Tuesday
Minako and Makoto sat on a bench eating their lunch. Makoto said. "I really think you should tell the rest of the senshi. There have been several times we abruptly stopped talking about youma because you arrived. I know you've noticed." Minako nodded. "I have. You do a good job of quickly and discreetly changing the subject. A regular human probably would never notice."
Makoto sighed. "I'm serious. It's difficult having to relay information to you on what we discuss when Luna isn't around. Keeping your identity a secret is hard. Especially when they refer to you as the Princess." Minako looked down. Things were getting complicated. Tuxedo Kamen knew it had been her who went through his apartment. Usagi couldn't fight, and the silver crystal refused to form. Looking back up, Minako said. "You're right. I will tell them, but there are some things I need to do first. What did Ami find?"
Nodding, Makoto said. "Nothing. There's no indication the Dark Kingdom is behind this. I was hoping they were, then we could destroy the youma and Usagi's life return to normal." Minako nodded. "I had hoped that too. Have Ami keep looking." The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.
Usagi sighed when the bell rang. She had sat alone and didn't feel like eating. One of the other students stopped to ask if she was okay. Usagi had stupidly thought the person actually cared for a moment, but then the person suggested getting a pregnancy test because that can cause appetite loss. The girl then walked away snickering.
Trudging along to class, Usagi had lost her appetite due to what greeted her when she arrived home yesterday evening after the incident at the ice rink. The night Tuxedo Kamen saved her, he gave her a rose to act as a reminder that he will always be there for her. She had packed her Sailor Senshi related things and left them with Rei at the Shrine in case her mother went through her things. The rose stayed on her nightstand. When she got home, the rose was in a vase in the living room. Running up the stairs, she threw open the door to her room. Her heart sank when she saw the empty spot on her nightstand.
There were other things missing from her room, but she wasn't sure if she was overlooking the items or if her mother took them. Then, after Shingo and their parents got home from the ice rink, she found out that sometime during the day, her parents contacted the school wondering who gave her the rose.
Tears stung her eyes as a group of students walked by. One guy said. "Must be the hormones. Do you think she's going to pop them out like a rabbit?" The group burst into laughter and Usagi pushed open the door to her classroom.
Motoki poured the coffee for Mamoru. "Hey, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking." Mamoru shook his head. "What's done is done. We've got to figure out how to go about this, and fast. School has already let out and Minako will be here shortly." Motoki nodded. "You told me during break that you want to let her continue thinking I'm you, but you hadn't figured out where to schedule a meet." Mamoru said. "Since you live upstairs and they think you're him, let's have the meet on this roof tonight at 10pm. I'll stay here and you can stay at my apartment in case the cat monitors the area." Motoki shook his head. "What if they're already watching the area? They're probably already keeping tabs on me. I'll stay hidden while you meet her." The bell chimed as Minako entered. Mamoru left as Minako made her way to the counter.
Rei watched Minako go to the counter, scrunching up her face as Makoto explained Usagi's absence. "That's ridiculous. Usagi shouldn't be grounded. Now what are we going to do? At the ice rink, Sailor Venus told us she'll disguise as Sailor Moon after 6pm. How are we going to tell her Sailor Moon is out of commission completely?" Makoto shrugged. She couldn't tell them Sailor Venus paid her a visit, nor could she tell them her identity. Ami said. "I guess we'll have to wait until the next battle."
Makoto said. "I still wonder if it's the Dark Kingdom causing this. The youma control people sometimes. Ami, I know you've looked into it, but do you think the problem is with the book club?" Ami nodded. "It's possible. I'll look into it again." They stopped talking as Minako approached the booth. Rei said. "So, this is weird not having Usagi here." Minako sighed, knowing they changed the subject because of her. After she gets answers from Tuxedo Kamen, then she'll tell them.
Sailor Venus stood on the roof of the Crown Arcade. "I'm here. Let's talk."
Tuxedo Kamen asked, "Sailor Venus, first I want to know why my apartment was ransacked." She said. "I was trying to figure out your connection to Tuxedo Kamen, but it all makes sense now. What happened on the roof the night neither of you showed up to help with the battle?" He sighed. "Sailor Venus, what makes sense now?" She said. "Now knowing you are Tuxedo Kamen, it makes sense you knew where to get her communicator."
His eyes widened. "Security cameras." He didn't ask if the cameras showed the rooftop. He had turned them so it would be harder for someone to track his movements across rooftops. She nodded. "Now, answer my question. What happened on that rooftop?" Tuxedo Kamen took a deep breath. "It was a youma. When I arrived, her communicator was already gone." Sailor Venus nodded. Sailor Moon wouldn't have been able to call for backup. "Tuxedo Kamen, why wait so long to get it?" He said. "I didn't think the youma had noticed it gone and didn't want to draw attention to the fact. We did search for it, but we only looked on the rooftop. The next morning I thought to check the ground below." She nodded. "How did you know it was me in your apartment?"
He said. "There was a paw print on a shelf. I don't have a cat. What other cat could have left it? Honestly, it was a guess. I recognized your cat. You bring him into the arcade. I never said anything because he's so well behaved for a cat that's shoved in a giant purse. Listen, I'm not out to identify the senshi." Nodding, she said. "Okay, now that's settled. Tell me what you did to the Rainbow Crystals."
Tuxedo Kamen was silent. Rainbow Crystals? He had handed them over quite some time ago. "Sailor Venus, you have them." She said. "Yes, but they're not forming the Silver Crystal, so tell me what you did to them." He narrowed his eyes. "Nothing." Sailor Venus crossed her arms. "You think you can fool me?" He smirked. "Have you forgotten they were in the hands of the Dark Kingdom at one point?"
She glared. "No." He shook his head. "I thought they would form the silver crystal once they were in the hands of the Princess." She shook her head. "Something must have been done to them..." He interrupted her, annoyed. "Nothing was done to them."
They stood in silence for a moment, and Tuxedo Kamen spoke calmly. "They should have formed the Silver Crystal." Sailor Venus nodded. "Artemis said it might take an emotional event to cause them to come together and form the Silver Crystal." Tuxedo Kamen furrowed his brow. "What emotional event has to happen to her then?"
She shrugged, then glared. "To her?" Tuxedo Kamen sighed. Well, so much for not letting her know he knows she isn't the Princess. Sailor Venus asked. "How long have you known?" He shrugged. "I only suspected it. It was odd that the Princess the Dark Kingdom is after would broadcast her status and location to the enemy. Then the rainbow crystals didn't form the silver crystal when they were in your hands." Nodding, she said. "The real princess does not know of her true identity. For her safety, everyone, especially the Dark Kingdom, must think I am the real Princess. Another thing is, I will continue to disguise as Sailor Moon while she's temporarily out of commission." Tuxedo Kamen nodded. "I won't tell. Now, you said Artemis thinks it will take an emotional event for the rainbow crystals to form the silver crystal. What kind of emotional event?" That worried him. If what Sailor Moon has gone through hasn't been emotional enough, then what the hell has to happen to her for the silver crystal to appear?
Sailor Venus said. "I don't know. Since Sailor Moon cares about you the most… have you tried dying?"
He glared. "How about I don't."
She said. "It seems we're both keeping secrets from everyone. I'm going to tell the senshi who I am, but not that I'm the decoy. I'll keep your identity a secret." He smiled. "I appreciate that." Sailor Venus said. "Since we know each other's identities, we can exchange information whenever I'm at the Crown Arcade." He nodded. "Okay. You should know that Mamoru knows about me being Tuxedo Kamen. He's good at keeping secrets, and it's okay to discuss things in front of him. Besides, it might seem odd if you're suddenly having one-on-one time with me." She nodded. "You have a point. Okay. I trust you and I'll see you tomorrow after school!" She turned to leave, but stopped. Facing him, she asked. "Why haven't you been at any battles lately?" Tuxedo Kamen hesitated, unsure of how to answer. Her eyes widened, then she waved her hands in front of her. "I'm sorry. I totally get it. You can't leave while in the middle of a midnight tango with Reika." He watched her dash away, relieved he hadn't spilled all the beans. When he told her about his friend Mamoru, he intended to keep her thinking he was Motoki.
Things never went as planned.
Having heard everything, the man floating in the sky giggled. Queen Beryl was going to be absolutely delighted with his report.