Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the canon characters. My original characters (OC's) and any changes to the characters (AC's) or to the story line are mine to use. I will not receive compensation for this story.
Acknowledgements: This story would not be possible without the suggestion made by my husband. I am grateful he is so willing to listen to my thoughts and ideas and gives me so much feedback. For a man who has never watched or read Sailor Moon anime or manga, he has a pretty good understanding of the story. LOL. I can't believe he actually requested a story. LOL.
Author's Note(s): Ages in this story... Usagi and the Inner Senshi are 16. Mamoru, Haruki (OC) and the Shitennou are 18. Setsuna is 17. Shingo (AC) and Hotaru are 14.
There are some serious changes to the story line, so hold on to your hats folks! This story is completely unconnected to any of my others. There will be a bit of a change to how they get saved. Some of them might have surprises for you too!
An updated character list will be attached to the end of every chapter!
True Love's Kiss
Prologue
Missing
The screams of Tsukino Ikuko were heard all the way to the end of the street. No one was entirely sure what was happening, but it had to have been something awful for the happy wife and mother to lose herself so. Up and down the way doors opened as other housewives and mothers, curious and worried, considered going to her aid. They were both afraid of what might be happening, and unwilling to do nothing.
Until they saw the police car sitting in the drive way.
Ikuko was kneeling on her front lawn, her hands digging at her face, screaming still. Her daughter, the normally bright and bubbly Usagi, was doing her best to hold onto the woman, trying to give her comfort. Kenji, her husband, had fallen to his own knees and was staring at the sky as though the heavens would open up and give him answers.
It was Mizuno Saeko, the newest resident on the street, and a doctor, who ran to the family, a small bag held under her arm. The others watched, milling ever closer, unsure if their presence would make matters worse. Many began to pray. Something awful must have happened, and whatever it was, they would need the help of the kami.
A few of the women turned and rushed back into their homes, desperate to help in the only way they knew how. They would show love and support by making food, contacting friends, and bringing over anything that was needed. It was a way they could express their love for their neighbors without being in the way. If the police were there, the situation must be under control, the other women told themselves, though Ikuko's tears belied that notion.
On the lawn it was Usagi who had taken over for her distraught parents.
"Gone?" Usagi's voice was deceptively soft. There was a hidden core of steel in the girl, thus far untapped. She was the happy-go-lucky sort, certainly, but her love for others was unmatched. And her brother, who she had protected, loved, tortured with pranks, played endless hours of games with, and adored, was missing. She would walk to the ends of the earth for him, or through the fires of hell if need be.
"A man appeared," Officer Sato said, her voice as soothing as she could make it under the circumstances. The blonde teenager seemed to be the only one who remained responsive. "He grabbed Shingo from the playground, and then vanished."
"Vanished?" Usagi repeated dumbly. It was difficult to process what she was being told.
Officer Takahashi coughed. "According to the other students and the teachers who witnessed the abduction, he showed up through some sort of portal and disappeared into it as soon as he had the boy."
"It's one of those evil negapeople, isn't it?" Usagi asked, biting her lip.
Doctor Mizuno had helped Ikuko up and was leading her away into the house. Kenji lurched to his feet then, looking at her retreating back as though if he lost sight of her his world would crumple and end. "Go to mom," Usagi urged, gently pushing him after them.
She turned back to the officers. Technically they were detectives, she thought, but it didn't matter in the long run. "What can be done?" she asked. "I'm assuming this isn't something the police would normally handle," she concluded.
"No. It isn't," Officer Takahashi said kindly. "However, he isn't the only one who was taken today. Several others were taken in the same manner. We have a feeling we will be seeing them again," he said shaking his head. "The last time men went missing they turned up as dark generals in a few other countries."
Usagi felt her heart breaking into a million tiny pieces. She clutched at her chest for a long moment and met the eyes of the officers. She knew she needed more information, and she needed it fast. Something had to be done, and she was going to find a way to do it.
"If they send him out as a dark general, then I will be there to save him," she said, not sure she could make it happen, but unwilling to do nothing. "I am going to save them all," she muttered, turning back to the house where her parents had disappeared inside with their neighbor.
"Who else was taken?" she asked, staring at the officers. Both seemed to squirm under her gaze for a moment.
"We aren't at liberty to say," Officer Sato said, but her partner shook his head.
"She might have some idea how they're connected," Officer Takahashi said. "Lets let her know."
With a heavy sigh, Officer Sato pulled out her notebook. "The first one is a Kazuo Haruki, who was taken from Kofu this morning."
"That's my cousin!" Usagi gasped. "Red hair, green eyes, eighteen years old. Lives with his father, who is dying of cancer..." she trailed off. Surely there couldn't be two like him.
Officer Takahashi pulled out his own notebook. He nodded. "When did you last see him?" he asked.
Usagi frowned. "Almost two months ago," she murmured. "He was here for a weekend just before his father's new diagnosis."
"The next name on the list is Chiba Mamoru. He was taken from school. Reported missing by a Furuhata Motoki. An orphan."
"I know Motoki. That would be his best friend. He talks about him sometimes," Usagi admitted. She didn't know Mamoru personally. In fact, she hadn't ever heard his name except on time, but she knew a bit about him. Mostly that he had no family and very few friends. He was a quiet and studious sort.
"The next pair are brothers. Also orphans. Sasake Jadeite and Zoicite."
Usagi frowned. She didn't know them. At least she didn't think she did.
"I know Zoicite," Doctor Mizuno said from behind her. "He works at the bookstore and has spoken to me kindly." The doctor let out a soft sigh.
Usagi, who had been startled by her reappearance, frowned. She didn't know them, but it seemed like there was some sort of connection between all of them. Even her cousin Haruki, who lived very far away had once lived in the neighborhood, before her Aunt Akiko had died.
"There is also Ine Kunzite," Officer Sato read off her list.
"He goes to school with Motoki," Usagi admitted. "Wait, I think the others do too. The Sasake boys."
Officer Takahashi nodded. "They do. The last one is Yoshida Nephrite. Do you know him?"
"Not personally, but I think he goes to school with the others, and I know he works at the planetarium because I've seen him in his uniform," Usagi told them. "Really tall guy, brunette with auburn highlights."
"That's him," Officer Takahashi said a frown on his face. "All of them have some sort of connection to this area, but other than that we have no real leads. And this isn't the sort of case we normally take on. I don't want to upset you, but I don't think they'll be the same if they come back."
"If?" Usagi asked, her heart breaking a little. "I don't do well with if. They're coming back." She straightened her shoulders, unwilling to back down. She gave the officers a last look. "Is there anything you need from me?" she asked.
"Do you have a picture of your brother?" Officer Sato asked. "And your cousin?"
Usagi pulled her satchel off the grass where it had landed when the officers approached as she was returning home from school. She pulled out her small wallet and opened it. She had several pictures of her brother and cousin. The most recent was from a few weeks before. Haruki had been visiting and the three of them had gone to a fair. They'd taken several pictures but the one she handed over was her favorite. Haruki had been standing behind her and Shingo, squeezing them together, trying to make them hug.
She had a copy of the photo on her bedroom wall. The officers could take the smaller one. They both thanked her and walked toward their cruiser. She watched as they got into their car after another apology, and then she looked up and down the street. Her neihbors began to flock to her side. She had known it would happen, and in a way, she was grateful. They could go in and help her parents.
Usagi had her own mission. As soon as she had told the others what happened, she pulled out another photo of her brother and cousin, left her satchel with a neighbor, sticking her wallet in the secret inner pocket of her skirt, and made her way down the street. First she would need to enlarge the picture. She had a brother to find.
Pulling out her cell phone, she dialed Motoki.
"Moshi moshi?" Motoki said, sounding worried and upset.
"Toki-onii-san, we've both got a problem. My brother and cousin are missing, and your best friend. I'm sure you know the others too."
"Who are they?"
"I've got Shingo and Haruki. You have Mamoru. Then there is Kunzite, Nephrite, Zoicite, and Jadeite, all of whom go to your school. They all had the same sort of abduction from what the officers just told me. We have to find them and bring them back!"
"Are you crazy?" Motoki asked. "How are we going to get them back from those Negamen or whatever they're called?"
"I haven't the faintest clue," Usagi admitted, "but I'm not giving up until we save them all, and whoever else the Negapeople took."
Character List
Senshi -
- Tsukino Usagi (Sailor Moon)
- Aino Minako (Sailor Venus)
- Kino Makoto (Sailor Jupiter)
- Mizuno Ami (Sailor Mercury)
- Hino Rei (Sailor Mars)
- Meiou Setsuna (Sailor Pluto)
- Tomae Hotaru (Sailor Saturn)
Note: Ten'ou Haruka (Uranus) and Kaiou Michiru (Neptune) will be in England for the duration of this story.
Shitennou/Hogosha -
Chiba Mamoru (Tuxedo Kamen)
Ine Kunzite (North Knight)
Yoshida Nephrite (East Knight)
Sasake Zoicite (South Knight)
Sasake Jadeite (West Knight)
Kazuo Haruki (Sun Knight)
Tsukino Shingo (Blue Moon Knight)
Supporting Characters -
Tsukino Ikuko & Kenji
Doctor Mizuno Saeko
Furuhata Motoki
Officer Takahashi
Officer Sato
