A/N

Are you paying attention?

I hope so because I only want to have to say this once.

You don't have to read my author notes, god know I don't always read others when I'm on a fanfic. Not going to lie, sometimes I really like writing the author's note even when it's not necessary because it's my best way of communicating with my readers. So sometimes I'm just writing about ultimately pointless things that I wanted to share with you guys, and sometimes I'm giving further information or answering your questions.

So, real quick I'll write out a couple of facts concerning this fic, and hopefully it will clear a couple things up for those of you that didn't read the previous author notes.

Rabbit of the Moon is a hellish combination of the original Sailor Moon anime & Crystal

The timeline is absolutely fucked, so I'm going with what I can live writing.

The original Usagi, who I refer to as Serenity, no longer exists. For lack of a better term to describe her end, I'd say she was absorbed into our protagonist. Serenity is very much gone, and she will not be returning… probably.

Yes, this is going to be a darker take on Sailor Moon, and if that upsets anyone I apologize for not putting it in the summary, will fix immediately.

TL:DR I don't PM people to answer or explain something, I always use author notes so whether or not you read them is up to you guys. (I probably wouldn't read them either, to be fair)

With that said, on to the story!

Disclaimer: Sailor moon belongs to our lord and savior, Naoko Takeuchi.


Mamoru P.O.V.

She had sad eyes.

It hadn't been any of his business and after all, what was a stranger, a random girl in the park, to him? He wanted to say that she'd been nothing special, no one really, but that wasn't quite true, was it? Mamoru might not have been the best with memories, but even now weeks later he could remember feeling it, the moment she had stepped foot into the park. The compulsion to look up from his book had been unavoidable, and when he had done so his gaze had landed right onto her.

But she never looked directly at him.

There had been something… despairing, about her as she scanned the park, overlooking him not once but twice. He remembered thinking it was strange, how she had somehow caught his attention and yet he remained unseen by her. Then again, stranger things had happened and so he'd dismissed the thought, had decided to return to his book. That had been the moment she shifted, as though to leave, and something inside him froze, screaming that this was all wrong.

She couldn't leave before they had met.

He'd just wanted to talk to her, find out what it was about her that felt so familiar to him, but she hadn't been paying attention, had turned into him as he'd been about to bump into her and the force had been too hard. She'd fallen, and it had sort of been his fault. Mamoru had tried to make up for it, and now, in the present as he watched her walk off the bus he began to think that perhaps that had been his mistake. Usagi was none of his business, he should have left it alone; it was hard though, especially when her heart appeared as heavy as his own.

She had sad eyes, eyes that understood loss but that wasn't all; there was a quality of… sorrow about the entirety of her. Mamoru could tell, just by looking at her that not all was right in the world of Usagi and he could understand if only that had been the end of it. She avoided him though, avoided him like the plague and he couldn't understand why, because they were clearly kindred spirits. Confronting her had done the opposite of help, and she had quietly lasted out. To a degree he could also understand this, and he wouldn't force his presence upon her after having made herself clear.

Still, it bothered him that someone so obviously world weary like himself would run.

He could see it; in the way she moved, spoke and carried herself.

Usagi was the girl with sad eyes, and she was alone.


Main P.O.V.

Like most good things, the weekend dwindled away far too quickly.

In the blink of an eye, I found myself surrounded by the flurry of activity that often haunted Mondays. Finals had been posted, and I tried not to let the fact that I was among the class average hurt my ego; yeah, I was a college girl, but I was working with a language barrier here. Circumstances aside, the thought of my upcoming vacation looming just around the corner was enough to sate me. With so much time on my hands, there were a million things I wanted to do; but first, I really needed to find a job, and it would probably have to be under the table work.

Hopefully, someone in this city was cool with hiring a fourteen year old.

"-do you think?"

I blinked, tuning back in as Yumiko snapped her fingers in front of me.

"Sorry," My legs crossed as I leaned forward in my desk. "What did you say?"

She sighed and brushed a lock of hair behind her shoulder. As easy as it was to zone out during class, it was even easier to do so when any of Serenity's friends started chatting. My mind was filled to the brim with information these days, filtering out pointless things was the only thing keeping me sane so this was a regular occurrence between us. Yumiko, bless her heart, was kind enough to indulge me, even if I didn't necessarily care about the same things she enjoyed.

"I asked if you were coming with us today." She began, "That new boutique that opened up a couple months ago is having another sale and after that we were going to check out Naru's place, they're having a sale too. It's going to be a stellar day for shopping, and I definitely need a new swimsuit."

"I have tutoring today," The lie came easily and without thought. "My parents aren't going to let me out of it any time soon. Have fun though."

"Your loss.." She shrugged, turning forward to grab the stack of papers being passed back. They were the results of an old English test recently graded, and Yumiko shuffled through them for a second before finding hers. I received the stack from her and dug out my own before handing the stack to the person behind me. I glanced at the red seventy three once then peered over Yumiko's shoulder to compare our results. Her paper adorned an eighty in the same red pen, and she appeared pleased with the grade.

"Tutoring, huh?" Yumiko voiced, checking my own paper. "Whoever has the patience to deal with you must be quite a saint."

"Thanks." I shoved the paper into my schoolbag. "That really warms my heart."

"Just calling it as I see it." She grinned.

Fair enough.

For a Monday, the school day turned out to be pretty laid back. In some classes we reviewed a couple things, but mostly it was lectures and graded tests or papers being returned to us. Any student that had failed a test or two would be given the chance to take a makeup test on Wednesday, but those who failed a second time would be attending summer school along with the rest of the flunkies. I suspected that was why no one had bothered to give us homework today, so those students had a fighting chance.

Well, that and the fact that our teachers were likely saving it all up for the unholy tradition of summer homework.

Not once in my life had I ever had homework during summer vacation, and now that it was nearly upon me I could no longer withhold judgement on the Japanese school system; yes, it was far superior to the average American education, but giving students homework during their vacation?

It was an abomination.

The outrageous concept continued to plague me as the school day ended and I scurried away from the learning institution, careful to keep out of Naru's line of sight. I was still taking the long way back to the Tsukino residence, and since I had business to take care of today and it couldn't be done in my school uniform, I returned to the house earlier than usual. I was stepping out of my shoes when Ikuko popped out of thin air, startling me as she said. "Oh, you're home early Usagi-chan."

"Ah, yeah." Eye contact for more than a few seconds was difficult for me when it came to her, but I did my best to keep it as I moved over to the stairs. "I just wanted to change real quick, I'll be heading out again."

"Alright…" She eyed curiously. "Well, I set your allowance on your bed for you. Did you want a snack before you go?"

"No thanks, I'm meeting up with some friends and we're going to go eat." Lying to Ikuko was different, somehow. My heartbeat always quickened, and there would be a moment where I waited to see whether she saw through the lie or not; either way, she never called me out on it.

Ikuko nodded her head in understanding, and I headed up the stairs.

Serenity's room would never be a comforting place for me, but that was okay; I wasn't looking for comfort. Circumstance had made me a thief, I had taken this body and I would use whatever else this place had to offer in these desperate times. There were a lot of things of Serenity's that I would never wear, but I didn't throw them out. Instead, I shoved them to the far edges of the closet and on top of shelves. Serenity had a lot of clothes, and from the selection I'd made myself a small section of wearable items in the center of her closet.

In my search, I had found a pair of high wasted black slacks with the tag still on them. Professional, interview worthy slacks that Serenity must have disliked, from the way she'd buried them under a pile of clothes. They had creases from sitting folded for an unforeseen amount of time, but once I had them on you could hardly tell. I threw on a white blouse, tucking it into the waste of my pants and proceeded to sneak back out of the house before I ran into Ikuko again. I wore my school shoes since they were the nicest ones Serenity had that didn't sport higher heels.

I traveled along the outer parts of the Azabu-Juuban district, where I had a better chance of not running into anyone unsavory. There were plenty of places around hiring for part time and seasonal positions, so it should have been relatively easy to find someone willing to hire me; I was young, enthusiastic to work, more than willing to learn and I had open availability.

I was the perfect candidate for employment, and yet everyone I went to turned me away.

Hours passed, and my feet began to hurt as I went from store to store with no results. It was an endless stream of we're looking for someone a bit older, or I need someone with a bit more experience, or the work is demanding and you simply don't seem like the right fit. Apologetic denials and vague wishes of good luck. It didn't matter how much I smiled, or how confident I presented myself, no one wanted to hire me and they didn't seem to like the thought of paying me under the table.

I wanted to shout in their faces that yes I did have experience, I had bused tables, waitressed, and had been a barista. I had the same amount of working experience as any other employee in their shops, and unlike them I would work like a dog because this was something I needed. I couldn't say any of it though, and I couldn't provide proof of former employment so saying that I had prior work experience would have them thinking I was a compulsive liar or something.

The sun had begun to set when I finally gave up for the day. I sat down on an empty bench, head in my hands and mentally beating back the wave of emotion threatening to overtake me. I told myself to calm down, because there was no use in upsetting myself and it wasn't the end of the world; tomorrow I would go back out and widen my search, target owners that were more likely to have a soft spot and make up some kind of sob story that would hopefully guilt them into hiring me.

It wasn't that big of a deal, I would get through this.

"Usagi-chan?" A male voiced called, pulling me out of my thoughts. I lifted my head to see Matsuo standing only a few feet away; he was in casual clothes for once, carrying a plastic bag in each hand and watching me curiously. There was a hint of concern in his expression, perhaps from the bland smile I had plastered on, and he observed me for a second before coming over and sitting down on bench beside me. "…Rough day?"

"Job hunting." I turned to face him, though my gaze didn't quite meet his. My fingertips ran along the outer seam of my slacks, mentally counting each stitch as I added, "Apparently, no one wants to hire a flaky girl like me to work for them under the table."

"Ah," Matsuo hummed sympathetically. "Your school doesn't allow you to work, huh? Mine used to be the same way, before I transferred."

I said nothing, not wanting to confirm or deny it; for all I knew, it was entirely feasible that my school didn't allow part time jobs so it wasn't exactly a lie. For a moment the two of us were silent, then Matsuo shifted, tilting his head down to catch my gaze, lips curving into a smile.

"You know, I might know a place willing to hire for some off the books work."

"Really?" My tone was cautiously optimistic as I eyed him, and he laughed.

"Sure." Matsuo grinned. "Even a flaky girl would be welcome, as long as she worked hard."

"I am." My hands went to his shoulders, and I began shaking him playfully. "I will be the hardest worker you have ever seen in your life. Cross my heart, scouts honor, and all that other stuff."

He better not be lying, because I knew a thing or two about aikido, and I told him as much.

"I believe you," He chuckled. "now quit your shaking so we can go."

Right now?

I grinned, rejuvenated and hopped off the bench, dragging Matsuo along with me.

It really wasn't the end of the world.


It was a god damn cosplay café.

On the outside, The Fabler's café appeared perfectly normal; it was only once you stepped foot into the place that the world transformed around you. Blue, shimmery cloth was draped over every table and hung along every window as curtains. Beige netting had been artfully pinned on the walls, adorning sea shells, starfish, and pearls. On each table there was a small vase, filled halfway with sand and holding a candle. The hanging overhead lights had been decorated to look like jellyfish, glowing beautifully above us.

I was breathless at the sight of it all, until I spotted the waitresses.

Floor length skirts with a mermaid cut and pattern made up the bottom half of their uniforms. Rather than the sea shell bra one might have expected, they wore cropped halter tops, made of sheer fabric and decorated with a plethora of shells. The skirts went high, up to the belly button so despite the extravagance of the outfits they did happen to cover more than any Halloween costume I'd ever worn. The three waitresses on duty all sported different colors, and they each had a different accessory in their hair; a shell tiara, a braid littered with pearls, etc.

For their part, all three of them appeared to be unhindered by the costumes as they worked.

Matsuo waved to one of the girls as he herded me through the café into the back. We went past the kitchen and into an office, and it was there that I was introduced to the owner of the café, a man by the name of Harumi. It took him all of three seconds to get up from his seat and begin to circle me, without a single word about employment even mentioned yet. I gave Matsuo an accusing glance, feeling a deep sense of betrayal; I was desperate, yeah, but he could have informed me in advance instead of just throwing me into the lion's den.

I tried not to squirm under Harumi's assessing gaze.

There was no delicate way to put this, so I was just going to say it; Harumi was the most unforgettable man I would ever meet. He was tall, with red hair and a makeup job that would put me and every other girl in the vicinity to shame. The work pants he wore were normal, but the white dress shirt on him seemed to be missing its sleeves. A quarter of the buttons were undone from the collar down, leaving a trail of skin to the properly buttoned vest over it.

Suddenly, Harumi stopped in front of me and set a hand under my chin, tilting my face this way and that.

"Well," He cooed. "aren't you a looker? Is your hair color natural? Such a pretty shade, oh, and what lovely skin."

"Uh, thanks." I stepped back, out of his grasp and slightly away from reach.

Harumi turned to Matsuo delightedly. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around, good job bringing her to me. Where on earth did you find a gem like that, and tell me you have more."

"Usagi-chan just started at the dojo." Matsuo explained. "We bumped into each other today, and she told me how she was having trouble finding a job, what with her school not allowing that sort of thing."

"The dojo, really?" Harumi huffed, arms crossed and shaking his head. "Figures. Hajime gets all the good ones, lucky idiot. Doesn't even know what to do with all the raw potential."

This piqued my interest.

"You know Hajime-sensei?" I couldn't picture the two of them in the same room, being so different from one another; then again, friendship could be found in the strangest of people. Harumi looked at me and giggled, as though I had said something funny. I turned to Matsuo for an explanation, and he was kind enough to take pity on me.

"Hajime-sensei is Harumi's brother." He said. "That's how I found out about this place, through Hajime-sensei."

"Ah." That was… unexpected. I set those thoughts aside, as they didn't matter much in the grand scheme of things; Harumi could be related to Hitler for all I cared. It was a job and I was in no position to refuse. "So, do I have a job?"

"Have you ever waitressed before?" There was a glint of amusement in Harumi's gaze.

"No." I straightened. "I'll learn how to though. I'm free during summer break, afterward I can work weekends and after school. Whenever you need me to come in."

"Oh?" He leaned in, eyes hooded and smirking wickedly. I found myself momentarily distracted, admiring the green eyeshadow and black eyeliner that made the gold of his eyes pop. I couldn't help but think he had to be the prettiest guy I had ever seen, and I might have been a little envious of his talent; I could probably take a hose to his face and he'd still have that allure. Harumi scrutinized me for longer than what was socially acceptable before finally exiting out of my personal space. "I like you. Come back on Wednesday and plan on being here a while; I'll make a schedule and take your measurements. Sundays are normally when we do fittings and whatnot, but I'll make an exception for you."

"Fittings?"

"Here at The Fabler's we do a different theme every month; last month it was A Knight's Legend, and this month it's The Siren's Call." Harumi answered. "Fittings and decorations take time to make and prepare, they're much more work than you would think. Now, you want the job don't you?"

My heart lifted.

"Of course." I said quickly. "Would it be okay to take a menu home with me?"

I would memorize it until my eyes bled, until I could recite every item on the list. A cosplay café wasn't ideal, but it was a stepping stone and money was money; the odds were rarely in my favor, and I likely wouldn't get another chance like this. Harumi turned to the desk behind him and shuffled through the papers before pulling out a menu.

"Here you go, sugar." He handed it to me and made a waving motion with his hands. "Now shoo you two, I have a business to run."

We made ourselves scarce, leaving the Café and its siren waitresses behind. The sky had already darkened to night, and the atmosphere was serene as the two of us walked along one of the lesser populated streets. I had a silly grin on my face, still giddy from success. I could have kissed Matsuo for helping me get a job; it had been an incredibly kind thing to do for someone he barely knew. I thanked him profusely, and for a while we chatted about random things before he offered to walk me home.

"Thanks, but it's fine." I declined. "I live pretty far from here, and it'd be more trouble than its worth for you to walk me all the way there and then head home yourself."

"Are you sure?" He asked, brows furrowed in concern.

"Yeah." I winked. "I'm a big kid, I can make it home on my own."

"Well, you do know the wrist lock."

"That's right, I'm an aikido prodigy in the making."

Matsuo laughed. "Keep telling yourself that."

He wished me a safe trip home, and we parted ways.

Sleep was restless for me that night, exhaustion warring with my excitement at having gotten a job. When morning came there was pep in my step, and for the first time in forever I really felt alive; the future was just the slightest bit brighter. A job gave me funds, but more than that it gave me a sense of security; it wasn't connected to Serenity or Sailor Moon, it was purely my own. Maybe that's why I got along so well with Matsuo, there was no need to pretend to be Serenity, no looming threat of being dragged into a role I had no intention of playing.

I was just Usagi to him.

Maybe I wasn't too thrilled with the concept of cosplaying at work, but who's to say I won't eventually grow to like it? As long as the customers kept their hands to themselves, I thought I could learn to love The Fabler's. My mind continued to wander back to the enchantment of the café during the walk to school. It wasn't until I entered the classroom that I sensed something was off. The overall aura of the class was downcast as the students whispered about themselves, and I caught a couple people glancing my way more than once.

I slowed to a stop at my desk, setting my bag down and observing my classmates. It was then that one of them approached me, a boy with glasses that I had only spoken with once or twice. The words were out of my mouth before he had a chance to speak. "What's going on?"

"You haven't heard?" He asked incredulously. "I'd thought someone would have told you by now, I was coming over to see if you were okay…"

A pit began to form in my stomach.

"Haven't heard what?" I spoke slowly, almost afraid to ask.

"There was a break-in at Naru-san's jewelry store…" He said. "They're saying it was pretty bad, and that she's in the hospital. I thought since the rest of your friends didn't come in you wouldn't either… Usagi-san, there are rumors going around, that someone died."

All sound began to fade as I stood there, soaking the information in.

"Excuse me." I said and walked away.

No one stopped me as I walked out of the classroom, and then the school, leaving it all behind.

My feet moved, guiding by memories that weren't my own.


Naru held the appearance of a ghost as I snuck into her hospital room.

She was far too pale, and alarmingly thin; her red hair, once perky and bright, now appeared straw-like, somehow managing to look sickly against the plain white pillow she laid on. Looking at her, the phrase one foot in the grave entered my mind, echoing over and over again. Naru was still in her hospital bed, dark circles around her closed lids and all skin and bones as an IV pumped nutrients and fluids into her system. Sleeping was not the appropriate word here, it was too peaceful sounding and there was not a single thing about her that could be considered at peace.

Naru was in a coma, and no one knew when or if she was going to wake up.

The doctors probably thought she had an eating disorder, from the looks of her. I wouldn't have been surprised if they thought the shock of the so called break-in had simply been too much for her, and she'd collapsed. There were no witnesses to say otherwise, no one except me that had an idea of what actually happened that night. Maybe I hadn't been there but I remembered well enough; this wasn't the work of an illness or a robber, it wasn't nearly so mundane. Her life force had been drained, by one of those supernatural… things.

The same things looking for the Silver Crystal.

Mamoru was looking for it as well though, he must have been the one to save her because Sailor Moon hadn't been around to. I lingered on that thought for a moment, but it became lost in the storm my mind was becoming.

Luna hadn't come.

She hadn't come for me, and I never ran into her because I hadn't been taking Serenity's school route. I'd have known this was going to happen if I hadn't been so busy off in my own world. I would have seen the signs… but then what?

Would I have had the courage to take action?

At the end of the day, would realizing have changed anything?

Over and over I had told myself that I didn't have what it took to be Sailor Moon. I wanted to say that had I realized the danger, I would have done everything in my power to help Naru. Deep down, I knew it wasn't likely; fear is a powerful thing, and fear that strong isn't something I've ever experienced before. I haven't ever had to risk my life, so I honestly didn't know how I'd react if it was threatened. As I watched the near lifeless form of Naru, it felt as though there was a lump forming in my throat. I swallowed it, shoved away the pit in my stomach, and left.

This was the decision I had made and I didn't get to be upset over it.

Naru had been hurt, but her exposure to the dark kingdom had been minimum compared to her mother, who was unstable as well and now completely gray. If she lost her mother, it would be partially because of me so I wasn't allowed to be apologetic and regretful; I didn't get to feel sorry for myself.

These were the consequences of my actions.

I didn't go back to school until Wednesday, where I found out from Yumiko that all the girls that had gone to Naru's shop hadn't felt too well. They'd all stayed home the next day, and had learned about the break-in on the news like everyone else. No one had died, contrary to the rumors and it was the only relief to be found. It was one thing to know that people would get hurt and might die because of me, and another to actually witness it happening. What did you do when lives were on the line and you were too scared to take action?

What did you do when a gun was pointed at your face?

I didn't want to die.

It was a sick, twisted nightmare; dying, losing everyone I loved and getting a second chance at life only for it to be filled with monsters and the ever present threat of death. I was bitter, resentful, and it was beginning to dawn on me that this wasn't much of a life, or a second chance. It was a prison sentence, and either I would die fighting evil or I'd live knowing that people were dying and I wasn't doing a damn thing about it. There was no winning here, nothing to be gained and nothing worth the psychological damage I was collecting. It was like a kick to the stomach, leaving me without air.

If those were my only outcomes, if there was no silver lining or light at the end of the tunnel, then what did it matter how I acted?

The answer was that it didn't.

I stopped playing the role of Serenity after that.

Like the flip of a switch, everything changed for me; I didn't tiptoe around anyone, didn't lie to get out of doing things with Serenity's friends. Summer came, and I began working at The Fabler's, waiting tables and being myself; blunt, and honest even when the truth wasn't kind. I went to aikido with Matsuo and learned to better defend myself under the watchful gaze of Hajime-sensei, who always seemed unhappy when I entered the sparring floor.

I saved every cent I made, and whatever allowance was left over after aikido.

I wanted to see every inch of this country, the place I would either die or lose my mind in. As soon as I had enough money I was getting on a train out of Tokyo, and I was going to live. I wanted to explore other parts of Japan, see everything it had to offer; I wanted to go to festivals, kiss strangers, and play out in the rain. I wanted to have that stomach wrenching laughter, the kind that had you on the ground and tears running down your face. This world had royally screwed me, and come hell or high water I was going to live every day I had to its fullest potential.

I was going to have one last laugh, one last kiss, one last moment of absolute freedom before the universe did me in.

My change didn't go unnoticed, and even though I didn't care there was a small, quiet part of me that whispered caution; I was dancing on an edge, could feel myself slipping ever so closer. As the weeks passed and more people began to be hospitalized due to fatigue, something in me grew colder and colder. Summer ended, school began and Naru didn't wake. It was on the second week of school that things took a turn, though whether it was for better or worse I couldn't say.

It had been a normal morning; I'd gotten up at the right time, dressed and made it to school just like any other day. The class was more excitable than usual, but I'd been more interested in daydreaming than actually paying attention. When the bell rang and our homeroom teacher arrived, the atmosphere suddenly changed. The excitement was there, and so was some curiosity but neither of those were what broke me from my idleness. I could only describe it as a sort of heaviness; for the briefest of seconds the air was weighed and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

Then it was gone.

"Class," Our sensei began, "We have two new transfer students joining us as of today, be sure to welcome them." Her voice grew quieter as she added, "Why don't you two introduce yourselves?"

I didn't want to look up, but there had never really been a choice. At the front of the room stood two girls wearing the school uniform; one with long blonde hair and the other with a blue pixie cut. The blonde stepping forward, and with a confident smile she introduced herself to the class. The words were muted though, unable to register in my mind as she finished and the girl beside her began.

I dropped my eyes, fear creeping up my spine.

I knew it was coming eventually, but I'd put it out of my mind, unwilling to spend any more time stressing about things out of my control. Now though I could no longer ignore it.

Venus and Mercury were here.


A/N

For some reason, this chapter was difficult to write.

You can only beat your head against a wall for so long before the words start coming. Anyway, progress is afoot and I know I said we wouldn't hit the beginning of canon for a little while more but here we are.

Thoughts? Questions?

Please Review!