Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ A Knight for Neptune ❯ Chapter 3

Rating: PG

Notes/Foreword: I use one made-up character in the story, Taylor. Taylor's original appearance was in my first fanfic, "A Knight for Uranus." After that, he started making at least some appearances in most of my Sailor Moon stories. During Silver Millennium, Taylor was one of the guardians of Princess Uranus. They began to fall in love with each other, but the relationship was cut off when Taylor had to leave to protect Queen Serenity and Sailor Uranus was forbidden to leave her post. This was the last she saw of him until both of them were reborn in present time. Soon after meeting Haruka, Taylor recovered his memories and they fell in love once again. Taylor is carefree and easy-going when he's civilian (he usually lets Haruka have her way whenever she wants). As a fighter, he is highly determined and won't go down easy. His major purpose is to help Sailor Uranus upgrade, but this only works for short intervals, like when Super Sailor Moon used the grail to upgrade. He has brown hair, hazel eyes, and enjoys watching races (go figure,) reading, and fishing.

---------------------
A Knight for Neptune: Chapter 3
by Katrina Kadabra

"Thanks again for driving me back from my study class!" said Usagi as she sat in the passenger's seat of Haruka's convertible, her long ponytails flying like two whips behind her head.

"No problem!" Haruka answered. "I know you need all the extra help you can get with your schoolwork."

Usagi glared angrily at Haruka. "What's THAT supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Nothing," Haruka replied. "I'm just picking on you, kitten." The two girls glanced sternly at each other for a moment before breaking into laughter.

"So, how are things going with you and Taylor?" Usagi inquired.

"Just fine," Haruka replied. "We've been going out a lot lately. To tell you the truth," she added quietly. "I never thought I'd be so close to him. Ever since that one battle, it's like he's become like a missing side to me. If that doesn't sound completely cliché."

"Mm-mmm," said Usagi, shaking her head. "That's how it is with me and Mamo-chan too. But I think it's just great that you and Taylor are so close." Usagi sighed and leaned back on the seat, her hands behind her head. "So, how is Michiru doing?" she asked. The smile dissipated from Haruka's face.

"To be honest, not so well," she admitted. "She's been acting kind of odd lately. I don't know what to make of it."

"Maybe she's nervous with all her concerts and her new CD release?" Usagi suggested.

"Maybe," said Haruka. "But those things never bothered her this much before. I don't know. I wonder if my dating Taylor has somehow upset her."

"Did she say that?" Usagi inquired.

"Not in so many words," Haruka replied. "But Michiru and I have always spent all our time with each other. And now that Taylor's here, we're losing some of that time. That and..." Haruka cut herself off.

"That and what?" Usagi asked.

"Nothing," Haruka replied. She pulled the car up to the shrine. "Here we are, dumping-hair. Sailor Senshi meeting."

The two got out of the car and hurried up the steps to the shrine. As they pushed open the door, they saw everyone else was already there waiting, including all of the inner senshi and Michiru.

"Are you and Greg going to this Friday's dance?" Makoto could be heard saying as Usagi and Haruka walked in.

"Oh yes," Ami answered. "And you and Ken?"

"Naturally," said Makoto with a smile. "It's hard to believe, but I really think this might be something special, you know?"

"Speaking of which," said Rei as Haruka took her usual seat next to Michiru. "I hear someone else we know is going to be at the dance as well." She gave Haruka an ever-so-casual nudge with her elbow.

"Yeah, Michiru got asked to play a song on her violin," Haruka said, as she reached into her backpack and pulled out the tuna sandwich she had meant to eat for lunch today. Michiru lightly tossed her hair at Haruka's mention of her performance, but was all to quickly disappointed when Rei exclaimed,

"Not Michiru, you! Taylor did ask you to the dance, didn't he Haruka?"

"Oh?" Haruka asked innocently, unwrapping her belated meal. "You mean he was supposed to ask me?" Rei sweatdropped and Haruka giggled. "Actually, Taylor did ask me first, mostly because he knew about it first." Her checks turned a touch pink. "To be honest, I'm kind of nervous."

"Nervous about what?" Minako asked. "You two are destiny, remember?" At that, all the girls let out a romantic sigh. Michiru merely shrugged it off. At that point, Luna and Artemis walked into the room, followed by Diana.

"Glad you could all make it here," she said. "I hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience.

"Not at all," said Michiru properly as she straightened herself up.

"What's so important?" Haruka wanted to know, taking a bite into the sandwich. As she did, some of the tuna fell onto her shirt, which brought Diana gleefully over.

"Well," said Luna, glancing over in Artemis' direction. "We want to be honest with you girls. Artemis and I... well, we're... we're a bit concerned."

"About what, Luna?" Makoto asked. Luna sighed, and Michiru could tell this explanation wasn't going to be easy.

"As you know, at the fall of the Silver Millennium, Queen Serenity was able to rescue each of you from complete destruction, sending you to a new life in this present time. With the exception of Prince Endymion, none of your parents, siblings, lovers, or friends of the Silver Millennium were able to follow you into this time. At least, that's what we thought. But now..." She turned to Haruka. "The presence of your knight here in modern day Tokyo indicated to us that maybe the princesses weren't the only ones to be reborn. Furthermore, it had led us to conclude that the other knights of the Silver Millennium may be here as well, and may be closer than we think."

"But if our knights did appear here in modern day Tokyo, how would we recognize them?" Ami inquired.

"You would recognize them the same way Haruka recognized Taylor. Because of the strong bond of love you shared in your past lives, you would be very close and even have feelings for this person in your present lives. Which leads me to my next conclusion..."

"That our boyfriends are actually knights from the Silver Millennium?" Rei piped up. A large sweatdrop formed on the black cat's forehead.

"I'm not saying that exactly, but it is a possibility..."

"Oh wow!" Minako exclaimed with eyes sparkling like stars. "I can't wait to tell Jamie that we're actually fated to be together since our past lives!"

"That's exactly what you shouldn't do," said the white cat perched on top of her head. "We don't know if Jamie or the others are knights or not. Unless they reveal themselves to be otherwise, you still must treat them as if they were normal people, and you must keep your identities as Sailor Soldiers secret."

"I guess you're right," Minako sighed. "To know that their true love is already a knight from Silver Millennium… Usagi and Haruka are so lucky..." Makoto, Rei, and Ami nodded in agreement.

"What's the difference if they are or they aren't?" Michiru asked. The room suddenly fell quiet as everyone turned to stare at the aqua-haired girl in the corner, who up until this point, had been silent herself. "Even if all of your boyfriends turn out to be knights like you wish," she said coldly. "They're only there to protect you, not swoon over you." She glanced back at Luna. "You had something else to tell us?" she asked.

"Well, um, yes," Luna managed to stutter. "Just that you girls should be cautious. We don't have much information on our new enemies, but if the knights have begun to appear, it may be a sign that we are up against a force more powerful than we can handle on our own."

"I see," said Michiru, standing up and taking her backpack with her. "Well, if that's all then, I do have a lot of work to do. I'll see you girls at school tomorrow." With that she turned and walked wistfully out the door. Haruka got up and followed.

"Just hang on a second," she said the moment she got outside and found Michiru standing on the temple steps. "What was that all about?" Michiru turned around.

"What do you mean?"

"The way you were talking in there," said Haruka. "I've never heard you so sharp with the girls. Or so pessimistic for that matter." Michiru thought for a moment and then sighed.

"I guess I did sound that way, didn't I?" she asked. Haruka nodded. "I didn't mean to," Michiru went on. "I'm sorry. I just... I don't know. I've just been kind of down lately, you know?" She lowered her head, looking like she was ready to cry. "I'm really sorry."

"It's okay," said Haruka, placing an understanding arm over her friend's shoulder. "Come on, I'll drive you home."