Hello again, Faithful Readers! Another chapter finished at last! I promise I'm trying to keep this story revived. Despite my focus issues, I do enjoy writing it and I hope you guys enjoy reading it.

Blood Feud

A park in the middle of a great city was bathed in the light of a full moon. This silver light rippled on the leaves of trees stirred by the wind. Horsedrawn carriages made their way down the roads while a few people strolled under the gas-powered lampposts. A mournful train whistle blew in the distance.

In a lonely corner of the park, two women walked close together. One brushed her long, yellow hair from her face as she glanced over her shoulder. Her companion glanced at her inquisitively.

"I feel a strange unease tonight, Lucy" the blonde woman said

"Are you unwell, Agatha?" Lucy's friend asked

"I do not think so. It is more of a premonition."

Lucy cast her gaze in several directions but saw nothing. "Let us hope your premonition comes to nothing."

She gave her friend's hand a reassuring squeeze and they continued in silence. As they passed an intersection in the footpaths; a nondescript man turned the corner and began to stroll in their wake. The collar of his cloak was turned up and the brim of his top hat sat low on his brow. The ladies glanced back at him. They casually quickened their pace; the man did the same.

Kaemon squirmed in his seat, nervously munching his popcorn. Next to him, Nao watched the screen in a calmer state. Kaemon shoved another handful of popcorn into his mouth as a strong gust of wind caused the on-screen moon to be darkened by the clouds.

Lucy cried out at the loss of the moonlight. The gas lamps seemed much more sinister in this atmosphere. She sighed with relief as the clouds rolled away and she could see again. She turned but gasped in horror. Agatha had vanished. Turning rapidly on the spot, she observed that their uninvited guest had also disappeared.

An agonized moan reached Lucy's ears. She listened carefully and followed another moan into some nearby bushes. In the audience, Kaemon whispered "No, don't go there!"

Lucy carefully parted the bushes, and a shrill scream escaped her throat. Agatha lay half-conscious on the ground while the cloaked stranger drank from her bleeding throat. At Lucy's scream he spun around to face her, his eyes aflame. The vampire snarled and pulled Lucy into the bushes. A second scream was stifled by the vampire's hand clamping over her mouth.

"Hush now, it will all be over soon." His fangs inched very slowly towards her throat.

In the audience, Kaemon was now as tense as a coiled spring. He jumped and gasped as a loud voice ripped through the air in the movie, distracting the vampire.

"Halt, you beast!"

A clatter of hooves and a neigh followed this cry. A horse rode rapidly into view; his rider silhouetted in the moonlight. He was a tall, muscular man in a long brown coat. A bandolier of wooden stakes was crossed his chest and a crucifix hung around his neck.

"I have spent too long hunting you and your foul brethren to allow another maiden to become your meal!"

"Bram Singer…" the vampire snarled. The creature clutched Lucy like a shield, but Singer had already dismounted. Taking the crucifix from around his neck, he thrust it into vampire's face. The beast backed away, loosening his grip. Lucy's knees gave way, but Singer caught her.

Kaemon was slowly forgetting his fear as he watched Bram Singer being to battle the vampire. The vampire lunged at Singer, but he calmly punched his enemy in the face. The beast staggered back while Singer ran forward with a stake at the ready. A crowd was gathering, and the vampire was becoming unnerved. It floated into the air, but Singer tackled it to the ground. They rolled and grappled, one trying to bite with the other trying to impale.

Eventually, the wooden stake found its mark. The vampire gave one final cry as he crumbled to dust. Kaemon cheered as fellow movie goers shushed him. Singer turned his attention to Agatha and Lucy while most of the crowd still stood in silent shock.

While he assured everyone that they would be alright, a man sat in the back of the theatre with a mildly intrigued expression. Jadeite pondered the strange paradox before him; humans cowered in fear before live monsters, yet they flocked to movies like this in mass numbers. Anxious to quickly formulate a new plan to please King Beryl, Jadeite had decided to investigate this oddly popular film searching for inspiration. He smiled slightly, stood, and exited the theatre.

Kaemon and Nao, however, stayed until the credits rolled. Kaemon had suffered through a roller coaster of emotions as Bram Singer had stalked the streets of the city, finishing off the vampire clan. He slumped in his chair as the houselights came up.

"I am never letting you pick the movie again" he said to Nao.

Nao laughed and said, "You will when it's my turn again."

"Nope! Your movies are too scary."

Nao just shook his head and stood up. "Come on, Kaemon. The cleaning crew will be wanting to clean up the popcorn you spilled."

Kaemon playfully punched Nao's arm as he stood and left the theatre. The boys glanced up at the darkening sky as they strolled along the sidewalk.

"That was a little longer than I thought it would be" Nao said with a glance at his phone's clock.

"It can be creepy walking at night sometimes" Kaemon said. "I'm glad there are so many lights in the city."

"Artificial lights" Nao added with a wicked grin. "A vampire could still get you if he wanted." He grabbed Kaemon's shoulder as he said this.

Kaemon screamed and jumped in the air. A few passersby looked at them in concern while Nao laughed, and Kaemon puffed up indignantly.

"Not funny Nao!"

"A little funny actually."

"Meanie!"

"Ah, you know I wouldn't tease you if I didn't love ya, buddy."

The boys looked at each other and suddenly burst into giggles.

Hours passed, the darkness deepened, but the city did not sleep. Restaurants, clubs, and arcades remained open and full of lively customers. In one of the restaurants, a young man and woman were finishing a romantic dinner. They strolled down the street arm in arm without a care in the world.

"What did I do to deserve someone as wonderful as you, Akiko?" the man mused.

"Whoever said that you deserve me, Yusuke?" Akiko replied playfully.

"Certainly not my friends, that's for sure."

They turned down a less crowded side street. Without warning, a chill wind blew. Yusuke put his arm tightly around his girlfriend's shoulders. "That was unexpected" he said, "Let's get you home where it's warm."

"Such a gentleman. Don't you realize that nice guys always finish last?"

"This feels like winning to me."

They laughed and turned another corner on their path to Akiko's apartment. Akiko suddenly looked up into the sky. "I thought I saw something."

"Stop it, Akiko, you'll creep me out."

"I'm not…there it was again!"

"Do you hear a sort of…squeaking?" Yusuke asked.

The couple slowly turned on the spot as the squeaking grew louder. Akiko screamed as a swarm of bats descended from the sky above them. A tall figure slowly emerged from the shadows of a nearby alley.

Kaemon yawned as he stumbled into his classroom. This whole "getting to school on time" thing was overrated. He took his seat and bid Nao a good morning.

"Good morning to you. You look tired this morning. Scary dreams about vampires?"

Nao bared his upper teeth and hissed. The effect was more goofy than scary, and Kaemon laughed.

A few of the other students looked less cheerful. Umino popped up with a serious expression, making Nao and Kaemon jump. "Did I hear you say vampire? Are you talking about the news?"

"No, a movie" Nao said as he regained his composure. "What news?"

Umino thrust her tablet in their faces. A picture of a couple topped the screen with the headline underneath reading "Vampires in Tokyo?"

"What?!" Kaemon squeaked

"Is this one of those tabloid sites?" Nao asked

"Yes" Umino answered. Seeing Nao's exasperated face, she quickly added "However, other sources support it. This morning there was a blurb in the news about Yanagi Akiko and Amade Yusuke being found unconscious on the sidewalk near Miss Yanagi's apartment building. I was intrigued so I did more research. The upshot of it all is that they didn't just collapse, they were bleeding from their necks and appeared pale. Oh" Umino said with an air of finality "some neighbors also said they heard what sounded like bats."

By this point, Kaemon's mouth and eyes were wide open. Nao was a little unsettled himself. "The, uh, the things you can find out just overnight these days."

"Never doubt the power of social media" Umino replied.

"What happened to them?" Kaemon asked, "Are they, you know, vampires now?"

"I don't think so" Umino said as she tapped on her tablet. "My research shows that they were picked up by an ambulance and nothing else has been released yet."

Kaemon shivered a bit. "This is scary."

"Indeed" Umino agreed "Imagine if the undead truly walk among us."

"Wait a minute here" Nao said "It could just be a coincidence. Maybe a psychopath was inspired by the new vampire hunter movie."

Any rebuttals were cut off by Haruna Sensei's arrival into the classroom. The students rushed to their proper seats and bowed as she stood at her desk. She told them to be seated, and the lesson began. Kaemon was barely able to focus on English sentence structure with thoughts of vampires in his head. He knew he had to sometimes fight monsters, but this was next level creepy.

That night, in another part of the city, a young man with unruly hair and narrow eyes sat in the back corner of a coffee shop. The table in front of him was covered in textbooks on veterinary studies. He yawned and glanced at the clock.

"Oh wow" he said as he then glanced at the darkened front window. "I think that's enough studying."

The young man gathered his books and walked to the front of the shop. The pretty barista waved at him. "Heading out, Takeshi?"

"Yep, it's that time, Junsa. "That is" Takeshi strolled over to her with an amorous expression. "Unless you can convince me to stay."

She gazed back at him with a neutral expression. "Have a good night then."

Takeshi shrugged and waved at her again as he left. He yawned again as he made his journey through the streets. "I think I accidentally ordered decaf."

He glanced to the side as he passed a side street and stopped dead. Standing half in shadow was a tall pale woman with long red hair, a purple top, and black leggings. Takeshi instantly felt fully awake.

"Hello miss! How are you this fine evening?"

The woman smiled in a flirty manner. "I'm doing just fine" she replied in a deep, sultry voice. Takeshi's blood raced and he took a step closer.

"If I'm not being too forward, what are you doing here by yourself?"

"I think I must have lost my way. You see, I was looking for a place to get a bite."

"I can help with that if you like" Takeshi said as he walked ever closer to the lady. "A beautiful should never be left wanting her hour of need. I could be your guide for the evening."

"Oh, my yes. Thank you very much."

They were standing very close now. "Where are my manners? My name is Takeshi."

"Actually, I believe 'dinner' is a better pronunciation." She opened her mouth wide to reveal very sharp teeth. Takeshi's scream was drowned by the screeching of countless bats.

High above, Jadeite watched with approval from the edge of a roof. He was taking a slightly different approach this time, but so far it had been yielding fruit. Jadeite continued to watch until the woman dropped Takeshi to the ground and looked up at him. The bats surrounded her as she rose into the air and landed on the roof next to him.

"Very good, Kyurene" Jadeite remarked. "Perhaps you could have a few more meals before the night is over."

"Of course, Master Jadeite" Kyurene replied with a bow. "It's an honor to drain human energy for our Great Leader."

"Yes. Not only do we gain a constant source of human energy from each victim, but as your curse takes root in their bloodstream, they will become slaves of the Dark Kingdom."

"Delicious slaves" Kyurene said as she licked her lips.

"Boys, breakfast is ready!"

"Coming Mom" Shingo said as he came down the stairs. He paused for a moment as he observed Luna lounging near the front door. The cat looked up at him and Shingo smiled. "Good morning, Luna."

Luna meowed in an appreciative way. Shingo giggled and walked into the kitchen.

"Amazing Shingo" his mother said, "You've totally overcome your phobia."

"Thanks, but what's amazing is Kaemon actually taking care of her. Who knew he had it in him."

"We're all very proud of him" Ikuko said. Her smile faded and she said, "Although maybe not at this exact moment." She walked to the foot of the stairs and shouted "Kaemon Tsukino, are you coming down?"

"Yes" a voice called back "Sorry, I'm dragging this morning. I couldn't sleep."

"Him not sleep?" Shingo said, "Is the sky turning pink as well?"

Kenji, who had been absorbed in scrolling through news stories, spoke up. "In fairness, he has been rather shaken by this so-called vampire that's been in the news."

Shingo shivered and said, "After what I've been through, I can't help but wonder if it's not real."

"There have been more attacks" Kenji said as he glanced down at his tablet. "No pattern between the victims either. Young, old, man woman…anyone seems fair game. What's even more strange is that now we have reports of the hospitalized victims growing violent. Sedation helps but it's very concerning."

Ikuko shushed her husband with a glance at the door. Kaemon was trembling on the kitchen threshold. Around his neck was a large cross necklace and a funny smell came from his clothes.

"Garlic again?" Shingo groaned. "Bro, there's taking things seriously and then there's…that."

"I'm not taking any chances! All the reading I've been doing online says these things are supposed to work. I've got salt too; that's supposed to work against dark creatures."

"Kaemon, dear" Ikuko said slowly "I understand your concern, and I'm pleased you're refining your research skills but maybe you could take the garlic out of your pockets at mealtimes."

"Knowing him, he's probably got it in more places than just pockets. Ha, he might even have it in his underwear." Shingo paused and looked at Kaemon. "Please tell me it's not in your underwear."

"Don't be a dummy!" Kaemon said as he sat down at last and began eating breakfast. The rest of the family tried to ignore the smell. "Dad, do you know the best way to get some wooden stakes? I've tried sharpening sticks, but they're really flimsy."

"Uh, oh my is that the time?" Kenji said, "You don't want to be late for school."

Gah, you're right!" Kaemon wolfed the rest of his breakfast down, thumping his chest to help swallow. Then he said, "See you guys later" and ran for the door.

Shingo was also on his way out the door but in a more collected manner. He gave Luna a parting glance and laughed. "I've never seen a cat look so exasperated, Luna. You'll find your new master will make you feel that way a lot."

Despite his initial burst of speed, Kaemon had slowed considerably on his journey to school. He kept yawning and dragging his feet. As such, he arrived at school as the bell was ringing and came into class late.

"Tsukino! I see old habits die hard, including tardiness. Why don't we see if a little time in the hallway can help reverse this trend."

"Yes, Haruna Sensei" he sighed. He hung his head and walked to the door. As he passed her desk, Haruna Sensei caught a whiff of something odd. A few other students sniffed in distaste as well.

When the class took a little break between lessons, Kaemon was allowed to return to his seat. "Nao, I am so tired."

"You look like it. What's up?"

"I couldn't sleep. I keep getting so afraid of the" Kaemon gulped and whispered "vampire. When I did fall asleep, I had bad dreams."

"Seriously? You're that worked up about it?"

"The attacks in that movie were so horrible and then the news reports…" Kaemon shivered and pulled a garlic bulb from his pocket. "That's why I've got this."

"Is that what the smell is? Kaemon, buddy, you're going overboard!"

"I can't help it. It's too scary."

Nao opened his mouth, but no words came out. He started again but was cut off by Haruna Sensei starting the next lesson. As she lectured, she strolled up and down the aisles. She stopped near Kaemon and sniffed again.

"Tsukino, I'm afraid I have to ask, what is that smell?"

Kaemon glanced around at the class. A few, like Shigeru, were already smirking. Nao suddenly spoke up "That's my fault, Sensei. He lost a bet, and I made him try a funky new body spray. I guess it was a lot funkier than I thought. Sorry about that."

Haruna Sensei looked between the two boys. Both looked embarrassed and apologetic. She sighed and said "In that case, Tsukino, I suggest you visit the restroom during lunch and try to wash some of it off. It almost smells like garlic in here."

"Yes, Sensei. Of course."

She walked on and continued her lesson. Kaemon looked at Nao and mouthed "Thank you."

Nao mouthed "No problem" and winked.

At lunch, Kaemon (after Nao reminded him that he should be safe in a crowded classroom) stuffed the garlic into his shoe locker. However, at the end of the day, he was stuffing right back into every location he could find.

"You are completely insane; you know that right?" Nao said in a deadpan tone.

"I'd rather be crazy than dead…or worse, undead."

"Well, I guess no one can accuse you of being unprepared." Nao glanced at the clock on his phone and said "I can't hang out here for long. I have soccer practice in a bit. Could be a long one, coach wants to keep up our winning streak."

Kaemon froze and turned to his friend. "Does that mean, you'll be walking home after dark?"

"Maybe" he saw the horrified look on his friend's face and said, "I promise I'll be careful."

"I'm sure all those people lying in hospital beds and slowly turning into monsters were careful too."

"Kaemon, you've got to get a grip. I'm getting worried about you."

"I guess…" Kaemon hesitated. "I guess I'm extra on edge after this odd wave of monster attacks. You've been a victim a few times. Shingo was cursed for a bit. I guess it's been affecting me more than I thought."

Nao looked sympathetic. "I get it. I think I get it. It's been a rough time, and somehow, we've been hit hard by it. Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I promise to call you when practice is over. You can keep me company on the way home, make sure nothing happens."

"That would be great!"

Nao opened his arms but seemed to hesitate. "I would hug you, but you really stink!"

The boys burst into raucous laughter. They bumped fists and Nao ran toward the soccer fields. Kaemon walked out of the school gate and started absently walking.

He was lost in his thoughts, so he didn't notice Luna approaching. "How was school?" she asked

"Meh, not great."

"Is that why you look so down?"

Kaemon subconsciously fondled his necklace, not the cross but the transformation pendant under his shirt.

"Luna, I think these battles are getting to me. I can't even tell anyone. It's…it's a lot."

"You've been chosen by destiny to fight this fight. You have to endure it."

"Why alone though? It's messed up."

"Sailor V seems to manage just fine."

"Yeah, but I'm sure he'd like to team up. Who is he? Is he like me?"

"I honestly don't know. Kaemon, there will be allies for you someday…"

"Really?" he interrupted her

"Yes really. You will be joined by comrades sooner or later."

"That's great!"

"Indeed. In the meantime, though, you'll have to keep your courage up and keep fighting. I think we need to look deeper into this vampire."

Kaemon shivered and said, "I was sort of hoping the police would deal with that one, or the army, or anyone."

"You can't think that way! You're a Solider of Justice!"

"Well, all the attacks were at night so I can't do anything now anyway. I think I'll go to the arcade for a bit, bye."

He said all of this very quickly and left in a hurry. Luna's whiskers kept twitching as she watched him go.

"Come on, come on, come on" Kaemon whispered as he watched the claw of the UFO Catcher rise. A little toy rabbit was barely hanging on and Kaemon was holding his breath as it crept towards the prize slot. When it was just inches from the slot, the bunny began to slip. "No, no, you can do it come on…dang it!"

He smacked his hand against the glass and grunted in frustration.

"I swear this thing is rigged. Let's see" he bent over and dug through his wallet. "Aha. Just enough for another try."

Kaemon straightened up and gave a little surprised shriek. Just seconds ago, the mirror at the back of the game was clear of other people. Now he was looking at a familiar teenage girl. She was wearing a stylish, dark blue school uniform that he'd never seen before. She smirked when she saw the shock on his face.

"You're as jumpy as that rabbit, Space Case. Hey, I just realized the UFO Catcher goes perfectly with your name."

"My name" he said as he slowly turned around "is not Space Case."

"Well since you've never introduced yourself, I have to call you something."

"You introduce yourself!"

"Well, that's mature" she said with a smile. "Very well though, I am Masuyo Chiba. I'm pleased to finally make your acquaintance."

"I'm Kaemon Tsukino. Now that you know, maybe you can finally stop stalking me."

"Who's stalking? This happens to be a very popular arcade you know. I was also stopping into say hello to my friend."

As if on cue, Unazuki dashed over and gave Masuyo a hug. "There's my bestie" she exclaimed. "Oh Kaemon, do you know Masuyo as well?"

"We've bumped into each other a few times" Masuyo answered before Kaemon could.

"Never on purpose" he insisted.

"Ooohh" Unazuki said in a playful voice. "Maybe it's the red string of fate drawing the two of you together."

Masuyo looked uncomfortable as a slight blush rose in her cheeks. Kaemon looked like an outraged tomato.

"No way!" he insisted.

"Me thinks you doth protest too much" Unazuki said as she leaned close to him with a sly expression. Kaemon smiled a little to be that close to Unazuki's cute face. She, on the other hand, was starting to frown.

"Um, Kaemon did you step in something recently?"

Masuyo said "I was starting to wonder myself. What's the story, Space Case?"

He blushed again. Between one thing and another, he'd totally forgotten about his pungent pockets.

"It's, um, nothing."

"No" Masuyo said as he leaned in and took a long sniff. "Did you eat over seasoned Italian food or something?"

"You're right, Masuyo" Unazuki said. "That's garlic."

"Ugh, alright." He pulled a few bulbs out of his pockets. "I forgot they were there."

Both girls stared blankly before Masuyo asked, "Why were they there?"

He tried to think of a lie before looking into Unazuki's eyes. "I was afraid of being attacked by a vampire" he said in a small voice.

Masuyo started giggling. "Are you serious?"

"It's in the news you know! A quick search will show you the danger is real."

"Even still, to actually stuff your pockets with…" her sentence was lost in her laughter. Unazuki looked reproachfully at her friend.

"That's a little mean, isn't it?"

"Oh, come on, you've got to admit this is ridiculous. And you can't appreciate it being in your family's arcade."

"She does have a point there, Kaemon."

"I'm sorry, Unazuki. I really did forget I still had it. I just got so freaked out over the idea of an attack, I went a little overboard."

Masuyo took a deep breath and spoke more calmly. "Honestly, that's not healthy. Not garlic; I'm talking about fear. Yes, it's good to be prepared and to have a healthy understanding of the dangers around you. However, if you let fear take you over, you only hurt yourself. Stress, anxiety, overthinking…it all takes away from your life and messed you up. Get it, Space Case?"

Kaemon blinked. "Yeah, I think I do get it. Those are some good thoughts actually."

"No need for the tone of surprise" Masuyo said. "You're going to try to be braver now, right?"

"Yeah sure."

"Then get rid of that stuff. You'll stink up the whole arcade."

Unazuki had been listening thoughtfully to this exchange and now laughed. "I think that would be a good idea, Kaemon."

"Yeah of course" he said with a laugh. He glanced at the door and said "Oh dang, it got late. It's almost dark out there."

"Time flies when you're losing at games" Masuyo joked. Kaemon glared at her, but she just waved as she and Unazuki walked away.

Kaemon shook his head and then walked out onto the sidewalk. He stopped at a public trashcan and dumped every garlic bulb and leaf he could find. He even pulled some out of his tucked in shirt while people gave him funny looks. He sniffed himself and sighed. "Still smelly. Oh well."

A lively jingle rang from his pocket. Kaemon retrieved his phone and saw that Nao was requesting a videocall. He grinned as he clicked accept. "Hey man!"

"Hey Kaemon!" a grinning Nao replied. His hair was matted, and his skin was shiny.

"Looks like it was a pretty good practice."

"Yep! We worked hard, and we're gonna win hard!"

"How could you not, with such an awesome team captain in charge" Kaemon said

"You'll make me blush" Nao said with a chuckle. By now, he had left the school and was walking down the sidewalk. "Anyway, that doesn't look like home. What did you…oh of course, I see a certain crown behind you."

Kaemon glanced backwards at the sign for the Game Crown Arcade Parlor. "Yeah. You'll be pleased to hear that I still have a little allowance left."

"Good job. Maybe I should head over and help you spend it."

"Eh, it would be a short visit" Kaemon said as he thought of that one coin.

"You didn't save that much I guess."

"Nope" They laughed again.

"Anyway" Nao said, "I'm surprised to see you out on the streets."

"Sunset sort of snuck up on me" Kaemon admitted. "Besides, being so scared wasn't good for me."

"Buddy, I'm proud to hear you say that!"

"Aww, thanks!" The chat turned to other avenues. The boys made their way through the streets chatting away, but something didn't feel right. Kaemon peered at the screen again and frowned. "Uh, Nao, I think someone is following you."

"Huh?" Nao glanced over his shoulder at a lady with long dark hair and a purple top. "It's a crowded city, Kaemon. People sometimes walk behind you."

"Yeah but, something doesn't feel right."

"Hmmm" Nao quickly ducked into an alley. "Now she'll pass. Feel better?"

"Yeah" Kaemon replied in an apologetic voice. "I feel silly. I'm sorry random lady, please forgive me for being paranoid."

Nao laughed and said "It's ok. Better safe than sorry after all."

"Yeah, I suppose…Nao behind you!"

"Wha?" Nao spun to see the mysterious lady standing right behind him. Her smile grew wider as she looked down at him. "Hey lady, what gives?"

"I was hoping you'd give. Give me your energy filled blood!"

She opened her mouth wide. Kaemon screamed. This made Nao stumble; he fell on his butt and the woman bit empty air. She hissed at him as bats filled the air.

"Run Nao! Get out of there!"

"No duh!"

The woman stepped forward, but Nao's foot shot out as well. He kicked her right in the shin, and she staggered back in pain. Nao scuttled backwards and crawled to his feet at a run. The bats swooped around him; he kept his head low and swung his bag overhead to beat them back.

"Nao! I can't see well, hold the phone steady."

"Forget that! I'm fighting for my blood here."

"You brat!" the woman shrieked. "Get back here."

Kaemon stared at the blurry screen in a daze. He was completely unaware of the odd looks people were giving him. His only thought was somehow helping his friend survive. "Nao? What's going on? Where are you going?"

"Maybe I can lose her in the park, I don't know. Just call the police or something." The line went dead, and Kaemon screamed again. He calmed a little when he realized that Nao had simply hung up. At least he hoped that's what had happened.

"Park. Which park…?" He looked around in a daze, trying to think. "From the school to his place, that would probably be…yeah." A few keystrokes brought up a map on his phone. "Got it."

Kaemon ran across the street the very second the green walk light turned on. Following his map, he zig-zagged across town. He tried calling Nao back but only got a text message: 'Safe for the moment. Lying low in the park.' A few seconds later another message said 'Stay away. Don't want you in danger as well.'

"Yeah right" Kaemon said to himself "I'm not letting Nao become vampire food."

Kaemon was at the edge of the park now. A squeaking sound overhead made him look up. A flock of bats fluttered overhead, and Kaemon felt afraid again. He dove into some nearby bushes, hoping the bats hadn't seen him.

"Come Kaemon" he scolded himself. "This isn't your first monster fight. You just need to think like in the…movie." A thought had struck him. He dug in his school bag and pulled out the Disguise Pen. "Moon Power! Turn me into a cool and edgy vampire hunter!"

Seconds later a tall, scruffy, long-haired man in a long coat stepped out of the bushes. Kaemon tipped his hat and took a quick selfie. "Oh yeah" he growled "Now I'm ready to take on a vampire."

Vampire Hunter Kaemon glanced at the sky again. A few bats were still fluttering around but most were heading towards the north. Nodding, he began walking swiftly in that direction. He kept glancing at the sky, noting the increasing number of bats. He also occasionally noticed a few pedestrians walking around. Some were recording the bats on their phone.

"Nao is running for his life, and these guys are on a moonlight stroll. That just feels wrong." Thinking that any of them could become victims, Kaemon then said, "Actually it's creepy."

"Hey dude, where's the costume party?" Kaemon turned to see a few young men standing nearby. They giggled at his outfit and took pics on their phones.

"You should head home" Kaemon said in a deep voice. "I have reason to believe there's danger here."

They broke into peals of laughter. "Sure dude, I'm so…" He was interrupted by an unearthly shriek. The circling bats were stirred into a frenzy and the shriek pierced their ears again.

"Told…told ya!" Kaemon said, "Get out of here!"

"Don't need to tell us twice, dude!"

Most people ran in the opposite direction of the shriek, but Kaemon ran towards it. He burst into a large clearing with an amphitheater. There must have been an event planned because large speakers and other equipment were set up on the stage. Kaemon's attention was quickly drawn to the woman in purple standing on the top bench in front of the stage. From the way she was turning her head, she seemed to be searching for something.

"You won't escape from me!"

She opened her mouth, and another piercing wail rang out. Rings of energy proceeded from her mouth and shattered one of the stone benches. Nao's scream could be heard to follow as he crawled rapidly from one side of the seating area to the other.

"Nao!" Kaemon locked his eyes onto the woman and growled, "Not my buddy, you witch! Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"

Vampire and victim alike turned to see the end of the transformation. Kaemon struck a dramatic pose and cried out "You've stalked the streets, spreading terror wherever you go. You've tormented and hurt innocent people to satisfy your twisted appetite. That is not ok. Rice is food. Cake is food. People are not food! I am Sailor Moon, the Handsome Soldier who fights for Truth and Justice. In the name of the Moon, I will punish you!"

"Sailor Moon!" Nao cried in joy. "Thank goodness, you're here!"

"Shut up, you!" the woman screamed. She released her concussive shriek again and Nao tried to dodge. The ground beside him exploded and Nao was thrown into the air. Kaemon sprinted towards him and Nao slammed into him. Kaemon hit the ground hard with Nao on top of him.

"Are you ok, Nao…I mean citizen?" Nao just lay there with eyes closed. "Nao!" Kaemon pressed his fingers to his friend's throat. "A pulse…thank goodness, I think he just passed out."

"I'd say he's been tenderized for flavor." Kaemon looked up to see the woman standing over them.

"I won't let you have him!"

"You won't exactly be alive to stop me!"

The bats swooped in and shrouded her from view. They suddenly scattered and Kaemon stared up at a monster. Her arms and legs were now covered in black fur and ended in clawed hands and feet. Her ears were now very large and wing-like, bordering a pale green and batlike face. Large wings grew out of her shoulders and cast a menacing shadow.

"I am Kyurene, servant of the Dark Kingdom."

"That's actually a relief" Kaemon said as he stood up. "I thought you were a real vampire."

She looked annoyed. "I'll show you who's real!"

Her already long fingernails suddenly grew several inches. She slashed through the air, but Kaemon was already backing up. He glanced down at Nao and ran away hoping she'd follow. Unfortunately, she just grinned and bared her fangs.

"Nope! Moon Boomerang Action!"

Kyurene jumped high into the air and the boomerang missed her. She spread her wings and fluttered in place. "That trick won't work on me, Sailor Moon!"

Kaemon caught his weapon and glared at her. She continued fluttering in place while laughing at him. Suddenly, she swooped while releasing her deadly shriek. Kaemon ran to the side but was still knocked to his knees. He heard laugher behind him, and he spun around to see those killer claws swinging towards him. Acting more on instinct than thought, he swung the boomerang up. The claws struck the golden weapon, and they struggled as if they had foils in fencing.

"Not bad kid" Kyurene taunted "maybe you'll make a nice meal!"

She leaned closely with her fangs bared. Kaemon froze in fear but when she was inches away, she sprang back.

"That smell! It's horrible!"

"Huh?" he sniffed himself and grinned. "Ah, don't you like garlic on your meal?"

He grinned and waved his arms towards her. She shrank back from the smell.

"Oh, what I wouldn't give to be able to rub this in everyone's faces."

"Don't think that will save you."

She unleashed a sonic shriek. Kaemon's ears were on fire and his head felt like it was being split by a cleaver. He was knocked to the ground, his head throbbing. She flapped her wings and rose higher into the air. She drew in breath and Kaemon rolled desperately to the side. He yelped as the sonic waves did their damage behind him. He screamed and kept rolling as she flew after him, wailing her way along.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" He groaned as he rolled over the rough park ground. He said it again as he slammed into the top row of the benches. Slightly dizzy, he used the bench to pull himself into a sitting position. He fell onto his back again, as Kyurene swooped over head with her claws out.

"Stupid Dark Kingdom! Flying is cheating!"

She swooped again and shrieked her sonic cry. Kaemon swore and rolled to the side again, forgetting exactly where he was. He barely fit under the bench but now he hit the incline of the amphitheater's seating and kept rolling. He bounced and rolled all the way down until he slammed into the stage.

"I hate my life" He groaned as he waited for his head to stop spinning.

High above, Kyurene cackled like a loon. "At this rate, you're going to beat yourself!"

Kaemon squinted up at her, his vision slightly blurry. He shook his head, and his eyes fell on the speakers above him. "Oh…Oh! Would that work?"

He sat up quickly and grabbed his head. "Oh, with the throbbing…"

"If you think that's bad, try this!"

She drew breath for another attack, but Kaemon hurled his boomerang at her. Once again, she gracefully dodged, but he didn't care. It bought him the time to stand up and climb onto the stage. He caught his weapon and ran to the mic stand. He stared in joy at the little illuminated light on the side of the microphone.

"Oh, thank you!" He whispered.

"Thanks for making yourself an easier target, Sailor Moon!" Kyurene smirked and then drew a deep breath.

"You're welcome!" Kaemon said as she unleashed her deadly wail. He hurled the microphone directly into the sonic rings. The microphone shattered and noise erupted from the speakers like a bomb. Sailor Moon clutched his hands to his ears and Nao was shaken violently awake."

"Holy crap!" he screamed

However, Kyurene fared the worst. Her attack, reflected and magnified by the speakers, wrecked her body. She screamed and twisted in midair before falling to the ground in a heap. She struggled to raise her head. She saw Sailor Moon aiming the boomerang at her.

"Bite this, Kyurene! Moon Boomerang Action!"

She flapped her wings desperately, but they'd been shredded by the reflected waves. She screamed before crumbling.

In a special ward at the hospital, several bite victims were thrashing in their beds, crying out for blood. Suddenly, they all fell still and silent. Several doctors raced into the room and checked on the victims.

"They're just sleeping" one said

"They're perfectly calm now" another said.

The doctors all looked at each other in puzzlement.

"S…Sailor Moon?" Nao said as he stood up. "You saved me. Thank you!"

"Huh?" Kaemon said as he looked over and said "N…I mean, you're welcome. All in a night's work."

"Is she…is she really dead?" Nao asked looking at the pile of sand.

"Dead as dust, if you'll pardon the joke."

"Awesome." Nao ran up to the stage and said "We've met before, you know. After you took care of that lady with the luck coins."

"Oh yes. Of course. Hopefully we won't make it a habit."

"I don't know. Meeting a superhero is awesome."

Kaemon laughed but then clutched his side. He tried to play it off by standing up straight and tall. The sound of sirens filled the air, growing louder all the time. "I must be gone now. I suggest you do the same."

"Of course, Sailor Moon."

Kaemon saluted and ran backstage.

"I'm home!" Kenji Tsukino called as he took his shoes off.

"There you are dear" Ikuko said as she greeted her husband with a kiss. "You're home late tonight."

"There's a lot going on in the world of media these days. Our meeting ran late."

"Well dinner is all ready for you."

He sat down and asked, "Where are the boys?"

"Shingo is taking a bath and Kaemon is already in bed."

"Really? Well, he did say he was having trouble sleeping."

"He did assure me that he's not worried about vampires anymore though. I wonder what happened."

"As long as he's not going to be smelling up the house anymore, I'm just grateful."

The parents laughed as Luna listened from the doorway. She ran up the stairs and found that Kaemon's door was open just a crack. She squeezed in and found him splayed out on the bed, his pajama top open like he'd collapsed before he could finish buttoning it. His snores were deafening, and he was totally dead to the world.

Luna hopped up onto the bed and smiled at him. "Well done, Sailor Moon" she whispered.