Horatio Orde reclined in a chair upon his balcony, staring up at the midnight

sky. The moon revealed itself as a thin sliver against the backdrop of space,

while the stars hung up there in, beckoning to him as a lover might. He did feel

a connection to the moon, always felt calmer while just looking at it, but the

stars remained his first love. Each star he saw was beautiful in its own way - a

myriad spectacle of color and wonder. Those twinkling orbs had held his heart

for many years now; they never ceased to command his wide-eyed wonder at their

sheer beauty. "Look to the stars," he murmured to himself, quoting an old story.

His thoughts drifted along until they refocused upon the radio inside.

"...I see you in a cafe. I try to approach you, then I retreat. Your deep eyes

mesmerize me. I'll tell you how I really feel, this time. I'll tell my true

feelings this time. This letter was from Dreamy Haruna-san in Juban Town."

~What is that?~ he thought. ~Sounds familiar.~

"This program is waiting for your love letters. To all the ladies whose letters

I read, we are giving a flower broach that will bring true love. Then till

tomorrow night. Your host was Jay Deite."

"I've never heard that program before. What happened to the soft jazz?" he asked

himself, suddenly annoyed at the removal of his stargazing music. The mood

broken, he got up and looked inside. An empty room met his eyes.

~Enough of the stars for tonight. I need to find a good cover in this town. My

patents pay the bills, but I'd like something more. Maybe I can teach at the

junior high school.~ he thought hopefully. Several minutes later, the room was

quiet, except for the light sounds of sleep.

--------

Usagi was late again. Today she ran swiftly with a piece of toast between her

teeth. She rounded a corner... and collided into Horatio, knocking the two of

them to the ground.

"I'm so sorry, it's just that I'm late and I was running and..." Usagi began to

apologize rapidly.

Horatio laughed. "You again? Perhaps we shouldn't make a habit of this. Running

into each other, that is." he said as he knelt to pick up her dropped papers.

Gathering them up, he handed the stack to her. "You should be going." he warned

her.

Usagi nodded and dashed off. Horatio shook his head. ~Of all the things to

happen.~ he thought bewilderedly. He continued on his morning walk.

--------

As he neared a bank, the sounds of a gunfight awakened his senses. Quickly, he

slipped into a dark corner to transform.

--------

The bank robber knelt behind a truck, clutching an automatic rifle. Busily

reloading, he heard the reports of his partner's gun holding off the cops across

the street. When someone tapped him on the shoulder, he thought it was his

partner. "I'm almost done."

"Yes, you are almost done." a strange voice told him. When he looked up, all he

saw was the butt of a stick flying towards his head, knocking him unconscious.

His partner somehow heard the noises behind him and whipped around, spraying

bullets all over where the stranger stood. The stranger did not so much as

blink as the multiple bullets struck him. A noticeable clicking sound signaled

the end of his clip. He felt something hit his neck, and knew no more.

--------

Pierce stood over the two unconscious would-be thieves. His hand rose into the

air, signaling to the police officers across the street.

"It's over." he shouted.

One of the officers walked gingerly over to take custody of the two crooks as

Pierce walked off. A bystander stopped him. "Who are you?" she asked.

"It's enough to know that I am here." Pierce replied simply. He disappeared into

the alleyways, glad for the lack of cameras. Once safely away from the eyes of

others, he reverted back into Horatio Orde.

--------

Later, in the café he had been frequenting lately, Horatio sat reading the

newspaper while sipping coffee. A strange sleeping sickness had swept through

the city, the paper reported. He turned to the section containing the radio

listings. Good - jazz at midnight tonight. Perfect for stargazing. A siren broke

him out of his reviere. Suddenly alerted, he stood and strode out purposefully.

In the distance, he could see an ambulance. He ran after it.

~The ambulance has stopped at this school.~ he thought. Taking note of the

people in the second story window, he observes the action taking place. Three

paramedics bore a woman on a stretcher. He approached the scene, willing to

assist in any way possible. Swinging onto the back of the ambulance, he waved

off the medics. "She's my girlfriend." he mentioned by way of explanation.

"Oh." one of them replied hurriedly. "Don't get in the way."

~My, what a tangled web we weave.~ he mused.

The ambulance doors closed, and the vehicle sped off.

"Dammit, this looks like that sleeping sickness that has been going around." one

of the paramedics said.

"Sleeping sickness?" Horatio inquired.

"The victims all get extremely tired, fall asleep, and then don't awaken."

another of the paramedics supplied.

"You could zap 'em with a cattle prod and see no effect." another quipped.

Several minutes later, they arrived at the hospital. The doctor looked her over

and then turned to Horatio.

"I'm sorry, but we haven't found a cure for the sleeping sickness yet." he told

Horatio.

"Nothing?" Horatio replied. "Is there any correlation among the victims?" he

asked.

"Only that they have all been women."

~Odd...~

--------

Usagi, arriving at school, met Naru. "So, have you heard if our class has been

canceled?" she asked. Naru shrugged, indicating that she did not know.

"I bet they found a substitute." her friend replied. The bell rang, prompting

the two to go inside. What she saw made her step back. "Is that the sub?" Naru

whispered. "He looks so handsome."

Usagi quickly walked to her seat, followed by Naru. The substitute stood from

the desk to address the class. "Greetings, class. My name is Horatio Orde - I'm

the sub for Ms. Haruna. Now, I'm going to take roll."

Horatio proceeded to call out the list of students, checking off the few

students who were not in class. One young man was visibly excited. "Can I help

you?" he asked, fishing for a name.

"I can't believe that a legend is teaching our class today!"

"Legend?" Horatio replied, clearly attempting to downplay the young man's

enthusiasm.

"Yes!" Umino said excitedly. "This man is the famous Horatio Orde, the engineer

who designed the underlying technology that our computers run on! May... I shake

your hand, please?"

~Wonderful. Hero worship - something else I don't need.~ he thought, mildly

annoyed. However, the looks of bewilderment and unbelief on the rest of the

students' faces convinced him that they had no clue what Umino was talking

about. ~At least I'm only famous to the true geeks.~

"Of course. I would be honored, Umino." he replied amiably.

Umino rushed up to the desk and shook Horatio's hand quickly. "Thank you, I

can't believe that I'm shaking hands with a legend..."

Horatio smiled slightly. "I'm just a man." he replied softly. "The time will

come when the world will speak of your name with reverence in their voices. That

will be your time - not mine. Now, if you'd sit down..." he said.

~Just a man - how ironic~ he thought. ~If only they knew.~

"Okay, class." he continued after Umino returned to his seat. "Questions or

comments about my famousness aside, I don't know what exactly you were doing in

class, previously. So, today will be self-study. If you have any questions for

me, don't be afraid to ask."

"I think I know who I'm going to write my letter about." Naru whispered to

Usagi.

"Who?" Usagi whispered back.

"The hunk up there behind the desk. Do you think there's a chance for me?" she

replied, dreamy-eyed.

"Horatio?" Usagi replied, puzzled.

"Do you know him?" Naru asked.

"I've run into him a few times, but I don't know him very well."

"Could you introduce me to him, please?" Naru asked.

"Why don't you get Umino to do it." Usagi replied.

"Please?" Naru pleaded.

"Oh, okay." Usagi sighed. She stood and, Naru in tow, approached the desk.

------

Horatio looked up from his book to see Usagi dragging another girl up to the

desk.

~Now what? More hero worship?~ he thought.

"Can I help you, miss?" he asked amiably.

"Hello, Horatio. I'd like to introduce you to my friend Naru." Usagi said

pleasantly. Horatio nodded in Naru's direction.

"Pleased to meet you." Horatio replied.

"Are you married, Mr. Orde?" Naru asked quickly. He was taken aback.

~I hope she doesn't have a crush on me.~

"Not in the traditional sense. If I'm married to anything, it's my work."

~And the stars, but that's a love from afar.~

"Oh." Naru replied.

~She was practically gushing. Not a good sign~

"Is there anything else?" he asked, hoping to cut this conversation short.

"Um, no." Naru replied.

"Then please return to your seats. Perhaps I will see you around the city." he

said, finishing the conversation.

------

Horatio Orde sat upon his balcony. The time was almost right for stargazing. The

skies were clear, the lights were low, and he had just turned on the radio.

"...Good evening. It's time for "Midnight Zero." the radio squaked.

"...the hell?" Horatio mused. "It's supposed to be soft jazz! What is wrong with

this station?"

"The first love letter today is from Naru-chan in Juban Town."

~Naru? I know her...~

"It's very wonderful to believe in fate. And I believe I can see my fate. I love

you, though you don't know it yet. I've loved you since I first saw you - your

strong arms, your wild hair. But your eyes - those draw me the most. What do

they hide? Pain? Suffering? Please tell me, so that I can help staunch the

wounds you are hiding. You think you can hide it - I can see it."

~That's definitely the Naru I saw today.~ he thought. He switched off the radio.

~My mood's ruined for stargazing tonight.~

"I'm sorry - I promise to come another time." he said up to the stars. Then he

closed his balcony door and went to bed.

------

Horatio stepped into the hospital and walked right up to Haruna's room. He

entered the room and sat next to her bed.

"Why are you sleeping, miss?" he said aloud. Noticing the odd flower brooch, he

leaned over to examine it. Then he felt something like a gust of air cross his

cheek, and he knew no more.

------

He found himself floating in a haze. "Where am I?" he asked aloud. He saw Haruna

in the distance.

"Do you love me?" she asked.

"I can't love anyone. I couldn't let anyone else bear my pain." he replied.

"Are you sure?" she asked again.

"Look at me - I can care for people, cherish them, honor them, protect them,

but not love them. It is beyond me."

"You are the only one holding you back. No fate binds you." she replied. Then

Naru appeared next to her.

"Horatio, you can let go of Pierce. He is dead - an artifact no longer needed."

Naru said.

"What did you say?" Horatio asked, incredulous.

"She said that you cannot hold yourself back - you must free yourself from your

demons." Haruna replied.

"She said to let go of 'Pierce'. Neither of you can know that I am Pierce. This

has to be a dream."

"Life is but a dream, Pierce."

"But this dreamer is waking up." Horatio Orde stated forcefully.

------

Horatio awoke and jerked back from the brooch.

~That thing is probably what's keeping her under. Some sort of gas.~ he thought

darkly. Grabbing a nearby tray, he prodded it off Haruna's sleeping form and

ground it under his heel. He walked out of the room. As he left the hospital, he

saw an ambulance pull up. Naru was being carried into the hospital on a

stretcher.

~The radio station.~ he thought as he dashed off.

------

The cool night air refreshed Pierce as he dropped onto the radio station's roof.

Then part of the roof exploded outward, creating a hole.

~I didn't do that...~

He saw that pigtailed girl again, jumping out of the hole and onto the roof. She

was quickly followed by some kind of youma, and a man.

~Great. Three of them. Good thing nobody noticed li'l old me.~ he thought wryly

as he pointed his staff at the youma and fired two energy blasts, knocking the

thing down. The girl finished off the monster. Pierce stepped out of the

shadows. "You have no business here." he intoned as he dove for the man. They

grappled for a few moments, then backed away from each other. Pierce took a shot

at the girl, who just barely dodged out of the way.

"HEY!" she yelled.

"Good-bye, Pierce." the man said as he faded away.

~Excellent, I can deal with this third one myself.~

Pierce raised his staff high, about to smite the enemy before him, when a sharp

pain caused him to gasp. He stepped back and looked at his side, which was

bleeding from a shallow wound. The armor had been torn like tissue paper.

Following the line of attack, he spied the weapon: a red rose.

"Clubbing young girls in the middle of the night is hardly sporting." a new

voice called out to him. "Take him down, Sailor Moon!"

Pierce's eyes flickered to the source of the voice.

~Some nut wandering around in a tuxedo, as if that's enough protection.~

"Moon...Tiara...Action!"

Pierce dodged the spinning projectile and teleported out of there.

------

Back in the safety of his apartment, Horatio examined the wound in his side. It

didn't look serious, although it was quite painful. He decided that the attack

had been intended as a warning shot of sorts. Bandaging the wound expertly, he

then went to get some sleep.

------

Jadeite bowed before his Queen. "My Queen, I have more information on 'Pierce'.

He clearly is acting as a third party."

Beryl gave him a disapproving look. "But you still failed in your attempt to get

energy. We need that energy. However, the information you have provided is

useful. Now go."

------

Usagi lay in her bed, with Luna lying nearby.

"Luna, have you found out anything about Pierce yet?" she asked.

Luna yawned. "No, Usagi. Nothing yet. However, he isn't part of the Dark

Kingdom, if his current actions are indicative of anything."

"I'm still mad at him, Luna."

"You have a right to be."

"But he is kinda cute."

Luna rolled her eyes and went to sleep.

------

Pierce sat in the café he frequented, sipping coffee while perusing a newspaper.

He searched the headlines for any news of Pierce. A shadow fell across him.

Glancing up, he saw Haruna standing across from him. "May I help you?" he asked.

"Please, sit down." She did so but continued to state at him intently. "Is there

something on my face?" he asked. She shook her head.

"No, nothing." she replied. He raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled by her

actions.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"I hear that you are my boyfriend." she stated flatly. Horatio himself was

taken aback; he knew now what this was about.

"How did you come by this information?" he asked carefully.

"The nurses at the hospital mentioned that my boyfriend had come to visit

me several times. When I asked for a description of this 'boyfriend', I knew

exactly who it was: you. I see you often in this café." she told him. Something

clicked in Pierce's mind.

"You try to approach me, then you retreat. My deep eyes mesmerize you." he

quoted. Haruna appeared to him to be caught completely by surprise.

"How..." she stammered.

"A trick memory. I claimed to be your boyfriend to get onto the ambulance with

you. I felt moved to try to help. But I can't be your boyfriend; I have no love

to give. Care and friendship, yes - but not love." he explained softly. A tear

formed in her eye.

"I don't understand..." she told him.

"I can't explain it. I'm sorry." he apologized. With that, he stood and left the

café, leaving one teary-eyed Haruna behind. He almost felt that he was leaving a

piece of his humanity behind as well.

End Chapter 2