Chapter 6

Matt held the receiver to his ear and waited anxiously to hear a voice on the other end. When Usagi's mom told him that his mom had called he couldn't believe it. An overwhelming feeling of hope and happiness surged into his chest and it was taking all of his willpower to keep from jumping up and down like a five-year old on his birthday. If mom could call him it mean they could send for help and get out whatever crazy situation they found themselves in. They could go home!

As soon as he heard the small click at the other end he practically yelled into the receiver. "Hello! Mom? You there? I know this gonna sound weird but Me and Lisa are in Japan and we can't find Xavier!"

He stopped to catch his breath as he had sounded far more afraid and desparate than he had meant to.

"I apologize for the confusion Mr. Shepard but this was the only feasible way I could get in contact with you".

Matt's spirits plummeted as he realized that the female voice on the line wasn't his mother's.

"Hello?" he asked tentatively. Even if it wasn't his mom maybe someone they knew had contacted them somehow.

"Please listen to me Mr. Shepard. I have been made aware of your party's predicament and I feel that a meeting to explain why you all have come here is necessary,"

Matthew pulled his head from the phone and simply stared at it for a moment. Whoever this is knew him, them, and she sounded like she knew more about what was going on than he did.

"Who are you?

"I am the one who has done your group a grave wrong in summoning you here. I fear that the danger this world will soon experience will claim more innocent lives. Please inform your comrades and meet me at the DKM apartment complex. Do you know where that is?"

"Wait! You brought us here? How? Why?" from the tone of his voice it was clear that his confusion was quickly giving way to anger. "Do you know what you put us through?"

"I do not intend to defend my mistakes but please heed me when I say that time is of the essence and we must to discuss the future," said the woman. Her tone was purely apologetic.

Matthew remained silent for a moment. After so much confusion he finally had some answers to the whole mess and it made him want to scream his head off at the woman on the phone but on the other hand he finally had some hope of getting back home. If this woman was the one who brought them here she could bring them back.

He took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking again. "Alright, give me the address and we'll be there. When we do you will give us some answers and send us home,"

"I will do my best to accommodate you," she answered.

The woman began reciting an address which Matt made sure to commit the location to memory. When she finished he looked around for a pen and a piece of paper to write it down but could find none in the cozy looking kitchen.

"I am aware of the difficult circumstances you have found yourselves in but please make it to that address as soon as possible,"

"Right, we'll be there, goodbye," he hung up the phone and let of sigh exasperation at having his hopes crushed. Sure, now he had a way of finding out just what the hell had happened to them today but he'd had given anything to see home again.

He leaned against the wall and let his mind work on how he was going to break the news to Lisa. He was worried that all the changes she had gone through were getting to her and without a way home it would only get worse. Then there was the fact he had to lead her to some apartment building to meet a strange woman who says she's the one responsible for it all. What's that going to do to her?

"This meeting has to happen," he thought to himself. "It's the only way we can make sense out of this!"

He made his way up the stairs as his resolve solidified. However Lisa took the news and whatever happened after that he'd have to be the one she could rely on.

Lisa let her head rest in her hands as she continued to listen to Usagi and Naru's "practice session". She let Luna, Usagi's totally- normal- not- talking- black- cat, rest peacefully on her lap. Truth be told she had no idea how to react when she saw her. She was so focused on keeping her mouth closed and not blurting out "Hi!" to the feline that she accepted Usagi's offer without thinking. She was worried that she and Matt would be found out. Naru knew nothing and Usagi was too much of an air-head to notice but Luna was smart. What was she going to find?

As the minutes ticked by she couldn't help but tap her feet to the melody of the song coming from the tape player. Not because the song was any good but because she was trying to hide her impatience. Matt's mom just called! They could finally get out of here and back home. She had no idea how she was going to explain her changed appearance or how she got to Japan of all places but she could worry about that later. Right now she had to act like everything was normal especially with the famous black magical cat sitting in her lap..

As the song mercifully came to an end, Usagi turned toward Lisa with a smile and held the pen she was using as a mock microphone out to her.

"You want to try?" Usagi offered.

Lisa shook her head. "No thanks, I don't sing,"

"That's okay! Neither do they!" said the voice of a young male on the other side of the bedroom door.

Usagi pounded on the door and stomped her foot in annoyance. "Shingo! Have you been listening the entire time?"

"Of course not, Big Sis! I'd be dead right now if I had to listen to that!"

That did it. Usagi ripped open the door and stuck her tongue out as far as she could to let the little troll she shared a house with know just how she felt. Only to find the chest of the tall boy she had just met at this morning. She looked up at him, her tongue vanishing back into her mouth, and gave an apologetic smile.

"Oops! I didn't know it was you Shepard-San! I was just trying to catch a little demon that was at my door just a second ago!"

"You'll never catch me!" the sounds of running footfalls followed by the slam of a door signaled the younger Tsukino siblings' retreat into his room.

"Ugh! He's so annoying!" yelled Usagi. Returning her attention back to her guest, she stepped back into her room and let Matt inside.

"So what did your mom say? Are you guys gonna stay here in Juuban?" Usagi asked with anticipation clear on her face.

Matt froze. "Shit! I forgot to come up with a lie to tell everyone!"

He looked to Lisa for some sort of sign or idea but instead only found her pointing subtly toward her lap. As soon as he saw the face of the black cat staring back at him he knew his job had just gotten much harder. Luna, the magic cat herself, was waiting for what he was going to say. He had to think of something quick. Something a normal exchange student would say.

"We're.." he began and paused briefly to gather his thoughts. "…going to look for an apartment to live in,"

Lisa immediately looked confused but was quick to hide it.

"You don't already have a place to stay?" asked Naru.

"We've been living in hotel rooms up until now," Matt answered. "But that's getting expensive really quick, so we need to find a more permanent place to live,"

For a second Usagi seemed shocked. She looked to Lisa then back Matt with a blush clear on her face. "You mean you two um, share a room?"

"No! Of course not!" Lisa chimed in. "He means we've been staying in different rooms while we were here,"

"Still you have to admit it's kind of romantic," said Naru. "A couple, lost in a foreign land, no parents to tell them what to do or where to go, just the two of them,"

"Believe me it's nowhere near that fun. Traveling around with Mr. Shepard here is more work than fun,"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Gee, Thanks Lisa"

She gave him a playful wink back at him. "Don't mention it,"

"Anyway, Mom picked out an address for us and she wants us to go check it out. Preferably, as soon as possible,"

A moment passed between the two displaced teenagers and Matt realized the Lisa was expecting more. He had just given her hope that they could escape whatever weird situation they had fallen into but all he came back with was a story about hotel rooms. Realizing nothing more was coming, she gently brushed Luna off her lap and stood up. "That sounds good, it's time for us to go anyway,"

"Wait! Please stay for one more song! It's a duet, the one we're going to sing for the contest!" pleaded Usagi.

Naru copied her friend's earnestness. "It'll be a good one. Ready Usagi?" she asked as the music began to play

"Ready!"

"One, two and…"

Both girls started to sing the lyrics. They hadn't improved at all since the last time and their forced attempt to sing in harmony only managed to drown each other's voices out. At some point, Usagi must have wanted more stage presence as she nudged Naru to the side. By the frown on her face it was clear she didn't appreciate this at all as she retook he place and shoved Usagi out of the way. The clumsy blonde lost her balance from the sudden movement and stepped on Naru's foot. The poor girl let out a squawk bringing the performance to an abrupt end.

"Usagi! Watch where you're stepping!"

"Watch where you're stepping! You pushed me!" Usagi snapped back.

"You pushed me first! And you were singing off-key!"

"I was not! My singing was perfect, wasn't it guys?" she directed her question at Matt and Lisa.

"No, no, no! We are not getting in the middle of this! Matt it's time to go," said Lisa.

Matt nodded. "Yeah, see ya guys" The both of them headed for the door. "Thanks for inviting us over,".

Naru turned on her heel away from her former partner. "Hmph! maybe I should be going too. I bet I can win the contest without a certain clumsy someone stepping all over me the whole time!"

"Oh yeah, well, I don't need you either. I'll be the idol that Shiratori-san picks,".

Naru rolled her eyes as she walked out the door. "Sure Usagi," The sound of her bedroom door closing was last one the pig-tailed girl heard before the room became utterly silent.

"I will!" the blonde yelled back. Alone and in a bad mood, she flopped on her bed and pouted. "I'll definitely be a star!"

"Maybe you should pay more attention to your friends Usagi" suggested a familiar voice.

She rolled onto her stomach and sighed. "Why should I? There's no way she could win the contest without me, we're supposed to be a team!"

"Honestly, I doubt she would've won with your help"

"Luna!"

"I'm just being honest; I really don't see why this contest means so much to you two,"

"Everybody wants to feel special and being an idol singer is every girl's dream! Having people come out and see you and you seeing them enjoy your music must feel incredible!" A starry eyed expression overcame the eighth grader's face as her imagination got the best of her.

"Yes well, I meant you should keep a closer eye on the people you surround yourself with, especially that new girl you brought here,"

"Dovahkiin-san? What about her?"

"Do you remember when I told you how I knew you were a sailor senshi?"

Usagi thought for a moment. "You said you just knew, right?"

"In laymen's terms yes. I felt the latent energy within you, which is how I knew you were Sailor Moon,"

"Okay but what's that got to do with her?"

"The entire time she was here I could feel… something in her,"

Usagi's eyes widened. "You think she's like me?"

"I don't think so. When I found you I recognized immediately that you'd be an ally. I had some idea of what to expect. But Dovahkiin is different; I sensed something strange in her. I don't know how to describe it fully but it felt powerful and ancient. I never felt anything like it,"

Now the teenage girl seemed both fascinated and worried. "You don't think she's one of those monsters do you?"

"No, not that either. Just be careful around her and the boy too. They may seem human but that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous,"

Usagi took a breath and lied on her back. "I'm sure it's nothing. They're friends, you'll see"

"I hope you're right," the black cat jumped onto the bed and curled up next to the girl she had sworn in an age long past to find and train.

"We'll all be friends," Usagi whispered to herself as she drifted onto sleep.

Xavier slumped in the chair that he'd been ordered to sit in by what he assumed was a school admin. Everything that had had happened since he woke up had all gone by in a haze and he was having trouble getting his head on straight. For starters when did he get back in school? And just where in school was he? The room he was in looked like a principal's office only much nicer and filled with expensive looking furniture. On the back wall hung a row of diplomas and awards from people and places he had neither the patience nor desire to read. Even the filing cabinets looked like the ones God himself would use and above it all was the smell. Everything smelled so clean and pristine as if no human being had ever put so much as a finger on anything in here.

The only thing out of place was the desktop computer and the monitor sitting on the desk. They were bulky and definitely outdated though it was obvious that whoever's office this was wanted the obsolete hunk of junk looking like it cost a fortune with what looked like a custom casing with a Windows 3.0 label displayed proudly across it. The guy works in the cushiest office in the world but uses an OS so flimsy you can crash it by staring at it long enough?

The sound of footsteps and a doorknob being turned tore his attention away from the ancient machine and toward the door. He expected to see some old fart shuffling into the room, here to tell him he was a bad boy and wagging his finger in his face. Instead his mouth practically hit the floor as a gorgeous red-haired woman wearing a dress that matched her hair perfectly strolled into the room. She radiated an aura of authority and the look on her face was stern and confident but somehow disinterested and distant like she wanted to be anywhere but here. Xavier could sympathize; he wanted to be anywhere this goddess was.

Said Goddess sat down at the desk and brought her fingers together as she finally decided to grace him with her attention. From the way she sat she probably meant to intimidate him but the way she was leaning across the desk in front of him was stirring up very different feelings.

"Holy plunging necklines Batman!"

"State your name," she asked.

"Huh?"

"State your name" she repeated.

"Xavier Lewis,"

She ruffled through a stack of papers on her desk until she came to one and held it in front of her.

"It says here your name is Lycan Smellfear,"

"WHAT?" Xavier eyes leapt from the woman's chest to her face as she said the name.

"You are the new British transfer student Lycan Smellfear, your former teacher from the Gilnean Academy wrote a very positive recommendation and your academic record seems to justify his confidence,"

Xavier stared at the woman with wide, confused eyes. "Lady, what the hell are you talking about? Did you hack my Warcraft account or something?"

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose and massaged her temples in frustration. "I honestly don't need your name when I have your file in front of me so I'll cut to the chase. From what I understand you insulted one of our student-faculty by "propositioning" her as if she were a "common whore".

"Hey I didn't call her a whore! I just thought that maybe we could get together sometime and if she was feeling me we could..."

"Spare me the details Mr. Smellfear. The fact is such behavior cannot be tolerated here at the Infinity Academy. I'm noting this on your record and will let Bidou-san decide what to do with you,"

As she finished talking a loud beeping noise sounded from her watch. She glanced at it briefly before gathering a few papers and rising hastily from her seat.

"This meeting is over. Return to class immediately,"

She walked toward the door without giving the transfer student a second glance.

"Question!"

The lovely principal flashed the boy a glare of annoyance before turning away . Not even looking him in the eyes as she spoke.

"What is it?'

The boy jumped to his feet, took a deep breath and expressed his confusion as best he could. "Who the hell are you? Where the hell am I? and what the fuck is going on?"

The impatient woman muttered a curse of her own before turning the knob and pushing the door open.

"Ask a teacher!" she shot back before walking out of the office, leaving the hopelessly lost boy alone in a world he didn't understand anymore.

Kaolinite rushed out of her office and through the vaunted halls of the Infinity Academy. Of all the times to get a summons it had to be in between classes when the students were filling the halls. If she had to wade through the masses all the way to the lab she'd be late and there was no way she was going to be late for Him. In her haste she bumped into a male student, knocking the books he had clutched to his chest onto the floor. Undeterred she forged ahead until the crowd of students dwindled to nothing and she was finally alone.

In front of her was the most unassuming door at the end of a narrow hallway that no students and only "select" faculty had access to. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small card which she slid into the reader parallel to the door frame. A soft "click" sound told her the door had opened and she made way her way through. In front of her a long staircase descended into darkness. There were no lights in the corridor so she made sure keep one hand on the wall to keep her balance. When she made it to the bottom she allowed her eyes time to adjust to the low-light for a moment then walked up to another door. Unlike the previous one, this one was metallic and there was no knob to turn or a card reader she could swipe her card through. Instead a number pad was affixed the wall with each button illuminated giving off the only source of light. She entered the correct code with a swiftness that came with years of practice and watched the door slide into the wall to the right as it had always done. She ran her hand through her voluminous hair before she strode into the secret underground laboratory housed just beneath the school where her beloved was no doubt working diligently on his great work.

"Good evening Kaori-kun" the man in a white lab coat in front of her greeted her with a serious yet mirthful tone. Kaolinite had always admired her leader's ability to sound so composed and so jovial at the same time.

"It is still morning professor but as always it's a pleasure seeing you," Kaolinite answered back.

The man raised his head and looked toward the ceiling as if searching for something.

"Ah! You're right! Forgive me; time always seems to slip by unnoticed,"

"I know how hard you work," said Kaolinite as she approached him. "Brilliance needs to time to shine," She tried to rest her hands on his shoulders but he suddenly made a quick turn just as her fingers were about to touch him.

"And that's why time will never evade me again!" he turned toward her allowing her to see his clock-patterned tie he wore proudly over his lab coat.

"The beginning of every experiment is important Kaori-kun, since time never moves backward that means you have to begin right because you can't start the beginning again after it's begun,"

"I…of course, sir,"

"So let's begin with this," he reached into his lab coat pocket a pulled out a small powder-blue box.

"I called you here Kaori-kun because I want you to be that new beginning,"

Kaolinite's heart fluttered in her chest as hope that the item in the box was the thing she had seen in her dreams. The professor got down on one knee, looked up at her and opened the clamshell latch.

Excitement turned to confusion when she saw that what was in the box was not the golden bangle from her fantasies but a small pale-pink seed sticking up from the cushion inlaid in the box's frame.

"This is a daemon seed, the result of years of work to make a new beginning in the world,"

"It's truly a…marvel sir," she couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice but if the professor picked up on it he didn't seem to care.

"But it's untested and that's no way for science to proceed! It needs a human host to bond with and as the principal I think you know better than I who'd make the best test subject,"

A wicked smile appeared on Kaolinite's face as an malicious idea entered her mind. "As a matter of fact I know just the one,"

Professor Tomoe shot up from the ground and raised his hands in the air without a care in the world and let out a yelp of excitement. "A new experiment always sends my spirit soaring!"

"As they do mine, sir"

"Good! Then I'm counting on you for a spectacular test Kaori-kun!"

"I won't fail you professor," she took the box from him and turned to the exit making sure to disturb the professor's latest work as little as possible.

"One more thing my dear Kaori!"

The sudden call from the professor almost made Kaolinite lose her balance but she quickly corrected herself and dutifully faced her employer and secret crush.

"Yes?"

He spread his arms and legs out wide as if he were preparing to give a giant teddy bear a hug. "Does this tie make me look silly?"

The surprised red-head dipped her head to hide the flush of embarrassment on her face. "Of course not sir. It makes you look very handsome,"

The professor's smile, as always, never faded from his face. "Thank you for your honesty Kaori-kun,"

With that she nodded and headed out the door once more. When she was gone Professor Tomoe stood there motionless for a moment, basking in the glory that was good fashion sense. He then swiped the tie from his neck, tossed it over his shoulder and watched it fall into a pool of chemicals he had placed on his desk. He watched it dissolve with glee as the fibers frayed then vanished into the volatile concoction.

"I hate ties! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"