*--*--SAILOR MOON:  Elementary, Dear Makoto--*--*

DISCLAIMER
Sailor Moon, the Sailor Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, Queen
Beryl,
and all those happy people and the locations, events,
and
other stuff related to them are the creation and
property
of Naoko Takeuchi.  I am in no way trying to
compromise
Naoko-sensei's copyrights or work, I'm doing this for
fun
and because I love Sailor Moon.  Also because if I
didn't,
I think my Moonie sister would disembowel me.  -_^

NOTES
This story takes place after Sailor Moon R, and before
Sailor
Moon S.   I've also made some tiny revisions, which is
why 
I'm reposting.  By the way, I'm using the original
Japanese
names because they make more sense and are (IMHO) very
pretty.

*--*--Part 1--*--*

     He fell.
     He didn't know for how far, or for how long, or
from 
where, or to where he was falling.  All he knew was
that the 
air was rushing past him, and that meant he was
falling.  All 
around him was blackness, inky and thick.
     He forced himself to think, to focus, to
remember.  His 
mind was clear, and suddenly he recalled his talent to
him.  He 
felt it, the magic, the power flowing through him.  If
he could 
muster enough power, he could fly.  He spun his body,
so he was 
facing opposite the way he fell, and he *pushed*.  
     Nothing happened.
     Silently cursing, he turned back the way he was
falling.  
Then he saw the light.  It had been so long since he
had seen 
light...and it felt so warm...he focused again,
determined to end 
this fall, and again, he *pushed*.
     That's when something grabbed his ankle.

*--*--*--*--*

     It was a gorgeous afternoon.  A warm summer sun
hung in a 
cloudless sky.  Makoto smiled as she settled in under
a tree, in 
front of the school, with her favorite romance novel.
     "There you are, Mako!"
     She looked up to see Minako and Ami approaching. 
Artemis was 
draped over Minako's shoulder, eyes closed and purring
contentedly.  
     "Has Usagi shown up yet?" she asked Mako.
     "No, not yet," the tall girl replied.  She
slipped the paperback 
back into her bag.
     "Is she in detention *again*?" Minako asked,
slightly perturbed.
     "Yeah," Mako replied. "You'd think that, with one
week left to 
go, she'd finally figure out she needs wake up
earlier!"
     "Hey, Mako, this is *Usagi* we're talking about,"
Minako said 
with a smile.
     "I'm worried about her," said Ami quietly.
     "Why's that?" yawned Artemis, not bothering to
open his eyes.
     "Finals are next week, and Usagi hasn't started
studying yet!"  
Ami replied.
     "I haven't started either!" Mako declared
defensively.
     "Well, I started last week," Minako put in, "just
about an hour 
every night.  What about you, Ami?  When'd you start?"
     "About two months ago."
     Mako, Minako and Artemis groaned.
     "What? I haven't even gotten through my whole
Physics book yet!"
     "Well, what have you studied all that time
then???" Minako asked.
     "I read my calculus book..."
     "...for the tenth time..." Mako commented.
     "..and my English lit, and..."
     "Oh, forget all that!  Let's get some ice cream!"
suggested Minako.  
"I haven't had a triple chocolate-chocolate chip cone
in at least a week!"
     "And on the way there, we can pick up some
makeup!" Mako added.
     All three girls liked that idea.  They frequented
the makeup 
storefront owned by the Ayakashi sisters, just to make
sure the four 
former Dark Moon servants were doing okay.  Mako
finally got up from under 
the tree and the three started on their way. 

     Passing a side street, they were startled by a
sudden, crashing 
sound.  They were pelted with asphalt.
     "Ow!" excalimed Makoto.  "What the hell...?"
     She spun.  A new hole had been ripped in the
pavement, and someone 
was trying to haul himself out of it.  Artemis lept
down from Minako's 
shoulder, every fiber in his feline body tensed.  The
dark man trying 
to get out of the hole was having a hard time.  He
reached out towards 
the group.
     "Help...please..." he gasped.
     A huge, mottled hand grabbed the man's face and
tried to pull him
back into the hole.
     "He needs our help!" Mako exclaimed.
     "Right behind you, Jupiter!" said Minako.
     "JUPITER STAR POWER, MAKE UP!"
     "VENUS STAR POWER, MAKE UP!"
     "MERCURY STAR POWER, MAKE UP!"
     The three girls transformed into their Sailor
Senshi forms.  Jupiter 
ran forward, grabbing the dark man's outstretched
hand.
     "Hang on!" she cried.
     He grunted in reply, unintelligable through the
hand attached to 
his face.  He pulled on Jupiter's arm, and finally got
his other one free.  
     "Guys, a little help here...?" Jupiter pleaded.
     Venus gestured.
     "VENUS LOVELY CHAIN!"  The chain of hearts
wrapped itself around 
the dark man's other arm.  Venus pulled, along with
Jupiter.  Finally, 
the man exploded out of the hole.  Dressed in dark
greys, his face was 
obscured by a mask covering his mouth and nose.  A
hooded cloak flared 
around him as he backflipped behind Jupiter.
     "Thanks," he said.
     The being attached to the huge hand that had
tried to yank the dark 
man back into the hole hauled itself out.  It was
shaped like an 
out-of-proportion bodybuilder, really big and really,
really ugly.  It 
roared inarticulately, and rushed the dark man and
Jupiter.  The man 
grabbed her and pulled her away, and the monster
embedded it's arms in 
the brick wall.
     "He's fast..." Mako thought as the dark man
released her.
     "SHINING LIQUID ILLUSION!"  Mercury let the water
flow from her, 
striking the monster.  Unfortunately, all it did was
make the monster 
mad.  It yanked itself out of the wall and attacked
the small girl.
     "Mercury!" Jupiter cried.  "SPARKLING VITAL..."
     "Wait!" said the dark man, putting a hand on her
shoulder.  
"You'll hit your friend!"  
	Mercury barely dodged being mangled by the vicious
claws of 
the monster.  Venus pointed.
     "CRESCENT BEAM!" The pin-point accuracy of her
beam struck the 
monster in the head. It spun on her and struck her
savagely. Artemis 
lauched himself at the creature, claws exteneded.  The
monster grabbed 
the feline and tossed him aside.  Artemis yowled,
headed into the 
seemingly-bottomless pit.
     Jupiter's strong arms caught the cat. 
Unfortunately, she also 
caught the claws.  The dark man glared at the monster.
 
     And then he *moved*.
     Jupiter had never seen something move so fast. 
The dark man 
kicked the monster in the face.  With a roar, the
creature swung it's 
huge arms, trying to crush the smaller being.  But the
dark man was 
faster, leaping gracefully over the monster.  From
somewhere under his 
cloak, he drew a katana, the weapon used by the
ancient samurai.  He 
slashed downward, the metal parting flesh, the monster
screaming in 
pain.
     "Now!" he called, kicking off the back of the
creature.
     "SUPREME THUNDER!"
     The bolts of lightning were on the mark.  The
mosnter howled, 
staggering but refusing to fall.  The brute spun,
grabbed the dark 
man (who was trying to land) by his ankle, and tossed
him into the 
nearest wall.  Jupiter noticed Venus and Mercury were
coming to, and 
(finally) Usagi and Rei were coming around the corner.
 They took one 
look at the scene and knew what they had to do.
     "MARS STAR POWER, MAKE UP!"
     "MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"
     Just as Sailor Moon was about to launch into her
obligatory 
speech, the creature took a swipe at Jupiter.  The
tall girl barely 
avoided being brained.
     Sailor Mercury, on the ground and out of the way,
pulled out 
her computer, flipped her glasses on and began
scanning.
     "MOON PRINCESS ILLUSION!!"  Power flowed from her
Moon Sceptre.  
Unfortunately, the monster didn't stay where she could
hit it.  
Instead, it lunged at the dark man, who gracefully
sidestepped out of 
the way.  Jupiter had to move almost as fast to avoid
being turned 
into moondust.  
     "Hey!" Jupiter yelled.  "Watch it!"
     "Sorry," Sailor Moon apologized.  "I..."
     "LOOK OUT!"
     She spun as the creature lunged at her.  She
screamed.
     That's when the man in the tux grabbed her.
     "Good timing, huh?" Tuxedo Kamen said with an
easy smile.  Sailor 
Moon smiled in reply, resisting the urge to cuddle up
to his chest.  
She had to think.  This thing had shrugged off her
most powerful attack, 
and yet was still standing.  
     "BURNING MANDALA!" screamed Mars, sending rings
of fire at it.  
The thing shrugged them off, then rushed Mars, sending
her spinning 
into the nearest wall.  She fell, bruised on the
forehead but still 
awake.
     Sailor Moon felt her stomach drop into her boots.
 
     "This thing's too powerful," she said quietly. 
"How the hell 
can we beat it?"	
	
     As he came to, a memory suddenly shot through his
brain.  This 
was the most powerful creature left to his fallen
enemy, whoever that 
was.
     If one memory has returned, he thought, then
others will follow.
     He considered, for a moment, fleeing until he was
whole again, and 
letting these pretty soldiers fare their best.  
     Then he saw the one in green...the one that shot
lightning...the one 
that had saved him.
     "Princess?" he whispered.
     She drowned him out with the cry of "SUPREME
THUNDER DRAGON!"  Bolts 
shot from the rod extending from her tiara, flowing
together and forming 
a dragon of pure energy.  It chraged the creature, who
wrestled with it.  
Slowly the dragon began to shrink.
     "Shit!" the tall girl spat.  "It's eating my
dragon!!"
     Actually, she was right.  The creature was
drawing power from the 
dragon, making itself stronger.  That was intolerable.
 As the lightning 
dragon faded away totally, the monster lauched itself
at the girl who 
siced it on him.
	
     The dark man lunged at Makoto, screaming
"PRINCESS!" Usagi, back on 
her feet, spun, but nothing was coming at her. 
Instead, the dark man 
pushed Mako out of the way before the lumbering brute
buried his arms in 
the brick wall where Mako's head had been.  
     He laid her down very gently, spun on the
creature, and, gripping 
the katana with both hands, brought the weapon down in
front of him, tip 
pointed upwards, his left foot planted in front of his
right.  He closed 
his eyes (the only part of him anyone could see not
covered in dark grey 
cloth) and seemed to be focusing.  Mako got to her
feet, holding her 
head.  The creature lept at the dark man, jaws wide
open, row on row of 
glistening teeth ready to snap shut on the dark man's
head...
     "SPARKLING VITAL PRESSURE!"
     Jupiter's ball lightning attack threw the
creature back on it's 
rump.  As it shook off the bad landing, the dark man
moved his hands 
together, gripping the katana, the edge held towards
the creature.
     "Usagi!" called Jupiter.  "Keep that thing away
from him!"
     She didn't know why, but suddenly Mako knew she
had to protect 
this guy.  Whatever he was doing obviously was
time-consuming, and 
probably powerful.  She figured that they could keep
the creature at bay 
while he did his thing.
     "Everyone, attack!" yelled Sailor Moon.
     "SUPREME THUNDER!"
     "VENUS LOVELY CHAIN!"
     "SHINING LIQUID ILLUSION!"
     "FIRE SOUL!"
     "MOON PRINCESS ILLUSION!"
     Added to this staggering assault was a handful of
magic red roses 
thrown by Tuxedo Kamen.  The monster yowled in pain,
staggering backwards.  
But it still would not go down.  Jupiter glanced over
at the dark man.
     His katana glowed with an unknown energy.  His
eyes were squinted 
shut, as if he was in pain.  He moved his arms up, the
blade of the ancient 
sword extending into the air.  A growl began in the
bottom of his lungs 
that began to grow in volume as both the katana and
his hands began to 
glow brighter.
     "AAAAAARGH!" he suddenly bellowed, swinging
downward, a wave of energy 
cutting through the air.  Metal blades the length of
his forefinger and 
etched with runes rode the glowing wave.  There were a
lot of them, making the 
wave resemble a glowing sawblade.  It struck the
creature, which suddenly 
found it's arm on the ground.  His katana still
pulsating slightly with that 
powerful energy, the dark man let loose the most
blood-chilling war cry 
Jupiter had ever heard, and rushed forward, leapt, and
swung.
     Nothing happened at first.  The dark man landed.
     Then, slowly, greenish-yellow blood began to ooze
out of the monster's 
neck.  It's severed head landed next to it's feet. 
Even before the 
decapitated creature fell to it's knees, it exploded
into energy, bathing 
the alleyway in blinding light.  The Sailors sheilded
their eyes from the 
dazzling burst, which faded as quickly as it appeared.
     When they looked back, the dark man was gone.
     "Holy mother of..." Jupiter began breathlessly. 
"What the hell was that?"
     "I don't have a clue," Mars replied.
     "Mercury...?"  asked Venus expectantly.
     "I'm still working through the data I collected,"
the other girl replied.  
"I may be busy for a while."
     Jupiter looked around.  Mercury was typing
furiously, Venus was scooping 
up Artemis, Mars was nursing her bruise, and Sailor
Moon and Tuxedo Kamen 
were examining each other for wounds.  
     There was no sign of the creature they had
fought.
     Or, more importantly, of the dark man who had
saved them.

*--*--*--*--*

     "So what's the story?" Mako asked.
     "Apparently, that creature was giving off the
same energy signature 
as alot of the creatures of the Dark Kingdom," Ami
replied, still tapping 
information into her pocket computer.
     "WHAT...?"
     Ami turned to her shocked friends.
     "I know, it's surprising, but it's true."
     "But I thought we'd gotten rid of all those damn
creatures when 
Usagi wasted Queen Beryl!" Rei protested.
     "That's what I thought, too," Minako spoke up.
     "Yeah, didn't they all die when Beryl bit it?"
asked Mako.
     "Apparently, Mako, this creature followed your
dark friend from where
ever he came from.  And yes, all the power Beryl had
amassed was destroyed.  
However, this may have been a creature from another
time or dimension."
     "Or perhaps it's one of Beryl's cronies we
missed."
     "That is highly unlikely," Luna replied.  "When
Beryl's Dark Kingdom 
collapsed, every evil being present perished."
     "What if someone wasn't present?" Ami posed.
     "It'll take time to figure out who we might have
missed," Artemis said.  
"Why don't you guys all go home, and get some rest."
     They all agreed... the battle had left them
pretty much drained.
     As Mako was walking home, it began to rain
softly.  She pulled her 
jacket closer and reached into her bag for an
umbrella.  She looked up to 
make sure she didn't run into anyone.
     He was standing not far from her, dressed in dark
grey slacks, a dark 
blue t-shirt and a black overcoat, facing a department
store.  He was 
looking in at the people walking through...couples,
mothers with children, 
men in business suits... And something tugged at
Mako's chest.  She moved up 
next to him.
     "Hey there!" she said.  "You look lost."
     He closed his eyes and tipped his head forward
slightly.
     "Are you okay?" Mako instantly asked.
     "Yeah," he replied.  "Just a little tired, I
suppose.  And, yes, 
I am lost."  He looked up at her, his blue eyes
twinkling.  
     "Well, no sense being lost *and* wet," the tall
girl said, pulling 
her umbrella free and opening it.
     "Thanks," he told her.  "Where are you headed?"
     "Home," she replied.  "It's been a long day."
     "I know the feeling.  Well, will your parents
mind if a strange guy 
walks in with you?"
     The look on her face made him back up a pace.
     "I'm sorry.  Forget I asked."
     He turned to go.
     "No, wait," she called.  "I'm the one who's
sorry.  You had no idea 
I lost my parents a while ago."
     "Well, then, I'm still sorry."
     "I live alone.  And no, I wouldn't mind you
walking in with me."
     He smiled a bit at that.
     "I'll sleep on the floor.  No big deal, okay?"
     "Sure."
     Mako found herself smiling.
     "He doesn't look a thing like my old boyfriend,"
thought Mako, "but 
he's kinda cute."

*--*--*--*--*

     "OH MY GOODNESS!"
     Usagi moved like a bolt of lightning from the
door of her house, 
running like the entire Dark Kingdom was after her. 
Luna struggled to 
keep up.
     "I told you to study then get to bed, but no!" 
the cat chastized.  
"You had to stay up reading comic books all night!"
     "Well, how do you expect me to relax after
yesterday?" Usagi asked 
between puffs of breath.
     A horn honked at her.
     "Hey!" a voice called.  "Dumpling-head!"
     She spun, and saw Mamoru in his car, waving at
her.
     "Are you late again?"
     She smiled and hopped in.
     "Not anymore," she told him, touching his hand
where it rested on 
the gearshift.
     "I was on my way to work and I saw you running,"
he told her as they 
began to drive.
     "You're lucky," Luna said, curling up on Usagi's
lap.
     "No, I just have a handsom prince who always
comes to my rescue," the 
young lady replied, resting her head on Mamoru's
shoulder.
     "Well, you're still lucky," the cat finished, but
she was smiling now.
     A few minutes later, Mamoru dropped Usagi off at
school after a quick 
kiss and a promise to take care of Luna for a bit. 
Usagi sighed with 
satisfaction as she walked into class.
     "Usagi!"
     "Present, Miss Haruna."
     "It's not even time for roll yet!" the teacher
said, beaming at 
her student.  "You're on time for once!"
     Usagi smiled as the bell rang.  She looked at the
door and saw 
Makoto walking in.
     "Wow," Usagi thought, "Mako looks kinda tired.  I
wonder if it's 
from lack of sleep..."
     Usagi didn't find out until lunch, when Mako sat
under a tree, 
tired but happy.
     "Hey Mako!" Usagi cried.  "How'd you sleep?"
     "Well, I was up late talking to Hikari."
     Usagi narrowed her eyes.  "Who?"
     "This guy I ran into yesterday after we all
decided to go home.  
He's new in town and really had no place to go.  So I
let him stay at my 
place."
     "Wow.  Is he good-looking?"
     Mako closed her eyes and smiled a bit.
     "Well, yeah, kind of..."
     "Oooo!  Is that the sound of *love* I hear?"
     Mako snapped up, looking at Usagi.
     "Hey, I just helped him out, okay?!"
     "Sure, sure, I understand.  So what did you talk
about?"
     "It's odd...he doesn't remember much about his
past, or where he 
came from...he says it's all jumbled up in his head. 
I tried to help, but 
I think he might need a doctor's help."
     "Well, tell you what, we'll go together after
school and I can meet 
this Hikari guy, then if he thinks it'll help, we'll
go to the hospital."
     Mako smiled.
     "You're a real friend, Usagi."
     "Hey, how can I let my favorite cook down? 
Speaking of which...are 
you gonna eat that??"

*--*--*--*--*

     Darkness.
     It surrounded the sarcophagus, caressing it like
a lover.  The darkness 
itself seemed to come alive to help the cover move. 
The great stone container 
sighed open, stale air wafting out in great clouds of
dust.  In the darkness, 
a figure slowly drew itself out and stood.
     He made a gesture and the walls and floor became
luminesent.  He looked 
around himself.
     "Well, I am no longer in the Moon Kingdom," he
thought.  He made a gesture, 
and a creature came out of the very wall.
     "My Lord Kartaron!" it breathed, and fell to one
knee.
     "Granitus," the man rumbled, "my humble retainer.
 How long have I slept?"
     "So long that I forgot I even existed, my lord."
     "A long time indeed.  What has happened in my
absense?  You are part of 
this cavern, and the planet it's on.  You must know."
     Granitus nodded.  He told his lord about the fall
of the moon and Queen 
Serenity's selfless act of saving all it's people. 
Then he told his lord of 
the re-emergence of the Princess and the defeat of
Beryl...
     "WHAT?"  Kartaron grabbed the stone throat of
Granitus, threatening to 
shatter it.  The retainer struggled.
     "It is true, my lord," Granitus gasped, and was
dropped.
     "My beloved Beryl..." Kartaron whispered, turning
from his servant 
and holding his tears in check.  "Who is it that has
destroyed my queen?"
     "The Moon Princess, my lord."
     "Then, in her name, I shall reap my vengeance on
the Moon Princess 
and all that stand by her!"  He gestured to the wall.
     Nothing happened.
     Again, Kartaron made the gesture of summoning,
and cursed when his 
summons was not answered.
     "Why does Titanius not appear?" he asked
Granitus.
     "My lord, Titanius was the only one of your
warriors unaccounted for 
after the fight for Jupiter.  I believe he was to find
and destroy the 
Dark Ronin."
     "And if he does not answer my summons, the Dark
Ronin has destroyed 
him."  Kartaron spun and shattered the lid of his
sarcophagus with his huge 
hand.  "So...my old foe lives, as well."
     "It would appear so, my lord."
     "I must have new minions, then.  Ones that even
the Dark Ronin cannot 
defeat.  Who is left, Granitus?"
     "Myself, Ferrus, Cobaltus, seven Stone Soldiers,
and six Stone Angels, 
my lord."
     Kartaron nodded, and gestured.  Two figures
flowed out of the floor 
as if it was a pool of liquid.  They resembled men,
but were made entirely 
of stone and had large wings.  One carried a bow, the
other a sword.
     "Stone Angels, find and destroy the Dark Ronin. 
If you fail, your own 
lives are forfeit."
     They nodded and were gone.  Kartaron did not
move.
     "Granitus...find me new elements and raw
materials with which to 
create the army I need."
     "As you command, my lord."
     The loyal retainer melted back into the rock, and
Kartaron was alone.  
He willed the walls to fall dark again, and let the
darkness wrap around him.
     "I will never forgive this brat for what she has
done," he thought.  
"Nor the Dark Ronin.  They will all suffer for the
death of my beloved Beryl.
I will make them all pay..."
     Laughter as dark as the shadows that covered him
rang out through the 
cavern.

*--*--End of Part 1--*--*

Well I hope you enjoyed this installment of my fic! 
C&C is 
welcome...and expected, nay DEMANDED!  Just tell
me what you think!  Tear it to little bits and show me
all
my grammatical errors!  Heck, you could even flame
me...
just tell me what you think!!!!!!  (huff, huff) Okay,
I done 
now...

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