Usagi and the Wildfire

Chapter 6 - Where's Mamoru?

"What are all of you doing here?" Usagi asked, walking up to her friends with Luna in her arms.

"Sailor Pluto sent us here. She said that there was something really important for us to learn coming here." Ami said a-matter-of-factly.

"There is something that we were never told about the Moon Kingdom and the Silver Millennium." Usagi said simply.

"What is that weird armor you're wearing?" Minako asked, touching the cold metal.

"This? This is something my father gave me." Usagi said.

"You're father? You mean from the Moon Kingdom?!?" Rei demanded.

"Yeah, I'll explain later. We should probably leave, I hear sirens." Usagi said, herding her friends out of the park. She walked in front of them, Ryo on one side, Kento on the other and Sage in the back, the four girls flirting incessantly.

****

"She won't get away so easily next time," The man said, seeing the beautiful princess talking amongst her friends. "They must be the Sailor Senshi from so long ago." He commented, seeing the four girls that were flirting with the Ronin Warrior.

"Sire, I have come to serve you." A man said bowing before his master.

"Good, I'm counting on you to bring the princess to me unharmed. You can do what you like with the rest of them." He said, waving his hand for the others to leave.

****

"So this is where the Moon Kingdom originated?" Minako asked, her eyes full of shock. They were all at the Ronin Warriors apartment, sitting around on the floor as Usagi told the story her father had told her.

"Hai, and I met my father. He gave me that armor I was in." She said as she remembered the old man that had come to her.

"Why didn't Queen Serenity tell us sooner?" Rei asked.

"I don't know. I guess she just wanted us to have as normal of a life as possible." Usagi said, not really knowing why.

"That's probably it." Ami commented as she was taking readings on this new world.

"Where's Mamoru?" Usagi asked, wondering why all of them had been sent but her Mamo-chan had not.

"I don't know, he came through the time gate with us." Makoto said as everyone suddenly realized that he wasn't there.

"Who's Mamoru?" Ryo asked as he walked into the room with a pot of tea and a few cups.

"Mamoru? That's Usa-chan's boy friend." Minako said, taking a cup from Ryo.

"I think I'm going to go look for him." Usagi said, rising from her spot on the floor.

"Usagi-chan," Ryo said, setting the pot and the cups on the table. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to be out this late all alone."

"I'll be fine, Ryo-kun." She said with a smile as she headed for the door.

"I'll go with you." Ryo said, pulling her out the door before she could protest. The pair walked through the empty streets, neither one spoke a word. She had a look of worry on her face as the two strolled down the street, seeing no cars in sight.

"It's so beautiful." Usagi breathed, looking into the sky.

"What's beautiful?" Ryo asked.

"The moon." She said, letting the light bathe her face in its gentle glow.

"Beautiful." He said, looking at Usagi's pale face in the moonlight. The crescent moon was on her forehead and began to glow a pale white light. Usagi stopped, sitting down on a bench that was outside of the darkened windows of a drug store. Ryo sat next to her, scooting a little closer until he shyly slipped his arm around her waist. She laid her head against his chest, totally forgetting about Mamoru for the moment.

"I want to thank you Ryo-kun. For everything you've done for me since I came here." She said, as her arm slipped around his neck.

"It was my pleasure to protect you, princess," He said quietly, kissing her lightly on the crescent moon birthmark. She laid against his chest, listening to his breathing for a few minutes before she felt a cold chill run through her body. She picked her head up, searching around her for the source of the bad vibe that had just passed through her. "What's wrong?" He asked, surprised at how suddenly she'd snapped up.

"I just felt something really weird. There's something coming." She said in a near whisper. The pair changed into their armor, standing in the center of the street, ready for any attack they could throw at them. Usagi looked up, seeing a barrage of roses flying at her. She managed to push Ryo out of the way, the roses bouncing off, leaving deep scratches in her armor.

"Usa-chan!!" Ryo cried, dropping to the blond girl's side. She looked up in the direction the barrage of roses had come from, all the color draining from her face. She looked at one of the roses, seeing that the petals were the color of black velvet.

"No, please no," She whispered, seeing the silhouette of a man on top of a building, his cape fluttering in the light breeze. "Tuxedo Kamen." Ryo stopped trying to help her up, seeing her eyes wide with fear and sadness.

"Usako, I've finally found you." His cold voice said. Usagi looked up at Tuxedo Kamen, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"Mamo-chan?" She asked, seeing no warmth in his ice blue eyes. A smirk spread across his lips, curving upward making him look sinister. "Why Mamo-chan?" She asked as she slowly climbed to her feet. Ryo took a step back, seeing that Usagi knew this man.

"You little tramp." He said in a low voice. He raised his hand to slap her, but something blocked his hand. He looked to see that the kid she'd been with a few minutes earlier was holding onto his arm, a look of disgust on his face.

"How dare you try to hit her." He said in a low voice. Mamoru pulled his hand away, taking a step back.

"Usako, join me, princess. We'll be the rulers of this new world, we'll be more powerful than you can imagine." Mamoru said, a twisted evil smirk spreading across his face.

"What happened to you?" Usagi asked, stepping past Ryo. "Where's my Mamo-chan? You're not him, is he still there?"

"If you come with me now, I'll forgive you." Mamoru said.

"Forgive me? For what? I haven't done anything." Usagi protested.

"Don't give me that!" Mamoru snapped, cutting her off. "I saw you two a few minutes ago!"

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi pleaded, feeling the tears stream down her face. "Why are you doing this to me?!? I love you!!" She shrieked, falling to her knees.

****

How was it? Did it sound all right? Please review or email me at pokahydee@hotmail.com