Authors Notes: I own nothing. Part One in my Altered Destinies Saga. Six years ago, during the time Usagi is battling Seijuro and Natsumi, Whistler brings Angel to Juban to train with his protégé Luna, only to find her already with a student. Angel and Usagi run into each other that same night on patrol, and he saves her from a vampire in time to find out that a Hellmouth is starting to form in Japan.
Family mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm by Cobalite Ice
For the first time since he was a very young man, Angel did something rather annoying. He whined, and Whistler thought he excelled at it. "Angel, we will be in Juban in 15 minutes. The plane ride back to New York is 13 hours with two layovers in some of the sunniest places in Europe. Unless you want to be extra crispy at sunup, twice, get away from the windows and sit still."
Cowed, the ensouled vampire settled down. Angel had hoped that if he annoyed Whistler enough, he would leave him alone. 'Just the rats and me. How the mighty have fallen, Angelus.' He sighed with an unneeded breath. "Why did you drag me halfway across the world anyway?"
"I'm taking you to the being that trained me almost twenty years ago. She's quite good, considering her latest pupil was a klutzy slob just last year." Whistler hoped Angel didn't ask him to elaborate.
"What is she now?"
"A klutzy slob who gave her life for the world and miraculously got it back." The van pulled up in front of a warehouse just as the sunset. "Go out and stake something. You're driving me nuts."
About twenty minutes later, Angel walked through Juban Memorial Park. He heard voices up ahead. "Hey baby, wanna get a drink? I go in for the kink thing."
An angry female voice shot back. "This is not that kind of uniform! I'm the Sailor Warrior fighting for love and justice. Sailor Moon! By the name of Moon, I'll punish you."
Angel arrived on the scene in time to see a blond girl in a white leotard throw a glowing disk at a vampire. The creature cries out in pain, but is left standing. It threw a punch, and the blond went down with blood on her face. Angel recognized this vampire as one Drusilla had made in China. "Angelus! Save Me! For All That's Unholy! I Share Your Blood!"
Instead of answering, he simply lifted his crossbow. "Angelus doesn't live here anymore. He got off at Romania." Ten seconds later, his grandchilde was dead. Angel walked forward, and offered his hand to the girl who called herself Sailor Moon.
Her vision was blurred, but Usagi could make out a tall dark haired man. "Mamoru?"
"I'm nobody's protector, Miss. Are you alright?" 'This I'm asking to the girl throwing balls of light.' Angel thought to himself.
Usagi pulled herself up, and wondered why her gloves were smoking. Angel jerked from her touch. "I'm fine, but you're not. Let me see your hands."
Reluctantly, Angel turned them over. Usagi saw the burns, and understood. "You're like him. A vampire?"
Angel looked down, ashamed. "I'm a vampire, but I'm nothing like Nicolas. You're powerful, only a white sorceress would be able to do what you did."
Usagi shrugged. "I've been told it's my destiny. Who are you, and why did you help me?"
There was a pained look in Angel's eyes. "They call me Angel. I was born Liam, in the year 1727, in a small village in Galaway Ireland. In 1753, a woman offered to show me the world. Her name was Darla, and she made me into a vampire."
Usagi nodded, and waited for him to continue. "In about 1898, I ate the wrong person. I don't think I even ever learned her name. She was a gypsy, a Kalandrashi, and her clan wanted revenge. They gave me back my soul, and I had to live with what I had done."
Usagi let her powers drop, and stood in mundane form. "About one thousand years ago, I was Serenity, the heir to a great kingdom in the sky. Somehow, no one can remember exactly, a young bardess with a bad attitude was put in contact with an evil demon. The two of them caused the fall of what we thought of as heaven, and we were cast to earth."
Angel took an involuntary step back. Was she a true angel?
"My name is Usagi, and last year I was told it was my duty to save the world, and destroy evil." Usagi had a sad look on her face, and Angel wondered if he should fear for his life. "My friends and I, we all died killing Beryl in Antarctica last month. They don't remember anything, and neither does Mamoru."
Angel didn't know what to say. He of all people knew dying wasn't pleasant. "So do you plan on destroying the evil standing in front of you?"
"I'm not going to hurt you. I know that not all creatures of the night are evil. Nephrite gave his life to save my friend Naru." Usagi looked up towards the moon. "Besides, I like you. Come with me, I'm sure Luna would be glad to see I've gotten some help."
Almost unwillingly, the corners of Angel's mouth turned up in a smile. "You may not believe this, but that's why Whistler dragged me halfway around the world. So I could meet some woman who trained him decades ago."
Usagi just gave him an odd look. "Some…..woman? Oh boy are you in for a surprise."
They came upon Usagi's house, and the blond turned to look at him carefully. "Whatever I tell my parents, just go along with it. I'm gonna go in, grab the cat and some books, and we'll explain everything."
Usagi ducked in, leaving Angel uninvited on the doorstep, wondering 'Cat? What cat?' A woman with dark hair stuck her head out the door. "Hello. I'm Usagi-chan's mother. Won't you come in, and Kenji can grill you while our daughter tries to find her English textbook?" Ikuko Tsukino motioned the older boy in.
'Thank god for the ever polite Japanese.' "Thank you. Tries to find her textbook?" Angel wondered what kind of story Usagi had woven.
"Usagi said you're her new English tutor, so you probably don't know about her bad habits yet." Ikuko smiled. "I don't think she's touched that book since she got it at the beginning of the year."
Kenji glared over his newspaper at the man that entered his living room. "Aren't you a little old to be in high school?"
Usagi came down the stairs holding a workbook still in shrink rap. "Papa, don't be rude to Angel-san. He had an advertisement on the help board at school, and you told me to find a tutor."
Angel gave a bow, and tried to remember what he knew about Japanese mannerisms. Okay, what Angelus learned. "I've finished my education, sir. I'm just in Japan while my guardian visits an old friend."
A little boy had been watching from the upstairs landing. "I'll say a prayer for you at the shrine tomorrow, Angel-san. You'll need it with Usagi. She fights like a demon when it comes to doing work." Shingo gave a grin at his big sister.
Angel had a slightly panicked look on his face as he followed Usagi out the door. What had he gotten himself into?
Usagi spoke as soon as they were out of ear shot. "Luna's not here. She and your friend took of for central Tokyo to get some book. She said that if Whistler trust you, then she does. They'll be gone about a month." A slight blush crossed Usagi's face. "Luna also said to do my English paper for tomorrow."
Angel shrugged. Surely she couldn't be as bad as they portrayed her. "I can help you. What's the paper on?"
They arrived at the apartment Whistler had bought, and Usagi opened the wrapping on her book. "Umm. Sentence structure. We're supposed to be able to write about our daily routine."
Half an hour later, Angel was ready to fall on his stake. Even if Usagi had been a first year student, which she wasn't, shouldn't she at least be able to spell her name?
Whistler and Luna drove in the companionable silence only a feline mentor and her student could have. "So, who is this man you brought for me to train?" She could have sworn Whistler looked nervous.
"The thing is, Angel's not exactly a man in the strictest sense of the world." Whistler winced as Luna screamed.
"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?" Luna extended her claws. "You drag me out of Juban to get some stupid book, for some super hero who may or may not live past sixteen, leaving my charge with some kind of demon!"
"Hey! Think about who you're talking to, Luna-san." Whistler glared at his teacher. "Angel's a good creature, man, being, whatever. The Powers That Be told me to bring him to you, so I did."
"Fine." The cat settled back into her chair. "What is a Codex anyway?"
Every night, even after the girls got their memories back, Usagi continued to patrol with him, and then they would do her homework. The other Senshi followed her one night, just to see what their esteemed leader was doing. They watched as she met an older man in the cemetery.
"Angel-chan! I passed my test!" Usagi threw her arms around him, and Angel looked decidedly uncomfortable. It was the hug more than the pain it caused.
"That's great, Usa, but if I needed to breathe we'd be in serious trouble." Angel slipped out of her grasp. "I staked two before you even got here. Is there usually that many vampires out here?"
Usagi shook her head. "I'd never even felt one in Juban until the night we met. Now I can sense almost twenty roaming at night."
Rei ducked below the bush. "I can't here a word they're saying."
Ami gave her a disapproving look. "We shouldn't be spying on Usagi-chan anyway. She's probably here on a date with that poor man."
Minako and Makoto look at her like she's grown a third eye. "Are you nuts, Ami? She's still totally in love with Mamoru-kun. She's probably just using this guy." Minako nodded in agreement.
"Luna called me last night. She says they might be back earlier than expected." Usagi sat down on the fresh tombstone, waiting for the creature below to rise.
Angel waited patiently, while Usagi hoped he would forget. "Math homework, Usa. You're not getting out of it. You're parents are expecting an up in your grades, or they'll charge me with corruption of a minor."
Rei's jaw dropped as Usagi pulled out a textbook, and the two before her went to work on Usagi's algebra. Ami stared, Minako gawked, and Makoto fell over, causing a crash. Angel's head shot up. "Someone's in the bushes."
Usagi grabbed a stake, and they doubled around behind the cluster of trees while they the girls tried to untangle Makoto from some bramble. They looked up to find Usagi staring at them disapprovingly, carrying a sharp wooden stake. "I thought you guys were demons! What are you doing at the cemetery at night."
Rei looked down right indignant. "Obviously a lot less than you are with tall dark and handsome out on the tombstones. Whatever happened to not being able to live without Mamoru?"
A small cough came from behind Rei, and Angel almost smiled at the dark haired girls embarrassment. "If I'm interrupting something, I can go kill the pack of vamps stalking your school friends alone."
Usagi muttered something about a talent show, but Angel didn't catch it all. "Angel, this is Ami, Rei, Minako, and Makoto."
Makoto's eyes turned into hearts. "Angel, what a beautiful name. Is it short for something?"
Angel got a pained look on his face. "Yes, but I'd rather not tell you. Come on, we've got some vampires to kill."
A look of confusion crossed the others faces as Usagi and Angel jumped a group of seemingly healthy teenagers. The confusion turned to horror as their demon faces emerged. Only one was left standing, and it got in a good hit on Angel. He fell to the ground, and Usagi yelled to the girls. "Aim for the heart! Stakes are in the bag."
Rei was the first to move, and grabbed a stake in defense of her princess. Under their combined attack, the last vampire crumbled to dust. "Usagi-chan, I think *gasp* you have some explaining to do."
Makoto gave a little scream as she checked on Angel. "Oh god, Usagi. I think he's dead."
Ami took his wrist, and looked at her leader sadly. "No pulse, and he's cold. I'm sorry, Usagi-chan."
Usagi gave Ami a confused look, and knelt beside Angel and shook him. "You're scaring them. Wakey-wakey, Angel."
Minako and Rei exchanged a look. The 'Our Leader's Lost Her Fragile Little Mind' look. Then, they heard a groan as Angel's eyes flickered open. "Did you get the number of that truck?"
He felt the grip on his wrist release, and watched as poor sensible Ami Mizuno, Senshi Medic, watched the man with no pulse wake up and passed out.
Usagi slid into the seat beside Angel. Everyday, just after sunset, they would meet at the ice cream place, and he would pay for her sugar high. Angel was glad for the company, although neither of them could figure out why so many vampires had suddenly come to Juban District. The girls sometimes joined them, but they still thought she had a thing for Angel so left them alone quite often.
The cup of coffee and a triple hot fudge sundae arrived, and somehow the ice cream disappeared before Angel had finished his coffee, just like always. Angel just raised an eyebrow. "35.3 seconds. I think that's a record for you. What happened today?"
"I went to the VR theater. That new girl, Natsumi, she was there with Mamo-chan. Then, Seijuro and my dad and brother showed up, and a cardian attacked." Usagi scraped the last dredges of chocolate from the bottom of the dish.
"Sounds like a normal day. Why the chocolate attack?" Angel could tell, even after knowing this girl just a few weeks.
"The Moon Shadow Knight showed up, in plain sight of Mamoru. They're different people." Usagi looked ready to cry.
Angel gave a long suffering sigh. "Usa, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe he's someone from you past?"
"That's not the worst. My tiara failed!" Instead of her usual full blown sobs, tears trickled down her cheek.
From across the café, Mamoru watched Usagi and some older man work on her homework. Why did he feel so jealous? Usagi was a fun tease, but he didn't feel anything for her. Did he? If he didn't, why did he burn whenever Angel leaned over to help her?
Usagi trudged into Angel's apartment just before sunset. He looked at her in surprise. "You're early."
She pulled out a large scepter, and threw it onto the table. She then reached into her pocket and pulled out three rings. "I got my crystal back, and I saw my mother for the second time ever in a century. She gave me the weapon, the rings, and a huge piece of information."
"What's with the rings? A power up?" Angel knew that the others had begun to gain new powers.
She bit her lip. "I had a brother. There's only one problem."
Angel gave her a look. "Why the past tense?"
"Mother, she says he's dead. She messed up the spell, and she lost him and his fiancés soul somewhere in the time stream. There's no way he could still be alive, and Terra's soul got torn apart and part of her is locked in the crystal, and the rest is spread across five time lines." Usagi opened his cupboards, and pulled out the hot chocolate he kept for her.
"There's three rings here. Who's the other one for?" Angel picked up the silver one. It seemed to call to him.
"Terra's is missing. One belonged to Tranquility, the other two to his guardians Kaze and Araumi. They might be alive, but they're not in Japan. Luna would have been told to find them." Usagi turned around and saw him holding the rings. "Keep it. It's not like it will be of any use. Ever again. I don't think I can stand having them."
"Thanks. Ready to patrol?" He slipped the ring on, and motioned to the darkened sky.
Luna crawled in the window. Whistler was a nice boy, but three weeks driving across Japan with him in an enclosed space was too much, even for her. "Usagi? Usagi, are you here?" The girl was packing a bag. Crosses? What was a Shintoist doing with crucifixes?
"Hey Luna. Welcome back!" Usagi tossed a stake in her pack. "Did you get that freaky book?"
"Yes, the Codex. It's a prophecy book." Luna crawled exhausted onto the bed.
Usagi just gave her a nod. "Suns setting. Gotta go!"
She made a dash for the door while her guardian cat watched in confusion. "What's going on here?"
Luna had tried to follow Usagi, but had only found a familiar looking man sitting in a café. That night, when Usagi finally creeped in around one am, Luna was still up waiting for her. "Usagi-chan, I have something important- Good Lord, what happened to you?"
Her clothes looked like they'd been shredded. "Vamp with a knife. I swear, as if the cardians weren't bad enough, I have to deal with my undead classmates. Do you know the crystal is like fire to them?"
"Usagi, vampires don't come to Japan. It's a Mecca to demons much more powerful than them, and frightened vampires take flight." Luna looked at Usagi like she had lost my mind.
"Trust me. Ever since you left, I patrol for cardians, then for vampires with Angel. Tell me about your book." Usagi slipped into a night gown.
"It's the Slayer prophecies. I take it Angel told you about the Slayers?" Luna continued at Usagi's nod. "A long time ago, your mother put a spell on this book. It foretells about apocalypses, and the falling of certain major Slayers."
"Why did Mother put a spell on the book?" Usagi's interest was peeked.
Luna paused, unsure if she wanted Usagi to know what she had lost so long ago. "Do you remember Tranquility?"
"So that's why you look so upset. I saw Serenity last week, Luna. She told me all about my brother." Usagi petted her cat. "He's dead, Luna. I know you didn't want to tell me."
"Earth had its own protectors, as you know. Endymion had his court of the four kings of heaven, and Tranquility and his Warriors protected Terra. There was a reason her soul was lost. Terra was of the chosen of her generation, the immortal Slayer."
Usagi's eyes grew to the size of diner plates. "And when one dies, another is called, siphoning the soul of the previous to empower the next. Mother couldn't send her forward because technically she was still alive."
Luna inhaled deeply. "Usagi, I'm so sorry. I can't figure out what happened to him.
Usagi had to sit down. "You told me you looked for me. Did you look for him too?"
"It was my duty to guard you both. Of course I looked for him. Even if he is still alive, Tranquility would be much older than you, more than a decade. The spell Serenity cast on her deathbed wasn't perfect. You and Mamoru were supposed to be the same age. I didn't think to check back so far." Luna watched Usagi. "I don't have his ring."
"I know where it is." Usagi tried to still her spinning head. "It's in safe keeping. Don't worry."
Angel sat in the small Tokyo bar, nursing a gin. Mamoru spied him, and walked over. "So what's she holding over your head?"
Angel raised an eyebrow in a perfect imitation of Spock. "What?"
"Usagi-san. She's always all over you. I thought maybe she was blackmailing you." Mamoru was serious, Angel noted.
"Usa and I are just good friends, Mamoru-san. I wouldn't worry about her so much, some on might think you actually cared." Angel was getting tired of this uppity boy teasing his best friend.
Mamoru felt a surge of anger for a reason he wouldn't acknowledge, and walked away.
Angel ran through the cemetery. Usagi was late, and he could here the sounds of a major battle occurring. Usagi was fighting against a powerful Cardian, and she was alone. "Dammit, all I have is a stake. I have to help her."
Luna watched from the trees, and saw the dark haired man watching the battle. "Good lord! Serenity-sama was wrong. He's alive." A glint of silver shone from his hand, and Luna saw the transformation talisman.
Angel saw the cat coming towards him. "This is no place for you, kitty cat. I'd get away before you get eaten by that monster." He turned back to the battle. "She needs help."
Luna sucked in a deep breath. "You can help her. You have the power."
Angel gave Luna a long look. "I've lost my mind. The guilt's finally gotten me. I could have sworn you just talked to me."
"I did talk to you. Sailormoon needs your help. The others are too far away. You know what you have to do." Luna pleaded with him.
Angel's eyes fell to his ring. Suddenly, there was a symbol on it. He pressed it, and felt a blade cut into his skin. As the blood broke the surface, Angel was encompassed in a bright light. When it faded, Angel was gone, and in his place stood Tranquility. "Luna? Where are we?"
Luna gave a cat like bow. "Prince, Serenity needs your help. All else can be explained later."
What Tranquility saw, he could not believe. His prim and proper sister, in a microscopic skirt going hand to hand with some kind of demon. "What have you done to her?"
"There is no time! You must help Sailormoon." Luna was starting to remember just how stubborn this boy could be.
Tranquility ran towards the battle grounds. Out of sight, he drew his blade. "Sorrow Cyclone!" A whirlwind of energy spewed forth from the tip of his sword, and managed to distract the Cardian enough that Usagi managed to kill it.
Sailormoon spun around. She must have imagined it. There was no way she had heard that attack. But there he stood, visored and holding their dead father's sword. "Tranquility?" Usagi was confused.
"You once swore to Mother she'd never get you into a sailor fuko. I guess things do change." Tranquility smiled.
A single tear trickled down her cheek. "She told me you were dead. I thought I'd never see you again!" Usagi threw her arms around him.
Tranquility felt his armor heat up, but he didn't know why. He slipped from her grasp in what Usagi thought a strangely familiar manner. "Why are we on earth? Why do you fight?"
Usagi guided him to a bench. "We lost, Tranq. Badly. Everyone died. Mother sent you, me, and our courts forward. I didn't even know I had a brother until a few weeks ago. I'm not Serenity anymore, my name is Usagi. Can you remember everything?"
"Yes. It seems I'm different than you. You don't become Serenity, because she wasn't Sailormoon. Do you know where Terra and the others are?" Tranquility gave her a hopeful look.
"Ami, Mercury's incarnation, and I pinpointed Kaze and Araumi somewhere in America." Usagi looked away, towards the ground. There was something she wasn't telling him. "Do you know who you are?"
"No." Tranquility reached for his helmet. "Maybe you do."
He pulled it off, and Usagi gasped. She jumped up from the bench, and took two steps back. "NO! It's not fair!" She looked skyward. "How could you let this happen? Better to have let him die than live like this."
"What's wrong? Sere, you look upset." Was he hideous? Maybe he was born into someone she hated, or worse loved.
Usagi sadly shook her head, and let her powers fall. "Your name is Angel. We met about a month ago, when your mentor brought you here to be trained. It didn't happen because we started hunting vampires every night. You told me there might be another Hellmouth forming here."
Tranquility was horrified. Wasn't one Hellmouth bad enough? "Why are you so upset though?"
She reached into her purse and pulled out a mirror. Usagi handed it to him, and he stared dumbly at the blank surface. "She didn't lie to any of us. Your not alive, Tranquility. Angel is a vampire."
Angel awoke, flat on his back in the dirt. Usagi sat next to him, holding a stake, seemingly considering it. "What happened?" The last thing he remembered was the blade cutting into his finger.
Usagi looked at him, and put the stake away. She rose, and when she spoke, her voice was like ice. "I would offer you a hand, Angel-san, but it would do more harm than good."
Angel almost shivered at her tone. "What did I do? How long have I been out?"
Usagi looked upwards, at the moon. "Not long. I won't be patrolling with you any longer."
"You look pale, Usa. Are you alright?" Angel managed to get to his feet.
"I made a promise to you once, and I am unable to keep it. I won't be patrolling with you any more." Usagi walked away, with out explaining what she meant.
Luna had watched the scene unfold, and came up behind the shocked man. "I take it you are Angel?"
"Yes." Angel turned a distracted glance towards the cat. "Why is she so upset with me?"
Luna sighed. "You must remember."
Oathbreaker. For a girl who's immortal soul happened to be from a time and place where honor meant something, it was a horrible word. Usagi looked up at the moon, hoping to find some comfort in its cold light. Luna crawled in through the window. "You should have explained things to him. You made Angel very upset."
Usagi's gaze turned to Luna. "I'm weak. I can't ever do what's asked of me."
"Your promise was made under a different time, in another place, a millennia ago. This was not what Tranquility meant. Angel is not Angelus. He is just as human as you are." Luna tried to knock some sense into her pupil.
"I once told you Angel was like a brother to me. The brother Shingo never was. I meant it, but now I can't make myself forget what I promised." Usagi stroked Luna's fur lightly.
"You have to try." Luna whispered.
Vampires don't dream very often, but tonight was an exception for Angel.
Serenity strolled through the garden. Endymion was to meet her here later, and she couldn't wait for his visit. It was her twenty first birthday, and Endymion was finally going to ask for her hand in marriage.
What she never expected to find was her brother, who was supposed to be locked in his chambers with Terra, kneeling before their fathers shrine crying. It had taken weeks for her and Terra to plan Tranquility's birthday surprise, and Serenity wondered why her brother had taken it upon himself to escape. "What are you doing?"
Tranquility didn't turn around. "I'm praying. What does it look like? Go away, Sere. You don't understand."
As usually, she didn't listen to her brother. She instead activated their link. /Make me understand then./
Tranquility gave in. /Earth has fallen, Sere. Terra and Endymion will not be coming to the moon today./
/Terra arrived last night. I should know, I snuck her in to your room./ Serenity joked with her brother.
It fell flat however. /I woke up this morning and she was gone. Beryl has taken the four kings and my Terra as her generals. Mother is allowing no one on or off the surface./
/You mean, we are alone. The outers are so far away, and there is no one to lead in Uranus' place./ Serenity knelt beside her brother. /Do you remember Father?/
/You are changing the subject, Sere./ Tranquility stood. "I want you to make me a promise, Sere. If I ever become what Terra has, a monster, I want you to end my life."
Serenity looked at him as one looks at a crazy person. "I have no power of my own, and you know it."
"But soon you will. Mother has already created your tools. Swear to me, if it happens I will not live to see the next sunrise." Tranquility grasped her hands.
She wiped away her tears. "I swear, Tranq. I swear."
" I came here to ask for guidance, and now I know what I must do. I will lead the army in Uranus' place. With Kaze and Araumi at my side, we might have a chance." Tranquility said, gently.
Serenity wanted to cry. "You will die, and then so will I! Why must you fight?"
Tranquility placed his fingers on her temples. /I would never let you die with me, Sere. I won't let it happen./
Serenity shivered as the bond she had known all her life was cut. "You're not planning on coming back. You'll go out to the front, and leave me and Mother alone, just like Father!"
"I wish I knew what's going to happen. Here, I want you to have something." Tranquility handed her a square box. "Happy 21st, Sis."
She opened it. Inside was a beautiful locket. "Oh Tranq, this is gour-" When Serenity turned to thank him, Tranquility was already gone, their father sword taken from it's place on the shrine wall. "Oooo! I hate it when he does that. No one should be that quiet."
Angel sat up in bed. Now he understood, and now he could make it better. He dialed the phone, and left a single sentence as a message. "I release you, Sere."
Mamoru turned to Usagi as Anne and Ail floated away. "Do you want to go out and celebrate tonight?"
Usagi was about to say yes, but then remembered. "I wish I could, Mamo-chan, but I promised Angel I'd work with him on my English paper tonight."
Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "The paper Ami is putting off till tomorrow because it isn't due for 2 ½ months? You've got to be kidding me, Usako."
She giggled. "Things change, Muffin. I'll try to stop by later though." Usagi gave him a kiss on the cheek before running out. Angel was bound to be worried. Their inactive link still allowed strong emotions through, and he probably felt her transform.
Angel watched as the light behind his heavy curtains faded, and Usagi burst through the door. "Boy do I have a story for you, Angel-chan."
"You'd better. I was about to risk the sewers to go and find you." Angel grabbed their slaying bag, and the two wandered out into the twilight, Angel forgetting to lock his door.
Mamoru got there a few hours later, holding the soup Usagi had left at Natsumi and Seijuro's. "Hello?" The door was open, so he walked in. 'Empty? They must have gone out.' He walked over to fridge, intent on leaving a note. Bag upon bad of red liquid greeted him. Mamoru bit back a scream. Usagi was out with some kind of freak! He heard the door knob turn, and hid quickly. Usagi's voice floated through the room. "And who decided that decapitating that thing was a good idea?"
"Just go and get the pliers, Usa. I'd like to get out of this armor so Angel can share in my pain as soon as possible." Tranquility collapsed. He had taken off his helmet, but hadn't relinquished control. The youma had shot wooden shrapnel at him, and if the armor disappeared before they did, Angel was likely to be dust.
Usagi opened the bathroom cabinet. "You've got to get some medical supplies. I mean, pliers? Don't they have tweezers when you come from?"
She tossed him a bag of blood and set to work on his wounds. Tranquility looked at it with distaste. "I'm not drinking this. I'm not Angel, remember? I just live here too."
Mamoru wondered what kind of spell this demon had Usagi under. Why else would she take care of him?
"Just drink it. Don't be a brat, Tranq. There, all done. You can go back to playing Rummy with Kaze now." Usagi yanked the last splinter.
"Poker, Usa. We were playing poker." There was a flash of light as Angel took back his body. He groaned. "What did he do to me?"
Usagi threw up her hands. "I give up. I'm gonna go visit Mamoru. Next time I'll let you turn to dust like the vampire you are."
"I take it he got his memory back."
"Not all of it, or he'd know who you were." Usagi rummaged around in her pack. "Mom sent you some chocolate brownies. I couldn't exactly tell her you didn't eat."
"I think he's jealous. You'd better explain things to him, or Mamoru's gonna show up on my doorstep with a wood tipped rose one of these days." Angel bit into one of the tasteless brownies out of politeness.
Mamoru stewed in his apartment. While he had been asleep, Usagi had apparently moved on. It wasn't that that bothered him, it was the fact that she seemed so comfortable with another guy. Another guy who was a demon of some sorts. The doorbell rang, and he let Usagi in. "Hey Mamo-chan. Sorry I'm late, there were some vampires in the park. Ready to go?"
His brow wrinkled. "Usako, is there something you wanted to tell me?"
A light bulb went on above Usagi's head. "Oh yeah. Angel told me to explain things to you. I think you have the wrong idea, Muffin."
"He's some kind of monster, Usagi. He must be controlling you." Mamoru's voice was full of concern.
"Oh, Mamo-chan, it's nothing like that." Usagi leaned over by his ear, and whispered. "You just have to remember."
Sixteen year old Endymion was bored. His sister was off with Princess Serenity, and he had nothing to do. None of the Lunar boys would let him join their games, and it was annoying. "They black balled you too?" Tranquility looked on at the low gravity ball game going on below. "They don't let me join in either. They think the Gods favor me, so I can't play organized sports."
Endymion gave a half smile. "Endymion, I'm from Atlantis. I'm too clumsy up here. Where I come from, you don't float when you jump."
"Tranquility. Normally my guards are around so I'm not lonely, but they went home for holiday. Something about the alignment of Neptune and Uranus." Tranquility pulled out a small blowgun loaded with ice crystals. "Wanna cause some mayhem?"
Neither boy wanted to admit just how high up in the royalty they were, and it wasn't until their siblings ran towards them they realized who the other was. "Tranq! Tranq, I want you to meet Terra." Serenity was out of breath, and the hem of her gown was muddy. "Terra, this is my brother Tranquility."
Tranquility gave a small sigh. Now the other boy would want nothing to do with him. That is, until Terra spoke up. "This is my brother Endymion. Say hello, you dofus."
They stared at each other, and both mouthed, 'Prince?'
Mamoru groaned. "I made a big fool of myself, didn't I?"
Usagi giggled. "Yeah. Don't worry, Angel will forgive you."
"How come he didn't go with you to see Anne and Ail? What's with all the blood?" Mamoru sat on the couch next to his girl, and felt her stiffen.
"It seems Serenity made a little miscalculation with Angel." Usagi looked nervous.
"What kind of miscalculation? He looks even older than I am." Mamoru asked.
Usagi winced. "You don't know the half of it."
It was almost sunrise when Angel headed back to his apartment. He could here the silent footfalls of another undead behind him. "You're not very good at the stealth thing, are you?"
"I do not need to be, boy." The man he thought had been behind him was suddenly in front of him. "Angelus, child of Darla, traitor to all our kind."
"Curado, child of Heinrich Nest, the only one he ever threw out." Angel eyed the man before him. "To ambitious. Wanted to rule. Powerful warlock while he was alive."
"As you are aware, the Master is bound in the Hellmouth. I intend to get him out, with your help." Curado gave him a most unreassuring smile.
"Why would I help you?" Angel moved to walk past, and was suddenly blasted back.
"You have much power, Moon Prince. Do not think I will not get it, even if I have to kill everyone you hold dear. We both know Japan is no such place for a death match, you must die on the Hellmouth to achieve my objectives." Curado tipped his hat. "See you in Sunnydale."
Usagi walked through the door at sunset, as she always did, ready to go on a night's patrol. Things had been slow the last few nights. She saw crates littering the room. "Angel, what's going on here?"
Angel turned from his bookcase, and gave her a sad look. "It's been a very bad day. I got into a fight, and now it's time for me to go. I've found the reason there are so many vampires in Juban. His name is Curado, and he's here seeking energy and revenge."
"Why would he want revenge?" Usagi ripped the book from his hands. "Besides, that's all the more reason to stay here, to protect me."
"He's leaving. Something big is going on in Sunnydale, the place I'm headed, Usa. The Slayer is being sent there, and she needs someone to help her. Her Watcher was killed, and Whistler isn't sure who the new one is."
"That's not the only reason, and you know it!" Usagi is suddenly angry, and she heads towards the door. "You have that look! How I've grown to hate that look over the centuries."
"What look?" Angel didn't understand.
"That look that has haunted me since the day we died. The last expression I saw on your face. The feelings that got you killed because you couldn't distinguish woman from demon." Usagi was out the door, and ready to slam it. "You've only seen her once, and already destiny is repeating it's damned self. That look of Slayer-Love."
Usagi stared at him sadly as they called his flight number. "You don't have to go, you know. I'm sure this Slayer will do fine without you, Angel."
Angel looked at Usagi, and picked up his bags. "I wish I could stay, but we both know that isn't possible. If Curado finds out about you, there'll only be more trouble. The Slayer, she needs me more than you. I'm sorry, Usa." Angel clasped her hand, and was shocked, as there was no pain.
"Rei's farewell gift. Wards, keyed to you." She handed him the Codex, and the rings. "Keep the Slayer safe, and I'll visit you this summer."
He walked through the gate, and never looked back. Usagi bid him a silent goodbye. "Farewell, Nee-san." The Moon Prince and Princess parted again; their destiny's pulling them apart. Angel, to Sunnydale California to find his friends reborn. Usagi, to a destiny she knew would come some day.