Happy Mardi Gras! Let me throw you a New Chapter! And we have another rainbow crystal. I think the pacing is a little off, but I couldn't place my finger on just why. I'm also slogging through these next few chapters because I skipped some crucial points in my first draft, and now have to fill in the holes.
I really want to do a special shout out to all my wonderful commenters and kudos leavers. I would like to leave each and every one of you a personal thanks, but life has been insane, and time just isn't allowing for it. So, this update is for you. (For anyone interested, I had a very lovely vacation and returned home to a sick toddler, a husband with the flu, and my dad returning to the hosptial for pneumonia. I have not had much time for anything because of that.)
Thank you so much emkyrialynch for beat-reading another chapter for me! It's totally cool you took your time. I think I'm still right on time for this next update.
Sailor Moon X by Starling Sinclair
Chapter 24: The End of Fun and Games
February 25, 2020
XXX
Floating on cloud nine, she thought that nothing could ruin her day. Then Crane Machine Joe strolled into Crown, and Usagi groaned.
Crane Machine Joe had been frequenting Crown and various other arcades in the area since Usagi was in high school. The man had a renowned knack with the claw machines. As a teenager, she'd been enamored with his skills. Fancying herself as a bit of a claw machine whiz (still did if she were being honest), she'd hoped to learn from him. However, he was a jerk and refused to teach her. Later, when she started working for Crown, she began to realize that it had to be more than "talent." He always got the rare prizes, and then he'd trade them in at second-hand stores for extra cash, all at the expense of the arcades. A few of the smaller arcades even stocked less rare items to keep them out of Joe's hands. Still, after all these years, she'd never figured out just how he was cheating.
She narrowed her eyes at the baseball cap-wearing, not-quite-thief, as he headed towards the latest Dragonball Super display. At least he was going to be Motoki's problem in the next fifteen minutes when her shift ended. She stomped over to Mamoru, who was playing the Sailor V machine, to distract herself until then.
"Are you trying to beat my high score," she teased, running her hands over his shoulders and down his pecs as she leaned against him. She wasn't trying to distract him, but if she did, she wasn't going to complain.
"No," he said, shivering under her touch, "That would just be an unexpected bonus. Though, it looks like I'm the only one who can give you a run for your money."
He wasn't wrong. She narrowed her eyes at his current score then upped her ante.
"You can keep thinking that," Usagi whispered, carefully grazing her lips against the shell of his ear as she spoke. "But you're ass is about to be handed to you by the Ice Queen."
His hand slowed just as the level boss appeared and sent an ice crystal through the avatar's chest. The little game over music chimed as he cursed. "Damnit!"
"Mamo-chan, language."
"Is your shift over yet?" Mamoru asked with a glint in his eyes. "The only reason I'm not coming after you right now is because you're on the clock."
Usagi smiled slyly.
"Not yet."
"Well, Motoki probably won't notice," Mamoru said, and he stood before moving suggestively at her. She placed a hand on his chest as he encroached.
"As much as I'd love to sneak off with you," she said. "I can't." Her head tilted towards Crane Machine Joe.
"That guy still comes in here?" Mamoru asked.
"Hey, so do you," she teased back at him.
"But I at least have good reasons," he said, looking at her with a soft smile.
As they bantered, the sliding door of the arcade opened again. Usagi stiffened as Zoisite walked in. What the fuck was he doing here? Mamoru, the charming and attentive boyfriend that he was, must have noticed her unease because he looked toward the door.
Zoisite smirked and moved like a hawk closing in on a rabbit. In this scenario, that rabbit was Claw Machine Joe. The General pushed through the crowd of mostly younger patrons who were still enamored with his supposed skills that always surrounded Joe. There wasn't much time. Usagi took her phone out of her pocket and texted "SOS Crown" to the Senshi group text. When she looked up again, she could only watch on as Zoisite pointed a black crystal at Joe. Mamoru moved a half step in front of Usagi in a protective stance.
There was no way the girls were going to make it before Zoisite struck. Glancing around like a trapped animal, Usagi wondered how to slip away to transform. There were so many eyes, including one pair that wasn't going to leave her. Shit.
As if he sensed what was about to happen, Joe turned midgame to face Zoisite. The crowd hushed as a tense moment passed between the two. With a wicked smile, Zoisite lifted his black crystal, and Joe gripped his chest like he was having a heart attack. Screams from the crowd followed as patrons fled. Dark energy consumed the area, and the Red Rainbow Crystal was slowly ripped from Joe's soul. As the crystal left him, the energy around Joe shifted, engulfing him. When it faded, a Great Youma (that vaguely reminded Usagi of a Power Ranger) remained.
"I am Gensen!" the youma cried.
Chaos broke loose as patrons fled the building and energy beams bounced off walls and game machines. Fuck, how much more damage would this youma wreak? Would this make their insurance premiums go even higher? As Gensen rampaged, Usagi's heart broke as he plowed through the first claw machine. That was a brand new machine damn it!
Mamoru grabbed Usagi's arm, dragging her towards the back door and the ally. Her heart sped up. Nothing good ever happened in the ally. The door flew open, and he spun her into the vacant pathway while he stood barring the door.
"Stay here," he instructed. Was he really just fucking ordering her to safety?
"No. I'm not just going to stand by…" she started.
"Usa, please. I need to know you're safe," he continued.
"Are you going back in there?"
His silence was answer enough.
"Like hell," Usagi said, pulling him into the alleyway with her. "I've got a better idea. You wait out here, and I'll help get people out."
"No," he said firmly. "I've got this."
"It's my job!" she said.
"And you already faced one youma protecting them!" he said. "I wasn't there to protect you, and I don't think I could live with myself if you got hurt again."
"And I couldn't bear it if you were hurt either!" Usagi retorted. "Besides…"
She didn't get the chance to blab her identity because Mamoru was kissing her. Panic radiated through his lips, and Deja Vu gave her pause, keeping her secret on the tip of her tongue.
"I love you," he said when he pulled away. Then he shoved her and shut the door behind him.
"Fuck you, Mamoru!" she hollered at the door, kicking it with an "I love you too." Well, she was certainly going to make the best of the situation.
"Moon Prism Power Make-Up!"
XXX
When Sailor Moon came running through the disabled sliding door, which was hanging off its hinges but not totally broken, she saw Gensen battling Tuxedo Kamen. Motoki, who must have been nearly there at the onset of the attack, threw bits of broken machines at the monster, careful not to hit the masked superhero. Glancing around, she didn't see Mamoru and sent a small prayer hoping that he was okay.
Zoisite was also nowhere to be seen. Fuck, Venus was not going to be happy she lost a crystal that was right under her nose, again. But, she couldn't do anything about that. She needed to focus.
The Great Youma blasted a green energy beam from its gun-arm, blasting a hole into Tuxedo Kamen's cape. She needed to focus.
"Hey, Gensen!" She called out. "You can't just barge in here a ruin a perfectly renovated arcade! On behalf of the moon, I will punish you!"
The human-turned-monster aimed its laser beam at her. With an eep and some singed hair, she dodged the blast. It shot a hole through the newly installed safety glass window, though, leaving a neat little hole in the pane. At least there wasn't glass everywhere.
"Moon Tiara Action!" she sent her tiara flying. She wasn't aiming for a killing blow. As annoying as Claw Machine Joe was, she didn't want him dead. However, the monster deflected her attack with ease. More green beams shot her way.
"Damnit," Sailor Moon said, crouching behind a claw machine. With a swish of a cloak, Tuxedo Kamen joined her.
"Together?" he asked. She blinked at this.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I've seen you combine attacks with the other Senshi," he said. "And since they're not here, perhaps I can help?"
Sailor Moon mulled this over. It was true. On her own, she wasn't a particularly powerful fighter, but she was good when she worked with her teammates. But they were Senshi. Would that same trick work with someone who wasn't a Senshi? Motoki cried out, and she realized she didn't have time to overthink it. They had to try.
"Okay," she said. "Follow my lead."
"Moon Tiara Action!"
"Tuxedo la Smoking Bomber!"
Sailor Moon had never seen this attack from the masked man before. A small glowing orb fused to her tiara, and it smashed into Gensen's arm with a power stronger than anything she'd experienced with the girls. Gensen's gun arm blew right off. Shit. She hoped that wasn't permanent.
"Now, Sailor Moon!" Kamen called to her.
She decided she would have to dwell on what this powerful team-up meant later, but for now, she needed to finish saving her arcade.
"Moon Healing Escalation!"
As her healing energy washed over Joe, he returned to normal, arm and all. He screamed, "Refresh!" before collapsing on the ground.
"Oh thank god his arm came back," Sailor Moon said.
"Were you worried it wouldn't?" Kamen asked, eyebrow quirking over his mask.
"I don't totally understand how this all works," Moon explained with a shrug, eyes searching the room. Please, Mamoru, be alright. Tuxedo Kamen moved into her line of sight.
"Are you looking for someone?" he hedged.
"My…" she caught herself before she blurted boyfriend and continued "...friend's boyfriend was here. I promised her I'd make sure he was okay."
Tuxedo Kamen twitched at the word boyfriend, then quickly added, "I made sure everyone got out."
"Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen," Motoki called as he ran up. "Thank you so much for saving my arcade, but, I can take things from here."
Moon narrowed her eyes. There was something in the way that Motoki looked at Tuxedo Kaman that was suspicious as if he were subtly trying to warn the masked hero.
"Is everyone okay?" Moon asked. "Is there anyone hurt?"
"I think everyone's fine now. I've already contacted the police," Motoki explained wedging himself between Moon and Kamen. "We'll take things from here."
Moon chewed her lip. Shit. She didn't have time to dwell on these two behaving weirdly when her boyfriend was probably roaming the alley looking for her.
"Well, if you think you have things under control, I'll be on my way," Moon said as she stepped backward through the broken door.
XXX
The alleyway was empty. Fuck. Had Mamoru come looking for her and found her missing? Had he not returned yet? Was he hurt? What would he think if he had come back here and she had been gone? Fuck, how was going to keep this a secret from him forever?
She looked down the alley and then towards the door, weighing which way she should go. Resolved, she turned to the Employee door and pulled it open. On the other side stood Mamoru and Motoki in a hushed but heated discussion.
"Oh thank god," Usagi said, relieved to see both Mamoru and Motoki. She launched herself at Mamoru, who returned the embrace enthusiastically.
"Usako," he whispered as he kissed the top of her head.
"I was so worried about you," she mumbled into his shirt, nuzzling her nose in his chest. She did not miss the look he and Motoki shared. However, she would have to puzzle out the meaning later.
Feeling relieved that Mamoru was safe, she finally took in the damages at Crown. It could be worse. It had been worse. Some of the Youma-proofing upgrades had been worth the extra expense. Many of the games and windows were intact, though, several claw machines would need to be replaced. Broken toys and prizes were scattered across the floor with bits of Crown. Broken chairs and scuffed new paint. The doors were horribly off their tracks, and there was a window with a giant hole in it. Still, these weren't unreasonable fixes. Though, there was no way the arcade would be able to remain open during repairs.
Usagi looked longingly at her boss. "Oh, Motoki…"
His face was carefully neutral. "We're all okay, and that's the important part. We'll figure out the rest."
They waited with Motoki for the EMS to come, for Joe to be loaded up and sent to the hospital. The Crown manager all but kicked them out afterward while he started the arduous process of calling the insurance company.
As they walked down the street, Usagi's phone beeped. A text from Minako. Are you okay? Is the Youma neutralized?
I'm fine. I'll fill you in later. She texted back.
Good. Meeting at 7pm for details.
"Shit," Usagi groaned.
"Everything alright?"
"The girls are worried about me and they want to meet up for dinner to make sure I'm okay…"
Suddenly, Mamou pulled her to him. "But, I don't want to let you go," he said. They stopped walking, and he pulled her away from the sidewalk so they wouldn't hold up pedestrian traffic.
"Usako," he continued. "I love you."
"I love you too," she said, she said with a soft smile.
He took both of her hands and brought them to his heart. "I want to take us to the next step," he said. Her heart pounded in her chest. She could feel his pounding under her fingertips. "Usako, will you move in with me?"
She blinked with a pleasant surprise. "Well, I guess we are spending every night together," she teased.
"And I want to keep spending every night together."
"Ya know, this almost sounds like a proposal."
"Is it too soon for that?" he asked. Her heart sped up. Was it?
She didn't want to think about the answer, so Usagi kissed him.
