Something Special
Part 4
by The Hoyden (dulcinea42@yahoo.com)
Rated PG-13

Author's Notes:  Okay, who else wishes that Tuxedo Mask
would show up outside their bedroom window?  (Everybody
raises their hands and waves them frantically.  Especially
Twilight *grins*.)  A warm thank you to the stellar Alicia
Blade, the marvelous Lorelei, the incomparable Miss J,
and to the wickedly hilarious Twilight.  If you haven't read
their fics, then get to it!

Disclaimer:  I do not own Sailor Moon, but more to the
point, I don't own Chiba Mamoru.  Such a rough life.



Who was that shape in the shadows?
Whose is the face in the mask?
                   -"I Remember"  The Phantom of the Opera




     Once again, night had fallen.  I sat pensively on my
window seat, my head resting on the sill.  Would he come
tonight, this stranger who haunts my dreams and visits me
while I sleep?  My fingertips traced a velvet petal of the
rose he left me last night.  I had woken up and had caught
a glimpse of a black cape as he ran off.  Who are you?  I
mused.  Why do I long for you so?  Oh Mamo-chan, I thought
suddenly, my heart twisting in anguish.  I hadn't seen for
two days since we kissed.  I started to weep again, hoping
desperately that there was explanation, that he wasn't just
avoiding me.

    "Why are you crying, angel?"

    I removed my hands from my face.  "You!"  I whispered.
A man, dressed in a tuxedo and adorned with a cape, top
hat, and domino mask, sat comfortably ensconced in a pocket
created by two large branches of the tree just outside my
window.

    "Do other people routinely sit outside your window?"
he asked, amused.  "Of course it's me.  But you didn't
answer my question, angel."

    "I'm not an angel!"  I told him with frustration.
"Not yours, anyway."

    His lips tightened with anger.  "There you're wrong,
my dear.  But I didn't come here tonight to discuss that.
You, love, have a destiny to fulfill."  He stopped, no
doubt at the expression of supreme shock on my face.
"I regret that we really don't have much time to discuss
the matter.  For now, you'll just have to trust me and
do as I say."

    I scrambled off the window seat.  "No way,"  I told
him.  "This is crazy and you're a stalker.  I'll call
the police if you don't leave this instant,"  I
threatened, both my voice and my body shaking in fear.
Before I could shut my window to lock it, he jumped
forward with blinding speed.  I found myself suddenly
clasped in his arms.

    "Don't you dare, angel.  Or have you forgotten all
the nights we've shared together?"  My mind was
instantly drowned in images of this phantom of the night
burning my lips with his kisses, searing my skin with
his caresses.  I felt myself falling into sweet, blessed
nothingness, swooning in his arms.

    A few moments later I began to come around, but kept
my eyes closed to deceive the phantom.  He was carrying
me, and I could feel that he was running.  Where are we
going?  Where's he taking me?  What will he do to me?

    "Open your eyes, angel.  You don't fool me,"  his
velvety voice murmured.  I made no move, refusing to
comply with his wishes.  "Very well,"  he remarked, and
a moment later he kissed me fiercely.  My eyes instantly
flew open, and he pulled back, laughing almost grimly.
"So stubborn, my dear.  Though that may serve you well
in the future."  With that he set me on my feet.

    I backed up immediately, preparing to run.  "Oh no
you don't, angel,"  he barked and seized me by the
shoulders.  "I've brought you here tonight for a special
reason.  Tonight you will begin to fulfill your destiny."
I shook my head, wanting nothing more that to get away.

    His hand traced a path to the neckline of my nightgown,
and I began to tremble in fear.  However, he surprised me
by stopping and suddenly grasping my locket.  "Where did
you get this?"  he asked suddenly.

    I gulped, terror still coursing through my veins.
"I've always had it."

    Surprisingly, he grinned.  "That's more true than you
know."  He paused for a moment, and looked up at the moon.
"Angel," he began again,  "the reason you are with me
tonight is because there are four girls who desperately
need your help.  You have to save them from the villains
of the evil Negaverse, or they will perish."

    I started to cry again.  "I don't know how!  I don't
know what you want from me!"

    One gloved finger wiped away my tears.  "Don't weep,
angel.  It's so simple, really.  Just touch your locket
and shout, 'Moon Prism Power, make up.'"

    I stared at him in disbelief, but his eyes were so
sincere, so hopeful.  Gamely, my fingertips found my
locket.  "Moon Prism Power, make up,"  I whispered.

    The effect was astounding.  Ribbons and light
surrounded me, and when they were gone, I was wearing
a short sailor uniform.  I heard screams nearby, and
I turned around to run in their direction.

   "Good luck, Sailor Moon,"  he called.  I didn't look
back.  I ran faster and soon caught sight of a hideous
monster terrorizing four young girls.  To my infinite
surprise, it was Rei, Makoto, Minako, and Ami.

   "Hold it right there!"  I shouted at the youma.  Words
I could have sworn I had never spoken before suddenly
poured from my mouth.  "I'm the Champion of Love and
Justice, Sailor Moon!  I won't let you hurt these girls!
In the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

    The youma snarled and breathed fire at me in reply.
Reflexes I had never known I possessed kicked in, and I
dove out of the way and rolled to my feet.  I grasped
my tiara in my hand and yelled,  "Moon Tiara Magic!"
The glowing discus hit the youma in the midsection, and
it disintegrated into glowing dust.

    I exhaled sharply and rubbed my forehead.  It felt hot,
as if I were running a temperature.  I slowly turned to
the other girls, who were staring at me with a mixture
of shock and gratitude on their faces.

   Rei, her purple-highlighted black hair flowing about her,
hesitatingly stepped forward.  "Sailor Moon?"  I nodded.
Seemingly in a trance, she held her hand in front of her,
murmured a few words, and a ball of flame appeared in front
of her.  "I've been looking for you,"  she confessed, her
voice so low that I almost didn't hear her.  "We all have.
You've haunted our dreams, and many nights I have sought
you out in the sacred fire.  Who are you,"  she demanded,
her voice trembling with anger and fear, "that you should
know how to instruct us in our power?"

    "I didn't do anything!"  I protested in anguish.  I
touched my locket and detransformed.  "I'm just Usagi...
I didn't even know until tonight that I was Sailor Moon."
The girls stared at me in surprise, but Minako recovered
quickly and pushed her way forward.

    "Show us how to transform!"  she exclaimed.  "We
know we can do it, just like you, but we don't know how.
You never told us in our dreams - you said we had to
find you before you would tell us."

    I looked up in the night sky.  There, on the horizon,
was the beautiful planet of Venus.  Once again, some part
of my memory clicked and I suddenly knew the answer.  I
stepped forward, my feet moving seemingly of their own
will, and touched Minako's forehead.  There upon her
brow glowed a symbol - "Sailor Venus,"  I breathed.
"Just say, 'Venus Planet Power, make up,'"  I instructed.
She did, and the Senshi of Love appeared before me.
Sailor Venus was quickly followed by Mercury, Mars, and
Jupiter.

    For a moment, we looked uncertainly at each other.
Finally, Rei spoke up.  "Listen you guys, we have a
duty to perform.  We don't know what it exactly involves
just yet, but we should get to know each other better.
Why don't we meet at my shrine tomorrow after school?"
We all agreed and started on our separate ways home.

    Just Tsukino Usagi again, I started home and walked
down the street where Mamoru lived.  Not even a phone
call, I thought sadly.  But I could see a light on in
his apartment window, and I decided to throw all
caution to the wind.  I flew inside the doors and up
the stairs to his door, and without knocking I pushed
it open.

    "Usako?"  Mamoru did a double take as he looked
up from his book.  I stood in his doorway, shaking
and shivering with the stress of a very long, strange
night.   I felt myself being enfolded in warm arms and
he kept up a continual stream of whispered reassurances.
And when I could hold it in no more, I began to sob almost
violently.  He was considerably alarmed by this and led
me over the couch, soothing me all the while.  When I
quieted, he simply held me close.

   "Mamo-chan?"

   "Yes, Usako?"

   "Why haven't I seen you these past few days?"

   At this question Mamoru looked deeply disturbed and
pulled me even tighter to them.  "Usako, " he began,
"It's difficult for me to tell you this.  But I want
you to know anyway.  In the past, I've occasionally
blacked out for no readily apparent reason.  The
doctors have never been able to find out the cause of
it.  But this last month has been especially bad...I
can't account for huge portions of time."  He looked
so sad, so completely baffled that I immediately felt
sorry for him.  He continued,  "I don't have any memory
of these past eight hours, Usako.  This afternoon I was
studying here in my apartment, and only about fifteen
minutes ago did I wake up in my bed."

    We sat in each other's embrace for a couple moments.
Finally, he asked the question that I knew he would.
"What happened tonight, Usako?"

    I shook my head.  "You wouldn't believe me if I told
you."

    His eyes darkened to midnight.  "Try me.  I have had
some very strange dreams, Usako, and they're all about
you."



To be continued in part 5....
Email me at dulcinea42@yahoo.com