asleep, purring softly.
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Horatio wiped the perspiration off his forehead with the spare towel. Good thing there were two in here. He stood and watched the sleeping cat. He had no idea why he had decided to carry the cat all the way over here. Maybe it was because the cat was so damned cute. "I really have no clue." he said softly to himself. He strode over and ran his hand over the cat's fur. The cat stirred slightly. Shrugging to himself, he picked the cat up and winced as the feline, slightly panicked, sunk the tips of its claws into his arm. "Ow. It's okay," he whispered. The pain in his arm lessened. At least the cat had taken its claws out of him. Grimacing slightly, he left the room, cat in arms.
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Horatio's travels brought him to a park bench. Placing the cat on the bench, he sat and checked the scratches on his arm. "Nothing bad, lucky for you." he told the cat, who stared back at him dispassionately. As he relaxed -- petting the cat -- on the bench, his eyes scanned the park. Nobody in sight. He pulled a book out from his jacket and started reading.
Luna really was enjoying her day. She had found this wonderful person who had given her creamer (although it had been no small feat to get it out of the tub and look normal doing it), carried her around the city, set her on a soft towel, didn't drop her when she accidentally clawed his arm, and pet her all day. Usagi didn't treat her this well. She sighed happily and fell asleep again.
Usagi walked slowly back from school. She had had another test today, and hadn't done well on it. Luna had been absent when she had left school. Where could that cat be? As Usagi passed through the park, she saw the person she had bumped into earlier that morning. From this angle, it looked like he was reading something, and petting a cat. That cat looked comfortable, and it looked very familiar. She walked a bit closer. It was Luna! So this was where she had been all day while Usagi was stuck in school! She walked straight up to the sleeping cat. "Luna! So this is where you've been all day! I've got half a mind to..." she yelled. The stranger -- Horatio was his name, wasn't it? -- looked up from his book. "I'm sorry, is this your cat?" he asked. Usagi was taken aback slightly.
"Yes, that's my cat. I hope she hasn't been too much trouble." Usagi stammered. Those eyes were so mesmerizing. The way the afternoon sun hit them made them look like they were flashing grey as the light struck them every so often. The intensity of the flashes differed appreciably,
"She was no trouble at all." Horatio replied. He looked over at the cat. "Were you supposed to be somewhere?" he rhetorically asked of the cat.
The cat, somewhat startled by Usagi's outburst, stood and yawned. Horatio raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Well, I guess you can take her now." he said to Usagi. Usagi picked the cat -- Luna -- up and sat down next to him.
"I'm so sorry I ran into you this morning, Horatio-san." Usagi said.
"No harm done. Neither of us were watching where we were going," he reaffirmed.
She craned her neck, trying to get glimpse of the book's text. "So, what are you reading? It looks interesting."
"Oh, just Fundamental Principles of Tactical Combat. I like to reread it sometimes, visualizing the strategies involved."
When his head moved, the light of the sun caught his eyes and treated Usagi to a grey flash of light. /How odd.../ she thought.
Usagi opened her mouth and then closed it, not knowing what exactly to say. Horatio glanced at his wristwatch. "However, I need to be going. Perhaps I will see you around the city." he said. With that, he rose and walked off.
"Luna, I can't believe you were with him all day!"
"I sensed something odd about him, and so I followed him after you bumped into him. He gave me a tub of creamer, pet me, carried me around, set me on a soft towel to sleep on. He was very nice to me. Much more so than you." Luna retorted.
Usagi stuck her tongue out at her cat. "So, what else did you do today?" she asked.
"Well, he brought me to this exercise center. Then he put me on a cushioned chair. I watched him dance around with this rod. Then my attention shifted to his bobbing hair. I fell asleep soon after. When I awoke, he was picking me up again. He wandered a bit through the city with me in his arms, then we came here." Luna informed Usagi. "All in all, I had a very good day."
"Come on, Luna." Usagi said as she stood. "Let's go."
Luna hopped off the bench and followed Usagi.
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Horatio stood at the entrance to his apartment. At least today had been a quiet day. No robberies, kidnappings, or anything else to deal with. However, he was glad that the cat had come up to him. "What was its name again?" he muttered softly to himself, trying to remember. "Luna. That was it. Aptly named." he completed. He sat at his computer and ran simulations of various situations until he fell asleep at the keyboard.
----Dark Kingdom----
Jadeite stood before Queen Beryl. He knew not why he had been summoned to her presence.
"Jadeite, you now have a secondary priority. Capture the one known as Pierce if and when you have the opportunity."
Jadeite, somewhat surprised at Beryl's new command to him, bowed. "Yes, my Queen." he replied.
Beryl waved her hand at Jadeite, dismissing him. Jadeite bowed again, turned around, and left.
End Chapter 1