Chapter 3

Its a wonder what possesed these cats to scratch my leg, especially cats that live in a palace. It seems that these cats depend on thier claws to get rid of any signs of illness, or if you prefer, coughing. Hmm...Cats that are concerned about health.

I tried my best not to be revealed from my so-called hiding place but my backside kept sticking out, no matter what. The cats dug deeper in my skin and left shallow cuts and the traditonal bleeding. At this moment, I knew the simple word "Ouch" won't effect anything but echos throughout the west wing of the palace.

Muffled girlish giggles rang through my ears along with the sounds of clawing and, what seems like, false, meowing. False?

There was a sudden bright glow and the claws dissappeared. Thank goodness, I am never going to spy on a princess for my own personal gain ever again. Wait, what was that glow?

Then I found my wrists being locked together behind my back. I could feel calloused and smooth skin holding my two hands together. I turned my head and saw a man in silver and a woman in yellow and black, both having the mark of a Lunarian royalty.

I grunted after each failed attempt to struggle free.

"Let me go!", I yelled out, causing more femininie giggles. The man and woman's pupils narrowed, a way a cat's eyes would look like.

They pushed me foward toward the balcony, the heels of my shoes scraped the floor, trying to prevent me from going any further. The mere try was no use.

I could just see the faint light of Princess Serenity's beauty, looking out the vast night sky. Before I could really fix my vision on her, a flaming arrow was pointed between my eyes and a chain contrived of hearts was wrapped tightly around my neck. The arrow nearly burned off my eyebrows as the chain stole all my oxygen. A sweat drop trickled down my cheek.

"Rei, Mina, put down your weapons, its just someone who works here.", a familar sultry voice demanded, "Luna, Artemis keep on doing what you're doing."

The arrow dropped down and the red-eyed owner of the arrow looked dissapointed that I won't be her "Man Flambe". The chain around my neck loosened and slid off my neck leaving heart shaped marks.

I fell on my knees, my hands still being held together, and gasped for precious air.

I took my time to look around the balcony. I was dissapointed to see four teenage girls blocking the view of the Princess. It must be her Senshi I heard so much about, Sailor Venus, Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter. I always wondered why they didn't have Sailor Earth...

"Men," the smooth voice said,"When thier not drunk they spy on private conversations."

I could tell the man behind me was slightly offended by the comment.

"You know what I mean!", the voice yelled out.

Wait, I told Serenity that I never been drunk, that mean its her voice. I suddenly feel like Captain Obvious.

One of the hands holding my left hand loossened, perhaps it was the offended man's hand, whoever it was, this was my chance. I pulled my left arm foward, making the male behind me lose his grip on me and stumble back. Now its the maiden's turn. The woman seemed too weak to hold on to me without the male, which only meant a point for me. I pulled both of my arms foward, before any of the other Senshi could get to me. The woman stumbled back and fell back with the bloke.

I spun around and set my sight on the archway to freedom. I headed toward the balcony exit, jumping over the fallen Lunarians. I regretted that I didn't take one look at Serenity.

I was only a few steps away from the bedroom when the same chain of hearts was thrown and wrapped around my torso. At least its not my neck.

I was pulled back, back into any sort of doom that awaits me. I held onto the chain and pulled and pulled with all my strength. No use.

For heaven's sake Mamoru, hearts are stronger than you!

I watched the fallen couple use thier push themselves off the ground with thier palms. Just watching them is like a distraction from whatever 'royal punishment' I was about to be given, for all I care, I would watch paint dry.

The pulling stopped, the archway seemed so far, Serenity's hair flying in the wind was brushing against my ear. I bit the tip of my tongue.

Don't turn around.

"Y'know you're really bad at running away",the princess laughed behind me.

Wow, she laughed in this situation.

"Wait a minute, why were you spying on us?", she asked in a shrew voice.

I pretended not to hear her, of course it seemed like the most simple-mindedness thing to do, but is there anything else to do when you're trapped in a balcony with a chain wrapped around your chest and being asked a awkward question? The only option wasn't enough however, for Serentiy's order over her Senshi.

"Tighter Venus"

The chain squeezed even tighter. The blood from my head down to my chest drain away, leaving nothing but a purple color on my face.

"So why were you spying on me?", she asked again in the most softest voice.

Just a small lie, it won't hurt, just a white one, everybody would do it when thier shoulders up are about to explode. Just a white little lie.

"Queen Serenity, your mother..." I said, using all the breath I had in my lungs.

"What?"

The tension around my torso started to dissapear.

"Your mother," I gasped as the color returned to my face,"S-saw you leaving and asked the nearest palace worker to spy on you to make sure you were okay, and it just so happens I-I was the nearest."

The less the flaws a lie has the better chance someone would believe it. My lie has only two imperfections, number one: Queen Serenity would never send someone to spy on her precious daughter, Princess Serenity trust her mother too much, number two: the Queen wasn't even at the ball when Diamond fainted, she was on the other side of the wing. Its only two imperfections, but they're not exactly what you call minor. There's another imperfection that wasn't even said in the lie, a flaw right behind me.

"Mars, time to use your psychic powers to use again"

The ground underneath me suddenly felt warmer, then a little hot, before I knew, I felt like the soles of my shoes felt like they were on fire. I stomped, thinking there really was a fire when it was really a increase in my foot tempreture. Ahh...Sailor Mars' specialty.

The burning died down, and I fell flat on my bottom.

"His heartbeat is faster than usual, he definitly lying." Sailor Mars said.

"Knew it." Serenity scoffed,"What a liar."

I twitched. Not a good idea to have a princess's first impression of me as a liar.

"Y'know what?", Serenity said. Her long gown swished against my back as she walked a little farther away.

"What's a good punishment?", she sarcastically asked.

My chin was pushed up by a gloved hand. Above me was a brunette with green eyes staring back down at me. Her eyebrows were arched in such a way that she was certainly seemed that she seemed like those rare woman who would beat me up on the spot.

I gulped, thinking it would get the stomach out of my throat. I opened my mouth and closed it. Think of something...

There was a sudden image of Serenity's flowing golden hair in my head with her two buns being surronded by lilies...Buns...

"Odango head.", I croaked. Why the hell did I say that! Saying that to a innocent princess...Who made her senshi threaten me. But above all--well the princess having a bad temper was all I really knew about her. I guess the insult was no accident.

"What do you call me?!", Serenity shrieked.

"Odango head!", I yelled out with no sense of regretion.

"Jupiter go to your neutral form, I want to deal with him myself.", she said in a cooler voice. The brunette backed away, being replaced with two blond pigtails hanging down my face.

The collar of my shirt was pulled up by two hands. Nails softly scratched my back as I pulled the hands off and help myself to stand up. I took a deep breath and turned. Six inches from me was Serenity herself. Her arms were crossed and her hair partly covered her furious eyes.

"Would like to repeat that?", she said as calmly as she could.

"Odango head", I paused for a second,"Who makes everything sooo so dramatic."

Her arms fell to her sides. She had her hands closed into a fist so tightly you could just see her veins pulsing.

"Make everything so dramatic!", she screamed as her pale face turned red,"You spied on a private conversation involving royalty. Don't you remember pledging your loyalty as a worker here!"

"Well if you put it like that...", I shrugged. I tried my best not to look imitaided, if I do then it would mean she won the battle.

"Serenity...", a blonde in an orange Senshi uniform said as she came up to Serenity.

"Let me handle this!", Serenity snapped.

She turned the 'converstation' back at me and said in the most softest voice,"What's your name?"

"Mamoru, yours?", I said knowing fully well whats Serenity's name.

"Serenity," she said still in a sweet tone,"Not that I know your name I could report you to palace security."

I searched my mind for a comeback.

"Wow hiding behind security instead of your mom, thats a new one." I said, faking a laugh.

A breeze blew by, going into Serenity's hair. Her bangs swifted to the right revealing a cresent moon. The cresent moon was glowing and dimming several times until it flashed.

"Oh god!", the Senshi yelped. The Senshi ran towards me and four pairs of hands cuffed my hand together one again. I was pulled back, I didn't bother to fight back since being pulled away from the balcony felt more like an award.

As I was pulled farther and farther away, the bright light of Serenity's grew fainter and fainter, but still bright enough to use as twenty candles. Then the light vanished completly along with a thump vibrating on the ground.

I do not own any Sailor Moon products, Anime or Manga.

I know I said that this chapter will be put online in one week my class and homework got in the way!!!