Hey people.  This story is about Makoto Kino and Ken from 
sailormoon in an alternate universe.  There will be no senshi in 
this story although the other characters do appear in later chapters.  
This is a love story but I promise to have lots of action in it, although 
this chapter is a little slow since I’m trying to introduce the characters 
and the plot and stuff.  If you haven't read the prologue I suggest you 
do, I made it really short and sweet so it can't be too painful.  Anyway 
I was inspired to write this story by the song "By Your Side" from Sade.  
If you haven't heard the song I suggest downloading it from napster or something. 
	This is my first fanfic so please don't flame me to bad.  I hope
 you like my story I've worked really hard on it. 
Ariel-sama
Please visit my site at:
www.akilah.f2s.com

I do not own sailor moon. Sailormoon and its characters 
are owned by Naoko Takeuchi.
"By Your Side" is written and performed by Sade Adu.

***********************

“By Your Side”

You think I’d leave your side baby
You know me better than that
You think I’d leave you down when you’re down on your knees
I wouldn’t do that
I’ll tell you you’re right when you want
And if only you could see into me

Oh when you’re cold
I’ll be there
Hold you tight to me

When you’re on the outside baby and you can’t get in
I will show you you’re so much better than you know
When you’re lost and you’re alone and you can’t get back again
I will find you darling and I’ll bring you home

And if you want to cry 
I am here to dry your eyes
And in no time
You’ll be fine

You think I’d leave your side baby
You know me better than that
You think I’d leave you down when you’re down on your knees
I wouldn’t do that
I’ll tell you you’re right when you want
And if only you could see into me

Oh when you’re cold
I’ll be there
Hold you tight to me 
Oh when you’re low
I’ll be there
By your side baby
		
by,
		Sade Adu
*********************************
	
"Makoto, Makoto.  Wake up."  Hikari Kino woke her daughter from sleep.  
"Mom, I'm still tired.  Its only like nine in the morning on 
Saturday."  Makoto said while turning on her other side to get more comfortable.  
"Nine o' clock! More like 1:15. Boy you stayed up way to late 
last night.  And aren't you suppose to be going to the movies with Ken at 1:30."
Makoto jumped out of her bed and looked at her alarm clock.  
"Mom, why didn't you wake me!"  She ran across her room to the
 dresser and pulled out some clothes to put on.  
"What are you talking about, I tried to wake you three times before.  But each 
time you just rolled over and said you were getting up."
"Well you should know me better than that.  You should have tried to wake me 
like three hours before I should have gotten up, that way I wouldn't be late."  
She threw on her KORN tee shirt, a pair of ripped jeans, and a black dog collar 
with metal spikes.  She combed her hair into a quick pony tail and held it with
 red ballies and put on her black Reeboks.  
"Okay how do I look."  Makoto spin around as if she were a model.  
"Very punk rocker.  Only one problem."
"What’s that?" 
"Your morning breath is killing me, so will you please brush your teeth."  Her 
mother teasingly pinched her nose and gave a disgusted look.
"Mom!" Makoto ran to her mother and hit her in the head with a pillow.
Hikari faked a look of shock.  "Oh, so you wanna play pillow fight huh.  Well 
don't start crying when I do this." She started to tickle her daughter, Makoto's 
greatest weakness.  Makoto fell to the floor in laughs and tears came to her eyes.  
It wasn't long before she was screaming from the torture.  
"Hey is everything okay in here."  Taichi Kino walked into the room to find his 
wife and daughter on the floor laughing and screaming.
"No, stop this crazy woman.  She’s trying to kill me."  Makoto could hardly get 
that out between her laughs and screams.
Taichi smirked at the two people he loved most on earth.  "Okay Hikari, can we 
save killing our daughter for later on this evening because Ken’s waiting down 
stairs to leave for the movies."
Makoto jumped to her feet.  "Okay mommy, see you later."  She placed a kiss on 
her mother’s cheek.  
Hikari smacked her daughters butt.  "Don't think I'm going to forget about tickling 
you when you get home."
Taichi handed Makoto 15 dollars.  "Spend wisely dear and have fun."
"I will."  Makoto took the money and kissed her dad on the cheek.  
"Mako, have you brushed your teeth yet."  Taichi waved his hand in front of his face.
"Dad!"

***********************************************************************

Makoto sat on the soft leather seats of Kathy Williams’ car.  It was a big spacious 
Mercedes Benzes, with a TV and playstation in the back.  "Nice car Mrs. Brown." 
"That’s Miz. Williams.  And thank you sweetie."  
"Oh, sorry."  Makoto felt embarrassed from her mistake.  She forgot that Ken's Mother
and father were divorced.
Ken's face looked a little red.  "Everyone makes that mistake, don't they mom."
Kathy nodded.  "Yes, so don't feel bad Makoto.  Just make sure you don't do it again."  
She gave Makoto a little smirk form the rear view mirror.
"What movie do you want to see Makoto."  
"How about George and Me."
Ken gave Makoto a look like she was crazy.  "George and Me, isn't that a kiddy 
movie."
Makoto giggled.  "Yeah, but it looks pretty cool." She gave Ken a wink.  But he just
 looked at her like she was even crazier.
"Yeah, if your in Kindergarten."  Ken didn't know why someone their age would want
 to see something that looked like a live action Disney movie.
"But it looks really cool though."  Makoto winked her eye even harder and faster. 
"Are you okay, do you have something in your eye."  Ken was sure this girl was on 
crack.
"Ken, she is a year younger than you and a year is a big difference at your age. 
 So don't be so mean, let her see what she wants to."  Kathy parked the car and 
handed Ken $50.  Makoto's eyes widened at the sight of the bill.  "Have fun kids 
and don't get into any trouble okay." 
******************************************

Makoto and Ken stood in line at the ticket booth.  "Boy, it sure does take you 
a long time to catch on."  Makoto said.
Ken turned and looked at her in confusion.  "What are you talking about."
Makoto rolled her eyes.  "When I said that I wanted to see George and Me I 
wasn't serious I was just saying that so your mom wouldn't know that were 
really going to see Murderer Moe."
Ken looked even more confused.  "We are?  But they won't let us buy tickets to
see a rated R movie."
Makoto slapped her head.  "No, were going to buy tickets to see George and Me."
Ken shook his head.  "Now wait a minute, I thought you said we were going to 
see Murder Moe.  But now your talking about George and me which is it."
Makoto laughed.  "Oh gosh.  I guess there a lot you have to learn Ken.  See the 
plan is we buy George and Me tickets but sneak into Murderer Moe."  Makoto could see 
that Ken was really naive to a lot of things, but that was something that she decided 
she like about him.  'He has a really pure heart' she thought.
Ken smiled at his foolishness.  "Oh, I see.  So is that why you were winking at me 
in the car?  I was starting to think that you were flirting with me."  
Makoto felt her cheeks warm.  She was more surprised that those words came out of 
Ken’s mouth then embarrassed.  "Ken!  All this time I was under the impression 
that you were a good little boy, but you go and say something like that."
Ken smirked at Makoto.  "Well that just proves that you don't know me all that 
well."  He felt a little offended by what Makoto said about him being a good little 
boy.  'She thinks I’m a geek, just like all the other kids in school.'  But he put 
on his little smirk.
	When they got up to the both the ticket lady asked them what they would be 
seeing.  "Murderer Moe."  Ken slapped his head and Makoto gave a nervous laugh.
"Ah, he means George and Me.  Two tickets for George and Me please."  Makoto said 
while trying to keep her composure.
"Well, I hope so.  You guys don't want to have the guards catch you trying to sneak 
into Murderer Moe now do you."  She gave them an intimidating look.
Little beads of sweat started to form on Ken’s forehead.  "No mam.  I assure you that 
were going to see Murderer Moe."  Ken slapped his forehead again. "Hehehe, I mean 
George and Me.  We aren't like some Juvenile delinquents who would buy George and Me 
tickets but sneak into Murderer Moe.  No, mam that’s not us."
Makoto had to pull Ken away from the ticket booth.  "Okay, were going to go to our 
movie now, George and Me.  Bye mam."

 Makoto slapped Ken in the back of his head.  "What the heck were you trying to do, 
blow our cover."  
"Owe.  That hurt."  Ken rubbed the back of his head.
Makoto still had her arm around Ken’s as they looked for the theater with the 
Murderer Moe sign.  She didn't seem to notice but Ken did when they walked in 
front of a mirror.  'What an odd looking couple we make.'  Ken thought to himself. 
 'A head banger and a nerd.'  He laughed.  
Makoto looked up at Ken "What's so funny?"  
"Nothing."

**************************************************************************

They sat down next to an older couple in the theatre, this way it would look as 
if they were with parents.
"This is such a rush!  I've never done anything illegal before."  Ken said excitedly.
Makoto grinned at Ken.  "Yeah it is a rush.  My friends and I would do 
this every weekend in Tokyo."  She moved closer to Ken and whispered in his ear. 
 "One time we even snuck into 'Show Girls' and that’s NC-17."
Ken's face turned crimson red.  "What!  That’s practically a porn flick.  
Why would you wanna see something like that?"
"I don't know, curious I guess and it was something that we definitely 
weren't suppose to see, so it made it that more appealing."
Ken started to feel the heat from his face spread to other parts of his body.  
It was a new feeling that he started to get since his 12th birthday.  It always 
seemed to happen whiled he was watching the girls in gym play volleyball or while 
he was staring at Miaka Kawa.
He turned to face Makoto.  "What was the movie like?"  He asked feeling the heat 
intense.
"Well, it was a bunch of naked women stripping during the whole thing.  Nothing that 
made me excited or anything.  There were some parts that my friend Minako would cover 
her eyes with her hands but would still peak through her fingers, and my friend Amy 
was just so red during the movie that she kept her coat over her head and tried to 
fall asleep.  Usagi was to busy trying to get Amy to watch and take her coat from her 
head that she wasn't paying much attention.  Rei and I sat through the whole thing and 
pointed out all the silicon we could, and Haruka, well Haruka really enjoyed the film. 
 She was really attentive through out the entire movie and she even wanted to see it 
again for some reason.  She kept talking about it the whole way home."  Makoto 
shrugged.  "Weird."
"Oh."  Ken said feeling like he wanted to go to the bathroom.
Makoto stared at Ken’s red face.  She dug her hand into her large cup of soda and 
pulled out an ice cube.  She put it down Ken’s shirt.
Ken almost jumped out of his seat.  "What the heck did you do that for?"  He screamed.
Makoto giggled.  "To cool you down Mr. Horny Hot Pants."  Makoto laughed uncontrollably.
Ken wanted to kill Makoto at that moment.  He was so embarrassed that he couldn't 
look at her.  Makoto pinched Ken's cheek.  "Oh so you really are a boy huh.  You 
do like to look at girls.  Well that’s a relief cause after watching the way you 
throw a ball I was starting to think that you were a little," Makoto flagged her hand. 
 "…you know."  She laughed more.  Ken sat with his face looking the other way.  
Makoto noticed that he seemed genuinely upset.
"Sorry."  Makoto put her arms around Ken and placed her head on his shoulder.  
“Did I hurt your feelings Hun.  I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were so sensitive.”
Ken smirked.  “No, I’m not that sensitive.  I just wanted to feel your arms around 
me baby.  Wow, no woman can resist Mr. Horny Hot Pants charm.”  
Ken started to make smoochy noises to Makoto.  She jumped off him and 
threw an ice cube at his head.  “You jerk.” 
Ken laughed.  “Oh please like I would waste my charm on you.” 
Makoto felt a little sting when hearing that.  She didn’t know why because it 
wasn’t like she liked him or anything, it was just unexpected she guessed.
“Ouch that hurt.”  Makoto put a hand on her chest like she was wounded.
“So you can dish it but you can’t take it huh.”  Ken laughed.  “Well, well, 
whose the sensitive one now.”
Makoto punched him in his shoulder.  ‘He’s so unpredictable.’  Makoto thought.  
‘I like that, keeps things from getting boring.’
The lights went off and the theatre was suddenly silent.  Ken leaned over to Makoto
 and whispered in her ear.  “You sure you want to sit next to Mr. Horny Hot Pants in
 the dark.”
Makoto slapped Ken in his head for the second time that day.  “Okay, that’s getting
 kind of old now Ken.”  Makoto said loudly.  
“Shh, be quiet!”  A man beside them said.
They both sat straight up and watched the film.  A man in a mask stabbed a teenage 
boy and blood squirted out of his wounded arm.  Makoto jumped and dug her face 
into Ken’s arm.  Ken felt his face get warm again for the 100th time that day.  
‘Why does this feel so nice.  It’s not like I like her or anything.’  Ken thought 
to himself.  ‘But she is kind of cute.’  He looked down at Makoto and rubbed 
her long brown ponytail.  
“Its okay.  This movie is not scary at all.  Look at it.”
Makoto shook her head.  “I can’t look, it is scary.”
Ken silently giggled, a girl that seemed to be so tough was scared of a cheap horror film.
“Look at it.  The blood isn’t even real, its corn syrup.”
Makoto reluctantly removed her head from Ken’s arm and looked at the screen.  
The wounded teenage boy’s shirt was drenched with red corn syrup.  She laughed, 
Ken was right.  “It is corn syrup.”
A woman in front of them turned around.  “Please be quiet children.”
On the screen a girl’s car was stuck on the road in the middle of nowhere at night.  
She came out of her car and started walking in the wilderness.
Ken shook his head.  “Now look at this, how dumb can you be.  She’s practically 
asking to be killed.”
Makoto laughed again, this time she was louder.  “I can’t believe I wanted to see 
this crap.”  She said.
Ken nodded in agreement.  “George and Me would have been better than this.”
Makoto laughed even harder and louder.  “I know, it would have.”
“Shut the f*#& up!”  Came a voice from behind them.
Makoto and Ken both turned around to see the owner of the voice.
“Who said that!”  Makoto screamed angrily.
A teenage boy stood up.  He was sitting 5 rows behind them.  “I did, you gonna 
do something about it.”  He spread his arms wide open and started beating his 
chest as if he were Tarzan.  His friends were all making loud noises, cheering him on.
Makoto stood up.  “In fact I am.”
“Makoto, what are you doing.  Sit down.”  Ken pleaded with his friend.
Makoto dug her hand into her large soda and pulled out an ice cube and hit the 
boy in his forehead with it.  The whole audience was watching and telling them 
to sit down and be quiet.  
The boy’s friends laughed.  “You gonna let a little kid do that to you Kazu.”  He picked 
up his half- eaten hot dog and aimed it at Makoto but it missed and hit ken in his head. 
 He stood and Kazu and his friends started cracking up.  “Look at that nerd.  He looks
 angry so you better watch out.”  One of Kazu’s friends said mockingly. 
Ken felt his blood boil.  He hated being called a nerd even though he should be use 
to it by now.  
The audience was all upset and making a big noise.  “Young people today, they have 
no type of respect.”  An older man said.  
“He’s not a nerd.  He’s a heck of a lot tougher then you.”  Makoto defended her new 
best friend.  
Kazu laughed again.  “Ahw, she’s standing by her man.  Ain’t that cute.”
“Ken, you aren’t gonna take that are you.”  Makoto said while handing him her 
cup of soda.  Ken pulled out an ice cube and aimed it at Kazu, but he missed and 
hit some little old woman sitting in front of him.  It hit her so hard that her
 dentures fell out.  Ken’s face turned pale when he saw what he had done.
Makoto shook her head.  “I guess that wasn’t such a good idea, knowing how your 
throw is.”  The little old woman picked up her cain.  “You little bastard, I oughta 
kill ya.”  She managed to make out with her gums.  She swung her caine but Ken 
ducked just in time and she hit some man sitting next to Ken.  
The man’s wife stood up and screamed at Ken.  “This all your fault.  You juvenile
 delinquent.”
Makoto stepped up to the woman.  “Don’t you dare talk to Ken that way.”  She dumped 
her popcorn on the woman’s head.  The woman screamed and threw her popcorn and it hit 
another woman in the next row.  
A minute later, everyone in the theatre was throwing stuff at each other and arguing.  
 Security walked in with two police officers.  “What’s going on in here.”  A police
 officer with a blow horn screamed over the noise the crowd was making and the audience 
fell silent.  
“Uh, oh,” Makoto said while Ken’s face was as pale as a ghost.  
“Those kids over there started.”  Kazu pointed to Ken and Makoto.  “See, they aren’t 
even old enough to see this movie.  They probably snuck in here.”
Ken turned to Makoto.  “See, I told you we shouldn’t have snuck in.  Now I’m going to
 go to jail, and I won’t be able to become a doctor.” He felt his heart racing as the 
police came closer.
“Let me see your ticket stubs kids.”  The officer flashed a light into the kids faces. 
 The officer was in the ale that made him closer to Makoto then Ken.  Makoto almost 
fainted, her mind went blank and her eyes were blinded by the bright light.
“Hey, do I see someone with a dozen donuts.”  Ken said pointing to someone behind the
 officer.  “Where.”  The officer turned around to find the donuts and Ken grabbed 
Makoto’s hand and ran out the theatre.  The police officer turned around.  
“Hey I don’t see any…, Where they go.”
The woman with missing dentures pointed to the exit sign.  “They went that way.”
The officer was angry for being out smarted by some kids.

**************************************************************************

Makoto threw her self on a chair while trying to catch her breath and control 
her laughter.  Ken was breathing hard but managed to sit down while laughing hysterically.
Makoto caught her breath.  "My gosh Ken, that was so much fun.  I never knew I 
could run that fast."
Ken wiped the sweat from his forehead.  "Your telling me, I felt like Dango.  Hey 
do you think he'll run this far out to the food court."  Makoto shook her head.  
"No, he probably stopped at that bakery shop we passed by to buy a dozen donuts."

They went to Ken's favorite ice cream shop THE FLAVOR.  Makoto eyed the large 
variety of flavors.  She had never been to an icecream parlor with so many unique
 flavors.  "I don't know what to get, any suggestions."  
"How about chocolate heart attack.  That’s what I always get."
Makoto frowned.  "That sounds delicious.  Just what I want to know about the food 
I eat, that it may kill me."
"Oh it’s not that bad.  They call it that because its made up of chocolate ice 
cream with marshmallows, peanut butter, peppermint, Gumi bears, and caramel. 
 Its delicious."
Makoto shook her head.  "Okay Ken, I trust you."
The ice cream boy handed Ken a comb.  "And here's one for your girlfriend." 
 He said with a wink of his eye.  Makoto's face turned red.  "He… he… he's not 
my boyfriend."  Makoto stuttered, shocked by the embarrasing words that came
 out of the ice cream boys mouth.  Why did everyone think they were boyfriend 
and girlfriend, for goodness sakes she was only 11 years old.  
The ice cream boy smirked.  "Sure, that’s what they all say."
Makoto turned to Ken for support but he was frozen in shock.  

She pulled him over to a table were they sat.  Makoto eyed the comb in her hand, 
it looked like mud with pieces of crap stuck in it.  Ken looked over at his friend.
  “What, your afraid to try it.”  He said teasingly.  
Makoto looked at Ken as if he were challenging her.  Makoto Kino was not afraid of 
anything, except maybe a cheesy horror movie.  She reluctantly took a lick of her
 ice cream.  He face lit up and she quickly ate it while Ken watched her enjoyment. 
 "So, you like it huh."
Makoto shook her head while eating he comb.  "Um hum."
Ken smiled.  "I love it, whenever I’m in a bad mood I eat this and I always feel better." 
 He paused and his face turned serious.  "I remember when I was 10 and my dad called.  
He said he was going to visit me in Japan for a few days."
Makoto looked up from her ice cream comb to listen to her friend.  
"I was so excited, I told everyone I knew.  But when the day came that he was suppose
 to come home, he never showed.  I was so disappointed that I spent the entire day in 
bed crying.  So my mom went to the mall brought a gallon of chocolate heart attack for 
me and I ate the whole thing by myself.  Of course I ended up puking the whole night."
Makoto giggled.
"But when I was throwing up the ice cream it was like I was throwing up the hurt and 
anger I felt for my father.  It was really therapeutic."
Makoto stared at Ken.  She realized that Ken held a lot of pain in his heart towards
 his father.  Ken’s eyes begin to look glassy.  She put her hand on top of her friends 
to comfort him.  Ken looked up.  "Hey, I’m okay.  Really I am."  He put on a phony 
smile.  Makoto took her hand from Ken’s.  "Okay, if you say so."

************************************************

Sunday afternoon Makoto and her father prepared for the basketball game.
"Three extra long hoagies."
"Check" Makoto said while checking of their list.  They invited Ken to watch
 the game with them and Mako wanted everything to be perfect.
"Two grand Slam Pepsi"
"Check."
"One bag of ruffles sour cream and onion potato chips."
"Check."
"Well that’s everything, the only thing were missing is our guest."
The doorbell rang and Makoto smiled at her father.  "There he is.  I'll get it."
Makoto let Ken in and led him to the living room.  Taichi greeted him with a high five. 
 "Hey Ken, what’s up my brother."
"Nothing much." Ken said shyly.
"Make yourself at home Ken, sit down."
As they watched the game they cheered, screamed, booed, and finally in the end 
when the Bears won they jumped up and down in excitement.  Taichi picked Makoto 
up and spun her around.  Mako screamed for her dad to put her down while Ken 
smiled at them.  That moment he felt happy and envious at the same time.  Happy 
that Makoto had a great dad that loved her, and envy because he didn't.
Taichi let Mako down and she looked over to Ken.  She quickly picked up on his 
vibe but he dismissed his feelings with a smirk.

**************************************************************
Mako pulled her bike out of the garage.  "Where are we going Ken."
Ken fixed the strap on his helmet.  "That’s a surprise.  Just follow me and 
enjoy the ride."
"Everything’s a surprise with you."
They rode through the town for what seemed like forever to Makoto.  She felt her 
legs ache with every push of the pedal.  Little beads of sweat caused her shirt 
to stick to her back.  She looked ahead towards Ken. "How much longer.  
I’m getting tired."  Ken looked back and smirked.  "Just a little bit.  Its 
right up here."
They rode into the town park and Ken disappeared into the bushes while Mako 
followed behind him.  He jumped off his bike and put it behind a tree.  
"All right, were here.”  Mako got off her bike and looked at Ken as if he 
were crazy.  “You made me ride all the way up here just to look at trees.” Ken 
shook his head and smirked.  “Of course not.  Now close your eyes and give me
 your hand."  Mako looked at Ken strangely.  “Hey, this isn’t some kind of trick is it.” 
“No, no.  Just close your eyes.  You said that you trusted me, now do you.” 
Makoto let out a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Ken took her hand and led her down a small trail.  Ken slide through a small 
opening between two large trees as he pulled Mako along.
   "Open your eyes now."   Mako opened her eyes and looked around at what seemed 
like one of her mother’s photographs. It was a section in the forest that was 
surrounded by trees and in the middle was a small stream.  The sun seeped through 
the bushes of the tall oak trees, making golden rays of sunlight reflect a rainbow 
off the water.  
Mako looked around with wide eyes.  "Wow.  This is awesome." Ken remembered the 
first time he found this place.  He was on a camping trip with his parents when 
he was 8.  While they were arguing, Ken ran away from the camping grounds and 
found this place.  Its been his refuge ever since.  Now he was sharing it with 
someone else.
"I knew you would like it.  This is my secrete place.  No one else knows about 
it besides us.  So know its ours." 
 Mako ran over to the stream and threw her shoes off and jumped in.  Ken followed
 behind her and they played in the water until sunset.  
Later that day as they sat on a log watching the sun go down, Ken asked Makoto 
about her father.
"Your dad is really cool."
She looked over to Ken and saw the same look on his face that he always had when 
he talked about his own father.  "Yeah he is cool."
Ken's eyes started to become glossy.  "You sure are lucky.  I wish I had a dad 
like that." Makoto could almost feel Ken’s pain. She put her arm around Ken's 
shoulders and drew him near her.  He laid his head on her shoulder.  He felt Makoto’s
 warmth, and for the first time in a very long time, he felt protected.  A 
feeling he lost when his father left two yeas ago.  He let his reservations go, 
and released his anger in the form of tears.  Ken's body shook as he sobbed uncontrollably.
Makoto wrapped her other arm around Ken and rubbed his hair.  She laid her cheek 
against his and whispered in his ear.  "I'm here for you Ken.  I'm right by your side."
************************************
End of Chapter 1
************************************
So what do you think.  Email me at ariel_7_1_7@yahoo.com
I tried to make this chapter a little funny, and I really like how
I ended it although I think I don't really like how it came out as a whole. 
Oh well I guess all writers think that way. 
Thank you for reading and may God Bless,
Akilah