Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Alone No More - Minako's Story ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Alone No More: Minako's Story
by Jason C. Ulloa


Chapter 10

"Good morning!" Minako greeted cheerily as she walked into the classroom.

"Good morning, Minako-chan," Ryoku greeted from his seat as he looked up from the book he
was reading.

"Morning, Minako!" one of her classmates shouted. "Hey, did you buy the Sports News?"

"Of course!" she replied with a wide smile. "I never miss an article on Ace!"

And there went Ryoku's good morning. To make matters worse, she brought out the
aforementioned article and showed it to everyone. It read: The popular idol Saijou Ace
storms through Asia! Moving on to Hollywood!? A joint Japanese-Chinese movie! World CD
sales total fifty million!

Nearby, someone glanced over at Ryoku. He was still reading his book, but for a moment he
could've sworn that he heard the sound of teeth grinding....

"Wow!" Minako exclaimed. "Kaitou Ace is in a joint Japanese-Chinese movie!? Filmed on
location in China!? And his CDs sell all over the world!?"

"At first, he was just worshipped as Kaitou Ace," Hikaru said, "but now he's an idol around
the world!"

Ryoku slowly set his book down on the table before the urge to rip it into several thousand
pieces overcame him. 'Kaitou Ace! Kaitou Ace! Che!' he snorted mentally. 'I still say he's
trouble. Why the hell did he have to go and make himself even more famous? Now I'll never
hear the end of it!' He sighed to himself as he slowly calmed himself down. He shouldn't
let that... idol... ruin what had been, until a short while ago, a good morning.

"What!?" Minako exclaimed as she pointed to a part of the article. "An intimate
relationship has been discovered between Ace and his project coordinator!?"

"With his foster parent producer?" Hikaru asked. "It must be a gimmick to sell movies."

"Oh! Look! Look!" Minako said excitedly. "They're searching for the part of Ace's love
interest! A Chinese princess! Maybe I'll go to the audition! And if I'm chosen, I'll be in
China with Ace!"

Suddenly, the pen in her shirt pocket beeped. "What was that?" Hikaru asked.

"Oh! Nothing, Hikaru-chan," Minako said as glanced pointedly at Ryoku, who was already
getting up out of his seat and heading for the door. "Excuse me for a minute." She quickly
ran outside and took the pen out. "Boss?"

"Mina! Ryoku!" Boss' voice said urgently. "It's trouble! Meet at the command center at
once!"

"Understood!" they acknowledged simultaneously.

**********************************************

Minako and Ryoku ran to the Crown Game Center. Minako quickly took out a handful of
hundred-yen pieces and dropped them into the UFO catcher as Ryoku looked around to see if
anyone else was around. He gave her a signal, indicating that they were alone.

"O-nii-san!" she called out sweetly.

"Oh, Minako-chan!" says Motoki. "It's nice to see you and Ryo-kun."

"The catcher is stopped up!" she told him. "Please fix it!"

Motoki noticed a bunch of Sailor V and Masked Knight dolls stacked up along one of the
glass walls and tried to move them out of the way.

"While we've got the chance...," Minako whispered to Ryoku. He nodded as they walked up to
the Sailor V game. She dropped a coin in and started to play. While she played, Ryoku
quickly hit a hidden button behind the game. Two words suddenly appeared on the screen:
Game Endless. The game machine then disappeared and the floor opened up beneath them. They
landed in the basement, wearing masks and sailor suits.

"Codename: Sailor V."

"Codename: Masked Knight."

"We are here," they said as one.

"That was fast, Mina! Ryoku!" Artemis said.

"Sailor V! Masked Knight! This is trouble!" Boss' voice said urgently. "Until now, you've
pursued a great number of mysterious events domestically. However, recently similar events
are occurring frequently across Asia. Is this the work of an unknown enemy syndicate? Or is
it the remaining members of the defeated Dark Agency?"

"What?" Sailor V exclaimed. "Is the Dark Agency still around?"

"Looks like it," says Artemis.

"So, what is our assignment, Boss?" Masked Knight asked.

"Your next target," Boss said, "is the entertainment producer spreading over the world,
Avex Trax Productions!"

"Avex Trax Productions?" Sailor V shouted disbelievingly. "Ace!? No way!!"

"I thought as much," Masked Knight growled. "I knew that guy was trouble!"

"Knight!" Sailor V gasped. "You don't seriously think that...."

"Yes," Boss interrupted. "It is the production company the mysterious idol Saijou Ace
belongs to. Ace is at the head of a list of a thousand talents managed by Asia's top
producer, the Chinese president of the company, Linlin." A graph appeared on the screen,
showing two jagged lines rising. "Corresponding with the advance of these talents, I've
confirmed sudden rising instances of mass disappearances and strange monster appearances!"

"There's no volcanoes without fire!" Sailor V stated.

"Mina, you said that on purpose...," Artemis groaned.

"Anou.... I think you meant, 'There's no smoke without fire,' Venus," Masked Knight said
flatly.

"Sailor V!" Boss continued. "This time your duty is to infiltrate the audition for Ace's
movie sponsored by Avex Trax, and win the role of Ace's love interest by whatever means
necessary."

"What?" Sailor V gasped.

"What?!?" Masked Knight choked, his eyes going wide in shock.

"Then, you and Masked Knight fly to China where the numerous events are occurring, uncover
the truth, and solve the incidents! Good luck!"

"All right!" Sailor V said excitedly. "I can use any means necessary! I'll do it!" Masked
Knight was still acting like he was in a state of apoplexy.

"You're really getting active in your mission, Mina!" Artemis observed. "Could it be
because of my special training? You're splendid as a soldier of justice."

"I have a very bad feeling about this," Masked Knight muttered ominously to himself.

"I have a feeling," Sailor V said. "This coming battle will not be like all the others! And
it's in China, as a Chinese princess! An idol! Ace's love interest! Love! Who's this
company president...?" she murmured thoughtfully, but that thought was washed away by the
torrent the previous thoughts had started. "It's my first love! On mainland China, I'll get
Ace's heart!"

Fireworks lit up behind her as a banner unfolded, reading: First love number 5000!
Congratulations!

Sailor V glanced behind her and sweatdropped. "Nani yo kore?!? Artemis!!!"

"Ehehehe...."

******************************* ***************

"I'm home!" Minako said as she walked through the door. "I'm starved! Oh, that smell! We
must be having gyoza today."

As she crossed the living room, the phone rang. Since she was the closest, Minako answered
it. "Hi, this is the Aino Restaurant! I want to get some genuine Chinese cooking!"

"Is that voice Minako-chan??" Minako grimaced as she recognized the voice. "How are you
doing? It's me, it's me! The superintendent-general of the Metropolitan Police Board,
Sakurada Natsuna-chan! Minako-chan, I mean, Sailor V, how about it? Have you and Ryoku-san -
I mean, Masked Knight - reached a decision about joining the police??"

Minako sighed. Ever since she found out their secret identities, she started calling her
once every week....

"So?? Will you and Ryoku-san join the police force? For Minako-chan and her partner, I'll
give you both special treatment. You two can work together with me! Come on, how about it?"

'She's a huge fan of Sailor V and Masked Knight,' she thought to herself. 'But, I like
talking to her, so maybe the police would be all right. I'm sure Ryo-kun wouldn't mind,
either. After all, we enjoy working together....'

**********************************************
< br> After Saijou Ace sang on stage, the audience cheered. Above, a banner reads: Avex Trax -
Final Audition for The Chinese Princess Story movie.

"That was Ace-san singing the movie's theme song," the hostess said. "Now to continue with
the costume judging."

Minako watched within the crowd of contestants; the number 23 pinned to her shirt. Beside
her, feeling very embarrassed and humiliated, Ryoku stood wearing a number 25 pinned to
his, or rather, her shirt. "Why I let you do this to me again, I still don't know," she
muttered in a pained, suffering voice. At least he was whining in a feminine voice so as
not to give away his true gender. Ryoku was excellent at disguising his voice.

"Well, you were the one who said he needed to come, too," Minako replied. "Still, I'm gonna
have to work really hard to beat cute Ryoku-chan!" she said with a giggle.

"Mou!" Ryoku humphed as she indignantly crossed her arms over her shirt. "Go on, have your
fun at my male pride's expense! See if I care!" Minako just laughed harder.

"Well, shall we ask Ace-san here?" the hostess continued as she turned to Ace. "Ace-san,
which girl would you like to play the role opposite you?"

"They perform well for amateurs," Ace remarked. "I would like a girl who is innocent, yet
sexy." He smiled humbly. "But, I'm being selfish."

"Selfish isn't the half of it," Ryoku grumbled.

"Now, on with the swimsuit competition!"

"Nan...," Ryoku gasped out in a choked voice as she sweatdropped. "NANI YO?!?"

"Here we go!" Minako shouted, running out of the room while dragging a protesting
Ryoku behind her.

"No!" she screamed. "You wouldn't! You couldn't! You wouldn't be so cruel to your partner,
would you? How would I ever be able to live through the shame? Mako-chan wouldn't know
whether to call me Oniichan or Oneechan! Onegai, Minako-chan! Onegaishimasu!!!" Minako
grinned micheviously as she held up her compact. "Do it and I'll never forgive you."

"I know you, Ryoku-chan," Minako teased. "By the time this's all over, we'll be joking
about this for weeks! Crescent Moon Power Transform! Change Ryoku-chan into a cute bathing
beauty! Change me into a sexy new model!"

Before running out on stage, Minako stopped to see what they were wearing. Ryoku was
wearing a modestly cute, silver one-piece swimsuit. She was also surprised to find that the
compact had gone above and beyond its normal transformation powers. To her eyes, Ryoku was
anatomically correct.

"Kyaa!" Ryoku gasped as she felt at her chest and groin area. She sighed as she found that
they were only illusions. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Kami-sama...," she breathed as she turned to
Minako. She was about to give her a long harangue over making her think she had lost her
manhood, when she suddenly went breathless.

Minako looked at herself in the mirror and grinned. She had unconsciously changed into that
same skimpy, two-piece bikini that she used before, during her trip to Greece. Apparently,
it wasn't going to give Ryoku a nosebleed, but her stunned expression was priceless enough.
It was definitely the effect she was going for. If she could affect Ryoku like that, then
she was sure to win.

"Like it?" Minako couldn't help but ask.

"You truly are a reincarnation of the goddess of beauty," Ryoku whispered, still staring.
'She is gorgeous!' her mind babbled. 'Absolutely the sexiest girl I have ever seen in my
life! I can't see how I've never seen Minako-chan in this way before.... Minako-chan!?!'
She snapped back to reality and laughed in chagrin, while putting her hand behind her head.
"Ehehehe.... Ah, gomen, Minako-chan. I didn't mean to stare."

Minako shook her head and smiled. "Let's go, Ryoku-chan! I've got a contest and a role
opposite Ace to win!"

She was cheered by the crowd in the swimsuit competition and then the performance
competition. Amazingly enough, Ryoku got almost as much applause, which confounded the poor
girl to no end.

"And now to announce the grand prize!" the hostess announced. "Number 23, Aino Minako!!"

"I did it!" Minako shouted happily, holding the trophy as she hugged Ryoku. "An easy win!"

"And now, receive the flower bouquet from the president of Avex Trax Productions, Mary
Linlin." A woman handed a bouquet of flowers to Minako.

"Congratulations, Miss Minako," she said. "You did well. Ace and I have high hopes for you,
yes."

"Oh!" Minako murmured aside to Ryoku. "So, this is the Chinese woman president we've heard
about."

"Linlin," Ryoku agreed with a nod. "We should be wary of her."

"Congratulations, Minako-chan," Ace said as he walked up to her.

"Wow! It's Ace!" Minako said excitedly.

"Oh, be still my girlish heart," Ryoku muttered flatly as she crossed her arms beneath her
'breasts'.

"The heroine is a strong princess who rescues Kaitou Ace when he's in trouble," Ace said
smoothly. "You fit perfectly. October 22nd. Your birth flower is the dahlia." He handed
Minako a dahlia flower. "In the language of flowers, it means fickleness." He then kissed
her cheek. "I ask of you earnestly, don't be unfaithful."

Ryoku could feel her anger burning at the back of her head. 'We'll see who's fickle and
unfaithful!' she thought as she quivered slightly in anger, then all but stomped away to
wait for Minako to remove her disguise.

**********************************************

Through the mists, a figure reached out to her. 'Venus, help me!' the voice cried out to
her.

'Who is that calling me?' Minako thought as her eyes opened. 'Could it be... Ace!?' She
looked at the framed picture of him sitting by her bed. "Today's the day I set off for the
mainland with you," she said to the picture. "This isn't a dream! Ace, wait for me! I'm
coming to help you now!"

**********************************************

Nats una and Wakagi stood in the south terminal of Narita Airport with Minako and Ryoku.
After Natsuna had discovered their identities, she was so happy that she allowed Wakagi to
come back from their Siberian branch. When Wakagi learned of this, his distrust of Sailor V
and Masked Knight ebbed until it was now gone. Besides, he knew that eventually they'd end
up working for the police. Natsuna was a very persistant woman.

"What!?" Natsuna said in shock. "An incident in China!? And the company Ace belongs to
could be an enemy!?"

"Keep your voice down, Natsuna-oneesan!" Minako warned.

"You don't know who could be listening!" Ryoku added.

"I can't! It's dangerous, Minako-chan! You and Ryoku-san are going into enemy territory all
by yourselves!"

"It's fine, it's fine," Minako said reassuringly. "I'm traveling the world again. I'm the
passport-carrying soldier of justice, Sailor V, with my partner, Masked Knight!"

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Ryoku added. 'I just wish we didn't have to go by plane. I
hate planes.'

"This time, you should have police backup to protect you," Natsuna insisted. "And let us
work with you, too!"

"We'll be all right," Minako told her. "Leave things to us. Besides, we've got Artemis."

A teenage girl with short blue hair passed behind them.

"We're not alone," Ryoku added.

The blue-haired girl approached another woman. "Good luck at the scientific convention,
Mom," she said.

"Thanks, Ami-chan," the woman said to her daughter. "I'll call you."

"That's right, Sailor V!" Natsuna replied. "You're not alone! You've got us with you. If
anything happens, be sure to contact us!"

'Yes...,' Minako thought. 'We're not alone.' She and Ryoku turned and looked around the
terminal behind her.

Ryoku's gaze caught momentarily on the blue-haired girl, but she passed out of his sight.
'Strange...,' he thought to himself. 'It almost felt as if I knew her....'

'I wonder why I thought that just now...,' Minako thought curiously to herself.

"Minako-chan," Wakagi said as he handed her some items. "Take these good luck charms. A
Metro Police original high tech Poppy-kun keychain and phone card. Do be careful." He
turned to Ryoku. "Take care of her, Ryoku-san."

"With my life," he replied firmly. Wakagi nodded approvingly.

"Wakagi!" Natsuna said as Minako and Ryoku turned to leave. "I got it! How about if you go
to China with Ryoku-san instead of Minako-chan!?"

Minako looked at them as she boarded the plane with Ryoku behind her. 'Those two make such
a cute couple,' she thought. 'Yes.... While I was thinking I was in love with Wakagi-sama,
truly, in my heart I knew he wasn't the one. My destined partner.... Will it be you now,
Ace?'

**********************************************

"Wow!" Minako said as she looked around. "The smell of China! Everyone's riding bikes! How
come, how come?!?"

"Easy, Minako-chan!" Ryoku said wryly. "You don't have to get so excited."

"Oh, you've got followers in China, too!" Minako said as she noticed the crowd cheering.
"Look at all them."

"What do you and your... 'brother'... think of China, Minako-chan?" says Ace. He tried hard
to keep his face straight. He knew Ryoku wasn't Minako's brother, but that was the only way
she could think of that would allow Ryoku to come with her to China.

"It's... crowded," Ryoku replied, his tone the example of civility. He could keep his ire
in check, since he still didn't have any real proof of his involvement with the
disappearances.

"Oh, I've been waiting for this!" Minako exclaimed. "The flavor of five thousand years of
China! Santou, and Szechwan, and Kouso, and Canton! Ah, I'm hungry!"

"Hai!" Ryoku said eagerly. "Me, too!" If there was one thing he loved, it was Chinese food.

Linlin shoved Minako away from Ace. "They say the Chinese will eat anything that flies but
an airplane," she said in a conversational tone, "and anything with four legs but a table,
yes. They even barbecue cat, yes."

Ryoku grimaced. "Suddenly, I'm not that hungry anymore...."

Packed in Minako's suitcase, Artemis started to panic.

**********************************************

"Re grettable, yes," Linlin said, as she ate. "That girl's an amateur, but her chemistry
with Ace is perfect. How impudent, yes."

"Linlin, message!" a voice called from the back.

"Be right there!" she said as she stood up. "After we, the Dark Agency, expand as Avex
Trax, we will have all of the Far East in our hands," she murmured to herself as she left.
"Our plans are progressing more favorably than expected, yes. With the world idol Ace as
bait, they will sniff out our plans. Our hated enemies, Sailor V and Masked Knight, will
surely appear, yes! I, Linlin, will put an end to those eyesores, Sailor V and Masked
Knight! For the lovely Danburite-sama, I will take care of this, yes."

**********************************************

The filming begins with TV China. According to the story, it is the 30th century. In the
Ranran Kingdom, the First Order Royal Princess, Princess Runrun, would not bestow her
glance on her assembled suitors. She was devoted to the criminal, Kaitou Ace. One night,
Ace sneaked into the royal palace vault.

"Halt!" Ryoku commanded in a gruff commanding voice. It was decided that since the company
had paid to have him come to China with his... 'sister', they might as well give him a
minor role. He was given the role of the Princess' loyal retainer. "Who is that before the
vault?!?"

Minako stepped forward as she held out a lantern. "Well, it's Kaitou Ace. Did you come to
steal the royal family crest, the jade jewel?" Ryoku rested his hand on the sword at his
side, waiting for Ace to make a move.

"No," Ace said as he picked up a shining white stone. "There is another treasure I came to
steal."

"What?" Minako asked. "A pearl?"

"This is the Venus Droplet," Ace told her. "When you were born from the foam of the sea of
Venus, a droplet spilled from your body and became a jewel. Don't you remember, Princess
Venus?"

'Princess Venus?!?' Ryoku thought confusedly. 'Wasn't she supposed to be a Chinese
princess? Who the hell wrote this script, anyway.... Wait! Could he know...?'

'What?!?' Minako thought, her expression one of confusion.

From his position off the set, Artemis stood back aghast.

"Cut!" Linlin shouted. She was also the director. "Great, great. Ace, your idea was really
good, yes."

Ace took the mask from his eyes and grinned. "Wasn't it?" he said smugly. "We'll go with
the plan of the Chinese princess truly being the princess of Earth's twin planet, Venus."

'Ace!!' Artemis thought confoundedly. 'How does he know of Venus...?!?'

"Could he have uncovered my identity?" Minako asked aside to both Artemis and Ryoku.
"Speaking of which, you said Venus was my mother planet. How is Venus the mother planet of
a Tokyo girl like me? Could it be...? Was I a child found under a bridge?!? And what about
Ryo-kun? Was he born on Venus, too?"

"No, he was born on Jupiter," he said absently, as the shock of Ace's statement still
hadn't worn off.

"Nani yo?!?" both Minako and Ryoku exclaimed at the same time.

"Anyway, Mina," Artemis continued as he regained his composure. "We must have a change in
strategy. We'll all return to Japan at once. Ace is an enemy! This is dangerous! And I have
something important to tell you and Ryoku...." He looked around, finding himself alone.
"Mina? Ryo-kun?"

**********************************************

'It's okay with me,' Minako thought to herself as she searched for Ace. She had left
Artemis talking with Ryoku; he was probably telling Ryoku about his being born on Jupiter.
'Even if he's an enemy. Even if he's uncovered my identity. I know it's gonna make Ryo-kun
mad at me, though. I don't wanna hurt him, but... I just need to tell him....'

"Ace!" she called out as she entered another room. 'I know. If I tell him the truth about
my identity, he might show me who he really is. There's no need to tell him about Ryo-kun,
though....'

"Ace! There's something I want to tell you...."

"Minako," Ace said as he stepped out of the shadows.

'What!?' Minako thought, noting the absence of the '-chan' honorific. "No suffix all of a
sudden?"

"I bought you a ring," he said, holding out a ring box. He opened it, took out the ring and
slid it onto her finger. "It's 24 karat gold."

"Wow, it's so pretty!" she exclaimed as she took a close look at the ring. She then looked
up at him questioningly. "Why are you giving me this?"

"Because, Minako...," he said before bending down and kissing her on the lips. "I love
you." Minako swooned at the kiss.

From his hiding place in the shadows, a very dark and ominous expression covered his face.
His gray eyes flashed sharply in a barely contained cold rage as he silently watched.
'Minako-chan.... How could you? Would you betray your partner to be with... with him?' His
rage slowly subsided as a dispiriting gloom set in. 'Is this the end between us?' he
wondered forlornly as he sadly turned to leave.

Ace held out a deck of cards to Minako. "I'll tell your love fortune," he told her. "Pick a
card you like." She took a card and held it out. "The ace of clubs. A crossroads in
fortune. Do you love me?"

"I...." She hesitated for a moment. "I love you!"

"A lie."

He dropped the card to the ground as he frowned. "You are never serious. You always choose
something more important than love."

"No, that's not true!" Minako said in denial. "I'm always serious about love! Love is the
most important! Nothing else is ahead of it! You are the most important, Ace!"

'Although...,' she thought, 'being so busy with my job as Sailor V day after day, I haven't
had a chance to get a boyfriend. Being a soldier of justice.... Like Artemis and Boss said,
there's nothing I can do about it.... Is there nothing I can do? No.... My life now is
staked on the love of Sailor V. Compared to that.... That time....'

'Hey, Mina-chan!' Motoki greeted.

'Hi o-nii-san!' she replied with a grin.

'A big, red ribbon,' Higashi had told her once.

'And that time...,' she continued. As she remembered Saitou kissing her deeply as she was
disguised as his former teacher.

'Your teachers at school may let you get away with that,' Wakagi had said to her, 'but the
police won't!'

'Oh! He's cute!' she had thought. 'Even with that angry face, he looks like a nice guy!'

'Have I really staked my life on love?' she wondered worriedly. 'I always do it only
halfway. Have I never been serious?'

'Even if it's just to take a look,' she told Otonaru. 'How about it? Okay?'

"But, this time I mean it!" Minako told Ace. "I swear on my life, I love you Ace! I do love
you, don't I?"

Ace frowned slightly. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because...," she admitted. "I don't really know...."

He flicked his finger across her forehead in vexation. "You're a child," he told her.
"Haven't you awakened yet?" He sighed as he turned and walked away.

"Ace...!!!" she shouted as she ran after him, but she lost him.

Linlin watched from behind a corner and scowled. 'Oh...,' she thought fiercely. 'I let my
eyes off him for one moment, and that little girl.... A ring?!? A kiss?!? A love fortune?!?
I won't allow it! I'll remember this!"

**********************************************

Min ako sat up groggily in bed. She glanced over to the bed on the other side of the room.
Since they were supposedly siblings, they were made to share a room. At first, they were
both a little disturbed by the arrangement, even if they were sleeping in separate beds,
but gradually they had gotten used to it. In fact, Ryoku had become so used to it, that he
had gone back to sleeping shirtless again, much to her surprise and delight. He wasn't
extremely well-built, but at least his muscles were well-defined, which she found
fascinating.

She sighed as she saw that Ryoku wasn't there and the bed was still undisturbed. She
should've known that he would've followed her and saw everything. He didn't have to tell
her; she knew him. She must've really hurt him bad for him not to come back to their room
for the entire night.

"You had a nightmare last night," Artemis said as he saw her awaken.

A feminine figure reached out through the mist, shouting, 'Venus, help me!' Minako frowned
thoughtfully for a second. "Oh? Really?" she asked, yawning. Then, her expression turned to
one of concern. "Ryo-kun didn't come back yet, did he?"

Artemis shook his head sadly.

"I saw it again...," she told him as she got out of bed. "A dream, and somebody telling me
to help them.... It must be Ace. Or... could it be Ryo-kun? I can never see the face
clearly...."

Artemis opened the laptop computer Boss had sent with them and read the screen's display:

File 15: Saijou Ace
Date of birth: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Gender: Unknown
Blood type: Unknown
Native country: Unknown
Date of first appearance: Unknown
All data: Unknown
Company: Avex Trax Productions
Most famous work: Kaitou Ace

"Mina," he said warningly, "right now, Boss is investigating Ace for us. Be very careful at
today's filming."

"Ace is not an enemy!" she retorted heatedly. "Nothing's happened at the filmings so far!"
She looked out the window, searching for something. "Artemis! Look!" she pointed out.
"Where all those fans were gathered for Ace, now there's not one!" She looked around again.
"There are none of Ace's fans, not a sign of life in the city!" She frowned again, this
time a little fearfully, as well as concernedly.

"Artemis! Do you think that something could've happened to Ryo-kun?" she asked, her voice
becoming partially hysterical with worry. "He never came back and I haven't seen him since
yesterday, after Ace called me Princess Venus!" Her worry began to turn into fear. "Do you
think that the enemy has him? They could've killed him! Oh, it's all my fault.... He left
because he felt that I betrayed him for Ace. It's my fault.... ITE!"

She was interrupted as Artemis bit her on the leg. "Gomen, Mina, but this's no time for
hysterics," he told her. "Have faith in your partner. I'm sure he's fine. Deep down, I'm
sure you know that, too.

"It seems the enemy has started to move," he continued as he pointed to a map on his
computer screen. "Look! People are rapidly disappearing in the surrounding areas....
Shimatta!" he muttered as he noticed Minako heading for the door.

"Artemis! It's time for the filming! I'm going!" she shouted over her shoulder. "You're
right! Ryo-kun would never let himself get caught and he'd never abandon me when I need his
help. I'm sure he'll be at the studio."

"Mina!" he yelled as he tried to get her attention.

"I'll be all right! Leave this to Minako-sama!"

**********************************************
< br> Minako opened the door to her dressing room and found the entire room sacked. The mirror
was broken and the floor was littered with her shredded costume with Ryoku's prop sword
sticking straight up in the floor right in the middle of the mess. "This is horrible!" she
said angrily. "My outfit! What?" she exclaimed as she picked up one of her shoes. "There
are thumbtacks in my shoes?!? I don't believe this!"

Linlin cracked open the door slightly and peeked in. "Heh, heh, heh," she laughed softly.
"A good feeling, yes. She'll be sorry, yes! When the movie bearing my name is completed,
she will no longer be needed. Shall I boil her and eat her? Or shall I bake her and eat
her? Maybe with her brother as a second course, yes?"

"This really pisses me off!" Minako growled fiercely. "Let's go! Crescent Moon Power
Transform! Change me into the greatest female pirate of the China Sea, Chin Shi!"

"What?" Linlin gasped in shock. "She transformed!? This power, could it be, this little
girl is... Sailor V!? Then, her brother.... Masked Knight!"

"Who's there!?" Minako demanded as she spun around to look behind her.

Linlin quickly jumped back from the door and ran down the hall.

"Wait!" Minako shouted as she ran after her. As she followed her, she burst through the
doors at the end of the hallway and spotted Ace with his back turned to her. "Ace!?"

Ace turned around and looked curiously at her. "You're...," he said, half to himself.

'She must have escaped back here,' Minako thought to herself. 'No way, is it you? Are you
really my enemy after all!? Was Ryo-kun right all this time?'

Overhead, a vase fell from a ledge above them, heading straight for Ace. "Look out!" Minako
shouted as she shoved Ace out of the way. They both fell to the ground, with her laying
over him.

"Is that you, Minako?" he asked, gazing up at her.

"Huh?" Minako asked, perplexed. "H-how did you...?"

"I know," he replied certainly. "I told you, didn't I? Because I love you, I know
everything about you."

'Everything?' she thought questioningly. 'Even that I'm Sailor V?'

He reached up to touch her cheek. "Being protected by you like this," he said happily,
"it's like a dream. You always protect me."

"Of course," Minako told him. "I'll always protect you. Because I am Sailor...." She paused
suddenly. 'I'll always protect you...,' she thought questioningly, as if trying to remember
something. 'I vowed that once before....'

Again, her dreams played out in her mind. A feminine figure reached out through the mist;
her two tails of hair flowing behind her. 'Venus, help me!' she implored desparately.

"I'm happy," Ace said with a satisfied grin. "Now, we're finally lovers. I love you,
Minako."

'Why am I so uneasy?' Minako thinks. 'This isn't it either.'

Ace pulled her face close to his....

'This love isn't the real thing either....' She pulled away from Ace and stood up. "This
person is not the one I'm supposed to protect!" she said as she shoved Ace away.

"No!" Linlin shouted as she ran to his side. "Danburite-sama!!" She turned to Minako and
scowled fiercely at her. "You bitch! Throwing him down, and knocking him across the room!
Show me your true self now, Sailor V!!"

"What, I got discovered again!?" Minako exclaimed, then stared back at her. "Well, then you
show me your true self, too! Moon Power Transform!" She appeared in her sailor suit and
mask.

"I am a single flower of the dahlia tree, a lovely native of Tokyo in end-of-the-century
China! Codename: Sailor V!" she announced. "The messenger of justice, the sailor-suited
beautiful soldier, I am Sailor Venus!"

Before she could continue, a sword flashed through the air and struck the ground between
Sailor V and Linlin. Sailor V blinked in surprise as she recognized Ryoku's Star Sword.

"I am a loyal retainer, sworn to protect his mistress, a lovely native of Tokyo in
end-of-the-century China! Codename: Masked Knight!" he announced from the top of a castle
tower that belonged to part of the movie set. He leaped down and landed beside Sailor V,
then plucked the Star Sword from its resting position in the ground. "The harbinger of
justice, the sailor-suited handsome soldier, I am Sailor Knight!"

"You're here!" Sailor V exclaimed in surprise. "I thought that...."

"I'd never leave you, no matter what happens," Masked Knight told her with a smile. "We're
partners, Venus. Partners and friends. Always."

"Knight...," she replied softly with a smile, then turned back to Linlin. "Trying to
capture all the 28 million square kilometers and 1.3 billion people of China! The New
Democratic Theory of Moutakutou in 1940 and the People's Liberation Army may allow it, but
I, Sailor V...."

"And I, Masked Knight...."

"...will not!" they finished together.

"So you showed, Sailor V! And Masked Knight," Linlin said, adding him in almost as an
afterthought. "The Chinese people are about a fourth of the world's population. By
conquering here our plan will be halfway to completion, yes! The Dark Kingdom's conquest of
Earth is before your very eyes, indeed!"

"The Dark Kingdom?!?" Sailor V and Masked Knight exclaimed simultaneously.

"The flavor of five thousand years of China!" Linlin announced. "I, the beautiful heart of
the Dark Kingdom, Princess Linlin, will be your final match, yes, indeed!" A crowd of
people suddenly began to gather behind her.

"At least we now know where everybody went...," Masked Knight commented.

"The 1.3 billion population versus just Sailor V and Masked Knight?" Sailor V whispered
nervously.

"Well, if I take the 650 million on the left, you can take the 650 million on the right,"
Masked Knight suggested in a dry, facetious tone.

"I don't think there's any way we can win this one!" she replied as she turned around.
"Ace!" He wasn't there. "He's gone! Oh no, did they take him!?"

"Who cares?" he asked in vexation. "Isn't he the enemy, too?"

"Danburite-sama!!" she murmured thoughtfully. "Linlin called him by that name." She glanced
everywhere, trying to find Ace. "Is that your name?" she shouted into the air. "Was it my
imagination?!?"

"Sailor V!!" Artemis shouted urgently. "You can't be pondering the mysteries of life! Hurry
and fight!"

A cage suddenly closed around him. Linlin grinned maliciously as she picked it up. "Mmm,"
she said hungrily. "This cat looks delicious, yes. I'll have to barbecue it and eat it
later, yes."

"That's horrible!" Masked Knight exclaimed as he grimaced. "You can't do that to Artemis!"

"Artemis!?" Sailor V gasped. "This is Sailor V's ultimate pinch!!!"

"I have an idea," he said suddenly.

"What's that?" she asked, hopefully.

"This," he said as he leapt forward with his Star Sword and tried to attack Linlin.
Unfortunately, she was quicker than he thought and easily dodged the attack while kicking
him aside.

"Sailor V!" she yelled as she drew a fancy knife. "This is my five thousand year old
Chinese ritual! Take this, yes indeed! Linlin Ranran Dragon Blade!" She leapt forward at
Sailor V while trying to plunge her knife between Sailor V's eyes.

"Hiyah!" she cried as she caught the blade between her hands, mere inches from her face.

"Damn, you impudent little girl, yes!" Linlin exclaimed before getting kicked in the side
of her head by Masked Knight.

"Stop saying yes all the time!" Artemis yelled, still trapped in the cage. "Let me out!"

"But, I'll be kind with you, yes!" Linlin said with a wicked grin. "Linlin Ranran Ramen!"
Strands of noodles shot at Sailor V and Masked Knight, wrapping around them. "Mmm, I'm
getting hungry, yes! I'll barbecue you two with the cat, yes!"

"I am NOT an entrée!" Masked Knight exclaimed indignantly.

"Oh no!" Sailor V exclaimed. "If we're barbecued, Artemis, Knight, and I will be Peking
duck!"

"Chinese cooking shows the power of heating!" Linlin stated grandly.

"I can't defeat the five thousand year old flavor of China!" Sailor V moaned. "Knight!
Artemis! Ace! Somebody!!!"

'Venus!' she suddenly remembered hearing some voices shout. She turned around to see three
girls and one guy in sailor suits running toward her. The guy looked vaguely like Masked
Knight....

'Everyone!'

'Huh?!?' Sailor V wondered. 'N... Nani?!? This vision... Everyone?!? Who are you?!?"

A playing card suddenly flew at her, slicing away the noodles trapping her. It also cut
across Linlin's face, and flew back to the hand of the man standing above them.

Quickly seizing her chance, she hurriedly freed Masked Knight from his bindings. "Ace!!"
she shouted gratefully above her.

"Nan... nan da?" Masked Knight muttered in perplexity as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Danburite-sama!!" Linlin whined. "Why!?"

'Ace saved me!' Sailor V thought to herself.

'What does that guy think he's doing, anyway,' Masked Knight thought to himself. 'Exactly
who's side is he on?!?'

"Mina! Ryo-kun!" Artemis shouted from inside the cage. "The five thousand year old flavor
of China.... No, the 1.3 billion people of China! Protect them!"

"Leave it to us, yes!" Sailor V said.

"Now, don't you start...," Masked Knight said warningly as he folded his arms crossly.

"At any rate...," she continued. "The million horsepower of strong valor! Venus Love
Megaton Shower! Expose the truth, yes!"

Masked Knight groaned, but raised his sword anyway. "Knight Power-up Blade Impact!" he
shouted as he flung his Star Sword into Sailor V's attack, dramatically increasing its
power. The shining light destroyed Linlin... and blasted through the roof of the studio as
well.

"Mina! Ryoku!" Artemis yelled chidingly as the building begans to crumble.

"Anou...," Masked Knight said in chagrin.

"Oops! We used too much power!" she added.

"Kind of an understatement, Venus," he muttered as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Everyone, hurry and get out of here! The place is collapsing!" she shouted as she turned
to the people gathered. The people, wakened from the mental control Linlin had over them,
quickly scattered.

"Mina! Ryoku!" Artemis called out as he was still trapped in the cage.

"Artemis!" Sailor V shouted as Masked Knight slashed open the cage with his Star Sword.
"Everyone!" She, Masked Knight, and Artemis ran through the rubble and falling pillars.

'A crumbling palace set...,' Sailor V suddenly thought to herself. 'I've seen this
somewhere before....' She thought back to the warning she shouted to the crowd. 'I've
shouted that once before....'

"Sorry, Linlin," Ace said as he turned to leave the crumbling building. "I will defeat
Sailor V!"

"Ace, look out!" Sailor V warned, as blocks began to fall from the ceiling around him. A
falling pillar landed first on Sailor V, knocking her to the ground, then on Masked Knight,
who went back to save her.

"Uh...." she moaned as she looked up to see fires burn all around them. "Knight! Ace!
Artemis! I can't save them now.... The people I love are caught in the flames.... This
can't happen...."

The visions returned. Serenity ran through the crumbling palace.

'This can't happen again!' she mentally screamed. 'It can't! No!!!'

Her sailor suit vanished and her body was bathed in a yellow light. Nearby, Masked Knight's
body resonated with the yellow light and glowed with a silver light. The two pillars were
flung aside as they settled back down to the ground.

They opened their eyes.

'This memory.... Flowing in.... This memory....'

'Minako-chan...? What is this... I'm seeing...?'

Serenity laughed as Artemis jumped into her arms. Nearby, her five guardian soldiers
watched and smiled.

'Am I seeing your... dreams... Minako-chan? Is this a vision? It seems strangely...
familiar....'

Ace stood on the ledge at the end of the roof and watched as the ground started to
disappear in fog below them. "Hey...," he said as he leaped down to her. "Are you all
right, princess of Venus? This place where the filming studio is, it often gets foggy
around this time."

'I remember when I look at the fog...,' Sailor V thought. "My still young planet, covered
in the fog of thick sulfuric acid from the volcanic activity. Surrounded by the sulfur fog,
my Magellan Castle. And the beautiful morning glow of my other planet...."

'Good morning, Venus!' Serenity greeted cheerily. 'Good morning, Knight!'

"I am not a princess," she said absently as she reached up to her face, reaching for her
mask. Almost simultaneously, Masked Knight's hand also went up to his face, reaching for
his mask.

She dropped her mask to the ground.

He dropped his mask to the ground.

A jeweled tiara now covered her forehead.

A jeweled necklace now adorned his neck.

She stood in a new sailor suit, white and orange, with a blue bow.

He stood in a new sailor suit, white and silver, with a midnight blue bow.

"I am the guardian soldier of the planet Venus, Sailor Venus."

"And I am a guardian soldier, born of the planet Jupiter and given the powers of the
Earth, Sailor Knight."

'Mina! Ryo-kun!' Artemis thought in amazment.

"We were born soldiers," they said in unison, "to protect our single precious person!"

Ace handed Sailor V the script to 'The Chinese Princess Story'. "Shall we film the climax?"
he asked. "The scene where the princess, an abandoned child who has lost her memory, is
taken to her homeland. From your line, Princess."

Sailor V read the script. "This is my true land?" she asked in bewilderment.

"No," he told her. "The land you loved, the people you loved, are no more." He took her in
his arms. "They were destroyed by the enemy."

"How do you know this?" Masked Knight demanded fiercely.

"Stop it!" Sailor V shouted as she moved away from him. "Ace! Just who are you!? How did
you know Ryo-kun was born of Jupiter and I was born of Venus?!?"

He took off his mask, and looked into her eyes. "I am Adonis," he stated simply. The mark
of Venus suddenly shined brightly on his forehead.

"NANI?!?" Masked Knight exclaimed in total shock.

"I burn with passion for you," Ace continued. "We were supposed to love one another. I am
your mystical lover."

'The sign of the guardian of the planet Venus!' Sailor V thought to herself. 'Is he also
Venus's...?!?'

"But you do not know me," he said wistfully. "In my previous life, I had no rank. I was a
miserable soldier in a remote region. You lived in a palace overlooking Venus. The chosen
strongest sailor soldier, shining brightly, with your partner, Sailor Knight, the most
skilled fighter. Before long, for your mission, you went to the ruler of the solar system,
the moon. That planet, radiating unsurpassed light. A planet eternally unreachable to us.
Then, we were borrowed for the war taking place on the chief planet. By the soldiers under
direct supervision of the Prince...."

She could almost see it the visions. The young Adonis stood among Endymion's soldiers....

Venus held Serenity in her arms as Knight stood protectively if front of them....

"Finally meeting you...," he continued. "The lovely goddess of beauty and war...."

He saw Venus staring dreamily into Kunzite's eyes....

"That reminds me, you've been falling in love with people since way back then!"

Behind her, Masked Knight snickered in amusement.

"Hey now!" Sailor V huffed indignantly.

Ace walked over to her and touched her face. "I knew then.... If I changed one wheel of
fate, the two of us might fall in love...." He then stood back, almost regretfully.
"But.... There is only one fate. I was born into this world again. And it seems I've been
raised to the status where I can confront you." He raised a playing card to the sky. A
field of electricity appeared. A sphere formed around him and another around Sailor V,
separating them. Masked Knight was about to charge him when a third field appeared around
him.

"Please," he told him, "don't interrupt."

"Chikuso...," Masked Knight growled as he stared fiercely at the electrical field in front
of him, trying to figure out a way through it.

"I believe you," Sailor V murmured as she tried to straighten out her thoughts. "But,
haven't you always, always come and saved me, Ace?!?"

"I will soon achieve domination of the whole world, of Earth!" he told her. "I am the
soldier under the four Generals of the Dark Kingdom, Danburite!"

"The Dark Kingdom!?" Masked Knight exclaimed in shock. 'The Dark Agency reborn?!?'

"The four Generals!?" Sailor V repeated, also in shock.

"And, Sailor Venus, you and Sailor Knight are my enemies!" He threw out a stream of playing
cards at both Sailor V and Masked Knight.

"Mina! Ryo-kun!" Artemis shouted warningly.

Masked Knight could only slash at the cards, easily slicing them up. Sailor V jumped at Ace
and knocked him back with a beam of light.

'Yes...,' he thought as a sense of understanding came to him.

"Ace!!!" Sailor V called out as she rushed to him.

"There is only one fate...," he murmured weakly as he fell over the ledge of the roof. "My
path ends without ever reaching you.... That is my fate...."

Sailor V lunged out ans grabbed ahold of his hand, just barely holding him up from the
roof. "Is your fate to defeat the ones you've fallen in love with?" Sailor V asked.

Behind her, Masked Knight rushed forward, painfully breaking through the electrical field
and began to run over to her. "I'm coming, Venus!"

Ace threw a card to her. "The ace of hearts?" she asked as she caught and examined it. It
then tore apart before her eyes as Masked Knight reached them and grabbed ahold of Ace's
other arm.

"I'm still unsure of you, though," he told Ace, who merely nodded as though he expected it.

"I'll tell your final love fortune," he told her. "Your love will be hopeless for all
eternity."

She stared at him, eyes wide. At the same time, Masked Knight frowned angrily. "What are
you talking about?"

"What's wrong?" he asked with a faint smile. "You should look happier. Now you can go on
living, without having to torment yourself over the ultimate choice, your love or your
duty. Your fate is to continue fighting. Continue to fight, along with your partner, Sailor
Knight. Continue to fight, forever." His body slowly began to disintegrate as they tried to
hold onto him. "Your true battle begins now...."

Artemis slowly approached them. "Mina...? Ryo-kun...?" he asked cautiously.

Tears drop from Sailor V's face as she cried into Masked Knight's shoulder. "Our selves
before now have all been before awakening," she told him. "A temporary form, for our true
mission."

"Yes," Masked Knight agreed softly, as he comforted her. "And we will no longer have to
face it alone."

They gets to their knees and looked out over the ledge. "We must search for our precious
allies. They're in Tokyo. I feel it," Sailor V said.

"As do I," Masked Knight added.

"Perhaps we are awakening now," she reasoned.

"Yes," Artemis said quietly. "You are. You both are."

"Together, we will defeat the Dark Kingdom and protect this planet!" Masked Knight stated
firmly.

"Then, we must find that most precious person," Sailor V added. "That is why we were born."

**********************************************

Aft er a long trip, they arrived in Japan at Narita Airport. "I still hate planes!" Ryoku
muttered a little unsteadily.

"However...," Minako said "that was a dramatic trip abroad. But I didn't get one souvenir!
But there's nothing I can do. I'm broke, as always, and it was a free trip."

"You have lots of souvenirs, Mina!" Artemis replied. "You and Ryoku have the memory of your
previous lives back, and you discovered the true identity of the enemy! And most
importantly, you've both returned fully realized sailor soldiers!"

"That's great, Mina!" Boss' voice says from her pen as they boarded the train.

"But still, Boss, Artemis," Minako interjected, "how are we supposed to find these allies?"

"You said you felt them, Mina!" Artemis told her.

"Right!" Minako retorted. "It was just a feeling!"

"Funny...," Ryoku added thoughtfully, "I think I felt them, too...."

A raven-haired girl with violet eyes looked over at them. "Wow...," she thought to herself.
"Bringing a cat inside a train...."

The train slowed to a halt. "Tokyo," the announcer said loudly. "Tokyo."

The dark-haired girl stepped off the train, while taking one last look at them.
'Strange.... Do I... know them? No, I don't think so.'

"This will be hard with just you and Ryo-kun," Minako said to Artemis. "We should get some
backup. I need collaboration!"

"And information!" Artemis added.

"And lots of planning," Ryoku added.

"Right, right," Boss agreed.

"And while I'm at it, funds!" Minako said as she and Ryoku stepped off the train, with
Artemis riding in Ryoku's arms. "We should take advantage of being soldiers of justice,
Ryo-kun!"

"Nan da?" Ryoku asked, puzzled. Realization and dread suddenly hit at the same time.
"No.... You don't mean...?"

"Didn't Natsuna-oneesan say we could get a nice salary?" she suggested.

"What?" Artemis asked.

"Not that woman who calls every week!" Ryoku pleaded. "Are you really serious, Minako-chan?"

"I'm going to home and call her, and tell her we're going to get part-time jobs with the
superintendent general!"

"What?!?"

Ryoku sighed defeatedly. "If that's you want, Minako-chan...."

Minako ran out into the street with a smile as Ryoku followed her, while Artemis demanded
to know what she was talking about.

'Anou.... From soldier of justice to civil servant of justice.... Mako-chan, see how hard
your oniichan works for his partner....

'Why me...?'

**********************************************

Di sclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.

The Question and all stories included are:
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.
Manga translation by Alex Glover © 1996
All Rights Reserved.