Chapter 3: The Golden Hero
The next few days…different for Serena…since she had never had to deal with an older boy in the house before. The first night that Koaru was in the house, Serena went to have a shower only to walk in on him as he got out of the shower. Let's just say that you could have fried an egg on both their faces. The next morning Koaru woke her up early, since her parents wanted her and Sammy to partake in Koaru's morning exercises. Serena made it halfway through the Tai Chi, but collapsed trying a crane stance. Sammy made it to the 4 ½ mile jog, and returned on Koaru's back, exhausted and panting like a dog. Koaru, however, had done 3 miles with Sammy on his back and hadn't even broken a sweat. That same day, Koaru waited for Serena so they could get to school. Serena finally left seven minutes before school started, so Koaru ran with her on his back, and Serena could swear that they went about 60 kph. After arriving with two minutes to spare, Serena introduced Koaru to her friends Amy, Raye, Lita and Mina. All the girls were slightly infatuated with the boy. On the way home that day, Serena dragged Koaru into a clothing department where she bought herself a few new shirts and got Koaru a hair sleeve; a long white piece of cloth that could be used to contain a large amount of hair into a long and neat ponytail. The next day Koaru figured out how to use it, and arrived at school looking…civilized. With his hair tied back out of his eyes, people could see his handsome face, brown eyes, and the girls at the school were now after him like flies on shit (pardon the expression).
"Well, he is your brother now." Mina said as she and Serena walked over to the arcade for an hour of fun. Serena nodded her head, then dropped her jaw as she and Mina entered the arcade. The Dance Dance Revolution game had a line, and the one being challenged was Koaru. He was good, and was currently against Raye, who wasn't doing to bad herself. "Dream A Dream," Mina sighed, "Raye knows the moves this song like I know boys." Serena nodded again, since Mina could tell when a good-looking guy was actually a snob, or a rough looking guy a real sweetheart. Serena walked over to her favorite RPG (role playing game) and started on her saved file. As she entered her password (Sailor Moon) she heard an uproar over at the DDR. She looked to Raye getting off and some red head taking her place against Koaru. Serena let out a low whistle and returned to her game.
An hour and a half later, Koaru, Raye, Serena, Amy and Mina left the arcade and started to Serena's house (slumber party, Lita was to show up later). "So, Koaru…" Raye asked, hanging on Koaru's arm as they walked, "Are you going to join the party tonight?" Koaru shook his head, and kindly detached Raye from his arm. "No, I'll be crashing early. Got a big day tomorrow." Amy looked up in interest. "Oh, you going to the opening of the new Science Center too?" Koaru looked back at Amy and smiled. "Yeah, are you?" Amy nodded her head. Koaru smiled, "Want to go together?" Amy blushed and looked away. "Um…sorry, but I'm already going with someone." Koaru nodded in understanding, then opened the door for the girls.
Inside, Serena took Amy to her room, telling the others to wait in the living room. Koaru walked with them, then got into his room beside Serena's. Inside Serena's room, she looked at Amy with a look of disappointment. "Amy…Koaru just asked you out. Why are you going with that stalker Greg?" Amy blushed and faced Serena. "Greg isn't a stalker-" "He secretly snapped a picture of you eating at a food court, and who knows what he did with that picture." Serena cut in. Then she walked over and put her arm around Amy. "Look, I'm just saying that Koaru would probably be a better choice for you, that's all." Amy nodded, but "Thank you Serena, but I hardly know Koaru, and I promised Greg that I would go with him over a month ago." Serena sighed in defeat, and she and Amy walked downstairs.
"So, what are we going to do?" Lita asked as she and the others prepared to start their party. Serena grinned in an impish way. "How about," she started, "Truth or Dare?" The others nervously glanced at each other, then agreed. "Ok, I'll start." Serena said, then turned to Amy. "Alright Amy, Truth or Dare?" Amy thought a moment, then exhaled, "Truth." Serena's grin got bigger. "Are you in any way attracted to Koaru?"
Koaru was lying on his back in bed, thinking about what to do since he wasn't tired in the least. He then heard the girls downstairs screaming and giggling, so he figured, 'What the hell'. He snuck downstairs and hid in the hall leading into the living room, listening. "Alright Amy, Truth or Dare?" Amy thought a moment, then exhaled, "Truth." Koaru wondered what Serena would ask. "Are you in any way attracted to Koaru?" Koaru felt his breathe catch in his chest, and his pulse quicken. "What the…why am I getting so tense?" he thought as he crouched in the hall.
Amy felt herself turn red as she sat on her sleeping bag, all the others staring at her. "How did I not see this coming?" she thought to herself as she turned steadily redder. She drew in a breath, then stuttered, "Well…he is…um…well…" She drew another breath, "Yes, yes I like him." Serena smiled in triumph.
Koaru sat in the hall, his heart racing, sweat dripping from his face. He tried not to think about what he had just heard, but as he tried, he started to go red. "Christ, what is wrong with me?" he thought as he got to his feet and silently rushed back to his room. He threw himself on his bed and put his hands on his face, trying to calm down. Then he felt something under his lower back. He got up and pulled the covers back, and smiled. It was the only item he owned from his parents, his crystal sword pendant. It was a silver handle with four empty spaces, which he guessed once held small gems, and the blade was a large crystal. It was the only thing that survived the fire, besides him. "How did I survive that blaze? I was only 1, and this crystal was under my mothers body." He sighed, then flopped back down on the bed. He then closed his eyes, thought of how to deal with the info he had heard, then fell asleep.
Serena had just finished her dare (running outside in her underwear while screaming "I'm a slut!" Raye's idea) and sat down, red a tomato and ready to get even when a scream was heard outside. "What the?" Lita said as she got to her feet and ran outside to check. The others sat around nervously, then heard Lita scream "Girls! We got trouble!" They all got to their feet and ran outside to see what the trouble was.
Out in the street was a Yoma, about six feet tall, and attacking a woman carrying a baby in her arms, the stroller on its side a few feet away. "Come on girls!" Serena shouted as she pulled out her pendant. "Moon Prism Power!" Sailor Moon attacked, leaping into the air and kicking at the demons head. The Yoma looked up, caught her foot, and threw her into a tree. "Ouch." Sailor Moon said as she lay across a branch, with a look of pain all over her face. Raye sighed, then pulled out her wand. "Mars Power!" A flash of fire, and Sailor Mars ran forward, stopping about six feet from the Yoma, then called her fire to her hands. "Mars…Fire…Ignite!" A large fireball shot at the demon, striking it dead center, turning the creature into a screaming pillar of fire. "Gotcha, little bugger." Mars said as she relaxed.
The demon shook itself, putting the fire out, then rushing the one responsible for its agony. It grabbed her by the throat, and threw into the same tree as the first one, knocking the first one out of the tree.
Lita and Mina both pulled out their wands, ready to attack, when Amy grabbed them by the shoulder. "Listen, I think that our best chance is to strike in a formation Delta Strike that I told you all about last week." Lita and Mina both remained expressionless, their jaws slightly dropped. The Delta Strike had a ten-minute explanation, which no one except Amy had understood. Amy read the their expressions, then pulled her own wand out. "Alright, we rush in blindly like always." The other two grinned, and held up their wands with Amy. "Venus Power!" "Jupiter Power!" "Mercury Power!" The three rushed the Yoma, each gathering their energy to strike. The Yoma accelerated, just like the last one, and sped past and around them. "What!" "Crap!" How?" were all the three said as the demon's own energy caused it's claw to take the shape of a double headed axe. It swung, the blade directed at their necks, each girl flinched, and never got hit. They opened their eyes, confused, to see the Yoma completely impaled; giant golden spears had burst through the ground and filled the demon like a pincushion. "How?" Sailor Mercury asked as she and the others moved around, watching the demon turn to dust and the spears dissipate. Sailors Moon and Mars had rejoined and were looking for the source of the rescue when a silhouette appeared in the moon light, casting a shadow over the five girls. They all turned to see a warrior standing on the roof of a house, looking quite impressive. The figure leapt down and walked to the Scouts, who all tensed up, ready for round 2.
The figure chuckled, and the Scouts figured it was a guy, judging from the voice. He wore golden colored light armor with a white robe underneath. His helmet was in the shape of a crescent moon, with a blue piece of cloth covering his mouth and forehead, revealing only his eyes. His eyes were not quite normal; they were a dark storm blue with silver pupils. He wore boots like theirs, but his were blue and white, and didn't have high heels (thank God). On his fore arms were golden armlets, and on his hands were gold and white gauntlets. On his back was a large rod with a golden crescent moon blade on the end.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice friendly and calm. The Scouts nodded, still untrusting. He took their look the wrong way, "I…I thought you needed some help, that's all. I hope I didn't offend you." The scouts snapped out of their suspicion, feeling foolish. "No, no no no no no!" Sailor Moon quickly stuttered, raising her hands in front of her. "We aren't offended, just…" "Cautious." Sailor Mars finished for Moon. "Why should we trust you, we have never seen you before, and we don't even know your name." The guy chuckled again, bowing his as he did. "Of course, that's understandable." He looked up at them, "I won't tell you my actual name, but I will tell you who I am." The Scouts nodded in agreement, waiting for the name. The guy looked straight at Sailor Moon, who slightly blushed. "I am the Moon Envoy Guardian, the protector of the Sailor Scouts. My one duty is to protect you all with my life." The Scouts remained silent, then nodded in understanding. The Guardian nodded as well, "Well, I best be off. Take care, and stay out of trouble." With these words, he turned and walked away, soon melting into the light of a street lamp, and vanishing. Sailor Moon exhaled then looked at the others. "We need to have a talk with Luna and Artemis."
