Authoress: No excuse here! I got lazy!! SORRY!! Plus I have too many stories!! Tee-hee!!

Zoe: You better just start the story!!

Authoress: Good idea!!


Silver Maze

IX

"The Aboveground has changed since my last time here," Jareth muttered as he looked around at the park. It was dotted with early-morning joggers and dog-walkers. A play ground stood not far off, vacant and unused for the day. He had an idea that by noon it would be crawling with little human goblins called children. He chuckled to himself and looked to the princess.

"Well, you did show up in America last time," Usagi pointed out, "Tokyo is quite different. In many, many ways," she giggled and headed for the Crown arcade across the street. Usagi paused at the door, looking through the glass. A small thought entered her mind. Jareth looked to Zoe when Usagi paused. Zoe shrugged and put a hand on Usagi's shoulder.

"What about Sarah?" the blonde moon princess asked aloud. Jareth stiffened slightly. That was sure to complicate things, he was sure of it. Zoe sighed in frustration and walked forward, the sliding doors opening to greet her happily. Stepping in, she grinned.

"Sarah!" the North Star senshi called to the brunette attending to the tables. Said brown-haired woman smiled and bustled over and quickly hugged Zoe.

"Andrew told me you guys were out of town! I was afraid I'd have to man the place all by myself for…..ever…" her last word was trailed out and then utterly lost to non-listening ears. The sliding doors had opened again and Usagi stepped forward with Jareth. Sarah had set her eyes on them. Though Jareth was wearing modest slacks, a t-shirt, and a loose jacket, he was not mistaken as anyone else.

"Um, Sarah. We knew this would probably surprise you. So…. Um… Surprise?" Zoe asked and before she could do anything, the mortal slipped through her fingers and walked towards the two that just walked in, but mostly towards the Goblin King.

"What are you doing here?" she almost hissed, stopping two feet in front of him. Arching a perfect eyebrow, the monarch eyed her hostile posture and darkening eyes. Sarah was not a happy camper. This was to be expected. The last time she saw him he had taken her little brother and told her to run the Labyrinth. I can see how that can really piss someone off.

"Sarah, please. We invited Jareth," Usagi said, letting the dark eyes turn to her. Wincing slightly at the anger there, Usagi tried an apologetic smile. She didn't know why she was apologizing. Jareth being there wasn't destroying anyone's peace and she liked being around him! No, she didn't need to apologize. Squaring her shoulders, Usagi looked to Sarah with a frown.

"Sarah, he is not here to take children or ruin your world. Now stop glaring at him and help some of the other customers. He's not going to bother you and means no harm to anyone!" Usagi said quietly, though her anger was heating her veins. Sarah backed off and straightened. Taking a deep breath, she waved it away with a sigh and went back to work, trying as much as possible to ignore the platinum blonde's presence.

"She must remember you really well," Zoe muttered with a smirk as she sat down with the other two, sliding a chocolate milkshake to Usagi, who happily received it. Jareth looked at the drink with curiosity and…. Mistrust? Usagi giggled and offered him a second straw. The Goblin King took a sip and blinked. It was really good! The two began to finish it off together.

"I think you two were secretly born in the sixties," Zoe muttered as she wished she had her camera. The two were drinking out of the same milk-shake glass. The only thing separating their lips was separate straws and the fact the whole café was watching. It wasn't often you saw Usagi without the other girls or Mamoru. Zoe grinned to herself.

It was time for Sailor Polaris, match-maker extraordinaire. Ok, so that was a self-named title, but it was still a title she brandished a lot better than Venus herself. Paying for her drink, she looked to the two.

"Usagi, you should show Jareth around. I have some things to take care of. Important senshi things," Zoe said. Usagi nodded, not need nor wanted elaboration. Sailor Polaris was known as a renegade senshi for a reason. "I know! Take him to Tokyo Tower!" She exclaimed and smirked. Winking, she left the café without another word.

The two royals were left in awkward silence. Did they really feel more comfortable with the other girl? Then both opened their mouths to say something and laughed when they both beat each other to the punch.

"She's right. You should see the tower!" Usagi exclaimed standing and laying her money on the table. Jareth nodded and stood also.

"Sounds delightful, but I shall have to come back here soon. What was that drink?" he asked, licking his lips. The moon princess giggled.

"It's called a milk-shake. I'll be sure to bring you back here for another one sometime!" she nodded.

"Promise?" Jareth asked with a warm smile.

"Promise!" Usagi said and held up her pinky. Jareth stared at it for a moment before Usagi laughed and took his hand, her pinky circling his. It was another Aboveground custom she would have to explain, she guessed.


"Princess, is this really necessary?" Toji questioned, uneasiness apparent in her voice as she sat next to her charge as they lounged in a tree.

"Very necessary," Zoe said very seriously and jumped down suddenly, greeting four other sailors with a secretive smile. It was meeting number five. No one else knew of the meetings, not even Usagi.

"Is the Underground as fantastical as they say?" the green-haired woman questioned with a grin. Zoe smirked.

"You have to see it to believe it!" she exclaimed and grinned. Toji jumped down and looked to the four outer senshi and cleared her throat, her mistress coming back to her senses quickly. Shaking her head, trying to make the fairy-tale come true leave it.

The four were wearing simple every-day outfits. Haruka sported the usual jeans and racing jacket. Michiru accented her beautiful form with a light blue summer dress, while Hotaru wore a purple one of similar fashion. Setsuna let a yellow green tank top drape over her top and black slacks over her legs. They blended in perfectly.

"You have information I take it?" Zoe asked, suddenly becoming very serious. The four looked from each to her before sighing, almost in exhaustion.

The air suddenly became colder and Zoe knew something was wrong. The four never seemed this distraught since… well, since Galaxia began ripping apart the worlds. What had happened? Then she bit her lip. No, it couldn't be. The worst?

Betrayal.

"Sailor Venus and Sailor Mars have slipped into the dark realms and it seems Mamoru has always been there," Setsuna said solemnly. Zoe growled. She had an idea that something like this would happen. Mamoru wouldn't release a crown without a fight.


The sun was sinking beyond the horizon, hiding in the shadows down below. Soon the sky would darken and become night. Small lights, like fireflies in the night, popped on one by one in the city. The city was not one to fall asleep quickly. Two spectators watching from above, leaning against the balcony of the viewing complex, enjoyed the cooling air and sounds of the city far below.

"Well, this is far larger than the Labyrinth," Jareth chuckled lightly. Usagi nodded with a giggle and looked out over her home town. It was to be the city she was to rule, but she was glad she could change such a thing.

"I don't think I'd be the right person to be queen," Usagi muttered as she sighed in relaxation. Jareth looked to the blonde woman, raising a brow.

"What makes you say that?" Jareth asked curiously.

The senshi of the moon looked to him and almost forgot that he knew nothing of her life in the past 19 years. For a moment, she was glad he knew nothing of her really big faults. Shrugging, she looked back to the city.

"I'm not the most graceful. I like to eat. I'm lazy and often sleep in. When in school, I always woke up late. Even in battle I tend to screw up somehow, having some guy in a cape save me," she said with a chuckle. Jareth seemed to frown at this, as if he was thinking about who she was referring to and pondering over her words.

Usagi was looking downward when Jareth gently placed his ungloved finger under her chin and lifted it to look at him. She turned to face him, her face held tenderly in his hand. His eyes were soft and held her own blue orbs.

"If you were to become queen, your subjects would see exactly I see. You have a heart of gold that is big enough for all. You forgive those that do not warrant your forgiveness. Serenity, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. But you do not flaunt it, show it off, or abuse your beauty. And as for grace," he said, releasing her and smirking, "Until I reached the age of 200, I was incredibly clumsy. I believe I thoroughly was a goblin at that time."

The cerulean-eyed senshi laughed softly and smiled. He had a way with words. Jareth laughed with her and they both turned back towards the city, chatting about how the city was growing and how her destiny was now changed.

"Oh how cute," sneered a voice from behind. The two blonde monarchs turned quickly and were faced with a rather interesting looking youma. It had a female figure, but wore a white mask much like Tuxedo Kamen's, and was draped in a black cloak, a bow-tie at her…er.. its throat.

"Are the little love-birds enjoying the view? Because you're about to become part of the pavement!" the youma laughed, a laugh that could shatter glass. Its lime-green hair was contrasted greatly with its shiny red eyes. The thing rushed forward.

Jareth threw Usagi and himself apart, the youma slashing the air between them with acid-dripping claws at the end of its scaly looking fingers. Usagi looked up, but Jareth was already up. She didn't have time to blink before the Goblin King had a crystal in his hand.

"That's quite enough," he growled, the crystal seemed to glow, a crackling was glimpsed inside of it. He flicked his wrist and the crystal zoomed forward and hit the youma. It popped and soon the youma was crying out, seemingly being constricted and electrocuted at the same time.

"I believe it is your turn, Serenity," Jareth said. Usagi nodded and transformed.

"Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Sailor Moon shouted and the rainbow and pink attack rushing forward, engulfing the youma, who screeched before she was gone. It was quiet as Sailor Moon looked to Jareth, scrutinizing him.

His eyes were dangerously sharp. His posture suggested he was on his guard. Then Sailor Moon blinked. He was in the clothes she had seen from the underground. The necklace around his neck was glowing slightly and his hair was free from the pony tail of earlier.

"I think we're ok," Usagi said, smiling reassuringly. Jareth relaxed and his image fell back into the civilian clothing. Usagi soon did the same by letting her transformation fade.

"What exactly was that and why did it attack us?" the Goblin King asked seriously. The blonde odango bit her lip.

"That was a youma, or monster. I believe it's a stray that wandered into the human dimension by accident. It searches for enormous amounts of life energy and tries to suck it from a person," Usagi explained, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"I believe there are some things you need to fill me in on, Serenity," the blonde haired king said with a slight smile. Usagi laughed and nodded. Yeah, they didn't want to risk another attack like that springing on them.


"Master, she's destroyed the youma, but she had help," said a slightly nervous voice from the shadows. "Help that did not come from one of the senshi, sire," the voice said, audibly gulping. There was a growl in response.

"What do you mean? Who has the kind of power to help take down a youma?!" the wannabe king snarled. A sweet voice answered him.

"Sire, let's not jump to conclusions," this voice purred. "We shall find out soon enough."


Authoress: Yippee!! It's done!! For now…

Jareth: Oh goodness…