*--*--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.
BTW, Thanks to Craig P. for all the great C&C...hope you
like the changes!

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

     He fell.
     All around him was blackness, inky and thick.  Air rushed
past him, and since he had no control over his direction or
speed, he had to be falling.  Questions shot through his mind:
Where did I fall from?  How long has this gone on?  Where am
I going?  
     Who am I?
     He forced himself to think, to focus, to remember.  As his
mind cleared, his arcane talent returned 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 with a sigh.
     "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," Ami ventured quietly.
     "Why's that?" yawned Artemis, not bothering to open his eyes.
     "Finals are next week, and Usagi hasn't started studying yet!"  
     "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,
not sure she wanted to hear the answer.
     "I read my calculus book..."
     "...for the tenth time..." Mako commented almost under her breath.
     "..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.
     Minako nodded firmly.  The girls frequented the makeup storefront 
owned by the Ayakashi sisters.  Ami agreed to go as well, if only 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.  Little bits of asphalt struck them like black hailstones.
     "Ow!" excalimed Makoto.  "What the hell...?"
     She spun.  A 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!"
     Directly after the distinctive battle-cries, the three young woman
were encircled in light, and in the places of the schoolgirls stood
a trio of superheroines.  As soon as the light faded, Sailor Jupiter 
ran forward, grabbing the dark man's outstretched hand.
     "Hang on!" she cried.
     He grunted in reply through the hand attached to his face.  He 
pulled on Jupiter's arm, and finally got his other one free.  As she
tightened her grip, she looked past him and the hand into the pit.  
She couldn't see the thing holding him, but she could see down into
the abyss-like darkness, that seemed to dare her to fall in.  She
felt a reaction of fear welling inside of her and forced herself
to turn her head.  
     "Guys, a little help here...?" she pleaded.
     Sailor Venus gestured, as Sailor Mercury was talking into her
communicator, presumably for backup.
     "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.
     "My thanks," he intoned.
     The huge hand dug into the pavement, and a creature that seemed
to define the word "monstrous" emerged.  It was shaped like an 
out-of-proportion bodybuilder, staggering in size, towering over even
Jupiter and the dark man.  It frothed at the mouth, and it's eyes, 
the color of vomit, glowed slightly.  Suddenly, this hideous bruiser
roared inarticulately, and rushed the closest senshi, Sailor Jupiter.  
The dark man grabbed her and pulled her away, and the monster embedded 
it's arms in the brick wall.
     As the dark man released her, she wondered how he managed to 
move so fast.
     "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, extending his arm out to block 
Jupiter.  She suppresed the urge to axe-kick him in the head.
"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 straight
for the pit.
     Jupiter's strong arms caught the cat.  As she did, she felt his
claws dig into her forearms.  Ignoring the pain, she turned just in 
time to roll with a rocky punch aimed for the back of her head.  As
she staggered, she turned to see the dark man glaring at the monster.  
     And then he *moved*.
     Jupiter had never seen anything 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.  He slashed downward, the metal somehow 
parting the flesh of the monster, who screamed 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 another swipe at Jupiter.  Rather than
rolling with it this time, the tall girl ducked low and lashed 
out with an ineffective kick to the back of the creature's knee.
     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!"
     Sailor Moon 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?"	
	
     A memory roused the man clad in dark cloth from unconsciousness.  
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 fleeing until he was whole, until his memories
returned, 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 sicced 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.  
     In contrast to his blinding speed, the dark man very gently
set Mako down, as if he was afraid of breaking her.  Tenderly, he 
brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face, pausing to simply
let his hand rest there on her cheek.
     Then, as he stood, he drew the katana again, sunlight 
causing the blade to shimmer as it was exposed.  His eyes 
seemed to glow with an inner fire, making them stand out
even more in contrast to his dark cloak and mask.  He 
raised the weapon, edge towards his foe, the blade parallel
to his body, and closed his eyes.  Under the mask, his mouth moved, 
silently intoning.  It seemed as if he was focusing
his very essence into the blade.
     As Jupiter got to her feet, she saw the dark man in 
this imposing stance, and the creature glared at him. As
the dark cloak becan to waver in a breeze that didn't exist
in the alley, the huge monster sprang on the dark man,
jaws opened in a scream of rage, row upon row of razor-sharp
teeth poised to snap shut over the dark man's enshrouded 
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!"
     If nothing else, Makoto thought, he just saved my life.  She 
figured that she and her friends could by her dark savior the time
he needed to do whatever he had planned.  The leader of the Sailor 
Senshi seemed to agree.
     "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, etched with runes 
and numbering in the dozens, rode the crest and gave the attack the 
appearance of some kind of eldrich sawblade.  It struck the creature, 
which suddenly found its arm on the ground.  His katana still 
pulsating slightly with that powerful energy, the dark man let loose 
a war-cry of his own, so potent that Jupiter felt the hairs on the 
back of her neck standing straight up in blind fear. She tried to 
recall a sound that angry and chilling and came up short.
His cloak flaring behind him like demonic wings, the warrior rushed
forward, launched himself at the creature, and swung the katana as
hard as he could.
     Nothing happened at first.  The dark man landed.
     Then, slowly, greenish-yellow blood began to ooze out of the 
monster's neck.  Its severed head landed next to its feet.  Even 
before the decapitated creature fell to its 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 a lot 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!" Minako protested.
     "That's what I thought, too," Rei spoke up.
     "Do you have any idea where this thing came from?" asked Mako.
     "Apparently, Mako, this creature followed your dark friend from 
whereever 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."
     
     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.
     "And if you need a place to sleep...I've got lots of floor space."
     "Thanks...I appreciate it."
     Mako found herself smiling.
     "He doesn't look a thing like my old boyfriend," thought Mako, 
"but he is 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."
     Usagi wasn't sure what to make of that.  True, Mamoru had suffered
from amnesia in the past, but this was different...Makoto was letting 
a total stranger into her life, and he could turn out to be some kind 
of psycho!  But Usagi pushed that from her mind...this was Mako, who 
got thrown out of her last school for starting a fight.  She could 
take care of herself.  Besides, if Mako liked the guy, he couldn't be
all bad...could he?  
     "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 suicidal (if 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 fist.  "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...


Joshua Loomis       ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._		
English Major        `6_ 6  )   `-.  (     ).`-.__.`)   
      &              (_Y_.)'  ._   )  `._ `. ``-..-'	
Jedi Master        _..`--'_..-_/  /--'_.' ,'		
		  (il),-''  (li),'  ((!.-'

email:  jeloomis@planetx.bloomu.edu
	cougar_jel@hotmail.com
homepage:  http://members.xoom.com/cougar_jel/

"Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"  -Percy Bysshe Shelley,
"Ozymandias"

"The lunatic, the lover, and the poet Are of imagination all compact." 
- William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream 
(Act V, Scene 1, l.7-8)

"Try not.  Do.  Or do not.  There is no try."
-Yoda

"The worst foe lies within the self."
-Parasite Eve

"Faith can move mountains.  Lack of faith makes them out of 
molehills." 
- The Sage, "Ziggy"

Follow your heart and you'll never get lost.