Act Three: Mars

A beautiful young miko with short but flowing black hair that fell just past her shoulders set meditating in front of the sacred flame of her temple. "It comes," she thought to herself. "Something comes - and it will bring disaster," she said opening her soft amethyst like eyes before starting her chores for the day. As she swept the stone steps of the Shrine she smiled watching two small children run past her. One with light, but pretty brunette hair the other with darker black hair, both wearing it up in pigtails. "Ah, the bus is here," the little brunette yelled out. "Bye-bye Rei-chan," the darker hair child said turning with a wide smile and waving at the miko. "Farewell, Mii-chan, take care," Rei said with a soft smile towards the small child as she looked at the bus her smile fading as she noticed the strange young man with wind swept short blond hair and electric blue eyes who was driving. Red 66. Via Sendai-Zaka. The sign on the bus read the smaller black sign bellow it read M666. "It's six…hm," Rei thought to herself already resolving herself for what she would be doing the next day.

~ Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon ~

"I am sure you have both, heard the rumors about the Demon 6:00 PM bus. Their have been a lot of disappearances taking place near the Hikawa Shrine; and I fear that the Dark Kingdom may be involved," Luna said to me and Luna as we all sat in my kitchenette early Saturday morning. "So, we should go investigate what exactly is going on just incase," Ami-chan asked as Luna nodded her head. "I want to go along with you; it is possible that Jadeite might be their, and after what you told me he said Ami-chan, I want to see if I can observe him for myself," Luna asked. "Good idea," I agreed. "Too bad it is not spring, the sakura trees on the grounds would be beautiful just coming into bloom," I said as Ami-chan nodded saying, "I've never seen them in person but pictures I've seen taken by photographers most likely just don't give it justice." "Hai, that is true," I admitted. "Let's go," Luna said and both myself and Ami-chan agreed as we headed out the door.

"It is so serene," Ami-chan said from my side as we climbed the stairs to the shrine Luna resting in my arms. "Hai," I agreed as the two of us found ourselves at the top of the hill only to see two familiar figures talking to one of the miko's who had short straight black hair, and amethyst like eyes.

"Haruka-san, Michiru-san," I said excitedly to the two, causing them to turn with smiles. "Koneko," "Usagi," the two greeted as one, though Michiru did roll her eyes, she had given up long ago on trying to make Haruka call me by anything other than her nickname for me, and honestly it just didn't embarrass me as it once had. "Hello, Ami," Michiru said to Ami who returned the greeting readjusting her glasses on her nose with a push of the finger. "What brings you two here," Haruka asked. "I wanted to show Ami-chan the sakura trees before they lose their blooms, though I wish I could have brought her during the spring," I said petting Luna who purred happily at how quick I had been coming up with a plausible excuse. "They truly are beautiful during that time of year," the miko said walking up to me. "My name is Hino Rei, it is nice to meet you," she said introducing herself. "It is nice to meet you as well Rei-san. This is my friend Mizuno Ami-chan, and I am Tsukino Usagi," I said returning the gesture, as Ami-chan softly added, "nice to meet you," Rei with a soft tender smile saying the same.

Speaking with Rei-san myself and Ami-chan learned that she had lost her mother, though her father was a politician for the Democratic Liberal Party in Japan, and when I told her about my own parents it was a bonding point for us. Despite being a miko she attended T.A. Girls Academy a Christian school, this had been arranged by Rei's father, hoping to draw Rei-chan away from the life of a shrine maiden, though one of her dreams was to be a better miko, something myself, Ami and Haruka-san and Michiru-san admired her for. Rei-chan lived here at the Hikawa Shrine on Sendai Hill with her grandfather, who Rei admitted to us while good-hearted was a bit found of girls around our age. "It can be a bit much at times, but he doesn't mean anything by it," she said a tenderness behind her eyes that showed how much she cared for her grandfather, which made my heart feel warm, as I had the same bond but with my friends, who were like my family such as Naru-chan who I had known since I myself was a small child, though I now considered Ami-chan, Rei-chan and even Haruka-san and Michiru-san apart of my own personal family as well though I did not have the courage to say such a thing to any of them.

As it neared six o' clock, myself and Ami became worried when we learned that Haruka-san and Michiru-san were taking the bus we wanted to investigate home, while Rei herself was going to use it to get to a nearby market place, to pick up some groceries for her personal refrigerator; though I felt she was just as concerned about the disappearances as myself, Ami and Luna were. "We should head down the stairs if we wish to catch the bus on time," Rei-chan said and I shared a look with Ami-chan who nodded as we silently followed after her, Luna was very still in my arms and I realized she was worried about this as well, but the feline was looking at Rei oddly as if trying to figure something out about her. ["Michiru," I said taking her hand into my own. "I know, we will do what is necessary to protect them Haruka," she said as my eyes hardened with a steel like determination. Even if we had to reveal ourselves to koneko and her friends as senshi, we would fulfill our duty as guardians and watch over them.]

"Hm. Usagi-chan, does Haruka-san looked worried to you," Ami-chan asked me glancing over her shoulder at the silent pair who were following after myself, Luna, Ami and Rei. "Hai, a bit, hm. I wonder why," I thought out loud as Ami-chan shrugged her shoulders both of us to concerned about the six o' clock bus to put much more thought into the matter. There was some luck with us though it would seem, besides ourselves and the driver their was only one other passenger on the bus, wearing a trench coat and hat that hid all of his features, leaned against the window asleep. "I guess people have started to hear the rumors about this bus," Ami-chan whispered near enough to my ear that Haruka-san, Michiru-san and Rei-chan could not here her as I nodded my head in agreement, as I glanced at the driver, a woman with dark black eyes and matching hair and pale almost translucent skin, their was something off about her and looking at Luna in my arms and Ami at my side I could tell they felt the same way.

"Everyone take your seats please," the driver asked of us, with a predatory smile as we all did as she asked. Myself, Ami-chan and Luna near the front. Rei-chan in the middle and Haruka-san and Michiru-san towards the back and the other lone apparently asleep passenger. The bus started moving forward and as soon as it reached an intersection were two roads met like a cross a dark vortex of energy began swirling around the bus sending currents of dark energy throughout the vehicle, and though it was painful, I was surprised to find that when we reached the other side and were in a black void of apparent nothingness that none of those present were unconscious. "Well there is a first time for everything my dearest Yuma," the man who we had thought had been sleeping sat up taking off his hat revealing his short blond hair, and electric blue eyes. "Ah, Mizuno-san, we meet again," Jadeite said with a bow. "Forgive me master Jadeite," the Yuma said taking its true and hideous form. "No need," Jadeite said pulling his blade. "Onegai, stop this," Rei-chan pleaded standing to her feet as I quickly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You can not reason with them Rei-chan, let us take care of this," I said letting Luna shoot underneath the seats of the bus while sharing a significant look with Ami who nodded in agreement to my unasked question. "Moon Prism Power," "Mercury Power," "Make-up," the two of us said yelling the last phrase as one transforming into the soldiers of the Moon and Mercury. "Sailor senshi in a sailor fuku," the two of us said as one. "Guardian of Love and Justice, I am Sailor Moon," I said as Ami-chan added, "guardian of Water and Knowledge, I am Sailor Mercury," "In the name of the moon, we shall punish you," the two of us said as I faced the Yuma and Ami kept her eyes on Jadeite. "Well now this is interesting, to bad this time I am prepared for you ladies," Jadeite said raising his blade in a surprising show of respect to us.

"But were you ready for us Jadeite," Michiru-san asked nodding to Haruka-san who with resolve clear in her eyes revealed just like Michiru had a bracelet similar to the one Ami-chan wore though it was gold and not silver in color and had a charm representing Neptune on it, while Haruka's charm represented Uranus. "Neptune Planet Power," "Uranus Planet Power," "Make-up," the two said as one transforming into the two mysterious senshi who had helped Ami-chan, so much. "Guided by a new era, I am the senshi of the wind, Sailor Uranus, acting magnificently," "Likewise, I am the senshi of the sea, Sailor Neptune, acting gracefully," first Haruka-san then Michiru-san added Haruka's attention turned towards Jadeite, while Michiru's was turned towards the Yuma. "Come then," Jadeite said breaking out of the window of the bus with Uranus and Neptune right behind him. "Die," the Yuma said with a scream trying to strike Rei-chan in the confusion but I didn't allow it as I dived at the monster the two of us crashing through a window. "Usagi-chan," both Ami and Rei said though it was only Ami who could follow after me while Rei knuckles white from how tightly closed she had her hands wished she could do something, anything to help us.

~ Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon ~

"You can aid them, Rei-chan," Luna said coming out from underneath the seats of the bus causing me to hold a hand over my heart that Usagi's cat could talk. "Forgive me," the feline said and in a flash of silver light a young woman about my age with cat like ears and a tail was now standing before me. "I am the advisor and trainer of the senshi, Luna. If you want to help Usagi-chan and Ami-chan, then please take this," Luna said and with another flash of light she was holding a silver bracelet that had a charm representing the planet Mars upon it. Being a miko I knew that Luna was not lying to me and within my heart I felt the words needed to become a senshi. "Mars Power, Make-up," I yelled out as I found myself wearing a fuku very similar to Ami's, though mine was red and white, and a ruby rested in the golden broach in my red bow, that matched the larger bow on my back. "Luna," I said in a questioning manner. "Usagi-chan and Ami-chan, they will need your aid more than the Outers'," and I guessed that these Outers' were Haruka-san and Michiru-san, so I nodded my head and rushed towards the direction of where I could feel Usagi's and Ami's energy.

~ Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon ~

Ami's, Shabon Spray attack had slowed the Yuma did, but the creature seemed to rely more on, smell and sound than sight in order to find us to attack. "Fire Soul," Rei's familiar voice cried out making the creature scream out in pain as Ami's attack started to clear. "Now Usagi-chan," Rei said to me and I nodded quickly grabbing my tiara. "Moon Tiara Action," I yelled out reducing the Yuma to nothing more than dust. "You should go see if Uranus and Neptune need your aid," Luna said silently slipping up behind us. "Let's go," I said to Ami and Rei who with a nod rushed after me towards Uranus and Neptune's battle with Jadeite, the lone Shitennou we could see as we neared their battle was actually able to hold his own, though the portal out of this strange void and back into the world had just been ripped open by Uranus and Neptune's combined attack, that the commander of the Far East, as Jadeite had called himself was just able to avoid though his uniform was torn on his left bicep which was bleeding.

"The guardians of the Outer Sol System, you truly live up to the legends spoken of you two," Jadeite said raising his blade with his right hand in sign of respect. "As do you commander of the Far East, one of the legendary Shitennou," Michiru-san answered as myself and the other girls stayed out of the fight somehow feeling this was a very personal matter between the three. "Never lower your guard, Miss Moon," Jadeite said with a sadistic smile as he dropped his blade and pulled a matching dagger in the blink of an eye from inside his uniform hurling it at me with a speed I could not dodge, nor could anyone intercept, though in a flash of red the dagger was laying on the ground pinned by a single red rose. "To use an underhanded attack on such a fair madden, how can you call yourself a man, let alone one of the Shitennou," a figure, this one very much masculine said, wearing a classic black tuxedo with a matching cap, that was red on the inside, with a matching top hat and a white domino mask covered his eyes.

"What - who are you," Jadeite said. "I am Tuxedo Kamen," the masked man said with a tip of his hat. "Never, take your eyes off your enemy. Fire Soul," Rei-chan said her voice holding as much heat and passion as the flames that struck the Shitennou causing him to scream out in pain as the attack began to rise around him, though the sacred flames seemed to cause the darkness, in Jadeite's eyes to leave him as he looked towards Rei. "Alexa," he whispered before being completely engulfed by the red and golden flames, and Rei wiped a single tear from her eyes as she walked over to where the Shitennou had once stood, shifting through the ashes until her gloved hand emerged holding a stone of what I realized was jadeite. "Jadeite is free Mars, take comfort in that fact," Tuxedo Kamen said and with a nod of his head he was gone as I watched him go, I held a hand to my heart, which felt so very warm. "Come on koneko, we should help all of these people out of the void before the portal closes," Haruka-san told me placing a hand on my shoulder. "Hai," I softly whispered walking after her.

"Rei," Ami asked walking over to the silent miko only for Michiru to place hand on her shoulder and softly shake her head. "I'll be ok, it…it's just, I feel as if I once knew him," I managed to hear Rei whisper though in the end it was Luna taking a gloved hand into her own that snapped Rei-chan out of her inner thoughts and allowed her to help the rest of us get all of those captured by either Jadeite or his Yuma and return them to their homes in Tokyo. "I think it best if we all speak about today," Michiru-san said after we had made sure everyone was safely on their way. "Your right," Luna agreed for myself Ami, and Rei who suggested her room up at the temple seeing as how it would be the closest and we all agreed with the idea. "Luna, before you ask, we can not join you," Michiru-san said taking a seat next to Haruka. "Why though," I asked as Haruka-san smiled.

"Usagi, yourself, Ami-chan, Rei-chan, and the fourth guardian yet to be found make up the Royal Court. Sworn to protect the crowned princess of the moon," Haruka san said and Michiru added, "myself and Haruka. In the time known as the Silver Millennium were the guardians of the Outer Sol System. It was our duty to protect the Moon Kingdom as a whole from threats to it from outside the our galaxy." "So you were like an advanced guard then, does that mean you never had a chance to visit the actual moon kingdom," Ami-chan asked. "We would visit once a year, Queen Serenity insisted upon it, and the princess," Haruka said not finishing the thought though it was clear that they had cared for her as much as we as her guard must have. "We could at the least form an alliance," Rei-chan suggested. "It is clear that in the end, it will be our duty to guard the princess, but you will protect her, in order to protect the kingdom she represents," and Michiru actually laughed as she nodded her head.

"You make a fair point, an alliance then…for her, for our princess," Michiru-san said holding out her hand and I held out my hand in return, as if in some unspoken agreement between myself, Ami-chan and Rei-chan I was considered the leader of the group of senshi that Michiru-san had called the Royal Court. "Can you tell us what you remember of the Moon Kingdom," Luna decided to ask. "It is most likely little more than you yourself remember Luna, but we can share that much with you," Michiru-san said with a soft smile as for the rest of the day we spent talking about what we could remember of our past lives, which as it turned out was little more than Luna herself had known but we did learn that the Shitennou had served someone, that neither Haruka-san or Michiru-san could remember who was just as important to them as the princess was to us. "The name Jadeite used before he was destroyed, did you recognize it," Rei-chan asked. "Iie, sorry but we do not," Michiru answered though I noticed she didn't quite meet Rei's eyes when she answered making me thoughtful, did they know something, something that we just perhaps not ready to know . . . .

Author's Note

And so ends Act 3 of my story. Once again I thank all of those who left reviews of my story, I am always happy to see how others feel about my work, as either positive or critical I believe it makes me a better writer with each act I write. Take care one and all.

Until next we meet,

I humbly remain a . . . .

KuRSeofTime