> Interview with A Senshi
> 
> By 
> Nicholas Leifker
> And
> Andrew Norris
> 
> Disclaimer:  Sailor Moon, and all characters are owned by Naoko 
> Takeuchi.  No infringement is intended.
> This story may be distributed freely, as long as no profit is made, and 
> the whole body remains intact.
> 
> 
> ******
> Prologue
> 
> Live to Tell.
> ******
> 
> 
> Usagi stopped.
> 
> She looked back at the path she'd taken, hot, blissful air overfilling 
> her lungs.  She could taste the stench of the city around her, and feel 
> the pulse and noise of industry that surrounded her.  Letting fatigue 
> take over, she sat on the ledge, trying to get what energy she could 
> back.  She didn't notice the grime that smeared her skirt, or the black 
> smudges from the ledge she'd grabbed.  
> 
> Thoughts came back to her in that moment, words she tried to escape 
> from.  Michiru had no right to say what she had.  She'd been through the 
> same thing Usagi had been through, lived through the same battles, and 
> worn the same scars.  
> 
> Why, then, did Michiru say she needed a vent?  
> 
> Usagi took her mask off, and let out a long sigh.  Unfortunately, 
> Michiru was right - and Michiru did have a vent of her own.  The Senshi 
> of Neptune had the Senshi of Uranus to comfort her; together, they could 
> survive what two people separately could not.  They even had a child to 
> take care of, an instant family that almost made her weep with envy.  
> 
> Slowly, her body protesting every move, Usagi rose from her seat.  She 
> couldn't take much more, she knew; like an aged prizefighter, she'd been 
> banged up too much too soon, and the fights were taking their toll.  
> She'd fought with broken bones, hid the bags under her eyes with makeup 
> in school, occasionally caught the occasional snooze there, and put the 
> mask on to hide everything at night.
> 
> Tonight had been the final straw.  She'd nearly plunged to her death off 
> a maison; her body had made a protest at the wrong time, and she'd 
> missed a jump as a result.  Worse, as she fought to crawl her way up, a 
> voice inside of her spoke: Would it be so bad to fall?  In the end, 
> something would have to give; letting go of her pain was the only sane 
> option left.
> 
> But to who?
> 
> ********************************
> 
> Hikaru was bored.  
> 
> The apartment was all his, for once; his parents had left for Nagasaki 
> that morning.  All of his friends had found something else to do that 
> evening; not even the prospect of a home without parents could drag them 
> over.  He'd already beaten the video game he'd bought last week; all of 
> his studies had been completed an hour ago.  
> 
> Something needed to come into his life.  Something did.
> 
> A knock came from his window; he shuddered in surprise.  It was... her.  
> In a flash, he opened the window, letting her inside.  
> 
> "May I come in?"  The voice didn't sound proud or warlike; if anything, 
> it sounded tired.
> 
> "Sure," he replied, his eyes wide.  When seifuku-clad superheroes show 
> up at your window, it's best not to refuse.
> 
> She looked around, an act which caused him no small amount of 
> embarrassment at first.  She looked over his unmade bed, to the 
> collection of papers by his desk, to the posters covering his walls... 
> Only when she looked under the bed, at the pile of unwashed clothes 
> beneath, did he realize: she was wary not of messes, but of monsters.
> 
> She wrinkled her nose at the stench, then stared up at him.  "Hikaru, do 
> you remember when you found out about me?  The promise you made?"
> 
> Hikaru nodded carefully.  He hadn't told anyone; she had to know that.
> 
> She sighed, and sat down on his bed.  "Hikaru... now I need to trust you 
> with a lot more."
> 
> Hikaru let out a held breath.  "What?"
> 
> She took off her mask; he swallowed at how... ragged she looked.  Eyes 
> sagged with nights without sleep; a mouth that would look so much better 
> smiling simply didn't have the energy.  Smears of grime crossed her 
> body, soiling a once pure-white outfit.
> 
> The hero wasn't here; this was a warrior, pure and simple.  She let out 
> a long sigh.  "I need to tell my story... while I still can."
> 
> His eyes widened.  "What's wrong?"
> 
> Her mouth moved up and down, as though trying to find words.  "I... I'm 
> so tired.  I've fought for too long.  I... I need to vent to someone, 
> before I blow up or break down."  She met him with her perfect blue eyes 
> - the only pure part of her left.
> 
> In an instant, he nodded.  "Okay.  I'll listen, and never tell."
> 
> She smiled weakly.  "Good."  She looked around.  "Do you have anything 
> to drink?  I have a feeling this is going to be a long night."
> 
> He mentally berated himself; he never was much of a host.  "Sure.  Just 
> a sec."  He ran into the kitchen and prepared coffee as though life 
> depended on his speed.  He never thought brewing could take so long... 
> each drop seemed to torment him.
> 
> "Take it easy.  It'll wait."  
> 
> The voice startled him.  She stood a few feet behind, watching him 
> curiously.  "Huh?"
> 
> She smiled, as though she knew a riddle he didn't.  "Never be in a rush 
> if you don't have to.  The more you rush... the more you burn."
> 
> Hikaru blinked.  It really was a riddle she knew but he didn't.  He 
> waited for the coffee to finish, then poured two cups for them.
> 
> He stared at the black liquid in his mug.  "So.  What did you want to 
> tell me?"
> 
> She sat still for a moment; he could hear the cogs working inside her 
> head.  Finally, as though making some grand decision, she nodded to 
> herself, and smiled.
> 
> "Everything."
> 
> He blinked.  "Everything?"
> 
> Her smile widened; the mirth in her eyes was returning.  "Everything."
> 
> 
> *******
> Author's Notes:
> Andrew's
> The original idea for this came to me after reading Nick's Thin White 
> Line, so I suggested we do it.  And we are.
> 
> This is only the opening to the tale.
> 
> The first two parts will cover R, and S in the Interview With A Vampire 
> (Movie) format.
> Stars will be covered in the Third part, and a fourth will cover the 
> aftermath of the Choices Usagi made.
> 
> 
> We hope that you enjoy this story.
> 
> "Beware of fighting Monsters, lest ye become one."
> 
> Interview with A Senshi, Prologue, Authors:
> Andrew Norris
> Nicholas Leifker
> 2/20/00