My feet pounded harshly on the soft earth as I attempted to locate my charge. Charge... I knew she was more than that, but couldn't seem to come up with a more suitable term. What else was there, for that matter? Friend? Companion? Competition? Lover...? Certainly not! Such a relationship seemed doomed from the beginning. After all, for the time being, we sought the same prize: the Imperial Silver Crystal. Not even the respect nor the bond I shared with her would save her from my insatiable ambition. No one would keep me from the companionship I had been promised. No one...

Rounding a corner, I felt the ground give a little as the lush grass became loose gravel; a narrow avenue running between two proud lines of spruce. Far in the distance, I could make out movement. In a matter of seconds, the air pulsed and sizzled with electricity, and was followed by a rather audible explosion. Gingerly, I smoothed out my hair, which had foofed due to the static, and received a very unpleasant zap to the thumb. My suspicions had been confirmed.

As I hurried my pace, I began to notice the pleasant feeling of the chilly, early fall wind ripping at my unbound hair, the absence of that heavy cape. Grateful for the simple, sudden tantrum I had thown on the balcony, I couldn't stop the grin that spread itself across my lips. Unfortunately, as quickly as it had come, a heart wrenchingly piercing scream erased it.

At last, they came into view. A shapely young female youma jumped into my line of vision. She wore what looked to be a very festive summer kimono with bright splashes of reds, blues, and pink sakura blossoms. Her earthy black locks were pinned in an ornate bun and little loose tendris fell in curls upon her bare shoulders. If it hadn't been for her sea-foam green hued skin, I would have taken her for a very lovely Japanese festival-goer. Pure malice dripped from her periwinkle-colored eyes as she pulled a wounded Venus up by her gloriously golden hair. Great, I thought wryly. The one senshi who is of help to me in every battle is now out of service. Apparently, simply a bump to the head and a trickle of crimson blood was not enough to sate this demoness's hunger. With a playful wave of her free hand, a bladed fan came to rest upon the beautiful Senshi of Love's neck. The other soldiers gasped as one.

This day just keeps going from bad to worse, I thought through gritted teeth, my temper ever on the rise. Clenching my fists did not seem to alleviate my frustration. "No one's going to make a move?" the youma giggled in surprise. "How droll... On with it, then!"

Before I knew what I was doing, I lunged, furious at the girls' inaction in addition to my own sour mood. I screamed in rage as I barreled into the chest of the unsuspecting youma. Thankfully, her only reply was a pained gasp. At first. Venus was dropped immediately, now unimportant, and her friends gathered her up with whispers of relief. I became the new target. Spreading her stance, the youma stood poised to attack. Her expression held not only contempt, but curiosity and an ample dose of amusement. Regrettably, I just didn't like the smirk on her face.

"You picked the wrong day, honey!" I spat as I jumped at her. She tried to dodge, but I anticipated her movements precisely and landed a grievous punch to her left cheek. Not stopping there, I swung around to give her a well-aimed roundhouse kick to the hip. However, my attack glanced off her and she dropped to the ground to sweep at my ankles. "Shit!" I cursed, landing on the jagged pebbles. With a grunt, I flipped backwards, not allowing my body to stay on the ground for more than a moment, and away from her. She was still gasping for breath when I rushed her once more. This time, I launched a flurry of punches at her. A hit to the shoulder, a hit to the stomach, another to the chin. I was lost in this storm of anger. I couldn't stop attacking. With each hit, I recalled everything that had gone wrong that day. Waking up much too early, falling back asleep finally only to wake up much too late, no time for breakfast, car wouldn't start, missed the express train, got off at the wrong stop, missed the pop quiz, cringed at an awful grade on a paper that was handed back, no lunch because I forgot my wallet... And then the spat with Usagi, which enraged Motoki, no doubt. Everything I had, I took it out on this now thrashed demoness of the Dark Kingdom. It was a sick pleasure, really. Knowing that I could vent in such a way and no one could or would stop me. How unlucky for this youma...

As I came out of my daze, I realized that I now held the bloody, female form up by the neck. Furthermore, to my astonishment, my hands wrapped around her delicate flesh were beginning to squeeze. This, I knew I shouldn't do, but I couldn't will my fingers to let go.

It felt too liberating!

"Tuxedo Kamen!" Sailor Moon cried hoarsely. I loosened my grip and turned my gaze to the proud warrior of the Moon. Tears fell in continuous rivulets down her rosy cheeks. Her eyes were a blur, but I knew they were pleading with me to stop. She began to tremble when I didn't let go. "Please! She's human inside!" she begged, taking a step toward me. Her statement shocked me as the truth of it sank in. Just as my grip lessened, I heard the youma screech heatedly. I whipped my head back and was met with her hate-filled eyes as she struck my temple. This successfully knocked my mask away from the bridge of my nose. Livid, I threw her to the ground and cast my arm over my exposed face. A tiny trickle ran bitterly down my forehead and onto my coat sleave, adding injury to insult.

"Sailor Moon! Take care of it!" I bellowed nastily. The familiar incantation echoed around me, followed by a final scream from the enemy. Assured that the deed was done, I tried to back up and escape before questions could be asked. This proved quite difficult without my sight, and luckily I ran into a tree behind which to hide until I could retrieve my mask.

"Was that really Tuxedo Kamen?" Mercury queried quietly. They're talking about me? I thought inquisitively.

"I don't know..." answered Mars hesitantly. "He almost... enjoyed it..." A pang of apprehension quickly engulfed me. I don't like where this is going... I thought worriedly.

"I don't know. I thought he kicked ass! Wish I'd done it!" Jupiter beamed.

"But he could've killed that woman!" the Aqua senshi reasoned. "We now know that he is capable of being dangerous..."

"Not that this isn't terribly intriguing, but we need to get Minako away from death's door," suggested the fiery-tempered warrior. After a slight toss of her violet hair, she motioned for the others to help her heave Sailor Venus up from off of the rocky path and out of sight.

"If you guys don't mind," Sailor Moon whispered quietly, "I need to head home." Her eyes were downcast and sheepish. I clutched myself tighter to the tree trunk, for fear that the shadows that hid me would betray me to the light of the moon. My mask was just out of reach, beyond this very tree. As soon as they're gone... I thought hopefully.

"Jeez! Just because you live on the other side of town from all of us doesn't mean you should ditch your injured comrade!" Mars growled.

"Oh, come on, Mars. That was a little harsh," Jupiter chided carefully. Obviously, she agreed with her friend to some degree.

"It's alright," Mercury assured. "Three of us is more than enough to carry her home."

"Be careful, okay?" the emerald senshi warned. With that, the sound of three retreating warriors reached my ears. She lives in the opposite direction... I wondered silently. Suddenly, my mind caught up with my ears. I'm in the opposite direction!

I dove gracelessly to the spot I remembered seeing the mask only to trip on a root that extended upward. As I fell face-first into the dirt, I heard a timid giggle behind me. I knew whose it was.

"Are, are you alright?" I felt a gentle, gloved hand touch my shoulder and reacted on impulse as annoyance exploded in me.

"I told you! Don't touch me, Usagi!" I cried as I spun and knocked her comforting touch away. Before me, she stood shaking violently, my mask dangling from her fingers. Realization hit me; much too late.

"Ma... Mamoru?" she gasped softly. She took an unsteady step backward. She'd better not run... She still had my mask!

"God damnit!" I swore callously at her. "How could you? WHY did you?" I snarled. She backed up again, trembling once more, but I pursued. Her eyes were wide in horror, and she dropped the mask.

"You're... you're bleeding...!" she whimpered, desperate for a way out. Sure enough, when I reached up to touch my forehead, my fingers returned stained with my own blood. Also, because I had interrupted the flow, it now coursed down my face, over my eyebrow. A sick feeling came over me as I felt a drop dribble into my left eye, casting the world into a crimson shade.

"Shut up!" I shouted deafeningly. This sudden burst knocked her to the ground. "Answer me!" I paused. She wasn't even seeing me anymore, so blinded by terror she was. After a moment, a sob escaped her moist lips, and she dragged herself further away from me, clawing at the earth to further her efforts. This was the one I respected? Even looked up to? How pitiful she looked to me now! And yet, strangely, I felt ashamed of myself. Though she had ruined my day twice now, the latter of the two much more serious than the first, she had done it out of concern.

"Please...!Don't hurt me!" she wept.

"Christ..." I sighed in defeat. Carefully, I knelt down beside her and placed my hand on her thigh. She blushed, but did not calm. In fact, she flinched at the contact. "I'm not going to hurt you..." I reflected a moment. "Where do you live?"

"Ne, near Juuban," she chattered. I couldn't have frightened her this much! A thought occurred to me.

"De-transform." It surprised her.

"What?"

"Do it, or I'll make you." She shook her head uncertainly, and this was my cue. My hand shot toward her brooch. Taking a firm hold of it, I gave it a little squeeze. She squealed in fear and grabbed my hand, trying to pry it off with both of her tiny ones. Unfortunately it was too late. Her uniform and skirt dissolved into shimmering pink ribbons swirling about her supple form before fading into a bathrobe. As I had thought...

"Your hair is wet," I accused. Her transformation hid this fact well, but I had myself dashed out of my apartment to help the senshi immediately following a shower many a time, and therefore knew the symptoms.

"I was taking a shower...!" she said in her defense.

"I know." Her long ebony tresses, her true hair color, were already frozen, and her lips were turning blue. "Show me where you live. I'll take you home. Your family can nurse you." She tore her gaze from my eyes to the white masquerade mask laying forgotten on the grass.

"No one is home..." she breathed. What? I thought frantically.

"Where are they?" She firmly closed her glistening eyes, hiding her shame.

"They went on a trip to visit family." I decided that here and now was not the atmosphere to be talking about such things. Disappointment ravaged me until I felt raw. Nothing else could be done...

"Then you're coming with me," I mumbled incoherently. She let out a tiny cry as I gathered her and the mask up into my arms, but quieted instantly. I took off with all the momentum I could muster, sprinting many times the speed of a normal human. When I leapt to the top of the first building we encountered, she struggled to recover herself with the robe. As she did this, I noticed that she didn't even have shoes or slippers. A shake of the head redirected my mind to the task at hand.

At length, we reached the balcony from which I had descended not even an hour earlier.

"Fff..." I began. The doors had been left open when I had gone out. It could very well be as cold inside as out.

"Fff...?" Usagi trailed in confusion. Then her eyes lit up with recognition. "You weren't going to say..."

"Fudge," I lied, peering into her eyes. "Want some?" The offer was meant half-heartedly, though I wasn't sure she got that part of it. Stepping into the apartment, it became apparent that I should have closed my balcony doors.