"Christopher Angel" Shieldsman A Sailor Moon S Fanfic All Sailor Moon characters the property of the people who have rights to them. Don't sue me. *** 1 - Awakening *** Mamoru shouted himself awake, and looked in confusion at his room for a moment. *The same damn dream,* he cursed. *A man, in a red uniform, with a shield.* He held his head as he tried to remember more. *It was the Silver Millenium.* He looked out the window at the moonlight streaming into his window. *He was my friend, I think. But why do I remember him with such sadness?* Mamoru got out of bed and went to his washroom. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and splashed some water on his face. *I had better talk to Luna about this.* He returned to his bed and the restless sleep it offered him. *** In another room, a tall, slender man with strawberry hair twisted in his sleep. He suddenly awoke, his eyes blank with some supressed emotion. After a few minutes, his eyes cleared and he sat on the edge of the bed. He looked out his window, to see the moonlight leave shadows on the trees below. As he watched, tears began to fall from his eyes. *** "Usagi-chan, you're late," Rei scolded. "Again." Usagi half-heartedly stuck her tongue out at Rei and sat down, her face showing a great deal of worry. The Inner Senshi sat in a small restaurant. Each one had a soda or some other drink in front of them. Ami looked up from her book and smiled at Usagi. "Don't worry, Mamoru's late too." Usagi's face darkened further at that. Worried now herself, Ami asked "Usagi-chan, what's wrong?" "Mamo-chan's been all tired and wiped out lately," she said despondently. "And he won't tell me what's wrong no matter how I ask." She was silent for a moment, and her eyes began to brim with tears. "He keeps on having these wierd dreams too, but he won't tell me about them." With that, Usagi broke down and cried. While Ami and Makoto tried to comfort her, Minako looked over at Rei. "Another warning from the future?" she mused. "Or is someone coming back?" Rei looked over at the tearful Usagi, and fought the urge to snap at her. "She's useless like this. I hope Mamoru gets better soon." She couldn't help the uneasy feeling she felt, though. *** Luna listened silently as Mamoru told her about his dreams. Artemis watched Luna as he listened, and caught the look of sorrow that passed through her eyes for a moment. As he finished, Luna was silent for a long time. "It does sound familiar," she finally said. "If you have any more dreams tell me about them." Mamoru nodded and went to meet up with Usagi and the others. Artimis padded up to Luna. "You know who he's talking about, don't you?" he asked her. Luna sighed. "Yes," she admitted, her voice a whisper. "He's refering to a man called Crimson. A Shieldsman. Oh Serenity, how could you? Didn't he suffer enough the first time?" The black cat seemed ready to sob. Artemis walked up and rubbed his chin on her shoulder. "Tell me, Luna." "The Shieldsmen were intended to work with the Senshi. To protect them while they fought, and to bodyguard them in and out of battle. Each one died in the Silver Millenium, protecting their Senshi. All except for Crimson. He was...in love with Mars, whom he was sworn to protect. She never let him work with her, and he lived until the very end." Luna suddenly wished cats could cry. "It's not fair, Artemis." "What's not fair?" he asked, and walked around her to look in her eyes. Luna shook her head. "Crimson was a joker. An irreverant prankster, who delighted in making people laugh, a wonderful man. But he loved Mars, and she never returned his affection." She paused. "If I let him awaken, he'll remember his love for Mars. He shouldn't have to suffer again, Artemis. He shouldn't have to remember a love for a woman who treated him as an irritant and an annoyance." Artemis thought about what Luna said. It was hard to relate in many ways. Mamoru and Usagi merely rekindled an old romance, one made easier by the knowledge of what could come to pass. His own relationship with Luna was in much the same boat. "Maybe she wanted him to have a second chance," he finally said. "A chance to do the duty he was never able to fuffil the first time." As an afterthought, he added. "A chance to have his love returned." Luna sighed, and rubbed Artemis's face with her own. "I hope so, Artemis. I really do." *** Mamoru walked to the restaurant he was supposed to meet the girls at. He grimaced as his head began to throb and he lost balance. *One decent night's rest, that's all I ask.* He resigned himself to hitting the ground, but a pair of strong hands caught him. "Hey, are you OK?" Mamoru felt himself hoisted up and set against a nearby wall. "You want me to get you a doctor?" "No, thank you," Mamoru replied wearily. "I'm just tired." He looked up to thank his rescuer. The man was almost as tall as him, and had a similar build. He had an open, smiling face that was currently etched with concern. He had dark brown eyes and short strawberry blonde hair. "You sure?" The man asked. "Yes, I have to meet someone. Thank you for your concern." He moved to walk on, but stumbled again. Once again, he was caught by the man. He looked over to see the man smiling at him. "Tell you what, I'll give you a hand." Mamoru smiled his thanks, and leaned on the man as he walked. "I'm Kaneda Akasei." "Mamoru Chiba." Kaneda stopped and looked at him with no little awe. "THE Mamoru Chiba? The guy who got the perfect score on the physics mid-term?" he asked. "Oh wow, I'm in the presence of greatness," he joked, and then explained to a confused Mamoru. "I'm in your physics class at Azabu." He looked over at Mamoru with a sort of predatory grin. "I don't suppose I could borrow your test? I need something to study for the make-up exam the prof's having for all of us who failed." "I don't remember seeing you there," Mamoru said as they walked. Kaneda looked embarrased. "Yeah, well, I kind of skip a lot. Physics is one not my favorite courses and all, I'm taking it because I have to. Stupid performing arts curriculum at my college requires us to take a few courses at Azabu." Mamoru gave him a look of sympathy. "So what are you majoring in?" "Music," Kaneda said, a little too proudly. "Mostly the vocal arts, but I know some piano and do some drama too." They walked on for a moment in silence. "So who's so important you're going out like this to meet them?" he asked. He looked over at Mamoru, and grinned at the slight blush. "Girlfriend," he chuckled. "Smart man." *** "Where IS he?" Usagi complained, her previous bout of tears transformed into irritation. "He's late!" The other girls laughed. "What's so funny?" she demanded. "You," Rei snickered, "of all people, complaing about someone being late." Usagi began to sniffle again. "Why are you all being so-" "Excuse me?" The girls looked up to see Mamoru being held up by another hunk of a man. "Does this belong to one of you?" "Mamo-chan!" Usagi yelped, and helped him sit down. The man looked on in amusement. "Well that answers THAT question." His eyes passed over Usagi, Ami, and the now dreamy-eyed Makoto and Minako. "Not one, but five," he said admiringly. "Very smart man." "Please, join us," Mamoru said. "I'll buy you a soda." Kaneda made to refuse, but caught the look in Makoto's and Minako's faces and quickly agreed. "Merely the opportunity to meet such visions of loveliness is repayment enought for me," Kaneda said chivalrously as he sat down beside Mamoru. At the girl's started glances, he looked sideways at Mamoru. "Too much?" Mamoru smiled slightly and nodded, and Kaneda sighed. "Oh well, it sounded good at the time." Mamoru performed the introductions, and Kaneda resisted his natural flirt reaction, selling for simple greeting, until he locked eyes with Rei. "T-the p-pleasure is mine," he stuttered, and blushed. "Have I seen you somewhere before?" Rei snorted. "Well that's an original pick up line," she mocked. Kaneda's eyes flashed, and he got a somewhat sinister smirk on his face. "A dagger to the heart!" he began dramatically. "You misunderstand, fair Rei, for if I was romantically inclinced, I would expouse upon your hair, which is like the sky at the first touches of dawn in silken form, as well as your eyes, which are dark pools of beauty I could lose my soul in." Rei and the other girls were looking at him wide-eyed, completely taken in by his words. He suddenly grinned, and slipped out of flowery-speech mode. "See? If I had been hitting on you, I'd have talked like that." Mamoru attempted to stifle the laughter that was rising up in him, and thankfully succeeded. "That wasn't very nice," he scolded half-heartedly, and chuckled as Kaneda grinned at him. "All's fair in love, war, and witty banter," he quoted, and then returned to the subject at hand. "As I was saying, Rei, you do remind me of someone." Kaneda gazed at her for a moment, and sighed deeply. "Ah, well, I guess I'll never know." He stood, and nodded to Mamoru. "If you'll excuse me, I'd better get going. Get some rest, OK? I'm going need that physics test if I'm going to pass." He shot a grin at the girls. "Ladies, it's been a pleasure." He turned and quickly walked out of the restaurant. "He's gorgeous," Minako sighed after he left. Makoto got dreamy-eyed again. "He reminds you of your old boyfriend," Ami said for her, and giggled as Makoto blushed. "If it's male and has legs it reminds her of her old boyfriend," Minako taunted. "Right Rei?" She shot a look at the other girl, who was staring after Kaneda and ignoring the others entirely. "Rei?" Rei shook her head slightly. "I know I've met him before," she said to no one in particular, then looked up quickly at the others, who were watching her intently. "What?" Minako leaned over to murmer in Ami's ear. "Rei's in love." Ami smiled and giggled a bit. "I am not!" Rei protested as the other four girls giggled. *** Outside the restaurant, Kaneda leaned against a wall. "What the hell was that, Kaneda?" he berated himself. "Hitting on junior high girls? Besides, they don't even look like her." He stood up straight, and felt something leaning against his leg. Looking down, he noticed a white cat with a strange crescent mark on it's forehead. He kneeled down and patted it. "Hey fellah, aren't you friendly." The cat meowed softly. Kaneda patted the cat for a moment more, and blinked in suprise as he felt tears coming to his eyes. "Damnit, not now!" he growled, and wiped the tears away. "She doesn't even LOOK like her!" He stopped patting the cat, and stood up. "If she even exists." As Kaneda walked away, Luna walked up to Artemis. "It's him, isn't it?" Artemis said. "Yes," Luna said softly. "And he's awakening anyway." Artemis looked back at her. "It's going to happen whether we try to stop it or not, Luna." He thought for a moment. "Maybe we should talk to the others about this." Luna shook her head. "Mamoru and Usagi only. I think they'd understand better than the others." *** Kaneda twisted in his sleep again. Images of a raven haired beauty in a sailor fuku flashed through his mind. He felt a strange longing fill his heart at the sight of her. Other images came to him. Other beautiful women in sailor fukus. Men in strange one-color uniforms that matched clothes he wore. Holding the raven haired one in his arms, her lifeless body crushed. Kaneda suddenly awoke, and wondered why seeing that woman dead brought such agony and shame to his heart. *** Usagi and Mamoru sat in the park, and looked down at the little black cat. "What is it, Luna? Usagi asked. "Why didn't you want the others here?" Mamoru told her of the dreams he had been having lately, and Usagi's eyes widened. "I know who the man you saw in your dreams was, Mamoru," Luna said softly. "He was known as Crimson, a Shieldsman." Mamoru's eyes sparked with recognition as memories flooded back to him. "And I know who he is in this life, and so do you." "Kaneda," Mamoru breathed in a tortured voice. "I remember now." He looked down at the cat, the pain he felt in his face and voice. Usagi held on to his arm tightly. "Can we stop him from awakening?" Luna shook her head, and Usagi looked at him in suprise. "Mamo-chan, I thought he was your friend! Why don't you want him to awaken?" Mamoru told her about Crimson and his relationship with Sailor Mars. As he finished his tale, Usagi was in tears. "You see, Usagi-chan? I don't want him to awaken BECAUSE he was my friend." He held on to the sobbing girl, fighting the tears that threatened to come to his eyes. "I only hope in this one case, history doesn't repeat itself." "I'll go now and awaken him," Luna said as she turned away. "No," Mamoru said, stopping her. "We'll do it." He smiled wryly down at the small cat. "He was my friend." *** Kaneda snorted awake as class ended. He yawned and stretched as the other students filed out of the classroom. *My favorite way to spend Physics class,* he thought to himself. *Asleep.* He grimaced as the taste in his mouth hit him. *Ught. Morning breath, and it's mid-afternoon.* He stood up and cracked his back. *What I need is beer. Lots and lots of beer. That should give me just enough pep to live through Math.* He gathered his stuff and walked out of the classroom and out of the building. He was squinting at the glare of the sun when he heard his name called. "Kaneda!" He turned around and saw Mamoru walking towards him. Kaneda grinned at him and met him partway. "Hey, this is a switch. Usually I'm the one skipping and you're the one in class." He looked Mamoru up and down, noting the absence of any kind of bookbag and the other's generally improved condition. "Well, you're looking better. So where's that test?" He rubbed his hands together in glee. Mamoru forced a smile onto his face. "I left my bag over in my locker. Come on and we'll get it." The two walked on in silence, eventually reaching a secluded portion of campus. "Kaneda, I've got a question to ask you." Curious, Kaneda looked sideways at him, and was a bit surprised by the serious mein Mamoru had adopted. "Shoot." "You've been having weird dreams lately, haven't you?" Kaneda halted, and looked at the other man in shock. "Ones that seem like memories, not dreams. About people you know you've never met, but seem extremely familiar." Mamoru locked eyes with Kaneda. "I'm right, aren't I?" Kaneda's eyes were wide, his face pale. "How did you know about that?" he breathed, and felt a pressure on his leg. He looked down and saw a black cat, with a mark on it's forehead similar to the one he saw earlier on the white cat. He bent to pick the animal up. "What the..." He died off as the cat looked him in the face and spoke. "Hello, Crimson." Kaneda stiffened as the memories flooded back to him of his life in the Silver Millenium. His seven brothers. His training. Standing by the graves of his brothers. Sailor Mars. The end of the Moon Kingdom. Finally, he spoke. "Endymion. Luna." Kaneda voice was cold, almost emotionless. He gently put Luna down, and turned to face Mamoru, his face neutral, but tense. "Is she here?" Kaneda's tone left no doubt as to who 'she' was. Mamoru nodded silently. "Who?" he asked, and put his hand up before Mamoru could answer. "Wait. It's that girl, Rei, isn't it?" It's was Mamoru's turn to be suprised. "How did you know?" Kaneda chuckled coldly. "Let's see. Prince Endymion, meeting with a girl who looks far too much like Princess Serenity and four other girls. Obvious conclusion, they're the Inner Senshi. It follows that the purple brunette must be Sailor Mars." At the silence that followed, he continued, a little surprised. "What, am I the only one to figure it out or something?" He glanced down at Luna, who nodded. "Why am I not suprised?" Mamoru decided to come to the point. "Kaneda," he began laying his hand on the other's shoulder. "About you and Mars...I don't think she remembers you." Kaneda grimaced and sighed, a sad smile eventually forming on his face. "I'm almost glad," he admitted. "It's weird. I remember being in love with her, but it's like it's not me." He turned his focus from one to the other. "The potential is there, but I think this time it won't happen. I'll make sure it doesn't." He was silent for a moment. "Don't tell them. Don't tell HER. I'd rather they don't find out." He suddenly chuckled and grinned. "I guess she can't force me to stay out of it this time. It's not like she can go to Mars..." He trailed off as Mamoru suddenly stiffened. "What's wrong?" "Sailor Moon needs me," Mamoru said, and transformed into Tuxedo Kamen. Kaneda looked down at Luna. "My bracers?" he asked, and Luna did a little flip. In front of her appeared two thick red bands. Each one was about six inches long, and as Kaneda put them on, went from his wrist to halfway up his forearm. The bands only feature was a single ruby in the center of the left one, and the symbol for Mars in the center of the right. Kaneda fell to one knee, and took a deep breath. He drove his fist at the ground, crying "CRIMSON RADIANCE!" As Tuxedo Kamen and Luna watched, a briliant red light burst from where Kaneda's fist hit the ground, and flowed up his body, his clothing disappearing as it passed. First, on his torso, the light solidified into a breastplate. Second, loose pants formed on his lower body, just in time to be tucked into the calf-length boots that appeared on his feet. Third, a thin headband appeared on Kaneda's forehead, and he began to stand up. As he did so, the ruby gem on his left bracer flashed and grew, forming into a large circular shield. Everything was the same shade of brilliant red. Crimson faced Tuxedo Kamen. "Lead on." -- Christopher "God-boy" Angel cja124@mail.usask.ca http://www.engr.usask.ca/~cja124 "Some people LOOK marvelous, some people ACT marvelous. I? I just AM marvelous." - anonymous