Masked Mystery

No More Games

Serena's POV

Luna and Artemis climbed in through the empty window. They were both panting and they looked scared, "It is happening. We were walking home, and we saw them. They were in terrorizing people all over the streets! We have to act now!"

We all hopped to our feet and ran out the door. Good thing Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus were already here. We stopped and jumped down an alley, each of us doing our own transformation. Once that was over we paused because we realized that we didn't have an actual plan...

"We are just going to do this blindly? That worked out well last time," Neptune said as she motioned to Jupiter.

"They could be killing people. We don't have a choice!" Sailor Mars said. Uranus nodded in agreement.

"If those two are in agreement, I say we do it!" Everyone looked at me, and decided there was truth to my statement and we headed toward the attackers.

It was bad, but not nearly as bad as New Years. Sailor Mars didn't waste any time. She aimed at the closest monster, "Mars fire ignite!" I watched as flames shot from her fingers and the assailant burst into flames.

"Nice one!" I shouted as we all split up to do our own thing. Once we had taken out three or four of them, they started to disappear.

Sailor Mercury shouted, "I don't like this!"

Neither do I... "Everyone, huddle!" We all stood in a circle with our backs to one another. We watched as the people who were able scrambled to the safety of the nearest buildings. The streets had cleared off. We, along with the collapsed bodies of those who had been less fortunate, were the only ones who remained. We waited, each of us listening closely and watching for any flicker of movement.

"Scouts! So nice of you to join the party!" The owner of the voice stepped out from the shadows, accompanied by fifteen others that looked almost identical to it. "I have to say, I half thought we would be down at least one Scout by now, but Sailor Jupiter is a persistent little insect." We all instinctively pushed Jupiter into the middle of our circle. "We haven't been officially introduced. We are all Aku No Tako."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Evil Octopus... Well, it fits. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sailor Moon, the champion of Justice. In the name of the moon, I will right wrong, and triumph over evil... And that means you!"

"How about we just get right to it then, Sailor? Charge!" And with that all of, what I hoped was the only remaining creatures, came rushing forward. Tentacles all came our way and we jumped in different directions trying to avoid the attacks.

Sailor Venus took out two in one blast with Venus Chain Encircle. Sailor Jupiter was extracting revenge upon one of them by physically beating it to death. I watched as each of my companions seemed to be locked into battle with one or more of the vile demons. My eyes searched for him. Yes, I am still upset with him, but I still love him... I found Tuxedo carefully dodging tentacles and lunging forward with his sword, aiming for the heart. I looked around for the leader. I didn't see her anywhere. I was about to head to where she was last standing when I felt something smash into my back. I went flying through the air and crashed through the window of department store. I stood up and brushed off the glass. Before I could even step back out on the street, a tentacle wrapped around me and I was drug through the window again, and slammed into a car. The tentacle stayed wrapped around me, and it lifted me high into the air. I looked around from my vantage point. There were a mere three monsters left, not counting the one who held me.

"Enough!" The voice cried. The creatures all backed off and the scouts and Tuxedo finally looked up.

"Let her go!"

I started to call out, "Tuxedo, n-..." The tentacle tightened around me and I couldn't breathe. I wiggled trying to move into a position where I could have oxygen again.

"Stop." The creature called out to him. He looked up at me, lowered his sword, and walked back to the girls.

"Drop her, or I turn you into sushi!" Sailor Mars called out.

"Have it your way then." I suddenly began falling toward the pavement. I screamed and closed my eyes expecting every bone in my body to shatter, but I didn't hit the ground. The tentacle grabbed me up just seconds before I smashed onto it. "Let's not play anymore games. We all know how this is going to end. You all are going to die. She will be last, that way she doesn't miss any of the fun, but who goes first?"

Tuxedo through his sword without any warning and it slice through the tentacle that held me. This time I was just a foot from the ground and I fell onto my side. My friends all ran to me and I heard the creature shriek in pain. "Now, Sailor Moon!"

I had my scepter in hand, ready for action. "No more games! MOON... SPIRAL... HEART... ATTACK!" I heard several screams and agonizing yells. I regained my balance from all the spinning that comes from doing the attack. "Is everyone here, and in one piece?"

"Yes! You did it, Sailor Moon!"

"Yeah, we should've just done that the first time!"

"Let's get out of here, before something else decides to show up." We all walked home, laughing and joking. I felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off of my back. I looked around at all the happy faces and then I met Darien's eyes and the sense of a burden came back to me again.

He walked up behind me, "Serena, can we take a walk?"

I followed him in silence. We walked until we reached the pond in the park. He motioned for me to sit down on the bench. I did. I looked toward the sky. The stars had started to fade, and the light of the morning was beginning to show. "Please, stop being mad at me. It's driving me crazy... I have apologized... What more do I need to do?"

He knelt down beside me. I looked into his eyes, and they were pleading with me to be understanding. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "Kiss me."

Darien was taken aback. "Huh?"

"You asked what more you needed to do. Kiss me." He pulled me to my feet and tilted my chin up. He gently placed grabbed my face between his hands and he pushed his lips to mine. I melted. All of my anger was gone. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. He swept me up in his arms, and sat down on the bench with me sitting on his lap. I laid my head on his chest, and he rested his chin on my head. We sat there and watched the sun rise.

"I love you, Meatball Head."

I laughed, "I love you too..." I really do...