Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Second Story

AN: An iconic scene from the Infinity Arc of the Manga, rehashed and reimagined.

Stepping into places that no one has been save one.

Tokyo, Summer, Present Day.

Mid-morning sunlight filtered through the tree over her head as Chiba – formerly Tsukino - Usagi opened her eyes. Her head was pounding and she could not remember how she had found herself under a tree. She had been going to the store and had spent the morning doing laundry.

"What happened?" She muttered bringing a hand up to rub her forehead. Her skin was almost painfully hot to the touch. She was lying on her back on a park bench. She could not remember how she had gotten there. There was no blood on her head and she clearly was not hurt.

A distinct feeling of panic set in her stomach. She remembered waking up like this – in strange places – after losing complete control over herself and her memories. Had that happened again? Had she felt threatened enough that Princess Serenity had taken control of her body and saved her once again?

"You passed out," a voice said quietly from beside her. Leaning against the tree was a tall woman clad in the all-too-familiar garb of a Sailor Senshi. Usagi's breath caught, struck by the beauty of this woman as well the power that emanated from this person. Who was she? There was something different about this woman, something dark and ominous – her boots, shorter gloves and businesslike stance suggested she was not like Usagi and her friends.

Usagi sat up, curling her legs underneath her and leaning over the back of the bench, staring at the woman. "You're a Senshi." She said, disbelief cutting through her voice. "Who are you?"

The woman stepped forward, sandy blond hair falling into her eyes as she leaned down and started at Usagi. Her eyes were dark and intense, a thoughtful share of blue that made Usagi's cheeks flush bright red. "Don't get in our way, little one." She said, her tone husky as she leaned closer.

Suddenly there were lips on hers and Usagi's eyes shot open, her headache suddenly irrelevant as she felt the violation of that place, where only Mamoru had ever been before. It felt so strange, so violating – and yet so enticing.

"Usagi!" As fast as the wind, the Senshi was gone.

Her hand clamped over her mouth, Usagi turned to see Aino Minako hurrying towards her – out of breath and red-faced. She'd obviously come from a distance.

"Minako…" Usagi slowly moved her hand down from her lips, they felt swollen and tender. She felt violated.

She's like the wind.

Minako stopped just short of Usagi's bench, leaning over and composing herself for a moment and righting herself. "Are you alright?"

Was she? Usagi honestly did not know. Minako's concerned look and frantic expression seemed to imply that she had done something that she could not remember.

"Serenity… she…." Usagi looked down at her hands; Minako's knowing look told all. She had done something – Minako had sensed what had happened and had come to find her to make sure she wasn't destroying anything.

She sighed. "I don't know what happened. I was going to the store and then I was here. There… there was another Senshi."

Minako put her hand on Usagi's shoulder and squeezed comfortingly. Her expression was one that Usagi could not read and she instantly wished that Rei was there, because Rei could read Minako's expression and it was far easier to read the fiery woman's face than the idol's stoic expression. Sometimes Usagi hated that about Minako. She wanted so desperately to be considered an equal, but she always felt inadequate.

She knew that she had nothing to worry about, that Minako was her friend, and one of her closest at that, but the feeling was sometimes hard to shake.

"We were going to tell you about them, the next time we met." Minako said quietly – her tone serious. "Rei and I have met them before."

Usagi swallowed. Secrets, again. She hated this.

"Come with me, I will tell you what we know, Princess."