March 2002

 Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just borrowing them, the story
 however is mine.

Chapter 5


	"Serenity?"

	Usagi groaned, rolling over on her side, her head a dull ache, "Mom, I
 told you to call me Usagi."

	A wry chuckle came through her bedroom door, "Usagi, my pet, could you
 open your door please?  I don't see why you find it necessary to lock it."

	She bolted upright, her eyes wide as she looked around the room.  The
 vials and her bag were nowhere to be seen.  Oh wait, her school bag there by
 her dresser.  She blinked.  Her cat had moved her books from her bag and opened
 them to make it appear as if she'd been doing homework.  She pushed off her
 bed, rubbing her head as she walked to the door and flipped the little latch. 
 She opened the door and looked at her mom, "Gomen, I didn't mean to leave it
 there all night."

	Her mom shook her head, smiling as she looked through the door into her
 room, "Fell asleep studying, did you?  Usagi, I told you before, weekends
 should be for enjoying yourself."

	Usagi shrugged and then stepped back, collecting her books and the
 pencils and pens Luna had littered her small table with.  She arranged them in
 a neat pile off to the side.

	"Usagi, my dear, you need to fix your hair.  Are you certain you don't
 want it cut?"

	She glanced up, her expression stunned, "Cut my hair?  Mom are you
 alright?"

	Her mother grinned and winked at her, "Just teasing dear, I know you'd
 never dream of having it cut.  If you'll come join us, we were about to sit
 down to lunch.  Oh, and Mamoru is here.  He said you left something at your
 study session yesterday."

	Usagi blinked as her mother closed the door behind her, "Mamoru is
 here?"

	"Usagi-chan?"

	She glanced at her cat, "Sorry Luna.  Thanks for spreading this stuff
 out by the way, I wasn't sure how I was going to explain falling asleep in my
 clothes to my mother."

	"How's your head?"

	She rubbed the spots where her hair was tied and pulled, letting her
 hair down.  "Better now.  Ouch, what happened last night?"

	"I'm not sure, Usagi-chan.  I was never told what kind of reaction the
 locket would have if you pressed the buttons."

	Usagi rubbed her head with both hands, raking her fingers through her
 hair, "Next time do a little research.  Oh, my head is pounding.  I'm going to
 get a drink and something to eat, maybe it'll make me feel better."

	Luna watched her leave the room, "Gomen, Usagi-chan," she said softly as
 the door closed, "Be strong, a headache is the least of your worries."

		*			*			*

	Usagi stumbled down the stairs and just about cracked her head against
 the wall when two strong arms, that were becoming disturbingly familiar,
 wrapped around her waist and pulled her back, "Easy, Usagi-chan.  Are you
 feeling alright?"

	She put one hand on her head and jerked in his arms as he brushed her
 hair back from her face.  She'd forgotten to put it back up and it flowed down
 over her shoulders like a golden cape, draping his arms in the shining strands.
  His fingers were gentle on her face.  He made a soft noise in his throat as he
 picked her up and then carried her into the living room.

	"Where are my parents?" she asked, closing her eyes against the bright
 lights coming through the glass doors to the patio.

	"They had to go out for a couple of minutes.  Your dad had some kind of
 emergency meeting to attend, and your mom forgot something for lunch so she
 took your brother and went."

	"They left you here with me, alone?"

	He chuckled, "Yeah, scary isn't it?"

	She felt the arm of the sofa under her head as he gently checked her
 head, "Well, you're not burning up.  Can I get you something for your
 headache?"

	She cracked an eye at him and then slowly opened them both.  He'd closed
 the blinds.  "A pain killer would be nice." 

	She made to get up but he put one hand on her shoulder, "Relax, I'll
 find them."

	Usagi sank back against the sofa and threw one arm across her eyes.
 "What's wrong with me?" she asked herself softly.  

	"Usagi-chan?"

	"Luna?"

	"Hai.  Who is that?"

	"Mamoru?  That's my tutor."

	Luna jumped to the arm of the sofa near her head and licked her face,
 "Gomen, Usagi-chan.  I didn't mean to hurt you."

	"I know, Luna.  I'll be alright, Mamoru is studying to be a doctor."

	Luna sat in silence as Mamoru came back.  He stopped, a glass of water
 in hand, a couple of feet away.  "Is that your cat, Usagi-chan?"

	"Hai.  Mamoru, this is Luna.  Luna, Mamoru-kun."

	Mamoru sat carefully next to Usagi and reached out one hand for Luna to
 smell, "Pleased to meet you, Luna."

	Luna gently licked one of his fingers before jumping to the back of the
 couch.  Mamoru placed the glass and two white pills on the coffee table before
 sliding his arm around Usagi's shoulders to help her sit up.  She winced,
 "Ouch.  Arigatou, Mamoru-kun, I don't mean to be such a bad hostess."

	He handed her the glass and the pills, which she took right away,
 "Relax, Usagi-chan.  Your mother made me feel right at home.  You really should
 go back to bed."

	She shook her head, "Iie.  I'll be alright."

	"Usagi."

	"Hai?"
	
	"Why is Luna looking at me?"

	Usagi glanced up to see her cat staring at the young college student. 
 She waved a hand in front of Luna's eyes and the black feline blinked.  She
 meowed once before jumping from the couch and walking back up the stairs
 towards Usagi's room.  Usagi shrugged, "I don't know.  She's a little strange.
  She was a stray and bringing her home has forced her to make some
 adjustments."

	Mamoru nodded before slipping out of touching range, collecting the
 empty glass and looking down at her, "She certainly has a strange marking on
 her head.  You rest, I'll go get you some of the soup you mom made for lunch."

	Usagi didn't argue with him as he left her alone again.  She rubbed her
 head.  His touch still made her skin tingle, what was it about him that
 bothered her so much?  She relaxed against the couch, gently separating her
 hair and twisting it back into her unique style as she waited.  Her headache
 diminished as she slid the buns back into place.  Mamoru returned as she was
 tucking the last of her strands around the ball.  

	"Are those painkillers helping any?"

	She nodded, even managing a genuine smile as he set the bowl of soup,
 and a couple of sandwiches, on the table in front of her.  She reached for the
 bowl as he took a seat in the easy chair across from her.  She looked at him
 with a confused look on her face for a moment before digging into her food.  He
 watched her eat, relaxed in his chair.

	She glanced at him occasionally, feeling just a little odd as he seemed
 to be following her every move.  "Is something wrong?" she asked in English,
 her eyes sparkling with dark humor.  Even with a headache she could test him.

	His eyebrows rose but he accepted her challenge, speaking English,
 "Nothing is wrong.  Shouldn't you leave your hair down, it could be
 contributing to your headaches.  Ever consider a hair cut?"

	She laughed, lifting the bowl and draining it before wiping her mouth
 with the back of her hand, "Never.  It's not really all that heavy because it's
 very fine.  In fact, my mother once suggested I sell the hair that falls out to
 make silks."  She grinned, "Besides, if I cut it, I couldn't put it up in my
 hairstyle and that, among other things, is part of who I am."

	He nodded, "True.  You without the..." he struggled to find a word.

	"Meatballs?" she offered, her eyes twinkling.

	He snapped his fingers, "Exactly."

	She waggled her finger at him as she picked up a sandwich, "Just don't
 go around calling me a meatball head or anything, alright?"

	"Sure, I'll stick to Odango atama."

	She met his closed gaze, wondering what exactly he was hiding from her,
 what he was hiding from the world, when he could be such good company. 
 "Alright, but only when Motoki isn't around," she waggled her finger at him.

	He took the sandwich she offered with a wave of her fingers and sat back
 in a companionable silence as they ate.  The front door opened swiftly and
 closed with a bang, "Usagi?!"

	"Hai?" she called loudly, switching back to Japanese, "Something wrong
 mom?"

	Her mother came into the room swiftly, her hair frizzled about her head,
 "Oh my gosh, there's something out there, down by the supermarket!"

	"Where's Shingo?"

	The words were barely out of her mouth when her younger brother ran
 through the living room, and sprinted up the stairs.  A loud bang was heard as
 he slammed his bedroom door.  "Guess that answers my question.  Are you
 alright, mom?"

	Her mother nodded, "I need to lie down, that was terrifying.  There are
 so many people who aren't responding or anything, and the blood..." she
 shuddered, sinking to the floor in a faint. 

	Mamoru was beside her in a flash, scooping her up as Usagi leapt to her
 feet.  Mamoru placed her on the couch and looked at Usagi, "Are you alright?"

	She nodded, "I'm just going to go check on Shingo, take care of her
 alright?"

	He nodded.

	Usagi sprinted up the stairs and ducked into her room.  "Luna! There's
 another one attacking the supermarket!  Mamoru is down stairs, I can't let him
 see me!"

	"The lock, Usagi!"
	
	She flipped it and then grabbed her locket from her table, "Moon Prism
 Power!"

	Several moments later she was standing in her room, dressed in her
 Sailor Moon outfit.  She slid her window open, "Don't speak while I'm gone,
 back in a flash!"

	Luna watched her charge disappear.  Hopefully this monster would leave
 more clues as to what their unknown attacker was looking for.


	Downstairs Mamoru felt an uncomfortable feeling spread through his gut.
  He grabbed his stomach, feeling like it was going to rebel, and ran for the
 washroom.  He stumbled inside, feeling the heaviness in his legs, the ache
 spreading through his body.  The lights flashed before his eyes, feeling as if
 he should be protecting someone, someone important to him like no other.  A
 name flashed through his mind, a feeling like he'd done this before...

	*Flashback*
	
	"Serenity!"

	"Is something wrong my prince?" asked one of his guards hesitantly.  

	Endymion fought to get to his feet and then turned on the guards ranged
 around him, his expression betraying a mixture of something akin to loss, rage and
 bewilderment, "We must leave.  Now.  I need to get to the moon."

	"But... Endymion, we cannot..." he trailed off as Endymion rounded on him,
 his eye burning with rage and worry.

	"I said we are leaving now.  Not in ten minutes, not in an hour, not
 tomorrow.  Now.  My wife is in mortal danger and I intend to get there.  We leave
 now." 

	*End flashback*

	"The Moon?  My wife?" he groaned softly, feeling the agony of the
 vision.  Those were his last words as he passed into unconsciousness.

		*			*			*

	Sailor Moon dropped down a few feet from the liquid like monster.  It
 lacked any features, other than the impression of a human figure, and seemed to
 be slowly undulating forward.  She watched as it covered a human woman who lay
 unconscious on the ground in its path, moving over her with slow waves of
 silver, moving across her body.  As it passed she was coated in the liquid and
 her blood was left staining the creature.

	Sailor Moon couldn't watch as it moved towards another person in its
 path and took a stance. "For love and justice, the sailor suit beautiful girl
 fighter! Sailor Moon!" she smiled as she pointed at the monster, "I dealt with
 your friend Iou yesterday and today you make me deal with you, go back from
 wherever you came!" 

	The thing seemed to look at her as the silver substance headed in her
 direction, "You destroyed Iou?  You will not get Suigin so easily!"

	She shuddered.  The thing had a voice like nails on a blackboard and it
 set her teeth on edge.  "Yes, that was me.  I won't let you terrorize these
 people!  Blasted mercury, you belong in a thermometer."

	It laughed and she ground her teeth together.  What an obnoxiously
 annoying voice box!  "Sailor Moon Punch!" she ran at it and slammed her fist
 into it.  Or rather, tried to as he hand sank into its liquid exterior.  She
 felt something starting to eat into her gloves and pulled back from it quickly.
  She watched in horror as the glove on her hand began to disintegrate.  She
 tore it off and threw it away, "That did not go as I hoped."  She dodged as the
 thing spat a stream of silver at her, nearly falling over the bodies of several
 unconscious people.

	The silver liquid blob advanced towards her rapidly and she scrambled to
 get out of its way, leading it towards an area with no people.  She tripped on
 the sidewalk as she glanced back, her high-heeled boots catching and sending
 her sprawling.  She felt something start to slide over her boots as she pushed
 herself back up, a quick glance behind her telling her that the blob was at her
 feet.

	A rose suddenly slammed into the pavement as she pulled her boots away,
 rolling to her feet and kicking her boots off before the liquid could eat
 through to her skin.  A masked man in a tuxedo, cape, mask and hat stood on the
 branch of a large tree.  She blinked.  Wow, now there was a way to get a girl's
 attention!  

	"Use your tiara, Sailor Moon!"

	She blinked as he dropped to the ground, throwing another rose at the
 monster.  Roses?  

	*Flashback*

	He chose that moment to produce something for her, a gift that would
 always keep him in her mind.  A red rose.  He offered it to her and their
 fingers gently caressed as she took it in one of her small hands.  She was
 careful of the thorns as she put it over her heart. 

	*End Flashback*

	She shook her head to clear it, grabbing her tiara as rose slammed into
 the top of the monster, splitting the top half in two, "Moon Tiara Action!"

	The glowing Frisbee slammed into the monster, "Tiara Entrap!"

	It screamed, sending her teeth grinding together as the tiara wrapped
 around the monster, "Tiara Shrink!" it squeezed the liquid monster, sending
 brilliant energy racing through it and, with a final scream, dissolving into a
 puddle of ash.

	The tiara returned to her hand and she placed it back on her forehead,
 looking at her mysterious rescuer, "Thank you for you help."

	He bowed, tipping his hat to her, "I am Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Moon.  I
 will be here when you have need of me."

	She reached out one hand for him as he nodded to her once and then leapt
 away.  "Wait!" she called after him as he disappeared.  She sighed, walking
 over to where the monster had disappeared.  She sifted through the pile of ash,
 shuddering as her fingers encountered a single vial among the grey power.  She
 looked at it once before adverting her eyes.  She didn't need to read the label
 to know what was inside, the dark crimson liquid spoke for itself.  On an
 impulse she collected the three roses left behind by the masked hero.  She
 leapt away and raced back towards her house, hoping Mamoru hadn't noticed her
 absence.

	*			*			*

	In a dark room somewhere in Tokyo a scream filled the air as the second
 monster was defeated.  A harsh whisper filled the space as a glass beaker was
 sent crashing into the wall, "I'll get you yet, Sailor Soldier.  You just wait,
 you and your Tuxedo boy will not live long."

	*			*			*

	Sailor Moon sneaked back into her room and opened her lower dresser
 drawer, placing the bottle inside.  She noted that Luna had placed the other
 two in the same space but closed it carefully before getting out of her
 uniform.  She took a deep breath.  "Luna?"

	"Hai?"

	She spun and nodded to her cat who was coming back through the window,
 "Did Mamoru come looking for me?"

	Luna shook her head, "Iie, he stayed downstairs."

	She breathed a sigh of relief.  "Thank Selene.  I found blood on the
 monster today.  Another element, this time Suigin.  See what you can find out
 about it.  Once mom and Shingo are all right, I'm going to walk around and see
 if I can find our Sailor Mercury.  From what I've seen I could do with her help
 right now."

	Luna nodded as Usagi unlocked her door and disappeared back downstairs.


	Usagi looked into the main room to find a very confused looking Mamoru.
  "Are you alright, Mamoru-kun?

	He shook his head, as if trying to shake away a memory or thought, "Hai,
 Usagi-chan.  Gomen, I'm not feeling myself right now."

	She smiled at him, "It's alright Mamoru.  I think I can handle my family
 from here, why don't you go enjoy the rest of your weekend.  Say hi to Motoki
 or something?"

	He nodded, "See you tomorrow, Usagi-chan."

	She waved as he walked out of the room and, after a few moments left the
 house.  Shaking her head, she went to check on her mom.  This was turning out
 to be an interesting weekend.



 Author's Notes:  The first flash back (Mamoru's) is from chapter 3 of "Final
 Battle" in the Secret Garden trilogy.  The second flash back (Sailor Moon's) is
 from chapter 1 of "Secret Garden".  Comments, questions, flames... anything you
 want to suggest... write me at

Jade_Max@hotmail.com

Thanks for reading!
Jade_Max