Shieldsman
A Sailor Moon S Fanfic

All Sailor Moon characters the property of the people who have rights to
them.  Don't sue me.

Notes at the end.

***

1 - Awakening

***

Mamoru shouted himself awake, and looked in confusion at his room for a
moment.  *The same damn dream,* he cursed.  *A man, in a red uniform, with
a shield.*  He held his head as he tried to remember more.  *It was the
Silver Millenium.*  He looked out the window at the moonlight streaming
into his window.  *He was my friend, I think.  But why do I remember him
with such sadness?*

Mamoru got out of bed and went to his washroom.  He stared at his
reflection in the mirror and splashed some water on his face.  *I had
better talk to Luna about this.*  He returned to his bed and the restless
sleep it offered him.

***

In another room, a tall, slender man with strawberry hair twisted in his
sleep.  He suddenly awoke, his eyes blank with some supressed emotion. 
After a few minutes, his eyes cleared and he sat on the edge of the bed. 
He looked out his window, to see the moonlight leave shadows on the trees
below.  As he watched, tears began to fall from his eyes.

***

"Usagi-chan, you're late," Rei scolded.  "Again."  Usagi half-heartedly
stuck her tongue out at Rei and sat down, her face showing a great deal of
worry.

The Inner Senshi sat in a small restaurant.  Each one had a soda or some
other drink in front of them.  Ami looked up from her book and smiled at
Usagi.  "Don't worry, Mamoru's late too."  Usagi's face darkened further at
that.  Worried now herself, Ami asked "Usagi-chan, what's wrong?"

"Mamo-chan's been all tired and wiped out lately," she said despondently. 
"And he won't tell me what's wrong no matter how I ask."  She was silent
for a moment, and her eyes began to brim with tears.  "He keeps on having
these wierd dreams too, but he won't tell me about them."  With that, Usagi
broke down and cried.  

While Ami and Makoto tried to comfort her, Minako looked over at Rei. 
"Another warning from the future?" she mused.  "Or is someone coming back?"

Rei looked over at the tearful Usagi, and fought the urge to snap at her. 
"She's useless like this.  I hope Mamoru gets better soon."  She couldn't
help the uneasy feeling she felt, though.

***

Luna listened silently as Mamoru told her about his dreams.  Artemis
watched Luna as he listened, and caught the look of sorrow that passed
through her eyes for a moment.  As he finished, Luna was silent for a long
time.  "It does sound familiar," she finally said.  "If you have any more
dreams tell me about them."

Mamoru nodded and went to meet up with Usagi and the others.  Artimis
padded up to Luna.

"You know who he's talking about, don't you?" he asked her.  Luna sighed.

"Yes," she admitted, her voice a whisper.  "He's refering to a man called
Crimson.  A Shieldsman.  Oh Serenity, how could you?  Didn't he suffer
enough the first time?"  The black cat seemed ready to sob.

Artemis walked up and rubbed his chin on her shoulder.  "Tell me, Luna."

"The Shieldsmen were intended to work with the Senshi.  To protect them
while they fought, and to bodyguard them in and out of battle.  Each one
died in the Silver Millenium, protecting their Senshi.  All except for
Crimson.  He was...in love with Mars, whom he was sworn to protect.  She
never let him work with her, and he lived until the very end."  Luna
suddenly wished cats could cry.  "It's not fair, Artemis."

"What's not fair?" he asked, and walked around her to look in her eyes.

Luna shook her head.  "Crimson was a joker.  An irreverant prankster, who
delighted in making people laugh, a wonderful man.  But he loved Mars, and
she never returned his affection."  She paused.  "If I let him awaken,
he'll remember his love for Mars.  He shouldn't have to suffer again,
Artemis.  He shouldn't have to remember a love for a woman who treated him
as an irritant and an annoyance."

Artemis thought about what Luna said.  It was hard to relate in many ways. 
Mamoru and Usagi merely rekindled an old romance, one made easier by the
knowledge of what could come to pass.  His own relationship with Luna was
in much the same boat.  "Maybe she wanted him to have a second chance," he
finally said.  "A chance to do the duty he was never able to fuffil the
first time."  As an afterthought, he added.  "A chance to have his love
returned."

Luna sighed, and rubbed Artemis's face with her own.  "I hope so, Artemis. 
I really do."

***

Mamoru walked to the restaurant he was supposed to meet the girls at.  He
grimaced as his head began to throb and he lost balance.  *One decent
night's rest, that's all I ask.*  He resigned himself to hitting the
ground, but a pair of strong hands caught him.

"Hey, are you OK?"  Mamoru felt himself hoisted up and set against a nearby
wall.  "You want me to get you a doctor?"

"No, thank you," Mamoru replied wearily.  "I'm just tired."  He looked up
to thank his rescuer.  The man was almost as tall as him, and had a similar
build.  He had an open, smiling face that was currently etched with
concern.  He had dark brown eyes and short strawberry blonde hair. 

"You sure?" The man asked.

"Yes, I have to meet someone.  Thank you for your concern."  He moved to
walk on, but stumbled again.  Once again, he was caught by the man.  He
looked over to see the man smiling at him.

"Tell you what, I'll give you a hand."  Mamoru smiled his thanks, and
leaned on the man as he walked.  "I'm Kaneda Akasei."

"Mamoru Chiba."  Kaneda stopped and looked at him with no little awe.

"THE Mamoru Chiba?  The guy who got the perfect score on the physics
mid-term?" he asked.  "Oh wow, I'm in the presence of greatness," he joked,
and then explained to a confused Mamoru.  "I'm in your physics class at
Azabu."  He looked over at Mamoru with a sort of predatory grin.  "I don't
suppose I could borrow your test?  I need something to study for the
make-up exam the prof's having for all of us who failed."

"I don't remember seeing you there," Mamoru said as they walked.

Kaneda looked embarrased.  "Yeah, well, I kind of skip a lot.  Physics is
one not my favorite courses and all, I'm taking it because I have to. 
Stupid performing arts curriculum at my college requires us to take a few
courses at Azabu."  Mamoru gave him a look of sympathy.

"So what are you majoring in?"

"Music," Kaneda said, a little too proudly.  "Mostly the vocal arts, but I
know some piano and do some drama too."  They walked on for a moment in
silence.  "So who's so important you're going out like this to meet them?"
he asked.  He looked over at Mamoru, and grinned at the slight blush. 
"Girlfriend," he chuckled.  "Smart man."

***

"Where IS he?" Usagi complained, her previous bout of tears transformed
into irritation.  "He's late!"  The other girls laughed.  "What's so
funny?" she demanded.

"You," Rei snickered, "of all people, complaing about someone being late."

Usagi began to sniffle again.  "Why are you all being so-"

"Excuse me?"  The girls looked up to see Mamoru being held up by another
hunk of a man.  "Does this belong to one of you?"

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi yelped, and helped him sit down.  The man looked on in
amusement.

"Well that answers THAT question."  His eyes passed over Usagi, Ami, and
the now dreamy-eyed Makoto and Minako.  "Not one, but five," he said
admiringly.  "Very smart man."

"Please, join us," Mamoru said. "I'll buy you a soda."  Kaneda made to
refuse, but caught the look in Makoto's and Minako's faces and quickly
agreed.

"Merely the opportunity to meet such visions of loveliness is repayment
enought for me," Kaneda said chivalrously as he sat down beside Mamoru.  At
the girl's started glances, he looked sideways at Mamoru.  "Too much?" 
Mamoru smiled slightly and nodded, and Kaneda sighed.  "Oh well, it sounded
good at the time."

Mamoru performed the introductions, and Kaneda resisted his natural flirt
reaction, selling for simple greeting, until he locked eyes with Rei. 
"T-the p-pleasure is mine," he stuttered, and blushed.  "Have I seen you
somewhere before?"

Rei snorted.  "Well that's an original pick up line," she mocked.

Kaneda's eyes flashed, and he got a somewhat sinister smirk on his face. 
"A dagger to the heart!" he began dramatically.  "You misunderstand, fair
Rei, for if I was romantically inclinced, I would expouse upon your hair,
which is like the sky at the first touches of dawn in silken form, as well
as your eyes, which are dark pools of beauty I could lose my soul in."  Rei
and the other girls were looking at him wide-eyed, completely taken in by
his words.  He suddenly grinned, and slipped out of flowery-speech mode.
"See?  If I had been hitting on you, I'd have talked like that."

Mamoru attempted to stifle the laughter that was rising up in him, and
thankfully succeeded.  "That wasn't very nice," he scolded half-heartedly,
and chuckled as Kaneda grinned at him.

"All's fair in love, war, and witty banter," he quoted, and then returned
to the subject at hand.  "As I was saying, Rei, you do remind me of
someone."  Kaneda gazed at her for a moment, and sighed deeply.  "Ah, well,
I guess I'll never know."  He stood, and nodded to Mamoru.  "If you'll
excuse me, I'd better get going.  Get some rest, OK?  I'm going need that
physics test if I'm going to pass."  He shot a grin at the girls.  "Ladies,
it's been a pleasure."  He turned and quickly walked out of the restaurant.

"He's gorgeous," Minako sighed after he left.

Makoto got dreamy-eyed again.  "He reminds you of your old boyfriend," Ami
said for her, and giggled as Makoto blushed.

"If it's male and has legs it reminds her of her old boyfriend," Minako
taunted.  "Right Rei?"  She shot a look at the other girl, who was staring
after Kaneda and ignoring the others entirely.  "Rei?"

Rei shook her head slightly.  "I know I've met him before," she said to no
one in particular, then looked up quickly at the others, who were watching
her intently.  "What?"

Minako leaned over to murmer in Ami's ear.  "Rei's in love."  Ami smiled
and giggled a bit.

"I am not!" Rei protested as the other four girls giggled.

***

Outside the restaurant, Kaneda leaned against a wall.  "What the hell was
that, Kaneda?" he berated himself.  "Hitting on junior high girls? 
Besides, they don't even look like her."  He stood up straight, and felt
something leaning against his leg.  Looking down, he noticed a white cat
with a strange crescent mark on it's forehead.  He kneeled down and patted
it.  "Hey fellah, aren't you friendly."  The cat meowed softly.

Kaneda patted the cat for a moment more, and blinked in suprise as he felt
tears coming to his eyes.  "Damnit, not now!" he growled, and wiped the
tears away.  "She doesn't even LOOK like her!"  He stopped patting the cat,
and stood up.  "If she even exists."

As Kaneda walked away, Luna walked up to Artemis.  "It's him, isn't it?"
Artemis said.

"Yes," Luna said softly.  "And he's awakening anyway."

Artemis looked back at her.  "It's going to happen whether we try to stop
it or not, Luna."  He thought for a moment.  "Maybe we should talk to the
others about this."

Luna shook her head.  "Mamoru and Usagi only.  I think they'd understand
better than the others."

***

Kaneda twisted in his sleep again.  Images of a raven haired beauty in a
sailor fuku flashed through his mind.  He felt a strange longing fill his
heart at the sight of her.  Other images came to him.  Other beautiful
women in sailor fukus.  Men in strange one-color uniforms that matched
clothes he wore.  Holding the raven haired one in his arms, her lifeless
body crushed.

Kaneda suddenly awoke, and wondered why seeing that woman dead brought such
agony and shame to his heart.

***

Usagi and Mamoru sat in the park, and looked down at the little black cat. 
"What is it, Luna?  Usagi asked.  "Why didn't you want the others here?" 
Mamoru told her of the dreams he had been having lately, and Usagi's eyes
widened.  

"I know who the man you saw in your dreams was, Mamoru," Luna said softly. 
"He was known as Crimson, a Shieldsman."  Mamoru's eyes sparked with
recognition as memories flooded back to him.  "And I know who he is in this
life, and so do you."

"Kaneda," Mamoru breathed in a tortured voice.  "I remember now."  He
looked down at the cat, the pain he felt in his face and voice.  Usagi held
on to his arm tightly.  "Can we stop him from awakening?"

Luna shook her head, and Usagi looked at him in suprise.  "Mamo-chan, I
thought he was your friend!  Why don't you want him to awaken?"

Mamoru told her about Crimson and his relationship with Sailor Mars.  As he
finished his tale, Usagi was in tears.  "You see, Usagi-chan?  I don't want
him to awaken BECAUSE he was my friend."  He held on to the sobbing girl,
fighting the tears that threatened to come to his eyes.  "I only hope in
this one case, history doesn't repeat itself."

"I'll go now and awaken him," Luna said as she turned away.

"No," Mamoru said, stopping her.  "We'll do it."  He smiled wryly down at
the small cat.  "He was my friend."

***

Kaneda snorted awake as class ended.  He yawned and stretched as the other
students filed out of the classroom.  *My favorite way to spend Physics
class,* he thought to himself.  *Asleep.*  He grimaced as the taste in his
mouth hit him.  *Ught.  Morning breath, and it's mid-afternoon.*  He stood
up and cracked his back.  *What I need is beer.  Lots and lots of beer. 
That should give me just enough pep to live through Math.*  He gathered his
stuff and walked out of the classroom and out of the building.  He was
squinting at the glare of the sun when he heard his name called.

"Kaneda!"  He turned around and saw Mamoru walking towards him.  Kaneda
grinned at him and met him partway.

"Hey, this is a switch.  Usually I'm the one skipping and you're the one in
class."  He looked Mamoru up and down, noting the absence of any kind of
bookbag and the other's generally improved condition.  "Well, you're
looking better.  So where's that test?"  He rubbed his hands together in
glee.

Mamoru forced a smile onto his face.  "I left my bag over in my locker. 
Come on and we'll get it."  The two walked on in silence, eventually
reaching a secluded portion of campus.  "Kaneda, I've got a question to ask
you."  

Curious, Kaneda looked sideways at him, and was a bit surprised by the
serious mein Mamoru had adopted.  "Shoot."

"You've been having weird dreams lately, haven't you?"  Kaneda halted, and
looked at the other man in shock.  "Ones that seem like memories, not
dreams.  About people you know you've never met, but seem extremely
familiar."  Mamoru locked eyes with Kaneda.  "I'm right, aren't I?"

Kaneda's eyes were wide, his face pale.  "How did you know about that?" he
breathed, and felt a pressure on his leg.  He looked down and saw a black
cat, with a mark on it's forehead similar to the one he saw earlier on the
white cat.  He bent to pick the animal up.  "What the..." 

He died off as the cat looked him in the face and spoke.  "Hello, Crimson."
 Kaneda stiffened as the memories flooded back to him of his life in the
Silver Millenium.  His seven brothers.  His training.  Standing by the
graves of his brothers.  Sailor Mars.  The end of the Moon Kingdom.  

Finally, he spoke. "Endymion.  Luna."  Kaneda voice was cold, almost
emotionless.  He gently put Luna down, and turned to face Mamoru, his face
neutral, but tense.  "Is she here?"  Kaneda's tone left no doubt as to who
'she' was.  Mamoru nodded silently.  "Who?" he asked, and put his hand up
before Mamoru could answer.  "Wait.  It's that girl, Rei, isn't it?"

It's was Mamoru's turn to be suprised.  "How did you know?"

Kaneda chuckled coldly.  "Let's see.  Prince Endymion, meeting with a girl
who looks far too much like Princess Serenity and four other girls. 
Obvious conclusion, they're the Inner Senshi.  It follows that the purple
brunette must be Sailor Mars." At the silence that followed, he continued,
a little surprised.  "What, am I the only one to figure it out or
something?"  He glanced down at Luna, who nodded.  "Why am I not suprised?"

Mamoru decided to come to the point.  "Kaneda," he began laying his hand on
the other's shoulder.  "About you and Mars...I don't think she remembers
you."  Kaneda grimaced and sighed, a sad smile eventually forming on his
face.

"I'm almost glad," he admitted.  "It's weird.  I remember being in love
with her, but it's like it's not me."  He turned his focus from one to the
other.  "The potential is there, but I think this time it won't happen. 
I'll make sure it doesn't."  He was silent for a moment.  "Don't tell them.
 Don't tell HER.  I'd rather they don't find out."  He suddenly chuckled
and grinned.  "I guess she can't force me to stay out of it this time. 
It's not like she can go to Mars..." He trailed off as Mamoru suddenly
stiffened.  "What's wrong?"

"Sailor Moon needs me," Mamoru said, and transformed into Tuxedo Kamen. 
Kaneda looked down at Luna.  

"My bracers?" he asked, and Luna did a little flip.  In front of her
appeared two thick red bands.  Each one was about six inches long, and as
Kaneda put them on, went from his wrist to halfway up his forearm.  The
bands only feature was a single ruby in the center of the left one, and the
symbol for Mars in the center of the right.  Kaneda fell to one knee, and
took a deep breath.  He drove his fist at the ground, crying "CRIMSON
RADIANCE!"

As Tuxedo Kamen and Luna watched, a briliant red light burst from where
Kaneda's fist hit the ground, and flowed up his body, his clothing
disappearing as it passed.  First, on his torso, the light solidified into
a breastplate.  Second, loose pants formed on his lower body, just in time
to be tucked into the calf-length boots that appeared on his feet.  Third,
a thin headband appeared on Kaneda's forehead, and he began to stand up. 
As he did so, the ruby gem on his left bracer flashed and grew, forming
into a large circular shield.  Everything was the same shade of brilliant
red.

Crimson faced Tuxedo Kamen.  "Lead on."

***

Notes:

Thanks to Phillip Masters and Colin Simmonds.

Before people complain about this being a 'new senshi self insert' fic, it
isn't.  So if you're going to complain about that, piss off.  Next, don't
give me warnings about where I set his power level, trust me, he's not
going to be some super-more-powerful-than-Saturn god.  Finally, as for the
romance aspect, well, wait and see.

By the way, anyone have an idea for a better transformation command? 
Phillip had a great idea about the moons of Mars, but it became unfeasable.

--
Christopher Angel
cja124@mail.usask.ca      http://www.engr.usask.ca/~cja124
-The road to hell is paved with good intentions. -Old proverb.
-People forget that the same road leads to heaven. -Response