InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Prismatic ❯ Assurance ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Usagi was in a decidedly good mood. Happily full of the warm dinner that her mother had prepared that night, and no longer worried about ingesting it, she couldn’t have been more content than she was lounging on her bed flipping back and forth through a new comic. It was a gift from Kagome who, after explaining the story and getting her thoroughly interested, had given her the book at the end of their second official tutoring session. Much to her dismay at the time, it was in English.

“Sa..Sa..bu..rina?”

Kagome had only giggled at her then and given her a wink.

“Yep! The series was Souta’s suggestion actually, comics is more his thing. But if you want to find out what happens…well, you’ll have to learn more English then, ne?”

For all the pouting she had done at the time, it had worked. She had never been more motivated to learn English in her life. Even Miss Haruna had commented on it and that woman was nearly as hard to please as her mother.

Despite the worries she had begun the day with, after talking with Kagome she felt much better. She wasn’t even interested in going back to the gym to lose weight anymore, even though she was eager to return. Even if she didn’t have to lose weight, she had to get stronger. She turned a page in the book and furrowed her brows, some of the English on the page escaping her.

She didn’t get the chance to try and work out the foreign words, however, because her window burst open so suddenly that she flung the book across her bed and tumbled off the other end with a shriek. When she looked up to find a panting cat perched on the edge looking down at her, Usagi narrowed her eyes with a huff. “Luna! You scared me!”

“Usagi-chan, you need to-“

Climbing to her feet with another irritated huff, Usagi ignored the feline with a grumble as she went to retrieve her book. “Better not have ripped the pages…”

“You need to become Sailor Moon, Usa-“

“Oh! It’s all crumpled now!” Still ignoring the cat, Usagi let out a whine when she saw the crinkled form of her comic. A frown tugged her lips as she bent over to pick it up and turned on the cat with a scowl. “Luna, Kagome-chan gave me this!”

“Kagome is in trouble, Usagi!”

All at once, the heat of petty anger gave way to the chill of terror and Usagi froze. “Wh-what do you mean? What happened to Kag-“

“You need to become Sailor Moon now!”

With a lump in her throat, Usagi only nodded and threw her hand in the air to let the incantation wash over her. The warmth of the transformation magic could not spread over her quickly enough. When it finally ended and she turned to look at Luna, she felt the hum of the gems that adorned her buns.

“Let me out!”

The voice echoed from the enchanted gems just as they had the first night, when she’d heard Naru’s pleas for help. Somehow, hearing Kagome was far more terrifying. “That’s…Luna, what happ-“

“Jadeite!”

Usagi didn’t bother to finish her question before leaping out the window, nor did she wait to see if Luna would follow. She recalled the fight with Jadeite with a shudder. He had been different from the creatures, the youma which had already been scary enough. Thankfully, by the time she realized that she did not know where she needed to go, the cat had caught up. Luna at least showed mercy enough not to scold her for running off when Usagi turned to look down at her.

“The gym, Sailor Moon, you must hurry!”

Usagi didn’t think twice, this time opting only to follow instructions without complaint. As she neared the gym that she had been so excited to return to not even a few minutes earlier, Usagi felt an eerie sense of dread twist in her belly. The front doors were open, unattended and the streets were eerily deserted. Perhaps that was for the better, because there was at least nobody to stop her as she sprinted inside.

The dark energy was everywhere. The intensity of its presence in the air almost made her dizzy. Usagi wondered how they hadn’t noticed before. Her lips thinned and she glanced down guiltily. ‘Kagome-chan must have…she said she had an errand and then…she knew all along…why did-‘

“Sailor Moon, over here!”

Turning to Luna with a jolt, Usagi darted towards the stairwell just behind her. The sensation of dark energy grew stronger as she rushed down the stairs, but the touch of Kagome’s energy that she had become so familiar with did too. Her heart skipped a beat when it suddenly flickered. For a moment, she could only feel darkness.

Jadeite did not notice her when she tumbled onto the landing at the bottom of the stairs.

It was just as well, because when Usagi saw what awaited her, what Kagome had gone to face alone, she could not contain her cry of terror. Her heart thumped wildly as she looked over the horrific sight and her stomach rolled when she saw that the chamber holding Kagome was not the only one occupied. She couldn’t tell if Miss Haruna, withered and far too still, was still alive from where she stood, but the familiar ofuda that clung to the glass offered a small shred of hope. Her gaze drifted up to the spot where the chambers all seemed to connect, where she could see the familiar glitter of her friend’s stolen energy, and she narrowed her eyes.

She lifted her hand with a surge of determination, the tingle of magic rushing over her fingers as she plucked the tiara from her head. “Moon Tiara Action!”

If Jadeite noticed her then, Usagi did not see, for she too was blinded by the flash of light when the containment unit burst. When the dust settled and she no longer saw the man, Usagi rushed to the shattered chambers. She shoved the debris away, a mess of broken and withered vines and chunks of glass, and whimpered at the sight of her friend as she knelt to lift her up.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t pay attention before and now…” For a moment, Usagi feared the worst. When she was on the verge of tears, though not a difficult feat by any means, Kagome tilted her head back with a weary smile.

“Hey…Sailor Moon…thanks for coming…” Usagi choked on a sob, torn between a desire to cry and laugh, and froze when Kagome’s expression changed, the body in her lap stiffening as the other girl looked at something over her shoulder. Usagi didn’t get to look before Kagome suddenly yanked her down, still clutching her hand as she threw the other up over the two of them. The flare of Kagome’s power swept over her, and Usagi gripped her hand a little bit tighter.

When she peeked over her shoulder, her heart thumped nervously. The shimmer of Kagome’s hasty ward was all that stood between them and the enemy that had nearly killed the priestess. Usagi wasn’t sure what to do now and she wanted to cry all over again when he took the first step towards them. ‘The tiara doesn’t work on him!’

His eyes never left Kagome, even through the obscured view of them through her flickering barrier, and Usagi held her a little tighter. When he paused to glance over his shoulder as if he’d heard something, his lips moving to speak words she could not hear to something she could not see, Usagi debated whether luck was about to spare them or end them.

He gave Kagome one last glance before simply vanishing, the dark energy fading with him.

After a long moment of silence, once she was sure he wasn’t going to return, Usagi doubled over with a wail. She buried her face in her friend’s shoulder and clung to the other girl as her chest heaved with loud sobs. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! You tried to tell me before and I didn’t…I didn’t pay attention and you…”

“Hey…” Kagome’s gentle voice made her pause, and Usagi glanced up at her through her bangs. “It’s not your fault.”

Usagi sniffled and opened her mouth to protest, but snapped it shut when Kagome only shook her head.

“I came here alone. That’s my fault…” Kagome shifted to sit up a bit, and Usagi fumbled to support her when the priestess turned to smile wearily at Luna. “Thanks Luna…if you hadn’t gotten Sailor Moon…”

Usagi didn’t want to think about it. Kagome didn’t say the words, but she didn’t have to. Usagi gripped her hand a little tighter, her own fingers trembling as she thought on all the different ways the night could have gone. ‘If I had ignored Luna for much longer…’

“Hey…” Kagome touched her shoulder then, drawing Usagi out of her musing to look down with a start. The priestess only smiled and held out her hand. “Let’s get stronger together, alright?”

Usagi stared at the offered hand, eyes wide and still burning with tears, for a long moment before choking back another sob. Her lips trembled, even as they curled into a smile, but her fingers no longer trembled as she gripped her friend’s hand. “Y-yes. Together.”

---

It was unlike the queen to call him back so suddenly. Jadeite had not been certain what to make of the insistence, the demand to return in the midst of a fight that he had nearly won. He exhaled through his nose as he strode down the darkened hallway. He could not face the queen with such a look of frustration. At least, he hoped, she would forgive the rather explosive fate of their most profitable operation after the amount he had managed to siphon from that girl.

He still wasn’t convinced she was a sailor soldier.

Those musings, however, would have to wait another time because the doors of the throne room swung open even before he stood in front of them. Recognizing the order for what it was, he entered and pressed a fist to his chest as he dropped to one knee. “You called for me, Queen Beryl?”

“That energy you sent,” she didn’t mince words, though Jadeite was a little thrown by the bite to her tone. “Where did you get it?”

The question was strange, but Jadeite knew better than to say so aloud. Instead, he only obediently offered the queen the story of the strange girl that appeared to aid Sailor Moon though he did not mention that she had not worn the guise of a sailor soldier in their first encounter.

Beryl listened attentively, her eyes on him in a way that was unnerving. When he finally finished the tale, her silence was even more so.

After a long moment, she hummed thoughtfully. “Which soldier is this girl?”

“I do not know, my queen. She gave no name.”

She looked irritated for a moment, only a flicker of the eyes that most would not have noticed but he had faced long enough to spot, but it faded quickly. “Hm. Less theatrical than that Moon child then.”

If he didn’t think it would result in the removal of his head from his shoulders, Jadeite may have laughed.

“Continue gathering energy. And Jadeite,” she paused, and Jadeite dared to glance at the queen. He almost wished that he hadn’t, as a glint of madness only seen at the mention of the Moon Kingdom or the prince flickered through her gaze. “Bring me that soldier.”

The dismissal was unspoken, and Jadeite tried not to move too quickly, lest he seem too eager as he bowed once more and turned to leave. His jaw was tense as the doors shut behind him, the booming echo never so ominous before as it was then.

“Was the queen so displeased?”

“Nephrite.” Jadeite eyed the man for a moment, one of his fellow kings, before exhaling through his nose loudly. “No. I have a new mission.”

Nephrite perked up at that, his expression of amused curiosity fading to regard him more seriously. “Has there been a development?”

“Hm. Sailor Moon has allies.”

“Tuxedo-“

“Not the fool with the flowers.” Jadeite crossed his arms, his brow furrowed as he ignored the bewildered blink the other man gave him. “No. This was a girl.”

“Another soldier?”

“Perhaps, but…” Jadeite paused, glancing about the hall to be certain that they were alone before lowering his voice anyway. “I am not convinced. She…was different from the others.”

Nephrite was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. “Hm. This is an interesting development to be sure but-“

“The queen wants her.”

The silence stretched on longer this time. When Jadeite spared a glance towards his fellow Shitennou, the man looked pensive.

“I…see.” Nephrite frowned then, and Jadeite tilted his head to regard the man. “Sailor Moon is one unknown but if you are certain this girl is not a soldier… avoid taking unnecessary risks and observe for now if you can. Learn what you can about the girl. I will consult the stars.”

The agreement between them went unspoken and, as he watched the man depart, Jadeite was uncertain whether sharing such information had been the best call. It didn’t matter, really, regardless of the unspoken rivalry the four of them held. In the end, they were still brothers in arms who worked for the same goal. That being said, he did not think he would tell the others just yet.

For now, he had a soldier to catch.

---

The final bell could not come quickly enough the next day. It had barely sounded the first tone before Usagi had leapt from her desk and sprinted from the classroom. At least the substitute that had taken Miss Haruna’s place, her teacher thankfully only out on bedrest for a few weeks, seemed too thrown to scold her.

She didn’t care. She wanted to see Kagome. She had to make sure she was alright.

When Usagi had brought Kagome home the night before, it had been dark. Kagome, despite having recovered most of her energy with the destruction of the chamber, had barely been able to walk. Usagi had never mustered so much strength in her life as she had when she had hefted the other girl up the stairs to the shrine. Higurashi-san had taken one look at the two of them before the woman had ushered them inside. Usagi had nearly burst into tears all over again when the woman, tender and motherly and accepting, guided her to sit and turned to check on Kagome. Even to Usagi, the Higurashi matriarch had seemed far too practiced in checking for injury.

Luckily, Kagome had seemed, at least in terms of physical injury, no worse for the wear beyond a sprained ankle.

Today, Usagi had decided, she wouldn’t loiter in the classroom as she usually did and rushed to meet Kagome instead. They’d passed her school once and, after only one wrong turn, Usagi had managed to make her way there.

When she approached the gates though, there was no Kagome.

Peering through the crowd, the priestess was nowhere to be found. Biting her bottom lip and absently touching the tips of her fingers over her broach, Usagi could not sense that familiar, comforting warmth of her friend’s energy either.

“Usagi?”

Nearly leaping out of her skin, Usagi turned with a jolt, and the boy narrowly managed to duck the edge of her bag. When she saw who it was, she clapped a hand over her mouth, mortified. “S-Souta!”

“Oh, wow, geeze-didn’t mean to scare you. You were here to meet Kagome, right?”

Still calming her pounding heart, Usagi felt embarrassment heat her skin. “Y-yeah…I thought…Higurashi-san said she was okay…”

“Huh?” Souta blinked at her and then shrugged. “Yeah, Sis is fine. Still exhausted though, so Mom made her stay home. Just picking up schoolwork for her.”

“Oh…” Usagi averted her gaze then, unable to look at her friend’s brother as guilt twisted her stomach anew. After a moment, she glanced back at him, nibbling her bottom lip as fresh anxiety tightened her throat. “Is it…would it be okay if I come with you?”

Souta blinked and looked up at her so bewildered that Usagi was afraid the request had offended him for a moment.

“Well, yeah. Sis would kill me if I said no. Don’t want to think about what Mom would do.”

Usagi wasn’t sure what to make of that for a moment, until he turned to her with a wink so reminiscent of his sister that she could not help but to smile. He took the lead after that, and Usagi was content to let him. He seemed content enough to talk at her, chatting away about video games and soccer, and things she thought Shingo might enjoy. She had the presence of mind to smile when he asked her if she liked the comic, but her mind guiltily wandered after that.

“-but you know, I’ve never seen Sis so happy before she made friends with you.”

Usagi stumbled, pausing to look up with a jerk as the comment drew her from her spiraling thoughts. Souta, whether he noticed her fumble or not, didn’t comment as they rounded the corner to approach the towering staircase.

The boy paused suddenly, and Usagi turned to look at what had caught his eye. “Oh- hey, Luna. You here to see Sis too?”

‘At least he’s nice to Luna!’ That was more than she could have said for her own brother after that morning. Admittedly, Usagi did realize she may have overreacted a bit and she knew Shingo didn’t like cats, but he had kicked Luna! After the close call the night before and the hours of sleep lost to tossing and turning and images of a fallen Kagome haunting her dreams, Usagi had wailed so loudly that her mother had actually intervened and ushered Shingo to leave her alone.

Of course, once Usagi had been coaxed downstairs and calmed enough to eat, Ikuko had only sighed and scolded her lightly for her ‘dramatics’.

It was a little strange to watch Souta speak so normally with Luna as they began their ascent, the boy so completely unbothered by the existence of a magical talking cat that he didn’t bat an eye as he sat her on his shoulder. It only reminded Usagi that Kagome, and by extension her family, had seen so much more already.

Usagi didn’t realize how far they had gone until they suddenly crested the top of the stairs. She looked across the courtyard, empty but for a few visitors near the shop, and hesitated in the shadow the torii gate for a moment. When Souta opened the door to announce their arrival, she hurried over to follow in behind him. She didn’t see Kagome in the living room, but Luna bounded up the stairs and she suspected the priestess must still be in bed.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have…’

“Oh, Usagi-chan?”

Usagi perked up then, her gaze drifting to the older woman as the Higurashi matriarch appeared in the doorway, an apron tied around her waist in a way that suggested she was about to cook dinner. Usagi’s stomach twisted, but she wasn’t sure whether it was with a lingering sense of guilt or an eagerness for the homecooked food that was surely underway. It might have been both.

“Oh, Kagome was meant to meet you today, wasn’t she? I’m sorry, Usagi-chan. I thought it best she rest up a bit more today.”

“W-what? No, of course, I…" Usagi twiddled her fingers a little sheepishly then. It was more difficult to face the mother of the friend she had almost failed than it had been to face her brother. “I just wanted to make sure that…Kagome-chan was okay.”

Usagi didn’t see the soft expression on Kunloon’s face, nor did she notice the woman’s approach until she had set a hand on her shoulder. The touch was gentle and reassuring and simply motherly in a way that Usagi found she sorely needed. Her bottom lip quivered a little as she looked up at the woman only to receive a smile and a comforting squeeze of the arm in turn.

“Would you like to join us for dinner, Usagi-chan? I’m making oden tonight. Kagome’s favorite. Come sit with me, I could use the company.”

Usagi felt a swell of warmth in that moment, and a smile curled her lips as she let the woman lead her into the kitchen. “Can I help?”

---

It was dark by the time Usagi got home. It only occurred to her once she had left the Higurashi shrine that her mother would probably be angry with her. So distracted with worry, feelings of guilt and fear, she hadn't thought to call her own mother when Kagome's had so readily invited her to stay.

Then Kagome had come down to join them, tired and pale and weary looking, but so visibly alive that Usagi had not thought of anything else in that moment.

'Mom will be mad…' The thought certainly hadn't made her any more inclined to go home but she couldn't very well avoid it forever, no matter how much she would have preferred to simply stay in the welcoming atmosphere of Kagome's home.

A lump tightened her throat and it was only the comforting glance that Luna threw her way that kept Usagi from deciding to simply hide out on the front steps. Kagome fought demons and had gone into a fight with Jadeite on her own. Surely she could face her mother.

Even as she timidly cracked the door open, Usagi still wasn't certain which prospect she found more terrifying.

"Usagi! Do you have any idea what time it is?!"

She flinched and mentally gave a point to her mother on that competition. "I-I'm sorry. Higurashi-san invited me and I forgot to call cause-"

Tsukino Ikuko did not care to hear her, however, because her mother only cut her off with an exasperated sigh. "Honestly, Usagi! You need to start being more responsible!"

Usagi wanted to cry.

Whether it was from anger, frustration, or the lingering stress from the last two days, it was all she could do not to simply throw her bag on the floor and wail like a child. Her bottom lip trembled and she clenched her hands at her sides as tears burned her eyes. All the lingering feelings of comfort and warmth from her evening at the Higurashi household very rapidly went up in a puff of smoke.

She had been doing better. Even Miss Haruna had noticed! Surely that counted for something!

"Your grades may have improved slightly Usagi, but you still-"

The acknowledgement of her improvement somehow only made her mother's lecture worse, and Usagi could no longer help herself. She stomped her foot, the loud noise of her heel against the hardwood floor startling her mother enough to pause as she snapped. "Kagome-chan was hurt last night! I just went to see if she was okay!"

"Kagome-chan? Oh…oh my."

Whether it was the declaration itself or the display of anger instead of dramatic tears and sobbing apologies, her mother looked surprised. The woman blinked at her a few times, her eyes wide and mouth agape, before lifting a hand to her lips.

"Is she alright?"

Offering only a noncommittal grumble, Usagi spun on her heel and stomped up the stairs as she fled to her room. In the time that it took her to toss her bag aside and pull on her pajamas her mother had not followed and, after finally creeping in through the window, Luna only curled up quietly next to her.

---

When Usagi arrived at school the next day she hadn't slept very well and had opted to skip breakfast to avoid her mother that morning. She hadn't wanted to face the rest of the family, though she wasn't sure whether that was because of the lingering sting of her mother's disapproval or her own shame over shouting at the woman.

She was tired, hungry, stressed, and simply downright cranky.

She had no interest in the social gossip and speculation that seemed to have swept over the rest of the class. The lack of Miss Haruna's normally stern gaze didn't help, serving only as a reminder of what she had nearly been too late to stop.

"Usagi! Did you hear about the Cinderella Caravan?"

Her classmates' sudden attention, the cluster of them perching themselves beside her desk while she'd been distracted with her thoughts, made Usagi jump and stammer in surprise. "Caravan?"

"Usagi, you're so behind!"

Naru laughed, and Usagi bristled. She'd had more important things to worry about. Kagome had nearly died going back to the gym that they had left her at. None of them seemed to notice her irritated huff as she crossed her arms over her desk again. "W-well, I've got a lot of things going on right now!"

"A talent search! And even Mikan is helping! Whoever wins is bound for success with her as a spokesperson for the event!"

"First round of auditions are tomorrow, right?"

"Just think about it! We could be stars!"

A little childish part of her swelled up at the thought of stardom, but it wasn't enough to outweigh the distracting feelings of weariness and worry. Usagi sighed and the conversation rapidly drifted from her attention once more.

"We should do it too, Usagi-chan!"

She wondered if Kagome liked idols like Mikan.

"Usagi?" Naru grabbed her shoulders excitedly. "C'mon, Usagi-chan, we could be stars, don't you want to-"

"Not now Naru!"

Usagi jolted out of her grasp, her shout so sudden and forceful that the other girl could only gape at her. After a moment, Naru bristled and scowled back at her.

"W-well fine! I'll go with Umino-kun instead then!" The boy had only barely walked in the door and his eyes widened behind his large round glasses as Naru grabbed him by the elbow and he was hauled right back out. "Come on Umino, let's go!"

Usagi bit her bottom lip, feeling guilty as quickly as she had with her mother as she watched them go.

---

Despite her intentions, the remainder of the week came and went and Usagi still hadn't properly spoken to Naru. Much as she had planned, she did try to apologize the next day for snapping at her longtime friend, but the redhead had been stubborn and uninterested in listening. Usagi, as it stood, was just as stubborn and had plenty of other things to distract herself with while Naru dragged Umino around to practice their performance. She could still hear them in the school courtyard, where they'd set up a makeshift stage, as she headed for the gates that day.

"Please come to Shan Shan Plaza this evening! That's where our concert is going to be!"

Someone in the crowd shouted back up at them, but Usagi was too far down the road to hear much more of the excited chattering.

She made the trip to Kagome's school almost by second nature now, no longer having to pay strict attention to the street signs or landmarks to not get lost. When the familiar front gates came into view she was only disappointed for a moment to see that the one to meet her there was still not Kagome.

The feelings of disappointment lingered only for a few seconds before she brightened and hopped up the sidewalk to join him. "Oh, Souta…picking up Kagome-chan's homework again?"

"Huh? Yeah, but…"

Souta, usually attentive and pleasant in a way that made Usagi lament the relationship with her own brother, barely seemed to notice her then. Instead, his gaze kept drifting back up the road, where the lower school she knew he attended would be, and Usagi furrowed her brows. "What's the matter?"

"Well…" He looked around then, and Usagi leaned forward attentively when he lowered his voice conspiratorially. "My classmates have been acting…kind of weird."

Usagi's hackles raised at that, well beyond her threshold for weird for the week, and she furrowed her brows. "Weird?"

Souta shifted his bag then, shouldering it with a huff as he shifted his grip to situate what she suspected was Kagome's classwork and motioned for her to follow. Trailing behind him without complaint, Usagi watched him exhale irritably. She didn't think she'd seen Kagome's ever laid back kid brother look so thoroughly annoyed before.

"Yeah. They're obsessed with these chanela things. It's kind of freaky, really."

"Chanelas? Shingo was talking about them too." Usagi paused for a moment at that, tapping a finger to her chin as she hummed thoughtfully. It was one thing for her brother to get caught up on strange trends that she didn't usually pay attention to beyond fodder to shoot back his teasing, but it struck her as odd that even Souta thought it seemed strange. "I wonder…"

Souta inclined his head then, pausing to look up at her with a frown that said he understood where her thoughts had wandered. "You think this is some weird demon thing?"

Usagi really hoped not. She'd had enough of demons and near death experiences for one week, but even she wasn't so naïve as to think that ignoring the possibility would make it go away. "Maybe…we should probably ask Luna."

Souta shrugged and Usagi followed him up the steps a little slower than before, held back by a lingering childish desire to avoid the potential for more fighting just yet.

Then she felt the familiar warmth of Kagome's energy, bright and as welcoming as ever, and she sprinted to catch up.

---

If there was one thing that could drive Higurashi Kagome to the brink of madness, it was being made to do nothing. After three days of being forced on bedrest, regardless of barely being conscious for the first day and a half, she was ready to climb the walls. 'Mama even admitted I probably could have gone to class today!'

She had felt better the day before but when Kagome had woken that Friday morning she had felt so rejuvenated that she could have been convinced the entire affair had only been a bad dream.

The woman had insisted she stay in and use the day to relax though, since she had already missed her classes for the week as it was. Souta had been good enough to bring her the classwork she had missed and the notes that one of her classmates -probably Hojo- had been decent enough to take for her, but she felt bad to be such a burden.

Usagi had spent more time with her family, helping Mama in the kitchen with dinner each night, than she had.

Kagome felt worse leaving Usagi in a lurch, but had been pleasantly surprised to find that the girl had taken the initiative to come see her each day that she had been out. Luna had been even more attentive, spending her days at the shrine throughout the week while Usagi was in school. At least the feline's reassurance that Usagi hadn't been thrown into any fights with the enemy on her own had eased some of her worries.

So when she saw a familiar pair of blonde odangos peek up over the top of the stairs, Kagome brightened and practically leapt from her seat beneath the Goshinboku. "Souta! Usagi-chan!"

Souta crested the steps alongside Usagi and waved. "Hey Sis. Feeling better?"

Kagome huffed at the question and set her hands on her hips with a roll of the eyes.

"Just a bit stir crazy after being made to stay in all day when I'm fine now- oomph!" Kagome stumbled, barely catching her friend when Usagi all but threw her self at her, arms wound around her waist as the girl clung to her with a sniffle. Kagome softened a little and stroked the top of her friend's head. "Hey there, Usagi-chan…"

To the side, Souta snorted. "Wow, girls sure are sappy."

Kagome opted not to comment, instead choosing to let the matter drop as she led Usagi to sit beneath the Goshinboku with her. A quiet chuckle off to the side told her that Luna had come out to join them.

"Oh, hey Luna…can I ask you something?"

The cat perked up at the attention and Kagome idly mused over the budding friendship between the feline and her brother. "Yes?"

"Have you ever heard of chanelas?"

Usagi stiffened in her arms and Kagome frowned. Her gaze drifted over to the two and she watched the interaction a little more closely.

Luna frowned and furrowed her brow. "Chanelas? No, I'm afraid not. Have you found something suspicious?"

"Yeah, half my school is obsessed with them. Don't really get it myself. Saw one of the things and they're kind of creepy looking."

Usagi slumped in her arms and Kagome nibbled her bottom lip thoughtfully as she met the cat's gaze. "Do you think…"

Luna met her gaze knowingly, then sighed resolutely, as if reluctant to confirm the idea. "It does sound suspicious, especially with the sudden interest being so… intense."

Well, at least the timing was on point.

"Yeah…we should probably check it out." Kagome heaved a sigh of her own. Usagi tensed and Kagome softened a bit as she reached down to take her friend's hand in her own, the gesture making the blonde peek up at her. "Together this time."

Usagi's lips twitched upward into a hesitant little smile, and her fingers gingerly tightened to grip the priestess' hand in turn.

"Well, I'm going too then."

Not expecting that, Kagome furrowed her brows and turned to her brother with a frown. "Souta, I don't think-"

"Look, I'll hang back with Luna okay? But you two clearly get into trouble without backup and someone needs to cover you." The boy crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly, and met her gaze with a pointed look. "And it's not like its the first weird demon thing I've seen. The Noh mask chased us both remember?"

"Yeah, but that wasn't…"

"C'mon, I don't want to have to start collecting Usagi's homework too if you both get hurt!"

---

No matter how she spun it in her head, Kagome could not help but to think that the sight they made as they strode up to the shop was too comical for the situation at hand. Two teenage girls in colorful sailor uniforms, followed by an elementary school boy with a magical cat riding on his shoulder did not exactly present the image of defenders against the forces of darkness so much as it sounded like the setup for a bad joke.

The draw of the dark energy that permeated from within the building, however, was certainly not a joke.

"It feels different this time." It was eerily relaxing, gentle in a way that was more coaxing and alluring than to draw out the desperation that the gym had. "It…kind of reminds me of the jewel."

"Yeah, it's like…a pull. Like…I want to go inside."

When Usagi took an unsteady step forward to do just that, Kagome snatched her arm and pulled her back. The girl looked at her with a start, a haze clearing from her eyes as they widened with the realization of what she'd nearly succumbed to.

Through the haze of tainted energy inside, they could see the unconscious bodies of the humans that had been fed on.

Kagome shook her head but offered a reassuring smile as she fished out an ofuda. The glow of her spiritual power was only slight and she motioned for the others to keep quiet as she slipped in the front door to place the ward. If this was anything like the fortune teller fiasco, whatever monster was running the show here would likely try to control their victims if a fight were to break out.

The air in the room lightened, the dark energy pushed back and Kagome heaved a sigh as she waved them in. The air in the lobby no longer felt heavy with sensations of temptation, but their job wasn't done just yet. Kagome's gaze landed on the double doors that led to the back, where she could still feel the steady hum of demonic power attempting to seep back into the air.

"It's coming from the back…it feels darker over here." Kagome furrowed her brows and approached the door, Usagi hurrying to flank her as she peered in through the window. She didn't see anything, but it was clearly where they had to go. Her ward would mean nothing if they didn't remove the source. She exchanged a look with Usagi and the two shared a nod of wordless agreement.

"Okay, you two wait here then. Try to stop more people from coming in."

Souta, clearly already anticipating this, only waved his hand dismissively as he turned to reposition a few of the victims to more comfortable positions. "Yeah, yeah. Try not to set fire to the building this time, Sis."

"That was a ghost, Souta!" Dragging her hand over her face with an exasperated sigh and ignoring Usagi's bewildered expression, Kagome shook her head. They didn't have time for that particular story. "Oh…whatever. See if you can wake anyone up now that the ward is in place."

Souta waved them off and she distantly heard him conversing with Luna as she and Usagi cautiously pushed forward.

They had to have been going in the right direction, because Kagome was very suddenly hit with the sensation of dark magic and could not help but to shudder at the intensity. Her gaze drifted to Usagi and she whispered as she pointed to the door at the end of the hallway. "It's getting stronger in here. Be careful."

Usagi steeled her gaze and gave her a determined nod as they continued their advance. It was still eerily quiet, nothing to be found in the depths of the shop and Kagome almost wondered if they'd left the place unguarded as she pushed open another set of double doors, Usagi at her flank.

"-located it yet?"

They both froze at the familiar voice. Kagome turned to Usagi, who swallowed with visible nervousness, and the two exchanged looks. 'Jadeite.'

Tilting her head towards a desk in the corner, Kagome waved for Usagi to follow as she crept along the edge of the room and ducked behind the furniture for cover so they could listen more closely.

"No, master. That human musician is being…elusive. Kyurene is handling acquisition of the tape while I run the shop."

"Hm. I will look into it myself once tonight's event is over."

"The performance requires your assistance?"

"It is bound to draw attention with the casualties such a draw of energy will bring."

"Oh, has it attracted that many?"

"Mm. We've had to set up at the Shan Shan Plaza auditorium with the amount that have signed up. Derella has done well with this talent spotting operation."

Kagome nearly smacked her forehead. 'Fortune tellers, radio shows, weight loss schemes, stealing from a musician, and now talent spotting…if I didn't know better, I'd think this Dark Kingdom was run by Hollywood executives.'

"Naru-chan…"

Usagi's quiet whimper drew her attention from the conversation and Kagome turned to the girl. Her pallid expression was one of horror and Kagome frowned. "Sailor Moon-"

"Naru-chan and Umino-kun are going to-!"

Rapidly understanding, Kagome lurched forward to grab Usagi by the shoulders, hastily cutting off her panicked cry with a harsh whisper of her own. "Sailor Moon! It's okay. It's okay, we'll save them. We just have to-"

Unfortunately, she hadn't moved quickly enough.

"Little rats found their way in, eh?!"

Realizing their cover was blown, Kagome turned to look up at the creature that hovered over them just in time to see the human guise shift into one of nightmares. "Look out!"

She shoved Usagi out of the way and threw herself out of reach just in time. The monster's claws split the desk that they had been hiding behind, and it shattered in an explosion of dust and splintered wood. Luckily, the creature dove after her, leaving Usagi alone as the blonde soldier scurried in the opposite direction.

"Get them!"

The order made a smile curl her lips, and Kagome was practically giddy when the monstrous creature faltered. Clearly, its entire offensive strategy had hinged on controlling the humans that had succumbed to the chanelas' power. When no minions rushed in through the doors, Kagome's grin widened and she skidded to a stop in front of the creature.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's not going to work. You won't be using any humans as puppets today!"

The monster snarled and lunged for her, the soldier taking position behind her forgotten.

"Moon Tiara Action!"

The tiara burst through the demon before the creature even had a chance to realize what had happened.

Usagi heaved a sigh of visible relief as the purified remains floated to the floor, but just as Kagome turned to congratulate her, she straightened with a renewed look of alarm. "…Naru-chan!"

Sputtering as the girl turned and fled, Kagome tripped over a piece of the broken desk as she hurried after her friend. "Sailor Moon, wait!"

She heard the front door slam open with a resounding crack, and Kagome swore under her breath.

"Woah! Hey, what's going-"

Nearly careening into Souta just as Usagi had, Kagome only spared a glance over her shoulder at the two. "Another one at Shan Shan Plaza!"

---

Staring after the pair, mouth agape, Souta heaved a sigh and a shake of the head after a moment. "You should probably go help them, Luna. I'll handle stuff here."

Luna gave him a look of surprise and opened her mouth, but he waved his hand to dismiss her protest before she could offer it.

"Hey, I've gotten good at having to make up excuses for weird stuff thanks to Sis. Go on already, I got this covered." Souta flashed her a grin and gave her a thumbs up, which seemed to do the trick because the cat only hesitated a moment longer before rushing after his sister and her friend.

He knew they would get into trouble.

But, as he looked around at the remaining unconscious bodies, he heaved another sigh and realized he still had a job to do. With the demons gone and the building purified, people were starting to wake up. He pulled out his cell with a huff, never more grateful for his mother's foresight to get him a phone, even if it had originally only been to coordinate soccer practice more easily.

A quick call to the fire department and a confused suggestion of a gas leak would at least keep the attention off of the other two. They came quickly and Souta was left only to lean casually against one of the cars and watch as the building was cleared.

The last one out of the building was a boy his age -still looking a bit woozy- and Souta eyed him thoughtfully, the face familiar. "Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah, I think." The other boy noticed him then and turned to look at Souta. "You're the one that called the fire department?"

When he got closer, Souta saw his school uniform and suddenly thought he understood. "Yeah…you play soccer for Juban Elementary, right? Higurashi Souta. We played your team last season."

The boy perked up then, the woozy look suddenly gone from his features as recognition colored his expression. "Oh yeah, you kept us out of the regionals. Tsukino Shingo."

That made a lot more sense. Looking at him now, Souta could see the resemblance a bit more. "Tsukino…oh, you're Usagi's brother then, right?"

Whatever comradery Souta thought they might have been building went right out the window when Shingo snorted.

"Oh yeah, Dummy-Usagi's been hanging out at your place a lot lately, huh? Eaten you out of house and home yet?" Souta felt the corner of his lips turn downward, but Shingo didn't seem to notice his appraising look. "Mom's convinced your sister is a miracle worker, you know. Didn't think anyone could get my stupid sister to pass a test."

Souta suddenly understood why Kagome had seemed so disapproving of Usagi's family much more.

"Sis likes helping people." He looked the boy over as he straightened and shoved his hands into his pockets with a shrug. He didn't bother with the conversation further before he turned to head home, deciding he didn't need to hang around any longer. He only took a few steps before pausing to glance over his shoulder at the other boy. "You know, Usagi is pretty nice. You probably shouldn't be so mean to her."

Shingo looked surprised but Souta did not wait for a response before striding off. Their mother would need help with dinner, especially with the way she would dote on Usagi after hearing of this.

---

If ever Kagome had been thankful for the conditioning that came from fleeing demons in the feudal era, it was tonight. Usagi could run. Hot on the other girl's heels, Kagome might have been more concerned about keeping up if she hadn't already known where Usagi was headed.

She felt Luna's hasty approach before she saw the cat, so the sudden weight that landed on her shoulder wasn't much of a surprise nor was the feline's frantic breathless questioning of what was going on.

"There's something else going on at the plaza auditorium. I think Us- Sailor Moon's friends might be in danger."

If Jadeite was there, they probably were. Kagome bit her lip and strained to run a little faster. This was the second time she was going into a fight without her bow and arrows; as much as she was improving with the ofuda, the talismans took more focus and forced her into much more closer range than she cared for. Kagome clenched her fists in frustration, the fabric of the gloves of her disguise crinkling with the motion.

Her eyes widened and she turned to Luna so suddenly that the cat nearly released the grip on her shoulder in surprise. "Luna, the pen! Can it generate weapons too?"

A look of understanding dawned on Luna's face, but the answer never made it out of her mouth.

The sound of an explosion rocked the air, and the building in front of them shuddered ominously. Kagome didn't wait to hear if there was an answer before sprinting in through the doors. The sound of battle filtered down the hall, and she supposed that she at least didn't have to wonder which way to go.

"Found you!"

There was another crash, and Kagome felt her heart skip a beat at the scream that followed. She didn't bother with stealth this time as she burst in through the doors to the auditorium but it didn't seem to matter. Neither one of them noticed her entrance, the monster too focused on Sailor Moon and her friend engulfed in what looked like glass. She shoved her hand into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the length of the pen.

'Please work, please work, you've got to work! I need a bow!'

The magic hummed beneath her fingertips for a moment before it burst, forming the familiar shape of a bow and arrow in her hands. The arrow sailed past the creature and it turned to her with a hiss as the glass around Sailor Moon shattered in a burst of purification.

"You!"

It snarled at her and drew back a clawed hand. Kagome scowled and hunched her shoulders.

"I'll have your head!"

As she dove to the side, narrowly dodging an attempt to engulf her with the enchanted glass, her gaze flickered to check on Usagi. She wasn't sure whether to be concerned or to feel relieved when she saw Tuxedo Mask had shown and was helping the girl up.

She didn't get the chance to contemplate it because the monster happily took advantage of her distraction. It spat the webbing of enchanted glass at her, making her stumble as it wound around her ankle. The monster hovered right in front of her, cackling as the web traveled up her calf, its previous prey forgotten.

"Now, Sailor Moon!"

"But…it'll hit-"

"You have an opening, take it now!"

If Kagome hadn't been so occupied with the demon in her face, she might have had a few choice words for the man's willingness to put her in the line of fire. Sailor Moon, to her credit, looked aghast at his insistence and sounded just as angry for it.

"No!"

That being said, Kagome knew the fight couldn't go on like this much longer. The glass had engulfed enough of her leg that she could no longer run and the power that it drew on didn't seem to be ready to end any time soon. Her brows furrowed and she gripped her conjured bow a little tighter. The dark energy was so concentrated here that it had to be close. Her gaze darted upward. Her eyes narrowed at the large glittering disco ball that twinkled above them.

'There!' An arrow slid into her hand, the disguise magic conjuring it more easily now as she drew it back and took aim. 'Hit the mark!'

The demon cackled as the arrow sailed past its head, missing what it assumed her target to be by a wide berth. Then it froze, and its scream echoed through the air. The disco ball shattered over them with a burst of energy, little wisps of purification fluttering through the air when the light finally faded.

Tuxedo Mask muttered something to Sailor Moon that Kagome could not hear before he left, not even bothering to spare her a glance. Whatever it was, Sailor Moon stared after him with a scowl until he was gone, and then promptly fell back into one of the chairs as her legs gave out.

Kagome followed suit, and sunk to her knees from her spot in the aisle as her conjured bow and arrow faded. She dragged her hand over her face and took a ragged breath. "Sailor Moon?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Show business is evil."