Her name was Kei Kumagai, she was eighteen years old and just had started her study of japanese philology at the Tōdai. She still lived at home, together with her parents and her little sister in a house in Shinagawa.
Right now she was on her way home from learning with a group of friends at one of their houses and was on her way from subway station to a bus stop she had to use to get home.
As they were young girls of course learning was just one thing, they also chatted about the boys they liked in their classes or their boyfriends, which professors sucked and about other topics common for girls their age.
And they also had briefly talked about that war that was going on in the Galaxy, just yesterday a set of pictures had been released directly from a battlefield on a hostile-seeming planet, a place called something like Salami or so. But they all had agreed that the Queen of Crystal Tokyo and her Guardians still looked flawless, even in the middle of a war zone. And they were so cool and empowering, defending the Galaxy from an enemy trying to destroy the order and killing innocent.
It was already dark and although lately reports of missing people had been in the news, she wasn't worried too much, she had come through here so many times, ain't now something would happen to her in this residential area.
What Kei didn't see was the pair of sky-blue eyes tracing her.
A few minutes later, she was almost at the bus stop, something landed next to her and sprinted away without stopping.
She got frightened awfully and made a small jump and let out a scream only to blush a moment later when she realized it just had been a cat.
She observed the cat running away and had to giggle because she was startled that much by that rather chunky house cat.
"Hey, are you okay? You seemed to have been startled a great lot by that cat." A dulcet male voice suddenly sounded off from behind her and she turned around to look at a very handsome young man, dressed in the school uniform of a high school pupil, around her age. Immediately she blushed again.
"I'm jumpy sometimes." She replied and the young man nodded, with the most charming smile she had ever seen.
"Maybe you shouldn't walk around alone then. Can I bring to the subway?"
"Bus station. For the 87 to Shingawa."
"Oh, I see. Do you want me to accompany until there? I mean… only if…"
"Sure! I wouldn't mind."
He smiled at her again and she answered with one as well. Kami, this guy was handsome. And his school uniform looked like from a private school.
For a few minutes they walked next to each other, introducing them to each other, his name was Shinnosuke and he was living just around the corner, having come from a friend's house. He was also eighteen and in the last year of high school.
"The bus station is just around the corner. Would you mind to exchange numbers or social media?"
That smile as he nodded, a bit sheepishly even.
Kei smiled as she pulled out her phone from her pants, thinking that Shinnosuke did the same.
She was still smiling as suddenly and without warning Shinnosuke put what he had taken out of his pants, a white handkerchief, in her face and within a second she came unconscious, Shinnosuke's sky-blue eyes had a glint in them as he smiled manically while he catched the unconscious young woman and silently carried her over to an empty side alley.
Present Day:
One of Chibiusa's favorite things in the world was when she and her parents found the time to breakfast together.
She would help her mother with preparing the table while her father took care of getting the food delivered to their premises. Chibiusa and her mother often would eat sweet things like waffles, melon pan or pancakes while her father often ate very healthy as always. He also brewed up some fresh coffee, and Chibiusa, who had inherited her love for strong coffee from her father, everytime felt like she was in caffeine heaven.
Usually they stayed together for a few minutes more on the table after, spoke to each other, especially the two women while Mamoru often took the luxury to read the local newspaper, the same newspaper his father-in-law worked at and not only found the time to scan the three most important newspapers in the world. Chibiusa knew how much her father adored these times, sipping on his coffee, reading about the things that happened in Tokyo while the two most important people in his life talked, and sometimes bickered, with each other like a normal family.
Right now Mamoru was reading the police reports, Usagi appeared at the table, put a small bowl with a mix of different berries in front of him and then kissed his head.
"Another missing person, this time a middle aged man. You think we should check it out?"
"If it would be something falling into the pattern that the Intelligence Service is monitoring Ami would have told us, I guess. Or Rei or Michiru would have sensed something was off."
Usako was not unright, Mamoru had to confess. And after all, Tokyo was a gigantic city, it was unfortunate but normal that in a city like this, people went missing or were kidnapped.
Unknown to her parents, Chibiusa made a mental note to check out the Internet about these missing people later. Helios was busy with being the First Officer of the Starstruck and Hotaru was going to Coruscant with SunTzu, so she was bored anyways and maybe getting on the track of a kidnapper, or even serial killer sounded like a welcomed activity.
With the help of Rei and Hotaru, who had crashed his couch, SunTzu had made it through the first and biggest shock.
Later that night Ada had sent him a message, she wanted to talk. And she told she could arrange it, if he wanted to talk with the Jedi as well.
He decided to head to Coruscant the next day and in the morning he and Hotaru had left his place for Crystal Tokyo. To his surprise he had slept better than he had expected and even with him now knowing who he really was and where he really was from Hotaru hadn't changed in any way and not for a single second when it came to interacting with him. And she hadn't said one thing about it.
On the way to the Palace the Admiral himself contacted him and told him to frequent the Throne Room.
A few minutes after SunTzu had parked his Lamborghini at the Palace, he was already entering the Crystal Tower. Hotaru went inside as well but excused herself to get changed in her quarters.
On his way to the Throne Room SunTzu noticed that none of the guards eyed him more than yesterday, which meant that the guard hadn't been instructed to keep an eye on him, a fact easy to overlook but it spoke for the trust they still had onto him.
Or so he thought, as he noticed that Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter were posted in front of the door to the Throne Room.
Makoto stayed back as Ami greeted him.
"Good morning. How are you?"
"Except that I do feel quite betrayed by the people that I trusted with my life, I'm happy to enjoy another wonderful morning in Crystal Tokyo. It maybe not the Crystal Tokyo from my Universe, but hey, who cares for details."
Ami stood his gaze.
"Do I have to confiscate your weapons?"
"I don't know. Did you had to bring me from another Universe to this one? "
"Listen, I'm sorry. Keeping you in the dark was not fair but we had to be make sure we're our loyalties lie."
"I think you should have known about that since Glee Anselm." SunTzu sighed. "Spies." And then he looked at Makoto.
"Mako-Chan, you know why I like Grunts more than Operators? Operators work too close together with spies. And spies will always sell you out if they need to."
"Believe it or not, I always was your friend. And I never would sell you out. Glee Anselm wasn't nice but I actually had not wanted you guys to fight my battles. Also I was always against making you an assassin for the GAIS."
"I can confirm that, Ami always wanted your best, even if she had to go against Coruscant. And angry or not, the Wolves and me will always have your back as well. You are one of us, so don't do any stupid stuff, because we wouldn't let you do it without us."
"We are sorry."
The gazes of the two women were crushing for SunTzu in that moment. It was in that moment he started with accepting his faith, just like Rei and Hotaru, these two were loyal friends, more than that, Ami had been the first to warm up to him, his first real friend here, in this Universe so even, and Mako and him shared a bond that only people who had been lying next to each other in the trenches shared.
"You guys know what? Fine! Apologies accepted, but you better tell me any secrets you're hiding immediately from now on. And just for the record, Makoto, why haven't I met Hanabira yet?"
"Oh, you definitely have to, she's the most cutest little thing you'll ever see."
Makoto was the first to put an arm over his shoulder, shortly after Ami followed.
"We're friends, never forget that."
"Yeah, yeah. And friends never leave each other hanging. Nice way to force me to keep fighting." The sigh and the wry smile made the women smile as well.
"Now, can we get over with it." He nooded at the door to the Throne Room.
SunTzu entered the room, right behind the two Senshi and while the two women joined Mars and Venus on the right in front of the Throne, as were Yuichiro, Luna, Diana and Artemis.
To his left were Neptune and Uranus, but no sign of Pluto. Neptune had her hands crossed and her gaze was sad as she looked at SunTzu. Even Haruka pursed her lips when she looked at him.
SunTzu looked over to Venus and she tried to smile at him but couldn't really force it.
SunTzu stopped in front of the thrones.
In the last weeks a third smaller throne had been installed next to the Neo Queen. As her parents, the Princess was also sitting in her throne.
SunTzu shot the Royals a look, all of three of them seemed rather nervous, especially the Neo Queen who firmly gripped the armrest of her throne.
SunTzu didn't bow down and kept an austere gaze on the Royal Couple.
"I…" The Neo Queen began, unsure what to say and at a loss. "I… We…"
"We are sorry, we all really are." All eyes including SunTzu's turned to the pink-haired heiress of the Crystal Throne.
"Chibiusa is right. It was a hard decision to rip a person, you, away from his life to let him fight for us." The Neo Queen now chimed in, her lowered gaze avoiding SunTzu's a clear indicator of the guilt she was feeling.
Next to his wife, Mamoru cleared his throat.
"We can never compensate for what we did to you. And as someone who has the honor to be your friend, I wish It would have been different and you got spared from all the pain and loss the Shadow War put you through."
"Endymion is right. What we have done, can never be excused. What you already did for this Kingdom and Galaxy, the amount of times you saved the life of my Senshi, none of this can ever be repaid. The truth also is, that we need you and I hope dearly that you will not break your ties with us." A small pause as the pleading gaze of the Neo Queen turned to him. "I speak for all of us, when I say, that I dearly hope that you will stay with us."
Heads turned to SunTzu, who took his time to answer.
He might had a peaceful, regular live on his home in another universe or whatever, but did he had the highs of this live? His old self didn't know the thrill of piloting the most advanced starfighter in the Galaxy through a battle against numerical superior enemies or the pride of successfully leading warriors through a combat mission. The riches, the things he learned and he experienced here. The woman he loved, the person bound to his soul and the girl he felt responsible to take care as father figure for were all here and not somewhere else.
He shot a side glance to Haruka, even the ever so arrogant Brit seemed to be nervous.
This also did go for the best friends a man ever could have.
Who am I kidding? I belong here just as the rest of this crazy bunch…
"I heard a saying once. No matter, where he goes, the Samurai protects the country he is in. And although I'm not a Samurai I'm still the First Knight of Crystal Tokyo. And someone has to protect this bunch of crazy magical girls."
Smiles appeared on all the faces.
"But, there's one thing I'd like to ask for you, your Majesties."
"What would that be?"
"No more things hidden from me."
Neo Queen nodded enthusiastically.
"Never anymore."
"Oh and one more thing." SunTzu gaze wandered over the people around him. "My name is SunTzu, so don't even ask how to call me."
With a smile, Usagi then jumped up and literally flew done the stairs to the throne before she embraced SunTzu.
"I'm so sorry. But I do need you to protect my dear Senshi." She said in a low tone to him.
Right behind her Endymion appeared her and the two men shook hand, after Serenity let go of SunTzu.
"I am glad you'll stay here, my friend."
The rest of the people inside the throne room formed a circle around them as well and SunTzu and Yuichiro shook hands as well with a firm nod.
The princess and him exchanged a fist bump with a silent nod as well before he shook hands with Admiral Artemis and Luna, both apologizing and as well thanking him again for what he had done for Kingdom and Senshi.
Only Neptune and Uranus kept back.
After a moment Uranus cleared her throat, loud enough so that everyone could hear it.
"I think it's enough now. Fritz didn't win the War yet. And we have to get back to the airbase."
Next to her Michiru rolled her eyes and sighed.
SunTzu shook his head in played annoyance before he bowed down in front of the Royal Couple.
"Your Majesties."
"Ladies, Gentlemen, you excuse me."
He catched up with Haruka and Michiru close to the door, Michiru put a hand on his shoulder and they shared a look, a silent sorry and accepting it, without any words. Together they left the room and as soon as the door closed Uranus, on his right, opposite to Neptune on his left began to speak again, a hand on the back of her head.
"Yeah… uhm, sorry too, I guess." And then she was all back to herself. "I was against to bring someone extrinsic here but it could have been worse."
Michiru rolled her eyes again.
"What my BETTER half here is trying to say is that apart from being sorry that you have been brought here involuntarily to fight a war, she also is immensely happy that she has you and that she never wanted to see anyone shine in protecting the other Senshi except herself but you changed that in her."
Haruka's dumbfounded gaze wandered to Michiru who had her head raised fitting for the divine being she was. Good thing she didn't see SunTzu's broad, amused grin.
Just a tad bit later this morning SunTzu was sitting inside AICA's cockpit, the A-Wing was standing on the tarmac, outside of her hangar.
SunTzu had changed into a flight suit, as had Hotaru who had sat down behind him. AICA had changed into two-seat modus on her own.
"Seriously, I swear I'll be back. No get out, Hotaru."
"No way. I'm gonna accompany you to the Jedi Temple. As I said before."
"No offense Boss, but Hotaru is right. She should accompany you to Coruscant. Not that I would let you fly anywhere else."
"You do know, that I have your Override Codes, AICA?"
"You do know that I can contact Ami?"
SunTzu wheezed and shook his head indignantly. "Mutiny… Does your mother know that you'll be on Coruscant?"
"Mom is busy with her own stuff at the moment. But I'm very sure it will be in her interest that you're not going alone. I could also ask Rei, if you prefer to let her know about it."
It took a moment before SunTzu replied. "Fine, then let's go."
Knowing that he was defeated, SunTzu closed the canopy of AICA."
Meanwhile in a place where a second could feel like it lasted a century and a millennium could be over in the blink of an eye, the Guardian of Space and Time just had left the Door of which was the very thing she was bound to be guarding.
In front of her a grand ancient-looking temple arose, clearly standing out from the fog of the space between time.
With firm and fast steps Sailor Pluto approached the building, only to find a tall centaur in front of it, a long javelin in its hands.
"Well, if that isn't my comely looking half sister, did you finally come to take your rightful place at my side?"
Setsuna rolled her eyes as she had stopped and now stood tall next to the Garnet Rod she held straight in her right arm. "Father Chronos, Kheiron! This old joke again?"
"Excuse me Sister, but Chronos, it still too enjoyable to annoy you."
The half siblings shared a smile.
"Talking about him, father awaits me."
"Your report, I know. He is inside the Temple."
The half-human took a step to the side and made place for Sailor Pluto to climb up a small flight of stairs which lead into the building.
A few hours later, SunTzu landed in a landing zone, belonging to the Jedi Temple, some shuttles and XJ-Wings parked there, with ground crews and droids servicing them.
SunTzu wasn't surprised neither to see Master Cilghal nor Ada already waiting for him there.
Cilghal had her hands folded and looked rather skeptically, while Ada's emotions and eyes were hidden under a large pair of sunglasses.
SunTzu climbed out of the cockpit, not knowing how to react to the presence of the Intelligence Officer. She was his good friend, who know what what would have happened if she and Leon hadn't made sure that he'd stopped his straight, suicidal episode of drinking and flying combat missions intoxicated. On the other side, she had been the one to bring him here, she had snatched him out of his regular life.
Behind SunTzu, Hotaru looked around the landing zone, as if she was searching for something before she followed her superior out of AICA's cockpit.
While Cilghal stood still, Ada made a step towards SunTzu. He stopped in front of her, a Pokerface on.
"Lieutenant Colonel." He greeted her but didn't salute.
She looked at him for a moment and then offered him an open hand.
"Bringing you here and throwing you into this War is definitely one of the things that I'll feel guilty about until my death." She cut straight to the point. "But I don't regret having met such a great guy and finding such a good friend in you."
"All for the mission, isn't that right Ada?"
From behind Hotaru's gaze fell on SunTzu, as well as Cilghal's from the front.
"If the mission is to save the Galaxy and the innocent people living in it. Yes. Even when it comes down to using a friend."
SunTzu nodded slowly one time before he took her still extended hand.
"At least you made right that I found my new home with the right people." His head motioned into Hotaru's direction.
"I'm sorry."
"Me too. At least I can make a difference here."
Two faints of smiles appeared on their faces and SunTzu ended their handshake before he looked at Cilghal.
"Master Cilghal."
"SunTzu. The High Council is waiting."
"Then we shouldn't let them wait." They began to walk towards the entrance to the Temple but Hotaru kept standing where she was.
"Hotaru?"
"Oh, I'm gonna keep an eye on AICA. Just go on without me."
SunTzu shrugged, probably she just wanted to make sure that he would really fly to Coruscant. "Alright then. See you later."
Hotaru answered with a smile and SunTzu turned around again and Ada, Cilghal and him continued their way.
As soon as they had entered the Temple, Hotaru brought out her communicator.
"Hey. I'm at the Temple, Landing Zone Cresh. Where are you?"
Cilghal lead Ada and SunTzu through the Temple, past guardians and up to a repulsor lift who brought them into the tower the Jedi High Council was residing in.
Two Jedi were standing guard in front of it, and in their front stood Master Durron.
"Seeing you here already makes you a better man than I could ever be. I definitely wouldn't visit the people that decided to rip me out of my peaceful life."
"Master Durron." Master Cilghal interjected.
"You know I am right my dear Cilghal. I would have ran away. Trying to get home."
"Kyp…"
"Friends, I'm doing this for my friends. My found family, the people I love."
A small smile appeared on Kyp Durron's face. "See and that's why I trust him to safe this Galaxy. Now, shall we?"
Kyp motioned to the door where the rest of the Jedi Council was waiting."
With slow, heavy steps Setsuna left the stone temple, her head fixed to the ground.
"What's the matter, Sister?"
"I…"
"There is… Are you feeling for that human?"
"Kheiron…"
"You know he is from another universe. He cannot stay, it's too dangerous. Alone having him stay in a universe with another version of him is risky."
"I know. And Father sees it the same way. To not mess with the flow of space and time anymore he has to return to his universe when the threat that Chaos is is banned."
Kheiron saw the pain in his sister's eyes, the same pain she had been carrying for two millennia, but it was even worse today.
"I am sorry."
Sailor Pluto shook her head, a single silver tear, dripping from her eye.
"It's my fault. I shouldn't have developed feelings for him. If someone knew that it wouldn't work out, it was me."
"Setsuna…"
"I need a moment. I'll be at the Time and Space Door." That said she silently vanished into the nearby mist.
SunTzu was lead into the High Council's chamber and stopped in the middle of the room, the members of the council placed around him. SunTzu knew all of them, beginning with Grandmaster Skywalker and his wife, Master Sabatyne, Master Hamner, Master Horn, Masters Solusars and of course Cilghal and Kyp Durron.
"Please, SunTzu, feel free to take a seat." Luke Skywalker, his face soft, motioned to the cushion next to SunTzu.
Said settled down and looked at the Grandmaster.
"I know you have lots of questions and I do hope we can answer them all for you. As you have deserved it, in all fairness."
"I have Grandmaster Skywalker. I think most of them revolve around the Herald of Chaos."
Luke nodded softly and SunTzu couldn't help but admire the calm demeanor of the First of the New Jedi Order.
"Our informations regarding him are limited but we will answer whatever we can."
"Thank you Master Skywalker." And then SunTzu asked his first question.
"What was he doing before? Was he a Jedi? Did he lead a peaceful life before he got corrupted? Do we know anything about his past."
"I think Mara can answer you this, she knows the most about the Herald's whereabouts."
Luke nodded to his wife, the red-haired Mara Jade-Skywalker, a Jedi Master in her own right and former right hand of information broker Talon Karrde.
"Jedi, Talon and Intelligence could find out several things about the Herald's former life. He comes from Earth, just like you but soon after the discovery of the rest of the Galaxy became an adventurer, this was roughly around the time of the Swarm Wars. Somehow in this time, he came into contact with Chaos and got corrupted. We assume that this happened somewhere in the Unknown Regions. He began to lay the foundation for his Forces with the end of the Swarm Wars, using companies to hire former troops, buying equipment. All under the hide of protecting and securing the Unknown Regions and Wild Space. We found evidence that one of the companies he had acquired worked also with former Warlords and pirates and sent one of our first Masters, a Jedi named Streen to investigate it, hoping to find more evidence that the enemies of the Galactic Alliance were forming an union. Master Streen found out, that the Herald was powerful in the Force but was unfortunately killed after delivering this information."
"The first Jedi slain by Chaos." Master Durron added and a few of the Jedi Masters nodded grimly.
"But we also obtained a prophecy, saying that a man that is the Herald but from another Universe will fight him."
"I heard about this… I was the closest to the Herald."
"The other Force Sensitive. The Herald enslaved Aung-Tii Monks, Fallanassi, Jensaarai and other Force Sensitives to find you but we could learn about his plans, and your whereabouts in the last moment." Luke took a moment to motion to Ada in a corner of the room and she nodded. "Together with the Intelligence Service and the Senshi of Space and Time we could save you from Assassination. And take you to this universe."
Luke gave SunTzu a moment, the Jedi Grandmaster sensed that SunTzu knew all this from the lack of surprise and he also could feel strong feelings dwell into SunTzu as he mentioned the Sailor Senshi of Space and Time, and then got up and walked over to SunTzu, who got up as Luke walked towards him. Luke stopped in front of SunTzu with a stern look.
And then he extended his hand.
"I have done a lot of questionable things and bringing a good man like you from a peaceful life here to fight our war is one of the worst. I hope you can accept my personal apologies."
For a moment SunTzu looked at Luke's hand and then clutched it.
"This Galaxy is where my friends are." His gaze wandered from Kyp over Cilghal to Ada in the corner. "If I can safe my friends and my comrades then it's all worth it."
Still shaking hands Luke nodded.
"You have the heart of a Jedi."
SunTzu smiled and faintly shook his head.
"I'm just a regular guy trying to keep the people he loves safe."
"And the rest of the Galaxy as well." Mara Jade appeared next to Luke, the red-haired ex-Imperial had a smile on her lips and SunTzu couldn't help but to think that Luke was a lucky man with a wife like that.
"What's next for me?" SunTzu asked the two Jedi Masters.
"You're a free man. And I'm pretty sure you'll find a place to make yourself useful."
"I will." SunTzu assured the Jedi Grandmaster. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll return to Earth."
SunTzu bowed down and Luke and Mara answered in the same way.
"Jacen and Jaina both commend you for your work in the Saleucami System. Keep up the good work."
"I'll try to, Master Skywalker."
SunTzu left the tower and in company of Ada, Cilghal and Kyp walked back to the landing zone.
The other three said their goodbyes at the door to the outside and Ada told him that they would stay in contact, while Cilghal said, that she would be back to the Taskforce soon as well.
SunTzu walked over to AICA and found out that Hotaru wasn't at the landing spot anymore.
Just as he had been looking around for more than a minute she appeared again, somehow in a hurry and just rushing past him and climbing into AICA.
"Where the hell were you?"
"It's a secret."
"A secret?"
"Yup." Was the last thing she said before she put on her seat belt as sign that she wanted to leave.
SunTzu shrugged, probably she had went to the bathroom. And also, had she refreshed her lip gloss? Since when was she so vain?
Night had fallen over Tokyo already as Sailor Chibi Moon stowed her phone back on her Fuku's bow.
Hotaru had texted her, she and SunTzu would stay on Coruscant. Wong-Sama had invited them for dinner, she apparently wanted to talk with SunTzu about his whereabouts.
Too bad, Chibiusa thought, stalking the night, looking for the reason all this people went missing would have been easier, and not as boring with Hotaru alongside her.
She had posted herself on a skyscraper in Nishigotanda and looked and planned her next steps.
All the victims had gone missing in an area a few dozen blocks around where she was right now.
Chibiusa sighed and took a jump off the building, making way to the smaller alleys of the area, maybe she would find something there.
Two hours later, Ami and Berthier were coming to an end in a very close and even game of chess, when suddenly Ami's mobile phone rang.
"Important?" Berthier asked her good friend, not looking up from the chess board where a knight had come dangerously close to Ami's queen.
Ami grabbed her phone and looked at the caller, it was Usagi herself. Calls at this time usually didn't mean good things nowadays, Ami kind of missed the times when the blonde called crying over math homework.
"Usagi?"
Berthier looked up, that probably meant an end for today's game.
"Got it, I'm on my way." The call had been short and one sided and now Berthier knew the game was over for tonight.
"I'm sorry, we unfortunately have to end for tonight."
"Problems?"
"Chibiusa's missing, I'll help search her."
Ami said as she got up from the table.
Berthier got up the blink of an eye later.
"I'll help."
"Are you sure?"
"I mean searching Chibiusa is the reason I came to this planet in the first place, isn't it?"
A small smile crept over Ami's otherwise austere face.
"Thank you, Berthier."
"Never mind, your car or mine?"
Sailor Chibi Moon had problems opening her eyes, and her head felt like she had ran straight temple first into a wrecking ball.
The light in the room was sparse but it still stung painfully in her eyes.
Her mind was still hazy but somehow she could focus enough to figure where she was, a small dark room, a storeroom with a naked, flickering light bulb being the only thing in the room except the chair she was sitting on, with her her hands tied to it. And she had tape over her mouth to keep her silent.
It took another moment but finally her mind managed to remember what had happened before.
She had been on patrol towards Takanawa when she a young, neatly dressed man kneeling over another young man, the one lying wearing regular street clothing.
Of course she had jumped down the roof she had been on and as soon as the dapper dressed man had heard her impact behind him he had turned around, the look of distress in his eyes.
"My friend… he collapsed! Can you help him?"
Chibiusa immediately reacted and rushed over to the lying young man, kneeling next to him.
"He said he had headache and then he just fell down! My phone is empty, can you call an ambulance? Please!"
Chibiusa looked up to the handsome guy in the suit, somehow he seemed familiar and then nodded.
She reached to her bow and was about to pull out her phone when she felt a sting in the side of her neck.
"Two for one, and one of them a Sailor Senshi. Today's my lucky day."
This sentence and the diabolical smile of the suited man was the last thing Chibiusa remembered before she had found herself in the room she was in now.
She concentrated on herself for a moment and was glad that she didn't feel any pain or injuries.
What did that guy want with her? And where the hell did she know him from.
She tried to rip away her restraints but to no success, apparently the guy who had kidnapped her, kept in mind that a Senshi was physically stronger than a regular woman.
Suddenly the door opened and the dapper dressed young man entered, although he had taken off his jacket and suit and only was wearing his tank top anymore.
"You're awake, little Senshi. Time to show what's next for you." The man had a maniacal smile on his lips as he walked up and moved past her.
Chibiusa began to struggle to get free as he grabbed the chair with the intent to carry it out of the room with the young woman on it.
As she struggled he pulled his hands away and pushed the chair with Chibiusa down.
Sailor Chibimoon landed hard and cursed at her kidnapper and although he couldn't understand a word of the profanities he bowed down to her and smacked her across the face.
"Yuto, get in here and help me, this pink haired bitch is putting up resistance!"
Still struggling and cursing Chibimoon noticed that a second man, a few years younger and looking similar to the other guy, probably his younger brother entered the room.
Although she still tried to bridle the two man took her and carried her out of the room.
The duo carried her through a large residential house and into a large bathroom.
Chibimoon got frightened when was carried inside and saw the first traces of blood on the white of the tiles of the room's wall and floor.
And then the stench hit, something, someone had died here, it smelled just like the gruesome aftermath of a battlefield.
The two young men placed the chair next to the bathtub and Chibiusa also noticed that there were tools, ranging from surgery tools on a small table with rolls nearby to a chainsaw with brown spots on it's chain, lying around.
"Someone will pay insane amounts of money for your organs, bunhead."
Chibiusa's eyes widened, not much out of shock but out of surprise, she had expected a serial killer and not organ trafficking behind the motives. At least they had kept her alive so far.
"You probably wonder why we didn't harvest you yet, well it's very easy. For our good paying customers we only offer the best quality and the stuff I needed to sedate you with, stresses your body too much, so I have to wait until it's effects are pretty much over. Good thing it only lasts a few hours until its effects are done."
The older brother smiled diabolically at her and although she still had the tape over her mouth, Chibiusa couldn't do other than to curse the man, his brother and his mother.
She also tried to unleash herself again but to no avail.
"Oh, the little wild cat wants to get out. Probably to pounce at me." The older brother teased her before he looked at his younger sibling. "Go to the kitchen and bring me a shot of the anesthetics, so we can work in piece."
The younger men nodded obediently and then left the room.
Chibimoon's Kidnapper waited until he was gone before he kneeled down next to Chibiusa.
"Too bad, that such a beautiful girl has to die." He whispered in her ear, his warm breath palpable on her skin.
And then he shrugged, took a brown cloth bag from the edge of the bathtub and pulled it over Chibiusa's head in a very fast and efficient way, making it clear he had done so before.
"But, your organs will make us rich." He turned around and checked on the surgical tools on the chair nearby.
"Maybe we still can have some fun before. Of course after you're sedated."
Chibiusa, now beginning to get worried, was about to let out another tirade when suddenly the light in the room went out.
"What the…?" The man asked and tried to find his way through the darkness, a scalpel in his hand.
Chibiusa couldn't see anything but she heard how the door flung open. And how something hit a body, the dull moan after it hit the man. She could hear how something metallic glided over the tiles of the floor.
Next sound were a few steps with narrow heels on the tiles and with that Chibiusa knew she was in safety.
What followed seemed to be hits on the body or face of someone and more sounds of pain coming in from the guy.
And then the clicking of another pair of heels coming closer and suddenly someone ripped the bag over from Chibiusa's head, making her notice that the light was on again and before she could react she was freed from her restraints by Sailor Mars.
"Rei, bring her to safety. I'm taking care of this guy." Chibiusa never had heard such coldness in the voice of her mother but before long Rei picked her up and carried her out. The last thing Chibiusa saw, was her mother picking up the scalpel from the floor after kicking the now lying man into the head with her boot.
"Don't worry sweetheart, Auntie Rei got you. Your mom and pops are here as well. It's all good now."
It only took a few moments until Rei had grabbed her and run out of the house jumping up to the roof of the house and then safely putting her down. Sailor Jupiter was waiting there already.
Sailor Mars kneeled down as she now noticed that Sailor ChibiMoon was silenced by tape over her mouth. As gently as possible Rei removed the tape and then, still kneeling put both her hands on Chibiusa's shoulders.
"Are you okay, Darling?"
Chibiusa nodded although she was a bit shaken and Rei immediately hugged her for a moment and then ended the hug and looked Chibiusa in the eyes.
"Yomi, Chibs. You're just like your mother, running headfirst into danger."
Sailor Jupiter now bowed down to Chibiusa as well.
"You're lucky we all were here, you lost your phone and Mercury couldn't tell your location anymore. Mars and Neptune, as well as your mom and dad had to use their psychic powers to find you."
In the distance, sirens, a lot of them, were now audible coming closer, as was the rotor of a helicopter.
Sailor Moon had beaten, or rather stomped, the man to the verge of being unconscious when Tuxedo Mask, the same grim look on his face as his wife, appeared in the bathroom.
"Where's the other guy?" Usagi asked with a small glance to her husband.
For the blink of an eye, Tuxedo Mask looked at the bloody stains on his cane.
"Took care of him."
"Good, and I will take care of this guy now."
She raised her hand with the scalpel but before she could drive it down, Tuxedo Mask grasped around her wrist.
"That piece of scum is not worth it."
"He almost killed my daughter. And he killed all these other people."
"And he will either rot in jail for the rest of his miserable life for it or I will have him executed in a matter of days. It's even your call. But you're better than that."
Usagi hesitated for a moment but then dropped the scalper only to hit Shinnosuke with a hard right in the face, breaking his jaw and finally knocking him out.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breather.
"Thank you for stoping me. This damn War is taking its toll on me. We're all soddening and becoming more ruthless."
His arms grabbed around her as she now stared at the young man, his face a bloody mess.
"It's exactly what Chaos wants."
"And you saved me from doing it a big favor."
"I'll be always here to safe you, Usako. As long as I breathe."
Mamoru turned her around to him and they hugged before the left the room.
Phobos and Deimos had posted themselves next to the room, as always they had been silent in their movements.
"Any more people in here?" Mamoru asked and both bowed down.
"Negative, your Majesty. We only found remains of several people as well as the remains of someone who had been deceased a longer time ago than the others in one of the bedrooms."
The first police cars, as well as SUVs with Royal Guardists and Wolves, arrived as the Royal Couple and the two Coronians jumped up to the roof as well. From below, Sailor Mercury and Berthier were waving the incoming force over.
Immediately Usagi hugged her daughter tightly, with Mamoru right behind her.
"Chibiusa, my everything. Are you okay?"
"I'm okay Mom, just a bit off still."
"That was reckless, Small Lady." Tuxedo Mask stated and Chibiusa looked up to him before she nodded guiltily.
"I know…"
A few steps away, the Coronians now scanning the scene behind them, Sailor Mars and Jupiter observed the reunion of parents and child.
"Like Mother, like daughter. Good thing they have us to take care of them."
"Hey, don't forget, our princess here elucidated a series of kidnappings. All on her own."
Rei shot Makoto a look.
"Yeah… but you know what, I think it's good we get away from this town for a few days. Lately it feels like every human piece of shit this side of the bay wants to mess with us."