2nd last Chapter, kids.  Oh, BTW, I should be updating my page this
weekend, if I can get off my lazy ass to do it.


Shieldsman
A Sailor Moon S Fanfic

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

***

4 - Harmonies and Revelations

***

"Wow, Mako-chan, you look beautiful," Usagi gushed.  She was wearing a
white sun dress, covered in yellow and green flowers that accented her hair
nicely.  Her long pig-tails were tied with green ribbons.

Mamoru was looking decidedly uncomfortable at Usagi's side in a black dress
shirt and grey slacks.  *Thank Kami I got to them before we came out here. 
Those evening dresses would have been far too much.*  As it was, the girls
were only marginally overdressed in their dresses.  Mamoru had to admit
they looked extremely attractive, although Makoto's and Minako's dresses
were a touch racy for his comfort.  

Makoto was dressed in a long black dress with a pink flower print.  The
blouse was of a partially see-though material, that showed off the way the
skirt flowed up her body and showed just the slightest hint of cleavage. 
It wasn't inappropriate, in fact, Mamoru noticed at least two other girls
wearing similar dresses.  It was just a shock seeing Makoto in one.

"Two words, Usagi-chan:  College boys," Minako shot in, causing Makoto to
blush furiously while the other girls gave her scandalous looks.

"Mako-chan," Rei said, her voice doing her scolding for her.  Rei was
wearing an very pretty red one-piece.  It was a bit severe, since there was
no neckline, the front of the dress rising up to form a tight collar around
her neck.  It did show her shoulders and a good stretch of her legs, but
with Rei's manner it made for a rather imposing sight.

Ami piped in, "Shouldn't we find our seats?"  Mamoru gave her a look of
gratitude.  She looked good too, in her white blouse and blue pants.  A
little adult for a girl her age, but it worked with her hairstyle.

As they reached their seats in the small auditorium, Mamoru looked over
Minako, and winced.  The orange dress she was wearing would have been
perfectly acceptable for a girl her age, if it wasn't for the huge amounts
of cleavage it showed in a diamond at the front.  *Women,* he muttered
mentally.

"Well, look who's here," a familiar voice said.  Seated in the three seats
next to theirs was none other than Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna.  While
Michiru smiled her greeting and Setsuna nodded hers, Mamoru decided to take
a buffer position between the Outer and Inner Senshi.  The Inners sat down,
chattering among themselves - mostly about the cute young men in the
audience.  "Say, aren't they a little overdressed?" Haruka whispered in
Mamoru's ear.

Mamoru rolled his eyes and sighed.  "You should have seen what they wanted
to come in," he replied, taking in the Outer Senshi's clothing.  They were
dressed in more or less their normal atirre, maybe a little dressier than
usual.  "Thank goodness they listened to me."

"Hmph," Haruka snorted.  "I'd watch Makoto, if I were you.  I'm almost
tempted to hit on her myself."  She grunted as Michiru elbowed her in the
gut.  "Almost."

Thankfully, their continued conversation was preempted by the announcer
coming out and beginning the performance.  Looking at the program, he
noticed that Kaneda was the second last performer out of eight.  *Must be a
small class.*  With very little fanfare and more than a few jokes, the
first singer came out on stage.

Mamoru let his mind and attention wander as the performance went on.  The
singers were rather good, but Mamoru was never one to be overly impressed
with music.  He glanced over at Usagi, who as hanging on his arm with a
dreamy expression on her face, and smiled.  *Well, she's having a great
time.*  Looking down at the rest of the girls, he noticed with no small
amusement that their enjoyment was directly proportional to how cute the
man or woman on stage was.

He tuned his head and watched Haruka for a moment, and almost laughed out
loud when he noticed her eyes were glazed with boredom.  Michiru was
listening intently, obviously enjoying herself.  Setsuna was the essence of
a polite observer, but it was quite clear she was growing impatient for
Kaneda's set.

Mamoru snapped his attention to the stage at Rei's "Finally!"  Kaneda was
walking out, his standard rakish smile on his face.  He was wearing a
brilliant long-sleeved red shirt and black pants, the ends of the sleeves
tucked into his bracers.  As he grabbed the microphone from the last
singer, the golden moon symbol on the right bracer flashed in the light.

"Evening, ladies and gentlemen.  Thank you for coming tonight," Kaneda
began, then grinned roguishly.  "I know it's a cliche, but I'm dedicating
both of my songs tonight.  My first is dedicated to a friend I can truly
say is a prince among men."  As he talked, he turned his gaze up to where
Mamoru and the Senshi were sitting.  "It's called 'Does Your Mother Know'."

***

   You're so hot - teasing me.
   So you're blue,
   But I can't take a chance on a girl like you.
   It's something I couldn't do.

   There's that look in your eyes.
   I can read in your face
   That your feelings are driving you wild.
   But girl you're only a child.

   Well I can dance with you honey,
   If you think it's funny.
   Does your mother know that you're out?
   And I could chat with you, baby,
   Flirt a little maybe.
   Does your mother know that you're out?

***

Mamoru felt a flush come to his face as he realized that Kaneda was making
fun of him and Usagi.  He glanced down at his Usako and saw that she was
blushing furiously as well.  *I'm going to kill him.*

***

   Take it easy - better slow down, girl.
   That's no way to go.
   Does your mother know?
   Take it easy - try to cool it, girl.
   Take it nice and slow.
   Does your mother know?

   I can see what you want.
   But you seem pretty young
   To be searching for that kind of fun.
   So maybe I'm not the one.

***

Minako looked over at Usagi and Mamoru and saw the pair blushing.  As
realization hit her, she fought down her urge to giggle and whispered in
Makoto's ear. Kaneda's message filtered down the line, and soon the four
girls were visibly squirming as they fought the giggles.

"That's awful," Ami declared to Rei, her whispered voice quavering with
suppressed hilarity.  "Picking on them like that."

"It's perfect," Rei said back to her.  "They need to be taken down a notch
or two."  *Bravo, Kaneda.*

***

   Now you're so cute,
   I like your style.
   And I know what you mean 
   When you give me a flash of that smile.
   But girl you're only a child.

   Well I can dance with you honey,
   If you think it's funny.
   Does your mother know that you're out?
   And I could chat with you, baby,
   Flirt a little maybe.
   Does your mother know that you're out?

***

"He's very good," Michiru commented to Haruka.  Setsuna was silently
shaking with laughter on her other side.

"Heh," Haruka snorted.  "I don't like him, but he's got a absolutely
vicious sense of humor," she nodded over to the blushing pair.  "I can
respect that."

***

   Take it easy - better slow down, girl.
   That's no way to go.
   Does your mother know?
   Take it easy - try to cool it, girl.
   Take it nice and slow.
   Does your mother know?

   Well I can dance with you honey,
   If you think it's funny.
   Does your mother know that you're out?
   And I could chat with you, baby,
   Flirt a little maybe.
   Does your mother know that you're out?

***

The music faded out, and the Inner and Outer Senshi exploded with cheers,
applause and giggles.  Mamoru and Usagi clapped lamely along.

Kaneda bowed slightly at the applause.  "'Hopes Go Astray' is my second
song, and is dedicated to...Oneechan."  Setsuna started a little at the
announcement.  Kaneda turned his face up to where they were sitting, and
winked.

***

   Just write a letter and mail it to yourself.
   Read it out loud, but to no one else.
   Pick your pocket a measure of time,
   And never leave those memories behind.

   And you'll sing 'til tomorrow,
   And the days that will follow, 
   But it's never the same
   When you feel you're insane.
   On the bed where you lay,
   There's a plan that was made,
   But it's never the same
   When your hopes go astray.

   Just write a memo and hang it on your wall.
   A small reminder of why you're here at all.
   So look around and groove to the sound.
   Let's see those feet rise up from the ground.

***

Setsuna listened to the lyrics, with a hint of pain realizing how well they
applied to her.  *Kaneda, you were always the most observant.*  Her eyes
misted with the tears she had fought for millennia, and she smiled a
little. *Thank you.*

***

   And you'll sing 'til tomorrow,
   And the days that will follow, 
   But it's never the same
   When you feel you're insane.
   On the bed where you lay,
   There's a plan that was made,
   But it's never the same
   When your hopes go astray.

   Now the prince just hugs his princess.
   You've done so much in the name of good.
   You are the witness of hugs and kisses.
   The loneliness is never understood.

***

Michiru looked over at Setsuna and noticed her smiling face and the tears
in her eyes.  She patted the woman's leg, and smiled at her.  Setsuna
smiled back and wiped the tears from her eyes.

On the other side of the row, another girl was wiping tears from her eyes. 
*I can't love him, I CAN'T!*

***

   So paint a picture of things that are real.
   Remember pain when it's time to heal.
   And don't forget the things that you say,
   Could all come back to you some other day.

   And you'll sing 'til tomorrow,
   And the days that will follow, 
   But it's never the same
   When you feel you're insane.
   On the bed where you lay,
   There's a plan that was made,
   But it's never the same
   When your hopes go astray.

***

As the music died out, Setsuna began to clap loudly, standing.  Her action
was soon followed by Rei standing, and soon the rest of the Senshi did the
same.  Taking the cue, the rest of the audience stood as well, the applause
filling the room.

Kaneda bowed again, his face wide with a smile.  He waited until the
applause died out, and then turned and walked off the stage.  A long moment
passed, and the audience began to murmur.  After a few more seconds, Kaneda
came out again, looking flustered.

"Well, it seems Hiroshi managed to strain his voice...again," he announced
as several members of the audience chuckled.  "So, would anyone be offended
if I sang again?"  He grinned as cheers came from one particular part of
the room.  "As you can see, I brought my fan club."  A larger portion of
the audience chuckled, but no one else cheered.  "Alright then, silence
implies consent."  He walked forward and said a few words to the orchestra
head.  

A short argument ensued.  The girls caught words like "Again?!"  "It's a
good song!"  "Every damn time!"  "Just play it!"

Kaneda walked back to the microphone.  "This last song is called 'Heart of
Glass'."  He paused as another bunch of the audience cheered, and someone
yelled a question at him.  "Who's it for?  Hmm..."  he pondered that for a
moment then smiled sadly.  "Me."

***

   Welcome, welcome to my world.
   Welcome to the place where all my dreams come true.
   Welcome, welcome to my paradise.
   Welcome to my tears, my joys and my memories.

   This is the place where my love for you
   Echoes into my soul.
   This is the place where the sound of your laughter
   Brings a thousand tears!

   My love for you, will never die.
   There is always a piece of you in my heart.
   My missing you, will never stay.
   The seeds of joy you sowed in my heart.

***

"Mamo-chan," Usagi whispered.  "You don't think he still loves her, do
you?"

Mamoru watched the singing man, and how he made a point of not looking in
their direction.  "You can count on it," he whispered back.

Usagi sighed, and held his arm tighter.  "Poor Kaneda."

***

   Welcome, welcome to my fantasy.
   Welcome to the place where all the wrongs are right.
   Welcome, welcome to my happiness.
   Welcome to the joys that you have sung for me.

   This is place where my love for you
   Has it's hold on my heart.
   This is the place where the sound of your laughter
   Shatters all of my fears!

   My love for you, will never die.
   There is always a piece of you in my heart.
   My missing you, will never stay.
   The seeds of joy you sowed in my heart.

***

Setsuna smirked to herself, and looked down the line at Rei, noting the
tears in the girls eyes.  *About damned time.  Now if Mimete will only come
through...*

***

   My love for you, will never die.
   There is always a piece of you in my heart.
   My missing you, will never stay.
   The seeds of joy you sowed in my heart.

   Welcome, welcome my love....

***

As the audience roared their applause, a short blonde girl smiled as she
applauded.  *A pure heart of love.  I was right, I did find a perfect
candidate.*

***

"Whew," Kaneda sighed backstage, his voice a little hoarse.  "Why is it
Hiroshi always conveniently strains his voice when we have a performance
night?"

"Worst case of stage fright I've ever seen," a girl in his class commented.
 "Hey, we're heading to the bar for a celebration, wanna come?"

Kaneda shook his head.  "Nah, I've got to stay and get killed by Mamoru."

The girl gave him a look of amazement.  "You're friends with that dreamboat
Mamoru Chiba?"  She grabbed on his arm.  "You've GOT to introduce me!"

"Sorry," he apologised, shaking her off gently.  "He's taken.  Remember my
first song?  I was picking on him and his girlfriend."  *They're
practically husband and wife, who am I kidding?*

"Robbing the cradle?" A stage hand piped in.  "Pretty scummy."

"Watch it," Kaneda warned.  "He's also a perfect gentleman.  Not one word
out of you guys about them, they were made for each other." *In more ways
than one.*

The girl sighed.  "One of those types of relationships?  Absolutely,
sickeningly perfect?"  Kaneda nodded.  "Ewwwww."  She laughed.  "Man, are
you in trouble."

Kaneda grinned ruefully.  "It was worth it though."  He shared a laugh with
his classmates and went to get his stuff out of the dressing room.  A few
moments later he walked out the back of the auditorium, almost running into
a small woman.  He looked down at her and caught himself before gasping her
name.  Mimete.

"Hello, Kaneda Akasei, you have exactly what I want."  She smiled at him,
and a chill went down his spine.  The last thing he felt before the pain
began was an iron grip on his shoulder.

***

Usagi fumed at Mamoru's side while the other Inner Senshi laughed at her. 
"I'm going to kill him!"

"It was a little mean," Ami conceded between giggles, "but it was awfully
funny."

"And appropriate," Makoto seconded.

Usagi started to sniffle.  "You're all so mean!"  Her tears were cut short
by a loud cry from behind the auditorium.  The Senshi recognized that
scream, it was the cry of someone having their heart crystal taken.

"KANEDA!" Rei cried, running toward the source of the sound. 

***

Mimete stared at the heart crystal in her hands in puzzlement.  "It's so
dim," she said to herself.  "How could someone sing with such feeling and
have such a black heart?"  The crystal in her hands didn't shine at all. 
Looking closely, Mimete could only see the barest glimmer of a spark at
it's center.  

Her daimon shrugged and let Kaneda fall to the ground.  It was sweating in
the heat, and it's translucent body was surrounded by a cold mist.  "Can we
go? I'm broiling!" 

"Hold it!"  Mimete looked up to see Sailor Mars standing at the end of the
alley.  "Ice is a thing of beauty and nature, and not to be used to steal a
good man's pure heart of love!  In the name of Mars, I will punish you!"

Mimete looked over at the daimon, and handed it the heart crystal, which it
swallowed.  "Glacia! Get her!"  The daimon nodded grimly and shot a flurry
of ice cubes at Sailor Mars, singing a battle cry.

Sailor Mars jumped out of the way, the ice turning the cement where she had
stood into a skating rink.  "FIRE SOUL BIRD!"  The flaming attack streaked
through the air and impacted Glacia high on the shoulder, and the daimon
was concealed in a cloud of steam.

The steam cleared, revealing Glacia minus her right arm.  The daimon's eyes
narrowed in concentration, and like flowing water, the arm reformed out of
her body.  "Is that the best you can do?  DIE!"  The daimon flung out more
ice at Mars, and the Senshi sidestepped just in time.  Behind her, a pole
was instantly flash frozen and shattered.

"Not Kaneda.  Not EVER!"  Mars growled, and lept to the attack again.

***

Above the combat, on the roof of the auditorium, Sailor Neptune, Uranus,
and Pluto watched the battle.  "We'd better go save them," Uranus grumbled,
but Pluto placed her hand on the woman's shoulder and shook her head.

"No," she said, "this is something Sailor Mars has to do herself."  Uranus
locked eyes with Pluto, and something passed between them.   Uranus nodded
slowly, and unconsciously reached for Neptune's hand.

"Win, Mars," she whispered, and squeezed Neptune's hand.

***

At the entrance to the alley, the Inner Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen watched the
combat in amazement.  "Rei-chan?"  Sailor Moon whispered.  "What's come
over her?"

"Who cares?  We need to help her," Venus declared.

"You will do no such thing, Venus."  The Inner Senshi whirled to see the
Outer Senshi standing behind them.  "What's happening out there has waited
ten millenia," Pluto said.  "It must run its course.  Merely watch."

"But Sailor Mars...and Kaneda," Mercury protested.  Pluto shook her head.

"This must occur, Sailor Mercury."  She paused for a moment.  "Please,
trust me, it's for the best."  Her facade slipped, and for a moment they
saw the turmoil she was hiding.  "I love Kaneda like my brother.  This is
even harder for me."

***

Mimete winced as Glacia screamed after being stuck by another of Sailor
Mars' attacks.  *This is bad.  I'm getting out of here!*

Sailor Mars shook her left arm as she tried to work the feeling back into
it.  "That's it," she growled.  "FIRE MANDALA!!"  A multitude of burning
bolts flew from her towards the icy daimon.  First her arms were blasted
apart by the bolts, followed by her legs disappearing into a cloud of
steam.  The daimon screamed as the final bolt flew into her heart and
shattered her body into a thousand pieces.

Sailor Mars slowly walked over to where Kaneda's heart crystal floated in
the air.  She cupped the precious item in her hands and quickly walked over
to Kaneda's body.  She brought the crystal down to his chest, and stared in
dismay as the crystal refused to merge with his body.

"Go back in," she begged it.  "Please, go back in."  She tried to force the
crystal down into his body, but it stubbornly refused.  "PLEASE!" she
cried, and tears began to fall from her face.  She fell forward and hugged
his chest.  "Please don't die, Kaneda."

"Why should he live?" a hard voice asked her.  Mars looked up into Sailor
Pluto's cold face.  "What reason does he have?"  From a few steps off,
Sailor Jupiter growled and began to step forward, but Mercury's hand on her
arm stopped her.

"Don't," Mercury whispered.  "I believe I know what's going on now."

Sailor Mars stammered, at a loss for words.  "Be-because we need him," she
finally answered.

"But you never wanted his help.  You only think he's a nuisance, remember?"
Pluto countered.

"He promised Chibi-Usa!"  Beside her, the small spark of light in the heart
crystal pulsed for a moment.  "He promised he'd be there for her!"

Pluto locked eyes with Mars, and the girl could see the fire in the woman's
eyes.  "Is that his only reason to live?  Because a child who doesn't even
belong in this time needs him?  Then perhaps he is better of dead."

"NO!" Mars cried, and turned back to look at Kaneda's body.  "Live Kaneda,
please.  Chibi-Usa needs you.  _I_ need you."  More tears fell from her
eyes onto his shirt, and she whispered the truth she had been fighting for
so long.  "I love you too much to lose you."

Like a switch had been thrown, the heart crystal exploded with a brilliant,
blinding light.  Sailor Mars cried and covered her eyes from the light.  
"What is it?"  Sailor Moon yelled, as Tuxedo Kamen shielded them from the
brilliant glow.  

"That is the light of true love returned,"  Sailor Neptune said as she
turned away from the beautiful, blinding light.  "Never have I seen a glow
so strong."

"But you said Mars hated Crimson," Sailor Moon accused Tuxedo Kamen.

Tuxedo Kamen voice reflected his confusion as he tried to voice his reply. 
"I-I guess we were all wrong," he answered lamely.

Almost anti-climatically, the crystal slowly merged with Kaneda, the
shining light slowly fading and eventually disappearing into his chest. 
After a moment, Kaneda gasped and stiffened, opening his eyes.  Sailor Mars
hugged his chest tightly and cried her relief.

Kaneda looked in wonder at the young woman who held him.  Slowly,
reverently, he brought his hands up to her face, and stroked it gently. 
Sailor Mars looked up into his eyes, tears of joy streaming down her face. 
Kaneda smiled at her, and whispered the words he had been wanting to say
for ages.  "I love you too, Rei.  I have loved you all my life."  Sailor
Mars gasped, and buried her face in his chest again.

"I know," she whispered, "I know.  That's what makes it so hard."  She
turned her face up to his and kissed him softly, her entire being put into
that simple act.

Kaneda's soul cheered as the two kissed.  Somewhere, in the back of his
mind, his mind managed one last coherent thought before he lost himself in
the moment.  *Ten thousand years I've waited for this.  It was worth it.*

****

Notes: 

Does Your Mother Know - (C) 1979 Polar Music International AB.
Hopes Go Astray - (C) 1988 Black 'N' Round Songs
Heart of Glass - (C) 1993 Christopher Angel (yes, I wrote it)


--
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