Chapter Text
At twenty-two years old, Usagi Tsukino had become remarkably good at pretending to be a responsible adult.
Most days, nobody questioned it.
Not the visitors she greeted each morning.
Not the executives she escorted to conference rooms.
Not the clients who entered the sleek marble lobby of Shirogane Financial and immediately relaxed when she smiled at them.
To the outside world, Usagi appeared professional.
Competent.
Reliable.
A young woman with her life completely under control.
It was a very convincing illusion.
"Good morning. Welcome to Shirogane Financial."
Usagi offered another cheerful smile as a pair of clients entered the building.
"Your meeting is on the twelfth floor. The elevators are right this way."
The elderly couple thanked her warmly.
As always.
People tended to trust Usagi almost immediately.
It was one of her greatest strengths.
Unfortunately, filing expense reports was not.
"Tsukino-san.”
Usagi winced.
Her supervisor stood nearby holding a folder.
"Did you finish organizing the quarterly records?"
"...Define finish."
The woman closed her eyes.
"Usagi."
"I started organizing them."
"Usagi."
"I organized some of them."
"Usagi."
"I know where they are."
A sigh.
Then another.
Somehow, despite everything, her supervisor laughed.
"You are unbelievably lucky everyone likes you."
Usagi grinned.
"It is my greatest professional skill."
"Your greatest professional skill is preventing clients from realizing you're a disaster."
"Also true."
---
By the time her shift ended, the afternoon sun was shining brightly over Tokyo.
Usagi stepped outside and stretched.
Free.
Glorious freedom.
She loved her job.
Mostly.
Talking to people?
Wonderful.
Helping visitors?
Easy.
Being surrounded by adults who somehow considered her responsible?
Terrifying.
But paperwork?
Pure evil.
No monster she had ever fought compared to spreadsheets.
Not even close.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from Minako.
> snacks.
>
> Crown Arcade.
>
> Don't be late.
Usagi immediately typed back.
> I am never late.
The response arrived instantly.
> Liar.
Rude.
Accurate.
But rude.
---
Five minutes later, Usagi was running.
Again.
"Why is everyone always in such a hurry?"
The irony escaped her completely.
The sidewalk bustled with afternoon crowds.
Office workers hurried home.
Students filled the streets.
Cherry blossoms drifted through the spring air.
It was beautiful.
Until she checked the time.
"Oh no."
Now she was definitely late.
---
A few blocks later, she noticed an elderly woman struggling with several grocery bags.
Usagi slowed.
Paused.
Then sighed.
There went her schedule.
"Here, let me help."
The woman looked relieved.
"Oh, thank goodness."
Several minutes later, Usagi finally continued her journey.
Late.
But feeling good.
Helping people always felt worth it.
Usually.
---
"Aah!"
Her foot caught on uneven pavement.
Usagi stumbled forward.
One shoe flew through the air.
The world slowed.
The shoe rotated gracefully.
Almost artistically.
Then struck a stranger directly on the head.
*Thunk.*
Silence.
"Oh no."
Several pedestrians stopped walking.
The shoe slid from the stranger's shoulder and landed neatly on the pavement.
Very slowly, he turned around.
Usagi froze.
Tall.
Dark-haired.
Handsome.
Expensively dressed.
And judging by his expression, profoundly disappointed by humanity.
She bowed immediately.
"I'm sorry!"
Nothing.
She bowed lower.
"Really sorry!"
Blue eyes swept over her face.
Then her hairstyle.
Then back to her face again.
Like he was studying something.
Or trying to understand how this had happened to him personally.
Finally he muttered:
"Stupid Odango Atama."
The words left his mouth automatically.
Judging from the girl's expression, that had apparently been the wrong thing to say.
Usagi blinked.
"What?"
Without another word, he walked past her.
As though he had not just insulted a complete stranger in public.
"Excuse me?"
Nothing.
"Hey!"
Still nothing.
The stranger continued walking.
Calm.
Unbothered.
Infuriating.
"The shoe hit *you!*"
No response.
Usagi grabbed her shoe from the sidewalk.
"You could at least accept the apology!"
The man disappeared into the crowd without looking back.
For several moments she simply stared.
Then threw her hands into the air.
"You're rude!"
Several strangers glanced at her.
The stranger didn't.
He was already gone.
"What a jerk."
Unfortunately, she was fairly certain she would recognize that voice anywhere now.
---
The universe had not finished with her yet.
---
The attack came shortly after sunset.
A creature born from darkness erupted from the side of an office building.
Glass shattered.
People screamed.
Cars swerved.
Usagi groaned.
"Why does this always happen when I'm hungry?"
Moments later, Sailor Moon stood beneath the city lights.
The battle was fierce.
The monster was stronger than expected.
And somewhere high above the city—
a dark figure watched silently from a nearby rooftop.
Motionless.
Observing.
Unlike the others, he never rushed into battle immediately.
He simply watched.
The way one studies something dangerous.
Or fascinating.
Sailor Moon felt his gaze only once.
A strange chill crawled briefly down her spine.
Then the feeling vanished.
The monster lunged again.
Her tiara struck true.
The creature dissolved into glittering fragments of darkness.
The civilians were safe.
Tokyo survived another day.
---
Far above Tokyo—
the same solitary figure stood hidden among the shadows of a distant rooftop.
Motionless.
Watching.
Dark eyes surveyed the city below.
Thousands of lights.
Thousands of lives.
Countless possibilities.
Tonight’s battle replayed quietly in his mind.
The Silver Crystal had not appeared.
But Sailor Moon had.
Again.
Interesting.
Below, laughter drifted faintly from the brightly lit arcade streets.
The figure watched the city a moment longer.
Thoughtful.
Then the darkness shifted.
And he vanished.
As though he had never been there at all.