Author's Note: First, I want to thank those who reviewed my first chapter and for those wonderful comments. Anyway, to Purr: I just had to make Usagi so much more older, otherwise Ran might die out before anything happens. Don't want Ran to die. I'll try to improve my writing and keep writing some more. Hopefully I'll have more inspiration, and since it's Golden Week, might as well keep writing.

Rainbow

By: Sailor Moonac

Chapter One: Trouble in Paradise

Ikuko looked at the kitchen clock hanging over the dining table in annoyance as Shingo and Chibi-Usa sat down. Usagi was known to be late for school, dinner, anything from what she knows. Tonight was raining outside so Ikuko was slightly worried about Usagi's location. However, the delay in dinner was due to everyone waiting for Kenji, that way they could all have a nice family dinner the way it should be.

The front door opened a few minutes later announcing someone was home. The clanging of car keys and a call of hello down the hall announced that it was Kenji and not Usagi. This irked Ikuko even more. Not too long after dinner began (with everyone still waiting for Usagi, but eating), the door open again. There were several crashes that indicated Usagi either tripped, slipped, or performed some other bodily damage to herself.

"Mom!" Usagi's voice rung through the halls to the kitchen. "Can you get some towels? I have a guest!"

At this statement, Ikuko found it quite unusual to have friends over unannounced, never the less in a storm. Ikuko got up and went to get some towels, bringing them to the front door. Instead of seeing one of Usagi's friends, she saw a young boy with long dark hair in a small ponytail and downward casting blue-gray eye. He was completely drenched in water and was wearing what could only be described as a Chinese styled black outfit with golden metal buckles. The boy wasn't wearing any shoes and was shivering badly.

'Oh dear.' Ikuko rushed over to the boy and wrapped the towel tightly around him, handing Usagi one in the process. "Usagi, who is this?"

"This," started Usagi wringing her hair dry. She looked up at her mother and smiled broadly. "Is Ran."

"Ran?"

"Yep. He's an or--" Usagi stopped and looked down at Ran. He was averting Ikuko's eyes and was staring at his feet. "A friend I just met. Do you mind if he stays here mom?"

Ikuko looked down at Ran who finally looked up to Usagi, then to Ikuko. "Sure. I mean of course. Dear me, he's completely drenched in rain. Usagi take him to the kitchen and get him something warm to eat. I'll go borrow some of Shingo's clothes. He might just catch a cold, or even hypothermia."

Usagi smiled at Ran after watching her mother's leaving form and ushered Ran into the kitchen.

"Hey dumpling-head, what took you so long? You tripped again? You're supposed to get more graceful as you grow older."

Usagi face swelled up in anger and glared daggers at Shingo. "Oh shut up! And besides, I want you all to meet Ran."

Ran looked uncertainly at Usagi, then at her family. "Uhm..." Uncertain about the people in front of him, he moved closer to Usagi who reached down and embraced him slightly.

"Oh, come on Ran. Here," said Usagi pointing to Shingo. "He's my little brother Shingo. That's Chibi-Usa." Usagi pointed to Chibi-Usa. "And that's my dad. Kenji-papa."

Greetings went towards Ran who didn't respond much. He just clung onto the towel closer. Not too much later, Ikuko came to the kitchen with the new clothing for Ran. Usagi led Ran to the bathroom to change and waited outside the door for him. Finally, Ran emerged in a long white T-shirt and black sweatpants.

"Usagi?"

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

"No..." Ran looked insecurely around and met Usagi's eyes. "I shouldn't stay here."

"Of course not, you...don't have anywhere to go do you?" But before Ran could answer, Usagi smiled some more and kneeled down to his eye level. "You should stay, besides...you look afraid. I'll...I'll protect you."

Ran smiled at her, reassured by that statement. "I don't want to be a burden."

"Well," said Usagi standing up. "You're not! Chibi-Usa is! Now come on! I'm hungry!" Usagi grabbed Ran's hand and pulled him towards the kitchen and towards his new future with the Tsukino family.

Ran was standing in a void of darkness. His breath rattled against the silence as Ran stared out into the empty space. "Where am I?" Ran's voice echoed through the empty silence only to be answered by himself.

"C."

Gasping, Ran turned around and looked to who had called him by his past name.

"C." The voice repeated. "You're supposed to be happy with only me."

Then it clicked in Ran's mind. It was A. "A? Where are you?"

"You were supposed to be happy with only me."

Ran gasped and turned around only to find more darkness. A's voice had rung right in his ear, unlike the previous which came from everywhere. "A? A!"

"How could you be happy without me?"

Ran turned around once again and found himself facing the exact image of himself, as though staring into a mirror. "A!"

"How could you be happy without me?" A repeated, this time with more of a demanding tone. "How can you be happy with her! You can only be happy with me!"

"No--"

"You were supposed to love me best." A advanced closer to Ran. "How could you love her?"

"A, I don't!" But Ran knew that his statement was a lie, and A knew it as well. "A--"

"Ran wake up! Please!"

Ran woke up with a start and stared at the owner of the voice. It was Ikuko, the mother of Usagi. Ran looked around and saw that he was in Usagi's room. Then he remembered yesterday when he had met Usagi and asked to room with her, not trusting nor reassured by her family.

"Ran," began Ikuko. "I was beginning to think that you really did catch hypothermia. But you of course have no temperature." Ikuko walked to the exit of Usagi's room and looked back. "Usagi already left to see her friends. She be back around three o'clock this afternoon. In the meanwhile, Ran please come down to have breakfast, even though it's nearly ten o'clock." Ikuko then left Usagi's room leaving Ran alone.

"I wish Usagi was here."

"So you met him yesterday after shopping?"

"Yep." Usagi looked up at Mamoru as the walked through the botanical garden. "His name is Ran. He's really nice and well...an orphan. I couldn't possibly tell mom though. I don't think he would have liked it. But Ran's really sweet."

"I would definitely like to meet him. As with Ami and the others." Mamoru stopped to admire a nearby flower which was wet from yesterday's rain. "When is the next meeting? You could bring Ran along."

"Well..." Usagi looked over to a family with a young boy walking a few yards from them. "He's quite shy."

"Then you better introduce him slowly to the others. Maybe me meeting him wouldn't be a good idea right now." Mamoru started walking away to the other side of the garden. "I'll go get something for us to drink and eat. It's nearly lunch time after all-" But Mamoru was interrupted with what could be called as a blue and orange blur.

"WHAT THE!" Usagi looked shocked at the young lady who had thrown herself in Mamoru's arm. She was wearing an orange sweater over a peach colored sun dress. Her sky blue hair was tied in a low pigtail and she had unusually icy eyes.

"Uhh...excuse me miss, but can you get off of me? Please?" Mamoru looked down at the young lady with an expression of great confusion and shock.

"Oh, will you please be my boyfriend?"

"Wha--!"

"Excuse me!" shouted Usagi angrily grabbing Mamoru away from her. "But I am his girlfriend and who are you!"

"Right, I guess I should introduce myself to my rival. I'm Fi." With that she turned around and skipped off but not before turning around and shouting, "bye Mamoru, bye Usagi." She smirked sadistically at Mamoru and Usagi's confused expression and disappeared around the corner.

Mamoru and Usagi both exchanged glances at each other. Finally, Mamoru spoke again, breaking the awkward silence by offering to get their lunch, and walked off.

"Just who does that girl think she is!" muttered Usagi to herself. "And right in front of me! Oh, she's up to something." Usagi frowned and looked towards the direction in which Mamoru had went. 'Something's not right. How did she know my name and Mamoru's? The way she smiled...'

As if answering Usagi's curiosity, screams had erupted from the other end of the garden, followed by minature tidal wave. "That's the direction Mamoru went!" Following her Sailor Soldier instincts, Usagi immediately took off towards the oncoming tidal wave with everyone else running opposite her.

"Huh!" Ran gasped and looked out towards the window.

"Is something wrong? Do you not like something, dear?"

"No." Ran shook his head at Ikuko. "No everything is fine, Mrs. Tsukino..." Ran turned his attention back to his food, but looked up again and glared out the window.

'I can sense some kind of powerful enery that is different from a Clover...'

Well that does it. If you didn't or couldn't guess, Fi was Fisheyes. Scary, considering she's a he! I was shocked when I saw the Anime the first time. And I thought Zoicite was bad. Anyway, that means Mamoru is the Dead Circus's next target. Well I doubt I can update anytime soon, so until then. I hope my grammar improved in this chapter. Anyway, please read and review.

-Sailor Moonac