Hey everyone! This is part 3. Hope you like it. As always, I'd love to hear from you. Any comments, suggestions, etc. E-mail me at: serena_dwyer@hotmail.com Thanx & enjoy! :) -Serena Dwyer Oh yeah, Sailor Moon and all related characters don't belong to me, they belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha/Toei Animation and Dic and a whole bunch of other people I'm probably forgeting. :) Part 3- The Search Mamoru slept fitfully that night. He tossed and turned untill 3 am. He couldn't rest till he found her. The words "Yes your Majesty, I swear to protect Princess Serenity and the Moon. I will never let you down." kept repeating in his head. The vow he took over a thousand years ago echoed in his mind. He had let Queen Serenity down. A new determination entered his mind. "No, I *won't* let you down your majesty. I *will* find your daughter, and my one true love." he said firmly. "Don't worry Usako, I'll find you." The way he spoke would have made icicles form on a hot summer day, and if either Beryl or Metallia had heard them, they would have reversed their plan imediately. But as it was, neither of the Queens heard this and so they continued with their plan as Mamoru formed his. *********************************************************************** In the dark void of space, the castle of New Negaverse loomed threatningly over......no one, and nothing. All that resided in this new settlement was contained in the castle and all resided there. Two of their minions guarded the dungeon where Sailor Moon was being held prisioner. She had given up talking and pleading with the guards long ago. Now she just stood there. Silent and unmoving. Her arms were chained to the wall above her head to prevent her from using her crystal. If you were to look at her, you would think her resigned to her fate of existing in that dark, dank dungeon forever. The exact opposite was true. The young Moon Princess was plotting on how she would get out of this creul world inside her head. She was determined not to give up or to surrender the Silver Imperium Crystal, of which she was certain niether Beryl or Metallia knew was in the locket on the bow of her suit. Sailor Moon just hoped that she wouldn't be too late getting out before Mamoru did something unreasonable that would get himself hurt. *********************************************************************** They met earlier than they had intended because it was discovered that not one of them could sleep anyway. All were in attendance save Mamoru. "I hope Mom doesn't worry. I told her I'd be gone all day." Minako bit her lip. "Really? My mom trusts me completely. She knows I'm responsible." stated Ami. Not bragging, just stating a fact. "Is Mamoru coming? I thought he'd be the first to get here." said Rei. I couldn't get a hold of him. He didn't answer the phone, so I assumed that he was on his way over already!" said Makoto. Ami had pretty much taken over since Usagi had been kidnapped, since she had the most experience being a senshi save for Minako, plus she was the smartest and most analitical of the Inners. Besides, back on the moon, Luna had told her that she was the leader of the Inner Defence Circle. The two guardians were getting impatient. "Let's go!" said Luna. "Tuxedo Kamen or not, it's your duty to protect the princess!" the Inner senshi were confused for a moment, then realized she was talking about Usagi. They still thought of her as plain old Usagi, or Sailor Moon, not the Moon Princess. "Allright," Ami reluctantly agreed. "I guess we can't wait around here forever. Besides, knowing Tuxedo Kamen, he'll find a way to get to her, probably even before *we* do!" All senshi laughed and agreed to this. The nine of them quickly transformed. "Good," said Pluto. "Let's go!" She opened a portal of time to the past and one by one the senshi, followed by their guardians climbed in, the last two being Sailor Chibi-Moon and then finally Sailor Pluto, who closed the portal behind her. ************************************************************************ Mamoru had been searching the park since 3:30 that morning trying to find something from the battle of th day before that would lead him to Usagi. Suddenly a flash of light reflected from an objectlying in the bushes. He reached down to pick it up and found it to be the Star Locket! It was the symbol of their love that she had given to him on the Moon during the Silver Millenium. He picked it up, clutched it tightly to his chest and shouted mentally to his princess. ************************************************************************ Usagi's head snapped up as she heard the familliar voice. Yes, it was definitely him, she confirmed after concentrating. "Usako, where are you?" She sighed with relief, hearing the voice of her love. Then, setting her mind on the task, she concentrated on sending a message back. ************************************************************************ "Mamo-chan, I'm in New-Negaverse. From what I can gather, it's a parallel universe to the former Negaverse. Get the senshi to find the portal, but first you *must* find Sailor Sun!" Mamoru heard this and shouted for joy. She had heard him! But who was Sailor Sun??? ************************************************************************ The senshi shivered as they entered the tunnels of the past Negaverse. The tunnels were just as they remembered them, seeing as in reality, it was only a week after they fought Kunzite. It was a few days after the defeat of Beryl. They knew they'd have no confusing interactions with the senshi of that time since they hadn't gotten their memories back yet. "The entrance is over here." Ami said to the group after cheking it with her visor. She went to check it out while the others followed close behind. They stepped through and found themselves in the cold artic air of the North Pole. They shivered and complained for a minute, then returned back to their task, bearing the peircing cold. Following Ami, they found their way to the former Negaverse castle. After a moments glance the nine senshi gasped collectively. "Usagi!" Sailor Mars cried. She started running towards Sailor Moon. 'Sailor Moon' looked up her eyes glowing red. She smiled evily. "Rei!" Ami cried. "That's not Sailor Moon! It's a trap!" She quickly scanned the imposter. "It's a youma!" But Mars kept running. Sailor Moon was her best friend and she couldn't be duplicated. Ami had to be wrong. 'Sailor Moon' leaped into the air, landed just behind the senshi and reverted to her regular form. Seeing this the senshi started back towards the tunnels. "Oh, you can't go yet!" the youma cackled. "Why, you haven't met my friends!" Then turning, she called out "Come on guys, let's show these guys how to party!" Eight of the nine senshi took their fighting positions. "NO!" Pluto said forcefully. "We can't fight them here, we have to go back to the future (Editors note-their present) where we, *and* they belong!" "Yes" said Artimus. "If we fight here, we'll disturb the flow of time!" Nodded consents went around the group. "And by the looks of these guys, they'll be following us no matter what!" Sailor Neptune said. "Come on Pluto, open the portal!" Uranus said impatientely. Pluto nodded and opened a portal. But in her rush, it faltered after the first half went in. Sailor Chibi-Moon quickly reacted and used her time key to support the portal. The rest of the senshi got through safely and found the Youma already there, after anticipating the senshi's move, they quickly went to the present. The youma surrounded the senshi who stood back to back forming an octagon with Sailor Chibi-Moon in the middle. The senshi found themselves to be outnubered 18 to 9. "Shabon Spray!!!" cried Sailor Mercury. Her attack blinded the two flying Youma facing her. "Shining Aqua Illusion!!!" she followed up with a second attack which froze the two Youma, encasing them in ice so that they fell to the ground, smashing them into a million pieces. 2 down, 16 to go. "Fire soul!!!" Sailor Mars shouted as her attack burnt the ground her two Youma were on. Sailor Mars smiled as she then did her favorite attack to finish the two losers off. "Mars Fire Sniper!!!" she flung two arrows and both landed dead on target. 4 down, 14 to go. "Venus Love-Me Chain!!!" Venus flung an amber chain wrapping two of her enemies up. "Cresent Beam Shower!!!" the attack flew out as her basic attak, but then split into many pieces and like hail fell down upon the youma. 6 down, 12 to go. Jupiter sized up her target and yelled, "Sparkling Wide Pressure!!!" A disc made up of thunder and lightning, Jupiter's trademark, was hurled towards the two, hidieous youma. They were fryed! 8 down, 10 to go. Sailor Saturn faced off against her two youma who greatly underestimated her. Big mistake. "Death Ribbon Revolution!!!" A dark beam shot out and killed the two youma. "Remember, size isn't everything!" Saturn flashed a grin at the pile of dust of the pavement before her. 10 down, 8 to go. "World Shaking!!!" the earth beneath the two youma that had once threatened Sailor Uranus, opened and swallowed up them. Uranus smirked at the sheer simpleness of it all. "Definetely NOT some of the Negaverse's finest!" 12 down, 6 to go. "Deep Submerge!!!" the aqua haired senshi yelled as a tidal wave encased and killed her two opposing youma. "Nope, definetely not Uranus!" Neptune called out. 14 down, 4 to go. "dead scream" Sailor Pluto said. So long to those two. 16 down, 2 to go. The senshi let down their guard, thinking that all had been defeated. Then Jupiter turned around and saw how far their circle had grown. "Sailor Chibi-Moon!!!" she cried. The two remaining youma were headed full speed for her. Chibi-Moon looked startled for a second and then regained her composure. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!!!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. So much for those two! She smiled and giggled "No problem!" she said. "Great job Sailor Senshi!" Luna said. "Yeah, now all of you go home and try to rest while Rei does a fire reading!" Artimus added. All nodded and left. 18 down, none to go. ********************************************************************************** Mamoru tried to let his mind travel back in time to the Silver Millenium. He had some trouble since it was in another lifetime. Literally. Mamoru pushed his memory and thought back. Mamoru smiled. He focused again. Mamoru paused as the realization hit him. he thought excitedly by this sudden breakthrough. He started to remember her being there on various other occasions as well. "Now if I could only remember her name or what she looked like....." he went back into his trance like state, ignoring the strange looks he was recieving from passing strangers. ************************************************************************************* Back at the temple Rei locked herself in the fire room so that she wouldn't be disturbed and began an intense fire reading. Once establishing a link with the fire she asked it. "Oh great spirit of the fire, what is the key to getting Usagi back?" She gasped. Her mind was filled with more questions as she looked at the answer in the fire. A vision of Naru floated in the midst of the flames. ************************************************************************************* "Okay." Started Rei. She had gathered all the senshi and had finally calmed down enough to explain what she saw to the others. "As all of you know, I was doing a fire reading hoping to find some clue as to how to get Usagi-chan back." she paused for a moment, getting her thoughts straightened out. "Well, what did you find?" Haruka asked impatiently. "I'm *getting* to that." Rei responded with equal impatience. She and Haruka both being stubborn, impatient and quick to react sometimes found themselves in unnecessary conflict. Especcially when both parties had been on edge for awhile. Ami sensed another red alert from Rei and Haruka. "Guys, let's just continue, ok?" she said crossing her fingers behind her back praying that nothing would happen. As Hauka backed down from the deadlock stare that they had fixed on eachother Luna and Artimus breathed a sigh of relief. An argument was *not* what they needed at the moment. Once things were calm again Rei continued. "Well, when I asked the fire for a clue to help us get Usagi back, it showed me a picture of Osaka Naru!" A dark figure who had been sitting in the rafters as the senshi spoke unnoticed, thought to himself Then the man left as quietly as he had come. He had just solved a big piece of the puzzle. He'd come back for the senshi later. They'd only slow him down now. Below there were confused exclamations. "But what does it mean?" asked Michiru. "I'm not sure. That's why I called you guys here. If we could just figure it out..." "Well, how about if Ami and I go and talk to her?" suggested Makoto. "It would be the best if we go. We all go to the same school." she explained reasonably. "She's right." Ami supported Makoto. "Good idea Mako-chan!" "Allright, but bring her back here, so that we can all talk to her." Minako said. "Yes, we have to work together so it would be best if all of us could hear." Hotaru chimed in. "See ya guys!" Makoto and Ami waved as they ran out the door. "I'm coming too!" Luna ran after them. Then she looked back at the other cat. "Artimus, you stay here!" *********************************************************************************** Is Naru there please?" a young gentleman stood in front of Mrs. Osaka. "Yes, just a minute please." she smiled at the stranger and went to get Naru. "Naru there's a handsome young man at the door to see you!" she told her doughter. Then she added as Naru passed by "And if I were you I wouldn't let this one get away. He's cute!" she gave her daughter a wink. Naru wondered who it could be. She walked to the door and laughed in her mind once she saw who it was. Her best friend's boyfriend, Mamoru. "Oh hi Mamoru! Usagi's not here-" "Naru, I need to talk to you....about Usagi" Mamoru sadi quickly as if in a rush. "Uh, yeah, sure! Just let me get my coat." she rushed to her room, slipped on her shoes and coat and was running downstairs as her mother caught her. "Didn't I say he was cute?" "Mom! That's Mamoru, Usagi-chan's boyfriend!" "Oh!" her mother smiled foolishly, trying to hide the embarrasment. But Naru didn't stay long enough to see it. When she spoke to Mamoru he seemed very worried and Naru was anxious to find out why. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, that chapter was a bit longer! :) Hopefully, the next will be out soon. I never know what to say at the end of these chapters....but as always Questions/Comments/Flames......you get the pic! Next: Chapter 4-Discoveries