Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Sailor Moon series.

Author's Note: This is an extremely long chapter, 38 pages people. It doesn't top the Chapter 19 of Slayers for the Future record page number for me, set at 153 pages, but it's the longest in this series. This is most of 'secrets revealed' and 'foreshadowing' chapter, and plenty of romantic themes. Enjoy and sorry this took so darn long to post.

Chapter 19

Dilemma! Secret Identity!

- Night -

~ The Tsukikage Household ~

- Two Weeks Later -

Stephen slept eagerly this night, for the past week had been nothing but bad luck for him and those he got near. First it was little things that amusing him, his father's ties in the toilet, his mother's curler went nuts in her hair, then his little sister's stuff animals all losing their heads. He was blamed for the last one. Somehow, a few of the missing head found their way into his sock drawer. He denied any wrongdoing. If he'd done anything, he'd have hidden the evidence or destroyed it. Casey would rip his room apart if she could anymore to find evidence of any slight mischief, or anything juicy from his journal for her to brag to schoolmates about.

Those were things of the past, nothing to concern himself about with a handy lock on his door, but his parents still had the authority to come into his room and do a search. So he was grounded all week, content his parents were too busy with their own lives and Casey to notice his new phone line was still hooked up. True enough, he did a lot of sneaky things behind their back, but not often was it sinister and it was never really illegal. He did things so he could be a better knight these days, not just as defiance and to have more privacy and things for him to contend with. Still, those things were a piece of cake to stand compared to what happened elsewhere to him. He used his phone to talk to Gary quietly, knowing his parents were oblivious to the fact. At least that kept him company during the insanely quiet boredom his room held. There were only so many things he could do for a few hours before he got bored.

A few times during schools, for no reason, he found himself and even Cyrus in fights at school, getting detention for it while Cyrus got sent home in a pet taxi that was way too small. He couldn't understand why it was happening or why even Cyrus would join in and not reprimand him like always. It made no sense. Then the cafeteria had a vat of pudding and spaghetti sauce explode and paint half the students, including himself and the walls and floors red and chocolate brown.

Then Chem. Lab went crazy when the frogs all suddenly got loose, living frogs! They were supposed to be dead and full of formaldehyde He suspected the Dark Universe, but no one was being drained dry, no one was dying or vanishing, it was just a lot of strange pranks. They seemed like innocent, yet wild, pranks. Just off the wall things, like a student was in a right whimsically destructive and childish mood to humiliate the school.

He felt worse for Cyrus than himself. The poor cat had been poked and prodded for rabies nearly the entire week for his sudden mood swings. One test was enough, but since it kept happening, more tests, and one sore kitty. He'd pick Cyrus up tomorrow and bring him home first. He'd told Gary on the phone to meet him at his house and they'd go to his apartment afterwards to finally study. His grounding ended tonight at least. Maybe there'd be no more pranks now. It couldn't go on for another week, could it?

Stephen simply rustled in his sleep, rolling over a bit in his sheets. It felt hot tonight, so the sheets were barely on him, his window open so a cool breeze could steadily come to him. He was wearing his boxers as usual, and it helped to cool him off. It was helping to make his sleep more comfortable, but he couldn't shake off the creepy feeling inside him, the rumble in his flat stomach, that he felt somewhere faraway in his dreams that something was wrong.

But in dreams, who cared? Who cared that he wasn't alone in his room, two deathly evil pink eyes gazing at his sleeping form like a hungry lion? He would, if he were awake.

~

Kitty just grinned wildly at her prey, taking step after step closer to his bed. She looked down upon him, and lifted her hand towards his heart. She strokes it with her ruined hand, softly down to his smooth stomach. She grinned as the body tensed and ticked. "It'd be easy for Kitty to kill you right now. Very easy, but Kitty wants you to suffer for all the times you beat Kitty. Your death will linger and you'll writhe powerless against me, pretty boy Moon. Kitty wants you to know you can't win, that Moon has no hope. Little boy, very beautiful boy….-growl-" she purred out with a chargrin.

Those thoughts were still iffy with her. Specter wanted them drained then killed, but he was so gorgeous for a human. She had other thoughts, to drain him slowly, to enjoy his rare male beauty and then make him her slave as Raven made the Mark boy. If Specter would let her, Moon could be her eternal pet and slave. Without his power, Moon was useless as anything else but a chew toy, so why not work on that angle.

Plans changed as she made his week miserable and humiliating for all humans near him. Stephen Tsukikage was the biggest daydreaming genius at the school, but strayed from fights, only walking into a few by accident. How he had eluded them for so long was beyond her. His hair and eyes, so much like frosty snow and icicle pools, were unique, rarest of rare. He should have been an albino, but he was not one. He was simply amusing, intelligent, and a cynic at best. If Specter could be sated a bit more with more crystals and energy, maybe he'd put Moon on their side. The Dark Goddess had the power to charm people if they were weakened enough.

Kitty sniffed and leaned over to look at his face. "Tomorrow, pretty one, tomorrow is your last day as the Moon Knight….soon, you'll either be a pretty corpse or a living pet slave for Kitty. Sweet dreams, while they last." She tittered softly, prying his mouth open slightly. Then, she kissed him deeply into his pillow, feeling a bit of a pressure reaction. The boy was probably having a similar dream, about that Glamour bitch. Then she sensed he was coming to, so she quickly jumped away and out the window, gone like the cool wind. 'Soon you'll dream for us…Kitty will rule you forever, lovely boy.' She thought wildly.

Stephen just blinked awake and rubbed his mouth. He smacked his lips a few times with a puzzled look on his face. "Why does my mouth taste like….stale candy? Ah….who cares, that Glamour dream was nice." He smiled softly, and plopped back into his bed, falling asleep again to get back to his dreams.

~ Dream ~

Stephen felt cold for some reason, and his bed felt like a load of rocks. He tussled a bit to even it out, feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder. He bolted upright, staring around will icy blues eyes at his dream. It was an endless dark cavern, dripping with moisture, but he was no water sources like a lake or anything, aside from the tiny glassy puddles in a few nooks and crannies on the floor. He was wearing his normal attire in this dream, but the right shoulder had a gash on it. The bleeding was slow and almost numb, and this was a dream, the kind that didn't kill you.

Stephen stood up slowly, looking around again before starting to walk through the damp cavern. It seemed endless, a thick fog rolling around him as he moved careful and slow. He kept going, the silence freaking him out. Then he felt the grounds leave his feet, his foot had hit dead air and all he could do was flail. He fell into it, annoyed that he'd seen the dark ground earlier and it decided to screw with him.

He fell until his skin was deathly cold, and he found the water source, a chilly lake with ice bopping around it. He sputtered as he surfaced, shaking his cold and wet head off. The fog wasn't as thick where he was swimming, but it was enough to obscure where he'd fallen from and, as it appeared, an exit.

Stephen just started swimming, the fog seeming to trail him like a lost dog. He went on, his limbs growing number by the moment from the icy chill of the water. Then he saw something, a small island a ways off in front of him. He thought he could see a leg, no legs in boots. There was some strange light around him, dark blue possibly. He didn't care, he just wanted out of the water. Stephen swam as hard as his numbing body could allow.

Once he reached the island, he could still see the boots, and reached for them, but his hand met with glass. It was deathly cold, maybe it was ice. He tapped it with his finger and scratched at it. It wasn't behaving like ice, not a scratch, but it was still as cold and smooth. He stood himself up, reaching around for the rest of whoever it was, meeting with more of the strange glass-ice, the fog still in his way. He even lost sight of his feeling hands thanks to it.

"What gives? Stupid dream! Get rid of the damned fog!" he swore. As if the dream understood, the fog parted. Stephen jumped back a bit at the action and nearly toppled back into the water when he saw what it was hiding. It was a young man, maybe twenty or so, staring back at him with a horrified expression on his pale, imprisoned face. The man in the large crystal shaped block looked to be trying to shield himself, frozen in terror. A few bruises and cuts were on him, like he'd been in a battle.

He couldn't tell what color hair or eyes he had. The ice made everything looks light and dark blue or gray. He looked like a student, the uniform made it look that way, but the strange shoulder pads, the gloves, and the boots, they made him look like a soldier of some kind. He had earring studs too and short hair, but his pained expression got to Stephen the most. He felt pity for the man. The young man looked to have barely lived his life before thrown inside this thing.

He touched the glass ice with his right hand gently, where the face was across from. "Who are you? Am I supposed to find you too? What is this place?" he asked the face, but got no reply. Stephen didn't expect it. From dreaming about girls with meatball hair to guys trapped in glass-ice crystals in the middle of a frozen, dark lake, his weirder dreams were never really specific or sane. Stephen sighed, giving the glass-ice a final pat before starting to pull his hand away.

Then a greenish light pulsed under his hand, a painful -thock- hitting his palm. He drew his hand back, holding something within it. He opened his hand carefully, peering at what had been thrown out of apparently nowhere into it. It was a gemstone of jadeite.** They studied this stone in geology. It was only just to be looked at and then returned to those who donated them, but they were considered precious for jewelry. It wasn't exactly emerald worth, but it was still lovely.

He turned it in his hand a bit, cool to the touch and smooth, then he looked back up to the glass–ice prisoner. Stephen gasped as he watched the body moved a bit, then rushed at him through its prison. "Free me!!" he screamed, his hands grabbing the hand that the gemstone was in. Stephen felt it shatter in his hand, a fleeting image of blonde hair and dark blue eyes, then darkness.

Stephen didn't go back to sleep that night, his hand sore for some reason. He stayed like that all night, staring endlessly at the ceiling.

Free me!!

~ Shiba Park ~

- Next Afternoon -

"Why are we using the park again, Gary? Can't we just use the arcade for our sessions again?" Stephen asked curiously.

Gary shrugged. "We can't for a while….the back room became Akki's personal wedding planner station. No….eh, heh, guys allowed." He huffed in his soft voice.

"You sound like you don't like her for that silly reason and others you're hiding. I thought she was nice…." Stephen replied. 'All but the fact she's harboring a Dark Universe creep kind of bugs me, but we took care of that weeks ago. Gary is acting jealous of all the attention Akki's getting from Allan…weird.' He added mentally.

Gary shrugged. "I like her and all, she's….ah well….I don't know why I get this weird feeling about her. My stomach hurts when I get near her sometimes….it's a silly feeling, like she'll turn into a monster or something suddenly. I know she's nice and all, its just a funny feeling. I know she'll make my brother very happy….ah then…." Gary was saying then trailed off.

Stephen eyed him as they cleared the cherry trees of the park, in the area where the pigeons were fed. He could see Gary's apartment building from where they stood. Tall and shimmering in the evening sun, the sparse spray of balconies in his eyes. He smiled. Someday, he'd get a nice place like that, have his own space like Gary did. Yet still, Gary was hiding something again. Gary still wouldn't tell him if he told that girl he liked that he wanted to date her. He'd simply blush and change the subject, any excuse to not discuss it. Stephen often wondered if the courting had gone bad, but Gary wasn't depressed or anything, just nervous and evasive, as always with romance chats.

"Then what? What's got in such a mood when I even mention Akki's name?" Stephen asked. Gary sighed, looking down a bit with his gloved hands in his pockets.

"Allan's leaving for England permanently after the wedding. While he was away, he was with her and they decided Allan should work with her father, business and all, stuff Allan's been working hard for since he graduated. The arcade's going to be sold to new management, before the wedding….Allan's leaving after he gets married." Gary let out harshly, rubbing his nose a bit.

"He's…..leaving Japan completely….for real? We'll never see him…again?" Stephen asked quietly.

"We'll see him on holiday's, maybe, if they're not too busy, or me and our folks visit him ourselves, but….no….Allan's not coming back after that." Gary sighed, depressed a bit. Stephen gripped his friend's left hand inside the pocket, giving off a reassuring smile. Gary looked up, a bit startled and flushed. "Well….you're not going anywhere are you?" Stephen asked, tugging his friend's out, feeling awkward.

Gary smiled a bit. "No….I'll probably live in Japan for the rest of my life….no matter where I go for college. I'm not leaving my home ever." Gary said softly, sounding shy about it.

Stephen nodded. "Me neither….we'll still get to hang out with each other, Gary….nothing will change that, ok?" Stephen told him, getting a squeeze back from Gary's hand. Stephen let go with a smile. "Ok." Gary replied, walking on with small smile," So a session tomorrow too. Its Saturday and all, but…if you want to…."

Stephen shook his head. "No, not tomorrow, the maniac wants us all to see some stupid birdie show tomorrow downtown. She says its….a couple thing. The nutcase doesn't know the meaning of the words 'I don't love you' very well." Stephen sighed.

"I hear that, she's driving us both crazy with unwanted advances. Hope it's a decent show, but you don't seem like the type for a silly animal show." Gary commented.

Gary was right, but Stephen couldn't tell him the real reason for the venture. Cyrus had senses crystal near that show, so it was probably the father or the daughter than ran the silly escapade. It was a way to beat back the Dark Universe, so long as he made sure no innocent lives were put at risk by that basket case Kitty.

"No, but after twenty annoying rings on my so-called private phone line from that whacko, I'll stomach it so she'll lay off." Stephen replied dryly.

Gary just chuckled. "Fine, meathead, then Sunday, so your dad thinks you need to study for that math test on Monday." Gary replied softly.

Stephen followed, patting his friend on the back. "So no more sulking….let's try and be positive about our futures….we have our whole lives ahead of us."

"You had your whole lives ahead of you, boys….!" A childishly familiar voice cackled. 'Kitty?! Here?! Ah shit!' Stephen thought, freezing in his steps, Gary going a few steps back before stopping.

The giggling was all around them, the park area where they were out of sight of the streets thanks to the trees, and with the curfew over the disappearing citizens, not many people dared be out when the sun was setting. Then Kitty appeared in a growled of white tiger fangs, her childish body dressed all in white and furs as usual. She looked particularly smug right now, eyeing Stephen like a hungry beast.

He stayed where he was. 'Shit, can't transform in front of her and Gary….I'll blow all our hard work against the Dark Universe!' he thought wildly, then screwed up his face when Kitty blew him a kiss.

"What do you want, lady?" he asked, trying to sound nervous and scared. Kitty cackled, and his ears nearly bled. "Oh cut the act….Stephen Tsukikage….It's time to get what Kitty wants out of you, right here and now!" she grinned, and Stephen paled a bit. 'She knows my name? Do I have a crystal inside me….oh gods….no, anything but that….or….gods, is it Gary?!' he thought frantically, too much to even notice Kitty had charged up her ghastly claw.

"Now play dead!!" she screamed, tossing the energy ball right at his chest.

"NOOO!" Gary screeched, and threw himself in front of Stephen. The white-haired youth's thoughts were jarred as Gary's back rammed into his front hard, sending them flying into bushes.

"G-Gary! GARY!!!! Oh…oh no!" Stephen yelped, his senses showing him as they cleared that Gary was on top of him, his stomach blasted with the energy. He could see a lot of char and blood. Hell, he could smell it. Stephen quickly scrambled out from under Gary's prone form and listened to his heart, then took his pulse. He sighed in relief when he found they were still going, slowly, but still there. Gary's head was leaking a little blood, only a little. It hadn't been from the blast. As Stephen lifted his friend's head gently up, he saw Gary's head at hit a tough and exposed root. It was a good-sized lump, with s tender cut in it.

He had to get Gary out of here and to safety, before Kitty got Stephen with a blast too. 'Gary….why….why did you take the hit for me? Gary….please be ok, just hold on.' he thought, almost ready to cry. Gary was out cold from the blast, his face stuck in a painful wince. As some blood dribbled onto the ground, Stephen grew angry and sad at the same time.

"Oops, Kitty missed the Moon Knight. Dopey me….come on out, Stephen, my little sneaky Moon Knight. Kitty wants to play with your brains." Kitty cackled, making Stephen's blood freeze. 'She knows who I am….that's….why she's here. She's going to kill us. No, I won't let Gary die….I won't be pushed around by some flat-chested psycho cat-girl idiot!!' his mind raged as he grabbed up his pendant.

~

Kitty bounced around like a hopscotch-playing schoolgirl, sniffing at the blood sprinkles that led to the pink blossom trees and rose bushes. That stupid dark-haired beauty boy had gotten in the way of her fun. Moon Knight would have been in her claws right now if the stupid Moon boy had been alone for once, but he was always with that dark-haired jerk. It was nice to see she'd hurt someone close to Moon boy, but she'd be back home and draining Moon Knight and getting praised by their leader for capturing the leader of the Galaxy Knights.

'But no, other pretty boy gets in Kitty's way and Moon Knight still conscious. Probably ran away, little coward. Now Kitty has to eat sister and parent meat sacks to make Moon boy give up….' She thought with a pout.

"Celestial Beam! Blast her ass!" Moon Knight voice shout. She looked up in time to see the beam coming at her, but not in time to moon. It rammed into her chest and sent her spinning backward, her green blood leaking out in a spurt. She screeched and levitated off the ground quickly as Moon Knight's form reached her vision, his blade raised to kill her.

Kitty, above all, hated being attacked herself. Now she was bleeding and in pain, a crazed and enraged knight several feet below her and charging up another attack. Kitty just grabs her face and wailed. "No fair! I'll get you next time, you big fat pretty cheater!" she said and vanished before the next Celestial Beam could reach her.

~

Moon Knight just de-transformed when Kitty ran scared and ran back for Gary. He did it as carefully as possibly before running for Gary's building in a frightened sprint. Gary's heart rate was still good, but he still had that bump on his head. It didn't look fatal, any of it, but he had to get the wounds cleaned. Gary's bathroom had tons of ointments and bandages. It'd be the best place to go before calling a doctor.

Stephen just ran, glad curfew kept people off the streets, or more people would have been staring at him and delaying his progress to help Gary. He hated idiots that asked stupid questions like," Is he all right?" and "What's the problem?" Like it wasn't that damn obvious what was wrong. His friend was hurt and the more time morons like that bothered him, the closer Gary might stand to get an infection.

~ Daiichi Heights ~

- Top Floor, Apt. 717 -

Stephen was glad the doorman wasn't around for once, probably taking a leak or out back taking a cigarette break, as he was prone to doing. It was better than hiding Gary in the alley and smashing a vase on the doorman's head from behind. This was safer for them all. Stephen quickly got out of the elevator, Gary still secure in his arms and the apartment keys in Stephen's teeth. The bleeding had stopped on the way, so it was easy enough to smear into the sooty remnant of the energy ball.

He was worried the entire time about the people that came on to the elevator and saw Gary like that, but Stephen lied his ass off to each of them saying that Gary was drunk and puked on himself. The people just turned their nose up at Gary and said he was always a strange person. Some pitied and one lady was audacious enough to spit at them. That had really annoyed Stephen close to the point of striking the woman for it, but he'd drop Gary and make the lump worse.

They'd gotten through it and Stephen crouched on the floor while he unlocked the door, his legs supporting Gary's light body instead of his arm. It unlocked as the elevator dinged again, forcing Stephen to throw the keys in and scramble inside in a crab-walk. Flopping down on his rear, Gary secure in his lap, Stephen kicked the door shut. He'd lock it later, right now he had to get Gary's shirt and jacket off and tend to the wounds.

He set his friend down gently, turning Gary's head slowly to the side. He didn't need to aggravate the lump. Stephen acted quickly in raiding Gary's bathroom cabinets of for all the ointments, rubs, bandages and cleaning solutions he could gets both arms to lug in. he dumped it all next to Gary, then swiped a throw pillow off the clothing littered couch.

Stephen wasn't concerned with what a pigsty the place was. His bedroom wasn't any better when Stephen got busy. He'd clean the apartment up for his friend after he did what he could and called a doctor, if needed. He hoped a doctor wasn't needed. It probably couldn't be that bad. It was the bump on the head that knocked Gary out really, not the blast. He set the pillow carefully under Gary's head, still keeping the head turned a bit so the wound could breath. It looked a little smaller than before, the cut well clotted. Maybe no doctor was needed.

Stephen shrugged and tugged off Gary's maroon jacket. The jacket was genuine trash now, having a good sized char hole it. He sniffed a bit and tossed it to the side, brushing gently at the torn black shirt beneath. He felt something gauze under it, like bandages. His icy blues scanned the stomach a bit as he dusted some more torn shirt away. They were bandaged. Torn up pretty bad, but not bloody in most place. Most of it was dried fresh.

'Well….I guess maybe he had an injury before this…it has to come off anyway. I can't have it smoldered to his skin….he'll kill my ass.' He thought and fingered around the items for a pair of scissors. He found a small pair, just right for cutting fresh bandages. He'd redress whatever wounds his friend had. Gary would understand really. He unbuttoned the shirt a bit more, just beneath the chest, before pushing it up a bit, so he could see Gary's sides. He had a slim form, the bandages going all the way up past the chest area.

Stephen shrugged. 'Maybe burns….or something…..Hope its not recent." He thought and snipped up the sides or the old dressings. When he reached the chest, the scissors met with something flexible, rubbery and tough. He shrugged and went to the other side, only to meet with the same interference. He grumbled. "Ah that's it….just yanking this stuff off." He said bitterly, tossing the scissors aside, am looped his fingers on the bandages and rubbery stuff, closed his eyes then pulled as hard as he could.

The bandages tore in that single hard yank, the rubber strap coming with it. Stephen opened his eyes with a smile, happy he'd gotten it all off. Then his eyes bulged.

Stephen sprang back with the strap and flutter bandages, staring at his friend's chest, babbling and stuttering after a while. His words finally came to him as he tried to look away, to look at anything except the chest, but his surprise was too great to even wrench his icy eyes away. "Where do you get off having tits!?!" he screamed, just staring at the bra-enveloped chest on 'Gary.'

'A woman…he's a she? A woman!….SHIT, stop looking you pervert! Stop, close your eyes….!' His mind screamed, and couldn't obey. The things in his hand seemed to gain a lot of wait, enough to make him look at them, then screech as he tossed them away. All this time, the year or so he'd thought he'd know his best friend, and he was a girl, no a young woman with a very well endowed….

"Stop it….argh….Gary how…I mean, whoever you are, how could you lie like this!? Why are you a woman….ah….!" he sputtered, his eyes managing to jerk to 'Gary's' very bruised and slim stomach. He crawled back to her body, looking at the stomach as best he could, but he could still see the bottom of that lacy black bra. He didn't understand why she'd hide such a thing, whoever she was. If she was even adopted by Allan's parents….Stephen was terribly confused, and worried. Why would she go to such lengths to hide her….her….

"Beauty…." He let out softly, then shook his head of those thoughts and kept his eyes dead on her stomach as he tended to the scrapes and bruises. Energy balls before had hit him and his friends, and they never did much but knock the wind out of you. He reapplied the bandages to her stomach, trying not to touch her skin so often, feeling utterly guilty if his eyes even accidentally strayed. He bandaged her head too, even though he could no longer find the lump, only flecks of dried blood.

He was a bit curious though, and gave her groin a pat, feeling a way too soft lump. "That's not….a guy part…." He said, and took a deep breath and he undid her belt and pants, tugging out a wad of socks. "Nice…trick. Ah, what am I doing…."he screeched, slapping himself.

He just shook off any urges he felt right now. He was still very worried, but still stunned at what he'd found out. He was even more worried how this woman would take it. She worked hard to be thought of as a guy only, to never be known as a woman, she had done it for a reason. He hoped she didn't hate him for stumbling upon it. He had just been worried for 'Gary's' safety. How the hell was he to know Gary was a woman?!

Stephen tugged off the sunglasses and sucked his breath in, curiosity getting the better of him in a well-mannered way. She was beautiful, the face of an angel. He lifted her body back in his arms, carrying her to the forbidden room, her bedroom. It was unlocked thankfully. 'Gary' only locked the no-no rooms when he got in, but right now, 'Gary' wasn't doing much of anything but sleep.

He tilted her head over a bit and saw she had a very long braid hanging from the back of her hair. "Long hair….," Stephen sighed, setting her down as he tugged her shoes and pants off," bet its real pretty when its free, huh G?" He watched the ceiling the whole time. Stephen would not ogle at his best friend's body, male or female. The jacket and shirt must have hid her true length, the hair people could see spiked about purposely with too much mousse.

Stephen tugged off her socks and shirt last, then dumped the shirt in the trash after making sure nothing important was in it. He walked to her closet and picked through, finding a nightgown, one with long sleeves and dark fabric. He clumsily put it on her, jumping away and reddening each time his finger met with her skin. He was terribly uncomfortable with dressing a woman, a highly attractive woman, but woman or not, she was still his best friend.

It was guilt of betraying their friendship, in any small way. He'd never had any female friends, till Angela, and she was a terrible example of the female population. 'Gary' was a woman, and his friend. He didn't mind the woman part, but he worried for her, and why she had to disguise herself as well as her gender so extremely. Deep down, he felt something was terribly wrong, but he'd find out when she woke up. He couldn't leave her like this all alone. He'd stay the night on the couch, after he cleaned her messy apartment.

He looked at her one last time before pulling the covers over her body, a small timid smile on his face. He felt odd around her now, like he knew her from somewhere a long time ago, but he just couldn't place it. He shook off the feeling a bit and started to pick the clothes up off her floor, turning red off and on when he grabbed up her unmentionables.

'Going to be a long night….' He thought, picking the floor and dresser clean of dirty clothes before leaving to take care of the rest of the place and call his house.

~ Dark Universe ~

- Throne Room -

"Where have you bee, Princess Kittiana?" Xeno asked tersely, his silvery armor glittering softly. He was on the roof a building opposite a street act, Dido the Wonder Parrot. The rather bright red macaw wasn't special on the outside really, just a buried that mimicked speech superbly. His owner concerned him, she was the keeper of the Indigo Crystal of Wind. She was never without the bright looking bird, and the crystal reacted to her presence heavily. The only thing keeping him from getting it was his charge's extreme tardiness. Kitty just gave a childish grin. "Target practice….got a little sidetracked….uh, Kitty was trying to find out who the Galaxy Knights are." She replied with giggles.

He frowned a bit, finding nothing cheerful about anything without his Raven. "And did you?" he asked with a sigh

"Nope, just wild knight chases….Kitty's dark knights are still recovering. Kitty has got a new plan the next fight." she replied with a wicked smile.

"Being?" he sighed out in a bored tone, putting his gaze back on the father-daughter show with the bird. Dido was quoting Shakespeare now. 'Hmmph….annoying entertainment. You won't be clapping for anything but the Dark Universe once we get through with this planet for banishing us away.' He thought.

"You'll see, so who's next on the crystal collection?" she asked, getting the crystal tossed to her. "That girl….try and do it by tomorrow night. I am tired of you failing. You're making Specter angry at both of us….make no mistake, no one will mourn your death but you." He let out haughtily, then vanished in flashes of silver swords. Kitty just shrugged and watched the stupid show, wanting to eat the damn bird after a while.

'Who said Kitty was going to die before you, dear Xeno. Kitty has plans for you too. Kitty does, hee, hee, hee.' She thought darkly, a feral grin sprouting across her lips.

~ Dream/Nightmare ~

She stood at the bottom of the steps in he black, showy dress, staring up through the silvery mists about the palace steps and pillars. The mists were cool around her body, her blue eyes staring up at the stationary silhouette standing atop the great stairway. Behind him was a dark sky of endless stars, silvers and whites galore in the pitch sky. She caught her breath as he reached out to her, a small smile appearing on his shadowy features.

She reached out as well, half-afraid and half excited. The dream had been changing lately, possibly because of the crystals she'd gained. Still, he was always be in her dreams, calling out to her for her help, but never would she see his face, only that beautiful male voice that made her heart warm and skip beats.

"Lady Glamour….You must gain the Soul Crystal….only then can we be free. Please, free me…." He pleaded softly, still reaching out with his slender hands. "I know….but why can't be together! Please! Tell me where you are!" she shouted, near tears. The moon symbol on his forehead glowed golden to her.

"In time….we are closer than ever now. Soon, we will be together outside of our dreams. The Soul Crystal is within your reach and only you and I can unlock it….together. Free me….my love." He said softly, backing off slowly as he lower his head and arms, vanishing into the night.

"No! Wait, please! Tell me where you are!!" she screamed, running up the stairs as fast as she could after him, but then the dream changed, and she found herself running as fast as her legs could carry her through a dark cavern. She looked back tearfully, knowing the nightmares were here now, and saw those terribly lavender eyes chasing her. The walls bled about her, trying to make her trip, but she kept running.

Her legs would ache, the blood on the floor lapping at them warm and wet. She wanted to cry as she saw the throne of black, but it was different. There was someone in it, in white. She skidded to a halt quickly, her eyes quivering with horror. It was Moon Knight, impaled on a sword like a tragic prince. She felt the tears slip, to see his innocent form ruined by death. The body rotted away, his eyes falling out with sick slaps against the floor. His head fell off with a snap, then the body and armor simply feel apart and shattered like virgin glass upon on the floor.

The violent shove from behind came suddenly as her heart broke. The fear kicked in as she recalled how the nightmare went, her dress flipped up, and the man with those terribly lavender eyes raped her from behind. All she could do….was scream as he violated her body, his devilish voice whispering," He can't have you….ever! We will birth the ultimate being….whether you like it or not."

~ Morning ~

The young woman sat up violently in her bed with a yelp, clutching her heart tightly. She let out a shaky breath, holding back pained tears. It was horrible to see that, Moon Knight slaughtered like a ripe pig, the rape happening again. She hated that nightmare, those horrid lavender eyes, that terrifying voice. The voice of her future rapist….it haunted her so.

She started to catch her breath when she smelled something. He dark head lifted a bit and sniffed. It smelled like bacon and eggs, possibly some toast or muffins. 'Allan? Did he bring me home? What happened….yesterday?' She wondered touching her head gently. There was a bandage on it. The memories of yesterday were just not coming to her, so she tugged it off and felt her head a little. She felt no injury, as usual. She healed fast ever since she was a child, as far back into her childhood she could recall.

She looked herself over and frowned at the silly nightgown Allan had given her last year. It was so fluffy and sweaty, but it had been an attempt to make her stop dressing up as Gary. He'd never understand why she did it, she couldn't dare tell him why. He'd have her committed for thinking her dreams would come true that badly. Allan was sweet and all, but he could be overprotective of her, and a bit demanding. She slid out of bed, a little woozy. The breakfast smelled great, she just wished her head would clear. What had she been doing yesterday, and why was she bandaged up?

She shook it off, thinking hard as she wandered out of her cleaned and now neatly arranged bedroom to the even cleaner living room area. She barely noticed it, the smell far too inviting. Her nose led her to her kitchen, the swinging door she'd put in herself blocking her view of the food. Allan probably took her home or something, maybe she was avoiding that nutcase Angela again and rammed into something. 'Getting as bad as Stephen….smells so good.' She thought with a small smile.

She pushed the door open gently with that same smile, expecting her brother to be in there. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she saw that it wasn't Allan, it was Stephen, dressed in one of his light blue shirts and dark, tight fitting jeans. The memories came back to her as she stared at his slender back, the woman in white, the energy ball aimed for Stephen….and the rest just drowned her in the realization that now, her secret was out. Stephen knew Gary was a female.

She made a little yelp in her throat, not loud enough to be heard as she stared at him. His white hair, downy soft to the eyes, looked clean. He still had his black sneakers on and that odd wristwatch of his. He was cooking some bacon on her stove. She started backing off, but banged into the wall beside the door instead. Stephen stopped staring at the frying meat and turned curiously.

She felt like dying when he looked at her, those haunting icy blue eyes taking her in with embarrassment. He didn't even seem to notice that the frying pan went with him, still in his hand and frying in midair for the moment. His other arm was over the flame.

She ran when he yelped in pain, the pan slamming on the stove hard. She just had to lock herself in her room. She didn't want to be seen, to face what he had to say about her deception. He had trusted 'Gary' so much, now he knew 'Gary' was nothing more than a frightened woman. "No wait!" he cried out, bursting out of the kitchen as she reached the couch.

He startled her badly, so much in fact that she tripped on her own feet and hit the couch front first. She tried getting up, but he was faster than she figured and held her down. "No, get off of me! Help!"

He let go then. She blinked a bit, turning her head back to him and felt poorly. He looked hurt, crouching now. He looked like damned hurt puppy. "I wasn't going to do anything to you….I just didn't want you to run from me….," he said, offering that soft smile of his," I'd never hurt you, you're my best friend….whoever you are."

She nodded a bit at him, sitting herself up, then grabbed her stomach. His hands were on her in seconds, checking her. He was shocking her heavily, not even asking questions or leaving her be. He was concerned for her health. She felt better as he pressed his fingers on her stomach, his fingers feeling there almost making her feel like blushing. She pushed it back heavily and let him check. It was making her feel a lot better, to be cared for and not scolded like crazy.

"You shouldn't move a whole lot….not for a while you know. You took a bad hit to the front yesterday. Does it hurt now?" he asked quietly.

"N-no….not now….you just….scared me."

"I scared you?….I think I win in the scare and shock department right now. All I was trying to do was make sure you weren't too badly hurt and I see…ahem….well….you know. I swear, I didn't….I didn't know…of course I didn't know you were a woman, but….honestly. I tried not to touch anything…while I bandaged you up. Well, except that,…ahem….sock, I was….curious. Sorry, making an ass out of myself here, aren't I?"

"Not yet," she said lightly," You have a right to be angry with me. Allan still is, but he wouldn't understand why I created Gary. I had to beg him not to tell his parents….I was so ashamed for lying to you all, but I had to….uck, no one would understand why….but I understand you do have a right to be shocked. I'm…sorry, Stephen."

He smiled a little, patting her knee. "I'm not angry at you, just shocked. By best friend who I thought was a guy is a woman….a…pretty one…too. Um….forget I said that, I'm kind'a nervous about all this….I apologize too, if…well….for finding out without your permission," he replied, then eyed her timidly," What's you name, miss?"

She smiled back softly, her cheeks pinking. "Gaia…. Zokujin, by birth, then Allan's family adopted me."

"Gaia….that's a lovely name. Ah….well…you know I have to ask, and I'm sorry if it bothers you. I'd be bothered if some kid was nosing in my business too, but….why did you dress up like a guy?"

She felt the shame again and turned away a bit. She trusted Stephen, more than he knew, but could she tell him all that, her dreams, her nightmares, her fear? Would he call her insane and stupid….or would he, as she deeply hoped, sympathize, console her as she so dearly needed. She'd kept this all inside, all by her self, for nearly two years.

"Gaia….its ok. Your secret is safe with me….I won't tell a single soul. We're best friends, why would I betray you?" he said plainly, chuckling a bit. She had to smile back at him. He was so easy going sometimes. She envied him in a way, wishing she had a life like his, no bad dreams or fears. Just….innocence.

Then he did something that stunned her. He got on his knees a bit and hugged her close, patting the back of her neck. "Its ok….you can tell me. You know me, the meathead who walks into fights, the guy who hit in garbage bins and alleys to avoid Angela." He said softly, her mind slowly curling into an eased state.

She nodded a bit, staying on the couch. He stood up and held his slim hand out to her. "But over breakfast….you need to eat a good breakfast to help your body heal. And I think. -blush- I just burned the bacon."

Gaia chuckled at that and nodded, standing up as her hand slid easily into his cool fingers, following him to breakfast.

~

"You didn't have to clean my apartment up. You really didn't." she commented as she nibbled her toast. He shrugged, taking in a forkful of eggs.

"I didn't want either of us to trip into a pile of clothes or the coffee table. That and well, sometimes I can't stand a messy room. Mine's a sty sometimes, so I can relate to never having any time to clean up," he commented, nibbling on what bacon he hadn't burnt," If you, like,….had a day all to yourself, I wouldn't want you to have to spend it cleaning the place up. And I'll pay you back for all the stuff I used on your wounds. I kind dropped a few in the bathroom and made a bigger mess. Its clean now, but….well, you probably need most of it."

"Yeah….it's kind of you to offer. Paying for the apartment takes up most of my cash….bills too. Thank you, Stephen," She replied, wiping her mouth," But I guess that's not the only issue here. You want to know why I created Gary."

He nodded a bit, swallowing the last of his bite before wiping his fingers and lips off. "Yeah. I'm not that judgmental about people….but….I don't think it's a sexual thing. I dunno why I feel this way, but, I think you do it….cause you're afraid of something. Just a hunch….but I was worried about you last night."

Gaia pinked a bit, but forced it down. 'He was worried for me? Why….Oh Stephen." She thought, then nodded for him. "You're sharp, meathead. Yeah….I am scared of something, but its….not actually happened, yet."

"Meathead again….huh, hasn't happened yet? What do you mean, Gaia?" he asked, leaning his face in his hands, his elbows propped on the table as he watched her curiously.

Gaia swallowed a bit, trying not to shed tears. She'd never told a single soul about those terrible rape dreams, but he was here and probably wouldn't stop asking until he knew. The concern in his eyes moved her, but still, it was a terrible thing to remember, let alone describe. "I….just….it started two years ago, when I started going to Matzo Ako Senior High School, my college. I was living here too at the time. College was going fine for the first few months, then I started to have these dreams. They were….innocent at first. I thought it was a romantic dream after it came to me a few nights. Then….it changed."

"What was it like before?" he asked quietly, watching intently. She swallowed a bit, rubbing her arms a bit nervously. "It was mystical….I'd see a prince enveloped in mists, calling out to me, then he'd be gone. We'd never touch, he'd just call out my name, begging me to find him. After a few months, he was talked like he was trapped in a daze, then he'd back away into utter blackness. I'd run for him, and the dream would become a horrible nightmare." She said softly, her blue eyes shaking.

"Go on…." He told her, gripping her hand warmly. She looked at it, ease sinking into her skin. "I find myself running in this long dark hallway, or maybe a cavern. The walls bleed as I run, trying to make me slip and fall while this man with lavender eyes chases me through them. The blood feels so warm on my legs, like its trying to crawl up them and taste me….until I reach this dark throne room, endless black. When the nightmares started, there was always a silver light that would appear over the throne, this white-gloved hand sticking out of it. I get all happy and run to it….I reach for the hand as I leap up on the throne. Our fingers meet….and….and…." she explained, then trailed off as she started to shake and tear fled from her blue eyes.

Stephen watched her, looking sad for her, concerned still. "Gaia….what…." he started, but the dream repeated in her head, the violent shove, her dress being flipped up and the manhood of the lavender eyed man sliding wetly inside her backside, the vile feel of the rape. It was so much she finally burst out crying and screaming. "And the man catches me….he catches me….and HE RAPES ME!" she wailed.

She tore her hand from him bawling her eyes out in her slender hands, the horrible nightmare repeating over and over the same horrible violation of her mind. All she could think about was how real it felt, how scared she would always feel when she'd wake up, two years of these terribly dreams and she had no one to turn to.

She went on crying, until she felt warm arms wrap around her, a soft feel of hair on her cheek nuzzling. Stephen was holding her like she was a frightened child, like he believed her. His chair had clinked next to her, leaving him sitting right beside her, holding her so warm and caring.

Her heart nearly wept as he shushed her, stroking her hair to calm her down. It felt pleasant. Stephen never touched Gary this way, even when she had been crying for her fallen friends during the suicides. Never this closes, this warm, this intimate. He smelled so sweet, like a morning breeze and honeysuckle. She felt….safe.

"You don't have to tell me the changes….I heard enough. It must have been horrible to keep to yourself." He told her, hugging her close still. She nodded, crying on his shoulder a little less hysterically. She slowly held onto his waist, feeling secure like this. It felt good to know he felt for her pain, that he believed her.

"I'm so sorry Gaia….you could have told somebody. You could have told me. What about Allan?" he asked, looking at her, yet still close. She shook her tearful face.

"Allan was angry when I dressed up as Gary….he didn't even let me tell him why, and I didn't want to after his reaction. He thought I was doing it for sexual reasons immediately….and he was so angry with me. I decided he wouldn't understand my dreams. He'd of had me committed for 'my own safety.' Allan's a sweet big brother….but he….he's so overprotective and overbearing. I was too ashamed at what I had to do to prevent that man from finding me….but I didn't want that horrible dream to come true, so I made Gary to protect myself."

Stephen nodded, and grabbed a napkin off the table with one deft hand, then wiped her tears away. "Its ok….I'll help out," he said with a gentle smile," I won't tell anybody about it. I believe you, Gaia, no dream just keeps going on for two years….not like that. I feel it….that you had a right to be afraid. Now I know….and I can help you. You don't have to be all alone in this, Gaia, you can always trust me. I'm still stunned at what lengths you went to protect yourself, but now I at least understand why. It's the right thing to do, you know." He told her, those icy blue eyes of his capturing her blues for a moment.

He seemed to notice that, frozen in her gaze. He was so beautiful. He had always been so beautiful to her, but she could never act on it lest blow her cover. But it was blown now, and he was here, holding her, protecting her, offering comfort. She knew she could protect herself, she's gotten a black belt in jujitsu when she was a child, she was great in her gymnastics class, and there was still her disguise.

But somehow, those eyes, they wanted to give so much, and she felt she did too. She had no explanation for it and doubted he understood why he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She felt like she knew those eyes from day one, but could never quite place them in her memories. Or now, just being trapped together in their eyes, their souls frozen in the stare, was hauntingly frightening, and even a bit inviting.

He leaned his head down a bit, still locked with her eyes. She felt herself move too, her lips parting gently as their eyes lidded, and shut with the kiss that she considered with great hope to be breathtaking. Their chairs didn't agree, as no sooner did she feel his lips slide softly close to hers, his warm breath sliding across her mouth, the back legs on hers broke. She wound up kissing his chin and he her nose as they toppled on the floor in a ridiculous heap.

She felt her body going red as he landed on top of her, his hands pinned under her back. The trance they had been under broke when they hit the floor, the frozen gaze in Stephen's eyes fading. His cheeks were going beet red as he realized what was happening. "I….oh gods…I'm…..I'm so sorry….Oh gods, Gaia…I…." He stammered, tugging his hands for freedom. She was as stunned as he was with their behavior, lifting her back bit and a avoiding his eyes as he pulled his hands free. He got up quickly, rubbing his nose.

Then he helped her up, still red. "I don't know what came over me…I….I didn't mean to….I dunno what I was doing. I just….I…." he went on, but at least he was talking. She was too embarrassed to say anything right now. She felt like he did, confused, lost, and utterly embarrassed with her behavior. They'd nearly kissed each other, best friends for so long, and they nearly started kissing in her kitchen. 'And what's worse, I wanted him to kiss me….gods….why is it so hard to tell him?' she thought painfully.

He shook his head a bit, and patted her hand. "I….I'm sorry if I insulted or embarrassed you, Gaia. I don't know what came over me. I…I should go now….yeah," he was saying," I only told my parents I was staying the night….and that show thing today. I should go….before….ah….I do something that will ruin our friendship, that will make you hate me."

She nodded a bit, dazed from the warm feelings. "Yes, we're just in shock, and upset….its perfectly all right. It was just….an awkward moment, yeah." She lied, mentally kicking herself for chickening out. He was still quite red, but managed not to trip as he backed out of the kitchen. She followed in suit, walking normally as he finally turned about and opened her front door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, then….as usual. Uh….here?" he gulped, looking a bit shy suddenly. She nodded. "As Gary though…until my nightmares stop….Gary exists, not Gaia." She said softly. He nodded and walked out quietly. She watched him go, waving to him as the elevator dinged and opened. He gave a wave back, a timid smile on his lips, then he stepped in and was gone. Gaia simply shut her door, locking it tight, then slip down as tears filled her eyes. "I can never be me till then, that's why it hurts so much….because," she sobbed," I've been in love with you since we met."

She stayed on the floor, crying alone as she pounding the floor with her fists and cursed her terrible dreams. She begged silently for her prince to forgive her for straying, but she couldn't help her heart. She was madly in love with Stephen Tsukikage.

~ Elevator ~

Stephen hit the elevator walls with his fists, struggling not to cry out in frustration. "How could I do that to her….I nearly kissed my best friend, gods, I wanted it. I wanted to kiss her. Oh gods, what have I done?! Glamour, forgive me," he begged to the air, looking up with shivering icy blues," I can't be in love with two women, I can't, gods….but….I am. Oh Gaia….I'm so sorry. What have I done?"

He got no answer and just huddled himself in the corner, his hart torn between the women he now held dear in his heart, one his comrade and the other….his best friend. He felt like dirt, his heart throbbing with love and sadness for them both.

- Afternoon -

Angela, Lamont and Ray managed to drag a quite depressed Stephen out of the arcade. Allan had watched Stephen play one video game for five hours, the young man losing in level one each time because he wouldn't move the stick in Space Pirates. Stephen dumped over 100 dollars in quarters in it when he walked in pouting. Without so much as a word, he got coins from the token machine and started playing the game right next to it badly. Allan had tried to pull him away and even ask him what had him so down, but Stephen simply ignored him and played poorly in a sad daze.

He wasn't any better right now, staring blandly as the red macaw quoted lines from old horror movies in the actual actors voices. Angela thought even that would surprise Stephen out of his pill of a mood, but it didn't. He just stared blankly at the bird with Cyrus looking up at the boy in concern. Cyrus informed them that he stayed the night at Gary's, according to listening in on his parents' conversation with him, but he got no more out of him than the others did. Stephen just seemed very lost. He wasn't even shrugging her off. For that matter, it was like nothing existed, like he was in a world of eternal sadness all by himself.

It worried her that his mood was so terrible. It wasn't like after mark and those people had been murdered, this was a total shutdown of emotions. He was like old toast, boring and unchanging.

She looked to the animal show, wondering how they would get the crystal out. There was only one way, a Dark Universe flunky had to appear and take it out, then they'd have to grab it or fight for it. She wished there was another way, but not even Moon's Celestial Beam would do that. All it did was banish evil. The crystals were dormant inside until activated, so they had to wait for little Miss Kitty the idiot to show up.

"And now ladies and gentleman, Dido will hold a conversation with a volunteer. Raise your hands, and you can talk to Dido himself, ask him questions and all you want, free….may we have a volunteer?" the older man with dark black, gray streaked hair. The little girl next to him, with simply shoulder length black hair stood next to him in a nice red outfit, looking quite unhappy. For that matter the bright colored bird look disinterested in the show as well, but did as it was told. The little girl had given Dido most of the commands, not the older man. He'd seemed happier with what the bird's talent brought to them money-wise. The girl looked very unhappy with it.

"Over here, pick him!" Lamont cheered, raising Stephen's limp arm. Stephen seemed to break a moment from whatever he was brooding over and shot Lamont a glare, yanking his arm free, but it was far too late for him. The older man saw it and pointed at him. Stephen grumbled, his mood deteriorating again as many hands pushed him towards the small boxy stage.

The older man looked overly happy, fake of course, and stepped up to Stephen. "And what's you name?"

"Bite me…." Stephen grumbled, not in the mood. Angel started giggling. At least his mood had changed, and the crowd was getting a right good laugh out of it. The elder man maintained his fake smile, grumbling a little himself before stifling it. "Well, ice boy….talk to Dido." The man said and shoved Stephen at the bird.

The little girl was a ways off now, staring painfully at them. She looked so sad now, like Dido was being tortured by being bothered. Stephen even seemed to notice it through his mental funk. The bird had, strangely, perked up a bit at Stephen's presence. Everyone stared as it flew off its perch to nestle on Stephen's shoulder. Stephen eyed it, and it nuzzled his cheek. "Moon boy, hello." It crackled out. Stephen looked a little spooked.

"Let's keep that between us, I'm in public, Dido." He said nervously. 'Odd….how could it associate Stephen with the Moon….unless that little girl's power is telepathy and that's how it talks so good. Gods, I'm brilliant. It's a big scam.' Angela thought proudly smiling in triumph.

"Ok…."the bird said, copying his voice, its bead whitish yellow eyes watching Stephen's deftly.

"Ok, if you're such a good talker, and seem to be a little sneaky bird….prove it. Imitate a voice only I'd know." Stephen challenged.

The bird seemed to think a moment, cocking its cute red and white head to the side. Then it started to speak, only two words," Free me." The voice was one she didn't know, but a man's, a young one. It sounded so cold and strong, but it was making the color drain fully out of Stephen's face.

Stephen was opening his mouth again, whispering something to the bird. She and everyone else leaned in to hear it, but it wasn't loud enough. "Answer is simple….let fate take you where your heart lies. Destiny will come in pleasure and pain….sacrifices will be made to find what you seek, and death will fall between you and the truth. Death is never the end." The bird replied in the same mysterious voice, then nuzzled Stephen's startled cheek again.

Everyone seemed freaked out by its words, even the little girl. The elder man was going back towards them, not looking happy about the show taking a turn for the bizarrely depressing as Stephen plucked the bird off his shoulder, holding it to his chest almost in a protective manner.

Then came the high pitched scream, the little girl was making the sound. All eyes went to it and Angela, Lamont and Ray bolted for an alley when they saw Kitty and her Dark Knights were the source.

~

The dark knights filtered madly for the crowd, their bodies no longer human under the armor, the damage they'd sustained to great to hide it any longer. The dark knights didn't see the three teens run off, they were only concerned with keeping the humans away from the poor child lying on the ground, Kitty standing over her with a dark prism in her ugly hand.

"Ah, at last Kitty gets what she wants….time to cough up the Crystal of Wind for Kitty, little meat sack." She tittered as her dark knights scared most of the audience away, draining those that weren't fast enough. The father was down as well, draining by Dark Moon. As the screams of the dying ceased, the dark knights surrounded Stephen. He couldn't do much more than hold the frantic bird to his chest, watching each weapon of evil point at his body.

His icy eyes held eventually on the small, unconscious girl. 'She thinks…she has it….but its not her….' He thought. He knew when the bird answered his question about the fate of his mission, calling him Moon boy. His pendant was well hidden. The bird couldn't have known any of that, or to even relate the moon with him or such a bizarre answer. To anyone else, the words were mere fairy tales and hearsay, but to him, the Moon Knight it was a frightening prophecy.

He couldn't do anything more to protect it but hold onto it tightly, being sure not moving towards any of the weapons until his friends came back. He'd wanted to ask it about his love life. He'd hoped that maybe Dido could shed some light one what the hell was going on with his puzzled heart, but this wasn't the time. The crystal keeper in his arms was second to last left of the Spectrum Crystal keepers. He had to protect it.

Kitty was growling now, not able to get an opening into the girl's soul. She kicked the little girl and yowled. "Why won't she give Kitty what Kitty wants!? Dammit! Kitty wants indigo!! Oooo.…!" she ranted, throwing a child's temper tantrum on the stage.

As her arms swung about in her rage, the prism glowed when it pointed at Stephen. He wasn't about to tell her that, but her Dark Knights would. "Mistress Kitty….?" Dark Jupiter piped is his horrid voice. Kitty whirled on them, the prism still glowing.

"WHAT?! KITTY IS UPSET!" she yelled. He simply pointed, cringing as her scream made him reel. She looked at her, eyes lighting up with evil glee and understanding. She pranced around tested it near each of the fallen people until she reached Stephen. She flicked her tongue at him fluidly, making his stomach turn. "Hello, pretty Moon boy…," she grinned," Nice funeral for pretty dark boy?"

"He's very much alive, skank. Back off!" he growled. She pouted, then snapped her fingers. His arms were grabbed in seconds, the dark knights trying to pry his hands free from the bird. The prism she held was glowing brighter and brighter the closer it got to the bird. "Oh, bad Moon Knight, hiding Kitty's prize from her. Bad future pet…." She tutted, wagging her finger at him seconds before she slapped him with her normal hand.

He shook it off, another dark knight grabbing his head up with a fistful of hair. She licked along him mouth, making his face screw up in disgust. 'Why do I attract so many weirdoes on top of mysterious women?' he thought sickly, spitting in Kitty's mouth when she tried to kiss him deeply.

She hacked it up, snatching the bird away. "You'll regret that, Moon Boy….Kitty's going to make you her slave. You can't beat the Dark Universe forever….give it up, pretty boy." She giggled, ramming her hand within the bird's chest and soul. Stephen squirmed hard, resorting to biting the arm closest to his mouth hard. Dark Mars yowled and punched him, but it was enough time for Stephen to swing out at Dark Moon and elbow Dark Mercury behind him. He charged forward with a burst of adrenaline, ramming into Kitty as she yanked the crystal free.

They slammed through the shoddy box stage, splintered wood and nails blowing out around them, the bird's writhing and changing form rolling onto the street. Stephen tried getting off of Kitty, but she yanked him back down with her normal hand, the terrible once clutching the crystal. She was not willing to let either of them go, twisting his arm painfully each time he struggled. Stephen growled at her and head-butt her right in the face.

She screeched loudly, nearly making his ears bleed, but she let go for a moment. He quickly grabbed up the closest thing to him, a piece of broken wood with a nail at the end, then slammed it across her face. It made a scar rip through her skin, her small eyes widening with horror. She dropped the crystal to grab at her injured face, screaming like a hurt child. "MY FACE!" He snatched the crystal up and scrambled out, expecting to contend with the dark knights.

He smiled a bit, seeing his allies had finally transformed and showed up "Better late than never," He comment dryly, shoving the crystal in his pocket before grabbing out his pendant," Since this is no big secret to you….Moon Sword! Transform!"

He became Moon Knight in moments, whipping out his blade to join the fray. He didn't care about Kitty now, she was still howling about her stupid face in the hole. The Galaxy Knights were holding their own against their evil twins, Dark Mercury falling easily under Jupiter's power. The stupid creatures seemed to know they were mixing up their abilities to do more damage. The dark knights were trying to do the same thing, so he'd have to help out now.

"They can do it themselves….we've got a bigger problem." Cyrus piped at his feet. He looked down as Mars Knight blew Dark Jupiter apart. He'd sent the dark warrior of lightening apart hail of flame and ash, spilling the dark remains across the ground. "What's that, top cat?" Moon smirked.

Cyrus sniffed wryly and looked above them, to the roof of apartment building. Moon followed his gaze, his eyes widening beneath his mask. Dido had become a dark creature, a mere pet now a murderous Dark Universe fiend, currently holding its owner in its large black beak. He looked more like a muscular griffin man. His feathers were blood red with black tips, armor on his groin, knees, and shoulders. He was gazing down at Moon Knight with those same beady eyes, the same soft, corn silk color.

Moon nodded a bit, and picked the crystal out of his pocket, placing it at Cyrus' paws. The guardian cat looked at him curiously. "Kitty knows my true identity…but she doesn't know theirs. Get those crystals out of my room and hide them. She's been watching me for a while and probably knows where I keep them. Do it now and do it fast, we can't let them have any more of them, understand Cyrus." Moon told the cat.

Cyrus nodded. "Finally acting like a true leader. Take care, Moon Knight." The cat replied, taking the crystal in his mouth before sprinting off. Moon didn't watch him, lest Kitty see it and follow the cat. He simply jogged into the building, running as fast as he could for the elevator.

~

Moon finally came out onto the roof, the evil Dido still waiting there, now with the girl still out cold by the ledge. He just stared at the birdman, which seemed a bit confused about what had happened, but not very happy either.

Moon Knight took his blade out, moving a few steps closer as slowly as possible. It was a mistake, Dido rushing at him, sick red wings appearing no his back as he zoomed right at Moon. The impact never came, arms dragging Moon out of the way, the doorway to the roof taking the deathblow instead.

He knew who it was, his beloved Glamour, but he still felt guilty about what he nearly did with Gaia. He just got back in stance as she came up beside him, her silver sword drawn and ready. "The crystal?" she asked. He replied softly, still feeling terrible. "Its safe, Kitty didn't get this one…but this is just a bird. Its scared….but we have to hurt him to help him….we can't kill it, even to destroy the dark side inside him. Its as innocent as those people those damned dark knights hurt." He replied

"I know….we'll do it your way….for now." Glamour offered, her voice a bit melancholy. He had no time to question her mood. Dido had righted himself and was zooming back at them. "Jump to your left after you attack, the attack again, anyway you can….Celestial Beam!"

"Whatever, Crystal Cutter!" she shouted, her blessed shards sailing towards the bird beast with his energy beam. Dido swerved under and over them, the attacks just sailing away into the distance. Moon leapt to the right, slashing his blade out. Glamour did the same, both clipping the creature's arms.

It howled, and slashed it claw across Moon's chest. It broke the surface a bit, pain shooting in his front as his blood leaked forth gently. It hurt like hell, but he kept slashing his sword out and blocking. Dido kicked him in the gut when Moon stuck its chest with nasty gash. Moon toppled over, his chest aching with fresh pain, his bones and skinned bruised badly from the force.

Dido soared up, then dove at him, his claws and great black beak bared at him. "Crystal Cutter!!" Glamour's voice shouted. Dido had no time to react or even stop. The shards rammed into his exposed front. He went off course and tore his body through the concrete and tar of the room behind Moon Knight.

Moon got up sorely, clutching his injured chest before approaching the heaving and bloody form.

Dido was injured, really bad, the shards poisoning him with blessed energy. It was enough, enough to reach him out of the darkness Kitty had subjected to him. Moon raised his blade painfully. "Celestial….ungh…Healing….L-Light! Encircle.…this lost s-soul!" he cried out, wincing as the beams of light spilled from the blade and into Dido's weakened form. It let out a soft squeak, his form shrinking as the light bathed his body. Then he was a small red macaw again, looking rather stunned and cocking his head left and right. Eventually, he flew to his owner and nuzzled her.

Moon smiled weakly. He was happy he'd saved them, that Kitty had failed, but he had so much to worry about now. He was in love with two women, sure, but….Kitty knew who he was and where he lived. He couldn't go home without risking lives….not until Kitty was dead. He did wonder how many of the citizen of the Dark Universe she had told his secret to.

"Moon Knight…." It was Glamour's voice, soft and curious. He turned a bit, trying to keep the smile in place. "Is something wrong? You're usually….more cheerful, more talkative. Are the injuries that bad?" she asked, looking a bit lost off and on. She seemed to be thinking about something on the side of her questions. She seemed troubled, almost as much as he was.

"It's….my problem. You have enough to worry about always protecting me. You don't need my troubles spilled into your lap….but….thanks for saving my life again. You always seem to be there for me at the right time. Thanks." He offered, wishing he did sound more affectionate and cheerful, but he was too depressed.

"It's my duty to save you. I don't know why, but its what I must do." She said quietly.

"Yeah, well who is going to save you pansies from me!?" Kitty's voice screeched above them. Moon was given no time to react, nor was Glamour, the balls of light that had nearly killed Gaia slamming into the both of them and made their worlds black.

~

Mercury grinned over the fallen remains of their doppelgangers. Their reputations had been saved long before this battle, but now their doubles would never again try and hurt people to try and uselessly tarnish them again. Moon's tactics had worked the last time, and worked yet again. Their doubles were still more stupid animals than humanoids. They didn't use tactics very well or for very long.

Mars and Jupiter stood a ways off, helping the people up that were just now regaining their energy that dark knights had stolen from them earlier. They milled away from the area like drunken teens, no memory of what had happened in their dazed minds. Even the money grubbing father was waking up, calling out for his daughter and moneymaking bird.

Moon was not in sight. He hadn't been since the fight started. The killer birdman thing had flown to the roof of the building, so that was probably where he went, to free the bag of feathers and fleas from evil. It was silly to her, an animal having the soul and body of a Dark Universe warrior reborn inside it. It'd have made more sense for a human to have it, but a damn squawker? It was ridiculous.

"Macey! Dido! Oh you're safe." The father suddenly yelled, the knights' eyes all falling on him as he rushed to the building. The little girl, her bird perched neatly on her shoulder, was stepping out of the doorway, looking a little frightened.

"What's wrong baby? Are you hurt?" he asked.

"No Daddy, but I think the man and the lady are…." She said in a small, cherubic voice. Mercury froze a bit, staring at the child. Jupiter was moving towards them, his hands up as a sign of not being a threat. "Did the man have armor like me?" he asked calmly.

She nodded. "And the lady had a nice black dress on…but….the mean girl in white threw dark balls at them and they fell down. She took them away, I think they're really hurt. They saved Dido and me, you'll save them, right Mister? Miss?" she said pleadingly.

Jupiter nodded a bit, his mouth in a sort of grim frown. "Yeah, we will. Now why don't you people go home. We have to go find our friends…." Jupiter said quietly, turning quickly to hide his paling face. He walked right to Mercury as the family did so, Mars coming along moments later.

They all looked at each other, then the rooftop, frowning deeply. "She kidnapped Glamour and Moon….how the heck are we going to find them?" Jupiter questioned them. Mars was still staring at the rooftop, shaking his head. "Any way we can. Let's get out of here and find Cyrus fast. Who knows how much time they may have."

Mercury nodded. "Probably not a lot. Start running, boys." She said quickly sprinting off, praying they would be in time….before Kitty would get her revenge.

**This is the actual Jadeite from the Sailor Moon series. I don't care what the few Jadeite websites say, but I seriously don't think he's dead. He's still in one piece in that crystal stored someplace. Eternal Sleep sounds like death, but I think it's a living death, not actual death. Jadeite is going to be important towards the end of this series when the characters reach the universe of the Sailor Scouts.

Teaser: Moon and Glamour at Kitty's merciless torments for ruining her beauty, and the final crystal of the spectrum of power revealed. While the knights fight to find their friends, they gain a new set of allies.