Sailor Moon X by Starling Sinclair

Chapter 4: The House of Fortune

2/12/19

Minako whacked the back of Usagi's legs, a feeble attempt to persuade Usagi's body to focus better but instead just knocked the girl off her feet again. Usagi was not a particularly athletic person. In high school, some of the coaches passed her just so they wouldn't be stuck with her terribleness for another year. (Her poor scores in physical education were not the reason she didn't go to college, but they didn't help.)

Additionally, Usagi was not a morning person, something she tried repeatedly to express to her new comrades, but they did not seem to get it. The three cups of breakfast tea she'd had that morning (in which she added two extra spoonfuls of sugar for the boost) had to kick in with her superhero abilities at some point, right? It would probably happen sometime after mid-morning, when reasonable people were going about their day. That seemed so far away as she lay on her back looking up at the sky.

"Owww," Usagi whined.

"Oh, please, that wasn't so bad," Rei said.

Usagi rubbed her newly scraped elbow. She was ready to admit out loud what her fellow senshi didn't seem to want to say. Usagi was a terrible warrior. Like, really bad. She had no natural talent for this at all.

The day had started with basic workout stuff. Usagi couldn't do a chin-up, had no idea what a plank was, and managed to twist herself into a knot and tumble over doing yoga. (The knot was almost impressive, if Rei hadn't had to untangle the girl.) Combat came next, with some basic self defense - the kind of thing a woman might take on a weekend. Every aspect of it seemed impossible to Usagi. She'd go to kick, and stub her toe then tumble into her sparring partner.

"How did she not die during that youma attack?" Rei whispered to Minako. Minako, who'd seen the fighting spirit in the girl, couldn't quite reconcile that person with the girl in front of her that couldn't seem to walk and talk at the same time.

"I'm starting to wonder that myself," Minako responded.

Usagi was not out of hearing range like they thought and surprisingly wasn't really hurt by the words. She was a terrible warrior, but that didn't mean she couldn't be useful elsewhere.

"I'm really sorry guys, but I think you have the wrong girl. Can't I be like a special Sailor Senshi water girl or something? Cheer you on from the sidelines?" Usagi asked.

"Just focus Usagi," Luna added. "Listen to your instincts."

Yeah. Usagi's instincts were to go back to bed and sleep in and hope this was all some terrible nightmare. Then, she tripped over a small crack in the pavement.

"Ugh," Rei finally yelled. "How are we supposed to save anyone's life if we're too busy keeping your ass from being toasted!"

Usagi lay on the ground, admitting defeat. "You're right," she said. "I'll just try harder."

Rei blinked. That wasn't quite the answer she was expecting.

"When do we get coffee breaks?" Usagi asked. "I could really go for some hot chocolate right now."

"Hot chocolate?" said Rei. "It's like ninety degrees out here."

"Yeah," Usagi said. "I don't drink coffee."

At 11 am they finally let her take a break. Usagi sighed, drinking tons of Pocari Sweat (which she had to get from the vending machine at the bottom of the shrine's massive staircase) to desperately replace lost electrolytes and sugar. She'd failed at nearly all fundamental core training, and she kept checking her phone in hopes that Motoki would text her that she was needed elsewhere.

Of course, when Motoki did text, it was to inform her that the insurance guy wouldn't even be there until tomorrow. Which meant Usagi had no excuse to go somewhere else. Anywhere else beside this never ending failure.

"Now that morning training is over, I thought we could discuss other business," Luna said to Usagi's great relief.

Usagi was lying prone on the cool stone ground near the bamboo garden when Luna brought a strange flyer to the group. It was for the "House of Fortune." A new and completely accurate fortune telling stand that had opened where a nightclub used to be not too far from Crown.

"Oooo, I love having my fortune told," Usagi said.

Rei gave her a death glare. "Fortunes are not something to take lightly. They are rarely good and something that should be heeded."

"Mine had always been good," Usagi grumbled.

"Rei is an expert at fortune telling," Luna informed Usagi. "I did hope to get her opinion on this matter."

"But there are fortune tellers everywhere, Luna, what made you suspect this one?" Minako inquired.

"There is a nearby hospital that has been treating several cases of what initially appeared to be alcohol poisoning," Luna explained.

"Well, it's Roppongi. There's a happening night life," Usagi grumbled from the floor.

"Except," Luna continued, "that the patients were sober, it was the middle of the day, and they had all visited the House of Fortune within the past day."

Usagi wanted to point out that seemed like a stretch. A, How did Luna even get this information, and b, how come it was being recorded that all these people had their fortunes told within twenty four hours. Who even asked those questions?

Yet, this was an opportunity to do something that wasn't physically exhausting. Maybe Usagi could become the group's detective. And it would give her an excuse to skip out on training if she had "investigating" to do.

"Okay," Usagi said. "Let's go get our fortunes read!"

XXX

The actual House of Fortune was underwhelming to say the least. It was on the third story of a retail building that included on the second floor a bookstore and a discount/tax-free pharmacy. Apparently, this place relied on word of mouth because the sign was even difficult to see.

Rei and Minako were hatching some strange reconnaissance plan, discussing the details in rapid fire whispers. That they would sit at the cafe on the corner and watch as people went up and down the stairs. Hoping to see if there was any suspicious activity.

"The only ones being suspicious here are them," Usagi mumbled under her breath.

She checked over her shoulder to see if her fellow senshi were paying attention to her. When she felt that they were not, Usagi started up the stairs. The best way to answers was to go straight to the source.

She nearly tripped halfway up the second story stairs when Luna darted under her feet.

"What are you doing?" Luna hissed.

"I'm going to get my fortune told," Usagi said, stepping over the cat.

"We need to investigate further before we just go in," Luna said.

"Why? If there was just a giant youma behind that door, then I don't think people would be mysteriously appearing at hospitals with symptoms of alcohol poisoning. Or that someone wouldn't have posted on Instagram that there's some crazy monster at the House of Fortune," Usagi reasoned.

Luna growled, but didn't respond.

"Waiting around to see if more people get injured isn't my style," she continued. "Besides, I can take care of myself." Usagi flashed her compact at Luna reminding her that she was indeed a Sailor Senshi. Though, this morning wasn't the most reassuring trial of "taking care of herself."

The door to the House of Fortune was an unexciting as this whole adventure. That was until Usagi went to open it, and it smashed into her. She felt a cold hand grip her arm, a bit too tightly, but keeping her from falling. She rubbed her nose that had been unceremoniously bonked by the opening door.

"Please beg my pardon," the man said. He was ambiguous in age. Maybe he was in his twenties, or possibility thirties, but Usagi was not the best at guessing the age of white men. He was cute though. With short blond hair and green eyes. But even though he was cute, there was something unnerving about him.

"It's okay," Usagi said. "I should have been watching where I was going."

Seeing that the incident was resolved, the man curtly nodded and then headed down the stairs. Luna curled closer to Usagi's legs, as they watched him go.

"He was a odd one," Usagi commented.

"I felt negative energy flowing from him," Luna said. "We should go back and let the other girls know."

"I got this," Usagi replied, whipping out her cell phone. "Weird blond guy. Keep look out. Getting fortune told. Text sent! Really, Luna, why waste all that energy going up and down steps when we have technology!"

And with that, Usagi opened the door.

If this was a Dark Kingdom ploy, it wasn't a very good one. The fortune teller's interior was small. There were a couple of chairs for waiting guests, and a funny smell like patchouli that had gone stale. A beaded curtain sectioned off the waiting room from what Usagi guessed was the reading room. There was also an attempt at decor, something involving far too much dark purple, and weird red curtains, but it really felt half-assed. Fortune tellers were supposed to be all mysterious and bohemian. Not oddly corporate. Usagi was the only one there. Well, there had been a man here just before hand, but it certainly made her question the effectiveness of this plot.

Two checks that this was probably just some crummy fortune teller.

The beads jangled as a woman stepped through. She wore purple flowing robes, like a weird modern kimono, but also, not very well thought through. She was kinda pretty, but her features were sharp. It actually made her feel a little unnerving and harsh. Not the face of someone promising good futures.

"Can I help you?" she asked. At least her voice was soothing. Entrancing even.

"Yeah, I'd like my fortune read," Usagi said. She fiddled with her purse. "How much?"

The woman waved her away. "The first fortune is always free. Follow me," she said and walked back through the beaded curtains.

Free? Now that was suspicious. She checked her phone to see if Minako had responded to her text, but she saw no service. Two checks to possible evil monster. Luna may be onto something. Speaking of Luna, Usagi nodded to the cat, who was hiding behind the sofa, trying to convey with her eyes that she was uneasy. Gulping, Usagi walked through the beaded curtain.

The other side was an equally awkward room mostly void of decorations, except for more red curtains and a circular table with a lavender tablecloth. (Was the Dark Kingdom just really bad at interior design?) The woman was sitting in a high back chair. She gestured for Usagi to sit in the folding chair across from her. Usagi did so as the woman shuffled her tarot cards.

"Tell me, what questions are you looking for answers to?" the woman asked. Her voice was very lulling now, and there was something sleepy about the room in general. It felt sort of like settling down in a cozy hotel room, stale but comforting. But as far as a question? Usagi hadn't really thought much about that part.

"Are you looking for your future? A successful career? Maybe a breakout Idol performance? Or perhaps you are looking for love?" the woman crooned.

"Umm, I don't really know," Usagi said.

"Then it must be love," the woman continued. "All young women such as yourself long for love."

Usagi nodded. It was true after all. "Sounds good to me. Tell me a fortune of my love life."

The woman started humming while placing the cards on the table. The hum wasn't melodious but droning. She lay seven cards on the table, six cards in a circle, one in the center.

Usagi felt her head getting heavy. She blinked several times. The cards seemed like they were glowing vaguely. They lifted off the table, standing straight up. The rocked, moving like a pendulum on a metronome. The first one spun over, spinning round and round on its corner.

"The lovers," the woman said. "You have a deep connection to someone. A soulmate perhaps."

The second card spun over, joining in the first like two wind spinners. Usagi blinked her heavy eyes.

The woman continued. "The Two of Cups. He's recently wandered back into your life…"

Usagi swayed. The third cup joined the rotation.

"The Knight of Cups, interesting. Someone is looking out for you, Not that that matters much," the woman added, a sinister smile spreading across her face.

Usagi didn't realize she was slipping until a sharp pain shot through her ankle, like something bit her. Something did bite her. A cat. She jolted back upright. She blinked, feeling something break.

"What are you doing?" she howled. She intended the question to be for Luna, but it was the fortune teller who responded. It was then Usagi noticed that the cards were pulsating and spinning on their own. Uh-oh. That had to be a Dark Kingdom checkbox.

"Well, I was trying to be quiet about this, but if you're going to put up a fight," the woman said, her features sharpening, her skin changing to a sickly green. "I've been quite bored with just telling fortunes. I've always preferred the hunt."

And Usagi realized that Luna had indeed been onto something. Maybe monsters don't show up on Instagram.

XXX

Sailor Moon crashed from the window. She felt the free fall and thought, this is it. She was going to die at a botched undercover sting as a botched superhero thrown from a third story window. At least, that's what she was sure of until she felt strong arms wrap around her and change her momentum.

A man in a full tuxedo, cape, and top hat, held her at the top of a streetlamp. The creature formerly known as a fortune teller, and who had conveniently told Usagi that her name was Balm (really, Balm? What kind of monster is named after a soothing ointment?) before lunging at her, leaned out the window looking quite blood thirsty and more like the youma she'd hoped she wouldn't find. Both of these images were equally as surreal as the whole endeavor. Who knew being a superhero was so bizarre.

"Are you all right?" the man asked. Sailor Moon looked at him and felt her heart flutter. His identity was concealed by a thin white mask, but really, with a jaw like that, cheekbones to match, and the way he carried her like she was a bag of flour suggesting he must have the strength of the Rock, this man was a total heartthrob.

Maybe there were some perks to being a superhero.

"I am now," she said. The tuxedoed stranger hopped down to the street and gently set her down. She smiled bashfully at him.

"Tuxedo Kamen, what the hell are you doing here?" Sailor Venus asked. The youma roared above them. Usagi, however, was more interested in the fact that she had not been briefed that she might encounter a handsome, damsel-saving other superhero. Minako was holding out on her.

"Ah, Sailor Venus, a pleasure as always. I just happened to be in the neighborhood when I saw this Sailor suited companion of yours falling to her doom," he retorted.

Venus put her hands on her hip. "Well, thanks so much for this unexpected generosity, but we'll take it from here. Sailor Moon, get away from him. He's not our ally."

Not an ally? He surely couldn't be an enemy.

The youma chose this time to jump from the window, crashing into the pavement and leaving a crater. That was going to be a problem later on. (Superhero lesson 102: collateral damage can really rack up.)

"Fire Soul!" Sailor Mars cried out. Pointing her fingers like a gun, she shot flames into the youma.

Tuxedo Kamen also joined the fray, pulling out a cane sword and swiping at the monster. Cane swords shouldn't be sexy, but damn, he was doing a great job at changing that.

"Crescent Beam!" Venus called out, and her beamed actually clipped Tuxedo Kamen. He growled as he exited melee.

The youma, incised, turned its attention to Sailor Moon and charged. Usagi stood there petrified. She hadn't even been the one to attack!

"Sailor Moon!" Mars cried. "Move!"

Tuxedo Kamen plowed into her, knocking her to safety. "Really, you shouldn't make this a habit. I thought damsels in distress were outdated," he teased. They were in quite the provocative position, with him on top of her, faces inches apart. She was going to savor this memory later.

"Thanks again," Sailor Moon whispered. "If you can't tell, I'm really new to this."

"I figured. I hadn't seen you before," he answered. He helped her up, holding her hand a little longer than was necessary. "Sailor Moon, right?"

Usagi nodded. His voice was practically a purr it was so deep and rumbly. She was just putty in his hands.

"All right, Sailor Moon. Show me what you can do," he said. And she wasn't sure if it was just because he was sexy and she wanted to impress him, or because he'd actually just asked politely, but Usagi pulled herself together.

"Moon Tiara Action!" she called, hurling her tiara into the youma, who was grappling with Sailor Mars. The youma seemed shocked as her glowing discus sliced through her. Sailor Mars did too, probably because she thought it was going to slice her in half as well.

But the youma disintegrated, and the threat was over.

"Not bad, Sailor Moon," she felt Tuxedo Kamen whisper into her ear. "Until next time." She looked over her shoulder and he dashed off, a flurry of capes and rose petals. She was definitely smitten.

Sailor Venus grabbed her arm roughly. "Come on. We have a lot to discuss."

XXX

AN: I just wanted to say I really enjoyed writing this chapter. I feel like this is the point where the story picks up. It was so much fun writing Usagi as rushing into danger, which, seems really fitting.

Also, I hear y'all loud and clear! I didn't realize I'd made Rei quite so… antagonistic. Don't worry though, she's going to warm up over the next few chapters, and her loyalty definitely shines through in later chapters.

If you're enjoying this, please comment! Comments definitely make me happy. And feel free to reach out to me on Tumblr.

As always, thanks for reading! (My wonderful husband is super jealous my fic has more alerts than he has on Twitch. It's become my chance at bragging rights in the house.) Super special thanks to Runic and Chelsea for beta-ing. Matt, my prince, as always you are my favorite person to send Sailor Moon memes to in the middle of the night across time zones. And my lovely husband, for letting me sneak off to write while the toddler was sleeping.