Well, another chapter that is being posted rather soon. Thank you to all of my readers for keeping me motivated to finish this story. As always I don't own Sailor Moon.
Chapter 10:
"Usagi, did you hit your head on the way to school or something." Makoto patted Usagi's head to see if she could find any bumps.
Usagi swatted away the offending hand. "No, I'm serious. I saw her true form as she was sitting at the desk. She's doing something to us in the classroom."
"Why would a youma be sitting at a desk happy to grade papers then ripping us apart for energy?" Minako gave her friend a speculative look.
"I don't know." Usagi leaned up against the wall and thought a moment.
"Usagi we really ought to go find out where that youma is before it attacks." Makoto lifted her pen and transformed with Minako following.
"Jupiter Power, Make-Up!"
"Venus Power, Make-Up!"
"Ok, I know how to prove it to you."
The two sailor senshi looked over to Usagi. "Let me get close to her with the moon wand and I'm sure that it will tell us that the substitute teacher is the youma."
"How close do you have to get?" Sailor Jupiter raised an eyebrow.
"Just to the door."
"Ok, well transform, we have to go. We are wasting time by arguing this." Sailor Venus hurried the two of them.
Usagi nodded her head. "Moon Prism Power, Make-up!"
- - - - - (o) - - - - -
Mamoru felt it. A lancing pain shot through his head, informing him that Sailor Moon had transformed. 'How in the world am I going to get out of this place? I've just started getting back my powers there is no way I could defend Sailor Moon. I can't just sit here.' Mamoru looked for an escape. There was only his little room with a window, but any nurse could just look through the door window and check up on him. They would flip out if he was found missing.
A nurse knocked on his door for politeness and entered without asking. "How are you feeling Mr. Chiba?"
"Better." Mamoru rubbed his head to try and release some of the pressure caused by the need to transform.
"Well, I bet you would feel better by taking a shower."
Mamoru smiled. The nurse smiled in return. "I'll be taking you down to one of the bathing rooms. The doctor said for you to have the one with the water jets to bring back some circulation to your body."
The nurse took off the monitor hooked to Mamoru's finger and helped him out of bed. Mamoru could clearly walk on his own, but the nurse was only doing her job. She walked him a ways down the hall and lead him into a small white tiled room. A set of pajamas and a towel sat on a chair next to a rather large tub.
"Your friend brought you some clothes from home so you could be more comfortable. I don't think that you need me in here to help you. I'll give you about an hour to relax and wash up. There is soap sitting on the shelf. Your friend brought you some regular clothes and a jacket as well, but I don't think that you will need them so I'll just take them back to your room."
Mamoru saw her pick up the pea green jacket from a pile on the floor. "No!"
The nurse turned around startled. Mamoru was quick to explain. "You don't have to take that. I'll bring it down to my room when I'm done. Thank you."
The nurse shrugged and put the jacket on the back of the chair and left Mamoru in private. This door had no window and the outside window was perfect to escape from. Mamoru went to his jacket and pulled out several important items. One of which was a rose, one that never wilted or fully bloomed. Calling upon his power Mamoru swiftly transformed into the tux-clad hero.
"I'll have to remind myself to be extra nice to Motoki for a week."
It was less than a heartbeat and Tuxedo Kamen was out bounding towards the sailor senshi.
- - - - - (o) - - - - -
The three senshi rushed down the hallway being careful not to be seen in order to not cause a ruckus. Sailor Moon stood outside of their classroom and took out the moon wand. It was then that Sailor Moon's theory was true. The wand was in a constant strobe. Without waiting any further the senshi burst through the door only to see an entire classroom full of sleeping students and the teacher still grading papers. Miss Kyou looked up from her work and panic set into her face.
"Who are you? Why did you come barging into my classroom?" Miss Kyou sputtered.
"You are a youma from the Negaverse. I do not allow evil beings like you to manipulate school children. In the name of the moon I will punish you."
Sailor Jupiter looked over at the teacher to see her drop her head into her hands. She quickly whispered into her leader's ear. "I think you got it wrong-" But before Sailor Jupiter could finish a giggle that started quiet and began to rise caught all of their attention.
Miss Kyou still had her head in her hands, but continued to laugh, the giggle sounding more and more like a cackle. Slowly she turned her red eyes upon them making all three senshi take a step back.
"My, my, I never would have believed the sailor senshi to have guessed my small operation." Miss Kyou stood up.
"Who are you?" Questioned Sailor Moon. She put on her best bravest face trying to prepare the worst from the youma.
The youma let the black mist that surrounded her body drop. The youma that Sailor Moon had seen at her desk suddenly became real. The spiked red hair, the yellowish skin, and the turquoise leotard all became very real.
"I'm Kyoukan, one of General Kunzite's best. I was sent to slowly drain away energy without the senshi noticing. Yet, somehow you managed to find me. The only way for you to detect me would mean that you would have been in my classroom." The youma's voice started trailing away as she made the connection between the three girls leaving and the three senshi standing before me.
The senshi realized they had made a grave mistake and now the enemy had discovered them. Sailor Jupiter quickly powered up her attack.
"Supreme Thunder!"
The ball of electricity was enough for the youma to snap out of her thoughts, but it only caused the desk in front of her to blow up.
"Sailor Jupiter, we can't fight here, not with all of the students asleep. We have to go to a safe location." Said Sailor Moon looking at all of the helpless students fast asleep from being drained.
The youma was preparing to send her own ball of energy at the senshi when a shout and a sudden mist blanketed the room. The girls were lost for a moment until Sailor Moon felt someone grab her hand and she grabbed onto someone else's. When they made it out to the hall she saw Sailor Mercury waving them down the hall.
"It's a good thing that I installed a sensor panic alarm to the Mercury computer. I didn't feel like having a repeat like the hospital incident again."
"Good thinking Mercury." Said Sailor Venus as she trotted behind her.
"Where are we headed?" Sailor Jupiter began to jog along side of Sailor Moon.
"Out to the school grounds, all activities should be indoors now and it would be bad to bring the roof down on unsuspecting students. Better to give them a show then to have them injured." Sailor Moon leaped down the flight of stairs taking her to the open grounds.
Kyoukan swept her hands around in the mist cursing the sailor senshi. As the mist began to dwindle she realized that the senshi were no longer around. 'General Kunzite!' Kyoukan's mind raced to find her leader.
The connection was cleared, 'What is it Kyoukan?'
'The senshi have discovered me!'
'I told you, if the senshi discover you then you are on your own.'
'But master I have news about the senshi.'
There was a short pause. 'I'll be right there.' The connection ended. Kyoukan snarled and looked out the window and saw the now four senshi standing in the courtyard waiting for her.
Sailor Moon looked up when the bursting of a window alerted her to the presence of the falling youma. She landed on all fours making the ground below her crack. She stood up and faced the senshi.
"I will not let you defeat me! Not before I am given the chance to expose you."
"I would doubt that very much nega-scum." Sailor Jupiter yelled.
"Be prepared senshi for this will be your last battle." The youma hurled an energy ball causing the girls to split up.
It didn't take Kunzite long to transport to the school. He placed himself on the roof safe from the battle below. The senshi were giving out as much as they were being dished. Kunzite found himself watching one of them in particular earnest. He remembered seeing her at the other battle the day before. Her long golden hair half tied up in a single red bow, her graceful body movements portraying years of battle training. Fascinated by the battle he didn't notice someone else joining him on the roof.
Tuxedo Kamen had finally made it to the school. The longer he was transformed the better he felt, but not being there for Sailor Moon made him feel restless. How much trouble had she really been in since he was out. Had they collected more rainbow crystals? Had they found the princess? He watched the senshi below dodge the youma but they never seemed to land a hit on their enemy. He wondered why she hadn't tried her tiara when a glint on the ground caught his eye. Apparently it had been used, but knocked away.
Sailor Moon struggled for breath. Both her and Sailor Venus had been battling hard with their powers on the youma and there seemed to be no end to her abilities. They had all sent their respective attacks at her and nothing seemed to phase the youma.
Kyoukan cackled at them. "You fools! I'm much more powerful than any of you. None of you can defeat me."
"Stronger youma than you have boasted the same thing. Every single one of them has been defeated." Sailor Moon stood her ground before the youma.
Both Kunzite and Tuxedo Kamen were surprised by the strong words.
"Your pride doesn't scare me little girl. I know your secret and I will let it be known."
"Never! As long as I have people who I care about to fight for I will never let you win. Venus now!"
"Crescent Beam!"
The shower of light forced the youma back a few paces, but otherwise she seemed unharmed.
"Mercury we need to know where she is weak!" demanded Jupiter.
"I'm trying, there finally!" Mercury shouted out to her comrades. "The youma's weakness is her throat."
"Try and get to me if you can sailor brats!" Kyoukan began to power up sending ripples of electricity around her. Soon they started to pool in spots shooting off the ground into the sky. It wasn't long before they became formidable pillars that started to rotate around the youma. Jupiter sent another ball of thunder at the youma. Kyoukan merely laughed and absorbed the attack.
"Thank you for the added boost to my power and with that I will do this!" A whip of lightening came off of one of the pillars so fast that Sailor Moon didn't see it until it her in the face. The impact sent her flying several yards away. Tuxedo Kamen was about to jump down and comfort her, but the thought of barely being able to protect her in his weakened state made him stay back and pray that the senshi would help her. He was surprised at the next action. Instead of Sailor Moon sitting on her bottom and wailing, she began to stand and face the youma.
"You'll have to try harder than that." Everyone around her was stunned. Tuxedo Kamen knew that she needed her tiara to finish off the youma. When Kyoukan began to advance on Sailor Moon once again Tuxedo Kamen apparated one of his steel tipped roses and threw it in the youma's path long enough to make it look up. Kyoukan saw the masked man and then looked over to see her general looking at her as well.
'General Kunzite. There is something that I must tell you. The sailor senshi are school girls.'
'What?'
'Yes, I know there identities, they are uh-'
Something suddenly burned across Kyoukan's throat. She reached up with one hand and felt her life blood flowing freely across her fingers. Kyoukan looked over at Sailor Moon who had never moved from her spot, but held her tiara firmly in her hands. Sailor Moon saw the look of surprise on the youma's face.
"General Kunzite, save me." Kyoukan croaked out.
The sailor senshi turned to see the general wave at them and then leave in haze of black. Sailor Moon didn't care to watch the pile of dust from the youma blow away all she wanted was the man that also stood on the top of roof. One dressed in black and looking down at her. He tipped his hat towards her and bounded off.
"He's ok." She whispered.
Suddenly the senshi heard something they rarely heard. Cheers came from all around them. The windows of the school had been opened up and every one of the classrooms facing the grounds was filled to the brim with students cheering the sailor senshi. The girls smiled up at the on lookers. The senshi waved once and then they too hurried away from their fans. The senshi found an alley not too far from the school and de-henshined. There the girls collapsed against the stonewalls and onto the ground.
"Let's not repeat this for a while." Breathed Makoto. She had fought the hardest among them trying to make up for lack of one senshi.
"Well, we better get back to school." Stated Minako. She too sat on the ground still reluctant to stand up.
"I don't think that we will have to." Said Ami as she typed away at her virtual computer.
"What do you mean?" Usagi looked over at her friend.
"I just tapped into the schools announcements. They are sending all Juuban High School students home until they can fully assess the damage done by the youma."
All four of the girls laughed. "I don't think that I have been more glad to hear canceled school in my life." Sighed Usagi.
"Oh, Usagi! Doesn't that hurt?" asked Minako as she looked at her friend intently.
"What do you mean-ow! That hurt!" Usagi had recoiled after friend had poked her left cheek.
"Usagi lets look at your face." Usagi let Ami move her head towards better light as she examined the black bruise. She winced a couple of times as Ami felt different bones in her cheek.
"Well, there aren't any broken bones, but that is going to be one hell of a bruise for a day or two as your powers try to heal it. I think this is the worst injury you've had yet; well compared to what the boxing demon did to you. The best thing for you to do would be to put ice on it right away to reduce the swelling."
"Yeah, we will all walk you home. That way we can say that we all hid when the youma attacked and that you had gotten hurt by the rubble." Said Makoto.
"Thanks. Let's get going." The girls helped each other up as they headed back to school to gather their belongings and leave.
- - - - - (o) - - - - -
Exactly an hour later a nurse came by the bathing room and knocked on the door.
"Mr. Chiba." She knocked again when she didn't get a response. "Mr. Chiba."
Worried, the nurse decided to open the door unafraid of walking in. Yet there was nothing to be worried about. Mamoru sat on the edge of the bathtub wearing the clean pajamas and drying out his hair with a towel.
"Mr. Chiba, I assume that you are done with your bath?"
Mamoru looked up at the nurse. "Yep."
"Well, it looks like it put a little bit of color back into your cheeks anyway. I'll tell the doctor that he can meet with you in a couple of minutes in your room. I believe that you will be able to find your way back."
"Yes, thank you."
The nurse shut the door behind her and left Mamoru to finish. Sighing Mamoru stopped rubbing his hair and set the towel down on the empty chair. He reached behind the tub picking the rose off the floor. He grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and wrapped the rose up in it.
"I think the next time I'm offered a shower I'll do more than just dip my head in."
- - - - - (o) - - - - -
Ikuko was not very happy to see her daughter brought home with a black bruise covering an entire cheek. Though she was grateful for her not getting hurt any further than that. Usagi had been given an ice pack and told to go lay down. Usagi agreed to lie down, who knew bravery to stand up to youma's was so energy draining. When she opened her room the first thing she noticed was the open window.
"Luna must be out with Artemis. I'm sure she'll come running back once Artemis meets up with Minako."
She lay down with the ice pack still firmly placed on her cheek. The throbbing had stopped after she put it on. Yet it reminded her about the battle. She remembered the hit from the youma. She stood up to her and then she was about to attack again. Usagi remembered feeling helpless without her tiara. Luckily Tuxedo Kamen had been there to stop the youma.
"But he didn't come down and rescue me." Usagi thought about why he wouldn't have picked her off the ground like he normally would have, but she couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation. Then after the youma was stopped she remembered wishing that she had the tiara to finish the youma off and then it had been there in her hands.
"I just don't get how I could have gotten the tiara in my hands when it was on the other side of the courtyard." She put her right hand in the air.
"Maybe I called it to me. I've never been able to do that before, but maybe I have a new power. Yeah, right like calling the tiara to me wou-" she couldn't continue her sentence as a golden disk materialized in her hand. Usagi shot straight up looking at the disk. It's light faded after a while and then vanished into thin air. Again she held out her hand and called the tiara to her. Once again the tiara formed into her hand and started glowing like a discus. Then she felt a strange sensation, one on her forehead. Bolting over to her vanity, Usagi saw undeniable proof. There glowing on her forehead was a crescent moon glowing on her forehead. She had all but forgotten the moment between her and the prince in her dreams until that moment.
"I really am the princess. I must have called the tiara to me in battle and then sent it after the youma."
Usagi watched as the symbol faded from her forehead as did the discus. It was a long time before Usagi moved again. There was only one thought on her mind as she went back to bed to grab the melting ice pack.
"How do I ever convince the others? Rei could never handle knowing that I was the princess after all. I have no idea how the other girls would react, but I'm sure that I wouldn't be allowed to fight anymore. But I can't stop. Not for them, that's who I'm fighting for. How will I ever convince them?"
- - - - - (o) - - - - -
Minako had decided to walk through the park towards the arcade. She thought that maybe a milkshake would help calm the jitters that she had after the battle. Silently Minako giggled to herself. 'Now I'm starting to sound like Usagi-chan.' Deciding to make a detour towards the lake she saw someone who her heart was dieing to see again.
The man sat there with his arms dangling over the back of the bench. Once again he seemed oblivious to his surroundings only concentrating what was on his mind. Minako could have stood there all day looking at the perfect picture, but the man seemed to sense her and turned in her direction. She watched as his eyes recognized her and softened. He waited as she walked up to the bench and sat down beside him.
"Have you been waiting for me long?"
"Only since this morning."
"I'm so sorry that you waited that long." Minako stuttered, "If I had known that you were really going to take me up on my offer I would have told you that I have school until three o'clock every day."
"Well, you're here now." Kunzite turned his troubled gaze towards her. He watched the red bow in her hair blow around lightly in the breeze.
Minako took one of his hands into her own. Slowly she began to massage the hand, falling easily into a familiar routine. "Would you like to tell me about what is troubling you?"
Kunzite shook his head. "I'd rather talk about anything else."
"Ok," Minako gave him a warm smile. Kunzite couldn't help but to return the smile as the two slipped into easy conversation with one another. Both were unaware of their enemy sitting beside them.
- - - - - (o) - - - - -
If you would believe me, I wrote this in four hours, all in one sitting! Just to let those of you who are reading my story, there will be more discoveries of identities in the very, very near future (next chapter . . .) along with some more tender moments between the main pairing. Well, as always I welcome the reviews that I receive from my readers.
-EmpKaylenatye