EMSiT Productions Presents:
To Stand Alone
by: Una Moonstar and Quicksilver
standard disclaimers
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Five: Gravitational Forces
Usagi walked into the arcade, her pockets bulging with pocket money. She hadn't had time to be spending lately, and she had decided to reward herself with a nice, long day at the arcade for retrieving the yellow nijizuishou. She patted her purse with her left hand, reassuring herself that it was still there.
"Hi!" she chirped cheerfully as the door swung open.
"Hey, Usagi-chan!" Motoki said, peeking up from behind the counter. "It's good to see you smiling..."
"It's good to *be* smiling," Usagi responded as she bounced over to the counter and plopped herself onto a free stool.
"Can I get you anything? Like maybe a triple chocolate fudge milkshake?" Motoki asked, grinning wickedly.
The blonde girl bit her lower lip. "Oh, the temptation..." She shook her hand around in her pocket, both hearing and feeling the change jingle and finally nodded. "Oh, why not! I came here today to treat myself! A triple chocolate fudge milkshake it is!" The blonde young man chuckled as he turned to fill the order.
"And what exactly do you have to be so chipper about?" a male voice said from her left a bit grouchily.
Usagi blinked as she turned her head to face the source and found Mamoru sitting there, frowning slightly. "Things have just... gone well for me lately, that's all. Something wrong with that?" Her tone was slightly defensive, but in general, she was too happy with herself to really get angry.
An ebony eyebrow rose. "Oh, no. Of course not." He grimaced and rolled his shoulders stiffly. "Just remember that not everybody can have it as good as you."
The petite blonde caught herself just before she threw out a stinging retort and really looked at the young man next to her. He was sitting precariously on the edge of the seat, and every motion seemed to cause some degree of pain. "Are you okay? You look like you got run over by a steamroller. Either that or someone decided to use you as a piñata." She smiled inside as she remembered Tuxedo Kamen's latest predicament.
His head turned sharply at the comment. "I'm fine," he snapped. "Just... had a session with my karate teacher. I'm a bit out of practice with me focusing on my studies so much."
It was the girl's turn to raise an eyebrow. Somehow she knew he was lying, but it didn't feel like the time or place to call him on it. "So... you're okay?" she asked, concerned, as Motoki arrived with her shake, complete with whipped cream and sprinkles. "Oh, thanks, Motoki! This looks delicious!"
"Anything for you, Mamoru?" Motoki asked his friend.
"Coffee... and keep the pot handy.... I think I'm going to need lots of caffeine."
"Finals getting to you?" Motoki asked in mock surprise. "I never thought I'd see the day...." he said as he handed over the unbreakable white cup all restaurants seemed to be fond of.
"You are seriously asking to have this poured down your shirt..." Mamoru threatened grimly.
"Promises, promises."
Usagi watched the exchange with amusement before shutting her eyes and taking a sip. The chocolate flowed through her mouth smoothly, and she could not keep from sighing in pleasure. Sometimes she had to take the time to savor the smaller pleasures in life.
In the midst of her indulgence, Usagi never noticed Motoki leave with one last quip and Mamoru adjust his gaze to focus on her. She also never saw his eyes soften slightly as he took in the smooth pale skin, full lips, and long dark lashes of the girl at his side. And if she had, she wouldn't have believed it.
She was brought back to reality by a sharp muttered curse, and she opened her sapphire blue eyes to find the ebony-haired young man next to her rubbing his biceps fiercely. "What's wrong?" she asked, confused.
"Cramp," was his short reply.
She took a closer look at the area he was rubbing. "And bruises. Boy, I guess I'm glad I don't take karate lessons if the teacher beats you up like this." She grinned. "Life throws enough surprises at me as it is without volunteering for a beating."
"...I'm in a really advanced class," he said. "You should consider taking some kind of martial arts course, or maybe even just a self-defense class. You need to know how to defend yourself. What would you do if you were attacked?"
The part of her that was Sailor Moon laughed at the thought of those classes, but she remembered the time she had been attacked as Usagi... and the death of Naru. "I would sit and scream.... and wonder why it was happening. I'd say it's unfair... and watch as my friend grabbed a weapon to defend the both of us and..." she pushed her straw around in her shake, unaware that she was rambling.
Mamoru was startled by the deep sorrow in the girl's eyes, and how Usagi suddenly seemed to be much older and bitter towards the world. Something about the ironic quirk of her lips brought Sailor Moon to his mind...
But that wasn't possible... was it? Sure, Usagi had blonde hair and blue eyes, would be in the right age range... and then there was the piñata comment.... but Sailor Moon was so much more jaded. Sailor Moon was an angel of vengeance, and Usagi had no reason to be vengeful.... or did she? What had she just said? His head started to spin.
Usagi let her voice trail off and sighed, staring off into space. After a few moments she blinked a bit and brought herself back to the arcade. She turned and smiled shyly at Mamoru. "Sorry about that. Don't mind my rambling. But I can see your point. Maybe self-defense classes would be a good idea. It can't change the past, but it could help in the future." The smile turned into a grin. "Well, I'm going to play some video games now. It's the reason I brought all this change!" She giggled as she jingled her pocket. "Maybe I'll talk to you later!" She gave a little wave and bounced off to the games, her look turning thoughtful as she tried to decide which one to play first.
Mamoru's expression hadn't really changed much during that exchange (if you could call it that), except to possibly become a bit guarded. "Motoki?" he called.
"Yeah?" his blonde friend replied as he stepped over from where he was wiping down the opposite end of the counter. "What do you need?"
"Did you hear what Usagi was just talking about? About how she'd react if she got attacked?" He was still staring after her.
"Bits and pieces. I have to admit I was a bit worried, with how she took Naru's death and everything, but she bounced back okay. And I'm happy to see it." He smiled as he looked after the girl he liked to think of as a younger sister.
"Naru? Who's Naru?"
"She was Usagi's best friend. Remember that story in the paper about the girl that was murdered in the OSA*P jewelry store? That was Naru. And Usagi was there when it happened."
The color drained from Mamoru's face. "I... I didn't know! And I went and harped on her about self-defense classes!"
Motoki looked at his best friend. "True. But you didn't tell her anything she didn't already know. And she recovered nicely. Just be careful in the future, okay? She's someone special, and I don't want to see her hurt."
The blue-eyed young man shook his head. "I don't either. She seems sweet enough..." His voice trailed off as he contemplated the information he had just gained and the revelation that had hit him just before that. Usagi could have a need for vengeance after all...
It made his head hurt to think about it. After all, what were the chances he'd know Sailor Moon in her civilian identity? Pretty damn slam.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"You want to what?" Usagi asked in surprise.
A high school student about two years older then she was had come up from no where, clutching a sketchpad like it was a security blanket. The girl had been wearing the uniform of Juuban High, and Usagi had been curious what the girl wanted.
"Please, I'd like to sketch you. I have a portraiture assignment due soon, and you'd be a wonderful model..."
"I'm not into nude modeling," Usagi said firmly.
A blush lit the girl's face. "No! That's not what I meant! I mean, I want to do your face- you have such expressive eyes, and your bone structure is breathtaking.... please say yes..."
"I don't really have much time," Usagi said, not wanting to commit. What if a youma attacked?
"Please? It will only take one afternoon..."
Usagi rolled her eyes as she sat on a bench in the backyard of a quaint little house near the high school later that day and her artistic admirer got her sketchpad and easel ready. Only one afternoon, huh? The girl *had* to go and give her that pitiful puppy dog look...
"This is going to be great!" the other girl enthused. "I'll be sure to get an 'A' on this for sure! I'm still so very grateful for your time, and I'll try to do this as fast as I can..."
"Hold it, hold it!" Usagi interrupted. "I know you'll do your best, and you're very welcome. Actually, it's kind of neat knowing I'm going to be the subject of a painting the whole high school will get to look at." As soon as she said the words, Usagi realized they were true. Her forced smile of reassurance suddenly softened to something much more genuine. What was one afternoon, after all?
When the shy girl had finished setting up, she began looking at her watch and the gate in the waist-high fence that bordered the yard. Usagi watched her pace for a few moments before curiosity got the best of her. "So who are you waiting for? Are they late?"
The girl spun to face her, causing her thick brown braid to fly around and drape over her left shoulder. "Actually yes. I ran into him on my way to school this morning, and I asked him to be here this afternoon as well. I just got incredibly lucky to have met you the same day, so I could draw you together."
"Yumeni, who else did you ask to be here?" Usagi asked suspiciously. For some reason her defenses were up at the announcement of another model.
"Um..."
"Yumeni! I'm sorry I'm late, but I got caught up in my biology lab and... Usagi! Is that you?"
The petite blonde's jaw hit the ground as she saw one Chiba Mamoru come rushing through the small gate. "Mamoru! What are you doing here?" As soon as the question left her lips, she wanted to smack herself. Obviously this was the other model.
"I was running an errand before school this morning and ran into Yumeni. She asked me to pose for a painting she needed to get done for a class and I agreed." He shot an amused look at the blushing artist. "She can be very convincing."
"Don't I know it," Usagi muttered.
Yumeni smiled happily. "You two are friends?" she asked happily. "That's such a relief... that'll make this much less awkward...."
Neither of them had the heart to tell her that they were closer to be enemies then friends. "What do you want us to do?" Mamoru asked.
"Well, if you would sit next to Usagi and look at each other, I can do the sketch I have in mind...." She smiled.
"Um, what is this sketch?" Usagi asked uneasily.
"I've been having dreams about a prince and a princess, and a kingdom on the moon..." Yumeni said softly. "I want to draw them, but I never can remember the faces well enough. You wear your hair right, though, Usagi-chan, and Chiba-san has a prince-like aura to him that I want to try to capture. Seeing you together is.... right."
Both teenagers gave her a strange look as they moved to follow her directions. A prince and a princess? Them? Not in this lifetime. "Whatever you say, Yumeni," Usagi said resignedly.
The artist smiled dreamily as she watched the two students gaze into each others eyes. She even noticed when a small charge seemed to jolt through both of them. It was all she could do to keep from laughing about it as she began to draw, realizing that the pair in front of her were in the midst of a serious case of denial. She'd have to see what she could do about that. She meant what she had said before. She truly thought they looked right together. "Usagi, could you open your eyes a little wider and smile just a little bit? Just so the corners of your mouth turn upward. That's it."
Mamoru couldn't help but gaze deeper as the blonde next to him did as she was told. This petite little thing really was quite attractive, even if she did make his head hurt. "Mamoru," Yumeni called. "Could you lean just a little bit closer, and maybe take her hands. Hold onto them in the space between the two of you." His midnight blues shot briefly over to the other girl in disbelief, then, with an inner shrug, gave in to the inevitable and did as requested. He somehow managed to keep himself from jumping when yet another shock ran through him at the contact.
Usagi had felt the same thing, and was just as baffled. She saw the confusion in the dark intense eyes staring down at her, and knew it was reflected in her own expression. Not only was the sensation... disturbing - and not in a *bad* way, it was almost familiar, like when she had held Tuxedo Kamen's hand and the Crescent Moon Wand appeared. Yes, it was the same tingling feeling she had felt then. But that would mean that Mamoru was...
It took every ounce of willpower she had not to react to the mental blow she had just given herself. She schooled her breathing, and felt an incredible migraine coming on. She could see the similarity in the set of the jaw, and she remembered the bruises and stiffness the young man had borne at the arcade. But if this were true, it left one huge, impossible question: why?
Yumeni scraped her pencils across the paper, smiling as a beautiful sketch began to take life on her paper. "Thank you so much for doing this.... you two simply are beautiful... almost inhumanely so," she said, concentrating on capturing the sorrow and determination in Usagi's face.
The two models remained quiet, gazing at each other intently as they tried to figure out how to confront the other about the truth. A crashing of the bushes made Usagi break eye contact first, automatically tensing. "Something evil this way comes," she said, wondering where she had heard the quote before.
Mamoru dropped the blonde hands, surprised at how alone he felt without her touch. "Yumeni, get inside!" he ordered.
"Huh?" the artist asked in confusion. "Could you two-" she began to request, only to be interrupted by a youma bounding out of the bushes.
Usagi gasped in surprise and fell off the back of the bench at the sudden appearance of the monster. She snarled and left to her feet as Yumeni screamed and Mamoru rushed forward to get between the scared girl an the creature bearing down on her. "I... I'll go get help!" Usagi cried, starting to run for the far corner of the house.
Mamoru gave her a knowing look, fleeting though it was. "I'm sure you will."
The blonde refused to deal with the meaning of that as she turned the corner and found herself alone. She quickly transformed and waited a few moments to give her cover story more credibility. Finally she jumped back into the fray, posing for all she was worth. "I'm..."
Her breath caught as she saw the scene before her. She had heard the continued screaming, but had thought it was only fear that caused the sound. She was wrong. Mamoru lay in a heap half under the bench, obviously tossed there by the pale green youma looming triumphantly over the terrified artist. It looked like he was out cold, a trickle of blood running from his temple where he apparently connected with the stone seat. Yumeni was surrounded in a bright green glow, and as Usagi watched and listened, the screams turned into wicked laughter, and the girl's body changed into a tall slender creature with white feathered wings and pale, almost translucent skin.
"Shimatta!" Sailor Moon muttered furiously under her breath as she realized she was too late to stop the process. She did take note of the green glittering crystal that lay beneath the still standing easel, and moved over to the pair of monsters to cut off their access to it.
Mamoru roused from his temporary blackout just as Usagi had planted herself in front of the green gem. "Alright, you two nasties," she said cockily, kicking the crystal back toward the bench unobtrusively. "I'm Sailor Moon, and I am here to kick your butt! How dare you interrupt a wonderful artist's modeling session? Don't you realize that you just interrupted not just one person's big career break, but *three*?" The ebony-haired young man stared incredulously at the flamboyantly gesturing hero as she continued to babble, both youma in the same state of shock. The only thing that kept him from completely thinking Sailor Moon had gone off her rocker, was the quick knowing look she threw over her shoulder, along with a minute gesture toward the crystal and the side of the house.
Once the dense man behind her had finally gotten the hint and taken the opening she had given him, Usagi relaxed and moved back and away from Yumeni's sketch. No reason to let this battle destroy all that hard work. She smiled. "Okay. I think I'm done now. Oh, Tuxedo Kamen!" she called. "I think it's time to bring the pain!"
"I disagree!" the youma who had been Yumeni said. "Bena cannot be defeated that easily!" She produced a paint brush and grinned wickedly.
Meanwhile Mamoru had reached the nijizuishou and pocketed it unobtrusively. It was obvious that his identity had been blown, so he decided to transform into his alter-ego. It might do something to steady his headache (he knew it was more likely a concussion, but thinking on it wouldn't do any good], so he produced his rose and threw it, signaling the beginning of his transformation.
All three females watched in fascination as his clothes shifted into a formal tuxedo and a cape appeared. Finally the hat came to his hand, and he paused, bowing graciously at them.
Sailor Moon seethed. "That's so not fair! How come you don't end up stripped and dancing with ribbons?" she demanded.
"Wouldn't do much good for my masculine image. Now, shall we?"
"I suppose. But we're going to be having a VERY long conversation!"
"Not if *I* have anything to say about it!" The first youma took advantage of the heroes' distraction and pounced on the tuxedo-bedecked man, talons bared. The pair fell back with a startled yelp.
Sailor Moon turned quickly to face the remaining monster. "Yumeni, if you can hear me, don't worry. I'll save you. I promise."
Bena cackled. "Foolish girl. Yumeni no longer exists! Only I, Bena, face you! And it shall be *me* who defeats you! Now die!" The wicked angel threw the handful of feathers at the shocked blonde hero, who was surprised to see flew and stuck in the ground much like her ally's roses.
"I won't let you win!" Usagi cried, dodging more missiles. A quick glance to the side revealed Tuxedo Kamen struggling with his opponent, a bleeding gash in his side that slowed him up a bit. She was on her own - which was the way she liked it. She grinned wickedly herself. "But if I have to hurt you before I heal you, so be it!"
As Usagi dodged the attacks coming at her, trying to find an opening she could use to call her wand and defeat this... thing, she failed to notice one handful of feathers hover in the air above her head and begin to move as though they were drawing something. The invisible lines they created filled in, and large stones began dropping from the sky, giving Usagi that much more to think about.
"Give up, Sailor Moon!" Bena exclaimed. "I am far too fast for you, and your partner is too busy to save you! If you give up and give me the crystals you have, I'll make your death quick and painless!"
"Oh, there's a choice," Sailor Moon drawled sarcastically, wiping away at the thin lines of blood that had formed on her face and arms from the close calls and continuing to dodge. "I've got a better one. Stand still for a minute and let me use my wand on you. You'll feel much better, I promise."
"No deal, Sailor Moon."
"See? That just leaves us at an impasse, now, doesn't it?" As the last word of the quip left her lips she moved quickly to the right to avoid the dozen razor-edged feather flying her way as she somehow managed to call the Crescent Moon Wand, and stepped right underneath the large boulder that had been drawn a few feet in the air. She didn't even get a chance to yell as it knocked her unconscious.
"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Kamen cried as he saw the hero fall out of the corner of his eye. He took another rake across the ribs for his trouble, but instinctually managed to maneuver so it was a light graze and he covered the area between him and his fallen ally. "Sailor Moon, no," he murmured as he fell to his knees at her side.
He almost didn't hear the evil chuckling behind him as the two youma came together. His eyes were focused on the limp form lying before him. Suddenly, anger flowed through his veins, and he reached for the wand that rested in the loosening grip of its owner. He didn't exactly know what he was going to do with it, but he figured he'd think of something.
As his hand touched the handle, the tiny gloved hand it rested in twitched. His head snapped to the side and he saw Sailor Moon's large sapphire blues flutter open. "You're okay," he breathed, his hand not loosening its grip.
"Did you get the number of that truck?" Usagi murmured.
Mamoru chuckled. "No, I think I missed that one. But I could use your help with the terrible twosome here."
Before the prone girl could respond, she was blasted by ball of dark energy, causing her to scream in agony. her companion gasped and turned his gaze to see the first youma grinning wickedly. He'd have to do something about that...
Just as he was about to let go and beat the tar out of the offending monster, he felt the girl's grip tighten. "Help me hold this up," she whispered. "I can get them both with one attack."
"You don't even have the energy to move!" Tuxedo Kamen protested.
"Try me."
He stared into that determined gaze for a moment or two before the whispered order to kill them both reached his ears. Then he raised Usagi's body onto his lap and held onto the wand for all he was worth. "Do it, Sailor Moon. I'm right here with you."
She smiled at the irony of the situation. Her rival was helping her succeed... "Moon Healing Escalation!" she said in a powerful whisper, not having the strength to say it any louder.
Mamoru gasped as a strange sensation ran through his body even as he continued to concentrate on making the attack work. There was a warmth growing in his chest, and he watched as the blast of energy and light, normally white and silver, took on a distinctive golden tone. He filed the odd information away to be questioned later and focused on the task at hand.
As different as the attack looked, it worked the same. The pale green youma crumbled into dust, even as it came a hair's breath away from sinking its claws into Tuxedo Kamen's unprotected back, and Bena screamed, her wail fading away as Yumeni collapsed to the ground in a quivering heap.
Sailor Moon's eyes rolled up into her forehead, and Tuxedo Kamen sighed. He had two unconscious females on his hands, and what the heck could he do with them? He was still sore, and settling them inside would HURT... besides, helping Sailor Moon with her attack had made him feel oddly light-headed. "Ok... first thing's first. I need to get back to being Mamoru." He shut his eyes and willed the transformation magic away.
A second later a normal college teenager was holding the heroine of justice. "Now I should get her back to being Usagi..." he reasoned, but was unable to come up with a way. So the second thing option would be to hide her from Yumeni until Usagi was awake to change herself.
He picked the blonde up, and was surprised at how light she was, especially considering all the junk food she ate. It was easy enough to shift her onto the lower branches of a tree and arrange the leaves so she was shaded from sight.
"Now Yumeni..." he said, going over to her, ignoring the protesting muscles he had received in the prior Youma battle, and his bleeding side. The blood was already beginning to clot, for which he was thankful. The best thing about being a superhero were the super healing abilities that came as part of the package.
The artist was just coming around when he came over to her. "Are you all right, Yumeni-san?" he asked.
The girl seemed confused. "I feel fine, but where's Usagi-chan? Is she alright?"
"She went to get help- should be arriving soon," he said, trying to reassure her. Hopefully Usagi would come to soon enough to perpetuate the ruse.
"That's- Chiba-san!" Yumeni exclaimed. "Are you alright?" Her eyes fastened on the red blood that blossomed from his side, ruining his clothes. "What happened?"
"That monster threw me and then... well, I'm not too sure. I have vague memories of Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon showing up..." he babbled, not used to making up cover stories. He wondered if Clark Kent ever had the same problem.
Yumeni's eyes grew vague and it seemed like she wasn't seeing her surroundings.
"Yumeni?" Mamoru asked tentatively, unsure of what was happening. He kept his hand on his transformational rose just in case the artist was having a relapse, but didn't really suspect as much.
The brunette's expression became stricken, and her breathing short and quick. "No, no... so much blood... the princess, not the princess... there! Behind the prince! Quickly!" Her eyes were still unfocused, but were darting back and forth.
Mamoru was thoroughly confused. What in the world was she talking about? He didn't think she was on drugs...
A heart-wrenching wail escaped Yumeni's lips as she fell to her knees, still lost in her vision. "No! Endymion! No!" Tears streamed down her cheeks for a few moments before her breath caught in a sharp gasp. "Serenity! Not that! Your mother needs... No! No! Stay away from her! Stay away!"
Somehow Mamoru couldn't bring himself to snap the girl in front of him out of the trance she was in. It was one of the strangest things he'd seen - when he wasn't fighting evil - and it even freaked him out a bit. But something told him he should let it run its course.
"Serenity!" Yumeni screamed, collapsing to the ground completely and letting loose soul-rending sobs. It was almost as if she had just lost one of the most important people in her life. Finally, as the ebony-haired young man watched, her crying lessened and eventually stopped all together.
"Yumeni?" he questioned again, hoping the girl had returned to the here and now. "Are you okay?"
She blinked, coming back to herself. "Oh.. oh... did I go off?" she asked, a fierce blush staining her cheeks.
"Go off?" he asked.
She started to shake. "I did, didn't I? What did I say- no, don't tell me... I don't want to know. Can you help me gather my art supplies? I think I want to lie down...."
"Yumeni-kun... maybe you should go to a hospital?" he suggested gently.
She shook her head fiercely. "No, no... my parents will just take me to the doctors again... please..." She rose to her feet shakily and rushed around gathering her supplies before dashing to the door. "Can you wait here for Tsukino-san? I need to take some migraine medication... I'm going to be getting one soon- I'm really sorry to be leaving you like this, I know it's rude, but-" she rambled.
Mamoru took pity on her. "I'll take care of Usagi-chan," he promised.
"Good, good. I'll call you later to arrange a time to finish the sitting. I'm so sorry," she whispered, bowing before disappearing between the French doors.
He watched her for a second before turning to the tree where he had hidden Sailor Moon. "Well, that takes care of one problem," he said.
"One problem... you still have a whole bunch of NEW ones, buddy," a light voice said from above him. Sailor Moon had woken up and detransformed back into Usagi. She was sitting on a higher branch then he had left her on, probably to get the high ground. Her serious blue eyes were studying him like she had never seen him before. "You have some explaining to do."
END PART FIVE
Remember, FB is a good thing
Really.
To Stand Alone
by: Una Moonstar and Quicksilver
standard disclaimers
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Five: Gravitational Forces
Usagi walked into the arcade, her pockets bulging with pocket money. She hadn't had time to be spending lately, and she had decided to reward herself with a nice, long day at the arcade for retrieving the yellow nijizuishou. She patted her purse with her left hand, reassuring herself that it was still there.
"Hi!" she chirped cheerfully as the door swung open.
"Hey, Usagi-chan!" Motoki said, peeking up from behind the counter. "It's good to see you smiling..."
"It's good to *be* smiling," Usagi responded as she bounced over to the counter and plopped herself onto a free stool.
"Can I get you anything? Like maybe a triple chocolate fudge milkshake?" Motoki asked, grinning wickedly.
The blonde girl bit her lower lip. "Oh, the temptation..." She shook her hand around in her pocket, both hearing and feeling the change jingle and finally nodded. "Oh, why not! I came here today to treat myself! A triple chocolate fudge milkshake it is!" The blonde young man chuckled as he turned to fill the order.
"And what exactly do you have to be so chipper about?" a male voice said from her left a bit grouchily.
Usagi blinked as she turned her head to face the source and found Mamoru sitting there, frowning slightly. "Things have just... gone well for me lately, that's all. Something wrong with that?" Her tone was slightly defensive, but in general, she was too happy with herself to really get angry.
An ebony eyebrow rose. "Oh, no. Of course not." He grimaced and rolled his shoulders stiffly. "Just remember that not everybody can have it as good as you."
The petite blonde caught herself just before she threw out a stinging retort and really looked at the young man next to her. He was sitting precariously on the edge of the seat, and every motion seemed to cause some degree of pain. "Are you okay? You look like you got run over by a steamroller. Either that or someone decided to use you as a piñata." She smiled inside as she remembered Tuxedo Kamen's latest predicament.
His head turned sharply at the comment. "I'm fine," he snapped. "Just... had a session with my karate teacher. I'm a bit out of practice with me focusing on my studies so much."
It was the girl's turn to raise an eyebrow. Somehow she knew he was lying, but it didn't feel like the time or place to call him on it. "So... you're okay?" she asked, concerned, as Motoki arrived with her shake, complete with whipped cream and sprinkles. "Oh, thanks, Motoki! This looks delicious!"
"Anything for you, Mamoru?" Motoki asked his friend.
"Coffee... and keep the pot handy.... I think I'm going to need lots of caffeine."
"Finals getting to you?" Motoki asked in mock surprise. "I never thought I'd see the day...." he said as he handed over the unbreakable white cup all restaurants seemed to be fond of.
"You are seriously asking to have this poured down your shirt..." Mamoru threatened grimly.
"Promises, promises."
Usagi watched the exchange with amusement before shutting her eyes and taking a sip. The chocolate flowed through her mouth smoothly, and she could not keep from sighing in pleasure. Sometimes she had to take the time to savor the smaller pleasures in life.
In the midst of her indulgence, Usagi never noticed Motoki leave with one last quip and Mamoru adjust his gaze to focus on her. She also never saw his eyes soften slightly as he took in the smooth pale skin, full lips, and long dark lashes of the girl at his side. And if she had, she wouldn't have believed it.
She was brought back to reality by a sharp muttered curse, and she opened her sapphire blue eyes to find the ebony-haired young man next to her rubbing his biceps fiercely. "What's wrong?" she asked, confused.
"Cramp," was his short reply.
She took a closer look at the area he was rubbing. "And bruises. Boy, I guess I'm glad I don't take karate lessons if the teacher beats you up like this." She grinned. "Life throws enough surprises at me as it is without volunteering for a beating."
"...I'm in a really advanced class," he said. "You should consider taking some kind of martial arts course, or maybe even just a self-defense class. You need to know how to defend yourself. What would you do if you were attacked?"
The part of her that was Sailor Moon laughed at the thought of those classes, but she remembered the time she had been attacked as Usagi... and the death of Naru. "I would sit and scream.... and wonder why it was happening. I'd say it's unfair... and watch as my friend grabbed a weapon to defend the both of us and..." she pushed her straw around in her shake, unaware that she was rambling.
Mamoru was startled by the deep sorrow in the girl's eyes, and how Usagi suddenly seemed to be much older and bitter towards the world. Something about the ironic quirk of her lips brought Sailor Moon to his mind...
But that wasn't possible... was it? Sure, Usagi had blonde hair and blue eyes, would be in the right age range... and then there was the piñata comment.... but Sailor Moon was so much more jaded. Sailor Moon was an angel of vengeance, and Usagi had no reason to be vengeful.... or did she? What had she just said? His head started to spin.
Usagi let her voice trail off and sighed, staring off into space. After a few moments she blinked a bit and brought herself back to the arcade. She turned and smiled shyly at Mamoru. "Sorry about that. Don't mind my rambling. But I can see your point. Maybe self-defense classes would be a good idea. It can't change the past, but it could help in the future." The smile turned into a grin. "Well, I'm going to play some video games now. It's the reason I brought all this change!" She giggled as she jingled her pocket. "Maybe I'll talk to you later!" She gave a little wave and bounced off to the games, her look turning thoughtful as she tried to decide which one to play first.
Mamoru's expression hadn't really changed much during that exchange (if you could call it that), except to possibly become a bit guarded. "Motoki?" he called.
"Yeah?" his blonde friend replied as he stepped over from where he was wiping down the opposite end of the counter. "What do you need?"
"Did you hear what Usagi was just talking about? About how she'd react if she got attacked?" He was still staring after her.
"Bits and pieces. I have to admit I was a bit worried, with how she took Naru's death and everything, but she bounced back okay. And I'm happy to see it." He smiled as he looked after the girl he liked to think of as a younger sister.
"Naru? Who's Naru?"
"She was Usagi's best friend. Remember that story in the paper about the girl that was murdered in the OSA*P jewelry store? That was Naru. And Usagi was there when it happened."
The color drained from Mamoru's face. "I... I didn't know! And I went and harped on her about self-defense classes!"
Motoki looked at his best friend. "True. But you didn't tell her anything she didn't already know. And she recovered nicely. Just be careful in the future, okay? She's someone special, and I don't want to see her hurt."
The blue-eyed young man shook his head. "I don't either. She seems sweet enough..." His voice trailed off as he contemplated the information he had just gained and the revelation that had hit him just before that. Usagi could have a need for vengeance after all...
It made his head hurt to think about it. After all, what were the chances he'd know Sailor Moon in her civilian identity? Pretty damn slam.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"You want to what?" Usagi asked in surprise.
A high school student about two years older then she was had come up from no where, clutching a sketchpad like it was a security blanket. The girl had been wearing the uniform of Juuban High, and Usagi had been curious what the girl wanted.
"Please, I'd like to sketch you. I have a portraiture assignment due soon, and you'd be a wonderful model..."
"I'm not into nude modeling," Usagi said firmly.
A blush lit the girl's face. "No! That's not what I meant! I mean, I want to do your face- you have such expressive eyes, and your bone structure is breathtaking.... please say yes..."
"I don't really have much time," Usagi said, not wanting to commit. What if a youma attacked?
"Please? It will only take one afternoon..."
Usagi rolled her eyes as she sat on a bench in the backyard of a quaint little house near the high school later that day and her artistic admirer got her sketchpad and easel ready. Only one afternoon, huh? The girl *had* to go and give her that pitiful puppy dog look...
"This is going to be great!" the other girl enthused. "I'll be sure to get an 'A' on this for sure! I'm still so very grateful for your time, and I'll try to do this as fast as I can..."
"Hold it, hold it!" Usagi interrupted. "I know you'll do your best, and you're very welcome. Actually, it's kind of neat knowing I'm going to be the subject of a painting the whole high school will get to look at." As soon as she said the words, Usagi realized they were true. Her forced smile of reassurance suddenly softened to something much more genuine. What was one afternoon, after all?
When the shy girl had finished setting up, she began looking at her watch and the gate in the waist-high fence that bordered the yard. Usagi watched her pace for a few moments before curiosity got the best of her. "So who are you waiting for? Are they late?"
The girl spun to face her, causing her thick brown braid to fly around and drape over her left shoulder. "Actually yes. I ran into him on my way to school this morning, and I asked him to be here this afternoon as well. I just got incredibly lucky to have met you the same day, so I could draw you together."
"Yumeni, who else did you ask to be here?" Usagi asked suspiciously. For some reason her defenses were up at the announcement of another model.
"Um..."
"Yumeni! I'm sorry I'm late, but I got caught up in my biology lab and... Usagi! Is that you?"
The petite blonde's jaw hit the ground as she saw one Chiba Mamoru come rushing through the small gate. "Mamoru! What are you doing here?" As soon as the question left her lips, she wanted to smack herself. Obviously this was the other model.
"I was running an errand before school this morning and ran into Yumeni. She asked me to pose for a painting she needed to get done for a class and I agreed." He shot an amused look at the blushing artist. "She can be very convincing."
"Don't I know it," Usagi muttered.
Yumeni smiled happily. "You two are friends?" she asked happily. "That's such a relief... that'll make this much less awkward...."
Neither of them had the heart to tell her that they were closer to be enemies then friends. "What do you want us to do?" Mamoru asked.
"Well, if you would sit next to Usagi and look at each other, I can do the sketch I have in mind...." She smiled.
"Um, what is this sketch?" Usagi asked uneasily.
"I've been having dreams about a prince and a princess, and a kingdom on the moon..." Yumeni said softly. "I want to draw them, but I never can remember the faces well enough. You wear your hair right, though, Usagi-chan, and Chiba-san has a prince-like aura to him that I want to try to capture. Seeing you together is.... right."
Both teenagers gave her a strange look as they moved to follow her directions. A prince and a princess? Them? Not in this lifetime. "Whatever you say, Yumeni," Usagi said resignedly.
The artist smiled dreamily as she watched the two students gaze into each others eyes. She even noticed when a small charge seemed to jolt through both of them. It was all she could do to keep from laughing about it as she began to draw, realizing that the pair in front of her were in the midst of a serious case of denial. She'd have to see what she could do about that. She meant what she had said before. She truly thought they looked right together. "Usagi, could you open your eyes a little wider and smile just a little bit? Just so the corners of your mouth turn upward. That's it."
Mamoru couldn't help but gaze deeper as the blonde next to him did as she was told. This petite little thing really was quite attractive, even if she did make his head hurt. "Mamoru," Yumeni called. "Could you lean just a little bit closer, and maybe take her hands. Hold onto them in the space between the two of you." His midnight blues shot briefly over to the other girl in disbelief, then, with an inner shrug, gave in to the inevitable and did as requested. He somehow managed to keep himself from jumping when yet another shock ran through him at the contact.
Usagi had felt the same thing, and was just as baffled. She saw the confusion in the dark intense eyes staring down at her, and knew it was reflected in her own expression. Not only was the sensation... disturbing - and not in a *bad* way, it was almost familiar, like when she had held Tuxedo Kamen's hand and the Crescent Moon Wand appeared. Yes, it was the same tingling feeling she had felt then. But that would mean that Mamoru was...
It took every ounce of willpower she had not to react to the mental blow she had just given herself. She schooled her breathing, and felt an incredible migraine coming on. She could see the similarity in the set of the jaw, and she remembered the bruises and stiffness the young man had borne at the arcade. But if this were true, it left one huge, impossible question: why?
Yumeni scraped her pencils across the paper, smiling as a beautiful sketch began to take life on her paper. "Thank you so much for doing this.... you two simply are beautiful... almost inhumanely so," she said, concentrating on capturing the sorrow and determination in Usagi's face.
The two models remained quiet, gazing at each other intently as they tried to figure out how to confront the other about the truth. A crashing of the bushes made Usagi break eye contact first, automatically tensing. "Something evil this way comes," she said, wondering where she had heard the quote before.
Mamoru dropped the blonde hands, surprised at how alone he felt without her touch. "Yumeni, get inside!" he ordered.
"Huh?" the artist asked in confusion. "Could you two-" she began to request, only to be interrupted by a youma bounding out of the bushes.
Usagi gasped in surprise and fell off the back of the bench at the sudden appearance of the monster. She snarled and left to her feet as Yumeni screamed and Mamoru rushed forward to get between the scared girl an the creature bearing down on her. "I... I'll go get help!" Usagi cried, starting to run for the far corner of the house.
Mamoru gave her a knowing look, fleeting though it was. "I'm sure you will."
The blonde refused to deal with the meaning of that as she turned the corner and found herself alone. She quickly transformed and waited a few moments to give her cover story more credibility. Finally she jumped back into the fray, posing for all she was worth. "I'm..."
Her breath caught as she saw the scene before her. She had heard the continued screaming, but had thought it was only fear that caused the sound. She was wrong. Mamoru lay in a heap half under the bench, obviously tossed there by the pale green youma looming triumphantly over the terrified artist. It looked like he was out cold, a trickle of blood running from his temple where he apparently connected with the stone seat. Yumeni was surrounded in a bright green glow, and as Usagi watched and listened, the screams turned into wicked laughter, and the girl's body changed into a tall slender creature with white feathered wings and pale, almost translucent skin.
"Shimatta!" Sailor Moon muttered furiously under her breath as she realized she was too late to stop the process. She did take note of the green glittering crystal that lay beneath the still standing easel, and moved over to the pair of monsters to cut off their access to it.
Mamoru roused from his temporary blackout just as Usagi had planted herself in front of the green gem. "Alright, you two nasties," she said cockily, kicking the crystal back toward the bench unobtrusively. "I'm Sailor Moon, and I am here to kick your butt! How dare you interrupt a wonderful artist's modeling session? Don't you realize that you just interrupted not just one person's big career break, but *three*?" The ebony-haired young man stared incredulously at the flamboyantly gesturing hero as she continued to babble, both youma in the same state of shock. The only thing that kept him from completely thinking Sailor Moon had gone off her rocker, was the quick knowing look she threw over her shoulder, along with a minute gesture toward the crystal and the side of the house.
Once the dense man behind her had finally gotten the hint and taken the opening she had given him, Usagi relaxed and moved back and away from Yumeni's sketch. No reason to let this battle destroy all that hard work. She smiled. "Okay. I think I'm done now. Oh, Tuxedo Kamen!" she called. "I think it's time to bring the pain!"
"I disagree!" the youma who had been Yumeni said. "Bena cannot be defeated that easily!" She produced a paint brush and grinned wickedly.
Meanwhile Mamoru had reached the nijizuishou and pocketed it unobtrusively. It was obvious that his identity had been blown, so he decided to transform into his alter-ego. It might do something to steady his headache (he knew it was more likely a concussion, but thinking on it wouldn't do any good], so he produced his rose and threw it, signaling the beginning of his transformation.
All three females watched in fascination as his clothes shifted into a formal tuxedo and a cape appeared. Finally the hat came to his hand, and he paused, bowing graciously at them.
Sailor Moon seethed. "That's so not fair! How come you don't end up stripped and dancing with ribbons?" she demanded.
"Wouldn't do much good for my masculine image. Now, shall we?"
"I suppose. But we're going to be having a VERY long conversation!"
"Not if *I* have anything to say about it!" The first youma took advantage of the heroes' distraction and pounced on the tuxedo-bedecked man, talons bared. The pair fell back with a startled yelp.
Sailor Moon turned quickly to face the remaining monster. "Yumeni, if you can hear me, don't worry. I'll save you. I promise."
Bena cackled. "Foolish girl. Yumeni no longer exists! Only I, Bena, face you! And it shall be *me* who defeats you! Now die!" The wicked angel threw the handful of feathers at the shocked blonde hero, who was surprised to see flew and stuck in the ground much like her ally's roses.
"I won't let you win!" Usagi cried, dodging more missiles. A quick glance to the side revealed Tuxedo Kamen struggling with his opponent, a bleeding gash in his side that slowed him up a bit. She was on her own - which was the way she liked it. She grinned wickedly herself. "But if I have to hurt you before I heal you, so be it!"
As Usagi dodged the attacks coming at her, trying to find an opening she could use to call her wand and defeat this... thing, she failed to notice one handful of feathers hover in the air above her head and begin to move as though they were drawing something. The invisible lines they created filled in, and large stones began dropping from the sky, giving Usagi that much more to think about.
"Give up, Sailor Moon!" Bena exclaimed. "I am far too fast for you, and your partner is too busy to save you! If you give up and give me the crystals you have, I'll make your death quick and painless!"
"Oh, there's a choice," Sailor Moon drawled sarcastically, wiping away at the thin lines of blood that had formed on her face and arms from the close calls and continuing to dodge. "I've got a better one. Stand still for a minute and let me use my wand on you. You'll feel much better, I promise."
"No deal, Sailor Moon."
"See? That just leaves us at an impasse, now, doesn't it?" As the last word of the quip left her lips she moved quickly to the right to avoid the dozen razor-edged feather flying her way as she somehow managed to call the Crescent Moon Wand, and stepped right underneath the large boulder that had been drawn a few feet in the air. She didn't even get a chance to yell as it knocked her unconscious.
"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Kamen cried as he saw the hero fall out of the corner of his eye. He took another rake across the ribs for his trouble, but instinctually managed to maneuver so it was a light graze and he covered the area between him and his fallen ally. "Sailor Moon, no," he murmured as he fell to his knees at her side.
He almost didn't hear the evil chuckling behind him as the two youma came together. His eyes were focused on the limp form lying before him. Suddenly, anger flowed through his veins, and he reached for the wand that rested in the loosening grip of its owner. He didn't exactly know what he was going to do with it, but he figured he'd think of something.
As his hand touched the handle, the tiny gloved hand it rested in twitched. His head snapped to the side and he saw Sailor Moon's large sapphire blues flutter open. "You're okay," he breathed, his hand not loosening its grip.
"Did you get the number of that truck?" Usagi murmured.
Mamoru chuckled. "No, I think I missed that one. But I could use your help with the terrible twosome here."
Before the prone girl could respond, she was blasted by ball of dark energy, causing her to scream in agony. her companion gasped and turned his gaze to see the first youma grinning wickedly. He'd have to do something about that...
Just as he was about to let go and beat the tar out of the offending monster, he felt the girl's grip tighten. "Help me hold this up," she whispered. "I can get them both with one attack."
"You don't even have the energy to move!" Tuxedo Kamen protested.
"Try me."
He stared into that determined gaze for a moment or two before the whispered order to kill them both reached his ears. Then he raised Usagi's body onto his lap and held onto the wand for all he was worth. "Do it, Sailor Moon. I'm right here with you."
She smiled at the irony of the situation. Her rival was helping her succeed... "Moon Healing Escalation!" she said in a powerful whisper, not having the strength to say it any louder.
Mamoru gasped as a strange sensation ran through his body even as he continued to concentrate on making the attack work. There was a warmth growing in his chest, and he watched as the blast of energy and light, normally white and silver, took on a distinctive golden tone. He filed the odd information away to be questioned later and focused on the task at hand.
As different as the attack looked, it worked the same. The pale green youma crumbled into dust, even as it came a hair's breath away from sinking its claws into Tuxedo Kamen's unprotected back, and Bena screamed, her wail fading away as Yumeni collapsed to the ground in a quivering heap.
Sailor Moon's eyes rolled up into her forehead, and Tuxedo Kamen sighed. He had two unconscious females on his hands, and what the heck could he do with them? He was still sore, and settling them inside would HURT... besides, helping Sailor Moon with her attack had made him feel oddly light-headed. "Ok... first thing's first. I need to get back to being Mamoru." He shut his eyes and willed the transformation magic away.
A second later a normal college teenager was holding the heroine of justice. "Now I should get her back to being Usagi..." he reasoned, but was unable to come up with a way. So the second thing option would be to hide her from Yumeni until Usagi was awake to change herself.
He picked the blonde up, and was surprised at how light she was, especially considering all the junk food she ate. It was easy enough to shift her onto the lower branches of a tree and arrange the leaves so she was shaded from sight.
"Now Yumeni..." he said, going over to her, ignoring the protesting muscles he had received in the prior Youma battle, and his bleeding side. The blood was already beginning to clot, for which he was thankful. The best thing about being a superhero were the super healing abilities that came as part of the package.
The artist was just coming around when he came over to her. "Are you all right, Yumeni-san?" he asked.
The girl seemed confused. "I feel fine, but where's Usagi-chan? Is she alright?"
"She went to get help- should be arriving soon," he said, trying to reassure her. Hopefully Usagi would come to soon enough to perpetuate the ruse.
"That's- Chiba-san!" Yumeni exclaimed. "Are you alright?" Her eyes fastened on the red blood that blossomed from his side, ruining his clothes. "What happened?"
"That monster threw me and then... well, I'm not too sure. I have vague memories of Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon showing up..." he babbled, not used to making up cover stories. He wondered if Clark Kent ever had the same problem.
Yumeni's eyes grew vague and it seemed like she wasn't seeing her surroundings.
"Yumeni?" Mamoru asked tentatively, unsure of what was happening. He kept his hand on his transformational rose just in case the artist was having a relapse, but didn't really suspect as much.
The brunette's expression became stricken, and her breathing short and quick. "No, no... so much blood... the princess, not the princess... there! Behind the prince! Quickly!" Her eyes were still unfocused, but were darting back and forth.
Mamoru was thoroughly confused. What in the world was she talking about? He didn't think she was on drugs...
A heart-wrenching wail escaped Yumeni's lips as she fell to her knees, still lost in her vision. "No! Endymion! No!" Tears streamed down her cheeks for a few moments before her breath caught in a sharp gasp. "Serenity! Not that! Your mother needs... No! No! Stay away from her! Stay away!"
Somehow Mamoru couldn't bring himself to snap the girl in front of him out of the trance she was in. It was one of the strangest things he'd seen - when he wasn't fighting evil - and it even freaked him out a bit. But something told him he should let it run its course.
"Serenity!" Yumeni screamed, collapsing to the ground completely and letting loose soul-rending sobs. It was almost as if she had just lost one of the most important people in her life. Finally, as the ebony-haired young man watched, her crying lessened and eventually stopped all together.
"Yumeni?" he questioned again, hoping the girl had returned to the here and now. "Are you okay?"
She blinked, coming back to herself. "Oh.. oh... did I go off?" she asked, a fierce blush staining her cheeks.
"Go off?" he asked.
She started to shake. "I did, didn't I? What did I say- no, don't tell me... I don't want to know. Can you help me gather my art supplies? I think I want to lie down...."
"Yumeni-kun... maybe you should go to a hospital?" he suggested gently.
She shook her head fiercely. "No, no... my parents will just take me to the doctors again... please..." She rose to her feet shakily and rushed around gathering her supplies before dashing to the door. "Can you wait here for Tsukino-san? I need to take some migraine medication... I'm going to be getting one soon- I'm really sorry to be leaving you like this, I know it's rude, but-" she rambled.
Mamoru took pity on her. "I'll take care of Usagi-chan," he promised.
"Good, good. I'll call you later to arrange a time to finish the sitting. I'm so sorry," she whispered, bowing before disappearing between the French doors.
He watched her for a second before turning to the tree where he had hidden Sailor Moon. "Well, that takes care of one problem," he said.
"One problem... you still have a whole bunch of NEW ones, buddy," a light voice said from above him. Sailor Moon had woken up and detransformed back into Usagi. She was sitting on a higher branch then he had left her on, probably to get the high ground. Her serious blue eyes were studying him like she had never seen him before. "You have some explaining to do."
END PART FIVE
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