Earth Guardian Prince Endymion

By Senshi of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi

Act Thirteen Recap:

(Taro’s POV)

“You are watching this store in case the Prince turns up looking for the Ginzuishou?” Kisho asked.

Taro nodded and Kisho snorted in contempt at this, “Fools.”

When I first met Tamura Kisho all we seemed to do was argue. The man just continuingly managed to get under my skin and make me feel worthless and I was beginning to wonder if we could really trust him at all, especially when he started questioning Zoisite-sama’s motives.

“Respect doesn’t come with status. It has to be earned” was his reply, “Him simply turning up and announcing that he’s the Prince does not mean that I will automatically bow down to him and nor should any of you. Where is your honour?”

He was out of line, but the thing with Kisho is… he was simply voicing what we were all feeling, deep down. I know Zoisite-sama is our Prince and we are supposed to protect him, but how tightly are we bound to the past life?

“No! You can’t!”

Again he found Kisho blocking his path.

“Why ever not?”

“Because” Kisho took a harsh breath and closed his eyes briefly, “Because that Youma is my sister. Dark Jupiter tried to force me into revealing whom the Prince was. Of course, I couldn’t tell her even if I wanted too and she turned Ayame into a Youma.”

When the Dark Kingdom used Kisho’s sister to try to force him into revealing Zoisite-sama’s true identity, which none of us know anyway, I saw a different side to him. Kisho truly cares about the mission, but he won’t serve anyone until they had proved themselves to him. This seems sensible but I can’t help thinking that we’re just going to end up way over our heads. As much as I hate to admit it, we don’t know very much about our enemies and what about Sailor Moon? Can we really trust her? Mamoru thinks we can, but who is she really and what does she want the Ginzuishou for?

*****

Act Fourteen:

Komoro Seiichi ignored the shy smile that the maid gave him as she placed the dinner tray down in front of him. He wasn’t really hungry, especially after the hard time his manager, Ikuhara Tetsuya, had given him about the events of the past week. The media, according to Tetsuya, had a field day over the wild dog story and had been hounding his highly-strung manager ever since Seiichi had discharged himself from the hospital. He smiled bitterly at this. He had taken harder hits before, and his ‘concussion’ had been nothing. Seiichi had only stayed in the hospital so that he would not arouse unwanted suspicions.

He thanked the maid when she poured him a bowl of green tea and she smiled happily when he took the notebook that she held dutifully out to him. Seiichi sighed, it was the same in every hotel, it would seem. He signed his name and handed it back before dismissing her. He wanted to be alone. Unfortunately, alone was not what he got.

He had barely raised the bowl of tea to his lips when Tetsuya burst into the room, waving the latest edition of the Ashai Shimbun in his face. “Look at this! Look at the media coverage!”

Tetsuya was a Japanese-American and tended to get overexcited about the media. Seiichi couldn’t care less, which was why he relied on Tetsuya to take care of things.

His manager was a short man in his early thirties, he had short, closely cropped blonde hair and dark brown eyes, a curious combination, even with his mixed blood. He wore suits for every occasion; Seiichi doubted that he even owned a pair of trainers. Tetsuya was always checking his appearance in the mirror, being an incredibly vain and, at times, uncouth man who was not afraid to speak his mind. His ‘reality bites’ attitude was a welcome change from the egoistic demeanours of most managers around. Tetsuya, unlike most managers, hated the media with a vengeance and panicked when Seiichi made the headlines, even if the publicity was good.

“Tetsuya-kun” Seiichi said calmly, after allowing the man to pace up and down raving for a few minutes. It was best to let him get it out of his system, Seiichi had reasoned on many occasions. “It is nothing. Relax.”

“But it gives me such a headache” Tetsuya complained and gestured to the array of get-well cards that decorated the hotel room, “And this is only the beginning.”

Seiichi shrugged again and set the bowl of tea down, “I don’t mind.”

“Of course you don’t” Tetsuya pouted, “You are the one benefiting from this whilst I have to pick up the pieces! The phone lines were blocked for hours by people enquiring to know if you are well enough for your concert next week. What exactly do I tell them?”

“I told you. I’m fine. I just hit my head when I fell. The doctors told me to take it easy that was all.”

Tetsuya’s expression softened, “I know, but do you really think that a concert is taking it easy, Seiichi-kun?”

Seiichi smiled and shook his head, “Just put the phones on answer and leave a message saying that I just need to rest for a bit and I should be fine for next week.”

“What about practice?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“If you are sure. You know Zinan wouldn’t--”

Seiichi turned away, “It’s been a long day. I thought I might get some rest. I’ll be at the studio at nine as usual. Goodnight, Tetsuya-kun.”

“Seiichi--”

“Goodnight”

Tetsuya sighed, but gave up and left the room. Seiichi sighed in relief and leaned back on the sofa, briefly closing his eyes. He was tired, the stresses of the last few days had really taken their toll, and they weren’t over yet.

He opened his eyes when he felt a presence at his side and noted the pair of green eyes staring up at him in disproval.

“If you are feeling unwell, you should say,” he was told, “You cannot continue with the mission if you are only at half strength.”

“Artemis” Seiichi tried to keep his voice neutral, even though the mutual dislike was almost tangible as his demeanour suddenly changed.

“I mean it. You cannot--”

He broke off when he realised that Seiichi was more interested in the bowl of tea than what the plushie had to say.

“I know what I’m doing, Artemis.”

“Do you? I admit you’ve come a long way since we first met, but you’re not going to be able to complete the mission if you continue to take stupid risks.”

“I had to do something. The Youma would have killed them if I didn’t.”

Artemis looked away, but Seiichi knew what he was really thinking. It had been the same since they first met. The plushie was always pushing him, always so angry with him. Not that Seiichi cared really or so he told himself. Artemis wasn’t his friend or confidant like Luna was to Sailor Moon.

“I told you I would help to rescue Venus” Seiichi said after a moment’s silence between them, “Despite what you think of me, I gave my word and I intend to keep it.”

Sufficiently chastened, Artemis kept quiet for a few minutes before asking, “What will you do now?”

“Nothing. I’m content for Mamoru to lead them for now.”

“Will you ever fight with them?”

Seiichi shrugged, “Perhaps. They are good people.”

“Even Kisho?”

“Kisho could be a problem” Seiichi admitted, “But he’s loyal to Mamoru, that is all that matters.”

Artemis shook his head, obviously disappointed and angered by Seiichi’s decision, but the pianist would not be swayed on the matter. It was better to let things settle. He was confident that Mamoru could look after things for a while.

Still, it was a lonely path to take and Seiichi could already feel a pang of regret. He firmly crushed this with a thought and announced to Artemis that he wanted to get some rest. This was his destiny. He had no choice. The tragic past occurred because he was not strong enough before. This would not happen again. Seiichi would rather die before allowing that.

******

“Zoisite… the Prince of the Earth Kingdom” Usagi sighed to herself as she sat at her bedroom window. Outside it was dark and stars illuminated the night sky. The Moon shone brightly, sending a river of silvery light into her room and reflecting off of her clock that read 12.00am. Usagi couldn’t sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she could picture the Prince in her mind’s eye.

A part of her knew deep down that it was a dream. The meadow that they were sitting in was too lush and green to be situated in the city and the sky was too bright and blue to be anything more than a fantasy. Despite knowing this, Usagi did not care. She was happy, a playful grin etched across her face as she bit into the slice of cake that was handed to her. The man sitting to her left laughed as she managed to get crumbs down the front of her pure white dress. Usagi giggled again, raising her head to look at her companion. She could never see his face. This saddened her. Obviously he meant a lot to her and she could only see his shadow.

Then he leaned over and took her hand in his own as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

“The Prince… the one I love” Usagi whispered to herself. Though she would never readily voice this out loud, Usagi was secretly disappointed. Zoisite wasn’t exactly who she was expecting and, rather alarmingly, she didn’t feel any of the love and bittersweet sorrow when staring at him that she had when she was dreaming. She hadn’t been able to react when they were fighting. She had been unable to do anything. Not when her heart was filled with such confusion.

“Usagi-chan?” she felt Luna nuzzle her side, “Daijobu?”

She nodded sadly and picked up the plushie. Apart from Luna, Usagi was alone and this pained her the most. The cat had sworn her to secrecy but Usagi longed for someone to confide in. She needed someone or she was going to go insane. How could she have such strong feelings for someone in a dream and then, when meeting him in person, feel nothing?

Perhaps it was because he wore a different uniform? Maybe if she knew who his Earth identity was?

“Usagi-chan? What are you thinking about?” Luna prompted.

“The Prince” Usagi admitted and she found herself blushing as she whispered, desperate to confide in someone, “I think I’m in love with him.”

Luna’s reaction was not what she was expecting, “You are? What about Tuxedo Kamen?”

Usagi shrugged her slender shoulders, “I don’t know” she had feelings for him, too, but it was all so mixed up! She wanted to scream and cry from the frustration. Biting her lip, the pigtailed girl turned to her friend, “Are you angry with me?”

Luna thought for a moment, “You know how I feel about Tuxedo Kamen and the Prince.”

“I know, but I can’t help how I feel. I’ve been having dreams about the Prince for a long time, but now that I’ve seen him…” Usagi trailed off, “I’m confused,” she admitted, “I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Luna shook her head, “Please, Usagi-chan, just forget about both of them. They are the enemy and…” she hesitated and Usagi had to prompt her to continue, “You are still young. If you have feelings for them both then it is obviously no more than an infatuation, which will, with time, go away. The mission is what matters. You have to free the Dark Senshi from Beryl’s spell and to do this you need the Ginzuishou. Do not forget that Tuxedo Kamen and the Prince are also after it. They are the enemy and you should not forget it.”

Usagi bit her lip to force down a small sob, “I know, but--”

“The enemy” Luna repeated and then added in a softer voice, “I hate to seem harsh, Usagi-chan, but you are very dear to me and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I know” Usagi repeated a little bitterly, “But its so hard… I hate being alone.”

There was nothing, Usagi knew, that Luna could say to this and so let her be. Coming away from the window, Usagi climbed into her bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. She knew that she would not be able to sleep, but she was cold and sick at the heart. Luna did care about her so much, but it wasn’t the same. She didn’t understand that Usagi was alone. She had no one to confide in, no one to turn too when things got too much. She was alone and had been for a very long time…

*****

Smoke seared at his eyes, pouring down his throat as he cried out for his comrades, though the screams of the dying blocked out even his own voice. Kunzite ran faster, icy panic gripping at his heart as his eyes darted wildly to the destruction around him.

The kingdom… the beautiful marble palace lay in ruins. The people crushed underneath fallen masonry. Smoke now covered the sun and blotted out the sky. It gave Kunzite a chill to behold and at the same time was familiar. With it came anger. Anger so immense that he almost crashed to his knees. The Princess… all was her doing…

“No!” a strangled cry escaped him as he halted in the palace grounds, staring at the huge marble pillars that had fallen during the battle. A scream caught in Kunzite’s throat as he recognised two of his friends lying lifelessly on the ground.

“Jadeite… Nephrite…” he whispered. Kunzite stepped forwards as his gaze locked upon a third person lying further away. In all the dust and smoke, Kunzite had trouble recognising him or even recalling his name. His sorrow deepened as he stared upon them.

The Princess had led them all to ruin and would do so again… Kunzite screamed until his throat was hoarse and searing in pain from the tiny dust particles that clouded the air around him and found their way into his mouth. He coughed, sinking to his knees as he choked on the air around him.

“Kunzite?” a voice caused him to look up as two shadows appeared among the ruins. With the sun blotted out by the evil that surrounded him, Kunzite could only see outlines of the pair who moved slowly towards him, hand in hand.

“Master…” he whispered, his voice having a hardened edge to it as he spoke, “Princess… All of this… how many more will suffer? Jadeite, Nephrite, your own people! When will it end?”

The Prince had no answer and Kunzite stood, unsheathing his sword, he took a step towards them, “Is this how it will be? Then so be it”

He turned away; he could never strike down his Prince, but all of this… He would never forgive him. The Earth’s destruction was caused by the one man who was supposed to defend it.

Kisho frowned at the memory of his dream and what it meant and this caused Taro to enquire if he was all right. Brushing aside his concerns, Kisho struggled to concentrate on what their leader was saying. Both Mamoru and Masaki appeared shocked when Kisho had entered Crown and refrained from making even one snide remark to do with Taro and the younger man asking if Kisho was feeling okay was another cause for them to exchange glances.

Kisho had not told Mamoru what had taken place two days ago and, from the looks of things, Taro had also kept quiet. Whilst Kisho appreciated his discretion he couldn’t help but wonder if it were wise to keep things from the others. He half smiled at this. Then why had he not told them of his dream? Masaki, too, had explained that the Princess would lead them to ruin, but Kisho felt unwilling to divulge his thoughts and feelings to the others. The dream disturbed him and brought about doubts in his mind. This made him uncomfortable and, until he had assembled his doubts into some kind of order, Kisho was unwilling to voice them out loud.

“How’s Hina?” he asked instead, drawing the others attention back to Mamoru. He started at this change of topic, but smiled and replied:

“She’s fine. The doctors said that she just needs to rest” he frowned, “She feels so bad and embarrassed about the whole thing. I think she just wants to forget about it.”

“I don’t blame her” Masaki agreed, “I heard that several visitors to the hospital were caught up in it, too.”

Mamoru shrugged lightly, “That couldn’t be helped.”

Kisho smirked at this. Mamoru had confided to him before the others arrived that a civilian had saved him from the Youma, which was almost as humiliating as having the man that they were supposed to be protecting saving them.

Mamoru gave him a dark look and quickly changed the topic again, “Zoisite-sama said that we need the Ginzuishou. It is vital that we find it.”

Kisho snorted in contempt at this, “Are you going to do everything that Zoisite tells you to do? I’d be more concerned about his motives than anything else.”

“Not this again” he heard Mamoru utter under his breath before he answered in a louder voice, “If you really distrust him this much, then it stands to reason that we find the Ginzuishou before he does as well.”

“What if he asks you for it? Will you give it too him?”

“If he asks, yes, he is the Prince.”

“Fool.”

“Fine” Mamoru snapped irritably, “Then we’ll vote on it. Taro-kun, what do you want to do?”

Mamoru was obviously expecting Taro’s backing so he, and Kisho were both shocked when Taro said, “We should keep looking for the Ginzuishou and if we find it then we should wait and see what Zoisite-sama wants it for. If he explains himself fully then I won’t have a problem with giving it to him, but if not…”

Kisho raised an eyebrow and said, almost teasingly, “I thought you were all for protecting the Prince?”

“I am” Taro met his gaze, “I just don’t think we should rush into anything.”

“Masaki?” Mamoru asked, putting the youngest king on the spot now.

“I don’t know” he shrugged, unwilling to say anything until Mamoru prompted him.

“I don’t think he wanted to harm us. If he did then he would have let the Youma kill us all. I don’t know…”

Kisho smirked in knowing that he had the majority on his side, “Then it is decided. We’ll keep the Ginzuishou once we find it.”

“For the moment” Mamoru met and held his intense gaze, “But I think you are wrong. We can trust him. I know we can.”

Kisho shrugged, “Well that’s your look out then.”

*****

Mamoru left Crown feeling more dejected and down about being the leader than when he first went in.

“You’ve done well up until now. Don’t underestimate yourself.”

Zoisite-sama didn’t know the half of it. Mamoru had hoped that Taro would support him at least in his decision. They may not know Zoisite-sama at all, but there was an underlying gentleness about him. He did not mean them any harm. If anything, by not revealing his Earth form to them, he was protecting them. Why did Kisho hate him so much? Was it because of his status? Kisho was the strongest of them, and being the weakest, Mamoru couldn’t fathom how it would make Kisho feel to have someone, probably not a lot stronger than him, tell him that he was the Prince.

That was just it, Mamoru reasoned; Zoisite-sama had not expected anything from them. He had spoken to them as equals.

The oldest king’s anger didn’t seem to bother Zoisite at all and, if anything, this only served to enrage Kunzite further.

Mamoru didn’t want to intervene. If anything he was looking to Zoisite to say something, but the Prince simply met Kunzite’s intense and furious gaze.

For what seemed like an age, they stared at each other. Neither of them was willing to back down. All this time the other kings and Sailor Moon watched this spectacle unsure of what to do or say.

Then, calmly, Zoisite turned away, teleporting from the alley in a flash of blue light.

He obviously knew how to control his powers better than any of them, Mamoru mused. With this came that horrible sensation of worry and dread. Mamoru, as Tuxedo Kamen, was unable to fight with magics unlike his three comrades. Why was this? Taro often told him it was because he needed to awaken the powers inside him as they had done, but Mamoru wasn’t so sure.

He clenched a fist in a mixture of frustration and anger. Despite his words to his friends before, Mamoru was harbouring his own doubts concerning Zoisite-sama, but this had more to do with his want for someone else to take over being the leader. He hated the responsibility, especially when they were obviously divided over the mission as it was.

“I just don’t know” Mamoru sighed to himself as he reached his motorbike. He had parked it outside of Crown, with the intention of going straight home to Hina when they had finished their meeting. Taro was working as usual and Masaki had a college lecture. Kisho had left hurriedly as well, but Mamoru had not thought anything of it. What good was it being the leader if he couldn’t get anyone to agree on anything?

Angered at Zoisite-sama for placing him in this situation, Mamoru did not see the girl rushing along the pavement until she ran right into him, knocking him back into his bike.

“I’m sorry!” he sighed when he recognised the startled squeals of the Tsukino Kobuta and true the pigtailed girl was bowed down in front of him, her eyes tightly closed and her hands clapped together in an apologetic and over the top stance.

Frowning, Mamoru sniped back, “You just appear every where don’t you? And always knocking into me, too.”

“You again!” Tsukino-san cried in disbelief.

“Why are you in such a hurry anyway?” Mamoru demanded as he retrieved his helmet from the pavement.

“I’m late, of course!” Tsukino-san pouted, “I was meant to be at the Juuban Kindergarten twenty minutes ago. Its part of my homework to volunteer somewhere and then write a report on how things went” she spoke as though Mamoru should be impressed by this, which he was not.

“Well then” he teased, “You’d better run, Tsukino Kobuta. You are still seven blocks away.”

“You are so mean!” Tsukino-san wailed, and Mamoru was sure, for a second, that he saw tears in her eyes. He sighed and handed her his spare helmet. The last thing he wanted was to make the Tsukino Kobuta cry.

“What is this?” she asked dumbly.

“Get on” Mamoru snapped and indicated his bike, “I’ll give you a lift.”

Tsukino Kobuta hesitated, but when she saw the sincerity in his eyes her face lit up in a delicate smile and she did as he told her. Putting on his own helmet, Mamoru sighed to himself, wondering just what he had let himself into.

*****

They arrived at the Kindergarten a few minutes later and Tsukino-san was greeted by five smiling children, all trying to grab a hold of her hands and show her the pictures that they had been painting today. Their Sensei stood a little way off, choosing not to comment on Tsukino-san’s lateness. The pigtailed girl laughed when one girl pulled her hair with a sticky palm and then looked curiously at Mamoru.

“Usagi-chan? Who’s he? Is he your boyfriend?”

The Kobuta’s face went a bright red at this and Mamoru frowned in disgust at this notion.

“No, no!” Tsukino-san waved her hands frantically when the girl in question walked shyly over to Mamoru and held out her painting, “Do you like it?”

It was supposed to be a house, as far as Mamoru could tell, but it was painted bright yellow and the roof stopped half way across the top of the square that was to represent the main structure of the house. The windows were lopsided and a blue sun shone in the sky.

“It’s very nice,” he said, kneeling down beside her to get a closer look.

The girl smiled, “Are you Usagi-chan’s boyfriend?” she asked shyly.

“No. I just gave her a lift here.”

“And never again” Usagi pouted, “Mamoru-baka drives like an old man! I didn’t ever think we were going to get here.”

“How could I concentrate on driving when I had you clasped onto my waist so tightly? Were you scared?” Mamoru sniped back.

The girl giggled and held out a hand, “You two act like you are married the way you argue. Will you come inside, Mamoru-baka? We are doing painting today. Can you paint?”

Mamoru shook his head, intent on leaving as soon as possible, but the girl’s lower lip wobbled dangerously and unshed tears shone in her eyes.

“Don’t you dare make her cry!” Usagi complained, “It takes me ages to calm her down otherwise.”

Mamoru sighed, and took the hand the girl offered, “I haven’t got anything else to do.”

Only finding the Ginzuishou in order to stop the enemy from destroying the world, but, hey, it can wait!

“Are you always this bad tempered?” Usagi hissed as they walked inside.

“No” Mamoru shot back, “Being with you brings out my nasty side.”

“I’ll say” Usagi glared at him, before hurrying over to break up a fight between two toddlers over a blue can of paint.

“Wai!” she screamed when she tried to snatch the can from them and the lid fell off, spilling blue paint all down the front of Usagi’s jumper. Mamoru grinned to himself, this was promising to be an entertaining afternoon, indeed.

*****

“Look at them” Dark Mercury commented coldly as the image projected onto the wall of her quarters depicted the noisy kindergarten. She snorted disdainfully at the mess and chaos of the place. “Such weaklings. Stealing their energy will be simple.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure” Dark Mars said with a smirk, “You have underestimated humans many times before. They are very protective over their young.”

Dark Mercury raised an eyebrow, trying to hide her concern and desperation. Beryl wanted results. She wanted energy to feed the Great Ruler and she wanted the Prince. Seeing as none of the Senshi had a clue to the latter’s whereabouts, Mercury had decided to redeem herself by collecting energy. Beryl-sama was already furious with Dark Venus for allowing the Prince to elude them so easily. Even now, the furious bellows of their Queen could be heard as she berated both Venus and Jupiter for their failed missions.

Beryl would not kill them, this Mercury was sure of. She needed the Dark Senshi, but falling out of favour with the Queen was worse. Death would be preferable to living as an outcast and both she and Mars knew this.

“I know what I am doing” Mercury assured her companion, “And who knows? Perhaps the Prince will show himself again?”

Mars lowered her gaze, her face clouding over at the mention of Zoisite. Venus had told Mercury of Mars’s doubts and, true, Mercury had her own, but Beryl’s obsessions were even more dangerous when they were not sated quickly enough. If the Prince did come to save the children, it would be an added bonus, but if he didn’t then it was no loss. This was an easy victory and Mercury intended to appear in person to make it so.

Turning away from Mars she opened a portal to the Earth realm. “I know what I am doing,” she repeated, but this was more to reassure herself than the black haired Senshi.

Mars did not reply, the smirk on her lips said it all. Mercury shot her a nasty smile and stepped through the portal.

“I know what I’m doing,” she whispered once more, “This is an easy victory.”

*****

Usagi hated to admit it but she was having a great afternoon. It had started out terrible, especially when Mamoru-baka had decided to stay on at the kindergarten and help out, but now… Usagi found herself blushing as she cast a sidelong glance at the dark haired man beside her. Naomi, the little girl who had taken a shine to Mamoru, sat on his lap and was in the process of painting a portrait of him. Usagi giggled when she saw that the ‘portrait’ portrayed Mamoru as having bright green hair and three eyes.

To her annoyance he scowled at her when he caught her staring at him and Usagi quickly lowered her gaze.

You two act like you are married the way you argue.

Her blush deepened at the recollection of Naomi’s words. Married… Usagi shook her head. Marriage to Mamoru-baka? How terrible! And anyway, from the ring he was wearing, Usagi could only guess that he had someone who was stupid enough to want to marry him. Somehow this disappointed her, though she wasn’t sure why.

“Finished!” Naomi declared happily and then gestured to Usagi that she might want to have a look at the picture, too. The pigtailed girl’s face fell when she saw the second person drawn in beside Mamoru-baka. It was undoubtedly her, but with red hair and a silly grin etched across her face as she held on tightly to Mamoru’s hand.

“Do you like it?” Naomi demanded, “It’s supposed to be you and Mamoru-san.”

“I-I…” Usagi stuttered and broke off, cursing her ability to blush easily. Mamoru, too, looked uncomfortable, but brushed this off by suggesting that Naomi might want to put it near the radiator to dry quicker. She nodded enthusiastically and did as he asked. Now, alone, Usagi lowered her gaze once more and said:

“You don’t have to stay. You are obviously hating every minute of this.”

“Did I say that?” he sniped back, “Why do you have to start an argument every time we talk?”

“I was only making conversation!”

“Look. If I don’t want to do something, I don’t do it. Simple.”

Usagi didn’t reply. In a lightening quickly movement she snatched up a paintbrush and drew a thick black line down the side of his face and then gasped in dismay at her impulsive and silly action.

“Well” Mamoru said, allowing no emotion into his voice, “That was immature, wasn’t it?”

“Who are you calling--?” Usagi started but trailed off when he mimicked her actions, and a bright green line appeared down the side of her cheek.

“Now who’s being immature?” she tried to sound angry, but a giggle escaped her and Usagi found herself reaching for another paintbrush and dipping it into some red paint.

“Whoa! Now hang on a minute!” Mamoru started as she stood up and waved it threateningly in his face. The tip of the paintbrush brushed his nose and Usagi’s giggles became louder, until Mamoru flicked some red paint down the front of her already paint-stained dress.

“Stop it!” she wailed, “Mama will kill me as it is” but that didn’t stop her from bursting into laughter and flicking some green paint down Mamoru-baka’s shirt.

Pretty soon they were covered from head to toe in different coloured paint, not that Usagi minded. She hadn’t laughed like this in a long time so it was a welcome release from the stress that she was under.

Still, the Sensei had decided that enough was enough, especially when the children decided to mimic the supposedly ‘sensible’ teenagers. Usagi sighed, but another giggle escaped her when she saw the state Mamoru’s clothes and face was in and she could only imagine how bad she looked, too.

“Now we do resemble this!” she indicated Naomi’s painting and Mamoru nodded in agreement.

“You know,” he said, standing, “I think I should really get some of this paint cleaned off before I go home.”

“Me, too” Usagi agreed, standing as well and not wanting to admit to herself that she didn’t really want him to go yet and was determined to be in his company for as long as possible.

“I’ll get some cloths from the kitchen” Mamoru suggested, “I think the children need cleaning up before their parents collect them” he added, nodding to the class, who were still messing about with the paint. The Sensei was desperately trying to pull them apart, with no avail.

“I’ll help her, then” Usagi said, hurrying over to Naomi and another boy and snatching a can of yellow paint from his hand.

Still, this did not stop Usagi from glancing back in Mamoru’s direction and watching as he disappeared into the adorning kitchen, a smile forming on her lips at the memory of today. It had started out so badly and now… Usagi sighed. Little did she know that in less than a minute it was going to be ruined.

*****

Mamoru knelt down in front of the kitchen sink, rummaging through the cupboards for a cloth or anything that could get rid of the paint. Normally he would be angry with Tsukino Kobuta for ruining his clothes in such a manner, but after the day he had, had he was just glad for the comic relief. Though, Mamoru was conscious that Hina would be at home waiting for him. This thought snapped him out of the carefree mood that he had found himself in and Mamoru felt a little ashamed that he was here with Tsukino-san instead of looking after his fiancée, though Hina herself had encouraged him to get out of the apartment for a while.

There, Mamoru spotted a cloth and reached out to grasp it when he heard a child scream. Normally, he wouldn’t even look up. Children often screamed when they were playing, but this was no playful scream. Mamoru recognised the tenor of terror that could only mean one thing. Forgetting the cloth, he stood, racing to the door, even as he transformed, readying himself for the coming battle.

Though the scene that he was met with was very different from what he had been expecting. Poised by the door, Tuxedo Kamen saw a Youma. Its body appeared to be made out of a giant paint can, but its head was distinctly humanoid with long purple hair and wide blue eye set on the sides of its head. A lopsided red smile was etched across its face and Tuxedo Kamen recognised it as being from one of Naomi’s earlier paintings. Before he could scoff at what a ridiculous Youma this was, Tuxedo Kamen’s gaze locked on Tsukino Kobuta. She was standing over the fallen Sensei, Naomi was unconscious beside her and all round the room children lay on the floor, their energy zapped from them.

Now the Youma reached out with a fine long nailed hand towards Usagi and Tuxedo Kamen prepared himself to race to her aid, when her next words stopped him dead.

“Moon prism power… make up!”

Shock and total disbelief rooted him to the spot as she transformed, her paint soaked dress becoming a white and blue sailor fuku, flashes of light turned into ribbons and her hair became longer and tied up into twin odango’s atop her head. Red slides decorated the strange hairstyle and her pigtails grew longer so that they were just below her waist. She struck a pose and then spoke:

“I am the pretty suited soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon. In the name of the Moon I will punish you!”

“Sailor Moon?” Tuxedo Kamen whispered, falling back against the door in astonishment. Tsukino Kobuta was Sailor Moon? The clumsy and foolish girl who constantly argued with him and ran into him at every opportunity she got was Sailor Moon? He was dreaming. This had to be another dream or at least some crazed kind of nightmare. How could Sailor Moon really be someone as ungainly as Tsukino Usagi? It just didn’t make sense!

Tuxedo Kamen sighed. He shouldn’t really be that surprised. After all he had been through in the last month or so nothing should surprise him anymore.

Sailor Moon’s cries jolted him out of his astonishment and back to the battle. She had just vaulted over a table, kicking at the Youma as she flew passed and knocking it to the floor. It crashed among the paints and other art supplies as Sailor Moon grasped the Moon Wand tightly in one hand and twirled in the air like a ballerina as she uttered her attack:

“Moon twilight… flash!”

The Youma exploded in a picture of rainbow colours, getting paint all over the heroine. She squealed at this and then cheered happily when she saw that she had won the day. Or so she thought…

“So, Sailor Moon. We meet again.”

She whirled round, and a gasp formed on her lips, “You are--”

“I am the Senshi of icy hearts and wild water, Dark Mercury.”

“Mercury” Sailor Moon whispered through bloodless lips, “Dark Mercury?”

“Why did you have to be here?” the Dark Senshi demanded, “It was all going so well” her mouth twisted up into a gleeful smile, “But perhaps your death will atone for my failings where harvesting energy is concerned.”

“Mercury” Sailor Moon stunned Tuxedo Kamen by pleading with the Senshi, “Please don’t. I don’t want to fight you.”

“Not this again” Mercury shook her head in mock sympathy, “The Dark Senshi serve Queen Beryl-sama and no one else.”

“No! You are wrong! The Senshi are supposed to protect the Princess! Beryl is using you! Why can’t you listen to me?”

“Princess?” Tuxedo Kamen whispered, his heart in his throat at the mention of the young woman in his dreams. Sailor Moon knew who the Princess was?

Mercury shrugged, “Because you are lying. It is almost pitiful.”

“Please” Sailor Moon took a step towards her, “Please believe me!”

“Why should I? You are nothing! Mercury aqua… mist!”

The attack came so suddenly that Sailor Moon had no time to react. Tuxedo Kamen, on the other hand, had been expecting it. He dived forwards, pushing the blond heroine aside as the attack struck the wall, blasting a hole in the wood.

“Unforgivable” Mercury wrinkled her nose in disgust, “I won’t forget this,” she warned before teleporting away in a blue light and ignoring Sailor Moon’s cry for her to wait.

Her pretty face fell and Tuxedo Kamen felt his heart ache at the dejected look in her eyes. He extended a hand to help her up and she took it with a grateful smile.

“Arigato” she nodded delicately, “You saved me again.”

“The Princess” Tuxedo Kamen eyed Tsukino Kobuta with an air of suspicion now that he knew her true form. “Do you know her?”

“The Princess?” Sailor Moon repeated dumbly “No. I am looking for her. Luna says I have to find the Princess, obtain the Ginzuishou and free my fellow Senshi from the Dark Kingdom and--” she broke off, her face flushing a bright red, “And I wasn’t supposed to tell you all that.”

“I see” Tuxedo Kamen stood, disappointment eating away at his heart.

The illusionary Ginzuishou… please

If he could just find her… He, too, like Dark Mercury ignored Sailor Moon’s calls for him to come back.

“The Princess” he whispered, “So, Sailor Moon also searches for her. Sailor Moon is Tsukino Kobuta…” the last thought made his head spin. Tsukino Kobuta was the Senshi of love and justice, Sailor Moon. This was a very worrying factor indeed…

******

“I’m so sorry about all this” Usagi apologised miserably to the Sensei whilst scrubbing at the paint stained floor with a nailbrush. “I don’t understand how a bunch of kids could make such a mess!

“Just make sure you clean it all up,” the Sensei repeated sternly before disappearing back into her office.

The kindergarteners had gone home, complaining of being tired. Of course, Usagi knew better, and cursed Mamoru-baka for sneaking away and leaving her to clean up this mess! When she saw him next…

“Who are you calling--?” Usagi started but trailed off when he mimicked her actions, and a bright green line appeared down the side of her cheek.

“Now who’s being immature?” she tried to sound angry, but a giggle escaped her and Usagi found herself reaching for another paintbrush and dipping it into some red paint.

“Whoa! Now hang on a minute!” Mamoru started as she stood up and waved it threateningly in his face. The tip of the paintbrush brushed his nose and Usagi’s giggles became louder, until Mamoru flicked some red paint down the front of her already paint-stained dress.

Usagi smiled despite herself at the recollection of the paint fight. Mamoru-baka had really cheered her up, despite the fact that a Youma had turned up and ruined everything. She sighed again. In a way she was glad that he had left before the fight started. She would have hated it if he had got caught up in anything. As it was, Tuxedo Kamen had to save her, again. Usagi’s frown deepened and she had told him all about the mission, too! Luna would be furious if she found out, but for some reason Usagi felt that she could trust Tuxedo Kamen even if he did act a bit like Mamoru-baka at times.

Pouting, Usagi went back to her cleaning. It was strange how much she missed Mamoru-baka and that every time she thought of him she found a silly smile spreading across her face. Usagi did not like this. She did not like it at all…

******

Act Fifteen Preview:

“Tsukino Kobuta? She’s Sailor Moon?”

~~~~

“Masaki-kun, I’m surprised at you.” He declared, and then passing the ticket to Mamoru and their leader also stared at Masaki in astonishment whilst reading out loud the words printed there.

“Komoro Seiichi’s fiftieth concert? I didn’t know you were a fan?”

~~~~

Stepping up to the piano she placed the stone on one of the keys and smirked in satisfaction as it was absorbed into the instrument. She had engineered it so, if those meddlesome kings or their Prince also happened to be present, they would not be able to sense the stone or the Youma inside of it until it was too late.

Dark Mars flipped her black hair over a shoulder and left the concert hall. She needn’t stay. Her Youma would do the rest.

~~~~

“It is your own fault” Artemis said coldly from where he was sitting on top of the piano. “If you’d just rested like I told you to instead of chasing it about all over the city… again.”

“You know I have no choice in the matter” Seiichi replied quietly, ignoring the scorn in the cat’s voice.

Artemis shook his head, “If you hadn’t acted so foolishly in the first place--”

“So you keep saying,” Seiichi murmured disinterestedly as he sat down on the piano bench and leafed through the sheet music.

“I thought you had to wait for the tuner?”

“I do,” he said, realising that in the heat of the conversation he had completely forgotten about this. “But it can’t hurt just to try a few notes.”

~~~~

“I take it you’re not the piano tuner, then?”

Ueda-san frowned at this, “No.”

“Then who are you? Don’t tell me you’re another obsessed fan who managed to sneak in the back door.”

Ueda-san managed a small smile, “I did sneak in through the backdoor” he admitted, “But I don’t know about being an obsessed fan. It seems to me that you have a too high opinion of yourself, Komoro-san.”

~~~~~

“What? What is--” he trailed off as the Youma whirled round, and before Jadeite could react conjured a ball of fire in its hand, just like the Senshi who’s powers it was formed from, and hurled it at the astounded pianist.

The stage and the piano exploded in a mass of flames and wood, mournful notes of the instrument echoing around the room.

“Komoro-san!”