Chapter 5 continued.

Vocab:

Minna!  Henshin yo!  --  Everyone!  Transform!

=====================================================================

	"Rei-chan!  Usagi-chan!"  The two heard a perky voice call
their name.  They looked towards the street and saw a blond figure
waving exuberantly.
	"Hi Mina-chan!"  Usagi called back happily. She waved to the
other two girls with Minako.  "Hi, Ami-chan!  Hi, Mako-chan!"  They
smiled and waved back, and walked towards her.
	"Hi, Usagi-chan," Ami said when they came closer, and reached
down hesitantly for a hug.  Usagi cheerfully hugged her back, making
her smile.
	"Everyone's here now," Rei said.  "I thought we might like to
have a picnic, outside under the cherry trees."  She was trying to
find a way to avoid having Usagi go up the stairs.  Usagi noticed and
appreciated it.
	"That sounds fun!" she clapped her hands excitedly.  "Mako-
chan, will you push me over there?"
	Makoto shrugged.  "Sure."  She noticed that Mamoru had
rejoined them and was standing right beside Usagi.  She wondered
briefly why she hadn't asked him, but her desire to make up with her
actions while Usagi was in the hospital overcame her, and she eagerly
grabbed the handles of the chair to push Usagi forward.
	"Careful, it doesn't roll as well on grass," Usagi said.  Rei
heard the comment as well and felt even worse.
	'I can't win,' she thought.  'No matter what I do it causes
Usagi trouble.'  Somewhere in the back of her mind, logic told her
that it wasn't her causing the trouble, but Usagi's wheelchair.
Usagi was probably having just as many problems anywhere else she
went.  But it still hurt Rei to be the cause of those problems here.
	"I'll go inside and get the snacks," she said, bringing the
washcloth back in with her.  A few moments later she came out with
some tea and cookies.  Usagi grinned at the sight of the cookies and
Rei felt a little better.
	They settled down under the trees, and began chatting.
Mamoru, knowing the usual topic of their conversations, wandered back
off to visit Yuuchiro, or Rei's grandfather, or even a random
visitor to the shrine--anyone who would talk to him about something
other than girl talk.  The girls' conversation started out about as
much as he figured it would, as well.
	"Mina-chan hasn't told you of her latest love interest, has
she?" Makoto asked as she munched on a cookie.  "Rei-chan, these are
good," she said as an afterthought.  Rei nodded her thanks.
	Usagi threw a mock glare at Minako. "No, this is news to me."
	"He's the captain of the volleyball team," Minako enthused,
propping her head on her arms, and looking up at Usagi with her eyes
twinkling.  "He's so cute..."
	"I'll say..." Makoto agreed.  "He looks kinda like..."
	"Don't say it!" the others chorused.
	"...Motoki," Makoto finished.  The others laughed.
	"For a minute there I thought you were going to say your
sempai," Usagi said good-naturedly.
	Makoto paused, thoughtfully.  "Then again, Motoki does look
like sempai, so..."  Everyone except Usagi promptly groaned and
giggled, but Usagi looked at her with a gentle smile.
	'I miss this stuff,' Usagi thought to herself.  'Even the
little things, like Mako-chan and her sempai.'  She had been so
preoccupied with her injury the past few months, she was left out of
all the latest gossip.  These small incidents, like not knowing
Minako's latest crush, made her feel more and more distant from her
friends.
	Makoto noticed Usagi's benevolence.  "You notice Usagi's not
laughing," Makoto announced.   "At least *she's* being nice to me."
	"It's probably just because she already has a boyfriend!"
Minako giggled again.  "Ne, Usagi-chan?"
	"Uh...right," Usagi said, thinking sorrowfully about the rift
in her and Mamoru's relationship.  Everyone stopped laughing upon
hearing her involuntary sigh.
	"Is something wrong, Usagi?"  Ami said softly.
	"No, I'm fine, Ami-chan," she answered.  Rei looked away as
she said this, keeping her mouth shut.
	"Are you sure?" Minako asked.  "You didn't have a fight with
Mamoru or something?"
	Usagi cursed the fate that made Minako the goddess of love
and beauty.  It would figure that she would know exactly what the
problem was.
	"Well..." Usagi began, wishing she could avoid the question
somehow.
	"SCREEEEEEEEECH!"
	The girls looked up in shock as a large, ugly humanoid figure
dove down towards them.  "Daimon," someone gasped, and they all leapt
for cover, Makoto yanking Usagi out of her wheelchair and placing her
on the ground, covering her with her body.  Usagi's heart pounded.
'Be careful what you wish for...' she thought ironically.  It had
been so long since she had faced a daimon that she had almost
forgotten what it felt like.  And the last had been so traumatic that
she still couldn't remember much about it, she thought ruefully.  She
looked up at the monster and felt nervous knot beginning to form in
her stomach.  It was bad enough to fight them as Sailor Moon--but as
a paralyzed Usagi?  She didn't like the odds of that.  She felt
extremely vulnerable.
	The daimon flew by and everyone who could stood up.  Makoto
carefully got up and helped Usagi sit up and lean against the tree,
supporting her with one hand.  Usagi glanced back to look at the
daimon closer.  Fearfully she noted that it looked really similar to
something that she couldn't place at the moment.  It appeared to be
a large stick figure, literally.  All of its appendages were made of
twigs, and its body looked like a mesh of twigs and pine, with the
periodic feather and down here and there.  'Why does it feel so
familiar?' she wondered uneasily.
	Minako got everyone's attention before the daimon could
double back.  "Minna!  Henshin yo!" she said sharply.  Kneeling
by Usagi, she said more gently, "You too, Usagi.  You'll be more
protected in your Sailor Moon form."
	"Right!"  Usagi nodded vigorously, then clutched her broach
and yelled, "*Moon Cosmic Power, make--up!*"
	The others followed her lead, and underwent their
transformations into sailor senshi as the daimon turned back towards
them.  Jupiter carefully picked Sailor Moon up and placed her back in
her wheelchair, pushing it off to the side to keep her out of danger.
'Sailor Moon in a wheelchair--how intimidating,' Sailor Moon thought
ruefully.  She wished she could help, and wasn't just in her fuku for
protection.
	"Burning Mandela!"  Mars started the fight, figuring the
daimon would be mere kindling to her fiery attack.  She might have
been right, but unfortunately the daimon dodged out of the way, so
they didn't know.
	"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"  Jupiter threw her sphere of
electrisized energy next.  Despite her excellent aim, the daimon
ducked her attack as well and continued its downward assault.
	Meanwhile Mercury was typing on her computer.  It beeped when
she found the desired response.  "Minna!" she yelled.  "Be careful,
it can throw projectiles....ow!" she shrieked as the daimon suddenly
threw a feather, a la Tuxedo Kamen.  The needle-sharp point
brushed over her wrist, nearly causing her to drop the computer as
she clutched her wrist in pain.
	"Mercury!" Sailor Moon cried, wishing she could jump up and
run over to her instead of being trapped in what she was beginning to
regard as a metal prison.  Mercury gave her a wobbly smile.
	"I'm OK," she said.  "Don't worry about me."
	"But you're hurt..." Sailor Moon began.
	"Not that much.  Besides, I have to concentrate on the daimon
right now," Mercury assured her.
	"Speak of the devil..." Jupiter muttered.
	The daimon began to dive-bomb them again.   The senshi took
up defensive positions against another attack, but were surprised
when it came towards them, and in a sudden death type move, adjusted
its flight so it simply glided over them only centimeters above their
heads.  Its target had shifted.  Too late did the senshi realize
where its new aim was.
	"No!"  Jupiter yelled, enraged.  She started running towards
Sailor Moon, as did the others.  The daimon just barely paused in its
flight as it turned to face them and swiftly spun out four vines
towards each of the planet senshi.  It accomplished its goal when the
vines wrapped themselves around the senshi, trapping them.  They
began to hoist the senshi high in the air as the daimon turned back
around and finished its mission.
	"*Aaaaaah!*"  Sailor Moon screamed as the daimon flew right
at her face, but at the last minute the it turned and began swooping
back upwards.  It was so close she could feel her hair flying
backwards in the wind it generated.  She gave a sigh of relief at her
close call.  Then she promptly screamed again as she felt her chair
tipping forward. The daimon had landed and was the one tilting her
chair.
	Usagi clutched at the handles trying to stay in but knew it
was a lost cause.  She whimpered in fright as she hung precariously,
then took a deep breath and let go.  She slammed into the ground
below, and winced as she felt a twinge when her right knee hit the
ground, as she was starting to regain sensitivity in her legs.  She
then outwardly groaned as the daimon let go of the chair and it
tumbled on top of her. Ignoring the fact that the handle almost poked
her in the eye, she pushed it off and looked up at the daimon in fear.
The daimon, now satisfied that Sailor Moon wouldn't cause any harm,
turned its attention back to the senshi.  Sailor Moon heard an angry
yell.
	"YOU IDIOT!"  Sailor Mars exploded.  "*Leave her alone!*"  She
thrashed back and forth furiously, struggling with the vines that held
her captive.  The daimon looked at her with a bored expression then
decided it was tired of her antics.  It plucked a feather and threw it
at the vine.  It sliced through the base, making it impossible for the
vine to support Mar's weight.  She began falling towards the earth
headfirst, still bound by the remainder of the vines.
	"*Noooo....*" Sailor Moon screamed in fear for her friend as
the dam holding her memories back finally broke.

	'...that daimon...in the park...I was taking a shortcut...
	but I had to change to Sailor Moon...and when I tried to fight
	it...it caught me...and it threw me...and I got hurt...'

	"...and now Mars," she gasped.  Both the past and the present
were becoming crystal clear to her.  Mars was going to get hurt just
like she was.  Tears of frustration started streaming down her face.
Mars was going to get hurt and she couldn't do anything to help her.
"No, not you too," she bawled.  "Please!  Do something!"  She buried
her face in her hands while the other senshi looked on in horror.
	Suddenly a razor sharp rose sliced through the air.  Just
before Mars hit the earth, the flower pierced through the vines
binding her.  Acting quickly, Mars twisted her body and landed rather
forcefully on the lawn, managing to roll out of it unhurt.  Three more
roses followed in quick succession, loosing the other senshi from the
vines' grip.
	Sailor Moon dared to uncover her face.  "Tuxedo Kamen-sama!"
she squealed in relief.  The daimon looked up and growled.
	"Attacking those who can not fight back," Tuxedo Kamen said
to the daimon, in a majorly ticked off tone.  "This is detestable.
I will not allow it.  I, Tuxedo Kamen, will punish you!"
	"And I'll help!"  An annoyed Mars stood up and dusted herself
off.  "Trying to hurt both me *AND* my princess?  You just sealed your
fate.  You are not playing fair.  In the name of Mars, I will punish
you!"
	She whipped out an anti-evil scroll and began to chant.  "Rin, pyou,
tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen. Akuryou taisan!" she said, and
thrust the paper towards the daimon, who roared angrily at the
intrusion, but was temporarily rendered immobile.  The senshi reacted
quickly, getting into position to use the Sailor Planet Attack, their
strongest attack without Sailor Moon.
	Who watched all this anxiously from her position on the
ground.  "I wish I could help..." she whispered softly, as a shadow
fell over her.  She looked up.
	"Tuxedo Kamen-sama," she said. He knelt down by her.
	Sailor Moon, are you all right?" He asked stiffly.
	"Hai," she lowered her eyes shyly, embarrassed at her
predicament.  She was still lying on her stomach, in the same
uncomfortable position that she had landed in when the daimon had
knocked her over, and was unable to change it without the use of her
legs.
	Tuxedo Kamen sensed her dilemma, and without a word righted
her wheelchair.  He carefully picked up her and helped her sit back
down.  Sailor Moon's eyes glistened with unshed tears.  He was so
close, and yet she didn't dare ask forgiveness yet.  She knew that she
had forgiven him, but it didn't appear that he felt the same.
	They stared at each other awkwardly for a moment. "I have to
go now, Sailor Moon.  Try to be careful," he said, then turned swiftly
to leave.  Sailor Moon watched his departing figure longingly as he
disappeared in the distance.  Everything was silent for a moment after
he left.  The senshi, tired from the use of their powers, knelt on
the ground a few meters away from her.
	Sailor Moon was quiet, wondering if her injury had caused her
to loose her only love forever.  She wiped a tear from her eye and
vowed to do everything in her ability to prevent this.
	A shout startled her out of her reverie.  "It's still alive!"
one of the other senshi yelled in astonishment.  The daimon was
strong;  it was severely injured, but had managed to regain some of
its strength and was now advancing on the helpless senshi.  Sailor
Moon gasped.
	"I have to do something..." she whispered.  She reached for
the Spiral Heart Moon Rod and gripped it firmly.  She closed her eyes
tightly and went through the motions to begin her attack, trying to
make up for the power she lost by not using her legs by force of her
sheer will alone.
	She yelled her attack right as the daimon managed to right
itself and take a menacing step towards the weakened Jupiter.  "*Moon
Spiral Heart Attack!*" she yelled.  The attack blasted the daimon, and
it gave a cry of outrage before releasing its dying scream. The
strange creature disintegrated into a shabby bird's nest, appropriate
as the next thing that rolled out was a grayish ceramic egg that
cracked and emitted a black mist into the air.
	The other senshi looked up, astonished at the source of their
deliverance.  "Sailor Moon...?" Mercury dared to ask.  Sailor Moon
gave them a wobbly smile and a thumbs up in response.
	With a glad cry her friends ran to her, enveloping her in a
gigantic group hug.  Sailor Moon accepted their embrace and tried to
hold everyone all at once, almost clinging to them, desperately trying
to erase the ache in her heart that someone else had left when he
walked out of her life.

============================================

AN:

Thanks to Mandy, for being so supportive.  You're my best
friend...you even get top billing.  *giggle*

Thanks to Sharon, for putting up with me. I think I'll go hide now...
^_~

Thanks to Sora Tsukino and also Sharon again, for not letting me
settle for second best on this chapter.  ^^

Thanks to Ceila for giving me a suggestion for a comedic line to
put in this chapter.  ^_~

Many, many thanks to Aimee, for her encouraging remarks and for
graciously offering to edit this chapter.  And doing a wonderful job,
I might add.  Except for the fact that I went and rewrote about half
of it afterwards, so I probably have as many commas as ever now.
Sorry Aimee.  *sheepish grin*  Anyway if you haven't already, be
sure to check out her fanfics.  Believe me, you'll like them.

Thanks so much to everyone who has e-mailed me with encouragement and
comments.    Not to mention, thanks for overlooking the corny jokes...
what can I say?  I'm a nut.

I can't promise when the next chapter will be out, but I will
promise not to forget about it...I hate unfinished projects. ^^
I've had a lot going on lately, not all good, but not entirely
bad either.  Life is just conspiring against giving me time to
write.  ^^

Have a great day!

Setsuna M

() ()
=('.')=

P.S.  My e-mail has changed, it is now kimmie-chan@juno.com.
I can write back from this address much easier than from my
internet account.  Thanks again for your letters!