Alright! Yup ^o^ arctic-chan finally came back to the wonderful world of Sailor Moon and here's the first chapter ^o^
Oh yeah, I should probably warn you that each short chapter in this fanfic will not begin exactly where the prologue left off. The prologue just kind of ties the story together, all right?
Cool, let's get on with the show!
Disclaimer: Even if I outlive Naoko, SM is still hers and will never ever be mine -.-;;
Key:
*...*= thoughts/emphasize on a word
CAPS= screaming/shouting
...= flashback/memory
**********************************************************************
The Snatcher
flashback
"It's over, Motoki," Reika placed her cup back on the table and turned slightly away from her boyfriend.
Motoki shook his head in disbelief, "You can't be serious, Reika. I-I just asked you to marry me!"
Reika closed her eyes and pushed the velvet box across the table, "Sorry, Motoki, I just can't accept it."
"But why?" Motoki hissed, yanking his hair with a hand.
"It's because of..." Reika began.
Motoki sighed, "I know...it's my job, isn't it?"
"That's not true, Motoki," Reika shook her head, "and you of all people should know that as well, I don't judge people on their jobs."
"Then what is it?" Motoki growled and accidentally splashed water out of his glass.
"Motoki, you should know," Reika looked out the window.
Clamping his hand over his forehead, Motoki replied, "It's about Minako, isn't it?"
Reika didn't response. She was too afraid to do that. For years she had been trying to live in the lie, a lie woven in the love of Motoki. Sadly Motoki didn't even realize he was also living in a lie. At that moment when Motoki asked Reika to marry him, her eyes wetted with tears, tears of pure happiness. But that happiness didn't last forever, only for a few seconds, and she was back in reality knowing that she could not live a lie her whole life and dragged her boyfriend, also her best friend, into the hole he dug for them already.
"Reika," Motoki took a breath before he exploded in pure frustration, "you know that Minako and I are best friends. We've been over this a million time!"
"I can't believe how blind you are, Motoki," Reika looked straight at Motoki, "You and her are more than just friends. You are just too blind to see that."
"Oh yeah?" Motoki sat back into his seat, "How about you are just too paranoid? I think that makes perfectly good sense!"
Tears began to stream down Reika's cheeks, "Don't you know that I can see for myself? That the man I love so much loves another woman?"
"I told you, stop being so paranoid!" Motoki hissed angrily.
"I'M NOT!" Reika screamed and several pairs of eyes in the restaurant set on hers. "You don't understand! You are always talking about Minako this and Minako that and every time you do, a twinkle appears in your eyes. You don't understand...you'll never understand the pain I go through every time you mention Minako..."
"Reika," Motoki murmured, "you know I will never hurt you."
"I know," Reika lifted her head up, "but you still do." Shakily, she opened the velvet box, "Like this ring for example, it's not meant to be mine."
"Reika!" Motoki exclaimed, "What are you talking about? We are getting marry!"
"No we are not!" Reika wailed, "Look at this ring! And the encryption, this is for Minako, isn't it?"
Motoki frowned, "What are you talking about?"
"The symbol on top is Venus," Reika tooked the ring out and showed it to Motoki, "that's Minako's favorite planet, isn't it?"
"So?" Motoki frowned again, totally missed Reika's point.
Reika put the ring back intot the box and gave it back to Motoki, "This ring is not for me, it's for your goddess. Don't tell me that you weren't thinking of her while buying the ring."
"Reika, don't!" Motoki grabbed his girlfriend's arm as she walked past him.
"It's over, Motoki," Reika looked at the chestnut-haired man one last time, "You are nice and all, but you're not mine. Trust me, this is better for the two of us."
end of flashback
********************
Minako woke up groggily and surveyed her room aimlessly. Her eyes set on a corner while she cranked her brain about what could possible be there last night. *Hmm...could it be that dress that I was looking for over a year...no...Whoa! Hold on,* Minako thought harder again and screamed, "AHHHHHH! SOME PERVERT KISSED ME LAST NIGHT!"
********************
back to flashback...oh...I love this ^o^
"What cha doin' here, Motoki?" Minako slipped next to her friend. "Aren't you suppose to be out dating Reika?"
"It's over," Motoki murmured under his breath.
"Oh, well, I guess you guys had fun," Minako beamed misunderstanding Motoki's words. Taking a sip of her drink, Minako continued chattering, "So what did you guys do today?"
"It's over," Motoki washed down his throat the whole drink.
Minako smiled weakly starting to notice Motoki's strange behavior, "I know, the date is over. But why are you acting this way?"
"IT'S OVER!" Motoki screamed.
"Er..." Minako looked at her usually cheerful friend carefully, "you are not talking about the date, are you?"
"It's over," Motoki sobbed, "Reika and I broke up!"
"What?" Minako set her glass down on the table. "You gotta be joking!"
"Nope!" Motoki called the waiter over and ordered another drink. "She wouldn't accept the engagement ring."
Minako looked worriedly at Motoki slurping down another drink, "But you two are so good together, why?"
Motoki smiled slightly, "It's because..." He stopped realizing he could not make Minako sad by blaming herself for the breakup, instead he ordered another drink, "Nothing, just something that Reika and I never agree on." Motoki sighed, *There, I didn't lie to her but still didn't make her feel bad. Maybe Reika is right after all.*
Minako frowned, "Are you sure?"
"Positive."
(AN: Er...let's just say that Motoki has a very high alcohol tolerance
or maybe he's not drinking that anyway ^^;;)
end of flashback
********************
A young man dialed a familiar number while examining the old tomb.
"Hello,"
"It's me, Snatcher," the man spoke softly into the receiver.
"Got the tomb?"
"Got it! When do you want it, Pithole?"
"ASAP!"
"'K, see you at the park like always."
"And how are you going to get that tomb there without anyone noticing you?"
"With some skills of course," Snatcher's lips curved upward.
********************
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh," Mina paced around in her house. "Okay, breathe, Mina, breathe."
Her eyes wavered to the corner once again, "Wait a minute...something is missing from there...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE TOMB! I am gonna die...I am gonna die in ten million ways....the boss will kill me....oh yeah...she will...."
********************
"Are you interested in the carnival today? Do you want to participate in it? Then press '1'. Press '2' for more information and '3' for insanity control."
(AN: Sorry, way too hungry, do you mind I put that in? ^^;;)
Holding the phone in his hand, the chestnut-haired man pressed '1'. After a few moments of silence, he began to get an answer.
"Yes, I want to reserve a place in the carnival."
********************
Minako sighed and dialed a familiar number, "Hey Merc, it's V."
"What's up?"
"The tomb...it's missing..." Minako swallowed the lump in her throat.
"WHAT?!" a shriek was heard.
Minako winced, *And Usagi just has to be there.*
"Okay, don't panic," Merc answered, "we just gotta meet somewhere."
"Alright, I am coming over." Minako dashed out of the door grabbing her car key on the way.
********************
"So what do you think we should do?" V walked back and forth among her four friends.
"GOT IT!" Merc smiled triumphly as she finally deciphered the code.
"So who is behind this?" Jup turned her head and asked while twirling with a strand of her brown hair.
"A good old friend of ours," Merc replied while scrolling down the window.
"NOT HIM!" Moon wailed.
Mars narrowed her eyes and banged Moon on the head with a stick (AN: not the one that she uses to knock the street guy unconsciously....I think), "Quit being a drama queen!"
"Bleh!" Jup gagged, "Why does it have to be him? PITHOLE! Argh...I would like to get my hand on this guy someday."
"And make sure to punch more for me," Mars added.
"As long as he doesn't look like her old boyfriend, oh yeah," V chipped in sarcastically.
"Come on, you guys!" Jup exclaimed. "I can take this guy out...but it would be nice if he's hot looking..."
The four other talented exchanged a glance and went back to work.
After a hour or so, Merc exclaimed, "Hey V, don't you have a security camera in your house?"
"Yeah?" V replied.
"Go get the tape and let's get rolling!"
********************
Ding dong.
"Coming!" Motoki yelled as he put on his jacket. Then he rushed to the door and hurriedly answered it, "Hey, Minako!"
"Hiya!" Minako cheerfully replied and walked into Motoki's house. "So where are we going?"
"To the park."
"Wicked!"
********************
On the highest floor of a skyscraper, a fax machine hummed receiving the attention of the figure in black.
To Pithole
Join me in the carnival today for a first prize.
Snatcher
********************
"Wow!" Minako beamed walking along with Motoki.
"So you want to play that?" Motoki pointed toward the goldfish stand.
"Oh no," Minako shook her head, "I can never do that ever!"
"Come on," Motoki dragged Minako to the stand, "it'll be fun."
********************
"Coming through!" a group of workers carried a case through the crowd and then stopped at the audition stage.
The announcer grinned, "Why, thank you! I will take care of it from here."
"Alright!" the workers cheered and stepped out to join the carnival.
The announcer waited until the workers left the room and took off the mask, "Finally, I got my hand on this baby!"
********************
"Whee!" Minako shrieked. "You're right, Motoki! This is fun!" The blonde model continued scooping more goldfish into her bowl.
"Yeah," Motoki smiled weakly waving his net in the water, which dissolved in pure seconds. He sighed as he put out more change for another paper net, "Minako, I need to tell you something."
"Okay," Minako concentrated on getting the big, fat goldfish, "what is it?"
Motoki sighed knowing that the model was not paying attention to him, "I will tell you later."
"Okie dokies."
"AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" a shriek was heard in the carnival. (AN: dum dum dum! Negaverse...right?)
Minako lifted her head up from the fish tank only to find a young woman pointing finger at her. *Not good...not good at all.*
"Are you...are you....Aino Minako?"
Minako nodded silently while a group circled around her and Motoki.
"AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Please sign this for me, please!" a girl with Minako's face printed on her T-shirt shoved her way into the front offering an autograph book for Minako to sign.
"AND ME TOO!!!!!" another girl with neon green hair smacked her autograph book on the one Minako was holding.
"Hey! Watch it!" the first girl shouted at the rude green-haired teen.
The teen folded her arm, "Why should I?"
While the two stood there and argued, Motoki and Minako made their way crawling out of the mob.
********************
The announcer caressed the tomb inspecting every corner, "Ah...you are going to bring in lots of money, baby..."
"Or not!" a voice rang loud and clear behind.
********************
The bushes rustled and two figures leaped out.
"Whew!" Minako wiped off the beads of sweat forming on her forehead, "that was close!"
Motoki fumbled around his pocket and produced a handkerchief. Gently, he wiped Minako's forehead, "Minako, I have something to tell you."
Minako blinked, "Really? What?"
Motoki took out a velvet box he had carried with him for years, "This is for you."
Minako opened the box delicately and gasped upon seeing a ring with Venus symbol engraved on it, "It's beautiful...but wasn't it for Reika?"
"No," Motoki shook his head, "It's never meant for her...my heart is always yours."
"Motoki..." Minako murmured, tears welt up in her eyes. Swiftly, she wiped the tears with Motoki's handkerchief, "But you'll have to catch me first...Snatcher!" With her last words, Minako sprinted away, "Come and get me!"
Motoki ran after, "But how did you know?"
"Easy," Minako fastened her pace, "security camera."
"I should have known!" Motoki bowed his head in defeat. But in seconds, he sprinted up to the unexpecting Minako, "But it's worth it, V!"
Minako laughed while Motoki kissed her forehead then bent down to kiss her lips.
********************
A frantic young man dialed a familiar number while cursing at the same time. Finally he threw the phone against the wall, "Where in the world is that Snatcher! And what happened to my tomb?!"
**********************************************************************
All right! This is the happy ending of Minako and Motoki ^_^ Sorry if some places don't make sense, I wrote more than half of it er...at least two weeks ago ^^;;
Well, wait patiently for the next chapter ^.~ "The Distracter" ^.^