FicWad

Celestial Warrior Moon:
*]
[*Disclaimer: I do not own any Sailor Moonrelated properties. Sailor Moonis the property of Toei Animation and Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fan work created to celebrate the work. It is not intended to infringe on any copyrights.

Chapter 2
*]
[*Light Shines; Shadows Stretch

"Welcome to the Game Center Crown," Usagi announced.

She stood right in front of the door facing them both with her arms spread wise apart in a "tada" stance. She went in, new friends in tow. Straight to the right were the crane machines, and to their left was the main body of the arcane, full of customers busying themselves with either saving the world or matching skill against each other.

"Hey, look," Makoto said breathlessly.

She pointed to a nearby poster.

"They made a Sailor V made! Oh, it's going to be awesome," she said with fangirlish delight.

She held both hands balled up into fists against her chest giggling with almost childish delight.

"Do you think Sailor V has to worry about tests?" Usagi asked gloomily.

Makoto stopped her reverie to think about that for a moment.

"I don't really know, but hey, kicking bad guy butt! That's gotta rock!"

"Yeah, it must be pretty awesome to be Sailor V," Usagi said.

She took out her test paper and scowled at it.

"I really don't want to take this home…" she said.

"Ouch," Ami remarked upon seeing the grade.

The teen genius turned her attention to the poster. She read the poster over, looking for the release date.

"It looks like it just came out," Ami muttered.

"Do you think they have it?" the blue headed one asked.

"They should," Usagi answered. "Or at least, Motoki said they'd have it be today."

"Oh, who's Motoki," Ami asked.

"Oh, Motoki. You see, he's…" Usagi hesitated.

Her face flushed as she wrapped a finger in her hair absently, sputtering for words.

"Oh, is he your older brother?" Makoto asked.

"No! He's… Oh, here he comes!"

Motoki walked out from the back of the arcane to welcome the customers.

"Hey, Usagi," Motoki said in his usual warm manner. "Perfect timing! I just started working."

"Hello, Motoki," Usagi returned the gesture.

"That Sailor V game you were asking about last week just came in. You brought your friends, I see. Hmm, I don't think we've met."

"That's because they just transferred in," Usagi explained. "Motoki, this is Mizuno, Ami."

"Hello."

"And this Kino, Makoto."

Silence.

"Mako?"

Usagi and Ami looked at the taller girl. It seemed as though Makoto had left the building, or at least her mind had. Her eyes were starry and glassy, her mouth gaped open slightly, and she just stood there, staring dreamily at Motoki.

"Mako," Ami said.

She didn't react.

"Hello there, Mako? Anyone home?" Usagi said loudly.

She waved her a hand in front of Makoto's face and still no reaction. Usagi flushed. She was very much displeased that Makoto obviously had her eye on Motoki.

Ami turned to face Motoki with a shrug.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what could have gotten into our friend. She didn't seem shy before," Ami said apologetically.

Motoki laughed disarmingly.

"Hey, it's no problem."

"Mo-to-ki," Makoto drawled.

She seemed to come out of it.

"And hello to you, Makoto. Well, I have some work that needs doing, so I'll see you girls later. The Sailor V game is right over there."

The trio found the game a minute later. It had a two player mode, which meant they'd have to decide who the odd girl out was. To do so, they called upon one of the oldest, finest traditions of decision making that mankind has ever known: Paper-Rock-Scissors. Naturally, Usagi lost both rounds and had to watch as Ami and Makoto got to play first.

"Heh, since you've never played before, no hard feelings when I beat you, 'kay," Makoto said to Ami.

"I don't really mind."

"Eh. I'm going over to the crane machines. Tell me when someone's lost," Usagi said.

"No problem," Makoto gave the thumbs up signal.

Usagi wandered over to the other end of the store. As usual, Crane Game Raider Joe was emptying out of them out. A crowd had gathered around him to watch him. Usagi could never figure out how he did it, or why.

She looked down at her test results again. Angrily, she crumpled it up and threw it over her shoulder, presumably into the trash bin behind her.

"Hey," a voice grumpily shouted behind her.

She spun around, and immediately her expression went sour.

"Oh crap. It's that guy," her mind reeled.

"I guess I should count myself lucky it wasn't a rock," he said.

He grabbed from where it came to rest atop his head.

Then he recognized her.

"Oh, you. Hello, dumpling head."

"What are you going here?" she asked testily. "Hey, don't uncrumple that!"

"Wow, only 30 points," he said.

He tossed her the paper.

"Study harder, lumpy," he said. "I'm here to see my friend, if you don't mind."

"Mind your own damn business!" she said heated and embarrassed.

Then it hit her.

"Friend?" she asked, becoming a little curious.

"Hey, Mamoru," Motoki shook his hand. "What's up, pal."

"Oh, of course," Usagi thought dismally.

"Eh, you know, just this and that," Mamoru shrugged. "Nowhere near as busy as you, I'm sure. So how's the arcade business working out for you?"

"Oh, fine, fine," Motoki said. "It's not much, but it keeps the bills paid. So no complaints here."

"You're this guy's friend, Motoki?" Usagi asked.

"Yep. Mamoru and I go way back."

He then chose that unfortunate time to give Mamoru a friendly pat on the shoulder on his hurt, left shoulder. Usagi covered her mouth with her hands when Mamoru grunted in pain and dang near fell over.

"Whoa. What's wrong Mamo?" Motoki asked.

He steadied his friend.

"The Ring get a little rough again last night?"

"Yeah, something like that," Mamoru replied straining.

"Here, have a seat, man," Motoki said. "You have got to take better care of yourself. You're going to land yourself in the hospital one of these days."

"This happens a lot?" Usagi asked.

Motoki shrugged with a faint sense of frustration.

"Yeah. Mamoru's always been into martial arts, kick boxing, and the sort. He never seems to pass up an opportunity to get himself bruised up."

"Thank you. Really, Motoki, I'm alright. Just got a little careless, and I'm paying for it now. I'll be back to 100% in a couple of days."

"If you say so," Motoki said, sounding completely unconvinced.

"How did that happen?" Usagi asked.

Mamoru turned 'round on the stool he sat partially to face her.

"Things just got a little wild during a sparring match. Nothing major."

"Oh, yeah, nothing major except for the sore-as-hell shoulder," Usagi deadpanned.

"Oh, shoot! She beat me!" they heard Makoto shout from the games.

"Looks like I better go," Usagi said. "You see later, Motoki. And Jerkface, take it easy and let that shoulder heal."

"Later, Usagi."

"Later, Meatball head."

"Tsukino! Tsukino, Usagi," she corrected him angrily.

She stuck her tongue out at him, and he smirked back.

She returned to her friends' sides.

"Hey, what happened while I was gone?"

"You sure you never played before, because that was some real smooth button mashing," Makoto asked Ami.

"Never, I swear," Ami giggled. "I never knew how fun this could be."

"Well, then, you're a total natural," Makoto said. "Have at her, Usagi."

"Alright," Usagi hopped into the now vacant chair in front of the game.

"Prepare to meet your match, Ami. Ooh, look, a two player competitive mode."

Two minutes later…

"Wow, I won again," Ami said giddily.

Usagi just stared on slack-jawed.

"Like I said. A total natural," Makoto said. "Way a go, Ami."

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," Ami blushed.

The prodigy looked at her wristwatch.

"Shouldn't we get going to Naru's soon?" Ami asked. "It's getting kind of late?"

"Motoki has a phone you can use, so you can call you parents before we go," Usagi said.

"…She won't care, believe me," Ami replied with a hint of bitterness.

Usagi and Makoto exchanged awkward looks. Usagi cleared her throat and Makoto whistled uncomfortably.

"Well, in that case, let's just go," Makoto said.

"Just give me a second to see if Naru's gone home," Usagi said.

A few minutes, the girls left the arcane.

"Hey, see you later, Motoki," Usagi called.

"Later, girls," he called.

"By…" Makoto waved at him.

She lingered behind until Usagi pulled her out by the arm, with Ami pushing from behind. She sparsely seemed to notice. She kept her eye on Motoki until he was out of sight.

Mamoru glanced at the trio as they left.

"Mizuno, Ami," he muttered.

"Oh, you know her," Motoki asked.

"I know of her. She's the smartest kids in all Japan."

"Really?" Motoki replied, impressed.

"Heh, looks like Dumpling Head just found her ace in the hole."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They took the bus over to Naru's. It was a certainly a very nice abode. It was a yellow paint job, split level place with a black shingled roof and very well-crafted trappings all about. It certainly lived up to how would expect the home of a family that owned a jewelry store to look.

Usagi knocked on the door. After a moment or two, Naru answered it.

"Hi, guys. Come on in," Naru welcomed them.

She pushed the door all the way open, and then stepped back and out of the way. Immediately, she and Usagi started chattering nonstop about the several topics at once. Makoto and Ami stepped in past them and looked around. As they thought, the place was spotless and immaculate.

"So where will we be studying?" Ami asked.

"Up in my room," Naru replied. "Follow me."

She started up the stairs directly opposite the door. Usagi, then Ami, and lastly, Makoto followed her. Then Makoto thought she smelled something funny. She stopped and sniffed the air a few times. she wrinkled her nose and plugged it with her hand. She glanced to her left from where it seemed to be coming from.

In another room, the kitchen, was a door on the wall just across from where tomboy stood, hanging slightly open.

"Hey, Mako, you coming?" Usagi called from the top.

"Hey, where's that door lead?" Makoto pointed.

"Oh, that. That goes to the basement," Naru answered.

She came back down, and blinked in surprise.

"Hey, I closed that."

She went over and pulled the basement door closed it again. She scratched her head in confusion. She shrugged, at a loss.

"It's been so weird around here lately. The neighbors' dog has been barking at our house non-stop for a week now. On the same day that mutt started going crazy, I came home and there were little pieces of shredded newspaper all over the living room, leading to the basement. Other than that, nothing was out of place. It was really weird. On top of that, none of these stupid doors want to stay shut anymore," the petite brunette said.

"What about the smell?" Makoto asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"I have no idea. It just started yesterday evening. Mom thinks we might have mice, but I haven't seen or heard any rodents skittering around," Naru admitted.

"Did you call an exterminator?" Ami then asked.

"Yep, they're coming over this evening. I hope nothing's too bad down there."

"I can see why you wanted to do this over at Usagi's house," Makoto said. "I take it this never happens."

"Not before," Naru replied. "Come on, we better get to studying. Thankfully, nothing bizarre ever happens there."

The quartet got to work right away. Though, most of the studying on Usagi and Makoto's part could be defined as them getting corrected by either Naru or Ami. The latter quickly found that Makoto wasn't much better off than Usagi as far as school went. Another problem was that Usagi seemed distracted all night.

"Hey, pay attention!" Naru poked her friend in the arm.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Let's see, so the Edo Period is when the ninja fell out of use, right?" Usagi asked, coming back to reality.

"We're on math now, Usagi," Makoto chuckled.

"What? Let's see…let's see. Here it is! What page?"

"374, problem 12," Ami said not taking her eyes off her work.

"Hey, is this right?" Makoto asked Ami.

"Y=7, not 42. X=6, not 13," Ami corrected.

"What? Oh geez!" Makoto exclaimed unhappily. "I thought I had it that time! How did you get 7 and 6?"

"Let me show you," Ami held up her notes.

She began running the brunette through step by step.

Naru noticed Usagi spacing out again.

"Usagi, stay focused," Naru scolded.

She sighed, and turned to Ami.

"Alright, you help Makoto. I'll tackle Usagi's poor attention span. Alright, this is how you do problem 12. Usagi, pay attention!"

"I am," Usagi whined.

Naru rolled her eyes and set her pencil down.

"Alright, what's on your mind?" she asked.

Usagi looked away uncomfortably.

"It is the test?" Naru asked.

"Yeah…"

"So it's more than that," Naru said thoughtfully.

Then she smiled mischievously.

"Is about Motoki? Did he ask you out, or did you finally confess?"

Usagi's face must have turned the deepest shade of red any of them had any seen, and she shook her head vigorously.

"Ah-ha! It's about loo-oove," Naru practically sang.

"It…it is not," Usagi denied.

She folded her arms defiantly.

"It's about a lot of things," Usagi said unevenly.

"Love included," Naru leaned in and whispered to Ami and Makoto.

"Is not!"

"Heehee, your face says otherwise."

"Ah, man, I was going to ask Motoki out," Makoto moped.

"Were?" Ami asked.

"Until I met Usagi today, I've never made friends this fast before," Makoto whispered.

"School's tough, mom's always getting on my case, and it's study, study, study," Usagi said. "Life just seems soooo difficult now!"

"And then there's Motoki," Naru added, not about to let her friend deny anything. "Everyone right here's in the same boat, and so it's not like you're alone here. Now let's get through this math together, okay?"

"Okay."

In an hour, Usagi managed to force her way through math studies. With that done, she slumped over from mental exhaustion.

"Let's do some English," Ami said.

Usagi replied with a whimpering whine.

She took her out English book and cleared her throat to begin reviewing.

"H-hello…it…is…nice…to…uh…meat-o, er, no…meet you…"

"Eh, not too bad, but it still needs a lot of work," Naru said. "Let me show you."

Nightfall came as the hours dragged on, and still they toiled on. They heard the front door open.

"Naru, I'm home," they heard Naru's mother call.

"Welcome back, mom," Naru called.

She turned to the group.

"I'll be right back. Who want a soda?"

"Ooh, me, me," Usagi waved her hand on in the air.

"I'll take one, please," Ami said.

"Me three," Makoto added.

Naru went downstairs, leaving them alone. They could make out the girl asking how the sale went before the word left earshot.

"We must have cleaned out half the store," Naru's mother replied.

She sat down at the kitchen for relax for a moment. The doorbell rang.

"That'll probably be the exterminators. Be a darling and let them in, Naru."

"Okay."

Naru answered the door. Sure enough, two men in overalls were waiting to be let in.

"Miyamoto's Extermination Services," the older of the two said.

"I'm so glad you're here. The basement's this way."

"I…am…looking…for…fee…buke…stork, er, store. How was that?" Usagi asked.

"You got a few words wrong," Ami replied.

She began running Usagi through the words when Naru came back up the sodas.

"Hey, guys. Anyone thirsty?"

"Now that's what I'm talking about," Makoto reached for one.

Naru was about to start passing them out when suddenly, the entire house went dark. The four were shrouded in darkness.

"EEK!" Usagi screamed, becoming frightened very quickly.

"Hey, hey, calm down. It's just a power outage!" Makoto said crankily.

"But I'm afraid of the dark!" Usagi wept.

"Usagi, stop being such a wimp," Naru said.

"Just relax, any creepy that sneaks has to come through me," Makoto said confidently. "No sweat."

"Hey, everyone alright up there?" they heard Naru's mom call from downstairs.

"We're fine," Ami called back. "Just a little startled."

"Hey, mom, what happened?" Naru asked looking out into the dark house.

She could see the beam of her mother's flashlight shining up at them.

"I'm going down to the basement. We must have tripped one of the switches or something. Here, take this extra flashlight."

Naru came down to get.

"Thank, mom."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Osaka, but where is your fuse box?" they heard one of the exterminators ask.

"Coming," she called.

She opened the door to the basement and disappeared from view.

"I'm so sorry about this, gentlemen."

Naru turned to back up the stairs. She got back to the girls, and shined the light on them. Usagi still looked nervous. Makoto and Ami were gathering up their books. A scratching at the window made Naru turn the torch around. There, a black cat sat on the window sill just outside, pawing at the glass.

"Hey, isn't that the same cat from earlier?" Makoto asked.

"Aw, she found us again," Ami beamed.

"Weirdo cat," Usagi said. "Is it yours', Naru?"

"You know mom won't let me have any pets. She's allergic."

She climbed to her feet and opened the window. The cat leapt onto Usagi's shoulders again. All four of them laughed at this.

"Yep, same cat," Usagi said.

"Aw, she's sweet," Naru said.

She approached and held out her hand to pet. The cat sniffed her hand and growled. Naru withdrew it, alarmed.

"Hey, that's my friend, Naru. You be nice now," Usagi scolded.

The cat jumped down to the floor and continued sniffing Naru. It let out a hiss, and then continued sniffing along the floor, heading out into the upstairs hall.

"Whoa, she must smell something she really doesn't like," Makoto observed.

She and Ami got up. The four girls followed the cat out into hall, where it continued to growl and hiss at something they couldn't see. They just looked at one another and shrugged, figuring that all but confirmed the presence of mice. All four of them almost jumped out of their skin when a terrified scream pierced the air from the basement. It was Naru's mother.

"Mommy!" Naru yelled.

She dashed down the stairs with Makoto right beside her. Ami followed after, and Usagi hesitated on the staircase. The cat looked up at her expectantly.

"Oo-oo-oooh, scarrrry," Usagi shivered. "Guys, don't leave me alone up here. Guuuys!"

She ran down after them, more petrified of being alone in the dark than whatever was down in the basement. Naru swung the basement door open.

"Mom! Mom!" she shouted down into the darkness.

When no answer came, she started to run down the stairs, but Makoto yanked her back.

"Stop, you dummy!" Makoto ordered.

"BUT MOM…!"

"I'm going down first!" Makoto barked.

"Run! Run!" they heard a voice from the stairs yell.

One of the exterminators burst through the opening, almost knocking over Naru and Makoto in the process. The girls gasped when they saw him. He was covered in deep gashes, blood, and sweat all over. His overalls were torn and shredded. He carried Naru's mother over his shoulder.

"Get out of…!" he started to shout, but he never got a chance to finish. He cried out as something unseen yanked the feet out from under him and he slammed facedown onto the floor.

He lost grip of Naru's mother when he fell and she was flung away from him. Makoto was quick to act. She dove feet first under Mrs. Osaka's fall. She caught the woman in her lap. The man screamed and begged as he dragged into the darkness in a flash. Ami barely managed to reach out to grab his hand, but it was slick from the blood it was drenched so her grip slipped. And then he was gone, swallowed by that thick wall of black. He was down the stairs in an instant, but he screamed all the way.

"No! No, please!" they heard him beg.

He was interrupted by a loud, slimy crackle. He let out another piercing cry again, a dying howl of agony.

Then all was dead silent down in the depths of the cellar. The girls were too frightened to move. Breathing in and out deeply a few times, Makoto found her courage. Naru shined the light on her mother, and looked down at her. Makoto also inspected the woman she cradled in her arms. Mrs. Osaka was in critical condition. She was out cold and bleeding badly from a nasty gash on her shoulder, though still better off than that poor man.

"Is she…?" Naru asked worried.

"She'll live," Makoto replied. "Close that door."

Naru didn't hesitate to comply.

"Let me see her," Ami stooped down next to Makoto.

The child prodigy produced small flashlight from her bag and shined on it the wounded woman. Makoto gently carried Mrs. Osaka out onto the front porch, and then set her down just as gently. Ami and Naru followed her out. While Ami bound her wound, Naru picked up the phone and tried to dial for help. After dialing, nothing happened. The phone was dead, too. Usagi stood, petrified, watching that door. The moonlight streamed in through a window, making it just visible to her.

"The phone's dead," Naru whispered. "Usagi, run next door and get the neighbors. They'll call an ambulance for us."

Usagi didn't need to be told twice to flee from that house. The blonde flew across the lawn over to the neighbors. She rang the doorbell and waited.

Makoto took the flashlight from Naru. She went to the basement door and grabbed the knob.

"Mako, what are you doing?" Naru hissed.

Makoto looked to her and put a finger to her lips. She opened the door a crack and shined the light down into the dark at the bottom of the flight.

She clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out at what she saw. Her eyes were wide and horrified. Down at the bottom of the steps was the shredded form of the exterminator that had bore Naru's mother out. Hunched over him like some kind of animal or beast. It had its back to the steps. What it was she couldn't tell, but it appeared to be a naked man bald from head to toe, or some kind of large dog creature. Its body was twisted and unnatural, as though it had been furiously beaten several times. It was skinny as if it had been starved. She could have counted its uneven and crooked ribcage if she wanted. Its spine wasn't straight from top to bottom, but curved like it had been injured very badly. Its pale gray skin was covered with bruises, lacerations, and horrid scars all over.

It was also covered in blood. It had its head bowed down directly against the man's stomach, making jerking motions with it. Makoto could hear the crunching chewing noises it was making. She heaved, growing nauseous. It was eating him!

She turned back to Naru who lingered in the front room.

"Out of the house, now," she whispered. "Go!"

She took a single step back.

"Naru, go!" Makoto hissed.

Usagi stepped into view, she was breathing hard.

"I tried both neighbors. Nobody's answering their door," she whined.

She bumped the cat. Startled, she jumped away and screamed shrilly. Makoto flinched then froze completely. Makoto's head slowly turned and looked down the stairs. Her felt a chill go down her spine.

"Oh, crap," her thought.

The thing in the basement had stopped feasting on the dead man. It hadn't turned around yet, but had straightened up into an upright position on its haunches, a lot like a canine. But upright as it was, its body shape more resembled a man's that had badly warped to be able to sit like that. It turned its body partway to the stairs and slowly twisted its inhumanly long neck to look at Makoto. She felt as though her whole body became as lead staring at its face. Its mouth and nose was like that of a canine's as well, but the overall shape of the head was still more human. Makoto's face twisted in disgust upon seeing the chunks of flesh hanging from its maw. But the feature that brought utter terror to her heart were those eyes. Those black eyes. She couldn't tell if its eyes were just black or if they were empty eye sockets. Either way, she could feel its gaze upon her.

Its jaws opened wide, revealing two rows of yellow, nasty, sharp teeth as it let loose a roar. It was light-pitched and shrill, like the sound a dog makes when it's frightened or angry. Only instead of a series of short barks, it was a long, ear-ringing bellow.

It turned fullly towards Makoto. It raised its arm-like appendages in the air. At the end of each of its five, bony fingers was a long bone-like claw that dripped with blood. Then it stood up on all fours, in a position almost like an elongated frog. On all fours, it must have stood four feet off the ground, and was about the mass of a large human male. Then it rushed up the stairs quickly, making a flailing sort of motion, its claws clattering against the wood steps. Makoto slammed the door and braced herself against it.

"Everyone! Run! Run now!" she hollered.

Before anyone had the chance to move at all, the thing slammed against the door. Wood burst and splintered all around the frame as it was knocked off its hinges on the very first try. Makoto was violently slammed into the floor along with the door. She hit her head, and it felt as though the world spun and exploded around her. Usagi and Naru were utterly horror struck by what they saw, and unable to budge.

It tossed aside the door, which was partially cover Makoto. Then it leaned in close to her and raised one of its clawed hands into the air, ready to strike. It took in a deep breath. Then it paused, and sniffed at the air a few more times. Usagi whimpered in a low voice it as looked right at her. It stepped over the hapless Makoto as if she were nothing. Its claws clicked on the wooden floor as it strode across at the blonde. Usagi stepped back slowly to keep the distance between the two of them.

Naru felt panic overtake her and she screamed, and stumbled back. She only managed to back up against the wall. Ami poked her head around the corner. Her covered her mouth with her hand to keep quiet. The thing regarded Naru with annoyance and smacked her with the back of its hand. She hit the ground violently and was still. Ami gasped and disappeared from view again, uncertain of what to do.

"Naru!" Usagi cried.

The thing snarled at her in response. The message was clear: keep still and keep quiet. She backed into the stairwell railing at the base now. It stepped in close, less than a foot from Usagi's face. The rancid smell made her sick. Then it spoke, but not a man's noise, it was in that same shrill noise as before and barely coherent:

"Give me your life."

It raised its claw to strike, but the cat leapt onto its face and began clawing and biting at it. The thing backed around in circles, struggling with the feline. This brought Usagi back to her senses and she ran for it. It grabbed the cat and hurled it away. The beast looked and spied Usagi again. Its lips curled up either in a horrible smile, or it was just baring its teeth. Usagi would be out the door in just another step. Just as she passed over the threshold, it grabbed her leg and tossed her back inside. She landed with a dull thud on her side in the middle of the floor.

She looked up and saw it about to pounce. She kicked out with her feet and managed to land a hit on its face. It just growled at her and grabbed both her legs in one hand and prepared to rip her apart with the other. Ami dashed in holding up a wooden chair. With every ounce of strength the little teen could muster, she broke it over the thing's head and back. It lurched forward slightly and loosed its grip on Usagi's legs. It lashed out at Ami with its free hand. She held what remained of the chair in front of her like a shield. With a single swipe of its claws it reduced the object into splinters, and while it protected Ami from the brunt of the blow, the force still hit poor Ami like a concrete block. Her body smashed into the railing of the stairwell three feet from where she had just been hard enough to make it crack and groan under the stress. She slumped down in a limp sitting position with her head bowed, out cold.

Usagi pulled both legs free of the thing's, withdrew them in close, and kicked with both of them. She kicked the thing in the chest, knocking it off balance. She flipped herself over and started to run away on all fours into the kitchen. She planned the retreat through the connected rooms of the house and back. It was so close behind her she could feel its breath. Just as they passed Makoto, the girl suddenly sprang up into a sitting position and gripped the monstrosity by the chin and the top of its head in her hands. The creature was so stunned that it didn't have time to react before she, with one, swift jerk, twisted its neck hard enough that it broke with a loud 'crack'!

The thing fell to the ground next to her lifelessly.

"Makoto!" Usagi cried, relieved.

The brawny girl hopped to her feet and looked at Usagi apologetically.

"Sorry," Makoto said genuinely. "I had to tri…WHAT THE HELL?"

The beast jumped to its feet again, its head hanging limply to the side from its broken neck. Usagi begun to scream nonstop and ran past it. Makoto backed away, utterly stunned by the sight. It grabbed its head and held it up so that it was in its 'normal' position. With a 'crunch', the bones reconnected.

Usagi grabbed hold of Makoto, trying to pull her to the door. But the bigger girl shrugged her grip off.

"Go! I'll hold it off!" she shouted firmly.

Usagi was about to argue, but the thing advanced on them again. Usagi sprinted over to Naru and tried to wake her.

It lunged at Makoto, but she stopped it dead with a simple forward snap kick to its face, followed by a sidekick to the side of its head, a spinning roundhouse to the other side of its head, and finally a jumping spin kick to its chest. It crashed onto its back on the floor. Makoto brought her right foot, readying to hit it with an ax kick. Its hand shot up and grabbed her leg, stopping the assault right there. It then stabbed its claws upwards at Makoto's other leg and thigh. She blocked the attack with her hand and punched it in the face with the other. It let go of her and stepped back. Before she could try anything else it was upright again.

Ami moaned painfully and slowly looked up. All she could see at the moment was one, dark blur, but she could hear what was happening. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head, trying to clear her vision.

Makoto leapt at it again with a jumping side kick, but it ducked out of the way and swiped at her. She was light on her feet and just missed its attack. She let loose with a sweeping ax kick from left to right, but it ducked again. It swiped out, but Makoto jumped over its attack and aimed a knee at its head. It jumped back a pace and her assault missed again.

Makoto grinned. Now it was right up against the wall like she had planned. The creature glanced back and realized what a precarious position it was in. It looked back at her just in time for her to attack with what would be the first of many wallops with her foot. She didn't intend to stop. She was going to unleash a whole series of them until the thing fell to the ground in an unconscious or dead heap. She foot came at right and was an inch from its face.

It ducked to the side at an impossibly last split second and lunged forward as she foot kicked the air harmlessly where it had just been. It stabbed its claws the side of her leg and outer thigh. Makoto's mouth opened as if to scream, but only a tin squeak came out. Then it grabbed her by the shoulder and the hip and hurled her across the house. She slammed into the side of the stairwell right next to Ami. Ami stumbled away and out the door.

Usagi spun around while still on her knees next to Naru. It bounded at her friend who could only watch it come through senseless, glazed over eyes. Usagi didn't see what happened next. She sprinted out the door, practically flying over the porch and onto the grass. Ahead of her, Ami ran across the street towards the house opposite of the Osaka's and began pounding on the front door frantically with both fists.

Usagi heard a crash and glanced back at the house. Something was thrown through one of the windows and it landed on the lawn not far from her. It was the still form of Makoto. There were five long gashes from her left shoulder clear down to her thigh from a single slash of the creature's sharp nails. The sound of something landing on the porch brought her attention back to the house. That thing had jumped through the now open window onto the railing of the porch. It dropped onto the ground and crawled over to Makoto. When it was hunched over her, its face turned up at the sky and it roared a triumphant howl like a wolf standing over its prey.

Ami whipped around when she heard it and flattened herself against the door. Usagi stopped running, but every fiber in her body wanted to just keep going. If she did, she knew that thing would kill Makoto, Ami, Naru, and Mrs. Osaka. Without thinking, she grabbed one of the decorative rocks that lined either side of the driveway and flung at the monster.

The rock impacted with the beast's head and bore it to the ground. It howled in pain. There was now a nasty gash in the side of its head. It glared at Usagi, flipped itself over and charged at her. She grabbed another rock and threw it. It struck the beast in the back, but it did not stop. Usagi throw one more, which made it stumble briefly, and then turned tail in full on retreat.

"Meow."

A look through her peripheral and she spotted the cat sitting next to where she had been standing. It was still alive? Not only that, but there was something different now. She didn't stop to look or think about it, but she could have sworn she saw a golden patch a fur upon the feline's head in the shape of a crescent moon.

Usagi ran out onto the pavement as fast as her legs would a carry her. She could hear the abomination's claws loudly clicking against the sidewalk. She dared a look back. It was chasing after her, running just like a dog would. And it was gaining. When the girl and the beast ran past, Ami instinctively grabbed the door knob and found the house was unlocked. She slipped inside and tried to turn on the light, but found the power was out there, too. she pulled out her little flashlight and shined it around the abode. She gasped at what she saw.

A family of three were strewn across the floor in the living room. They had been ripped to shreds, and by the markings, Ami could tell that they were slaughtered in their own home by the very same creature pursuing Usagi.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Help! Somebody help me! Please!" Usagi begged.

she raced through the streets, her feet pounding the concrete as she went.

A disgruntle old woman opened her upstairs window to peer out and see who was causing all that ruckus. She let out a little scream when she sighted the teen being chased by some kind of wild animal. She went back into the house.

"Shigeru, call the police!" she yelled.

Usagi could see it come up alongside her out of the corner of her eye. She mouth fell open as she saw it ready itself to pounce. It sprang into the air, and she dived out of the way just in time. She rolled, pushed herself back up with her legs, and was running again. One good thing all those mornings scrambling to get to school had done for her. She was light on her feet.

By now, she was crying again.

"I don't wanna die! Just leave me alone! Mom! Dad! Somebody!" she shrieked.

She continued to blubber, scream, and yell while fleeing from it. Dodging and scrambling away from it as best as she could. It managed to catch her in the back, tearing at her uniform top. She called for help again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Have you discovered anything new about the enemy?"

"Afraid not, and all the rocks were just your plain, ordinary priceless gems," a young raven haired young man answered. "I've already turned them over to the police."

He walked alone along a dark city street with only the streetlights to illuminate the way ahead. He spoke into a device that would not hit the Japanese market until the mid 1990s, a mobile phone.

"Do you have any other leads, kid?" the voice on the other end asked.

"Not at the moment, but I'll keep searching," he said.

He stopped and looked around. He had just heard a scream? After a few seconds, he started walking again.

"Hello? Hello?" the person called.

"Sorry about that. I thought I heard something… There it is again."

"What do you hear?"

"We'll continue this later. I have to go."

"Hey, wait-!" Click

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She dashed around the corner into an alley. She intended to run into a crowded street, but her pursuer landed right in front of her. She tried to skid to a halt before slamming into it, but couldn't. She bounced off the creature and landed on her bum on the pavement.

"Ow!" she yelped.

She turned over and tried to run again, but it quickly blocked her again, and again. No matter which way she tried to run, there it was. It grabbed her by the waist and pushed her flat against the back of a car. There it held her while its other clawed hand came up.

"No. Please!" she begged.

They heard the cat growling again. They both looked at the little animal standing right there next to them. Now Usagi could see the crescent moon symbol upon its brow. It was on its side with the points facing upwards, but she could still tell what it was. Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light. She and the beast both shielded their eyes, and when the light faded...in place of the cat there was now a woman.

She wielded a fauchard spear that had a single curved blade. She stabbed at the creature, but it was too quick and hopped backwards away from the thrust. She then stepped forward, planting herself firmly between Usagi and the abomination.

Usagi looked at her rescuer. She was a very beautiful, tall woman with long black hair, reddish-brown eyes, and pale skin. She was certainly taller than Makoto and had a lean frame. The woman wore matching black pants, a knee length black, long-sleeved tunic, with black leather boots and gloves. Usagi could hear the rustle of some kind of metal, like little chain links, under the heavy top.

"Can you stand?" the woman asked without looking at her.

"Y-yes."

"Stand."

Usagi clumsily stood up, and looked past her defender at the black-eyed monstrosity that threatened them.

"What is that…thing?" Usagi asked in a frightened whisper.

"He is The Rake."

"Who…who are you?"

"The name's Luna."

With that, Luna squared off with the Rake. It made the first move, rushing in close and attacking with its claws. Luna twirled the spear, blocking every attack and then making one of her own, which the beast ducked and rolled out of the path of. It counter-striked, and Luna jumped clean over it, landing behind it.

She brought the blade around again, but The Rake flipped out of the path of the attack. Then with a single bound, she was at Usagi's side again.

"Tell me. Do you want live, Tsukino, Usagi?"

"What?"

The Rake charged again from the front which Luna met with her own surge forward. She raised the pole weapon to attack. At the last minute, though, The Rake ducked down low and slid past Luna. It lashed out with claws. Luna darted forward. At first, it seemed as though she had avoided it attack again.

Luna gritted her teeth painfully. She looked down at the shredded pant leg and deep cuts. She turned to face it again. The Rake let out a laugh, which sounded more a moist choking sound than anything any human would call a chortle. The message was clear, though.

"Do you want to live, Miss Tsukino?" Luna called to the girl.

"What do ya mean? Yes! What kind of question is that!?"

Then like magic, Luna was standing by Usagi's side yet again. The girl stumbled back in surprise.

"Then you must save yourself," she said to the girl.

"What? But can't you…"

Luna swiped at The Rake, stopping another attack from it and cut loose with a flurry of strikes, which it easily evaded. It retreated several paces, and Luna began to breathe hard and clutched her leg, falling onto one knee. Somehow, her cuts seemed to be getting worse. The Rake bared its teeth.

"I lack the power to slay creatures such as this."

The Rake was on Luna again with the speed of a lightning bolt. Usagi brought both hands up to her face in horror. She couldn't watch. The whole thing seemed to happen in slow motion. She saw it launch itself into the air, both hands spread wide apart and fingers outstretched, and closing in fast.

Luna's arm shot up. She held some kind of rope in her arm. She shouted something in a language Usagi couldn't understand. The rope seemed to come alive, coiling around The Rake and bearing it backwards to the ground. The Rake screeched and fought against the restraints.

Luna limped back over the Usagi as fast as she could.

"Are you okay?"

"No. Wounds from The Rake don't feel by themselves, they only spread and weaken the victim. Usagi, if you want to save both your friends and yourself, you must kill this eldritch thing!"

"Me? I can't kill that thing! It's impossible!"

"Then it will continue to maim, kill, and destroy, starting with you, then your friends, their families, and worse! It remembers the scent of its victims and will seek out those who share it! Your family will be next! That seal won't hold him for long, either!"

That got Usagi's attention. She pictured her mother, father, and little Shingo being terrorized and slaughtered by that thing.

"But how?" Usagi begged.

"Like this," Luna replied.

She touched her index and middle fingers to Usagi's forehead and again speak in that odd tongue. Usagi gasped. She felt warm, no, burning hot, and like her body felt like it just burst from all the energy she suddenly felt. She felt invigorated far beyond her wildest imaginings.

"Awaken, Celestial Warrior of the Cosmos!" Luna shouted.

Then she stepped back and looked at Usagi. The girl blinked as the feeling of power within her faded. Luna looked at her in astonishment.

"No, this can't be! You didn't awaken?"

"What are you talking about?"

Luna looked back at The Rake, which had nearly freed itself now. The rope snapped as it pulled free. She turned back to Usagi.

"You must flee. Now!"

Usagi didn't need to be told twice. She turned and ran once more just as it broke loose. She could hear it come up behind rapidly. Luna stood firm, but it leapt right over her after its prey.

Usagi looked back and it almost upon her. Luna pursued as best she could with a hurt leg. Usagi raised both arms in the air in a feeble attempt to guard herself. When it was within two meters of her, she became so petrified that her heart actually skipped a beat.

"NNNNNOOOOO!" she screamed.

Her entire body jerked as that burning energized sensation returned. Luna grinned when she realized what was happening. She slowed to a stop and watched. The girl stood tall as pure white, swirling light like a small funnel cloud burst forth from her. She stood in the middle of vortex. The Rake stopped dead and fell onto its back in shock. It shielded its black eyes from the blinding light, which it could not bear to look at. It hissed contemptuously at the gleam.

From the skies above, came the sound of something whistling through the air like a missile. Luna looked up and saw a small glowing projectile heading right for Usagi. When it reached her, her hand shot straight up and grabbed the small, stick-like object. The whole world seemed to explode into light for just an instant. When it cleared, Usagi the ordinary school girl no longer stood there. Luna smiled.

"Celestial Warrior Moon," she identified the person before her.

The item Usagi held aloft and even was a steel sword hilt padded in leather. But this was not just an ordinary sword, but a double-bladed sword with long, sleek shimmering curved blades attached to both ends of the hilt. Their curves faced opposite directions, with up going upwards and the other downwards. This would allow the wielder to keep cutting indefinitely at long as they could keep the blades spinning.

Of course, the sword wasn't the only thing that was different. The girl's attire had also completely changed.

Upon her face was a silver metal masquerade-style mask that fit over her forehead, eyes, nose, and covered the upper sides of her face, but not the ears. Before wrapping around the back of her head, the mask receded with rounded borders into a simple band in the back. It was decorated with interconnecting spiral designs engraved in some kind of dark gray material. The same symbol of the golden crescent moon adorned the middle of the forehead of the mask.

Her upper torso was protected by an elegant form fitting silver chest plate, which became segmented in the stomach region for movement. The front of the chest plate was also decorated with the golden crescent moon symbol, and around weaved runes in a script long forgotten. Matching shoulder and elbow guards glistened in the starlight. She wore a pair of hourglass finger gauntlets. Any part of the arm not protected by the guards or gauntlets was covered in chain mail.

Her lower half was covered in what could only be described as an armored battle ballgown with several smaller silver scale-style segmented plates covered it. The small plates went down just past Usagi's knees in a receding triangle pattern until only one dangled at the bottom of them, and the blue cotton underneath them ended just above her ankles. Her feet bore silver steel footwear and matching greaves. The cloth of the skirt, itself, was white.

Usagi lowered herself into a fighting stance she didn't even know she knew. Her held one arm outstretched in front of her with the palm open and facing upwards. Behind her, she held the curved blades up and level.

"What am I doing? Like I could really use this thing," she thought.

"Celestial Soldier," The Rake rasped.

It rushed in with its limbs flailing madly, ready to kill this newly awakened warrior. Reflexively, Usagi deepened her stance and gripped the hilt with both hands. Without even needing to think about it, she swung one of the blades around just as the scuttler neared. So mad in its intent to kill, it was unable to stop its forward motion in time.

The blow connected. The Rake backed away, screaming at almost ear-splitting volumes. Its arm harmlessly hit the pavement while it clutched the gaping wound where the limb formerly roamed.

Usagi blinked. Had she really done that? The Rake came for her again, and she straightened up, spinning the blades out in front of her protectively.

"Whoa? When'd I learn to do this?" her mind reeled.

She took a step forward and cut the beast from the left shoulder down to the right outer thigh. The other blade spun forward, and she angled it lower, slashing it across the chest. It screeched and turned around, trying to retreat, but the instant it had its back to her, Usagi thrust out and skewered it from behind.

She withdrew the blade and it stumbled away. It started to run away, but then suddenly turned and charged again. Usagi was ready, though and prepared to counter-strike. Then The Rake leaped high into the air and landed to her side. She turned, but it leapt again, and kept this up. Usagi sliced through the air all around, but she could not keep track of the beast.

Suddenly it was mere inches from her. She screamed, but instead of backing away like she usually would, she acted swiftly, she brought her armored elbow down on its face and knocked onto its back. She stepped forward with the sword raised above her head and brought it down at the monster. It rolled out of the way just in the nick of time. Raw energy blasted in all directions when the blade hit the ground, sending The Rake flying several yards. He bounced, rolled, and skidded on the ground before coming to rest.

This time, when The Rake picked itself up and ran at her again. She prepared to block, but instead of attacking her, it only grabbed its arm in its jaws, turned tailed, and fled.

"Don't let him escape!" Luna yelled.

"Ah! Right," Usagi answered.

Usagi ran after it, but found it difficult to keep up even with her energy reinvigorated and it being down on limb. She leaned forward into a bird run with her arms swept far back. It ducked into an alleyway, and Usagi followed.

"Oh thank goodness, a dead end," she thought.

Yet, it wasn't slowing down, which she thought was odd. It reached the wall and grabbed hold of it. Usagi cried out in bewilderment as it began to skitter up the wall of then ten storey building almost as fast as it covered even ground. She didn't stop, either, though.

"Usagi…" Luna called from the end of the alleyway. "Wait…"

Usagi put a foot to the wall and tried to run on up. She instead fell flat on her back. Luna winced upon seeing the impact.

"Ooh, ouch," she said.

"What?!" Usagi cried. "How come he gets to climb walls and I don't?"

The Rake was almost at the top, just a few steps and it could reattach its arm and disappear into the night. Its hand gripped the ledge, and it began to pull itself. A black booted foot stomped down on its hand. It let out a muffled scream, as it still carried its other arm in his mouth. Phantom Mask leaned forward over the ledge, putting even more weight on the foot that was flattening The Rake's remaining hand.

"Hey there, beautiful, don't you know it's rude to leave when the party's just getting started?" he asked it wryly.

With another stomp, he made the thing lose its grip and fall the several stories back down into the alley.

"Waaaah!" Usagi and Luna screamed upon seeing it falling at them.

They scurried out the way just before it impacted with the cement ground. They looked at the still form of the creature and the cracks in the pavement around it. The fiend slowly rolled over and rose again. It looked up and saw the two women. They both went into their fighting stances.

"Can't this thing die?!" Usagi asked exasperated. "You told me to kill it before went back to finish off my friends!"

"Yes. Usagi, throw your weapon, and shout "Moon Blade Boomerang"."

The Rake's final assault came swiftly.

"Moon Blade Boomerang!" Usagi shouted hastily.

She threw the butterfly sword. Both blades shined with the same light that had changed her before. The spinning projectile cleaved The Rake in half down the middle vertically. With a final death howl, the light burned it up into ash, and it was no more. The blade changed its trajectory and returned to Usagi. It stopped spinning and she grabbed it. From the pile of ashes that were all that remained of the beast, a glowing blue orb floating into the air and shot into the sky.

"What was that?" Usagi asked, confused and frustrated.

"I don't know, but you did it, Usagi," Luna congratulated her. "The Rake is no more."

"Indeed, she did," a voice from above said.

They glanced up and saw a man in a mask who sat on a narrow ledge on the wall about a story above them.

"Whoa. Who're you?" Usagi asked.

"They call me Phantom Mask, my fair ladies," he replied politely.

"The mysterious jewel thief," Usagi breathed.

"You just caught quite a prize. This thing had been a terror of the night since at least the 1600s," he said.

"Who are you really?" Luna demanded

"Phantom Mask will do. Heh. You're very interesting. What's your name, my pretty little soldier?"

"Uh… Celestial Warrior Moon," Usagi answered.

"Pretty Soldier Moon, I won't forget you."

With that, he vanished as quickly as he appeared. Luna and Usagi could hear the sounds of sirens in the distance and getting closer.

"Come on, we'd better go," Luna spoke hurriedly.

She leaned on Usagi, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. With a flash, she was a cat again, standing on Usagi's shoulder.

"Hold me tight and jump," she instructed.

"...Why?"

"Would you believe me if I said you could jump to the roof?"

Usagi's eyes brightened, and she nodded happily. She grabbed Luna in her arms and was about to push off of the ground.

"Jump from wall to wall! You're not Superman, so a single bound is out of the question."

"Awwww."

Usagi sighed. She jumped up, aiming for one of the walls, and pushed off with her feet, launching herself upwards at the opposite wall. They reached the roof after a dozen repeated jumps. Phantom Mask was nowhere in sight. Still, Usagi hopped from rooftop to rooftop back towards Naru's house, carrying Luna with her.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not far away, a lone figure stood on another rooftop and watched them shrink into the distance. In the palm of his hand, he held the orb that had come out of The Rake. He smirked while observing them.

"Oh, how quaint. The Celestial Warriors have begun to awaken. Well, let them come. My eyeless little friend completed his mission. We have more than enough human lives...for now. Still, my Queen must be informed of this."

His body turned transparent before he and the orb faded from view altogether.