AN: Ok, at least this chapter was out faster than the last

one, ne? Hope that counts for something… So yeah. On

with the show.

Title: Shades of Grey

Authors: Moonlight Storm

E-mail: MoonlightStormSM@aol.com

Genre: Romance/Action/AU

Season: 1st

Disclaimer: All your Sailor Moon (not) belong to us.

Chapter 9



Usagi stepped outside of school gratefully after the final

bell rang, reveling in the sunshine. Stretching, she walked

from the entrance amidst the other students to wait for Ami

in a more secluded area off to the side.



She kept her eyes trained on the school's main entrance,

patiently awaiting her friend.



"Usagi-chan, my sweet. Its been too long."



She jumped. Turning abruptly, she met the eyes of the man

behind her.



Gorgeous, tall, and buff. Rakish, dark brown hair adorned

his hair, perfectly complimenting deep, emerald colored

eyes.



"Ghyard. Always a pleasure."



She threw her mask back up hastily, allowing herself to

throw clipped, frosty tones at handsome man before her.

She could never show weakness before him. Never. It had

been ingrained in her from the moment he made her

Vampire.



She took several steps to the side, maneuvering herself to a

position where Ami could be seen exiting the building as

well as never losing eye contact with Ghyard.



"So, my little one, how have you been fairing?"



"Perfectly."



Always keep answers short.



Usagi's mind raced, to foresee where this was going. Did

he know of her newfound duties as Sailor Moon? If so, why

did he care? Was this a test of her loyalty, should she come

clean?



Usagi shook her head. She was no longer his charge. She

was on her own, and fully capable of defending and

providing for herself. Ghyard was now merely… an ally.

Who occasionally felt it necessary to check up on her.

Annoyingly often, almost.



Not that she would ever tell him that. It would be signing

her own death warrant; treason, in his eyes.



'Don't bite the hand that feeds you and all that. Or DID

feed you, as the case may be.'



What to tell him… Did it really matter? He would no doubt

find out she was the heroine Sailor Moon eventually. She

STILL could not always detect his watchers. It annoyed her

to no end.



"I've been hearing some interesting tales around here. Any

idea of what's going on, my little one?"



Ami slowly walked from the school's main door.



'Thank Kami-sama, some breathing time.'



"Perhaps. I must go, an earlier engagement. I'm assuming

you shall be visiting me this evening?"



Ghyard grinned roguishly, and bowed mockingly.



"Of course, my sweet. Until tonight."



He left her then, ambling away from the school.



Could she never leave first, or have the last word?

Unerringly, he made the judgments in their relationships.

Trivial? Perhaps. But at that moment, it would have

considerably brightened the day to have flounced from his

presence upon seeing Ami.



Usagi sighed, letting her mask slowly drop, only to be

replaced by the cheerful visage of the Usagi that Ami was

coming to know quite well.



She could never let her guard down around Ghyard; its

what he wanted. But she could never be sure of his intent.

At first, she had leaned heavily upon his help. Yet as time

passed, she relied on him less and less, becoming more

self-sufficient than she ever had been.



'I guess being a vampire will do that to a person.'



Perhaps, he was not as bad as she pictured. But to find out,

she would need to lose all inhibitions, banish her

doubtfulness.



'No!'



Inwardly, she shook her head viciously. This is what he

always did to her. Self-doubt and new, possibly self-

damaging ideas always rampaged through her when

Ghyard was near.



Bouncing over to Ami, Usagi waved drastically to catch the

blue-haired girl's attention, again reverting to the Usagi

those around her were familiar with.



"Ami, over here!"



Ami turned her head, school bag held docilely before her,

the perfect picture of a Junior High School girl, and smiled

at Usagi.



"Usagi-chan, I was wondering if you had already left

school."



Usagi waved her hand around nonchalantly, "Oh, I just saw

someone I needed to talk to for a second. C'mon, Luna's

going to meet us outside Crown, then we'll need to find a

place to talk in private."





AN: Ok, so, how was it? Not much happened besides

Ghyard showing up, and I'm not quite sure where I'm

going with him. I'm trying to make him sort of, well,

bastard-y. But not in a really bad way, 'cause I haven't

totally figured out the role he's going to be playing in this.

Ghyard is almost reminiscent of typical 1st season Mamoru

(not to bash Mamoru or anything). Yet the two are totally

different. I bet I'm not making any sense right now.

Anyway, please review! And, for reviewing, thanks to Lia,

who kept encouraging me. Also, Bejiin, if you're reading

this. You have no idea how happy I was when I read your

review. You're like a GOD in the fanfiction world, and you

deigned me worthy enough to review. So thank you. And,

to A. Lee, whose fics are also really good, you all inspire

me to keep writing.