Chapter One: I am Sailor Moon
Outside there was darkness, but within the girl a light was burning brighter then the light of any sun; fury, anger and the desire that this never happen to anyone again.
Usagi fell to her knees beside the gravestone. Reaching out, she traced the kanji that formed Naru's name, birthday, and date of death. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes, tears that she wiped away with an angry hand. She had cried so often in past about petty things that she refused to cheapen her memory of Naru by weeping now. Crying was a useless activity anyway.
She touched the tombstone one last time in farewell, then rose to her feet that was out of charecter for her. Clenching her tiny fist, she made a mental vow to her departed friend that no one else would die because some hideous creature from realms unknown. She remembered the rush of power she had felt as she destroyed the monster. Surely there must be some way to access that power again.
The blonde girl sighed. This anger was so alien to her. But nothing she did made it go away. For now, all she could do was hope she could draw on the power and protect everyone else. With that thought, the rage that flowed through her veins shifted slightly to a deep sense of justice. It was a fact that she wouldn't realize for some time.
Her sapphire gaze traveled over the other tombstones in the graveyard, wondering if there were others that were there because no one had been there to save them from the same kind of horror that had taken Naru away. Usagi shook her head violently. She couldn't think like that. It would just lead her in a downward spiral and make her useless to someone who could still be saved. With that thought, she turned sharply and strode purposely away from the gloomy place. She would figure out how to access the power again. She had to.
Her mind was so caught up in thought that she didn't realize where her small feet were leading her- or who they were leading her towards. It may have been fate or destiny, or just plain bad luck.
A man turned around a corner, slamming into her. The pair went sprawling to the ground.
"What do you think you're doing, you idiot!" she snapped angrily, most uncharacteristically.
The man adjusted his sunglasses, which had been knocked askew by his tumble. "I should be asking you that! Don't you know to watch where you're going?"
"Oh? And I suppose *you* were?" Usagi jumped to her feet and finally looked at the person she was snapping at. Her breath caught and the next retort died on her lips. He was tall, with short ebony black hair. His lean, muscular build was tense as he fought to control his irritation at this unexpected confrontation. In short, he was gorgeous!
The blonde young lady quickly shook that observation off. "Don't get all high and mighty on me, buddy! You got in my way as much as I got in yours!"
The ebony-haired young man scowled. "It's kind of hard to see around a corner. Which goes to prove why you should have been watching where you were going!"
He let his eyes wander over the form of the petite girl standing with clenched fists in front of him. He was surprised that she had continued the fight, after she had so obviously paused to really look at him. He had become accustomed to girls seeing him and trying to flirt with him, gain his approval. He found this reaction to be a breath of fresh air. But that did nothing to appease the complete irritation the audacity of this golden haired . . . beauty . . . with her sapphire blue eyes . . . he shook his head. This girl's attitude was inexucable! "Look, Odango Atama, just watch where you're going from now . . . and your mouth! It'll get you in trouble one of these days!"
A week ago, that would have sent Usagi into a fit of tears or speechless rage. But it wasn't a week ago.
Later she would admit that he had been a convient outlet for her bottled-up helplessness and rage, but at that moment, all she saw was red. Red for anger, red for blood. Her delicately-boned hand reached out and decked him across the face, the sharp CRACK! echoing in an eerie parody of the crack which had changed Usagi's life. "You bastard!" she hissed angrily, her eyes glowing with an unhealthy light. "You have no right to say such a thing to me!"
The young man was rendered speechless by the unexpected action. He merely stared at her through the dark lenses as she glared at him for a few moments more, then stepped around his still form and walked angrily down the street. He watched her go, his own anger beginning to boil.
'How dare she?' he thought fiercely. 'How dare she overreact to some verbal sparring like that?! I mean, she hit me!' His hand unconsciously went to his reddened cheek, even as a part of him admitted to probably deserving the blow. It's not like he couldn't have let the matter go. But something about her called out to him, demanded a response. And respond he did. He shook his head at the strange encounter and continued along his interrupted journey toward his destination.
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Usagi looked at the flowers that sat on the desk where Naru had sat. The lilies were slightly wilted, and she made a mental note to get some roses or something to replace them. Naru had always liked roses.
Around her, her classmates drew slightly away, as though she was contagious. She hadn't had anything to do with Naru's death, the police had decided, but it would take more then that to convince other people that she wasn't a jinx. After all, how had she survived someone who could break someone's neck like a twig?
Usagi glanced around the room and took in the prevailing attitude from her classmates. She sighed and almost immediately lost herself in her inner world. Roses. Naru liked roses. She would get her friend roses, and nothing but, every time she visited her resting place.
For some reason, the thought of roses made her think of the ebony-haired young man she had run into the other day. Had he smelled like roses? She couldn't remember. But somehow the thought of roses and that guy fit like two pieces of a puzzle. She quickly dismissed those thoughts. The bastard was not going to take up any more of her thoughts and time.
"Tsukino-san!"
She blinked, suddenly aware that the sensei had been trying to attract her attention. "Hai?" she said, startled.
Rokutanda-sensei hid a sigh. Tsukino Usagi had never been among the best of his students, but since her friend had died, her grades had plummeted to the basement. He was starting to wonder if there was any hope of her salvaging the school year. It was try that the Osaka girl's death was tragic, and that Tsukino was probably tramatized, but the girl was making no effort to get beyond it.
"You haven't been paying attention at all, have you Tsukino-san?" the frustrated teacher said exasperatedly.
"Gomen," Usagi said contritely, dropping her gaze to her desk. "I..."
"I know the loss of your friend has been hard on you, but do you really think she would have wanted you to shut yourself off like this?" the tall brunette man said sympathetically. "Everyone knows you're in danger of failing completely this year, and I don't think Osaka-san would have wanted that. For her, try to keep going, keep trying. You have a lot of potential, and it shouldn't go to waste."
He blinked once, wondering exactly when the sky had fallen. He hadn't really expected her to listen to him, but from the bright gleam in her eyes, he wouldn't be surprised if she pulled out an A on the next exam.
Rokutanda wondered exactly why he felt sad seeing Tsukino Usagi turn her complete attention to him.
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"I'm going out for a walk, mother!" Usagi called over her shoulder as she stepped out into the twilight.
"Are you sure you should, dear?" Ikoku asked, feeling concerned. She hated letting Usagi wandered off during the evening by herself, especially since Naru had... died. The girl, though, refused to stay inside, insisting that as long as she kept her 10 o'clock curfew, there really was no problem.
"I'll be fine!" Usagi assured her, then disappeared into the shadows. Ikoku shuddered as she watched her eldest child go. There was something almost macabre about the way the darkness embraced the girl.
Usagi made her way in a roundabout fashion to the downtown shopping district. She was surprised to see the place still filled with people, until she remembered the amount of dance clubs and late night restaurants that were in the area. She didn't know what had drawn her here; normally she would have opted for a quiet stroll in the park, but something inside her told her this would be a better place to be.
The petite blonde had just passed by the long strip mall she and Naru had usually gone for one of their shopping marathons, when screams from behind her made her stop dead in her tracks. She whirled around quickly and gasped at the sight before her. A large, green creature, similar to the demon that had killed Naru still too recently in the past to think about, was randomly grabbing the late night party-goers, doing something to them that caused them to be outlined in a bright white glow for a brief moment, and tossing them aside like limp rag dolls when it was through.
"No," Usagi whispered, the horrifying memories of Naru's last night replaying before her mind's eye. "No, not again. Never again. Never again!"
Her last words came out in a hoarse shout, and she moved forward slightly to where a beam of moonlight had managed to make its way down from the heavens. The girl's fists clenched as she wished with all her might that she could find that mysterious power that had come to her the night at the OSA*P, this time before anyone died.
: Suddenly a glitter at the point of the V-neck collar of her thin sweater caught her attention. She watched in wonder as the moonlight struck the white brooch with a golden crescent moon and four different colored gems evenly spaced on the edge she had recieved the night Naru had died. And she knew what to do. "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"
It was different this time, but that was to be expected. This time she was prepared for the otherwordliness that assaulted her senses, prepared for the boost in energy. She felt immortal; she became a Goddess and a soldier, all combined in a beautiful, yet deadly package. The improbable Sailor Suit traced the curves of her body, which became slightly more pronounced. Tossing her head back, she grinned as she focused on the monster.
At the moment, its hand (which only had four fingers instead of the standard five) was wrapped around the throat of a girl who was wearing heavy cosmetics. The people who were sober enough to run were doing so, but no one was helping the girl. That was about to change. With the girl as a shield, Usagi couldn't get a clear shot, so it was time to improvise.
She went to the nearest car and yanked off its front fender with hardly any effort. Normally such wantom destruction with have bothered her, but she figured the owner would understand, if anyone ever bothered to explain to him.
She heard a man start yelling in surprise behind her, "How the hell did a little thing like you do that?" he demanded.
"Adrenaline," she said sarcastically. "Now get the hell out of here, you imbecile. That creature isn't serving cake and cookies to the elderly."
The man gawked at her as she raced towards the monster. "BATTER UP!" she yelled, then swung with her magically enhanced speed and strength. Her aim was true and she hit the monster over the head, dazing it just enough so that it let go of the girl whom it had been attacking.
As the monster reeled and tried to regain its composure, the girl lay at its feet sobbing, one hand to her throat. "You should get out of here now," Usagi whispered urgently. "This thing's not going to be out of commission long."
The girl merely kept crying.
"Look, I did not just tear up a car and start going one on one with a deadly green youma because I was bored! Move it! Or do you really want to die?"
The girl with the pancake make-up looked at her startled at the harsh tone. "I don't want to die," she whispered in a scratchy alto.
"Then run, you moron!" She swung the fender almost absently, knocking the monster upside the head once again just as it was about to claw at her.
The girl just nodded and scrambled away. Usagi released a frustrated breath of relief and turned to face the monster. "All right, dirt bag. It's now time to learn lesson number one: I don't like you." She hit the thing again with the large piece of metal. "Lesson two: I don't like the way you were hurting people." Clang! "Lesson three: I'm not going to just sit back and let it happen." Crunch! "Lesson four: And there's nothing you can do to stop me!" Slam!
As the fender connected for the last time, Usagi realized what she need to do to eliminate this threat once and for all. She tossed the twisted piece of automobile aside and stepped back. Her right hand rose and she gripped her tiara between her forefinger and thumb. The piece of jewelry turned into a glowing discus as the blonde pulled it from her forehead, and she brought it back in preparation to throw. "Moon Tiara Action!" she cried as she released it like a frisbee.
The monster had watched woozily as this unexpected attacker had backed away. Now it could only watch wide-eyed and entranced as the glowing discus flew toward it and impacted. The next moment there was only a pile of dust where the green thing had stood. Usagi watched as the pile dissapated in a non-existant breeze with grim satisfaction. "For Naru," she whispered. "Never again." And she turned and ran off.
From out of the shadows, a man stepped, his eyes tracking where the girl had stood. A puzzled frown was on the man's face. "That's her?" he whispered, chutching his jacket around himself to ward off the cold teeth of the wind. "That's my rival?"
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The next day at school, Usagi was almost immediately besieged by Umino Gurio, the class gossip. He had been a friend of hers ever since she was younger, but they had grown apart when Umino fell in love with her. "Usagi-chan, did you see last night's newspaper?" He waved the afore mentioned document in her face.
"No, Umino. You know I'm not interested in the news," she said, stifling a yawn beneath her hand. She hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before, and was tempted to go to the nurse's office to get an extra hour or two of much-needed rest.
"Well, there's this new superhero! No one knows anything about her, except that she used magic to kill a monster that was draining people!"
"You believe in magic?" Usagi said, trying for a disinterested tone. "Some fairytale."
"No, see, here's a picture and everything! The police are asking the girl to come forward so she can be thanked!"
Usagi tooked the newspaper away from him. There, on the front page, was a grainy picture of her assaulting the monster with her tiara. Across the top the headline blazed, "Superheroine Saves Day!"
She sniffed derisively. "Some superhero. Where was she when Naru needed help?"
"Aw, come on, Usagi," Umino said, giving the blonde an odd look after hearing the bitter tone out of the normally cheerful girl. "If she could have been there and done something, she would have. I mean, it's obvious she's not going to take any crap from anyone! I heard a rumor that she beat the monster up with a car fender before finishing it off with her magic." The young man had leaned in conspiratorily close as he finished his tale.
Usagi pushed him away. "That's nice. That doesn't change the fact that this 'superhero' wasn't where she needed to be in time to save Naru." Even as she said it, a small part in the back of her mind accepted his words as truth, contrary to the guilt and self-loathing the rest of her brain was plaguing her with. "And don't stand so close," she added absently.
"Right." Umino stepped back to his normal distance. "But I still think it would be really neat to see her in action, or even meet her in person! I mean, a real superhero!"
"You twit!" Usagi cried, smacking him upside the head. "Don't you get it? To see her up close and personal in action, you'd have to be in mortal danger. Do you really want to die - or at the very least get hurt - that badly?"
"Well, no, but she'd be there to save me, like superheroes do."
"Tell that to Naru." With that the petite blonde turned sharply on her heels and walked away.
Unimo watched her leave, wishing he'd never brought the subject up. Usagi had always been imterested in stuff like superheroes and magic, before. He had thought that getting her interested in the latest would help jerk her out of her bitterness, but if anything, he seemed to have made matters worse. Naru had been his friend as well, and he missed her, but it was time for Usagi to learn that life went on.
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She stood in a tree, watching as the monster came towards her. It was late afternoon, and there were children in the park; obviously the monster was targeting them. She tugged on her short skirt, wishing the magical outfit didn't look so ridiculous. It was hard to inspire fear when you half-afraid the enemy would yell "panty shot!" at you.
She jumped, landing on her feet slightly awkwardly. She had always been a bit of a klutz, but there was no way she was going to let that get in her way. Usagi's eyes narrowed. Right now she had a clear shot. Should she take it? Or should she blow of some steam by beating the monster into a pulp first?
It was the little girl that cinched it. There, directly in the path of the ugly beast, was a small child, her light brown ponytails fluttering in the wind, her huge dark blue eyes filled with tears. The monster seemed to notice her the same time Usagi did, and started to move in that direction at a frightening speed.
"Moon Tiara Action!" she cried desperately, tossing the glowing disc with all her might. She watched as it curved toward its target, a smile beginning to form on her features as she waited for the same result her last toss had produced.
Thus it was that her jaw dropped completely when with one quick burst of speed and a dodge of its head, the youma managed to get out of the deadly disc's path and closer to the child. With a burst of anger, she found she had more control over her weapon than she originally thought and began to direct it back toward the monster's far side. But she quickly realized that it wasn't going to make it in time.
Just as her heart despaired at having to watch someone else fall to these otherworldly creatures, a flash of red streaked through the air, culminating in the form of a red rose imbedded in the earth at the monster's feet. "How dare you threaten the life of an innocent child?" an angry male voice called from above the combatants. "Only the basest of creatures would stoop so low. I, Tuxedo Kamen, will not forgive you!"
Usagi looked up to the tree branch the voice had come from. Standing there in a dramatic pose was a tall man, sharply dressed in a perfectly talored tuxedo and top hat, a black cape with a deep red lining fluttering in the breeze and a white domino mask hiding his eyes, and thus his true identity. His head cocked briefly in her direction before he dove down and scooped up the girl just before the youma recovered from the shock. The blonde hero blinked. "What's with the fancy speeches and the posing, Tux-boy?" she called out as she began to pull back her tiara once again.
"It's more than you were doing... um, I don't believe I've caught your name quite yet."
Usagi bristled at the sarcasm in the man's tone. Then she realized she hadn't thought of a name for herself yet. She glanced quickly down at her outfit and brooch and it came to her. "I am Sailor Moon, fighter for justice - not that I feel the need to tell everyone in some cheesy, long-winded speech. You should remember that." With on last flick of her wrist, the glowing tiara rushed back, slicing the monster across the left shoulder.
This time it was Tuxedo Kamen's turn to bristle. "Yeah, well, let's just remember who saved the girl here, shall we?" he said as he continued to jump and flip out of the way of the bursts of dark energy coming from the demon.
"She's not saved yet!"
"Well, then, by all means, feel free to fix that, Sailor Moon!"
"Fine! I will!" She once again charged up her weapon. "Moon Tiara Action!"
This time her aim was true, and another demon disintegrated into a pile of dust. Usagi walked triumphantly over to where the thing had stood and crossed her arms over her chest. "You were saying?"
Tuxedo Kamen walked out slowly after putting the little girl down and watching her run into her mother's waiting arms, wistfulness briefly flashing over his features. Usagi pretended not to notice. "Look, Sailor Moon, if you're going to fight these things, do it. Just don't get in my way."
"You don't get in mine," the blonde hero retorted. "That way we'll both be happier." They both nodded, but not before they both realized deep inside just how much of a lie that last statement was.
Neither of them noticed the photographer hiding in the bushes, who had overheard the entire conversation. The sound of the shutter snapping rapidly was overwhelmed by the noise from the crowd that was gathering. The superheroes leapt away, moving at supernatural speeds.
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The next day, the school was buzzing. "He's SOOOO handsome!" a girl said as Usagi was passing by. Her curiousity ignited, she turned around to listen to what they were saying.
A girl was standing in the middle of a crowd, waving dramatically as she spoke. "I was at the park with my little sister, at the right place at the right time! Well, a monster was coming at Makoto -that's my sister's best friend- when that superhero from the day before showed up. She threw some magic, but it ducked, and then HE showed up!"
The crowd squealed. "TELL!" a girl with green hair demanded, pulling on the talebearer's sleeve.
"Well, he said something to distract the monster, and then he saved the little girl! It was so heroic!"
Usagi snorted. Pity they didn't mention HER part in it. She was just about to head onto class when the girl continued, "And then the girl finished the monster off! WHAM! Bunch of dust.
"They started to talk, and she said her name was Sailor Moon. I think it's kinda stupid for a superhero- I mean, don't they usually end in "girl" or "woman"? Tuxedo Kamen isn't much better, but at least he has STYLE. He threw a rose and made the most wonderful speech- Sailor Moon just attacked. Then afterwards, she started to argue with him!"
"They ARGUED?" a boy exclaimed.
"Aren't superheroes usually friends?" another girl chimed in, nibbling thoughtfully on her lips.
"Nope, they were arguing. Telling the other to stay out of their way."
"That's not the way it works," the boy complained. "Sailor Moon should be Tuxedo Mask's sidekick!"
Usagi stalked off at that to keep from attacking the boy. What did HE know, anyway?
Once she was alone however, some the othe things that were said echoed in her mind. First off, she needed some class. She sighed. Okay, she thought, cheesy speeches it is. But I reserve the right to just tell the monsters off if that seems like the better option.
Now that that was settled, another point stuck in her jaw. The arguments. If this guy was actually going to be showing up in the middle of her fights on a regular basis, she was going to have to deal with it. So, as much as he had annoyed her, she would do her best to be civil. He *was* trying to help people and fight against the monsters.
Once she came to these conclusions she smiled proudly. 'That should get me some decent respect around here,' she thought smugly. "And then maybe I won't have to hear any more about being his *sidekick*.'
She shuddered and entered her homeroom.
END PART ONE
Outside there was darkness, but within the girl a light was burning brighter then the light of any sun; fury, anger and the desire that this never happen to anyone again.
Usagi fell to her knees beside the gravestone. Reaching out, she traced the kanji that formed Naru's name, birthday, and date of death. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes, tears that she wiped away with an angry hand. She had cried so often in past about petty things that she refused to cheapen her memory of Naru by weeping now. Crying was a useless activity anyway.
She touched the tombstone one last time in farewell, then rose to her feet that was out of charecter for her. Clenching her tiny fist, she made a mental vow to her departed friend that no one else would die because some hideous creature from realms unknown. She remembered the rush of power she had felt as she destroyed the monster. Surely there must be some way to access that power again.
The blonde girl sighed. This anger was so alien to her. But nothing she did made it go away. For now, all she could do was hope she could draw on the power and protect everyone else. With that thought, the rage that flowed through her veins shifted slightly to a deep sense of justice. It was a fact that she wouldn't realize for some time.
Her sapphire gaze traveled over the other tombstones in the graveyard, wondering if there were others that were there because no one had been there to save them from the same kind of horror that had taken Naru away. Usagi shook her head violently. She couldn't think like that. It would just lead her in a downward spiral and make her useless to someone who could still be saved. With that thought, she turned sharply and strode purposely away from the gloomy place. She would figure out how to access the power again. She had to.
Her mind was so caught up in thought that she didn't realize where her small feet were leading her- or who they were leading her towards. It may have been fate or destiny, or just plain bad luck.
A man turned around a corner, slamming into her. The pair went sprawling to the ground.
"What do you think you're doing, you idiot!" she snapped angrily, most uncharacteristically.
The man adjusted his sunglasses, which had been knocked askew by his tumble. "I should be asking you that! Don't you know to watch where you're going?"
"Oh? And I suppose *you* were?" Usagi jumped to her feet and finally looked at the person she was snapping at. Her breath caught and the next retort died on her lips. He was tall, with short ebony black hair. His lean, muscular build was tense as he fought to control his irritation at this unexpected confrontation. In short, he was gorgeous!
The blonde young lady quickly shook that observation off. "Don't get all high and mighty on me, buddy! You got in my way as much as I got in yours!"
The ebony-haired young man scowled. "It's kind of hard to see around a corner. Which goes to prove why you should have been watching where you were going!"
He let his eyes wander over the form of the petite girl standing with clenched fists in front of him. He was surprised that she had continued the fight, after she had so obviously paused to really look at him. He had become accustomed to girls seeing him and trying to flirt with him, gain his approval. He found this reaction to be a breath of fresh air. But that did nothing to appease the complete irritation the audacity of this golden haired . . . beauty . . . with her sapphire blue eyes . . . he shook his head. This girl's attitude was inexucable! "Look, Odango Atama, just watch where you're going from now . . . and your mouth! It'll get you in trouble one of these days!"
A week ago, that would have sent Usagi into a fit of tears or speechless rage. But it wasn't a week ago.
Later she would admit that he had been a convient outlet for her bottled-up helplessness and rage, but at that moment, all she saw was red. Red for anger, red for blood. Her delicately-boned hand reached out and decked him across the face, the sharp CRACK! echoing in an eerie parody of the crack which had changed Usagi's life. "You bastard!" she hissed angrily, her eyes glowing with an unhealthy light. "You have no right to say such a thing to me!"
The young man was rendered speechless by the unexpected action. He merely stared at her through the dark lenses as she glared at him for a few moments more, then stepped around his still form and walked angrily down the street. He watched her go, his own anger beginning to boil.
'How dare she?' he thought fiercely. 'How dare she overreact to some verbal sparring like that?! I mean, she hit me!' His hand unconsciously went to his reddened cheek, even as a part of him admitted to probably deserving the blow. It's not like he couldn't have let the matter go. But something about her called out to him, demanded a response. And respond he did. He shook his head at the strange encounter and continued along his interrupted journey toward his destination.
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Usagi looked at the flowers that sat on the desk where Naru had sat. The lilies were slightly wilted, and she made a mental note to get some roses or something to replace them. Naru had always liked roses.
Around her, her classmates drew slightly away, as though she was contagious. She hadn't had anything to do with Naru's death, the police had decided, but it would take more then that to convince other people that she wasn't a jinx. After all, how had she survived someone who could break someone's neck like a twig?
Usagi glanced around the room and took in the prevailing attitude from her classmates. She sighed and almost immediately lost herself in her inner world. Roses. Naru liked roses. She would get her friend roses, and nothing but, every time she visited her resting place.
For some reason, the thought of roses made her think of the ebony-haired young man she had run into the other day. Had he smelled like roses? She couldn't remember. But somehow the thought of roses and that guy fit like two pieces of a puzzle. She quickly dismissed those thoughts. The bastard was not going to take up any more of her thoughts and time.
"Tsukino-san!"
She blinked, suddenly aware that the sensei had been trying to attract her attention. "Hai?" she said, startled.
Rokutanda-sensei hid a sigh. Tsukino Usagi had never been among the best of his students, but since her friend had died, her grades had plummeted to the basement. He was starting to wonder if there was any hope of her salvaging the school year. It was try that the Osaka girl's death was tragic, and that Tsukino was probably tramatized, but the girl was making no effort to get beyond it.
"You haven't been paying attention at all, have you Tsukino-san?" the frustrated teacher said exasperatedly.
"Gomen," Usagi said contritely, dropping her gaze to her desk. "I..."
"I know the loss of your friend has been hard on you, but do you really think she would have wanted you to shut yourself off like this?" the tall brunette man said sympathetically. "Everyone knows you're in danger of failing completely this year, and I don't think Osaka-san would have wanted that. For her, try to keep going, keep trying. You have a lot of potential, and it shouldn't go to waste."
He blinked once, wondering exactly when the sky had fallen. He hadn't really expected her to listen to him, but from the bright gleam in her eyes, he wouldn't be surprised if she pulled out an A on the next exam.
Rokutanda wondered exactly why he felt sad seeing Tsukino Usagi turn her complete attention to him.
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"I'm going out for a walk, mother!" Usagi called over her shoulder as she stepped out into the twilight.
"Are you sure you should, dear?" Ikoku asked, feeling concerned. She hated letting Usagi wandered off during the evening by herself, especially since Naru had... died. The girl, though, refused to stay inside, insisting that as long as she kept her 10 o'clock curfew, there really was no problem.
"I'll be fine!" Usagi assured her, then disappeared into the shadows. Ikoku shuddered as she watched her eldest child go. There was something almost macabre about the way the darkness embraced the girl.
Usagi made her way in a roundabout fashion to the downtown shopping district. She was surprised to see the place still filled with people, until she remembered the amount of dance clubs and late night restaurants that were in the area. She didn't know what had drawn her here; normally she would have opted for a quiet stroll in the park, but something inside her told her this would be a better place to be.
The petite blonde had just passed by the long strip mall she and Naru had usually gone for one of their shopping marathons, when screams from behind her made her stop dead in her tracks. She whirled around quickly and gasped at the sight before her. A large, green creature, similar to the demon that had killed Naru still too recently in the past to think about, was randomly grabbing the late night party-goers, doing something to them that caused them to be outlined in a bright white glow for a brief moment, and tossing them aside like limp rag dolls when it was through.
"No," Usagi whispered, the horrifying memories of Naru's last night replaying before her mind's eye. "No, not again. Never again. Never again!"
Her last words came out in a hoarse shout, and she moved forward slightly to where a beam of moonlight had managed to make its way down from the heavens. The girl's fists clenched as she wished with all her might that she could find that mysterious power that had come to her the night at the OSA*P, this time before anyone died.
: Suddenly a glitter at the point of the V-neck collar of her thin sweater caught her attention. She watched in wonder as the moonlight struck the white brooch with a golden crescent moon and four different colored gems evenly spaced on the edge she had recieved the night Naru had died. And she knew what to do. "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"
It was different this time, but that was to be expected. This time she was prepared for the otherwordliness that assaulted her senses, prepared for the boost in energy. She felt immortal; she became a Goddess and a soldier, all combined in a beautiful, yet deadly package. The improbable Sailor Suit traced the curves of her body, which became slightly more pronounced. Tossing her head back, she grinned as she focused on the monster.
At the moment, its hand (which only had four fingers instead of the standard five) was wrapped around the throat of a girl who was wearing heavy cosmetics. The people who were sober enough to run were doing so, but no one was helping the girl. That was about to change. With the girl as a shield, Usagi couldn't get a clear shot, so it was time to improvise.
She went to the nearest car and yanked off its front fender with hardly any effort. Normally such wantom destruction with have bothered her, but she figured the owner would understand, if anyone ever bothered to explain to him.
She heard a man start yelling in surprise behind her, "How the hell did a little thing like you do that?" he demanded.
"Adrenaline," she said sarcastically. "Now get the hell out of here, you imbecile. That creature isn't serving cake and cookies to the elderly."
The man gawked at her as she raced towards the monster. "BATTER UP!" she yelled, then swung with her magically enhanced speed and strength. Her aim was true and she hit the monster over the head, dazing it just enough so that it let go of the girl whom it had been attacking.
As the monster reeled and tried to regain its composure, the girl lay at its feet sobbing, one hand to her throat. "You should get out of here now," Usagi whispered urgently. "This thing's not going to be out of commission long."
The girl merely kept crying.
"Look, I did not just tear up a car and start going one on one with a deadly green youma because I was bored! Move it! Or do you really want to die?"
The girl with the pancake make-up looked at her startled at the harsh tone. "I don't want to die," she whispered in a scratchy alto.
"Then run, you moron!" She swung the fender almost absently, knocking the monster upside the head once again just as it was about to claw at her.
The girl just nodded and scrambled away. Usagi released a frustrated breath of relief and turned to face the monster. "All right, dirt bag. It's now time to learn lesson number one: I don't like you." She hit the thing again with the large piece of metal. "Lesson two: I don't like the way you were hurting people." Clang! "Lesson three: I'm not going to just sit back and let it happen." Crunch! "Lesson four: And there's nothing you can do to stop me!" Slam!
As the fender connected for the last time, Usagi realized what she need to do to eliminate this threat once and for all. She tossed the twisted piece of automobile aside and stepped back. Her right hand rose and she gripped her tiara between her forefinger and thumb. The piece of jewelry turned into a glowing discus as the blonde pulled it from her forehead, and she brought it back in preparation to throw. "Moon Tiara Action!" she cried as she released it like a frisbee.
The monster had watched woozily as this unexpected attacker had backed away. Now it could only watch wide-eyed and entranced as the glowing discus flew toward it and impacted. The next moment there was only a pile of dust where the green thing had stood. Usagi watched as the pile dissapated in a non-existant breeze with grim satisfaction. "For Naru," she whispered. "Never again." And she turned and ran off.
From out of the shadows, a man stepped, his eyes tracking where the girl had stood. A puzzled frown was on the man's face. "That's her?" he whispered, chutching his jacket around himself to ward off the cold teeth of the wind. "That's my rival?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next day at school, Usagi was almost immediately besieged by Umino Gurio, the class gossip. He had been a friend of hers ever since she was younger, but they had grown apart when Umino fell in love with her. "Usagi-chan, did you see last night's newspaper?" He waved the afore mentioned document in her face.
"No, Umino. You know I'm not interested in the news," she said, stifling a yawn beneath her hand. She hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before, and was tempted to go to the nurse's office to get an extra hour or two of much-needed rest.
"Well, there's this new superhero! No one knows anything about her, except that she used magic to kill a monster that was draining people!"
"You believe in magic?" Usagi said, trying for a disinterested tone. "Some fairytale."
"No, see, here's a picture and everything! The police are asking the girl to come forward so she can be thanked!"
Usagi tooked the newspaper away from him. There, on the front page, was a grainy picture of her assaulting the monster with her tiara. Across the top the headline blazed, "Superheroine Saves Day!"
She sniffed derisively. "Some superhero. Where was she when Naru needed help?"
"Aw, come on, Usagi," Umino said, giving the blonde an odd look after hearing the bitter tone out of the normally cheerful girl. "If she could have been there and done something, she would have. I mean, it's obvious she's not going to take any crap from anyone! I heard a rumor that she beat the monster up with a car fender before finishing it off with her magic." The young man had leaned in conspiratorily close as he finished his tale.
Usagi pushed him away. "That's nice. That doesn't change the fact that this 'superhero' wasn't where she needed to be in time to save Naru." Even as she said it, a small part in the back of her mind accepted his words as truth, contrary to the guilt and self-loathing the rest of her brain was plaguing her with. "And don't stand so close," she added absently.
"Right." Umino stepped back to his normal distance. "But I still think it would be really neat to see her in action, or even meet her in person! I mean, a real superhero!"
"You twit!" Usagi cried, smacking him upside the head. "Don't you get it? To see her up close and personal in action, you'd have to be in mortal danger. Do you really want to die - or at the very least get hurt - that badly?"
"Well, no, but she'd be there to save me, like superheroes do."
"Tell that to Naru." With that the petite blonde turned sharply on her heels and walked away.
Unimo watched her leave, wishing he'd never brought the subject up. Usagi had always been imterested in stuff like superheroes and magic, before. He had thought that getting her interested in the latest would help jerk her out of her bitterness, but if anything, he seemed to have made matters worse. Naru had been his friend as well, and he missed her, but it was time for Usagi to learn that life went on.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She stood in a tree, watching as the monster came towards her. It was late afternoon, and there were children in the park; obviously the monster was targeting them. She tugged on her short skirt, wishing the magical outfit didn't look so ridiculous. It was hard to inspire fear when you half-afraid the enemy would yell "panty shot!" at you.
She jumped, landing on her feet slightly awkwardly. She had always been a bit of a klutz, but there was no way she was going to let that get in her way. Usagi's eyes narrowed. Right now she had a clear shot. Should she take it? Or should she blow of some steam by beating the monster into a pulp first?
It was the little girl that cinched it. There, directly in the path of the ugly beast, was a small child, her light brown ponytails fluttering in the wind, her huge dark blue eyes filled with tears. The monster seemed to notice her the same time Usagi did, and started to move in that direction at a frightening speed.
"Moon Tiara Action!" she cried desperately, tossing the glowing disc with all her might. She watched as it curved toward its target, a smile beginning to form on her features as she waited for the same result her last toss had produced.
Thus it was that her jaw dropped completely when with one quick burst of speed and a dodge of its head, the youma managed to get out of the deadly disc's path and closer to the child. With a burst of anger, she found she had more control over her weapon than she originally thought and began to direct it back toward the monster's far side. But she quickly realized that it wasn't going to make it in time.
Just as her heart despaired at having to watch someone else fall to these otherworldly creatures, a flash of red streaked through the air, culminating in the form of a red rose imbedded in the earth at the monster's feet. "How dare you threaten the life of an innocent child?" an angry male voice called from above the combatants. "Only the basest of creatures would stoop so low. I, Tuxedo Kamen, will not forgive you!"
Usagi looked up to the tree branch the voice had come from. Standing there in a dramatic pose was a tall man, sharply dressed in a perfectly talored tuxedo and top hat, a black cape with a deep red lining fluttering in the breeze and a white domino mask hiding his eyes, and thus his true identity. His head cocked briefly in her direction before he dove down and scooped up the girl just before the youma recovered from the shock. The blonde hero blinked. "What's with the fancy speeches and the posing, Tux-boy?" she called out as she began to pull back her tiara once again.
"It's more than you were doing... um, I don't believe I've caught your name quite yet."
Usagi bristled at the sarcasm in the man's tone. Then she realized she hadn't thought of a name for herself yet. She glanced quickly down at her outfit and brooch and it came to her. "I am Sailor Moon, fighter for justice - not that I feel the need to tell everyone in some cheesy, long-winded speech. You should remember that." With on last flick of her wrist, the glowing tiara rushed back, slicing the monster across the left shoulder.
This time it was Tuxedo Kamen's turn to bristle. "Yeah, well, let's just remember who saved the girl here, shall we?" he said as he continued to jump and flip out of the way of the bursts of dark energy coming from the demon.
"She's not saved yet!"
"Well, then, by all means, feel free to fix that, Sailor Moon!"
"Fine! I will!" She once again charged up her weapon. "Moon Tiara Action!"
This time her aim was true, and another demon disintegrated into a pile of dust. Usagi walked triumphantly over to where the thing had stood and crossed her arms over her chest. "You were saying?"
Tuxedo Kamen walked out slowly after putting the little girl down and watching her run into her mother's waiting arms, wistfulness briefly flashing over his features. Usagi pretended not to notice. "Look, Sailor Moon, if you're going to fight these things, do it. Just don't get in my way."
"You don't get in mine," the blonde hero retorted. "That way we'll both be happier." They both nodded, but not before they both realized deep inside just how much of a lie that last statement was.
Neither of them noticed the photographer hiding in the bushes, who had overheard the entire conversation. The sound of the shutter snapping rapidly was overwhelmed by the noise from the crowd that was gathering. The superheroes leapt away, moving at supernatural speeds.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next day, the school was buzzing. "He's SOOOO handsome!" a girl said as Usagi was passing by. Her curiousity ignited, she turned around to listen to what they were saying.
A girl was standing in the middle of a crowd, waving dramatically as she spoke. "I was at the park with my little sister, at the right place at the right time! Well, a monster was coming at Makoto -that's my sister's best friend- when that superhero from the day before showed up. She threw some magic, but it ducked, and then HE showed up!"
The crowd squealed. "TELL!" a girl with green hair demanded, pulling on the talebearer's sleeve.
"Well, he said something to distract the monster, and then he saved the little girl! It was so heroic!"
Usagi snorted. Pity they didn't mention HER part in it. She was just about to head onto class when the girl continued, "And then the girl finished the monster off! WHAM! Bunch of dust.
"They started to talk, and she said her name was Sailor Moon. I think it's kinda stupid for a superhero- I mean, don't they usually end in "girl" or "woman"? Tuxedo Kamen isn't much better, but at least he has STYLE. He threw a rose and made the most wonderful speech- Sailor Moon just attacked. Then afterwards, she started to argue with him!"
"They ARGUED?" a boy exclaimed.
"Aren't superheroes usually friends?" another girl chimed in, nibbling thoughtfully on her lips.
"Nope, they were arguing. Telling the other to stay out of their way."
"That's not the way it works," the boy complained. "Sailor Moon should be Tuxedo Mask's sidekick!"
Usagi stalked off at that to keep from attacking the boy. What did HE know, anyway?
Once she was alone however, some the othe things that were said echoed in her mind. First off, she needed some class. She sighed. Okay, she thought, cheesy speeches it is. But I reserve the right to just tell the monsters off if that seems like the better option.
Now that that was settled, another point stuck in her jaw. The arguments. If this guy was actually going to be showing up in the middle of her fights on a regular basis, she was going to have to deal with it. So, as much as he had annoyed her, she would do her best to be civil. He *was* trying to help people and fight against the monsters.
Once she came to these conclusions she smiled proudly. 'That should get me some decent respect around here,' she thought smugly. "And then maybe I won't have to hear any more about being his *sidekick*.'
She shuddered and entered her homeroom.
END PART ONE