Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and all its characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha and TOEI Animation

 

Behind the Masks

By Sailor Nena

"Is there no getting rid of her! It seems that every time I begin a new mission she is there!" Jedite screamed in frustration. "Queen Baryl will not take much more failure from me! I must find a new source of energy and soon! It should be something that Sailor Moon won’t expect!

"What is this? Very interesting. It seems that humans waist vast amounts of energy writing term papers. Sailor Moon seems like the type that wouldn’t care about a thing like that. If I could pull this mission off without her noticing, it would give me the energy I need to appease Queen Baryl for a time!"

 

"There should be a law against waking people up so early on a Saturday." Serena complained as she dragged herself out of bed. "Well, there is nothing I can do now but get to work." Serena went to her closet and pulled out a blue short sleeve form fitting shirt and a pair of wide leg black jeans. She quickly changed and sat in front of her vanity mirror; there, she brushed her hair back into a low pony tail. Slowly, she opened one of her drawers and pulled out a small black case. "Transformation time!" Serena opened the case, and very carefully, applied the make-up in a sophisticated manner. From the same drawer, she pulled out a pair of designer glasses. They weren’t real, but they had an effect of sophistication on her face.

Serena stood in front of her full length mirror. "I look good." she concluded. Between the make-up, the glasses, and the attire, Serena looked as if she was in her late teens. "Perfect for today’s mission. I’m going to ace that term paper if it kills me!" She turned to the sleeping black cat on her bed. "Well, at least one of us gets to sleep in." She kissed Luna good bye, and sneaked out of the house.

Ms. Haruna had assigned a literary term paper that would be worth two thirds of her grade. If Serena manage a B on it, she would ensure a no-summer school ticket. It was important for her to do the right research, and to do that, she had to go to the right library. The normal library would not have the type of information she needed, but the collage library was another story. She had it planned out. First, she would dress in a more mature fashion to convince the guard that she was a junior in high school. Then, she would sit in an isolated table and work. Finally, she would gather her information and right her report at home. This wasn’t the first time she was doing this. She hadn’t done it in a while, but this use to be the only pleasure of a paper.

She arrived at the college library at eight thirty. She knocked on the door, and an old friend answered, "Hey Sergy! Long time no see. You have a paper to do?"

"Hey Mike! Yea! Do you think it’d be all right if I used this library?"

"I don’t know. Mr. Segruey use to be pretty cool about it, but we have a new head of department, Mr. Jedison. I’ll ask." Mike walked to a back office and knocked on the door. "Mr. Jedison?"

"Yes." answered a dark figure from behind a large old desk.

"There is a high school girl here. She wants to use the library because she has a paper...."

"I have no problems with that. Let her use it." a cold icy voice answered.

"Thank you, sir." Mike rushed back with a smile. "Knock yourself out, kid!"

"Thanks, your the best." she smiled back and choose a chair by the corner. She went to the section on Western Literature and began her search. She took out some volumes of analytical essays and returned to her desk. Opening a new pack of four by six index cards, she began.

 

"Hey, Darien whatcha doing?" Andrew whispered.

"I have to read "Kubla Khan" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and write analytical essay on it for class." he answered.

"Did you read it?"

"I just found the copy I was looking for. I have been researching Coleridge first."

"That’s right. You’re the one that believe in knowing the man before you hear his message. So what did you find out?"

"That he was high on pain killers when he wrote it."

"You would find that out. Where do you want to sit?"

"I was at the middle, but now that I don’t need to be near the computers, how about our usual corner?"

"Can’t."

"Why?" Darien always sat in that corner. It was where no one could see or bother him.

"Some girl is there."

"Freshman?"

"I think high school. She looks oddly familiar. Why don’t you take a look at her?"

 

Serena was happy with her outfit. She had achieved her goal; she managed to blend into the background perfectly, and with that, she manage to work without interruption. She had already found two of her five sources, and she had only been there an hour. "This is going to knock her socks off." Serena thought as she turned the page. "I had forgotten how much I enjoy writing. It almost makes this paper look like fun. ALMOST!"

She closed the book and stood up. She took the five books she had used and took them back. There was no sense in making Mike work harder. Besides, she needed the space. At the book shelves, she looked for any other book she might have missed. "I thought I took this one." she thought as she picked a heavy dusty book. Suddenly, Darien’s face looking into a book was revealed. "My angels, no. If he recognizes me, I might end up loosing any chance of working here, and Mike might get in trouble for lying for me. No I can’t let him see me." Serena was ready to return to her table when Darien looked up. There eyes met in an enchanting glance for a second. Without warning, Darien closed his book and walked away. "My angels in heaven, let him not have recognized me." she begged as she returned to her table.

 

"Andrew, where did the girl that was here a minute ago go?" Darien asked ruddily.

"What girl?" Andrew looked around. When he had enter the isle, it was empty, and he didn’t notice anyone else come along.

"The one with blond hair and glasses. She has heavenly sapphire eyes. The most beautiful I have ever seen."

"Sounds like the girl that took our table. See?" Andrew motioned with his head towards a near by table. Darien leaned over to catch a glimpse of a girl taking notes.

"That’s her. Who is she?"

"I don’t know, but she looks familiar."

"You work in one of the more popular arcades; I’m surprised they don’t all look familiar, but now that you mentioned it, I did feel an awkward sense of nostalgia when I saw her."

"Weird."

"I feel like Kubla Khan."

"Huh?"

"The guy from the poem."

"How do you feel like a guy that built a ‘sunny pleasure dome?’"

"There is a line that goes, ‘and ‘mid this tumult Kubla heard from far ancestral voices prophesying war!’ I feel like the voices are telling me the same thing right now."

"Because you can’t figure out where you know a girl from?"

"No, because I have a bad feeling in my guts."

"Ledger, is our plan in effect?" Jedite asked a female assistant holding a white ball of energy in his hand.

"Yes. When any of these fools try to use the copy machine, they will loose all their energy to the Negaforce." They let an evil laugh escape them.

"The best part is that Sailor Moon will not be able to stop us!"

"Yes, and if she tries, I will enjoy destroying her!" The laughed with all their strength one last time.

 

"Well?"

"What?" Darien asked confused.

"Aren’t you going to ask her out?"

"You’re crazy! She could be an ex!"

"You would never let a girl like that escape you!"

"We have to get these photocopied." Darien protested.

"I can do that! Why don’t you go talk to her?"

"Because....."

"I’ll get these done in a sec. Oh, and after you find out her name, don’t forget to tell me." Andrew took the book from Darien’s hand and disappeared.

"Well, what do I have to lose? Besides, I might get rid of this annoying feeling."

 

 

"Yes, I’m almost done." Serena cheered in her mind. "A few more notes, just in case I need more information and...." The chair across from her moved. "I guess I didn’t pick such a great seat after all." She finished taking the last of her notes without looking up. "I don’t care who is sitting in front of me. I will not draw attention to myself by looking up! If it were Mike, he would have said something by now! So who ever it is...."

"Pride and Prejudice?" A familiar voice asked.

"Excuse me?" She looked up in surprise. There was Darien looking back at her with a devilish smile.

"You are researching Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin, right?"

"Yea."

"What’s your thesis?"

"Why do you care?"

"Just trying to be nice."

"Don’t provoke him. He has all the power here." Serena warned herself. "Darcy had no improper pride."

"Interesting."

"What are you doing?"

"Kubla Khan"

"By Coleridge?"

"Do you know any other?" His voice was sweet, and his eyes were inviting.

"I guess he is kindda cute when he isn’t acting like an idiot." Serena thought.

"Where have I seen those sapphire eyes before?" he wondered.

"Are you writing about the poem or the man?" Serena broke the short silence that had formed.

"The poem."

"I liked it."

"When did you read it?"

"A few days ago, in class. You will excuse me, but I have to make some copies." Serena jumped to her feet. "I’ll copy the last two pages and work at them at home." she thought. "That’s strange. It’s only eleven and the library is deserted. It should be packed at this time. I have a funny feeling about this." A young man cut in front of her at the copy machine. "How rude!" A flash of light engulfed him. He screamed in pain as all his energy was ripped out of his body. "The Negaverse!" Serena took her locket into her hand. "Moon Prism Power!" She began her epic transformation into Sailor Moon. "Now to find that Negacreep!"

 

"What’s taking Andrew so long?" Darien asked himself, "He should have been back by now! ARGGGGGG!!!!" Darien screamed in pain. Reluctantly, he transformed into Tuxedo Mask.

 

"Moon Tiara Magic!" Serena threw her tiara at the copy machine. The gold discus surrounded the machine and engulfed it.

"I am Ledger!" A woman appeared on top of what use to be the copier. She was tall and wore a white, long, loose dress. Her hair was really opened books.

"I am Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I will right wrongs and triumph over evil, and that means you!"

"Pretty big words for a clutz like you! Feel the power of BOOKS!" she lowered her head and two books came flying at Serena. She dodged them and grabbed her tiara,

"Moon Tiara Magic!" The tiara flew across the room to its target. Ledger threw a book that canceled the spell. "Noooooo! You can’t do that!"

"Get ready for more, Sailor ditz!" She lowered her head and threw two more books. A red rose came flying into the scene canceling one of the books. The other kept racing towards Sailor Moon. Tuxedo Masked took her into his arms and jumped to safety. The book hit a shelve which toppled over starting a domino effect.

"You steal energy from these hard working student for your own evil purpose! I will not let you get away with this!"

"Try if you dare, cape boy!" Tuxedo Mask leaped towards her with his cane extended. She shot a book at him. He dodged it and hit her in the arm. The book kept flying toward Sailor Moon. She was able to move out of the way in time, but the book hit the shelve that fell forward. Sailor Moon was trapped in underneath.

"Oh, did the cape boy loose his girlfriend?" Jedite entered the room.

"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Masked hit Ledger one last time before she disintegrated.

"Say good bye!" Jedite raised his sword above his head, and he let it dropped on the sleeping Sailor Moon.

"Nooooooo!" Tuxedo Mask extended his can to block the shot. Jedite charged at him. Darien threw a rose that landed slanted on the floor. "Give it up, Jedite!"

"We will finish this next time!" Jedite disappeared as all the energy began to return to their owners. Tuxedo Mask lifted the heavy shelves from Sailor Moon’s back. He gently took her into his arms and caressed her.

"How could I have been so careless?" He thought. "If only I had stopped that book instead of dodging...." He leaned closer and kissed her lips lightly. Then again with a flare of passion and strength. The kisses became small torturers for him. She laid motionless in his arms. He knew she was alive because he had felt her breath when he kissed her. "How could I have let them hurt you?" He repeated the kiss with more passion. They were so addictive he couldn’t stop.

She moaned lightly and opened her eyes. "How do you feel?"

"Sore" she answered.

"It could have been worst."

"Is it over?"

"For now." He let her down on the floor and walked away.

"What a man! I wonder why my lips are burning."

 

"Andrew are you O.K.?"

"Yes Darien. I don’t know what happened."

"You fainted. That’s the last time I’m letting you go do the photocopies."

"Ha ha, very funny! So who is the girl?"

"Huh? I don’t know."

"What?"

"Hey Andrew, are you all right?" They both turned to the blond with the sapphire eyes. Andrew recognized the voice immediately.

"Yes Serena. Thanks for asking."

"Are you sure."

"Positive. I didn’t know you wore glasses."

"I don’t; they’re a fashion statement. I gotta go. Bye!" Serena left the library before Darien could open his mouth.

"Meatball head is the girl with the eyes?" Darien asked confused.

"Well, she is not quite a Meatball head, if you know what I mean."

"Unfortunately, I know all to well."

"Did you notice?"

"Noticed what?"

"Her lips were swollen."

"They were?"

"It was as if someone had kissed her."

"Yea, the same person that threw the shelves down." Darien joked as he worriedly thought, "Who could have kissed her here? She is so young."

 

 

"So how did the paper go?" Amy asked.

"Too well." Serena answered. She took a sip from her shake. "Ms. Haruna thought I plagiarized." It had been a week since the incident in the library. Serena had finished her paper, and after a full weekend of total devotion, she had received what she deserved.

"So what happened?"

"I showed her my note cards, outlines, and drafts."

"So what did she do?"

"Had a nervous break down and gave me an A." Serena smiled to herself. She remembered how easy it use to be to get the good grades, but then she began to feel very tired. It took so much energy to keep working, and it was so easy to do nothing. She had the skills and talent to be a good student as she had shown in this last paper; she was just missing the motivation.

"An A?"

"Yes."

"Well, at least you won’t go to summer school."

"There is just one problem."

"What?"

"Now she expects this type of work from me."

"Hey, Serena, how did you’re paper go?" Raye asked as she and Darien approached their table.

"Descent."

"I’ll say." Amy joked.

"It should have gone better than decent. You used my library."

"Huh?" Raye and Amy asked in unison.

"I went to the college library to do my research." Serena explained.

"A chocolate shake for a chocolate loving girl." Mike came by and gave Serena another shake as he sat next to her. They were sitting on a both by the window with the afternoon sun in their eyes.

"Mike? I thought you had the afternoon shift today?" Darien asked in surprised.

"I do, but first I wanted to congratulate Sergy on her A." He kissed her on her cheek, and left.

"So that’s how you got in, Meatball Head." Darien took Mike’s seat as Raye took the seat next to Amy. "Is he also the guy that kissed you?"

"Excuse me?!" Serena was caught of guard. She never expected such a question from anybody, much less Darien.

"When you left the library, your lips were swollen. Is he the one that kissed you?" Darien’s frustration was beginning to show.

"First of all, just because my lips were swollen does not mean that I was kissed!"

"I know how swollen lips get after they are kiss! Was he the one?!"

"Second of all, I wouldn’t tell you!"

"Why not?"

"Because you are nothing of mine!" Her words cut through him like an ax through a twig.

"And all this time, I thought I was your friend." his voice was soft and full of pain.

"Darien!" Serena was hurt. "He has been a friend of my family since his birth. Our fathers were high school buddies. We grew up together. He did not kiss me. Neither did anyone else to my knowledge." She was calm, but the pain ran through her voice like a death bell.

"Serena I....."

"I don’t know why you insist! Can’t you trust me?" For some strange reason, Darien felt she really had asked "Can’t you love me?" I was strange how lately he had been noticing Serena more. Her beautiful sapphire eyes, her silky golden hair, and the roses that bloomed on her cheeks kept haunting him.

"If she was a bit more mature, I would love to show her another side of me, but she will always be a meatball head." he thought. "Sure I can, but I have trouble trusting the guys in my school. They can be very forward."

"You should know."

"Darien, I have tickets to a show tonight. Would you like to come?" Raye interrupted.

"Love to." Raye giggled nervously.

"I think I’m going to be sick." Serena moaned.

"Well, if she is with him, at least you two can’t fight." Amy offered.

"It’s still annoying." Raye and Darien left. "Ah, some peace and quiet."

"So you like him too."

"Who?"

"Darien."

"Amy, have you hit your head this morning?"

"No, have you?"

 

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