Mamoru waited at the airport, as tourists from the United States filed out of Tokyo International Airport.
He frowned as he looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes..." he mentally grumbled, starting to wonder if his cousin even came on this plane.
Just as he was about to turn back, a voice echoed across the terminal, as a brown haired, brown eyed boy roughly sixteen years of age hobbled over, leaning heavily on a black cane and carrying a small orange bag. He wore an eye patch over his right eye, the same side he leaned against.
"Sorry I'm late, cousin!" the boy apologized, panting slightly. "I didn't know Tokyo International was so large."
Mamoru nodded, "It's alright, Irwin. I'm just glad I could be here for you."
The American sighed, as they got into the car.
"I'll need to get this back soon. Haruka wasn't too pleased to find out that I needed it." Mamoru explained to his cousin, beginning to push on the accelerator.
Irwin let out a small laugh. "Fine with me. I can take the abuse."
Both laughed as they left the airport behind, car flashing through the roads.
Irwin stretched as they entered Mamoru's apartment.
Letting out a small whistle, the American commented, "Nice place you have here."
The older man shrugged. "It's not much, but the view is nice." He proceeded to the kitchen.
"Can I get you anything to drink?" he asked cordially.
Mamoru looked up, noticing that Irwin was looking at a picture he had hanging up of he and a blonde woman.
"I'm alright, Mamoru. Who is this, a friend of yours?" the cousin asked, carefully analyzing every part of the picture: the color of the grass, the clothing, facial expressions.
Mamoru chuckled. "Pretty, isn't she? She's Usagi."
Irwin nodded, entranced.
"She's also my girlfriend." he finished flatly.
The cousin snapped around suddenly coming to attention.
"Oh, well, you have quite the catch," he stammered nervously, taking in the details of the other pictures in the room: the brunette in green, a woman with teal-colored hair engrossed in a book, a second blonde triumphantly standing on a stage, and a black-haired beauty in Shinto garb.
Off to one side, Irwin also noticed a small portrait of a woman with strong, athletic and masculine features; a blue-haired lady with a violin in hand accompanied by a little black-haired girl; in the back of them all, a green haired woman seemed to almost be protecting them.
Mamoru chuckled, "Don't worry, Irwin. You'll get to meet everyone tomorrow."
Irwin smiled. "Thanks, Cuz. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Mamoru only replied with a shrug.
"Everyone, this is my cousin from the United States, Irwin Beltone. He'll be staying in my home while I continue my studies in America." Mamoru introduced the nervous American.
They had gathered outside the Cherry Hill Shrine, and Irwin was incredibly nervous. He wore a pair of denim pants and a cream-colored shirt. Instead of an eye patch, Irwin wore a pair of simple sunglasses and leaned on a mahogany cane.
After everyone introduced themselves, Irwin concentrated for a moment.
"Let's see if I can remember who's who..." he said.
First, Irwin pointed towards the brunette wearing a light green windbreaker.
"Makoto Kino," to which the woman nodded.
Next, he pointed to the blonde with a single ribbon in her hair.
"Minako Aino," to which the blonde nodded her head feverishly.
He pointed towards the third, the raven-haired priestess.
"Rei Hino," earning a shrug from the woman.
Finally, he pointed at the blue-haired girl that was studying, even now.
"And, of course, Ami Mizuno. I've heard about you and your emphasis on intelligence. A commendable effort," he commented.
Ami looked up, and reddened slightly.
"Uh, yes, I am a little bit of a study bug." she nervously replied, before going back to her studies.
Irwin looked around.
"Aren't there four others?" he asked, as a car pulled up, and four more girls got out.
"Sorry we're late," the sandy-haired one said, wearing a unique garb that, had Irwin not known better, would have made anyone mistake her for a man.
The aqua-haired woman got out next, wearing a modest dress.
"I just couldn't decide what shade to wear." she admitted.
Finally, the last two passengers got out: the green-haired woman and the little girl.
Irwin nodded, and said, "Don't tell me: Haruka Tenoh, Michiru Kaioh, and Setsuna Meioh and Hotaru Tomoe.
Shocked, they all nodded, as the little one, Hotaru, pointed at Irwin.
"Setsuna-mama, why is he walking with a cane?" she asked loudly.
Setsuna, the green-haired one, tried to quietly explain that it wasn't polite to ask that.
Irwin waved his hand casually.
"Oh, it's alright, Ms. Meioh. I'm often asked that. I guess I should tell you all exactly what happened."
You see, I wasn't always like you see me now. I used to live with my parents in America. We were the Beltone family, and had a large fortune from stock speculations.
Despite this, we lived rather modestly. Though we never lacked for anything, me and my siblings were raised to learn how to earn our own means.
We lived very happily, until about six months ago.
During the middle of the night, a gas line in our house ruptured, leading to an explosion that killed everyone in our house: my parents, my siblings, everyone.
I, however, was lucky enough to have avoided most of the explosion. Unfortunately, the flash of the explosion burned my eye, and the concussive force of the explosion itself shattered my right leg.
After three months of agonizing surgery to remove what was left of my right eye, and to reconstruct as much of my leg as possible, I was left an orphan.
However, my next of kin was alerted: Mamoru Chibia in Japan, a cousin of mine with whom my family had been in erratic contact with.
I had found this strange, since, as far as I knew, my cousin was going to study in America until his flight was mysteriously destroyed. I'm still not sure how he managed to survive such a brush with death. Perhaps it's genetic.
Anyway, we made contact, and prepared arrangements for me to be here, and have some of my possessions from America shipped over in bits and pieces, depending on how much allowance I am given from my family's fortune.
You see, I could have lived alone just well, except that my family's fortune is locked away from my grasp until I am 18, which isn't for another two years.
In the meantime, I will be living in Mamoru's apartment while he studies abroad, acting as a caretaker of sorts.
Irwin sighed as he finished his story. Minako and Usagi were in tears.
"You poor dear..." the pop idol cried.
Rei smacked both of their heads.
"Get ahold of yourselves. You two are more brooding than he is!" she hissed, looking oddly at the American.
Makoto leaned back, stretching her arms.
"So, I guess I'll have to treat you to lunch at some point, Irwin. I doubt you can really cook." she lazily opened one eye.
Irwin let out a small laugh.
"I know some basics, but, until my books arrive, I'm afraid I'll be eating Ramen Noodles and Twinkies."
Ami looked up, curious.
"Books? What kind of books?"
Irwin smiled, answering,
"Not much, just a few books on stir-fry cooking, a couple of repair manuals for my car, and some simple literature, really."
"What kind of car?" Haruka asked, curious.
Mamoru cleared his throat.
"I think that's enough questions for now. I'm pretty sure Irwin is in the district. I'm going to take him on a tour around the area."
He began to walk out with Usagi and Irwin, when a voice broke the silence.
"May I give him a tour?"
Everyone turned, to see Ami standing there, book closed, and entirely focused.
Mamoru, slightly stunned, nodded.
"Why not?"
After Irwin and Ami toured the Juban district, they began to head back towards Mamoru's apartment.
"Thank you..." Irwin said.
Ami shrugged. "It was the least I could do."
Irwin nodded, then added.
"You know, everyone seemed shocked that you offered. Why is that?"
Ami blushed. "Well, it's just that... there's something about you that seems..."
Suddenly, a nearby trash can exploded.
As the dust cleared, both saw a strange beast standing there.
"Wh... what is that?" Irwin exclaimed, a little scared.
Ami gasped.
"Irwin, get out of here!" she shouted, pushing him away as the monster struck with a deadly-looking barbed tail.
The American shook his head defiantly, drawing his cane.
"I'm not leaving you here, Ami."
The genius tried to find a reason for Irwin to leave, but that was all cut short as he twisted the handle of his cane.
With one quick move, Irwin bent his cane into an odd angle, as a trigger guard popped out. All in all, the cane looked like a rather cleverly-concealed gun.
Raising an eyebrow at Ami, he said, "Bet you didn't expect that?" then turned the gun towards the monster, firing a spray of bullets at the beast.
The monster roared, and lashed out. Ami was nearly hit, until Irwin pushed her out of the way, throwing the poor boy into a nearby alley.
The genius ducked into another alleyway, and pulled out her transformation pen.
"Mercury Crystal Power, Make-Up!" she shouted, transforming into Sailor Mercury with a flash of water.
The blue-haired Senshi of water emerged.
"I don't know why you are here, but I will have to stop you from destroying any innocent bystanders," she said, striking a pose.
The creature seemed to ignore her, slowly walking towards the alleyway that Irwin fell into.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!" she yelled, unleashing freezing water upon the beast.
The monster shrugged, then turned towards Mercury, lashing out with its tail, nearly hitting her.
Just as the Senshi of water was about to call for help, she heard a gunshot, as the beast arched its back, letting out a roar in pain.
The monstrous creature turned, as the street lights shone on a strange sight.
Standing in the middle of the street, a man wearing a headset, and a red bandana stood, piloting a giant machine almost twice the size of a normal person.
The monster lunged, suddenly intent upon this strange new target, when the hands suddenly unleashed a storm of bullets, perforating the beast before it could take another step.
"That takes care of that..." the figure said, turning his back to Mercury.
Confused, the Senshi shouted out, "Wait! Who... who are you?"
The machine stopped and turned, showing the driver to have one normal brown eye and one eye glowing red, a bionic implant.
"I... am the Metallix Knight, an ally to those who wish to fight evil." He said before running off, with speed that nobody could match.
Irwin groaned as he woke up, seeing Ami.
"Wh-what was that?" he slurred.
Ami shook her head. "It's nothing, it's gone now. Mamoru must be worried sick."
"So, this 'Metallix Knight' just suddenly appeared?" Rei asked, skeptic of the story.
Ami nodded, as she looked into the sky. "It's strange, too. This knight just came out of nowhere, killed the Youma, and vanished without a trace. Not even my computer could keep up with his machine."
Makoto stroked her chin, deep in thought. "A soldier who fights with machines..." she muttered, before shrugging, "I don't know, Ami. It sounds too farfetched to me."
Luna rolled her eyes. "Like Sailor Senshi, a Moon Kingdom, and talking cats aren't."
Minako giggled, "Of course not, Luna. Nobody in our world can possibly have made that kind of machine, right? I mean, it sounds more advanced than anything we've met before."
Artemis nodded, looking into the distance as well.
"That's what I'm afraid of. If we encounter this strange knight again, we must ask him a few more questions." the white cat said.
Rei nodded. "There's something strange about Irwin, as well. Almost like..."
"Almost like what?" Irwin cheerily asked, having arrived with Mamoru and Usagi.
The other girls jumped, as Rei tried to finish her sentence.
"Like... an eavesdropper!" she accused.
Irwin shrugged. "Well, I didn't mean to ruin your conversation."
Ami shook her head. "We just finished."
Mamoru smiled.
"Good. Irwin needs help getting ready."
The American smiled, "Yes, I'm afraid I have no idea on how to prepare for your Juban High School." He looked down, a little embarrassed.