A Sailor Moon Fanfiction: The Pledge of the Sun.

Chapter 42

It was nightfall in Juuban. Everyone in town was fast asleep, except for a specific group of teens and their cat companions searching for anything to locate the Dark Kingdom. Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Luna were inside the Game Center, searching for the entrance via the Sailor V game computer. Ami typed on the computer, searching all over the map, but she couldn't find anything.

"There's around there either," she sighed with disappointment. "That just leaves..."

But before she could finish her sentence, the doors of the Game Center opened, and Harusuke, Luna, and an exhausted Usagi came in.

"Sorry we're a little late," apologized Luna.

"Someone decided to pig out until she burned up our allowance," Harusuke grumbled.

"Man... I'm exhausted," groaned Usagi.

"So, how did it go?" asked Ami. "Did you find anything?"

"I'm afraid we weren't able to find anything," said Luna sadly. "Not a single one of the dumpling places we checked had anything to do with the Dark Kingdom, much less an entrance."

"Too bad. We haven't had much luck either," said Ami. "And yet somehow, the Dark Kingdom continues to keep sending monsters one after another. There has to be an entrance somewhere."

"What about you, Rei?" asked Harusuke. "Any luck from where you looked?"

Rei shook her head. "Nothing. No hits at all."

"We haven't been able to find anything that leads to their lair either," sighed Makoto.

"I guess that leaves Minako and Artemis," said Luna. "Hopefully, they'll be able to find something-."

"I'm so tired!" groaned Usagi interrupting her.

Luna immediately whipped her head towards Usagi, looking cross. "Usagi! Everyone's tired, but they're trying their best to help out, so suck it up already!" she snapped.

"But I'm also starving!" Usagi whined. "When do we get to eat?!"

"Are you kidding me?!" Harusuke snapped. "You just ate a whole meal at the dumpling shop!"

"The three plates of sweet dumplings and two bowls of anmitsu jelly were tasty," said Usagi. "But that was just a snack! I'm hungry again!"

"For crying out loud! You're stomach's like a freaking black hole!" Harusuke groaned, facepalming. "Seriously! Where the heck do you put it all?!"

Then Minako and Artemis arrived.

"Hey, you guys! We're back!" greeted Minako.

"Sure is lively in here," said Artemis.

"Never mind that," said Rei. "How'd it go with you guys?"

"Not so great," said Minako. "We checked out every bathhouse in Tokyo, but one of them panned out."

"Well, thanks for trying, Minako," said Ami.

"In that case, I guess we'd better call it a night," said Makoto.

"Sounds good," agreed Reo. "I sure could use some sleep right about now."

"I think we all could," said Harusuke as he stretched. "Even though it seems like we're goofing off rather than doing Guardian business."

Everyone was just about to leave when suddenly, the computer emitted a blaring sound like a warning causing everyone to jump. The map on the screen got immediately replaced with video footage of a bright and familiar object in outer space. It was big, shining bright orange, and burned as its flames rippled like its surface. Not only that but there were also black spots on this object that moved and spread along its surface. Everyone knew what this was.