Kidnapping Sailor Moon – Part 2

11:17 PM Friday - Juban District - Tokyo, Japan

Sailor Mars arrived shortly after Mercury's call. Jupiter, already there, was fighting the monster that looked like a woman made of taffy. She looked around and didn't see Sailor Moon. That stupid girl always showed up late. Why the hell couldn't she reach a battle on time!?

Her frustration with both Sailor Moon and Usagi, had been growing for a while. Sure, the girl was getting better at some things, but she was still late a lot, and when she was in human form she was almost insufferably sweet. And loud… and for some reason Mamoru actually liked her, paid attention to her. That was just wrong. She had liked it better when they were always fighting, and still couldn't understand what had happened that changed everything.

She wanted Mamoru's attention. She was the pretty one. She was the one who did everything. Usagi was no priestess, that was for sure. And her grades were atrocious. She was always forgetting something she had to do, or some paper she had to turn in. Rei knew that if Mamoru gave HER half a chance he would see they were perfect together.

Sailor Moon arrived and dove into the fray and was obviously trying to discover a weakness in the Youma she fought. Mars watched as the girl dodged an attack, surprised the klutz didn't trip and fall.

Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury were still off to one side, the fire Senshi standing in front of the bluenette to give her time to discover what the weakness was. Sailor Jupiter, who was newest to the group, was attempting to pick herself up off the ground, having been blown backward by a sickly-sweet wind filled with sticky chunks of taffy.

Sailor Moon, closing in behind the Youma, pulled off her tiara and with the words "MOON TIARA ACTION" she threw it like a discus at the monster. The taffy Youma was uninjured, the cut closing over with more of the sticky candy. It turned on Sailor Moon and lunged, but the Senshi was too fast.

Sailor Mercury looked up from her little computer. "I think you have to hit the wrapper on the forehead," she shouted.

"Think you can MANAGE that MOON?!" Sailor Mars asked. "Can't do anything!" she continued. "Always late, always klutzing out… I mean seriously!" She was frustrated that the girl was leader when she was so obviously not capable of doing the job.

Sailor Moon rudely ignored her, and Mars was irritated. The girl reached for her tiara again, but the Youma was still advancing on her, sending spray after spray of taffy, until one caught her foot, and she was trapped where she stood. She fell backward with a cry of pain, but even before she hit the ground, Tuxedo Kamen had leaped into action. In one swift movement he launched himself towards her, simultaneously releasing two blood-red roses. The sharp spikes cut through the sticky goo, and seconds later he had pulled her into his arms.

Can't manage a single battle without being rescued. She shifted her position, hoping to protect Mercury.

"Seriously!" Shouted Mercury. "You can't lie around on the job!" Mars nodded in agreement.

Finally, Sailor Moon took action. "Moon Twilight Flash!" she screamed, and her tiara caught the glow of the moonlight, amplifying the white light and streaking across the field. A second later she yelled, "Moon Tiara Action," and with deadly accuracy the tiara followed the light, hitting a tiny square wrapper on the forehead of the creature. A breeze picked up the dust as the Youma fell apart.

Mars and Mercury stood together talking. "She really has to get her act together," Mercury moaned.

"I know. Takes forever to get here, and then forever to take the thing out." She sighed. "And what's with that Tuxedo Kamen? Shouldn't he have protected Sailor Jupiter too?

Sailor Jupiter looked at Moon and gave a tentative smile, unsure what to say or do. She had tried to fight and been blown down, stuck to the grass as though superglued. But even after Sailor Moon had been knocked over she had fought. The girl seemed strong and capable to her, but the others didn't seem to see that. She took a step closer to where the Senshi of the Moon stood, noticing the masked hero hovering just beyond her shoulder.

Mars and Mercury stopped talking and stepped forward into the moonlight. Frustrated with the girl's actions, Mars didn't pull and punches. "Why the hell were you so late?" She demanded irritably.

"Because," whined Sailor Moon, "my mother was in my room talking to me. I had to get her to go away, unless you want me to transform right in front of her. We talked about this. I won't put my family in danger!"

Suddenly, Tuxedo Kamen started growling at them. He sounded like an angry wolf. "I am sick of this!" He growled again. "Mars, do you realize you did absolutely nothing the entire time? Mercury, you just hid behind Mars with your stupid computer. The only one helping Sailor Moon was Jupiter, and she is still untrained. You pick and pick at your leader and I have just had enough!" By the end he was shouting.

Mars was furious. How DARE he talk to her, the strongest of the Senshi, in that tone. She looked at Sailor Mercury and saw a puzzled frown on her face.

Tuxedo Kamen picked up Sailor Moon, and Mars stared at him in confusion.

"I will bring her back the moment you actually realize what you've lost, and not a moment sooner." The girl struggled in his arms, but he held tight. Looking down at her he growled, "sit still! I'm doing this for your own damn good!" And without another word he leapt away.

For a few minutes the other Senshi chased after him, Sailor Jupiter screaming for him to bring the girl back. She chased him the longest, her long legs eating up the distance, but he lost her when he jumped onto a high building. Sailor Moon was still struggling when she lost sight of them.

She slowed to a stop and after a moment Mercury and Mars reached her. "He kidnapped Sailor Moon!" She wailed, falling to her knees. "He took her!" She was shaking now, thinking of the first person who had accepted her just as she was. "USAGI!" Her scream echoed on the buildings, reverberating and making the name sound haunting and desperate.

Mercury looked down at her computer. She felt a little bad about what she had said, but couldn't figure out why their ally had taken their leader. Maybe he was trying to get the crystal. Maybe he was going to do something to her. She pulled up Sailor Moon's communicator and screeched in frustration. "Guys," she said, her voice shaking. "Her communicator is gone!"

Already having released her henshien, Rei came up to Mercury and Jupiter. She was livid. Obviously, this was some scheme cooked up by Sailor Moon and that stupid Tuxedo Kamen! It wasn't fair to make them worry! The girl was a pain, and kind of useless, but Rei loved her.

Following her example the two girls transformed and Makoto and Ami stood beside her. "Usagi…" whined Makoto. "We have to get Usagi back!" She continued to weep and Rei felt a little annoyed. Talk about useless.

Ami looked up from her computer. "Well, we need to tell Luna what happened. And we need to leave a note or something for Usagi's mom."

Agreeing this was the best course of action, the three girls headed towards Usagi's house. None of them were in the mood to talk. Makoto was sniffling, Mercury distracted by her computer, and Rei was just angry.

When they arrived, it was Makoto who went into Usagi's bedroom, leaping in through the window. She nudged the cat, who was sleeping on the fluffy purple comforter decorated in crescent moons and bunnies. Luna snapped awake and yawned.

"Already Usagi?" she asked, before turning to see a weeping Makoto. She was instantly alert, looking for her charge. "Where's Usagi?"

"Tux... Tuxedo... Tuxedo Kamen took her."

"WHAT!?" Luna screeched and fell off the bed.

"He said he wouldn't bring her back until... til we knew why we needed her." The girl sat next to Luna on the floor and cried.

"I need to know exactly what happened. Start from the beginning... Oh calm down child. I don't think he would hurt her." Luna twitched her tail in agitation. Her fur stood on end and her whiskers wiggled in anger as Makoto told about the battle, the things the other girls had said, Usagi's reaction, and then about Tuxedo Kamen's promise. She thought about his exact wording. "I will bring her back the moment you actually realize what you've lost, and not a moment sooner."

Luna considered herself to be at least a little wise. She had not been blind to the fact that her charge had grown better and better as a Senshi. It was the main reason she had given her the leadership role. She also knew, though the girls didn't, that Usagi had been training several extra hours a week... sometimes with Tuxedo Kamen. She also suspected his identity... but it was not something she planned on sharing, especially now. The man was right.

Ami had become blind to the changes in her friend because she was stuck in a world of numbers and learning. Rei was blinded by jealousy, both because Usagi was leader, and because the girl had Mamoru's affections.

Usagi had cried herself to sleep more times than Luna could count, but had always put on a smile for everyone else. Maybe Tuxedo Mask had gone about it the wrong way, but she was not opposed to the lesson being learned. Luna glanced towards the window and beckoned Makoto closer.

"Girl," she whispered. "Tuxedo Kamen would never hurt Usagi okay? Don't tell the others this, but I actually know who he is. Usagi and I found out a while back. He knows who all of you are too... and I think he cares for the girl very much." She paused, watching as the girl dried her cheeks. "Okay, you will not repeat what I told you to the others. No!" she ordered when the girl looked like she would argue. "He's right. She isn't given the respect she deserves."

"Now..." she switched to her normal voice, "here is what we are going to do. First, I want you to write a note and leave it on Usagi's desk. Her homework is over there so you can copy her letters. Just say she went to your house, and then tomorrow morning you can call and ask if she can stay the weekend. If she isn't back by Monday, we can think of something then." She waited until Makoto nodded.

She sighed and looked towards the window, speaking slightly louder. "You will help the others attempt to find her, though I'm sure he has found a place where she can't escape from, and where we would never find him. It's okay to worry and be concerned," she added, "but don't let it consume you. I will come home with you for the night, and we can talk more then."

She watched as Makoto followed her instructions, then leaped to the window and out into the night with her. Ami was sitting on the ground, looking a little forlorn, but Rei was standing tall, with her back straight, her arms folded across her chest.

"Girls," she said finally. "We wont find her tonight. He's too smart for that, especially if he took her communicator. He must have a sub-space pocket. In the morning Ami, you can begin looking for that. Rei, you will search the Fire after you wake up. Makoto and I will trace any physical leads." She nodded to each of the girls, then asked Makoto to carry her. The girls separated, and she sighed.

Makoto was feeling better. If Luna said Usagi was okay, she had to believe her. She had seen Tuxedo Kamen save the girls countless times herself. She thought maybe he loved her, and fervently hoped nothing bad would happen to her friend.

Ami was feeling guilty. And every time she looked at her Mercury computer, that feeling was compounded. She remembered her harsh words and knew she would never forgive herself if she didn't get the chance to apologize. She looked through the data she had pulled up. She hadn't even thought about the research, but now, looking down at the information, she heaved a huge sigh. Usagi had been improving in all aspects of her life, including the Senshi part. She was a good fighter, and actually a very good leader. More than that, Usagi had always been kind to her, even when no one else paid attention to the lonely bluenette.

Rei worried over her friend too, though she didn't want to admit it. Nothing the girl had ever said or done made her deserve being held prisoner. And the thought that it was her own fault made Rei feel ashamed. She walked slowly back to the temple, unsure how she should actually be feeling.