Chapter 2

"Take THIS, sailor brat!" the plant-monster snarled shooting thorns in the Scout's direction.

"Ow, OW, OW!" Sailor Moon whined, narrowly dodging the sharp bullets, "Luna!" she cried, "I don't wanna to be a hero anymore! I wanna be a regular kid!"

"Need back up, Sailor Moon?" Sailor Mars asked behind her as she and Sailor Mercury ran onto the scene.

"What took you so long?" Sailor Moon asked, in a heap on the ground, wiping tears from her eyes.

Luna rolled her eyes, "Serena, GET UP!"

"I am Sailor Mars," Mars told the monster.

"And I am Sailor Mercury,"

The two joined together in a practiced chorus, "And on behalf of Mars and Mercury, we shall right wrongs and triumph over evil! And that means you!"

If any motivation was needed for Sailor Moon to get off the ground, that cinched it. She stood up angrily, "Hey guys, no fair! That's my line!"

The monster cackled hideously, "So you think you little schoolgirls can defeat me?" It turned inwards to summon energy from the NegaVerse. "Try this on for size!" it taunted, its arms lengthening into vines which twisted around and trapped the Scouts.

"Ahhh!" Sailor Moon screamed as the vines wrapped tighter and tighter around her midsection, "They're going to squeeze us to death! Mars, can't you do something?"

"I'm trying!" she answered but her arms were pressed too tightly against her sides.

All hope seemed lost when a familiar red rose sailed through the air, lifting the spell. The Scouts crumpled to the ground in exhaustion.

"Sailor Moon," a voice belonging to a masked man told her, "Do not lose hope."

"Tuxedo Mask!" she cried, rubbing her bruised rib, "My hero!" In her infatuation with the masked avenger she nearly forgot the purpose of her mission.

"Sailor Moon," he told her, "Now's the time. Use your tiara!"

"Oh!" Sailor Moon snapped back to attention, "Right."

"MOON TIARA MAGIC!" she cried, flinging her glowing tiara at the plant monster which exploded into a pile of harmless moon dust.

"Alright, Sailor Moon!" Mercury jumped in the air, giving her a congratulatory high five.

All was well. His mission had been accomplished in protecting the scout and Tuxedo Mask was free to leave. He turned to disappear into the night.

"Wait!" Sailor Moon called out to him.

He didn't stop. She ran up behind him, catching his hand, urging him to stay. The pulse in his hand grew stronger. Why did she have this effect over him?

"Please don't leave just yet." She entreated him, softly.

He turned around, taking a good look at her for the first time. They had always been caught up in battle and had never stood face to face. He smiled inwardly at the way her hair shot up in an awkward angle, mussed up from the fight.

"But it's time for me to go," He insisted not without a tinge of regret.

"I just wanted to tell you," her face turned red and she turned her attention to her boots, "that I think you're totally cool!"

What was he supposed to say to that? She couldn't possibly be more than fifteen and he felt himself wanting to laugh at her girlish innocence.

"So," she pressed, "You wouldn't ever want to go for an ice cream or something?"

Tuxedo Mask had known Sailor Moon had had some sort of a crush on him, but he never dreamed she would act on it. He sighed, letting her down gently, "Sailor Moon," he told her, "I'll always be there to protect you but it can't be anything more. I'm sorry."

The girl whimpered. She had always wondered what would happen if she asked him out and now she wished she never had.

Oh God, nice going Tuxedo Mask. Now he had made her cry. It hurt him to see her cry. If he could he would gather the poor girl up in his arms, let her cry on his shoulder. Shelter her in the warmth of his cape…

"But that can never be…" he told himself. No matter the attraction he had towards the heroine, it could never be in his power to act on it. They were unofficial enemies, working towards the same goal. His true love was with the Princess that called to him in his dreams…

"Until next time, Sailor Moon." He murmured his mind a million miles away. Without a backwards glance, he swept off into the night.

Serena erupted into a fresh burst of sobs.

"What's wrong?" Raye teased her, "Did Tuxedo Mask cancel your plans for Saturday?"