Well here's my midweek update, and yes the pace is stepping up at last! Not in such a good way, but see what you think. Thank you again to my reviewers;

sleepy26- Thanks a lot, I hope this keeps you interested!

Tatshing- Give up? I wouldn't dream of it!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mamoru looked up at the sign announcing "Crown Arcade" in bold bright lettering, inviting in all the happy vapid teenagers to come inside and play and be normal.

The Crown underneath- Mamoru didn't need to take a second glance to think of Serena. To think of the Princess. Mamoru didn't know how to refer to her anymore.

Everything about her seemed to be compacted into a movement, or one word. The beautifully sad face of the Princess, asking him to find her crystal, Usagi stamping off (bunches flying) after he insulted her once again, Sailor Moon in his arms, whispering her thanks for his help. Mamoru shook his head and went inside to find Motoki chatting and laughing with some of the 'regulars' as they had once dubbed them; the perfect example of normality. The girls discussing make-up and flicking their hair back while the guys slouched back and watched dismissively, talking about how much time was being wasted fitting the new Sailor Moon games.

"Hey Mamoru," mouthed Motoki from over their heads. Mamoru tilted his head and waved back, before settling himself down at the counter as usual pulling out a book and going back to reflection. The worst about this was the uncertainty, not knowing where she was. To be fair I don't even know what she is to me he thought. The Princess, she was the one who had been with him the longest; slipping in and out of his dreams since childhood but now more directly. She promised him what he wanted; knowledge, but where was it now? He still wanted to help her even now. Usagi was- she was a little more confusing. Immature; definitely. Annoying; sometimes. But Mamoru still felt a twinge of guilt when she yelled at him, and always waited for her to turn up. And Sailor Moon. She was just too much-

"Hey stranger, how you been?" Motoki was there, interrupting and smiling as usual, carrying a tray of empty glasses.

"Ah pretty much the same since yesterday…." Mamoru replied, forcing himself to be ambiguous. If only you knew. Motoki grinned and went as to get Mamoru's coffee as usual, and came back looking uneasy. He was silent for a while before putting down the cup and saucer;

"You know…you study more now" Mamoru didn't want to get into it; he forced his eyes down to the page;

"Yeah well you know, never too early to get ready for exams" No reply. Mamoru looked and saw Motoki sitting down regarding him, as though taking him in for the first time.

"You'll tell me eventually right?"

"What do you mean-"

"We both know what I mean; there's something going on with you. I mean I don't expect you to say right away…" Mamoru saw the usual grin was gone from Motoki's face. It was as though his nose had dropped off, alien and unnatural.

Someone was screaming. Mamoru turned and saw a pale grey woman standing on the machines, grasping one of the men fitting the new games. His face was going purple, and he was kicking and thrashing with the look of a fish pulled out of the sea. She was looking him dead in the eyes as everyone backed away yelling and jostling to get away from this sight. Rather than skin she seemed to have wiring all over her, and she was gleaming under the electric lights. Suddenly the man began to give off a dull glow, that wasn't a woman standing on the machine Mamoru suddenly realised; that was unmistakably a youma and she was draining him of his energy.

He turned to find Motoki had already run forward to help the man; that well intentioned idiot. Mamoru was straight up after him. The youma laughed, as she saw Motoki coming and extended her free arm to seize him, as the other man began emitting a gurgling sound and began to glow more brightly.

"Motoki!!" Mamoru yelled diving forwards and bringing his best friend to the floor with a thud, the youma's arm barely missing their heads. Pulling Motoki back by the collar he hissed at him;

"Get everyone out, I'll go and get help okay?"

"Mamoru-"

"Just do it!!"

Mamoru trusted that his friend would do as he was told and ran into the back room. Ignoring the phone he slammed the door closed and took a deep breath, ready to transform. He glanced at himself quickly in the mirror before running back out, he needed to be strong.

He quickly threw a rose at the youma's hands and the man (now stopping his struggles) flopped to the floor like a rag doll with immaculately gelled hair. The youma turned her vicious face to him and suddenly Mamoru was filled with all the rage he knew he should have felt the last week or so.

"How dare you come to this place and prey on innocent people!" Mamoru roared, his voice louder than he had thought.

"Tuxedo Kamen, how…unexpected" she replied in a metallic rasping voice, filled with badly disguised sarcasm. She held up her now empty hand, and gradually it was changing shape, into a long knife. Suddenly she was leaping towards him, almost brushing the ceiling. Mamoru moved out of the way just in the nick of time; the knife scratching off the tiled floor where his face had been. He quickly jumped back as the youma pulled itself up.

"Bubbles Spray!!!" That was Sailor Mercury, it must be, and the youma was gone from Mamoru's sight, giving him a chance to retreat from that knife. He didn't turn the opportunity down, moving to where he had estimated the voices had come from he saw the 4 of them there; looking anxiously around. Rei was the one who spotted him. Taking hold of his arm;

"Mamoru, you aren't hurt?"

"No I'm fine, thanks to you" he replied, nodding gratefully at Mercury, who had her glasses on, presumably scanning the youma's energy output. She returned the nod, her face creased in concentration.

"We can take it, we'll have to work, but we can," she said as the mist began to clear. Mamoru realised with relief that Motoki was gone, he must be safe. Rei stepped forwards;

"Why are you here?" she screamed at the youma. Evidently Mamoru wasn't the only one who had been repressing his anger. The youma laughed.

"How could I miss a chance to see the famed Sailor Scouts?"

"Where is she? Where is Sailor Moon?" That was Mako, tall and proud, ready to leap forwards, the electricity almost palpable "What have you done with her?"

"Now, now….. that's not the proper way to begin. What a rude question to ask!" This youma was irritating Mamoru more than he had though possible. Sarcasm and being patronised was not what he wanted. He wanted to kill it, get rid of it, get rid of all of the enemy That's it.

He walked forwards, defending the swipe from the youma's elongated arms with his stick. He jumped, ready to strike it in the face, ready to hurt it, kill it, to do something. He was struck back in mid-air by the now blunted arm, winding him and knocking him to the floor like a ton of bricks.

"FIRE SOUL!" Shouted Rei, but her flames barely glanced off the youma, making it glow in the heated light and laugh more. Mamoru could only watch as each of the Sensei was knocked back in turn; hadn't Mercury said they could take this youma?

Mamoru tried again, as did the other scouts, but it seemed impossible. Each time they attacked, it would glance of the youma or she would simply swat, smack or strike them away like flies. Eventually Mamoru could do nothing but watch, panting, as his mind raced to think of something.

"You won't win, you know that? I am too powerful and without your leader, you are nothing." The youmas voice was low but filled with malice; to Mamoru it seemed the other scouts were filled with the same rage for Sailor Moon.

The next thing Mamoru knew he has been stopped in mid attack, the youma now extending an arm to wrap around his neck. Spluttering, he saw the other Scouts in the same position, apparently the youma was not limited to extending her existing arms.

Mamoru struggled, squirmed and lashed out but it wasn't working; the ever increasing hold on his neck, the grey dim in the room (had that been there before?). The others were screaming but Mamoru could only force out a croak. All he could was hear was his blood pounding in his ears and his vision was one blur of colour. Some one was yelling something, a strong commanding voice. I'm sorry Usagi, please be safe, be waiting for me.

But it was stopping. He had dropped to the floor, the floor was swimming into focus and the grey dim was leaving him. He coughed once more, he was breathing freely. Looking up he saw it. Mamoru didn't want to see it, he must be hallucinating. The words, the last he thought he would hear. Mamoru's heart must have stopped as he realised.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - -

I have updated just so I don't keep you waiting, I'm not sure when my next one will be. Believe me though, Mamoru's life is going to be a lot more…. interesting after that. And not in the good way.