Sorry for taking so long to update. No excuses that are any good. Just bad me. 'I've been doing more reading than writing of late…

On My Own?

.-----------------Chapter 2-----------------

"What if they don't want me?" She fidgeted with her fingers uncomfortably.

"Usagi, they need you. You are Sailor Moon, their leader."

"But what if they don't want me as their leader?" She gestured with her purse in her hand. "They don't even know me. They won't want an outsider to lead them."

"You are not an outsider, Usagi. Artemis found each of them one by one. We're just the last to join them." For a moment Usagi was thoughtfully quiet.

"After all this time reading about them from afar, they seem so intimidating." She grasped her purse to her chest. "Will I live up to their expectations? Will they welcome me? Do they even know about me?" She could just see it now, 'Hi, I'm Sailor Moon!' 'Sailor Who?'

Luna felt bad for the young girl with so little confidence in herself. She wanted Usagi to feel self assure, to know that she belonged. She had been alone for so long…

"It will be strange. Am I supposed to walk up to them and announce 'I'm here'? And how do I find them, to start with?" This thought caused Usagi to pause walking, and Luna hastened to halt before she collided with her feet. "Luna?"

"I'll have to use the computer to do a search of the city for senshi powers. I should be able to detect it if one of them uses an attack." However, that's assuming that it will happen while I'm searching.

"It will be odd," she reflected, "to have help fighting the Dark Kingdom. Other than you, of course."

"Of course."

"But I think I'll feel better knowing that I'm not solely responsible for an entire city anymore…" Her face broke out into a radiant grin, "and most of all, I'm glad to be back home," she threw her arms out to the sides, "in Tokyo. No more being lonely, living by ourselves. Back in my own bed in my own room. At home!"

"Usagi, if we don't hurry, the grocery store will close before we get there. The others won't be happy if you come home empty handed."

"Oh no!" she looked at her watch, "we better hurry." They began running down the sidewalk, the shopping list flapping in the wind as Usagi pumped her arms. "Grrrr. Why can't Taisetsu get the food? He's in charge of cooking, and he's got the car."

AN/ my brother just doesn't want to pay for it. according to him, his money is his money, while my money is our money… ¬-⌐ my other brother, the nice one, doesn't drive. he had a small accident once and is now too scared to drive. '

Passers-by stopped to stare as a girl with long blonde streamers for hair tore down the street, followed closely by a black cat. An elderly couple turned to give each other funny looks and, shaking their heads, resumed walking.

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As Usagi ran, the wind gusted and the list slipped from her fingers, forcing her to chase after it down the street then an alley. She bent down to fetch it several times, each time only to lose it with another gust of wind. Finally she caught up to it when it got stuck on the edge of a garbage can.

"Usagi! You must be more careful." Shouted her feline companion as she trotted up to her ankles.

The blonde was turning her head to reply when a movement at the corner of her vision caught her attention. Turning her head quickly she caught sight of an outfit no self respecting Tokyo citizen would be seen wearing, outside of a costume party.

"Surely it can't be…" But it was.

A female clothed in purple flower-printed bellbottoms and a black and white striped peasant shirt was lingering down the far end of the alley. As Usagi watched, the female smiled a slow, sinister smile at her then jumped far too high into the air to be a mere human.

"Usagi, it's a youma!"

"I'm glad," she turned to her companion, "I'd hate to think a real woman could have such poor taste." Luna frowned as the girl gave her a quirky smile, jerking her head to indicate she should pursue.

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A cheerful young blonde girl was walking her usual path to the Crown Arcade when her subconscious mind told her she'd just seen a senshi. Sure enough, taking three steps back and looking down an alleyway, she saw what she at first mistook for Sailor Mercury. Only Mercury wore light blue bows, while this creature wore bright red. And this creature was trailed by long blonde streamers not unlike her own. Could it be?

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The quiet beeping caught the Bluenette's attention and she marked her page before closing the book. Reaching seemingly into thin air, she withdrew what appeared to be a pink calculator.

"Is something wrong Minako?" She asked when her friend's image appeared on the screen sans fuku.

"That depends," she smiled. "You wouldn't happen to be running down an alley near the Crown in your fuku and a wig, would you?"

The Bluenette gave her friend a strange look, one eyebrow rising while the other lowered, as said friend quickly darted a glance over her own shoulder down the alley.

"Minako-chan-"

"Never mind," she interrupted urgently. "Listen, we have trouble. I saw something weird and I think it might be a youma. I'm heading in the direction it took off. I need you to stay ready in case it is a youma and I need backup." She followed with instructions on her location and heading.

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"Omph," came from the tacky clad youma, as it was on the receiving end of a Flying Kick. "Who are you!"

The girl didn't answer, but continued to avoid all attacks thrown her way.

"Answer me!" It screamed in fury. "Who are you!"

"No one of any consequence," responded the fuku clad girl as she charged her tiara and loosed it.

Minako turned the corner and skidded to a halt, shocked at the ongoing battle she was witnessing. As she watched, the girl she had seen earlier was taking on a youma single-handedly! This girl was jumping and dodging all the youma had to give; and was doing so with finesse!

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At a posh two story home:

-Beep Beep-

Ami put down her book a second time and quickly answered the communicator's call.

At a cosy middle class apartment in Juuban district of Tokyo:

-Beep Beep-

-Beep Beep-

A tall brunette closed the oven door, swiped the sweat from her forehead and wiped her messy hands on a towel before reaching across the kitchen table for her communicator.

At Hikawa Jinja Shinto Shrine, located at the intersection of several major streets:

-Beep Beep-

-Beep Beep-

-Beep Beep-

A Raven haired Priestess disgustedly sighed, gave up her concentration before the fire and reached into her own sub-space pocket to halt the offending noise.

At a prestigious hospital of Tokyo, several med students were conducting a discussion group:

-Beep Beep-

-Beep Beep-

The tall man with black hair and deep blue eyes we had met earlier shifted uncomfortably as several of his fellow students turned to give him dirty looks for the disturbance.

-Beep Beep-

-Beep Beep-

"Oi, Mamoru-kun, shut off your cell phone," whispered his neighbour. Mamoru had the grace to look sheepish.

-Beep Beep-

-Beep Beep-

After several more glares, as well as a few cleared throats, Mamoru managed to pack up his things and slip out of the room.

-Beep Beep-

-Beep Beep-

"Hai?" He responded, running a hand through his hair.

Upon answering the all-call signal, each of the four received the same recorded message:

"You guys need to be down here." The face winced as a scream sounded in the background. "Something weird is going on and," another scream. "I may have found a new senshi but," a flash of light and then all was silent. "That's just not possible…"

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Ami and the Priestess arrived first. The brunette chef needed to settle things in the kitchen first, to avoid burning down the building in her absence. Mamoru was across town, and would take nearly fifteen minutes to traverse the city traffic on his motorcycle.

Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars tore into the alleyway to see nothing but Sailor Venus standing stunned, alone.

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Jokes:

Usagi: "Luna, have I ever told you how glad I am that you don't need a little box?"

Luna: blushes

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Disclaimer:

Please, don't even think about suing me. All I have is the bit of money my parents send to me to take care of my brothers and sister and I. Do you know how embarrassing it is to have to make frantic calls to your parents, begging for money to pay the bills? For a while there I had -$103 in the bank. Yes, that is a negative sign before the amount. AND I got service charges from the bank for being overdrawn. It's not my fault the city taxes are set for direct debit; they took out more money than I had…

P.S.This disclaimer was written before my parents moved back home, but I still thought it amusing.