| Usagi: Sailor Neomoon Writer's Note: The Sailormoon universe belongs to and is copyrighted by Naoko Takeuchi and all the different distributors with rights. Sailor Neomoon and the NeoSenshi belong to me. If you want to use them in another fic, you may ONLY if you have permission from me first. That's not so hard to deal with, is it? Thanks go to these supporters - Erich, David, and Brian.
 by Eternal SailorSaturn
"Usagi, you were amazing last week," cheered Hanami.
Usagi blushed the same shade of pink as her hair. She tugged one of her pigtails and grinned sheepishly. "I was just protecting my home. I am sure that any of you would have done the same if you were in my shoes."
Miya put her soft hand on Usagi's shoulder. "You saved us. We have to look to you for protection whenever we are threatened again." Usagi smiled back at her beautiful friend.
"Hey, look," Kasumi interrupted, pointing off in front of them. "It is Toshiharu." They all waved enthusiastically to their friend, who hurried over. That day he was wearing a plain black t-shirt that stretched over his torso, conforming to the curves of his abs. A pair of loose-fitting blue jeans covered his legs down to a pair of black steel-toed boots. His one distinguishing feature was the small golden hoop he wore in his left ear. His sandy brown hair, as always, was pulled back into a ponytail, and his light blue eyes were alive with warmth. He appeared to be very happy to see his five favourite friends.
"Hey you," Raimeiko said, poking him in the ribs. "How have you been?"
"Moderately decent, I suppose." He winced, rubbing his side. "My parents came over to see Neo Queen Serenity about something important."
The girls made chitchat with Toshiharu as they walked back towards the palace. Usagi, though, remained quiet. I wonder if it has to do with the attack last week. They might be giving Mother and Father some advice. Hopefully we will not need it. I am just glad the other Senshi have recuperated, she thought to herself.
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Elsewhere ...........
"Akui!"
"Yes, my liege?"
"What do you have to report?"
"The kaibutsu failed, my liege. It was stopped by a group of warriors, the sailor Senshi."
"This displeases me, Akui. If I am to conquer these lands, I must not have any obstacles in my path!"
"Yes, my liege. I shall summon another kaibutsu to destroy the Senshi."
"Do not fail me, Akui."
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Meanwhile .......
The girls and Toshiharu had made it back to the palace. Just as they walked in, they were greeted by Toshiharu's departing parents. "Hello, Son. Girls. We were just on our way out. Are you staying, Sweetheart?" the pretty woman with a head of wavy aqua hair inquired.
He reddened slightly then nodded. "I would like to stay, Mother. Are you going out tonight, Papa?"
The honey blond woman merely smiled before Michiru tugged her towards the door. "Take care, Princess Serenity!" Haruka called back.
Hanami grinned. "They have such an amazing relationship."
Toshiharu blushed deeper, watching the silhouettes of his adoptive parents depart. "Mmmm.. yeah," he agreed shyly. The girls laughed. "What?" he asked, a look of innocence on his face. "How many couples stay together as long as they have?" The girls continued laughing in response, but they could not deny the truth in his question.
"Hello everyone."
They turned and saw Ami watching them, looking amused. They all greeted her then walked off into the palace with her after receiving the promise of handmade cookies from Makoto, except for Usagi who walked back out of doors. She sat down on the landing in front of the doors and sighed.
Passing by the doors, Diana noticed her princess sitting outside alone. She skirted through the ajar door and inquired softly, "Princess? What is the matter? You do not seem as cheerful as usual."
Usagi looked down and smiled faintly. "You worry too much, Diana. I am all right. I have just had a lot on my mind since the attack. It was so sudden."
"Hmm. You could be right. I will ask Rei to do a fire reading. Maybe she can discern something that we cannot. Now, come on, we should go back ins--"
Diana was interrupted by the appearance of another monster that resembled a mummy. It growled and shot several bandages out at Usagi, tangling them around her. She shrieked as she struggled to no avail against her secure bonds.
"Princess!" Diana cried then leapt at the kaibutsu. It knocked her away before it started pulling Usagi closer to it.
"No!" she screamed. This cannot be happening, she said in her mind. It is so tight! I am not going to be able to breathe soon.
But just as things appeared to be at their worst for the princess, a dagger pierced the wrappings, freeing her. Both the kaibutsu and she looked up dumbfounded in the direction the dagger had come from. Usagi blinked in surprise.
A short distance away was a young man in a black suit and matching flowing cloak. Peeking out from the cuffs of his tailored black jacket were crisp, white lace ruffles. Over his face he wore a mask similar to the Phantom of the Opera, and behind the mask were two piercing electric blue eyes. He reached into a pocket on his suit and withdrew another dagger. "Lovely princesses should not be treated so harshly. Why do you not fight a man instead?" The kaibutsu charged the masked one, and the two entered melee combat.
Now is my chance to transform, Usagi thought as she scooped up Diana and rushed into the palace, out of the view of the window. "NEO MOON POWER, MAKE UP!!" Once more, her clothes melted away and were replaced by her sailor fuku. Then she ran back outside, seeing her savior stranger getting wrapped in the bandages. "Hold it right there! I am the pretty sailor-suited NeoSenshi of love and justice, Sailor Neomoon! In the name of Crystal Tokyo, I will punish you!"
The mummy kaibutsu tightened its vice grip around the young man with the dark hair, causing him to groan in pain. What should I do? Sailor Neomoon thought. I might hit that mysterious man with my tiara if I throw it!
"CRESCENT BEAM!!" Suddenly a piercing gold light struck the bandages, releasing the hostage.
"SHABON SPRAY!!" Sailormercury's bubbles surrounded the mummy, obscuring its vision long enough for Sailormars to leap into the fray and carry the young man to safety.
"SUPREME THUNDER!!" Lightning encompassed the mummy, weakening it and making it moan unhappily.
"Everyone! I am glad you are here!" Sailor Neomoon said, looking relieved.
"Who is this guy?" Sailormars asked, pointing her finger down towards the unmoving body that she had just rescued.
"I do not know. He reminds me of Tuxedo Kamen," Sailor Neomoon answered.
"Can we get back to the matter at hand?" asked Sailorvenus, looking annoyed. Mars and Neomoon blinked then turned back towards the mummy.
"Sailor Neomoon, now!" directed Mercury.
Just as Sailor Neomoon was about to begin her attack, five bandages shot out from the mummy and wrapped tightly around each of the Senshi. They all cried out from the pain of their constricting bonds. But the pain was brief, and seconds later they felt the bandages loosen slightly. Instead of finding freedom from their bonds, though, the kaibutsu lifted the Senshi off the ground and hurled them through the plate glass window next to the double doors of the palace. They landed in jumbled heaps as glass rained down on them.
Akui appeared from thin air and focused her steel gray eyes on the scene. "This should please my liege. You have done well for a kaibutsu. Make sure you finish the job. Kill the King and Queen.. and their daughter." She arrogantly tossed her thick dark green tresses off her shoulder then turned and faded from view.
Things were looking grim for the Senshi, and as the kaibutsu turned towards their limp bodies, it appeared that Lady Luck was not on their side that day........
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