Since legal disclaimers offer all the protection of tissue paper, I will skip them. However, I would like to thank Naoko Takeuchi for creating the wonderful work of art that is Sailor Moon. Trenchcoat Mask, Part Seven: The Moon's shadow. Part one: Guess who's coming to dinner "Ah-hahahaha," Zoisite chuckled in that annoying laugh of his as he gloated, "I have you now, Luna." The little black cat at the end of the alley just hisses and bottles her tail at the Dark Kingdom servant. She is favoring her right leg, undoubtably from some injury. "I'll bet Sailor Moon will happily trade her rainbow crystal for you," Zoisite says. "Zoi!" He shouts as he unleashes a blast of energy at the hapless feline. She springs aside at the last moment but catches the edge of the shot and is sent spinning into the side of a garbage can. Luna lets out a little mewl of pain as the breath is knocked out of her. The can falls over with a noisy clatter, spilling its foul smelling contents into the alley. She raises her head groggily trying to rise to her feet, but collapses into a limp heap. "I was supposed to take you alive," Zoisite laughs, "but accidents do happen." He raises his hand to deliver the coup de grace just as I get close enough to attack. I'd been tailing Luna since she left Usagi's house; I've been trying to find out why she was spying on her and, if possible, track her back to Sailor Moon. Luna stopped to sniff around this alley behind some restaurants, where my energy detector was getting some faint readings too. Then Zoisite showed up. My first impulse had been to hurl one of my Trenchcoat-Mask, patented yellow roses and try and intimidate Zoisite with some speech or other. But he was one of the more unstable of prince Edymion's Guardians. That is, before he turned traitor along with the other three and joined Beryl. It was always hard to tell how he would react in a given situation. You just could never tell which way he would jump. As the fifth and weakest Guardian, I know that in a toe to toe fight with him I will probably lose so I decided to do something that will really throw him off balance. "Eh?" Zoisite says as he glances back over his shoulder. Some small noise I made approaching must have tipped him off but it's far too late for him to do anything. WONG! The half-filled steel trash can clangs loudly as I bring it down over Zoisite's head. He staggers for a moment disoriented by the unorthodox attack. Being half in the can, he is blinded with his arms pinned to his sides. Blang! Blang! Blang! Blang! I whack the garbage can about where his head would be with my umbrella severely denting the steel fifty-five gallon drum. A magical item created by the transformation spell that turns me into Trenchcoat Mask is my nearly indestructible umbrella; right now it makes a dandy Louisville slugger. Zoisite starts to stagger more wildly as he soaks up this punishment. A strange thing about the Senshi of this incarnation is they've taken on the odd habit of announcing their martial arts attacks as they deliver them; somehow I've picked up this odd affectation. "Boot to the head!" I yell as I deliver a flying sidekick into the top of the barrel. I may have been the weakest Guardian mystically, but I am still physically powerful enough to kick the bumper off a Buick. The drum crumples as he slams into a pile of trash cans. I hear some muffled gagging and retching from within the can before he goes limp. Hah! That took all the fight out of him. Just to add insult to injury, I pick him up bodily and heave him, can and all, into a dumpster. The lid slams shut with a bang. I don't have a moment to savor this victory, however, before the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as I get this creepy feeling. Glancing back, I see a black portal opening at the other end of the alley. The vague outline of a tall figure dressed in Guardian greys with long white hair forms in the hole in space. Yipes! It's Kunzite! Time to scoot! I dash down the alley and scoop up the still dazed Luna before he fully materializes. Vaulting to the top of the wall, I pause to hurl a yellow rose back at him. Kunzite catches it with a snarl and crushes it. Damn! Ten thousand years hasn't changed him. He's still one tough hombre! I jump on the opposite side of the wall and flee into the night. I don't think that they'll follow; when they were Guardians, they tended to freeze up when a plan went awry. Those two really stink at thinking on their feet. Still, I don't want to take any chances so I pull out my disguise pen. "Disguise pen," I say as I run, "Turn me into a glamorous, late night party-goer." I step outside the circle of light from a street lamp as the magic takes hold. When we come back into the light of the next one, we are no longer appear to be a tall man in a trenchcoat and mask carrying a black cat but a tall blond haired woman in a red dress with a black, mink wrap around her neck. Gah! What kind of joke is this? Somewhere, beyond the grave, I'm sure Queen Serenity is laughing at me. It was a good thing I changed, though. Almost immediately I feel unseen eyes scrutinizing me. Luna picks that inopportune moment to recover and dig her claws into my neck. "Luna, stop it!" I hiss and swat her between the ears, "Kunzite and Zoisite are around and you'll blow our disguise. Now, be still; you're a fashion accessory." She stares at me not knowing wether or not to trust me. "Now wherz dat restaurant," I say loudly in my best air-head voice. Was that the rustle of someone's cape I heard? Luna's eyes grow wide as she sees something ahead of us. I glance up and see Kunzite, down the street. Keep calm. Keep calm. Act nonchalant and keep going. There are a lot of clubs and restaurants on this street, if I can get past him, maybe I can duck into one. He stares at me intently as I approach. The best defense is a good offense so I give him a sexy smile and wink suggestively. Switching to slut mode, I ask, "Looking to party with someone, big guy?" I really hope he doesn't take me up on that, though; Kunzite was a little ambiguous in that department and now would be a rotten time for him to start experimenting. Zoisite steps out of a nearby shadow, stinking to high heaven, and jealously takes Kunzite's arm. Kunzite wrinkles his nose in distaste and stares balefully at Zoisite until he lets go. Hah! The disguise spell has them both completely buffaloed. Some wild hare seizes me and I say, "Sorry, I didn't know he already had a girl." Zoisite's fist clenches in rage so hard I hear his knuckles crack. Not one to take the money and run, I give the knife a little twist. "Uh . . . say," I mutter in low tones to Zoisite as I point with my finger to the side of my long flowing blond hair (created by the disguise spell), "you've got a little . . . " Zoisite reaches up curiously and becomes further enraged as he pulls a rotting orange peel from his hair. Ears almost emitting steam, Zoisite stalks off, presumably to search for me. Luna digs her claws into my neck again at my antics. Her meaning: "shut up and get going" comes across loud and clear. I put a smile around my clenched teeth and rapidly move past the remaining former Guardian. Behind me I feel a gust of wind and I hear a rustle of Kunzite's cloak. Glancing over my shoulder, I see that he's gone . . . or are they still watching from the shadows? Better play it safe and duck into a restaurant and wait them out. In front of me is this little two level French cafe with a balcony on the upper floor. I climb the stairs to the balcony level figuring that I will have the easiest rout of escape should Zoisite and Kunzite come back. I sit down at a table which is surrounded by potted palms so I can have some privacy. If I can, I'd like to have a little chat with Luna. The Japanese waitress looks ridiculously dressed as a French maid, (sexy but ridiculous) starts to say that the outside seating is closed but when I give her a winning smile and the equivalent of a hundred dollars, she seats me at my desired table. "Sushi and a can of tuna on a plate," I say before she can bring out the menu. She raises an eyebrow at my odd order and asks, "And to drink?" "Coffee and a saucer of milk," I add. I think she's about to say something more, but she just gives a slight nod and leaves me alone. I take my "mink wrap" and set it down on the table opposite me and look into its beady little eyes. "Who are you, young lady," Luna asks as soon as the waiter is gone, "and how do you know who I am?" "Young lady?" I ask puzzled before I realize what she means, "Oh, the disguise," I snort, "It's me, Trenchcoat-mask. I used my disguise pen to change us. See for yourself." I hold up the chrome napkin holder so she can see her reflection in it. She appears to be a mink wrap; you know, one of those really goofy ones that have the mink's head still on them and uses the mouth for a clip. Her "mink eyes" are beady and glassy and appear to almost pop out of her head when she sees herself. The look of surprise and disgust on the "mink's" face strikes me so comically that I almost choke laughing. "This is not funny," she says indignantly, "change me back!" "Okay, okay," I say when my chuckles die, "Zoisite and Kunzite have probably gone by now, anyway." A quick glance around confirms that no one is watching, so I quietly change Luna and me back to our 'regular' (and I use the term loosely) appearance. I stretch in my decidedly more comfortable attire and say, "I think I'll leave that cross-dressing stuff to Zoisite; that stuff is just not my cup of tea. Besides, those heels were killing me. How do women walk in 'em?" "Thank you for saving me from Zoisite," Luna says ignoring my comments, "but just because you did doesn't mean I trust you. You've been very secretive and working toward your own ends just like Tuxedo-Mask. I'd like to know what you intend." The waitress chooses that moment to return with my order and looks around in confusion. "Sir, the woman who was just here . . . ?" She begins to ask. "She went to the ladies room," I answer, "we'll be joining her." She's so put off by my appearance she doesn't object to Luna and just puts down the plates before the oddly dressed man and his cat. After she's left, I pop one of the slices of sushi in my mouth and start to chew. Hm, the seaweed is a little tough, but otherwise it's first rate. "Mmmph," I say around my mouthful of raw fish, "dig in Luna. There's nothing like putting one over on the bad guys to give you an appetite. The cat hesitates nervously convinced that the whole thing is some kind of trap. She just sits there until I take my chopsticks and nip off a big chunk of her tuna and eat it. She gives me a baleful glare for swiping some of her food. "Well, if yer not gonna' eat it . . . " I say leadingly. She slowly takes a bite and then starts to eat hungrily. "You act awfully familiar even though we've just met," she says in that proper manner she always had. "What's more, I feel I've met you before somewhere. Why is that?" She asks. "What do you remember about the Earth and the Moon from long ago?" I ask. "I don't know if I can trust you . . . " she hesitates but then finally admits, "not much. Just that I have to gather the Senshi to stop Beryl. Oh, and I've also got to find the Moon Princess. You don't know who she is, do you?" So, Princess Serena has been reincarnated like me and the Senshi (also reincarnated) are looking for her, eh? "Isn't she related to Sailor Moon?" I ask. "I think not!" The cat snorts at the idea indignantly, "the princess is graceful and well bread, and . . ." "Hah," I chuckle, "still the proper one after all this time, eh Luna?" "How do you mean that? You act as if you know more than you're saying," she says. I lean forward on the table and look into my dinner companion's eyes and say, "You've apparently forgotten it, but we've met many times before. One time we spent a delightful evening watching the planets together." I look up at the moon, barely visible through the Tokyo lights and think back to the night I wound up treed on the Moon Kingdom. * * * Part two: The Shadow of the Moon. The garden in the Moon Palace is for lovers and currently I'm looking for a pair, more specifically: Serena and Endymion. They've eluded me in the maze and probably think that it's funny. As teenagers, they're no doubt showing their rebellious spirit by ditching the old fogey. Sure, we're in the moon palace with magical wards strong enough to keep out Metallia herself and we are surrounded by the Lunar Guard (not the best troops in the solar system but adequate) and the inner Senshi with the power to take on an army are all present, but safety is not my real concern; I'm worried that the prince might get a little carried away in the heat of the moment. (Though I'm of the opinion that the princess would just as well instigate such activity, Endymion would get the blame.) Hey, somebody's got to play chaperone. And what are Jadeite and Nephrite doing while I've got this odious little duty, Hm? They're off gadding about with Rei and Juno, that's what! I'm just as likely to run across them out here as the prince and princess if I keep blundering around this way. Fortunately, I've done my scouting ahead of time and know where the high ground is. Threading the path by memory, I go to the heart of the maze. There, in a clearing surrounded by marble benches, a huge oak tree magically grows in the diffuse light of the moon. Serenity infuses it with a bit of magic to make it grow because the only other trees that flourish in the thin soil and low light of the Moon are wisp woods (Sort of like a cross between a willow tree and a sunflower). It's a beautiful old thing of huge size and it produces silver acorns (aluminum actually, but they look silver). Placed in a clearing in the exact center of the maze, it makes an obvious goal for those who have lost their way. It also makes the perfect spot from which to observe the entire garden. Flexing my magically enhanced Guardian muscles a bit, I leap up and grab a low branch to haul myself up. "Captain!" A voice cries out, "Watch where you step." I reflexively swing back a bit and look at the source of the voice and see two yellow eyes. "Oh, Luna!" I whisper, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." "One of the advantages and disadvantages of being a black cat," she says as she crawls out of the shadows into the earthlight. I stand out on the thick branch next to her look around using some specially prepared field glasses of mine. After seeing the utility of Nephrite's night vision spell, I had this pair especially enchanted so I can see in the dark like a . . . well, like a cat. Holding them up to my eyes, I start to scan the maze for my charge. Almost immediately, I spot a couple of writhing forms caught in a passionate embrace by the statue of the moon goddess but it just turns out to be Nephrite and Juno. "Rats," I mutter. "Where?" the cat asks interestedly. I look down at the feline at my feet and say, "Uh, no. That was just an expression." "Oh," she says disappointed and after a moment then adds, "If you're looking for Endymion and Serena, they're over by the fountain." "Thanks," I say turning my field glasses in that direction. Sure enough, there they are, sitting on the stone bench and kissing. It's a rather chaste kiss seeing as they lean into each other hands clasped in front of them only their hands and lips touching. "You know, it's really not polite to spy on them," the cat admonishes me. "Uh-huh, And you just happened to be up here hunting squirrels?" I ask watching them for a few moments more. Satisfied that things are not getting too hot and heavy, at least not with the prince at any rate, I put my field glasses away and sit down in the bole of the tree next to the cat. "I suspect that we both share the same mission, madam feline," I lean close and whisper conspiratorially. "We do our duty for our respective crowns and play governor and governess to the royal romance. After all, it just wouldn't do to have a scandal between our young charges." She snorts at that and says indignantly, "I'm just up here to see that he doesn't try to take advantage of her." Deciding to have some fun, I gasp and put my hand before my mouth like I'm shocked at her words and say, "Luna! Are you saying that Serena is so cold that she only do something like that by being tricked into it? Maybe I should warn the prince of her frigidity." "The princess isn't frigid!" The cat sputters and then tries to correct herself, "Er . . . no, That is . . . I mean . . . " "So instead you're saying," I say making a logical backflip, "that I should watch the prince like a hawk lest Serena entrap him using her predatory, feminine wiles." She starts to say something again but then closes her mouth and twitches her tail irritably. "You know that's not what I mean at all," she says finally. "Aah, you just don't want to admit that your pure little Serena might be the aggressor." "She would never . . . " "Hm . . . " I say looking through my glasses again, "then why is she stroking his thigh?" The cat sits bolt upright and stares down hard at the couple. "What!" After a moment observation she says indignantly, "she is doing no such thing!" "Heh! Made you look," I taunt softly. "You know, Captain, you should really adjust your attitude." "Oh, Don't be such a fuddy-duddy, Luna," I chide, "those two are practically married off as it is. After going to the Fire of Mars last year the prince already knows what their first born looks like for Heaven's sake. He's just waiting until the summer solstice to propose properly. He would have done so immediately upon his return but his delay is a concession to the Earth churches. He had to acknowledge their influence and all." She's about to comment when we hear other voices approaching from around a bend in the hedge maze. Below us, a woman's voice says, "Hush! I think there's somebody there." "None are here but the stars who envy me your presence, Lady Rei," Jadeite says fully engrossed in his companion. First Rei, then Jadeite comes into the central courtyard around the base of the tree. Rei looks up at the great oak in wonder at the tree's massive size. I'm afraid she might spot me but the deep blue greatcoat that I wear against the slight cool of the evening blends in well with the shadows. "There is nothing like this on Mars," she says in wonder. Jadeite hugs her from behind in an engulfing embrace and whispers, "And there is absolutely no one like you in the entire universe." She leans back into him and turns her face up towards his. Their lips meet in a passionate kiss which seems to go on and on for hours. They break for air after a while and he mutters thickly, "let's sit for a while." "Not here," she gasps as his hands caresses her side, "over by the statue of the moon goddess is more private." Hm, it just wouldn't do to have them disturb Nephrite and Juno. Silently plucking an acorn from the tree, I throw it into the maze in the direction of the statue. The acorn lands in the distant hedges with a small rustle. "Someone's there!" She whispers. "Over by the singing cherubs then," Jadeite proposes huskily. "Yes," Rei sighs as his hands roam. They depart urgently. When they are long gone, I say, "There's certainly romance in the air tonight. Are you sure the chef didn't mix in an aphrodisiac in tonight's supper?" "Are you always this flippant about your duties?" The cat asks irritably. "I am when I'm in a situation so rife with comedy as this," I answer holding up a finger demonstratively, "Here I am, the most feared ship's captain in the solar system, sitting in a magic tree on the Moon with an enchanted, talking cat watching to see that the prince does not bed the princess all the while their retainers cavort lacivously in the bushes." I pause to take a breath, "The god of thespians could not have come up with a more farcical situation on the high day of his festival. You may take it seriously if you can. Me? I cannot help but laugh." "You would be a bit more serious if you were in my situation," the cat says. "Ahem," I clear my throat and ask, "and what situation might that be, oh prudish feline?" Her tail lashes angrily, "It's all very well for you to laugh, you aren't all alone out here. How do you think it makes me feel when I watch you humans, laugh and dance about and fall in love this way?" I'm silent for a moment to hear the moon cat's heartache. "I think I see what you mean," I say seriously, "It must be really lonely." "It's terrible," she says close to tears, "the closest of the Moon cats is Puck and he's on Earth a whole world away. Sure, I have Serena and Serenity and plenty of other *people* to talk to, but it's just not the same." She pauses for a while and then swallows, "Well, I don't mean to dump my problems on you, captain. It's just on nights like this with all you people so romantically involved with one another that I'm reminded of how much I long for one of my own kind just to talk to. I wish Serenity the second hadn't made so few of us or scattered us so far." "Believe me, Luna, you've found one of the few people who can say they know what you're talking about. Come here," I pat my leg, inviting her to sit in my lap. Hesitantly she comes over and stands upon my crossed legs. Soothingly, I start to stroke her fur and she begins to relax. After a while she calms down and starts to knead the soft wool of my greatcoat with her claws. I barely feel the pinpricks through the thick material. "Why do you cats do that?" I ask curiously. "Oh, I don't really know," she answers, "It's a cat thing." She curls up comfortably and I scratch her back between the shoulder blades where it is hard for her to reach. "Ah, yes," She says, "oh, that feels nice." "You know about what happened on the prince's birthday," I begin. The cat nods and blinks her eyes. "I think I've confirmed the truth of Beryl's curse. You remember Hope, Cognizance's aunt and predecessor as Senshi Mercury? Well, since my rescue of Sagacity, we'd had an on-again, off-again, romance. It was on again when our paths crossed and off again when we were separated. That was the only practical way to approach the whole situation, and Hope was a very practical woman. Neither of us took vows of celibacy though I didn't step out with anyone during our periods of separation and I don't think she did either. We had been off again while I was on Venus though, and after a little disaster there, I realized how much I needed someone permanent in my life. When I next saw her here again after my return from Venus, I asked her to marry me. We were a good match for each other, even tempered, interested in much the same things, attracted to each other. Not the thing poets sing about but solid marriage material. Well, she turned me down flat. When I asked her why, she said she didn't feel she could trust me to stand up to a bad situation. Me, who had saved her life and her sister's and her niece's. "You think it was the curse then?" "Aye" "I'm sure if you talked to Serenity, she might do something." "I've already tried, Serenity said that there was nothing she could do. Sometimes curses have to work themselves out on their own or be broken under the terms of the curse." "Is there some wording, some clause?" "'I curse you to be alone forever' is fairly straightforward," I say quoting the witch Beryl, "No, we've just got to capture Beryl and make her lift it herself." "So there is hope?" "Only if we can take her alive." "I see captain . . . I'm sorry, my troubles seem a little small compared yours. "Not at all, Luna. You're lonely; It's not bad or selfish to say so. I think I'll talk to Puck and see if he'll come up for a visit." Then, after a pause, I add, " In fact, I know he will." As I speak, my fertile brain hatches a little scheme to get the self styled trickster to the moon whether he likes it or not. I owe him big time for a prank he pulled on me about six months ago just before my ill-fated trip to Venus. Luna, I think to myself, expect a large box in the mail soon. Heh, heh, heh. I chuckle evilly and say aloud, "I think it's safe to say he will *arrive* a few days after I get back to Earth." "You really mean that?" She asks with tears of joy in her eyes. I nod to her and she says, "Oh, Thank you captain, you don't know how much this means to me. If only there was something I could do for you." "Ah, don't worry about me," I say before she gets too weepy on me, "I've got my friends and my duty to take up my time." "Still," she says with a sigh, "duty is a poor substitute for someone else." "Aye, that it is, cat," I agree emphatically, "That it is." The wind shifts and my acute hearing picks up a rather loud sigh of passion. I whip out my field glasses and look around concerned it may be the prince. Happily, the sound is coming from over by the statue of the goddess and not the fountain. I glance over there through my glasses, though, just to be sure that Endymion and Serena haven't moved. "Well Nephrite always said he found Jupiter's sailor fuku attractive and it's certainly having an effect on him," I observe, "Judging by his *ahem* ardor, shall we say?" Luna declines to look in that direction and see what I'm talking about. Putting down the glasses, I fall silent again as I hear footsteps coming in from the south entrance to the clearing. Young Senshi Mercury steps from between the hedges and looks about inquisitively. She reaches up to her earring and touches it invoking the visor from her tiara. After peering about the clearing for a moment or two more, she looks right up at me and Luna and says, "What are you two doing up there?" I lean down and say, "watching the movement of the planets and discussing their relationships. Care to join us?" Luna looks shocked at my suggestion as if I'd draw innocent little Cognizance into a conversation about the peccadillos of the lunar court. "Sure," she chirps eagerly and leaps lightly to the branch next to me. As the short skirt of her fuku leaves her legs bare, I open my coat to cover a portion of the rough branch to my right and she sits down resting her back against the trunk next to me. Leaning across me, she reaches out and pets Luna's head. The cat seems much calmer now and I make a note to myself to prepare a large box especially for Puck on my return to Earth. I glance back down at the prince to be sure all is where it ought to be and then turn my glasses on the heavens. I don't think I will draw young Cognizance into discussing the swirl of courtship going on below. There is a full Earth tonight and the beautiful blue sphere is covered with swirling clouds. Faintly I can make out the coastline next to the city of Ton-lo. "See that mountain range?" I say tracing the scattered patch of white. "Um, where?" she asks. "There," I say extending my arm straight out and pointing toward the Earth, "just to the south of those mountains is my home." She leans in close and looks down my arm to where I am pointing. I feel her breath on my cheek as she says, "yes, I see it." "There, my brother holds title over the barony of my father in the pine forests of the mountains. Our family is known for its shipwrights and we build the sky galleons that ply the solar winds. A few timbers in the Nemesis even came from my valley." "I've never seen a forest before," Cognizance says, "other than the fungus gardens at home or the wispwoods here. I'd like to go there someday," she says, "will you take me?" "Gladly," I say cheerfully, "it would be good to go home for a while." "Do you ski?" I ask and she shakes her head no, "I'll have to teach you then. I haven't skied in ages and though the ice skating is fine on the Moon, there's nothing like being out in the bright sunshine with its rays reflecting off the snow as you race down the slopes. I'm sure that Dennis, my brother, would love to meet the little girl that kept me from drying up in the sun, too." "I'm not so little," she protests. "No, you're not so little," I say fondly. I hold out my hand to her in and she clasps it firmly. Then we begin the little contest that has become our ritual since that first time we met on the planet Mercury, I start to squeeze. For the first moment she matches me. Then, she surpasses the level that a strong man could manage as I increase the pressure. Finally, I wince in pain as her grip overwhelms mine. She's stronger than I am now, if just barely. "You win, o' mighty Senshi," I say in exaggerated distress, "I strike my colors! I yield!" "Captain!" she says punching me affectionately in the arm, "can't you ever be serious?" "The spirit of madness and the moon is with me tonight," I say releasing her hand, "the full Earth fills me with a touch of lunacy. It's so beautiful I could lay here all night and stare at it." I lean back against the branch and look up at the great blue ship that sails around the mighty sun feeling blessed to number amongst her crew. Cognizance leans against me as I start to point out other places on the globe that I have visited. I talk about the people that live there and the things that they do and how they live and how they are a lot like us, more or less. Luna resting from her vigil, curls up in a tight ball in the warm folds of my coat. Cognizance scratches her behind the ears again and she purrs. I continue to lazily talk about the planet that hangs before us and they are both content to listen as I ramble on. It's actually quite comfortable here in the tree with young Mercury nestled against my shoulder and Luna sitting in my lap. Either the lateness of the evening or Luna's hypnotic purring caused by me absentmindedly stroking her back causes me to feel drowsy despite my earlier resolve to be vigilant. It's all so peaceful . . . I snap my head up from a light drowse I had slipped into. I must have dozed for a minute or two. I look down at the warm, comfortable presence next to me to see that Cognizance has fallen completely asleep. She looks beautiful in the earthlight like a pale, blue-haired angel. "Cute . . . " I whisper and she smiles in her sleep. Carefully, to avoid disturbing either of them, I hold my field glasses up to my eyes to check on the prince and princess once again. Whoa! Second base alert! I start upright waking both of my companions and I say, "I've got this sudden urge to go walking. Care to join me, ladies?" "Yes, that sounds like a good idea," Luna says immediately catching my meaning and bounding to the ground. "Um?" Cognizance says sleepily. Not having the time to wait lest things go too far, I scoop her tiny frame up into my arms. Holding her close, to keep her safe, I straighten my legs and drop to the ground below. I set her gently down next to me and notice that a flush has risen to her cheeks. "Sorry," I say, "didn't mean to startle you there." "N . . . no, that's all right," she stammers. She's still waking up and is a bit disoriented. Offering my arm, which she hesitantly takes, I start leading her through the maze toward the fountain. "You know, Cognizance," I say in a rather loud voice, "a lot of mages and scientists think the beautiful, diffuse light of the Moon has some sort of connection to the Ginzuishou." I've got to give the prince and princess a chance to get presentable so I try to give warning of my approach. I just want to stop them, not embarrass them. "Hm? Why are you talking about that?" She asks innocently. "Yes," Luna agrees with me just as loudly, "the light is changed somehow by our atmosphere." "What does that have to do with us sitting in the . . . ?" "Yes," I break in, "When a sky galleon comes to land here, it is quite visible. One moment you are looking at the stark blacks and whites of the void, the next it is purples and blues with pearlescent light shining over everything." "And the reason, we're talking about this?" she asks as we walk briskly through the maze. Let's see, left, skip, skip, left, right, and we'll be at the fountain. "The reason I'm talking about this is," I lecture loudly as I think of the route to my goal, "because you can really see this phenomenon when you look at it reflected in the fountain." I try make a bit of noise as I approach Serena and Endymion's position to give them time to get presentable. I only want them to stop, not embarrass them. "The fountain!" Mercury says in alarm. "Er, lets not go there, Captain. The reflecting pool near the palace would be much better for your experiment." She tugs insistently on my arm in the other direction. She stops me but Luna continues on without us. I set my heels in and head for the fountain, but she digs in hers and pulls me toward the pool. She's slightly stronger than me but I have size on my side so we're evenly matched and for a moment we stand there pulling in opposite directions. "Captain! Come over by the fountain," Luna calls loudly, "you can really see what you were talking about. Oh . . . hello Serena, Endymion." Cognizance suddenly stops pulling with a sigh of failure, and we stumble up against the maze wall. When it hits me that Mercury was trying to keep me away from the fountain! I stand there in shock for a moment. Innocent little Cognizance is in league with the princess to get Endymion alone. I'll bet Rei and Juno are in on this too. For a second I'm appalled with the idea that sweet little Cognizance would . . . "What?" Mercury asks innocently. I smile and sigh, my little friend has changed in more ways than one in the past few years. I just laugh and lead her around the hedge to the fountain. Endymion and Serena are there, sitting on opposite ends of a bench with guilty, embarrassed looks on their faces. "Good evening your highnesses," I say formally, "it is a lovely night to look at the Moon . . . er Earth, isn't it?" "Heh," the prince says sweating, "yes it is, Ferrite." Out of the corner of my eye, I see Cognizance look at Serena and shrug helplessly. Luna and I share a knowing glance and I say, "see how the planets are reflected here? They bear close watching, right Luna?" "Amen," the cat sighs. * * * Part three: Luna to the rescue. "You know," the cat says bringing me back from my trip down memory lane, "If you told us who you are and what you want, we might be able to help each other." "What has Tuxedo-Mask said?" I ask hoping for some useful information. "You mean you're after the rainbow crystals too?" She asks crestfallenly, "I'd hoped you were on our side, but you're just out to make off with them like he is." "I am on your side, Luna," I try to reassure her, "I, more than anyone else, desire to see Beryl toasting in her own personal little corner of Hell but I have certain constraints." "Like being honest with me?" "I am being honest; I just have to keep my ultimate goals and identity a secret for now. Look, if you could help me get into contact with Tuxedo Mask I'd be able to get this whole thing straightened out. We got separated and I can't find him now. If I could speak with him, I wouldn't have to act so circumspect." "I'm afraid I can't help you there, Tuxedo-mask vanishes as mysteriously as he appears and he offers fewer explanations than you do. In fact, you've talked a lot more than he ever has." Why would the prince hide himself that way? Some secrecy to protect himself from Beryl would be necessary but not this much. For some reason, he is keeping himself from the Senshi and pursuing his own goals. He's gathering the shards for himself, that's obvious, but to what end? I lean back and stroke my chin thoughtfully. Hm, Serenity died without passing the Ginzuishou on to Serena. Since it was never soul bonded to her, that means it can be used by whomever reconstructs it. Now, with that power, the prince could unite Earth under one banner as it never was in the Silver Millennium. If he then completes the binding ceremony to the Great Portal, he would have the power of a Senshi Earth! With the might of the entire world behind him, and with the power of the Ginzuishou, he could smash Beryl, once and for all. From there, the Silver Millennium could arise again but with Earth as its head. The other Senshi might resist, but we can straighten the politics out after we deal with Beryl. So, my course of action is clear. Do what the prince is doing, gather the crystal shards and thwart the agents of Beryl where possible. I'm too late to get hold of any of the existing crystals. I would best be served by figuring out a way to recover the ones already in Beryl's hands. For that, I need to find out a bit more information. "You know Luna," I address the cat, "I think there is a way we can help one another. I need to know everything you know about the former Guardians that keep showing up." "Guardians? You mean Beryl's Generals?" "Yes, Beryl's Generals." "Not much, unfortunately, just that they appear and disappear like ghosts. Usually they have some goal they try to achieve, like gathering energy or recovering one of the rainbow crystals." "How many of those do they have?" "Four. And Tuxedo Mask has two." Leaving you with one, I think. Then I say aloud, "When they appear and disappear, how do they do it?" "Generally, no pun intended, they just fade in and fade out." "Hm, not like Kunzite did when he first appeared this evening, you know with a black hole in the air?" "No, they've never done that before. Is that important?" "It could be . . . " I say musing. So, the "Generals" are teleporting short distances under their own power. That's not surprising considering it was one of their Guardian abilities from the days of the Silver Millennium. Heck, even I can manage to teleport about ten yards, though such a feat costs me. The black gate that opened up to admit Kunzite earlier this evening is something new. They certainly didn't have the power to travel between universes so Beryl must be doing that for them. "How successful were they in gathering energy?" "Somewhat, but most of the time Sailor Moon and the Sailor Senshi stopped them." "Hmm . . . most of the time eh?" That must mean that the Generals are on an energy budget. I've talked to a few mages in my time and they were always talking about converging lines of force, and weak spots in reality and such. They always were trying to locate these places because it was easier and used less energy to open gates or perform spells on those places. That being the case, Beryl is probably using something like that for her regular entrance into this Universe. She can't afford to keep opening a gate just anywhere, like Kunzite did tonight. He probably did that when he saw Zoisite getting his clock cleaned. So, my course of action becomes clear, while I try and contact the prince, I find the weak spots that Beryl's agents are using to enter and exit this world. I'll have to really boost the power of my detector to do that. Once I do, I'll either try and seal those weak spots up or set up traps and ambushes. Kunzite caught that rose of mine pretty easily; I'd like to see how well he catches a dump truck. Now, what about the situation with Sailor Moon? She's got one of the shards and the prince will eventually want it. However, while she has it, the Generals will be after her to get it. With the other Sailor Senshi for protection it would be safer with her than with me. By itself, the shard is useless, but when all seven are together they can be reformed into the Ginzuishou. I'd best not try anything with her until I have the other crystals. "Luna, I can't tell you much right now," I say finally, "but you have nothing to fear from me." For now, I add silently. Any further conversation is interrupted by screams of terror coming from the dining room down below. Luna springs up her fur bristling and her tail bottled. "Youma!" Luna exclaims, "I've got to contact Sailor Moon." She jumps to the floor and run for help but I stop her and say, "Wait, use my cel-phone." She hesitates as I hold out the handset I took out of my pocket to her. I turn the face away from me and say, "Don't worry, I won't look." Carefully, the cat punches in a number with her paw and waits while the connection is made. I hear several rings before a sleepy voice answers, "Hullo?" It's the same voice I heard over Mercury's communicator in the parking garage. "Sailor Moon," Luna says, "I'm over at the 'Ma Maison' restaurant with Trenchcoat-Mask." "Ooh, Luna," Sailor Moon teases, "got a date with a masked man." "Be serious!" The cat shouts, "Kunzite and Zoisite are here attacking. Call the other Senshi and get here on the double! Luna out!" With that, she definitively flips the phone closed with her paw. "Thank you, Trench. Now, let's see about Zoisite." I stuff the phone back in my pocket and head after the little black cat. We creep to the edge of the balcony and peer down. Zoisite and Kunzite are standing in the street below us looking on as a youma that looks suspiciously like our waitress is menacing the patrons of the restaurant. Somehow they have animated the food and it is attacking the diners. Luna looks over at me and orders in a forceful whisper, "Don't just stand there, hurl a rose, make a speech, do something." "And get clobbered by those two?" I ask in amazement, "no thank you." I roll away from the edge and head back into the kitchen. Maybe there's a cylinder of propane in there that I can use. Yeah, that's it: hurl cylinder, throw rose, boom. After a brief search, though, the only thing that is remotely flammable is a fifty-five-gallon drum of waste grease. I pour in a couple of bottles of cooking brandy in it to make it more volatile and carry my concoction outside. Fortunately I don't have to be quiet as the youma is running around screeching, "May I take your order? Is that pork chop too tough?" and "You call this a tip?" I set the barrel down next to the edge of the balcony and look down. "Come on, come on," Zoisite commands the youma impatiently, "just extract their energy and quit fooling around. We don't have all day ya' know." The two Generals are still where I last saw them with Zoisite stalking back and forth angrily. "Beryl will not be pleased with your failure, Zoisite," Kunzite says in that imperial tone of his, "but perhaps she will be mollified by this energy." "Oh Kunzite," Zoisite says in that clingy, "I don't know what I'd do without you" tone of his, "You always know what to do." His expression turns to anger and he snarls, "I was this close to catching that darn cat of Sailor Moon's when Trenchcoat Mask interfered. Now the cursed feline is on her guard I'll never get her." Zoisite then pouts at the unfairness of the universe. "There, there," Kunzite rests a hand affectionately on Zoisite's shoulder, "maybe there is something else Sailor Moon will trade her rainbow crystal for if not the cat." "Oh, Kunzite," Zoisite says in his "hearts and flowers" tone, "you always know how to make me feel better. Zoisite turns his face up to Kunzite and leans toward him inviting a kiss. There're still bits of garbage stuck in Zoisite's hair, however, so Kunzite says, "not now Zoisite; perhaps after you've had a bath." While this romantic little scene played out below me I quietly removed the top of the barrel and set the lid aside. Rummaging in my pocket, I pull out one of those phosphorous, roadside-emergency flares, quietly light it, and set it on the roof. Now, I just have to kick the flare into the grease after dumping it on them and then run for my life. If nothing else they'll be so busy afterwards trying to kill me, they'll be distracted from draining the energy from these poor people. In one smooth motion I lift the barrel of grease and alcohol up and dump it over the two Generals. The oily blob of rendered animal fat splashes down over the pair almost in a solid mass, drenching them both completely. Before I can even twitch my foot, however, Kunzite whips his hand out like a striking snake and shouts "Kun!" Suddenly I'm encased in a sphere of smokey purple force. What the . . . ? Kunzite could never do this while he was a Guardian! "Trenchcoat-Mask, you'll pay for this indignity," Kunzite says darkly. His outstretched hand closes and bolts of dark energy courses through my body. The agony is so great that I cry out in pain. Luna looks up at me, eyes wide with horror. "Be careful," Zoisite cautions his companion, "don't kill him. I need to make him pay for the humiliation he's cost me." Zoisite glares up at me and materializes a wicked looking crystal sword in his right hand. He looks at the razor edge and says, "this is gonna' be fun." "Beryl will want to question him, so leave him more or less intact," Kunzite orders. "Don't worry, just a few cuts are all I want," he says hefting the sword. "I want him to be quite healthy when Beryl questions him. His suffering will last that much longer." After a moment his eyes glitter and he asks, " Do you think she'll let us watch?" Unnoticed by either of them, Luna creeps up to the burning road flare on the edge of the roof. Drawing back her paw, she swats it off the roof and into the pool of grease the two Generals are standing in. "Take that, you villains," she cries. BOOM-WHOOSH! The mixture of oil and alcohol explodes violently setting the two Generals ablaze. "Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!" Zoisite screams in panic as he runs around flapping his arms like a giant blazing chicken. Kunzite keeps a cooler head but, unable to divide his attention, he is forced to drop me when he opens a dark portal. Still drained by his black lightning, I barely have the strength to keep clear of the pool of burning liquid when I fall. I try to regain my feet but can only lay there and watch as the two retreat back into the Dark Kingdom. Phew! I think I'll just relax for a moment rather than trying to get up. They're gone. For a moment I thought they might stay and make a fight of it but I'm safe now. Then a purple leg in fishnet stockings stomps down on the concrete in front of me. "May I take your order sir?" The French-maid- youma-waitress-from-hell asks. "Hold it right there!" A voice calls out. We both look in that direction to see a figure outlined by the fire of burning grease. The silhouette is of a short skirted girl in high boots with two long ponytails. She steps forward into the restaurant lights and it is Sailor Moon! "I am Sailor Moon, Champion of Justice," She declares loudly, "I fight for love and justice. For draining these people's energy and wasting such delicious food I will punish you." "'Ave a croissant while you decide on your order mademoiselle," the youma screeches and unleashes a barrage of breakfast pastries which whistle through the air like deadly boomerangs at Sailor Moon. "Yeow!" Sailor Moon exclaims wide-mouthed as she tries to dodge the flying baked goods. With a cry of "Mph!" Sailor Moon goes down stunned with a crescent roll stuffed in the aforementioned orifice. I try to form a rose to throw but I don't even have the strength to stand. If only I had a few more moments! The youma turns its attention back to me and says, "we have a dress code here buddy, that means I show you the door the hard way." Suddenly a flower flies down from on high and smashes into the concrete between us. The youma hesitates for a moment in shock. It's a potted geranium! "Oh, dear, I missed!" Luna cries from the balcony above. The youma looks up curiously and the second potted plant, pushed off the balcony by the cat, clocks her squarely between the headlights. Blinded by dirt, the youma staggers away from me trying to clear its vision. "Now! Sailor Moon!" Luna yells, "Use your Crescent Moon-wand now!" "I'm on it Luna," the recovered Sailor Moon says from around the croissant she's munching on. Her words are muffled by her mouthful of food but I hear her say as she traces a circle in the air with her wand, "Moon heawing, actiwation!" The youma lets out a howl and throws its arms wide as it is expelled from its host. A blinding white light fades to reveal the waitress who crumples to the ground drained by her ordeal. White clouds of mist wend their way through the air back to the other patrons and they groan in relief. Still weak, I take that distraction as my opportunity to escape into the night. I've gotten all the information I need from Luna and I don't want to give Sailor Moon a chance to find out who I am. The last thing I hear as I slip out the back door is a satisfied belch from Sailor Moon. Leaping over a few rooftops and taking a few back alleys I change disguise several times before I revert to my normal self. Given how things turned out tonight, the Generals will be out for my blood. Still, I've figured out what the prince is doing and why. My next step is to improve my detector and find the weak spots the Dark Kingdom are using to cross over into this world. >From there, maybe I can make a foray into their dimension to recover the stolen crystals. I take my cellular phone out of my pocket to recharge it when I notice the "redial" button. I press it and I see the number flash on the display for a moment before the phone on the other end of the line start ringing. I listen for a moment and a woman's voice answers, "Hello?" "Is this the Takahasi residence?" I ask. "No. This is the Tsukino residence," she answers calmly. "W . . . wrong number," I stammer and hang up. Suddenly the veil is ripped aside! Usagi is Sailor Moon! To Be Continued . . . Notes: Thanks to my proof readers for their suggestions and editing notes. Thank's also to all of the SME crew for letting me be part of something so great. For other stories and stuff by people a lot better than me, check out the Sailor Moon Expanded web site at: http://www.texas.net/~android/sme_main.html This was a cute little story that's been around for way too long. I hope you enjoyed it. Next, the story of what happens when Sailor Venus encounters someone in the rain. FDB