Usagi smiled around the table at her friends. "Let's all go to my apartment. I want Ron to meet you all." She opened her arms expansively.
Makoto smiled. "First, a pop-quiz! You have to name us all correctly before we'll go with you." She looked around the table at her friends and got approving nods from them. Ami smiled.
"It only seems fair. We had to learn your new name!"
"Just call me Usagi now, minna. I-seeing you made me remember being Usagi. I still don't remember meeting you, but I remember my family..."
Minako ignored the surprised look everyone gave Usagi. "Uh-uh! You can't use a revelation like that just to get out of naming us all correctly."
Rei crossed her arms in front of her, and she had a very serious look on her face, but the pure joy that shone out of her eyes showed everyone she was only joking. "I know you, Usagi-you'd do anything to get out of work!"
Usagi responded with crossed eyes and a tongue stuck out in Rei's direction. She pretended not to notice the tears of happiness that sprang to her dear friends' eyes at the good natured teasing. "I'll show you, Rei Hino!"
Mamoru smiled. "That's one!" He held up one finger to keep count.
Usagi pointed at him next. "Don't you try to pull any funny stuff, Mamoru Chiba! I won't put up with it!"
Mamoru looked up into the air and assumed an expression of injured innocence while Mako covered a laugh with her hand. Mamoru put up another finger as soon as Usagi turned to Makoto. "And don't you think I don't see what you're doing, Makoto Kino!" Minako elbowed Mako and winked. Mamoru put up a third finger. "And I saw that too, Minako Aino." His fourth finger joined the three already standing. Usagi then turned to Ami. She shook her head and smiled. "I can't even find something to yell at you for when we're joking! You're always on good behavior, Ami Mizuno."
Mamoru held up his now completely open hand. "And that's five!" he cried. "Off we go, to meet Detective Williams!" He stood up grandly, and offered his arm to Usagi. As she stood up to take it, Artemis and Luna jumped onto each of her shoulders.
"Oof!" If Mamoru hadn't been holding onto her, she would have pitched forward on to her face. Everyone's face lit up with shared humor at Usagi's close call. "What have Ami-chan and Minako-chan been feeding you too? You seem heavier!"
"Usagi!" Luna protested. Usagi laughed.
"I'm just teasing-next time, though, give me a little warning. I don't really need help to stumble, you know!" Everyone chuckled as they made their way out of the store and down the street.
*****
Ron looked up as he heard noise coming from down the hall. It sounded like a bunch of teenagers-giggling up a storm! He walked over to the door to tell them to be quiet when he heard someone stick a key in the door and turn it. He jumped back just as Serena burst in with a bunch of strangers. After a few seconds he sorted out that along with Mamoru, she'd brought in four girls her own age and two cats. One was completely black, the other white. Serena motioned for her friends to be quiet for a second, and she indicated she wanted them to line up.
She pointed to each in turn. "This is Makoto Kino." She indicated a tall brunette with bright green eyes.
"Hello, Detective Williams." She stuck out a hand. Ron shook it.
"Call me Ron."
"And this is Rei Hino."
Now this girl looked Japanese. She pushed back a lock of jet black hair and put out her hand as well. "Pleased to meet you, Detective Williams."
He smiled and took her hand. "I meant all of you can call me Ron." Rei closed her purple eyes and nodded, with a smile.
"This is Minako Aino." For some reason this girl struck Ron as being familiar. She had a strange look on her face, as if she were stifling an urge to laugh.
"How do you do-uh-Ron?" Her blue eyes sparkled with some private joke. Ron was struck by how similar she was to Serena.
"Fine, thank you."
"And this is Ami Mizuno."
"Hullo, Ron." Ron shook her hand mechanically, examining her carefully. That voice...it sounded familiar. As he looked into her blue eyes he was struck with a shocking thought. The girl watched him carefully, so he struggled to keep his thoughts secret, but the slight look of alarm that touched her features let him know he hadn't suceeded completely. he tore his gaze from her eyes and looked again at Serena. She was holding the two cats.
"And the kitties are Luna," she held up the black one, "and Artemis." She held up the white one for a second, then put them down. "I knew them all before I got in that coma, Ron."
Ron struggled to keep his voice even. "Do you remember, then?"
His heart nearly stopped as she shook her head. "I've remembered more, Ron, but I still don't remember the last nine months or so of my life before the coma. I remember my family now, though." Her eyes clouded over a bit as she looked sorrowfully off, into the distance. Mamoru gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and she shook her head a little and looked around at her friends with a smile. Ron noticed how the girls looked at her with wonder. As he watched, the black haired one, Rei, hesitantly reached out to touch Serena with one finger, as if to reassure herself that she were real. He strained his ears to listen as she whispered something.
"Usagi-chan...." The tall one looked over to Rei and smiled tearfully.
<She meant this much to them?> Ron wondered. He really shouldn't be surprised. Look at how attached he'd grown in the last few months. He thought of what it would be like to think her dead for two years, and shuddered. He saw the girls were standing around, a bit at a loss of what to do next, so he took action. "Why don't you all take a seat, and I'll go get refreshments. I have cola. Is that okay with everyone?" He got a lot of nods, and turned to go into the kitchen. He was surprised when Serena walked up behind him. She hesitantly reached toward his shoulder.
"Ron? Do you want them to leave?"
"What? No! they're your friends, aren't they?"
"Well, I don't want to hurt you." Were those tears in her eyes? "If I had stopped to think, and realized how much my remembering could hurt you, I would never have asked to be allowed to come live with you."
"Serena, I'm fine-really." Ron smiled. It wasn't her fault. It couldn't be helped at all. She was always thinking of others!
"Well, then, why don't I give you a little help in getting soda for all those people I brought with me!"
They were making their way out of the kitchen when Ron heard the telephone ring. He went over to pick it up.
"Yes?" he asked.
*****
Usagi watched Ron's expression change as he listened to the conversation on the telephone. "Okay," she heard him say, then he hung up the phone and walked purposefully into the living room. She scooped up the soda cans he'd left on the counter and ran after him. She gave the cans to her friends and watched Ron turn the television on. The normal programming wasn't on.
Everyone in the room gasped. The four senshi exchanged looks as they recognized the woman who appeared on the screen. What could this be? Mamoru looked shocked. "Serena...." he mumbled.
"What, Mamo-chan?" Usagi sat down next to him, worried by the look on his face.
"That's someone who worked with me at the computer store. Her name's Serena..."
Ron turned sharply at that. "What did you say? Do you have any more information on her?"
Ami also looked very interested. "You say you worked with her, Mamoru-san? Did she ever act strange, that you remember?"
Mamoru shrugged. "No. We were co-workers, but we didn't get along well. I don't know any more than her name. To tell you the truth, I can't even remember her last name, though I'm sure you could find it out at the store." Ami just nodded and gave the other three girls that had come in with her a loaded look.
Ron looked at him. "Could you call the police station and give them any information they need? This woman is holding this television station hostage." Then he strode over to his closet and pulled out his trenchcoat. "I have to go down to the station, so you guys can all stay here. Don't get into trouble while I'm gone."
"Usagi-chan," Ami turned to Usagi and began to speak to her rapidly in Japanese. "That woman is possessed by a creature similar to the one that we fought when you-disappeared." She seemed to choke over the word. She forced herself to continue. "She is the one we fought yesterday at the mall-we need to go there and find out what's happening. I'm afraid this woman is capable of things that the police are just not equipped to handle." The other three senshi nodded.
Mamoru had stopped on his way to the phone to listen to Ami's quick warning. He turned toward the girls. "If that's the case, then I want to go along as well-that woman was very dangerous, and since Usagi doesn't remember being Sailor Moon, she'll need somebody along to keep her out of trouble."
It was a measure of the senshi's concern over rapidly moving events that none of them even took notice of the implied thought that they were not sufficient protection for Usagi. She decided. If everyone thought it was important that they go and try to find out what this woman was up to, then she would do her best to get them there. She strode up to Ron.
"Ron, can we go along, please?"
"No, Serena! After what happened yesterday, you should know better than to want to come along. What if you got hurt?"
"Sir, I'll be along." Mamo-chan put a strong arm around Usagi's shoulders.
Ron had been trying to forget what he thought he saw the other day, but he couldn't, and he knew that in Mamoru's care, she was safer than she was anywhere else.
"I'll give my report to the police when we get to the scene. Who knows, since I know her, maybe I'll be able to talk her out of anything stupid."
Ron snatched at any reason to let them come along. If his suspicions about Usagi's friends were right, it would probably be better if they were within his sight, anyway. "Okay. Can you all fit into the car, though?"
"I can drive." Mamoru offered quickly. He bent over and whispered into Usagi's ear. "Why don't you ride with Ron-he's hurting, you know." She nodded, glad she wouldn't have choose, then ran down the stairs with her friends.
*****
Ron jumped out of his car the second it stopped and ran up to a particularly thick huddle of cops. "Has she made her demands, yet?"
"Yeah, Ron, that was why we called you. She's demanding that the sailor fighters come here to battle with her." The police chief looked at a loss. "Do you have anything on what happened yesterday? If we could somehow contact them...who is this?"
Ron turned to see a wide-eyed Serena behind him, soaking in every word. "This is Serena-the girl I took in.."
"Oh, yes, yes." The chief still had a curious look on his face. Ron turned quickly.
"Serena, you should stay back there, where it's safer." Serena nodded and obeyed, somewhat to Ron's surprise. For some reason he'd been expecting her to protest. He turned back to the chief. "I can't get ahold of them. I'm not even sure what happened yesterday. Most of what I saw was so wild..." Ron shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what to say."
"I've talked to a few people who were there, and they all say the same thing. If they believed everything they saw yesterday, they'd have to have themselves committed. Great. I was hoping you'd have something different to tell me, though I can't really say why." He turned to one of the men near him. "I have no choice. I'm okaying the second alternative." The man nodded and ran off toward a dark van, containing a bunch of men wearing black uniforms.
"A S.W.A.T. team? Can't you get in any other way?"
"We've already tried a couple of times, but for some reason, no one can get in."
Both men turned to watch the van drive up to the perimeter of the building. The men all piled out and tried to get in the door, but they bounced off some sort of invisible field. One man, frustrated, pulled a pistol and shot at the building, but the bullet ricocheted off of thin air, and everyone ducked as the high whine of bullet hissing thorough air whistled by, close over their heads. With a curse the chief reached for the nearest radio. "Tell those idiot to get back here before they start killing us out here." He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. "Now what?"
Ron looked around. Where were the girls, or Mamoru? He walked back toward Mamoru's car, and his. They weren't there. He scanned the area, and saw a dark alley a few yards away. He crept up to the corner and peeked around the brick wall.
They were all there, even the cats. The tall one leaned over to talk to Serena. Thankfully they were talking in English, so he could at least understand them.
"Usagi-chan, are you sure you want to come with us? It's going to be dangerous, and if you can't become Sailor Moon anymore..." Makoto shrugged, worried. Ron took a deep breath. They were going in? What were they thinking? And who was Sailor Moon?
"We may need Ginzuishou, Mako-chan. Usagi defeated the Silver Knight, somehow, even if she doesn't remember, and she may be our only chance of defeating this Black Knight." Was that the CAT speaking?
Usagi looked down with a smile. "You're right, Luna, and besides, Tuxedo Kamen will be there to protect me." She frowned a little. "Still, I don't think I should go as Usagi...Luna, did you know that I completely remember the Silver Millennium-I mean, everything? I know how to use Ginzuishou correctly now-Mamo-chan seemed to indicate that I didn't before. I should be able to protect myself."
Ami looked at Usagi. "Are you going to become Princess Serenity for the fight? I know what Luna's saying is correct, but somehow I'd feel better about you being in there with us if you were her."
"That's what I was thinking, anyway." Usagi smiled. "We shouldn't waste any more time-I'm worried that she might kill the humans if we delay too long." <Humans?!>
"Even with our greater powers, I'm worried that we won't be able to defeat her. She's very confident to challenge us like this." Rei's large, purple eyes were concerned.
"Don't worry about it. We're stronger now, and we already defeated her dragon. This fight'll be easier."
"All the same, everyone, be careful. Carelessness can turn a winnable fight into-" Ron couldn't believe the emotion the white cat put into his words, "into another near disaster."
Serena-he guessed he should think of her as Usagi now-swooped the white cat up and hugged him. "I'll be very careful, Artemis, so you won't have to worry about that again." She put him down, gently, then turned to her friends. Ron ducked as far around the corner as he could while still being able to see what was happening. Everyone except Usagi had their back to him, but she was looking right in his direction. "We have to get going now. Minna!" She reached into her pocket and began to pull out the brooch containing the crystal she called Ginzuishou. Her four friends pulled out shiny pens.
"Mercury Star Power...Make Up!" Water appeared out of nowhere and swirled around the suddenly almost transparent girl, transforming her into Sailor Mercury.
"Mars Star Power...Make Up!" Fire roared into existence around her, caressing her, and leaving behind her red uniform, and then Sailor Mars stood before him.
"Jupiter Star Power...Make Up!" Lighting surrounded her like a cage, then exploded away from her-leaving Sailor Jupiter behind.
"Venus Star Power...Make Up!" A blinding bright ribbon of stars flashed around her, swirling faster and faster, and then they seemed to unfold under her like a budding flower, and Sailor Venus emerged.
Mamoru closed his eyes, and transformed back into the tuxedo clad hero Ron had seen the day before.
Usagi held up Ginzuishou, and without more than a thought, she lifted a few inches into the air and a long, white froth of a dress grew around her, and her bangs blew back to reveal a golden crescent moon shining on her forehead. She extended her arms up into the air, and her hair suddenly grew down past her ankles, and half of it lifted into the air, and formed two round balls on the top of her head. They were secured with strands of pearls, and a small coral bracelet appeared on her wrist. She lowered her arms, and opened her eyes. Ron stared in wonder-and she saw him, and stared back, a look of apology in her eyes.
She'd never been his to begin with, and he'd known that when he'd taken her in. But this-this was more than he'd ever bargained for...what WAS she? Ron was almost frightened by all these inexplicable things that had happened to him since he'd met Usagi. Then he stopped.
He'd met Usagi. Despite all of these magical, frightening, unexplainable things happening to and around her, she was still Usagi. She was still the girls that couldn't cook to save her soul, that tried so hard to get good grades, that smiled happily when he came home from work.
In anyone else's hands, all the power he was seeing would be frightening, but in her delicate fingers...somehow...he knew she would put her very soul into making sure things would turn out right. He closed his eyes. This all might be beyond his ability to understand, but he understood her heart. What else was needed? He took a deep breath, opened his eyes again, and smiled encouragingly at her.
<I believe in you! I trust you....>
As if she could hear his very thoughts, Usagi smiled back. Then, without another word, she turned to her friends.
"All right, everyone, let's go!"
Everyone silently took off at a run. Ron trusted Usagi, but he was still curious. He followed at a discreet distance.
*****
Mars and Jupiter watched the curious people arrayed around them, keeping them away from Mercury as she brought down her visor and inspected the almost invisible shield surrounding the television station.
"Can you get us in?" Venus asked breathlessly.
"The only way I can see is to make a wormhole of our own. Since our last fight, I've gotten adept at them, but this will leave me drained for a while, minna. I don't know how much, since I've never tried in this transformation." She smiled with a bit of excitement. "It's amazing how much stronger I feel, though. Okay, everyone, get ready. When I get this thing open I won't leave it so for long-I don't want anyone else getting through." Mercury stopped talking, and began to type furiously.
Venus and Tuxedo Kamen turned to help Mars and Jupiter hold off citizens while Serenity carefully watched Mercury type. Suddenly Mercury looked up. "Minna!" she shouted in Japanese to keep the onlookers from understanding, "get ready!"
"Hai!"
"Kami sama! Look at that!" Mars was pointing at a camera crew a few yards from them. "We're going to be on the news, you guys, be careful what you say!"
Mercury shrugged, unconcerned. "It doesn't matter at the moment-they won't be able to follow us. Are you ready?" She held one finger poised over a brightly flashing key. When everyone nodded, she pressed it.
"Go!" she shouted, and pushed Jupiter through as a warpage of space-time appeared right before their eyes. The others didn't need any more encouragement-they all jumped in. Mercury cast one look over her shoulder to make sure nobody was close enough to follow her in as she jumped through. As soon as she crossed the threshold she pressed another key, and the first opening closed. She walked to the other end, and joined the other senshi and Princess Serenity on the other side. Even though they'd walked a few yards in the wormhole, they'd only moved a foot or so in the real world-just enough to cross the invisible barrier.
They all took off at a run toward the building.
*****
Serena smiled smugly when she felt the nobles from the Silver Millennium approach. She left the TV studio without any explanation, letting the stupid mortal running the equipment to wonder. She was making her way toward the top floor office she'd left not too long ago, when she felt a curious presence behind her. Exactly what she needed-another host. Now that the television broadcast was over, he wanted to change hosts and surprise the senshi.
As that thought reached his host's mind, he felt her suddenly begin to struggle. She liked the power she had when the Black Knight was inside her-she didn't want him to leave. He ignore the slight disturbance and continued his plans.
*****
The news reporter cautiously climbed the stairs behind the strange woman that held them all hostage. It was so odd-how could she prevent the police from even entering the studio grounds, and who were these sailor warriors she wanted to fight? It was just the sort of puzzle that sent a reporter like Pamela Carlson into investigating mode. She couldn't believe her luck-she was just visiting a friend of hers that worked here, and now she was embroiled on one of the biggest stories to ever take place in this city in ten years! She couldn't wait. A lowly radio reporter, breaking a huge story like this was almost unheard of! She rubbed her hands in anticipation. Now if she could only figure out what this strange woman's plan was....
She kept climbing.
*****
Serena waited around the corner of the doorway into the president's office. As the curious woman entered behind her, she grabbed her at the temples and transferred himself into the new host's mind. She looked down at the crumpled form of the computer store clerk, then with a satisfied grin hauled her into a comfortable looking position in the desk chair. She turned it around to face the window behind the desk, and began to walk back down the stairs. Now that the Moon Kingdom immortals were expecting him to be in Serena's body, he had the element of surprise. She ran to the back door of the studio, feeling the Silver Millennial nobles draw close. As she neared the door, she heard a muffled cry.
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!"
With a loud explosion the door blew inward, and Pamela jumped back with a small cry.
"Be quiet! You don't want her to hear you, whoever you are."
"We are the Sailor Team, and we're here to defeat the Black Knight!" The red senshi strode in, arms ready to throw fire as she took in her surroundings.
"I don't know anything about a black knight, but that crazy lady that took over the studio is up on the tenth floor! All I can say is I hope she didn't hear you, or she'll come down here, and who knows what could happen!" Pamela cowered in a fairly good simulation of fear.
Then her eyes widened. <It's here! Right here in front of me!> Pamela was about to drop her disguise and go for the magical object she sensed right in front of her, but she looked through the door and gasped. It wasn't just a noble, it was Queen-
"Serenity! Let me through first! I don't want you to get hurt!" A man-a very powerful man, with the flavor of Earth-and yet more-walked in, dressed in black. The queen turned to him with a smile, and made room for him to enter.
<If the Queen of the Moon is here, I must be sensing the Silver Crystal! But can I wrest it from it's rightful owner? The queens of the Moon were powerful....>
"Princess, we can't let you get in danger!" <All these senshi are protecting her-and they called her princess...she's not been crowned, then....she should be weak-weak enough for me to defeat?> For a second the knight was beset with self-doubt, then she smiled inwardly. <Of course she will be-they'll never know what hit them!>
"Excuse me, are you the sailor warriors that that woman demanded come fight her?" She put a small tremor in her voice.
"Yes," the intelligent one glanced at her computer. Pamela tensed. If she noticed the energy signatures...she had to get her to put it away.
"I can lead you right to her! She went up to the tenth-"
"Yes, I heard, tenth floor office."
"I-I can lead you there."
The red one peered at her distrustfully. "Aren't you scared?"
"O-of course I am, but I figure if you're willing to come in here, you think you can beat her. I'd rather be on your side-the winning side. Besides, if I'm close to you, you'll have to protect me, right?"
"Right." The senshi nodded, satisfied.
The orange one gestured forward. "Well, then, ma'am, lead on."
"Follow me."
*****
Mars leaned up to Mercury. "Mercury," she whispered, "could you quietly pull your computer out and get some readings? I feel something odd about that woman...."
"Sure, Ma-"
"Here we are!" the woman interrupted. "She's in there-good luck!"
Jupiter and Venus slipped into the room, then motioned the others in. At the far end of the office they saw the top of Serena's head over the back of the chair. mars walked across the room toward the desk and chair.
Serenity leveled her ultimatum. "Black Knight, we're here. Now let those people go!"
To Mars' surprise, Serena didn't turn to face them. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Behind us!" she suddenly shrieked, and with a cry spun around. She saw the image of the black knight superimposed over Pamela. None of the others were moving fast enough, and Pamela was making her way purposefully toward Serenity. Mars desperately dug into her reserves for enough power to stop Pamela. Some new, blazing hot, power unfolded from the recesses of her memory.
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
She shot a flaming arrow at Pamela, and with a cry the woman's eyes emptied of malice, and the Black Knight appeared behind her, laughing. Then he took off at a run, down the stairs. Mars saw her arrow racing across the room toward the blankly staring reporter.
"No!" With a determined look on her face she concentrated on making the arrow miss it's target-it didn't move. She was struck with inspiration. She changed it's target, making it the window. The arrow made a nearly ninety degree turn and wrenched itself in the direction of it's new target, barely missing the human. In fact, it looked as if the woman might be burned. Mars' eyes rolled up into her head, and she dropped to the floor in a dead faint.
*****
"We have to go after the knight before he hurts any of those hostages!" Jupiter's voice was filled with frustration.
"We can't leave Mars behind, though."
"What happened to her?"
"I've never seen THAT power before-have you?" Venus turned to Mercury in puzzlement.
"No. At a guess, I'd say it's another effect of our power up. I think that changing it's course is what knocked her out."
"But we need her awake! If she hadn't felt the knight coming after Serenity...."
Tuxedo Kamen nodded. "I know, I've been thinking about that too."
"Um...Tuxedo Kamen, could you carry Mars-until she wakes up?" Serenity turned worried blue eyes to him. He nodded.
"Of course, but I think we should get downstairs now, don't you?"
They all began to make their way back down the dark staircase.