Michiru had a rehersal that day, and couldn't get out of it. Hotaru was at school for a project and who the heck knew where Setsuna was. And while Ami might be a big help, she didn't want to bother the Inners on something like this.
Which was why she was holding a textbook in front of her face as she sat in a cafe with a cup of coffee cooling as it sat at her elbow. She was a racer, not a physicist. Just why she needed to know some of this stuff, she didn't know, but it what was assigned. An involuntary sigh passed her lips, and she wondered how long it would take to get it down.
"Ah yes, the joys of studying," came a male voice from in front of her, "And such great things do you get from learning by rote."
Scowling, the Senshi of Uranus lowered her book to the table and looked at the uninvited guest sitting at her table. Right across from her was a ravenhaired young man, looking a little older than her, dressed in a turtleneck, sports jacket, and sunglasses, all in black. "Can I help you?"
"Oooh. The cold tough girl, huh?" said the black clad man.
"Hmph. Come to annoy me, have you?"
"Perish the thought," he said with a shake of his head, "No Miss Ten'ou, I'm here about something more important than making fun of you."
"And just how do you know my name?"
He leaned in towards her. "I know all about you," he whispered with a grin, "You are like an open book... Sailor Uranus."
A hiss slipped between her suddenly clenched teeth and she glared at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, but I think that you do."
One hand reached below the table as she asked, "What do you want?"
The attractive male waggled a finger at her. "First off, please leave your transformation item alone and keep your hands where I can see them, thank you."
"How did you know..."
"That you were going to try and transform? You'd be surprised."
"Will you tell me what you want already?"
"That's such a loaded question you know."
"Just answer me!"
"Testy. What I want to do is give you a messsage. Not Sailor Uranus, not the reincarnated Princess of Uranus, but Haruka Ten'ou, racer, high school student, and self righteous badass."
"What message is that?"
"Not really a meassage, but a test."
"What does that mean?"
"You see, I represent a... group of very powerful, very nasty beings."
"So you're another bunch of invaders..."
"Hardly. We are nothing like what you have fought until now."
"How do you figure that?"
"Simple. While your Sailor Saturn can destroy the world with a single blow, we have members that have the ability to destroy entire galaxies on a whim."
"So why don't you just attack us then?"
"Rules, my dear, rules."
"Huh?"
"Certain things must be handled properly before we come over to this plane."
"Yeah right. I..," she began, and then watched as he pulled off his glasses.
Amber eyes with black instead of the white stared into her blue ones. "Listen carefully. We must follow the rules carefully, or the whole thing will come crashing down on us. So they sent little old Zarius, that's me, to have a chat to give you a challenge."
"What kind of challenge?"
"A simple one really. You've just got to keep one person alive."
"I do?"
"Oh yes. You see, the champion of good, that's you the high school student, not Sailor Uranus, must protect the champion of the dark, that's our guy, from killing the chosen target by sunset. You win, and we make sure that things are nice and safe for the mindless populace. You lose... and well, things will become a whole lot more... interesting, if you catch my drift."
"And what if I don't want to play your stupid game?"
"Then she become the sacrifice and we kill her in exchange for not busting down the doors."
The racer's eyes narrowed. "Who is she?"
"The target?" Zarius asked, then pulled out a photo out of his jacket to toss to her. "That's her."
"That's..."
"Usagi Tsukino. Currently Sailor Moon, reincarnated Moon Princess and future Neo-Queen of Crystal Tokyo."
"You can't..."
"Oh yes we can. Especially seeing as she has no protection other than you since she forgot her transformation brooch at home."
"You didn't..."
"No, but it does make things a whole lot easier. Now are you going to save her or not?"
Chewing her lip, Haruka frowned as she thought long and hard. She knew that she was screwed any way she went, and there wasn't much that she could do. And she hoped that:
(Posted Sat, 15 Feb 2003 09:42)
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