Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, and Kodansha USA. I do not own any characters, save for the OC characters. Hopefully you'll find this story enjoyable, and have a good day.
Chapter 2
It wasn't long after Artemis left that he came back with Luna and the other senshi. The other four looked on with shock and awe, as if discovering the find of a lifetime. Usagi Tsukino, the leader of the Senshi, and the aforementioned Sailor Moon was the one under most distress about the situation.
"How did this happen?" Asked Usagi, her voice filled with inquiry, and a hint of sadness.
"From what I can remember, someone, or rather, something broke into the household last night, and despite our best efforts, who or whatever that managed to break in got the drop on us...when I woke up...she was like this." Said Artemis, sadly.
"Minako...how do you feel?" Asked Luna, who happens to be a cat similar in appearance to Artemis, only with black fur instead of white.
Minako is silent.
"Mina-chan..." Said Usagi, her dark blue eyes focused on her. She reaches out to try and comfort her.
"Don't bother." Whispered Minako. "She looks up, her red eyes focused on her fellow warriors. "If you want the cold hard truth...I don't...or rather can't...feel anything."
"Physically, or emotionally?" Asked one of the soldiers, with short blue hair, and currently wearing a white school uniform with a blue skirt.
"Physically...it's like...I want to say everything is numb, but there is no feeling of numbness...everything is just...blank." Minako describing her situation. "As for my emotions, I guess you can say I still have those."
"Not a thing?" Asked another one of the young women, her hair brown and tied in a ponytail, with green eyes. "Man...That's gotta be weird."
Minako looks up and gives a mean look towards the young woman in question.
"Well Makoto, considering I'm nothing but a walking corpse, I'd definately say that it is weird. And do you know what other word can be used to describe it? HORRIBLE!" Minako screams at the top of her lungs towards her.
"Hey hey, settle down!" Piped up another young woman, this one with long black hair, and indistinguishable eye color. "There's no need to yell at her like that, she was only making an observation."
Minako lowers her head in shame.
"I'm sorry Makoto, I didn't mean to snap like that." Said Minako.
"It's fine. I guess I should be a bit more sensitive about this situation." Said Makoto. "Ami, what do you have to guage on this?"
The blue haired girl, called Ami is seen pulling out what appears to be a visor like device. She presses a button and it begins to scan her.
"No signs of pulse, blood pressure, or other organic functions aside from the neural pathways." Ami proceeds to convey. "Aside from her central nervous system, she really is nothing more but a walking corpse...No offense."
"None taken." Said Minako.
"Nothing...nothing at all?" Asked Luna. "Can you breath?"
"No." Said Minako. "Because I don't feel the need to do so."
"Have you tried eating anything?" Asked Luna once more.
"I'm not hungry." Minako laments.
"Wow." Usagi says, turning her head, her long strands of hair following her movement. "Not hungry, that really is a sad existence."
"Have you been trying to go near water or sunlight at all?" Asked Luna again.
"I've been trying to avoid it on Artemis' request." Said Minako. "However...there is this base...Instinct I want to say that seems to be telling me to avoid it as well."
"Hm...and those bite marks seem to perfectly line up on her neck as well. Given Ami's analysis, and what you have told me thus far...I'm afraid your suspicion about her being a vampire might be true." Luna laments.
Minako proceeds to groan. "What am I going to do? I can't live like this...I have dreams...aspirations...friends...loved ones."
"Don't worry Minako, we won't let you stay like this, we promise." Said Usagi.
"I just thought of something." Said Artemis. "Luna, do you think it's at all possible for Usagi to heal her with the Silver Crystal?"
"Maybe. Usagi..." Began Luna.
"Already one step ahead of you." Cheered Usagi. She reaches into her bag, and pulls out what appears to be a pink colored holder of some sort. "If the Silver Crystal can purify even the most vile of people, I'm sure vampirism wouldn't be much different."
Usagi begins to open the holder, and almost immediately, Minako proceeds to feel a painful, almost burning sensation ensnare her entire body. She screams in pain and proceeds to smack the holder out of Usagi's hand. The holder lands on the ground, and coming out is a crystal sphere, shining with a brilliant light.
"AAAAHHHH!" Screamed Minako in immense pain. "It burns! IT BURNS! Get that accursed thing away from me!"
"Oh jeez! Minako, calm down!" Said the raven haired girl, who proceeds to restrain her.
Minako doesn't even respond, only yelping and screeching like some sort of wild beast.
"Usagi, put the Silver Crystal back, the reaction she has to it is far too negative!" Said the raven haired girl.
"R-right." Said Usagi, a look of surprise plastered onto her face. She scrambles towards the Silver Crystal and places it back in the container, and swiftly places the holder back into the bag.
At that moment, Minako's entire body proceeds to relax, and proceeds to get into a rhythmic breathing pattern for once.
"My goodness...I don't think I've ever seen such a negative reaction to the Silver Crystal before." Said Luna.
"This is bad...for all we know, prolonged exposure to the Silver Crystal could have fatal results." Said Artemis.
"Gr, what are we supposed to do then if we can't use the Silver Crystal for healing?" Asked Makoto, clearly frustrated at this new discovery.
"Well, if I know my vampire lore correctly, the only other solution we have is to find and destroy the vampire that inflicted the plague on her." Said Ami.
"Well, that shouldn't be too hard. How hard is it to find someone with pale skin and fangs?" Asked Usagi.
"Considering this is Tokyo...more than you'd think." Said Minako.
"Oh, Mina-chan...You gotta stay positive." Said Usagi. "Minako, if there is one thing I can promise you, it's that you won't be a vampire long. I swear I'll put body, mind and soul into finding whoever did this and make them pay."
Minako is silent for a few seconds before giving a slight smile. "Thanks Usagi-chan...you always did know how to put a smile on my face."
Usagi gives a comforting smile, and stands up. "It's almost 7 o clock now...it'll be dark soon."
"Are you saying we start searching tonight then?" Asked Makoto.
"Well, we don't necessarily have to...Rei, you can let go of her now." Said Usagi.
The raven haired young lady, now revealed to be Rei, sees what she's doing. "Oh, of course." Rei proceeds to let go.
"Thank you." Said Minako dryly. She proceeds to stand up and starts heading to the doorway.
"Minako, where do you think you're going?" Asked Artemis.
"I'm gonna go help my teammates of course, why do you ask?" Said Minako simply
"Absolutely not!" Said Luna.
"Well, why not?" Asked Minako.
"For one thing, the sun is still out, so chances are you'll be reduced to an ash pile within seconds. Secondly, well...it's probably for the better that you let the others handle this." Said Artemis.
"Huh? Why?" Asked Minako.
"Well, given your condition, chances are you'll either attack your fellow Senshi, or worse, attack innocent people!" Said Artemis.
"But...I'd never do that!" Said Minako.
"You wouldn't do that beforehand...but now...I'm sorry Minako...but from what I've heard about vampires, they have no qualms about attacking anybody or anything. It's in their nature to sap people's blood like leeches." Said Artemis.
"Artemis has a point, Sailor Venus, we know you'd personally never attack someone that didn't deserve it, but if you're sporting a plague that's been known to take lives...that's a risk we can't afford." Said Luna. "As much as it pains me to do this, you are not allowed to leave this household until the situation is taken care of."
"No..." Sobbed Minako.
"I'm sorry Minako, it has to be done. Hand over your pen." Said Luna.
Minako just stands there for a few seconds before closing and shaking her fist, before finally relenting. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out an orange pen like device and places it on the ground. Luna proceeds to grab it with her mouth, and throws it towards Usagi, who catches it.
"Now, don't act as if this is permanent, you will recieve your Transformation Pen back when this whole situation blows over." Said Luna.
"I know..." Said Minako. "Just...make it quick, OK...I hate being delegated to the sidelines."
"Don't worry Minako, with all of us working together, we'll find and cream the punk that did this to you in no time at all!" Said Makoto.
"Makoto's right, come on, we're going on a vampire hunt!" Said Usagi.
Ami and Rei proceed to nod their heads, and rush out the door along the other 2, Luna and Artemis slowly following behind. Artemis turns to Minako.
"Again, sorry we have to do this to you." Said Artemis.
"It's...It's fine. Just be careful out there, OK?" Said Minako sweetly.
Artemis nods his head, and walks out, Minako slowly shutting the door. She sits back on the couch and sighs.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the outskirts of town, the sun is shown descending into the horizon, soon to have it's counterpart, the moon rise up and blanket the sky with night. Suddenly, as the sun descends into the horizon, what appears to be a large, regal looking mansion appears to pop out from the shadows. The mansion is black in color, with large arching towers on the sides, resembling something you'd see in a European castle of some sort.
The inside of the mansion appears to be nothing but dark rooms and hallways, and there are many staircases leading both up and down towards multiple other rooms, making it seem overly complex to those not attuned to the mansions layout. Down one of the stairways is a room encloaked in complete and total darkness, save for one flame alight on a candle stick. Approaching the flame of the candle, we see a tall, stocky man, bald, and wearing sunglasses, as well as a black butler uniform. He has pale skin, and his hands are fitted with sharp claws. With a motion of two fingers, he puts the flame out, enveloping the room in complete darkness.
"The sun has gone down once more...The time to feast on the blood of the living has come again, at last." Called out the voice of the man. Multiple red glowing eyes proceed to open, and glow in the darkness.
"Heh heh ha ha ha ha ha! Yeeeeeesssss!" Called out another voice, this one deranged and unhinged compared to the mans calm but cold tone. "It begins..."
In another part of town, we find a small meat shop of some sort. Inside, we see a man wrapped in all white attire, with an apron on. Someone proceeds to walk in, a young woman with brown hair and wearing a pink work outfit.
"Excuse me sir, I'd like to make a purchase." Said the woman.
"Hm? Ah yes? Tell me what strikes your fancy." Said the man, turning around. The man proceeds to stare at the woman with what appear to be red eyes.
"Uh, a steak would do me just fine, I'm preparing a meal for my fiance tonight, and I want to make it special." Said the woman.
"Ah, we just got a new shipment of steaks in today. Come with me, and I'll help you pick a proper meal." Said the deli owner.
"Oh...well...that's rather unconventional...but alright." Said the woman. She proceeds to make her way to the other side of the desk. "Uh...where exactly is the freezer?" Asked the woman?
"Past that door, I'll be with you momentarily." Said the man.
"Alright." Said the woman, who proceeds to make her way to through the doorway. The deli owner proceeds to grab a hold of a butcher knife and makes his way after her.
The woman proceeds to look around the freezer, finding it to be mostly empty.
"Uh...sir...I don't see any meat in here." Said the woman. The shadow of the man looms behind her.
"What are you talking about, I'm looking at a fine piece of meat right now." Said the deli owner. He dons an evil grin, and raises the butcher knife.
The woman turns around and gasps. "AAAAHHHH!"
"HISSSS" Hissed the man before chopping the knife down.
Comments: Well, that went from 0 to 100 almost immediately. So yeah, sad to say that Minako Aino isn't gonna be fulfilling any Senshi duties for a while, so I immediately apologize to Sailor Venus fans everywhere. But who knows, maybe the changed dynamic will make the story more interesting. As it turns out, it isn't just one vampire on the loose, but rather a large group of them. Will our other heroes be able to fight off these odds? Maybe. Then again, who knows. Thank you so much for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave your comments and reviews, and I will see you all next chapter.