TO THE AID OF A FRIEND
By Princess Destiny
[ princessdestiny@hotmail.com ]
 
***

Prologue

***

Until that point, keeping the Senshi a secret had never been a big 
problem. But all that changed, one Monday morning, when Usagi, Makoto and 
Rei were in class...

***

The communicators fairly shrieked from three locations in the class room. 
The students fell silent, looking around in bewilderment.

Miss Haruna frowned. "WHAT is that noise?"

"Everyone help! Is anyone receiving this? I need help guys!" A voice came 
clearly from the three different locations, amplified. Fear and distress 
were clear in the tones.

"Is that Ami?" Miss Haruna said, looking around in bewilderment.

"Oh my god" Usagi murmured in horror, trying to cover up her communicator 
with a frantic hand. She looked up, exchanging a frightened glance with 
Makoto and Rei.

"Usagi? What's wrong?" Naru asked, seeing the girl's rapidly paling face.

"And WHAT is that high pitch?" A girl demanded, clapping her hands over 
her ears and grimacing.

"ANYONE! I need help now! I can't handle this Youma on my own!" Ami's 
voice was more frantic, coming clearly through Makoto's, Rei's and Usagi's 
muffling hands.

"Youma?" Miss Haruna questioned, dropping her book. She got up from her 
desk, striding quickly down the isle until she was near Usagi. She turned 
her head left and right as if trying to sense something.

Usagi sank further into her chair, sliding her wrist under the desk. Her 
face was loosing colour, fear evident in her blue eyes. She knew, as did 
the other two Senshi, that Miss Haruna was trying to trace the high-pitch 
she was hearing. Also, Ami was in terrible trouble and they couldn't DO 
anything without endangering their identities!

"I think it's coming from outside, Miss Haruna" Rei suggested quickly, 
pale also.

"I-need to go to the toilet!" Makoto said frantically, stating to her 
feet. Her hands clenched by her sides, head slightly lowered.

"NOW, Makoto?" Miss Haruna said in exasperation.

"USAGI! Makoto! Rei! Please! This is Mercury, come in!" Ami's voice almost 
sobbed from the communicators.

Everyone's eyes went wide as saucers.

"Mercury?" Naru shouted.

"Usagi?" Miss Haruna shrieked.

"SENSHI?!" Umino yelled, jumping to his feet. He levelled a shaking finger 
at Usagi, then swung it towards Rei and then Makoto. "YOU three are the 
Sailor Senshi?"

There was a disbelieving silence, while the three revealed Senshi stood 
like statues, faces drained of all colour. The secret they had fought for 
so long to preserve had been discovered-by pure accident.

"It must be those additions Mercury was talking about" Rei said weakly. 
She hesitated, then raised her wrist to her face. She pressed the sign for 
Mercury and waited. "Mars here, Mercury!"

"Rei! Of thank the gods! I'm being attacked by two Youma's in the park! I 
can't hold them off"  Sailor Mercury gasped in pain. "I think my arm is 
broken too. All I can do is summon fog to hide me!"

Usagi's eyes widened in fear. She yanked her communicator to her face, 
pressing the button frantically. "Ami! Hold on, we'll be right there!" She 
shouted.

"Right!" Makoto slammed her hands together roughly, making most of the 
class jump.

"Mars out" Rei said quietly.

There was a long silence, while the three girls looked at everyone and 
everyone looked back at them, stunned.

"What now?" Usagi whispered, biting her lip.

"First things first" Rei said, making a reaching motion with her hand. Her 
Mars Wand dropped into her palm.

The class gasped in astonishment and awe.

"Right" Makoto said again, grimly. She too summoned her wand, then held it 
above her head. She paused, looking daggers at Umino. "Lock the door" She 
said harshly.

Umino scrambled quickly towards the door, tripping over several things on 
the way. Only when the click from the lock could be heard, did Makoto and 
Rei continue.

"Mars Power, Makeup!"

"Jupiter Power, Makeup!"

Everyone was stunned as the light filled the room, surging with red and 
green power. 

Only Usagi watched, helpless.

When Sailor's Jupiter and Mars stood there, Usagi stood up shakily and me 
their eyes.

"Mercury still has my broach" Usagi said quietly. "You two go ahead, I'll 
have to run by foot"

"That will take forever, Usagi!" Sailor Mars snapped. "I'll carry you.   
Or Jupiter will"

"No, I'll slow you down" Usagi protested, brushing her blonde fringe from 
her blue eyes with shaky fingers. Her gaze skittered around the room 
uncertainly, noting all the shocked and awed looks.

"YOU'RE a Senshi too, Usagi?" Naru gasped in astonishment.

Usagi nodded hesitantly.

"You have to get going" Miss Haruna said in a strong voice. She made a 
shooing motion with her hands towards Mars and Jupiter. "Your friend 
sailor Mercury is all on her own there"

"But the CLASS, Miss Haruna! We can't let you leave. You know who the 
Senshi really are" Usagi said desperately.

"You can trust us" Naru said quietly.

"Can we?" Sailor Jupiter said harshly. She looked around, making sure to 
meet every person's eyes. "This is the worlds largest secret. People would 
kill to know our identities, you realise"

There were several gasps.

"I'll stay here and watch them" Usagi offered faintly, sinking back into 
her chair.

"No! We need the Crescent Moon Wand!" Mars said urgently.

"Moon wand?" Naru uttered. "YOU are Sailor-Moon?"

"This, I can't believe" Miss Haruna said, sinking against Naru's table 
weakly. She fanned herself with one had, eyes on Usagi with disbelief 
evident in her eyes.

"NOT if we can't get to Mercury, I'm not!" Usagi shouted, angry. She 
pointed at Jupiter and Mars. "Get to Mercury NOW!" She ordered, 
uncharacteristically taking charge.

The two stared at her for a long moment. "Right! Get there as soon as you 
can, Usagi" Sailor Jupiter saluted, heading for the window. She unlocked 
it quickly, pushing the window upwards and climbing onto the sill.

"We're on the second floor, Sailor Jupiter!" Miss Haruna said 
involuntarily. 

Jupiter turned to give her a smile and then jumped.

Sailor Mars hesitated, then ran to the window. As she was about to jump, 
she turned to Usagi. "Good luck! And hurry, Sailor Moon!" She urged, then 
disappeared.

There was another long silence, in which Usagi found herself the very 
centre of much incredulous attention. She nibbled on her lip, looking out 
the open window longingly. "They really need me" She whispered to no one.

"And Ami has your-wand?" Naru said slowly.

"Broach" Usagi gestured towards her uniform's bow, where the beautiful 
golden broach had usually sat.

"So that's what happened to it! I thought you'd lost it" Naru said 
eagerly.

Usagi nodded, eyes sad and worried. She looked around at everyone as if 
they were complete strangers. In a way, they were now. They had learnt 
something of her, but as Sailor Moon, she felt far apart from he class.

"Then" Miss Haruna said with conviction. "You have to go now, Usagi. Go 
help your friends. They need you" She said quickly.

"I CAN'T! Not when you can all leave. I promised, Mars!" Usagi almost 
wailed. But not her usual wail, this one was filled with desperation.

"We SWEAR, we won't leave until you return, Sailor Moon" Naru stressed, 
crossing her chest with her fingers.

There were nods from everyone and Miss Haruna got a VERY determined look 
in her eyes. "We'll stay here until you return." She looked around at 
everyone's faces coolly. "Even if I have to pretend to give ALL of you 
detention for your parents benefits"

Groaning followed her announcement.

Usagi smiled faintly. "Glad I'm not in your situation, Naru" She said, 
smiling. "Thank you Miss Haruna" She said sincerely. "Thank you, all of 
you"

"Ho get them, Sailor Moon!" Umino shouted, unlocking the door.

"You can do it, Usagi" Naru cheered.

"Fight safely" Miss Haruna added, looking slightly wild. It was surely 
even MORE unreal to her than the rest of the class, being an adult and 
knowing. Children were wont to accept strange things easier.

Usagi turned, lifting a slender finger to cover her mouth gently. "Shhh" 
She whispered, then walked out the door. It closed behind her, leaving her 
in a dead-quite hall. She hesitated, then began to run. Mercury's life 
could depend on it!

***

Truly, Mamoru had NEVER seen the blonde run so swiftly. Not even when 
she'd been late for School. That, of course, made him intensely curious. 
He pulled his car up along-side her, trying to keep pace. He pressed a 
button, the passenger-side window rolling down smoothly. "Hey! Odango 
Atama! What's the rush?" He yelled.

She cast a glance back at him, eyes incredulous. But it was the fear and 
determination in he eyes also, that gave him pause. Something was VERY 
wrong. "Go WAY!" She shouted back at him, panting. "I don't have the time, 
you jerk!"

That stung. "Oh really? Is the candy store having a sell-out sale?" He 
shouted back tauntingly.

She ignored him entirely, which both irritated and delighted him. Teasing 
Usagi was a high-light in his day. Mamoru abruptly caught sight of the 
time on the dash and his brows rose in shock. It was only lunch-time! 
"Where are you off to Odango? Are you playing hooky?"

Usagi stopped abruptly, coming to a stop in the path so fast that Mamoru's 
car passed her. He braked sharply. Before he could reverse, a blonde 
whirl-wind rushed up to the open window, eyes blazing fury. "What is your 
problem? Can't you take a HINT you absolute jerk!" She shouted at him. "I 
have to get somewhere really quick!"

He blinked at her, feeling a surge of concern. "Where?" He asked.

She glared at him harder. "A friend needs me and all you can DO is taunt 
me? Either help me or get the hell out of my way!" She fairly shrieked at 
him, banging her hands on the window-sill.

Mamoru's eyes hardened. He could see that the blonde was almost beside 
herself with fear and worry. "Hop in then" he said swiftly, leaning across 
the passenger seat to unlock the door.

Usagi blinked back tears, staring as the door began to open under her 
hands. "What?" She mumbled, dazed.

"You said to either help you or get out of the way" Mamoru said 
impatiently. "I'm HELPING! So get-"

"The park! And step on it!" Usagi yelled, almost wrenching the door from 
the expensive Ferari and jumping inside. It slammed behind her so hard 
that the car shook.

Mamoru winced, but obligingly stepped on the gas, speeding away from the 
curb liker the devil was after them. He sincerely HOPED that whatever was 
at the park was worth a speeding fine!

Usagi looked out the window, eyes concerned. "Can we go any FASTER, 
Mamoru?" She shouted, trying to be heard over the rush of wind from the 
open window.

"Faster?" He muttered, staring down at the display on the dash. He was 
already doing 80 KB. In a busy area too. Many times in the last minute, 
he'd almost bashed into other cars. Luckily he was a great driver. He took 
a deep breath and eased the car up to 90. "Faster, sure!" He shouted back.

Usagi absently slipped on her seat-belt, clinging with both hands to the 
sides of her seat. When the gates to the park came into view, her eyes lit 
up with relief. "Pull into the car park!" She ordered, pointing.

Mamoru screeched into the car park, still doing 90 KB. He applied the 
brakes and they briefly skidded. He held his breath as the car came to a 
halt, engine idling. "We're-here?" He began, turning to the blonde, but 
she was already getting out of the car.

"Thank you, Mamoru! I won't forget this!" She shouted back, slamming the 
door behind her.

Mamoru's eyes narrowed. "There's NO WAY you're getting away without 
telling me what's wrong, Odango Atama" He said grimly. He pressed the 
button to wind up her window, got out of the car and swiftly locked them. 
Then, he raced after her, legs in a long easy stride.

***

To Be Continued...

***