As promised...

Chapter 3

I plodded towards the front door and threw it open. Across from me, the door of our neighbor's apartment flew open at the same time and a girl dressed in a Sailor Venus costume charged out. As she saw me emerge she came to a stop and stared for a moment. I saw her look at what I was wearing, including the Ked sandals still on my feet, and furrow her brow.

"Serena?" She asked uncertainly.

"Uh, yea, that'd be me. That's a nice costume, where did you get yours?" I asked taking in the flawless uniform before me. I saw her eyes dart past me and I looked over my shoulder. Behind me Jupiter was coming through the door.

"Does she know?" The blonde girl addressed Jupiter as she joined us.

"Of course she knows you'll be joining us, Venus. Serena, I'd like to introduce you to our neighbor who will be playing Sailor Venus for us on our outing, Mina Aino." Said Jupiter smiling broadly at Venus.

"Nice to meet you." I said staring at her. "I think we've met before haven't we?"

"Yea, I think so." Venus said smiling at me. "Well we better get going. I hear the park is a good place to start."

"Yes, that's where we need to go." Said Amy appearing from inside the apartment. She turned and locked the front door behind her. "And we better hurry!"

The girls all nodded and the three dashed down the stairs together. "Wait up!" I called as I followed behind them.

As the girls rushed down the streets I struggled to keep up. The sandals I was wearing, although my favorite and very comfortable, kept tripping me up. I'd already fallen twice and I was just starting to contemplate taking them off when I saw the girls hurry across the street and disappear into the trees surrounding the park. "Hey!" I called.

I followed where I had seen them disappear and as I came into sight of them again I noticed they were all standing very still and another girl, dressed as Sailor Mars, had joined them. "You guys could have waited for me you know!" I exclaimed striding toward them.

"Look out!" Cried Jupiter jumping at me and knocking me to the ground.

"What gives! Are you..." I began trying to shove Jupiter off me. Suddenly I heard something fly by over our heads. I looked up to see a very sharp object imbed itself into a tree. "What the hell is that?!" I asked pointing a gloved finger. Jupiter rolled away from me and sprang up.

"Just be careful." She said standing near me. "Try to avoid getting hit by those things ok?"

"Sure." I said uncertainly. I stood up and brushed myself off. As I turned to find out where the strange flying thing had come from I saw Venus leap into action with her Love Chain. It flew through the air and lassoed the weirdest thing I had ever seen.

It appeared to be a giant glass bottle, a beer bottle from the look and color. From its sides protruded arms and from its bottom were two legs. The neck of the bottle had a rather squished looking face. "Hopper!" It exclaimed as Venus' chain wrapped around its body.

"Where did he get that costume?!" I exclaimed loudly.

With a mighty flex it threw off the chain and jumped back a foot. "Hopper!" It said again, in its hands appeared more of the flying objects. Like ninja stars, it began throwing the items at Venus and Mercury. I watched as the girls ducked and threaded through the onslaught. "Quit picking on them!" I cried at the creature. It turned its body toward me and started to launch the objects in my direction. "Aw crap." I said as they headed my way. I started ducking and weaving myself to avoid the objects.

"Do something!" Shouted Jupiter as I dodged. I hesitated a moment and the creature threw another one of the things at me. I put out a hand and I heard the girls gasp in the background and Venus yell "Duck!" as it got nearer.

As it came toward me I snatched at it and stopped the object mid-flight. I looked at the thing in my hand. It resembled a cardboard restaurant coaster, only with sharp edges. I stood there wondering about the 'weapon' for a moment. As I looked up I watched the creature wind up and begin throwing more at me. As the coasters reached me I grabbed them. Every one the monster had thrown I seized from the air like mini flying discs.

The girls were enthralled watching me. They stood mouths agape, hands at their sides, no longer worried that I was being pummeled by coasters. I was getting quite a stack of them when it occurred to me that I could use them. Snatching one out of the air I did a quick spin and sent the coaster flying back at the creature. It caught an oncoming coaster and the two collided with a metallic clang. They fell with a thump to the grass below, embedded in one another.

I started slinging the rest one by one back at the creature. 'Like throwing a Frisbee or discus', I thought. With a mighty ring the first few coasters pelted the monsters large beer bottle belly. As I threw more, a crack formed around its mid section. It gave an aggrieved "Hopper!" and then ran at me. With my ammo gone I had nothing to protect me from a direct collision. I watched in what seemed like slow motion as it charged toward me.

I stood rooted to the spot. Terror flooded me. I knew then that this was no mere person in a costume. Whatever game I thought this was had turned serious. As it bore down on me I closed my eyes thinking that there was nothing I could do. I started to put my arms up in a defensive position, fully sure the next thing I would feel would be the glass bottle ramming me when I was suddenly airborne.

I peeked one eye open and saw the ground below me a good ten or fifteen feet. The arms that surrounded me were strong and sure as we flew into the treetops. I hung on to the mans neck more tightly as we came to rest on a branch high above the fight. From my precarious position it appeared the man wore a tuxedo and cape. Perched atop his head was a black top hat and most of his face remained covered behind a white mask.

I blinked a few times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. He was watching the girls below as they began dealing the final deathblow to the beer bottle creature. "Tuxedo...Mask?" I asked hesitantly. He turned his gaze immediately to my own. The shock and surprise in his piercing blue eyes was evident.

"You know who I am?" He asked in a mellow baritone voice. I looked at him for a moment collecting my thoughts. I knew for sure he was Tuxedo Mask, thanks to the videos I had been watching, but what I was unsure of was the sudden image I had of this same predicament. As if something like this had happened before to me. I was sure I had never seen this man before but again I had the urge that maybe I had. His eyes, the gaze, and especially the way he was holding me sent chills though my body.

"I think so." I said slowly. I gazed openly at his face trying to place the unruly black hair and deep blue eyes.

There was a commotion from below and suddenly the beer bottle creature launched two last coasters into the trees where we stood. Tuxedo Mask ducked out of their way and covered us in his cape for extra insurance. I heard a large crack from above us as if the tree were falling apart. The last thing I remember were the branches crashing down around us.
Hey I rule, I put another chapter out for you people. I hope somebody is reading this. I would hate to think I suck that badly. Ah well, I'll get more out soon I have plenty more to post as soon as I edit. Thanks! Shannon