Exploring What Might

by Rakusa

It's R season with a twist, Usagi doesn't know she's the princess. What happens with Venus who knows everything, doesn't know enough? And isn't sharing what she does know. Will be updated! Promise!

8. Chapter 8

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Chapter Eight

{Part 1}

Usagimimi- long eared gossiper

Mimamoru- to watch over

tadaima- I'm home!

There was a period of several weeks that the girls did not have to worry about battles or fights. It was a well deserved reprieve for all of them. Ami was looking less worn, Makoto however seemed to hate the fact that she couldn't take out her frustrations on the youma. Usagi and Mamoru both seemed to grow slightly irritated at the fact that there were no youma attacks, just because they couldn't see their infatuations for that long, but that irritation was oddly soothed by their growing number of run-ins during the week. These run-ins were a lot less hostile than they used to be, but sometimes it would slip and the argument would be back on. Usually at the arcade, causing their watchers to reevaluate their bets on when the two quarrelers would finally get their act together. However, the next time they would see each other, they would apologize for their behavior.

Usagi hadn't told anyone however, she had seen Koan on an off chance one evening, and before she could even think about transforming, the purple-cat-woman and her white-faced black bodied minion disappeared with her. Usagi had investigated the area, but couldn't seem to understand what the woman-cat was doing there.

All she knew, it hadn't felt comfortable in the area. It had felt like there was evil lurking below the surface, but Usagi couldn't quite grasp what it was.

Then, yesterday, she had seen the signs. The building was being made into a school. She was about to comment on her happenings to her table mates, Ami and Makoto when the bench seat next to her was filled by two more people.

"Oh, Usagi!" The black-haired girl gushed. "You'll never guess! They're having a party, and it sounds wonderful!"

"Yumi-chan, what are you talking about?" Usagi's curious blue eyes lightened on Yumi's olive-toned face.

"The senator from Tokyo, silly, didn't you know it?" Naru filled in for her and Usagi's eyes turned to the red-head. At Usagi's blank stare, Naru sighed. "You didn't. Here I thought you would, considering how you keep mumbling something about a princess and a prince in your sleep when you stayed the night last week. I thought that's what you were going on about."

"I must have just seen a movie about a prince and princess." Usagi covered for herself instantly. "I think I was watching the Swan Princess last week, it might have been the day before our sleepover."

Naru rolled her eyes. "That doesn't matter at the moment, what matters though, is how you could miss such an important event?"

Usagi had her mind occupied with other things, but she neglected to say that to Naru. Rei despite her show of change for Motoki, that was the last time Usagi had seen the dark haired girl in this building. Though when she had stopped over at the temple, Rei had been as icy to her as ever, if not more so. Then she had run into both Rei and Jade later, as they were coming back from what was obviously a date. Rei had seemed a bit more hostile towards Usagi then ever at that moment, and Usagi figured Jade must have told her about the two of them.

Usagi had spent some time thinking about how she wanted to approach the girl now, if she would even attempt it anymore. The girl had obviously chosen her path and Usagi wouldn't stand in her way. She would be a hypocrite to offer a normal life to the others and not to the one who seemed to detest her the most. She would let Rei go, to live a natural life, she had done all she could to extend the other girl a hand of friendship. It had all somehow manage to blow up in her face in response.

"Oh, cut to the chase Naru-chan!" Yumi cut in. "The senator is throwing a party for a visiting princess, she's supposed to be showcasing a mysterious crystal."

Ami's head swiveled at the mention of a princess and a crystal. She had been ignoring the conversation and reading her book, but the words had sparked some recognition in her. Makoto on the other hand had been interested in the news. The rest of it, had caused her to straighten slightly and listen even more intently. Usagi too, had found this to be interesting and wondered as the other two must have, if this was their princess and crystal, but if it was, what were they collecting?

"Is this party open to the public?" Ami asked, wondering if she'd have to pull some strings through her mother's organization, and throw around a little money to get in.

"No. Only publicly held figures and their families are allowed in." Naru sighed woefully. "Osaka-mama wanted to get in and see if she could value the crystal out and see if she could sell something similar to all of the rich gathering. But she can't."

That meant that Ami wouldn't be able to get in based on her mother's clout. Makoto hadn't a chance. Usagi thought all of this sounded vaguely familiar. "Ohh!" She suddenly gasped. "My dad is going- he's the photographer asked along. Perhaps I could go and tell all of you about it!" Though she highly doubted it, but at least this way, she'd have a location to weave her magic with the Luna pen.

"That sounds marvelous Usagi-chan." Yumi sighed dreamily.

"Maybe this way, you'll be able to meet that prince of yours." Naru added slyly.

Usagi was going to say more, when Mamoru's voice cut through the group.

"I see you're being truthful to your name again, aren't you, usagimimi?" He squeezed one of her buns and sank down into the booth next to Ami, waiting for Usagi's comeback.

Unfortunately, it was one of those moments mentioned earlier, where both were missing their magical counterpart's love interest. Usagi's blue eyes snapped to Mamoru with a frown. "If you were so concerned about it, you wouldn't be such a mimamoru to ease drop on a middle schoolers' conversations. Don't you have more important things to do, baka?"

Mamoru smiled at first, then the realization caused his face to turn apologetic. "I am a baka, aren't I?" He stood up. "It's my fault, I'm sorry Usagi-san. Please forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive." She waved him off and he went back to the counter to talk with Motoki.

Usagi watched him go, and worried that she really put her foot in it this time, Mamoru was just as good as Kamen was in distracting her from her purpose, and then getting her back on track. She looked to the girls at the table and sighed wearily. "That's never going to change, is it?"

They laughed and left that last conversation alone, to go back to the party later this week.

Meanwhile, Usagi was watching Jade clean the back of the arcade, nobody noticed her watching, but she watched his every move. When he was finished for the day, Usagi excused herself from the table and told the others, she would meet up with them again soon. She snuck around the back, watching Jade until he was a sufficient distance away, before slinking into the shadows and turning into Sailor Moon.

She had to be quick and careful, she didn't know what triggered Kamen's response to her, all she knew was when she was transformed, he found her. She slipped around the block and into another alley, just as Jade was passing it. She shot her hand out and dragged the blond man into the alley with her. "Wha-?" He stuttered, as he was slammed up against a wall.

"What are you doing, why do you keep stealing crystals from people?"

"Moon?" He asked confused. "What do you mean? I already told you!"

Moon grunted in dismay. "Yeah, about a prince seeking a princess's crystal, and you are doing it for him? That doesn't explain the fact that you are hurting people in your quest."

"Look." He held up his hands in the 'no harm' was intended position and when she still didn't let him go, he rested his hands on her arms. She pulled away as if scalded. "I haven't done anything since Rei's grandfather at the temple."

"You've supplied your brothers with information concerning the next victim." Moon crossed her arms across her chest, staring at Jade, he didn't move away from the wall, caught between it and Moon.

"It's not like that. The arcade tends to draw them in." He sighed and crossed his own arms. "I have to watch over them."

"Reika-"

Jade sighed and bowed his head, he knew he would have to explain everything to her now. He trusted her, despite the fact that he didn't know who she was. "The guy with the games at the arcade that Kunz attacked- I told him not to go. But he wouldn't listen. And I had run into Reika the day I got the job at the arcade. I tried to stay away from her, but when I brushed past her, that's what started everything off."

"What are you talking about?" Moon's arms dropped to her sides, but her stance didn't lessen. "You caused everything all on your own."

"No. Even when I don't want to change someone, even being near them for too long sends it all on it's path." Jade saw that she still didn't understand, and sighed. "The crystals that they carry, it's unable to be taken out, unless one of us are near the carrier. It's not something we do, per say, we just push it along. We carry our own stone in us, it reacts, which is why the prince has asked us to find the crystals."

"Back up, please explain what you mean. From the beginning."

Jade smiled, even mad, she was still a polite champion of justice. At her scowl, his smile disappeared. "Let's take Reika. I brushed into outside the arcade one day. I learned from past experiences, that trying to take the crystal would only get me in hot water with you, so I stayed far away from her. But as she stayed away from the arcade, it slowed the process of change, but we can't stop it, we've tried." Moon narrowed her eyes at that. "Yes, Kunz took a crystal that no senshi showed up to challenge."

"How many are we at now?"

"You have one." Jade frowned in thought and probably partially distaste at loosing a crystal or two. "Kamen has one. And we have three ourselves. But, the thing is Sailor Moon, is that, I tried to keep my promise to you and Rei, but, Reika was in the arcade, and she was getting snappy, and irritated at Motoki, and I couldn't allow that to keep happening to the poor boy, I respect and think too highly of him to keep his girlfriend annoyed at him."

"So you turned her into a monster?"

"No!" He turned slightly aggressive in his tone, protesting her assessment. Moon flinched back and he settled down again. "Where's your protector?"

"Not here, he's not needed at the moment. You've got five minutes to wrap this up before I kill you. He looked a little disbelieving at that statement and she raised an eyebrow.

He sighed. "Fine." A crooked grin crossed his features. "Do I get a kiss for being an informant?" He received a bored look. "We keep the attacks near the arcade, because we figured you would catch onto the pattern too, this way they can be dealt with quickly before anyone has gotten hurt."

"Reika was hurt."

"Unfortunately, that was a side affect of the change being held off too long." Jade grimaced. "I didn't want Neph to do it, but he had no choice. If we work together, we can finish this off. I don't know who the last two are yet, but you can have the last two crystals if you help me."

"You'd throw over your prince for me?" She asked skeptically.

"No. I'm not throwing anyone over. He asked us to find the crystal. Even if we don't have all of these crystals doesn't mean that we won't have the other crystal ultimately. This is more about you trusting me. I don't want to be doing this anymore, and neither does Zoi." Moon nodded, she understood where his plea was coming from, though he didn't know it himself.

"Tell me about this prince."

"I don't really know much, but all my brothers and I had the same dream on the same night. Our dream is watching this girl in a tower, looking down at her prince."

"Can we be a little more original? How many fairy-tales has a girl in a tower?" Moon cut him off.

He snorted in agreement. "But the difference here is that she's covered in mist, and we can't see the prince's face either. I feel like there's more to these dreams, but all we see is them talking, her begging for the crystal, for him to find it. Then we end with the echo in our head. Find the Crystal, Find the Princess." The reaction Moon had to this news was something neither expected as she took a step back and started chortling. "What's so funny?"

"Find the Crystal, find the princess? What are we doing? A bad rendition of Save the Cheerleader, save the world?" Moon held her sides as she bent forward. "Please, no more." She waved him away and he straightened away from the wall and came towards her.

"Am I free to go, or is there more you need to know?"

Moon seemed to catch herself and brought the laughter down to a minimum. "These... stones you have in you, can you take them out?"

"Not without killing ourselves."

Moon nodded, taking it in stride. "What are they? Do you know?"

"They're based off our names." Moon froze at that, not Ite Jade, but rather Jade Ite?

"You're free to go." She whispered and shoved him back out onto the street. He hesitated, concerned for her, but when laughter pealed off the walls again, his lips split into a grin of his own, though he was irritated that somebody else found their names funny, but left down the street so he wouldn't be caught by her contagious laughter.

Moon finally caught her breath again as she slid down a wall during her fit, hiccuping every once in awhile, her body trying to force air back into her lungs. She pushed off and returned to her feet. It was time for the most difficult part of the day.

"Tadaima!" Usagi let herself into the house and smelt the most delicious sent in the world, her mother cooking. Usagi's stomach rumbled, momentarily distracting her from her goal of the moment.

"Ah, Usagi, nice to see you home. How was Motoki?" Ikuko-mama asked as she popped her head out from the kitchen.

"Good. He sends his well-wishes." Well he would, if they had spoken for longer than five minutes, but Ikuko and Motoki both knew that it was implied without it actually being said to pass along through the petite blond. "Whatever your making, smells wonderful."

"I'm surprised you haven't guessed what it is, considering your nose could probably detect the difference between red cabbage and green."

Usagi turned towards the new voice, from the living room, playing his video game and Usagi raised an eyebrow at that. "Are you giving me a compliment?"

"Nah, just saying that Super-smeller has to be good for something other than just to feed your growing stomach." Usagi stuck a tongue out at her brother, refusing to comment on his lack of originality during all parts of that sentence. Mamoru really had rubbed off on her, hadn't he?

"There's a letter upstairs for you, Usagi. I think it's the directions to the high school examination you'll be taking next month." Usagi had totally forgotten about that. Hopefully, she could still convince her parents to let her go on this mission without them knowing what it was for. "Did you hear me?" Ikuko asked, concerned.

"Are your testing abilities even worth the effort in going to that?" Shingo asked before Usagi could reply. "Because if you zone out searching for an answer for a simple question like that, I'm frightened to see what will happen when you have to add two plus two."

Usagi's eyes sharpened on her kid brother. "Who have you been hanging out with?"

"Um...." Shingo blushed, looking increasingly embarrassed as he looked away. "No one Ordango brains."

"Who is it?" Usagi practically screeched and Shingo and Ikuko had to cover their ears until the ringing stopped.

"Geez, with lungs like those, I'm surprised that the windows have lasted even a day with you around."

"Shingo, stop baiting your sister and just answer her question before she kills you, and I do nothing about it. It is impolite to talk to your older sister like that on a normal day, it's even worse with the vindictiveness you've been showing today." Ikuko reprimanded and both her children's eyes grew wide, for Ikuko to be scolding Shingo so harshly was a first. Shingo must have passed some line in that last conversation.

Usagi hadn't thought much of it, as she had grown used to such barbs between Mamoru and Rei, but her mother didn't accept that kind of behavior. Shingo bowed his head. "Sorry Ikuko-mama, Usagi-chan. I've been hanging out at that temple that was on the news a few months ago. It sounded so cool, witchcraft and all of that. I wanted to see for myself. I hear that those Ravens are underworld demons."

"Wouldn't surprise me." Usagi mumbled.

"Usagi! I'm surprised, you're not usually one to judge without good cause."

"Sorry Mama, I know the girl, she's rude, and she says things worse than what Shingo just said to me. I bet she's rubbing off on him in more ways than just one."

"Shingo, you are not to go there anymore. Usagi- I know I can't forbid you, but please leave her alone, that poor girl. She's got practically nobody, I can see where she'd get her temper from. But, if she's treating you so poorly, I don't want her bringing down your confidence and corrupting you with thoughts of failure."

"Don't worry Mama, I'm used to her, it just gets brushed off my shoulders like she didn't say anything at all."

"If you're sure." Ikuko still didn't look convinced, but Usagi had enough of this conversation.

"Where's Kenji-papa?" She asked to distract her mom.

"Where do you think? In his workshop." There was a tone of affection in her voice despite the stern look on her face that only covered a smile of pride underneath it. Usagi nodded and skipped out of the main level to go to the basement and consequently, the dark room once she was there. She needed to convince her father to start moving towards digital as print would be outdated soon and become impossible to sell except to the most exclusive art dealers. Which isn't what her father did, unless he got an idea in his head.

Usagi slid in to the room, no light penetrating his inner lair and she came up to him and kissed his cheek. While her eyes adjusted to look at his latest prints she commented. "I hear you got invited as photographer to the party later this week."

"Two days from now, actually." He agreed as he worked over a tray of solution.

"Oh." Usagi hadn't realized it was so close to today, it'd be practically impossible to get her in, as it would be a flag for security risk, but if she could- "Do you think it's possible to get me in with you? Don't you get to have a guest?"

"Your mother's going with me." He answered as he gently rocked the liquid in the basin. "Why? And why the interest now?"

Perfect. Usagi wasn't sure if the thought was sarcastic or gleeful as she could work that into her plans somehow. "The girls were telling me about it today. I was wondering if you could tell me all about it when you get back? I'd be great to have an inside exclusive to the best and most exclusive event of the season."

"Of course. What do you think?"

He wasn't asking about the party anymore, and Usagi knew it. "I like this one." She tapped a photo's clip and it shook slightly in the pale red security light.

He studied it for a moment before nodding once. Usagi knew that was agreement and she smiled, usually he took her suggestions to heart and used them in his portfolio, though he probably choice it before she saw it, it still made her feel good that her opinion mattered. "Any suggestions?"

"Make it a tad darker, pull out the contrast more."

"Hm." He made a non-committal sound in the back of his throat and Usagi knew he'd do it. Usagi turned to leave but her father's voice surprised her, this was usually their interaction in his lab. "I know your mother put your testing papers in your room." Usagi didn't respond, her mother was the hardest on her about getting good grades outside of her friends and commentators but her father had always watched her grades and struggles with classes in silence. She wasn't sure if he was proud of her dedication or disappointed in her abilities and should be smarter. "You are a very smart girl."

Usagi felt like she was read to sink to the floor, her father was proud of her. Not just that, but he was very proud of her, he thought she was smart. "Thank you." She knew he loved her, but this was different, he was so smart, so much her role model, that his compliment meant almost the most to her, they were also probably about the hardest to come-by. That's why if her voice broke a little on those two simple words, she couldn't help it.

"No matter what you get on those scores next month, I'm just glad you're taking them."

Usagi nodded, and slipped away, knowing the conversation was over. These tests were more important than just which high school she would get into. It wasn't just about how smart she was, it would determine the school, yes, and as long as she did well in that school, she'd get to college, but if she didn't get into a good high school, and do well, it seriously shot her chances at college. No, beyond even all of that, these tests could point a student in a direction in what they should do when they graduated college, so classes in high school and then in college would be designed around those capabilities with little room for movement or change. So even if she was a very smart girl, if she did poorly, she could be placed in a dead end job which would no doubt kill her long before she turned twenty-five. And as a girl, could seriously limit her matches, not that her parents would enlist the help of a matchmaker, but her circles of contact would be reduced to other people in her dead-end world, and they would probably bore and kill her long before her job would. Not that she had anything against those people- a lot of them were bright and creative and fun to be around, but some took out all the fun in life. Like a certain dark haired, blue eyed guy she knew, and a dark haired- violet eyes girl.

Scratch everything she said earlier, even if she was a doctor, she could still be around boring, lifeless people who would soak her dry. In fact, those dead-end job people might be the most fun people she'd ever meet.

"Dinner's ready." Ikuko called down to her father, and Usagi realized she was still on the steps, mulling over what had just transpired and her own personal thoughts. Usagi sped up the stairs, not wanting to concern her father with her delayed reaction. She needn't have worried because it was a full ten minutes later that her father meandered his way to the table and sank into the seat at the head of the table.

They all dug in and enjoyed their food. Usagi chewed over all she had to think about and accomplish over the next few days and month. Trying to focus on the important, and kept drifting to the less important in Luna's eyes.

But the most important in her human life. Setting her life back on track.

~-~-

Two days later, found Usagi back at the Crown. She was chatting happily with Motoki as she waited for the other two girls to arrive. She spotted a familiar head off to the side and slipped away from Motoki, who asked her what she was doing. The entire time that Jade had worked there, he had never seen Usagi even attempt to talk to his help. It had been strange, but he eventually worked out, that Usagi was avoiding the other blond, and he wasn't sure why, but didn't press it.

"Jade." She voiced as she came up to the man she had distrusted and disliked the other day. Earlier she had been brought in by his charm and easy smiles and bright personality. Now though, she was still weary of him, but felt better to have him in her pocket than have there be a rift between them. Not that that's what she thought as she approached him, she felt sorry that she doubted his intentions and character and couldn't leave it with her mad at him and him ignoring her because she was mad. It just didn't sit well with her to have this issue between them. Especially if the butt-headed fire-senshi-devil-spawn was intent on staying friends with him.

After a moment of reflection on what he had told her, she had over-come her laughter again, and decided she would follow through with his plans. The senshi would have the last two crystals in their possession and would ask for the remaining three that the Ite's had. She would ask nicely for the last one from Tuxedo Kamen.

Jade turned his blond head towards her in complete surprise. "Have you forgiven me for whatever you blame me of? I swear Usagi-chan, you're more complicated than Rei is, at least when she's mad about something, she comes out screaming, not the silent treatment." Usagi raised an eyebrow at that. "Well, she does that first, and then the silent treatment before she starts screaming again."

"I was mad at you for something, and I'm not going to say that you should know what it was. I don't expect you to know, nor can I tell you, now at any rate. But I would like us to put aside these issues and become friends again."

"You won't react this way again at some time, cutting me out again, for no apparent reason?" Jade asked skeptically.

"It wasn't my intention to give you the silent treatment, but I could not shout at you for what it was about. But I highly doubt you could surprise me again with what I learned as I did that other day. So no, the next time I get mad at you, I will take it up to you to your face, as is more my style. Though I can't promise to scream, only one person seems to be able to get that reaction with a stable result."

Jade chuckled. "I see now why you had wanted to avoid this place when we were dating." Jade nodded his head. "It would have been a mood killer seeing you two go at it, it would have seriously given me a complex." Usagi shot him a confused look. "What? You don't know that you and Chiba-san are completely made for each other? I've never seen either of you act so outside of your normal personalities except with the other."

Usagi rubbed her forehead. "How did we get onto the topic of conversation of my very complex and uninteresting relationship with Chiba-san?"

"I didn't think even you would be able to call our relationship that, I'm hurt. I thought I was at least worth a hard to explain, instead of uninteresting." Usagi's blue eyes slid to the tall man to her side, he too wasn't quite a normal Japanese guy. In fact, did anyone who visited the arcade, normal? At least, for Japan?

She would have made a snappy comment on that front, but snapped her mouth shut instead. Her senshi had just arrived, and she still hadn't told them the result from her talk with her father. She was saving it for the last possible moment so they couldn't argue with her plan or devise someway from keeping her to do it. She could handle it, she would be offended if they thought otherwise.

So she skipped away from the two men and joined her friends, dragging them outside, and down the street. They had decided to meet here, as it was a weekend, and they didn't have classes to connect them in location.

They had argued, they had berated, they had scolded and threatened, but nothing could sway Usagi that this was the right path, and slowly she won first Ami, then Luna and finally, with some huge reservations, Makoto.

"I still don't like it." Makoto said as she and Usagi sat for some quick dinner. Usagi had told her parents she was staying with Makoto for the evening and Shingo had gone to his friend's too, so the house would be empty.

Usually for plans like these, Usagi would need another person's help with the preparations, except this time, everything would be done with the switch of her wrist.

"I wish you'd let me go in your place." Makoto said regretfully, as she watched her friend change into a very well crafted idea.

"Luna Pen, turn me into a politician who had was invited to this party but hadn't responded, so the invite would still be open." It was probably the longest and most specific transformation Usagi had asked for, but it worked.

"So, how do I look?" Usagi asked, turning slightly so Makoto could see, and Makoto cracked up. "What?" Usagi asked, put out, wondering if somehow it was messed up.

Makoto dragged Usagi in front of a mirror, and for the third time that week, Usagi had to lean against something to keep from falling over at the power behind her laughter. Unfortunately this time it was Makoto, who also was needing something a little more sturdy and they both fell onto the floor.

In the mirror, Usagi had seen why somebody would choose not to attend this event. She was taller than Usagi, but she was plump. Her rolly ankle barely fit into her too high of heels and varicose veins and stretch-marks raced along her arms and legs, each trying to be more pronounced. That wasn't what had truly caused a commotion though. The dress she was wearing was probably five-hundred colors and it only added more width to her hips. Her hair was three different colors, partily gray, blond and a muddy brown. And on her long, pointed nose, was the most awful, largest, brown mole either had seen.

"No, no, Luna pen, make me into someone with all those requirements but who will fit in, just a tad better." Usagi's body was wrapped in pink before she appeared again and Makoto was able to hold her laughter back this time. "Better?"

"Yeah. I love the hair though." Usagi looked in the mirror again, almost afraid to look, and saw a fairly pretty boy, but his hair had been chopped into spikes and held in place with pink glitter over black strands. His eyes were brown, and his face was almost angelic in appearance.

Usagi frowned and shook her pen, but she would go like this. "I wonder- do I make a great boy too?"

"No, you made a better guy." Makoto shook her head with a grin plastered to her face. "I wonder too, which country could you possibly be from?"

We only hesitated a moment before a grin split our features. "Somewhere in Europe, no doubt. Or America."

"Or Australia."

"I better get going." Usagi looked at the time, it was nearing nine and the party had already been going on for an hour already. "I'll be back late if it all goes according to plan. Don't wait up."

Makoto snorted. "I'm waiting until I see you in here, unharmed. You will call me if you need help."

Usagi ducked her head, she couldn't lie for the life of her, so she didn't. "If I need help, I will call." She agreed and received a hug before she left out the front door.

"Don't get yourself killed, I just got you for a friend." Makoto whispered as she saw the boy-Usagi out the door, onto the balcony. Usagi would try to honor that demand. Though she doubted she would die if anything came up. There were too many fail-safes for that to happen, easily.

She transformed into Sailor Moon, hoping again, that Kamen wouldn't come, he hadn't when she was talking to Jade, and wondered what the requirements were to see him without a battle, or if she couldn't, if he would only come if she was in danger.

Makoto watched her go until she was out of sight, then turned back in. Moon hopped from building to building, rooftop to rooftop.

She finally made it to the center of Tokyo, just breaking a sweat as she landed into the garden. She doubted she would need to sign in up front like the others, but it was probably better if she ensured herself a spot. She became the weird boy yet again and walked up to the guard on duty.

"Name?" He asked, obviously bored, to Usagi he looked the kind of guy who would rather be guarding celebrities than stuffy politicians. Though, Usagi could already see the latest pop star performing on stage.

Usagi struck a form of defiance, it would be fun to play this guy. "You don't know who I am?" She asked appalled, arms crossed over her chest and realized that they were floating away from her chest, so she tightened them, she forgot what it was like not having boobs. It was kind of fun changing her body like this. She might do it some more and mess with people she knew.

"Ah, Char, darling, I hadn't a clue you were coming." A robust woman wrapped around Usagi, or rather, Char, and looked at the guard. "Charles Levington and Sissy McGommery."

"Charles Levington didn't respond to the invitation, ma'am." The guard responded,

straighting with the dignitary reference attached to their names on his form.

Usagi snorted, and it came out masculine, Usagi jumped, she almost sounded like Mamoru just there. "I didn't realize that I needed to reply. I thought it was all taken care of for me. I'll just have to fire my coordinator."

"No, no, sir, there's really no need." The guard said hastily. "There might have been a mistake in our end. Please, come in, the both of you."

Usagi and the woman, Sissy walked in, Sissy was chatting incessantly, but she didn't seem to mind that Usagi wasn't partaking in the conversation.

So her name was Char, she'd have to remember that for the introductions she no doubt would have to sit through. It she had been smart, she would have thought through this more and have Ami hack into the database and figure out who each person was. But Usagi had just winged it, like usual, and now she was struggling.

"Ah, Char, my man. How is Galway doing in the latest football match?" A male voice asked and Usagi turned to see a taller man for Japan, arrive, bringing forward a person she recognized too clearly. Her eyes must have given her away, as he chuckled. "Yeah, I would hardly recognize her as well, it has been a year or two, and her appearances have changed drastically. You must remember my daughter though, Hino Rei."

Usagi froze, but forced a smile to her body's lips and greeted in the traditional Japanese way with a slight bow. "Forgive me, I was just surprised by your beauty." Gag me. Usagi seriously was considering going through with that thought.

Rei gave him a dismissive smile and that saved Usagi from having to force a conversation with the girl, but was forced into a discussion with her father. Sissy introduced herself, and it wasn't like she could remember anyways.

Luckily, Char had been saved from too much personal details and complex discussions as it was a social function, and the reason they were there, soon introduced herself.

The princess was not pretty. Though, to Usagi that didn't matter, she was just surprised at the appearance change, not that Usagi had seen the princess or remembered seeing her, but it didn't fit with the image that Usagi had in her head, even if it was vague. First of all, the princess should have had blond hair, not brown. She didn't know why, but she swore- she shook her head, it was just imprinting her own image over a princess, she was sure, every girl wanted to be one, and of course every princess would look like them in their minds.

The princess was too tall and too skinny as if she starved herself to fit that model-like physic and she looked almost a little gangly. Her neck was too long as if she was a giraffe in another life-time and the dress she wore was the sickest shade of yellow-green Usagi had ever seen.

Her voice was like nails across a chalkboard and if dogs were in the area, they would surely howl in protest. As it was, Usagi swore her ears were bleeding. Usagi's thoughts did not follow this pattern, only that her ears hurt and that dress was a sore-sight. She watched with interest as the ceremony that would pass the crystal from the Royal's hands to the museum here, and then in a month, it'd be back in the princess's hands to bring to another country. Apparently, it was a tour of three years and then it would be put into a vault in her palace from then on.

Usagi shook her head and after the ceremony, the party continued. It was nearing one in the morning and nothing had happened so far. Usagi would give it another half hour of talking politics, (she was actually getting into it, and winning debates), before she would head home. She had avoided being taken photographs by her father, but she eventually couldn't stop it completely, she only feared what would show up. She talked to her father and mother briefly and it was interesting to have a rational discussion with them as an adult, and them not knowing anything about her. She'd have to store this memory for when she was older and compare.

She was just preparing to leave, Sissy had begged her to come to her hotel room with her, but Usagi declined, she blushed at the thought, and wasn't sure if she wanted to experiment that way or that far, besides she had thought Char was gay, personally, just from looks.

Usagi was just slipping away from the latest girl, and that's when she heard the scream. Usagi ducked out and transformed without a thought, she knew what that scream meant, she had to, she'd heard it too many times before to think it meant anything else.

She briefly wondered if it was one of the Ite brothers, and that Jade had lied to her, promising her to be near the arcade, but truly not, so they could keep all the crystals for themselves.

She slid into the room and people let her pass, at least those who hadn't frozen to their spots, staring first at the youma, and then at her. It wasn't one of the Ites, but it wasn't Koan either. Moon froze as she looked at the white haired girl in front of her. Around her ice-colored hair was a blue band that matched her tight leotard and tights that matched her hair. Her eyes were particularly icy as she caught Moon's gaze. The smile she held was wicked.

Moon couldn't react fast enough as the newcomer's hand shot out and wrapped around Moon was an ice-whip, cutting into her bare arms and waist.

Moon was pulled forward by the newcomer, and her youma continued reeking havoc of the surrounding areas. "Who-... who are you?" Moon asked, once she controlled the wavering in her jaw from the cold.

"Birdie." She responded with a smile, her voice was high pitched and there was a smile crossing her features. She might have been pretty if she wasn't evil. After she said her name, Moon could see the resemblance that held true to her name-sake. Her legs were long and lean, almost as if they were bird legs attached to the body. She didn't fly, as far as Moon knew, though it wouldn't surprise her. The youma she had with her was a large, overgrown bat and Moon's heart almost stopped in fear of it, she had grown up with stories of vampires and bats. Dracula was the most prevalent story running through her head as the red beady eyes stared straight at her.

Birdie laughed as she caught sight of Moon's fear and the laugh echoed around the building. "Tell me where the Rabbit is, and I might let you live."

"Please, if Koan couldn't beat me, what makes you think you can?" Moon taunted.

Birdie's blue gaze cut into Moon's and she laughed. "I'm more powerful than my sister, and you hadn't even seen the extent of her powers." With the free hand, the other woman signaled towards Moon.

"Stop!" Moon and Birdie's head swiveled to the voice. Rei struggled to make her way forward, there was no way she could hear their interaction, it had been conducted in words that only extended to each other because of their close proximity.

"Stay back, human!" Moon yelled at the girl, but the youma chose that moment to attack. The symbol of Mars shone on the black-haired beauty's forehead and she slid in between Moon and the youma. A hand raised in defense and to anyone else, a miracle happened, the other humans had all fainted by then, lack of energy. Moon hadn't been surprised that Rei was awake, the vast attack on energy didn't seem to work on senshi. The miracle that Moon disagreed with, was that, in Rei's place stood Sailor Mars. "NO!!!!!!! No, no, no!" Moon cried as what she had attempted to avoid, manifested itself.

Mars ignored Moon's behavior and attacked the youma with no prompt, just as Mercury and Jupiter hadn't. "Burning Madelade." The scream echoed in Moon's head, as the senshi called upon her birthright. She hadn't known that a senshi could transform without Luna's help. It was good to know, but at the same time, it devastated her with who was to be fighting along side of her, eventually. Because Moon knew, that no matter how hard she fought against it, Mars would stick her nose where it didn't belong and would show up to battles. Probably causing more harm than good.

Birdie growled, and ripped the hand holding the rope around Moon. Moon fell forward and into Birdie, the two of them were taken down. The ice rope had cut into her, and she felt great pain as it tore through skin. She screamed and landed with a thunk against the ground. Two seconds later, Birdie was attacking her again, and Moon struggled to be free, but a rose embedded itself between the two, and cut the rope it half. It broke apart in shards.

"I must have the Rabbit!" Birdie yelled as Kamen swept Moon up into his arms and away from danger.

"The rabbit?" He asked, surprised.

Moon looked sadly at Kamen and shook her head. "I don't know what she means."

"I do." His voice was tight and let her go, and disappeared as Moon took care of the youma. He probably was just going after Birdie. Birdie was gone, once the youma was.

"Typical." Moon grumbled, she had a bone to pick with the bird-girl. Now Kamen knew their demand, and no doubt had some wayward plan in place to save whoever or whatever the rabbit was, but before she could deal with any foolish notion Kamen had, how would he even know her? She had to deal with the newcomer.

"Way to go!" Mars turned to Moon with glee in her voice. Moon frowned at that, Rei was never this easy going or happy. "How did you do that? With your tiara? My attacks are all energy based, but yours has a physical object involved."

Moon shrugged. She did not want to get involved in that conversation right now. "Stay away." She told the girl firmly.

"Why?" Mars laughed. "This is awesome. I get to join the senshi in protecting the country!"

"The city." Moon clarified. "And you don't get to have any part in it."

"You can't deny me my birthright, because this is mine."

"I can." Clarity came to both at the words.

"But you can't!" Mars sounded almost desperate. "Please don't."

"I won't take away your powers." Moon sighed. "Thank you for saving me, but I don't want you part of the senshi."

"You don't get to decide that."

"Yes, I do. And you are not going to be one of us. You should have been given a choice, and you did make it, you just don't know it."

"No, I did make a choice, and I do know it. It doesn't matter if someone handed me something and told me to choice. I would have chosen this. It's not capable of ignoring our destiny. I am a senshi, and there's nothing that you can do to change that short of taking away my powers. Which you won't do unless absolutely necessarily. Why are you so against me working with me?"

"You will get in the way and put everyone into danger!" Moon yelled at the dark haired beauty. Moon took a step back as she finally looked the new senshi over. She had black hair, like really black, as Rei, she had red tints to her hair, now it was pitch black. Her previously violet eyes were brown, just like the rest of the senshi. But beyond the slight changes that all of them went through, but her facial features seemed to change to, her face widened slightly, the cheekbones became more pronounced and her eyes were larger. She had a strange beauty to her, but not as charming as was as Rei. Moon could think that Rei was beautiful, probably the most beautiful and seductive looking girl that she had ever seen, if she just pouted, she could have any guy to drawn to her.

None would be able to resist her, if she wanted them. That's why Rei's jealous towards Usagi had seemed so misplaced. This version, perhaps one or two, but not very many either. Rei was destined to knock every other female out of the ballpark with beauty, no matter what form she was in. Moon was surprised that Mars' features had been changed, but she figured that it was so there would be just enough differences between Rei and Mars, because she was the closest to her actual looks with the hair and eyes.

"What's on my face?" Mars growled. "I will not put anyone in danger."

"Just... leave me alone. Stay out of it." Moon turned her back on her newest senshi, yes, even though she didn't want Mars, it was still her senshi.

"No!" Mars grabbed Moon's hand and whirled her back to face her. "I belong in your group!" She almost sounded like she was pleading, but Moon knew that couldn't be true. "It's not fair, you know who I am, but you wont tell me who you are?"

Moon laughed, it wasn't funny to her, but she couldn't help it, she was almost desperate to get away from this change of pace in the girl she thought she knew to be so cold and vicious, definitely not a fire senshi, that required passion and compassion. "If you knew, you wouldn't be saying these things to me. Just, listen to my words, and let me go."

"I will prove some way to get you to trust me. I will prove myself to you, that we can work well together. I'll figure out who you are in real life."

"Oh no, please don't do that, because if you do, then anyone can. I don't want to know that." Moon tugged on her arm but Mars didn't release her hand.

"Why are we here, why are we senshi? What's our goal?" Mars tightened her grasp and pulled Moon closer to her.

"Excuse me, senshi. But I must speak to your leader myself." Kamen appeared beside Moon, and Moon looked to him, absolutely relieved.

"Yeah, Kamen and I need to talk." Moon went along with it, trying to pretend it was true, and grateful that he was saving her in this as well.

Mars didn't let go, but instead pulled Moon behind her and straightened to her full height. "Stay back." Mars warned.

"Mars, he is not bad." Moon's voice was stern, and Mars snorted. "He is not. And if you want to prove your loyalty to me, you will step down right now, and let me go, with him."

Mars tensed visibly and then, slowly, she released Moon's hand and stepped away. "We aren't done." Mars stated before Moon was whisked away in Kamen's arms.

"Very brave of you, running off with a stranger." Kamen whispered in Moon's ear.

"Not a stranger, probably the closest person I have to a true confidant after my senshi." She smiled wryly. "Maybe more than them. Thank you."

"I saw the situation. I had to help, no thanks necessary. But I did have some things I wanted to talk to you about." Kamen set her down on her feet on a rooftop some distance away. "Do you know what this Rabbit is?"

"Like I said earlier, no." Moon hesitated. "But you do?"

"I think I do. I'll protect her. You don't have to worry. I'll be close to her, without her knowing what I'm doing." Moon narrowed her eyes, it couldn't be possible- did she know Kamen in real life? Unless there were other girls named Usagi. It was possible, her parents couldn't be the only ones vindictive enough to name their child after an animal. Only her parents were enough to name her the rabbit of the moon. Moon realized the irony in her name, and current profession.

"Tell me who she is, I'll help you."

"I don't think so. I trust you, I do, but like you, we have our reasons for keeping the identities of ourselves protected. Not for ourselves, but for others in our lives."

"Like this rabbit you know." He didn't respond, and she wondered who he was, and if they were close. Beyond that, other people could have the name Rabbit and not be named Usagi. Moon sighed. "Ok. Thank you for saving me again."

Kamen hesitated but then turned fully towards her. "There is more."

"That's right, you said you had a few things to talk to me about." Moon was starting to get just the slightest bit woozy and wanted to sit down. "What's the other?"

"The fact that you are hurt." Kamen took her hands in his and pulled her arms up for his inspection. "They are healing, but you've lost a lot of blood."

"Not a lot, I'm just feeling sick from the sight and thought of it." Moon told him and he caught her before she fell, as it was, she sank against him and he held her on the rooftop for awhile, waiting for her to regain conscious. She sank into black oblivious, having fainted.

"Is there somewhere I can take you?" He asked when she did wake up again.

"Um... no." Moon pushed away from him. "Thank you for staying. I'll be fine, the wounds are healed now. I'll see you next battle." Moon had listened to his point, and while she agreed, she also disagreed. She wanted to tell him, she wanted to really badly, but her reasons for not were more selfish than his. He wanted to protect the people he knew, she wanted to protect her identity, because she feared he would hate her when he found out, be disappointed. Moon looked at him one last time and then took off.

She settled back onto Makoto's terrace near three in the morning. Makoto was passed out on the couch, in her pajamas, and the television was turned down in case of her communicator going off in an emergency.

Moon morphed down into her normal form and looked at the wounds, they were lightly pink but other than that, they were healed. They would stay pink until the next time she transformed. She'd just have to wear longer sleeves, which was all right, considering that it was getting colder out every day, and tomorrow it was supposed to snow. They'd hit their mid-winter season soon, but until then, it was going to get bitterly cold first. At least, for her.

She pulled a blanket over Makoto and the pink-haired girl woke up slightly. "Usa-chan?" She mumbled.

"Yeah, I'm back." Usagi soothed. "Go back to sleep, unless you'd be more comfortable in your bed."

"Nah." Makoto disagreed, swinging her feet up to the couch and pulling the blanket closer to her. "You take it."

Usagi wouldn't disagree to that, she was so tired as it was. She patted Makoto's head and slipped into her friend's room and slid into the bed. She was out in a minute.

Chapter Eight

{Part 2}

AN: this is the only time you'll probably get a chapter this long, and done this way in this fic... It's the same days' events as the last part, usually I move it along better, but really, this needed to be done here. I'll try not to do it elsewhere.

He'd been having these dreams for quite sometime. Even before that first night when he'd turned into Tuxedo Kamen. He hadn't a name for himself then, the black haired beauty in a short blue skirt who fought bravely against their enemy, had decided it for him.

These dreams never seemed to be the end for him. It was one or the other, and sometimes, like tonight, it was both. The first dream, he stared at his face, but an older version. That face, looked completely devastated. Words came to him, but it wasn't complete sentences.

The Princess. Suffer. Misfortune. Stay away.

"Who are you?" He'd ask, running to himself, knowing full well, who the man was, but not the voice. "Why are you telling me this? I haven't even found her! How can I stay away from someone who isn't even around to stay away from?" The content of the dream changed every so often, with different attacks being sent at a girl, he couldn't see nor figure out what she was wearing. That was all, and then after the attacks cleared, the girl was no longer there.

The Princess- suffer- misfortune- stay away.

"Tell me why! What is she to me?"

Every question he asked, he'd just get the same incessant response. The princess would suffer grave misfortune if he didn't stay away. He filled in the words himself. He wondered if that was the true meaning behind the words, but only the most important got across to him, only he could fill in the blanks.

That dream had started when the attacks had. But the one that followed, for they did so in this order all the time, if both were dreamt. Sometimes it was just the one, and sometimes it was the other. But never did the order reverse.

The next dream played for him, again as if it was prerecorded, and no matter what he asked, it never changed. The mist around him, but he could see everything clearly, except the woman above him. She was hidden from his view by the same mist. She called down to him.

"Endymion, my prince..." There was a sigh, as if in longing. "Find my crystal, my prince." He would call up to her. Asking her where to look, asking her what more she could give him. Wanting to know who she was. She could only be a princess, and yet, despite all his demands, his voice asked it's own questions.

"Princess, my love, I will find it." His body would respond, he never saw himself, and he never saw her. He wondered if perhaps he was being transmitted some one else's dream or memory.

He would always wake up after she spoke one last time. "Find the crystal. Find me."

This day would be no different. He woke, feeling very irritated, as he did every time he had these dreams. He usually took that irritation out on the Odango, which, despite the fact that little annoyances had creeped up between them but that was more because on top of these dreams, he hadn't seen Sailor Moon for so long. She was the one to name him Tuxedo Kamen. There was an understanding between the two of them, that no one shared with him. The closest thing to it, was the little barbs shared between him and Odango. Perhaps, that was why Odango might have even been closer, both sharing a need to bait and release tension. But Moon and Kamen, when they did talk, it was magic.

He had agreed to Tuxedo Kamen because it was so funny, especially how cute she had looked in front of him as she tried to explain her idea. He had agreed instantly, with a smile flitting around his lips. She hadn't seen the smile, but he had it. She was constantly amusing him, if only with the face that she was so brave and sometimes jumped in without a thought and sometimes she planned it out well and no matter what, she managed to somehow succeed in defeating the youma.

Although, at all times, he worried for her, and sometimes he feared greatly for her for, especially when he was just too slow, warned too late, in getting there for her.

Mamoru shoved off his sheet, he had taken to sleeping only with a sheet and not a blanket as well, as he sweat so much during his dreams these last few months. It had only been during the dreams that he recently received, foretelling the death of a princess he had yet to meet. It still hit him as bad, that he tossed and turned in his sleep as well. He'd woken up once with the sheet wrapped around his legs and a blanket wrapped around his neck and arms. It had taken some maneuvering to get out of it in time to get to Sailor Moon.

Mamoru shook these rotten thoughts off as he got to his feet and slipped into the shower. He turned it on luke-warm almost cold and after a thorough rinsing, did he finally step out and greet the new day. I need coffee. He told himself and slipped out into the morning sun. It was nearing late morning, almost ten-thirty. His entertainment for the day wouldn't be waking up for another hour or so. Depending on how late she no doubt stayed up the night before.

They were on friendlier terms, the two of them, no longer having screaming matches in the middle of the street. But their arguing popped up at other times, however, only he noticed the slightly more mature stream of barbs, and the innuendos associated with stresses on words and what was said. It was only slight, and he knew he only got it, because he was intentionally putting some of them in there. The rest were all natural between the two of them, it would only be later, when he got home, and recounted their interaction that he would see exactly what was said, and what wasn't.

He made a stop first at campus to print out and turn in some of his work. It was his first year at a college, he had graduated high school a year earlier. That put his and the blond's age difference at three years. Middle school lasted longer in Japan, and High School was only two years. Though our brain levels might be generations apart. He frowned at himself, it would take some getting used to, but he must stop picking on the girl like that. She had shown over and over again, not only was her heart so big, but also her vocabulary wasn't as tiny as some might believe. She really was a saving grace. The professor had been in his office reading through their last paper that had been handed in and smiled gratefully at Mamoru for being such a diligent student, though he doubted Mamoru's paper would be graded any earlier than the rest of the class's. Mamoru had shrugged, without a life really, he had all the time in the world to study. Another reason you shouldn't be so hard on the girl, she's got friends, you've got Motoki, and her, and Rei, and that's it. His inner voice reasoned and he agreed. It was a struggle breaking habit, as anything was with him, but if he worked on it, as he was, he would change his ways. He would change his behavior towards the slight girl.

Speaking of which, he caught the blond haired Odango sitting with her friends, pouring over the latest information gathered by those around.

"Maybe this way, you'll be able to meet that prince of yours." Naru added slyly.

Mamoru frowned at the notion, Usagi finding a prince? He cut in smoothly before anyone could say more, he always managed to find the perfect moments to throw in a statement.

"I see you're being truthful to your name again, aren't you, usagimimi?" He squeezed one of her buns and sank down into the booth next to Ami, waiting for Usagi's comeback.

Unfortunately, it was one of those moments mentioned earlier, where both were missing their magical counterpart's love interest. Usagi's blue eyes snapped to Mamoru with a frown, he loved the way her face flushed and her eyes practically glowed when she was angry. "If you were so concerned about it, you wouldn't be such a mimamoru to ease drop on a middle schoolers' conversations. Don't you have more important things to do, baka?"

Mamoru smiled at the reference, both because of what his name implied and also for the fact that he did watch over someone. The realization caused his face to turn apologetic. "I am a baka, aren't I?" He stood up. "It's my fault, I'm sorry Usagi-san. Please forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive." She waved him off and he walked away towards Motoki, taking the the brush off with a bit of annoyance and irritation. She was quick to move on, but he doubted she truly did. She was sensitive, but good with rolling with the punches, not dead.

He berated himself when no one else was paying attention, he really should be nicer to the girl and not be so put out that he hadn't seen Sailor Moon for such a long time. Besides, why would he need the black-haired beauty, when the blond was more entertaining? And really, to call her a long-eared gossiper was going too far, it wasn't her, he couldn't truly see it, others gossiped, she went along with it. That's how she learned a lot about what was going on around here, he took most of it in himself, as someone would bring something up.

That's how he learned about the ghost-bride, that's how he knew to grab Moon when he'd seen Usagi's friend in danger, and that's how he just learned about this party coming up. He got a lot of information on events on his own too, his connections that were forced upon him elsewhere wouldn't let him be completely out of the loop. Motoki also told him a lot of what was going on as well. He'd hear it from all the tenants in the arcade, not just his core group of friends.

That's where he was now, nursing a black cup of coffee mixed with coco-powder, and now as well, since Usagi had introduced it, a scoop of vanilla ice cream. He watched first the blond haired man leave, then Usagi followed in his wake. He saw two of her friends watch her go with dismay and two watch with wonder. He was curious to see if they knew what was going on. He felt the familiar pull of Sailor Moon not to long later, but she wasn't in any danger, there was a sense of ease and tranquility. He let her go, she no doubt had something planned only for her purposes, just like he had sneaked into all of those jewelry stores on his own all those months ago looking for the crystal before giving up that notion. He wasn't going to find it there. He had taken a crystal from a man though who had snuck into that red-head's mother's shop and taken a crystal from her. He would have ducked out of there as well, after the man, but something had pulled him back in.

He had seen the purple woman who had cat ears talking to, what he now knew as Sailor Moon. She somehow managed to control the youma and sent it after the girl while he dealt with the woman. Moon had used her tiara on the youma and something between the attacks had caused the Naru's mother to return to her normal form. It was the only time that Mamoru had ever seen Moon use her tiara on a human target, and he figured it was the only time it would work. Some reason, the mix of energy taken, Koan's attacks and the youma had caused it to be possible. Mamoru wondered if the black cat with her at the time and shouting orders, had realized it as well, knowing if it were to ever happen again, and sure of it, he knew that cat was smart and knew more than it let on or told, that Moon would need to use something else. The wand had surprised him at first. But when Moon used it on the ghost bride, he knew the power behind it was more than just for the crystal carriers, it actually healed them, letting them find peace. The bride had lost her anger, and found acceptance in the attack. Her eyes had changed from the knowledge and then she disappeared.

He had moved behind the girls after Usagi had disappeared and learned about the princess and the crystal who were to come later this week to have a party and a galla. Though he knew it was either a ruse or it would amount to nothing. He discovered long ago, that if it was plain and obvious to see, it wasn't worth your time, unless you were willing and prepared to fight. He had no interest, and no desire to go to this party, or way to sneak in and mingle. He knew though, if Moon somehow managed to find a way in, and transformed, he'd be there in an instant. Or longer, depending where it was.

Their talk became nonsensical chatter and Ami had returned to her book. Mamoru took that as his cue to leave, and did so, returning to his chair and opening his text book. Not before he heard from one of the girls in the room. "So who do you think he was trying to get closer to?"

"Who do you think, idiot!" Another female responded, and he cracked a grin, neither him nor Usagi had lived down their reputation, nor the stunt he pulled a few weeks back with the kiss on her cheek, making it look like one on the lips. The pink-tinted brunette had cracked jokes mercilessly whenever he was around, but they were dying off, they were usually directed towards him anyways. "But she wasn't even there!" The first voice responded, hurt. Mamoru rolled his eyes and ordered another coffee concoction that was only for him. Motoki-onii-chan didn't usually charge him either, and if he did, it wasn't full price for all of the ingredients. It was a good thing too, because even though Mamoru usually remembered, sometimes even he forgot to pay his buddy when Moon's siren call came flooding through his system.

Speaking of which, she was still transformed. He gave her another twenty minutes, then he would go check it out. Perhaps she was trying to get a hold of him, it was possible, she'd tried it once before with near succession, but she'd disappeared before he left to meet her there. She'd only waited around for five minutes. She probably thought it was stupid and she was wasting both of their time. She'd left and returned to her normal form, and he'd never asked her about it, and she hadn't tried it again.

If she had been there longer, he probably would have made it and taken her into his arms. Though that was probably against all of the rules. Or she wasn't doing anything for him, and had to do some investigative work for five minutes. He didn't know. He decided then, he would give her her privacy and would only arrive if she was in a fight. He could sneak around without anyone being the wiser, so she would be allowed to, too.

The twenty minutes were up, and he followed her tie, but when he got to where she was, she was just standing there, hunched over before she straightened and disappeared, the connection became lost not too long afterwards. " Tadaima." He whispered softly to the room as he unlocked the door. Nobody answered, and no matter how much he wished it to be different, it wouldn't be. Mamoru had returned to his home and collapsed on the couch to watch the news and work on his homework and studies.

~-~-~-

A few days later Mamoru walked into the crown. Usagi's blond haired scrunch balls were bowed next to another blond head, though he couldn't see who it was from the distance. He had just entered and they were near the back. Though he hadn't any doubt that it was Motoki, Usagi and him were always invading each others spaces, just like Usagi and Mamoru. In fact, Usagi seemed to invade everybody's space, and not just the physical boundaries either. She seemed to make her way into places, had it been anyone else, and it would be embarrassingly uncomfortable.

As he neared, he heard the voices. He learned quite suddenly it wasn't Motoki she was with. But instead it was Motoki's newest help, Ite Jade. Mamoru had never really spoken to the man, the only time was ordering something when he didn't take up his usual spot at the counter, so he could spread his books out and study better at a table. He wasn't sure what they were saying yet, as he strolled casually closer, so neither would be suddenly aware of his appearance and cut off what ever they were talking about. He did this for two reasons, one he was interested in what a boy had to say to Usagi, and two, for the very same reason as the first, he was lanced with a stab of jealousy at the idea of anyone taking Usagi's time like that, especially one of the male persuasion. Mamoru's fists clenched and as he got closer, he realized, they were talking about him, or at least this portion of the conversation was based on it.

A small part of him was happy that even when she wasn't aware of his presence, she still talked about him. It relieved him to no end at the thought of it, then he heard the words in the sentences and annoyance cropped back up into his system. Though he schooled it to come out as amusement, it would do him no good to have her furious at him and fall straight into this blond man's devious trap.

For that's what it could only be, an entrapment to cause Usagi to fall into his arms and whisk her away until she was no longer Mamoru's sweet, kind Usagi but instead someone unrecognizable. Mamoru wouldn't stand for that to happen. He caught his in, like always and stepped right into it again.

Usagi rubbed her forehead. "How did we get onto the topic of conversation of my very complex and uninteresting relationship with Chiba-san?"

"I didn't think even you would be able to call our relationship that, I'm hurt. I thought I was at least worth a hard to explain, instead of uninteresting." Usagi's eyes slid up to Mamoru and he was caught by the liquid fire in those blue orbs, there was something on the tip of her tongue to say to him, but she pulled back. He wondered at the reason, their truce or to impress the blond man he'd never seen her speak to before, except at Rei's temple?

She skipped away from the two men and joined her friends, dragging them outside, and down the street. Mamoru watched them go, with a sense of remorse and relief, and gave the man next to him a leveling glower before returning to the front and downing another cup of coffee. He'd have a long night ahead of him if something did happen with Sailor Moon and the others. He wished she would have more protection, it was worrisome to see her with only one or two other girls. He had held his tongue when it was just Mercury, not sure if she could even find others. But he'd heard them argue once about changing another. Moon had absolutely refused. Soon later though, Jupiter joined their ranks, but that girl almost scared him with his intensity. He had told Moon, he hadn't trusted the tall girl, but in truth it wasn't that she wouldn't protect Moon from enemies, but inadvertently harm Moon in the process. Moon had replied wisely and he acknowledged her point.

If he couldn't trust people she did, then they had no reason to trust him. He wished now that he had accepted Rei's offer to go to the party with her, but he turned her down. She wanted the wrong things from him. He wondered at her loss, he knew she was the senator's daughter, but he could feel the pain deep inside of her, knew the emotions were similar to the ones he held, and shared. He hadn't lied to Usagi all those weeks ago, he and Rei had known each other for a long time. They had met at a meeting that children of deceased, previous and current politicians had to go to, to ensure public, governmental and personal safety and then have a press conference. As his mother was a senator before Rei's father, before she died, that was, he was required to go. Since then, Hino-san had been trying to attach Rei to him. Rei was drawn to him for other reasons. Surely not to please her father, she hated doing anything he said.

But whether it was to ease her life and tensions with her father, or for Mamoru's money or looks or a more personal easement of pain, if it was shared similarly, it didn't matter to Mamoru, he had no interest in her that way. He might have, at one point, if he hadn't had the dreams of the princess to guide him, then the blond beauty at the arcade, then the black-haired one that shared the blond's hairstyle, but even without the three mystery women, he doubted that he would ever be attracted to Rei. She was too pushy, too bossy and too hard-headed. Usagi's hard-headed and just as stubborn. His subconscious whispered in his head. He knew that, but it was different. Rei- Rei was just wrong for him, she needed someone with as much fiery spirit as she did, but someone who looked at the world in a positive light, she deserved that. She had pulled him out of his depression along with Motoki, but he'd only suck her right back in with him, or she would to him.

It was nearing twilight and he headed home. There wasn't much he could do as he waited. It was almost eleven before he gave up his vigil. He had felt Moon for a few moments earlier at ten, and knew she was on the watch. But if nothing happened by now, nothing would happen, he reasoned, usually, Moon would get there, then he would feel the familiar tug and then he would be there not too much later.

There was nothing. He stayed up until Midnight, trying to convince himself that everything was fine, he just didn't know why he didn't feel her as she returned to wherever it was she came from. Maybe she just took the human way back. His mind reasoned and with that note, he finally let his body relax into slumber.

Stay away. That dream then, hmm? It started at a different spot than it normally did though. The Princess. Suffer. Misfortune. Yeah, yeah, he knew all this already. He was really just getting sick of this dream. It told him nothing new, and it was only showing him the death of somebody he knew he had to meet.

STAY AWAY! The voice yelled. The Princess, Suffer, Misfortune, stay away. The PRINCESS!

His dream transitioned into the other one without the tedious attack on the girl, too far for him to reach in time. He was back at the balcony scene, he didn't know why he was down there, looking up like some love-sick Romeo. Maybe he had to stay away from her even then, to protect her, or protect himself, he didn't know. But he did know that there was an urgency between them every time he came. There was a bond, he couldn't deny and had to fulfill her wishes over any other dream or voice in his head. He couldn't deny her, her desires. He just couldn't. "Endymion, my love. Find my crystal, my prince." He rolled his eyes, he knew his lines already and said them just for the hell of it.

He knew his body liked her, knew there was a connection between them, and he would do her bidding, but it didn't make the ridiculousness of this never ending cycle that gave him no hints or clues, just demands any easier. "My love, I will find it." He responded and his words didn't float up to her like they should have.

Pale hands reached out to him and pulled him into the mist. He still couldn't see her face, couldn't discern anything about it, just that she was shorter than him, and everything about her, including her dress was very pale. "Endymion my love. Find-" Your crystal, I know, why is it so important now? His dream self asked, but the words weren't spoken. "FIND ME. Find me my love. FIND ME!!!!!!" She screamed at him and he woke with a start. His body shook as if he was cold, and then his transformation came over him without a thought.

Find the princess, as Kamen? Go to Moon? Or the Princess? He asked himself, shooting to the balcony, he concentrated, but he couldn't feel anyone but Moon's call through his blood, her sweet smell intoxicated his nose, her warmth, coursing through him, and her fear, that she was doing really well at holding at bay tonight. Strategy and calm were her appearances. Though he could feel her struggle. Moon or princess? He asked himself again, but he knew the answer even before he thought it. Moon.

He was off into the night.

When he got there, he double-taked. All of the senshi had dark hair, so at first he left it alone, then he realized it was a girl with long black hair and a red senshi uniform. How many senshi were there? And where were the rest? She had her arm up protecting her as a bat latched on, then she was blasting it away. Moon was shouting 'No' over and over again.

Kamen frowned at that, the girl wasn't hurt, Moon however was in a bind that would get her hurt, deeply. He sent his rose to the binding, not knowing what would happen to Moon if he sent it at the woman who had the other end, wrapped around her hand. As it was, she was pulling Moon viciously towards her with a yank. The rose cut through it easily, sliding through like butter. Kamen grinned at that, nothing beat his roses. The rope shattered into a million, crystalized shards that was strangely pretty.

He jumped into action, pulling Moon away before the bird-woman could respond with an attack. "I must have the Rabbit!" The woman yelled as he pulled her to safety, his cloak surrounding both of them. Just as his roses could cut through anything,nothing could penetrate his cloak, though it could be painful at times as things hit against it, causing him bruises.

"The rabbit?" He asked, surprised.

Moon looked sadly at Kamen and shook her head. "I don't know what she means."

"I do." His voice was tight and let her go, and disappeared as Moon took care of the youma. He knew exactly what rabbit the woman wanted, he just didn't know why. He had the strangest desire to take flight then, and go see if his blond Odango was all right.

He turned to the woman, intent on demanding his answers, but she was gone. He clenched his hands into fists and when he relaxed them, he saw that they were covered in blood.

"Way to go!" Mars turned to Moon with glee in her voice. Kamen watched from a distance, keeping an eye on Moon to see if she would need further assistance with her wounds. He wanted to ask her why she hadn't struggled against the binds, but figured it was probably because it was already cutting into her cold body, and to struggle would have caused things to be worse...

He smiled that she had a new senshi, she seemed excited to be there, all of the new senshi, save Moon seemed happy to be part of the team, though that's probably because they weren't the first, they could learn from Moon and it was an honor only a handful were part of. They weren't alone, facing an enemy, not even knowing Kamen was there to help. Over time, she had gotten rid of that fear, though he knew it still remained, just smaller. She also seemed to accept her position and even revel in it. He caught her moments of pride for beating the enemy before someone said something or complimented her. But he still did, if he was near, because she did deserve the compliments, even if it made her uncomfortable.

The two seemed to be arguing, Moon was irritated, he could see it from the set of her shoulders. Mars, he'd caught her name, was trying to convince Moon of something, and she didn't want to be. It wasn't until Mars grabbed her hand, that Kamen finally started towards them. Kamen growled low to himself, when Mars grabbed her hand and pulled Moon back around to face her, and when he introduced his presence, Mars whipped the girl behind her, like Mars had been the one to protect her all this time, like Mars was the one that Moon should trust, when Moon clearly didn't even like her.

"Stay back." Mars warned and Kamen contemplated taking a step forward just to irk the girl.

"Mars, he is not bad." Moon's voice was stern, and cut off what he was thinking, no firm plan in mind and Mars snorted. Kamen's fists clenched, you cannot hurt girls, you cannot hurt girls, oh wait, yeah, you can, the enemy so far has been girls... He didn't think his thoughts would be appreciated by Moon though, so he held back and heard her speak after giving Mars a stern look of disapproval. "He is not. And if you want to prove your loyalty to me, you will step down right now, and let me go, with him." That's my girl- wait, what did I just say? Kamen had meant to say atta girl, not what he did. He took a moment and reevaluated his position and sighed silently, it wasn't a surprise, he had three girls, no matter how much he fought against each of them, in their own ways.

Mars tensed visibly and then, slowly, she released Moon's hand and stepped away. "We aren't done." Mars stated before Kamen didn't waste a moment and whisked Moon away in his arms, glad to be holding her, knowing her presence was sure, and feeling her heat relax his edgy mood slightly.

"Very brave of you, running off with a stranger." Kamen whispered in Moon's ear. He was teasing her, he felt like she knew him better than almost anyone. Probably two others, knew him better, and Hino Rei was not one of them, no matter how much she thought she knew.

"Not a stranger, probably the closest person I have to a true confidant after my senshi." She smiled wryly. "Maybe more than them. Thank you." His heart melted slightly at the words, she felt the same way about him, and he couldn't even return the words to her, because he didn't know how to express them.

"I saw the situation. I had to help, no thanks necessary. But I did have some things I wanted to talk to you about." Kamen set her down on her feet on a rooftop some distance away. He had to clear his head and focus, he hadn't really thought through what he was going to say once he had her alone. She did that to him, and as he gazed at her from a distance, he knew then who he would choose if it came down to another question like the one in his room earlier tonight. Instead of it being between Moon and the Princess though, it was between Moon and Usagi, and Usagi would win every time, if she was in danger, and if she asked for his heart. "Do you know what this Rabbit is?" He had to clarify this point, it mattered the most to him.

"Like I said earlier, no." Moon hesitated and he wondered what she was protecting, and why she would lie. "But you do?"

"I think I do. I'll protect her. You don't have to worry. I'll be close to her, without her knowing what I'm doing." Moon narrowed her eyes and he narrowed his in response, what was with the sudden suspicion? Did she think he was lying or hiding something more about that? Did she want him to tell her who this rabbit was so she could hand her over to the enemy or use her as bait? He doubted it, but still.... There could be a possibility that he was wrong about who this 'rabbit' was, or if it was even a person, it could very well be a stuffed rabbit for all he knew, but in his gut, he thought he knew quite clearly what the enemy was after, and they wouldn't get it. He would protect Usagi at all costs, even if it meant doing a few things he never thought he would...

"Tell me who she is, I'll help you." He didn't know if he should believe her, she hadn't done anything but trust and support him, her offer could very well be that, a true offer of help.

"I don't think so. I trust you, I do, but like you, we have our reasons for keeping the identities of ourselves protected. Not for ourselves, but for others in our lives." Kamen's words were out before he thought about them, he would protect his Usagi above all others, even if it meant hurting Moon, which he hated to do, it tore at his gut almost as much as seeing Usagi trying to take down her Odangos in frustration that time at the lake. He couldn't watch her hurt herself, he'd dragged the joke as far as he could, and had to stop, she just didn't realize it yet. But he intended to never call her that again, another nickname had sprung up in its place, but he didn't dare call her that either.

"Like this rabbit you know." He didn't respond, she hadn't asked a question, so there was no need to. Moon sighed and he almost took her in his arms to comfort her obvious displeasure at where their conversation had gone. "Ok. Thank you for saving me again."

Kamen hesitated, he'd wanted to leave then, but as he looked down at his hands again, he had to turn back. "There is more." This had scared him considerably, these attacks kept getting worse. He doubted she noticed, but most of the injures happened to her, it might be because she was the leader, it might be because she was usually the one to defeat them, or it might be because she had to be the closest usually not to waste as much energy, or, her klutziness had a part in it too. He didn't know the answer, but he'd managed to save her quite a few times without her even getting a bruise, he felt like he was failing in his job, and if he couldn't save Moon, how would he save Usagi?

"That's right, you said you had a few things to talk to me about." Moon tilted a little in her stance, and he watched her with a frown, she was looking a little more off balanced than usual and the way she was leaning looked as if she was about to collapse. "What's the other?" She kept up with the conversation as if she didn't feel what was happening to her body.

"The fact that you are hurt." Kamen took her hands in his and pulled her arms up for his inspection. "They are healing, but you've lost a lot of blood." They were too, the marks made slight indents and the top layer still looked like it had broken apart, but he could see them healing as he stood there with her. He worried about the blood loss more than anything else, it couldn't be good. He wanted to pull her onto the ground and have her rest a moment, she was swaying more, but she had tried to tug her hands away from him, in protest to his concern.

"Not a lot, I'm just feeling sick from the sight and thought of it." Moon told him, backing his thoughts and he watched in horror as she careened to the floor, he caught her before she hit the ground and felt her sag against him, he held her in his arms, shaking momentarily at the thoughts running through his head. Was she all right? Was she breathing?

He checked her vitals and felt a sigh of relief floor him and he sank to his knees with her cradled in his arms. "What am I going to do with you?" He asked her, but it was directed more towards himself. He kept his arms around her, and took in the feel of her there, he couldn't have her in his life, he knew that, and he'd already decided that Usagi was more important to him anyways, he'd always choose her over Moon because when it came right down to it, it really wasn't a choice at all. Then why, why did he feel like his heart was breaking at just the thought? Why did he enjoy every moment with this black haired version of his Odango?

There were too many similarities to be comfortable with, right down to the black cat that hung around both. He pulled himself away from these thought, Usagi obviously wanted to be like Moon, and he was just imagining similarities that weren't there, wishing they would be, so he could magically believe that both Moon and Usagi were one person and make his decision easier. He held Moon close, and relaxed his grip when she slowly stirred. It had been some of the longest moments of his life.

"Is there somewhere I can take you?" He asked when she woke fully.

"Um... no." Moon pushed away from him and he felt his heart beat painfully in his chest. She didn't want or need his help when it wasn't in the battle. "Thank you for staying. I'll be fine, the wounds are healed now. I'll see you next battle." Moon looked back at him one last time and then took off.

Kamen felt his heart leave with her, these last few moments had been surreal, not just because he got to hold her, but because she had acted so differently than the Moon he had grown to admire and trust and have a true camaraderie with. He could always trust this girl to look at him with admiration and appreciation, and if not, a tad bit of desire and thankfulness for his presence when he saved her. The one he was determined to push away, but hoped secretly she would pull him back and hold him close, and never let go, never looked at him like that. He feared that this girl too, would slowly loose interest in him and not want him and he would be truly alone in his life again. If she knew who he was under this monkey suit and mask, he wouldn't stand a chance compared to her brilliance.

He turned and took off towards his apartment when he could no longer see her over the horizon. Tomorrow, he'd try, again, to be nice to the girl of his dreams. He didn't know why he'd been so irritated at her, when he couldn't see Moon, when while he was with Moon, he couldn't stop thinking of her.

EAN: wow that was a long chapter, and whoosh, that took a lot out of me, I think I wrote most of it in five days. I sat down and typed for a few hours, left and came back again. This was probably the most difficult chapter for me to write, because it had to be the same between the two of them, as it was the same events, mainly, just told differently and different lead ins. I don't know when I can get you another chapter. I was almost tempted to split this one up into two parts all on its own, but felt that was cheating as it is the same chapter, but different views and reactions, which I couldn't give you in one section. Between senshi, I don't mind changing view and bouncing around, or with Luna or Motoki, but Mamoru, he's a different case entirely. I would even give Jade a view if it started with a senshi, as theirs is the entire story. Like I said earlier, don't expect this again. I can't promise there will be no more Mamoru views, but highly doubtful. Then again, these last few chapters haven't been quite what I was expecting either when I set out on this story, so again, no promises. It's good though, isn't it? Let me know your thoughts. I think I'm moving the story along pretty quickly. Only eight chapters, and there's movement in Mamoru and Usagi's relationship, Moon and Kamen and I've brought in three senshi and have two enemies for the girls to face. It's difficult to cut out a lot of this and move it faster without a good base of explanation. I've read stories that will settle in for the long haul just to prove to you that people age, slowly.